Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, ed. Francis Storr, 337

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Οἰδίπους

ὦ πάντʼ ἐκείνω τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ νόμοις

φύσιν κατεικασθέντε καὶ βίου τροφάς·

ἐκεῖ γὰρ οἱ μὲν ἄρσενες κατὰ στέγας

θακοῦσιν ἱστουργοῦντες, αἱ δὲ σύννομοι
340

τἄξω βίου τροφεῖα πορσύνουσʼ ἀεί.

σφῷν δʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ, οὓς μὲν εἰκὸς ἦν πονεῖν τάδε,

κατʼ οἶκον οἰκουροῦσιν ὥστε παρθένοι,

σφὼ δʼ ἀντʼ ἐκείνων τἀμὰ δυστήνου κακὰ

ὑπερπονεῖτον. ἡ μὲν ἐξ ὅτου νέας
345

τροφῆς ἔληξε καὶ κατίσχυσεν δέμας,

ἀεὶ μεθʼ ἡμῶν δύσμορος πλανωμένη

γερονταγωγεῖ, πολλὰ μὲν κατʼ ἀγρίαν

ὕλην ἄσιτος νηλίπους τʼ ἀλωμένη,

πολλοῖσι δʼ ὄμβροις ἡλίου τε καύμασιν
350

μοχθοῦσα τλήμων δεύτερʼ ἡγεῖται τὰ τῆς

οἴκοι διαίτης, εἰ πατὴρ τροφὴν ἔχοι.

σὺ δʼ, ὦ τέκνον, πρόσθεν μὲν ἐξίκου πατρὶ

μαντεῖʼ ἄγουσα πάντα, Καδμείων λάθρᾳ,

ἃ τοῦδʼ ἐχρήσθη σώματος, φύλαξ τέ μου
355

πιστὴ κατέστης, γῆς ὅτʼ ἐξηλαυνόμην·

νῦν δʼ αὖ τίνʼ ἥκεις μῦθον, Ἰσμήνη, πατρὶ

φέρουσα; τίς σʼ ἐξῆρεν οἴκοθεν στόλος;

ἥκεις γὰρ οὐ κενή γε, τοῦτʼ ἐγὼ σαφῶς

ἔξοιδα, μὴ οὐχὶ δεῖμʼ ἐμοὶ φέρουσά τι.
360

Ἰσμήνη

ἐγὼ τὰ μὲν παθήμαθʼ ἅπαθον, πάτερ,

ζητοῦσα τὴν σὴν ποῦ κατοικοίης τροφήν,

παρεῖσʼ ἐάσω· δὶς γὰρ οὐχὶ βούλομαι

πονοῦσά τʼ ἀλγεῖν καὶ λέγουσʼ αὖθις πάλιν.

ἃ δʼ ἀμφὶ τοῖν σοῖν δυσμόροιν παίδοιν κακὰ
365

νῦν ἐστι, ταῦτα σημανοῦσʼ ἐλήλυθα.

πρὶν μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἦν ἔρως Κρέοντί τε

θρόνους ἐᾶσθαι μηδὲ χραίνεσθαι πόλιν,

λόγῳ σκοποῦσι τὴν πάλαι γένους φθοράν,

οἵα κατέσχε τὸν σὸν ἄθλιον δόμον·
370

νῦν δʼ ἐκ θεῶν του κἀλιτηρίου φρενὸς

εἰσῆλθε τοῖν τρὶς ἀθλίοιν ἔρις κακή,

ἀρχῆς λαβέσθαι καὶ κράτους τυραννικοῦ.

χὠ μὲν νεάζων καὶ χρόνῳ μείων γεγὼς

τὸν πρόσθε γεννηθέντα Πολυνείκη θρόνων
375

ἀποστερίσκει, κἀξελήλακεν πάτρας.

ὁ δʼ, ὡς καθʼ ἡμᾶς ἔσθʼ ὁ πληθύων λόγος,

τὸ κοῖλον Ἄργος βὰς φυγὰς προσλαμβάνει

κῆδός τε καινὸν καὶ ξυνασπιστὰς φίλους

ὡς αὐτίκʼ Ἄργος ἢ τὸ Καδμείων πέδον
380

τιμῇ καθέξον ἢ πρὸς οὐρανὸν βιβῶν.

ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἀριθμός ἐστιν, ὦ πάτερ, λόγων,

ἀλλʼ ἔργα δεινά· τοὺς δὲ σοὺς ὅπου θεοὶ

πόνους κατοικτιοῦσιν οὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν.

Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles. ed. Francis Storr. London. 1912.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Experimental

Οἰδίπους ἐπὶ Κολωνῷ (Greek) (Sophocles, Volume 1. Storr, Francis, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company, 1912.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 337 focus

ὦ πάντʼ ἐκείνω τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ νόμοις

[101 a.

φύσιν κατεικασθέντε καὶ βίου τροφάς·

ἐκεῖ γὰρ οἱ μὲν ἄρσενες κατὰ στέγας

θακοῦσιν ἱστουργοῦντες, αἱ δὲ σύννομοι
340

τἄξω βίου τροφεῖα πορσύνουσʼ ἀεί.

σφῷν δʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ, οὓς μὲν εἰκὸς ἦν πονεῖν τάδε,

κατʼ οἶκον οἰκουροῦσιν ὥστε παρθένοι,

σφὼ δʼ ἀντʼ ἐκείνων τἀμὰ δυστήνου κακὰ

ὑπερπονεῖτον. ἡ μὲν ἐξ ὅτου νέας
345

τροφῆς ἔληξε καὶ κατίσχυσεν δέμας,

ἀεὶ μεθʼ ἡμῶν δύσμορος πλανωμένη,

γερονταγωγεῖ, πολλὰ μὲν κατʼ ἀγρίαν

ὕλην ἄσιτος νηλίπους τʼ ἀλωμένη,

πολλοῖσι δʼ ὄμβροις ἡλίου τε καύμασι
350

μοχθοῦσα τλήμων δεύτερʼ ἡγεῖται τὰ τῆς

οἴκοι διαίτης, εἰ πατὴρ τροφὴν ἔχοι.

σὺ δʼ, ὦ τέκνον, πρόσθεν μὲν ἐξίκου πατρὶ

μαντεῖʼ ἄγουσα πάντα, Καδμείων λάθρα,

ἃ τοῦδʼ ἐχρήσθη σώματος, φύλαξ δέ μου
355

πιστὴ κατέστης, γῆς ὅτʼ ἐξηλαυνόμην·

νῦν δʼ αὖ τίνʼ ἥκεις μῦθον, Ἰσμήνη, πατρὶ

φέρουσα; τίς σʼ ἐξῆρεν οἴκοθεν στόλος;

ἥκεις γὰρ οὐ κενή γε, τοῦτʼ ἐγὼ σαφῶς

ἔξοιδα, μὴ οὐχὶ δεῖμʼ ἐμοὶ φέρουσά τι.
360

Ἰσμήνη

ἐγὼ τὰ μὲν παθήμαθʼ ἅπαθον, πάτερ,

ζητοῦσα τὴν σὴν ποῦ κατοικοίης τροφήν,

παρεῖσʼ ἐάσω. δὶς γὰρ οὐχὶ βούλομαι

πονοῦσά τʼ ἀλγεῖν καὶ λέγουσʼ αὖθις πάλιν.

ἃ δʼ ἀμφὶ τοῖν σοῖν δυσμόροιν παίδοιν κακὰ
365

νῦν ἐστι, ταῦτα σημανοῦσʼ ἐλήλυθα.

πρὶν μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἦν ἔρις Κρέοντί τε

θρόνους ἐᾶσθαι μηδὲ χραίνεσθαι πόλιν,

λόγῳ σκοποῦσι τὴν πάλαι γένους φθοράν,

οἵα κατέσχε τὸν σὸν ἄθλιον δόμον·
370

νῦν δʼ ἐκ θεῶν του κἀξ *ἀλειτηροῦ φρενὸς

εἰσῆλθε τοῖν τρισαθλίοιν ἔρις κακή,

ἀρχῆς λαβέσθαι καὶ κράτους τυραννικοῦ.

