Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Antigone

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ἀξιώσεται, pass.; cp. 210, O. C. 581 “δηλώσεται”, O. T. 672 “στυγήσεται” (n.). ἀξ. μείζων φέρεσθαι, will be esteemed more important to win (cp. 439 “ἥσσω λαβεῖν”): so Plat. Theaet. 161D “ὥστε καὶ ἄλλων διδάσκαλος ἀξιοῦσθαι δικαίως”, ‘to be justly ranked as a teacher.’ The same use is implied in Legg. 917 D “ὁπόσης ἂν τιμῆς ἀξιώσῃ τὸ πωλούμενον” (at whatever price he may value...).—L's reading, ἀξίως ἔσται, though tenable, seems slightly less probable, when we observe that this adv. is regularly used either (a) with gen., “ἀξίως ἑαυτῶν”, etc., or (b) absol., in such phrases as Thuc. 3.40 “κολάσατε...ἀξίως τούτους”, ‘according to their deserts.’ (So O. T. 133 “ἀξίως”=‘as the case required.’) Thus we could say, “οὗτος ὁ γάμος ἀξίως ἔσται μείζων φ”., ‘will deservedly (=on its merits) be a greater prize.’ But it is less natural to say, “οὐδεὶς γάμος ἀξίως ἔσται μ. φ.”, ‘no marriage will rightly be preferred,’ etc., where “ἀξίως” becomes a mere equiv. for “δικαίως” or “προσηκόντως”. The change of “ἀξιώσεται” into “ἀξίως ἔσται” would have been the easier, since the ordinary fut. was “ἀξιωθήσομαι.”

σοῦ καλῶς ἡγουμ., (with μείζων), than thy good guiding: cp. Her. 1.34 “μετὰ δὲ Σόλωνα οἰχόμενον”. —It is a mistake (I think) to detect a mental reserve in the participle (‘than thy guiding, if, or when, it is good’). Haemon knows that his one chance of saving Antigone is first to mollify his father, and then to urge the argument from public opinion (688 ff.). His deference is unqualified.