Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, Richard Jebb (Translator), 649

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Chorus

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

Oedipus

What would you have me grant you?
650

Chorus

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

Oedipus

Do you understand what you crave?

Chorus

I do.

Oedipus

Tell me, then, what you mean.
655

Chorus

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

Oedipus

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

Oedipus 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)) — 649 focus

πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τ᾽, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

τί σοι θέλεις δῆτ᾽ εἰκάθω;
650

Χορός

τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τ᾽ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους

οἶσθ᾽ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός

οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους

φράζε δή, τί φής.

Χορός

τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτ᾽ ἐν αἰτίᾳ

σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ †ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθ᾽ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ

ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

β

Χορός

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

Χορός

πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τʼ, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

τί σοι θέλεις δῆτʼ εἰκάθω;
650

Χορός

τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τʼ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους

οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός

οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους

φράζε δὴ τί φής.

Χορός

τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτʼ ἐν αἰτίᾳ
655

σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ σʼ ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθʼ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ

ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 649 focus

Incline to our request

Thy mind and heart, O King!

OED

What would you I should yield unto your prayer?
650

CH. 2

Respect one ever wise,

Whose oath protects him now.

OED

Know ye what thing ye ask?

CH. 3

I know.

OED

Then plainly tell.

CH. 4

Thy friend, who is rendered sacred by his oath,

Rob not of honour through obscure surmise.

OED

In asking that, you labour for my death

Or banishment. Of this be well assured.

CH. 5

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 649 focus

Gib willig nach, Herr, o gib klüglich nach, fleh' ich dir!

Oedipus.

Wo, willst du, daß ich folgen soll?

Der Chor.

Der nie zuvor thöricht war,

Nun durch Eid heilig ist, veracht' ihn nicht!¹
645

Oedipus.

Bedenkst du, was du forderst?

Der Chor.

Ia!

Oedipus.

So rede denn!

Der Chor.

wirf auf den Freund, der durch den Fluch sich band,

Nicht ehrlose Schuld in grundlosem Wahn.

Oedipus.

So wisse: wenn du dieses willst, so willst du mein

Verderben oder meine Flucht aus diesem Land.
650

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 649 focus

Hear, O king !

Consider, we entreat thee.

Think you I'll e'er submit to him?

Chorus
(Em. What wouldst have ?

Revere

His character, his oath, both pleading for him.

Oedipus

But know you what you ask?

Chorus

We do.

Chorus
(Edi. What is it ?

We ask thee to believe a guiltless friend,

Nor cast him forth dishonoured thus, on slight

Suspicion's weak surmise.

Oedipus

Bequesting this,

You do request my banishment, or death.

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 649 focus

I too entreat thee, be persuaded, king:

What wou'dst thou I should yield?

With wisdom yield.

Chorus

To reverence him, not weakly justified

Oedipus

Know'st thou what thou wou'dst ask?

Chorus

Full well.

Oedipus

Then speak..

Before, but by his oath more strongly now.

Chorus

On dark suspicion charge not, nor disgrace

With blame a friend, who thus attests the gods.

Oedipus

Now be assured that, seeking this, thou seek'st

My ruin, or my exile from this land.

Chorus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-410-1 The κομμός (see p. 9) has a composite strophic arrangement: (1) 1st strophe, 649-659, (2) 2nd strophe, 660-668; answering respectively to (3) 1st antistr., 678-688, (4) 2nd antistr., 689-697.

mvp-comment-411-1 θελήσας ¹

mvp-comment-411-2 φρονήσας ²

mvp-comment-412-1 εἰκάθω ³

mvp-comment-413-1 οὔτε πρὶν … νῦν τε ⁴

mvp-comment-413-2 μέγαν ⁵ ἐν ὅρκῳ ⁶

mvp-comment-414-1 “That thou shouldest never lay under an accusation ( ἐν αἰτίᾳ βαλεῖν ⁷ ἄτιμον ⁸ σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ ⁹ ἐναγἦ” ¹⁰ ἐν αἰτίᾳ βαλεῖν ¹¹

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

649. mvp-comment-381-1 πιθοῦ θελήσας, κ.τ.λ. We pray thee bend thy will to our request, and calm thy mind, O king. The chorus are encouraged by Jocasta's reference to them in l. 648.

