Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, Richard Jebb (Translator), 1367

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Chorus

I cannot agree that you have counseled well: you would have been better dead than living and blind.

Oedipus

Do not tell me that things have not been best done in this way:

give me counsel no more. If I had sight, I know not with what eyes I could even have looked on my father, when I came to the house of Hades, or on my miserable mother, since against both I have sinned such sins as hanging myself could not punish.
1370

But do you think that the sight of children, born as mine were, was lovely for me to look upon? No, no, never lovely to my eyes! No, neither was this town with its towering walls, nor the sacred statues of the gods, since I, thrice wretched that I am—
1375

I, noblest of the sons of Thebes—have doomed myself to know them no more by commanding that all should reject the impious one, the one whom the gods have revealed as unholy, a member of Laius’ own race! After bearing such a stain upon myself,
1380

was I to look with steady eyes on this folk? No indeed: were there a way to choke the source of hearing, I would not have hesitated to make a fast prison of this wretched frame, so that I should have known neither sight nor sound.
1385

It is sweet for our thought to dwell beyond the sphere of grief. Alas, Cithaeron, why did you provide a shelter for me? When I was given to you, why did you not slay me straightway, that I might never reveal my origin to men. Ah, Polybus, ah, Corinth , and you that were called the ancient house of my father,
1390

how fair-seeming was I, your nurseling, and what evils were festering underneath! Now I am found to be evil and of evil birth. Oh you three roads, and you secret glen, you, thicket, and narrow way where three paths met—
1395

you who drank my father’s blood from my own hands—do you remember, perhaps, what deeds I have performed in your sight, and then what fresh deeds I went on to do when I came here? Oh marriage rites, you gave me birth, and when you had brought me forth,
1400

you again bore children to your child, you created an incestuous kinship of fathers, brothers, sons, brides, wives, and mothers—all the foulest deeds that are wrought among men! But it is improper to mention what it is improper to do—
1405

hurry, for the love of the gods, hide me somewhere beyond the land, or slay me, or cast me into the sea, where you will never behold me any longer! Approach—deign to lay your hands on a wretched man—listen and fear not: my plague can rest
1410

on no other mortal.
1415

Oedipus Tyrannus. Sophocles. Richard Jebb (Translator). Cambridge. 1887.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Oedipus Tyrannus (English) (Sophocles the plays and fragments, Part 1: The Oedipus Tyrannus. Jebb, Richard Claverhouse, Sir, translator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1887. (Modernized by Perseus.))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1367 focus

οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς.

κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτ' ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

Οἰδίπους

ὡς μὲν τάδ᾽ οὐχ ὧδ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἄριστ' εἰργασμένα,

μή μ' ἐκδίδασκε, μηδὲ συμβούλευ᾽ ἔτι.
1370

ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὄμμασιν ποίοις βλέπων

πατέρα ποτ᾽ ἂν προσεῖδον εἰς Ἅιδου μολών,

οὐδ᾽ αὖ τάλαιναν μητέρ', οἷν ἐμοὶ δυοῖν

ἔργ᾽ ἐστὶ κρείσσον᾿ ἀγχόνης εἰργασμένα.

ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τέκνων δῆτ᾽ ὄψις ἦν ἐφίμερος,
1375

βλαστοῦσ᾽ ὅπως ἔβλαστε, προσλεύσσειν ἐμοί;

οὐ δῆτα τοῖς γ' ἐμοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ποτέ·

οὐδ᾽ ἄστυ γ᾽, οὐδὲ πύργος, οὐδὲ δαιμόνων

ἀγάλμαθ᾽ ἱρά, τῶν ὁ παντλήμων ἐγὼ

κάλλιστ᾽ ἀνὴρ εἷς ἔν γε ταῖς Θήβαις τραφεὶς
1380

ἀπεστέρησ᾽ ἐμαυτόν, αὐτὸς ἐννέπων

ὠθεῖν ἅπαντας τὸν ἀσεβῆ, τὸν ἐκ θεῶν

φανέντ᾽ ἄναγνον καὶ γένους τοῦ Λαΐου.

