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117-253: Parodos

Parodos, passing at v. 138 into a lyric dialogue ( κομμός ) between the Chorus and Oedipus (see ). For the metres see Metrical Analysis.

The framework is as follows. (1) first strophe, 117

τίς ἄρ’ ἦν

to 137

ναίει

, = first antistrophe, 149

ἐή

to 169

ἀπερύκου

. (2) second strophe, 176

οὔτοι

to 187

σέβεσθαι

, = second antistr., 192

αὐτοῦ

to 206

ἐκπυθοίμαν

. Between the 1st strophe and the 1st antistrophe is interposed an anapaestic "system" ( σύστημα ) of 11 verses, 138

ὅδ’ ἐκεῖνος

to 148

ὥρμουν

(Oed. and Ch.). Between the 1st antistr. and the 2nd strophe, a second system of 6 verses, 170

θύγατερ

to 175

μεταναστάς

(Oed. and Ant.). Between the 2nd strophe and the 2nd antistr., a third system of 4 verses, 188

ἄγε νυν

to 191

πολεμῶμεν

(Oed.). From v. 207 to the end (253) , the verses are without strophic correspondence ( ἀνομοιόστροφα ). A doubt exists as to the genuineness of vv. 237-253 (

ὦ ξένοι—δύναιτο

), and of the 4 trimeters which follow ( 254-257 ): see on .

The Chorus induce Oed. to leave the grove by promising that no one shall remove him from Colonus by force (176) , but, on learning who he is (222) , revoke the promise, and command him to leave Attica. Antigone appeals to them.

ὅρα : cp. Aesch. Eum. 255 (the Furies hunting Orestes):

ὅρα, ὅρα μάλ’ αὖ λεῦσσέ τε πάντα, μὴ

λάθῃ φύγδα βὰς ματροφόνος ἀτίτας

: cp. also the scene in which the Chorus of the Ajax are seeking the hero ( 867

πᾶ πᾶ

πᾶ γὰρ οὐκ ἔβαν ἐγώ;

τίς ἄρ’ ἦν; imperf. of previous mention (not implying that he is not still trespassing): who was he of whom our informant spoke? Plat. Crito 47D

ὃ τῷ μὲν δικαίῳ βέλτιον ἐγίγνετο ¹, τῷ δὲ ἀδίκῳ ἀπώλλυτο

. Slightly different is the imperf. of a truth newly seen: Ph. 978

ὅδ’ ἦν ἄρα

ὁ ξυλλαβών με

, "so (all the time) this was he who has seized me."

ναίει , of mere situation (not habitation), as Il. 2.626

νήσων αἳ ναίουσι πέρην ἁλός

: so Ai. 597 (of Salamis), and Tr. 99 (of a wanderer).

ἐκτόπιος instead of ἐκ τόπου : 716

ἁλία...πλάτα θρώσκει

: O. T. 1340

ἀπάγετ’ ἐκτόπιον

: 1411

θαλάσσιον ἐκρίψατ’

: Ant. 785

φοιτᾷς δ’ ὑπερπόντιος

: El. 419

ἐφέστιον πῆξαι

: Eur. I. T. 1424

παράκτιοι δραμεῖσθε

. Plut. Dion 25

πελάγιοι πρὸς τὴν Σικελίαν ἔφευγον

ἀκορέστατος , "most insatiate" ( κόρος ); hence, reckless of due limit,— shameless: cp.

improbus annis

atque mero fervens

(Iuv. 3. 282) . Eur. Her. 926 (deprecating ὕβρις ),

μήποτ’ ἐμὸν φρόνημα

ψυχά τ’ ἀκόρεστος εἴη

. A positive ἀκορής is found in later Greek ( Themistius, or. 90 D , 4th cent. A.D. ): and as διακορής and κατακορής are classical (Plato, etc.), it may be a mere accident that ἀκορής has no earlier warrant. If referred to ἀκόρεστος , the superl. would be a poet. form like νέατος, μέσατος .

This verse is corrupt in the MSS., but two things seem clear: (1) there is no reason to suspect προσδέρκου : (2) the singular λεῦσσε must be restored, and placed after προσδέρκου . The antistrophic verse (153) is

ἀλλ’ οὐ μὰν ἔν γ’ ἐμοί

. A long syllable is then wanted to complete the verse προσδέρκου, λεῦσσε . Hermann's νιν has been generally adopted. But λεῦσσε νιν could only mean " see him": not, " look for him": λεύσσειν τινά could not stand for ζητεῖν τινα . The MS. αὐτὸν was prob. a gloss which came in after προσδέρκου and λεῦσσε had been transposed; and the plur. λεύσσετε may have arisen from λεῦσσε δή . In 135 ὅν is governed by γνῶναι , not by λεύσσων : and in Aesch. Eum. 255

ὅρα, ὅρα μάλ’ αὖ, λεῦσσέ τε πάντα

( v.l.

παντᾶ

), the sense is, "scan all the ground." Cp. Ai. 890 ("'tis cruel," the Chorus say, baffled in their quest)

αμενηνὸν ἄνδρα μὴ λεύσσειν ὅπου

προσπεύθου (only here) ought to mean "ask, or learn, further " (the reg. sense of προσπυνθάνεσθαι, προσερωτᾶν ), but this is weak: here, it seems rather to mean, " press the inquiry," inquire assiduously: cp. προσαιτεῖν, προσλιπαρεῖν . προσφθέγγου ("speak to him"), a v.l. for προσπεύθου , is plainly unsuitable. Hermann transposed προσδέρκου and προσπεύθου : but the "looking" naturally precedes the "asking," and πανταχῇ suits both. The conjectures

λεῦσσ’ αὐτόν, προσδρακοῦ,

προσπεύθου

(or

προσπυθοῦ,

προσδέρκου

) are open not only to the objection from the sense of λεύσσειν (121) , but also to this, that the aor. is less fitting here. As to προσδρακοῦ , ἐδρακόμην in Anth. Pal. 7. 224 is a very rare example of that form.

πλανάτας , one who has wandered hither from beyond our borders, and so = ξένος : cp. on .

προσέβα γὰρ οὐκ ἄν : cp. 98 : for the place of οὐκ , Ant. 96 .

ἄλσος ἐς : see on .

ἀμαιμακετᾶν : used by the poets of any violent force, divine or elemental, with which men cannot cope (as the Chimaera, Il. 6.179 ; Artemis in her wrath, Pind. Pyth. 3.33 ; the sea, ib. 1.14 ; fire, O. T. 177 ), and probably associated with ἄμαχος . But the reduplication recalls μαι‐μά‐ω (cp. πορ‐φύρ‐ω, ποι‐πνύ‐ω ), —the ἀ being intensive: and if we suppose a secondary development of √MA as μακ ( Fennell on Pind. P. 1. 14 ), the proper sense of ἀμαιμάκετος would be " very furious. " The word being of epic coinage, it is conceivable that associations with μάχομαι may have influenced the formation as well as the usage.

καὶ παραμειβόμεσθ’ κ.τ.λ. In approaching or passing a shrine, it was usual to salute ( προσκυνεῖν ), and to invoke the deity audibly. But in passing the grove of the Eumenides the people of Colonus avoid looking towards it. No sound , no articulate word, escapes them. Their lips only move in sign of the prayer which the mind conceives. Cp. on .

τὸ τᾶς ἐφάμου στόμα φροντίδος ἱέντες = "moving the lips of (in) reverently-mute thought"; ἱέναι (instead of οἴγειν, λύειν, διαίρειν ) στόμα has been suggested by the phrases φωνὴν (or γλῶσσαν ) ἱέναι : cp. fr. 844. 3

πολλὴν γλῶσσαν ἐκχέας μάτην

. This is better than to make στόμα purely figurative (like

"the still, small voice"

), when the sense would be, "giving a (still) voice to our reverent thought," εὐφάμου (= silent ) qualifying the metaphor as when discord is called

πῦρ ἀνήφαιστον

, Eur. Or. 621 .

ἀφώνως . The ancient custom was to pray aloud, partly from a feeling that one ought not to make any prayer which might not be heard by all mortals. Pythagoras in Clemens Alex. Strom. 4. 26 § 173 (it is usual μετὰ φωνῆς εὔχεσθαι )

ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, οὐχ ὅτι τὸ θεῖον ᾤοντο μὴ δύνασθαι τῶν ἡσυχῇ φθεγγομένων ἐπαΐειν, ἀλλ’ ὅτι δικαίας ἐβούλοντο εἶναι τὰς εὐχάς, ἃς οὐκ ἄν τις αἰδεσθείη ποιεῖσθαι πολλῶν συνειδότων

. Persius 2. 6

Haud cuivis promptum est murmurque humilesque susurros

Tollere de templis et aperto vivere voto.

Lucan 5. 104

tacito mala vota susurro Concipiunt.

After ἱέντες we may place either (1) a point,—making τὰ δὲ νῦν begin a new sentence: or (2) merely a comma,— taking

ἃς

(129) as still the object to ἅζονθ’ : (1) is best.

οὐδὲν , sc. αὐτάς : οὐδὲν ἅζονθ’ as="reverencing nothing " would be at least unusual. The act. of ἅζομαι occurs only here; but that fact scarcely seems to warrant a change. If any were made, the simplest would be οὐδὲν ἄγονθ’ (in the sense of θεοὺς ἄγειν ), with ἔχεις in 166 .

ὃν with γνῶναι only: λεύσσων absol.: see on .

μοι ethic dat. ( 62 , 81 )

ναίει 117 .

ἐκεῖνος , of whom ye were speaking: Ant. 384 : Aristoph. Ach. 41

τοῦτ’ ἐκεῖν’ οὑγὼ )λεγον

: Nub. 1167

ὅδ’ ἐκεῖνος ἀνήρ

: El. 665 .

φωνῇ γὰρ ὁρῳ : (I appear to you), for in sound is my sight ( i.e. I know your presence by your voices). To this announcement of his blindness a certain gentle pathos is added by τὸ φατιζόμ . (acc. in appos.), "as they say of us the blind": alluding generally, perh., to the fig. use of ὁρᾶν, βλέπειν in ref. to mental sight (as O. T. 747 , of the blind seer,

δέδοικα μὴ βλέπων ὁ μάντις ᾖ

), rather than to any special proverb. So Thuc. 7.87

πανωλεθρίᾳ δή, τὸ λεγόμενον,...οὐδὲν ὅτι οὐκ ἀπώλετο

, referring merely to the phrase. [Dem.] or. 25 § 89

ὥσπερ τὸ τῆς παροιμίας, ὁρῶντας μὴ ὁρᾶν καὶ ἀκούοντας μὴ ἀκούειν

. We must not render (1) with the schol., "I understand by sound what ye mean," τὸ λεγόμενον παρ’ ὑμῶν , nor (2) with Ellendt,

"I perceive what is uttered by your voice."

The pause saves the short final of φατιζόμενον from being a breach of synaphea: cp. 143 (

πρέσβυς

;): Ant. 932 (

ὕπερ

ὁρᾶν, κλύειν , epexegetic inf., like χαλεπὸς συζῆν ( Plat. Polit. 302B ). The cry which bursts from the Chorus merely utters their horror at first seeing and hearing the wretch who has dared so great an impiety;—they have not yet had time to scan the traces of misery which the blind man's form exhibits (cp. 286 ).

προσίδητ’ ἄνομον , regard as lawless: schol. λείπει τὸ ὡς . The omission is remarkable. Doederlein cp. Thuc. 2.72

δέχεσθε δὲ ἀμφοτέρους φίλους

, which is less bold: so, too, is O. T. 412

τυφλόν μ’ ὠνείδισας

(where see n.). In modern Greek, however, (and the use doubtless goes far back,) θεωρεῖν regularly=

"to consider as "

(without ὡς ).

The hiatus allows Ζεῦ to be short.

ἀλεξῆτορ : Aristoph. Vesp. 161

Ἄπολλον ἀποτρόπαιε, τοῦ μαντεύματος

οὐ πάνυ μοίρας πρώτης not wholly of the best fortune, εὐδαιμονίσαι (epexeg. inf., εἰς τὸ εὐδαιμονίσαι schol.) so that men should call him happy. The gen. is a poet. form of the possessive,

"belonging to"

the best fortune (as to a category); cp. Pind. Pyth. 3.60

οἵας εἰμὲν αἴσας

, of what estate we (mortals) are: Plut. Num. 2

κρείττονος ἦν μοίρας

. The place of εὐδαιμ . has been influenced by its common constr. with a causal gen.: but we could not say, οὐκ εἰμὶ εὐδαιμονίσαι , I am not to be congratulated.

πρώτης , not

"from his birth,"

but

"best"

: Ant. 1347

τὸ φρονεῖν

εὐδαιμονίας πρῶτον ὑπάρχει

: a sense associated with the idea of first prize ( Il. 23.275

τὰ πρῶτα λαβών

τὰ πρωτεῖα

: cp. 1313 ; and so 1228

πολὺ δεύτερον

οὐ πάνυ oft means "not at all," but prob. as a result of the primary ironical sense, "not altogether."

ἔφοροι : since the stranger had said κρινοῦσι (79) .

δηλῶ δ’ (like σημεῖον δέ, τεκμήριον δέ ), i.e. , and this is plain from my being guided by yonder maiden: cp. 1145 : O. T. 1294

δείξει δὲ καὶ σοί

(sc. Οἰδίπους ): Aristoph. Eccl. 936

δείξει τάχ’ αὐτός

: Lys. or. 10 § 20

δηλώσει δέ· οἰχήσεται γὰρ ἀπιών.

ἀλλοτρίοις ὄμμ . (instrumental dat.): Ant. 989

τοῖς τυφλοῖσι γὰρ

αὕτη κέλευθος ἐκ προηγητοῦ πέλει

: Eur. Phoen. 834

ἡγοῦ πάροιθε, θύγατερ, ὡς τυφλῷ ποδὶ

ὀφθαλμὸς εἶ σύ

. (In Plat. Phaedo 99B , quoted by Blaydes, read ἀλλοτρίῳ ὀνόματι , not ὄμματι .)

Oedipus is indeed old and worn (110) : but μέγας contrasts the man of mature age with the girl, his defenceless guide (752) . Cp. Od. 2.313 (Telemachus)

ἐγὼ δ’ ἔτι νήπιος ἦα·

νῦν δ’, ὅτε δὴ μέγας εἰμί

( full-grown ).

