Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, Richard Jebb (Translator), 720-1042

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Antigone

Land that is praised above all lands, now it is your task to make those bright praises seen in deeds!
720

Oedipus

What strange new thing has happened, my daughter?

Antigone

Creon there draws near us, and not without followers, father.

Oedipus

Ah, dearest old men, now give me

the final proof of my salvation!
725

Chorus

Courage! It will be yours. For even if I am aged, this country’s strength has not grown old.

Enter Creon, with attendants.

Creon

Gentlemen, noble dwellers in this land, I see from your eyes that a sudden fear has troubled you at my coming;

but do not shrink back from me, and let no evil word escape you.
I am here with no thought of force; I am old, and I know that the city to which I have come is mighty, if any in Hellas has might.
730

No, I have been sent, aged as I am, to plead with this man to return with me to the land of Cadmus. I am not one man’s envoy, but have a mandate from all our people; since it belonged to me, by family, beyond all other Thebans to mourn his woes.
735

Unhappy Oedipus, hear us, and come home! Justly are you summoned by all the Cadmeans, and most of all by me, since I—unless I am the worst of all men born—feel most sorrow for your woes, old man,
740

when I see you, unhappy as you are, a stranger and a wanderer evermore, roaming in beggary, with one handmaid for your support. Ah, me, I had not thought that she could fall to such a depth of misery as that to which she has fallen—
745

this poor girl!—as she tends forever your dark life amid poverty; in ripe youth, but unwed: a prize for the first passerby to seize.
Is it not a cruel reproach—alas!—that I have cast at you, and me, and all our race?
750

But indeed an open shame cannot be hidden. Oedipus, in the name of your ancestral gods, listen to me! Hide it, and consent to return to the city and the house of your ancestors, after bidding a kind farewell to this city. Athens is worthy; yet your own city has the first claim on your reverence,
755

since it was Thebes that nurtured you long ago.
760

761

Oedipus

You who will dare anything, who from any just plea would derive a crafty trick, why do you make this attempt on me, and seek once more to snare me in your trap where I would feel most grief?

Long ago, when I labored under the sickness of my self-made evils, and I yearned to be cast out of the land, you refused to grant the favor. But when my fierce anger had spent its force, and seclusion in the house was sweet to me,
765

it was then that you thrust me from the house and cast me from the land. And this common race that you mention—that was not at all dear to you then. Now, in turn, when you see that I have a kindly welcome from this city and all its race, you try to pluck me away, wrapping your cruel thoughts in soft words.
770

And yet what pleasure do you find in this, in treating me as dear against my will? As if a man should refuse you a gift, bring you no aid, when you continually begged for it; but after your heart was sated with your desires, he should grant it then, when the favor could bring no joy
775

—would you not find your delight in this empty? Yet such is the nature of your own offers to me: noble in appearance, but in substance base. And I will declare it to these men too, to show you up as base. You have come to get me,
780

not to bring me home, but to plant me near your borders, so that your city might escape uninjured by evils from this land. That fate is not for you, but this one: the brooding of my vengeful spirit on your land forever; and for my sons, this heirloom:
785

just so much soil in my realm in which to die.
Am I not wiser than you in the fortunes of Thebes ? Yes, far wiser, by as much as the sources of my knowledge are truer: Phoebus I mean, and his father, Zeus himself. But you have come here with fraud on your lips, yes,
790

and with a tongue keener than the edge of a sword; yet by their use you may well reap more sorrow than salvation. Still, since I know that I cannot persuade you of this, go! Allow us to live on here; for even in this plight our life would not be bad, if we should be content with it.
795

800

Creon

Which of us, do you think, suffers more in this exchange—I by your action, or you by your own?
800

Oedipus

For me, it is enough if your pleading fails both with me and with these men nearby.

Creon

Unhappy man, will you let everyone see that even in your years you have gained no sense?

Must you live on to disgrace your old age?
805

Oedipus

You have a clever tongue, but I know no just man who can produce from every side a pretty speech.

Creon

Words may be many, and yet not to the point.

Oedipus

As if yours, indeed, were few, but on the mark.

Creon

They cannot be, not for one whose mind is such as yours.
810

Oedipus

Begone! I will say it for these men too. And do not besiege me with a jealous watch where I am destined to remain.

Creon

I call these men, and not you, to witness the tenor of your words to your friends. And if I ever catch you—

Oedipus

And who could catch me against the will of these allies?
815

Creon

I promise you, soon you will be pained even without that.

Oedipus

Where is the deed which backs that threatening word?

Creon

One of your two daughters I have myself just seized and sent away. The other I will drag off immediately.

Oedipus

Oh, no!
820

Creon

You will soon find more to weep about.

Oedipus

You have my child?

Creon

And I will have this one in no long time.

Oedipus

Oh! Strangers, what will you do? Will you betray me? Will you not drive the godless man from this land?

Chorus

Depart, stranger! Quick!

Your present deed is not just, nor the deed which you have done.
825

Creon
To his attendants.

It is time for you to drag this girl off against her will, if she will not go freely.

Antigone

Wretched that I am! Where can I flee? Where find help from gods or men?

Chorus

What are you doing, stranger?

Creon

I will not touch this man, but her who is mine.
830

Oedipus

Lords of the land!

Chorus

Stranger, you are acting unjustly.

Creon

Justly.

Chorus

How?

Creon

I take my own.

He lays his hand on Antigone.

Oedipus

Oh, city !

Chorus

What are you doing, stranger? Release her!

Your strength and ours will soon come to the test.
835

Creon

Stand back!

Chorus

Not while this is your purpose.

Creon

There will be war with Thebes for you, if you harm me.

Oedipus

Did I not say so?

Chorus

Unhand the girl at once!

Creon

Do not make commands where you are not the master.

Chorus

Let go, I tell you!
840

Creon
To his guards, who seize Antigone.

And I tell you: be off!

Chorus

Help, men of Colonus , bring help! The city, our city, is attacked by force! Come to our aid!

Antigone

I am being dragged away in misery. Strangers, strangers!

Oedipus

My child, where are you?
845

Antigone

I am led off by force.

Oedipus

Give me your hand, my child!

Antigone

I am helpless.

Creon

Away with you!

Oedipus

I am wretched, wretched! The guards exit with Antigone.

848

Creon

So those two staffs will never again support your path.

But since you wish to overcome your country and your friends, whose will I, though tyrant as well, am here discharging, then I wish you victory. For in time, I am sure, you will come to recognize all this, that now too as in time past, it is you who have done yourself no good, by indulging your anger despite your friends.
850

This has always been your ruin.
855

Chorus

Stop there, stranger!

Creon

Hands off, I say!

Chorus

I will not let go, unless you give back the maidens.

Creon

Then you will soon give the city a more valuable prize, for I will lay hands on more than those two girls.

Chorus

What! What do you intend?
860

Creon

This man here will be my captive.

Chorus

A valiant threat!

Creon

Straightaway it will be done.

Chorus

Indeed, unless the ruler of this realm prevents you.

Oedipus

Voice of shamelessness! Will you really lay hands on me?

Creon

Shut up, I say!

Oedipus

No! May the powers of this place grant me to utter this further curse! Most evil of men, when these eyes were dark, you wrenched from me the helpless one who was my eyesight and made off with her by force. Therefore to you and to your race may the Sun, the god who sees all things,

grant in time an old age such as mine!
870

Creon

Do you see this, people of the land?

Oedipus

They see both you and me. They know that I have suffered in deeds, and my defense is mere words.

Creon

I will not check my anger. Though I am alone

and slow with age, I will take this man by force.
875

Oedipus

Ah, my wretchedness!

Chorus

What arrogance you have come with, stranger, if you think you will achieve this!

Creon

I will.

Chorus

Then I think this city no longer exists.

Creon

For men who are just, you see, the weak vanquishes the strong.
880

Oedipus

Do you hear his words?

Chorus

Yes, but he will not achieve them.

Creon

Zeus knows perhaps, but you do not.

Chorus

This is an outrage!

Creon

An outrage which you must bear.

Chorus

Hear people, hear rulers of the land! Come quickly, come!

These men are on their way to cross our borders!
885

Enter Theseus.

Theseus

What is this shout? What is the trouble? What fear has moved you to stop my sacrifice at the altar to the sea-god, the lord of your Colonus ? Speak, so that I may know the situation; for that is why I have sped

here more swiftly than was pleasant.
890

Oedipus

Dearest of men! I know your voice. Terrible are the things I have just suffered at the hands of this man here.

Theseus

What things are these? And who has pained you? Speak!

Oedipus

Creon, whom you see here,

has torn from me my children—my only two.
895

Theseus

What is that you say?

Oedipus

You have heard my wrongs.

897

Theseus

Hurry, one of you attendants, to the altars there, and order the people to leave the sacrifice

and race on foot and by horse full speed, to the region where the two highways meet, so that the maidens may not pass, and I not become a mockery to this stranger as one worsted by force. Quick, I say, away with you!
900
Turning towards Creon.

As for this man, if my

anger went as far as he deserves, I would not let him go uninjured from my hand. But now, just such law as he himself has brought will be the rule for his correction.
905
Addressing Creon.

You will never leave this land

until you bring those maidens and produce them in my sight. For your action is a disgrace to me, and to your own ancestors, and to your country. You have come to a city that practices justice and sanctions nothing without law,
910

yet you have spurned her lawful authorities and made this violent assault. You are taking captives at will and subjugating them by force, as if you believed that my city was void of men, or manned by slaves, and that I counted for nothing.
Yet it was not Thebes that trained you to be evil. Thebes is not accustomed to rearing unjust men;—
915

nor would she praise you, if she learned that you are despoiling me, and despoiling the gods, when by force you drive off their unfortunate suppliants. If my foot were upon your land, never would I drag off or lead away someone
920

without permission from the ruler of the land, whoever he might be—no, even if my claim were the most just of all. I would know how a stranger ought to live among citizens. But you are disgracing a city that does not deserve it: your own,
925

and your years, despite their fullness, bring you an old age barren of sense.
Now, I have said before, and I say it once again: let the maidens be brought here speedily, unless you wish to be an unwilling immigrant to this country by force.
930

These are the words of my lips; my mind is in accord.
935

Chorus

Do you see your plight, stranger? You are judged to be just by where you are from, but your deeds are found to be evil.

939

Creon

It is not because I thought this city void of men, son of Aegeus, or of counsel, as you say,

that I have done this deed; but because I judged that its people could never be so zealous for my relatives as to support them against my will. And I knew that this people would not receive a parricide and a polluted man,
940

a man whose unholy marriage—a marriage with children—had been found out. Such wisdom, I knew, was immemorial on the Areopagus, which does not allow such wanderers to dwell within this city. Trusting in that, I sought to take this prize.
945

And I would not have done so, had he not been calling down bitter curses on me and on my race. As I was wronged in this way, I judged that I had a right to this requital. For anger knows no old age, until death comes;
950

the dead alone feel no galling pain.
In response to this, you will do what pleases you; for, though my case is just, the lack of aid makes me weak. Yet in the face of your actions, despite my age, I will endeavor to pay you back.
955

960

Oedipus

Shameless arrogance, where do you think this outrage falls—on my old age, or on your own? Bloodshed, incest, misery—all this your tongue has launched against me, and all this I have borne in my wretchedness by no choice of mine.
960

For this was dear to the gods, who were angry, perhaps, with my race from of old. Taking me alone, you could not find a reproach for any crime, in retribution for which I was driven to commit these sins against myself and against my kin. Tell me now: if, by the voice of an oracle, some divine doom was coming on my father,
965

that he should die by a son’s hand, how could you justly reproach me with this, when I was then unborn, when no father had yet begotten me, no mother’s womb conceived me? But if, having been born to misery—as I was born—I came to blows with my father and slew him, ignorant of what
970

I was doing and to whom, how could you reasonably blame the unwitting deed?
And my mother—wretch, do you feel no shame in forcing me to speak of her marriage, when she was your sister, and when it was such as I will now tell?
975

For I will not be silent, when you have gone so far in impious speech. Yes, she was my mother, yes—alas, for my miseries! I did not know it, nor did she, and to her shame she bore children to the son whom she had borne.
980

But one thing, at least, I know: that you willingly revile her and me, but I did not willingly marry her, and I do not willingly speak now.
No, I will not be called evil on account of this marriage, nor in the slaying of my father, which you charge me with again and again in bitter insult.
985

Answer just one thing of those I ask. If, here and now, someone should come up and try to murder you—you, the just one—would you ask if the murderer was your father, or would you revenge yourself on him straightaway?
990

I think that if your life is dear to you, you would requite the criminal, and not look around for a justification. Such then were the evils into which I came, led by the gods; and in this, I think, my father’s soul, could it come back to life, would not contradict me.
995

But you are not just; you are one who considers it a fine thing to utter every sort of word, both those which are sanctioned and those which are forbidden—such are your taunts against me in the presence of these men. And to you it seems a fine thing to flatter the renowned Theseus, and Athens , saying how well it is governed.
1000

Yet while giving such generous praise, you forget that if any land knows how to worship the gods with honors, this land excels in that. It is from her that you had planned to steal me, a suppliant and an old man, and tried to seize me, having already carried off my daughters.
1005

Therefore I now call on the goddesses here, I supplicate them, I beseech them with prayers, to bring me help and to fight on my behalf, that you may learn well what kind of men this city is guarded by.
1010

1014

Chorus

The stranger is a good man, lord.

His fate has been accursed, but it is worthy of our aid.
1015

Theseus

Enough of words. The doers of the deed are in flight, while we, the sufferers, stand still.

Creon

What order, then, do you have for a powerless man?

Theseus

Guide the way on the path to them while I escort you,

in order that if you are keeping the maidens whom we seek in these lands, you yourself may reveal them to me. But if your men are fleeing with the spoils in their grasp, we may spare our trouble; the chase is for others, from whom they will never escape out of this land to thank their gods.
1020

Come, lead the way! And know that the captor has been captured; fate has seized you as you hunted. Gains unjustly got by guile are soon lost. And you will have no ally in your purpose; for I well know that it is not without accomplice or resource that you have come to such
1025

outrage, from the daring mood which has inspired you here. There was someone you were trusting in when you did these deeds. This I must consider, and I must not make this city weaker than one man. Do you take my drift?
1030

Or do these words seem as empty as the warnings given when you were laying your plans?
1035

Creon

Say what you wish while you are here; I will not object. But at home I too will know how to act.

Theseus

Make your threats, then, but go forward. As for you, Oedipus, stay here in peace with my pledge that, unless I die beforehand,

I will not cease until I put you in possession of your children.
1040

Oedipus

Thanks to you, Theseus, for your nobleness and your righteous care for me! Theseus exits with attendants and Creon.

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)) — 720 focus

ὦ πλεῖστʼ ἐπαίνοις εὐλογούμενον πέδον,
720

νῦν σοὶ τὰ λαμπρὰ ταῦτα δὴ φαίνειν ἔπη.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἆσσον ἔρχεται

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ παῖ, καινόν ;

Κρέων ὅδʼ ἡμῖν οὐκ ἄνευ πομπῶν, πάτερ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατοι γέροντες, ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐμοὶ

φαίνοιτʼ ἂν ἤδη τέρμα τῆς σωτηρίας.
725

Χορός

θάρσει, παρέσται· καὶ γὰρ εἰ γέρων ἐγώ,

τὸ τῆσδε χώρας οὐ γεγήρακε σθένος.

Κρέων

ἄνδρες χθονὸς τῆσδʼ εὐγενεῖς οἰκήτορες,

ὁρῶ τινʼ ὑμᾶς ὀμμάτων εἰληφότας

φόβον νεώρη τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπεισόδου,
730

ὃν μήτʼ ὀκνεῖτε μήτʼ ἀφῆτʼ ἔπος κακόν.

ἥκω γὰρ οὐχ ὡς δρᾶν τι βουληθείς, ἐπεὶ

γέρων μέν εἰμι, πρὸς πόλιν δʼ ἐπίσταμαι

σθένουσαν ἥκων, εἴ τινʼ ῾Ελλάδος, μέγα.

ἀλλʼ ἄνδρα τόνδε τηλικόνδʼ ἀπεστάλην
735

πείσων ἕπεσθαι πρὸς τὸ Καδμείων πέδον,

οὐκ ἐξ ἑνὸς στείλαντος, ἀλλʼ ἀνδρῶν ὕπο

πάντων κελευσθείς, οὕνεχʼ ἧκέ μοι γένει

τὰ τοῦδε πενθεῖν πήματʼ εἰς πλεῖστον πόλεως.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ Οἰδίπους, κλύων ἐμοῦ
740

ἱκοῦ πρὸς οἴκους. πᾶς σε Καδμείων λεὼς

καλεῖ δικαίως, ἐκ δὲ τῶν μάλιστʼ ἐγώ,

ὅσῳπερ, εἰ μὴ πλεῖστον ἀνθρώπων ἔφυν

κάκιστος, ἀλγῶ τοῖσι σοῖς κακοῖς, γέρον,

ὁρῶν σε τὸν δύστηνον ὄντα μὲν ξένον,
745

ἀεὶ δʼ ἀλήτην κἀπὶ προσπόλου μιᾶς

βιοστερῆ χωροῦντα, τὴν ἐγὼ τάλας

οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ἐς τοσοῦτον αἰκίας πεσεῖν

ἔδοξʼ, ὅσον πέπτωκεν ἥδε δύσμορος,

ἀεί σε κηδεύουσα καὶ τὸ σὸν κάρα
750

πτωχῷ διαίτῃ, τηλικοῦτος, οὐ γάμων

ἔμπειρος, ἀλλὰ τοὐπιόντος ἁρπάσαι.

ἆρʼ ἄθλιον τοὔνειδος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ,

ὠνείδισʼ ἐς σὲ κἀμὲ καὶ τὸ πᾶν γένος;

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ ἔστι τἀμφανῆ κρύπτειν, σύ νυν
755

πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων, Οἰδίπους, πεισθεὶς ἐμοὶ

κρύψον, θελήσας ἄστυ καὶ δόμους μολεῖν˙

τοὺς σοὺς πατρῴους, τήνδε τὴν πόλιν φίλως

εἰπών· ἐπαξία γάρ· ἡ δʼ οἴκοι πλέον

δίκῃ σέβοιτʼ ἄν, οὖσα σὴ πάλαι τροφός.
760

ΟΙ, ὦ πάντα τολμῶν κἀπὸ παντὸς ἂν φέρων

λόγου δικαίου μηχάνημα ποικίλον,

τί ταῦτα πειρᾷ κἀμὲ δεύτερον θέλεις

ἑλεῖν, ἐν οἷς μάλιστʼ ἂν ἀλγοίην ἁλούς;

πρόσθεν τε γάρ με τοῖσιν οἰκείοις κακοῖς
765

νοσοῦνθʼ, ὅτʼ ἦν μοι τέρψις ἐκπεσεῖν χθονός,

οὐκ ἤθελες θέλοντι προσθέσθαι χάριν,

ἀλλʼ ἡνίκʼ ἤδη μεστὸς ἦ θυμούμενος,

καὶ τοὐν δόμοισιν ἦν διαιτᾶσθαι γλυκύ,

τότʼ ἐξεώθεις κἀξέβαλλες, οὐδέ σοι
770

τὸ συγγενὲς τοῦτʼ οὐδαμῶς τότʼ ἦν φίλον·

νῦν τʼ αὖθις ἡνίκʼ εἰσορᾷς πόλιν τέ μοι

ξυνοῦσαν εὔνουν τήνδε καὶ γένος τὸ πᾶν,

πειρᾷ μετασπᾶν, σκληρὰ μαλθακῶς λέγων.΄

καίτοι τίς αὕτη τέρψις ἄκοντας φιλεῖν;
775

ὥσπερ τις εἰ σοὶ λιπαροῦντι μὲν τυχεῖν

μηδὲν διδοίη μηδʼ ἐπαρκέσαι θέλοι,

πλήρη δʼ ἔχοντι θυμὸν ὧν χρῄζοις, τότε

δωροῖθʼ, ὅτʼ οὐδὲν ἡ χάρις χάριν φέροι·

ἆρʼ ἂν ματαίου τῆσδʼ ἂν ἡδονῆς τύχοις;
780

τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὶ σὺ προσφέρεις ἐμοί,

λόγῳ μὲν ἐσθλά, τοῖσι δʼ ἔργοισιν κακά.

φράσω δὲ καὶ τοῖσδʼ, ὥς σε δηλώσω κακόν.

ἥκεις ἔμʼ ἄξων, οὐχ ἵνʼ ἐς δόμους ἄγῃς,

ἀλλʼ ὡς πάραυλον οἰκίσῃς, πόλις δέ σοι
785

κακῶν ἄνατος τῶνδʼ ἀπαλλαχθῇ χθονός.

οὐκ ἔστι σοι ταῦτʼ, ἀλλά σοι τάδʼ ἔστʼ, ἐκεῖ

χώρας ἀλάστωρ οὑμὸς ἐνναίων ἀεί·

ἔστιν δὲ παισὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖσι τῆς ἐμῆς

χθονὸς λαχεῖν τοσοῦτον, ἐνθανεῖν μόνον.
790

ἆρʼ οὐκ ἄμεινον ἢ σὺ τἀν Θήβαις φρονῶ;

πολλῷ γʼ, ὅσῳπερ ἐκ σαφεστέρων κλύω,

Φοίβου τε καὐτοῦ Ζηνός, ὃς κείνου πατήρ.

τὸ σὸν δʼ ἀφῖκται δεῦρʼ ὑπόβλητον στόμα,

πολλὴν ἔχον στόμωσιν· ἐν δὲ τῷ λέγειν
795

κάκʼ ἂν λάβοις τὰ πλείονʼ ἢ σωτήρια.

ἀλλʼ οἶδα γάρ σε ταῦτα μὴ πείθων, ἴθι·

ἡμᾶς δʼ ἔα ζῆν ἐνθάδʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν κακῶς

οὐδʼ ὧδʼ ἔχοντες ζῷμεν, εἰ τερποίμεθα.

Κρέων

πότερα νομίζεις δυστυχεῖν ἔμʼ ἐς τὰ σὰ
800
[106 b.

ἢ σʼ εἰς τὰ σαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ἐν τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;

Οἰδίπους

ἐμοὶ μέν ἐσθʼ ἥδιστον, εἰ σὺ μήτʼ ἐμὲ

πείθειν οἷός τʼ εἶ μήτε τούσδε τοὺς πέλας.

Κρέων

ὦ δύσμορʼ, οὐδὲ τῷ χρόνῳ φύσας φανεῖ

φρένας ποτʼ, ἀλλὰ λῦμα τῷ γήρᾳ τρέφει;
805

Οἱ. γλώσσῃ σὺ δεινός· ἄνδρα δʼ οὐδένʼ οἶδʼ ἐγὼ

δίκαιον ὅστις ἐξ ἅπαντος εὖ λέγει.

Κρέων

χωρὶς τό τʼ εἰπεῖν πολλὰ καὶ τὰ καίρια.

Οἰδίπους

ὡς δὴ σὺ βραχέα, ταῦτα δʼ ἐν καιρῷ λέγεις.

Κρέων

οὐ δῆθʼ ὅτῳ γε νοῦς ἴσος καὶ σοὶ πάρα.
810

Οἰδίπους

ἄπελθʼ, ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τῶνδε, μηδέ με

φύλασσʼ ἐφορμῶν ἔνθα χρὴ ναίειν ἐμέ.

Κρέων

μαρτύρομαι τούσδʼ, οὐ σέ· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς φίλους

οἷʼ ἀνταμείβει ῥήματʼ, ἤν σʼ ἕλω ποτέ

Οἰδίπους

τίς δʼ ἄν με τῶνδε συμμάχων ἕλοι βίᾳ;
815

Κρέων

ἦ μὴν σὺ κἄνευ τῶνδε λυπηθεὶς ἔσει.

Οἰδίπους

ποίῳ σὺν ἔργῳ τοῦτʼ ἀπειλήσας ἔχεις;

Κρέων

παίδοιν δυοῖν σοι τὴν μὲν ἀρτίως ἐγὼ

ξυναρπάσας ἔπεμψα, τὴν δʼ ἄξω τάχα.

Οἰδίπους

οἴμοι.
820

Κρέων

τάχʼ ἕξεις μᾶλλον οἰμώζειν τάδε.

Οἰδίπους

τὴν παῖδʼ ἔχεις μου;

Κρέων

τήνδε * τʼ οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου.

Οἰδίπους

ἰὼ ξένοι, τί δράσετʼ; ἦ προδώσετε,

κοὐκ ἐξελᾶτε τὸν ἀσεβῆ τῆσδε χθονός;

Χορός

χώρει, ξένʼ, ἔξω θᾶσσον· οὔτε γὰρ τὰ νῦν
825

δίκαια πράσσεις οὔθʼ ἃ πρόσθεν εἴργασαι.

Κρέων

ὑμῖν ἂν εἴη τήνδε καιρὸς ἐξάγειν

ἄκουσαν, εἰ θέλουσα μὴ πορεύσεται.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι τάλαινα, ποῖ φύγω; ποίαν λάβω

θεῶν ἄρηξιν ἢ βροτῶν;
830

Χορός

τί δρᾷς, ξένε;

Κρέων

οὐχ ἅψομαι τοῦδʼ ἀνδρός, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐμῆς.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ γῆς ἄνακτες.

Χορός

ὦ ξένʼ, οὐ δίκαια δρᾷς.

Κρέων

δίκαια.

Χορός

πῶς δίκαια; ΚΡ. τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἄγω.

στρ.

Οἰδίπους

ἰὼ πόλις.

Χορός

τί δρᾷς, ὦ ξένʼ; οὐκ ἀφήσεις; τάχʼ εἰς βάσανον εἶ χερῶν.
835

Κρέων

εἴργου.

Χορός

σοῦ μὲν οὔ, τάδε γε μωμένου.

Κρέων

πόλει μαχεῖ γάρ, εἴ τι πημανεῖς ἐμέ.

Οἰδίπους

οὐκ ἠγόρευον ταῦτʼ ἐγώ;

Χορός

μέθες χεροῖν

τὴν παῖδα θᾶσσον.

Κρέων

μὴ ʼπίτασσʼ ἃ μὴ κρατεῖς.

Χορός

χαλᾶν λέγω σοι.
840

Κρέων

σοὶ δʼ ἔγωγʼ ὁδοιπορεῖν.

[107 a.

Χορός

πρόβαθʼ ὧδε, βᾶτε βᾶτʼ, * ἔντοποι.

πόλις ἐναίρεται, πόλις ἐμά, σθένει.

πρόβαθʼ ὧδέ μοι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀφέλκομαι δύστηνος, ὦ ξένοι ξένοι.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ, τέκνον, εἴ μοι;
845

Ἀντιγόνη

πρὸς βίαν πορεύομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὄρεξον, ὦ παῖ, χεῖρας.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν σθένω.

Κρέων

οὐκ ἄξεθʼ ὑμεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τάλας ἐγώ, τάλας.

Κρέων

οὔκουν ποτʼ ἐκ τούτοιν γε μὴ σκήπτροιν ἔτι

ὁδοιπορήσεις· ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ νικᾶν θέλεις

πατρίδα τε τὴν σὴν καὶ φίλους, ὑφʼ ὧν ἐγὼ
850

ταχθεὶς τάδʼ ἔρδω, καὶ τύραννος ὢν ὅμως,

νίκα. χρόνῳ γάρ, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, γνώσει τάδε,

ὁθούνεκʼ αὐτὸς αὑτὸν οὔτε νῦν καλὰ

δρᾷς οὔτε πρόσθεν εἰργάσω βίᾳ φίλων,

ὀργῇ χάριν δούς, ἥ σʼ ἀεὶ λυμαίνεται.
855

Χορός

ἐπίσχες αὐτοῦ, ξεῖνε.

Κρέων

μὴ ψαύειν λέγω.

Χορός

οὔτοι σʼ ἀφήσω, τῶνδέ γʼ ἐστερημένος.

Κρέων

καὶ μεῖζον ἆρα ῥύσιον πόλει τάχα

θήσεις· ἐφάψομαι γὰρ οὐ ταύταιν μόναιν.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἐς τί τρέψει;
860

Κρέων

τόνδʼ ἀπάξομαι λαβών. 860

Χορός

δεινὸν λέγεις.

Κρέων

ὡς τοῦτο νῦν πεπράξεται,

ἢν μή μʼ ὁ κραίνων τῆσδε γῆς ἀπειργάθῃ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φθέγμʼ ἀναιδές, ἦ σὺ γὰρ ψαύσεις ἐμοῦ;

Κρέων

αὐδῶ σιωπᾶν.

Οἰδίπους

μὴ γὰρ αἵδε δαίμονες

θεῖέν μʼ ἄφωνον τῆσδε * τῆς ἀρᾶς ἔτι,
865

ὅς μʼ, ὦ κάκιστε, ψιλὸν ὄμμʼ ἀποσπάσας

πρὸς ὄμμασιν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἐξοίχει βίᾳ.

τοιγὰρ σὲ καὐτὸν καὶ γένος τὸ σὸν θεῶν

ὁ πάντα λεύσσων " Ἥλιος δοίη βίον

τοιοῦτον οἷον κἀμὲ γηράναι ποτέ.
870

Κρέων

ὁρᾶτε ταῦτα, τῆσδε γῆς ἐγχώριοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὁρῶσι κἀμὲ καὶ σέ, καὶ φρονοῦσʼ ὅτι

ἔργοις πεπονθὼς ῥήμασίν σʼ ἀμύνομαι.

Κρέων

οὔτοι καθέξω θυμόν, ἀλλʼ ἄξω βίᾳ

κεἰ μοῦνός εἰμι τόνδε καὶ χρόνῳ βραδύς.
875

[107 b.

Οἰδίπους

ἰὼ τάλας.

Χορός

ὅσον λῆμʼ ἔχων ἀφίκου, ξένʼ, εἰ τάδε δοκεῖς τελεῖν.

Κρέων

δοκῶ.

Χορός

τάνδʼ ἄρʼ οὐκέτι νεμῶ πόλιν.

Κρέων

τοῖς τοι δικαίοις χὠ βραχὺς νικᾷ μέγαν.
880

Οἰδίπους

ἀκούεθʼ οἷα φθέγγεται;

Χορός

τά γʼ οὐ τελεῖ

Κρέων

Ζεύς *γʼ ἂν εἰδείη, σὺ δʼ οὔ.

Χορός

ἆρʼ οὐχ ὕβρις τάδʼ;

Κρέων

ὕβρις, ἀλλʼ ἀνεκτέα.

Χορός

ἰὼ πᾶς λεώς, ἰὼ γᾶς πρόμοι,
885

μόλετε σὺν τάχει, μόλετʼ· ἐπεὶ πέραν

περῶσʼ * οἵδε δή.

Θησεύς

τίς ποθʼ ἡ βοή; τί τοὔργον; ἐκ τίνος φόβου ποτὲ

βουθυτοῦντά μʼ ἀμφὶ βωμὸν ἔσχετʼ ἐναλίῳ θεῷ

τοῦδʼ ἐπιστάτῃ Κολωνοῦ; λέξαθʼ, ὡς εἰδῶ τὸ πᾶν,

οὗ χάριν δεῦρʼ ᾖξα θᾶσσον ἢ καθʼ ἡδονὴν ποδός.
890

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ, ἔγνων γὰρ τὸ προσφώνημά σου,

πέπονθα δεινὰ τοῦδʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀρτίως.

Θησεύς

τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα, τίς δʼ ὁ πημήνας; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους

Κρέων ὅδʼ, ὃν δέδορκας, οἴχεται τέκνων

ἀποσπάσας μου τὴν μόνην ξυνωρίδα.
895

Θησεύς

πῶς εἶπας;

Οἰδίπους

οἷά περ πέπονθʼ ἀκήκοας.

Θησεύς

οὔκουν τις ὡς τάχιστα προσπόλων μολὼν

πρὸς τούσδε βωμοὺς πάντʼ ἀναγκάσει λεὼν

ἄνιππον ἱππότην τε θυμάτων ἄπο

σπεύδειν ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος, ἔνθα δίστομοι
900

μάλιστα συμβάλλουσιν ἐμπόρων ὁδοί,

ὡς μὴ παρέλθωσʼ αἱ κόραι, γέλως δʼ ἐγὼ

ξένῳ γένωμαι τῷδε, χειρωθεὶς βίᾳ.

