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582-625

Second

στάσιμον

. 1st strophe, 582—592,=1st antistr., 593— 603. 2nd strophe, 604—614,=2nd antistr., 615—625. See Metrical Analysis.

The sentence of death just passed on Antigone leads the Chorus to reflect on the destiny of her house, and on the power of fate generally.—When a divine curse has once fallen upon a family, thenceforth there is no release for it. Wave after wave of trouble vexes it. Generation after generation suffers. These sisters were the last hope of the race; and now an infatuated act has doomed them also. —What mortal can restrain the power of Zeus? Human self-will and ambition may seem to defy him, but he is drawing them on to their ruin.—Anapaests (626— 630) then announce the approach of Haemon.

κακῶν ἄγευστος , act., cp. O. T. 969

ἄψαυστος ἔγχους

n. Eur. Alc. 1069

ὡς ἄρτι πένθους τοῦδε γεύομαι πικροῦ

. Her. 7.46

ὁ...θεὸς γλυκὺν γεύσας τὸν αἰῶνα

(having allowed men to taste the sweetness of life).

σεισθῇ θεόθεν , i.e. by an

ἀρά

(likened to a storm, or earthquake, that shakes a building): when a sin has once been committed, and the shock of divine punishment has once been felt. In the case of the Labdacidae the calamities were traced to the curse called down on Laïus by Pelops, when robbed by him of his son Chrysippus ( O. T. p. xix.).

ἄτας οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει , (for these men,

οἷς = τούτοις οἷς

) no sort of calamity is wanting. Some join ἐλλείπει with

ἕρπον

, on the analogy of

παύεσθαι

with part., ‘never fails to go’; but this constr. is at least very rare. In a probably spurious

ψήφισμα

ap. Dem. or. 18 § 92 we have

οὐκ ἐλλείψει εὐχαριστῶν

: but Xen. Mem. 2. 6 § 5 (adduced by Wecklein) is not an example, for there

μὴ ὲλλείπεσθαι εὖ ποιῶν

=‘not to be outdone in generosity.’ Then in Phaedr. 272 B

ὅ τι ἂν αὐτῶν τις ἐλλείπῃ λέγων

=simply ‘omit in speaking.’

γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος . The phrase is bold, and somewhat strange; but I do not think that it is corrupt. γενεᾶς here is the whole race, not (as in 596) a generation of the race. The words mean literally, ‘ over a multitude of the race’; i.e., the

ἄτη

does not cease with the person who first brought it into the family, or with his generation, but continues to afflict succeeding genera tions. The collective noun

γενεᾶς

justifies the use of

πλῆθος

: as he might have said,

ἀπογόνων πλῆθος

. It is needless, then, to write

γενεᾶν

. We cannot understand, ‘to the fulness of the race,’ i.e. till the race has been exhausted.

ὅμοιον , adv.: Plat. Legg. 628D

ὅμοιον ὡς εἰ...ἡγοῖτό τις.

ποντίαις (see cr. n.) is far the most probable reading. The loss of the second

, leaving

ποντίας

, would easily have brought in

ἁλός

, which the metre shows to be superfluous. In Greek poetry there is no objection to the three epithets with πνοαῖς : the whole phrase would be felt as meaning, ‘stormy seawinds from Thrace.’ Construe: ὅταν οἶδμα , when a surge, ποντίαις δυσπν. Θρ. πνοαῖς , driven by stormy sea-winds from Thrace (instr. dat., cp. on 335

νότῳ

), ἐπιδράμῃ ἔρεβος ὕφαλον , rushes over the dark depths of the sea (lit., the darkness under the surface of the sea). For

δυσπν. πνοαῖς

, cp. 502 n.: for Θρῄσσαισιν , Aesch. Ag. 192

πνοαὶ δ’ ἀπὸ Στρυμόνος μολοῦσαι

, ib. 654

Θρῄκιαι πνοαί

(and 1418 ): Il. 9.5 (where the tumult in the breasts of the Greeks is likened to a storm)

Βορέης καὶ Ζέφυρος, τώ τε Θρῄκηθεν ἄητον

κελαινὰν θῖνα , the dark-coloured mud or sand that the storm stirs up from the bottom of the sea.

θίς

is masc. in Homer, Ar. , and Arist. , and that was prob. its usual gender. Soph. has it fem. again in Soph. Ph. 1124 , and so it is in later writers. In the

ιλ.θίς

is always the sea-shore; in Od.that is its regular sense, but once (12. 45) it means ‘heap.’ It is used as here by Aristoph. Vesp. 696

ὥς μου τὸν θῖνα ταράττεις

(my very depths). Verg. G. 3. 240

at ima exaestuat unda Vorticibus, nigramque alte subiectat arenam.

δυσάνεμοι should be read. δυσάνεμον could not here be adv. with

βρέμουσιν

, and must therefore be epithet of

θῖνα

, when it could mean only

τὴν ὑπὸ ἀνέμων ταραχθεῖσαν

(schol.), i.e. ‘stirred up by the storm,’—a strained sense for it. Cp. Apoll. Rhod. 1. 593

ἀκτήν τ’ αἰγιαλόν τε δυσήνεμον.

στόνῳ βρ.· cp. 427 .

ἀντιπλῆγες (only here) ἀκταί , headlands which are struck in front, struck full, by the waves; in contrast with

παραπλῆγες

, ‘struck obliquely’: see Od. 5.417 (Odysseus seeking a place to land)

ἤν που ἐφεύρω | ἠτονάς τε παραπλῆγας λιμένας τε θαλάσσης

(‘shores where the waves strike aslant’). Soph. was doubtless thinking of the Homeric phrase.—Not (1) ‘beating back the waves,’

ἀντίτυποι

: nor (2) ‘beaten again,’—i.e. by the everreturning waves. This last is impossible. —Cp. O. C. 1240 where Oed. is likened to a

βόρειος...ἀκτὰ κυματοπλήξ

. Oppian Cyn. 2. 142

κρημνοῖσι καὶ ὑδατοπλήγεσιν ἄκραις

ἀρχαῖα , predicate: I see that, from olden time, the house-troubles (

οἴκων πήματα

) of the (living) Labdacidae are heaped upon the troubles of the dead. The dead are now Laïus, Oedipus, and his two sons.

ἀρχαῖα

carries us back to the starting-point of the troubles, —the curse pronounced on Laïus by Pelops (cp. on 583).

ὁρῶμαι , midd., as in Homer and Attic Comedy, but not in Attic prose; which, however, used the midd.

περιορᾶσθαι

( Thuc. 6.103 ) and

προορᾶσθαι

( Dem. or. 18 § 281 , etc.). Soph. has

ὁρωμένη

, midd., Tr. 306 (dial.); and so, too,

εἰδόμην

Ph. 351 (dial.), etc. Though οἴκων answers metrically to the first two syllables of

ἄγευστος

in 582, it is not suspicious, because the second syllable of the trochee can be irrational (a long for a short): see Conversely Anal., φθι^τῶν is metrically admissible, though its first syllable answers to the first of

σεισθῇ

in 583. This correction of

φθιμένων

is strongly confirmed by the similar error of the MSS. in Eur. Alc. 100 (see cr. n.).

ἀπαλλάσσει , releases (by exhausting the malignity of the

ἀρά

): so'oft.

ἀπαλλάσσω τινὰ κακῶν, φόβου

, etc.

γενεὰν γένος : cp. 1067

νέκυν νεκρῶν

: Ai. 475

παρ’ ἦμαρ ἡμέρα

.—The subject to ἔχει (

ἀλλ’ ἐρείπει θεῶν τις

being parenthetical) is ‘the Labdacid house,’ i.e.

γενεά

in the larger sense (585), supplied from

γενεάν

just before. This is simpler than to supply

πήματα

as subject.

λύσιν , deliverance from trouble, as O. T. 921 , Tr. 1171 .

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας κ.τ.λ. (1) The first question is,—are we to read ὃ τέτατο or ἐτέτατο ? If

ἐτέτατο

, then the sentence is complete at

δόμοις

. A new sentence beginning with κατ’ αὖ would be intolerably abrupt: yet neither

κᾆτ’

nor

καὶ ταύταν

appears probable. This difficulty would be avoided by changing ὑπέρ to ὅπερ : but then

ῥίζας φάος

must mean, ‘the comfort (or hope) afforded by the

ῥίζα

,’—a strange phrase. And

τέτατο

confirms

ὑπέρ

as well as

φάος

. I therefore prefer ὃ τέτατο . (2) The next point concerns νιν . Reading

ὃ τέτατο

, Wecklein still refers

νιν

ῥίζας

, not to

φάος

, saying that the constr. is as though

ἇς ὑπὲρ ἐσχάτας ῥίζας

had preceded. This is a grammatical impossibility. With

ὃ τέτατο, νιν

can refer only to φάος . Can this be justified? Thus, I think. The ἐσχάτη ῥίζα of the family is the last remaining means of propagating it. A light of hope ( φάος ) was ‘spread above’ this ‘last root,’—as sunshine above a plant,—because it was hoped that the sisters would continue the race. The sisters themselves are, properly speaking, the

ἐσχάτη ῥίζα

. But as the word

ῥίζα

can also have an abstract sense, denoting the chance of propagation, the sisters can here be identified with the hope, or

