Sophocles, Antigone, Robert Potter (Translator), 44

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Creon

Thy charge forbade. Speak I now plain and clear ?

How was she seen? how was she found? How seized ?

Antigone. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.

Current edition Experimental

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόῤῥητον πόλει·

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόῤῥητον πόλει;

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόῤῥητον πόλει;

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ', ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 44.mvp-line-44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ’, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόῤῥητον πόλει;

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 44.mvp-line-44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 44 focus

ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφʼ, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 44 focus

ἢ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφ᾽, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 44 focus

KREON

Gut zielst du mit den Worten, und verschanzest dich

rings trefflich; sicher bringst du schwere Neuigkeit.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 44 focus

Creonte

¿No hablarás ya y te alejarás en seguida?

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 44 focus

Creon

Nonne dices tandem, perfunctusque abibis?

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 44 focus

CB

Let us have done with you. Tell your tale, and go.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 39 focus

Was kann ich, wenn dies also steht, Unselige,¹

Hier, lösend oder bindend, uns zum Frommen thun?
40

Antigone.

Sieh, ob du helfen, ob die Mühe theilen wirst

Ismene.

Bei welchem Unterfangen? Wo geräthst du hin?

Antigone.

Ob du den Todten, mir gesellt, aufnehmen willst!

Ismene.

Ihn denn bestatten willst du, dem Verbot zum Troz?

Antigone.

Ja, meinen Bruder und den deinen, wenn auch du
45

Nicht willst; denn niemals soll man mich Verrathes zeih'n!²

Ismene.

Tollkühne, während Kreon's Wort es dir verwehrt?

Antigone.

Fern halten darf mich dieser nie von meiner Pflicht.

Ismene.

Weh mir! Bedenk', o Schwester, wie der Vater uns,

Mit Haß und Hohn belastet, ruhmlos unterging,
50

Nachdem er selbst um Gräuel, die er selbst enthüllt,

Der Augen Sterne sich zerriß mit eigner Hand;

Wie dann die Mutter, Mutter ihm und Weib zugleich,

Schmachvoll mit frevlem Strange sich das Leben nahm;

Zum dritten, wie die Brüder beid' an Einem Tag
55

Im Wechselmord sich ein gemeinsam Todesloos,

Die Armen, schufen, Einer durch des Andern Hand!

Wir sind allein jezt übrig; du bedenke denn,

Wie schmählich wir verdürben, wenn wir wider Necht

Der Herrscher Ausspruch und Gewalt mißachteten.
60

Wohl mußt du doch erwägen, daß wir Frauen sind,

Und nicht geschaffen, Männern kühn im Kampf zu steh'n,

Dann aber, daß wir, weil beherrscht von Stärkeren,

Hier folgen müssen und sogar in Härterem.

Drum will ich jene, die der Erde Schooß verbirgt,³
65

Anfleh'n um Nachsicht, weil Gewalt mich bindet hier,

Und ihm gehorchen, dem die Macht geworden ist;

Denn Unverstand ist's, über seine Kraft zu thun.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 44 focus

Creon

Who dared do this ?

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 44 focus

EL CENTINELA

Ante todo te diré, por lo que á mi se refiere, que ni yo he ejecutado la acción, ni sé quién es el autor del hecho: en justicia, pues, no se me debe imponer á mi castigo.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 44 focus

KREON

So sag’ esizt, und gehe wieder weiter!

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 44 focus

Creon

Then tell it, wilt thou, and so get thee gone?

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 1-98 focus

Antigone

Ismene, my sister, true child of my own mother, do you know any evil out of all the evils bequeathed by Oedipus that Zeus will not fulfil for the two of us in our lifetime? There is nothing—no pain, no ruin,
1

no shame, nor dishonor—that I have not seen in your sufferings and mine. And now what is this new edict that they say the general has just decreed to all the city? Do you know anything? Have you heard? Or does it escape you that
5

evils from our enemies are on the march against our friends?
10

Ismene

To me no word of our friends, Antigone, either bringing joy or bringing pain has come since we two were robbed of our two brothers who died in one day by a double blow.

And since the Argive army has fled during this night, I have learned nothing further, whether better fortune is mine, or further ruin.
15

Antigone

I knew it well, so I was trying to bring you outside the courtyard gates to this end, that you alone might hear.

