1447.
mvp-comment-770-1
Polynices departs, and the end is near. The chorus are reflecting on the new horror created by the curse of Oedipus, when a sound of thunder is heard, which awakens all their superstition, and is recognized by Oedipus as the promised summons. He calls for Theseus, and the chorus repeat his call. This part of the play consists of two strophes, divided by three sets of five iambic trimeters, each consisting of two couplets spoken by Oedipus, with a line between them. The prevailing metre is dochmiac, with iambic and trochaic movements interspersed. The dochmiacs, with frequent long syllables, increase in the second strophe. a'. First strophe and antistrophe. トリートトー CCICICICICICICI 15ートー つ 1 Iambic dimeter. 2 Diiambus and cretic, bis; but see note on 1454- β'. Second strophe and antistrophe. C- トートト ートートトー トトートトー 5a1clc!CIC!CICICI Cp. 1. 3 of strophe a'.
1447.
mvp-comment-770-2
νέα ... ἄνω These are the reflections of the chorus after hearing the woe pronounced on Polynices. The remarks of the Scholiast show a curious perception of ancient Greek feeling: εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα ξενικά ἐστι τὰ πρόσωπα, καὶ τὰ κατέχοντα τούτους κακά, ὅμως συναλγεῖ ὁ χόρος] καὶ εὐλαβεῖται μὴ ἐκ τῆς ὁμιλίας τῆς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀπολαύσωσί τινος κακοῦ καὶ αὐτοί· ἐν τοιούτῳ οὖν ἤθει καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῖς διάκειται· τοιαῦτα πάρεστιν ἡμῖν, φησίν, ἄτοπα παρὰ τοῦ ξένου ἀπολαῦσαι, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ μοῖρά τις καταλαμβάνει ἡμᾶς, καὶ κατὰ μοίραν ἀπολαύομεν, ὧν ἀπολαύσομεν.
1447.
mvp-comment-770-3
νέα New, i.e. In addition to the trouble he gave us before.
1447.
mvp-comment-770-4
νεόθεν
From a new source,
Springing from a new occasion, i. e. from his interview with Polynices.
1449.
mvp-comment-771-1
*νέα, added by Hermann, for the sake of the metre, also rather improves the sense. ،
1450.
mvp-comment-772-1
εἴ τι μοῖρα μὴ κιγχάνει Polynices (1426) referred the curse to his father's caprice: Antigone (1424, 1440) to some higher inspiration. The chorus waver between the two suggestions.
Coming from the blind stranger: if this be not haply the hand of fate. The Homeric expression κιχάνει or κιγχάνει, is here left without a distinct object. The Scholiast suggests ἡμᾶς: later critics αὐτόν: and some have rendered, Evil comes to me from the stranger, unless his fate overtake him now. Cp. II. 22. 436, νῦν αὖ θάνατος καὶ Μοῖρα κιχάνει. But the emphasis is on μοῖρα, and the verb is used absolutely. Lit. Unless it be Fate who in some respect attains her aim. τι as cognate accusative in part supplies the place of the regular object. This explanation harmonizes with the next line.
1451.
mvp-comment-773-1
For I cannot tell of any decree of Gods that hath been in vain.' For ἔχω φράσαι, cp. Aesch. Ag. 367, Διὸς πλαγὰν ἔχουσιν εἰπεῖν. And for the adverbas predicate, see Essay on Language p. 40. 1454-1455. Either (1) 'Time ever keeps (the execution of the Divine Will)
in view, one day making some things rise and grow, and other things again on the day following. For this interpretation, cp. Aj. 646, ἅπανθ᾽ ὁ.. χρόνος φύει τ᾿ ἄδηλα καὶ φανέντα κρύπτεται: Ib. 131-132, ὡς ἡμέρα κλίνει τε κἀνάγει πάλιν | ἅπαντα τἀνθρώπεια: Τr. 132 ff.: Hdt. 1. 5, τὰ γὰρ τὸ πάλαι μεγάλα ἦν, τὰ πολλὰ αὐτῶν σμικρὰ γέγονε· τὰ δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἐμεῦ ἦν μεγάλα, πρότερον ἦν σμικρά. τὴν ἀνθρωπηΐην ὧν ἐπιστάμενος εὐδαιμονίαν οὐδαμὰ ἐν τωὐτῷ μένουσαν, ἐπιμνήσομαι ἀμφοτέρων ὁμοίως. And for αὔξων ἄνω, infr. 1567, πάλιν σε δαίμων δίκαιος αὔξοι. In this interpretation ἐπεὶ μέν is supposed to be used after the analogy of ὅτε μέν. And this is hardly admissible, if the usage, ὅτε μὲν ὅτε δὲ.. is to be explained, as seems most probable, by the original identity of the relative with the demonstrative. Cp. ὃς μὲν .. ὃς δὲ .. (2) To meet the difficulty Canter conjectured ἐκεῖ, i. e.
In yonder case. Others have supposed that ἐπεί is the corruption of a verb or participle. The words τρέπων τὰ ἤδη αὐξηθέντα, in the confused note of the Scholiast, have suggested στρέφων (Schndw., who reads δέδοικα δ' in the antistrophe), i.e.
turning backward: (τρέπει is nearer to the MSS, but the indicative could not be followed by a participle with dé coming between). But although Eur. fr. 540 says φεῦ τὰ τῶν εὐδαιμονούντων ὡς τάχα στρέφει θεός, the word is less natural here. Another conj., which gives the same general meaning without altering the rhythm, is áveis, 'letting go'-the opposite of ἀνέχων οἱ ἐπέχων :-'dropping some things, and lifting others on high.' Cp. Aj. 1214, νῦν δ᾽ οὗτος ἀνεῖται : Pind. Pyth. 2. 89, (χρὴ δὲ πρὸς θεὸν οὐκ ἐρίζειν) ὃς ἀνέχει ποτὲ μὲν τὰ κείνων, τότ᾽ αὖθ᾽ ἑτέροις ἔδωκεν μέγα κύδος. 1455- έτερα CA.
1451.
mvp-comment-773-2
(τάδ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἤματ᾿ B Vat.) (3) The above conjectures suppose an alteration of the antistrophe. The conj. ἐριπὼν μὲν ἕτερα, suggested in our former edition, requires no further change, and, in common with that of Schndw., gives the rhythm (ト(レト υιυΐυιτών. Dind. conj.
1451.
mvp-comment-773-3
ἄγων. Qy. ἀπάγων ? (4) It has been suggested to give ἕτερα the meaning of
bad, ' sinister,' as in Pind. Pyth. 3. 34, 5, δαίμων δ᾽ ἕτερος | ἐς κακὸν τρέψας ἐδαμάσσατό νιν. But this does not help us to a clear context. (5) The MS. reading τὰ δὲ πήματ᾿ can be rendered metrical by the simple insertion of γε: τὰ δέ γε πήματ'. But πήματα αὔξειν ἄνω is not a natural expression, whether a succession of miseries is spoken of, as in Aesch. Cho. 1020, μόχθων δ᾽ ὁ μὲν αὐτίχ᾽, ὁ δ᾽ ἥξει, or αὔξειν πήματα is imagined to mean
to cure misfortune. Although the text is uncertain, the general meaning probably is, Time casts down some things, and others that yesterday were mean, to-day he glorifies. Cp. Aj. 131-132, ὡς ἡμέρα κλίνει τε κἀνάγει πάλιν | ἅπαντα τἀνθρώπεια.
