Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, ed. Francis Storr, 1-116

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Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ ταλαίπωρʼ Οἰδίπους, πύργοι μέν, οἳ

πόλιν στέγουσιν, ὡς ἀπʼ ὀμμάτων, πρόσω·
15

χῶρος δʼ ὅδʼ ἱερός, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι, βρύων

δάφνης, ἐλαίας, ἀμπέλου· πυκνόπτεροι δʼ

εἴσω κατʼ αὐτὸν εὐστομοῦσʼ ἀηδόνες·

οὗ κῶλα κάμψον τοῦδʼ ἐπʼ ἀξέστου πέτρου·

μακρὰν γὰρ ὡς γέροντι προὐστάλης ὁδόν.
20

Οἰδίπους

κάθιζέ νύν με καὶ φύλασσε τὸν τυφλόν.

Ἀντιγόνη

χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκʼ οὐ μαθεῖν με δεῖ τόδε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχεις διδάξαι δή μʼ ὅποι καθέσταμεν;

Ἀντιγόνη

τὰς γοῦν Ἀθήνας οἶδα, τὸν δὲ χῶρον οὔ.

Οἰδίπους

πᾶς γάρ τις ηὔδα τοῦτό γʼ ἡμὶν ἐμπόρων.
25

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ἦ μάθω μολοῦσά ποι;

Οἰδίπους

ναί, τέκνον, εἴπερ ἐστί γʼ ἐξοικήσιμος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ μὴν οἰκητός· οἴομαι δὲ δεῖν

οὐδέν· πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδε νῷν ὁρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ δεῦρο προσστείχοντα κἀξορμώμενον;
30

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖν παρόντα· χὤ τί σοι λέγειν

εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν, ἔννεφʼ, ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅδε.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἀκούων τῆσδε τῆς ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμοῦ

αὑτῆς θʼ ὁρώσης, οὕνεχʼ ἡμὶν αἴσιος

σκοπὸς προσήκεις ὧν ἀδηλοῦμεν φράσαι—
35

Ξένος

πρὶν νῦν τὰ πλείονʼ ἱστορεῖν, ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἕδρας

ἔξελθʼ· ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

τίς δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος; τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται;

Ξένος

ἄθικτος οὐδʼ οἰκητός· αἱ γὰρ ἔμφοβοι

θεαί σφʼ ἔχουσι, Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι.
40

Οἰδίπους

τίνων τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομʼ ἂν εὐξαίμην κλύων;

Ξένος

τὰς πάνθʼ ὁρώσας Εὐμενίδας ὅ γʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἂν

εἴποι λεώς νιν· ἄλλα δʼ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἵλεῳ μὲν τὸν ἱκέτην δεξαίατο·

ὡς οὐχ ἕδρας γῆς τῆσδʼ ἂν ἐξέλθοιμʼ ἔτι.
45

Ξένος

τί δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο;

Οἰδίπους

ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημʼ ἐμῆς.

Ξένος

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐμοί τοι τοὐξανιστάναι πόλεως

δίχʼ ἐστὶ θάρσος, πρίν γʼ ἂν ἐνδείξω τί δρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

πρός νυν θεῶν, ὦ ξεῖνε, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσῃς,

τοιόνδʼ ἀλήτην, ὧν σε προστρέπω φράσαι.
50

Ξένος

σήμαινε, κοὐκʼ ἄτιμος ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος δῆτʼ, ἐν ᾧ βεβήκαμεν;

Ξένος

ὅσʼ οἶδα κἀγὼ πάντʼ ἐπιστήσει κλύων·

χῶρος μὲν ἱερὸς πᾶς ὅδʼ ἔστʼ· ἔχει δέ νιν

σεμνὸς Ποσειδῶν· ἐν δʼ ὁ πυρφόρος θεὸς
55

Τιτὰν Προμηθεύς· ὃν δʼ ἐπιστείβεις τόπον,

χθονὸς καλεῖται τῆσδε χαλκόπους ὀδός,

ἔρεισμʼ Ἀθηνῶν· οἱ δὲ πλησίοι γύαι

τόνδʼ ἱππότην Κολωνὸν εὔχονται σφίσιν

ἀρχηγὸν εἶναι καὶ φέρουσι τοὔνομα
60

τὸ τοῦδε κοινὸν πάντες ὠνομασμένοι.

τοιαῦτά σοι ταῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὦ ξένʼ, οὐ λόγοις

τιμώμενʼ, ἀλλὰ τῇ ξυνουσίᾳ πλέον.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ γάρ τινες ναίουσι τούσδε τοὺς τόπους;

Ξένος

καὶ κάρτα, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐπώνυμοι.
65

Οἰδίπους

ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν ἢ ʼπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;

Ξένος

ἐκ τοῦ κατʼ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδʼ ἄρχεται.

Οἰδίπους

οὗτος δὲ τίς λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει κρατεῖ;

Ξένος

Θησεὺς καλεῖται, τοῦ πρὶν Αἰγέως τόκος.

Οἰδίπους

ἆρʼ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὸς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι;
70

Ξένος

ὡς πρὸς τί λέξων ἢ καταρτύσων μολεῖν;

Οἰδίπους

ὡς ἂν προσαρκῶν σμικρὰ κερδάνῃ μέγα.

Ξένος

καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;

Οἰδίπους

ὅσʼ ἂν λέγωμεν πάνθʼ ὁρῶντα λέξομεν.

Ξένος

οἶσθʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ὡς νῦν μὴ σφαλῇς; ἐπείπερ εἰ
75

γενναῖος, ὡς ἰδόντι, πλὴν τοῦ δαίμονος,

αὐτοῦ μένʼ οὗπερ κἀφάνης, ἕως ἐγὼ

τοῖς ἐνθάδʼ αὐτοῦ μὴ κατʼ ἄστυ δημόταις

λέξω τάδʼ ἐλθών· οἵδε γὰρ κρινοῦσί σοι

εἰ χρή σε μίμνειν ἢ πορεύεσθαι πάλιν.
80

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος;

Ἀντιγόνη

βέβηκεν, ὥστε πᾶν ἐν ἡσύχῳ, πάτερ,

ἔξεστι φωνεῖν, ὡς ἐμοῦ μόνης πέλας.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ πότνιαι δεινῶπες, εὖτε νῦν ἕδρας

πρώτων ἐφʼ ὑμῶν τῆσδε γῆς ἔκαμψʼ ἐγώ,
85

Φοίβῳ τε κἀμοὶ μὴ γένησθʼ ἀγνώμονες,

ὅς μοι, τὰ πόλλʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὅτʼ ἐξέχρη κακά,

ταύτην ἔλεξε παῦλαν ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ,

ἐλθόντι χώραν τερμίαν, ὅπου θεῶν

σεμνῶν ἕδραν λάβοιμι καὶ ξενόστασιν,
90

ἐνταῦθα κάμψειν τὸν ταλαίπωρον βίον,

κέρδη μὲν οἰκήσαντα τοῖς δεδεγμένοις,

ἄτην δὲ τοῖς πέμψασιν, οἵ μʼ ἀπήλασαν·

σημεῖα δʼ ἥξειν τῶνδέ μοι παρηγγύα,

ἢ σεισμὸν ἢ βροντήν τινʼ ἢ Διὸς σέλας,
95

ἔγνωκα μέν νυν ὥς με τήνδε τὴν ὁδὸν

οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐ πιστὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν πτερὸν

ἐξήγαγʼ εἰς τόδʼ ἄλσος· οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε

πρώταισιν ὑμῖν ἀντέκυρσʼ ὁδοιπορῶν,

νήφων ἀοίνοις, κἀπὶ σεμνὸν ἑζόμην
100

βάθρον τόδʼ ἀσκέπαρνον. ἀλλά μοι, θεαί,

βίου κατʼ ὀμφὰς τὰς Ἀπόλλωνος δότε

πέρασιν ἤδη καὶ καταστροφήν τινα,

εἰ μὴ δοκῶ τι μειόνως ἔχειν, ἀεὶ

μόχθοις λατρεύων τοῖς ὑπερτάτοις βροτῶν.
105

ἴτʼ, ὦ γλυκεῖαι παῖδες ἀρχαίου Σκότου,

ἴτʼ, ὦ μεγίστης Παλλάδος καλούμεναι

πασῶν Ἀθῆναι τιμιωτάτη πόλις,

οἰκτίρατʼ ἀνδρὸς Οἰδίπου τόδʼ ἄθλιον

εἴδωλον· οὐ γὰρ δὴ τόδʼ ἀρχαῖον δέμας.
110

Ἀντιγόνη

σίγα· πορεύονται γὰρ οἵδε δή τινες

χρόνῳ παλαιοί, σῆς ἕδρας ἐπίσκοποι.

Οἰδίπους

σιγήσομαί τε καὶ σύ μʼ ἐξ ὁδοῦ πόδα

κρύψον κατʼ ἄλσος, τῶνδʼ ἕως ἂν ἐκμάθω

τίνας λόγους ἐροῦσιν· ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν
115

ἔνεστιν ηὑλάβεια τῶν ποιουμένων.

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)) — 1 focus

τέκνον τυφλοῦ γέροντος Ἀντιγόνη, τίνας
1

χώρους ἀφίγμεθʼ, ἢ τίνων ἀνδρῶν πόλιν ;

τίς τὸν πλανήτην Οἰδίπουν καθʼ ἡμέραν

τὴν νῦν σπανιστοῖς δέξεται δωρήμασιν

σμικρὸν μὲν ἐξαιτοῦντα, τοῦ σμικροῦ δʼ ἔτι
5

μεῖον φέροντα, καὶ τόδʼ ἐξαρκοῦν ἐμοί;

στέργειν γὰρ αἱ πάθαι με χὠ χρόνος ξυνὼν

μακρὸς διδάσκει καὶ τὸ γενναῖον τρίτον.

ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, θάκησιν εἴ τινα βλέπεις,

ἢ πρὸς βεβήλοις ἢ πρὸς ἄλσεσιν θεῶν,
10

στῆσόν με κἀξίδρυσον, ὡς πυθοίμεθα

ὅπου ποτʼ ἐσμέν. μανθάνειν γὰρ ἥκομεν

ξένοι πρὸς ἀστῶν, ἃν *δʼ ἀκούσωμεν τελεῖν.

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ ταλαίπωρʼ Οἰδίπους, πύργοι μὲν οἳ

πόλιν στέγουσιν, ὡς ἀπʼ ὀμμάτων, πρόσω·
15

χῶρος δʼ ὅδʼ ἱρός, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι, βρύων

δάφνης, ἐλαίας, ἀμπέλου· πυκνόπτεροι δʼ

εἴσω κατʼ αὐτὸν εὐστομοῦσʼ ἀηδόνες.

οὗ κῶλα κάμψον τοῦδʼ ἐπʼ ἀξέστου πέτρου·

μακρὰν γὰρ ὡς γέροντι προὐστάλης ὁδόν.
20

Οἰδίπους

κάθιζέ νύν με καὶ φύλασσε τὸν τυφλόν.

Ἀντιγόνη

χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκʼ οὐ μαθεῖν με δεῖ τόδε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχεις διδάξαι δή μʼ ὅποι καθέσταμεν;

Ἀντιγόνη

τὰς γοῦν Ἀθήνας οἶδα, τὸν δὲ χῶρον οὔ.

Οἰδίπους

πᾶς γάρ τις ηὔδα τοῦτό *γʼ ἡμὶν ἐμπόρων.
25

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ἦ μάθω μολοῦσά ποι;

Οἰδίπους

ναί, τέκνον, εἴπερ ἐστί γʼ ἐξοικήσιμος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ μὴν οἰκητός. οἴομαι δὲ δεῖν

οὐδέν· πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδε νῷν ὁρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ δεῦρο προσστείχοντα κἀξορμώμενον ;
30

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖν παρόντα· χὤ τι σοι λέγειν

εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν, ἔννεφʼ, ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅδε.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἀκούων τῆσδε τῆς ὑπὲρ τʼ ἐμοῦ

αὑτῆς θʼ ὁρώσης, οὕνεχʼ ἡμὶν αἴσιος

σκοπὸς προσήκεις †τῶν ἀδηλοῦμεν φράσαι, —
35

Ξένος

πρίν νυν τὰ πλείονʼ ἱστορεῖν, ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἕδρας

ἔξελθʼ, ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

τίς δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος; τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται;

Ξένος

ἄθικτος οὐδʼ οἰκητός. αἱ γὰρ ἔμφοβοι

θεαί σφʼ ἔχουσι, Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι.
40

Οἰδίπους

τίνων τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομʼ ἂν εὐξαίμην κλύων ;

Ξένος

τὰς πάνθʼ ὁρώσας Εὐμενίδας ὅ γʼ ἐνθάδʼ *ἂν

εἴποι λεώς νιν· ἄλλα δʼ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά.

[97 b.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἵλεῳ μὲν *τὸν ἱκέτην δεξαίατο,

ὡς οὐχ ἕδρας γῆς τῆσδʼ ἂν ἐξέλθοιμʼ ἔτι.
45

Ξένος

τί δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο;

Οἰδίπους

ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημʼ ἐμῆς.

Ξένος

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μέντοι τοὐξανιστάναι πόλεως

δίχʼ ἐστὶ θάρσος, πρίν γʼ ἂν ἐνδείξω τί δρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

πρός νυν θεῶν, ὦ ξεῖνε, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσῃς,

τοιόνδʼ ἀλήτην, ὧν σε προστρέπω φράσαι.
50

Ξένος

σήμαινε, κοὐκ ἄτιμος ἐκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος δῆτʼ ἐν ᾧ βεβήκαμεν;

Ξένος

ὅσʼ οἶδα κἀγὼ πάντʼ ἐπιστήσει κλύων.

