Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 549-667

ed. Francis Storr

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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)) — 549 focus
καὶ μὴν ἄναξ ὅδʼ ἡμὶν Αἰγέως γόνος
Θησεὺς κατʼ ὀμφὴν σὴν * ἀποσταλεὶς πάρα.
550
ποῖον δὲ κέρδος ἀξιοῖς ἥκειν φέρων ;
ὦ φίλτατʼ Αἰγέως παῖ, μόνοις οὐ γίγνεται
θεοῖσι γῆρας οὐδὲ κατθανεῖν ποτε,
τὰ δʼ ἄλλα συγχεῖ πάνθʼ ὁ παγκρατὴς χρόνος.
φθίνει μὲν ἰσχὺς γῆς, φθίνει δὲ σώματος,
610
θνήσκει δὲ πίστις, βλαστάνει δʼ ἀπιστία,
καὶ πνεῦμα ταὐτὸν οὔποτʼ οὔτʼ ἐν ἀνδράσιν
φίλοις βέβηκεν οὔτε πρὸς πόλιν πόλει.
τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἤδη, τοῖς δʼ ἐν ὑστέρῳ χρόνῳ
τὰ τερπνὰ πικρὰ γίγνεται καὖθις φίλα.
615
καὶ ταῖσι Θήβαις εἰ τανῦν εὐημερεῖ
καλῶς *τὸ πρὸς σέ, μυρίας ὁ μυρίος
χρόνος τεκνοῦται νύκτας ἡμέρας τʼ ἰών,
ἐν αἷς τὰ νῦν ξύμφωνα δεξιώματα
δόρει διασκεδῶσιν ἐκ σμικροῦ λόγου·
620
ἵνʼ οὑμὸς εὕδων καὶ κεκρυμμένος νέκυς
ψυχρός ποτʼ αὐτῶν θερμὸν αἷμα πίεται,
εἰ Ζεὺς ἔτι Ζεὺς χὠ Διὸς Φοῖβος σαφής.
ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ αὐδᾶν ἡδὺ τἀκίνητʼ ἔπη,
ἔα μʼ ἐν οἷσιν ἠρξάμην, τὸ σὸν μόνον
625
πιστὸν φυλάσσων, κοὔποτʼ Οἰδίπουν ἐρεῖς
ἀχρεῖον οἰκητῆρα δέξασθαι τόπων
τῶν ἐνθάδʼ, εἴπερ μὴ θεοὶ ψεύσουσί με.
ὦ Ζεῦ, διδοίης τοῖσι τοιούτοισιν εὖ.
Translations (5)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 549 focus
Enough. For lo! where Aegeus’ princely son,
Theseus, comes hither, summoned at thy word.
550
What boon dost thou profess to have brought with thee?
Dear son of Aegeus, to the Gods alone
Comes never Age nor Death. All else i’ the world
Time, the all subduer, merges in oblivion.
Earth and men’s bodies weaken, fail, and perish.
610
Faith withers, breach of faith springs up and glows
And neither men nor cities that are friends
Breathe the same spirit with continuing breath.
Love shall be turned to hate, and hate to love
With many hereafter, as with some to-day.
615
And though, this hour, between great Thebes and thee
No cloud be in the heaven, yet moving Time
Enfolds a countless brood of days to come,
Wherein for a light cause they shall destroy
Your now harmonious league with severing war,
620
Even where my slumbering form, buried in death,
Coldly shall drink the life blood of my foes,
If Zeus be Zeus, and his son Phoebus true.
I would not speak aloud of mysteries.
Then let me leave where I began. Preserve
625
Thine own good faith, and thou shalt never say,
Unless Heaven’s promise fail me, that for nought
Athens took Oedipus to dwell with her.
Ye Heavens, reward such excellence!
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 549 focus
Da, siehe, kommt der König, Aegeus' Sohn, heran,
Theseus, gehorsam deinem Ruf, der ihn beschied.
Theseus. Die Vorigen.
Und welchen Vortheil bietest du zum Lohne mir?
O Sohn des Aegeus, theurer Mann, den Göttern nur
605
Naht nie das Alter, ihnen naht niemals der Tod.
Doch alles Andre stürzt die Allgewalt der Zeit:
Die Kraft der Erde welkt, es welkt des Leibes Kraft;
Hin stirbt die Treue, Treuebruch sprießt hoch empor.
Und ohne Wandel athmet nie derselbe Hauch
610
Der Lieb' in Männerherzen, noch bei Volk und Volk.
Denn heute dort, hier morgen wandelt sich die Gunst
In bittern Hader, und in Huld sich wieder um.
Und wenn des Friedens heller Tag die Theber jezt
Mit dir vereinigt, doch gebiert in ihrem Lauf
615
Endlose Zeit endlose Nächte, Tage noch,
Worin die heute festverbundnen Hände sich
Um leichten Vorwand trennen durch des Speers Gewalt,
Wo mein entschlafner und im Grab geborgner Leib
Erkaltet einst ihr warmes Herzblut trinken wird,
620
Wenn Zeus noch Zeus, und sein Apollon Wahres spricht.
Doch sag' ich ungern, was ich nicht enthüllen darf;
Dir gnüge denn mein erstes Wort, und wahre mur 2
Das deine treulich; und gewiß, dann klagst du nie,
Es sei ein unnüz werthlos Haupt in Dedipus
625
Dem Land erschienen, lügen mir die Götter nicht.
Zeus, solchen Männern lohne du mit Wohlergeh'n!
640
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 549 focus
{seeh^ Theseus, wJw enters]. But lo ! the king,
-(Egean Theseus, comes ;
The fame of thee bath brought him here already.
550
TheseuSj CEdipus, Antigone, Uiiokus.
550
What worhih i
Dearest fon of Ægeus,
From age and death exempt, the gods alone
Immortal and unchangeable remain,
Whilst all things else fall by the hand of Time,
The universal conqueror. Earth laments
610
Her fertile powers exhausted. Human strength
Is withered soon. E'en faith and truth decay,
That Thebes shall yield
And from their ashes fraud and falsehood rise.
Nor friendship long from mjtn to man endures,
615
Or realm to realm. To each successive rise
Bitter and sweet, and happiness and woe.
Athens and Thebes thou seest united now,
And all is well; but passing time shall bring
The fatal day (and slight will be the cause)
620
That soon shall change the bonds of amity
620
And holy faith, for feuds and deadliest hate.
Then, buried long in earth, shall this cold corse
Drink their warm blood, which from the mutual wound
Frequent shall flow. It must be as I tell thee.
If Jove be Jove, and great Apollo true.
625
But why should I reveal the fixed decree
Of all-deciding Heaven ? Permit me now
To end where I began. Thy plighted faith
Once more confirm, and never shalt thou say
The wretched OEdipus to Theseus came
An useless and unprofitable guest,
If the immortal gods have not deceived me.
O king ! already hath this man declared
The same goodwill to thee and to our country.
Thes. Can I reject benevolence and love
Like this, my friends? Oh no ! the common rites
Of hospitality, this altar here,
The witness of our mutual vows, forbid it ;
He comes a suppliant to the goddesses,
And pays no little tribute both to me
630
And to my kingdom ; he shall find a seat
630
Within my realms, for I revere his virtues.
630
If here it pleaseth him to stay, remember \to the Chorus
630
'Tis my command you guard this stranger well ;
630
If thou wouldsb rather go with me, thou mayst ;
630
I leave it to thy choice. \To CEdipus.
630
For what ? I'll not deny thee-
645
English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 549 focus
But see, excited by the fame of thee
Our king, the son of Ægeus, Theseus comes.
550
Of this inform me then; I wish to know.
O friendly son of Ægeus, to the gods
Alone is giv'n exemption from old age
And death; all else th' all-powerful hand of time
Crumbles to dust. The vigour of the earth,
The vigour of the body wastes away;
610
Faith withers to the root, and Perfidy
Puts forth fresh branches. So in men, in states
Leagued now in friendship, the same spirit long
Never remains; but what is grateful now,
Instant to some, to some in distant time,
615
Becomes detested, then delights again.
So now though all is amity and peace.
'Twixt thee and Thebes, yet ever-changing time
Will, in its progress, ever-changing nights
And days beget, in which your plighted hands,
Arm'd for a trivial cause, shall burst your leagues;
620
That my cold corse, at rest beneath the earth,
Shall drink their warm blood, if Jove reigns supreme
And Phœbus, son of Jove, declares the truth.
But to unfold what silence ought to veil
Delights me not; permit me to proceed
625
In what I first began; keep but thy faith,
Thou didst receive an useless habitant
(Unless the gods beguile me) to this land.
Wilt thou with me to Athens ?
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 549-665 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-414-1 ὀμφήν 1

