Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

Commentary on lines 451–600

λόγῳ In appearance. Cp. El. 63, 1217.

ἐγγενὴς . . Θηβαῖος A native Theban, i.e. not only of Theban extraction, but at once born in the country and belonging to the race. Cp. Hdt. 2. 47, where Αἰγύπτιοι ἐγγενέες means the opposite of τὸ ἀνέκαθεν Αἰγύπτιοι.

οὐδ᾽ ἡσθήσεται, κ.τ.λ. Nor will he be gladdened by his fortune. The use of the third person adds to the impressiveness of the prophecy.

Groping his way. σκήπτρῳ προδεικνύς, lit. 'Pointing before him with a staff. For the order of words, see Essay on Language § 41. p. 77.

αὐτός The MS. reading agrees better with αὑτοῦ in the previous line than αὑτός, which some editors have substituted. He shall prove to be to his own children, with whom he lives, himself their brother as well as father. (αὐτὸς τοῖς αὑτοῦ παισὶν ἀδελφός.) For the slight pleonasm in ξυνών, cp. Aj. 267, κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών. The horror of the relationship is increased by his having lived with them in ignorance of it for so long.

And of his mother and wife—her husband as well as son. The collocation of γυναικὸς υἱὸς is intentionally suggestive.

τοῦ πατρός The article points to Laius, his father, of whom so much has been lately said. And of his murdered sire at once the incestuous rival and the murderer.

ὁμόσπορος τὴν αὐτὴν σπείρων γυναῖκα, Schol. Cp. Eur. Or. 476, where Menelaus says to Tyndareus, χαῖρε, Ζηνὸς ὁμόλεκτρον κάρα. The same word is used passively in 260. The seven καί's have a cumulative force. καί with the imperative = And now. 461. For με omitted see Essay on Language §39. P. 73-

φρονεῖν To have intelligence, as in 316. Cp. 11. 390-396.

Where is the accursed one, whom Apollo has marked as the perpetrator of the terrible deed? Now should he fly far away, with a step swifter than that of steeds, the daughters of the wind. For the son of Zeus, clothed in armour, leaps upon him with flashing fire, and the inevitable Fates are following him. He is roaming in forests and amongst desert caves, but he shall find no refuge. The forlorn man cannot put away from him the oracles that come from the centre of the earth.

I tremble to think of the answer which the seer has given; and I hover in uncertainty, seeing neither what is, nor what will be. I neither know nor have known any strife between the house of Labdacus and the son of Polybus, and without proof, I will not give up Oedipus on an uncertain surmise. There is no knowing whether the voice of the prophet is the voice of God. But one man may be wiser than another. And of mortals who so wise as Oedipus? We have proof of this and of his good- Ist strophe and antistr. logaoedic or glyconic, ness to our state. Therefore I will think no harm of him.

The first strophe and antistrophe refer to the proclamation of Oedipus reporting the answer of the oracle; the second to the words of Teiresias, which contained the only answer yet given to the question which the oracle left obscure. The differing metres of the first and second strophe and antistrophe contrast the eager resolution of the chorus to find the murderer, with the wavering excitement which the words of Teiresias have awakened, distracting them between their loyalty to Oedipus and their reverence for the seer. The first strophe commences with a strain half grave, half light, which is stirred into a quicker motion in the glyconics (lines 466-468), where the flight of the fugitive is described and grows faster and also weightier in the description of the tramp of his pursuers (lines 469 ff.). In the second strophe the alternation of the mind of the Chorus is indicated in the uneven Ionic rhythm. followed by rapid anapaestic clcclcc dimeters marking the climax of feeling. 2nd str. and antistr. Ionic a minore with anacrusis and pauses. 100- D 100–110)|10) 10)||10)|[110)]110) 463. The διορθωτής of the Laurentian MS. has written εἶπε over another word (ειδε?) and Flor. Γ. gives εἶδε, above 100which a later hand has written εἶπε as a v. r. Both readings are noticed by the Scholiast. The construction with the participle is at first sight rather in favour of εἶδε (or οἶδε). But cp. El. 318, О. С. 1580, ξυντομωτάτως μὲν ἂν τύχοιμι λέξας Οἰδίπουν ὀλωλότα, and infr. 1214, δικάζει .. τεκνοῦντα, εἶπε is much better suited to the context. The voice which the Pythia interpreted came from the rock.

For ἄρρητ' ἀρρήτων, see Essay on Language § 40, 4. p. 75.

ἀελλάδων Said to be = ἀελλαίων. But may not some of the force of the patronymic be retained, = 'Swift daughters of the storm'? See the fable in II. 20. 223.

σθεναρώτερον is better taken as an adjective agreeing with πόδα than as an adverb. Cp. Il. 10.358, λαιψηρὰ δὲ γούνατ' ἐνώμα. Ε. on L. § 9. p. 13.

πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς Το follow ἔνοπλος ἐπενθρώσκει. The son of Zeus leaps armed upon him, with fiery bolts. The avenging power of Phoebus is referred to his father Zeus (the πυρφόρος ἀστεροπητής, Phil. 1198), whose lightning he hurls, and by whose prophetic power he is inspired. Cp. supr. 151.

Κήρες The meaning of this word varies between (1) lot or des- tiny, (2) misfortune, (3) death. The Κῆρες have not the independent authority of the Mοίραι, but are rather the subordinate ministers who execute the Divine will.

ἔλαμψε . φάμα The command flashed forth. Cp. 186, παιὰν δὲ λάμπει : Pind. O1. 1. 23, λάμπει . . κλέος.

πάντ᾿ ἰχνεύειν πάντα is neuter plural adverbial: to track by all means, rather than masculine subject of ἰχνεύειν, for every one to track.

The reading of the inferior MSS., although yielding an unlikely rhythm, is given in the text as most probably representing the true meaning. ἅτε has been read with some probability for ὡς. The reading of L., even if the adj. were here permissible (see Essay on Language § 23, €. p. 39) is impossible on account of the strained use of metaphor. Prof. E. L. Lushington has suggested ἰσόταυρος. Cp. Virgil's description, Georg. 3. 203, of the solitary vanquished bull; 11. 481, 2, suggest that he is also seeking refuge from the breese.

χηρεύων Forlorn, 'Cut off from fellowship; alluding to the curse under which the murderer lay, 236, foll. N2

τὰ μεσόμφαλα γᾶς .. μαντεία The oracles from the central spot of earth. yâs is part. gen. after the adjective of place. Cp. Strabo, 9. p. 419, τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἐν μέσῳ πώς ἐστι τῆς συμπάσης .. καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τῆς γῆς ὄμφαλον.

ἀπονοσφίζων Putting away from him, i.e. avoiding. An inverted expression, like ἀποκρύπτειν γῆν.

ἀεί to be taken equally with ζῶντα and περιποτᾶται. And they will not die, but still live and move around him. The chorus look to the ends of the earth for the man whom they have just seen before the palace; for him, who, instead of avoiding the oracle, embraces and is seeking to obey it.

Fearfully does the wise augur trouble me.' For the ellipse of the object με, see Essay on Language § 39. P. 73. μὲν οὖν marks the transition to a course of thought which is not final; to this ἀλλά, κ.τ.λ. 497 ff. is afterwards opposed.

δεινά is adverbial acc., and δοκοῦντα, ἀποφάσκοντα acc. masc. agreeing with με understood. Neither entertaining the suggestion nor denying. For δοκεῖν absolute, cp. El. 61, δοκῶ μέν, alib., Αj. 942, σοὶ μὲν δοκεῖν ταῦτ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ἄγαν φρονεῖν : Τr. 590, 1, ὡς τὸ μὲν δοκεῖν ἔνεστι. This interpretation is supported by the words, ὅ, τι λέξω δ᾽ ἀπορῶ, which are added in explanation. Others take δεινά ταράσσει, κ.τ.λ., to mean suggests dire conflicting thoughts, which neither affirm their object nor deny.

πέτομαι δ᾽ ἐλπίσιν And I hover in uncertain expectation. Cp. Eur. Bacch. 332, νῦν γὰρ πέτει τε καὶ φρονῶν οὐδὲν φρονεῖς: infr. 771-772, és τοσοῦτον ἐλπίδων ἐμοῦ βεβῶτος.

Not seeing clearly either the present or the future. Cp. ὁ γὰρ οἷος ὅρα πρόσσω καὶ ὀπίσσω, Il. 18.250; Od. 24.452. The Greeks imagined the future as coming on behind the present and so hidden by it.

ἢ.. ἤ What quarrel lay between them on either side. The disjunctive form of expression gives emphasis to each of the proper names. The same emphatic strain is continued with οὔτε οὔτε. Cp. Hdt. 7. 54, οὐκ ἔχω ἀτρεκέως διακρίναι, οὔτε εἰ . . οὔτε εἰ, κ.τ.λ.

ἔκειτο Lit. Was laid up, (cp. 232, ἡ χάρις προσκείσεται), but this meaning is almost lost, and the word has little more than the force of the substantive verb.

The corresponding line of the antistrophe exceeds this by--, and the slight obscurity of the present passage makes it more probable that one or two words have been lost here, than that γὰρ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ has been interpolated in l. 507. The addition of τινὸς ἀνδρῶν, or some such words, would make the sense clearer, and in any case ὅτου is masculine. What quarrel lay between them I never learnt from any man at whose word I might go, proof in hand, against the popular fame of Oedipus. For the use of πρός with the active verb, cp. Τr. 935, ἄκουσα πρὸς τοῦ θηρὸς ἔρξειεν τάδε. βασάνῳ εἶμι = ἐλέγξων εἶμι. For the instrumental dative = ξὺν βασάνῳ, see Essay on Language § 14. 1. p. 20.

ἐπὶ .. εἶμι is a case of tmesis. For the constr. cp. II. 11. 367, τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπιείσομαι.

Going to the aid of the Labdacidae on account of a mysterious death. Cp. Eur. El. 138, αἱμάτων ἐπίκουρος.

ὅ τ᾿ Ἀπόλλων Who is again regarded as the προφήτης of Zeύς. See l. 151, and note.

πλέον ἢ ἐγὼ φέρεται Attains more than I. Cp. Hdt. 8. 29, πρόσθε τε γὰρ ἐν τοῖσι Ἕλλησι, .. πλέον αἰεί κοτε ὑμέων ἐφερόμεθα· νῦν τε παρὰ τῷ βαρβάρῳ τοσοῦτον δυνάμεθα ὥστε, κ.τ.λ.: Ε1. 1095-1096, τῶνδε φερομέναν ἄριστα.

κρίσις οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής There is no sure way of determining. Cp. Pind. fr. Paean. 39, τί δ' ἔλπεαι σοφίαν ἐμμέναι, ᾆτ᾽ ὀλίγον τοι ἀνὴρ ὑπὲρ ἀνδρὸς ἰσχύει; οὐ γὰρ ἔσθ᾽ ὅπως τὰ θεῶν βουλεύματ᾽ ἐρευνάσαι βροτέᾳ φρενί.

παραμείψειεν Might pass, as in a race. Cp. Pind. Pyth. 2. 50, θεός, ὁ καὶ πτερόεντ' αἰετὸν κίχε καὶ θαλασσαῖον παραμείβεται δελφίνα. On the use of the active for the middle voice, see Essay on Language p. 98.

πρὶν ἴδοιμ The optative (instead of ἂν ἴδω) is occasioned by ката- φαίην ἄν.

⁴

ὀρθὸν ἔπος A clear or certain utterance, i. e. one proved by the fact.

ἡδύπολισ MSS. τῷ] τῶ(1) L. Cp. 853, τόν γε Λαΐου φόνον φανεῖ δικαίως ὀρθόν : Ant. 1178, ὦ μάντι, τοῦπος ὡς ἄρ᾽ ὀρθὸν ἥνυσας : Pind. Pyth. 6. 19.

μεμφομένων Gen. absolute.

καταφαίην Ar. Met. 3. 6. 11, ἀδύνατον ἅμα καταφάναι καὶ ἀποφάναι.

⁵

βασάνῳ In actual proof. Dative of circumstance. Cp. 494. The same word repeated in a different connexion. The words φανερά, ὤφθη, βασάνῳ, are intended to contrast the clear evidence in Oedipus' favour with the uncertainty of the suspicion against him.

ἁδύπολις = ἡδὺς τῇ πόλει. Cp. ὑψίπολις = ὑψηλὸς ἐν πόλει, Ant. 370.

τῷ Epicè, Therefore.'

Creon enters (right) from the city. In the first episode the action was strikingly rapid. It contained the two great movements of the proclamation of Oedipus and the prophecy of Teiresias, with only sufficient pause between them (ll. 276-296) to give effect to the latter. Now follows a period of suspense, for which the wavering tones of the last chorus have prepared the way. The scene is of unusual length, ll. 512-862, but is divided by the short lyric measures (commatica) in 11. 649-668, 678-696. Cp. O. C. 833 ff, 876 ff. The entrance of Jocasta (1. 634) prepares new complications.

⁶

ἀτλητών Unable to endure it. The verb is formed after the analogy οἱ ἀλαστέω, ἀελπτέω, etc.

ἐν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς ταῖς νῦν In the present crisis.

πρός γ᾿ ἐμοῦ The variety of reading has been caused by the ellipse of τι, for which cp. El. 1322-1323, ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ κλύω | τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος, SC.

τινός. The emphatic ἐμοῦ is better here than μου. That in this emergency he has suffered at my hands aught tending to his harm by word or deed.

I care not to prolong my life.'

τοῦ μακραίωνος. The article as with words of number and quantity, e.g. Ο. C. 1211, τοῦ πλέονος μέρους. Cp. Αj. 473, τοῦ μακροῦ χρήζειν βίου. For the use of the compound, see Essay on Language p. 101.

ἁπλοῦν, though opposed to μέγιστον, is not = σμικρόν, but points to the manifold nature of the injury as expressed in 521-522, This word affects me with loss not only in one respect, but does me the most serious injury.' For the unconscious tautology in the repetition of φέρει after φέρον, φέροντι, cp. infr. 524-527, γνώμῃ, γνώμαις, γνώμῃ.

The leader of the chorus is allied to the royal house, infr. 1225.

βιασθέν is not to be repeated with γνώμῃ, which is dative of cause. The charge may have been made in the violence of anger, and not advisedly.

τοῦ πρός From whom proceeded this? i. e. On whose authority was it said? The inversion in this passage has suggested the v. r. τοῦπος found in FL³, which is also supposed to correspond better with the answer of the chorus. But the change is unnecessary. The order of words is singular, but is suited to express the excitement of Creon. Cp. the position of ὅτι, and Ar. Εq. 32, ποῖον βρέτας πρός; There is no real difficulty in reconciling the question to the answer. Creon asks, 'From whom came the intimation?" To which the chorus answers, The thing was said, but I cannot tell you on what ground or authority: γνώμῃ τίνι referring to τοῦ πρός, κ.τ.λ. For γνώμῃ φρενῶν, cp. Ant. 1090, τὸν νοῦν .. τῶν φρενῶν.

Were his eyes and his mind clear, when this accusation was uttered against : me by him?' Most MSS. omitting δ' in the first place, waver between ὀρθῶν τε and ὀρθῶν δέ. But δ' before ὀρθῶν is not devoid of authority.

Observe the continued use of the passive voice. Essay on Language §. 31. pp. 53-54. Creon still avoids the direct mention of Oedipus as his accuser; and the chorus use the same reserve.

ἃ γὰρ .. οὐχ ὁρῶ I have no eye to see what rulers do. 532 foll. Insolent, what mean you by coming hither, you that have aimed at my life and sought to subvert my sovereignty? Unsupported by friends, how could you expect to succeed or to elude my vigilance? Did you take me for a coward or a fool?'

οὗτος, σύ This punctuation is more forcible than οὗτος σύ, and has also better authority. The inversion of πῶς σύ accords with the feeling of the speech. Essay on Language § 41. p. 78. See below, l. 1121 .

τοσόνδ᾽ ἔχεις τόλμης πρόσωπον Have you such a face of brass? i. e. τοσαύτης τόλμης πρόσωπον. A case of hypallage.

The ind. ἵκου is more forcible than the infinitive, as dwelling on the 542.8] fact, and not merely marking its connexion with the preceding statement. The words ἐμφανῶς, ἐναργής, in what follows, are very characteristic of the passionate self-confidence of Oedipus.

ἐν ἐμοί, like ἃ δ᾽ ἂν ἔρῃ, infr. 749, is an apparent violation of the rule that the 2nd and 3rd syllables of a trisyllabic foot must be in the same word. But ev is a preposition which adheres to its case.

ὡς, κ.τ.λ. depends, κατὰ τὸ σημαινόμενον, οη καταφρονήσας, or the like, implied in ἰδὼν . . ἐν ἐμοί. Either supposing that I would not detect the stealthy approaches of this plot of yours, or that I would not resist it when observed.' The MS. reading -κούκ may be compared with Il. 2. 289, ἢ παῖδες νεαροὶ χῆραί τε γυναῖκες, or ἤ in this case may be explained as = ' or;' but the correction ἢ ἡ οὐκ seems far more probable. The former alternative implies μωρίαν, the latter δειλίαν. For the synizesis, cp. infr. 555, ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες.

γνωρίσοιμι follows the MSS. against the Atticists.

πλήθους καὶ φίλων Cp. supr. 470, πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς.

οἶσθ᾿ ὡς ποίησον Do you know what I bid you do?" An idiomatic confusion of οἶσθ ὡς ποιήσεις with ποίησον. See Essay on Language $ 36. p. 66.

You are a clever talker; but I am slow to learn of you (alluding to μαθών in the preceding line), for I have found you dangerous and hostile to me. Cp. Plat. Rep. 2. 358 Α, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγώ τις, ὡς ἔοικε, δυσμαθής.

τοῦτ᾽ αὐτό This very point, viz. whether I am hostile to you.

Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1012, αὐθαδία γὰρ τῷ φρονοῦντι μὴ καλῶς | αὐτὴ καθ᾿ αὑτὴν οὐδενὸς μεῖον σθένει.

ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην ‘Το be made to answer for it.' Oedipus has an uneasy feeling that Creon may think himself above the law. This Creon deprecates.

ὸ . . πάθημα is both governed by δίδασκε and to be resumed with παθεῖν. Tell me your injury, what injury you say you have received. Cp. infr. 604.

ἔπειθες Referring to Κρέοντος εἰπόντος in 288, a slight touch, which has prepared the way for the present scene.

τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα The solemn prophet. σεμνός has frequently the ironical sense of pretentious. Cp. 953, τὰ σέμν᾿ ἵν᾿ ἥκει τοῦ θεοῦ μαντεύματα: Αj. 1107, τὰ σέμν᾽ ἔπη: Aesch. Prom. 953, σεμνόστομός γε καὶ φρονήματος πλέως. ..

αὑτὸς τῷ βουλεύματι And I still hold to the advice I gave. Cp. Thuc. 2. 61, καὶ ἐγὼ μὲν ὁ αὐτός εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἐξίσταμαι : Phil. 521, τότ᾽ οὐκέθ᾽ αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις φανῆς. τῷ βουλεύματι is (1) dative of identity with αὑτός rather than (2) of manner. Cp. Hdt. 3. 119, εἰ συνέπαινοί εἰσι τῷ πεποιημένῳ. For the other view (2), cp. Thuc. 3.38, ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ὁ αὐτὸς εἰμι τῇ γνώμῃ.

It would be a long reckoning of distant times.'

ἐν τῇ τέχνη Practising his art. Cp. Plat. Prot. 317 C, πολλά γε ἔτη ἤδη εἰμὶ ἐν τῇ τέχνη.

Either on no occasion when I was standing near, οὐδαμοῦ simply repeating the negative in οὐκοῦν, οτ, τεsolving οὐδαμοῦ into two words, ('not,' 'anywhere'), certainly not, when I was standing anywhere near. The former is preferable. See Essay on Language § 41. p 77; and for the transference of the adverb of place to time, ibid. § 24. p. 41, supr. 1. 390.

τοῦ θανόντος Gen. of respect.

παρέσχομεν The compound verb is used in the reply, partly for the sake of variety, but also with a slight alteration of sense. But did you have no enquiry about the deed? Of course we held an enquiry. παρέσχομεν has a more active meaning, and implies more effort (='dare operam') than ἔσχετε. The word is used here as in El. 1144-1145, (τροφῆς) τὴν ἐγὼ θάμ᾿ ἀμφὶ σοὶ πόνῳ γλυκεῖ παρέσχον.

ὁ σοφός Cp. 563.

ἐφ᾽ οἷς = ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅ. The spectator would not feel, as the reader is apt to do, that the question of Oedipus calls attention to a real inconsistency in the fable. Cp. supr. 103 ff.

τοσόνδε γ' The MS. reading τοσὸν δέ γ' (i. e. τὸ σὸν δέ γ') looks like an early correction. On the other hand, the simple τόσον hardly occurs elsewhere in Sophocles (unless in Tr. 53, κἀμὲ χρὴ φράσαι τόσον, where τὸ σόν is preferable). But cp. Hdt. 4. 197, τόσον δὲ ἔτι ἔχω εἰπεῖν. The abruptness caused by omitting δε is rather expressive. τοσόνδε refers to what is coming. There is one thing which you know and can tell clearly.'

οἶσθα.. λέγοις.. φρονών He echoes Creon's words, οὐκ οἶδα μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν.

οἰδά γ᾽ If I do know it. γε points the reference to the preceding line.

τὰς ἐμάς The article refers to Teiresias' words, 362, φονέα σε φημί, κ.τ.λ. He would not have spoken, as he did, of my being Laius murderer.' Cp Eur. (?) Rhes. 438, σὺ κομπεῖς τὰς ἐμὰς ἀμύστιδας. The poet may also have intended the expression to be ambiguous, and to mean in the ear of the spectator, he would not have told of my murder of Laius. For the plural, ср. О. С. 962, ὅστις φόνους μοι καὶ γάμους καὶ συμφοράς, κ.τ.λ.

ταύθ' Adv. accus. Just as. Cp 579, ἄρχεις . . ταὐτά.

The compound verb answers the simple as in 567. Do your best to learn. Cp. 129, ἐξειδέναι: Hdt. 7. 28, ἐξέμαθον καὶ εὗρον, κ.τ.λ. The present tense has the inchoative meaning.

γήμας ἔχεις You have in marriage.

ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν There is no possibility of denying.

ἄρχεις δ᾽ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτά You share your power with her. Creon implies that Jocasta is queen in her own right. Cp. 630, note.

γῆς ἴσον νέμων Holding with her an equal portion in the land. The dative is resumed in thought. Cp. Thuc. 6. 16, 4, ἢ τὰ ἴσα νέμων τὰ ὁμοῖα ἀνταξιούτω.

True, and that is just what marks you as a bad friend. Oedipus assents to Creon's statement of his own position, and retorts that his nearness to the throne only aggravates the case against him.

The argument of Creon resembles that with which Histiaeus soothes the suspicion of Darius, Hdt. 5.106, τί δ' ἂν ἐπιδιζήμενος ποιέοιμι ταῦτα; τεῦ δὲ ἐνδεὴς ἐών; τῷ πάρα μὲν πάντα ὅσα περ σοί, πάντων δὲ πρὸς σέο βουλευμάτων ἐπακούειν ἀξιεῦμαι.

⁷

Not so; if you would but reason with yourself, as I reason with you.' σοί is absorbed in σαντῷ : i. e. σαυτῷ ὡς ἐγὼ σοί. For the expression, cp. Hdt. 1. 209; 2. 162; 3.25; 4. 102; 6.138.

ἄτρεστον εὔδοντ Hom. Od. 13. 92, δὴ τότε γ᾿ ἀτρέμας εἶδε.

For the position of the words οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς .. οὔτ᾽ ἄλλος, cp. Phil. 88, 9, ἔφυν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐκ τέχνης πράσσειν κακῆς | οὔτ᾽ αὐτός, οὔθ᾽, ὥς φασιν, οὑκφύσας ἐμέ.

τύραννα For τύραννος adj. cp. Ant. 1169, τύραννον σχῆμα.

φέρω Ι obtain.' Cp. О. С. 5, 6, τοῦ μικροῦ δ᾽ ἔτι μεῖον φέροντα,

How then can the possession of sovereignty be pleasanter to me than to have a power and authority that is free from annoyance?'

οὔπω Surely I am not so far gone in self-deceit. πω adds emphasis to the negative. See note on 105, οὐ γὰρ εἰσεῖδόν γέ πω.

τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά Glory with advantage. Creon's present δυναστεία had the reality of both. Sovereignty might bring him outward brilliancy, but not solid gain.

πᾶσι χαίρω (1) I am happy in the sight of all. Cp. Eur. Med. 509, πολλαῖς μακαρίαν. The recognition of happiness is an element of happiness to the sensitive Greek (as to Croesus in the story of Herodotus); and the happy man is saluted by all (πᾶς ἀσπάζεται), just as the unfortunate is passed by without regard. Cp Thuc. 6. 16, ὥσπερ δυστυχοῦντες οὐδὲ προσαγορευόμεθα. Or (2) I take pleasure in all men' (as having no enemy). Cp. Od. 19. 462-463, τῷ μὲν χαῖρον νοστήσαντι. Other renderings are, I am happy in my relations with all; I am happy in all ways (πᾶσι neuter); and, All bid me rejoice. (Cp. χαῖρέ μοι.) 597. ἐκκαλοῦσί με is Invite me forth, or, Take me aside, e. g. from the palace or the council for private conference, as an important person. Cp. 951, τί μ' ἐξεπέμψω δεῦρο τῶνδε δωμάτων; Ant. 18: Eur. Bacch. 170, τίς ἐν πύλαισι; Κάδμον ἐκκάλει δόμων: Αj. 749-750, ἐκ γὰρ ξυνέδρου καὶ τυραννικοῦ κύκλου | Κάλχας μεταστὰς οἷος Ἀτρειδῶν δίχα, κ.τ.λ. Aristoph. Ach. 400-402: Hdt. 8. 79, ἐξεκαλέετο. The conjecture of L. Dindorf, αἰκάλλουσι, suggests a disagreeable association of mean flattery. The word αἰκάλλω occurs only once in tragedy, and then in reproach. Eur. Andr. 630, πρόδοτιν αἰκάλλων κύνα.

τὸ γὰρ . . ἔνι For their success all depends on this; viz. on paying court to me. The text is uncertain, but here, as in a few other passages (cp. supr. 221), Flor. F. may have preserved an older reading. The absence of caesura is not a fatal objection to the reading αὐτοὺς ἅπαντ᾽. Cp. infr. 856. And for the accus. cp. Eur. Or. 761, τύχοις ἂν .. ὅσον θέλεις. But Flor. F. certainly gives a better line, and the correction ἅπαντ' may be conjectural.

κεῖν κεῖνο, τὸ ἄρχειν ξὺν φόβοισι, τὴν τυραννίδα.

ἀφεὶς τάδε] Cp. Macb. 1. 7, I have won | Golden opinions from all sorts of people | That would be worn now in their newest gloss, | Not cast aside so soon.' Ib. 2. 1, 'M. It shall make honour for you. B. So I lose none | In seeking to augment it, .... | I shall be counselled. But Creon's notion of honour' is more external than Banquo's.

No mind that has a right sense of things can turn to evil. For the order of words, see Essay on Language § 41, p. 77. Creon thus sums up his previous argument. None can have wicked schemes whose judgment is not blind.' L

Oedipus Tyrannus. Lewis Campbell. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.

Current edition Experimental

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (English) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 463 focus

τίς ὅντινʼ ὁ θεσπιέπεια Δελφὶς εἶπε πέτρα

ἄρρητ᾽ ἀρρήτων τελέσαντα φοινίαισι χερσίν;
465

ὥρα νιν ἀελλάδων

ἵππων σθεναρώτερον

φυγᾷ πόδα νωμᾶν.

ἔνοπλος γὰρ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐπενθρώσκει

πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς ὁ Διὸς γενέτας,
470

δειναὶ δ᾽ ἅμ᾽ ἕπονται

Κῆρες ἀναπλάκητοι.

α

ἔλαμψε γὰρ τοῦ νιφόεντος ἀρτίως φανεῖσα

[38 b.

φάμα Παρνασοῦ τὸν ἄδηλον ἄνδρα πάντ᾿ ἰχνεύειν.
475

φοιτᾷ γὰρ ὑπ᾿ ἀγρίαν

ὕλαν ἀνά τ᾽ ἄντρα καὶ

πέτρας †ὡς ταῦρος,

μέλεος μελέῳ ποδὶ χηρεύων,

τὰ μεσόμφαλα γᾶς ἀπονοσφίζων
480

μαντεῖα· τὰ δ᾽ ἀεὶ

ζῶντα περιποτᾶται.

β

δεινὰ μὲν οὖν, δεινὰ ταράσσει σοφὸς οἰωνοθέτας,

οὔτε δοκοῦντ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἀποφάσκονθ᾽· ὅ τι λέξω δ᾽ ἀπορῶ.
485

πέτομαι δ᾽ ἐλπίσιν οὔτ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ὁρῶν οὔτ᾽ ὀπίσω.

τί γὰρ ἢ Λαβδακίδαις ἢ

τῷ Πολύβου νεῖκος ἔκειτ᾿ οὔτε πάροιθέν ποτ' ἔγωγ' οὔτε τανῦν πω

ἔμαθον, u u - - πρὸς ὅτου δὴ βασάνῳ

ἐπὶ τὰν ἐπίδαμον φάτιν εἶμʼ Οἰδιπόδα Λαβδακίδαις
495

ἐπίκουρος ἀδήλων θανάτων.

β

ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν οὖν Ζεὺς ὅ τ᾽ Ἀπόλλων ξυνετοὶ καὶ τὰ βροτῶν

εἰδότες· ἀνδρῶν δ᾽ ὅτι μάντις πλέον ἢ ἐγὼ φέρεται,
500

κρίσις οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής· σοφίᾳ δ᾽ ἂν σοφίαν

παραμείψειεν ἀνήρ.

ἀλλ᾽ οὔποτ᾽ ἔγωγ᾽ ἄν, πρὶν ἴδοιμ᾽ ὀρθὸν ἔπος, μεμφομένων ἂν καταφαίην.

φανερὰ γὰρ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ πτερόεσσ᾽ ἦλθε κόρα

ποτέ, καὶ σοφὸς ὤφθη βασάνῳ θ᾽ ἁδύπολις· τῷ ἀπ᾿ ἐμᾶς
505

φρενὸς οὔποτ᾽ ὀφλήσει κακίαν.

Κρέων

ἄνδρες πολῖται, δείνʼ ἔπη πεπυσμένος

κατηγορεῖν μου τὸν τύραννον Οἰδίπουν

πάρειμ᾿ ἀτλητῶν. εἰ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς
515

ταῖς νῦν νομίζει πρός γ᾿ ἐμοῦ πεπονθέναι

λόγοισιν εἴτ' ἔργοισιν εἰς βλάβην φέρον,

οὔτοι βίου μοι τοῦ μακραίωνος πόθος,

φέροντι τήνδε βάξιν. οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἁπλοῦν

ἡ ζημία μοι τοῦ λόγου τούτου φέρει,
520

ἀλλ᾽ ἐς μέγιστον, εἰ κακὸς μὲν ἐν πόλει,

κακὸς δὲ πρὸς σοῦ καὶ φίλων κεκλήσομαι.