χῶρος μὲν ἱρὸς πᾶς ὅδʼ ἔστʼ· ἔχει δέ νιν

σεμνὸς Ποσειδῶν· ἐν δʼ ὁ πυρφόρος θεὸς
55

Τιτὰν Προμηθεύς· ὃν δʼ ἐπιστείβεις τόπον

χθονὸς καλεῖται τῆσδε χαλκόπους ὀδός,

ἔρεισμʼ Ἀθηνῶν· οἱ δὲ πλησίοι γύαι

τόνδʼ ἱππότην Κολωνὸν εὔχονται σφίσιν

ἀρχηγὸν εἶναι, καὶ φέρουσι τοὔνομα
60

τὸ τοῦδε κοινὸν πάντες ὠνομασμένοι.

τοιαῦτά σοι ταῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὦ ξένʼ, οὐ λόγοις

τιμώμενʼ, ἀλλὰ τῇ ξυνουσίᾳ πλέον.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ γάρ τινες ναίουσι τούσδε τοὺς τόπους ;

Ξένος

καὶ κάρτα, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐπώνυμοι.
65

Οἰδίπους

ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν, ἢ ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;

Ξένος

ἐκ τοῦ κατʼ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδʼ ἄρχεται.

Οἰδίπους

οὗτος δὲ τίς λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει κρατεῖ;

Ξένος

Θησεὺς καλεῖται, τοῦ πρὶν Αἰγέως τόκος.

Οἰδίπους

ἆρʼ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὸς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι;
70

Ξένος

ὡς πρὸς τί, λέξων ἢ καταρτύσων, μόλοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὡς ἂν προσαρκῶν μικρὰ κερδάνῃ μέγα.

Ξένος

καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;

Οἰδίπους

ὅσʼ ἂν λέγωμεν πάνθʼ ὁρῶντα λέξομεν.

Ξένος

οἶσθʼ, ὦ ξένʼ, ὡς νῦν μὴ σφαλῇς; ἐπείπερ εἶ
75

γενναῖος, ὡς ἰδόντι, πλὴν τοῦ δαίμονος·

αὐτοῦ μένʼ, οὗπερ κἀφάνης, ἕως ἐγὼ

τοῖσδʼ ἐνθάδʼ αὐτοῦ μὴ κατʼ ἄστυ δημόταις

λέξω τάδʼ ἐλθών. οἵδε γὰρ κρινοῦσί *τοι

ἢ χρή σε μίμνειν, ἢ πορεύεσθαι πάλιν.
80

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος;

Ἀντιγόνη

βέβηκεν, ὥστε πᾶν ἐν ἡσύχῳ, πάτερ,

ἔξεστι φωνεῖν, ὡς ἐμοῦ μόνης πέλας.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ πότνιαι δεινῶπες, εὖτε νῦν ἕδρας

πρώτων ἐφʼ ὑμῶν τῆσδε γῆς ἔκαμψʼ ἐγώ,
85

Φοίβῳ τε κἀμοὶ μὴ γένησθʼ ἀγνώμονες,

ὅς μοι, τὰ πόλλʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ὅτʼ ἐξέχρη κακά,

ταύτην ἔλεξε παῦλαν ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ,

ἐλθόντι χώραν τερμίαν, ὅπου θεῶν

σεμνῶν ἕδραν λάβοιμι καὶ ξενόστασιν,
90

ἐνταῦθα κάμψειν τὸν ταλαίπωρον βίον,

κέρδη μὲν οἰκήσαντα τοῖς δεδεγμένοις,

ἄτην δὲ τοῖς πέμψασιν, οἵ μʼ ἀπήλασαν·

σημεῖα δʼ ἥξειν τῶνδέ μοι παρηγγύα,

ἢ σεισμόν, ἢ βροντήν τινʼ, ἢ Διὸς σέλας.
95

ἔγνωκα μέν νυν ὥς με τήνδε τὴν ὁδὸν

οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως οὐ πιστὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν πτερὸν

ἐξήγαγʼ εἰς τόδʼ ἄλσος. οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε

πρώταισιν ὑμῖν ἀντέκυρσʼ ὁδοιπορῶν,

νήφων ἀοίνοις, κἀπὶ σεμνὸν ἑζόμην
100

βάθρον τόδʼ ἀσκέπαρνον. ἀλλά μοι, θεαί,

βίου κατʼ ὀμφὰς τὰς Ἀπόλλωνος δότε

πέρασιν ἤδη καὶ καταστροφήν τινα,

εἰ μὴ δοκῶ τι μειόνως ἔχειν ἀεὶ

μοχθοῖς λατρεύων τοῖς ὑπερτάτοις βροτῶν.
105

ἴτʼ, ὦ γλυκεῖαι παῖδες ἀρχαίου Σκότου,

ἴτʼ, ὦ μεγίστης Παλλάδος καλούμεναι

πασῶν Ἀθῆναι τιμιωτάτη πόλις,

οἰκτείρατʼ ἀνδρὸς Οἰδίπου τόδʼ ἄθλιον

εἴδωλον· οὐ γὰρ δὴ τό γʼ ἀρχαῖον δέμας.
110

Ἀντιγόνη

σίγα, πορεύονται γὰρ οἵδε δή τινες

χρόνῳ παλαιοί, σῆς ἕδρας ἐπίσκοποι.

Οἰδίπους

σιγήσομαί τε καὶ σύ μʼ ἐξ ὁδοῦ πόδα

κρύψον κατʼ ἄλσος, τῶνδʼ ἕως ἂν ἐκμάθω

τίνας λόγους ἐροῦσιν. ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν
115

ἔνεστιν ηὑλάβεια τῶν ποιουμένων.

Χορός
117-137

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1 focus

Antigone, child of the old blind sire,
1

What land is here, what people? Who to-day

Shall dole to Oedipus, the wandering exile,

Their meagre gifts? Little I ask, and less

Receive with full contentment; for my woes,
5

And the long years ripening the noble mind,

Have schooled me to endure.—But, O my child,

If thou espiest where we may sit, though near

Some holy precinct, stay me and set me there,
10

Till we may learn where we are come. ’Tis ours

To hear the will of strangers and to obey.

ANTIGONE

Woe-wearied father, yonder city’s wall

That shields her, looks far distant; but this ground
15

Is surely sacred, thickly planted over

With olive, bay and vine, within whose bowers

Thick-fluttering song-birds make sweet melody.

Here then repose thee on this unhewn stone.

Thou hast travelled far to-day for one so old.
20

OED

Seat me, my child, and be the blind man’s guard.

ANT

Long time hath well instructed me in that.

OED

Now, canst thou tell me where we have set our feet?

ANT

Athens I know, but not the nearer ground.

OED

Ay, every man that met us in the way
25

Named Athens.
25

ANT

Shall I go, then, and find out

The name of the spot?

OED

Yes, if ’tis habitable.

ANT

It is inhabited. Yet I need not go.

I see a man even now approaching here.

OED

How? Makes he towards us? Is he drawing nigh?

ANT

He is close beside us. Whatsoe’er thou findest

Good to be spoken, say it. The man is here.

OED
Enter an Athenian .

O stranger, learning from this maid, who sees

Both for herself and me, that thou art come

With timely light to clear our troubled thought—

ATHENIAN

Ere thou ask more, come forth from where thou sittest!

Ye trench on soil forbidden human tread.

OED

What soil? And to what Power thus consecrate?

ATH

None may go near, nor dwell there. ’Tis possessed

By the dread sisters, children of Earth and Night.

OED

What holy name will please them, if I pray?

ATH

‘All seeing Gentle Powers’ the dwellers here

Would call them. But each land hath its own rule.

OED

And gently may they look on him who now

Implores them, and will never leave this grove!

ATH

What saying is this?

OED

The watchword of my doom.

ATH

Yet dare I not remove thee, till the town

Have heard my purpose and confirm the deed.

OED

By Heaven, I pray thee, stranger, scorn me not,

Poor wanderer that I am, but answer me.

ATH

Make clear thy drift. Thou’lt get no scorn from me.

OED

Then, pray thee, tell me how ye name the place

Where now I sit.

ATH

The region all around
65

Is sacred. For ’tis guarded and possessed
65

By dread Poseidon, and the Titan mind
65

That brought us fire—Prometheus. But that floor
65

Whereon thy feet are resting, hath been called
65

The brazen threshold of our land, the stay
65

Of glorious Athens, and the neighbouring fields
65

Are fain to honour for their patron-god
65

Thee, O Colonos, first of Knights, whose name
65

They bear in brotherhood and own for theirs.
65

Such, friend, believe me, is this place, not praised
65

In story, but of many a heart beloved.
65

OED

Then is the land inhabited of men?

ATH

By men, who name them from Colonos there.

OED

Have they a lord, or sways the people’s voice?

ATH

Lord Theseus, child of Aegeus, our late king.

OED

Will some one of your people bring him hither?
70

ATH

Wherefore? What urgent cause requires his presence?

OED

He shall gain mightily by granting little.

ATH

Who can gain profit from the blind?

OED

The words

These lips shall utter, shall be full of sight.

ATH

Well, thou look’st nobly, but for thy hard fate.
75

This course is safe. Thus do. Stay where I found thee,

Till I go tell the neighbour townsmen here

Not of the city, but Colonos. They

Shall judge for thee to abide or to depart.

OED

Tell me, my daughter, is the man away?

ANT

He is gone, father. I alone am near.

Speak what thou wilt in peace and quietness.

OED

Dread Forms of holy Fear, since in this land

Your sanctuary first gave my limbs repose,

Be not obdurate to my prayer, nor spurn
85

The voice of Phoebus, who that fateful day,

When he proclaimed my host of ills to come,

Told me of rest after a weary time,

Where else but here? ‘When I should reach my bourne,

And find repose and refuge with the Powers
90

Of reverend name, my troubled life should end

With blessing to the men who sheltered me,

And curses on their race who banished me

and sent me wandering forth.’ Whereof he vouched me

Sure token, or by earthquake, or by fire
95

From heaven, or thundrous voices. And I know

Some aëry message from your shrine hath drawn me

With wingèd whisper to this grove. Not else

Had ye first met me coming, nor had I

Sate on your dread unchiselled seat of stone,
100

With dry cold lips greeting your sober shrine.

Then give Apollo’s word due course, and give

Completion to my life, if in your sight

These toils and sorrows past the human bound

Seem not too little. Kindly, gentle powers,
105

Offspring of primal darkness, hear my prayer!

Hear it, Athenai, of all cities queen,

Great Pallas’ foster-city! Look with ruth

On this poor shadow of great Oedipus,

This fading semblance of his kingly form.
110

ANT

Be silent now. There comes an aged band

With jealous looks to know thine errand here.

OED

I will be silent, and thine arm shall guide

My footstep under covert of the grove

Out of the path, till I make sure what words

These men will utter. Warily to observe
115

Is the prime secret of the prudent mind.

CHORUS
CHORUS (entering).

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1 focus

Wohin, des blinden Greises Kind, Antigone,¹
1

In welche Landschaft kamen wir, zu welcher Stadt?

Wer wird auf seinem irren Pfad den Dedipus

An diesem Tag mit karger Liebesgab' empfah'n,

Ihn, der um wenig bittet und noch weniger,
5

Als dieses, hinnimmt? Doch auch so genügt es mir.

Denn still zu dulden lehrte mich mein Mißgeschick,

Des Lebens lange Dauer und ein edler Sinn.

Wohlan, o Tochter, wenn du einen Siz gewahrst

An Götterhainen oder ungeweihter Statt,
10

So laß mich niedersizen, daß uns Kunde wird,

Wohin wir kamen; müssen wir als Fremde doch

Von Bürgern lernen und nach ihrem Worte thun.

Antigone.

Mein armer Vater Dedipus, mit Thürmen ist

Dort eine Stadt umgürtet, fern dem Auge noch;
15

Doch dieser Ort ist heilig, (leicht erkennt man es)

Von Rebe, Lorbeer, Del umgrünt; anmuthig tönt

Zahlloser Nachtigallen Lied im tiefen Hain.

Beug' hier die Glieder auf den unbehau'nen Fels;

Denn lang für dich, den Greisen, war die Wanderung.
20

Oedipus.

So seze mich und nimm des blinden Mannes wahr.

Antigone.

Das brauch' ich nicht zu lernen nach so langer Zeit.

(sich niederlassend)

Oedipus.

Kind, kannst du mir nun sagen, wo wir hingelangt?

Antigone.

Daß dort Athen ist, weiß ich, doch die Gegend nicht.

Oedipus.

Das hat ja jeder Wandrer uns bereits gesagt.
25

Antigone.

Nun, soll ich geh'n und fragen, wie der Ort sich nennt?

Oedipus.

Ja, Tochter, wenn er anders nur Bewohner hat.

Antigone.

Er ist bewohnt; doch, glaub' ich, braucht es weiter nichts

Denn eben seh' ich einen Mann uns nahe dort.

Oedipus.

Der, wandelnd hierher, gegen uns die Schritte lenkt?
30

Antigone.

Und schon bei uns anlangte. Was zu sagen dir

Am Orte scheint, das rede; denn hier steht der Mann.

Ein Bewohner von Kolonos. Die Vorigen.

Oedipus.

Ich höre, Freund, von dieser, die für mich zugleich

Und sich umherschaut, daß du ganz gelegen kommst,

Bericht von dem zu geben, was uns dunkel blieb
35

Der Koloner.

Bevor du weiter forſchest, heb' aus diesem Siz

Dich weg; betreten darfst du nicht ein heilig Land.

Oedipus.

Und welch eiu Ort ist's? Welchem Gott geheiliget?

Der Koloner.

Unnahbar ist er, unbewohnt; den furchtbaren

Jungfrau'n gehört er, die dem Skotos Ge gebar.²
40

Oedipus.

Mit welchem Namen rus' ich an die Göttlichen?

Der Koloner.

Die Eumeniden nennt sie hier des Landes Volk,³

Die Allesseh'nden; anderswo gilt andrer Brauch.

Oedipus.

Empfangen sie denn gnadenreich den Flehenden!

Denn, traun, von dieser Stätte scheid' ich nimmermehr.
45

Der Koloner.

Was hör' ich, Fremdling?

Oedipus.

Mein Geschick erfüllt sich hier.

Der Koloner.

