Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 634

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Was weckt ihr unbesonnen, ihr Unseligen,

Der Zungen Aufruhr und erröthet nicht und schafft

Euch eignes Leid noch, während also krankt das Land?

Geh du nach Hause, du, o Kreon, eile heim,
630

Und macht zu großem Leide nicht ein eitles Nichts!

Kreon.

Schwester, Arges mir zu thun sinnt Dedipus,

Dein Gatte, der von zweien Uebeln eines mir,

Flucht aus der Heimat oder hier den Tod, verhängt.

Oedipus.

So ist es: eben überführt' ich ihn, o Frau,
635

Der Böses meinem Leben sann mit böser List.

Kreon.

Nie sei ich glücklich, will, verflucht, zu Grunde geh'n,

That ich dir Eines, wessen du mich schuldig nenust!

Jokaste.

O bei den Göttern, glaube diesem Wort, o Herr,

Vor Allem scheuend, was er hier den Göttern schwur,
640

Dann mich und diese Männer, die dir nahe steh'n!

Der Chor.

Oedipus Tyrannus. Sophocles. Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 634 focus

τί τὴν ἄβουλον, ὦ ταλαίπωροι, στάσιν

γλώσσης ἐπήρασθ', οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνεσθε, γῆς
635

οὕτω νοσούσης, ἴδια κινοῦντες κακά;

οὐκ εἶ σύ τ᾽ οἴκους σύ τε, Κρέον, κατὰ στέγας,

καὶ μὴ τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος εἰς μέγ' οἴσετε;

Κρέων

ὅμαιμε, δεινά μ' 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, ἀλλ᾽ ἀραῖος, εἴ σέ τι

δέδρακ, ὀλοίμην, ὧν ἐπαιτιᾷ με δρᾶν.
645

Ἰοκάστη

ὦ πρὸς θεῶν πίστευσον, Οἰδίπους, τάδε,

μάλιστα μὲν τόνδ᾽ ὅρκον αἰδεσθεὶς θεῶν,

ἔπειτα κἀμὲ τούσδε θ᾽ οἳ πάρεισί σοι.

α

Χορός

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 649-698 focus

Χορός

πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τʼ, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

τί σοι θέλεις δῆτʼ εἰκάθω;
650

Χορός

τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τʼ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους

οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός

οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους

φράζε δὴ τί φής.

Χορός

τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτʼ ἐν αἰτίᾳ
655

σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ σʼ ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθʼ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ

ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

660

Χορός

οὐ τὸν πάντων θεῶν θεὸν πρόμον
660

Ἅλιον· ἐπεὶ ἄθεος ἄφιλος ὅ τι πύματον

ὀλοίμαν, φρόνησιν εἰ τάνδʼ ἔχω.

ἀλλά μοι δυσμόρῳ γᾶ φθινὰς
665

τρύχει ψυχάν, τάδʼ εἰ κακοῖς κακὰ

προσάψει τοῖς πάλαι τὰ πρὸς σφῷν.

Οἰδίπους

ὁ δʼ οὖν ἴτω, κεἰ χρή με παντελῶς θανεῖν

ἢ γῆς ἄτιμον τῆσδʼ ἀπωσθῆναι βίᾳ.
670

τὸ γὰρ σόν, οὐ τὸ τοῦδʼ, ἐποικτίρω στόμα

ἐλεινόν· οὗτος δʼ ἔνθʼ ἂν ᾖ στυγήσεται.

Κρέων

στυγνὸς μὲν εἴκων δῆλος εἶ, βαρὺς δʼ, ὅταν

θυμοῦ περάσῃς· αἱ δὲ τοιαῦται φύσεις

αὑταῖς δικαίως εἰσὶν ἄλγισται φέρειν.
675

Οἰδίπους

οὔκουν μʼ ἐάσεις κἀκτὸς εἶ;

Κρέων

πορεύσομαι,

σοῦ μὲν τυχὼν ἀγνῶτος, ἐν δὲ τοῖσδʼ ἴσος.

679

Χορός

γύναι, τί μέλλεις κομίζειν δόμων τόνδʼ ἔσω;

Ἰοκάστη

μαθοῦσά γʼ ἥτις ἡ τύχη.
680

Χορός

δόκησις ἀγνὼς λόγων ἦλθε, δάπτει δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ ʼνʼδικον.

