Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, Thomas Francklin (Translator), 271

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Oedipus
1446

For such a wretch as me

1478

Wouldst tliou again explore the will of Heaven 1

Oedipus Tyrannus. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.

Current edition Experimental

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 271 focus

μήτ᾽ οὖν γυναικῶν παῖδας, ἀλλὰ τῷ πότμῳ

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 216-462 focus

Οἰδίπους

αἰτεῖς· ἃ δʼ αἰτεῖς, τἄμʼ ἐὰν θέλῃς ἔπη

κλύων δέχεσθαι τῇ νόσῳ θʼ ὑπηρετεῖν,

ἀλκὴν λάβοις ἂν κἀνακούφισιν κακῶν·

ἁγὼ ξένος μὲν τοῦ λόγου τοῦδʼ ἐξερῶ,

ξένος δὲ τοῦ πραχθέντος· οὐ γὰρ ἂν μακρὰν
220

ἴχνευον αὐτός, μὴ οὐκ ἔχων τι σύμβολον,

νῦν δʼ ὕστερος γὰρ ἀστὸς εἰς ἀστοὺς τελῶ,

ὑμῖν προφωνῶ πᾶσι Καδμείοις τάδε·

ὅστις ποθʼ ὑμῶν Λάϊον τὸν Λαβδάκου

κάτοιδεν ἀνδρὸς ἐκ τίνος διώλετο,
225

τοῦτον κελεύω πάντα σημαίνειν ἐμοί·

κεἰ μὲν φοβεῖται, τοὐπίκλημʼ ὑπεξελεῖν

αὐτὸν καθʼ αὑτοῦ· πείσεται γὰρ ἄλλο μὲν

ἀστεργὲς οὐδέν. γῆς δʼ ἄπεισιν ἀσφαλής.

εἰ δʼ αὖ τις ἄλλον οἶδεν ἐξ ἄλλης χθονὸς
230

τὸν αὐτόχειρα, μὴ σιωπάτω· τὸ γὰρ

κέρδος τελῶ ʼγὼ χἠ χάρις προσκείσεται.

εἰ δʼ αὖ σιωπήσεσθε, καί τις ἢ φίλου

δείσας ἀπώσει τοὔπος ἢ χαὐτοῦ τόδε,

ἃκ τῶνδε δράσω, ταῦτα χρὴ κλύειν ἐμοῦ.
235

τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἀπαυδῶ τοῦτον, ὅστις ἐστί, γῆς

τῆσδʼ, ἧς ἐγὼ κράτη τε καὶ θρόνους νέμω,

μήτʼ εἰσδέχεσθαι μήτε προσφωνεῖν τινα,

μήτʼ ἐν θεῶν εὐχαῖσι μήτε θύμασιν

κοινὸν ποεῖσθαι, μήτε χέρνιβας νέμειν·
240

ὠθεῖν δʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων πάντας, ὡς μιάσματος

τοῦδʼ ἡμὶν ὄντος, ὡς τὸ Πυθικὸν θεοῦ

μαντεῖον ἐξέφηνεν ἀρτίως ἐμοί.

ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τοιόσδε τῷ τε δαίμονι

τῷ τʼ ἀνδρὶ τῷ θανόντι σύμμαχος πέλω·
245

κατεύχομαι δὲ τὸν δεδρακότʼ, εἴτε τις

εἷς ὢν λέληθεν εἴτε πλειόνων μέτα,

κακὸν κακῶς νιν ἄμορον ἐκτρῖψαι βίον·

ἐπεύχομαι δʼ, οἴκοισιν εἰ ξυνέστιος

ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς γένοιτʼ ἐμοῦ συνειδότος,
250

παθεῖν ἅπερ τοῖσδʼ ἀρτίως ἠρασάμην.

ὑμῖν δὲ ταῦτα πάντʼ ἐπισκήπτω τελεῖν,

ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμαυτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ τε τῆσδέ τε

γῆς ὧδʼ ἀκάρπως κἀθέως ἐφθαρμένης.

255

Οἰδίπους

οὐδʼ εἰ γὰρ ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα μὴ θεήλατον,
255

ἀκάθαρτον ὑμᾶς εἰκὸς ἦν οὕτως ἐᾶν,

ἀνδρός γʼ ἀρίστου βασιλέως τʼ ὀλωλότος,

ἀλλʼ ἐξερευνᾶν· νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ κυρῶ γʼ ἐγὼ

ἔχων μὲν ἀρχὰς ἃς ἐκεῖνος εἶχε πρίν,

ἔχων δὲ λέκτρα καὶ γυναῖχʼ ὁμόσπορον,
260

κοινῶν τε παίδων κοίνʼ ἄν, εἰ κείνῳ γένος

μὴ ʼδυστύχησεν, ἦν ἂν ἐκπεφυκότα·

νῦν δʼ ἐς τὸ κείνου κρᾶτʼ ἐνήλαθʼ ἡ τύχη·

ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ τάδʼ, ὡσπερεὶ τοὐμοῦ πατρός,

ὑπερμαχοῦμαι κἀπὶ πᾶν ἀφίξομαι,
265

ζητῶν τὸν αὐτόχειρα τοῦ φόνου λαβεῖν,

τῷ Λαβδακείῳ παιδὶ Πολυδώρου τε καὶ

τοῦ πρόσθε Κάδμου τοῦ πάλαι τʼ Ἀγήνορος.

καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς μὴ δρῶσιν εὔχομαι θεοὺς

μήτʼ ἄροτον αὐτοῖς γῆς ἀνιέναι τινὰ
270

μήτʼ οὖν γυναικῶν παῖδας, ἀλλὰ τῷ πότμῳ

τῷ νῦν φθερεῖσθαι κἄτι τοῦδʼ ἐχθίονι·

ὑμῖν δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοισι Καδμείοις, ὅσοις

τάδʼ ἔστʼ ἀρέσκονθʼ, ἥ τε σύμμαχος Δίκη

χοἰ πάντες εὖ ξυνεῖεν εἰσαεὶ θεοί.
275

276

Χορός

ὥσπερ μʼ ἀραῖον ἔλαβες, ὧδʼ, ἄναξ, ἐρῶ.

οὔτʼ ἔκτανον γὰρ οὔτε τὸν κτανόντʼ ἔχω

δεῖξαι. τὸ δὲ ζήτημα τοῦ πέμψαντος ἦν

Φοίβου τόδʼ εἰπεῖν, ὅστις εἴργασταί ποτε.

Οἰδίπους

δίκαιʼ ἔλεξας· ἀλλʼ ἀναγκάσαι θεοὺς
280

ἃν μὴ θέλωσιν οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς δύναιτʼ ἀνήρ.

Χορός

τὰ δεύτερʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἂν λέγοιμʼ ἁμοὶ δοκεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

εἰ καὶ τρίτʼ ἐστί, μὴ παρῇς τὸ μὴ οὐ φράσαι.

Χορός

ἄνακτʼ ἄνακτι ταὔθʼ ὁρῶντʼ ἐπίσταμαι

μάλιστα Φοίβῳ Τειρεσίαν, παρʼ οὗ τις ἂν
285

σκοπῶν τάδʼ, ὦναξ, ἐκμάθοι σαφέστατα.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν ἀργοῖς οὐδὲ τοῦτʼ ἐπραξάμην.

ἔπεμψα γὰρ Κρέοντος εἰπόντος διπλοῦς

πομπούς· πάλαι δὲ μὴ παρῶν θαυμάζεται.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν τά γʼ ἄλλα κωφὰ καὶ παλαίʼ ἔπη.
290

Οἰδίπους

τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα; πάντα γὰρ σκοπῶ λόγον.

Χορός

θανεῖν ἐλέχθη πρός τινων ὁδοιπόρων.

Οἰδίπους

ἤκουσα κἀγώ. τὸν δʼ ἰδόντʼ οὐδεὶς ὁρᾷ.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ εἴ τι μὲν δὴ δείματός γʼ ἔχει μέρος,

τὰς σὰς ἀκούων οὐ μενεῖ τοιάσδʼ ἀράς,
295

Οἰδίπους

ᾧ μή ʼστι δρῶντι τάρβος, οὐδʼ ἔπος φοβεῖ.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ οὑξελέγξων αὐτὸν ἔστιν· οἵδε γὰρ

τὸν θεῖον ἤδη μάντιν ὧδʼ ἄγουσιν, ᾧ

τἀληθὲς ἐμπέφυκεν ἀνθρώπων μόνῳ.

300

Οἰδίπους

ὦ πάντα νωμῶν Τειρεσία, διδακτά τε
300

ἄρρητά τʼ, οὐράνιά τε καὶ χθονοστιβῆ,

πόλιν μέν, εἰ καὶ μὴ βλέπεις, φρονεῖς δʼ ὅμως

οἵᾳ νόσῳ σύνεστιν· ἧς σὲ προστάτην

σωτῆρά τʼ, ὦναξ, μοῦνον ἐξευρίσκομεν.

Φοῖβος γάρ, εἴ τι μὴ κλύεις τῶν ἀγγέλων,
305

πέμψασιν ἡμῖν ἀντέπεμψεν, ἔκλυσιν

μόνην ἂν ἐλθεῖν τοῦδε τοῦ νοσήματος,

εἰ τοὺς κτανόντας Λάϊον μαθόντες εὖ

κτείναιμεν ἢ γῆς φυγάδας ἐκπεμψαίμεθα.

σύ νυν φθονήσας μήτʼ ἀπʼ οἰωνῶν φάτιν
310

μήτʼ εἴ τινʼ ἄλλην μαντικῆς ἔχεις ὁδόν,

ῥῦσαι σεαυτὸν καὶ πόλιν, ῥῦσαι δʼ ἐμέ,

ῥῦσαι δὲ πᾶν μίασμα τοῦ τεθνηκότος.

