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806-943

Fourth

ἐπεισόδιον

. Antigone has now been brought out of the house by two of Creon's servants (

οἱ ἄγοντες

, 931) who are about to conduct her to her doom. She speaks of her fate to the Chorus, and they seek to comfort her,—while they intimate that she alone is to blame (853, 875). Creon enters (883); and, in obedience to his peremptory command, Antigone is presently led forth to death (943).

The structure of the

κομμός

(806—882) is as follows. 1st strophe (806—816)=1st ant. (823—833). A system of choral anapaests (817—822) comes after the strophe, and a similar system (834—838) after the antistrophe.—2nd strophe (839—852) = 2nd ant. (857—871).—3rd str. (853—856) =3rd ant. (872—875).—An epode forms the close (876—882). See Metrical Analysis.

νεάταν … νέατον δέ . In such an epanaphora

μέν

regularly precedes

δέ

(as O. T. 25 , 259; O. C. 5 , 610, etc.); but there are numerous exceptions in Soph. , as O. C. 1342

στήσω σ’ ἄγων, | στήσω δ’ ἐμαυτόν

: Ph. 633

πάντα λεκτά, πάντα δὲ | τολμητά

: Tr. 517

τότ’ ἦν χερός, ἦν δὲ τόξων πάταγος

: ib. 1147

κάλει τὸ πᾶν μοι σπέρμα σῶν ὁμαιμόνων, | κάλει δὲ τὴν τάλαιναν Ἀλκμήνην.

νέατον , in contrast with

αὖθις

, is best taken as adv.: Eur. Tro. 201

νέατον τεκέων σώματα λεύσσω

: cp. the adv.

τελευταῖον

( O. T. 1183 ),

ἔσχατον

( O. C. 1550 ),

πανύστατον

, etc.

κοὔποτ’ αὖθις , sc.

ὀψομένην

: Ai. 857

Ἥλιον προσεννέπω | πανύστατον δὴ κοὔποτ’ αὖθις ὕστερον

.—Cp. the passage in Swinburne's Erechtheus where the maiden Chthonia, being about to die, speaks with the Chorus of Athenian Elders:—‘People, old men of my city, lordly wise and hoar of head, | I, a spouseless bride and crownless, but with garlands of the dead, | From the fruitful light turn silent to my dark unchilded bed.’

παγκοίτας = ὁ πάντας κοιμίζων. Ai. 831

καλῶ θ’ ἅμα | πομπαῖον Ἑρμῆν χθόνιον εὖ με κοιμίσαι

. Blaydes conjectures πάγκοινος , very plausibly. Cp. El. 138

τόν γ’ ἐξ Ἀΐδα | παγκοίνου λίμνας

. But these points may be noted. (1) Though we have had

παγκοίτην

so lately as in v. 804, such a repetition is no safe argument for spuriousness: . (2) The 2nd and 3rd syllables of

παγκοίτας = καί νιν

in 828, and

πάγκοινος

therefore gives a more exact correspondence; but this proves nothing, since a spondee and a trochee are equally admissible. (See Analysis. Metr.) (3)

παγκοίτας

is here a more expressive epithet than

πάγκοινος

(‘receiving all’): eyes still bright with life and youth are to suffer the

ἀτέρμονα νήγρετον ὕπνον

ἄγει … ἀκτάν , a rare poet. constr. with

ἄγω

, as Ph. 1175

Τρῳάδα γᾶν μ’ ἤλπισας ἄξειν

: Aesch. Pers. 861

νόστοι... | εὖ πράσσοντας ἆγον οἴκους

(so Porson for

ἐς οἴκους

). Cp. O. T. 178

ἀκτὰν πρὸς ἑσπέρου θεοῦ

οὔθ’ ὑμεναίων … οὔτ’ ἐπινύμφειος … ὕμνος . The

ὑμέναιος

has not been sung by friends escorting bride and bridegroom to their home; nor has the

ἐπιθαλάμιον

been sung in the evening at the door of the bridal chamber. (1) For the procession-song, cp. Il. 18.492

νύμφας δ’ ἐκ θαλάμων, δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων, | ἠγίνεον ἀνὰ ἄστυ· πολὺς δ’ ὑμέναιος ὀρώρει

. Aristoph. Pax 1332 ff. gives a specimen, with the refrain

Ὑμήν, Ὑμέναῑ ὦ

. Cp. also Av. 1736. This was specially called the

ἁρμάτειον μέλος

(from the carriage conveying the newly-married couple), Etym. M. p. 145. (2) As to the

ἐπιθαλάμιος

(

ὕμνος

), or

ἐπιθαλάμιον

(

μέλος

), sung in the evening, see Phot. Bibl.p. 321

καὶ τὰ ἐπιθαλάμια δὲ τοῖς ἄρτι θαλαμευομένοις ἅμα οἱ ἠΐθεοι καὶ αἱ παρθένοι ἐπὶ τῶν θαλάμων ᾖδον

. Extant specimens are Theocritus Idyll. 18 (for Helen and Menelaus), Catullus 61 and 62 : for a burlesque, see Lucian Symp. 41. The word

ὑμέναιος

, though more specially denoting the procession-song, was a general term for a

γαμήλιον ᾆσμα

, and could denote the

ἐπιθαλάμιος

, in which

Ὑμὴν ὦ Ὑμέναιε

was the usual refrain ( Theocr. 18. 58 , Catull. 61. 4 etc.): so Pindar P. 3. 17

οὐδὲ παμφώνων ἰαχὰν ὑμεναίων, ἅλικες

οἷα παρθένοι φιλέοισιν ἑταῖραι

ἑσπερίαις ὑποκουρίζεσθ’ ἀοιδαῖς

: Apollon. Rhod. 4. 1160

νυμφιδίαις ὑμέναιον ἐπὶ προμολῇσιν ¹ ἄειδον.

οὔτε … ἔγκληρον, … οὔτε … ὕμνησεν : we expected

οὔτε ὑμνηθεῖσαν

: a finite verb is substituted for the second participial clause: cp. 255 f.: O.C. 348

πολλὰ μὲν...ἀλωμένη, | πολλοῖσι δ’ ἡγεῖται

, with n. there on 351.

ἐπινύμφειος , Dindorf's correction of ἐπινυμφίδιος , is strongly supported by these facts. (1) In O. C. 1088 Soph. certainly used

ἐπινικείῳ

instead of the usual

ἐπινικίῳ

. Cp. above, Soph. 358 ,

ἐναίθρεια

. (2) In Aesch. Cho. 334

ἐπιτύμβιος

(restored with certainty by Herm. ) had been corrupted into

ἐπιτυμβίδιος

. Bergk's ἐπὶ νυμφείοις (‘for crown of nuptials’) is quite possible (cp. n. on 568); but an epithet for

ὕμνος

is decidedly preferable here. Bergk relies on the schol.,

λείπει θύραις ἢ κοίταις

, which suggests that the Schol. read

ἐπὶ νυμφιδίοις

(or

νυμφείοις

); but, if this were so, the fact would have little weight. The corruption would have been easy.— SchHerm. ütz defends ἐπινυμφίδιος as metrically possible. But, though it is possible that a logaoedic dactyl might replace a spondee here, the latter is at least better suited to the grave and mournful rhythm. The antistrophic verse (831) ends with

παγκλαύτοις

. So v. 816 ends with

νυμφεύσω

, and 833 with

κατευνάζει

Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω : cp. on 654.

ξιφέων (possessive gen.) ἐπίχειρα , ‘the wages of swords,’ i.e. the reward of strife with the sword,—viz. a violent death. The gen. after

ἐπίχειρα

always denotes that for which the reward is given, as Aesch. PV 318

ὑψηγόρου | γλώσσης

, Aristoph. Vesp. 581

ταύτης

( sc.

τῆς δίκης

), Plat. Rep. 608C

ἀρετῆς

, [Dem. ] Epist. p. 1484. 4

τῶν...πεπονημένων

. Here,

ξιφέων

can hardly be a subjective gen., ‘the reward which the sword gives’; though the meaning is the same. The ironical sense of

ἐπίχειρα

occurs in Attic prose as well as verse; Antiphon or. 1 § 20

ἡ μὲν διακονήσασα

(in the murder)

ἔχει τὰ ἐπίχειρα ὦν ἀξία ἦν

(torture and death). Cp. El. 1382

τἀπιτίμια | τῆς δυσσεβείας. ξιφέων

might be poet. plur. for sing., as in Eur. Andr. 812

ἔκ τε δεξιᾶς | ξίφη καθαρπάζουσιν

, and Or. 1398 (cp.

σκῆπτρα

, etc.); but it is rather an ordinary plural.

αὐτόνομος , i.e. of your own free will. No one constrained her to do the act for which she suffers. She knew that death would be the consequence, and she chose it. The word is fitting, since she has set her laws (the

θεῶν νόμιμα

) above Creon's. The implied contrast is with the helpless victims of disease or of war.—The word could not mean, ‘by an ordinance peculiar to your case,’ i.e. ‘by the unique doom of a living death.’

δή strengthens μόνη , as Tr. 1063 .— Ἀΐδην seems preferable to Ἅιδην in the paroemiac. Cp. on 804.— Acc. of motion, like

δόμους στείχειν

( O. C. 643 ).

ἤκουσα δή . The Chorus has said, ‘No mortal's fate was ever like thine.’ She continues: ‘I have heard before now (

δή

) how Niobe perished,—by a doom like mine.’ To which the Chorus reply that Niobe was not a mere mortal (834).—The Theban princess remembers the fate of the Theban queen. Niobe, daughter of Tantalus, married Amphion, king of Thebes. She vaunted that she had borne many children, while Leto had borne only two. Wherefore those two, Apollo and Artemis, slew all her sons and daughters,—at Thebes, as said the Theban story; but Niobe returned to her old home at Mount Sipylus, and was there turned to stone. (Ovid, Met. 6. 310 , represents her as carried to Sipylus after the change.)

Νιόβη

was the title of lost plays by Aesch. and

λυγροτάταν , adverbial: cp. 305 (

ὅρκιος

): Ai. 966

ἐμοὶ πικρὸς τέθνηκεν.

ξέναν , in relation to Thebes; the foreign wife of the Theban king. Pindar wrote a

παιάν

on Niobe's marriage, and said that the Lydian

ἁρμονία

was first used at Thebes on that occasion. ( de Mus. 15.)

Ταντάλου , gen. of parentage: cp. 486 , Ai. 172

Διὸς Ἄρτεμις

: 952

Ζηνὸς ἡ δεινὴ θεός

. Tantalus, son of Zeus, had his royal seat on Mount Sipylus, which belonged to Phrygia in the older and larger sense of that term. In

αεσξη. Νιόβη

(fr. 153) he describes his realm as extending ‘twelve days journey’ from Sipylus westward to Ida.

Σιπύλῳ . Mount Sipylus is in the country once called Maeonia, and afterwards Lydia. It is a branch of the Tmolus range (N. of which stood Sardis), and extends in a N.W. direction to the Hermus. Magnesia ‘ad Sipylum’ was on that river's left bank. From a remote age volcanic forces were active in this region, known to the Greeks as the

κατακεκαυμένη

. Cp. Arist. Meteor. 2.8

γενομένου σεισμοῦ τὰ περὶ Σίπυλον ἀνετράπη

. A city called Tantalis, once situated at Sipylus, was said to have perished by an earthquake, which made a lake. Tantalus, like Niobe, is a type of prosperity plunged by

ὕβρις

into misery. Here, as in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, some physical catastrophe was at the root of the tradition.— .

ἀτενής , prop. ‘strained,’ ‘intent’ (e.g.

ἀτενὴς ὄψις

), or ‘intense’ (as

ἀτενεῖς ὀργαί

): here it denotes the close embrace of the ivy. Cp.

hederae sequaces

(Persius prol.).

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν , the ‘growth of stone’ (the process of petrifaction) ‘subdued her,’ i.e. passed gradually over her whole form: cp. Ovid, Met. 6. 301:

Orba resedit | Exanimes inter natos, natasque, virumque, | Diriguitque malis. Nullos movet aura capillos. | In vultu color est sine sanguine: lumina maestis | Stant immota genis: nihil est in imagine vivi. | Ipsa quoque interius cum duro lingua palato | Congelat, et venae desistunt posse moveri. | Nec flecti cervix, nec bracchia reddere gestus, | Nec pes ire potest: intra quoque viscera saxumst.

For αι^ in

πετραία

, cp. 1310 n.

καί νιν ὄμρροι , κ.τ.λ. The poet is thinking of Niobe's petrified form among the lonely mountain-crags ( Il. 24.614

νῦν δέ που ἐν πέτρῃσιν, ἐν οὔρεσιν οἰοπόλοισιν, | ἐν Σιπύλῳ

). ‘The rain and the snow never leave her, as she pines with grief’: i.e. she is amid the storms that visit snow-crowned Sipylus throughout the year. By these words the poet wishes to call up a general image of bleak and stormbeaten solitude. Niobe's own weeping is then described by τέγγει δ’ , etc. Now, if we kept the MS. ὄμβρῳ , that dat. would go closely with τακομέναν : ‘as she melts, flows down, with rain’ (or ‘with water’), ‘the snow never leaves her.’ Thus τέγγει … δειράδας would be anticipated, and in a prosaic manner; viz., by words suggesting that the appearance of weeping is due to water trickling down the rock. This is the true reason for preferring ὄμβροι to ὄμβρῳ . It is no argument against

ὄμβρῳ

that

χιών τ’

would answer to

τέγγει θ’

(for

τε

irregularly placed, cp. O.T. 258 n.). With

ὄμβροι, θ’

could still follow

τέγγει

, but

δ’

is better.—For the constr.

ὄμβροι...χιών τ’ οὐ λείπει

(verb agreeing in number with nearest subject) cp. 1132 f.: O.C. 7

στέργειν γὰρ αἱ πάθαι με χὡ χρόνος ξυνὼν | μακρὸς διδάσκει

(n.).

χιών is taken by Wecklein as=‘snowwater’ (Eiswasser). The only passage which seems to favour that sense is Eur. Tro. 1066

Ἰδαῖα...νάπη | χιόνι κατάρυτα ποταμίᾳ

, but there the adj. makes the difference: ‘snow carried down streams’ can be only ‘snow-water.’ In Andr. 215

Θρῄκην χιόνι τὴν κατάρρυτον

means merely, ‘on which snow falls thickly.’ Cp. Quintus Smyrnaeus 1. 293

ὑπαὶ Σιπύλῳ νιφόεντι.

οὐδαμά : cp. 763 .

τέγγει δ’ ὑπ’ ὀφρύσι … δειράδας . Though

ὀφρύς

and

δειράς

could be said of a mountain, Soph. is here thinking simply of the human form.

παγκλαύτους

(L) might be proleptic (cp. n. on

ἀδίκους

, Soph. 791 ), but

παγκλαύτοις

is better, since

ὀφρύσι

seems to need an epithet.

The Niobe of Sipylus has usually been identified with a colossal rock-image on the N. side of the range. It is rudely carved in relief, within a rectangular niche on the face of a limestone cliff, and represents a woman seated on a throne. (See Stark, Niobe, pl. 1, Leips. 1863: cp. Baumeister, Denkm. p. 1029). Prof. W. M. Ramsay, however, holds that this image is the ‘very ancient’

ἄγαλμα

of Cybele mentioned by Paus. 3.22.4 . In two respects it differs from the ancient accounts of the Niobe (quoted below): ( a) it does not ‘weep,’—for the rainwater drops from the front of the niche, clear of the figure; and ( b) the likeness to a human form grows, instead of vanishing, as one approaches. ( Journ. Hellen. Studies III. 61 ff., 1882.) This has been confirmed by another traveller, Herr Schweisthal (as reported in the Berl. Phil. Wochenschr., May 28, 1887, p. 704). He finds the true Niobe at no great distance from the Cybele, but nearer Magnesia, and in the vicinity of a stream (the Jarikkaia) which Humann, in his ‘Excursion into Sipylus’ (1881), had already identified with the Achelous of Il. 24.616 . It is a natural phenomenon,—the semblance—as seen from a distance—of a draped woman, seated high on the rocks; she looks towards the right, and lifts her right arm, as if in lament.

The best ancient description is by a poet whose native place was in that neighbourhood,—Quintus Smyrnaeus (1. 293— 306):—‘Her streaming tears still fall from the heights of the rugged cliff; and in sympathy with her the sounding waters of the Hermus make lament, and the lofty peaks of Sipylus, over which the mist that shepherds dread floats evermore. A great marvel is she to passers by, because she is like a sorrowful woman, who mourns some cruel grief, and weeps without stint. Such verily seems the figure, when thou gazest at it from afar; but when thou drawest near, lo, 'tis but a sheer rock, a cliff of Sipylus’ (

φαίνεται αἰπήεσσα πέτρη, Σιπύλοιό τ’ ἀπορρώξ

Nonnus was thinking of the effect from the road, when he wrote (2. 160),

ἕσσομαι ὡς Νιόβη καὶ ἐγὼ λίθος, ὄφρα καὶ αὐτὴν | λαϊνέην στενάχουσαν ἐποικτείρωσιν ὁδῖται

. Pausanias, too, says that, at a certain distance from the cliff,

δεδακρυμένην δόξεις ὁρᾶν καὶ κατηφῆ γυναῖκα

, but that the illusion vanishes on a nearer approach (1. 21 § 3).

ὁμοιοτάταν , because the stone into which Niobe was changed may be likened to Antigone's rocky tomb: cp. El. 150

ἰὼ παντλάμων Νιόβα, σὲ δ’ ἔγωγε νέμω θεόν, | ἅτ’ ἐν τάφῳ πετραίῳ | αἰαῖ δακρύεις

.—The Niobe in the Uffizi Gallery at Florence will occur to many as offering an ideal type of majestic sorrow and beauty not unworthy to be associated with Antigone, and yet suggesting a contrast no less than a resemblance; the contrast between the desolate mother, and the maiden who is going to join those whom she loves (897); between pride steadfast under divine anger, and the piety that has dared to offend man.

834-838

ἀλλὰ … θανοῦσαν . The Chorus desire to console Antigone. There is no element of reproof in their words here. She has likened herself to Niobe. ‘And yet Niobe’—the Chorus say—‘was a goddess, while thou art a mortal. But ( καίτοι ) it will be a great glory for thy memory that thy fate was as the fate of a goddess, in life and in death.’ ‘In life’ ( ζῶσαν ), and not only in death ( θανοῦσαν ), because Niobe, like Antigone, was in the fulness of her vitality when she met her doom. The moments of life through which Antigone is now passing are like the moments through which Niobe passed as she felt the beginning of the change into stone.—Why does Antigone rejoin, οἴμοι γελῶμαι ? Because her thought had been, ‘my doom is terrible and miserable as Niobe's’; but the Chorus had answered, ‘It is indeed glorious for thee to be as Niobe.’ She had looked for present pity. They had comforted her with the hope of posthumous fame. —See Appendix.

θεός , sc.

ἐκείνη μέν ἐστι

( cp. 948 ). The absence of a pron., to balance

ἡμεῖς

, is unusual, but it is easy to carry on the subject of

τέγγει

in 831. Niobe is of divine race, since her father was the son of Zeus, and her mother the Pleiad Taygetè (or Dionè, one of the Hyades). So in

αεσξη. Νιόβη

(fr. 157) her family is described as

οἱ θεῶν ἀγχίσποροι

(near kin), ...

κοὔπω νιν ἐξίτηλον αἷμα δαιμόνων.

θεογεννής , god-begotten. The peculiarity is that the word is formed directly from

γέννα

, and not from the stem of the pass. aor. in use: i.e., we should expect

θεογέννητος

. But Pindar could coin

θεότιμος

( I. 5. 13) as=

θεοτίμητος

. Why, then, should not a poet coin

θεογεννής

as=

θεογέννητος

? It is of little moment that the extant classical literature happens to present no strictly parallel compound with

γέννα

(

ποντογεννής

and

πρωτογεννής

being late Byzantine). θειογενής occurs in Orac. Sibyll. (5. 261), but is not classical. The Schol.'s paraphrase,

θειοτέρου γένους τυγχάνουσα

, is no token (as some fancy) that he read a gen., such as

θείου τε γένους

καίτοι has an illative force, introducing the next step in the reasoning: cp. 949 , O. T. 855 .—L's

φθιμένα

should prob. be φθιμένῃ (see on

παγκοίτην

804). The variant

φθιμένῳ

(noted in L) is warrantable as the masc. of general statement ( cp. 463 ): but it would be extremely harsh, when

ζῶσαν...θανοῦσαν

refers to the same person.

