Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 513-646

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)) — 513 focus
ἄνδρες πολῖται, δείνʼ ἔπη πεπυσμένος
κατηγορεῖν μου τὸν τύραννον Οἰδίπουν
πάρειμ᾿ ἀτλητῶν. εἰ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς
515
ταῖς νῦν νομίζει πρός γ᾿ ἐμοῦ πεπονθέναι
λόγοισιν εἴτ' ἔργοισιν εἰς βλάβην φέρον,
οὔτοι βίου μοι τοῦ μακραίωνος πόθος,
φέροντι τήνδε βάξιν. οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἁπλοῦν
ἡ ζημία μοι τοῦ λόγου τούτου φέρει,
520
ἀλλ᾽ ἐς μέγιστον, εἰ κακὸς μὲν ἐν πόλει,
κακὸς δὲ πρὸς σοῦ καὶ φίλων κεκλήσομαι.
οἶσθ᾽ ὡς ποίησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων
ἴσ᾽ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.
οὔκ, εἰ διδοίης γ᾽ ὡς ἐγὼ σαυτῷ λόγον.
σκέψαι δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον, εἴ τιν᾿ ἂν δοκεῖς
ἄρχειν ἑλέσθαι ξὺν φόβοισι μᾶλλον ἢ
585
ἄτρεστον εὕδοντ', εἰ τά γ' αὔθ᾽ ἕξει κράτη.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς ἱμείρων ἔφυν
τύραννος εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ τύραννα δρᾶν,
οὔτ᾽ ἄλλος ὅστις σωφρονεῖν ἐπίσταται.
νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ πάντ᾿ ἄνευ φόβου φέρω,
590
εἰ δ᾽ αὐτὸς ἦρχον, πολλὰ κἂν ἄκων ἔδρων.
πῶς δῆτ᾿ ἐμοὶ τυραννὶς ἡδίων ἔχειν
ἀρχῆς ἀλύπου καὶ δυναστείας ἔφυ;
οὔπω τοσοῦτον ἠπατημένος κυρῶ
ὥστ᾽ ἄλλα χρῄζειν ἢ τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά.
595
νῦν πᾶσι χαίρω, νῦν με πᾶς ἀσπάζεται,
νῦν οἱ σέθεν χρῄζοντες ἐκκαλοῦσί με·
τὸ γὰρ τυχεῖν αὐτοῖσι πᾶν ἐνταῦθ᾽ ἔνι.
πῶς δῆτ᾽ ἐγὼ κεῖνʼ ἂν λάβοιμ᾽ ἀφεὶς τάδε;
οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο νοῦς κακὸς καλῶς φρονῶν.
600
ἀλλ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἐραστὴς τῆσδε τῆς γνώμης ἔφυν
οὔτ᾽ ἂν μετ᾿ ἄλλου δρῶντος ἂν τλαίην ποτέ.
καὶ τῶνδ᾽ ἔλεγχον τοῦτο μὲν Πυθώδ᾽ ἰὼν
πεύθου τὰ χρησθέντ᾽ εἰ σαφῶς ἤγγειλά σοι·
τοῦτ᾽ ἄλλ᾽, ἐάν με τῷ τερασκόπῳ λάβῃς
605
κοινῇ τι βουλεύσαντα, μή μ᾽ ἁπλῇ κτάνῃς
ψήφῳ, διπλῇ δέ, τῇ τ᾿ ἐμῇ καὶ σῇ, λαβών.
γνώμῃ δ᾽ ἀδήλῳ μή με χωρὶς αἰτιῶ.
οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον οὔτε τοὺς κακοὺς μάτην
χρηστοὺς νομίζειν οὔτε τοὺς χρηστοὺς κακούς.
610
φίλον γὰρ ἐσθλὸν ἐκβαλεῖν ἴσον λέγω
καὶ τὸν παρ᾽ αὑτῷ βίοτον, ὃν πλεῖστον φιλεῖ.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐν χρόνῳ γνώσει τάδ' ἀσφαλῶς, ἐπεὶ
χρόνος δίκαιον ἄνδρα δείκνυσιν μόνος,
κακὸν δὲ κἂν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ γνοίης μιᾷ.
615
καλῶς ἔλεξεν εὐλαβουμένῳ πεσεῖν,
ἄναξ· φρονεῖν γὰρ οἱ ταχεῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς.
τί τὴν ἄβουλον, ὦ ταλαίπωροι, στάσιν
γλώσσης ἐπήρασθ', οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνεσθε, γῆς
635
οὕτω νοσούσης, ἴδια κινοῦντες κακά;
οὐκ εἶ σύ τ᾽ οἴκους σύ τε, Κρέον, κατὰ στέγας,
καὶ μὴ τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος εἰς μέγ' οἴσετε;
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 513-648 focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 513 focus
Citizens, hearing of dire calumny
Denounced on me by Oedipus the King,
I am here to make loud protest. If he think,
515
In this embroilment of events, one word
Or deed of mine hath wrought him injury,
I am not careful to prolong my life
Beneath such imputation. For it means
No trifling danger, but disastrous harm,
520
Making my life dishonoured in the state,
And meanly thought of by my friends and you.
Wilt them be counselled? Hear as much in turn
As thou hast spoken, and then thyself be judge.
Not so, if thou wouldst reason with thyself
As I do. First consider one thing well:
Who would choose rule accompanied with fear
Before safe slumbers with an equal sway?
585
’Tis not my nature, no, nor any man’s,
Who follows wholesome thoughts, to love the place
Of domination rather than the power.
Now, without fear, I have my will from thee;
But were I king, I should do much unwillingly.
590
How then can I desire to be a king,
When masterdom is mine without annoy?
Delusion hath not gone so far with me
As to crave more than honour joined with gain.
Now all men hail me happy, all embrace me;
595
All who have need of thee, call in my aid;
For thereupon their fortunes wholly turn.
How should I leave this substance for that show?
No man of sense can harbour thoughts of crime.
Such vain ambition hath no charm for me,
600
Nor could I bear to lend it countenance.
If you would try me, go and ask again
If I brought Phoebus’ answer truly back.
Nay more, should I be found to have devised
Aught in collusion with the seer, destroy me,
605
Not by one vote, but two, mine own with thine.
But do not on a dim suspicion blame me
Of thy mere will. To darken a good name
Without clear cause is heinous wickedness;
And to cast off a worthy friend I call
610
No less a folly than to fling away
What most we love, the life within our breast.
The certainty of this will come with time;
For time alone can clear the righteous man.
An hour suffices to make known the villain.
615
Prudence bids hearken to such words, my lord,
For fear one fall. Swift is not sure in counsel.
Unhappy that ye are, why have ye reared
Your wordy rancour ’mid the city’s harms?
Have you no shame, to stir up private broils
635
In such a time as this? Get thee within! ()
And thou too, Creon! nor enlarge your griefs
To make a mountain out of nothingness.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 513 focus
Ihr Bürger, weil ich höre, daß mich Dedipus,
Der König, schwerer Thaten angeschuldigt hat,
Erschein' ich hier von Schmerz erfüllt. Denn wenn er glaubt,
Ich habe, was zu Schaden führt, in dieser Noth
Mit Worten oder durch die That ihm angethan:
510
Dann lange fortzuleben, traun, verlang' ich nicht,
Mit solchem Ruf belastet. Einfach wäre nicht
Der Schaden, der aus diesem Leumund mir ersteht,
Nein, unermeßlich, wenn ich schlecht in dieser Stadt,
Und schlecht vor dir und meinen Freunden heißen soll.
515
Was deine Pflicht ist, weißt du's? Auf dein Wort vernimm
Von mir ein Gleiches; dann entscheide selbst belehrt.
Nicht, wenn du ruhig prüftest, so wie ich gethan.
Erwäge dies vor Allem: glaubst du, daß ein Mann
Mit Sorgen lieber herrschen wird, als ohne Harm
In Frieden schlummern, wenn die gleiche Macht ihm ward?
Auch ich empfinde keine größ're Lust in mir,
580
Der Herr zu heißen, als dem Herrn es gleich zu thun,
Wie jeder Andre, welcher klug zu sein gelernt.
Denn jezt erlang' ich Alles ohne Furcht von dir;
Als Herrscher müßt' ich Manches unfreiwillig thun. 1
Wie sollte mir nun süßer sein der Königsthron,
585
Als kummerfreies Walten, als harmlose Macht?
Noch hat mich Thorheit nicht berückt, mir Anderes
Zu wünschen, als das Schöne mit dem Nüzlichen.
Nun grüßt mich Ieder, nun bewillkommt Alles mich;
Nun muß mir Ieder schmeicheln, wer nach dir verlangt; 2
590
Denn ihr Gelingen ruht allein in meiner Hand.
Wie hascht' ich doch nach Jenem und verschmähte Dies? 3
Wohl nicht zu Schlechtem wendet sich ein edler Sinn.
Nein, solchen Plan zu hegen kam mir nimmer ein,
Noch böt' ich Andern meinen Arm zu solcher That.
595
Und dies zu prüfen, frage selbst in Pytho nach,
Ob ich dir wahrhaft kundgethan des Gottes Wort:
