Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus, ed. Francis Storr, 1098-1210

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Οἰδίπους

ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ ὦ παῖ, πατρὶ καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου γε δύσμορα.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχω τὰ φίλτατʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἂν πανάθλιος
1110

θανὼν ἂν εἴην σφῷν παρεστώσαιν ἐμοί.

ἐρείσατʼ, ὦ παῖ, πλευρὸν ἀμφιδέξιον

ἐμφύντε τῷ φύσαντι, κἀναπαύσατον

τοῦ πρόσθʼ ἐρήμου τοῦδε δυστήνου πλάνου.

καί μοι τὰ πραχθέντʼ εἴπαθʼ ὡς βράχιστʼ, ἐπεὶ
1115

ταῖς τηλικαῖσδε σμικρὸς ἐξαρκεῖ λόγος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον· τοὐμὸν ὧδʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνε, μὴ θαύμαζε, πρὸς τὸ λιπαρὲς

τέκνʼ εἰ φανέντʼ ἄελπτα μηκύνω λόγον.
1120

ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ τήνδε τὴν ἐς τάσδε μοι

τέρψιν παρʼ ἄλλου μηδενὸς πεφασμένην·

σὺ γάρ νιν ἐξέσωσας, οὐκ ἄλλος βροτῶν.

καί σοι θεοὶ πόροιεν ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω,

αὐτῷ τε καὶ γῇ τῇδʼ, ἐπεὶ τό γʼ εὐσεβὲς
1125

μόνοις παρʼ ὑμῖν ηὗρον ἀνθρώπων ἐγὼ

καὶ τοὐπιεικὲς καὶ τὸ μὴ ψευδοστομεῖν.

εἰδὼς δʼ ἀμύνω τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις τάδε·

ἔχω γὰρ ἅχω διὰ σὲ κοὐκ ἄλλον βροτῶν·

καί μοι χέρʼ, ὦναξ, δεξιὰν ὄρεξον, ὡς
1130

ψαύσω φιλήσω τʼ, εἰ θέμις, τὸ σὸν κάρα.

καίτοι τί φωνῶ; πῶς σʼ ἂν ἄθλιος γεγὼς

θιγεῖν θελήσαιμʼ ἀνδρός, ᾧ τίς οὐκ ἔνι

κηλὶς κακῶν ξύνοικος; οὐκ ἔγωγέ σε,

οὐδʼ οὖν ἐάσω· τοῖς γὰρ ἐμπείροις βροτῶν
1135

μόνοις οἷόν τε συνταλαιπωρεῖν τάδε.

σὺ δʼ αὐτόθεν μοι χαῖρε καὶ τὰ λοιπά μου

μέλου δικαίως, ὥσπερ ἐς τόδʼ ἡμέρας.

1139

Θησεύς

οὔτʼ εἴ τι μῆκος τῶν λόγων ἔθου πλέον,

τέκνοισι τερφθεὶς τοῖσδε, θαυμάσας ἔχω,
1140

οὔτʼ εἰ πρὸ τοὐμοῦ προύλαβες τὰ τῶνδʼ ἔπη.

βάρος γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἐκ τούτων ἔχει.

οὐ γὰρ λόγοισι τὸν βίον σπουδάζομεν

λαμπρὸν ποεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς δρωμένοις.

δείκνυμι δʼ· ὧν γὰρ ὤμοσʼ οὐκ ἐψευσάμην
1145

οὐδέν σε, πρέσβυ· τάσδε γὰρ πάρειμʼ ἄγων

ζώσας, ἀκραιφνεῖς τῶν κατηπειλημένων.

χὤπως μὲν ἁγὼν ᾑρέθη, τί δεῖ μάτην

κομπεῖν, ἅ γʼ εἴσει καὐτὸς ἐκ ταύταιν ξυνών;

λόγος δʼ ὃς ἐμπέπτωκεν ἀρτίως ἐμοὶ
1150

στείχοντι δεῦρο, συμβαλοῦ γνώμην, ἐπεὶ

σμικρὸς μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἄξιος δὲ θαυμάσαι·

πρᾶγος δʼ ἀτίζειν οὐδὲν ἄνθρωπον χρεών.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον, ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι·
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶν ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρὸν κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

1181

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, πιθοῦ μοι, κεἰ νέα παραινέσω.

τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔασον τόνδε τῇ θʼ αὑτοῦ φρενὶ

χάριν παρασχεῖν τῷ θεῷ θʼ ἃ βούλεται,

καὶ νῷν ὕπεικε τὸν κασίγνητον μολεῖν.
1185

οὐ γάρ σε, θάρσει, πρὸς βίαν παρασπάσει

γνώμης, ἃ μή σοι συμφέροντα λέξεται.

λόγων δʼ ἀκοῦσαι τίς βλάβη; τά τοι κακῶς

ηὑρημένʼ ἔργα τῷ λόγῳ μηνύεται.

ἔφυσας αὐτόν· ὥστε μηδὲ δρῶντά σε
1190

τὰ τῶν κακίστων δυσσεβέστατʼ, ὦ πάτερ,

θέμις σέ γʼ εἶναι κεῖνον ἀντιδρᾶν κακῶς.

ἀλλʼ ἔασον· εἰσὶ χἀτέροις γοναὶ κακαὶ

καὶ θυμὸς ὀξύς, ἀλλὰ νουθετούμενοι

φίλων ἐπῳδαῖς ἐξεπᾴδονται φύσιν.
1195

σὺ δʼ εἰς ἐκεῖνα, μὴ τὰ νῦν, ἀποσκόπει

πατρῷα καὶ μητρῷα πήμαθʼ ἅπαθες·

κἂν κεῖνα λεύσσῃς, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, γνώσει κακοῦ

θυμοῦ τελευτὴν ὡς κακὴ προσγίγνεται.

ἔχεις γὰρ οὐχὶ βαιὰ τἀνθυμήματα,
1200

τῶν σῶν ἀδέρκτων ὀμμάτων τητώμενος.

ἀλλʼ ἡμὶν εἶκε· λιπαρεῖν γὰρ οὐ καλὸν

δίκαια προσχρῄζουσιν, οὐδʼ αὐτὸν μὲν εὖ

πάσχειν, παθόντα δʼ οὐκ ἐπίστασθαι τίνειν.

Οἰδίπους

τέκνον, βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με
1205

λέγοντες· ἔστω δʼ οὖν ὅπως ὑμῖν φίλον.

μόνον, ξένʼ, εἴπερ κεῖνος ὧδʼ ἐλεύσεται,

μηδεὶς κρατείτω τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς ποτε.

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δʼ ὢν

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σῴζῃ θεῶν.
1210

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)) — 1098 focus

ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον ;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ, ὦ παῖ, πατρί, καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου * γε δύσμορα.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχω τὰ φίλτατʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἂν πανάθλιος
1110

θανὼν ἂν εἴην σφῷν παρεστώσαιν ἐμοί.

ἐρείσατʼ, ὦ παῖ, πλευρὸν ἀμφιδέξιον

ἐμφύντε τῷ φύσαντι, κἀναπαύσετον

τοῦ πρόσθʼ ἐρήμου τοῦδε δυστήνου πλάνου.

καί μοι τὰ πραχθέντʼ εἴπαθʼ ὡς βράχιστʼ, ἐπεὶ
1115

ταῖς τηλικαῖσδε σμικρὸς ἐξαρκεῖ λόγος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

καὶ σοί τε τοὔργον τοῦτʼ ἐμοί τʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνε, μὴ θαύμαζε, πρὸς τὸ λιπαρὲς

τέκνʼ εἰ φανέντʼ ἄελπτα μηκύνω λόγον.
1120

ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ τήνδε τὴν ἐς τάσδε μοι

τέρψιν παρʼ ἄλλου μηδενὸς πεφασμένην.

σὺ γάρ νιν ἐξέσωσας, οὐκ ἄλλος βροτῶν.

καί σοι θεοὶ πόροιεν ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω,

αὐτῷ τε καὶ γῇ τῇδʼ· ἐπεὶ τό γʼ εὐσεβὲς
1125

μόνοις παρʼ ὑμῖν εὗρον ἀνθρώπων ἐγὼ

καὶ τοὐπιεικὲς καὶ τὸ μὴ ψευδοστομεῖν.

εἰδὼς δʼ ἀμύνω τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις τάδε.

ἔχω γὰρ ἅχω διὰ σὲ κοὐκ ἄλλον βροτῶν.

καί μοι χέρʼ, ὦναξ, δεξιὰν ὄρεξον, ὡς
1130
[110b.

ψαύσω φιλήσω τʼ, εἰ θέμις, τὸ σὸν κάρα.

καίτοι τί φωνῶ; πῶς σʼ ἂν ἄθλιος γεγὼς

θιγεῖν θελήσαιμʼ ἀνδρός, ᾧ τίς οὐκ ἔνι

κηλὶς κακῶν ξύνοικος; οὐκ ἔγωγέ σε,

οὐδʼ οὖν ἐάσω. τοῖς γὰρ ἐμπείροις βροτῶν
1135

μόνοις οἷόν τε συνταλαιπωρεῖν τάδε.

σὺ δʼ αὐτόθεν μοι χαῖρε καὶ τὰ λοιπά μου

μέλου δικαίως, ὥσπερ ἐς τόδʼ ἡμέρας.

Θησεύς

οὔτʼ εἴ τι μῆκος τῶν λόγων ἔθου πλέον,

τέκνοισι τερφθεὶς τοῖσδε, θαυμάσας ἔχω,
1140

οὐδʼ εἰ πρὸ τοὐμοῦ προὔλαβες τὰ τῶνδʼ ἔπη.

βάρος γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἐκ τούτων ἔχει.

οὐ γὰρ λόγοισι τὸν βίον σπουδάζομεν

λαμπρὸν ποιεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς δρωμένοις.

δείκνυμι δʼ· ὧν γὰρ ὤμοσʼ οὐκ ἐψευσάμην
1145

οὐδέν σε, πρέσβυ, τάσδε γὰρ πάρειμʼ ἄγων

ζώσας, ἀκραιφνεῖς τῶν κατηπειλημένων.

χὤπως μὲν ἁγὼν ᾑρέθη τί δεῖ μάτην

κομπεῖν, ἅ γʼ εἴσει καὐτὸς ἐκ ταύταιν ξυνών;

λόγος δʼ ὃς ἐμπέπτωκεν ἀρτίως ἐμοὶ
1150

στείχοντι δεῦρο, συμβαλοῦ γνώμην, ἐπεὶ

σμικρὸς μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἄξιος δὲ θαυμάσαι.

πρᾶγος δʼ ἀτίζειν οὐδὲν ἄνθρωπον χρεών.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με,

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι ;
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν ;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

[111 a.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, *σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε. 1170

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι, καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρόν, κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει·

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, πιθοῦ μοι, κεἰ νέα παραινέσω.

τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔασον τόνδε τῇ θʼ αὑτοῦ φρενὶ

χάριν παρασχεῖν τῷ θεῷ θʼ ἃ βούλεται,

καὶ νῷν ὕπεικε τὸν κασίγνητον μολεῖν.

οὐ γάρ σε, θάρσει, πρὸς βίαν παρασπάσει
1185

γνώμης, ἃ μή σοι συμφέροντα λέξεται.

λόγων δʼ ἀκοῦσαι τίς βλάβη; τά τοι καλῶς

εὑρημένʼ ἔργα τῷ λόγῳ μηνύεται.

ἔφυσας αὐτόν· ὥστε μηδὲ δρῶντά σε

τὰ τῶν κάκιστα δυσσεβεστάτων, πάτερ,
1190

θέμις σέ γʼ εἶναι κεῖνον ἀντιδρᾶν κακῶς.