So hab' auch ich, dich auszuweisen, nicht den Muth,

Eh' uns die Stadt bedeutet, was uns hier geziemt.⁴

Oedipus.

Bei'm Himmel, Fremdling, weigre nicht mir kundzuthun,

Dem blinden Flüchtling, was zu wissen mich verlangt.
50

Der Koloner.

Sprich nur; von mir befürchte keine Weigerung.

Oedipus.

Nun, welche Gegend ist es, wo wir weilen hier?

Der Koloner.

Was mir bekannt ist, alles das vernimm sofort.

Die Gegend rings ist heilig; denn in ihr gebeut

Der Fürst Poseidon, thront der feuerspendende⁵
55

Titan Prometheus. Dieser Ort, auf den du trittst,

Heißt unsres Landes erzbewehrte Schwell', Athens⁶

Geweihte Schuzwehr; und die nahen Gau'n umher,

Als ihren Urahn rühmen sie den reisigen

Halbgott Kolonos; seinen Namen tragen sie,
60

Und sind Koloner allzumal nach ihm genannt.

So ist es, Fremdling; nicht in eitler Sage wird

Der Ort gefeiert, mehr in altgewohntem Brauch.

Oedipus.

So wohnen also Menschen hier in diesen Gau'n?

Der Koloner.

Ja; gleichen Namen führen sie mit jenem Gott.
65

Oedipus.

Beherrscht sie Iemand, oder ruht im Volk die Macht?

Der Koloner.

Vom König jener Veste wird dies Land beherrscht.

Oedipus.

Wer aber ist es, der mit Macht und Wort gebeut?

Der Koloner.

Theseus, des Aegeus Sprosse, der vordem gebot.

Oedipus.

Möcht' euer Einer wohl zu dem als Bote geh'n?
70

Der Koloner.

Ihm was zu melden, oder her zu bitten ihn?

Oedipus.

Auf daß er erute großen Lohn für kleine Gunst.

Der Koloner.

Und welchen Lohn denn böte. wohl ein blinder Mann?

Oedipus.

Was ich verkünden werde, wird hellsehend sein.

Der Koloner.

Um nicht zu irren, höre noch: (denn edel scheinst
75

Du mir von Anseh'n, außer daß dies Loos dich traf;)

Bleib' hier, o Fremdling, wo du mir zuerst erschienst,

Bis ich Kolonos' Bürgern, nicht dem Volk der Stadt,⁷

Den Fall zu melden gehe; die entscheiden dann,

Ob hier du bleiben, ob du wieder ziehen sollst.
80
Oedipus. Antigone.

Oedipus.

Tochter, ging der Fremde schon hinweg von uns?

Antigone.

Schon ging er; Alles kannst du denn in Ruhe nun,

Mein Vater, sagen; ich allein bin nahe dir.

Oedipus (betend).

Ihr hehren, furchtbar'n Wesen! Nun ich mich zuerst

Auf eurem Grund in diesem Lande niederließ,
85

Ogrollet mir nicht, hegt dem Phöbos keinen Groll,

Der, als er dieses viele Leid verkündigte,

Das Ziel des Jammers mir verhieß nach langer Frist,

Käm' ich zum lezten Lande, wo ich gastliche

Zuflucht, o strenge Mächte, fänd' in eurem Siz;
90

Hier ende meines Lebens gramgebeugter Lauf,

Und bringe denen, die mich aufgenommen, Heil,

Fluch denen, die mich in die Fern' hinausgebannt.

Als Zeichen dessen komme mir, verhieß der Gott,

Erdbeben oder Donner oder Bliz von Zeus.
95

Wahrhaft erkenn' ich heute, daß auf diesem Pfad

Nur ihr's gewesen, welche mich mit sichrer Hand

In diesen Hain geleitet; denn ich träfe sonst

Nicht euch zuerst auf meinem Weg, ich Nüchterner

(ab.)

Euch, die den Wein verschmähen, säß' an heiliger,⁸
100

An dieser rauhen Stätte nicht. Ihr Göttinnen,

So gönnt, Apollons Ruf gemäß, nun endlich mir

Der Stunden lezte, die das Band des Lebens löst,

Dünkt euch noch nicht zu wenig, was ich duldete,

Allzeit in Drangsal ringend, wie kein Sterblicher!
105

Auf, holde Töchter aus des Skotos altem Blut!⁹

Auf, die du dich der stolzen Pallas eigen nennst,

Vor allen andern hochverehrte Stadt Athen!

Mitleidig schaut hier Dedipus' unſeliges

Gebilde; nicht mehr ist ja dies mein alter Leib!
110

Antigone.

Halt' ein, o Vater; denn es, nah'n dort Einige,

Schon alt an Jahren, die nach deinem Size späh'n.

Oedipus.

Ich werde schweigen; führe du vom Weg mich ab,

Und birg mich hier im Haine, bis ich ihren Sinn

Erforscht aus ihren Reden; denn durch Forschen nur
115

Gewinnt man Vorsicht und Bedacht in allem Thun.

(Sie ziehen sich in den Hain zurück. Der Chor tritt auf.)

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1 focus

Knowst thou the place ? Will any here afford
1

Their scanty alms to a poor wanderer,

The banished (Edipus 1 I ask not much.

Yet less receive ; but I am satisfied :
5

Long time hath made my woes familiar to me,

And I have learned to bear calamity.

But tell me, daughter, if thou seest a place,

Or sacred, or profane, where I may rest,

There set me down, from some inhabitant

A chance but we may learn where now we are,

And act, so strangers ought, as he directs us,

Antigone

O G^dipus ! my poor, unliappy fatlier,

Far as my eyes can reach I see a city,
15

With lofty turrets crowned, and, if I err not,

This place is sacred, by the laurel shade

Olive and vine thick-planted, and the songs

Of nightingales sweet warbling through the grove

Here sit thee down, and rest thy wearied limbs
20

On this rude stone ; 'tis a long way for age

Like thine to travel.

Oedipus

Place me here, and guard

A sightless wretch.

Antigone

Alas ! at such a time

Thou needst not tell Antigone her duty.

Oedipus

Knowst thou not where we are ?
30

Antigone

As I have learned

From passing travellers, not far from Athens ;

The place I know not ; would you that I go

And straight inquire ? But now I need not leave thee,

i^'or, lo ! a stranger comes this way, e'en now

He stands before you, he will soon inform us.

Oedipus
Scene II.

Stranger, thou com'st in happy hour to tell us

What much we wish to know ; let me then ask thee-

Stranger

Ask nothing ; speak not till thou art removed

From off that hallowed spot where now thou standst,

By human footsteps not to be profaned.

Stranger
(Edi. To whom then is it sacred %

'Tis a place

Where but to tread is impious, and to dwell

Forbidden ; where the dreadful goddesses,
40

Daughters of Earth and Night, alone inhabit.
40

Stranger
(Edi. Ha ! let me hear their venerable names.

By other names in other climes adored,

The natives here call them Eumenides,

Th' all-seeing powers.

Propitious, and receive a suppliant's prayer,

That I might never leave this blest abode !

Stranger
(Edi. Oh ! that they would but smile

What dost thou mean?

Oedipus

It suits my sorrows well.

Stranger

I must inform the citizens ; till then

Remain,

Oedipus

Oh ! do not scorn a wretched exile,

But tell me, stranger
50

Stranger

Speak ; I scorn thee not.

Oedipus

What place is this ?

Stranger

I'll tell thee what I know.

This place is sacred all : great Neptune here

Presides, and he who bears the living fire,

Titan Prometheus ; where thou treadst is called

The Brazen Way, the bulwark of our State :

From this equestrian hill, their safest guard,

The neighbouring villagers their general name

Derive, thence called Colonians all.

Oedipus

But say,

Are there who dwell here, then ?

Stranger

There are, and called
65

From him they worship.
65

Oedipus

. Is the power supreme

Lodged in the people's voice, or in the king?

Stranger

'Tis in the king.

Oedipus

Who is he?

Stranger

Theseus, son

Of uEgeus, their last sovereign.

Oedipus

Who will go
70

And tell him
70

Stranger

What ! to come and meet thee here 1

Oedipus

To tell him that a little help bestowed

Would amply be repaid.

Stranger

Why, what couldst thou do.

Dark as thou art ?

Oedipus

My words will not be so.

Stranger

Then mark me,, that thou err not ; for to me
75

Thy fortunes seem ill-suited to thy nature,

Which is most noble ; therefore stay thou here

Till I return ; I will not go to Athens,

But ask these villagers, who sojourn here,

J f thou mayst stay. \^Exit Athenian.
80

Antigone
Scene III. (Edi. My daughter, is he gone ?

He is, and thou mayst safely speak, for I

Alone am with thee.

Since in your seats my wearied steps have found

Their first I'epose, not inauspicious smile

On Phoebus and on me ! For know, the god

Who 'gainst unhappy (Edipus denounced

Unnumbered woes, foretold that here at last

I should liave rest, within this hallowed grove

These hospitable shades, and finish here

A life of misery : happy those, he said.

Who should receive me, glorious their reward,

And woe to them who strove to drive me hence

Inhuman. This he promised to confirm

By signs undoubted ; thunder, or the sound

Of dreadful earthquake, or the lightning's blast

Launched from the arm of Jove. I doubt it not,

From you some happy omen hither led

My prosperous steps, that first to you I came

Pure to the pure ] and here on this rude seat

Reposed me, could not be the work of chance ;

Wherefore, ye powers ! as Phoebus hath decreed,

Here let me find a period of my woes,

Here end my wi^etched life ! unless the man,

Who long hath groaned beneath the bitterest ills

That mortals feel, still seem to merit more.

Daughters of Ancient Night ! oh, hear me now !

And thou, from great Minerva called, the best

And noblest city, Athens ! pity me,

Pity the shadow of poor CEdipus ;

For, oh ! I am not what I was.

Antigone
(Edi. Goddesses revered !

No more :

Behold a venerable band approach

Of ancient natives, come perchance to seek thee.

Oedipus

I've done ; Antigone, remove me hence.

And hide me in tlie grove till by their words,

Listening. 1 learn their purpose ; such foreknowledge
115

Will best direct us how to act hereafter. [Exeunt.

Chorus
Scene IV.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1 focus

TELL me, thou daughter of a blind old man,
1

Or to what city? Who th' inhabitants ?
1

Who with a slender pittance will relieve,

I ask indeed but little, and receive

Less than that little; yet for me e'en that

Suffices; my afflictions, the long course
5

Of years so pass'd, and fortitude of soul
5

Teach me with cheerfulness to bear my ills.

But, O my daughter, some one if thou seest

Or in the sacred groves, or on the seats

Not hallow'd, lead me thither, place me there,

That in what land we are we may inquire;
10

For of the natives, strangers as we are,
10

We come to learn, and as instructed act.

My father, woe-enduring Edipus,

Tow'rs, the strong bulwarks of some city, rise

In distant view. This place, if right I judge,

Antigone

Is sacred, flourishing with laurels, vines,

And olives close enwoven; in the midst

Thick-fluttering nightingales their sweet notes tune.

Rest therefore seated on this unhewn stone,

For tiresome to thine age the length of way.

Oedipus

Then seat me there, and guide a blind old man.

That tender office length of time hath made

Familiar to me.

What the place, where now

We rest our steps? Canst thou inform me?

Antigone

Well

I know we tread Athenian ground; the place

I know not.

Oedipus

From each passing traveller
25

Of that we are inform'd.
25

Antigone

Wilt thou I go,

And what the place inquire?

Oedipus

Such is my wish,

Antigone

If near us it hath habitants, my child.

It is inhabited: but that I go

Needs not; for near us I behold a man.

Oedipus

Doth he advance, and hither speed his steps?

Antigone

He is e'en present; what th' occasion then

Prompts thee to say, speak, for the man is here.

'ŒDIP. Stranger, I hear from her who sees for me

And for herself, that thou in happy hour

Art come to teach us what we wish to know.

Stranger
CŒDIPUS, ANTIGONE, A COLONIATE.

Ere thou speak more, come from that seat; the place,

That holds thee now, is hallow'd from thy tread.

Oedipus

What is the place then, sacred to what god?

Stranger

Nor touch, nor habitation dares profane

That place; for there the dreadful goddesses,

Daughters of Earth and Night, have their abode.
40

Oedipus

Them by what awful name should I invoke?

Stranger

This people call them the Eumenides,

The all-beholding pow'rs: in other realms

By other honour'd names they are rever'd.

Oedipus

Their supplicant propitious may these pow'rs

Receive; that never from their seat here fix'd

I may henceforth depart!
45

Stranger

What may this mean?

Oedipus

It is the sign which ratifies my fate.

Stranger

Nay, hence I dare not move thee, till I show

The mandate of the city how to act.

Oedipus

Now by the gods disdain not to inform

E'en such a wanderer what I wish to ask.
50

Stranger

Speak; thou shalt find that I disdain thee not.

Oedipus

What is this place, which now our feet hath reach'd?

Stranger

Whate'er I know, attend, and thou shalt hear.

Sacred is all this place, for Neptune here

Is lord revered; and he, who bears the fire,
55

Prometheus the Titanian: but the ground

Beneath thy feet is call'd the brazen way,

Which forms the firm base of th' Athenian tow'rs.

The fields adjoining glory in their Chief,

Colonus the Equestrian; and from him
60

All bear their common name. I tell thee things,

O stranger, not by fame alone renown'd,

But by consent of ages honour'd more.

Oedipus

Are there these places who inhabit ?

Stranger

Here
65

Are many habitants, and from this god
65

They take their name.
65

Oedipus

O'er these who bears command?

Or in the people is the pow'r?

Stranger

This place

Is govern'd by the king, whose royal seat

Is in the city.

Oedipus

What his name, who holds

The sovereign pow'r?

Stranger

The noble Theseus, son

Of Ægeus late our king.

Oedipus

Would one of you
70

A message to him bear?
70

Stranger

With what report,

Or what instructions charged?

Oedipus

That for his aid,

A little aid, he much may gain.

Stranger

What gain

From one of sight bereav'd?