ἐν σοὶ γὰρ ἐσμέν· ἄνδρα δʼ ὠφελεῖν ἀφʼ ὧν

ἔχοι τε καὶ δύναιτο, κάλλιστος πόνων.
315

Τειρεσίας

φεῦ φεῦ, φρονεῖν ὡς δεινὸν ἔνθα μὴ τέλη

λύῃ φρονοῦντι· ταῦτα γὰρ καλῶς ἐγὼ

εἰδὼς διώλεσʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστιν; ὡς ἄθυμος εἰσελήλυθας.

Τειρεσίας

ἄφες μʼ ἐς οἴκους· ῥᾷστα γὰρ τὸ σόν τε σὺ
320

κἀγὼ διοίσω τοὐμόν, ἢν ἐμοὶ πίθῃ.

Οἰδίπους

οὔτʼ ἔννομʼ εἶπας οὔτε προσφιλῆ πόλει

τῇδʼ, ἥ σʼ ἔθρεψε, τήνδʼ ἀποστερῶν φάτιν.

Τειρεσίας

ὁρῶ γὰρ οὐδὲ σοὶ τὸ σὸν φώνημʼ ἰὸν

πρὸς καιρόν· ὡς οὖν μηδʼ ἐγὼ ταὐτὸν πάθω—
325

Οἰδίπους

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν φρονῶν γʼ ἀποστραφῇς, ἐπεὶ

πάντες σε προσκυνοῦμεν οἵδʼ ἱκτήριοι.

Τειρεσίας

πάντες γὰρ οὐ φρονεῖτʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ μή ποτε

τἄμʼ, ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σʼ, ἐκφήνω κακά.

330

Οἰδίπους

τί φής; ξυνειδὼς οὐ φράσεις, ἀλλʼ ἐννοεῖς
330

ἡμᾶς προδοῦναι καὶ καταφθεῖραι πόλιν;

Τειρεσίας

ἐγὼ οὔτʼ ἐμαυτὸν οὔτε σʼ ἀλγυνῶ. τί ταῦτʼ

ἄλλως ἐλέγχεις; οὐ γὰρ ἂν πύθοιό μου.

Οἰδίπους

οὐκ, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε, καὶ γὰρ ἂν πέτρου

φύσιν σύ γʼ ὀργάνειας, ἐξερεῖς ποτε,
335

ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄτεγκτος κἀτελεύτητος φανεῖ;

Τειρεσίας

ὀργὴν ἐμέμψω τὴν ἐμήν, τὴν σὴν δʼ ὁμοῦ

ναίουσαν οὐ κατεῖδες, ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ ψέγεις.

Οἰδίπους

τίς γὰρ τοιαῦτʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ὀργίζοιτʼ ἔπη

κλύων, ἃ νῦν σὺ τήνδʼ ἀτιμάζεις πόλιν;
340

Τειρεσίας

ἥξει γὰρ αὐτά, κἂν ἐγὼ σιγῇ στέγω.

Οἰδίπους

οὐκοῦν ἅ γʼ ἥξει καὶ σὲ χρὴ λέγειν ἐμοί.

Τειρεσίας

οὐκ ἂν πέρα φράσαιμι. πρὸς τάδʼ, εἰ θέλεις,

θυμοῦ διʼ ὀργῆς ἥτις ἀγριωτάτη.

Οἰδίπους

καὶ μὴν παρήσω γʼ οὐδέν, ὡς ὀργῆς ἔχω,
345

ἅπερ ξυνίημʼ· ἴσθι γὰρ δοκῶν ἐμοὶ

καὶ ξυμφυτεῦσαι τοὔργον εἰργάσθαι θʼ, ὅσον

μὴ χερσὶ καίνων· εἰ δʼ ἐτύγχανες βλέπων,

καὶ τοὔργον ἂν σοῦ τοῦτʼ, ἔφην εἶναι μόνου.

Τειρεσίας

ἄληθες; ἐννέπω σὲ τῷ κηρύγματι
350

ᾧπερ προεῖπας ἐμμένειν, κἀφʼ ἡμέρας

τῆς νῦν προσαυδᾶν μήτε τούσδε μήτʼ ἐμέ,

ὡς ὄντι γῆς τῆσδʼ ἀνοσίῳ μιάστορι.

354

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως ἀναιδῶς ἐξεκίνησας τόδε

τὸ ῥῆμα; καὶ ποῦ τοῦτο φεύξεσθαι δοκεῖς;
355

Τειρεσίας

πέφευγα· τἀληθὲς γὰρ ἰσχῦον τρέφω.

Οἰδίπους

πρὸς τοῦ διδαχθείς; οὐ γὰρ ἔκ γε τῆς τέχνης.

Τειρεσίας

πρὸς σοῦ· σὺ γάρ μʼ ἄκοντα προυτρέψω λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖον λόγον; λέγʼ αὖθις, ὡς μᾶλλον μάθω.

Τειρεσίας

οὐχὶ ξυνῆκας πρόσθεν; ἢ ʼκπειρᾷ λέγων;
360

Οἰδίπους

οὐχ ὥστε γʼ εἰπεῖν γνωστόν· ἀλλʼ αὖθις φράσον.

Τειρεσίας

φονέα σε φημὶ τἀνδρὸς οὗ ζητεῖς κυρεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὔ τι χαίρων δίς γε πημονὰς ἐρεῖς.

Τειρεσίας

εἴπω τι δῆτα κἄλλʼ, ἵνʼ ὀργίζῃ πλέον;

Οἰδίπους

ὅσον γε χρῄζεις· ὡς μάτην εἰρήσεται.
365

Τειρεσίας

λεληθέναι σε φημὶ σὺν τοῖς φιλτάτοις

αἴσχισθʼ ὁμιλοῦντʼ, οὐδʼ ὁρᾶν ἵνʼ εἶ κακοῦ.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ καὶ γεγηθὼς ταῦτʼ ἀεὶ λέξειν δοκεῖς;

Τειρεσίας

εἴπερ τί γʼ ἐστὶ τῆς ἀληθείας σθένος.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἔστι, πλὴν σοί· σοὶ δὲ τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐπεὶ
370

τυφλὸς τά τʼ ὦτα τόν τε νοῦν τά τʼ ὄμματʼ εἶ.

Τειρεσίας

σὺ δʼ ἄθλιός γε ταῦτʼ ὀνειδίζων, ἃ σοὶ

οὐδεὶς ὃς οὐχὶ τῶνδʼ ὀνειδιεῖ τάχα.

Οἰδίπους

μιᾶς τρέφει πρὸς νυκτός, ὥστε μήτʼ ἐμὲ

μήτʼ ἄλλον, ὅστις φῶς ὁρᾷ, βλάψαι ποτʼ ἄν.
375

Τειρεσίας

οὐ γάρ σε μοῖρα πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ πεσεῖν, ἐπεὶ

ἱκανὸς Ἀπόλλων, ᾧ τάδʼ ἐκπρᾶξαι μέλει.

Οἰδίπους

Κρέοντος ἢ σοῦ ταῦτα τἀξευρήματα;

Τειρεσίας

Κρέων δέ σοι πῆμʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς σὺ σοί.

380

Οἰδίπους

ὦ πλοῦτε καὶ τυραννὶ καὶ τέχνη τέχνης
380

ὑπερφέρουσα τῷ πολυζήλῳ βίῳ,

ὅσος παρʼ ὑμῖν ὁ φθόνος φυλάσσεται,

εἰ τῆσδέ γʼ ἀρχῆς οὕνεχʼ, ἣν ἐμοὶ πόλις

δωρητόν, οὐκ αἰτητόν, εἰσεχείρισεν,

ταύτης Κρέων ὁ πιστός, οὑξ ἀρχῆς φίλος,
385

λάθρᾳ μʼ ὑπελθὼν ἐκβαλεῖν ἱμείρεται,

ὑφεὶς μάγον τοιόνδε μηχανορράφον,

δόλιον ἀγύρτην, ὅστις ἐν τοῖς κέρδεσιν

μόνον δέδορκε, τὴν τέχνην δʼ ἔφυ τυφλός.

ἐπεί, φέρʼ εἰπέ, ποῦ σὺ μάντις εἶ σαφής;
390

πῶς οὐκ, ὅθʼ ἡ ῥαψῳδὸς ἐνθάδʼ ἦν κύων,

ηὔδας τι τοῖσδʼ ἀστοῖσιν ἐκλυτήριον;

καίτοι τό γʼ αἴνιγμʼ οὐχὶ τοὐπιόντος ἦν

ἀνδρὸς διειπεῖν, ἀλλὰ μαντείας ἔδει·

ἣν οὔτʼ ἀπʼ οἰωνῶν σὺ προυφάνης ἔχων
395

οὔτʼ ἐκ θεῶν του γνωτόν· ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μολών,

ὁ μηδὲν εἰδὼς Οἰδίπους, ἔπαυσά νιν,

γνώμῃ κυρήσας οὐδʼ ἀπʼ, οἰωνῶν μαθών·

ὃν δὴ σὺ πειρᾷς ἐκβαλεῖν, δοκῶν θρόνοις

παραστατήσειν τοῖς Κρεοντείοις πέλας.
400

κλαίων δοκεῖς μοι καὶ σὺ χὠ συνθεὶς τάδε

ἀγηλατήσειν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ʼδόκεις γέρων

εἶναι, παθὼν ἔγνως ἂν οἷά περ φρονεῖς.

Χορός

ἡμῖν μὲν εἰκάζουσι καὶ τὰ τοῦδʼ ἔπη

ὀργῇ λελέχθαι καὶ τά σʼ, Οἰδίπους, δοκεῖ,
405

δεῖ δʼ οὐ τοιούτων, ἀλλʼ ὅπως τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ

μαντεῖʼ ἄριστα λύσομεν, τόδε σκοπεῖν.

408

Τειρεσίας

εἰ καὶ τυραννεῖς, ἐξισωτέον τὸ γοῦν

ἴσʼ ἀντιλέξαι· τοῦδε γὰρ κἀγὼ κρατῶ.

