Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus 420

Robert Potter (Translator)

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Oedipus
Now, son of Ægeus, I will show thee thing's
Glorious to thee and to thy state, which time, I
Shall never darken. To the fated place
Where I'must die I now will leads the way I
1520
Not led, nor guided: but to mortal maneit
Never disclose the secret spot, non where ros
It lies, it shall be then thy strong defenced
For ever, more than close-compacted shields(0)
And spears of neighbouring states to thee allied.
But things mysterious, not as yet by words
1525
Unfolded, thou shalt learn when thither come
Alone: to none of all thy citizens, das mode
Nor to my daughters to my soul though dear,
Would I reveal them: lock them in thy breast:
But when thy life approaches to its end,
Declare them only to the Chief that stands
1530
In highest honour; to his successor
1530
Let him disclose them. Thus thy royal seat
Shall in this city stand impregnable
To all the inroads of the dragon-race.:
For oft we see that states, though founded well!
On righteous laws, are prone t' abuse their force
To insolent oppression: but the gods
1535
Exact, though late, observe when one disdains
Their holy mandates, and to madness turns.
That, son of Ægeus, that be far from thee.
But I instruct a mind in all the parts
Of virtue skill'd. Now go we to the place
(For the strong impulse of the god I feel
1540
Urging me on) nor fear lest we profane
The sanctity we reverence. Follow me
This way, my daughters; I am now become
A guide to you, as to your father long,
You have been guides. Go then, but touch me not;
Let me unguided find the sacred tomb,
1545
Where these old limbs are destined to repose
Beneath the earth. Go this way, this way go;
For this way Hermes, who conducts the dead,
Leads me, and she o'er the dark realms who reigns.
O light, thy beams though I no more behold,
(Once I beheld them) now these aged limbs
1550
Feel thy last touch; with feeble steps I go
To close my last of life in death's dark shades.
But be thou blest, my noble, honour'd friend,
Thou, and thy country, and thy faithful train:
Yet 'midst success, 'midst glories always yours,
Think on the dead, remember Edipus.;!
1555

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)) — 420 focus
ἀλγῶ κλύουσα ταῦτʼ ἐγώ. φέρω δʼ ὅμως.
420
Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 510-548 focus
Translations (3)
English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 420 focus
CH
1397
’Tis pity for thee, prince, to have come at all;
And now we bid thee go the way thou camest.
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 421 focus
So mag den Zwiespalt, über sie vom Loos verhängt,
Niemals die Gottheit löschen, und bei mir allein
Das Ende ruh'n des Kampfes, der die Brüder theilt,
Die nun mit aufgehob'nem Speer einander droh'n,
Daß weder er, den heute Thron und Scepter schmückt,
420
Fest stehe, noch der Ausgetrieb'ne je zurück
Zur Stadt gelange! Haben sie den Vater doch,
Der aus dem Land so schmählich ausgestoßen ward,
Nicht aufgehalten, nicht geschirmt; ich ward verjagt,
Verbannt mit Heroldsrufen, und sie duldeten's.
425
Man könnte sagen, daß die Stadt in jener Zeit
Mir das mit Recht gewährte, was ich selbst erbat.
In keiner Weise: denn an jenem Tage gleich, 1
Da noch der Unmuth glühte, ja das Liebste mir
Gewesen wäre jäher Tod und Steinigung,
430
Erschien mir Niemand diesen Liebesdienst zu thun.
Doch als die Zeit schon allen Harm besänftiget,
Und ich erkannte, daß der Zorn mir ausgeschweift
Zu Züchtigungen, schwerer noch denn meine Schuld :
Da trieb gewaltsam aus dem Lande mich die Stadt
435
Nach langer Zeit erst, und des Vaters Söhne, die
Dem Vater helfen konnten, sie verweigerten
Die Hülfe, ließen, statt mit kurzem Worte mich
Zu schirmen, mich als Bettler flieh'n in fremdes Land.
Von diesen schwachen Mädchen hier wird Iegliches,
440
Wie's ihr Geschlecht verstattet, Lebensunterhalt,
Ein sichrer Siz und Kindeshülfe mir gewährt.
Die Söhne zogen Thron und Stab dem Vater vor,
Und schalten lieber als die Herrn im Lande dort.
Doch meine Hülfe leih' ich ihnen nimmermehr;
445
Nie soll die Herrschaft über Kadmos' Land für sie
Ein Segen sein: das weiß ich, wenn ich diesen Spruch,
Den du verkündest, Tochter, und das alte Wort
Erwäge, das mir Phöbos einst verkündet hat. 2
Drum mögen sie den Kreon, und wenn Einer sonst
450
Im Land Gewalt hat, senden, um nach mir zu späh'n.
Denn wollet ihr nur, Freunde, samt den Göttinnen,
Den Hehren, die in diesem Lande, walten, mir
Beistand gewähren, dann gewinnt ihr eurer Stadt
Den starken Helfer, meinen Feinden Schmach und Noth.
455
English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 510-546c focus

