Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, Richard Jebb (Translator), 1579

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Messenger

Citizens, my news might be summed up most briefly thus: Oedipus is dead.

But the story of the happening cannot be told in brief words, as the deeds done there were not brief.
1580

Chorus

Is he gone, the unfortunate man?

Messenger

You may be sure that he has left this life.

Chorus

How? By a fate divine and painless, the poor man?
1585

Messenger

In that you touch upon what is indeed worthy of wonder. How he departed from here, you yourself must know since you were here: with no one of his friends as guide, but rather with himself leading the way for us all.

When he had come to the Descending Way, which is bound by steps of bronze to earth’s deep roots, he paused at one of the many branching paths near the basin in the rock, where the faithful covenant of Theseus and Peirithous has its memorial.
1590

He stood midway between that basin and the Leaping stone, and between the hollow pear-tree and the marble tomb; then he sat down and loosened his filthy clothing.
And then he called his daughters, and asked them to bring water from some flowing source, so that he might wash and make a drink-offering.
1595

They went to the hill which was in view, the hill of Demeter who guards the tender plants, and in a short time brought what their father had commanded. Then they washed him and dressed him, as is the custom.
But when all his desire was fulfilled,
1600

and nothing that he required was still undone, then Zeus of the Underworld sent forth his thunder, and the maidens shuddered as they heard. They fell weeping at their father’s knees, and did not cease from beating their breast, and from wailing loud.
1605

When he heard their sudden bitter cry, he put his arms around them and said: My children, on this day your father no longer exists. Now I have perished utterly, and no longer will you bear the burden of tending me,
1610

which was no light one, I well know, my children. Yet just one word turns all those toils to nothing: you have been treated as friends by no one more than by this man; and now you will have me with you no longer, through all your days to come.
1615

Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles. Richard Jebb (Translator). Cambridge. 1889.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Oedipus at Colonus (English) (Sophocles the plays and fragments, Part 2: The Oedipus at Colonus. Jebb, Richard Claverhouse, Sir, translator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1889. (Modernized by Perseus.))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 1579 focus

ἄνδρες πολῖται, ξυντομωτάτως μὲν ἂν

τύχοιμι λέξας Οἰδίπουν ὀλωλότα·
1580

ἃ δʼ ἦν τὰ πραχθέντʼ οὔθʼ ὁ μῦθος ἐν βραχεῖ

φράσαι πάρεστιν οὔτε τἄργʼ ὅσʼ ἦν ἐκεῖ.

Χορός

ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος

ὡς λελοιπότα

κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός

πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ;
1585

Ἄγγελος

τοῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἤδη κἀποθαυμάσαι πρέπον.

ὡς μὲν γὰρ ἐνθένδʼ εἷρπε, καὶ σύ που παρὼν

ἔξοισθʼ, ὑφηγητῆρος οὐδενὸς φίλων,

ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἡμῖν πᾶσιν ἐξηγούμενος·

ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀφῖκτο τὸν καταρράκτην ὀδὸν
1590

χαλκοῖς βάθροισι γῆθεν ἐρριζωμένον,

ἔστη κελεύθων ἐν πολυσχίστων μιᾷ,

κοίλου πέλας κρατῆρος, οὗ τὰ Θησέως

Περίθου τε κεῖται πίστʼ ἀεὶ ξυνθήματα·

ἀφʼ οὗ μέσος στὰς τοῦ τε Θορικίου πέτρου,
1595

κοίλης τʼ ἀχέρδου κἀπὸ λαΐνου τάφου,

καθέζετʼ· εἶτʼ ἔλυσε δυσπινεῖς στολάς.

κἄπειτʼ ἀΰσας παῖδας ἠνώγει ῥυτῶν

ὑδάτων ἐνεγκεῖν λουτρὰ καὶ χοάς ποθεν·

τὼ δʼ εὐχλόου Δήμητρος εἰς προσόψιον
1600

πάγον μολοῦσαι τάσδʼ ἐπιστολὰς πατρὶ

ταχεῖ πόρευσαν σὺν χρόνῳ, λουτροῖς τέ νιν

ἐσθῆτί τʼ ἐξήσκησαν, ᾗ νομίζεται.

ἐπεὶ δὲ παντὸς εἶχε δρῶντος ἡδονὴν

[116 a.

κοὐκ ἦν ἔτʼ οὐδὲν ἀργὸν ὧν ἐφίετο,
1605

κτύπησε μὲν Ζεὺς χθόνιος, αἱ δὲ παρθένοι

ῥίγησαν, ὡς ἤκουσαν· ἐς δὲ γούνατα

πατρὸς πεσοῦσαι κλαῖον, οὐδʼ ἀνίεσαν

στέρνων ἀραγμοὺς οὐδὲ παμμήκεις γόους.

ὁ δʼ ὡς ἀκούει φθόγγον ἐξαίφνης πικρόν,
1610

πτύξας ἐπʼ αὐταῖς χεῖρας εἶπεν, ὦ τέκνα,

οὐκ ἔστʼ ἔθʼ ὑμῖν τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πατήρ.

ὄλωλε γὰρ δὴ πάντα τἀμά, κοὐκέτι

τὴν δυσπόνητον ἕξετʼ ἀμφʼ ἐμοὶ τροφήν·

σκληρὰν μέν, οἶδα, παῖδες· ἀλλʼ ἓν γὰρ μόνον
1615

τὰ πάντα λύει ταῦτʼ ἔπος μοχθήματα.