Dann, wenn du findest, daß ich mit dem Zauberer
Geheimen Rath pflog; nicht verdammt durch Einen Spruch,
Durch zweie gib mir dann den Tod, von mir und dir.
600
Doch klage nicht nach dunklem Wahne bloß mich an:
Unbillig ist es, ohne Grund den schlechten Mann
Für redlich achten und für schlecht den redlichen.
Und wer den edlen Freund verstößt, der, mein' ich, stößt
Von sich das eigne Leben, das sein Höchstes ist.
605
Doch mit der Zeit erkennst du dieses sicher, weil
Die Zeit allein den tadellosen Mann bewährt;
Den Lasterhaften kennst du wohl in Einem Tag.
Sein Wort beachte, wer sich vor dem Falle scheut,
König; denn die Schnellentschloss'nen straucheln leicht.
610
Was weckt ihr unbesonnen, ihr Unseligen,
Der Zungen Aufruhr und erröthet nicht und schafft
Euch eignes Leid noch, während also krankt das Land?
Geh du nach Hause, du, o Kreon, eile heim,
630
Und macht zu großem Leide nicht ein eitles Nichts!
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 513 focus
O citizens ! with grief T hear your king
Hath blasted the fair fame of guiltless Creon !
And most unjustly brands me with a crime
My soul abhors : whilst desolation spreads
515
On every side, and universal ruin
Hangs o'er the land, if I in word or deed
Could join to swell the woes of hapless Thebes,
T were unworthy — nay, I would not wish —
To live another day : alas ! my friends.
Thus to be deemed a traitor to my country,
To you my fellow- citizens, to all
520
That hear me, 'tis infamy and shame ;
I cannot, will not bear it.
Who told him I suborned
525
The prophet to speak falsely 1 What could raise
525
This vile suspicion ?
And confidence of mind ?
I cannot say ;
530
'Tis not for me to know the thoughts of kings,
530
Or judge their actions ! But behold ! he comes.
Ha ! Creon here ? And dar'st thou thus
approach
My palace, thou who wouldst have murdered me,
And ta'en my kingdom? by the gods I ask thee,
Answer me, traitor, didst thou think me fool,
Or coward, that I could not see thy arts,
Or had not strength to vanquish them ? What madness,
What strange infatuation led thee on,
Without or force or friends, to grasp at empire,
Which only their united force can give ?
What wei't thou doing?
Hear what I shall plead
And thou wilt never think so. Tell me, prince,
Is there a man who would prefer a throne.
With all its dangers, to an equal rank
585
In peace and safety 1 I am not of those
Who choose the name of king before the power ;
Fools only make such wishes : I have all
From thee, and fearless I enjoy it all :
Had I the sceptre, often must I act
590
Against my will. Know then, I am not yet
So void of sense and reason as to quit
A real Vantage for a seeming good.
Am I not happy, am I not revered.
Embraced, and loved by all ? To me they come
595
Who want thy favour, and by me acquire it ;
What then should Ci*eon wisli for ; shall he lear©
All this for empire? Bad desires corrupt
The fairest mind. I never entertained
A thought 80 vile, nor would I lend my aid
To forwai'd such base purposes. But go
600
To Delphos, ask the sacred oracle
If I have spoke the truth ; if there you find
That with the prophet I conspired, destroy
The guilty Creon ; not thy voice alone
Shall then condemn me, for myself will join
605
In the just sentence. But accnse me not
On weak suspicion's most uncertain test.
Justice would never call the wicked good,
Or brand fair virtue with the name of vice,
Unmerited : to cast away a friend,
610
Faithful and just, is to deprive ourselves
Of life and being, which we hold most dear :
But time and time alone revealeth all ;
That only shows the good man's excellence :
I A day sufficeth to unmask the wicked.
615
O king ! his caution merits your regard ;
Who judge in haste do seldom judge aright.
O citizens !
I too can call on Thebes \
630
She is my country.
630
C'reon, OIdipus, Chorus.
Joe. Whence this sudden tumult ?
635
O princes ! Is this well, at such a time
With idle broils to multiply the woes
Of wretched Thebes? Home, home, for shame ! nor
thus
With private quarrels swell the public ruin.
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 513 focus
Jove, high ruler of the skies,
And the Pythian god are wise ;
They the deeds of mortals know,
All whate'er is done below :
Of knowledge doth the Seer a brighter ray,
Than illumines me, display?
515
Some deeper drink of wisdom's spring;
515
But proofs, that flash conviction I demand.
The Sphinx display'd her dreadful wing,
His wisdom saved the sinking land;
Then let my grateful soul disdain
To rank the hero with the murderer's train.
Ye citizens of Thebes, th' atrocious crime,
Charged on me by the royal Edipus,
Hath reach'd my ear: my soul disdains the charge.
If in the present ills he deems that aught
Of injury to him by word or deed
By me hath been attempted, let me breathe
520
This vital air no longer, such ill fame
520
Sustaining: for no trivial damage brings
This accusation, but of import high
To me, if I shall be reputed base
By thee, and by my friends, and by the state.
In compact, to these falsehoods train'd his tongue?
Such things were said, I know not with what thought.
Roll'd his eye wild, disorder'd seem'd his sense,
Against me when this hated charge was urged?
Know'st thou what thou wou'dst do? To my reply
545
Give an impartial hearing: learn, then judge.
Dost thou appear a base and faithless friend.
Not so; wou'dst thou, like me, with temperate thought
Ponder things well. For first reflect, what man
Would choose to be a king, with all the fears
585
On royalty awaiting, might he sleep
Secure of fear, yet kingly pow'r possess ?
It is not in my nature, nor in his
Who knows what wisdom is, to form a wish
To be a monarch, rather than to use
590
A monarch's potency. All things from thee
I now obtain, nor feel the pangs of fear.
Were I a king, I should do many things
Against my will: can then the regal state
Be sweeter to me than my princely rank,
595
And pow'r that knows not care? Nor is my mind
By falsehood so beguiled, that it aspires
To honours which no real good procure.
Now all things give me pleasure; all men now
Greet me with courtesy; now all, who want
600
Favours from thee, address me, for their suits
Through me they all obtain. And shall I quit
These solid pleasures for the empty pomp
Of royalty? A mind to wisdom train'd
Can not be so depraved: I never loved
To form such measures, nor in such would deign
605
To share with others. Dost thou want a proof?
Go to the Pythian shrine, and there inquire
If faithfully the answer of the god
I have reported: if thou find me leagued
In counsels with the Seer, put me to death,
610
And in the sentence shall my voice assent
With thine: but on suspicion void of proof
Condemn me not: the just not lightly deem
The base man honest, or the honest base.
For he, that throws a faithful friend away,
615
Doth himself equal wrong as if he threw
His life away, which is most dear to him.
625
This thou wilt know in time; for time alone
Shows a just man; the base a day unveils.
Why, indiscreetly why this strife of words,
Unhappy princes, have you raised, nor blush,