Oedipus

What I shall speak

Stranger

Shall all be found to have the pow'r of sight.
75

Stranger, I would not thou shou'dst err: but since
75

Noble is thy appearance, save the wrongs

Of fortune, where I saw thee first, remain,

Till I seek those who have their dwelling here,

Not in the city, and relate these things.

For they will judge if here thou may'st remain,

Or from this place behoves thee to depart.
80

Oedipus
CEDIPUS, ANTIGONE.

My daughter, hath the stranger left this place?

Antigone

He hath; and unmolested thou may'st speak

Whate'er thou wilt, for I am here alone.

Oedipus

Ye awful goddesses, of aspect stern,

Since in this country on your seats I first
85

Rested my limbs, to Phœbus and to me

Be not ungentle; for when all those ills

To me his voice oracular declared,

This rest he in the length of time announced,

When to the destin'd country I should come,
90

And place me in the hospitable seat

Of these tremendous pow'rs, there to lay down

My weary life; success and fame to those,

Whose grace receiv'd me, doom'd to bring; to those,

Who cast me out, discomfiture and shame.
95

Signs, these events confirming, he foretold,

The rocking of the earth, the thunder's roar,

Or Jove's red lightening; therefore well I know

None other but your faithful auspice led

My footsteps to this grove: 1 had not else
100

First as I journey'd, chanc'd to light on you

From wine abhorrent, pure myself from wine,

And place me in your awful unhewn seat.

Then, goddesses, since thus Apollo's voice

Hath destin'd, grant me now to end my life;
105

Unless too light you deem the woes I bear,

More than all mortals though to ills enslaved.

Come then, sweet daughters of primeval Night,

And thou, who from the mighty Pallas draw'st

Antigone

Thy name, illustrious Athens, pity me,

Pity the shade of wretched Edipus,

For what was once the man is now no more.

Forbear: some men, in years they seem, advance :

Their purpose haply to observe thy seat.

Oedipus

I will be silent; and lead thou my steps

Aside. into the grove; that I may learn

What their discourse; this caution prompts; for hence
115

How to direct our conduct we may know.

Chorus

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1-115 focus

Oedipus

Child of a blind old man, Antigone, to what region have we come, or to what city of men? Who will entertain the wandering Oedipus today with scanty gifts?
1

Little do I crave, and obtain still less than that little, and with that I am content. For patience is the lesson of suffering, and of the long years upon me, and lastly of a noble mind. My child, if you see any resting-place,
5

either on profane ground or by groves of the gods, stop me and set me down, so that we may inquire where we are. We have come to learn as foreigners from the townsmen, and to bring to completion whatever we hear.
10

Antigone

Father, toil-worn Oedipus, the towers that

ring the city, to judge by sight, are far off; and this place is sacred, to judge from its appearance: laurel, olive, and vine grow thick-set; and a feathered crowd of nightingales makes music within. So sit here on this unshaped stone;
15

you have travelled a long way for an old man.
20

Oedipus

Seat me, then, and watch over the blind.

Antigone

If time can teach, I need not learn that.

Oedipus

Can you tell me, now, where we have arrived?

Antigone

Athens I know, but not this place.

Oedipus

Yes, so much every traveller told us.
25

Antigone

Well, shall I go and learn what the spot is called?

Oedipus

Yes, child, if indeed it is inhabited.

Antigone

It surely is inhabited. But I think there is no need—I see a man nearby.

Oedipus

Setting off and coming toward us?
30

Antigone

He is at our side already. Speak whatever seems timely to you, for the man is here.

Oedipus

Stranger, hearing from this maiden, who has sight both for herself and for me,

that you have arrived as a scout of good fortune for the solving of our doubts—
35

Enter a stranger, a man of Colonus .

Stranger

Now, before you question me at length, leave this seat. You occupy ground which is unholy to tread upon.

Oedipus

And what is this ground? To which of the gods is it sacred?

Stranger

Ground inviolable, on which no one may dwell. The dread

goddesses hold it, the daughters of Earth and Darkness.
40

Oedipus

Who are they? Whose awful name might I hear and invoke in prayer?

Stranger

The all-seeing Eumenides the people here would call them: but other names please elsewhere.

Oedipus

Then graciously may they receive their suppliant!

Nevermore will I depart from my seat in this land.
45

Stranger

What does this mean?

Oedipus

The watchword of my fate.

Stranger

I dare not remove you without warrant from the city, until I report what I am doing.

Oedipus

Now by the gods, stranger, do not deny me, hapless wanderer as you see,

the honor of the knowledge for which I beg you.
50

Stranger

Tell me, and you will not be without honor from me.

Oedipus

What, then, is the place that we have entered?

Stranger

All that I myself know, you will hear and learn. This whole place is sacred;

august Poseidon holds it, and in it lives the fire-bearing god, the Titan Prometheus. But as for the spot on which you tread, it is called the bronze threshold of this land, the support of Athens . And the neighboring fields claim Colonus , the horse-rider, for their ancient ruler;
55

and all the people bear his name in common as their own. Such, you see, stranger, are these haunts. They receive their honor not through story, but rather through our living with them.
60

Oedipus

Are there indeed dwellers in this region?

Stranger

Yes indeed, the namesakes of that god there Colonus .
65

Oedipus

Have they a king? Or does speaking in assembly rest with the masses?

Stranger

These parts are ruled by the king in the city.

Oedipus

And who is he that is sovereign in counsel and in might?

Stranger

Theseus he is called, son of Aegeus who was before him.

Oedipus

Could a messenger go to him from among you?
70

Stranger

With what aim? To speak, or to prepare his coming?

Oedipus

So that by a small service he may find a great gain.

Stranger

And what help can come from one who cannot see?

Oedipus

In all that I speak there will be vision.

Stranger

Take care now, stranger, that you come to no harm; for you are noble, if I may judge by your looks, leaving your ill-fortune aside. Stay here, where I found you, until I go and tell these things to the people of this district—not in the city.
75

They will decide for you whether you should stay or go back. Stranger exits.
80

Oedipus

My child, has the stranger left us?

Antigone

He is gone, and so you can speak what you wish, father, fully at ease, knowing that I alone am near.

Oedipus

Ladies of dread aspect, since your seat is

the first in this land at which I have bent my knee, show yourselves not ungracious to Phoebus or to myself; who, when he proclaimed that doom of many woes, spoke to me of this rest after long years: on reaching my goal in a land where I should find a seat of the Awful Goddesses
85

and a shelter for foreigners, there I should close my weary life, with profit, through my having fixed my abode there, for those who received me, but ruin for those who sent me forth, who drove me away. And he went on to warn me that signs of these things would come,
90

in earthquake, or in thunder, or in the lightning of Zeus.
Now I perceive that in this journey some trusty omen from you has surely led me home to this grove; never otherwise could I have met with you, first of all, in my wanderings—I, in my sobriety, with you who touch no wine,
95

—or taken this august seat not shaped by men.
Then, goddesses, according to the word of Apollo, give me at last some way to accomplish and close my course—unless, perhaps, I seem too lowly,
100

enslaved as I am evermore to woes the sorest on the earth. Hear, sweet daughters of primeval Darkness! Hear, you that are called the city of great Pallas, Athens , given most honor of all cities! Pity this poor ghost of the man Oedipus!
105

For in truth it is the former living body no more.
110

Antigone

Hush! Here come some aged men to spy out your resting-place.

Oedipus

I will be mute. But hide me in the grove, apart from the road, till I learn

how these men will speak. For in learning is the safeguard of our course. They exit.
115

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-3-1 γέροντος ¹

mvp-comment-3-2 Ἀντιγόνη ²

mvp-comment-4-1 χώρους ³

mvp-comment-5-1 πλανήτην ⁴

mvp-comment-6-1 σπανιστοῖς ⁵

mvp-comment-6-2 δέξεται ⁶

mvp-comment-6-3 δωρήμασιν ⁷

mvp-comment-7-1 ἐξαιτοῦντα ⁸

mvp-comment-7-2 σμικροῦ ⁹

mvp-comment-8-1 φέροντα ¹⁰

mvp-comment-8-2 καὶ τόδ’ ¹¹ ἐμοί ¹²

mvp-comment-9-1 στέργειν ¹³

mvp-comment-9-2 αἱ πάθαι ¹⁴

mvp-comment-9-3 ὁ χρόνος ¹⁵

mvp-comment-10-1 διδάσκει ¹⁶

mvp-comment-10-2 τρίτον ¹⁷

mvp-comment-11-1 θάκησιν ¹⁸

mvp-comment-12-1 βεβήλοις ¹⁹

mvp-comment-12-2 ἢ πρὸς ἄλσεσιν ²⁰

mvp-comment-13-1 ἐξίδρυσον ²¹

mvp-comment-13-2 πυθώμεθα ²²

mvp-comment-14-1 μανθάνειν … ἥκομεν ²³

mvp-comment-15-1 ξένοι πρὸς ἀστῶν ²⁴

mvp-comment-16-1 Οἰδίπους ²⁵

mvp-comment-16-2 οἳ ²⁶

mvp-comment-17-1 στέγουσιν ²⁷

mvp-comment-17-2 ὡς ἀπ’ ὀμμάτων ²⁸

mvp-comment-18-1 χῶρος δ’ ὅδ’ ἱρός ²⁹

mvp-comment-18-2 ὡς σάφ’ εἰκάσαι ³⁰

mvp-comment-18-3 βρύων ³¹

mvp-comment-19-1 ἀμπέλου ³²

mvp-comment-19-2 πυκνόπτεροι ³³

mvp-comment-19-3 δ’ ³⁴

mvp-comment-20-1 ὡς γέροντι ³⁵

mvp-comment-20-2 προὐστάλης ³⁶

mvp-comment-21-1 Χρόνου … οὕνεκ’ ³⁷

mvp-comment-22-1 ὅποι ³⁸

mvp-comment-23-1 γοῦν ³⁹

mvp-comment-24-1 ἡμὶν ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-25-1 ἀλλ’ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ⁴¹

mvp-comment-25-2 ἦ μάθω ⁴²

mvp-comment-26-1 ἐξοικήσιμος ⁴³

mvp-comment-27-1 ἀλλ’ ἐστὶ μὴν ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-28-1 Impatient for more light, Oed. asks, "Is he coming forth towards us,— so that it is really needless for thee to move?" δεῦρο denotes the goal, προς‐ the direction, and ἐξ‐ the starting-point. δεῦρο goes with both participles, which form a single expression,="coming towards us from the abodes" implied by οἰκητός (28) . Cp. Ai. 762

ἀπ’ οἴκων... ἐξορμώμενος

. Other explanations are:— (1) "approaching" ( δεῦρο being taken with προσστ . only) "and setting out," as a "prothysteron" for "setting out and approaching." This is impossible. (2) "Moving, and hastening , hither": but this obliterates ἐξ‐ , and strains ὁρμώμενον .

mvp-comment-29-1 καὶ δὴ ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-29-2 μὲν οὖν ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-30-1 ὦ ξεῖν’ ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-30-2 ὑπέρ τ’ ἐμοῦ ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-31-1 οὕνεχ’ … φράσαι ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-32-1 ὧν ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-32-2 ἀδηλοῦμεν ⁵¹

mvp-comment-33-1 As 78 shows, the man who has just entered is supposed to belong to Colonus, which, like the rest of Attica, was subject to the king of Athens (v. 67) . The designation ξένος was probably suggested merely by ὦ ξεῖν’ in 33 .

mvp-comment-33-2 τὰ πλείον’ ⁵²

mvp-comment-34-1 οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν ⁵³

mvp-comment-35-1 τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται ⁵⁴

mvp-comment-36-1 ἄθικτος οὐδ’ οἰκητός ⁵⁵

mvp-comment-37-1 Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-38-1 τίνων … κλύων ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-39-1 πάνθ’ ὁρώσας ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-39-2 Εὐμενίδας ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-40-1 ἄλλα δ’ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-41-1 μὲν ⁶¹

mvp-comment-41-2 τὸν ἱκέτην ⁶²

mvp-comment-41-3 δεξαίατο ⁶³

mvp-comment-42-1 ὡς ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-42-2 γῆς ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-42-3 >ἂν ἐξέλθοιμ’ ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-43-1 τί δ’ ἐστὶ τοῦτο; ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-43-2 ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημ’ ἐμῆς ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-44-1 ἐμοί ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-44-2 τοὐξανιστάναι ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-45-1 δίχ’ ⁷¹

mvp-comment-45-2 ἐνδείξω τί δρῶ ⁷²

mvp-comment-46-1 ξεῖνε ⁷³

mvp-comment-46-2 μὴ μ’ ἀτιμάσῃς ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-47-1 τίς ἔσθ’ ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-48-1 κἀγώ ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-49-1 Ποσειδῶν ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-49-2 ἐν δ’ ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-50-1 Προμηθεύς ⁸¹

mvp-comment-50-2 τόπον ⁸²

mvp-comment-51-1 ὀδός ⁸³

mvp-comment-51-2 χαλκόπους ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-52-1 The name — though κολωνός was so familiar a word — is traced in the usual Greek fashion to a hero Colonus, the ἐπώνυμος of the deme; and, to justify the epithet of the place, ἵππιος , he is called ἱππότης , horseman, or knight. In the roads about Colonus (

ταῖσδε...ἀγυιαῖς

715 ) men first learned to use Poseidon's gift of the horse. With τόνδ’ cp. 65

τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ

. In the case of the tribes, at least, statues of eponymi were familiar to Athenians (cp. Aristoph. Pax 1183

τὸν ἀνδριάντα τὸν Πανδίονος

). A statue of the hero Colonus on the stage would be an effective device for giving greater vividness to the local legend. The speaker could point to it with dramatic fitness, since Antigone is with her blind father.

mvp-comment-53-1 ἀρχηγός ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-54-1 And all (the δημόται , supplied κατὰ σύνεσιν from γύαι as= δῆμος ) bear his name in common ( κοινόν , in their capacity as Κολωνεῖς ), being designated thereby. τοὔνομα , acc. of object to φέρουσι , is also cognate accus. to ὠνομασμένοι , which is added to mark the fixity of the deme-name,—a title not merely ornamental (like Ἐρεχθεῖδαι for Athenians), but regular.

mvp-comment-55-1 σοι ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-55-2 λόγοις ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-56-1 τῇ ξυνουσίᾳ ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-57-1 ἦ γάρ ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-58-1 καὶ κάρτα ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-58-2 θεοῦ ⁹¹

mvp-comment-59-1 Elmsley reads ἄρχει τίς αὐτῶν; " Who is their king?" But Oed. rather asks,

"Have they a monarchy or a democracy?"

