Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

1249-1555: Fourth episode

Fourth

ἐπεισόδιον

, divided by a

κομμός

(1447—1499). Polyneices is dismissed with his father's curse. Hardly has he departed, when thunder is heard (1456). Theseus is summoned, and receives the last injunctions of Oedipus, who knows that his hour has come. Then Oedipus, followed by his daughters and by Theseus, leads the way to the place where he is destined to pass out of life (1555).

καὶ μὴν , introducing the new comer (549):

ἡμῖν ethic dat. (81).

ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος (cp. 875 ), "with no escort at least," in contrast to Creon, 722

ἆσσον ἔρχεται | Κρέων ὅδ’ ἡμῖν οὐκ ἄνευ πομπῶν, πάτερ

. Oedipus dreaded that his son, like Creon, would make an attempt to carry him off by violence: cp. 1206

εἴπερ κεῖνος ὧδ’ ἐλεύσεται, | μηδεὶς κρατείτω

etc.: and Antigone hastens to assure him at once that Polyneices comes otherwise than as Creon came. He is alone , and in tears. For the gen. cp. Ai. 511

σοῦ...μόνος

.—Others: —(1)

"he, and no one else"

: this seems somewhat weak. (2)

"weeping as no man weeps"

(but only women):—a modern view of weeping: it is enough to remember Achilles and Aeneas.

ἀστακτὶ has

ι—

in 1646 . The general rule (Blomfield glossar. Aesch. PV 216 ) is that such adverbs, when from nouns in

, end in ει (as

αὐτοβοεί

): when from nouns in

ος

, in

, which is more often short, but sometimes long. For ι^ cp.

ἐγερτί

( Ant. 413 ),

νεωστί

( El. 1049 ),

σκυθιστί

(fr. 429),

ἀωρί

( Aristoph. Eccl. 741 ),

ἀνδριστί

( ib. 149),

δωριστί

( Eq. 989 ), the Homeric

ἀμογητί, μεγαλωστί

, etc. For

ι— , ἀνοιμωκτί

( Ai. 1227 ),

ἀνιδρωτί

( Il. 15.228 ),

ἀσπουδί

( 8. 512 ),

ἀνωιστί

( Od. 4.92 ), etc.

ἀστακτὶ , not

στάγδην

( stillatim ): Plat. Phaedo 117C

ἐμοῦ γε...ἀστακτὶ ἐχώρει τὰ δάκρυα

. So Eur. I. T. 1242

ἀστάκτων...ὑδάτων

, and Apoll. Rh. 3. 804

ἀσταγές.

ὧδε =

δεῦρο

: cp. 1286 , O. T. 7 .

κατείχομεν γνώμῃ , apprehended: Plat. Men. 72 D

οὐ μέντοι ὡς βούλομαί γέ πω κατέχω τὸ ἐρωτώμενον

δράσω , probably aor. subj. (cp. 478), though it might be fut.: cp. Tr. 973

τί πάθω; τί δὲ μήσομαι; οἴμοι

. So Eur. Phoen. 1310

οἴμοι, τί δράσω; πότερ’ ἐμαυτὸν ἢ πόλιν | στένω δακρύσας

, etc. The Phoenissae being the earlier play, it is possible that Soph. had it in mind, but it is quite as likely that the coincidence is accidental: it is at any rate trivial.

ἐνθάδ’ ἐκβεβλημένον , in exile here: Plat. Gorg. 468D

εἴ τις ἀποκτείνει τινὰ ἢ ἐκβάλλει ἐκ πόλεως ἢ ἀφαιρεῖται χρήματα

(cp.

ἐκπίπτειν

, of being exiled). We might understand,

"shipwrecked here,"

ἐκβάλλω

being regularly used of casting ashore; but I prefer the simpler version.

σὺν : cp. El. 191

ἀεικεῖ σὺν στολᾷ.

τῆς : see on .

γέρων … πίνος : Od. 22.184

σάκος εὐρὺ γέρον, πεπαλαγμένον ἄζῃ

(stained with rust): Theocr. 7. 17

ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ στήθεσσι γέρων ἐσφίγγετο πέπλος

(cp.

anus charta,

Catull. 68. 46 ). So Aristoph. Lys. 1207

ἄρτος...νεανίας

συγκατῴκηκεν , has made an abiding home, emphatic perf., cp. 186

τέτροφεν

, 1004 .

πλευρὰν μαραίνων can mean only that the squalor of the raiment is unwholesome for the body to which it clings. Cp. Aesch. PV 596

νόσον

...

ἂ μαραίνει με

. We cannot render merely,

"marring the comeliness of thy form"

(as Ellendt, de sordibus corpus dehonestantibus ).

κρατὶ ὀμματοστερεῖ , locative dat.: cp. on .

ἀκτένιστος : Her. 7.208 (the Lacedaemonians before Thermopylae)

τοὺς μὲν δὴ ὥρα γυμναζομένους τῶν ἀνδρῶν, τοὺς δὲ τὰς κόμας κτενιζομένους

. The

κτείς

was usu. of boxwood, ivory, or metal.

ᾄσσεται : Il. 6.510

ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται | ὤμοις ἀΐσσονται

ἀδελφὰ … τούτοισιν : but Ant. 192

ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε

. The dat. occurs elsewhere (as Plat. Tim. 67E ), but the gen. is much commoner.

φορεῖ is taken by some as

"obtains by begging"

; but a conjecture to that effect would be hardly in place. Obviously it means simply

" carries ,"

and alludes to a wallet (

πήρα

) carried by Oed., for the reception of the

σπανιστὰ δωρήματα

(4). This was a part of the conventional outfit for the wandering beggar ; so, when Athena turned Odysseus into that guise, she gave him

σκῆπτρον καὶ ἀεικέα πήρην,

πυκνὰ ῥωγαλέην· ἐν δὲ στρόφος ἦεν ἀορτήρ

"a staff, and a mean, much-tattered wallet; and therewith was a cord to hang it"

( Od. 13.437 ).

"And I testify that I have come to be, have proved myself, most vile in regard to thy maintenance"

ἥκειν as 1177

ἔχθιστον...ἥκει

(n.). (Better thus than,

"I, who have come hither, am,"

etc.)

τροφ. ταῖς σαῖσιν , dat. of respect.

μὴ )ξ ἄλλων : El. 1225

ΗΛ. ὦ φθέγμ’, ἀφίκου; ΟΡ. μηκέτ’ ἄλλοθεν πύθῃ

ἀλλὰ … γὰρ ,

"but since "

: see on .

Ζηνὶ σύνθακος θρόνων , a sharer with Zeus on his throne: cp. on . Where we should say,

"an attribute "

of godhead, the Greeks often use the image of assessor.

Αἰδὼς , here compassion; see on .

Αἰδώς

, as well as

Ἔλεος

, had an altar at Athens (see Paus. 1.17.1 , cited on 260). Shaksp. Merch. 4. 1. 193 (mercy):

"It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God Himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's, When mercy seasons justice."

ἐπ’ ἔργοις πᾶσι , in all deeds: cp. Il. 4.178

αἴθ’ οὕτως ἐπὶ πᾶσι χόλον τελέσεῑ Ἀγαμέμνων

"in all cases"

(as in this).

καὶ πρὸς σοί ,

" nigh to thee also."

In this sense πρός is usu. said of places (see 10), very seldom of persons (except in such phrases as

ἃ πρὸς τοῖς θεσμοθέταις ἔλεγε

, before their tribunal, Dem. or. 20 § 98 ). In Ant. 1188

κλίνομαι

...

πρὸς δμωαῖσι

"sink into their arms"

: in Ai. 95

ἔβαψας ἔγχος εὖ πρὸς Ἀργείων στρατῷ

= on them; and so ib. 97

πρὸς Ἀτρείδαισιν

τῶν γὰρ ἡμαρτημένων :

"there are remedies for the faults committed ( i.e. if Oed. will return to Thebes with Polyneices), while there is no possibility of adding to them."

In this appeal for pardon, the

"faults"

most naturally mean those committed by the speaker; but the vague phrase which he has chosen permits the thought that there have been errors on both sides.

προσφορὰ implies at once a confession and an assurance: the son has behaved as ill as possible; he could not, even if he would, add to his offence. Hartung's ἀναφορά could not mean what he intends,

"there is no possibility of recalling the past,"

but only,

"there is no possibility of referring the blame elsewhere,"

—of putting it on other shoulders.

τί σιγᾷς ; An anxious pause, while Oed. remains silent: cp. 315, 318.

μή μ’ ἀποστραφῇς : Xen. Cyr. 5.5.36

ἦ καὶ φιλήσω σε; Εἰ σὺ βούλει, ἔφη. Καὶ οὐκ ἀποστρέψει με ὥσπερ ἄρτι

; But the place from which one turns is put in the gen., as O. T. 431

οἴκων τῶνδ’ ἀποστραφείς.

ἀτιμάσας , of rejecting a suppliant, cp. 49, 286.

ὦ σπέρματ’ : for the plur. cp. 600. The v.l. σπέρμα τἀνδρὸς might be defended by Tr. 1147

κάλει τὸ πᾶν μοι σπέρμα σῶν ὁμαιμόνων

(cp. ib. 304 ); but the sing., when it refers to more than one person, is usu. rather "race," like

σπέρμα Πελοπιδῶν

Aesch. Cho. 503 . Cp. 330.

ἐμαὶ δ’ . When different relationships of the same person are expressed, the second is introduced by δέ , without a preceding μέν : Aesch. Pers. 151

μήτηρ βασιλέως, | βασίλεια δ’ ἐμή

Eur. Med. 970

πατρὸς νέαν γυναῖκα, δεσπότιν δ’ ἐμήν

: Her. 7.10

πατρὶ τῷ σῷ, ἀδελφεῷ δὲ ἐμῷ

: 8. 54

Ἀθηναίων τοὺς φυγάδας, ἑωυτῷ δὲ ἑπομένους

ἀλλ’ ὑμεῖς γε ,

" Ye at least"

(since I have failed): cp. El. 411

συγγένεσθέ γ’ ἀλλὰ νῦν

( now , at least): ib. 415

λέγ’ ἀλλὰ τοῦτο

( this , at least): ib. 1013

νοῦν σχὲς ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτέ

: Tr. 320

εἴπ’, ὦ τάλαιν’, ἀλλ’ ἡμίν

: Dem. or. 3 § 33

ἐὰν οὖν ἀλλὰ νῦν γ’ ἔτι...ἐθελήσητε

δυσπρόσοιστον =

χαλεπὸν προσφέρεσθαι

(midd.), hard for one to hold intercourse with. Cp. Plat. Lys. 223 B

ἐδόκουν ἡμῖν...ἄποροι εἶναι προσφέρεσθαι

, they

"seemed to us hard to deal with."

The epithet refers to his sullen silence , and is defined by ἀπροσήγορον . In Eur. I. A. 345

δυσπρόσιτος ἔσω τε κλῄθρων σπάνιος

, Thuc. 1.130

δυσπρόσοδον... αὑτὸν παρεῖχε

, the sense is

"hard of access ,"

i.e.living in a haughty seclusion. Cp. Tr. 1093

λέοντ’, ἄπλατον θρέμμα κἀπροσήγορον

(the Nemean lion).

στόμα : for the periphrasis cp. 603.

ὡς μή μ’ ἄτιμον … οὕτως ἀφῇ με . The objection to ἀφῇ γε is that a second γε (though possible, see on ) is here weak after θεοῦ γε . As to its place after ἀφῇ , that is paralleled by 1409. On the other hand a repeated με , in the utterance of impassioned entreaty, may be defended by 1407 ff.

μή τοί με... μή μ’ ἀτιμάσητέ γε

: cp. Tr. 218

ἰδού μ’ ἀναταράσσει | εὐοῖ μ’ ὁ κισσός

: Eur. Phoen. 497

ἐμοὶ μέν, εἰ καὶ μὴ καθ’ Ἑλλήνων χθόνα

τεθράμμεθ’, ἀλλ’ οὖν ξυνετά μοι δοκεῖς λέγειν

Elmsley's conjecture

οὕτως ἀφιῇ

, which Hartung adopts, is unmetrical.

ἵημι

has ι^ always in pres. subj. and opt.: Il. 13.234

μεθίῃσι μάχεσθαι

: Hom. Hymn. 4.152

προίῃ βέλεα στονόεντα

: Theogn. 94

γλῶσσαν ἱῇσι κακήν

: Od. 2.185

ὧδ’ ἀνιείης

. In Aristoph. Lys. 157

τί δ); ἢν ἀφίωσιν ἄνδρες ἡμᾶς, ὦ μέλε

(so the MSS.), Kuster brought in a gratuitous error by writing

ἀφίωσ’

, which Dindorf has adopted. (As Chandler says,

ἀφίωσι

is a false accent for

ἀφιῶσι

. Accent. , 2nd ed. § 794, cp. § 820.) In the pres. indic., imper., inf., and part., ι— is normal, but Homeric verse usually has ι^ in thesis (as when

ἵενται

ends a line); and the part.

ἱείς

(

ι—

in Aristoph. Eq. 522 ) occurs with

ι^

in Trag. ( Aesch. Th. 493 , etc.). Cp. El. 131 n.

ἀφῆται (Blaydes) would mean

" let go hold of "

(with gen., O. T. 1521

τέκνων δ’ ἀφοῦ

), not

" dismiss. "

τοῦ θεοῦ γε , Poseidon (1158): γε emphasises the whole phrase, to which

ὄντα

would usu. be added (cp. 83): cp. O. T. 929

ὀλβία … | γένοιτ;, ἐκείνου γ’ οὖσα παντελὴς δάμαρ.

προστάτην : cp. on .

οὕτως , so contemptuously: cp. O. T. 256 , Ant. 315 .

χρείᾳ , a causal (rather than modal) dat., cp. 333

πόθοισι

: Ph. 162

φορβῆς χρείᾳ | στίβον ὀγμεύει

τὰ πολλὰ ῥήματα ,

"the many words"

(of any given long speech), with gnomic aor., as 1214

αἱ μακραὶ | ἁμέραι κατέθεντο

. Distinguish 87

τὰ πολλ’ ἐκεῖνα κακά

" those many,"

in a definite allusion. (

τὰ πολλὰ

must not be taken separately as adv.,

"oft."

)

ἢ τέρψαντά τι etc.:

"by giving some pleasure,—or by some utterance of indignation, or of pity."

Not,

"by exciting some indignation or some pity."

Neither δυσχεραίνειν nor κατοικτίζειν is ever causative in classical Greek. In Eur. I. A. 686

κατῳκτίσθην

is not,

"I was moved to pity,"

but

"I bewailed myself,"

the pass. aor. in midd. sense, as often. The emotion of the speaker will awaken a response in the hearer.

ἀφωνήτοις in act. sense: so

ἀναύδατος

( Tr. 968) ,

ἄφθεγκτος

(Aesch. Eum. 245) ; cp.

ἀφόβητος

, "fearless," O. T. 885 : and n. above .

ἐξηγεῖ , praecipis (but otherwise in 1520). Cp. Ai. 320

ἐξηγεῖτ’

"he ever taught"

(Tecmessa recalling the utterances of Ajax).

ποιούμενος ᾀρωγόν ,

"making my helper,"

i.e. appealing to his name: cp. O. T. 240 (

τὸν ἄνδρα

)

κοινὸν ποεῖσθαι

"make him partner"

: Theognis 113

μήποτε τὸν κακὸν ἄνδρα φίλον ποιεῖσθαι ἑταῖρον.

ὧδε with μολεῖν (epex. inf.),

"that I should come hither"

: cp. 1251.

ἀνέστησεν : cp. 276.

λέξαι τ’ ἀκοῦσαί τ’ : see on .

ἐξόδῳ : see 1165.

βουλήσομαι ,

"I shall wish"

( i.e. until the hoped-for fulfilment of the wish has been attained). So O. T. 1077 (where see n.), Ai. 681 , etc.

θέλω δὲ λέξαι , those things for which I came; cognate acc. of errand, as O. T. 1005

τοῦτ’ ἀφικόμην

: Plat. Prot. 310E

αὐτὰ ταῦτα καὶ νῦν ἥκω

. See n. on O. T. 788 .

πανάρχοις is fitting, since each brother claimed the sole power (373).

γεραίτερος , (Jacobs and Nauck,) for γεραιτέρᾳ , has been received by several edd., including Dindorf and Wecklein. The common idiom doubtless favours it; yet the phrase,

"brought into being by the elder birth ,"

is surely intelligible as a poetical fusion of

γονῇ προτέρᾳ πεφυκώς

with

γεραίτερος πεφυκώς

In Attic prose the comparative of

γεραιός

always implies the contrast between youth and a more advanced period of life ( Thuc. 6.18

ἅμα νέοι γεραιτέροις βουλεύοντες

). The use in the text, to denote merely priority of birth (Attic

πρεσβύτερος

), is Ionic, as Her. 6.52

ἀμφότερα τὰ παιδία ἡγήσασθαι βασιλέας, τιμᾶν δὲ μᾶλλον τὸν γεραίτερον

: and poetical, as Theocr. 15. 139

ὁ γεραίτατος εἴκατι παίδων

ἀνθ’ ὧν ,

"wherefore"

: cp. O. T. 264 n.—In Ἐτεοκλῆς the ο might be either long or short (cp. on ): elsewhere Soph. has the name only in Ant. 23 , 194 (

Ἐτεοκλέα

beginning both verses).

λόγῳ , in an argument upon the claim, before a competent tribunal.

εἰς ἔλεγχον : cp. 835

τάχ’ εἰς βάσανον εἶ χερῶν.

χειρὸς οὐδ’ ἔργου is a species of hendiadys,—the practical test of single combat (cp. Ai. 814

τάχος γὰρ ἔργου καὶ ποδῶν ἅμ’ ἕψεται

). We cannot distinguish χειρός , as the duel, from ἔργου , as a trial of strength between adherents, since Thebes was with Eteocles. Hermann's οὐδ’ (for the MS. οὔτ’ ), before ἔργου , is necessary, unless we suppose an

οὔτε

understood before χειρός : cp. on O. T. 236 ff.

μάλιστα μὲν with λέγω , not with τὴν σὴν Ἐρ .: "and of these things I hold (as the most probable account) that the curse on thy race is the cause;— then from seers also I hear in this sense." Cp. El. 932

οἶμαι μάλιστ’ ἔγωγε τοῦ τεθνηκότος

μνημεἶ Ὀρέστου ταῦτα προσθεῖναί τινα

"I think it most likely that..."

: Ph. 617

οἴοιτο μὲν μάλισθ’ ἑκούσιον λαβών

"he thought it most likely that he (could bring him) without compulsion."

The μέν after μάλιστα opposes this view, the most likely, to other views (not stated) which are possible, though less probable: ἔπειτα is not opposed to μέν , but introduces the fact which confirms his conjecture.

τὴν σὴν Ἐρινὺν , the Fury who pursues thee and thy race, the family curse, 369

τὴν πάλαι γένους φθοράν

(cp. 965), as Oed. himself called his sons' strife

πεπρωμένην

(421). Not,

" thy curse on thy sons"

: Polyneices knows nothing of the imprecation uttered at 421 ff. It is a distinctive point in the Sophoclean treatment of the story that the curse of Oed. on his sons comes after the outbreak of war between them, not before it, as with Aesch. and Eur.: see

μάντεων , at Argos, probably alluding to Amphiaraus (1313). This Argive utterance as to the cause of the brothers' strife may be conceived as a part of the oracles noticed at 1331, which also concerned the issue.

The γὰρ seems meant to introduce a further account of what the

μάντεις

at Argos had said; but no such explanation is given. γὰρ cannot be explained, at this point in the story, as the mere preface to narrative ( O. T. 277 ); that should have stood in 1292. Yet I would not write δ’ ἄρ’ . The hearers are left to understand that he found the seers among his new allies.

τὸ Δωρικόν , simply as being in the

Δωρίδι νάσῳ Πέλοπος

(see on ); cp. on (

προσλαμβάνει

γῆς Ἀπίας , a name for the Peloponnesus ( Aesch. Ag. 256 ), from the mythical king

Ἆπις

, who crossed over from Naupactus,

"before Pelops had come to Olympia,"

as Paus. says, and purged the land of monsters. The Sicyon myth made him son of Telchin ( Paus. 2.5.7 ); Aesch. calls him

ἰατρόμαντις παῖς Ἀπόλλωνος

( Suppl. 263). Distinguish 1685

ἀπίαν γᾶν

"a far land"

(

ἀπό

τετίμηνται : for the pf., expressing fixed repute, cp. on , 1004: Thuc. 2.45

φθόνος γὰρ τοῖς ζῶσι πρὸς τὸ ἀντίπαλον, τὸ δὲ μὴ ἐμποδὼν ἀνανταγωνίστῳ εὐνοίᾳ τετίμηται

, is in permanent honour.

δορί : see on . This was the ordinary form, i.e. the form used in prose, as by Thuc. In the iambic verse of tragedy it is only once necessary ( Eur. Hec. 5

κίνδυνος ἔσχε δορὶ πεσεῖν Ἑλληνικῷ

). In lyrics it was freely used by Aesch. and Eur. But neither the iambics nor the lyrics of Soph. anywhere require it, while they thrice require δόρει . The question, then, is: Are we to assume that Soph. never used δορί ? As the MSS. give that form even where δόρει is necessary, their evidence is indecisive. On general grounds it is more probable that Soph. should have admitted both forms. This was Hermann's view; among recent editors, Bellermann supports it.

τὸν ἑπτάλογχον … στόλον ,

"the expedition with seven bodies of spearmen"

; i.e. the compound adj. is equivalent to two separate epithets,

"sevenfold,"

and

"armed with spears"

: cp. on

πυκνόπτεροι

. The boldness of the phrase consists in the collective sing.

στόλον

being used instead of a plur. like

τάξεις

(1311). Not,

"under the seven spears of seven leaders,"

as if the

λόγχη

of each leader was an ensign. Cp. on . The art. τόν , because the expedition is no longer a project, but a fact (1312).

πανδίκως , as asserting just claims in fair fight. The device on the shield of the Aeschylean Polyneices is

Δίκη

leading a man in golden armour, with the words,

κατάξω δ’ ἄνδρα τόνδε, καὶ πόλιν

ἕξει πατρῴων δωμάτων τ’ ἐπιστροφάς

( Theb. 647).

τοὺς τάδ’ ἐκπρ ., Eteocles: for pl., cp. 148.

εἶεν marks a pause after a statement, before the speaker proceeds to comment or argument: so El. 534 : Eur. Med. 386

εἶεν·

καὶ δὴ τεθνᾶσι· τίς με δέξεται πόλις;

αὐτός τ’ : cp. 462. The genitives are simply subjective,

"prayers of mine and of theirs,"

i.e. made by us (cp. 1326), rather than gen. of connection,

"about myself,"

etc.

τάξεσιν … λόγχαις . The

"allies"

are the chieftains. They have marched

"with their seven hosts and their seven spears,"

because each, carrying his spear, rides at the head of his own body of spearmen. Polyneices, who is one of the seven, thinks of himself for the moment as present with his comrades in arms.

