Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 1737cont2

mvp-comment-1172-1 φεῦ, φεῦ ¹

mvp-comment-1173-1 ἐλπίδων γὰρ ἐς τίν’ ²

mvp-comment-1173-2 ἐλπίδων ³

mvp-comment-1175-1 νέμεσις γάρ ⁴

1747. mvp-comment-930-1 The words ναὶ . . φεῦ in the MSS. here, see v. rr., have nothing to correspond to them in the strophe. Dind. justly supposes them to have arisen from the corruption of AN. al ai into ΑΝ. ναὶ νvaí, and subsequent interpolations.

1748. mvp-comment-931-1 ποῖ μόλωμεν Schndw. ingeniously conj. ποι μένωμεν (μενοῦμεν?), comparing El. 958, ποὶ γὰρ μενεῖς ῥάθυμος, εἰς τίν᾿ ἐλπίδων | βλέψασ᾽ ἔτ᾿ ὀρθὴν; But ποῖ μόλωμεν agrees better with the tone of 1749-1750, which is rather one of distraction than of impatience.

1749. mvp-comment-932-1 ἐλπίδων.. *τίν' Cp. El. 958-959, quoted in the preceding note. 1751 ff. These three anapaestic lines make the transition from the commos to the exodos, which begins with the return of Theseus, and consists of four anapaestic systems, 1754-1758, 1759-1767, 1768-1775, and 1776-1778. The anapaests are of the freer kind; see esp. 1577-1578, 1760, 1771, 1776. Theseus and his Athenian attendants are now seen approaching, and their coming suggests to the chorus a new reason why the lament of the maidens should cease.

1751. mvp-comment-933-1 The genitive θρήνων is the harder reading, and the absolute use of the imperative is more forcible. Cp. Phil. 1275, παθε, μὴ λέξῃς πέρα.

1751. mvp-comment-933-2 ἐν οἷς γὰρ .. χρή] (1) • For it is wrong to make lamentation amongst those for whom the favour of the dead is laid up in store as a public benefit. That may well provoke their anger.' ἐν οἷς = ἐν τούτοις, οἷς; i. e. the blessing which Oedipus has left for the Athenians is not to be disturbed by violent mourning in their presence. For ξυνά, cp. Pind. Isthm. 8.46, φαντὶ γὰρ ξυν᾿ ἀλέγειν | καὶ γάμον Θέτιος ἄνακτε. Or (2), the meaning may be more general. It is wrong and provocative of Wrath to continue mourning in a case where the favour of the powers beneath rests with the dead. For ξυνά, sc. τῷ θανόντι, cp. Αj. 577, τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα τεύχη κοίν᾿ ἐμοὶ τεθάψεται. And, for ἐν οἷς, Εl. 141-142, ἀεὶ στενάχουσα διόλλυσαι, | ἐν οἷς ἀνάλυσίς ἐστιν οὐδεμία κακῶν. For the sentiment, cp. supr. 1556 ff., 1663 ff. But the former explanation (1) is more pointed in connection with the approach of Theseus and his train. Cp. supr. 633.