649. mvp-comment-381-2 φρονήσας = returning to a proper of thi things. Cp. Aj. 371, ὕπεικε καὶ φρόνησον εὖ. See above l. 626. sense

654. mvp-comment-382-1 ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν Great in the power of his oath. Cp. Phil. 185-186, ἕν τ᾽ ὀδύναις ὁμοῦ λιμῷ τ' οἰκτρός.

655. mvp-comment-383-1 Otherwise φράζε δή τί φής; But cp. Phil. 559, φράσον δ᾽ ἅπερ γ᾽ ἔλεξας.

656. mvp-comment-384-1 Cp. Stephanus. Thes. v. ἐναγῆ.

656. mvp-comment-384-2 ἐναγής, like ἀραῖος (276) or ὅρκιος (Ant. 305) = ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγας, i. e. the curse which he has invoked should protect him from rash accusation. Some editors have preferred ἀναγῆ, which is a conjecture supported by the mention of the word in Hesychius as = καθαρός, but the word is pointless and unmeaning here.

657. mvp-comment-385-1 Antiphon. p. 136, ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ σοι φανερὰν τὴν πρόνοιαν εἰς ἐμὲ ἀποδείκνυμι, σὺ δὲ με ἐν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ ζητεῖς ἀπολέσαι. This parallel supports the reading λόγῳ, and the hiatus may be obviated by reading λόγῳ σ᾽ ἄτιμον βαλεῖν (Herm.). Others read μηδέποτ' αἰτίᾳ σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγων. But the hiatus at the end of a dochmiac metre is not impossible. Join βαλεῖν ἄτιμον ἐν αἰτίᾳ. The reading ἐκβαλεῖν may have arisen from an attempt to explain βαλεῖν. That you should never accuse and dishonour with an obscure suspicion your friend, who has invoked a curse upon his head. Cp. 648, γνώμῃ ἀδήλῳ. 658-659. Because Oedipus believes that Creon has conspired with Teiresias to charge him with the murder of Laius.

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

Oedipus What would you have me grant you? 650

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

Oedipus Do you understand what you crave?

Chorus I do.

Oedipus Tell me, then, what you mean. 655

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

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

Current edition Experimental

πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τ᾽, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους τί σοι θέλεις δῆτ᾽ εἰκάθω; 650

Χορός τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τ᾽ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους οἶσθ᾽ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους φράζε δή, τί φής.

Χορός τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτ᾽ ἐν αἰτίᾳ σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ †ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

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

Χορός

Χορός πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τʼ, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους τί σοι θέλεις δῆτʼ εἰκάθω; 650

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

Οἰδίπους οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους φράζε δὴ τί φής.

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

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

Incline to our request Thy mind and heart, O King!

OED What would you I should yield unto your prayer? 650

CH. 2 Respect one ever wise, Whose oath protects him now.

OED Know ye what thing ye ask?

CH. 3 I know.

OED Then plainly tell.

CH. 4 Thy friend, who is rendered sacred by his oath, Rob not of honour through obscure surmise.

OED In asking that, you labour for my death Or banishment. Of this be well assured.

CH. 5

Gib willig nach, Herr, o gib klüglich nach, fleh' ich dir!

Oedipus. Wo, willst du, daß ich folgen soll?

Der Chor. Der nie zuvor thöricht war, Nun durch Eid heilig ist, veracht' ihn nicht! 1 645

Oedipus. Bedenkst du, was du forderst?

Der Chor. Ia!

Oedipus. So rede denn!

Der Chor. wirf auf den Freund, der durch den Fluch sich band, Nicht ehrlose Schuld in grundlosem Wahn.