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-344-1 ἀτλητῶν 1

mvp-comment-345-1 πρός γ’ ἐμοῦ 2 φέρον 3

mvp-comment-346-1 For the single εἴτε 4

mvp-comment-346-2 φέρον 5

mvp-comment-347-1 βίου τοῦ μακρ 6 βίος μακραίων 7

mvp-comment-348-1 εἰς ἁπλοῦν 8 φέρει ἐς μέγιστον 9

mvp-comment-349-1 ἀλλὰ … μὲν δὴ 10

mvp-comment-349-2 ἦλθε … τάχ’ ἂν 11

mvp-comment-350-1 I formerly kept τοῦ πρὸς δ’, with L. But the anastrophe of πρός seems to be confined to instances in which it is immediately followed by an attributive genitive, equiv. to an epithet: see on 178. For πρὸς τοῦ δ’ we could indeed cite Aesch. Eum. 593

πρὸς τοῦ δ’ ἐπείσθης καὶ τίνος βουλεύμασιν;
But I now prefer τοὔπος δ’ 12

mvp-comment-351-1 ηὐδᾶτο 13

mvp-comment-352-1 The reading ἐξ ὀμμάτων δ’ ὀρθῶν τε 14 ἐξ ὀμμάτων ὀρθῶν δὲ 15 δ’ 16 τε 17 δέ 18 τε 19 ἐξ 20 ὀμμάτων ὀρθῶν 21

mvp-comment-353-1 οὐκ οἶδ’ 22

mvp-comment-354-1 Join οὗτος σύ 23

mvp-comment-354-2 τόλμης 24

mvp-comment-354-3 τοσόνδε τόλμης‐πρόσωπον 25

mvp-comment-355-1 φονεὺς ὢν κ.τ.λ. 26

mvp-comment-356-1 τῆς ἐμῆς 27 τοῦδε τἀνδρός 28

mvp-comment-357-1 ἔν μοι 29 ἐν ἐμοί 30 ἐμοὶ 31 μοι 32 μοι 33 ἰδών 34

mvp-comment-357-2 ἰδών … ἐν 35 ποεῖν; 36

mvp-comment-358-1 ἢ τοὔργον 37 ἰδών 38

mvp-comment-358-2 γνωριοῖμι 39 γνωριοῖμι 40

mvp-comment-359-1 ἢ οὐκ 41

mvp-comment-359-2 ἀλεξοίμην 42

mvp-comment-360-1 πλήθους 43 Φίλων 44 χρήμασιν 45

mvp-comment-361-1 ὃ 46

mvp-comment-362-1 οἶσθ’ ὡς πόησον; 47

mvp-comment-363-1 For κακὸς 48 σοῦ 49

mvp-comment-363-2 ηὕρηκ’ 50

mvp-comment-364-1 τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ 51

mvp-comment-364-2 ὡς ἐρῶ 52

mvp-comment-365-1 κτῆμα 53

mvp-comment-365-2 αὐθαδίαν 54

mvp-comment-365-3 τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς 55

mvp-comment-366-1 ἢ οὐκ 56

mvp-comment-367-1 While such words as ἀριστόμαντις, ὀρθόμαντις are seriously used in a good sense, σεμνόμαντις 57