ἀλλʼ αὐτόν — εἰσὶ χἀτέροις γοναὶ κακαὶ

καὶ θυμὸς ὀξύς, ἀλλὰ νουθετούμενοι

φίλων ἐπῳδαῖς ἐξεπᾴδονται φύσιν.

σὺ δʼ εἰς ἐκεῖνα, μὴ τὰ νῦν, ἀποσκόπει
1195

πατρῷα καὶ μητρῷα πήμαθʼ ἅπαθες,

κἂν κεῖνα λεύσσῃς, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, γνώσει κακοῦ

θυμοῦ τελευτὴν ὡς κακὴ προσγίγνεται.

ἔχεις γὰρ οὐχὶ βαιὰ τἀνθυμήματα,

τῶν σῶν ἀδέρκτων ὀμμάτων τητώμενος.
1200

ἀλλʼ ἡμὶν εἶκε. λιπαρεῖν γὰρ οὐ καλὸν

δίκαια προσχρῄζουσιν, οὐδʼ αὐτὸν μὲν εὖ

πάσχειν, παθόντα δʼ οὐκ ἐπίστασθαι τίνειν.

Οἰδίπους

τέκνον, βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με

λέγοντες· ἔστω δʼ οὖν ὅπως ὑμῖν φίλον.
1205

μόνον, ξένʼ, εἴπερ κεῖνος ὧδʼ ἐλεύσεται,

μηδεὶς κρατείτω τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς ποτέ.

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δὲ

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σώζῃ θεῶν.
1210

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1098 focus

Where? Is it true? How say you?

ANT

Father, father!

Oh that some God would give thee once to see
1100

The man whose royal virtue brings us hither!

OED

My daughters, are ye there?

ANT

Saved by the arm

Of Theseus and his most dear ministers.

OED

Come near me, child, and let your father feel

The treasure he had feared for ever gone.
1105

ANT

Not hard the boon which the heart longs to give.

OED

Where are ye, where?

ANT

Together we draw near.

OED

Loved saplings of a solitary tree!

ANT

A father’s heart hides all.

OED

Staves of mine age!

ANT

Forlorn supporters of an ill-starred life!

OED

I have all I love; nor would the stroke of death
1110

Be wholly bitter, with you standing by.

Press close to either side of me, my children;

Grow to your sire, and ye shall give me rest

From mine else lonely, hapless, wandering life.

And tell your tale as briefly as ye may,
1115

Since at your age short speaking is enough.

ANT

Here is our saviour. He shall tell thee all,

And shorten labour both for us and thee.

OED

Think it not strange, dear friend, that I prolong

The unhoped-for greeting with my children here.

Full well I know, the joy I find in them
1120

Springs from thee only, and from none beside.

Thou, thou alone hast saved them. May the Gods

Fulfil my prayer for thee and for thy land!

Since only in Athens, only here i’ the world,

Have I found pious thought and righteous care,

And truth in word and deed. From a full heart
1125

And thankful mind I thus requite thy love,

Knowing all I have is due to none but thee.

Extend to me, I pray thee, thy right hand,

O King, that I may feel thee, and may kiss,

If that be lawful, thy dear head! And yet

What am I asking? How can one like me
1130

Desire of thee to touch an outlawed man,

On whose dark life all stains of sin and woe

Are fixed indelibly? I will not dare—

No, nor allow thee!—None but only they

Who have experience of such woes as mine

May share their wretchedness. Thou, where thou art
1135

Receive my salutation, and henceforth

Continue in thy promised care of me

As true as to this moment thou hast proved.

THE

I marvel not at all if mere delight

In these thy daughters lengthened thy discourse,

Or led thee to address them before me.
1140

That gives me not the shadow of annoy.

Nor am I careful to adorn my life

With words of praise, but with the light of deeds.

And thou hast proof of this. For I have failed

In nought of all I promised, agèd King!
1145

Here stand I with thy children in full life

Unharmed in aught the foe had threatened them.

And now why vaunt the deeds that won the day,

When these dear maids will tell them in thine ear?

But let me crave thy counsel on a thing
1150

That crossed me as I came. Small though it seem

When told, ’tis worthy of some wonder, too.

Be it small or great, men should not let things pass.

OED

What is it, O son of Aegeus? Let me hear,

I am wholly ignorant herein.
1155

THE

We are told

One, not thy townsman, but of kin to thee,

Hath come in unawares, and now is found

Kneeling at great Poseidon’s altar, where

I sacrificed, what time ye called me hither.

OED

What countryman, and wherefore suppliant there?
1160

THE

One thing alone I know. He craves of thee

Some speech, they say, that will not hold thee long.

OED

His kneeling there imports no trivial suit.

THE

All he desires, they tell me, is to come,

Have speech with thee, and go unharmed away.
1165

OED

Who can he be that kneels for such a boon?

THE

Think, if at Argos thou a kinsman hast

Who might desire to obtain so much of thee.

OED

Dear friend! Hold there! No more!

THE

What troubles thee?

OED

Ask it not of me!
1170

THE

What? Speak plainly forth.

OED

Thy words have shown me who the stranger is.

THE

And who is he that I should say him nay?

OED

My son, O King,—hateful to me, whose tongue

Least of the world I could endure to hear.

THE

What pain is there in hearing? Canst thou not
1175

Hear, and refuse to do what thou mislikest?

OED

My Lord, I have come to loathe his very voice.

I pray thee, urge me not to yield in this.

THE

Think that the God must be considered too,

The right of suppliants may compel thy care.
1180

ANT

Father, give ear, though I be young that speak.

Yield to the scruple of the King, who claims

This reverence for his people’s God, and yield

To us who beg our brother may come near.

Take heart! He will not force thee from thy will.
1185

What harm can come of hearkening? Wisdom’s ways

Reveal themselves through words. He is thy son.

Whence, were his heartless conduct against thee

Beyond redemption impious, O my sire,

Thy vengeance still would be unnatural.
1190

Oh let him!—Others have had evil sons

And passionate anger, but the warning voice

Of friends hath charmed their mood. Then do not thou

Look narrowly upon thy present griefs,

But on those ancient wrongs thou didst endure
1195

From father and from mother. Thence thou wilt learn

That evil passion ever ends in woe.

Thy sightless eyes are no light argument

To warn thee through the feeling of thy loss.

Relent and hear us! ’Tis a mere disgrace
1200

To beg so long for a just boon. The King

Is kind to thee. Be generous in return.

OED

Child, your dear pleading to your hard request

Hath won me. Let this be as ye desire.
1205

Only, my lord, if he is to come near,

Let no man’s power molest my liberty.

THE

I need no repetition, aged friend,

Of that request. Vaunt will I not, but thou

Be sure, if Heaven protect me, thou art free.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1098 focus

Wo sind sie? Wo? Wie sagst du?
1090
Theseus mit Gefolge. Antigone. Ismene. Dedipus. (auf den Vater zueilend)

Antigone.

Vater, Vater, ach!

O gäb' ein Gott dir, ihn zu seh'n, den edelsten

Der Menschen, der uns wieder hergeführt zu dir!

Oedipus.

Mein Kind, ihr kamet wirklich?

Antigone.

Ia, uns rettete

Der Arm des Theseus und der trauten Dienerschaar.

Oedipus.

tretet her zum Vater, Kind, und lasset euch
1095

Umarmen; nicht mehr hofft' ich eure Wiederkehr.

Antigone.

Dein Wunsch erfüllt sich; Liebe treibt uns schon dazu.

Oedipus.

Wo seid ihr, wo nur?

Antigone.

Beide nah'n wir hier zugleich.

Oedipus.

Geliebte Sprossen!

Antigone.

Kinder liebt ihr Vater stets.

Oedipus.

Des Greises Stüzen!
1100

Antigone.

Schwacher Stab des schwachen Manns!
1100

Oedipus.

Mein Liebstes hab' ich wieder; ganz unselig wird

Mein Ende nicht mehr werden, seid ihr nahe mir.

Schmiegt euch zu beiden Seiten fest an mich, o Kind;

Umschlingt den Vater, daß der Augenlose nicht

In seiner Irre länger sich verlassen fühlt!
1105

Und was geschehen, meldet mir, so kurz ihr könnt;

Genügt für eure Jahre doch ein schlichtes Wort.

Antigone.

Da steht der Retter; höre den, mein Vater, an;

So dürfte meine Rede bald am Ziele sein.

(zu Theseus)

Oedipus.

Nicht staune, Fremdling, daß ich Wort auf Wort gehäuft
1110

Bei meiner Kinder ungehoffter Wiederkehr.

Denn wohl erkenn' ich, daß die Lust an ihnen mir

Von dir, von keinem andern Mann bereitet ward:

Du hast sie mir gerettet, und kein andrer Mensch.

Und gäben dir die Götter, was mein Herz erfleht,
1115

Dir selbst und diesem Lande, weil ich Götterfurcht

Bei euch allein fand unter allen Sterblichen

Und edler Milde Walten und Wahrhaftigkeit!

Dies selbst erfahrend, dank' ich euch mit diesem Wort:

Denn was ich habe, wurde mir durch dich allein.
1120

Drum reiche mir die Rechte, Herr, auf daß ich sie

Berühre, küsse, wenn ich darf, dein hohes Haupt.

Was aber sag' ich? Wie verlang' ich Armer, daß

Du solchen Mann berührest, dem ein jedes Mal

Des Bösen beiwohnt? Nie begehr' ich das von dir,
1125

Noch würd' ich dir's gestatten. Nur ein Sterblicher,

Der Gleiches trug, kann miterdulden solches Leid.

So sei mir dort willkommen, und auch fürder sei

Mein treuer Hüter, wie du warst bis diesen Tag.

Theseus.

Nicht Wunder nimmt mich's, daß du, deiner Kinder hier
1130

Dich freuend, länger ausgedehnt der Rede Maß,

Noch daß das Wort des Vaters sie vor mir begrüßt.

Um solche Dinge wandelt uns kein Kummer an.

Und nicht mit Worten mühen wir uns eifriger

Dem Leben Glanz zu leihen als mit unsrer That.
1135

Denn siehe: was ich schwörend dir gelobt, o Greis,

Erfüllt' ich treu; die Töchter bring' ich dir zurück

Gerettet, ungefährdet, troz der Feinde Droh'n.

Und wie der Kampf gelungen, was bedarf es hier

Unnüzen Prahlens? Hörst du's doch von ihnen selbst.
1140

Auf eine Botschaft aber, die mich eben traf,

Als ich hieher ging, achte wohl und denke nach;

Wohl kurz an Inhalt ist sie, doch beachtenswerth,

Und Nichts verachten soll ein Mensch, was Menschen gilt.

Oedipus.

Was ist es, Aegeus' edler Sohn? Belehre mich,
1145

Dem keine Kunde dessen ward, was du vernahmst.

Theseus.

Ein fremder Mann, so heißt es, nicht aus deiner Stadt,

Doch deines Stammes, habe (weßhalb, weiß ich nicht,)

Am Herd Poseidons, wo ich eben opferte,

Sich hingeworfen, während ich von dannen zog.
1150

Oedipus.

Wo kommt er her? Was heischt er, jenem Siz genaht?

Theseus.

Nur Eines weiß ich: er erbitte sich von dir

Ein kurzes Wort nur, hieß es, das nicht lästig sei.

Oedipus.

Worüber? Nicht um Kleines wählt er diesen Siz.

Theseus.

Er komm' und wünsche, heißt es, ein Gespräch mit dir,
1155

Und ungefährdet möcht' er dann von hinnen zieh'n.

Oedipus.

Wer aber ist es, der sich dort den Siz erkor?

Theseus.

Besinne dich, ob Einer eures Stamms, o Greis,

Nicht lebt in Argos, welcher dies von dir erfleht.

Oedipus.

Mein Bester, weiter rede nicht!
1160

Theseus.

Was ist dir denn?

Oedipus.

fordre das nicht länger!

Theseus.

Was? Erkläre mir.

Oedipus.

Ich weiß, belehrt von diesen, wer der Flüchtling ist.

