Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, ed. Francis Storr, 960

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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.

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)) — 960 focus

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

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 960 focus

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

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 960 focus

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.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 960 focus

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 ;

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 960 focus

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

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 960 focus

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

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-709-1 τοῦ ¹

mvp-comment-710-1 μοι ²

mvp-comment-710-2 διῆκας ³

mvp-comment-711-1 ἄκων ⁴

mvp-comment-711-2 θεοῖς ⁵

mvp-comment-712-1 ἄν ⁶

mvp-comment-713-1 ἐπεὶ καθ’ αὑτόν γ’ ⁷

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 ⁸

mvp-comment-714-2 εἴ τι θέσφατον ⁹

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 ¹⁰

mvp-comment-716-1 οὔτε...οὐ ¹¹

mvp-comment-716-2 βλάστας ¹²

mvp-comment-717-1 φανεὶς δύστηνος ¹³

mvp-comment-717-2 ἐγὼ )φάνην ¹⁴

mvp-comment-718-1 ἐς χεῖρας ¹⁵

mvp-comment-719-1 μηδὲν ¹⁶

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 ¹⁷

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 ¹⁸

mvp-comment-723-1 εἰς τόδ’ ἐξελθ. ἀνόσιον στόμα ¹⁹

mvp-comment-723-2 ἀνόσιον στόμα ²⁰

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 ²¹

mvp-comment-724-3 αὑτῆς ὄνειδος ²²

mvp-comment-725-1 δυσστομεῖν ²³

mvp-comment-726-1 ἄκων ²⁴

mvp-comment-727-1 ἀλλ’ οὐ γὰρ ²⁵

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 ²⁶

mvp-comment-728-2 φόνους ²⁷

mvp-comment-729-1 ἄμειψαι ²⁸

mvp-comment-730-1 εἴ τις … κτείνοι ²⁹

mvp-comment-730-2 αὐτίκα ³⁰

mvp-comment-730-3 τὸν δίκ ³¹

mvp-comment-731-1 δοκῶ μέν ³²

mvp-comment-732-1 περιβλέποις ³³

mvp-comment-733-1 εἰσέβην ³⁴

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 ³⁵

mvp-comment-733-4 ἐμοί ³⁶

mvp-comment-733-5 ἂν ³⁷ ἀντειπεῖν ³⁸

mvp-comment-733-6 ἐγὼ οὐδὲ ³⁹

mvp-comment-734-1 πατρὸς ψυχὴν … ζῶσαν ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-734-2 ψυχή ⁴¹

mvp-comment-735-1 ἅπαν ⁴²

mvp-comment-735-2 καλὸν ⁴³

mvp-comment-735-3 ῥητὸν ἄρρ ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-736-1 τὸ Θ. ὄνομα θωπ ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-736-2 θωπεῦσαι ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-736-3 καλόν ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-737-1 ὡς κατῴκηνται καλῶς ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-738-1 κᾆθ’ ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-738-2 πολλὰ ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-739-1 εἴ τις γῆ θεοὺς ⁵¹

mvp-comment-740-1 τῷδ’ ⁵²

mvp-comment-741-1 κλέψας ⁵³

mvp-comment-742-1 ἐχειροῦ ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-742-2 οἴχει ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-743-1 κατασκήπτω λιταῖς ⁵⁶

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

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.

Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 960

ed. Francis Storr

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