σμικροῖς : for the allusive (masc.) plur., instead of σμικρᾷ , cp. O. T. 366

σὺν τοῖς φιλτάτοις

(with Iocasta): for the sense, below, 957

ἐρημία με … σμικρὸν τίθησι

. The antithesis of persons suggests that σμικροῖς is masc. rather than neut.: so below 880 : Ai. 158

σμικροὶ...μεγάλων χωρίς

, 160

μετὰ γὰρ μεγάλων βαιὸς ἄριστ’ ἂν

καὶ μέγας ὀρθοῖθ’ ὑπὸ μικροτέρων

. If σμικροῖς were neut., it could mean: ( a ) like the masc., weak persons: cp. 1 Cor. i. 27

τὰ μωρὰ τοῦ κόσμου ἐξελέξατο ὁ θεός, ἵνα καταισχύνῃ τοὺς σοφούς

: ( b ) fig. ,

"weak things ,"

frail supports. But the neut. plur. σμικρά in such antitheses usu.=

"lowly fortunes "

: Pind. P. 3. 107

σμικρὸς ἐν σμικροῖς, μέγας ἐν μεγάλοις

ἔσσομαι

: Eur. El. 406

εἴπερ εἰσὶν εὐγενεῖς

οὐκ ἔν τε μικροῖς ἔν τε μὴ στέρξουσ’ ὁμῶς;

ὥρμουν : usu. ἐπί τινος : Dem. De Cor. § 281

οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς

( ἀγκύρας )

ὁρμεῖ τοῖς πολλοῖς

: but also

ἐπί τινι

: Plut. Solon 19 (he added the Βουλή to the Areopagus)

οἰόμενος ἐπὶ δυσὶ βουλαῖς ὥσπερ ἀγκύραις ὁρμοῦσαν ἧττον ἐν σάλῳ τὴν πόλιν ἔσεσθαι

. For the metaphor cp. Soph. fr. 619

ἀλλ’ εἰσὶ μητρὶ παῖδες ἄγκυραι βίου

. Eur. fr. 858

ἥδε μοι τροφός,

μήτηρ, ἀδελφή, δμωίς, ἄγκυρα, στέγη

. Or. 68

ὡς τά γ’ ἄλλ’ ἐπ’ ἀσθενοῦς

ῥώμης ὀχούμεθ’

: Med. 770

ἐκ τοῦδ’ ἀναπτόμεσθα πρυμνήτην κάλων

. Campbell understands — "Nor, being a prince ( μέγας ), as I am, should I have taken up my rest here to crave a small boon." But (1) μέγας in this sense ill suits the present tone of Oed.: cp. 110 , 393 . (2) This version of ἐπὶ σμικροῖς ὥρμουν is impossible: the scholium

ἐπὶ εὐτελέσιν αἰτήμασιν οὐκ ἂν σφόδρα ἱκέτευον

evades the point.

ἐή . L has ἒ ἒ· which should metrically answer to ὅρα (117) . It is possible that in an exclamation, followed by a momentary pause, the second ἔ should stand here: but it is more prob. that, as in Aesch. Theb. 966 etc., we should write ἐή .

ἀλαῶν ὀμμάτων . Oedipus has spoken of his own ill fortune as if it consisted primarily in his blindness. The Chorus then ask: — "Ah! and wast thou blind from thy birth? Thy life has been long, as well as unhappy, one may judge." The gen. could depend on ἐή , as oft. on φεῦ, ὦ, οἴμοι , etc., but is better taken with φυτάλμιος , of which the sense (with αὐτῶν understood ) would else be obscure.

φυτάλμιος =

"generator"

: i.e. didst thou bring them with thee into life? ἔφυσας τυφλὰ ὄμματα ;= ἦσθα τυφλὸς ἐκ γενετῆς ; Ai. 1077

κἂν σῶμα γεννήσῃ μέγα

though one grow a great body (=though his frame wax mighty).

=120

ὁ πάντων ἀκορέστατος

. In regard to L's reading, μακραίων τέ θ’ ² ὡς ἐπεικάσαι, note these points: (1) ὡς is wrong, as the metre shows, (2) τ’ is certainly right. We should not read, with Campb., δυσαίων; μακραίων τις, ἐπεικάσαι , because the thought turns on the linking of δυσαίων with μακραίων , the chief stress falling (as oft. in Greek) on the second: thou art old as well as hapless: i.e. thou hast borne thy woes long. (3) ἔθ’ may, I think, be rejected, as too weak. (4) How, then, is the short syllable to be supplied? ( a ) We might read;— μακραίων θ’, ὅσ’ ἐπεικάσαι: cp. Thuc. 6.25

ὅσα...ἤδη δοκεῖν αὐτῷ

"so far as he could now judge."

( b ) μακραίων τέ τις , εἰκάσαι: cp. O. T. 82

ἀλλ’, εἰκάσαι μέν, ἡδύς

. I prefer ( a ), since all MSS. have ἐπεικάσαι .

(

"Thou hast already suffered;) but verily, within my power ( ἔν γ’ ἐμοί , =if I can help it), thou shalt not add these curses (to thy woes)."

μάν strengthens the adversative force of ἀλλά (as in ἀλλὰ μήν, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ μήν ): ἔν γ’ ἐμοί = ἐν ἐμοί γε . Cp. 247 : O. T. 314 (n.): Xen. Oec. 7.14

τίς ἡ ἐμὴ δύναμις; ἀλλ’ ἐν σοὶ πάντα ἐστίν

. The thought is like that of Ant. 556

ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐπ’ ἀρρήτοις γε τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις

(sc. θανεῖ ).

προσθήσει , make thine own, bring on thyself: Aesch. Pers. 531

μὴ καί τι πρὸς κακοῖσι προσθῆται κακόν

: Eur. Her. 146

ἴδια προσθέσθαι κακά

: Andr. 394

τί δέ με καὶ τεκεῖν ἐχρῆν

ἄχθος τ’ ἐπ’ ἄχθει τῷδε προσθέσθαι διπλοῦν;

The MSS. have προσθήσεις : but the active word would require either ( a ) the reflexive pronoun, as in fr. 323

ταῦτ’ ἐστὶν ἄλγιστ’, ἢν παρὸν θέσθαι καλῶς

αὐτός τις αὑτῷ τὴν βλάβην προσθῇ φέρων

: O. T. 819

οὔτις ἄλλος ἦν

ἢ )γὼ )π’ ἐμαυτῷ τάσδ’ ἀρὰς ὁ προστιθείς

: or ( b ) some dat. such as τοῖς σοῖς κακοῖς : and we cannot legitimately supply either. So, again, the version "thou shalt not bring on us " ( οὐκ ἐμοὶ προσθήσεις τὴν σὴν ἀράν schol.) could stand only if ἐμοί or ἡμῖν were expressed.

περᾷς , absol.: "thou art going too far" (into the grove): Oed., not reassured by their cry (141) , has moved some steps back.

ἀλλ’ ἵνα … μὴ προπέσῃς is answered by μετάσταθ’ 162.

προπέσῃς ἐν νάπει , advance blindly in the grove, till he stumble (so to say) on its inmost mystery. Cp. Arist. Eth. 3.7.12

οἱ μὲν θρασεῖς προπετεῖς

. Isocr. or. 5 § 90

³διὰ τὴν Κύρου προπέτειαν

, his precipitancy in rushing at his brother Artaxerxes ( Xen. Anab. 1.8.26

εἰπών, Ὁρῶ τὸν ἄνδρα, ἵετο ἐπ’ αὐτόν

ἀφθέγκτῳ : see on .

οὗ κάθυδρος κρατὴρ συντρέχει ῥεύματι μειλιχίων ποτῶν , where the bowl filled with water is used along with the stream of sweetened drink-offering: i.e. where libations are poured, first, of water alone , and then of water mingled with honey; see on .

μειλιχίων π. : schol.

γλυκέων ποτῶν, ὅ ἐστι, μέλιτος, οἷς μειλίσσουσι τὰς θεάς

(see on ).

συντρέχει , is combined with: Tr. 295

πολλή )στ’ ἀνάγκη τῇδε ⁴τοῦτο συντρέχειν

, this joy of mine must needs attend on this good fortune of my husband. While κρατήρ points to the figurative use of συντρέχει, ῥεύματι suggests its literal sense. Others understand:—

"where the basin (

κρατήρ"

) runs together in a stream (

ῥεύματι

modal dat.) of sweetened waters,

i.e.

"is filled by the confluence of sweetened waters"

; but ( a )

κρατήρ

is the bowl from which the

χοαί

are poured, not a basin which receives them: ( b ) such an inversion is impossible.

The τῶν of L and most MSS. cannot be right. To be on one's guard against a thing is always φυλάσσομαί τι , never τινος . In Thuc. 4.11

φυλασσομένους τῶν νεῶν μὴ ξυντρίψωσιν

= acting cautiously on account of the ships (where Classen cp.

χαλεπῶς φέρειν τινός,

1. 77 ): in Aesch. PV 390

τούτου φυλάσσου μήποτ’ ἀχθεσθῇ κέαρ

, join

τούτου κέαρ

. The v.l.

τὸν

points to τό , which in this parenthetic warning=

τοῦτο

(

τὸ προπεσεῖν

) rather than ὅ . τόν (referring to

κρατήρ

) is less good; and τῷ ("wherefore") would be weak.

ἐρατυ^/ει , arcet , keeps (thee) off (from us), separates: Eur. Phoen. 1260

ἐρήτυσον τέκνα | δεινῆς ἁμίλλης

. This is said to themselves rather than to Oed.: they are not sure that he has heard their cry,

ἀπόβαθι

. To Musgrave's ἐρατύοι the objections are:—(1) the opt. where we should expect the imperat. The opt. is sometimes joined with the imper. in good wishes or counsels ( Pind. O. 13.25

ἀφθόνητος γένοιο...καὶ τόνδε λαὸν εὔθυνε

): but here, where peremptory command is given ( 162

μετάσταθ’, ἀπόβαθι

— 169

φώνει

), the opt. is quite out of place. (2) The sense would be weak, after 161 .

οἴσεις , written in L over the vulgate ἔχεις , cannot be a correction of the latter, but must represent a distinct reading (whether conjectural or not). ἴσχεις would suit the metre (=

ἅζονθ’

134 , where ) equally well: but the language slightly favours

οἴσεις.

φέρειν λόγον πρὸς ἐμὰν λέσχαν =to bring forward something to be discussed with us (cp. Ant. 159

σύγκλητον

τήνδε γερόντων προὔθετο λέσχην

), not, "in answer to our address ," a sense which λέσχη never has. For φέρειν cp. Tr. 122

ὧν ἐπιμεμφομένα σ’ ἁδεῖα ⁵μὲν ἀντία δ’ οἴσω

: for fut. indic. with εἰ of immediate purpose, with an imperat. in apodosis, Aristoph. Av. 759

αἶρε πλῆκτρον εἰ μαχεῖ

ἀβάτων : see on .

ἵνα πᾶσι νόμος , where use suffers all (to speak): for the omission of

ἐστί

cp. Her. 1.90

ἐπειρωτᾶν...εἰ ἀχαρίστοισι νόμος εἶναι τοῖς Ἑλληνικοῖσι θεοῖσι

ἀπερύκου ,

ἀπέχου τοῦ φωνεῖν

: schol.

πρότερον δὲ μὴ διαλέγου

ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ ; Such phrases present thought , speech , or the mind itself, as a region in which the wanderer is bewildered; cp. 310 : El. 922

οὐκ οἶσθ’ ὅποι γῆς οὐδ’ ὅποι γνώμης φέρει

"thou knowest not whither or into what fancies thou art roaming"

: ib. 1174

ποῖ λόγων … ἔλθω;

ib.390

ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ φρενῶν;

Tr.705

οὐκ ἔχω...ποῖ γνώμης πέσω

ἔλθῃ , delib. subjunct., in third pers., as Dem. De Cor. § 124

πότερόν σέ τις, Αἰσχίνη, τῆς πόλεως ἐχθρὸν ἢ ἐμὸν εἶναι φῇ;

L has ἔλθοι , which might be defended as = "whither can one possibly turn?" — a more despairing form of

ἔλθῃ

. Mr. A. Sidgwick has pointed out ( Aesch. Cho. Append. p. 122 ) that the Attic examples of such an optat. without

ἄν

are always directly or indirectly interrogative (as Ant. 604

τίς...κατάσχοι;

), and are akin to the interrogative or "deliberative" subjunctive, not to the conditional optat. with

ἄν

. The principle is (I think) true. But here, at least, the genuinely "deliberative"

ἔλθῃ

seems best. See Appendix.

ἀστοῖς ἴσα χρὴ μελετᾶν , we must practise the same customs which they practise. Eur. Bacch. 890

οὐ

γὰρ κρεῖσσόν ποτε τῶν νόμων

γιγνώσκειν χρὴ καὶ μελετᾶν

: we must never set our theory, or practice, above the laws.

Since κἀκούοντας suits both metre and sense, it seems more likely that this was the reading from which, by a scribe's mistake, κοὐκ ἀκούοντας arose, than that

ἀκούοντας

conceals some other participle (such as

κατοκνοῦντας

ἀπιθοῦντας

). It is hard to see why Herm. thought the

"negatio contrarii"

to be necessary here,—common though it is (see on O. T. 58

γνωτὰ κοὐκ ἄγνωτα

). After χρὴ μελετᾶν , too, we should expect

μηδέ

, not

καὶ οὐκ

; the latter supposes that

οὐ

and its partic. form one word. κοὐκ ἄκοντας (B and Campbell) would mean,

"and that, too, not unwillingly"

—surely a weak sense. The existence of this as the only v.l. confirms κἀκούοντας .

καὶ δή : see on .

μὴ … ἀδικηθῶ . The prohibitive subjunct. (esp. aor.) is freq. in the 1st pers. plur. , but the 1st pers. sing. is very rare: Tr. 802

μηδ’ αὐτοῦ θάνω

: Il. 1.26

μή σε κιχείω

: 21. 475

μή σευ ἀκούσω

σοὶ (the coryphaeus) after

ὦ ξεῖνοι

(the Chorus): cp. 208

ὦ ξένοι,...μή μ’ ἀνέρῃ

: 242 ff.

ὦ ξένοι, οἰκτείρατ’

, followed by

ὄμμα σόν

. Cp. O. T. 1111

πρέσβεις

, 1115

σύ

. καὶ was omitted by Herm., to make a paroemiac (when the sound and rhythm become extremely unpleasing); σοὶ was omitted, with the same object, by Brunck and Elmsley. Both words are genuine. A paroemiac is neither needful nor desirable here, when another follows so closely (177).

τῶνδ’ ἑδράνων ,

"these seats,"

the resting-place, generally, in front of the grove, rather than the particular rocky seat pointed out at 192 f. : cp. 233 f. (Hardly " abodes ," i.e. Colonus, as Aesch. Pers. 4 .)

ἄξει was altered to ἄρῃ by Elmsley on the ground that οὐ μή with the fut. indic. forbids; with the subjunctive, denies. But, besides the passages in which οὐ μή stands with the 2nd pers. fut. ind. , and forbids (as Aristoph. Ran. 462

οὐ μὴ διατρίψεις

, "don't dawdle"), there are others in which it stands with the 1st or 3rd pers. fut. ind. , and denies. In some of these our MSS. are doubtless corrupt; but there are others in which the correction, if any, must be bold. Thus: (1) with 1st pers.: Soph. El. 1052

οὔ σοι μὴ μεθέψομαί ποτε

: Aristoph. Ran. 508

οὐ μή σ’ ἐγὼ | περιόψομἀπελθόντ’

. (2) with 3rd pers.: Xen. Hellen. 1.6.32

εἶπεν ὅτι ἡ Σπάρτη οὐδὲν μὴ κάκιον οἰκιεῖται αὐτοῦ ἀποθανόντος

: Eur. Phoen. 1590

σαφῶς γὰρ εἶπε Τειρεσίας οὐ μήποτε

σοῦ τήνδε γῆν οἰκοῦντος εὖ πράξειν πόλιν

(oblique of οὐ μὴ πράξει ). On the whole the evidence points to the conclusion that οὐ μή could be used with the 1st or 3rd pers. fut. indic., as with the aor. or pres. subjunct., in giving a strong assurance. !-- e)/ti_ wants a macron over the iota, similarly to_ -->

L's ἔτ’ οὖν ἔτι προβῶ; metrically answers to

οὕτως

in 194 . The choice seems to lie between ἔτ’ οὖν; and προβῶ; The latter might easily have been added to explain the former: and ἔτ’ οὖν is not too abrupt, since πρόσθιγέ νύν μου (173) has already marked the beginning of his forward movement. ἔτι βαῖνε seems better than ἐπίβαινε in the case of a blind man advancing step by step , and asking at each step whether he has come far enough. This is well expressed by

ἔτ’ οὖν;— ἔτι βαῖνε.— ἔτι;

For

ἔτι—

before

προβ.