Ἰοκάστη

ἀμφοῖν ἀπʼ αὐτοῖν;

Χορός

ναίχι.

Ἰοκάστη

καὶ τίς ἦν λόγος;

Χορός

ἅλις ἔμοιγʼ, ἅλις, γᾶς προπονουμένας,
685

φαίνεται ἔνθʼ ἔληξεν αὐτοῦ μένειν.

Οἰδίπους

ὁρᾷς ἵνʼ ἥκεις, ἀγαθὸς ὢν γνώμην ἀνήρ,

τοὐμὸν παριεὶς καὶ καταμβλύνων κέαρ;

Χορός

ὦναξ, εἶπον μὲν οὐχ ἅπαξ μόνον,
690

ἴσθι δὲ παραφρόνιμον, ἄπορον ἐπὶ φρόνιμα

πεφάνθαι μʼ ἄν, εἴ σʼ ἐνοσφιζόμαν,

ὅς τʼ ἐμὰν γᾶν φίλαν ἐν πόνοις

ἀλύουσαν κατʼ ὀρθὸν οὔρισας,
695

τανῦν τʼ εὔπομπος, ἂν γένοιο.

Ἰοκάστη

πρὸς θεῶν δίδαξον κἄμʼ, ἄναξ, ὅτου ποτὲ

μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 634 focus

Unhappy that ye are, why have ye reared

Your wordy rancour ’mid the city’s harms?

Have you no shame, to stir up private broils
635

In such a time as this? Get thee within! ()

And thou too, Creon! nor enlarge your griefs

To make a mountain out of nothingness.

CR

Sister, thy husband Oedipus declares

One of two horrors he will wreak on me,
640

Banishment from my native land, or death.

OED

Yea, for I caught him practising, my queen,

Against our person with malignant guile.

CR

May comfort fail me, and a withering curse

Destroy me, if I e’er planned aught of this.
645

JO

I pray thee, husband, listen to his plea;

Chiefly respecting his appeal to Heaven,

But also me, and these who stand by thee.

CH. 1

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 634 focus

O citizens !

Creon

C'reon, OIdipus, Chorus.

Joe. Whence this sudden tumult ?
635

O princes ! Is this well, at such a time

With idle broils to multiply the woes

Of wretched Thebes? Home, home, for shame ! nor

thus

With private quarrels swell the public ruin.

Creon

Sister, thy husband hath most basely used

me;

He threatens me with banishment or death.
640

GEdi. I do confess it ; for he did conspire
640

With vile and Avicked arts against my life.

Creon

Oh ! may I never prosper, but accursed,

XJnpitied, perish if I ever did.

Joe. Believe him, CEdipus ; revere the gods

Whom he contests, if thou dost love Jocasta ;
645

Thy subjects beg it of thee.
645

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 634 focus

Why, indiscreetly why this strife of words,

Unhappy princes, have you raised, nor blush,

Creon

Your country with afflictions thus oppress'd,

To stir up private contest? Wilt not thou
640

Nor add a causeless grief to weighty woes?

Alas, my sister, with injurious rage

Exile or death, against me to enforce.
645

Oedipus
Enter these gates? Thou, Creon, hence depart,

I own it: for I found him with base arts

Against my person plotting base designs.

If I have done this, of this heinous charge

If I am guilty, let me not enjoy

The light of heav'n, but fall a wretch accurs'd.

Believe him, I conjure thee by the gods,

Jocasta

In this believe him, Edipus; regard

His sacred oath, and me, and these thy friends.

Chorus

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 649-698 focus

Chorus

Consent, reflect, listen, my king, I beg you.

Oedipus

What would you have me grant you?
650

Chorus

Respect him who was in the past not foolish, and who now is strong in his oath.

Oedipus

Do you understand what you crave?

Chorus

I do.

Oedipus

Tell me, then, what you mean.
655

Chorus

That you should never use an unproved rumor to cast a dishonoring charge on the friend who has bound himself with a curse.

Oedipus

Then be quite aware that when you seek this you are seeking death or exile from this land for me.