κἀκοῦσαι , ‘e'en to have it said of her’ (

καί

meaning, ‘even if there is no other comfort’). This seems a little more expressive than

τἀκοῦσαι

(Wecklein), and also slightly more probable palaeographically (cp. O. C. 172 cr. n.). The MS. μέγ’ ἀκοῦσαι is certainly wrong, since a paroemiac could not begin a new sentence. For

ἀκούω

λέγομαι

, audio) with inf., cp. Her. 3.131

Ἀργεῖοι ἤκουον μουσικὴν εἶναι Ἑλλήνων πρῶτοι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα , a lot shared by demigods. Plut. Mor. 103 F

χρὴ γὰρ οὐ μόνον ἑαυτὸν εἰδέναι θνητὸν ὄντα τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτι θνητῷ σύγκληρός ἐστι βίῳ καὶ πράγμασι ῥᾳδίως μεθισταμένοις πρὸς τοὐναντίον

: i.e. that one shares the lot of humanity at large.—The decisive objection to the MS. reading ἔγκληρα is the sense of the adj.; for

ἔγκληρος

always means either (1) act., having a share in, as Eur. I. T. 682

ἔγκληρον... κασιγνήτην

, ‘heiress,’=

ἐπίκληρον

, and so

Hipp. 1011 : or (2) pass., included in one's

κλῆρος

, as H. F. 468

ἔγκληρα πεδία ...κεκτημένος

(‘by inheritance’). Here,

ἔγκληρα

was perh. partly due to a reminiscence of

ἔγκληρον

in 814.—The change of τοῖς ἰσοθέοις into τοῖσι θεοῖσιν , though easy, is needless. The epic ι— of

ἰσόθεος

might well be allowed in tragic lyrics or anapaests, like the α— of

ἀθάνατος

( cp. 339 n.): and Aesch. once uses it, Aesch. Pers. 80

ἰσόθεος φώς

. [But

ἰσόθεος

has

ι^

in Eur. Tro. 1169 , I. A. 626 (dial.), as

ἰσόνειρον

has in Aesch. PV 547 .] Note that the MS. τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα would have arisen more easily from

ΤΟΙΣΙΣΟΘΕΟΙΣΣΥΓΚΛΗΡΑ

than from

ΤΟΙΣΙΘΕΟΙΣΙΝΣΥΓΚΛΗΡΑ

ζῶσαν … θανοῦσαν . The constr.,

φθιμένῃ μέγα ἐστίν, ἀκοῦσαι ζῶσαν σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

(instead of

ζώσῃ

), is not rare: cp. Xen. An. 1. 2 § 1

Ξενίᾳ τῷ Ἀρκάδι ἥκειν παραγγέλλει λαβόντα τοὺς ἄνδρας

[though shortly before,

παραγγέλλει τῷ Κλεάρχῳ λαβόντι ἥκειν

]: ib. 3. 1. 5

συμβουλεύει τῷ Ξενοφῶντι ἐλθόντα εἰς Δελφοὺς ἀνακοινῶσαι

: ib. 3. 2. 1

ἔδοξεν αὐτοῖς προφυλακὰς καταστήσαντας συγκαλεῖν τοὺς στρατιώτας

. The dat. with the inf. is, in such cases, equally right, but the acc. sometimes excludes an ambiguity. (Cp. on O. T. 913 .) El. 479

ὕπεστί μοι...κλύουσαν

is not similar.—I can see no reason to suppose the loss of a verse. The fact that six anapaestic verses (817—822) follow the strophe proves nothing. Cp. , and Append. on 155 ff.

γελῶμαι : ff. Cp. Job xvii. 2 : ‘Are there not mockers with me?’

πολυκτήμονες , an epith. which also implies

εὐγενεῖς

: cp. O. T. 1070

πλουσίῳ χαίρειν γένει

. So these Theban elders are called

κοιρανίδαι

(940), and in O. T. 1223

ὦ γῆς μέγιστα τῆσδ’ ἀεὶ τιμώμενοι

: as Thebes itself,

ἀγλααί

( O. T. 153 ) and

μεγάλαι

( ib. 1203 ).

κρῆναι : so Polyneices appeals to Oed.,

πρός νύν σε κρηνῶν καὶ θεῶν ὁμογνίων

( O. C. 1333 , where see n.): and the dying Ajax invokes the

κρῆναι

of Troy ( Ai. 862 ).

εὐαρμάτου : see n. on 148 f.

ἄλσος : cp. El. 5 (Argos)

τῆς οἰστροπλῆγος ἄλσος Ἰνάχου κόρης

, as the scene of Io's visitation by Hera. So Thebes is the ‘sacred precinct’ of Dionysus ( cp. 154 , 1137) and the other

θεοὶ ἐγχώριοι.

ἔμπας , even if human sympathy fails me. Soph. has

ἔμπας

ὅμως

) also in Ai. 122 , 1338 , and

ἔμπα^

ib. 563 (dial.).

ὔμμ’ (Aeolic and epic), as Aesch. Eum. 620 : so dat.

ὔμμι

O. C. 247 (n.).

ἐπικτῶμαι , acquire, win: Aesch. Eum. 671 (

ὅπως

)

καὶ τόνδ’ ἐπικτήσαιο σύμμαχον, θεά

. In this general sense the ἐπί is not inconsistent with what

ἔμπας

implies, viz. that she fails to win human sympathy.

οἵα : cp. on 823 (

λυγροτάταν

).—

φίλων ἄκλαυτος : cp. 1034 : Ai. 910

ἄφαρκτος φίλων

, and O. C. 1722 n.

ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον , an enclosure (prison) with a sepulchral

χῶμα

. The

ἕργμα

is the chamber in the rock,

πετρώδης κατῶρυξ

(774), in which she is to be immured: the

χῶμα

consists of the stones heaped up at the entrance, so as to close it: cp. 1216

ἁρμὸν χώματος λιθοσπαδῆ

. For

ἕργμα

(

εἵργω

, to shut in) cp. Part. Anim. 2. 15. 1, where it is said that the eyelashes (

βλεφαρίδες

) protect the eyes,

οἷον τὰ χαρακώματα ποιοῦσί τινες πρὸ τῶν ἑργμάτων

, like the palings sometimes placed in front of fences (or hedges). The Berlin ed. (p. 958 b 18) there gives

ἐργμάτων

from the MSS. just as here L has

ἔργμα

, and as, conversely, MSS. of Pindar ( I. 1. 27 etc.) give

ἕργμα

for

ἔργμα = ἔργον

. The old edd. of Arist. give

ἐρυμάτων

.—The reading ἕρμα (from

ἐρείδω

)=‘mound’: C. I. 4599

ἐρισθενὲς ἕρμα θανοῦσιν

: Kaibel Epigr. 1063. 4

κἀγήραον ἕρμα

. But this seems less fitting here than the notion of ‘prison’: cp. 886

περιπτύξαντες, 892 ἀείφρουρος

ποταινίου , usu., ‘recent,’ ‘fresh’: here, ‘of a new kind’: cp. fr. 154. 5

ἡδονὰς ποταινίους

. A tomb destined for the dead is to receive the living ( cp. 821 ).

Though every treatment of this verse must remain subject to doubt, far the most probable (to my mind) is Seyffert's modification of Boeckh's βροτοῖς οὔτ’ ἐν νεκροῖς κυροῦσα . This gives an exact correspondence with 870,

κασίγνητε γάμων κυρήσας

, and there is every reason to think that 870 is sound. Further, the origin of L's reading is elucidated. The first οὔτε is omitted ( Aesch. Ag. 532

Πάρις γὰρ οὔτε συντελὴς πόλις

, cp. O. T. 239 ); and this poetical license might easily have led a corrector to suppose that the first

οὔτε

had been lost. Again, the loss of κυροῦσα would have been easy after νεκροῖς .

μέτοικος : cp. 868 , 890: see on O. C. 934 . It is her doom,

ζῶσα τυμβεύειν

(888). She is not a dweller with the living, because her abode is the grave; nor with the dead, because she lives.— The similar phrase—perhaps imitated from this—in Eur. Suppl. 968 f.,

οὔτ’ ἐν τοῖς φθιμένοις | οὔτ’ ἐν ζῶσιν ἀριθμουμένα

(Musgrave

κρινομένα

) has no such special point: the Argive widows merely mean that their life is a living death.

προβᾶσ’ … πολύ : having advanced to the furthest limit of rashness, thou hast struck heavily (

πολύ

) against the lofty pedestal of Justice. We are to imagine the daring offender as going forward to a boundary where Justice sits enthroned, forbidding all further advance. Instead of pausing there, the rebel still rushes on, to cross the boundary—and, in doing so, dashes herself against the throne of the goddess. For

βάθρον

cp. Her. 1.183 (a sitting statue of Zeus)

καὶ τὸ βάθρον

(pedestal)

οἱ καὶ ὁ θρόνος χρύσεός ἐστι

. For προσέπεσες , Polyb. 1. 39

προσπεσόντες εἴς τινα βραχέα

(having struck on some shallows—in sailing). Cp. Aesch. Theb. 409

μάλ’ εὐγενῆ τε καὶ τὸν Αἰσχύνης θρόνον | τιμῶντα καὶ στυγοῦνθ’ ὑπέρφρονας λόγους

. Ag. 383

λακτίσαντι μέγαν Δίκας βωμόν

. Eum. 539

βωμὸν αἴδεσαι Δίκας, | μηδέ νιν κέρδος ἰδὼν ἀθέῳ ποδὶ λὰξ ἀτίσῃς

. Solon fr. 4. 14

οὐδὲ φυλάσσονται σεμνὰ θέμεθλα Δίκης.

πολύ (adv.) =

σφόδρα

, violently.—Bellermann, adopting Kvíčala's general view, and also Kern's ἐσχάτου , renders: ‘having advanced, with extreme rashness ( Dem. or. 18 § 17

οὔτε δικαίως οὔτ’ ἐπ’ ἀληθείας οὐδεμιᾶς εἰρημένα

), to the lofty threshold (

βάθρον

) of Justice, thou hast fallen heavily down’ : i.e., ‘ while, with the utmost boldness, thou wast obeying the command of Justice, thou hast been hurled to destruction.’ But (1) προσέπεσες could not mean this: we must at least have

κατέπεσες

. (2) The Chorus feel pity, indeed, for Ant. , and recognise the praise of piety, which she has won (817, Ant. 872 ). But they also regard her collision with the city's law as an act of frantic folly (

λόγου τ’ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς

, Ant. 603 ); and they presently tell her that she has left Creon no choice but to punish her (874). By

Δίκη

they understand the law of the State,—not those

θεῶν νόμιμα

which Ant. preferred to obey.

πατρῷόν τινα … ἆθλον , ‘some ordeal inherited from thy sire’ (v. 2); τινά softens a statement into a conjecture; it is perhaps the work of the fate which he bequeathed. This is better than to take

τινά

closely with

πατρῷον

as=‘of the paternal kind.’

ἐκτίνεις , art paying (to the fates which exact it), like

ἐκτίνω δίκην, τίσιν, ἄποινα

μερίμνας , gen. sing.: οἶκτον , acc. depending on

ἔψαυσας...μερίμνας

as =

ἐποίησάς με μεριμνᾶν

: cp. El. 122

τίνα | τάκεις ὧδ’ ἀκόρεστον οἰμωγὰν | τὸν πάλαι ἐκ δολερᾶς ἀθεώτατα | ματρὸς ἁλόντ’ ἀπάταις Ἀγαμέμνονα

, where

τὸν...Ἀγαμέμνονα

is governed by

τίνα τάκεις...οἰμωγάν

as =

τί οἰμώζεις

; see other examples in n. on 211 f. πατρός and πότμου are objective genitives with οἶκτον .—The objection

to taking

οἶκτον

as acc. in apposition with

ἔψαυσας...μερίμνας

is that this would imply

τό

(

σε

)

ψαῦσαι ἀλγ. ἐμοὶ μερίμνης οἶκτός ἐστιν

: as Eur. Or. 1105

Ἑλένην κτάνωμεν, Μενέλεῳ λύπην πικράν

, implies,

τὸ Ἑλένην κτανεῖν Μενέλεῳ λύπη πικρὰ ἔσται

: Aesch. Ag. 224

ἔτλα δ’ οὖν | θυτὴρ γενέσθαι θυγατρός, γυναικοποίνων πολέμων ἀρωγάν

, implies,

τὸ θυτῆρα γενέσθαι ἀρωγὴ ἦν

. Now, if we had, for instance,

ἀνεμνήσθην μερίμνης

, it is conceivable that

οἶκτον

, as acc. in appos., should mean

οἴκτου ἀφορμήν

ἔγερσιν

. But when, as here, the subject of

ἔψαυσας

is distinct from the person who makes the lament, it seems impossible that

οἶκτον

should have this pregnant sense.

ἀλγ. μερίμνας is certainly not acc. plur. and 961. No Greek hearer of these lyrics could take

μερίμνας

for anything but the usual gen. after

ψαύω

. If Soph. had intended the acc., he would at least have written

ἀλγεινοτάταν...μέριμναν

.—The interpretation given above would admit the reading οἶτον , ‘doom,’ which has, however, less authority (cr. n.). El. 166

τὸν ἀνήνυτον | οἶτον ἔχουσα κακῶν

. But, as

οἶτον πότμου

is an impossible pleonasm, it would then be necessary to take

τοῦ τε ...πότμου

as depending on

ἔψαυσας

: for

τριπόλιστον οἶτον

could not be a parenthetic acc. in apposition with

ἔψαυσας... μερίμνας πατρός

. This would be very awkward. Further,

οἶκτον

is clearly the right word to introduce the lament

ἰώ

, etc., which actually follows.

τριπόλιστον (

οἶκτον

), a lament which has often been renewed; a thrice-told tale of sorrow.

πολέω

=to turn up the soil with the plough:

ἀναπολέω

, to plough anew: then fig., to ‘go over the same ground’ again. Pind. N. 7. 104

ταὐτὰ...τρὶς τετράκι τ’ ἀμπολεῖν

: Soph. Ph. 1238

δὶς ταὐτὰ βούλει καὶ τρὶς ἀναπολεῖν μ’ ἔπη

; No

πολίζω

as =

πολέω

occurs, but Pind. once has

ἀναπολίζω

as=

ἀναπολέω

( Pind. P. 6. 3 ). Similarly a poet might well use

τριπόλιστος

as if

πολίζω

existed. It is needless to write

τριπόλητον

. The epic adj. is

τρίπολος.

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν , dat. of interest after πότμου , all the fate for (i.e. appointed for) us, the Labdacidae, instead of the possessive gen.,

κλεινῶν Λαβδακιδᾶν

. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 17

ὦ Θήβαισιν εὐίπποις ἄναξ

. It is needless to explain the dat. by pressing the deriv. of

πότμος

from

πίπτω

(‘what falls to one’). Cp. on 571, and on 865 (

ἐμῷ πατρί

ἁμετέρου (=

ἡμῖν

) is here joined with the dat. of interest, as the possessive pron. is oft. joined with the gen. of the pers. pron. (

τἀμὰ δυστήνου κακά

, O. C. 344 ).

ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται = ματρῴων λ. ἆται (see n. on 793), calamities of the mother's bed, i.e. springing from marriage with a mother. (So O. C. 526

γάμων . . ἄτᾳ

.) For the plur.

ἆται

in this sense, cp. O. C. 1244 , El. 215 .—L's πατρῷαι (‘calamities of my father's marriage’) is possible, but less good, since ( a) the epithet

μητρῷα

denotes the bed to which he came: cp. O. T. 976

καὶ πῶς τὸ μητρὸς

λέκτρον οὐκ ὀκνεῖν με δεῖ

; and ( b) with

πατρῷαι

the explanation by

ἐμῷ πατρί

, etc., would have been less needed.

κοιμήματα . . αὐτογέννητα . . ματρός , the mother's union with her own offspring; the adj.=

μετὰ τοῦ αὑτῆς γεννήματος

: cp. O. C. 1463

κτύπος . . διόβολος

κτύπος τοῦ ἐκ Διὸς βέλους

): Aesch. Eum. 212

ὅμαιμος

συγγενοῦς

)

αὐθέντης φόνος.

ἐμῷ πατρί , dat. of interest, ‘ for my sire’ (i.e. to his misery); the whole phrase being equiv. to, ‘a mother's incestuous union with our father.’ The dat. goes with the whole preceding phrase, not with

αὐτογέννητα

only (‘incestuous in relation to him’), nor with

κοιμήματα

only (‘sleep with him’). The latter, which Wecklein assumes, implies

κοιμᾶσθαί τινι

as=

συγκ. τινί

, an unproved constr.; for Hes. Th. 213

οὔτινι κοιμη·θεῖσα θεὰ τέκε Νὺξ ἐρεβεννή

is of doubtful genuineness, and even there

οὔτινι

could go with

τέκε.

δυσμόρου is far better than

δυσμόρῳ

: without it, the words could imply that only the father's sin merited pity.

οἵων (masc.) ποτέ is exclamatory: ‘from what manner of parents’ (for the gen., cp. 38 ). The exclamatory

οἷος

is freq. in Soph. ( cp. 1228 , Tr. 997 , etc.), and

ποτέ

strengthens it just as it strengthens the interrogative

τίς

ποῖος

( O. T. 754 , Ph. 222 , etc.). So the exclamatory

οἶος

is strengthened by

ἄρα

( Ai. 367 , 910).—Most commentators make οἵων neut. relative to

κοιμήματα

: ‘such (wedlock) as that from which I sprang.’ But ποτέ is fatal to this; for ( a) it cannot here mean, ‘in former days’; that would be too weak: ( b) nor can

οἵων ποτέ

mean, ‘of whatever kind they may have been’— like

ὅστις ποτέ

. Besides, the masc. οὕς most naturally refers to persons denoted by οἵων . I have therefore pointed at ματρός.—ἀραῖος , fem.: elsewhere this adj. is always of three terminations. So Attic tragedy uses

κοινός, ποθεινός, πτωχός, φανερός

, etc., as fem.: see O. C. 751 n.

μέτοικος : .

κασίγνητε . Polyneices. His marriage with Argeia, daughter of the Argive king Adrastus, was the seal of the armed alliance against Thebes, and thus the prime cause of Antigone's death ( O. C. 378 ).—Not Oedipus. Such an allusion would be too repulsive here. In O. C. 535

ἀδελφεαί

marks the climax of horror, and the word is wrung from unwilling lips. Further, as the doom of the whole race is in question (859), the brother is fitly mentioned.

θανὼν ἔτ’ οὖσαν : so Electra says of her brother Orestes,

ὥς μ’ ἀπώλεσας θανών

. Cp. on O. T. 1453 .

κατήναρες . This act. aor. occurs in later poetry. The epic form of the compound is

κατεναίρομαι

, aor.

κατενηράμην

. Eur. uses the epic

ἐναίρω, ἤναρον

, but only in lyrics. Soph. has

κατηναρισμένας

(

κατεναρίζω

) in dial., Ai. 26 .

σέβειν . ‘Reverent action’ (meaning her loyalty to Polyneices) ‘is, in a

sense,

εὐσέβεια

’: i.e. though it is not complete

εὐσέβεια

—which the Chorus regard as including loyalty to the State's laws— yet, so far as it goes, it deserves praise of the same kind. Cp. 924

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ’ ἐκτησάμην

: by practising

εὐσέβεια

towards the dead, she had come to be thought, on the whole,

δυσσεβής

—as a law-breaker. The Chorus is here the apologist of Creon, and this concession is meant to emphasise the next sentence. Hence the purposed vagueness of σέβειν . The speaker avoids a direct reference to the peculiarly sacred and tender duty which Ant. had fulfilled. The proposed emendations (see cr. n.) would obliterate this touch.

κράτος δὲ

οὐδαμᾷ παραβατὸν πέλει ( τούτῳ ), ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει

: but an offence against authority cannot be permitted by him who has authority in his keeping. The antecedent to ὅτῳ , viz.

τούτῳ

, is an ethic dat., ‘in his sight’; he must not look on and see the law broken. For this dat., cp. 904 .

οὐδαμᾷ (Dor.): cp. 763 .—For μέλει cp. 1335 : Il. 2.25

ᾧ λαοί τ’ ἐπιτετράφαται καὶ τόσσα μέμηλεν

. The Chorus echoes Creon's saying (677).

αὐτόγνωτος , act., deciding for oneself, αὐτὴ γιγνώσκουσα , like

μεμπτός

, ‘blaming,’

ὕποπτος

, ‘suspecting,’ etc. ( O. C. 1031 n.). Not pass., ‘resolved upon’ (i.e. here, ‘adopted’) ‘by one's own choice,’ as Ellendt takes it (‘ultro susceptus’), and as the Schol. perh. did, who gives,

αὐθαίρετος καὶ ἰδιογνώμων τρόπος.

ὀργά , disposition: see n. on 354 ff. (

ὀργάς

ἑτοίμαν , imminent, i.e. for which everything is prepared; Il. 18.96

αὐτίκα γάρ τοι ἔπειτα μεθ’ Ἕκτορα πότμος ἑτοῖμος

: Plut. Mor. 706 C

ἕτοιμον τὸ διαφθαρῆναι τοῖς μὴ βοηθοῦντα·. . .τὸν λογισμὸν ἔχουσι

(corruption is imminent for those who have not reason to aid them). Cp. 936 .

τόδε λ. ἱρὸν ὄμμα = τῆσδε ἱερᾶς λαμπάδος ὄμμα (793 n.). Cp. Eur. I. T. 194

ἀλλάξας... | ἱερὸν...ὄμμ’ αὐγᾶς | ἅλιος

. Ion 1467

ἀελίου δ’ ἀναβλέπει λαμπάσιν

ἀδάκρυτον , predicate, with proleptic force: no friend mourns my fate,

(and so it remains) unwept. Soph. has several instances of the predicative adj. thus added to a subst. which has the art. and possessive pron.; as O. T. 671

τὸ γὰρ σόν, οὐ τὸ τοῦδ’, ἐποικτίρω στόμα | ἐλεινόν

(n.): El. 1143

τῆς ἐμῆς πάλαι τροφῆς | ἀνωφελήτου

. Cp. 791 .

ἆρ’ ἴστε ,

ὡς, εἰ χρείη λέγειν ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν, οὐδ’ εἶς ἂν παύσαιτο (λέγων);

The constr. would have been clearer with

λέγων

instead of λέγειν , but the latter has naturally been conformed to

χρείη

. The conject.

παύσειεν

is admissible (cp. O. C. 1751

παύετε θρῆνον, παῖδες

), but unnecessary, and scarcely probable. Prof. Postgate's suggestion, that ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους are objects to ἴστε , is tenable; but against it is the fact that in such cases the object of the principal verb is almost invariably the anticipated subject of the dependent clause (as O. C. 1197

γνώσει κακοῦ | θυμοῦ τελευτὴν ὡς κακὴ προσγίγνεται

); as if here we had,

ἆρ’ ἴστ’ ἀοιδὰς ὡς μακραί εἰσι

; An object is very rarely so anticipated, as in Isae. or. 10 § 18,

ἴσως οὖν ἄν τις...τὸν χρόνον ὑμῶν θαυμάσειε, πῶς ποτε πολὺν οὕτως εἰάσαμεν.

οὐδ’ ἂν εἷς , more emphatic than

οὐδεὶς ἄν

: O. T. 281 n.

οὐκ ἄξεθ’ . When the first of two or more commands is given by

οὐ

with fut. indic., that constr. is usually continued, either ( a) with

καί

, as Eur. Andr. 1066

οὐχ ὅσον τάχος | χωρήσεταί τις...καὶ... λέξει...