ἴθʼ, ὡς ἄνωγα, σὺν τάχει. τοῦτον δʼ ἐγώ,

εἰ μὲν διʼ ὀργῆς ἧκον, ἧς ὅδʼ ἄξιος,
905

ἄτρωτον οὐ μεθῆκʼ ἂν ἐξ ἐμῆς χερός·

νῦν δʼ * οὕσπερ αὐτὸς τοὺς νόμους εἰσῆλθʼ ἔχων,

τούτοισι κοὐκ ἄλλοισιν ἁρμοσθήσεται.

οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἔξει τῆσδε τῆς χώρας, πρὶν ἂν

κείνας ἐναργεῖς δεῦρό μοι στήσῃς ἄγων·
910

ἐπεὶ δέδρακας οὔτʼ ἐμοῦ καταξίως

οὔθʼ ὧν πέφυκας αὐτὸς οὔτε σῆς χθονός,

ὅστις δίκαιʼ ἀσκοῦσαν εἰσελθὼν πόλιν

κἄνευ νόμου κραίνουσαν οὐδέν, εἶτʼ ἀφεὶς

τὰ τῆσδε τῆς γῆς κύριʼ, ὧδʼ ἐπεισπεσὼν
915

ἄγεις θʼ ἃ χρῄζεις καὶ παρίστασαι βίᾳ·

καί μοι πόλιν κένανδρον ἢ δούλην τινὰ

ἔδοξας εἶναι, κἄμʼ ἴσον τῷ μηδενί.

καίτοι σε Θῆβαί γʼ οὐκ ἐπαίδευσαν κακόν·

οὐ γὰρ φιλοῦσιν ἄνδρας ἐκδίκους τρέφειν,
920

οὐδʼ ἄν σʼ ἐπαινέσειαν, εἰ πυθοίατο

συλῶντα τἀμὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν θεῶν, βίᾳ

ἄγοντα φωτῶν ἀθλίων ἱκτήρια.

οὔκουν ἐγωγʼ ἂν σῆς ἐπεμβαίνων χθονός,

οὐδʼ εἰ τὰ πάντων εἶχον ἐνδικώτατα,
925

ἄνευ γε τοῦ κραίνοντος, ὅστις ἦν, χθονὸς

οὔθʼ εἶλκον οὔτʼ ἂν ἦγον, ἀλλʼ ἠπιστάμην

ξένον παρʼ ἀστοῖς ὡς διαιτᾶσθαι χρεών.

σὺ δʼ ἀξίαν οὐκ οὖσαν αἰσχύνεις πόλιν

τὴν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ, καί σʼ ὁ πληθύων χρόνος
930

γέρονθʼ ὁμοῦ τίθησι καὶ τοῦ νοῦ κενόν.

εἶπον μὲν οὖν καὶ πρόσθεν, ἐννέπω δὲ νῦν,

τὰς παῖδας ὡς τάχιστα δεῦρʼ ἄγειν τινά,

εἰ μὴ μέτοικος τῆσδε τῆς χώρας θέλεις

εἶναι βίᾳ τε κοὐχ ἑκών· καὶ ταῦτά σοι
935

τῷ νῷ θʼ ὁμοίως κἀπὸ τῆς γλώσσης λέγω.

Χορός

ὁρᾷς ἵνʼ ἥκεις, ὦ ξένʼ; ὡς ἀφʼ ὧν μὲν εἶ

φαίνει δίκαιος, δρῶν δʼ ἐφευρίσκει κακά.

Κρέων

ἐγὼ οὔτʼ ἄνανδρον τήνδε τὴν πόλιν λέγων,

ὦ τέκνον Αἰγέως, οὔτʼ ἄβουλον, ὡς σὺ φῄς,
940

τοὔργον τόδʼ ἐξέπραξα, γιγνώσκων δʼ ὅτι

οὐδείς ποτʼ αὐτοὺς τῶν ἐμῶν ἂν ἐμπέσοι

ζῆλος ξυναίμων, ὥστʼ ἐμοῦ τρέφειν βίᾳ.

ᾔδη δʼ ὁθούνεκ ἄνδρα καὶ πατροκτόνον

κἄναγνον οὐ δεξοίατʼ, οὐδʼ ὅτῳ γάμοι
945

ξυνόντες εὑρέθησαν ἀνόσιοι τέκνων.

τοιοῦτον αὐτοῖς Ἄρεος εὔβουλον πάγον

ἐγὼ ξυνῄδη χθόνιον ὄνθʼ, ὃς οὐκ ἐᾷ

τοιούσδʼ ἀλήτας τῇδʼ ὁμοῦ ναίειν πόλει·

ᾧ πίστιν ἴσχων τήνδʼ ἐχειρούμην ἄγραν.
950

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἂν οὐκ ἔπρασσον, εἰ μή μοι πικρὰς

αὐτῷ τʼ ἀρὰς ἠρᾶτο καὶ τὠμῷ γένει·

ἀνθʼ ὧν πεπονθὼς ἠξίουν τάδʼ ἀντιδρᾶν.

θυμοῦ γὰρ οὐδὲν γῆράς ἐστιν ἄλλο πλὴν

θανεῖν· θανόντων δʼ οὐδὲν ἄλγος ἅπτεται.
955

πρὸς ταῦτα πράξεις οἷον ἂν θέλῃς· ἐπεὶ

ἐρημία με, κεἰ δίκαιʼ ὅμως λέγω,

σμικρὸν τίθησι· πρὸς δὲ τὰς πράξεις ὅμως,

καὶ τηλικόσδʼ ὤν, ἀντιδρᾶν πειράσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ λῆμʼ ἀναιδές, τοῦ καθυβρίζειν δοκεῖς,
960

πότερον ἐμοῦ γέροντος, ἢ σαυτοῦ, τόδε ;

ὅστις φόνους μοι καὶ γάμους καὶ συμφορὰς

τοῦ σοῦ διῆκας στόματος, ἃς ἐγὼ τάλας

ἤνεγκον ἄκων· θεοῖς γὰρ ἦν οὕτω φίλον,

τάχʼ ἄν τι μηνίουσιν εἰς γένος πάλαι.
965

ἐπεὶ καθʼ αὑτόν γʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐξεύροις ἐμοὶ

ἁμαρτίας ὄνειδος οὐδὲν ἀνθʼ ὅτου

τάδʼ εἰς ἐμαυτὸν τοὺς ἐμούς θʼ ἡμάρτανον.

ἐπεὶ δίδαξον, εἴ τι θέσφατον πατρὶ

χρησμοῖσιν ἱκνεῖθʼ ὥστε πρὸς παίδων θανεῖν,
970

πῶς ἂν δικαίως τοῦτʼ ὀνειδίζοις ἐμοί,

ὃς οὔτε βλάστας πω γενεθλίους πατρός,

οὐ μητρὸς εἶχον, ἀλλʼ ἀγέννητος τότʼ ἦ;

εἰ δʼ αὖ φανεὶς δύστηνος, ὡς ἐγὼ ʼφάνην,

ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθον πατρὶ καὶ κατέκτανον,
975

μηδὲν ξυνιεὶς ὧν ἔδρων εἰς οὕς τʼ ἔδρων,

πῶς *δἂν τό γʼ ἆκον πρᾶγμʼ ἂν εἰκότως ψέγοις ;

μητρὸς δέ, τλῆμον, οὐκ ἐπαισχύνει γάμους

οὔσης ὁμαίμου σῆς μʼ ἀναγκάζων λέγειν

οἵους ἐρῶ τάχʼ· οὐ γὰρ οὖν σιγήσομαι,
980

σοῦ γʼ εἰς τόδʼ ἐξελθόντος ἀνόσιον στόμα.

ἔτικτε γάρ μʼ ἔτικτεν, ὤμοι μοι κακῶν,

οὐκ εἰδότʼ οὐκ εἰδυῖα, καὶ τεκοῦσά με

αὑτῆς ὄνειδος παῖδας ἐξέφυσέ μοι.

ἀλλʼ ἓν γὰρ οὖν ἔξοιδα, σὲ μὲν ἑκόντʼ ἐμὲ
985

κείνην τε ταῦτα δυσστομεῖν· ἐγὼ δέ νιν

ἄκων ἔγημα, φθέγγομαί τʼ ἄκων τάδε.

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ οὔτʼ ἐν τοῖσδʼ ἀκούσομαι κακὸς

γάμοισιν οὔθʼ οὓς αἰὲν ἐμφορεῖς σύ μοι

φόνους πατρῴους ἐξονειδίζων πικρῶς.
990

ἓν γάρ μʼ ἄμειψαι μοῦνον ὧν σʼ ἀνιστορῶ.

εἴ τίς σε τὸν δίκαιον αὐτίκʼ ἐνθάδε

κτείνοι παραστάς, πότερα πυνθάνοιʼ ἂν εἰ

πατήρ σʼ ὁ καίνων, ἢ τίνοιʼ ἂν εὐθέως;

δοκῶ μέν, εἴπερ ζῆν φιλεῖς, τὸν αἴτιον
995

τίνοιʼ ἄν, οὐδὲ τοὔνδικον περιβλέποις.

τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὐτὸς εἰσέβην κακά,

θεῶν ἀγόντων· οἷς ἐγὼ οὐδὲ τὴν πατρὸς

ψυχὴν ἂν οἶμαι ζῶσαν ἀντειπεῖν ἐμοί,

σὺ δʼ, εἶ γὰρ οὐ δίκαιος, ἀλλʼ ἅπαν καλὸν
1000

λέγειν νομίζων, ῥητὸν ἄρρητόν τʼ ἔπος,

τοιαῦτʼ ὀνειδίζεις με τῶνδʼ ἐναντίον.

καί σοι τὸ Θησέως ὄνομα θωπεῦσαι καλόν,

καὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας, ὡς κατῴκηνται καλῶς·

κᾆθʼ ὧδʼ ἐπαινῶν πολλὰ τοῦδʼ ἐκλανθάνει,
1005

ὁθούνεκʼ εἴ τις γῆ θεοὺς ἐπίσταται

τιμαῖς σεβίζειν, ἥδε τοῦθʼ ὑπερφέρει,

ἀφʼ ἧς σὺ κλέψας τὸν ἱκέτην γέροντʼ ἐμὲ

αὐτόν τʼ ἐχειροῦ τὰς κόρας τʼ οἴχει λαβών.

ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ νῦν τάσδε τὰς θεὰς ἐμοὶ
1010

καλῶν ἱκνοῦμαι καὶ κατασκήπτω λιταῖς

ἐλθεῖν ἀρωγοὺς ξυμμάχους θʼ, ἵνʼ ἐκμάθῃς

οἵων ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν ἥδε φρουρεῖται πόλις.

Χορός

ὁ ξεῖνος, ὦναξ, χρηστός· αἱ δὲ συμφοραὶ

αὐτοῦ πανώλεις, ἄξιαι δʼ ἀμυναθεῖν.
1015

Θησεύς

ἅλις λόγων· ὡς οἱ μὲν ἐξηρπασμένοι

σπεύδουσιν, ἡμεῖς δʼ οἱ παθόντες ἕσταμεν.

Κρέων

τί δῆτʼ ἀμαυρῷ φωτὶ προστάσσεις ποιεῖν;

Θησεύς

ὁδοῦ κατάρχειν τῆς ἐκεῖ, πομπὸν δʼ *ἐμὲ

χωρεῖν, ἵνʼ, εἰ μὲν ἐν τόποισι τοῖσδʼ ἔχεις
1020

τὰς παῖδας ἡμῶν, αὐτὸς ἐκδείξῃς ἐμοί·

εἰ δʼ ἐγκρατεῖς φεύγουσιν, οὐδὲν δεῖ πονεῖν·

ἄλλοι γὰρ οἱ σπεύδοντες, οὓς οὐ μή ποτε

χώρας φυγόντες τῆσδʼ ἐπεύξωνται θεοῖς.

ἀλλʼ ἐξυφηγοῦ· γνῶθι δʼ ὡς ἔχων ἔχει
1025

καί σʼ εἷλε θηρῶνθʼ ἡ τύχη· τὰ γὰρ δόλῳ

τῷ μὴ δικαίῳ κτήματʼ οὐχὶ σώζεται.

κοὐκ ἄλλον ἕξεις εἰς τόδʼ· ὡς ἔξοιδά σε

οὐ ψιλὸν οὐδʼ ἄσκευον ἐς τοσήνδʼ ὕβριν

ἥκοντα τόλμης τῆς παρεστώσης τανῦν·
1030

ἀλλʼ ἔσθʼ ὅτῳ σὺ πιστὸς ὢν ἔδρας τάδε.

ἃ δεῖ μʼ ἀθρῆσαι, μηδὲ τήνδε τὴν πόλιν

ἑνὸς ποιῆσαι φωτὸς ἀσθενεστέραν.

νοεῖς τι τούτων, ἢ μάτην τανῦν τέ σοι

δοκεῖ λελέχθαι χὤτε ταῦτʼ ἐμηχανῶ ;
1035

Κρέων

οὐδὲν σὺ μεμπτὸν ἐνθάδʼ ὢν ἐρεῖς ἐμοί·

οἴκοι δὲ χἠμεῖς εἰσόμεσθʼ ἃ χρὴ ποιεῖν.

Θησεύς

χωρῶν ἀπείλει νυν· σὺ δʼ ἡμίν, Οἰδίπους,

ἕκηλος αὐτοῦ μίμνε, πιστωθεὶς ὅτι,

ἢν μὴ θάνω ἐγὼ πρόσθεν, οὐχὶ παύσομαι
1040

πρὶν ἄν σε τῶν σῶν κύριον στήσω τέκνων.

Οἰδίπους

ὄναιο, Θησεῦ, τοῦ τε γενναίου χάριν

καὶ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐνδίκου προμηθίας.

Χορός

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 720-1043 focus

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πλεῖστʼ ἐπαίνοις εὐλογούμενον πέδον,
720

νῦν σὸν τὰ λαμπρὰ ταῦτα δὴ φαίνειν ἔπη.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστιν, ὦ παῖ, καινόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

ἆσσον ἔρχεται

Κρέων ὅδʼ ἡμῖν οὐκ ἄνευ πομπῶν, πάτερ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατοι γέροντες, ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐμοὶ

φαίνοιτʼ ἂν ἤδη τέρμα τῆς σωτηρίας.
725

Χορός

θάρσει, παρέσται· καὶ γὰρ εἰ γέρων ἐγώ,

τὸ τῆσδε χώρας οὐ γεγήρακεν σθένος.

Κρέων

ἄνδρες χθονὸς τῆσδʼ εὐγενεῖς οἰκήτορες,

ὁρῶ τινʼ ὑμᾶς ὀμμάτων εἰληφότας

φόβον νεώρη τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπεισόδου,
730

ὃν μήτʼ ὀκνεῖτε μήτʼ ἀφῆτʼ ἔπος κακόν.

ἥκω γὰρ οὐχ ὡς δρᾶν τι βουληθείς, ἐπεὶ

γέρων μέν εἰμι, πρὸς πόλιν δʼ ἐπίσταμαι

σθένουσαν ἥκων, εἴ τινʼ Ἑλλάδος, μέγα.

ἀλλʼ ἄνδρα τόνδε τηλικόσδʼ ἀπεστάλην
735

πείσων ἕπεσθαι πρὸς τὸ Καδμείων πέδον,

οὐκ ἐξ ἑνὸς στείλαντος, ἀλλʼ ἀνδρῶν ὑπὸ

πάντων κελευσθείς, οὕνεχʼ ἧκέ μοι γένει

τὰ τοῦδε πενθεῖν πήματʼ εἰς πλεῖστον πόλεως.

ἀλλʼ ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ Οἰδίπους, κλύων ἐμοῦ
740

ἱκοῦ πρὸς οἴκους. πᾶς σε Καδμείων λεὼς

καλεῖ δικαίως, ἐκ δὲ τῶν μάλιστʼ ἐγώ,

ὅσῳπερ, εἰ μὴ πλεῖστον ἀνθρώπων ἔφυν

κάκιστος, ἀλγῶ τοῖσι σοῖς κακοῖς, γέρον,

ὁρῶν σε τὸν δύστηνον ὄντα μὲν ξένον,
745

ἀεὶ δʼ ἀλήτην κἀπὶ προσπόλου μιᾶς

βιοστερῆ χωροῦντα· τὴν ἐγὼ τάλας

οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ ἐς τοσοῦτον αἰκίας πεσεῖν

ἔδοξʼ, ὅσον πέπτωκεν ἥδε δύσμορος,

ἀεί σε κηδεύουσα καὶ τὸ σὸν κάρα
750

πτωχῷ διαίτῃ, τηλικοῦτος, οὐ γάμων

ἔμπειρος, ἀλλὰ τοὐπιόντος ἁρπάσαι.

ἆρʼ ἄθλιον τοὔνειδος, ὦ τάλας ἐγώ,

ὠνείδισʼ εἰς σὲ κἀμὲ καὶ τὸ πᾶν γένος;

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ ἔστι τἀμφανῆ κρύπτειν, σύ νιν
755

πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων, Οἰδίπους, πεισθεὶς ἐμοὶ

κρύψον, θελήσας ἄστυ καὶ δόμους μολεῖν

τοὺς σοὺς πατρῴους, τήνδε τὴν πόλιν φίλως

εἰπών· ἐπαξία γάρ· ἡ δʼ οἴκοι πλέον

δίκῃ σέβοιτʼ ἄν, οὖσα σὴ πάλαι τροφός.
760

761

Οἰδίπους

ὦ πάντα τολμῶν κἀπὸ παντὸς ἂν φέρων

λόγου δικαίου μηχάνημα ποικίλον,

τί ταῦτα πειρᾷ κἀμὲ δεύτερον θέλεις

ἑλεῖν ἐν οἷς μάλιστʼ ἂν ἀλγοίην ἁλούς;

πρόσθεν τε γάρ με τοῖσιν οἰκείοις κακοῖς
765

νοσοῦνθʼ, ὅτʼ ἦν μοι τέρψις ἐκπεσεῖν χθονός,

οὐκ ἤθελες θέλοντι προσθέσθαι χάριν·

ἀλλʼ ἡνίκʼ ἤδη μεστὸς ἦ θυμούμενος

καὶ τοὐν δόμοισιν ἦν διαιτᾶσθαι γλυκύ,

τότʼ ἐξεώθεις κἀξέβαλλες, οὐδέ σοι
770

τὸ συγγενὲς τοῦτʼ οὐδαμῶς τότʼ ἦν φίλον·

νῦν τʼ αὖθις ἡνίκʼ εἰσορᾷς πόλιν τέ μοι

ξυνοῦσαν εὔνουν τήνδε καὶ γένος τὸ πᾶν,

πειρᾷ μετασπᾶν, σκληρὰ μαλθακῶς λέγων.

καίτοι τίς αὕτη τέρψις ἄκοντας φιλεῖν;
775

ὥσπερ τις εἴ σοι λιπαροῦντι μὲν τυχεῖν

μηδὲν διδοίη μηδʼ ἐπαρκέσαι θέλοι,

πλήρη δʼ ἔχοντι θυμὸν ὧν χρῄζοις, τότε

δωροῖθʼ, ὅτʼ οὐδὲν ἡ χάρις χάριν φέροι·

ἆρʼ ἂν ματαίου τῆσδʼ ἂν ἡδονῆς τύχοις;
780

τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὶ σὺ προσφέρεις ἐμοί,

λόγῳ μὲν ἐσθλά. τοῖσι δʼ ἔργοισιν κακά.

φράσω δὲ καὶ τοῖσδʼ, ὥς σε δηλώσω κακόν.

ἥκεις ἔμʼ ἄξων, οὐχʼ ἵνʼ ἐς δόμους ἄγῃς,

ἀλλʼ ὡς πάραυλον οἰκίσῃς, πόλις δέ σοι
785

κακῶν ἄνατος τῆσδʼ ἀπαλλαχθῇ χθονός.

οὐκ ἔστι σοι ταῦτʼ, ἀλλά σοι τάδʼ ἔστʼ, ἐκεῖ

χώρας ἀλάστωρ οὑμὸς ἐνναίων ἀεί·

ἔστιν δὲ παισὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖσι τῆς ἐμῆς

χθονὸς λαχεῖν τοσοῦτον, ἐνθανεῖν μόνον.
790

ἆρʼ οὐκ ἄμεινον ἢ σὺ τἀν Θήβαις φρονῶ;

πολλῷ γʼ, ὅσῳπερ κἀκ σαφεστέρων κλύω,

Φοίβου τε καὐτοῦ Ζηνός, ὃς κείνου πατήρ.

τὸ σὸν δʼ ἀφῖκται δεῦρʼ ὑπόβλητον στόμα,

πολλὴν ἔχον στόμωσιν· ἐν δὲ τῷ λέγειν
795

κάκʼ ἂν λάβοις τὰ πλείονʼ ἢ σωτήρια.

ἀλλʼ οἶδα γάρ σε ταῦτα μὴ πείθων, ἴθι·

ἡμᾶς δʼ ἔα ζῆν ἐνθάδʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν κακῶς

οὐδʼ ὧδʼ ἔχοντες ζῷμεν, εἰ τερποίμεθα.

800

Κρέων

πότερα νομίζεις δυστυχεῖν ἔμʼ ἐς τὰ σά,
800

ἤ σʼ εἰς τὰ σαυτοῦ μᾶλλον, ἐν ἐς τῷ νῦν λόγῳ;

Οἰδίπους

ἐμοὶ μέν ἐσθʼ ἥδιστον, εἰ σὺ μήτʼ ἐμὲ

πείθειν οἷός τʼ εἶ μήτε τούσδε τοὺς πέλας.

Κρέων

ὦ δύσμορʼ, οὐδὲ τῷ χρόνῳ φύσας φανεῖ

φρένας ποτʼ ἀλλὰ λῦμα τῷ γήρᾳ τρέφει;
805

Οἰδίπους

γλώσσῃ σὺ δεινός· ἄνδρα δʼ οὐδένʼ οἶδʼ ἐγὼ

δίκαιον ὅστις ἐξ ἅπαντος εὖ λέγει.

Κρέων

χωρὶς τό τʼ εἰπεῖν πολλὰ καὶ τὰ καίρια.

Οἰδίπους

ὡς δὴ σὺ βραχέα, ταῦτα δʼ ἐν καιρῷ λέγεις.

Κρέων

οὐ δῆθʼ ὅτῳ γε νοῦς ἴσος καὶ σοὶ πάρα.
810

Οἰδίπους

ἄπελθʼ, ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τῶνδε, μηδέ με

φύλασσʼ ἐφορμῶν ἔνθα χρὴ ναίειν ἐμέ.

Κρέων

μαρτύρομαι τούσδʼ, οὐ σέ· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς φίλους

οἷʼ ἀνταμείβει ῥήματʼ, ἤν σʼ ἕλω ποτέ

Οἰδίπους

τίς δʼ ἄν με τῶνδε συμμάχων ἕλοι βίᾳ;
815

Κρέων

ἦ μὴν σὺ κἄνευ τοῦδε λυπηθεὶς ἔσει.

Οἰδίπους

ποίῳ σὺν ἔργῳ τοῦτʼ ἀπειλήσας ἔχεις;

Κρέων

παίδοιν δυοῖν σοι τὴν μὲν ἀρτίως ἐγὼ

ξυναρπάσας ἔπεμψα, τὴν δʼ ἄξω τάχα.

Οἰδίπους

οἴμοι.
820

Κρέων

τάχʼ ἕξεις μᾶλλον οἰμώζειν τάδε.

Οἰδίπους

τὴν παῖδʼ ἔχεις μου;

Κρέων

τήνδε τʼ οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου.

Οἰδίπους

ἰὼ ξένοι, τί δράσετʼ; ἦ προδώσετε,

κοὐκ ἐξελᾶτε τὸν ἀσεβῆ τῆσδε χθονός;

Χορός

χώρει, ξένʼ, ἔξω θᾶσσον. οὔτε γὰρ τὰ νῦν

δίκαια πράσσεις οὔθʼ ἃ πρόσθεν εἴργασαι.
825

Κρέων

ὑμῖν ἂν εἴη τήνδε καιρὸς ἐξάγειν

ἄκουσαν, εἰ θέλουσα μὴ πορεύεται.

Ἀντιγόνη

οἴμοι τάλαινα, ποῖ φύγω; ποίαν λάβω

θεῶν ἄρηξιν ἢ βροτῶν;

Χορός

τί δρᾷς, ξένε;

Κρέων

οὐχ ἅψομαι τοῦδʼ ἀνδρός, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐμῆς.
830

Οἰδίπους

ὦ γῆς ἄνακτες.

Χορός

ὦ ξένʼ, οὐ δίκαια δρᾷς.

Κρέων

δίκαια.

Χορός

πῶς δίκαια;

Κρέων

τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἄγω.

Οἰδίπους

ἰὼ πόλις.

Χορός

τί δρᾷς, ὦ ξένʼ; οὐκ ἀφήσεις; τάχʼ εἰς βάσανον εἶ χερῶν.

Κρέων

εἴργου.
835

Χορός

σοῦ μὲν οὔ, τάδε γε μωμένου.

Κρέων

πόλει μαχεῖ γάρ, εἴ τι πημανεῖς ἐμέ.

Οἰδίπους

οὐκ ἠγόρευον ταῦτʼ ἐγώ;

Χορός

μέθες χεροῖν

τὴν παῖδα θᾶσσον.

Κρέων

μὴ ʼπίτασσʼ ἃ μὴ κρατεῖς.

Χορός

χαλᾶν λέγω σοι.
840

Κρέων

σοὶ δʼ ἔγωγʼ ὁδοιπορεῖν.

Χορός

πρόβαθʼ ὧδε, βᾶτε βᾶτʼ, ἔντοποι·

πόλις ἐναίρεται, πόλις ἐμά, σθένει· πρόβαθʼ ὧδέ μοι.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀφέλκομαι δύστηνος, ὦ ξένοι ξένοι.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ, τέκνον, εἴ μοι;

Ἀντιγόνη

πρὸς βίαν πορεύομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὄρεξον, ὦ παῖ, χεῖρας.
845

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν σθένω.

Κρέων

οὐκ ἄξεθʼ ὑμεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τάλας ἐγώ, τάλας.

848

Κρέων

οὔκουν ποτʼ ἐκ τούτοιν γε μὴ σκήπτροιν ἔτι

ὁδοιπορήσῃς· ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ νικᾶν θέλεις

πατρίδα τε τὴν σὴν καὶ φίλους, ὑφʼ ὧν ἐγὼ
850

ταχθεὶς τάδʼ ἔρδω, καὶ τύραννος ὢν ὅμως,

νίκα. χρόνῳ γάρ, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, γνώσει τάδε,

ὁθούνεκʼ αὐτὸς αὑτὸν οὔτε νῦν καλὰ

δρᾷς οὔτε πρόσθεν εἰργάσω βίᾳ φίλων,

ὀργῇ χάριν δούς, ἥ σʼ ἀεὶ λυμαίνεται.
855

Χορός

ἐπίσχες αὐτοῦ, ξεῖνε.

Κρέων

μὴ ψαύειν λέγω.

Χορός

οὔτοι σʼ ἀφήσω, τῶνδέ γʼ ἐστερημένος.

Κρέων

καὶ μεῖζον ἆρα ῥύσιον πόλει τάχα

θήσεις· ἐφάψομαι γὰρ οὐ ταύταιν μόναιν.

Χορός

ἀλλʼ ἐς τί τρέψει;
860

Κρέων

τόνδʼ ἀπάξομαι λαβών.

Χορός

δεινὸν λέγοις ἄν.

Κρέων

τοῦτο νῦν πεπράξεται.

Χορός

ἢν μή σʼ ὁ κραίνων τῆσδε γῆς ἀπειργάθῃ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φθέγμʼ ἀναιδές, ἦ σὺ γὰρ ψαύσεις ἐμοῦ;

Κρέων

αὐδῶ σιωπᾶν.

Οἰδίπους

μὴ γὰρ αἵδε δαίμονες

θεῖέν μʼ ἄφωνον τῆσδε τῆς ἀρᾶς ἔτι,
865

ὅς μʼ, ὦ κάκιστε, ψιλὸν ὄμμʼ ἀποσπάσας

πρὸς ὄμμασιν τοῖς πρόσθεν ἐξοίχει βίᾳ.

τοιγὰρ σέ τʼ αὐτὸν καὶ γένος τὸ σὸν θεῶν

ὁ πάντα λεύσσων Ἥλιος δοίη βίον

τοιοῦτον οἷον κἀμὲ γηρᾶναί ποτε.
870

Κρέων

ὁρᾶτε ταῦτα, τῆσδε γῆς ἐγχώριοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὁρῶσι κἀμὲ καὶ σέ, καὶ φρονοῦσʼ ὅτι

ἔργοις πεπονθὼς ῥήμασίν σʼ ἀμύνομαι.

Κρέων

οὔτοι καθέξω θυμόν, ἀλλʼ ἄξω βίᾳ

κεἰ μοῦνός εἰμι τόνδε καὶ χρόνῳ βραδύς.
875

Οἰδίπους

ἰὼ τάλας.

Χορός

ὅσον λῆμʼ ἔχων ἀφίκου, ξένʼ, εἰ τάδε δοκεῖς τελεῖν.

Κρέων

δοκῶ.

Χορός

τάνδʼ ἄρʼ οὐκέτι νεμῶ πόλιν.

Κρέων

τοῖς τοι δικαίοις χὠ βραχὺς νικᾷ μέγαν.
880

Οἰδίπους

ἀκούεθʼ οἷα φθέγγεται;

Χορός

τά γʼ οὐ τελεῖ.

ἴστω μέγας Ζεύς.

Κρέων

Ζεύς γʼ ἂν εἰδείη, σὺ δʼ οὔ.

Χορός

ἆρʼ οὐχ ὕβρις τάδʼ;

Κρέων

ὕβρις, ἀλλʼ ἀνεκτέα.

Χορός

ἰὼ πᾶς λεώς, ἰὼ γᾶς πρόμοι,
885

μόλετε σὺν τάχει, μόλετʼ, ἐπεὶ πέραν περῶσʼ οἵδε δή.

Θησεύς

τίς ποθʼ ἡ βοή; τί τοὔργον; ἐκ τίνος φόβου ποτὲ

βουθυτοῦντά μʼ ἀμφὶ βωμὸν ἔσχετʼ ἐναλίῳ θεῷ

τοῦδʼ ἐπιστάτῃ Κολωνοῦ; λέξαθʼ, ὡς εἰδῶ τὸ πᾶν,

οὗ χάριν δεῦρʼ ᾖξα θᾶσσον ἢ καθʼ ἡδονὴν ποδός.
890

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ, ἔγνων γὰρ τὸ προσφώνημά σου,

πέπονθα δεινὰ τοῦδʼ ὑπʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀρτίως.

Θησεύς

τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα, τίς δʼ ὁ πημήνας; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους

Κρέων ὅδʼ, ὃν δέδορκας, οἴχεται τέκνων

ἀποσπάσας μου τὴν μόνην ξυνωρίδα.
895

Θησεύς

πῶς εἶπας;

Οἰδίπους

οἷά περ πέπονθʼ ἀκήκοας.

897

Θησεύς

οὔκουν τις ὡς τάχιστα προσπόλων μολὼν

πρὸς τούσδε βωμούς, πάντʼ ἀναγκάσει λεὼν

ἄνιππον ἱππότην τε θυμάτων ἄπο

σπεύδειν ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος, ἔνθα δίστομοι
900

μάλιστα συμβάλλουσιν ἐμπόρων ὁδοί,

ὡς μὴ παρέλθωσʼ αἱ κόραι, γέλως δʼ ἐγὼ

ξένῳ γένωμαι τῷδε, χειρωθεὶς βίᾳ.

ἴθʼ, ὡς ἄνωγα, σὺν τάχει. τοῦτον δʼ ἐγώ,

εἰ μὲν διʼ ὀργῆς ἧκον, ἧς ὅδʼ ἄξιος,
905

ἄτρωτον οὐ μεθῆκʼ ἂν ἐξ ἐμῆς χερός.

νῦν δʼ οὕσπερ αὐτὸς τοὺς νόμους εἰσῆλθʼ ἔχων,

τούτοισι κοὐκ ἄλλοισιν ἁρμοσθήσεται.

οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἔξει τῆσδε τῆς χώρας, πρὶν ἂν

κείνας ἐναργεῖς δεῦρό μοι στήσῃς ἄγων·
910

ἐπεὶ δέδρακας οὔτʼ ἐμοῦ καταξίως

οὔθʼ ὧν πέφυκας αὐτὸς οὔτε σῆς χθονός·

ὅστις δίκαιʼ ἀσκοῦσαν εἰσελθὼν πόλιν

κἄνευ νόμου κραίνουσαν οὐδέν, εἶτʼ ἀφεὶς

τὰ τῆσδε τῆς γῆς κύριʼ, ὧδʼ ἐπεισπεσὼν
915

ἄγεις θʼ ἃ χρῄζεις καὶ παρίστασαι βίᾳ,

καί μοι πόλιν κένανδρον ἢ δούλην τινὰ

ἔδοξας εἶναι κἄμʼ ἴσον τῷ μηδενί.

καίτοι σε Θῆβαί γʼ οὐκ ἐπαίδευσαν κακόν·

οὐ γὰρ φιλοῦσιν ἄνδρας ἐκδίκους τρέφειν,
920

οὐδʼ ἄν σʼ ἐπαινέσειαν, εἰ πυθοίατο

συλῶντα τἀμὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν θεῶν, βίᾳ

ἄγοντα φωτῶν ἀθλίων ἱκτήρια.

οὔκουν ἔγωγʼ ἂν σῆς ἐπεμβαίνων χθονός,

οὐδʼ εἰ τὰ πάντων εἶχον ἐνδικώτατα,
925

ἄνευ γε τοῦ κραίνοντος, ὅστις ἦν, χθονὸς

οὔθʼ εἷλκον οὔτʼ ἂν ἦγον, ἀλλʼ ἠπιστάμην

ξένον παρʼ ἀστοῖς ὡς διαιτᾶσθαι χρεών.

σὺ δʼ ἀξίαν οὐκ οὖσαν αἰσχύνεις πόλιν

τὴν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ, καί σʼ ὁ πληθύων χρόνος
930

γέρονθʼ ὁμοῦ τίθησι καὶ τοῦ νοῦ κενόν.

εἶπον μὲν οὖν καὶ πρόσθεν, ἐννέπω δὲ νῦν,

τὰς παῖδας ὡς τάχιστα δεῦρʼ ἄγειν τινά,

εἰ μὴ μέτοικος τῆσδε τῆς χώρας θέλεις

εἶναι βίᾳ τε κοὐχ ἑκών· καὶ ταῦτά σοι
935

τῷ νῷ θʼ ὁμοίως κἀπὸ τῆς γλώσσης λέγω.

Χορός

ὁρᾷς ἵνʼ ἥκεις, ὦ ξένʼ; ὡς ἀφʼ ὧν μὲν εἶ

φαίνει δίκαιος, δρῶν δʼ ἐφευρίσκει κακά.

939

Κρέων

ἐγὼ οὔτʼ ἄνανδρον τήνδε τὴν πόλιν νέμων,

ὦ τέκνον Αἰγέως, οὔτʼ ἄβουλον, ὡς σὺ φῄς,
940

τοὔργον τόδʼ ἐξέπραξα, γιγνώσκων δʼ ὅτι

οὐδείς ποτʼ αὐτοὺς τῶν ἐμῶν ἂν ἐμπέσοι

ζῆλος ξυναίμων, ὥστʼ ἐμοῦ τρέφειν βίᾳ.

ᾔδη δʼ ὁθούνεκʼ ἄνδρα καὶ πατροκτόνον

κἄναγνον οὐ δεξοίατʼ, οὐδʼ ὅτῳ γάμοι
945

ξυνόντες ηὑρέθησαν ἀνόσιοι τέκνων.

τοιοῦτον αὐτοῖς Ἄρεος εὔβουλον πάγον

ἐγὼ ξυνῄδη χθόνιον ὄνθʼ, ὃς οὐκ ἐᾷ

τοιούσδʼ ἀλήτας τῇδʼ ὁμοῦ ναίειν πόλει·

ᾧ πίστιν ἴσχων τήνδʼ ἐχειρούμην ἄγραν.
950

καὶ ταῦτʼ ἂν οὐκ ἔπρασσον, εἰ μή μοι πικρὰς

αὐτῷ τʼ ἀρὰς ἠρᾶτο καὶ τὠμῷ γένει·

ἀνθʼ ὧν πεπονθὼς ἠξίουν τάδʼ ἀντιδρᾶν.

θυμοῦ γὰρ οὐδὲν γῆράς ἐστιν ἄλλο πλὴν

θανεῖν· θανόντων δʼ οὐδὲν ἄλγος ἅπτεται.
955

πρὸς ταῦτα πράξεις οἷον ἂν θέλῃς· ἐπεὶ

ἐρημία με, κεἰ δίκαιʼ, ὅμως λέγω,

σμικρὸν τίθησι· πρὸς δὲ τὰς πράξεις ὅμως,

καὶ τηλικόσδʼ ὤν, ἀντιδρᾶν πειράσομαι.

960

Οἰδίπους

ὦ λῆμʼ ἀναιδές, τοῦ καθυβρίζειν δοκεῖς,
960

πότερον ἐμοῦ γέροντος ἢ σαυτοῦ, τόδε;

ὅστις φόνους μοι καὶ γάμους καὶ συμφορὰς

τοῦ σοῦ διῆκας στόματος, ἃς ἐγὼ τάλας

ἤνεγκον ἄκων· θεοῖς γὰρ ἦν οὕτω φίλον,

τάχʼ ἄν τι μηνίουσιν εἰς γένος πάλαι.
965

ἐπεὶ καθʼ αὑτόν γʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐξεύροις ἐμοὶ

ἁμαρτίας ὄνειδος οὐδέν, ἀνθʼ ὅτου

τάδʼ εἰς ἐμαυτὸν τοὺς ἐμούς θʼ ἡμάρτανον.

ἐπεὶ δίδαξον, εἴ τι θέσφατον πατρὶ

χρησμοῖσιν ἱκνεῖθʼ ὥστε πρὸς παίδων θανεῖν,
970

πῶς ἂν δικαίως τοῦτʼ ὀνειδίζοις ἐμοί,

ὃς οὔτε βλάστας πω γενεθλίους πατρός,

οὐ μητρὸς εἶχον, ἀλλʼ ἀγέννητος τότʼ ἦ;

εἰ δʼ αὖ φανεὶς δύστηνος, ὡς ἐγὼ ʼφάνην,

ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθον πατρὶ καὶ κατέκτανον,
975

μηδὲν ξυνιεὶς ὧν ἔδρων εἰς οὕς τʼ ἔδρων,

πῶς ἂν τό γʼ ἆκον πρᾶγμʼ ἂν εἰκότως ψέγοις;

μητρὸς δέ, τλῆμον, οὐκ ἐπαισχύνει γάμους

οὔσης ὁμαίμου σῆς μʼ ἀναγκάζων λέγειν,

οἵους ἐρῶ τάχʼ· οὐ γὰρ οὖν σιγήσομαι,

σοῦ γʼ εἰς τόδʼ ἐξελθόντος ἀνόσιον στόμα.
980

ἔτικτε γάρ μʼ ἔτικτεν, ὤμοι μοι κακῶν,

οὐκ εἰδότʼ οὐκ εἰδυῖα, καὶ τεκοῦσά με,

αὑτῆς ὄνειδος παῖδας ἐξέφυσέ μοι.

ἀλλʼ ἓν γὰρ οὖν ἔξοιδα, σὲ μὲν ἑκόντʼ ἐμὲ

κείνην τε ταῦτα δυσστομεῖν· ἐγὼ δέ νιν
985

ἄκων ἔγημα φθέγγομαί τʼ ἄκων τάδε.

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ οὔτʼ ἐν τοῖσδʼ ἁλώσομαι κακὸς

γάμοισιν οὔθʼ οὓς αἰὲν ἐμφορεῖς σύ μοι

φόνους πατρῴους ἐξονειδίζων πικρῶς.
990

ἓν γάρ μʼ ἄμειψαι μοῦνον ὧν σʼ ἀνιστορῶ.

εἴ τις σὲ τὸν δίκαιον αὐτίκʼ ἐνθάδε

κτείνοι παραστάς, πότερα πυνθάνοιʼ ἂν εἰ

πατήρ σʼ ὁ καίνων ἢ τίνοιʼ ἂν εὐθέως;

δοκῶ μέν, εἴπερ ζῆν φιλεῖς, τὸν αἴτιον
995

τίνοιʼ ἂν οὐδὲ τοὔνδικον περιβλέποις.

τοιαῦτα μέντοι καὐτὸς εἰσέβην κακά,

θεῶν ἀγόντων· οἷς ἐγὼ οὐδὲ τὴν πατρὸς

ψυχὴν ἂν οἶμαι ζῶσαν ἀντειπεῖν ἐμοί.

σὺ δʼ, εἶ γὰρ οὐ δίκαιος, ἀλλʼ ἅπαν καλὸν
1000

λέγειν νομίζων ῥητὸν ἄρρητόν τʼ ἔπος,

τοιαῦτʼ ὀνειδίζεις με τῶνδʼ ἐναντίον.

καί σοι τὸ Θησέως ὄνομα θωπεῦσαι καλόν,

καὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας, ὡς κατῴκηνται καλῶς·

κᾆθʼ ὧδʼ ἐπαινῶν πολλὰ τοῦδʼ ἐκλανθάνει,
1005

ὁθούνεκʼ εἴ τις γῆ θεοὺς ἐπίσταται

τιμαῖς σεβίζειν, ἥδε τοῦθʼ ὑπερφέρει·

ἀφʼ ἧς σὺ κλέψας τὸν ἱκέτην γέροντʼ ἐμὲ

αὐτόν τʼ ἐχειροῦ τὰς κόρας τʼ οἴχει λαβών.

ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ νῦν τάσδε τὰς θεὰς ἐμοὶ
1010

καλῶν ἱκνοῦμαι καὶ κατασκήπτω λιταῖς

ἐλθεῖν ἀρωγοὺς ξυμμάχους θʼ, ἵνʼ ἐκμάθῃς

οἵων ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν ἥδε φρουρεῖται πόλις.

1014

Χορός

ὁ ξεῖνος, ὦναξ, χρηστός· αἱ δὲ συμφοραὶ

αὐτοῦ πανώλεις, ἄξιαι δʼ ἀμυναθεῖν.
1015

Θησεύς

ἅλις λόγων, ὡς οἱ μὲν ἐξειργασμένοι

σπεύδουσιν, ἡμεῖς δʼ οἱ παθόντες ἕσταμεν.

Κρέων

τί δῆτʼ ἀμαυρῷ φωτὶ προστάσσεις ποεῖν;

Θησεύς

ὁδοῦ κατάρχειν τῆς ἐκεῖ, πομπὸν δέ με

χωρεῖν, ἵνʼ, εἰ μὲν ἐν τόποισι τοῖσδʼ ἔχεις
1020

τὰς παῖδας ἡμῖν αὐτὸς ἐκδείξῃς ἐμοί·

εἰ δʼ ἐγκρατεῖς φεύγουσιν, οὐδὲν δεῖ πονεῖν.

ἄλλοι γὰρ οἱ σπεύδοντες, οὓς οὐ μή ποτε

χώρας φυγόντες τῆσδʼ ἐπεύξωνται θεοῖς.

ἀλλʼ ἐξυφηγοῦ· γνῶθι δʼ ὡς ἔχων ἔχει
1025

καί σʼ εἷλε θηρῶνθʼ ἡ τύχη· τὰ γὰρ δόλῳ

τῷ μὴ δικαίῳ κτήματʼ οὐχὶ σῴζεται.

κοὐκ ἄλλον ἕξεις εἰς τάδʼ· ὡς ἔξοιδά σε

οὐ ψιλὸν οὐδʼ ἄσκευον ἐς τοσήνδʼ ὕβριν

ἥκοντα τόλμης τῆς παρεστώσης τανῦν,
1030

ἀλλʼ ἔσθʼ ὅτῳ σὺ πιστὸς ὢν ἔδρας τάδε.

ἃ δεῖ μʼ ἀθρῆσαι, μηδὲ τήνδε τὴν πόλιν

ἑνὸς ποῆσαι φωτὸς ἀσθενεστέραν.

νοεῖς τι τούτων, ἢ μάτην τὰ νῦν τέ σοι

δοκεῖ λελέχθαι χὤτε ταῦτʼ ἐμηχανῶ;
1035

Κρέων

οὐδὲν σὺ μεμπτὸν ἐνθάδʼ ὢν ἐρεῖς ἐμοί·

οἴκοι δὲ χἠμεῖς εἰσόμεσθʼ ἃ χρὴ ποεῖν.

Θησεύς

χωρῶν ἀπείλει νῦν· σὺ δʼ ἡμίν, Οἰδίπους,

ἕκηλος αὐτοῦ μίμνε, πιστωθεὶς ὅτι,

ἢν μὴ θάνω ʼγὼ πρόσθεν, οὐχὶ παύσομαι
1040

πρὶν ἄν σε τῶν σῶν κύριον στήσω τέκνων.

Οἰδίπους

ὄναιο, Θησεῦ, τοῦ τε γενναίου χάριν

καὶ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐνδίκου προμηθίας.

Translations (4)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 720 focus

O land exalted thus in blessing and praise,
720

Now is thy time to prove these brave words true.

OED

What hath befallen, my daughter?

ANT

Here at hand,

Not unaccompanied, is Creon, father.

OED

Dear aged friends, be it yours now to provide

My safety and the goal of my desire!
725

CH

It shall be so. Fear nought. I am old and weak,

But Athens in her might is ever young.

CREON
Enter CREON .

Noble inhabiters of Attic ground

I see as ’twere conceived within your eyes

At mine approach some new engendered fear

Nay, shrink not, nor let fall one fretful word.

I bring no menace with me, for mine age

Is feeble, and the state whereto I come

Is mighty,—none in Hellas mightier,—

That know I well. But I am sent to bring

By fair persuasion to our Theban plain

The reverend form of him now present here.

Nor came this mission from one single will,

But the commands of all my citizens

Are on me, seeing that it becomes my birth

To mourn his sorrows most of all the state

Thou, then, poor sufferer, lend thine ear to me

And come. All Cadmus’ people rightfully

Invite thee with one voice unto thy home,

I before all,—since I were worst of men,

Were I not pained at thy misfortunes, sir,

—To see thee wandering in the stranger’s land

Aged and miserable, unhoused, unfed,

Singly attended by this girl, whose fall

To such a depth of undeservèd woe

I could not have imagined! Hapless maid!

Evermore caring for thy poor blind head,

Roving in beggary, so young, with no man

To marry her,—a mark for all mischance.

O misery, what deep reproach I have laid

On thee and me and our whole ill-starred race!

But who can hide evil that courts the day?

Thou, therefore, Oedipus, without constraint,

(By all the Gods of Cadmus’ race I pray thee)

Remove this horror from the sight of men

By coming to the ancestral city and home

Of thy great sires,—bidding a kind farewell

To worthiest Athens, as is meet. But Thebes,

Thy native land, yet more deserves thy love.

OED

Thou unabashed in knavery, who canst frame

For every cause the semblance of a plea

Pranked up with righteous seeming, why again

Would’st thou contrive my ruin, and attempt

To catch me where I most were grieved being caught?

Beforetime, when my self-procurèd woes

Were plaguing me, and I would fain have rushed

To instant banishment, thou wouldst not then

Grant this indulgence to my keen desire.

But when I had fed my passion to the full,

And all my pleasure was to live at home,

Then ’twas thy cue to expel and banish me,

Nor was this name of kindred then so dear.

Now once again, when thou behold’st this city

And people joined in friendly bands with me,

Thou wouldst drag me from my promised resting-place,

Hiding hard policy with courtly show.

Strange kindness, to love men against their will!

Suppose, when thou wert eager in some suit,

No grace were granted thee, but all denied,

And when thy soul was sated, then the boon

Were offered, when such grace were graceless now;

—Poor satisfaction then were thine, I ween!

Even such a gift thou profferest me to-day,

Kind in pretence, but really full of evil.

These men shall hear me tell thy wickedness.

Thou comest to take me, not unto my home,

But to dwell outlawed at your gate, that so

Your Thebè may come off untouched of harm

From her encounter with Athenian men.

Ye shall not have me thus. But you shall have

My vengeful spirit ever in your land

Abiding for destruction,—and my sons

Shall have this portion in their father’s ground,

To die thereon. Know I not things in Thebes

Better than thou? Yea, for ’tis mine to hear
785

Safer intelligencers,—Zeus himself,

And Phoebus, high interpreter of Heaven.

Thou bring’st a tongue suborned with false pretence,
790

Sharpened with insolence;—but in shrewd speech

Thou shalt find less of profit than of bane.

This thou wilt ne’er believe. Therefore begone!
795

Let me live here. For even such life as mine

Were not amiss, might I but have my will.

CR

Which of us twain, believ’st thou, in this talk
800

Hath more profoundly sinned against thy peace?

OED

If thou prevail’st with these men present here

Even as with me, I shall be well content.

CR

Unhappy man, will not even Time bring forth

One spark of wisdom to redeem thine age?

OED

Thou art a clever talker. But I know

No just man who in every cause abounds
805

With eloquent speech.

CR

’Tis not to abound in speech,

When one speaks fitting words in season.

OED

Oh!

As if thy words were few and seasonable!

CR

Not in the dotard’s judgement.
810

OED

Get thee gone!

I speak their mind as well—and dog not me

Beleaguering mine appointed dwelling-place!

CR

These men shall witness—for thy word is naught;

And for thy spiteful answer to thy friends,

If once I seize thee—

OED

Who shall seize on me
815

Without the will of my protectors here?
815

CR

Well, short of that, thou shalt have pain, I trow.

OED

What hast thou done, that thou canst threaten thus?

CR

One of thy daughters I have sent in charge.

This other, I myself will quickly take.

OED

Oh, cruel!
820

CR

Soon thou’lt have more cause to cry.

OED

Hast thou my child?

CR

I will have both ere long.

OED

Dear friends, what will ye do? Will ye forsake me?

Will you not drive the offender from your land?

CH

Stranger, depart at once! Thou hast done wrong,
825

And wrong art doing.

CR

().

Now then, lead her away

By force, if she refuse to go with you.

ANT

Ah me! unhappy! Whither shall I flee?

What aid of God or mortal can I find?
830

CH

What dost thou, stranger?

CR

I will lay no hand

On him, but on my kinswoman.

OED

Alas!

Lords of Colonos, will ye suffer it?

CH

Thou art transgressing, stranger.

CR

Nay, I stand

Within my right.

CH

How so?

CR

I take mine own.

OED

Athens to aid!

CH

Stranger, forbear! What dost thou?
835

Let go, or thou shalt try thy strength with us.
835

CR

Unhand me!

CH

Not while this intent is thine.

CR

If you harm me, you will have war with Thebes.

OED

Did I not tell you this would come?

CH

Release

The maid with speed.

CR

Command where you have power.

CH

Leave hold, I say!
840

CR

Away with her, say I!

CH

Come hither, neighbours, come!

My city suffers violence. Wrongful men

Are hurting her with force. Come hither to me!

ANT

Unhappy, I am dragged away,—O strangers!

OED

Where art thou, O my child?
845

ANT

I go away

Against my will.

OED

Reach forth thy hands, my daughter!

ANT

I cannot.

CR

Off with her!

OED

Alas, undone!

CR

Thou shalt not have these staves henceforth to prop

Thy roaming to and fro. Take thine own way!

Since thou hast chosen to thwart thy nearest kin,—

Beneath whose orders, though a royal man,
850

I act herein,—and thine own native land.

The time will surely come when thou shalt find

That in this deed and all that thou hast done

In opposition to their friendly will,

Thou hast counselled foolishly against thy peace,

Yielding to anger, thy perpetual bane.
855

CH

Stranger, stand where thou art!

CR

Hands off, I say!

CH

Thou shalt not go, till thou restore the maids.

CR

Soon, then, my city shall retain from you

A weightier cause of war. I will lay hands

Not on the maidens only.

CH

What wilt thou do?
860

CR

Oedipus I will seize and bear away.

CH

Great Heaven forfend!

CR

It shall be done forthwith,

Unless the ruler of this land prevent me.

OED

O shameless utterance! Wilt thou lay thy hold

On me?

CR

Be silent! Speak no more!

OED

No more?

May these dread Goddesses not close my lips

To this one prayer of evil against thee,
865

Thou villain, who, when I have lost mine eyes,

Bereavest me of all that I had left

To make my darkness light! Therefore I pray,

For this thy wrongful act, may He in heaven

Whose eye sees all things, Helios, give to thee

Slowly to wither in an age like mine!
870

CR

Men of this land, bear witness to his rage!

OED

They see us both, and are aware that I

Repay thee but with words for deeds of wrong.

CR

No longer will I curb my wrath. Though lonely

And cumbered by mine age, I will bear off

This man!
875

OED

Me miserable!

CH

How bold thou art,

If standing here thou think’st to do this thing!

CR

I do.

CH

Then Athens is to me no city.

CR

Slight men prevail o’er strength in a just cause.
880

OED

Hear ye his words?

CH

He shall not make them good.

Be witness, Zeus!

CR

Zeus knows more things than thou.

OED

Is not this violence?

CR

Violence you must bear.

CH

Come, chieftain of our land!
885

Come hither with all speed. They pass the bound.

THE
Enter THESEUS .

Wherefore that shouting? Daunted by what fear

Stayed ye me sacrificing to the God

Who guards this deme Colonos? Let me know

What cause so hastened my reluctant foot.
890

OED

Dear friend (I know thy voice addressing us),

One here hath lately done me cruel wrong.

THE

Who is the wrong-doer, say, and what the deed?

OED

This Creon, whom thou seest, hath torn away

Two children that were all in all to me.
895

THE

Can this be possible?

OED

Thou hear’st the truth.

THE

Then one of you run to the altar-foot

Hard by, and haste the people from the rite,

Horsemen and footmen at the height of speed

To race unto the parting of the roads

Where travellers from both gorges wont to meet.
900

Lest there the maidens pass beyond our reach

And I be worsted by this stranger’s might

And let him laugh at me. Be swift! Away!

—For him, were I as wroth as he deserves,

He should not go unpunished from my hand.
905

But now he shall be ruled by the same law

He thought to enforce. Thou goest not from this ground

Till thou hast set these maids in presence here;

Since by thine act thou hast disgraced both me

And thine own lineage and thy native land,
910

Who with unlicensed inroad hast assailed

An ancient city, that hath still observed

Justice and equity, and apart from law

Ratifies nothing; and, being here, hast cast

Authority to the winds, and made thine own
915

Whate’er thou wouldst, bearing it off perforce,—

Deeming of me forsooth as nothing worth,

And of my city as one enslaved to foes

Or void of manhood. Not of Thebe’s will

Come such wild courses. It is not her way
920

To foster men in sin, nor would she praise

Thy doing, if she knew that thou hast robbed

Me and the gods, dragging poor suppliant wights

From their last refuge at thy will—I would not,

Had I perchance set foot within thy land,
925

Even were my cause most righteous, have presumed,

Without consent of him who bore chief sway,

To seize on any man, but would have known

How men should act who tread on foreign soil.

Thou bring’st disgrace on thine own mother state
930

All undeservedly, and the lapse of years

Hath left thee aged, but not wise—Again

I bid those maids now to be brought with speed,

Unless thou would’st be made a sojourner

In Athens by compulsion. This I speak
935

Not with my lips alone, but from my will.

CH

Stranger, dost thou perceive? Thy parentage

Is owned as noble, but thine evil deeds

Are blazoned visibly.

CR

Great Aegeus’ son!

Not as misprising this thy city’s strength

In arms, or wisdom in debate, I dared
940

This capture, but in simple confidence

Thy citizens would not so envy me

My blood relations, as to harbour them

Against my will,—nor welcome to their hearths

A man incestuous and a parricide,
945

The proved defiler of his mother’s bed

Such was the mount of Ares that I knew,

Seat of high wisdom, planted in their soil,

That suffers no such lawless runaways

To haunt within the borders of your realm.

Relying on that I laid my hands upon
950

This quarry, nor had done so, were it not

That bitterly he cursed myself and mine.

That moved me to requital, since even Age

Still bears resentment, till the power of death

Frees men from anger, as from all annoy.
955

Being sovereign here thou wilt do thy pleasure. I,

Though I have justice on my side, am weak

Through being alone. Yet if you meddle with me,

Old as I am, you’ll find me dangerous.

OED

O boldness void of shame! Whom dost thou think
960

Thy obloquy most harms, this agèd head
960

Or thine, who hast thus let pass thy lips the crimes

I have borne unwittingly. So Heaven was pleased

To wreak some old offence upon our race.

Since in myself you will find no stain of sin

For which such ruinous error ’gainst myself
965

And mine own house might be the recompense.

Tell me, I pray thee, if a word from Heaven

Came to my father through the oracle

That he should die by his son’s hand,—what right

Hast thou to fasten that reproach on me,
970

The child not yet begotten of my sire,

An unborn nothing, unconceived? Or if,

Born as I was to misery, I encountered

And killed my father in an angry fray,

Nought knowing of what I did or whom I slew,
975

What reason is’t to blame the unwitting deed?

And, oh, thou wretch! art not ashamed to force me

To speak that of my mother, thine own sister,

Which I will speak, for I will not keep silence,

Since thou hast been thus impious with thy tongue.

She was my mother, oh, the bitter word!
980

Though neither knew it, and having borne me, she

Became the mother of children to her son,

An infamous birth! Yet this I know, thy crime

Of speech against us both is voluntary.

But all involuntary was my deed
985

In marriage and is this mine utterance now.

No,—that shall not be called a bosom-sin,

Nor shall my name be sullied with the deed,

Thy tongue would brand on me, against my sire.

For answer me one question. If to-day,
990

Here, now, one struck at thee a murderous stroke,—

At thee, the righteous person,—wouldst thou ask

If such assailant were thy sire, or strike

Forthwith? Methinks, as one who cares to live,

You would strike before you questioned of the right,
995

Or reasoned of his kindred whom you slew.

Such was the net that snared me: such the woes

Heaven drew me to fulfil. My father’s spirit,

Came he to life, would not gainsay my word.

But thou, to whom, beneath the garb of right,

No matter is too dreadful or too deep
1000

For words, so rail’st on me, in such a presence.

Well thou dost flatter the great name of Theseus,

And Athens in her glory stablished here,

But midst thy fulsome praises thou forgettest

How of all lands that yield the immortal Gods
1005

Just homage of true piety, this land

Is foremost. Yet from hence thou would’st beguile

Me, the aged suppliant. Nay, from hence thou would’st drag

Myself with violence, and hast reft away

My children. Wherefore I conjure these powers,
1010

With solemn invocation and appeal,

To come and take my part, that thou may’st know

What men they are who guard this hallowed realm.

CH

My lord, the stranger deserves well. His fate

Is grievous, but the more demands our aid.
1015

THE

Enough of words. The captors and their prey

Are hasting;—we, they have wronged, are standing still.

CR

I am powerless here. What dost thou bid me do?

THE

Lead us the way they are gone. I too must be

Thine escort, that if hereabout thou hast

Our maidens, thou mayest show them to my sight.
1020

But if men flee and bear them, we may spare

Superfluous labour. Others hotly urge

That business, whom those robbers shall not boast

Before their Gods to have ’scaped out of this land.

Come, be our guide! Thou hast and hast not. Fortune
1025

Hath seized thee seizing on thy prey. So quickly

Passes the gain that’s got by wrongful guile.

Nay, thou shalt have no helper. Well I wot

Thou flew’st not to this pitch of truculent pride

Alone, or unsupported by intrigue;
1030

But thy bold act hath some confederate here.

This I must look into, nor let great Athens

Prove herself weaker than one single man.

Hast caught my drift? Or is my voice as vain

Now, as you thought it when you planned this thing?
1035

CR

I will gainsay nought of what thou utterest here.

But once in Thebes, I too shall know my course.

THE

Threaten, but go! Thou, Oedipus, remain

In quietness and perfect trust that I,

If death do not prevent me, will not rest
1040

Till I restore thy children to thy hand.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

Soon shall the wheeling foes

Clash with the din of brazen-throated War.

Would I were there to see them close,

Be the onset near or far!

Whether at Daphnè’s gorge to Phoebus dear,

Or by the torch-lit shore

Where kind maternal powers for evermore

Guard golden mysteries of holy fear

To nourish mortal souls

Whose voice the seal of silent awe controls

Imprinted by the Eumolpid minister.

There, on that sacred way,

Shall the divinest head

Of royal Theseus, rouser of the fray,

And those free maids, in their two squadrons led,

Meet in the valorous fight

That conquers for the right.

Else, by the snow-capped rock,

Passing to westward, they are drawing nigh

The tract beyond the pasture high

Where Oea feeds her flock.

The riders ride, the rattling chariots flee

At racing speed.—’Tis done!

He shall be vanquished. Our land’s chivalry

Are valiant, valiant every warrior son

Of Theseus.—On they run?

Frontlet and bridle glancing to the light,

Forward each steed is straining to the fight,

Forward each eye and hand

Of all that mounted band,

Athena’s knighthood, champions of her name

And his who doth the mighty waters tame,

Rhea’s son that from of old

Doth the Earth with seas enfold.

Strive they? Or is the battle still to be?

An eager thought in me

Is pleading, ‘Soon must they restore

The enduring maid, whose kinsmen vex her sore!’

To-day shall Zeus perform his will.

The noble cause wins my prophetic skill.

Oh! had I wings, and like a storm-swift dove

Poised on some aery cloud might there descry

The conflict from above,

Scouring the region with mine eye!

Sovran of Heaven, all-seeing Zeus, afford

Unto this nation’s lord

Puissance to crown the fair emprise,

Thou, and all-knowing Pallas, thy dread child!

Apollo, huntsman of the wild,

—Thou and thy sister, who doth still pursue

Swift many-spotted stags,—arise, arise,

With love we pray you, be our champions true!

Yea, both together come

To aid our people and our home!

LEADER OF CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 720 focus

O Flur, mit höchsten Ruhmes Preis verherrlichet,

Nun gilt es, mun bewähre dieser Rede Glanz!

Oedipus.

Was schreckt dich, meine Tochter?

Antigone.

Nah', o Vater, kommt,

Nicht ohne Folger, Kreon hier auf uns heran.

Oedipus.

Ihr theuren Alten, möge mir sich jezt in euch
720

Der angelobten Hülfe Ziel verwirklichen!

Der Chor.

Getrost, sie wird dir! Bin ich auch durch Alter schwach,

Ist nimmer doch gealtert dieses Landes Kraft.

Kreon mit Gefolge. Die Vorigen.

Kreon.

Männer, edle Bürger ihr aus diesem Land,

Wohl hat, ich seh' es, über mein Erscheinen hier
725

Der Ueberraschung Schrecken euch das Aug' erfüllt:

Doch seid vor mir nicht bange, sprecht kein böses Wort.

Ich komme nicht, euch irgend Uebles anzuthun;

Ein Greis ja bin ich und gelangt' in diese Stadt,

Die, wenn in Hellas Eine, stark und mächtig ist.
730

Ich Alter ward gesendet, daß ich diesen Mann

Bestimmte, mir zu folgen in der Theber Land;

Nicht Einer hat mich abgeschickt, die ganze Stadt

Hat mir's geboten, weil ich mehr, denn Alle sonst,

Als Anverwandter seine Noth beklagen muß.
735

So höre mich denn, schwerbedrängter Dedipus,

Und komm nach Hause! Kadmos' ganzes Volk erhebt

Den Ruf nach dir, und billig, doch vor Allen ich,

Der anders wär' er aller Menschen schlechtester -

Am schwersten sich um deine Leiden härmt, o Greis,
740

Zu schau'n dich Armen, wie du fremd von Land zu Land

Kastlos umherirrst, von der Einen hier gefolgt,¹

Mit Noth und Mangel kämpfend: ach, ich glaubte nie,

Daß diese jemals sinken würd' in solche Schmach,

In die sie nun versank, die Unglückselige,
745

Die dein und deines Hauptes pflegt zu jeder Zeit

Mit karger Nahrung, noch so jung, der Ehe noch

Nicht kundig, nein, dem nächsten Räuber bloßgestellt.

Ist, was ich sprach, ich Armer, nicht die höchste Schmach,

Die dich und mich und unser ganzes Haus entehrt?
750

Doch weil das Offenbare nicht sich bergen läßt,

So folge du mir, bei der Heimat Göttern, Freund,

Birg du die Schmach: zu deiner Ahnen Burg und Haus²

Dich wendend, biete dieser Stadt den Scheidegruß

Des Freundes; wohl verdient sie's; doch der größ're Preis
755

Gebührt der Heimat, die so lange dich gepflegt.

