263.
mvp-comment-149-1
κάμοιγε.. ἐστίν ;
Ay, and of all this what do I find? Hermann would continue the force of eἰ: 'since Athens has this reputation which in my case proves vain. But the sentence is too long to be so compact. For καί, cp. infr. 606, El. 883, καὶ τίνος, κ.τ.λ.; and for ποῦ, 8,9. Schol. καὶ ὁ Κυρηναῖος· οὕνεκεν οἰκτείρειν οἶδε μόνη πολέων· ἐν τῷ β΄ τῶν αἰτιῶν. See on O. T. 355: Essay on Language § 24. p. 41.
263.
mvp-comment-149-2
οἵτινες βάθρων (1)
When ye, after lifting me up from this resting-place, then drive me away from it. For the want of antecedent in a passage expressing strong feeling (οἵτινες = εἰ ὑμεῖς), see Essay on Language p. 72. The sacredness of the ground was a reason for protecting the suppliant who was found there. L. 276 shows that ἐξάραντες refers not with ἐλαύνετε to 226, but to 149-196. Those who removed a suppliant from the hearth, altar, or other consecrated place, were bound to succour him. Cp. O. T. 142, where the king is acceding to the prayer of the petitioners, ὑμεῖς μὲν βάθρων | ἵστασθε, τούσδ᾽ ἄραντες ἱκτῆρας κλάδους. Otherwise (2), if βάθρων is taken strictly of the seat, called ἕδρανα, supr. 176, Who after removing me' (from the sacred ground)
then drive me from this resting-place, or (3),
Who remove and drive me from this resting-place. For the plural βάθρων in the more general sense, cp. Eur. Erechth. fr. 362,
l. 47
.
266.
mvp-comment-150-1
For my actions have indeed been sufferings and not actions.' See Essay on Language § 30. p. 51. The words of Lear (3. 2) have often been compared,
I am a man | More sinned against than sinning. What
268.
mvp-comment-151-1
εἰ . . χρείη
Were it fitting. Cp. Τr. 749, εἰ χρὴ μαθεῖν σε. Oedipus here shrinks from saying, he 265 270
268.
mvp-comment-151-2
χρείη χρεῖ' ἡι L. (ει from η). utters afterwards under pressure from the chorus (521 ff.), and under provocation from Creon (985 ff.).
269.
mvp-comment-152-1
τοῦτο Sc. ὅτι διὰ ταῦτα ἐκφοβεῖ με.
270.
mvp-comment-153-1
φύσιν has a strong emphasis.
Whatever my actions may have been, my nature was surely not wicked; cp. Αj. 472, μή τοι φύσιν γ᾽ ἄσπλαγχνος ἐκ κείνου γεγώς, i. e. That I was not really a coward, though the award of the arms to Ulysses proclaimed me such.
271.
mvp-comment-154-1
φρονῶν i. e.
With clear knowledge. See on O. T. 316.
Seeing that first of all I was returning a wrong, so that even had I done it knowingly, I should not have been guilty. But as it was, I went all unwittingly on my path of woe, whereas those who planned my destruction knew well what they were doing. The imperfect tense in ἀπωλλύμην expresses an intention not carried into effect (as in διδόναι, κτείνειν, etc.). Cp. Thuc. 3. 57, οἵτινες Μήδων τε κρατησάντων ἀπωλλύμεθα. The words παθών .. ἀντέδρων refer to the parricide: but it is doubtful whether παθών means simply
in self defence, or contains an allusion to his father's act in preparing the destruction of his infant. Similarly it is doubtful whether l. 274 applies to Creon and his sons, or again to his parents. There may seem to be a certain harshness in supposing Oedipus to speak thus of Laius, and the tone of 521 ff., 985 ff. is certainly different. Yet this is the most obvious interpretation of the present passage, and receives some confirmation from O. Τ. 718-719, 1454, ἵν' ἐξ ἐκείνων, οἵ μ᾿ ἀπωλλύτην, θάνω. The peace of Oedipus does not include forgiveness of those who have wronged him; nor is it imagined that the natural relations so broken can be restored. See Introduction, p. 279.
276.
mvp-comment-155-1
The raising of the suppliant implied a promise of protection. Cp 284.
