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549-667: Conclusion of first episode

καὶ μὴν introducing the new person: cp. 1249: so Ant. 526 , 1180, 1257: Ai. 1168 , 1223: El. 78 , 1422.

ὀμφήν , his message. Usu. of a divine or oracular voice (102), but see 1351: Pind. fr. 53

ὀμφαὶ μελέων σὺν αὐλοῖς

: Eur. Med. 174

μύθων τ’ αὐδαθέντων | … ὀμφάν

(the words of the Chorus).

ἐφ’ ἁστάλη =

ἐπὶ

(

ταῦτα

)

ἐφ’ ἃ ἐστάλη

(cp. 274);

"that by a small service he might win a great gain"

(72).

The

σκοπός

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

ἔν τε , answered by τανῦν θ’ . The simplest statement would have been

ἔγνωκά σε, ἀκούων ἔν τε τῷ πάρος χρόνῳ τανῦν τε

. Then, by repetition of the partic., we get

ἔγνωκα, ἀκούων τε ἐν τ. π. χρ., ἀκούων τε τανῦν

. And then, by insertion of a new verb,

ἔγνωκά τέ σε, ἀκούων ἐν τ. π. χρ., ἐξεπίσταμαί τε ἀκούων τανῦν

. Cp. the insertion of

ἡγεῖται

in 351, and n.

ἔγνωκά ς’ ,

"I have recognised thee"

—explaining how he is able to greet him by name: not merely,

"I recognise thee."

ἔγνωκα is used (1) with a distinctly perfect sense: Lys. or. 17 § 6

ταῦτα...πρότερον ἐγνώκατε ἡμέτερα εἶναι

: Dem. or. 3 § 10

ὅτι...δεῖ βοηθεῖν...πάντες ἐγνώκαμεν

. (2) More like a present, yet always with a certain emphasis,

" I have come to know "

: Aristoph. Eq. 871

ἔγνωκας οὖν δῆτ’ αὐτὸν οἷός ἐστιν

;

"have you found out what sort of man he is?"

Her. 1.207

εἰ δ’ ἔγνωκας ὅτι ἄνθρωπος εἶς

(if you have realised that you are a mortal): Plat. Rep. 366C

ἱκανῶς...ἔγνωκεν ὅτι ἄριστον δικαιοσύνη

(he has thoroughly apprehended). So Pind. P. 4. 287 , Aesch. PV 51 , ὁδοῖς , the coming of Theseus from Athens (Campb. understands the coming of Oed. to Attica): the plur. of one journey, as Ant. 226

ὁδοῖς κυκλῶν ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἀναστροφήν

, and so El. 68 : otherwise below, 1397.

ἀκούων , after the same word in 551, is awkward. The γάρ in 555 might also suggest that the partic. here referred to the evidence of his own eyes, not to further hearsay by the way.

λεύσσων

is intrinsically the best substitute that has been proposed: but it has no palaeographic probability. I had thought of

ἱκάνων

(cp. 576). Doubtless it is possible that

ἀκούων

was not a corruption of a similar form, but merely an inadvertent repetition from 551.

For

ἀκούων

it may be pleaded that the sense is at least quite intelligible, and that ancient writers, even the most artistic, were less careful than moderns in avoiding such repetitions of single words. Cp. 631

ἐκβάλοι

, 636

ἐκβαλῶ

: 638, 640

ἡδύ

: 966, 969

ἐπεί

: 1000, 1003

καλόν

, 1004

καλῶς

: 1123, 1129: 1451, 1459: 1487 f.: O. T. 517

φέρον

, 519

φέροντι

, 520

φέρει

: ib. 1276, 1278

ὁμοῦ

: Ant. 73 , 76

κείσομαι

: Ai. 1201 , 1204 (

τέρψιν

σκευή : cp. 1597

εἶτ’ ἔλυσε δυσπινεῖς στολάς

. The misery of his aspect impresses Creon (747), as it had impressed the Chorus (150). His garb , then, can hardly have announced a prince, though it may have indicated a Theban. Probably the reference is simply to the tale of long and destitute wanderings which his wretched apparel told (cp. 3 ff.).

δύστηνον , as showing how he had blinded himself: cp. 286.

ὄνθ’ ὃς εἶ , i.e.

Οἰδίπους

. Cp. O. T. 1036

ὠνομάσθης...ὂς εἶ

(Oedipus). Od. 24.159

οὐδέ τις ἡμείων δύνατο γνῶναι τὸν ἐόντα

"and not one of us could tell that he was the man"

(Odysseus).

)περέσθαι aor. (used by Thuc., Plat., etc.); the fut.

ἐπερήσομαι

was also Attic; but the Attic pres. was

ἐπερωτάω, ἐπείρομαι

being only Ionic.

ἐπέστης , hast presented thyself. Plat. Symp. 212D

ἐπιστῆναι ἐπὶ τὰς θύρας

. Esp. of a sudden and unlooked-for appearance before a place (as in war): Isocr. or. 9 § 58

μικροῦ δεῖν ἔλαθεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ βασίλειον ἐπιστάς.

πόλεως … ἐμοῦ τ; , obj. gen.:

τί προστρέπων πόλιν ἐμέ τε

(cp. on ).