Χορός

ἀλλ᾽ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχ᾽ ἂν

ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν.

Κρέων

τοῦ πρὸς δ᾽ ἐφάνθη ταῖς ἐμαῖς γνώμαις ὅτι
525

πεισθεὶς ὁ μάντις τοὺς λόγους ψευδεῖς λέγοι;

Χορός

ηὐδᾶτο μὲν τάδ', οἶδα δ᾽ οὐ γνώμῃ τίνι.

Κρέων

ἐξ ὀμμάτων δ᾽ ὀρθῶν τε κἀξ ὀρθῆς φρενὸς

κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἃ γὰρ δρῶσ᾽ οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ.
530

αὐτὸς δ᾽ ὅδ᾽ ἤδη δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

Οἰδίπους

οὗτος, σὺ πῶς δεῦρ᾽ ἦλθες; ἦ τοσόνδ᾽ ἔχεις

τόλμης πρόσωπον ὥστε τὰς ἐμὰς στέγας

ἵκου, φονεὺς ὢν τοῦδε τἀνδρὸς ἐμφανῶς

λῃστής τ᾽ ἐναργὴς τῆς ἐμῆς τυραννίδος;
535

φέρ᾽ εἰπὲ πρὸς θεῶν, δειλίαν ἢ μωρίαν

ἰδών τινʼ ἐν ἐμοὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἐβουλεύσω ποιεῖν;

ἢ τοὔργον ὡς οὐ γνωρίσοιμί σου τόδε

δόλῳ προσέρπον *ἢ οὐκ ἀλεξοίμην μαθών;

ἆρ᾽ οὐχὶ μῶρόν ἐστι τοὐγχείρημά σου,
540

ἄνευ τε πλήθους καὶ φίλων τυραννίδα

θηρᾶν, ὃ πλήθει χρήμασίν θ᾽ ἁλίσκεται;

Κρέων

οἶσθ᾽ ὡς ποίησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων

ἴσ᾽ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.

Οἰδίπους

λέγειν σὺ δεινός, μανθάνειν δ᾽ ἐγὼ κακὸς
545

σοῦ· δυσμενῆ γὰρ καὶ βαρύν σ᾽ εὕρηκ᾿ ἐμοί.

Κρέων

τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτ᾽ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζ᾽, ὅπως οὐκ εἶ κακός.

Κρέων

εἴ τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν

εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς.
550

Οἰδίπους

εἴ τοι νομίζεις ἄνδρα συγγενῆ κακῶς

δρῶν οὐχ ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην, οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς.

Κρέων

ξύμφημί σοι ταῦτ᾽ ἔνδικ᾽ εἰρῆσθαι· τὸ δὲ

πάθημ᾽ ὁποῖον φῇς παθεῖν δίδασκέ με.

Οἰδίπους

ἔπειθες, ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μ᾽ ἐπὶ
555

τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα;

Κρέων

καὶ νῦν ἔθ᾽ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι.

Οἰδίπους

πόσον τινʼ ἤδη δῆθ᾽ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

Κρέων

δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἄφαντος ἔρρει θανασίμῳ χειρώματι;
560

Κρέων

μακροὶ παλαιοί τ᾽ ἂν μετρηθεῖεν χρόνοι.

Οἰδίπους

τότ᾽ οὖν ὁ μάντις οὗτος ἦν ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ;

Κρέων

σοφός γ᾽ ὁμοίως κἀξ ἴσου τιμώμενος.

Οἰδίπους

ἐμνήσατ᾽ οὖν ἐμοῦ τι τῷ τότ᾽ ἐν χρόνῳ;

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας.
565

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ θανόντος ἔσχετε;

Κρέων

παρέσχομεν, πῶς δ᾽ οὐχί; κοὐκ ἠκούσαμεν.

Οἰδίπους

πῶς οὖν τόθ᾽ οὗτος ὁ σοφὸς οὐκ ηὔδα τάδε;

Κρέων

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐφ᾽ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοσόνδε γ' οἶσθα καὶ λέγοις ἂν εὖ φρονῶν.
570

Κρέων

ποῖον τόδ'; εἰ γὰρ οἶδά γ', οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὁθούνεκʼ, εἰ μὴ σοὶ ξυνῆλθε, τὰς ἐμὰς

οὐκ ἄν ποτ' εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

Κρέων

εἰ μὲν λέγει τάδ', αὐτὸς οἶσθ᾽· ἐγὼ δέ σου

μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθ᾽ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν.
575

Οἰδίπους

ἐκμάνθανʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι.

Κρέων

τί δῆτ᾽; ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν γήμας ἔχεις;

Οἰδίπους

ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Κρέων

ἄρχεις δ᾽ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτὰ γῆς ἴσον νέμων;

Οἰδίπους

ἃν ᾖ θέλουσα πάντ᾿ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται.
580

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἰσοῦμαι σφῷν ἐγὼ δυοῖν τρίτος;

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ καὶ κακὸς φαίνει φίλος.

Κρέων

οὔκ, εἰ διδοίης γ᾽ ὡς ἐγὼ σαυτῷ λόγον.

σκέψαι δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον, εἴ τιν᾿ ἂν δοκεῖς

ἄρχειν ἑλέσθαι ξὺν φόβοισι μᾶλλον ἢ
585

ἄτρεστον εὕδοντ', εἰ τά γ' αὔθ᾽ ἕξει κράτη.

ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς ἱμείρων ἔφυν

τύραννος εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ τύραννα δρᾶν,

οὔτ᾽ ἄλλος ὅστις σωφρονεῖν ἐπίσταται.

νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ πάντ᾿ ἄνευ φόβου φέρω,
590

εἰ δ᾽ αὐτὸς ἦρχον, πολλὰ κἂν ἄκων ἔδρων.

πῶς δῆτ᾿ ἐμοὶ τυραννὶς ἡδίων ἔχειν

ἀρχῆς ἀλύπου καὶ δυναστείας ἔφυ;

οὔπω τοσοῦτον ἠπατημένος κυρῶ

ὥστ᾽ ἄλλα χρῄζειν ἢ τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά.
595

νῦν πᾶσι χαίρω, νῦν με πᾶς ἀσπάζεται,

νῦν οἱ σέθεν χρῄζοντες ἐκκαλοῦσί με·

τὸ γὰρ τυχεῖν αὐτοῖσι πᾶν ἐνταῦθ᾽ ἔνι.

πῶς δῆτ᾽ ἐγὼ κεῖνʼ ἂν λάβοιμ᾽ ἀφεὶς τάδε;

οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο νοῦς κακὸς καλῶς φρονῶν.
600

ἀλλ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἐραστὴς τῆσδε τῆς γνώμης ἔφυν

οὔτ᾽ ἂν μετ᾿ ἄλλου δρῶντος ἂν τλαίην ποτέ.

καὶ τῶνδ᾽ ἔλεγχον τοῦτο μὲν Πυθώδ᾽ ἰὼν

πεύθου τὰ χρησθέντ᾽ εἰ σαφῶς ἤγγειλά σοι·

τοῦτ᾽ ἄλλ᾽, ἐάν με τῷ τερασκόπῳ λάβῃς
605

κοινῇ τι βουλεύσαντα, μή μ᾽ ἁπλῇ κτάνῃς

ψήφῳ, διπλῇ δέ, τῇ τ᾿ ἐμῇ καὶ σῇ, λαβών.

γνώμῃ δ᾽ ἀδήλῳ μή με χωρὶς αἰτιῶ.

οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον οὔτε τοὺς κακοὺς μάτην

χρηστοὺς νομίζειν οὔτε τοὺς χρηστοὺς κακούς.
610

φίλον γὰρ ἐσθλὸν ἐκβαλεῖν ἴσον λέγω

καὶ τὸν παρ᾽ αὑτῷ βίοτον, ὃν πλεῖστον φιλεῖ.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐν χρόνῳ γνώσει τάδ' ἀσφαλῶς, ἐπεὶ

χρόνος δίκαιον ἄνδρα δείκνυσιν μόνος,

κακὸν δὲ κἂν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ γνοίης μιᾷ.
615

Χορός

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 463-511 focus

Χορός

τίς ὅντινʼ ἁ θεσπιέπεια Δελφὶς εἶπε πέτρα

ἄρρητʼ ἀρρήτων τελέσαντα φοινίαισι χερσίν;
465

ὥρα νιν ἀελλάδων

ἵππων σθεναρώτερον

φυγᾷ πόδα νωμᾶν.

ἔνοπλος γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἐπενθρῴσκει

πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς ὁ Διὸς γενέτας,
470

δειναὶ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕπονται

κῆρες ἀναπλάκητοι

473

Χορός

ἔλαμψε γὰρ τοῦ νιφόεντος ἀρτίως φανεῖσα

φάμα Παρνασοῦ τὸν ἄδηλον ἄνδρα πάντʼ ἰχνεύειν.

φοιτᾷ γὰρ ὑπʼ ἀγρίαν
475

ὕλαν ἀνά τʼ ἄντρα καὶ

πέτρας ἰσόταυρος

μέλεος μελέῳ ποδὶ χηρεύων,

τὰ μεσόμφαλα γᾶς ἀπονοσφίζων
480

μαντεῖα· τὰ δʼ ἀεὶ

ζῶντα περιποτᾶται.

483

Χορός

δεινὰ μὲν οὖν, δεινὰ ταράσσει σοφὸς οἰωνοθέτας

οὔτε δοκοῦντʼ οὔτʼ ἀποφάσκονθʼ· ὅ τι λέξω δʼ ἀπορῶ.
485

πέτομαι δʼ ἐλπίσιν οὔτʼ, ἐνθάδʼ ὁρῶν οὔτʼ ὀπίσω.

τί γὰρ ἢ Λαβδακίδαις

ἢ τῷ Πολύβου νεῖκος ἔκειτʼ, οὔτε πάροιθέν ποτʼ ἔγωγʼ
490

ἔμαθον, πρὸς ὅτου δὴ βασανίζων βασάνῳ

ἐπὶ τὰν ἐπίδαμον φάτιν εἶμʼ Οἰδιπόδα Λαβδακίδαις

ἐπίκουρος ἀδήλων θανάτων.
495

496

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν οὖν Ζεὺς ὅ τʼ Ἀπόλλων ξυνετοὶ καὶ τὰ βροτῶν

εἰδότες· ἀνδρῶν δʼ ὅτι μάντις πλέον ἢ ʼγὼ φέρεται,
500

κρίσις οὔκ ἔστιν ἀλαθής· σοφίᾳ δʼ ἂν σοφίαν

παραμείψειεν ἀνήρ.

ἀλλʼ οὔποτʼ ἔγωγʼ ἄν, πρὶν ἴδοιμʼ ὀρθὸν ἔπος, μεμφομένων ἂν καταφαίην.
505

φανερὰ γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ, πτερόεσσʼ ἦλθε κόρα

ποτέ, καὶ σοφὸς ὤφθη βασάνῳ θʼ ἁδύπολις τῷ ἀπʼ ἐμᾶς
510

φρενὸς οὔποτʼ ὀφλήσει κακίαν.

Κρέων

ἄνδρες πολῖται, δείνʼ ἔπη πεπυσμένος

κατηγορεῖν μου τὸν τύραννον Οἰδίπουν,

πάρειμʼ ἀτλητῶν. εἰ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς
515

ταῖς νῦν νομίζει πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ πεπονθέναι

λόγοισιν εἴτʼ ἔργοισιν εἰς βλάβην φέρον,

οὔτοι βίου μοι τοῦ μακραίωνος πόθος,

φέροντι τήνδε βάξιν. οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἁπλοῦν

ἡ ζημία μοι τοῦ λόγου τούτου φέρει,
520

ἀλλʼ ἐς μέγιστον, εἰ κακὸς μὲν ἐν πόλει,

κακὸς δὲ πρὸς σοῦ καὶ φίλων κεκλήσομαι.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχʼ ἂν

ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν.

Κρέων

τοὔπος δʼ ἐφάνθη, ταῖς ἐμαῖς γνώμαις ὅτι
525

πεισθεὶς ὁ μάντις τοὺς λόγους ψευδεῖς λέγοι;

Χορός

ηὐδᾶτο μὲν τάδʼ, οἶδα δʼ οὐ γνώμῃ τίνι.

Κρέων

ἐξ ὀμμάτων δʼ ὀρθῶν τε κἀξ ὀρθῆς φρενὸς

κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἃ γὰρ δρῶσʼ, οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ.
530

αὐτὸς δʼ ὅδʼ ἤδη δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

Οἰδίπους

οὗτος σύ, πῶς δεῦρʼ ἦλθες; ἦ τοσόνδʼ ἔχεις

τόλμης πρόσωπον ὥστε τὰς ἐμὰς στέγας

ἵκου, φονεὺς ὢν τοῦδε τἀνδρὸς ἐμφανῶς

λῃστής τʼ ἐναργὴς τῆς ἐμῆς τυραννίδος;
535

φέρʼ εἰπὲ πρὸς θεῶν, δειλίαν ἢ μωρίαν

ἰδών τινʼ ἔν μοι ταῦτʼ ἐβουλεύσω ποεῖν;

ἢ τοὔργον ὡς οὐ γνωριοῖμί σου τόδε

δόλῳ προσέρπον ἢ οὐκ ἀλεξοίμην μαθών;

ἆρʼ οὐχὶ μῶρόν ἐστι τοὐγχείρημά σου,
540

ἄνευ τε πλήθους καὶ φίλων τυραννίδα

θηρᾶν, ὃ πλήθει χρήμασίν θʼ ἁλίσκεται;

543

Κρέων

οἶσθʼ ὡς πόησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων

ἴσʼ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.

Οἰδίπους

λέγειν σὺ δεινός, μανθάνειν δʼ ἐγὼ κακὸς
545

σοῦ· δυσμενῆ γὰρ καὶ βαρύν σʼ ηὕρηκʼ ἐμοί.

Κρέων

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτʼ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζʼ, ὅπως οὐκ εἶ κακός.

Κρέων

εἴ τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν

εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς.
550

Οἰδίπους

εἴ τοι νομίζεις ἄνδρα συγγενῆ κακῶς

δρῶν οὐχ ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην, οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς.

Κρέων

ξύμφημί σοι ταῦτʼ ἔνδικʼ εἰρῆσθαι· τὸ δὲ

πάθημʼ ὁποῖον φὴς παθεῖν, δίδασκέ με.

Οἰδίπους

ἔπειθες ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μʼ ἐπὶ
555

τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα;

Κρέων

καὶ νῦν ἔθʼ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι.

Οἰδίπους

πόσον τινʼ ἤδη δῆθʼ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

Κρέων

δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἄφαντος ἔρρει θανασίμῳ χειρώματι;
560

Κρέων

μακροὶ παλαιοί τʼ ἂν μετρηθεῖεν χρόνοι.

Οἰδίπους

τότʼ οὖν ὁ μάντις οὗτος ἦν ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ;

Κρέων

σοφός γʼ ὁμοίως κἀξ ἴσου τιμώμενος.

Οἰδίπους

ἐμνήσατʼ οὖν ἐμοῦ τι τῷ τότʼ ἐν χρόνῳ;

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γʼ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας.
565

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ κτανόντος ἔσχετε;

Κρέων

παρέσχομεν, πῶς δʼ οὐχί; κοὐκ ἠκούσαμεν.

Οἰδίπους

πῶς οὖν τόθʼ οὗτος ὁ σοφὸς οὐκ ηὔδα τάδε;

Κρέων

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἐφʼ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοσόνδε γʼ οἶσθα καὶ λέγοις ἂν εὖ φρονῶν.
570

Κρέων

ποῖον τόδʼ; εἰ γὰρ οἶδά γʼ, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὁθούνεκʼ, εἰ μὴ σοὶ ξυνῆλθε, τάσδʼ ἐμὰς

οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

Κρέων

εἰ μὲν λέγει τάδʼ, αὐτὸς οἶσθʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ σοῦ

μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθʼ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν.
575

Οἰδίπους

ἐκμάνθανʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι.

Κρέων

τί δῆτʼ; ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν γήμας ἔχεις;

Οἰδίπους

ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Κρέων

ἄρχεις δʼ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτὰ γῆς ἴσον νέμων;

Οἰδίπους

ἃν ᾖ θέλουσα πάντʼ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται.
580

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἰσοῦμαι σφῷν ἐγὼ δυοῖν τρίτος;

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ καὶ κακὸς φαίνει φίλος.

583

Κρέων

οὔκ, εἰ διδοίης γʼ ὡς ἐγὼ σαυτῷ λόγον.

σκέψαι δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον, εἴ τινʼ ἂν δοκεῖς

ἄρχειν ἑλέσθαι ξὺν φόβοισι μᾶλλον ἢ
585

ἄτρεστον εὕδοντʼ, εἰ τά γʼ αὔθʼ ἕξει κράτη.

ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὔτʼ αὐτὸς ἱμείρων ἔφυν

τύραννος εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ τύραννα δρᾶν,

οὔτʼ ἄλλος ὅστις σωφρονεῖν ἐπίσταται.

νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ πάντʼ ἄνευ φόβου φέρω,
590

εἰ δʼ αὐτὸς ἦρχον, πολλὰ κἂν ἄκων ἔδρων.

πῶς δῆτʼ ἐμοὶ τυραννὶς ἡδίων ἔχειν

ἀρχῆς ἀλύπου καὶ δυναστείας ἔφυ;

οὔπω τοσοῦτον ἠπατημένος κυρῶ

ὥστʼ ἄλλα χρῄζειν ἢ τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά.
595

νῦν πᾶσι χαίρω, νῦν με πᾶς ἀσπάζεται,

νῦν οἱ σέθεν χρῄζοντες ἐκκαλοῦσί με·

τὸ γὰρ τυχεῖν αὐτοῖσι πᾶν ἐνταῦθʼ ἔνι.

πῶς δῆτʼ ἐγὼ κεῖνʼ ἂν λάβοιμʼ ἀφεὶς τάδε;

οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο νοῦς κακὸς καλῶς φρονῶν.
600

ἀλλʼ οὔτʼ ἐραστὴς τῆσδε τῆς γνώμης ἔφυν

οὔτʼ ἂν μετʼ ἄλλου δρῶντος ἂν τλαίην ποτέ.

καὶ τῶνδʼ ἔλεγχον τοῦτο μὲν Πυθώδʼ ἰὼν

πεύθου τὰ χρησθέντʼ εἰ σαφῶς ἤγγειλά σοι·

τοῦτʼ ἄλλʼ, ἐάν με τῷ τερασκόπῳ λάβῃς
605

κοινῇ τι βουλεύσαντα, μή μʼ ἁπλῇ κτάνῃς

ψήφῳ, διπλῇ δέ, τῇ τʼ ἐμῇ καὶ σῇ, λαβών·

γνώμῃ δʼ ἀδήλῳ μή με χωρὶς αἰτιῶ.

οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον οὔτε τοὺς κακοὺς μάτην

χρηστοὺς νομίζειν οὔτε τοὺς χρηστοὺς κακούς.
610

φίλον γὰρ ἐσθλὸν ἐκβαλεῖν ἴσον λέγω

καὶ τὸν παρʼ αὑτῷ βίοτον, ὃν πλεῖστον, φιλεῖ.

ἀλλʼ ἐν χρόνῳ γνώσει τάδʼ ἀσφαλῶς, ἐπεὶ

χρόνος δίκαιον ἄνδρα δείκνυσιν μόνος·

κακὸν δὲ κἂν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ γνοίης μιᾷ.
615

616

Χορός

καλῶς ἔλεξεν εὐλαβουμένῳ πεσεῖν,

ἄναξ· φρονεῖν γὰρ οἱ ταχεῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς.

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν ταχύς τις οὑπιβουλεύων λάθρᾳ

χωρῇ, ταχὺν δεῖ κἀμὲ βουλεύειν πάλιν·

εἰ δʼ ἡσυχάζων προσμενῶ, τὰ τοῦδε μὲν
620

πεπραγμένʼ ἔσται, τἀμὰ δʼ ἡμαρτημένα.

Κρέων

τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἦ με γῆς ἔξω βαλεῖν;

Οἰδίπους

ἥκιστα· θνῄσκειν, οὐ φυγεῖν σε βούλομαι.

ὡς ἂν προδείξῃς οἷόν ἐστι τὸ φθονεῖν.

Κρέων

ὡς οὐχ ὑπείξων οὐδὲ πιστεύσων λέγεις;
625

Οἰδίπους

Κρέων

οὐ γὰρ φρονοῦντά σʼ εὖ βλέπω.

Οἰδίπους

τὸ γοῦν ἐμόν.

Κρέων

ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἴσου δεῖ κἀμόν.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἔφυς κακός.

Κρέων

εἰ δὲ ξυνίης μηδέν;

Οἰδίπους

ἀρκτέον γʼ ὅμως.

Κρέων

οὔτοι κακῶς γʼ ἄρχοντος.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ πόλις πόλις.

Κρέων

κἀμοὶ πόλεως μέτεστιν, οὐχί σοι μόνῳ.
630

Χορός

παύσασθʼ, ἄνακτες· καιρίαν δʼ ὑμῖν ὁρῶ

τήνδʼ ἐκ δόμων στείχουσαν Ἰοκάστην, μεθʼ ἧς

τὸ νῦν παρεστὸς νεῖκος εὖ θέσθαι χρεών.

634

Ἰοκάστη

τί τὴν ἄβουλον, ὦ ταλαίπωροι, στάσιν

γλώσσης ἐπήρασθʼ οὐδʼ ἐπαισχύνεσθε γῆς
635

οὕτω νοσούσης ἴδια κινοῦντες κακά;

οὐκ εἶ σύ τʼ οἴκους σύ τε, Κρέων, κατὰ στέγας,

καὶ μὴ τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος εἰς μέγʼ οἴσετε;

Κρέων

ὅμαιμε, δεινά μʼ Οἰδίπους ὁ σὸς πόσις

δρᾶσαι δικαιοῖ δυοῖν ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν
640

ἢ γῆς ἀπῶσαι πατρίδος ἢ κτεῖναι λαβών.

Οἰδίπους

ξύμφημι· δρῶντα γάρ νιν, ὦ γύναι, κακῶς

εἴληφα τοὐμὸν σῶμα σὺν τέχνῃ κακῇ.

Κρέων

μή νυν ὀναίμην, ἀλλʼ ἀραῖος, εἴ σέ τι

δέδρακʼ, ὀλοίμην, ὧν ἐπαιτιᾷ με δρᾶν.
645

Ἰοκάστη

ὦ πρὸς θεῶν πίστευσον, Οἰδίπους, τάδε,

μάλιστα μὲν τόνδʼ ὅρκον αἰδεσθεὶς θεῶν,

ἔπειτα κἀμὲ τούσδε θʼ οἳ πάρεισί σοι.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 463 focus

Whom hath the voice from Delphi’s rocky throne

Loudly declared to have done

Horror unnameable with murdering hand?
465

With speed of storm-swift car

’Tis time he fled afar

With mighty footstep hurrying from the land.

For, armed with lightning brand,

The son of Zeus assails him with fierce bounds,

Hunting with Death’s inevitable hounds.
470

Late from divine Parnassus’ snow-capped height

This utterance sprang to light,

To track by every path the man unknown.

Through woodland caverns deep
475

And o’er the rocky steep

Harbouring in caves he roams the wild alone,

With none to share his moan.

Shunning that prophet-voice’s central sound,

Which ever lives, and haunts him, hovering round.

The reverend Seer hath stirred me with strange awe.
480

Gainsay I cannot, nor yet think him true.

I know not how to speak. My fluttering heart

In wild expectancy sees nothing clear.

Things past and future with the present doubt

Are shrouded in one mist. What quarrel lay
485

’Twixt Cadmus’ issue and Corinthus’ heir

Was never shown me, from old times till now,

By one on whose sure word I might rely

In running counter to the King’s fair fame,

To wreak for Laius that mysterious death.

Zeus and Apollo scan the ways of men
495

With perfect vision. But of mortals here

That soothsayers are more inspired than I

What certain proof is given? A man through wit
500

May pass another’s wisdom in the race.

But never, till I see the word fulfilled,

Will I confirm their clamour ’gainst the King.

In open day the female monster came:

Then perfect witness made his wisdom clear.

Thebè hath tried him and delights in him.
505

Wherefore my heart shall still believe him good.

CR
Enter CREON .

Citizens, hearing of dire calumny

Denounced on me by Oedipus the King,

I am here to make loud protest. If he think,
515

In this embroilment of events, one word

Or deed of mine hath wrought him injury,

I am not careful to prolong my life

Beneath such imputation. For it means

No trifling danger, but disastrous harm,
520

Making my life dishonoured in the state,

And meanly thought of by my friends and you.

CH

Perchance ’twas but the sudden flash of wrath,

Not the deliberate judgement of the soul.

CR

Who durst declare it, that Tirésias spake
525

False prophecies, set on to this by me?

CH

Such things were said, I know not how advised.

CR

And were the eyes and spirit not distraught,

When the tongue uttered this to ruin me?

CH

I cannot say. To what my betters do
530

I am blind. But see, the King comes forth again.

OED
Enter OEDIPUS .

Insolent, art thou here? Hadst thou the face

To bring thy boldness near my palace-roof,

Proved as thou art to have contrived my death

And laid thy robber hands upon my state?
535

Tell me, by heaven, had you seen in me

A coward or a fool, when you planned this?—

Deemed you I should be blind to your attempt

Craftily creeping on, or, when perceived,

Not ward it off? Is’t not a silly scheme,
540

To think to compass without troops of friends

Power, that is only won by wealth and men?

CR

Wilt them be counselled? Hear as much in turn

As thou hast spoken, and then thyself be judge.

OED

I know thy tongue, but I am slow to learn
545

From thee, whom I have found my grievous foe.

CR

First on this very point, hear me declare—

OED

I will not hear that thou art not a villain.

CR

Thine is a shallow judgement, if thou thinkest

Self-will without true thought can bring thee gain.
550

OED

Thine is a shallow judgement, if thou thinkest

Thou canst abuse thy kinsman and be free.

CR

A rightful sentence. But I fain would learn

What wrong is that you speak of?

OED

Tell me this;
555

Didst thou, or not, urge me to send and bring
555

The reverend-seeming prophet?

CR

Yea, and still

I hold that counsel firm.

OED

How long is ’t now

Since Laius—

CR

What? I do not catch your drift.

OED

Vanished in ruin by a dire defeat?
560

CR

’Twere long to count the years that come between.

OED

And did this prophet then profess his art?

CR

Wise then as now, nor less in reverence.

OED

Then at that season did he mention me?

CR

Not in my hearing.
565

OED

But, I may presume,

Ye held an inquisition for the dead?

CR

Yes, we inquired, of course: and could not hear.

OED

Why was he dumb, your prophet, in that day?

CR

I cannot answer, for I do not know.

OED

This you can answer, for you know it well.
570

CR

Say what? I will not gainsay, if I know.

OED

That, but for your advice, he had not dared

To talk of Laius’ death as done by me.

CR

You know, that heard him, what he spake. But I

Would ask thee too a question in my turn.
575

OED

No questioning will fasten blood on me.

CR

Hast thou my sister for thine honoured queen?

OED

The fact is patent, and denial vain.

CR

And shar’st with her dominion of this realm?

OED

All she desires is given her by my will.
580

CR

Then, am not I third-partner with you twain?

OED

There is your villany in breaking fealty.

CR

Not so, if thou wouldst reason with thyself

As I do. First consider one thing well:

Who would choose rule accompanied with fear

Before safe slumbers with an equal sway?
585

’Tis not my nature, no, nor any man’s,

Who follows wholesome thoughts, to love the place

Of domination rather than the power.

Now, without fear, I have my will from thee;

But were I king, I should do much unwillingly.
590

How then can I desire to be a king,

When masterdom is mine without annoy?

Delusion hath not gone so far with me

As to crave more than honour joined with gain.

Now all men hail me happy, all embrace me;
595

All who have need of thee, call in my aid;

For thereupon their fortunes wholly turn.

How should I leave this substance for that show?

No man of sense can harbour thoughts of crime.

Such vain ambition hath no charm for me,
600

Nor could I bear to lend it countenance.

If you would try me, go and ask again

If I brought Phoebus’ answer truly back.

Nay more, should I be found to have devised

Aught in collusion with the seer, destroy me,
605

Not by one vote, but two, mine own with thine.

But do not on a dim suspicion blame me

Of thy mere will. To darken a good name

Without clear cause is heinous wickedness;

And to cast off a worthy friend I call
610

No less a folly than to fling away

What most we love, the life within our breast.

The certainty of this will come with time;

For time alone can clear the righteous man.

An hour suffices to make known the villain.
615

CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 463 focus

Wen meint der weissagende Fels von Pytho, wer hat jene

Wahnsinnsgraunthat blutig verübt mit mordbefleckten Händen?
465

Nun heb' er den Fuß zur Flucht,

Kraftvoller als Rosse mit

Der Schnelle des Sturmwinds!

Denn es stürzt sich auf ihn, mit der Flamme bewehrt,

Mit Feuer und Bliz der Entspross'ne von Zeus;¹
470

Ihm folgen die Keren,²

Schrecklich, unentfliehbar.

Erste Gegenstrophe.

Denn jüngst entscholl hell ein Gebot Parnassos' schneeumhülltem

Felshaupt, mahnt' uns alle, des Unbekannten Spur zu suchen.

Wohl irrt in des Waldgebirgs
475

Wildnissen, in Höhlen und

Felsklüften, dem Stier gleich,

Der Verlass'ne verlassen und einsam umher,

Und entflieht vor dem Spruch, der vom Mittel der Erd'³

Hertönte, der ewig
480

Ihn umschwebt und fortlebt.

Zweite Strophe.

Gräßliches, ach, Gräßliches weiſſagt

Uns der Prophet, was ich zu glauben

Nicht vermag, noch zu verneinen;

Mir versagt zweifelnd das Wort.
485

In der Angst harr' ich und düster

Liegt es vor mir, jezt und hinfort.

Denn ob Polybos' Sohn⁴

Mit Labdakos' Haus je sich entzweit, hört' ich zuvor

Nimmer, vernahm's heute noch nicht, daß
490

Ich daran, wie am Probsteine, belehrt,

Den gefeierten Ruf unseres Herrn schmähte, den Mord

Nächend, an Labdakos' Sohn in der Nacht Dunkel verübt.

Zweite Gegenstrophe.