mvp-comment-414-2 ἐφ’ ἁστάλη 2

mvp-comment-415-1 The

σκοπός
, who did not know the name of Oed., could describe the traces of wounds about the sightless eyes, and brought the mysterious message (72). Theseus then set out, surmising who it was. Meanwhile the name of Oed. had become known at Colonus (222), and wayfarers who met Theseus raised his surmise into certain knowledge. Cp. on 299
ff.

mvp-comment-415-2 ἔν τε 3

mvp-comment-416-1 ἔγνωκά ς’ 4

mvp-comment-416-2 ἔγνωκα 5

mvp-comment-417-1 ἀκούων 6

mvp-comment-417-2 For

ἀκούων
it may be pleaded that the sense is at least quite intelligible, and that ancient writers, even the most artistic, were less careful than moderns in avoiding such repetitions of single words. Cp. 631
ἐκβάλοι
, 636
ἐκβαλῶ
: 638, 640
ἡδύ
: 966, 969
ἐπεί
: 1000, 1003
καλόν
, 1004
καλῶς
: 1123, 1129: 1451, 1459: 1487 f.: O. T. 517
φέρον
, 519
φέροντι
, 520
φέρει
: ib. 1276, 1278
ὁμοῦ
: Ant. 73 , 76
κείσομαι
: Ai. 1201 , 1204 (
τέρψιν
).

mvp-comment-418-1 σκευή 7

mvp-comment-418-2 δύστηνον 8

mvp-comment-419-1 ὄνθ’ ὃς εἶ 9

mvp-comment-420-1 )περέσθαι 10

mvp-comment-421-1 ἐπέστης 11

mvp-comment-421-2 πόλεως … ἐμοῦ τ; 12

mvp-comment-422-1 ἂν … τύχοις … ἐξαφισταίμην 13

mvp-comment-422-2 πρᾶξιν 14

mvp-comment-423-1 ξένος 15

mvp-comment-424-1 καὶ ὡς ἤθλησα πλεῖστα εἷς ἀνήρ 16

mvp-comment-424-2 ἐπὶ ξένης 17

mvp-comment-425-1 κινδυνεύματ’ 18

mvp-comment-425-2 ἐν τὠμῷ κάρᾳ 19 κάρᾳ 20

mvp-comment-426-1 ξένον 21

mvp-comment-426-2 συνεκσῴζειν 22

mvp-comment-427-1 ἀνὴρ 23

mvp-comment-428-1 δοῦ 24

mvp-comment-429-1 τὸ σὸν γενναῖον 25

mvp-comment-430-1 παρῆκεν 26

mvp-comment-430-2 ὥστε ἐμοὶ δεῖσθαι 27

mvp-comment-430-3 δεῖσθαι 28

mvp-comment-430-4 For the dat. ἐμοί with

δεῖσθαι
(instead of
ἐμέ
as subj. to
φράσαι
) cp. Eur. Hipp. 940
θεοῖσι προσβαλεῖν χθονὶ | ἄλλην δεήσει γαῖαν
: and see on 721
. Wecklein takes
ἐμοί
with
παρῆκεν
, permisit mihi , but the interposed ὥστε forbids this. The conject. σοι (for
ἐμοί
),
"to say little to thee ,"
would be very weak.

mvp-comment-431-1 Theseus has named Oed. (557) and Laïus (553), but not Thebes. A knowledge of the stranger's country was implied by the rest. Cp. on 205

. γῆς could stand with
ἦλθον
(cp. O. T. 152
Πυθῶνος ἔβας
 , Ph. 630
νεὼς ἄγοντα
), but is more simply governed by
ἀπὸ
.

mvp-comment-432-1 χὡ λόγος διοίχεται 29

mvp-comment-432-2 διέρχεται 31

mvp-comment-433-1 τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ 32

mvp-comment-434-1 τὰ δὲ | κέρδη 33

mvp-comment-435-1 που 34

mvp-comment-436-1 ποίῳ 35

mvp-comment-436-2 προσφορὰ 36

mvp-comment-436-3 δηλώσεται 37

mvp-comment-437-1 i.e.