τοιάνδ᾽ ἐγὼ κηλίδα μηνύσας ἐμὴν

ὀρθοῖς ἔμελλον ὄμμασιν τούτους ὁρᾶν;
1385

ἥκιστά γʼ· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ τῆς ἀκουούσης ἔτ᾽ ἦν

πηγῆς διʼ ὤτων φραγμός, οὐκ ἂν ἐσχόμην

τὸ μἠποκλῇσαι τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας,

ἵν᾿ ἦ τυφλός τε καὶ κλύων μηδέν· τὸ γὰρ

τὴν φροντίδ᾽ ἔξω τῶν κακῶν οἰκεῖν γλυκύ.
1390

ἰὼ Κιθαιρών, τί μ' ἐδέχου; τί μ᾽ οὐ λαβὼν

ἔκτεινας εὐθύς, ὡς ἔδειξα μήποτε

ἐμαυτὸν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔνθεν ἦ γεγώς;

ὦ Πόλυβε καὶ Κόρινθε καὶ τὰ πάτρια

λόγῳ παλαιὰ δώμαθ', οἷον ἆρά με
1395
[48 a.

κάλλος κακῶν ὕπουλον ἐξεθρέψατε.

νῦν γὰρ κακός τ' ὢν κἀκ κακῶν εὑρίσκομαι.

ὦ τρεῖς κέλευθοι καὶ κεκρυμμένη νάπη

δρυμός τε καὶ στενωπὸς ἐν τριπλαῖς ὁδοῖς,

αἳ τοὐμὸν αἷμα τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν ἄπο
1400

ἐπίετε πατρός, ἆρά μου μέμνησθέ *τι,

οἷ᾽ ἔργα δράσας ὑμὶν εἶτα δεῦρ᾿ ἰὼν

ὁποῖ᾽ ἔπρασσον αὖθις; ὦ γάμοι γάμοι,

ἐφύσαθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, καὶ φυτεύσαντες πάλιν

ἀνεῖτε ταὐτὸν σπέρμα, κἀπεδείξατε
1405

πατέρας, ἀδελφούς, παῖδας, αἷμ᾽ ἐμφύλιον,

νύμφας γυναῖκας μητέρας τε, χὠπόσα

αἴσχιστ᾽ ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔργα γίγνεται.

ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ αὐδᾶν ἔσθ᾽ ἃ μηδὲ δρᾶν καλόν,

ὅπως τάχιστα πρὸς θεῶν ἔξω μέ που
1410

καλύψατ᾽, ἢ φονεύσατ', ἢ θαλάσσιον

ἐκρίψατ᾽, ἔνθα μήποτ᾽ εἰσόψεσθ᾽ ἔτι.

ἴτʼ, ἀξιώσατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου θιγεῖν.

πίθεσθε, μὴ δείσητε. τἀμὰ γὰρ κακὰ

οὐδεὶς οἷός τε πλὴν ἐμοῦ φέρειν βροτῶν.
1415

Χορός

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1367 focus

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς·

κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτʼ ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

Οἰδίπους

ὡς μὲν τάδʼ οὐχ ὧδʼ ἔστʼ ἄριστʼ εἰργασμένα,

μή μʼ ἐκδίδασκε, μηδὲ συμβούλευʼ ἔτι.
1370

ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὄμμασιν ποίοις βλέπων

πατέρα ποτʼ ἂν προσεῖδον εἰς Ἅιδου μολὼν

οὐδʼ αὖ τάλαιναν μητέρʼ, οἷν ἐμοὶ δυοῖν

ἔργʼ ἐστὶ κρείσσονʼ ἀγχόνης εἰργασμένα.

ἀλλʼ ἡ τέκνων δῆτʼ ὄψις ἦν ἐφίμερος,
1375

βλαστοῦσʼ ὅπως ἔβλαστε, προσλεύσσειν ἐμοί;

οὐ δῆτα τοῖς γʼ ἐμοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ποτε·

οὐδʼ ἄστυ γʼ οὐδὲ πύργος οὐδὲ δαιμόνων

ἀγάλμαθʼ ἱερά, τῶν ὁ παντλήμων ἐγὼ

κάλλιστʼ ἀνὴρ εἷς ἔν γε ταῖς Θήβαις τραφεὶς
1380

ἀπεστέρησʼ ἐμαυτόν, αὐτὸς ἐννέπων

ὠθεῖν ἅπαντας τὸν ἀσεβῆ, τὸν ἐκ θεῶν

φανέντʼ ἄναγνον καὶ γένους τοῦ Λαΐου.