It would be a prosaic objection that the question is hardly suited to the heroic age of

πατρικαὶ βασιλεῖαι

(Thuc. I. 13) .

mvp-comment-59-2 ἢ ’πὶ τῷ πλ. λόγος; ⁹²

mvp-comment-60-1 ἐκ ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-61-1 οὗτος … τίς (ὢν) … κρατεῖ ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-61-2 λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-62-1 Sophocles conceives the union of the Attic communes (commemorated by the annual festival of the συνοίκια in August) as already accomplished by Theseus. Athens is the capital, all the people of Attica being reckoned as its citizens (

ἁπάντων ἤδη ξυντελούντων ἐς αὐτήν,

Thuc. 2.15 ). Isocr. or. 10 § 18 speaks of Theseus as

ὁ λεγόμενος μὲν Αἰγέως, γενόμενος δ’ ἐκ Ποσειδῶνος

. Aegeus, too, was said to have been king of Athens: see on ; and was the eponymus of one of the ten Attic tribes (

Αἰγηὶς φυλή,

Andoc. or. 1 § 62 ). He gave the title to a lost play of Sophocles.

mvp-comment-63-1 ἆρ’ ἄν τις … μόλοι; ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-63-2 αὐτῷ ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-63-3 πομπός ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-64-1 ὡς πρὸς τί ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-64-2 The reading and explanation of the verse hinge on the question whether ὡς (1) belongs to πρὸς τί , = "with what view?" or (2) is final, = "in order that." Now (1) is strongly supported by two other places of Soph., in each of which this formula stands, as here, at the beginning of a question: O. T. 1174

ΟΙ. ὡς πρὸς τί χρείας;

Tr.1182

ΥΑ. ὡς πρὸς τί πίστιν τήνδ’ ἄγαν ἐπιστρέφεις;

The simple πρὸς τί ; (also freq. in Soph.) = merely "with reference to what?" while ὡς πρὸς τί = "with reference to what, in your conception or intention ( ὡς )?": hence the latter is appropriate when the questioner cannot imagine the agent's motive.

mvp-comment-64-3 καταρτύσων μολεῖν ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-64-4 With L's μόλοι ( ὡς being then final), we must render: "That Theseus might come with what view ( πρὸς τί ), —to say or to arrange (what)?" The opt. can stand (in spite of

κερδάνῃ

72 ), since

ἆρ’ ἂν μόλοι;

(70) puts the case hypothetically: see on . But: ( a ) the double μόλοι , at the end of two successive verses, is intolerable. Dindorf, therefore, conjecturally reads παρῇ , which Wecklein and others adopt. ( b ) The antithesis between λέξων and καταρτύσων is hardly clear. Wecklein explains, πρὸς ποῖον λόγον ἢ ἔργον; Certainly τί λέξων ἢ δράσων could mean, "for what conceivable purpose?" (cp. O.T. 71

ὅ τι δρῶν ἢ τί φωνῶν

): but καταρτύσων would be a very strange substitute for δράσων .

mvp-comment-65-1 μὴ ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-66-1 ὁρῶντα ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-67-1 οἶσθ’ … ὡς … μὴ σφαλῇς; ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-68-1 ὡς ἰδόντι ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-68-2 δαίμονος ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-69-1 μὴ κατ’ ἄστυ ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-69-2 ἐνθάδ’ αὐτοῦ ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-70-1 εἰ χρή ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-71-1 ἡμὶν ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-72-1 ἐν ἡσύχῳ ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-73-1 μόνης πέλας ¹¹²

mvp-comment-74-1 πότνιαι ¹¹³

mvp-comment-74-2 δεινῶπες ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-74-3 εὖτε ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-74-4 ἔκαμψα ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-75-1 ἀγνώμονες ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-76-1 ἐξέχρη ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-77-1 ταύτην ἔλεξε παῦλαν ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-77-2 ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-78-1 ἐλθόντι … βίον ¹²¹

mvp-comment-79-1 σεμνῶν ¹²²

mvp-comment-79-2 ξενόστασιν ¹²³

mvp-comment-80-1 κέρδη μέν κ.τ.λ. ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-81-1 τοῖς πέμψασιν ¹²⁶

mvp-comment-82-1 παρηγγύα ¹²⁷

mvp-comment-83-1 ἢ σεισμόν, ἢ βροντήν τιν’ ¹²⁸

mvp-comment-84-1 ἔγνωκα μὲν ¹²⁹

mvp-comment-84-2 τήνδε τὴν ὁδὸν ¹³⁰

mvp-comment-85-1 οὐκ ἔσθ’ ὅπως οὐ ¹³¹

mvp-comment-85-2 πτερὸν ¹³²

mvp-comment-86-1 ἐξήγαγ’ ¹³⁴

mvp-comment-86-2 οὐ γὰρ ἄν ¹³⁵

mvp-comment-87-1 νήφων ἀοίνοις ¹³⁶

mvp-comment-88-1 ἀσκέπαρνον ¹³⁷

mvp-comment-89-1 βίου … πέρασιν … καὶ καταστροφήν τινα ¹³⁸

mvp-comment-89-2 ὀμφὰς ¹³⁹

mvp-comment-90-1 μειόνως ἔχειν ¹⁴⁰

mvp-comment-91-1 μόχθοις λατρεύων ¹⁴¹

mvp-comment-92-1 ἴτ’ ¹⁴²

mvp-comment-92-2 γλυκεῖαι ¹⁴³

mvp-comment-92-3 Σκότου ¹⁴⁴

mvp-comment-93-1 Παλλάδος ¹⁴⁵

mvp-comment-94-1 εἴδωλον ¹⁴⁶

mvp-comment-94-2 οὐ γὰρ δὴ τό γ’ ¹⁴⁷

mvp-comment-95-1 The grove being close to the village, the man of the place has done his errand quickly, and the elders of Colonus are already heard approaching (cp. 78 ).

mvp-comment-96-1 χρόνῳ ¹⁴⁸

mvp-comment-96-2 ἐπίσκοποι ¹⁴⁹

mvp-comment-97-1 καὶ σύ μ’ ἐξ ὁδοῦ πόδα κρύψον ¹⁵⁰

mvp-comment-98-1 τῶνδ’ … ἐκμάθω τίνας λόγους ἐροῦσιν ¹⁵¹

mvp-comment-99-1 ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν ¹⁵²

mvp-comment-100-1 τῶν ποιουμένων ¹⁵³

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

1-116. mvp-comment-1-1 The scene of the πρόλογος, ll. 1-116, is probably on the north side of Colonus, with Athens in the distance. See Introduction, p. 282. The spot so familiar to the audience (οὐ λόγοις τιμώμεν' ἀλλὰ τῇ συνουσίᾳ, infr. 63-64) would probably be recalled by the representation on the stage of some striking objects, especially those which marked the religio loci. Oedipus enters (right?), led by Antigone, and sits down in the middle of the proscenium, where he remains until Antigone descries the approach of the chorus.

1. mvp-comment-2-1 Ἀντιγόνη ... Οἰδίπουν A word or two in the dialogue serves to introduce the persons, as in O. T. 8, ὁ πᾶσι κλεινὸς Οἰδίπους, with which τὸν πλανήτην Οἰδίπουν is intentionally contrasted.

1. mvp-comment-2-2 τίνας .. πόλιν Cp. Hom. Od. 6. 119, alib., τεῶν αὖτε βροτῶν εἰς γαῖαν ἱκάνω;

3. mvp-comment-3-1 τὸν πλανήτην Oedipus, like Orestes, before coming to Athens, has wandered far since the pollution was first found upon him. Cp. Aesch. Eum. 337.8, οὐ προστρόπαιον οὐδ᾽ ἀφοίβαντον χέρα, | ἀλλ᾿ ἀμβλὺν ἤδη προστετριμμένον τε πρὸς | ἄλλοισιν οἶκοις καὶ πορεύμασιν βροτῶν.

3. mvp-comment-3-2 καθ᾿ ἡμέραν τὴν νῦν His place of sojourn changed from day to day.

4. mvp-comment-4-1 σπανιστοῖς . . δωρήμασιν With scanted alms. Cp. Shak. Lear, 3. 2, 67, their scanted courtesy. The verbal σπανιστός, made small, is explained by the words which follow, σμικρὸν .. φέροντα. For the situation, cp. Od. 15. 312, πλάγξομαι, αἴ κέν τις κοτύλην καὶ πύρνον ὀρέξῃ.

5. mvp-comment-5-1 σμικρὸν.. σμικροῦ It is difficult to suppose that two forms of the same word can have occurred in the same line, although μικροῦ, the reading of L, is supported by the alliteration of μεῖον, which is opposed to it.

6. mvp-comment-6-1 φέροντα Cp. Ο. Τ. 590, ἐκ σοῦ πάντ᾽ ἄνευ φόβου φέρω. For καὶ = καίτοι, see Essay on Language § 25. p. 42.

7-8. mvp-comment-7-1 . For my sufferings, and the long time which I have lived, and also a noble nature, teach me resignation.

7-8. mvp-comment-7-2 χὠ χρόνος ξυνὼν μακρός. And the length of the time that is with me. Time is partly personified; Essay on Language p. 19. Cp. οἱ συγγενεῖς μῆνες, Ο. Τ. 1082, Shak. Tro. and Cress. 4, 5, That hast so long walked hand in hand with time. The position of μακρός is emphatic. Essay on Language § 41. p. 76. τρίτον is added by a familiar pleonasm. Ib. pp. 69, 75.

9. mvp-comment-8-1 θάκησιν Ricc. 34 has θάκοισιν, anticipating Seidler's conjecture. The reading θάκοισιν admits of a possible explanation. At some sitting place, if you see any seat-either by a place where all may sit, or by a sacred grove, let me stop and sit down. θάκοισιν, dat. of place, supplemented by πρὸς βεβήλοις (θάκοισιν), and in construction with στῆσον. But the reading in the text is simpler and smoother, and the corruption may have arisen from a very simple itacism. Cp. Phil. 17, 18, ἡλίου διπλῆ | πάρεστιν ἐνθάκησις, where, as here, θάκησις is opportunity of sitting. And this is exactly the meaning which the context requires. Essay on Language p. 94, δ.

10. mvp-comment-9-1 πρὸς βεβήλοις For the neut. adj., cp. 167, ἀβάτων ἀποβάς. The line prepares the way for what is to follow. Oedipus is led by a divine presentiment towards the sacred grove of the Eumenides; cp. infr. 97, οὐκ ἔσθ᾽ ὅπως οὐ πιστὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν πτερὸν | ἐξήγαγ᾽ ἐς τόδ' ἄλσος. See also the second ὑπόθεσις to this play, οὗ μὴ ἐστιν ἑτέρῳ βεβήλῳ τόπος, αὐτόθι κάθηται. The suppliant in clinging to the altar, etc., inevitably trespassed on things sacred. Cp. Eur. Suppl. 63, ὁσίως οὐχ, ὑπ' ἀνάγκας δὲ προσπίπτουσα . . θεῶν θυμέλας.

11. mvp-comment-10-1 ὡς πυθοίμεθα And then, haply, we may learn. Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 675, καὶ γεραροῖσι πρεσβυτοδόκοι | γεμόντων θυμέλαι φλεγόντων θ', | ὡς πόλις εὖ νέμοιτο. Where the optative expresses a remote intention. Here the uncertainty of the mood accords with the feeling of the blind and weary Oedipus.

12. mvp-comment-11-1 μανθάνειν γὰρ ἥκομεν ἥκειν, like other verbs of motion, is used with a mixed literal and figurative meaning: We are come where we must learn, i. e. partly we are here to learn, partly we are reduced to the point of learning. Cp. O. Τ. 1433, ἄριστος ἐλθών: El. 1201, μόνος γὰρ ἥκω τοῖς ἴσοις ἀλγῶν κακοῖς. Ε. on. L. § 52. p. 97.

13. mvp-comment-12-1 The omission of δé in L is indefensible. χἂν has some MS. authority, and may be right, notwithstanding the objection which is made to the double crasis (for καὶ ἃ ἄν). But Elmsley's correction is more probable.

14-15. mvp-comment-13-1 This answers τίνων ἀνδρῶν πόλιν; i. e. We are not yet come to the city, whose towers are seen from far.

15. mvp-comment-14-1 στέγουσιν Protect. Cp. Aesch. Sept. 216, 797, where, however, the word is used without the acc. of that which is protected. This is a simpler and more natural expression than στέφουσιν, which is therefore an unnecessary conjecture.

15. mvp-comment-14-2 ὡς ἀπ᾿ ὀμμάτων (1) Το judge of them by the eye, sc. εἰκάζειν or κρίνειν, or more simply without supplying an infinitive, (2) to the eye. Are far away for the eye to reach, i. e. We have but a distant view of them,

16. mvp-comment-15-1 χῶρος δ᾽ ὅδ' ἱρός Answering to τίνας χώρους ἀφίγμεθα; in l. 2, and to ἢ πρὸς ἄλσεσιν θεῶν in l. 10.

16. mvp-comment-15-2 ὡς ἀπεικάσαι The reading ὡς σάφ' εἰκάσαι, As one may guess with certainty, though it has some MS. authority, is less in keeping with the moderation of the style. Cp. Tr. 141, πεπυσμένη μέν, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι, πάρει | πάθημα τοὐμόν. ἀπο as in ἀπομαντεύεσθαι, ἀποπειρᾶσθαι : i. e. ἀπεικάσαι is to hazard a conjecture.

16. mvp-comment-15-3 βρύων governs the genitive with the general notion of fulness. Ср. О. Т. 83, πολυστεφὴς . . δάφνης.