οὐ γάρ τι σοὶ ζῶ δοῦλος, ἀλλὰ Λοξίᾳ·
410

ὥστʼ οὐ Κρέοντος προστάτου γεγράψομαι.

λέγω δʼ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τυφλόν μʼ ὠνείδισας·

σὺ καὶ δέδορκας κοὐ βλέπεις ἵνʼ εἶ κακοῦ,

οὐδʼ ἔνθα ναίεις, οὐδʼ ὅτων οἰκεῖς μέτα.

ἆρʼ οἶσθʼ ἀφʼ ὧν εἶ; καὶ λέληθας ἐχθρὸς ὢν
415

τοῖς σοῖσιν αὐτοῦ νέρθε κἀπὶ γῆς ἄνω,

καί σʼ ἀμφιπλὴξ μητρός τε καὶ τοῦ σοῦ πατρὸς

ἐλᾷ ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς τῆσδε δεινόπους ἀρά,

βλέποντα νῦν μὲν ὄρθʼ, ἔπειτα δὲ σκότον.

βοῆς δὲ τῆς σῆς ποῖος οὐκ ἔσται λιμήν,
420

ποῖος Κιθαιρὼν οὐχὶ σύμφωνος τάχα,

ὅταν καταίσθῃ τὸν ὑμέναιον, ὃν δόμοις

ἄνορμον εἰσέπλευσας, εὐπλοίας τυχών;

ἄλλων δὲ πλῆθος οὐκ ἐπαισθάνει κακῶν,

ἅ σʼ ἐξισώσει σοί τε καὶ τοῖς σοῖς τέκνοις.
425

πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ Κρέοντα καὶ τοὐμὸν στόμα

προπηλάκιζε· σοῦ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν βροτῶν

κάκιον ὅστις ἐκτριβήσεταί ποτε.

429

Οἰδίπους

ἦ ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνεκτὰ πρὸς τούτου κλύειν;

οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρον; οὐχὶ θᾶσσον; οὐ πάλιν
430

ἄψορρος οἴκων τῶνδʼ ἀποστραφεὶς ἄπει;

Τειρεσίας

οὐδʼ ἱκόμην ἔγωγʼ ἄν, εἰ σὺ μὴ ʼκάλεις.

Οἰδίπους

οὐ γάρ τί σʼ ᾔδη μῶρα φωνήσοντʼ, ἐπεὶ

σχολῇ σʼ ἂν οἴκους τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐστειλάμην.

Τειρεσίας

ἡμεῖς τοιοίδʼ ἔφυμεν, ὡς μὲν σοὶ δοκεῖ,
435

μῶροι, γονεῦσι δʼ, οἵ σʼ ἔφυσαν, ἔμφρονες.

Οἰδίπους

ποίοισι; μεῖνον, τίς δέ μʼ ἐκφύει βροτῶν;

Τειρεσίας

ἥδʼ ἡμέρα φύσει σε καὶ διαφθερεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

ὡς πάντʼ ἄγαν αἰνικτὰ κἀσαφῆ λέγεις.

Τειρεσίας

οὔκουν σὺ ταῦτʼ ἄριστος εὑρίσκειν ἔφυς;
440

Οἰδίπους

τοιαῦτʼ ὀνείδιζʼ, οἷς ἔμʼ εὑρήσεις μέγαν.

Τειρεσίας

αὕτη γε μέντοι σʼ ἡ τύχη διώλεσεν.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ εἰ πόλιν τήνδʼ ἐξέσωσʼ, οὔ μοι μέλει.

Τειρεσίας

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· καὶ σύ, παῖ, κόμιζέ με.

Οἰδίπους

κομιζέτω δῆθʼ· ὡς παρὼν σύ γʼ ἐμποδὼν
445

ὀχλεῖς, συθείς τʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ἀλγύνοις πλέον.

447

Τειρεσίας

εἰπὼν ἄπειμʼ ὧν οὕνεκʼ, ἦλθον, οὐ τὸ σὸν

δείσας πρόσωπον· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπου μʼ ὀλεῖς.

λέγω δέ σοι· τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, ὃν πάλαι

ζητεῖς ἀπειλῶν κἀνακηρύσσων φόνον
450

τὸν Λαΐειον, οὗτός ἐστιν ἐνθάδε,

ξένος λόγῳ μέτοικος, εἶτα δʼ ἐγγενὴς

φανήσεται Θηβαῖος, οὐδʼ ἡσθήσεται

τῇ ξυμφορᾷ· τυφλὸς γὰρ ἐκ δεδορκότος

καὶ πτωχὸς ἀντὶ πλουσίου ξένην ἔπι
455

σκήπτρῳ προδεικνὺς γαῖαν ἐμπορεύσεται.

φανήσεται δὲ παισὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ ξυνὼν

ἀδελφὸς αὑτὸς καὶ πατήρ, κἀξ ἧς ἔφυ

γυναικὸς υἱὸς καὶ πόσις, καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς

ὁμόσπορός τε καὶ φονεύς. καὶ ταῦτʼ ἰὼν
460

εἴσω λογίζου· κἂν λάβῃς ἐψευσμένον,

φάσκειν ἔμʼ ἤδη μαντικῇ μηδὲν φρονεῖν.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 271 focus

OED

Of this and parricide, my aged friend.

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 276 focus

Wie mich dein Fluch gebunden, also red' ich, Herr.

Nicht ich erschlug ihn, weiß dir auch den Mörder nicht

Zu nennen. Er, der solche Forschung uns gebot,

Apollon mußte sagen, wer die That verübt.
280

Oedipus.

Du redest Wahrheit; doch den Gott zu zwingen, wo

Er selbst sich weigert, das vermag kein Sterblicher.

Der Chor.

So nenn' ich noch das Zweite, das mir dienlich scheint.

Oedipus.

Wär's auch ein Drittes, zögre nicht es kundzuthun.

Der Chor.

Was Fürst Apollon, sieht der Fürst Teiresias,
285

Ich weiß, vor allen Andern; wohl erführen wir's

Am besten, König, fragten wir bei diesem an.

Oedipus.

Nicht säumig, ließ ich dieses auch nicht außer Acht.

Ich sandte zweimal Boten ihm auf Kreon's Nath,

Und wundre mich schon lange, daß er nicht erscheint.
290

Der Chor.

Das Andre sind verscholl'ne taube Sagen wohl.

Oedipus.

Und welche Sagen? Denn ich acht' auf jedes Wort.

Der Chor.

Er ward erschlagen, sagte man, von Wanderern.

Oedipus.

Das hört' ich auch; den Thäter aber sieht man nicht.¹

Der Chor.

Doch wenn er irgendwelche Furcht im Herzen nährt,
295

So trozt er deinem Fluche nicht, vernimmt er ihn.

Oedipus.

Wem vor der That nicht graute, den schreckt nicht das Wort.

Der Chor.

Er lebt ja, der ihn offenbart: hier führen sie

Uns schon den heiligen Seher her, den Einzigen

Von allen Menschen, dem die Wahrheit innewohnt.
300
Teiresias tritt auf, von einem Knaben geleitet. Die Vorigen.

Oedipus.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 271 focus

Oedipus

What, shall such traces of my birth appear,

And I not follow them! It may not be.

Oh, by the gods inquire not, if thy life

Be dear to thee! Enough that I am wretched.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 216-460 focus

Oedipus

You pray. And in answer to your prayer, if you will give a loyal reception to my words and minister to your own disease, you may hope to find help and relief from woes. These words I will speak publicly, as one who was a stranger to the report,

a stranger to the deed. I would not go far on the trail if I were tracing it alone, without a clue. But as it is—since it was only after the event that I was counted a Theban among Thebans—to you, Cadmeans all, I do thus proclaim: Whoever knows
220

by whom Laius son of Labdacus was slain, I order him to declare all to me. And if he is afraid, I order him to remove the danger of indictment from his path by denouncing himself: he will suffer no other punishment, but will only leave this land, unhurt.
225

If anyone knows the assassin to be an alien, from another land, let him not keep silent. I will reward him, and my thanks shall rest with him besides. But if he keeps silent, if anyone, through fear, seeks to screen himself or a friend from my orders,
230

then hear what I shall do: I charge you that no resident of this land, which I rule, give shelter to or address that murderer, whoever he is, or make him a partner in prayer or sacrifice,
235

or give him a share of the lustral rite. Ban him from your houses, all of you, knowing that this is the defilement, as the oracle of the Pythian god has recently shown to me. In this way
240

I am an ally both to the god and to the dead man. And I pray solemnly that the slayer, whoever he is, whether he alone is guilty or he has partners, may, in the horrible way he deserves, wear out his unblest life. And for myself I pray that if he should,
245

with my knowledge, become a resident of my house, I may suffer the same things which I have just called down on others. And I order you to make all these words good, for my sake, for the sake of the god, and for the sake of our land, thus rendered unfruitful and ungodly.
250
255

For even if the matter had not been urged upon us by a god, it still would not have been fit that you should leave the guilt unpunished as it is, when one so noble—and he your king—had perished. You should have searched it out. But now, since I hold the powers which he once held,
255

possessing his bed and the wife who bore his children, and since, had his hope of offspring not been unsuccessful, children born of one mother would have tied us with a common bond—as it was, fate swooped upon his head—I will uphold this cause, as though it were that of my own father,
260

and will leave no stone unturned in my search for the one who shed the blood, for the honor of the son of Labdacus and of Polydorus and the elder Cadmus and Agenor of old.
And for those who do not obey me, I pray that the gods
265

send them neither harvest of the earth nor fruit of the womb, but that they perish with the present fate, or one still worse. But to all you, the loyal Cadmeans who are satisfied by these things, may justice, our ally,
270

and all the gods be gracious always.
275

276

Chorus

As you have put me under oath, on my oath, my king, I will speak. I am not the slayer, nor can I reveal him. As for the investigation, it was for Phoebus, who enjoined it, to tell us who did the deed.