Oedipus.

Du Frecher, dreist zu Allem, der aus jedem Ding

Den Schein gerechter Sache schlau zu spinnen weiß,

Weßhalb versuchst du solches, willst mich abermals

Im Nez verstricken, wo das Herbste meiner harrt?
760

Denn früher, als mich kränkte meines Hauses Noth,

Daß mir Verbanmmung aus dem Land für Wonne galt,

Ward meinem Wunsche solche Gunst mißgönnt von dir.

Doch als der Seele grimmer Schmerz gesättigt war,

Und mir, daheim zu leben, schien ein süßes Glück:
765

Da stießest, warfest du mich aus, da waren dir

Des Blutes edle Bande nur ein eitles Wort.

Nun willst du wieder, da du siehst, wie diese Stadt

Und alles Volk hier wohlgesinnt mir Hülfe leiht,

Das Rauhe sanft aussprechend, mich von hinnen zieh'n.
770

Doch welche Lust kann aufgedrung'ne Liebe sein?

Wie? Wenn ein Mann auf ungestümes Bitten dir

Wohlthaten oder Hülfe kalt verweigerte,

Und erst, nachdem dir, was du willst, in Fülle ward,

Willfahrte, wann ihm keinen Dank die Gunst gewinnt:
775

Sprich, wäre das nicht ein verächtlich leerer Dienst?

Nun, solche Gaben bietest du mir eben dar,

Die schön in Worten, in der That verwerflich sind.

Auch diesen sag' ich's, daß sie seh'n, wie schlecht du bist.

Du kommst mich fortzuführen, nicht zu meinem Haus;
780

Nein, außen soll ich wohnen, daß die Theberstadt

Frei sei der Uebel, die von diesem Land ihr droh'n.

Das wird dir nicht; das wird dir, daß mein Rachegeist,

Ein ewig Schreckbild, hausen wird in Kadmos' Reich;

Und meine Söhne können einst von meinem Land
785

Nicht mehr erlangen, als darin zu sterben nur.

Ist Thebe's Loos nicht besser mir, als dir, bekannt?

Um Vieles, weil ich sein Geschick von Weiseren,

Von Phöbos, ja, von dessen Vater Zeus vernahm.

Du aber kamst mit tückevollem Mund daher,
790

Mit vielgewandter Zunge; doch dein Neden wird

Mehr Schaden dir bereiten als ersprießlich sein.

Nun geh; ich weiß, dich wenden meine Worte nicht -

Uns aber laß hier leben; denn wir leben nicht

Elend in solcher Lage selbst, wenn's uns behagt.
795

Kreon.

Wie? Wähust du denn, du werdest minder als ich selbst

Verlieren, wenn du meinem Wort dich nicht bequemst?

Oedipus.

Mir ist es höchste Wonne, wenn du weder mich

Bereden kannst noch diese, die mir nahe steh'n.

Kreon.

So pflanzte Weisheit nicht einmal die Zeit dir ein?
800

Ein Hohn dem Alter lebst du fort, Unseliger?

Oedipus.

Du bist ein Held in Worten; aber redlich fand

Ich Keinen noch, der blendend über Alles sprach.

Kreon.

Ein Andres, treffend reden, und ein Andres, viel.

Oedipus.

Als ob du bündig sprächest und das Treffende!
805

Kreon.

Nur freilich dem nicht, dessen Sinn dem deinen gleicht.

Oedipus.

Geh auch für diese sprech' ich und belaure nicht

Mich hier an dieser Stätte, wo ich wohnen muß.

Kreon.

Zu Zeugen ruf' ich diese, wie du Freundeswort

Mit schnödem Wort erwiderst, hasch' ich dich dereinst.
810

Oedipus.

Wer darf mich haschen, schüzen mich die Männer hier?

Kreon.

Traun, ohne dies auch wartet dein des Leids genug.

Oedipus.

Was hast du vor? Was sollen diese Drohungen?

Kreon.

Die Eine deiner Töchter hab' ich schon geraubt

Und weggesandt, die Andre führ' ich gleich davon.
815

Weh mir!

Zum Weherufen hast du bald noch weitern Grund.

Du raubtest meine Tochter?

Bald auch diese da.

(auf Antigone deutend.)

Oedipus.

Was wollt ihr thun, o Freunde? Mich verlasset ihr,

Und treibt aus eurem Lande nicht den Frevler fort?
820
(zu Kreon)

Der Chor.

Von hinnen, Fremdling, eilig! Was du jezt beginnst,

Und was du früher ausgeübt, ist ungerecht.

(zu seinen Dienern)

Kreon.

Es ist an euch nun, daß ihr die von dannen führt,

Mit Zwang, wofern sie willig euch nicht folgen will.

Antigone.

Wo soll ich hinflieh'n? Wehe mir! Wo find' ich Schuz
825

Bei Göttern oder Menschen?

Der Chor.

Was beginnst du? Sprich!

Kreon.

Nicht diesen Mann hier rühr' ich an, die Meine nur.

Oedipus.

Ihr Landesherrscher!

(zu Kreon)

Der Chor.

Ungerechtes thust du hier!

Kreon.

Gerechtes!

Der Chor.

Wie, Gerechtes?

Kreon.

Sie gehören mir.

Vernimm, o Stadt!
830

Der Chor.

Wohin, Fremdling? Laß von ihr! Oder gleich

Brauch' ich Gewalt an dir!

Kreon.

Zurück!

Der Chor.

Nicht vor dir, wagst du so freche That!

Kreon.

Die Stadt bekämpfst du, wenn du mir ein Leides thust.³

Oedipus.

Ha, dieses rief ich selbst dir zu!
835

Der Chor.

Laß ungesäumt
835

Das Mädchen ledig!
835

Kreon.

Nicht gebeut, wo Macht dir fehlt!

Der Chor.

Dir sag' ich: laß sie!

Kreon.

Ich zu dir: geh deinen Weg!

Der Chor.

Hieher, Bürger, eilt, o eilt flugs heran!

Weh, es verhöhnt die Stadt, unsere Stadt Gewalt!

So eilt flugs hieher!
840
(indeß sie fortgeführt wird)

Antigone.

Sie zieh'n mich fort, mich Arme! Helft, o Freunde, helft!

Oedipus.

Wo bist du, Tochter?

Antigone.

Mit Gewalt hinweggeführt!

(die Hände ausstreckend)

Kind, reiche mir die Hände! Weh! Ich kann es nicht.

Ihr führt sie fort!

(zu den Dienern) (Antigone wird abgeführt.)

Oedipus.

Weh, weh mir Unglückseligen!

Kreon.

So wirst du denn, auf diesen Doppelstab gestüzt,
845

Nie mehr dahinzieh'n! Aber weil du deinem Land

Und deinen Freunden trozen willst, die solches mir

Zu thun geboten, ob ich gleich der Herrscher bin:

So troze! Wohl erkennst du's einst in später Zeit,

Daß dir so wenig fromme, was du heute thust,
850

Als was du früher thatest troz der Freunde Rath,

Dem Zorn gehorchend, der dir stets Unheil erschafft.

(vertritt ihm den Weg) (will gehen.)

Der Chor.

Du bleibst, o Fremdling!

Kreon.

Nicht berührt mich, sag' ich euch!

Der Chor.

Dich lass' ich niemals, da du diese mir geraubt.

Kreon.

So wirst du bald ein höh'res Lösegeld der Stadt⁴
855

Auflegen; denn nicht diese Zwei ergreif' ich nur.

Der Chor.

Was willst du mehr noch?

(auf Dedipus deutend)

Kreon.

Diesen greif' und führ' ich weg.

Du redest keck!

Und ohne Säumen wird's gescheh'n,

Wenn dieses Landes Herrscher mir es nicht verwehrt.

Oedipus.

Schamlose Zunge! Legst du gar an mich die Hand?
860

Kreon.

Sei stille, sag' ich.

Oedipus.

Mögen hier die Göttinnen

Die Stimme mir nicht rauben, eh' ich dir geflucht,

Kuchloser, der mein schwaches leztes Auge mir,

Dem Augenlosen, mit Gewalt entreißt und flieht!

Ja, lasse dafür dein Geschlecht und dich der Gott,⁵
865

Der Alles siehet, Helios, dereinst ergrau'n

In einem Leben, düster, wie das meine war!

Ha, seht ihr das, des Landes Eingeborene?

Sie sehen mich und dich zugleich und wissen wohl,

Daß wider deine Thaten nur das Wort mich schirmt.
870

Kreon.

Ich halte mich nicht länger, schlepp' ihn mit Gewalt

Von hinnen, bin ich auch allein und alterschwer.

Ich Armer, ach!

(ergreift den Dedipus.)

Der Chor.

Ha, welch kühner Stolz führt dich hieher, daß du

Das zu vollenden denkst!
875

Ich denk's!

Dieses Volk achtet' ich dann für Nichts!

Kreon.

Der Schwache schlägt den Starken auch, hilft ihm das Recht.

Oedipus.

Vernehmt ihr, was er redet?

Der Chor.

Was er nie vollbringt!

Lebt aber Zeus -

Kreon.

Zeus weiß es, doch du weißt es nicht.

Der Chor.

Ist das nicht Hohn?
880

Kreon.

Hohn ist es; aber trag' ihn nur!

Der Chor.

Wohlauf, alles Volk! Wohlauf, Landesherr!

Eilet geschwind heran, eilet! Es dringt Gewalt

Gewaltvoll daher!

Theseus mit Gefolge. Die Vorigen.

Theseus.

Welch ein Lärm? Was ist gescheh'n hier? Was erschreckt' euch, daß ihr mein

Farrenopfer stört, am Altar dargebracht dem Meeresgott,
885

Unserm Schirmherrn von Kolonos? Sprecht, damit ich Alles weiß,

Was es sei, das mich dahertrieb, schneller, als dem Fuß gefiel!

Oedipus.

Mein Theurer! denn ich kenne deiner Stimme Ton

Ach, Schweres litt ich eben jezt von diesem Mann.

Theseus.

Was war es? Wer hat Leides dir gethan? O sprich!
890

Oedipus.

Er, den du siehst hier, Kreon hat mein Töchterpaar,

Die einzig treuen Stüzen, mir hinweggeraubt.

Wie sagst du?

Nur was mir geschah, vernahmest du.

Theseus.

Auf denn, so schnell als möglich geh' ein Diener mir

Zurück zum Altar, alles Volk zu nöthigen,
895

Mit lassem Zügel hoch zu Pferd und ohne Roß

Vom Opfer hin zu eilen, wo die Mündungen

Der beiden Wege sich in Eins zusammenzieh'n,

Daß uns die Jungfrau'n nicht entgeh'n und ich ein Spott

Des fremden Mannes werde, weich' ich der Gewalt.
900

Auf, thut in Eile mein Gebot! Und diesen hier,

(ein Diener geht.)

Gehorcht' ich meinem Zorne, wie er's wohl verdient,

Nicht unverwundet ließ ich ihn aus meiner Hand.

Doch welcher Sazung folgend er hieher gelangt,⁶

Nach der, und keiner andern, fall' auch ihm der Spruch!
905

Du sollst aus diesem Lande nicht abzieh'n, bevor

Du mir die Jungfrau'n sichtbar hier vor Augen stellst;

Denn würdig hast du weder dein gehandelt noch

Der Ahnen, deren Sohn du bist, noch deines Volks,

Der du, die Stadt heimsuchend, die dem Rechte dient
910

Und Alles ordnet nach Gesez, in rohem Muth

Einbrachst, verhöhnend, was im Land hier heilig gilt,

Und raubst gewaltsam und entführst, was dir beliebt.

Du wähntest, knechtisch oder leer an Männern sei

Die Stadt des Theseus und ich selbst machtlos und Nichts.
915

Doch nicht zum schlechten Manne zog dich Thebe groß;

Es liebte nie, rechtlose Männer aufzuzieh'n,

Und würde dich nicht loben, wenn es hörte, wie

Du mich beraubst und Götter, und Schuzflehende

Aus ihrer Freistatt mit Gewalt von dannen führst.
920

Ich würde niemals, wenn ich käm' in dein Gebiet,

Dem Landesherrn zum Troze, wer es immer sei,

Und hätt' ich auch das allerbeste Necht dazu,

Gewalt und Raub verüben; nein, ich wüßte wohl,

Wie gegen Bürger sich der Gast benehmen muß.
925

Du schändest, ohne daß sie solche Schmach verdient,

Die eigne Heimat, und der Jahre volles Maß

Stellt dich zugleich als Greisen und als Thoren dar.

Ich sagte vorhin, und ich sag' es wiederum:

Man führe mir die Mädchen unverweilt zurück,
930

Verlangst du nicht Insasse dieses Land's zu sein,

Gezwungen, nicht freiwillig! Und dies sag' ich dir

Mit freiem Munde, wie es mir vom Herzen kommt.

Der Chor.

Sieh, wo du hinkommst, Fremdling! Zwar dem Stamme nach

Erscheinst du edel, aber schlecht in deinem Thun.
935

Kreon.

Nicht weil ich dachte, mänmerleer sei diese Stadt,

O Sohn des Aegeus, oder rathlos, wie du sagst,

Vollbracht' ich solches; glaubt' ich doch, daß nimmermehr

Um meine Blutsverwandten so der Eifer euch

Befallen werde, sie zu hegen mir zum Troz.
940

Ich wußte, niemals würdet ihr den Schandbaren,

Den Vatermörder pflegen, nie den Frevler, der

Die Gräuelehe mit der eignen Mutter schloß.

So wußt' ich auch, daß Ares' weises Volksgericht⁷

In eurem Lande heimisch sei, das nicht vergönnt,
945

Daß solcher Flüchtling Wohnung nehm' in dieser Stadt.

Hierauf vertrauend, eignet' ich den Raub mir an⁸

Und hätte das auch nie gethan, wenn dieser nicht

Mit bittern Flüchen mich verwünscht und mein Geschlecht.

Für solches Leid schien solche Nache mir gerecht.
950

Ein andres Alter kennt der Zorn ja keines als

Den Tod; die Todten rührt allein der Kummer nicht.

Und nun beginne, was dir auch gefallen mag;

Denn ich, verlassen, wie ich bin, erscheine schwach,

Wenn ich gerecht auch rede; doch auf Thaten, traun,
955

Versuch' ich, wenn auch hochbejahrt, Erwiderung.

Oedipus.

Schamloser! Wen zu schmähen wähnt dein Uebermuth

Mit solchem Hohne, mich den Greisen oder dich,

Dich, der den Mord, den Ehebund, mein Mißgeschick

So frech mir vorrückt, das ich unfreiwillig nur
960

Ertrug, ich Armer? So gefiel's den Göttern ja,

Die längst vielleicht Groll hegten wider mein Geschlecht.

Bei mir ja selber fändest du doch nimmermehr

Den Flecken eines Frevels aus, mit dem ich so

An mir und meinem Stamme mich versündigte.
965

Denn sage, wenn ein Gottesspruch dem Vater einst

Erscholl, er werde fallen durch des Sohnes Hand,

Wie kannst du billig diese Schuld vorwerfen mir,

Der noch des Lebens Keime nicht vom Vater noch

Der Mutter hatte, nein, noch ungeboren war?
970

Und wenn ich dann, zum Leide, wie ich war, gezeugt,

Im Kampf mit meinem Vater rang und ihn erschlug,

Nicht wissend, weder was ich that, noch gegen wen:

Wie schältst du füglich, was ich unfreiwillig that?

Auch von der Mutter Ehe zwiitgst du Frecher mich
975

Zu reden, du, ihr Bruder, und erröthest nicht!

Gleich sprech' ich hievon; kann ich doch nicht schweigen mehr,

Nun selbst bis dahin schweifte dein ruchloser Mund.

Ja, mich gebar, gebar sie, mich Unseligen,

Unwissend mich Unwissenden, und die mich gebar,
980

Hat, sich zur Schande, Kinder mir, dem Sohn, gezeugt.

Doch Eines weiß ich sicher, daß du mich und sie

Mit Willen also schmähtest: ich vermählte mich

Ihr nicht mit Willen, rede hier gezwungen nur.

Nein, meinen Namen schändet nicht der Ehebund,
985

Auch nicht der Mord des Vaters, den du jederzeit

Mir frech mit bitterm Hohne vorzurücken liebst.

Denn auf die Eine Frage nur antworte mir:

Kommt Einer, dich, Gerechter, auf der Stelle hier

Zu tödten, wirst du fragen, ob's dein Vater sei,
990

Der deinen Tod will, oder ihn zur Strafe zieh'n?

Ich denke, wenn dein Leben dir lieb ist, du strafst

Den Mörder, ohne nach dem Recht dich umzuseh'n.

In solches Unheil aber stürzt auch ich hinein

Durch Götterleitung, und der Geist des Vaters selbst,
995

Zum Lichte kehrend, glaub' ich, widerspräch' es nicht.

Doch du der Ungerechte, du, dem Jegliches

Schön dünkt zu reden, was geziemt und nicht geziemt -

Sprichst solchen Vorwurf ohne Scheu vor diesen aus.

Den Ruhm des Theseus schmeichelnd hochzupreisen, dünkt
1000

Dir schön, zu rühmen, wie geordnet blüht Athen:

Doch spendend solches reiche Lob, vergaßest du,

Daß jedes Volk der Erde, das in frommer Scheu

Die Götter ehrt, von diesem übertroffen wird,

Aus dem du mich, den greisen Schüzling, rauben willst,
1005

Mich frech bewältigst und die Töchter schon entführt.

Drum ruf' ich jezt zu dieses Haines Göttinmen

In tiefer Demuth und bestürme sie mit Fleh'n,

Verbündet hälfreich mir zu nah'n, auf daß du lerust,

Von was für Männern diese Stadt behütet wird.
1010

Der Chor.

Der Greis, o Herr, denkt edel; doch sein Leben ist

Voll Ungemach und deiner Hülfe wahrlich werth.

Theseus.

Genug der Worte! Jene flieh'n mit ihrem Raub

Davon, und wir Beraubten, wir steh'n ruhig hier!

Kreon.

Und was gebeutst du mir zu thun, dem schwachen Mann?
1015

Theseus.

Dorthin vorangeh'n sollst du mir und meinen Schritt

Geleiten, um mir selbst es anzukündigen,

Wenn noch in diesen Näumen du die Töchter birgst;

Doch flieh'n die Räuber, dann bedarf's der Mühe nicht.

Denn ihnen eilen Andre nach; nie werden sie's
1020

Den Göttern danken, ihrem Arm entfloh'n zu sein.

Geh denn voran und merke: raubend wirst du Raub,

Und dich, den Jäger, fing das Glück; denn was der Trug

Gewann, der ungerechte, kann nicht dauernd sein.

Und helfen soll dir Keiner hier; ich weiß, allein
1025

Und ungerüstet übtest du nicht solchen Hohn

Des kecken Frevels, dessen du dich jezt erkühnt;

Auf andre Stüzen bautest du bei dieser That.

Deßwegen ziemt mir's, umzuschau'n, und diese Stadt

Soll nicht zu Schanden werden vor dem Einen Mann.
1030

Verstehst du dieses, oder dünkt mein Wort auch jezt

Dir leer, wie vorhin, als du deinen Plan entwarfst?

Kreon.

Nie werd' ich tadeln, was du sagst an diesem Ort;

Nach Hause kommend, weiß ich, was auch mir geziemt.

Theseus.

Droh' immer, aber gehe; du, mein Dedipus,
1035

Verweile hier in Frieden und vertraue mir:

Wenn ich zuvor nicht sterbe, werd' ich nimmer ruh'n,

Bevor ich deine Kinder dir zurückgebracht.

Oedipus.

Heil dir, o Theseus, daß du hegst solch edlen Sinn,

Und unser huldreich waltest, wie das Recht gebeut!
1040
(Theseus mit Kreon und Gefolge ab.) Dedipus. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 720 focus

OEdipus, Chorcs.

Antigone

Great are thy praises, Attica, and now

The time is come to show thou dost deserve them.

Oedipus

What means my daughter ? Speak ; what new

event

Alarms thee?

Antigone

Creon, with a numerous band

Of followers, comes this way.

If ever, help me.
725

Chorus
(Edi. Oh ! now, my friends.

Most honoured citizens,

I see you look with eyes of fear upon me,

Without a cause ; for know, I came not here
730

Intending aught of violence or ill

Against a city so renowned in Greece

As yours hath ever been ; I only came,

Commissioned by the State of Thebes, to fetch

This old man back, if by persuasion mild
735

I could induce him to return \ not sent

By one alone, but the united voice

Of a whole people, who assigned the task

To me because, by blood united to him,

I felt for his misfortunes as my own.
740

Come therefore, Qlldipus, attend me home ;

Thebes calls thee back, thy kingdom now demands thee —

By me she calls thee ; listen to thy friend,

For surely Creon were the worst of men.
745

If he could look on woes like thine unmoved

When I behold thee, in a foreign land

A wretched wanderer, forced to beg thy bread

From place to place, with this unhappy maid,

Whom little did I think to see exposed
750

To misery and shame, of nuptial rites

Hopeless, and thus bereft of every aid, —

Oh ! 'tis reproach and infamy to us

And to our race ; but 'tis already known,

And cannot be concealed. O CEdipus !
755

I here beseech thee, by our country's gods,

Return to Thebes ; bid thou a kind farewell —

For she deserves it — to this noble city,

But still remember thy own dearer country.

Beneath fair semblance mean but to betray,

Why wouldst thou tempt me thus? Why thus once more

K

fQO

Ensnare me in thy toils, and make me still
765

More wi-etched than I am ? Long time oppressed

By heaviest woes, I pined within my palace,

And longed for exile ; but you then refused

To let nie go, till, satiated with grief,

My soul at length was calm, and much I wished
770

To spend my few remaining years at home :

Then thou — for little did the kindred blood

Thou talkst of then avail — didst banish me ;

And now again thou com'st to make me wretched.

Because thou seest this kind benignant city
775

Embrace and cherish, thou wouldst drag me hence,

With sweetest words covering thy bitter mind,

Professing love to those who choose it not.

He who denies his charitable aid
780

To the poor beggar in his utmost need,

And if abundance comes, should offer that

Which is not wanted, little merits thanks.

Such is thy bounty now — in word alone,

And not in deed, the friend of Q^^dipus.
785

But I will tell them what thou art. Thou cam'st not

To take me hence, but leave me in the borders

Of Thebes, that so thy kingdom may escape

The impending ills which this avenging city

Shall pour upon it ; but 'twill come to pass
790

As I foretold : my evil genius still

Slmll haunt yon, and my sons no more of Thebes

Inherit than shall serve them for a grave.

Thy country's fate is better known to me
795

Than to thyself, for my instruction comes

From surer guides — from Phoebus and from Jove.

Thy artful speech shall little serve thy purpose,

'Twill only hurt thy cause : therefore begone !

I'm not to be persuaded. Let me live
800

In quiet here, for, wretched as I am,

'Twill be some comfort to be far from thee.

Cbeon. Thinkst thou I heed thy words ? Who'll
805

suffer most

For this perverseness — thou, or I ?

Or with my friends.

Crbon. Poor wretch ! no time can cure
810

Thy follies ; thy old age is grown delirious.

Oedipus
(Edi, Thou daring hypocrite, whose specious wiles (Edi. Thy little arts will nought avail with me,

Thou hast a hateful tongue ; but few, how just
815

Soe'er they be, can always speak aright.
815

Creon

But to say much, and to say well, are things

Which difier widely.

Oedipus

What thou sayst no doubt

Is brief, and proper too.

Ceeon. 'Twill hardly seem so
820

To those who think like thee.
820

Direct my steps, as if thou hadst the power

To place me where thou wilt.

Oreon. Kemember all

To witness this, for he shall answer it

When he is mine.

Against the will of these my friends ?

Ore. Their aid

Is vain, already I have done what much

Will hurt thee.

Creon
(Edi. Away ; nor dare (Edi. But who shall force me hence (Edi. Ha ! what threats are these %

Thy daughters

Must go with me ; one is secured, and now

This moment will I wrest the other from thee.

Creon
(Edi. 0 me !

I'll give thee much more cause for grief.

Creon
(Edi. Hast thou my daughter?

Ay, and will have this.

Will you forsake me?

Will you not drive this vile, abandoned man

Forth from your city?

Chorus
(Edi. \to the Chorus]. What will you do, my friends?

Stranger, hence, away !
825

Thy actions are most shameful and unjust.

Creon

Slaves, do your office ; bear her off" by force,

If she consents not.

Antigone

Whither shall I fly

For aid ? What god or man shall I implore

To succour me ?
830

Chorus

Alas ! what wouldst thou do?

Creon

1 touch not him, but I must have my'

Antigone

O princes ! aid me now.

Chob. 'Tis most unjust.

Creon

I say 'tis just.

Chorus

Then prove it.

Creon

They are mine.

Chorus

O citizens !

Antigone

Oh ! loose me : if you do not,

You shall repent this violence.

Creon

Go on,

I will defend you.

G^^Di. He, who injures me,

Oifends the city.

Chorus

Said I not before

It would be thus 1

Creon

[to the Chorus]. Let go the maid this instant.

Chorus

Command where thou hast power.
840

Creon

Let her go.

Chorus

Begone thyself. What, ho ! my countrymen,

The city is in danger ; haste and save us.

Antigone
[Creoh'b followers seize on Antigone.

I'm seized, my friends. Oh, help !

Oedipus

Where is my daughter 'i

Antigone

Torn from thee.

OEdi Oh ! stretch forth thy hand.

Antigone

I cannot.

Creon

Away with her

Oedipus

O wretched CEdipus !

Creon

No longer shall these tender props support

Thy feeble age ; since thou art still resolved

Against thyself, thy country, and thy friends,
850

By whose command. I come, remain perverse

And obstinate, old man ; but know, hereafter

Time will convince thee thou hast ever been

Thy own worst foe ; thy fiery temper still

Must make thee wretched.
855

Chorus

Stranger, stir not hence.

Creon

I charge you, touch me not.

Chorus

Thou shalt not go

Till thou restor'st the virgins.

Creon

I must have

A nobler I'ansom from your city ; these

Shall not suffice.

Chorus

What meanst thou ?
860

Creon

He shall go,

This (Edipus.

Chorus

Thy threats are terrible.

Creon

I'll do 't ; and only he who governs here

Shall hinder me.

CEp1. O insolence! thou wilt not,

Thou dar'st not force me.

Creon

Hold thy peace.

The dreadful goddesses, who here preside,

Should bind my tongue from heaviest curses on thee,

For thou hast robbed me of the only light

These eyes could boast ; but may th' all-seeing sun

Behold and punish thee and all thy race.

And load thy age with miseries like mine !

Creon
(Edi. Not e'en

Inhabitants of Athens, hear ye this ?

I can repay the injuries I receive ;

For I am weak with age, and here alone.

Creon
(Edi. They do, and see that but with fruitless words

No longer will I curb my just resentment,

But force thee hence.
875

Chorus
(Edi. 0 me !

What boldness, stranger,

Could make thee hope to do a deed like this

Unpunished ?

Creon

'Tis resolved.

Chorus

Our Athens then

Is fallen indeed, and is no more a city.

Creon

In a just cause the weak may foil the mighty.
880

Chorus
(Edi. Hear how he threatens

What he'll ne'er perform.

Creon

That Jove alone can tell.

Chorus

Shall injuries

Like these be suftered 1

Creon

Call it injury

Thou mayst, 'tis such as thou perforce must bear.

Chorus

This is too much ; ye rulers of the land
885

My fellow-citizens, come forth and save us.
885

~ (EDIPVS COLONEUii,
885

Scene III.

TiiE.sEi's, CiiEON, (Ei)ii'us, Antioone, Chorus.

Tjii:. Whence is this clamour? Wherefore ain I calie

From sacred rites at Neptune's altar paid,

Our guardian god ? Say, what's the cause that thus

In hiiste I'm summoned hither?

Oedipus

O my friend ! —

Foi* well I know thy voice— most cruelly

Have I been treated by this man.

Theseus

Who did it?

from me

My only help, my daughters.

Theseus
(Edi. This Creon, whom thou seest, hath ravished

Ha ! wliat sayst thou ?

Oedipus

'Tis as I tell thee.

Theseus

\to his Attendants], Quick, dispatch my servant^.

Fly to the altar, summon all my people,

Horsemen and foot ; give o'er the sacrifice,

And instant to the double gate repair,

Lest with the virgins the base ravishers
900

Escape unpunished, and my guest thus injui-ed

Laugh me to scorn for cowardice Away!

Were I to punish this oppressor here \tuming to Ceeox

As my resentment bids and he deserves.

He should this instant fall beneath my rage ;
905

But the same justice he to others deals.

Himself shall meet from us ; thou shalt not go

Till those whom thou didst basely ravish hence

Are brought before me. 'Twas unlike thyself,

Unworthy of thy country and thy race.
910

To enter thus a cultivated city.

Where law and justice reign, with violence

And rapine, snatching what thy fancy pleased.

Or didst thou think I ruled a desert land.

Or that my people were a race of slaves.
915

And Theseus but the shadow of a king ?

Thebes never taught thee such destnictive lessons,

For she abhors injustice : when she heai's

That Creon, thus despising sacred laws,

Hath ta'en with brutal violence my right,
920

And would have stolen a wretched suppliant from me,

She'll not approve thy conduct ; say I went

To Thebes, how just soever were the cause,

I should not seize on aught without the lea-ve

Of him who governed there ; but, as becomes
925

A stranger, bear myself unblamed by all.

Thou hast disgraced thy country and thy friends,

And weight of years hath ta'en thy senses from thee.

Again I say, restore the virgins to me.

Or stay with me thyself, for so thou shalt,
930

Howe'er unwilling \ what I've said, remember.

Is what I have resolved — therefore determine.

Chok. \to Creon]. Stranger, thy actions, noble as

thou art.

But ill become thy family and name.
935

Because unjust ; but thou beholdst thy fate.

Creon

Theseus, it was not that I thought this city

Without or guards to save, or laws to rule,
940

Which brought me here, nor unadvised I came ;

But that I hoped you never would receive

My kindred here against my will, nor e'er

Embrace a vile incestuous parricide,

Or cherish and protect him in a land

Whose court, renowned for justice, suffers not

Such poor abandoned exiles to reside

Within its borders ; therefore did 1 this,

Which yet I had not done but for the curses
950

Which he hath poured on me and all my race ;

Ileven,afe inspired me ; anger, well thou knowst,

Can never be extinguished but by death.

Which closeth every wound. At present, Theseus,
955

It must be as thou wilt ; my want of power,

How just soe'er my cause, demands submission ;

Yet, old and weak, I shall not tamely yield.

Oedipus

Audacious man ! thinkst thou the vil«3 reproach
960

Thou utter'st falls on me, or on thyself?

Thou who upbraidst me thus for all my woes.

Murder and incest, which against my will

I had committed, so it pleased the gods,
965

But 1 am guiltless ; canst thou name a fault

Deserving this ? For, tell me, Avas it mine,

Wlien to my father Phujbus did declare

That he should one day perish by the hand
970

Of his own child? Was CEdipus to blame.

Who had no being then ? If, born at length

To wretchedness, he met his sire unknown,

And slew him, that involuntary deed

Canst thou condemn ? And for my fatal marriage,

Dost thou not blush to name it ? Was not she

Thy sister, she who bore me, ignorant

And guiltless woman, afterwards my wife,

And mother to my children? What she did,

fShe did unknowing ; not like thee, who thus

Dost purposely upbraid us both. Heaven knows
985

Unwillingly I w^edded her, and now

Unwillingly repeat the dreadful tale ;

But, nor for that, nor for my murdered father,

Have I deserved thy bitter taunts ; for tell me.
990

Thy life attacked, wouldst thou have stayed to ask

Th' assassin if he were t\\j father ? No ;

Self-love would urge thee to revenge the insult.

Thus was I drove to ill by th' angry gods ;
995

This, should my father's soul revisit earth.

Himself would own, and pity CEdipus.

Thy bold and impious tongue still utters all ;

Just or unjust, thou pourst thy foul reproach

On me, pretending to revere the name

Of Theseus and his countiy. But remember,

The city, whom thou hast praised, is famed

For piety and reverence to the gods ;

Yet wouldst thou drive a needy suppliant thence,

And lead him captive. Thou hast stolen my daughter ;

But I implore the dreadful goddesses
1010

To grant me aid, that thou mayst feel the power

Which thou contemn'st, and know the force of Athens.

Chorus
(JHended at my race for former crimes ;

[to Theseus]. O king ! this stranger merits thy

regard ;

His woes are great, his cause should be defended.

