Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, ed. Francis Storr, 421

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Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οἱ θεοί σφιν μήτε τὴν πεπρωμένην

ἔριν κατασβέσειαν, ἔν τʼ ἐμοὶ τέλος

αὐτοῖν γένοιτο τῆσδε τῆς μάχης πέρι,

ἧς νῦν ἔχονται κἀπαναίρονται δόρυ·

ὡς οὔτʼ ἂν ὃς νῦν σκῆπτρα καὶ θρόνους ἔχει
425

μείνειεν οὔτʼ ἂν οὑξεληλυθὼς πάλιν

ἔλθοι ποτʼ αὖθις· οἵ γε τὸν φύσαντʼ ἐμὲ

οὕτως ἀτίμως πατρίδος ἐξωθούμενον

οὐκ ἔσχον οὐδʼ ἤμυναν, ἀλλʼ ἀνάστατος

αὐτοῖς ἐπέμφθην κἀξεκηρύχθην φυγάς.
430

εἴποις ἂν ὡς θέλοντι τοῦτʼ ἐμοὶ τότε

πόλις τὸ δῶρον εἰκότως κατῄνεσεν.

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί τοι τὴν μὲν αὐτίχʼ ἡμέραν,

ὁπηνίκʼ ἔζει θυμός, ἥδιστον δέ μοι

τὸ κατθανεῖν ἦν καὶ τὸ λευσθῆναι πέτροις,
435

οὐδεὶς ἔρωτʼ ἐς τόνδʼ ἐφαίνετʼ ὠφελῶν·

χρόνῳ δʼ, ὅτʼ ἤδη πᾶς ὁ μόχθος ἦν πέπων,

κἀμάνθανον τὸν θυμὸν ἐκδραμόντα μοι

μείζω κολαστὴν τῶν πρὶν ἡμαρτημένων,

τὸ τηνίκʼ ἤδη τοῦτο μὲν πόλις βίᾳ
440

ἤλαυνέ μʼ ἐκ γῆς χρόνιον, οἱ δʼ ἐπωφελεῖν,

οἱ τοῦ πατρός, τῷ πατρὶ δυνάμενοι, τὸ δρᾶν

οὐκ ἠθέλησαν, ἀλλʼ ἔπους σμικροῦ χάριν

φυγάς σφιν ἔξω πτωχὸς ἠλώμην ἀεί.

ἐκ ταῖνδε δʼ, οὔσαιν παρθένοιν, ὅσον φύσις
445

δίδωσιν αὐταῖν, καὶ τροφὰς ἔχω βίου

καὶ γῆς ἄδειαν καὶ γένους ἐπάρκεσιν·

τὼ δʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ φύσαντος εἱλέσθην θρόνους

καὶ σκῆπτρα κραίνειν καὶ τυραννεύειν χθονός.

ἀλλʼ οὔ τι μὴ λάχωσι τοῦδε συμμάχου,
450

οὐδέ σφιν ἀρχῆς τῆσδε Καδμείας ποτὲ

ὄνησις ἥξει· τοῦτʼ ἐγῷδα, τῆσδέ τε

μαντεῖʼ ἀκούων συννοῶν τε τἀξ ἐμοῦ

παλαίφαθʼ ἁμοὶ Φοῖβος ἤνυσέν ποτε.

πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ Κρέοντα πεμπόντων ἐμοῦ
455

μαστῆρα, κεἴ τις ἄλλος ἐν πόλει σθένει.

ἐὰν γὰρ ὑμεῖς, ὦ ξένοι, θέληθʼ ὁμοῦ

προστάτισι ταῖς σεμναῖσι δημούχοις θεαῖς

ἀλκὴν ποεῖσθαι, τῇδε τῇ πόλει μέγαν

σωτῆρʼ ἀρεῖσθε, τοῖς δʼ ἐμοῖς ἐχθροῖς πόνους.
460

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)) — 421 focus

ἀλλʼ οἱ θεοί σφι μήτε τὴν πεπρωμένην

ἔριν κατασβέσειαν, ἐν δʼ ἐμοὶ τέλος

αὐτοῖν γένοιτο τῆσδε τῆς μάχης πέρι,

ἧς νῦν ἔχονται κἀπαναιροῦνται δόρυ·

ὡς οὔτʼ ἂν ὃς νῦν σκῆπτρα καὶ θρόνους ἔχει
425

μείνειεν, οὔτʼ ἂν οὑξεληλυθὼς πάλιν

[102 a.