τοιάνδʼ ἐγὼ κηλῖδα μηνύσας ἐμὴν

ὀρθοῖς ἔμελλον ὄμμασιν τούτους ὁρᾶν;
1385

ἥκιστά γʼ· ἀλλʼ εἰ τῆς ἀκουούσης ἔτʼ ἦν

πηγῆς διʼ ὤτων φραγμός, οὐκ ἂν ἐσχόμην

τὸ μὴ ἀποκλῇσαι τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας,

ἵνʼ ἦ τυφλός τε καὶ κλύων μηδέν· τὸ γὰρ

τὴν φροντίδʼ ἔξω τῶν κακῶν οἰκεῖν γλυκύ.
1390

ἰὼ Κιθαιρών, τί μʼ ἐδέχου; τί μʼ οὐ λαβὼν

ἔκτεινας εὐθύς, ὡς ἔδειξα μήποτε

ἐμαυτὸν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔνθεν ἦ γεγώς;

ὦ Πόλυβε καὶ Κόρινθε καὶ τὰ πάτρια

λόγῳ παλαιὰ δώμαθʼ, οἷον ἆρά με
1395

κάλλος κακῶν ὕπουλον ἐξεθρέψατε·

νῦν γὰρ κακός τʼ ὢν κἀκ κακῶν εὑρίσκομαι.

ὦ τρεῖς κέλευθοι καὶ κεκρυμμένη νάπη

δρυμός τε καὶ στενωπὸς ἐν τριπλαῖς ὁδοῖς,

αἳ τοὐμὸν αἷμα τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν ἄπο
1400

ἐπίετε πατρός, ἆρά μου μέμνησθʼ ἔτι

οἷʼ ἔργα δράσας ὑμὶν εἶτα δεῦρʼ ἰὼν

ὁποῖʼ ἔπρασσον αὖθις; ᾧ γάμοι γάμοι,

ἐφύσαθʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ φυτεύσαντες πάλιν

ἀνεῖτε ταὐτοῦ σπέρμα, κἀπεδείξατε
1405

πατέρας, ἀδελφούς, παῖδας, αἷμʼ ἐμφύλιον,

νύμφας, γυναῖκας μητέρας τε, χὠπόσα

αἴσχιστʼ ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔργα γίγνεται.

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ αὐδᾶν ἔσθʼ ἃ μηδὲ δρᾶν καλόν,

ὅπως τάχιστα πρὸς θεῶν ἔξω μέ που
1410

καλύψατʼ ἢ φονεύσατʼ ἢ θαλάσσιον

ἐκρίψατʼ, ἔνθα μήποτʼ εἰσόψεσθʼ ἔτι.

ἴτʼ, ἀξιώσατʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου θιγεῖν.

πίθεσθε, μὴ δείσητε· τἀμὰ γὰρ κακὰ

οὐδεὶς οἷός τε πλὴν ἐμοῦ φέρειν βροτῶν.
1415

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1367 focus

I know not how to call thee wise in this:

Thou wert better dead than to be blind and live.

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

CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1367 focus

Zu sagen, daß du wohl gethan, bedenk' ich mich;

Denn besser war dir's, nicht zu sein, als lebend blind.
1330

Oedipus.

Daß also nicht das Beste mir erkoren ward,

Das lehre du mich nimmer, noch gib weiter Rath.

Denn sage mir, mit welchen Augen sollt' ich einst

Anschau'n den Vater, angelangt in Hades' Haus,

Und wie die arme Mutter, nun an Beiden ich
1335

Verübte, was noch Härt'res als den Strang verdient?

Doch trug ich wohl Verlangen, noch die Saat zu schau'n,

Der Kinder Blüte, wie sie mir herangeblüht?

Niemals, fürwahr, mit meinen Augen nimmermehr!

Auch nicht die Stadt, die Thürme, noch der Himmlischen
1340

Geweihte Bilder, deren ich Unseligster,

Der groß in Thebä lebte, wie kein andrer Mann,

Mich selbst beraubte, weil ich selbst dem Volk gebot,

Den Frevler auszustoßen, den des Gottes Spruch

- 1345 Unrein erklärt hat, stamm' er selbst aus Laïos' Haus.¹
1345

Nachdem ich selber solche Schmach an mir enthüllt,

Vermöcht' ich's, euch mit offnen Augen anzuseh'n?

Unmöglich! Gäb' es einen Damm, vom Ohre mir

Der Laute Strom zu wehren, ständ' ich nimmer an,

Ganz abzuschließen meinen schwergetroffnen Leib,
1350

Ich wäre blind und taub zugleich: süß ist es ja,

Im Leide wohnend alles Sinns beraubt zu sein.