δορυσσοῦς =

δορυσσόος

, a word used also by Hes. and Aesch. (not Hom.), and usu. rendered

"spear- brandishing. "

But this seems to confuse

σεύω

with

σείω

. On the analogy of the Homeric

λαοσσόος

"urging on the host"

(epith. of Ares etc.), and the Pindaric

ἱπποσόας

"steed-urging,"

δορυσσόος should mean rather

"spear hurling "

(cp. Il. 11.147

ὅλμον δ’ ὣς ἔσσευε κυλίνδεσθαι

, sent him rolling like a ball of stone).

" Charging with the spear"

is less suitable, since the epic

δόρυ

is rather a missile than a cavalry-lance.

Ἀμφιάρεως ( -uu- , cp. on ), son of Oecles,

"at once the Achilles and the Calchas of the war"

(as Schneidewin says), is the most pathetic figure of the legend. He foresees the issue; but his wife Eriphylè, the sister of Adrastus, persuades him to go (having been bribed by Polyneices with Harmonia's necklace); and when all the chiefs save Adrastus have fallen, the Theban soil opens, and swallows up Amphiaraus and his chariot: El. 837 : Pind. Nem. 9.24 : 10. 8. Cp. Ol. 6. 15

¹ποθέω στρατιᾶς ὀφθαλμὸν ἐμᾶς,

ἀμφότερον μάντιν τ’ ἀγαθὸν καὶ δουρὶ μάρνασθαι

. Aesch. makes him the type of ill-fated virtue ( Theb. 597 ). In contrast with the

ὕβρις

of the other chiefs, his

σωφροσύνη

is marked by the absence of any device (

σῆμα

) on his shield ( ib. 591, Eur. Phoen. 1112

ἄσημ’ ὅπλα

). The same Greek feeling for a tragic prescience is seen in the story so beautifully told by Herod. (9. 16) of the Persian guest at the banquet of Attagīnus.

τὰ πρῶτα μὲν … πρῶτα δέ : the art. is to be repeated with the second clause. For the epanaphora cp. 5: Il. 1.258

οἳ περὶ μὲν βουλὴν Δαναῶν, περὶ δ’ ἐστὲ μάχεσθαι

οἰωνῶν ὁδοῖς , in respect to the paths of birds of omen, i.e. in applying the rules of augury to their flights. Cp. Il. 12.237

τύνη δ’ οἰωνοῖσι τανυπτερύγεσσι κελεύεις

πείθεσθαι· τῶν οὔ τι μετατρέπω οὐδ’ ἀλεγίζω,

εἴτ’ ἐπὶ δεξἴ ἴωσι

, etc. Quite different is O. T. 311

ἄλλην μαντικῆς...ὁδόν

, some other way of divination (as distinct from augury).

The thirteen lines (1313— 1325) which contain the list of chiefs illustrate the poet's tact. There is no pomp of description, no superfluous detail; but the three most interesting points are lightly touched,—the character of Amphiaraus, the character of Capaneus, and the parentage of Parthenopaeus. The dramatic purpose is to dignify the strife, and to heighten the terror of the father's curse, which falls not only on the guilty son, but on his allies (cp. 1400).

The list agrees in names, though not in order, with Aesch. Th. 377—652 , where each name is associated with one of the seven gates of Thebes, as probably in the epic Thebaid. (Cp. Ant. 141 ff., where the seven champions appear as having been slain and spoiled ,—the special doom of Amphiaraus being ignored.) Eur. Phoen. 1104 —1188 also has this list, except that Eteoclus is omitted, and Adrastus (the one survivor) substituted. In his Supplices Eteoclus and Adrastus are both included, while either Hippomedon or Amphiaraus seems to be omitted.

Τυδεύς : cp. Aesch. Th. 377 ff. : Eur. Phoen. 1120 ff., Suppl. 901 ff.

Ἐτέοκλος : Aesch. Th. 457 ff. : Eur. Suppl. 872 ff.

Ἱππομέδοντ’ : Aesch. Th. 486 ff. : Eur. Phoen. 1113 ff.

κατασκαφῇ … δῃώσειν πυρί =

"to destroy it with fire, in such a manner as to raze it to the ground"

: πυρί is instrum. dat., and coheres closely with the verb; κατασκαφῇ is dat. of manner, but with proleptic force, like O. T. 51

ἀλλ’ ἀσφαλείᾳ τήνδ’ ἀνόρθωσον πόλιν

, =

ὥστε ἀσφαλῆ εἶναι.

Καπανεὺς is the giant in whom the

ὕβρις

of the assailants takes its most daring and impious form, the Goliath or Mezentius of the story: cp. Ant. 133 , Aesch. Th. 422 ff . In Ph. 1128 Eur. follows this conception; but in Suppl. 861 ff. he presents Capaneus in a totally new light, as no less modest than trusty. That whole passage of the Supplices ,—in which Eur. seeks to individualise some of these champions more closely,—is curious and characteristic.

Παρθενοπαῖος , son of Atalanta by Meilanion, her vanquisher in the foot-race. Another version made Ares the father.

ἐπώνυμος τῆς πρόσθεν ἀδμήτης ,

"so named after her who before was a virgin,"

χρόνῳ μητρὸς λοχευθείς ,

"having been born of her when at last she became a mother."

χρόνῳ ( 437 ), after her long virginity. The gen. μητρός as O. T. 1082

τῆς γὰρ πέφυκα μητρός

. In Aesch. Th. 536 this hero has

οὔ τι παρθένων ἐπώνυμον | φρόνημα

: cp. Eur. Phoen. 1106

ὁ τῆς κυναγοῦ

ἐγὼ δὲ σός :

"And I, thy son,— or (the corrective καί ), if not really thy son,...thine at least in name."

πότμου : for gen., cp. last n. He does not mean,

"thou art not to blame for my tainted birth,"

but,—

"disowned by thee, I have no sire but evil Destiny."

For γέ τοι cp. O. T. 1171

κείνου γέ τοι δὴ παῖς ἐκλῄζεθ’

ἀντὶ παίδων ... ἱκετεύομεν here=

πρὸς παίδων

" by them,"

i.e.

"as you love them,"

a very rare use of ἀντί , but one which comes easily from its ordinary sense,

"in return for,"

"as an equivalent for."

It would be as much as their lives are worth to refuse the prayer. (In El. 537

ἀντ’ ἀδελφοῦ

is sometimes taken as=

"for his sake,"

but this is by no means certain.)

μῆνιν ...εἰκαθεῖν , concede thy wrath to me, i.e. remit it: the same constr. (though not in the same application) as Ph. 464

ὁπηνίκ’ ἂν θεὸς

πλοῦν ἡμὶν εἴκῃ

, concede a voyage to us. This is better than to make

μῆνιν

acc. of respect.— For the form of εἰκ. , cp. 862.

τοὐμοῦ after τῷδ’ ἀνδρὶ , as O. T. 533

τὰς ἐμάς

followed by

τοῦδε τἀνδρός

: cp. on .

Since πάτρας must clearly go with both verbs, it would seem that, aided by ἐξέωσε , the poet has used ἀπεσύλησεν with the constr. of

ἀπεστέρησεν

. Elsewhere we find only

ἀποσυλᾶν τί τινος

, to strip a thing from a man (cp. 922), or

ἀποσυλᾶν τινά τι

, to strip a man of a thing. We cannot here take πάτρας as gen. of the person robbed, (

"snatched me from my country,"

) since ἐξέωσε implies that the expeller is within the country. Nor could we well read πάτραν (

"took my country from me"

χρηστηρίων . The oracle brought to Oed. by Ismene (389) had been received at Thebes (apparently) before the expulsion of Polyneices, since Oed. complains that the two brothers did not avail themselves of it in order to recall him (418). It was to the effect that the welfare of Thebes depended on Oedipus. If Polyneices means the same oracle here, οἷς ἂν will be Thebes, on the one hand, and any foreign foe of Thebes on the other. But the reference here is rather to a special oracle concerning the war between the brothers, which Polyneices has heard from the

μάντεις

at Argos (cp. 1300).

προσθῇ : join thyself: cp. [Dem.] or. 11 § 6

² ὁποτέροις πρόσθοιτο

(the

"Attic"

alternative for

προσθεῖτο

, cp. Buttmann Gr. § 107, Obs. 3),

τούτους ἐποίει κρατεῖν τῶν ἑτέρων

. So in the genuine Dem. or. 6 § 12

εἰ δ’ ἐκείνοις προσθεῖτο

, and in Thuc. ( 3. 11 ; 6. 80 ; 8. 48 , 87 ) etc. — Cp. .

ἔφασκ’ : sc.

τὰ χρηστήρια

κρηνῶν : so Ant. 844 Antigone cries,

ἰώ, Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι Θήβας τ’

εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος

. So Ajax at Troy, when dying, invokes

κρῆναί τε ποταμοί θ’ οἵδε

along with the Sun-god. Orestes, returning to Argos, brings an offering to the Inachus ( Aesch. Cho. 6 ). Wecklein quotes an inscription from Rangabé Antiqu. Hellen. nr. 2447

καὶ

[

ὀμνύω

]

ἤρωας καὶ ἡρωάσσας καὶ κράνας καὶ ποταμοὺς καὶ θεοὺς πάντας καὶ πάσας

. The word

κρηνῶν

is certainly sound; the peculiarity is that, instead of a general word like

ἐγχωρίων

, we have

ὁμογνίων

, which strictly suits θεῶν only.

ὁμόγνιοι θεοί

=gods which belong to (protect) the same

γένος

, here, the gods of the Labdacid

γένος

(369): cp. 756. The variant

πρὸς θεῶν

would make the verse more impassioned, but would also make the limited fitness of ὁμογνίων more felt; L's καὶ is better.

πιθέσθαι : cp. 1181.

The v.l. πτωχὸς for ξένος doubtless arose from a feeling that the word repeated should be that which immediately preceded μέν (cp. on ): but

πτωχοὶ καὶ ξένοι

forms one notion, in which

ξένοι

is the more important element.

θωπεύοντες , the word used by Creon in taunting Oed. (1003), is unpleasant, but Polyneices means it to be so; his aim is to move Oedipus to loathing of his present lot. Quintil. 6. 2. 24

Haec est illa quae δείνωσις vocatur, rebus indignis asperis invidiosis addens vim oratio

(cp. Ar. Rhet. 2. 21 § 10

ἐν σχετλιασμῷ καὶ δεινώσει

). To the Athenian

ἐλεύθερος

the very essence of a free man's dignity was

αὐτάρκεια

: hence it is a trait of the

μεγαλόψυχος

( Ar. Eth. N. 4. 8 ),

πρὸς ἄλλον μὴ δύνασθαι ζῆν ἀλλ’ ἢ πρὸς φέλον· δουλικὸν γάρ

: where the saving clause would apply to Oedipus.

δαίμον’ : cp. 76.

ἐξειληχότες is clearly right; cp. Eur. fr. 115, Ar. Th. 1070

τί ποτ’ Ἀνδρομέδα περίαλλα κακῶν

μέρος ἐξέλαχον;

Soph. has the verb El. 760

πατρῴας τύμβον ἐκλάχῃ χθονός.

ἐξειληφότες was defended by Herm. as

"having received from Eteocles,"

—the dispenser of our fortunes:— which seems far-fetched. In Ph. 1429

ἀριστεἶ ἐκλαβὼν στρατεύματος

ἐκβαλών

), the genit. (

"out of"

) interprets the compound.

τάλας , nom. for voc., as 753: cp. on .

ἁβρύνετι , not merely,

"lives softly,"

but

"waxes proud."

In Attic the midd. and pass.

ἁβρύνομαι

seems always to have this further sense, like

καλλύνομαι, λαμπρύνομαι, σεμνύνομαι

: e.g. Plat. Apol. 20 C

ἐκαλλυνόμην τε καὶ ἡβρυνόμην ἄν, εἰ ἠπιστάμην ταῦτα

. The act. , however, approaches the simpler sense in Aesch. Ag. 918

μὴ γυναικὸς ἐν τρόποις ἐμὲ | ἅβρυνε

"make me luxurious."

φρενί , wish, purpose: cp. 1182: Ant. 993

οὔκουν πάρος γε σῆς ἀπεστάτουν φρενός

. The decisive objection to the conjecture χερί is that the assistance meant by ξυμπαραστήσει is moral, and φρενί marks this. The proposed reading would make the verb too suggestive of the

δορὸς...ἐν χειμῶνι...παραστάτης

( Ant. 670 ).

ὄγκῳ ,

"trouble,"

see on .

σὺν : cp. 1602

ταχεῖ...σὺν χρόνῳ.

διασκεδῶ , scatter his power to the winds: cp. 620.

στήσω … στήσω δ’ : for the omission of

μέν

, cp. Ant. 806 ff. n.

ἄγων : cp. on .

οὐδὲ σωθῆναι , not even to return alive from the expedition (much less conquer): a freq. Attic sense of

σώζομαι

, as Xen. Anab. 3.1.6

ὁ Ξενοφῶν ἐπήρετο τὸν Ἀπόλλω τίνι ἂν θεῶν θύων...ἄριστα ἔλθοι τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν ἐπινοεῖ, καὶ καλῶς πράξας σωθείη

τοῦ πέμψαντος , Theseus, who, on leaving the scene at 1210, brought, or sent, word to the suppliant. Cp. 298.

εἰπὼν … ἔκπεμψαι , say , ere thou dismiss: see on .

δημοῦχοι (cp. 1087

γᾶς τᾶσδε δαμούχοις

), the reading of the first hand in L, is clearly preferable to δημοῦχος . For the latter, Herm. urged that (1) Oed. is too angry to be so polite, and (2) the mere name of Theseus is not enough here, without a title. Both these arguments might with more justice be inverted: for (1) it is precisely in the formal

ἄνδρες τῆσδε δημοῦχοι χθονός

that we catch the note of suppressed passion; (2)

Θησεύς

, so emphatic as the first word in 1350, would be weakened by

δημοῦχος

in 1348: and (3) with

δημοῦχος

we should here need the article. The elders of Colonus are addressed as

"guardians of this land"

because, in the temporary absence of Theseus, they represent him. So 145 (to the Chorus)

ὦ τῆσδ’ ἔφοροι χώρας

δικαιῶν ὥστ’ : see on .

ὀμφῆς . We should press the word too much if we rendered,

"my prophetic voice"

; though it always has a certain solemnity, owing to its traditional poetic use in reference to a god or an oracle: see on .

ἀξιωθεὶς … κἀκούσας γ’ ,

"having been deemed worthy thereof ( sc.

ἐπαισθέσθαι ὀμφῆς τῆς ἐμῆς"

), yea, and having heard,

etc. This is simpler than to supply

τοιούτων

with ἀξ . from τοιαῦτα .

τοιαῦθ’ followed by ἃ instead of

οἶα

, as O. T. 441 , Ant. 691 , Thuc. 1.41 and oft.; so Lat. talis qui , old Eng. such... which ( Shaksp. Wint. 1. 1. 26 , etc.).

ὅς γ’, ὦ κάκιστε : cp. 866

ὅς μ’, ὦ κάκιστε

(to Creon): for the causal

ὅς

, see on . Oedipus first explains to the Chorus why he deigns a reply at all, and then suddenly turns on his son. As the schol. well says,

δαιμονίως τῇ ἀποστροφῇ χρῆται ἀπὸ τοῦ χοροῦ ἐπὶ τὸν Πολυνείκην

. Profound resentment could not be more dramatically expressed.—

σκῆπτρα καὶ θρόνους : cp. 425, 448.

ἃ , which things: the neut. plur. of

ὅς

being used substantivally, with ref. to the masc. θρόνους no less than to σκῆπτρα : cp. Xen. Cyr. 8.2.22

καρποῦμαι ἀσφάλειαν καὶ εὔκλειαν, ἃ οὔτε κατασήπεται οὔτε ὑπερπληροῦντα λυμαίνεται

: Isocr. or. 9 § 22

κάλλος καὶ ῥώμην καὶ σωφροσύνην, ἅπερ τῶν ἀγαθῶν πρεπωδέστατα τοῖς τηλικούτοις ἐστίν

τὸν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ : see on .

ἔθηκας ἄπολιν … καὶ φορεῖν , didst make me homeless, and cause me to wear: so in Pind. Pyth. 1.40

³ἐθελήσαις ταῦτα νόῳ τιθέμεν εὔανδρόν τε χώραν

, "mayest thou take these things into thy providence, and make the land happy in her sons." Cp. also the double sense of

ποιεῖν

Thuc. 2.29

ὁ Νυμφόδωρος τήν τε τοῦ Σιτάλκου ξυμμαχίαν ἐποίησε καὶ Σάδοκον τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ Ἀθηναῖον

("brought about" ... "made"). The constr. of

τίθημι

with acc. and inf. is not rare in poetry: cp. Eur. Hec. 357 , Her. 990 , Med. 717 , etc.

ἄπολιν : cp. 208.

ταύτας without

τάς

: cp. 629 .

πόνῳ … κακῶν =

πολυπόνοις κακοῖς

, the gen. being added to define

πόνῳ

more closely. Since

πόνος

was a word of such general meaning, the phrase, though unusual, seems defensible. Cp. such phrases as

δυσοίστων πόνων | ἆθλ’

( Ph. 508) ,

πόνων | λατρεύματ’

( Tr. 356) ,

ἄεθλ’ ἀγώνων

( ib. 506) .

βεβηκὼς , as El. 1056

ὅταν γὰρ ἐν κακοῖς | ἤδη βεβήκῃς

: ib. 1094

μοίρᾳ μὲν οὐκ ἐν ἐσθλᾷ | βεβῶσαν.

ἐμοί depending on ταὐτῷ : cp. O.T. 284 n.

κλαυστὰ … οἰστέα : for the plur., see on . There is no sound basis for the view that

κλαυστός

= deflendus ,

κλαυτός

= defletus. Whether with or without the

, the verbal adj. meant simply

"bewept,"

and took on a potential sense only as invictus could mean

"unconquerable."

See O. T. , Appendix, on v. 361.

ἐμοὶ μὲν ,

"by me, on my part,"

has no clause formally answering to it: but the antithesis is implied in the doom of Polyneices (1370 ff.).

I have little doubt that τάδ’, ἕωσπερ , not τάδ’, ὥσπερ , is the true reading here. The synizesis of ἕως was familiar through Homer: Od. 2.148

τὼ δ’ ἕως μέν ῥ) ἐπέτοντο μετὰ πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο

: Il. 17.727

ἕως μὲν γάρ τε θέουσι διαρραῖσαι μεμαῶτες

. In Ph. 1330

ὡς ἂν αὑτὸς ἥλιος

, Scaliger rightly changed

ὡς

ἕως

(first adopted by Wunder); Brunck, with less probability, to

ἔστ’

. In Ai. 1117

ὡς ἂν ᾖς ὀ=ός περ εἶ, ὡς

is more easily defended; but there also (I now think)

ἕως

was rightly conjectured by Scaliger.

ἕωσπερ here could not be trisyllabic, since the anapaest in the first place must be contained in one word, the only exception being the prep. and its case, as

ἐπὶ τῷδε δ’ ἠγόρευε Διομήδης ἄναξ

, Eur. Or. 898 . (In fr. 355

ταχὺ δ’ αὐτὸ δείξει τοὔργον, ὡς ἐγὼ σαφῶς

, from the

Λήμνιαι

, the explanation may be that the drama was satyric, and borrowed a license from Comedy. Meineke would read

τάχ’ αὐτὸ

.) With ὥσπερ the sense is,

" however I may live,"

— i.e. whether my remaining life be less, or even more, wretched than now. Clearly, however, the sense wanted is not this, but,

" as long as I live."

φονέως (predicative), a strong word, as O. T. 534

⁴φονεὺς ὢν τοῦδε τἀνδρὸς ἐμφανῶς.

μεμνημένος , nom., by attraction to

ἕωσπερ ἂν ζῶ

, instead of a dat. agreeing with

ἐμοί

: cp. Il. 7.186

τὸν ἵκανε …

ὅς μιν ἐπιγράψας κυνέῃ βάλε, φαίδιμος Αἴας

μόχθῳ … ἔντροφον : cp. Ai. 622

παλαιᾷ μὲν σύντροφος ἁμέρᾳ,

λευκῷ δὲ γήρᾳ ⁵

ἐκ σέθεν , since the brothers had passively sanctioned his expulsion (441): ἐκ of the prime cause, as O. T. 1454 . Cp. Xen. Hellen. 1.1.27

ὅτι φεύγοιεν ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου

(had been banished by the people).

ἐπαιτῶ , act., used by Soph. only here and O. T. 1416 (of a humble request): midd. once, El. 1124 . The author of the Rhesus , also, has used it of mendicancy, 715

βίον δ’ ἐπαιτῶν εἷρπ’ ἀγύρτης τις λάτρις

εἰ δ’ ἐξέφυσα … μὴ : for the hyperbaton of μή cp. O. T. 329

τἄμ’, ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σ’, ἐκφήνω κακά

(where see n.): Ph. 66

εἰ δ’ ἐργάσει | μὴ ταῦτα.

τὸ σὸν μέρος , acc. of respect; so Ant. 1062 : cp. O. T. 1509

πάντων ἐρήμους, πλὴν ὅσον τὸ σὸν μέρος

εἰς τὸ συμπονεῖν : cp. 335, and for

εἰς

, 1028.

ἀπ’ ἄλλου : cp. Ai. 547 (he will not flinch)

εἴπερ δικαίως ἔστ’ ἐμὸς τὰ πατρόθεν

τοιγάρ σ’ ὁ δαίμων . The thought is:

"Therefore the avenging deity has his eyes upon thee; not yet, however, with a gaze so fierce as that which he will turn on thee anon, if (as thou tellest me) these hosts are marching against Thebes."

A certain measure of retribution has already come on the wicked son, who is

"a beggar and an exile"

(1335); and the measure will soon be filled by a fratricide's death. For εἰσορᾷ cp. 1536: so

βλέπειν πρός τινα

, 279. The μὲν after

εἰσορᾷ

properly implies such a statement as this:—

εἰσορᾷ μὲν νῦν, αὐτίκα δὲ καὶ μᾶλλον εἰσόψεται

. Instead of the second clause, a more reticent and more impressive form of speech is abruptly substituted, — οὔ τί πω ὡς αὐτίκ’ . With L's που (

"I ween"

) the sense would be the same. Dobree's

σε δαίμων … ὃς αὐτίκ’

is less effective, because it destroys the unity and continuity of the divine retribution.

I hold εἴπερ to be right: it refers to the statement made by Polyneices, which it does not call in question, but merely notes as the condition.

