Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 394

Lewis Campbell (Translator)

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MESS
He bids make wide the portal and display
To all the men of Thebes the man who slew
His father, who unto his mother did
What I dare not repeat, and fain would fling
His body from the land, nor calmly bide
1290
The shock of his own curse on his own hall.
Meanwhile he needs some comfort and some guide,
For such a load of misery who can bear?
Thyself shalt judge: for, lo, the palace-gates
Unfold, and presently thine eyes will see
1295
A hateful sight, yet one thou needs must pity.

Oedipus Tyrannus. Sophocles. Lewis Campbell (Translator). London, New York and Toronto. 1906.

Current edition Experimental

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 394 focus
ἀνδρὸς διειπεῖν, ἀλλὰ μαντείας ἔδει·
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 463-511 focus
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 380 focus
Reichthümer, Herrschaft, und o Kunst, der keine Kunst
Im neiderfüllten Leben sich zur Seite stellt,
Welch schnöde Mißgunst heget ihr in eurem Schooß,
Wenn um des Thrones willen, den mir diese Stadt
Unaufgefordert übergab als freien Lohn,
385
Mir Kreon, jener treue Freund aus alter Zeit,
Nachschleicht im Rücken und mich auszutreiben strebt,
Anstellend diesen Zaubermann, den Ränkeschmid,
Den listenreichen Gaukler, der in Wucher nur
Scharfsichtig und in seiner Kunst ein Blinder ist!
390
Denn sage, wo bewährst du deine Seherkraft?
Als hier die Hündin ihre Räthsel sang, warum 1
Sprachst du für unsre Bürger kein erlösend Wort?
Doch war es nicht des nächsten besten Mannes Werk,
Den Spruch zu deuten, nein, bedurfte Seherkunst;
395
Die lerntest du von deinen Vogelzeichen nicht,
Noch offenbarte dir's ein Gott: ich, Dedipus,
Erschien, ein Ziel ihr sezend, ich Unkundiger,
Durch Geist es treffend, nicht belehrt vom Vogelflug.
Und den versuchst du fortzutreiben, weil du dann
400
Kreon's erhabnem Throne nah zu stehen hoffst.
Ihr werdet weinend, hoff' ich, du wie dein Genoß,
Den Bann vollstrecken: säh' ich nicht in dir den Greis,
Du würd'st in Leid erkennen, was du mir ersannst.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 463-510 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-791-1 ἔν τινι 1

mvp-comment-792-1 μητέρ’ 2

mvp-comment-793-1 δόμοις ἀραῖος 3 ὡς ἠράσατο 4 μενῶν δόμοις 5

mvp-comment-794-1 ἢ φέρειν 6

mvp-comment-795-1 The subject to δείξει 7

mvp-comment-796-1 οἷον ἐποικτίσαι 8 καὶ στυγοῦντα 9

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

1286. mvp-comment-726-1 The MSS. with hardly an exception have ἐν τίνι, which the Schol. explains οἷον ἐν ποίᾳ διατριβῇ; i. e. In what passage of woe? But σχολή in classical Greek will not bear this meaning. And In what pause of woe?implies an assumption which is out of place. The MSS. continually err in accenting τις, and the text, which Elmsley approved, has the advantage of laying a pathetic emphasis on σχολῇ. now has the unhappy man any respite from woe?' Cp. Τr. 1083, οὐδ᾽ ἀγύμναστόν μ᾿ ἐἂν ἔοικεν ἡ τάλαινα διαβόρος νόσος: Phil. 877-878, ἐπειδὴ τοῦδε 'And γε κλεῖθρα γὰρ Μ.

1286. mvp-comment-726-2 τοῦ κακοῦ δοκεῖ | λήθη τις εἶναι κἀνάπαυλα δή, τέκνον.

1289. mvp-comment-727-1 τὸν μητρὸς.. μοι 'His mother's.. and there he utters what I may not repeat.' For the abrupt introduction of the participle. cp. Phil. 64. ἀλλ' αὔτ᾽ Ὀδυσσεῖ παρέδοσαν· λέγων, κ.τ.λ. Oedipus is still passionately bent on carrying out the consequences of his acts. Cp. supr. 1271.

1290-1291. mvp-comment-728-1 And will no longer remain in the palace under such a curse as he invoked. Cp. infr. 1378 foll. 1449-1451.

1292. mvp-comment-729-1 He needs some one to lend him strength and guidance, for his calamity is greater than can be borne.

1293. mvp-comment-730-1 μεῖζον ἢ φέρειν For the infinitive, cp. Eur. Suppl. 844, κρείσσον᾽ ἡ λέξαι λόγῳ | τολμήματα.

1294. mvp-comment-731-1 δείξει (1) As you will see: sc. τὸ νόσημα δείξει μέγα ὄv: cp. the common phrase, αὐτὸ δείξει, sc. τὸ πρᾶγ μα: or (2) As he will make you see' For the latter, cp. Ο. C. 1145, δείκνυμι δ᾽: Thuc. 3. 84, ἐδήλωσεν.. οὖσα, κ.τ.λ. The former (1) is best.

1294. mvp-comment-731-2 τάδε For, look, the gates are opening.

1296. mvp-comment-732-1 (1) Such as even while hating the sight, one cannot choose but pity, (cp. infr. 1306, τοίαν φρίκην παρέχεις μοι): or (2) Such as even one who hates him might pity. Cp. Aj. 924. ὡς καὶ παρ᾿ ἐχθροῖς ἄξιος θρήνων τυχεῖν. But this is less in keeping here.