Was nahmst du mich, Kithäron, auf? Was hast du nicht

Mich gleich getödtet, daß ich nie den Menschen mich

Verrathen hätte, welcher Eltern Sohn ich sei?
1355

O Polybos, Korinthos, du vermeintliches

Uraltes väterliches Haus, was zoget ihr

Mich groß, die schöne Hülle, die das Gift verbarg?

Denn schlecht und schlechter Eltern Sohn erschein' ich nun.

Ihr dreigespaltnen Pfade, du verborgnes Thal,
1360

Du Wald, ihr engen Schluchten dort am Scheideweg,

Die meines Vaters Blut ihr einst, das meine Hand

Vergossen, tranket, denkt ihr noch, welch schwere That

Ich dort vor euch verübte, was, hierher gelangt,

Ich abermals verbrochen? Eh'n, ihr Ehen, ach!
1365

Ihr zeugtet mich, empfinget, als ihr mich gezeugt,

Denselben Samen wieder, zogt an's Licht hervor

Geschwister, Väter, Kinder, stammverwandtes Blut,

Ehfrauen, Bräute, Mütter, und was Alles sonst

Von Gräueln unter Menschen nur sich finden mag.
1370

Doch nicht zu sagen ziemt ja, was nicht ziemt zu thun:

Drum säumet nicht, bei'm Himmel, daß ihr draussen wo

Mich berget, oder tödtet oder werft mich hin

In Meerestiefen, wo ihr nie mich wiederseht!

Kommt, ohne Scheu berührt den Unglückseligen;
1375

Folgt unbedenklich, fürchtet nichts! Denn meine Schmach²

Vermag zu tragen außer mir kein Sterblicher.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1367 focus

Yet must I blame this cruel act, for sure

I care not for thy counsel or thy praise ;

For with what eyes could I have e'er beheld

My honoured father in the shades below,
1370

Or my unhappy mother, both destroyed

me? This jmnisliinent is worse than death,

il so it should be. Sweet had been the sight

Of my dear children — them I could have wished

To gaze upon ; but I must never see
1375

C)r them, or this fail* city, or the palace

Where I was born. Deprived of every bliss

By my own lips, which doomed to banishment

Tlie murderer of Laius, and expelled

The impious wretch, by gods and men accursed :
1380

Could I behold them after this ? Oh no !

Would I could now with equal ease remove

My hearing too, be deaf as well as blind,

And from another entrance shut out woe !

To want our senses, in the hour of ill,
1385

Is comfort to the wretched. O Cithasron !

Why didst thou e'er receive me, or received.

Why not destroy, that men might never know

Who gave me birth ? O Polybus ! O Corinth !

And thou, long time beheved my father's palace,
1390

Oh! what a foul disgrace to human nature

Didst thou receive beneath a prince's form !

Impious myself, and from an impious race.

Wliere is my splendour now? O Daulian path !

The shady forest, and the nari'ow pass

"Wliere three ways meet, who drank a father's blood
1395

Shed by these hands, do you not still remember

The horrid deed, and what, when here I came.

Followed more dreadful ? Fatal nuptials, you

Produced me, you returned me to the womb

That bare me ; thence relations horrible
1400

Of fathers, sons, and brothers came ; of "svives.

Sisters, and mothei's, sad alliance ! all

That man holds impious and detestable.

But what in act is \^le the modest tongue

Should never name. Bury me, hide me, friends.
1405

From every eye; destroy me, cast me forth

To the wide .ocean — let me perish there :

Do anything to shake off hated life.

Seize me ; approach, my friends — you need not fear,

Polluted though I am, to touch me ; none
1410

Shall suffer for my crimes but I alone.

CiiOR. In most fit time, my lord, the noble Creon

This way advances ; he can best determine

A.nd best advise ; sole guardian now of Thebes,

To him thy power devolves.
1415

Oedipus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1367 focus

Thy counsels cannot claim my praise as wise;

For better not to be, than to live blind.

Oedipus

If what is done I have not wisely done,

Instruct me now, and counsel me no more.
1370

I know not with what eyes in Pluto's realm

I could behold my father, had I sight,

Or my unhappy mother: these dark orbs,

These deeds are better than the strangling cord.

But to behold my children's opening bloom,
1375

As I beheld them bloom, must be a sight

Much to be wish'd: no, never to my eyes;

Nor e'en this city, nor its rampired tow'rs,

Nor the revered forms of its sculptured gods,

Of which I, once of all the sons of Thebes
1380

Most glorious, have deprived myself, my voice

Injoining all an outcast hence to chase

This wretch unhallow'd, by the gods declared

Impure, and from the blood of Laius sprung.