ἂν … τύχοις … ἐξαφισταίμην : "strange would be the fortune which (=I cannot imagine what fortune) you could succeed in mentioning, from which I would hold aloof": another way of saying

οὐκ ἂν τύχοις λ. τοιαύτην, ὁποίας ἐξαφισταίμην

. When the optat. with

ἄν

stands in the antecedent clause (as

ἂν τύχοις

here), the optative without

ἄν

stands in the relative clause: cp. Il. 13.343

μάλα κεν θρασυκάρδιος εἴη,

ὃς τότε γηθήσειεν

: he would be right bold of heart, who should then rejoice. Aristoph. Nub. 1250

οὐκ ἂν ἀποδοίην οὐδ’ ἂν ὀβολὸν οὐδενί,

ὅστις καλέσειε κάρδοπον τὴν καρδόπην

. Such a relative clause is equivalent to a protasis with

εἰ

and optat.: as here to

εἰ αὐτῆς ἀφισταίμην

. Cp. Goodwin, Moods and Tenses , § 62. 4. Carefully distinguish the opt.

ὃν...ψέξαιμι

at 1172 , where

πρᾶξιν , "fortune," not "action." The sing. πρᾶξις in Soph. usu. means "fortune," Ai. 790 , Tr. 152 , 294 : while the sense of "action" usu. belongs to the plur. πράξεις , as below, 958 , O. T. 895 , Ant. 435 . There is only one Sophoclean exception each way: in Tr. 879

πρᾶξις

"mode of doing,"

and in Ant. 1305

πράξεις

"fortunes."

Cp. Aesch. PV 695

πέφρικ’ ἐσιδοῦσα πρᾶξιν Ἰοῦς

. Her. 3.65

ἀπέκλαιε τὴν ἑωυτοῦ πρῆξιν

ξένος . Aethra, the mother of Theseus, was daughter of Pittheus, king of Troezen, where Theseus was brought up, in ignorance that his father was Aegeus, king of Athens. On arriving at manhood, he received from his mother the tokens of his birth (

σύμβολα, γνωρίσματα

) —the sword and sandals left at Troezen by Aegeus—and set out for Attica. There he slew the sons of his uncle Pallas, who were plotting against his father, and was acknowledged by Aegeus as his heir ( Plut. Thes . 4-13 ).

καὶ ὡς ἤθλησα πλεῖστα εἷς ἀνήρ . With

πλεῖστος

the strengthening

εἷς

εἷς ἀνήρ

is esp. freq.: Tr. 460

πλείστας ἀνὴρ εἷς

: Eur. Her. 8

πλείστων μετέσχον εἷς ἀνήρ

: Xen. Cyr. 8.2.15

θησαυροὺς...πλείστους ἑνὶ ἀνδρί

: Thuc. 8.40

μιᾷ γε πόλει...πλεῖστοι

. Cp. O. T. 1380 n. With the MS.

χὤς τις

the

ὡς

before

ἐπαιδεύθην

must be repeated before

ἤθλησα

, the constr. being,

καὶ

(

ὡς

)

ἤθλησα, ὡς ἀνήρ τις πλεῖστα ἤθλησε

. This has been compared with Xen. Anab. 1.3.15

ἄρχεσθαι ἐπίσταμαι ὥς τις καὶ ἄλλος μάλιστ’ ἀνθρώπων

(where some would omit the last two words),—a passage not properly similar: and here ἀνήρ becomes very weak. Elmsley, adopting χὤτι , took

ἀνήρ

as=

εἷς ἀνήρ

, quoting [Eur.] Rhes. 500

καὶ πλεῖστα χώραν τήνδ’ ἀνὴρ καθυβρίσας

(where, for

καὶ

, read

εἷς

with Hermann): and Eur. Hec. 310

θανὼν ὑπὲρ γῆς Ἑλλάδος κάλλιστ’ ἀνήρ

, where we should perh. read

κάλλιστ’ ἀνὴρ εἷς Ελλάδος θανὼν ὕπερ

ἐπὶ ξένης : 184

κινδυνεύματ’ (acc. of cognate notion), his encounters, on his way overland from Troezen to Attica, with various foes,—the robbers Periphetes, Sinis, Sciron, Procrustes,—the sow of Crommyon, —etc.; his slaying of the Minotaur in Crete;—his fighting on the side of the Lapithae against the Centaurs, etc. In all his

αθλοι

Theseus was depicted by the Attic legend as the champion of the oppressed,—

ἀδικήσων μὲν οὐδένα, τοὺς δὲ ὑπάρχοντας βίας ἀμυνούμενος

(Plut. Thes. 7) .

ἐν τὠμῷ κάρᾳ , at the risk of my own life,

ἐν

denoting the stake: Eur. Cycl. 654

ἐν τῷ Καρὶ κινδυνεύσομεν

: Plat. Lach. 187 B

μὴ οὐκ ἐν τῷ Καρὶ ὑμῖν ὁ κίνδυνος κινδυνεύηται, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς υἱέσι

. Cp. Od. 2.237

παρθέμενοι κεφαλάς

, at the risk of their lives (as 3. 74

ψυχὰς παρθέμενοι

): Il. 9.322

αἰὲν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν παραβαλλόμενος πολεμίζειν

. The irreg. dat. κάρᾳ from nom.

κάρα

again Ant. 1272 , El. 445 ( v.l.

κάρα

), fr. 141. 2 : it occurs first in Theogn. 1018 , the Homeric dat. being

κάρητι

κρατί

ξένον with ὑπεκτραποίμην as well as συνεκσῴζειν : cp. Plat. Phaedo 108B

τὴν ἀκάθαρτον

(

ψυχὴν

)...

ἅπας φεύγει τε καὶ ὑπεκτρέπεται

. The notion is that of retiring (

ὑπο‐

) out of the path to avoid meeting a person. Soph. has the act. with gen., Tr. 549

τῶν δ’ ὑπεκτρέπει πόδα.