"You ask for the last offices which piety can render: you do not ask me for protection during your lifetime."
Through the oracle (389), of which Theseus knows nothing, a grave in Attica had become the supreme concern of Oedipus.

mvp-comment-437-2 τὰ δ’ ἐν μέσῳ 38

mvp-comment-437-3 δῑ οὐδενὸς ποεῖ 39

mvp-comment-438-1 ἐνταῦθα γάρ 40

mvp-comment-439-1 ἐν βραχεῖ 41

mvp-comment-440-1 γε μήν 42

mvp-comment-441-1 πότερα 43

mvp-comment-441-2 ἐγγενῶν 44

mvp-comment-441-3 κἀμοῦ 45

mvp-comment-442-1 Kayser's ἄναξ, χρῄζουσι (for ἀναγκάζουσι ) is exactly what the sense requires, and is fairly near to the MS. reading, while the latter is (I think) certainly corrupt. The verse must not be considered alone, but in close connection with 590, and with the whole context. It has been rendered:—(1)

"They are for compelling ( my protectors ) to convey me to Thebes."
But the ellipse of
τινά
before
κομίζειν
is intolerable. And the protectors could not be required to do more than surrender him. Therefore it is no cure to propose εἴ σ’ (for
κεῖσ’
)
ἀναγκάσουσί με
. To read
σε
for
με
merely shifts the first difficulty, and leaves the second. (2)
"They are for putting constraint on me, so as to carry (me) to Thebes."
Such an epexegesis by the act. infin. is impossible here. Who could write
ἀναγκάζει σε ἄγειν ἐκεῖσε
, meaning,
"he is forcing thee, so as to take (thee) thither"
? (3)
κομίζειν
has been taken as=
"to return,"
=
κομίζεσθαι
. This needs no comment. We want either: (1) instead of κομίζειν , a word=
" to return "
; but
κατελθεῖν
is very unlikely, and no other substitute is obvious: or (2) instead of ἀναγκάζουσι , a word =
"they wish , seek. "
That the fault lies in
ἀναγκάζουσι
is very strongly suggested by 590, where L has ἀλλ’ εἰ θέλοντ’ ἄν γ’ , evidently corrupted, by dittographia of
γ’
, from
ἀλλ’ εἰ θέλοντά γ’
, which L2 has. This gives a clear and fitting sense, if in 589 we read ἄναξ, χρῄζουσί με . All the trouble, for the MSS. and for the edd., has arisen from
ἀναγκάζουσι
. Hence (1) Goebel, ἀλλ’ οὐ θελόντων ,
"but if they do not wish thee"
(
φεύγειν
): (2) Reisig, ἀλλ’ εἰ θέλοντάς γ’ ,
"but what if it be not seemly for thee to shun them when willing (to receive thee)?"
Both these are forced. Campbell supplies
εἰ βούλοιντο κομίζειν
to explain
θέλοντα
, keeping L's
θέλοντ’ ἄν
: but
ἄν
can stand with a partic. only when the latter is equiv. to an apodosis, as it is in 761. So far as the tense of
ἀναγκάζουσι
is concerned, a change to the fut. is no gain: it is the pres. of tendency or intention. But the whole mention of compulsion or violence is premature in 589. Oed. leads very gently up to the disclosure of his sons' unnatural conduct (599).

mvp-comment-443-1 οὐδὲ σοὶ 46

mvp-comment-443-2 οὐδέ 47

mvp-comment-443-3 φεύγειν 48

mvp-comment-444-1 ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ 49

mvp-comment-444-2 παρίεσαν 50

mvp-comment-445-1 θυμὸς δ’ 51

mvp-comment-445-2 ξύμφορον 52

mvp-comment-446-1 μάθῃς μου 53

mvp-comment-447-1 ξυμφορὰν 54

mvp-comment-447-2 ἐρεῖς 55

mvp-comment-448-1 μεῖζον ἢ κατ’ ἄνθρ. 56

mvp-comment-448-2 νοσεῖς 57

mvp-comment-449-1 Instead of

οὐκ ἔστι μοι κατελθεῖν ποτε
, we have
ἔστι μοι κατελθεῖν μήποτε
, since
ἔστι μοι
=
"my doom is,"
ζημία κεῖταί μοι
.—Cp. on 407
.

mvp-comment-450-1 πεμψαίαθ’ 58

mvp-comment-450-2 ὥστ’ οἰκεῖν δίχα 59

mvp-comment-450-3 ὥστε 60

mvp-comment-451-1 ἐξαναγκάσει 61

mvp-comment-452-1 ὅτι 62

mvp-comment-452-2 τῇδε … χθονί 63

mvp-comment-453-1 τἀμὰ κἀκείνων 64

mvp-comment-454-1 γῆρας … κατθανεῖν 65

mvp-comment-455-1 συγχεῖ 66

mvp-comment-455-2 παγκρατὴς 67

mvp-comment-456-1 φθίνει μὲν … φθίνει δὲ 68

mvp-comment-456-2 γῆς 69

mvp-comment-457-1 βλαστάνει 70

mvp-comment-458-1 πνεῦμα 71

mvp-comment-459-1 βέβηκεν 74

mvp-comment-459-2 πόλει 75

mvp-comment-460-1 τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἤδη 76

mvp-comment-460-2 ἤδη 77

mvp-comment-460-3 καὖθις φίλα 78

mvp-comment-461-1 Θήβαις 79

mvp-comment-462-1 καλῶς 80

mvp-comment-462-2 τὰ 81

mvp-comment-462-3 τὸ πρὸς σέ 82

mvp-comment-462-4 ὁ μυρίος 83

mvp-comment-463-1 τεκνοῦται 84

mvp-comment-463-2 ἰών 85

mvp-comment-464-1 ἐν αἷς 86

mvp-comment-464-2 δεξιώματα 87

mvp-comment-465-1 δόρει διασκεδῶσιν 88

mvp-comment-465-2 δόρει 89

mvp-comment-466-1 ἵν’ 90

mvp-comment-466-2 εὕδων 91

mvp-comment-467-1 ψυχρὸς … θερμὸν 92

mvp-comment-468-1 σαφής 93

mvp-comment-469-1 τἀκίνητα 94

mvp-comment-470-1 ἔα με 95

mvp-comment-470-2 τὸ σὸν … πιστὸν φυλάσσων 96

mvp-comment-471-1 εἴπερ μὴ ψεύσουσι 97

mvp-comment-471-2 εἴπερ 98

mvp-comment-472-1 πάλαι 100

mvp-comment-473-1 ἐφαίνετο τελῶν 101

mvp-comment-474-1 δῆτ’ 102

mvp-comment-474-2 ἐκβάλοι 103

mvp-comment-475-1 ὅτῳ 104

mvp-comment-475-2 κοινή 105

mvp-comment-475-3 αἰέν 106

mvp-comment-475-4 δορύξενος 107

mvp-comment-475-5 Wecklein brackets the whole passage from 632

ὅτῳ
down to 637
τὴν τοῦδε
as
"a later addition,"
because (1) there could be no
ξενία
when Oedipus did not even know the name of Theseus (68), and (2)
σεβισθεὶς
in 636 is suspicious. On this, see ad loc. As to (1), the
ξενία
to which Theseus refers is not a personal friendship, but a hereditary alliance between the royal houses, as in Eur. Suppl. 930 Polyneices (whom he had not seen before) is his
ξένος
. Cp. on 619
. After Wecklein's excision, we have
τίς δῆτ’ ἂν ἀνδρὸς εὐμένειαν ἐκβάλοι
τοιοῦδε; χώρᾳ δ’ ἔμπαλιν κατοικιῶ
. This is incoherent.