χὠ μὲν νεάζων καὶ χρόνῳ μείων γεγὼς

τὸν πρόσθε γεννηθέντα Πολυνείκη θρόνων
375

ἀποστερίσκει, κἀξελήλακεν πάτρας.

ὁ δʼ, ὡς καθʼ ἡμᾶς ἔσθʼ ὁ πληθύων λόγος,

τὸ κοῖλον Ἄργος βὰς φυγάς, προσλαμβάνει

κῆδός τε καινὸν καὶ ξυνασπιστὰς φίλους,

ὡς αὐτίκʼ Ἄργος ἢ τὸ Καδμεῖον πέδον
380

τιμῇ καθέξον, ἢ πρὸς οὐρανὸν βιβῶν.

ταῦτʼ οὐκ ἀριθμός ἐστιν, ὦ πάτερ, λόγων,

ἀλλʼ ἔργα δεινά· τοὺς δὲ σοὺς ὅποι θεοὶ

πόνους κατοικτιοῦσιν οὐκ ἔχω μαθεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 337 focus

How in all points their life obeys the law

Of Egypt, where the men keep house and weave

Sitting within doors, while the wives abroad

Provide with ceaseless toil the means of life.
340

So in your case, my daughters, they who should

Have ta’en this burden on them, bide at home

Like maidens, while ye take their place, and lighten

My miseries by your toil. Antigone,

E’er since her childhood ended, and her frame
345

Was firmly knit, with ceaseless ministry

Still tends upon the old man’s wandering,

Oft in the forest ranging up and down

Fasting and barefoot through the burning heat
350

Or pelting rain, nor thinks, unhappy maid,

Of home or comfort, so her father’s need

Be satisfied. And thou, that camest before,

Eluding the Cadmeans, and didst tell me

What words Apollo had pronounced on me.
355

And when they banished me, stood’st firm to shield me,

What news, Ismene, bring’st thou to thy sire

To day? What mission sped thee forth? I know

Thou com’st not idly, but with fears for me.

ISM

Father, I will not say what I endured

In searching out the place that sheltered thee.

To tell it o’er would but renew the pain.

But of the danger now encompassing

Thine ill starred sons,—of that I came to speak.
365

At first they strove with Creon and declared

The throne should be left vacant and the town

Freed from pollution,—paying deep regard

In their debate to the dark heritage

Of ruin that o’ershadowed all thy race.
370

Far different is the strife which holds them now,

Since some great Power, joined to their sinful mind,

Incites them both to seize on sovereign sway.

Eteocles, in pride of younger years,

Robbed elder Polynices of his right,
375

Dethroned and banished him. To Argos then

Goes exiled Polynices, and obtains

Through intermarriage a strong favouring league,

Whose word is, ‘Either Argos vanquishes

The seed of Cadmus or exalts their fame’
380

This, father, is no tissue of empty talk,

But dreadful truth, nor can I tell where Heaven

Is to reveal his mercy to thy woe.

OED

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 337 focus

Ha, dieses Paar von Brüdern, das Aegyptos' Art

So ganz in Sinn und Leben sich zum Muster nahm!

Dort bleibt das Volk der Männer allezeit daheim¹

Am Webestuhle sizen, und die Frau'n ergeh'n
335

Sich draußen, schaffend, was die Noth des Lebens heischt.

So walten jene, welchen hier um mich zu sein

Oblag, o Kinder, Mädchen gleich, im Haus daheim;

Ihr aber müht statt ihrer euch um mein Geschick,

Das jammervolle; diese, seit aus junger Zucht
340

Sie frisch heranwuchs und erstarkt am Körper war,

Irrt' auf der herben Wanderfahrt mit mir herum,

Kastlos den Greis geleitend; oft umhergescheucht

Durch wilde Wälder, ohne Nahrung, unbeschuht,

Ost auch mit Regenschauern und der Sonne Brand
345

Mühselig ringend, achtet sie des Hauses Hut

Und Fülle nichtig, hat der Vater Pflege nur.

(zu Ismene)

Du, Tochter, brachtest früher schon dem Vater stets,

Geheim vor Kadmos' Volke, jeden Götterspruch,

Der über dieses Haupt erscholl; du standest ihm
350

Zur Seite treulich, als man ihn vom Land verstieß.