278.
mvp-comment-156-1
Do not while you think to honour the Gods, in reality dishonour them,' i.e. by driving out the suppliant. Some editors have attempted, reading μοῖραν, as in the early recension, or μοίpas, which is found in two MSS, to render, Do not, while ye honour the Gods suppose them to be fates' (or 'a fate'). By no means,' etc. But this sharp distinction between God and Fate belongs to a much later age. Sophocles would no more have spoken irreverently of the μοίραι than of the other deities. And the interpretation has no meaning that is relevant to the context. For how would the rejection of Oedipus imply that the Gods were blind fates? Was it not rather based on a misinterpretation of their will? The conjectures μαυρούς (Nauck), μείους (Martin) are not more satisfactory. The best hitherto is Schndw.'s μοίρᾳ ἐμποιεῖσθε. With regard to the reading of the text, which has strong MS. authority, it may be noticed; (1) that there is no difference of meaning between μοίραις and μοίρᾳ, if this is supposed equivalent το ἐν μοίρᾳ. This poetical al dative plural occurs in Plat. Legg. 923 Β, τὸ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου κατατιθεὶς ἐν μοίραις ἐλάττοσι δικαίως. (2) Next, that the omission of ev, or the substitution of the instrumental dative (Essay on Language § 14 p. 20) is supported by the similar use of τιμαῖς (r mg. C²*. 275 280 278. μοί- = ἐν τιμῇ ἀγόμενος, in Ο. Τ. 909, κούδαμοῦ τιμαῖς Ἀπόλλων ἐμφανής. See note in loco. (3) This explanation of μοίραις requires μηδαμῶς to be taken separately from μή, and to have the force of an independent negative. This is very unusual, but may be defended, a. by the consideration that μή negatives the sentence as a whole, and a subordinate negative is therefore more easily admissible; b. that μηδαμῶς may be taken closely with μοίραις after ποιεῖσθε = ὥστε μηδαμῶς ἐν μοίραις εἶναι. c. In Plat. Legg. 11, 913 A, there is a parallel instance in a participial clause, μηδ' αὖ κινήσειε μηδὲ τὸ βραχύτατον ἐμὲ μηδαμῇ μηδαμῶς πείθων.
Nor again let him move anything, however small, without any sort of consent from me. And in El. 336, καὶ μὴ δοκεῖν μὲν δρᾶν τι, πημαίνειν δὲ μή, although the force of μή is continued in the latter part of the line, the second μή has an independent force. Cp. also Eur Erechth. fr. 362. 1. 46, οὐδ᾽ ἀντ᾿ ἐλάας χρυσέας τε Γοργόνος | τρίαιναν ὀρθὴν στᾶσαν ἐν πόλεως βάθροις | Εύμολπος οὐδὲ Θρᾶξ ἀναστέψει λεὼς | στεφάνοισι, Παλλὰς δ᾽ οὐδαμοῦ τιμήσεται. The antithesis between the literal observance of the local sanctities and the higher obligations of justice and mercy is the point of this part of the play. Cp. Phil. 451. 2, ποῦ χρὴ τίθεσθαι ταῦτα, ποῦ δ᾽ αἰνεῖν, ὅταν | τὰ θεῖ᾽ ἐπαινῶν, τοὺς θεοὺς εὕρω κακούς; Ant. 924, τὴν δυσσέβειαν εὐσεβοῦσ᾽ ἐκτησάμην, for similar contrasts of expression. The use of μοῖρα for τιμή is in keeping with the language of the play. See Introduction, p. 270.
281.
mvp-comment-157-1
φωτὸς ἀνοσίου βροτῶν Cp. Aj. 1358, τοιοίδε μέντοι φῶτες ἔμπληκτοι βροτῶν : Οd. 17. 587, οὐ γάρ που τινες ὧδε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων | ἀνέρες ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται: 23. 187, ἀνδρῶν δ᾽ οὐ κέν τις ζωὸς βροτός. Essay on Language $ 40. p. 75-
282.
mvp-comment-158-1
ξὺν οἷς i. e. (1) ξὺν τοῖς θεοῖς. These words properly belong to ῥύου με κάκφύλασσε, but are also joined with the prohibitive sentence that is interposed. Cp. Od. 1. 74, 5, ἐκ τοῦ δὴ Ὀδυσῆα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων | οὔτι κατακτείνει, πλάζει δ᾽ ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης. ξὺν ols has also been taken (2) as referring to the nearest words, φωτὸς ἀνοσίου βροτῶν. But it is better to refer it to the principal word in the previous sentence. Both interpretations are acknowledged in the Scholia.
282.
mvp-comment-158-2
κάλυπτε
Cloud with disgrace. Cp. Pind. Nem. 10. 40, Ἄργεϊ μὴ κρύπτειν φάος ὀμμάτων : Aesch. Pers. 536, ἄστυ τὸ Σούσων ἠδ' Ἀγβατάνων πένθει δνοφερῷ κατέκρυψας : also the metaphorical use οἱ ἀφανίζειν. The abruptness of the expression is softened by the explanatory clause, esp. the dative ἔργοις, i. e.
Do not obscure the brightness of Athens by the impious deeds to which you minister.
284.
mvp-comment-159-1
But as you have received your suppliant under a pledge.' ἐχέγγυος generally means
able to give a pledge, and so
trustworthy. But for the passive use of a word generally active, see Essay on Language p. 99; and cp. σωτήριον,
l. 487
;
284.
mvp-comment-159-2
πιστωθείς,
l. 1039
.