φάος

, which shines above the

ῥίζα

. In Greek this is the easier since

φάος

was often said of persons, as Il. 18.102

οὐδέ τι Πατρόκλῳ γενόμην φάος

, Eur. Hec. 841

ὦ δέσποτ’, ὦ μέγιστον Ἕλλησιν φάος

. To say

καταμᾶν φάος

(

δόμων

) is like saying, ‘to mow down the hope of the race,’—in this case, the two young lives. A further reason against referring νιν to

ῥίζα

is that the verb should then be, not

καταμᾷ

, but

ἐξαμᾷ

, as Ai. 1178

γένους ἅπαντος ῥίζαν ἐξημημένος

: a root is not ‘mowed down,’ in such a case, but cut out of the ground. The proposed change of φάος into θάλος , though not difficult in a palaeographical sense, is condemned by τέτατο , which does not suit

θάλος

, but exactly suits

φάος

. Cp. Ph. 831

τάνδ’ αἴγλαν ἃ τέταται τανῦν

. Od. 11.19

ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ νὺξ ὀλοὴ τέταται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσι

: Hes. Op. 547

ἀὴρ πυροφόρος τέταται μακάρων ἐπὶ ἔργοις

(rich men's fields): Theogn. 1077

ὄρφνη γὰρ τέταται

. Plat. Rep. 616B

διὰ παντὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς τεταμένον φῶς

. As to the proposed substitution of

θάλος

for

ὑπέρ

, (with

φάος

retained,) it would be as violent as needless.—For ῥίζας cp. Pind. O. 2. 46

ὅθεν σπέρματος ἔχοντα ῥίζαν

: El. 765

πρόρριζον...ἔφθαρται γένος

: Lucian Tyr. 13

πανωλεθρία παντὸς τοῦ γένους καὶ ῥιζόθεν τὸ δεινὸν ἅπαν ἐκκεκομμένον

κατ’ αὖ … ἀμᾷ, = καταμᾷ αὖ, ‘mows down in its turn’ (not, ‘otherwise than we hoped’). In my first edition I adopted the conjecture κοπίς . Prof. Tyrrell's able defence of the MS. κόνις ( Classical Review, vol. 11. p. 139), though it has not removed all my difficulties, has led me to feel that more can be said for that reading than I had recognised. I now prefer, therefore, to leave κόνις in the text, and to re-state here the arguments for and against it.

(1) If κόνις be right,

κόνις θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων

is the dust, belonging (due) to the gods infernal, which Antigone strewed on her brother's corpse; it is

φοινία

, because the corpse was gory. The strongest point in favour of

κόνις

is that it is in harmony with the following words,

λόγου τ’ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς

. The whole sense then is: ‘She, too—the last hope of the race—is now to die,—for a handful of blood-stained dust (i.e., for a slight, yet obligatory, act of piety towards her slain brother)—and for those rash words to Creon,—the expression of her frenzied resolve.’ On the other hand, the objection to

κόνις

is the verb καταμᾷ , which implies the metaphor of reaping. (See Appendix.) The proposed version, ‘covers,’ is impossible, and, if possible, would be unsuitable. What we want is a verb meaning simply ‘destroys,’ or ‘dooms to death.’ Now it is true that Greek lyric poetry often tolerates some confusion of metaphor (see on v. 117, and cp. O. T. p. lviii): the question is whether this example of it be tolerable. Prof. Tyrrell holds that it is excused by the tumult of feeling in the mind of the Chorus. That is, the metaphor of a young life ‘mowed down’ is not completed by a mention of the agent, the Destroyer: it is swiftly succeeded in the speaker's thought by a dramatic image of the cause, Antigone sprinkling the dust, and defying Creon. This is conceivable; but it is at least extremely bold.

(2) If we read κοπίς , then

καταμᾷ

is appropriate, and

φοινία

also has a more evident fitness. The great objection is the want of unison with

λόγου τ’ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς

. If the

τ’

after

λόγου

means ‘both,’ the

κοπὶς νερτέρων

is the deadly agency as seen in the girl's rash speech and resolve: if the

τ’

means ‘and,’ it is an agency to which these things are superadded. On either view the language is awkward. This must be set against the gain in unity of metaphor.

It has further been urged against

κοπίς

that the word is too homely. This may be so; but we lack proof.

κοπίς

seems to have been a large curved knife, known to the Greeks chiefly as ( a) a butcher's or cook's implement, ( b) an oriental military weapon. It does not follow, however, that the effect here would be like that of ‘chopper,’ or of ‘scimitar,’ in English. The dignity of a word may be protected by its simplicity; and

κοπίς

is merely ‘that which cuts.’ Pindar was not afraid of homeliness when he described a chorus-master as a

κρατήρ

, or an inspiring thought as an

ἀκόνα

(cp. O. C. 1052 n.). Nicander could say, of the scorpion,

τοίη οἱ κέντροιο κοπίς

( Ther. 780 ). If

κοπίς

be right, the change to

κόνις

may have been caused, not by a misreading of letters, but by mere inadvertence,—the copyist having the word

κόνις

in his thoughts at the moment: it has already occurred frequently ( 247 , 256 , 409 , 429 ).—See Appendix.

λόγου … ἄνοια , folly shown in speech (defining gen.),—Antigone's answer to Creon (450 ff.): cp. 562 (

ἄνουν

), 383 (

ἀφροσύνῃ

). φρενῶν ἐρινύς , an erinys of (or in) the mind: i.e. the infatuated impulse which urged Antigone to the deed is conceived as a Fury that drove her to her doom. Schol.

ὅτι οἰστρηθεῖσα ὑπὸ τῶν ἐρινύων...τοῦτο τετόλμηκεν

τεάν , epic and Ion. (Hom. , Hes. , Her., Pind. , etc.); admitted by Aesch. and Eur. in lyrics.

δύνα^σιν : cp. 951 . A poetical form used by Pind. , Eur. (in dial. as well as in lyr.), etc.

κατάσχοι . Epic usage admits the optat. (without

ἄν

) where an abstract possibility is to be stated, as Il. 19.321

οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακώτερον ἄλλο πάθοιμι

, ‘for I could not (conceivably) suffer anything worse.’ The Homeric instances are chiefly in negative sentences ( Od. 3.231 being a rare exception,

ῥεῖα θεός γ’ ἐθέλων καὶ τηλόθεν ἄνδρα σαώσαι

). Attic verse affords some certain examples,—all in negative sentences, or in questions when (as here) a negative answer is expected. So Aesch. PV 291

οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτῳ | μείζονα μοῖραν νείμαιμ’ ἢ σοί

. Other instances are Aesch. Ch. 172 , Aesch. Ch. 595 : Aesch. Ag. 620 : Eur. Alc. 52 . Our passage is undoubtedly another genuine instance, and the attempts to alter it (see cr. n.) are mistaken. Attic prose, on the other hand, supplies no trustworthy example: in most of those which are alleged

ἄν

should be supplied. I have discussed this question in O. C. , Appendix on v. 170, p. 273.—Men may overstep their due limits: but no such

ὑπερβασία

can restrict the power of Zeus. He punishes the encroachment.

The MS. παντογήρως is unquestionably corrupt. Sleep, the renewer of vigour, could not be described as ‘bringing old age to all.’ Nor can the epithet be explained as ‘enfeebling all,’ in the sense of ‘subduing them’; nor, again, as ‘attending on all, even to old age.’ The neighbourhood of

ἀγήρως

is not in favour of

παντογήρως

, but against it; in the case of

παντοπόρος—ἄπορος

(360), and of

ὑψίπολις—ἄπολις

(370), there is a direct contrast between the two words. Either

πάντ’ ἀγρῶν

πανταγρεὺς

(see cr. n.) would be good, if

οὔτ’

could be taken from the next verse, and added to this. But

οὔτ’

clearly belongs, I think, to the next verse,—as will be seen presently. Bamberger proposed παντοθήρας , or παντόθηρος . The former would be a subst. like

ἰχθυοθήρας

, ‘fisherman,’

ὀρνιθοθήρας

, ‘fowler’: the latter (which I should prefer), an adj. like

πολύθηρος

, ‘catching much’ (Heliodorus 5. 18),

εὔθηρος

, ‘having good sport.’