; or ( b) with repeated

οὐ

, as Aristoph. Lys. 459

οὐχ ἕλξετ’, οὐ παιήσετ’, οὐκ ἀράξετε

; Here a direct imperat. follows (887), and a note of interrogation must therefore be placed after τάχιστα.—κατηρεφεῖ , prop. ‘roofed over,’ oft. an epithet of a natural cave ( Od. 13.349

σπέος

, Soph. Ph. 272

ἐν κ. πέτρᾳ

), and in El. 381 of a chamber (

στέγη

) like this

κατῶρυξ

. The fact that Nauck wishes to change it into

κατώρυχι

(or

κατωρυχεῖ

) is a strong instance of

μεταβολὴ πάντων γλυκύ

περιπτύξαντες : (

ἕργμα

). Cp. Eur. Phoen. 1357

τειχέων περιπτυχαί

. Kaibel Epigr. 468

λαΐνεος στήλη με πέριξ ἔχει

χρῇ , wishes: 3rd pers. pres. ind. of

χράω

, with contraction into

ῆ

instead of

ᾶ

, as in

διψῆν, ζῆν, κνῆν, πεινῆν, σμῆν, χρῆν

(to give an oracle),

χρῆσθαι, ψῆν

. Schol.,

εἰ χρῄζει καὶ θέλει

. If the nom. ζῶσα is sound, as it seems to be, in the next v., then χρῇ is certain: for

εἰ χρῄζει

has no probability. Only one other passage, however, gives unambiguous support to the forms

χρῇς, χρῇ

,—viz. Aristoph. Ach. 778 , (the Megarian)

οὐ χρῆσθα; σιγῇς, ὦ κάκιστ’ ἀπολουμένα

; ‘will you not make a sound?' (

οὐ θέλεις

, sc.

φωνεῖν

;). There, indeed, Blaydes writes

οὐ χρή τυ

σιγῆν

; but the MSS. are supported by the testimony of Suidas and Hesychius to

χρῇς

as=

χρῄζεις

. In the other four places where these forms are usu. read, they are not indispensable,

χρή

being possible; but in two, at least, they are much better than

χρή

, viz. El. 606

κήρυσσέ μ’ εἰς ἅπαντας, εἴτε χρῇς κακήν, | εἴτε στόμαργον, κ.τ.λ.

: and Ai. 1373

σοὶ δὲ δρᾶν ἔξεσθ’ ἃ χρῇς

. In the other two,

χρή

might well stand: Eur. fr. 910

πρὸς ταῦθ’ ὅ τι χρῇ καὶ παλαμάσθω | καὶ πᾶν ἐπ’ ἐμοὶ τεκταινέσθω

: Cratinus

Νόμοι

fr. 2

νῦν γὰρ δή σοι πάρα μὲν θεσμοὶ | τῶν ἡμετέρων, πάρα δ’ ἄλλ’ ὅ τι χρῇς

. Except in Ach. 778 , the MSS. everywhere give

χρή

: and the variants in the next v. (see cr. n.) show that

χρῇ

was strange to the copyists, though known to the Scholiast.

ζῶσα τυμβεύειν , to live entombed. Elsewhere

τυμβεύω

=to entomb ( Ai. 1063

σῶμα τυμβεῦσαι τάφῳ

); or to bring as a funeral offering, El. 406

πατρὶ τυμβεῦσαι χοάς

. Here it is intrans.,=

ἐν τύμβῳ εἶναι

. Cp.

σαλεύω

, which means either (1) to put others on a

σάλος

,—to toss them: or (2) intrans., to be on a

σάλος

. So the intrans.

θαλασσεύω

=to be on the sea.

παρθενεύω

, which is trans. in classical Gk. (‘to bring up a maiden’), is intrans. in Heliod. 7. 8

τὸ...παρθενεῦον τοῦ ἄστεος

. —The conject. νυμφεύειν is not right. That taunt would be quite out of place here. Creon says simply, ‘I immure her,—I do not kill her; she can either die, or live,—but in the tomb.’

στέγῃ , iron.: cp. El. 381

ζῶσα δ’ ἐν κατηρεφεῖ | στέγῃ χθονὸς τῆσδ’ ἐκτὸς ὑμνήσεις κακά

, i.e. in a cave, or subterranean cell.

ἁγνοί : . His thought is: (1) she had warning: (2) no blood has been shed.

τοὐπὶ τήνδε , in what concerns her. In this phrase with the acc.,

ἐπί

more often means, ‘so far as depends on one’: Eur. Hec. 514

ἡμεῖς δ’ ἄτεκνοι τοὐπὶ ς

': Or. 1345

σώθηθ’ ὅσον γε τοὐπ’ ἔμ’

: Thuc. 4.28 (he told Cleon to try)

τὸ ἐπὶ σφᾶς εἶναι

(so far as the generals were concerned): Xen. Cyr. 1.4.12

ἄλλου τινὸς τὸ ἐπὶ σὲ ἀνάγκη ἔσται δεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς

. In all these places

ἐπί

with dat. would equally suit the sense; but not so in this verse. Cp. 1348

τά γ’ εἰς θεούς

μετοικίας , cp. 852 .

δ’ οὖν , 688.

στερήσεται , 637.

ὦ τύμβος , nom for voc.: cp. 379 .

νυμφεῖον : cp. 1205 .

κατασκαφής : ....

ἀείφρουρος = ἣ ἀεὶ φρουρήσει με

, not,

ἣν ἐγὼ ἀεὶ φρουρήσω

(like Aesch. PV 31

τήνδε φρουρήσεις πέτραν

): cp. 886 .

ἀριθμὸν … πλεϊστον : she thinks of Laïus, her father and mother, and her two brothers.

ἐν νεκροῖς with δέδεκται : the queen of the nether world has greeted them as they passed through the

πολύξενοι

πύλαι

to Hades ( O. C. 1569 f.). So Oedipus is led by

Ἑρμῆς ὁ πομπὸς ἥ τε νερτέρα θεός

( ib. 1548 ). As

ἡ ἀφανὴς θεός

she is associated with Hades ( ib. 1556 ).

Φερσέφασσα has L's support here. That form occurs also in Eur. Helen 175 , but

Περσέφασσα

in Aesch. Cho. 490 . The Il.and Od.have only

Περσεφόνεια. Φερσεφόνεια

occurs in Hom. Hymn. 13.2 . Pindar uses

Φερσεφόνα

. Plato attests that, in his day, the popular form was

Φερρέφαττα

, which he explains as the goddess of wisdom, who enables men

φερομένων ἐφάπτεσθαι

, to grasp changing phenomena. People were afraid to utter the name

Φερσεφόνη

( Crat. 404 C). Attic inscrr. of the 4th cent. B.C. give

Περσεφόνη, Φερσεφόνη, Φερρέφαττα

(Meisterhans pp. 36 ff.). MSS. have

Φερσέφαττα

(which should perh. be

Φερρέφαττα

) in Aristoph. Ran. 671 , Th. 287. A vase ascribed to c. 435 B.C. gives

ΠΕΡΣΩΦΑΤΑ

( sic, Baumeister Denkm. p. 424). Welcker cites

ΦΕΡΕΦΑΣΑ

from an Agrigentine vase ( Götterl. 1. 393). We may infer that Soph. , c. 440 B.C., might have used either

Περσέφασσα

Φερσέφασσα

. The testimony of our oldest and best MS., L, may therefore be allowed to turn the scale.— In

Περσεφόνη

, the

φον

is certainly

φαν

, as in

Ἀργειφόντης

, and this comes out more clearly in

Περσέφασσα

: cp.

Τηλεφᾶσσα = Τηλεφάεσσα

, Apollod. 3. 1. 1. The first part of the word is prob.

φερ, φέρω

; and the name meant originally, ‘she who brings (vegetation) to the light.’ The initial II would then have been due to the following

(cp.

πέ‐φυκα

for

φέ‐φυκα

). The replacement of the initial Φ may have been prompted by a wish to mitigate the

δυσφημία

of the name by avoiding an association with

πέρθω

κάκιστα , as a law-breaker ( cp. 59 ): δή with superl., see 58 n.

μοῖραν … βίου : cp. 461 . ἐξήκειν of time, as Ph. 199.

ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω = ἐλπίζω. ἐν ἐλπίδι (or

ἐλπίσιν

)

εἰμί

was a common phrase. Cp.

ἐν πόθῳ λαβεῖν τι

( O. C. 1678 ).— φίλη μὲν … προσφιλὴς δέ : cp. 669

καλῶς μὲν...εὖ δέ

, n.

κασίγνητον κάρα . Eteocles. Whatever view may be taken of vv. 904—920, few would question the genuineness of 900—903: and if the latter are genuine, νῦν δέ shows that Polyneices is not meant here. She speaks first of those kinsfolk to whom she had rendered pious offices in the usual manner. Then she comes to him who is uppermost in her thoughts,—the brother whose case was different from that of the others. In v. 23 she spoke of the rumour that Eteocles had been duly buried. But nothing here implies her presence at his

ἐκφορά. ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα

were acts preparatory to the

πρόθεσις

. The

χοαί

could be rendered afterwards. She loved both brothers (cp. on 523). If father and mother were named here, without any mention of Eteocles, the omission would suggest that from him she could expect no welcome,—a contradiction of her real feeling (515). Further, the brevity of this reference to Eteocles heightens the effect of what follows.

ὑμᾶς . This play supposes Oedipus to have died at Thebes: .

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα : see nn. on O. C. 1602 f.

λουτροῖς τέ νιν | ἐσθῆτί τ’ ἐξήσκησαν ᾗ νομίζεται

. Cp. below, 1201.

χοάς : cp. 431 .

περιστέλλουσα : here, of sprinkling the dust and pouring the

χοαί

: cp. the general sense of the word in Ai. 1170

τάφον περιστελοῦντε

. More oft. of laying out the dead (like

κοσμεῖν

here, and

συγκαθαρμόζειν

in Ai. 922 ): Od. 24.292

οὐδέ ἑ μήτηρ | κλαῦσε περιστείλασα

. Verg. Aen. 9. 485

canibus date praeda Latinis | Alitibusque iaces: nec te tua funera mater | Produxi, pressive oculos, aut vulnera lavi, | Veste tegens.

δέμας : 205.

904-920

Few problems of Greek Tragedy have been more discussed than the question whether these vv., or some of them, are spurious. Arist. ( Arist. Rhet. 3. 16 § 9) quotes vv. 911, 912 , and certainly had the whole passage in his text of The Soph. interpolation, then, if such it be, must have been made soon after the poet's death; and has been imputed to his son Iophon (

ὁ ψυχρός

), or some other sorry poet; or to the actors. I confess that, after long thought, I cannot bring myself to believe that Soph. wrote 905—912: with which 904 and 913—920 are in organic unity, and must now stand or fall. Some remarks will be found in the Appendix.

The main points (to my mind) are briefly these. (1) The general validity of the divine law, as asserted in 450— 460, cannot be intelligibly reconciled with the limitation in vv. 905—907. (2) A still further limitation is involved in 911 f. She has buried her brother, not simply as such, but because, while he lived, he was an irreplaceable relative. Could she have hoped for the birth of another brother, she would not, then, have felt the duty to be so binding. (3) The composition of vv. 909—912 is unworthy of Sophocles.

’τίμησα (cp.

’φάνη

, 457 n.), with εὖ (last word of v., as O. C. 642 ), I honoured thee rightly, τοῖς φρονοῦσιν , in the judgment of the wise; ethic dat. (25 n.): cp. 514 .

ἐτήκετο , lay mouldering: Plat. Tim. 82E

ὅταν...τηκομένη σὰρξ ἀνάπαλιν εἰς τὰς φλέβας τὴν τηκεδόνα ἐξιῇ

. So

tabum

of corpses, Verg. Aen. 8. 487.

βίᾳ πολιτῶν . This was Ismene's phrase (79). Antigone had believed hat the city was on her side (509). This has been noted as a mark of spuriousness in the verse. But it cannot (I think) be fairly claimed as such; for, since the Chorus had seemed to fail in sympathy (838), she had regarded herself as

ἄφιλος

(876) in Thebes.

πρὸς χάριν : .

Cp. Her. 3.119 , which clearly supplied, not merely the thought, but the form, of these verses:—

ἀνὴρ μέν μοι ἂν ἄλλος γένοιτο, εἰ δαίμων ἐθέλοι, καὶ τέκνα ἄλλα, εἰ ταῦτα ἀποβάλοιμι· πατρὸς δὲ καὶ μητρὸς οὐκέτι μοι ζωόντων, ἀδελφεὸς ἂν ἄλλος οὐδενὶ τρόπῳ γένοιτο

(3.119.6) . Arist. Rhet. 3.16 § 9 (if you introduce a trait of character which will seem improbable, the reason ofit should be added):

ἂν δ’ ἄπιστον ᾖ, τότε τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπιλέγειν, ὥσπερ Σοφοκλῆς ποιεῖ παράδειγμα τὸ ἐκ τῆς Ἀντιγόνης, ὅτι μᾶλλον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἐκήδετο ἢ ἀνδρὸς ἢ τέκνων· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἂν γενέσθαι ἀπολόμενα

[this=vv. 909, 910]:

μητρὸς δ’ ἐν ᾅδου κ.τ.λ.

(he then quotes 911 f., with

βεβηκότων

,—a mere slip of memory: ).

Three points in these vv. are strange. (1) The gen. abs. κατθανόντος , for which a gen. has to be evolved from πόσις . The gen. of that word was not in Attic use (‘mihi non succurrit exemplum ubi

πόσεος

aut

πόσεως

legatur,’ Pors. Med. 906 ). Why was not

ἀνδρός

used? Itlooks as if the composer who made up these verses from Her. 3.119 (see above) had sought to impart a touch of tragic dignity by substituting

πόσις

for the historian's word,

ἀνήρ

. The gen.

κατθανόντος

cannot be taken (as some wish) with

ἄλλος

, ‘different from the dead’ (!). (2) ἀπ’ ἄλλου φωτός . Why is it assumed that the first husband died before, or with, his child? The two hypotheses of loss should have been kept separate. We wanted something like

καὶ παῖς ἂν ἄλλος, παιδὸς ἐστερημένῃ

. (3)

τοῦδ’

means the first husband's child, but is most awkward.—As to

οὐκ ἔστ’ ἀδελφός κ.τ.λ.

, it may be somewhat inelegant; but it is not (as some urge) incorrect, since

οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις = οὐδείς

ἐκπροτιμήσασ’ , ‘having singled thee out for honour,’ with ref. to the supposed cases in which she would not have paid the burial rites. The double compound occurs only here,—as

ἐξαφοράω

only in O. C. 1648 .

διὰ χερῶν … λαβών , i.e., by forcible arrest, as though I were a criminal. Cp. O. C. 470

δῑ ὁσίων χειρῶν θιγών

(=‘with’), Aesch. Suppl. 193 (

ἱκτηρίας

)

ἔχουσαι διὰ χερῶν

ἀνυμέναιον : .

ἀλλ’ : cp. on 810.

πρὸς φίλων with ἔρημος (not with

ἔρχομαι

), forsaken on the part of my friends. The sense of

πρός

in Ph. 1070 is similar, though there it goes with the verb;

ἦ καὶ πρὸς ὑμῶν ὧδ’ ἔρημος, ὦ ξένοι, | λειφθήσομαι δή

...;

δαιμόνων δίκην , that which the gods recognise (451), as distinguished from the human

δίκη

(854) which she has offended.

If the gods allow her to suffer for obeying them, is it not vain for her to invoke them?

βλέπειν

εἴς τινα

(for help), as Ai. 398 , 514, El. 959 .

τίνα … ξυμμάχων , what ally (of all conceivable allies)?

ἐπεί γε δή : cp. Tr. 484

ἐπεί γε μὲν δή

. For the place of

δή

, cp. 726 .

τὴν δυσσέβειαν , the repute of it; El. 968

εὐσέβειαν ἐκ πατρὸς | θανόντος οἴσει

: Eur. I. T. 676

καὶ δειλίαν γὰρ καὶ κάκην κεκτήσομαι

: Med. 218

δύσκλειαν ἐκτήσαντο καὶ ῥᾳθυμίαν

: Ion 600

γέλωτ’ ἐν αὐτοῖς μωρίαν τε λήψομαι

The gods are allowing her to perish. But it does not follow that they approve of her doom: for they are sometimes slow in punishing wrong ( O. C. 1536 ). Hence the dilemma, introduced

by ἀλλ’ οὖν (‘well then’). (1) If the gods approve of my doom, then, after suffering it, I shall become conscious (in the other world) that I have sinned. (2) But if they disapprove of it, and regard Creon as the sinner, then they will punish him at last. And I could wish him no sorer doom than mine.

ἐν θεοῖς : cp. 459 .

ξυγγνοῖμεν = συνειδείημεν. Lys. or. 9 § 11

συνέγνωσαν δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ σφίσιν ὡς ἠδικηκότες

, ‘became conscious that they had done wrong.’ The word could also mean,

ὁμολογήσαιμεν

, ‘confess’: but in that sense it regularly takes either an inf., as Her. 1.91

συνέγνω ἑωυτοῦ εἶναι τὴν ἁμαρτάδα

: or a dependent clause, as Plat. Legg. 717D

ξυγγιγνώσκοντα ὡς εἰκότως...θυμοῖτ’ ἄν.

ἡμαρτηκότες belongs more closely to the verb than does παθόντες : cp. Plat. Phaedo 70A (

ἡ ψυχὴ

)

διασκεδασθεῖσα οἴχηται διαπτομένη

. For the tragic masc. plur., when a woman speaks of herself, cp. El. 399 .

οἵδε , Creon: cp. 10 .

μὴ πλείω , i.e. she will be content if they suffer

ἴσα

. She can imagine no worse fate. The tame conjecture μείω would not express this bitter feeling.—

καὶ δρῶσιν

, do on their part: O. C. 53 n.

ἀνέμων‐ῥιπαὶ ψυχῆς , stormgusts of the soul: both genitives are possessive: cp. 795

βλεφάρων‐ἵμερος...νύμφας

—Dindorf's expulsion of

αὑταὶ | ψυχῆς

(cr. n.) is unwarranted.

ψυχῆς

interprets the figurative sense; for

αὑταί

after

τῶν αὐτῶν

cp. n. on 155 ff. (

νέοχμος νεαραῖσι

τούτων , neut., causal gen. ( O. T. 48 ). After

τήνδε γ’

, this is better than

ταύτην

would be:

τοιγάρτοι

(whether with

καί

or with

νιν

) would be unpleasing.

κλαύμαθ’ : cp. 754 : so Ph. 1260

ἐκτὸς κλαυμάτων.

ὕπερ = ἕνεκα ( O. T. 165 n.).

οἴμοι

follows, but the change of person excuses the breach of synapheia: so O. C. 139

τὸ φατιζόμενον

is followed by

ἰώ

, and ib. 143

πρέσβυς

οὐ

This threat (to the guards) ‘has come very near to death,’ i.e., ‘portends imminent death for me.’ The phrase is not fig., ‘is bitter as death to hear’ (being a prelude to death).

Said by Creon, clearly—not by the Chorus. ‘I can give thee no encouragement ( οὐδέν adv.) to hope that

the doom is not to be ratified on this wise’ (i.e., by death). μὴ οὐ , not

μή

, on account of

οὐδέν

(443 n.).

κατακυροῦσθαι , pres. denoting what is to be; Ph. 113

αἱρεῖ τὰ τόξα ταῦτα τὴν Τροίαν μόνα

. Attic prose used

κυροῦν

ἐπικυροῦν

(

γνώμην, νόμον, ψήφισμα

, etc.). Cp. Creon's peremptory word

τελείαν

in 632.

ταύτῃ (722) combined with τάδε : cp. 39 .

θεοὶ προγενεῖς , ancestral, not merely as protectors of the race, but also as progenitors. She thinks esp. of Ares and Aphrodite, the parents of Harmonia, wife of Cadmus: Aesch. Theb. 135

σύ τ’, Αρης, πόλιν Κάδμου ἐπώνυμον | φύλαξαι κήδεσαί τ’ ἐναργῶς. | καὶ Κύπρις, ἅτ’ εἶ γένους προμάτωρ, | ἄλευσον

. Dionysus, the son of ‘Cadmean’ Semele (1115), is another of the deities meant.

προγενής

, born before one, a poet. word, unfamiliar to good Attic prose, but used by Aristotle and later writers, usu. in comparat. (as

οἱ προγενέστεροι

, ‘those who have gone before us’): so

οἱ μεταγενέστεροι

δή = ἤδη ( O. T. 968 ), as in

καὶ δή.

κοὐκέτι μέλλω , and am no longer (merely) about to be led away: cp. O. C. 1074

ἔρδουσ’ ἢ μέλλουσιν;

Ph. 1255

κἀμέ τοι | ταὐτὸν τόδ’ ὄψει δρῶντα κοὐ μέλλοντ’ ἔτι

. Meineke's conjecture

μελλώ

μέλλησις

, Aesch. Ag. 1356 ) was needless.— Seyffert understands, ‘I make no more delay,’—said firmly and proudly: she scorns to bring punishment on her guards by detaining them longer. But this does not suit

ἄγομαι δή

οἱ κοιρανίδαι , the Theban

εὐπατρίδαι

of the Chorus: . The nom. with art., instead of voc.,=‘ ye who are princes of Thebes,’ and so brings out the implied reproach to their apathy. This constr. usu. has a somewhat peremptory tone, as Plat. Symp. 218B

οἱ δὲ οἰκέται...πύλας...τοῖς ὠσὶν ἐπίθεσθε

. It is different when a voc. precedes the art. and partic., as Aristoph. Av. 30

ὦνδρες οἱ παρόντες ἐν λόγῳ

: cp. on 100 f.

βασιλειδᾶν , i.e., of the race of the Labdacidae. This correction of βασιλίδα is certain. In Plat. Critias 116C ,

τὸ τῶν δέκα βασιλειδῶν γένος

, the same corruption,

βασιλίδων

, occurs in the MSS. Suidas has

βασιλείδης· ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως

(where Küster wrongly proposed

ὁ τοῦ Βασιλείου

). In adding the patronymic suffix

ιδα—

to a stem in

ευ

(

βασιλευ

), the

is dropped, as in the gen. plur. (

βασιλέ‐ων

): hence

βασιλε‐ίδης, βασιλείδης

: cp.