τὸ γὰρ φιλεῖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξ ὅτου πλέον

ἢ τοῦδε τἀνδρὸς ἔσχεθʼ, οὗ τητώμεναι

τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη τὸν βίον διάξετον.

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1579 focus

Ἄγγελος

ἄνδρες πολῖται, ξυντομωτάτως, μὲν ἂν

τύχοιμι λέξας Οἰδίπουν ὀλωλότα·
1580

ἃ δʼ ἦν τὰ πραχθέντʼ, οὔθʼ ὁ μῦθος ἐν βραχεῖ

φράσαι πάρεστιν οὔτε τἄργʼ ὅσʼ ἦν ἐκεῖ.

Χορός

ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος

ὡς λελοιπότα

κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός

πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ;
1585

Ἄγγελος

ταῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἤδη κἀποθαυμάσαι πρέπον.

ὡς μὲν γὰρ ἐνθένδʼ εἷρπε, καὶ σύ που παρὼν

ἔξοισθʼ, ὑφηγητῆρος οὐδενὸς φίλων,

ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἡμῖν πᾶσιν ἐξηγούμενος.

ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀφῖκτο τὸν καταρράκτην ὀδὸν
1590

χαλκοῖς βάθροισι γῆθεν ἐρριζωμένον,

ἔστη κελεύθων ἐν πολυσχίστων μιᾷ,

κοίλου πέλας κρατῆρος, οὗ τὰ Θησέως

Περίθου τε κεῖται πίστʼ ἀεὶ ξυνθήματα.

ἀφʼ οὗ μέσος στὰς τοῦ τε Θορικίου πέτρου
1595

κοίλης τʼ ἀχέρδου κἀπὸ λαΐνου τάφου,

καθέζετʼ· εἶτʼ ἔλυσε δυσπινεῖς στολάς.

κἄπειτʼ ἀΰσας παῖδας ἠνώγει ῥυτῶν

ὑδάτων ἐνεγκεῖν λουτρὰ καὶ χοάς ποθεν·

τὼ δʼ εὐχλόου Δήμητρος εἰς προσόψιον
1600

πάγον μολοῦσαι τάσδʼ ἐπιστολὰς πατρὶ

ταχεῖ ʼπόρευσαν σῦν χρόνῳ, λουτροῖς τέ νιν

ἐσθῆτί τʼ ἐξήσκησαν ᾗ νομίζεται.

ἐπεὶ δὲ παντὸς εἶχε δρῶντος ἡδονὴν

κοὐκ ἦν ἔτʼ οὐδὲν ἀργὸν ὧν ἐφίετο,
1605

κτύπησε μὲν Ζεὺς χθόνιος αἱ δὲ παρθένοι

ῥίγησαν, ὡς ἤκουσαν· ἐς δὲ γούνατα

πατρὸς πεσοῦσαι ʼκλαιον οὐδʼ ἀνίεσαν

στέρνων ἀραγμοὺς οὐδὲ παμμήκεις γόους.

ὁ δʼ ὡς ἀκούει φθόγγον ἐξαίφνης πικρόν,
1610

πτύξας ἐπʼ αὐταῖς χεῖρας εἶπεν· ὦ τέκνα,

οὐκ ἔστʼ ἔθʼ ὑμῖν τῇδʼ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πατήρ.

ὄλωλε γὰρ δὴ πάντα τἀμά, κοὐκέτι

τὴν δυσπόνητον ἕξετʼ ἀμφʼ ἐμοὶ τροφήν·

σκληρὰν μέν, οἶδα, παῖδες· ἀλλʼ ἓν γὰρ μόνον
1615

τὰ πάντα λύει ταῦτʼ ἔπος μοχθήματα.

τὸ γὰρ φιλεῖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξ ὅτου πλέον

ἢ τοῦδε τἀνδρὸς ἔσχεθʼ, οὗ τητώμεναι

τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη τὸν βίον διάζετον.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1579 focus

Athenian citizens, my briefest tale

Were to say singly, Oedipus is gone;
1580

But to describe the scene enacted yonder

Craves no brief speech, nor was the action brief.

CH

Then he is gone! Poor man!

MESS

Know it once for all,

He hath left eternally the light of day.

CH

Poor soul! What? Ended he with peace divine?
1585

MESS

Ay, there is the main marvel. How he moved

From hence, thou knowest, for thou too wert here,

And saw’st that of his friends none guided him,

But he they loved was leader to them all.

Now, when he came to the steep pavement, rooted

With adamant foundation deep in Earth,
1590

On one of many paths he took his stand

Near the stone basin, where Peirithoüs

And Theseus graved their everlasting league.

There, opposite the mass of Laurian ore,

Turned from the hollow pear-tree and the tomb
1595

Of marble, he sate down, and straight undid

His travel-soiled attire, then called aloud

On both his children, and bade some one fetch

Pure water from a running stream. And they,

Hasting together to the neighbouring hill
1600

Of green Demeter, goddess of the Spring,

Brought back their sire’s commission speedily,

And bathed, and clothed him with the sacred robe.

When he was satisfied, and nothing now

Remained undone of all he bade them do,
1605

The God of darkness thundered, and the maids

Stood horror-stricken on hearing; then together

Fell at their father’s knees and wept and wailed

Loudly and long with beating of the breast.