Commentary

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

mvp-comment-1040-1 σοι 1 τῇδε πόλει 2

mvp-comment-1040-2 γήρως ἄλυπα 3

mvp-comment-1041-1 χῶρον … ἐξηγήσομαι 4

mvp-comment-1041-2 ἄθικτος 5

mvp-comment-1042-1 τοῦτον 6

mvp-comment-1042-2 μήθ’ οὗ κέκευθε 7

mvp-comment-1043-1 ὥς σοι … τιθῇ 8

mvp-comment-1043-2 δορός τ’ ἐπακτοῦ 9

mvp-comment-1043-3 Others join ἀλκὴν … γειτόνων 10

mvp-comment-1044-1 ἃ δ’ ἐξάγιστα 11

mvp-comment-1044-2 μηδὲ κινεῖται λόγῳ 12

mvp-comment-1044-3 μαθήσει 13

mvp-comment-1045-1 σῷζε 14

mvp-comment-1045-2 ἀφικνῇ 15

mvp-comment-1045-3 τῷ προφερτάτῳ μόνῳ 16

mvp-comment-1046-1 ἀδῇον 17

mvp-comment-1046-2 σπαρτῶν ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν 18

mvp-comment-1046-3 αἱ δὲ μυρίαι πόλεις 19

mvp-comment-1046-4 Those who suspect αἱ μυρίαι should observe that Greek writers often use this phrase when they wish to express the notion of many probabilities against one. Cp. Her. 8.119

ἐν μυρίῃσι γνώμῃσι μίαν οὐκ ἔχω ἀντίξοον
,
"among ten thousand opinions I have not one against me"
: i.e. not one man in 10,000 would dispute it. Xen. Anab. 2.1.19
ἐγώ, εἰ μὲν τῶν μυρίων ἐλπίδων μία τις ὑμῖν ἐστι σωθῆναι πολεμοῦντας βασιλεῖ, συμβουλεύω μὴ παραδιδόναι τὰ ὅπλα
:
"if among the ten thousand forebodings (which the situation might suggest) there is one chance of your escape,"
etc. So, of
"facing fearful odds,"
Eur. fr. 588
εἶς τοι δίκαιος μυρίων οὐκ ἐνδίκων
κρατεῖ
. And so here αἱ μυρίαι is something more than a mere synonym for
αἱ πολλαί
. It suggests this notion:—
"Be Athens never so just, there are countless chances to one that Thebes will some day attack it."
(In citing Aeschin. or. 2 § 157 Blaydes has not noticed that
τοὺς μυρίους Ἀρκάδων
means the Pan-Arcadian
μύριοι
, not
μυρίοι
: cp. Grote c. 78, x. 317.)

mvp-comment-1046-5 κἂν εὖ τις οἰκῇ 20

mvp-comment-1046-6 Others explain:—(1)