mvp-comment-368-1 αὑτός 58

mvp-comment-369-1 δέδρακε 59

mvp-comment-369-2 οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ 60

mvp-comment-370-1 χειρώματι 61

mvp-comment-371-1 μακροὶ 62 μακροὶ 63 παλαιοί 64

mvp-comment-372-1 ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ 65 ἐν 66

mvp-comment-373-1 οὐδαμοῦ 67 ἑστῶτος πέλας 68

mvp-comment-374-1 παρέσχομεν 69

mvp-comment-375-1 τοσόνδε γ’ 70 τὸ σὸν δέ γ’ 71 τοσόνδε 72 οἶσθα 73

mvp-comment-376-1 The simple answer would have been: —“that you prompted him to make his present charge”: but this becomes: —“that, if you had not prompted him, he would never have made it.” ξυνῆλθε 74

mvp-comment-376-2 τὰς ἐμὰς 75 τάσδ’ ἐμὰς 76

mvp-comment-376-3 οὐκ ἂν εἶπε τὰς ἐμὰς Λαΐου διαφθοράς 77 διαφθοράς 78

mvp-comment-377-1 To write σοῦ 79 σου 80 κἀμοῦ. —μαθεῖν ταὔθ’ 81 ταῦθ’ 82

mvp-comment-378-1 οὐ γὰρ δὴ 83

mvp-comment-379-1 γήμας ἔχεις 84

mvp-comment-380-1 γῆς 85 ἄρχεις· ἴσον νέμων 86 ταὐτά 87

mvp-comment-381-1 ᾖ θέλουσα 88

mvp-comment-381-2 τρίτος 89 ἐμοῦ 90

mvp-comment-382-1 ἐνταῦθα γὰρ 91

mvp-comment-383-1 διδοίης λόγον 92

mvp-comment-384-1 οὔτ’ αὐτὸς 93

mvp-comment-385-1 ἐκ σοῦ 94

mvp-comment-385-2 φέρω 95

mvp-comment-386-1 κἂν ἄκων 96 καὶ 97

mvp-comment-387-1 οὔπω 98

mvp-comment-387-2 τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά 99

mvp-comment-388-1 πᾶσι χαίρω 100 πᾶσι χαίρω 101

mvp-comment-389-1 ἐκκαλοῦσι 102

mvp-comment-390-1 τὸ … τυχεῖν 103 ἅπαντ’ 104 τυχεῖν 105 αὐτοῖσι 106 αὐτοῖς, πᾶν 107 ἅπαν 108 ἐνταῦθα 109

mvp-comment-391-1 πῶς δῆτ’ 110

mvp-comment-392-1 οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο 111 καλῶς φρονῶν 112

mvp-comment-393-1 ἔλεγχον 113

mvp-comment-394-1 τοῦτ’ ἄλλο 114

mvp-comment-394-2 τῷ τερασκόπῳ 115

mvp-comment-395-1 χωρὶς 116

mvp-comment-396-1 τὸν παρ’ αὑτῷ βίοτον 117

mvp-comment-396-2 φιλεῖ 118 αὑτῷ 119

mvp-comment-397-1 χρόνος 120

mvp-comment-397-2 κακὸν δὲ 121

mvp-comment-398-1 The infin. Φρονεῖν 122

mvp-comment-399-1 ταχύς τις χωρῇ 123

mvp-comment-400-1 τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; … τὸ γοῦν ἐμόν 124 ὡς ἂν 125 οὐ γὰρ 126 οὐ γὰρ 127

mvp-comment-401-1 ἀρκτέον 128

mvp-comment-402-1 ἄρχοντος 129

mvp-comment-402-2 ὧ πόλις πόλις 130

mvp-comment-403-1 πόλεως 131 μέτεστιν οὐχὶ 132

mvp-comment-404-1 οἴκους 133 εἶ 134 κατὰ 135 στέγας 136

mvp-comment-405-1 τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος 137 εἰς μέγα φέρειν 138

mvp-comment-406-1 δυοῖν … ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν 139 δυοῖν 140 δυοῖν 141 ἀποκρίνας 142 δυοῖν 143 δρᾶν 144 ἀπῶσαι, κτεῖναι 145 ἀπο‐κρίνας 146 ἀποκρίνας 147

mvp-comment-407-1 δρῶντα κακῶς τοὐμὸν σῶμα 148

mvp-comment-408-1 ἀραῖος 149

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

513. mvp-comment-305-1 Creon enters (right) from the city. In the first episode the action was strikingly rapid. It contained the two great movements of the proclamation of Oedipus and the prophecy of Teiresias, with only sufficient pause between them (ll. 276-296) to give effect to the latter. Now follows a period of suspense, for which the wavering tones of the last chorus have prepared the way. The scene is of unusual length, ll. 512-862, but is divided by the short lyric measures (commatica) in 11. 649-668, 678-696. Cp. O. C. 833 ff, 876 ff. The entrance of Jocasta (1. 634) prepares new complications.

515. mvp-comment-306-1 ἀτλητών Unable to endure it. The verb is formed after the analogy οἱ ἀλαστέω, ἀελπτέω, etc.

515. mvp-comment-306-2 ἐν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς ταῖς νῦν In the present crisis.

516. mvp-comment-307-1 πρός γ᾿ ἐμοῦ The variety of reading has been caused by the ellipse of τι, for which cp. El. 1322-1323, ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἐξόδῳ κλύω | τῶν ἔνδοθεν χωροῦντος, SC.

516. mvp-comment-307-2 τινός. The emphatic ἐμοῦ is better here than μου. That in this emergency he has suffered at my hands aught tending to his harm by word or deed.

518. mvp-comment-308-1 I care not to prolong my life.'

518. mvp-comment-308-2 τοῦ μακραίωνος. The article as with words of number and quantity, e.g. Ο. C. 1211, τοῦ πλέονος μέρους. Cp. Αj. 473, τοῦ μακροῦ χρήζειν βίου. For the use of the compound, see Essay on Language p. 101.

519. mvp-comment-309-1 ἁπλοῦν, though opposed to μέγιστον, is not = σμικρόν, but points to the manifold nature of the injury as expressed in 521-522, This word affects me with loss not only in one respect, but does me the most serious injury.' For the unconscious tautology in the repetition of φέρει after φέρον, φέροντι, cp. infr. 524-527, γνώμῃ, γνώμαις, γνώμῃ.

522. mvp-comment-310-1 The leader of the chorus is allied to the royal house, infr. 1225.

524. mvp-comment-311-1 βιασθέν is not to be repeated with γνώμῃ, which is dative of cause. The charge may have been made in the violence of anger, and not advisedly.