He, when that sound of sorrow pierced his ear,
1610

Caressed them in his arms and said:—‘My daughters,

From this day forth you have no more a father.

All that was mine is ended, and no longer

Shall ye continue your hard ministry

Of labour for my life.—And yet, though hard,

Not unendurable, since all the toil
1615

Was rendered light through love, which ye can never

Receive on earth so richly, as from him

Bereaved of whom ye now shall live forlorn.’

Such was the talk, mingled with sobs and crying,

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1579 focus

Wohl, edle Bürger, kann ich's euch am kürzesten

Verkünden, wenn ich sage: todt ist Dedipus.

Doch wie's geschah, und Alles, was sich dort begab,

Vermag ich nicht in kurzer Rede darzuthun.

So starb er denn, der Arme?
1565

Wohl, o zweifle nicht,
1565

Beschloß er seiner Tage gramgebeugten Lauf.

Der Chor.

Wie? Schied er schmerzlos und entrückten Götter ihn?

Der Bote.

Dies eben ward ihm, ein bewundernswerthes Loos.

Denn wie er ging von hinnen, weißt du selber wohl,

(Du warst zugegen,) wie er, nicht von Freundeshand
1570

Geleitet, selbst uns allen frei die Pfade wies.

Und als er kam zur Schwelle, die, in tiefem Grund

Mit eh'rnen Stufen wurzelnd, dort hinab sich senkt;

Da stand er still an einem vielgespalt'nen Pfad,

Der hohlen Deffnung nahe, wo den ew'gen Bund
1575

Der Treue Theseus schwuren und Peirithoos:

Und zwischen dieser und dem Stein von Thorikos,¹

Dem hohlen Birnbaum und dem Felsengrabe saß

Er nieder, löste sein Gewand, von Schmuz bedeckt,

Nief dann den Töchtern und gebot, ein laut'res Bad
1580

Vom Quell heranzubringen und den Opfertrank.

Und sie, zum sichtbar'n Hügel dort der grünenden²

Demeter eilend, richten schnell dem Vater aus,

Wonach er sie gesendet, und beschicken ihn

Mit Bädern und Gewanden, wie's der Brauch gebeut.³
1585

Und als er jedes Dienstes nun befriedigt war,

Und nichts gebrach von Allem, was er forderte,

Scholl unterirdischer Donner, daß die Töchter sich

Entsezten, wie sie's hörten; laut auf weinten sie,

Zu seinen Knieen stürzend, und zerschlugen sich
1590

Die Brust, erhoben laute Klag' in Einem fort.

Der Vater, kaum vernehmend ihren Weheruf,

Schlang seinen Arm um beide, sprach: „o Kinder, ach!

Von diesem Tag an habt ihr keinen Vater mehr.

Mein Leben nahm der Tod dahin; so habt ihr nun
1595

Um mich die mühevolle Sorge nimmermehr.

Wohl war sie hart, ich weiß es; doch ein einzig Wort⁴

Wiegt all das Leid auf, welches ihr um mich ertrugt.

Denn größre Liebe konntet ihr von keinem Mann

Empfangen, als vom Vater, ohne den ihr jezt
1600

Verlassen eurer Tage Rest hinleben sollt."

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1579 focus

O citizens ! I come to tell a tale

But to be brief, know, OEdipus is dead.

To speak the manner and strange circumstance
1580

Of his departure will require more words,

And calls for your attention.

Chorus

Is he gone ?

Unhappy man !

Messenger

For ever hath he left

The path of life.

Chorus

How died he? — by the hand
1585

Of Heaven dismissed, without disease or pain?
1585

Messenger

Oh ! 'twas a scene of wonder. How he left

This place, and, self-conducted, led us on,

Blind as he was, ye all remember well.

Soon as he came to where the craggy steep

With brazen steps leads to the hollow gulf,
1590

Where various paths unite, a place renowned

For the famed league of Theseus and his friend,

Between Acherdus and the Thracian rock,

On a sepulchral stone he sat him down ;
1595

Pulled off the lilthy weeds he long had worn,

And bade his daughters instantly prepare

The bath and splendid garb ; with hasty steps

To Ceres' neighbouring altar they repair
1600

Obedient, bring the vessel, and the robe

Funereal. All things done as custom bids

For dying men, sudden a dreadful clap

Of thunder shook the ground ; the virgins trembled,

And clinging fearful round their father's knees

Beat their sad breasts, and wept. Soon as he heard

The sound portentous, he embraced his daughters :

" Children," he cried, " your father is no more;

No longer shall you lead a life of pain.
1610

No longer toil for QEdipus, Alas !

'Twas dreadful to you, but this day, my children,

Shall end your sorrows and my life together.

Never did father love his daughters more
1615

Than I have loved ; but henceforth you must live

Without your Qlldipus. Farewell for ever ! "

He spake, and long, in sad embraces joined,

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1579 focus

Few words, my fellow citizens, may speak

That Edipus is dead; but not in few
1580

The manner, and each awful circumstance

Attending that event, can I relate.

Chorus

Is then th' unhappy man no more!

Stranger

Know this,

For ever he hath left this mortal life.

