Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus, ed. Francis Storr, 977

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Ἰοκάστη

τί δʼ ἂν φοβοῖτʼ ἄνθρωπος ᾧ τὰ τῆς τύχης

κρατεῖ, πρόνοια δʼ ἐστὶν οὐδενὸς σαφής;

εἰκῆ κράτιστον ζῆν, ὅπως δύναιτό τις.

σὺ δʼ εἰς τὰ μητρὸς μὴ φοβοῦ νυμφεύματα·
980

πολλοὶ γὰρ ἤδη κἀν ὀνείρασιν βροτῶν

μητρὶ ξυνηυνάσθησαν. ἀλλὰ ταῦθʼ ὅτῳ

παρʼ οὐδέν ἐστι, ῥᾷστα τὸν βίον φέρει.

Οἰδίπους

καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτʼ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι,

εἰ μὴ ʼκύρει ζῶσʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ
985

ζῇ, πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.

Ἰοκάστη

καὶ μὴν μέγας γʼ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.

Οἰδίπους

μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.

Ἄγγελος

ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθʼ ὕπερ;

Οἰδίπους

Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα.
990

Ἄγγελος

τί δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;

Οἰδίπους

θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.

Ἄγγελος

ἦ ῥητόν; ἢ οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;

Οἰδίπους

μάλιστά γʼ· εἶπε γάρ με Λοξίας ποτὲ

χρῆναι μιγῆναι μητρὶ τἠμαυτοῦ τό τε
995

πατρῷον αἷμα χερσὶ ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἑλεῖν.

ὧν οὕνεχʼ ἡ Κόρινθος ἐξ ἐμοῦ πάλαι

μακρὰν ἀπῳκεῖτʼ· εὐτυχῶς μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως

τὰ τῶν τεκόντων ὄμμαθʼ ἥδιστον βλέπειν.

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)) — 977 focus

τί δ᾽ ἂν φοβοῖτ᾽ ἄνθρωπος, ᾧ τὰ τῆς τύχης

κρατεῖ, πρόνοια δ᾽ ἐστὶν οὐδενὸς σαφής;

εἰκῆ κράτιστον ζῆν, ὅπως δύναιτό τις.

σὺ δ᾽ εἰς τὰ μητρὸς μὴ φοβοῦ νυμφεύματα·
980

πολλοὶ γὰρ ἤδη κἀν ὀνείρασιν βροτῶν

μητρὶ ξυνευνάσθησαν. ἀλλὰ ταῦθ᾽ ὅτῳ

παρ᾽ οὐδέν ἐστι, ῥᾷστα τὸν βίον φέρει.

Οἰδίπους

καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτ᾽ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι,

εἰ μὴ ᾿κύρει ζῶσ᾽ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δ᾽ ἐπεὶ
985

ζῇ, πᾶσ᾽ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.

Ἰοκάστη

καὶ μὴν μέγας *γ᾿ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.

Οἰδίπους

μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.

Ἄγγελος

ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθ᾽ ὕπερ;

Οἰδίπους

Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα.
990

Ἄγγελος

τί δ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;

Οἰδίπους

θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.

Ἄγγελος

ἦ ῥητόν; ἢ *οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;

Οἰδίπους

μάλιστά γʼ· εἶπε γάρ με Λοξίας ποτὲ

χρῆναι μιγῆναι μητρὶ τἠμαυτοῦ, τό τε
995

πατρῷον αἷμα χερσὶ ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἑλεῖν.

ὧν οὕνεχʼ ἡ Κόρινθος ἐξ ἐμοῦ πάλαι

μακρὰν ἀπῳκεῖτʼ· εὐτυχῶς μέν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως

τὰ τῶν τεκόντων ὄμμαθ᾽ ἥδιστον βλέπειν.

Ἄγγελος

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 977 focus

Why should man fear, seeing his course is ruled

By fortune, and he nothing can foreknow?

’Tis best to live at ease as best one may.

Then fear not thou thy mother’s nuptial hour.
980

Many a man ere now in dreams hath lain

With her who bare him. He hath least annoy

Who with such omens troubleth not his mind.