Πηλείδης.

μούνην , ignoring Ismene; not in bitterness (cp. on 559), but because she feels that, in spirit at least, she herself is indeed the last of the race. It is otherwise when Oed. speaks of his daughters as his only children ( O. C. 895 ); and when Electra says that she is

ἄνευ τοκέων

(187),— since Clytaemnestra is a

μήτηρ ἀμήτωρ

(1154).

εὐσεβίαν . Epic and lyric poetry could substitute - ια for - εια in fem. nouns from adjectives in -

ης

: so O. C. 1043

προμηθίας

: Pind. P. 12. 4

εὐμενίᾳ

: Aesch. Eum. 534

δυσσεβίας

: H. F. 696

εὐγενίας

. The motive was metrical convenience. Such forms are not Ionic, as Triclinius called them (cr. n.): thus Herod. used

ἀληθείη

, not

ἀληθίη

: though there are other cases in which Ionic substitutes

for

ει

(as

βαθέα, ἐπιτήδεος

, etc.).— σεβίσασα , of respecting a law or custom: so O. C. 636 , Ai. 713 (

θέσμια...σέβων

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)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτέ μ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγγος
805

λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

οὔ ποτ᾽ αὖθις· ἀλλά μ᾽ ὁ παγκοίτας

ᾍδας ζῶσαν ἄγει

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτὰν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων
810

ἔγκληρον· οὔτ᾽ ἐπινυμφίδιός

πώ μέ τις ὕμνος

ὕμνησεν· ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχει κεῦθος νεκύων,
815

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις,

οὔτε ¹ ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽,

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος, ζῶσα, μόνη δὴ

θνατῶν, ᾍδαν καταβήσει.

Ἀντιγόνη

b

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι
820

τὰν ² Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου, Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄκρῳ,

τὰν, κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς,

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν· καί νιν

ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν,
825

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,

τέγγει θ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύστοις

δειράδας ³· ᾇ με

δαίμων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.
830

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής·

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖσιν ⁴ ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

c

οἴμοι, γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων
835

οὐκ ὀλλυμέναν ὑβρίζεις,

ἀλλ᾽ ⁵ ἐπίφαντον;

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες,

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι,
840

Θήβας τ᾽ εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας

ξυμμάρτυρας ὕμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυστος, οἵοις

νόμοις πρὸς ⁶ ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον

ἔρχομαι τάφου ποταινίου·
845

ἰὼ δύστανος,

⁷

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους,

ὑψηλὸν ⁸ ἐς Δίκας βάθρον
850

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πάλιν.

πατρῷον ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

c

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας ⁹,

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶκτον,

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος
855

ἁμετέρου πότμου

κλεινοῖς ¹⁰ Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ ματρῷαι λέκτρων

ἆται, κοιμήματά τ' αὐτογέννητ᾽

ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρὸς,
860

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων

ἔφυν· πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος,

ἅδ᾽ ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων

κασίγνητε ¹¹ γάμων κυρήσας,
865

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν ¹² μὲν, εὐσέβειά τις·

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει·

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὥλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
870

Ἀντιγόνη

a

ἄκλαυστος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος,

ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι τάνδ᾽

ἑτοίμαν ¹³ ὁδόν. οὐκ ἔτι

μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα

θέμις ὁρᾷν ταλαίνᾳ·
875

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον ¹⁴

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν,

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἂν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα, καὶ, κατηρεφεῖ
880

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγὼ,

ἄφετε, μόνην, ἔρημον, εἴτε χρὴ θανεῖν,

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα ¹⁵ τυμβεύσειν στέγῃ·

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
885

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις ἀείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Περσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων,

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ
890

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι, κάρτ᾽ ¹⁶ ἐν ἐλπίσι τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρὶ, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοὶ,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοὶ, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
895

ἔλουσα, κἀκόσμησα, κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δὲ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα, τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾽τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ ¹⁷.

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν, εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν,
900

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι, κατθανόντος,¹⁸ ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου φωτὸς, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·
905

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν ᾍδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν,

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ ¹⁹.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν,

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾷν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
910

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν,

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν, οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς·

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος,

ζῶσ᾽ ἐς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφὰς,
915

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην ;

τί ²⁰ χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδᾷν ξυμμάχων ; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ᾽, εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλὰ,
920

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες ²¹.

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν, ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ ²².

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
925

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ ²³ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
930

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ ²⁴ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον,

θεοί τε προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ, κοὐκ ἔτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἵ κοιρανίδαι,
935

τὴν ²⁵ βασιλίδα μούνην λοιπὴν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός

a

Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτέ μ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,
775

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγ-

γος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις· ἀλλά μ' ὁ παγ-

κοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει
780

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων

ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπινυμφίδιός

πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕμ-

νησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.
785

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχει κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις,

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽·

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος, ζῶσα, μόνη δὴ
790

θνατῶν Ἅιδην καταβήσει.

Ἀντιγόνη

1

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄ-

κρῷ, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς
795

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν·

καί νιν ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,

τέγγει θ’ ὑπ’ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύτοις
800

δειράδας· ᾇ με δαί-

μων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς·

καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις
805

ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν, μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων,

οὐκ οὐλομέναν ὑβρίζεις,

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον;

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως
810

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰὼ

Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι, Θήβας τ᾽

εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας

ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,
815

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕρμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρχομαι τάφου ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος,

βροτοῖς οὔτ᾽ ἐν νεκροῖς κυροῦσα¹

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.
820

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ’ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ.

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας
825

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶκτον

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος

ἁμετέρου πότμου

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ
830

ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται,

κοιμήματά τ᾽ αὐτογέννητ᾽

ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός·

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν,

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος ἅδ᾽ ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.
835

ἰὼ δυσπότμων

κασίγνητος γάμων κυρήσας,

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,
840

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει.

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος,

ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι τάνδ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν.

οὐκ ἔτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ·
845

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα, καὶ κατηρεφεῖ

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγώ,
850

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν,

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγῃ.

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς
855

οἴκησις ἀείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Περσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων·

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.
860

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους
865

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾽τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν,

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,
870

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι, κατθανόντος, ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν,
875

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβών,
880

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς·

ἀλλ' ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσ᾽ ἐς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς,

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;
885

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν, τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·
890

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν, ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν
895

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὖπος ἀφῖκται.

Χορός

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.
900

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ κοὐκ ἔτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,

τὴν βασιληΐδα μούνην λοιπήν,
905

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

10. ΣΤΑΣΙΜΟΝ ΤΈΤΑΡΤΟΝ.

Χορός

1

Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτέ μ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,
795

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγγος

λεύσσουσαν ἀελίοιο, κοὔ πο-

τ᾽ αὖτ', ἀλλ᾽ ἔμ᾽ ὁ παγκοίτας

Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει τὰν Ἀχέροντος
800

ἀκτὰν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων

ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπινυμφίδιός

πω μέ τις ὕμνος ὕμνησεν,

ἀλλ᾽ ἦ ᾽χέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ, καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχου-
805

σ᾽, ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχει κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσι πληγεῖσα νόσοις,

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦ-

σ᾽, ἀλλ᾽, αὐτόνομος ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνατῶν, Ἀϊδαν καταβήσει.
810

Ἀντιγόνη

2

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου, Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄκρῳ,

τὰν, κισσὸς ὡς, ἀτενὴς πετραία

βλάστα δάμασεν· καὶ νῦν
815

ὄμβροι τακομέναν, ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,

τέγγει δ᾽ ὑπ’ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύστοις

δειράδας· ᾇ με δαίμων

ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.
820

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννὴς,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς ·

καί σοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

3

οἴ μοι, γελῶμαι!
825

τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων,

οὐκ οὐλομέναν ὑβρίζεις,

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον ; ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ὦ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι, Θήβας
830

τ᾽ εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας

ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπιβοῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυστος, οἵοις

νόμοις πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον

ἔρχομαι τάφου ποταινίου!
835

ὦ δύστανος,

οὔτ᾽ ἐν θνατοῖς οὔτ᾽ ἐν νεκροῖσι

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσι.

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους,

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον
840

προσέπαισας, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ.

πατρῷον ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

3

ἔψαυσας ἀλγει-

νοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας,

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶτον,
845

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος ἁμετέρου πότμου

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ὦ ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται,

κοιμήματά τ᾽ αὐτογέννη-

θ᾽ ἁμῷ πατρὶ δυσμύρου ματρὸς,
850

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων

ἔφυν, πρὸς οὓς, ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος,

ἅδ᾽ ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι!

ὦ, δυσπότμων,

κασίγνητε, γάμων κυρήσας,
855

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με!

Χορός

σέβειν νὶν, εὐσέβειά τις·

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει.

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
860

Ἀντιγόνη

1

ἄκλαυστος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος,

ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι τάν-

δ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν.

οὐκ ἔτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα

θέμις ὁρᾷν ταλαίνᾳ·
865

τὸν δὲ πότμον ἀδάκρυτον ἐμὸν

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν,

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἂν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα, καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
870

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγὼ,

ἄπιτε, μόνην, ἔρημον, εἴτε χρὴ θανεῖν,

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύσει στέγῃ·

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην,

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Περσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων·

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ, καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ,
880

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου!

ἐλθοῦσα μέν τοι, κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσι τρέφω,

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρὶ, προσφιλὴς δέ σοι,

μῆτερ, φίλη δέ σοι, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
885

ἔλουσα, κἀκόσμησα, κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δὲ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα, τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καί τοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾿τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ·

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν, εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν,
890

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι, κατθανόντος, ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ’ ἄλλου φωτὸς, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·
895

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν,

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλαστοῖ ποτε.

τοιῷδε μέν τοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν,

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾷν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα!
900

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν,

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν, οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς·

ἀλλ’ ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων, ἡ δύσμορος,

ζῶσ᾽ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφὰς,
905

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί δὲ χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδὰν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ’, εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλὰ,
910

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν, ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὐταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
915

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ ταύτην τοῖσιν ἄγουσι

βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴ μοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὖπος ἀφῖκται!

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
920

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον,

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ, κοὐκ ἔτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
925

τὴν βασιλίδα τὴν μούνην λοιπὴν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα!

Χορός

1

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτέ μ', ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγγος

λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις· ἀλλά μ᾿ ὁ παγκοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει
810

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων

ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ *ἐπινύμφειός πώ μέ τις ὕμνος
815

ὕμνησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχει κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽,
820

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνητῶν Ἀΐδην καταβήσει.

α

Ἀντιγόνη

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι,

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄκρῳ,
825

τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν, καί νιν ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,
830

τέγγει θ᾽ ὑπ᾿ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύτοις δειράδας· ᾇ με

δαίμων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

†καίτοι φθιμένῳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν

[ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.]

Ἀντιγόνη
β

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων,

οὐκ οὐλομέναν ὑβρίζεις,
840

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον;

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰώ, Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι Θήβας τʼ

εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας
845

ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕρμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρχομαι

τάφου ποταινίου·

59r

ἰὼ δύστανος,
850

†οὐτ᾽ ἐν βροτοῖσιν οὔτ᾽ ἐν νεκροῖσιν

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσʼ ἐπ᾿ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ.
855

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τινʼ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη
β

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας,

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶκτον

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος

ἁμετέρου πότμου
860

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται

κοιμήματά τ᾿ αὐτογέννητ᾽

ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρῳ ματρός,
865

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν·

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος ἄγαμος ἅδ᾽ ἐγὼ

μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων

κασίγνητε γάμων κυρήσας,
870

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽ ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῆ πέλει·

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος,

ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι

τάνδ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν.

οὐκέτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα

θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ·
880

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν,

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ' ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα, καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρὴ θανεῖν,

εἴτ᾿ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύσει στέγῃ·

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἰκησις ἀείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Περσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων·

ὧν λοισθία ἐγὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ
895
59v

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα.

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾿τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ' οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν
905

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾿ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·
910

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσ᾽ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς·
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίνʼ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

†Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
940

τὴν *βασιλειδᾶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός
α 60r

Greek (A. Colonna, 1978) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Colonna, 1978)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτ᾽ ἔμ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγ-

γος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις. ἀλλά μ᾽ ὁ παγ-
810

κοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων ἔγ-

κληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπὶ νυμφείοις

πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕμ-
815

νησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχῃ κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽,
820

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνατῶν Ἀἰδαν καταβήσῃ.

Ἀντιγόνη
1

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄ-
825

κρῳ, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν,

καί νιν ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει, τέγ-
830

γει θ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύτοις

δειράδας· ᾇ με δαί-

μων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων,

οὐκ οὐλομέναν ὑβρίζεις.
840

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι Θήβας τ᾽ εὐ-

αρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας
845

ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρ-

χομαι τάφου ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος,
850

οὔτ᾽ ἐν βροτοῖς οὔτε νεκροῖσιν

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ·
855

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν’ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας,

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶκτον

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος

ἁμετέρου πότμου
860

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται κοι-

μήματά τ᾽ αὐτογέννητ᾽

ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός,
865

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν·

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος, ἅδ᾽

ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων κασί-

γνητε γάμων κυρήσας,
870

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽ ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾷ πέλει,

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

na

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος ταλαί-

φρων ἄγομαι τάνδ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν·

οὐκέτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα

θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ·
880

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον οὐ-

δεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽ ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα, καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ' ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν,

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγῃ.

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Φερσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων,

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ
895

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾿τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν
905

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾿ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·
910

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ' ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλ' ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶν εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς·
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὐταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ ᾽γὼ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
940

τὴν βασιλειδᾶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός
1

Greek (A. Dain, 1955) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. Dain, 1955)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτ’ ἔμ’, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγ-

γος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ’ αὖθις, ἀλλά μ’ ὁ παγ-
810

κοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ’ ὑμεναίων ἔγ-

κληρον, οὔτ’ ἐπὶ νυμφείοις

πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕμ-
815

νησεν, ἀλλ’ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ’

ἐς τόδ’ ἀπέρχῃ κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ’,
820

ἀλλ’ αὐτόνομος ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνητῶν Ἀΐδην καταβήσῃ.

Ἀντιγόνη
1

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄ-
825

κρῳ, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν,

καί νιν ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ’ οὐδαμὰ λείπει, τέγ-
830

γει θ’ ὑπ’ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύτοις

δειράδας· ᾇ με δαί-

μων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγ α κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴ-

ων, οὐκ οὐλομέναν ὑβρίζεις,
840

ἀλλ’ ἐπίφαντον;

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι Θήβας τ’ εὐ-

αρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας
845

ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ’ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρ-

χομαι τάφου ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος,
850

οὔτ’ ἐν βροτοῖς οὔτε νεκροῖσιν

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσ’ ἐπ’ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ·
855

πατρῷον δ’ ἐκτίνεις τιν’ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμ-

νας πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶκτον,

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος

ἁμετέρου πότμου
860

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται κοι-

μήματ ά τ’ αὐτογέννητ’

ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός,
865

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ’ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν·

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος, ἅδ’

ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων

γάμων, κασίγνητε, κυρήσας,
870

θανὼν ἔτ’ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ’ ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾷ πέλει,

σὲ δ’ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ’ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος ταλαί-

φρων ἄγομαι τάνδ’ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν·

οὐκέτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα

θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ·
880

τὸν δ’ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον οὐ-

δεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ’ ἴστ’ ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδ’ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ’ ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ’ ὡς τάχιστα, καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ’ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν,

εἴτ’ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγῃ.

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ’ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Φερσέφασσ’ ὀλωλότων,

ὧν λοισθία ’γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ
895

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ’ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ’ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ’ ἐγὼ ’τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ’ οὔτ’ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν
905

οὔτ’ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ’ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ’ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ’ ἤμπλακον·
910

μητρὸς δ’ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ’ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ’ ἐκπροτιμήσασ’ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ’ ἔδοξ’ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλ’ ὧδ’ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσ’ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς,
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν’ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ’ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ’ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ’ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ’ οἵδ’ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὐταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ’ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ’ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ’ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ ’γὼ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
940

τὴν βασιλειδῶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός
1

Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. D. Dawe, 1979)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτέ μ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγ-

γος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις, ἀλλά μ᾽ ὁ παγ-
810

κοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων

ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπὶ νυμ-

φείοις πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕ-
815

μνησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχηι κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽,
820

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος, ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνητῶν Ἀίδην καταβήσηι.

2

Ἀντιγόνη

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλωι πρὸς ἄ-
825

κρωι, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν,

καί νιν ὄμβροι τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,
830

τέγγει δ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι παγ-

κλαύτοις δειράδας· ἇι με δαί-

μων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς·
835

καίτοι φθιμένηι μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

3

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι γελῶμαι· τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρώι-

ων, οὐκ ὀλλυμέναν ὑβρί-
840

ζεις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον;

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι Θή-

βας τ᾽ εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμ-
845

πας ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρ-

χομαι τάφου ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος † οὔτ᾽ ἐν
850

βροτοῖσιν οὔτ᾽ ἐν νεκροῖσιν †

μέτοικος οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους,

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, ποδοῖν·
855

πατρῶιον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

3

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερί-

μνας πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶ-

κτον, τοῦ τε πρόπαντος
860

ἁμετέρου πότμου

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ ματρῶιαι λέκτρων ἆ-

ται κοιμήματά τ᾽ αὐτογέν-

νητ᾽ ἐμῶι πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός,
865

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν·

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος, ἅδ᾽

ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων κασί-

γνητε γάμων κυρήσας,
870

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτωι κράτος μέλει,

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾶι πέλει·

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναι-

ος ἁ ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι

τάνδ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν.

οὐκέτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν

ὄμμα θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίναι.
880

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽ ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα; καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβωι περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην, ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῆι θανεῖν

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτηι ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγηι·

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς ν

οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Φερσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων,

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῶι
895

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾽τίμησα, τοῖς φρονοῦσιν, εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν,
905

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίαι πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ἠιρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς, ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον
910

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῶιδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμωι, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσ᾽ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς,
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμαχεῖν, ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην;

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες ·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ' ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὖπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτηι κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῶιον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ ᾽γὼ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
940

τὴν βασιλειδῶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

1

Χορός

Greek (G. Hermann, 1830) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (G. Hermann, 1830)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτέ μ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πο-
800

λῖται τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγ-

γος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις· ἀλλά μ᾽ ὁ παγ-

κοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει
805

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων

ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπινυμφίδιός

πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕ-

μνησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.
810

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχει κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις,

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽·

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος, ζῶσα, μόνη δὴ
815

θνατῶν, Ἀϊδαν καταβήσει.

1

Ἀντιγόνη

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀ-

λέσθαι τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν.

Ταντάλου, Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄ-

κρῳ· τάν, κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενής,
820

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν·

καί νιν ὄμβρῳ τακομέναν

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,

τέγγει θ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύτοις
825

δειράδας· ᾇ με δαί-

μων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής·

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.

καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις
830

ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

1

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων,

οὐκ ὀλομέναν ὑβρίζεις,

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον ; ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·
835

ἰὼ

Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι, Θήβας τ᾽

εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος· ἔμπας

ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις
840

πρὸς ἕρμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρχομαι

τάφου ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος,

βροτοῖς οὔτε ἐν νεκροῖσιν

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.
845

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἔσχατον, θράσους,

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ.

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τίν᾽ ἆθλον.

2

Ἀντιγόνη

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας,
850

πατρὸς τριπλοιστὸν οἶκτον

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος ἁμετέρου πότμου

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ

ματρῷαι λέκτρων ἆται,
855

κοιμήματά τ᾽ αὐτογέννητ᾽

ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός,

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν·

πρὸς οἷς ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος, ἅδ᾽ ἐγὼ

μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.
860

ἰὼ δυσπότμων

κασίγνητε γάμων κυρήσας,

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις·

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,
865

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει,

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος,

ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι τάνδ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν.

οὐκ ἔτι, μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα
870

θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ·

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον οὐδεὶς

φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν,

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;
875

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα; καὶ κατηρεφεῖ

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἰ χρῄζει, θανεῖν,

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγῃ.

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·
880

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι,

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Περσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων·
885

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι, κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·
890

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ, ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ

ἔλουσα, κἀκόσμησα, κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα, τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾽τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.
895

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν,

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι, κατθανόντος, ἄλλος ἦν,
900

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ' ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν,
905

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον καρά.

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβών,

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον , οὔτε τοὺ γάμου.

μέρος λαχοῦσαν, οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς·

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος,
910

ζῶσ᾽ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς·

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.
915

ἀλλ᾽, εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν, ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ
920

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.
925

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον,

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δή, κοὐκ ἔτι μέλλω.
930

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,

τὴν βασιλίδα μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός

1

Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (R. C. Jebb, 1906)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτ᾽ ἔμ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται, τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν 1

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγγος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου, 2

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις· ἀλλά μ᾽ ὁ παγκοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει 3

τὰν Ἀχέροντος 4

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπινύμφειός 5

πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕμνησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω. 6

Χορός
1

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχει κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽,
820

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος, ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνητῶν Ἀΐδην καταβήσει.