mvp-comment-476-1 ἀφιγμένος 108

mvp-comment-476-2 δασμός 109

mvp-comment-477-1 The aor. σεβισθεὶς only here:

σεβίζειν
1007 ,
σεβίσασα
Ant. 943 ,
σεβίζομαι 110
Aesch. Suppl. 922 . In later Gk. the pass. aor. of σεβάζομαι was deponent, as Anth. P. 7. 122
αἴ, αἲ Πυθαγόρης τί τόσον κυάμους ἐσεβάσθη;
It appears rash to deny that ἐσεβίσθην could be so used. The deponent use of
ἐσέφθην
is attested only by Plat. Phaedr. 254 B
( σεφθεῖσα )
, and Hesych. 1. 1456
ἐσέφθην· ἐσεβάσθην, ἡσύχασα, ᾐσχύνθην. Σοφοκλῆς Δαιδάλῳ
(fr. 168 Nauck).

mvp-comment-477-2 ἐκβαλῶ 111

mvp-comment-478-1 ἔμπολιν 112

mvp-comment-478-2 ἔμπαλιν 113

mvp-comment-478-3 δέ 114

mvp-comment-479-1 σέ 115

mvp-comment-480-1 εἰ δὲ τόδε — στείχειν μετ’ ἐμοῦ, — ἡδύ ἐστι — δίδωμί σοι, τούτων κρίναντι ( ὁπότερον βούλει ), χρῆσθαι ( αὐτᾦ 116

mvp-comment-480-2 τούτων 117

mvp-comment-480-3 δίδωμι … χρῆσθαι 118

mvp-comment-480-4 With

εἴτ’ ἐμοῦ
, the constr. would be,
εἴτε μετ’ ἐμοῦ στείχειν
(
ἡδὺ αὐτῷ ἐστι, στείχειν πάρεστιν
), a word expressing consent being evolved from
τάξω
. But (1) this is harsher than O. T. 91
εἰ τῶνδε χρῄζεις πλησιαζόντων κλύειν
ἕτοιμος εἰπεῖν, εἴτε καὶ στείχειν ἔσω
 (
χρῄζεις
), where
ἕτοιμος
is more easily fitted to the second clause; though somewhat similar is Eur. Ion 1120
πεπυσμέναι γάρ, εἰ θανεῖν ἡμᾶς 119 χρεών,
ἥδιον ἂν θάνοιμεν, εἴθ’ ὁρᾶν φάος
 (
χρεών
), sc.
ἥδιον ἂν ὁρῷμεν
. And (2) in proposing the second alternative,—that Oed. should accompany him,—it is more suitable that he should address Oed. himself.

mvp-comment-480-5 τῇδε 120

mvp-comment-480-6 ξυνοίσομαι 121

mvp-comment-481-1 διδοίης … εὖ 122

mvp-comment-482-1 δόμους στείχειν 123

mvp-comment-483-1 εἰ … ἦν 124

mvp-comment-484-1 ἐν ᾧ τί πράξεις 125

mvp-comment-485-1 κρατήσω 126

mvp-comment-486-1 μέγ’ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα 127

mvp-comment-486-2 τῆς συνουσίας 128

mvp-comment-486-3 τῆς ς. 129

mvp-comment-487-1 εἰ σοί γ’ | ἅπερ φὴς ἐμμενεῖ 130

mvp-comment-488-1 τὸ τοῦδέ γ’ ἀνδρ 131

mvp-comment-489-1 ὡς κακὸν 132

mvp-comment-490-1 ἢ λόγῳ 133

mvp-comment-491-1 τοῦ μάλιστ’ ὄκνος σ’ ἔχει 135

mvp-comment-492-1 ὅρα με λείπων 136

mvp-comment-493-1 ὀκνοῦντ’ ἀνάγκη 137

mvp-comment-494-1 οὐκ οἶσθ’ 138

mvp-comment-494-2 μή 139

mvp-comment-495-1 — 660 Many emendations of 658 f. have been proposed, and Wecklein would reject the three verses altogether. To me they seem not only authentic but textually sound. They picture a tumult of passions in the soul, presently quelled by reason. The angry threats and the sobering reason are alike personified. The genuineness of the nominative πολλαὶ δ’ ἀπειλαὶ is confirmed by the imagery of the second clause, ἀλλ’ ὁ νοῦς ὅταν . For this animated personification of speech or passion, cp. Aesch. Cho. 845

ἢ πρὸς γυναικῶν δειματούμενοι λόγοι
πεδάρσιοι θρώσκουσι, θνῄσκοντες μάτην
: Eur. Hipp. 1416
οὐδὲ γῆς ὑπὸ ζόφῳ
θεᾶς ἄτιμοι Κύπριδος ἐκ προθυμίας
ὀργαὶ κατασκήψουσιν ἐς τὸ σὸν δέμας
. The cognate verb κατηπείλησαν (gnomic aorist), instead of the simple
ἔλεξαν
, gives an emphasis like that which the cogn. accus. would give in
πολλοὶ ἀπειλὰς κατηπείλησαν.

mvp-comment-495-2 θυμῷ 140

mvp-comment-496-1 αὑτοῦ 141

mvp-comment-496-2 φροῦδα 142

mvp-comment-497-1 κείνοις 143

mvp-comment-497-2 καὶ εἰ ἐπερρώσθη 144

mvp-comment-497-3 λέγειν 145

mvp-comment-497-4 We cannot read

κεῖνος
, since the pl. is needed. The best solution would be
κείνοις δέ, κεἴ τις
, from which
ἴσως κεἰ
might have come through a transposition. But the sarcastic

mvp-comment-497-5 ἴσως 146

mvp-comment-497-6 κεἰ 147

mvp-comment-498-1 τὸ δεῦρο 148

mvp-comment-499-1 θαρσεῖν μὲν οὖν 149

mvp-comment-499-2 κἄνευ τῆς ἐμῆς γνώμης 150

mvp-comment-499-3 ἐπαινῶ 151

mvp-comment-499-4 Φοῖβος 152

mvp-comment-500-1 ὅμως 153

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

550. mvp-comment-305-1 κατ᾿ ὀμφὴν σὴν *ἀποσταλείς Brought by thy voice, i. e. by the message sent at the request of Oedipus (1.70). The word ὀμφή has sacred associations, and is used in this play, supr. 102, of Apollo; infr. 1351, of Oedipus again: not elsewhere by Sophocles.