Theseus.

Und wer denn ist es, den ich so verwerfen soll?

Oedipus.

Mein böser Sohn, Herr, dessen Rede meinem Ohr

Schmerzvoller kläng' als jedes andern Mannes Wort.
1165

Theseus.

Wie? Kannst du's nicht anhören und, was dir mißfällt,

Versagen? Kann das Hören dir so peinlich sein?

Oedipus.

Feindselig tönt dem Vater diese Stimm', o Herr;

Nicht opfre mich dem Zwange, solches einzugeh'n!

Theseus.

Doch, legt der Altar Zwang dir auf, so siehe zu,
1170

Ob dir des Gottes Würde nicht zu scheu'n geziemt.

Antigone.

Wohl bin ich jung, doch, Vater, folge meinem Rath.

Olaß den Mann hier, wie er will, dem eignen Sinn

Genüge leisten und dem Gott gefällig sein,

Und uns gewihre freundlich, daß der Bruder kommt.
1175

Getrost: es zieht dich, was er Unwillkommnes sagt,

Nicht wider deinen Willen ab von deinem Sinn.

Und Worte hören, schadet dir's? Gibt doch die That,

In bösem Sinn entworfen, sich im Worte kund.

Er ist dein Sohn, o Vater; darum, wenn er auch
1180

Der schwersten Frevel schwersten selbst an dir verübt,

Geziemt es dir nicht, wieder ihm ein Leid zu thun.

Nein, laß ihn! Böse Kinder hat auch Mancher sonst,

Und braust im Zorn auf; aber durch den Zauberlaut

Der Freundesmahnung wird gebannt der Ungestüm.
1185

Du wende nunmehr deinen Blick auf jenes Leid,

Das Leid von deinen Eltern, das du duldetest;

Und schaust du hierauf, weiß ich, wird's dir offenbar,

Welch schlimmes Ende schlimmer Zorn zu nehmen liebt.

Denn dessen trägst du Zeichen, mächtig mahnende:
1190

Die blinden Augen, deren Licht in Nacht erlosch.

So gib uns nach! Denn langes Flehen ziemt sich nicht,

Wenn wir Gerechtes bitten, noch geziemt es dir,

Wohlthat empfangen und dafür nicht dankbar sein.

Oedipus.

Ihr zwingt, o Tochter, eine schwere Gunst mir ab
1195

Durch eure Reden; sei es denn, wie's euch gefällt!

Nur bitt' ich, Gastfreund, wenn der Jüngling hier erscheint,

Verstatte Niemand, meines Lebens Herr zu sein!

Theseus.

Dies mag ich Einmal hören, nicht das zweitemal,

Greis; ich will nicht prahlen; glaub' indeß, du bist
1200

In sichrem Schuze, wenn mich selbst ein Gott beschüzt.

(Theseus mit Gefolge ab.) Die Vorigen ohne Theseus. Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1098 focus

Ha ! what sayst thou ? Where, oh ! where ?

Antigone

My father ! O my father ! what kind god

Raised up this friend who hath restored us to thee ?

Oedipus

Are then my daughters with me?

Antigone

Theseus' arm

Hath brought us here : to him and to his friends

We owe our safety.

Oedipus

Oh ! come nigh, my children ;

Let me embrace you. Never did I think

Again to fold you in these arms.
1105

Antigone

We come

With joy, my father.

Oedipus

Oh ! where are you ?

Antigone

Here.

Oedipus

My dearest children !

Antigone

To our father still

May every pleasure come !

Oedipus

^eaniyig on Antigone]. My best support !

Antigone

The wretched bear the wretched.

Oedipus

\emhracing them]. I have all

That 's precious to me : were I now to die

Whilst you are here, I should not be unhappy.

Support me, daughters, to your father's side

Close pressed. Oh ! soothe to peace a wretched exile.

Long time deserted. Tell me what hath happened ;

But let the tale be short, as best becomes

Thy tender age.

Antigone

[pointing to Theseus]. Here is our great pro-

tector.

He will inform you; so shall what I speak

Be brief, as thou wouldst have it.

My children thus beyond my hopes restored.

If I should talk too long on such a theme,

Thou wilt not wonder. 'Tis to thee alone

I owe my joys ; thou didst protect and save

My much-loved daughters : may the gods repay

Thee and thy kingdom for this goodness to me !

Here only have I found or faith, or truth,

Or justice ; you alone possess them all.

I ^vill attest it, for 1 know it well.

I feel your virtues ; what I have is all

From you. O king ! permit me but to touch

Thy hand. Oh ! stretch it forth ; or let me kiss

Thy honoured lips. But, oh ! what do I say ?

Can such a wretch as CEdipus e'er hope

With guilty hands to touch a man like thee,

So pure, so spotless ? Yet I must embrace thee ;

They only who have known misfortune feel

For others' griefs with sympathizing woe.

Hail, best of men ! and mayst thou ever be.

As thou hast been, my guardian and my friend !

Theseus
(Edi. Noble Theseus,

Thus happy as thou must be in thy children,

Hadst thou said more, much more, and talked to them
1140

Rather than me, it had not moved my wonder ;

Nor think I should resent it. Not by w^ords

Would Theseus be distinguished, but by deeds

Illustrious. This thou knowst, for what I swore

I have performed — restored thy daughters to thee,
1145

Safe from the tyrant's threats. How passed the conflict

Why should I boast ? They at their leisure best

May tell you all. Meantime to what I heard

As hither coming, CEdipus, attend.

Of little import seemed the circumstance.
1150

And yet 'twas strange ; but nought should mortal man

Deem or beneath his notice or his care.

For nothing have I heard.

Theseus
(Edi. What is it, son of ^geus ? Oh ! inform me,

a man, they say.

Who boasts himself by blood allied to thee.

At Neptune's altar, whilst I sacrificed,

In humblest posture stood.

Oedipus

What could it mean?
1160

Whence came he?
1160

Theseus

That I know not \ this alone

They told me : suppliant he requested much

To talk a while with thee.

Oedipus

With me? 'Tis strange,

And yet methinks important.

Theseus

He desired

But to converse with thee, and then depart.
1165

Oedipus

Who can it be ?

Theseus

Hast thou no friend at Argos,

None of thy kindred there who wished to see thee ?

Oedipus

No more, my friend.

Theseus

What sayst thou ?

Oedipus

Do not ask me.
1170

Theseus

Ask what

Oedipus

I know him now ; I know too well

Who 's at the altar.

Theseus

Who is it ?

Oedipus

My son —

That hateful son, whose voice I loathe to hear.

Theseus

But why not hear him? Still thou mayst refuse
1175

What he shall ask.

Oedipus

I cannot, cannot bear it :

Do not oblige me.

Theseus

But the sacred place

Where now he stands, and reverence to the gods,

Demand it of thee.
1180

Antigone

Let me, O my father !

Young as I am, admonish thee. Oh ! grant

Thy friend his just request; obey the gods,

And let our brother come : whate'er he says

It need not draw thee from thy first resolve.
1185

What harm to hear him ? Words have oft produced

The noblest works. Remember, 'tis thy child —

Thou didst beget him ; though he were the worst

Of sons to thee, yet would it ill become

A father to return it. Let him come.
1190

Others like thee have base, unwortliy children,

And yet their minds are softened to forgiveness

By friends' ad\ace, and all their wTath subdued.

Think on thy own unhappy parent's fate,
1195

Thence mayst thou learn what dreadful ills have flowed

From anger's bitter fountain ; thou, alas !

Art a sad proof ; those sightless eyes too well

Bear witness to it. Those who only ask

What justice warrants, should not ask in vain ;
1200

Nor who receives a benefit, forget

The hand that gave, but study to repay it.

Oedipus

You have o'ercome me : with reluctant pleasure

I }ield. My children, be it as you please ;
1205

But if he comes, O Theseus ! guard my life.

Theseus

I've said enough ; no more. I will not boast,

But thou art safe if Heaven forsake not me.

In sacred wisdom's path is seldom seen

The wretch, whom sordid love of wealth inspires ;

Neglectful of the happy golden mean,

His soul nor truth nor heavenly knowledge fires ;

No length of days to him can pleasure bring,

In death alone he finds repose,

End of his wishes and his woes;

In that uncomfortable night

Where never music's charms delight,

Nor virgin choirs their hymeneals sing.

The happiest fate of man is not to be ;

And next in bliss is he who soon as bom,

From the vain world and all its sorrows free,

Shall whence he came with speediest foot return ;

For youth is full of folly, toils, and woes,
1210

Of war, sedition, pain, and strife.
1210

With all the busy ills of life.
1210

Till helpless age come creeping on,
1210

Deserted, friendless, and alone.
1210

Which neither power nor joy nor pleasure knows.
1210

E'pode.
1210

The hapless CEdipus, like me,
1210

Is doomed to age and misery ;

E'en as around the northern shore

The bleak winds howl and tempests roar,

Contending storms in terror meet,

And dashing waves for ever beat;

Thus is the wretched king with grief oppressed,

And woes on woes afflict his long-distempered breast.

Oedipus
Scene II. Stro2ohe. Antistroplie. \Exe,ihnt. ACT IV. Scene I.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1098 focus

Thou shalt not, stranger, of thy watchman speak

As a false augur; for mine eyes behold

The virgins: they return, with hasty steps.
1100

Advancing nigh.

Oedipus

Where, where? what say'st thou? how?

Antigone
THESEUS, ANTIGONE, ISMENE, CEDIPUS,

My father, O my father, would some god

Give thee to see this best of men, who thus

Hath brought us back to thee!

My children here!

Are you both here, my children?

By the hands

Of Theseus, and his brave attendants, saved.

Oedipus

Come near, my children; and, what ne'er again

We could e'en hope, support me with your arms.
1105

Antigone

Obtain thy wish; we grant it with delight.

Oedipus

Where are you then?

Antigone

Together we approach.

To a father all

Oedipus

O my dear blossoms!

Antigone

Is dear.

Oedipus

Ye tender props of my old age !

Unhappy props of an unhappy man.

Oedipus

What is most dear to me I hold; and now

Antigone

Were I to die whilst you thus near me stand,

I should not be quite wretched: but support,

On each side prop me, growing to the trunk

From which you sprung; to an afflicted wretch

Outcast, and late abandon'd, give some rest.

What hath been done now tell me, but in brief,

A short relation will from you suffice.

Theseus

who sav'd us; it is meet

Thou learn from him: so shall my words be brief.

Oedipus

My daughters thus beyond my hopes restored,

Marvel not, generous Theseus, if my words.

Exceed due measure. Well I know from thee,

And thee alone, this dear delight, in them

Which I receive, is giv'n me; for thy hand,

And thine alone, preserved them. May the gods

On thee and on thy state their blessings pour

Ample as my warm wishes; for 'mongst you

Only of all mankind have I discern'd

A reverence for the gods, a fix'd regard

For justice, and a manly love of truth.

The worth, which I have proved, my words extol,

For what I have, I have from thee alone.
1155

Disdain not then, O king, to stretch the hand
1155

That I may touch it, and, with leave obtain'd,
1155

Kiss thee. What have I said? How then can I,
1155

Born wretched, wish to touch a man, whom stain
1155

Of ill hath ne'er approach'd? It shall not be:
1155

Such grace must be refused. Of all mankind
1155

Those only, who have suffer'd ills, can feel
1155

A touch of pity for my ills. I now
1155

Bid thee henceforth farewell; and let thy care,
1155

Thus far extended to a wretch like me,
1155

Through what of life is left me, yet extend.
1155

Theseus

I marvel not that many are thy words

Through pleasure that thy daughters are restored;

Nor that, ere mine, thou joy'dst in their address.

These things with me are trivial, of no weight,

I have no care aught splendid in my life

To show in words, but honourable deeds;

And let these speak: I pledged to thee my faith;

In nothing I deceived thee, but have brought

These virgins back alive, and from his threats

Uninjured: how this contest was achieved

Why should I vaunt? In private thou may'st learn

From them. But to an incident which late

Occurr'd, as hither I return'd, attend.