ἔλθοι ποτʼ αὖθις· οἵ γε τὸν φύσαντʼ ἐμὲ

οὕτως ἀτίμως πατρίδος ἐξωθούμενον

οὐκ ἔσχον οὐδʼ ἤμυναν, ἀλλʼ ἀνάστατος

αὐτοῖν ἐπέμφθην κἀξεκηρύχθην φυγάς,
430

εἴποις ἂν ὡς θέλοντι τοῦτʼ ἐμοὶ τότε

πόλις τὸ δῶρον εἰκότως κατήνυσεν.

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί τοι τὴν μὲν αὐτίχʼ ἡμέραν,

ὁπηνίκʼ ἔζει θυμός, ἥδιστον δέ μοι

τὸ κατθανεῖν ἦν καὶ τὸ λευσθῆναι πέτροις,
435

οὐδεὶς ἔρωτος τοῦδʼ ἐφαίνετʼ ὠφελῶν·

χρόνῳ δʼ, ὅτʼ ἤδη πᾶς ὁ μόχθος ἦν πέπων,

κἀμάνθανον τὸν θυμὸν ἐκδραμόντα μοι

μείζω κολαστὴν τῶν πρὶν ἡμαρτημένων,

τὸ τηνίκʼ ἤδη τοῦτο μὲν πόλις βίᾳ
440

ἤλαυνέ μʼ ἐκ γῆς χρόνιον, οἱ δʼ ἐπωφελεῖν,

οἱ τοῦ πατρός, τῷ πατρὶ δυνάμενοι, τὸ δρᾶν

οὐκ ἠθέλησαν, ἀλλʼ ἔπους σμικροῦ χάριν

φυγάς σφιν ἔξω πτωχὸς ἠλώμην ἀεί·

ἐκ ταῖνδε δʼ, οὔσαιν παρθένοιν, ὅσον φύσις
445

δίδωσιν αὐταῖν, καὶ τροφὰς ἔχω βίου

καὶ γῆς ἄδειαν καὶ γένους ἐπάρκεσιν·

τὼ δʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ φύσαντος εἱλέσθην θρόνους

καὶ σκῆπτρα κραίνειν καὶ τυραννεύειν χθονός.

ἀλλʼ οὔ τι μὴ λάχωσι τοῦδε συμμάχου,
450

οὔτε σφιν ἀρχῆς τῆσδε Καδμείας ποτὲ

ὄνησις ἥξει· τοῦτʼ ἐγῷδα, τῆσδέ τε

μαντεῖʼ ἀκούων, συννοῶν * τε τἀξ ἐμοῦ

παλαίφαθʼ, ἁμοὶ Φοῖβος ἤνυσέν ποτε.

πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ Κρέοντα πεμπόντων ἐμοῦ
455

μαστῆρα, κεἴ τις ἄλλος ἐν πόλει σθένει.

ἐὰν γὰρ ὑμεῖς, ὦ ξένοι, θέλητέ μου

πρὸς ταῖσδε ταῖς σεμναῖσι δημούχοις θεαῖς

ἀλκὴν ποιεῖσθαι, τῇδε μὲν πόλει μέγαν

σωτῆρʼ ἀρεῖσθε, τοῖς δʼ ἐμοῖς ἐχθροῖς πόνους.
460

Χορός

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 421 focus

Then I pray Heaven

The fury of their fate-appointed strife

May ne’er be quenched, but that the end may come

According to my wish upon them twain

To this contention and arbitrament

Of battle which they now assay and lift
425

The threatening spear! So neither he who wields

The sceptred power should keep possession still,

Nor should his brother out of banishment

Ever return:—who, when their sire—when I

Was shamefully thrust from my native land,

Checked not my fall nor saved me, but, for them,
430

I was driven homeless and proclaimed an exile.

Ye will tell me ’twas in reason that the State

Granted this boon to my express desire.