This impious stain disclos'd, could e'er my eyes
1385

Dare unaverted look on these again?

No: could I stop the fount of hearing too,

Without remorse from this unhappy frame

Would I shut out its entrance, that nor eye

Nor ear might aught perceive; for sweet the life
1390

That glides away without the sense of ills.

Me, O Cithæron, why didst thou receive,

Or when received not instantly destroy,

That whence my birth I never might have shown?

O Polybus, O Corinth, and the house
1395

Once call'd my father's, what a seemly form

Of glory, covering ills that rankled deep,

In me you cherish'd, for I now am found

Vile, and my birth deriving from the vile !

O ye three ways, ye secret dells, thou grove,
1400

And, where the three ways meet, thou narrow path,

Who drank my father's blood shed by these hands,

Yet, do you yet remember me, what deeds

I did among you, then what deeds again

I here committed? O ye nuptials, O
1405

Ye nuptials, you produced this plant, then gave

To the same soil the same seed back, and show'd

Fathers, sons, brothers, streams of kindred blood,

Sisters, wives, mothers, and whatever deeds

'Mongst men are deem'd most vile. But, since the deeds
1410

Shameful in act not well beseem the tongue,

Quick, by the gods, in some far distant place

Hide me, or kill me, or beneath the sea

Hurl me to sink for ever. Come, my friends,

Disdain not an unhappy man to touch;
1415

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-829-1 κρείσσων … ἦσθα μηκέτ’ ὤν ¹

mvp-comment-830-1 ἄριστ’ ² οὐχ ὦδε ³ ἐστὶν ἄριστα εἰργασμένα ⁴

mvp-comment-831-1 βλέπων ⁵ εἰ ⁶ ποίοις ὄμμασιν ⁷

mvp-comment-832-1 εἰς Ἅιδου ⁸

mvp-comment-833-1 οἶν … δυοῖν ⁹

mvp-comment-834-1 κρείσσον’ ἀγχόνης ¹⁰ ἀγχόνης ¹¹

mvp-comment-835-1 ἀλλ’ ¹²

mvp-comment-835-2 τέκνων ὄψις … βλαστοῦσα ¹³

mvp-comment-835-3 ὅπως ἔβλαστε ¹⁴

mvp-comment-836-1 πύργος ¹⁵

mvp-comment-837-1 ἀγάλμαθ’ ἱερά ¹⁶

mvp-comment-837-2 τῶν ¹⁷

mvp-comment-838-1 κάλλιστ’ ἀνὴρ εἷς … τραφείς. εἷς ¹⁸ κάλλιστ’ ¹⁹

mvp-comment-838-2 ἔν γε ταῖς θήβαις ²⁰ γε ²¹

mvp-comment-839-1 ἀπεστέρησ’ ἐμαυτόν ²²

mvp-comment-840-1 τὸν ἀσεβῆ ²³ ὠθεῖν ²⁴ τὸν … φανέντα ²⁵ τὸν φανέντα ²⁶ ὠθεῖν ²⁷ καὶ γένους τοῦ Λαΐου ²⁸

mvp-comment-841-1 κηλῖδα ²⁹ μηνύσας ³⁰

mvp-comment-842-1 ὀρθοῖς ³¹

mvp-comment-843-1 τῆς ἀκουούσης … πηγῆς ³² δῑ ὤτων ³³

mvp-comment-844-1 ἐσχόμην ³⁴

mvp-comment-845-1 τὸ μή ³⁵

mvp-comment-846-1 ἵν ἦ ³⁶ ἦ ³⁷ μηδέν ³⁸ ἵνα ³⁹

mvp-comment-847-1 ἔξω τῶν κακῶν ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-848-1 The imperf. ἐδέχου ⁴¹

mvp-comment-849-1 ὡς ἔδειξα ⁴²

mvp-comment-850-1 τὰ πάτρια λόγῳ ⁴³ παλαιά ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-851-1 κάλλος κακῶν ὕπουλον ⁴⁵ κακῶν ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-851-2 κάλλος ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-851-3 ὕπουλον ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-852-1 κἀκ κακῶν ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-853-1 His memory recalls the scene as if he were again approaching it on his way from Delphi. First, he descries three roads converging in a deep glen or ravine ( τρεῖς κέλευθοι—κεκρυμμένη νάπη ⁵⁰ δρυμός ⁵¹ στενωπός ⁵² ἐν τριπλαῖς ὁδοῖς ⁵³