Things of small semblance oft with import high

Are pregnant: prudence slights no circumstance.

Oedipus

Of this, O son of Ægeus, uninform'd
1160

I wish a full relation and distinct.
1160

Theseus

A man, they say, no habitant of Thebes,

But to thy blood allied, a suppliant sits

At Neptune's altar, where the victim slain

I offer'd when I hasten'd at your cries.

Oedipus

Whence is he? In this hallow'd seat why placed?

Theseus

I know but this, short conference he requests

With thee, in nothing to molest thee more.
1165

Oedipus

Why this? No trivial cause hath placed him there.

Theseus

With thee he wishes to converse, and asks

Permission thence in safety to return.

Oedipus

Who can this be that near the altar sits?

Theseus

At Argos is there none to thee allied,

Who may with ardour wish this grace from thee?

Oedipus

My honour'd friend, forbear.

Oedipus

No more entreat......
1170

Theseus

Why thus disturb'd?i

What may I not entreat?

Oedipus

What I have heard shows who the suppliant is.

Theseus

Say who, that his attempt I may rebuke.

Oedipus

It is my hated son: of all mankind

Him with most pain should I endure to hear...

Theseus

Yet thou may'st hear, nor yield to his request,
1175

Thy will averse: to hear can give no pain.

Oedipus

His voice, O king, is to a father's ear

Most hateful: urge me not perforce to yield.

Theseus

But if his seat compels to this, take heed,

The sanction of the god must be revered.

Hear me, my father, nor despise my youth.

Indulge this man, assenting to his wish
1180

And to the god, in what his soul desires...
1180

Antigone

Refuse us not, but let my brother come.

His words, though ill accorded to thy state,

Thee from thy stedfast purpose will not draw

By force: what ill from hearing words can rise?

The honourable purpose of the heart
1185

Is signified by words. Nay, weigh this well,

Thou art his father: though his deeds to thee

Be of the vilest, the most impious, rightI

Wills not that thou repay him like ill deeds;

His own will bring their vengeance. Impious sons.
1190

Have injured other parents, and have raised

Anger as fierce; but by th' advice of friends.

This harshness hath been charm'd e'en to assume

A milder nature. On th' afflicting ills

Thy soul has suffer'd for thy parents' sake
1195

Reflect not now; dismiss them from thy thoughts,

Adverting only to the dire effects

Of raging anger; those thou soon may'st know;

For violent the proofs of this thou bearest,

Thy orbs of sight extinguish'd. Yield thee then;
1200

Ill it becomes thee that a just request

Repeatedly be urged, or that a grace

Received with grace thou know'st not to repay.

Oedipus

Your painful pleasure thus declared, my child,

You overcome me: be it as you will.
1205

Only if hither he must come, my friend,

Protect me, o'er my life let none have pow'r.

Theseus

Of this enough; it is not mine to boast.

Me if the gods protect, be thou assured

Old man, in my protection thou art safe.

Chorus
STRO. ANTIS. CEDIPUS, ANTIGONE, ISMENE, CHORUS.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1096-1210 focus

Chorus

Wandering stranger, you will not say your watcher was a false prophet, for I see your daughters once again drawing near.

1099

Oedipus

Where? Where? What is that? What do you mean?

Enter Antigone and Ismene, with Theseus and his attendants.

Antigone

Father, father,

I wish some god would grant that your eyes might see this excellent man, who has brought us here to you!
1100

Oedipus

My child, are you really here?

Antigone

Yes, for these strong arms have saved us—Theseus and his dearest followers.

Oedipus

Come here, my children, to your father!

Grant me your embrace—restored beyond all hope!
1105

Antigone

We shall grant your wish, for we crave the favor we bestow.

Oedipus

Where, then, where are you?

Antigone

Here we are, approaching you together.

Oedipus

Dearest offspring!

Antigone

Everything is dear to its parent.

Oedipus

Supports of a man—

Antigone

Ill-fated as he is ill-fated.

Oedipus

I hold my dearest. Now, if I should die, I would not be wholly wretched, since you have come to me. Press close to me on either side, children, cling to your father, and rest from your wandering, so desolate, so grievous!
1110

And tell me what has happened as briefly as you can, since brief speech suffices for young maidens.
1115

Antigone

Here is our savior: you should hear the story from him, father, since the deed was his. So short will by part be.

Oedipus

Stranger, do not be amazed at my persistence, if I prolong my words to my children,

found again beyond my hope. I well know that my present joy in them has come to me from you, and you alone, for you—and not any other mortal—have rescued them. May the gods grant to you my wish,
1120

both to you yourself and to this land; for among you, above all mankind, I have found piety, the spirit of decency, and lips that tell no lie. I know these things, and I repay them with these words; for what I have, I have through you, and no one else.
1125

Stretch out to me your right hand, lord, that I may touch it; and if it is right, let me kiss your cheek. But what am I saying? Wretched as I have become, how could I wish you to touch a man in whom every stain of evils has made its dwelling?
1130

I will not touch you—nor will I allow it, if you do consent. They alone, who know them, can share these burdens. Receive my greeting where you stand, and in the future too give me your righteous care, as you have given it up to this hour.
1135

1139

Theseus

I feel no amazement, if you have had a lengthy conversation

from joy in these children, or if your first concern has been for their words rather than for me. Indeed, there is nothing to vex me in that. Not with words so much as with deeds would I add luster to my life. You have this proof:
1140

I have cheated you in none of my sworn promises, old man. Here am I, with the maidens living, uninjured by those threats. As to how the struggle was won, what need have I vainly to boast of what you will learn from these two when you are together?
1145

But there is a matter that has just presented itself to me, as I came here. Give me your counsel regarding it; for, though it is small, it is food for wonder. And mortal man must consider nothing beneath his concern.
1150

Oedipus

What is it, son of Aegeus? Tell me; I myself know nothing of what you inquire.
1155

Theseus

They say a man—not from your city, yet of your race—has somehow thrown himself down, as a suppliant, at our altar of Poseidon, where I was sacrificing when I first set out here.

Oedipus

What land does he come form? What does he desire by his supplication?
1160

Theseus

I know one thing only: they tell me he asks to speak briefly with you, a thing of no great burden.

Oedipus

On what topic? That suppliant state is of no small account.

Theseus

He asks, they say, no more than that he may confer with you,

and return unharmed from his journey here.
1165

Oedipus

Who can he be that implores the god in this way?

Theseus

Consider whether there is anyone in your race at Argos , who might desire this favor from you.

Oedipus

Dearest friend, say no more!

Theseus

What is wrong?

Oedipus

Do not ask me for—
1170

Theseus

For what? Speak!

Oedipus

From hearing these things I know who the suppliant is.

Theseus

And who can he be, that I should have an objection to him?

Oedipus

My son, lord, a hated son whose words would vex my ear like the words of no man besides.

Theseus

What? Can you not listen, without doing what you do not wish to do? Why does it pain you to hear him?
1175

Oedipus

Lord, that voice has become most hateful to his father. Do not constrain me to yield in this.

Theseus

But consider whether his suppliant state constrains you;

what if you have a duty of respect for the god?
1180

1181

Antigone

Father, listen to me; I will offer counsel though I am young. Allow this man here to gratify his own feelings and the god as he wishes, and for your daughters’ sake allow our brother to come.

He will not tear you by force from your resolve—never fear—with such words as will not be for your good. What harm can there be in listening to words? Deeds wickedly devised, as you know, are betrayed by speech. You sired him,
1185

so, even if he wrongs you with the most impious of wrongs, father, it is not right for you to wrong him in return.
Let him come! Other men too have evil offspring and a sharp anger, but they hear advice and are charmed from their mood by the gentle spells of friends.
1190

Look to the past, away from the present; consider all the pains that you have suffered through your father and mother. If you consider those things, I know well that you will perceive that what results from an evil anger is evil. Your reasons to reflect on this are not trivial,
1195

bereft of your unseeing eyes.
Yield to us! It is not a fine thing for those seeking justice to keep asking; nor is it good that a man should be treated well, and thereafter not know how to requite it.
1200

Oedipus

My child, by your pleading you overcome me; but your pleasure here is my grief.

Still, let it be as is dear to you. Only, if that man is to come here, stranger, let no one ever become master over my soul.
1205

Theseus

Once only do I need hear such words, and no more, old man. I do not want to boast,

but you may feel sure that your life is safe, while any of the gods preserves mine. Theseus exits.
1210

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-795-1 προσπολουμένας ¹

mvp-comment-796-1 τίς ἂν … δοίη ²

mvp-comment-796-2 δοίη ³

mvp-comment-797-1 φιλτάτων τ’ ⁴

mvp-comment-798-1 μηδαμά ⁵

mvp-comment-798-2

τὸ μηδαμὰ ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν

, the generic

μή

, one which was never expected, etc.,— and which, therefore, is the more welcome. Cp. O. T. 397

ὁ μηδὲν εἰδώς

, n. —

βαστάσαι δηλοῖ παρὰ τοῖς Ἀττικοῖς τὸ ψηλαφῆσαι

(Suidas s.v. ): Eur. Alc. 917

φιλίας ἀλόχου χέρα βαστάζων

mvp-comment-799-1 ἃ τεύξει ⁶

mvp-comment-799-2 σὺν πόθῳ … ἡ χάρις ⁷

mvp-comment-800-1 ἔρνη ⁸

mvp-comment-800-2 τῷ τεκόντι ⁹

mvp-comment-800-3 πᾶν ¹⁰

mvp-comment-801-1 σκῆπτρα ¹¹

mvp-comment-801-2 φωτός ¹²

mvp-comment-802-1 θανὼν ¹³

mvp-comment-803-1 ἐρείσατε … πλευρὸν ἀμφιδέξιον ¹⁴

mvp-comment-804-1 ἐμφύντε ¹⁵

mvp-comment-804-2 With

κἀναπαύσατον

(note that L has κἀναπαύσετον ) the words are usu. taken to mean, "and give me relief from this hapless wandering, desolate before," — i.e. since Antigone was carried off (844) .

mvp-comment-804-3 πλάνου ¹⁶

mvp-comment-805-1 ταῖς τηλικαῖσδε ¹⁷

mvp-comment-806-1 ὅδ’ … τοῦδε ¹⁸

mvp-comment-807-1 Hermann's change of the MS. τοὐμὸν into τοῦτ’ ἐμοί τ’ has been accepted by many edd. But the sense is most unsatisfactory. If τοὔργον means the deed of rescue, as is most natural, the meaning will be:

"this deed will be a short story both for thee and for me"

: i.e.

" I shall not have to relate it, and you will be so much interested in listening to Theseus that you will not find it tedious."

But is this tolerable,—to say nothing of the somewhat ungracious suggestion that the account of their deliverer's exploit would otherwise be fatiguing? The alternative version would be worse still:

"this task (viz. that of reciting, or of hearing) will be short both for thee and me."