Nay; for in those first hours of agony,

When my heart raged, and it seemed sweetest to me
435

To die the death, and to be stoned with stones,

No help appeared to yield me that relief.

But after lapse of days, when all my pain

Was softened, and I felt that my hot spirit

Had run to fierce excess of bitterness

In wreaking mine offence—then, then the State
440

Drove me for ever from the land, and they,

Their father’s sons, who might have saved their father,

Cared not to help him, but betrayed by them,

For lack of one light word, I wandered forth

To homeless banishment and beggary.
445

But these weak maidens to their nature’s power
445

Have striven to furnish me with means to live

And dwell securely, girded round with love.

My sons have chosen before their father’s life

A lordly throne and sceptred sovereignty.

But never shall they win me to their aid,
450

Nor shall the Theban throne for which they strive

Bring them desired content. That well I know,

Comparing with my daughter’s prophecies

Those ancient oracles which Phoebus once

Spake in mine ear. Then let them send to seek me

Creon, or who is strongest in their State.
455

For if ye, strangers, will but add your might

To the protection of these awful Powers,

The guardians of your soil, to shelter me,

Ye shall acquire for this your State a saviour

Mighty to save, and ye shall vex my foes.
460

CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 421 focus

So mag den Zwiespalt, über sie vom Loos verhängt,

Niemals die Gottheit löschen, und bei mir allein

Das Ende ruh'n des Kampfes, der die Brüder theilt,

Die nun mit aufgehob'nem Speer einander droh'n,

Daß weder er, den heute Thron und Scepter schmückt,
420

Fest stehe, noch der Ausgetrieb'ne je zurück

Zur Stadt gelange! Haben sie den Vater doch,

Der aus dem Land so schmählich ausgestoßen ward,

Nicht aufgehalten, nicht geschirmt; ich ward verjagt,

Verbannt mit Heroldsrufen, und sie duldeten's.
425

Man könnte sagen, daß die Stadt in jener Zeit

Mir das mit Recht gewährte, was ich selbst erbat.

In keiner Weise: denn an jenem Tage gleich,¹

Da noch der Unmuth glühte, ja das Liebste mir

Gewesen wäre jäher Tod und Steinigung,
430

Erschien mir Niemand diesen Liebesdienst zu thun.

Doch als die Zeit schon allen Harm besänftiget,

Und ich erkannte, daß der Zorn mir ausgeschweift

Zu Züchtigungen, schwerer noch denn meine Schuld :

Da trieb gewaltsam aus dem Lande mich die Stadt
435

Nach langer Zeit erst, und des Vaters Söhne, die

Dem Vater helfen konnten, sie verweigerten

Die Hülfe, ließen, statt mit kurzem Worte mich

Zu schirmen, mich als Bettler flieh'n in fremdes Land.

Von diesen schwachen Mädchen hier wird Iegliches,
440

Wie's ihr Geschlecht verstattet, Lebensunterhalt,

Ein sichrer Siz und Kindeshülfe mir gewährt.

Die Söhne zogen Thron und Stab dem Vater vor,

Und schalten lieber als die Herrn im Lande dort.

Doch meine Hülfe leih' ich ihnen nimmermehr;
445

Nie soll die Herrschaft über Kadmos' Land für sie

Ein Segen sein: das weiß ich, wenn ich diesen Spruch,

Den du verkündest, Tochter, und das alte Wort

Erwäge, das mir Phöbos einst verkündet hat.²

Drum mögen sie den Kreon, und wenn Einer sonst
450

Im Land Gewalt hat, senden, um nach mir zu späh'n.

Denn wollet ihr nur, Freunde, samt den Göttinnen,

Den Hehren, die in diesem Lande, walten, mir

Beistand gewähren, dann gewinnt ihr eurer Stadt

Den starken Helfer, meinen Feinden Schmach und Noth.
455

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 421 focus

Oh ! may the gods doom them to endless strife ;

Ne'er may the battle cease till CEdipus

Himself shall end it ; then, nor he who bears

The sceptre now, should long maintain the throne,

Nor Polynices e'er to Thebes return ;
425

They should not live who drove a parent forth

To misery and exile, left by those

Who should have loved, supported, and revered him ;

I know they say the city but complied

With my request — I asked for banishment ;

Not then I asked it. In my desperate mind,

When first I raged, I wished indeed for death ;

It had been grateful then, but no kind friend

Would minister the boon. At length my grief
435

Gave way, and when they saw my troubled soul

Had taken ample vengeance on itself.

