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ἐκ δὲ τοῦδε, κ.τ.λ. Compare 484 “ νῦν ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἀνήρ, αὕτη δ᾽ ἀνήρ”: 525 “ἐμοῦ δὲ ζῶντος οὐκ ἄρξει γυνή”: also 678 ff. This much-vexed passage is sound as it has come down to us. Creon means: ‘henceforth they must be women, and must not roam unrestrained.’ The fact that a woman has successfully defied him rankles in his mind. Hence the bitterness of γυναικας here. The Attic notions of feminine propriety forbade such freedom as ἀνειμένας denotes. Cp. El. 516 (Clytaemnestra finding Electra outside the house) “ἀνειμένη μέν, ὡς ἔοικας, αὖ στρέφει”: Electra should be restrained, “μή τοι θυραίαν γ᾽ οὖσαν αἰσχύνειν φίλους”. So pseudoPhocyl. 216 (keep a maiden in-doors), “μηδέ μιν ἄχρι γάμων πρὸ δόμων ὀφθῆμεν ἐάσῃς”. Aristoph. Lys. 16χαλεπή τοι γυναικῶν ἔξοδος”. The emphasis of “γυναῖκας” here is parallel with the frequent emphasis of “ἀνήρ” (as Eur. El. 693ἄνδρα γίγνεσθαί σε χρή”, a man). Cp. O. C. 1368αἵδ᾽ ἄνδρες, οὐ γυναῖκες, εἰς τὸ συμπονεῖν”.—All the emendations are weak or improbable. See Appendix.


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hide References (4 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (4):
    • Aristophanes, Lysistrata, 16
    • Euripides, Electra, 693
    • Sophocles, Electra, 516
    • Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, 1368
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