I cannot but think, then, that this popular correction, though palaeographically easy, is untenable.

mvp-comment-807-2 I have little doubt that Wex is right, or nearly so, in his οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον . The

λόγος

should be his to whom belongs the

ἔργον

. This supposes an accidental loss of οὗ , after which κἄστι grew into καὶ σοί τε . The words

τοὐμὸν ὦδ’ ἔσται βραχὺ

then mean, "my part will thus be brief" (as you desire it to be, 1115 ) — consisting simply in referring Oed. to Theseus.

mvp-comment-808-1 Take πρὸς τὸ λιπαρὲς with μηκύνῳ λόγον :

"do not wonder if with eager insistence I prolong my words to my children, now that they have appeared unexpectedly"

mvp-comment-808-2 πρὸς τὸ λ. ¹⁹

mvp-comment-809-1 τέκνα ²⁰

mvp-comment-809-2 ἄελπτα ²¹

mvp-comment-810-1 τὴν ἐς τάσδε ²²

mvp-comment-811-1 μηδενὸς ²³

mvp-comment-812-1 ὡς ²⁴

mvp-comment-813-1 αὐτῷ τε ²⁵

mvp-comment-813-2 τό γ’ εὐσεβές ²⁶

mvp-comment-813-3 μόνοις ²⁷

mvp-comment-814-1 τοὐπιεικὲς ²⁸

mvp-comment-815-1 εἰδὼς δ’ ἀμύνω ²⁹

mvp-comment-815-2 τάδε ³¹

mvp-comment-816-1 ψαύσω ³²

mvp-comment-816-2 εἰ θέμις ³³

mvp-comment-817-1 πῶς σ’ ³⁴

mvp-comment-817-2 τίς οὐκ ³⁵

mvp-comment-817-3 κηλὶς κακῶν ³⁶

mvp-comment-817-4 ξύνοικος ³⁷

mvp-comment-817-5 οὐκ ἔγωγέ σε ³⁸

mvp-comment-817-6 οὐδ’ οὖν ³⁹

mvp-comment-817-7 Oedipus is indeed

ἱερός

(287), as the suppliant of the Eumenides, and

εὐσεβής

( ib. ), as obeying the word of Apollo; but at this moment he feels that, in the eye of religious law, he is still formally what Creon has just called him—

πατροκτόνος

and

ἄναγνος

(944). Contrast the more passionate strain of his words in O. T. 1413 , when he urges the Thebans to cast him forth—

ἴτ’, ἀξιώσατ’ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου θιγεῖν

. To touch him—he there says—can defile no one, because his unique doom places him apart.

mvp-comment-818-1 βροτῶν ⁴⁰

mvp-comment-819-1 αὐτόθεν ⁴¹

mvp-comment-820-1 ἐς τόδ’ ἡμέρας ⁴²

mvp-comment-821-1 οὔτ’ εἴ τι κ.τ.λ. ⁴³

mvp-comment-821-2 θαυμάσας ἔχω ⁴⁴

mvp-comment-822-1 οὔτ’ ⁴⁵

mvp-comment-823-1 γὰρ ⁴⁶

mvp-comment-824-1 δείκνυμι δ’ ⁴⁷

mvp-comment-824-2 The usu. constr. is

ψεύδειν τινά τινος

, while

ψεύδειν τινά τι

is comparatively rare: and so here οὐδέν seems to be adv., while ὧν (=

τούτων ἅ

) is gen. after ἐψευσάμην . So I should take Plat. Legg. 921A

τὴν τιμὴν τῶν ἔργων ὀφειλέτω ὧν ἂν τὸν ἐκδόντα ψεύσηται

"of which he has disappointed the contractor,"

—though an attraction of acc. into gen. is equally possible.

mvp-comment-824-3 ὤμοσα ⁴⁸

mvp-comment-825-1 For the gen. with ἀκραιφνεῖς cp. 1519: Eur. Hipp. 949

κακῶν ἀκήρατος

mvp-comment-826-1 ᾑρέθη ⁴⁹

mvp-comment-827-1 λόγος ⁵⁰

mvp-comment-827-2 λόγος ⁵¹

mvp-comment-827-3 ἐμπέπτωκεν ⁵²

mvp-comment-827-4 συμβαλοῦ γνώμην ⁵³

mvp-comment-828-1 εἰπεῖν θαυμάσαι ⁵⁶

mvp-comment-829-1 ἄνθρωπον ⁵⁷

mvp-comment-830-1 τί δ’ ἔστι ⁵⁸

mvp-comment-830-2 δίδασκέ με ὡς μὴ εἰδότ’ ⁵⁹

mvp-comment-830-3 ὡς οὐ ⁶⁰

mvp-comment-830-4 ὡς ⁶¹

mvp-comment-831-1 ἡμῖν ⁶²

mvp-comment-831-2 ἔμπολιν ⁶³

mvp-comment-831-3 προσπεσόντα πως ⁶⁴

mvp-comment-831-4 πως ⁶⁵

mvp-comment-832-1 βωμῷ ⁶⁶

mvp-comment-832-2 ἔκυρον ⁶⁷

mvp-comment-832-3 ἡνίχ’ ὡρμώμην ⁶⁸

mvp-comment-833-1 τῷ θακήματι ⁶⁹

mvp-comment-833-2 προς‐ ⁷⁰

mvp-comment-834-1 σοῦ ⁷¹

mvp-comment-835-1 οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων ⁷²

mvp-comment-836-1 Heath's insertion of τ’ after ἀπελθεῖν is necessary, unless we adopt Nauck's ἐλθεῖν θέλοντ’ , i.e.

"they say that, wishing to confer with you, he asks that he may retire safely from his journey hither"

(his journey to Attica from Argos): but this throws too much stress on the return. Vauvilliers seems clearly right in restoring μόνον from the MS. μολόντ’ . The latter would go with ἐλθεῖν :

"they say that he asks that, having approached, he may confer with you"

: but this is weak; and it would be even worse to take μολόντ’ as=

"after his arrival"

(at Colonus). μόνον fits the tone of the context. The suitor prefers his request in as modest a strain as possible.

mvp-comment-837-1 κατ’ Ἄργος ⁷³

mvp-comment-837-2 τοῦτο ⁷⁴

mvp-comment-838-1 σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ ⁷⁵

mvp-comment-838-2 τίδ’ ἔστι σοι ⁷⁶

mvp-comment-839-1 πράγματος ποίου ⁷⁷

mvp-comment-840-1 ἀκούων τῶνδ’ ⁷⁸

mvp-comment-840-2 ὅς ⁷⁹

mvp-comment-840-3 προστάτης ⁸⁰

mvp-comment-841-1 ὅν γ’ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμι ⁸²

mvp-comment-842-1 στυγνός ⁸³

mvp-comment-842-2 λόγων ⁸⁴

mvp-comment-842-3 ἄλγιστα ἀνδρῶν ⁸⁵

mvp-comment-843-1 ἃ μὴ ⁸⁶

mvp-comment-844-1 The emphasis is on κλύειν , not on τοῦδ’ :

"why is it painful to thee to give this man a hearing? "

Theseus has no need to ask,

"why is it painful to thee to hear this man? "

—for he knows already how Oed. has been treated by his sons (599). The sense is thus the same as if we kept the MS. τοῦτ’ :

"why is this thing painful to thee,—namely, to hear?"

(Cp. Ph. 1121

καὶ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοῦτο μέλει, μὴ φιλότητ’ ἀπώσῃ

: and O. T. 1058 .) But, when the question has already been put in an abstract form (

οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι

etc.), it would be tame to reiterate it in the same form. By τοῦδε it is adapted to the particular case. Cp. 1117

τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν

mvp-comment-845-1 φθέγμα τοῦθ’ ⁸⁷

mvp-comment-845-2 ἥκει ⁸⁸

mvp-comment-846-1 μή μ’ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς ⁸⁹

mvp-comment-846-2 εἰκαθεῖν ⁹⁰

mvp-comment-847-1 τὸ θάκημ’ ⁹¹

mvp-comment-847-2 ἐξαναγκάζει ⁹²

mvp-comment-847-3 πρόνοια … τοῦ θεοῦ ⁹³

mvp-comment-847-4 φυλακτέα ⁹⁴

mvp-comment-848-1 πιθοῦ μοι ⁹⁵

mvp-comment-848-2 κεἰ ⁹⁶

mvp-comment-848-3 vέα ⁹⁷

mvp-comment-849-1 τὸν ἄνδρα τόνδε ⁹⁸

mvp-comment-850-1 ὕπεικε ⁹⁹

mvp-comment-851-1 παρασπάσει ¹⁰⁰

mvp-comment-851-2 ἃ μή ¹⁰¹

mvp-comment-851-3 λέξεται ¹⁰²

mvp-comment-852-1 κακῶς ¹⁰³

mvp-comment-853-1 Meineke rejects the three verses, 1189—1191, because (1)

ἔφυσας αὐτόν

is too abrupt: (2) it is too much to tell Oed. that he must bear anything from his son: (3) the phrase

τὰ τῶν κακίστων

etc. is indefensible. As to (1), few readers can fail to perceive that the

"abruptness"

is both forcible and pathetic at the moment when she turns from colder and more external arguments to the plea of natural affection. As to (2), it is enough to observe that Antigone means,

"The relationship between parent and child is indelibly sacred. No wickedness on your son's part can alter the fact that he is your son."

As to (3), see next n.

mvp-comment-854-1 δυσσεβέστατ’, ὦ ¹⁰⁴

mvp-comment-855-1 θέμις σέ γ’ εἶναι ¹⁰⁵

mvp-comment-856-1 ἀλλ’ αὐτόν· εἰσὶ ¹⁰⁶

mvp-comment-857-1 ἐξεπᾴδονται φύσιν ¹⁰⁷

mvp-comment-858-1 ἐκεῖνα ¹⁰⁸

mvp-comment-858-2 πατρῷα καὶ μ. ¹⁰⁹

mvp-comment-858-3 μητρῷα ¹¹⁰

mvp-comment-859-1 τελευτὴν ¹¹¹

mvp-comment-860-1 τἀνθυμήματα ¹¹²

mvp-comment-861-1 ἀδέρκτων ¹¹³

mvp-comment-861-2 τητώμενος ¹¹⁴

mvp-comment-862-1 Notice the dat. προσχρῄζουσιν (with

καλόν

), followed by the acc. αὐτόν with πάσχειν , and παθόντα with ἐπίστασθαι . A literal version shows the reason:—

"It is not fitting for the askers of just things to sue long, nor that a man should himself be well-treated, and then not know how to requite it."

Importunityis here viewed as touching the dignity of the suppliants; ingratitude , in its moral aspect.—

mvp-comment-862-2 οὐδ’ ¹¹⁵

mvp-comment-862-3 οὐκ ἐπίστασθαι ¹¹⁶

mvp-comment-862-4 τίνειν ¹¹⁷

mvp-comment-862-5 The structure of οὐδ’ αὐτὸν … τίνειν ¹¹⁸

mvp-comment-863-1 The stress is on

βαρεῖαν

"Grievous (for me) is the gratification (to yourselves) in regard to which ye prevail over me by your words; however ( δ’ οὖν ) it shall be as ye wish."

mvp-comment-863-2 ἡδονὴν ¹¹⁹

mvp-comment-863-3 δ’ οὖν ¹²⁰

mvp-comment-864-1 ἐλεύσεται ¹²¹

mvp-comment-865-1 κρατείτω τῆς ἐ. ψυχῆς ¹²²

mvp-comment-865-2 τῆς ἐμ. ψ. ¹²³

mvp-comment-866-1 κλύειν ¹²⁴

mvp-comment-866-2 τὰ τοιαῦτ’ ¹²⁵

mvp-comment-867-1 If δ’ is omitted (with Wecklein) after κομπεῖν , we must either make κομπεῖν οὐχὶ βούλομαι a parenthesis (as he does), or else point thus:

κλύειν·

ὦ πρέσβυ,

etc. The abruptness would add a certain spirit to the words. But the δ’ after κομπεῖν may well be genuine, if we conceive him as checking the impulse to remind Oed. of the prowess already shown: — "however, I do not wish to boast."

σὺ δὲ

σῶς ἴσθι

could not mean, "know that you are safe": ὤν is indispensable: and the choice lies between (1)

σὺ δ’ ὢν

σῶς ἴσθ’

, and (2)

σὺ σῶς

ὢν ἴσθ’

. For (2) it may be said that the MS. σῶν is more easily explained by it, and that δὲ might have been added to complete v. 1209: for (1), that it is nearer to the actual text (in which σῶν may have sprung from ὤν superscript), and that σῶς is more effective if it begins the verse in which σώζῃ follows.

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

1100. mvp-comment-591-1 τίς ἂν θεῶν i. e. πῶς ἄν τις θεῶν; Cp. Αj. 879, τίς ἂν δῆτά μοι ..