OED

That word would be well spoken, were not she

Alive that gave me birth. But since she lives,
985

Though you speak well, yet have I cause for fear.

JO

Your father’s burial might enlighten you.

OED

It doth. But I am darkened by a life.

COR. SH

Whose being overshadows thee with fear?

OED

Queen Meropè, the consort of your king.
990

COR. SH

What in her life should make your heart afraid?

OED

A heaven-sent oracle of dreadful sound.

COR. SH

May it be told, or must no stranger know?

OED

Indeed it may. Word came from Phoebus once

That I must know my mother’s shame, and shed
995

With these my hands my own true father’s blood.

Wherefore long since my home hath been removed

Far from Corinthos:—not unhappily;

But still ’tis sweet to see a parent’s face.

COR. SH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 977 focus

Was hat der Mensch zu fürchten, den das Ungefähr
950

Beherrscht, und den kein sichrer Blick vorahnend lenkt?

Am besten lebt er ohne Harm, wie's eben geht.

Drum bange dir vor deiner Mutter Ehe nicht.

Denn viele Menschen sahen auch in Träumen schon

Sich zugesellt der Mutter; doch wer alles dies
955

Für nichtig achtet, trägt die Last des Lebens leicht.

Oedipus.

Wohl nennt' ich alles richtig, was du eben sprachst,

Wenn nicht die Mutter lebte. Nun, da diese lebt,

Nothwendig muß mir bangen, sprachst du richtig auch.

Jokaste.

Doch ist das Grab des Vaters dir ein helles Licht.
960

Oedipus.

Ich fühl's, ein helles! Doch mich schreckt die Lebende.

Der Bote.

Vor einem Weib, vor welchem bangt euch denn so sehr?

Oedipus.

Vor Merope, der Frau des Polybos, o Greis.

Der Bote.

Was ist es, das von dieser euch in Schrecken sezt?

Oedipus.

Ein grauser Spruch, o Fremdling, den der Gott gesandt.
965

Der Bote.

Darf ihn ein Andrer wissen? Hüllt ihn Schweigen ein?

Oedipus.

Vernimm! Apollon that mir kund, ich müsse mich

Der eignen Mutter als Gemahl gesellen und

Mit dieser Hand vergießen meines Vaters Blut.

Deßwegen zog ich aus Korinthos schon vorlängst
970

In weite Fernen, zwar zu meinem Glücke, doch

Was gibt es Süß'res, als der Eltern Auge schau'n?¹

Der Bote.

Dies also fürchtend, bliebst du fern von jener Stadt?

Oedipus.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 977 focus

The laws descended from above.

Which, not like those by feeble mortals given,

Buried in dark oblivion lie,

Or worn by time decay, and die,

But bloom eternal like their native heaven !

Pride first gave birth to tyrflnufi^r"^

That hateful vice, insulting pride,

When, every human power defied,

She lifts to glory's height her votary ;

Soon stumbling, from her tottering throne
985

She throws the wretched victim down.
985

But may the pfod indulgent hear my prnyer,
985

That god wliom humbly I adore,
985

Oh ! may he smile on Thebes once more,
985

And take its wretched monarch to his care !
985

Perish the impious and profane,
985

Who, void of reverential fear.
985

Nor justice nor the laws revere,
985

"Who leave their god for pleasure or for gain !

Who swell by fraud their ill-got store,

Who rob the wretched and the poor !

If vice unpunished virtue's meed obtain,

Who shall refrain the impetuous soul,

The rebel passions who control,

Or wherefore do I lead this choral train ?

No more to Delphi's sacred shrine

Need we with incense now repair,

No more shall Phocis hear our prayer ;

Nor fair Olympia see Jier rites divine ;

If oracles no longer prove

The power of Phoebus and of Jove.

Great lord of all, from thy eternal throne

Behold, how impious men defame

Thy loved Apollo's honoured name ;

Oh ! guard his rights, and vindicate thy own. [Exeunt.

'Scene I.

