Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 148

Robert Potter (Translator)

View: By Card
Chorus
Make an atonement to those pow'rs, to whom
Thou didst first come, and tread this hallow'd ground.

Oedipus at Colonus. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.

Current edition Experimental

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) (English) (English (Robert Potter, 1788))

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)
Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 148 focus
κἀπὶ σμικροῖς μέγας ὥρμουν.
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 117-253b focus
Translations (4)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 148 focus
ISM
And therefore they would place thee near their land,
Where thou may’st have no power upon thyself.
405
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 149 focus
Ah; ah! Mit des Aug's blindem Stern
Kamest du wohl in die Welt, und lebst ein banges,
Langes Leben, vermuth' ich recht?
Drum füg', ach! folge mir
Dem Fluch nicht neuen Fluch!
150
Du dringst ein,
Dringst ein; doch in des stillen Hains
Grünumlaubte Gefilde hier
Tritt nicht, wo sich dem Wasserkrug
Strömend lieblichen Honiges
155
Süßer Erguß gesellt:
Hüte dich, schwergeprüfter Fremdling!
Flieh, entweiche von hinnen! Weit
Trennt von mir dich des Pfades Naum:
Hörst du, jammerbeladner Flüchtling?
160
Von geweihter Stätte
Fort hebe dich, willst du mir sagen ein Wort;
Wo Jeder es darf,
Sprich's aus; jezt wehre der Zunge!
English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 148 focus
Oedipus
O me!
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 118-250 focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-345-1 ἐπάξιος 1

mvp-comment-345-2 κατοικτίσαι 2

mvp-comment-346-1 αὐτός τε παῖδές θ’ 3

mvp-comment-347-1 ἐπεμβάλλεις 4

mvp-comment-347-2 τῷδε λόγῳ 5

mvp-comment-348-1 Editors usu. give either

ὡς νῦν , θοῦ νῦν
(with L), or
ὥς νυν ...θοῦ νυν
(as Elms.). But νυν seems best in 465 , νῦν in 466 .

mvp-comment-348-2 προξένει 6

mvp-comment-348-3 ὡς … τελοῦντι 7

mvp-comment-349-1 καθαρμὸν τῶνδε δαιμόνων 8

mvp-comment-350-1 The libation is due (1) as a greeting to the

θεοὶ ἐγχώριοι
of Attica, (2) as an atonement for trespass on the grove. The words
καὶ κατέστειψας πέδον
form an independent sentence, and not a second relative clause (as if
ὧν
were supplied from
ἐφ’ ἅς
): see on 424 .

mvp-comment-350-2 κατέστειψας 9

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

463. mvp-comment-250-1 ἐπεμβάλλεις You add, to give further weight, as if throwing into the scale. Cp. supra 293, λόγοισι γὰρ οὐκ ὠνόμασται βραχέσι. And since you add in what you have now said that you are yourself the saviour of this land. λόγῳ is partly instrumental dative, partly governed by ev in ἐπεμβάλλεις.

464. mvp-comment-251-1 παραινέσαι.. τὰ σύμφορα Το give you advice that will assist you.'

465. mvp-comment-252-1 προξένει 'Give me friendly instructions. On the uses of this word, see Essay on Language p. 97. It is here specially applicable to the position of Oedipus as a stranger, and of the chorus who are advising him in a matter where they are most of all at home.

466. mvp-comment-253-1 θοῦ νυν καθαρμὸν τῶνδε δαιμόνων) Institute a propitiation of these deities. Lit. A purification in relation to them. For the genitive, see Essay on Language $9. p. 12; and for θέσθαι in this sense, O. T. 134, τήνδ ἔθεσθ᾽ ἐπιστροφήν. vuv seems preferable to vûv after the imperative.

467. mvp-comment-254-1 καὶ κατέστειψας πέδον ὧν (or αὐτῶν) may be supplied from ἐφ᾽ ἅs. The reading is doubtful. κατέστεψας is unmeaning; but κατάστεψον πέδον, Adorn the ground with garlands, receives some support from the description that follows. For κατέστειψας, which gives the most natural meaning and best rhythm, cp. supra 56, ὃν δ' ἐπιστείβεις τόπον. And for the thought, cp. supr. 84, 5 and note.