, cp. Ant. 612

το— πρίν

After ἀΐεις three verses have been lost (the 1st and 3rd for Ant., the 2nd for Oed.), answering to 197 πάτερ — 199 ἅρμοσαι : and after ᾇ σ’ ἄγω (183) a verse for Oed. answering to 202

ὤμοι … ἄτας

. See Metrical Analysis.

μάν (a stronger

μέν

, "verily") may here be simply hortative ("come!") as it oft. is with the imperat.: Il. 1.302

εἰ δ’ ἄγε μὴν πείρησαι

: 5. 765

ἄγρει μάν

: Aesch. Suppl. 1018

ἴτε μάν

. If the lost words of Oed. uttered a complaint, then μάν may have had an adversative force, "yet": but this is more oft. γε μήν than μήν alone: cp. 587.

ὧδ’ , in this direction: see on O. T. 7 .

ἀμαυρῷ κώλῳ =

τυφλῷ ποδί

(Eur. Hec. 1050) : cp. 1639

ἀμαυραῖς χερσίν

. In Eur. Herc. Fur. 123 , however,

ποδὸς ἀμαυρὸν ἴχνος

= merely "my feeble steps" (for Amphitryon is not blind ). That might be the meaning here too. But in choosing between the literal sense of

ἀμαυρός

, "dim," and the fig. sense, "feeble," we must be guided by the context of each passage; and the context here favours the former. Cp. 1018.

τόλμα … σέβεσθαι . These four vv. are wrongly given by the MSS. to Antigone. Her gentle counsel in 171 ff. may have prompted the attribution.

ξεῖνος ἐπὶ ξένης : Ph. 135

τί χρή με, δέσποτ’, ἐν ξένᾳ ξένον

στέγειν, ἢ τί λέγειν...;

ὦ τλάμων : the nom. can thus stand for the voc. even in direct address, as Eur. Med. 1133

μὴ σπέρχου, φίλος

: but is sometimes rather a comment, as ib. 61

ὦ μῶρος, εἰ χρὴ δεσπότας εἰπεῖν τόδε

. Cp. 753 , 1471.

τέτροφεν ἄφιλον , holds in settled dislike:—the perfect tense marking how the sentiment which forbids impiety towards the Eumenides has interwoven itself with the life of the place.

τρέφω τί ἄφιλον

=to hold a thing (in one's thoughts) as unloveable: cp.

ἐν ἐλπίσιν τρέφω τι

( Ant. 897) . For the perfect, denoting a fixed view, cp. Her. 3.38

οὕτω νενομίκασι τὰ περὶ τοὺς νόμους

(and so 7. 153 , 8. 79 ): Plat. Legg. 8. 837 C

ὁ...ἐρων τῇ ψυχῇ...ὕβριν ἥγηται τὴν περὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ σώματος πλησμονήν

: Prot. 348 E

οὕτω πεπίστευκας σαυτῷ

. The perf. act. of

τρέφω

occurs in Anthol. Append. 111. 2 (Jacobs vol. II. p. 795)

ἄνδρας ἀγακλειτοὺς τέτροφε Κεκροπίη

: in Polybius ( 12. 25 h in the later form

τέτραφα

), etc.: but in older Greek only in the Homeric use, as Od. 23.237

περὶ χροῒ τέτροφεν ἅλμη

(the brine has hardened on their flesh): whence Nauck here,

πόλει τέτροφεν

(as=

πέφυκεν

)

ἄφιλον

, (whate'er) hath grown unpleasing to the city.

ἄν with the optat. verbs, not with ἵνα : "(to a place) where I may speak on the one hand, and hear on the other":

τὸ μὲν … τὸ δέ

are adverbial: cp. Xen. Anab. 4.1.14

τὰ μέν τι μαχόμενοι, τὰ δὲ καὶ ἀναπαυόμενοι.

εἴποιμεν … ἀκούσαιμεν , i.e. "arrive at a mutual understanding," — a regular phrase: Thuc. 4.22

ξυνέδρους δὲ σφίσιν ἐκέλευον ἑλέσθαι οἵτινες λέγοντες καὶ ἀκούοντες περὶ ἑκάστου ξυμβήσονται

: Theocr. 25. 48

αἰσυμνήτης

ᾧ κε τὸ μὲν εἴποιμι, τὸ δ’ ἐκ φαμένοιο πυθοίμην

(a head-man,

"who to shrewd questions shrewdly can reply,"

Calverley).

ἄν with the optat. in the relative clause just as in apodosis; so Theocr. 25. 61

ἐγὼ δέ τοι ἡγεμονεύσω

… ἵνα κεν τέτμοιμεν ἄνακτα

(to a place where we are likely to find him): Xen. Anab. 3.1.40

οὐκ οἶδα ὅ τι ἄν τις χρήσαιτο αὐτοῖς

(I know not what use one could make of them).

εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες , entering on piety , placing ourselves within its pale: but this figurative sense is here tinged with the notion of "entering on lawful ground " (schol.

εὐσεβῶς πατοῦντες

). For the fig. sense cp. Od. 23.52

ὄφρα σφῶϊν ἐϋφροσύνης ἐπιβῆτον

ἀμφοτέρω φίλον ἦτορ

"that ye may both enter into your heart's delight"

(Butcher and Lang): Ph. 1463

δόξης οὔποτε τῆσδ’ ἐπιβάντες

, though we had never entered on that hope (dared to entertain it).

καὶ μὴ χρ. πολ. : Ant. 1106

ἀνάγκῃ δ’ οὐχὶ δυσμαχητέον

. Simonides fr. 5. 21

ἀνάγκᾳ δ’ οὐδὲ θεοὶ μάχονται

. Eur. fr. 709

χρεία διδάσκει, κἂν βραδύς τις ᾖ, σοφόν

αὐτοῦ . Oed. has now advanced to the verge of the grove. Here a low ledge of natural rock forms a sort of threshold, on which his feet are now set.

αὐτοπέτρου βήματος , a "step," i.e. ledge, of natural rock , not shaped by man (as was the ordinary

βῆμα

or raised place for speakers, etc.), distinct, of course, from the

ἄξεστος πέτρος

of 19 , which was within the grove. So

αὐτόξυλος

(of rough wood, Ph. 35 ),

αὐτοπόρφυρος

(of natural purple),

αὐτόποκος

(of simple wool),

αὐτόπυ—ρος

(of unbolted wheaten flour),

αὐτόκομος

(with natural hair, Aristoph. Ran. 822 ),

αὐτόροφοι πέτραι

(rocks forming a natural roof, Oppian Halieut. 1. 22 ). The ἀντιπέτρου of the MSS. could mean:—(1) "A ledge like rock"; cp.

ἀντίπαις

( Aesch. Eum. 38 )= " weak as a child": and so the schol. in L,

ἰσοπέτρου, χαλκοῦ

,— i.e. "a ledge of material firm as rock," "of brass," meaning the

χαλκόπους ὀδός

understood literally : see, however, . (2) "A ledge serving as a rock": cp. (

ὀνείδη

)

ἀντίκεντρα

( Aesch. Eum. 136 ),

λίθος ἀντιθύρετρος

( Nonnus 11. 140 ),

ἀντίπυργος πέτρα

( Eur. Bacch. 1097 ). (3) "A seat of rock fronting thee ": cp.

ἀντίπρῳρος

, with

πρῴρα

facing one. This does not fit the data. (4) Bellermann: "a (stone) seat over against a rock," i.e. "behind which the stone wall rises" (?).—Campb. renders first by " rocky ," then by " rock-like ," and refers it to

"some peculiarity in the basement of the low seats."

πόδα κλίνῃς (aor.) like

πόδα τρέπειν

( Eur. Suppl. 718 ), since, the seat being now at his side, he turns away from it if he moves forward. Wecklein explains it as =

γόνυ κάμψῃς

("sit down"), but (1)

πόδα

could not here stand for

γόνυ

, and (2) the question is now of halting , not yet of sitting down (see 195 ).

ἦ ἑσθῶ; "am I to sit down?" deliberative aor. subj. of ἕζομαι . This aor. of the simple verb occurs nowhere else: but ἐκαθέσθην is used in later Greek (as καθεσθέντα Paus. 3.22.1 ). Since ἑ is the radical vowel, it seems better to suppose a synizesis ( ἦ ἑσθῶ; ) than an aphaeresis ( ἦ )σθῶ; ): the ἦ , though not necessary, is prob. genuine. I have left this questionable ἑσθῶ in the text, on the strength of ἐκαθέσθην : but the v.l. ἦ στῶ ("am I to halt?"), preferred by the schol. in L, seems more defensible than it has been thought by recent edd. The answer of the Chorus, no doubt, refers to sitting down. So, however, it could do after ἦ στῶ; He has already been told to go no further (191 f.) : but, in his anxiety to avoid further offence, it is conceivable that he should repeat his question in the clearest form. (Cp. Eur. Hec. 1079

πᾶ βῶ, πᾶ στῶ, πᾶ κάμψω

...;)

λέχριός γ’ … ὀκλάσας , "yes, moving sideways," — the rocky seat being near his side — "(sit down), crouching low on the top of the rock." ὀ‐κλάζω (cp. ὀ‐δάξ , from √δακ ), from κλά‐ω , to bend the hams in crouching down; Xen. Anab. 6.1.10

τὸ Περσικὸν ὠρχεῖτο,...καὶ ὤκλαζε καὶ ἐξανίστατο

"he danced the Persian dance, sinking down and rising again by turns"

(there was a dance called ὄκλασμα ): so ὀκλαδίας =a folding campstool.

βραχὺς ,

"low,"

(as μέγας =

"tall,"

) because the seat is near the ground.

ἄκρου , on the outer edge of the rocky platform ( βῆμα 192 ).

λᾶος , gen. of λᾶας , as Od. 8.192

λᾶος ὑπὸ ῥιπῆς

. No part of λᾶας occurs in trag., except here and Eur. Phoen. 1157 acc.

λᾶαν

. The MSS. have λάου , and the schol. in L quotes Herodian ( 160 A.D. ),

ἐν τῷ ε— τῆς καθόλου

( =bk 5 of his lost work ἡ καθόλου προσῳδία ), as taking it from a nom. λάος : but Herodian had perhaps no warrant besides this passage, and no other trace of such a form occurs.

ἐμὸν τόδ’ : i.e. the office of placing him in his seat (cp. 21

κάθιζέ... με

). Hermann changes the ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ of the MSS. to ἐν ἁσυχαίᾳ , joining it with βάσει . The corresponding strophic verse is lost (see on ): but the metre confirms the emendation (see Metrical Analysis). The words ἐν ἡσυχαίᾳ … ἐμάν are said as she helps him to sit down. He has to make one step sideways (195) to the seat. Taking his arm, she says: "Lean on me, and join step to quiet step" ( ἅρμοσαι aor. imper. midd.): i.e. "advance one foot to the resting-place, bring the other up beside it, and then (supported by my arm) sit down." Cp. Eur. Or. 233

ἦ κἀπὶ γαίας ἁρμόσαι πόδας θέλεις;

"wouldest thou set thy feet together (plant thy feet) on the ground?"

Pseudo-Simonides 182

ὅπᾳ ποδὸς ἴχνια πρᾶτον

ἁρμόσαμεν

, where we first planted our feet (on the battlefield,—there we fell). Campbell takes βάσιν as the foot of Oed., and βάσει as a "stone support for the foot attached to the seat," rendering,

"fit thy foot into its quiet resting place."

This seems improbable. "Time thy step to my quiet step" is unsuitable, since they are close to the seat already. The interjection ἰώ μοί μοι , given by the MSS. to Antigone, but by Herm. (rightly) to Oed., need not, with Herm., be placed after ἅρμοσαι .

δύσφρονος , as the work of a mind clouded by the gods: Ant. 1261

ἰὼ φρενῶν δυσφρόνων ἁμαρτήματα

. The gen. after the exclamation ὤμοι : cp. on .

τλάμων , see on .

χαλᾷς , hast ease (alluding to his words betokening pain and exhaustion): not , εἴκεις καὶ οὐκ ἀντιτείνεις τῷ ἐξελθεῖν (from the grove), as the schol.

τίς ὁ πολ. : cp. on .

τίν’ ἂν … πατρίδ’ . For the twofold question, cp. Ph. 220

τίνες ποτ’ ἐς γῆν τήνδε κατέσχετ’; …

ποίας πάτρας ἂν ἢ γένους ὑμᾶς ποτε

τύχοιμ’ ἂν εἰπών

; Eur. Helen 86

ἀτὰρ τίς εἶ; πόθεν; τίν’ ἐξαυδᾶν σε χρή

; (Dind. τίνος σ’ αὐδᾶν χρέων ;) Od. 1.170

⁶τίς πόθεν εἶς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες;

Oed. replies to their second question by ἀπόπτολις , which is almost an exclamation; — "I have no πατρίς now": he deprecates their first question ( τίς ἄγει; ) altogether. Cp. Aesch. Ag. 1410 (the Argive elders to Clytaemnestra)

ἀπόπολις δ’ ἔσει, | μῖσος ὄβριμον ἀστοῖς

. Soph. has ἀπόπτολις in O. T. 1000 (dialogue) and Tr. 647 (lyr.). Cp. 1357.

μή, μή μ’ ἀνέρῃ . As the verses from 207 onwards are ἀνομοιόστροφα (see on ), the strophic test is absent, but μή, μή μ’ is metrically preferable to μὴ μὴ μή μ’ here (see Metr. Analysis). And, after the preceding ἀλλὰ μή , a threefold iteration would rather weaken than strengthen. !-- this is not, in fact, ionics -->

Wunder's correction of the MS. δεινὰ to αἰνὰ is required by the Ionic measure ( uu | - uu ): see Metr. Analysis.

φύσις =origin, birth: 270 : Tr. 379 (Iolè)

λαμπρὰ … φύσιν, | πατρὸς μὲν οὖσα γένεσιν Εὐρύτου, κ.τ.λ.

γεγώνω , delib. perf. subjunct. from γέγωνα : whence, too, the imper. γέγωνε , Ph. 238 . Both these could, indeed, be referred to a pres. γεγώνω , which is implied by other forms, as ἐγέγωνε ( Il. 14.469 ): cp. Monro Hom. Gr. § 27 . Poetry recognised, in fact, three forms,—a perf. γέγωνα , a pres. γεγώνω , and a pres. γεγωνέω ( γεγωνεῖν , Il. 12.337 ). Cp. ἄνωγα with impf. ἤνωγον .

τίνος εἶ σπέρματος ; possessive gen., denoting the stock, country, etc., to which one belongs: cp. on : Plat. Symp. 203A

πατρὸς τίνος ἐστὶ καὶ μητρός;

Meno94 D

οἰκίας μεγάλης ἦν

: Dem. or. 57 § 57

ὅσοι τῶν μεγάλων δήμων ἐστέ.