After long stay, the city drove me forth ;

And those who could have saved me, my base sons,

Deaf to a father's prayers, permit me still

To roam abroad in poverty and exile.

From these alone, far as their tender sex

Can help me, I receive the means of life.

All the sweet comfort, food, or needful rest
445

Earth can afford me now, whilst to my sons

A throne was dearer than a father's love ;

But they shall never gain me for their friend,

Ne'er reign in Thebes — these oracles declare

They never shall. I do remember too

Another prophecy which Phcebus erst

Delivered to me : let 'em send their Creon,

Or any other powerful citizen.

To drag me hence ; my hospitable friends,
455

If to those all-protecting deities

Who here preside you too will lend your aid,

Athens shall find in me its best defence,

And vengeance strike the foes of CEilipus.

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 421 focus

The flames of this contention may the gods

Never extinguish; but to me be giv'n

The issue of this fated war, which now

They wage, with mutual fury lifting each

The hostile spear against the other's breast:V

So should not he, the sceptre and the crown
425

Who now possesses, hold them long; nor he,
425

Who flying left his country, e'er return;...

For they their father, with disgrace thrust forth,

Sustain'd not, nor protected; but by them

In this ill plight driv'n out I was proclaim'd

An exile. Thou wilt say, at my request

This, as a grace, the state then granted. No:
430

It was not so: for at the time when grief

Inflamed my soul to madness, when to die

Had been most welcome to me, and with stones

To have been crush'd, then not a man came forth

To gratify my wish: but when my grief

Was soften'd by the lenient hand of time,
435

And I discern'd that my now ebbing rage

Had punish'd more than my offence deserved,

Then, after this long interval, the state

Drove me by force an outcast from the land;

And these my sons, who then had pow'r to aid

Their father, will'd not to exert that pow'r;
440

But e'en a little word not deign'd, by them

Compell'd I wander thus, and beg my bread.

But from these virgins, far as nature gives

Their sex the pow'r to aid me, I receive

Food that sustains my life, upon the earth

Rest without fear, and all the dear supports
445

Children can yield a parent. But my sons,

Of filial piety regardless, grasp

At sceptres, thrones, and sovereign rule o'er Thebes.

But me they shall not win to league with them;

Nor shall th' imperial pow'r on them devolve

What may advantage them; this well I know,
450

Hearing the oracles she now relates,

And pondering the responses which the god

Of old announced to me. Let them then send

Creon to seek me here, or in their state

Who else is potent, me they shall not move.

If you, O strangers, with these awful pow'rs
455

Residing here, with your protection deign

To shield me, to your state you will procure

Much succour, and confusion to my foes.

Thee and thy daughters: but conversing thus

Since thou hast urged the safety of our state,

Things, which import thy good I would advise.
460

Oedipus

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 421 focus

Oedipus

Then may the gods not quench their fated strife, and may it fall to me to decide this war on which they are now setting their hands, raising spear against spear!

For then neither would he who now holds the scepter and the throne survive, nor would the exile ever return; seeing that when I, their father, was being thrust without honor from my country, they did not stop or defend me. No, they saw me sent forth homeless,
425

and heard the crier proclaim my sentence of exile.
Perhaps you will say that that was my own wish then, and that the city fittingly granted me that gift. Not so! For on that first day, when my heart seethed,
430

and my sweetest wish was for death—indeed, death by stoning—no one was found to help me in that desire. But after a time, when all my anguish was now softened, and when I began to feel that my heart had been excessive in punishing those past errors,
435

then it was that the city set about to drive me by force from the land, after all that time. And my sons, when they had the strength to bring help—sons to their own father—they would not do it. For lack of one little word from them, I was left to wander, an outcast and a beggar forever.
440

Instead, it is from these, maidens as they are, insofar as nature enables them, that I obtain my daily food, and a shelter in the land, and the aid of family. Their brothers have bartered their father for the throne, the scepter of power, and the rule of the realm.
445