Jocasta
Scene V. StroijJie I. Antistrophe i. Stro2)he 2. Antistrophe 2. ACT IV.

Sages and rulers of the land, I come

To seek the altars of the gods, and there

Can you instruct me, strangers, which way

lies

The palace of king Oedipus ; himself

I would most gladly see. Can you inform me ?

Chorus

This is the palace ; he is now within ;
990

Thou seest his queen before thee.
990

Shepherd

Ever blest

And happy with the happy mayst thou live !

Joe. Stranger, the same good wish to thee, for well

Thy words deserve it ; but say, wherefore com'st thou,

And what 's thy news ?

Shepherd

To thee, and to thy husband.

Pleasure and joy.

Joe. What pleasure ? And whence art thou ?

Shepherd

From Corinth. To be brief, I bring thee

tidings

Of good and evil.

Joe. Ha ! what mean thy words

Ambiguous ?

Shepherd

Know then, if report say true,

The Isthmian people will choose CEdipus

Their sovereiirn.

No;

Joe.

SnEP.
995

Joe.
995

SllEP. If
995

Is not Polybus their king ?
995

Poly bus is dead.
995

What sayst thou ? Dead 1

I speak falsely, may death seize on me !

one of her Atpendants]. Why fliest thou not

to tell thy master ? Hence !

What aie you now, you oracles divine ?

Where is your truth? The fearful (Edipus

From Corinth Hed, lest he should slay the king,

This Polybus, who perished, not by him,

But by the hand of Heaven.

My dear Jocasta,

Why hast thou called me hither ?

Joe. Hear this man,

And when thou hearst him, mark what faith is due

To your revered oracles.

And what doth he report ?

Joe. He comes from Corinth,

And says thy father Polybus is dead.

speak !

Shepherd
(Edi. Scene III. (Edipus, Jocasta, Shepherd, Chorus. (Edi. Who is he ? (Edi. What sayst thou, stranger ? Speak to me — oh!

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 977 focus

Why should man fear, since fortune governs all?

Sage forecast sees nought clearly: wisest then

Is he who lives at hazard, as he may.

Fear not thy mother's bed; it is a dream,

Such as hath haunted many: he, who slights

Theseus

walks easiest through the ways of life.

Oedipus

In all these things thy words are wise and just,

But that my mother lives; and while she lives,
985

Though wise thy words, I must perforce have fears.

Jocasta

Clear proof thy father's tomb affords thine eyes.

Oedipus

True; but she lives: my fears are therefore just.
990

Corinthian

What woman this, who thus excites your fears?

Oedipus

Merope, stranger, wife of Polybus.

Corinthian

And what to her relating gives you fear?

Oedipus

An oracle heav'n-sent, of import dread.

Corinthian

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 977 focus

Iocasta

What should a mortal man fear, for whom the decrees of Fortune are supreme, and who has clear foresight of nothing? It is best to live at random, as one may.

But fear not that you will wed your mother. Many men before now have slept with their mothers in dreams. But he to whom these things are as though nothing bears his life most easily.
980

Oedipus

All these words of yours would have been well said,

were my mother not alive. But as it is, since she lives, I must necessarily fear, though you do speak well.
985

Iocasta

Your father’s death is a great sign for us to take cheer.

Oedipus

Great, I know. But my fear is of her who lives.

Messenger

And who is the woman about whom you fear?

Oedipus

Merope, old man, the consort of Polybus.
990

Messenger

And what is it in her that moves your fear?

Oedipus

A divine oracle of dread import, stranger.

Messenger

Proper, or improper, for another to know?