συνεκσῴζειν , to help in extricating: Antiph. or. 5 § 93

τὸ σῶμα ἀπειρηκὸς ἡ ψυχὴ συνεξέσωσεν

ἀνὴρ =

θνητός

: Ant. 768

φρονείτω μεῖζον ἢ κατ’ ἄνδρ’ ἰών

. Cp. 393.

δοῦ =

ἢ σοί

: Ant. 74

πλείων χρόνος | ὃν δεῖ μ’ ἀρέσκειν τοῖς ἐκεῖ τῶν ἐνθάδε

: Thuc. 1.85

ἔξεστι δ’ ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ἑτέρων

τὸ σὸν γενναῖον : shown in sparing Oed. the painful task of introducing himself and telling his story.

παρῆκεν (aor. of

παρίημι

) closely with

ὥστε … δεῖσθαι

: "has graciously permitted that there should be," etc. Cp. 591: El. 1482

ἀλλά μοι πάρες | κἂν σμικρὸν εἰπεῖν

: Ant. 1043

( οὐδ’ ὣς ) θάπτειν παρήσω κεῖνον

. ( Not , "has so passed the matter on,""so left it.") For ὥστε cp. Her. 6.5

οὐ γὰρ ἔπειθε τοὺς Χίους ὥστε ἑωυτῷ δοῦναι νέας

: and see on .

ὥστε ἐμοὶ δεῖσθαι , so that there is need for me, βραχέα φράσαι , to say but little.

δεῖσθαι midd., impersonal,=

δεῖν

. (It could not be pass. , with

βραχέα

for subject.) Bekker Anecd. p. 88. 21

δεῖται· ἀντὶ τοῦ δεῖ· ἀπελθεῖν με δεῖται

. The only example (so far as I know), besides our passage, is Plat. Meno. 79C

δεῖται οὖν σοι πάλιν...τῆς αὐτῆς ἐρωτήσεως

. And presently:

ἢ οὐ δοκεῖ σοι πάλιν δεῖσθαι τῆς αὐτῆς ἐρωτήσεως

; In the former place, while the best MSS. have

δεῖται

, some have

δεῖ

. (I do not add

δεήσεσθαι

, ib. E, since that may be personal.) If, however, the text can be trusted, these are clear instances, for it would be very forced to supply

ὁ λόγος

. In Her. 4.11

δεόμενον

(as if=

δέον

) is plainly corrupt: Buttmann's

δέοι μένοντας

may be right. If we altered ἐμοὶ to ἐμοῦ , the subject to

δεῖσθαι

would be

τὸ σὸν γενναῖον

. But then

δεῖσθαι

would mean

"requests,"

rather than

"requires,"

of me.

For the dat. ἐμοί with

δεῖσθαι

(instead of

ἐμέ

as subj. to

φράσαι

) cp. Eur. Hipp. 940

θεοῖσι προσβαλεῖν χθονὶ | ἄλλην δεήσει γαῖαν

: and see on . Wecklein takes

ἐμοί

with

παρῆκεν

, permisit mihi , but the interposed ὥστε forbids this. The conject. σοι (for

ἐμοί

"to say little to thee ,"

would be very weak.

Theseus has named Oed. (557) and Laïus (553), but not Thebes. A knowledge of the stranger's country was implied by the rest. Cp. on . γῆς could stand with

ἦλθον

(cp. O. T. 152

Πυθῶνος ἔβας

, Ph. 630

νεὼς ἄγοντα

), but is more simply governed by

ἀπὸ

χὡ λόγος διοίχεται , and the statement is at an end. ὁ λόγος is the explanation due from Oedipus after sending for Theseus. Cp. Eur. Suppl. 528

¹εἰ γάρ τι καὶ πεπόνθατ’ Ἀργείων ὕπο,

τεθνᾶσιν, ἠμύνασθε πολεμίους καλῶς,

αἰσχρῶς δ’ ἐκείνοις, χἡ δίκη διοίχεται

: i.e. , if you have been wronged, you have had satisfaction,

"and the cause is closed. "

διέρχεται (L) is certainly corrupt. It ought to mean,

"the discussion is being carried through,"

rather than,

"our conference draws to an end"

(as Campbell, comparing

διεξελήλυθα πάντα, διεξῆλθον διὰ μακροῦ λόγου

, which are not similar). And if

ὁ λόγος

means

"our comerence,"

then Oedipus is assuming that his petition has only to be stated in order to be granted.

τοῦτ’ αὐτὸ marks eagerness: O. T. 545

ΟΙ. ...βαρύν σ’ εὕρηκ’ ἐμοί. ΚΡ. τοῦτ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτ’ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ

τὰ δὲ | κέρδη : cp. 265. Doederlein understands,

τὰ δὲ κέρδη μᾶλλον ἀγαθά ἐστιν ἢ καλή ἐστιν ἡ μορφή

. Schneidewin and Wecklein adopt this forced explanation, which is condemned both by

παρ’ αὐτοῦ

and by the absence of the art. with

μορφή

που , i.e. so far as Oed. can conjecture the purpose of Apollo. He could not be sure that the close of his life would immediately follow on his arrival at the grove. The promised sign of the end had not yet been given (94).

ποίῳ , sc.

χρόνῳ

, asks with surprise for some further definition of the vague

χρόνῳ μάθοις ἄν

. Theseus naturally assumes that the blessings are to come in the lifetime of Oedipus. And if not now, he asks, then in what contingency? The answer startles him.

προσφορὰ , offering, present. Theophrast. Char. XXX (=XXVI in my 1st ed.) it is like the

αἰσχροκερδής, γαμοῦντός τινος τῶν φίλων καὶ ἐκδιδομένου θυγατέρα πρὸ χρόνου τινὸς ἀποδημῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ πέμψῃ προσφοράν

(a wedding-present). Cp. 1270.