No, never will they win Oedipus for an ally, nor will good ever come to them from this reign at Thebes ; that I know, when I hear this maiden’s oracles and reflect on the old prophecies stored in my own mind, which Phoebus has fulfilled for me at last.
450

Therefore let them send Creon to seek me—or whoever else is mighty in Thebes . For if you, strangers, with the help of the dread goddesses who reign among your district, are willing to defend me, you will obtain a great savior for this city,
455

and troubles for my enemies.
460

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-313-1 ἀλλ’ ¹

mvp-comment-313-2 σφιν ²

mvp-comment-313-3 τὴν πεπρωμένην ³

mvp-comment-314-1 ἐν δ’ ⁴

mvp-comment-314-2 ἐν ἐμοί ⁵

mvp-comment-315-1 κἀπαναίρονται ⁶

mvp-comment-315-2 ἐπαναιροῦνται δόρυ ⁷

mvp-comment-316-1 ὡς ⁸

mvp-comment-317-1 οἵ γε ⁹

mvp-comment-318-1 ἀτίμως ¹⁰

mvp-comment-319-1 οὐκ ἔσχον ¹¹

mvp-comment-319-2 ἤμυναν ¹²

mvp-comment-319-3 ἀνάστατος ¹³

mvp-comment-320-1 αὐτοῖν ¹⁴

mvp-comment-320-2 ἐξεκηρύχθην ¹⁵

mvp-comment-321-1 εἴποις ἂν ¹⁶

mvp-comment-321-2 θέλοντι ¹⁷

mvp-comment-321-3 τότε ¹⁸

mvp-comment-322-1 The ι in L's κατηίνυσεν speaks for κατῄνεσεν ,— clearly much fitter here than κατήνυσεν . Cp. 1633

καταίνεσον

, 1637

κατῄνεσεν

. The contrast is between exile imposed as a doom or granted as a boon,—not merely between a wish fulfilled or unfulfilled.

mvp-comment-323-1 ἡμέραν ¹⁹

mvp-comment-323-2 τὴν αὐτίχ’ ²⁰

mvp-comment-324-1 λευσθῆναι πέτροις ²¹

mvp-comment-325-1 ἔρωτ’ ἐς τόνδ’ ²³

mvp-comment-326-1 πέπων ²⁴

mvp-comment-327-1 ἐκδραμόντα ²⁶

mvp-comment-328-1 The gen. might be taken with μείζω , "a chastiser greater than the sins," i.e. "severer than they merited" (

ἢ κατὰ τὰ ἡμαρτ

.); but it is simpler to take it with κολαστήν , "too great a chastiser of the sins." As

μέγας θυμός

is "violent anger," so

θυμός

which is over-violent can be called

μείζων κολαστής

. The rhythm of the verse will not permit us to disjoin

μείζω

(as by a comma) from

κολαστήν

mvp-comment-329-1 τὸ τηνίκ’ ἤδη ²⁷

mvp-comment-329-2 τοῦτο μέν ²⁹

mvp-comment-330-1 χρόνιον ³⁰

mvp-comment-330-2 ἐπωφελεῖν ³¹

mvp-comment-331-1 οἱ τοῦ πατρὸς τῷ πατρί ³²

mvp-comment-331-2 τὸ δρᾶν ³³

mvp-comment-332-1 ἔπους σμικροῦ χάριν ³⁴

mvp-comment-333-1 σφιν ³⁵

mvp-comment-334-1 τοῖνδε ³⁶

mvp-comment-335-1 τροφάς ³⁷

mvp-comment-336-1 γῆς ἄδειαν ³⁸

mvp-comment-336-2 Nauck's

στέγης τ’ ἄδειαν

seems too suggestive of a fixed home to suit

τὸν πλανήτην

(3): Wecklein's

κοίτης τ’ ἄδειαν

makes a detail too prominent in this general acknowledgment. With regard to

βλάβης τ’

κἄτης ἄδειαν

(Blaydes), remark that

ἄδεια

never occurs with a gen. of that against which one is safe. The καὶ before

γῆς

seems genuine: were it absent, the

καὶ

before

τροφὰς

must answer to that before

γένους

. And, for a rhetorical passage, γῆς is in some degree confirmed by the assonance with

