Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Antigone

ταύτης κ.τ.λ. It is only while she remains upright, as we sail on board of her, that we can make real friends. ὀρθῆς (like “ὤρθωσαν” in 163) refers to the ship maintaining a safe stability, as opposed to capsizing: the contrast is given by “ὑπτίοις..σέλμασιν..ναυτίλλεται” in 716 (where see n.). So Ep. ad Fam. 12. 25. 5 “ut rectam teneamus (navem)”.

τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα, we make the friends (whom we really make): since friends made at the cost of endangering or wrecking the ship of the State cannot properly be considered friends at all: they are “φίλοι ἄφιλοι”. For the use of the art., cp. Thuc. 2.40 “οὐ..πάσχοντες εὖ ἀλλὰ δρῶντες κτώμεθα τοὺς φίλους”. The thought is like that ascribed to Pericles by Thuc. 2.60, “ἐγὼ γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι πόλιν πλείω ξύμπασαν ὀρθουμένην ὠφελεῖν τοὺς ἰδιώτας ἢ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον τῶν πολιτῶν εὐπραγοῦσαν ἀθρόαν δὲ σφαλλομένην. καλῶς μὲν γὰρ φερόμενος ἀνὴρ τὸ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν διαφθειρομένης τῆς πατρίδος οὐδὲν ἧσσον ξυναπόλλυται, κακοτυχῶν δὲ ἐν”

“εὐτυχούσῃ πολλῷ μᾶλλον διασῴζεται”. ‘Pericles Thucydidis 11. 60 Sophoclem videtur respexisse, vel eum Sophocles,’ is Dobree's remark (Adv. 2. 37); but there is no adequate ground for such a view. The verbal coincidence of “ὀρθῆς” with “ὀρθουμένην” may well have been accidental. What is really common to poet and historian is the general sentiment of Periclean Athens. For another example of this, cp. O. C. 116 n.