παντόθηρος

would suit the sense well. But its probability depends on the way in which we conceive the corrupt

παντογήρως

to have arisen. It is evident that the genuine

ἀγήρως

in the next line had something to do with it. It seems most likely that the eye of the transcriber who first wrote

παντογήρως

had wandered to

ἀγήρως

, and that by a mere inadvertence he gave a like ending to the earlier word. Now this might most easily have happened if the sixth letter of the earlier series had been

, but would obviously have been less likely if that letter had been

. I therefore think it more probable that

παντογήρως

arose from πάντ’ ἀγρεύων than from

παντόθηρος

. It is immaterial that the last four letters of the latter are nearer to the MS., since, on the view just stated, the transcriber's error arose from the fact that the consecutive letters

ἀγ

were common to

ἀγρεύων

and

ἀγήρως

, and that, from these letters onwards, he accidentally copied

ἀγήρως

. It may be added that such an error would have been easier with a separate word like

ἀγρεύων

than with the second part of a compound like

παντόθηρος

.—The verb

ἀγρεύω

, ‘to catch’ (common both in verse and in prose) is used by Soph. in fr. 507.— Soph. was thinking of Il. 14.244 ff. (

Ὕπνος

speaking to Hera),

ἄλλον μέν κεν ἔγωγε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων | ῥεῖα κατευνήσαιμι... | Ζηνὸς δ’ οὐκ ἂν ἔγωγε Κρονίονος ἆσσον ἱκοίμην, | οὐδὲ κατευνήσαιμ’, ὅτε μὴ αὐτός γε κελεύοι

The MS. οὔτ’ ἀκάματοι θεῶν should answer metrically to 618

εἰδότι δ’

οὐδὲν ἕρπει

. Far the best emendation is οὔτε θεῶν ἄκματοι (Hermann

ἄκμητοι

). This supposes merely a transposition of two words, of which L affords undoubted instances (cp. on 107), and the very natural development of

ἀκάματοι

out of the rarer form

ἄκματοι

. For the latter cp. Hom. hymn. Apoll. 520

ἀκμήτοις δὲ λόφον προσέβαν ποσίν

. The word θεῶν seems to me clearly genuine. Many recent editors have condemned it, because Zeus is the marshaller of the seasons ( Il. 2.134

Διὸς μεγάλου ἐνιαυτοί

, Od. 24.344

Διὸς ὧραι

, Plat. Prot. 321A

τὰς ἐκ Διὸς ὥρας

). How, then, could the poet say that Zeus is not subdued by ‘the months of the gods’ ? The simple answer is that the term

θεῶν

is not opposed to Zeus, but includes him. Though Zeus (the Sky Father) was more especially the

ταμίας ὡρῶν

, that function can also be ascribed to the gods collectively: see e.g. Plat. Legg. 886A

οὐκοῦν, ὦ ξένε, δοκεῖ ῥᾴδιον εἷναι ἀληθεύοντας λέγειν ὡς εἰσὶ θεοί;— πῶς;—πρῶτον μὲν γῆ καὶ ἥλιος ἄστρα τε τὰ ξύμπαντα καὶ τὰ τῶν ὡρῶν διακεκοσμημένα καλῶς οὕτως, ἐνιαυτοῖς τε καὶ μησὶ διειλημμένα

. Cp. ib. 809 D , as illustrating another reason which made the phrase θεῶν μῆνες so natural—the fact, namely, that the

ἑορταί

were the land-marks of the Calendar:

τίνων δὴ πέρι λέγομεν; ἡμερῶν τάξεως εἰς μηνῶν περιόδους καὶ μηνῶν εἰς ἕκαστον τὸν ἐνιαυτόν, ἵνα ὧραι καὶ θυσίαι καὶ ἑορταὶ τὰ προσήκοντα ἀπολαμβάνουσαι ἑαυταῖς ἕκασται... θεοῖς μὲν τὰς τιμὰς ἀποδιδῶσι κ.τ.λ.

And, if θεῶν be genuine, then οὔτε belongs to this verse, and we gain a fresh argument against those emendations which would append

οὔτ’

to v. 606: for

οὔτ’ | ἀκάματοι θεῶν <νιν

> is certainly not probable. See Appendix.—All the immortals have a life which is not worn out by those months which they themselves control. The distinction of Zeus is that his supremacy over gods and men is unalterable.

ἄκματοι , untiring in their course: cp. Il. 18.239

ἠέλιον δ’ ἀκάμαντα

: Eur. fr. 597

ἀκάμας τε χρόνος

I doubt whether the dat. χρόνῳ could be instrumental or causal here (‘not made old by time’). It rather seems to be an adverbial dat. of circumstance, ‘not growing old with time’ (as time goes on).

χρόνῳ

oft.=‘at length’ ( O. C. 437 ).

μαρμαρόεσσαν (only here) =

μαρμαρέαν. μαρμαίρω

and its cognate adj. are applied to any sparkling or flashing light (as of sun or stars, bright eyes, gleaming metal). Cp. Il. 1.532

ἀπ’ αἰγλήεντος Ὀλύμπου

. Blackwall A. compares the language of St Paul in 1 Tim. 6. 15

ὁ μακάριος καὶ μόνος δυνάστης...φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον

τό τ’ ἔπειτα (acc. of duration) is what will immediately follow the present moment (cp. Plat. Parm. 152 C

τοῦ τε νῦν καὶ τοῦ ἔπειτα

), and is here distinguished from τὸ μέλλον , the more distant future; Plaut. Pers. 778

¹ qui sunt, quique erunt ², quique fuerunt, quique futuri sunt posthac ³

. It is much as if we said, ‘to-morrow, and for all time.’ Many have compared Eur. I. T. 1263

τά τε πρῶτα | τά τ’ ἔπειθ’ ἅ τ’ ἔμελλε τυχεῖν

: but even if Seidler's

ἅ τ’

, rather than

ὅσ’

, be there the true correction of the MS.

ὅσα τ’

, the parallelism is not strict, since

τὰ ἔπειτα

would then mean ‘what followed

τὰ πρῶτα

,’ not, ‘what is to follow

τὰ νῦν

.’

καὶ τὸ πρίν is usu. explained as a compressed form of

ὥσπερ καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπήρκεσε

: but this is at least much bolder than the examples which are brought to support it, as Dem. or. 18 § 31

καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ ὁμολογῶ

, which would be parallel only if it were

καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ τότε ὁμολογῶ

: and

νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι δοκεῖ

(181) is irrelevant, since

πάλαι

can take the pres. (279). Rather, perh., ἐπαρκέσει , ‘will hold good,’ means, ‘will be found true,’—both in the future, and if we scan the past.—For

το—

before

πρίν

, cp. O. C. 180

ἔτι—; προβίβαζε. ἐπαρκέσει

, will hold out, hold good,=

διαρκέσει

: so only here, perhaps, for in Solon fr. 5. 1

δήμῳ μὲν γὰρ ἔδωκα τόσον κράτος ὅσσον ἐπαρκεῖ

, we must surely read

ἀπαρκεῖ

, with Coraës.

πάμπολύ γ’ (Heath), for

πάμπολις

, is not only the best emendation, but (in my belief) a certain one. I do not know whether it has been noticed that

πάμπολϋν

in one of the late MSS. (see cr. n.), —a mere blunder for

πάμπολις

,—forcibly illustrates the ease with which the opposite change of

πάμπολύ γ’

into

πάμπολις

could have occurred. The

νόμος

, then, is:— ‘Nothing vast comes to (enters into) the life of mortals,

ἐκτὸς ἄτας

, free from a curse (cp.

ἔξω...αἰτίας

, 445)’—without bringing

ἄτη

. Cp. Plat. Rep. 531D

πάμπολυ ἔργον

, Legg. 823 B

πάμπολύ τι πρᾶγμα

, ib. 677 E

γῆς δ’ ἀφθόνου πλῆθος πάμπολυ

. Too much power, or wealth, or prosperity —anything so great as to be

μὴ κατ’ ἄνθρωπον

—excites the divine

φθόνος

: the man shows

ὕβρις

, and this brings

ἄτη

. Cp. Her. 7.10

ὁρᾷς τὰ ὑπερέχοντα ζῷα ὡς κεραυνοῖ ὁ θεὸς οὐδὲ ἐᾷ φαντάζεσθαι, τὰ δὲ σμικρὰ οὐδέν μιν κνίζει; ὁρᾷς δὲ ὡς ἐς οἰκήματα τὰ μέγιστα αἰεὶ καὶ δένδρεα τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀποσκήπτει τὰ βέλεα; φιλέει γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τὰ ὑπερέχοντα πάντα κολούειν

. L. Diog. 1. 3. 2 (Zeus)

τὰ μὲν ὑψηλὰ ταπεινῶν, τὰ δὲ ταπεινὰ ὑψῶν

. Soph. fr. 320

καλὸν φρονεῖν τὸν θνητὸν ἀνθρώποις ἴσα.

ἕρπει : cp. Ai. 1087

ἕρπει παραλλὰξ ταῦτα

(come to men): for the dat., cp. above, 186. The inf. ἕρπειν would be admissible after

οὐδέν

, since this is not a precept (like

μὴ πλουτεῖν ἀδίκως

), but a statement of fact. In 706 L has

ἔχει

by mistake for

ἔχειν

, and such errors are frequent. And

δοκεῖν

in 622 might seem to recommend

ἕρπειν

here. Yet ἕρπει seems right. For this is not what the

νόμος

says,—as

δοκεῖν

in 622 depends on

ἔπος πέφανται

, and

δράσαντι παθεῖν

in Aesch. Cho. 313 on

μῦθος...φωνεῖ

. The constant fact,

οὐδὲν ἕρπει

, is the

νόμος

. Cp. Ph. 435

λόγῳ δέ σ’ ἐν βραχεῖ | τοῦτ’ ἐκδιδάξω· πόλεμος οὐδέν’ ἄνδρ’ ἑκὼν | αἱρεῖ πονηρόν.

πάμπολις is impossible. For the attempts to explain it, and for other conjectures, see Appendix.

