Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 415

Lewis Campbell (Translator)

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POLYNICES
What shall I do?
I stand in doubt which first I should lament,
My own misfortune or my father’s woe,
1255
Whom here I find an outcast in his age
With you, my sisters, in the stranger land,
Clothed in such raiment, whose inveterate filth
Horridly clings, wasting his reverend form,
While the grey locks over the eye-reft brow
1260
Wave all unkempt upon the ruffling breeze.
And likewise miserable appears the store
He bears to nourish that time-wasted frame.
Wretch that I am! Too late I learn the truth,
And here give witness to mine own disgrace,
1265
Which is as deep as thy distress. Myself
Declare it. Ask not others of my guilt.
But seeing that Zeus on his almighty throne
Keeps Mercy in all he doth to counsel him,
Thou, too, my father, let her plead with thee!
The evil that is done may yet be healed;
1270
It cannot be augmented. Art thou silent?
O turn not from me, father! Speak but once!
Wilt thou not answer, but with shame dismiss me
Voiceless, nor make known wherefore thou art wroth?
O ye his daughters, one with me in blood,
1275
Say, will not ye endeavour to unlock
The stern lips of our unrelenting sire?
Let him not thus reject in silent scorn
Without response the suppliant of Heaven!

Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles. Lewis Campbell (Translator). London, New York and Toronto. 1906.

Current edition Experimental

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 415 focus
ὥς φασιν οἱ μολόντες εἰς Θήβης πέδον.
415
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 510-548 focus
Translations (3)
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 421 focus
So mag den Zwiespalt, über sie vom Loos verhängt,
Niemals die Gottheit löschen, und bei mir allein
Das Ende ruh'n des Kampfes, der die Brüder theilt,
Die nun mit aufgehob'nem Speer einander droh'n,
Daß weder er, den heute Thron und Scepter schmückt,
420
Fest stehe, noch der Ausgetrieb'ne je zurück
Zur Stadt gelange! Haben sie den Vater doch,
Der aus dem Land so schmählich ausgestoßen ward,
Nicht aufgehalten, nicht geschirmt; ich ward verjagt,
Verbannt mit Heroldsrufen, und sie duldeten's.
425
Man könnte sagen, daß die Stadt in jener Zeit
Mir das mit Recht gewährte, was ich selbst erbat.
In keiner Weise: denn an jenem Tage gleich, 1
Da noch der Unmuth glühte, ja das Liebste mir
Gewesen wäre jäher Tod und Steinigung,
430
Erschien mir Niemand diesen Liebesdienst zu thun.
Doch als die Zeit schon allen Harm besänftiget,
Und ich erkannte, daß der Zorn mir ausgeschweift
Zu Züchtigungen, schwerer noch denn meine Schuld :
Da trieb gewaltsam aus dem Lande mich die Stadt
435
Nach langer Zeit erst, und des Vaters Söhne, die
Dem Vater helfen konnten, sie verweigerten
Die Hülfe, ließen, statt mit kurzem Worte mich
Zu schirmen, mich als Bettler flieh'n in fremdes Land.
Von diesen schwachen Mädchen hier wird Iegliches,
440
Wie's ihr Geschlecht verstattet, Lebensunterhalt,
Ein sichrer Siz und Kindeshülfe mir gewährt.
Die Söhne zogen Thron und Stab dem Vater vor,
Und schalten lieber als die Herrn im Lande dort.
Doch meine Hülfe leih' ich ihnen nimmermehr;
445
Nie soll die Herrschaft über Kadmos' Land für sie
Ein Segen sein: das weiß ich, wenn ich diesen Spruch,
Den du verkündest, Tochter, und das alte Wort
Erwäge, das mir Phöbos einst verkündet hat. 2
Drum mögen sie den Kreon, und wenn Einer sonst
450
Im Land Gewalt hat, senden, um nach mir zu späh'n.
Denn wollet ihr nur, Freunde, samt den Göttinnen,
Den Hehren, die in diesem Lande, walten, mir
Beistand gewähren, dann gewinnt ihr eurer Stadt
Den starken Helfer, meinen Feinden Schmach und Noth.
455
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 415 focus
Theseus
What proof assures thee that thy death is nigh?
1510
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 510-546c focus

