Sophocles, Antigone, Robert Potter (Translator), 45

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Messenger

I will inform thee of each circumstance.

Under thy dreadful menace to the place

Soon as we came, we swept the dust away,

The dead which cover'd o'er, and laying bare

The putrid body, on the higher ground

In the free wind sate down, th' infectious smell

Avoiding: man urged man, with keen reproach

Utter'd 'gainst him who from the task should shrink.

The hours thus pass'd till in its mid-day height

Stood the sun's radiant orb; the heat was fierce;

When sudden from the ground a fiery wind

Rose in tempestuous whirls, the troubled sky

Its wild rage rent, swept o'er the plain, and smote

The leafy branches of each bending tree;

Now the wide air was fill'd with dust; our eyes

We closed by this ethereal pest annoy'd.

At length a calm succeeds; the virgin then

Is seen, lamenting shrill with plaintive notes,

Like the poor bird that sees her lonely nest

Spoil'd of her young; so when she sees the dead

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)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σὸν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σὸν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἣν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 45.mvp-line-45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέληις,

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμόν, καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμόν, καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 45.mvp-line-45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 45 focus

τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέληις.

Translations (10)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 45 focus

WÄCHTER

Das Schreckenvolle schüchtert mich gewaltig ein.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 45 focus

El Centinela

Pues te hablo: al muerto lo ha sepultado alguien hace poco, y después de cubrir con polvo seco el cadáver y celebrar las sagradas ceremonias, ha desaparecido.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 45 focus

Custos

Atqui tibi dico: mortuum aliquis modo sepelivit, abiitque, postquam cadaver arido sparsit pulvere, inferiasque pro.more fecit.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 45 focus

WATCH

Well, here it is. The corse hath burial
245

From some one who is stolen away and gone,
245

But first hath strown dry dust upon the skin,

And added what religious rites require.

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)) — 45 focus

Messenger

'Tis yet unknown ; no mark of instrument

Is left behind : the earth still level all,
250

Nor worn by track of chariot wheel. The guard,

Who watched that day, call it a miracle ;

No tomb was raised ; light lay the scattered earth,

As only meant to avoid the imputed curse ;

Nor could we trace the steps of dog or bea.st

Passing that way. Instant a tumult rose ;

The guards accused each other ; nought was proved,

But each suspected each, and all denied,

Offering, in proof of innocence, to grasp

The burning steel, to walk through fire, and take

Their solemn oath they knew not of the deed ;

At length, one mightier than the rest, proposed —

Nor could we think of better means — that all

Should be to thee discovered ; 'twas my lot

To bring th' unwelcome tidings, and I come

To pour my news unwilling into ears

Unwilling to receive it, for 1 know
275

None ever loved the messenger of ill.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 45 focus

CREONTE

¿Y á qué vienen todas esas precauciones; para qué todos esos rodeos? Alguna gran novedad parece que vas á anunciarme.

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 45 focus

DER BOTE

Ich sag’ esdir. Es hat den Todten eben
255

Begraben eines, das entkam, die Haut zweimal

Mit Staub bestreut, und, wies geziemt, gefeiert.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 45 focus

Guard

Well, this is it—The corpse—some one hath just given it burial, and gone away,—after sprinkling thirsty dust on the flesh, with such other rites as piety enjoins, .

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-253-1 καὶ δῆτ’ ¹

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

449. mvp-comment-258-1 καὶ δῆτα And then. Cp. Plat. Theaet. 142 C, καὶ δῆτα προπέμψας αὐτόν, ἀπιὼν πάλιν, κ.τ.λ.

449. mvp-comment-258-2 τούσδε . . νόμους These laws, i. e. The laws whose majesty is vested in me. For this use of the demonstrative, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 34.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

WÄCHTER Das Schreckenvolle schüchtert mich gewaltig ein.

El Centinela Pues te hablo: al muerto lo ha sepultado alguien hace poco, y después de cubrir con polvo seco el cadáver y celebrar las sagradas ceremonias, ha desaparecido.

Custos Atqui tibi dico: mortuum aliquis modo sepelivit, abiitque, postquam cadaver arido sparsit pulvere, inferiasque pro.more fecit.

WATCH Well, here it is. The corse hath burial 245 From some one who is stolen away and gone, 245 But first hath strown dry dust upon the skin, And added what religious rites require.

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.

CREONTE ¿Y á qué vienen todas esas precauciones; para qué todos esos rodeos? Alguna gran novedad parece que vas á anunciarme.

DER BOTE Ich sag’ esdir. Es hat den Todten eben 255 Begraben eines, das entkam, die Haut zweimal Mit Staub bestreut, und, wies geziemt, gefeiert.

Guard Well, this is it—The corpse—some one hath just given it burial, and gone away,—after sprinkling thirsty dust on the flesh, with such other rites as piety enjoins, .

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

WÄCHTER

Das Schreckenvolle schüchtert mich gewaltig ein.

El Centinela

Pues te hablo: al muerto lo ha sepultado alguien hace poco, y después de cubrir con polvo seco el cadáver y celebrar las sagradas ceremonias, ha desaparecido.

Custos

Atqui tibi dico: mortuum aliquis modo sepelivit, abiitque, postquam cadaver arido sparsit pulvere, inferiasque pro.more fecit.

WATCH

Well, here it is. The corse hath burial
245

From some one who is stolen away and gone,
245

But first hath strown dry dust upon the skin,

And added what religious rites require.

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.

CREONTE

¿Y á qué vienen todas esas precauciones; para qué todos esos rodeos? Alguna gran novedad parece que vas á anunciarme.

DER BOTE

Ich sag’ esdir. Es hat den Todten eben
255

Begraben eines, das entkam, die Haut zweimal

Mit Staub bestreut, und, wies geziemt, gefeiert.

Guard

Well, this is it—The corpse—some one hath just given it burial, and gone away,—after sprinkling thirsty dust on the flesh, with such other rites as piety enjoins, .

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.