ἃ δεῖ μʼ ἀθρῆσαι, μηδὲ τήνδε τὴν πόλιν
Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
Table of Contents
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Current edition Experimental
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))
Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.
Editions (1)
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1044-1097 focus
Χορός
εἴην ὅθι δαΐων
ἀνδρῶν τάχʼ ἐπιστροφαὶ
1045
τὸν χαλκοβόαν Ἄρη
μείξουσιν, ἢ πρὸς Πυθίαις
ἢ λαμπάσιν ἀκταῖς,
οὗ πότνιαι σεμνὰ τιθηνοῦνται τέλη
1050
θνατοῖσιν, ὧν καὶ χρυσέα
κλῂς ἐπὶ γλώσσᾳ βέβακε
προσπόλων Εὐμολπιδᾶν·
ἔνθʼ οἶμαι τὸν ἐγρεμάχαν
Θησέα καὶ τὰς διστόλους
1055
ἀδμῆτας ἀδελφὰς
αὐτάρκει τάχʼ ἐμμίξειν βοᾷ
τούσδʼ ἀνὰ χώρους·
εἴην ὅθι δαΐων
ἀνδρῶν τάχʼ ἐπιστροφαὶ
1045
τὸν χαλκοβόαν Ἄρη
μείξουσιν, ἢ πρὸς Πυθίαις
ἢ λαμπάσιν ἀκταῖς,
οὗ πότνιαι σεμνὰ τιθηνοῦνται τέλη
1050
θνατοῖσιν, ὧν καὶ χρυσέα
κλῂς ἐπὶ γλώσσᾳ βέβακε
προσπόλων Εὐμολπιδᾶν·
ἔνθʼ οἶμαι τὸν ἐγρεμάχαν
Θησέα καὶ τὰς διστόλους
1055
ἀδμῆτας ἀδελφὰς
αὐτάρκει τάχʼ ἐμμίξειν βοᾷ
τούσδʼ ἀνὰ χώρους·
Χορός
ἤ που τὸν ἐφεσπέρου
πέτρας νιφάδος πελῶσʼ
1060
Οἰάτιδος εἰς νόμον,
πώλοισιν ἢ ῥιμφαρμάτοις
φεύγοντες ἁμίλλαις.
ἁλώσεται· δεινὸς ὁ προσχώρων Ἄρης,
1065
δεινὰ δὲ Θησειδᾶν ἀκμά.
πᾶς γὰρ ἀστράπτει χαλινός,
πᾶσα δʼ ὁρμᾶται καθεῖσʼ
ἀμπυκτήρια στομίων
ἄμβασις, οἳ τὰν ἱππίαν
1070
τιμῶσιν Ἀθάναν
καὶ τὸν πόντιον γαιάοχον
Ῥέας φίλον υἱόν.
ἤ που τὸν ἐφεσπέρου
πέτρας νιφάδος πελῶσʼ
1060
Οἰάτιδος εἰς νόμον,
πώλοισιν ἢ ῥιμφαρμάτοις
φεύγοντες ἁμίλλαις.
ἁλώσεται· δεινὸς ὁ προσχώρων Ἄρης,
1065
δεινὰ δὲ Θησειδᾶν ἀκμά.
πᾶς γὰρ ἀστράπτει χαλινός,
πᾶσα δʼ ὁρμᾶται καθεῖσʼ
ἀμπυκτήρια στομίων
ἄμβασις, οἳ τὰν ἱππίαν
1070
τιμῶσιν Ἀθάναν
καὶ τὸν πόντιον γαιάοχον
Ῥέας φίλον υἱόν.
Χορός
ἔρδουσʼ ἢ μέλλουσιν; ὡς
προμνᾶταί τί μοι
1075
γνώμα τάχʼ ἀντάσειν
τᾶν δεινὰ τλασᾶν, δεινὰ δʼ εὑρουσᾶν πρὸς αὐθαίμων πάθη.
τελεῖ τελεῖ Ζεύς τι κατʼ ἆμαρ
μάντις εἴμʼ ἐσθλῶν ἀγώνων.
εἴθʼ ἀελλαία ταχύρρωστος πελειὰς
αἰθερίας νεφέλας κύρσαιμʼ ἄνωθʼ ἀγώνων
1080
αἰωρήσασα τοὐμὸν ὄμμα.