"The majority of cities, even though one governs them well, are prone to outrage"
: i.e. if you divulge the secret to the Athenians , it may be abused to the hurt of the State. A modification of this view is that
καθύβρισαν
refers to overweening confidence inspired at Athens by the new
ἀλκή
. Theseus must still be watchful. (2)
"The cities, with their multitudes (
μυρίαι"
), are prone to outrage,
—still referring to the Athenians. But for this sense we should at least need Wecklein's οἱ δὲ μυρίοι πόλεως .—Blaydes thought of
αἱ δὲ μωρίας πλέαι
: better would be
οἱ δὲ μωρίας πλέῳ
( Ai. 1112 , 1150): but neither this, nor anything with
κύριος
, is either needful or probable.

mvp-comment-1047-1 γὰρ 21

mvp-comment-1047-2 εὖ μὲν ὀψὲ δ’ 22

mvp-comment-1048-1 τὰ θεἶ ἀφείς 23

mvp-comment-1048-2 μαίνεσθαι 24

mvp-comment-1049-1 ὃ μὴ σὺ...βούλου παθεῖν 25

mvp-comment-1050-1 χῶρον 26

mvp-comment-1050-2 τοὐκ θεοῦ παρόν 27

mvp-comment-1050-3 μηδ’ ἔτ’ ἐντρεπώμεθα 28

mvp-comment-1051-1 — 1555 A more splendid dramatic effect than Sophocles has created here could hardly be conceived. Hitherto, throughout the play, Oedipus has been strongly characterised by that timidity in movement, and that sense of physical dependence, which are normal accompaniments of blindness. (Cp. 21, 173 ff., 495 ff., 1206, etc.) Now, suddenly inspired by the Unseen Power which calls him, he becomes the guide of his guides. Now it is they who shrink. Eager and unfaltering, the blind man beckons them on. And so he finally passes from the eyes of the spectators.

mvp-comment-1051-2 ὧδ’ 29

mvp-comment-1051-3 καινός 30

mvp-comment-1052-1 τῇδ’, ὧδε, τῇδε 31

mvp-comment-1053-1 ὁ πομπὸς 32

mvp-comment-1053-2 ἥ τε ν. θεός 33

mvp-comment-1054-1 φῶς ἀφεγγές 34

mvp-comment-1054-2 πρόσθε 35

mvp-comment-1055-1 τὸν τελευταῖον βίον 36

mvp-comment-1056-1 αὐτός τε 37

mvp-comment-1056-2 πρόσπολοι 38

mvp-comment-1057-1 κἀπ’ εὐπραξίᾳ 39

mvp-comment-1057-2 ἐπί 40

mvp-comment-1057-3 μέμνησθε 41

mvp-comment-1057-4 εὐτυχεῖς ἀεί 42

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

1519. mvp-comment-808-1 κείσεται Shall remain in store.

1524-1525. mvp-comment-809-1 That this may afford thee a continual defence that is preferable to a host of armed men and the alliance of neighbouring powers.' 1525. Of the two explanations of γειτόνων given by the Scholiast, εἰ μὲν βαρυτόνως, (1) γειτόνων, τῶν Θηβαίων· εἰ δὲ περισπωμένως, (2) ἀντὶ τοῦ γειτνιῶν, ὁ τάφος, the latter is preferable, and agrees with the point of view maintained throughout the play, in which Colonus is regarded, not as a part of Athens, but as a neighbouring dependency. γειτόνων ας obj. gen. is too far from ἀλκήν. But (3) with δορός it gives a proper sense, suggesting the natural feeling of the insecurity of an alliance with neighbours. And although the hero Oedipus might be said γειτνιᾶν τοῖς 'Αθηναίοις, the word is not used with equal propriety of his grave.

1526. mvp-comment-810-1 ἐξάγιστα Sacred; i.e. set apart from men.