δηλώσεται , pass.: see O. T. 672 n.

i.e.

"You ask for the last offices which piety can render: you do not ask me for protection during your lifetime."

Through the oracle (389), of which Theseus knows nothing, a grave in Attica had become the supreme concern of Oedipus.

τὰ δ’ ἐν μέσῳ is governed by λῆστιν ἴσχεις as=

ἐπιλανθάνει

(see on ), no less than by

ποεῖ

. To make

τὰ δ’ ἐν μ

. an accus. of respect would suit the first verb, but not the second.

δῑ οὐδενὸς ποεῖ , a solitary instance of this phrase (instead of

οὐδενὸς

παρ’ οὐδὲν ποεῖσθαι

), perh. suggested by the use of the prep. in such phrases as

διὰ φυλακῆς ἔχω τι

, etc.

ἐνταῦθα γάρ ,

"yes"

for there ,— in that boon (

ἐν τῷ θάπτεσθαι

),—those other things (

τὰ ἐν μέσῳ

) are brought together for me: i.e. if you promise that I shall eventually be buried in Attica, you cannot meanwhile allow me to be forcibly removed to the Theban frontier. He is thinking of protection against Creon's imminent attempt (399).

συγκομίζομαι

, to collect or store up for oneself, was, like

συγκομιδή

, esp. said of harvesting ( Xen. Anab. 6.6.37 ), and that notion perhaps tinges the word here.

ἐν βραχεῖ in sense=

βραχεῖαν

"this grace which you ask of me lies in a small compass"

( not ,

"you ask me this favour in brief speech"

). The adverbial

ἐν βραχεῖ

does not go with the verb, but is equiv. to a predicative adj. agreeing with

χάριν

. Such phrases imply the omission of the partic.

ὤν

: so 29

πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδ’ ὁρῶ

: Ph. 26

τοὔργον οὐ μακρὰν λέγεις

(the task which you set is not distant): El. 899

ὡς δ’ ἐν γαλήνῃ πάντ’ ἐδερκόμην τόπον

. For

βραχεῖ

cp. 293, Plat. Legg. 641B

βραχύ τι...ὄφελος

γε μήν , however: Aesch. Ag. 1378

ἦλθε, σὺν χρόνῳ γε μήν

. The only ground for ἁγὼν rather than ἀγὼν is the trace of χ from the first hand in L: neither reading is intrinsically better than the other. Cp. El. 1491

λόγων γὰρ οὐ | νῦν ἐστιν ἁγών, ἀλλὰ σῆς ψυχῆς πέρι

. The word ἀγών is so far ambiguous that it does not necessarily mean a physical contest , but can mean an issue or crisis (Lat. discrimen, momentum ). Plat. Rep. 608B

μέγας...ὁ ἀγὼν...τὸ χρηστὸν ἢ κακὸν γενέσθαι

πότερα . Oed. has said,

"If you pledge yourself to keep me in Attica, a serious issue will be raised."

Theseus:—

"Do you speak of the relations between your sons and me?"

You mean that they will contest my right to retain you?

ἐγγενῶν (Hartung) may be right; but the MS. ἐκγόνων is not condemned by the evident fact that Theseus does not yet know of the quarrel between the father and the sons (599). It is enough if he knows the sons to exist: they would represent the claim of the

ἐγγενεῖς.

κἀμοῦ : the MS.

ἢ )μοῦ

is certainly wrong. Theseus does not ask—

"Will the issue be serious for your kinsmen, or for me?"

but,

"In what quarter will the issue arise?"

Cp. 606

τἀμὰ κἀκείνων

. The conject. ἢ τοῦ (=

τίνος

) is tame: and κἀμοῦ has the advantage in clearness, by indicating the second party to the

ἀγών

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

"They are for compelling ( my protectors ) to convey me to Thebes."

But the ellipse of

τινά

before

κομίζειν

is intolerable. And the protectors could not be required to do more than surrender him. Therefore it is no cure to propose εἴ σ’ (for

κεῖσ’

)

ἀναγκάσουσί με

. To read

σε

for

με

merely shifts the first difficulty, and leaves the second. (2)

"They are for putting constraint on me, so as to carry (me) to Thebes."

Such an epexegesis by the act. infin. is impossible here. Who could write

ἀναγκάζει σε ἄγειν ἐκεῖσε

, meaning,

"he is forcing thee, so as to take (thee) thither"

? (3)

κομίζειν

has been taken as=

"to return,"

κομίζεσθαι

. This needs no comment. We want either: (1) instead of κομίζειν , a word=

" to return "

; but

κατελθεῖν

is very unlikely, and no other substitute is obvious: or (2) instead of ἀναγκάζουσι , a word =

"they wish , seek. "

That the fault lies in

ἀναγκάζουσι

is very strongly suggested by 590, where L has ἀλλ’ εἰ θέλοντ’ ἄν γ’ , evidently corrupted, by dittographia of

γ’

, from

ἀλλ’ εἰ θέλοντά γ’

, which L2 has. This gives a clear and fitting sense, if in 589 we read ἄναξ, χρῄζουσί με . All the trouble, for the MSS. and for the edd., has arisen from

ἀναγκάζουσι

. Hence (1) Goebel, ἀλλ’ οὐ θελόντων ,

"but if they do not wish thee"

(

φεύγειν

): (2) Reisig, ἀλλ’ εἰ θέλοντάς γ’ ,

"but what if it be not seemly for thee to shun them when willing (to receive thee)?"