660

Chorus

No, by the god that stands at the head of all the host of the gods, no, by the sun. Unblest, unbefriended, may I die the worst possible death, if I have this thought!
660

But my unhappy soul is worn by the withering of the land, as well as by the thought that our old sorrows should be crowned by new ones arising from the two of you.
665

Oedipus

Then let him go, though I am surely doomed to be killed

or thrust dishonored from the land. Your words, not his, move me to compassion; but he, wherever he be, shall be hated.
670

Creon

You are truly sullen in yielding, as you are vehement in the excesses of your wrath. But such natures are

justly most difficult for themselves to bear.
675

Oedipus

Will you not be gone and leave me in peace?

Creon

I will go on my way. I have found you undiscerning, but in the view of these men I am just. He exits.

678

Chorus

Lady, why do you hesitate to take this man into the house?

Iocasta

I will, when I have learned what has happened.
680

Chorus

Blind suspicion, bred of talk, arose, and injustice inflicts wounds.

Iocasta

On both sides?

Chorus

Yes.

Iocasta

And what was the story?

Chorus

It is enough, I think, enough, when our land is already vexed, that the matter should rest where it stopped.
685

Oedipus

Do you see to what you have come, for all your noble intent, in seeking to slacken and blunt my zeal?

Chorus

King, I have said it more than once—

be sure that I would have proved myself a madman, bankrupt in sane counsel, if I forsook you—you, who gave a true course to my beloved country when it was
690

distraught with troubles, and who now are likely to prove our prospering guide.
695

Iocasta

In the name of the gods, tell me, king, the reason that you have conceived this steadfast wrath.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-401-1 ἀρκτέον ¹

mvp-comment-402-1 ἄρχοντος ²

mvp-comment-402-2 ὧ πόλις πόλις ³

mvp-comment-403-1 πόλεως ⁴ μέτεστιν οὐχὶ ⁵

mvp-comment-404-1 οἴκους ⁶ εἶ ⁷ κατὰ ⁸ στέγας ⁹

mvp-comment-405-1 τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος ¹⁰ εἰς μέγα φέρειν ¹¹

mvp-comment-406-1 δυοῖν … ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν ¹² δυοῖν ¹³ δυοῖν ¹⁴ ἀποκρίνας ¹⁵ δυοῖν ¹⁶ δρᾶν ¹⁷ ἀπῶσαι, κτεῖναι ¹⁸ ἀπο‐κρίνας ¹⁹ ἀποκρίνας ²⁰

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

628. mvp-comment-367-1 εἰ δὲ ξυνίης μηδέν But how if you are wholly in the dark? The strong expression, while suiting the passion of Creon, also suggests a truth of which he is ignorant. For el cp. Aesch. Suppl. 511, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ δρακόντων δυσφρόνων ἐχθίοσιν.

628. mvp-comment-367-2 ἀρκτέον γ' ὅμως] Yes, authority must be maintained even then. The verbal here belongs to the impersonal passive verb. For the verbal of the passive, cp. Fr. 27 N.: Dem. c. Dinarch. 176, οὐ καταπληκτέον ἐστίν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι.

629. mvp-comment-368-1 οὔτοι.. ἄρχοντος No, I am not bound to obey (οὐκ ἀρκτέον ἐμοὶ) one who rules badly. ἄρχοντος is (1) gen. abs., or (2) = ἐξ ἄρχοντος : cp. Ant. 63, ἀρχόμεσθ' ἐκ κρεισσόνων. But see Essay on Language § 39. pp. 72. 3.

629. mvp-comment-368-2 ὦ πόλις πόλις Oedipus appeals to the citizens to rebuke the disloyal utterance of Creon: cp. O.C.833: or, perhaps, apostrophizes the state, whose safety is menaced by the indulgence of such a spirit.

630. mvp-comment-369-1 κἀμοὶ πόλεως μέτεστιν I too have a claim upon the state. Not only as a citizen (cp. Ant. 737, πόλις γὰρ οὐκ ἔσθ᾽ ἥτις ἀνδρός ἐσθ᾽ ἑνός), but as the brother of the queen, whose right was prior to that of Oedipus himself. Cp. 577-581. Oedipus appeals to his loyal citizens against the insubordination of Creon, who replies that he also has a right in the state. As his temper rises, he no longer acknowledges that he owes his influence to Oedipus. The disadvantage under which Oedipus labours, as the stranger prince, is subtly maintained throughout. The chorus interpose in their character of mediator, not to take part with either disputant, but to appease the strife.