κινοῦνται refers to the march from Argos: it would be over-subtle to take it of the advance from the camp in the plain to the walls of the city. With Heimsoeth's εἴ ποθ’ the sense would be:

"if ever these hosts are destined to move ,"

the pres. with ποτέ being an

"oracular"

future ( Ph. 113

αἱρεῖ τὰ τόξα ταῦτα τὴν Τροίαν μόνα

κείνην ἐρείψεις is a certain correction (by Turnebus, Paris, ann. 1553) of κείνην ἐρεῖ τις , and has been accepted by nearly all subsequent editors. Cp. the threat

Θήβης ἄστυ δῃώσειν πυρί

, 1319: and

κατασκάψαντι

, 1421. It was necessary to take Thebes by storm before Polyneices could establish his power. The only natural sense for the MS. reading is,

"for it is impossible that any one shall call Thebes a city."

In Aeschylus Eum. 457 the total destruction of Troy is expressed by the phrase

σὺ Τροίαν ἄπολιν Ἰλίου πόλιν | ἔθηκας

"madest it to be no city"

: and the MS. reading here might more easily be defended if the sense were precisely the opposite to what it actually is.—Campbell, keeping ἐρεῖ τις , renders,

"for there is one"

( i.e. Polyneices)

"who shall never call Thebes his “city”."

But there is nothing in the Greek answering to

" his. "

The general associations of the word

πόλις

surely could not supply the absence of the essential word

αὑτοῦ

. There is no contrast here, surely, between ἄστυ , as

"town,"

and πόλις , as civitas.

αἵματι … μιανθεὶς , not merely

"covered with (thine own) blood,"

but

"stained with a brother's blood,"

as Ant. 171 (of these brothers)

παίσαντές τε καὶ | πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι

τοιάσδ’ . His former imprecation, uttered on hearing Ismene's tidings, implied the same doom which is more plainly denounced here (421—427: 451 f.). Manifestly it is to this that πρόσθε refers. Campbell holds, however, that, in this passage, Sophocles has abandoned what is otherwise the distinctive point in his conception of the curse on the sons,— viz. that it was delivered only after the outbreak of their strife for the throne (cp. on ),—and that πρόσθε denotes some moment before Oed. had left Thebes. I can perceive no ground for this. The question is more than a detail: it must affect our estimate of the play as a work of dramatic art. See

ἐξανῆκ’ , sent up , from my inmost soul: the notion being that the

ἀραί

, when they have once passed the father's lips, are thenceforth personal agencies of vengeance: hence 1376

ξυμμάχους . So

ἐξανιέναι

is said of the earth

"sending up,"

—calling into activity,—plagues or dread beings ( Eur. Phoen. 670 , etc.). Distinguish

ἀφῆκα

( Ant. 1085 ),

ἐφῆκας

( Eur. Hipp. 1324 ), of launching curses, etc., like missiles.

ἀνακαλοῦμαι , simply,

"I invoke,"

not,

"I invoke again. "

In this compound the prep. has two different meanings, (1)

" aloud ,"

as in

ἀναβοᾶν, ἀνακηρύσσειν

, and (2)

" up "

" back ,"

as in

ἀνιέναι

. Cp. Her. 9.90

θεοὺς...ἀνακαλέων

"calling aloud on the gods"

: El. 693

Ἀργεῖος...ἀνακαλούμενος

: Tr. 910

τὸν αὑτῆς δαίμον’ ἀνακαλουμένη

. So in Eur. Suppl. 626

κεκλημένους μὲν ἀνακαλούμεθ’ αὖ θεούς

"again (

αὖ"

) we call aloud ,

etc.

ἵν’ ἀξιῶτον . The thought is,

"I call the Curses (to destroy you twain), that ye may deign to revere parents,"

etc.: a Greek way of saying,

"that ye may rue your neglect to revere them."

The irony consists in the lesson being learned only when it is too late to practise it. Cp. Tr. 1109

προσμόλοι μόνον,

ἵν’ ἐκδιδαχθῇ πᾶσιν ἀγγέλλειν ὅτι

καὶ ζῶν κακούς γε καὶ θανὼν ἐτισάμην

: Ant. 310 (ye shall die ),

ἵν’ εἰδότες τὸ κέρδος ἔνθεν οἰστέον

τὸ λοιπὸν ἁρπάζητε

(cp. the form of threat,

"I'll teach thee to do such things"

): cp. also ib. 715, O. T. 1273 , Ai. 100 .

τοὺς φυτεύσαντας σέβειν . Attic law imposed the penalty of disfranchisement on a son convicted of neglecting to support a parent in sickness or old age (

γηροβοσκεῖν

), or of other grave failure in filial duty. When such a case of

κάκωσις γονέων

came before a court, the accuser could speak at any length (

ἄνευ ὕδατος

, Harpocr. 161), and was not liable to the

ἐπωβελία

, or fine in 1/6th of the damages laid, if he failed to gain a fifth of the votes. Diog. L. 1. 2. 55

δοκεῖ δὲ

(Solon)

κάλλιστα νομοθετῆσαι· ἐάν τις μὴ τρέφῃ τοὺς γονέας, ἄτιμος ἔστω

. Aeschin. or. 1 § 28

ἐάν τις λέγῃ ἐν τῷ δήμῳ, τὸν πάτερα τύπτων ἢ τὴν μητέρα, ἢ μὴ τρέφων, ἢ μὴ παρέχων οἴκησιν, τοῦτον οὐκ ἐᾷ λέγειν

(

ὁ νόμος

). Xen. Mem. 2.2.14 (beware)

εἴ τι παρημέληκας τῆς μητρὸς...μή σε αἰσθόμενοι τῶν γονέων ἀμελοῦντα πάντες ἀτιμάσωσιν, εἶτα ἐν ἐρημίᾳ φίλων ἀναφανῇς

. The example of the birds is quoted ( El. 1058 ), esp. of the stork ( Aristoph. Av. 1355 ).

καὶ μὴ )ξατιμάζητον , sc.

τοὺς φυτεύσαντας

"and that ye may not utterly scorn your parents, because the father ( εἰ =

ὅτι"

) is blind from whom ye, such evil sons, have sprung—for your sisters did not thus.

τυφλοῦhas the chief emphasis: the father's blindness emboldened the impiety of the base sons, while it only stimulated the devotion of the daughters. For the gen. cp. 1322.—Others understand:

"do not think it a light matter that ye have been such sons of a blind sire"

( εἰ as after

θαυμάζω, ἐλεῶ

, etc.): but this sense for ἐξατιμάζητον seems much less natural.

ἔφυτον is the MS. reading, as 1696

ἔβητον

, 1746

ἐλάχετον

: and there are about 10 other places in Attic writers where the MSS. give

‐τον

for the 2nd pers. dual of secondary tenses. Against this group is to be set a smaller group (of some 9 passages) in which

‐την

is established,

εἰχέτην ἤδη

, O.T. 1511, being the only one proved by metre. Curtius ( Verb 1. 80, Eng. tr. 53) would leave the normal

‐τον

where, as here, the MSS. support it. Though Attic usage, misled by the analogy of

‐την

in the 3rd pers., sometimes admitted it in the 2nd, it also (he thinks) retained

‐τον

. The tendency of recent editors has been to write

‐την

everywhere. But, in the absence of better proof that

‐τον

had been wholly discarded, a consensus of MSS. seems entitled to the benefit of the doubt. I cannot find any evidence on this point from the best source,—inscriptions.

τοιγὰρ τὸ σὸν θ. : "wherefore they ( sc.

αἱ Ἀραί

) have the control over thy supplication (to Poseidon) and thy throne " (said bitterly—

"the throne of which thou dreamest"

τὸ δόν

(etc.) is like the ironical use of inverted commas: cp. El. 1110 , Ph. 1251 , Ant. 573 . Polyneices has two pleas: (1) As

ἱκέτης

of Poseidon, he had adjured his father to remember

Αἰδώς

, who is enthroned with Zeus, and to bless his enterprise, 1267. (2) As eldest-born, he claimed the throne by right, 1293. Oedipus answers that Δίκη , no less than

Αἰδώς

, sits with Zeus. The son has broken the eternal laws ( ἀρχαῖοι νόμοι ) of natural duty. Therefore this highest

Δίκη annuls both his pleas. His father's curse has the final control.

θάκημα as 1160, 1179: to make it a mere hendiadys with θρόνους would grievously enfeeble these words.

κρατοῦσιν , with acc., not of the person conquered (as more often), but of the domain over which the rule extends: cp. Aesch. Suppl. 254

καὶ πᾶσαν αἶαν

κρατῶ

ἡ παλαίφατος , declared from of old (by inspired poets and seers), a freq. epithet of oracles, etc., and significant here, where the higher law is opposed to the conventional right of the elderborn.

ξύνεδρος with Ζηνὸς : Pind. Ol. 8.21

ἔνθα Σώτειρα, Διὸς ξενίου

πάρεδρος, ἀσκεῖται Θέμις

: cp. on . A passage quoted by Schneidewin and others as from Demosthenes cannot claim that authority,—for or. 25

κατὰ Ἀριστογείτονος ά

is now generally allowed to be a work of the later Rhetoric,—but is noticeable as illustrating

παλαίφατος

: § 11

τὴν ἀπαραίτητον καὶ σεμνὴν Δίκην, ἣν ὁ τὰς ἁγιωτάτας τελετὰς ἡμῖν καταδείξας Ὀρφεὺς παρὰ τὸν τοῦ Διὸς θρόνον φησὶ καθημένην πάντα τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐφορᾶν

ἀρχαίοισνόμοις , causal dat.,

"by,"

"under sanction of,"

the

ἄγραπτα κἀσφαλῆ θεῶν

νόμιμα …

οὐ γάρ τι νῦν τε κἀχθὲς ἀλλ’ ἀεί ποτε

ζῇ ταῦτα,

Ant.454 . See on O. T. 865 . As to Bergk's conjecture θρόνοις , we should expect either

πάρεδρος..θρόνοις

, or

ξύνεδρος..θρόνων

κἀπάτωρ … ἐμοῦ , and without a father in me: for the gen. cp. on

ἀνήνεμον...χειμώνων

. Plat. Legg. 928E

ἐν οὖν ἄλλῃ πολιτείᾳ παῖς ἀποκεκηρυγμένος

(publicly disowned by his parents)

οὐκ ἂν ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἄπολις εἴη, ταύτης δὲ...ἀναγκαίως ἔχει εἰς ἄλλην χώραν ἐξοικίζεσθαι τὸν ἀπάτορα

(the disowned child). From ἐμοῦ supply

ἐμοί

with ἀπόπτυστος (cp. Aesch. Eum. 191 ).

συλλαβὼν , taking them with thee,—a colloquial phrase, bitter here: cp. Ph. 577

ἔκπλει σεαυτὸν συλλαβών

: sometimes playful, as in Aristoph. Av. 1469

ἀπίωμεν...συλλαβόντες τὰ πτερά

: see on O. T. 971 .

καλοῦμαι . The midd. (rare in Attic except as a law-term, to cite one before a court, Aristoph. Nub. 1221 ) is fitting here, since the

Ἀραί

are his creatures, and do his work.

ἐμφυλίου , stronger than

πατρῴας

, and suggestive of the unnatural strife: cp. Ant. 1263

κτανόντας τε καὶ | θανόντας βλέποντες ἐμφυλίους

δόρει : see on .

νοστῆσαι with acc., as Eur. I. T. 534

οὔπω νενόστηκ’ οἶκον

. Cp. 1769.

τὸ κοῖλον Ἄργος :

κτανεῖν θ’ is better than

κτανόνθ’

(Blaydes), as giving a more separate prominence to the fratricide.

: Xen. Symp. 8. 17

τίς μισεῖν δύναιτ’ ἂν ὑφ’ οὗ εἰδείη καλός τε κἀγαθὸς νομιζόμενος;

πατρῷον . What is meant by the

"horrible paternal gloom of Tartarus"

? Clearly

πατρῷον

must have some reference to the personal relationships of the speaker, but that reference might be variously defined. (1) The primeval Darkness, father of all (as Apollo is

πατρῷος διὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἴωνος γένεσιν

, Plat. Euthyd. 302 C ). Aristoph. Av. 693

Χάος ἦν καὶ Νὺξ Ἔρεβός τε μέλαν πρῶτον καὶ Τάρταρος εὐρύς

: cp. Hes. Th. 116 . The point will then be twofold; the Furies are

παῖδες ἀρχαίου Σκότου

(see on ); and Darkness, father of all, is invoked by the father who is cursing his son,— as

Ζεὺς πατρῷος

is the god to whom an outraged father appeals ( Aristoph. Nub. 1468 ). (2) The nether gloom which hides Laïus (so Hermann). The thought will then be that the family

ἀρά

which slew Laïus is to slay Polyneices. It seems hardly the fit moment, however, for Oed. to recall his own parricidal act. (3) The nether gloom which is to be thy sole patrimony ,

πατρῷον

being proleptic. This appears a little too subtle for the direct vehemence of the curse. (4) A darkness like that in which thy blind father dwells: cp. O. T. 1314

ἰὼ σκότου

νέφος ἐμὸν ἀπότροπον

I prefer (1), but suspect that the poet used

πατρῷον

with some measure of deliberate vagueness, leaving the hearers to choose between its possible associations, or to blend them. No emendation seems probable: see cr. n.

ἀποικίσῃ : Tr. 954

γένοιτ’ ἔπουρος ἑστιῶτις αὔρα,

ἥτις μ’ ἀποικίσειεν ἐκ τόπων

τάσδε δαίμονας : the Eumenides, one of whose general attributes it was to punish sins against kinsfolk, are invoked separately from the personal

Ἀραί

of the sufferer (1375): so El. 111

Πότνῑ Ἀρά,

σεμναί τε θεῶν παῖδες Ἐρινύες

. The Curse calls the Furies into action. Cp. on .

Ἄρη , the Destroyer, whether by strife, as here, or by pestilence ( O. T. 190 n.).

ἐξάγγελλε ,

"publish,"

—with bitter irony, since the son dares not tell it even to a bosom-friend: see 1402.—The word was used esp. of traitors who carried news out of a city or camp to the enemy (cp. n. on O. T. 1223 ).—

καὶ πᾶσι

, e'en to all. (

καί...τε

could not stand for

τε... καί

"both"

—

"and"

: cp. O. T. 347 n.)

γέρα , a fit word, since used esp. of royal prerogatives: Thuc. 1.13

ἐπὶ ῥητοῖς γέρασι πατρικαὶ βασιλεῖαι

οὔτε … τε , as O. T. 653 , Ph. 1321 , Ant. 763 , El. 350 , 1078, fr. 86, 4. The converse,

τε … οὔτε

, is not found (n. on 367).

ὁδοῖς , his journeys from Thebes to Argos, and from Argos to Attica. Ant. 1212

δυστυχεστάτην | κέλευθον ἕρπω τῶν παρελθουσῶν ὁδῶν

. (Not,

"proceedings."

)

Wecklein reads ξυνήδομαί σου (for σοι ): rightly, I think. With σοι, ταῖς παρελθούσαις ὁδοῖς is usu. taken as causal,

" on account of thy past journeys"

: but such a dat., in addition to the dat. of the person , is most awkward. We should expect either the dat. with

ἐπί

, or else a gen., as Dem. or. 15 § 15

Ῥοδίοις γε...συγχαίρω τῶν γεγενημένων

. And ξυνήδομαι was constantly used with a dat. of the thing in which one takes joy, or of which one approves: Isocr. or. 5 § 8

συνησθεὶς...τοῖς περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης

: or. 8 § 87

συνησθησόμενοι ταῖς ἡμετέραις συμφοραῖς

(exult in): Eur. Med. 136

οὐδὲ συνήδομαι ...ἄλγεσι δώματος

: Hipp. 1286

τί...τοῖσδε συνήδει;

(these deeds ): Rhes. 958

οὐ μὴν θανόντι γ’ οὐδαμῶς συνήδομαι

(his death): Arist. Rhet. 2.4 . 3

τὸν συνηδόμενον τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς

(rejoicing in one's prosperity).

οἴμοι with gen., as Ai. 367 , Ant. 82 , El. 1143 .

τῆς ἐμῆς with κελεύθου also: cp. O. T. 417

μητρός τε καὶ τοῦ σοῦ πατρός

οἷον … ὁδοῦ τέλος , a compressed phrase for

οἷον τέλος μέλλουσαν ἕξειν ὁδόν

"on a journey destined to have what an end."

( Aesch. PV 284

ἥκω δολιχῆς τέρμα κελεύθου | διαμειψάμενος

, is less strong, since

τέρμα

can go with

ἥκω

.) Such a compression becomes intelligible when it is remembered that the purpose or end of a journey could be expressed in Greek by a bold use of the

"internal"

accus., as in

ἀγγελίην ἐλθόντα

( Il. 11.140 ), etc.

τάλας : cp. 753, 847.

οἷον , acc., is object to φωνῆσαι only, but exerts a causal force over ἀποστρέψαι also (as

ὥστε

would have done): the first οὐδ’ =

"not even,"

the second links the two infinitives:—

" such that 'tis not lawful even to utter it to any of my comrades, or to turn them back."

The utterance would turn them back: but the curse is too dreadful to be revealed.

ἀλλ’ ὄντ’ : sc.

δεῖ

, evolved from the negative οὐδ’ ἔξεστι : cp. O. T. 817

ὃν μὴ ξένων ἔξεστι μηδ’ ἀστῶν τινι

δόμοις δέχεσθαι, …

ὠθεῖν δ’ ἀπ’ οἴκων

τοῦδ’ is often taken here as=

ἐμοῦ

(450), when it would go with ὅμαιμοι : but it rather means Oed., like τοῦδ’ in 1407. A change of reference, within three vv., would be awkward. Cp. 331.

ἀλλ’ begins the appeal (237): it might be

"at least"

(1276), but the other view is better, esp. as σφώ γ’ follows.

τὰ σκληρὰ : cp. 774.

ταῦτ’ , for the MS. τοῦδ’ , seems a true correction, since (1) the threefold τοῦδ’ in three lines exceeds the limit of probable repetition; and (2) it appears a decided gain to have ταῦτα with τὰ σκληρά .

μή τοί με … μή μ’ : see on f.

θέσθε ἐν τάφοισι =

"lay me in the tomb"

θέσθε ἐν κτερίσμασι =

"give me a share of funeral honours"

: cp. Her. 3.3

τὴν δὲ...ἐν τιμῇ τίθεται

. There is thus a slight zeugma of the verb (cp. 1357).

κτερίσματα (only plur.) is used by Soph. and Eur. for the Homeric

κτέρεα

, gifts to the dead, or funeral rites: Od. 1.291

σῆμά τέ οἱ χεῦαι καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερεΐξαι

. In El. 434 , 931

κτερίσματα

ἐντάφια

ib. 326 ) are the gifts of libations, flowers, etc., brought to Agamemnon's grave. Cp. Ant. 203

τάφῳ | κτερίζειν

The poet's allusion to his own Antigone is lightly and happily made. Polyneices here naturally prays for regular funeral rites. That prayer was doomed to disappointment. And yet the

κτερίσματα

for which he asks are represented by the

χοαὶ τρίσπονδοι

which, in the Antigone , his sister pours, after the symbolic rite of scattering dust on the unburied corpse ( Ant. 431 ).

κομίζετον ,

"win,"

κομίζεσθον

, with gen. of the person from whom, as O. T. 580

πάντ’ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται

. Cp. 6

φέροντα

φερόμενον

. The same use of the act.

κομίζω

occurs in Homer (as Il. 11.738

κόμισσα δὲ μώνυχας ἵππους

), Pind. Nem. 2.19

νίκας ἐκόμιξαν

, etc.

οἷς =

τούτοις ἅ

, by reason of (causal dat.) the services which you render.

οἴσει ,

"will bring,"

i.e. will have added to it. Cp. Ai. 866

πόνος πόνῳ πόνον φέρει

. As ὁ νῦν ἔπαινος is the praise for

εὐσέβεια

, the thought is properly this:—

"The natural piety, which brings you this praise for serving your father, will bring you further praise for serving your brother."

τῆς ἐμῆς ὑπουργίας , causal gen. with

ἔπαινον

(understood): ἐμῆς =shown to me: cp. 419.

— 1446 The dialogue between sister and brother illustrates her affection for him, and thus strengthens the link (1405 ff.) between this play and the Antigone. It has, however, a further dramatic purpose. The version of the paternal curse adopted by Sophocles tended to suggest this question to the spectator:—Why should Polyneices persevere in the war, when his defeat and death had been definitely foretold to him? For he plainly believes the prediction (cp. 1407, 1435), though he affects to think that there is a chance of escape (1444). The answer is furnished by the traits of his character which this dialogue brings out. They give the

ἠθικὴ πίστις

for a course which might otherwise have seemed improbable.

τὸ ποῖον : the art. marks the lively interest felt by the speaker: see 893. The v.l.

ὦ φιλτάτη μοι, ποῖον

, is inferior.

ὡς τάχιστά γε . Instead of γε , we should rather expect δή : but γε , emphasising τάχιστα , will not seem weak if we regard the clause as supplementary:

"turn back thy host—yes, and with all speed too."

Distinguish the ordinary use of γε with the adverb in response : Ant. 1102

ΚΡ. δοκεῖς παρεικαθεῖν; ΧΟ. ὅσον γ’, ἄναξ, τάχιστα

πόλιν , Thebes, rather than his adopted city, Argos. Oedipus had declared, indeed, that his son should not destroy Thebes (1372): but Antigone is ready to suppose a different event as possible (

πάτραν κατασκάψαντι

, 1421); and, in any case, Thebes would suffer the scourge of war.

The MS.

πῶς γὰρ αὖθις αὖ πάλιν

στράτευμ’ ἄγοιμι ταὐτόν

is defensible if we take πῶς ἄγοιμι as dubitative, "How could I possibly lead?" See Appendix on 170. But there is at least a strong probability that the poet used ἄν here, instead of employing the much rarer construction. So far as our MSS. are concerned, the dropping out of ἄν after ἄγοιμι is not much less likely than the change of ἄν into αὖ . Either would have been easy. I prefer

αὖθις ἂν ... ἄγοιμι

αὖθις αὖ... ἄγοιμ’ ἄν

, because ἄν is thus more forcibly placed, and serves also to bring out αὖθις . We have

αὖθις αὖ πάλιν

in Ph. 952 , but usually

αὖθις πάλιν

( 364 : Ph. 127 , 342 , 1232 : Tr. 342 : Ai. 305 : fr. 444. 3 ).

To Porson's

αὖθις αὖ...ἄγοιμι ταὔτ’ ἄν

the drawback is the elision. We find

ταὔτ’

for the plur.

ταὐτά

( O. T. 284 , 840 etc.); but tragedy, which preferred

ταὐτόν

ταὐτό

(though admitting the latter under metrical necessity, O. T. 734 ), would hardly have elided the

in that word. Ant. 462

αὔτ’

(for

αὐτό

) is solitary in Soph.: L has

αὖτ’

ταὐτὸν has been needlessly suspected and altered.

"The same host"

means an army to which the same realms should again send contingents,—not necessarily, of course, an army composed throughout of the same men.

αὖθις , an echo of his word: cp. O. T. 570 , 622, 1004.

πάτραν , native city: cp. O. T. 1524

ὦ πάτρας Θήβης ἔνοικοι

: hence κατασκάψαντι . So Ant. 199 ff.

