Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 1478

ed. Francis Storr

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Oedipus Tyrannus. Sophocles. ed. Francis Storr. London. 1912.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Οἰδίπους Τύραννος (Greek) (Sophocles, Volume 1. Storr, Francis, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company, 1912.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1478 focus
ἀλλ᾽ εὐτυχοἰης, καί σε τῆσδε τῆς ὁδοῦ
δαίμων ἄμεινον ἢ ἐμὲ φρουρήσας τύχοι.
ὦ τέκνα, ποῦ ποτ᾽ ἐστέ; δεῦρ᾽ ἴτ᾽, ἔλθετε
1480
ὡς τὰς ἀδελφὰς τάσδε τὰς ἐμὰς χέρας,
αἳ τοῦ φυτουργοῦ πατρὸς ὑμὶν ὧδ᾽ ὁρᾶν
τὰ πρόσθε λαμπρὰ προὐξένησαν ὄμματα·
ὃς ὑμίν, ὦ τέκν', οὔθ᾽ ὁρῶν οὔθ᾽ ἱστορῶν
πατὴρ ἐφάνθην ἔνθεν αὐτὸς ἠρόθην.
1485
καὶ σφὼ δακρύω· προσβλέπειν γὰρ οὐ σθένω·
νοούμενος τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ πικροῦ βίου,
οἷον βιῶναι σφὼ πρὸς ἀνθρώπων χρεών.
ποίας γὰρ ἀστῶν ἥξετ᾽ εἰς ὁμιλίας,
ποίας δ᾽ ἑορτάς, ἔνθεν οὐ κεκλαυμέναι
1490
πρὸς οἶκον ἵξεσθ' ἀντὶ τῆς θεωρίας;
ἀλλ᾽ ἡνίκ᾽ ἂν δὴ πρὸς γάμων ἥκητ᾽ ἀκμάς,
τίς οὗτος ἔσται, τίς παραρρίψει, τέκνα,
τοιαῦτ᾽ ὀνείδη λαμβάνων, ἃ τοῖς ἐμοῖς
γονεῦσιν ἔσται σφῷν θ᾽ ὁμοῦ δηλήματα;
1495
τί γὰρ κακῶν ἄπεστι; τὸν πατέρα πατὴρ
ὑμῶν ἔπεφνε· τὴν τεκοῦσαν ἤροσεν,
ὅθεν περ αὐτὸς ἐσπάρη, κἀκ τῶν ἴσων
ἐκτήσαθ᾽ ὑμᾶς, ὧνπερ αὐτὸς ἐξέφυ.
τοιαῦτ᾽ ὀνειδιεῖσθε. κᾆτα τίς γαμεῖ;
1500
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδείς, ὦ τέκν', ἀλλὰ δηλαδὴ
χέρσους φθαρῆναι κἀγάμους ὑμᾶς χρεών.
ὦ παῖ Μενοικέως, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ μόνος πατὴρ
ταύταιν λέλειψαι, νὼ γάρ, ὣ ᾿φυτεύσαμεν,
ὀλώλαμεν δύ᾽ ὄντε, μή σφε *περιίδῃς
1505
πτωχὰς ἀνάνδρους, ἐγγενεῖς, ἀλωμένας,
μηδ' ἐξισώσῃς τάσδε τοῖς ἐμοῖς κακοῖς.
ἀλλ᾽ οἴκτισόν σφας, ὧδε τηλικάσδ᾽ ὁρῶν
πάντων ἐρήμους, πλὴν ὅσον τὸ σὸν μέρος.
ξύννευσον, ὦ γενναῖε, σῇ ψαύσας χερί.
1510
σφῷν δ᾽, ὦ τέκν', εἰ μὲν εἰχέτην ἤδη φρένας,
πόλλ᾽ ἂν παρῄνουν· νῦν δὲ τοῦτ᾽ εὔχεσθέ μοι,
οὗ καιρὸς ἀεὶ ζῇν, * βίου δὲ λῴονος
ὑμᾶς κυρῆσαι τοῦ φυτεύσαντος πατρός.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1478 focus
Fair be thy fortune, and, for this last deed,
Heaven guide thee on a better course than mine.
Where are ye, O my children? Come, draw near
To these my hands of brother blood with you,
1480
Hands that have made so piteous to your sight
The darkened gaze of his once brilliant eyes,
Who all in blindness, with no thought of ill,
Became your father at that fount of life,
Where he himself took being! Oh! for you
1485
I weep, not seeing you, when I but think
Of all the bitter passages of fate
That must attend you amongst men. For where
Can ye find fellowship, what civic throng
Shall ye resort unto, what festival,
From whence, instead of sight or sound enjoyed,
1490
Ye will not come in tears unto your home?
And when ye reach the marriageable bloom,
My daughters, who will be the man to cast
His lot with yours, receiving for his own
All those reproaches which have marred the name
1495
Of both my parents and your name no less?
What evil is not here? Your father slew
His father, and then eared the mother field