550. mvp-comment-305-2 ἀποσταλείς, the reading of Turnebus, is nearer to the indications of our present MSS. than any other correction, and gives a better sense than ὃς ἐστάλη οι ἐφ᾽ ἁστάλη. See where our lord Theseus, Aegeus son, hath set forth at thy word, and is now come.' 551. The words from ἔν τε to διαφθοράς are introduced by an afterthought, and modify the rest of the sentence. Cp. Phil. 1411, foll., αὐδὴν τὴν Ἡρακλέους ἀκοῇ τε κλύειν λεύσσειν τ᾽ ὄψιν. See Essay on Language p. 65 f. VOL. I. Z

553. mvp-comment-306-1 ὁδοῖς ἐν ταῖσδε In thy present coming. Cp. Εl. 68, δέξασθέ μ᾽ εὐτυχοῦντα ταῖσδε ταῖς ὁδοῖς.

555. mvp-comment-307-1 σκευή Thine apparel: which, though travel-stained, is that of a noble Theban.

556. mvp-comment-308-1 ὃς εἰ A pronominal expression to avoid the repetition of the name. Ср. О. Т. 1036, ὥστ᾽ ὠνομάσθης ἐκ τύχης ταύτης ὃς εἶ.

556. mvp-comment-308-2 καί σ᾽ οἰκτίσας, κ.τ.λ. With a native generosity which Oedipus fully acknowledges (infr. 570), Theseus is ready to protect Oedipus, although not ignorant of the nature of his misfortunes (supr. 305 ff., 551 ff.). But he imagines himself to be conferring a favour, and knows not that the blind wayfarer has more to give than to receive. Once more, therefore, we have a fine contrast between the real and the apparent situation.

557. mvp-comment-309-1 θέλω *' περέσθαι This correction of the Laurentian reading (=τὶ) is more probable than the reading of B, in which o' is awkwardly repeated. For the aphaeresis, cp. Phil. 592, λέγω. 'πὶ τοῦτον, κ.τ.λ.

560. mvp-comment-310-1 δεινήν, κ.τ.λ. Either (r1) 'For that were a hard task indeed from which, on your mentioning it, I should recoil.' Or (2) For that would be a terrible fortune, of which the mention would make me shrink from giving relief. The latter rendering gives a more natural meaning to πρᾶξις (cp. Hdt. 3. 65, ἀπέκλαιε πᾶσαν τὴν ἑωυτοῦ πρήξιν), and is more in accordance with what follows (ὑπεκτραποίμην, κ.τ.λ.). And the usual question addressed to suppliants is, What is your misfortune? rather than, What would you have us do?' For the sentiment, cp. Eur. Suppl. 339. 40, (Θησ.) ὡς τοῖς ἐμοῖσιν οὐχὶ πρόσφορον τρόποις | φεύγειν τὰ δεινά. For the emphatic use of the adj., see Essay on Language p. 80.

562. mvp-comment-311-1 ὡς οἶδά γ᾽ αὐτός Yes, for I know, that I myself was brought up a stranger, as thou art now. Theseus was reared by his grandfather Pittheus at Troezen.

563. mvp-comment-312-1 χώς τις πλεῖστ᾽ ἀνήρ i. e. καὶ ὥς τις ἀνὴρ πλεῖστα (sc. ἤθλησεν). Ι have laboured, as any one hath laboured most:' i. e. as much as any one (ut qui plurima). The more usual expression would be ὅσα τις πλεῖστα.

564. mvp-comment-313-1 ἤθλησα κινδυνεύματα Cognate accusative.

564. mvp-comment-313-2 ἐν τὠμῷ κάρᾳ In my own person : i. e. they were dangers to my own life which I met by my own exertions, referring to the adventure with Sciron, etc. For ev, cp. the expression, ἐν τῷ Καρὶ ὑμῖν ὁ κίνδυνοos, Plat. Lach. 187 B.

565. mvp-comment-314-1 ὥσπερ σὺ νῦν For the nominative, cp. Aj. 525, ἔχειν σ᾽ ἂν οἶκτον ὡς κἀγώ: Il. 6.477, γενέσθαι | παῖδ᾽ ἐμόν, ὡς καὶ ἐγώ περ.

568. mvp-comment-315-1 σοῦ Essay on Language p. 13, 4 a.

569-570. mvp-comment-316-1 Theseus, your nobleness in brief speech hath spared me the necessity of saying much.' Either (1) βραχέα is the subject of δεῖσθαι, or (2) the object of φράσαι, the subject of δεῖσθαι being τὸ πρᾶγμα. The object of παρῆκεν is absorbed in the following clause. Cp. Eur. Fr. 310, πάρες .. ὑπερβῶαι . . νάπη. For δέομαι passive, cp. Hdt. 4. 11, ὡς ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι πρήγμα εἴη, μηδὲ πρὸς πολλοὺς δεόμενον κινδυνεύειν. Essay on Language § 31. p. 54. δεῖται in Plat. Meno, 79 C, although impersonal (sc. τὸ πρᾶγμα ἢ ὁ λόγος), is middle voice and not passive as here.

572. mvp-comment-317-1 καὶ γῆς ὁποίας ἦλθον This was implied in σκευή, l. 555 .

574. mvp-comment-318-1 χώ λόγος διέρχεται ‘And our conference draws to an end." This is the reading of the best MSS. διοίχεται, which is much commoner in this sense (cp. e. g. Eur. Suppl. 530), is given as a various reading in Par. A, and appears in the text of two other MSS. διέρχε ται is best supported by comparing Dem. 541. 22, πάντα δ᾽ ἤδη διεξεληλύθει, and Plat. Rep. 6. 484 Α, διὰ μακροῦ τινος διεξελθόντος λόγου.

577-578. mvp-comment-319-1 τὰ δὲ .. καλή But the gain to be obtained from it is better than beauty. Cp. Eur. Fr. 552, νοῦν χρὴ θεᾶσθαι, *νοῦν· τί τῆς εὐμορφίας | ὄφελος, ὅταν μὴ τὰς φρένας καλὰς ἔχῃ; 580-581. For the datives, see Essay on Language § 11. p. 18.