631. mvp-comment-370-1 ὑμῖν Cp. O. C. 81, ἢ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος ;

634. mvp-comment-371-1 5. What mean you, miserable men, by raising this senseless altercation?' For the article, cp. Phil. 327, 8, τίνος γὰρ ὧδε τὸν μέγαν χόλον κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλῶν ἐλήλυθας; The conjecture τί τήνδ' ἄβουλον, though plausible at first sight, has the effect of weakening the natural emphasis on ἄβουλον.

634. mvp-comment-371-2 στάσιν γλώσσης War of words.

634. mvp-comment-371-3 οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνεσθε And are not ashamed. The force of τί is continued. For this punctuation, which on the whole seems preferable to ἐπήρασθ᾽; οὐδ'-cp. Αj. 1307, ὠθεῖς-, οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνει λέγων; For the other way of dividing the sentence, And are ye not ashamed, cp. Phil. 929, οἱ' ἠπάτηκας· οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνει μ᾿ ὁρῶν; The former is more suitable to the reproachful tone of Jocasta here.

637. mvp-comment-372-1 σύ τ' The omission of the noun vocative in addressing Oedipus gives a peremptory tone to Jocasta's speech. For the prep. with the 2nd word, cp. supr. 93, 4.

638. mvp-comment-373-1 τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος ‘And do not raise into importance a trouble which is not worth speaking of;'-because all private griefs are as nothing in the calamity of the state. The full expression would be τὸ μηδὲν ὂν ἄλγος. Essay on Language §39. p. 72, c. ib. p. 48.

640. mvp-comment-374-1 δικαιοῖ, Thinks fit, or intends. Cp. Hdt. 3. 36, ταῦτα δέ μιν ποιεῦντα ἐδικαίωσε Κροῖσος .. νουθετῆσαι.

640. mvp-comment-374-2 δυοῖν ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν Having made selection between two evils. There are two objections to this line on the ground of metre; the o lengthened before up (cp. Aesch. Prom. 24, ἀποκρύψει φάος), and the scansion of δυοῖν as a monosyllable, the only parallel to which in Greek tragic verse is Ἐρινννων, in Iph. Taur. 970, 1456. (See, however, Hes. Scut. 3, Ἠλεκτρύωνος: cp. ib. 16.) The two metrical exceptions are singular. But it is not likely that the verse is corrupt. No interpolator would have introduced a word so rare in later Greek as ἀποκρίνας in this sense. (Cp. Hdt. 6. 130.) None of the attempted emendations are satisfactory. Critics have noticed what was hardly worth noticing, the discrepancy between l. 641. and 623, and it has been proposed to interpret δεινά as implying that after making selection Oedipus had chosen death as the punishment. But such slight inconsistencies are neither undramatic nor unnatural.

641. mvp-comment-375-1 These words, though epexegetic of the participle, are in apposition with δρᾶσαι.

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Was weckt ihr unbesonnen, ihr Unseligen, Der Zungen Aufruhr und erröthet nicht und schafft Euch eignes Leid noch, während also krankt das Land? Geh du nach Hause, du, o Kreon, eile heim, 630 Und macht zu großem Leide nicht ein eitles Nichts!

Kreon. Schwester, Arges mir zu thun sinnt Dedipus, Dein Gatte, der von zweien Uebeln eines mir, Flucht aus der Heimat oder hier den Tod, verhängt.

Oedipus. So ist es: eben überführt' ich ihn, o Frau, 635 Der Böses meinem Leben sann mit böser List.

Kreon. Nie sei ich glücklich, will, verflucht, zu Grunde geh'n, That ich dir Eines, wessen du mich schuldig nenust!

Jokaste. O bei den Göttern, glaube diesem Wort, o Herr, Vor Allem scheuend, was er hier den Göttern schwur, 640 Dann mich und diese Männer, die dir nahe steh'n!

Der Chor.

