Antigone, 169-197
Chiara Palladino /
- Created on 2025-02-03 15:13:21
- Translated by R. Claverouse
- Aligned by Chiara Palladino
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ὅτʼ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς διπλῆς μοίρας μίαν
καθʼ ἡμέραν ὤλοντο παίσαντές τε καὶ
πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι ,
ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω
γένους κατʼ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων .
ἀμήχανον δὲ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐκμαθεῖν
ψυχήν τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην , πρὶν ἂν
ἀρχαῖς τε καὶ νόμοισιν ἐντριβὴς φανῇ .
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ὅστις πᾶσαν εὐθύνων πόλιν
μὴ τῶν ἀρίστων ἅπτεται βουλευμάτων ,
ἀλλʼ ἐκ φόβου του γλῶσσαν ἐγκλῄσας ἔχει ,
κάκιστος εἶναι νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι δοκεῖ ·
καὶ μεῖζον ὅστις ἀντὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ πάτρας
φίλον νομίζει , τοῦτον οὐδαμοῦ λέγω .
ἐγὼ γάρ , ἴστω Ζεὺς ὁ πάνθʼ ὁρῶν ἀεί ,
οὔτʼ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι τὴν ἄτην ὁρῶν
στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ,
οὔτʼ ἂν φίλον ποτʼ ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονὸς
θείμην ἐμαυτῷ , τοῦτο γιγνώσκων ὅτι
ἥδʼ ἐστὶν ἡ σῴζουσα καὶ ταύτης ἔπι
πλέοντες ὀρθῆς τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα .
καθʼ ἡμέραν ὤλοντο παίσαντές τε καὶ
πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι ,
ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω
γένους κατʼ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων .
ἀμήχανον δὲ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐκμαθεῖν
ψυχήν τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην , πρὶν ἂν
ἀρχαῖς τε καὶ νόμοισιν ἐντριβὴς φανῇ .
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ὅστις πᾶσαν εὐθύνων πόλιν
μὴ τῶν ἀρίστων ἅπτεται βουλευμάτων ,
ἀλλʼ ἐκ φόβου του γλῶσσαν ἐγκλῄσας ἔχει ,
κάκιστος εἶναι νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι δοκεῖ ·
καὶ μεῖζον ὅστις ἀντὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ πάτρας
φίλον νομίζει , τοῦτον οὐδαμοῦ λέγω .
ἐγὼ γάρ , ἴστω Ζεὺς ὁ πάνθʼ ὁρῶν ἀεί ,
οὔτʼ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι τὴν ἄτην ὁρῶν
στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ,
οὔτʼ ἂν φίλον ποτʼ ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονὸς
θείμην ἐμαυτῷ , τοῦτο γιγνώσκων ὅτι
ἥδʼ ἐστὶν ἡ σῴζουσα καὶ ταύτης ἔπι
πλέοντες ὀρθῆς τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα .
Since
,
then
,
these
latter
have
fallen
in
one
day
by
a
twofold
doom
—
each
striking
,
each
struck
,
both
with
the
stain
of
a
brother’s
murder
—
I
now
possess
all
the
power
and
the
throne
according
to
my
kinship
with
the
dead
.
Now , it is impossible to know fully any man’s character , will , or judgment , until he has been proved by the test of rule and law-giving . For if anyone who directs the entire city does not cling to the best and wisest plans , but because of some fear keeps his lips locked , then , in my judgment , he is and has long been the most cowardly traitor . And if any man thinks a friend more important than his fatherland , that man , I say , is of no account . Zeus , god who sees all things always , be my witness — I would not be silent if I saw ruin , instead of safety , marching upon the citizens . Nor would I ever make a man who is hostile to my country a friend to myself , because I know this , that our country is the ship that bears us safe , and that only when we sail her on a straight course can we make true friends .
Now , it is impossible to know fully any man’s character , will , or judgment , until he has been proved by the test of rule and law-giving . For if anyone who directs the entire city does not cling to the best and wisest plans , but because of some fear keeps his lips locked , then , in my judgment , he is and has long been the most cowardly traitor . And if any man thinks a friend more important than his fatherland , that man , I say , is of no account . Zeus , god who sees all things always , be my witness — I would not be silent if I saw ruin , instead of safety , marching upon the citizens . Nor would I ever make a man who is hostile to my country a friend to myself , because I know this , that our country is the ship that bears us safe , and that only when we sail her on a straight course can we make true friends .