Theseus

No more the ravishers are fled with, speed,

Whilst we, who suffer, stand inactive here.

Creon

Speak thy commands, for I must yield to

thee.

Theseus

Go thou before me, I shall follow close ;

If here thou hast concealed the virgins, now
1020

Discover them ; if hence, to others' hands

Committed, they are fled, they shall not 'scape ;

My servants soon will fetch them back. Meantime,

Remember thy condition, for thy fate
1025

Hath caught thee in the net which thou hadst spread

For others ; but what evil means acquire

Is seldom kept : thou cam'st not naked here,

Or unattended, thus to do an act

Of violence. Ere long 1 11 know on what

Thou didst rely, nor by a single arm

Shall Athens fall inglorious. Hearst thou this,

Or are my words unheeded ?

Creon

'Tis not now

A time to answer ; we shall know at home

What must be done.

Theseus

Thou threatenest ; but go on.

Stay thou in quiet here, for if I live,

I will not rest till I restore thy daughters.

Oedipus
\turninij to OEdipus \Extimt Theseus and Creo.v. Scene IV.

Chorus.

Now the combatants prepare,

And hasten to the field of war,

Theseus
StropliQ I.

their great and god-like friend,

The hapless virgins shall defend.

Oh ! could I hear the dreadful battle roar,

Or near Apollo's sacred shrine,

Or on the torch -enlightened shore,

Or Ceres, where thy priests their rights divine

Perform, with lips in solemn silence sealed,

And mysteries ne'er by mortal tongue revealed.

At yon snowy mountain's feet

Westward perchance the warriors meet ;

Chariot and horse with mutual rage

On CEta's ilowery plains engage ;

Around their Theseus now, a valiant band,

See Athens' martial sons unite

To save their native land ;

All shake their glittering spears, and urge the fight ;

All who thy power, Equestrian Pallas, own,

Or bow to Neptune, Rhea's honoured son,

The bloody scene shall soon be o'er

Creon the virgin shall restoi-e ;

My soul prophetic sees the maid

For pious duty thus repaid ;

For ever active is the power of Jove,

From whom perpetual blessings flow :

Oh ! that I now could, like the dove,

Soar through the skies, and mai-k the field below.

The wished-for conquest joyful to behold.

And triumph in the victory I foretold !

Thou power supreme, all powers above,

All-seeing, all-performing Jove,

Grant that the rulers of this land

May soon subdue the hostile band !

Tliee, too, O Pallas ! hunter Phoebus, thee

Do we invoke, with thee be joined

Thy virgin sister deity,

Who loves o'er lawns to chase the spotted hind ;

On you w^e call, your aid propitious bring,

Oh 1 haste, protect our country and our king. [ExeunL

Chorus
Antistrophe i. Sti'ojyhe 2. Antistrojihe 2. ACT III. Scene 1. (Edipus, Theseus, Antigone, Ismene,

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 720 focus

For Morian Jove with guardian care
720

Delights to see it flourish fair;
720

And Pallas, fav'ring, from the skies
720

Rolls the blue lustre of her eyes.
720

My voice yet once more let me raise,
720

Yet other glories to relate :
720

A potent God for these we praise,
720

His presents to this favour'd state;

The Steed obedient to the rein,

And safe to plough the subject main.

Our highest vaunt is this, thy grace,

Saturnian Neptune, we behold

The ruling Curb emboss'd with gold

Control the Courser's managed pace.

Though loud, O king, thy billows roar,

Our strong hands grasp the well-form'd oar;

And, while the Nereids round it play,

Light cuts our bounding bark its way.

O happy land, for many glories famed.

Behoves thee now assert this splendid praise,

Oedipus

Is there aught new, my daughter ?

Antigone

Creon nigh

Approaches, not without a numerous train.

Oedipus

Revered old men, on you my safety now

Depends; protect me, shield me from his wrongs.
725

Chorus

Fear not, thou shalt have aid : though I am old,

The nation's strength is not decay'd through age.

Creon
CREON, CEDIPUS, ANTIGONE, CHORUS.

Illustrious habitants of this fair land,

I see, your eyes declare it, that surprise

Hath on my coming seized you, mix'd with fear.

But fear me not; nor let your speech be harsh.
730

No deed of outrage wish I to attempt,

For I am old, and know that to a state,

Potent as any Greece can boast, I come.

But I am sent on this man to prevail,

Thus worn with age, t' attend me to the realms

Of Thebes: this charge received I not from one,
735

But all the citizens; since most to me,

Through near affinity of blood, belongs

To mourn and pity his calamities

Then hear me, thou afflicted Œdipus,

Return with me; for all the sons of Thebes
740

Recal thee, with just cause, I more than all,
740

As more than others (else of all mankind

I were the vilest) for thy sufferings griev'd,

Beholding thee thus old oppress'd with woes,

Ever 'mongst strangers wandering, destitute

Of food, thy steps by one attendant led:
745

Her, hapless virgin, never had I thought

To see thus fall'n, sunk to this wretched state,

To thee for ever ministring, for thee

Begging the scanty meal, and at this age

Of nuptial rites bereft, and still exposed

To ruffian violence. With base reproach
750

Have I then wrong'd myself, and thee, and all

Our race? Am I that wretch ? It is not so;

And things well known in vain would we conceal.

Be then advised: by the paternal gods

I now conjure thee, Edipus, comply

At my persuasion, willingly return
755

To Thebes thy native city, and thy house,

Seat of thy fathers; to these regions bid

A friendly farewell, they deserve it of thee :

But justice to thy country, since thy youth

Was nurtured there, an higher reverence claims.

CDIP. O thou, audacious in whate'er is base,
760

And prompt from all just words to draw a train

Of deep insidious ills, why this attempt?

Why seek again t' ensnare me, where I most,

Should grieve to be ensnared? In days long past

When with domestic miseries o'erwhelm'd
765

My sickening soul in exile would have joy'd,
765

Then to my wish this grace didst thou deny.

But when my soul was glutted with its grief,

And in my house it had been sweet to rest,

For ebbing then I found my former rage,

Then didst thou drive me forth an outcast thence,
770

Nor was this near affinity of blood

Dear to thee. Now again, when thou didst see

This state benevolent to me, and all

Its race, dost thou assay to drag me hence,

Filing thy tongue to smooth thy harsh attempts.

Why this delight to show thy courtesy
775

When most it is unwelcome? If to thee,

What thy wants crave requesting to obtain,

One should give nothing, nor e'en show a will

To grant thee a supply; but, when thy soul

Enjoys its wish e'en to the full, would give,

When the slow favour all its grace hath lost,
780

Wou'dst thou this worthless pleasure wish to gain?

Such is to me thy offer'd grace, in words

Pretending good, but hateful in effect.

Nay, I will tell it these, that I may show

Thy baseness: hence to draw me thou art come,

Not with leave granted to possess my house,
785

But to be stabled on your confines; thus

Your country should be guarded from the ills.

Fear'd from these realms. This never shall be thine;

But thine shall be those ills; for in that land

My vengeful spirit always shall reside.

Nor of my kingdom shall my sons share more,
790

Then to die in it. Seem I not to know

Better than thou the destined state of Thebes?

Much better, as by more unerring guides

Instructed, Phœbus and his father Jove.

Yet hither hast thou brought that treacherous front
795

Harden'd 'gainst shame: but that fine-filed tongue
795

Shall work thee woe, not safety; be assured

With me thou never shalt prevail : begone,

Let us live here; not ill we here should live...

E'en as we are, could we delight in life.

Mine dost thou ween a greater share of grief
800

From thy refusal, than what thou must feel?

Oedipus

Greatly shall I rejoice if neither me,

Nor these here present thou hast pow'r to move.

Creon

Thou wretch, whom time to wisdom could not train,

But mark'd thee a dishonour to old age!

Oedipus

Pow'rful art thou in speech; but I ne'er knew

A man revering justice, who could smooth

Creon

His tongue to gloze all arguments alike.
810

Much speech, and well adapted, differ wide.
810

Oedipus

Though brief, yet well adapted are those words.

Creon

No; not to one that hath a soul like thine.........

Oedipus

Begone, for I will speak for these; nor take
815

Thy station watching where belioves me dwell.
815

Creon

These I attest, not thee, and these as friends,

What, should I seize thee, such replies deserve.

Oedipus

Me from such guardians who by force shall take?......

From these apart thou shalt have cause of grief.

Oedipus

From what rude deed doth such a menace rise?
820

Creon

Of thy two daughters one I lately seized,

And sent away: this soon I hence will lead.

Oedipus

Ah me!

Chorus

Thou soon shalt have more cause to sigh..

Oedipus

Is then my daughter seized, and in thy pow'r C

Pass a few moments this too Dwill seize.

Oedipus

O friendly strangers, now on you I call,

Creon

What will you do? Will you desert my cause?

Will you not drive this ruffian from your land?

Chorus

Stranger, depart: neither thy present deeds, !!!

Antigone

Nor those late done, are just: with speed depart.....

Creon

to his attendants.

Now is your time; seize her, and lead her hence,

If wayward she refuse to go, by force.

Unhappy me, ah, whither shall I fly?

Aid from what god, what man shall I receive?

Chorus

What dost thou, stranger...

Creon

The virgin's mine.

Oedipus

Him I shall not touch:

O rulers of this land!

Chorus

These things, O stranger, are not just.
835

Chorus

How are they just?

Most just.

Creon

I lead away mine own.

Antigone

O state of Athens!

Creon

Stranger, what means this?

What dost thou? Wilt thou not forbear? This soon

Must stand the test of arms.

Take off thy hands.

Chorus

Not on this outrage while thy will is bent.
840

If thou wrong me, thou call'st the state to arms.
840

Oedipus

Did I not say this contest would be great?

Creon

This instant from the virgin take thy hands.

Chorus

Command not those o'er whom thou hast no pow'r.te

CR I say to thee, no more the virgin hold.

Chorus

I say to thee, hence take thy way, begone.

Come forth, my fellow-citizens, come forth,

Our state by force is plunder'd, hither haste.

Antigone

O strangers, strangers, I am dragged away.

Oedipus

My child, where art thou ?
845

Oedipus

Stretch out thy hands to me..

Antigone

Borne by force away.

I have not pow'r.

Creon
[to his attendants.

Will you not lead her hence?

Oedipus

O wretched me!

Creon

On these two props no more shalt thou support

Thy wandering steps; but since thou wilt o'ercome

Thy country and thy friends, at whose command

I, though their sovereign, do this; have thy will,

O'ercome: yet thou wilt know in time, I ween,

That neither what thou now hast done avails

To thee for good, nor what thou didst of old;

The counsels of thy friends thy pride disdain'd,

And rage indulged hath always work'd thee woes.

Chorus

Stranger, thou movest not hence.

Creon

Off; touch me not.

Chorus

Of these bereaved I will not quit my hold.
860

Creon

Thy state with heavier ransom wilt thou charge;

For not these virgins only will I seize.

Chorus

To what now wilt thou turn thee?

And bear this old man hence.

I will seize

A perilous threat.

OR. But soon to be accomplish'd, if the king,

The sovereign of this land, restrain me not.

Oedipus

Me, shameless babbler, wilt thou dare to touch?

Creon

I charge thee be thou silent.

Silent! no;

May not these awful pow'rs restrain my tongue

From one curse more, this curse on thee, vile man,

Who from my sightless steps hast drawn by force

My tender guide! For this may yon bright god,

Th' all-seeing sun, give thee and all thy race

To close your lives with an old age like mine!

Ye natives of this country, see you this?

Oedipus

They see both me and thee, and they perceive

That wrong'd by deeds in words I seek revenge.

Creon

No longer will I check my rage, but hence

Drag him by force, though here I am alone,

And slow through age.
875

Oedipus

Ah me, unhappy me!

Chorus

Presumptuous stranger, hither darest thou come

With thoughts to do such deeds?

Creon

Such are my thoughts.

Chorus

This state then I esteem a state no more.

Creon

In a just cause the weak subdue the strong.
880

Oedipus

Hear you his threats?

Chorus

They shall not have effect.

Creon

That Jove may know, not thou.

An insult thou must bear.

What insult this!

Chorus

My countrymen.
885

Come forth, with all your forces come! Ye chiefs
885

Advance, with speed advance; for now the tide

Of headlong violence o'erflows all bounds.

Theseus

What means this cry? What outrage raised your fears,

That at the altar while the victim bleeds

An offering to the monarch of the sea,

The god o'er this Colonus who presides,

You call me? Speak, inform me what the cause

That urged me hither with uneasy speed?
890

Oedipus

My generous friend, for well I know thy voice,

Dreadful my recent sufferings from this man.

Theseus

What hast thou suffer'd? Who hath wrong'd thee? Speak.

Oedipus

This Creon, whom thou seest, has forced from me

My daughters, the sole comfort of my woes.
895

Theseus

How say'st thou?

Oedipus

My fresh sufferings thou hast heard.

Theseus

Of my attendants one with swiftest pace

Hence to the altar, bear this charge to all

Th' assembled people, from the sacred rites

Horsemen and troops of foot to wing their speed,

And seize the strait where the two roads unite,
900

Ere there the virgins pass. I should be held

In scorn if, when my faith is pledged, by force

I were defeated. Go as I command,

And use thy utmost speed. But for this man,.

Were I by anger prompted, as his deeds
905

Deserve, unwounded by my vengeful hand

I should not suffer him go hence. But now,

Since his own laws he brought, to those same laws

His treatment shall accord; for from this land

Thou never shalt depart, till thou hast brought

The virgins back, and placed them in my sight.l
910

For thou hast done what foul dishonour casts

On me, on thy high lineage, and thy land:

A country hast thou enter'd, which reveres

The voice of justice, and ne'er dares a deed

That violates the laws; her sacred rights
915

Hast thou o'erleap'd, and rushing in by force

Bearest hence thy spoil, deeming perchance my realm

Of force devoid, and sunk with servile fear,

And me some spiritless and abject wretch.

Thebes taught thee not this ruffian deed, nor loves

To cherish the unjust; nor would her voice
920

Hail thee with acclamations, if she knew

That thou hast plunder'd me, and seized by force

Unhappy men, the suppliants of the gods.

Thy country had I enter'd, were my claims

Most just, without the sovereign of the land,
925

Whoe'er he were, thence nothing had I drawn

Or forced away; well knowing how behoves

A stranger in a foreign land to frame

His fair demeanour: but thy deeds disgrace

Thy country, not deserving such reproach:

And time in its full course hath made thee old,
930

And void of wisdom. But I tell thee now,

What I before declared, without delay

Send, let the virgins safe be brought again,

Else in this land constrain'd shalt thou abide

Howe'er unwillingly. I tell thee this,
935

And my heart speaks accordant with my tongue.

Chorus

Stranger, thou seest thy state, to what reduced,

Since, though thy noble race bespoke thee just,

Thy deeds have proved thee base, and prone to ill.

Neither of puissant force nor counsel sage.......

Deeming thy realm, O son of Ægeus, void,

Creon

Have I here done this deed; but knowing this,

No friendly zeal e'er moved you to sustain
940

Those of my blood, by force, against my will.

I knew your state would not receive a man

Unholy, with his father's blood distain'd;

His nuptial bed polluted with the guilt

Of incest. Well I knew your awful Court
945

High on the mount of Mars, for wisdom famed,

Coeval with your land, would ne'er allow

Such outcasts in their city to reside.

On this confiding I presumed to seize

The wretch; nor had I done it, but he pour'd
950

Such dreadful execrations forth on me

And on my race, that for the wrongs received

I deem'd this meet requital; for the force

Of rage is not abated but by death;

The dead feel no resentment. For these things
955

Act as thy will inclines thee; thus alone,

Just though my cause, my pow'r is small: yet know

Such as you see me now, whate'er your deeds,

Like deeds will I endeavour to repay.

Oedipus

Unblushing insolence! falls this reproach
960

On my hoar head, or on thine own? while thus
960

Thy tongue descants on murders, nuptial rites,

And miseries which, unhappy, I sustain'd

Of guilt not conscious; so it pleased the gods,

Of old perchance enraged at some offence

Of those from whom I sprung; for fault in me,
965

To warrant this reproach thou canst not find

Against myself committed, or my house.

For tell me, to my father if the voice

Of oracles declared that he should fall

Slain by his sons, me justly for the deed

Dost thou revile? I had not being then.
970

If by ill fate (and that ill fate was mine)

I in fierce conflict 'gainst my father stood,

And slew him, nothing knowing whom my hand

Opposed, canst thou revile me for a deed

Unknowingly committed? But, thou wretch,

Dost thou not blush that of my mother's bed
975

Thou hast constrain'd me to make mention, since

She was thy sister? I will speak of it

Briefly (for what would silence now avail?)

Since thy unhallow'd tongue hath touch'd that point.

She brought me forth, ah me! she brought me forth,
980

O my unhappy fate! then bore me sons,
980

Her foul reproach, unconscious I of guilt,

Of guilt unconscious she. But this I know,

Me thou hast willingly reviled, and her;

Unwillingly I wedded her, and now

Unwillingly speak this. Yet shall my name
985

Fear from these nuptials no reviling tongue,

Nor from my father's death, the constant theme

Of thy malignant censure: for with truth

Answer me this, should one with boisterous force

Instant attack thy life, no wrong by thee

First offer'd, wou'dst thou nice inquiry make
990

Whether thy father made the rude assault;

Or wou'dst thou in a moment strive t' avenge

The wrong? I think, if that thou lovest thy life,

Thou wou'dst avenge thee of the ruffian strait,

Nor with slow caution ponder what is right.

On ills like these with erring steps I ran,
995

Led by the gods? nor would my father's shade,

Could it return to life, I think, reply

Opposing my just plea. But thou, whose soul

No justice rules, prompted by impious pride

To utter all, though honour bids thy tongue
1000

Be silent, in this presence hast presumed:
1000

To charge me thus with base and slanderous blame.

Yet canst thou stoop with adulation bland

To fawn on Theseus, and th' Athenian state

As train'd to righteous laws; but 'midst thy praise

Of this forgetful, that if ever land
1005

Knew with due honours to revere the gods,

Athens in this hath high pre-eminence..

Yet in this state thy thievish hand hath seized,

Its hoary supplicant, and borne away

My virgin daughters. Touch'd with wrongs like these

Bending before these awful pow'rs I breathe
1010

My ardent supplications, and invoke

Their succour, their protection, that thy pride

May learn what men are guardians of this state.

Chorus

This stranger hath much merit; and his woes,

In total ruin which have crush'd him down...

Deserve, O king, protection at thy hand.
1015

Theseus

Enough of words; for while the spoilers haste

We, who have suffer'd wrong, inactive stand.

Creon

What to my feeble age are thy commands?/

Theseus

Go on the way before, and be my guide,

That in these regions if the virgins yet
1020

Are held, thou may'st direct me to the place.

If they, who seized them, fly, we need not toil;

For others are abroad, whose swift pursuit

They never shall elude to thank the gods
1025

That from this country they by flight escaped..

Lead thou the way, and know that thou art seized,

As thou hast seized; the hunter fortune takéslel

In his own toils; for things by fraud obtain'd

And unjust violence, abide not long.

Thy hope of aid shall fail thee; for I know

With such small force, for such a rude attempt',

Creon

Unfurnish'd thus, thy spirit had not swell'd

To this proud height; there is in whose support

Confiding thou hast dared the deed: but this

Demands attention; not to yield this state

A prey to one invader. Are my words

To thy conception clear; or seem they vain,

As when thy thoughts this insult first devised?

Nothing of what is said I here can blame;

At home what best behoves us we shall know.

Theseus

Go now, hereafter threaten. Thou with us

Remain in quiet, Edipus, assured

I will not rest, unless I first should die,
1040

Till to thy wish thy daughters I restore.

Oedipus

Be thou blest, Theseus, for thy generous mind,

And for thy just protection of my age!

Chorus
STRO. 1. CŒDIPUS, CHORUS.

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-543-1 σὸν … δὴ ¹

mvp-comment-543-2 φαίνειν τὰ λαμπρὰ ἔπη ²

mvp-comment-544-1 The

ἀντιλαβή

(division of the verse between two persons) marks excitement: cp. 652, 1099, 1169.

mvp-comment-545-1 ἡμῖν ³

mvp-comment-546-1 φαίνοιτ’ ἄν ⁴

mvp-comment-546-2 τέρμα τῆς σωτηρίας ⁵

mvp-comment-547-1 παρέσται ⁶

mvp-comment-547-2 ἐγώ ⁷

mvp-comment-548-1 ὀμμάτων ⁸

mvp-comment-548-2 εἰληφότας ⁹

mvp-comment-548-3 νεώρη ¹⁰

mvp-comment-549-1 ὃν ¹¹

mvp-comment-550-1 ὡς ¹²

mvp-comment-550-2 δρᾶν τι ¹³

mvp-comment-551-1 εἴ τιν’ ¹⁴

mvp-comment-552-1 τηλικόσδ’ ¹⁵

mvp-comment-553-1 οὐκ ἐξ ἑνὸς στείλαντος ¹⁶

mvp-comment-553-2 ἀστῶν ¹⁷

mvp-comment-554-1 ἧκέ μοι γένει ¹⁸

mvp-comment-554-2 γένει ¹⁹

mvp-comment-555-1 εἰς πλεῖστον πόλεως ²⁰

mvp-comment-555-2 εἰς ²¹

mvp-comment-556-1 ἀλλ’ ²²

mvp-comment-557-1 δικαίως ²³

mvp-comment-557-2 ἐκ δὲ τῶν ²⁴

mvp-comment-558-1 ὅσῳπερ ²⁵

mvp-comment-558-2 πλειστον … κάκιστος ²⁶

mvp-comment-559-1 ξένον ²⁷

mvp-comment-559-2 ἐπὶ μιᾶς πρ ²⁸

mvp-comment-560-1 τὴν ²⁹

mvp-comment-560-2 τάλας ³⁰

mvp-comment-561-1 οὐκ ἔδοξα πεσεῖν ἄν ³¹

mvp-comment-561-2 ἐς τοσοῦτον αἰκίας ³²

mvp-comment-561-3 ὅσον ³³

mvp-comment-561-4 ἥδε δύσμορος ³⁴

mvp-comment-562-1 τὸ σὸν κάρα ³⁵

mvp-comment-563-1 πτωχῷ ³⁶

mvp-comment-563-2 τηλικοῦτος ³⁷

mvp-comment-564-1 τοὐπιόντος ³⁸

mvp-comment-565-1 ἆῤ ³⁹

mvp-comment-565-2 ὦ τάλας ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-566-1

"I have uttered a cruel reproach against my kindred and myself. But indeed the reproach is one that cannot be hid, so long as thou and thy daughter are seen wandering thus. Hide it, then, thou (no one else can)—by coming home."

Unless we correct νυν to νιν (=

τὰ ἐμφανῆ

), it is better to place a point, and not merely a comma, at κρύπτειν :

" But (I have some excuse) for ,"

etc.,—the elliptical use of ἀλλ’ οὐ γάρ , as at 988, El. 595 , Tr. 552 . So the schol.:

ὥστε συγγνώμης εἰμὶ ἄξιος λέγων· οὐ γὰρ δύναμαι κρύπτειν

. With only a comma at

κρύπτειν, ἀλλά

would belong to κρύψον :

"But,— since it is impossible, etc.—hide thou,"

—when the position of νυν is awkward.—So in O. T. 1424 Creon urges the Theban elders to take Oed. into the house, forbidding them

τοιόνδ’ ἄγος | ἀκάλυπτον οὕτω δεικνύναι

mvp-comment-567-1 πρὸς θεῶν πατρῴων ⁴¹

mvp-comment-568-1 θελήσας ⁴³

mvp-comment-568-2 ἄστυ ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-569-1 εἰπών ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-569-2 ἡ δ’ οἴκοι ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-570-1 παντὸς ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-570-2 ἂν φέρων ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-571-1 In L's πείρᾶι (sic) we trace the wish of Didymus (schol.) to read πείρᾳ , i.e.

"by a stratagem."

It would then be necessary to take κἀμὲ as=

" even me"

(who have had such experiences).

mvp-comment-571-2 πειρᾷ ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-571-3 δεύτερον … ἑλεῖν ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-571-4 ἐν οἷς ⁵¹

mvp-comment-571-5 μάλιστ’ ἂν ἀλγοίην ⁵²

mvp-comment-572-1 πρόσθεν τε ⁵³

mvp-comment-572-2 οἰκείοις ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-573-1 νοσοῦνθ’ ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-574-1 οὐκ ἤθελες θέλοντι ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-574-2 προσθέσθαι ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-575-1 ἦ ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-575-2 μεστὸς ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-576-1 ἐξεώθεις κἀξέβ ⁶¹

mvp-comment-577-1 τοῦτ’ ⁶²

mvp-comment-578-1 πόλιν ⁶³ γένος ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-579-1 μετασπᾶν ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-579-2 σκληρὰ μαλθακῶς λέγων ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-580-1 αὕτη ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-580-2 τίς τέρψις ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-580-3 φιλεῖν ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-580-4 τοσαύτη ⁷¹

mvp-comment-581-1 ὥσπερ ⁷²

mvp-comment-581-2 τις ⁷³

mvp-comment-581-3 τυχεῖν ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-582-1 ὧν χρῄζοις ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-583-1 ἡ χάρις ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-584-1 ἆῤ ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-585-1 καὶ σὺ ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-586-1 λόγῳ … τοῖσι δ’ ἔργοισιν ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-587-1 καὶ τοῖσδ’ ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-588-1 πάραυλον ⁸¹

mvp-comment-589-1 κακῶν ἄνατος ⁸²

mvp-comment-589-2 τῆσδ’ ⁸³

mvp-comment-589-3 ἀπαλλαχθῇ ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-590-1 ταῦτα … τάδ’ ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-590-2 χώρας ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-591-1 τοσοῦτον, ἐνθανεῖν μόνον ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-591-2 ἐνθανεῖν ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-592-1 σαφεστέρων ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-592-2 κλύω ⁹¹

mvp-comment-593-1 τὸ σὸν … στόμα ⁹²

mvp-comment-593-2 ὑπόβλητον ⁹³

mvp-comment-594-1 πολλὴν ἔχον στόμωσιν ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-595-1 κακά ⁹⁵ σωτήρια ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-596-1 If οἶδα is right (as it seems to be), μή can hardly be explained otherwise than by emphasis, i.e. by the strong assurance which the speaker expresses. But what form should the partic. have? (1) With the MS. πείθων , the sense is:

"However, I am assured that I am not persuading you of this,—go!"

In 656

οἶδ’ ἐγώ σε μήτινα

ἐνθένδ’ ἀπάξοντ’ ἄνδρα

appears to be a like case of strong assurance. Cp. O. T. 1455 . In 1121 there is another:

ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ τήνδε... τέρψιν παρ’ ἄλλου μηδενὸς πεφασμένην

. Here, however,

οἷδα μὴ πείθων

is so far stranger, that the emphasis appears less appropriate in stating the speaker's consciousness of what he himself is doing. (2) The v.l. πείθοντ’ , extant in at least one MS. (F), removes this objection.

"However, I am assured that you are not persuading (either the Athenians or me, cp. 803)—go!"

(3) πείσων would be liable to the same remark as

πείθων

. (4) πείσοντ’ would complete the parallelism with 656, but is not required by the

"strong assurance"

view, which applies to past (1121) or present as well as to future.—Another view is that μή gives a quasi-imperative force:

"I know that you shan't persuade."

This might apply to 656. Here it is much more difficult, esp. if we do not adopt

πείσοντ’

: in 1121 it fails.

mvp-comment-596-2 With

ἴσθι … με

for

οἶδα...δε

the imper. would explain μή (cp. on ): and we may note that in O. T. 376 the MSS. changed

σε...ἑμοῦ

into

με...σοῦ

. But the context confirms οἶδα .

mvp-comment-596-3 In later Greek

μή

with partic., in regard to fact , was common, as Luc. Dial. Mort. 16

πῶς οὖν ἀκριβὴς ὁ Αἰακὸς ὢν οὐ διέγνω δε μὴ ὄντα ἐκεῖνον

;

"failed to discern that you were not he,"

where

μὴ ὄντα

, though it might be paraphrased by

εἰ μὴ ἦσθα

, virtually=

ὅτι οὐκ ἦσθα

. In Mod. Greek the partic. always takes

μή

, not

δέν

. This latter tendency may conceivably have affected our MSS.: e.g.

τοιάδ’ οὐ πείθων

may have once stood here.

mvp-comment-597-1 εἰ τερποίμεθα ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-598-1 Which of us do you consider the greater sufferer by your present attitude? Me, because I am not to bring you back? Or yourself, when you reject your friends and country?

mvp-comment-598-2 δυστυχεῖν ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-598-3 ἐς τὰ σά ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-598-4 ἐν τῷ νῦν λόγῳ ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-599-1 Creon had said, in effect,

" Your happiness is as much my object as our own."

" My happiness,"

Oed. rejoins,

"will be best secured if your application is rejected by the people of Colonus, as by myself."

mvp-comment-600-1 φύσας ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-601-1 λῦμα ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-601-2 τρέφει ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-602-1 Cp. O. T. 545

λέγειν σὺ δεινός

(Oed. to Creon).

mvp-comment-603-1 ἐξ ἅπαντος ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-603-2 εὖ λέγει ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-604-1 τὸ καίρια ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-605-1 ὡς δὴ ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-606-1 ὅτῳ ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-607-1 πρὸ τῶνδε ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-608-1 ἐφορμῶν ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-608-2 For με followed by ἐμέ , cp. El. 1359

ἀλλά με | λόγοις ἀπώλλυς, ἔργ’ ἔχων ἥδιστ’ ἐμοί

, where

ἐμοί

is not more emphatic than

με

. So in Tr. 1171

κἀδόκουν πράξειν καλῶς· | τὸ δ’ ἦν ἄρ’ οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν θανεῖν ἐμέ

, where there is no contrast between

ἐμέ

and some one else: Ant. 292

ὡς στέργειν ἐμέ

: Ph. 299

τὸ μὴ νοσεῖν ἐμέ

, where the stress is on the verb, not on the pronoun. And so here, too, it may be doubted whether ἐμέ conveys such an emphasis as would be given by an italicised

" my ,"

— implying a reproof of meddlesomeness. The stress is rather on χρὴ ναίειν : Apollo has brought him to this rest (89).

mvp-comment-609-1 This passage, which has been variously altered, appears to me to be sound as it stands in the MSS. Oedipus has undertaken to speak for the men of Attica (

ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τῶνδε

). Creon refuses to identify him with them, bitterly reminding the Theban that his real ties are elsewhere.

"I call them—not thee— to witness my protest"

: i.e.

"I have a just claim on thee, which thou repellest:— I appeal to a judgment more impartial than thine own."

The words mark the point at which he drops persuasion. He now turns to menace.