285.
mvp-comment-160-1
ἐκφύλασσε
Guard me to the end.
286.
mvp-comment-161-1
δυσπρόσοπτον
Unsightly.
288-289.
mvp-comment-162-1
ὁ κύριος τις
Your sovereign, whoever he is. For the combination of definite and indefinite, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 36; and cp. O. T. 107, τοὺς αὐτοέντας. τινάς. Oedipus has heard the name of Theseus, supr. 69, but he speaks cautiously, as if he depended on the chorus for information. For the courteous form of expression, cp. Pind. Pyth. 4. 230, βασιλεύς, | ὅστις ἄρχει ναός.
290-291.
mvp-comment-163-1
τὰ δὲ | μεταξύ τούτου 'In your actions between that moment and this; i e. Meanwhile.
293-294.
mvp-comment-164-1
λόγοισι γὰρ οὐκ ὠνόμασται βραχέσι]
They are expressed in no light terms. The more literal meaning,
in brief words, does not suit with ταρβεῖν. Why should a lengthy speech produce more awe than a shorter one? On the other hand, the meaning
slight,
insignificant, is supported by Plat. Legg. 692 C, ὡς ὄντων ἡμῶν βραχέος ἀξίων: Thuc. 1. 14, βραχέα ἐκέκτηντο: ib. 8. 76, βραχὺ . . καὶ ουδενὸς ἄξιον.
294-295.
mvp-comment-165-1
τοὺς δὲ τῆσδε γῆς ἄνακτας] Plural for singular. Essay on Language § 20. p. 30. δέ opposes the middle course of waiting for Theseus, to the immediate reception of Oedipus.
297.
mvp-comment-166-1
πατρῷον ἄστυ γῆς 'The citadel of the land, which was his father's.' The words designate the ancient πόλις, in the immediate neighbourhood of the Acropolis towards the south. Thuc. 2.15.
297-298.
mvp-comment-167-1
σκοπός .. ὃς κἀμὲ δεῦρ᾽ ἔπεμπεν]
The informant, who brought me hither. The Eévos is thus described, because he has seen Oedipus and will give Theseus true information. Schol. εὖ τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ, ὥστε μὴ διατριβάς γενέσθαι, τίς ὁ καλέσων ἔσται;
300.
mvp-comment-168-1
*αὐτὸν ὥστ᾽ ἐλθεῖν αὐτόν, conjectured independently by Porson and Elmsley. It is doubted whether the pronoun is unemphatic and subject of έξειν, or emphatic (= 'in person') and subject of ἐλθεῖν. The latter suits better with the preceding speech, and with the feeling of Oedipus. As the Schol. observes, the Ξένος had not heard the name of Oedipus. But for dramatic purposes it is assumed that things told upon the stage become immediately more widely known. Cp. О. Т. 151, Aj. 148 ff. Triclinius read κἀπόνως, which is metrically unobjectionable, but it gives a poor meaning, and the aorist is harsh with έξειν preceding. Those who are not satisfied with Porson's emendations may prefer ὥστ᾽ ἀπόντ᾽ ἐλθεῖν πέλας; See Essay on Language § 32. p. 54, 2. 301 τοὔνομ᾽ αἴσθηται] αἴσθηται = ἀκούσῃ, hence the accus. The whole object is perceived, and not a part only.
303.
mvp-comment-169-1
μακρὰ κέλευθος Cp. 165, πολλὰ κέλευθος ἐρατύει. See Introd. p. 275, supr. 15.
303.
mvp-comment-169-2
πολλά Adverbial.
305.
mvp-comment-170-1
πολύ Supplementary predicate, with the meaning
celeber,
much spoken of. Cp. Aesch. S. c. Τ. 6, πολὺς κατὰ πτόλιν ὑμνοῖθ᾽ ὑπ᾿ ἀστῶν: Hdt. 1. 98, ὁ Δηϊόκης ἦν πολλὸς.. αἰνεόμενος. Thy name in frequent repetition hath reached all men.'
306-307.
mvp-comment-171-1
κεί βραδύς εὕδει
Even though he be slow and slumbering. For the use of the adjective, see Essay on Language § 23. p. 38. 2; and cp. Aj. 47, δόλιος ὁρμᾶται. It is here slightly proleptic, i. e. εὕδει ὥστε βραδὺς εἶναι. The form of the expression is influenced by the antithesis of ταχύς. For the thought, cp. Ο. Τ. 65, ὥστ᾽ οὐχ ὕπνῳ γ' εὕδοντά μ' ἐξεγείρετε. εύδει, though added by an afterthought, has the chief emphasis. The conjectures ἕρπει, σπεύδει, are both in different ways injurious to the sense. The expression is hyperbolical, or figurative as in Eur. Suppl. 1147. For κλύων σοῦ, SC. ἀγγελίαν, cp. Ant. 1182, κλύουσα παιδός.
