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I print Dindorf's κἀς for καὶ in v. 212, not as thinking it certain, but because, with the least change, it gives a satisfactory construction. Soph. has this crasis in fr. 428 “φίλων τε μέμψιν κεἰς θεοὺς ἁμαρτάνειν”. Cp. Plat. Rep. 538Bπαράνομόν τι δρᾶσαι εἰπεῖν εἰς αὐτούς” (‘with regard to them’). For the place of the prep., cp. 367, O. T. 734Δελφῶν κἀπὸ Δαυλίας”. With the MS. reading, the accusatives in v. 212 must be governed by σοὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἀρέσκει as=“σὺ ταῦτα δρᾶσαι διανοεῖ”. Greek was bold in constructions “κατὰ σύνεσιν”, and might possibly have tolerated this: but it seems improbable. In the apparently similar instances the periphrasis for the transitive verb always contains a noun directly suggestive of that verb: as Eur. Ion 572τοῦτο κἄμ᾽ ἔχει πόθος τοῦτο κἀγὼ ποθῶ”: Aesch. Ag. 814φθορὰς... ψήφους ἔθεντο”: Suppl. 533 “γένος...νέωσον αἶνον”: Theb. 289ζωπυροῦσι τάρβος ...λεών”: Dem. or. 19 § 81τεθνάναι τῷ φόβῳ...ξένους”. Nor can the accusatives in v. 212 be explained as mere accus. ‘of respect’; nor as if, by a euphemism, “παθεῖν” were understood.—There is much in favour of the view that Κρέον in v. 211 has displaced an infin., such as “παθεῖν, λαβεῖν, λαχεῖν, ποιεῖν”, or “τὸ δρᾶν”. In v. 1098 L has “εὐβουλίας δεῖ, παῖ Μενοικέως, λαβεῖν”, where later MSS. have “Κρέον” in place of “λαβεῖν”: see n. there. If “Κρέον” is not genuine in v. 211, then it is much more likely to have been a mere gloss on “παῖ Μενοικέως” than a corruption of a similar word. The conjecture “κυρεῖν”, then, merits no preference; though the acc. “ταῦτα” could stand with it ( Aesch. Ch. 714κυρούντων...τὰ πρόσφορα”, Eur. Hec. 699ἐπ᾽ ἀκταῖς νιν κυρῶ”).—Brunck wrote ταὔτ', understanding “ἀρέσκει” (“με”) “ταὐτὰ σοί”, ‘my view is the same as yours.’ But ταῦτ᾽ is right. The Chorus say—‘Such is my lord's pleasure. And, of course, he can do as seems him good.’ Their tone is sufficiently interpreted by vv. 216, 220, 278. Cp. Her. 1.119 (Harpagus to Astyages) “ἔφη... ἀρεστὸν εἶναι πᾶν τὸ ἂν βασιλεὺς ἔρδῃ”. The Chorus do not oppose Creon; but they feel a secret misgiving; they wish at least to remain passive.


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hide References (10 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (10):
    • Aeschylus, Libation Bearers, 714
    • Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes, 289
    • Demosthenes, On the False Embassy, 81
    • Euripides, Hecuba, 699
    • Euripides, Ion, 572
    • Herodotus, Histories, 1.119
    • Plato, Republic, 538b
    • Sophocles, Antigone, 367
    • Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, 734
    • Aeschylus, Agamemnon, 814
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