17. mvp-comment-16-1 πυκνόπτεροι The compound adds picturesqueness to the expression. Many-winged nightingales, i. e. Many fluttering nightingales. See Essay on Language p. 101. For the synaphea, cp. O. T. 29, Ar. Av. 1716.

20. mvp-comment-17-1 Since the way you have travelled is long for an aged man.

21. mvp-comment-18-1 τὸν τυφλόν For the article, cp. Ο. Τ. 1323, τὸν τυφλὸν κηδείων.

22. mvp-comment-19-1 I have had time enough to learn that well.

23. mvp-comment-20-1 When Oedipus is seated, he repeats his inquiry. The repetition is marked by δή. Now, can you tell me-?

25. mvp-comment-21-1 τοῦτό *γ᾽ is obviously right, though only found in one MS, Par. F. τοῦτον has arisen from χῶρον in the preceding line. The verse is given to Antig. by L, but the 2nd hand has put a line against this and the following verse, and a cross in the margin. The initials of the persons after 21 are by a recent hand.

27. mvp-comment-22-1 ἐξοικήσιμος.. οἰκητός If it is habitable. It is indeed inhabited. The latter word is more definite. Antigone sees clear signs of habitation. The compound with ἐξ gives emphasis and completeness to the idea: cp. Thuc. 2. 17, ὑπὸ τῆς παραχρῆμα ἀνάγκης ἐξῳκήθη: also words like ἐξεστεμμένος, ἐκκοσμεῖν, ἐξανδρόομαι. Ε. on L. p. 101. The reason of the condition, εἴπερ κ.τ.λ., is simply that in an uninhabited place there would be no one to ask. Sch. καλῶς δὲ τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας, ἵνα μὴ μόνος ὁ Οἰδίπους ἀπολειφθῇ.

30. mvp-comment-23-1 Do you mean coming forth from the town and advancing hitherwards? On the inverted order, see Essay on Language § 41, b, p. 78.

31-32. mvp-comment-24-1 Nay: he is actually in our presence: and whatever you think good to say at this moment, say on, for the man is here.

33. mvp-comment-25-1 ἀκούων The reply in l. 36 suits with the aposiopesis, and the change to ἀκούω is not a happy one.

34-35. mvp-comment-26-1 οὔνεχ᾽.. ἀδηλοῦμεν Since so fortunately we have met with you, who come to inform our ignorance. The genitive follows σκοπός, and φράσαι is epexegetic, αἴσος happy, fortunate, as a good omen is called αἴσιος ὄρνις. σκοπός, properly one sent to look, hence one who brings intelligence. Cp. the figurative use of σκοπός in infr. 1096, τῷ σκοπῷ μὲν οὐκ ἐρεῖς | ὡς ψευδόμαντις.

35. mvp-comment-27-1 The MS. reading τῶν is very possibly erroneous, as in El. 422, βλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, τῷ κατάσκιον (L), where the metre decides for ᾧ. The early corruption τῶν ἃ δηλοῦμεν, however, is a proof of the antiquity of the reading τῶν, for had the words been ὧν ἀδηλοῦμεν, nobody would have thought of altering them to ὧν ἃ δηλοῦμεν. ἀδηλέω is not found elsewhere; but cp. Hesych. ἀδηλίαν, ἄγνοιαν, and the analogy of ἀλαστεῖν, etc. Essay on Language p. 102.

35. mvp-comment-27-2 ΞΕΝΟΣ The Stranger, so called in relation to Oedipus, is an Athenian, but from the neighbourhood of Colonus, as appears from l. 70, ἆρ᾽ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὺς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι.

37. mvp-comment-28-1 οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν i. e. ὃν πατεῖν οὐχ ὅσιόν ἐστιν. Cp. Eur. Heracl. 1011, οὐχ ἁγνός εἰμι τῷ κτανόντι κατθανεῖν.

38. mvp-comment-29-1 τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται Το which of the Gods is it assigned by custom?

41. mvp-comment-30-1 What is their dread name, that I may address my prayers to them? i. e. τίσιν ἂν εὐξαίμην, κλύων αὐτῶν τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομα ;

42. mvp-comment-31-1 ὁ γ᾽ ἐνθάδ' * ἄν The MSS, Suidas, and Eustathius agree in reading ὤν, which has been altered to avoid the omission of ἄν. For this see Essay on Language § 27. p. 45, and cp. Ar. Av. 180, πόλος; τίνα τρόπον; ΠΕ. ὥσπερ εἴποι τὶς τόπος, as well as Aesch. Ag. 339, τοιαῦτά τοι γυναικὸς ἐξ ἐμοῦ κλύοις: Ibid. 1163: Supp. 727. But ὤν has no meaning here and ἄν is better.

43. mvp-comment-32-1 ἄλλα δ᾽ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά These words are best taken generally. The different names of the Furies illustrate the truth that Different customs are honoured in different places. Cp. Pind. Fr. 200, Ἄλλο δ᾽ ἄλλοισιν νόμισμα. The Stranger, while insisting on the sanctity of the spot, is aware that customs vary. His gentleness and moderation contrast with the fanaticism of the chorus. The name Ἐρινύες is avoided.

44. mvp-comment-33-1 The MS. reading τόνδ' is shown by the metre to be wrong. Cp. infr. 52 and note. *τὸν ἱκέτην = their suppliant.

45. mvp-comment-34-1 *ὡς The meaning is much the same whether we read ὥστε, with the MSS, or ὡς, which is favoured by the interpretation of the Scholiast, and is on the whole more probable. For I will not depart; cp. infr. 1528,9. The reading of the MSS, ὥστε, is only explainable, if at all, as a confused or mixed thought; Oedipus expressing in a single clause his prayer that he may not be driven away, and his determination to remain, That I may remain in this land which I will not leave. Cp. Thuc. 3. 34, ὥστε ἢν μηδὲν ἀρεστὸν λέγῃ, πάλιν αὐτὸν καταστήσειν, where the fut. inf. arises from a slight confusion of a similar kind. ὡs is simpler and better: i e. May they be kind to me, for I mean to stay.

45. mvp-comment-34-2 The vagueness of γῆς τῆσδε has been objected to. But the meaning of Oedipus is that he is to rest in the soil of Attica. Cp. 84, 5, ἕδρας.. τῆσδε γῆς.

46. mvp-comment-35-1 τί δ᾽ ἔστι τοῦτο What does this mean? The Stranger is awestruck by the unexpected firmness of Oedipus.

46. mvp-comment-35-2 ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημ᾿ ἐμῆς The word that sums my destiny. For ξυμφορά, of the position in which one is placed by destiny, cp. Τr. 1145,

φρονῶ δὴ ξυμφορᾶς ἵν᾽ ἔσταμεν.

ξύνθημα (from συντιθέσθαι) is an appointed sign, generally in speech or writing, and especially one giving direction at a critical moment. Oedipus is thinking of the language of the oracles which he remembers. Cp. Trach. 157, δέλτον ἐγγεγραμμένην | ξυνθήματ'. Whether the notion of comprising much in little belongs to the word accidentally, or is assisted by some association from συντιθέναι (Εl. 673, ἐν βραχεῖ συνθεὶς λέγω), is not easy to determine. Cp. inf. 586, ἀλλ' ἐν βραχεῖ δὴ τήνδε μ' ἐξαιτεῖ χάριν. Oedipus means that in praying the dread goddesses to receive him to rest finally in Attica, he is uttering the word which expresses his condition and destiny. The broken line has here the effect, not of hurried excitement, but of intense solemnity.

47. mvp-comment-36-1 Indeed I am no less afraid to raise you up, without the city knowing of it.' By raising him from sanctuary, the Stranger would become responsible for his protection. The conjecture οὐδ᾽ ἐμοί τοι, suggested by the errors of the MSS, introduces a false emphasis, οὐδέ refers to a suppressed clause. The Stranger has told him to depart, and he has expressed his determination to remain. After his last words the Stranger is unwilling to incur the responsibility of removing him. But without the authority of the state,' he says, I can no more remove you than I can let you remain. μέντοι is therefore preferable.

48. mvp-comment-37-1 πρίν γ᾽ ἂν .. δρῶ (1) ‘Until I have first shown the matter, (so as to be advised) what I must do: (the indirect question depends on the notion of consulting implied in ἐνδείξω): or (2), if δρῶ is taken as indicative, what I am doing. This (2) is simpler and more natural. Cp. τί δρᾷς ; infr. 829, Phil. 974.

50. mvp-comment-38-1 ὧν σε προστρέπω φράσαι In respect of the things which I entreat you to tell.

52. mvp-comment-39-1 τίς ἔσθ The omission of δέ, though supported only by Vat., and Par. B., is favoured by the context, since there is no opposition between this and the previous line. If δέ is genuine, the words must be regarded as a repetition verbatim of the question in 38.

53. mvp-comment-40-1 You shall know all that I myself know.' For καί, see Essay on Language § 25. a. 1, p. 42, O. T. 1239 and note. Poseidon is the guardian deity of the whole region: particular spots are sacred to several deities, such as the fire-bringer, the Titan Prometheus. 55, ff. Apollodorus, quoted by the Scholiast, mentions an altar of Prometheus in the temple of Athena in the Academy, and at the entrance of the same temple a pedestal on which was represented in relief an altar of Hephaestus and Prometheus in common, together with the figures of both deities.

56. mvp-comment-41-1 ὃν δ᾽ ἐπιστείβεις τόπον .. Ἀθηνῶν But the place where you rest, or the place where you have set your foot, is called the brazen-floored threshold of this land, the stay of Athens. Cp. Od. 17. 196, where οὐδόν is the ground.

57. mvp-comment-42-1 χαλκόπους Lit. Having a foundation of brass. A compound adjective, in which, as in πυκνόπτεροι supr. 17, ὑψίποδες, Ο. Τ. 866, the force of the termination is partially lost. The meaning is nearly the same as in 1591, χαλκοῖς βάθροισι γῆθεν ἐρριζωμένον. χάλκεος = indissoluble, as in Pind. Pyth. 10. 27, ὁ χάλκεος οὐρανός. On the question of reconciling this passage with 1590, where Oedipus is described as halting when he reached the καταρράκτης ὀδός, out of sight of the spectators, see the Introduction to this play, p. 282.

58. mvp-comment-43-1 ἔρεισμ᾽ Ἀθηνῶν Sophocles supposes the tradition which associated the tomb of Oedipus with the glory of Athens to have been foreshadowed in the local belief: an anticipation similar to that by which the Athenians are called Theseidae in Theseus' time, 1. 1066. Schndw. supposes ἔρεισμα to mean that this threshold of the land' was part of the rock on which the city was built. But though this fancy may have been included in the early belief, it does not agree with the word τόπον in l. 56. Cp. Pind. Fr. 46, Ἑλλάδος ἔρεισμα, κλειναὶ Ἀθῆναι.

59. mvp-comment-44-1 Colonus, god of horsemen, who is present with them here.' Cp. 65, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ. There is no need of altering τόνδε into τόν: the presence of the guardian deity, who may or may not have been represented by a statue on the stage, is assumed.

62-63. mvp-comment-45-1 οὐ λόγοις τιμώμεν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ξυνουσίᾳ πλέον Honoured, not in story, but more highly, by loving resort. Thus the poet honours scenes which were familiar to his audience, and probably his own home. They were as yet uncelebrated in poetry, and he was going to make them famous. If recent scholars are right in assigning the Phoenissae to the spring of 410 B.C., the allusion in Phoen. 1707 would be subsequent to O. C., according to the reasoning on p. 278, supra.

66. mvp-comment-46-1 Have they a ruler, or, are the people allowed to have a voice?' The reading ἄρχει τίς..; cannot be defended. The inversion, although of course allowable, gives a false emphasis.

67. mvp-comment-47-1 This place depends for its government upon the king in the city.' On the use of ἐκ, see Essay on Language § 19. p. 27. There are many indications of the poet's wish to carry the spectators into the past. Cp. infr. 303, μακρὰ κέλευθος, not applicable to a time when Colonus was a suburb of Athens.

68. mvp-comment-48-1 And who is thus supreme in word and power?' The emphatic use of τίς, as the real predicate, = τίς ὤν, accounts for the inversion. Essay on Language § 41. p. 78. See Introd. p. 277.

70. mvp-comment-49-1 Could any one from you (i. e. from near Colonus) go to fetch him?' πομπός, = στελῶν in infr. 298.

71. mvp-comment-50-1 That Theseus might come for what purpose of speech or decision?' Cp. 1. 68, λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει. The reading μολεῖν avoids the awkwardness of repeating μόλοι with a different subject, but whether the line is then taken to mean, (1) To what purpose is he to speak to him? Or is he to arrange for him to come?' or (2) To speak to him, or arrange for him to come, for what purpose?' the Stranger is thus made to ignore the obvious meaning of πομπός in the question of Oedipus. The optative (ὡς μόλοι for ὡς ἂν μόλῃ) is occasioned by the optative preceding.

72. mvp-comment-51-1 ὡς ἂν.. κερδάνῃ Oedipus, in expressing his own purpose, returns to the more direct form of expression.

73. mvp-comment-52-1 μή Essay on Language p. 48. 2, b.

74. mvp-comment-53-1 All that I utter shall be full of light. Cp. Aesch. Choeph. 844, πῶς ταῦτ᾽ ἀληθῆ καὶ βλέποντα δοξάσω; and the passive uses of caecus in Latin. The inversion of active and passive expressions is especially frequent in connection with perception by sight. See Essay on Language pp. 98, 99. The Stranger, on seeing the noble bearing of Oedipus, thinks it will be enough if he reports the matter not to the city, cp. 1. 47, but to the elders of the deme.

75. mvp-comment-54-1 Do you know how you must avoid disaster? Cp. the common idiom οἶσθ᾽ ὁ δρᾶσον (Ar. Av. 54, etc.), and see O. T. 543 and note.

75. mvp-comment-54-2 ἐπείπερ εἰ I tell you this because I see you noble. Sc. ταῦτά σοι λέγω.