πατρόθεν with εἶ : the Chorus, whose uneasy curiosity is now thoroughly roused, presses for an explicit answer, and first (as usual) for the father's name. Plat. Legg. 753C

εἰς πινάκιον γράψαντα τοὔνομα πατρόθεν καὶ φυλῆς καὶ δήμου

. Ai. 547

ἐμὸς τὰ πατρόθεν

τί πάθω … ; "what is to become of me?" Tr. 973 (Hyllus, in his wild grief for his father)

τί πάθω; τί δὲ μήσομαι; οἴμοι

ἐπ’ ἔσχατα βαίνεις , "thou art coming to the verge" (not, "thou treadest on the verge," which would require gen. or dat.), since, after the hint

αἰνὰ φύσις

(212) , the full truth cannot long be withheld. Cp. fr. 658 (Orithyia was carried)

ἐπ’ ἔσχατα χθονός

: Ant. 853

προβᾶσ’ ἐπ’ ἔσχατον θράσους

: Her. 8.52

ἐς τὸ ἔσχατον κακοῦ ἀπιγμένοι

Hermann's μέλλετον (for the MS. μέλλετ’ ) is fitting, since Oed. and Ant. have just been speaking together; and is clearly better than μέλλετέ γ’ (Triclinius) or μέλλομεν (suggested by Elms.). The sing. τάχυνε rightly follows, since it is from Oed. alone that a reply is sought.

μακρὰ , neut. plur. as adv.: O. T. 883

ὑπέροπτα

(n.): Aristoph. Lys. 550

οὔρια θεῖτε

: Eur. Or. 152

χρόνια...πεσὼν...εὐνάζεται

Λαΐου ἴστε τιν’ ; The word ἀπόγονον , seemingly a gloss, which follows τιν’ in the MSS., is against the metre, which requires -uuu- after τιν’ : it also injures the dramatic force. Each word is wrung from Oed.; the gen. Λαΐου tells all. The long syll. after τιν’ could be,—(1) ὤ , which Herm. supplies,—giving it, however, to the Chorus,—whereas the rhythm will be better if it is an interjection by Oed.: (2) ὄντ’ ; (Dindorf): or (3) οὖν ; (Elmsley). The two latter are somewhat tame.

The family patronymic was taken from Labdacus (the father of Laïus), though the line was traced directly up to Cadmus, father of Polydorus and grandfather of Labdacus ( O. T. 267 ; Her. 5.59 ).

The relat. clause ὅσ’ αὐδῶ is most simply taken as representing an accus., governed by δέος ἴσχετε μηδὲν as= μὴ δειμαίνετε (rather than a genitive depending on δέος ): Tr. 996

οἵαν μ’ ἄρ’ ἔθου λώβαν

: Dem. De Fals. Legat. § 81

ὅ γε δῆμος ὁ τῶν Φωκέων οὕτω κακῶς...διάκειται, ὥστε...τεθνάναι τῷ φόβῳ...τοὺς Φιλίππου ξένους

: Aesch. Theb. 289

μέριμναι ζωπυροῦσι τάρβος ⁷

τὸν ἀμφιτειχῆ λεών

: Eur. Ion 572

τοῦτο κἄμ’ ἔχει πόθος

. Cp. below, , . In such instances the acc. might also, however, be taken as one of "respect."

The MSS. give the one word δυσμορος to Oed., as uttered by him between the exclamations of the Chorus. It thus marks his despair at their refusal to hear him. There is dramatic force in the sentence of expulsion (226) being the first articulate utterance of the Chorus after the disclosure which has appalled them.

ποῖ καταθήσεις; fig. from the payment of a debt in money. If you will not pay it here and now, to what place will you bring the payment for it? i.e. when, and in what form, can your promise of a safe refuge (176 f.) be redeemed, if I am driven from Colonus? ποῖ with a verb pregnantly used, as 476

τὸ δ’ ἔνθεν ποῖ τελευτῆσαί με χρή;

towhat end am I to bring it? Cp. 383 . For καταθήσεις cp. Dem. In Mid. § 99

οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ὄφλημα ὅ τι χρὴ καταθέντα ἐπίτιμον γενέσθαι τουτονί

, there is no debt (to the Treasury), by paying which he can recover the franchise. Pind. Nem. 7.75

νικῶντί γε χάριν … οὐ τραχύς εἰμι καταθέμεν

οὐδενὶ μοιριδία τίσις ἔρχεται , to no one comes punishment from fate, ὧν (= τούτων ἃ ) προπάθῃ , for things (caus. gen.) which he has already suffered, τὸ τίνειν (acc.), in respect of his requiting them. συγγνωστόν ἐστιν ἐὰν τίνῃ τις ἃ ἂν προπάθῃ . <"Thou didst deceive us by getting our promise before telling thy name; we may requite thy deceit by deeming our promise void." τίνειν (with τὸ added, see on ) further explains the causal gen. ὧν : "no one is punished for deeds which have first been done to him —that is, for repaying them to the aggressor." Cp. 1203

πάσχειν, παθόντα δ’ οὐκ ἐπίστασθαι τίνειν

: Eur. Or. 109

τίνοι...τροφάς

, repay care.

ὧν for

ὧν ἄν

, as 395 , O. T. 1231 (n.).

With Wunder's ἃν some construe:— οὐδενὶ τὸ τίνειν ἃ ἂν προπάθῃ ἔρχεται μοιριδία τίσις , "for no one retaliation becomes (= γίγνεται ) a fate-doomed punishment": but could the τίσις itself thus stand for the cause of the τίσις ? The ὧν of the MSS. is confirmed by other passages where, instead of an acc. governed by the infin., we have a gen. depending on another word, and then the infin. added epexegetically: El. 542

ἵμερον τέκνων … ἔσχε δαίσασθαι

: Plat. Crito 52B

οὐδ’ ἐπιθυμία σε ἄλλης πόλεως οὐδ’ ἄλλων νόμων ἔλαβεν εἰδέναι

: Rep. 443 B

ἀρχόμενοι τῆς πόλεως οἰκίζειν

ἀπάτα δ’ : guile on the one part ( ἑτέρα ), matching itself against deeds of guile on the other ( ἑτέραις ), makes a recompense of woe, not of grace (as in return for good deeds): ἔχειν , epexeg. "(for the deceiver) to enjoy" (cp. Il. 1.347

δῶκε δ’ ἄγειν

ἀπάτα ἑτέρα , not another kind of guile, but another instance of it, as Ph. 138

τέχνα ⁸ τέχνας ἑτέρας προὔχει

, excels skill in another man.

παραβαλλ ., as Eur. I. T. 1094

ἐγώ σοι παραβάλλομαι θρήνους

, vie with thee in dirges: Andr. 290

παραβαλλόμεναι

, abs., "in rivalry." For the sentiment cp. Plat. Crito 49B

οὐδὲ ⁹ἀδικούμενον ἄρα ἀνταδικεῖν, ὡς οἱ πολλοὶ οἴονται

: Archil. fr. 67

ἓν δ’ ἐπίσταμαι μέγα,

τὸν κακῶς με δρῶντα δεινοῖς ἀνταμείβεσθαι κακοῖς

. Pind. Pyth. 2.83

φίλον εἴη φιλεῖν·

ποτὶ δ’ ἐχθρὸν ἅτ’ ἐχθρὸς ἐὼν λύκοιο δίκαν ὑποθεύσομαι,

ἄλλ’ ἄλλοτε πατέων ὁδοῖς σκολιαῖς.

ἑδράνων with ἔκτοπος (cp. on ), χθονὸς with ἄφορμος , which adds force to ἔκθορε ; cp. O. T. 430

οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρον; οὐχὶ θᾶσσον; οὐ πάλιν

ἄψορρος οἴκων τῶνδ’ ἀποστραφεὶς ἄπει;

Eur. Hipp. 155 has

ναυβάτας τις ἔπλευσεν | Κρήτας ἔξορμος

, "from an anchorage in Crete," cp. ἐξορμεῖν to be (or go) out of port: but ἄφορμος belongs to ἀφορμᾶν (there is no ἀφορμεῖν ), "rushing from" ( ἀφορμηθείς , schol.).

χρέος … προσάψῃς (like κῦδος, τιμάς, αἰτίαν προσάπτειν ), fix a debt or obligation on the city, i.e. make it liable to expiate a pollution. But χρέος = simply "matter" in O. T. 155 , n.

αἰδόφρονες : as ye have αἰδώς for the Eumenides, so have αἰδώς for the suppliant. Cp. Dem. or. 37 § 59

ἂν ἑλών τις ἀκουσίου φόνου...μετὰ ταῦτ’ αἰδέσηται καὶ ἀφῇ

(with ref. to the kinsman of a slain man pardoning the involuntary slayer).

ἀλλ’ , "Nay," opening the appeal: cp. O. T. 14 . The second ἀλλ’ in 241 = "at least."

This whole

μέλος ἀπὸ σκηνῆς

of Antigone (237 — 253) , with the tetrastichon of the Chorus (254 — 257) , was rejected by some of the ancient critics, acc. to the schol. on L:

"for they say it is better that Oed. should forthwith address his justification to them."

But, as the schol. rightly adds, it is natural and graceful that an appeal to pity (

ἐλεεινολογία

),— which the daughter makes,—should precede the father's appeal to reason (

τὸ δικαιολογικόν

). The schol. further remarks that Didymus ( circ. 30 B.C. ) had not obelized any part of the passage. This is important, as making it most improbable that the

ἀθέτησις

rested on the absence of these verses from the older Alexandrian copies. Though the text is doubtful in some points, the internal evidence cannot be said to afford any good ground for suspicion.

γεραὸν … ἐμὸν : the text of this verse is doubtful, and there is no strophic test, but it seems most likely that

ἀλαὸν

was an interpolation: see crit. n.

ἀκόντων , epithet of the agent, instead of that proper to the act (

ἀκουσίων

): 977 : O. T. 1229

κακὰ ἑκόντα κοὐκ ἄκοντα

. Cp. 74 , 267.

ἀΐοντες αὐδάν , "perceiving," i.e. "being aware of,""having heard," the report of his involuntary deeds. Cp. 792

κλύω

: Thuc. 6.20

ὡς ἐγὼ ἀκοῇ αἰσθάνομαι

.—Not: (1) "on hearing (from him) the mention of his deeds" — as implied in his name: nor (2) "on hearing his first utterance," as if ἀκόντ .

ἔργων could be caus. gen. with οὐκ ἀνέτλατε .

ἀλλ’ , "at least," cp. 1276 : fr. 24

κἂν ἄλλο μηδέν, ἀλλὰ τοὐκείνης κάρα

Hermann's τοὐμοῦ μόνου (for the MS. τοῦ μόνου ) is metrically right, but μόνου can hardly be sound. It must mean (1) "for my father alone" (and not for my own sake): not (2) "lonely, as he is": nor (3) "for my own father" (Campbell's view, which I do not comprehend). ΤΟΥΜΟΝΟΥ may have come from ΤΟΥΔΑΘΛΙΟΥ (Mekler), but

τὸν ἄθλιον

in 246 is against this (see, however, on 554 ). Perhaps τοῦδ’ ἀμμόρου .

οὐκ ἀλαοῖς , as his are.

προσορωμένα : for the midd. cp. El. 1059

ἐσορώμενοι

. The midd. of the simple ὁράω is poet. only ( Ant. 594 ): but the midd. of προοράω and περιοράω occurs in Attic prose.

ὥς τις κ.τ.λ.: as if I were a young kinswoman of your own, appealing to you, the eldest of my house, for protection. The words are hardly so strong as "like daughter to father"; and though σὸν is addressed to the coryphaeus (cp. on ), this sense would be less fitting. So Creon imagines his niece Antigone appealing to the sacred ties of kinship ( Ant. 487

Ζηνὸς ἑρκείου

; 658

ἐφυμνείτω Δία | ξύναιμον

ἐν ὔμμι κείμεθα , "we are situated " ( not , "prostrate") "in your power": ἐν ὔμμι , penes vos , cp. 392 , 422 , 1443 , O. T. 314 (n.), Dem. De Cor. § 193

ἐν γὰρ τῷ θεῷ τοῦτο τὸ τέλος ἦν, οὐκ ἐν ἐμοί

. The epic forms ὔμμες (nom.), ὔμμι (dat.), ὔμμε (acc.), freq. in Hom., belonged esp. to the Lesbian Aeolic: the acc. occurs in Aesch. Eum. 620

βουλῇ πιφαύσκω δ’ ὔμμ’ ἐπισπέσθαι πατρός

: Soph. Ant. 846

ξυμμάρτυρας ὔμμ’ ἐπικτῶμαι.

ἐν ὑμῖν γὰρ(MSS.) is unmetrical: and if γὰρ is omitted, ὑμῖν still mars the metre, which requires a dactyl.

κείμεθα , of a critical situation, as Tr. 82

ἐν οὖν ῥοπῇ τοιᾷδε κειμένῳ, τέκνον,

οὐκ εἶ ξυνέρξων;

(when his fate is thus trembling in the balance). Cp. 1510 .

νεύσατε with acc. of the boon, as Hom. Hymn. 5.445 , Eur. Alc. 978

Ζεὺς ὅ τι νεύσῃ

(more oft.

ἐπι‐

κατανεύειν

τὰν ἀδόκητον χάριν , the unlooked-for grace, i.e. for which, after your stern words (226), we can scarcely dare to hope,—but which, for that very reason, will be the more gracious. Eur. Med. 1417

καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντ’ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,

τῶν δ’ ἀδοκήτων πόρον εὗρε θεός

πρός ς’ : in supplications the poets often insert the enclitic σε between πρός and the gen. of that by which one adjures: 1333 : Tr. 436

μή, πρός σε τοῦ κατ’ ἄκρον κ.τ.λ.

: Ph. 468

πρός νύν σε πατρός, πρός τε μητρός, ὦ τέκνον,

πρός τ’ εἴ τί σοι κατ’ οἶκόν ἐστι προσφιλές,

ἱκέτης ἱκνοῦμαι.

ἐκ σέθενcould go with ἄντομαι only if πρός σ’ were

πρός τ’

πρὸς δ’

and even then would be harsh. Join, then, ὅ τι σοι φίλον ἐκ σέθεν , "whatever, sprung from thyself , is dear to thee"; the next words repeat this thought, and add to it: "yea, by child —or wife, or possession, or god." Cp. 530

ἐξ ἐμοῦ

. ἐκ σέθεν could not mean simply, "on thy part," as = "in thy home." Against Elmsley's tempting οἴκοθεν (cp. Eur. Med. 506

τοῖς οἴκοθεν φίλοις

) it may be remarked that the alliteration

πρός σ’ … σοι — ἐκ σέθεν

seems intentional (cp. O. T. 370 n.).

ἢ χρέος ἢ θεός : a designed assonance ( παρομοίωσις ): cp. Isocr. or. 5 § 134

καὶ τὴν φήμην καὶ τὴν μνήμην

: or. 4 § 45

ἀγῶνας...μὴ μόνον τάχους· καὶ ῥώμης ἀλλὰ καὶ λόγου καὶ γνώμης.

χρέοςhere=

χρῆμα

, "thing," any cherished possession (cp. Il. 23.618

καί σοι τοῦτο, γέρον, κειμήλιον ἔστω

), rather than "business," "office."

ἀθρῶν , if thou look closely. Plat. Rep. 577C

τὴν ὁμοιότητα ἀναμιμνησκόμενος τῆς τε πόλεως καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς οὕτω καθ’ ἕκαστον ἐν μέρει ἀθρῶν τὰ παθήματα ἑκατέρου λέγε

ἄγοι , i.e. draw on to evil: Ant. 623

ὅτῳ φρένας | θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν

. Oedipus was led on to his unwitting deeds by a god. Cp. fr. 615

οὐδ’ ἂν εἷς φύγοι

βροτῶν ποθ’, ᾧ καὶ Ζεὺς ἐφορμήσῃ κακά

: so, too, El. 696 . For the hiatus after

ἄγοι

, cp. O. T. 1202 f.