mvp-comment-854-1 τοὐμὸν αἷμα ⁵⁴ πατρός ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-855-1 For τι ⁵⁶ οἶα, ὁποῖα ⁵⁷ οἶα, ὁποῖα ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-856-1 ἀνεῖτε ταὐτοῦ σπέρμα ⁵⁹ ταὐτὸν ⁶⁰ σπέρμα ⁶¹

mvp-comment-857-1 The marriage of Iocasta with Oedipus constituted ( ἀπεδείξατε ⁶² αἶμ’ ἐμφύλιον ⁶³ νύμφας ⁶⁴ γυναῖκας ⁶⁵ μητέρας ⁶⁶ ὁπόσα αἴσχιστα ἔργα γίγνεταἰ. αἶμ’ ἐμφύλιον ⁶⁷ πατέρας ἀδελφοὺς παῖδας ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-858-1 ἔξω μέ που | καλύψατ’ ⁶⁹ καλύψατ’ ⁷⁰ ἐκρίψατ’ ⁷¹

mvp-comment-859-1 θαλάσσιον ⁷² ἔνθα μή ⁷³

mvp-comment-860-1 No one can share the burden of his ills. Other men need not fear to be polluted by contact with him, as with one guilty of blood. His unwitting crimes and his awful sufferings—alike the work of Apollo—place him apart. In illustration of the fear which he seeks to allay, compare the plea of Orestes that, since he has been duly purified from bloodshed, contact with him has ceased to be dangerous ( Aesch. Eum. 285

ὅσοις προσῆλθον ἀβλαβεῖ ξυνουσίᾀ.

—Contrast Soph. OC 1132 ff. , where Oed. will not allow his benefactor Theseus to touch him. There, he feels that he is still formally ἄναγνος, and that gratitude forbids him to impart a possible taint. Here, he thinks only of his unique doom and his incommunicable anguish.

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

1368. mvp-comment-760-1 κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα Thou hadst better have been no more, than to live on in blindness. Cp. Aj. 635, κρείσσων γὰρ Αιδᾳ κεύθων ὁ νοσῶν μάταν. For the av omitted, see Essay on Language § 27. p. 45.

1369. mvp-comment-761-1 ἄριστα answers to κρείσσων. That this action is not best as it is,' (ὡς τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἔστ᾽ ἄριστα ὧδε εἰργασμένα). Cp. Hdt. 1. 37, ἀμείνω ἐστὶ ταῦτα οὕτω ποιεύμενα.

1369-1415. mvp-comment-762-1 In this wonderful speech the passion of Oedipus is heard rising in varied tones from 1369 to 1390 (the steps are 1369-1374, 1375,6, 1377-1383, 1384-1390); culminating in the prolonged outburst 1391-1408, where the four stages of horror in his life are recounted, and gradually subsiding into a gentler pathos in 1409-1413, 1414-1415.

1371. mvp-comment-763-1 βλέπων If I had sight. 1372. The shade of the dead in Hades is imagined as having all the characteristics of the living form. Oedipus, selfblinded, will be blind in Hades, just as the ghost of Heracles in the venuta has the ghostly belt and bow.

1373. mvp-comment-764-1 οἷν In relation to whom, or, 'on whom. For this dative, see Essay on Language § 12. p. 18.

1374. mvp-comment-765-1 κρείσσον᾿ ἀγχόνης ‘Worse than death.' Which I would rather have died by strangling than do. Cp. Eurip. Alc. 229-230, ἄξια καὶ σφαγᾶς τάδε, καὶ πλέον ἢ βρύχῳ δέρην | οὐρανίῳ πελάσσαι.

1375. mvp-comment-766-1 But surely the sight of my children was a sight to be desired by me, having such an origin as they had? No, not for these eyes to see. For δῆτα here, cp. Phil. 1352, ἀλλ᾽ εἰκάθω δῆτ'; and for the hypallage or attraction in ὄψις..

1375. mvp-comment-766-2 βλαστούσα, see E on L. § 35. p. 60.

1376. mvp-comment-767-1 βλαστοῦσ᾽ ὅπως ἔβλαστε gives a reason by anticipation for οὐ δῆτα τοῖς γ᾽ ἐμοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ποτέ. Cp. Eur. Οr. 79. ἔπλευσ᾽ ὅπως ἔπλευσα. As com- 1378. ἄστυ, sc. ἦν προσλεύσσειν ἐμοί.