Commentary

Commentary (R. C. Jebb) (OCR draft) (Commentary (R. C. Jebb))

mvp-comment-889-1 δράσω 1

mvp-comment-890-1 ἐνθάδ’ ἐκβεβλημένον 2

mvp-comment-891-1 σὺν 3

mvp-comment-891-2 τῆς 4

mvp-comment-891-3 γέρων … πίνος 5

mvp-comment-891-4 συγκατῴκηκεν 6

mvp-comment-892-1 πλευρὰν μαραίνων 7

mvp-comment-892-2 κρατὶ ὀμματοστερεῖ 8

mvp-comment-892-3 ἀκτένιστος 9

mvp-comment-892-4 ᾄσσεται 10

mvp-comment-893-1 ἀδελφὰ … τούτοισιν 11

mvp-comment-893-2 φορεῖ 12

mvp-comment-894-1

"And I testify that I have come to be, have proved myself, most vile in regard to thy maintenance"
:

mvp-comment-894-2 ἥκειν 13

mvp-comment-894-3 τροφ. ταῖς σαῖσιν 14

mvp-comment-894-4 μὴ )ξ ἄλλων 15

mvp-comment-895-1 ἀλλὰ … γὰρ 16

mvp-comment-895-2 Ζηνὶ σύνθακος θρόνων 17

mvp-comment-895-3 Αἰδὼς 18

mvp-comment-895-4 ἐπ’ ἔργοις πᾶσι 19

mvp-comment-895-5 καὶ πρὸς σοί 20

mvp-comment-896-1 τῶν γὰρ ἡμαρτημένων 21

mvp-comment-896-2 προσφορὰ 22

mvp-comment-897-1 τί σιγᾷς 23

mvp-comment-898-1 μή μ’ ἀποστραφῇς 24

mvp-comment-898-2 ἀτιμάσας 25

mvp-comment-899-1 ὦ σπέρματ’ 26

mvp-comment-899-2 ἐμαὶ δ’ 27

mvp-comment-900-1 ἀλλ’ ὑμεῖς γε 28

mvp-comment-901-1 δυσπρόσοιστον 29

mvp-comment-901-2 στόμα 30

mvp-comment-902-1 ὡς μή μ’ ἄτιμον … οὕτως ἀφῇ με 31

mvp-comment-902-2 Elmsley's conjecture

οὕτως ἀφιῇ
, which Hartung adopts, is unmetrical.
ἵημι
has ι^ always in pres. subj. and opt.: Il. 13.234
μεθίῃσι μάχεσθαι
 : Hom. Hymn. 4.152
προίῃ βέλεα στονόεντα
: Theogn. 94
γλῶσσαν ἱῇσι κακήν
: Od. 2.185
ὧδ’ ἀνιείης
. In Aristoph. Lys. 157
τί δ); ἢν ἀφίωσιν ἄνδρες ἡμᾶς, ὦ μέλε
(so the MSS.), Kuster brought in a gratuitous error by writing
ἀφίωσ’
, which Dindorf has adopted. (As Chandler says,
ἀφίωσι
is a false accent for
ἀφιῶσι
. Accent. , 2nd ed. § 794, cp. § 820.) In the pres. indic., imper., inf., and part., ι— is normal, but Homeric verse usually has ι^ in thesis (as when
ἵενται
ends a line); and the part.
ἱείς
(
ι—
in Aristoph. Eq. 522 ) occurs with
ι^
in Trag. ( Aesch. Th. 493 , etc.). Cp. El. 131 n.

mvp-comment-902-3 ἀφῆται 32

mvp-comment-902-4 τοῦ θεοῦ γε 33

mvp-comment-902-5 προστάτην 34

mvp-comment-902-6 οὕτως 35

Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) (Commentary (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) focus

1254. mvp-comment-667-1 Cp. the first words of Ismene, 11. 324-326.