Freilich durchschau'n Zeus und Apollon

Kundig die Schicksale der Menschen;
495

Doch o wer weise mir nach, daß

Im Geschlecht Sterblicher je

Ein Prophet weiter als ich blickt?

Es besteht siegend die Kunst⁵

Mit der Kunst häufig den Kampf;
500

Nie möcht' ich indeß, eh sich der Spruch deutlich erfüllt,

Loben den Mann, welcher ihn anklagt.

Das geflügelte Weib nahte sich einst,

Und er zeigte sich klug, war in der Noth freundlich dem Land;

Nimmer in meinen Gedanken daher trifft ihn die Schuld.
505
Kreon. Der Chor.

Kreon.

Ihr Bürger, weil ich höre, daß mich Dedipus,

Der König, schwerer Thaten angeschuldigt hat,

Erschein' ich hier von Schmerz erfüllt. Denn wenn er glaubt,

Ich habe, was zu Schaden führt, in dieser Noth

Mit Worten oder durch die That ihm angethan:
510

Dann lange fortzuleben, traun, verlang' ich nicht,

Mit solchem Ruf belastet. Einfach wäre nicht

Der Schaden, der aus diesem Leumund mir ersteht,

Nein, unermeßlich, wenn ich schlecht in dieser Stadt,

Und schlecht vor dir und meinen Freunden heißen soll.
515

Der Chor.

Doch diese Schmähung wurde mehr vielleicht im Zorn

Gewaltsam ausgestoßen als mit Vorbedacht.

Kreon.

Woraus erhellte, daß, verführt durch meinen Rath,

Des Sehers Mund die Lügenworte reden soll?

Der Chor.

So ward gesagt; aus welchem Grunde, weiß ich nicht.
520

Kreon.

Mit offnem Blick des Auges und mit offnem Sinn

Ward solcher Vorwurf ausgesprochen wider mich?

Der Chor.

Ich weiß nicht; was die Herrscher thun, bemerk' ich nicht;

Doch eben tritt er selber aus dem Hause schon.

Oedipus. Die Vorigen.

Oedipus.

Du wagst hieher zu kommen? Hast du solche Stirn
525

Schamloser Frechheit, daß du meiner Schwelle nahst,

Du, der an dieses Mannes Haupt zum Mörder wird,

Und offen sich als Räuber meines Thrones zeigt?

Sprich, bei den Göttern, ob du feigen Sinn an mir,

Ob Aberwiz gewahrtest, daß du dies ersanmst?
530

Nicht ahnen würd' ich, wähntest du, solch tückisches

Vermessen, noch ihm wehren, wenn ich's auch geahnt?

Ist also dein Beginnen nicht ein thörichtes,

Ganz ohne Volk und Freunde nach dem Königthum

Zu jagen, das mit Volk und Gold erobert wird?
535

Kreon.

Was deine Pflicht ist, weißt du's? Auf dein Wort vernimm

Von mir ein Gleiches; dann entscheide selbst belehrt.

Oedipus.

Du bist ein starker Redner; doch ich höre schlecht

Auf dich, in dem ich meinen schlimmsten Feind erkannt.

Kreon.

Hierüber eben höre mich vor Allem jezt.
540

Oedipus.

Hierüber eben schweige, daß du redlich seist.

Kreon.

Wofern du wähnst, ein blindvermess'ner Eigensinn,

Von Weisheit leer, sei löblich, denkst du ganz verkehrt.

Oedipus.

Wofern du wähnst am Blutsverwandten ungestraft

Das Böse thun zu können, denkst du nimmer klug.
545

Kreon.

Daß dieser Ausspruch richtig sei, bekenn' ich gern;

Doch was dir Uebles widerfuhr, belehre mich.

Oedipus.

Sprich, warst du's oder warst du's nicht, der Boten mir

Zum hochberühmten Seher abzusenden rieth?

Kreon.

Und noch besteh' ich unverrückt auf gleichem Sinn.
550

Oedipus.

Wie lange Zeit her ist es schon, das Laïos

Kreon.

Welch eine That begangen? Ich verstehe nicht -

Oedipus.

Spurlos verschwand, von eines Mörders Hand entseelt?

Kreon.

Wohl fern und lange mißt sich schon seitdem die Zeit.

Oedipus.

Und übte damals seine Kunst der Seher schon?
555

Kreon.

Mit gleicher Weisheit übt' er sie, mit gleichem Ruhm.

Oedipus.

Und dacht' er jemals meiner auch in jener Zeit?

Kreon.

Nie, nirgendwo, daß ich in seiner Nähe war.

Oedipus.

Und nach dem Todten stelltet ihr kein Forschen an?

Kreon.

Gewiß: warum nicht? Aber Nichts entdeckten wir.
560

Oedipus.

Warum enthüllt' es dazumal der Weise nicht?

Kreon.

Ich weiß nicht. Wo mir Kunde mangelt, schweig' ich gern.

Oedipus.

Doch weißt du soviel - sag' es, da dir Kunde ward

Kreon.

Was meinst du? Weiß ich's, werd' ich's nicht verheimlichen.

Oedipus.

Der Seher hätte, war er nicht im Bund mit dir,
565

Den Mord an Laïos nimmermehr mein Werk genannt.

Kreon.

Ob dies er aussagt, weißt du selbst; ich aber darf

Nun wohl auch dich befragen, wie du mich gefragt.

Oedipus.

Frag' immer; denn als Mörder werd' ich nicht besteh'n.

Kreon.

Wohlan! Du bist mit meiner Schwester doch vermählt?
570

Oedipus.

Gewiß; verneinen kann ich diese Frage nicht.

Kreon.

Und theilst die Macht, des Landes Herrschaft gleich mit ihr?

Oedipus.

Von mir erhält sie Alles, was sie wünschen mag.

Kreon.

Und steh' ich als der Dritte nicht euch Beiden gleich?

Oedipus.

Hier eben offenbarst du dich als falschen Freund.
575

Kreon.

Nicht, wenn du ruhig prüftest, so wie ich gethan.

Erwäge dies vor Allem: glaubst du, daß ein Mann

Mit Sorgen lieber herrschen wird, als ohne Harm

In Frieden schlummern, wenn die gleiche Macht ihm ward?

Auch ich empfinde keine größ're Lust in mir,
580

Der Herr zu heißen, als dem Herrn es gleich zu thun,

Wie jeder Andre, welcher klug zu sein gelernt.

Denn jezt erlang' ich Alles ohne Furcht von dir;

Als Herrscher müßt' ich Manches unfreiwillig thun.⁶

Wie sollte mir nun süßer sein der Königsthron,
585

Als kummerfreies Walten, als harmlose Macht?

Noch hat mich Thorheit nicht berückt, mir Anderes

Zu wünschen, als das Schöne mit dem Nüzlichen.

Nun grüßt mich Ieder, nun bewillkommt Alles mich;

Nun muß mir Ieder schmeicheln, wer nach dir verlangt;⁷
590

Denn ihr Gelingen ruht allein in meiner Hand.

Wie hascht' ich doch nach Jenem und verschmähte Dies?⁸

Wohl nicht zu Schlechtem wendet sich ein edler Sinn.

Nein, solchen Plan zu hegen kam mir nimmer ein,

Noch böt' ich Andern meinen Arm zu solcher That.
595

Und dies zu prüfen, frage selbst in Pytho nach,

Ob ich dir wahrhaft kundgethan des Gottes Wort:

Dann, wenn du findest, daß ich mit dem Zauberer

Geheimen Rath pflog; nicht verdammt durch Einen Spruch,

Durch zweie gib mir dann den Tod, von mir und dir.
600

Doch klage nicht nach dunklem Wahne bloß mich an:

Unbillig ist es, ohne Grund den schlechten Mann

Für redlich achten und für schlecht den redlichen.

Und wer den edlen Freund verstößt, der, mein' ich, stößt

Von sich das eigne Leben, das sein Höchstes ist.
605

Doch mit der Zeit erkennst du dieses sicher, weil

Die Zeit allein den tadellosen Mann bewährt;

Den Lasterhaften kennst du wohl in Einem Tag.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 513 focus

O citizens ! with grief T hear your king

Hath blasted the fair fame of guiltless Creon !

And most unjustly brands me with a crime

My soul abhors : whilst desolation spreads
515

On every side, and universal ruin

Hangs o'er the land, if I in word or deed

Could join to swell the woes of hapless Thebes,

T were unworthy — nay, I would not wish —

To live another day : alas ! my friends.

Thus to be deemed a traitor to my country,

To you my fellow- citizens, to all
520

That hear me, 'tis infamy and shame ;

I cannot, will not bear it.

Chorus

Of sudden anger only — wliat lie said

But could not think.

Creon

Who told him I suborned
525

The prophet to speak falsely 1 What could raise
525

This vile suspicion ?

Chorus

Such he had, but whence

I know not.

Creon

Talked he thus with firm composure

And confidence of mind ?

Chorus

I cannot say ;
530

'Tis not for me to know the thoughts of kings,
530

Or judge their actions ! But behold ! he comes.

Oedipus
Scene II.

Creon, Chorus.

Oedipus

Ha ! Creon here ? And dar'st thou thus

approach

My palace, thou who wouldst have murdered me,

And ta'en my kingdom? by the gods I ask thee,

Answer me, traitor, didst thou think me fool,

Or coward, that I could not see thy arts,

Or had not strength to vanquish them ? What madness,

What strange infatuation led thee on,

Without or force or friends, to grasp at empire,

Which only their united force can give ?

What wei't thou doing?

Creon
(TDTPUS TYRj

Hear what I shall answer,

Then judge impartial.

But I shall ne'er attend to thee ; thy guilt

Js plain ; thou art my deadliest foe.

CiiEOX. But hear

What I shall urge.
550

Say not, thou'rt innocent.
550

C'REON. If self-opinion void of reason seem
550

Conviction to thee, know, thou errVt most gi'ossly
550

Oedipus
(Edi. Thou canst talk it well,

And thou more grossly, if thou thinkst to pass

Unpunished for this injury to thy friend.

Creon

I should not, were I guilty ; but w^hat crime

Have I committed? Tell me.

The man who urged me to require the aid

Creon
(Edi. Wert not thou Of your all-knowing prophet %

True, I was;

1 did persuade you ; so I would again.

Oedipus

How long is it since Laius

Creon

Laius ! What ?

Oedipus

Since Laius fell by hands unknown?
560

Creon

A long,

Long tract of years.

Oedipus

Was this Tiresias then

Creon
A prophet %

Ay ; in wisdom and in fame

As now excelling.

Oedipus

Did he then say aught

Concerning me 1

Creon

I never heard he did.
565

Oedipus

Touching this murder, did you ne'er inquire

Who were the authors ?

Creon

Doubtless ; but in vain.

Creon
(Edi. Why did not this same prophet then inform you

I know not that, and when I'm ignorant

I'm always silent.

Oedipus

What concerns thyself
570

At least thou knowst, and therefore shouklst declare it.

Creon

What is it 1 Speak ; and if 'tis in my power,

I'll answer thee.

Had not combined with thee, he would not thus

Accuse me as the murderer of Laius,

Creon
(Edi. Thou knowst, if this Tiresias

What he declares, thou best canst tell : of me,

What thou requirest, myself am yet to learn.
575

Oedipus

Go, learn it then ; but ne'er shalt thou discover,

That CEdi pus is guilty.

Creon

Art not thou

My sister's husband ?

Oedipus

Granted.

Creon

Joined with her,

Thou rul'st o'er Thebes.

Oedipus

'Tis true, and all she asks
580

Most fi^eely do I give her.
580

Creon

Is not Creon

In honour next to you ?

Oedipus

Thou art ; and therefore

The more ungrateful.

Creon

Hear what I shall plead

And thou wilt never think so. Tell me, prince,

Is there a man who would prefer a throne.

With all its dangers, to an equal rank
585

In peace and safety 1 I am not of those

Who choose the name of king before the power ;

Fools only make such wishes : I have all

From thee, and fearless I enjoy it all :

Had I the sceptre, often must I act
590

Against my will. Know then, I am not yet

So void of sense and reason as to quit

A real Vantage for a seeming good.

Am I not happy, am I not revered.

Embraced, and loved by all ? To me they come
595

Who want thy favour, and by me acquire it ;

What then should Ci*eon wisli for ; shall he lear©

All this for empire? Bad desires corrupt

The fairest mind. I never entertained

A thought 80 vile, nor would I lend my aid

To forwai'd such base purposes. But go
600

To Delphos, ask the sacred oracle

If I have spoke the truth ; if there you find

That with the prophet I conspired, destroy

The guilty Creon ; not thy voice alone

Shall then condemn me, for myself will join
605

In the just sentence. But accnse me not

On weak suspicion's most uncertain test.

Justice would never call the wicked good,

Or brand fair virtue with the name of vice,

Unmerited : to cast away a friend,
610

Faithful and just, is to deprive ourselves

Of life and being, which we hold most dear :

But time and time alone revealeth all ;

That only shows the good man's excellence :

I A day sufficeth to unmask the wicked.
615

Chorus
(EDIPUS TVRANNUS.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 463 focus

All yet is dark. What wretch abhorr'd,

Grasping with blood-stain'd hand his ruthless sword,
465

From Delphi's high rock-seated shrine

Declares the voice divine

The author of this horrid deed?

Now let him wing his swiftest speed;

The son of Jove upon him flies,
470

Arm'd with the flames and lightenings of the skies :

Dreadful, resistless in their force

The Fates attend his course.

The oracle divinely bright
475

To drag the latent murderer into light

Shone forth, Parnassus, from thy brow

White with eternal snow:

For, like a bull, to secret shades,

To rocks, to caves, to sylvan glades,

Far from the Pythian prophecies

Mournful the solitary wanderer flies:

In vain: they hover round his head,
485

And ceaseless terrors spread.

Dreadful, dreadful things to hear

Utters the prophetic Seer.

Him doth truth, doth falsehood guide?

Fear and hope my soul divide;
495

Painful suspense! The present and the past

Darkening clouds alike o'ercast.

Was wrong by Laius done of old,
500

That made the son of Polybus his foe?

Such in no record is enroll'd;

Nought at this hour of proof I know,

Decreeing as the Seer decreed,

To charge on Edipus the secret deed.

Creon
ANTIS. 1. STRO. 2. ANTIS. 2.

Jove, high ruler of the skies,

And the Pythian god are wise ;

They the deeds of mortals know,

All whate'er is done below :

Of knowledge doth the Seer a brighter ray,

Than illumines me, display?
515

Some deeper drink of wisdom's spring;
515

But proofs, that flash conviction I demand.

The Sphinx display'd her dreadful wing,

His wisdom saved the sinking land;

Then let my grateful soul disdain

To rank the hero with the murderer's train.

Ye citizens of Thebes, th' atrocious crime,

Charged on me by the royal Edipus,

Hath reach'd my ear: my soul disdains the charge.

If in the present ills he deems that aught

Of injury to him by word or deed

By me hath been attempted, let me breathe
520

This vital air no longer, such ill fame
520

Sustaining: for no trivial damage brings

This accusation, but of import high

To me, if I shall be reputed base

By thee, and by my friends, and by the state.

Chorus
CREON, CHORUS.

From violence of passion this reproach

Creon

Haply burst forth, more than from sober thought.

Whence his persuasion that the Seer, with me

In compact, to these falsehoods train'd his tongue?

Chorus

Such things were said, I know not with what thought.

Roll'd his eye wild, disorder'd seem'd his sense,

Against me when this hated charge was urged?

Chorus

I know not; for it is not mine to see
530

What princes do. But this way comes the king.

Oedipus

Darest thou come hither? In thy insolence

Art thou so harden'd, as again to tread

My courts, detected in thy base design

To murder me, and from my brows to rend

The regal crown? Now tell me, by the gods,
535

Hast thou mark'd in me aught of cowardice

Or folly, that encouraged thee to form

Such daring thoughts? Or deem'st thou that the deed,

Creeping with dark insidious step, mine eye

Would not observe; or if observed, my hand

Would not chastise? How frentic thy attempt,
540

Nor friends nor forces thine, at sovereign pow'r,

By multitudes and treasures gain'd, to aim?

Know'st thou what thou wou'dst do? To my reply
545

Give an impartial hearing: learn, then judge.

Oedipus

Potent art thou in speech, but I unapt

To learn from thee, my dark and deadly foe.

Creon

To this now hear me what I first reply.

Oedipus

But this reply not, that thou art not base.

Creon

If thou canst think a self-will'd petulance,

Devoid of reason, good, thou art not wise.

Oedipus

If thou canst think no vengeance will pursue
555

Injustice to a friend, thou art not wise.

Creon

This, I allow, is just; but why alleged?

Show me what wrong thou hast received from me.

Oedipus

Was it not thy suggestion, thy advice,

That I should send to this all-honour'd Seer?

Creon

It was: my judgment yet remains unchanged.

Oedipus

What time hath pass'd since Laius by the hands
560

Of ruffians fell?
560

Creon

We may trace back a length

Of distant time.

Oedipus

And was this prophet then

Famed for his skill?

Creon

For wisdom as renown'd

As now, and highly honour'd.

Oedipus

At that time

Made he of me no mention?

Creon

None: not once
565

When I was present.
565

Oedipus

Made you then no search

To trace this bloody deed?

Creon

We did: but vain

Our anxious care.

Oedipus

Why did not then this Seer

Declare these things?

Creon

I know not; and on points

Unknown I would be silent.

Oedipus

But one point,
570

Thy own concern, is not to thee unknown;
570

And this thou canst disclose.
570

Creon

What is it? Speak;

For nothing known to me will I deny.

Oedipus

Were he not basely leagued with thee, he ne'er

Had said that Laius by my hand was slain.

Creon

If he saith this, thou know'st. I claim the right

To question thee, as thou hast question'd me.
575

Oedipus

Ask what thou wilt; I never shall be found

A blood-stain'd murderer.

Creon

Is my sister thine,

By nuptial ties united ?

Oedipus

Thou hast ask'd

What will not be denied.

Creon

Dost thou not share

With her the sovereign pow'r?

Oedipus

All that is mine
580

I to her will devote.
580

Creon

Is not my seat

The highest, next your throne ?

Oedipus

And for that cause

Creon

Dost thou appear a base and faithless friend.

Not so; wou'dst thou, like me, with temperate thought

Ponder things well. For first reflect, what man

Would choose to be a king, with all the fears
585

On royalty awaiting, might he sleep

Secure of fear, yet kingly pow'r possess ?

It is not in my nature, nor in his

Who knows what wisdom is, to form a wish

To be a monarch, rather than to use
590

A monarch's potency. All things from thee

I now obtain, nor feel the pangs of fear.

Were I a king, I should do many things

Against my will: can then the regal state

Be sweeter to me than my princely rank,
595

And pow'r that knows not care? Nor is my mind

By falsehood so beguiled, that it aspires

To honours which no real good procure.

Now all things give me pleasure; all men now

Greet me with courtesy; now all, who want
600

Favours from thee, address me, for their suits

Through me they all obtain. And shall I quit

These solid pleasures for the empty pomp

Of royalty? A mind to wisdom train'd

Can not be so depraved: I never loved

To form such measures, nor in such would deign
605

To share with others. Dost thou want a proof?

Go to the Pythian shrine, and there inquire

If faithfully the answer of the god

I have reported: if thou find me leagued

In counsels with the Seer, put me to death,
610

And in the sentence shall my voice assent

With thine: but on suspicion void of proof

Condemn me not: the just not lightly deem

The base man honest, or the honest base.

For he, that throws a faithful friend away,
615

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 463-510 focus

Chorus

Who is he of whom the divine voice from the Delphian rock has said

to have wrought with blood-red hands horrors that no tongue can tell? It is time that he ply in flight a foot stronger than the feet of storm-swift steeds.
465

The son of Zeus is springing upon him with fiery lightning, and with him come the dread unerring Fates.
470

473

Chorus

Recently the message has flashed forth from snowy Parnassus

ordering all to search for the unknown man. He wanders under cover of the wild wood, among caves and rocks, fierce as a bull, wretched and forlorn on his joyless path, still seeking to separate himself from the doom revealed at the central shrine of the earth.
475

But that doom lives forever, forever flits around him.
480

483

Chorus

The wise augur moves me, neither approving nor denying, with dread, with dread indeed.

I am at a loss what to say. I am flustered in my expectations, seeing neither the present nor the future clearly. Never in past days or in these have I heard how the house of Labdacus or the son of Polybus had any quarrel with one another that
485

I could bring as proof in assailing the public reputation of Oedipus, seeking to avenge the line of Labdacus
490

for the undiscovered murder.
495

496

Chorus

Zeus and Apollo indeed are keen of thought and know the affairs of the earth.

But there is no sure test of whether a mortal seer attains more knowledge than I do, though man may surpass man in wisdom. But until I see the word made good, I will never assent when men blame Oedipus. Before all eyes the winged maiden came against him once upon a time, and he was seen to be wise,
500

and bore the test in welcome service to the state. Never, therefore, will he be adjudged guilty of evil.
510

Creon

Fellow citizens, having learned that Oedipus the king lays dire charges against me, I have come in indignation.

If he thinks that in the present troubles he has suffered from me, by word or by deed, anything harmful, truly I do not desire my full term of years, when I must bear such blame as this. The wrong of this rumor
515

touches me not in one point alone, but has the largest scope, if I am to be called a traitor in the city, a traitor by you and by my friends.
520

Chorus

But perhaps this taunt came under the stress of anger, rather than from the purpose of his heart.

Creon

Was the opinion given that my counsels had brought the seer to utter his falsehoods?
525

Chorus

Such things were said—I do not know with what meaning.

Creon

And was this charge laid against me with steady eyes and steady mind?

Chorus

I do not know. I see not what my masters do. But here comes our lord from the house.
530

Oedipus enters.

Oedipus

You, how did you get here? Are you so boldfaced that you have come to my house, you who are manifestly the murderer of its master,

the palpable thief of its crown? Come, tell me, in the name of the gods, was it cowardice or folly which you saw in me and which led you to plot this thing? Did you think that I would not notice this deed of yours creeping upon me by stealth, or that if I became aware of it I would not ward it off?
535

Is your attempt not foolish, to seek the throne without followers or friends—a prize which followers and wealth must win?
540

543

Creon

Mark me now: hear a fair reply in answer to your words, and then judge for yourself on the basis of knowledge.

Oedipus

You are apt in speech, but I have a poor wit for lessons, since I have found you a malignant foe.
545

Creon

Now hear first how I will explain this very thing.

Oedipus

One thing—that you are not false—do not bother to explain to me.

Creon

If you think that stubbornness

without sense is a virtue, you are not wise.
550

Oedipus

If you think you can wrong a kinsman and escape the penalty, you are not sane.

Creon

Justly said, I grant you: but tell me what the wrong is that you say you are suffering at my hands.

Oedipus

Did you, or did you not, advise me to send for that reverend seer?
555

Creon

Even now I am of the same mind.

Oedipus

How long is it, then, since Laius . . .

Creon

Did what? I do not understand.

Oedipus

was swept out of sight by deadly violence?
560

Creon

The count of years would run far into the past.

Oedipus

Did this seer possess this skill in those days?

Creon

He was wise as now, and held in equal honor.

Oedipus

Did he make mention of me at that time?

Creon

Never, certainly, when I was within hearing.
565

Oedipus

Did you never investigate the murder?

Creon

Due search we made, of course, though we learned nothing.

Oedipus

And how was it that this sage did not tell this story then.

Creon

I do not know: where I lack insight it is my custom to be silent.

Oedipus

This much, at least, you know, and could declare with insight enough.
570

Creon

What is that? If I know it, I will not deny it.

Oedipus

That, if he had not conferred with you, he would not have named me as Laius’ slayer.

Creon

If he says this, you know best: but I deem it just

to learn from you as much as you have from me now.
575

Oedipus

Learn your fill. I will never be found guilty of the bloodshed.

Creon

Say, then—have you married my sister?

Oedipus

The question allows no denial.

Creon

And you rule the land as she does, with equal sway.

Oedipus

She obtains from me all that she wishes.
580

Creon

And do I not rank as a third peer of you two?

Oedipus

It is just in this that you are seen to be a false friend.

583

Creon

Not so, if you would reason with your heart as I do with mine. Weigh this first—whether you think that anyone would

choose to rule amid terrors rather than in unruffled peace, granted that he is to have the same powers. Now I, for one, have by nature no yearning to rule as a king rather than to do kingly deeds, and neither does any man I know who has a sound mind.
585

For now I attain all everything from you without fear, but, if I were ruler myself, I would have to do much that went against my own pleasure.
How, then, could royalty be sweeter to me to have than painless rule and influence? I am not yet so misguided
590

that I desire other honors than those which bring profit. Now, every man has a greeting for me; now, all that have a request of you crave to speak with me, since in me lies all their hope of success. Why then should I give up these things and take those others?
595

No mind will become false while it is wise. No, I am no lover of such a policy, and if another put it into action, I could never bear to go along with him. And, in proof of this, first go to Pytho , and ask whether I brought a true report of the oracle.
600

Then next, if you have found that I have planned anything in concert with the soothsayer, take and slay me, by the sentence not of one mouth, but of two—by my own no less than yours. But do not assume my guilt on unproven inference. It is not just to judge bad men good at random,
605

or good men bad. I think that casting off a true friend is for a man like casting away the life in his own bosom, which he most loves. You will surely learn about these affairs in time, since time alone reveals a just man.
610

But you can discern a bad man even in one day alone.
615

616

Chorus

He has spoken well, my king, for one who is taking care not to fall: those who are quick in counsel are not sure.

Oedipus

When the stealthy plotter is moving on me quickly, I, too, must be quick in my counterplot.

If I await him in repose, his ends will have been gained, and mine lost.
620

Creon

What do you want then? To banish me from the land?

Oedipus

Hardly. I desire your death, not your exile, so that I might show what a thing envy is.

Creon

Are you resolved not to yield or believe?
625

Oedipus

No, for you persuade me that you are unworthy of trust.

Creon

No, for I see you are not sane.

Oedipus

Sane, at least, in my own interest.

Creon

But you should be so in mine also.

Oedipus

You are false.

Creon

But if you understand nothing?

Oedipus

Still I must rule.

Creon

Not if you rule badly.

Oedipus

Hear him, city of Thebes !

Creon

The city is mine too, not yours alone.
630

Chorus

Cease, lords. In good time I see Iocasta coming from the house, with whose help you should resolve your present feud.

634 Iocasta enters.

Iocasta

Misguided men, why have you raised

such a foolish argument? Are you not ashamed, while the land is so sick, to stir up troubles of your own? Come, go into the house—and you, Creon, go to yours—and stop making so much of a petty grief.
635

Creon

Kinswoman, Oedipus, your husband,

wants to do one of two terrible things to me, either to thrust me from the land of my fathers or to arrest and slay me.
640

Oedipus

Yes indeed, for I have caught him, lady, working evil against my person with his wicked craft.

Creon

May I derive no benefit,

but perish accursed, if I have done any of the things of which you charge me.
645

Iocasta

In the name of the gods, believe it, Oedipus, first for the sake of this awful oath to the gods, then for my sake and for the sake of those who stand before you.

Notes on the current edition

Oedipus Tyrannus

1. Campbell cites line 479, which is not represented by the same numbered line span in the Storr reference XML; the link targets the narrowest available Storr passage, 478-480.

2. Campbell cites line 488, which is not represented by the same numbered line span in the Storr reference XML; the link targets the narrowest available Storr passage, 487-490.

3. Campbell cites line 498, which is not represented by the same numbered line span in the Storr reference XML; the link targets the narrowest available Storr passage, 496-500.

4. Campbell cites line 503, which is not represented by the same numbered line span in the Storr reference XML; the link targets the narrowest available Storr passage, 502-505.

5. Campbell cites line 503, which is not represented by the same numbered line span in the Storr reference XML; the link targets the narrowest available Storr passage, 502-505.