1100. mvp-comment-591-2 ἀπύοι ; ἰδεῖν] The momentary tense is expressive. But once to see.

1105. mvp-comment-592-1 βαστάσαι ‘Το hold in my embrace.' Cp. Aesch. Prom. 1019, πετραία δ᾽ ἀγκάλη σε βαστάσει. This and other expressions, meaning to 'hold in the hand, come to be used more generally for to touch, handle, embrace. Cp. El. 1226 (Electra to Orestes), ἔχω σε χερσίν ; For the passive form of expression, i. e. τὸ μηδαμὰ ἐλπισθὲν ἤξειν for ὁ μηδαμὰ ἤλπισα ἥξειν, see Essay on La § 31. р. 54.

1106. mvp-comment-593-1 You ask what you shall obtain, for desire accompanies the gift.' Essay on Language § 42. p. 80. Cp. Eur. H. F. 1408-1409, Ηρ. ποθῶ, πατρός τε στέρνα προσθέσθαι θέλω. Αμ. ἴδου τάδ', ὦ παῖ τἀμὰ γὰρ σπεύδεις φίλα.

1108. mvp-comment-594-1 τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον To the parent nothing is not dear; i. e. Even the children of such a marriage. So Hermann following Reisig. But perhaps this is merely a γνώμη, like 508-509, τοῖς τεκοῦσι γὰρ | οὐδ᾽ εἰ πονῇ τις δεῖ πόνου μνήμην ἔχειν.

1110-1111. mvp-comment-595-1 οὐδ᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἂν.. εἴην Nor should I be all unhappy were I now to die. θανών, i. e. εἰ θάνοιμι.

1112. mvp-comment-596-1 ἐρείσατε, sc. μοι, suggested by τῷ φύσαντι following. The ἀμφιδέξιον is supplementary predicate, almost = ἀμφωτέροθι : (ὥστε μοι ἀμφιδέξιον γίγνεσθαι, Herm.). latter part of the compound is partly lost, but serves to suggest the notion of firmness in supporting.

1113. mvp-comment-597-1 The variety of reading is most easily accounted for by supposing an earlier reading ἐμφύντε (which Mudge conjectured). The singular ἐμφῦσα is inadmissible, and if ἐμφῦτε is read, the asyndeton, which is too abrupt for this place, has also the effect of separating the dative, τῷ φύσαντι, from ἐρείσατ', which seems to require a dative. Press your sides close to mine, supporting me on either hand, engrafted on your father. This seems better than Support both my sides, although ἐρείδω admits of TE either construction. For the παρονομασία, or verbal play, see Essay on Language § 44. P. 75- κἀναπαύσετον] And ye shall give me rest in my hapless wandering, which was lonely till ye appeared: i.e. And ye will relieve the loneliness of my unhappy wandering life. Cp. supra 500-502, μόνον δέ με | μὴ λείπετ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν σθένοι τοὐμὸν δέμας | ἔρημον ἕρπειν οὐδ᾽ ὑφηγητοῦ γ᾽ ἄνεν. The reading of Β Vat., κἀναπαύσατον, has been adopted by many editors.

1114. mvp-comment-598-1 τοῦδε δυστήνου πλάνου The effect of the pronoun is pathetic, and the repetition of the article in the other reading, τοῦ τε, has no sufficient reason. Oedipus is thinking generally of his condition, which, when his daughters were carried off, seemed as forlorn as it had been before Antigone came from Thebes to be his guide.

1115. mvp-comment-599-1 ὡς βράχιστα ‘As briefly as ye may. It may be doubted whether βράχιστα agrees with τὰ πρ. as supplementary predicate ('make the matter brief in telling it'), or is to be taken as a cognate or adverbial accusative after εἴπατε. The latter is more probable.

1118. mvp-comment-600-1 Cp. Phil. 1304, ἀλλ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἐμοὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐστὶν οὔτε σοὶ καλόν. She means that while she will be spared the recital, the tale as told by Theseus will not be tedious to her father. Cp. infr. ll. 1143-1144.

1119-1120. mvp-comment-601-1 O sir, think it not strange that I prolong my speech unduly to my children, who have appeared beyond my hopes. Some join πρὸς τὸ λιπαρές with θαύμαζε (cp. Tr. 1211, εἰ φοβεῖ πρὸς τοῦτο: Thuc. 2. 22, πρὸς τὸ παρὸν χαλεπαίνοντας). But the expression, τὸ λιπαρές = τὸ ἐμὸν λιπαρὲς τοῦ λόγου, even with the epexegesis following, seems too abrupt for Sophocles. Badham's conjecture, πρὸς τόδ', εἰ πάρος | τέκν᾽ ἐκφανέντ᾽ ἄελπτα (cp. the reading of Par. A. and infra 1141), besides changing poetry to prose, leaves πάρος without a correlative.

1119-1120. mvp-comment-601-2 πρός expresses result, as in πρὸς ἡδονήν. Cp. esp. Thuc. 2. 53, ταχείας τὰς ἐπαυρέσεις καὶ πρὸς τὸ τερπνὸν ἠξίουν ποιεῖσθαι : Eur. Οr. 606, γυναῖκες ἐμποδὼν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς | ἔφυσαν ἀνδρῶν πρὸς τὸ δυστυχέστερον.

1119-1120. mvp-comment-601-3 λιπαρές 'Persistent; here used with an association of blame.

1120. mvp-comment-602-1 For the construction of τέκνα (with μηκύνω λόγον), see Essay on Language § 16. p. 22, and cp. esp. O. T. 31, 32, σε ἑζόμεσθ' ἐφέστιοι. ..

1121. mvp-comment-603-1 γάρ explains μὴ θαύμαζε, Wonder not (as if I were ungrateful). I have a clear sense of my obligation to you.

1121. mvp-comment-603-2 την is Musgrave's conjecture for σήν, which Elmsley and others have defended. But σήν has probably been invented to supply the omission of ἢ παρὰ σοῦ after ἄλλου μηδενός, for which see Essay on Language § 39. p. 73, 6. Cp. infra 1250, ἀνδρῶν γε μοῦνος, and note. σήν, which must have a strong emphasis, would be awkwardly placed, and, as Hermann remarks, l. 1123 , would be superfluous. For τήνδε τὴν τέρψιν, cp. Ο. Τ. 1477, τὴν παροῦσαν τέρψιν ἤ σ' εἶχεν πάλαι.

1124. mvp-comment-604-1 ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω According to my wish. Cp. Hom. H. Cer. 137, δοῖεν κουριδίους ἄνδρας καὶ τέκνα τεκέσθαι, | ὡς ἐθέλουσι τοκῆες: Eur. Hel. 1405, θεοὶ σοὶ . . δοῖεν οἷ᾽ ἐγὼ θέλω.

1125. mvp-comment-605-1 αὐτῷ τε καὶ γῇ τῇδε Theseus' interests are throughout identified with those of Athens. Cp. supr. 308-309, εὐτυχὴς .. τῇ . . αὑτοῦ πόλει. . τίς γὰρ ἐσθλὸς οὐχ αὑτῷ φίλος; 1130 ff. The action which no doubt accompanied these lines would make them clearer to the spectator than they are to the reader. Oedipus reaches forth his hand towards Theseus, then draws it back, and on becoming aware that Theseus is bending towards him, repels him gently with a movement of his hand.

1131. mvp-comment-606-1 ψαύσω Sc. σου.

1131. mvp-comment-606-2 εἰ θέμις This expression occurs frequently in tragedy, ἢ θέμις rarely or never. Cp. esp. Phil. 661, εἴ μοι θέμις, θέλοιμ᾽ ἄν. It has been objected that καίτοι makes too strong an opposition, after such an expression of doubt. But the hesitation expressed in εἰ θέμις is only the courtesy of a stranger addressing a sovereign, whereas the following clause expresses the revulsion of feeling caused by the recollection of his misfortunes.

1132. mvp-comment-607-1 πῶς *σ᾽ ἂν .. ξύνοικος (1) Unhappy that I am, how should I desire thee to give thy hand to one, in whom what brand of evil is not found? Or, possibly. (2) reading πῶς δ᾽ ἄν, κ.τ.λ. as in the MSS, And how should I think of touching one who is a man, I, the ill-starred wretch, who bear in me the stain of every ill? Hermann's correction, τίς for τις, is borne out by ξύνοικος, which would be too emphatic if the meaning were a man, who has no stain upon him, as well as by the order of words in which the inversion τις οὐκ would have no point. Essay on Language § 41. p 78 yb: cp. supr. 702. Herm. also changed δ' τo σ', and in this he has been generally followed. But the words as they stand in the MSS. are not altogether impossible. The previous context, and the natural pause after ἀνδρός, may justify the reference of to the subject of θελήσαιμι. In this case ἀνδρός, although implying Theseus, is quite general: cp. О. Т. 1375-1379, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τέκνων δῆτ᾿ ὄψις ἦν ἐφίμέρος · οὐ δῆτα οὐδ᾽ ἄστυ γ' οὐδὲ πύργος, οὐδὲ δαιμόνων ἀγάλμαθ᾽ ἱρά. δ', making a fresh beginning after τί φωνῶ, seems not unnatural, but is as likely to have been wrongly inserted as to be a corruption of σ'. Cp. supr. 52.

1134. mvp-comment-608-1 οὐκ ἔγωγέ σε Sc. θελήσω θιγεῖν μου, or some more general verb, expressing the whole action, e. g. ταῦτα ποιήσω.

1135. mvp-comment-609-1 No, nor shalt thou. ἐάσω] Sc. σὲ ψαῦσαι ἐμοῦ. For this ellipse, cp. El. 632, ἐῶ, κελεύω, θύε: supr. 407, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἐᾷ τοῦμφυλον αἷμά σ᾽, ὦ πάτερ. Essay on Language § 59. p. 73, 6. The word μόνοις in the following line implies the antithesis ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ σοί. The words in О. Т. 1414-1415, imply the same feeling, although in a different connexion : τἀμὰ γὰρ κακὰ | οὐδεὶς οἷός τε πλὴν ἐμοῦ φέρειν βροτῶν: cp ib. 1430-1431, τοῖς ἐν γένει γὰρ τἀγγενῆ μάλισθ' ὁρᾶν | μόνοις τ᾿ ἀκούειν εὐσεβῶς ἔχει κακά. In infr. 1632, where Oedipus bids Theseus to give the maidens the pledge of his right hand, he does not himself take the hand of Theseus. Cp. Hom. Od. 19. 346-348, where Ulysses refuses the services of the handmaids of Penelope, εἰ μή τις γρῆνς ἔστι παλαιή, κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα, | ἥτις δὴ τέτληκε τόσα φρεσὶν ὅσσα τ᾽ ἐγώ περ | τῇ δ᾽ οὐκ ἂν φθονέοιμι ποδῶν ἅψασθαι ἐμεῖο. The feeling of Fr. 814. ὃς μὴ πέπονθε τἀμά, μὴ βουλευέτω is slightly different, resembling that of Leonato in Shak., Much Ado, 5. 1, Nor let no comforter delight mine ear | But such an one whose wrongs do suit with mine.

1137. mvp-comment-610-1 σὺ δ᾽ αὐτόθεν μοι χαῖρε · But do thou receive my salutation from where thou standest,' without coming nearer.

1138. mvp-comment-611-1 ἐς τόδ᾽ ἡμέρας Hitherto : ἡμέρα used abstractedly for time, as in Aj. 131, 622. 1139 ff. This refers to 11. 1119 ff.

1139. mvp-comment-612-1 μήκος . . ἔθου Essay on Language § 40. p. 75. The slight formality of this expression and of θαυμάσας ἔχω belongs to the dignified courtesy of Theseus manner. It has not moved my wonder, that in the delight of having your children here you have been led to prolong your talk with them. For this use of τίθεσθαι, cp. Ο. Τ. 134, ἐπαξίως γὰρ Φοῖβος, ἀξίως δὲ σὺ | πρὸ τοῦ θανόντος τήνδ᾽ ἔθεσθ᾽ ἐπιστροφήν : Ant. 151, θέσθε λησμοσύναν.