Both these are forced. Campbell supplies

εἰ βούλοιντο κομίζειν

to explain

θέλοντα

, keeping L's

θέλοντ’ ἄν

: but

ἄν

can stand with a partic. only when the latter is equiv. to an apodosis, as it is in 761. So far as the tense of

ἀναγκάζουσι

is concerned, a change to the fut. is no gain: it is the pres. of tendency or intention. But the whole mention of compulsion or violence is premature in 589. Oed. leads very gently up to the disclosure of his sons' unnatural conduct (599).

οὐδὲ σοὶ : while they , on their part, call you home, for you , on yours, exile is not desirable,—if, indeed, their offer is agreeable to you ( i.e. if you have no repugnance to Thebes).

οὐδέ is here the negative counterpart of δέ in apodosis: i.e. as we can say,

εἰ θέλοντά σε ἐκεῖνοι κατάγουσι, σοὶ δὲ κατελθεῖν καλόν

, so also

οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν

. The same resoluble quality of

οὐδέ

is seen in its use for

ἀλλ’ οὐ

( Il. 24.25 ). Cp. on .

φεύγειν =

φυγάδι εἶναι

, rather than

"to shun them."

ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ presupposes his refusal, and justifies it:

"Nay, neither did they consider my wishes."

παρίεσαν ,

"concede,"

sc.

ἐμοὶ κατελθεῖν

, cp. 570: not

ἐμὲ εἰς τὴν πόλιν

"admit"

(in which sense usu. of allowing armies to enter territory, or the like: Eur. Suppl. 468

Ἄδραστον ἐς γῆν τήνδε μὴ παριέναι

θυμὸς δ’ .

δέ

sometimes corrects or objects: O. T. 379 (n.)

Κρέων δέ σοι πῆμ’ οὐδέν

(

" Nay "

ξύμφορον : the neut. as often in maxims, when the masc. or fem. subj. is viewed in its most general aspect: Eur. Or. 232

δυσάρεστον οἱ νοσοῦντες

: cp. O. T. 542 n.

μάθῃς μου , heard (the matter) from me. Distinguish the gen. with

ἐκμάθω

in 114, where see n. Cp. El. 889

ἄκουσον ὡς μαθοῦσά μου

τὸ λοιπὸν ἢ φρονοῦσαν ἢ μώραν λέγῃς

. O. T. 545

μανθάνειν δ’ ἐγὼ κακὸς | σοῦ

ξυμφορὰν euphemistic ( O. T. 99 n.): cp. 369

τὴν πάλαι γένους φθοράν

. Here, as there,

γένους

"race,"

not

"birth."

Theseus supposes Oed. to mean that the hereditary curse has fallen on him with especial weight.

ἐρεῖς ,

" will you mention,"

i.e.

"do you allude to"

: cp. Ph. 439 ff.

ΦΙ. ἀναξίου μὲν φωτὸς ἐξερήσομαι... ΝΕ. ποίου γε τούτου πλὴν Ὀδυσσέως ἐρεῖς; ΦΙ. οὐ τοῦτον εἷπον

μεῖζον ἢ κατ’ ἄνθρ. , gravius quam pro mortali : Xen. Mem. 4.4.24

βελτίονος ἢ κατ’ ἄνθρωπον νομοθέτου

: Thuc. 7.75

μείζω ἢ κατὰ δάκρυα ἐπεπόνθεσαν

. If the woe to which he alludes is something greater than the calamity of his house, then it must be superhuman.

νοσεῖς : see on .

Instead of

οὐκ ἔστι μοι κατελθεῖν ποτε

, we have

ἔστι μοι κατελθεῖν μήποτε

, since

ἔστι μοι

"my doom is,"

ζημία κεῖταί μοι

.—Cp. on .

πεμψαίαθ’ (cp. on ), summon to themselves: Eur. Hec. 977

τί χρῆμ’ ἐπέμψω τὸν ἐμὸν ἐκ δόμων πόδα;

ὥστ’ οἰκεῖν δίχα , if it is understood that you cannot live with them in Thebes.

ὥστε introduces the condition: Thuc. 1.28

ἑτοῖμοι δὲ εἷναι καὶ ὥστε ἀμφοτέρους μένειν κατὰ χώραν

, the Corcyreans said that they were also ready (to make an armistice) under the condition that each party should remain where they were.

ἐξαναγκάσει . There is no reason for changing fut. to pres. here. The oracle had been given (388), but its effect was to come. Cp. 1179.

ὅτι , as if

ποῖον χρησμὸν ἀκούσαντας

had preceded. Not with

δείσαντας

: verbs of fearing are sometimes followed by

ὡς

ὅπως

with indic. (instead of

μή

with subj.), as in El. 1309 ; but by

ὅτι

only as=

"because."

τῇδε … χθονί , locative dat., not instrum. (as schol.

ὑπὸ ταύτης τῆς χθονός

). Oed. interprets Ismene's less explicit statement (411).

τἀμὰ κἀκείνων =

τὰ ἐμὰ καὶ

(

τὰ

)

ἐκείνων

: cp. 588 : Tr. 1068 : Eur. El. 301

τύχας βαρείας τὰς ἐμὰς κἀμοῦ πατρός

: Phoen. 474

τοὐμόν τε καὶ τοῦδ’

. Poetry tolerated such omission of the second art. even when the subjects were sharply opposed: El. 991 : Aesch. Ag. 324

καὶ τῶν ἁλόντων καὶ κρατησάντων

. Theseus cannot foresee any cause which should trouble the ancient amity between Athens and Thebes ( 619 , 632 ).