γῆν πατρῴαν … | πρῆσαι

πρεσβεύοντ’ =

πρεσβύτερον ὄντα

, as often in good prose: Thuc. 6.55

γέγραπται μετὰ τὸν πατέρα...διὰ τὸ πρεσβεύειν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

(because he was his eldest son).

οὕτω goes best with γελᾶσθαι : cp. 1339.

The MS. ἐκφέρει is usu. taken as intrans.,

"come to fulfilment."

The only relevant support for this is Tr. 824

ὁπότε τελεόμηνος ἐκφέροι | δωδέκατος ἄροτος

"come to an end."

The sense is different in Il. 23.376

ἔκφερον ἵπποι

"shot ahead"

(and so Xen. Equest. 3. 4, of a horse running away). Hence Hermann's surely forced rendering here,

" rush forward to their fulfilment."

But ἐκφέρει may be also 2nd pers. pres. midd.,

"fulfil for thyself."

Cp. the use of the active in Il. 21.450

μισθοῖο τέλος... Ὧραι | ἐξέφερον

, accomplished the term of our hire: Pind. Nem. 4.60

Χείρων

...

τὸ μόρσιμον ἔκφερεν

. Soph. has

ἐκφέρεται

as=

"she achieves for herself"

in Tr. 497 . Here,

" thou art fulfilling,"

has clearly more point than,

"they are being fulfilled."

I should therefore read ἐκφέρεις with Tyrwhitt, did not ἐκφέρει (as midd.) yield the required sense even better.

ἐς ὀρθὸν , recte , so that the event is parallel with the prediction: Ant. 1178

ὦ μάντι, τοὔπος ὡς ἄρ’ ὀρθὸν ἤνυσας

: cp. O. T. 506 n.

ἐξ ἀμφοῖν instead of

ἐξ ἀλλήλοιν

. Death is to proceed from you both: the phrase leaves it to be understood that the death which proceeds from each is for the other. To read αὑτοῖν (Blaydes) is no improvement. The plur. reflexive pron. is sometimes, indeed, so used ( e.g. , Isocr. or. 4 § 15

τὰς πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἔχθρας

), and Soph. has it once, Ant. 145 ,

καθ’ αὑτοῖν

κατ’ ἀλλήλοιν

, though Eustathius (1547. 29) blamed Menander for imitating that. If ἀμφοῖν fails to mark mutuality, αὑτοῖν might be taken of a double suicide.

χρῄζει γάρ :

"aye, for he wishes it"

: implying that the wish may have prompted the prophecy. It is hard to see why interpreters should have sought to efface this tragic touch by taking χρῄζει as=impers.

χρή

, or, with the schol., as=

χρησμῳδεῖ

,—both alike impossible.

ἕπεσθαι : for the irregular order of words, cp. O. T. 1251

χὥπως μὲν ἐκ

τῶνδ’ οὐκέτ’ οἶδ’ ἀπόλλυται

(n.): Ant. 682 n.

οὐδ’ , not even (to begin with); cp. Her. 3.39

τῷ γὰρ φίλῳ ἔφη χαριεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἀποδιδοὺς τὰ ἔλαβε ἢ ἀρχὴν μηδὲ λαβών

"than if he had not taken them at all. "

φλαῦῤ , a euphemism for

κακά

: cp. Arist. Rhet. 2.13 . 1 (old men are persuaded)

τὰ πλείω φαῦλα εἶναι τῶν πραγμάτων

"unsatisfactory."

—So τἀνδεᾶ for

τὰ χείρω

: the defects or weak points in one's case, the things which threaten failure: cp. Her. 7.48

εἰ...ταύτῃ φαίνεται ἐνδεέστερα εἶναι τὰ ἡμέτερα πρήγματα

, if our side seems somewhat weak here. For the thought, cp. Andoc. or. 3 § 34

φημὶ γὰρ...πολέμου μὲν ὄντος ἄνδρα στρατηγὸν τῇ πόλει τε εὔνουν εἰδότα τε ὅ τι πράττοι λανθάνοντα δεῖν τοὺς πολλοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἐξαπατῶντα ἄγειν ἐπὶ τοὺς κινδύνους

ἔσται μέλουσα : cp. 653.

κακὴ , dira , ill-omened (like

κακὸς ὄρνις

), with

πρὸς τοῦδε κ.τ.λ.— τοῦδ’ Ἐριν.

: cp. 1299: so Od. 11.280

μητρὸς Ἐρινύες

: Her. 4.149

Ἐρινύων τῶν Λαΐου τε καὶ Οἰδιπόδεω

" His Erinyes"

are those whom his

Ἀραί

summon: Il. 9.454

πολλὰ κατηρᾶτο στυγερὰς δ’ ἐπεκέκλετ’ Ἐρινῦς

: though the Curse and the Fury are sometimes identified, as Aesch. Th. 70

Ἀρά τ’, Ἐρινὺς πατρὸς ἡ μεγασθενής

εὐοδοίη , in contrast with his own

ὁδός

. The conjecture εὖ διδοίη (Burges), accepted by some of the best edd., effaces a natural and pathetic touch. The MS. σφῷν , if right, might be compared with the dat. after words of showing favour (

εὐμενής

etc.): perhaps also with the dat. after

ἡγεῖσθαι

and

ὁδοποιεῖν

. But in 1407, where σφώ is certain, the MSS. have σφῷν : and the acc. with

εὐοδοῦν

is slightly recommended by the analogy of

ὁδοῦν, ὁδηγεῖν

. Suidas, too, has

εὐοδῶ· αἰτιατικῇ

: though this might be explained by the post-classical constr. of

εὐοδοῦν

, which, as in the Septuagint, was with acc. In Her. 6.73

ὡς Κλεομένεϊ εὐωδώθη τὸ...πρῆγμα

, Stein reads

ὡδώθη

: in any case, the dat. there (

" for Cleomenes"

) has no bearing on the question of dat. or acc. here.—In Aristoph. Ran. 1528

εὐοδίαν ἀγαθὴν ἀπιόντι ποιητῇ

ἐς φάος ὀρνυμένῳ δότε

, the noun has its literal sense (referring to the return of Aeschylus to earth): and so prob. in Aesch. fr. 34.

τάδ’ εἰ θανόντι μοι | τελεῖτ’ . The MSS. have τελεῖτε … θανόντ’ . With Lobeck, I hold the simple transposition to be the true remedy. The ι of the dative could be elided in Homeric Greek; but among the alleged instances in Attic drama there is not one which bears examination. See Appendix.

ἐπεὶ οὐ = u- , a frequent synizesis, which Soph. has again Ph. 446 , 948 , 1037 , fr. 479. 3 : so

ἐγὼ οὔτ’

O. T. 332 etc.

ἕξετον , sc.

τελεῖν τι

. The sense is:—

"if ye will perform these things ( i.e. the last rites, 1410) for me in my death,—as ye will no more be able ( to do aught ) for me in life."

Since

τελεῖν

was specially appropriate to ritual (see 503), there is a certain awkwardness in the transition to its general sense (630 etc.) as merely=

ὑπουργεῖν

. But the harshness is at least much less than that of such zeugmas as Greek idiom permitted (cp. 1357), and does not seem to warrant the view that the verse is spurious. The conjecture οὔ με ζῶντά γ’ is improbable.—It has been said that the thought is repeated in

οὐ γάρ μ’ ἔτι | βλέποντ’ ἐσόψεσθ’ αὖθις

: but the latter is a different statement, and a climax—

"Ye will be able to serve me no more while I live—nay, ye will no more see me alive."

μέθεσθε , sc.

ἐμοῦ

: cp. 838.

The change of persons within the verse (

ἀντιλαβή

) marks excitement: cp. 652, 820, 1169.

καὶ τίς : cp. 606.

προῦπτον , since his father has prophesied the end (1385 ff.): cp. on .

μὴ σύ γ’ , a caressing remonstrance: so Eur. Hec. 405

⁶βούλει πεσεῖν πρὸς οὖδας;...μὴ σύ γ)· οὐ γὰρ ἄξιον

: Phoen. 531

⁷τί τῆς κακίστης δαιμόνων ἐφίεσαι

φιλοτιμίας, παῖ; μὴ σύ γ)· ἄδικος ἡ θεός

. But

μή μοι σύ

( Med. 964 ) repels.

ἃ μὴ δεῖ : cp. 73.

εἰ … στερηθῶ , an epic use sometimes admitted by the Attic poets: see on O.T. 198.—

ταῦτα δ’ ,

" Nay, these things rest with Fortune, that they should be either thus or otherwise"

(that I should die, or survive).

ταῦτα , nomin.: φῦναι , epexeget. infin.: for this δέ in reply (modifying or correcting the last speaker's statement), see on O. T. 379 .

ἐν τῷ δ. , dependent on: see on .

φῦναι has been needlessly suspected. Here, with adv., it is merely equivalent to the intrans.

ἔχειν

, as elsewhere in poetry it is sometimes little more than

εἶναι

. El. 860

πᾶσι θνατοῖς ἔφυ μόρος

. Cp. Aesch. PV 511

οὐ ταῦτα ταύτῃ μοῖρά πω τελεσφόρος | κρᾶναι πέπρωται

. For

καὶ … καί

, instead of

ἢ...ἤ

, cp. 488.

The MS. σφῷν is better than σφὼ , to which some edd., following Elmsley, have needlessly changed it.

" For you two my prayer is—that ye ne'er meet with ills."

The contrast between his own case and theirs is thus more impressively marked than it would be by the acc. (

"my prayer is that you two ne'er meet with ills"

). For the dat. of the person in whose interest the prayer is made, cp. O. T. 269 , Ph. 1019 , Ai. 392 . For

ἀρῶμαι in a good sense cp. Tr. 48 , Ai. 509 , Il. 9.240 , Her. 1.132 (

ἑωυτῷ...ἀρᾶσθαι ἀγαθά

πᾶσιν , ethic dat.,

"in the sight of all"

: cp. 810 n.

Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus at Colonus. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. 1899.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1249 focus

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἡμῖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁ ξένος,

—ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος, ὦ πάτερ, - διʼ ὄμματος
1250

ἀστακτὶ λείβων δάκρυον ὧδʼ ὁδοιπορεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς οὗτος;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅνπερ καὶ πάλαι κατείχομεν

γνώμῃ, πάρεστι δεῦρο Πολυνείκης ὅδε.

Πολυνείκης
[112 a.

οἴμοι, τί δράσω; πότερα τἀμαυτοῦ κακὰ

πρόσθεν δακρύσω, παῖδες, ἢ τὰ τοῦδʼ ὁρῶν
1255

πατρὸς γέροντος; ὃν ξένης ἐπὶ χθονὸς

σὺν σφῷν ἐφεύρηκʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἐκβεβλημένον

ἐσθῆτι σὺν τοιᾷδε, τῆς ὁ δυσφιλὴς

γέρων γέροντι συγκατῴκηκεν πίνος

πλευρὰν μαραίνων, κρατὶ δʼ ὀμματοστερεῖ
1260

κόμη διʼ αὔρας ἀκτένιστος ᾄσσεται·

ἀδελφὰ δʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, τούτοισιν φορεῖ

τὰ τῆς ταλαίνης νηδύος θρεπτήρια.

ἁγὼ πανώλης ὄψʼ ἄγαν ἐκμανθάνω·

καὶ μαρτυρῶ κάκιστος ἀνθρώπων τροφαῖς
1265

ταῖς σαῖσιν ἥκειν· τἀμὰ μὴ ἐξ ἄλλων πύθῃ.

ἄλλʼ ἔστι γὰρ καὶ Ζηνὶ σύνθακος θρόνων

Αἰδὼς ἐπʼ ἔργοις πᾶσι, καὶ πρὸς σοί, πάτερ,

παρασταθήτω. τῶν γὰρ ἡμαρτημένων

ἄκη μέν ἐστι, προσφορὰ δʼ οὐκ ἔστʼ ἔτι.
1270

τί σιγᾷς;

φώνησον, ὦ πάτερ, τι· μή μʼ ἀποστραφῇς.

οὐδʼ ἀνταμείβει μʼ οὐδέν; ἀλλʼ ἀτιμάσας

πέμψεις ἄναυδος, οὐδʼ ἃ μηνίεις φράσας;

ὦ σπέρματʼ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδʼ, ἐμαὶ δʼ ὁμαίμονες,
1275

πειράσατʼ ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς γε κινῆσαι πατρὸς

τὸ δυσπρόσοιστον κἀπροσήγορον στόμα,

ὡς μή μʼ ἄτιμον, τοῦ θεοῦ γε προστάτην,

οὕτως *ἀφῇ γε μηδὲν ἀντειπὼν ἔπος.

Ἀντιγόνη

λέγʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ, αὐτὸς ὧν χρείᾳ πάρει.
1280

τὰ πολλὰ γάρ τοι ῥήματʼ ἢ τέρψαντά τι,

ἢ δυσχεράναντʼ, ἢ κατοικτίσαντά πως,

παρέσχε φωνὴν τοῖς ἀφωνήτοις τινά.

Πολυνείκης

ἀλλʼ ἐξερῶ· καλῶς γὰρ ἐξηγεῖ σύ μοι·

πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν τὸν θεὸν ποιούμενος
1285

ἀρωγόν, ἔνθεν μʼ ὧδʼ ἀνέστησεν μολεῖν

ὁ τῆσδε τῆς γῆς κοίρανος, διδοὺς ἐμοὶ

λέξαι τʼ ἀκοῦσαί τʼ ἀσφαλεῖ σὺν ἐξόδῳ.

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀφʼ ὑμῶν, ὦ ξένοι, βουλήσομαι

καὶ ταῖνδʼ ἀδελφαῖν καὶ πατρὸς κυρεῖν ἐμοί.
1290

ἃ δʼ ἦλθον ἤδη σοι θέλω λέξαι, πάτερ.

γῆς ἐκ πατρῴας ἐξελήλαμαι φυγάς,

τοῖς σοῖς πανάρχοις οὕνεκʼ ἐνθακεῖν θρόνοις

γονῇ πεφυκὼς ἠξίουν γεραιτέρᾳ.

ἀνθʼ ὧν μʼ Ἐτεοκλῆς, ὢν φύσει νεώτερος,
1295

γῆς ἐξέωσεν, οὔτε νικήσας λόγῳ

οὔτʼ εἰς ἔλεγχον χειρὸς οὔτʼ ἔργου μολών,

πόλιν δὲ πείσας. ὧν ἐγὼ μάλιστα μὲν

τὴν σὴν Ἐρινὺν αἰτίαν εἶναι λέγω·

ἔπειτα κἀπὸ μάντεων ταύτῃ κλύω.
1300

ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθον Ἄργος ἐς τὸ Δωρικόν,

λαβὼν Ἄδραστον πενθερὸν ξυνωμότας

ἔστησʼ ἐμαυτῷ γῆς ὅσοιπερ Ἀπίας

πρῶτοι καλοῦνται καὶ τετίμηνται δόρει,

ὅπως τὸν ἑπτάλογχον ἐς Θήβας στόλον
1305

ξὺν τοῖσδʼ ἀγείρας ἢ θάνοιμι πανδίκως,

ἢ τοὺς τάδʼ ἐκπράξαντας ἐκβάλοιμι γῆς.

εἶεν· τί δῆτα νῦν ἀφιγμένος κυρῶ;

σοὶ προστροπαίους, ὦ πάτερ, λιτὰς ἔχων,

αὐτός *τʼ ἐμαυτοῦ ξυμμάχων τε τῶν ἐμῶν,
1310

οἳ νῦν σὺν ἑπτὰ τάξεσιν σὺν ἑπτά τε

λόγχαις τὸ Θήβης πεδίον ἀμφεστᾶσι πᾶν·

οἷος δορυσσοῦς Ἀμφιάρεως, τὰ πρῶτα μὲν

δόρει κρατύνων, πρῶτα δʼ οἰωνῶν ὁδοῖς·

ὁ δεύτερος δʼ Αἰτωλὸς Οἰνέως τόκος
1315

Τυδεύς· τρίτος δʼ Ἐτέοκλος, Ἀργεῖος γεγώς·

τέταρτον Ἱππομέδοντʼ ἀπέστειλεν πατὴρ

Ταλαός· ὁ πέμπτος δʼ εὔχεται κατασκαφῇ

Καπανεὺς τὸ Θήβης ἄστυ δῃώσειν πυρί·

ἕκτος δὲ Παρθενοπαῖος Ἀρκὰς ὄρνυται,
1320

ἐπώνυμος τῆς πρόσθεν ἀδμήτης χρόνῳ

μητρὸς λοχευθείς, πιστὸς Ἀταλάντης γόνος·

ἐγὼ δέ, σός, κεἰ μὴ σός, ἀλλὰ τοῦ κακοῦ

πότμου φυτευθείς, σός γέ τοι καλούμενος,

ἄγω τὸν Ἄργους ἄφοβον ἐς Θήβας στρατόν.
1325

οἵ σʼ ἀντὶ παίδων τῶνδε καὶ ψυχῆς, πάτερ,

ἱκετεύομεν ξύμπαντες ἐξαιτούμενοι

μῆνιν βαρεῖαν εἰκαθεῖν ὁρμωμένῳ

τῷδʼ ἀνδρὶ τοὐμοῦ πρὸς κασιγνήτου τίσιν,

ὅς μʼ ἐξέωσε κἀπεσύλησεν πάτρας.
1330

εἰ γάρ τι πιστόν ἐστιν ἐκ χρηστηρίων,

οἷς ἂν σὺ προσθῇ, τοῖσδʼ ἔφασκʼ εἶναι κράτος.

πρός νύν σε κρηνῶν καὶ θεῶν ὁμογνίων

αἰτῶ πιθέσθαι καὶ παρεικαθεῖν, ἐπεὶ

πτωχοὶ μὲν ἡμεῖς καὶ ξένοι, ξένος δὲ σύ·
1335

ἄλλους δὲ θωπεύοντες οἰκοῦμεν σύ τε

κἀγώ, τὸν αὐτὸν δαίμονʼ ἐξειληφότες.

ὁ δʼ ἐν δόμοις τύραννος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ,

κοινῇ καθʼ ἡμῶν ἐγγελῶν ἁβρύνεται·

ὅν, εἰ σὺ τἠμῇ ξυμπαραστήσει φρενί,
1340

βραχεῖ σὺν ὄγκῳ καὶ χρόνῳ διασκεδῶ.

ὥστʼ ἐν δόμοισι τοῖσι σοῖς στήσω σʼ ἄγων,

στήσω δʼ ἐμαυτόν, κεῖνον ἐκβαλὼν βίᾳ.

καὶ ταῦτα σοῦ μὲν ξυνθέλοντος ἔστι μοι

κομπεῖν, ἄνευ σοῦ δʼ οὐδὲ σωθῆναι σθένω.
1345

Χορός

τὸν ἄνδρα, τοῦ πέμψαντος οὕνεκʼ, *Οἰδίπους,

εἰπὼν ὁποῖα ξύμφορʼ ἔκπεμψαι πάλιν.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ εἰ μέν, ἄνδρες, τῆσδε δημοῦχος χθονός

μὴ ʼτύγχανʼ αὐτὸν δεῦρο προσπέμψας ἐμοὶ

Θησεύς, δικαιῶν ὥστʼ ἐμοῦ κλύειν λόγους,
1350

οὔ τἄν ποτʼ ὀμφῆς τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπῄσθετο·

νῦν δʼ ἀξιωθεὶς εἶσι κἀκούσας γʼ ἐμοῦ

τοιαῦθʼ ἃ τὸν τοῦδʼ οὔ ποτʼ εὐφρανεῖ βίον·

ὅς γʼ, ὦ κάκιστε, σκῆπτρα καὶ θρόνους ἔχων,

ἃ νῦν ὁ σὸς ξύναιμος ἐν Θήβαις ἔχει,
1355

τὸν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ πατέρα τόνδʼ ἀπήλασας,

κάθηκας ἄπολιν καὶ στολὰς ταύτας φορεῖν,

ἃς νῦν δακρύεις εἰσορῶν, ὅτʼ ἐν πόνῳ

ταὐτῷ βεβηκὼς τυγχάνεις κακῶν ἐμοί.

οὐ κλαυστὰ δʼ ἐστίν, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν οἰστέα
1360

τάδʼ, ὥσπερ ἂν ζῶ, σοῦ φονέως μεμνημένος,

σὺ γάρ με μόχθῳ τῷδʼ ἔθηκας ἔντροφον,

σύ μʼ ἐξέωσας· ἐκ σέθεν δʼ ἀλώμενος

ἄλλους ἐπαιτῶ τὸν καθʼ ἡμέραν βίον.

εἰ δʼ ἐξέφυσα τάσδε μὴ ἐμαυτῷ τροφοὺς
1365

τὰς παῖδας, ἦ τἂν οὐκ ἂν ἦ, τὸ σὸν μέρος·

νῦν δʼ αἵδε μʼ ἐκσώζουσιν, αἵδʼ ἐμαὶ τροφοί,

αἵδʼ ἄνδρες, οὐ γυναῖκες, εἰς τὸ συμπονεῖν·

ὑμεῖς δʼ ἀπʼ ἄλλου κοὐκ ἐμοῦ πεφύκατον.

τοιγάρ σʼ ὁ δαίμων εἰσορᾷ μὲν οὔ τί πω
1370

ὡς αὐτίκʼ, εἴπερ οἵδε κινοῦνται λόχοι

πρὸς ἄστυ Θήβης. οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπως πόλιν

κείνην ἐρεῖ τις, ἀλλὰ πρόσθεν αἵματι

πεσεῖ μιανθεὶς χὼ σύναιμος ἐξ ἴσου.

τοιάσδʼ ἀρὰς σφῷν πρόσθε τʼ ἐξανῆκʼ ἐγὼ
1375

νῦν τʼ ἀνακαλοῦμαι ξυμμάχους ἐλθεῖν ἐμοί,

ἵνʼ ἀξιῶτον τοὺς φυτεύσαντας σέβειν,

καὶ μὴ ʼξατιμάζητον, εἰ τυφλοῦ πατρὸς

τοιώδʼ ἔφυτον. αἵδε γὰρ τάδʼ οὐκ ἔδρων.

τοιγὰρ τὸ σὸν θάκημα καὶ τοὺς σοὺς θρόνους
1380

κρατοῦσιν, εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἡ παλαίφατος

Δίκη ξύνεδρος Ζηνὸς ἀρχαίοις νόμοις.

σὺ δʼ ἔρρʼ ἀπόπτυστός τε κἀπάτωρ ἐμοῦ,

κακῶν κάκιστε, τάσδε συλλαβὼν ἀράς,

ἅς σοι καλοῦμαι, μήτε γῆς ἐμφυλίου
1385

δόρει κρατῆσαι μήτε νοστῆσαί ποτε

τὸ κοῖλον Ἄργος, ἀλλὰ συγγενεῖ χερὶ

θανεῖν κτανεῖν θʼ ὑφʼ οὗπερ ἐξελήλασαι.