Chorus

Favour'd by heav'n his death, and void of pain ?
1585

This yet demands astonishment. Thou know'st,
1585

For thou wast present, how he parted hence,
1585

Led by no friend, but to us all a guide.
1585

When he approach'd the rent rock's craggy verge
1585

With steps of brass deep rooted in the earth,
1585

Where many broken passes wind along,
1585

In one of these near the gulf's yawning mouth
1585

He stood, where Theseus and Pirithous placed
1585

Th' eternal pledges of their mutual faith:
1585

There in the midst between Acherdus steep
1585

And the Thorician rock on a raised stone
1585

Himself he seated, and his squalid weeds
1585

Ungirding to his daughters gave command
1585

To bring him lavers and libations pure
1585

Of living water. To the mount, thence seen,
1585

Of Ceres cloth'd in lively green they went
1585

Hasting their father's orders to perform,..
1585

With lavers cleansed, and in a decent robe.
1585

Array'd him, as funereal rites require.
1585

These pleasing offices, and all whate'er
1585

His soul could wish, perform'd, the Stygian Jove
1585

Thunder'd beneath; the virgins, as they heard,
1585

Trembled with horror, at their father's feet
1585

Fell down, and wept, beating their breasts with loud
1585

And long laments. But he, the dreadful sound
1585

Soon as he heard, embraced them in his arms,
1585

And said, my daughters, on this fated day...
1585

You have no more a father; what was mine
1585

Is all rent from me, and the task no more
1585

Is yours my poor subsistence to provide,
1585

A painful task, I know; but one short word
1585

Sweetens all stoils; for greater love from nonel!
1585

Than from your father can you e'er redeives:
1585

Now you will pass your lives of him deprived.
1585

Thus mournfully, in close embraces lock'd,I.
1585

They all lamented: but at length their shrieks!
1585

Arose no more, the cries of grief were hush'd
1585

And all was silence. Suddenly a voice
1585

Call'd him aloud: awe-struck we stood/aghast:
1585

Again, and oft it reall'd, Edipuse
1585

"Why, Edipus, delay we to departioid
1585

"Thine this delay. Soontes he heard the god
1585

Thus calling him, the royal Theseus nigh mol
1585

He bids approach, and said, my honour'd friend,
1585

Thy hand, the well-proved pledge of former faith,
1585

Give to my daughters; and, my children, give/
1585

Your hands to him; and promise that thou ne'er
1585

Wilt willingly betray them, but performis mor
1585

Always benevolent whate'er thy thought nom A
1585

Shall tell thee will to their advantage tend.
1585

The generous king suppress'd his tears, and gave
1585

His hand, his promise with a solemn oath, M
1585

Confirming. This accomplish’d, CEdipus
1585

His daughters in his feeble arms cimbrac'd, CA
1585

And said, my children, let your generous minds
1585

Not grieve that from this place you must depart;
1585

Nor, what your eyes must not behold, desire
1585

To see; nor, what must not be heard, to hear;
1585

The fates oppose your wish: go then, the hour
1585

Demands it; but alone let Theseus stay
1585

Witness of the event. We heard him speak..
1585

Theseus

and mournful with tear-moisten'd eyes,

Attendant on the virgins left the place...

But in short space we stopp'd, we backwards turn'd

Our eyes; the man was no where to be found;

He was not; but we saw the king alone;"

He stood, and o'er his face his hands he spread

Shading his eyes, as if with terror struck

At something horrible to human sight.

Thus long he stood not, but we saw him soon

The Earth adoring, and Olympus high,

Seat of th' immortal gods, with ardent pray'r.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-1075-1 ξυντομώτατον ¹

mvp-comment-1075-2 λέξας … ὀλωλότα ²

mvp-comment-1076-1 ἃ δ’ ἦν τὰ πραχθέντ’ ³

mvp-comment-1076-2 ὁ μῦθος οὐκ ἐν βραχεῖ πάρεστιν ⁴

mvp-comment-1077-1 The MS. words τὸν ἀεὶ (or αἰεὶ ) certainly conceal a fault, which is perhaps very old. We cannot supply

χρόνον

(

"for ever"

). Nor do I see how τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον could mean,

"the life of all his days"

(

"What life, life-long, was his,"

Whitelaw). The schol. gives nothing better than a fatuous interpretation of

τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον

τὸ μακρὸν γῆρας

. The first question is whether the fault is confined to ἀεί . (1) If so, τόν being sound, ἀεί ( a ) may conceal another adv., or an adj.: as

ἄρτι, ἄβιον, αἰνόν, ἀλαόν, ἀτυχῆ

. Of these

ἀλαόν

is perh. least unsatisfactory. It should not be too hastily assumed that the poet would have shunned a fourfold

‐ον

. Or ( b ) ἀεί may have arisen from some ancient mutilation of ἄνδρα . The very simplicity of κεῖνον τὸν ἄνδρα has a solemnity which is not unfitting here; and to my mind this solution has greater probability than perhaps many would concede to it at first sight. (2) If τόν is corrupt, then there are these possibilities. ( a ) τὸν ἀεί may conceal one word, such ( e.g. ) as

πάνοιζυν

"all-wretched,"

Aesch. Cho. 49 . ( b ) τόν may have been inserted to supply a lost syllable: though against this is the fact that our MSS. often tolerate lame trimeters. This view suits ( e.g. ) ἐκεῖνον ἄρτι , or Hermann's κεῖνόν γ’ ἐσαιεί (to which, however, the γ’ is fatal). (3) It is vain to speculate on the possibility of corruptions extending beyond τὸν ἀεί . The words βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο and κεῖνον (or