γῆρας … κατθανεῖν : for the inf. without art. co-ordinated with another noun cp. Il. 10.173

ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἵσταται ἀκμῆς

ἢ μάλα λυγρὸς ὄλεθρος Ἀχαιοῖς ἠὲ βιῶναι

συγχεῖ , confounds, ruins, effaces: Tr. 1229 : Her. 7.136

συγχέαι τὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων νόμιμα

: esp. fitting here, since applicable to breach of treaties, Il. 4.269

σύν γ’ ὅρκῑ ἔχευαν | Τρῶες

παγκρατὴς , epithet of sleep in Ai. 675 , and of fire in Ph. 986 . Cp. Shaksp. Sonnets 63, 64

"With Time's injurious hand crush'd and o'erworn"

:...

"by Time's fell hand defaced."

φθίνει μὲν … φθίνει δὲ , epanaphora, as 5, O. T. 25

φθίνουσα μὲν … | φθίνουσα δ’

, 259

ἔχων μὲν...ἔχων δέ.

γῆς has been needlessly suspected: here, as in the great speech of Ajax ( Ai. 669 —677), human destiny is viewed in relation to the whole order of nature. Cp. Tennyson, Tithonus 1

"The woods decay, the woods decay and fall, The vapours weep their burthen to the ground, Man comes and tills the field and lies beneath, And after many a summer dies the swan."

βλαστάνει , comes into existence, —like the other natural growths which wax and wane: fig. of customs and institutions in Ant. 296

νόμισμ’ ἔβλαστε

, El. 1095

ἔβλαστε νόμιμα

πνεῦμα is not here the wind of fortune (as Eur. H. F. 216

ὅταν θεός σοι πνεῦμα μεταβαλὼν τύχῃ

), but the spirit which man breathes towards man, and city towards city; the spirit of friendship or enmity. Cp. Aesch. Theb. 705

² δαίμων

λήματος ἐν τροπαίᾳ χρονίᾳ μεταλ‐

λακτὸς ἴσως ἂν ἔλθοι

θαλερωτέρῳ

πνεύματι

. Ant. 136

³βακχεύων ἐπέπνει | ῥιπαῖς ἐχθίστων ἀνέμων

. Eur. Suppl. 1029

αὔραις ἀδόλοις | γενναίας … ψυχᾶς

. So

πνεῖν μένος, κότον, ἔρωτα

etc.

βέβηκεν , is set (cp. 1052). Though ( e.g. )

πνεῦμα φίλιον βέβηκεν ἐν ἀνδράσιν

could not mean,

"a friendly spirit is steady among men,"

yet

πνεῦμα ταὐτὸν βέβηκεν

can mean,

"the same spirit is set ,"

i.e.blows steadily. Cp. Aristoph. Ran. 1003

ἡνίκ’ ἂν τὸ πνεῦμα λεῖον

καὶ καθεστηκὸς λάβῃς

πόλει ethic dat., on the part of.

τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἤδη , for some men at once ( i.e. , after but a brief friendship), for others, later.

ἤδη is here used as

αὐτίκα

more often is: cp. Aesch. Cho. 1020

μόχθος δ’ ὁ μὲν αὐτίχ’, ὁ δ’ ἥξει

. No relationship between men or states is permanent, for the feelings with which they regard each other are liable to change,—from liking to dislike, yes, and back again to liking.

καὖθις φίλα , by completing the circle, completes the picture of inconstancy. Nauck has quite needlessly suspected these two vv. The maxim ascribed to Bias of Priene (c. 550 B.C.),

φιλεῖν ὡς μισήσοντας καὶ μισεῖν ὡς φιλήσοντας

( Arist. Rhet. 2.13 , Cic. De Amic. 16. 59

ita amare oportere ut si aliquando esset osurus

), is paraphrased in Ai. 679 ff., with the comment,

τοῖς πολλοῖσι γὰρ | βροτῶν ἄπιστός ἐσθ’ ἑταιρείας λιμήν

: cp. ib. 1359

ἦ κάρτα πολλοὶ νῦν φίλοι καὖθις πικροί

Θήβαις dat. of interest, if she has her relations with you in a peaceful state.

εὐημερεῖ . εὐημερία

=either (1)

"fine weather,"

εὐδία

, as Arist. Hist. An. 6. 15

ὅταν εὐημερίας γενομένης ἀναθερμαίνηται ἡ γῆ

, or (2)

"prosperity."

The verb is always figurative. Arist. Pol. 6.8 . 22

ταῖς σχολαστικωτέραις καὶ μᾶλλον εὐημερούσαις πόλεσιν

καλῶς has been censured as faulty after the

εὖ

εὐημερεῖ

: its defenders might have quoted Eur. fr. 886

τὸν καλῶς εὐδαίμονα

. It means,

"satisfactorily,"

"as we could wish,"

and is represented by the word

"all"

in the version above.

τὰ is better than τὸ for the MS.

τε

(or

τὲ

τὸ πρὸς σέ would be rather,

"so far as her relation to you is concerned"

(acc. of respect),—when

τὰ νῦν

should be read in 616. This would make the welfare of Thebes more prominent than the mutual amity.

ὁ μυρίος : cp. Ai. 646

ὁ μακρὸς κἀναρίθμητος χρόνος

τεκνοῦται . The midd. was more commonly used of the mother, the act. of the father (though converse instances occur); the midd. is used figuratively, as here, in Aesch. Ag. 754 (

ὄλβος

), Eur. I. T. 1262 (

χθών

ἰών , as it proceeds. Cp. El. 1365

πολλαὶ κυκλοῦνται νύκτες ἡμέραι τ’ ἴσαι

αἳ ταῦτά σοι δείξουσιν

ἐν αἷς , in the course of which: i.e. at some moment in them. So Ant. 1064

κάτισθι μὴ πολλοὺς ἔτι

τρόχους ἁμιλλητῆρας ἡλίου τελῶν

ἐν οἶσι … ἀμοιβὸν ἀντιδοὺς ἔσει

δεξιώματα , pledges given by placing one's right hand in another's: the word occurs only here, and in Athen. 159 B (poet. anonym.)