Where he himself was sown, and got you from
The source of his own birth. Such taunts will fly.
And who will marry you? No man, my daughters;
1500
But ye must wither childless and unwed.
Son of Menoeceus, who alone art left
As father to these maidens, for the pair
That gave them birth are utterly undone,
Suffer them not, being your kinswomen,
1505
To wander desolate and poor, nor make
1505
Their lot perforce the counterpart of mine.
But look on them with pity, left in youth
Forlorn of all protection save from thee.
Noble one, seal this promise with thy hand!
—For you, my children, were ye of an age
1510
To ponder speech, I would have counselled you
Full carefully. Now I would have you pray
To dwell where ’tis convenient, that your life
May find more blessing than your father knew.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1478 focus
So lebe glücklich; möge dich für diesen Gang
1440
Ein Gott bewahren, treuer, als er mich bewahrt!
Wo, meine Kinder, seid ihr denn? Kommt doch daher,
kommt heran zu meinen Bruderhänden hier,
Den Händen, die's verbrachen, daß ihr also schaut
Des Vaters Augen, die vordem so hell geblickt,
1445
Des Vaters, der, nichts ahnend und unwissentlich,
Euch Vater ward vom Weibe, dem er selbst entsproß.
Und euch bewein' ich, (euch zu seh'n vermag ich nicht,)
Bedenk' ich, ach, des bittern Lebens Ueberrest,
Durch den ihr euch bei Menschen durchzukämpfen habt.
1450
In welche Kreise lassen euch die Bürger zu,
Zu welchen Festen, daß ihr nicht heimkehrt von dort
In Thränen schwimmend, statt vom Schau'n erfreut zu sein?
Und reiftet ihr zu süßem Eheglück heran,
Wer wäre der, o Kinder, wer erkühnte sich,
1455
Auf sich zu häufen solche Schmach, die stets ein Fluch
An meinen Eltern haftet und den eurigen?
Denn welcher Gräuel fehlte noch? Den Vater, ach!
Schlug euer Vater, traute sich der Mutter an,
Von der er selbst entsprossen, und erzielte dann
1460
Euch aus demselben Schooße, der ihn selbst empfing.
So wird man euch verhöhnen. Dann wer wirbt um euch?
Kein Freier zeigt sich, Kinder; ihr müßt unvermählt
Im öden Leben blütenlos zu Grunde geh'n.
O Sohn Menökeus', - du ja bleibst allein zurück,
1465
Ihr Vater; denn wir Eltern, die sie zeugten, sind
Dahin, wir beiden; - laß sie nicht, die deinem Stamm
So nah verwandt sind, irren arm und gattenlos,
Und meinem Elend mache nicht das ihre gleich!
Nein, hab' Erbarmen, wenn du sie, die Schwachen, siehst
1470
So bloß von Allem, außer was du ihnen gönnst!
Mit deinem Handschlag, edler Mann, gelobe mir's!
Euch gäb' ich manche Lehre noch, wenn's euer Sinn
Schon faßte, Kinder; jezt erfleh' ich das für euch:
Lebt immer, wo's euch frommen mag, und freundlicher
1475
Sei euch das Leben, als es eurem Vater war!
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1478 focus
Wouldst tliou again explore the will of Heaven 1
It is :
1515
Thy wishes are prevented ; they are here.
1515
Daughters of (Edipus, (Edipus, Ceeon, Chorus.
1515
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1478 focus
I charge thee, I conjure thee, in a tomb,
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1478 focus