6. The source transcription labels this note 513ff; the CTS citation was normalized to 513.

7. The source transcription labels this note 583ff; the CTS citation was normalized to 583.

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-130-1 ὧν … ἀνάριθμος ¹

mvp-comment-131-1 γένεθλα ² νηλέα ³ ἀνοίκτως ⁴

mvp-comment-132-1 ἐν δ’ ⁵ ἔπι ⁶

mvp-comment-133-1 ἀκτὰν παρὰ βώμιον ⁷ ἄλλοθεν ἄλλαν ⁸

mvp-comment-134-1 ἱκτῆρες ⁹ λυγρῶν πόνων ¹⁰

mvp-comment-135-1 λάμπει ¹¹ ὅμαυλος ¹²

mvp-comment-136-1 ὧν ὕπερ ¹³

mvp-comment-136-2 εὐῶπα ἀλκάν ¹⁴

mvp-comment-137-1 Ἄρεά τε ¹⁵ μαλερόν ¹⁶ ἄχαλκος ἀσπίδων ¹⁷

mvp-comment-138-1 περιβόατον ¹⁸ ἀντιάζω ¹⁹

mvp-comment-139-1 νωτίσαι ²⁰ δράμημα ²¹ πάτρας ²²

mvp-comment-140-1 ἔπουρον ²³ μέγαν | θάλαμον Ἀμφιτρίτας ²⁴ μέγαν ²⁵

mvp-comment-141-1 ἀπόξενον ²⁶

mvp-comment-141-2 ἀπόξενος ὅρμος ²⁷

mvp-comment-142-1 τελεῖν γὰρ … ἔρχεται ²⁸ τελεῖν ²⁹ τελεῖν ³⁰ τέλει ³¹

mvp-comment-142-2 εἰ … ἀφῇ ³²

mvp-comment-143-1 ἐπ’ … ἔρχεται ³³

mvp-comment-144-1 τόν ³⁴

mvp-comment-145-1 Λύκειε ³⁵

mvp-comment-146-1 ἀγκυλᾶν ³⁶

mvp-comment-147-1 ἐνδατεῖσθαι ³⁷

mvp-comment-148-1 προσταθέντα ³⁸

mvp-comment-149-1 Ἀρτέμιδος αἴγλας ³⁹

mvp-comment-150-1 Λύκῑ ὄρεα διᾴσσει ⁴⁰ Λύκια ⁴¹

mvp-comment-151-1 τὸν χρυσομίτραν ⁴²

mvp-comment-152-1 τᾶσδ’ ἐπώνυμον γᾶς ⁴³

mvp-comment-153-1 οἰνῶπα … εὔιον ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-154-1 Μαινάδων ὁμόστολον ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-155-1 ἀγλαῶπι ⁴⁶ σύμμαχον ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-156-1 τὸν ἀπότιμον ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-156-2 θεόν ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-157-1 αἰτεῖς ⁵⁰ ἃ δ’ αἰτεῖς ⁵¹ τἄμ’ ⁵²

mvp-comment-158-1 κλύων ⁵³ δέχεσθαι ⁵⁴ τῇ νόσῳ ὑπηρετεῖν ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-159-1 ἀλκὴν ⁵⁶ ἀνακούφισιν ⁵⁷ κακῶν ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-160-1 ἁγὼ ξένος μὲν ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-161-1 ξένος ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-162-1 τοῦ πραχθέντος ⁶¹

mvp-comment-163-1 οὐ γὰρ ἂν μακρὰν … ἴχνευον ⁶² αὐτός ⁶³

mvp-comment-164-1 νῦν δ’ ⁶⁴ ὕστερος ⁶⁵ εἰς ἀστοὺς τελῶ ⁶⁷ ἀστὸς εἰς ἀστοὺς ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-165-1 κεἰ μὲν φοβεῖται τοὐπίκλημ’ ὑπεξελεῖν ⁶⁹ ὑπεξελεῖν | αὐτὸν καθ’ αὑτοῦ ⁷⁰ κελεύω ⁷¹ ὑπεξελεῖν τὸ ἐπίκλημα ⁷²

mvp-comment-166-1 ἀβλαβής ⁷³

mvp-comment-167-1 ἄλλον … ἐξ ἄλλης χθονὸς ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-168-1 τὸ κέρδος ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-169-1 προσκείσεται ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-170-1 φίλου, αὑτοῦ ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-170-2 φίλου δείσας ⁷⁸ τοὔπος … τόδε ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-171-1 ἀπαυδῶ ⁸⁰ τινα γῆς τῆσδε ⁸¹ μήτ’ ἐσδέχεσθαι μήτε προσφωνεῖν ⁸² τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, ὅστις ἐστί ⁸³ γῆς ⁸⁴ μήτε … μήτε ⁸⁵ ἐσδέχεσθαι ⁸⁶ προσφωνεῖν ⁸⁷ εὐχαῖσι ⁸⁸ θύμασιν ⁸⁹ θύμασιν ⁹⁰ εὐχαῖσι ⁹¹ μήτε κοινὸν ποιεῖσθαι ⁹² ἐν … εὐχαῖσι μήτε θύμασιν ⁹³

mvp-comment-172-1 κοινὸν ⁹⁴ χέρνιβος ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-173-1 ὠθεῖν δὲ ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-174-1 These six verses are placed by some editors between 272 and 273. See Appendix.

mvp-comment-175-1 κατεύχομαι ⁹⁷ κατεύχομαι ⁹⁸ εἴτε τις ⁹⁹ τις ¹⁰⁰ εἷς ¹⁰¹ τις ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-176-1 νιν ἄμορον ¹⁰³ νιν ¹⁰⁴ κακὸν κακῶς ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-177-1 ἐπεύχομαι ¹⁰⁶ οἴκοισιν … ξυνέστιος ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-178-1 τοῖσδ’ ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-179-1 ἀκάρπως κἀθέως ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-180-1 εἰκὸς ἦν ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-180-2 οὕτως ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-181-1 βασιλέως τ’ ¹¹²

mvp-comment-182-1 κυρῶ τ’ ἐγὼ ¹¹³

mvp-comment-183-1 ὁμόσπορον ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-184-1 κοινῶν παίδων κοινὰ ἦν ἂν ἐκπεφυκότα ¹¹⁵ κοινῶν ¹¹⁶ εἰ κείνῳ γένος | μὴ δυστύχησεν ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-185-1 νῦν δ’ ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-185-2 ἐνήλατο ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-186-1 ἀνθ’ ὧν ¹²⁰ ὦν ¹²¹

mvp-comment-186-2 τάδ’ ¹²² ὑπερμαχοῦμαι ¹²³

mvp-comment-187-1 ὑπερμαχοῦμαι ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-187-2 κἀπὶ πάντ’ ἀφίξομαι ¹²⁵ ζητῶν ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-188-1 τῷ Λαβδακείῳ παιδὶ ¹²⁷ Λαβδακείῳ—Πολυδώρου ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-189-1 construe: καὶ εὔχομαι τοῖς ταῦτα μὴ δρῶσιν ¹²⁹ θεοὺς ἀνιέναι αὐτοῖς μήτ’ ἄροτόν τινα γῆς, μήτ’ οὖν γυναικῶν παῖδας ¹³⁰ θεοὺς ¹³¹ ἀνιέναι ¹³² εὔχομαι ¹³³

mvp-comment-190-1 μήτ’ οὖν ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-191-1 φθερεῖσθαι ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-192-1 τοῖς ἄλλοισι ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-192-2 ἔστ’ ἀρέσκοντ’ ¹³⁷ ἥ τε σύμμαχος Δίκη ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-193-1 εὖ ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-193-2 ὥσπερ μ’ ἀραῖον ¹⁴⁰ ὧδε ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-193-3 ἀραῖον ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-194-1 γὰρ ¹⁴³ ἔκτανον ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-195-1 δεῖξαι ¹⁴⁵ τὸ ζήτημα ¹⁴⁶ τόδ’ εἰπεῖν ¹⁴⁷ ὅστις εἴργασται ¹⁴⁸ τὸ ζήτημα ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-196-1 ἃν μὴ θέλωσιν ¹⁵⁰ ἃν ¹⁵¹ οὐδ’ ἂν εἷς ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-197-1 ἐκ τῶνδε ¹⁵³ δεύτερα ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-197-2 ἂν λέγοιμι ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-198-1 τὸ μὴ οὐ ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-199-1 ἄνακτ’ ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-199-2 ταὐτὰ ὁρῶντα ¹⁵⁸ ὁρῶντα ¹⁵⁹ ταὐτὰ ¹⁶⁰ ἄνακτ’ ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-200-1 οὐκ ἐν ἀργοῖς τοῦτο ¹⁶² ἐπραξάμην ¹⁶³ ἐν ¹⁶⁴ ἀργοῖς ¹⁶⁵

mvp-comment-201-1 διπλοῦς | πομπούς ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-202-1 μὴ παρὼν θαυμάζεται ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-203-1 τά γ’ ἄλλα … ἔπη ¹⁶⁸ κωφὰ ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-204-1 τὰ ποῖα ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-205-1 ὁδοιπόρων ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-206-1 τὸν δ’ ἰδόντ’ ¹⁷² ἰδόντα ¹⁷³

mvp-comment-207-1 The subject to ἔχει ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-207-2 δείματός γ’ ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-208-1 τὰς σὰς … ἀράς ¹⁷⁶ τοιάσδε ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-208-2 οὑξελέγξων ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-209-1 ᾧ ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-210-1 ἐμπέφυκεν ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-210-2 ἀνθρώπων μόνῳ ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-211-1 ὦ πάντα νωμῶν ¹⁸²

mvp-comment-211-2 διδακτά τε—ἄρρητά τε ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-212-1 οὐράνιά τε καὶ χθονοστιβῆ ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-213-1 μέν ¹⁸⁵ φρονεῖς δ’ ¹⁸⁶ δὲ ¹⁸⁷ φρονεῖς ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-214-1 ἧς ¹⁸⁹ προστάτην ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-215-1 μοῦνον ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-216-1 εἰ καὶ μὴ κλύεις ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-217-1 μαθόντες εὖ ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-218-1 ἀπ’ οἰωνῶν φάτιν ¹⁹⁴ φάτιν ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-218-2 ἄλλην ὁδόν ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-219-1 ῥῦσαι σεαυτὸν ¹⁹⁷ ῥῦσαι μίασμα ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-219-2 πᾶν μίασμα ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-219-3 τοῦ τεθνηκότος ²⁰⁰ πᾶν ²⁰¹ μίασμα ²⁰² ῥῦσαι ²⁰³

mvp-comment-220-1 ἐν σοὶ ²⁰⁴

mvp-comment-220-2 ἄνδρα ²⁰⁵ ὠφελεῖν ²⁰⁶ ἀφ’ ὦν ἔχοι τε καὶ δύναιτο ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-221-1 λύῃ ²⁰⁸ τέλη λύῃ ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-221-2 ταῦτα γὰρ ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-222-1 διώλεσ’ ²¹¹

mvp-comment-223-1 τί δ’ ἔστιν; ²¹²

mvp-comment-224-1 διοίσω ²¹³

mvp-comment-224-2 πίθῃ ²¹⁴

mvp-comment-225-1 οὔτ’ ἔννομ’ ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-226-1 ἀποστερῶν ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-226-2 φάτιν ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-227-1 ὁρῶ γὰρ ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-228-1 πρὸς καιρόν ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-228-2 ὡς οὖν ²²⁰ μηδέ ²²¹ μηδ’ ἐγώ ²²² μὴ λέγων ²²³

mvp-comment-229-1 μὴ πρὸς θεῶν ²²⁴

mvp-comment-229-2 φρονῶν γ’ ²²⁵

mvp-comment-230-1 ἐγὼ δ’ οὐ μή ποτε ἐκφήνω τὰ ἐμὰ (ὡς ἂν μὴ εἴπω τὰ σἂ κακά ²²⁶ τὰ ἐμὰ κακά ²²⁷ τὰ σὰ κακά ²²⁸ ὡς ἂν ²²⁹ ὡς ἂν μή ²³⁰ ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ ²³¹ τἄμ’ ²³² ἐκφήνω ²³³ εἴπω ²³⁴

mvp-comment-231-1 ξυνειδὼς ²³⁵

mvp-comment-232-1 ἐγὼ οὔτ’ ²³⁶

mvp-comment-232-2 ταῦτ’ ²³⁷

mvp-comment-233-1 πέτρου | φύσιν ²³⁸

mvp-comment-234-1 ποτέ ²³⁹

mvp-comment-235-1 ἀτελεύτητος ²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-236-1 ἐμέμψω ²⁴¹ ὁμοῦ | ναίουσαν ²⁴² τὴν σὴν ²⁴³ ὁμοῦ ναίουσαν ²⁴⁴ κατεῖδες ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-237-1 ἀλλ’ ἐμὲ ψέγεις ²⁴⁶

mvp-comment-238-1 The emphasis on τοιαῦτα ²⁴⁷ οὐκ ²⁴⁸ ἂν ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-239-1 ἃ … ἀτιμάζεις πόλιν ²⁵⁰ ἀτιμάζεις ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-240-1 ἥξει γὰρ αὐτά ²⁵² ἥξει ²⁵³ αὐτά ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-241-1 οὐκοῦν ἅ γ’ ἥξει ²⁵⁵ χρὴ ²⁵⁶ καὶ σὲ ²⁵⁷ καὶ ²⁵⁸ σὲ ²⁵⁹ λέγειν ²⁶⁰ ἥξει ²⁶¹ ἅ γ’ ἥξει ²⁶² γε ²⁶³

mvp-comment-242-1 οὐκ ἂν πέρα φράσαιμι ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-242-2 ἥτις ἀγριωτάτη ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-243-1 καὶ μὴν ²⁶⁶ γε ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-243-2 ὡς ὀργῆς ἔχω ²⁶⁸ παρήσω … οὐδὲν ²⁶⁹ ἅπερ ξυνίημ’ ²⁷⁰ ξυνίημι ²⁷¹ γὰρ ²⁷² ἴσθι ²⁷³

mvp-comment-244-1 καὶ ξυμφυτεῦσαι … εἰργάσθαι θ’. καί … τε ²⁷⁴ καί ²⁷⁵ ξυμφυτεῦσαι ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-244-2 ὅσον ²⁷⁷ μὴ καίνων ²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-245-1 καὶ τοὔργον … τοῦτο ²⁷⁹

mvp-comment-246-1 ἄληθες; ²⁸⁰ ἐννέπω σὲ … ἐμμένειν ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-247-1 ᾦπερ προεῖπας ²⁸² ᾦπερ ²⁸³

mvp-comment-248-1 ὡς ὄντι … μιάστορι ²⁸⁴ ἐμέ ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-249-1 ἐξεκίνησας ²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-250-1 καὶ ποῦ ²⁸⁷ ποῦ ²⁸⁸ καί ²⁸⁹ τοῦτο φεύγειν ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-251-1 ἰσχῦον ²⁹¹

mvp-comment-251-2 τρέφω ²⁹²

mvp-comment-251-3 τέχνης ²⁹³

mvp-comment-252-1 προὐτρέψω ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-253-1 ἢ κπειρᾷ λέγων; ²⁹⁵ λέγων ²⁹⁶ λέγων ²⁹⁷ λέγων ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-254-1 οὐχ ὥστε γ’ ²⁹⁹ γνωστόν ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-255-1 οὖ ζητεῖς ³⁰¹

mvp-comment-256-1 ἀλλ’ οὔ τι χαίρων ³⁰² πημονὰς ³⁰³

mvp-comment-257-1 εἴπω ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-258-1 σὺν τοῖς φιλτάτοις ³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-259-1 ἵν’ εἶ κακοῦ ³⁰⁶

mvp-comment-260-1 ἦ καὶ ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-261-1 πλὴν σοί· σοὶ δὲ ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-262-1 ἄθλιος ³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-263-1 οὐδεὶς ³¹⁰ ὃς οὐχὶ ³¹¹

mvp-comment-264-1 μιᾶς τρέφει πρὸς νυκτός ³¹² μιᾶς ³¹³

mvp-comment-265-1 ( οὐκ ἐγώ σε βλάψω), οὐ γὰρ μοῖρα ³¹⁴

mvp-comment-266-1 ἐκπρᾶξαι ³¹⁵ τάδε ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-267-1 Κρέων δὲ ³¹⁷

mvp-comment-268-1 τῷ πολυζήλῳ βίῳ ³¹⁸ ὑπερφέρουσα ³¹⁹ πολυζήλῳ ³²⁰ τέχνη τέχνης | ὑπερφέρουσα ³²¹

mvp-comment-269-1 παρ’ ὑμῖν … φυλάσσεται ³²² φυλάσσεται ³²³

mvp-comment-270-1 δωρητόν, οὐκ αἰτητόν ³²⁴

mvp-comment-271-1 ταύτης ³²⁵

mvp-comment-272-1 ὑφεὶς ³²⁶ μάγος ³²⁷ ἀγύρτης ³²⁸

mvp-comment-273-1 ἀγύρτην ³²⁹

mvp-comment-273-2 ἐν τοῖς κέρδεσιν ³³⁰

mvp-comment-274-1 ἐπεὶ ³³¹

mvp-comment-274-2 ποῦ; ³³²

mvp-comment-274-3 εἶ σαφής ³³³

mvp-comment-275-1 κύων ³³⁴

mvp-comment-275-2 ῥαψῳδὸς ³³⁵

mvp-comment-276-1 τό γ’ αἴνιγμ’ ³³⁶ ὁ ἐπιών ³³⁷

mvp-comment-276-2 διειπεῖν ³³⁸

mvp-comment-277-1 ἣν οἴτ’ ἀπ’ οἰωνῶν ἔχων οὔτ’ ἐκ θεῶν του γνωτὸν ³³⁹ προὐφάνης ³⁴⁰ ἀπ’ ³⁴¹ ἐκ ³⁴² προὐφάνης ³⁴³ ἀπό ³⁴⁴ ἐκ ³⁴⁵ θεῶν του ³⁴⁶ γνωτόν ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-277-2 μολών ³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-278-1 ὁ μηδὲν εἰδὼς ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-279-1 πέλας ³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-280-1 κλαίων ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-280-2 ὁ συνθεὶς ³⁵²

mvp-comment-281-1 ἀγηλατεῖν = τὸ ἄγος ἐλαύνειν(see on 98), in this case ἀνδρηλατεῖν (100), to expel the μιάστωρ. Hdt. 5.72

Κλεομένης … ἀγηλατέει ἑπτακόσια ἐπίστια

(households) Ἀθηναίων. The smooth breathing is supported by Hesychius, by the grammarians in Bekker's Anecd. 1.328.32, and by most MSS. of Soph.; while the aspirate is given by L here, by Eustathius (1704, 5), and by Suidas, who quotes this verse. Curtius distinguishes (1) ἀγ‐, ἄγ‐ος, guilt, object of awe, whence ἐναγής: Skt. ag-as, vexation, offence: Etym. sect. 116: (2) root ἅγ, ἅζ‐ο‐μαι reverence, ἅγ‐ιο‐ς holy, ἁγ‐νό‐ς pure: Skt. jage(jaegea_-mi), reverence, consecrate: Etym. sect. 118. In Aesch. Lib. 154 and Soph. Ant. 775 he would with Herm. write ἅγος as = “consecrated offering.” In both places, however, ἄγος(= piaculum) satisfies the sense (see n. on Soph. Ant. 775 ); and for ἅγος there is no other evidence. But this, at least, seems clear: the compound synonym for τὸ ἄγος ἐλαύνειν( Thuc. 1.126 ) should be written ἀγηλατεῖν. δόκεις ³⁵³

mvp-comment-282-1 παθὼν ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-282-2 οἶά ³⁵⁵ περ φρονεῖς ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-283-1 ὀργῇ ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-283-2 καὶ τὰ σ’ ³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-284-1 τόδε ³⁵⁹ λύσομεν ³⁶⁰

mvp-comment-285-1 εἰ καὶ ³⁶¹ εἰ καὶ ³⁶²

mvp-comment-285-2 ἐξισωτέον ³⁶³

mvp-comment-286-1 Λοξίᾳ ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-286-2 ὥστ’ οὐ κρέοντος ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-286-3 γεγράψομαι ³⁶⁶ Κρέοντος ³⁶⁷

mvp-comment-287-1 λέγω δ’ ³⁶⁸

mvp-comment-287-2 τυφλόν μ’ ὠνείδισας ³⁶⁹

mvp-comment-288-1 σὺ καὶ δέδορκας ³⁷⁰

mvp-comment-289-1 ἔνθα ναίεις ³⁷¹

mvp-comment-290-1 ἆρ’ οἶσθα ³⁷² καὶ ³⁷³

mvp-comment-291-1 ἀμφιπλὴξ ³⁷⁴ μητρός, πατρός ³⁷⁵

mvp-comment-292-1 δεινόπους ³⁷⁶

mvp-comment-293-1 Βλέποντα ³⁷⁷ βλέπειν σκότον ³⁷⁸

mvp-comment-294-1 βοῆς δὲ ³⁷⁹ λιμήν ³⁸⁰

mvp-comment-295-1 ποῖος Κιθαιρὼν ³⁸¹

mvp-comment-295-2 τὸν ὑμέναιον ὃν εἰσέπλευσας ³⁸² δόμοις ³⁸³

mvp-comment-295-3 εὐπλοίας τυχών ³⁸⁴

mvp-comment-296-1 ἄλλων δὲ ³⁸⁵ ἄλλων πλῆθος κακῶν ³⁸⁶

mvp-comment-297-1 ἅ σ’ ἐξισώσει ³⁸⁷ ἅ σ’ ³⁸⁸

mvp-comment-298-1 τοὐμὸν στόμα ³⁸⁹

mvp-comment-298-2 προπηλάκιζε ³⁹⁰

mvp-comment-298-3 ἐκτριβήσεται ³⁹¹

mvp-comment-299-1 οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρον; ³⁹²

mvp-comment-299-2 πάλιν ἄψορρος ³⁹³ οἴκων τῶνδ’ ³⁹⁴ ἀποστραφείς ³⁹⁵

mvp-comment-300-1 ἱκόμην … ἐκάλεις ³⁹⁶

mvp-comment-301-1 σχολῇ σ’ ἄν ³⁹⁷

mvp-comment-301-2 οἴκους ³⁹⁸

mvp-comment-301-3 ἐστειλάμην ³⁹⁹

mvp-comment-302-1 τοιοίδ’ ⁴⁰⁰ μῶροι … ἔμφρονες ⁴⁰¹

mvp-comment-302-2 ὡς μὲν σοὶ δοκεῖ. σοὶ ⁴⁰² σοὶ ⁴⁰³ γονεῦσι ⁴⁰⁴ δοκεῖ ⁴⁰⁵ σοὶ ⁴⁰⁶ δοκεῖ ⁴⁰⁷ ὡς μὲν σοὶ ⁴⁰⁸ ὡς δοκεῖ ⁴⁰⁹

mvp-comment-302-3 γονεῦσι ⁴¹⁰

mvp-comment-303-1 ἐκφύει ⁴¹¹

mvp-comment-304-1 οὔκουν κ.τ.λ. ⁴¹²

mvp-comment-304-2 τοιαῦτ’ ὀνείδιζέ (μοι ⁴¹³

mvp-comment-304-3 τοιαῦτα … οἷς ⁴¹⁴

mvp-comment-305-1 αὕτη γε μέντοι ⁴¹⁵ γε ⁴¹⁶ μέντοι ⁴¹⁷ γε ⁴¹⁸

mvp-comment-305-2 τύχη ⁴¹⁹

mvp-comment-305-3 ἐξέσωσ’ ⁴²⁰

mvp-comment-306-1 κομιζέτω δῆθ’ ⁴²¹

mvp-comment-306-2 ἐμποδὼν ⁴²² παρὼν ⁴²³ σύ γε ⁴²⁴

mvp-comment-307-1 ἀλγύνοις ⁴²⁵

mvp-comment-308-1 πρόσωπον ⁴²⁶

mvp-comment-308-2 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὅπου ⁴²⁷

mvp-comment-309-1 λέγω δέ σοι ⁴²⁸

mvp-comment-309-2 τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον … οὗτός ἐστιν ⁴²⁹

mvp-comment-310-1 ἀνακηρύσσων φόνον ⁴³⁰

mvp-comment-311-1 τὸν Λαΐειον ⁴³¹

mvp-comment-311-2 ξένος μέτοικος ⁴³²

mvp-comment-311-3 εἶτα δὲ ⁴³³ ἐνθάδε. —ἐγγενὴς ⁴³⁴

mvp-comment-312-1 τῇ ξυμφορᾷ ⁴³⁵

mvp-comment-312-2 ἐκ δεδορκότος ⁴³⁶

mvp-comment-313-1 ξένην ἔπι ⁴³⁷

mvp-comment-313-2 γαῖαν ⁴³⁸ προδεικνὺς ⁴³⁹ ξένην ⁴⁴⁰ γαῖαν ⁴⁴¹

mvp-comment-314-1 ξυνὼν ⁴⁴²

mvp-comment-314-2 ἀδελφὸς αὑτὸς ⁴⁴³ ἀδελφὸς ⁴⁴⁴ αὐτὸς ⁴⁴⁵ ἀδελφὸς καὶ πατὴρ ⁴⁴⁶ αὑτός ⁴⁴⁷

mvp-comment-315-1 ὁμόσπορος ⁴⁴⁸

mvp-comment-316-1 λάβῃς ἐψ. ⁴⁴⁹

mvp-comment-317-1 φάσκειν ⁴⁵⁰

mvp-comment-317-2 μαντικῇ ⁴⁵¹

mvp-comment-318-1 θεσπιέπεια ⁴⁵²

mvp-comment-318-2 δελφὶς πέτρα ⁴⁵³

mvp-comment-318-3 εἶπε τελέσαντα ⁴⁵⁴

mvp-comment-319-1 ἄρρητ’ ἀρρήτων ⁴⁵⁵

mvp-comment-320-1 ἀελλάδων ⁴⁵⁶

mvp-comment-321-1 ἵππων ⁴⁵⁷

mvp-comment-322-1 στεροπαῖς ⁴⁵⁸

mvp-comment-322-2 γενέτας ⁴⁵⁹

mvp-comment-323-1 Κῆρες ⁴⁶⁰

mvp-comment-323-2 ἀναπλάκητοι ⁴⁶¹

mvp-comment-324-1 ἔλαμψε ⁴⁶²

mvp-comment-324-2 τοῦ νιφόεντος ⁴⁶³

mvp-comment-325-1 Join τὸν ἄδηλον ἄνδρα ⁴⁶⁴ πάντα ⁴⁶⁵ πάντα ⁴⁶⁶

mvp-comment-326-1 πέτρας ἰσόταυρος ⁴⁶⁷ ἰσόταυρος ⁴⁶⁸

mvp-comment-327-1 χηρεύων ⁴⁶⁹

mvp-comment-328-1 τὰ μεσόμφαλα γᾶς μαντεῖα ⁴⁷⁰

mvp-comment-328-2 ἀπονοσφίζων ⁴⁷¹

mvp-comment-329-1 ζῶντα ⁴⁷²

mvp-comment-329-2 περιποτᾶται ⁴⁷³

mvp-comment-330-1 The Chorus have described the unknown murderer as they imagine him—a fugitive in remote places. They now touch on the charge laid against Oedipus, —but only to say that it lacks all evidence. δεινὰ μὲν οὖν ⁴⁷⁴ δὲ ⁴⁷⁵ λέξω ⁴⁷⁶

mvp-comment-330-2 δεινὰ ⁴⁷⁷ ταράσσει ⁴⁷⁸ δοκοῦντα, ἀποφάσκοντα ⁴⁷⁹ ἀποφάσκοντα ⁴⁸⁰ δοκοῦντα ⁴⁸¹ δοκοῦντα ⁴⁸² ἀποφάσκοντα ⁴⁸³

mvp-comment-331-1 λέξω ⁴⁸⁴

mvp-comment-331-2 ἐνθάδε ⁴⁸⁵ ὀπίσω ⁴⁸⁶

mvp-comment-332-1 ἢ Λαβδακίδαις ἢ τῷ Πολύβου ⁴⁸⁷ ἔκειτο ⁴⁸⁸

mvp-comment-333-1 πρὸς ὅτου ⁴⁸⁹ γὰρ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ⁴⁹⁰ βασανίζων ⁴⁹¹ πρὸς ὅτου δὴ βασανίζων βασάνῳ ⁴⁹² πρὸς ⁴⁹³ βασάνῳ ⁴⁹⁴

mvp-comment-334-1 ἐπὶ φάτιν εἶμι ⁴⁹⁵

mvp-comment-335-1 The gen. θανάτων ⁴⁹⁶ ἐπίκουρος ⁴⁹⁷ Θανάτων ⁴⁹⁸

mvp-comment-336-1 It is true ( οὖν ⁴⁹⁹ μέν ⁵⁰⁰ ἀληθής ⁵⁰¹ σοφίᾳ ⁵⁰²

mvp-comment-337-1 πλέον φέρεται ⁵⁰³

mvp-comment-338-1 παραμείψειεν ⁵⁰⁴

mvp-comment-339-1 πρὶν ἴδοιμ’ ⁵⁰⁵

mvp-comment-339-2 ὀρθὀν ⁵⁰⁶ ὀρθόν ⁵⁰⁷ ἔπος ⁵⁰⁸

mvp-comment-340-1 καταφαίην ⁵⁰⁹

mvp-comment-341-1 ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ⁵¹⁰

mvp-comment-341-2 πτερόεσσα … κόρα ⁵¹¹

mvp-comment-342-1 Βασάνῳ ⁵¹² ἁδύπολις ⁵¹³

mvp-comment-342-2 ἁδύπολις ⁵¹⁴

mvp-comment-343-1 τῷ ⁵¹⁵

mvp-comment-343-2 ἀπ’ ⁵¹⁶

mvp-comment-344-1 ἀτλητῶν ⁵¹⁷

mvp-comment-345-1 πρός γ’ ἐμοῦ ⁵¹⁸ φέρον ⁵¹⁹

mvp-comment-346-1 For the single εἴτε ⁵²⁰

mvp-comment-346-2 φέρον ⁵²¹

mvp-comment-347-1 βίου τοῦ μακρ ⁵²² βίος μακραίων ⁵²³

mvp-comment-348-1 εἰς ἁπλοῦν ⁵²⁴ φέρει ἐς μέγιστον ⁵²⁵

mvp-comment-349-1 ἀλλὰ … μὲν δὴ ⁵²⁶

mvp-comment-349-2 ἦλθε … τάχ’ ἂν ⁵²⁷

mvp-comment-350-1 I formerly kept τοῦ πρὸς δ’, with L. But the anastrophe of πρός seems to be confined to instances in which it is immediately followed by an attributive genitive, equiv. to an epithet: see on 178. For πρὸς τοῦ δ’ we could indeed cite Aesch. Eum. 593

πρὸς τοῦ δ’ ἐπείσθης καὶ τίνος βουλεύμασιν;