"But, for the tone of thy reply to kinsmen"

(meaning, to himself, cp. on

σμικροῖς

"if I catch thee"

—an aposiopesis. (Cp. Il. 1.580

εἴπερ γάρ κ’ ἐθέλῃσιν Ὀλύμπιος ἀστεροπητὴς

ἐξ ἑδέων στυφελίξαι· ὁ γὰρ πολὺ φέρτερός ἐστιν

: Verg. Aen. 1. 135

Quos ego …

)

mvp-comment-609-2 μαρτύρομαι ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-610-1 ἀνταμείβει ¹¹²

mvp-comment-610-2 πρὸς ¹¹³

mvp-comment-610-3 οἷα ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-611-1 τῶνδε συμμ ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-612-1 ἦ μὴν ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-612-2 κἄνευ τοῦδε ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-612-3 λυπηθεὶς ἔσει ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-613-1 ποίῳ σὺν ἔργῳ ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-613-2 σὺν ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-613-3 ἀπειλήσας ἔχεις ¹²¹

mvp-comment-614-1 τὴν μὲν ¹²²

mvp-comment-615-1 τάδε ¹²³

mvp-comment-616-1 The τήνδε γ’ of the MSS. could be retained only if μου were changed to καὶ and given to Creon.

mvp-comment-616-2 οὐ μακρ. χρόνου ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-617-1 τὸν ἀσεβῆ ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-618-1 θᾶσσον ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-618-2 εἴργασαι ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-619-1 ὑμῖν ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-619-2 ἂν εἴη ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-620-1 ποῖ φύγω ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-620-2 θεῶν … ἢ βροτῶν; ¹³¹

mvp-comment-621-1 οὐχ ἅψομαι ¹³²

mvp-comment-621-2 τῆς ἐμῆς ¹³³

mvp-comment-622-1 τοὺς ἐμοὺς ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-623-1 — 886 The phrase

τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἄγω

indicates the moment at which Creon lays his hand on Antigone. It is followed by 11 verses, 833—843, in which the dochmiacs of the Chorus, blended with iambic trimeters, mark excitement. Antistrophic to these are the 11 verses, 876—886, which in like manner follow the moment at which Creon lays his hand on Oedipus. As a lyric interposition in dialogue, the passage has a kommatic character, though it does not constitute a

κομμός

proper in the same sense as 510—548, 1447—1499, or 1670— 1750.

mvp-comment-624-1 ἀφήσεις ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-625-1 εἰς βάσανον εἶ χερῶν ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-625-2 εἶ ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-626-1 εἴργου ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-626-2 μωμένου ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-627-1 πόλει ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-628-1 οὐκ ἠγόρευον ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-629-1 μὴ )πίτασσ’ ἃ μὴ κρατεῖς ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-630-1 At Creon's words, when he laid his hand on Antigone (832), one of his guards stepped up, and placed himself at her side.

mvp-comment-630-2 χαλᾶν λέγω σοι ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-631-1 πρόβαθ’ … βᾶτε ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-631-2 ὧδε ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-631-3 ἔντοποι ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-632-1 πόλις … σθένει ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-632-2 σθένει ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-633-1 μοι ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-634-1 ὦ τάλας ¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-635-1 ἐκ τούτοιν … σκήπτροιν ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-635-2 ἐκ ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-635-3 σκήπτροιν ¹⁵³

mvp-comment-636-1 οδοιπορήσῃς ¹⁵⁴

mvp-comment-636-2 νικᾶν ¹⁵⁵

mvp-comment-637-1 τύραννος ¹⁵⁶

mvp-comment-638-1 γνώσει τάδε ¹⁵⁷

mvp-comment-638-2 αὑτὸν ¹⁵⁸

mvp-comment-639-1 For δρᾷς followed by εἰργάσω , instead of

ἔδρασας

, cp. O. T. 54

ὡς εἴπερ ἄρξεις … ὥσπερ κρατεῖς

(n.).

mvp-comment-639-2 βίᾳ φίλων ¹⁵⁹

mvp-comment-640-1 ὀργῇ χάριν δούς ¹⁶⁰

mvp-comment-641-1 The guards, carrying off Antigone, have already left the scene (847); cp. 875

μοῦνος

. Creon is now about to follow them, when the Chorus again approach him, and protest that he shall not leave Colonus unless the two maidens are restored.

mvp-comment-642-1 τῶνδε ¹⁶¹

mvp-comment-643-1 ῥύσιον ¹⁶²

mvp-comment-643-2 πόλει ¹⁶³

mvp-comment-643-3 πόλει ¹⁶⁶

mvp-comment-643-4 θήσεις πόλει ¹⁶⁷

mvp-comment-643-5 ἐφάψομαι ¹⁶⁸

mvp-comment-644-1 After δεινὸν λέγοις (L), or λέγεις , a syllable has to be supplied conjecturally. Triclinius added ὡς ("be sure that," 45 ) before τοῦτο : but this mars the rhythm: and the simple fut. (as in 860 ) is more forcible. The optat. λέγοις of L, which is not likely to be a mere error for λέγεις , strongly favours Hermann's simple remedy, δεινὸν λέγοις ἄν , "'twere a dread deed that thou threatenest" (if only thou couldst do it): cp. on 647

μέγ’ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα

. Next to this, I should prefer Wecklein's

δεινὸς λόγοις εἶ

mvp-comment-644-2 πεπράξεται ¹⁶⁹

mvp-comment-645-1 ἢν μή γ’ ¹⁷⁰

mvp-comment-645-2 ἀπειργάθῃ ¹⁷¹

mvp-comment-646-1 φθέγμ’ ¹⁷²

mvp-comment-647-1 αὐδῶ σιωπᾶν ¹⁷³

mvp-comment-647-2 ἄφωνον … ἀρᾶς ¹⁷⁴

mvp-comment-647-3 τῆς ¹⁷⁵

mvp-comment-648-1 See Appendix on this passage.

mvp-comment-648-2 ὅς ¹⁷⁶

mvp-comment-648-3 ψιλὸν ὄμμ’ ¹⁷⁷

mvp-comment-648-4 ψιλὸν ¹⁷⁸

mvp-comment-648-5 ἀποσπάσας ¹⁷⁹

mvp-comment-649-1 ἐξοίχει ¹⁸⁰

mvp-comment-650-1 σέ τ’ αὐτὸν ¹⁸¹

mvp-comment-651-1 Ἥλιος ¹⁸²

mvp-comment-651-2 βίον ¹⁸³

mvp-comment-651-3 κἀμὲ ¹⁸⁴

mvp-comment-652-1 ὁρᾶτε ¹⁸⁵

mvp-comment-653-1 ἔργοις ¹⁸⁶

mvp-comment-653-2 ῥήμασιν ¹⁸⁷

mvp-comment-654-1 μοῦνος ¹⁸⁸

mvp-comment-654-2 βραδύς ¹⁸⁹

mvp-comment-655-1 ἰὼ τάλας ¹⁹⁰

mvp-comment-656-1 τάνδε ( πόλιν ) οὐκέτι πόλιν νεμῶ ¹⁹¹

mvp-comment-657-1 τοῖς … δικαίοις ¹⁹²

mvp-comment-657-2 βραχὺς ¹⁹³

mvp-comment-658-1 τά ¹⁹⁴

mvp-comment-659-1 Ζεύς γ’ ἂν … σὺ δ’ οὔ ¹⁹⁵

mvp-comment-660-1 ὕβρις ¹⁹⁶

mvp-comment-660-2 ἀνεκτέα ¹⁹⁷

mvp-comment-661-1 πρόμοι ¹⁹⁸

mvp-comment-662-1 πέραν περῶσ’ οἵδε δή ¹⁹⁹

mvp-comment-662-2 δή ²⁰⁰

mvp-comment-663-1 βωμὸν ²⁰¹

mvp-comment-663-2 ἔσχετ’ ²⁰²

mvp-comment-664-1 θᾶσσον ἢ καθ’ ἡδονὴν ²⁰³

mvp-comment-665-1 ἔγνων ²⁰⁴

mvp-comment-666-1 τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα ²⁰⁵

mvp-comment-667-1 οἴχεται ²⁰⁶

mvp-comment-667-2 τὴν μόνην ²⁰⁷

mvp-comment-668-1 περ ²⁰⁸

mvp-comment-669-1 οὔκουν τις … ἀναγκάσει ²⁰⁹

mvp-comment-669-2 τούσδε βωμοὺς ²¹⁰

mvp-comment-670-1 Join σπεύδειν ἀπὸ θυμάτων, ἄνιππον, ἱππότην τε ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος ²¹¹

mvp-comment-670-2 ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος ²¹²

mvp-comment-670-3 δίστομοι … ὁδοί ²¹³

mvp-comment-670-4 μάλιστα ²¹⁴ ἔνθα ²¹⁵

mvp-comment-671-1 ἴθ’ ²¹⁶

mvp-comment-672-1 δῑ ὀργῆς ἧκον ²¹⁷

mvp-comment-673-1 μεθῆκ’ ²¹⁸

mvp-comment-674-1 οὕσπερ … τοὺς νόμους ²¹⁹

mvp-comment-675-1 τούτοισι ²²⁰

mvp-comment-675-2 ἁρμοσθήσεται ²²¹

mvp-comment-676-1 ἐναργεῖς ²²²

mvp-comment-676-2 ἄγων ²²³

mvp-comment-677-1 κατάξια δρᾶν ²²⁴

mvp-comment-678-1 ὧν ²²⁵

mvp-comment-679-1 Athens

"practises justice,"

i.e. respects the rights of other states; and

"determines (

κραίνουσαν"

) nothing without law,

i.e.admits no claim which the laws do not sanction. Oedipus had placed himself and his daughters under the protection of Attic law. Creon should have sought legal warrant for their removal. Instead of doing so, he has used violence.

mvp-comment-680-1 εἶτ’ ²²⁶

mvp-comment-680-2 ἀφεὶς ²²⁷

mvp-comment-681-1 τὰ … κύρια ²²⁸

mvp-comment-681-2 ἐπεισπεσὼν ²²⁹

mvp-comment-682-1 ἄγεις ²³⁰

mvp-comment-682-2 παρίστασαι ²³¹

mvp-comment-683-1 κένανδρον … ἢ δούλην τινὰ ²³²

mvp-comment-684-1 τῷ μηδενί ²³³

mvp-comment-685-1 Θῆβαι ²³⁴

mvp-comment-685-2 ἐπαίδευσαν ²³⁵

mvp-comment-686-1 πυθοίατο ²³⁶

mvp-comment-687-1 συλῶντα ²³⁷

mvp-comment-687-2 φωτῶν ἀθλίων ἱκτήρια ²³⁸

mvp-comment-688-1 ἐπεμβαίνων ²³⁹

mvp-comment-689-1 εἶχον ²⁴⁰

mvp-comment-690-1 ἄνευ γε τοῦ κραίνοντος ²⁴¹

mvp-comment-690-2 χθονὸς ²⁴²

mvp-comment-690-3 ὅστις ἦν ²⁴³

mvp-comment-691-1 οὔθ’ εἷλκον οὔτ’ ἂν ἦγον ²⁴⁴

mvp-comment-692-1 ξένον ²⁴⁵

mvp-comment-693-1 ἀξίαν οὐκ οὖσαν ²⁴⁶

mvp-comment-694-1 τὴν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ ²⁴⁷

mvp-comment-694-2 ὁ πληθύων χρόνος ²⁴⁸

mvp-comment-694-3 τοῦ νοῦ ²⁴⁹

mvp-comment-695-1 τινα ²⁵⁰

mvp-comment-696-1 The essence of the notion conveyed by μέτοικος ²⁵¹

mvp-comment-697-1 βίᾳ τε κοὐχ ἑκ ²⁵²

mvp-comment-697-2 κοὐχ ἑκών ²⁵³

mvp-comment-698-1 The words τῷ νῷ have been suspected by recent criticism. They seem to me sound. The sense is,

"these things, which I say to you, are purposed by my mind as really as they are uttered by my tongue."

With τῷ νῷ a verb meaning

"I intend"

( e.g.

διανοοῦμαι

) should strictly have been used; but the verb appropriate to ἀπὸ γλώσσης is made to serve for both. For a similar zeugma cp. O. T. 116

οὐδ’ ἄγγελός τις οὐδὲ συμπράκτωρ ὁδοῦ | κατεῖδ’

, where the verb appropriate to

ἄγγελος

, viz.

ἦλθε

, has to be supplied from

κατεῖδ’

. To Meineke's τοῦ νοῦ (governed by

ἀπό

) it may be objected that

ἐκ

would be the right prep., as in

ἐκ θυμοῦ, ἐκ ψυχῆς.

ἀπὸ γλώσσης ²⁵⁴

mvp-comment-699-1 ὁρᾷς ἵν’ ἥκεις ²⁵⁵

mvp-comment-699-2 ἀφ’ ὧν ²⁵⁶

mvp-comment-700-1 ἐγὼ οὔτ’ ²⁵⁷

mvp-comment-700-2 L's λέγω , of which

λέγων

was a correction, came in by mistake from 936. Schneidewin's νέμων has been generally received, and is clearly right: cp. on . While ἄνανδρον answers to

κένανδρον ἢ δούλην

in 917, ἄβουλον (940), which implies the lack of a guiding mind, answers to

κἄμ’ ἴσον τῷ μηδενί

in 918.—Creon's speech is as clever as it is impudent. He has only anticipated what the Athenians themselves would have wished. Indeed, he has acted in reliance on the Areiopagus (950). If his method has been rough, he was provoked by the violence of Oedipus.

mvp-comment-701-1 αὐτοὺς ²⁵⁸

mvp-comment-701-2 ἐμπέσοι ²⁵⁹

mvp-comment-702-1 ξυναίμων ²⁶⁰

mvp-comment-703-1 κἄναγνον ²⁶¹ ἄναγνον ²⁶²

mvp-comment-703-2 δεξοίατ’ ²⁶³

mvp-comment-704-1 ηὑρέθησαν ²⁶⁴

mvp-comment-704-2 τέκνων ²⁶⁵

mvp-comment-704-3 ξυνόντες ²⁶⁶

mvp-comment-704-4 Wecklein takes

τέκνων

as "relative" gen. with

ἀνόσιοι

, in the sense of

παιδουργίας, σπορᾶς

: "a marriage unholy in respect of its offspring." This seems forced. Musgrave's

τοκέων

would be more specious if the gen. of a noun in

‐εύς

anywhere else suffered synizesis in this place of the verse. (In 1361

φονέως

is in the 4th place.) Soph. has

γονέων

El. 146 , 241 , and

τοκέων

ib. 187 , Eur. the latter H. F. 915 , Or. 815 , and in these 5 places (all lyric) the words are scanned as trisyllables: a fact which, so far as it goes, is against

τοκέων

here. Neither

τέκνοις

nor

τέκνῳ

is a probable remedy; nor is

φίλων

. In my belief

τέκνων

is sound.

mvp-comment-705-1 τοιοῦτον ²⁶⁷

mvp-comment-705-2 εὔβουλον ²⁶⁸

mvp-comment-706-1 χθόνιον ²⁶⁹

mvp-comment-707-1 θυμοῦ ²⁷⁰

mvp-comment-707-2 θανόντων ²⁷¹

mvp-comment-708-1 κεἰ ²⁷²

mvp-comment-708-2 σμικρὸν ²⁷³

mvp-comment-708-3 πρὸς … τὰς πράξεις ²⁷⁴

mvp-comment-709-1 τοῦ ²⁷⁵

mvp-comment-710-1 μοι ²⁷⁶

mvp-comment-710-2 διῆκας ²⁷⁷

mvp-comment-711-1 ἄκων ²⁷⁸

mvp-comment-711-2 θεοῖς ²⁷⁹

mvp-comment-712-1 ἄν ²⁸⁰

mvp-comment-713-1 ἐπεὶ καθ’ αὑτόν γ’ ²⁸¹

mvp-comment-713-2 Others take

ἀνθ’ ὅτου

as=

"in that,"

" because ,"

and understand:—

"For you cannot charge any guilt on me personally (

καθ’ αὑτόν"

), in that I sinned against myself and my kindred.

But (1) καθ’ αὑτόν could not naturally express this contrast between the badness of the acts and the innocence of the agent. It contrasts the man with the

γένος

. (2) ἀνθ’ ὅτου regularly (if not always)=

"in return for which,"

"wherefore"

: e.g. El. 585

δίδαξον ἀνθ’ ὅτου τανῦν

αἴσχιστα πάντων ἔργα δρῶσα τυγχάνεις

: Eur. Alc. 246

οὐδὲν θεοὺς δράσαντας ἀνθ’ ὅτου θανεῖ

: I. T. 926

ἡ δ’ αἰτία τίς ἀνθ’ ὅτου κτείνει πόσιν;

So Hec. 1131 , 1136.

mvp-comment-714-1 ἐπεὶ δίδαξον ²⁸²

mvp-comment-714-2 εἴ τι θέσφατον ²⁸³

mvp-comment-715-1 The simple inf. θανεῖν could have depended on

θέσφατον

, but ὥστε is added, as below 1350 ; Plat. Prot. 338C

ἀδύνατον ἡμῖν ὥστε Πρωταγόρου τοῦδε σοφώτερόν τινα ἑλέσθαι

: Eur. Hipp. 1327

Κύπρις γὰρ ἤθελ’ ὥστε γίγνεσθαι τάδε

: Thuc. 1.119

δεηθέντες ὥστε ψηφίσασθαι

: 8. 45

πεῖσαι ὥστε συγχωρῆσαι.

mvp-comment-715-2 παίδων ²⁸⁴

mvp-comment-716-1 οὔτε...οὐ ²⁸⁵

mvp-comment-716-2 βλάστας ²⁸⁶

mvp-comment-717-1 φανεὶς δύστηνος ²⁸⁷

mvp-comment-717-2 ἐγὼ )φάνην ²⁸⁸

mvp-comment-718-1 ἐς χεῖρας ²⁸⁹

mvp-comment-719-1 μηδὲν ²⁹⁰

mvp-comment-720-1 The MSS. have πῶς γ’ ἄν , but γ’ should probably be omitted. In L, at least, there is a perceptible tendency to insert

γ’, τ’

, etc., superfluously (cp. cr. n. on 260); and here the first γ’ would weaken the second, while πῶς needs no strengthening. In O. T. 1030 , where L and most MSS. have

γ’...γε

, we should read

δ’...γε

. There is, however, no objection to a doubled

γε

where each of two words in the same sentence is to be emphasised ( Her. 1.187 ).

mvp-comment-720-2 ἆκον ²⁹¹

mvp-comment-721-1 L's τλήμων might be either ( a ) predicate with the verb, or ( b ) nom. for voc., as 185

ὦ τλάμων

, where see n. But ( a ) would be rather weak; and a direct address, rather than a half-comment (as in 185), is fitting here. τλῆμον , then, seems most probable.

mvp-comment-722-1 οὖν ²⁹²

mvp-comment-723-1 εἰς τόδ’ ἐξελθ. ἀνόσιον στόμα ²⁹³

mvp-comment-723-2 ἀνόσιον στόμα ²⁹⁴

mvp-comment-724-1 — 984 He has just said,

"why force me to speak of Iocasta's marriage, when it was such as I will tell? "

(980). In these three vv. he tells of what sort it was,—viz., incestuous, but unconsciously so;—a double reason why Creon should have spared the taunt.

mvp-comment-724-2 ἔτικτεν ²⁹⁵

mvp-comment-724-3 αὑτῆς ὄνειδος ²⁹⁶

mvp-comment-725-1 δυσστομεῖν ²⁹⁷

mvp-comment-726-1 ἄκων ²⁹⁸

mvp-comment-727-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ γὰρ ²⁹⁹

mvp-comment-727-2 The MS.

ἀκούσομαι κακὸς

"will be pronounced evil"

(in the report of fairminded men): cp. Ph. 1074

ἀκούσομαι μὲν ὡς ἔφυν οἴκτου πλέως | πρὸς τοῦδ

"I shall be reproached, as full of pity, by yon man"

: ib. 607

ὁ πάντ’ ἀκούων αἰσχρὰ καὶ λωβήτ’ ἔπη

. But the conjecture ἁλώσομαι has certainly more force and point: cp. O. T. 576

οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι

: Ant. 46

οὐ γὰρ δὴ προδοῦσ’ ἁλώσομαι

mvp-comment-728-1 ἐμφορεῖς ³⁰⁰

mvp-comment-728-2 φόνους ³⁰¹

mvp-comment-729-1 ἄμειψαι ³⁰²

mvp-comment-730-1 εἴ τις … κτείνοι ³⁰³

mvp-comment-730-2 αὐτίκα ³⁰⁴

mvp-comment-730-3 τὸν δίκ ³⁰⁵

mvp-comment-731-1 δοκῶ μέν ³⁰⁶

mvp-comment-732-1 περιβλέποις ³⁰⁷

mvp-comment-733-1 εἰσέβην ³⁰⁸

mvp-comment-733-2 After ἀντειπεῖν and like words the person gainsaid is denoted by the dat.; the argument , by

περί τινος

πρός τι

. Here we begin with a neut. dat.

mvp-comment-733-3 οἶς ³⁰⁹

mvp-comment-733-4 ἐμοί ³¹⁰

mvp-comment-733-5 ἂν ³¹¹ ἀντειπεῖν ³¹²

mvp-comment-733-6 ἐγὼ οὐδὲ ³¹³

mvp-comment-734-1 πατρὸς ψυχὴν … ζῶσαν ³¹⁴

mvp-comment-734-2 ψυχή ³¹⁵

mvp-comment-735-1 ἅπαν ³¹⁶

mvp-comment-735-2 καλὸν ³¹⁷

mvp-comment-735-3 ῥητὸν ἄρρ ³¹⁸

mvp-comment-736-1 τὸ Θ. ὄνομα θωπ ³¹⁹

mvp-comment-736-2 θωπεῦσαι ³²⁰

mvp-comment-736-3 καλόν ³²¹

mvp-comment-737-1 ὡς κατῴκηνται καλῶς ³²²

mvp-comment-738-1 κᾆθ’ ³²³

mvp-comment-738-2 πολλὰ ³²⁴

mvp-comment-739-1 εἴ τις γῆ θεοὺς ³²⁵

mvp-comment-740-1 τῷδ’ ³²⁶

mvp-comment-741-1 κλέψας ³²⁷

mvp-comment-742-1 ἐχειροῦ ³²⁸

mvp-comment-742-2 οἴχει ³²⁹

mvp-comment-743-1 κατασκήπτω λιταῖς ³³⁰

mvp-comment-744-1 ξεῖνος ³³¹

mvp-comment-744-2 αἱ δὲ ς. ³³²

mvp-comment-744-3 ἄξιαι δ’ ἀμ. ³³³

mvp-comment-745-1 ἄξιαι … ἀμυναθεῖν ³³⁴

mvp-comment-746-1 The contrast with παθόντες ³³⁵

mvp-comment-746-2 ἐξηρπασμένοι ³³⁶

mvp-comment-747-1 ἕσταμεν ³³⁷

mvp-comment-748-1 ἀμ. φωτὶ ³³⁸

mvp-comment-748-2 ἀμαυρῷ ³³⁹

mvp-comment-749-1 τῆς ἐκεῖ ³⁴⁰

mvp-comment-749-2

πομπὸν δ’κ.τ.λ.

Three views of this clause require notice. I place first the view which seems to me right. 1. The construction is:— ( προστάσσω σὲ μὲν ) κατάρχειν ὁδοῦ τῆς ἐκεῖ, ἐμὲ δὲ πομπὸν χωρεῖν :

"my pleasure is,—that you should show the way thither ( i.e. , to where the maidens are), and that I should go as your escort."

The governing verb which is supplied,

προστάσσω

, contains the general notion

δοκεῖ μοι

"it seems good to me,"

"it is my pleasure."

For

ἐμέ

with inf. where

ἐγώ

is subj., cp. Od. 8.221

τῶν δ’ ἄλλων ἐμέ φημι πολὺ προφερέστερον εἶναι

. Schaefer well cites Il. 3.88

ἄλλους μὲν κέλεται …

τεύχεα κάλ’ ἀποθέσθαι, …

αὐτὸν δ’ ἐν μέσσῳ καὶ ἀρηΐφιλον Μενέλαον

… μάχεσθαι

, where

αὐτόν

, referring to the subject of

κέλεται

, is parallel with ἐμέ here:

"Paris urges that the others should lay their arms aside, but that he and Menelaus should fight."

The word πομπόν (used in 723 of Creon's own followers) has here a touch of grim irony: cp. Il. 13.416

ἐπεί ῥά οἱ ὤπασα πομπόν

"given him a companion,"

— i.e. , sent his slayer to the shades along with him.

πομπόν

could not well mean,

"as an escort for the maidens on their return."

On this view δ’ ἐμέ is better than δέ με .

mvp-comment-749-3 2. Reading μοι :—

"that you should go as my guide"

: cp. Od. 4.826

τοίη γάρ οἱ πομπὸς ἅμ’ ἔρχετα

(Athena conducting Telemachus). The following clause

ἵν’...ἐκδείξῃς ἐμοί

makes this somewhat weak.

mvp-comment-749-4 3. Governing με by πομπόν :

"that you should guide me on the way."

Cp. Ant. 786

καί σ’ οὔτ’ ἀθανάτων φύξιμος οὐδείς

, where

σε

is governed by the adj. This was the view of Erfurdt and Reisig: it was also held by Shilleto. But the supposed construction, always rare, is extremely harsh here, where πομπόν would naturally be taken as agreeing with με .

mvp-comment-750-1 ἡμῖν ³⁴¹

mvp-comment-751-1 ἐγκρατεῖς ³⁴²

mvp-comment-751-2 φεύγουσιν ³⁴³

mvp-comment-752-1 ἄλλοι ³⁴⁴

mvp-comment-752-2 οὓς χώρας τῆσδε φυγόντες οὐ μή ποτε ἐπεύξωνται θεοῖς ³⁴⁵

mvp-comment-752-3 ἐπεύξωνται ³⁴⁶

mvp-comment-753-1 ἀλλ’ ³⁴⁷

mvp-comment-753-2 ἔχων ἔχει ³⁴⁸

mvp-comment-754-1 θηρῶνθ’ ³⁴⁹

mvp-comment-754-2 ἡ τύχη ³⁵⁰

mvp-comment-754-3 τὰ … δόλῳ κτήματα ³⁵¹

mvp-comment-754-4 τῷ μὴ δικαίῳ ³⁵²

mvp-comment-755-1 κοὐκ ἄλλον ἕξεις εἰς τόδ’ ³⁵³

mvp-comment-755-2 ὡς ἔξοιδα ³⁵⁴

mvp-comment-755-3 οὐ ψιλὸν ³⁵⁵

mvp-comment-755-4 ἄσκευον ³⁵⁶

mvp-comment-756-1 ἐς τοσήνδ’ ὕβριν … τόλμης ³⁵⁷

mvp-comment-757-1 ἀλλ’ ἔσθ’ ὅτῳ ³⁵⁸

mvp-comment-757-2 πιστὸς ³⁵⁹

mvp-comment-758-1 τι τούτων ³⁶⁰

mvp-comment-758-2 τὰ νῦν ³⁶¹

mvp-comment-759-1 ἐνθάδ’ ὢν ³⁶²

mvp-comment-759-2 μεμπτὸν ἐμοί ³⁶³

mvp-comment-760-1 χωρῶν ἀπείλει νῦν ³⁶⁴

mvp-comment-761-1 πιστωθεὶς ³⁶⁵

mvp-comment-762-1 ὄναιο ³⁶⁶ χάριν ³⁶⁷

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

723. mvp-comment-400-1 ἡμῖν ἡμῖν, the dative of remote reference, has greater liveliness than ἡμῶν, which has been conjectured here. Here is Creon coming to trouble us.

725. mvp-comment-401-1 τέρμα τῆς σωτηρίας The end of safety; i. e. The safety that is the end of my desire.

726. mvp-comment-402-1 θάρσει, παρέσται Fear not: you shall have your wish. The same words occur above (305) in a different connection. Elms. prefers κυρῶ to ἐγώ. 728-1043. Creon advances with his two attendants, and deprecating suspicion, attempts to persuade Oedipus to come home to Thebes, for his own and daughters' sake, according to the unanimous wish of the people. Oedipus, who is informed by Ismene, and by the oracles he had formerly received, of the real intention of the Thebans, indignantly resents the cruel meaning of the fair-sounding offer; taunts Creon with hypocrisy, in first banishing him against his will, and now trying to draw him unwillingly from Athens: and utters a curse on Creon and on his sons. altercation continues till Creon throws off the mask of gentleness, avows that he has seized Ismene, and threatens to carry off Antigone. The chorus (834 ff.) expostulate, and call for aid. He per- The

727. mvp-comment-403-1 γεγήρακεν L. sists, and sends her away by his servants, adding reproaches against Oedipus, and, on the chorus further expostulating, threatens to lay hands on Oedipus, who thus provoked, utters a special curse on Creon. A scuffle ensues between the two old men: Creon taking hold of Oedipus to drag him away. The chorus (877 ff.) again cry aloud for help, and Theseus, who has been sacrificing at a neighbouring altar, enters in haste. On learning what is the matter, he orders the people from the sacrifices to pursue the fugitives, and threatens Creon with arrest if the maidens are not produced immediately. He is sure that Thebes will not resent this. She cannot countenance such violence. Creon then speaks for himself. He could not have supposed that Athens would have cared to protect his kindred, or would have received an incestuous person and a parricide under the shadow of the hill of Ares. Hefurther excuses his assault by the curses of Oedipus. He is in Theseus' hands, but will resist harsh treatment. The mention of hisunwitting crimes calls forth a fresh outburst of passion from Oedipus. Theseus breaks off further conference by peremptorily commanding Creon to show him where the maidens are. Oedipus is left alone with the chorus. Cp. O. T. 512-862.

729. mvp-comment-404-1 ὁρῶ . . ἐπεισόδου I see that a sudden fear has overcast your eyes at my coming in. ὀμμάτων is a genitive of place, or of the part affected. For εἰληφότας, cp. Αj. 345, τάχ᾽ ἄν τιν αἰδῶ κἀπ᾿ ἐμοὶ βλέψας λάβοι: Eur. Suppl. 1050. ὀργὴν λάβοις ἂν τῶν ἐμῶν βουλευμάτων | κλύων: Plat. Soph. 243 C, ταὐτὸν τοῦτο πάθος εἰληφότες ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ. And for the whole expression, Aesch. Eum. 407, θαῦμα δ᾽ ὄμμασιν πάρα: Eur. I. A. 1128, Ar. Vesp. 447-

731. mvp-comment-405-1 μήτ᾿ ἀφῆτ᾽ ἔπος κακόν As often happens, the sentence passes out of the relative construction. Cp. supr. 467.

732. mvp-comment-406-1 Creon endeavours to allay the alarm occasioned by his coming, and to win confidence by dwelling (1) on his own age and apparent feebleness, (2) on the age and condition of Oedipus, which needed protection at home, (3) on his intention to use persuasion only. (4) on the public authority and responsibility of his mission, (5) on his personal and private motives for undertaking it.

734. mvp-comment-407-1 εἴ τιν᾿ Ἑλλάδος For the attraction, cp. Aj 488. εἴπερ τινὸς σθένοντος ἐν πλούτῳ Φρυγῶν. Ε. on L. § 35. p. 60.

735. mvp-comment-408-1 ἄνδρα τόνδε τηλικόνδ᾽ ἀπεστάλην The text, while giving a more natural order of the words than the VOL. I. Aa ï conjecture τηλικόσδ' ἀπεστάλην, is also capable of a suitable meaning. Creon, wishing to show the reasonableness of his coming, points to the extreme age and feebleness of Oedipus as a ground for inducing him to return under the protection of Thebes. There is a peculiar emphasis on the words τηλικόνδε and πείσων, i. e. To induce this poor old man by persuasion only to return home.' For the combination of the demonstrative with the pronominal adj., cp. Phil. 128, τοῦτον τὸν αὐτὸν ἄνδρα: ib. 572 πρὸς ποῖον ἂν τόνδ'..;

738. mvp-comment-409-1 οὔνεχ᾽ ἡκέ μοι γένει Since kindred makes it incumbent on me. For ἧκε, the simple for the compound verb, see Essay on Language p. 101-104, and cp. Phil. 141, σὲ δ', ὦ τέκνον, τόδ᾽ ἐλήλυθεν πᾶν κράτος ὠγύγιον. And for a similar use of προσήκει, cp. Hdt. 8. 100, οὐδὲν πρὸς Πέρσας τοῦτο προσήκει τὸ πάθος.

739. mvp-comment-410-1 εἰς πλεῖστον πόλεως Above all that are in the city.

742. mvp-comment-411-1 δικαίως Rightfully. Cp. Aj. 1108-1110, τόνδε δ'.. εἰς ταφᾶς ἐγὼ θήσω δικαίως.

742. mvp-comment-411-2 ἐκ δὲ τῶν] Essay on Language § 21. p. 30.

743. mvp-comment-412-1 πλεῖστον .. κάκιστος Cp. Phil. 631, τῆς πλεῖστον ἐχθίστης ἐμοὶ | κλύοιμ' ἐχίδνης.

745. mvp-comment-413-1 ὄντα μὲν. ἀλήτην A stranger, and not only so, but ever wandering.

746. mvp-comment-414-1 ἐπὶ προσπόλου μιᾶς With the support of one attendant. ἐπί, as it were leaning on. The expression is analogous to ὁρμεῖν ἐπ᾿ ἀγκύρας, Hdt. 7.188.

749. mvp-comment-415-1 ὅσον i. e. εἰς ὅσον, one preposition, as frequently happens, sufficing both for antecedent and relative.