Und welche Kunde bringst du jezt dem Vater, Kind?

Was trieb vom Heimatherde dich zur Fahrt hinaus?

Nicht leer ja kommst du, (dessen bin ich ganz gewiß,)

Nicht, ohne daß du Schrecken mir verkündigest.
355

Ismene.

Ich mag die Leiden, Vater, die ich selbst erlitt,

Seitdem ich deinen Aufenthalt zu suchen ging,

Dir nicht beschreiben; denn ich will nicht doppelt Schmerz

Empfinden, duldend und sodann verkündigend.

Das Mißgeschick nur, das die beiden Armen jezt
360

Bedrängt, die Brüder, komm' ich her dir kundzuthun.

Erst war ihr Wille, Kreon auf dem leeren Thron

Zu lassen; denn sie wollten nicht durch Blut die Stadt

Entweih'n, des Fluches eingedenk, der lange schon

Vernichtend ruht auf deinem unglückvollen Haus.
365

Jezt riß ein Gott und frevelhafter Uebermuth

Die dreimal Unglücksel'gen fort in wilden Streit,

Sich anzumaßen Königsmacht und Herrschgewalt.

Und Polyneikes, deinen Erstgeborenen,

Beraubt der Andre, welcher ihm an Jahren weicht,
370

Des Thrones, treibt ihn aus dem Vaterlande fort.

Doch der (von dieser Sage voll ist unsre Stadt)

Entfloh nach Argos' Thalen, knüpft ein neues Band²

Der Ehe, schließt mit Freunden einen Waffenbund,

Als müss' ihm Argos Kadmos' Stadt sofort mit Ruhm³
375

Gewinnen, oder fallend sie verherrlichen.

Dies, Vater, sind nicht eitle leere Worte, nein,

Sind schwere Thaten; wo die Götter deine Noth

Erbarmend enden werden, das erkenn' ich nicht.

Oedipus.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 337 focus

What I have suffered in the search of thee

I pass in silence o'er, since to repeat

Were but, alas ! to double my misfortunes ;

I only came to tell thee the sad fate

Of thy unhappy sons. Awhile they seemed

As if they meant to yield the throne to Creon,

Nor stain their guilty hands with Theban blood,

Mindful of that pollution which remained

On thy devoted race ; but now some god
370

Or their own wicked minds have raised a flame

Of dire contention, which shall gain the power

Supreme, and reign in Thebes. Eteocles

Hath drove his elder Polynices forth,
375

Who, now an exile, seeks (as fame reports)

The Argians, and in solemn contract joined

With these his new allies would raise their fame

Above the stars, and sink our Thebes in ruin.
380

These are not words alone — 'tis now in act,

Alas ! e'en now I fear, nor know I when

The gods will take compassion on thy woes.

Ismene
(Edi. Hast thou no hope they'll pity me ?

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 337 focus

How to Ægyptian manners have they form'd....

Their nature and their life? For there the men

• Sit in the house and weave the web; meanwhile

Abroad the active females always toil,

What life requires providing. Thus of you,,

My children, those, who should these toils sustain,

Keep themselves close, like virgins, in the house.

You, in their stead, for my unhappy ills

Expose yourselves to hardships. She, e'er since

She pass'd her tender state of youth, and felt

Her strength grown firm, poor sufferer, on my steps

Attendant

leads my age; and wandering oft

Foodless and barefoot through the sylvan wilds,

Patient of frequent show'rs and the fierce beams

Of the hot sun, regards not the rich store

That fills the table in the sheltering house,

So that her father he supply'd with food...

And thou, my daughter, oft hast ventured forth,

The Thebans' watch eluding, to informit

Thy father of the various oracles

On him announced; and when they drove me thence,

Ismene

An outcast from my country, thou daredst stand

My faithful guard. Now therefore what the cause.