ἐκεῖνον

) are prima facie sound. Thus ( e.g. ) to suggest

ἐκεῖνον ἐξεπίστασ’ εἰσαεὶ βίον

would be unwarrantable. We seek to amend, not to re-write.

mvp-comment-1078-1 ἀπόνῳ ⁵

mvp-comment-1078-2 τοῦτ’ … ἤδη ⁶

mvp-comment-1079-1 ὑφηγητῆρος ⁷

mvp-comment-1080-1 καταρράκτην ⁸

mvp-comment-1081-1 χαλκοῖς βάθροισι ⁹

mvp-comment-1081-2 γῆθεν ¹¹

mvp-comment-1082-1 πολυσχίστων ¹²

mvp-comment-1083-1 κοίλου … κρατῆρος ¹³

mvp-comment-1083-2 Θησέως ¹⁴

mvp-comment-1084-1 Περίθου ¹⁵

mvp-comment-1084-2 κεῖται … ξυνθήματα ¹⁶

mvp-comment-1084-3 Others understand:

"where the compact has been made "

( κεῖται =pf. pass. of

τίθημι

),—a lively way of saying,

"was made,"

ἐτέθη

: but this is improbable.— Wecklein conjectures Περίθῳ καλεῖται :

"where men say that the compact of Th. with P. was made"

: the dat. as Tr. 668

τῶν σῶν Ἡρακλεῖ δωρημάτων

: the verb as Simonides fr. 107

ἔνθα καλεῖται...Ἀρτέμιδος...τέμενος

. (Cp. on O. T. 1451 .) This idiom, however, elsewhere always refers to places , not to acts.

mvp-comment-1085-1 (1) With L's

ἐφ’ οὗ

" At which (the

κρατήρ"

) he halted, midway between

the other objects. Cp. Il. 22.153

ἔνθα δ’ ἐπ’ αὐτάων πλυνοὶ εὐρέες ἐγγὺς ἔασιν

, at the springs. With

ἐφ’

, L's μέσου is possible;

"at which, midway as it is."

(2) With Brunck's

ἀφ’ οὗ

, it becomes necessary to read μέσος . The

κρατήρ

is then one of four points from which the point denoted by

μέσος

is measured. The second ἀπό may be taken with

ἀχέρδου

also: cp. O.T. 734, 761.

mvp-comment-1085-2 μέσος ¹⁷

mvp-comment-1085-3 τοῦ τε Θορικίου πέτρου ¹⁸

mvp-comment-1086-1 κοίλης τ’ ἀχέρδου ¹⁹

mvp-comment-1086-2 κἀπὸ λαΐνου τάφου ²⁰

mvp-comment-1086-3 The power and beauty of this passage are in no way lessened for us because we know nothing of the basin or the stone, the tree or the tomb. Rather it might be said that the very fact of our ignorance illustrates the spirit in which these details are introduced. Their significance is essentially local:

ταῦτα γνώριμα τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις

(schol.). They show us how the blind man, who had never been at Colonus before, placed himself at precisely the due point in the midst of its complex sanctities. The god made him as one who had the most intimate and minute knowledge of the ground.

mvp-comment-1087-1 ἔλυσε ²¹

mvp-comment-1087-2 δυσπινεῖς ²²

mvp-comment-1088-1 ῥυτῶν ²³

mvp-comment-1089-1 They go to a hillock a little way off, on which was a shrine of Demeter Euchloös. See map in Introd.

mvp-comment-1089-2 εὐχλόου ²⁴

mvp-comment-1089-3 προσόψιον ²⁵

mvp-comment-1090-1 )πόρευσαν ²⁶

mvp-comment-1090-2 ταχεῖ σὺν χρ ²⁷

mvp-comment-1090-3 λουτροῖς ²⁸

mvp-comment-1091-1 ᾗ νομίζεται ²⁹

mvp-comment-1092-1 παντὸς … δρῶντος ³⁰

mvp-comment-1093-1 ἀργὸν ³¹

mvp-comment-1094-1 κτύπησε ³²

mvp-comment-1094-2 Ζεὺς χθ ³³

mvp-comment-1095-1 οὐδ’ ἀνίεσαν ³⁴

mvp-comment-1095-2 pammh/keis ³⁵

mvp-comment-1096-1 ἐξαίφνης ³⁶

mvp-comment-1097-1 πάντα τἀμά ³⁷

mvp-comment-1098-1 τὴν δυσπόν ³⁸

mvp-comment-1098-2 ἀμφ’ ἐμοὶ ³⁹

mvp-comment-1098-3 τροφήν ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-1098-4 σκληρὰν ⁴¹

mvp-comment-1098-5 ἀλλὰ … γὰρ ⁴²

mvp-comment-1098-6 ἕν … ἔπος ⁴³

mvp-comment-1098-7 λύει ⁴⁴

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

1579. mvp-comment-842-1 One of the companions of Theseus (πρόσπολοι, supra 1553) returning before the rest, reports all that will ever be known, except to Theseus and his successors, of the departure of Oedipus.

1579. mvp-comment-842-2 πολίται Fellow-citizens. By the ξυνοικισμός under Theseus the Coloniatae were already citizens of Athens.

