ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην; (Sophocles, "Antigone" 921) → What law of the gods have I transgressed?

[stuludwig]

hi everyone.

wondering if anyone can help give a very literal translation of this line

ποίαν παρεξελθοῦσα δαιμόνων δίκην;

particularly the word - παρεξελθοῦσα - which usually gets translated to - transgression - or - sinning - .
im very much hoping it implies movement, as in movement away from something, as much as the the idea of sinning against something.

thanks for anyhelp.. or any other information regarding this line from sophocles' antigone (not even 100% sure it is the original phrase)

stu

[spiros]

What law of the gods have I transgressed?
http://perseus.uchicago.edu/perseus-cgi/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekFeb2011&query=Soph.%20Ant.%20883&getid=1
http://perseus.uchicago.edu/perseus-cgi/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekFeb2011&query=Soph.%20Ant.%20883&getid=0

http://books.google.gr/books?id=mNpNk0zOpB0C&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%AF%CE%B1%CE%BD+%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B5%CE%BE%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%B8%CE%BF%E1%BF%A6%CF%83%CE%B1+%CE%B4%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%BC%CF%8C%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BD+%CE%B4%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B7%CE%BD;&source=bl&ots=hnzYz9J5tx&sig=GaZu2Y3mFR1i_XMqlEilU3wUOMA&hl=el&sa=X&ei=lYJiUuvMLeet4ASV1IHwBg&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%AF%CE%B1%CE%BD%20%CF%80%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B5%CE%BE%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%B8%CE%BF%E1%BF%A6%CF%83%CE%B1%20%CE%B4%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%BC%CF%8C%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BD%20%CE%B4%CE%AF%CE%BA%CE%B7%CE%BD%3B&f=false

[stuludwig]

i know that is the traditional translation. im after a literal translation. (like i said, in the body of my message.#)

 παρεξελθοῦσα - does not literally equal transgression does it???? ive seen it translated as sinned too.

[spiros]

The verb is παρεξέρχομαι
Greek Word Study Tool

   A slip past another, ῥεῖα παρεξελθοῦσα Od.10.573 ; π . . . τυτθόν pass by (us) a little way, Il.10.344 ; π. τινά pass by, Hdt. 1.197, 6.117 ; παρά τι Plu.Alex.76 ; pass out, διὰ [τῶν πόρων] Steph. in Hp.1.112 D.
   2 c. gen., π. τι τῆς ἀληθείας go aside from the truth, Pl.Phlb.66b.
   II overstep, transgress, Διὸς νόον Od.5.104, 138 ; δίκην S.Ant.921.
παρεξέρχομαι - Ancient Greek - English Dictionary (LSJ)

παρεξέρχομαι, ἀποθ. μετ’ ἀορ κ. πρκμ. ἐνεργ.˙ ὁ ἀόρ. παρεξῆλθον εἶναι ὁ μόνος χρόνος ἐν χρήσει παρ’ Ὁμ, καὶ οὗτος μόνον ἐν τῶ ἀπαρ. καὶ τῇ μετοχῇ. Παρέρχομαι, περνῶ πλησίον τινός, ῥεῖα παρεξελθοῦσα, «ῥᾳδίως παραδραμοῦσα, ἥτοι κρυφίως» (Σχολ.), Ὀδ. Κ. 573˙ π. τινα Ἡρόδ. 1. 197., 6. 117˙ παρά τι Πλουτ. Ἀλέξ. 76. 2) παρεξελθεῖν πεδίοιο τυτθόν, διελθεῖν μικρὸν μέρος τοῦ πεδίου, Ἰλ. Κ. 344. 3) μετὰ γεν., π. τῆς ἀληθείας, παρεκτρέπεσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας, Πλάτ. Φίληβ. 66Β. ΙΙ. παραβαίνω, Διὸς νόον ... παρεξελθεῖν Ὀδ. Ε. 104, 138˙ δίκην Σόφ. Ἀντ. 921.
Liddell, Scott, Jones Ancient Greek Lexicon (LSJ)

[stuludwig]

hey that's really helpful, kind of what i was hoping for. it seems to me that movement is a key concept here.

would you say, looking at the sentence, that the idea of movement is as important an image here, as the idea of doing something wrong is?


thanks again.

[billberg23]

Taking into account the literal meaning of παρεξέρχομαι, we can certainly say that the idea of movement is there in the aorist feminine participle παρεξελθοῦσα (literally, "having sneaked past").  But that participle takes a direct object, (δαιμόνων) δίκην, "(the gods') right judgment," so the idea of doing wrong seems to hold equal weight.   

[vbd.]

As much as "overstepping" contains the idea of walking!