525. mvp-comment-312-1 τοῦ πρός From whom proceeded this? i. e. On whose authority was it said? The inversion in this passage has suggested the v. r. τοῦπος found in FL³, which is also supposed to correspond better with the answer of the chorus. But the change is unnecessary. The order of words is singular, but is suited to express the excitement of Creon. Cp. the position of ὅτι, and Ar. Εq. 32, ποῖον βρέτας πρός; There is no real difficulty in reconciling the question to the answer. Creon asks, 'From whom came the intimation?" To which the chorus answers, The thing was said, but I cannot tell you on what ground or authority: γνώμῃ τίνι referring to τοῦ πρός, κ.τ.λ. For γνώμῃ φρενῶν, cp. Ant. 1090, τὸν νοῦν .. τῶν φρενῶν.

528. mvp-comment-313-1 Were his eyes and his mind clear, when this accusation was uttered against : me by him?' Most MSS. omitting δ' in the first place, waver between ὀρθῶν τε and ὀρθῶν δέ. But δ' before ὀρθῶν is not devoid of authority.

529. mvp-comment-314-1 Observe the continued use of the passive voice. Essay on Language §. 31. pp. 53-54. Creon still avoids the direct mention of Oedipus as his accuser; and the chorus use the same reserve.

530. mvp-comment-315-1 ἃ γὰρ .. οὐχ ὁρῶ I have no eye to see what rulers do. 532 foll. Insolent, what mean you by coming hither, you that have aimed at my life and sought to subvert my sovereignty? Unsupported by friends, how could you expect to succeed or to elude my vigilance? Did you take me for a coward or a fool?'

530. mvp-comment-315-2 οὗτος, σύ This punctuation is more forcible than οὗτος σύ, and has also better authority. The inversion of πῶς σύ accords with the feeling of the speech. Essay on Language § 41. p. 78. See below, l. 1121 .

532. mvp-comment-316-1 τοσόνδ᾽ ἔχεις τόλμης πρόσωπον Have you such a face of brass? i. e. τοσαύτης τόλμης πρόσωπον. A case of hypallage.

534. mvp-comment-317-1 The ind. ἵκου is more forcible than the infinitive, as dwelling on the 542.8] fact, and not merely marking its connexion with the preceding statement. The words ἐμφανῶς, ἐναργής, in what follows, are very characteristic of the passionate self-confidence of Oedipus.

537. mvp-comment-318-1 ἐν ἐμοί, like ἃ δ᾽ ἂν ἔρῃ, infr. 749, is an apparent violation of the rule that the 2nd and 3rd syllables of a trisyllabic foot must be in the same word. But ev is a preposition which adheres to its case.

538. mvp-comment-319-1 ὡς, κ.τ.λ. depends, κατὰ τὸ σημαινόμενον, οη καταφρονήσας, or the like, implied in ἰδὼν . . ἐν ἐμοί. Either supposing that I would not detect the stealthy approaches of this plot of yours, or that I would not resist it when observed.' The MS. reading -κούκ may be compared with Il. 2. 289, ἢ παῖδες νεαροὶ χῆραί τε γυναῖκες, or ἤ in this case may be explained as = ' or;' but the correction ἢ ἡ οὐκ seems far more probable. The former alternative implies μωρίαν, the latter δειλίαν. For the synizesis, cp. infr. 555, ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες.

538. mvp-comment-319-2 γνωρίσοιμι follows the MSS. against the Atticists.

541. mvp-comment-320-1 πλήθους καὶ φίλων Cp. supr. 470, πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς.

543. mvp-comment-321-1 οἶσθ᾿ ὡς ποίησον Do you know what I bid you do?" An idiomatic confusion of οἶσθ ὡς ποιήσεις with ποίησον. See Essay on Language $ 36. p. 66.

545. mvp-comment-322-1 You are a clever talker; but I am slow to learn of you (alluding to μαθών in the preceding line), for I have found you dangerous and hostile to me. Cp. Plat. Rep. 2. 358 Α, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγώ τις, ὡς ἔοικε, δυσμαθής.

547. mvp-comment-323-1 τοῦτ᾽ αὐτό This very point, viz. whether I am hostile to you.

549. mvp-comment-324-1 Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1012, αὐθαδία γὰρ τῷ φρονοῦντι μὴ καλῶς | αὐτὴ καθ᾿ αὑτὴν οὐδενὸς μεῖον σθένει.

552. mvp-comment-325-1 ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην ‘Το be made to answer for it.' Oedipus has an uneasy feeling that Creon may think himself above the law. This Creon deprecates.

553-554. mvp-comment-326-1 ὸ . . πάθημα is both governed by δίδασκε and to be resumed with παθεῖν. Tell me your injury, what injury you say you have received. Cp. infr. 604.

555. mvp-comment-327-1 ἔπειθες Referring to Κρέοντος εἰπόντος in 288, a slight touch, which has prepared the way for the present scene.

556. mvp-comment-328-1 τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα The solemn prophet. σεμνός has frequently the ironical sense of pretentious. Cp. 953, τὰ σέμν᾿ ἵν᾿ ἥκει τοῦ θεοῦ μαντεύματα: Αj. 1107, τὰ σέμν᾽ ἔπη: Aesch. Prom. 953, σεμνόστομός γε καὶ φρονήματος πλέως. ..

557. mvp-comment-329-1 αὑτὸς τῷ βουλεύματι And I still hold to the advice I gave. Cp. Thuc. 2. 61, καὶ ἐγὼ μὲν ὁ αὐτός εἰμι καὶ οὐκ ἐξίσταμαι : Phil. 521, τότ᾽ οὐκέθ᾽ αὑτὸς τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις φανῆς. τῷ βουλεύματι is (1) dative of identity with αὑτός rather than (2) of manner. Cp. Hdt. 3. 119, εἰ συνέπαινοί εἰσι τῷ πεποιημένῳ. For the other view (2), cp. Thuc. 3.38, ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ὁ αὐτὸς εἰμι τῇ γνώμῃ.

561. mvp-comment-330-1 It would be a long reckoning of distant times.'

562. mvp-comment-331-1 ἐν τῇ τέχνη Practising his art. Cp. Plat. Prot. 317 C, πολλά γε ἔτη ἤδη εἰμὶ ἐν τῇ τέχνη.

565. mvp-comment-332-1 Either on no occasion when I was standing near, οὐδαμοῦ simply repeating the negative in οὐκοῦν, οτ, τεsolving οὐδαμοῦ into two words, ('not,' 'anywhere'), certainly not, when I was standing anywhere near. The former is preferable. See Essay on Language § 41. p 77; and for the transference of the adverb of place to time, ibid. § 24. p. 41, supr. 1. 390.

566. mvp-comment-333-1 τοῦ θανόντος Gen. of respect.