Current edition Experimental

Κρέων ὅμαιμε, δεινά μ' 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, ἀλλ᾽ ἀραῖος, εἴ σέ τι δέδρακ, ὀλοίμην, ὧν ἐπαιτιᾷ με δρᾶν. 645

Ἰοκάστη ὦ πρὸς θεῶν πίστευσον, Οἰδίπους, τάδε, μάλιστα μὲν τόνδ᾽ ὅρκον αἰδεσθεὶς θεῶν, ἔπειτα κἀμὲ τούσδε θ᾽ οἳ πάρεισί σοι. α

Χορός

Χορός πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τʼ, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους τί σοι θέλεις δῆτʼ εἰκάθω; 650

Χορός τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τʼ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους φράζε δὴ τί φής.

Χορός τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτʼ ἐν αἰτίᾳ 655 σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ σʼ ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

Οἰδίπους εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθʼ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

Κρέων στυγνὸς μὲν εἴκων δῆλος εἶ, βαρὺς δʼ, ὅταν θυμοῦ περάσῃς· αἱ δὲ τοιαῦται φύσεις αὑταῖς δικαίως εἰσὶν ἄλγισται φέρειν. 675

Οἰδίπους οὔκουν μʼ ἐάσεις κἀκτὸς εἶ;

Κρέων πορεύσομαι, σοῦ μὲν τυχὼν ἀγνῶτος, ἐν δὲ τοῖσδʼ ἴσος.

Χορός γύναι, τί μέλλεις κομίζειν δόμων τόνδʼ ἔσω;

Ἰοκάστη μαθοῦσά γʼ ἥτις ἡ τύχη. 680

Χορός δόκησις ἀγνὼς λόγων ἦλθε, δάπτει δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ ʼνʼδικον.

Ἰοκάστη ἀμφοῖν ἀπʼ αὐτοῖν;

Χορός ναίχι.

Ἰοκάστη καὶ τίς ἦν λόγος;

Χορός ἅλις ἔμοιγʼ, ἅλις, γᾶς προπονουμένας, 685 φαίνεται ἔνθʼ ἔληξεν αὐτοῦ μένειν.

Οἰδίπους ὁρᾷς ἵνʼ ἥκεις, ἀγαθὸς ὢν γνώμην ἀνήρ, τοὐμὸν παριεὶς καὶ καταμβλύνων κέαρ;

Ἰοκάστη πρὸς θεῶν δίδαξον κἄμʼ, ἄναξ, ὅτου ποτὲ μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις.

Unhappy that ye are, why have ye reared Your wordy rancour ’mid the city’s harms? Have you no shame, to stir up private broils 635 In such a time as this? Get thee within! () And thou too, Creon! nor enlarge your griefs To make a mountain out of nothingness.

CR Sister, thy husband Oedipus declares One of two horrors he will wreak on me, 640 Banishment from my native land, or death.

OED Yea, for I caught him practising, my queen, Against our person with malignant guile.

CR May comfort fail me, and a withering curse Destroy me, if I e’er planned aught of this. 645

JO I pray thee, husband, listen to his plea; Chiefly respecting his appeal to Heaven, But also me, and these who stand by thee.

CH. 1

O citizens !

Creon

C'reon, OIdipus, Chorus. Joe. Whence this sudden tumult ? 635 O princes ! Is this well, at such a time With idle broils to multiply the woes Of wretched Thebes? Home, home, for shame ! nor thus With private quarrels swell the public ruin.

Creon Sister, thy husband hath most basely used me; He threatens me with banishment or death. 640 GEdi. I do confess it ; for he did conspire 640 With vile and Avicked arts against my life.

Creon Oh ! may I never prosper, but accursed, XJnpitied, perish if I ever did. Joe. Believe him, CEdipus ; revere the gods Whom he contests, if thou dost love Jocasta ; 645 Thy subjects beg it of thee. 645

Chorus

Why, indiscreetly why this strife of words, Unhappy princes, have you raised, nor blush,

Creon Your country with afflictions thus oppress'd, To stir up private contest? Wilt not thou 640 Nor add a causeless grief to weighty woes? Alas, my sister, with injurious rage Exile or death, against me to enforce. 645

Jocasta In this believe him, Edipus; regard His sacred oath, and me, and these thy friends.

Chorus

Chorus Consent, reflect, listen, my king, I beg you.

Oedipus What would you have me grant you? 650

Chorus Respect him who was in the past not foolish, and who now is strong in his oath.

Oedipus Do you understand what you crave?

Chorus I do.

Oedipus Tell me, then, what you mean. 655

Chorus That you should never use an unproved rumor to cast a dishonoring charge on the friend who has bound himself with a curse.