76. mvp-comment-55-1 ὡς ἰδόντι ὡς emphasises the dative as in supr. 20, ὡς γέροντι.

76. mvp-comment-55-2 πλὴν τοῦ δαίμονος But for your fortune. The nobility of Oedipus appears through his rags and blindness. Cp. Shak. Cor. 4. 5. Though thy tackle's torn | Thou show'st a noble vessel. Od. 14. 214, ἀλλ᾽ ἔμπης καλάμην γέ σ᾽ ὀΐομαι εἰσορόωντα | γιγνώσκειν, ib. 20. 194, δύσμορος, ἢ τε ἔοικε δέμας βασιλῆῖ ἄνακτι.

78. mvp-comment-56-1 τοῖσδ᾽ ἐνθάδ᾽ αὐτοῦ These here on the spot. For the pleonasm, in which the words ἐνθάδ αὐτοῦ are epexegetic of τοῖσδε, see Essay on Language p. 75. And, for the use of τοῖσδε which requires the epexegesis, ibid. § 22. p. 34. Ср. supra, l. 59 , τόνδε.. Κολωνόν.

79. mvp-comment-57-1 οἵδε γὰρ κρινοῦσί *τοι The variety of reading, in which both γε and σοι are somewhat harsh, many have σ arisen out of τοι.

80. mvp-comment-58-1 ἢ..ἤ An Epic form, which ap. pears also in Aesch. Prom. 780, Choeph. 890, putting an alternative more pointedly than cἰ.. ἤ.

81. mvp-comment-59-1 ἡμίν Is the Stranger gone, and are we alone? Dative of remote reference. Essay on Language § 13. p. 19.

84. mvp-comment-60-1 O revered forms of dread.' Cp. Aesch. Cho. 1048 ff. For the reduplication of adjectives without a connecting particle, see Essay on Language § 23. P. 37.

84. mvp-comment-60-2 5. εὔτε . . ἐγώ Since it is on a seat of yours that I have rested first in this land. ἐπί is probably to be joined with ἕδρας, (cp. supr. 19, κώλα κάμψον τοῦδ᾽ ἐπ᾿ ἀξέστου πέτρου), and ἔκαμψα is used absolutely for ἔκαμψα μέλη. Supr. 19. Essay on Language p. 98. Eur. Hec. 1079, πὰ βῶ; πᾶ στῶ; πᾶ κάμψω; For the position of ἐπί before the subordinate genitive, 127, ἄλσος ἐς τᾶνδε.. κορᾶν : Essay on Language § 41. p. 77. For the sense, cp. Od. 13. 228, ἐπεί σε πρῶτα κιχάνω.

84. mvp-comment-60-3 γῆς Partitive genitive with πρώτων. Cp. supra, l. 45 , ἔδρας γῆς τῆσδ'.

86. mvp-comment-61-1 Φοίβῳ τε κάμοὶ.. ὅς The order of actual sequence is inverted, and the first of the two words, being the more emphatic, is the antecedent to ὅs. Essay on Language § 41. p. 78.

86. mvp-comment-61-2 ἀγνώμονες Ungracious. Cp. Tr. 1266-1267, μεγάλην δὲ θεῶν ἀγνωμοσύνην εἰδότες.

87. mvp-comment-62-1 τὰ πόλλ᾽ ἐκεῖν᾽ ὅτ᾽ ἐξέχρη κακά Referring to O. T. 789, foll. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 1703 ff.

88. mvp-comment-63-1 ταύτην has the emphasis, and is the real predicate. Told me of a resting-place which could be no other than this.' 89. When I came to a land at the end of my wanderings, where I should find a seat belonging to the dread goddesses and auspicious shelter afforded by them, there I should end my ill fated life.' ἐλθόντι] In construction with μοι, as if the sentence were παῦλαν γίνεσθαί μοι.

88. mvp-comment-63-2 τερμίαν is predicative, a land which should be the end of my wandering.

88. mvp-comment-63-3 ὅπου .. λάβοιμι] Oratio obliqua from οὗ ἂν λάβῃς.

88. mvp-comment-63-4 θεῶν with ἕδραν is possessive, with ξενόστασιν subjective, genitive. Essay on Language pp. 12, 62.

91. mvp-comment-64-1 The metaphor in κάμψειν βίον is taken from a race. Cp. Eur. El. 755, πρὶν ἂν τέλος | γραμμῆς ἴκηται καὶ πέρας κάμψῃ βίου : Hipp. 87, τέλος δὲ κάμψαιμ᾽ ὥσπερ ἠρξάμην βίου: Hel. 1666, ὅταν δὲ κάμψῃς καὶ τελευτήσῃς βίον. The turning-point is regarded in the figure as the end of the race. The construction as in κάμπτειν δρόμον. The infinitive follows ἔλεξε, and is coordinate with παῦλαν.

92. mvp-comment-65-1 κέρδη μὲν οἰκήσαντα Sc. ἐνταῦθα. Having fixed my habitation there,- a benefit to those who had received me, but a calamity to those who sent me forth, who banished me. κέρδη and ἄτην are accusatives in apposition to the action of the verb, expressing the result of the action. If it is objected that the tense is momentary, and the result is only to be realised afterwards, this applies equally to Eur. Οr. 1103, Ἑλένην κτάνωμεν, Μενελέω λύπην πικράν : although some such consideration has probably occasioned the v. r. οἰκήσοντα. Cp. 626, κοὔποτ' Οἱ- δίπουν ἐρεῖς | ἀχρεῖον οἰκητῆρα δέξασθαι τόπων | τῶν ἐνθάδ'. οἰκίσαντα has been conjectured, but οἰκίζω is not used in the sense required.

94. mvp-comment-66-1 παρηγγύα (1) He promised withal. παρά = besides.' Or (2), like παρεγγυᾶν σύνθημα, He told me as a sign.' Cp. supr. 46.

96-98. mvp-comment-67-1 ἔγνωκα.. άλσος And I am sure that some true intimation from you has led me to my destination in this grove. Cp. Pind. Ol. 6. 663, Il. 24. 53,4. an

97. mvp-comment-68-1 πιστὸν.. πτερόν Some true intimation from you. The meaning of omen or sign is generalized so as to apply to a presentiment or inward intimation. Schol. πτερόν: οἰωνός. τὴν πτέρωσιν τῆς διανοίας. For a similar mental influence, cp. El. 459, οἶμαι μὲν οὖν, οἷμαί τι κἀκείνῳ μέλον | πέμψαι τάδ' αὐτῇ δυσπρόσοπτ᾽ ὀνείρατα: also Phil. 1039, εἰ μὴ τι κέντρον θεῖον ἦγ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐμοῦ.

99. mvp-comment-69-1 The correction ὑμῖν is taken from the note of the Scholiast.

100. mvp-comment-70-1 σεμνὸν .. βάθρον Cp. 57, 8: Aesch. Eum. 107, χοάς τ' ἀοίνους, νηφάλια μειλίγματα. The Schol. on this line mentions, on the authority of Polemo and Philochorus, various other deities to whom libations of pure water were offered in Attica.

102. mvp-comment-71-1 βίου.. πέρασιν Not a passing out of life, but a passing away of life. The person is not thought of distinct from the life. So the Schol. Cp. infr. 1551 and note, and see Essay on Language § 42 B, p. 80. The genitive βίου, however, is to be taken more closely with καταστροφήν than with πέρασιν.

102. mvp-comment-71-2 βίου.. καταστροφήν Ending of life, a metaphor from turning down the end of a thread in weaving. Cp. Hdt. 4. 205, τὴν ζύην κατέπλεξε.

104-105. mvp-comment-72-1 εἰ μή τι.. βροτῶν Unless haply (εἰ μή τι) my afflictions seem too light, who am always suffering the greatest calamities which can afflict mortals. Schol. εἰ μὴ δοκῶ ὑμῖν ἐλαττόνως ἔχειν τὰ κακὰ καὶ δεῖσθαι προσθήκης κακῶν. Cp. Morris' Story of Sigurd, p. 374, And if all be little enough and the Gods begrudge me rest. μειόνως ἔχειν is naturally opposed to ἀρκούντως ἔχειν, and is to be taken in close connection with what follows: i. e. μειόνως ἔχειν..

104-105. mvp-comment-72-2 λατρεύων – μειόνως ἔχειν λατρευμάτων. Herm. takes μειόνως ἔχειν as equivalent το μείονος λόγου εἶναι. But this is hardly legitimate, and gives a poor meaning.

106. mvp-comment-73-1 γλυκεῖαι Welcome daughters. This epithet is not here merely propitiatory (like Εὐμενίδες, etc.), but expresses the real feeling of Oedipus. He has no fear of the 'Ερινύες, who have done their worst,' and are now to give him the rest for which he longs; cp. Aj. 394, where, in a different mood, Ajax more passionately invokes Erebus as to him most bright.

107. mvp-comment-74-1 μεγίστης Παλλάδος καλούμεναι Called the possession of mightiest Pallas.

109. mvp-comment-75-1 ἀνδρὸς Οἰδίπου Pity this miserable shadow of the man that Oedipus once was. For this emphatic sense of ἀνήρ, cp. 393, τηνικαῦτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ εἰμ' ἀνήρ : Αj. 77, πρόσθεν οὐκ ἀνὴρ ὅδ᾽ ἦν. The degree of emphasis in these passages varies. It is less in Aj. 77, than in O. C. 393. And in the present passage it is still more slight, suggesting rather than expressing the contrast of conditions.

110. mvp-comment-76-1 The reading of Aldus, which various editors have approved without adopting it, is found in Ven. 467, from which he no doubt derived it. See Introd. p. 284.

112. mvp-comment-77-1 χρόνῳ παλαιοί Very old men. The pleonasm is intensive, as in γονῇ γενναῖε, Ο. Τ. 1469.

112. mvp-comment-77-2 σῆς ἕδρας ἐπίσκοποι Το see why you are sitting here.' 113. σιγήσομαί τε καὶ σύ μ᾽ ἐξ ὁδοῦ πόδα κρύψον] I will say nothing. But take and hide me out of the way.' με is governed, πρὸς τὸ σημαινόμενον, by the phrase πόδα κρύψον, which is substituted for ὑπέξαγε or the like. Cp. Essay on Language § 16. p. 23.

114. mvp-comment-78-1 τῶνδε.. ἐκμάθω Until I learn of these men.' Gen. of perception and also of respect.' Essay on Language pp. 16, 13. For ἐκμανθάνειν, to learn perfectly, cp. Ο. Τ. 575, ἐκμάνθαν᾽. 115-116. For in being fully informed lies the secret of cautious proceeding.' Oedipus has the timidity of age. For the spondee in ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν, cp. Εl. 376, εἰ γὰρ τῶνδε μοι. The four words are very closely bound together. 117 ff. Exit Oedipus and Antigone leading him. The scene is changed (?) to the entrance of the sacred grove. The chorus enter from the spectators' right. See Introduction, p. 282.

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Οἰδίπους κάθιζέ νύν με καὶ φύλασσε τὸν τυφλόν.

Ἀντιγόνη χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκʼ οὐ μαθεῖν με δεῖ τόδε.

Οἰδίπους ἔχεις διδάξαι δή μʼ ὅποι καθέσταμεν;

Ἀντιγόνη τὰς γοῦν Ἀθήνας οἶδα, τὸν δὲ χῶρον οὔ.

Οἰδίπους πᾶς γάρ τις ηὔδα τοῦτό γʼ ἡμὶν ἐμπόρων. 25

Ἀντιγόνη ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ἦ μάθω μολοῦσά ποι;

Οἰδίπους ναί, τέκνον, εἴπερ ἐστί γʼ ἐξοικήσιμος.

Ἀντιγόνη ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ μὴν οἰκητός· οἴομαι δὲ δεῖν οὐδέν· πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδε νῷν ὁρῶ.

Οἰδίπους ἦ δεῦρο προσστείχοντα κἀξορμώμενον; 30

Ἀντιγόνη καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖν παρόντα· χὤ τί σοι λέγειν εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν, ἔννεφʼ, ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅδε.

Οἰδίπους ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἀκούων τῆσδε τῆς ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμοῦ αὑτῆς θʼ ὁρώσης, οὕνεχʼ ἡμὶν αἴσιος σκοπὸς προσήκεις ὧν ἀδηλοῦμεν φράσαι— 35

Ξένος πρὶν νῦν τὰ πλείονʼ ἱστορεῖν, ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἕδρας ἔξελθʼ· ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.

Οἰδίπους τίς δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος; τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται;

Ξένος ἄθικτος οὐδʼ οἰκητός· αἱ γὰρ ἔμφοβοι θεαί σφʼ ἔχουσι, Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι. 40

Οἰδίπους τίνων τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομʼ ἂν εὐξαίμην κλύων;

Ξένος τὰς πάνθʼ ὁρώσας Εὐμενίδας ὅ γʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἂν εἴποι λεώς νιν· ἄλλα δʼ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ ἵλεῳ μὲν τὸν ἱκέτην δεξαίατο· ὡς οὐχ ἕδρας γῆς τῆσδʼ ἂν ἐξέλθοιμʼ ἔτι. 45

Ξένος τί δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο;

Οἰδίπους ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημʼ ἐμῆς.

Ξένος ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐμοί τοι τοὐξανιστάναι πόλεως δίχʼ ἐστὶ θάρσος, πρίν γʼ ἂν ἐνδείξω τί δρῶ.

Οἰδίπους πρός νυν θεῶν, ὦ ξεῖνε, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσῃς, τοιόνδʼ ἀλήτην, ὧν σε προστρέπω φράσαι. 50

Ξένος σήμαινε, κοὐκʼ ἄτιμος ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανεῖ.

Οἰδίπους τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος δῆτʼ, ἐν ᾧ βεβήκαμεν;

Οἰδίπους ἦ γάρ τινες ναίουσι τούσδε τοὺς τόπους;

Ξένος καὶ κάρτα, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐπώνυμοι. 65

Οἰδίπους ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν ἢ ʼπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;

Ξένος ἐκ τοῦ κατʼ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδʼ ἄρχεται.