308.
mvp-comment-172-1
Well, may he come, and in his coming be blest unto his own city as well as to me; for what good man is not a friend unto himself?' i.e. Who does not befriend himself in doing good? For the active meaning of φίλος (Sch.
308.
mvp-comment-172-2
ἀντὶ τοῦ χρήσιμος), cp. Aj. 1359, Ant. 99, Phil. 1385, σοί που φίλος γ᾽ ὧν χώ λόγος τοιόσδε μου : Pind. Ol. 2. 103, φίλοις.. εὐεργέταν πραπίσιν : Aesch. Cho. 1051, φίλτατ᾿ ἀνθρώπων πατρί. For αὑτῷ, referring to αὑτοῦ, the more remote antecedent, and for the emphasis on αὑτοῦ, see Essay on Language § 41. p. 78. Cp. esp. Εl. 251, καὶ τὸ σὸν σπεύδουσ᾽ ἅμα καὶ τοὐμὸν αὐτῆς ἦλθον, and for the sense, infra 1505-1506, καί σοι θεῶν | τύχην τις ἐσθλὴν *ἧκε τῆσδε τῆς ὁδοῦ: 635, γῇ τῇδε κἀμοὶ δασμὸν οὐ σμικρὸν τίνει: 1124-1125, θεοὶ ποιοῖεν ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω | αὐτῷ τε καὶ γῇ τῇδ᾽: Hom. Il. 13.732-734, ἄλλῳ δ᾽ ἐν στήθεσσι τιθεῖ νόον εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς | ἐσθλόν, τοῦ δὲ τε πολλοὶ ἐπαυρίσκοντ᾽ ἄνθρωποι, | καί τε πολέας ἐσάωσε, μάλιστα δέ κ᾿ αὐτὸς ἀνέγνω : infra 1518-1519, ἐγὼ διδάξω, τέκνον Αἰγέως, ἅ σοι | γήρως ἄλυπα τῇδε κείσεται πόλει. According to another interpretation, the words are added in excuse for ἐμοί τε, =
Who is not dear to himself? (Schndw.. Nauck.) But (1) this requires the conjectural correction ἔσθ' ὅς (for ἐσθλός is then too absurd); and (2) the reflection is unsuitable to the context and to the general feeling of the play. Where a similar proverb occurs elsewhere in Sophocles, it is either the maxim of a schemer like Ulysses, or implies blame (Aj. 1366, ἦ πάνθ' ὅμοια πᾶς ἀνὴρ αὑτῷ πονεῖ). 310 ff. The coming of Ismene prepares the way for what follows by giving a forecast of the attempt of Creon and of the fruitless visit of Polynices. It also diverts attention from Theseus, whose arrival at Colonus from the Acropolis (a distance familiar to the spectators) would be less probable and also less impressive if he came too suddenly.
310.
mvp-comment-173-1
ποῖ φρενῶν ἔλθω For the genitive, see Essay on Language § 10. p. 16. The broken lines mark (1) the disturbance of feeling caused by the surprise of Ismene's coming, and (2) the suspense of uncertainty. Cp. О. Т. 1468, 1471, 1475, and notes.
312-314.
mvp-comment-174-1
Αἰτναίας .. Θεσσαλίς The epithets (see Scholia) are picturesque, and also call attention to the condition of Ismene, who having still a home at Thebes is well clothed and mounted, whereas Antigone is barefoot and sunburnt, infr. 348-349. The particular meaning of Αίτναία πῶλος and Θεσσαλὶς κυνῆ is of course uncertain, except that the one implies a horse of a fine breed and the other denotes a comfortable and shady riding-hat.
313.
mvp-comment-175-1
βεβῶσαν Essay on Language p. 97.
313.
mvp-comment-175-2
κρατὶ δ᾽ ἡλιοστερής The implied use of στέρομαι =
to avert,
keep away, may be paralleled from Aesch. Supp. 1063, Ζεὺς ἄναξ ἀποστεροίη γάμον δυσάνορα δάϊον. Essay on Language p. 98. Hence the substitution of ἡλιοσκεπής, or ἡλιοστεγής, which, equally with this, would be ἅπαξ λεγόμενα, is unnecessary. The use of the word is more natural if κρατί is dative of reference, than when κρατί is taken separately as a locative dative, though both constructions may be thought of; i.e.
And on her head to screen it from the sun. Cp.
her sun-expelling mask.
Shak. G. of V. 4, 2.
315.
mvp-comment-176-1
τί φῶ; The uncertainty of Antigone continues until Ismene is dismounted and advances towards them. The single iambus is very unusual.
316.
mvp-comment-177-1
ἢ γνώμη πλανᾷ
Or does my judgment deceive me?