γένους

mvp-comment-336-3 γένους ³⁹

mvp-comment-337-1 The constr. is, εἱλέσθην θρόνους, καὶ κραίνειν σκῆπτρα , etc.

mvp-comment-337-2 κραίνειν ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-337-3 σκῆπτρα ⁴¹

mvp-comment-338-1 As most editors since Elmsley have allowed, the MS. οὔ τι ... οὔτε cannot be right. And οὔ τι ... οὐδέ is clearly more forcible than οὔτε ... οὔτε .

mvp-comment-338-2 λάχωσι ⁴²

mvp-comment-338-3 τοῦδε ⁴³

mvp-comment-338-4 συμμάχου ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-339-1 The oracle newly brought by Ismene is distinguished from the oracle given to Oedipus himself at Delphi in former years (see on 87

). He calls the former her oracle, because she brings it. Both oracles alike concern him. We must not, then, change τἀξ to τἀπ’ (

"concerning me"

mvp-comment-339-2 τὰ ἐξ ἐμοῦ παλαίφατα ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-339-3 ἐξ ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-340-1 ἤνυσεν ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-341-1 ὁμοῦ | προστάτισι ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-341-2 In the reading

θέλητέ μου

πρὸς ταῖσι ταῖς

, note these points: (1)

ἀλκήν μου ποιεῖσθαι

would not mean, "defend me," but rather "defend against me" (cp. on ): we must at least have μοι . (2) πρός yields no tolerable sense.

ὑμεῖς, πρὸς ταῖς θεαῖς

, "ye, in addition to the goddesses," ranks the Coloniates with, or above, their deities. The gloss

σύν

, written in L over

πρός

(whence it came into other MSS.), was a palliative. Nor could

πρός

mean here, "close to their shrine."

mvp-comment-341-3 For Dindorf's

ὁμοῦ

προστάτισι

it may be urged:—(1)

ταῖσι ταῖς

is in all MSS., which would be strange if

ταῖσδε ταῖς

were genuine; while

πρὸς ταῖσι ταῖς

is simply explained by

προστά

(

)

ισι ταῖς

. (2) A change of

προστάτισι

into

πρὸς ταῖσι

might have produced the change of

‐θ’ ὁμοῦ

into

‐τέ μου

. (3) After

ἐμοῦ

in 455 it is easy to dispense with the pronoun.—Cp. O. T. 882

θεὸν οὐ λήξω ποτὲ προστάταν ἴσχων

: Tr. 209

Ἀπόλλωνα προστάταν

: Porphyry Antr. Nymph. 12

νύμφαις ὑδάτων προστάτισιν

mvp-comment-342-1 δημούχοις ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-343-1 ἀλκὴν ποεῖσθαι ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-344-1 ἀρεῖσθε ⁵¹

mvp-comment-344-2 The ἐμῆς in L (where

τῆσδ’

perh. preceded

τοῖσδ’

) gives some colour to the conjecture

τῆς

(or

τοῖς

)

δὲ γῆς

: yet τοῖς δ’ ἐμοῖς seems right. Oedipus is following the train of thought in which benefits to Attica are bound up with retribution for his own wrongs ( 92 ); and he thus gives the Chorus another pledge that their interest is one with his. With

ἐμοῖς, τῇδε μὲν

is best in 459 : with

γῆς, τῇδε τῇ

would have been fitter.

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

424. mvp-comment-229-1 ἔχονται The present here rather marks the beginning than the continuance of the action. Take hold of,' i.e. obstinately engagein, rather than cling to, persevere in. Cp. ἔργου ἔχεσθαι.

424. mvp-comment-229-2 κἀπαναιροῦνται δόρυ. And are taking up the spear for battle.' As ἐπαναιρεῖσθαι φιλίαν, πόλεμον, are quite good expressions, there seems no reason to suspect this more literal use. And δόρυ, as elsewhere, almost = πόλεμον. ἐπαναίρονται is less suitable, for the sons of Oedipus, though preparing for the contest, are not actually engaged.