Oedipus Then be quite aware that when you seek this you are seeking death or exile from this land for me.

Oedipus Then let him go, though I am surely doomed to be killed or thrust dishonored from the land. Your words, not his, move me to compassion; but he, wherever he be, shall be hated. 670

Creon You are truly sullen in yielding, as you are vehement in the excesses of your wrath. But such natures are justly most difficult for themselves to bear. 675

Oedipus Will you not be gone and leave me in peace?

Creon I will go on my way. I have found you undiscerning, but in the view of these men I am just. He exits.

Chorus Lady, why do you hesitate to take this man into the house?

Iocasta I will, when I have learned what has happened. 680

Chorus Blind suspicion, bred of talk, arose, and injustice inflicts wounds.

Iocasta On both sides?

Chorus Yes.

Iocasta And what was the story?

Chorus It is enough, I think, enough, when our land is already vexed, that the matter should rest where it stopped. 685

Oedipus Do you see to what you have come, for all your noble intent, in seeking to slacken and blunt my zeal?

Chorus King, I have said it more than once— be sure that I would have proved myself a madman, bankrupt in sane counsel, if I forsook you—you, who gave a true course to my beloved country when it was 690 distraught with troubles, and who now are likely to prove our prospering guide. 695

Iocasta In the name of the gods, tell me, king, the reason that you have conceived this steadfast wrath.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Was weckt ihr unbesonnen, ihr Unseligen,

Der Zungen Aufruhr und erröthet nicht und schafft

Euch eignes Leid noch, während also krankt das Land?

Geh du nach Hause, du, o Kreon, eile heim,
630

Und macht zu großem Leide nicht ein eitles Nichts!

Kreon.

Schwester, Arges mir zu thun sinnt Dedipus,

Dein Gatte, der von zweien Uebeln eines mir,

Flucht aus der Heimat oder hier den Tod, verhängt.

Oedipus.

So ist es: eben überführt' ich ihn, o Frau,
635

Der Böses meinem Leben sann mit böser List.

Kreon.

Nie sei ich glücklich, will, verflucht, zu Grunde geh'n,

That ich dir Eines, wessen du mich schuldig nenust!

Jokaste.

O bei den Göttern, glaube diesem Wort, o Herr,

Vor Allem scheuend, was er hier den Göttern schwur,
640

Dann mich und diese Männer, die dir nahe steh'n!

Κρέων

ὅμαιμε, δεινά μ' 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, ἀλλ᾽ ἀραῖος, εἴ σέ τι

δέδρακ, ὀλοίμην, ὧν ἐπαιτιᾷ με δρᾶν.
645

Ἰοκάστη

ὦ πρὸς θεῶν πίστευσον, Οἰδίπους, τάδε,

μάλιστα μὲν τόνδ᾽ ὅρκον αἰδεσθεὶς θεῶν,

ἔπειτα κἀμὲ τούσδε θ᾽ οἳ πάρεισί σοι.

α

Χορός

πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τʼ, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

τί σοι θέλεις δῆτʼ εἰκάθω;
650

Χορός

τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τʼ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους

οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός

οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους

φράζε δὴ τί φής.

Χορός

τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτʼ ἐν αἰτίᾳ
655

σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ σʼ ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθʼ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ

ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

Κρέων

στυγνὸς μὲν εἴκων δῆλος εἶ, βαρὺς δʼ, ὅταν

θυμοῦ περάσῃς· αἱ δὲ τοιαῦται φύσεις

αὑταῖς δικαίως εἰσὶν ἄλγισται φέρειν.
675

Οἰδίπους

οὔκουν μʼ ἐάσεις κἀκτὸς εἶ;

Κρέων

πορεύσομαι,

σοῦ μὲν τυχὼν ἀγνῶτος, ἐν δὲ τοῖσδʼ ἴσος.

Χορός

γύναι, τί μέλλεις κομίζειν δόμων τόνδʼ ἔσω;

Ἰοκάστη

μαθοῦσά γʼ ἥτις ἡ τύχη.
680

Χορός

δόκησις ἀγνὼς λόγων ἦλθε, δάπτει δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ ʼνʼδικον.

Ἰοκάστη

ἀμφοῖν ἀπʼ αὐτοῖν;

Χορός

ναίχι.