Oedipus

Justly said. But no man on earth can force the gods to do what they do not want.
280

Chorus

I would like to say what seems to me the next best course.

Oedipus

And if there is a third course, do not hesitate to reveal it too.

Chorus

I know that our lord Teiresias is the seer most like our

lord Apollo: from him, my king, an investigator might learn most clearly about these affairs.
285

Oedipus

Not even this have I neglected. On Creon’s suggestion, I sent a man twice to bring him. And I have been wondering for some time why he is not here.

Chorus

Indeed—his skill apart—the rumors are but faint and old.
290

Oedipus

What are the rumors? I am investigating every tale.

Chorus

He was said to have been killed by some wayfarers.

Oedipus

I too have heard that. But no one sees the one who saw it.

Chorus

If he knows what fear is, he will not hesitate to come forward when he

hears your curses, so dire are they.
295

Oedipus

When a man does not shrink from a deed, he is not scared by a word.

Chorus

But there is one to convict him. But here they bring at last the godlike prophet, the only man in whom truth lives.

300 Teiresias enters, led by a boy.

Oedipus

Teiresias, whose soul grasps all things, both that which may be told and that which is unspeakable, the Olympian secrets and the affairs of the earth, you feel, though you cannot see, what a huge plague haunts our state. From which, great prophet, we find you to be our protector and only savior.
300

Now, Phoebus—if indeed you have not already heard the news—sent answer to our question that the only way to rid ourselves of this pest that afflicts us is to discover the slayers of Laius, and then to slay them or banish them from our land.
305

So do not begrudge us the voice of the birds or any other path of prophecy, but save yourself and your state, save me, save all that is defiled by the dead. We are in your hands, and man’s noblest task is to help others
310

to the best of his means and powers.
315

Teiresias

Alas, how terrible it is to have wisdom when it does not benefit those who have it. I knew this well, but let it slip from my mind: otherwise I would not have come here.

Oedipus

What now? How disheartened you have come!

Teiresias

Let me go home. For you will bear your own burden to the end, and I will bear mine, if you consent.
320

Oedipus

Your words are strange and unkind to the state which nurtured you, since you withhold this response.

Teiresias

I see that you, for your part, speak inappropriately.

Therefore do not speak, so I will not suffer the same.
325

Oedipus

For the love of the gods, do not turn away, if you have knowledge: all we suppliants implore you on our knees.

Teiresias

For all of you are without knowledge. But never will I reveal my troubles—not to call them yours.

330

Oedipus

What are you saying? Do you know the secret and refuse to tell it? Will you betray and destroy the state?
330

Teiresias

I will grieve neither myself nor you. Why do you ask these things in vain? You will not learn the answers from me.

Oedipus

Will you not, basest of the base—

you would anger a stone—speak out? can nothing touch you? Will you never make an end?
335

Teiresias

You blame my anger, but do not perceive your own: no, you blame me.

Oedipus

Who would not be angry hearing such words,

with which you now are slighting the city?
340

Teiresias

The future will come of itself, though I shroud it in silence.

Oedipus

Since it must come anyway, it is right that you tell it to me.

Teiresias

I will speak no further: rage, if you wish, with the fiercest wrath your heart knows.

Oedipus

In my anger I will not spare to speak all my thoughts. Know that you seem to me to have helped in plotting the deed, and to have done it, short of performing the actual murder with your own hands: if you had eyesight, I would have said that you had done even this by yourself.
345

Teiresias

In truth? I order you to abide by you own decree, and from this day forth not to speak to these men or to me: you are the accursed defiler of this land.
350

354

Oedipus

So brazen with your blustering taunt?

Where do you think to escape to?
355

Teiresias

I have escaped. There is strength in my truth.

Oedipus

Who taught you this? Not your skill, at any rate.

Teiresias

You yourself. For you spurred me on to speak against my will.

Oedipus

What did you say? Speak again, so I may learn it better.

Teiresias

Did you not understand before, or are you talking to test me?
360

Oedipus

I cannot say I understood fully. Tell me again.

Teiresias

I say that you are the killer of the man whose slayer you seek.

Oedipus

Now you will regret that you have said such dire words twice.

Teiresias

Should I tell you more, that you might get more angry?

Oedipus

Say as much as you want: it will be said in vain.
365

Teiresias

I say that you have been living in unguessed shame with your closest kin, and do not see into what woe you have fallen.

Oedipus

Do you think that you will always be able to speak like this without smarting for it?

Teiresias

Yes, if indeed there is any strength in truth.

Oedipus

But there is, except not for you. You do not have that strength, since you are maimed in your ears, in your wit, and in your eyes.
370

Teiresias

And you are a poor wretch to utter taunts that every man here will soon hurl at you.

Oedipus

Night, endless night has you in her keeping, so that you can never hurt me,

or any man that sees the light of the sun.
375

Teiresias

No, it is not your fate to fall at my hands, since Apollo, to whom this matter is a concern, is sufficient.

Oedipus

Are these Creon’s devices, or your own?

Teiresias

Creon is no trouble for you: you are your own.

380

Oedipus

O wealth, and empire, and skill surpassing skill in life’s keen rivalries, how great is the envy in your keeping, if for the sake of this office which the city has entrusted to me, a gift unsought,
380

Creon the trustworthy, Creon, my old friend, has crept upon me by stealth, yearning to overthrow me, and has suborned such a scheming juggler as this, a tricky quack, who has eyes only for profit, but is blind in his art!
385

Come, tell me, where have you proved yourself a seer? Why, when the watchful dog who wove dark song was here, did you say nothing to free the people? Yet the riddle, at least, was not for the first comer to read: there was need of a seer’s help,
390

and you were discovered not to have this art, either from birds, or known from some god. But rather I, Oedipus the ignorant, stopped her, having attained the answer through my wit alone, untaught by birds. It is I whom you are trying to oust, assuming that
395

you will have great influence in Creon’s court. But I think that you and the one who plotted these things will rue your zeal to purge the land: if you did not seem to be an old man, you would have learned to your cost how haughty you are.
400

Chorus

To our way of thinking, these words, both his and yours, Oedipus,

have been said in anger. We have no need of this, but rather we must seek how we shall best discharge the mandates of the god.
405

408

Teiresias

Though you are king, the right of reply must be considered the same for both: over that I have control.

For I do not live as your slave, but as Loxias’. I will not stand enrolled as Creon’s client. And I tell you, since you have taunted my blindness, that though you have sight, you do not see what a state of misery you are in, or where you dwell, or with whom.
410

Do you know who your parents are? You have been an unwitting enemy to your own kin, both in the Underworld and on the earth above, and the double lash of your mother’s and your father’s curse will one day drive you from this land in dreadful haste, with darkness upon those eyes of yours which now can see.
415

What place will be harbor to your cries, what part of all Cithaeron will not ring with them soon, when you have learned the meaning of the nuptials in which, within that house, you found a fatal haven, after a voyage so fair? And you have not guessed at a throng of other ills
420

which will bring you level with your true self and with your own children. Therefore heap your scorn upon Creon and upon my message: for no man will ever be crushed more miserably than you.
425

429

Oedipus

Are these taunts to be endured from him?

Be gone, to your ruin; be gone this instant! Will you not turn your back and leave this house?
430

Teiresias

I would not have come if you had not called me.

Oedipus

I did not know you would speak foolishly, for otherwise it would have been a long time before I summoned you to my home.

Teiresias

I was born like this—as you think, a fool, but in the opinion of the parents who bore you, quite sane.
435

Oedipus

What parents? Wait. What man is my father?

Teiresias

This day will reveal your birth and bring your ruin.

Oedipus

What riddles, what dark words you always say.

Teiresias

Are you not the best at unravelling mysteries?
440

Oedipus

Reproach me in what you will find me to be great.

Teiresias

Yet it was just that fortune that undid you.

Oedipus

But if it saved this city I care not.

Teiresias

I will take my leave. You, boy, lead me.

Oedipus

Yes, let him take you: while here, you are a hindrance, a source of trouble. When you have gone, you will vex me no more.
445

447

Teiresias

I will go when I have performed the errand for which I came, fearless of your frown: you can never destroy me. I tell you: the man whom you have been seeking this long while,

uttering threats and proclaiming a search into the murder of Laius, is here, ostensibly an alien sojourner, but soon to be found a native of Thebes ; nor will he enjoy his fortune. A blind man, though now he sees,
450

a beggar, though now rich, he will make his way to a foreign land, feeling the ground before him with his staff. And he will be discovered to be at once brother and father of the children with whom he consorts; son and husband of the woman who bore him;
455

heir to his father’s bed, shedder of his father’s blood. So go in and evaluate this, and if you find that I am wrong, say then that I have no wit in prophecy.
460

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-882-1 καὶ σοί γ’ ¹ προστρέψομαι ² προτρέψομαι ³

mvp-comment-883-1 τῆς … κατ’ οἴκους ⁴

mvp-comment-884-1 τελεῖς ⁵

mvp-comment-885-1 ἀξιωθήτω ⁶

mvp-comment-886-1 ἔα ⁷

mvp-comment-886-2 ὄρεσιν ⁸

mvp-comment-887-1 The words ἐξ ἐκείνων ⁹ ζῶντε ¹⁰ ζῶντι ¹¹ ζῶντι ¹² τάφον ¹³

mvp-comment-887-2 κύριον ¹⁴

mvp-comment-888-1 ἀπωλλύτην ¹⁵

mvp-comment-889-1 οἶδα μὴ ἂν πέρσαι ¹⁶ μὴ ¹⁷ μὴ ¹⁸ οὐ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-890-1 with μή ²⁰ σωθείς ²¹

mvp-comment-891-1 προσθῇ μέριμναν, ²²

mvp-comment-891-2 ἄνδρες ²³

mvp-comment-892-1 τοῖν δ’ ἀθλίαιν ²⁴ οἷν ²⁵

mvp-comment-893-1 οἷν ²⁶ ἡ ἐμὴ βορᾶς τράπεζα ²⁷ οὔποτε χωρὶς ἐστάθη ²⁸ ἄνευ τοῦδ’ ἀνδρός ²⁹ ἄνευ ³⁰ ἄλλη ³¹ ἡμή ³² βορᾶς ³³

mvp-comment-893-2 ἐστάθη ³⁴

mvp-comment-893-3 ἄνευ τοῦδ’ ἀνδρός ³⁵ χωρίς ³⁶ ἄνευ ³⁷

mvp-comment-894-1 μέλεσθαι ³⁸ μάλιστα μέν ³⁹

mvp-comment-895-1 ἴθ’ ὦναξ ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-896-1 γονῇ γενναῖε, ⁴¹ γενναῖε ⁴²

mvp-comment-897-1 δοκοῖμ’ ⁴³ ἔχειν σφας ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-898-1 τί φημί; ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-899-1 τοῖν … φίλοιν | δακρυρροούντοιν ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-900-1 τὰ φίλτατ’ ἐκγ. ἐμοῖν ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-901-1 λέγω τι; ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-902-1 γνοὺς … πάλαι ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-903-1 Soph. may have been thinking of Aesch. Lib. 1063

ἀλλ’ εὐτυχοίης, καί σ’ ἐποπτεύων πρόφρων | θεὸς φυλάττοι καιρίοσι συμφοραῖς.

