The Dragging of Antigone

Fr. 105

.]δε[........].υ[..........]ιδετωνδ..[   

    Fr. 105 Harder (=105 Pf.) P.Mil.Vogl. I 18 col. V 18-24
       [image], 
    Trismegistos 59371

    The “dragging” of Antigone refers to her having dragged the body of Eteocles onto the pyre of Polyneices to reunite them at least in death. When she did this, the flames from the pyre separated to indicate that her actions were futile and that they could never be reconciled.

    Fr. 105a (= Diegesis V 18-24; Pf. 1.109) P.Mil.Vogl. I 18 col. V 18-24 [image], Trismegistos 59371

          [.]δε[........].υ[..........]ιδετονδ..[

             φ[........]πισο[..........]νο.[

             [.......]ταιομ[............]καγ[

             [.......]σχι[..].[..........]εναγι[

    5       [.....]..φοραν α.[......]σημαιν.[

             [.....]σδεου.ε φι[λάδελ]φον ἀπολελ[

             [... τ]ὴν Ἀν[τ]ιγόνην ὡς οὐδὲ ἐκειν[

     

    Fr. 105b Ov. Trist. 5.5.33-39

           Consilio, commune sacrum cum fiat in ara
                fratribus, alterna qui periere manu,
    35    ipsa sibi discors, tamquam mandetur ab illis,
                scinditur in partes atra favilla duas.
           hoc, memini, quondam fieri non posse loquebar,
                et me Battiades iudice falsus erat:
           omnia nunc credo.

    It was no coincidence, when the joint sacrifice was being made on an altar for the brothers who perished by each other's hand, that the very ashes, black and divided against themselves, split into two parts, as if commanded to do so by the brothers. Once upon a time, as I recall, I said that this was impossible, and that in my opinion Calimachus had been mistaken. Now I believe it all.

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    Suggested Citation

    Susan Stephens, Callimachus: Aetia. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-947822-07-8.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/book-4/dragging-antigone