1141. mvp-comment-613-1 Nor that in choosing to converse with them you thought not first of me.' The genitive to be supplied with τοὐμοῦ is not ἔπους, but something more general, e. g. μέρους. Elms. reads οὔτ᾽, perhaps rightly. τῶνδε is objective genitive, or rather expresses a reciprocal relation.

1142. mvp-comment-614-1 γάρ, as in 1121, refers to the general meaning of the preceding sentence. There is no need of an apology, for that gives me no offence.

1145. mvp-comment-615-1 ὧν The genitive is gen. of respect after ἐψευσάμην, and also partitive after οὐδέν.

1145. mvp-comment-615-2 ὤμοσ' Supr. 1039-1040.

1147. mvp-comment-616-1 ἀκραιφνεῖς τῶν κατηπειλημένων Untouched by the harm that VOL. I. CC was threatened them.' 1140 1145 1148. This is not the place for an episode like the description of the Isthmian races in El. 680, foll., or the history of Oedipus in O. T. 777. foll. The end is near, and the interview with Polynices is yet to come. The necessary omission is accounted for by the tender age of Antigone (1116-1118), and the magnanimity of Theseus, who prefers doing to speaking of his deeds. Cp. El. 1364 ff., τοὺς γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ λόγους, κ.τ.λ., Shak. Coriolanus, 1. 9, Pray now, no more: my mother, | Who has a charter to extol her blood, | When she does praise me, grieves me..... I have some wounds upon me, and they smart | To hear themselves remembered. an

1149. mvp-comment-617-1 ἅ γ' εἴσει.. ξυνών Since you will learn this without my telling you in conversation with your children here.Illud quaeri potest, verba τί δεῖ μάτην κομπεῖν utrum cum sequentibus construenda sint, quo facto quasi quaedam aposiopesis erit post ᾑρέθη, sint precedentibus jungenda, quo illa ἅ γ' εἴσει, explicationis causa adjecta esse censendum: an denique cum utrisque sint nexa: quod ego quidem nescio an praeferendum sit, quia saepe ita media inter duas protases est apodosis: de qua figura saepius alibi monitum.' Hermann. ye shows that the words are added in explanation. For αὐτός, cp. infra 1155, ὡς μὴ εἰδότ', αὐτόν, κ.τ.λ.

1150-1151. mvp-comment-618-1 But impart to us your counsel on a matter that has just now fallen in my way as I was coming hither. The construction of the antecedent λόγος is left undetermined, and this imperfect or pendent construction is smoothed over by the attraction, for which see Essay on Language § 35. P. 59, and cp. Eur. Or. 591 ff. Ἀπόλλων ὃς στόμα νέμει σαφέστατον, τούτῳ ..

1150-1151. mvp-comment-618-2 πιθόμενος τὴν τεκοῦσαν ἔκτανον.

1151. mvp-comment-619-1 συμβαλοῦ γνώμην In Hdt. 8.61, πόλιν γὰρ τὸν Θεμιστοκλέα παρεχόμενον, οὕτω ἐκέλευε γνώμας συμβάλλεσθαι, and Plat. Polit. 298 C, γνώμην συμβαλέσθαι, the phrase means to take part in conference. So Theseus may be supposed courteously to ask Oedipus for his opinion, although he might use authority. See below, 11. 1178, 1348. Otherwise (2), συμβαλοῦ γνώμην, sc. τῷ λόγῳ, may mean,' Bring your thought to bear on this matter, i. e. consider it. Cp. the Epic σὺ δ᾽ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλει σῇσιν. This is more consistent with the position of Oedipus, of which, however, Theseus is not yet thoroughly informed.

1152. mvp-comment-620-1 It is a small thing to tell of, and yet singular.' 1153. The Scholiast, who interprets ἄνθρωπον δέ φησιν ὄντα οὐδὲν πρᾶγμα κακίζειν δεῖ, must have read as in the text. πρᾶγος is too general a word to stand alone, as it must if we read οὐδέν᾿ ἀνθρώπων. For ἄνθρωπον, cp. Ο. Τ. 977, τί δ᾽ ἂν φοβοῖτ᾽ ἄνθρωπος, ᾧ τὰ τῆς τύχης | κρατεῖ, πρόνοια δ᾽ ἐστὶν οὐδενὸς σαφής; Man, who is the creature of circumstance, may not neglect anything that occurs.

1156-1157. mvp-comment-621-1 σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενή δέ This must have been gathered from the terms of his supplication, or from his answer to those who questioned him.

1157. mvp-comment-622-1 προσπεσόντα πως Who had somehow suddenly come thither. Polynices had come when the altar was deserted for the pursuit, and while there was an ἡσυχίη τῶν ἀνθρώπων (Hdt. 1.45) about the sacrifices. Hence the indefinite adverb, marking that his coming was unobserved. Cp. Tr. 695, τὸ γὰρ κάταγμα τυγχάνω ῥίψασά πως. He was found there by the people returning thither, who brought word to Theseus when on his way to Colonus with the maidens (στείχοντι δεῦρο, 1151).

1158. mvp-comment-623-1 The use of παρά with the relative assists the locative use of the dative in the antecedent; ie. παρὰ τῷ βωμῷ, παρ' α...

1159. mvp-comment-624-1 ἔκυρον The form κύρω (cp. supr. 1082) is adopted by the Tragedians from Epic poetry.

1159. mvp-comment-624-2 ἡνίχ᾽ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ 'When I set forth, i. e. When I left the altar on the occasion which led to the pursuit. (Supr. 888, 897, 1019.) Elmsley, Hermann, and Schneidw. refer ἡνίχ᾽ ὡρμώμην τo προσπεσόντα, and transl. 'dum aberam ego. But ἡνίκα is not equi- valent to ἐν ᾧ. And such a departure from the obvious meaning is not justified by a trifling inconsistency, which is after all a verbal one, for although Theseus did not go direct from the altar to the pursuit, yet the swift action of 886-1041 is part of a continuous movement which began when he was called away from the sacrifice. There is therefore no reason for detaching the clause from the nearer antecedent.

1159. mvp-comment-624-3 ἐγώ belongs in meaning to ἔκυρον as well as to ὡρμώμην.

1160. mvp-comment-625-1 τί προσχρήζοντα τῷ θακήματι;] What does he want by sitting there? i. e. What is the meaning of his supplication? The dative is used πρὸς τὸ σημαινόμενον, as if προσχρήζοντα had been αἰτοῦντα.

1162. mvp-comment-626-1 οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων No great matter, i. e. Not likely to give trouble. Cp. infra 1341, βραχεῖ εὺν ὄγκῳ καὶ χρόνῳ.

1163. mvp-comment-627-1 οὐ γὰρ .. λόγου ‘For the manner of his supplication imports no trifling matter.'

1164-1165. mvp-comment-628-1 (1) His sole request. they say, is to be allowed to have conference with thee, and to be allowed to return, without receiving harm through his coming hither.' ὁδοῦ is a genitive of respect after the privative adverb. Cp. infra 1399, foll. Vauvillers' conjecture, μόνον, founded on Musgrave's μόνον τ', is justified both by the awkward pleonasm in ἐλθεῖν μολόντα, to come and be admitted, and by the synaphea, which cannot be defended by such examples as O. Τ. 332-333, τί ταῦτ᾽ ἄλλως ἐλέγχεις; where the running on is assisted by the pause immediately preceding. This is true even of Ar. Av. 1716-1717, θυμιαμάτων δ᾽ | αὖραι, κ.τ.λ., where the licence is caricatured. Schndw. joins μολύντ᾽ αἰτεῖν, “ He is come and asks, but the participle is then still more inopportune.

1166. mvp-comment-629-1 τίς δῆτ᾽ ἂν εἴη Who can it be? Until he hears of Argos, Oedipus is left to mere conjecture.

1167. mvp-comment-630-1 ὑμίν τοῖς Λαβδακίδαις.

1167. mvp-comment-630-2 ἐγγενής i. e. ἐν γένει ὤν. Cp. О. Т. 941.

1171. mvp-comment-631-1 ἀκούων τῶνδ' When I hear this, i.e. Your last speech, in which you mention Argos. For τῶνδε, where τούτων would be more exact, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 34, and cp. Phil. 628, οὔκουν τάδ', ὦ παῖ, δεινά; The reference to Ismene's information in 378, foll., which Reisig and Hermann supposed, would be too obscure.

1171. mvp-comment-631-2 ὁ προστάτης The suppliant. The word occurs in this sense only here and in 1278. But cp. El. 1378, λιπαρεῖ προὔστην χερί. CC2

1172. mvp-comment-632-1 For the optative, see Essay on Language § 36. p. 62, and cp. Thuc. 3. 84.

1172. mvp-comment-632-2 ἐστίν is equivalent to ἂν εἴη supra. Cp. Eur. Med. 599, μηδ' ὄλβος, ὅστις τὴν ἐμὴν κνίζοι φρένα.

1173-1174. mvp-comment-633-1 My son, O king, hated by me to whom of all the world I should most detest to listen. For the inexact use of the genitive ἀνδρῶν after the superlative, see Essay on Language § 9. p. 14. and cp. supra 105, μόχθοις λατρείων τοῖς ὑπερτάτοις βροτῶν. 1177,8. The sound of that voice has come to be abhorrent to his father's ear, and, I beseech thee, do not compel me to yield in this.' φθέγμα, see Essay on Language $ 50. p. 94, and cp. El. 1225, ὦ φθέγμ᾽, ἀφίκου; And for the meaning of ἥκει, see Essay on Language p. 97.

1179-1180. mvp-comment-634-1 But what if his suppliant posture necessarily compels you? Consider :-whether you do not owe a reverence to the God. εἰ is to be taken in the sense of whether, or what if. σκόπει is a double construction, with εἰ, κ.τ.λ., and μή, κ.τ.λ., the second clause being added in ex. planation of the first. The emphatic ἐξαναγκάζει refers to ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς in 1178. Several editors have preferred μή μοι. But although it is suitable for Antigone in 1183 to speak of Theseus' religious scruples, it is more consistent with the tone of Theseus himself to give this friendly warning to Oedipus.

1179-1180. mvp-comment-634-2 ἐξαναγκάζει i. e. Is thoroughly sufficient to compel you, without any constraint from me.

1181. mvp-comment-635-1 νέα Essay on Language §. 23. p. 38. For the meaning, cp. Aesch. Suppl. 361, σὺ δὲ παρ᾽ ὀψιγόνου μάθε γεραιόφρων.

1182. mvp-comment-636-1 τὸν ἄνδρα.. τόνδε If these words referred to Polynices, as Hermann thought, Antigone would show less tact in addressing her father than in supplicating the Elders (supra 237). Theseus has indicated a strong wish, as Oedipus Oe perceives (1178, 1350), that Polynices should be allowed to come, and also has expressed a fear that to repulse him would be to dishonour the God. Antigone appeals to her father's respect and gratitude towards Theseus, and to his affection for his daughters, as the motives most likely to influence him.

1186. mvp-comment-637-1 The antecedent to a is a second accusative after παρασπάσει, SC.

1186. mvp-comment-637-2 ταῦτα τῶν λεγομένων. Fear not. He will not wrest thy judgment to such words of his as are against thy purposes.

1186. mvp-comment-637-3 συμφέροντα] Not = profitable, but in the more literal sense of agreeable to, conspiring with. Essay on Language p. 96.

1187. mvp-comment-638-1 τά τοι καλῶς, κ.τ.λ. καλῶς is the MS. reading, and κακῶς, the emendation of Hermann, is not specially in point. His explanation is unsatisfactory.