1255. mvp-comment-668-1 τὰ τοῦδ᾽ ὁρῶν τά is in the same construction with κακά, governed by δακρύσω: but is also governed by ὁρῶν, which is added epexegetically. 1258, foll. In such raiment, whose hateful soilure hath grown old and settled on his aged frame, withering his side.' The conjectural emendation πίνος, which is due to Scaliger, agrees admirably with the context as well as with l. 1597, and the MS. reading is here indefensible.

1260. mvp-comment-669-1 The rhythm here curiously resembles that of supr. 314. 5.

1260. mvp-comment-669-2 κρατί is a locative dative, and ὀμματοστερής has a passive meaning.

1261. mvp-comment-670-1 ᾄσσεται The middle or passive form is used as in the Homeric expression ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται | ὤμοις ἀΐσσονται, ΙΙ. 6.510. 1263-1264. 'And of a piece with these miseries, as it would seem. is the provision for the poor belly's nourishment which he carries with him.' The word φορεῖ, taken in connection with the preceding context, shows that the remark of Polynices refers to the appearance of the scrip or wallet in which Oedipus, like the Telephus of Euripides, carried the scanted gifts which he received. (1. 3.)

1265-1266. mvp-comment-671-1 And I declare that thy neglected condition proves me basest of Ask not others about me. For the correction, cp. El. 1225, μηκέτ᾽ ἄλλοθεν πύθῃ. The confusion of µ and λλ would easily occur with μὴ ἐξ ἄλλων following. For the meaning of ἥκειν, see Essay on Language § 52. p. 97; and for the dative τροφαῖς, ib. § 14. p. 21 (2).

1267. mvp-comment-672-1 But seeing that even Zeus has Mercy at his side in all his counsels, let her have place also by thee, O my father.'

1269-1270. mvp-comment-673-1 For while it is possible to remedy the errors that have been committed, to add to them is now impossible; i.e. We can restore you to some comforts, but you cannot be made more miserable. For the expression, cp. Aesch. Eum. 645, πέδας μὲν ἂν λύσειεν, ἔστι τοῦδ᾽ ἄκος.

1269-1270. mvp-comment-673-2 μέν ἐστι .. οὐκ ἔστ' This accentuation was retained by Elmsley from previous editions. The stress in the first clause is on ἄκη, in the second on οὐκ ἔστι.

1271. mvp-comment-674-1 The interrupted verse marks the solemn pause in which Polynices waits for his father to break silence.

1274. mvp-comment-675-1 ἃ μηνίεις Ε. on L. § 17. p. 25.

1277. mvp-comment-676-1 To unlock our father's lips, that will not speak nor be spoken to.' δυσπρόσοιστον = χαλεπὸν προσφέρεσθαι.

1277. mvp-comment-676-2 ἀπροσήγορον has rather a reciprocal than either an active or a passive meaning. Cp. Phil. 1353, τῷ προσήγορος; Eur. Alc. 195, ὃν οὐ προσείπε καὶ προσερρήθη πάλιν. Cp. supr. 1141 and note. For κινεῖν = ‘Τo excite to speech,' cp. Plat. Rep. 329 D, βουλόμενος ἔτι λέγειν αὐτὸν ἐκίνουν.

1279. mvp-comment-677-1 οὕτως *ἀφῇ γε The second με was rightly rejected by Turnebus. The second γε, on the other hand, gives an intelligible emphasis to οὕτως, which is further explained by μηδέν.. ἔπος. 1280 ff. The wisdom of this counsel is in keeping with the tact, beyond her years, which Antigone herself elsewhere displays.