Oedipus

Proper, surely. Loxias once said that I was

doomed to marry my own mother, and to shed with my own hands my father’s blood. For which reasons I long shirked my home in Corinth—with a happy outcome, to be sure, but still it is sweet to see the face of one’s parents.
995

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-606-1 ᾦ, ¹

mvp-comment-606-2 τὰ τῆς τύχης ² τύχη ³

mvp-comment-607-1 πρόνοια ⁴

mvp-comment-608-1 εἰκῆ ⁵

mvp-comment-608-2 κράτιστον … ὅπως δύναιτο ⁶

mvp-comment-609-1 φοβοῦ ⁷

mvp-comment-610-1 κἀν ὀνείρασιν ⁸

mvp-comment-611-1 παρ’ οὐδέν ⁹

mvp-comment-612-1 ἐξείρητο ¹⁰

mvp-comment-613-1 ὀφθαλμὸς ¹¹

mvp-comment-614-1 καὶ ¹² ἐκφοβεῖσθε ¹³

mvp-comment-615-1 ἐκείνης ¹⁴ ἐς φόβον φέρον ¹⁵

mvp-comment-616-1 θεήλατον ¹⁶

mvp-comment-617-1 The MSS. having οὐ θεμιτὸν ¹⁷ οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ¹⁸ θεμιτὸν ¹⁹ μάντευμα ²⁰ ἄλλον ²¹ θεμιτὸν ²²

mvp-comment-618-1 τὸ πατρῷον αἷμα ἑλεῖν ²³

mvp-comment-619-1 The simplest view of ἡ Κόρινθος ἐξ ἐμοῦ ἀπῳκεῖτο is, as Whitelaw says, that it means literally, “Corinth was lived-away-from by me,” —being the passive of ἐγὼ ἀπῴκουν τῆς Κορίνθου. It is thus merely one of those instances in which a passive verb takes as subject that which would stand in gen. or dat. as object to the active verb: cp. the passive καταγελῶμαι, καταφρονοῦμαι, καταψηφίζομαι, ἐπιβουλεύομαι, etc. [I formerly took it to be passive of ἐγὼ ἀπῴκουν τὴν Κόρινθον, “I inhabited C. only at a distance,” —a paradoxical phrase like ἐν σκότῳ ὁρᾶν (1273).] ἀποικεῖν ²⁴

mvp-comment-620-1 εὐτυχῶς ²⁵

mvp-comment-620-2 τῶν τεκόντων ²⁶

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

977. mvp-comment-568-1 Why should man fear, seeing that Fortune rules his life and he has no clear foreknowledge of anything?' ἄνθρωπος] Quite general, as in O. C. 1153, πρᾶγος δ᾽ ἀτίζειν οὐδὲν ἄνθρωπον χρεών. For the sentiment, cp. Thuc. 4.62, τὸ δὲ ἀστάθμητον τοῦ μέλλοντος, κ.τ.λ.

979. mvp-comment-569-1 ''Tis best to live by chance, as best one may.' Cp. Eur. Hipp. 261 ff. For the asyndeton, cp. supr. 945.

979. mvp-comment-569-2 ὅπως δύναιτο is the more generalized form of ὅπως ἂν δύνηται. Cp. 315, ἀφ᾿ ὧν ἔχοι τε καὶ δύναιτο ; and see Essay on Language § 36. p. 61.

981. mvp-comment-570-1 Cp. Hdt. 6. 107: Plat. Rep. 9. 571 C.

987. mvp-comment-571-1 Either, 'And yet your father's death is a great eye to see with, i. e. may well open your eyes, or with a further association, 'And yet your father's death throws a cheering light on these matters.' Cp. Pind. Pyth. 5. 17, ἐπεὶ συγγενὴς ὀφθαλμός, κ.τ.λ., and Τι. 203-204, ἄελπτον ὄμμ᾽ ἐμοὶ | φήμης ἀνασχὸν τῆσδε.

991. mvp-comment-572-1 What is there in her (or in regard to her) which tends to give you alarm?' The genitive is continued from 988 τῆς ζώσης, 990 Μερόπης, and may be viewed either as a genitive of respect, or of origin. Essay on Language pp. 13, 14. 66. Here, as elsewhere in this part of the play, the serene courtesy of the dialogue contrasts with the approaching horror.