καλεῖ | ἐμός

Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus at Colonus. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. 1899.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Experimental

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

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (2)

Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (Lewis Campbell, 1879)) — 117 focus

ὅρα. τίς ἄρʼ ἦν; ποῦ ναίει;

ποῦ κυρεῖ ἐκτόπιος συθεὶς ὁ πάντων

ὁ πάντων ἀκορέστατος ;
120

προσπεύθου, λεῦσσέ νιν,

προσδέρκου πανταχῆ.*

πλανάτας,

πλανάτας τις ὁ πρέσβυς, οὐδʼ

*ἔγχωρος· προσέβα γὰρ οὐκ
125

ἄν ποτʼ ἀστιβὲς ἄλσος ἐς

τᾶνδʼ ἀμαιμακετᾶν κορᾶν,

ἃς τρέμομεν λέγειν,

καὶ παραμειβόμεσθʼ ἀδέρκτως,
130

ἀφώνως, ἀλόγως τὸ τᾶς

εὐφήμου στόμα φροντίδος

ἱέντες· τὰ δὲ νῦν τινʼ ἥκειν

λόγος οὐδὲν ἅζονθʼ,

ὃν ἐγὼ λεύσσων περὶ πᾶν οὔπω
135

δύναμαι τέμενος

γνῶναι ποῦ μοί ποτε ναίει.

Οἰδίπους

ὅδʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐγώ· φωνῇ γὰρ ὁρῶ,

[98 b.

τὸ φατιζόμενον.

Χορός

ἰὼ ἰώ,
140

δεινὸς μὲν ὁρᾶν, δεινὸς δὲ κλύειν.

Οἰδίπους

μή μʼ, ἱκετεύω, προσίδητʼ ἄνομον.

Χορός

Ζεῦ ἀλεξῆτορ, τίς ποθʼ ὁ πρέσβυς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ πάνυ μοίρας εὐδαιμονίσαι

πρώτης, ὦ τῆσδʼ ἔφοροι χώρας.
145

δηλῶ δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὧδʼ ἀλλοτρίοις

ὄμμασιν εἷρπον

κἀπὶ σμικροῖς μέγας ὥρμουν.

149-169

Χορός

ἒ ἔ, ἀλαῶν ὀμμάτων

ἆρα καὶ ἦσθα φυτάλμιος, δυσαίων;
150

μακραίων τις, ἐπεικάσαι.

ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰν ἔν γʼ ἐμοὶ

προσθήσεις τάσδʼ ἀράς. περᾷς γάρ,

περᾷς· ἀλλʼ ἵνα τῷδʼ ἐν ἀ-
155

φθέγκτῳ μὴ προπέσῃς νάπει

ποιάεντι, κάθυδρος οὗ

κρατὴρ μειλιχίων ποτῶν

ῥεύματι συντρέχει,
160

τῶν, ξένε πάμμορʼ, εὖ φύλαξαι,

μετάσταθʼ, ἀπόβαθι. πολ-

λὰ κέλευθος ἐρατύει·

κλύεις, ὦ πολύμοχθʼ ἀλᾶτα ;
165

λόγον εἴ τινʼ οἴσεις

πρὸς ἐμὰν λέσχαν, ἀβάτων ἀποβάς,

ἵνα πᾶσι νόμος,

φώνει· πρόσθεν δʼ ἀπερύκου.

Οἰδίπους

θύγατερ, ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ;
170

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ, ἀστοῖς ἴσα χρὴ μελετᾶν,

εἴκοντας ἃ δεῖ κοὐκ ἄκοντας.

Οἰδίπους

πρόσθιγέ νύν μου.

Ἀντιγόνη

ψαύω καὶ δή.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ *ξεῖνοι, μὴ δῆτʼ ἀδικηθῶ

[99 a.

σοὶ πιστεύσας καὶ μεταναστάς.
175

Χορός

οὔ τοι μήποτέ σʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων,

ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει.

β

Οἰδίπους

ἔτʼ οὖν ; [ἔτι προβῶ;]

Χορός

ἐπίβαινε *πόρσω.

Οἰδίπους

ἔτι;
180

Χορός

*προβίβαζε, κούρα,

πρόσω· σὺ γὰρ ἀΐεις.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἕπεο μάν, ἕπεʼ ὧδʼ ἀμαυρῷ

κώλῳ, πάτερ, ᾇ σʼ ἄγω.

Χορός

τόλμα ξεῖνος ἐπὶ ξένης,

ὦ τλάμων, ὅ τι καὶ πόλις
185

τέτροφεν ἄφιλον ἀποστυγεῖν

καὶ τὸ φίλον σέβεσθαι.

Οἰδίπους

ἄγε νῦν σύ με, παῖ,

ἵνʼ ἂν εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες

τὸ μὲν εἴποιμεν, τὸ δʼ ἀκούσαιμεν,
190

καὶ μὴ χρείᾳ πολεμῶμεν.

Χορός

αὐτοῦ· μηκέτι τοῦδʼ ἀντιπέτρου

βήματος ἔξω πόδα κλίνῃς.

Οἰδίπους

ἀντ. βʼ. οὕτως;

Χορός

ἅλις, ὡς ἀκούεις.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ ʼσθῶ;
195

Χορός

λέχριός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρου

λάου βραχὺς ὀκλάσας.

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, ἐμὸν τόδʼ· ἐν *ἡσυχαίᾳ

βάσει βάσιν ἅρμοσαι,

Οἰδίπους

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Ἀντιγόνη

γεραιὸν ἐς χέρα σῶμα σὸν
200

προκλίνας φιλίαν ἐμάν.

Οἰδίπους

ὤμοι δύσφρονος ἄτας.

Χορός

ὦ τλάμων, ὅτε νῦν χαλᾷς,

αὔδασον, τίς ἔφυς βροτῶν;

τίς ὁ πολύπονος ἄγει; τίνʼ * ἂν
205

σοῦ πατρίδʼ ἐκπυθοίμαν;

Οἰδίπους

ἐπ.α΄. ὦ ξένοι,

ἀπόπτολις· ἀλλὰ μή,

Χορός

τί τόδʼ ἀπεννέπεις, γέρον ;

Οἰδίπους

μὴ μὴ μή μʼ ἀνέρῃ τίς εἰμι,
210

μηδʼ ἐξετάσῃς πέρα ματεύων.

Χορός

†τί τόδε ;

Οἰδίπους

δεινὰ φύσις.

Χορός

αὔδα.

Οἰδίπους

τέκνον, ὤμοι, τί γεγώνω;

Χορός

τίνος εἶ σπέρματος, *ὦ ξένε, φώνει, πατρόθεν ;
215

Οἰδίπους

ὤμοι ἐγώ, τί πάθω, τέκνον ἐμόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

λέγʼ, ἐπείπερ ἐπʼ ἔσχατα βαίνεις.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἐρῶ· οὐ γὰρ ἔχω κατακρυφάν.

Χορός

μακρὰ * μέλλετον, ἀλλὰ *τάχυνε.

Οἰδίπους

Λαΐου ἴστε τινʼ; *(-)
220

Χορός

*ἰοὺ ἰού.

Οἰδίπους

τό τε Λαβδακιδᾶν γένος;

Χορός

ὦ Ζεῦ,

[99 b.

Οἰδίπους

ἄθλιον Οἰδιπόδαν ;

Χορός

σὺ γὰρ ὅδʼ εἶ;

Οἰδίπους

δέος ἴσχετε μηδὲν ὅσʼ αὐδῶ.

Χορός

ὠὼ ὠώ. ΟΙ. δύσμορος.

Χορός

ὠώ.

Οἰδίπους

θύγατερ, τί ποτʼ αὐτίκα κύρσει;
225

Χορός

ἔξω πόρσω βαίνετε χώρας.

Οἰδίπους

ἃ δʼ ὑπέσχεο ποῖ καταθήσεις;

Χορός

οὐδενὶ μοιριδία τίσις ἔρχεται

τὧν προπάθῃ τὸ τίνειν· ἀπάτα δʼ ἀπά-
230

ταις ἑτέραις ἑτέρα παραβαλλομέ-

να πόνον, οὐ χάριν, ἀντιδίδωσιν ἔ-

χειν. σὺ δὲ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων πάλιν ἔκτοπος

αὖθις ἄφορμος ἐμᾶς χθονὸς ἔκθορε,

μή τι πέρα χρέος
235

ἐμᾷ πόλει προσάψῃς.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἐπ.β΄. ὦ ξένοι

αἰδόφρονες, ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ

γεραιὸν [ἄλαον] πατέρα τόνδʼ ἐμὸν οὐκ ἀνέτλατʼ ἔργων

ἀκόντων ἀΐοντες αὐδάν,
240

ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ τὰν μελέαν, ἱκετεύομεν,

ὦ ξένοι, οἰκτείραθʼ, ἃ

πατρὸς ὑπὲρ τοὐμοῦ μόνου ἄντομαι,

ἄντομαι οὐκ ἀλαοῖς προσορωμένα

το ὄμμα σὸν ὄμμασιν, ὥς τις ἀφʼ αἵματος
245

ὑμετέρου προφανεῖσα, τὸν ἄθλιον

αἰδοῦς κῦρσαι· ἐν ὑμῖν γὰρ ὡς θεῷ

κείμεθα τλάμονες· ἀλλʼ ἴτε, νεύσατε τὰν ἀδόκητον χάριν,

πρός σʼ ὅ τι σοι φίλον ἐκ σέθεν ἄντομαι,
250

ἢ τέκνον, ἢ λέχος, ἢ χρέος, ἢ θεός.

οὐ γὰρ ἴδοις ἂν ἀναθρῶν βροτῶν, ὅστις ἄν, εἰ θεὸς

ἄγοι, *φυγεῖν δύναιτο.

Χορός

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 117-253b focus

Χορός

ὅρα. τίς ἄρʼ ἦν; ποῦ ναίει;

ποῦ κυρεῖ ἐκτόπιος συθεὶς ὁ πάντων

ὁ πάντων ἀκορέστατος;
120

προσδέρκου λεῦσσέ νιν,

προσπεύθου πανταχῇ.

πλανάτας πλανάτας τις ὁ πρέσβυς οὐδʼ

ἔγχωρος· προσέβα γὰρ οὐκ
125

ἄν ποτʼ ἀστιβὲς ἄλσος ἐς

τᾶνδʼ ἀμαιμακετᾶν κορᾶν,

ἃς τρέμομεν λέγειν

καὶ παραμειβόμεσθʼ ἀδέρκτως,
130

ἀφώνως, ἀλόγως τὸ τᾶς.

εὐφάμου στόμα φροντίδος

ἱέντες, τὰ δὲ νῦν τινʼ ἥκειν

λόγος οὐδὲν ἅζονθʼ,

ὃν ἐγὼ λεύσσων περὶ πᾶν οὔπω
135

δύναμαι τέμενος

γνῶναι ποῦ μοί ποτε ναίει.

Οἰδίπους

ὅδʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐγώ· φωνῇ γὰρ ὁρῶ,

τὸ φατιζόμενον.

Χορός

ἰὼ ἰώ,
140

δεινὸς μὲν ὁρᾶν, δεινὸς δὲ κλύειν.

Οἰδίπους

μή μʼ, ἱκετεύω, προσίδητʼ ἄνομον.

Χορός

Ζεῦ ἀλεξῆτορ, τίς ποθʼ ὁ πρέσβυς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ πάνυ μοίρας εὐδαιμονίσαι

πρώτης, ὦ τῆσδʼ ἔφοροι χώρας.
145

δηλῶ δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὧδʼ ἀλλοτρίοις

ὄμμασιν εἷρπον

κἀπὶ σμικροῖς μέγας ὥρμουν.

149

Χορός

ἐή, ἀλαῶν ὀμμάτων

ἆρα καὶ ἦσθα φυτάλμιος; δυσαίων
150

μακραίων γʼ, ὅσʼ ἐπεικάσαι.

ἀλλʼ οὐ μὰν ἔν γʼ ἐμοὶ

προσθήσει τάσδʼ ἀράς.

περᾷς γάρ, περᾷς· ἀλλʼ ἵνα τῷδʼ ἐν ἀ-
155

φθέγκτῳ μὴ προπέσῃς νάπει

ποιάεντι, κάθυδρος οὗ

κρατὴρ μειλιχίων ποτῶν

ῥεύματι συντρέχει,
160

τόν, ξένε πάμμορʼ, εὖ φύλαξαι;

μετάσταθʼ ἀπόβαθι. πολ-

λὰ κέλευθος ἐρατύει·

κλύεις, ὦ πολύμοχθʼ ἀλᾶτα;
165

λόγον εἴ τινʼ οἴσεις

πρὸς ἐμὰν λέσχαν, ἀβάτων ἀποβάς,

ἵνα πᾶσι νόμος,

φώνει· πρόσθεν δʼ ἀπερύκου.

Οἰδίπους

θύγατερ, ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ;
170

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ, ἀστοῖς ἴσα χρὴ μελετᾶν,

εἴκοντας ἃ δεῖ κἀκούοντας.

Οἰδίπους

πρόσθιγέ νύν μου.

Ἀντιγόνη

ψαύω καὶ δή.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξένε, μὴ δῆτʼ ἀδικηθῶ σοὶ

πιστεύσας καὶ μεταναστάς.
175

176

Χορός

οὔ τοι μήποτέ σʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων,

ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει.

Οἰδίπους

ἔτʼ οὖν;

Χορός

ἔτι βαῖνε πόρσω.

Οἰδίπους

ἔτι;

Χορός

προβίβαζε, κούρα,
180

πόρσω· σὺ γὰρ ἀΐεις.

Ἀντιγόνη

Οἰδίπους

Ἀντιγόνη

ἕπεο μάν, ἕπεʼ ὧδʼ ἀμαυρῷ κώλῳ, πάτερ, ᾇ σʼ ἄγω.

Οἰδίπους

Χορός

τόλμα ξεῖνος ἐπὶ ξένης,

ὦ τλάμων, ὅ τι καὶ πόλις
185

τέτροφεν ἄφιλον ἀποστυγεῖν

καὶ τὸ φίλον σέβεσθαι.

Οἰδίπους

ἄγε νυν σύ με, παῖ,

ἵνʼ ἂν εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες

τὸ μὲν εἴποιμεν, τὸ δʼ ἀκούσαιμεν,
190

καὶ μὴ χρείᾳ πολεμῶμεν.

192

Χορός

αὐτοῦ· μηκέτι τοῦδʼ αὐτοπέτρου βήματος ἔξω πόδα κλίνῃς.

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως;

Χορός

ἅλις, ὡς ἀκούεις.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ ἑσθῶ;
195

Χορός

λέχριός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρου

λᾶος βραχὺς ὀκλάσας.

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, ἐμὸν τόδʼ· ἐν ἁσυχαίᾳ

Οἰδίπους

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Ἀντιγόνη

βάσει βάσιν ἅρμοσαι,

γεραὸν ἐς χέρα σῶμα σὸν
200

προκλίνας φιλίαν ἐμάν.

Οἰδίπους

ὤμοι δύσφρονος ἄτας.

Χορός

ὦ τλάμων, ὅτε νῦν χαλᾷς,

αὔδασον, τίς ἔφυς βροτῶν;

τίς ὁ πολύπονος ἄγει; τίνʼ ἂν
205

σοῦ πατρίδʼ ἐκπυθοίμαν;

207

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξένοι,

ἀπόπτολις· ἀλλὰ μὴ

Χορός

τί τόδʼ ἀπεννέπεις, γέρον;

Οἰδίπους

μὴ μὴ μή μʼ ἀνέρῃ τίς εἰμι,
210

μηδʼ ἐξετάσῃς πέρα ματεύων.

Χορός

τί τόδʼ;

Οἰδίπους

αἰνὰ φύσις.