Ἀντιγόνη
1

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν 1

Ταντάλου Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄκρῳ, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς 2

ἀτενὴς
825

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν· καί νιν ὄμβροι τακο- 3

μέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν, 4

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει, τέγγει δ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύτοις 5
830

δειράδας· ᾇ με δαίμων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει. 6

Χορός
1

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων, 1

οὐκ οἰχομέναν ὑβρίζεις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον; 2
840

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες· 3

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι 4

Θήβας τ᾿ εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι, 5
845

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις 6

πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρχομαι τάφου ποταινίου· 7

ἰὼ δύστανος, βροτοῖς οὔτε νεκροῖς κυροῦσα 8
850

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν. 9

Χορός
3

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους 1

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον 2

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ. 3
855

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον. 4

Ἀντιγόνη
2

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας, 1

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶκτον τοῦ τε πρόπαντος 2

ἁμετέρου πότμου κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν. 3

ἰὼ ματρῷαι λέκτρων 4

ἆται κοιμήματά τ᾽ αὐτογέννητ᾽ ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός, 5

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν· 6

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος, ἄγαμος, ἅδ᾽ ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι. 7
865

ἰὼ δυσπότμων κασίγνητε γάμων κυρήσας, 8

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με. 9

Χορός
3

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις, 1

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει, 2

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾷ πέλει· 3

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά. 4
875

Ἀντιγόνη

na

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι

τάνδ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν.

οὐκέτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν

ὄμμα θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ·
880

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ' ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα; καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγῃ·

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις ἀείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Φερσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων·

ὧν λοισθία ᾿γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ
895

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾽τίμησα, τοῖς φρονοῦσιν, εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν,
905

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾿ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·
910

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσ᾽ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς·
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
940

τὴν βασιλειδᾶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός
1

Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (A. C. Pearson, 1924)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτ᾽ ἔμ’, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

780 στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγ-

γος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις· ἀλλά μ᾽ ὁ παγ-
810

κοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων

ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπὶ νυμ-

φείοις πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕ-
815

μνησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχῃ κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φϑινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽,
820

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνατῶν Ἀΐδην καταβήσῃ.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄ-
825

κρῳ, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν,

καί νιν ὄμβροι τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,
830

τέγγει δ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι παγ-

κλαύτοις δειράδας· ᾇ με δαί-

μων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνατογενεῖς,
835

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς

θεῶν πατρῴων,
840

οὐκ οἰχομέναν ὑβρίζεις,

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον;

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆ-
845

ναι Θήβας τ᾽ εὐαρμάτου ἄλ-
845

σος, ἔμπας ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρ-

χομαι τάφου ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος, βροτοῖς
850

οὔτε νεκρὸς νεκροῖσιν

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

πολὺ προσέπαισας, ὦ τέκνον.
855

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας

ἐμοὶ μερίμνας, —

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶτον

τοῦ τε πρόπαντος
860

ἁμετέρου πότμου

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν

ἰὼ ματρῷαι λέ-

κτρων ἆται κοιμήματά τ᾽ αὐ-

τογέννητ᾽ ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρὸς,
865

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν·

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος ἄγαμος ἅδ'

ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων κασί-

γνητε γάμων κυρήσας,
870

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾷ πέλει,

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναι-

ος ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι

τὰν ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν.

οὐκέτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν

ὄμμα θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ·
880

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ᾽ ἴστ᾽ ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ χρείη, λέγων;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα, καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἐρῆμον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγῃ·

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Φερσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων·

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ
895

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα.

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ᾽τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν
905

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον,
910

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ,

τοιῷδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ, Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἐρῆμος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσ᾽ ἐς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς·
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Χορός

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
940

τὴν βασιλειδᾶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός

Antigone (OCR draft) Experimental (Antigone) — 806 focus

Ἀντιγόνη

ὁρᾶτʼ ἔμʼ, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται, τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγγος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτʼ αὖθις. ἀλλά μʼ ὁ παγκοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει
810

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθʼ ὑμεναίων ἔγκληρον, οὔτʼ ἐπινύμφειός

πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕμνησεν, ἀλλʼ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.
815

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσʼ

ἐς τόδʼ ἀπέρχει κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσʼ,
820

ἀλλʼ αὐτόνομος ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνητῶν Ἅιδην καταβήσει.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλῳ πρὸς ἄκρῳ, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς
825

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν, καί νιν ὄμβροι τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τʼ οὐδαμὰ λείπει, τέγγει δʼ ὑπʼ ὀφρύσι παγκλαύτοις
830

δειράδας· ᾇ με δαίμων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν.

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με, πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων.

οὐκ οἰχομέναν ὑβρίζεις, ἀλλʼ ἐπίφαντον;
840

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι

Θήβας τʼ εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμπας ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμʼ ἐπικτῶμαι,
845

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρχομαι τάφου ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος, βροτοῖς οὔτε νεκροῖς κυροῦσα
850

μέτοικος οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσʼ ἐπʼ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ·
855

πατρῷον δʼ ἐκτίνεις τινʼ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμνας,

πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἶκτον τοῦ τε πρόπαντος

ἁμετέρου πότμου κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.
860

ἰὼ ματρῷαι λέκτρων

ἆται κοιμήματά τʼ αὐτογέννητʼ ἐμῷ πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός,
865

οἵων ἐγώ ποθʼ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν·

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος ἄγαμος ἅδʼ ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων κασίγνητε γάμων κυρήσας,
870

θανὼν ἔτʼ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δʼ ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾷ πέλει·

σὲ δʼ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσʼ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

ἄκλαυτος, ἄφιλος, ἀνυμέναιος ταλαίφρων ἄγομαι

τὰν πυμάταν ὁδόν. οὐκέτι μοι τόδε

λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα

θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίνᾳ.
880

τὸν δʼ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρʼ ἴστʼ, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτʼ ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθʼ ὡς τάχιστα; καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβῳ περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκʼ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῇ θανεῖν

εἴτʼ ἐν τοιαύτῃ ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγῃ·

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δʼ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις ἀείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Φερσέφασσʼ ὀλωλότων·

ὧν λοισθία ʼγὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῷ
895

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτʼ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα. νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδʼ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σʼ ἐγὼ ʼτίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτʼ οὔτʼ ἄν, εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν,
905

οὔτʼ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίᾳ πολιτῶν τόνδʼ ἂν ᾐρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπʼ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδʼ ἤμπλακον,
910

μητρὸς δʼ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστʼ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῷδε μέντοι σʼ ἐκπροτιμήσασʼ ἐγὼ

νόμῳ Κρέοντι ταῦτʼ ἔδοξʼ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσʼ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς.
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίνʼ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσʼ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδʼ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δʼ οἵδʼ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γʼ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθʼ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτʼ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Χορός

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῷον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι
940

τὴν βασιλειδᾶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (K. Reinhardt, 1949)) — 806 focus

ὁρᾶτ᾽ ἔμ᾽, ὦ γᾶς πατρίας πολῖται,

τὰν νεάταν ὁδὸν

στείχουσαν, νέατον δὲ φέγ-

γος λεύσσουσαν ἀελίου,

κοὔποτ᾽ αὖθις· ἀλλά μ᾽ ὁ παγ-
810

κοίτας Ἅιδας ζῶσαν ἄγει

τὰν Ἀχέροντος

ἀκτάν, οὔθ᾽ ὑμεναίων

ἔγκληρον, οὔτ᾽ ἐπὶ νυμ-

φείοις πώ μέ τις ὕμνος ὕμ-
815

νησεν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἀχέροντι νυμφεύσω.

Χορός

οὐκοῦν κλεινὴ καὶ ἔπαινον ἔχουσ᾽

ἐς τόδ᾽ ἀπέρχηι κεῦθος νεκύων,

οὔτε φθινάσιν πληγεῖσα νόσοις

οὔτε ξιφέων ἐπίχειρα λαχοῦσ᾽,
820

ἀλλ᾽ αὐτόνομος ζῶσα μόνη δὴ

θνητῶν Ἅιδην καταβήσηι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἤκουσα δὴ λυγροτάταν ὀλέσθαι

τὰν Φρυγίαν ξέναν

Ταντάλου Σιπύλωι πρὸς ἄ-
825

κρωι, τὰν κισσὸς ὡς ἀτενὴς

πετραία βλάστα δάμασεν·

καί νιν ὄμβροι τακομέναν,

ὡς φάτις ἀνδρῶν,

χιών τ᾽ οὐδαμὰ λείπει,
830

τέγγει δ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι παγ-

κλαύτοις δειράδας· ἇι με δαί-

μων ὁμοιοτάταν κατευνάζει.

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμέναι μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι γελῶμαι. τί με πρὸς θεῶν πατρώι-

ων, οὐκ οὐλομέναν ὑβρί-
840

ζεις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίφαντον;

ὦ πόλις, ὦ πόλεως

πολυκτήμονες ἄνδρες·

ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι Θήβας τ᾽ εὐ-

αρμάτου ἄλσος, ἔμ-
845

πας ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ᾽ ἐπικτῶμαι,

οἵα φίλων ἄκλαυτος, οἵοις νόμοις

πρὸς ἕργμα τυμβόχωστον ἔρχομαι τάφου

ποταινίου·

ἰὼ δύστανος.
850

† οὔτ᾽ ἐν βροτοῖσιν οὔτ᾽ ἐν νεκροῖσι

μέτοικος, οὐ ζῶσιν, οὐ θανοῦσιν.

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, ποδοῖν·
855

πατρῶιον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἔψαυσας ἀλγεινοτάτας ἐμοὶ μερίμ-

νας, πατρὸς τριπόλιστον οἷ-

τον τοῦ τε πρρόπαντος

ἁμετέρου πότμου
860

κλεινοῖς Λαβδακίδαισιν.

ἰὼ πατρῶιαι λέκτρων ἆται κοι-

μήματά τ᾽ αὐτογέν-

νητ᾽ ἐμῶι πατρὶ δυσμόρου ματρός,
865

οἵων ἐγώ ποθ᾽ ἁ ταλαίφρων ἔφυν

πρὸς οὓς ἀραῖος ἄγαμος ἅδ᾽ ἐγὼ μέτοικος ἔρχομαι.

ἰὼ δυσπότμων κασίγνητε γάμων κυρήσας,
870

θανὼν ἔτ᾽ οὖσαν κατήναρές με.

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽ ὅτωι κράτος μέλει

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾶι πέλει·

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

ἄκλαυτος ἄφιλος ἀνυμέναιος ταλαί-

φρων ἄγομαι τάνδ᾽ ἑτοίμαν ὁδόν·

οὐκέτι μοι τόδε λαμπάδος ἱερὸν ὄμμα

θέμις ὁρᾶν ταλαίναι·
880

τὸν δ᾽ ἐμὸν πότμον ἀδάκρυτον

οὐδεὶς φίλων στενάζει.

Κρέων

ἆρ' ἴστ᾽, ἀοιδὰς καὶ γόους πρὸ τοῦ θανεῖν

ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἷς παύσαιτ᾽ ἄν, εἰ χρείη λέγειν;

οὐκ ἄξεθ᾽ ὡς τάχιστα; καὶ κατηρεφεῖ
885

τύμβωι περιπτύξαντες, ὡς εἴρηκ᾽ ἐγώ,

ἄφετε μόνην ἔρημον, εἴτε χρῆι θανεῖν

εἴτ᾽ ἐν τοιαύτηι ζῶσα τυμβεύειν στέγηι.

ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἁγνοὶ τοὐπὶ τήνδε τὴν κόρην·

μετοικίας δ᾽ οὖν τῆς ἄνω στερήσεται.
890

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ τύμβος, ὦ νυμφεῖον, ὦ κατασκαφὴς

οἴκησις αἰείφρουρος, οἷ πορεύομαι

πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτῆς, ὧν ἀριθμὸν ἐν νεκροῖς

πλεῖστον δέδεκται Φερσέφασσ᾽ ὀλωλότων·

ὧν λοισθία ᾽γὼ καὶ κάκιστα δὴ μακρῶι
895

κάτειμι, πρίν μοι μοῖραν ἐξήκειν βίου.

ἐλθοῦσα μέντοι κάρτ᾽ ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω

φίλη μὲν ἥξειν πατρί, προσφιλὴς δὲ σοί,

μῆτερ, φίλη δὲ σοί, κασίγνητον κάρα·

ἐπεὶ θανόντας αὐτόχειρ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ
900

ἔλουσα κἀκόσμησα κἀπιτυμβίους

χοὰς ἔδωκα· νῦν δέ, Πολύνεικες, τὸ σὸν

δέμας περιστέλλουσα τοιάδ᾽ ἄρνυμαι.

καίτοι σ᾽ ἐγὼ ’τίμησα τοῖς φρονοῦσιν εὖ.

οὐ γάρ ποτ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂν εἰ τέκνων μήτηρ ἔφυν
905

οὔτ᾽ εἰ πόσις μοι κατθανὼν ἐτήκετο,

βίαι πολιτῶν τόνδ᾽ ἂν ἠιρόμην πόνον.

τίνος νόμου δὴ ταῦτα πρὸς χάριν λέγω;

πόσις μὲν ἄν μοι κατθανόντος ἄλλος ἦν,

καὶ παῖς ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου φωτός, εἰ τοῦδ᾽ ἤμπλακον·
910

μητρὸς δ᾽ ἐν Ἅιδου καὶ πατρὸς κεκευθότοιν

οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἀδελφὸς ὅστις ἂν βλάστοι ποτέ.

τοιῶιδε μέντοι σ᾽ ἐκπροτιμήσασ᾽ ἐγὼ

νόμωι Κρέοντι ταῦτ᾽ ἔδοξ᾽ ἁμαρτάνειν

καὶ δεινὰ τολμᾶν, ὦ κασίγνητον κάρα.
915

καὶ νῦν ἄγει με διὰ χερῶν οὕτω λαβὼν

ἄλεκτρον, ἀνυμέναιον, οὔτε του γάμου

μέρος λαχοῦσαν οὔτε παιδείου τροφῆς,

ἀλλ᾽ ὧδ᾽ ἔρημος πρὸς φίλων ἡ δύσμορος

ζῶσ᾽ εἰς θανόντων ἔρχομαι κατασκαφάς·
920

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

τί χρή με τὴν δύστηνον ἐς θεοὺς ἔτι

βλέπειν; τίν᾽ αὐδᾶν ξυμμάχων; ἐπεί γε δὴ

τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην.

ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν οὖν τάδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν θεοῖς καλά,
925

παθόντες ἂν ξυγγνοῖμεν ἡμαρτηκότες·

εἰ δ᾽ οἵδ᾽ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μὴ πλείω κακὰ

πάθοιεν ἢ καὶ δρῶσιν ἐκδίκως ἐμέ.

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων ῥιπαὶ

τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτηι κατακυροῦσθαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ γῆς Θήβης ἄστυ πατρῶιον

καὶ θεοὶ προγενεῖς,

ἄγομαι δὴ κοὐκέτι μέλλω.

λεύσσετε, Θήβης οἱ κοιρανίδαι,
940

τὴν βασιλειδᾶν μούνην λοιπήν,

οἷα πρὸς οἵων ἀνδρῶν πάσχω,

τὴν εὐσεβίαν σεβίσασα.

Χορός

Translations (11)

German (A. Boeckh, 1884) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (A. Boeckh, 1884)) — 806 focus

O seht mich, o Bürger des Vaterlandes,
775

die ich den letzten Weg

wandle, die ich den letzten Strahl

schaue jetzt von Helios Licht,

und nie wieder! Lebend entführt

Hades, alle lagernd zur Ruh',
780

Acherons Ufern

zu mich; nicht Hymenäen

empfing ich, nimmer ein bräutliches Lied

feierte mich im Lust-

reigen: Acheron führt als Braut heim mich!
785

CHOR.

Ruhmvoll denn gehst und mit Lobe geschmückt

dorthin du jetzt in der Todten Gemach;

nicht raffte dich weg langzehrende Sucht,

nicht lohnte der Feind dir mit mordendem Schwert;

ja die einzige du von den Sterblichen wallst
790

selbständig und lebend zum Hades.

ANTIGONE.
Gegenstr. 1

Wohl hört' ich, ging Tantalos' Tochter, sie die

Phrygien uns gesandt,

graunvoll unter an Sipylos'

Höh'n: gleich Epheu's strammem Gewächs
795

fest umschloſs sie sprossender Fels;

schmelzend zehrt der Regen an ihr,

lautet die Kunde,

der Schnee lässet sie nimmer;

und stets herab von den thränenden Brau'n
800

netzet den Busen sie:

der am ähnlichsten bettet Schicksal mich!

CHOR.

Doch Göttin ist sie, von der Götter Geschlecht,

wir Sterbliche nur, aus irdischem Stamm:

wie groſs ist der Ruhm, Gottgleicher Geschick
805

hinscheidend zu theilen im Grabe!

ANTIGONE.
Str. 2.

Weh mir! Verlacht werd' ich! Warum, o Vatergötter,

verhöhnst du mich, eh' ich hinstarb,

eh' ich verschwunden?

O Stadt, o der Stadt
810

reichbegüterte Männer,

weh, weh!

o Dirka's Quell, o Theba's

der wagenberühmten Lusthain,

euch alle beschwör' ich, seid Zeugen,
815

wie unbeweint von Freunden, kraft welches Rechts

zum gruftgehöhlten Kerker ich des neuen Grabes wandeln mufs!

Mir Unsel'gen, weh,

die nicht auf Erden, nicht im Hades,

im Leben nicht heimisch, nicht im Tode!
820

CHOR.

Vorschreitend bis zum Äufsersten

des Trotzes stieſsest du, o Kind,

an Dike's Thron gewaltig an.

Der Ahnherrn Kämpfen gleichet dein Kampf!

ANTIGONE.
Gegenstr. 2.

Du regtest schmerzvollesten Gram mir auf im Busen,
825

des Vaters berufenen Jammer,

unseres ganzen

Geschlechts herbes Loos,

edler Labdakoskinder!

Weh, weh!
830

O fluchvoll, gräulvoll Ehbett,

die Mutter dem eignen Sohne,

mein Vater gesellt der Unsel'gen!

Von welchen ich entsproſs, die Unglückliche,

zu welchen ehlos, Fluches voll, ich mich hinübersiedele!
835

O weh! unheilvoll

vermählt, o Bruder, gabest jetzt du,

ein Todter schon, meinem Leben Tod noch!

CHOR.

Wohl heilig Todter Heiligung!

Doch dessen Macht, dem Macht gebührt,
840

zu überschreiten ziemet nicht.

Ja dich stürzt' eigenwill'ger Trotzsinn!

ANTIGONE.
Epodos.

Ohn' Hymens Lied, verlassen, klaglos,

dahin werd' ich geführt diesen Pfad sichern Tods.

Nimmer das heilige Auge des flammenden Weltlichts schauen darf ich Arme;
845

meinem Loos weihet kein Freundesherz Seufzer oder Thräne.

KREON.
(der kurz vorher aufgetreten)

Wifst ihr, dafs keiner vor dem Tod mit Klaggesang

und Jammern enden würde, frommten diese noch?

Fort, schnell mit ihr von hinnen; und schloſst ihr sie dann

ins Grab, das dicht bedeckte, wie ich es gebot,
850

so lafst allein sie, einsam, ob sie sterben nun,

ob lebend wohnen mög' in solchem Grabeshaus:

denn wir sind rein, was diese Jungfrau hier betrifft:

nur mitzuwohnen oben bleibt ihr nicht erlaubt.

ANTIGONE.
(zieht sich zurück.)

O Grab, o Hochzeitkammer, unterirdische
855

ewige Behausung, wo ich hin jetzt wandele,

dort zu den Meinen, deren gröfste Zahl im Land

der Todten Persephassa schon empfangen hat,

wovon zuletzt, und weit am schlimmsten, ich hinab

gehn muſs, bevor zu Ende lief mein Lebensziel!
860

Doch hingelanget, diese Hoffnung nähr' ich stark,

komm' ich geliebt dem Vater, dir auch komm' ich lieb,

o Mutter, dir auch lieb, o brüderliches Haupt:

dieweil ich euch im Tode mit der eignen Hand

gebadet und geschmücket, und die Spenden euch
865

aufs Grab gegossen; aber jetzt, Polyneikes, so

auch deinen Leib bestattend, ernt' ich solchen Lohn.

Doch wer verständig, preiset was ich dir erwies.

Denn nimmermehr, wenn Mutter ich von Kindern war,

noch wenn ein Gatte sterbend mir dahingewelkt,
870

hätt' ich zum Trotz den Bürgern solche That gethan.

Um welcher Ursach willen sag' ich dieses wohl?

Starb mir der Gatte, würd' ein andrer wieder mir,

ein Kind von andrem Manne, wenn ich das verlor;

nun, da der Hades Mutter mir und Vater birgt,
875

kann nimmer mir ein Bruder wiederum erblühn.

Aus solcher Ursach' dich vor allen ehrend schien

dem Kreon hierdurch ich zu fehlen, und sogar

Entsetzliches zu wagen, o mein Bruderhaupt!

Und jetzo greift er also mit Gewalt und rafft
880

mich fort, die unvermählte, der kein Brautgesang,

kein Ehgemahl ward, nicht der Kinderpflege Glück;

nein, also freundlos muſs ich Unglückselige

lebendig nieder in die Gruft der Todten gehn.

Und welches Recht der Götter übertrat ich denn?
885

Wie soll ich Arme nun noch zu den Himmlischen

aufschauen, wen um Hülfe flehn? Erwarb ich doch

Gottlosigkeit mir durch die That der Frömmigkeit!

Doch wenn es also gültig bei den Göttern ist,

werd' ich die Schuld erkennen, wenn ich sie gebüfst;
890

sind aber diese schuldig, mögen schlimmer nicht

sie büfsen, als sie selber mir thun wider Recht!

CHOR.
(Kreon tritt wieder vor.)

Noch derselbige Sturm tobt rastlos fort

mit derselben Gewalt in der Jungfrau Brust.

KREON.

Drum büfsen denn auch die Geleitenden bald
895

mit Gewimmer und Weh der Verzög'rung Schuld!

ANTIGONE.

Weh mir! Ganz nah dem Geschicke des Tods

bringt dies Wort mich!

CHOR.

Nicht geb' ich dir jetzt Trostzuspruch mehr,

nicht werde sofort das Gebot vollbracht.
900

ANTIGONE.

O Thebisches Lands heimathliche Stadt,

und Götter des Stamms!

fortschleppen sie ohne Verzug mich!