567. mvp-comment-334-1 παρέσχομεν The compound verb is used in the reply, partly for the sake of variety, but also with a slight alteration of sense. But did you have no enquiry about the deed? Of course we held an enquiry. παρέσχομεν has a more active meaning, and implies more effort (='dare operam') than ἔσχετε. The word is used here as in El. 1144-1145, (τροφῆς) τὴν ἐγὼ θάμ᾿ ἀμφὶ σοὶ πόνῳ γλυκεῖ παρέσχον.

568. mvp-comment-335-1 ὁ σοφός Cp. 563.

569. mvp-comment-336-1 ἐφ᾽ οἷς = ἐπὶ τούτοις ἅ. The spectator would not feel, as the reader is apt to do, that the question of Oedipus calls attention to a real inconsistency in the fable. Cp. supr. 103 ff.

570. mvp-comment-337-1 τοσόνδε γ' The MS. reading τοσὸν δέ γ' (i. e. τὸ σὸν δέ γ') looks like an early correction. On the other hand, the simple τόσον hardly occurs elsewhere in Sophocles (unless in Tr. 53, κἀμὲ χρὴ φράσαι τόσον, where τὸ σόν is preferable). But cp. Hdt. 4. 197, τόσον δὲ ἔτι ἔχω εἰπεῖν. The abruptness caused by omitting δε is rather expressive. τοσόνδε refers to what is coming. There is one thing which you know and can tell clearly.'

570. mvp-comment-337-2 οἶσθα.. λέγοις.. φρονών He echoes Creon's words, οὐκ οἶδα μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν.

571. mvp-comment-338-1 οἰδά γ᾽ If I do know it. γε points the reference to the preceding line.

572. mvp-comment-339-1 τὰς ἐμάς The article refers to Teiresias' words, 362, φονέα σε φημί, κ.τ.λ. He would not have spoken, as he did, of my being Laius murderer.' Cp Eur. (?) Rhes. 438, σὺ κομπεῖς τὰς ἐμὰς ἀμύστιδας. The poet may also have intended the expression to be ambiguous, and to mean in the ear of the spectator, he would not have told of my murder of Laius. For the plural, ср. О. С. 962, ὅστις φόνους μοι καὶ γάμους καὶ συμφοράς, κ.τ.λ.

575. mvp-comment-340-1 ταύθ' Adv. accus. Just as. Cp 579, ἄρχεις . . ταὐτά.

576. mvp-comment-341-1 The compound verb answers the simple as in 567. Do your best to learn. Cp. 129, ἐξειδέναι: Hdt. 7. 28, ἐξέμαθον καὶ εὗρον, κ.τ.λ. The present tense has the inchoative meaning.

577. mvp-comment-342-1 γήμας ἔχεις You have in marriage.

578. mvp-comment-343-1 ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν There is no possibility of denying.

579. mvp-comment-344-1 ἄρχεις δ᾽ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτά You share your power with her. Creon implies that Jocasta is queen in her own right. Cp. 630, note.

579. mvp-comment-344-2 γῆς ἴσον νέμων Holding with her an equal portion in the land. The dative is resumed in thought. Cp. Thuc. 6. 16, 4, ἢ τὰ ἴσα νέμων τὰ ὁμοῖα ἀνταξιούτω.

582. mvp-comment-345-1 True, and that is just what marks you as a bad friend. Oedipus assents to Creon's statement of his own position, and retorts that his nearness to the throne only aggravates the case against him.

583. mvp-comment-346-1 The argument of Creon resembles that with which Histiaeus soothes the suspicion of Darius, Hdt. 5.106, τί δ' ἂν ἐπιδιζήμενος ποιέοιμι ταῦτα; τεῦ δὲ ἐνδεὴς ἐών; τῷ πάρα μὲν πάντα ὅσα περ σοί, πάντων δὲ πρὸς σέο βουλευμάτων ἐπακούειν ἀξιεῦμαι.

583. mvp-comment-346-2 Not so; if you would but reason with yourself, as I reason with you.' σοί is absorbed in σαντῷ : i. e. σαυτῷ ὡς ἐγὼ σοί. For the expression, cp. Hdt. 1. 209; 2. 162; 3.25; 4. 102; 6.138.

586. mvp-comment-347-1 ἄτρεστον εὔδοντ Hom. Od. 13. 92, δὴ τότε γ᾿ ἀτρέμας εἶδε.

587-589. mvp-comment-348-1 For the position of the words οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς .. οὔτ᾽ ἄλλος, cp. Phil. 88, 9, ἔφυν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐκ τέχνης πράσσειν κακῆς | οὔτ᾽ αὐτός, οὔθ᾽, ὥς φασιν, οὑκφύσας ἐμέ.

588. mvp-comment-349-1 τύραννα For τύραννος adj. cp. Ant. 1169, τύραννον σχῆμα.

590. mvp-comment-350-1 φέρω Ι obtain.' Cp. О. С. 5, 6, τοῦ μικροῦ δ᾽ ἔτι μεῖον φέροντα,

592. mvp-comment-351-1 How then can the possession of sovereignty be pleasanter to me than to have a power and authority that is free from annoyance?'

594. mvp-comment-352-1 οὔπω Surely I am not so far gone in self-deceit. πω adds emphasis to the negative. See note on 105, οὐ γὰρ εἰσεῖδόν γέ πω.

595. mvp-comment-353-1 τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά Glory with advantage. Creon's present δυναστεία had the reality of both. Sovereignty might bring him outward brilliancy, but not solid gain.

596. mvp-comment-354-1 πᾶσι χαίρω (1) I am happy in the sight of all. Cp. Eur. Med. 509, πολλαῖς μακαρίαν. The recognition of happiness is an element of happiness to the sensitive Greek (as to Croesus in the story of Herodotus); and the happy man is saluted by all (πᾶς ἀσπάζεται), just as the unfortunate is passed by without regard. Cp Thuc. 6. 16, ὥσπερ δυστυχοῦντες οὐδὲ προσαγορευόμεθα. Or (2) I take pleasure in all men' (as having no enemy). Cp. Od. 19. 462-463, τῷ μὲν χαῖρον νοστήσαντι. Other renderings are, I am happy in my relations with all; I am happy in all ways (πᾶσι neuter); and, All bid me rejoice. (Cp. χαῖρέ μοι.) 597. ἐκκαλοῦσί με is Invite me forth, or, Take me aside, e. g. from the palace or the council for private conference, as an important person. Cp. 951, τί μ' ἐξεπέμψω δεῦρο τῶνδε δωμάτων; Ant. 18: Eur. Bacch. 170, τίς ἐν πύλαισι; Κάδμον ἐκκάλει δόμων: Αj. 749-750, ἐκ γὰρ ξυνέδρου καὶ τυραννικοῦ κύκλου | Κάλχας μεταστὰς οἷος Ἀτρειδῶν δίχα, κ.τ.λ. Aristoph. Ach. 400-402: Hdt. 8. 79, ἐξεκαλέετο. The conjecture of L. Dindorf, αἰκάλλουσι, suggests a disagreeable association of mean flattery. The word αἰκάλλω occurs only once in tragedy, and then in reproach. Eur. Andr. 630, πρόδοτιν αἰκάλλων κύνα.