Ἰοκάστη

καὶ τίς ἦν λόγος;

Χορός

ἅλις ἔμοιγʼ, ἅλις, γᾶς προπονουμένας,
685

φαίνεται ἔνθʼ ἔληξεν αὐτοῦ μένειν.

Οἰδίπους

ὁρᾷς ἵνʼ ἥκεις, ἀγαθὸς ὢν γνώμην ἀνήρ,

τοὐμὸν παριεὶς καὶ καταμβλύνων κέαρ;

Ἰοκάστη

πρὸς θεῶν δίδαξον κἄμʼ, ἄναξ, ὅτου ποτὲ

μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις.

Unhappy that ye are, why have ye reared

Your wordy rancour ’mid the city’s harms?

Have you no shame, to stir up private broils
635

In such a time as this? Get thee within! ()

And thou too, Creon! nor enlarge your griefs

To make a mountain out of nothingness.

CR

Sister, thy husband Oedipus declares

One of two horrors he will wreak on me,
640

Banishment from my native land, or death.

OED

Yea, for I caught him practising, my queen,

Against our person with malignant guile.

CR

May comfort fail me, and a withering curse

Destroy me, if I e’er planned aught of this.
645

JO

I pray thee, husband, listen to his plea;

Chiefly respecting his appeal to Heaven,

But also me, and these who stand by thee.

C'reon, OIdipus, Chorus.

Joe. Whence this sudden tumult ?
635

O princes ! Is this well, at such a time

With idle broils to multiply the woes

Of wretched Thebes? Home, home, for shame ! nor

thus

With private quarrels swell the public ruin.

Creon

Sister, thy husband hath most basely used

me;

He threatens me with banishment or death.
640

GEdi. I do confess it ; for he did conspire
640

With vile and Avicked arts against my life.

Creon

Oh ! may I never prosper, but accursed,

XJnpitied, perish if I ever did.

Joe. Believe him, CEdipus ; revere the gods

Whom he contests, if thou dost love Jocasta ;
645

Thy subjects beg it of thee.
645

Why, indiscreetly why this strife of words,

Unhappy princes, have you raised, nor blush,

Creon

Your country with afflictions thus oppress'd,

To stir up private contest? Wilt not thou
640

Nor add a causeless grief to weighty woes?

Alas, my sister, with injurious rage

Exile or death, against me to enforce.
645

Jocasta

In this believe him, Edipus; regard

His sacred oath, and me, and these thy friends.

Chorus

Consent, reflect, listen, my king, I beg you.

Oedipus

What would you have me grant you?
650

Chorus

Respect him who was in the past not foolish, and who now is strong in his oath.

Oedipus

Do you understand what you crave?

Chorus

I do.

Oedipus

Tell me, then, what you mean.
655

Chorus

That you should never use an unproved rumor to cast a dishonoring charge on the friend who has bound himself with a curse.

Oedipus

Then be quite aware that when you seek this you are seeking death or exile from this land for me.

Oedipus

Then let him go, though I am surely doomed to be killed

or thrust dishonored from the land. Your words, not his, move me to compassion; but he, wherever he be, shall be hated.
670

Creon

You are truly sullen in yielding, as you are vehement in the excesses of your wrath. But such natures are

justly most difficult for themselves to bear.
675

Oedipus

Will you not be gone and leave me in peace?

Creon

I will go on my way. I have found you undiscerning, but in the view of these men I am just. He exits.

Chorus

Lady, why do you hesitate to take this man into the house?

Iocasta

I will, when I have learned what has happened.
680

Chorus

Blind suspicion, bred of talk, arose, and injustice inflicts wounds.

Iocasta

On both sides?

Chorus

Yes.

Iocasta

And what was the story?

Chorus

It is enough, I think, enough, when our land is already vexed, that the matter should rest where it stopped.
685

Oedipus

Do you see to what you have come, for all your noble intent, in seeking to slacken and blunt my zeal?

Chorus

King, I have said it more than once—

be sure that I would have proved myself a madman, bankrupt in sane counsel, if I forsook you—you, who gave a true course to my beloved country when it was
690

distraught with troubles, and who now are likely to prove our prospering guide.
695

Iocasta

In the name of the gods, tell me, king, the reason that you have conceived this steadfast wrath.