751. mvp-comment-416-1 τηλικοῦτος At her age, i. e. just approaching womanhood. Cp. supr. 345-346, ἐξ ὅτου νέας | τροφῆς ἔληξε καὶ κατίσχυσεν δέμας. For the termination, cp. El. 614. 753 ff. Alas, I have uttered a sad reproach upon thee and me and our whole race. And yet, what is openly displayed cannot be concealed: wherefore do you, Oedipus. be induced by me to return voluntarily to thy city and palace and to hide thy disgrace there. For ἆρα, see Essay on Language § 29. p. 50. Creon professes to be horror-struck at his own words (ἆρ᾽ ἄθλιον τοὔνειδος, κ.τ.λ.): but excuses himself by the publicity which Oedipus gives to their common calamity in wandering from home. It rests with him to bury the reproach within the palace walls, where his daughter at least will find protection, and his kindred will not have the shame of seeing him an outcast. Cp. O. Τ. 1425, foll. τὴν γοῦν .. φλόγα | αἰδεῖσθ᾽ ἄνακτος Ἡλίου, τοιόνδ᾽ ἄγος | ἀκάλυπτον οὕτω δεικνύναι, κ.τ.λ.: Εl. 624-625, σύ τοι λέγεις νιν, οὐκ ἐγώ. σὺ γὰρ ποιεῖς | τοὔργον· τὰ δ᾽ ἔργα τοὺς λόγους εὑρίσκεται.

757. mvp-comment-417-1 θελήσας Consenting. Cp. Ο. Τ. 649, πιθοῦ θελήσας, κ.τ.λ.

758. mvp-comment-418-1 τήνδε τὴν πόλιν φίλως εἰπών First giving words of friendship to this city: for she deserves them well.' giving

759. mvp-comment-419-1 ἡ δ᾽ οἴκοι Sc. πόλις, cp. supr. 433, τὴν .. αὐτίχ᾽ ἡμέραν. ‘But the city you have left behind, which so long nourished you, has by right a stronger claim to be reverenced by you.'

760. mvp-comment-420-1 δίκῃ Essay on Language § 14. p. 20.

760. mvp-comment-420-2 σέβοιτο For the passive, which occurs here only, see Essay on Language § 31. p. 54.

760. mvp-comment-420-3 πάλαι i. e. in his prosperity, which is now regarded as long past.

761-762. mvp-comment-421-1 κἀπὸ .. ποικίλον Who out of every cause wouldst bring some subtle fabrication of a just plea.Cp. infr. 806-807, ἄνδρα δ᾽ οὐδέν᾽ οἶδ᾽ ἐγὼ | δίκαιον, ὅστις ἐξ ἅπαντος εὖ λέγει. The present participle, as in Phil. 1052, νικᾶν γε μέντοι πανταχοῦ χρήζων ἔφυν, is used to express a quality without reference to time (Essay on Language § 32. p. 55), and is combined with ἄν, so that ἂν φέρων = ὅστις ἂν φέροις.

763. mvp-comment-422-1 ταῦτα is cognate or adverbial accusative. Herm. reads καί με. But for the slight emphasis on the pronoun, see Essay on Language § 41. p. 78 €.

764. mvp-comment-423-1 In a matter, in which I should be most vexed if I were caught. ἐν οἷς = ἐν τούτοις ἐν οἷς. In that particular in which, i. e. in his relation to Thebes and to his sons, in which he was most bent on continuing the present estrangement.

765. mvp-comment-424-1 This is brought in to explain δεύτερον in 763.

765. mvp-comment-424-2 τοῖσιν οἰκείοις κακοῖς When I was absorbed in my own personal sorrows. Ср. О. Т. 1414-1415, τἀμὰ γὰρ κακὰ | οὐδεὶς οἷός τε πλὴν ἐμοῦ φέρειν βροτῶν. Probably not my self-inflicted evils, although this might be supported by comparing El. 215, οἰκείας εἰς ἄτας : Αj. 919. ἀπ᾿ οἰκείας σφαγῆς.

768. mvp-comment-425-1 ἡνίκ᾽ ἤδη μεστὸς ἢ θυμούμενος Cp. Dem. de Falsa Legat. 1175-1174, ἐπειδὴ δὲ μεστὸς ἐγένετο ἀγανακτῶν.

769. mvp-comment-426-1 The line καὶ μάνθανον τὸν θυμὸν ἐκδραμόντα μοι, repeated here from supr. 438. has been rejected by all recent editors. Cp. O. T. 1200. and v. rr.

770. mvp-comment-427-1 τότ᾽ ἐξεώθεις κἀξέβαλλες Then you began to thrust me forth and banish me.

771. mvp-comment-428-1 τὸ συγγενές τοῦτ' The tie of kindred of which you now speak; supr. 738 Cp. Aesch. Prom. 39, τὸ συγ γενές τοι δεινόν.

773. mvp-comment-429-1 καὶ γένος τὸ πᾶν 'And the Aa2 whole people,' i.e not only the authorities of the city (Theseus), but the inhabitants with one consent. Cp. Aj. 861, κλειναί τ' Ἀθῆναι καὶ τὸ σύντροφον γένος. The words in both places are intended to move the Athenian audience.

774. mvp-comment-430-1 You try to tear me away, with cruel speeches couched in flattering terms.

775. mvp-comment-431-1 τίς αὕτη appears not only in B Vat., followed by Triclinius, but also in L². The parallel of Thuc. 3. 12, τίς οὖν αὕτη ἡ φιλία ἢ ἐλευθερία πιστή; the frequent use of ὥσπερ without a definite antecedent in introducing an illustration, the doubtful correlation of τοσαύτη ὥσπερ (cp., however, El. 532, οὐκ ἴσον καμὼν ἐμοὶ λύπης, ὅτ᾽ ἔσπειρ᾽, ὥσπερ ἡ τίκτουσ᾽ ἐγώ), and the fact that the reading τίς αὕτη is not confined to one family of MSS, lead to the conclusion that the reading of LAV³, τοσαύτη, like σημαίνει for σαίνει, supr. 320, is a clerical error. τέρψις, repeated by unconscious tautology from supr. 766, is here active.

776. mvp-comment-432-1 σοί is accented because of the antithesis in 781, καὶ σὺ προσφέρεις ἐμοί. As in the speech beginning at l. 960, esp. in l. 992, Oedipus uses the argumentum ad hominem in the debate with Creon. And yet what kindness is there in befriending men against their will? Suppose, for instance, when you were eager to obtain some boon, one were to refuse and grant you nothing, and not choose to gratify you, but when your soul was already satisfied, were then to make the offer, when the kindness was no longer kind! Would not that be an empty satisfaction for you to obtain? Yet such is the favour you now offer me.

780. mvp-comment-433-1 The stress is on ματαίου. Would not the pleasure so received by you be vain?'

785-786. mvp-comment-434-1 πόλις δέ σοι... χθονός And your city may come off unharmed from her encounter with the land of these men.For ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι, to come out of a contest. cp Ar. Plut. 271-272, μῶν ἀξιοῖς φενακίσας ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλαγῆναι | ἀζήμιος: and for χθών personified, cp. infr. 912, Ant. 187. The natural pause after κακῶν ἄνατος prevents ambiguity in τῶνδε. Others read τῆσδ᾽ ἀπαλλαχθῇ χθονός, with the meaning, may get out of this land, which is less forcible.

787. mvp-comment-435-1 Join (1) ἐκεῖ χώρας. My evil genius ever lurking in the region of that land. The genitive is not strictly partitive. For a similar instance where the genitive and locative adverb are co-extensive, cp. Phil. 899, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ ἤδη τοῦδε τοῦ πάθους κυρῶ. Οr (2), χώρας ἀλάστωρ οὑμός, My vengeful spirit ravaging the land. But this twofold relation of ἀλάστωρ makes a harsh expression, and the pause before ἐκεῖ requires that the sense should run on to the word immediately following it. For the general meaning, cp. Aesch. Suppl. 413-415, μήτ᾿ ἐν θεῶν ἕδραισιν ὧδ' ἱδρυμένας | ἐκδόντες ὑμᾶς τὸν πανώλεθρον θεὸν | βαρὺν ξύνοικον θησόμεσθ' ἀλάστορα.

790. mvp-comment-436-1 'They shall inherit their father's land, only by dying there.' The comparison of Aesch. S. c. Τ. 730, ὠμόφρων σίδαρος | χθόνα ναίειν διαπήλας ὁπόσαν καὶ φθιμένοισι | κατέχειν, τῶν μεγάλων πεδίων ἀμοίρους, is just, but the thought is not identical, for ἐνθανεῖν is in apposition to λαχεῖν τοσοῦτον, and not merely epexegetic of τοσοῦτον = ἐν ὅσῳ ἐνθανεῖν. The words therefore do not refer to the six feet of earth, but to the fact that the only part of their inheritance the sons obtain is to die on Theban ground. Cp. Ant. 146-147. 794-795. But you are come hither with a feigned tongue full of sharpness.' For ὑπόβλητον, cp. Αj. 188, ὑποβαλλόμενοι κλέπτουσι μύθους. And for the play of words in στόμα .. στόμωσιν, see Essay on Language § 44. p. 82.

796. mvp-comment-437-1 τὰ πλείονα The article defines the more in contradistinction to the fewer.

797. mvp-comment-438-1 ἀλλ᾽ οἶδα γάρ (as often with ἀλλὰ γάρ) gives the reason for breaking off and saying no more.

797. mvp-comment-438-2 ταῦτα refers not to the whole tenor of the speech but to the γνώμη, ἐν δὲ τῷ λέγειν, κ.τ.λ. But I know that to this warning you will not attendenough then, begone!

798. mvp-comment-439-1 οὐ γὰρ ἂν κακῶς Said scornfully in answer to Creon's expressions of affected pity.

799. mvp-comment-440-1 εἰ τερποίμεθα If I have what I desire. The optative puts the case generally, because of the uncertainty of Oedipus' mode of life.

800-801. mvp-comment-441-1 Do you think that the course of our present talk is disastrous for me in my relation to your affairs? (referring to 787 ff., 795-796). Are not your words much more disastrous to yourself? Schol. ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἐν τῷ μὴ πείθεσθαί σε μᾶλλον σὺ δυστυχεῖς ἤπερ ἐγώ. i. e. You accuse me of ignorance of your and your sons' destiny (1.787, 8): but you show much greater ignorance of your own best interests by refusing to come.

802. mvp-comment-442-1 μήτ᾿ ἐμέ.. μήτε τούσδε The emphasis is on τούσδε : μήτ᾿ ἐμέ is taken for granted, and only introduced for the sake of the antithesis It would delight me, if you fail in persuading these men here as you will fail to persuade me.

805. mvp-comment-443-1 λῦμα τῷ γήρα For the dative, see Essay on Language § 13. c, p. 19.

807. mvp-comment-444-1 ἐξ ἅπαντος In every cause. Cp. supr. 761-762.

810. mvp-comment-445-1 οὐ δῆθ᾿ ὅτῳ γε νοῦς ἴσος καὶ σοὶ πάρα (1) My words are certainly not seasonable in the judgment of one who has so little sense as you have; i. e. A wise speech sleeps in a foolish ear. Schol. τοῖς κατὰ σὲ οὐ δοκῶ καίρια λέγειν. For the dative, see Essay on Language § 13. p. 20, e. Or (2), I do not speak seasonably, in speaking to one so devoid of understanding. Cp Cp. Aesch. Prom. 983, σὲ γὰρ προσηύδων οὐκ ἄν, ὄνθ᾽ ὑπηρέτην. For ἴσος καί, cр. О. Т. 1187.

812. mvp-comment-446-1 φύλασσ᾽ ἐφορμῶν ἔνθα χρὴ ναίειν ἐμέ Two explanations of this are possible, (1) Keep watching (lit. blockading) me and prescribing my abode;' the notion of dictation being implied in φύλασσ᾽ ἐφορμῶν: (2) Keep watching me and blockading my destined dwelling place. For (1) cp. El. 16, τί χρὴ δρᾶν ἐν τάχει βουλευτέον; supr. 654, μὴ δίδασχ' ἃ χρή με δρᾶν. But (2) is more pointed, and on the whole more probab'e.

813. mvp-comment-447-1 μαρτύρομαι τούσδ', οὐ σέ Το them I appeal and not to you! And for the terms of your answer to your friends, if I once take you --. The intended threat ('you shall answer at Thebes') is broken off by Oedipus' retorting, But who can take me,' etc. Creon angrily repels the claim of Oedipus to speak for the Attic elders (ἐρῶ πρὸ τῶνδε), whom he calls to witness Oedipus' treatment of him. The latter words refer (1) to the lines in which Oedipus curses his sons (ἔστιν δὲ παισὶν μόνον), which Creon treats as the answer to the message which he had brought from the Καδμείων λέως: cp. infr. 850, φίλους ὑφ᾽ ὧν ἐγὼ | ταχθεὶς τάδ' ἔρδω. The structure closely resembles Hom. Il. 1. 338, τὰ δ᾽ αὐτὼ μάρτυροι ἔστων, | πρός τε θεῶν μακάρων, πρός τε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων, | καὶ πρὸς τοῦ βασιλῆος ἀπηνέος· εἴποτε δ' αΰτε | χρειὼ ἐμεῖο γένηται ἀεικέα λοιγὸν ἀμῦναι | τοῖς ἄλλοις, where the final threat is in like manner suppressed. In the present passage, however, dé is strictly adversative, distinguishing Creon's personal injury from the supposed offence against Eteocles and the Thebans: unless (2) φίλους refers to Creon himself, as professing friendly intentions and as next of kin. But cp. supr. 788-790.

816. mvp-comment-448-1 κἄνευ τῶνδε Without this, i. e. without my taking you. The ambiguity of τῶνδε would probably not be felt by a Greek, and is not a sufficient reason for altering the reading to τοῦδε, 817. Creon's tone implied that something had been done. Seeing that the chorus as well as Oedipus are impracticable, he breaks into open hostility, and avows the capture of Ismene, who had been seized and carried off before she could return from making her offering.

820. mvp-comment-449-1 οἰμώζειν τάδε (1) ‘Το exclaim at this;' τάδε, the capture of the maidens; or (2), τάδε, cogn. acc., thus to exclaim. Probably the first.

821. mvp-comment-450-1 τήνδε τ᾽ And this one ere long. The correction of γ᾽ to τ᾽ or δ᾽ seems to be necessary.

821. mvp-comment-450-2 οὐ μακροῦ χρόνου Sc. ἕξω.

823. mvp-comment-451-1 τὸν ἀσεβή Cp. 922, συλῶντα τὰ τῶν θεῶν βίᾳ | ἄγοντα φωτῶν ἀθλίων ἱκτήρια. He appeals to the known piety of the chorus.

825. mvp-comment-452-1 οὔθ᾽ ἃ πρόσθεν εἴργασαι In seizing Ismene.

826. mvp-comment-453-1 ὑμῖν, κ.τ.λ. Said to Creon's attendants; supr. 723.

826. mvp-comment-453-2 ἂν εἴη For a similar use of av with the optative, cp. Τr. 728, σιγᾶν ἂν ἁρμόζοι σε τὸν πλείω λόγον, Εl. 1372.

827. mvp-comment-454-1 εἰ.. πορεύσεται For the v. r. cp. πημαίνεις below, in v. rr. on l. 837.

830. mvp-comment-455-1 Creon, as next of kin, is guardian of the children of the outlawed Oedipus. Cp. O. T. 1448, καὶ γὰρ ὀρθῶς τῶν γε σῶν τελεῖς ὕπερ: Aesch. Suppl. 387-389, εἴ τοι κρατοῦσι παῖδες Αἰγύπτου σέθεν | νόμῳ πόλεως, φάσκοντες ἐγγύτατα γένους | εἶναι, τίς ἂν τοῖσδ᾽ ἀντιωθῆναι θέλοι;

832. mvp-comment-456-1 τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἄγω For the plural and masc., see Essay on Language § 20. pp. 30, 31. 835-836. The excitement, indicated by the broken lines, culminates in the dochmiac rhythm, to which the diiambus, ἰὼ πόλις, is introductory. 876-885, following the second attempt of Creon, are antistrophic to 833-843, agreeing very closely (except εἴργου – – in 836 = δοκῶ u - 879) even to the division of the words. This lyrical repetition, with the balanced rhythm of the intervening dialogue (containing one short outburst of Creon, 841-855, and one of Oedipus, 864-870), may be compared with O. T. 649-659, 678-688.

832. mvp-comment-456-2 εἴργου • Keep off!' 837. The Scholiast, who, according to the reading of L, rightly explains πόλει by ταῖς Θήβαις, evidently assigned this speech to Creon.

838. mvp-comment-457-1 Creon, while defying the chorus, refrains at present from taking part in the actual violence, which he leaves to his attendants. It is to one of these that the words of the chorus are addressed.

838. mvp-comment-457-2 οὐκ ἠγόρευον ταῦτ᾽ ἐγώ! Oedipus rather alludes to his prophecy in 605 ff., that war would come between Athens and Thebes, than to his warning in 653, which is already fulfilled. Creon's present threat (πόλει μαχεῖ γάρ) comes near to Oedipus' prediction.

840. mvp-comment-458-1 The chorus and Creon are giving opposite commands to the attendant.

840. mvp-comment-458-2 χαλᾶν Το leave hold.' 841. The change to ἔντοποι (cp. Phil. 211), is necessitated by the dochmiac metre.

842. mvp-comment-459-1 πόλις ἐναίρεται My city suffers violence. The chorus in their indignation, as Theseus afterwards in his scorn (903, ξένῳ .. τῷδε χειρωθεὶς βίᾳ) represent the attempt of Creon as an assault on the liberties of their city.

842. mvp-comment-459-2 σθένει By main force. Cp. infra 1089, σθένει ᾿πινικείῳ τὸν εὔαγρον τελειῶσαι λόχον. The expression here is more nearly equivalent to κατὰ κράτος than to Bíᾳ. Cp. Eur. Bacch. 953, οὐ σθένει νικητέον | γυναῖκας. The adverbial dative following the parenthesis is rather weak. Qy. πόλις ἐμὰ στένει? Cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 247, στένει πόλισμα.

844. mvp-comment-460-1 ὦ ξένοι ξένοι The last appeal of Antigone to the chorus is so worded as to recall her former supplication, ὦ ξένοι αἰδόφρονες, l. 237 .

848. mvp-comment-461-1 ἐκ τούτοιν .. σκήπτροιν With these to lean upon.' ἐκ = by means of, with the help of. Cp. Phil. 91, οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἑνὸς ποδὸς | ἡμᾶς τοσούσδε πρὸς βίαν χειρώσεται.

851. mvp-comment-462-1 καὶ τύραννος ὢν ὅμως Although I am a prince. For τύραννos = one of royal blood, cp. Eur. Med. 957, τῇ τυράννῳ νύμφῃ. Creon is moreover regent of Thebes; O. Τ. 1418.

852. mvp-comment-463-1 τάδε = τὸ παρὸν πρᾶγμα.

856. mvp-comment-464-1 ἐπίσχες αὐτοῦ, ξεῖνε Creon, after launching the above speech at Oedipus, turns to follow Antigone and the attendants who are dragging her off. The chorus interfere to prevent him.

857. mvp-comment-465-1 τῶνδε The maidens, of whom Ismene, though in the background, is not far off.

858-859. mvp-comment-466-1 αὑτόν These lines may be differently explained according as πόλει is taken to refer to Thebes or to Athens. Either reference is possibl possible, but πόλει in Creon's previous speech, supr. 837, is clearly Thebes. ῥύσιον is that which is held by one party, and claimed or seized by another, who is said ῥυσίων ἐφάπτεσθαι (Aesch. Suppl. 412, καὶ μήτε δῆρις ῥυσίων ἐφάψεται, ib. 314, Ἔπαφος ἀληθῶς ῥυσίων ἐπώνυμος). (1) Then assuredly you will quickly pay moreover a heavier forfeit to my state, for I will seize not the maidens only. For this meaning of τίθημι see L. and S. s. v. A. II, 8. Or (2), 'Then assuredly you will cause your city to have a still greater prey to redeem. For πόλει in (2), cp. Eur. Suppl. 120, ἦλθον ἐξαιτῶν πόλιν, (Adrastus speaks of Thebes, which is not his city).

861. mvp-comment-467-1 δεινὸν λέγεις That is indeed a threat! Cp. supra 661, κεἰ δείν᾽ ἐπερρώσθη λέγειν. Know that this shall certainly be done forthwith (νῦν). For the ellipse with ὡς, cp. Αj. 39, ὡς ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς τοῦδε τἄργα ταῦτά σοι. The reduplicated future has not here the force of a future-perfect, but is simply emphatic.

863. mvp-comment-468-1 ή σὺ γάρ How? do you mean to say that you...

864. mvp-comment-469-1 μὴ γάρ γάρ gives the reason of an implied negative, repelling Creon's injunction of silence. Nay, but I will not. For I would not have these goddesses close my lips to this one curse.' 865. ἔτι adds emphasis to τῆσδε τῆς ἀρᾶς: i. e. Though they enjoin silence from cursing, let them not enforce it here.

866. mvp-comment-470-1 ὅς μ' The omission of the antecedent rather adds to the passionate force of the expression. Cp. supra 263, κάμοιγε ποῦ ταῦτ᾽ ἐστίν, οἵτινες, κ.τ.λ., and see Essay on Language § 22. p. 35. and § 39, p. 72.

866-867. mvp-comment-471-1 ψιλὸν ὄμμ' βίᾳ Who hast added to the former loss of my eyes by violently tearing away the poor defenceless means of sight that were still left to me.The ψιλὸν ὄμμα are his daughters, Antigone (τῆς ὑπέρ τ᾿ ἐμοῦ αὐτῆς θ' ὁρώσης, supra 33. 4) and Ismene, who brought him intelligence of things in Thebes. For the expression, cp. Shak., King Lear, 4. 6, Lear. Read. Gloster. What, with the case of eyes?' βίᾳ is to be joined with the phrase ἀποσπάσας.

868. mvp-comment-472-1 σὲ καὐτόν, κ.τλ. Cp. Phil. 620, τὸ σπεύδειν δέ σοι | καὐτῷ παραινῶ κεἴ τινος κήδει πέρι. The change to σε τ' αὐτόν is unnecessary here. The case is different in 1417, where σε τ' αὐτόν is a tmesis for σαυτόν τε.

870. mvp-comment-473-1 οἷον κἀμέ ἐμέ is accusative by attraction το σέ.

874. mvp-comment-474-1 ἄξω βίᾳ Cf. infra 922, βίᾳ ἄγοντα φωτῶν ἀθλίων ἱκτήρια.

875. mvp-comment-475-1 Creon, provoked by the curse of Oedipus, is about to carry out his threat (860), although, since the attendants are gone with the maidens, he has no one to help him. As to the reading, γηρῶν . . βαρύς; either γηρῶν has originated in a gloss on χρόνῳ βραδύς, and βαρύς, as elsewhere, from a misreading of βραδύς, or there was an early various reading, γήρᾳ βαρύς, for which, cp. O. T. 17. On the order of the words, see Essay on Language § 41. p. 78 8.

879. mvp-comment-476-1 τάνδ'. πόλιν Then I will no longer account this a city. The Scholiast, who explains by νομιῶ, seems to have read the future, which is therefore substituted for νέμω. Cp. El. 150, σὲ δ᾽ ἔγωγε νέμω θεόν.

880. mvp-comment-477-1 τοῖς τοι δικαίοις (1) In a just cause. Essay on Language § 11. p. 18. Or perhaps (2) the dat. is instrumental;- With weapons of justice. χώ βραχὺς νικᾷ μέγαν] Even slight men overcome the mighty. 882. Ζεὺς *γ᾿ ἂν εἰδείη, σὺ δ᾽ οὔ] There is a lacuna of an iambic penthemimer, or, if the correction Ζεὺς ταῦτ᾽ ἂν εἰδείη is right, of an iambic metre. The sense required is, ΧΟ. τά γ'᾽ οὐ τελεῖ.

880. mvp-comment-477-2 Ζεύς μοι ξυνίστωρ. ΚΡ. Ζεύς γ᾽ ἂν εἰδείη, σὺ δ' οὔ.

884. mvp-comment-478-1 ἰὼ γᾶς πρόμοι This is the summons to which Theseus, the chief of the land,' responds.

885. mvp-comment-479-1 ἐπεὶ πέραν | περῶσ' *οἵδε δή Elmsley's emendation has been generally adopted, and has the advantage of closely resembling 843, προβάθ᾽ ὧδέ μοι. But the correction is uncertain. (1) Since they are passing all bounds.' Cp. supra 155. Hermann's rule, that πέραν can never be used metaphorically, appears arbitrary, and when they have just left the stage it is too soon to say, (2) They are passing the frontier.' But possibly the words may mean, (3) They are passing out of reach.' Cp. infr. 902, ὡς μὴ παρέλθωσ' αἱ κόραι, and the hyperbolical expression in 842, πόλις ἐναίρεται.

887. mvp-comment-480-1 Theseus, perhaps moved by the strange advent of Oedipus. is sacrificing at the neighbouring altar of Poseidon, the chief guardian deity of Colonus. This act, which is natural in itself, is convenient, as the Scholiast remarks, for assigning a sufficient reason why Theseus, whose presence will be again necessary, should, when off the stage, be still within call. The sacrifice also occasions a gathering of people, who are ready to start in pursuit of Creon and frustrate his attempt. The trochaics are expressive of the haste with which Theseus comes-θάσσον ἢ καθ᾽ ἡδονὴν ποδός (890). They are conventionally associated with the sudden arrival on the stage or departure from it of important persons. Cp. Aesch. Pers. 155 ff.

888. mvp-comment-481-1 ἔσχετε Stayed ye my hand. Cp. 429, οὐκ ἔσχον οὐδ᾽ ἤμυναν.

891. mvp-comment-482-1 Dear friend (I know thy voice addressing us).' Cp. O. T. 1322-1326, ἰώ, φίλος .. οὐ γάρ με λήθεις, ἀλλὰ γιγνώσκω σαφῶς | καίπερ σκοτεινός, τήν γε σὴν αὐδὴν ὅμως. .. 894-895. Has torn away from me the two children that were my all. οἴχεται ἀποσπάσας, cp. supra 866, El. 809, 10, ἀποσπάσας γὰρ τῆς ἐμῆς οἴχει φρενός, κ.τ.λ. The use of μόνην is pathetic. Cp. ψιλὸν ὄμμα, supra 866.

897. mvp-comment-483-1 The readiness of Theseus in comprehending the situation, and his promptitude, are traits which assist the action while they excite the admiration of the spectators. Cp. supra 569, 631.

898. mvp-comment-484-1 τούσδε βωμούς This neighbouring altar.

899. mvp-comment-485-1 ἄνιππον ἱππότην τε Cp. Ant. 1104, οἱ τ' ὄντες οἱ τ᾽ ἀπόντες. If, as suggested by the writer of the 1st ὑπόθεσις (see Introd. p. 259), Colonus was a place where horses stood for hire, the presence of horsemen at the sacrifice is easily accounted for.

900. mvp-comment-486-1 σπεύδειν ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος The testimony of the grammarians (Phryn. ap. Bekker. p. 24, ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος τρέχειν ἵππον : οἷον ἀπὸ χαλίνου ἢ ἄνευ χαλίνου : Pollux l. 214, καὶ ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος ἀνεῖναι τὸν ἵππον), and the passages in Diodorus Sic. (19. 26), and Dion. Hal. (11. 40), leave no doubt that ῥυτήρ in this expression is not a trace but a rein, and that the use of ἀπό is emphatic. τρέχειν ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος, of a horse, would then mean, to gallop away from (i. e. without check from, without the effect of) the rein,' and in σπεύδειν ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος the notion is transferred from the horse to the rider = to ride at full gallop. The phrase is immediately connected with ἱππότην, but the notion of full speed is extended to the whole sentence. It is singular that the ancient Scholiasts should have lost the key to this expression as they seem to have done. If ῥυτήρ were a trace' as elsewhere (Il. 16.475 etc.), the meaning would be ⚫ without putting to,' i. e. riding, not driving.

900-901. mvp-comment-487-1 ἔνθα .. ὁδοί ‘Το just where the two hollow ways of travellers meet.' μάλιστα belongs in meaning to the antecedent clause, like the superlative in ἐπεὶ τάχιστα. δίστομοι suggests the appearance of the roads in a hill-country, each opening out of a narrow gorge of its own. Cp. Hom. h. Dem. 177, κοίλην κατ' ἀμαξιτόν.

900-901. mvp-comment-487-2 συμβάλλουσιν As rivers are said συμβάλλειν ῥοάς, or as persons are said συμβλῆσθαι ἀλλήλοιν, Hom. Il. 14. 27, etc. For the absolute use (on which see Essay on Language § 53. p. 98, c), cp. Eur. Or. 335, δάκρυα δάκρυσι συμβάλλει: Plat. Pol. 273 Α. ὁ δὲ μεταστρεφόμενος καὶ ξυμβάλλων. The two roads appear from 1047 to be those from Daphne and Phyle.

902. mvp-comment-488-1 The reason for so much haste is to prevent uncertainty as to the route taken by the enemy.

902-903. mvp-comment-489-1 γέλως δ᾽ ἐγὼ .. βίᾳ ·And I be vanquished and become a laughingstock to this foreigner; i. e. to Creon. The dative, though governed chiefly by γέλως . γένωμαι, also depends slightly ση χειρωθεὶς βίᾳ: cp. Plut. Dion. p. 199. Theseus angrily speaks of the success of Creon's exploit as a conquest over himself (supra 842, note). Cp. Ant. 485, εἰ ταῦτ᾽ ἀνατεὶ τῇδε κείσεται κράτη: ib. 525, ἐμοῦ δὲ ζῶντος οὐκ ἄρξει γυνή. 905 ff. Cp. Eur Suppl. 581 ff. (the whole speech reads like an echo of this), οὔτοι μ' ἐπαίρεις ὥστε θυμῶσαι φρένας | τοῖς σοῖσι κόμποις· ἀλλ᾽ ἀποστέλλου χθονός, | λόγους ματαίους οὔσπερ ἠνέγκω λαβών.

907. mvp-comment-490-1 * οὔσπερ .. ἔχων The MS. reading ὥσπερ κ.τ.λ has been explained, As he himself came hither under the protection of the laws, so he shall be corrected by the laws, (and not by violence). This makes a strong antithesis to 11. 904-906. But αὐτός is without point, and the reference to the laws without further qualification is un-Greek. Cp. Eur. Heracl. 1010, τοῖσιν Ἑλλήνων νόμοις. Either the correction οὔσπερ must be adopted, as in the text, or there is a slight inexactness of correspondence between the clauses. ('Etenim non τούτοισιν referendum est ad ὥσπερ, sed intelligendum οὕτω,' Herm. 1841. Rectius Reisigius, τούτοισι κοὐκ ἄλλοισι idem esse quod τοῖς αὐτοῖσι, quod minus infrequens est cum ὥσπερ compositum. Ellendt.). In any case the meaning is: (instead of being roughly handled) he shall be reduced to order according to those very rules of conduct which he brought with him in coming hither. i. e. As he has taken by compulsion so by compulsion he shall be checked in return.' Cp. infr. 916, supr. 832. For the meaning ning of vouos, see Essay on Language p. 88. And for the combination of the article and relative pronoun, cp. Ant. 404, ὃν σὺ τὸν νέκρον | ἀπεῖπας : Aesch. S. c. Τ. 553, τῷδ', ὃν λέγεις τὸν Ἀρκάδα.

907. mvp-comment-490-2 τούς has the force of a possessive pronoun: those principles of his.'

908. mvp-comment-491-1 κοὐκ ἄλλοισιν And these alone. ἄλλοισιν follows the construction of τούτοισι, without νόμοις or any other substantive being consciously supplied.

910. mvp-comment-492-1 Until you bring those maidens hither and set them before my face.' ἐναργεῖς] · Without possibility of mis- take.' Tr. 223, τάδε σοι βλέπειν πάρεστ᾽ ἐναργῆ : Ε1. 878, ἐναργῶς, ὥσπερ εἰσορᾶς ἐμέ.

911. mvp-comment-493-1 ἐπεὶ δέδρακας οὔτ᾽ ἐμοῦ καταξίως Since what thou hast done is unworthy alike of me and thine own lineage, and thy land.' The conjecture οὔτε σοῦ takes away the point from αὐτός in l. 912. Cp. infra 914, 915, 926.

912. mvp-comment-494-1 οὔθ᾽ ὧν πέφυκας αὐτός The royal house of Thebes. Cp. O. T. 1235, θεῖον Ἰοκάστης κάρα.

912. mvp-comment-494-2 Γκουσαν 913 δίκαι᾿ ἀσκοῦσαν] Cp. Hdt. 1.96, 1.90, (of Deioces), δικαιοσύνην ἐπιθέμενος ἤσκεε,

914. mvp-comment-495-1 κραίνουσαν Used here in the Homeric sense of accomplishing, perfecting, and so = determining.