598. mvp-comment-355-1 τὸ γὰρ . . ἔνι For their success all depends on this; viz. on paying court to me. The text is uncertain, but here, as in a few other passages (cp. supr. 221), Flor. F. may have preserved an older reading. The absence of caesura is not a fatal objection to the reading αὐτοὺς ἅπαντ᾽. Cp. infr. 856. And for the accus. cp. Eur. Or. 761, τύχοις ἂν .. ὅσον θέλεις. But Flor. F. certainly gives a better line, and the correction ἅπαντ' may be conjectural.

599. mvp-comment-356-1 κεῖν κεῖνο, τὸ ἄρχειν ξὺν φόβοισι, τὴν τυραννίδα.

599. mvp-comment-356-2 ἀφεὶς τάδε] Cp. Macb. 1. 7, I have won | Golden opinions from all sorts of people | That would be worn now in their newest gloss, | Not cast aside so soon.' Ib. 2. 1, 'M. It shall make honour for you. B. So I lose none | In seeking to augment it, .... | I shall be counselled. But Creon's notion of honour' is more external than Banquo's.

600. mvp-comment-357-1 No mind that has a right sense of things can turn to evil. For the order of words, see Essay on Language § 41, p. 77. Creon thus sums up his previous argument. None can have wicked schemes whose judgment is not blind.' L

601. mvp-comment-358-1 τῆσδε τῆς γνώμης Sc. τῆς τῶν ἐρώντων τυραννίδος.

602. mvp-comment-359-1 τλαίην Sc. τοῦτο, implied in τῆσδε τῆς γνώμης. It is unnecessary to supply an infinitive.

603. mvp-comment-360-1 ἔλεγχον For proof. Accusative in apposition to the sentence.

603. mvp-comment-360-2 τοῦτο μὲν .. τοῦτ᾽ ἄλλο are also in the same construction.

603. mvp-comment-360-3 Πυθώδ᾽ ἰὼν πεύθου Cp. supr. 70, 71, and note.

605. mvp-comment-361-1 τοῦτ᾽ ἄλλο This more, with passionate emphasis instead oἱ τοῦτο δέ. Cp. the Homeric ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω. Α different variation occurs in Ant. 165-168, τοῦτο μὲν .. τοῦτ᾽ αὖθις.

605. mvp-comment-361-2 τῷ τερασκόπῳ The diviner. Creon, to soothe Oedipus, joins with him in speaking lightly of the seer.

606. mvp-comment-362-1 Then take and slay me,-not by thy single voice, for thou shalt have mine as well.' 608. The meaning of χωρίς, which is used absolutely, must be determined from the antithesis of the preceding lines. Without inquiry.The latter word is implied in ἐάν με τῷ τερασκόπῳ λάβῃς, κ.τ.λ.

606. mvp-comment-362-2 γνώμῃ The dative is causal, By reason of an unproved suspicion.' Be not led by a vague notion to accuse me of your own mere will.

609. mvp-comment-363-1 μάτην Without cause.

612. mvp-comment-364-1 τὸν παρ᾽ αὑτῷ βίοτον The life which is very near to him. Cp. Plat. Rep. 3. 413 C, τοῦ παρ᾽ αὑτοῖς δόγματος. The preposition assists the figure by which the life (compared to a friend) is represented as an object of affection distinct from the man himself. For the ellipse of τις, see Essay on Language § 39, p. 72-73, and cp. supr. 516. 614-615. Cp. Solon. Fr. 9. Δείξει δὲ μανίην μὲν ἐμὴν βαιὸς χρόνος ἀστοῖς : Chaeremon Fr. 21, χρόνος δίκαιον ἄνδρα μηνύει ποτέ: Pind. Ol. 10. 54· 616. His words are good for one who would avoid falling. Cp. Plat. Rep. 331 Β, εἰς τοῦτο ἀνδρὶ νοῦν ἔχοντι πλοῦτον χρησιμώτατον εἶναι.

617. mvp-comment-365-1 φρονεῖν is to be repeated with both adjectives. Swift is not sure in thought. For the inf. cp. Pind. Ol. 13.48.

618. mvp-comment-366-1 When my secret enemy is one who advances swiftly.' ταχύς τις is supplementary predicate after χωρῇ. Cp. Αj. 1266, φεῦ, τοῦ θανόντος ὡς ταχεῖά τις βροτοῖς | χάρις διαρρεῖ καὶ προδοῦσ᾽ ἁλίσκεται: Phil. 519, μὴ νῦν μέν τις εὐχερὴς παρῇς. And for the article with the subject in such a connection, cp. Ant. 951, ὁ μοιριδία τις δύνασις δεινά. 624-625. The text of these lines is probably defective. Two things seem clear; (1) that line 625 is more appropriate to Creon than to Oedipus, You speak as if you would not relent nor believe me. (MS. Farn. had upe. before this line by p. m.) Cp. infr. 646, πίστευσον, Οἰδίπους, τάδε: 650, τί σοὶ θέλεις δῆτ᾽ εἰκάθω; Αj. 371, ὦ πρὸς θεῶν ὕπεικε καὶ φρόνησον εὖ: and (2) that line 624 is addressed by Oedipus to Creon, and conveys a threat: When you have given an example of the crime of envy. Cp. Ant. 308, πρὶν ἂν | ζῶντες κρεμαστοὶ τήνδε δηλώσηθ ὕβριν: ib. 325-326, έξερεῖθ᾽ ὅτι | τὰ δειλὰ κέρδη πημονὰς ἐργάζεται: Τr. 1110-1111, ἵν᾽ ἐκδιδαχθῇ πᾶσιν ἀγγέλλειν ὅτι | καὶ ζῶν κακούς γε καὶ θανὼν ἐτισάμην: Ant. 1242-1243, δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν, | ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν (ⅰ.e. προδείξας οἷόν ἐστι τὸ κακῶς βουλεύειν) : Pind. P. 2. 42. By transposing 624-625, as Haase suggested, a kind of meaning may be brought out. My desire for you is death, not banishment. You speak as if you would not relent. I will relent when you are made an example of the sin of envy (and not before). (My envy is) that I see you to be unwise. But the transitions are too violent. Again, 623-624, may be read continuously, and the loss of a single line supposed after 625. I would have you be (not banished but) slain, when you have first been made an example of the crime of envy (in the manner of your death). You speak as if you would not relent nor believe me. ['And you speak like a rebel.'] Because I see you blind. But the insertion (διὰ μέσου) οἱ οὐ φυγεῖν, and the abruptness of ὅταν προδείξῃς, may be thought to prevent the two lines from coalescing into a harmonious sentence. In this case the most probable inference would be that one or more lines have been lost before 624 and after 625. The old explanations of the Scholiast, When you have shown the nature of the grudge I bear you,' sc. oἷός ἐστιν ὁ ἐμὸς πρὸς σὲ φθόνος (cp. supr. 605 ff.), or of Hermann, When you have shown the nature of your grudge against me, or of the ancient gloss, When you have first explained:-oh! what a thing envy is!' are untenable, especially because they afford no natural explanation of l. 625. The broken lines (626 foll.) mark the climax of the altercation. Cp. O. C. 832, 885.

