Evils Full of atē: Sophocles, Antigone 1-6

Abstract

The article proposes two solutions for the textually controversial incipit of Sophocles’ Antigone. In line 4, the corrupt οὔτ’ ἄτης ἄτερ can be emended to οὔτ’ ἄτης πλέων, an almost forgotten correction once tentatively proposed by Campbell. In lines 2-3, the syntax of Antigone’s question appears sound. Firstly, ὁποῖον οὐχὶ νῷν ἔτι ζώσαιν τελεῖ; in line 3 is a question governed by ἆρ’ οἶσθ’, with subject understood (Ζεύς). Secondly, ὅ τι Ζεὺς τῶν ἀπ’ Οἰδίπου κακῶν in line 2 is a pre-posed topicalised clause, with verb understood (τελεῖ or ἐστί), offering the background information from which the ὁποῖον-question takes its cue.