The Root Of The Word "Antagonistic".

Anyone care to comment on whether the word Antagonistic
stems from the Greek legend of Antigone ?


Antagonise : to challenge, to oppose.

Greek stamp Antigone and Creon

Synopsis

Before the beginning of the story, two brothers leading opposite sides in Thebes' civil
war died fighting each other for the throne. Creon, the new ruler of Thebes, has
decided that Eteocles will be honored and Polyneices will be in public shame. The rebel
brother's body will not be sanctified by holy rites, and will lie unburied on the
battlefield, prey for carrion animals like worms and vultures, the harshest punishment
at the time. Antigone and Ismene are the sisters of the dead Polyneices and Eteocles.
In the opening of the play, Antigone brings Ismene outside the palace gates late at
night for a secret meeting: Antigone wants to bury Polyneices' body, in defiance of
Creon's edict. Ismene refuses to help her, fearing the death penalty, but she is unable to
stop Antigone from going to bury her brother herself, causing Antigone to disown her.


Antigone and Creon.

Sorry to be a party-pooper, Rod, but 'antagonist' comes from the Greek 'agonistes' - a combatant in the Olympic Games. So an antagonist is the other side, the party of the second part.

Far from it Tony!
Thanks very much, yes, have read up your answer, Bravo.

That explains why I couldn't find anything on my
supposition.

I have an Oxford English Dictionary (the big one) and I'm always looking for an excuse to use it ....

Looking at the stamp, judging by the facial expressions, they are antagonizing to each other!

Unlike the Dutch..the Greeks had a word for it

If you have a very high tolerance for boredom indeed, you might try Milton's play Samson Agonistes ... and if you can manage to track down the old LP, do listen to Barry Humphries' Sandy Agonistes. I think one of the master's greater creations.

Kirk, I like the word time frame of usage, that's neat.

The stamp celebrates International womens' year
"The confrontation of Antigone and Creon"

"She who must be obeyed" comes to mind

Tony, I have a hard time just keeping up with reading SCF.
You have two newsgroups to address,
I guess you must delegate in the office.