997. mvp-comment-573-1 ἡ Κόρινθος ἐξ ἐμοῦ. . ἀπῳκεῖτο (1) Corinth as a dwelling-place has long been set far away from me.' For this inversion (instead of my dwelling-place has been removed from Corinth'), cp. supr. 762 and note. Essay on Language § 42. p. 80; or (2) Corinth has been avoided (livedaway from) by me' = ἀπῴκουν Κορίνθου. For the preference for the passive form in either case, see Essay on Language pp. 53, 54. The effect here is to bring into greater prominence Oedipus' love for Corinth.

997. mvp-comment-573-2 ἐξ ἐμοῦ Either away from me,' or by my act. The v. τ. ἀπώκιστ᾽ (ἀπῴκιστο) is plausible (cp. Plat. Polit. 284 Ε, ὁπόσα εἰς τὸ μέσον ἀπῳκίσθη τῶν ἐσχάτων), but the perfect and not the pluperfect is the tense required.

999. mvp-comment-574-1 The natural simplicity of these words, said in the presence of Jocasta, contrasts terribly to the spectator with the unconsciousness of them. See 1371, foll., ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὄμμασιν ποίοις βλέπων, κ.τ.λ. And cp. Aesch. Cho. 690-691, τὸν τεκόντα δ᾽ εἰκὸς εἰδέναι, said by Orestes before Clytemnestra.

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Οἰδίπους καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτʼ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι, εἰ μὴ ʼκύρει ζῶσʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ 985 ζῇ, πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.

Ἰοκάστη καὶ μὴν μέγας γʼ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.

Οἰδίπους μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.

Ἄγγελος ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθʼ ὕπερ;

Οἰδίπους Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα. 990

Ἄγγελος τί δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;

Οἰδίπους θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.

Ἄγγελος ἦ ῥητόν; ἢ οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;

Current edition Experimental

Οἰδίπους καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτ᾽ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι, εἰ μὴ ᾿κύρει ζῶσ᾽ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δ᾽ ἐπεὶ 985 ζῇ, πᾶσ᾽ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.

Ἰοκάστη καὶ μὴν μέγας *γ᾿ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.

Οἰδίπους μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.

Ἄγγελος ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθ᾽ ὕπερ;

Οἰδίπους Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα. 990

Ἄγγελος τί δ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;

Οἰδίπους θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.

Ἄγγελος ἦ ῥητόν; ἢ *οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;

Ἄγγελος

OED That word would be well spoken, were not she Alive that gave me birth. But since she lives, 985 Though you speak well, yet have I cause for fear.

JO Your father’s burial might enlighten you.

OED It doth. But I am darkened by a life.

COR. SH Whose being overshadows thee with fear?

OED Queen Meropè, the consort of your king. 990

COR. SH What in her life should make your heart afraid?

OED A heaven-sent oracle of dreadful sound.

COR. SH May it be told, or must no stranger know?

OED Indeed it may. Word came from Phoebus once That I must know my mother’s shame, and shed 995 With these my hands my own true father’s blood. Wherefore long since my home hath been removed Far from Corinthos:—not unhappily; But still ’tis sweet to see a parent’s face.

COR. SH

Oedipus. Wohl nennt' ich alles richtig, was du eben sprachst, Wenn nicht die Mutter lebte. Nun, da diese lebt, Nothwendig muß mir bangen, sprachst du richtig auch.

Jokaste. Doch ist das Grab des Vaters dir ein helles Licht. 960

Oedipus. Ich fühl's, ein helles! Doch mich schreckt die Lebende.

Der Bote. Vor einem Weib, vor welchem bangt euch denn so sehr?

Oedipus. Vor Merope, der Frau des Polybos, o Greis.

Der Bote. Was ist es, das von dieser euch in Schrecken sezt?

Oedipus. Ein grauser Spruch, o Fremdling, den der Gott gesandt. 965

Der Bote. Darf ihn ein Andrer wissen? Hüllt ihn Schweigen ein?

Oedipus. Vernimm! Apollon that mir kund, ich müsse mich Der eignen Mutter als Gemahl gesellen und Mit dieser Hand vergießen meines Vaters Blut. Deßwegen zog ich aus Korinthos schon vorlängst 970 In weite Fernen, zwar zu meinem Glücke, doch Was gibt es Süß'res, als der Eltern Auge schau'n? 1

Der Bote. Dies also fürchtend, bliebst du fern von jener Stadt?

