Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 1446

Richard Jebb (Translator)

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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)) — 1446 focus
καὶ σοί γ' ἐπισκήπτω τε καὶ προτρέψομαι,
τῆς μὲν κατ᾿ οἴκους αὐτὸς ὃν θέλεις τάφον
θοῦ· καὶ γὰρ ὀρθῶς τῶν γε σῶν τελεῖς ὕπερ·
ἐμοῦ δὲ μήποτ᾽ ἀξιωθήτω τόδε
πατρῷον ἄστυ ζῶντος οἰκητοῦ τυχεῖν,
1450
ἀλλ᾽ ἔα με ναίειν ὄρεσιν, ἔνθα κλήζεται
οὑμὸς Κιθαιρὼν οὗτος, ὃν μήτηρ τέ μοι
πατήρ τ᾽ ἐθέσθην ζῶντε κύριον τάφον,
ἵν᾽ ἐξ ἐκείνων, οἵ μ᾿ ἀπωλλύτην, θάνω.
καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γ' οἶδα, μήτε μ᾽ ἂν νόσον
1455
μήτ' ἄλλο πέρσαι μηδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε
θνήσκων ἐσώθην, μὴ ἐπί τῳ δεινῷ κακῷ.
ἀλλ᾽ ἡ μὲν ἡμῶν μοῖρ᾽, ὅποιπερ εἶσ᾽, ἴτω·
παίδων δὲ τῶν μὲν ἀρσένων μή μοι, Κρέον,
προσθῇ μέριμναν· ἄνδρες εἰσίν, ὥστε μὴ
1460
σπάνιν ποτὲ σχεῖν, ἔνθ᾽ ἂν ὦσι, τοῦ βίου·
ταῖν δ᾽ ἀθλίαιν οἰκτραῖν τε παρθένοιν ἐμαῖν,
αἷν οὔποθ᾽ ἡμὴ χωρὶς ἐστάθη βορᾶς
τράπεζ᾽ ἄνευ τοῦδ᾽ ἀνδρός, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσων ἐγὼ
ψαύοιμι, πάντων τῶνδ᾽ ἀεὶ μετειχέτην·
1465
αἷν μοι μέλεσθαι· καὶ μάλιστα μὲν χεροῖν
ψαῦσαί μ' ἔασον κἀποκλαύσασθαι κακά.
ἴθ᾽ ὦναξ,
ἴθ᾽ ὦ γονῇ γενναῖε, χερσί τἂν θιγὼν
δοκοῖμ᾽ ἔχειν σφάς, ὥσπερ ἡνίκ᾽ ἔβλεπον.
1470
τί φημί;
οὐ δὴ κλύω που πρὸς θεῶν τοῖν μοι φίλοιν
δακρυρροούντοιν, καί μ' ἐποικτείρας Κρέων
ἔπεμψέ μοι τὰ φίλτατ' ἐκγόνοιν ἐμοῖν;
λέγω τι;
1475
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1446 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1446 focus
Not only so. But I will charge thee too,
With urgent exhortation, to perform
The funeral rite for her who lies within—
She is thy kinswoman—howe’er thou wilt.
But never let this city of my sires
Claim me for living habitant! There, there
1450
Leave me to range the mountain, where my nurse,
Cithaeron, echoeth with my name,—Cithaeron,
Which both my parents destined for my tomb.
So my true murderers will be my death.
Yet one thing I can tell. Mine end will come
1455
Not by disease nor ordinary chance
I had not lived when at the point to die,
But for some terrible doom. Then let my fate
Run out its full career. But for my children
Thou, Creon, shalt provide. As for my sons,
1460
I pray thee burden not thyself with them.
They ne’er will lack subsistence—they are men.
But my poor maidens, hapless and forlorn,
Who never had a meal apart from mine,
But ever shared my table, yea, for them
1465
Take heedful care, and grant me, though but once.
Yea, I beseech thee, with these hands to feel,
Thou noble heart! the forms I love so well,
And weep with them our common misery.
Oh, if my arms were round them, I might seem
1470
To have them as of old when I could see—
What! Am I fooled once more, or do I hear
My dear ones weeping! And hath Creon sent,
Pitying my sorrows, mine own children to me
Whom most I love? Can this be truth I utter?
1475
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1446 focus
Gewiß, und dir empfehl' ich und beschwöre dich:
Die dort im Haus bestatte selbst, wie dir's gefällt;
Denn schicklich wirst du solches für die Deinen thun. 1
1410
Doch mich zu pflegen, weil ich leb', in ihrem Schooß,
Das werde nie von meiner Väter Stadt verlangt.
Nein, laß mich wohnen im Gebirg', auf jenen Höh'n,
Die mein Kithäron heißen, den mir Lebenden
Die Wahl der Eltern ausersah zum sichern Grab,
1415
Durch sie zu sterben, die mir Tod bereiteten!
Doch weiß ich so viel: keine Krankheit wird mich je,
Noch Andres tödten; nie ja, schon dem Tode nah,
Wär' ich gerettet, harrte mein nicht schweres Leid.
Doch unser Schicksal schreite fort, wohin es will!
1420
Um meine Kinder, um die Söhne brauchst du nicht
Zu sorgen, Kreon; Männer sind sie, welche nie
Die Noth des Lebens, wo sie sei'n, erreichen wird.
Doch meine Töchter, diese mitleidwürdigen,
Für welche niemals ohne mich der Speise Tisch
1425
Gesondert ward bereitet, Alles, was ich selbst
Berührte, dessen hatten sie beständig Theil
Sie nimm in Obhut: laß, o laß vor Allem sie
Mich noch umarmen und beweinen ihr Geschick!
geh, Fürst!
1430
Geh, Sohn der Edeln! Halt' ich sie im Arm, so sind
Sie mein, wie damals, dünkt mich, als ich sehend war.
(Kreon ab.)
Was sag' ich?
Ihr Götter! Hör' ich meine zwei Geliebten nicht
In Thränen schluchzen? Hat sich Kreon mein erbarmt,
1435
Und sendet mir die liebsten meiner Sprößlinge?
Ist's Wahrheit?
(kommt mit den Töchtern)
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1446 focus
For such a wretch as me
Thy hapless fate should teach us to believe,
And reverence the gods.
I l)Og thee, I conjure thee, let a tomb
Be raised, and all due honours paid to her
Who lies within : she was thy sister, Creon ;
It is a duty which thou ow'st : for me,
I cannot hope this city now will deign
To keep me here. O Creon ! let me go,
And seek the solitary mountain's top,
My own Cith?eron, by my parents doomed
Long since to be the grave of CEdipus ;
Where would I die, as they decreed I should.
Alas ! I cannot, must not perish yet,
Till I have suffered evils worse than death,
For I was only saved to be unhappy ;
But I must meet my fate, whate'er it be.
My sons are men, and wheresoever fortune
May place them, cannot want the means of life ;
They shall not burthen thee ; but, O my friend !
What will become of my unhappy daughters,
With tenderest love, beneath a father's hand,
Cherished so long ? Oh ! take them to thy care,
Thou best of men ! Oh ! might I but embrace them,
But shed a tear o'er their disastrous fate,
Might I be suffered but to touch them here,
I should rejoice, and think I saw them still.
But hark ! methinks e'en now I hear the voice
Of my dear daughters ; hath the gracious Creon,
In pity to my woes, already brought
My children to me 1 — is it so ?
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1446 focus
For such a wretch wilt thou consult the god ?

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

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.'