577-578. mvp-comment-319-2 ἡ σὴ προσφορά 'The advantage which you bring.

583-584. mvp-comment-320-1 τὰ δ᾽ ἐν μέσῳ, κ.τ.λ. The construction is defined (with ποιεῖ) as the sentence proceeds. For the irregular accusative, see Essay on Language § 15. p. 22.

585. mvp-comment-321-1 ἐνταῦθα γάρ μοι κεῖνα συγκομίζεται For in this favour those other offices are comprised; i. e. To assure him burial by the hand of Theseus was to assure him protection from the attempt of Creon.

586. mvp-comment-322-1 (1) You have indeed summed up your request in one short word. Or (2) This favour which you ask consists in a little thing:' in re levi positam gratiam. Ellendt. For (1) cp. Εl. 673, ἐν βραχεῖ ξυνθεὶς λέγω.

587. mvp-comment-323-1 Yet be advised; this is no trifling matter.' ἁγὼν ὅδε, the struggle or endeavour or peril implied in granting the request.

588. mvp-comment-324-1 πότερα τὰ τῶν σῶν ἐκγόνων, ἢ μοῦ λέγεις;] In saying this, are you speaking of what relates to your sons, or of something that relates to me?' Theseus is bewildered by the words of Oedipus. Hearing of a contest in connection with the death of Oedipus, he naturally thinks of the impending conflict at Thebes, of which he cannot but have heard something. But, as he afterwards says more explicitly, he does not Z2 see how he is to be involved in this. Cp. Phil. 1384, λέγεις δ' Ἀτρείδαις ὄφελος, ἢ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοὶ τόδε;

589. mvp-comment-325-1 ἀναγκάζουσι If this is the right reading, which, from the frequent confusion of and o, is not quite certain (cp. 603), the present is used with future meaning, as in Aesch. Prom. 513, ὧδε δεσμὰ φυγγάνω: ib. 525, δεσμοὺς ἀεικεῖς καὶ δύας ἐκφυγγάνω. Cp. Phil. 1379, κἀποσώζοντας νόσου. The subject of κομίζειν (sc. τινά, cp. infr. 933) is to be gathered from the context. They will enforce my being taken thither;' i. e. They will force the consent of Theseus and the Athenians to this. Universe eos intelligit, qui tradendi Oedipi potestatem habeant. Herm. Another rendering has been proposed - They will use compulsion against me to carry me back thither.' But such a use of ἀναγκάζω with the infinitive is inadmissible.

590. mvp-comment-326-1 εἰ θέλοντ᾿ ἄν γ᾽, οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν] The reading of this line is very doubtful, but that of L is as probable as any other. There would seem to be an ellipse of some such words as βούλοιντο κομίζειν or the like. But if they chose to fetch you in case of your being willing to go, then on your part it would not be becoming to remain in banishment.' Cp. Od. 15. 280, οὐ μὲν δή σ' ἐθέλοντά γ᾽ ἀπώσω νηὸς έΐσης. Hes. Op. D. 355. For the ellipse with el, see Essay on Language § 28. p. 47; and cp. Αj. 886, εἴ ποθι πλαζόμενον λεύσσων: Pind. Ol. 2. 56, εἰ δέ νιν ἔχων τις ? And, for av with the present participle, infra 761, κἀπὸ παντὸς ἂν φέρων, κ.τ.λ. Reisig's emendation θέλοντάς γ', But (consider) whether it be not unbecoming in you to be exiled from them desiring to have you back again, although not convincing, deserves consideration.

591. mvp-comment-327-1 ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽, ὅτ᾽ αὐτὸς ἤθελον, παρίεσαν This line, at first sight, rather favours the emendation θέλοντάς γ' in 590. But αὐτός = of my own accord, may distinguish between mere willingness and the spontaneous wish, and the same word has not necessarily the same reference even in two consecutive lines. Cp. supr. 71, μόλοι and note.

592. mvp-comment-328-1 But then, foolish man, anger in calamity is hurtful.'

593. mvp-comment-329-1 ὅταν μάθῃς μου • When you have learnt the nature of the case from me.'

594. mvp-comment-330-1 ἄνευ γνώμης Without consideration.

596. mvp-comment-331-1 γένους Of your birth, rather than Of your race.

598. mvp-comment-332-1 τί.. νοσεῖς; What is this greater than human misery at which you hint?

598. mvp-comment-332-2 μεῖζον ἢ κατ᾿ ἄνθρωπον, because greater than the extreme calamities which had previously befallen him.

602. mvp-comment-333-1 Why then should they have you brought, if you are still to live apart from them? For the middle voice of πεμψαίατο, cp. Ο. Τ. 434, σχολῇ σ᾽ ἂν οἴκους τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐστειλάμην.

603. mvp-comment-334-1 There is the same variance here as in 589. The future is unobjectionable.

605. mvp-comment-335-1 In that it is fated for them to be defeated,' either (1) ' in this land' or (2) by this land. For (1) cp. infr. 1546, μοῖρ᾽ ἀνδρὶ τῷδε τῇδε κρυφθῆναι χθονί, 621-622, ἵν᾽ οὗμος .. νέκυς .. αὐτῶν θερμὸν αἷμα πίεται, 644-646, ὁ χῶρός ἐσθ᾽ ὅδε.. ἐν ᾧ κρατήσω τῶν ἔμ᾽ ἐκβεβληκότων: 786, τῶνδ᾽ ἀπαλλαχθῇ χθονός. In favour of (2) (which the Schol. gives) it may be urged that it makes the rejoinder of Theseus appear more natural.

606. mvp-comment-336-1 τἀμὰ κἀκείνων For the omission of the article with the second word, cp. Εl. 991, καὶ τῷ λέγοντι καὶ κλύοντι σύμμαχος. Essay on Language § 21, p. 33.

609. mvp-comment-337-1 συγχεῖ Obliterates, and so destroys. Cp. Hdt. 4. 127, συγχέειν τοὺς πατρωΐους τάφους: 7. 115, τὴν ὁδὸν .. οὐ συγχέουσι : Eur. Ι. Α. 37, καὶ ταὐτὰ πάλιν γράμματα συγχεῖς: Plat. Theaet. 194 E, ἀσαφῆ δὲ (ἴσχουσι) καὶ οἱ τὰ ὑγρὰ (ἔχοντες μνημεῖα) ὑπὸ γὰρ τοῦ συγχεῖσθαι ταχὺ γίγνεται ἀμυδρά. Essay on Language p. 105.

