Unlike Greek, the English language never established or created a word like deneiron. Richmond Lattimore together with David Grene devised a translation of the famous tragedy: “Antigone” by Sophocles. In the story the chorus claims humans act with deneiron, loosely translated as wondrous yet terrible. Someone who assumes the impossibility of a human acting with deneiron will surely discover his misconception throughout the tragedy. The disturbing relationship between Eteocles and Polyneices, Creon’s contradicting laws, and Antigone’s unique personality all demonstrate the constant deneiron behavior in the “Antigone”.
Someone who will do whatever it takes to satisfy his desires acquires a truly wondrous trait. Prior to the main plot of the …show more content…
The disturbing law Creon established brought rage to the emotional Antigone. She refused to bypass the restriction of her brother's burial, displaying her wondrous character. With secrecy, Antigone went around the law to bury Polyneices; however, a guard found out about the burial and told Creon, “I’ll tell you. Someone left the corpse just now,/ burial all accomplished, thirsty dust/ strewn on the flesh, the ritual complete” (245). Granted, Antigone wonderfully went around the law for the greater good and to protect the law of the gods; however, she may have done all of it just for the sake of glory. In ancient greek society a woman who strived for glory did not just go against greek culture but, all of the society will view her as a hideous and terrible woman. Creon captured Antigone and Ismene to question both of them about the forbidden burial of Polyneices. Creon ignored Antigone to ask Ismene if she helped with the service. As a good sister, she said yes in order to protect Antigone. Ismene’s response angered Antigone, “Justice will not allow this. You did not/ wish for a part, nor did I give you one” (538). If one simply delved into this quotation it would seem Antigone tried to deny Ismene’s response to at least save Ismene from execution; however, one could look at this passage and see a deeper meaning to it. Deep down Antigone could not care less about Ismene; rather, the only reason for her retaliation to the authority was for the recognition and glory. Antigone’s two faced personality shows the intensity of deneiron in human nature. The generic personality of a human almost never lacks a good and bad side to their own personality. The good can range from great respect to amazing passion and the bad can vary from haughtiness to sickening blood thirst but, all humans will always contain at least one wondrous and one terrible