425. mvp-comment-230-1 ὡς οὔτ᾽ ἂν κ.τ.λ. This clause adds an explanation of ἐν ἐμοὶ τέλος γένοιτο, defining the manner of the end which Oedipus desired, and which he would bring about if the matter rested with him. May it be mine to determine the end-which I will determine in such a way that neither he who now holds the sceptre and the throne should remain,' etc ὡς (with the optative and av) is not here exactly equal to ἵνα with subjunctive or optative, which would mean ' (May it be mine to end it) that so neither he that holds the sceptre might remain,' etc. A slightly different way of taking the words is, May it be mine, etc:-so (since then) neither would he.etc.

426. mvp-comment-231-1 πάλιν Nor should he that is gone forth ever come back again.' The reading of Par. A, though only slightly supported by MS. authority, is possible. Cp. infr. 1372, and note. 'Nor should he that is gone forth ever be restored to his own city. But that in the text is simpler and more natur l. Cp infr. 601, ἔστιν δέ μοι | πάλιν κατελθεῖν μήποθ᾽, ὡς πατροκτόνῳ.

428. mvp-comment-232-1 So dishonoured by being thrust forth from my native land. For the expression of the predicate by an adverb, see Essay on Language § 24. p. 40; and cp. Plat. Rep 3.406 C, ὁ ἡμεῖς γελοίως οὐκ αἰσθανόμεθα.

429. mvp-comment-233-1 οὐκ ἔσχον Stayed me not, nor shielded me, but suffered me to be made a homeless outcast and proclaimed a banished man. For the dative αὐτοῖν, see Essay on Language § 13. p. 19. f.

432. mvp-comment-234-1 κατήνυσεν Fulfilled for me this boon, which I then desired. κατήνεσεν, assented to, accorded, the reading of B, is less forcible in the connection. The question is not one of promise but of performance. For the desire of Oedipus, see O. T. 1410 sqq., 1449 sqq.

436. mvp-comment-235-1 ἔρωτος τοῦδε In respect of this desire I found no helper. For the genitive, see Essay on Language § 9. p. 13. The genitive after ὠφελεῖσθαι, e. g. τοῦδε τοῦ νόμου, Antiphon, 131. 27, which has been quoted as parallel is really different from this, being a genitive of participation.

437. mvp-comment-236-1 When my grief was now all mellowed.' Cp. ὀργὴ πέπειρα, Τr. 728, and the metaphorical sense of ὠμός.

438-439. mvp-comment-237-1 And I began to know that my rage had run to excess and been too severe in chastising my former errors.' It is more probable that τῶν.. ἡμαρτημένων is genitive in regimen with κολαστήν than genitive of comparison after μείζω, (Aesch. Cho. 519), because μείζω thus receives an exclusive emphasis. Forμείζων, used thus absolutely, cp. Plat. Soph. 231 Α, μὴ μεῖζον αὐτοῖς προσάπτωμεν γέρας, and Heindorf's note.

441. mvp-comment-238-1 χρόνιον I say, after a time; resuming χρόνῳ (437), which contains the point of the sentence. The time is not imagined as being really long, though it seemed so to Oedipus. For a similar use of χρόνιος, cp Eur. Cycl. 249, χρόνιος δ᾽ εἴμ᾿ ἀπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων βορᾶς: Οr. 740.

443. mvp-comment-239-1 ἔπους σμικροῦ χάριν For a little word; i, e. For want of a little word, which they might have spoken for Cp. Eur. Or. 84, νεκρὸς γὰρ οὗτος οὔνεκα σμικρᾶς πνοῆς. He is a corpse, were it not for a little breath. And for a similar thought, Thuc. 3. 53, ὁ μὴ ῥηθεὶς λόγος τοῖς ὧδ᾽ ἔχουσιν αἰτίαν ἂν παράσχοι ὡς εἰ ἐλέχθη σωτήριος ἂν ἦν.

444. mvp-comment-240-1 σφιν Cp. αὐτοῖν, supra 430. 446-447. I have subsistence and a land where I can dwell safely.

448-449. mvp-comment-241-1 εἰλέσθην . . χθονός (1) Chose the possession of a throne, and to sway the sceptre, and to be sovereign over the land. This arrangement of the words gives a better rhythm than if (2) θρόνους is made to depend, with σκήπτρα, or κραίνειν. (3) Another explanation makes θρόνους and σκῆπτρα to be taken with εἱλέσθην, and also, in a secondary construction, with κραίνειν as epexegetic infinitive. Cp. O. Τ. 237, κράτη τε καὶ θρόνους νέμω. For the accusative, cp. the use of the passive verb in Phil. 140, παρ' ὅτῳ Διός σκῆπτρον ἀνάσσεται.

