δυσκάθαρτος Ἅιδου λιμήν (nom. for voc., 1211). The ‘haven’ or ‘receptacle’ of Hades,—that nether world in which he receives the dead (810, 893)—is ‘hard to be appeased,’ in the sense that Hades is ever demanding fresh victims. The life of Haemon has already been exacted by Hades as a penalty for the offence of Creon against the “νέρτεροι”. But even this atonement (“καθαρμός”) has not proved enough. “δυσκάθαρτος” is used here as if one could say “καθαίρω” (for “ἱλάσκομαι”) “θεόν”: but that constr. does not occur. Cp. O. C. 466 “καθαρμὸν...δαιμόνων” (n.), such an atonement as belongs (is due) to them. Plat. Rep. 364E “λύσεις τε καὶ καθαρμοὶ ἀδικημάτων”.—For λιμήν cp. 1000: Anth. P. 7. 452 “μνήμονες Εὐβούλοιο σαόφρονος, ὦ παριόντες, ι πίνωμεν: κοινὸς πᾶσι λιμὴν Ἀτδης”.
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Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, with critical notes, commentary, and translation in English prose. Part III: The Antigone. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 1900.
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