Ismene

Hear what? It is clear that you are brooding on some dark news.
20

Antigone

Why not? Has not Creon destined our brothers, the one to honored burial, the other to unburied shame? Eteocles, they say, with due observance of right and custom, he has laid in the earth

for his honor among the dead below. As for the poor corpse of Polyneices, however, they say that an edict has been published to the townsmen that no one shall bury him or mourn him, but instead leave him unwept, unentombed, for the birds a pleasing store
25

as they look to satisfy their hunger. Such, it is said, is the edict that the good Creon has laid down for you and for me—yes, for me—and it is said that he is coming here to proclaim it for the certain knowledge of those who do not already know. They say that he does not conduct this business lightly,
30

but whoever performs any of these rites, for him the fate appointed is death by public stoning among the entire city. This is how things stand for you, and so you will soon show your nature, whether you are noble-minded, or the corrupt daughter of a noble line.
35

Ismene

Poor sister, if things have come to this, what would I

profit by loosening or tightening this knot?
40

Antigone

Consider whether you will share the toil and the task.

Ismene

What are you hazarding? What do you intend?

Antigone

Will you join your hand to mine in order to lift his corpse?

Ismene

You plan to bury him—when it is forbidden to the city?

Antigone

Yes, he is my brother, and yours too, even if you wish it otherwise. I will never be convicted of betraying him.
45

Ismene

Hard girl! Even when Creon has forbidden it?

Antigone

No, he has no right to keep me from my own.

Ismene

Ah, no! Think, sister, how our father

perished in hatred and infamy, when, because of the crimes that he himself detected, he smashed both his eyes with self-blinding hand; then his mother-wife, two names in one, with a twisted noose destroyed her life;
50

lastly, our two brothers in a single day, both unhappy murderers of their own flesh and blood, worked with mutual hands their common doom. And now we, in turn—we two who have been left all alone—consider how much more miserably we will be destroyed, if in defiance of the law
55

we transgress against an autocrat’s decree or his powers. No, we must remember, first, that ours is a woman’s nature, and accordingly not suited to battles against men; and next, that we are ruled by the more powerful, so that we must obey in these things and in things even more stinging.
60

I, therefore, will ask those below for pardon, since I am forced to this, and will obey those who have come to authority. It is foolish to do what is fruitless.
65

Antigone

I would not encourage you—no, nor, even if you were willing later,

would I welcome you as my partner in this action. No, be the sort that pleases you. I will bury him—it would honor me to die while doing that. I shall rest with him, loved one with loved one, a pious criminal. For the time is greater
70

that I must serve the dead than the living, since in that world I will rest forever. But if you so choose, continue to dishonor what the gods in honor have established.
75

Ismene

I do them no dishonor. But to act in violation of the citizens’ will—of that I am by nature incapable.

Antigone

You can make that your pretext! Regardless, I will go now to heap a tomb over the brother I love.
80

Ismene

Oh no, unhappy sister! I fear for you!

Antigone

Do not tremble for me. Straighten out your own destiny.

Ismene

Then at least disclose the deed to no one before you do it.

Conceal it, instead, in secrecy—and so, too, will I.
85

Antigone

Go on! Denounce it! You will be far more hated for your silence, if you fail to proclaim these things to everyone.

Ismene

You have a hot heart for chilling deeds.

Antigone

I know that I please those whom I am most bound to please.

Ismene

Yes, if you will also have the power. But you crave the impossible.
90

Antigone

Why then, when my strength fails, I will have finished.

Ismene

An impossible hunt should not be tried in the first place.

Antigone

If you mean that, you will have my hatred, and you will be subject to punishment as the enemy of the dead.

But leave me and the foolish plan I have authored to suffer this terrible thing, for I will not suffer anything so terrible that my death will lack honor.
95

Ismene

Go, then, if you so decide. And of this be sure: though your path is foolish, to your loved ones your love is straight and true. Exit Antigone on the spectators’ left. Ismene exits into the palace.

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-249-1 σὺ μέν ¹ κομίζοις ἂν ς ²

mvp-comment-249-2 ἔξω ³ β. αἰτίας ⁴ ἐλεύθερον ⁵

mvp-comment-250-1 μῆκος ⁶

mvp-comment-251-1 ᾔδησθα ⁷ ᾔδης τὰ ⁸ σθα ⁹

mvp-comment-251-2 κηρυχθέντα ¹⁰

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

445. mvp-comment-255-1 Free and exempt from grievous imputation.