Ihr Edlen der Stadt, der Thebäischen, seht

von dem Fürstengeschlecht mich übrig allein,
905

welch Loos ich erleid' und von welchen, dieweil

ich das Heilige heilig gehalten!

(Antigone wird abgeführt.)

X. VIERTES STASIMON.

Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (J. A. Bolufer, 1921)) — 806 focus

Miradme, ¡oh ciudadanos de mi patria!, comenzando mi último viaje y mirando por última vez la luz del sol, que ya no veré más; porque Plutón, que a todos recibe, me lleva viva a las orillas del Aqueron- Aqueron- te, sin haber participado de himeneó himeneo y sin que ningún himno nupcial me haya celebrado; pero con Aqueronte me casaré.

CORO

Pues ilustre y llena de gloria te vas a ese abismo de la muerte, sin que te mate mortal enfermedad ni haber sido reducida a servidumbre como botin botín de guerra; sino que, autónoma y en vida, tú sola vas a bajar a la mansión de los muertos.

ANTIGONA

Ya oi oí contar la deplorabilisima deplorabilísima muerte de la extranjera Frigia, hija de Tántalo, en la cima del Sipilo, a la cual, como espesa hiedra, ciñó por todas partes el brote de la piedra; y ni las lluvias, según dicen los hombres, ni la nieve dejan que su cadáver se corrompa, sino que de sus ojos, que no cesan de llorar, humedece los collados. De modo muy semejante al de aquélla en el lecho me tiende el destino.

CORO

Pero ella, en verdad, es diosa, y de un dios había nacido; mas nosotros somos mortales, y de hombres procedemos; y para un mortal, el obtener suerte semejante a la de los dioses es grande gloria.

ANTIGONA

¡Ay, cómo se mofan de mi! ¿Por qué, por los dioses patrios, no aguardáis aguardais a insultarme cuando me haya ido ya, y lo hacéis en mi presencia? ¡Oh ciudad! ¡Oh ricos hombres de la ciudad! ¡Oh dirceas fuentes y bosque sagrado de Tebas, la de hermosos carros! Os invoco para que todos a la vez atestigüeis cómo sin que me lloren los amigos, y por qué leyes, me llevan hacia las rocas amontonadas en forma de túmulo de inaudita sepultura. ¡Infortunada de mi, que estando entre los mortales no existo ya, y ni me hallo entre los vivos ni entre los muertos!

CORO

Por haber querido traspasar los limites límites del atrevimiento, chocaste, ¡oh hija!, en el altisimo altísimo trono de la Justicia, que es muy excelso. Algún delito de tu padre expías.

ANTIGONA

Llegaste a poner tu lengua en mis más dolorosos remordimientos: el infortunio de mi padre, que ha pesado sobre tres generaciones, y la fatalidad de toda nuestra familia, de los ilustres Labdácidas. ¡Oh funesto lecho de mi madre, y concubinato por ella engendrado con mi mismo padre, hijo de tan desdichada madre, por los cuales yo infeliz fui concebida!, hacia vosotros, maldecida y soltera, vedme aquí que caminando voy. ¡Oh hermano, que tan infaustos honores alcanzaste!, muerto tú, me mataste viva.

CORO

Respetar a los muertos, es piedad; y el imperio, sea cualquiera en quien resida, nunca debe conculcarse. Tu independiente carácter te ha perdido.

ANTIGONA

Sin consuelos, sin amigos, sin himeneo, emprendo mi último viaje. ¡Ya no me es permitido ver más esta sagrada luz del sol! ¡Infeliz de mi! Y mi muerte sin lágrimas, ningún amigo la llora.

CREONTE

¿Acaso no sabéis que de cantos y lloros antes de morir no hay ninguno que desistiera si le hubieran de ser útiles? Que os la llevéis en seguida; y una vez la encerréis en aquella abovedada tumba, como os he mandado, dejadla sola y abandonada, ya desee morir, ya desposarse viviendo en tal morada; que yo quedo exento del delito de sacrilegio por lo que se refiere a esta muchacha; porque sólo se la privará de habitar entre los vivos.

ANTIGONA

¡Oh tumba, oh tálamo nupcial, oh subterránea mansión que me has de tener encerrada para siempre! Ahí voy hacia los míos, a gran número de los cuales, difuntos ya, ha recibido Proserpina entre los muertos. De ellos, la última yo y de modo desdichadisimo, soy la que bajo antes de llegar al término fijado de mi vida. Pero en bajando, abrigo la firme esperanza de que he de llegar muy agradable a mi padre, y muy querida de ti, ¡oh madre!, y también de ti, hermano mío. Porque al morir vosotros, yo con mis propias manos os lavé y adorné, y sobre vuestra tumba ofreci ofrecí libaciones. Y ahora, ¡oh Polinices!, por haber sepultado tu cadáver, tal premio alcanzo. Y ciertamente que con razón te hice los honores, según los hombres sensatos; [porque nunca jamás, ni por mis hijos, si hubiera llegado a ser madre; ni por mi marido, si su cadáver se hubiese estado pudriendo, habría emprendido tal trabajo en contra de las leyes de la ciudad. ¿Y por qué razón digo esto? Marido, en verdad, si el mío moria moría, otro podría tener; y también hijos de otro varón, si me privaba del que tuviera. Pero encerrados ya en el infierno mi madre y mi padre, no es posible que pueda nacerme un hermano]. Y sin embargo, porque teniendo esto en cuenta te honré por encima de todo, pareció a Creonte que había caido caído en falta, y que mi atrevimiento mere- cia cía terrible castigo, ¡oh querido hermano! Y ahora me llevan entre manos, así presa, virgen, sin himeneo, sin llegar a alcanzar las dulzuras del matrimonio ni de la maternidad; sino que, abandonada de los amigos y desdichada, me llevan viva a las cóncavas mansiones de los muertos. ¿Qué transgresión he cometido contra ninguna ley divina? ¿Qué necesidad tengo, en mi desdicha, de elevar mi mirada hacia los dioses? ¿Para qué llamarlos en mi ayuda, si por haber obrado piadosamente me acusan de impiedad? Porque si esto merece la aprobación de los dioses, reconoceré que sufro por haber pecado; pero si son ellos los que pecan, no deseo que sufran otros males que los que me hacen sufrir injustamente.

CORO

Aún la están dominando los impetus ímpetus de las mismas pasiones.

CREONTE

Y en verdad que llorarán los que la llevan, por avanzar tan lentamente.

ANTIGONA

¡Ay de mí! Esa voz suena muy cerca de mi muerte.

CREONTE

No te aconsejo que confies confíes en que estas órdenes han de quedar incumplidas.

ANTIGONA

¡Oh patria, ciudad de la tebana tierra, y dioses de mis abuelos! Ya me llevan; nada espero. ¡Mirad, príncipes de Tebas [a la princesa única que queda], lo que sufro y de qué hombres, por haber practicado la piedad!

CORO

Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806) (OCR draft) Experimental (Latin (F. H. Bothe, 1806)) — 806 focus

Adspicite me, o patriae urbis cives, ultimam ingredientem viam, ultimumque iubarintuentem Solis, mihi numquam posthac videndum, sed communis me Orcus vivam deducit ad Acheruntis oram, hymenaeorum expertem, mec me nuptialis hymnus celebravit umquam , sed Acherunti sane nubam.

Chorus

Atqui celebris et laudem macta, in has abibis mortuorum latebras, nec tabidis concussa morbis, nec gladiorum mercedem nacta, sed, libera vivens sola utique mortalium, ad Orcum descendes.

Antigone

Sane audivi Phrygiam hospitam, Tantali filiam , miserrimam per« lisse summo in Sipylo, quam, velut hedera, durum saxi perdomuit incrementum;

neque nunc imbres tabefactam , ut fama vulgi est, neque nix umquam deserit, sed irrigat cum manantibusoculis et cervices: cuime Fatum simillimam consopit.

Chorus

At illa dea erat et divino satu genita;

nos vero homines et mortali sanguine creti; et tibi mortuae praeclarum erit, si dicaris aequalium diis sortem experta fuisse.

Antigone

Hei mihi, derideor!

Quid me, per tutelares deos, non mortuam, sed luce fruentem adhuc, contumelia adficis? O urbs, o urbis opulenti cives! o Dircaei fontes, Thebaeque curruum agitatricis nemus, tamen vos simul testes habeo, quemadmodum ab amicis indelleta, quali lege ad carcerem defossum vado inauditi sepulcri. Heu miseram, cui nec cum hominibus, nec cum Manibus, consortio est, nec cum vis, nec cum peremtis.

Chorus

Progressa ad extremum audaciae, in altum Iustitiae solium impegisti , Onata, graviter.

Paternam noxam aliquam luis.

Antigone

Á

Acerbissimum mihi dolorem refricas, nimis extentum luctum ob patris infortunia, universamque nostram decantatorum Labdacidarum cladem.

O materna nuptiarum noxa, incestique concubitus patris mei cum calamitosa matre , quibus egoolim infelix edita fui; ad quos, diris devota, innupta, sic ego commigro! O infausti, frater, potite coniugii, mortuus ipse vivam me adhuc occidisti!

Chorus

Illum colere, pium est;

sed nequaquam iussa transgredi licet eorum, penes quos est imperium. Te vero, quod se ipso monitore utebatur , perdidit ingenium.

Antigone

Indefleta, amicis orba, innupta, expeditum hoc ingredior iter.

Haud amplius mihi sacrum hoc lampadis iubar fas intueri miserae; neque amicorum quisquam est, qui meam adeo lacrimabilem vicem lugeat.

Creon

Scitisne, querelae et luctus si morituris prodessent, neminem fore, qui iis desinat?

Quin abducitis hanc quam citissime, et postquam eam, ut iussi , incluseritis solam desertamque in obtecto sepulcro, abibitis: sive ibi moritura sit, sive sub hoc tecto sepulta aevum ducat. Nos enim immunes sumus piaculi, puellae huius caussa ; sed nullum ei cum superis erit consortium.

Antigone

O sepulcrum, o genialis thalamus, o defossae domus aeterna custodia, quo tendo ad meos, quorum leto absumtorum maximum numerum inter mortuos cepit Proserpina; quorumque ego novissima, multoque sane pessimo exitio, intereo, ante fatalem diem. Illuc igitur profecta, hanc maxime spem foveo, gratam me venturam patri, gratamque tibi, mater, et tibi gratam, o germanum caput; quandoquidem mortuos vos ego manibus meis lavi et ornavi, inferiasque ad sepulerum tuli: nunc autem, Polynices, quia cadaver tuum humo contexi, hanc fero mercedem. Atqui hunc honorem tibi recte a me tributum fuisse, sapiens quivis iudicet. Haud enim umquam, si peperissem liberos, nec, si mihi coniux mortuus iacuisset insepultus , contra civitatis legem hunc suscepissem laborem. Ac forte quaeras, quanam ratione inducta haec dicam. Nempe mortuo marito , alius esset cui nuberem; filiumque si amisissem , alium ex alio viro suscipere poteram; at, patre et matre in Orco conditis, non est ut mihi frater possit umquam exoriri. At tamen quum propter hanc opinionem, ceteris omnibus posthabitis, honore te adfecerim, o germanum caput, Creonti peccasse visa sum , facinusque atrox admisisse. Et nunc vi correptam ita me abducit, tori iugalis, hymenaei festorum carminum expertem , nulla coniugii sortitam praemia, nec liberorum gavisam prole; sed ab amicis deserta, misera, sic viva deducor in mortuorum specum, at quaenam, obsecro, transgressa Deorum iura? Quid vero amplius mihi miserae prodest, deorum opem poscere? quem iuvabit auxilio vocasse? siquidem iam impietatis poenas pie agendo nacta sum. Verum si haec quidem diis frobantur, aequo animo meritas luamus poenas, cum deliquerimus; sin hi commeruerunt culpam, ne plura mala patiantur precor, quam mihi iniuste inferunt.

Chorus

Puellae huius animus eorumdem adhuc ventorum ipsis flatibus agitatur.

Creon

Atqui plorabunt, qui illam abducere cunctantur adeo.

Antigone

Hei mihi! mortem proxime haec vox accedit.

Creon

Neutiquam te confidere iubeo fore, ut haec non ita decreta sint.

Antigone

O terrae Thebanae urbs paterna, diique veteres , abducor ergo, nec moror amplius. Videte, Thebarum principes, regiam quae sola superest filiam, qualia qualibus a viris patior, pietatem quia colui.

Chorus

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 817 focus

’Tween kindred men—Triumphantly prevails

The heart-compelling eye of winsome bride,

Compeer of mighty Law
820

Thronèd, commanding.

Madly thou mockest men, dread Aphrodite.

Ah! now myself am carried past the bound

Of law, nor can I check the rising tear,
835

When I behold Antigone even here

Touching the quiet bourne where all must rest.

ANT
Enter ANTIGONE guarded.

Ye see me on my way,

O burghers of my father’s land!

With one last look on Helios’ ray,

Led my last path toward the silent strand.

Alive to the wide house of rest I go;

No dawn for me may shine,

No marriage-blessing e’er be mine,

No hymeneal with my praises flow!

The Lord of Acheron’s unlovely shore
810

Shall be mine only husband evermore.
810

Yea, but with glory and fame,—

Not by award of the sword,

Not with blighting disease,

But by a law of thine own,—

Thou, of mortals alone,
815

Goest alive to the deep
815

Tranquil home of the dead.

ANT

Erewhile I heard men say,

How, in far Phrygia, Thebè’s friend,

Tantalus’ child, had dreariest end

On heights of Sipylus consumed away:

O’er whom the rock like clinging ivy grows,
825

And while with moistening dew

Her cheek runs down, the eternal snows

Weigh o’er her, and the tearful stream renew

That from sad brows her stone-cold breast doth steep.

Like unto her the God lulls me to sleep.

But she was a goddess born,
830

We but of mortal line;
830

And sure to rival the fate

Of a daughter of sires Divine

Were no light glory in death.

ANT

O mockery of my woe!

I pray you by our fathers’ holy Fear,
840

Why must I hear

Your insults, while in life on earth I stand,

O ye that flow

In wealth, rich burghers of my bounteous land?

O fount of Dircè, and thou spacious grove,
845

Where Thebè’s chariots move!

Ye are my witness, though none else be nigh,

By what enormity of lawless doom,

Without one friendly sigh,

I go to the strong mound of yon strange tomb,—
850

All hapless, having neither part nor room

With those who live or those who die!

CH

Thy boldness mounted high,

And thou, my child, ’gainst the great pedestal

Of Justice with unmeasured force didst fall.
855

Thy father’s lot still presseth hard on thee.

ANT

That pains me more than all.

Ah! thou hast touched my father’s misery

Still mourned anew,

With all the world-famed sorrows on us rolled
860

Since Cadmus old.

O cursèd marriage that my mother knew!

O wretched fortune of my sire, who lay

Where first he saw the day!
865

Such were the authors of my burdened life;

To whom, with curses dowered, never a wife,

I go to dwell beneath.

O brother mine, thy princely marriage-tie

Hath been thy downfall, and in this thy death
870

Thou hast destroyed me ere I die.

CH

’Twas pious, we confess,

Thy fervent deed. But he, who power would show,

Must let no soul of all he rules transgress.

A self-willed passion was thine overthrow.
875

ANT

Friendless, uncomforted of bridal lay,

Unmourned, they lead me on my destined way.

Woe for my life forlorn! I may not see

The sacred round of yon great light

Rising again to greet me from the night;
880

No friend bemoans my fate, no tear hath fallen for me!

CR
Enter CREON .

If criminals were suffered to complain

In dirges before death, they ne’er would end.

Away with her at once, and closing her,
885

As I commanded, in the vaulty tomb,

Leave her all desolate, whether to die,

Or to live on in that sepulchral cell.

We are guiltless in the matter of this maid;

Only she shall not share the light of day.
890

ANT

O grave! my bridal chamber, prison-house

Eterne, deep-hollowed, whither I am led

To find mine own,—of whom Persephonè

Hath now a mighty number housed in death:—

I last of all, and far most miserably,

Am going, ere my days have reached their term!
895

Yet lives the hope that, when I go, most surely

Dear will my coming be, father, to thee,

And dear to thee, my mother, and to thee,

Brother! since with these very hands I decked

And bathed you after death, and ministered
900

The last libations. And I reap this doom

For tending, Polynices, on thy corse.

Indeed I honoured thee, the wise will say.

For neither, had I children, nor if one

I had married were laid bleeding on the earth,
905

Would I have braved the city’s will, or taken

This burden on me. Wherefore? I will tell.

A husband lost might be replaced; a son,

If son were lost to me, might yet be born;

But, with both parents hidden in the tomb,
910

No brother may arise to comfort me.

Therefore above all else I honoured thee,

And therefore Creon thought me criminal,

And bold in wickedness, O brother mine!

And now by servile hands, for all to see,
915

He hastens me away, unhusbanded,

Before my nuptial, having never known

Or married joy or tender motherhood.

But desolate and friendless I go down

Alive, O horror! to the vaults of the dead.
920

For what transgression of Heaven’s ordinance?

Alas! how can I look to Heaven? on whom

Call to befriend me? seeing that I have earned,

By piety, the meed of impious?—

Oh! if this act be what the Gods approve,
925

In death I may repent me of my deed;

But if they sin who judge me, be their doom

No heavier than they wrongly wreak on me!

CH

With unchanged fury beats the storm of soul

That shakes this maiden.
930

CR

Then for that, be sure

Her warders shall lament their tardiness.

ANT

Alas! I hear Death’s footfall in that sound.

CR

I may not reassure thee.—’Tis most true.

ANT

O land of Thebè, city of my sires,

Ye too, ancestral Gods! I go—I go!

Even now they lead me to mine end. Behold!

Founders of Thebes, the only scion left
940

Of Cadmus’ issue, how unworthily,

By what mean instruments I am oppressed,

For reverencing the dues of piety.

CHORUS
CHORUS.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 806 focus

seht mich, seht, Bürger der Väterheimat,

Wie ich den lezten Weg

Dahinwandle, den lezten Strahl
800

Sehen soll von Helios' Glanz,

Und nie wieder! Lebend entführt

Hades, All' aufnehmend in Ruh,

Mich zu dem Ufer

Acheron's; Hymenäen
805

Empfing ich nicht, kein bräutliches Lied

Feierte mich mit Fest-

klängen; Acheron führt als Braut mich heim.

Der Chor.

So wandelst du dorthin, würdig des Ruhms

Und mit Ehren gekrönt, in der Todten Gemach;
810

Nicht zehrende Krankheit raffte dich hin,

Noch traf dich ein Schwert, das Nache gezückt;

Nach eigener Wahl, und lebend, wie sonst

Kein Sterblicher, wallst du zum Hades.

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Antigone.

Ich hörte, wie Tantalos' Tochter, jene¹
815

Phrygerin, grauenvoll

Einst an Sipylos' Höhen starb:

Gleich des Epheus schlingendem Grün,

Rankt' um sie der sprossende Fels;

Rastlos zehrt der Regen an ihr,
820

Lautet die Sage,

Der Schnee lässet sie niemals,

Und badet unter den thränenden Brau'n

Ewig den Busen ihr:

Also bettet der Tod zur Ruh' auch mich.
825

Der Chor.

Ja, sie war Göttin, göttlichen Stamms,²

Wir Sterbliche nur und von Menschen gezeugt:

Doch groß ist der Ruhm, mit Göttergeschlecht

Das Geschick im Tode zu theilen.

Dritte Strophe.

Antigone.

Weh, weh! Du lachst meiner! Götter meiner Väter,
830

Wie kannst du mich lebend höhnen,

Ch' ich in's Grab sank?

Stadt, und o meiner Stadt

Männer, reich an Besizung!

Und du,
835

Dirka's Brunnquell, Lusthain du

Der wagenumrauschten Thebe!

Euch alle beschwör' ich, seid Zeugen,

Wie unbeweint von Freunden, kraft welches Spruchs,

Ins enge Grabgewölb' hinab der neuen Gruft ich steigen muß!
840

Ich Unselige, weh!

Bin fern von Menschen, fern von Todten,

Im Leben nicht heimisch noch im Tode!

Der Chor.

Vorschreitend bis zu des Trozes Ziel,

Stießest du an Dike's hohem Thron³
845

Gewaltig an, verwegnes Kind!

Du kämpfst wohl aus den Kampf der Ahnen.

Dritte Gegenstrophe.

Antigone.

Du regst den herzkränkenden Gram mir auf im Busen,

Das Jammergeschick des Vaters,

Unseres ganzen
850

Stammes berufenes Loos,

Edler Labdakossöhne !

Weh, weh!

Fluchvoll, schuldvoll Ehbett, wo

Dem leiblichen Sohn die Mutter,
855

Ach! unserem Vater beiwohnte,

Von welchen ich entsproß, die Unselige,

In deren Haus ich unvermählt, von Fluch belastet, wandern muß!

weh! Unheil schuf

Der Bund, den du, mein Bruder, knüpftest!⁴
860

Ein Todter schon, mordest du mein Leben!

Der Chor.

Fromm handelt, wer die Todten ehrt;

Doch dessen Macht, dem Macht gebührt,

Zu verachten, ziemt sich nimmermehr :

Ja, dich stürzt' eigner Troz in's Unheil!
865
Schlußgesang.

Antigone.

Unbetrauert, freundlos, ohne Brautlied,

Dahin werd' ich geführt; schon gebahnt ist der Pfad !

Nimmer das heilige Auge der himmlischen

Leuchte darf ich schau'n, ich Arme!

Meinen Tod ehren die Freunde nicht
870

Mit Thränen, noch mit Klage.

Kreon. Antigone. Der Chor. (zu den Knechten)

Kreon.

Sagt, würde Iemand vor dem Tod mit Weheruf

Und Jammern enden, hülfe noch die Klage hier?

Auf, eilt mit ihr von hinnen, und verschloßt ihr sie

In's düstre Grabgewölbe, wie mein Wort gebot,
875

So laßt sie einsam und allein, sie sterbe nun,

Sie wohne lebend dort versenkt im engen Haus;

An dieser Jungfrau haben wir ja keine Schuld;

Nur mitzuwohnen hier im Licht ist ihr versagt.

Antigone.