Χορός

αὔδα.

Οἰδίπους

τέκνον, ὤμοι, τί γεγώνω;

Χορός

τίνος εἶ σπέρματος, ὦ ξένε, φώνει, πατρόθεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὤμοι ἐγώ, τί πάθω, τέκνον ἐμόν;
215

Ἀντιγόνη

λέγʼ, ἐπείπερ ἐπʼ ἔσχατα βαίνεις.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἐρῶ· οὐ γὰρ ἔχω κατακρυφάν.

Χορός

μακρὰ μέλλετον, ἀλλὰ τάχυνε.

Οἰδίπους

Λαΐου ἴστε τινʼ;
220

Χορός

ὢ ἰοὺ ἰού.

Οἰδίπους

τό τε Λαβδακιδᾶν γένος;

Χορός

ὦ Ζεῦ.

Οἰδίπους

ἄθλιον Οἰδιπόδαν;

Χορός

σὺ γὰρ ὅδʼ εἶ;

Οἰδίπους

δέος ἴσχετε μηδὲν ὅσʼ αὐδῶ.

Χορός

ἰὼ ὢ ὤ.

Οἰδίπους

δύσμορος.

Χορός

ὢ ὤ.

Οἰδίπους

θύγατερ, τί ποτʼ αὐτίκα κύρσει;
225

Χορός

ἔξω πόρσω βαίνετε χώρας.

Οἰδίπους

ἃ δʼ ὑπέσχεο ποῖ καταθήσεις,

Χορός

οὐδενὶ μοιριδία τίσις ἔρχεται

ἃν προπάθῃ τὸ τίνειν· ἀπάτα δʼ ἀπά-
230

ταις ἑτέραις ἑτέρα παραβαλλομέ-

να πόνον, οὐ χάριν, ἀντιδίδωσιν ἔ-

χειν. σὺ δὲ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων πάλιν ἔκτοπος

αὖθις ἄφορμος ἐμᾶς χθονὸς ἔκθορε,

μή τι πέρα χρέος
235

ἐμᾷ πόλει προσάψῃς.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ ξένοι

αἰδόφρονες, ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ

γεραὸν πατέρα τόνδʼ ἐμὸν

οὐκ ἀνέτλατʼ, ἔργων
240

ἀκόντων ἀΐοντες αὐδάν,

ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ τὰν μελέαν, ἱκετεύομεν, ὦ ξένοι, οἰκτίραθʼ, ἃ

πατρὸς ὑπὲρ τοὐμοῦ μόνου

ἄντομαι οὐκ ἀλαοῖς προσορωμένα

ὄμμα σὸν ὄμμασιν, ὥς τις ἀφʼ αἵματος
245

ὑμετέρου προφανεῖσα, τὸν ἄθλιον

αἰδοῦς κῦρσαι· ἐν ὔμμι γὰρ ὡς θεῷ

κείμεθα τλάμονες. ἀλλʼ ἴτε, νεύσατε τὰν ἀδόκητον χάριν·

πρός σʼ ὅ τι σοι φίλον ἐκ σέθεν ἄντομαι,
250

ἢ τέκνον ἢ λέχος ἢ χρέος ἢ θεός·

οὐ γὰρ ἴδοις ἂν ἀθρῶν βροτὸν ὅστις ἄν,

εἰ θεὸς ἄγοι,

ἐκφυγεῖν δύναιτο.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 117 focus

Keep watch! Who is it? Look!

Where is he? Vanished! Gone! Oh where?

Most uncontrolled of men!
120

Look well, inquire him out,

Search keenly in every nook!

—Some wanderer is the aged wight,

A wanderer surely, not a native here.

Else never had he gone within
125

The untrodden grove

Of these—unmarried, unapproachable in might,

—Whose name we dare not breathe,
130

But pass their shrine

Without a look, without a word,

Uttering the unheard voice of reverential thought.

But now, one comes, they tell, devoid of awe,

Whom, peering all around this grove
135

I find not, where he abideth.

OED

(). Behold me! For I ‘see by sound,’

As mortals say.

CH

Oh, Oh!
140

With horror I see him, with horror hear him speak.

OED

Pray you, regard me not as a transgressor!

CH

Defend us, Zeus! Who is that aged wight?

OED

Not one of happiest fate,

Or enviable, O guardians of this land!
145

’Tis manifest; else had I not come hither

Led by another’s eyes, not moored my bark

On such a slender stay.

CH

Alas! And are thine eyes

Sightless? O full of misery,
150

As thou look’st full of years!

But not, if I prevail,

Shalt thou bring down this curse.

Thou art trespassing. Yet keep thy foot
155

From stumbling in that verdant, voiceless dell,

Where running water as it fills

The hallowed bowl,

Mingles with draughts of honey. Stranger, hapless one!
160

Avoid that with all care.

Away! Remove!

Distance impedes the sound. Dost hear,

Woe-burdened wanderer? If aught thou carest to bring
165

Before our council, leave forbidden ground,

And there, where all have liberty,

Speak,—but till then, avaunt thee!

OED

Daughter, what must I think, or do?
170

ANT

My sire!

We must conform us to the people’s will,

Yielding ere they compel.

OED

Give me thy hand.

ANT

Thou hast it.

OED

—Strangers, let me not

Be wronged, when I have trusted you

And come from where I stood!
175

CH

Assure thee, from this seat

No man shall drag thee off against thy will.

OED

Farther?

CH

Advance thy foot.

OED

Yet more?
180

CH

Assist him onward

Maiden, thou hast thy sight.

ANT

Come, follow, this way follow with thy darkened steps,

Father, the way I am leading thee.

CH

Content thee, sojourning in a strange land,

O man of woe!
185

To eschew whate’er the city holds in hate,

And honour what she loves!

OED

Then do thou lead me, child,

Where with our feet secure from sin

We may be suffered both to speak and hear.
190

Let us not war against necessity.

CH

There! From that bench of rock

Go not again astray.

OED

Even here?

CH

Enough, I tell thee.

OED

May I sit?
195

CH

Ay, crouch thee low adown

Crooking thy limbs, upon the stone.

ANT

Father, this task is mine—

Sink gently down into thy resting-place,

OED

Woe is me!

ANT

Supporting on this loving hand
200

Thy reverend aged form.

OED

Woe, for my cruel fate!

CH

Now thou unbendest from thy stubborn ways,

O man of woe!

Declare, what mortal wight thou art,

That, marked by troublous fortune, here art led.
205

What native country, shall we learn, is thine?

OED

O strangers, I have none!

But do not—

CH

What dost thou forbid, old sir?

OED

Do not, oh, do not ask me who I am,
210

Nor probe me with more question.

CH

What dost thou mean?

OED

My birth is dreadful.

CH

Tell it forth.

OED

What should I utter, O my child? Woe is me!

CH

Thy seed, thy father’s name, stranger, pronounce!
215

OED

Alas! What must I do? My child!

ANT

Since no resource avails thee, speak!

OED

I will. I cannot hide it further.

CH

Ye are long about it. Haste thee!

OED

Know ye of one
220

Begotten of Laius?
220

CH

Horror! Horror! Oh!

OED

Derived from Labdacus?

CH

O Heaven!

OED

Fate-wearied Oedipus?

CH

Art thou he?

OED

Fear not my words.

CH

Oh! Oh!

OED

Unhappy me!

CH

Oh!

OED

Daughter, what is coming?
225

CH

Away! Go forth. Leave ye the land. Begone!

OED

And where, then, is the promise thou hast given?

CH

No doom retributive attends the deed

That wreaks prevenient wrong.
230

Deceit, matched with deceit, makes recompense

Of evil, not of kindness. Get thee forth!

Desert that seat again, and from this land

Unmooring speed thee away, lest on our state

Thou bring some further bale!

ANT
MONODY .

O strangers, full of reverent care!

Since ye cannot endure my father here,

Aged and blind,

Because ye have heard a rumour of the deeds
240

He did unknowingly,—yet, we entreat you.

Strangers, have pity on me, the hapless girl,

Who pray for mine own sire and for none else,

—Pray, looking in your eyes with eyes not blind.

As if a daughter had appeared to you.
245

Pleading for mercy to the unfortunate.

We are in your hands as in the hand of God,

Helpless. O then accord the unhoped for boon!

By what is dear to thee, thy veriest own,
250

I pray thee,—chattel or child, or holier name!

Search through the world, thou wilt not find the man

Who could resist the leading of a God.

CH

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 117 focus

schaut! Er entfloh!¹

Der Chor.

Wer war's? Wo

Weilt er, entschwunden, gescheucht von dieser Stätte,

Der schamlose, der freche Mann?

Forsch' ihm nach, schau nach ihm,
120

Send' allhin deinen Ruf!

Als Flüchtling

Umher schweift er, der Alte, schweift,

Fremd hier; denn er beträte sonst

Nie der schreckengerüsteten
125

Jungfrau'n nimmer betret'nen Hain,

Die wir zu nennen scheu'n,

Denen wir ohne Blick vorbeizieh'n,

Ohne Laut, und verstummend kaum

Worte stillen Gebeten leih'n.
130

Und nun, sagt man, vermaß ein Frevler

Sich daher zu kommen:

Ich spähe nach ihm in dem ganzen Bezirk,

Und vermag noch nicht

Zu erseh'n ihn, wo er verweile.
135
(zeigt sich mit Antigone im Hintergrunde)

Oedipus.

Seht hier, ich bin's! Aus der Stimme vernahm

Ich euer Begehr.

Der Chor.

O Grau'n, o Grau'n!

Mir graut vor dem Anblick, graut vor dem Wort.

Oedipus.

Schont mein, seht nicht als Frevler mich an!

Der Chor.

Zeus, helfender Gott! Wer, ach, ist der Greis?
140

Oedipus.

Ein Mann, nicht selig zu preisen, fürwahr,

Ihr Hüter des Land's, ob seines Geschicks!

Sonst schlich' ich ja nicht an der leitenden Hand

Blind wankend einher,

Stark einst, auf die Schwache mich stüzend.
145

Der Chor.

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!

Oedipus.

Mein Kind, wo wend' ich im Zweifel mich hin?
165

Antigone.

Was den Bürgern genehm, sei's, Vater, auch dir;

Leih' ihrem Gebot ein williges Ohr!

So hebe mich denn!

Ich umfasse dich schon.

Oedipus.

Ihr Fremdlinge, thut kein Leides mir an:

Euch folgsam, verlass' ich die Stätte.
170

Der Chor.

Nie soll aus diesen Bezirken, o Greis,²

Jemand mit Gewalt dich entführen.

Oedipus.

Noch weiter hinauf?

Der Chor.

Nur weiter!

Oedipus.

Noch weiter?

Der Chor.

Geleit' ihn, Jungfrau,

Vorwärts; du verstehst mich ja.
175

Antigone.

Folge mir, folge mit schwachem Schritte,

Wohin dich die Tochter führt.

Der Chor.

Fleuch, ein Fremdling in fremdem Land,

Unglückseliger, was der Stadt

Mißfällig ist, als hassenswerth;
180

Was sie verehrt, verehre!

So geleite mich hin,

Oedipus.

Kind, wo wir in Andacht wandeln die Bahn,

Und reden zugleich und vernehmen ihr Wort:

kämpfen wir nicht mit dem Schicksal!
185

Der Chor.

Hier steh' und nicht von dem Felsumkreis

Ausschreitend bewege den Fuß mehr!

Oedipus.

Hier, meinst du?

Der Chor.

Genug!

Oedipus.

Und soll ich

Nun sizen?

Der Chor.

Kauere seitwärts

Hier oben auf diesen Stein.
190
(indeß Dedipus tastend nach dem Size sucht)

Antigone.

Mich laß, Vater, gewähren: reihe

Bedächtig den Schritt zum Schritt,

weh, weh mir!

An meinen freundlich besorgten Arm

Deine greise Gestalt gelehnt.
195

Der Chor.

Ha, mein grausames Schicksal!

Armer, da du mir nun gefolgt,

Wer der Sterblichen bist du? Sprich!

Wer, Nothbeladner? Welches Land

Nennen wir deine Heimat?
200

Heimatlos,

Oedipus.

Ihr Fremdlinge! Nimmermehr -

Der Chor.

Was, o Greis, verbeutst du mir?

Oedipus.

Nie, nie frage mich, wer ich sei,

Suche nichts Weiteres auszuforschen!
205

Und warum?

Ein verworfnes Geschlecht

Kind, o weh mir! Was erwidr' ich?

Der Chor.

Wer du seist, Fremdling, und wer

Dich erzeugt, sage mir frei.

Oedipus.

Sprich!

Weh mir, o Kind, was beginn' ich? Weh mir!
210

Antigone.

Sprich, nun du zum Aeußersten kamest!

Oedipus.

Sag' ich es! Nicht ja verbergen kann ich's mehr.

Der Chor.

Lang zaudert ihr: eil' und bekenne!

Oedipus.

Wißt ihr von Laïos' Sohn?

Der Chor.

Graun, o Graun!

Oedipus.

Von dem Stamme des Labdakos?
215

Der Chor.

Weh, Zeus!

Oedipus.

Dedipus' Jammergestalt?

Der Chor.

So bist du der?

Oedipus.

Nicht schreck' euch, was ich verkünde!

Weh, weh!

Der Chor.

Ich Unglückseliger!

Weh!

Oedipus.

Was wird uns werden, o Tochter?

Der Chor.

Zieht ferne hinaus, zieht ferne von hier!
220

Wo bleibt nun deine Verheißung?³

Keinen ereilt ja der Zorn des Verhängnisses,

Rächt er erlittenes Leid, und ein Trug, der

Anderem Truge mit Gleichem erwiderte,

Lohnt dir mit Leid, schafft keinen Gewinn dir.
225

Hebe dich denn von dem Siz und mit flüchtigen

Schritten entwandere meinem Gebiet hier,

Daß du mir meine Stadt

Nicht fürder frevelnd schändest!

Fremdlinge,
230

Antigone.

Mildherzige! Wenn ihr nicht

Meinen Vater, den augenlosen Greis hier,

Duldet, nachdem euch sein

Unfreiwillig Vergehen kund ward :

Mein doch erbarmt euch, mein, der Verlassenen,
235

Fremdlinge, laut fleh' ich, die

Nur um den Vater sich härmend mit herzlicher,

Herzlicher Bitte, mit sehenden Augen euch

Schaut in die Augen, als Mensch, von gemeinsamem

Blute geboren mit euch: ach, schonet des
240

Unglückseligen! Wie auf die Himmlischen,

Bauen wir Armen auf euch. So gewähret die Huld,

Welche wir, ach! kaum gehofft.

Bei dem Geliebtesten fleh' ich, beschwör' ich euch,

Kindern, Gemahlinnen, Göttern und Eigenthum!
245

Blickt um, nirgend gewahrt ihr den Sterblichen,

Welcher dem Gotte, der

Ihn führt, entrinnen könnte!

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 117 focus

Where is he? Look, examine, search around

For this abandoned exile, of mankind

The most profane ; doubtless some wretched stranger.

Who else had dared on this forbidden soil

To tread, where dwell the dreadful deities

We tremble e'en to name, and as we pass

Dare not behold, but silently revere,

Or soft with words of fairest omen greet?

Of these regardless, here we come to find

An impious wretch. I look around the grove,

But still he lurks unseen.

Oedipus
Scene V.

Antigone, Chorus.

Oedipus

Behold me here ;

For by your words I find you look for me.

Chorus

[looking steadfastly at him]. Dreadful his voice

and terrible his aspect !

Chorus
(Edi. I am no outlaw ; do not look thus on me.