But I now prefer τοὔπος δ’ ⁵²⁸

mvp-comment-351-1 ηὐδᾶτο ⁵²⁹

mvp-comment-352-1 The reading ἐξ ὀμμάτων δ’ ὀρθῶν τε ⁵³⁰ ἐξ ὀμμάτων ὀρθῶν δὲ ⁵³¹ δ’ ⁵³² τε ⁵³³ δέ ⁵³⁴ τε ⁵³⁵ ἐξ ⁵³⁶ ὀμμάτων ὀρθῶν ⁵³⁷

mvp-comment-353-1 οὐκ οἶδ’ ⁵³⁸

mvp-comment-354-1 Join οὗτος σύ ⁵³⁹

mvp-comment-354-2 τόλμης ⁵⁴⁰

mvp-comment-354-3 τοσόνδε τόλμης‐πρόσωπον ⁵⁴¹

mvp-comment-355-1 φονεὺς ὢν κ.τ.λ. ⁵⁴²

mvp-comment-356-1 τῆς ἐμῆς ⁵⁴³ τοῦδε τἀνδρός ⁵⁴⁴

mvp-comment-357-1 ἔν μοι ⁵⁴⁵ ἐν ἐμοί ⁵⁴⁶ ἐμοὶ ⁵⁴⁷ μοι ⁵⁴⁸ μοι ⁵⁴⁹ ἰδών ⁵⁵⁰

mvp-comment-357-2 ἰδών … ἐν ⁵⁵¹ ποεῖν; ⁵⁵²

mvp-comment-358-1 ἢ τοὔργον ⁵⁵³ ἰδών ⁵⁵⁴

mvp-comment-358-2 γνωριοῖμι ⁵⁵⁵ γνωριοῖμι ⁵⁵⁶

mvp-comment-359-1 ἢ οὐκ ⁵⁵⁷

mvp-comment-359-2 ἀλεξοίμην ⁵⁵⁸

mvp-comment-360-1 πλήθους ⁵⁵⁹ Φίλων ⁵⁶⁰ χρήμασιν ⁵⁶¹

mvp-comment-361-1 ὃ ⁵⁶²

mvp-comment-362-1 οἶσθ’ ὡς πόησον; ⁵⁶³

mvp-comment-363-1 For κακὸς ⁵⁶⁴ σοῦ ⁵⁶⁵

mvp-comment-363-2 ηὕρηκ’ ⁵⁶⁶

mvp-comment-364-1 τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ ⁵⁶⁷

mvp-comment-364-2 ὡς ἐρῶ ⁵⁶⁸

mvp-comment-365-1 κτῆμα ⁵⁶⁹

mvp-comment-365-2 αὐθαδίαν ⁵⁷⁰

mvp-comment-365-3 τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς ⁵⁷¹

mvp-comment-366-1 ἢ οὐκ ⁵⁷²

mvp-comment-367-1 While such words as ἀριστόμαντις, ὀρθόμαντις are seriously used in a good sense, σεμνόμαντις ⁵⁷³

mvp-comment-368-1 αὑτός ⁵⁷⁴

mvp-comment-369-1 δέδρακε ⁵⁷⁵

mvp-comment-369-2 οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ ⁵⁷⁶

mvp-comment-370-1 χειρώματι ⁵⁷⁷

mvp-comment-371-1 μακροὶ ⁵⁷⁸ μακροὶ ⁵⁷⁹ παλαιοί ⁵⁸⁰

mvp-comment-372-1 ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ ⁵⁸¹ ἐν ⁵⁸²

mvp-comment-373-1 οὐδαμοῦ ⁵⁸³ ἑστῶτος πέλας ⁵⁸⁴

mvp-comment-374-1 παρέσχομεν ⁵⁸⁵

mvp-comment-375-1 τοσόνδε γ’ ⁵⁸⁶ τὸ σὸν δέ γ’ ⁵⁸⁷ τοσόνδε ⁵⁸⁸ οἶσθα ⁵⁸⁹

mvp-comment-376-1 The simple answer would have been: —“that you prompted him to make his present charge”: but this becomes: —“that, if you had not prompted him, he would never have made it.” ξυνῆλθε ⁵⁹⁰

mvp-comment-376-2 τὰς ἐμὰς ⁵⁹¹ τάσδ’ ἐμὰς ⁵⁹²

mvp-comment-376-3 οὐκ ἂν εἶπε τὰς ἐμὰς Λαΐου διαφθοράς ⁵⁹³ διαφθοράς ⁵⁹⁴

mvp-comment-377-1 To write σοῦ ⁵⁹⁵ σου ⁵⁹⁶ κἀμοῦ. —μαθεῖν ταὔθ’ ⁵⁹⁷ ταῦθ’ ⁵⁹⁸

mvp-comment-378-1 οὐ γὰρ δὴ ⁵⁹⁹

mvp-comment-379-1 γήμας ἔχεις ⁶⁰⁰

mvp-comment-380-1 γῆς ⁶⁰¹ ἄρχεις· ἴσον νέμων ⁶⁰² ταὐτά ⁶⁰³

mvp-comment-381-1 ᾖ θέλουσα ⁶⁰⁴

mvp-comment-381-2 τρίτος ⁶⁰⁵ ἐμοῦ ⁶⁰⁶

mvp-comment-382-1 ἐνταῦθα γὰρ ⁶⁰⁷

mvp-comment-383-1 διδοίης λόγον ⁶⁰⁸

mvp-comment-384-1 οὔτ’ αὐτὸς ⁶⁰⁹

mvp-comment-385-1 ἐκ σοῦ ⁶¹⁰

mvp-comment-385-2 φέρω ⁶¹¹

mvp-comment-386-1 κἂν ἄκων ⁶¹² καὶ ⁶¹³

mvp-comment-387-1 οὔπω ⁶¹⁴

mvp-comment-387-2 τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά ⁶¹⁵

mvp-comment-388-1 πᾶσι χαίρω ⁶¹⁶ πᾶσι χαίρω ⁶¹⁷

mvp-comment-389-1 ἐκκαλοῦσι ⁶¹⁸

mvp-comment-390-1 τὸ … τυχεῖν ⁶¹⁹ ἅπαντ’ ⁶²⁰ τυχεῖν ⁶²¹ αὐτοῖσι ⁶²² αὐτοῖς, πᾶν ⁶²³ ἅπαν ⁶²⁴ ἐνταῦθα ⁶²⁵

mvp-comment-391-1 πῶς δῆτ’ ⁶²⁶

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

151-215. mvp-comment-104-1 Outstretched in fear we listen awfully for thy propitious voice, oh sweet-tongued utterance of Heaven. Paean, be our speed! What thing new or old in season due dost thou disclose? Tell us, thou voice, child of bright Hope divine. Athena, Goddess, daughter of the Highest, first hear our cry; thou, Artemis, on thine encircled throne, and archer Phoebus, come in threefold might to save! if ever heretofore ye banished sorrow from our state, now too appear! For, oh! I am overwhelmed; all my host is in disarray; and there is no thought to save; Earth's buds are nipped, and human births prevented by the pains of death: soul after soul takes flight with fearful speed, and poor uncared-for corpses choke with pestilence our unpeopled clime. Wives, mothers, sadly suppliant, at various altars groan; the voice of lamentation mingles with the thrilling hymn. Athena, send us help. and cause yon flaming author of destruction, who with dire noise advances, quickly to reverse his speed and fly our land, whether to Ocean or the restless Pontic sea. Day ruins what night spares. O Father, blast the plague-god with thy lightning. Let thine arrows, O Apollo, be showered to protect us, and Artemis' bright torches from the Lycian hills; and thou, O ruddy crowned Bacchus of the joyous rout, with trooping Maenads, patron of Thebes, draw near. and flash thy brand against the god whom gods disown.' The opening of this parodos is of the nature of a paean (1. 186), or hymn to Apollo as the god of victory or salvation. The stately dactylic measures, corresponding in strophe and antistrophe even to the division of the words (cp. 153, 162, 158, 166), are only once interrupted, as the chorus march towards the altar, by the more meditative iambic rhythm (11. 152, 160), and by the anacrusis in ll. 154, 163. The increasing excitement of the chorus is shown in the second strophe and antistrophe, by iambic and trochaic rhythms with resolution of the arsis, by the union of dactyls and trochees in logaoedic lines, and by the more frequent anacruses. The bright Paean notes give way to tones of sadness, echoing the στονόεσσα γήρυς (11. 186-187). The scheme of στρ. and ἀντ. β'. is the following (ll. 167-178=11. 179-189) :- LÚC CCC CICI lúc Ca CICICCICCICCIK ICC ICC ICC ICC 기 100 100 100 CUCCICCIC CICCICCIC LUCCICCICC ICICII In the concluding strophe and antistrophe (γ'.) there is only one dactylic line, just as there was one iambic in the first. The other rhythms are iambic and trochaic, with occasional syncope of the thesis (or change to the cretic rhythm). The movement, though still full of excitement, becomes more energetic and determined towards the close. The scansion is as follows:- C CCICICICIC- 기 つつ 기 00 ト KCICICI トー 1くらいCICICII The rhythm of the whole ode, which is unusually wild and full of transitions, shows a progress from flowing dactylic numbers to iambics and trochaics, which are interrupted here and there by syncope of the thesis, or in other words, by an antispastic effect, corresponding to the distraction of the thought.

178. mvp-comment-123-1 ὧν .. ἀνάριθμος In countless numbers of whom my city is perishing. For the use of the adjective, see Essay on Language § 2.3, 8, 2. p. 38; and for the gen. cp. Αj. 603. *μηνῶν ἀνήριθμος: Εl. 232, ἀνάριθμος ὧδε θρήνων. There is no ellipse of οὖσα; the adjective is a supplementary predicate, or in other words ἀνάριθμος closely follows ὄλλυται. The antecedent to ὧν, sc. τῶν θνησκόντων, must be supplied from the sense of the preceding words, as in Thuc. 6. 12, μὴ οἷον νεωτέρῳ μεταχειρίσαι· οὓς ἐγὼ νῦν ἐνθάδε ὁρῶν.

179. mvp-comment-124-1 νηλέα Uncared for. Cp. Ant. 1197. A rare passive use of this adjective. Essay on Language p. 98.

179. mvp-comment-124-2 γένεθλα Sc. τῆς πόλεως. (1) Her children uncared-for lie spreading death upon the plain, with none to make lament. Cp. Thuc. 2. 51, ἕτερος ἀφ᾿ ἑτέρου θεραπείας ἀναπιμπλάμενοι ὥσπερ τὰ πρόβατα ἔθνησκον. .. ἀπώλλυντο ἔρημοι, καὶ οἰκίαι πολλαὶ ἐκενώθησαν ἀπορίᾳ τοῦ θεραπεύσοντος. (2) The idea of the danger of contagion is certainly not common in Greek, and perhaps θαναταφόρα, or θανατάφορα, may have lost something of its compound signification. The word may simply mean with death upon them, in death. The unmetrical v. r. θανατηφόρῳ shows that some difficulty was felt about the meaning.

181. mvp-comment-125-1 ἐπί For the adverbial use of the prep. see Essay on Language § 18. p. 26; and cp. the Homeric ἐπὶ δὲ στενάχοντο γυναῖκες, Il. 24.746.

182. mvp-comment-126-1 ἀκτὰν παρὰ βώμιον Hence the mistake of the Scholiast on O. C. 1048, ἀκταῖς τὸν βωμὸν λέγει. The singularity of the expression, which however may be paralleled from Aesch. Cho. 723, ἀκτὴ χώματος, is in keeping with the excited tone of the chorus, cp. παιὰν .. λάμπει just below; and the tendency to repeat the same word within a few lines, in a different connection (176, ἀκτὰν πρὸς ἑσπέρου θεοῦ), is so strong in Sophocles as to make such a repetition probable even if not exactly appropriate (see Essay on Language § 44. p. 76; and in this very chorus, ἄμβροτε φάμα .. ἄμβροτ' Αθάνα 157-159, ἀνάριθμα 167, ἀνάριθμος 178, χρυσέας 157, χρυσέα 187, ἰήιε 154, ἰηίων 174, παιάν 154, 186, εὐῶπα 189, οἰνῶπα 211, ἀγλαῶπι 214, ἐξανύσεις 156, ἠνύσατ᾽ ἐκτοπίαν 166, πυρφόρων 200, πυρφόρους 206). The women at the altars are like shipwrecked mariners clinging to a rock. The conj em. ἀχὰν παραβώμιον, though not unreasonable or improbable, is not necessary. The MSS. have generally παραβώμιον in one word, but in three MSS. at least there is an accent on παρά.

182. mvp-comment-126-2 ἄλλοθεν ἄλλαι] i. e. Their voices sounding some from one place and some from another:' i. e. they are supplicating various deities. Cp. II. 2. 400, ἄλλος δ᾽ ἄλλῳ ἔρεξε θεῶν.

185. mvp-comment-127-1 πόνων ἱκτῆρες Gen. of cause. Τr. 287-288, θύματα .. τῆς ἁλώσεως.

185. mvp-comment-127-2 ἐπιστενάχουσιν Sc. ἐπὶ τῇ ἱκετείᾳ.

186. mvp-comment-128-1 λάμπει The intentional boldness of this is somewhat softened by the analogous use of λαμπρός as an attribute of sound. The word suggests the ringing of the bright paean in the clear air. The predicate of γῆρυs is to be borrowed from λάμπει.

186. mvp-comment-128-2 ὅμαυλος This properly signifies 'neighbouring, dwelling with, but is probably here fancifully referred to αὐλός, so as to mean accompanying, as the flute accompanies song. The difficulty of this word has perhaps suggested the various reading ὅμανδος, which is found in Par. E.

188. mvp-comment-129-1 ὧν ὕπερ Either (1) in whose behalf, or (2) for the relief of all which woe.' The latter is preferable, because including a reference to the immediate context, and because if persons were meant, the simple dative would be the more natural expression. Cp. Thuc. 5. 69, ὑπὲρ ἀρχῆς ἅμα καὶ δουλείας.

188. mvp-comment-129-2 θύγατερ Διός Ἀθήνα.

189. mvp-comment-130-1 εὐῶπα Cp. Ant. 100-101, ἀκτὶς ἀελίου τὸ κάλλιστον ἑπταπύλῳ φανὲν Θήβᾳ τῶν προτέρων φάος: Aesch. Cho. 484, εὔμορφον κράτος.

190. mvp-comment-131-1 Ἄρεα Ἀρσα. Any hostile and deadly influence is personified as "Apns. Cp. Aj. 706, where the madness of Ajax is so named. The plague, already personified as θεός (27). here receives a more distinct personality.

190. mvp-comment-131-2 μαλερόν The Homeric epithet of fire, extended by Aeschylus to other destructive things (πύθῳ μαλερῷ, Pers. 62), is here given to the pestilence which is represented under the image of fire.

190. mvp-comment-131-3 ἄχαλκος ἀσπίδων Without brazen shield. Ἄρης ἄχαλκος ἀσπίδων, The god of war without the weapons of war. Cp. οἴστρου ἄρδις .. ἄπυρος in Aesch. Prom. 880. For similar oxymora, see Essay on Language § 37. p. 70.

191. mvp-comment-132-1 φλέγει με The πυρφόρος θεός is imagined as kindling the flame of calamity.

191. mvp-comment-132-2 περιβόατος With loud cries. The paeans and groans arising from the plague are compared to the shouts and cries which attend the onset of the god of battles. Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 682, λοιγὸς .. βοὰν ἕνδημον ἐξοπλίζων.

191. mvp-comment-132-3 ἀντιάζων Confronting, in the hostile sense. Cp. Hdt. 2. 141, ἀντιάζων τὸν Αραβίων στρατόν.

192. mvp-comment-133-1 παλίσσυτον δράμημα νωτίσαι

192. mvp-comment-133-2 πάτρας Το turn his course backward from my land. The infinitive is governed by the general notion of causing implied in πέμψον, and the accusative παλίσσυτον δράμημα is cognate, at first probably intended to follow some verb of motion (such as δραμεῖν), for which νωτίσαι is substituted in order to add force to παλίσσυτον. Ε. on L. § 40, 5. p. 75. Cp. Eur. Andr. 1141, οἱ δ᾽ ὅπως πελειάδες | ἱέρακ᾿ ἰδοῦσαι πρὸς φυγὴν ἐνώτισαν. πάτρας is ablative gen. And let the fiery War-god, who now, without brazen arms, amidst loud cries advances to destroy me, turn away from my fatherland and speed back again.

194. mvp-comment-134-1 ἔπουρον Carried by the breeze. The word occurs actively, Tr. 954, ἔπουρος ἑστιῶτις αὔρα, ἥτις μ' ἀποικίσειεν ἐκ τόπων. But the passive use is found in Clem. Alex. (130, ἔπουρος πνεύματι ἀληθείας), who probably had some earlier authority for this use of the word. Cp.

194. mvp-comment-134-2 ἐπουρίζω. The special meaning of oὗρος, a favouring wind, is not here used ironically, as in Tr. 815-816, οὗρος ὀφθαλμῶν ἐμῶν | αὐτῇ γένοιτ' ἄπωθεν ἑρπούσῃ καλός, but is lost in the compound. See Essay on Language p. 90, and cp. Tr. 467, 8, ταῦτα μὲν .. ῥείτω κατ' οὗρον. This reading (which is slightly confirmed by the gloss ταχύν in L³) is preferable to ἄπουρον, (1) because yielding a more natural rhythm, (2) because ἄπουρον, though an early reading, acknowledged by the Scholiast, is probably an emendation. It occurs nowhere else, and may have arisen from the apparent necessity of connecting the adj. with πάτρας, which was supposed to begin the new line (p. 145, note), and seemed to want a construction.

195. mvp-comment-135-1 θάλαμον Ἀμφιτρίτας Cp. infr. 1411; 2, θαλάσσιον | ἐκρίψατ᾽. The Atlantic rather than the Mediterranean is meant. The Atlantic and Euxine were known as the two farthest seas. Cp. Eur. Hipp. 3, ὅσοι τε πόντου, τερμόνων τ' Ἀτλαντικῶν ναίουσιν εἴσω.

196. mvp-comment-136-1 ἀπόξενος is stronger than ἄξενος: Repelling strangers. Cp. ἀπότιμος, ἀπόμισθος. For the expression, cp. Phil. 217, ναὸς ἄξενον ὅρμον; and for this epithet of the Pontus, Pind P. 4. 203, σὺν νότου δ᾽ αὔραις ἐπ᾿ ἀξείνου στόμα πεμπόμενοι ἤλυθον . φοίνισσα δὲ Θρηϊκίων ἀγέλα ταύρων ὑπᾶρχεν.

196. mvp-comment-136-2 ὅρμον It has been proposed to read ὅρμων. But the change is unnecessary, and rather weakens the verbal contrast.

196. mvp-comment-136-3 ὅρμος is a place of anchorage. Cp. Eur. Hec. 450, τῷ πρὸς οἶκον ἀφίξομαι, ἢ Δωρίδος ὅρμον αἴαs; The article is more idiomatic if ὅρμον is retained. The difficulty has been occasioned hy the apposition of an abstract to a concrete word. Essay on Language p. 56 a.

198. mvp-comment-137-1 τέλει γὰρ εἴ τι νὺξ ἀφῇ For if night at her close leave anything unharmed, this day assails (ἐπέρχεται). For ei with subj., see Essay on Language § 27. p. 44. And for the personification of the words of time, cp. Tr. 29-34, νὺξ γὰρ εἰσάγει καὶ νὺξ ἀπωθεῖ .. τοιοῦτος αἰών ..

198. mvp-comment-137-2 ἀεὶ τὸν ἄνδρ᾽ ἔπεμπε. It has been proposed to read τελεῖ γάρ' εἴ τι, κ.τ.λ. For the destruction is complete: etc. (Cp. Εl. 1417, τελοῦσ᾽ ἀραί : Tr. 825-826, ἀναδοχὰν τελεῖν πόνων τῷ Διὸς αὐτόπαιδι.) But the asyndeton and the break in the rhythm of the short iambic line are against this. One Scholiast makes τέλει adverbial, and connects it with ἐπέρχεται in the sense of finally or completely, and some would render, If night leaves aught of the work undone, day goes thoroughly at this. Others propose τελεῖν, If night omit to finish any work. An improvement on this last suggestion would be to read τεμεῖν (aor., cp. Plat. Prot. 338 A). For if night leave aught unravaged. Cp. Eur. Hec. 1204, ἢ σῆς ἔμελλον γῆς τεμεῖν βλαστήματα; But the Scholiast of L is perhaps right in rendering, εἰ γάρ τι νὺξ ἀφῇ .. ἐπὶ τῷ ἑαυτῆς τέλει ἀβλαβές, μὴ φθάσασα αὐτὸ ἀπολέ σαι. For this use of the dative, cp. El. 194, οἰκτρὰ μὲν νόστοις αὐδά : Pind. Pyth. 1.35, τελευτᾷ φερτέρου νόστου τυχεῖν.

200. mvp-comment-138-1 τόν As in Hom. Il. 18. 89, etc.

200. mvp-comment-138-2 ໖ (-) Herm. proposed râv for the missing syllable, and this receives some confirmation from the variant in F.

203. mvp-comment-139-1 Λύκει᾿ ἄναξ His altar is before their eyes. Cp. 1. 919. Either (1) τε is correlative to re in l. 205, and a new beginning is made with the strophe: or (2) τε is a conjunction ('And') as in supr. 190, and is postponed, like δέ, after the vocative. The former (1) is more probable. For the twofold invocation, cp. Aesch. S. c. Τ. 145-150. ἀγκυλᾶν is poetical plural.

205. mvp-comment-140-1 βέλεα βελεα, θέλοιμ᾽ ἂν .. ἐν-

205. mvp-comment-140-2 δατεῖσθαι I would see showered. ἐνδατεῖσθαι to be taken passively in the sense of distributing or dispensing. So the Scholiast, whose interpretation is confirmed by the prep. ἀπό, which is more naturally explained as dependent on the verb. For the rare passive, see Essay on Language p. 53.

205. mvp-comment-140-3 ἀδάματα notwithstanding the order, is an epithet, but an emphatic epithet. Cp. infr. 671-672, τὸ γὰρ σόν, οὐ τὸ τοῦδ᾽, ἐποικτείρω στόμα | ἐλεινόν. Essay on Language § 23. p. 37.

206. mvp-comment-141-1 ἀρωγὰ προσταθέντα ‘Set forth to protect and succour me.' The 1st aorist passive of προΐστημι is rare, but so also is παρεστάθην, which occurs in the senarii, l. 911 ; cp. also Tr. 340, σταθεῖσ᾽ ἄκουσον. This is more probable than either προσ-ταθέντα (προστείνω οςcurs nowhere and would be meaningless here) or προσταχθέντα, which has been conjectured, but is hardly metrical (see ll. 192-193). The arrows of Apollo are spoken of in language properly applicable to persons, as if they were an amy bringing relief. There is also an allusion to Apollo's attribute as προστατήριος, Εl. 637. Cp. Aesch. Theb. 145, Λύκει᾿ ἄναξ, Λύκειος γενοῦ στρατῷ δαΐῳ: ib. 8, Ζεὺς ἀλεξητήριος ἐπώνυμος γένοιτο.

208. mvp-comment-142-1 Λύκι᾿ ὄρεα (ὄρεα) Echoing Λύκει᾿ ἄναξ, which therefore seems in this passage to be associated with the Lycian worship of Apollo; though differently interpreted in Εl. 6, 7, τοῦ λυκοκτόνου θεοῦ | ἀγορὰ Λύκειος.

208. mvp-comment-142-2 Μαινάδων 209. τὸν χρυσομίτραν ὁμόστολον] Cp. Lucian. Dial. Deorum, 18. 1, μίτρᾳ ἀναδεδεμένος τὴν κόμην, τὰ πολλὰ δὲ μαινομέναις ταῖς γυναιξὶ συνών. And for the Maenads, cp. Ant. 1122.

210. mvp-comment-143-1 τᾶσδ᾽ ἐπώνυμον γᾶς Who bears the name of this land; i. e. who is called Θηβαῖος (ὁ Θήβας ἐλελίχθων Βάκχιος, Bacchus, Thebe's earth-shaking god,' Ant. 154: Καδμείας νύμφας άγαλμα, ib. 1115), rather than (2) Who gives a surname to Βακχεία Θήβῃ.

211. mvp-comment-144-1 εὔιον From εὐοῖ, Author of joy, as ἰήϊος (from in) is helper in sorrow. The feeling which prompts the cry becomes the attribute of the god to whom it is addressed.

212. mvp-comment-145-1 The reading μονόστολον, (easily accounted for where the letters µ and ✓ are so frequent as in 11. 209 ff.) has obtained a strong hold of the MSS, but is generally accompanied by glosses which belong to the other reading, e.g. συνόμιλον, συγχορευτάν.

214. mvp-comment-146-1 A word = πυρφόρῳ is omitted.

215. mvp-comment-147-1 ἀπότιμον Dishonoured, put far from honour. The idea is that expressed in the words addressed by Zeus to Ares, Il. 5. 888 ff., τὸν δ' ἄρ᾽ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς, | μή τί μοι, ἀλλοπρόσαλλε, παρεζόμενος μινύριζε. | ἔχθιστος δέ μοί ἐσσι θεῶν οἱ Ολυμπον ἔχουσιν· | αἰεὶ γάρ τοι ἔρις τε φίλη, πόλεμοί τε μάχαι τε: with which cp. Il. 18.107, ὡς ἔρις ἔκ τε θεῶν ἔκ τ' ἀνθρώπων ἀπόλοιτο. Cp. also the expression about the house of Hades, τά τε στυγέουσι θεοί περ (Il. 20.65), and the hard names given to the Erinnyes by Apollo in Aesch. Eum., esp. 73, μισήματ' ἀνδρῶν καὶ θεῶν Ὀλυμπίων: ib. 191, ἀπόπτυστοι θεοῖς.

215. mvp-comment-147-2 θεόν θεον: treated in the meter as a single syllable.

215. mvp-comment-147-3 In the many transitions of this chorus the same deities are addressed more than once. In the spirit of polytheism the same gods are called by different names or surnames according to the attributes which are invoked.

219. mvp-comment-148-1 Oed. has reentered before the last words of the chorus, to whose leader he gives an authoritative answer, as being now possessed through Creon of the mind of Apollo. In reading this speech it is necessary to bear in mind the importance which the Greeks attached to a curse and to words spoken in unconsciousness of their real import.

219. mvp-comment-148-2 ἁγὼ .. ἐξερῶ ἅ, sc. ἔπη from 216.

216. mvp-comment-149-1 ἃ δ' αἰτεῖς The antecedent to the relative is in no definite construction. The sentence is broken off and resumed in ἀλκὴν λάβοις ἄν (cp. El. 1364, τοὺς γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ λόγους, κ.τ.λ.), and the antec. of a may be regarded as the remote accusative of the sentence, governed by the notion of obtaining' implied in ἀλκὴν λάβοις ἄν, κ.τ.λ.

217. mvp-comment-150-1 τῇ νόσῳ θ᾽ ὑπηρετεῖν And to obey the requirements of the disease. Cp. El. 1305-1306, οὐ γὰρ ἂν καλῶς ὑπηρετοίην τῷ παρόντι δαίμονι.

219-220. mvp-comment-151-1 ξένος μὲν . . πραχθέντος] Who am a stranger with respect to this affair; ay, and to the rumour concerning it. ξένος, i. e. ignorant, as one who at the time of the murder, and of the talk which followed it, was not a citizen of Thebes. Cp. Plat Apol. 17 D, ξένως ἔχω τῆς ἐνθάδε λέξεως. The formal emphasis with which Oedipus dwells on his relation to the inquiry, (ξένος μὲν .. ξένος δέ) throws a strong light on his unconsciousness of the real situation. Cp. infr. 259-260, ἔχων μὲν .. ἔχων δέ, κ.τ.λ.

220-221. mvp-comment-152-1 οὐ γὰρ ἂν .. σύμβολον These words assign a further reason why Oedipus has remained a stranger to the affair. For I had no clue to guide me and so could not have followed an inquiry far. He offers this excuse for having hitherto neglected what he now feels to be an imperative duty. Cp. supr. 108-109, 128. 9. 133-134, infr. 566-567. It has been objected to this interpretation that οὐ γὰρ ἄν necessarily means, Else had I not, (sc. εἰ μὴ ξένος ἦν). Cp. infr. 11. 318, 1456-1457. But no such rule is absolute in tragic Greek, and no tenable interpretation has been based on this way of taking the words. The suppressed clause is εἰ ἴχνευον, and the general meaning is I could not be otherwise than a stranger. Although the more usual mode of connexion would be πῶς γὰρ-; the negative form, οὐ γάρ, κ.τ.λ., is here more dignified. For μακράν, cp. Tr. 317, οὐδ᾽ ἀνιστόρουν μακράν.

220-221. mvp-comment-152-2 αὐτός By myself, unaided. Cp. Ο. C. 1154-1155, δίδασκέ με | ὡς μὴ εἰδότ᾽ αὐτόν. κ.τ.λ. This is more pointed than αὐτό, the reading of L and most MSS.

220-221. mvp-comment-152-3 μὴ οὐκ ἔχων τι σύμβολον Having no clue. These words are epexegetic of αὐτός. For μὴ οὐ with the participle, μη see Essay on Language p. 49, and cp. Hdt. 6.106, μὴ οὐ πλήρεος ἔοντος τοῦ κύκλου, i. e. If the disk were not full, which it was not.' So here, Unless I had something to guide me, and I had nothing.' The word σύμβολον (for which see Ar. Pol. 4. 7, Pind. Ol. 12. 7), would cause a thrill of horror to the spectators, when they reflected that Oedipus had Laius' blood upon his hand, and the stamp of his likeness upon his person.

222. mvp-comment-153-1 νῦν δ᾽ i.e. since the oracle has come.

222. mvp-comment-153-2 ὕστερος γὰρ ἀστὸς εἰς ἀστοὺς τελῶ Oedipus, as a popular ruler, bases his proclamation on his right of citizenship, rather than on any higher pretension. But now I proclaim to you no longer as a stranger but as a citizen, though subsequently enrolled. Sc. ὕστερος τῶν ἄλλων ἀστῶν and ὕστερος τοῦ πραχθέντος. ἀστός is said with allusion to ξένος. Teiresias includes both in ξένος.. μέτοικος, infr. 452. αὐτός. (I too') occurs for ἀστός in some MSS. But see Essay on Language § 44 f. p. 83.

222. mvp-comment-153-3 τελῶ Cp. Hdt. 2. 51, Ἀθηναίοισι ..

222. mvp-comment-153-4 ἤδη τηνικαῦτα ἐς Ἕλληνας τελέουσι.

223. mvp-comment-154-1 προφωνῶ resumes ἐξερῶ (1. 219) after the digression.

227-229. mvp-comment-155-1 The apodosis of this sentence is dropped in Oedipus' haste to give the assurance contained in πείσεται, κ.τ.λ., and is imperfectly resumed in ἄπεισιν. The subject is changed from anyone who has knowledge of the deed, to the murderer, to whom αὐτός refers. Some obscurity also arises from the appeal to fear (cp. infr. 234, 294) being combined with the attempt to soothe it (cp. Τr. 457, κεὶ μὲν δέδοικας, οὐ καλῶς ταρβεῖς). μέν in 227 points to the opposite supposition:-'he may be one incapable of fear.' (1) And let the man himself, if he be touched with fear, inform against himself, by taking the guilt away with him. For he shall suffer no further penalty, but shall be unmolested in his departure from the land.' i. e. Instead of waiting for others to convict him, let him convict himself by going into voluntary exile, and taking the offence from the land. The words καθ' αὑτοῦ are to be construed κατὰ σύνεσιν with l. 226, sc. ποιείτω τάδε, self-banishment being in this case equivalent to self-impeachment :- Let Or (2) ὑπεξελών may be understood proleptically, and σημαινέτω supplied from κελεύω σημαίνειν, supra. him inform against himself, and clear the guilt away.

227-229. mvp-comment-155-2 Οι (3) ὑπεξελών is to be taken in the unusual sense of drawing forth from concealment. Let him obey me by divulging the crime against himself. The last interpretation (3) is the simplest (cp. Pind. N. 4. 8); but the first (1) is on the whole the most probable. The gentleness of Oedipus towards the supposed self-convicted criminal is contrasted with the fierceness of his self-reproach in 11. 1369 foll., 1449 foll., infra.

229. mvp-comment-156-1 ἀσφαλής Unharmed. ἀβλα βής, which occurs in the text of A, and most MSS, and has been written as a v. r. by a hand of the 15th century on the mg. of L, although a good word (see esp. Thuc. 5. 18, § 3), is more likely to be a gloss than ἀσφαλής, which is therefore preferred. ἀβλαβής would have required no explanation, whereas ἀσφαλής here and in O. C. 1288 =ἄνευ τοῦ σφαλῆναι, without receiving hurt. Cp. Pind. Pyth. 3. 86.

230-232. mvp-comment-157-1 The duty of the citizens generally is clear. The only cases requiring special mention are those of the murderer (αὐτός), should conscience incline him to obey, and of information against a foreigner by one of his fellows. Cp. l. 233. ἢ φίλου. This is the case contemplated in these lines. Α μέτοικος might hesitate to do what was required of the citizens, unless specially assured that he would equally receive the reward. And some one resident in Thebes might be a fellow countryman of the stranger-robbers (1. 715), who had killed Laius in the triple way. The obscurity of expression arises from the effort to adapt the language to the case of Oedipus. The οἰκέτης was in the position of knowing another from another land. Contrast ll. 231-232, with ll. 1159, 1160, and cp. 1004. For the form of expression, ἄλλον ἐξ ἄλλης χθονός, cp. Eur. Ion 1057, ἄλλος ἄλλων ἀπ᾿ οἴκων .. πλὴν τῶν εὐγενετᾶν Ἐρεχθειδᾶν. 231. The transitive use of σιωπάω is later than Sophocles.