τῆσδε τῆς ὁδοῦ ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-904-1 ἢ μὲ ⁵¹ φρουρήσας ⁵² καί σε ⁵³ εὐτυχοίης ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-905-1 ὡς τὰς … χέρας ⁵⁵ ὡς ⁵⁶ εἰς ⁵⁷ ἐς ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-906-1 Construe: αἳ προὐξένησαν ὑμὶν ⁵⁹ τὰ πρόσθε λαμπρὰ τοῦ φυτ. πατρὸς ὄμματα ὧδε ὁρᾶν ⁶⁰ ὦδ’ ὁρᾶν ⁶¹ προυσέλησαν ⁶²

mvp-comment-907-1 οὔθ’ ὁρῶν οὔθ’ ἱστορῶν ⁶³

mvp-comment-908-1 ἠρόθην ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-909-1 ὁμιλίας … ἑορτάς ⁶⁵ ὁμιλίας ⁶⁶ ἑορτάς ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-910-1 κεκλαυμέναι ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-911-1 ἀντὶ τῆς θεωρίας ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-912-1 τίς οὗτος ἔσται, τίς ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-913-1 λαμβάνων ⁷¹

mvp-comment-914-1 γοναῖσιν ⁷² γονεῦσιν ⁷³ δηλήματα ⁷⁴ γαμβροῖσιν ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-915-1 πατέρα ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-916-1 τῶν ἴσων ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-917-1 ὀνειδιεῖσθε ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-918-1 δηλαδή ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-919-1 ἀλλ’ ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-920-1 δύ’ ὄντε ⁸¹

mvp-comment-921-1 ἐγγενεῖς ⁸²

mvp-comment-922-1 ἐξισώσῃς τάσδε, ⁸³

mvp-comment-923-1 τηλικάσδ’ ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-924-1 πλὴν ὅσον τὸ σὸν μέρος ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-925-1 εἰχέτην ⁸⁶ εἰχέτην ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-926-1 Oedipus now turns from Creon to the children. The few words which he addresses to them are spoken rather to the older hearers and to himself. τοῦτ’ εὔχεσθέ μοι ⁸⁸ ὑμᾶς ⁸⁹ ζην ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-927-1 I prefer οὗ καιρὸς ἐᾷ ζῆν, τοῦ βίου κ.τ.λ. to οὗ καιρὸς ἀεὶ ζῆν, βίου ⁹¹ τοῦ ⁹² βίου ⁹³ οὗ καιρός ⁹⁴ εαι ⁹⁵ αει ⁹⁶

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

1446. mvp-comment-804-1 i. e. Not only do I believe, but I will urge your duties upon you.

1446. mvp-comment-804-2 προτρέψομαι suits the context better than προστρέψομαι. The earlier part of the speech has more the tone of command than of supplication, as of one who instructs his sorrows to be proud, or who, in the extreme of misfortune, is like a prophet new inspired. He claims the right which the curse has given him to go into solitude, and he resigns his right in Jocasta (τῶν γε σῶν), whom he will not even name (τῆς κατ' οἴκους).

1449. mvp-comment-805-1 'But never let this, my father's city, be allowed to have me as a living inhabitant.' For the passive, see Essay on Language § 31. p. 54.

1450. mvp-comment-806-1 ζῶντος i. e. You may slay me if you will (cp. ἀπολλύναι, 1441), but if I am to live you must send me into banishment.

1451. mvp-comment-807-1 ἀλλ᾽ ἔα με So Ant. 95.

1451. mvp-comment-807-2 ἔνθα κλήζεται Where is this Citheron, which rumour celebrates as mine.' Cp. Tr. 659, ἔνθα κλήζεται θυτήρ = Where rumour reports him sacrificing. Pind. Nem. 9. 41, ἔνθ᾽ Ἀρέας πόρον ἄνθρωποι καλέοισι. The use is similar to that of καλεῖσθαι, λέγεσθαι, with names of places, but there is here a special reference to the rumour prevalent at the moment. Cp. supr. 1086 ff.

1453. mvp-comment-808-1 ζῶντε . . τάφον ζῶντε is the reading of the MSS. Let me await my death in that place, which they in their life-time appointed for my destined tomb.' ζώντε is added to intimate that the intentions which they had in life will be fulfilled after their death; κύριον shows that their appointment was justified by the event and ratified by fate. The correction ζῶντι, which Brunck introduced from the conjecture of Toup, brings in the notion of a living grave where it is not required. Ant. 888, ζῶσα τυμβεύειν, is not parallel. ζῶντι would rather weaken the transition in what follows by anticipating ll. 1455-1456.

1454. mvp-comment-809-1 οἱ μ᾿ ἀπωλλύτην For the conative imperfect tense, ср. О. С. 274, ὑφ᾽ ὧν δ᾽ ἔπασχον, εἰδότων ἀπωλλύμην.

1455. mvp-comment-810-1 i. e. Let me die in the wilderness; and yet what will be my end? What will destroy me, when I was saved in such a death? I was predestined to live for evils.' The feeling here expressed is that referred to in O. C. 438-439, καμάνθανον τὸν θυμὸν ἐκδραμόντα μοι | μείζω κολαστὴν τῶν πρὶν ἡμαρτημένων.

1458. mvp-comment-811-1 ὅποιπερ (and not ὅπῃπερ) is right, because Oedipus is thinking of the end, which is still unknown to him.

1460. mvp-comment-812-1 προσθῇ Elms. conjectured προθῇ, comparing El. 1334, νῦν δ᾽ εὐλάβειαν τῶνδε προὐθέμην ἐγώ. But the meaning of προσθῇ suits the context well. Do not give thyself anxiety on their account.

1462. mvp-comment-813-1 ταῖν δ᾽.. ἐμαΐν The construction of these words, which is suggested by παίδων . . μέριμναν, is broken off by the parenthesis, and resumed in the relative clause αἷν μοι μέλεσθαι.

1463-1465. mvp-comment-814-1 Apart from whom my table was never spread, so that they should be without me.' ἄνευ τοῦδ᾽ ἀνδρός is an inverted epexegesis, as though the expression had run, Whose table was never spread apart from mine, or without me.' The point of view is changed, and Oedipus no longer speaks of himself as separated from his children, but of his children as separated from himself. The v. r. in Trin. may have been occasioned by the strangeness of this inversion. See Essay on Language § 42. p. 80.

1467. mvp-comment-815-1 To touch them, and to lament over our woes.'

1468. mvp-comment-816-1 ἴθ᾽ ὦναξ For the interruption of the metre in similar passages, marking a pause of uncertainty, ср. О. С. 315-318, 12713 Phil. 750; Tr. 865, 1081.

1469. mvp-comment-817-1 ὦ γονῇ γενναίε O right noble one!' The tautology is merely emphatic, as in Aristoph. Vesp. 466, ὦ πόνῳ πονηρέ: Plat. Soph. 231 Β, ἡ γένει γενναία σοφιστική. Ε. on L. § 40. p. 75.

1471. mvp-comment-818-1 τί φημί How? This refers not to the previous words, but to the thought that his children are approaching.

1472. mvp-comment-819-1 Can it be that I hear-?' τοῖν μοι φίλοιν] My dear ones. For the use of the masculine or common gender here, see Essay on Language § 20. P. 30.

1474. mvp-comment-820-1 τὰ φίλτατ᾽ ἐκγόνοιν ἐμοῖν My dearest children. See Essay on Language § 10. 6. p. 17.

1475. mvp-comment-821-1 λέγω τι Can I be right? 1477. i.e. Knowing the delight which you have always taken in your children, and thus foreseeing the delight which their coming gives you at this moment.'

1478. mvp-comment-822-1 τῆσδε τῆς ὁδοῦ In requital for thus bringing them. Genitive of the reason. See Essay on Language § 10. p. 15. For ὁδός, see Essay on Language p. 96; and cp. El 1314. μια σε τῆδ᾽ ὁδῷ θανόντα τε | καὶ ζῶντ᾽ ἐσεῖδον: Ο. C. 1506, τῆσδε τῆς ὁδοῦ,

1481. mvp-comment-823-1 Come to these hands of mine, that own one mother with you. Cp. Ο. C. 535, κοιναί γε πατρὸς ἀδελφεαί.

1482-1483. mvp-comment-824-1 .'Which have provided for you this sad spectacle of your father's once bright eyes.'

1482-1483. mvp-comment-824-2 On προξενέω, see Essay on Language p. 98, init.; and on the construction of ὧδ' ὁρᾶν (1. 1482), ibid. § 33. p. 57. The use of προὐξένησαν is occasioned by ὁρᾶν, which, though epexegetic, is first in the order of words, and suggests προξενεῖν θεωρίαν. ὧδε, sc ἔχοντα. See Essay on Language § 39. 1. p. 72.