That thou art come? What tidings dost thou bear,

Ismene

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 337 focus

Oedipus

True image of the ways of Egypt that they show in their spirit and their life! For there the men sit weaving in the house,

but the wives go forth to win the daily bread. And in your case, my daughters, those to whom these toils belonged keep the house at home like maidens, while you two, in their place, bear your poor father’s woes.
340

The one, from the time when her youth was past and she came into her strength, has always been this old man’s guide in weary wanderings, often roaming, hungry and barefoot, through the wild woods, often battered by rains and scorching sun.
345

And the comforts of home, poor girl, she holds in the second place, so long as her father should have her care.
And you, my child, in former days came forth, bringing your father, unknown to the Cadmeans, all the oracles that had been given concerning Oedipus.
350

You became a faithful guardian on my behalf, when I was being driven from the land. Now, in turn, what new tidings have you brought your father, Ismene? On what mission have you set forth from home? For you do not come empty-handed, I know well,
355

or without some cause of fear for me.
360

Ismene

The sufferings that I bore, father, in seeking where you dwelt, I will pass by; I would not renew the pain in the recital.

But the evils that now beset your ill-fated sons—it is of these that I have come to tell. At first it was their decision that the throne should be left to Creon, and the city spared pollution, when they thought calmly about the ancient blight on our race,
365

and how it has clung to your unfortunate house. But now, moved by some god and by sinful heart, an evil strife has seized them—thrice-deluded!—to grasp at rule and the power of a tyrant. And the younger son has stripped the elder, Polyneices, of the throne,
370

and has driven him from his fatherland. But he, as the widespread rumor says among us, has gone to the valley of Argos as an exile, and is taking to himself a new marriage connection, and warriors for his friends, intending that Argos soon get hold of the Cadmean land,
375

or send its praises to the sky. These are not empty words, my father, but terrible deeds; and where the gods will have pity on your grief, I cannot tell.
380

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-251-1 Αἰγύπτῳ ¹

mvp-comment-252-1 φύσιν ²

mvp-comment-252-2 τροφάς ³

mvp-comment-253-1 ἱστουργοῦντες ⁴

mvp-comment-254-1 τἄξω βίου τροφεῖα ⁶

mvp-comment-255-1 σφῷν δ’ ⁷

mvp-comment-256-1 Not noticing Ismene's hint (336) , Oedipus imagines his sons in repose at Thebes. He is soon to learn that one of them, an exile, is levying war against the other (374) .

mvp-comment-256-2 οἰκουροῦσιν ⁸

mvp-comment-256-3 ὥστε ⁹

mvp-comment-256-4 παρθένοι ¹⁰

mvp-comment-257-1 τἀμὰ δυστήνου ¹¹

mvp-comment-258-1 νέας τροφῆς ἔληξε ¹³

mvp-comment-258-2 κατίσχυσεν ¹⁵

mvp-comment-259-1 γερονταγωγεῖ ¹⁶

mvp-comment-260-1 νηλίπους ¹⁸

mvp-comment-261-1 ἡγεῖται ¹⁹

mvp-comment-261-2 τὰ τῆς ²⁰

mvp-comment-262-1 εἰ … ἔχοι ²¹

mvp-comment-262-2 τροφὴν ²²

mvp-comment-263-1 μαντεῖα πάντα ²³

mvp-comment-264-1 τοῦδε σώματος ²⁴

mvp-comment-264-2 φύλαξ δέ μοι ²⁵

mvp-comment-264-3 μοι ²⁶

mvp-comment-265-1 στόλος ²⁷

mvp-comment-266-1 μὴ οὐχὶ … φέρουσα ²⁸

mvp-comment-267-1 From Thebes to Athens is a short day's journey; but Ismene has sought her father far and wide. This could not well have been if, as Campbell supposes (on 355 ), the oracles which she herself had formerly brought to him had directed his course towards Attica.

mvp-comment-268-1 ζητοῦσα τὴν σὴν τροφήν ²⁹

mvp-comment-269-1 ἀμφὶ … παίδοιν ³⁰

mvp-comment-270-1 Eteocles and Polyneices were young boys at the fall of Oedipus (see on 1

), and their uncle Creon (brother of Iocasta) became regent ( O. T. 1418 ). As the two brothers grew up, they agreed, at first, in wishing to resign the throne, of which they were joint heirs, to Creon, lest Thebes should be tainted by their own rule; but afterwards they fell to striving with each other for the sole power.