615-625

ἁ γὰρ δή κ.τ.λ. The γάρ introduces an explanation of the law just stated. ‘No inordinate desire comes to men without bringing

ἄτη

. For hope, which can be a blessing, can also be a curse, by luring a man to pursue forbidden things; and then he sins blindly, till the gods strike him. The gods cause him to mistake evil for good; and his impunity is of short duration.’ Creon is destined to exemplify this. πολύπλαγκτος , roaming widely—as a mariner over unknown seas—in dreams of the future. Soph. was perh. thinking of Pind. O. 12. 6

αἵ γε μὲν ἀνδρῶν | πόλλ’ ἄνω, τὰ δ’ αὖ κάτω ψεύδη μεταμώνια τάμνοισαι κυλίνδοντ’ ἐλπίδες

, ‘at least, the hopes of men are

oft tossed up and down, ploughing a sea of vain deceits.’—

πολύπλαγκτος

might also be act., ‘causing men to err greatly’; but this is less fitting here.

πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις , by cheering them, and inciting to worthy effort. This clause is inserted merely for the sake of contrast with the next. When Greek idiom thus co-ordinates two clauses, the clause which we should subordinate to the other is that which has

μέν

; as here, ‘ though a blessing to many.’ So O. C. 1536 (n.),

εὖ μὲν ὀψέ δ’

, ‘late, though surely.’

ἀπάτα … ἐρώτων . The gen. is best taken as subjective, a cheating (of men) by desires; i.e.,

ἔρωτες ἀπατῶσι

. The

ἐλπίς

is such an

ἀπάτη

, because it ends in that. If the gen. were objective, the sense would be

ἐλπὶς ἀπατᾷ ἔρωτας

. This is equally possible, but hardly so natural. In 630,

ἀπάτας λεχέων

, the gen. is neither of these, but one of relation (a deceiving of him about his marriage). Cp. Hes. Op. 460

νεωμένη οὔ σ’ ἀπατήσει

, when ploughed again, the soil will not disappoint thee.

κουφονόων : .

The

ἀπάτη

, or final frustration of his desires, ἕρπει , creeps on him, οὐδὲν εἰδότι , knowing nothing. Others construe,

οὐδὲν ἕρπει εἰδότι

, nothing comes to him aware of it; i.e. he understands the true meaning of nothing that happens to him. This is somewhat forced; and that

οὐδέν

is object to

εἰδότι

is confirmed by Antiphon or. 1 § 29

οἱ δ’ ἐπιβουλευόμενοι οὐδὲν ἴσασι πρὶν ἐν αὐτῷ ὦσι τῷ κακῷ γ’ ἤδη

. Cp. Ai. 964

τἀγαθὸν χεροῖν | ἔχοντες οὐκ ἴσασι, πρίν τις ἐκβάλῃ

πρὶν … προσαύσῃ . Attic, like epic, poetry can use simple

πρίν

, instead of

πρὶν ἄν

(308), with subjunct.: so Ai. 965 (see last n.), Ph. 917 , Tr. 608 , 946, etc.

προσαύσῃ (only here), ‘burn against.’ The simple verb occurs Od. 5.490

ἵνα μή ποθεν ἄλλοθεν αὔοι

( sc.

πῦρ

), ‘kindle.’ Attic had

ἐναύω

, ‘kindle,’ and

ἀφαύω

, ‘parch.’ The image here seems to be that of a man who walks, in fancied security, over ashes under which fire still smoulders (cp. Lucr. 4. 927

cinere ut multo latet obrutus ignis

, Hor. c. 2. 1. 7

incedis per ignes Suppositos cineri doloso

). There was a prov.,

ἐν πυρὶ βέβηκας

(Suidas, etc.).

πόδα : cp. Aesch. Ch. 697

ἔξω κομίζων ὀλεθρίου πηλοῦ πόδα

: Aesch. P. V. 263

πημάτων ἔξω πόδα | ἔχει

(and so Soph. Ph. 1260

ἐκτὸς κλαυμάτων

, Eur. Her. 109

ἔξω πραγμάτων

).—Some render προσαύσῃ ‘bring to,’ assuming an

αὔω

equiv. in sense to

αἴρω

: but the evidence for this is doubtful: see Appendix.

σοφίᾳ , modal dat.,=

σοφῶς

: cp. El. 233

εὐνοίᾳ γ’ αὐδῶ

: so

ὀργῇ

( O. T. 405 ),

θυμῷ

( O. C. 659 ), etc.

ἔκ του , i.e. by some wise man of olden time:—not like the

οὐκ ἔφα τις

in Aesch. Ag. 369 (alluding to Diagoras). Cp. frag. adesp. 383 (schol. on Tr. 296 )

καὶ τοῦτο τοὔπος ἐστὶν ἀνδρὸς ἔμφρονος, | ὅταν καλῶς πράσσῃ τις, ἐλπίζειν κακά

. For similar

γνῶμαι

in tragic lyrics, cp. Aesch. Ag. 750 , Ch. 313.

πεφάνται : Tr. 1

λόγος μὲν ἔστ’ ἀρχαῖος ἀνθρώπων φανείς

: O. T. 525 , 848.

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ’ κ.τ.λ. The sense of ποτέ here is not ‘sometimes,’ but ‘at one time or another,’ ‘at length,’ as Ph. 1041

ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ποτέ

. A moment arrives when he makes the fatal error.

ἄτη

(

ἀάω

), as the heaven-sent influence that leads men to sin, is properly ‘hurt done to the mind.’ Milton, Samson

1676 Among them he a spirit of phrenzy sent, Who hurt their minds. Cp.

βλαψίφρων, φρενοβλαβής

. Il. 19.137

ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ ἀασάμην, καί μευ φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεύς

. Theognis 403

σπεύδει ἀνήρ, κέρδος διζήμενος, ὅν τινα δαίμων | πρόφρων εἰς μεγάλην ἀμπλακίην παράγει, | καί οἱ ἔθηκη δοκεῖν, ἃ μὲν ᾖ κακά, ταῦτ’ ἀγάθ’ εἶναι, | εὐμαρέως, ἃ δ’ ἂν ᾖ χρήσιμα, ταῦτα κακά

. Lycurgus in Leocr. § 92

οἱ γὰρ θεοὶ οὐδὲν πρότερον ποιοῦσιν ἢ τῶν πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν διάνοιαν παράγουσι· καί μοι δοκοῦσι τῶν ἀρχαίων τινὲς ποιητῶν ὥσπερ χρησμοὺς γράψαντες τοῖς ἐπιγιγνομένοις ταῦτα τὰ ἰαμβεῖα καταλιπεῖν· ὅταν γὰρ ὀργὴ δαιμόνων βλάπτῃ τινά, | τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ πρῶτον, ἐξαφαιρεῖται φρενῶν | τὸν νοῦν τὸν ἐσθλόν, εἰς δὲ τὴν χείρω τρέπει | γνώμην, ἵν’ εἰδῇ μηδἐν ὧν ἁμαρτάνει

. The schol. on our verse quotes an unknown poet's lines,

ὅταν δ’ ὁ δαίμων ἀνδρὶ πορσύνῃ κακά, | τὸν νοῦν ἔβλαψε πρῶτον, ᾧ βουλευεται

. (‘Quem Iuppiter vult perdere, dementat prius.’ See n. in Appendix.)— The epic ἔμμεν (used also by Pind. and Sappho) occurs nowhere else in tragedy.

ὀλίγιστον , a superl. used not only in epic poetry but also by Attic writers (as Ar. and Plat. ), is right here. The MS. ὀλιγοστόν cannot be defended by Aristoph. Pax 559

πολλοστῷ χρόνῳ

, which is merely another form of

πολλοστῷ ἔτει

(Cratinus jun.

Χείρ

. 1); i.e.

πολλοστός

has its proper sense, ‘one of many’ ( multesimus), and the

χρόνος

, like the

ἔτος

, is conceived as the last of a series. So

ὀλιγοστὸς χρόνος

would mean, not, ‘a fraction of time,’ but, ‘one in a small number of

χρόνοι

’ or periods. In Arist. Metaph. 9. 1. 14 most MSS., and the best, have

ὀλίγιστον...χρόνον

: while Ab (cod. Laur. 87. 12) is the only MS. cited in the Berlin ed. (p. 1053 a 9) for

ὀλιγοστόν

. And otherwise

ὀλιγοστός

occurs only in later Greek, as Anton. 51

καταβὰς ὀλιγοστός

, ‘having gone to the coast with a small retinue’; Caes. 49

ὀλιγοστῷ τοσαύτην ἀμυνομένῳ πόλιν

‘fighting so great a State with a small force.’— πράσσει … ἐκτὸς ἄτας , like

πράσσει καλῶς

: so

πράσσειν κατὰ νοῦν

( Plat. Rep. 366B , Aristoph. Eq. 549 ). ἄτας is here ‘calamity’ (as in 584, 614), while in the last verse

ἄταν

is rather ‘infatuation.’—Donaldson changed

ἄτας

here to

ἄλγους

, because the strophe (614) also ends with

ἐκτὸς ἄτας

. On the other hand Dindorf ejects

ἐκτὸς ἄτας

from 614 (leaving a lacuna). But I believe

ἐκτὸς ἄτας

to be genuine in both places, as

οὐδὲν ἕρπει

also is both in 613 and in 618. We have to remember, first, that Soph. (like other ancient poets) easily tolerated repetition of words (see on O. C. 554 ); secondly, that tragic lyrics could admit refrains, and might, by a kindred instinct, permit such verbal echoes as these.