232. mvp-comment-158-1 χή χάρις προσκείσεται And he shall have store of gratitude besides, i. e. he will be regarded as a benefactor of the city. Cp. Thuc. 1. 129, κεῖταί σοι εὐεργεσία ἐν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ οἴκῳ ἐσαεὶ ἀνάγραπτος : Phil. 557-558, ἡ χάρις ...

232. mvp-comment-158-2 προσφιλὴς μενεῖ: Plat. Rep. 1. 345 A, οὔτοι κακῶς σοι κείσεται ὅ τι ἂν ἡμᾶς τοσούσδε ὄντας εὐεργετήσῃς.

234. mvp-comment-159-1 ἀπώσει τούπος (1) Shall repel this charge either from a friend for whom he fears, or from himself. τούπος, SC. τὸ ἐπίκλημα τοῦ φύνου. Or (2), Shall reject my word in fear either for a friend or for himself. ἀπώσει opp. to δέχεσθαι, l. 217 . (1) is best. The words φίλου and αὐτοῦ are each in a double construction with δείσας and ἀπώσει.

235. mvp-comment-160-1 This might be construed to mean, My own lips shall declare my future; and δράσω marks that all which follows is delivered by Oedipus as his act and deed. Cp. infr. 819-820.

236. mvp-comment-161-1 τὸν ἄνδρα.. τοῦτον It appears doubtful at first sight whether this refers to the murderer or to the concealer of the crime. That the first is the correct explanation is proved by the following reasons. (1) That no sufficient meaning can otherwise be given to τοῦδε in line 242. (2) That in 11. 817 foll., ᾧ μὴ ξένων ἔξεστι μηδ᾽ ἀστῶν τινὰ | δόμοις δέχεσθαι, μηδὲ προσφωνεῖν τινά, | ὠθεῖν δ᾽ ἀπ᾿ οἴκων, Oedipus applies 11. 235 foll. to himself, if guilty of the murder. (3) This gives more point to ὅστις ἐστί. ἄνδρα is governed by εἰσδέχεσθαι. γῆς τῆσδε is partitive genitive governed by τινά. Anyone in all this land.

240. mvp-comment-162-1 χέρνιβος For this gen. sing. (which besides coming from the first hand of L, better suits with κοινόν than χέρνιβας does), see L. and S. s. v.

241. mvp-comment-163-1 ὠθεῖν Sc. κελεύω understood from ἀπανδῶ. Essay on Language p. 64. 1 а.

246-251. mvp-comment-164-1 The formality of the language marks the solemnity of the curse. Some editors, following Ribbeck, have placed these lines after l. 272, on the ground that the plural τοῖσδε in the words ἅπερ τοῖσδ᾽ ἀρτίως ἠρασάμην, has no proper antecedent, for Oedipus is speaking of one murderer not of many; and they would suppose the error to have been caused by the recurrence of ὑμῖν δὲ in l. 273. But the plural, referring to some person or persons unknown, is sufficiently justified by εἴτε πλειόνων μέτα, and for the vague reference of the pronoun ὅde, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 34. Oedipus is careless about the number; cp. supr. 107, 124 and note. The curse also falls indirectly on those who disobey the commands in 11. 224-232, and 236-241. A slight inaccuracy of language is no sufficient reason for such a transposition. The conjecture requires a further conjecture: ie. the words must (1) have been omitted, then (2) have been written in the margin, and then (3) must have been wrongly inserted before ὑμῖν δέ, l. 252 , instead of before ὑμῖν δέ, l. 273 . It may be observed, in defence of the existing text, that the curse on the malefactor naturally precedes the curse on those who disobey the edict. The emphasis is on κατεύχομαι. τὸν δεδρακότα is added instead of a pronoun, referring to τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, because of τῷ δαίμονι and τῷ θανόντι coming between. The words ἅπερ .. ἠρασάμην include 11. 236 ff.

248. mvp-comment-165-1 κακὸν κακῶς .. βίον Wear out his wretched life in wretchedness and misfortune.

249-251. mvp-comment-166-1 ἐπεύχομαι .. παθεῖν And I pray, moreover, that I may suffer. Cp. Plat. Critias, p. 120 B.

249-251. mvp-comment-166-2 εἰ .. γένοιτο If at any moment he were to be-. The unconsciousness of Oedipus is again strongly indicated.

254. mvp-comment-167-1 Ruined with sterility and the frown of Heaven. Essay on Language p. 40. a.

256. mvp-comment-168-1 ἀκάθαρτον Sc. τὸ πρᾶγμα, repeated in a slightly different sense. τὸ πρᾶγμα is (1) the duty of expiating, (2) the pollution itself.

257-269. mvp-comment-169-1 Every line calls attention to the real position of Oedipus, of which he is profoundly unconscious. (1) ὁμόσπορον, cp. 1. 460; (2) κοινῶν παίδων, cp. Ο. C. 535, κοιναί γε πατρὸς ἀδελφεαί; (3) εἰ κείνῳ γένος μὴ ᾿δυστύχησεν (Oedipus says this in ignorance of Laius having had a child; but he unwittingly expresses the fact of his own misfortune); (4) 1. 263. which points to the curse pursuing Laius and his offspring; (5) the words ὡσπερεὶ τοὺμοῦ πατρός. The effect of all this on the spectators may be imagined. Yet every word is suitable to the apparent situation and to the generous character of Oedipus.

257. mvp-comment-170-1 The death of the monarch was not like a common death.

258. mvp-comment-171-1 ἐπεὶ κυρῶ *γ' ἐγώ The MSS. read 7', which may be explained on the supposition that the subordinate anti- thesis with μέν and δέ in 259-260, has superseded the primary structure of the sentence. But perhapsy' should be read, giving a slight emphasis to κυρῶ, Since it so happens that I, Oedipus modestly referring his position to fortune.

260. mvp-comment-172-1 ὁμόσπορον = ὑπ᾿ ἀμφοῖν σπειρομένην. Essay on Language p. 98.

261. mvp-comment-173-1 κοινῶν τε παίδων κοίν᾿ ἄν For the repetition of κοινός, see Essay on Language § 44. P. 75, f. And had he but prospered in his issue, there had been the common bond between us of a common family. These words are the continuation of ὁμόσπορον. The emphatic repetition suggests the horror of the real situation. For the gen., cp. О. С. 923, φωτῶν ἀθλίων ἱκτήρια.

263. mvp-comment-174-1 But now Fortune has smitten him:' i. e. he has died without having children.

264. mvp-comment-175-1 ἀνθ᾽ ὧν Resuming the deferred apodosis of 258 foll. ἐπεί, κ.τ.λ. after the digression (κοινῶν .. τύχη); i. e. And being his successor and having these common interests with him, etc.

264. mvp-comment-175-2 τάδ᾽ .. ὑπερμαχοῦμαι For the accusative, cp. O. C. 344-345, τἀμὰ δυστήνου κακὰ | ὑπερπονεῖτον

267. mvp-comment-176-1 τῷ Λαβδακείῳ παιδί The dative either (1) depends on the notion of help or vindication continued from ὑπερμαχοῦμαι, to which the mind reverts as the chief word, or (2) is dependent on τὸν αὐτόχειρα τοῦ φόνου. For (2), cp. Ar. Poet. 1452 α. τὸν αἴτιον τοῦ θανάτου τῷ Μίτυϊ. 267-268. Cp. Hdt. 5. 59, ταῦτα ἡλικίην ἂν εἴη κατὰ Λάϊον τὸν Λαβδάκου τοῦ Πολυδώρου τοῦ Κάδμου. The genealogy belongs to the formal style of the proclamation.

269. mvp-comment-177-1 τοῖς μὴ δρῶσιν, governed by εὔχομαι, is resumed in αὐτοῖς after ἀνιέναι, and is the subject (i. e. αὐτούς) of φθερείσθαι.

269. mvp-comment-177-2 θεούς The dative (θεοῖς), which would be the natural case after εὔχομαι, is attracted to the subject of ἀνιέναι. I pray the gods not to let any harvest spring for them from the ground, nor fruit of the womb from their women. For ἀνιέναι in the latter sense, cp. infr. 1405, ἀνεῖτε ταὐτὸν σπέρμα. The MS. reading γῆν involves too harsh a change of subject in what follows (μήτ᾽ οὖν γυναικῶν παῖδας), and would require θεοῖς, as in Vat. a. For the tenor of these words, cp. the curse of Cambyses in Hdt. 3. 65, καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ποιεῦσι ὑμῖν γῆ τε καρπὸν ἐκφέροι, κ.τ.λ. 274-275. May justice, taking your part, and all the gods dwell with you evermore to bless you. σύμμαχος occurs frequently in Aeschylus as an attribute of Δίκη. See esp. Cho. 497, δίκην ἴαλλε σύμμαχον φίλοις. The tone of the preceding speech as a royal proclamation may be contrasted with that of Creon in Ant. 163-210. In both there is a mixture of self-confidence with the strain of patriotism. But in Creon these motives appear as the bare assertion of a right, in Oedipus as a spirit of generous readiness to serve the state. In both there is an unconsciousness of the situation. But whereas Creon's unconsciousness involves moral blindness and ignorance of self, that of Oedipus is rendered more pathetic by the purity of his intentions.

276. mvp-comment-178-1 ὥσπερ μ' ἀραῖον ἔλαβες Ας feeling the power of your curse.' Cp. Aesch. Cho. 108, λέγοις ἂν ὥσπερ ᾐδέσω, κ.τ.λ. For ἔλαβες, cp. Hdt. 3. 74. πίστι τε λαβόντες καὶ ὁρκίοισι; and for the construction with the adjective, O. C. 284, ὥσπερ ἔλαβες τὸν ἱκέτην ἐχέγγυον. See also Ant. 305, ὅρκιος δέ σοι λέγω. For the redundant antecedent in ὧδε,

278. mvp-comment-179-1 τὸ δὲ ζήτημα is the subject of what follows, in which εἰπεῖν is epexegetic.

279. mvp-comment-180-1 τόδε is to be taken separately, as acc. after εἰπεῖν, referring to ὅστις εἴργασταί ποτε. But for the inquiry, it behoved Phoebus, who imposed it, to tell this, who can have wrought the deed. Cp. supr. 150, infr. 306. 282-283. I would mention what seems to me the next best thing after that. Next or third best, leave it not unsaid. Logical exactness is not required in such idiomatic expressions. Cp. Eur. Hel. 1417, αὖθις κελεύω, καὶ τρίτον γ', εἴ σοι φίλον. Be it second or third best, out with what you have to say. 284, foll. I know one above other men. who being a king, sees with the eyes of king Phoebus, of whose lips one inquiring into this may learn the very truth.'

284. mvp-comment-181-1 ἄνακτ' Od. 11. 144 (Τειρεσίη), εἰπέ, ἄναξ, πῶς, κ.τ.λ.

285-286. mvp-comment-182-1 παρ' οὗ .. σκοπῶν παρ' οὗ is in two constructions: (1) with ἐκμάθοι, from whom one might learn this clearly; (2) with σκοπών, if we viewed it in the light of his words.

287. mvp-comment-183-1 ἐν ἀργοῖς .. ἐπραξάμην A verbal contrast like ἐν σκότῳ.. ὀψοίατο (infr. 1273). But neither have I done this as one of my omissions, i. e. I have not left this undone. Essay on Language p. 69. For the subjective use of the middle voice in ἐπραξάμην, see Essay on Language § 31. p. 53, d, and for ἀργοῖς, cp. O. C.1605; Eur. Phoen. 766, ἓν δ᾽ ἐστὶν ἡμῖν ἀργόν, εἴ τι θέσφατον | οἰωνόμαντις Τειρεσίας ἔχει φράσαι. but the possibility of finding and questioning this man does not yet occur to Oedipus. The general effect of 11. 116 119, was to reduce the available evidence to the lowest point. It is only afterwards, when he begins to suspect the truth, that Oedipus catches at straws.

288. mvp-comment-184-1 Κρέοντος εἰπόντος Cp. 1. 555.

289. mvp-comment-185-1 I have long been wondering he should not be here. μὴ παρὼν = εἰ μὴ πάρεστι. Teiresias is slow to come, as when he comes he is slow to speak. For the use of the passive in θαυμάζεται, see Essay on L, § 31. p. 53. He has long been wondered at by me; i. e. I have long been wondering about him.

290. mvp-comment-186-1 Certainly what other rumours there were, told nothing, and are forgotten.

290. mvp-comment-186-2 ἄλλα, i. e. other than we may hope to hear from Phoebus or his prophet.

290. mvp-comment-186-3 κωφά, lit. dumb, i.e. giving no clear intelligence. The chorus allude for a moment to the report which Creon spoke of ll. 122-123; but this slight clue is again broken off by the entrance of Teiresias, to be resumed afterwards.

292-293. mvp-comment-187-1 He was said to have been murdered by some unknown travellers (coming towards Thebes). Creon spoke (1. 118) of one eye-witness having escaped, and bringing a confused account,

293. mvp-comment-188-1 ἤκουσα κἀγώ Supr. 122.

293. mvp-comment-188-2 τὸν δ᾽ ἰδόντ᾽ οὐδεὶς ὁρᾷ But no eyewitness is forthcoming. The article is general, not referring to the individual mentioned in l. 119, whom Oedipus has for the present forgotten. This suits the place better than the conjecture τὸν δὲ δρῶντα, which is weak and tautological. For ἰδόντα ὁρᾷ, cp. 1133-1134, εὐ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι | κάτοιδεν.

294. mvp-comment-189-1 ἀλλ᾽ .. μέρος But if he is at all capable of fear. The plural expresses the general notion. Others read δείματός γ' (see v. rr.), in which ye must be taken with the whole sentence. ἔχει, sc. ὁ φονεύς. The transition to the murderer as being the foremost person in the thoughts of all present (supr. 227) is again easily made, without requiring the correction δρῶντ' in 293.

296. mvp-comment-190-1 When a man is not afraid to do the deed, words do not daunt him.' 297. Authorities are nearly balanced between οὐξελέγχων and οὐξελέγξων. The former has a slight preponderance in being the first hand of L, and appearing (with the variant of.) in most of the earlier MSS. This, however, is not sufficient to decide between letters so often confounded as ξ and χ. Common usage is in favour of the future (Ant. 261, οὐδ᾽ ὁ κωλύσων παρῆν). The present tense, if genuine, is expressive of certainty. There is one who convicts him; i. e. He is already convicted, for Teiresias is here. Cp. 356, πέφευγα. For the use of the present participle without special reference to present time, see Essay on Language § 32. p. 55.

300. mvp-comment-191-1 This use of νωμῶν, without τῇ φρενί or the like addition, is perhaps assisted by a supposed connection with νοέω. See Essay on Language p. 100, and cp. Plat. Crat. 411 D, ἡ γνώμη παντάπασι δηλοῖ γονῆς σκέψιν καὶ νώμησιν, τὸ γὰρ νωμᾶν καὶ τὸ σκοπεῖν ταὐτόν: Hdt. 4. 128, νωμῶντες σῖτα ἀναιρεομένους. Cp. Od. 13. 255, αἰὲν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόον πολυκερδέα νωμῶν: Aesch. S. c. T. 24, ἐν ὠσὶ νωμῶν καὶ φρεσὶν πυρὸς δίχα χρηστηρίους ὄρνιθας ἀψευδεῖ τέχνη. Ο thou that wieldest in thy thought all knowledge and all mysteries, both of things in Heaven, and things on earth.

303. mvp-comment-192-1 νόσῳ Not the plague only, but the distress generally. Cp. supr. 60, νοσεῖτε πάντες, 305. εἰ καὶ μὴ κλύεις τῶν ἀγγέλων] (1) Even if the messengers have not told you, which I dare say they have; i. e. The report is true, even if it has not reached you yet. Or, (2) If you have not heard from the messengers as well as from me;' i. e. I tell you, in case your guides have not. In the latter case, which is the more probable (cp. supr. 329, note, 325), καί is used ὑπερβάτως. For this, cp. Thuc. 5. 45, καὶ ἦν εἰς τὸν δῆμον ταῦτα λέγωσιν. Nothing is gained by transposing εἰ μὴ καί; still less by reading εἴ τι μή. The repetition of the same words (supr. 302) is no cause for suspicion. Essay on Language § 44.

307. mvp-comment-193-1 μόνην Emphatic: this, and no other. Cp. 68, ἴασιν μόνην: Phil. 61, μόνην ἔχοντες τήνδ' ἅλωσιν Ἰλίου: Thuc. 8.81, πιστεῦσαι δ᾽ ἂν μόνως Ἀθηναίοις εἰ, κ.τ.λ.

308. mvp-comment-194-1 μαθόντες εὐ Having carefully ascertained. εὖ as in εὖ σκοπῶν (68): the order as in Ant. 166, σέβοντας εὖ. 310, foll. δ' οὖν resumes from 304. δé is slightly adversative between Φοῖβος and σύ, οὖν connects the human prophecy with the divine. Phoebus answers thus and do not thou withhold any intimation, whether derived from birds or from any other way of divination at thy command.' For the coordination of εἴ τιν'.. ὁδόν, with ἀπ᾿ οἰωνῶν, cp. Phil. 468-469, πρὸς νῦν σε πατρὸς .. πρός τ᾽ εἴ τί σοι κατ' οἶκών ἐστι προσφιλές: and for μαντικῆς ὁδόν cp. 67, πολλὰς δ᾽ ὁδοὺς ἐλθόντα φροντίδος πλάνοις : Aesch. Prom. 484, τρόπους δὲ πολλοὺς μαντικῆς ἐστοίχισα: ib. 497, δυστέκμαρτον εἰς τέχνην ὥδωσα θνητούς.

313. mvp-comment-195-1 ῥῦσαι δέ And clear away. The double application of ῥῦσαι cannot be expressed in one word in English. The evil from which deliverance is sought is made the object of the verb of deliverance. Cp. Eur. Iph. A. 1383, ταῦτα πάντα κατθανοῦσα ῥύσομαι. Although this involves a slight change of construction, it is better than to take μίασμα ας = τὸ μεμιασμένον, what lies under pollution. Even if such a rendering be not impossible, the line so explained adds nothing to what is already said.

314-315. mvp-comment-196-1 ἀφ᾽ ὧν ἔχοι For the mood, cp. 979, ὅπως δύναιτό τις, and see Essay on Language § 36. p. 61. ἄνδρα is subject: cp. Ant. 710, ἀλλ᾽ ἄνδρα, κεἴ τις ἢ σοφός, τὸ μανθάνειν | πόλλ᾽ αἰσχρὸν οὐδέν. 'It is a man's noblest endeavour to use whatever power he may have in doing benefits.' 316 ff. The presence and voice of Oedipus make Teiresias feel the impossibility of speaking his message. Cp. infr. 447.

314-315. mvp-comment-196-2 φεῦ, φεῦ .. φρονοῦντι How terrible it is to know, when knowing profits not! φρονεῖν often implies a feeling or intelligence of the situation. Essay on Language p. 93, 6, Τr. 1145, φρονῶ δὴ ξυμφορᾶς ἵν᾽ ἕσταμεν : Αj. 942, σοὶ μὲν δοκεῖν ταῦτ᾽ ἔστ᾽, ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ἄγαν φρονεῖν. So in this play, 302, фро- νεῖς δ᾽ ὅμως, 326, μὴ .. φρονῶν γ᾽ ἀποσταφῇς, 328, πάντες γὰρ οὐ φρονεῖτε. Cp. with the present passage, Hdt. I. 46, where Croesus tries the oracles, ὅ τι φρονέοιεν .. εἰ φρονέοντα τὴν ἀληθηΐην εὑρεθείη. For the subjunct. in a relative clause without av, see Essay on Language §27. p. 45. The indicative λύει would make the application of the maxim too pointed. This is the only place where the expression, τέλη λύειν, occurs. λυσιτελεῖν is frequent in prose writers, and Euripides has repeatedly used the simple λύειν in this sense. The present expression appears to be an etymological analysis of λυσιτελέω. The use of λύει in El. 1005, λύει γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδέν, This tends not at all to free us, is not really similar. With the sentiment, cp. Hdt. 9. 16, ἐχθίστη ὀδύνη πολλὰ φρονέοντα μηδενὸς κρατέειν.

317. mvp-comment-197-1 ταῦτα γάρ γάρ assigns a reason for φεῦ, κ.τ.λ. Why do I speak thus? Because had I remembered this, which I well knew, I had not come hither.

319. mvp-comment-198-1 What is the matter? How gloomily thou comest in!' Cp. Ant. 997, τί δ᾽ ἔστιν; ὡς .. φρίσσω.

320-321. mvp-comment-199-1 Let me go home. If you grant me this, you and I will bear our part in the sequel more easily. Cp. Hdt. 1. 25, τὸν .. πόλεμον διενείκας.

322. mvp-comment-200-1 οὔτ᾽ ἔννομα Unlawful, namely, for the prophet of the state to refuse his service to the state.

322. mvp-comment-200-2 προσφιλή The correction -és may have been suggested by ἔννομον, which is against metre.

324. mvp-comment-201-1 φώνημα refers not only to the earnest entreaty in the last speech, but also to 305-315.

325. mvp-comment-202-1 It is needless to suppose an aposiopesis. The implied clause is to be sought from what precedes; viz. ταῦτ' εἶπον, or τήνδ' ἀποστερῶ φάτιν, My motive is, that I may not be in the same case with you. I see that thy word is against thy interest, and I would not fall into the same error. Cp. ὅπως μή. ὡς μηδέ here = ὡς μὴ καί, i. e. μηδὲ = μὴ δέ.

326. mvp-comment-203-1 φρονῶν γ' Referring to φροveῖν, supr. 316, which has raised Oedipus' hopes.

327. mvp-comment-204-1 ἱκτήριοι The chorus also (having been engaged in supplication in various parts of the city, supr. 19) are in the guise of suppliants.

328. mvp-comment-205-1 πάντες .. οὐ φρονεῖτ Cp. Ant. 1048, Τειρ. ἆρ' οἶδεν ἀνθρώπων τις, ἆρα φράζεται; 328-329. ἐγὼ δ᾽ οὐ μή ποτε τἄμ᾽ ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σ᾽ ἐκφήνω κακά] But I will never disclose my evils: (I say mine) that I may not say thine. (τὰ ἐμὰ κακά, the evils that I know, τὰ σὰ κ., the evils that you have to suffer.) Unless μή in l. 329 is taken as a mere rhetorical repetition of the former μή, like οὐκ in Ant. 6, (which does not seem probable after οὐ μή, and gives a poor meaning to the preceding words, as if the motive Teiresias had for speaking were merely that he might say his say, or as if he could speak and yet be silent), the only tenable explanation of the words as they stand is (1) to take ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σὰ as a separate clause, with the ellipse of λέγω, as in the familiar idioms ὡς ἂν εἰδῆτε (Aesch. Cho. 1021) and ἵνα μὴ εἴπω (Lat. ne dicam, Eng. 'Not to say-') Plat. Rep. 6. 487. D etc. (For ὡς ἂν μή, cp. Fr. 736, l. 11 , and, for μή postponed, Phil. 653, ὡς λίπω μή τῳ λαβεῖν. And this is probably right, although a simpler context may be obtained (2) by transposing εἴπω and changing one letter: ἐγὼ δ᾽ οὐ μή ποτε | εἴπω τάδ', ὡς ἂν μὴ τὰ σ᾽ ἐκφήνω κακά. (For τάδε = τήνδε τὴν φάτιν, cp. infr. 377.) τἄμ᾽ ἐξενείπω was the conjecture of Brunck.

330. mvp-comment-206-1 ξυνειδὼς οὐ φράσεις 'Being privy to the deed, will you refuse to tell?"

332. mvp-comment-207-1 ταῦτ᾽ | ἄλλως (MSS, as in all similar cases, ταῦ | τ᾿ ἄλλως). The running together of the verses here is expressive of of risi rising passion. Cp. Phil. 263. The only other instance of such an elision, except with the particles δ' and 7', is in O. C. 1164, μολόντ' αἰτεῖν, where, however, the reading is questioned. This freedom is peculiar to Sophocles.

334. mvp-comment-208-1 καὶ γάρ, κ.τ.λ. Oedipus says this to excuse the strong words ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε. For the transitive use of op- γαίνω here, cp. Ο. C. 1282, δυσχεράναντα.

336. mvp-comment-209-1 άτεγκτος κατελεύτητος Immovable and impracticable.

337. mvp-comment-210-1 ὀργήν My harsh or stubborn temper, referring really to ἄτεγκτος, whilst echoing the sound of ὀργάνειας.

337. mvp-comment-210-2 τὴν σὴν δ᾽ ὁμοῦ ναίουσαν οὐ κατεῖδες Thine own that dwells at hand thou seest not. Oedipus is ignorant of his own passion, as he is of other things and persons that are too close to him.- You blame me, but know not the consequences in which your own intemperate haste will involve you. These words do not, as the Schol. frigidly suggests, contain a direct allusion to Jocasta. Cp. infr. 612 and note.

340. mvp-comment-211-1 ἅ is accusative in apposition; i.e. ἀτιμάζεις = λέγεις ἀτιμάζων. The repetition of av gives emphasis to τοιαῦτα.

341. mvp-comment-212-1 ἥξει... αὐτά (My silence makes no difference) for it will come of itself, i. e. without the intervention of my prophecy. For the vague subject, which here assists the effect of mystery, cp. Hdt. 7. 8. § 11.

342. mvp-comment-213-1 καί to be taken ὑπερβάτως with λέγειν, And what will happen, ought you not also to tell?

345. mvp-comment-214-1 οὐδὲν .. ἅπερ οὐδέν is not adverbial. Supply τούτων. And I certainly will not refrain in my anger from uttering fully what I perceive. ὡς ὁ. ἔ. = οὕτως ὀργῆς ἔχων, ὡς ἔχω. Now that I am roused so far. Cp. Phil. 374-376.

347. mvp-comment-215-1 ξυμφυτεῦσαι.. καίνων ‘Τo have been privy to the plot and to have done the murder, all but the fatal stroke.' Cp. Τr. 1214, ὅσον .. μὴ ποτιψαύων.

350. mvp-comment-216-1 ἄληθες Indeed! The anger of Teiresias becomes uncontrollable, as that of Creon does where he uses the same expression in Ant. 758. It is an idiomatic utterance of extreme impatience, and nearly corresponds to the 'Is't possible?' of Cassius in J. C. 4, 3: i. e. it does not ask ironically, Is such a statement true? but indignantly, Has such a thing really been said? 353. For the change to the dative, which avoids ambiguity, see Essay on Language p.64.

354. mvp-comment-217-1 ἐξεκίνησας expresses the surprise of Oedipus at the astounding boldness of the accusation. The same astonishment is expressed in καὶ ποῦ; which is much more suitable to the passion of Oedipus than the ironical καί που. Have you so shamelessly broken silence with such a word as this? And what escape then can you hope to find? ἐκκινεῖν is to start or put in motion. Cp. El. 567. The word which Teiresias has set going will not easily be laid to rest.

356-361. mvp-comment-218-1 'I have escaped, for I keep in my bosom the might of truth.'-'By whom instructed? You never learnt this from your art.'-'By you; you prompted my unwilling tongue.'-'To utter έ λέγειν cett.

356-361. mvp-comment-218-2 προὐτρέψω C2A. προύγρ. ἦν ξυνῆκας ΑΕ. ἢ πειρᾷ Γ. (359-360 in mg. Vat. a.) what? Repeat, that I may better understand.'- Was my speech so dark, or are you tempting me in talk?' (or, reading λέγειν, ' to speak further').- I cannot say it was intelligible, speak it again.'

360. mvp-comment-219-1 λόγῳ is nearer to the first hand of L. than λέγειν, which has, however, considerable authority. For οὐχ ὥστε γ' εἰπεῖν, cp. 1128, (τὸν ἄνδρα .. οἶσθά που μαθών; οὐχ ὥστε γ' εἰπεῖν ἐν τάχει μνήμης ὕπο). The reply refers, as often elsewhere (supr. 100), to the former of the two alternative questions, i. e. I did not understand in such a sense as to say that I know. The words of Teiresias (350-353) were not obscure, but their meaning was too strange to be received at once, and Oedipus in his anger affects to treat them as a riddling utterance of the seer. The apparent platitude indicates the difficulty that Oedipus has in receiving the new idea. Cp. infr. 439, Τr. 184, τίν' εἶπας, ὦ γεραιέ, τόνδε μοι λόγον; Aesch. Agam. 268, πῶς φής; πέφευγε τούπος ἐξ ἀπιστίας. Oι οὐχ ὥστε, κ.τ.λ., may be otherwise explained, I am not likely to provoke you to an intelligible utterance. For the form γνωστόν, see on O. C. 1360.

362. mvp-comment-220-1 τἀνδρὸς οὐ ζητεῖς Sc. τὸν φονέα. Essay on Language § 39. P. 73.

363. mvp-comment-221-1 You shall suffer for thus repeating the word of evil.' For πημονὰς ἐρεῖς, cp. O. C. 542-544, ἔθου φόνον .. πατρός ; Ο. παπαῖ, δευτέραν ἔπαισας, ἐπὶ νόσῳ νόσον. And, for the plural, infr. 571-572.

365. mvp-comment-222-1 μάτην Without result. 367. The participle, ὁμιλοῦντα, has the chief emphasis. Essay on Language p. 77.

368. mvp-comment-223-1 γεγηθώς Stronger than χαίρων. Do you think you will always speak thus and glory in it? Cp. Fr. 526, θάρσει· λέγων τἀληθὲς οὐ σφαλεῖ ποτε.

370. mvp-comment-224-1 πλήν is here used without ἄλλος or a negative preceding. There is (for other men), but not for you, for you are blind, not in eyes only, but in ears and mind.' For the alliteration, of which this is an extreme case, see Essay on Language § 44. p. 82. And for the order of the words, in which what is obvious comes last, ib. § 41. p. 78.

372. mvp-comment-225-1 Unhappy, truly, art thou in uttering this reproach, which all this people will soon cast on thee. γε means Whatever may be true of me.

374. mvp-comment-226-1 μιᾶς.. νυκτός 'Thou livest under one perpetual night. The lives of other men depend on the succession of many nights and days. That of Teiresias is merged in an unbroken night. The surroundings of a life are said to foster it. Cp. Aj. 859-863, Tr. 116. Oedipus understands 372-373 as conveying an idle threat. Cp. Ant. 752, ἢ κἀπαπειλών, κ.τ.λ.

376. mvp-comment-227-1 The erroneous reading in the MSS. may have arisen from a mistimed recollection of infr. 448. ،

377. mvp-comment-228-1 ἐκπρᾶξαι To execute this. For τάδε, cp. supr. 341 and note. The other meaning of ἐκπρᾶξαι, to exact payment or to avenge, is not found elsewhere in Sophocles, and is not wanted here.

378. mvp-comment-229-1 Thy invention.' Cp. infr. 387. Creon had suggested sending for Teiresias, as was mentioned casually supr. 288, and is also associated in the mind of Oedipus with the oracle of Apollo.