mvp-comment-270-2 ἔρως ³¹

mvp-comment-270-3 Κρέοντί τε ³²

mvp-comment-270-4 Paley's

Κρέοντι δὴ

is, however, highly probable. It would mean, "to Creon in the next resort." So δὴ is used of succession in Ant. 173 , where Creon says

ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω

, I next (the sons of Oed. being dead); and Aesch. Eum. 3

ἣ δὴ τὸ μητρὸς δευτέρα τόδ’ ἕζετο | μαντεῖον

mvp-comment-271-1 ἐᾶσθαι ³³

mvp-comment-271-2 πόλιν ³⁴

mvp-comment-272-1 λόγῳ ³⁵

mvp-comment-272-2 τὴν πάλαι … φθοράν ³⁶

mvp-comment-273-1 κἀλιτηρίου ³⁸

mvp-comment-274-1 The dat. after εἰσῆλθε is strictly a dat. of the person interested, but was perh. influenced by the analogy of the dat. in

παρέστη μοι

, "it occurred to me," and the like; cp. Tr. 298

ἐμοὶ γὰρ οἶκτος... εἰσέβη

: Her. 1.86

) λέγεται ( τῷ Κροίσῳ … ἐσελθεῖν...τὸ τοῦ Σόλωνος

: but 6. 125

τὸν Κροῖσον γέλως ἐσῆλθε

: and so Eur. Med. 931

εἰσῆλθέ μ’ οἶκτος

mvp-comment-274-2 τρὶς ἀθλίοιν ³⁹

mvp-comment-275-1 If νεάζων ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-276-1 τὸν πρόσθε ⁴¹

mvp-comment-277-1 ἀποστερίσκει ⁴²

mvp-comment-278-1 πληθύων ⁴³

mvp-comment-279-1 Ἄργος ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-280-1 κῆδος ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-280-2 καινόν ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-281-1 ὡς ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-281-2 ὡς … Ἄργος … καθέξον ἢ … βιβῶν ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-282-1 τιμῇ ⁵¹

mvp-comment-282-2 καθέξον ⁵²

mvp-comment-282-3 πρὸς οὐρ. βιβῶν ⁵³

mvp-comment-283-1 ἀριθμός ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-284-1 If the MS. ὅποι (Vat. ὅπη ) is right, the phrase is harsh beyond example. ποῖ, ὅποι , instead of ποῦ, ὅπου , are often boldly used, when the verb implies either ( a ) motion , as 227

καταθήσεις

, 476

τελευτῆσαι

, Eur. Bacch. 184

καθιστάναι

, etc.; or ( b ) patience up to a point, as Aristoph. Lys. 526

ποῖ γὰρ καὶ χρῆν ἀναμεῖναι;

But it is hard to see how ὅποι κατοικτιοῦσιν could mean " how far they will prolong (thy woes) before they pity them." To supply προελθόντας or προαγαγόντες is to cut the knot. If the phrase meant anything, it ought rather to mean, " up to what point they will pity them." As in 335

ποῖ

is a MS. error for ποῦ , so here ὅποι for ὅπου (Wecklein prefers ὅπῃ , "in what way"). Note that, in this context, πόνους = the woes of Oed. generally (mental and physical), not merely his toils in wandering: this is against the emend. κατοικιοῦσιν .

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

338. mvp-comment-191-1 φύσιν .. τροφάς In character and mode of life.

338. mvp-comment-191-2 Hdt. 2. 35, Αἰγύπτιοι.. τὰ πολλὰ πάντα ἔμπαλιν τοῖσι ἀλλοῖσι ἀνθρώποισι ἐστήσαντο ἤθεα καὶ νόμους.

338. mvp-comment-191-3 ἐν τοῖσι αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες ἀγοράζουσι καὶ καπηλεύουσι· οἱ δὴ ἄνδρες, κατ' οἴκους ἐόντες, ὑφαίνουσι.

341. mvp-comment-192-1 τάξω βίου τροφεῖα The outdoor means of supporting life. Cp.

341. mvp-comment-192-2 πυρεῖα, means of obtaining fire. There is a slight redundancy in βίου τροφεία. Cp. 343, κατ' οἶκον οἰκουροῦσιν, and see Essay on Language § 40. p. 75.