446. mvp-comment-256-1 μήκος Adverbial, cp. O. С. 92, κέρδη μὲν οἰκήσαντα τοῖς δεδεγμένοις.

446. mvp-comment-256-2 'Tell us, no long tale, but briefly, knew you of the edict that forbade this deed? I knew; 'twas plain enough. How could I fail to know? And were you, then, so hardy as to transgress our law? That edict came not to me from the mouth of Zeus, nor from the Right, whose throne is with the Gods below. They also have appointed unto men a law. Methought your edict could not so prevail, as that a mortal should overleap the silent irrefragable ordinances of heaven. Their life is not of to-day or yesterday. They are eternal. None knoweth of a time when they began. I feared not so the mind of any man, as to incur before the Gods the penalty of that law. I knew, forsooth, without your edict, that I was to die. And if I am to die before the time, I count it gain. For he must surely gain by death who lives, as I do, midst abounding woes. And so for me to meet this doom is a grief I reck not of. If I had borne to leave unburied the corpse, fallen in carnage, of my mother's son, that had been a grief to me, but this is no grief. And if I seem to you to be now doing foolishly, it comes to this;-I am condemned of folly by a fool.'

447. mvp-comment-257-1 τὰ κηρυχθέντα The proclamation made. Cobet's conjecture ᾔδησθα κηρυχθέντα (Νov. Lect. 1858. p. 215), while restoring the recognised Attic form, is unobjectionable in point of syntax. But the use of the article in pointing to his own decree is characteristic of Creon, and if ἠείδης is retained in the Iliad, 22. 280, why not ᾔδης in Tragedy?

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Creon Thy charge forbade. Speak I now plain and clear ? How was she seen? how was she found? How seized ?

Current edition Experimental

KREON Gut zielst du mit den Worten, und verschanzest dich rings trefflich; sicher bringst du schwere Neuigkeit.

Creonte ¿No hablarás ya y te alejarás en seguida?

Creon Nonne dices tandem, perfunctusque abibis?

CB Let us have done with you. Tell your tale, and go.

Was kann ich, wenn dies also steht, Unselige, 1 Hier, lösend oder bindend, uns zum Frommen thun? 40

Antigone. Sieh, ob du helfen, ob die Mühe theilen wirst

Ismene. Bei welchem Unterfangen? Wo geräthst du hin?

Antigone. Ob du den Todten, mir gesellt, aufnehmen willst!

Ismene. Ihn denn bestatten willst du, dem Verbot zum Troz?

Antigone. Ja, meinen Bruder und den deinen, wenn auch du 45 Nicht willst; denn niemals soll man mich Verrathes zeih'n! 2

Ismene. Tollkühne, während Kreon's Wort es dir verwehrt?

Antigone. Fern halten darf mich dieser nie von meiner Pflicht.

Creon Who dared do this ?

EL CENTINELA Ante todo te diré, por lo que á mi se refiere, que ni yo he ejecutado la acción, ni sé quién es el autor del hecho: en justicia, pues, no se me debe imponer á mi castigo.

KREON So sag’ esizt, und gehe wieder weiter!

Creon Then tell it, wilt thou, and so get thee gone?

Antigone I knew it well, so I was trying to bring you outside the courtyard gates to this end, that you alone might hear.

Ismene Hear what? It is clear that you are brooding on some dark news. 20

Ismene Poor sister, if things have come to this, what would I profit by loosening or tightening this knot? 40

Antigone Consider whether you will share the toil and the task.

Ismene What are you hazarding? What do you intend?

Antigone Will you join your hand to mine in order to lift his corpse?

Ismene You plan to bury him—when it is forbidden to the city?

Antigone Yes, he is my brother, and yours too, even if you wish it otherwise. I will never be convicted of betraying him. 45

Ismene Hard girl! Even when Creon has forbidden it?

Antigone No, he has no right to keep me from my own.

Ismene I do them no dishonor. But to act in violation of the citizens’ will—of that I am by nature incapable.

Antigone You can make that your pretext! Regardless, I will go now to heap a tomb over the brother I love. 80

Ismene Oh no, unhappy sister! I fear for you!

Antigone Do not tremble for me. Straighten out your own destiny.

Ismene Then at least disclose the deed to no one before you do it. Conceal it, instead, in secrecy—and so, too, will I. 85

Antigone Go on! Denounce it! You will be far more hated for your silence, if you fail to proclaim these things to everyone.

