οὐ γάρ τι σοὶ ζῶ δοῦλος, ἀλλὰ Λοξίᾳ·
410
Oedipus Tyrannus. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
Table of Contents
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Current edition Experimental
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (1)
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Translations (3)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 410 focus
OED
That this last act hath not been for the best
Instruct me not, nor counsel me again.
How, if I kept my sight, could I have looked
1370
In Hades on my father’s countenance,
Or mine all hapless mother, when, toward both,
I have done deeds no death can e’er atone?
Ah! but my children were a sight of joy,—
Offspring of such a marriage! were they so?
1375
Never, to eyes of mine! nor town, nor tower,
Nor holy shrines o’ the gods, which I myself,
Dowered with the fairest life of Theban men,
Have forfeited, alas, by mine own law,
Declaring men should drive from every door
1380
One marked by Heaven as impious and impure,
Nay worse, of Laius born! And was I then,
By mine own edict branded thus, to look
On Theban faces with unaltered eye?
Nay verily, but had there been a way
1385
To stop the hearing fountain through the ear,
I had not faltered, but had closed and barred
Each gate of this poor body, deaf and blind!
So thought might sweetly dwell at rest from ill
Cithaeron! Why didst thou receive me? Why
1390
Not slay me then and there? So had I not
Told to the world the horror of my birth.
O foster home of Corinth and her king,
How bright the life ye cherished, filming o’er
What foulness far beneath! For I am vile,
1395
And vile were both my parents. So ’tis proved
O cross road in the covert of the glen,
O thicket in the gorge where three ways met,
Bedewed by these my hands with mine own blood
From whence I sprang—have ye forgotten me?
1400
Or doth some memory haunt you of the deeds
I did before you, and went on to do
Worse horrors here? O marriage twice accurst!
That gave me being, and then again sent forth
Fresh saplings springing from the selfsame seed,
1405
To amaze men’s eyes and minds with dire confusion
Of father, brother, son, bride, mother, wife,
Murder of parents, and all shames that are!
Silence alone befits such deeds. Then, pray you,
Hide me immediately away from men!
1410
Kill me outright, or fling me far to sea,
Where never ye may look upon me more.
Come, lend your hand unto my misery!
Comply, and fear not, for my load of woe
Is incommunicable to all but me.
1415
That this last act hath not been for the best
Instruct me not, nor counsel me again.
How, if I kept my sight, could I have looked
1370
In Hades on my father’s countenance,
Or mine all hapless mother, when, toward both,
I have done deeds no death can e’er atone?
Ah! but my children were a sight of joy,—
Offspring of such a marriage! were they so?
1375
Never, to eyes of mine! nor town, nor tower,
Nor holy shrines o’ the gods, which I myself,
Dowered with the fairest life of Theban men,
Have forfeited, alas, by mine own law,
Declaring men should drive from every door
1380
One marked by Heaven as impious and impure,
Nay worse, of Laius born! And was I then,
By mine own edict branded thus, to look
On Theban faces with unaltered eye?
Nay verily, but had there been a way
1385
To stop the hearing fountain through the ear,
I had not faltered, but had closed and barred
Each gate of this poor body, deaf and blind!
So thought might sweetly dwell at rest from ill
Cithaeron! Why didst thou receive me? Why
1390
Not slay me then and there? So had I not
Told to the world the horror of my birth.
O foster home of Corinth and her king,
How bright the life ye cherished, filming o’er
What foulness far beneath! For I am vile,
1395
And vile were both my parents. So ’tis proved
O cross road in the covert of the glen,
O thicket in the gorge where three ways met,
Bedewed by these my hands with mine own blood
From whence I sprang—have ye forgotten me?
1400
Or doth some memory haunt you of the deeds
I did before you, and went on to do
Worse horrors here? O marriage twice accurst!
That gave me being, and then again sent forth
Fresh saplings springing from the selfsame seed,
1405
To amaze men’s eyes and minds with dire confusion
Of father, brother, son, bride, mother, wife,
Murder of parents, and all shames that are!
Silence alone befits such deeds. Then, pray you,
Hide me immediately away from men!
1410
Kill me outright, or fling me far to sea,
Where never ye may look upon me more.
Come, lend your hand unto my misery!
Comply, and fear not, for my load of woe
Is incommunicable to all but me.
1415
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 408 focus
Wohl bist du Herrscher; doch besteh'n muß gleiches Recht
Zu gleicher Antwort; hiezu ward auch mir Gewalt.
410
Nicht dir ja, nur dem Phöbos bin ich unterthan,
1
Daß nicht als Beistand Kreon mich vertreten muß.
2
Doch ich verkünde, weil du mich als Blinden höhnst:
Du siehst, und sehend siehst du nicht, wie tief du sankst,
Nicht wo du weilest, noch mit wem zusammenwohnst.
415
Von wem du stammest, weißt du das? Nichtwissend bist
Du Feind den Deinen, drunten und auf Erden hier.
Und doppelt treffend treibt dich einst aus diesem Land
Mit grausem Schritt des Vaters und der Mutter Fluch,
Und wie du jezt hell siehest, schaust du Dunkel dann.
420
Ia, welcher Hafen widerhallt nicht dein Geschrei,
Wo tönt Kithäron deinen Nuf nicht bald zurück,
3
Erkennst du deinen Chebund als Leidensport,
In den du, glücklich segelnd, eingelaufen bist?
Noch andern Unheils Fülle wirst du nicht gewahr,
425
Das gleiche Schrecken dir erschafft und deinem Stamm.
4
So schmähe denn auf Kreon, schilt mein Seherwort
In stolzem Hohne; Keiner lebt auf Erden ja,
Der grauenvoller untergeht als du dereinst.
Wohl bist du Herrscher; doch besteh'n muß gleiches Recht
Zu gleicher Antwort; hiezu ward auch mir Gewalt.
410
Nicht dir ja, nur dem Phöbos bin ich unterthan,
1
Daß nicht als Beistand Kreon mich vertreten muß.
2
Doch ich verkünde, weil du mich als Blinden höhnst:
Du siehst, und sehend siehst du nicht, wie tief du sankst,
Nicht wo du weilest, noch mit wem zusammenwohnst.
415
Von wem du stammest, weißt du das? Nichtwissend bist
Du Feind den Deinen, drunten und auf Erden hier.
Und doppelt treffend treibt dich einst aus diesem Land
Mit grausem Schritt des Vaters und der Mutter Fluch,
Und wie du jezt hell siehest, schaust du Dunkel dann.
420
Ia, welcher Hafen widerhallt nicht dein Geschrei,
Wo tönt Kithäron deinen Nuf nicht bald zurück,
3
Erkennst du deinen Chebund als Leidensport,
In den du, glücklich segelnd, eingelaufen bist?
Noch andern Unheils Fülle wirst du nicht gewahr,
425
Das gleiche Schrecken dir erschafft und deinem Stamm.
4
So schmähe denn auf Kreon, schilt mein Seherwort
In stolzem Hohne; Keiner lebt auf Erden ja,
Der grauenvoller untergeht als du dereinst.
Oedipus.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
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.