1484. mvp-comment-825-1 οὔθ᾽ ὁρῶν οὔθ᾽ ἱστορῶν Blind and uninquiring, i. e. unconscious. Cp. supr. 413, κού βλέπεις ἵν᾽ εἶ κακοῦ: 530, ἃ γὰρ δρῶσ᾽ οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ.

1485. mvp-comment-826-1 ἐφάνθην Became, with the additional meaning was discovered to be. 1486. i.e. My eyes, that see you not, shed tears for you.

1487. mvp-comment-827-1 νοούμενος Thinking sadly of.' The rare middle voice expresses deep personal feeling. Essay on Language § 31. p. 53.

1488. mvp-comment-828-1 βιῶναι . . πρὸς ἀνθρώπων For πρός, cp. Αj. 511, σοῦ διοίσεται μόνος | ὑπ᾿ ὀρφανιστῶν μὴ φίλων.

1490-1491. mvp-comment-829-1 Bathed in tears instead of enjoying the solemnity. θεωρίας combines the notion of assisting at contests or exhibitions of various kinds, with that of performing a religious function.

1490. mvp-comment-830-1 For the perfect tense of κεκλαυμέναι, cp. Il. 16.7, τίπτε δεδάκρυσαι, Πατρόκλεις : Aesch. Cho. 731, τρόφον δ' Ὀρέστου τήνδ᾽ ὁρῶ κεκλαυμένην.

1493. mvp-comment-831-1 Who will be the man? Who will run the risk of incurring such reproaches as will fall upon my parents, and will also be your bane?

1495. mvp-comment-832-1 γονεῦσιν, though including the misfortune of Laius, who brought calamity on himself and his race, refers more particularly to Jocasta. This dat. is to be joined with ἔσται, δηλήματα being added with σφών, which is an ethical dative.

1498. mvp-comment-833-1 ὅθεν . . ἐσπάρη For ὅθεν, cp. supr. 1485, ἔνθεν. ἐσπάρη = σπαρεὶς ἐγένετο, 1500. And who then will marry you?' 1505-1507. Do not suffer them, being your kinswomen, to wander poor and unhusbanded, nor make their woes to be like mine.' On ἐξισώσῃς, see Essay on Language p. 96; and for the order of words, ib. § 41. P. 77.

1506. mvp-comment-834-1 ἐγγενεῖς Sc. οὔσας. Essay on Language § 23. p. 38. The conjectural emendaions, ἐκγενεῖς, ἀστέγους, ἀξένους, etc., are unnecessary. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 761, 2 (Eteocles to Creon), μητρὸς δ' ἀδελφὸς εἶ· τί δεῖ μακρηγορεῖν; | τρέφ᾽ ἀξίως νιν σοῦ τε τὴν τ᾿ ἐμὴν χάριν.

1507. mvp-comment-835-1 i. e. Let not my fall be their ruin. Cp. supr. 425. Essay on Language p. 96.

1510. mvp-comment-836-1 ψαύσας Sc. αὐταῖν. Oedipus holds the children forward, that Creon may put his hand upon them in token of acknowledging his duty to them as a kinsman.

1512. mvp-comment-837-1 νῦν δὲ τοῦτ᾽ εὔχεσθέ μοι But now I would have you pray. The mistake of the Scholiast, who suggested that εὔχεσθε was passive ('be the object of this prayer of mine'), arose from not observing the idiomatic use of μοι: i. e. Instead of giving you advice which you cannot understand. I will put into your mouths this simple prayer. Ср. О. С. 1116, ταῖς τηλικαῖσδε σμικρὸς ἐξαρκεῖ λόγος.

1513. mvp-comment-838-1 οὗ καιρὸς ἀεὶ ζῇν, κ.τ.λ. Dindorf's correction of this line, by substituting lâ for deí, while retaining τοῦ, is objectionable on many grounds: (1) The crasis of da, the third singular indicative or subjunctive, is not sufficiently supported in a conjectural reading by the single instance in Homer, Il. 5. 256, τρεῖν μ᾽ οὐκ ἐᾷ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη: (2) καιρός (sc. ἐστιν) is a common idiom, and is good sense, while οὗ καιρὸς ἐᾷ is neither: (3) the insertion of the article is a more likely error than the corruption of a verb. Meineke's οὗ καιρὸς ή ζην is better. But the article τοῦ has no special force, and may have come either from a gloss or from immediately below; and the emphatic del suits well with the feeling of Oedipus, who is thinking of the unhappy circumstances of his own life. The pause at the middle of the line is not frequent. but there are several examples of such a division, after a strong monosyllable like ζῆν, in the present play. See esp. 11. 12, 110, 1066, 1155.

1514. mvp-comment-839-1 ὑμᾶς is added to strengthen the antithesis. The accusative, in the epexegesis, presents no difficulty. See .. Essay on Language § 16. 3. p. 24.

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Oedipus 1446 For such a wretch as me 1478 Wouldst tliou again explore the will of Heaven 1

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Οἰδίπους δίκαιʼ ἔλεξας· ἀλλʼ ἀναγκάσαι θεοὺς 280 ἃν μὴ θέλωσιν οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς δύναιτʼ ἀνήρ.

Χορός τὰ δεύτερʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἂν λέγοιμʼ ἁμοὶ δοκεῖ.

Οἰδίπους εἰ καὶ τρίτʼ ἐστί, μὴ παρῇς τὸ μὴ οὐ φράσαι.

Χορός ἄνακτʼ ἄνακτι ταὔθʼ ὁρῶντʼ ἐπίσταμαι μάλιστα Φοίβῳ Τειρεσίαν, παρʼ οὗ τις ἂν 285 σκοπῶν τάδʼ, ὦναξ, ἐκμάθοι σαφέστατα.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν ἀργοῖς οὐδὲ τοῦτʼ ἐπραξάμην. ἔπεμψα γὰρ Κρέοντος εἰπόντος διπλοῦς πομπούς· πάλαι δὲ μὴ παρῶν θαυμάζεται.

Χορός καὶ μὴν τά γʼ ἄλλα κωφὰ καὶ παλαίʼ ἔπη. 290

Οἰδίπους τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα; πάντα γὰρ σκοπῶ λόγον.

Χορός θανεῖν ἐλέχθη πρός τινων ὁδοιπόρων.

Οἰδίπους ἤκουσα κἀγώ. τὸν δʼ ἰδόντʼ οὐδεὶς ὁρᾷ.

Χορός ἀλλʼ εἴ τι μὲν δὴ δείματός γʼ ἔχει μέρος, τὰς σὰς ἀκούων οὐ μενεῖ τοιάσδʼ ἀράς, 295

Οἰδίπους ᾧ μή ʼστι δρῶντι τάρβος, οὐδʼ ἔπος φοβεῖ.

Χορός ἀλλʼ οὑξελέγξων αὐτὸν ἔστιν· οἵδε γὰρ τὸν θεῖον ἤδη μάντιν ὧδʼ ἄγουσιν, ᾧ τἀληθὲς ἐμπέφυκεν ἀνθρώπων μόνῳ.

Τειρεσίας φεῦ φεῦ, φρονεῖν ὡς δεινὸν ἔνθα μὴ τέλη λύῃ φρονοῦντι· ταῦτα γὰρ καλῶς ἐγὼ εἰδὼς διώλεσʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην.

Οἰδίπους τί δʼ ἔστιν; ὡς ἄθυμος εἰσελήλυθας.

Τειρεσίας ἄφες μʼ ἐς οἴκους· ῥᾷστα γὰρ τὸ σόν τε σὺ 320 κἀγὼ διοίσω τοὐμόν, ἢν ἐμοὶ πίθῃ.

Οἰδίπους οὔτʼ ἔννομʼ εἶπας οὔτε προσφιλῆ πόλει τῇδʼ, ἥ σʼ ἔθρεψε, τήνδʼ ἀποστερῶν φάτιν.

Τειρεσίας ὁρῶ γὰρ οὐδὲ σοὶ τὸ σὸν φώνημʼ ἰὸν πρὸς καιρόν· ὡς οὖν μηδʼ ἐγὼ ταὐτὸν πάθω— 325

Οἰδίπους μὴ πρὸς θεῶν φρονῶν γʼ ἀποστραφῇς, ἐπεὶ πάντες σε προσκυνοῦμεν οἵδʼ ἱκτήριοι.

Τειρεσίας πάντες γὰρ οὐ φρονεῖτʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ μή ποτε τἄμʼ, ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σʼ, ἐκφήνω κακά.

Οἰδίπους τί φής; ξυνειδὼς οὐ φράσεις, ἀλλʼ ἐννοεῖς 330 ἡμᾶς προδοῦναι καὶ καταφθεῖραι πόλιν;

Τειρεσίας ἐγὼ οὔτʼ ἐμαυτὸν οὔτε σʼ ἀλγυνῶ. τί ταῦτʼ ἄλλως ἐλέγχεις; οὐ γὰρ ἂν πύθοιό μου.

Οἰδίπους οὐκ, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε, καὶ γὰρ ἂν πέτρου φύσιν σύ γʼ ὀργάνειας, ἐξερεῖς ποτε, 335 ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄτεγκτος κἀτελεύτητος φανεῖ;

Τειρεσίας ὀργὴν ἐμέμψω τὴν ἐμήν, τὴν σὴν δʼ ὁμοῦ ναίουσαν οὐ κατεῖδες, ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ ψέγεις.

Οἰδίπους τίς γὰρ τοιαῦτʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ὀργίζοιτʼ ἔπη κλύων, ἃ νῦν σὺ τήνδʼ ἀτιμάζεις πόλιν; 340

Τειρεσίας ἥξει γὰρ αὐτά, κἂν ἐγὼ σιγῇ στέγω.

Οἰδίπους οὐκοῦν ἅ γʼ ἥξει καὶ σὲ χρὴ λέγειν ἐμοί.