Οἰδίπους οὗτος δὲ τίς λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει κρατεῖ;

Ξένος Θησεὺς καλεῖται, τοῦ πρὶν Αἰγέως τόκος.

Οἰδίπους ἆρʼ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὸς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι; 70

Ξένος ὡς πρὸς τί λέξων ἢ καταρτύσων μολεῖν;

Οἰδίπους ὡς ἂν προσαρκῶν σμικρὰ κερδάνῃ μέγα.

Ξένος καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;

Οἰδίπους ὅσʼ ἂν λέγωμεν πάνθʼ ὁρῶντα λέξομεν.

Οἰδίπους ὦ τέκνον, ἦ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος;

Ἀντιγόνη βέβηκεν, ὥστε πᾶν ἐν ἡσύχῳ, πάτερ, ἔξεστι φωνεῖν, ὡς ἐμοῦ μόνης πέλας.

Ἀντιγόνη σίγα· πορεύονται γὰρ οἵδε δή τινες χρόνῳ παλαιοί, σῆς ἕδρας ἐπίσκοποι.

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Οἰδίπους κάθιζέ νύν με καὶ φύλασσε τὸν τυφλόν.

Ἀντιγόνη χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκʼ οὐ μαθεῖν με δεῖ τόδε.

Οἰδίπους ἔχεις διδάξαι δή μʼ ὅποι καθέσταμεν;

Ἀντιγόνη τὰς γοῦν Ἀθήνας οἶδα, τὸν δὲ χῶρον οὔ.

Οἰδίπους πᾶς γάρ τις ηὔδα τοῦτό *γʼ ἡμὶν ἐμπόρων. 25

Ἀντιγόνη ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ἦ μάθω μολοῦσά ποι;

Οἰδίπους ναί, τέκνον, εἴπερ ἐστί γʼ ἐξοικήσιμος.

Ἀντιγόνη ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ μὴν οἰκητός. οἴομαι δὲ δεῖν οὐδέν· πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδε νῷν ὁρῶ.

Οἰδίπους ἦ δεῦρο προσστείχοντα κἀξορμώμενον ; 30

Ἀντιγόνη καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖν παρόντα· χὤ τι σοι λέγειν εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν, ἔννεφʼ, ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅδε.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἀκούων τῆσδε τῆς ὑπὲρ τʼ ἐμοῦ αὑτῆς θʼ ὁρώσης, οὕνεχʼ ἡμὶν αἴσιος σκοπὸς προσήκεις †τῶν ἀδηλοῦμεν φράσαι, — 35

Ξένος πρίν νυν τὰ πλείονʼ ἱστορεῖν, ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἕδρας ἔξελθʼ, ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.

Οἰδίπους τίς δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος; τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται;

Ξένος ἄθικτος οὐδʼ οἰκητός. αἱ γὰρ ἔμφοβοι θεαί σφʼ ἔχουσι, Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι. 40

Οἰδίπους τίνων τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομʼ ἂν εὐξαίμην κλύων ;

Ξένος τὰς πάνθʼ ὁρώσας Εὐμενίδας ὅ γʼ ἐνθάδʼ *ἂν εἴποι λεώς νιν· ἄλλα δʼ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά. [97 b.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ ἵλεῳ μὲν *τὸν ἱκέτην δεξαίατο, ὡς οὐχ ἕδρας γῆς τῆσδʼ ἂν ἐξέλθοιμʼ ἔτι. 45

Ξένος τί δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο;

Οἰδίπους ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημʼ ἐμῆς.

Ξένος ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μέντοι τοὐξανιστάναι πόλεως δίχʼ ἐστὶ θάρσος, πρίν γʼ ἂν ἐνδείξω τί δρῶ.

Οἰδίπους πρός νυν θεῶν, ὦ ξεῖνε, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσῃς, τοιόνδʼ ἀλήτην, ὧν σε προστρέπω φράσαι. 50

Ξένος σήμαινε, κοὐκ ἄτιμος ἐκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανεῖ.

Οἰδίπους τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος δῆτʼ ἐν ᾧ βεβήκαμεν;

Οἰδίπους ἦ γάρ τινες ναίουσι τούσδε τοὺς τόπους ;

Ξένος καὶ κάρτα, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐπώνυμοι. 65

Οἰδίπους ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν, ἢ ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;

Ξένος ἐκ τοῦ κατʼ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδʼ ἄρχεται.

Οἰδίπους οὗτος δὲ τίς λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει κρατεῖ;

Ξένος Θησεὺς καλεῖται, τοῦ πρὶν Αἰγέως τόκος.

Οἰδίπους ἆρʼ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὸς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι; 70

Ξένος ὡς πρὸς τί, λέξων ἢ καταρτύσων, μόλοι;

Οἰδίπους ὡς ἂν προσαρκῶν μικρὰ κερδάνῃ μέγα.

Ξένος καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;

Οἰδίπους ὅσʼ ἂν λέγωμεν πάνθʼ ὁρῶντα λέξομεν.

Ξένος

Οἰδίπους ὦ τέκνον, ἦ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος;

Ἀντιγόνη βέβηκεν, ὥστε πᾶν ἐν ἡσύχῳ, πάτερ, ἔξεστι φωνεῖν, ὡς ἐμοῦ μόνης πέλας.

Ἀντιγόνη σίγα, πορεύονται γὰρ οἵδε δή τινες χρόνῳ παλαιοί, σῆς ἕδρας ἐπίσκοποι.

Χορός 117-137

Οἰδίπους

κάθιζέ νύν με καὶ φύλασσε τὸν τυφλόν.

Ἀντιγόνη

χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκʼ οὐ μαθεῖν με δεῖ τόδε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχεις διδάξαι δή μʼ ὅποι καθέσταμεν;

Ἀντιγόνη

τὰς γοῦν Ἀθήνας οἶδα, τὸν δὲ χῶρον οὔ.

Οἰδίπους

πᾶς γάρ τις ηὔδα τοῦτό γʼ ἡμὶν ἐμπόρων.
25

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ἦ μάθω μολοῦσά ποι;

Οἰδίπους

ναί, τέκνον, εἴπερ ἐστί γʼ ἐξοικήσιμος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ μὴν οἰκητός· οἴομαι δὲ δεῖν

οὐδέν· πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδε νῷν ὁρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ δεῦρο προσστείχοντα κἀξορμώμενον;
30

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖν παρόντα· χὤ τί σοι λέγειν

εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν, ἔννεφʼ, ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅδε.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἀκούων τῆσδε τῆς ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμοῦ

αὑτῆς θʼ ὁρώσης, οὕνεχʼ ἡμὶν αἴσιος

σκοπὸς προσήκεις ὧν ἀδηλοῦμεν φράσαι—
35

Ξένος

πρὶν νῦν τὰ πλείονʼ ἱστορεῖν, ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἕδρας

ἔξελθʼ· ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

τίς δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος; τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται;

Ξένος

ἄθικτος οὐδʼ οἰκητός· αἱ γὰρ ἔμφοβοι

θεαί σφʼ ἔχουσι, Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι.
40

Οἰδίπους

τίνων τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομʼ ἂν εὐξαίμην κλύων;

Ξένος

τὰς πάνθʼ ὁρώσας Εὐμενίδας ὅ γʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἂν

εἴποι λεώς νιν· ἄλλα δʼ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἵλεῳ μὲν τὸν ἱκέτην δεξαίατο·

ὡς οὐχ ἕδρας γῆς τῆσδʼ ἂν ἐξέλθοιμʼ ἔτι.
45

Ξένος

τί δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο;

Οἰδίπους

ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημʼ ἐμῆς.

Ξένος

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐμοί τοι τοὐξανιστάναι πόλεως

δίχʼ ἐστὶ θάρσος, πρίν γʼ ἂν ἐνδείξω τί δρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

πρός νυν θεῶν, ὦ ξεῖνε, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσῃς,

τοιόνδʼ ἀλήτην, ὧν σε προστρέπω φράσαι.
50

Ξένος

σήμαινε, κοὐκʼ ἄτιμος ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος δῆτʼ, ἐν ᾧ βεβήκαμεν;

Οἰδίπους

ἦ γάρ τινες ναίουσι τούσδε τοὺς τόπους;

Ξένος

καὶ κάρτα, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐπώνυμοι.
65

Οἰδίπους

ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν ἢ ʼπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;

Ξένος

ἐκ τοῦ κατʼ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδʼ ἄρχεται.

Οἰδίπους

οὗτος δὲ τίς λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει κρατεῖ;

Ξένος

Θησεὺς καλεῖται, τοῦ πρὶν Αἰγέως τόκος.

Οἰδίπους

ἆρʼ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὸς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι;
70

Ξένος

ὡς πρὸς τί λέξων ἢ καταρτύσων μολεῖν;

Οἰδίπους

ὡς ἂν προσαρκῶν σμικρὰ κερδάνῃ μέγα.

Ξένος

καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;

Οἰδίπους

ὅσʼ ἂν λέγωμεν πάνθʼ ὁρῶντα λέξομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος;

Ἀντιγόνη

βέβηκεν, ὥστε πᾶν ἐν ἡσύχῳ, πάτερ,

ἔξεστι φωνεῖν, ὡς ἐμοῦ μόνης πέλας.

Ἀντιγόνη

σίγα· πορεύονται γὰρ οἵδε δή τινες

χρόνῳ παλαιοί, σῆς ἕδρας ἐπίσκοποι.

Οἰδίπους

κάθιζέ νύν με καὶ φύλασσε τὸν τυφλόν.

Ἀντιγόνη

χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκʼ οὐ μαθεῖν με δεῖ τόδε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχεις διδάξαι δή μʼ ὅποι καθέσταμεν;

Ἀντιγόνη

τὰς γοῦν Ἀθήνας οἶδα, τὸν δὲ χῶρον οὔ.

Οἰδίπους

πᾶς γάρ τις ηὔδα τοῦτό *γʼ ἡμὶν ἐμπόρων.
25

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ἦ μάθω μολοῦσά ποι;

Οἰδίπους

ναί, τέκνον, εἴπερ ἐστί γʼ ἐξοικήσιμος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ μὴν οἰκητός. οἴομαι δὲ δεῖν

οὐδέν· πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδε νῷν ὁρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ δεῦρο προσστείχοντα κἀξορμώμενον ;
30

Ἀντιγόνη

καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖν παρόντα· χὤ τι σοι λέγειν

εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν, ἔννεφʼ, ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅδε.

ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἀκούων τῆσδε τῆς ὑπὲρ τʼ ἐμοῦ

αὑτῆς θʼ ὁρώσης, οὕνεχʼ ἡμὶν αἴσιος

σκοπὸς προσήκεις †τῶν ἀδηλοῦμεν φράσαι, —
35

Ξένος

πρίν νυν τὰ πλείονʼ ἱστορεῖν, ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἕδρας

ἔξελθʼ, ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

τίς δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος; τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται;

Ξένος

ἄθικτος οὐδʼ οἰκητός. αἱ γὰρ ἔμφοβοι

θεαί σφʼ ἔχουσι, Γῆς τε καὶ Σκότου κόραι.
40

Οἰδίπους

τίνων τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομʼ ἂν εὐξαίμην κλύων ;

Ξένος

τὰς πάνθʼ ὁρώσας Εὐμενίδας ὅ γʼ ἐνθάδʼ *ἂν

εἴποι λεώς νιν· ἄλλα δʼ ἀλλαχοῦ καλά.

[97 b.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἵλεῳ μὲν *τὸν ἱκέτην δεξαίατο,

ὡς οὐχ ἕδρας γῆς τῆσδʼ ἂν ἐξέλθοιμʼ ἔτι.
45

Ξένος

τί δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο;

Οἰδίπους

ξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημʼ ἐμῆς.

Ξένος

ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μέντοι τοὐξανιστάναι πόλεως

δίχʼ ἐστὶ θάρσος, πρίν γʼ ἂν ἐνδείξω τί δρῶ.

Οἰδίπους

πρός νυν θεῶν, ὦ ξεῖνε, μή μʼ ἀτιμάσῃς,

τοιόνδʼ ἀλήτην, ὧν σε προστρέπω φράσαι.
50

Ξένος

σήμαινε, κοὐκ ἄτιμος ἐκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος δῆτʼ ἐν ᾧ βεβήκαμεν;

Οἰδίπους

ἦ γάρ τινες ναίουσι τούσδε τοὺς τόπους ;

Ξένος

καὶ κάρτα, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐπώνυμοι.
65

Οἰδίπους

ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν, ἢ ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;

Ξένος

ἐκ τοῦ κατʼ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδʼ ἄρχεται.

Οἰδίπους

οὗτος δὲ τίς λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει κρατεῖ;

Ξένος

Θησεὺς καλεῖται, τοῦ πρὶν Αἰγέως τόκος.

Οἰδίπους

ἆρʼ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὸς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι;
70

Ξένος

ὡς πρὸς τί, λέξων ἢ καταρτύσων, μόλοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὡς ἂν προσαρκῶν μικρὰ κερδάνῃ μέγα.

Ξένος

καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;

Οἰδίπους

ὅσʼ ἂν λέγωμεν πάνθʼ ὁρῶντα λέξομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ βέβηκεν ἡμὶν ὁ ξένος;

Ἀντιγόνη

βέβηκεν, ὥστε πᾶν ἐν ἡσύχῳ, πάτερ,

ἔξεστι φωνεῖν, ὡς ἐμοῦ μόνης πέλας.

Ἀντιγόνη

σίγα, πορεύονται γὰρ οἵδε δή τινες

χρόνῳ παλαιοί, σῆς ἕδρας ἐπίσκοποι.

Χορός
117-137

OED

Seat me, my child, and be the blind man’s guard.

ANT

Long time hath well instructed me in that.

OED

Now, canst thou tell me where we have set our feet?

ANT

Athens I know, but not the nearer ground.

OED

Ay, every man that met us in the way
25

Named Athens.
25