ὦ χρυσέ, δεξίωμα κάλλιστον βροτοῖς

, gift most welcome to men.

δεξιοῦσθαι

is only

"to greet"

"welcome"

: but

δεξιὰς διδόναι καὶ λαμβάνειν

, etc., suggested the phrase here. Cp. Il. 2.341

σπονδαί τ’ ἄκρητοι καὶ δεξιαί, ᾗς ἐπέπιθμεν

. In Eur. Suppl. 930 Theseus says of Polyneices,

ξένος γὰρ ἦν μοι

, as if alluding to hereditary

ξενία

between the royal houses. Cp. 632.

δόρει διασκεδῶσιν , they will

"throw their pledges to the winds"

by an armed invasion of Attica. Cp. Ant. 287

νόμους διασκεδῶν

, to make havoc of laws.

δόρει (instead of the more freq.

δορί

) is required by metre also in 1314 , 1386 , Aristoph. Pax 357

σὺν δόρει σὺν ἀσπίδι

, Vesp. 1081 (where MSS.

ξὺν δορὶ ξὺν ἀσπίδι

),—all iambic or trochaic. The phrase in Ar. came from Soph.

Μῶμος

, acc. to Choeroboscus 376. 19. Cp. [Eur.] Rhes. 274

μάχας πρὸ χειρῶν καὶ δόρη βαστάζομεν

,—a plur. on the analogy of this dat. sing.

ἵν’ could mean,

"at a place where,"

at the grave (see on ), but is better taken as=

"in which case,"

"when,"

since the moment of rupture (

διασκεδῶσιν

) would not be the battle at Colonus, but the preceding declaration of war.

εὕδων (cp. on ), in contrast with the fierce combatants on the ground above him.

ψυχρὸς … θερμὸν , here of the physical contrast between death and life; but in Ant. 88

θερμὴν ἐπὶ ψυχροῖσι καρδίαν ἔχεις

"thy heart is hot on chilling deeds"

(

κρυεροῖς

). Simonides 120. 5

νῦν δ’ ὁ μὲν ἐν πόντῳ κρυερὸς νέκυς

. For the idea of the buried dead draining the lifeblood of their foes cp. El. 1420

παλίρρυτον γὰρ αἷμ’ ὑπεξαιροῦσι τῶν | κτανόντων οἱ πάλαι θανόντες

σαφής , true (as a prophet): 792: O.T. 1011

ταρβῶ γε μή μοι Φοῖβος ἐξέλθῃ

σαφής

. So

φίλος σαφής

, a proved friend ( Eur. Or. 1155 ),

γραμματεὺς σαφής

an accurate scribe (Aesch. fr. 348).

τἀκίνητα ,=

ἃ μὴ δεῖ λόγῳ κινεῖσθαι

(see 1526), secrets which should be allowed to rest beyond the veil: so Ant. 1060

ὄρσεις με τἀκίνητα διὰ φρενῶν φράσαι

, the secrets locked in my soul. (Cp. Gray:

"No farther seek his merits to disclose, Or draw his frailties from their dread abode. "

)

ἔα με , leave me (permit me to cease) at the point where I began (the prayer for an Attic home). Cp. Il. 9.97

ἐν σοὶ μὲν λήξω, σέο δ’ ἄρξομαι

. Here we cannot well evolve

ἀφ’

ἐξ ὧν

from ἐν οἷσιν : nor, again, would

ἐν οἷς ἠρξάμην

be idiomatic.

τὸ σὸν … πιστὸν φυλάσσων , taking care that thy part is loyally done: cp. O. T. 320

τὸ σόν τε σὺ | κἀγὼ διοίσω τοὐμόν

(thy part): Ai. 1313

ὅρα μὴ τοὐμὸν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σόν

(thine interest): ib. 99

ὡς τὸ σὸν ξυνῆκ’ ἐγώ

(thy saying). Both idiom and rhythm are against joining

τὸ σὸν πιστόν

"thy good faith."

εἴπερ μὴ ψεύσουσι , you will find me helpful,—that is to say, if the gods do not disappoint me.

εἴπερ marks the point which must be taken for granted, in order that

ἐρεῖς

(626) should hold good: cp. Eur. H. F. 1345

δεῖται γὰρ ὁ θεός, εἴπερ ἔστ’ ὄντως θεός ⁴

οὐδενός

. Lys. or. 12 § 48

εἴπερ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός, ἐχρῆν ἄν

, etc. (Cp. Thompson Syntax § 225. 4.)

πάλαι : 287, 459. The Chorus, tempering caution with good-nature, testify that the promise of Oedipus is, at least, not merely a device inspired by the arrival of the King.

ἐφαίνετο τελῶν (without

ὡς

"was manifestly intending to perform"

ἐφαίνετο ὡς τελῶν

"appeared as one intending to perform,"

ὡς

marking the aspect in which he presented himself to their minds. Ai. 326

καὶ δῆλός ἐστιν ὥς τι δρασείων κακόν

. For the imperf., cp. Aesch. Ag. 593

λόγοις τοιούτοις πλαγκτὸς οὖσ’ ἐφαινόμην

, by such reasonings I appeared (was made out to be) in error.

δῆτ’ ,

"then,"

a comment on the speech of Oed. rather than on the words of the Chorus, as oft in questions (cp. 602).