1526. mvp-comment-810-2 μηδὲ .. λόγῳ And may not be profaned by speech. μή is partly generic or hypothetical, and partly prohibitive. Essay on Language p. 48. Ι. Ε. μ. κ. λ. = And is of a nature not to be spoken of. Cp. infra 1641, μηδ' ἃ μὴ θέμις | λεύσσειν δικαιοῦν. For κινεῖν, cp. supra 624, τἀκίνητ᾽ ἔπη: Ο. Τ. 354.

1526. mvp-comment-810-3 ἀφικνῇ ARV3.

1527. mvp-comment-811-1 μόνος is probably to be construed with μαθήσει as well as with μόλῃς.

1528. mvp-comment-812-1 ὡς.. ἄν Since I would not declare them. See Essay on Language § 27. p. 43.

1530. mvp-comment-813-1 σώζε Keep safe; i. e. At once remember and avoid divulging. Cp. Aesch. Prom. 522-525, ἄλλου λόγου μέμνησθε· τόνδε δ᾽ οὐδαμῶς | καιρὸς γεγωνεῖν, ἀλλὰ συγκαλυπτέος | ὅσον μάλιστα· τόνδε γὰρ σώζων ἐγὼ | δεσμοὺς ἀεικεῖς καὶ δύας ἐκφυγγάνω. The

1531. mvp-comment-814-1 ἀφικνῇ Elmsley observes that the imperf. makes better sense than the aor., besides being essential to the metre. When you are on the point of coming. When you are coming to the end of life. The words probably refer to some custom unknown to us. ceremonies at the grave of Oedipus may have been performed by the Archon Basileus, to whom, as Plato says, certain solemn traditional rites were entrusted: Polit. 290 E, τῷ γὰρ λαχόντι βασιλεῖ φασὶ τῖδε τὰ σεμνύτατα καὶ μάλιστα πάτρια τῶν ἀρχαίαν θυσιῶν ἀποδεδόσθαι. Cp Lys. adv. Andoc. p. 103. Plutarch, Mor. p. 578 B, says that the tomb of Dirce was only known to the chief magistrate for the time being at Thebes.

1532. mvp-comment-815-1 ὁ δ᾽ ἀεί The distributive ἀεί generalizes the subject of the verb so as to make the expression applicable to the whole line of succession. For a similar transition, cp. Thuc. 2. 36, ἄρξομαι· ἀπὸ τῶν προγόνων .. τὴν γὰρ χώραν ἀεὶ οἱ αὐτοὶ οἰκοῦντες ἐλευθέραν δι᾽ ἀρετὴν παρέδοσαν.

1534. mvp-comment-816-1 ἀπ᾿ ἀνδρῶν instead of ὑπ᾿ ἀνδρῶν, because of the privative notion in ἀδῇον, as if it were τηρήσεις ἀπό. This city of thine shall be free from the ravages of the children of the dragon's teeth.' Cp. Pind. Fr. H. 1, ἡ Κάδμον ἢ Σπαρτῶν ἱερὸν γένος ἀνδρῶν : Isthm. 6 (7). 10.

1534. mvp-comment-816-2 αἱ δὲ μυρίαι πόλεις i. e. But any one of the numberless states that are.' There is here a trace of that conception of the number and variety of civil communities which played such an important part in Greek political speculation. Cp. Plat. Polit. 302 A: Eur. Hec. 306, ἐν τῷδε γὰρ κάμνουσιν αἱ πολλαὶ πόλεις.