τοιαῦτʼ ἀρῶμαι, καὶ καλῶ *τὸ Ταρτάρου

στυγνὸν πατρῷον ἔρεβος, ὥς σʼ ἀποικίσῃ,
1390

καλῶ δὲ τάσδε δαίμονας, καλῶ δʼ Ἄρη

[113 b.

τὸν σφῷν τὸ δεινὸν μῖσος ἐμβεβληκότα.

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀκούσας στεῖχε, κἀξάγγελλʼ ἰὼν

καὶ πᾶσι Καδμείοισι τοῖς σαυτοῦ θʼ ἅμα

πιστοῖσι συμμάχοισιν, οὕνεκʼ Οἰδίπους
1395

τοιαῦτʼ ἔνειμε παισὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ γέρα.

Χορός

Πολύνεικες, οὔτε ταῖς παρελθούσαις ὁδοῖς

ξυνήδομαί σοι, νῦν τʼ ἴθʼ ὡς τάχος πάλιν.

Πολυνείκης

οἴμοι κελεύθου τῆς τʼ ἐμῆς δυσπραξίας,

οἴμοι δʼ ἑταίρων· οἷον ἆρʼ ὁδοῦ τέλος
1400

Ἄργους ἀφωρμήθημεν, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ.

τοιοῦτον, οἷον οὐδὲ φωνῆσαί τινι

ἔξεσθʼ ἑταίρων, οὐδʼ ἀποστρέψαι πάλιν,

ἀλλʼ ὄντʼ ἄναυδον τῇδε συγκῦρσαι τύχῃ.

ὦ τοῦδʼ ὅμαιμοι παῖδες, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς, ἐπεὶ
1405

τὰ σκληρὰ πατρὸς κλύετε †τοῦδʼ ἀρωμένου,

μή τοί με πρὸς θεῶν σφώ γʼ, *ἐὰν αἱ τοῦδʼ ἀραὶ

πατρὸς τελῶνται καί τις ὑμὶν ἐς δόμους

νόστος γένηται, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσητέ γε,

ἀλλʼ ἐν τάφοισι θέσθε κἀν κτερίσμασιν.
1410

καὶ σφῷν ὁ νῦν ἔπαινος, ὃν κομίζετον

τοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς οἷς πονεῖτον, οὐκ ἐλάσσονα

ἔτʼ ἄλλον οἴσει τῆς ἐμῆς ὑπουργίας.

Ἀντιγόνη

Πολύνεικες, ἱκετεύω σε πεισθῆναί τί μοι.

Πολυνείκης

ὦ φιλτάτη τὸ ποῖον Ἀντιγόνη; λέγε.
1415

Ἀντιγόνη

στρέψαι στράτευμʼ ἐς Ἄργος ὡς τάχιστά γε,

καὶ μὴ σέ *τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ πόλιν διεργάσῃ.

Πολυνείκης

ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε. πῶς γὰρ αὖθις αὖ πάλιν

στράτευμʼ ἄγοιμι ταυτὸν εἰσάπαξ τρέσας;

Ἀντιγόνη

τί δʼ αὖθις, ὦ παῖ, δεῖ σε θυμοῦσθαι; τί σοι
1420

πάτραν κατασκάψαντι κέρδος ἔρχεται;

Πολυνείκης

αἰσχρὸν τὸ φεύγειν, καὶ τὸ πρεσβεύοντʼ ἐμὲ

οὕτω γελᾶσθαι τοῦ κασιγνήτου πάρα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὁρᾷς τὰ τοῦδʼ οὖν ὡς ἐς ὀρθὸν ἐκφέρει

μαντεύμαθʼ, ὃς σφῷν θάνατον ἐξ ἀμφοῖν θροεῖ;
1425

Πολυνείκης

χρῄζει γάρ· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐχὶ συγχωρητέα.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι τάλαινα· τίς δὲ τολμήσει κλύων

τὰ τοῦδʼ ἕπεσθαι τἀνδρός, οἷʼ ἐθέσπισεν;

Πολυνείκης

οὐδʼ ἀγγελοῦμεν φλαῦρʼ· ἐπεὶ στρατηλάτου

χρηστοῦ τὰ κρείσσω μηδὲ τἀνδεᾶ λέγειν.
1430

Ἀντιγόνη

οὕτως ἄρʼ, ὦ παῖ, ταῦτά σοι δεδογμένα;

Πολυνείκης

καὶ μή μʼ ἐπίσχῃς γʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν ἥδʼ ὁδὸς

ἔσται μέλουσα δύσποτμός τε καὶ κακὴ

πρὸς τοῦδε πατρὸς τῶν τε τοῦδʼ Ἐρινύων.

σφῶν δʼ εὐοδοίη Ζεύς, τάδʼ εἰ τελεῖτέ μοι
1435

θανόντʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ μοι ζῶντί γʼ αὖθις ἕξετον.

μέθεσθε δʼ ἤδη, χαίρετόν τʼ. οὐ γάρ μʼ ἔτι

βλέποντʼ ἐσόψεσθʼ αὖθις.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Πολυνείκης

μή τοί μʼ ὀδύρου.

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ τίς ἄν σʼ ὁρμώμενον

εἰς προὖπτον Ἅιδην οὐ καταστένοι, κάσι;
1440

Πολυνείκης

εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

μὴ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ.

Πολυνείκης

μὴ πεῖθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυστάλαινά τἄρʼ ἐγώ,

εἴ σου στερηθῶ.

Πολυνείκης

ταῦτα δʼ ἐν τῷ δαίμονι

καὶ τῇδε φῦναι χἀτέρᾳ. σφῷν δʼ οὖν ἐγὼ

θεοῖς ἀρῶμαι μή ποτʼ ἀντῆσαι κακῶν·
1445

ἀνάξιαι γὰρ πᾶσίν ἐστε δυστυχεῖν.

Χορός
α

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1249-1446 focus

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἡμῖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁ ξένος

ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος, ὦ πάτερ, διʼ ὄμματος
1250

ἀστακτὶ λείβων δάκρυον ὧδʼ ὁδοιπορεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς οὗτος;

Οἰδίπους

ὅνπερ καὶ πάλαι κατείχομεν

γνώμῃ, πάρεστι δεῦρο Πολυνείκης ὅδε.

Πολυνείκης

οἴμοι, τί δράσω; πότερα τἀμαυτοῦ κακὰ

πρόσθεν δακρύσω, παῖδες, ἢ τὰ τοῦδʼ ὁρῶν
1255

πατρὸς γέροντος; ὃς ξένης ἐπὶ χθονὸς

σὺν σφῷν ἐφηύρηκʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἐκβεβλημένον

ἐσθῆτι σὺν τοιᾷδε, τῆς ὁ δυσφιλὴς

γέρων γέροντι συγκατῴκηκεν πίνος

πλευρὰν μαραίνων, κρατὶ δʼ ὀμματοστερεῖ
1260

κόμη διʼ αὔρας ἀκτένιστος ᾄσσεται·

ἀδελφὰ δʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, τούτοισιν φορεῖ

τὰ τῆς ταλαίνης νηδύος θρεπτήρια.

ἁγὼ πανώλης ὄψʼ ἄγαν ἐκμανθάνω·

καὶ μαρτυρῶ κάκιστος ἀνθρώπων τροφαῖς
1265

ταῖς σαῖσιν ἥκειν· τἀμὰ μὴ ʼξ ἄλλων πύθῃ.

ἀλλʼ ἔστι γὰρ καὶ Ζηνὶ σύνθακος θρόνων

Αἰδὼς ἐπʼ ἔργοις πᾶσι, καὶ πρὸς σοί, πάτερ,

παρασταθήτω· τῶν γὰρ ἡμαρτημένων

ἄκη μέν ἐστι, προσφορὰ δʼ οὐκ ἔστʼ ἔτι.
1270

τί σιγᾷς;

φώνησον, ὦ πάτερ, τι· μή μʼ ἀποστραφῇς.

οὐδʼ ἀνταμείβει μʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ἀτιμάσας

πέμψεις ἄναυδος, οὐδʼ ἃ μηνίεις φράσας;

ὦ σπέρματʼ ἀνδρὸς τοῦδʼ, ἐμαὶ δʼ ὁμαίμονες,
1275

πειράσατʼ ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς γε κινῆσαι πατρὸς

τὸ δυσπρόσοιστον κἀπροσήγορον στόμα,

ὡς μή μʼ ἄτιμον, τοῦ θεοῦ γε προστάτην,

οὕτως ἀφῇ με μηδὲν ἀντειπὼν ἔπος.

Ἀντιγόνη

λέγʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ, αὐτὸς ὧν χρείᾳ πάρει·
1280

τὰ πολλὰ γάρ τοι ῥήματʼ ἢ τέρψαντά τι,

ἢ δυσχεράναντʼ ἢ κατοικτίσαντά πως,

παρέσχε φωνὴν τοῖς ἀφωνήτοις τινά.

1284

Πολυνείκης

ἀλλʼ ἐξερῶ· καλῶς γὰρ ἐξηγεῖ σύ μοι·

πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν τὸν θεὸν ποιούμενος
1285

ἀρωγόν, ἔνθεν μʼ ὧδʼ ἀνέστησεν μολεῖν

ὁ τῆσδε τῆς γῆς κοίρανος, διδοὺς ἐμοὶ

λέξαι τʼ ἀκοῦσαί τʼ ἀσφαλεῖ σὺν ἐξόδῳ.

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀφʼ ὑμῶν, ὧ ξένοι, βουλήσομαι

καὶ ταῖνδʼ ἀδελφαῖν καὶ πατρὸς κυρεῖν ἐμοί.
1290

ἃ δʼ ἦλθον, ἤδη σοι θέλω λέξαι, πάτερ.

γῆς ἐκ πατρῴας ἐξελήλαμαι φυγάς,

τοῖς σοῖς πανάρχοις οὕνεκʼ ἐνθακεῖν θρόνοις

γονῇ πεφυκὼς ἠξίουν γεραίτερος.

ἀνθʼ ὧν μʼ Ἐτεοκλῆς, ὢν φύσει νεώτερος,
1295

γῆς ἐξέωσεν, οὔτε νικήσας λόγῳ

οὔτʼ εἰς ἔλεγχον χειρὸς οὐδʼ ἔργου μολών,

πόλιν δὲ πείσας. ὧν ἐγὼ μάλιστα μὲν

τὴν σὴν ἐρινὺν αἰτίαν εἶναι λέγω.

ἔπειτα κἀπὸ μάντεων ταύτῃ κλύω.
1300

ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἦλθον Ἄργος ἐς τὸ Δωρικόν,

λαβὼν Ἄδραστον πενθερόν, ξυνωμότας

ἔστησʼ ἐμαυτῷ γῆς ὅσοιπερ Ἀπίας

πρῶτοι καλοῦνται καὶ τετίμηνται δόρει,

ὅπως τὸν ἑπτάλογχον ἐς Θήβας στόλον
1305

ξὺν τοῖσδʼ ἀγείρας ἢ θάνοιμι πανδίκως

ἢ τοὺς τάδʼ ἐκπράξαντας ἐκβάλοιμι γῆς.

εἶεν· τί δῆτα νῦν ἀφιγμένος κυρῶ;

σοὶ προστροπαίους, ὦ πάτερ, λιτὰς ἔχων

αὐτός τʼ ἐμαυτοῦ ξυμμάχων τε τῶν ἐμῶν,
1310

οἳ νῦν σὺν ἑπτὰ τάξεσιν σὺν ἑπτά τε

λόγχαις τὸ Θήβης πέδιον ἀμφεστᾶσι πᾶν·

οἷος δορυσσοῦς Ἀμφιάρεως, τὰ πρῶτα μὲν

δόρει κρατύνων, πρῶτα δʼ οἰωνῶν ὁδοῖς·

ὁ δεύτερος δʼ Αἰτωλὸς Οἰνέως τόκος
1315

Τυδεύς. τρίτος δʼ Ἐτέοκλος, Ἀργεῖος γεγώς·

τέταρτον Ἱππομέδοντʼ ἀπέστειλεν πατὴρ

Ταλαός· ὁ πέμπτος δʼ εὔχεται κατασκαφῇ

Καπανεὺς τὸ Θήβης ἄστυ δῃώσειν πυρί·

ἕκτος δὲ Παρθενοπαῖος Ἀρκὰς ὄρνυται,
1320

ἐπώνυμος τῆς πρόσθεν ἀδμήτης χρόνῳ

μητρὸς λοχευθείς, πιστὸς Ἀταλάντης γόνος·

ἐγὼ δὲ σός, κεἰ μὴ σός, ἀλλὰ τοῦ κακοῦ

πότμου φυτευθείς, σός γέ τοι καλούμενος,

ἄγω τὸν Ἄργους ἄφοβον ἐς Θήβας στρατόν.
1325

οἵ σʼ ἀντὶ παίδων τῶνδε καὶ ψυχῆς, πάτερ,

ἱκετεύομεν ξύμπαντες ἐξαιτούμενοι

μῆνιν βαρεῖαν εἰκαθεῖν ὁρμωμένῳ

τῷδʼ ἀνδρὶ τοὐμοῦ πρὸς κασιγνήτου τίσιν,

ὅς μʼ ἐξέωσε κἀπεσύλησεν πάτρας.
1330

εἰ γάρ τι πιστόν ἐστιν ἐκ χρηστηρίων,

οἷς ἂν σὺ προσθῇ, τοῖσδʼ ἔφασκʼ εἶναι κράτος.

πρὸς νῦν σε κρηνῶν καὶ θεῶν ὁμογνίων

αἰτῶ πιθέσθαι καὶ παρεικαθεῖν, ἐπεὶ

πτωχοὶ μὲν ἡμεῖς καὶ ξένοι, ξένος δὲ σύ.
1335

ἄλλους δὲ θωπεύοντες οἰκοῦμεν σύ τε

κἀγώ, τὸν αὐτὸν δαίμονʼ ἐξειληχότες.

ὁ δʼ ἐν δόμοις τύραννος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ,

κοινῇ καθʼ ἡμῶν ἐγγελῶν ἁβρύνεται·

ὅν, εἰ σὺ τἠμῇ ξυμπαραστήσει φρενί,
1340

βραχεῖ σὺν ὄγκῳ καὶ χρόνῳ διασκεδῶ.

ὥστʼ ἐν δόμοισι τοῖσι σοῖς στήσω σʼ ἄγων.

στήσω δʼ ἐμαυτόν, κεῖνον ἐκβαλὼν βίᾳ.

καὶ ταῦτα σοῦ μὲν ξυνθέλοντος ἔστι μοι

κομπεῖν, ἄνευ σοῦ δʼ οὐδὲ σωθῆναι σθένω.
1345

1346

Χορός

τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦ πέμψαντος οὕνεκʼ, Οἰδίπους

εἰπὼν ὁποῖα ξύμφορʼ ἔκπεμψαι πάλιν.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ εἰ μέν, ἄνδρες, τῆσδε δημοῦχοι χθονός

μὴ ʼτύγχανʼ αὐτὸν δεῦρο προσπέμψας ἐμοὶ

Θησεύς, δικαιῶν ὥστʼ ἐμοῦ κλύειν λόγους,
1350

οὔ τἄν ποτʼ ὀμφῆς τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπῄσθετο·

νῦν δʼ ἀξιωθεὶς εἶσι κἀκούσας γʼ ἐμοῦ

τοιαῦθʼ ἃ τὸν τοῦδʼ οὔ ποτʼ εὐφρανεῖ βίον·

ὅς γʼ, ὦ κάκιστε, σκῆπτρα καὶ θρόνους ἔχων,

ἃ νῦν ὁ σὸς ξύναιμος ἐν Θήβαις ἔχει,
1355

τὸν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ πατέρα τόνδʼ ἀπήλασας

κἄθηκας ἄπολιν καὶ στολὰς ταύτας φορεῖν,

ἃς νῦν δακρύεις εἰσορῶν, ὅτʼ ἐν πόνῳ

ταὐτῷ βεβηκὼς τυγχάνεις κακῶν ἐμοί.

οὐ κλαυστὰ δʼ ἐστίν, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν οἰστέα
1360

τάδʼ, ἕωσπερ ἂν ζῶ, σοῦ φονέως μεμνημένος·

σὺ γάρ με μόχθῳ τῷδʼ ἔθηκας ἔντροφον,

σύ μʼ ἐξέωσας, ἐκ σέθεν δʼ ἀλώμενος

ἄλλους ἐπαιτῶ τὸν καθʼ ἡμέραν βίον.

εἰ δʼ ἐξέφυσα τάσδε μὴ ʼμαυτῷ τροφοὺς
1365

τὰς παῖδας, ἦ τἂν οὐκ ἂν ἦ, τὸ σὸν μέρος·

νῦν δʼ αἵδε μʼ ἐκσῴζουσιν, αἵδʼ ἐμαὶ τροφοί,

αἵδʼ ἄνδρες, οὐ γυναῖκες, εἰς τὸ συμπονεῖν·

ὑμεῖς δʼ ἀπʼ ἄλλου κοὐκ ἐμοῦ πεφύκατον.

τοιγάρ σʼ ὁ δαίμων εἰσορᾷ μὲν οὔ τί πω
1370

ὡς αὐτίκʼ, εἴπερ οἵδε κινοῦνται λόχοι

πρὸς ἄστυ Θήβης. οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπως πόλιν

κείνην ἐρείψεις, ἀλλὰ πρόσθεν αἵματι

πεσεῖ μιανθεὶς χὼ σύναιμος ἐξ ἴσου.

τοιάσδʼ ἀρὰς σφῷν πρόσθε τʼ ἐξανῆκʼ ἐγὼ
1375

νῦν τʼ ἀνακαλοῦμαι ξυμμάχους ἐλθεῖν ἐμοί,

ἵνʼ ἀξιῶτον τοὺς φυτεύσαντας σέβειν

καὶ μὴ ʼξατιμάζητον, εἰ τυφλοῦ πατρὸς

τοιώδʼ ἐφύτην· αἵδε γὰρ τάδʼ οὐκ ἔδρων.

τοιγὰρ τὸ σὸν θάκημα καὶ τοὺς σοὺς θρόνους
1380

κρατοῦσιν, εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἡ παλαίφατος

Δίκη ξύνεδρος Ζηνὸς ἀρχαίοις νόμοις.

σὺ δʼ ἔρρʼ ἀπόπτυστός τε κἀπάτωρ ἐμοῦ,

κακῶν κάκιστε, τάσδε συλλαβὼν ἀράς,

ἅς σοι καλοῦμαι, μήτε γῆς ἐμφυλίου
1385

δόρει κρατῆσαι μήτε νοστῆσαί ποτε

τὸ κοῖλον Ἄργος, ἀλλὰ συγγενεῖ χερὶ

θανεῖν κτανεῖν θʼ ὑφʼ οὗπερ ἐξελήλασαι.

τοιαῦτʼ ἀρῶμαι καὶ καλῶ τὸ Ταρτάρου

στυγνὸν πατρῷον ἔρεβος, ὥς σʼ ἀποικίσῃ,
1390

καλῶ δὲ τάσδε δαίμονας, καλῶ δʼ Ἄρη

τὸν σφῷν τὸ δεινὸν μῖσος ἐμβεβληκότα.

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀκούσας στεῖχε, κἀξάγγελλʼ ἰὼν

καὶ πᾶσι Καδμείοισι τοῖς σαυτοῦ θʼ ἅμα

πιστοῖσι συμμάχοισιν, οὕνεκʼ Οἰδίπους
1395

τοιαῦτʼ ἔνειμε παισὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ γέρα.

1397

Χορός

Πολύνεικες, οὔτε ταῖς παρελθούσαις ὁδοῖς

ξυνήδομαί σοι, νῦν τʼ ἴθʼ ὡς τάχος πάλιν.

Πολυνείκης

οἴμοι κελεύθου τῆς τʼ ἐμῆς δυσπραξίας,

οἴμοι δʼ ἑταίρων· οἷον ἆρʼ ὁδοῦ τέλος
1400

Ἄργους ἀφωρμήθημεν, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ,

τοιοῦτον οἷον οὐδὲ φωνῆσαί τινι

ἔξεσθʼ ἑταίρων, οὐδʼ ἀποστρέψαι πάλιν,

ἀλλʼ ὄντʼ ἄναυδον τῇδε συγκῦρσαι τύχῃ.

ὦ τοῦδʼ ὅμαιμοι παῖδες, ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς, ἐπεὶ
1405

τὰ σκληρὰ πατρὸς κλύετε ταῦτʼ ἀρωμένου,

μή τοί με πρὸς θεῶν σφώ γʼ, ἐὰν αἱ τοῦδʼ ἀραὶ

πατρὸς τελῶνται καί τις ὑμῖν ἐς δόμους

νόστος γένηται, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσητέ γε,

ἀλλʼ ἐν τάφοισι θέσθε κἀν κτερίσμασιν.
1410

καὶ σφῷν ὁ νῦν ἔπαινος, ὃν κομίζετον

τοῦδʼ, ἀνδρὸς οἷς πονεῖτον, οὐκ ἐλάσσονα

ἔτʼ ἄλλον οἴσει τῆς ἐμῆς ὑπουργίας.

Ἀντιγόνη

Πολύνεικες, ἱκετεύω σε πεισθῆναί τί μοι.

Πολυνείκης

ὦ φιλτάτη, τὸ ποῖον, Ἀντιγόνη; λέγε.
1415

Ἀντιγόνη

στρέψαι στράτευμʼ ἐς Ἄργος ὡς τάχιστά γε,

καὶ μὴ σέ τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ πόλιν διεργάσῃ.

Πολυνείκης

ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε· πῶς γὰρ αὖθις ἂν πάλιν

στράτευμʼ ἄγοιμι ταὐτόν. εἰσάπαξ τρέσας;

Ἀντιγόνη

τί δʼ αὖθις, ὦ παῖ, δεῖ σε θυμοῦσθαι; τί σοι
1420

πάτραν κατασκάψαντι κέρδος ἔρχεται;

Πολυνείκης

αἰσχρὸν τὸ φεύγειν καὶ τὸ πρεσβεύοντʼ ἐμὲ

οὕτω γελᾶσθαι τοῦ κασιγνήτου πάρα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὁρᾷς τὰ τοῦδʼ οὖν ὡς ἐς ὀρθὸν ἐκφέρει

μαντεύμαθʼ, ὃς σφῷν θάνατον ἐξ ἀμφοῖν θροεῖ;
1425

Πολυνείκης

χρῄζει γάρ· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐχὶ συγχωρητέα.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι τάλαινα· τίς δὲ τολμήσει κλύων

τὰ τοῦδʼ ἕπεσθαι τἀνδρός, οἷʼ ἐθέσπισεν;

Πολυνείκης

οὐκ ἀγγελοῦμεν φλαῦρʼ· ἐπεὶ στρατηλάτου

χρηστοῦ τὰ κρείσσω μηδὲ τἀνδεᾶ λέγειν.
1430

1431

Ἀντιγόνη

οὕτως ἄρʼ, ὦ παῖ, ταῦτά σοι δεδογμένα;

Πολυνείκης

καὶ μή μʼ ἐπίσχῃς γʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν ἥδʼ ὁδὸς

ἔσται μέλουσα δύσποτμός τε καὶ κακὴ

πρὸς τοῦδε πατρὸς τῶν τε τοῦδʼ ἐρινύων·

σφῷν δʼ εὖ διδοίη Ζεύς, τάδʼ εἰ θανόντι μοι
1435

τελεῖτʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ μοι ζῶντί γʼ αὖθις ἕξετον.