379. mvp-comment-230-1 Nay, Creon is no bane to theethou art thine own bane. Note the emphatic use of δέ, connecting the reply immediately with the preceding words. Cp. El. 399, 400, πεσούμεθ', εἰ χρή, πατρὶ τιμωρούμενοι. ΧΡ. πατὴρ δὲ τούτων, οἶδα, συγγνώμην ἔχει. For σοὶ= σαυτῷ, see Essay on Language § 41. p. 79. Without seeming to hear the reply, Oedipus is hurried away by his own preconceived thoughts.

380-403. mvp-comment-231-1 The general meaning of these lines is as follows. Yes, Creon has set him on, for envy, to hurl me from power. Creon, my right hand! O how the success of another awakes ambition and poisons hearts! And what an instrument! Thou crafty seer, whose eyes are only open for gain, am I not a truer prophet than thou ever wast? Did not the Sphinx fall before my simple skill, when thy magic and thy inspiration failed? And you think to stand at Creon's right hand, when you have ousted me? He and you alike will soon repent your hypocrisy. Nothing but your age protects you from immediate punishment.'

380. mvp-comment-232-1 τέχνη τέχνης ὑπερφέρουσα Skill surpassing skill. Cp. Phil. 138-140, τέχνα γὰρ τέχνας ἑτέρας προὔχει καὶ γνώμα παρ' ὅτῳ τὸ θεῖον Διὸς σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται. Oedipus alludes to his success in solving the riddle, γνώμῃ κυρήσας, 398. τῷ πολυζήλῳ βίῳ is the dative of place transferred to circumstance. (1) In the muchenvied life,' i. e. In a brilliant state of life such as mine.' To this ὁ φθόνος in the lines following seems to correspond. Or perhaps (2) more generally, In life which is full of contention. (3) Others make the genitive equivalent to a dative ='belonging to,' cp. Pind. N. 3. 10. ὁ φθόνος = sc. ὃν ἔχετε, How great is the envy that is stored up with you. To be envied, according to Greek notions, was fortunate, but perilous. Cp. Thuc. 2. 64, ὅστις δ᾽ ἐπὶ μεγίστοις τὸ ἐπίφθονον λαμβάνει, ὀρθῶς βουλεύεται : Pind. P. 1. 85, κρείσσων γὰρ οἰκτιρμοῦ φθόνος.

382. mvp-comment-233-1 φυλάσσεται Is treasured up. An Homeric expression. (II. 16. 30, χόλος ὃν σὺ φυλάσσεις.) Cp. O. C. 1212, σκαιοσύναν φυλάσσων. For the passive, see Essay on Language § 31. p. 54.

383. mvp-comment-234-1 γε implies This rule of mine, which surely might have been free from envy, since I never asked for it, but the city gave it me.'

385. mvp-comment-235-1 ὁ πιστός Ironical. Cp. Tr. 540, Ἡρακλῆς | ὁ πιστός, κ.τ.λ.

385. mvp-comment-235-2 οὐξ ἀρχῆς φίλος Cp. Aesch. Prom. 304-305, τὸν Διὸς φίλον, τὸν συγκαταστήσαντα τὴν τυραννίδα. ταύτης is ablative genitive after ἐκβαλεῖν, but the poet passes almost unconsciously from the one genitive to the other.

386-388. mvp-comment-236-1 Desires secretly to undermine and dethrone me, suborning this weaver of intrigues, this wizard, this crafty mendicant, who has an eye for his gains only, but has no eye for his art.' μάγον, as properly applicable to a barbarian soothsayer, and ἀγύρτην, to the lowest class of priests in Greece, are opprobrious words.

387. mvp-comment-237-1 ὑφείς Suborning. Cp. ὑποβάλλω.

388-389. mvp-comment-238-1 Cp. Ant. 1055, τὸ μαντικὸν γὰρ πᾶν φιλάργυρον γένος.

390. mvp-comment-239-1 ποῦ = ' On what occasion? i. e. When have you been a true prophet? Cp. supr. 355, infr. 720, ἐνταῦθα.

391. mvp-comment-240-1 ῥαψῳδός = Songstress. but also (with allusion to the supposed etymology from ῥάπτειν ᾠδήν) weaver of intricate songs. Cp. μηχανορράφος. κύων = Monster. Cp. Aesch. Fragm. 252, Σφίγγα δυσαμερίαν πρύτανιν κύνα.

394. mvp-comment-241-1 διειπεῖν To tell distinctly, to explain. 395. (1) And this you showed that you had not either from birds, nor yet had known from any of the gods. οὐ..

394. mvp-comment-241-2 προὐφάνης ἔχων = προὐφάνης οὐκ ἔχων. The ignorance of the prophet on this occasion was a strange phenomenon, to which Oedipus calls attention. Or (2) You were not found to have. 396. There is an intentional assonance here, but without any distinct playing upon the word. Cp. supr. 70, 1, infr. 603-604. See Essay on Language § 44. p. 83, and for μηδέν, ib. p. 48, 2, b. Cp. supr. 367.

394. mvp-comment-241-3 ἔπαυσά νιν The personal pronoun viv refers to the Sphinx and not to her riddle. Hence ἔπαυσα is better than the conjectural ἔλυσα.

401. mvp-comment-242-1 χώ συνθεὶς τάδε Thuc. 8. 68, ὁ .. τὸ πρᾶγμα ξυνθεὶς .. Ἀντιφῶν ἦν. 390 395 400 397. εἰδώς] γνώμῃ CA Pal.

402. mvp-comment-243-1 ἁγηλατήσειν The future tense rather belongs to κλαίων; You shall suffer for attempting to drive out pollution. Cp. Ant. 754, κλαίων φρενώσεις. To your own hurt will you and the plotter of this, methinks, drive out pollution. Cp. Hom. Il. 16. 623, τῷ κε τάχα στυγερῶς πολέμου ἀπερωήσειας.

402. mvp-comment-243-2 εἰ δέ, κ.τ.λ. Cp. Od. 23. 24, σὲ δὲ τοῦτό γε γῆρας ὀνήσει.

402. mvp-comment-243-3 ἐδόκεις γέρων εἶναι] But for the feeling that you are an old man, i. e. If I did not see, or if I did not remember, that you are an old man. δοκεῖν is not intended to throw doubt upon the fact, but simply to express the feeling of Oedipus. Essay on Language § 50. 6. b. p. 95. Ср. Τr. 57, τοῦ καλῶς πράσσειν δοκεῖν: Hdt. 4.114, εἰ βούλεσθε.. δοκέειν εἶναι δικαιότατοι. For the unconscious tautology in δοκῶν, δοκεῖς, ᾿δόκεις, see Essay on Language pp. 83, 84, and cp. infr. 519.

403. mvp-comment-244-1 παθὼν ἔγνως ἄν Cp. Hes. Op. 218, παθὼν δὲ τε νήπιος ἔγνω. You should have learnt from suffering what a spirit you are showing. Cp. Aesch. S. c. Τ. 550, τύχοιεν ὧν φρονοῦσιν. And, for οἷόσπερ in this connection, О. С. 896, οἱάπερ πέπονθ᾽ ἀκήκοας.

404. mvp-comment-245-1 εἰκάζουσι indicates the modest reserve with which the chorus express their view of what is passing between those above them. Cp. infr. 530.

406. mvp-comment-246-1 ὅπως is at first put in construction with δεῖ (cp. Αj. 556), but this being feeble is strengthened by the resumption in the words τόδε σκοπεῖν. For λύειν, = ' to meet effectually,' cp. Plat. Rep. 8. 556 Α, ᾗ αὖ κατὰ ἕτερον νόμον τὰ τοιαῦτα λύεται. Here it is partly to meet an obligation, partly to remove a difficulty.'

408-409. mvp-comment-247-1 ἐξισωτέον .. ἀντιλέξαι One point of equality must be maintained,the right of making full reply. ἴσα is added pleonastically. See Essay on Language § 40. 5. p. 76. τὸ .. ἀντιλέξαι is (1) accusative in regimen, or (2) epexegetic infinitive after ἐξισωτέον. For this impersonal passive, see Essay on Language § 31. 3. c. p. 54, and cp. infr. 628, ἀρκτέον.

409-411. mvp-comment-248-1 τοῦδε .. γεγράψομαι I too am lord of my speech, for my life is bound to Loxias and not to you. And being his servant, I shall not be enrolled under the protection of Creon. In respect of speech the prophet has authority, as the king has in matters of state. Cp. Ant. 993-994. The metic had need of a προστάτης, not the free citizen, still less one who is the retainer of a god.

412. mvp-comment-249-1 λέγω δ' And I reply. Continuing the sense from ἀντιλέξαι.

412. mvp-comment-249-2 τυφλόν, sc. ὡς ὄντα. See Essay on Language § 39, I. c. p. 72.

413. mvp-comment-250-1 A more pointed way of saying, σὺ καὶ δεδορκὼς οὐ βλέπεις ἵν᾽ εἰ κακοῦ. Cp. 419. See Essay on Language § 36, В. 8. p. 68.

414. mvp-comment-251-1 ἔνθα ναίεις i. e. In your own country and in your father's house.

415. mvp-comment-252-1 ἆρ᾽ οἶσθ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ὧν εἰ This question first re-awakens in Oedipus the old desire to know his birth. Cp. 437, 451.

415. mvp-comment-252-2 καί Moreover.

417. mvp-comment-253-1 ἀμφιπλήξ On both sides lashing thee. The twofold curse reminds the poet of the favourite image of the διπλῆ μάστιξ.

417. mvp-comment-253-2 τοῦ σοῦ Ε. on L. p. 33. 6. b, infr. 459.

418. mvp-comment-254-1 As the sentence proceeds. the image of the curse becomes more distinct and personal. Cp. El. 491, χαλκόπους Ἐρινύς.

419. mvp-comment-255-1 Thy now clear sight thenceforth seeing darkness only. Essay on Language p. 70.

420-421. mvp-comment-256-1 ποῖος οὐκ ἔσται λιμήν i. e. τίς τόπος οὐκ ἔσται λιμήν; ποῖος Κιθαιρών, i.e. πῶς οὐχὶ Κιθαιρών, κ.τ.λ. The second ποῖος is used by a sort of attraction or echo from the previous clause, and may be explained by the adverbial use of the pronoun noticed in Essay on Language pp. 59, 83. This is better than to suppose Κιθαιρών to be put by synecdoche for any mountain. Cp. Phil. 451, ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ταῦτα .. ποῦ δ' αἰνεῖν; where similarly the meaning of ποῦ varies in the two members of the sentence.

422. mvp-comment-257-1 The favorite image of a haven, already present to the mind in another connection (420), is applied to the marriage of Oedipus with the queen. Cp. infr. 1208 foll. The marriage and the marriage-song are identified. as elsewhere. When thou hast learnt the nature of that marriage, into which in yonder halls thou wast carried with full sail, to find no shelter there. δόμοις is added to indicate the meaning of the image that follows. Cp. Tr. 538. (Others take öv as cogn. accus., not = λιμένα but πλοῦν, and δόμοις as = εἰς δόμους. For this cp. Eur. H. F. 242.) 425. 'Which will show you in your true relation to yourself and to your children: i. e. Which will show you what you are, and that you are the brother of your children.

426. mvp-comment-258-1 τοὐμὸν στόμα 'The word in my mouth; i. e. Me and my prophecies. Cp. Ο. C. 794, τὸ σὸν δ᾽ ἀφῖκται δεῦρ᾽ ὑπόβλητον στόμα.

428. mvp-comment-259-1 κάκιον. . ἐκτριβήσεται Shall be more cruelly rooted out. Cp. amongst other places, Hdt. 6. 86, ἐκτέτριπταί τε πρόρριζος ἐκ Σπάρτης: ib. 6. 37. The position of κάκιον is very emphatic.

430. mvp-comment-260-1 The two pauses in the same line mark intense excitement.

431. mvp-comment-261-1 οἴκων The genitive is to be taken with both phrases, ἄψορρος ἄπει and ἀποστραφείς. Will you not return and begone from the house? Observe the angry repetition both of sound and meaning.

434. mvp-comment-262-1 ἐστειλάμην Would have had thee conducted to my house; referring to the διπλοί πομποί. The verb is causa- tive as in Ant. 164-165, πομποῖσιν ..

434. mvp-comment-262-2 ἔστειλα. The middle voice here expresses more of personal feeling and is in harmony with οἴκους τοὺς ἐμούς.

436. mvp-comment-263-1 οἱ σ᾽ ἔφυσαν The repetition of the same verb (ἔφυμεν, l. 435 ) is another instance of accidental tautology. Cp. infr. 519. The double phrase (γον. οἵ σ' ἔφν.) is intended to draw the attention of Oedipus to the mystery of his birth. The construction of the dative has to be supplied from ἔφυμεν, ὡς .. δοκεῖ, SC. ἐδοκοῦμεν φῦναι.

437. mvp-comment-264-1 μεῖνον. (430, note.) Teiresias had turned to go. δé connects the question immediately with the speech of Teiresias. ἐκφύει, historical present.

438. mvp-comment-265-1 This day shall give thee birth and bring thee to nought.' 441. Reproach me with these things if you will, but you will find me great in them. For the sarcastic imperative, cp. Εl. 794, ὕβριζε, κ.τ.λ.: Aj. 971, ὑβριζέτω : Aesch. Prom. 82, ἐνταῦθα νῦν ὕβριζε.

442. mvp-comment-266-1 That glory of yours has been your ruin.' τύχη refers to μέγαν. The glory of which you speak. The word is much more appropriate than τέχνη (Bentley), which implies praise, and is rather applicable to the μαντική of Teiesias than to the γνώμη of Oedipus. Gravius est τύχη ut plura complectens. Erfurdt. Cp. supr. 423, εὐπλοίας τυχών. Teiresias assigns to Fortune what Oedipus (supr. 398) attributed to Wit. Cp. Thuc. 1. 144, γνώμῃ πλείονι ἢ τύχῃ καὶ τόλμῃ μείζονι ἢ δυνάμει.

443. mvp-comment-267-1 Oedipus, although curious about his parentage, cares not to ask further about the threat of ruin, but falls back on his devotion to the state.

445. mvp-comment-268-1 ὡς .. ὀχλεῖς Being present and in our way, you trouble us. σύ is brought in to mark the antithesis. Essay on Language § 41. e. p. 79. The reading of most MSS, σύ γ', may be defended if γε belongs to the whole sentence, assenting to l. 444. 447 ff. I will tell my message ere I go, not fearing thy frown, for thou hast no power to destroy me.' The speech of Teiresias is now as clear as his former words were dark; although his meaning is still an enigma to Oedipus.

447. mvp-comment-269-1 εἰπὼν ἄπειμ᾽ ὧν οὖνεκ᾽ ἦλθον The position of εἰπών here (having the first arsis of the line) is very emphatic. Cp. supr. 428, and see Essay on Language § 41. P. 77.

448. mvp-comment-270-1 πρόσωπον Cp. Hor. Od. 3. 3. 4. Nec vultus instantis tyranni Mente quatit solida.

448. mvp-comment-270-2 οὐ γὰρ . . ὀλεῖς Thou hast no power to ruin me. Cp. supr. 355. Essay on Language § 24. p. 41. Teiresias' habitual respect for Oedipus struggles with his prophetic knowledge, even now that he has help of anger.' ὅπου and ποῦ are used as nearly equivalent to ὅπως, πῶς. Cp. Αj. 1100, ποῦ σὺ στρατηγεῖς τοῦδε; 1103, οὐδ᾽ ἔσθ᾽ ὅπου σοί, κ.τ.λ.

449. mvp-comment-271-1 τοῦτον Essay on Language § 22. p. 35; and § 35. p. 59.

450. mvp-comment-272-1 ἀπειλῶν Supr. 233 foll.

452. mvp-comment-273-1 λόγῳ In appearance. Cp. El. 63, 1217.

452. mvp-comment-273-2 ἐγγενὴς . . Θηβαῖος A native Theban, i.e. not only of Theban extraction, but at once born in the country and belonging to the race. Cp. Hdt. 2. 47, where Αἰγύπτιοι ἐγγενέες means the opposite of τὸ ἀνέκαθεν Αἰγύπτιοι.

453. mvp-comment-274-1 οὐδ᾽ ἡσθήσεται, κ.τ.λ. Nor will he be gladdened by his fortune. The use of the third person adds to the impressiveness of the prophecy.

456. mvp-comment-275-1 Groping his way. σκήπτρῳ προδεικνύς, lit. 'Pointing before him with a staff. For the order of words, see Essay on Language § 41. p. 77.

457. mvp-comment-276-1 αὐτός The MS. reading agrees better with αὑτοῦ in the previous line than αὑτός, which some editors have substituted. He shall prove to be to his own children, with whom he lives, himself their brother as well as father. (αὐτὸς τοῖς αὑτοῦ παισὶν ἀδελφός.) For the slight pleonasm in ξυνών, cp. Aj. 267, κοινὸς ἐν κοινοῖσι λυπεῖσθαι ξυνών. The horror of the relationship is increased by his having lived with them in ignorance of it for so long.

459. mvp-comment-277-1 And of his mother and wife—her husband as well as son. The collocation of γυναικὸς υἱὸς is intentionally suggestive.

459. mvp-comment-277-2 τοῦ πατρός The article points to Laius, his father, of whom so much has been lately said. And of his murdered sire at once the incestuous rival and the murderer.

460. mvp-comment-278-1 ὁμόσπορος τὴν αὐτὴν σπείρων γυναῖκα, Schol. Cp. Eur. Or. 476, where Menelaus says to Tyndareus, χαῖρε, Ζηνὸς ὁμόλεκτρον κάρα. The same word is used passively in 260. The seven καί's have a cumulative force. καί with the imperative = And now. 461. For με omitted see Essay on Language §39. P. 73-

462. mvp-comment-279-1 φρονεῖν To have intelligence, as in 316. Cp. 11. 390-396.

463-511. mvp-comment-280-1 Where is the accursed one, whom Apollo has marked as the perpetrator of the terrible deed? Now should he fly far away, with a step swifter than that of steeds, the daughters of the wind. For the son of Zeus, clothed in armour, leaps upon him with flashing fire, and the inevitable Fates are following him. He is roaming in forests and amongst desert caves, but he shall find no refuge. The forlorn man cannot put away from him the oracles that come from the centre of the earth.

463-511. mvp-comment-280-2 I tremble to think of the answer which the seer has given; and I hover in uncertainty, seeing neither what is, nor what will be. I neither know nor have known any strife between the house of Labdacus and the son of Polybus, and without proof, I will not give up Oedipus on an uncertain surmise. There is no knowing whether the voice of the prophet is the voice of God. But one man may be wiser than another. And of mortals who so wise as Oedipus? We have proof of this and of his good- Ist strophe and antistr. logaoedic or glyconic, ness to our state. Therefore I will think no harm of him.

463-511. mvp-comment-280-3 The first strophe and antistrophe refer to the proclamation of Oedipus reporting the answer of the oracle; the second to the words of Teiresias, which contained the only answer yet given to the question which the oracle left obscure. The differing metres of the first and second strophe and antistrophe contrast the eager resolution of the chorus to find the murderer, with the wavering excitement which the words of Teiresias have awakened, distracting them between their loyalty to Oedipus and their reverence for the seer. The first strophe commences with a strain half grave, half light, which is stirred into a quicker motion in the glyconics (lines 466-468), where the flight of the fugitive is described and grows faster and also weightier in the description of the tramp of his pursuers (lines 469 ff.). In the second strophe the alternation of the mind of the Chorus is indicated in the uneven Ionic rhythm. followed by rapid anapaestic clcclcc dimeters marking the climax of feeling. 2nd str. and antistr. Ionic a minore with anacrusis and pauses. 100- D 100–110)|10) 10)||10)|[110)]110) 463. The διορθωτής of the Laurentian MS. has written εἶπε over another word (ειδε?) and Flor. Γ. gives εἶδε, above 100which a later hand has written εἶπε as a v. r. Both readings are noticed by the Scholiast. The construction with the participle is at first sight rather in favour of εἶδε (or οἶδε). But cp. El. 318, О. С. 1580, ξυντομωτάτως μὲν ἂν τύχοιμι λέξας Οἰδίπουν ὀλωλότα, and infr. 1214, δικάζει .. τεκνοῦντα, εἶπε is much better suited to the context. The voice which the Pythia interpreted came from the rock.

465. mvp-comment-281-1 For ἄρρητ' ἀρρήτων, see Essay on Language § 40, 4. p. 75.

466. mvp-comment-282-1 ἀελλάδων Said to be = ἀελλαίων. But may not some of the force of the patronymic be retained, = 'Swift daughters of the storm'? See the fable in II. 20. 223.

467. mvp-comment-283-1 σθεναρώτερον is better taken as an adjective agreeing with πόδα than as an adverb. Cp. Il. 10.358, λαιψηρὰ δὲ γούνατ' ἐνώμα. Ε. on L. § 9. p. 13.

470. mvp-comment-284-1 πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς Το follow ἔνοπλος ἐπενθρώσκει. The son of Zeus leaps armed upon him, with fiery bolts. The avenging power of Phoebus is referred to his father Zeus (the πυρφόρος ἀστεροπητής, Phil. 1198), whose lightning he hurls, and by whose prophetic power he is inspired. Cp. supr. 151.

472. mvp-comment-285-1 Κήρες The meaning of this word varies between (1) lot or des- tiny, (2) misfortune, (3) death. The Κῆρες have not the independent authority of the Mοίραι, but are rather the subordinate ministers who execute the Divine will.

473. mvp-comment-286-1 ἔλαμψε . φάμα The command flashed forth. Cp. 186, παιὰν δὲ λάμπει : Pind. O1. 1. 23, λάμπει . . κλέος.

475. mvp-comment-287-1 πάντ᾿ ἰχνεύειν πάντα is neuter plural adverbial: to track by all means, rather than masculine subject of ἰχνεύειν, for every one to track.

478. mvp-comment-288-1 The reading of the inferior MSS., although yielding an unlikely rhythm, is given in the text as most probably representing the true meaning. ἅτε has been read with some probability for ὡς. The reading of L., even if the adj. were here permissible (see Essay on Language § 23, €. p. 39) is impossible on account of the strained use of metaphor. Prof. E. L. Lushington has suggested ἰσόταυρος. Cp. Virgil's description, Georg. 3. 203, of the solitary vanquished bull; 11. 481, 2, suggest that he is also seeking refuge from the breese.

479. mvp-comment-289-1 χηρεύων Forlorn, 'Cut off from fellowship; alluding to the curse under which the murderer lay, 236, foll. N2

480. mvp-comment-290-1 τὰ μεσόμφαλα γᾶς .. μαντεία The oracles from the central spot of earth. yâs is part. gen. after the adjective of place. Cp. Strabo, 9. p. 419, τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἐν μέσῳ πώς ἐστι τῆς συμπάσης .. καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τῆς γῆς ὄμφαλον.

480. mvp-comment-290-2 ἀπονοσφίζων Putting away from him, i.e. avoiding. An inverted expression, like ἀποκρύπτειν γῆν.

481. mvp-comment-291-1 ἀεί to be taken equally with ζῶντα and περιποτᾶται. And they will not die, but still live and move around him. The chorus look to the ends of the earth for the man whom they have just seen before the palace; for him, who, instead of avoiding the oracle, embraces and is seeking to obey it.

483. mvp-comment-292-1 Fearfully does the wise augur trouble me.' For the ellipse of the object με, see Essay on Language § 39. P. 73. μὲν οὖν marks the transition to a course of thought which is not final; to this ἀλλά, κ.τ.λ. 497 ff. is afterwards opposed.

483. mvp-comment-292-2 δεινά is adverbial acc., and δοκοῦντα, ἀποφάσκοντα acc. masc. agreeing with με understood. Neither entertaining the suggestion nor denying. For δοκεῖν absolute, cp. El. 61, δοκῶ μέν, alib., Αj. 942, σοὶ μὲν δοκεῖν ταῦτ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ἄγαν φρονεῖν : Τr. 590, 1, ὡς τὸ μὲν δοκεῖν ἔνεστι. This interpretation is supported by the words, ὅ, τι λέξω δ᾽ ἀπορῶ, which are added in explanation. Others take δεινά ταράσσει, κ.τ.λ., to mean suggests dire conflicting thoughts, which neither affirm their object nor deny.

486. mvp-comment-293-1 πέτομαι δ᾽ ἐλπίσιν And I hover in uncertain expectation. Cp. Eur. Bacch. 332, νῦν γὰρ πέτει τε καὶ φρονῶν οὐδὲν φρονεῖς: infr. 771-772, és τοσοῦτον ἐλπίδων ἐμοῦ βεβῶτος.

487. mvp-comment-294-1 Not seeing clearly either the present or the future. Cp. ὁ γὰρ οἷος ὅρα πρόσσω καὶ ὀπίσσω, Il. 18.250; Od. 24.452. The Greeks imagined the future as coming on behind the present and so hidden by it.

487. mvp-comment-294-2 ἢ.. ἤ What quarrel lay between them on either side. The disjunctive form of expression gives emphasis to each of the proper names. The same emphatic strain is continued with οὔτε οὔτε. Cp. Hdt. 7. 54, οὐκ ἔχω ἀτρεκέως διακρίναι, οὔτε εἰ . . οὔτε εἰ, κ.τ.λ.

488. mvp-comment-295-1 ἔκειτο Lit. Was laid up, (cp. 232, ἡ χάρις προσκείσεται), but this meaning is almost lost, and the word has little more than the force of the substantive verb.

492. mvp-comment-296-1 The corresponding line of the antistrophe exceeds this by--, and the slight obscurity of the present passage makes it more probable that one or two words have been lost here, than that γὰρ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ has been interpolated in l. 507. The addition of τινὸς ἀνδρῶν, or some such words, would make the sense clearer, and in any case ὅτου is masculine. What quarrel lay between them I never learnt from any man at whose word I might go, proof in hand, against the popular fame of Oedipus. For the use of πρός with the active verb, cp. Τr. 935, ἄκουσα πρὸς τοῦ θηρὸς ἔρξειεν τάδε. βασάνῳ εἶμι = ἐλέγξων εἶμι. For the instrumental dative = ξὺν βασάνῳ, see Essay on Language § 14. 1. p. 20.

495. mvp-comment-297-1 ἐπὶ .. εἶμι is a case of tmesis. For the constr. cp. II. 11. 367, τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπιείσομαι.

496. mvp-comment-298-1 Going to the aid of the Labdacidae on account of a mysterious death. Cp. Eur. El. 138, αἱμάτων ἐπίκουρος.

498. mvp-comment-299-1 ὅ τ᾿ Ἀπόλλων Who is again regarded as the προφήτης of Zeύς. See l. 151, and note.

500. mvp-comment-300-1 πλέον ἢ ἐγὼ φέρεται Attains more than I. Cp. Hdt. 8. 29, πρόσθε τε γὰρ ἐν τοῖσι Ἕλλησι, .. πλέον αἰεί κοτε ὑμέων ἐφερόμεθα· νῦν τε παρὰ τῷ βαρβάρῳ τοσοῦτον δυνάμεθα ὥστε, κ.τ.λ.: Ε1. 1095-1096, τῶνδε φερομέναν ἄριστα.

501. mvp-comment-301-1 κρίσις οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής There is no sure way of determining. Cp. Pind. fr. Paean. 39, τί δ' ἔλπεαι σοφίαν ἐμμέναι, ᾆτ᾽ ὀλίγον τοι ἀνὴρ ὑπὲρ ἀνδρὸς ἰσχύει; οὐ γὰρ ἔσθ᾽ ὅπως τὰ θεῶν βουλεύματ᾽ ἐρευνάσαι βροτέᾳ φρενί.

502. mvp-comment-302-1 παραμείψειεν Might pass, as in a race. Cp. Pind. Pyth. 2. 50, θεός, ὁ καὶ πτερόεντ' αἰετὸν κίχε καὶ θαλασσαῖον παραμείβεται δελφίνα. On the use of the active for the middle voice, see Essay on Language p. 98.

503. mvp-comment-303-1 πρὶν ἴδοιμ The optative (instead of ἂν ἴδω) is occasioned by ката- φαίην ἄν.

503. mvp-comment-303-2 ὀρθὸν ἔπος A clear or certain utterance, i. e. one proved by the fact.

503. mvp-comment-303-3 ἡδύπολισ MSS. τῷ] τῶ(1) L. Cp. 853, τόν γε Λαΐου φόνον φανεῖ δικαίως ὀρθόν : Ant. 1178, ὦ μάντι, τοῦπος ὡς ἄρ᾽ ὀρθὸν ἥνυσας : Pind. Pyth. 6. 19.

503. mvp-comment-303-4 μεμφομένων Gen. absolute.

503. mvp-comment-303-5 καταφαίην Ar. Met. 3. 6. 11, ἀδύνατον ἅμα καταφάναι καὶ ἀποφάναι.

510. mvp-comment-304-1 βασάνῳ In actual proof. Dative of circumstance. Cp. 494. The same word repeated in a different connexion. The words φανερά, ὤφθη, βασάνῳ, are intended to contrast the clear evidence in Oedipus' favour with the uncertainty of the suspicion against him.

510. mvp-comment-304-2 ἁδύπολις = ἡδὺς τῇ πόλει. Cp. ὑψίπολις = ὑψηλὸς ἐν πόλει, Ant. 370.

510. mvp-comment-304-3 τῷ Epicè, Therefore.'

513. mvp-comment-305-1 Creon enters (right) from the city. In the first episode the action was strikingly rapid. It contained the two great movements of the proclamation of Oedipus and the prophecy of Teiresias, with only sufficient pause between them (ll. 276-296) to give effect to the latter. Now follows a period of suspense, for which the wavering tones of the last chorus have prepared the way. The scene is of unusual length, ll. 512-862, but is divided by the short lyric measures (commatica) in 11. 649-668, 678-696. Cp. O. C. 833 ff, 876 ff. The entrance of Jocasta (1. 634) prepares new complications.

515. mvp-comment-306-1 ἀτλητών Unable to endure it. The verb is formed after the analogy οἱ ἀλαστέω, ἀελπτέω, etc.

515. mvp-comment-306-2 ἐν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς ταῖς νῦν In the present crisis.

516. mvp-comment-307-1 πρός γ᾿ ἐμοῦ The variety of reading has been caused by the ellipse of τι, for which cp. El. 1322-1323, ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ κλύω | τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος, SC.

516. mvp-comment-307-2 τινός. The emphatic ἐμοῦ is better here than μου. That in this emergency he has suffered at my hands aught tending to his harm by word or deed.

518. mvp-comment-308-1 I care not to prolong my life.'

518. mvp-comment-308-2 τοῦ μακραίωνος. The article as with words of number and quantity, e.g. Ο. C. 1211, τοῦ πλέονος μέρους. Cp. Αj. 473, τοῦ μακροῦ χρήζειν βίου. For the use of the compound, see Essay on Language p. 101.