1535. mvp-comment-817-1 τις is a vague subject, with allusion to Theseus and Athens. Cp. Thuc. 2.2, εἰ μή τις προκαταλήψεται: ἱ. ε. εἰ μὴ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι καταλήψονται. The allusion to Athens accounts for εὐ οἰκῇ, which is properly applicable to a city. an A καθύβρισαν] καθυβρίζω is generally found in construction with accusative or genitive. Hence it has probably here an implied object which is most easily supplied from τις. city, no matter where, may lightly insult even one who dwells circumspectly.' Oedipus again touches lightly on the apparent improbability of Thebes becoming 1535 1540 1540. hostile (supr. 606, foll.), while Athens was governed prudently. ῥᾳδίως = ἐκ σμικροῦ λόγου: i.e. Be as politic as you will, you cannot avoid wars with your neighbours. Scholiast, κἂν δικαίως τις πολιτεύηται, πολλαὶ πόλεις ἀδίκως ἐπέρχονται. In the more recent explanations (e.g. Hermann's 'pleraeque civitates, etiam si quis eas bene regat, proclives sunt ad temeritatem') καθύβρισαν is made equivalent to ἐξύβρισαν. For ὕβριs of a city, cp. Thuc. 3. 39, εἴωθε δὲ τῶν πόλεων αἷς ἂν μάλιστα καὶ δι᾽ ἐλαχίστου ἀπροσδόκητος εὐπραξία ἔλθῃ, ἐς ὕβριν τρέπειν.

1536-1537. mvp-comment-818-1 θεοὶ γὰρ .. τραπῇ For the Gods mark well, although they visit late, when men abandon reverence and become infatuated. This also has reference to Thebes. The impious quarrel of the brothers will bring a late retribution when Thebes shall invade Attica to her own defeat. For τὰ θεῖα, cp. Ο. Τ. 910, ἔρρει δὲ τὰ θεῖα.

1538-1539. mvp-comment-819-1 Oedipus, after thus alluding to the impiety of his sons, delicately hints to Theseus, in a single line, that such a warning is an additional reason for keeping his sacred promise inviolate. He then in the following line apologises for having said even so much as this.

1540. mvp-comment-820-1 χώρον Essay on Language p. 22.

1540. mvp-comment-820-2 τοὐκ θεοῦ παρόν ‘What God now sends; i. e. The disturbance of the elements and the inward intimation or δαιμόνιον σημεῖον, as Socrates would have said, under the influence of which Oedipus is speaking. See note on l. 97.

1541. mvp-comment-821-1 μηδ' *ἐπιστρεφώμεθα And not turn backward. Reisig's conjecture, μηδ' ἔτ᾽ ἐντρεπώμεθα, and let us no longer delay, rests on the explanation of the Scholiast (comparing έντροπαλιζόμενος), which is not satisfactory. The ordinary meaning οἱ ἐντρέπεσθαι, To regard with respect or awe, is also inadmissible. For Oedipus is demanding attention to the sacred goal, which he himself is thinking of with reverence, though not with fear. If ἐντρέπεσθαι can mean to turn aside from a greater object out of regard for lesser ones (the thunder, etc.), the reading may be defended, (1) in this sense, or again, (2) with a reciprocal meaning, Let us not be paying regard to one another, but follow the leading of the god. Cp. Polybius, 31. 12. 6 (quoted by L. and S.), ἐνετράποντο ἐν ἑαυτοῖς. If not, it will be better to read μηδ' ἐπιστρεφώμεθα, and let us not look back, for which, cp. Hdt. 3. 156, ἐπιστρεφόμενος, ὡς δὴ ἀληθέως αὐτόμολος. This is adopted in the text. For another conj. μηδ' ἔτ' ἐκτρεπώμεθα, cp. Ar. Plut. 837, οἱ δ᾽ ἐξετρέποντο κοὐκ ἐδόκουν ὁρᾶν μ᾽ ἔτι.

1542-1543. mvp-comment-822-1 For a new thing is coming to pass, and I am now your guide, who have been mine.'

1544. mvp-comment-823-1 καὶ μὴ ψαύετ' Nay, touch me not. καί adversative. The daughters cling to their father. Cp. supr. 1437.

1548. mvp-comment-824-1 ἥ τε νερτέρα θεός Persephone, whose name is omitted here and infra 1.1556. See Introd. pp. 281-282.