Oedipus. So wisse: wenn du dieses willst, so willst du mein Verderben oder meine Flucht aus diesem Land. 650

Der Chor.

Hear, O king ! Consider, we entreat thee. Think you I'll e'er submit to him?

Chorus (Em. What wouldst have ? Revere His character, his oath, both pleading for him.

Oedipus But know you what you ask?

Chorus We do.

Chorus (Edi. What is it ? We ask thee to believe a guiltless friend, Nor cast him forth dishonoured thus, on slight Suspicion's weak surmise.

Oedipus Bequesting this, You do request my banishment, or death.

Chorus

I too entreat thee, be persuaded, king: What wou'dst thou I should yield? With wisdom yield.

Chorus To reverence him, not weakly justified

Oedipus Know'st thou what thou wou'dst ask?

Chorus Full well.

Oedipus Then speak.. Before, but by his oath more strongly now.

Chorus On dark suspicion charge not, nor disgrace With blame a friend, who thus attests the gods.

Oedipus Now be assured that, seeking this, thou seek'st My ruin, or my exile from this land.

Chorus

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Chorus

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

Oedipus

What would you have me grant you?
650

Chorus

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

Oedipus

Do you understand what you crave?

Chorus

I do.

Oedipus

Tell me, then, what you mean.
655

Chorus

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

Oedipus

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

Οἰδίπους

τί σοι θέλεις δῆτ᾽ εἰκάθω;
650

Χορός

τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τ᾽ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους

οἶσθ᾽ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός

οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους

φράζε δή, τί φής.

Χορός

τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτ᾽ ἐν αἰτίᾳ

σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ †ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθ᾽ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ

ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

β

Χορός

πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τʼ, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

τί σοι θέλεις δῆτʼ εἰκάθω;
650

Χορός

τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τʼ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.

Οἰδίπους

οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

Χορός

οἶδα.

Οἰδίπους

φράζε δὴ τί φής.

Χορός

τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτʼ ἐν αἰτίᾳ
655

σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ σʼ ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθʼ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ

ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

Incline to our request

Thy mind and heart, O King!

OED

What would you I should yield unto your prayer?
650

CH. 2

Respect one ever wise,

Whose oath protects him now.

OED

Know ye what thing ye ask?

CH. 3

I know.

OED

Then plainly tell.

CH. 4

Thy friend, who is rendered sacred by his oath,

Rob not of honour through obscure surmise.

OED

In asking that, you labour for my death

Or banishment. Of this be well assured.

Oedipus.

Wo, willst du, daß ich folgen soll?

Der Chor.

Der nie zuvor thöricht war,

Nun durch Eid heilig ist, veracht' ihn nicht!¹
645

Oedipus.

Bedenkst du, was du forderst?

Der Chor.

Ia!

Oedipus.

So rede denn!

Der Chor.

wirf auf den Freund, der durch den Fluch sich band,

Nicht ehrlose Schuld in grundlosem Wahn.

Oedipus.

So wisse: wenn du dieses willst, so willst du mein

Verderben oder meine Flucht aus diesem Land.
650

Hear, O king !

Consider, we entreat thee.

Think you I'll e'er submit to him?

Chorus
(Em. What wouldst have ?

Revere

His character, his oath, both pleading for him.

Oedipus

But know you what you ask?

Chorus

We do.

Chorus
(Edi. What is it ?

We ask thee to believe a guiltless friend,

Nor cast him forth dishonoured thus, on slight

Suspicion's weak surmise.

Oedipus

Bequesting this,

You do request my banishment, or death.

I too entreat thee, be persuaded, king:

What wou'dst thou I should yield?

With wisdom yield.

Chorus

To reverence him, not weakly justified

Oedipus

Know'st thou what thou wou'dst ask?

Chorus

Full well.

Oedipus

Then speak..

Before, but by his oath more strongly now.

Chorus

On dark suspicion charge not, nor disgrace

With blame a friend, who thus attests the gods.

Oedipus

Now be assured that, seeking this, thou seek'st

My ruin, or my exile from this land.