628. mvp-comment-367-1 εἰ δὲ ξυνίης μηδέν But how if you are wholly in the dark? The strong expression, while suiting the passion of Creon, also suggests a truth of which he is ignorant. For el cp. Aesch. Suppl. 511, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ δρακόντων δυσφρόνων ἐχθίοσιν.

628. mvp-comment-367-2 ἀρκτέον γ' ὅμως] Yes, authority must be maintained even then. The verbal here belongs to the impersonal passive verb. For the verbal of the passive, cp. Fr. 27 N.: Dem. c. Dinarch. 176, οὐ καταπληκτέον ἐστίν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι.

629. mvp-comment-368-1 οὔτοι.. ἄρχοντος No, I am not bound to obey (οὐκ ἀρκτέον ἐμοὶ) one who rules badly. ἄρχοντος is (1) gen. abs., or (2) = ἐξ ἄρχοντος : cp. Ant. 63, ἀρχόμεσθ' ἐκ κρεισσόνων. But see Essay on Language § 39. pp. 72. 3.

629. mvp-comment-368-2 ὦ πόλις πόλις Oedipus appeals to the citizens to rebuke the disloyal utterance of Creon: cp. O.C.833: or, perhaps, apostrophizes the state, whose safety is menaced by the indulgence of such a spirit.

630. mvp-comment-369-1 κἀμοὶ πόλεως μέτεστιν I too have a claim upon the state. Not only as a citizen (cp. Ant. 737, πόλις γὰρ οὐκ ἔσθ᾽ ἥτις ἀνδρός ἐσθ᾽ ἑνός), but as the brother of the queen, whose right was prior to that of Oedipus himself. Cp. 577-581. Oedipus appeals to his loyal citizens against the insubordination of Creon, who replies that he also has a right in the state. As his temper rises, he no longer acknowledges that he owes his influence to Oedipus. The disadvantage under which Oedipus labours, as the stranger prince, is subtly maintained throughout. The chorus interpose in their character of mediator, not to take part with either disputant, but to appease the strife.

631. mvp-comment-370-1 ὑμῖν Cp. O. C. 81, ἢ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος ;

634. mvp-comment-371-1 5. What mean you, miserable men, by raising this senseless altercation?' For the article, cp. Phil. 327, 8, τίνος γὰρ ὧδε τὸν μέγαν χόλον κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐγκαλῶν ἐλήλυθας; The conjecture τί τήνδ' ἄβουλον, though plausible at first sight, has the effect of weakening the natural emphasis on ἄβουλον.

634. mvp-comment-371-2 στάσιν γλώσσης War of words.

634. mvp-comment-371-3 οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνεσθε And are not ashamed. The force of τί is continued. For this punctuation, which on the whole seems preferable to ἐπήρασθ᾽; οὐδ'-cp. Αj. 1307, ὠθεῖς-, οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνει λέγων; For the other way of dividing the sentence, And are ye not ashamed, cp. Phil. 929, οἱ' ἠπάτηκας· οὐδ᾽ ἐπαισχύνει μ᾿ ὁρῶν; The former is more suitable to the reproachful tone of Jocasta here.

637. mvp-comment-372-1 σύ τ' The omission of the noun vocative in addressing Oedipus gives a peremptory tone to Jocasta's speech. For the prep. with the 2nd word, cp. supr. 93, 4.

638. mvp-comment-373-1 τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος ‘And do not raise into importance a trouble which is not worth speaking of;'-because all private griefs are as nothing in the calamity of the state. The full expression would be τὸ μηδὲν ὂν ἄλγος. Essay on Language §39. p. 72, c. ib. p. 48.

640. mvp-comment-374-1 δικαιοῖ, Thinks fit, or intends. Cp. Hdt. 3. 36, ταῦτα δέ μιν ποιεῦντα ἐδικαίωσε Κροῖσος .. νουθετῆσαι.

640. mvp-comment-374-2 δυοῖν ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν Having made selection between two evils. There are two objections to this line on the ground of metre; the o lengthened before up (cp. Aesch. Prom. 24, ἀποκρύψει φάος), and the scansion of δυοῖν as a monosyllable, the only parallel to which in Greek tragic verse is Ἐρινννων, in Iph. Taur. 970, 1456. (See, however, Hes. Scut. 3, Ἠλεκτρύωνος: cp. ib. 16.) The two metrical exceptions are singular. But it is not likely that the verse is corrupt. No interpolator would have introduced a word so rare in later Greek as ἀποκρίνας in this sense. (Cp. Hdt. 6. 130.) None of the attempted emendations are satisfactory. Critics have noticed what was hardly worth noticing, the discrepancy between l. 641. and 623, and it has been proposed to interpret δεινά as implying that after making selection Oedipus had chosen death as the punishment. But such slight inconsistencies are neither undramatic nor unnatural.

641. mvp-comment-375-1 These words, though epexegetic of the participle, are in apposition with δρᾶσαι.

643. mvp-comment-376-1 τοὐμὸν σῶμα My person. Cp. Ο. C. 355, ἃ τοῦδ᾽ ἐχρήσθη σώματος. The language has some of the formality of an indictment.

644-645. mvp-comment-377-1 For the alternation of clauses, see Essay on Language § 41, p. 77.

646. mvp-comment-378-1 πίστευσον τάδε Cp. Eur. Hel. 710, λόγοις δ᾽ ἐμοῖσι πίστευσον τάδε.