450. mvp-comment-242-1 τοῦδε Sc. ἐμοῦ.

451. mvp-comment-243-1 οὔτε σφιν It has been thought that either οὗ τι in 450 must be changed to οὔτε, or οὔτε here to οὐδέ. If so, the latter is preferable, for οὔ τι is expressive.

453. mvp-comment-244-1 συννοών *τε *τἀξ ἐμοῦ And comparing with them in thought those ancient oracles, which I bring from my own store, the same which Phoebus once accomplished upon me. Cp. supr. 93

453. mvp-comment-244-2 τὰ ἐξ ἐμοῦ, Which come from my side; i. e. in making the comparison. Cp. Τr. 631, τὸν πόθον τὸν ἐξ ἐμοῦ. The correction, although questioned by Dindorf, who supposes some deeper corruption of the text, is probable enough.

457-460. mvp-comment-245-1 ἐὰν γὰρ . . ἀρεῖσθε Cp. 72, ὡς ἄν, προσαρκῶν μικρά, κερδάνῃ μέγα: 647-648, ΘΗ. μέγ᾽ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα τῆς συνουσίας. ΟΙ. εἰ σοί γ᾽ ἅπερ φὴς ἐμμενεῖ τελοῦντί μοι: 815, τίς δ'᾽ ἄν με τῶνδε συμμάχων ἕλοι βίᾳ; 1206, ΟΙ. μόνον, ξέν', εἴπερ κεῖνος ὧδ᾽ ἐλεύσεται, μηδεὶς κρατείτω τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς ποτέ: 1489, 90, ΟΙ. ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἔπασχον εὖ, τελεσφόρον χάριν δοῦναί σφιν, ἥνπερ τυγχάνων ὑπεσχόμην. The extension of present aid is everywhere put forward as a condition of the permanent blessing. The task of defence which he here entreats them to undertake, is fulfilled by them in resisting Creon.

457. mvp-comment-246-1 μου is genitive of the object, for which see Essay on Language § 9. p. 12.

458. mvp-comment-247-1 πρὸς * ταῖσδε ταῖς σεμναῖσι δημούχοις θεαîs] In addition to these dread goddesses that protect your deme. This seems the most probable as it is the simplest emendation of this line. Others are πρὸς ταῖσι τρισσεμναῖσι, ὁμοῦ | προστάτισι ταῖς, ξὺν προστάταις. πρός harmonizes well with the emphatic ὑμεῖς. σύν has probably been inserted as a gloss L² has ταῖς σεπταῖσι.

459. mvp-comment-248-1 ἀλκὴν ποιεῖσθαι 'Το undertake defence,' like τὰς μήχας ποιούμενος, Εl. 302: ἐποιοῦντο βουλήν, Hdt. 6. 101.

459. mvp-comment-248-2 τῇδε μὲν πόλει This reading is preferred (1) for the antithesis; (2) because tῇ may be accounted for as a corruption of yῇ explaining πόλει.

460. mvp-comment-249-1 τοῖς δ᾽ ἐμοῖς ἐχθροῖς Oedipus reverts to his own personal objects, as in 308-309 (εὐτυχὴς ἵκοιτο τῇ θ᾽ αὑτοῦ πόλει ἐμοί τε). although, as in that passage, the chief stress is laid on what is mentioned first. At the same time he leaves it to be implied that his enemies are the enemies of Athens. Cp. infra 646, ἐν ᾧ κρατήσω τῶν ἔμ᾽ ἐκβεβληκότων. The corruption in Lis due to itacism. 461 ff. The coming of Theseus is still delayed, and the scruples of the chorus cannot be set at rest without some formal expiation on the part of Oedipus. The presence of Ismene enables this to be made without Oedipus or Antigone leaving the stage. She goes to perform this service, and the chorus continue harping on the interminable theme (adding the confessional to the sacrifice), when Theseus at last enters bringing with him a very different spirit. His coming clears the air at once.

Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 421

ed. Francis Storr