Oedipus.

Jocasta Scene V. StroijJie I. Antistrophe i. Stro2)he 2. Antistrophe 2. ACT IV.

Sages and rulers of the land, I come To seek the altars of the gods, and there

Can you instruct me, strangers, which way lies The palace of king Oedipus ; himself I would most gladly see. Can you inform me ?

Chorus This is the palace ; he is now within ; 990 Thou seest his queen before thee. 990

Shepherd Ever blest And happy with the happy mayst thou live ! Joe. Stranger, the same good wish to thee, for well Thy words deserve it ; but say, wherefore com'st thou, And what 's thy news ?

Shepherd To thee, and to thy husband. Pleasure and joy. Joe. What pleasure ? And whence art thou ?

Shepherd From Corinth. To be brief, I bring thee tidings Of good and evil. Joe. Ha ! what mean thy words Ambiguous ?

Shepherd (Edi. Scene III. (Edipus, Jocasta, Shepherd, Chorus. (Edi. Who is he ? (Edi. What sayst thou, stranger ? Speak to me — oh!

Why should man fear, since fortune governs all? Sage forecast sees nought clearly: wisest then Is he who lives at hazard, as he may. Fear not thy mother's bed; it is a dream, Such as hath haunted many: he, who slights

Theseus walks easiest through the ways of life.

Oedipus In all these things thy words are wise and just, But that my mother lives; and while she lives, 985 Though wise thy words, I must perforce have fears.

Jocasta Clear proof thy father's tomb affords thine eyes.

Oedipus True; but she lives: my fears are therefore just. 990

Corinthian What woman this, who thus excites your fears?

Oedipus Merope, stranger, wife of Polybus.

Corinthian And what to her relating gives you fear?

Oedipus An oracle heav'n-sent, of import dread.

Corinthian

Oedipus All these words of yours would have been well said, were my mother not alive. But as it is, since she lives, I must necessarily fear, though you do speak well. 985

Iocasta Your father’s death is a great sign for us to take cheer.

Oedipus Great, I know. But my fear is of her who lives.

Messenger And who is the woman about whom you fear?

Oedipus Merope, old man, the consort of Polybus. 990

Messenger And what is it in her that moves your fear?

Oedipus A divine oracle of dread import, stranger.

Messenger Proper, or improper, for another to know?

Oedipus Proper, surely. Loxias once said that I was doomed to marry my own mother, and to shed with my own hands my father’s blood. For which reasons I long shirked my home in Corinth—with a happy outcome, to be sure, but still it is sweet to see the face of one’s parents. 995

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Οἰδίπους

καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτʼ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι,

εἰ μὴ ʼκύρει ζῶσʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ
985

ζῇ, πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.

Ἰοκάστη

καὶ μὴν μέγας γʼ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.

Οἰδίπους

μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.

Ἄγγελος

ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθʼ ὕπερ;

Οἰδίπους

Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα.
990

Ἄγγελος

τί δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;

Οἰδίπους

θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.

Ἄγγελος

ἦ ῥητόν; ἢ οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;

Οἰδίπους

καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτ᾽ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι,

εἰ μὴ ᾿κύρει ζῶσ᾽ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δ᾽ ἐπεὶ
985

ζῇ, πᾶσ᾽ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.

Ἰοκάστη

καὶ μὴν μέγας *γ᾿ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.

Οἰδίπους

μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.

Ἄγγελος

ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθ᾽ ὕπερ;

Οἰδίπους

Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα.
990

Ἄγγελος

τί δ᾽ ἔστ᾽ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;

Οἰδίπους

θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.

Ἄγγελος

ἦ ῥητόν; ἢ *οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;

OED

That word would be well spoken, were not she

Alive that gave me birth. But since she lives,
985

Though you speak well, yet have I cause for fear.

JO

Your father’s burial might enlighten you.

OED

It doth. But I am darkened by a life.