1579. mvp-comment-842-3 ξυντομωτάτως .. ὀλωλότα I might best succeed in brevity by saying Oedipus is gone.' The adverb contains the predicate. Essay on Language § 24. p. 40. The participial construction with λέξας is noticeable; cp. O. T. 465 and note.

1581. mvp-comment-843-1 ἃ δ᾽ ἦν τὰ πραχθέντ' supposes a simple clause, such as οὐ βραχέως φράσαι πάρεστιν, which, by the introduction of the antithesis between μύθος and ἔργον, is expanded into what follows.

1582. mvp-comment-844-1 οὔτε τάργ᾽ ὅσ᾽ ἦν ἐκεῖ Sc.

1582. mvp-comment-844-2 βραχέα ἦν. ἐκεῖ is added to supplement both clauses.

1584. mvp-comment-845-1 τὸν ἀεί The most probable interpretation of these words is that which separates them from βίοτον and supplies χρόνον. The expression is equivalent to ἐς τὸν ἀεὶ χρόνον. Cp. supra 1400, οἷον ἆρ᾽ ὁδοῦ τέλος, κ.τ.λ., where τέλος has the force of ἐς τέλος. For the omission of χρόνον, see Essay on Language § 39. p. 74, and cp. infra 1701, El. 1075, Tr. 80, which are best explained by supposing a similar ellipse, which, if in accordance with a vernacular conversational idiom, would not occasion ambiguity, notwithstanding the nearness of βίοτον here and σκότον infr. 1701.

1584. mvp-comment-845-2 The other interpretations: His life, such as it ever was (Herm.), His long-continued life, His lingering age (Schol. Eustath.), are inadmissible.

1585. mvp-comment-846-1 ἆρα = ἢ ἄρα, Was it then? i. e. Was it as he led us to expect?

1586. mvp-comment-847-1 τοῦτ᾽, the reading of Par. A, is preferred to ταῦτ', the reading of L, because the pronoun appears from its position to be the subject of ἐστίν ..

1586. mvp-comment-847-2 πρέπον, and not merely the object of ἀποθαυμάσαι.

1586. mvp-comment-847-3 κἀποθαυμάσαι καί, belonging to the whole clause, emphasizes the manner of the death of Oedipus as distinguished from the fact, which has been already told, and the previous circumstances, which are known to all. Ay, this it is which may well move your wonder.

1587. mvp-comment-848-1 παρών Having witnessed it. Essay on Language § 32. p. 55.

1588. mvp-comment-849-1 ὑφηγητῆρος Sc. ὄντος, Essay on Language § 9. p. 14.

1589. mvp-comment-850-1 ἐξηγούμενος Leading the way. Cp. supra 1520, χώρον.. έξηγησομαι.

1590. mvp-comment-851-1 τὸν καταρράκτην ὀδόν The precipitous threshold, rooted in earth with foundations of brass. The ὀδός (supra 57) is probably the entrance to a cleft in the native rock, and is called καταρράκτης because supposed to lead directly down to Tartarus. The χαλκά βάθρα are probably not a literal staircase, but, like the epithet χαλκόπους, supr. 57, recal the σιδηρεῖαί τε πύλαι καὶ χαλκέος οὐδός of Homer's description. See Introduction. For this meaning of βάθρα in the plural, cp. Eur. Tro. 47, ὦ .. πόλις.. ἦσθ᾽ ἂν ἐν βάθροις ἔτι, and for γῆθεν ἐρριζωμένον, cp. Od. 13. 163. of the ship changed by Poseidon to an islet, λᾶαν ἔθηκε καὶ ἐρρίζωσεν ἔνερθεν.

1592. mvp-comment-852-1 *πολυσχίστων This conjecture of Heath's has been universally accepted. Cp. Plato. Phaed. 168 A. The word was no doubt descriptive of the paths actually converging towards the χαλκοῦς ὀδός, and the language indicates the precision with which the blind Oedipus followed the guidance of the God.

1593. mvp-comment-853-1 κρατῆροs Elmsley is probably right in saying, Crater, de quo nunc agitur, lapideus fuisse videtur, ἀνδρὸς εὔχειρος τέχνη, ut illi, quorum mentio fit v. 472. It may have been fabled that this bowl received the blood of the sacrifice which confirmed the league of Theseus and Pirithous, and some record of their agreement may have been engraven on it. Cp. Eur. Suppl. 1202, ἔγγραψον ὅρκους τρίποδος ἐν κοίλῳ κύτει. Where the compact of Theseus and Pirithous is registered, never to be annulled. The bowl was probably at the entrance to one of the cavities in the rock.

1595. mvp-comment-854-1 6. Midway between this and the fragment of rock from Thoricus, and the hollow pear-tree and the sarcophagus of stone.' The traditional text may mean, Right opposite to this and the Thorician rock, away from the hollow pear-tree and stone tomb. But Brunck's easy correction makes a better context. The object is to define accurately the exact position of Oedipus when last seen, corresponding probably to the place where rites were since performed in his honour. Cp. supr. 1532 and note, and 477.

1600-1601. mvp-comment-855-1 There does not appear to be sufficient reason for construing these words with Hermann, 'The hill which commands a view of the temple of Demeter Chloe. Although the temple near the Acropolis, mentioned by Pausanias and the Scholiast, cannot be meant, there may well have been other places in the neighbourhood sacred to the same Goddess. Transl. The eminence, full in view, of Demeter, who makes the tender blade to grow. The knoll, a quarter of a mile to the east of Colonus, has some remains of buildings, and is plentifully supplied with water at the present day. See Introd. p. 283.