μήν instead of the usu.

καὶ μήν

(526).

νέατον , ‘youngest and last,’ Megareus being dead (1303): cp. 807

τὰν νεάταν ὁδόν

; so 808, Ai. 1185 . As applied

to a person,

νέατος

could not be said of a sole survivor unless he was also the latest-born.

γέννημ’

: cp. 471 n.

ἀχνύμενος with μόρον as internal acc.: cp. Il. 5.361

ἄχθομαι ἔλκος

In the MS. reading (see cr. n.)

νύμφης

is a gloss on τάλιδος : but τῆς μελλογάμου should be retained. Except in the lexicons,

τᾶλις

occurs only here and in a verse of Callimachus,

αὐτίκα τὴν τᾶλιν παιδὶ σὺν ἀμφιθαλεῖ

, quoted by the Schol., who says,

τᾶλις λέγεται παρ’ Αἰολεῦσιν ἡ ὀνομασθεῖσά τινι νύμφη

. Hesychius has,

τᾶλις· ἡ μελλόγαμος παρθένος καὶ κατωνομασμένη τινί· οἱ δὲ γυναῖκα γαμετήν· οἱ δὲ νύμφην

. This shows that

τᾶλις

could mean, not only an affianced bride, but also a bride after marriage: just as

νύμφη

can mean either. The epithet τῆς μελλογάμου is not, then, superfluous; and

τῆς μελλονύμφου

in 633 is no argument against it. On the other hand τάλιδος , without the epithet, would have a crude effect. A passage in Pollux (3. 45) has been taken to prove that he had

τῆς μελλογάμου

in his text. It does not prove this,—nor the reverse.

τῆς μελλογάμου

in Pollux should be (as Semitelos saw)

τὴν μελλόγαμον

, and we should refer his words solely to v. 633 . His point is simply that

ἡ μελλόνυμφος

is more correct than

ἡ μελλονύμφη

.—Curtius connects

τᾶλις

with

τέρ‐ην

, tender;

θρόνα

, flowers: Sanskrit ta/r-una-s, youthful, tender, ta/l-unI, girl, young woman. He supposes the first idea to be that of a plant sprouting or blossoming (cp.

θάλος

). This at least agrees well with what we know as to the usage of

τᾶλις

ἀπάτας (gen. sing.) λεχέων , a deceit practised on <*> disappointment, in regard to his <*>. The gen.

λεχέων

is one of relation <*>ed, perhaps, by the idea of privation <*>

ἀπάτη

were

ἀποστέρησις

Commentary on Sophocles: Antigone. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. 1900.

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 (12)

Greek (L. Benloew, 1858) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (L. Benloew, 1858)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες, οἷσι κακῶν

ἄγευστος αἰών. οἷς γὰρ ἂν
580

σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει, γενεᾶς

ἐπὶ ¹ πλῆθος ἕρπον·

ὁμοῖον ὥστε ποντίαις

οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν
585

Θρήσσῃσιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν

θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμον·

στόνῳ βρέμουσι δ᾽ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

a

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν
590

οἴκων ὁρῶμαι πήματα

φθιμένων ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽·

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν

γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.
595

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ

ῥίζας ² ὃ τέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις,

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν θεῶν φοινία τῶν

νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κόνις ³,

λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια, καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς ⁴.
600

b

τεὰν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν

ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι ⁵,

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽ ὁ παντογήρως,

οὔτ᾽ ἀκάμαντοι

θεῶν νιν μῆνες· ἀγήρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ ⁶ δυνάστας
605

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.

τό ⁷ τ' ἔπειτα, καὶ τὸ μέλλον,

καὶ τὸ πρὶν, ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽· οὐδὲν ἕρπει
610

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

b

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς

πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν
615

ἕρπει, πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις προσαύσῃ ⁸.

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται,

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν, ὅτῳ φρένας
620

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλιγοστὸν χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 583 focus

Χορός

εὐδαίμονες, οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών.

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας
570

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·

ὁμοῖον ὥστε ποντίαις

οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρῄσσαισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

1

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμον,
575

στόνῳ βρέμουσι δ᾽ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

1

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα φθιτῶν ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽·

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.
580

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ

ῥίζας ἐτέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις·

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κόνις,

λόγου τ’ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς.

2

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν ὑπερβασίᾳ κατάσχοι,
585

τὰν οὔθ' ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ’ ὁ παντογήρως,

ἀκάματοι θεῶν οὐ

μῆνες· ἀγήρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.

τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον
590

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽, οὐδὲν ἕρπων

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολις ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

2

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·
595

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις προσαύσῃ.

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται,

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν, ὅτῳ φρένας
600

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλιγοστὸν χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες, οἷσι κακῶν
575

ἄγευστος αἰών! οἷς γὰρ ἂν

σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει, γενεᾶς

ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον, ὥστε ποντίας ἁλὸς

οἶδμα, δυσπνόοις ὅταν
580

Θρήσσῃσιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν

κελαινὰν θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμον,

στόνῳ βρέμουσι δ᾽ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

1

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν
585

οἴκων ὁρῶμαι πήματα

φθιμένων ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτον-

τ᾿ οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν

γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει θεῶν τις, οὐδ' ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ
590

ῥίζας ἐτέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις·

κᾆτ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία

θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κοπὶς,

λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια, καὶ φρενῶν Ἐριννύς.

2

τεὰν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν
595

ὑπερβασία κατάσχῃ,

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽, ὁ πάντα γ᾽ αἱρῶν,

οὔτε θέειν ἄμκματοι

μῆνες; ἀγήρως χρόνῳ δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου
600

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν·

τό τ' ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον,

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽· οὐδὲν ἕρπειν

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
605

2

ἃ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς

πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα προσάψῃ.
610

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται·

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν, ὅτῳ φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ᾅδαν,
615

πράσσειν δ᾽ ὀλιγοστὸν χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες οἶσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών.

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·
585

ὅμοιον ὥστε ποντίαις

οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρῄσσαισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν
590

θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμον,

στόνῳ βρέμουσι δ᾽ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

α

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα †φθιμένων ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ',
595

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ

ῥίζας *ἐτέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις.
600

κατ᾿ αὖ νιν φοινία θεῶν τῶν

νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κόνις

λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς.

β

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν

ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι,
605

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽ ὁ παντογήρως

οὔτ᾽ ἀκάμαντες

56v

θεῶν μῆνες, ἀγήρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.
610

τό τ᾿ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽, οὐδὲν ἕρπων

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολις ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

β

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς
615

πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν

ἔρπει, πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις προσαύσῃ.

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του
620

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται,

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ' ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν ὅτῳ φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλιγοστὸν χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών·

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·
585

ὅμοιον ὥστε πόντιον

οἶδμα, δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρήσσῃσιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν
590

κελαινὰν θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμοι

στόνῳ βρέμουσιν ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

1

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα φθιμένων ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽,
595

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις.

οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ

ῥίζας ἐτέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις· 600
600

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία

θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κόνις,

λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς.

2

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀν-

δρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι;
605

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽ ὁ παντογήρως,

οὔτ᾽ ἀκάματοι θεῶν

μῆνες, ἀγήρως δὲ χρόνῳ δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν. 610
610

τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽· οὐδὲν ἕρπει

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

2

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλ-
615

πὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις προσαύσῃ.

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του
620

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται·

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν, ὅτῳ φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλιγοστὸν χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών·

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·
585

ὅμοιον ὥστε ποντίας

οἶδμα, δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρῄσσῃσιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν
590

κελαινὰν θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμοι

στόνῳ βρέμουσιν ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

1

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα φθιμένων ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ’,
595

οὐδ’ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ’ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ’ ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὅπερ

ῥίζας ἐτέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις,
600

κατ’ αὖ νιν φοινία

θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κόνις,

λόγου τ’ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς.

2

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύναμιν τίς ἀν-

δρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι,
605

τὰν οὔθ’ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ’ ὁ πάντα κηλῶν,

οὔτ’ ἀκάματοι θεῶν

μῆνες, ἀγήρως δὲ χρόνῳ δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.
610

τό τ’ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ’· οὐδὲν ἕρπει

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γ’ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

2

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλ-
615

πὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ’ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ’ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις προσαύσῃ.

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του
620

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται·

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ’ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ’ ἔμμεν, ὅτῳ φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ’ ὀλιγοστὸν χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών·

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῆι θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει, γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·
585

ὅμοιον ὥστε † ποντίας ἁλὸς †

οἶδμα, δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρήισσηισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμηι πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν
590

κελαινὰν θῖνα, καὶ δυσανέμωι

στόνωι βρέμουσιν ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

1

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα † φθιμένων † ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽,
595

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὕπερ

ῥίζας ὃ τέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις,
600

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία

θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων ἀμᾶι κοπίς,

λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς.