O Grabgemach, Brautkammer, ewigschließendes
880

Wohnhaus in düstrer Höhle, wo hinab ich muß

Zu meinen Lieben, deren größte Zahl im Haus

Der Todten Persephassa schon empfangen hat,⁵

Von welchen ich die lezte, weit unseligste,

Hinuntergeh'n soll, eh sich schloß mein Lebenstag!
885

Doch, komm' ich dorthin, dieser Hoffnung leb' ich fest,

Ich komme, lieb dem Vater, auch willkommen dir,

Mutter, dir auch komm' ich lieb, o Bruderhaupt;

Denn euch, die Todten, hab' ich selbst mit dieser Hand

Gebadet, selber euch geschmückt, auf euer Grab
890

Die Spenden ausgegossen; heute, weil ich dich

Bestattet, o Polyneikes, ernt' ich solchen Lohn!

Denn daß ich, ehrend Götterrecht, dich hochgeehrt

Vor Allen, achtet Kreon als verbrecherisch,

Als freches Unterfangen, o mein Bruderhaupt!
895

Und jezt ergreift er mit Gewalt und führt mich fort,

Bevor das Brautlied mir ertönt, der Ehe Glück

Und zarter Kinder Pflege mir beschieden ward:

Freundlos, verlassen, muß ich Unglückselige

Lebendig niedersteigen in der Todten Gruft.
900

Und welch Gebot der Götter übertrat ich denn?

Wie darf ich Arme noch den Blick nach ihren Höh'n

Erheben, wen um Hülfe fleh'n, da Götterfurcht

Den Lohn der Gottverächter mir erworben hat?

Doch wenn es so den Göttern wohlgefällig ist,
905

So will ich büßend meiner Schuld geständig sein;

Sind diese schuldig, möge dann kein größ'res Leid

Sie treffen, als sie wider Recht an mir gethan

Der Chor.

Noch tost, wie zuvor, mit derselben Gewalt

Derselbige Sturm in der Jungfrau Brust.
910

Kreon.

Dafür wird auch den Geleitenden dort

Die Verzögerung bald mit Thränen belohnt!

Antigone.

Weh mir! Ganz nahe verheißt dies Wort

Mir des Todes Geschick.

Kreon.

Auch tröste dich nicht mit der Hoffnung mehr,
915

Daß nicht das Gebot gleich werde vollführt.

Antigone.

thebische Burg, o heimisches Land,

Götter des Stamms!⁶

Sie führen mich ohne Verzug fort!

Und ihr, o Götter von Thebä, seht
920

Von der Könige Stamm mich übrig allein;

Seht, was ich erduld' und erdulde von wem,

Da mir Heiliges heilig gegolten!

Kreon. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 806 focus

Chords.

Antigone

Farewell, my friends, my countrymen, farewell !

Here on her last sad journey you behold

The poor Antigone ; for never more

Shall I return, or view the light of day :

The hand of death conducts me to the shore
810

Of dreary Acheron ; no nuptial song

Reserved for me — the wretched bride alone

Of Pluto now, and wedded to the tomb.

Chorus

Be it thy glory still, that by the sword

Thou fallst not, nor the slow-consuming hand

Of foul distemperature, but far distinguished

Above thy sex, and to thyself a law,
820

Doomst thy own death : so shall thy honour Hve,

And future ages venerate thy name.

Antigone

Thus Tantalus' unhappy daughter fell.

The Phrygian Niobe. High on the top

Of towering Sipylus the rock enfolds her,
825

E'en as the ivy twines her tendrils round

The lofty oak ; there still (as fame reports)

To melting showers and everlasting snow

Obvious she stands, her beauteous bosom wet
830

With tears, that from her ever-streaming eyes

Incessant flow. Her fate resembles mine.

Chorus

A goddess she, and from a goddess sprung ;

We are but mortal, and of mortals born :
835

To meet the fate of gods thus in thy life,

A.nd in thy death, oh ! 'tis a glorious doom !

Antigone

Ahis I thou mockst me ! Why, whilst yet 1 Hve,

Wouldht thou afflict me with reproach Uke this /

O my dear country ! and my dearer friends

Its blest inhabitants, renowned Thebes!

And ye Dirca^an fountains ! you I call
845

To \ntness that I die by laws unjust,

To my deep prison unlamented go,

To my sad tomb — no fellow-sufferer there

To soothe my woes, the living, or the dead.

Chorus

Rashness like thine must meet with such

reward ;

A father's crimes, I fear, lie heavy on thee.

Antigone

Oh ! thou hast touched my worst of miseries.

My father's fate, the woes of all our house,

The wretched race of Labdacus, renowned
860

For its misfortunes ! Oh ! the guilty bed

Of those from whom I sprang — unhappy offspring

Of parents most unhappy ! Lo ! to them

1 go accursed — a virgin and a slave.

O my poor brother ! most unfortunate

Were thy sad nuptials — they have slain thy sister.

Chorus

Thy piety demands our praise ; but know,

Authority is not to be despised ;

'Twas thy own rashness brought destruction on thee.

Antigone

Thus friendless, unlamented, must I tread

The destined path, no longer to behold

Yon sacred light, and none shall mourn my fate.

Creon
Scene V.

Antigone, Chorus,

Creon

Know ye not, slaves like her, to death

devoted,

Would never cease their wailings ? Wherefore is it
885

You thus delay to execute my orders ?

Let her be carried instant to the cave.

And leave her there alone, to live, or die ;

Her blood rests not on us ; but she no longer

Shall breathe on earth, [#xit CRrEox,
890

Antigone
Scene VI.

Chorus.

Antigone

O dreadful marriage bed !

O my deep dungeon ! My eternal liome,

Whither I go to join my kindred dead !

For not a few hath fell Persephone

Already ta'en ; to her I go, the last
895

And most unhappy, ere my time was come ;

But still I have sweet hope I shall not go

Unwelcome to my father, nor to thee, •

My mother. Dear to thee, Eteocles^
900

Still shall I ever be. These pious hands

Washed your pale bodies, and adorned you botli

With rites sepulchral, and libations due !

And thus, my Polynices, for my care

Of thee am I rewarded, and the good

Alone shall praise me. For a husband dead, j -^-"-^

Nor, had 1 been a mother, for my children '

Would I have dared to violate the laws :

Another husband and another child
910

Might soothe affliction. But, my parents dead,

A brother's loss could never be repaired.

And therefore did I dare the venturous deed,

And therefore die by Creon's dread command.
915

Ne'er shall i taste of Hymen's joys, or know

A mother's pleasures in her infant race ;

But, friendless and forlorn, alive descend

Into the dreary mansion;^ of the dead.

And how have I offended the just gods !

But wherefore call on them? Will they protect me,

When thus I meet with the reward of ill

For doing good? If this be just, ye gods,

If I am guilty, let me suffer foi' it.
925

But if the crime be theirs, oh ! let them feel

That weight of misery they have laid on me !

Chorus

The storm continues, and her angry soul

Still pours its sorrows forth.
930

Creon
HCENE VI 1

Antigone, Chorus.

Creon

The slaves shall suffer

For this delay.

Antigone

Alas ! death cannot be

Far from that voice.

Creon

I would not have thee hope

O my country's gods !

And thou, my native Thebes ! I leave you now.

Look on me, princes — see the last of all

My royal race—see what I suffer, see
940

From whom I bear it, from the worst of men,

Only because I did delight in \artue. \^Exit Creon.

Antigone
Scene Vlll.

Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889) (OCR draft) Experimental (Spanish (A. G. Garbin, 1889)) — 806 focus

¡Ciudadanos de Thebas, mi patria! miradmo colocada en el sendero fatal, y por última vez contemplando la claridad del Sol: ya nunca más lo verél... El dios del Averno, que todo lo aletarga, me conduce viva á las márgenes del Aqueronte, sin haber gozado del tálamo nupcial, antes de haber resonado para mi los cantos del himeneo; mi esposo será el Aqueronte.

LOS COREUTAS

Pero de cuánta fama y de cuán inmensa gloria acompañada, vas á ingresar en ese sombrío asilo de la muerte. Sin haber sido consumida por lenta enfermedad, sin haberte visto reducida á la servidumbre como botín de guerra, tú sola entre los mortales, vas á descender libre, y aún viva, en el Imperio de Plutón.

Antistrofa 1.a

ANTÍGONA

Antistrofa 1.2

Yo sé de qué muerte deplorable pereció, cn la cumbre del Sypilo, la Figia hija de Tántalo¹, á la cual se adhirió como la biedra la roca que germinó en torno de ella para cnvolverla. Desde entonces, según cuentan los hombres, se halla eternamente cubierta de nieve y azotada por la lluvia, cayendo de sus párpados sin cesar las lágrimas que inundan su seno². Semejante á la de ella me tiene preparado mi suerte el destino.

LOS COREUTAS

Empero ella cra una deidad y de dioses des- ccndiente; nosotros somos humanos y nacidos de mortales. Así, pues, será más gloriosa tu muerte; pues que tu destino es semejante al de los dioses.

Estrofa 2.a

ANTÍGONA

¡Ay! Se mofan de mí... En nombre del Cielo, ¿por qué me insultais? ¿Por qué me ultrajais antes de morir, cuando todavía no he desaparecido de la tierra? Patria mía, opulentos hijos de esta ciudad, fuentes dircéas, bosques sagrados de la belicosa Thebas, vosotros sois testigos del abandono en que me veo, y del cruel decreto por el que me lleyan á ser encerrada en una prisión para que me sirva de sepultura. —¡Misera de mil no voy á habitar ni con los vivos ni con los muertos.

LOS COREUTAS

Elevada, por un extremo de temeridad, al alto sólio de la Justicia, has caidonuevamente. Sin duda, hija ria, tú expías algún crimen de tus antepasados.

Antistrofa 2.a

ANTÍGONA

Me has despertado el recuerdo de nuestras dolorosas desgracias, la desdicha de un padre que afectó á tres generaciones, y la triste fabalidad que pesa sobre nosotros los inclitos Lab= dácidas. Fatal himenco de mi madre, enlace incestuoso, que unió á una madre y á un hijo infortunados, y del cual naci yo, por mi dosgracia. Cargada de imprecaciones, y privada de la dicha del himeneo, voy á reunirme con los autores de mis dias.

¡Oh, hermano mio! qué funesta unión has llevado á cabo!... Sucumbiste, y á mi, viva, me has asociado á tu muerte.

LOS COREUTAS

Honrar á los difuntos es ciertamente un acto de piedad; pero la autoridad de los que mandan debe también ser acatada. La fiereza de tu carácter te ha perdido.

Epodo

ANTÍGONA

Sin amigos, sin esposo, sin ser de nadie llorada, voy á emprender mi último camino. Ya no volveré a ver jamás, ¡infortunada! el ojo sagrado del dia. Mi desgracia por nadie será llorada. Ni un solo amigo derramará por nai una lágrima!...

Los Mismos y Creonte, que sale precipidamente

CREONTE

No conoceis que si estos llantos y lamentaciones sirvieran á los condenados á muerte, ¿no habría uno que les pusiera término?—Ea, pues, lleyárosla sin dilación; y, encerrada en su tumba subterránea, muera, si gusta, y si no, que viva cuanto quiera dentro del sepulcro.—Nosotros quedamos exentos del delito de sacrilegio por lo que respecta á cesa joven; y ella cesará por su parte de tener comunicación con este mundo.

ANTÍGONA

¡Oh tumba! lecho nupcial, morada subterránea de donde no saldré jamás, me voy á reunir con los mios,— casi todos entre los muertos ya recibidos por Proserpina, — antes que el destino haya señalado el término de mis días. Abrigo, al menos, la esperanza de que allá mi presencia será grata para mi padre, así como para tí, madre mía, y para tí tambien, querido hermano: porque yo he sido la que con mis propias manos os lavé y cxorné después de muertos, y os honré con fúnebres libaciones. Y por haber sepultado tus restos ¡oh mi caro Polynicel ya vés cuál es la recompensa. Sin embargo, yo erco que te he dispensado los debidos honores, á juicio de los hombres sensatos. Si yo hubiera sido madre, ó si fuera mi esposo el que quedara insepulto, jamás hubicra menospreciado las leyes del Estado, cumpliendo este penoso deber. ¿Qué principio me lleva á pensar esto que digo? ¡Ah! porque el esposo muerto puede ser reemplazado eon otro, y un segundo hijo puede reparar la pérdida del primero; pero habiendo bajado al sepulcro los autores de nuestros días, nadie me puede dar un nuevo hermano. Movida de estos sentimientos, y olvidándolo todo para tí, te he tributado, hermano mío, los honores que ha eonsiderado Creonte como un erimen y una audacia horrible. Y hóme aquí condueida á la muerte, sin haber gozado de las dulzuras del himeneo, ni de la ternura de un esposo, ni de las delicias de la maternidad. Sola, desamparada, sin amigos, voy á descender, en vida, á la región subterránea de los muertos... ¿Qué crimen he cometido yo eontra vosotros, oh dioses?... ¿Pero de qué me sirve dirigir mis ojos al Cielo?.... ¿Qué soeorro puedo ya esperar, euando en premio de mi piedad, me veo tratada eomo una impia?...Si los dioses aprueban mi muerte, yo sufriró resignada el castigo de mi falta; pero si soy inoeento... que sufran la misma pena los que tan injustamente me castigan!

EL CORO

Continúa aún poseida del mismo vértigo que viene agitando su alma.

CREONTE

Tanta lentitud, quizá cueste algunas lágrimas á sus conductores.

ANTÍGONA

¡Ay!... esas duras palabras son mi última sentencia.

CREONTE

De modo alguno has de confiar que quedará sin que se cumpla.

ANTÍGONA

¡Oh! Thebas, patria mía, dioses demi familia!... ³ ni un momento más... ¡al fin me levan!... Mirad, jefes thebanos, mirad á una princesa, último vástago de una dinastía de reyes, el ultraje que recibe de parte de los hombres, por haber rendido culto á la piedad. (Vasec.—Queda en escena Creonte con el coro.)

Estrofa 1.a

Coro

German (F. Hölderlin, 1804) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (F. Hölderlin, 1804)) — 806 focus

ANTIGONAE

Seht, ihr des Vaterlandes Bürger,
835

Den lezten Weg gehn mich,

Und das lezte Licht

Anschauen der Sonne.

Und nie das wieder? Der alles schwaigende Todesgott,

Lebendig führt er mich
840

Zu des Acherons Ufer, und nicht zu Hymenäen

Berufen bin ich, noch ein bräutlicher singt

Mich, irgend ein Lobgesang, dagegen

Dem Acheron bin ich vermälılt.

CHOR

Gehst du bekannt doch und geleitet mit Lob
845

Hinweg in diese Kammer der Todten.

Verderbend trifft dich Krankheit nicht,

Nicht für das Schwert empfängst du Handlohn.

Dein eigen Leben lebend, unter

Den Sterblichen einzig,
850

Gehst du hinab, in die Welt der Todten.

ANTIGONAE

Ich habe gehört, der Wüste gleich sey worden

Die Lebensreiche, Phrygische,

Von Tantalos im Schoose gezogen, an Sipylos Gipfel ;

Hökricht sey worden dieund wie eins Epheuketten
855

Anthut, in langsamen Fels

Zusammengezogen ; und immerhin bei ihr,

Wie Männer sagen, bleibt der Winter;

Und waschet den Hals ihr unter

Schneehellen Thränen der Wimpern. Recht der gleich
860

Bringt mich ein Geist zu Bette.

CHOR

Doch heilig gesprochen, heilig gezeuget

Ist die, wir aber Erd’ und irdisch gezeuget.

Vergehst du gleich, doch ist ein Grofses, zu hören,

Du habst, Gott gleichen gleich, empfangen ein Loos,
865

Lebendig und dann gestorben.

ANTIGONAE

Weh! Närrisch machen sie mich. Warum

Bei Vaterlandsschuzgeistern überhebest du

Dich mein, die noch nicht untergegangen,

Die noch am Tag? ist.
870

O Stadt, o aus der Stadt

Ihr vielbegüterten Männer!

Io, ihr Dirzäischen Quellen !

Um Thebe rings, wo die Wagen

Hochziehen, o ihr Wälder! Doch, doch mülst
875

Ihr mir bezeugen, einst, wie unbeweinet

Von Lieben und nach was für

Gesezen in die gegrabene Kluft ich,

Ins inerhörte Grab muß.

Io! ich Arme!
880

Nicht unter Sterblichen, nicht unter Todten.

CHOR

Mitwohnend Lebenden nicht und nicht Gestorbnen.

Forttreibend bis zur Scheide der Kühnheit,

Bis auf die Höhe des Rechts

Bist du, o Kind, wohl tiefgefallen,
885

Stirbst aber väterlichen Kampf.

ANTIGONAE

Die zornigste hast du angereget

Der lieben Sorgen,

Die vielfache Weheklage des Vaters

Und alles
890

Unseres Schiksaals,

Uns rühmlichen Labdakiden.

Io! du mütterlicher Wahn

In den Betten, ihr Umarmungen, selbstgebährend,

Mit meinem Vater, von unglüklicher Mutter,
895

Von denen einmal ich Trübsinnige kam,

Zu denen ich im Fluche

Mannlos zu wohnen komme.

Io! Io! mein Bruder!

In gefährlicher Hochzeit gefallen !
900

Mich auch, dienur noch da war,

Ziehst sterbend du mit hinab.

CHOR

Zu ehren ist von Gottesfurcht

Etwas. Macht aber, wo es die gilt,

Die weichet nicht. Dich hat verderbt
905

Das zornige Selbsterkennen.

ANTIGONAE

Unbeweinet und ohne Freund’ und ehlos

Werd’ ich Trübsinnige geführet

Diesen bereiteten Weg. Mir ists nicht

Gebrauch ınehr , dieser Leuchte heiliges Auge
910

Zu sehn, mir Armen. Und diess

Mein Geschik , das thränenlose,

Betrauert, liebet niemand.

Dritte Scene KREON. ANTIGONAE. DER CHOR.

KREON

Ihr wisset, keines läfst das Singen und das Heulen

In Todesnoth, so lang man hin und her spricht.
915

Führt sie gleich weg, und mit der Gruft, der dunklen,

Umschattet ihr sie, wie gesagt, dort lafst sie rulır

Einsam allein; mag sie nun sterben müsser

Mag lebend unter solchem Dache zehren.

Denn wir sind rein, was dieses Mädchen angeht,
920

Die Häuslichkeit hier oben aber felılt ihr.

ANTIGONAE

O Grab! o Brautbett! unterirdische

Behausung, immerwach! Da werd’ ich reisen

Den Meinen zu, von denen zu den Todten

Die meiste Zahl, nachdem sie weiter gangen,
925

Zornigmitleidig dort ein Licht bezrüfst hat;

Von denen ich die Leztenun anı schlimnisten

In weiter Welt vergehn muss, ehe ınir

Des Lebens Gränze kommt. Doch komm’ ich an,

So nähr’ ich das mit Hoffnungen gar sehr,
930

Dafs lieb ich kommen werde für den Vater,

Auch dir lieb, meine Mutter! lieb auch dir,

Du brüderliches Haupt! Denn als ihr starbt,

Hab’ ich genommen euch mit eigner Hand,

Und ausgeschmükt, und über eurem Grabe
935

Trankopfer euch gebracht. Nun, Poiynikes,

Indem ich deke deinen Leib, erlang”’ ich diess,

Obgleich ich dich geehrt, vor Wohlgesinnten.

Nie nemlich, weder, wenn ich Mutter

Von Kindern wäre, oder ein Gemahl
940

Iın Tode sich verzehret, hätt’ ich mit Gewalt,

Als wollt ich einen Aufstand, diess errungen.

Und welchem Geseze sag’ ich diess zu Dank?

Wär’ ein Geimalıl gestorben, gäb’ es andre,

Und auch ein Kind von einem andern Manne,
945

Wenn diesen ich umarmt. Wenn aber Mutter

Und Vater schläft, im Ort der Todten beides,

Stehtsnicht, als wüch’s ein andrer Bruder wieder.

Nach solchem Geseze hab’ ich dich geelırt,

Dem Kreon aber schien es eine Sünde,
950

Und sehr gewagt, o brüderliches Haupt!

Und jezt führt er mich weg, mit Händen so mich greifend,

Mich ohne Bett und Hochzeit; noch der Ehe Theil

Hab’ ich empfangen, noch ein Kind zu nähren.

Doch einsam so von Lieben, unglükseelig,
955

Lebendig in die Wildnifs der Gestorbnen

Komm’ ich hinab. Welch Recht der Geister übertretend ?

Was soll ich Arme noch zu himmlischen

Gewalten schaun? Wen singen der Waffengenossen?

Da ich Gottlosigkeit aus Frömmigkeit empfangen.
960

Doch wenn nun dieses schön ist vor den Göttern,

So leiden wir und bitten ab, was wir

Gesündiget. Wenn aber diese fehlen,

So mögen sie nicht gröfser Unglük leiden,

Als sie bewirken offenbar an mir.
965

CHOR

Noch von denselben Stürmen hat

Sie noch dieselben Stöfse in der Scele.

KREON

Deswegen werden denen, die sie führen,

Thränen kommen, des Aufschubs wegen.

ANTIGONAE

O mir! grad vor dem Tode
970

Ist diess das Wort.

KREON

Ich rathe, nichts zu wagen,

Nichts derlei dieser zuzusprechen.

( Kreon geht ab.) Vierter Act Erste Scene ANTIGONAE CHOR.

ANTIGONAE

O des Landes Thebes väterliche Stadt,

Ihr guten Geister alle, den Vätern geworden,
975

Also werd’ ich geführt und weile nicht mehr?

Seht übrig von den anderen allen

Die Königin, Thebes Herrn! welch eine

Gebühr’ ich leide von gebührigen Männern,

Der ich gefangen in Gottesfurcht bin.
980

English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb1, 1904)) — 806 focus

See me, citizens of my fatherland, setting forth on my last way, looking my last on the sunlight that is 810 for me no more; no, Hades who gives sleep to all leads me living to Acheron’s shore; who have had no portion in the chant that brings the bride, nor hath any song been mine for the crowning of bridals; whom the lord of the Dark Lake shall wed.