Τειρεσίας οὐκ ἂν πέρα φράσαιμι. πρὸς τάδʼ, εἰ θέλεις, θυμοῦ διʼ ὀργῆς ἥτις ἀγριωτάτη.

Τειρεσίας ἄληθες; ἐννέπω σὲ τῷ κηρύγματι 350 ᾧπερ προεῖπας ἐμμένειν, κἀφʼ ἡμέρας τῆς νῦν προσαυδᾶν μήτε τούσδε μήτʼ ἐμέ, ὡς ὄντι γῆς τῆσδʼ ἀνοσίῳ μιάστορι.

Οἰδίπους οὕτως ἀναιδῶς ἐξεκίνησας τόδε τὸ ῥῆμα; καὶ ποῦ τοῦτο φεύξεσθαι δοκεῖς; 355

Τειρεσίας πέφευγα· τἀληθὲς γὰρ ἰσχῦον τρέφω.

Οἰδίπους πρὸς τοῦ διδαχθείς; οὐ γὰρ ἔκ γε τῆς τέχνης.

Τειρεσίας πρὸς σοῦ· σὺ γάρ μʼ ἄκοντα προυτρέψω λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους ποῖον λόγον; λέγʼ αὖθις, ὡς μᾶλλον μάθω.

Τειρεσίας οὐχὶ ξυνῆκας πρόσθεν; ἢ ʼκπειρᾷ λέγων; 360

Οἰδίπους οὐχ ὥστε γʼ εἰπεῖν γνωστόν· ἀλλʼ αὖθις φράσον.

Τειρεσίας φονέα σε φημὶ τἀνδρὸς οὗ ζητεῖς κυρεῖν.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ οὔ τι χαίρων δίς γε πημονὰς ἐρεῖς.

Τειρεσίας εἴπω τι δῆτα κἄλλʼ, ἵνʼ ὀργίζῃ πλέον;

Οἰδίπους ὅσον γε χρῄζεις· ὡς μάτην εἰρήσεται. 365

Τειρεσίας λεληθέναι σε φημὶ σὺν τοῖς φιλτάτοις αἴσχισθʼ ὁμιλοῦντʼ, οὐδʼ ὁρᾶν ἵνʼ εἶ κακοῦ.

Οἰδίπους ἦ καὶ γεγηθὼς ταῦτʼ ἀεὶ λέξειν δοκεῖς;

Τειρεσίας εἴπερ τί γʼ ἐστὶ τῆς ἀληθείας σθένος.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ ἔστι, πλὴν σοί· σοὶ δὲ τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐπεὶ 370 τυφλὸς τά τʼ ὦτα τόν τε νοῦν τά τʼ ὄμματʼ εἶ.

Τειρεσίας σὺ δʼ ἄθλιός γε ταῦτʼ ὀνειδίζων, ἃ σοὶ οὐδεὶς ὃς οὐχὶ τῶνδʼ ὀνειδιεῖ τάχα.

Οἰδίπους μιᾶς τρέφει πρὸς νυκτός, ὥστε μήτʼ ἐμὲ μήτʼ ἄλλον, ὅστις φῶς ὁρᾷ, βλάψαι ποτʼ ἄν. 375

Τειρεσίας οὐ γάρ σε μοῖρα πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ πεσεῖν, ἐπεὶ ἱκανὸς Ἀπόλλων, ᾧ τάδʼ ἐκπρᾶξαι μέλει.

Οἰδίπους Κρέοντος ἢ σοῦ ταῦτα τἀξευρήματα;

Τειρεσίας Κρέων δέ σοι πῆμʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς σὺ σοί.

Οἰδίπους ἦ ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνεκτὰ πρὸς τούτου κλύειν; οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρον; οὐχὶ θᾶσσον; οὐ πάλιν 430 ἄψορρος οἴκων τῶνδʼ ἀποστραφεὶς ἄπει;

Τειρεσίας οὐδʼ ἱκόμην ἔγωγʼ ἄν, εἰ σὺ μὴ ʼκάλεις.

Οἰδίπους οὐ γάρ τί σʼ ᾔδη μῶρα φωνήσοντʼ, ἐπεὶ σχολῇ σʼ ἂν οἴκους τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐστειλάμην.

Τειρεσίας ἡμεῖς τοιοίδʼ ἔφυμεν, ὡς μὲν σοὶ δοκεῖ, 435 μῶροι, γονεῦσι δʼ, οἵ σʼ ἔφυσαν, ἔμφρονες.

Οἰδίπους ποίοισι; μεῖνον, τίς δέ μʼ ἐκφύει βροτῶν;

Τειρεσίας ἥδʼ ἡμέρα φύσει σε καὶ διαφθερεῖ.

Οἰδίπους ὡς πάντʼ ἄγαν αἰνικτὰ κἀσαφῆ λέγεις.

Τειρεσίας οὔκουν σὺ ταῦτʼ ἄριστος εὑρίσκειν ἔφυς; 440

Οἰδίπους τοιαῦτʼ ὀνείδιζʼ, οἷς ἔμʼ εὑρήσεις μέγαν.

Τειρεσίας αὕτη γε μέντοι σʼ ἡ τύχη διώλεσεν.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ εἰ πόλιν τήνδʼ ἐξέσωσʼ, οὔ μοι μέλει.

Τειρεσίας ἄπειμι τοίνυν· καὶ σύ, παῖ, κόμιζέ με.

Οἰδίπους κομιζέτω δῆθʼ· ὡς παρὼν σύ γʼ ἐμποδὼν 445 ὀχλεῖς, συθείς τʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ἀλγύνοις πλέον.

OED Of this and parricide, my aged friend.

Wie mich dein Fluch gebunden, also red' ich, Herr. Nicht ich erschlug ihn, weiß dir auch den Mörder nicht Zu nennen. Er, der solche Forschung uns gebot, Apollon mußte sagen, wer die That verübt. 280

Oedipus. Du redest Wahrheit; doch den Gott zu zwingen, wo Er selbst sich weigert, das vermag kein Sterblicher.

Der Chor. So nenn' ich noch das Zweite, das mir dienlich scheint.

Oedipus. Wär's auch ein Drittes, zögre nicht es kundzuthun.

Der Chor. Was Fürst Apollon, sieht der Fürst Teiresias, 285 Ich weiß, vor allen Andern; wohl erführen wir's Am besten, König, fragten wir bei diesem an.

Oedipus. Nicht säumig, ließ ich dieses auch nicht außer Acht. Ich sandte zweimal Boten ihm auf Kreon's Nath, Und wundre mich schon lange, daß er nicht erscheint. 290

Der Chor. Das Andre sind verscholl'ne taube Sagen wohl.

Oedipus. Und welche Sagen? Denn ich acht' auf jedes Wort.

Der Chor. Er ward erschlagen, sagte man, von Wanderern.

Oedipus. Das hört' ich auch; den Thäter aber sieht man nicht. 1

Der Chor. Doch wenn er irgendwelche Furcht im Herzen nährt, 295 So trozt er deinem Fluche nicht, vernimmt er ihn.

Oedipus. Wem vor der That nicht graute, den schreckt nicht das Wort.

Der Chor. Er lebt ja, der ihn offenbart: hier führen sie Uns schon den heiligen Seher her, den Einzigen Von allen Menschen, dem die Wahrheit innewohnt. 300 Teiresias tritt auf, von einem Knaben geleitet. Die Vorigen.

Oedipus.

Oedipus
1446

For such a wretch as me

1478

Wouldst tliou again explore the will of Heaven 1

Οἰδίπους

δίκαιʼ ἔλεξας· ἀλλʼ ἀναγκάσαι θεοὺς
280

ἃν μὴ θέλωσιν οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς δύναιτʼ ἀνήρ.

Χορός

τὰ δεύτερʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἂν λέγοιμʼ ἁμοὶ δοκεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

εἰ καὶ τρίτʼ ἐστί, μὴ παρῇς τὸ μὴ οὐ φράσαι.

Χορός

ἄνακτʼ ἄνακτι ταὔθʼ ὁρῶντʼ ἐπίσταμαι

μάλιστα Φοίβῳ Τειρεσίαν, παρʼ οὗ τις ἂν
285

σκοπῶν τάδʼ, ὦναξ, ἐκμάθοι σαφέστατα.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν ἀργοῖς οὐδὲ τοῦτʼ ἐπραξάμην.

ἔπεμψα γὰρ Κρέοντος εἰπόντος διπλοῦς

πομπούς· πάλαι δὲ μὴ παρῶν θαυμάζεται.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν τά γʼ ἄλλα κωφὰ καὶ παλαίʼ ἔπη.
290

Οἰδίπους

τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα; πάντα γὰρ σκοπῶ λόγον.

Χορός

θανεῖν ἐλέχθη πρός τινων ὁδοιπόρων.

Οἰδίπους

ἤκουσα κἀγώ. τὸν δʼ ἰδόντʼ οὐδεὶς ὁρᾷ.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ εἴ τι μὲν δὴ δείματός γʼ ἔχει μέρος,

τὰς σὰς ἀκούων οὐ μενεῖ τοιάσδʼ ἀράς,
295

Οἰδίπους

ᾧ μή ʼστι δρῶντι τάρβος, οὐδʼ ἔπος φοβεῖ.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ οὑξελέγξων αὐτὸν ἔστιν· οἵδε γὰρ

τὸν θεῖον ἤδη μάντιν ὧδʼ ἄγουσιν, ᾧ

τἀληθὲς ἐμπέφυκεν ἀνθρώπων μόνῳ.

Τειρεσίας

φεῦ φεῦ, φρονεῖν ὡς δεινὸν ἔνθα μὴ τέλη

λύῃ φρονοῦντι· ταῦτα γὰρ καλῶς ἐγὼ

εἰδὼς διώλεσʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστιν; ὡς ἄθυμος εἰσελήλυθας.