2

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀν-

δρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι,
605

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽ † παντογήρως †

οὔτ᾽ ἐτέων ἄκματοι

μῆνες, ἀγήρως δὲ χρόνωι

δυνάστας κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.
610

τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽· οὐδὲν ἕρπει

θνατῶν βιότωι πάμπολύ γ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

2

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλ-
615

πὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνησις ἀνδρῶν

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῶι πόδα τις

προσαύσηι. σοφίαι γὰρ ἔκ του
620

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται,

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῶιδ᾽ ἔμμεν, ὅτωι φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες, οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών.

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας
580

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει, γενεᾶς

ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·

ὅμοιον ὥστε ποντίαις

οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν

θρήσσῃσιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,
585

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν

θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμον,

στόνῳ βρέμουσι δ᾽ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

1

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα φθιτῶν. ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽·
590

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν

γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὅπερ
595

ῥίζας ἐτέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις,

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία θεῶν τῶν

νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κόνις,

λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια, καὶ φρενῶν Ἐριννύς,

2

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν
600

ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι,

τὸν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ πόθ᾽ ὁ παντογήρως,

οὔτ᾽ ἀκάματον θεῶν

μῆνες; ἀγήρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου
605

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.

τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα, καὶ τὸ μέλλον,

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽, οὐδὲν ἕρπειν

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
610

2

ἃ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς

πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις προσαύρῃ.
615

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται,

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν πότ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν, ὅτῳ φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·
620

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλιγοστὸν χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών. 1

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας 2

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει, γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον· 3
585

ὅμοιον ὥστε ποντίαις οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν 4

Θρῄσσαισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς, 5

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν θῖνα, καὶ 6
590

δυσάνεμοι στόνῳ βρέμουσιν ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί. 7

1

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι 1

πήματα φθιτῶν ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽, 2
595

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει 3

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν. νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ 4

ῥίζας ὃ τέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις, 5
600

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων 6

ἀμᾷ κόνις, λόγου τ’ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς. 7

2

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι; 1
605

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽ ὁ πάντ᾽ ἀγρεύων, 2

οὔτε θεῶν ἄκματοι μῆνες, ἀγήρως δὲ χρόνῳ 3

δυνάστας κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν. 4
610

τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον 5

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει 6

νόμος ὅδ᾽· οὐδὲν ἕρπει 7

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄτας. 8

2

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν, 1

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων· 2

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει, πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις 3

προσαύσῃ. σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται, 4

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν 5

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν ὅτῳ φρένας 6

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν· 7

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας. 8
625

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών.

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·
585

ὁμοῖον ὥστε πόντιον

οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρῄσσαισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν
590

θῖνα καὶ δυσάνεμοι

στόνῳ βρέμουσιν ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα φθιμένων ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽,
595

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ

ῥίζας ἐτέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις·
600

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία θεῶν τῶν

νερτέρων ἀμᾷ κοπίς,

λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν Ἐρινύς.

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀν-

δρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι;
605

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽ ὁ παντογήρως

οὔτ᾽ ἀκάματοι θεῶν

μῆνες, ἀγήρως δὲ χρόνῳ δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.
610

τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽· οὐδὲν ἕρπει

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γ᾽ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλ-
615

πὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις προσαύσῃ.

σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του
620

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται,

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδ᾽ ἔμμεν ὅτῳ φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 583 focus

Χορός

εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών.

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·
585

ὅμοιον ὥστε ποντίαις οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρῄσσαισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν θῖνα καὶ
590

δυσάνεμοι, στόνῳ βρέμουσι δʼ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

Χορός

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα φθιτῶν ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντʼ,
595

οὐδʼ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλʼ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδʼ ἔχει λύσιν. νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ

ῥίζας ὃ τέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις,
600

κατʼ αὖ νιν φοινία θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων

ἀμᾷ κόνις λόγου τʼ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς.

Χορός

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι;
605

τὰν οὔθʼ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθʼ ὁ πάντʼ ἀγρεύων,

οὔτε θεῶν ἄκματοι μῆνες, ἀγήρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ

δυνάστας κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.
610

τό τʼ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδʼ, οὐδὲν ἕρπει

θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γʼ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

Χορός

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,
615

πολλοῖς δʼ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δʼ οὐδὲν ἕρπει, πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις

προσαύσῃ. σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται.
620

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτʼ ἐσθλὸν

τῷδʼ ἔμμεν ὅτῳ φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

Χορός

πράσσει δʼ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 583 focus

εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών.

οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῆι θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας

οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον··
585

ὅμοιον ὥστε πόντιον

οἶδμα, δυσπνόοις ὅταν

Θρήισσαισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμηι πνοαῖς,

κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν
590

κελαινὰν θῖνα, καὶ

δυσάνεμοι στόνωι βρέμουσιν ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι

πήματα φθιμένων ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντ᾽,
595

οὐδ᾽ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρείπει

θεῶν τις, οὐδ᾽ ἔχει λύσιν.

νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ

ῥίζας ὃ τέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις,
600

κατ᾽ αὖ νιν φοινία

θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων.

ἀμᾶι κοπὶς λόγου τ᾽ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς.

τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀν-

δρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι;
605

τὰν οὔθ᾽ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθ᾽ ὁ παντογήρως

οὔτ᾽ ἀκάματοι θεῶν

μῆνες, ἀγήρως δὲ χρόνωι δυνάστας

κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου

μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.
610

τό τ᾽ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον

καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει

νόμος ὅδ᾽· οὐδὲν ἕρπει

θνατῶν βιότωι † πάμπολις ἐκτὸς ἄτας,

ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλ-
615

πὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,

πολλοῖς δ᾽ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·

εἰδότι δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἕρπει,

πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῶι πόδα τις προσαύσηι.

σοφίαι γὰρ ἔκ του
620

κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται,

τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτ᾽ ἐσθλὸν

τῶιδ᾽ ἔμμεν ὅτωι φρένας

θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

πράσσει δ᾽ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Χορός

Translations (11)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 583 focus

CHOR

Glückselige, deren Geschick nie Weh gekostet!

Wem das Haus je Götter erschütterten, niemals
570

lässet Fluch ihm ab, von Geschlecht zu Geschlechte schreitend;

gleichwie gethürmter Wogen Zug,

wann vom Thrakersturm geschwellt

er nieder zur dunkelen untersten Meerestiefe steigt,

vom Abgrund auf den schwarzen Meersand wühlet, und von donnerndem
575

Gebraus' ertönt die flutgeschlagne Küste.

Im Hause des Labdakos seh' uraltes Leid ich

stets erneut aufs Leid der Geschiedenen stürzen;

nimmerdar befreit ein Geschlecht das Geschlecht, hinab wirft

ein Gott sie, löset nie den Fluch.
580

Noch erglänzte sonst ein Strahl

des Lichtes der letzten Wurzel im Haus des Oedipus;

nun rafft selbst diese noch hinweg der Untergötter blutig Grab,

des Rathes Unsinn und der Seel' Erinys.

Wer mag deine Gewalt, o Zeus, kühn aufhalten in frevlem Hochmuth,
585

die nimmer der Schlaf fahet, der Allentkräfter,

nimmer der Götter rasche

Monden! In nie alternder Zeit bewohnst du

des Olympos lichten, strahlenden Gipfel, Herrscher!

In Vergangenheit und Zukunft
590

und jetzo bestehet dies

Gesetz, welches niemals

ob Sterblicher Loos waltete sonder Unheil.

Denn die schweifende Hoffnung beut oft wohl vielen der Männer Segen,

doch vielen der leichtsinnigen Wünsche Täuschung;
595

Nimmer-bewuſstem kommt sie,

bis er den Fuſs senget an heifser Flamme.

Das gepries'ne Wort drum scholl von des Weisen Munde,

es bedünke Böses gut oft

dem, welchem den irren Sinn
600

der Gott lenkt zum Unheil.

Nur mindeste Zeit wandelt er sonder Unheil.

(Hämon kommt.)

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 583 focus

¡Dichosos todos los que pasan la vida sin probar un infortunio! Porque aquellos cuya casa recibe una sacudida de los dioses, no queda calamidad que no caiga sobre toda su descendencia, al modo que cuando el oleaje, hinchado por los impetuosos vientos marinos de la Tracia, se rompe en el negro abismo del mar y revuelve desde su fondo el negro y turbulento limo y retumban con estruendo las orillas que lo rechazan.

Sobre las antiguas calamidades de la familia de los Labdácidas veo que caen otras que con nuevas desgracias se suceden sin cesar de una en otra generación. Algún dios aniquila esta raza, no hay remedio. Porque la esperanza que en el palacio de Edipo se fundaba ahora en su último vástago, la acaba de segar la cruenta hoz de los dioses infernales, a la vez que la demencia de la razón y la furia del ánimo.