342. mvp-comment-193-1 σφῶν δ᾽ And in your case. Dat. of relation: i. e. You find it so. Some editors, taking σφῷν as gen., suppose the dual to be used of the two pairs of children.

344. mvp-comment-194-1 κακά For the accusative. see Essay on Language § 16. p. 23, and cp. O. T. 264, τάδ᾽ ὡσπερεὶ τοὐμοῦ πατρὸς | ὑπερμαχοῦμαι. δυστήνου (sc. ἐμοῦ) agrees κατὰ σύνεσιν with ἐμά, but is also resumed with ὑπερπονεῖτον.

345. mvp-comment-195-1 Antigone had followed her father as soon as she had the strength.

351. mvp-comment-196-1 ἡγεῖται The sentence returns to the indicative from the participial construction. Essay on Language p. 64. 1, b.

351. mvp-comment-196-2 τὰ τῆς οἴκοι διαίτης (1) The comforts of the life at home, or (2) What subsistence she herself may find; cp. Τr. 730, ᾧ μηδέν ἐστ᾽ οἴκοι βαρύ.

355. mvp-comment-197-1 ἃ τοῦδ᾽ ἐχρήσθη σώματος] 'Which were given respecting me. Essay on Language § 9. p. 13. The context shows that the oracle here referred to was one obtained by the Thebans respecting Oedipus after they had sent him forth. The plot of the O. C. does not permit us to suppose that Creon had waited for the response, according to O. T. 1438-1439, before hastening the king's exile. This oracle directed the course of Oedipus towards Athens.

356. mvp-comment-198-1 γῆς ὅτ᾽ ἐξηλαυνόμην The order of events is inverted in the narration. Essay on Language p. 78.

358. mvp-comment-199-1 τίς σ᾽ ἐξῆρεν οἴκοθεν στόλος A figurative inversion of the common expression, αἴρειν στόλον, What errand sped thee from home?

360. mvp-comment-200-1 μὴ οὐχί, κ.τ.λ. Added in explanation of κενή. οὐχί is added because of the previous oὔ. Essay on Language p. 49.

362. mvp-comment-201-1 Seeking how thou wast maintained or where.' ποῦ κατοικοίης defines the notion of τροφήν.

363. mvp-comment-202-1 παρεῖσ᾽ ἐάσω Cp. Ο. Τ. 283, μὴ παρῇς τὸ μὴ οὐ φράσαι.

365. mvp-comment-203-1 ἀμφὶ .. παίδοιν Dative. ‘Encompassing your wretched sons.'

367-369. mvp-comment-204-1 This passage has been generally regarded as corrupt, and ἦν ἔρις has been changed to ἦν ἔρως, ἦν ὅρος, ἤρεσεν. Some edd., including Meineke, who reads κραίνεσθαι, explain, They contended with Creon, urging that the throne should be left vacant. And the authors of the punctuation in AV³ and of the gloss ὁ τε πλεονάζει, must have so taken the words. But, as this gloss indicates, the expression Κρέοντί τε for πρὸς Κρέοντα is not quite natural or harmonious here. And the antithesis of ἔρις κακή in what follows, assisted by the parallelism of construction, ἐᾶσθαι.. λαβέσθαι. isstrongly in favour of the MS. reading. ἔρις may be supported by supposing the brothers to have jointly resisted a party amongst the citizens who desired that one of them should take his father's throne. Cp. Thuc. 6. 35, τοῖς δέ (sc. ἔρις ἦν). Beforetime their contention was that they should relinquish -to Creon their rights in the throne, and that the city should not suffer pollution; professing in their argument to have regard to the ancient ruin of their race, etc. ἐᾶσθαι is middle voice. Cp. λαβέσθαι infr. For λόγῳ, cp. infr. 1296, οὔτε νικήσας λόγῳ. And for τε.. μηδὲ Eur. Iph. Τ. 697, ὄνομά τ᾽ ἐμοῦ γένοιτ' ἂν οὐδ᾽ ἄπαις δόμος | πατρῷος οὑμὸς ἐξαλειφθείη ποτ᾿ ἄv. Essay on Language p. 65.