914. mvp-comment-495-2 15. ἀφεὶς .. κύρια Casting off the authorities of this land. Cp. infra 1537, τὰ θεῖ ἀφείς.

916. mvp-comment-496-1 ἄγεις παρίστασαι βίᾳ Carry off and forcibly make subject to you what you will. Cp. Hdt. 3. 45, εἴπερ αὐτοὶ ἱκανοὶ ἦσαν Πολυκράτεα παραστήσασθαι. ἄγειν as in λείαν ἄγειν-originally of cattle.

917. mvp-comment-497-1 κένανδρον Spiritless. Aesch. Pers. 118, 121, uses κένανδρος and γυναικοπληθής of the city whose fighting men are slain. Cp. infra 939, ἄνανδρον, in the reply of Creon.

920. mvp-comment-498-1 It is not her wont to rear unrighteous men.

922. mvp-comment-499-1 3. βίᾳ | ἄγοντα Added in explanation of the preceding clause.

923. mvp-comment-500-1 φωτῶν ἀθλίων ἱκτήρια Poor suppliant mortals. The periphrasis (for which see Essay on Language § 10. p. 17) adds pathetic emphasis to both parts of the expression.

924. mvp-comment-501-1 οὔκουν And I would not. οὖν marks the accordance of what Theseus lays down as the rule of his own conduct with the claim he makes on Thebes. Cp. γοῦν.

927. mvp-comment-502-1 οὔθ᾽ εἰλκον .. ἦγον Would neither have dragged away nor carried off. εἶλκον expresses a greater degree of violence.

929. mvp-comment-503-1 ἀξίαν οὐκ οὖσαν, sc. αἰσχύνεσθαι. For τὴν αὐτὸς αὐτοῦ, cp. infr. 1356.

930-931. mvp-comment-504-1 καί σ'.. κενόν And length of years gives folly to be the companion of thine age. Lit. In making thee old makes thee at the same time void of wisdom. Cp. Ant. 281, μὴ 'φευρεθῇς ἄνους τε καὶ γέρων ἅμα.

933. mvp-comment-505-1 τὰς παῖδας .. τινά That the maidens be brought hither. The impersonal form of expression is here more dignified than if σε were repeated.

934. mvp-comment-506-1 μέτοικος The Schol. observes that this word is used in the general sense of ἔνοικος, and not in its ordinary special meaning. See Essay on Language § 52. P. 97. § 54. p. 99.

936. mvp-comment-507-1 These words come from my mind as truly as from my tongue.'

937-938. mvp-comment-508-1 ὡς .. δίκαιος Since judging by the city from which you spring, you are shown to be just, and are then found to be doing evil. The chorus point the moral of Theseus' speech. Cp. supr. 919, καίτοι σε Θηβαί γ᾽ οὐκ ἐπαίδευσαν κακόν, 912 ff.

939. mvp-comment-509-1 ἄνανδρον Without manhood, referring to κένανδρον, supr. 927. Some have tried to preserve the reading of L (λέγω) by joining ἄβουλον (940) with ἔργον (941), but the epithet does not agree with the tenor of Theseus' speech. Cp. Eur. Suppl. 314-323.

940. mvp-comment-510-1 οὔτ᾽ ἄβουλον Nor without counsel; referring to 913-914, δίκαι' ἀσκοῦσαν εἰσελθὼν πόλιν, κἄνευ νόμου κραίνουσαν οὐδέν.

941. mvp-comment-511-1 γιγνώσκων δ' ὅτι But judging that.

942-943. mvp-comment-512-1 οὐδεὶς.. βίᾳ They would never be seized with an officious desire of maintaining my relations against my will. αὐτούς, sc. τοὺς Ἀθηναίους, implied in τήνδε τὴν πόλιν supr. For the accusative αὐτούς, see Essay on Language § 16. p. 23, and cp. Ο. Τ. 713, ὡς αὐτὸν ἥξοι μοῖρα πρὸς παιδὸς θανεῖν.

944. mvp-comment-513-1 ἤδη δ' And I was sure. Cp. the use of ἐπίσταμαι in Herodotus.

945. mvp-comment-514-1 κἄναγνον κἄνανδρον in L. is clearly a misreading from l. 939. Ср. Ο. Τ. 894, ἔρξεται.

945. mvp-comment-514-2 6. Nor one who was discovered to be living in incest with his own parent.' Lit. With whom were found unholy marriages of children with parents. τέκνων is not genitive of the object, but attributive genitive (Essay on Language § 9. p. 12), sufficiently defining the ἀνόσιοι γάμοι, although τέκνων πρὸς γονέας might be a more complete expression.

947. mvp-comment-515-1 Such a seat of good counsel did I know them to possess, the hill of Ares in this land. εὔβουλον opposed to ἄβουλον supra 940. For the argumentative use of τοιοῦτον, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 35.

950. mvp-comment-516-1 To it I trusted when I seized this prey.' Creon, as the next of kin, claims the right of dealing summarily with the homicide.

954. mvp-comment-517-1 The Schol. here quotes the proverb, ὁ θυμὸς ἔσχατον γηράσκει, as being referred to by Alcaeus. Cp. Thuc. 2.44.6, τὸ γὰρ φιλότιμον ἀγήρων μόνον. For anger yields not to age, until death comes. No pain indeed can touch the dead.' Aesch. Fr. 250, ἄλγος δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἅπτεται νεκροῦ. After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well; Treason has done his worst: nor steel, nor poison, Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing, Can touch him further.' Shak. Macb. 3. 2.

957. mvp-comment-518-1 ἐρημία Cp. 875. This, as Theseus presently suspects (1029-1031), is a false pretence.

957. mvp-comment-518-2 κεί δίκαι᾿ ὅμως λέγω i. e. ὅμως κεὶ δίκαια λέγω.

958. mvp-comment-519-1 σμικρόν Cp. βραχύς, supra 880.

958. mvp-comment-519-2 πρὸς δὲ τὰς πράξεις But still I will endeavour to resist violence, if it is offered, old as I am. πράξεις here is not a mere repetition of the notion of the verb πράξεις supra 956, but is spoken with some emphasis, in allusion to Theseus' threats of compulsion, supr. 908, 935.

960-961. mvp-comment-520-1 Oedipus means that Creon's language reflects disgrace upon himself as the brother of Jocasta, and as having made an outcast of his kinsman. Cp. supr. 770, 800, 1, πότερα νομίζεις .. ἐν τῷ νῦν λόγῳ; 753-754, ἆρ᾽ ἄθλιον τοὔνειδος.. ὠνείδισ᾽ εἰς σὲ κἀμέ; infr. 978 ff. And for λῆμα, Pind. Pyth. 3. 25, λῆμα Κορωνίδος.

962. mvp-comment-521-1 ὅστις φόνους μοι Who hast allowed to pass thy lips against me the mention of that murder and that disastrous marriage which I unfortunate endured unwittingly. The general word συμφοράς (here, as in O. T. 99, equivalent to ἄγος) sums up the preceding notions, and adds to them. Cp. O. Τ. 1407-1408, χὠπόσα | αἴσχιστ᾽ ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔργα γίγνεται.

965. mvp-comment-522-1 Who would seem to have had some old cause of wrath against our race.' Cp. Plat. Phaedr. 244 D. πόνων τῶν μεγίστων, ἃ δὴ παλαιῶν ἐκ μηνιμάτων ποθὲν ἔν τισι τῶν γενῶν ἦν.

966. mvp-comment-523-1 The comparative innocence of VOL. I. Oedipus in his voluntary actions is a chief point in the tragic interest of the Oedipus Tyrannus, and is still more strongly asserted in this play.

966. mvp-comment-523-2 ἐμοί Sc. προσόν.

967. mvp-comment-524-1 ἀνθ᾿ ὅτου In retribution for which; involuntary crimes being regarded as a punishment for some previous crime.

970. mvp-comment-525-1 χρησμοῖσιν .. παίδων Poetical (generalizing) plural. Cp. O. Τ. 711-713.

970. mvp-comment-525-2 ὥστε 'That he should die by his son's hand;' i. e. an oracle, whose fulfilment lay in his being slain by his son. Cp. 1350, δικαιῶν ὥστ᾽ ἐμοῦ κλύειν λόyous, and see note on O. T. 713. 972-973. Who was not yet begotten or conceived, but at that time had not come into being.'

974-976. mvp-comment-526-1 And if, coming into the world as I came, marked by misfortune, I fought with and slew my father, all ignorant of what I was doing and to whom, how then can you in fairness blame me for what I did, seeing it was Bb unwitting?' ὡς ἐγὼ ᾿φάνην refers to the conditions of the oracle given to Laius. Cp. O. Τ. 1376, ὅπως ἔβλαστε.

977. mvp-comment-527-1 * δάν, ( = δὴ ἄν, cp. El. 314), is a correction of y' av, in which the reduplication of the particles makes γε doubtful. For a similar error in the MSS. cp. supr. 51, ἄτιμός γ᾽ ἔκ γ᾽ ἐμοῦ.

977. mvp-comment-527-2 ἶκον = ἀκούσιον. Essay on Language p. 94, cp. supra 239, ἔργων ἀκόντων.

980-981. mvp-comment-528-1 Being such as I will presently tell of: for no, I will not keep silence, when you have gone to such a height of impiety. οὖν represents Oedipus' speaking as the natural consequence of Creon's.

980-981. mvp-comment-528-2 εἰς τόδε.. ἀνόσιον στόμα (1) Το this height of impiety in speaking.' Cp. supra 132, τὸ τᾶς εὐφήμου στόμα φροντίδος ἱέντες. This is better than (2) taking ἀνόσιον στόμα separately, as an accusative of limitation. To such a height in thine impious speech.

982. mvp-comment-529-1 ἔτικτε.. οὐκ εἰδυῖα She was, she was my mother, though we knew it not; i. e. ἦν μητὴρ οὐκ εἰδότος οὐκ εἰδυῖα.

986. mvp-comment-530-1 Brunck's διστομεῖν was suggested not by levity, as Elmsley thought, but by the correction of Par. A.

987. mvp-comment-531-1 ἄκων is used in two senses: (1) unwittingly, δι' ἄγνοιαν, (2) against my will, βίᾳ.

988. mvp-comment-532-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γάρ But (your charge is groundless), for, etc. So in Tr. 552, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γάρ, ὥσπερ εἶπον, ὀργαίνειν καλὸν | γυναῖκα νοῦν ἔχουσαν: Εl. 595.

988. mvp-comment-532-2 ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ οὐδὲ νουθετεῖν ἔξεστί σε. Essay on Language § 25. p. 43.

988. mvp-comment-532-3 ἀκούσομαι I shall be reputed.

993. mvp-comment-533-1 κτείνοι Were to attempt to kill.

994. mvp-comment-534-1 ὁ καίνων He who was trying to kill you. Cp. Hdt. 3. 99, οἱ μάλιστά οἱ ὁμιλέοντες κτείνουσι.. ὁ δὲ ἄπαρνός ἐστι, κ.τ.λ. Eur. Phoen. 1600, (ΟΙΔ.) ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἐγενόμην, εὐθὺς ὁ σπείρας πατὴρ | κτείνει με, κ.τ.λ. Essay on Language § 32. p. 55.

995-996. mvp-comment-535-1 Methinks, as you love life, you would punish the aggressor, and not scrutinize too closely the justice of the case.

997. mvp-comment-536-1 εἰσέβην I came into. Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 470, ἄτης δ' ἄβυσσον πέλαγος οὐ μάλ' εὔπορον | τόδ' ἐσβέβηκα.

998. mvp-comment-537-1 And I do not think that my father's spirit, were he alive, would gainsay my words.' The antecedent to ois is the argument from 989-996.

1000. mvp-comment-538-1 εἰ γὰρ οὐ δίκαιος You, however, for you only profess to be just, and think any word decorous, whether fit to be spoken or not, you pour these reproaches upon me in the presence of these men. Cp. supra 992, σὲ τὸν δίκαιον, and Creon's reasons 941-952.

1000. mvp-comment-538-2 τοῦθ' τοῦδ᾽ LBVat.

1003-1004. mvp-comment-539-1 And it suits your purpose well to flatter the name of Theseus, and Athens and her noble institutions. 1003. τὸ Θησέως ὄνομα θωπεῦσαι] Viz. in the courteous address, ὦ τέκνον Αἰγέως, supra 940.

1003-1004. mvp-comment-539-2 καλόν So in Phil. 1155, νῦν καλὸν..

1003-1004. mvp-comment-539-3 κορέσαι στόμα.

1004. mvp-comment-540-1 καὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας, κ.τ.λ. Supra 733-734, 758-759, 943-953. κατώκηνται καλῶς] Cp. Plat. Legg. 683 Α, τὴν εἰς Λακεδαίμονα κατοίκισιν..

1004. mvp-comment-540-2 ἣν ὑμεῖς ὀρθῶς ἔφατε κατοικεῖσθαι καὶ Κρήτην ὡς ἀδελφοῖς νόμοις. 1005. And then amidst all your praises (join ὧδε πολλά), you forget this praise.' 1007. The correction of Par. F (2886), ῶν θεοὺς, suggests *θεῶν.. τιμάς.

1004. mvp-comment-540-3 τοῦθ' This land is foremost in that virtue. For the genitive in the reading of L, cp. El. 1095-1097, ἃ δὲ μέγιστ᾽ ἔβλαστε νόμιμα | τῶνδε φερομέναν ἄριστα. But the reading of A is in this case clearer and more harmonious. Bb2

1008. mvp-comment-541-1 τὸν ἱκέτην γέροντ᾽ ἐμέ Cp. O. T. 1153, Phil. 930.

1009. mvp-comment-542-1 Wert seizing me. and hast carried away my children. For the imperfect, cp. supr. 950. ἐχειροῦ is read in Par. F.

1012. mvp-comment-543-1 θ' is added from a corrector of Par. F.

1014-1015. mvp-comment-544-1 δέ is in each case slightly adversative. The stranger, my lord, is honest: his calamities, indeed, are horrible, but they deserve our help.' The mind of the chorus is divided between horror and pity. Cp. O Τ. 1296, τοιοῦτον οἷον καὶ στυγοῦντ᾽ ἐποικτίσαι. The subdued tone of this speech, compared with 1044-1095, affords a good instance of the different functions of the chorus in the dialogue and in the lyric passages.

1016. mvp-comment-545-1 οἱ ἐξηρπασμένοι Schol. oἱ θεράποντες Κρέοντος. This interpretation, (1) implies that ἐξηρπ. is perfect middle. See Veitch, Irr. Verbs, s. v. ἁρπάζω. The force of the middle voice would be, Having effected their purpose of capture. (2) The captured ones, i. e. they and their attendants, are speeding away. The masculine form is used because the captors are included in the expression. See Essay on Language § 20. p. 30, and cp. supr. 902, ὡς μὴ παρέλθωσ᾽ αἱ κόραι: infr. 1057-1060, and notes. An early corrector of L, without erasing the termination οι, has changed it to ην, making the accusative to be governed by σπεύδουσιν as a causative verb. This is the reading also of Vat. and Par. B.

1018. mvp-comment-546-1 τί δῆτ᾿ ἀμαυρῷ φωτὶ προστάσσεις ποιεῖν;] (1) What then are your commands for one who is powerless to resist them? This meaning of ἀμαυρός is sufficiently supported by Eur. Andr. 204, αὐτή τ᾿ ἀμαυρὰ κοὺ τύραννος ἦν Φρυγῶν. For φώς used by the speaker of himself, cp. infr. 1109, ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός. Creon continues his pretence of helplessness: supr. 956-958. The excessive meekness of this expression may be thought hardly consistent with ll. 958-959, 1037, and the words may be construed as an expression of contempt for Oedipus, (2) What then is your bidding on behalf of this wretched nobody?' But the first interpretation (1) is probably right.

1019. mvp-comment-547-1 τῆς ἐκεῖ i. e. ἐκεῖσε. “To lead the way yonder.' Hdt. 7. 147, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκεῖ πλέομεν ἔνθαπερ καὶ οὗτοι.

1019. mvp-comment-547-2 πομπὸν δ᾽ * ἐμὲ | χωρεῖν That I, however, accompany you. The infinitive depends on the notion My will is, implied in the preceding words. ἐμέ in this connection is more expressive than με, and the authority of the MSS. respecting such a difference is slight.

1021. mvp-comment-548-1 τὰς παῖδας ἡμῶν The genitive ἡμῶν has something of a privative force. You have the maidens whom you have taken from us. Cp. supr. 821, τὴν παῖδ᾽ ἔχεις μου; Ο. Τ. 1522, μηδαμῶς ταύτας γ᾽ ἕλῃ μου. Theseus throughout represents himself as aggrieved by Creon's act. οἶμον is an ingenious but unnecessary conjecture. The word would be superfluous after ὁδοῦ, supr. 1019. 1022-1024. (1) But if men are fleeing with them in their power, we may spare our pains, for there are others urging that pursuit (supr. 897 ff.), whom to have escaped out of this land they shall never glory before the gods.' The reading of most MSS, ἐπεύχονται or ἐπεύχωνται, is not defensible. For the variation of x and §, cp. Ο. Τ. ξ έ 297, οὐξελέγχων. Par. B. has ἐπεύχωνται. For the mode of expression, cp. Plat. Soph. 235 C, οὔτε οὗτος οὔτε ἄλλο γένος οὐδὲν μή ποτε ἐκφυγὸν ἐπεύξηται τὴν μέθοδον : Legg. 10. 905 Α, οὔτε σὺ μήποτε οὔτε ἄλλος ἀτυχὴς γενόμενος ἐπεύξηται περιγενέσθαι θεῶν. Otherwise, (2) As having escaped from whom they shall never glory over the gods of this land. But although Theseus speaks hyperbolically of the success of Creon in capturing the maidens as a conquest over himself, he cannot speak of the Thebans as glorying over the defeat of Poseidon, Athena, the Eumenides, Dionysus (!), etc. who are not gods of Colonus and Athens only, but universally reverenced ἐπεύξωνται Βο. 1028, τόδ' in Hellas. And the order of the words, especially the position of φυγόντες, is adverse to this interpretation.

1024. mvp-comment-549-1 χώρας.. τήσδε (gen of motion) is added, because when they entered Boeotia they would be safe.

1024. mvp-comment-549-2 ἐπεύξωνται contains at once the notion of glorying and of thanksgiving. Cp. the exulting language of Ajax in his imagined victory to Athene, Aj. 92-96, ὡς εὐ παρέστης· καί σε παγχρύσοις ἐγὼ στέψω λαφύροις τῆσδε τῆς ἄγρας χάριν.. κόμπος πάρεστι κοὐκ ἀπαρνοῦμαι τὸ μή. 6

1025. mvp-comment-550-1 ἀλλά In repeating a command or request, as often in Plato. Come, lead the way.'

1026-1077. mvp-comment-551-1 In catching, you are caught; and fortune has taken you as you were pursuing after your prey.' The substitution of δίκη for τύχη is unnecessary and wrong. Fortune is continually regarded as the instrument of the Divine will. Cp. Phil. 1317, τὰς μὲν ἐκ θεῶν | τύχας δοθείσας: Shak. Hamlet, Act 3, Sc. 4. 'Take thy fortune; Thou find'st to be too busy is some danger.'

1026. mvp-comment-552-1 δόλῳ | τῷ μὴ δικαίῳ The dative is governed by the verbal notion'in κτήματα. Essay on Language p. 94.

1028-1031. mvp-comment-553-1 κοὐκ ἄλλον. τάδε And you shall have no one to help you in this; for I well know that you were not unaided or unprepared, when you reached the height of insolence which is implied in this daring deed; but there were others to whom you trusted when you acted thus.

1028-1031. mvp-comment-553-2 εἰς τόδε ‘For this task, viz. that of leading to where the maidens are. Cp. supr. 507, χωροῖμ᾽ ἂν ἐς τόδ᾽;

1029. mvp-comment-554-1 ὕβριν. τόλμης For the gen., see Essay on Language § 10. p. 17. Cp. Creon's assertion, supra 957-958, ἐρημία με κεὶ δίκαι᾿ ὅμως λέγω | σμικρὸν τίθησι. Theseus will not allow Creon to take any one with him, either of his own attendants, who may be lurking near, or of the Athenians, whom he may have corrupted. ψιλόν refers rather to the former suspicion, ἄσκευον (i.e. ἄνευ παρασκευῆς) to the latter. Cp. Thuc. 2. 12, ξυμπέμπουσί τε τῷ Μελησίππῳ ἀγωγοὺς ὅπως μηδενὶ ξυγγένηται.

1031. mvp-comment-555-1 πιστός Relying in confidence on some one. For πιστός active, cp. Aesch. Prom. 917, τοῖς μεταρσίοις κτύποις πιστός: Thuc. 3. 40, ἐλπίδα λόγῳ πιστήν: Plat. Legg. 824, νυκτερεύτην δὲ ἄρκυσι καὶ πλεκταῖς πιστόν.

1032-1033. mvp-comment-556-1 Which things I must look into, and not allow this state to be overpowered by a single man.' Cp. supra 842, 879, 933, and the similar feeling in Ant. 663-664, ὅστις.. τοὐπιτάσσειν τοῖς κρατύνουσιν νοεῖ: 678, κούτοι γυναικὸς οὐδαμῶς ἡσσητέα. These lines may be taken to hint at a suspicion of treachery within the city, to which ἄσκευον may also point. Cр. О. Т. 124-125, πῶς οὖν ὁ ληστής, εἴ τι μὴ ξὺν ἀργύρῳ | ἐπράσσετ᾿ ἐνθένδ᾽, ἐς τόδ' ἂν τόλμης ἔβη; and note; also Ant. 689-694, and esp. Lys. c. Eratosth. p. 128, τοσοῦτον δ᾽ ὑμῶν καταπεπεφρόνηκεν ἢ ἑτέροις πεπίστευκεν, ὧν ἀμφοτέρων ἄξιον ἐπιμεληθῆναι, ἐνθυμουμένοις ὅτι οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἐκεῖνα δύναιντο ποιεῖν μὴ ἑτέρων συμπραττόντων οὔτ᾽ ἂν νῦν ἐπεχείρησαν ἐλθεῖν κ.τ.λ.

1034-1035. mvp-comment-557-1 ἢ μάτην.. χώτε ταῦτ᾽ ἐμηχανῶ] Or are the considerations that I am urging as unmeaning to you now as they were when you devised this plot? The sentence is concluded as if the preceding words had been ἢ τὰ ἐμοὶ λελεγμένα δοκεῖ μάτην λελέχθαι ὁμοίως νῦν.

1036. mvp-comment-558-1 Join μεμπτόν. ἐμοί, Essay on Language § 41. p. 77.

1036. mvp-comment-558-2 νυν

1037. mvp-comment-559-1 χἡμεῖς I, in my turn.

1038. mvp-comment-560-1 χωρῶν ἀπείλει νυν Well, threaten as you please, but go on. qualifies the whole sentence, of which the participle is the emphatic word, and is used, as often elsewhere, with the imperative, e.g. supra 21, κάθιζε νύν με. For the emphatic participle, cp. Phil. 590, Ε. σὲ θήσομαι τῶνδ᾽ αἴτιον. Ν. ποιοῦ λέγων, I will make you responsible for this. Do as you please in making me responsible, if you will only speak.

1039. mvp-comment-561-1 πιστωθείς Under my assurance. As the middle πιστοῦμαι means to give mutual pledges, πιστωθείς is here used passively = having received pledge, i. e. being assured. a

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Antigone Land that is praised above all lands, now it is your task to make those bright praises seen in deeds! 720

Oedipus What strange new thing has happened, my daughter?

Antigone Creon there draws near us, and not without followers, father.

Oedipus Ah, dearest old men, now give me the final proof of my salvation! 725

Chorus Courage! It will be yours. For even if I am aged, this country’s strength has not grown old.

Creon Which of us, do you think, suffers more in this exchange—I by your action, or you by your own? 800

Oedipus For me, it is enough if your pleading fails both with me and with these men nearby.

Creon Unhappy man, will you let everyone see that even in your years you have gained no sense? Must you live on to disgrace your old age? 805

Oedipus You have a clever tongue, but I know no just man who can produce from every side a pretty speech.

Creon Words may be many, and yet not to the point.

Oedipus As if yours, indeed, were few, but on the mark.

Creon They cannot be, not for one whose mind is such as yours. 810

Oedipus Begone! I will say it for these men too. And do not besiege me with a jealous watch where I am destined to remain.

Creon I call these men, and not you, to witness the tenor of your words to your friends. And if I ever catch you—

Oedipus And who could catch me against the will of these allies? 815

Creon I promise you, soon you will be pained even without that.

Oedipus Where is the deed which backs that threatening word?

Creon One of your two daughters I have myself just seized and sent away. The other I will drag off immediately.

Oedipus Oh, no! 820

Creon You will soon find more to weep about.

Oedipus You have my child?

Creon And I will have this one in no long time.

Oedipus Oh! Strangers, what will you do? Will you betray me? Will you not drive the godless man from this land?

Chorus Depart, stranger! Quick! Your present deed is not just, nor the deed which you have done. 825

Creon To his attendants. It is time for you to drag this girl off against her will, if she will not go freely.

Antigone Wretched that I am! Where can I flee? Where find help from gods or men?

Chorus What are you doing, stranger?

Creon I will not touch this man, but her who is mine. 830

Oedipus Lords of the land!

Chorus Stranger, you are acting unjustly.

Creon Justly.

Chorus How?

Creon I take my own. He lays his hand on Antigone.

Oedipus Oh, city !

Chorus What are you doing, stranger? Release her! Your strength and ours will soon come to the test. 835

Creon Stand back!

Chorus Not while this is your purpose.

Creon There will be war with Thebes for you, if you harm me.

Oedipus Did I not say so?

Chorus Unhand the girl at once!

Creon Do not make commands where you are not the master.

Chorus Let go, I tell you! 840

Creon To his guards, who seize Antigone. And I tell you: be off!

Chorus Help, men of Colonus , bring help! The city, our city, is attacked by force! Come to our aid!

Antigone I am being dragged away in misery. Strangers, strangers!

Oedipus My child, where are you? 845

Antigone I am led off by force.

Oedipus Give me your hand, my child!

Antigone I am helpless.

Creon Away with you!

Oedipus I am wretched, wretched! The guards exit with Antigone.

Chorus Stop there, stranger!

Creon Hands off, I say!

Chorus I will not let go, unless you give back the maidens.

Creon Then you will soon give the city a more valuable prize, for I will lay hands on more than those two girls.

Chorus What! What do you intend? 860

Creon This man here will be my captive.

Chorus A valiant threat!

Creon Straightaway it will be done.

Chorus Indeed, unless the ruler of this realm prevents you.

Oedipus Voice of shamelessness! Will you really lay hands on me?

Creon Shut up, I say!

Creon Do you see this, people of the land?

Oedipus They see both you and me. They know that I have suffered in deeds, and my defense is mere words.

Creon I will not check my anger. Though I am alone and slow with age, I will take this man by force. 875

Oedipus Ah, my wretchedness!

Chorus What arrogance you have come with, stranger, if you think you will achieve this!

Creon I will.

Chorus Then I think this city no longer exists.

Creon For men who are just, you see, the weak vanquishes the strong. 880

Oedipus Do you hear his words?

Chorus Yes, but he will not achieve them.

Creon Zeus knows perhaps, but you do not.

Chorus This is an outrage!

Creon An outrage which you must bear.

Chorus Hear people, hear rulers of the land! Come quickly, come! These men are on their way to cross our borders! 885

Theseus What is this shout? What is the trouble? What fear has moved you to stop my sacrifice at the altar to the sea-god, the lord of your Colonus ? Speak, so that I may know the situation; for that is why I have sped here more swiftly than was pleasant. 890

Oedipus Dearest of men! I know your voice. Terrible are the things I have just suffered at the hands of this man here.

Antigone

Land that is praised above all lands, now it is your task to make those bright praises seen in deeds!
720

Oedipus

What strange new thing has happened, my daughter?

Antigone

Creon there draws near us, and not without followers, father.

Oedipus

Ah, dearest old men, now give me

the final proof of my salvation!
725

Chorus

Courage! It will be yours. For even if I am aged, this country’s strength has not grown old.

Creon

Which of us, do you think, suffers more in this exchange—I by your action, or you by your own?
800

Oedipus

For me, it is enough if your pleading fails both with me and with these men nearby.

Creon

Unhappy man, will you let everyone see that even in your years you have gained no sense?

Must you live on to disgrace your old age?
805

Oedipus

You have a clever tongue, but I know no just man who can produce from every side a pretty speech.

Creon

Words may be many, and yet not to the point.

Oedipus

As if yours, indeed, were few, but on the mark.

Creon

They cannot be, not for one whose mind is such as yours.
810

Oedipus

Begone! I will say it for these men too. And do not besiege me with a jealous watch where I am destined to remain.

Creon

I call these men, and not you, to witness the tenor of your words to your friends. And if I ever catch you—

Oedipus

And who could catch me against the will of these allies?
815

Creon

I promise you, soon you will be pained even without that.

Oedipus

Where is the deed which backs that threatening word?

Creon

One of your two daughters I have myself just seized and sent away. The other I will drag off immediately.

Oedipus

Oh, no!
820

Creon

You will soon find more to weep about.

Oedipus

You have my child?

Creon

And I will have this one in no long time.

Oedipus

Oh! Strangers, what will you do? Will you betray me? Will you not drive the godless man from this land?

Chorus

Depart, stranger! Quick!

Your present deed is not just, nor the deed which you have done.
825

Creon
To his attendants.

It is time for you to drag this girl off against her will, if she will not go freely.

Antigone

Wretched that I am! Where can I flee? Where find help from gods or men?

Chorus

What are you doing, stranger?

Creon

I will not touch this man, but her who is mine.
830

Oedipus

Lords of the land!

Chorus

Stranger, you are acting unjustly.

Creon

Justly.

Chorus

How?

Creon

I take my own.

He lays his hand on Antigone.

Oedipus

Oh, city !

Chorus

What are you doing, stranger? Release her!

Your strength and ours will soon come to the test.
835

Creon

Stand back!

Chorus

Not while this is your purpose.

Creon

There will be war with Thebes for you, if you harm me.

Oedipus

Did I not say so?

Chorus

Unhand the girl at once!

Creon

Do not make commands where you are not the master.

Chorus

Let go, I tell you!
840

Creon
To his guards, who seize Antigone.

And I tell you: be off!

Chorus

Help, men of Colonus , bring help! The city, our city, is attacked by force! Come to our aid!

Antigone

I am being dragged away in misery. Strangers, strangers!

Oedipus

My child, where are you?
845

Antigone

I am led off by force.

Oedipus

Give me your hand, my child!

Antigone

I am helpless.

Creon

Away with you!

Oedipus

I am wretched, wretched! The guards exit with Antigone.

Chorus

Stop there, stranger!

Creon

Hands off, I say!

Chorus

I will not let go, unless you give back the maidens.

Creon

Then you will soon give the city a more valuable prize, for I will lay hands on more than those two girls.

Chorus

What! What do you intend?
860

Creon

This man here will be my captive.

Chorus

A valiant threat!

Creon

Straightaway it will be done.

Chorus

Indeed, unless the ruler of this realm prevents you.

Oedipus

Voice of shamelessness! Will you really lay hands on me?

Creon

Shut up, I say!

Creon

Do you see this, people of the land?

Oedipus

They see both you and me. They know that I have suffered in deeds, and my defense is mere words.

Creon

I will not check my anger. Though I am alone

and slow with age, I will take this man by force.
875

Oedipus

Ah, my wretchedness!

Chorus

What arrogance you have come with, stranger, if you think you will achieve this!

Creon

I will.

Chorus

Then I think this city no longer exists.

Creon

For men who are just, you see, the weak vanquishes the strong.
880

Oedipus

Do you hear his words?

Chorus

Yes, but he will not achieve them.

Creon

Zeus knows perhaps, but you do not.

Chorus

This is an outrage!

Creon

An outrage which you must bear.

Chorus

Hear people, hear rulers of the land! Come quickly, come!

These men are on their way to cross our borders!
885

Theseus

What is this shout? What is the trouble? What fear has moved you to stop my sacrifice at the altar to the sea-god, the lord of your Colonus ? Speak, so that I may know the situation; for that is why I have sped

here more swiftly than was pleasant.
890

Oedipus

Dearest of men! I know your voice. Terrible are the things I have just suffered at the hands of this man here.

Theseus

What things are these? And who has pained you? Speak!

Oedipus

Creon, whom you see here,

has torn from me my children—my only two.
895