Ismene You have a hot heart for chilling deeds.

Antigone I know that I please those whom I am most bound to please.

Ismene Yes, if you will also have the power. But you crave the impossible. 90

Antigone Why then, when my strength fails, I will have finished.

Ismene An impossible hunt should not be tried in the first place.

Antigone If you mean that, you will have my hatred, and you will be subject to punishment as the enemy of the dead. But leave me and the foolish plan I have authored to suffer this terrible thing, for I will not suffer anything so terrible that my death will lack honor. 95

Ismene Go, then, if you so decide. And of this be sure: though your path is foolish, to your loved ones your love is straight and true. Exit Antigone on the spectators’ left. Ismene exits into the palace.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Creon

Thy charge forbade. Speak I now plain and clear ?

How was she seen? how was she found? How seized ?

KREON

Gut zielst du mit den Worten, und verschanzest dich

rings trefflich; sicher bringst du schwere Neuigkeit.

Creonte

¿No hablarás ya y te alejarás en seguida?

Creon

Nonne dices tandem, perfunctusque abibis?

CB

Let us have done with you. Tell your tale, and go.

Was kann ich, wenn dies also steht, Unselige,¹

Hier, lösend oder bindend, uns zum Frommen thun?
40

Antigone.

Sieh, ob du helfen, ob die Mühe theilen wirst

Ismene.

Bei welchem Unterfangen? Wo geräthst du hin?

Antigone.

Ob du den Todten, mir gesellt, aufnehmen willst!

Ismene.

Ihn denn bestatten willst du, dem Verbot zum Troz?

Antigone.

Ja, meinen Bruder und den deinen, wenn auch du
45

Nicht willst; denn niemals soll man mich Verrathes zeih'n!²

Ismene.

Tollkühne, während Kreon's Wort es dir verwehrt?

Antigone.

Fern halten darf mich dieser nie von meiner Pflicht.

Creon

Who dared do this ?

EL CENTINELA

Ante todo te diré, por lo que á mi se refiere, que ni yo he ejecutado la acción, ni sé quién es el autor del hecho: en justicia, pues, no se me debe imponer á mi castigo.

KREON

So sag’ esizt, und gehe wieder weiter!

Creon

Then tell it, wilt thou, and so get thee gone?

Antigone

I knew it well, so I was trying to bring you outside the courtyard gates to this end, that you alone might hear.

Ismene

Hear what? It is clear that you are brooding on some dark news.
20

Ismene

Poor sister, if things have come to this, what would I

profit by loosening or tightening this knot?
40

Antigone

Consider whether you will share the toil and the task.

Ismene

What are you hazarding? What do you intend?

Antigone

Will you join your hand to mine in order to lift his corpse?

Ismene

You plan to bury him—when it is forbidden to the city?

Antigone

Yes, he is my brother, and yours too, even if you wish it otherwise. I will never be convicted of betraying him.
45

Ismene

Hard girl! Even when Creon has forbidden it?

Antigone

No, he has no right to keep me from my own.

Ismene

I do them no dishonor. But to act in violation of the citizens’ will—of that I am by nature incapable.

Antigone

You can make that your pretext! Regardless, I will go now to heap a tomb over the brother I love.
80

Ismene

Oh no, unhappy sister! I fear for you!

Antigone

Do not tremble for me. Straighten out your own destiny.

Ismene

Then at least disclose the deed to no one before you do it.

Conceal it, instead, in secrecy—and so, too, will I.
85

Antigone

Go on! Denounce it! You will be far more hated for your silence, if you fail to proclaim these things to everyone.

Ismene

You have a hot heart for chilling deeds.

Antigone

I know that I please those whom I am most bound to please.

Ismene

Yes, if you will also have the power. But you crave the impossible.
90

Antigone

Why then, when my strength fails, I will have finished.

Ismene

An impossible hunt should not be tried in the first place.

Antigone

If you mean that, you will have my hatred, and you will be subject to punishment as the enemy of the dead.

But leave me and the foolish plan I have authored to suffer this terrible thing, for I will not suffer anything so terrible that my death will lack honor.
95

Ismene

Go, then, if you so decide. And of this be sure: though your path is foolish, to your loved ones your love is straight and true. Exit Antigone on the spectators’ left. Ismene exits into the palace.