Τειρεσίας

ἄφες μʼ ἐς οἴκους· ῥᾷστα γὰρ τὸ σόν τε σὺ
320

κἀγὼ διοίσω τοὐμόν, ἢν ἐμοὶ πίθῃ.

Οἰδίπους

οὔτʼ ἔννομʼ εἶπας οὔτε προσφιλῆ πόλει

τῇδʼ, ἥ σʼ ἔθρεψε, τήνδʼ ἀποστερῶν φάτιν.

Τειρεσίας

ὁρῶ γὰρ οὐδὲ σοὶ τὸ σὸν φώνημʼ ἰὸν

πρὸς καιρόν· ὡς οὖν μηδʼ ἐγὼ ταὐτὸν πάθω—
325

Οἰδίπους

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν φρονῶν γʼ ἀποστραφῇς, ἐπεὶ

πάντες σε προσκυνοῦμεν οἵδʼ ἱκτήριοι.

Τειρεσίας

πάντες γὰρ οὐ φρονεῖτʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ μή ποτε

τἄμʼ, ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σʼ, ἐκφήνω κακά.

Οἰδίπους

τί φής; ξυνειδὼς οὐ φράσεις, ἀλλʼ ἐννοεῖς
330

ἡμᾶς προδοῦναι καὶ καταφθεῖραι πόλιν;

Τειρεσίας

ἐγὼ οὔτʼ ἐμαυτὸν οὔτε σʼ ἀλγυνῶ. τί ταῦτʼ

ἄλλως ἐλέγχεις; οὐ γὰρ ἂν πύθοιό μου.

Οἰδίπους

οὐκ, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε, καὶ γὰρ ἂν πέτρου

φύσιν σύ γʼ ὀργάνειας, ἐξερεῖς ποτε,
335

ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄτεγκτος κἀτελεύτητος φανεῖ;

Τειρεσίας

ὀργὴν ἐμέμψω τὴν ἐμήν, τὴν σὴν δʼ ὁμοῦ

ναίουσαν οὐ κατεῖδες, ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ ψέγεις.

Οἰδίπους

τίς γὰρ τοιαῦτʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ὀργίζοιτʼ ἔπη

κλύων, ἃ νῦν σὺ τήνδʼ ἀτιμάζεις πόλιν;
340

Τειρεσίας

ἥξει γὰρ αὐτά, κἂν ἐγὼ σιγῇ στέγω.

Οἰδίπους

οὐκοῦν ἅ γʼ ἥξει καὶ σὲ χρὴ λέγειν ἐμοί.

Τειρεσίας

οὐκ ἂν πέρα φράσαιμι. πρὸς τάδʼ, εἰ θέλεις,

θυμοῦ διʼ ὀργῆς ἥτις ἀγριωτάτη.

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως ἀναιδῶς ἐξεκίνησας τόδε

τὸ ῥῆμα; καὶ ποῦ τοῦτο φεύξεσθαι δοκεῖς;
355

Τειρεσίας

πέφευγα· τἀληθὲς γὰρ ἰσχῦον τρέφω.

Οἰδίπους

πρὸς τοῦ διδαχθείς; οὐ γὰρ ἔκ γε τῆς τέχνης.

Τειρεσίας

πρὸς σοῦ· σὺ γάρ μʼ ἄκοντα προυτρέψω λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖον λόγον; λέγʼ αὖθις, ὡς μᾶλλον μάθω.

Τειρεσίας

οὐχὶ ξυνῆκας πρόσθεν; ἢ ʼκπειρᾷ λέγων;
360

Οἰδίπους

οὐχ ὥστε γʼ εἰπεῖν γνωστόν· ἀλλʼ αὖθις φράσον.

Τειρεσίας

φονέα σε φημὶ τἀνδρὸς οὗ ζητεῖς κυρεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὔ τι χαίρων δίς γε πημονὰς ἐρεῖς.

Τειρεσίας

εἴπω τι δῆτα κἄλλʼ, ἵνʼ ὀργίζῃ πλέον;

Οἰδίπους

ὅσον γε χρῄζεις· ὡς μάτην εἰρήσεται.
365

Τειρεσίας

λεληθέναι σε φημὶ σὺν τοῖς φιλτάτοις

αἴσχισθʼ ὁμιλοῦντʼ, οὐδʼ ὁρᾶν ἵνʼ εἶ κακοῦ.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ καὶ γεγηθὼς ταῦτʼ ἀεὶ λέξειν δοκεῖς;

Τειρεσίας

εἴπερ τί γʼ ἐστὶ τῆς ἀληθείας σθένος.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἔστι, πλὴν σοί· σοὶ δὲ τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐπεὶ
370

τυφλὸς τά τʼ ὦτα τόν τε νοῦν τά τʼ ὄμματʼ εἶ.

Τειρεσίας

σὺ δʼ ἄθλιός γε ταῦτʼ ὀνειδίζων, ἃ σοὶ

οὐδεὶς ὃς οὐχὶ τῶνδʼ ὀνειδιεῖ τάχα.

Οἰδίπους

μιᾶς τρέφει πρὸς νυκτός, ὥστε μήτʼ ἐμὲ

μήτʼ ἄλλον, ὅστις φῶς ὁρᾷ, βλάψαι ποτʼ ἄν.
375

Τειρεσίας

οὐ γάρ σε μοῖρα πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ πεσεῖν, ἐπεὶ

ἱκανὸς Ἀπόλλων, ᾧ τάδʼ ἐκπρᾶξαι μέλει.

Οἰδίπους

Κρέοντος ἢ σοῦ ταῦτα τἀξευρήματα;

Τειρεσίας

Κρέων δέ σοι πῆμʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς σὺ σοί.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνεκτὰ πρὸς τούτου κλύειν;

οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρον; οὐχὶ θᾶσσον; οὐ πάλιν
430

ἄψορρος οἴκων τῶνδʼ ἀποστραφεὶς ἄπει;

Τειρεσίας

οὐδʼ ἱκόμην ἔγωγʼ ἄν, εἰ σὺ μὴ ʼκάλεις.

Οἰδίπους

οὐ γάρ τί σʼ ᾔδη μῶρα φωνήσοντʼ, ἐπεὶ

σχολῇ σʼ ἂν οἴκους τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐστειλάμην.

Τειρεσίας

ἡμεῖς τοιοίδʼ ἔφυμεν, ὡς μὲν σοὶ δοκεῖ,
435

μῶροι, γονεῦσι δʼ, οἵ σʼ ἔφυσαν, ἔμφρονες.

Οἰδίπους

ποίοισι; μεῖνον, τίς δέ μʼ ἐκφύει βροτῶν;

Τειρεσίας

ἥδʼ ἡμέρα φύσει σε καὶ διαφθερεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

ὡς πάντʼ ἄγαν αἰνικτὰ κἀσαφῆ λέγεις.

Τειρεσίας

οὔκουν σὺ ταῦτʼ ἄριστος εὑρίσκειν ἔφυς;
440

Οἰδίπους

τοιαῦτʼ ὀνείδιζʼ, οἷς ἔμʼ εὑρήσεις μέγαν.

Τειρεσίας

αὕτη γε μέντοι σʼ ἡ τύχη διώλεσεν.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ εἰ πόλιν τήνδʼ ἐξέσωσʼ, οὔ μοι μέλει.

Τειρεσίας

ἄπειμι τοίνυν· καὶ σύ, παῖ, κόμιζέ με.

Οἰδίπους

κομιζέτω δῆθʼ· ὡς παρὼν σύ γʼ ἐμποδὼν
445

ὀχλεῖς, συθείς τʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ἀλγύνοις πλέον.

OED

Of this and parricide, my aged friend.

Wie mich dein Fluch gebunden, also red' ich, Herr.

Nicht ich erschlug ihn, weiß dir auch den Mörder nicht

Zu nennen. Er, der solche Forschung uns gebot,

Apollon mußte sagen, wer die That verübt.
280

Oedipus.

Du redest Wahrheit; doch den Gott zu zwingen, wo

Er selbst sich weigert, das vermag kein Sterblicher.

Der Chor.

So nenn' ich noch das Zweite, das mir dienlich scheint.

Oedipus.

Wär's auch ein Drittes, zögre nicht es kundzuthun.

Der Chor.

Was Fürst Apollon, sieht der Fürst Teiresias,
285

Ich weiß, vor allen Andern; wohl erführen wir's

Am besten, König, fragten wir bei diesem an.

Oedipus.

Nicht säumig, ließ ich dieses auch nicht außer Acht.

Ich sandte zweimal Boten ihm auf Kreon's Nath,

Und wundre mich schon lange, daß er nicht erscheint.
290

Der Chor.

Das Andre sind verscholl'ne taube Sagen wohl.

Oedipus.

Und welche Sagen? Denn ich acht' auf jedes Wort.

Der Chor.

Er ward erschlagen, sagte man, von Wanderern.

Oedipus.

Das hört' ich auch; den Thäter aber sieht man nicht.¹

Der Chor.

Doch wenn er irgendwelche Furcht im Herzen nährt,
295

So trozt er deinem Fluche nicht, vernimmt er ihn.

Oedipus.

Wem vor der That nicht graute, den schreckt nicht das Wort.

Der Chor.

Er lebt ja, der ihn offenbart: hier führen sie

Uns schon den heiligen Seher her, den Einzigen

Von allen Menschen, dem die Wahrheit innewohnt.
300
Teiresias tritt auf, von einem Knaben geleitet. Die Vorigen.

Oedipus

What, shall such traces of my birth appear,

And I not follow them! It may not be.

Oh, by the gods inquire not, if thy life

Be dear to thee! Enough that I am wretched.

Chorus

As you have put me under oath, on my oath, my king, I will speak. I am not the slayer, nor can I reveal him. As for the investigation, it was for Phoebus, who enjoined it, to tell us who did the deed.

Oedipus

Justly said. But no man on earth can force the gods to do what they do not want.
280

Chorus

I would like to say what seems to me the next best course.

Oedipus

And if there is a third course, do not hesitate to reveal it too.