371. mvp-comment-205-1 *ἀλειτηροῦ Although ἀλιτήριος has the first short, ἀλειτηρός may be defended by comparing ἀλείτης, ἄλοιτος. Eustathius mentions ἀλιτηρός as a word used by Sophocles. If any change is needed, ἀλειτηροῦ, which is partly supported by the reading ἀλητηροῦ, is the most probable. The heaven-sent infatuation, which leads to their destruction, is assisted by their own evil mind.

374. mvp-comment-206-1 χὼ μὲν νεάζων And the younger spirit.' The participle implies youthful qualities (impetuosity, ambition etc.), as well as the fact of being the younger. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 713, μῶν νεάζων οὐχ ὁρᾷς ἃ χρή σ᾽ ὁρᾶν, addressed to Eteocles.

376. mvp-comment-207-1 Pherecydes and Hellanicus differed about this. See Schol. Eur. Phoen. 71.

377. mvp-comment-208-1 ὁ πληθύων Lit. the more numerous, i. e. having the majority of voices. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 860.

378. mvp-comment-209-1 τὸ κοῖλον Ἄργος The hollow vale of Argos. Cp. infr. 1301, Ἄργος ἐς τὸ Δωρικόν.

381. mvp-comment-210-1 ὡς αὐτίκ᾿Ἄργος κ.τ.λ. For the construction, see Essay on Language § 21. p. 44, and cp. O. T. 101, ὡς τόδ' αἷμα χειμάζον πόλιν. It has been suggested to read αὐτός for Ἄργος, (with καθέξων in 381), but the words express the motive held out to the Argive followers of Polynices, to whom he would naturally represent the struggle as one between their city and Thebes. Cp. infr. 1325, ἄγω τὸν Ἄργους ἄφοβον εἰς Θήβας στρατόν.

381. mvp-comment-210-2 τὸ Καδμεῖον πέδον Καδμεῖον here, as in Ο. Τ. 29, δῶμα Καδμεῖον, is the more poetical reading.

381. mvp-comment-210-3 τιμῇ καθέξον Το obtain with honour.' For τιμῇ = ἐντίμως, see Essay on Language § 14. p. 20.

381. mvp-comment-210-4 ἢ πρὸς οὐρανὸν βιβῶν Or to raise it to heaven. According to the frequent vaunt of the Homeric heroes, ἠε τῳ εὖχος ὀρέξομεν, ἠε τις ἡμῖν. ΙΙ. 12. 328, 13. 487. Cp. Aesch. S. c. T. 46. ἢ πόλει κατασκαφὰς θέντες λαπάξειν ἄστυ Καδμείων βίᾳ | ἢ γῆν θανόντες τήνδε φυράσειν φύνῳ. Should the expedition fail, the splendour of the Argive host would be the measure of the glory of the Cadmeans.

382. mvp-comment-211-1 ἀριθμὸς.. λόγων A mere heaping together of words. Cp. Eur. Eu Tro. 476, οὐκ ἀριθμὸν ἄλλως, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπερτάτους Φρυγῶν.

383. mvp-comment-212-1 ὅποι At what point? i.e. how long they must first continue. A pregnant expression, like ἡ μάχη ἐτελεύτα ἕως ὀψέ, Thuc. 3. 108. Cp. El. 958, ποῖ γὰρ μενεῖς ῥάθυμος;

Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 337

ed. Francis Storr

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Current edition Experimental

Οἰδίπους

OED

Oedipus.

Ismene
(Edi. Hast thou no hope they'll pity me ?

Ismene

An outcast from my country, thou daredst stand

My faithful guard. Now therefore what the cause.

That thou art come? What tidings dost thou bear,

Ismene

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Current edition Experimental

Οἰδίπους

OED

Oedipus.

Ismene (Edi. Hast thou no hope they'll pity me ?

Ismene An outcast from my country, thou daredst stand My faithful guard. Now therefore what the cause. That thou art come? What tidings dost thou bear,

Ismene

Commentary

Stable identifiers

Ismene
(Edi. Hast thou no hope they'll pity me ?

Ismene

An outcast from my country, thou daredst stand

My faithful guard. Now therefore what the cause.

That thou art come? What tidings dost thou bear,