μέθεσθε δʼ ἤδη χαίρετόν τʼ· οὐ γάρ μʼ ἔτι

βλέποντʼ ἐσόψεσθʼ αὖθις.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Πολυνείκης

μή τοί μʼ ὀδύρου.

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ τίς ἄν σʼ ὁρμώμενον

εἰς προὖπτον Ἅιδην οὐ καταστένοι, κάσι;
1440

Πολυνείκης

εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

μὴ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ.

Πολυνείκης

μὴ πεῖθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυστάλαινά τἄρʼ ἐγώ, εἴ σου στερηθῶ.

Πολυνείκης

ταῦτα δʼ ἐν τῷ δαίμονι

καὶ τῇδε φῦναι χἀτέρᾳ. σφὼ δʼ οὖν ἐγὼ

θεοῖς ἀρῶμαι μή ποτʼ ἀντῆσαι κακῶν·
1445

ἀνάξιαι γὰρ πᾶσίν ἐστε δυστυχεῖν.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1249 focus

Ah! Who comes here? Sure ’tis the Argive man

Approaching hitherward, weeping amain.
1250

And, father, it is he!

OED

Whom dost thou mean?

ANT

The same our thoughts have dwelt on all this while,

Polynices. He is here.

POLYNICES

What shall I do?

I stand in doubt which first I should lament,

My own misfortune or my father’s woe,
1255

Whom here I find an outcast in his age

With you, my sisters, in the stranger land,

Clothed in such raiment, whose inveterate filth

Horridly clings, wasting his reverend form,

While the grey locks over the eye-reft brow
1260

Wave all unkempt upon the ruffling breeze.

And likewise miserable appears the store

He bears to nourish that time-wasted frame.

Wretch that I am! Too late I learn the truth,

And here give witness to mine own disgrace,
1265

Which is as deep as thy distress. Myself

Declare it. Ask not others of my guilt.

But seeing that Zeus on his almighty throne

Keeps Mercy in all he doth to counsel him,

Thou, too, my father, let her plead with thee!

The evil that is done may yet be healed;
1270

It cannot be augmented. Art thou silent?

O turn not from me, father! Speak but once!

Wilt thou not answer, but with shame dismiss me

Voiceless, nor make known wherefore thou art wroth?

O ye his daughters, one with me in blood,
1275

Say, will not ye endeavour to unlock

The stern lips of our unrelenting sire?

Let him not thus reject in silent scorn

Without response the suppliant of Heaven!

ANT

Thyself, unhappy one, say why thou camest.
1280

Speech ofttimes, as it flows, touching some root

Of pity or joy, or even of hate, hath stirred

The dumb to utterance.

POL

I will tell my need:—

First claiming for protector the dread God

From whose high altar he who rules this land
1285

Hath brought me under safe-guard of his power,

Scatheless to speak and hear and go my way.

His word, I am well assured, will be made good,

Strangers, by you, and by my sisters twain,

And by our sire.—Now let me name mine errand.
1290

I am banished, father, from our native land,

Because, being elder-born, I claimed to sit

Upon thy sovereign throne. For this offence

Eteocles, thy younger son, exíled me,

Not having won the advantage in debate
1295

Or trial of manhood, but through guileful art

Gaining the people’s will. Whereof I deem

Thy Fury the chief author; and thereto

Prophetic voices also testify.

For when I had come to Dorian Argolis,

I raised, through marriage with Adrastus’ child,
1300

An army bound in friendly league with me,

Led by the men who in the Apian land

Hold first pre-eminence and honour in war,

With whose aid levying all that mighty host

Of seven battalions, I have deeply sworn
1305

Either to die, or drive from Theban ground

Those who such wrongs have wrought. So far, so well.

But why come hither? Father, to crave thine aid

With earnest supplication for myself

And for my firm allies, who at this hour,

Seven leaders of seven bands embattled there,
1310

Encompass Thebè’s plain. Amphiaráus,

Foremost in augury, foremost in war,

First wields his warlike spear. Next, Oeneus’ son,

Aetolian Tydeus; then Etéoclus

Of Argive lineage; fourth, Hippomedon,
1315

Sent by his father Tálaüs, and the fifth

Is Capancus, who brags he will destroy

Thebè with desolating fire. The sixth,

Parthonopaeus, from the Arcadian glen

Comes bravely down, swift Atalanta’s child,
1320

Named from his mother’s lingering maidenhood

Ere she conceived him. And the seventh am I,

Thy son, or if not thine, but the dire birth

Of evil Destiny, yet named thy son,

Who lead this dauntless host from Argolis

Against the Theban land. Now one and all
1325

We pray thee on our knees, conjuring thee

As thou dost love these maids and thine own life,

My father, to forgive me, ere I go

To be revenged upon my brother there

Who drave me forth and robbed me of my throne.
1330

If aught in prophecy deserves belief,

’Tis certain, whom thou favourest, those shall win.

Now by the wells whereof our fathers drank

And by the Gods they worshipped, hear our prayer,

Grant this petition: since alike in woe,

Alike in poverty and banishment,
1335

Partakers of one destiny, thou and I

Cringe to the stranger for a dwelling place.

Whilst he at home, the tyrant, woe is me,

Laughs at us both in soft luxurious pride.

Whose might, so thou wilt favour my design,
1340

I will lightly scatter in one little hour;

And plant thee in thy Theban palace home

Near to myself, hurling the usurper forth.

All this with thy consent I shall achieve,

But without thee, I forfeit life and all.
1345

CH

For his sake who hath brought him, Oedipus,

Say what is meet, and let him go in peace.

OED

Ay, were it not the lord of all this land

Theseus, that brought him to me and desired

He might hear words from me,—never again

Had these tones fallen upon his ear. But now
1350

That boon is granted him: he shall obtain,

Ere he depart, such utterance of my tongue,

As ne’er shall give him joy,—ne’er comfort thee,

Villain, who when possessed of the chief power

Which now thy brother holds o’er Theban land,
1355

Didst banish me, thy father, who stand here,

To live in exile, clothed with such attire,

That moves thy tears now that thine own estate

Is fallen into like depth of struggling woe.

But tears are bootless. Howsoe’er I live,

I must endure, and hold thee still my murderer.
1360

’Tis thou hast girt me round with misery,

’Tis thou didst drive me forth, and driven by thee

I beg my bread, a wandering sojourner.

Yea, had these daughters not been born to me

To tend me, I were dead, for all thou hast done.
1365

They have rescued, they have nursed me. They are men,

Not women, in the strength of ministry.

Ye are another’s, not my sons—For this

The eye of Destiny pursues thee still

Eager to light on thee with instant doom

If once that army move toward the town
1370

Of ancient Thebes,—the town, no dearer name,

‘City’ or ‘Country’ shall beseem thy lip

Till ye both fall, stained with fraternal gore

Long since I launched that curse against you twain

Which here again I summon to mine aid,
1375

That ye may learn what duty children owe

To a parent, nor account it a light thing

That ye were cruel sons to your blind sire.

These maidens did not so. Wherefore my curse

Prevails against thy prayer for Thebe’s throne,

If ancient Zeus, the eternal lawgiver,
1380

Have primal Justice for his counsellor.

Begone, renounced and fatherless for me,

And take with thee, vilest of villanous men,

This imprecation:—Vain be thine attempt

In levying war against thy father’s race,
1385

Frustrate be thy return to Argos’ vale:

Die foully by a fratricidal hand

And foully slay him who hath banished thee!

Further, I bid the horror breathing gloom

Tartarean, of the vault that holds my sire,

To banish thee from that last home: I invoke
1390

The Spirits who haunt this ground, and the fierce God

Who hath filled you both with this unnatural hate.—

Go now with all this in thine ears, and tell

The people of Cadmus and thy firm allies

In whom thou trustest, what inheritance
1395

Oedipus hath divided to his sons.

CH

’Tis pity for thee, prince, to have come at all;

And now we bid thee go the way thou camest.

POL

Alas! Vain enterprise, and hope undone!

Oh, my poor comrades! To what fatal end
1400

I led you forth from Argos, woe is me!

I may not tell it you,—no, nor return.

In silence I must go to meet my doom.

Daughters of this inexorable sire,

Since now ye have heard his cruel curse on me,
1405

Ah! in Heaven’s name, my sisters, do not you

Treat me despitefully, but if, one day,

Our father’s execration is fulfilled

And ye shall be restored to Theban ground,

Grace me with funeral honours and a tomb!
1410

So shall this ample praise which ye receive

For filial ministration, in that day

Be more than doubled through your care for me.

ANT

Brother, I beg thee, listen to my prayer!

POL

Dearest Antigone, speak what thou wilt.
1415

ANT

Turn back thy host to Argos with all speed,

And ruin not thyself and Thebè too.

POL

Impossible. If once I shrink for fear,

No longer may I lead them to the war.

ANT

But why renew thy rage? What benefit
1420

Comes to thee from o’erturning thine own land?

POL

’Tis shameful to remain in banishment,

And let my brother mock my right of birth.

ANT

Then seest thou not how true unto their aim

Our father’s prophecies of mutual death

Against you both are sped?
1425

POL

He speaks his wish.

’Tis not for me to yield.

ANT

O me, unhappy!

But who that hears the deep oracular sound

Of his dark words, will dare to follow thee?

POL

They will not hear of danger from my mouth.

Wise generals tell of vantage, not of bale.
1430

ANT

Art thou then so resolved, O brother mine?

POL

I am. Retard me not! I must attend

To my dark enterprise, blasted and foiled

Beforehand by my father’s angry curse.

But as for you, Heaven prosper all your way,

If ye will show this kindness in my death,
1435

For nevermore in life shall ye befriend me!

Nay, cling to me no longer. Fare ye well.

Ye will behold my living form no more.

ANT

O misery!

POL

Bewail me not.

ANT

And who

That saw thee hurrying forth to certain death

Would not bewail thee, brother?
1440

POL

If Fate wills,

Why, I must die.

ANT

Nay, but be ruled by me.

POL

Give me not craven counsel.

ANT

Woe is me,

To lose thee!

POL

Heaven hath power to guide the event

Or thus or otherwise. Howe’er it prove,

I pray that ye may ne’er encounter ill.
1445

All men may know, ye merit nought but good.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1249 focus

Das ist gewiß der Fremde, wie mir, Vater, dünkt,
1240

Der dort allein und einsam hergeschritten kommt,

Und dem die Thräne strömend aus dem Auge stürzt.

Wer ist es?

Erblickten,

Jener, den wir längst im Geiste schon

Polyneikes ist zur Stelle hier.

Polyneikes. Die Vorigen.

Polyneikes.

Weh! Was beginnen? Wein' ich meine Noth zuvor,
1245

Ihr Schwestern, oder daß ich also sehen muß

Den greisen Vater? Den mit euch im fremden Land

Ich endlich hier fand, seit er ausgestoßen ward,

In solchem Kleide, dessen häßlich trüber Schmuz

Sich alt dem alten Körper angesezt, die Kraft
1250

Der Glieder zehrend, während ungekämmt das Haar

Im Winde flattert um das augenlose Haupt!

Und dem entsprechend hat er, wie ich fürchten muß,

Die karge Nahrung, welche kaum den Hunger stillt.

Das wurde mir Verlor'nen allzuspät bekannt,
1255

Und selbst bezeug' ich meine Schuld an deiner Noth,

Der Menschen schlimmster, daß du's nicht von Andern hörst.

Doch auf Kronions Throne sizt, ihm beigesellt,

Für jeden Fehl' die Gnade: sie, mein Vater, sei

Auch dir zur Seite! Was ich schwer an dir verbrach,
1260

Läßt noch sich sühnen, aber nicht vergrößern mehr.

Du schweigst?

O sprich ein Wort nur! Wende dich nicht ab von mir!

Du willst mir nichts erwidern, willst, lautlos und stumm,

Mich schnöd entlassen, nicht erklären, was du grollst?
1265

Ihr, dieses Mannes Töchter, meine Schwestern, ach!

Versuchet ihr's doch, rühret ihr des Vaters Mund,

Den unerbittlich harten, unzugänglichen,

Auf daß er mich, des Gottes Schuzbefohl'nen, nicht

So schnöd entlasse, nicht erwidernd Einen Laut!
1270

Antigone.

Sprich selbst, o Jammervoller, was dich hergeführt.

Wohl haben viele Worte, die nun Freude, nun

Unlust und Ekel oder auch Mitleid erweckt,

Sprachlosen oftmals aufgeregt der Sprache Laut.

Polyneikes.

So red' ich; denn ersprießlich sind' ich deinen Rath.
1275

Und erst erfleh' ich jenen Gott als Helfer mir,

Von dessen Altarschwelle mir des Landes Fürst

Entbot hieher zu kommen, und ein frei Gespräch

Und ungefährdet abzuzieh'n verstattete.

Und dieses, wünsch' ich, werde mir, o Fremdlinge,
1280

Von euch, vom Vater und den Schwestern hier gewährt.

Doch jezt, o Vater, sag' ich dir, weßhalb ich kam.

Ein Flüchtling irr' ich, aus der Väter Reich verbannt,

Weil mich verlangte, deinen allgebietenden

Thron einzunehmen; bin ich doch der ältre Sohn.
1285

Dafür verstieß mich aus dem Land Eteokles,

Der jüng're, siegend weder durch des Wortes Macht,

Noch durch des Armes Proben und der That Beweis;

Das Volk gewann er, Vater! Und ich sage dir:

Dein Nachegeist vor Allem trägt hieran die Schuld;
1290

Und eben dieses lehrte mich der Seher Wort.

Denn als ich Argos heimgesucht im Dorerland,

Und mir Adrastos Schwäher ward, verband ich mir

Mit hohem Eidschwur Alle, die in Apia¹

Die Besten heißen und im Kampf gepriesen sind,
1295

Daß ich, die siebenfache Schaar vor Kadmos' Burg

Mit ihnen sammelnd, fall' in ehrenvollem Kampf,

Wo nicht, vom Land austreibe, die mir das gethan.

Wohlan! Zu welchem Ende nun erschein' ich hier?

Dich, Vater, geht mein heißes demuthvolles Fleh'n
1300

Für mich zugleich und meine Streitgenossen an,

Die nun zu sieben mit dem siebenfachen Heer

Der Theber Stadt umlagern und die Gauen rings.

Da streitet Amphiaraos, im Gewühl der Schlacht

Und auf der Vögel Bahnen weit der erste Mann;
1305

Zum zweiten Deneus' Sprößling aus Aetolia,

Tydeus; sodann Eteokles, der aus Argos stammt;

Als vierten sandte Talaos Hippomedon,

Den Sohn; der fünfte, Kapaneus, schwört hoch, mit Glut

Die Theberstadt zu tilgen aus der Städte Zahl;
1310

Der sechste Parthenopäos aus Arkadia,

Sich also nennend nach der lang jungfräulichen

Mutter Atalanta, deren ächter Sohn er ist.

Und ich, der dein', und wenn der deine nicht, ein Kind

Des bösen Schicksals, aber doch dein Sohn genannt,
1315

Führ' Argos' unerschrocknes Heer vor Thebe's Stadt.

Bei deinem Leben, Vater, bei den Töchtern hier,

Beschwören wir dich alle denn und fleh'n dich an:

Laß ab vom schweren Zorne, nicht mehr grolle mir,

Der wider seinen Bruder sich zur Nach' erhob,
1320

Den Räuber, der mich aus dem Vaterreiche stieß.

Denn lügen Göttersprüche nicht, so wird der Sieg

Dem werden, heißt es, welchem du dich zugesellst.

Drum bei den Quellen, bei den Göttern unsres Stamms,

Gib nach, o Vater, fleh' ich, folge meinem Wort;
1325

Wir sind ja Bettler, Fremde hier, fremd auch du selbst,

Und Fremden schmeichelnd leben wir, ich so wie du,

Nachdem das gleiche Mißgeschick uns heimgesucht.

Und er, daheim der Herrscher, (ich Unseliger!)

Verlacht in stolzer Ueppigkeit uns beide hier;
1330

Doch ihn, wofern du meinem Sinn dich beigesellst,

Werd' ich zerstäuben mühelos in kurzer Frist:

Ich führe dich in deiner Ahnen Haus zurück

Und mich, vertrieb ich mit Gewalt den Frevler dort.

Und also darf ich prahlen, bist du meines Sinns;
1335

Doch ohne dich ist keine Rettung mir gegönnt.

Der Chor.

Des Mannes wegen, Dedipus, der ihn gesandt,

Erwidre, was dir heilsam dünkt, und laß ihn zieh'n.

Oedipus.

Traun, hätte nicht, o Bürger, eures Landes Herr,

Der hohe Theseus, ihn zu mir hieher gesandt
1340

Und werth geachtet, daß er unser Wort vernimmt:

Nie hätt' er wahrlich meiner Stimme Ton gehört.

Nun geht er, deß gewürdigt, und vernimmt von mir,

Was ihm das Leben nimmermehr erheitern wird.

Ja, du Verruchter, als du Thron und Herrscherstab
1345

Noch führtest, die dein Bruder nun in Thebe führt,

Da triebest du den eignen Vater selbst hinaus,

Daß ihn, den Heimatlosen, dies Gewand umhüllt,

Das heute Thränen dir entlockt, nachdem dich selbst

Der gleichen Mühsal bittre Noth, wie mich, umfing.
1350

Doch frommt es nicht zu weinen; nein, ich trage dies,

So lang ich lebe, dein, des Mörders, eingedenk.

Denn du, du hast in solche Drangsal mich gestürzt,

Du hast mich ausgestoßen, und durch deine Schuld

Landflüchtig, muß ich betteln um mein täglich Brod.
1355

Hätt' ich zu Pflegerinnen nicht die Töchter hier,

Auf deine Hülfe harrend, wär' ich lange todt;

Sie sind es, die mich schirmen, sie verpflegen mich,

Als Männer theilend meine Noth, nicht Frauen gleich:

Ihr seid von einem Andern, nicht von mir, gezeugt.
1360

Wohl sieht des Gottes Auge noch nicht so dich an,

Wie bald in Zukunft, wenn zum Sturm auf Thebe sich

Dies Heer heranwälzt; denn du kannst niemals die Stadt

In Trümmer stürzen; nein, du selber fällst zuvor,

In Blut gebadet, und wie du, der Bruder auch.
1365

Die Flüche rief ich früher schon auf euch herab,

Und rufe sie jezt abermals in meinen Bund,

Auf daß ihr kindlich scheuen lernt der Eltern Haupt,

Und nicht gering es achtet, daß ihr das verübt

Am blinden Vater. Diese thaten nicht, wie ihr.
1370
(auf die Töchter deutend)

Drum werden jene deinen Siz und deinen Thron

Einnehmen, wenn der altgerühmten Dike Macht

Nach alter Ordnung neben Zeus im Rathe sizt.

Du fahre hin, von mir verworfen, vaterlos,

Der Schlimmen Schlimmster, und gefolgt von diesem Fluch,
1375

Den ich dir rufe: nimmer soll dein Ahnenland

Dein Speer erobern, nimmer kehrst du mehr zurück

In Argos' Thäler, nein, du stirbst, von Bruderhand

Entfeelt, und mordest ihn zugleich, der dich vertrieb!

Und also fluchend, ruf' ich noch des Tartaros
1380

Uraltes grauses Dunkel, dich hinabzuzieh'n;

Und hier die Nachgöttinnen, Ares ruf' ich an,²

Der solches Hasses Wuth gesenkt in eure Brust!

Mit dieser Botschaft ziehe hin, und künde dort

Des Kadmos' Söhnen allzumal und deinem Heer
1385

Getreuer Streitgenossen an, daß Dedipus

An seine Söhne solchen Lohn gespendet hat!

Der Chor.

Wir können deines Ganges uns nicht freu'n mit dir,

Polyneikes; eilig wende dich nunmehr zurück!

Polyneikes.

Weh, Pfad des Grauens, weh mir, daß dies Werk mißlang!
1390

Und weh um euch Genossen! Welches Ziel errang

Uns dieser Zug aus Argos? (Ich Unseliger!)

Ein solches, daß ich keinem Kampfgenossen es

Jemals verkünden, noch zurück mich wenden darf!

Nein, schweigend muß ich meinem Loos entgegengeh'n!
1395

meine trauten Schwestern - ihr vernahmet ja

Den unerbittlich harten Fluch des Vaters euch

Beschwör' ich bei den Göttern: wenn sich einst an mir

Des Vaters Fluch vollendet und euch Wiederkehr

Nach Haus gewährt ist, o verwerft, entehrt mich nicht;
1400

Nein, gönnt Bestattung und die Todtenehren mir!

Dann folgt dem Lobe, das ihr jezt für eure Müh'n

Um diesen Greis hier erntet, noch ein anderes,

Nicht minder schönes für den Liebesdienst an mir.

Antigone.

folge mir, Polyneikes, ich beschwöre dich.
1405

Polyneikes.

Worin, geliebte Schwester? Sprich, Antigone.

Antigone.

Zurück nach Argos wende flugs mit deinem Heer,

Und nicht verderbe dich zugleich und unsre Stadt!

Polyneikes.

Es ist unmöglich! Könnt ich je dasselbe Heer

Zum Kampfe wieder führen, wenn ich Einmal floh?
1410

Antigone.

Was hegst du wieder neuen Groll? Wie kann es dir,

Mein Bruder, frommen, stürztest du die Vaterstadt?

Polyneikes.

Schmach ist es mir, zu weichen, Schmach dem ältern Sohn,

Vom jüngern Bruder also sich verhöhnt zu seh'n.

Antigone.

Nun sich, zur Wahrheit machst du selbst den Seherspruch
1415

Des Greises, der euch durch einander Tod verheißt.

Polyneikes.

So droht er: aber weichen kann ich nimmermehr.

O weh mir Armen! Aber wer wird's wagen, dir

Zu folgen, hört er, wie der Vater dir geflucht?

Ich melde nicht das Schlimme; denn ein tüchtiger
1420

Heerführer thut das Gute, nicht das Böse kund.

Antigone.

So steht, o Jüngling, dein Entschluß unwandelbar?

Polyneikes.

Nun halte mich nicht länger! Nein, laß diese Bahn

Mich wandeln, die mir bitter und verderbenschwer

Hier durch den Vater werden wird und seinen Fluch.
1425

Euch segne Zeus, erfüllt ihr eure Pflicht an mir,

Dem Todten: nichts mehr könnt ihr thun dem Lebenden!³

Und nun entlaßt mich! Lebet wohl! Ihr werdet nie

Mich lebend wieder sehen.

