Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 176

mvp-comment-143-1 τῶνδ’ ἑδράνων ¹

mvp-comment-144-1 ἄξει ²

mvp-comment-145-1 L's ἔτ’ οὖν ἔτι προβῶ; metrically answers to

in 194 . The choice seems to lie between ἔτ’ οὖν; and προβῶ; The latter might easily have been added to explain the former: and ἔτ’ οὖν is not too abrupt, since πρόσθιγέ νύν μου (173) has already marked the beginning of his forward movement. ἔτι βαῖνε seems better than ἐπίβαινε in the case of a blind man advancing step by step , and asking at each step whether he has come far enough. This is well expressed by For before , cp. Ant. 612

το— πρίν

.

mvp-comment-146-1 After ἀΐεις three verses have been lost (the 1st and 3rd for Ant., the 2nd for Oed.), answering to 197 πάτερ — 199 ἅρμοσαι : and after ᾇ σ’ ἄγω (183) a verse for Oed. answering to 202

. See Metrical Analysis.

mvp-comment-147-1 μάν ³

mvp-comment-147-2 ὧδ’ ⁴

mvp-comment-147-3 ἀμαυρῷ κώλῳ ⁵

mvp-comment-148-1 τόλμα … σέβεσθαι ⁶

mvp-comment-148-2 ξεῖνος ἐπὶ ξένης ⁷

mvp-comment-149-1 ὦ τλάμων ⁸

mvp-comment-150-1 τέτροφεν ἄφιλον ⁹

mvp-comment-151-1 ἄν ¹⁰

mvp-comment-151-2 εἴποιμεν … ἀκούσαιμεν ¹¹

mvp-comment-151-3 ἄν ¹²

mvp-comment-151-4 εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες ¹³

178. mvp-comment-109-1 ἔτ᾿ οὖν ; [ἔτι προβῶ] Persuaded at last to move, Oedipus takes his daughter's hand, but before advancing asks for more assurance. The chorus point to a spot where he may rest secure. He then moves forward a few steps, and asks, Is that enough, or must he go further? This line exceeds by four syllables the corresponding line, infr. 194. The words ἔτι προβῶ, which Elmsley rejected, have more the appearance of a gloss than ἔτ᾽ οὖν.

178. mvp-comment-109-2 ἐπίβαινε *πόρσω] Come further on. ἐπιβαίνειν here is to move over a certain space.

180. mvp-comment-110-1 προβίβαζε Conduct him onward, maiden, for you see and understand. Cp. Od. 18. 11, οὐκ ἀτεις ὅτι δή μοι ἐπιλλίζουσιν ἅπαντες, where ateiv is to perceive by sight. προσβίβαζε, besides the doubtful metre, conveys too much of the idea of force.

182-183. mvp-comment-111-1 ἕπεο μάν .. ᾧ σ᾽ ἄγω Come follow, this way follow with thy darkened steps, father, the way I am leading thee.

184-187. mvp-comment-112-1 τόλμα.. σέβεσθαι These lines are rightly given to the chorus. They correspond to 203-206, in which the expression ὦ τλάμων again occurs. not averse, unhappy one, when sojourning in a strange land, to cherish the same hatreds with the citizens and to respect their loves Cp. Eur. Bacch. 431-433, τὸ πλῆθος ὅτι τε φαυλότερον | ἐνόμισε, χρῆταί τε, | τόδε τοι λέγοιμ' ἄν: Aesch. Suppl. 202, μέμνησο δ' εἴκειν, χρεῖος εἶ ξένη φυγάς: Eum. 983, καὶ στυγεῖν μιᾷ φρενί.

186. mvp-comment-113-1 τέτροφεν ἄφιλον Hath habitually chosen for dislike ; i. e. is wont to dislike. There is a slight oxymoron in the form of expression. τέτροφεν, ἔχει, Schol.

189. mvp-comment-114-1 ἵν᾿ ἄν The use of the optative mood with ἄν after a relative, following an imperative, and conveying an implied purpose, is analogous to the Epic construction of such passages as Hom. Il. 8.289 foll., πρώτῳ τοι μετ' ἐμὲ πρεσβήϊον ἐν χερὶ θήσω, |... ἠὲ γυναῖχ᾽ ἣ κέν τοι ὑμὲν λέχος εἰσαναβαίνοι: Theocr. 25.61, ἐγὼ δὲ τοι ἡγεμονεύσω | αὖλιν ἐς ἡμετέρην ἵνα κεν τέτμοιμεν ἄνακτα. The use of ἄν in such places is equivalent to the use of ἄν with the optative in independent clauses. The usage, however, is rare, and has not been generally retained in later Greek.

189. mvp-comment-114-2 In εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες there is a confusion of the literal and metaphorical sense, like that noticed in ἥκομεν, l. 12. Partly coming where we may stand without impiety. like ἐπίβαινε in l. 178, and partly relying on pious action, as in Phil. 1463, δόξης οὔποτε τῆσδ᾽ ἐπιβάντες, where, as here, there is a reminiscence of Epic Greek. Od. 23.13, σαοφροσύνης ἐπέβησαν, etc.