1549. mvp-comment-825-1 ὦ φῶς ἀφεγγές Ο light unseen, once I saw thee, and now for the last time my body feels thee.' The Greek love of sunlight is touchingly manifested in this valediction of the blind Oedipus to the light of day. In his first passionate despair he had prayed never more to see the light, on which, in his softened mood, he now casts one lingering look behind. O. T. 1183, ὦ φῶς, τελευταῖόν σε προσβλέψαιμι vûv. The edd. before Brunck read ποῦ, which is interpreted as expressing a feeling of exultation, that he who was blind now had the true sight. Formerly where wast thou?' (i.e. I had thee not): but now at the last I feel thee. πρόσθε πού ποτ᾽ ἦσθ᾽ ἐμόν] Erewhile methinks thou wast indeed mine.' In saying this he throws a momentary glance on the splendour of his former fortunes. Cp. О. Т. 1282-1283.

1551. mvp-comment-826-1 τὸν τελευταῖον βίον To end my life, and hide it in the dwelling of the unseen.' Musgrave's conjecture, ἤδη γὰρ ἕρπω τὴν τελευταίαν, βίον | κρύψων παρ' Ἅιδην, is ingenious, but unnecessary. For, as Elmsley says, Recte se habet haud dubie vulgata, licet loquendi genus novum videatur. Death is frequently spoken of in Sophocles rather as the entrance to a new state of existence than as an abrupt termination of the present one. Cp. Eur. Ion 1067, εἰς ἄλλας βιότου μορφὰς κάτεισι: Bacch. 1337, μακάρων δ᾽ ἐς αἷαν σὸν καθιδρύσει βίον. The words express rather the passing of Oedipus, than his death. Cp. βίου καταστροφή, 103.. ῥοπή, 1508. The last scene of his life (supra 583, τὰ λοίσθι᾽. . τοῦ βίου) may be described as hidden with the God of death. The verbal contradiction is analogous to that in another expression which has given trouble to interpreters, Phil. 1443, 4, ἡ γὰρ εὐσέβεια συνθνήσκει βροτοῖς | κἂν ζῶσι κἂν θάνωσιν οὐκ ἀπόλλυται: i.e. Follows them into the grave.

1553. mvp-comment-827-1 πρόσπολοί τε σοί And thy followers..:' the same who are called Θησείδαι, supra 1066 (cp. 1103), and some of whom are surrounding Theseus at this moment. The Ἄγγελος in the next scene is one of them.

1554. mvp-comment-828-1 κἀπ᾿ εὐπραξίᾳ i. e. And take occasion from your good fortune to remember me. Elmsley's conjecture, μεμνῇσθε (optative), though not necessary, has the merit of harmonizing with γένοισθε and εὐτυχεῖς. Cp. Od. 13.44-6, ὑμεῖς δ᾽ αὖθι μένοντες .. μή τι κακὸν μεταδήμιον εἴη. The apparent anti climax, Beloved of heaven, Fortunate, may be defended by comparing Hdt. 1. 32, where Solon prefers εὐτυχία to all else. 1556, foll. In a single strophe and antistrophe, the chorus address a solemn invocation to the powers of the lower world, Hades, Persephone, the Erinyes, the dog Cerberus, and Death, that Oedipus may have quiet consummation,' and pass without molestation to the Stygian home.

1554. mvp-comment-828-2 ἐπὶ βαρυαχεῖ ἐπιβαμήποτ᾽ ἐπίπονα μήτ᾽ ἐπὶ βαρυάχει Α. Reminiscences of the dochmiac movements of the last commation are mingled with iambic, trochaic, and glyconic measures. On this combination, see Christ, Metrik, § 477- The antistrophe is distinguished by the frequency of spondaic endings. This apparent irregularity may be removed by conjectural emendation, but it may possibly have been due to a purposed, retardation of the rhythm. For ср. supr. 412. For dochmiacs mixed with cretics and iambics in a similar place, cp. El. 1385 ff. and, for a recurrence of the paeonic rhythm, infr. 1682, 1709. ト いいいい |---|トー CICLトートー