COR. SH

Whose being overshadows thee with fear?

OED

Queen Meropè, the consort of your king.
990

COR. SH

What in her life should make your heart afraid?

OED

A heaven-sent oracle of dreadful sound.

COR. SH

May it be told, or must no stranger know?

OED

Indeed it may. Word came from Phoebus once

That I must know my mother’s shame, and shed
995

With these my hands my own true father’s blood.

Wherefore long since my home hath been removed

Far from Corinthos:—not unhappily;

But still ’tis sweet to see a parent’s face.

Oedipus.

Wohl nennt' ich alles richtig, was du eben sprachst,

Wenn nicht die Mutter lebte. Nun, da diese lebt,

Nothwendig muß mir bangen, sprachst du richtig auch.

Jokaste.

Doch ist das Grab des Vaters dir ein helles Licht.
960

Oedipus.

Ich fühl's, ein helles! Doch mich schreckt die Lebende.

Der Bote.

Vor einem Weib, vor welchem bangt euch denn so sehr?

Oedipus.

Vor Merope, der Frau des Polybos, o Greis.

Der Bote.

Was ist es, das von dieser euch in Schrecken sezt?

Oedipus.

Ein grauser Spruch, o Fremdling, den der Gott gesandt.
965

Der Bote.

Darf ihn ein Andrer wissen? Hüllt ihn Schweigen ein?

Der Bote.

Dies also fürchtend, bliebst du fern von jener Stadt?

Jocasta
Scene V. StroijJie I. Antistrophe i. Stro2)he 2. Antistrophe 2. ACT IV.

Sages and rulers of the land, I come

To seek the altars of the gods, and there

Can you instruct me, strangers, which way

lies

The palace of king Oedipus ; himself

I would most gladly see. Can you inform me ?

Chorus

This is the palace ; he is now within ;
990

Thou seest his queen before thee.
990

Shepherd

Ever blest

And happy with the happy mayst thou live !

Joe. Stranger, the same good wish to thee, for well

Thy words deserve it ; but say, wherefore com'st thou,

And what 's thy news ?

Shepherd

To thee, and to thy husband.

Pleasure and joy.

Joe. What pleasure ? And whence art thou ?

Shepherd

From Corinth. To be brief, I bring thee

tidings

Of good and evil.

Joe. Ha ! what mean thy words

Ambiguous ?

Shepherd
(Edi. Scene III. (Edipus, Jocasta, Shepherd, Chorus. (Edi. Who is he ? (Edi. What sayst thou, stranger ? Speak to me — oh!

Why should man fear, since fortune governs all?

Sage forecast sees nought clearly: wisest then

Is he who lives at hazard, as he may.

Fear not thy mother's bed; it is a dream,

Such as hath haunted many: he, who slights

Theseus

walks easiest through the ways of life.

Oedipus

In all these things thy words are wise and just,

But that my mother lives; and while she lives,
985

Though wise thy words, I must perforce have fears.

Jocasta

Clear proof thy father's tomb affords thine eyes.

Oedipus

True; but she lives: my fears are therefore just.
990

Corinthian

What woman this, who thus excites your fears?

Oedipus

Merope, stranger, wife of Polybus.

Corinthian

And what to her relating gives you fear?

Oedipus

An oracle heav'n-sent, of import dread.

Oedipus

All these words of yours would have been well said,

were my mother not alive. But as it is, since she lives, I must necessarily fear, though you do speak well.
985

Iocasta

Your father’s death is a great sign for us to take cheer.

Oedipus

Great, I know. But my fear is of her who lives.

Messenger

And who is the woman about whom you fear?

Oedipus

Merope, old man, the consort of Polybus.
990

Messenger

And what is it in her that moves your fear?

Oedipus

A divine oracle of dread import, stranger.

Messenger

Proper, or improper, for another to know?

Oedipus

Proper, surely. Loxias once said that I was

doomed to marry my own mother, and to shed with my own hands my father’s blood. For which reasons I long shirked my home in Corinth—with a happy outcome, to be sure, but still it is sweet to see the face of one’s parents.
995