Antigone.

Ich Unselige!

Polyneikes.

Nicht wein' um mich!
1430

Antigone.

Und wer, o Bruder, klagte nicht,
1430

Wenn du hinabstürmst in des Hades offnen Schlund?

Polyneikes.

Muß ich, so sterb' ich.

Antigone.

Thu' es nicht; nein, folge mir!

Polyneikes.

Laß ab, ich darf nicht!

Antigone.

Ach, wie ganz elend bin ich,

Verlier' ich dich auch!

Polyneikes.

Dieses ruht in Gottes Schooß,

Ob so sich wendend oder so. Doch euer Haupt,
1435

Die Götter bitt' ich, treffe nie ein Ungemach!

Denn Alle wissen's, ihr verdient kein trübes Loos.

Die Vorigen ohne Polyneikes. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1249 focus

Antigone, Ismene, Chorus.

Antigone

This way, my father. Lo ! the wretched man

Oedipus

Approaches, unattended, and in tears.

Antigone
(Edi. Who comes, my child %

E'en he I told thee of-

Poor Polj^nices.

Polynices
Scene II.

CEdipus, Antigone, Ismene, Chorus.

Pol. O my sisters ! see

Of all mankind the most unhappy. Where
1255

Shall I begin? shall I lament my own,

Or shall I weep an aged parent's fate?

For, oh ! 'tis horrible to find him thus

A wandering exile in a foreign land ;

In this moan garb, with wild dishevelled hair,
1260

Bereft of sight, and destitute, perhaps,

Of needful food and nourishment. Alas !

Too late I know it ; worthless jus I am,

I flew to succour him, to plead my cause.

That not from others he might hear the talo
1265

Of my misfortunes. Sacred pity sits

Fast by the throne of Jove, o'er all his works

Presiding gracious. Oh ! let her inspire

Thy breast, my father. Ciimes already done.

Which cannot be recalled, may still be healed

By kind forgiveness : why, then, art thou silent 1
1270

Oh ! speak, my father ; do not turn aside.

Wilt thou not answer ? Wilt thou let me go

Without one word ; nor tell me whence thy wrath

Contemptuous springs 1 My sisters, you at least

Will try to move his unrelenting heart.
1275

And loosen his closed lips, that not thus spurned

And thus unanswered, though a suppliant here

At Neptune's altar, I return with shame

And foul disgrace.

Antigone

Say, wherefore didst thou come,
1280

My hapless brother 1 Tell thy mournful tale ;
1280

Such is the power of words, that whether sweet

They move soft pity, or when bitter urge

To violence and wrath, at least they ope

Th' unwilling lips, and make the silent speak.

Polynices

'Tis well advised, and I will tell thee all.

Oh ! may that deity propitious smile
1285

Whose altar late I left, whence Theseus raised

This w^retched suppliant, and in converse free

Mixed gracious with me ! May I hope from you

The like benevolence ? And now, my father,

I'll tell thee wherefore Polynices came.
1290

Thou seest me banished from my native land —

Unjustly banished, for no other crime

But that I strove to keep the throne of Thebes,

By birthright mine, from him who drove me thence.

The young Eteocles : not his the claim
1295

By justice, nor to me his fame in arms

Superior ; but by soft persuasive arts

He won the rebel city to his love.

Thy curse, my father, was the cause of all —

I know it was ; for so the priests declared
1300

In oracles divine. To Argos then

I came, and, to Adrastus' daughter joined

In marriage, gained the Argive chiefs, renowned

For martial deeds ; seven valiant leaders march

To Thebes, resolved to conquer or to die.
1305

Therefore to thee, my father, came I here,

To beg thy aid for me and these my friends,

Companions of the war, who threaten Thebes

With their united powers, in order thus :

The wise and brave Amphiaraus, or skilled
1310

To cast the spear, or with prophetic tongue

Disclose the will of Heaven ; with CEneus' son

-^tolian Tydeus, and Eteocles,

At Argos born ; to these Hippomedon,
1315

Sent by Talaus, his renowned sire ;

Bold Capaneus, who threatens soon to raze

The walls of mighty Thebes ; to close the train,

Parthenopsean Areas comes, the son

Of Atalantis, from her virgin name
1320

So called. With these thy hapless son (the child

Of dire misfortune rather) leads his force

From Argos to rebellious Thebes. For these,

And for their children, for the lives of all,

Suppliant to thee we come — in humble prayer
1325

To deprecate thy wrath against a wretch

Who, injured much, but seeks the vengeance due

To a base brother, whose oppressive hand

Hath drove me from my country and my throne.

If there be truth in what the gods declare,
1330

On him shall victory smile for whom thy vows

Shall rise propitious ; therefore, by our gods

And native fountains, oh ! remit thy anger,

And smile upon me, on a banished man,

A beggar like thyself, who lives, like thee,
1335

By others' bounty — in one common fate

We are united, whilst the tyrant sits

In ease at home, and laughs our woes to :

Yet if thou wouldst but listen to my vows,

Soon might I cast him forth, restore thee soon
1340

To thy dear native hind, and seat myself

In my own kingdom. Thy assent, my father,

Is all I ask ; but, oh ! without thy aid

I have no hope of safety or revenge.

Chorus
(EDIPUS COLObiEUS,

Thy faithful friends, how fair an heritage

Your CEdipus hath here bequeathed his children.

Chorus
(Edi. But that the noble Theseus, \tuming to Polynices

O Polynices ! little is the joy

Which we can give thee of this fatal journey ;

Therefore away and leave us.

Polynices

A sad path

These steps have trod indeed, of woe to me
1400

And to my friends. Was it for this, alas !

I came from Argos? I can never tell

My mournful story there, never return ;

Oh ! I must bury it in silence all.

My sisters, ye have heard the dreadful curse
1405

Which he pronounced. Oh ! if it be fulfilled.

And some kind hand restore you back to Thebes,

At least remember me ; at least perform

The funeral rights, and hide me in the tomb ;

So shall your names, for pious tenderness
1410

To an unhappy father long revered,

With added praises crowned, exalted shine.

For this kind office to a brother's shade.

Antigone

O Polynices ! let me beg thee, hear

Thy sister now.

What sayst thou?

Antigone

Lead thy armies back to Argos,

Nor thus destroy thy country and thyself.

Polynices

It cannot be ; my forces once dismissed

Through fear, what power shall e'er reunite them ?

Antigone

But wherefore all this rage? What canst thou
1420

hope
1420

Of fame or profit by the fall of Thebes ?

Polynices

'Tis base to fly, and, eldest born ns I am,

To be tlie laughter of a younger brother.

Antigone

Dost thou not dread the oracles pronounced

Against you both — death by each other's hand?
1425

Polynices

I know the sentence ; but we must go on.

Antigone

Alas ! and who shall dare to follow thee

After this dire prediction ?

Polynices

None shall know It.

The prudent general tells the good alone.

And keeps the threatened ill unknown to all.
1430

Antigone

Art thou determined then, and wilt thou go ?

Polynices

Do not dissuade me, for the task is mine ;

And though a father's fatal curse attend me.

Though vengeful furies shall await my steps,

Yet I must go. May Jove indulgent smile

On you, my sisters, if when I am dead.
1435

As soon I shall be, to my breathless corpse

You pay due honours ! Now, farewell for ever,

For living ye shall ne'er again behold me.

Antigone

Alas ! my brother !

Polynices

Do not weep for me.

Antigone

Who would not weep to see thee rushing thus

On certain death?
1440

Polynices

If I must die, I must.

Antigone

Yet bo persuaded.

Polynices

Ask me not to do

A deed unworthy of me.

Antigone

Losing thee,

I shall be most unhappy.

Polynices

To the gods

Alone belong the fate of mortals ; some

Are born to happiness and some to woe :

You may they guard from every ill, for sure
1445

Ye merit all the good they can bestow.

Oedipus
\Exit Polynices Scene III.

Antigone, Ismene, Chorus.

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1249 focus

Back to return whence late he came,

Is heav'n's next blessing to man's wretched race.

Youth comes, and with him leads a train

Of idle follies, pleasures vain:

Thence rugged toil attends his mazy way,

And Misery marks him for her prey...:

Sedition, Envy, Murder, Passion, Strife
1250

Spread horror o'er his path of life;
1250

These to the hated mansions lead
1250

Where cheerless, friendless Age reclines his drooping head.
1250

Not mine alone these ills to know,
1250

But on some bleak and rocky shore
1250

As storms and dashing billows roar, ..

So on his hapless, hoary brow

Waves heap'd on waves without control

The tempests of affliction roll:

Some from those tracts impetuous sweep,

Where the sun skirts the western deep;

Some, where he gilds the orient day;

Some, where he beams his noontide ray;

..... Some, where Arcturus in his height

Flames o'er the bosom of the night.

Hither the stranger takes his way; alone

He comes, my father; gushing from his eyes

Fast flow the tears.

Who is he?

Whom before

We deem'd him, Polynices: he is here.

Polynices
POLYNICES, CŒDIPUS, ANTIGONE, ISMENE,

Alas, my sisters, 'midst these various ills

My own misfortunes shall I first bewail,

Or those which on my father's hoary head

Antigone

I see have fall'n, whom, in a foreign land,
1280

Exiled, by you attended I have found ?
1280

But how attired! his mean and squalid garb,
1280

Worn bare by length of time, his aged limbs
1280

Contaminates; and on his eyeless head
1280

His matted locks by each rude gale are waved;
1280

And to his garb akin his wretched food
1280

But ill supports him. Late, too late I know
1280

The ruin I have caused. I call the gods

To witness, vile, flagitious as I am,

I come with wholesome food to cherish thee,

And lighten thy accumulated woes.

E'en by the side of Jove and on his throne

Sits Moderation tempering every act:

Nigh thee, my father, let her stand.. Offence,

Though not to be extinguish'd, may be heal'd.

Why art thou silent? O my father speak,

Speak something to me; turn hot from me thus.

Wilt thou not answer me, not e'en a word,

But send me thus with mute contempt away,

Nor why thine anger burns declare? But you,

Ye daughters of this man, my sisters, speak,

Plead with my father for me, try to move

His unrelenting heart; nor let him send..

The suppliant of the god dishonour'd hence, ...

A word to me disdaining to reply.

Speak, my unhappy brother, speak thyself

What sad occasion brought thee hither. Oft

Words as they flow delighting, or perchance

Offending, or to pity soothing mild,

Have giv'n a voice e'en to a speechless tongue.

Polynices

Then I will speak, for well hast thou advised,

Imploring first this god, that he would deign

To be my guardian, at whose altar placed
1285

The sovereign of this country raising me

Gave me to come, to hold free converse here,

And back in safety to return. And this

Of you, O strangers, of my sisters this,

This of my father wish I to obtain.
1290

To thee, my father, I would now unfold

Why I am here. From my paternal realms

I am driv'n forth an exile, on thy throne 1.

Because I aim'd in regal state to sit,

My birth-right; but Eteocles, to years

By nature less indebted, thrust me out,
1295

Not in just right triumphant, nor his claim

Brought to the proof of arms, or noble deeds,

But winning with insidious arts the state.

Of this I know, and from the Seers have heard,

That the chief cause was thy infuriate curse.

In Doric Argos I sought refuge; there
1300

The daughter of Adrastus made my bride,

Associates in my cause I raised the Chiefs,

Lords of the Apian land, and honour'd high

For martial deeds; that I 'gainst Thebes might lead

Seven bands commanded by seven valiant Chiefs,
1305

And bravely die, or from my country chase......

Those who have wrong'd me. But of this enough.

What sanction, hither coming, claim I then?

To thee, my father, supplicating pray'rs,

For me, and my compeers in arms, I bring,

Who with seven bands beneath seven spears arranged,
1310

Are now encamp'd o'er all the plain of Thebes.

In martial prowess first, and first in skill.

To mark the flight of birds, Amphiaraus;

Ætolian Tydeus marches next, the son

Of Œneus; and next him of Argive race
1315

Eteoclus; there tow'rs Hippomedon
1315

Sent by his father Taläus; in arms

Advances Capaneus with menace high

Instant to rend the rampires to the ground.

Parthenopæus, an Arcadian, fierce

Advances, from his mother's virgin state
1320

His name deriving, the undoubted son

Of Atalanta. I these chiefs among,,

Thy son, or if not thine, at least the son

Of unpropitious Fortune, yet call'd thine,..

Lead against Thebes th' intrepid Argive troops.

By these thy daughters, by thy life, we all
1325

Suppliant entreat thee, O my father, yield,

Remit thy anger, raging 'gainst this wretch

Now roused in arms t' avenge the wrongs sustain'd

From a base brother, who hath driv'n me out,..

And robb'd me of my kingdom. But the fates,
1330

If there be faith in oracles, declare
1330

That where thou art, there Victory attends.

Now by our country's fountains, by her gods,

Let, I implore thee, my entreaties touch

Thy heart; be thou appeased; for I, like thee,

Am poor, and wander in a foreign land;
1335

One fate to us assign'd, to thee and me,

Submissive to another's will we live.

He lives in royal state, unhappy me!

And 'midst luxurious pleasures laughs alike

At thee and me. But if thy fav'ring mind

Accord with mine, him with no mighty toil,
1340

No arduous effort, will I put to flight,

And lead thee back, replace thee in thy house,

Replace myself, and drive him out by force.

This boast, if thou assent, I will achieve;

But without thee my efforts have no pow'r.
1345

Chorus

In reverence to the king make some reply,

Such as thou judgest meet, then let him go.

Oedipus

But that the sovereign of this land, my friends,

Had sent him to me, and esteems it just

That I should answer him, he had not heard

My voice: that grace now deign'd, let him begone;

Nor will he find a joy in what he hears.

For thou, vile wretch, the sceptre and the throne

Holding, which now thy brother holds at Thebes,

Didst drive thy father out, by thee constrain'd

• An exile from my country far to rove,

And wear these loathsome weeds; the sight of which

Draws tears from thee, by fortune now reduced

To suffer want and wretchedness like mine.

These things I must not weep, but I must bear;

And always keep alive, whilst I shall live,

The memory of thy impious deed; for thou

Hast made me long familiar with these toils,

Thou hast to exile driv'n me, and by thee

I wander thus, from strangers day by day

Begging a poor subsistence. Were not these

My daughters, had they not with tender care

Supported me, long since (to thee no thanks)

My life had been no more: but these preserve,

Theseus

in bearing toils with me

Theseus

beyond their sex, a manly part.

But you, my sons... Away, you are not mine.

For this cause fortune looks upon thee now

Not as she soon will look, when thou shalt lead

These troops to Thebes: it is not in thy fate

To rend her rampires down, but there to fall

Welt'ring in blood; such too thy brother's fate.

These curses on you I before denounced,

And now as my associates call them down,

That to a parent you may learn to show

Due reverence, nor disdain a father more

Though blind. My daughters have not been thus base;

Therefore thy seat, thy throne shall they possess;

Since Justice long renown'd, by laws of old

Establish'd, shares th' imperial throne of Jove.

But get thee hence, thou hast no father here,

Detested wretch, thou vilest of the vile,

And take these curses with thee, on thy head

Which I call down: by arms thy native land

Never may'st thou recover, nor again

Visit the vales of Argos; may'st thou die

Slain by thy brother's hand, and may thy hand

Slay him, by whom thou art to exile driv'n.

These curses I call on thee, and invoke

The parent gloom of Erebus abhorr'd

To give thee in his dark Tartarean realms

A mansion: I invoke these awful pow'rs,

And the stern god of war, who 'twixt you raised

This horrible hate. Thou hast my answer; go,

Tell all the Thebans, tell thy faithful friends

Confederate in thy cause, that Edipus

Confers this meed of merit on his sons.

Chorus

No gratulation, youth, on thy success

Have I to give thee: now with speed return.

Polynices

Much for my journey hither I lament,

Much for my ill success; but for my friends

I feel a deeper anguish. Wretched me!

Is this then the event that waits our march

In arms from Argos, never to return !
1405

This to no friend, not one, shall I make known,

That must not be, but silent meet my fate.

But, O my sisters, since the dreadful curse

Of my relentless father you have heard,

Do not, should all its cruel menace find

Antigone

Like terrible effect, and should you e'er

Return to Thebes, ah! do not, by the gods,

Leave me unhonour'd, but with funeral rites

Lay my dead body in the tomb. The praise,....

Which for a father your unwearied toils...

Have won you now, will equal glory win,

If you perform these offices for me.

O Polynices, let my pray'rs prevail !

Polynices

My loved Antigone, what wou'dst thou? Speak.
1415

Antigone

Lead back thy troops to Argos, nor destroy

With wasting war thy country, and thyself.

Polynices

That cannot be; for if I now show fear,

How shall I raise such martial force again?..

Antigone

And why again shou'dst thou be fired to rage?
1420

Or in thy country's ruin what thy gain ?

Polynices

Oh, what a shame is exile, what a shame

Antigone

To bear a younger brother's taunting scorn !.

Antigone

Yet hast thou heard my father's words denounce

Death to you both, each by the other slain.

Polynices

Such were his words; but me they must not move.

Unhappy me! But who will madly dare
1430

Attendant

hearing his prophetic voice?

Polynices

They shall not hear such omens: a brave Chief

Will speak what raises courage, not despair.

Antigone

Is this, my brother, thy resolved intent?

Polynices

It is: detain me not: this warlike march

Antigone

Shall be my care, though ruin, woe, and death

Await it through my father's ruthless curse.

To you be Jove propitious, if you pay

These rites to me when dead, for ne'er again

Shall I alive your tender care receive.
1440

Nay, hold me not, but take my last farewell,
1440

For living never shall you see me more..
1440

Wretched Antigone!
1440

Polynices

Lament me not.

Antigone

Who can behold a brother rush on death

With open eyes, and not lament his fate?

Polynices

If my fate calls me, I will die.

Antigone

Thy death

Yet shun; yet hear me; let me yet prevail.ar

Polynices

Urge not what honour wills not that I grant.

Of thee bereaved how wretched shall I be!

Polynices

These things are in the fates, whether to good

Thy life be doom'd, or ill. May never ill,

I pray the gods, reach you, by all esteem'd
1445

Unworthy what affliction is to feel.

Chorus
CEDIPUS, ANTIGONE, ISMENE, CHORUS.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1249-1445 focus

Antigone

Look, the stranger, it seems, is coming here to us.

Yes, without attendants, father, with tears streaming from his eyes.
1250

Oedipus

Who is he?

Antigone

The very man who was in our thoughts from the first. Polyneices has come to us.

Enter Polyneices.

Polyneices

Ah, me, what should I do? Should I weep first

for my own woes, sisters, or for those of my father here, in his old age? I have found him in a foreign land, here with you two as an exile, clad in such garments as these. Their unfriendly filth has resided with the old man for long,
1255

wasting his flesh; while above the sightless eyes the unkempt hair flutters in the breeze; and matching with these things, it seems, is the food that he carries, sustenance for his poor stomach.
Wretch that I am! I learn all this too late.
1260

And I bear witness that I have proved the worst of men in all that concerns care for you; from my own lips hear what I am. But seeing that Zeus himself in all his actions has Shame beside him to share his throne, may she come to your aid too, father. For the sins committed can be healed,
1265

but can never be made worse.
Why are you silent? Speak, father. Do not turn away from me. Do you not have any answer at all for me? Will you dismiss me without a word, dishonored, and not tell me why you are angry?
1270

Seed of this man, my sisters, you at least must try to move our father’s implacable, inexorable silence, so that he may not send me away like this, dishonored and with no word in return, when I am the suppliant of the god.
1275

Antigone

Tell him yourself, unhappy man, what you have come to seek. When words flow, you know, they may give joy, or incite anger or pity, and so they may give a voice to the mute.
1280

1284

Polyneices

Then I will speak boldly, for you give me excellent guidance,

first claiming the help of the god himself, from whose altar the king of this land raised me to come to you, with a guarantee to speak and hear, and go my way unharmed. And I wish these pledges, strangers, to be kept with me by you, and by my sisters here, and by my father.
1285

But now I want to tell you, father, why I came.
I have been driven as an exile from my fatherland, because, as eldest-born, I thought it right to sit on your sovereign throne.
1290

Therefore Eteocles, though the younger, thrust me from the land, when he had neither defeated me by an argument of law, nor made a trial of might and deed. He brought over the city by persuasion. The cause of this, I claim, is most of all the curse on your house;
1295

I also hear this from soothsayers. For when I came to Dorian Argos, I made Adrastus my father-in-law. And I bound to me by oath all men of the Apian land who are foremost in their renown for war,
1300

so that with their aid I might collect the seven armies of spearmen against Thebes , and die in a just cause, or drive the doers of this wrong from the land.
All right then, why have I come to you now? Bearing prayers of supplication, father, in person to you,
1305

my own prayers and those of my allies, who now with seven armies behind their seven spears have set their blockade around the plain of Thebes . One such is swift-speared Amphiaraus, a matchless warrior, and a matchless diviner;
1310

then comes the son of Oeneus, Aetolian Tydeus; Eteoclus is third, of Argive birth; the fourth, Hippomedon, is sent by Talaos, his father; while Capaneus, the fifth, boasts that he will burn Thebes to the ground with fire; and sixth, Arcadian Parthenopaeus rushes to the war.
1315

He is named for that virgin of long ago from whose marriage in later time he was born, the trusty son of Atalanta. Last come I, your son—or if not yours, then the offspring of an evil fate, but yours at least in name—
1320

leading the fearless army of Argos to Thebes .
It is we who implore you, father, every one of us, by your daughters here and by your soul, begging you to forgo your fierce anger against me, as I go forth to punish my brother,
1325

who has expelled me and robbed me of my fatherland. For if anything trustworthy comes from oracles, they said that whoever you join with in alliance will have victorious strength.
Then, by the streams of water and gods of our race, I ask you to listen and to yield.
1330

I am a beggar and a stranger, as you are yourself; by paying court to others both you and I have a home, obtaining by lot the same fortune. But he is tyrant at home—wretched me!—and in his pride laughs at you and me alike.
1335

But if you join as ally to my purpose, with little trouble or time I will scatter his strength to the winds, so that I will bring you home and set you in your own house, and set me in mine, when I have cast him out by force. If you are with me, then I can make this boast; but without you
1340

I cannot even return alive.
1345

1346

Chorus

For the sake of him who has sent this man, Oedipus, speak what seems good to you, before you send him away.