1380. mvp-comment-768-1 ἀνὴρ εἰς is often used with superlatives to signify, pared singly with any other.' (Tr. 460, πλείστας ἀνὴρ εἷς Ἡρακλῆς ἔγημε δή, Thuc. 3. 39. μάλιστα δὴ μίαν πόλιν.) So here ἀνὴρ εἷς is More than any other single man. This idiom affords a curious illustration of the tendency of the Greek language to limit an assertion in the act of emphasizing it.

1381. mvp-comment-769-1 Cp. supr. 350.

1382. mvp-comment-770-1 τὸν ἐκ θεῶν.. γένους τοῦ Λαΐου Whom the gods have shown to be an unholy person, and who is discovered to be of the race of Laius. The words καὶ γένους τοῦ Λαΐου are added as the climax of horror. This designation was not included in the oracular curse, but the mind of Oedipus naturally passes from the anticipation to the actual discovery-to which the oracle had pointed the way, and which was chiefly present to his mind. ،

1384. mvp-comment-771-1 τοιάνδ᾽.. ἐμήν ἐμήν is predicative. Having brought to light such a stain upon myself was I going to look these men in the face with unchanged eyes?' Cp. supr. 572, τὰς ἐμάς ... Λαΐου διαφθοράς. Ε. on L. § 23. p. 37, β. γ.

1385. mvp-comment-772-1 τούτους i. e. the citizens represented by the chorus. Oedipus is speaking to the coryphaeus. The expression ὀρθοῖς ὄμμασι, while alluding to the mangling of his eyes, also conveys the association of a frank and steady look. Cp. Eur. Ι. Α. 851, οὐ γὰρ ὀρθοῖς ὄμμασίν σ' ἔτ᾽ εἰσορῶ, | ψευδὴς γενομένη, κ.τ.λ.

1386. mvp-comment-773-1 But if there could also have been found a way of closing up the fountain of hearing in my ears.'

1387. mvp-comment-774-1 οὐκ ἂν ἐσχόμην I would not have refrained. Cp. Hdt. 6. 85, ἔσχοντο τῆς ἀγωγῆς. The MSS, with a few exceptions, have ἀνεσχόμην or ἠνεσχόμην, which gives an inferior sense, and the omission of av is improbable here. μή rather than μὴ οὐ is used, because of the hypothetical sentence. Essay on Language p. 49.

1389. mvp-comment-775-1 ἵν᾿ ἡ Cp. 1392. Essay on Language § 36. pp. 60, 61. τὸ γάρ, κ.τ.λ. (1) For it is sweet for the mind to dwell in her own place, shutting out the sight of evils. For φροντίς as the subject, cp. Eur. Med. 48, νέα γὰρ φροντὶς οὐκ ἀλγεῖν φιλεῖ. Or (2) 'Tis sweet to guide one's thought out of reach of evil.' Said in contradistinction to οἰκεῖν πόλιν. See v. rr.

1391. mvp-comment-776-1 τί μ᾿ ἐδέχου Why did you not refuse to receive me? So the force of the imperfect may be expressed. For the appeal to nature, cp. (although the tone is somewhat different in each place) Phil. 936 foll., ὦ λιμένες, ὦ προβλήτες, κ.τ.λ.: Ant. 844-845, ἰὼ Διρκαῖαι κρῆναι Θήβας τ' | εὐαρμάτου ἄλσος.

1394. mvp-comment-777-1 τὰ πάτρια λόγῳ παλαιὰ δώ- μαθ'] 'Home long ago in name though not really my father's.'

1395. mvp-comment-778-1 ἆρα Essay on Language § 29. p. 50. Ye brought me up, how fair in aprough pearance, while corruption rankled within. Cp. Shakespeare, Hamlet, 3. 4,

It will but skin and film the ulcerous place, while rank corruption, mining all within, infects unseen.

1400. mvp-comment-779-1 That drank from these my hands the blood from which I sprang. τουμὸν αἷμα πατρός is not merely = τοὐμοῦ πατρὸς αἷμα, but marks that the blood which he shed was the same which ran in his veins - the blood of my father, which was my blood.

1401. mvp-comment-780-1 μέμνησθέ τι Herm. defended μέμνησθ' ὅτι, the reading of most MSS. Although this is singular, it is not certain that the exclamations οἷα.. ὁποῖα might not be used in a dependent clause. Do you remember that I did-what deeds! before you? The marginal reading ὅταν points to ὅτε; cp. supra 1134, κατοῖδεν ἦμος, κ.τ.λ. But of conjectural readings the most probable is μέμνησθέ τι (Elmsley), partly supported by Vat. c Trin. K. Do you at all remember? Cp. the v.r. on 1412. This is certainly idiomatic, and may be the genuine reading. For τι, cp. supra 1130, ἢ συνήλλαξάς τί πω; Phil. 1130, φρένας εἴ τινας ἔχεις : Ο C. 1281, ἢ τέρψαντά τι. ἢ δυσχεράναντ', and esp. Eur. Hec. 992, εἰ τῆς τεκούσης τῆσδε μέμνηταί τί μου. ἔτι is weak.

