Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 583

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)) — 583 focus
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
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 583 focus
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
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 583 focus
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.
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 583 focus
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
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 583 focus
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
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 583 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-383-1 διδοίης λόγον 1

mvp-comment-384-1 οὔτ’ αὐτὸς 2

mvp-comment-385-1 ἐκ σοῦ 3

mvp-comment-385-2 φέρω 4

mvp-comment-386-1 κἂν ἄκων 5 καὶ 6

mvp-comment-387-1 οὔπω 7

mvp-comment-387-2 τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά 8

mvp-comment-388-1 πᾶσι χαίρω 9 πᾶσι χαίρω 10

mvp-comment-389-1 ἐκκαλοῦσι 11

mvp-comment-390-1 τὸ … τυχεῖν 12 ἅπαντ’ 13 τυχεῖν 14 αὐτοῖσι 15 αὐτοῖς, πᾶν 16 ἅπαν 17 ἐνταῦθα 18

mvp-comment-391-1 πῶς δῆτ’ 19

mvp-comment-392-1 οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο 20 καλῶς φρονῶν 21

mvp-comment-393-1 ἔλεγχον 22

mvp-comment-394-1 τοῦτ’ ἄλλο 23

mvp-comment-394-2 τῷ τερασκόπῳ 24

mvp-comment-395-1 χωρὶς 25

mvp-comment-396-1 τὸν παρ’ αὑτῷ βίοτον 26

mvp-comment-396-2 φιλεῖ 27 αὑτῷ 28

mvp-comment-397-1 χρόνος 29

mvp-comment-397-2 κακὸν δὲ 30

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

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.