ἔρδουσʼ ἢ μέλλουσιν; ὡς
προμνᾶταί τί μοι
1075
γνώμα τάχʼ ἀντάσειν
τᾶν δεινὰ τλασᾶν, δεινὰ δʼ εὑρουσᾶν πρὸς αὐθαίμων πάθη.
τελεῖ τελεῖ Ζεύς τι κατʼ ἆμαρ
μάντις εἴμʼ ἐσθλῶν ἀγώνων.
εἴθʼ ἀελλαία ταχύρρωστος πελειὰς
αἰθερίας νεφέλας κύρσαιμʼ ἄνωθʼ ἀγώνων
1080
αἰωρήσασα τοὐμὸν ὄμμα.
Χορός
ἰὼ θεῶν πάνταρχε, παντ-
1085
όπτα Ζεῦ, πόροις
γᾶς τᾶσδε δαμούχοις
σθένει ʼπινικείῳ τὸν εὔαγρον τελειῶσαι λόχον,
σεμνά τε παῖς Παλλὰς Ἀθάνα.
1090
καὶ τὸν ἀγρευτὰν Ἀπόλλω
καὶ κασιγνήταν πυκνοστίκτων ὀπαδὸν
ὠκυπόδων ἐλάφων στέργω διπλᾶς ἀρωγὰς
μολεῖν γᾷ τᾷδε καὶ πολίταις.
ὦ ξεῖνʼ ἀλῆτα, τῷ σκοπῷ μὲν οὐκ ἐρεῖς
1095
ὡς ψευδόμαντις· τὰς κόρας γὰρ εἰσορῶ
τάσδʼ ἆσσον αὖθις ὧδε προσπολουμένας.
ἰὼ θεῶν πάνταρχε, παντ-
1085
όπτα Ζεῦ, πόροις
γᾶς τᾶσδε δαμούχοις
σθένει ʼπινικείῳ τὸν εὔαγρον τελειῶσαι λόχον,
σεμνά τε παῖς Παλλὰς Ἀθάνα.
1090
καὶ τὸν ἀγρευτὰν Ἀπόλλω
καὶ κασιγνήταν πυκνοστίκτων ὀπαδὸν
ὠκυπόδων ἐλάφων στέργω διπλᾶς ἀρωγὰς
μολεῖν γᾷ τᾷδε καὶ πολίταις.
ὦ ξεῖνʼ ἀλῆτα, τῷ σκοπῷ μὲν οὐκ ἐρεῖς
1095
ὡς ψευδόμαντις· τὰς κόρας γὰρ εἰσορῶ
τάσδʼ ἆσσον αὖθις ὧδε προσπολουμένας.
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1044 focus
Ach, wär' ich, wo bald die Schaar
Der Feinde sich wenden wird,
In ehernem Kampf erglüht,
An Phöbos' Küsten oder am
Gestade der Fackeln,
1045
Dort, wo das ehrwürdige Paar mit hehren Weih'n
1
Die Menschen feiern, denen auch
Frommer Eumolpidenpriester gold'nes Schloß die Zunge hemmt!
Da, weckend die Kampflust,
(Ahn' ich) erhebt um jene zwei
1050
Jungfräulichen Schwestern
Sofort Theseus sein hülfreiches Schwert,
Auf dem Gefild' hier:
Erste Gegenstrophe.
Ach, wär' ich, wo bald die Schaar
Der Feinde sich wenden wird,
In ehernem Kampf erglüht,
An Phöbos' Küsten oder am
Gestade der Fackeln,
1045
Dort, wo das ehrwürdige Paar mit hehren Weih'n
1
Die Menschen feiern, denen auch
Frommer Eumolpidenpriester gold'nes Schloß die Zunge hemmt!
Da, weckend die Kampflust,
(Ahn' ich) erhebt um jene zwei
1050
Jungfräulichen Schwestern
Sofort Theseus sein hülfreiches Schwert,
Auf dem Gefild' hier:
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1044-1095 focus
Chorus
Oh, to be where the enemy, turned to fight,
will soon join in Ares’ clash of bronze, by the shores of Apollo, perhaps, or by that torch-lit beach
1045
where the Great Goddesses maintain awful rites for mortals on whose lips the ministering Eumolpidae have laid the golden seal of silence. There, I think, the war-rousing
1050
Theseus and the two maiden sisters will soon meet within our borders, amid the war-cry of resisting men!