Jove the defender ! who is this old man ?

Oedipus

One on whom fortune little hath bestowed
170

To call for reverence from you ; that, alas !
170

Is but too plain ; thus by another's eyes
170

Conducted here, and on her aid depending.
170

Old as I am.
170

Chorus

Alas ! and wert thou born

Thus sightless? Full of sorrow and of years

Indeed thou seemst ; but do not let on us

Thy curse devolve. Thou hast transgressed the bounds

Prescribed to mortals ; shun this hallowed grove,

AVliere on the grassy surface to the powere

A welcome ottering flows with honc^y mixed

The limpid stream ; unhappy stranger, lienco,

Away, begone ! Thou seest 'tis a long space

Divides us : dost thou hear me, wretched exile ?

This instiint, if thou dost, depart, then speak,

But not before.

Oedipus

Antigone, my daughter,

What's to be done 1

Antigone

Obey the citizens ;

Give me thy hand.

Confiding thus in you, and thus removing

As you directed, let me not be injured.

Chorus
(Edi. I will ; and now, my friends.

Thou shalt not ; be assured that thou art safe ;

None shall offend or drive thee hence.

Oedipus

Yet more

Must I approach ?
180

Chorus

A little farther still.

Chorus
(Edi. Will this suffice 1

Remove him this way, virgin ;

Thou hearst us.

Antigone

Thou must follow me, my father,

Weak as thou art ; we are unhappy strangers,

And must submit ; whate'er the city hates

Content to hate, and what she loves to love.

Oedipus

Lead me, my daughter, to some hallowed spot

For mutual converse fit, nor let us strive

With dire necessity.

Chorus

Stop there, nor move

Beyond that stone.

DI. Thus, then ?

Oedipus

Where should I sit?
195

Chorus

A little forward lean.

And rest thee there.

Antigone

[takioig hold of hwi]. Alas ! *tis my sad office —

Let me perform it — to direct thy steps ;

To this loved hand commit thy aged limbs ;
200

T will be careful. [She seats him on the stone.

Oedipus

O unh^npy State !

It is enough.

Chorus

Now, wretched stranger, tell us who thou art,

Thy country, and thy name.

Oedipus

Alas ! my lords,

A poor abandoned exile; but, oh ! do not

Chorus

What sayst thou ?

Oedipus

Do not ask me who I am ;
210

Inquire no farther.

Chorus

Wherefore ?

Oedipus

My sad race

Chorus

Speak on.

I proceed ?

Chorus
(Edi. [turning to Antigone]. My daughter, how shall

Thy race, thy father
215

GEdi. O Antigone !
215

What do I suffer?
215

Antigone

Speak ; thou canst not be

More wretched than thou art.

Oedipus

I will ; for, oh !

It cannot be concealed.

Chorus

You do delay ;

Inform us straight.

Oedipus

Know you the son of Laius ?
220

Chorus

Alas !

Oedipus

The race of Labdacus.

Chorus

O Jove !

Oedipus

Th' unhappy CEdipus.

Chorus

And art thou he 1

Oedipus

Be not affrighted at my words.

Chorus

O Heaven !

Oedipus

Wretch that I am ! what will become of me ?
225

Chorus

Away, begone, fly from this place !

Oedipus

Then where

Are all your promises ? are they forgotten ?

Chorus

Justice divine will never punish those

Who but repay the injury they receive ;

And fraud doth merit fraud for its reward.

Wherefore, begone, and leave us, lest once more

Our city be compelled to force thee hence.

Antigone

O my kind friends ! as you revere the name

Of virtue, though you will not hear the prayers

Of my unhappy father, worn with age

And laden with involuntary crimes ;
240

Yet hear the daughter pleading for her sire,

And pity her who with no evil eye

Beholds you, but, as one of the same race,

Born of one common father, here entreats

Your mercy to th' unhappy, for on you,
245

As on some god alone, we must rely ;

Then grant this wished-for boon — oh ! gi'ant it now,

By all that's dear to thee, thy sacred word,

Thy interest, thy children, and thy god ;
250

'Tis not in mortals to avoid the crime

Which Heaven hath pre-ordained.

Chorus

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 117 focus

Who may this be? Where is he? Look around :

Where now abides he? He hath left his seat,

Of mortals the most restless. See you him?
120

Look on each side; call to him; this old man

Hath rov'd with wandering steps, with wandering steps

Hath roved; a stranger surely; else he ne'er

Had enter'd, where no foot may tread, the grove
125

Of these infuriate virgins, whom we dread

To name, and awe-struct pass without a look,

Without addressing them, without a word,
130

Save what of happy omen from our mouths

Caution permits. Now we are told that one

Revering nothing hath approach'd this place.

Through all the grove I cast my searching eye,
135

But cannot see where now he makes abode.

Oedipus
CŒDIPUS, ANTIGONE, CHORUS.

I am that man; for what you said I heard.

Chorus

Horrid his aspect, horrid is his voice.

Oedipus

Nay, I beseech you, deem me not a wretch

Profane, that bids defiance to the laws.

Chorus

Jove the Protector, who is this old man!

Oedipus

One, whom his former fortune hath not led

To happiness, ye rulers of this land;
145

In proof, I had not by another's eyes

Else crawl'd along, nor had this heavy frame

By a weak virgin been conducted thus.

Chorus

Alas, those sightless eyes denote thy fate

Unhappy, and thy aspect gives me proof
150

That thou art old. Yet charge not on our heads,

For we are innocent, the curse that hangs

O'er thee; for thou hast pass'd the bounds prescribed;

These thou hast pass'd: but set not thy rash foot

On the fresh verdure of that awful grove,

Where the full goblet with the fluent stream

Tempers the honied draught: forbear, restrain
160

Thy steps, ill-fated stranger; thence withdraw.

Wide is the space between us; dost thou hear,

Unhappy wanderer? Wou'dst thou hold discourse
165

With us, from that forbidden place remove

Come to us; converse here is free to all,

Here freely speak; till then refrain thy tongue.

Oedipus

Daughter, with prudence what may be resolved ?

Antigone

The judgment of the natives to regard,

Oedipus

And unreluctant, as behoves us, yield.

Take hold on me.

I touch, I feel thee now.

O strangers, since I leave this hallow'd place
175

In you confiding, let me not have wrong.
175

Chorus

From wrong thou art secure: nor from that seat..

Shalt thou, old man, against thy will be led.

Oedipus

Further must I come forward?

Oedipus

Yet further ?
180

Antigone

Further yet.

Onward, virgin, guide his feet,

Thou canst discern how far you must advance.

Follow me, O my father, with dark steps

Follow where I shall lead thee; and reflect

Thou art a stranger in a foreign land;

What to the natives then is odious, hate;

And what is dear to them, with reverence treat.

Oedipus

Then lead me, daughter, where our foot may tread

Offending no religion, there to speak,

There hear; nor war we with Necessity.

Chorus

Stop there; nor o'er the rocky pavement set!

Thy foot: there stay; enough hast thou advanced.

On that stone's slooping top,

Oedipus

But may I sit?
195

Chorus

Gently inclining forward.

Antigone

Mine the care

Softly to guide thee step by step. Now bend

Thy aged body on my careful hand.

Oedipus

Ah, what severe affliction rends my heart!

Chorus

Unhappy man, since now thy foot hath rest,

Oedipus

Tell us who gave thee birth, and who thou art

Through many toils thus led; thy country what

I would inquire.

Ostrangers, I have none,

Outcast I have no country. But no more......

Chorus

Why dost thou speak these words, old man?

Oedipus

No more
210

Ask who I am, nor further question urge.

Chorus

What may this be?

Oedipus

A race to misery doom'd.

Chorus

Yet speak.

Oedipus

Ah me, how can I speak, my child!

Chorus

Whence is thy lineage, who thy father, say.
215

Oedipus

Alas, my daughter, what must I endure!

Antigone

Yet speak, since now th' extreme of ills is thine.

Oedipus

Then I will speak; t' evade it nought avails.

Chorus

How irksome your delay! Tell us with speed.

Oedipus

Know you one sprung from Laius?
220

Oedipus

Of the high race of Labdacus?

What means this?

Chorus

O Jove!

Oedipus

The wretched Edipus ?

Chorus

And art thou he?

Oedipus

Nay, start not back through fear at what I say;

I am that wretch.

Chorus

O all ye holy gods!........

Oedipus

My child, what fortune will betide us now!
225

Chorus

Go hence, far hence, far from my country go.

Oedipus

Where shall thy promise then its sanction find?

Chorus

To none is vengeance destined, who repay.

Wrongs first received; and fraud opposed to fraud

Brings on the first deceiver punishment,

Not grace. So then, since thou hast left those seats,
230

Hence with thy utmost speed, and quit this land,
230

Nor further violate my country's peace.
230

Strangers revering virtue, since your minds

Are adverse to my father old and blind,

Hearing report of deeds to which his will

Consented not, yet me, unhappy me,

Ye generous strangers, pity; I implore

Your pity, for my father I implore,

Blushing as to your eyes my eyes I raise,

Yet as deriving from your source my blood,

Pray you to reverence his afflicted age:

How godlike this! On you our hopes depend.

Assent, refuse not to my pray'rs this grace,
235

I beg by all your souls hold dear, your wives,
235

Your children, by your duty, by the god.
235

View mortal man, none ever will you find,

If the god force him, that can shun his fate.

Chorus

What should I say? Thoughts, whither do you lead?

Oedipus

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 118-250 focus

The Chorus of elders of Colonus enters the orchestra.

Chorus

Look! Who was he, then? Where is he staying? Where has he rushed from this place,

man most insatiate of all who live? Scan the ground, look well, press the search everywhere. A wanderer that old man must have been,
120

a wanderer, not a dweller in the land; otherwise he never would have advanced into this untrodden grove of the maidens with whom none may strive.
125

Their name we tremble to speak; we pass them by with eyes turned away, moving our lips, without sound or word, in still devotion.
But now it is said that one has come who reveres them not at all;
130

and him I cannot yet discern, though I look round all the holy place, nor do I know where to find his lodging.
135
Oedipus steps forward with Antigone.

Oedipus

Behold the man you seek! In sound is my sight, as the saying goes.

Chorus

Oh! Oh! Fearful he is to see, and fearful to hear!
140

Oedipus

Do not regard me, I beg you, as a lawless man.

Chorus

Zeus defend us! Who may this old man be?

Oedipus

Not so wholly of the best fate

that you would call him fortunate, guardians of this land! It is plain; otherwise I would not be creeping, as you see, by the eyes of others, and buoying my strength upon weakness.
145

148

Chorus

Alas! Were you sightless even from birth?

Evil have been your days, and many, it appears. But at least if I can help it, you shall not add this curse to your lot. You go too far—too far!
150

That your rash steps may intrude on the field of this voiceless, grassy glade, where the waters of the mixing bowl blend their stream with the flow of honied offerings, beware, unhappiest of strangers.
155

Retire! Withdraw! Let a wide space part us. Do you hear, toil-worn wanderer? If you have anything to say in converse with us,
160

leave forbidden ground, and speak where it is lawful for all; but, till then, refrain.
165

Oedipus

Daughter, to what counsel shall we incline?
170

Antigone

My father, we must behave just as the townspeople do, listening and giving way where it is necessary.

Oedipus

Then give me your hand.

Antigone

I lay it in yours.

Oedipus

Strangers, let me not suffer wrong

when I have trusted in you, and have passed from my refuge!
175

176

Chorus

Never, old man, never will anyone remove you from your resting-place here against your will.

Oedipus begins to move forward.

Oedipus

Further, then?

Chorus

Come still further.

Oedipus

Further?
180

Chorus

Lead him onward, maiden, for you hear us and obey.

Antigone

Oedipus

Antigone

Come, follow this way with your dark steps, father, as I lead you.

Oedipus

Chorus

Stranger in a foreign land,

poor man, have the courage to detest what the city steadfastly holds as not dear, and to reverence what it holds dear!
185

Oedipus

Lead me, then, child, to a spot where I may speak and listen within piety’s domain,

and let us not wage war with necessity.
190

192

Chorus

There! Do not incline your steps beyond that ledge of bedrock.

Oedipus

This far?

Chorus

Enough, I say

Oedipus

Shall I sit down?
195

Chorus

Yes, move sideways, and crouch low on the edge of the rock.

Antigone

Father, this is my task: calmly to—

Oedipus

Ah me! ah me!

Antigone

—fit step to step, and lean your aged frame upon my dear arm.
200

Oedipus

Alas for my sad destruction!

Antigone seats him on the rock.

Chorus

Ah, poor man, since now you are at ease, speak! What is your lineage among mortals? With what name are you led on your weary path?

What fatherland can you tell us of?
205

207

Oedipus

Strangers, I am without a city, but do not—

Chorus

What is this that you forbid, old man?

Oedipus

do not, do not ask me who I am! Do not seek or probe further!
210

Chorus

What does this mean?

Oedipus

Horrid the birth—

Chorus

Speak!

Oedipus

My child—ah, me!—what shall I say?

Chorus

What is your lineage, stranger? Speak! And who is your father?
215

Oedipus

Woe is me! What will become of me, my child?

Antigone

Speak, for you are driven to the verge.

Oedipus

Then speak I will. I have no way to hide it.

Chorus

You two make a long delay. Come, hasten!

Oedipus

Do you know of a son of Laius?
220

Chorus

Oh!

Oedipus

—And the race of the Labdacidae?

Chorus

O Zeus!

Oedipus

—and the pitiful Oedipus?

Chorus

You are he?

Oedipus

Have no fear of any words that I speak—

Chorus

Ah, no, no!

Oedipus

Unhappy that I am!

Chorus

Oh, oh!

Oedipus

Daughter, what is about to happen?
225

Chorus

Out with you! Go forth from the land!

Oedipus

And your promise—to what fulfillment will you bring it?

Chorus

No man is visited by the punishment of fate if he requites deeds which were first done to himself.

Deceit on the one part matches deceits on the other, and gives pain instead of pleasure for reward. And you—back with you! Out from your seat!
230

Away from my land with all speed, that you may not fasten some heavier burden on my city!
235

Antigone

Reverent strangers, since you have not endured my aged father—knowing, as you do,

the rumor of his unintended deeds—pity at least my poor self, I implore you, who supplicate you for my father alone. I beg you with eyes that can still look
240

on your own, like one sprung from your own blood, that this sufferer may meet with reverent treatment.
On you, as on a god, we depend in our misery. But come, grant the favor for which we hardly dare hope!
245

I implore you by everything that you hold dear at home: by child, by wife, or treasure, or god! Look well and you will not find the mortal who, if a god should lead him on, could escape.
250

Notes on the current edition

Oedipus at Colonus

1. (is, as we agreedas we agreed

2. (σιξ)

3. (the Greeks, when conquering the Persians at Cunaxa, 401 B.C.401 B.C.

4. ( σξ. τῇ πράξει )

5. (

αἰδοῖα

ai)doi=a

6. (and in five other places)

7. (= ποιοῦσί με ταρβεῖνpoiou=s1i/ me tarbei=n

8. (a king's skill)

9. (

δεῖ

)

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117-253: Parodos

Current edition Experimental

Οἰδίπους ὅδʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐγώ· φωνῇ γὰρ ὁρῶ, [98 b. τὸ φατιζόμενον.

Χορός ἰὼ ἰώ, 140 δεινὸς μὲν ὁρᾶν, δεινὸς δὲ κλύειν.

Οἰδίπους μή μʼ, ἱκετεύω, προσίδητʼ ἄνομον.