519. mvp-comment-309-1 ἁπλοῦν, though opposed to μέγιστον, is not = σμικρόν, but points to the manifold nature of the injury as expressed in 521-522, This word affects me with loss not only in one respect, but does me the most serious injury.' For the unconscious tautology in the repetition of φέρει after φέρον, φέροντι, cp. infr. 524-527, γνώμῃ, γνώμαις, γνώμῃ.

522. mvp-comment-310-1 The leader of the chorus is allied to the royal house, infr. 1225.

524. mvp-comment-311-1 βιασθέν is not to be repeated with γνώμῃ, which is dative of cause. The charge may have been made in the violence of anger, and not advisedly.

525. mvp-comment-312-1 τοῦ πρός From whom proceeded this? i. e. On whose authority was it said? The inversion in this passage has suggested the v. r. τοῦπος found in FL³, which is also supposed to correspond better with the answer of the chorus. But the change is unnecessary. The order of words is singular, but is suited to express the excitement of Creon. Cp. the position of ὅτι, and Ar. Εq. 32, ποῖον βρέτας πρός; There is no real difficulty in reconciling the question to the answer. Creon asks, 'From whom came the intimation?" To which the chorus answers, The thing was said, but I cannot tell you on what ground or authority: γνώμῃ τίνι referring to τοῦ πρός, κ.τ.λ. For γνώμῃ φρενῶν, cp. Ant. 1090, τὸν νοῦν .. τῶν φρενῶν.

528. mvp-comment-313-1 Were his eyes and his mind clear, when this accusation was uttered against : me by him?' Most MSS. omitting δ' in the first place, waver between ὀρθῶν τε and ὀρθῶν δέ. But δ' before ὀρθῶν is not devoid of authority.

529. mvp-comment-314-1 Observe the continued use of the passive voice. Essay on Language §. 31. pp. 53-54. Creon still avoids the direct mention of Oedipus as his accuser; and the chorus use the same reserve.

530. mvp-comment-315-1 ἃ γὰρ .. οὐχ ὁρῶ I have no eye to see what rulers do. 532 foll. Insolent, what mean you by coming hither, you that have aimed at my life and sought to subvert my sovereignty? Unsupported by friends, how could you expect to succeed or to elude my vigilance? Did you take me for a coward or a fool?'

530. mvp-comment-315-2 οὗτος, σύ This punctuation is more forcible than οὗτος σύ, and has also better authority. The inversion of πῶς σύ accords with the feeling of the speech. Essay on Language § 41. p. 78. See below, l. 1121 .

532. mvp-comment-316-1 τοσόνδ᾽ ἔχεις τόλμης πρόσωπον Have you such a face of brass? i. e. τοσαύτης τόλμης πρόσωπον. A case of hypallage.

534. mvp-comment-317-1 The ind. ἵκου is more forcible than the infinitive, as dwelling on the 542.8] fact, and not merely marking its connexion with the preceding statement. The words ἐμφανῶς, ἐναργής, in what follows, are very characteristic of the passionate self-confidence of Oedipus.

537. mvp-comment-318-1 ἐν ἐμοί, like ἃ δ᾽ ἂν ἔρῃ, infr. 749, is an apparent violation of the rule that the 2nd and 3rd syllables of a trisyllabic foot must be in the same word. But ev is a preposition which adheres to its case.

538. mvp-comment-319-1 ὡς, κ.τ.λ. depends, κατὰ τὸ σημαινόμενον, οη καταφρονήσας, or the like, implied in ἰδὼν . . ἐν ἐμοί. Either supposing that I would not detect the stealthy approaches of this plot of yours, or that I would not resist it when observed.' The MS. reading -κούκ may be compared with Il. 2. 289, ἢ παῖδες νεαροὶ χῆραί τε γυναῖκες, or ἤ in this case may be explained as = ' or;' but the correction ἢ ἡ οὐκ seems far more probable. The former alternative implies μωρίαν, the latter δειλίαν. For the synizesis, cp. infr. 555, ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες.

538. mvp-comment-319-2 γνωρίσοιμι follows the MSS. against the Atticists.

541. mvp-comment-320-1 πλήθους καὶ φίλων Cp. supr. 470, πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς.

543. mvp-comment-321-1 οἶσθ᾿ ὡς ποίησον Do you know what I bid you do?" An idiomatic confusion of οἶσθ ὡς ποιήσεις with ποίησον. See Essay on Language $ 36. p. 66.

545. mvp-comment-322-1 You are a clever talker; but I am slow to learn of you (alluding to μαθών in the preceding line), for I have found you dangerous and hostile to me. Cp. Plat. Rep. 2. 358 Α, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγώ τις, ὡς ἔοικε, δυσμαθής.

547. mvp-comment-323-1 τοῦτ᾽ αὐτό This very point, viz. whether I am hostile to you.

549. mvp-comment-324-1 Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1012, αὐθαδία γὰρ τῷ φρονοῦντι μὴ καλῶς | αὐτὴ καθ᾿ αὑτὴν οὐδενὸς μεῖον σθένει.

552. mvp-comment-325-1 ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην ‘Το be made to answer for it.' Oedipus has an uneasy feeling that Creon may think himself above the law. This Creon deprecates.

553-554. mvp-comment-326-1 ὸ . . πάθημα is both governed by δίδασκε and to be resumed with παθεῖν. Tell me your injury, what injury you say you have received. Cp. infr. 604.

555. mvp-comment-327-1 ἔπειθες Referring to Κρέοντος εἰπόντος in 288, a slight touch, which has prepared the way for the present scene.

556. mvp-comment-328-1 τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα The solemn prophet. σεμνός has frequently the ironical sense of pretentious. Cp. 953, τὰ σέμν᾿ ἵν᾿ ἥκει τοῦ θεοῦ μαντεύματα: Αj. 1107, τὰ σέμν᾽ ἔπη: Aesch. Prom. 953, σεμνόστομός γε καὶ φρονήματος πλέως. ..

557. mvp-comment-329-1 αὑτὸς τῷ βουλεύματι And I still hold to the advice I gave. Cp. Thuc. 2. 61, καὶ ἐγὼ μὲν ὁ αὐτός εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἐξίσταμαι : Phil. 521, τότ᾽ οὐκέθ᾽ αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις φανῆς. τῷ βουλεύματι is (1) dative of identity with αὑτός rather than (2) of manner. Cp. Hdt. 3. 119, εἰ συνέπαινοί εἰσι τῷ πεποιημένῳ. For the other view (2), cp. Thuc. 3.38, ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ὁ αὐτὸς εἰμι τῇ γνώμῃ.

561. mvp-comment-330-1 It would be a long reckoning of distant times.'

562. mvp-comment-331-1 ἐν τῇ τέχνη Practising his art. Cp. Plat. Prot. 317 C, πολλά γε ἔτη ἤδη εἰμὶ ἐν τῇ τέχνη.

565. mvp-comment-332-1 Either on no occasion when I was standing near, οὐδαμοῦ simply repeating the negative in οὐκοῦν, οτ, τεsolving οὐδαμοῦ into two words, ('not,' 'anywhere'), certainly not, when I was standing anywhere near. The former is preferable. See Essay on Language § 41. p 77; and for the transference of the adverb of place to time, ibid. § 24. p. 41, supr. 1. 390.

566. mvp-comment-333-1 τοῦ θανόντος Gen. of respect.

567. mvp-comment-334-1 παρέσχομεν The compound verb is used in the reply, partly for the sake of variety, but also with a slight alteration of sense. But did you have no enquiry about the deed? Of course we held an enquiry. παρέσχομεν has a more active meaning, and implies more effort (='dare operam') than ἔσχετε. The word is used here as in El. 1144-1145, (τροφῆς) τὴν ἐγὼ θάμ᾿ ἀμφὶ σοὶ πόνῳ γλυκεῖ παρέσχον.

568. mvp-comment-335-1 ὁ σοφός Cp. 563.

569. mvp-comment-336-1 ἐφ᾽ οἷς = ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅ. The spectator would not feel, as the reader is apt to do, that the question of Oedipus calls attention to a real inconsistency in the fable. Cp. supr. 103 ff.

570. mvp-comment-337-1 τοσόνδε γ' The MS. reading τοσὸν δέ γ' (i. e. τὸ σὸν δέ γ') looks like an early correction. On the other hand, the simple τόσον hardly occurs elsewhere in Sophocles (unless in Tr. 53, κἀμὲ χρὴ φράσαι τόσον, where τὸ σόν is preferable). But cp. Hdt. 4. 197, τόσον δὲ ἔτι ἔχω εἰπεῖν. The abruptness caused by omitting δε is rather expressive. τοσόνδε refers to what is coming. There is one thing which you know and can tell clearly.'

570. mvp-comment-337-2 οἶσθα.. λέγοις.. φρονών He echoes Creon's words, οὐκ οἶδα μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν.

571. mvp-comment-338-1 οἰδά γ᾽ If I do know it. γε points the reference to the preceding line.

572. mvp-comment-339-1 τὰς ἐμάς The article refers to Teiresias' words, 362, φονέα σε φημί, κ.τ.λ. He would not have spoken, as he did, of my being Laius murderer.' Cp Eur. (?) Rhes. 438, σὺ κομπεῖς τὰς ἐμὰς ἀμύστιδας. The poet may also have intended the expression to be ambiguous, and to mean in the ear of the spectator, he would not have told of my murder of Laius. For the plural, ср. О. С. 962, ὅστις φόνους μοι καὶ γάμους καὶ συμφοράς, κ.τ.λ.

575. mvp-comment-340-1 ταύθ' Adv. accus. Just as. Cp 579, ἄρχεις . . ταὐτά.

576. mvp-comment-341-1 The compound verb answers the simple as in 567. Do your best to learn. Cp. 129, ἐξειδέναι: Hdt. 7. 28, ἐξέμαθον καὶ εὗρον, κ.τ.λ. The present tense has the inchoative meaning.

577. mvp-comment-342-1 γήμας ἔχεις You have in marriage.

578. mvp-comment-343-1 ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν There is no possibility of denying.

579. mvp-comment-344-1 ἄρχεις δ᾽ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτά You share your power with her. Creon implies that Jocasta is queen in her own right. Cp. 630, note.

579. mvp-comment-344-2 γῆς ἴσον νέμων Holding with her an equal portion in the land. The dative is resumed in thought. Cp. Thuc. 6. 16, 4, ἢ τὰ ἴσα νέμων τὰ ὁμοῖα ἀνταξιούτω.

582. mvp-comment-345-1 True, and that is just what marks you as a bad friend. Oedipus assents to Creon's statement of his own position, and retorts that his nearness to the throne only aggravates the case against him.

583. mvp-comment-346-1 The argument of Creon resembles that with which Histiaeus soothes the suspicion of Darius, Hdt. 5.106, τί δ' ἂν ἐπιδιζήμενος ποιέοιμι ταῦτα; τεῦ δὲ ἐνδεὴς ἐών; τῷ πάρα μὲν πάντα ὅσα περ σοί, πάντων δὲ πρὸς σέο βουλευμάτων ἐπακούειν ἀξιεῦμαι.

583. mvp-comment-346-2 Not so; if you would but reason with yourself, as I reason with you.' σοί is absorbed in σαντῷ : i. e. σαυτῷ ὡς ἐγὼ σοί. For the expression, cp. Hdt. 1. 209; 2. 162; 3.25; 4. 102; 6.138.

586. mvp-comment-347-1 ἄτρεστον εὔδοντ Hom. Od. 13. 92, δὴ τότε γ᾿ ἀτρέμας εἶδε.

587-589. mvp-comment-348-1 For the position of the words οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς .. οὔτ᾽ ἄλλος, cp. Phil. 88, 9, ἔφυν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐκ τέχνης πράσσειν κακῆς | οὔτ᾽ αὐτός, οὔθ᾽, ὥς φασιν, οὑκφύσας ἐμέ.

588. mvp-comment-349-1 τύραννα For τύραννος adj. cp. Ant. 1169, τύραννον σχῆμα.

590. mvp-comment-350-1 φέρω Ι obtain.' Cp. О. С. 5, 6, τοῦ μικροῦ δ᾽ ἔτι μεῖον φέροντα,

592. mvp-comment-351-1 How then can the possession of sovereignty be pleasanter to me than to have a power and authority that is free from annoyance?'

594. mvp-comment-352-1 οὔπω Surely I am not so far gone in self-deceit. πω adds emphasis to the negative. See note on 105, οὐ γὰρ εἰσεῖδόν γέ πω.

595. mvp-comment-353-1 τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά Glory with advantage. Creon's present δυναστεία had the reality of both. Sovereignty might bring him outward brilliancy, but not solid gain.

596. mvp-comment-354-1 πᾶσι χαίρω (1) I am happy in the sight of all. Cp. Eur. Med. 509, πολλαῖς μακαρίαν. The recognition of happiness is an element of happiness to the sensitive Greek (as to Croesus in the story of Herodotus); and the happy man is saluted by all (πᾶς ἀσπάζεται), just as the unfortunate is passed by without regard. Cp Thuc. 6. 16, ὥσπερ δυστυχοῦντες οὐδὲ προσαγορευόμεθα. Or (2) I take pleasure in all men' (as having no enemy). Cp. Od. 19. 462-463, τῷ μὲν χαῖρον νοστήσαντι. Other renderings are, I am happy in my relations with all; I am happy in all ways (πᾶσι neuter); and, All bid me rejoice. (Cp. χαῖρέ μοι.) 597. ἐκκαλοῦσί με is Invite me forth, or, Take me aside, e. g. from the palace or the council for private conference, as an important person. Cp. 951, τί μ' ἐξεπέμψω δεῦρο τῶνδε δωμάτων; Ant. 18: Eur. Bacch. 170, τίς ἐν πύλαισι; Κάδμον ἐκκάλει δόμων: Αj. 749-750, ἐκ γὰρ ξυνέδρου καὶ τυραννικοῦ κύκλου | Κάλχας μεταστὰς οἷος Ἀτρειδῶν δίχα, κ.τ.λ. Aristoph. Ach. 400-402: Hdt. 8. 79, ἐξεκαλέετο. The conjecture of L. Dindorf, αἰκάλλουσι, suggests a disagreeable association of mean flattery. The word αἰκάλλω occurs only once in tragedy, and then in reproach. Eur. Andr. 630, πρόδοτιν αἰκάλλων κύνα.

598. mvp-comment-355-1 τὸ γὰρ . . ἔνι For their success all depends on this; viz. on paying court to me. The text is uncertain, but here, as in a few other passages (cp. supr. 221), Flor. F. may have preserved an older reading. The absence of caesura is not a fatal objection to the reading αὐτοὺς ἅπαντ᾽. Cp. infr. 856. And for the accus. cp. Eur. Or. 761, τύχοις ἂν .. ὅσον θέλεις. But Flor. F. certainly gives a better line, and the correction ἅπαντ' may be conjectural.

599. mvp-comment-356-1 κεῖν κεῖνο, τὸ ἄρχειν ξὺν φόβοισι, τὴν τυραννίδα.

599. mvp-comment-356-2 ἀφεὶς τάδε] Cp. Macb. 1. 7, I have won | Golden opinions from all sorts of people | That would be worn now in their newest gloss, | Not cast aside so soon.' Ib. 2. 1, 'M. It shall make honour for you. B. So I lose none | In seeking to augment it, .... | I shall be counselled. But Creon's notion of honour' is more external than Banquo's.

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Commentary on lines 451–600

Current edition Experimental

Κρέων

Χορός ἀλλ᾽ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχ᾽ ἂν ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν.

Κρέων τοῦ πρὸς δ᾽ ἐφάνθη ταῖς ἐμαῖς γνώμαις ὅτι 525 πεισθεὶς ὁ μάντις τοὺς λόγους ψευδεῖς λέγοι;

Χορός ηὐδᾶτο μὲν τάδ', οἶδα δ᾽ οὐ γνώμῃ τίνι.

Κρέων ἐξ ὀμμάτων δ᾽ ὀρθῶν τε κἀξ ὀρθῆς φρενὸς κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

Χορός οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἃ γὰρ δρῶσ᾽ οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ. 530 αὐτὸς δ᾽ ὅδ᾽ ἤδη δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

Κρέων

οἶσθ᾽ ὡς ποίησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων ἴσ᾽ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.

Οἰδίπους λέγειν σὺ δεινός, μανθάνειν δ᾽ ἐγὼ κακὸς 545 σοῦ· δυσμενῆ γὰρ καὶ βαρύν σ᾽ εὕρηκ᾿ ἐμοί.

Κρέων τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτ᾽ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ.

Οἰδίπους τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζ᾽, ὅπως οὐκ εἶ κακός.

Κρέων εἴ τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς. 550

Οἰδίπους εἴ τοι νομίζεις ἄνδρα συγγενῆ κακῶς δρῶν οὐχ ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην, οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς.

Κρέων ξύμφημί σοι ταῦτ᾽ ἔνδικ᾽ εἰρῆσθαι· τὸ δὲ πάθημ᾽ ὁποῖον φῇς παθεῖν δίδασκέ με.

Οἰδίπους ἔπειθες, ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μ᾽ ἐπὶ 555 τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα;

Κρέων καὶ νῦν ἔθ᾽ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι.

Οἰδίπους πόσον τινʼ ἤδη δῆθ᾽ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

Κρέων δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

Οἰδίπους ἄφαντος ἔρρει θανασίμῳ χειρώματι; 560

Κρέων μακροὶ παλαιοί τ᾽ ἂν μετρηθεῖεν χρόνοι.

Οἰδίπους τότ᾽ οὖν ὁ μάντις οὗτος ἦν ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ;

Κρέων σοφός γ᾽ ὁμοίως κἀξ ἴσου τιμώμενος.

Οἰδίπους ἐμνήσατ᾽ οὖν ἐμοῦ τι τῷ τότ᾽ ἐν χρόνῳ;

Κρέων οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας. 565

Οἰδίπους ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ θανόντος ἔσχετε;

Κρέων παρέσχομεν, πῶς δ᾽ οὐχί; κοὐκ ἠκούσαμεν.

Οἰδίπους πῶς οὖν τόθ᾽ οὗτος ὁ σοφὸς οὐκ ηὔδα τάδε;

Κρέων οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐφ᾽ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ.

Οἰδίπους τοσόνδε γ' οἶσθα καὶ λέγοις ἂν εὖ φρονῶν. 570

Κρέων ποῖον τόδ'; εἰ γὰρ οἶδά γ', οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι.

Οἰδίπους ὁθούνεκʼ, εἰ μὴ σοὶ ξυνῆλθε, τὰς ἐμὰς οὐκ ἄν ποτ' εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

Κρέων εἰ μὲν λέγει τάδ', αὐτὸς οἶσθ᾽· ἐγὼ δέ σου μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθ᾽ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν. 575

Οἰδίπους ἐκμάνθανʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι.

Κρέων τί δῆτ᾽; ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν γήμας ἔχεις;

Οἰδίπους ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Κρέων ἄρχεις δ᾽ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτὰ γῆς ἴσον νέμων;

Οἰδίπους ἃν ᾖ θέλουσα πάντ᾿ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται. 580

Κρέων οὔκουν ἰσοῦμαι σφῷν ἐγὼ δυοῖν τρίτος;

Οἰδίπους ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ καὶ κακὸς φαίνει φίλος.

Κρέων

Χορός

Χορός ἀλλʼ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχʼ ἂν ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν.

Κρέων τοὔπος δʼ ἐφάνθη, ταῖς ἐμαῖς γνώμαις ὅτι 525 πεισθεὶς ὁ μάντις τοὺς λόγους ψευδεῖς λέγοι;

Χορός ηὐδᾶτο μὲν τάδʼ, οἶδα δʼ οὐ γνώμῃ τίνι.

Κρέων ἐξ ὀμμάτων δʼ ὀρθῶν τε κἀξ ὀρθῆς φρενὸς κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

Χορός οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἃ γὰρ δρῶσʼ, οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ. 530 αὐτὸς δʼ ὅδʼ ἤδη δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

Κρέων οἶσθʼ ὡς πόησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων ἴσʼ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.

Οἰδίπους λέγειν σὺ δεινός, μανθάνειν δʼ ἐγὼ κακὸς 545 σοῦ· δυσμενῆ γὰρ καὶ βαρύν σʼ ηὕρηκʼ ἐμοί.

Κρέων τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτʼ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ.

Οἰδίπους τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζʼ, ὅπως οὐκ εἶ κακός.

Κρέων εἴ τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς. 550

Οἰδίπους εἴ τοι νομίζεις ἄνδρα συγγενῆ κακῶς δρῶν οὐχ ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην, οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς.

Κρέων ξύμφημί σοι ταῦτʼ ἔνδικʼ εἰρῆσθαι· τὸ δὲ πάθημʼ ὁποῖον φὴς παθεῖν, δίδασκέ με.

Οἰδίπους ἔπειθες ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μʼ ἐπὶ 555 τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα;

Κρέων καὶ νῦν ἔθʼ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι.

Οἰδίπους πόσον τινʼ ἤδη δῆθʼ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

Κρέων δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

Οἰδίπους ἄφαντος ἔρρει θανασίμῳ χειρώματι; 560

Κρέων μακροὶ παλαιοί τʼ ἂν μετρηθεῖεν χρόνοι.

Οἰδίπους τότʼ οὖν ὁ μάντις οὗτος ἦν ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ;

Κρέων σοφός γʼ ὁμοίως κἀξ ἴσου τιμώμενος.

Οἰδίπους ἐμνήσατʼ οὖν ἐμοῦ τι τῷ τότʼ ἐν χρόνῳ;

Κρέων οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γʼ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας. 565

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ κτανόντος ἔσχετε;

Κρέων παρέσχομεν, πῶς δʼ οὐχί; κοὐκ ἠκούσαμεν.

Οἰδίπους πῶς οὖν τόθʼ οὗτος ὁ σοφὸς οὐκ ηὔδα τάδε;

Κρέων οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἐφʼ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ.

Οἰδίπους τοσόνδε γʼ οἶσθα καὶ λέγοις ἂν εὖ φρονῶν. 570

Κρέων ποῖον τόδʼ; εἰ γὰρ οἶδά γʼ, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι.

Οἰδίπους ὁθούνεκʼ, εἰ μὴ σοὶ ξυνῆλθε, τάσδʼ ἐμὰς οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

Κρέων εἰ μὲν λέγει τάδʼ, αὐτὸς οἶσθʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ σοῦ μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθʼ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν. 575

Οἰδίπους ἐκμάνθανʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι.

Κρέων τί δῆτʼ; ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν γήμας ἔχεις;

Οἰδίπους ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Κρέων ἄρχεις δʼ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτὰ γῆς ἴσον νέμων;

Οἰδίπους ἃν ᾖ θέλουσα πάντʼ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται. 580

Χορός

ἀλλ᾽ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχ᾽ ἂν

ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν.

Κρέων

τοῦ πρὸς δ᾽ ἐφάνθη ταῖς ἐμαῖς γνώμαις ὅτι
525

πεισθεὶς ὁ μάντις τοὺς λόγους ψευδεῖς λέγοι;

Χορός

ηὐδᾶτο μὲν τάδ', οἶδα δ᾽ οὐ γνώμῃ τίνι.

Κρέων

ἐξ ὀμμάτων δ᾽ ὀρθῶν τε κἀξ ὀρθῆς φρενὸς

κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἃ γὰρ δρῶσ᾽ οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ.
530

αὐτὸς δ᾽ ὅδ᾽ ἤδη δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

οἶσθ᾽ ὡς ποίησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων

ἴσ᾽ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.

Οἰδίπους

λέγειν σὺ δεινός, μανθάνειν δ᾽ ἐγὼ κακὸς
545

σοῦ· δυσμενῆ γὰρ καὶ βαρύν σ᾽ εὕρηκ᾿ ἐμοί.

Κρέων

τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτ᾽ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζ᾽, ὅπως οὐκ εἶ κακός.

Κρέων

εἴ τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν

εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς.
550

Οἰδίπους

εἴ τοι νομίζεις ἄνδρα συγγενῆ κακῶς

δρῶν οὐχ ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην, οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς.

Κρέων

ξύμφημί σοι ταῦτ᾽ ἔνδικ᾽ εἰρῆσθαι· τὸ δὲ

πάθημ᾽ ὁποῖον φῇς παθεῖν δίδασκέ με.

Οἰδίπους

ἔπειθες, ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μ᾽ ἐπὶ
555

τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα;

Κρέων

καὶ νῦν ἔθ᾽ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι.

Οἰδίπους

πόσον τινʼ ἤδη δῆθ᾽ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

Κρέων

δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἄφαντος ἔρρει θανασίμῳ χειρώματι;
560

Κρέων

μακροὶ παλαιοί τ᾽ ἂν μετρηθεῖεν χρόνοι.

Οἰδίπους

τότ᾽ οὖν ὁ μάντις οὗτος ἦν ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ;

Κρέων

σοφός γ᾽ ὁμοίως κἀξ ἴσου τιμώμενος.

Οἰδίπους

ἐμνήσατ᾽ οὖν ἐμοῦ τι τῷ τότ᾽ ἐν χρόνῳ;

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γ᾽ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας.
565

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ θανόντος ἔσχετε;

Κρέων

παρέσχομεν, πῶς δ᾽ οὐχί; κοὐκ ἠκούσαμεν.

Οἰδίπους

πῶς οὖν τόθ᾽ οὗτος ὁ σοφὸς οὐκ ηὔδα τάδε;

Κρέων

οὐκ οἶδ᾽· ἐφ᾽ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοσόνδε γ' οἶσθα καὶ λέγοις ἂν εὖ φρονῶν.
570

Κρέων

ποῖον τόδ'; εἰ γὰρ οἶδά γ', οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὁθούνεκʼ, εἰ μὴ σοὶ ξυνῆλθε, τὰς ἐμὰς

οὐκ ἄν ποτ' εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

Κρέων

εἰ μὲν λέγει τάδ', αὐτὸς οἶσθ᾽· ἐγὼ δέ σου

μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθ᾽ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν.
575

Οἰδίπους

ἐκμάνθανʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι.

Κρέων

τί δῆτ᾽; ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν γήμας ἔχεις;

Οἰδίπους

ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Κρέων

ἄρχεις δ᾽ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτὰ γῆς ἴσον νέμων;

Οἰδίπους

ἃν ᾖ θέλουσα πάντ᾿ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται.
580

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἰσοῦμαι σφῷν ἐγὼ δυοῖν τρίτος;

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ καὶ κακὸς φαίνει φίλος.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχʼ ἂν

ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν.

Κρέων

τοὔπος δʼ ἐφάνθη, ταῖς ἐμαῖς γνώμαις ὅτι
525

πεισθεὶς ὁ μάντις τοὺς λόγους ψευδεῖς λέγοι;

Χορός

ηὐδᾶτο μὲν τάδʼ, οἶδα δʼ οὐ γνώμῃ τίνι.

Κρέων

ἐξ ὀμμάτων δʼ ὀρθῶν τε κἀξ ὀρθῆς φρενὸς

κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἃ γὰρ δρῶσʼ, οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ.
530

αὐτὸς δʼ ὅδʼ ἤδη δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

Κρέων

οἶσθʼ ὡς πόησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων

ἴσʼ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.

Οἰδίπους

λέγειν σὺ δεινός, μανθάνειν δʼ ἐγὼ κακὸς
545

σοῦ· δυσμενῆ γὰρ καὶ βαρύν σʼ ηὕρηκʼ ἐμοί.

Κρέων

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτʼ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζʼ, ὅπως οὐκ εἶ κακός.

Κρέων

εἴ τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν

εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς.
550

Οἰδίπους

εἴ τοι νομίζεις ἄνδρα συγγενῆ κακῶς

δρῶν οὐχ ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην, οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς.

Κρέων

ξύμφημί σοι ταῦτʼ ἔνδικʼ εἰρῆσθαι· τὸ δὲ

πάθημʼ ὁποῖον φὴς παθεῖν, δίδασκέ με.

Οἰδίπους

ἔπειθες ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μʼ ἐπὶ
555

τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα;

Κρέων

καὶ νῦν ἔθʼ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι.

Οἰδίπους

πόσον τινʼ ἤδη δῆθʼ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

Κρέων

δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἄφαντος ἔρρει θανασίμῳ χειρώματι;
560

Κρέων

μακροὶ παλαιοί τʼ ἂν μετρηθεῖεν χρόνοι.

Οἰδίπους

τότʼ οὖν ὁ μάντις οὗτος ἦν ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ;

Κρέων

σοφός γʼ ὁμοίως κἀξ ἴσου τιμώμενος.

Οἰδίπους

ἐμνήσατʼ οὖν ἐμοῦ τι τῷ τότʼ ἐν χρόνῳ;

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γʼ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας.
565

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ κτανόντος ἔσχετε;

Κρέων

παρέσχομεν, πῶς δʼ οὐχί; κοὐκ ἠκούσαμεν.

Οἰδίπους

πῶς οὖν τόθʼ οὗτος ὁ σοφὸς οὐκ ηὔδα τάδε;

Κρέων

οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἐφʼ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ.

Οἰδίπους

τοσόνδε γʼ οἶσθα καὶ λέγοις ἂν εὖ φρονῶν.
570

Κρέων

ποῖον τόδʼ; εἰ γὰρ οἶδά γʼ, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὁθούνεκʼ, εἰ μὴ σοὶ ξυνῆλθε, τάσδʼ ἐμὰς

οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

Κρέων

εἰ μὲν λέγει τάδʼ, αὐτὸς οἶσθʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ σοῦ

μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθʼ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν.
575

Οἰδίπους

ἐκμάνθανʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι.

Κρέων

τί δῆτʼ; ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν γήμας ἔχεις;

Οἰδίπους

ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

Κρέων

ἄρχεις δʼ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτὰ γῆς ἴσον νέμων;

Οἰδίπους

ἃν ᾖ θέλουσα πάντʼ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται.
580

Κρέων

οὔκουν ἰσοῦμαι σφῷν ἐγὼ δυοῖν τρίτος;

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ καὶ κακὸς φαίνει φίλος.

Χορός

καλῶς ἔλεξεν εὐλαβουμένῳ πεσεῖν,

ἄναξ· φρονεῖν γὰρ οἱ ταχεῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς.

Κρέων

τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἦ με γῆς ἔξω βαλεῖν;

Οἰδίπους

ἥκιστα· θνῄσκειν, οὐ φυγεῖν σε βούλομαι.

ὡς ἂν προδείξῃς οἷόν ἐστι τὸ φθονεῖν.

Κρέων

ὡς οὐχ ὑπείξων οὐδὲ πιστεύσων λέγεις;
625

Κρέων

οὐ γὰρ φρονοῦντά σʼ εὖ βλέπω.

Οἰδίπους

τὸ γοῦν ἐμόν.