1601. mvp-comment-856-1 τάσδ᾽ ἐπιστολάς Abstract for concrete, Brought these commands,' i.e. The things thus commanded.

1602. mvp-comment-857-1 ταχεῖ .. σὺν χρόνῳ With time that quickly passed, i. e. With despatch. Cp. supr. 7 and note.

1603. mvp-comment-858-1 ᾗ νομίζεται (1) As is customary, sc. in immediate prospect of death. Cp. Eur. Alc. 158. ἐπεὶ γὰρ ᾔσθεθ᾽ ἡμέραν τὴν κυρίαν | ἥκουσαν, ὕδασι ποταμίοις λευκὸν χρόα | ἐλούσατ᾽, ἐκ δ᾽ ἑλοῦσα κεδρίνων δόμων | ἐσθῆτα κόσμον τ᾽ εὐπρεπῶς ἠσκήσατο. Or (2) Such raiment as is customary, viz. at the shrine of the Eumenides. The ἔποικος would supply what was necessary: supra 506.

1604. mvp-comment-859-1 'And when all was doing to his heart's content, and no part of his desire was now neglected.' δρῶντος is a singular instance of the abstract use of the active participle, noticed in the Essay on Language $ 30. p. 51. Cp. supra 1220, τοῦ θέλοντος, etc. This is the only satisfactory explanation of the passage. As often happens, the second line, κοὐκ ἦν, κ.τ.λ., states negatively what is affirmed in the first.

1605. mvp-comment-860-1 For ἀργόν, cp. Ο. Τ. 287 and n.

1606. mvp-comment-861-1 Ζεὺς χθόνιος The rumbling noise beneath the earth accompanying an earthquake is attributed to Hades, as the thunder to Zeus. For this name of Hades, cp. Hom. Il. 9. 457, Ζεύς τε καταχθόνιος καὶ ἐπαινὴ Περσεφόνεια : Hes. Op. 465: Aesch. Suppl. 157. And for χθόνιος βροντή, Aesch. Prom. 993, 4, Eur. Hipp. 1201, Phoen. 1181-1182, ἐκτύπησε δὲ | χθών, ὥστε δεῖσαι πάντας.

1607. mvp-comment-862-1 ῥίγησαν Homeric word: Il. 12.208, Τρώες δ᾽ ἐρρίγησαν, ὅπως ἴδον αἰόλον ὄφιν.

1608. mvp-comment-863-1 οὐδ᾽ ἀνίεσαν And ceased not from. Cp. 1. 1610. Mr. Palmer takes the words differently. In his note on l. 1636, he says, It was unbecoming in a man of any nobleness of spirit to give way to loud lamentation; therefore it is said even of the daughters, οὐδ᾽ ἀνίεσαν, κ.τ.λ. But the moment for silence and reserve is not yet come, and the natural feelings are for the time unchecked (cp. 1620, foll.). Compare Hom. Od. 16. 213, foll. "Ως ἄρα φωνήσας κατ᾿ ἄρ᾽ ἔζετο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ | ἀμφιχυθεὶς πατέρ᾽ ἐσθλὸν ὀδύρετο, δάκρυα λείβων. | ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ὑφ᾽ ἵμερος ὥρτο γόοιο. | κλαῖον δὲ λιγέως, ἀδινώτερον ἤ τ' οἰωνοί, | φῆναι ἡ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες, οἷσί τε τέκνα | ἀγροταὶ ἐξείλοντο πάρος πετεηνὰ γενέσθαι. | ὡς ἄρα τοίγ᾽ ἐλεεινὸν ὑπ᾿ ὀφρύσι δάκρυον εἶβον. It is to be remembered, too, that this scene is only reported, not represented on the stage. That οὐδ' ἀνίεσαν has probably a different meaning in O. T. 1277, is no objection to the above rendering.

1609. mvp-comment-864-1 παμμήκεις Long and loud. μακρός has continually the meaning of loud, in connection with sounds. But here there is probably also the further association, Prolonged.'

1610. mvp-comment-865-1 ὡς ἀκούει .. ἐξαίφνης When all at once he hears....' φθόγγον . . πικρόν] • The piteous sound.' Ant. 423-424, κἀνακωκύει πικρᾶς | ὄρνιθος ὀξὺν φθόγγον.

1611. mvp-comment-866-1 πτύξας ἐπ᾿ αὐταῖς χεῖρας Folding his arms about them. For χεῖρες in this sense, cp. El. 1226.

1613. mvp-comment-867-1 All that was mine is at an end,' and therefore also my dependence on your filial care.

1614. mvp-comment-868-1 τὴν δυσπόνητον τροφήν] The sad laborious nursing ye have spent on me.' τροφή is here used actively, as in Εl. 1143, οἴμοι τάλαινα τῆς ἐμῆς πάλαι τροφῆς | ἀνωφελήτου, τὴν ἐγὼ θάμ᾿ ἀμφὶ σοὶ | πόνῳ γλυκεῖ παρέσχον.

1615. mvp-comment-869-1 σκληρὰν μέν σκληράν is added in apposition, and is then opposed with μέν to what follows. It has been troublesome, that I know well, my daughters: but then the one word "love" has power to cancel all this trouble. And love ye have had from none in greater measure than from me, of whom bereft ye will pass what now remains to you of life.

Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 1579

Richard Jebb (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Messenger

Citizens, my news might be summed up most briefly thus: Oedipus is dead.

But the story of the happening cannot be told in brief words, as the deeds done there were not brief.
1580

Chorus

Is he gone, the unfortunate man?

Messenger

You may be sure that he has left this life.

Chorus

How? By a fate divine and painless, the poor man?
1585

Current edition Experimental

Χορός

ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος

ὡς λελοιπότα

κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός

πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ;
1585

Χορός

ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος

ὡς λελοιπότα

κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός

πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ;
1585

Athenian citizens, my briefest tale

Were to say singly, Oedipus is gone;
1580

But to describe the scene enacted yonder

Craves no brief speech, nor was the action brief.

CH

Then he is gone! Poor man!

MESS

Know it once for all,

He hath left eternally the light of day.

CH

Poor soul! What? Ended he with peace divine?
1585

Der Chor.

Wie? Schied er schmerzlos und entrückten Götter ihn?

O citizens ! I come to tell a tale

But to be brief, know, OEdipus is dead.

To speak the manner and strange circumstance
1580

Of his departure will require more words,

And calls for your attention.

Chorus

Is he gone ?

Unhappy man !

Messenger

For ever hath he left

The path of life.

Chorus

How died he? — by the hand
1585

Of Heaven dismissed, without disease or pain?
1585

Few words, my fellow citizens, may speak

That Edipus is dead; but not in few
1580

The manner, and each awful circumstance

Attending that event, can I relate.

Chorus

Is then th' unhappy man no more!

Stranger

Know this,

For ever he hath left this mortal life.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Messenger Citizens, my news might be summed up most briefly thus: Oedipus is dead. But the story of the happening cannot be told in brief words, as the deeds done there were not brief. 1580

Chorus Is he gone, the unfortunate man?

Messenger You may be sure that he has left this life.

Chorus How? By a fate divine and painless, the poor man? 1585

Current edition Experimental

Χορός ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος ὡς λελοιπότα κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ; 1585

Χορός ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος ὡς λελοιπότα κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ; 1585

Athenian citizens, my briefest tale Were to say singly, Oedipus is gone; 1580 But to describe the scene enacted yonder Craves no brief speech, nor was the action brief.

CH Then he is gone! Poor man!

MESS Know it once for all, He hath left eternally the light of day.

CH Poor soul! What? Ended he with peace divine? 1585

Wohl, edle Bürger, kann ich's euch am kürzesten Verkünden, wenn ich sage: todt ist Dedipus. Doch wie's geschah, und Alles, was sich dort begab, Vermag ich nicht in kurzer Rede darzuthun. So starb er denn, der Arme? 1565 Wohl, o zweifle nicht, 1565 Beschloß er seiner Tage gramgebeugten Lauf.

Der Chor. Wie? Schied er schmerzlos und entrückten Götter ihn?

O citizens ! I come to tell a tale But to be brief, know, OEdipus is dead. To speak the manner and strange circumstance 1580 Of his departure will require more words, And calls for your attention.

Chorus Is he gone ? Unhappy man !

Messenger For ever hath he left The path of life.

Chorus How died he? — by the hand 1585 Of Heaven dismissed, without disease or pain? 1585

Few words, my fellow citizens, may speak That Edipus is dead; but not in few 1580 The manner, and each awful circumstance Attending that event, can I relate.

Chorus Is then th' unhappy man no more!

Stranger Know this, For ever he hath left this mortal life.

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Messenger

Citizens, my news might be summed up most briefly thus: Oedipus is dead.

But the story of the happening cannot be told in brief words, as the deeds done there were not brief.
1580

Chorus

Is he gone, the unfortunate man?

Messenger

You may be sure that he has left this life.

Chorus

How? By a fate divine and painless, the poor man?
1585

Χορός

ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος

ὡς λελοιπότα

κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός

πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ;
1585

Χορός

ὄλωλε γὰρ δύστηνος;

Ἄγγελος

ὡς λελοιπότα

κεῖνον τὸν ἀεὶ βίοτον ἐξεπίστασο.

Χορός

πῶς; ἆρα θείᾳ κἀπόνῳ τάλας τύχῃ;
1585

Athenian citizens, my briefest tale

Were to say singly, Oedipus is gone;
1580

But to describe the scene enacted yonder

Craves no brief speech, nor was the action brief.

CH

Then he is gone! Poor man!

MESS

Know it once for all,

He hath left eternally the light of day.

CH

Poor soul! What? Ended he with peace divine?
1585

Der Chor.

Wie? Schied er schmerzlos und entrückten Götter ihn?

O citizens ! I come to tell a tale

But to be brief, know, OEdipus is dead.

To speak the manner and strange circumstance
1580

Of his departure will require more words,

And calls for your attention.

Chorus

Is he gone ?

Unhappy man !

Messenger

For ever hath he left

The path of life.

Chorus

How died he? — by the hand
1585

Of Heaven dismissed, without disease or pain?
1585

Few words, my fellow citizens, may speak

That Edipus is dead; but not in few
1580

The manner, and each awful circumstance

Attending that event, can I relate.

Chorus

Is then th' unhappy man no more!

Stranger

Know this,

For ever he hath left this mortal life.