Tu poder, ¡oh Júpiter!, ¿qué hombre en su arrogancia lo podrá resistir, cuando ni lo domina jamás el sueño que a todo el mundo subyuga, ni lo disipan los años que sin cesar se suceden, y siempre joven en el tiempo mantienes el reverberante esplendor del Olimpo? Al presente, en el porvenir y en el pasado regirá siempre esta ley común a todos los pueblos: «Nada ocurre en la vida humana exento de dolor.»

Pues, en verdad, la vagarosa esperanza que para muchos hombres es una ayuda, es para otros engaño de fútiles anhelos; pues se insinúa sin que uno lo advierta hasta que ponga el pie en el ardiente fuego. De la sabiduria sabiduría de alguien procede esta célebre máxima: El mal a veces parece bien a aquel cuya mente lleva un dios a la perdición; y pasa muy poco tiempo sin que caiga en la ruina.

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 583 focus

Felices, quibus malorum immune labitur aevum! Quibus enim divinitus quassatur domus, horum vita nulla vacat calamitate, ad omnem posteritatem proserpente , haud secus ac maris fluctus , si quando Boreae vehemens flatus in salsam incurrit caliginem, ab imo atram evolvit, ventis infestatam , arenam, plangoribusque percussa resonant litora.

Veteres Labdacidarum domus calamitates video, defunctorum immissas calamitatibus;

neque aetas aetatem liberat, sed hanc quoque subvertit deorum quispiam, neque est ab acrumnis requies, Modo enim Oedipi in domo ultimae stirpi effulserat salus; tamen illam rursus demetit inferorum deüm cruenta falx, consiliique amentia, et animi furor.

Vim tuam, lupiter, quis hominum fastus cohibere possit, quam neque somnus , omnia domanms, domat umquam, nec cursu indefesso menses?

Senii expers fulgeniis regis Olympi. splendorem ;' atque et futuro tempore; ct olim, haec lex obtinebit: nihil accidere hominibus, quod nimium iuvet, aegritudine haud permixtum.

Spes quidem vaga multis mortalium — fructum — sui praebet;

multorum autem deludit leves cupidines, acceditque ad nihil sentientem prius quam igni ardenti pedem admoverit. Celebre dictum fertur a nescio quo sapienter prolatum: Malum aliquando videri bonum illi esse, cuius animum deus impellit ad mortem, eumque perexiguo tempore extra calamitatem versari.

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 583 focus

Blest is the life that never tasted woe.

When once the blow

Hath fallen upon a house with Heaven-sent doom,
585

Trouble descends in ever-widening gloom

Through all the number of the tribe to flow;

As when the briny surge

That Thrace-born tempests urge
590

(The big wave ever gathering more and more)

Runs o’er the darkness of the deep,

And with far-searching sweep

Uprolls the storm-heap’d tangle on the shore,
595

While cliff to beaten cliff resounds with sullen roar.

The stock of Cadmus from old time, I know,

Hath woe on woe,

Age following age, the living on the dead,
600

Fresh sorrow falling on each new-ris’n head,

None freed by God from ruthless overthrow.

E’en now a smiling light

Was spreading to our sight

O’er one last fibre of a blasted tree,—
605

When, lo! the dust of cruel death,

Tribute of Gods beneath,

And wildering thoughts, and fate-born ecstasy,

Quench the brief gleam in dark Nonentity.

What froward will of man, O Zeus! can check thy might?
610

Not all-enfeebling sleep, nor tireless months divine,

Can touch thee, who through ageless time

Rulest mightily Olympus’ dazzling height.

This was in the beginning, and shall be

Now and eternally,
615

Not here or there, but everywhere,

A law of misery that shall not spare.

For Hope, that wandereth wide, comforting many a head,

Entangleth many more with glamour of desire:

Unknowing they have trode the fire.
620

Wise was the famous word of one who said,

‘Evil oft seemeth goodness to the mind

An angry God doth blind.’

Few are the days that such as he

May live untroubled of calamity.
625

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 583 focus

Ihr Seligen, deren Geschick kein Leid gekostet!
580

Wem sein Wohnhaus Götter erschütterten, niemals

Läßt der Fluch ihn, fort von Geschlecht zu Geschlecht sich wälzend:

Gleichwie das aufgeschwoll'ne Meer,

Wann, vom Thrakersturm erregt,

Es mächtig in die düstere Tiefe hinab sich wälzt,
585

Vom Abgrund auf den schwarzen Meersand

Wühlt und dumpf im stöhnenden

Orkan die flutgeschlag'nen Ufer tosen.

Erste Gegenstrophe.

So seh' ich in Labdakos' Haus uraltes Leid sich

Fort und fort auf's Leid der Geschiedenen stürzen:¹
590

Nicht Befreiung schafft ein Geschlecht dem Geschlecht; hinab stößt

Ein Gott es, löst niemals den Fluch.

Denn die lezte Wurzel, die²

Das Licht umleuchtet in dem Haus des Dedipus,

Auch die mäht nun der Todesgötter
595

Blutigrothe Sichel ab,

Der Rede Thorheit und des Geistes Wahnsinn.³

Zweite Strophe.

Wie mag Einer in frevlem Stolze,

Zeus, deine Gewalt bezwingen,

Die nimmer der Schlaf bändigt, der ewig junge,⁴
600

Nimmer die raschen

Göttermonden? In nie alternder Jugend wohnst du

In Olympos' lichtem,

Strahlendem Glanz, o König!

Und hinfort in alle Zeiten,
605

Wie für das Vergang'ne, gilt

Dies Gesez: nie waltet

Im Leben das Glück lauter und frei von Leide.

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Hoffnung, die in der Irr' umherschweift,

So Vielen ein süßes Labsal,
610

Wird Vielen ein Trug flatternder eitler Wünsche:

Dieser beschleicht sie

Arglos, bis sie den Fuß sezen auf glühend Feuer.

Ein gepries'ner Ausspruch

Scholl von dem Mund der Weisheit:
615

Es erscheine gut das Böse

Dem, welchem ein Gott das Herz

In das Verderben lenke;

Nur flüchtige Zeit wandelt er frei von Leide.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 583 focus

Behold, O king ! thy youngest hope appear

The noble Hsemon. Lost in grief he seems.

Creon

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 583 focus

¡Dichosos los que jamás han probado el infortunio! Porque cuando los dioses dejan caer su airada diestra sobre una familia, las desgracias se suceden en ella sin cesar y avanzan toda su posteridad: cual la ola que recorre el oscuro abismo del mar de Tracia, impelida por furioso vendaval, levanta del fondo negra turbulenta arena, y viene á estrellarse allá en la playa con hórrido gemido.

Antistrofa 1.a

CORO

Así en la familia de los Labdácidas, á las desgracias de los que ya sucumbieron, veo acumularse nuevos infortunios, que de generación en generación se perpetúan, sin dejarla en libertad, un momento, la saña implacable del Destino. Un rayo de esperanza parecia vislumbrarse al fin para los últimos vástagos de la familia de Edipo; y hé aquí que lo extinguieron esa tierra fatal tributada á los manes, y la imprudencia del discurso y la furia vengadora del corazón.

Estrofa 2.a

CORO

El orgullo del hombre jamás podrá triunfar ¡oh Júpiter! de tu fuerza. Tú desafías al Sueño irresistible y al Tiempo que en su curso todo lo extermina; y eternamente exento de vejez riges, como soberano, el brillante esplendor del Olimpo. Pero ¡ay! el hombre no puede gozar pura felicidad: el pasado, el presente y el porvenir se hallan sujetos á esta inmutable ley.

Antistrofa 2.a

CORO

A muchos les colma con frecuencia sus deseos la inconstante esperanza ; pero también muchas veces desvanece en otros sus imprudentes ilusiones, pues se viene á introducir en el corazón secretamente, cuando está el pie próximo á pisar el ardiente fuego. Máxima célebre de un sabio es: que el mal se presenta bajo la apariencia del bien á todo aquel cuyos pensamientos quiere un dios que se encaminen hácia la perdición, y que no goce un momento de la vida, exento de pesar.

EL CORO

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 583 focus

Gsiüxseelige solcher Zeit, da man nicht schmeket das Uebel;

Denn, wenn sich reget von Himmlischen
605

Einmal ein Haus, fehlts dem an Wahnsinn nicht,

In der Folge, wenn es

Sich mehrt. Denn gleich, wenn unten,

Auf Pontischer See, bei übelwehenden

Thrazischen Winden, die Nacht unter dem Salze
610

Eine Hüpte befallen;

Von Grund aus wälzt sie das dunkle

Gestad’ um, das zersauste,

Und von Gestöhne rauschen die geschlagnen Ufer,

Alternd von Labdakos Häufsern ,
615

Den untergegangenen, sch’ ich Ruin fallen

Auf Ruin; noch löset ab ein Geschlecht

Das andre, sondern es schlägt

Ein Gott es nieder. Und nicht Erlösung hat ex.

Denn jezt ist über die lezte
620

Wurzel gerichtet das Licht

In Oedipus Häufsern.

Und der tödtliche, der Staub

Der Todesgötter zehret sie aus,

Und ungehaltnes Wort und der Sinne Wüthen.
625

Unter der Erde, deine Macht

Von Männern , wer mag die mit Uebertreiben erreichen?

