Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 1561

mvp-comment-1061-1 L gives μήτ’ ἐπιπόνω ¹ μήτ’ ἐπιβαρυαχεῖ. While this verse is certainly corrupt, the antistrophic verse (1572) seems to afford firmer ground in the words φύλακα παρ’ Ἅιδᾳ . These three words, at least, have every appearance of genuineness; and they tally metrically with ἐπὶ βαρυα—χεῖ . That the latter is Doric for

is confirmed by the fact that the schol. actually uses the latter form in his note; cp. 1663 . Brunck's ἀδάματον (for MS. ) being certain in 1572, the question then is:—How are the words μήτ’ ἐπιπόνω μήτ’ to be so corrected that they shall metrically answer to ἀδάματο—ν ? The absence of the ι subscript agrees with the hypothesis of an original μητ’ ἐπιπόνως . If, with Wecklein, we regard this as having been a gloss on a genuine ἄπονα (adv. neut. pl., 319), and read ἄπονα μηδ’ ἐπὶ βαρυαχεῖ , an exact correspondence is obtained, without further change in the strophe, and without any change in the antistrophe. The sense is also clear.—In the Appendix other views are given.

mvp-comment-1061-2 ἐπὶ βαρυαχεῖ … μόρῳ ²

1561-1564. mvp-comment-830-1 *ἐπιπόνῳ.. δόμον That by no painful, by no greatly to be lamented doom, the stranger may reach the all-hiding nether region, and the Stygian home. 1561. The omission of the first μήτε, which Seidler proposed, restores the metre without disturbing the sense. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 532, Πάρις γάρ, οὔτε συντελὴς πόλις, ἐξεύχεται τὸ δρᾶμα τοῦ πάθους πλέον.

1561-1564. mvp-comment-830-2 βαρυαχεῖ is treated by the Scholiast (see also v. rr.) as the Doric form of βαρυηχεῖ, a word which occurs several times, whereas there is only one doubtful instance, Aesch. Eum. 145, πάθος δυσαχές, of a compound derivative of ἄχος. The chorus, who have been frightened by the thunder, may be supposed to pray that the end of Oedipus may be neither painful nor alarming. In the report of the messenger they are reassured on this very point. Infra 1658, οὐ γάρ τις αὐτὸν οὔτε πυρφόρος θεοῦ | κεραυνὸς ἐξέπραξεν, οὔτε ποντία | θύελλα κινηθεῖσα τῷ τότ᾽ ἐν χρόνῳ. For a similar feeling about εὐθανασία, cp. Plat. Phaedo, 117 Ε, καὶ γὰρ ἀκήκοα, ὅτι ἐν εὐφημίᾳ χρὴ τελευτᾶν. (2) But the metre is in favour of βαρυἄχεῖ, which, to avoid tautology, must be explained to mean causing severe sorrow. By no painful, by no lamentable doom.' Cp. infr. 1663, 4, οὐ στενακτὸς οὐδὲ . . ἀλγεινός. For the redundant ἐπί, see Essay on Language § 19. p. 27.