609. mvp-comment-337-2 παγκρατής i. e. πάντα κρατῶν. Allmastering. Cp. ὁ παγκρατὴς ὕπνος, Αj. 675.

610. mvp-comment-338-1 φθίνει.. φθίνει Ε. on L. § 44. p.83. 612,13. καὶ πνεῦμα ταὐτὸν .. πόλει] 'And the same spirit does not last between friend and friend, nor between city and city. By a metaphor derived from the most ancient, and not altogether lost in modern times, the feeling of love or hatred is regarded as a breathing or exhalation. Cp. Aesch. Agam. 1206, ἀλλ᾽ ἦν παλαιστὴς κάρτ᾿ ἐμοὶ πνέων χάριν: Aesch. Cho. 34, κότον πνέων: ib. 952, ὀλέθριον πνέουσ᾽ ἐν ἐχθροῖς κότον: Aesch. Suppl. 30, δέξαιθ'.. αἰδοίῳ πνεύματι χώρας: Plut. Dion. p. 197, τὸ τῶν δημαγωγῶν πνεῦμα. Hence a change of feeling is further compared to a change of wind, as in Aesch. Ag. 219, φρενὸς πνέων δυσσεβῆ τροπαίαν. For the thought, cp. Aj. 679 ff. ὅ τ᾽ ἐχθρὸς ἡμῖν ἐς τοσόνδ' ἐχθαρτέος κ.τ.λ.

613. mvp-comment-339-1 βέβηκεν Almost = ἔστιν, -see Essay on Language p. 97,-but (in relation to πνεῦμα) retaining the notion of fixity or continued movement. For the perfect of βαίνω, expressing a settled state or condition, cp. esp. infra 1684, νῷν δ᾽ ὀλεθρία νὺξ ἐπ᾿ ὄμμασιν βέβακε.

615. mvp-comment-340-1 καὖθις φίλα It often happens in Greek that both sides of a complex statement are put forward when only one is relevant. Cp. Aj. 679 ff. quoted above, Trach. 134-135, τῷ δ᾽ ἐπέρχεται | χαίρειν τε καὶ στέρεσθαι. But the poet may have chosen to indicate the possibility of future reconcilement between Athens and Thebes.

616. mvp-comment-341-1 εἰ Emphatic, =κεί. Cp. Ant. 551, εἰ γέλωτ᾽ ἐν σοὶ γελῶ. Essay on Language § 28. p. 47.

616-617. mvp-comment-342-1 εὐημερεί καλῶς *τό Elmsley mentions that some MSS. give τέ acgive cented, which may be a remaining trace of the original reading τό or τά, εὐημερεῖ καλῶς τε, i. e. quasi eὖ καλῶς τε ἡμερεῖ, is indefensible, and the objection to the tautology καλῶς εὐημερεῖ is unfounded. See Essay on Language § 40. p. 75. And though on the part of Thebes towards you all be now serene as heart can wish. εὐημερεῖ continues the metaphor in πνεῦμα. τὸ πρὸς σε is epexegetic of the impersonal subject of εὐημερεῖ. All looks fair and well in relation to you:' or (bringing out the image a little more), There is no cloud in the heavens between Thebes and you. For the construction, cp. supra, πρὸς πόλιν πόλει, and Hdt. 3. 49. εἰ μέν νυν Περιάνδρου τελευτήσαντος τοῖσι Κορινθίοισι φίλα ἦν πρὸς Κερκυραίους.

617-618. mvp-comment-343-1 μυρίας .. ἰών There are countless nights and days which time begets in his onward course. For the form of sentence. cp. El. 1364-1366, τοὺς γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ λόγους, πολλαὶ κυκλοῦνται νύκτες ἡμέραι τ᾽ ἴσαι, αἱ ταῦτά σοι δείξουσιν, Ηλέκτρα, σαφή-a passage which also illustrates the present tense, as used of something future but certain.

619-620. mvp-comment-344-1 ἐν αἷς .. δεξιώματα In which they will sunder with the sword on slight pretext your now well-plighted fellowship. The letter corresponding to a in L is rather an unfinished ∞ ( x ) than an a.

620. mvp-comment-345-1 ἐκ σμικροῦ λόγου Out of a small occasion. Cp. Εl. 415-416, πολλά τοι σμικροὶ λόγοι | ἔσφηλαν ἤδη καὶ κατώρθωσαν βροτούς.

621. mvp-comment-346-1 ἵν' On the very spot where. 623. Cp. Aj. 783, εἰ Κάλχας σοφός.

624. mvp-comment-347-1 τἀκίνητα For κινεῖν of breaking silence, cp. Ant. 1060, τἀκίνητα διὰ φρενῶν: Ο. Τ. 354, οὕτως ἀναιδῶς ἐξεκίνησας τόδε | τὸ ῥῆμα; 625-626. τὸ σὸν μόνον | πιστὸν φυλάσσων] Either, (1) ‘Only keeping care- fully thine own good faith, or (with πιστόν as supplementary predicate), (2) Only keeping thine own part faithful. The position of πιστόν favours (2).

630. mvp-comment-348-1 ἐφαίνετο is subjective middle.

630. mvp-comment-348-2 ἡ δορύξενος ἑστία The hearth of warlike friendship, the article introducing a general notion, as in Tr. 398, τὸ πιστὸν τῆς ἀληθείας. See Essay on Language § 21. p. 34. The abstract is express- Declared on his own part, or Declared through the concrete; i. e. ἑστία is ed himself ready to perform (ἐφαίνετο τελῶν). Essay on Language § 31. p. 53, d. Cp. Ο. Τ. 148, ὧν ὅδ᾽ ἐξαγγέλλεται: Aj. 1376-1377, τἀπὸ τοῦδ᾽ ἀγγέλλομαι.. εἶναι φίλος.

632-633. mvp-comment-349-1 ὅτου.. ἑστία Whose friendly alliance, first of all, has been ever known amongst us as a common possession; the family of Cadmus being πρόξενοι of Athens and not merely ξένοι of Theseus;

publicum hospitium dicit, ut opponatur ἰδιοξένῳ.
Linw. Or (2), reading ὅτῳ with Suidas, Who, first of all, has a home and place of defence always open to him in our land;' κοινή, in right of a mutual bond. Semper apud se paratum esse Oedipo hospitium pro mutua quadam vel inter ipsos vel inter majores eorum necessitudine.' Herm. Euripides represents Polynices as having been the ξένος of Theseus: Eur. Suppl. 930. For the alliance supposed to exist between Athens and Thebes, cp. supr. 606, 616, 618, infr. 758, 929. used for ξενία, like δόρυ for. πόλεμος. For the expression of a similar feeling, cp. Plat. Legg. 1. 642 Β, τυγχάνει ἡμῶν ἡ ἑστία τῆς πόλεως οὖσα ὑμῶν πρόξενος.