Commentary

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

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

ἀλλ’ εὐτυχοίης, καί σ’ ἐποπτεύων πρόφρων | θεὸς φυλάττοι καιρίοσι συμφοραῖς.
τῆσδε τῆς ὁδοῦ 1

mvp-comment-904-1 ἢ μὲ 2 φρουρήσας 3 καί σε 4 εὐτυχοίης 5

mvp-comment-905-1 ὡς τὰς … χέρας 6 ὡς 7 εἰς 8 ἐς 9

mvp-comment-906-1 Construe: αἳ προὐξένησαν ὑμὶν 10 τὰ πρόσθε λαμπρὰ τοῦ φυτ. πατρὸς ὄμματα ὧδε ὁρᾶν 11 ὦδ’ ὁρᾶν 12 προυσέλησαν 13

mvp-comment-907-1 οὔθ’ ὁρῶν οὔθ’ ἱστορῶν 14

mvp-comment-908-1 ἠρόθην 15

mvp-comment-909-1 ὁμιλίας … ἑορτάς 16 ὁμιλίας 17 ἑορτάς 18

mvp-comment-910-1 κεκλαυμέναι 19

mvp-comment-911-1 ἀντὶ τῆς θεωρίας 20

mvp-comment-912-1 τίς οὗτος ἔσται, τίς 21

mvp-comment-913-1 λαμβάνων 22

mvp-comment-914-1 γοναῖσιν 23 γονεῦσιν 24 δηλήματα 25 γαμβροῖσιν 26

mvp-comment-915-1 πατέρα 27

mvp-comment-916-1 τῶν ἴσων 28

mvp-comment-917-1 ὀνειδιεῖσθε 29

mvp-comment-918-1 δηλαδή 30

mvp-comment-919-1 ἀλλ’ 31

mvp-comment-920-1 δύ’ ὄντε 32

mvp-comment-921-1 ἐγγενεῖς 33

mvp-comment-922-1 ἐξισώσῃς τάσδε, 34

mvp-comment-923-1 τηλικάσδ’ 35

mvp-comment-924-1 πλὴν ὅσον τὸ σὸν μέρος 36

mvp-comment-925-1 εἰχέτην 37 εἰχέτην 38

mvp-comment-926-1 Oedipus now turns from Creon to the children. The few words which he addresses to them are spoken rather to the older hearers and to himself. τοῦτ’ εὔχεσθέ μοι 39 ὑμᾶς 40 ζην 41

mvp-comment-927-1 I prefer οὗ καιρὸς ἐᾷ ζῆν, τοῦ βίου κ.τ.λ. to οὗ καιρὸς ἀεὶ ζῆν, βίου 42 τοῦ 43 βίου 44 οὗ καιρός 45 εαι 46 αει 47

mvp-comment-928-1 ἐξήκεις 48

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1515. mvp-comment-840-1 Thou hast gone far enough in weeping.' Creon here assumes the tone of one who is henceforth to be regent of the land. Supr. 1418. The humanity shown by him supr. 1476-1477, now gives way to reasons of state. Cp. Ant. 182-183. Schndw., in Die Sage von Ödipus,' 1852, suggested, without laying any stress on the conjecture,' that the Oedipus Rex may have originally ended with the voluntary departure of Oedipus, as in the play of Seneca, and that the exodos may have been subsequently altered by Sophocles in order to adapt it to the Oedipus Coloneus.