1416.
mvp-comment-789-1
ὧν ἐπαιτεῖς i. e. τούτων (genitive of respect) ἃ ἐπαιτεῖς.
1417.
mvp-comment-790-1
τὸ πράσσειν For the article with the epexegetical infinitive, cp. El. 1030, μακρὸς τὸ κρίναι ταῦτα χώ λοιπὸς χρόνος. Essay on Language § 33. p. 58.
1420.
mvp-comment-791-1
πίστις is here used in the later meaning of persuasive argument. Cp. Ar. Rhet. 1. 1-11. What assurance of mine will appear true?' Oedipus is humiliated and softened. Cp. Shak. Lear, 4. 3.
.. The poor distressed Lear, by no means.. | Will see his daugh ter.. A sovereign shame so elbows him,.. his own unkindness .. these things sting | His mind so venomously, that burning shame | Detains him from Cordelia.
1424. Creon, after briefly re-assuring Oedipus, turns abruptly to the attend. ants, whom he reproaches with not leading Oedipus within-doors. This is natural and characteristic, though it has given offence to several critics. Cp. Shak. Macbeth, 2. 3,
And when we have our naked frailties hid, | That suffer in exposure, let us meet, | And question this most bloody piece of work, To know it further.
1425.
mvp-comment-792-1
πάντα βόσκουσαν Cp. Plat. Rep. 6. 509 Β, τὸν ἥλιον τοῖς ὁρωμένοις οὐ μόνον, οἶμαι, τὴν τοῦ ὁρᾶσθαι δύναμιν παρέχειν φήσεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν γένεσιν καὶ αὔξην καὶ τροφήν : Aesch. Ag. 633, πλὴν τοῦ τρέφοντος ἡλίου χθονὸς φύσιν.
1427.
mvp-comment-793-1
δεικνύναι Epexegetic inf. (= ὥστε μὴ δ.) governed by αἰδεῖσθε, which has a double construction. Essay on Language p. 63.
1427.
mvp-comment-793-2
τὸ μήτε γῆ μή implies a reason, i. e.
Seeing it is one which neither Earth, etc. Cp. the use of the indefinite ὅστις, supra 1184, ὅστις πέφασμαι, κ.τ.λ.
Seeing that I am, etc.
1428.
mvp-comment-794-1
μήτ᾿ ὄμβρος The showers (Heaven's χέρνιβες) which represent the sacred element of water. The sanctities of earth and sky are violated by the presence of Oedipus. Essay on Language p. 98. ἱρός marks the purity or sacredness of the element as it exists in nature. Cp. κνέφας ἱερόν, Il. 17.455.
1430.
mvp-comment-795-1
μάλιστα is to be joined with εὐσεβῶς ἔχει,
May with least impropriety.
1433.
mvp-comment-796-1
ἄριστος ἐλθών
Having shown thyself so noble to one so base as I am.' Cp. 1357, 1358, φονεὺς ἦλθον : and, for ἐλπίδος, κ.τ.λ. Αj. 1382, καί μ' ἔψευσας ἐλπίδος πολύ.
1435.
mvp-comment-797-1
τοῦ .. χρείας What request?' rather than
A request for what?
1437.
mvp-comment-798-1
φανούμαι i. e. γενήσομαι. Cp. supra 790, προὐφάνη λέγων: Αj. 739, ἢ φάνην ἐγὼ βραδύς: Τr. 251, Ζεὺς ὅτου πράκτωρ φανῇ: infra 1485, πατὴρ ἐφάνθην.
Where I am sure to be addressed by none.
