δεινὰ δὲ Θησειδᾶν ἀκμά.
Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
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Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Greek) (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879))
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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)) — 1059 focus
Wenn etwa gen Westen nicht
Zum schneeigen Felsen sie
1055
Aus Dea's Gelände floh'n,
1
Auf Rossen eilend oder leicht
Hinrollenden Wagen.
Man wird sie fah'n! Stark ist der Landbewohner Muth,
2
Und stark der Theseussöhne Kraft.
1060
Denn es blizt ein jeder Zügel, alle Männer, hoch zu Roß
Mit prangendem Stirnschmuck,
Stürmen heran, die, Pallas, dich,
Die reisige Göttin, und
Den Meerherrscher feiern, Nhea's Sohn,
1065
Welcher das Land schirmt.
Zweite Strophe.
Wenn etwa gen Westen nicht
Zum schneeigen Felsen sie
1055
Aus Dea's Gelände floh'n,
1
Auf Rossen eilend oder leicht
Hinrollenden Wagen.
Man wird sie fah'n! Stark ist der Landbewohner Muth,
2
Und stark der Theseussöhne Kraft.
1060
Denn es blizt ein jeder Zügel, alle Männer, hoch zu Roß
Mit prangendem Stirnschmuck,
Stürmen heran, die, Pallas, dich,
Die reisige Göttin, und
Den Meerherrscher feiern, Nhea's Sohn,
1065
Welcher das Land schirmt.
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.'
1065-1066. mvp-comment-573-1 ἁλώσεται.. ἀκμά ‘He' (the enemy, just referred to in φεύγοντες) will be overpowered. Terrible is the valour of our neighbours: terrible also is the youthful might of Theseus men.' For the singular number of ἁλώσεται, cp. Ant. 106, τὸν.. φῶτα βάντα πανσαγίᾳ : and for its absolute use, cp. Aj. 648-649, ἀλλ᾽ ἁλίσκεται | χὼ δεινὸς ὅρκος, κ.τ.λ.
1065-1066. mvp-comment-573-2 προσχώρων, cp. supra 493.
1066. mvp-comment-574-1 Θησειδᾶν The patronymic is used by an anachronism for the youth of Athens, with an allusion to the leadership of Theseus. Cp. Hdt. 1. 125, βασιλέες οἱ Περσείδαι. Of those who were assembled at the sacrifice of Theseus, some would be attendants of Theseus, but others would be gathered from the vicinity of the altar.