Oedipus

Guardians of this land, if it were not Theseus who had sent him here to me, thinking it just that he should hear my response,

then never would he have heard my voice of prophecy. But now he will be graced with it, before he goes, and hear from me such words as never will gladden his life.
1350

Worst of men, when you had the scepter and the throne, which now your brother has in Thebes , you drove me, your own father, into exile; and by making me an exile you caused me to wear this clothing at whose sight you weep, now that you have come to the same state of misery as I.
1355

The time for tears is past. I must bear this burden as long as I live, and keep you before my mind as a murderer. For it is you that have made me subject to this anguish; it is you that have thrust me out, and because of you I wander, begging my daily bread from strangers.
1360

And had these daughters not been born to me to be my comfort, in truth I would be dead, for lack of help from you. But now these girls preserve me; they are my nurses; they are men, not women, in sharing my toil. But you are from another and are no sons of mine.
1365

Therefore the divinity looks upon you—not yet as he soon will look, if indeed those armies of yours are moving against Thebes . There is no way in which you can ever overthrow that city. Before that you will fall, polluted by bloodshed, and so too your brother.
1370

Such curses as my heart before now sent up against you both, I now invoke to fight for me, in order that you may think it fit to revere your parents and not to dishonor your father utterly, because he who begot such sons is blind. For my daughters here did not act in this way.
1375

This supplication of yours, and this throne of yours, will lie in the power of my curses, if indeed Justice, revealed long ago, sits beside Zeus, to share his throne through sanction of primordial laws.
But off to damnation with you, abhorred by me and disowned!
1380

Take these curses which I call down on you, most evil of evil men: may you never defeat your native land, and may you never return to the valley of Argos ; I pray that you die by a related hand, and slay him by whom you have been driven out. This is my prayer.
1385

And I call on the hateful darkness of Tartarus that your father shares, to take you into another home; and I call on the divinities of this place, and I call on the god of war, who has set dreadful hatred in you both. Go with these words in your ear;
1390

go and announce to all the Cadmeans, and to your own faithful allies, that Oedipus has distributed such portions to his sons.
1395

1397

Chorus

Polyneices, in your past travels I take no joy. Now go back with speed.

Polyneices

Alas, for my journey and my failed attempt! Alas, for my companions!

Such is the end of the road on which we set out from Argos —wretched me!—such an end, that I cannot even mention it to any of my companions or turn them back, but must go in silence to meet this fate.
1400

But you, daughters of this man and my sisters, since you hear these hard curses of a father, do not—if this father’s curses be fulfilled and you find some way of return to Thebes—do not, I beg you by the gods, leave me dishonored,
1405

but give me burial and due funeral rites. So the praise which you now win from this man here for your labors will be increased by another praise no less, through your care for me.
1410

Antigone

Polyneices, I beseech you, hear me in one thing!

Polyneices

What is it, dearest Antigone? Speak!
1415

Antigone

Turn your force back to Argos as quickly as may be, and do not destroy both yourself and your city.

Polyneices

No, it is not possible. For how could I lead the same force again, when once I had shrunk back?

Antigone

But why, my brother, must your anger rise again? What profit will come to you from destroying your native land?
1420

Polyneices

It is shameful to be in exile, and to be mocked in this way by my brother, when I am eldest-born.

Antigone

Do you see to what sure fulfillment the prophecies of this man are leading,

who declares mutual death for you two?
1425

Polyneices

Yes, for he wishes it. But I must not yield.

Antigone

Ah, wretched me! But who will dare follow you, when he hears what prophecies this man has uttered?

Polyneices

I will not report ill-tidings; a good leader should tell the better news, and not the worse.

1431

Antigone

Is this then your fixed decision, my brother?

Polyneices

Yes, and do not detain me. This path now will be my destiny, ill-fated and evil, because of my father here and his Furies. But as for you two,

may Zeus grant you good things, if you bring these things to completion for me when I am dead, since in life you will see me no more.
1435

Now release me, and farewell; for nevermore will you behold me living.

Antigone

Ah, wretched that I am!

Polyneices

Do not mourn for me.

Antigone

And who would not mourn you, brother, when you are hurrying off

to a death foreseen?
1440

Polyneices

If it is fated, then I must die.

Antigone

No, no, listen to my prayer!

Polyneices

Do not plead for what must not be.

Antigone

Then I, indeed, am utterly wretched, if I must lose you!

Polyneices

It rests with the divinity, this way or that. But as for you two,

I pray to the gods that you may never meet with evil; for in all men’s eyes you do not deserve to suffer. Polyneices exits.
1445

Notes on the current edition

Oedipus at Colonus

1. (adrastus speaking)

2. (speaking of the persian king's power in the peloponnesian war)

3. (quoted by schneidewin)

4. (oed. to creon)

5. [

ἔντροφος

e)/ntrofos

6. (polyxena to her aged mother)

7. (iocasta to her son eteocles)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

1249-1555: Fourth episode

Current edition Experimental

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἡμῖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁ ξένος, —ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος, ὦ πάτερ, - διʼ ὄμματος 1250 ἀστακτὶ λείβων δάκρυον ὧδʼ ὁδοιπορεῖ.

Οἰδίπους τίς οὗτος;

Ἀντιγόνη ὅνπερ καὶ πάλαι κατείχομεν γνώμῃ, πάρεστι δεῦρο Πολυνείκης ὅδε.

Πολυνείκης

Χορός

τὸν ἄνδρα, τοῦ πέμψαντος οὕνεκʼ, *Οἰδίπους, εἰπὼν ὁποῖα ξύμφορʼ ἔκπεμψαι πάλιν.

Χορός

Πολύνεικες, οὔτε ταῖς παρελθούσαις ὁδοῖς ξυνήδομαί σοι, νῦν τʼ ἴθʼ ὡς τάχος πάλιν.

Ἀντιγόνη Πολύνεικες, ἱκετεύω σε πεισθῆναί τί μοι.

Πολυνείκης ὦ φιλτάτη τὸ ποῖον Ἀντιγόνη; λέγε. 1415

Ἀντιγόνη στρέψαι στράτευμʼ ἐς Ἄργος ὡς τάχιστά γε, καὶ μὴ σέ *τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ πόλιν διεργάσῃ.

Πολυνείκης ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε. πῶς γὰρ αὖθις αὖ πάλιν στράτευμʼ ἄγοιμι ταυτὸν εἰσάπαξ τρέσας;

Ἀντιγόνη τί δʼ αὖθις, ὦ παῖ, δεῖ σε θυμοῦσθαι; τί σοι 1420 πάτραν κατασκάψαντι κέρδος ἔρχεται;

Πολυνείκης αἰσχρὸν τὸ φεύγειν, καὶ τὸ πρεσβεύοντʼ ἐμὲ οὕτω γελᾶσθαι τοῦ κασιγνήτου πάρα.

Ἀντιγόνη ὁρᾷς τὰ τοῦδʼ οὖν ὡς ἐς ὀρθὸν ἐκφέρει μαντεύμαθʼ, ὃς σφῷν θάνατον ἐξ ἀμφοῖν θροεῖ; 1425

Πολυνείκης χρῄζει γάρ· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐχὶ συγχωρητέα.

Ἀντιγόνη οἴμοι τάλαινα· τίς δὲ τολμήσει κλύων τὰ τοῦδʼ ἕπεσθαι τἀνδρός, οἷʼ ἐθέσπισεν;

Πολυνείκης οὐδʼ ἀγγελοῦμεν φλαῦρʼ· ἐπεὶ στρατηλάτου χρηστοῦ τὰ κρείσσω μηδὲ τἀνδεᾶ λέγειν. 1430

Ἀντιγόνη

οὕτως ἄρʼ, ὦ παῖ, ταῦτά σοι δεδογμένα;

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Πολυνείκης μή τοί μʼ ὀδύρου.

Ἀντιγόνη καὶ τίς ἄν σʼ ὁρμώμενον εἰς προὖπτον Ἅιδην οὐ καταστένοι, κάσι; 1440

Πολυνείκης εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι.

Ἀντιγόνη μὴ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ.

Πολυνείκης μὴ πεῖθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ.

Ἀντιγόνη δυστάλαινά τἄρʼ ἐγώ, εἴ σου στερηθῶ.

Πολυνείκης ταῦτα δʼ ἐν τῷ δαίμονι καὶ τῇδε φῦναι χἀτέρᾳ. σφῷν δʼ οὖν ἐγὼ θεοῖς ἀρῶμαι μή ποτʼ ἀντῆσαι κακῶν· 1445 ἀνάξιαι γὰρ πᾶσίν ἐστε δυστυχεῖν.

Χορός α

Ἀντιγόνη καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἡμῖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁ ξένος ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος, ὦ πάτερ, διʼ ὄμματος 1250 ἀστακτὶ λείβων δάκρυον ὧδʼ ὁδοιπορεῖ.

Οἰδίπους τίς οὗτος;

Οἰδίπους ὅνπερ καὶ πάλαι κατείχομεν γνώμῃ, πάρεστι δεῦρο Πολυνείκης ὅδε.

Χορός τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦ πέμψαντος οὕνεκʼ, Οἰδίπους εἰπὼν ὁποῖα ξύμφορʼ ἔκπεμψαι πάλιν.

Χορός Πολύνεικες, οὔτε ταῖς παρελθούσαις ὁδοῖς ξυνήδομαί σοι, νῦν τʼ ἴθʼ ὡς τάχος πάλιν.

Ἀντιγόνη Πολύνεικες, ἱκετεύω σε πεισθῆναί τί μοι.

Πολυνείκης ὦ φιλτάτη, τὸ ποῖον, Ἀντιγόνη; λέγε. 1415

Ἀντιγόνη στρέψαι στράτευμʼ ἐς Ἄργος ὡς τάχιστά γε, καὶ μὴ σέ τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ πόλιν διεργάσῃ.

Πολυνείκης ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε· πῶς γὰρ αὖθις ἂν πάλιν στράτευμʼ ἄγοιμι ταὐτόν. εἰσάπαξ τρέσας;

Ἀντιγόνη τί δʼ αὖθις, ὦ παῖ, δεῖ σε θυμοῦσθαι; τί σοι 1420 πάτραν κατασκάψαντι κέρδος ἔρχεται;

Πολυνείκης αἰσχρὸν τὸ φεύγειν καὶ τὸ πρεσβεύοντʼ ἐμὲ οὕτω γελᾶσθαι τοῦ κασιγνήτου πάρα.

Ἀντιγόνη ὁρᾷς τὰ τοῦδʼ οὖν ὡς ἐς ὀρθὸν ἐκφέρει μαντεύμαθʼ, ὃς σφῷν θάνατον ἐξ ἀμφοῖν θροεῖ; 1425

Πολυνείκης χρῄζει γάρ· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐχὶ συγχωρητέα.

Ἀντιγόνη οἴμοι τάλαινα· τίς δὲ τολμήσει κλύων τὰ τοῦδʼ ἕπεσθαι τἀνδρός, οἷʼ ἐθέσπισεν;

Πολυνείκης οὐκ ἀγγελοῦμεν φλαῦρʼ· ἐπεὶ στρατηλάτου χρηστοῦ τὰ κρείσσω μηδὲ τἀνδεᾶ λέγειν. 1430

Ἀντιγόνη οὕτως ἄρʼ, ὦ παῖ, ταῦτά σοι δεδογμένα;

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Πολυνείκης μή τοί μʼ ὀδύρου.

Ἀντιγόνη καὶ τίς ἄν σʼ ὁρμώμενον εἰς προὖπτον Ἅιδην οὐ καταστένοι, κάσι; 1440

Πολυνείκης εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι.

Ἀντιγόνη μὴ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ.

Πολυνείκης μὴ πεῖθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ.

Ἀντιγόνη δυστάλαινά τἄρʼ ἐγώ, εἴ σου στερηθῶ.

Πολυνείκης ταῦτα δʼ ἐν τῷ δαίμονι καὶ τῇδε φῦναι χἀτέρᾳ. σφὼ δʼ οὖν ἐγὼ θεοῖς ἀρῶμαι μή ποτʼ ἀντῆσαι κακῶν· 1445 ἀνάξιαι γὰρ πᾶσίν ἐστε δυστυχεῖν.

Ah! Who comes here? Sure ’tis the Argive man Approaching hitherward, weeping amain. 1250 And, father, it is he!

OED Whom dost thou mean?

ANT The same our thoughts have dwelt on all this while, Polynices. He is here.

ANT Thyself, unhappy one, say why thou camest. 1280 Speech ofttimes, as it flows, touching some root Of pity or joy, or even of hate, hath stirred The dumb to utterance.

POL

CH

For his sake who hath brought him, Oedipus, Say what is meet, and let him go in peace.

CH

’Tis pity for thee, prince, to have come at all; And now we bid thee go the way thou camest.

ANT Brother, I beg thee, listen to my prayer!

POL Dearest Antigone, speak what thou wilt. 1415

ANT Turn back thy host to Argos with all speed, And ruin not thyself and Thebè too.

POL Impossible. If once I shrink for fear, No longer may I lead them to the war.

ANT But why renew thy rage? What benefit 1420 Comes to thee from o’erturning thine own land?

POL ’Tis shameful to remain in banishment, And let my brother mock my right of birth.

ANT Then seest thou not how true unto their aim Our father’s prophecies of mutual death Against you both are sped? 1425

POL He speaks his wish. ’Tis not for me to yield.

ANT O me, unhappy! But who that hears the deep oracular sound Of his dark words, will dare to follow thee?

POL They will not hear of danger from my mouth. Wise generals tell of vantage, not of bale. 1430

ANT

Art thou then so resolved, O brother mine?

ANT O misery!

POL Bewail me not.

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἡμῖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁ ξένος,

—ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος, ὦ πάτερ, - διʼ ὄμματος
1250

ἀστακτὶ λείβων δάκρυον ὧδʼ ὁδοιπορεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς οὗτος;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅνπερ καὶ πάλαι κατείχομεν

γνώμῃ, πάρεστι δεῦρο Πολυνείκης ὅδε.

τὸν ἄνδρα, τοῦ πέμψαντος οὕνεκʼ, *Οἰδίπους,

εἰπὼν ὁποῖα ξύμφορʼ ἔκπεμψαι πάλιν.

Πολύνεικες, οὔτε ταῖς παρελθούσαις ὁδοῖς

ξυνήδομαί σοι, νῦν τʼ ἴθʼ ὡς τάχος πάλιν.

Ἀντιγόνη

Πολύνεικες, ἱκετεύω σε πεισθῆναί τί μοι.

Πολυνείκης

ὦ φιλτάτη τὸ ποῖον Ἀντιγόνη; λέγε.
1415

Ἀντιγόνη

στρέψαι στράτευμʼ ἐς Ἄργος ὡς τάχιστά γε,

καὶ μὴ σέ *τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ πόλιν διεργάσῃ.

Πολυνείκης

ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε. πῶς γὰρ αὖθις αὖ πάλιν

στράτευμʼ ἄγοιμι ταυτὸν εἰσάπαξ τρέσας;

Ἀντιγόνη

τί δʼ αὖθις, ὦ παῖ, δεῖ σε θυμοῦσθαι; τί σοι
1420

πάτραν κατασκάψαντι κέρδος ἔρχεται;

Πολυνείκης

αἰσχρὸν τὸ φεύγειν, καὶ τὸ πρεσβεύοντʼ ἐμὲ

οὕτω γελᾶσθαι τοῦ κασιγνήτου πάρα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὁρᾷς τὰ τοῦδʼ οὖν ὡς ἐς ὀρθὸν ἐκφέρει

μαντεύμαθʼ, ὃς σφῷν θάνατον ἐξ ἀμφοῖν θροεῖ;
1425

Πολυνείκης

χρῄζει γάρ· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐχὶ συγχωρητέα.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι τάλαινα· τίς δὲ τολμήσει κλύων

τὰ τοῦδʼ ἕπεσθαι τἀνδρός, οἷʼ ἐθέσπισεν;

Πολυνείκης

οὐδʼ ἀγγελοῦμεν φλαῦρʼ· ἐπεὶ στρατηλάτου

χρηστοῦ τὰ κρείσσω μηδὲ τἀνδεᾶ λέγειν.
1430

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Πολυνείκης

μή τοί μʼ ὀδύρου.

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ τίς ἄν σʼ ὁρμώμενον

εἰς προὖπτον Ἅιδην οὐ καταστένοι, κάσι;
1440

Πολυνείκης

εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

μὴ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ.

Πολυνείκης

μὴ πεῖθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυστάλαινά τἄρʼ ἐγώ,

εἴ σου στερηθῶ.

Πολυνείκης

ταῦτα δʼ ἐν τῷ δαίμονι

καὶ τῇδε φῦναι χἀτέρᾳ. σφῷν δʼ οὖν ἐγὼ

θεοῖς ἀρῶμαι μή ποτʼ ἀντῆσαι κακῶν·
1445

ἀνάξιαι γὰρ πᾶσίν ἐστε δυστυχεῖν.

Χορός
α

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ ἡμῖν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁ ξένος

ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος, ὦ πάτερ, διʼ ὄμματος
1250

ἀστακτὶ λείβων δάκρυον ὧδʼ ὁδοιπορεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς οὗτος;

Οἰδίπους

ὅνπερ καὶ πάλαι κατείχομεν

γνώμῃ, πάρεστι δεῦρο Πολυνείκης ὅδε.

Χορός

τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦ πέμψαντος οὕνεκʼ, Οἰδίπους

εἰπὼν ὁποῖα ξύμφορʼ ἔκπεμψαι πάλιν.

Χορός

Πολύνεικες, οὔτε ταῖς παρελθούσαις ὁδοῖς

ξυνήδομαί σοι, νῦν τʼ ἴθʼ ὡς τάχος πάλιν.

Ἀντιγόνη

Πολύνεικες, ἱκετεύω σε πεισθῆναί τί μοι.

Πολυνείκης

ὦ φιλτάτη, τὸ ποῖον, Ἀντιγόνη; λέγε.
1415

Ἀντιγόνη

στρέψαι στράτευμʼ ἐς Ἄργος ὡς τάχιστά γε,

καὶ μὴ σέ τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ πόλιν διεργάσῃ.

Πολυνείκης

ἀλλʼ οὐχ οἷόν τε· πῶς γὰρ αὖθις ἂν πάλιν

στράτευμʼ ἄγοιμι ταὐτόν. εἰσάπαξ τρέσας;

Ἀντιγόνη

τί δʼ αὖθις, ὦ παῖ, δεῖ σε θυμοῦσθαι; τί σοι
1420

πάτραν κατασκάψαντι κέρδος ἔρχεται;

Πολυνείκης

αἰσχρὸν τὸ φεύγειν καὶ τὸ πρεσβεύοντʼ ἐμὲ

οὕτω γελᾶσθαι τοῦ κασιγνήτου πάρα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὁρᾷς τὰ τοῦδʼ οὖν ὡς ἐς ὀρθὸν ἐκφέρει

μαντεύμαθʼ, ὃς σφῷν θάνατον ἐξ ἀμφοῖν θροεῖ;
1425

Πολυνείκης

χρῄζει γάρ· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐχὶ συγχωρητέα.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι τάλαινα· τίς δὲ τολμήσει κλύων

τὰ τοῦδʼ ἕπεσθαι τἀνδρός, οἷʼ ἐθέσπισεν;

Πολυνείκης

οὐκ ἀγγελοῦμεν φλαῦρʼ· ἐπεὶ στρατηλάτου

χρηστοῦ τὰ κρείσσω μηδὲ τἀνδεᾶ λέγειν.
1430

Ἀντιγόνη

οὕτως ἄρʼ, ὦ παῖ, ταῦτά σοι δεδογμένα;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τάλαινʼ ἐγώ.

Πολυνείκης

μή τοί μʼ ὀδύρου.

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ τίς ἄν σʼ ὁρμώμενον

εἰς προὖπτον Ἅιδην οὐ καταστένοι, κάσι;
1440

Πολυνείκης

εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

μὴ σύ γʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ.

Πολυνείκης

μὴ πεῖθʼ ἃ μὴ δεῖ.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυστάλαινά τἄρʼ ἐγώ, εἴ σου στερηθῶ.

Πολυνείκης

ταῦτα δʼ ἐν τῷ δαίμονι

καὶ τῇδε φῦναι χἀτέρᾳ. σφὼ δʼ οὖν ἐγὼ

θεοῖς ἀρῶμαι μή ποτʼ ἀντῆσαι κακῶν·
1445

ἀνάξιαι γὰρ πᾶσίν ἐστε δυστυχεῖν.

Ah! Who comes here? Sure ’tis the Argive man

Approaching hitherward, weeping amain.
1250

And, father, it is he!

OED

Whom dost thou mean?

ANT

The same our thoughts have dwelt on all this while,

Polynices. He is here.

ANT

Thyself, unhappy one, say why thou camest.
1280

Speech ofttimes, as it flows, touching some root

Of pity or joy, or even of hate, hath stirred

The dumb to utterance.

For his sake who hath brought him, Oedipus,

Say what is meet, and let him go in peace.

’Tis pity for thee, prince, to have come at all;

And now we bid thee go the way thou camest.

ANT

Brother, I beg thee, listen to my prayer!

POL

Dearest Antigone, speak what thou wilt.
1415

ANT

Turn back thy host to Argos with all speed,

And ruin not thyself and Thebè too.

POL

Impossible. If once I shrink for fear,

No longer may I lead them to the war.

ANT

But why renew thy rage? What benefit
1420

Comes to thee from o’erturning thine own land?

POL

’Tis shameful to remain in banishment,

And let my brother mock my right of birth.

ANT

Then seest thou not how true unto their aim

Our father’s prophecies of mutual death

Against you both are sped?
1425

POL

He speaks his wish.

’Tis not for me to yield.

ANT

O me, unhappy!

But who that hears the deep oracular sound

Of his dark words, will dare to follow thee?

POL

They will not hear of danger from my mouth.

Wise generals tell of vantage, not of bale.
1430

ANT

O misery!

POL

Bewail me not.

ANT

And who

That saw thee hurrying forth to certain death

Would not bewail thee, brother?
1440

POL

If Fate wills,

Why, I must die.

ANT

Nay, but be ruled by me.

POL

Give me not craven counsel.

ANT

Woe is me,

To lose thee!

POL

Heaven hath power to guide the event

Or thus or otherwise. Howe’er it prove,

I pray that ye may ne’er encounter ill.
1445

All men may know, ye merit nought but good.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

Das ist gewiß der Fremde, wie mir, Vater, dünkt,
1240

Der dort allein und einsam hergeschritten kommt,

Und dem die Thräne strömend aus dem Auge stürzt.

Wer ist es?

Erblickten,

Jener, den wir längst im Geiste schon

Polyneikes ist zur Stelle hier.

Polyneikes. Die Vorigen.

Antigone.

Sprich selbst, o Jammervoller, was dich hergeführt.

Wohl haben viele Worte, die nun Freude, nun

Unlust und Ekel oder auch Mitleid erweckt,

Sprachlosen oftmals aufgeregt der Sprache Laut.

Des Mannes wegen, Dedipus, der ihn gesandt,

Erwidre, was dir heilsam dünkt, und laß ihn zieh'n.

Wir können deines Ganges uns nicht freu'n mit dir,

Polyneikes; eilig wende dich nunmehr zurück!

Antigone.

folge mir, Polyneikes, ich beschwöre dich.
1405

Polyneikes.

Worin, geliebte Schwester? Sprich, Antigone.

Antigone.

Zurück nach Argos wende flugs mit deinem Heer,

Und nicht verderbe dich zugleich und unsre Stadt!