Antigona, ut confirmet, quod dixit, oratione audienda nihil damni accipi, rationem reddit hanc, quod male facta dicendo dissimulari nequeant, sed ipsa oratio proditrix esse mali consilii soleat.

The words have no direct application to Polynices, but are a rhetorical generality, like some others in this play. Cp. Thuc. 2. 40, οὐ τοὺς λόγους τοῖς ἔργοις βλάβην ἡγούμενοι, ἀλλὰ μὴ προδιδαχθῆναι μᾶλλον λόγῳ πρότερον ἢ ἐπὶ ἃ δεῖ ἔργῳ ἐλθεῖν. For ἔργον, signifying a project not yet put in action, cp. Τr. 1157, σὺ δ᾽ οὖν ἄκουε τούργον : Αj. 466, οὐκ ἔστι τοὔργον τλητόν.

1190. mvp-comment-639-1 This seems to be the better of two ways of emending this line. Essay on Language § 41. p. 77. Others read κακίστων δυσσεβέστατ', ὦ πάτερ.

1191. mvp-comment-640-1 θέμις is indeclinable here. See L. and S. s. v.

1192. mvp-comment-641-1 ἀλλ᾿ αὐτόν- The conjecture of the Ist London edition, ἀλλ᾽ ἔασον, has been accepted with various modifications s by by subsequent sub critics. The text is eloquently defended by Mr. Palmer, who observes: 'I think it not quite impossible to understand the brief expression, backed up as it is by the argument which follows, as the language of earnest entreaty, and that the verb is to be supplied by the mind. Antigone had fully presented her request at the commencement of her speech, so that what she then said may be considered as referred to in this short broken sentence, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτόν. Nay, but receive him graciously ... there are others who have had bad sons and fierce anger, and as they have been charmed into gentleness by the soothing persuasion of their friends, so be you. If ἀλλ' αὐτόν were uttered in a tone of earnest entreaty, and the speaker abruptly added what follows, I can conceive that it would be very intelligible, and if so, the touching effect of the entreaty would be heightened by the very fact that the sentence was unfinished. Antigone leaves her father to imagine all she meant to say, and supplies what is wanting in words by the earnestness of her manner and beseeching tone of voice.' There is force in these remarks, though the quotation of parallel examples would be more to the purpose. The MSS. are practically unanimous; but the aposiopesis is all but unique. Cp. however Aesch. Cho. 749 ff., where Schütz and other editors suppose a lacuna. And in this play there are several places where the original construction of a sentence is not carried out. Cp. esp. supr. 421 ff., 531 ff., infr. 1299 ff., 1370 ff., 1669. Comparisons between classical Greek and the New Testament are usually too remote to be of any use; but the language of affection has similarities in every age, and the ellipse in Philemon 12 is curiously parallel-σὺ δὲ αὐτόν (sc. προσλαβοῦ, which is added from the deferred apodosis in the Textus Receptus). The motive in both cases is the same, viz. a delicate tact, which shrinks from uttering the word of command or entreaty, and hastens to urge fresh topics of persuasion. The deferred apodosis is implied in line 1201, ἀλλ' ἡμῖν εἶκε. Cp. Aesch. Cho. 649 ff., where Dindorf supposes a lacuna, σε in Paris A (followed by R) is a gloss of some grammarian who understood the passage as it is explained in Canter's note: Insigne est hoc ἀναπόδοτον, ac singulare. Vult enim hoc dicere, ἀλλ αὐτὸν εἴκειν, καὶ νουθετούμενον ἐξεπάδεσθαι, etc.' For an equally difficult anacoluthon, see Thuc. 5. 22. Qy.

1192. mvp-comment-641-2 ἀλλ᾽ εἶξον (ΑΛΛΑΥΤΟΝ) ? 1193-

1194. mvp-comment-642-1 ἀλλὰ φύσιν But, on their receiving counsel, their nature is pacified by the counsels of friends, who charm away their passion.

1195. mvp-comment-643-1 μὴ τὰ νῦν (Sc. πήματα ἃ πάσχεις), i. e. Turn from the indignity which now enrages you to those former calamities which you suffered. not by your own fault, but by the fault of your father and mother. The correction μοι for μή is unnecessary, and gives a weak meaning to τανῦν. The note of the Scholiast, τὰ περὶ τὴν πήρωσιν λέγοι ἄν· οὐ γὰρ τὰ ἐξ ἀρχῆς πραχθέντα ὀνειδίζει αὐτῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἄγαν ὀργῆς ἀπέβη. τούτου γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀποτρέπειν βούλεται, is right in spirit, for Antigone is not reproaching her father. But, in gently approaching the subject, she alludes only in the most general way to the miseries which came from the rash impetuosity of Laius, Jocasta, and Oedipus, and, to avoid reproaching him, refers them all to their source in the actions of his parents. Cp. supr. 268, 595 ff. And for the meaning of θυμός, Ant. 493-494. φιλεῖ δ᾽ ὁ θυμὸς πρόσθεν ᾑρῆσθαι κλοπεὺς | τῶν μηδὲν ὀρθῶς ἐν σκότῳ τεχνωμένων.

1199-1200. mvp-comment-644-1 For you have reasons enough to move you, when you think of your own sightless eyes, to which light returns not.' οὐχὶ βαιά] Hesych. Σοφοκλῆς δὲ Οἰδίποδι ἐν Κολωνῷ· οὐ βαιά, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἄφθονα καὶ πολλά. 1201-1202. λιπαρεῖν γὰρ οὐ καλὸν | δίκαια προσχρήζουσιν] (1) ‘It is not well that those whose request is just should make long supplication; i.e. They should be at once gratified. This involves a change of subject (Essay on Language p. 65), and requires that the acc.

1199-1200. mvp-comment-644-2 προσχρήζοντας should have been attracted into the dat. in construction with καλών (ib. § 35 pp. 59, 60). Both difficulties may be avoided by taking λιπαρεῖν in the general sense of ' obstinate continuance,' as in Hdt. 1. 94, etc., and προσχρήζουσιν as = πρὸς προσχρήζοντας, or as if λιπαρεῖν were λιπαρή φαίνεσθαι: (2) It is not well to be obdurate to a just request. Cp. supr. 1119, τὸ λιπαρές. For this meaning, cp. Fr. 76, τοῖς γὰρ δικαίοις ἀντέχειν οὐ ῥάδιον. And for the dative, cp. O. T. 1373, οἷν ἐμοὶ δυοῖν, κ.τ.λ., and see Essay on Language § 12. p. 18. β 1. But the constant use of λιπαρεῖν in Attic, in the sense of ' to press with requests,' renders this interpretation improbable, and the former (1) is to be preferred. The use of οὐκ (rather than μή) in 1203 is accounted for by the attraction of the previous οὐ, and by reference to the actual circumstances. Essay on Language § 29. p. 49.

1204. mvp-comment-645-1 βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με You win me by your words to grant your request against my will. ἡδονή may either refer (1) to the pleasure which Oedipus gives to his daughters, cp. Αj. 114, ἐπειδὴ τέρψις ἥδε σοὶ τὸ δρᾶν: or (2) to the pleasure which he feels in hearing them; either being accompanied with pain to himself. For the accusative in (2) see Essay on Language § 17. p. 24, and cp. Tr. 960-961, χωρεῖν πρὸ δόμων λέγουσιν, ἄσπετόν τι θαῦμα. The oxymoron is more pointed in (2).

1206. mvp-comment-646-1 εἴπερ is emphatic, expressing some impatience at his forced consent. If he must come.

1207. mvp-comment-647-1 Let me never be delivered into the power of any man; i.e. By no means let me come into his power. For the periphrasis with ψυχή, cp. esp. Ant. 1069, Phil. 54, 5. And for μηδείς, see Essay on Language § 22. p. 36.

1210. mvp-comment-648-1 σῶς ἴσθ᾽ Sc. ὤν, Essay on Language § 39. p. 72, 1, c. Know thyself safe. The reading of L. may be due to a gloss to this effect, viz. σῶς/ὤν.

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Οἰδίπους ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ πάτερ πάτερ, τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν 1100 δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδε γὰρ χέρες Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους προσέλθετʼ ὦ παῖ, πατρὶ καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε. 1105

Ἀντιγόνη αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη δυσμόρου γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ, οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον· τοὐμὸν ὧδʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει. 1155

Θησεύς φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ θύων ἔκυρον, ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι· 1160

Θησεύς οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι, βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ. 1165

Οἰδίπους τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν;

Θησεύς ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατε, σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους μή μου δεηθῇς. 1170

Θησεύς πράγματος ποίου; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶν ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ 1175 χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρὸν κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί· καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα. 1180

Θησεύς ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν, ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δʼ ὢν σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σῴζῃ θεῶν. 1210

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ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ πάτερ πάτερ, τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν 1100 δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον ;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδε γὰρ χέρες Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους προσέλθετʼ, ὦ παῖ, πατρί, καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε. 1105

Ἀντιγόνη αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη δυσμόρου * γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ, καὶ σοί τε τοὔργον *τοῦτʼ *ἐμοί τʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Θησεύς

Οἰδίπους τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με, ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει. 1155

Θησεύς φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ θύων ἔκυρον ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι ; 1160

Θησεύς οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι, βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν *μόνον αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν *τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ. 1165

Οἰδίπους τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν ;

Θησεύς ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν. [111 a.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατε, *σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους μή μου δεηθῇς. 1170

Θησεύς πράγματος ποίου; λέγε. 1170

Οἰδίπους ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι, καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ 1175 χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρόν, κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί· καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει· μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα. 1180

Ἀντιγόνη

Θησεύς ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν, ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δὲ σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σώζῃ θεῶν. 1210

Where? Is it true? How say you?

ANT Father, father! Oh that some God would give thee once to see 1100 The man whose royal virtue brings us hither!

OED My daughters, are ye there?

ANT Saved by the arm Of Theseus and his most dear ministers.

OED Come near me, child, and let your father feel The treasure he had feared for ever gone. 1105

ANT Not hard the boon which the heart longs to give.

OED Where are ye, where?

ANT Together we draw near.

OED Loved saplings of a solitary tree!

ANT A father’s heart hides all.

OED Staves of mine age!

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ ὦ παῖ, πατρὶ καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον· τοὐμὸν ὧδʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον, ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι·
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶν ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρὸν κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δʼ ὢν

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σῴζῃ θεῶν.
1210

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον ;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ, ὦ παῖ, πατρί, καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου * γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

καὶ σοί τε τοὔργον τοῦτʼ ἐμοί τʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με,

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι ;
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν ;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

[111 a.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, *σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε. 1170

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι, καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρόν, κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει·

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δὲ

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σώζῃ θεῶν.
1210

ANT

Father, father!

Oh that some God would give thee once to see
1100

The man whose royal virtue brings us hither!

OED

My daughters, are ye there?

ANT

Saved by the arm

Of Theseus and his most dear ministers.

OED

Come near me, child, and let your father feel

The treasure he had feared for ever gone.
1105

ANT

Not hard the boon which the heart longs to give.

OED

Where are ye, where?

ANT

Together we draw near.

OED

Loved saplings of a solitary tree!

ANT

A father’s heart hides all.

OED

Staves of mine age!

ANT

Forlorn supporters of an ill-starred life!

ANT

Here is our saviour. He shall tell thee all,

And shorten labour both for us and thee.

OED

What is it, O son of Aegeus? Let me hear,

I am wholly ignorant herein.
1155

THE

We are told

One, not thy townsman, but of kin to thee,

Hath come in unawares, and now is found

Kneeling at great Poseidon’s altar, where

I sacrificed, what time ye called me hither.

OED

What countryman, and wherefore suppliant there?
1160

THE

One thing alone I know. He craves of thee

Some speech, they say, that will not hold thee long.

OED

His kneeling there imports no trivial suit.