Χορός Ζεῦ ἀλεξῆτορ, τίς ποθʼ ὁ πρέσβυς;

Οἰδίπους οὐ πάνυ μοίρας εὐδαιμονίσαι πρώτης, ὦ τῆσδʼ ἔφοροι χώρας. 145 δηλῶ δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὧδʼ ἀλλοτρίοις ὄμμασιν εἷρπον κἀπὶ σμικροῖς μέγας ὥρμουν.

Χορός

Οἰδίπους θύγατερ, ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ; 170

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ πάτερ, ἀστοῖς ἴσα χρὴ μελετᾶν, εἴκοντας ἃ δεῖ κοὐκ ἄκοντας.

Οἰδίπους πρόσθιγέ νύν μου.

Ἀντιγόνη ψαύω καὶ δή.

Οἰδίπους ὦ *ξεῖνοι, μὴ δῆτʼ ἀδικηθῶ [99 a. σοὶ πιστεύσας καὶ μεταναστάς. 175

Χορός

οὔ τοι μήποτέ σʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων, ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει. β

Οἰδίπους ἔτʼ οὖν ; [ἔτι προβῶ;]

Χορός ἐπίβαινε *πόρσω.

Οἰδίπους ἔτι; 180

Χορός *προβίβαζε, κούρα, πρόσω· σὺ γὰρ ἀΐεις.

Ἀντιγόνη ἕπεο μάν, ἕπεʼ ὧδʼ ἀμαυρῷ κώλῳ, πάτερ, ᾇ σʼ ἄγω.

Χορός τόλμα ξεῖνος ἐπὶ *ξένης, ὦ *τλάμων, ὅ τι καὶ πόλις 185 τέτροφεν ἄφιλον ἀποστυγεῖν καὶ τὸ φίλον σέβεσθαι.

Οἰδίπους ἄγε νῦν σύ με, παῖ, ἵνʼ ἂν εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες τὸ μὲν εἴποιμεν, τὸ δʼ ἀκούσαιμεν, 190 καὶ μὴ χρείᾳ πολεμῶμεν.

Χορός

αὐτοῦ· μηκέτι τοῦδʼ ἀντιπέτρου βήματος ἔξω πόδα κλίνῃς.

Οἰδίπους ἀντ. βʼ. οὕτως;

Χορός ἅλις, ὡς ἀκούεις.

Οἰδίπους ἦ ʼσθῶ; 195

Χορός λέχριός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρου λάου βραχὺς ὀκλάσας.

Ἀντιγόνη πάτερ, ἐμὸν τόδʼ· ἐν *ἡσυχαίᾳ βάσει βάσιν ἅρμοσαι,

Οἰδίπους ἰώ μοί μοι.

Ἀντιγόνη γεραιὸν ἐς χέρα σῶμα σὸν 200 προκλίνας φιλίαν ἐμάν.

Οἰδίπους ὤμοι δύσφρονος ἄτας.

Χορός ὦ τλάμων, ὅτε νῦν χαλᾷς, αὔδασον, τίς ἔφυς βροτῶν; τίς ὁ πολύπονος ἄγει; τίνʼ * ἂν 205 σοῦ πατρίδʼ ἐκπυθοίμαν;

Οἰδίπους

ἐπ.α΄. ὦ ξένοι, ἀπόπτολις· ἀλλὰ μή,

Χορός τί τόδʼ ἀπεννέπεις, γέρον ;

Οἰδίπους μὴ μὴ μή μʼ ἀνέρῃ τίς εἰμι, 210 μηδʼ ἐξετάσῃς πέρα ματεύων.

Χορός †τί τόδε ;

Οἰδίπους δεινὰ φύσις.

Χορός αὔδα.

Οἰδίπους τέκνον, ὤμοι, τί γεγώνω;

Χορός τίνος εἶ σπέρματος, *ὦ ξένε, φώνει, πατρόθεν ; 215

Οἰδίπους ὤμοι ἐγώ, τί πάθω, τέκνον ἐμόν;

Ἀντιγόνη λέγʼ, ἐπείπερ ἐπʼ ἔσχατα βαίνεις.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ ἐρῶ· οὐ γὰρ ἔχω κατακρυφάν.

Χορός μακρὰ * μέλλετον, ἀλλὰ *τάχυνε.

Οἰδίπους Λαΐου ἴστε τινʼ; *(-) 220

Χορός *ἰοὺ ἰού.

Οἰδίπους τό τε Λαβδακιδᾶν γένος;

Χορός ὦ Ζεῦ, [99 b.

Οἰδίπους ἄθλιον Οἰδιπόδαν ;

Χορός σὺ γὰρ ὅδʼ εἶ;

Οἰδίπους δέος ἴσχετε μηδὲν ὅσʼ αὐδῶ.

Χορός ὠὼ ὠώ. ΟΙ. δύσμορος.

Χορός ὠώ.

Οἰδίπους θύγατερ, τί ποτʼ αὐτίκα κύρσει; 225

Χορός ἔξω πόρσω βαίνετε χώρας.

Οἰδίπους ἃ δʼ ὑπέσχεο ποῖ καταθήσεις;

Χορός

Οἰδίπους ὅδʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐγώ· φωνῇ γὰρ ὁρῶ, τὸ φατιζόμενον.

Χορός ἰὼ ἰώ, 140 δεινὸς μὲν ὁρᾶν, δεινὸς δὲ κλύειν.

Οἰδίπους μή μʼ, ἱκετεύω, προσίδητʼ ἄνομον.

Χορός Ζεῦ ἀλεξῆτορ, τίς ποθʼ ὁ πρέσβυς;

Οἰδίπους οὐ πάνυ μοίρας εὐδαιμονίσαι πρώτης, ὦ τῆσδʼ ἔφοροι χώρας. 145 δηλῶ δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὧδʼ ἀλλοτρίοις ὄμμασιν εἷρπον κἀπὶ σμικροῖς μέγας ὥρμουν.

Οἰδίπους θύγατερ, ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ; 170

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ πάτερ, ἀστοῖς ἴσα χρὴ μελετᾶν, εἴκοντας ἃ δεῖ κἀκούοντας.

Οἰδίπους πρόσθιγέ νύν μου.

Ἀντιγόνη ψαύω καὶ δή.

Οἰδίπους ὦ ξένε, μὴ δῆτʼ ἀδικηθῶ σοὶ πιστεύσας καὶ μεταναστάς. 175

Χορός οὔ τοι μήποτέ σʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων, ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει.

Οἰδίπους ἔτʼ οὖν;

Χορός ἔτι βαῖνε πόρσω.

Οἰδίπους ἔτι;

Χορός προβίβαζε, κούρα, 180 πόρσω· σὺ γὰρ ἀΐεις.

Ἀντιγόνη

Οἰδίπους

Ἀντιγόνη ἕπεο μάν, ἕπεʼ ὧδʼ ἀμαυρῷ κώλῳ, πάτερ, ᾇ σʼ ἄγω.

Οἰδίπους

Οἰδίπους

ὅδʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐγώ· φωνῇ γὰρ ὁρῶ,

[98 b.

τὸ φατιζόμενον.

Χορός

ἰὼ ἰώ,
140

δεινὸς μὲν ὁρᾶν, δεινὸς δὲ κλύειν.

Οἰδίπους

μή μʼ, ἱκετεύω, προσίδητʼ ἄνομον.

Χορός

Ζεῦ ἀλεξῆτορ, τίς ποθʼ ὁ πρέσβυς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ πάνυ μοίρας εὐδαιμονίσαι

πρώτης, ὦ τῆσδʼ ἔφοροι χώρας.
145

δηλῶ δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὧδʼ ἀλλοτρίοις

ὄμμασιν εἷρπον

κἀπὶ σμικροῖς μέγας ὥρμουν.

Οἰδίπους

θύγατερ, ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ;
170

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ, ἀστοῖς ἴσα χρὴ μελετᾶν,

εἴκοντας ἃ δεῖ κοὐκ ἄκοντας.

Οἰδίπους

πρόσθιγέ νύν μου.

Ἀντιγόνη

ψαύω καὶ δή.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ *ξεῖνοι, μὴ δῆτʼ ἀδικηθῶ

[99 a.

σοὶ πιστεύσας καὶ μεταναστάς.
175

οὔ τοι μήποτέ σʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων,

ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει.

β

Οἰδίπους

ἔτʼ οὖν ; [ἔτι προβῶ;]

Χορός

ἐπίβαινε *πόρσω.

Οἰδίπους

ἔτι;
180

Χορός

*προβίβαζε, κούρα,

πρόσω· σὺ γὰρ ἀΐεις.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἕπεο μάν, ἕπεʼ ὧδʼ ἀμαυρῷ

κώλῳ, πάτερ, ᾇ σʼ ἄγω.

Χορός

τόλμα ξεῖνος ἐπὶ ξένης,

ὦ τλάμων, ὅ τι καὶ πόλις
185

τέτροφεν ἄφιλον ἀποστυγεῖν

καὶ τὸ φίλον σέβεσθαι.

Οἰδίπους

ἄγε νῦν σύ με, παῖ,

ἵνʼ ἂν εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες

τὸ μὲν εἴποιμεν, τὸ δʼ ἀκούσαιμεν,
190

καὶ μὴ χρείᾳ πολεμῶμεν.

αὐτοῦ· μηκέτι τοῦδʼ ἀντιπέτρου

βήματος ἔξω πόδα κλίνῃς.

Οἰδίπους

ἀντ. βʼ. οὕτως;

Χορός

ἅλις, ὡς ἀκούεις.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ ʼσθῶ;
195

Χορός

λέχριός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρου

λάου βραχὺς ὀκλάσας.

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, ἐμὸν τόδʼ· ἐν *ἡσυχαίᾳ

βάσει βάσιν ἅρμοσαι,

Οἰδίπους

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Ἀντιγόνη

γεραιὸν ἐς χέρα σῶμα σὸν
200

προκλίνας φιλίαν ἐμάν.

Οἰδίπους

ὤμοι δύσφρονος ἄτας.

Χορός

ὦ τλάμων, ὅτε νῦν χαλᾷς,

αὔδασον, τίς ἔφυς βροτῶν;

τίς ὁ πολύπονος ἄγει; τίνʼ * ἂν
205

σοῦ πατρίδʼ ἐκπυθοίμαν;

ἐπ.α΄. ὦ ξένοι,

ἀπόπτολις· ἀλλὰ μή,

Χορός

τί τόδʼ ἀπεννέπεις, γέρον ;

Οἰδίπους

μὴ μὴ μή μʼ ἀνέρῃ τίς εἰμι,
210

μηδʼ ἐξετάσῃς πέρα ματεύων.

Χορός

†τί τόδε ;

Οἰδίπους

δεινὰ φύσις.

Χορός

αὔδα.

Οἰδίπους

τέκνον, ὤμοι, τί γεγώνω;

Χορός

τίνος εἶ σπέρματος, *ὦ ξένε, φώνει, πατρόθεν ;
215

Οἰδίπους

ὤμοι ἐγώ, τί πάθω, τέκνον ἐμόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

λέγʼ, ἐπείπερ ἐπʼ ἔσχατα βαίνεις.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ ἐρῶ· οὐ γὰρ ἔχω κατακρυφάν.

Χορός

μακρὰ * μέλλετον, ἀλλὰ *τάχυνε.

Οἰδίπους

Λαΐου ἴστε τινʼ; *(-)
220

Χορός

*ἰοὺ ἰού.

Οἰδίπους

τό τε Λαβδακιδᾶν γένος;

Χορός

ὦ Ζεῦ,

[99 b.

Οἰδίπους

ἄθλιον Οἰδιπόδαν ;

Χορός

σὺ γὰρ ὅδʼ εἶ;

Οἰδίπους

δέος ἴσχετε μηδὲν ὅσʼ αὐδῶ.

Χορός

ὠὼ ὠώ. ΟΙ. δύσμορος.

Χορός

ὠώ.

Οἰδίπους

θύγατερ, τί ποτʼ αὐτίκα κύρσει;
225

Χορός

ἔξω πόρσω βαίνετε χώρας.

Οἰδίπους

ἃ δʼ ὑπέσχεο ποῖ καταθήσεις;

Οἰδίπους

ὅδʼ ἐκεῖνος ἐγώ· φωνῇ γὰρ ὁρῶ,

τὸ φατιζόμενον.

Χορός

ἰὼ ἰώ,
140

δεινὸς μὲν ὁρᾶν, δεινὸς δὲ κλύειν.

Οἰδίπους

μή μʼ, ἱκετεύω, προσίδητʼ ἄνομον.

Χορός

Ζεῦ ἀλεξῆτορ, τίς ποθʼ ὁ πρέσβυς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ πάνυ μοίρας εὐδαιμονίσαι

πρώτης, ὦ τῆσδʼ ἔφοροι χώρας.
145

δηλῶ δʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὧδʼ ἀλλοτρίοις

ὄμμασιν εἷρπον

κἀπὶ σμικροῖς μέγας ὥρμουν.

Οἰδίπους

θύγατερ, ποῖ τις φροντίδος ἔλθῃ;
170

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ, ἀστοῖς ἴσα χρὴ μελετᾶν,

εἴκοντας ἃ δεῖ κἀκούοντας.

Οἰδίπους

πρόσθιγέ νύν μου.

Ἀντιγόνη

ψαύω καὶ δή.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξένε, μὴ δῆτʼ ἀδικηθῶ σοὶ

πιστεύσας καὶ μεταναστάς.
175

Χορός

οὔ τοι μήποτέ σʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἑδράνων,

ὦ γέρον, ἄκοντά τις ἄξει.

Οἰδίπους

ἔτʼ οὖν;

Χορός

ἔτι βαῖνε πόρσω.

Οἰδίπους

ἔτι;

Χορός

προβίβαζε, κούρα,
180

πόρσω· σὺ γὰρ ἀΐεις.

Ἀντιγόνη

ἕπεο μάν, ἕπεʼ ὧδʼ ἀμαυρῷ κώλῳ, πάτερ, ᾇ σʼ ἄγω.

Χορός

τόλμα ξεῖνος ἐπὶ ξένης,

ὦ τλάμων, ὅ τι καὶ πόλις
185

τέτροφεν ἄφιλον ἀποστυγεῖν

καὶ τὸ φίλον σέβεσθαι.

Οἰδίπους

ἄγε νυν σύ με, παῖ,

ἵνʼ ἂν εὐσεβίας ἐπιβαίνοντες

τὸ μὲν εἴποιμεν, τὸ δʼ ἀκούσαιμεν,
190

καὶ μὴ χρείᾳ πολεμῶμεν.

Χορός

αὐτοῦ· μηκέτι τοῦδʼ αὐτοπέτρου βήματος ἔξω πόδα κλίνῃς.

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως;

Χορός

ἅλις, ὡς ἀκούεις.

Οἰδίπους

ἦ ἑσθῶ;
195

Χορός

λέχριός γʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρου

λᾶος βραχὺς ὀκλάσας.

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, ἐμὸν τόδʼ· ἐν ἁσυχαίᾳ

Οἰδίπους

ἰώ μοί μοι.

Ἀντιγόνη

βάσει βάσιν ἅρμοσαι,

γεραὸν ἐς χέρα σῶμα σὸν
200

προκλίνας φιλίαν ἐμάν.

Οἰδίπους

ὤμοι δύσφρονος ἄτας.

Χορός

ὦ τλάμων, ὅτε νῦν χαλᾷς,

αὔδασον, τίς ἔφυς βροτῶν;

τίς ὁ πολύπονος ἄγει; τίνʼ ἂν
205

σοῦ πατρίδʼ ἐκπυθοίμαν;