1-116.
mvp-comment-1-1
The scene of the πρόλογος, ll. 1-116, is probably on the north side of Colonus, with Athens in the distance. See Introduction, p. 282. The spot so familiar to the audience (οὐ λόγοις τιμώμεν' ἀλλὰ τῇ συνουσίᾳ, infr. 63-64) would probably be recalled by the representation on the stage of some striking objects, especially those which marked the
religio loci. Oedipus enters (right?), led by Antigone, and sits down in the middle of the proscenium, where he remains until Antigone descries the approach of the chorus.
33.
mvp-comment-25-1
ἀκούων The reply in l. 36 suits with the aposiopesis, and the change to ἀκούω is not a happy one.
34-35.
mvp-comment-26-1
οὔνεχ᾽.. ἀδηλοῦμεν
Since so fortunately we have met with you, who come to inform our ignorance. The genitive follows σκοπός, and φράσαι is epexegetic, αἴσος
happy,
fortunate, as a good omen is called αἴσιος ὄρνις. σκοπός, properly
one sent to look, hence
one who brings intelligence. Cp. the figurative use of σκοπός in infr. 1096, τῷ σκοπῷ μὲν οὐκ ἐρεῖς | ὡς ψευδόμαντις.
35.
mvp-comment-27-1
The MS. reading τῶν is very possibly erroneous, as in El. 422, βλαστεῖν βρύοντα θαλλόν, τῷ κατάσκιον (L), where the metre decides for ᾧ. The early corruption τῶν ἃ δηλοῦμεν, however, is a proof of the antiquity of the reading τῶν, for had the words been ὧν ἀδηλοῦμεν, nobody would have thought of altering them to ὧν ἃ δηλοῦμεν. ἀδηλέω is not found elsewhere; but cp. Hesych. ἀδηλίαν, ἄγνοιαν, and the analogy of ἀλαστεῖν, etc. Essay on Language p. 102.
35.
mvp-comment-27-2
ΞΕΝΟΣ The Stranger, so called in relation to Oedipus, is an Athenian, but from the neighbourhood of Colonus, as appears from l. 70, ἆρ᾽ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὺς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι.
37.
mvp-comment-28-1
οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν i. e. ὃν πατεῖν οὐχ ὅσιόν ἐστιν. Cp. Eur. Heracl. 1011, οὐχ ἁγνός εἰμι τῷ κτανόντι κατθανεῖν.
