τὰς φρένας γ᾽. Recent edd. have usually scorned the simple insertion of γε, by which Triclinius healed the metre. But it should be noticed that “γε” may emphasise “τὰς φρένας ἐκβάλης”, and not merely “τὰς φρένας”: cp. 747: O.C. 1278 “τοῦ θεοῦ γε προστάτην”, where “γε” emphasises the whole phrase, not merely the word “θεοῦ”. The deprecatory force of “γε”, as seen in “μὴ σύ γε” (O. C. 1441 n.), also recommends it, even when we have not “σύ”. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 503 “καὶ μή γε πρὸς θεῶν, εὖ λέγεις γάρ, αἰσχρὰ δέ, ι πέρα προβῇς τῶνδ᾽”. Without, then, thinking “φρένας γ᾽” certain, I think it far more probable than the next best remedy, φρένας σύ γ᾽ ἡδονῇ. As to a third conjecture, “σύ γ᾽ ἡδονῆς”, the phrase “οὕνεκα ἡδονῆς γυναικός” (pleasure in her) would be very awkward. Some strange emendations have been proposed: see Appendix. φρένας … ἐκβάλῃς, cast off the restraint of reason, as O. T. 611 “φίλον... ἐσθλὸν ἐκβαλεῖν”, O. C. 631 “εὐμένειαν ἐκβάλοι” (reject friendship). The first idea is that of casting out of house or land, banishing. Somewhat similar is Plat. Crito 46B “τοὺς δὲ λόγους, οὓς ἐν τῷ ἔμπροσθεν ἔλεγον, οὐ δύναμαι νῦν ἐκβαλεῖν” (reject). Cp. 683. ὑφ᾽ ἡδονῆς: Ai. 382 “ἦ που πολὺν γέλωθ᾽ ὑφ᾽ ἡδονῆς ἄγεις”. Here the word denotes sensuous impulse: cp. Eur. Phoen. 21 “ἡδονῇ δούς”: Thuc. 3.38 “ἀκοῆς ἡδονῇ ἡσσώμενοι”.
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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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