1402. mvp-comment-781-1 ὑμίν Dative of remote refer- ence='In which you were concerned.' See Essay on Language § 13. p. 19. With what deeds I affrighted you, and then came here to find what fortune!

1403. mvp-comment-782-1 For ἔπρασσον, which is less active than δράσας supr., cp. Aj. 1420 ὅ τι πράξει. ὦ γάμοι] This fresh outburst is occasioned by the mention of his Theban fortune. For the plurals in this and the following lines, expressing strong feeling, see Essay on Language § 20. p. 30.

1404-1405. mvp-comment-783-1 πάλιν | ἀνεῖτε ταὐτὸν σπέρμα Gave birth a second time to the same seed. Cp. Aesch. S c. T. 413, σπαρτῶν ἀπ᾿ ἀνδρῶν ῥίζωμ' ἀνεῖται : supra 270-271, μήτ᾽ ἄροτον αὐτοῖς *γῆς ἀνιέναι τινά, μήτ᾽ οὖν γυναικῶν παῖδας.

1406. mvp-comment-784-1 αἷμ᾿ ἐμφύλιον can only mean murder of kin. Cp. O. C. 407, τοὔμφυλον αἷμα. The marriage of Laius and Jocasta had led to the parricide, in accordance with the oracle.

1409. mvp-comment-785-1 Either (1) We may not speak of things it is not honourable to do, or (2) taking καλόν twice, It is not honourable to speak of things which it is not honourable to do.

1411. mvp-comment-786-1 θαλάσσιον i. e. εἰς θάλασσαν. Essay on Language § 23. p. 39. Cp. supra 196-197.

1413. mvp-comment-787-1 ἀξιώσατ᾿ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου θιγεῖν Cp. Τr. 797, πρόσελθε, μὴ φύγῃς τοὐμὸν κακόν.

1415. mvp-comment-788-1 Fear not; my woes are such as none but I can bear;' i. e. I bear an incommunicable sorrow, which you therefore need not fear to share by contact with me. It is too heavy, and also too peculiar, for others to partake. Cp. Phil. 536-537, οἶμαι γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ὄμμασιν μόνην θέαν | ἄλλον λαβόντα πλὴν ἐμοῦ τλῆναι τάδε: Shak. King John, 3. 1, 'My grief's so great | That no supporter but the huge firm earth | Can hold it up.'

Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 1367

Richard Jebb (Translator)

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Chorus

I cannot agree that you have counseled well: you would have been better dead than living and blind.

Current edition Experimental

οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς.

κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτ' ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

Χορός

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς·

κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτʼ ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

I know not how to call thee wise in this:

Thou wert better dead than to be blind and live.

CH

Zu sagen, daß du wohl gethan, bedenk' ich mich;

Denn besser war dir's, nicht zu sein, als lebend blind.
1330

Der Chor.

Yet must I blame this cruel act, for sure

Oedipus

Thy counsels cannot claim my praise as wise;

For better not to be, than to live blind.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Chorus I cannot agree that you have counseled well: you would have been better dead than living and blind.

Current edition Experimental

οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς. κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτ' ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

Χορός

Χορός οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς· κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτʼ ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

I know not how to call thee wise in this: Thou wert better dead than to be blind and live.

CH

Zu sagen, daß du wohl gethan, bedenk' ich mich; Denn besser war dir's, nicht zu sein, als lebend blind. 1330

Der Chor.

Yet must I blame this cruel act, for sure

Oedipus

Thy counsels cannot claim my praise as wise; For better not to be, than to live blind.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Chorus

I cannot agree that you have counseled well: you would have been better dead than living and blind.

οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς.

κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτ' ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

Χορός

οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς·

κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτʼ ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

I know not how to call thee wise in this:

Thou wert better dead than to be blind and live.

Zu sagen, daß du wohl gethan, bedenk' ich mich;

Denn besser war dir's, nicht zu sein, als lebend blind.
1330

Thy counsels cannot claim my praise as wise;

For better not to be, than to live blind.