Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles. ed. Lewis Campbell. Oxford. 1879.
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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)) — 1447-1496 focus
Χορός
νέα τάδε νεόθεν ἦλθέ μοι
κακὰ βαρύποτμὰ παρʼ ἀλαοῦ ξένου,
εἴ τι μοῖρα μὴ κιγχάνει.
1450
μάταν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀξίωμα δαιμόνων ἔχω φράσαι.
ὁρᾷ ὁρᾷ ταῦτʼ ἀεὶ χρόνος, τρέχων μὲν ἕτερα,
τὰ δὲ παρʼ ἦμαρ αὖθις αὔξων ἄνω.
1455
ἔκτυπεν αἰθήρ, ὦ Ζεῦ.
Οἰδίπους
ὦ τέκνα τέκνα, πῶς ἄν, εἴ τις ἔντοπος,
τὸν πάντʼ ἄριστον δεῦρο Θησέα πόροι;
Ἀντιγόνη
πάτερ, τί δʼ ἐστὶ τἀξίωμʼ ἐφʼ ᾧ καλεῖς;
Οἰδίπους
Διὸς πτερωτὸς ἥδε μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἄξεται
1460
βροντὴ πρὸς Ἅιδην· ἀλλὰ πέμψαθʼ ὡς τάχος.
Χορός
μέγας, ἴδε, μάλʼ ὅδʼ ἐρείπεται
κτύπος ἄφατος διόβολος· ἐς δʼ ἄκραν
δεῖμʼ ὑπῆλθε κρατὸς φόβαν.
1465
ἔπτηξα θυμόν· οὐρανία γὰρ ἀστραπὴ φλέγει πάλιν.
τί μὰν ἀφήσει τέλος; δέδοικα δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἅλιον
ἀφορμᾷ ποτʼ, οὐκ ἄνευ ξυμφορᾶς.
1470
ὦ μέγας αἰθήρ, ὦ Ζεῦ.
Οἰδίπους
ὦ παῖδες, ἥκει τῷδʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ θέσφατος
βίου τελευτὴ κοὐκέτʼ ἔστʼ ἀποστροφή.
Ἀντιγόνη
πῶς οἶσθα; τῷ δὲ τοῦτο συμβαλὼν ἔχεις;
Οἰδίπους
καλῶς κάτοιδʼ· ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστά μοι μολὼν
1475
ἄνακτα χώρας τῆσδέ τις πορευσάτω.
Χορός
ἔα ἔα, ἰδοὺ μάλʼ αὖθις ἀμφίσταται διαπρύσιος ὄτοβος.
ἵλαος, ὦ δαίμων, ἵλαος εἴ τι γᾷ
1480
ματέρι τυγχάνεις ἀφεγγὲς φέρων.
ἐναισίου δὲ σοῦ τύχοιμι, μηδʼ ἄλαστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδὼν
ἀκερδῆ χάριν μετάσχοιμί πως. Ζεῦ ἄνα σοὶ φωνῶ.
Οἰδίπους
ἆρʼ ἐγγὺς ἁνήρ; ἆρʼ ἔτʼ ἐμψύχου, τέκνα,
κιχήσεταί μου καὶ κατορθοῦντος φρένα;
Ἀντιγόνη
τί δʼ ἂν θέλοις τὸ πιστὸν ἐμφῦναι φρενί;
Οἰδίπους
ἀνθʼ ὧν ἔπασχον εὖ, τελεσφόρον χάριν
δοῦναί σφιν, ἥνπερ τυγχάνων ὑπεσχόμην.
1490
Χορός
ἰὼ ἰὼ παῖ, βᾶθι βᾶθʼ, εἴτʼ ἄκρα,
περὶ γύαλʼ ἐναλίῳ Ποσειδωνίῳ θεῷ, τυγχάνεις
βούθυτον ἑστίαν ἁγίζων, ἱκοῦ.
ὁ γὰρ ξένος σε καὶ πόλισμα καὶ φίλους ἐπαξιοῖ
δικαίαν χάριν παρασχεῖν παθών.
1495
σπεῦσον ἄϊσσʼ, ὦναξ.
Translations (2)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1477 focus
Osieh!
Zweite Strophe.
Der Chor.
sich! Wiederum erdröhnt hallend rings
Ein machtvoller Schlag.
Gnädig, o Gott, sei mir gnädig, verhüllst du jezt
1465
In Grau'n düstrer Nacht mein mütterliches Land!
wär' ich unter Keinen stets, und bringe, weil ihn Gräul befleckt,
Der Anblick des Manns mir nie schlimmen Dank!
Zu dir ruf' ich, Zeus!
Ist uns der König nahe?
1470
Mich treffen, Kinder, und
Oedipus.
Wird er lebend noch
mit ungetrübtem Geist?
Antigone.
Und welch Geheimniß willst du denn ihm anvertrau'n?
Oedipus.
Für alle Wohlthat möcht' ich ihm in vollem Maß
Den Dank bezahlen, den ich flehend ihm verhieß.
1
Heran!
1475
Zweite Gegenstrophe.
Der Chor.
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1448-1495 focus
Chorus
Behold, new ills of heavy fate have newly come from the blind stranger,
unless, perhaps, fate is finding its goal. I cannot say that a purpose of the divinities is ever vain. Time sees all things forever, and raises up some things,
1450
then on the next day raises others back up again. The sky resounds! Zeus!
1455
Thunder.
Oedipus
Children, children! If there is any man still here, send him forth to bring back Theseus, excellent in all respects.
Antigone
And what, father, is the purpose of your summons?
Oedipus
This winged thunder of Zeus will soon lead me to Hades. So send someone with speed.
1460
Chorus
Listen! With a louder noise this one crashes down unspeakably,
hurled by Zeus! The hair of my head stands up for fear, my soul is dismayed; for again the lightning flashes in the sky. What end will it release?
1465
I fear it, for never does it fly forth in vain, or without serious results. O great Sky! O Zeus!
1470
Oedipus
Children, the appointed end of life has reached this man; he can turn from it no more.
Antigone
How do you know? By what means do you understand this?
Oedipus
I know it well. But let some one go, I pray you, as quickly as he can, and bring back the lord of this land.
1475
Chorus
Look! Look! Once again the piercing din is around us!
Be merciful, divinity, be merciful, if you are bringing anything of gloom for the land which is our mother! May I find you well disposed, and may I not, because I have cared for a man accursed, somehow obtain a favor without profit!
1480
Lord Zeus, to you I cry!
1485
Oedipus
Is the man near? Will he find me still alive, children, and master of my senses?
Antigone
And what is the pledge that you would like to have firm in your mind?
Oedipus
In return for his benefits,
I would grant him the fulfillment of the favor that I promised.
1490
Chorus
Hurry, my son, come to us! If you chance to be in the glade sacrificing an ox to the sea-god Poseidon,
then come! For the stranger thinks you worthy, you and your city and your friends, to receive just return for benefits. Hasten quickly, lord!
1495
Commentary
Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))
mvp-comment-1016-1 ὦ μέγας αἰθήρ 1
Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus
1471. mvp-comment-783-1 ὦ μέγας αἰθήρ Tremendous power of the sky. Cp. Aj. 173, ὦ μεγάλα φάτις, in a similar expression of awe and dread.