633. mvp-comment-350-1 αἰέν On all occasions,' i. e. independently of his other claims on us.

634-635. mvp-comment-351-1 ἔπειτα.. τίνει The sentence returns from the relative to an independent construction. Essay on Language p. 64. Theseus with noble brevity, (supr. 569), gives two or more reasons in one. Oedipus is (1) an ally, (2) a suppliant claiming Divine protection, (3) he promises to secure victory for Athens.

637. mvp-comment-352-1 ἔμπαλιν On the contrary. The conjectural emendation ἔμπολιν (Musgr.) is unnecessary, and if it were accepted the opposition of clauses would not be sufficiently marked by δé. The word ἔμπολις occurs only once, infra 1156. ('Non opus ἔμπαλιν : fortius ἔμπολιν.' Herm.)

638. mvp-comment-353-1 εἰ δ΄.. μίμνειν δέ = But with regard to the particular spot, referring to the comprehensive word χώρᾳ preceding.

640. mvp-comment-354-1 τούτων, κ.τ.λ. A general apodosis relating to both the preceding clauses is substituted for the apodosis of the latter clause.

640. mvp-comment-354-2 τούτων . . κρίναντι χρῆσθαι χρῆσθαι, sc. τῷ ἑτέρῳ. To make choice between these alternatives and use the one so chosen.' Cp. Ο. Τ. 640, δρᾶσαι.. δυοῖν ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν.

641. mvp-comment-355-1 τῇδε Sc. ᾗ ἂν σὺ κρίνῃς. Cp. Εl. 1301-1302, ὧδ᾽ ὅπως καὶ σοὶ φίλον | καὶ τοὐμὸν ἔσται τῇδ᾽.

641. mvp-comment-355-2 ξυνοίσομαι I will concur. 647. μέγ᾽ ἂν λέγοις .. συνουσίας] You seem to intimate a great boon which your abode with us will confer.' ἂν λέγοις = ἔοικας λέγειν, cp. El. 1372, οὐκ ἂν μακρῶν ἔθ᾽ ἡμὲν οὐδὲν ἂν λόγων | Πυλάδη, τόδ' εἴη τοὔργον. τῆς συνουσίας, genitive of relation (Essay on Language § 9. p. 13), A great gift in respect of your dwelling with us.

648. mvp-comment-356-1 If you abide by your words and make them good to me. τελοῦντι, with σοί, proleptic. Cp. O. Τ. 863, εἴ μοι ξυνείη φέροντι | μοῖρα τὰν εὔσεπτον ἁγνείαν λόγων, κ.τ.λ. Some take 76- λοῦντι as agreeing with μοι (cp. 630). But Oedipus has only to remain where he is. The fulfilment of his promise does not take place till after his death. There is no meaning in a condition which is so far in the future.

650. mvp-comment-357-1 Cp. the line attributed to Aeschylus, Fr. 385, οὐκ ἀνδρὸς ὅρκοι πίστις, ἀλλ᾿ ὅρκων ἀνήρ.

651. mvp-comment-358-1 You would gain nought more by that than by my simple word.' 652. Herm. reads άνδρες. But cp. 656, where if the sense was not unfinished the article would be equally required.

654. mvp-comment-359-1 ὅρα με λείπων Beware, in leaving me. ἃ.. δρᾶν] Nauck conj. ἃ χρή μ᾿ ὁρᾶν. But such a transition from the idiomatic imperative ὅρα to this rare use of the inf. ὁρᾶν, 'to provide for (Phil. 504, τὰ δείν᾽ ὁρᾶν), is very unlikely. For the use of a general word like δρᾶν in such a connexion, cp. Αj. 1373, σοὶ δὲ δρᾶν ἔξεσθ᾽ ἃ χρῆς. 658, foll. And many threats and many vain words have ere now been uttered in anger:' (Lit. 'Many threats have uttered many vain words:') but when the mind has power of herself again, nothing remains of all that was so threatened. For ἀπειλαὶ κατηπείλησαν, cp. infr. 794, τὸ σὸν.. στόμα πολλὴν ἔχον στόμωσιν : 779, ὅτ᾽ οὐδὲν ἡ χάρις χάριν φέροι : Plato, Theaet. 153 D, ἕως ἂν ἡ περιφορὰ ἢ κινουμένη, in all of which instances a process is personified and grammatically regarded as the agent. Also infr. 794, for a similar echo of sound. See Essay on Language § 44. p. 83. The conjecture πολλοὶ δὲ πολλοῖς πολλά gives a misplaced emphasis. Qy. πολλοὶ δ᾽ ἀπειλαῖς, κ.τ.λ.?

660. mvp-comment-360-1 αὑτοῦ In its own possession. For the genitive as predicate, see Essay on Language § 9. p. 12. A similar emphatic use of αὑτοῦ occurs in Tr. 144, τοιοῖσδε. - χώροισιν αὑτοῦ. 661 ff. And with regard to the Thebans, though they have had the audacity to boast great things about carrying you away, they will find, I am well assured, that the way hither would be over a long and dangerous sea.' δείν] δεῖν' L.

660. mvp-comment-360-2 αὑτοῦ αὐτοῦ LA.

660. mvp-comment-360-3 κείνοις is in a twofold construction with ἐπερρώσθη and φανήσεται. ἐπερρώσθη is impersonal, (sc. τὸ λῆμα, ἡ ῥωμή), so that κείνοις ἐπερρώσθη λέγειν is equal το ἐπερρώσθησαν ὥστε λέγειν.

662. mvp-comment-361-1 τῆς σῆς ἀγωγῆς is a genitive of respect.

664. mvp-comment-362-1 ἄνευ, having the force of a preposition, adheres closely to the word which follows it, and the spondee in the 5th foot is thus justified. See on 115 supr. ἐν γὰρ τῷ μαθεῖν.

666-667. mvp-comment-363-1 I am sure that, even in my absence (ὅμως.. ἐμοῦ μὴ παρόντος), my name will guard thee from ill.' There is a pause in the action of the play. Oedipus has now received from Theseus himself the final assurance of rest and protection. The scruples of the chorus have been pacified by the words of the king as well as by Ismene's performance of the sacred rites, and the anxiety of Oedipus has been calmed. Creon is on his way from Thebes, but his approach, though apprehended by Oedipus, is not yet present to the mind of the chorus. It is in this moment of tranquil security that the chorus give their welcome to the stranger, and sing the praises of Colonus and Athens.