Chorus

Glorious, therefore, and with praise, thou departest to that deep place of the dead: wasting sickness 820 hath not smitten thee; thou hast not found the wages of the sword; no, mistress of thine own fate, and still alive, thou shalt pass to Hades, as no other of mortal kind hath passed.

Antigone

1

I have heard in other days how dread a doom befell our Phrygian guest, the daughter of Tantalus, on the Sipylian heights; how, like clinging ivy, the growth of stone subdued her; and the rains fail not, as men tell, from her wasting form, nor fails the snow, while 830 beneath her weeping lids the tears bedew her bosom; and most like to hers is the fate that brings me to my rest. 2

Chorus

Yet she was a goddess, thou knowest, and born of gods; we are mortals, and of mortal race. But ’tis great renown for a woman who hath perished that she should have shared the doom of the godlike, in her life, and afterward in death.

Antigone

2

Ah, I am mocked! In the name of our 840 fathers’ gods, can ye not wait till I am gone,—must ye taunt me to my face, O my city, and ye, her wealthy sons? Ah, fount of Dircé, and thou holy ground of Thebè whose chariots are many ; ye, at least, will bear me witness, in what sort, unwept of friends, and by what laws I pass to the rock-closed prison of my 850 strange tomb, ah me unhappy! who have no home on the earth or in the shades, no home with the living or with the dead. 3

Chorus

Thou hast rushed forward to the utmost verge of daring; and against that throne where Justice sits on high thou hast fallen, my daughter, with a grievous fall. But in this ordeal thou art paying, haply, for thy fathcr’s sin, 2

Antigone

Thou hast touched on my bitterest thought — 860 awaking the ever-new lament for my sire and for all the doom given to us, the famed house of La Alas for the horrors of the mother’s bed! alas for the wretched mother’s slumber at the side of her own son,— and my sire! From what manner of parents did I take my miserable being! And to them I go thus, accursed, 870 unwed, to share their home. Alas, my brother, illstarred in thy marriage, in thy death thou hast undone my life! 3

Chorus

Reverent action claims a certain praise for reverence; but an offence against power cannot be brooked by him who hath power in his keeping. Thy self-willed temper hath wrought thy ruin,

Antigone

Unwept, unfriended, without marriage-song, I am led forth in my sorrow on this journey that can 880 be delayed no more. No longer, hapless one, may I behold yon day-star’s sacred eye; but for my fate no tear is shed, no friend makes moan,

Creon

Know ye not that songs and wailings before death would never cease, if it profited to utter them? Away with her—away! And when ye have enclosed her, according to my word, in her vaulted grave, leave her alone, forlorn—whether she wishes to die, or to live a buried life in such a home. Our hands are clean as 890 touching this maiden. But this is certain—she shall be deprived of her sojourn in the light.

Antigone

Tomb, bridal-chamber, eternal prison in the caverned rock, whither I go to find mine own, those many who have perished, and whom Persephone hath received among the dead! Last of all shall I pass thither, and far most miserably of all, before the term of my life is spent. But I cherish good hope that my coming will be welcome to my father, and pleasant to 900 thee, my mother, and welcome, brother, to thee; for, when ye died, with mine own hands I washed and dressed you, and poured drink-offerings at your graves ; and now, Polyneices, ’tis for tending thy corpse that I win such recompense as this.

And yet I honoured thee, as the wise will deem, rightly. Never, had I been a mother of children, or if a husband had been mouldering in death, would I have taken this task upon me in the city’s despite. What law, ye ask, is my warrant for that word? The husband lost, another might have been found, and child from 910 another, to replace the first-born; but, father and mother hidden with Hades, no brother’s life could ever bloom for me again. Such was the law whereby I held thee first in honour; but Creon deemed me guilty of error therein, and of outrage, ah brother mine! And now he leads me thus, a captive in his hands; no bridal bed, no bridal song hath been mine, no joy of marriage, no portion in the nurture of children; but thus, forlorn of friends, unhappy one, I go living to the vaults of 920 death. And what law of heaven have I transgressed? Why, hapless one, should I look to the gods any more,—what ally should I invoke,—when by piety I have earned the name of impious? Nay, then, if these things are pleasing to the gods, when I have suffered my doom, I shall come to know my sin; but if the sin is with my judges, I could wish them no fuller measure of evil than they, on their part, mete wrongfully to me.

Chorus

Still the same tempest of the soul vexes this 930 maiden with the same fierce gusts.

Creon

Then for this shall her guards have cause to rue their slowness.

Antigone

Ah me! that word hath come very near to death.

Creon

I can cheer thee with no hope that this doom is not thus to be fulfilled.

Antigone

O city of my fathers in the land of Thebè! O ye gods, eldest of our race!—they lead me hence— 940 now, now—they tarry not! Behold me, princes of Thebes, the last daughter of the house of your kings,— see what I suffer, and from whom, because I feared to cast away the fear of Heaven! ANTIGONE ts led away by the guards. 1

Chorus

Even thus endured Danaé in her beauty to change the light of day for brass-bound walls; and in that chamber, secret as the grave, she was held close prisoner; yet was she of a proud lineage, O my 950 daughter, and charged with the keeping of the seed of Zeus, that fell in the golden rain. But dreadful is the mysterious power of fate; there is no deliverance from it by wealth or by war, by fenced city, or dark, sea-beaten ships. 1

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 883 focus

From human footsteps far removed, alive

Basely to wrong is drawn aside;

By thee contentions fierce and wild

Raise storms in hearts by blood allied.

Desire, in flames now seen to rise

Caught from the virgin's radiant eyes,

Disdains the curb of Laws to own,

But with them shares their potent throne;

While Venus, sovereign of the soul,

Victorious smiles, and scorns control.

E'en I at this sad sight beyond due bounds

Am carried, and the fountain of my tears
810

No longer can restrain, whilst I behold
810

Antigone thus borne to share the bed
810

Of death, the common bed where all repose.

Ye reverend men, inhabitants of Thebes,

My country, you behold me treading now.

For the last time these paths, the sun's bright beams

For the last time beholding, never more :

For me the all-composing hand of death
815

Leads to the dismal banks of Acheron;
815

No nuptial rites, no hymeneal song

Are mine; to Acheron a bride I go....

Chorus
ANTIGONE, CHORUS.

Therefore illustrious and with praise obtain'd

Wilt thou go down to the dark cave of death.

Not wasted by the pains of slow disease,

Nor by the sword cut off, dost thou descend,

But, as none other, by thine own free choice,

And living, to the monarch of the dead.
820

Thus on the heights of Sipylus of old

The Phrygian stranger miserably died,

Daughter of Tantalus; the rigid rock,

Antigone

Like ivy wreath'd around her, and subdued.

Her vital pow'rs. Her, melting into dews...

Fast-trickling, (such the voice of fame) e'en now

The currents fail not, but the gushing tears

Stream from her eyes, and down the mountain flow.
830

A doom like hers hath fate to me assign'd.

Chorus

She was divine, and sprung from race divine;

But we are mortal, and of mortals born.
835

For thee how glorious then to share like fate

With those of heav'nly race, and as the gods

Revered, like them to live, like them to die!

Antigone

Nay, do not mock me; by my country's gods

Insult me not ere I am sunk in death,
840

While yet I stand before your eyes. O Thebes,

And you, the splendid habitants of Thebes

With various treasures rich! Ye sacred founts

Of Dirce, and thou grove of Thebes, whose glades

Are open to the frequent-rolling cars!
845

You all can witness for me, how by friends

Unwept, and by what laws I go condemn'd

To the rude prison of the hollow rock,

Of this unwonted tomb. Unhappy me,

I have, or in my life, or in my death,
850

No dwelling with the living, or the dead!........

Chorus

Thy daring was extreme, and thy offence

'Gainst the high throne of justice. O my child,

O'er thee some trespass of thy father hangs!***

Antigone

Oh, thou hast touch'd the griefs that rend my heart

With sharpest pangs, my father's mournful fate

Through the wide world divulged, and all the ills

Which sunk th' illustrious house of Labdacus!

Ye horrors of my mother's nuptial rites,
865

My father in unhappy hour ye led

To the same couch from which he took his birth;

And thence, O miserable me, I sprung!

With them accursed, unwedded, I descend

To share their gloomy mansions. Fatal too

Thy nuptials; O my brother: thou, though dead,

Draw'st me, yet living, to the realms below.

Chorus

To act with piety denotes a soul

Antigone

Touch'd with religious awe: but the high pow'r ....

Of those invested with the sovereign rule ז'ניי

May never be transgress'd. Indignant pride,

Fix'd to its purpose, hath thy ruin wrought......

No pitying tear, no friend, no nuptial rites

Are mine, as thus unhappy I am led

This destined way. No more shall I behold

The sacred orb of yon bright-beaming sun;
895

Yet not one friend laments or weeps my fate.
895

If mournful cries and wailings before death

Avail'd, there is not one, be well assured, LOI

That e'er would cease them. Instant take her hence,

Enclose her in the rock's sepulchral cave,

As I commanded, leave her there alone,...

Either to die, or there to live entomb'd.

We from her death receive no stain: but she
900

No more shall with the living converse hold.T
900

O thou dark tomb, thou rugged bridal bed, D

Deep mansion, which shalt ever close me round,

To thee I go; I go to join my friends,

A numerous train, whom sunk among the dead

Hath Proserpine received. I go the last coli

And most unhappy, ere th' allotted space...!

Of life I reach. Yet glowing at my heart.....
905

I feed this hope, that to my father dear,
905

And dear to thee, my mother, dear to thee, ol

My brother, I shall go; since with these 'hands

Your bodies I with cleansing lavers wash'd,

Added each ritual ornament, and pour'd

Libations at your tombs. And now thy corse,

Loved Polynices, in the earth I laid,

And for the pious deed have this reward;
910

Yet those of better judgment will approve i
910

My care, which paid these honours to the dead.

Where I a mother now, were I a wife,

Mouldering in death if child or husband lay,

I would not, if the state opposed the deed,

In such a task engage. Ask you what rules

Direct my conduct? If an husband dies,

Another might be wedded; to a child,
915

One lost, another father might give birth:
915

But when both parents in the earth are laid

Entomb'd, a brother can no more be born.

Me, by these thoughts impell'd with hallow'd rites

To honour thee, my brother, Creon deem'd

Deep-stain'd with guilt, and daring heinous deeds;

He seized me, with rude hands he leads me now

Of nuptial rites, of hymeneal song,
920

Of bridal bed deprived, and the sweet joys
920

A mother in her children's nurture knows;

But thus oppress'd with wretchedness, by friends

Abandon'd, to the caves of death I go

Alive. What rites, what honours of the gods

Have I transgress'd? But why, unhappy me,

Why to the gods look more? What heav'nly pow'r

Shall I invoke, since for my pious deeds
925

I bear the vengeance to the impious due?
925

If this the justice of the gods demands,

And I offend, these sufferings I forgive :

If these offend, no greater ill be theirs

Than they to me unjustly have assign'd.

Chorus
CREON, ANTIGONE, CHORUS.

The tempest of her passions yet is high;

Chorus

I will not sooth thee with the flattering hope

That thy fix'd doom shall ever be reversed.

Thou city of my fathers, royal Thebes,

And you, who from my country drew your birth,

Ye gods, I hence am forced; I am no more!

And you, who o'er the Theban state preside,
940

See the last virgin of an honour'd line,

Your kings; see what I suffer, and from whom,

See me condemn'd for pious deeds to die!

Chorus
STRO. 1.

English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb2, 1904)) — 806-880 focus

Antigone

Citizens of my fatherland, see me setting out on my last journey, looking at my last sunlight,

and never again. No, Hades who lays all to rest leads me living to Acheron ’s shore, though I have not had my due portion of the chant that brings the bride, nor has any hymn been mine
810

for the crowning of marriage. Instead the lord of Acheron will be my groom.
815

817

Chorus

Then in glory and with praise you depart to that deep place of the dead, neither struck by wasting sickness,

nor having won the wages of the sword. No, guided by your own laws and still alive, unlike any mortal before, you will descend to Hades.
820

823

Antigone

I have heard with my own ears how our Phrygian guest, the daughter of Tantalus, perished

in so much suffering on steep Sipylus—how, like clinging ivy, the sprouting stone subdued her. And the rains, as men tell, do not leave her melting form, nor does the snow,
825

but beneath her weeping lids she dampens her collar. Most like hers is the god-sent fate that leads me to my rest.
830

834

Chorus

Yet she was a goddess, as you know, and the offspring of gods,

while we are mortals and mortal-born. Still it is a great thing for a woman who has died to have it said of her that she shared the lot of the godlike in her life, and afterwards, in death.
835

839

Antigone

Ah, you mock me! In the name of our fathers’ gods,

why do you not wait to abuse me until after I have gone, and not to my face, O my city, and you, her wealthy citizens? Ah, spring of Dirce, and you holy ground of Thebes whose chariots are many,
840

you, at least, will bear me witness how unwept by loved ones, and by what laws I go to the rock-closed prison of my unheard-of tomb! Ah, misery!
845

I have no home among men or with the shades, no home with the living or with the dead.
850

853

Chorus

You have rushed headlong to the far limits of daring, and against the high throne of Justice

you have fallen, my daughter, fallen heavily. But in this ordeal you are paying for some paternal crime.
855

858

Antigone

You have touched on my most bitter thought

and moved my ever-renewed pity for my father and for the entire doom ordained for us, the famed house of Labdacus. Oh, the horrors of our mother’s bed! Oh, the slumbers of the wretched mother at the side
860

of her own son, my own father! What manner of parents gave me my miserable being! It is to them that I go like this, accursed and unwed, to share their home.
865

Ah, my brother, the marriage you made was doomed, and by dying you killed me still alive!
870

872

Chorus

Your pious action shows a certain reverence, but an offence against power can no way be tolerated by him who has power in his keeping.

Your self-willed disposition is what has destroyed you.
875

876

Antigone

Unwept, unfriended, without marriage-song, I am led in misery on this journey that cannot be put off. No longer is it permitted me, unhappy girl,

to look up at this sacred eye of the burning sun. But for my fate no tear is shed, no friend moans in sorrow.
880

Enter Creon.

Creon

Do you not know that dirges and wailing before death would never be given up, if it were allowed to make them freely?

Take her away—now! And when you have enshrouded her, as I proclaimed, in her covered tomb, leave her alone, deserted—let her decide whether she wishes to die or to live entombed in such a home. It makes no difference, since our hands are clean so far as regards this girl.
885

But no matter what, she will be stripped of her home here above.
890

Antigone

Tomb, bridal-chamber, deep-dug eternal prison where I go to find my own, whom in the greatest numbers destruction has seized and Persephone has welcomed among the dead!

Last of them all and in by far the most shameful circumstances, I will descend, even before the fated term of my life is spent. But I cherish strong hopes that I will arrive welcome to my father, and pleasant to you, Mother, and welcome, dear brother, to you.
895

For, when each of you died, with my own hands I washed and dressed you and poured drink-offerings at your graves. But now, Polyneices, it is for tending your corpse that I win such reward as this. And yet I honored you rightly, as the wise understand.
900

Never, if I had been a mother of children, or if a husband had been rotting after death, would I have taken that burden upon myself in violation of the citizens’ will. For the sake of what law, you ask, do I say that? A husband lost, another might have been found,
905

and if bereft of a child, there could be a second from some other man. But when father and mother are hidden in Hades, no brother could ever bloom for me again. Such was the law whereby I held you first in honor, but for that Creon judged me guilty of wrongdoing
910

and of dreadful outrage, dear brother! And now he leads me thus in his hands’ strong grasp, when I have enjoyed no marriage bed or bridal song and have not received any portion of marriage or the nurture of children. But deserted by friends,
915

in misery I go living to the hollow graves of the dead. What law of the gods have I transgressed? Why should I look to the gods anymore? What ally should I call out to, when by my reverence I have earned a name for irreverence?
920

Well, then, if these events please the gods, once I have suffered my doom I will come to know my guilt. But if the guilt lies with my judges, I could wish for them no greater evils than they inflict unjustly on me.
925

929

Chorus

Still the same tempest of the soul

grips this girl with the same fierce gusts.
930

Creon

Then because of this her guards will have reason to lament their slowness.

Antigone

Ah, no! That command verges close on death.

Creon

I cannot console you with any hope that your doom is not to be fulfilled in that way.
935

Antigone

O city of my fathers, land of Thebes , and you gods, our ancestors! I am led away now; there is no more delay!

Look at me, you who are Thebes ’ lords—look at the only remaining daughter of the house of your kings. See what I suffer, and at whose hands, because I revered reverence! Antigone is led away by the guards.
940

Notes on the current edition

Antigone

1. (threshold)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

806-943

834-838

904-920

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

Ἀντιγόνη b

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής· ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι, τοῖσιν 4 ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη c

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους, ὑψηλὸν 8 ἐς Δίκας βάθρον 850 προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πάλιν. πατρῷον ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη c

Χορός

σέβειν 12 μὲν, εὐσέβειά τις· κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει, παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει· σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὥλεσ᾽ ὀργά. 870

Ἀντιγόνη a

Κρέων

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν. 925

Κρέων τοιγὰρ 23 τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι 930 μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Χορός a

Ἀντιγόνη 1

Χορός ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς· καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις 805 ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν, μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

Χορός προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ’ ἔσχατον θράσους ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ. πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

Χορός σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις, κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει, 840 παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει. σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

Χορός ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.

Κρέων τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν 895 κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω τοὖπος ἀφῖκται.

Χορός θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι. 900

10. ΣΤΑΣΙΜΟΝ ΤΈΤΑΡΤΟΝ.

Χορός 1

Χορός

Ἀντιγόνη 2

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννὴς, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς · καί σοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι, τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη 3

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους, ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον 840 προσέπαισας, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ. πατρῷον ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη 3

Χορός

σέβειν νὶν, εὐσέβειά τις· κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει, παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει. σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά. 860

Ἀντιγόνη 1

Κρέων

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὐταὶ ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν. 915

Κρέων τοιγὰρ ταύτην τοῖσιν ἄγουσι βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει.

Ἀντιγόνη οἴ μοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω τοὖπος ἀφῖκται!

Κρέων θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι 920 μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Χορός 1

Χορός

Ἀντιγόνη

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. 835 †καίτοι φθιμένῳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν [ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.]

Ἀντιγόνη β

Χορός

προβᾶσʼ ἐπ᾿ ἔσχατον θράσους ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ. 855 πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τινʼ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη β

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις, κράτος δ᾽ ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει παραβατὸν οὐδαμῆ πέλει· σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά. 875

Ἀντιγόνη

Κρέων

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν. 930

Κρέων τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

†Κρέων θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι 935 μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Χορός α 60r

Χορός

Ἀντιγόνη 1

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής, ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς. 835 καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη 2

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ· 855 πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν’ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

b

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής·

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖσιν ⁴ ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

c

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους,

ὑψηλὸν ⁸ ἐς Δίκας βάθρον
850

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πάλιν.

πατρῷον ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

c

σέβειν ¹² μὲν, εὐσέβειά τις·

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει·

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὥλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
870

Ἀντιγόνη

a

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
925

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ ²³ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
930

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Χορός

a

Ἀντιγόνη

1

Χορός

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς·

καίτοι φθιμένῳ τοῖς ἰσοθέοις
805

ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν, μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

Χορός

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ’ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ.

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

Χορός

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,
840

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει.

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.

Ἀντιγόνη

2

Χορός

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν
895

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὖπος ἀφῖκται.

Χορός

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.
900

Χορός

1

Ἀντιγόνη

2

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννὴς,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς ·

καί σοι φθιμένᾳ μέγ᾽ ἀκοῦσαι,

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις ἔγκληρα λαχεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

3

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους,

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον
840

προσέπαισας, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ.

πατρῷον ἐκτίνεις τιν᾽ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη

3

σέβειν νὶν, εὐσέβειά τις·

κράτος δ᾽, ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει,

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῇ πέλει.

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
860

Ἀντιγόνη

1

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὐταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
915

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ ταύτην τοῖσιν ἄγουσι

βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴ μοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὖπος ἀφῖκται!

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
920

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Χορός

1

Ἀντιγόνη
β

προβᾶσʼ ἐπ᾿ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ.
855

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τινʼ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη
β

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽ ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει

παραβατὸν οὐδαμῆ πέλει·

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
875

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὑταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

†Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Χορός
α 60r

Ἀντιγόνη
1

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένᾳ μέγα κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

προβᾶσ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ·
855

πατρῷον δ᾽ ἐκτίνεις τιν’ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

σέβειν μὲν εὐσέβειά τις,

κράτος δ᾽ ὅτῳ κράτος μέλει

παραβατὸν οὐδαμᾷ πέλει,

σὲ δ᾽ αὐτόγνωτος ὤλεσ᾽ ὀργά.
875

Ἀντιγόνη

na

ἔτι τῶν αὐτῶν ἀνέμων αὐταὶ

ψυχῆς ῥιπαὶ τήνδε γ᾽ ἔχουσιν.
930

Κρέων

τοιγὰρ τούτων τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν

κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕπερ.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι, θανάτου τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυτάτω

τοὔπος ἀφῖκται.

Κρέων

θαρσεῖν οὐδὲν παραμυθοῦμαι
935

μὴ οὐ τάδε ταύτῃ κατακυροῦσθαι.

Χορός
1

Ἀντιγόνη
1

ἀλλὰ θεός τοι καὶ θεογεννής,

ἡμεῖς δὲ βροτοὶ καὶ θνητογενεῖς.
835

καίτοι φθιμένῃ μέγ α κἀκοῦσαι

τοῖς ἰσοθέοις σύγκληρα λαχεῖν

ζῶσαν καὶ ἔπειτα θανοῦσαν.

Ἀντιγόνη
2

προβᾶσ’ ἐπ’ ἔσχατον θράσους

ὑψηλὸν ἐς Δίκας βάθρον

προσέπεσες, ὦ τέκνον, πολύ·
855

πατρῷον δ’ ἐκτίνεις τιν’ ἆθλον.

Ἀντιγόνη
2