1055
Oh, to be where the enemy, turned to fight,
will soon join in Ares’ clash of bronze, by the shores of Apollo, perhaps, or by that torch-lit beach
1045
where the Great Goddesses maintain awful rites for mortals on whose lips the ministering Eumolpidae have laid the golden seal of silence. There, I think, the war-rousing
1050
Theseus and the two maiden sisters will soon meet within our borders, amid the war-cry of resisting men!
1055
Chorus
Or perhaps they will soon draw near to the pastures on the west of Oea’s snowy rock,
fleeing on young horses or in chariots racing full speed. He will be caught!
1060
Terrible is the neighboring Ares, terrible the might of the followers of Theseus. Yes, the steel of every bridle flashes,
1065
and against their opponents charges forward our whole cavalry, who honor horse-riding Athena, and the earth-girdling Sea-god, the dear son of Rhea.
1070
Or perhaps they will soon draw near to the pastures on the west of Oea’s snowy rock,
fleeing on young horses or in chariots racing full speed. He will be caught!
1060
Terrible is the neighboring Ares, terrible the might of the followers of Theseus. Yes, the steel of every bridle flashes,
1065
and against their opponents charges forward our whole cavalry, who honor horse-riding Athena, and the earth-girdling Sea-god, the dear son of Rhea.
1070
Chorus
Is the battle now or yet to be?
For somehow my mind presages to me that soon I will meet the maidens who have suffered fearfully, who have found fearful suffering at the hands of a kinsman.
Today Zeus will bring something to completion.
1075
I predict noble struggles. Oh, to be a dove with the strength and swiftness of a whirlwind, that I might reach an airy cloud, and hang my gaze above the fight!
1080
Is the battle now or yet to be?
For somehow my mind presages to me that soon I will meet the maidens who have suffered fearfully, who have found fearful suffering at the hands of a kinsman.
Today Zeus will bring something to completion.
1075
Today Zeus will bring something to completion.
I predict noble struggles. Oh, to be a dove with the strength and swiftness of a whirlwind, that I might reach an airy cloud, and hang my gaze above the fight!
1080
Chorus
Hear, all-ruling lord of the gods, all-seeing Zeus! Grant to the guardians of this land to achieve with triumphant might the capture that gives the prize into their hands! And may your daughter grant it too, dread Pallas Athena!
1085
And Apollo, the hunter, and his sister, who follows the spotted, swift-footed deer—I wish that they would come, a double help
1090
to this land and to its people.
1095
Hear, all-ruling lord of the gods, all-seeing Zeus! Grant to the guardians of this land to achieve with triumphant might the capture that gives the prize into their hands! And may your daughter grant it too, dread Pallas Athena!
1085
And Apollo, the hunter, and his sister, who follows the spotted, swift-footed deer—I wish that they would come, a double help
1090
to this land and to its people.
1095
Commentary
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
1026-1077. mvp-comment-551-1 In catching, you are caught; and fortune has taken you as you were pursuing after your prey.' The substitution of δίκη for τύχη is unnecessary and wrong. Fortune is continually regarded as the instrument of the Divine will. Cp. Phil. 1317, τὰς μὲν ἐκ θεῶν | τύχας δοθείσας: Shak. Hamlet, Act 3, Sc. 4. 'Take thy fortune; Thou find'st to be too busy is some danger.'
1032-1033. mvp-comment-556-1 Which things I must look into, and not allow this state to be overpowered by a single man.' Cp. supra 842, 879, 933, and the similar feeling in Ant. 663-664, ὅστις.. τοὐπιτάσσειν τοῖς κρατύνουσιν νοεῖ: 678, κούτοι γυναικὸς οὐδαμῶς ἡσσητέα. These lines may be taken to hint at a suspicion of treachery within the city, to which ἄσκευον may also point. Cр. О. Т. 124-125, πῶς οὖν ὁ ληστής, εἴ τι μὴ ξὺν ἀργύρῳ | ἐπράσσετ᾿ ἐνθένδ᾽, ἐς τόδ' ἂν τόλμης ἔβη; and note; also Ant. 689-694, and esp. Lys. c. Eratosth. p. 128, τοσοῦτον δ᾽ ὑμῶν καταπεπεφρόνηκεν ἢ ἑτέροις πεπίστευκεν, ὧν ἀμφοτέρων ἄξιον ἐπιμεληθῆναι, ἐνθυμουμένοις ὅτι οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἐκεῖνα δύναιντο ποιεῖν μὴ ἑτέρων συμπραττόντων οὔτ᾽ ἂν νῦν ἐπεχείρησαν ἐλθεῖν κ.τ.λ.