Die nimmt der Schlaf, dem alles versinket, nicht

Und die stürmischen, die Monde der Geister

In alterloser Zeit, ein Reicher,
630

Behältst des Olympos

Marmornen Glanz du,

Und das Nächste und Künftige

Und Vergangne besorgst du.

Doch wohl auch Wahnsinn kostet
635

Bei Sterblichen im Leben

Solch ein geseztes Denken.

Die Hoffnung lebet, ruhlos irrend,

Und vielen Männern hilft sie,

Täuscht vieler leichte Sinne.
640

Bleibt, bis dem, der an nichts denkt,

Die Sohle brennet von heilsem Feuer.

Aus eines Mannes Weisheit ist

Ein rühmlich Wort gekommen;

Das Schlimme schein’ oft treflich
645

Vor einem, so bald ein Gott

Zu Wahn den Sinn hintreibet.

Er treibet’s aber die wenigste Zeit

Gescheuet, ohne Wahnsinn.

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 583 focus

Blest are they whose days have not tasted of evil. For when a house hath once been shaken from heaven, there the curse fails nevermore, passing from life to life of the race; even as, when the surge is driven over the darkness of the deep by the fierce breath of 590 Thracian sea-winds, it rolls up the black sand from the depths, and there is a sullen roar from wind-vexed headlands that front the blows of the storm.

I see that from olden time the sorrows in the house of the Labdacidae are heaped upon the sorrows of the dead; and generation is not freed by generation, but some god strikes them down, and the race hath no deliverance.

For now that hope of which the light had been 600 spread above the last root of the house of Oedipus— that hope, in turn, is brought low—by the blood-stained dust due to the gods infernal, and by folly in speech, and frenzy at the heart.

Thy power, O Zeus, what human trespass can limit? That power which neither Sleep, the all-ensnaring, nor the untiring months of the gods can master; but thou, a ruler to whom time brings not old age, dwellest in the 610 dazzling splendour of Olympus.

And through the future, near and far, as through the past, shall this law hold good: Nothing that is vast enters into the life of mortals without a curse.

For that hope whose wanderings are so wide is to many men a comfort, but to many a false lure of giddy 620 desires; and the disappointment comes on one who knoweth nought till he burn his foot against the hot fire. For with wisdom hath some one given forth the famous saying, that evil seems good, soon or late, to him whose mind the god draws to mischief; and but for the briefest space doth he fare free of woe.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 583 focus

Glide smoothly on, untaught to taste of woe!

But when (heav'n-sent) sfflictions flow,

Wide-wasting the impetuous torrent pours;

The house from its foundations shakes,

And ruin all its sons o'ertakes.

As when from Thrace the winds tempestuous sweep

With dark'ning horror o'er the deep,

The boiling sands are from the bottom torn,

And high the surging billows borne;

Furious they lash the solid shore,

The promontories round rebellow to the roar.

The house of Labdacus of old

In all the pomp of regal splendor stood;

Till rough misfortune's swelling flood

Ruin on former ruin deep'ning rolfd.,

Some god adds fury to its force,

And urges its resistless course;

No dams, no mounds the raging torrent stay,

Race after race it sweeps away.

O the last branch of this imperial line

A brighter sun now seem'd to shine;

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 583-630 focus

Chorus

Blest are those whose days have not tasted of evil. For when a house has once been shaken by the gods,

no form of ruin is lacking, but it spreads over the bulk of the race, just as, when the surge is driven over the darkness of the deep by the fierce breath of Thracian sea-winds,
585

it rolls up the black sand from the depths, and the wind-beaten headlands that front the blows of the storm give out a mournful roar.
590

593

Chorus

I see that the ancient sorrows of the house of the Labdacids

are heaped upon the sorrows of the dead. Each generation does not set its race free, but some god hurls it down and the race has no release. For now that dazzling ray of hope that had been spread
595

over the last roots in the house of Oedipus—that hope, in its turn, the blood-stained dust of the gods infernal and mindlessness in speech and frenzy at the mind cuts down.
600

605

Chorus

Your power, great Zeus—what human overstepping can check it? Yours is power that neither Sleep, the all-ensnaring, nor the untiring months of the gods can defeat. Unaged through time,
605

you rule by your power and dwell thereby in the brilliant splendor of Olympus . And through the future, both near and distant, as through the past, shall this law prevail: nothing that is vast comes to the life of mortals without ruin.
610

615

Chorus

See how that hope whose wanderings are so wide truly is a benefit to many men, but to an equal number it is a false lure of light-headed desires. The deception comes to one who is wholly unawares until he burns his foot on a hot fire.
615

For with wisdom did someone once reveal the maxim, now famous, that evil at one time or another seems good, to him whose mind a god leads to ruin.
620

But for the briefest moment such a man fares free of destruction.
625

626

Enter Haemon.

Chorus

But here is Haemon, the last of your offspring. Does he come grieving for the doom of Antigone, his promised bride,

and bitter for the deceived hope of their marriage?
630

Notes on the current edition

Antigone

1. (quoted by Schneid.)

2. (

τὸ ἔπειτα

)

3. (

τὸ μέλλον

)

Sir Richard C. Jebb Commentary on Sophocles: Antigone 582

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

582-625

615-625

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

πράσσει δʼ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Χορός

Behold, O king ! thy youngest hope appear

The noble Hsemon. Lost in grief he seems.

Creon

Antistrofa 1.a

CORO

Estrofa 2.a

CORO

Antistrofa 2.a

CORO

EL CORO

For now that hope of which the light had been 600 spread above the last root of the house of Oedipus— that hope, in turn, is brought low—by the blood-stained dust due to the gods infernal, and by folly in speech, and frenzy at the heart.

And through the future, near and far, as through the past, shall this law hold good: Nothing that is vast enters into the life of mortals without a curse.

Glide smoothly on, untaught to taste of woe!

But when (heav'n-sent) sfflictions flow,

Wide-wasting the impetuous torrent pours;

The house from its foundations shakes,

And ruin all its sons o'ertakes.

As when from Thrace the winds tempestuous sweep

With dark'ning horror o'er the deep,

The boiling sands are from the bottom torn,

And high the surging billows borne;

Furious they lash the solid shore,

The promontories round rebellow to the roar.

The house of Labdacus of old

In all the pomp of regal splendor stood;

Till rough misfortune's swelling flood

Ruin on former ruin deep'ning rolfd.,

Some god adds fury to its force,

And urges its resistless course;

No dams, no mounds the raging torrent stay,

Race after race it sweeps away.

O the last branch of this imperial line

A brighter sun now seem'd to shine;

Chorus

But here is Haemon, the last of your offspring. Does he come grieving for the doom of Antigone, his promised bride,

and bitter for the deceived hope of their marriage?
630

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

582-625

615-625

Current edition Experimental

Χορός πράσσει δʼ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας. 625

Χορός

Behold, O king ! thy youngest hope appear

The noble Hsemon. Lost in grief he seems.

Creon

Antistrofa 1.a

CORO

Estrofa 2.a

CORO

Antistrofa 2.a

CORO

EL CORO

For now that hope of which the light had been 600 spread above the last root of the house of Oedipus— that hope, in turn, is brought low—by the blood-stained dust due to the gods infernal, and by folly in speech, and frenzy at the heart.

And through the future, near and far, as through the past, shall this law hold good: Nothing that is vast enters into the life of mortals without a curse.

Glide smoothly on, untaught to taste of woe! But when (heav'n-sent) sfflictions flow, Wide-wasting the impetuous torrent pours; The house from its foundations shakes, And ruin all its sons o'ertakes.

As when from Thrace the winds tempestuous sweep With dark'ning horror o'er the deep, The boiling sands are from the bottom torn, And high the surging billows borne;

Furious they lash the solid shore, The promontories round rebellow to the roar. The house of Labdacus of old In all the pomp of regal splendor stood; Till rough misfortune's swelling flood Ruin on former ruin deep'ning rolfd.,

Some god adds fury to its force, And urges its resistless course; No dams, no mounds the raging torrent stay, Race after race it sweeps away. O the last branch of this imperial line A brighter sun now seem'd to shine;

Chorus But here is Haemon, the last of your offspring. Does he come grieving for the doom of Antigone, his promised bride, and bitter for the deceived hope of their marriage? 630

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Χορός

πράσσει δʼ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.
625

Glide smoothly on, untaught to taste of woe!

But when (heav'n-sent) sfflictions flow,

Wide-wasting the impetuous torrent pours;

The house from its foundations shakes,

And ruin all its sons o'ertakes.

As when from Thrace the winds tempestuous sweep

With dark'ning horror o'er the deep,

The boiling sands are from the bottom torn,

And high the surging billows borne;

Furious they lash the solid shore,

The promontories round rebellow to the roar.

The house of Labdacus of old

In all the pomp of regal splendor stood;

Till rough misfortune's swelling flood

Ruin on former ruin deep'ning rolfd.,

Some god adds fury to its force,

And urges its resistless course;

No dams, no mounds the raging torrent stay,

Race after race it sweeps away.

O the last branch of this imperial line

A brighter sun now seem'd to shine;

Chorus

But here is Haemon, the last of your offspring. Does he come grieving for the doom of Antigone, his promised bride,

and bitter for the deceived hope of their marriage?
630