ἐκβάλοι : properly,

"cast out of doors,"

as a worthless thing: hence,

"reject,"

"repudiate"

: Eur. fr. 362. 45

προγόνων παλαιὰ θέσμῑ ὅστις ἐκβαλεῖ

: Plat. Crito 46B

τοὺς δὲ λόγους, οὓς ἐν τῷ ἔμπροσθεν ἔλεγον, οὐ δύναμαι νῦν ἐκβαλεῖν

. Others take it literally,

"cast out of the land,"

so that

ἀνδρὸς εὐμένειαν τοιοῦδε

ἄνδρα εὐμενῆ τοιόνδε

. But the notion of rashly scorning what is really precious gives more point both here and in 636.

ὅτῳ , not

ὅτου

, is right. Con strue:

ὅτῳ ἡ δορύξενος ἑστία αἰὲν κοινή ἐστι παρ’ ἡμῖν

, lit.,

"to whom the hearth of an ally is always common among us"

κοινή ,

"common,"

"giving reciprocal hospitality,"

which Theseus could claim at Thebes, as Oedipus at Athens.

αἰέν , i.e.

"even if he had not this special claim."

This seems better than to take

κοινή

as (1)

"common to him with other Thebans,"

(2)

"provided by our State,"

(3)

"common to him with us ,"

or (4)

"accessible,"

as Andoc. or. 2 § 147

οἰκία κοινοτάτη τῷ δεομένῳ

. With ὅτου the above version could not stand (since

" belongs to him "

could not replace

" exists for him "

), and so we should have to understand,

ὅτου ἡ δορύξενος ἑστία αἰὲν κοινή ἐστι παρ’ ἡμῖν

, whose allied hearth (at Thebes) is always regarded among us as open to us (

"as a common possession,"

Campb.): but this seems very forced.

δορύξενος ,

"spear-friend,"

is one with whom one has the tie of

ξενία

in respect of war: i.e. , who will make common cause with one in war. It is applied by Aesch., Soph., and Eur. only to princes or chiefs, with an armed force at their command. Cp. Aesch. Cho. 562

ξένος τε καὶ δορύξενος δόμων

, said by Orestes when he presents himself

παντελῆ σαγὴν ἔχων

: i.e. he comes not merely as the personal

ξένος

of the royal house, but as a chief in armed alliance with it. Plut. ( Mor. 295 B , Quaest. Gr. 17 ) asks,

τίς ὁ δορύξενος

; He conjectures that it meant, a ransomed prisoner of war , in his subsequent friendly relation to the ransomer (

ἐκ δοριαλώτου δορύξενος προσαγορευόμενος

). This is against the usage of the poets, our only witnesses. And the source of the guess is clear. Plutarch was thinking of the verbal compounds,

δοριάλωτος, δορίκτητος, δορίληπτος

, etc. From these he inferred that

δορύξενος

would mean primarily,

"a friend gained through the spear."

Wecklein brackets the whole passage from 632

ὅτῳ

down to 637

τὴν τοῦδε

"a later addition,"

because (1) there could be no

ξενία

when Oedipus did not even know the name of Theseus (68), and (2)

σεβισθεὶς

in 636 is suspicious. On this, see ad loc. As to (1), the

ξενία

to which Theseus refers is not a personal friendship, but a hereditary alliance between the royal houses, as in Eur. Suppl. 930 Polyneices (whom he had not seen before) is his

ξένος

. Cp. on . After Wecklein's excision, we have

τίς δῆτ’ ἂν ἀνδρὸς εὐμένειαν ἐκβάλοι

τοιοῦδε; χώρᾳ δ’ ἔμπαλιν κατοικιῶ

. This is incoherent.

ἀφιγμένος , not,

"because,"

but,

"while,"

he has come. Besides his public claim (632), Oed. has two personal claims, (1) as the suppliant of the Eumenides, (2) as a visitor who can make a valuable return to Athens for protecting him.

δασμός , usu.

"tribute"

( O. T. 36 , and so in Xen.); here fig.,

"recompense."

The aor. σεβισθεὶς only here:

σεβίζειν

1007 ,

σεβίσασα

Ant. 943 ,

σεβίζομαι ⁵

Aesch. Suppl. 922 . In later Gk. the pass. aor. of σεβάζομαι was deponent, as Anth. P. 7. 122

αἴ, αἲ Πυθαγόρης τί τόσον κυάμους ἐσεβάσθη;

It appears rash to deny that ἐσεβίσθην could be so used. The deponent use of

ἐσέφθην

is attested only by Plat. Phaedr. 254 B

( σεφθεῖσα )

, and Hesych. 1. 1456

ἐσέφθην· ἐσεβάσθην, ἡσύχασα, ᾐσχύνθην. Σοφοκλῆς Δαιδάλῳ

(fr. 168 Nauck).

ἐκβαλῶ : cp. 631.

ἔμπολιν is Musgrave's certain correction of the MS.

ἔμπαλιν

: cp. 1156

σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν | οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ

, not thy fellow-citizen, indeed, but thy kinsman. The word does not occur elsewhere.

"I will establish him in the land,"

says Theseus,

"as a member of our State"

: he who now is

ἄπολις

(cp. 208) shall in Attica have the full protection of our laws.

ἔμπαλιν has been rendered (1)

"on the contrary,"

i.e.

"so far from rejecting him"

: so the schol., and this version is alone correct: (2)

"once more,"

i.e. renewing the alliance between the states,— Paley: (3)

"in return"

for his benefits,— Ellendt. Campbell objects that with

ἔμπολιν

"the opposition of the clauses would not be sufficiently marked by

δέ"

: but for

δέ =

ἀλλά

cp. Antiph. or. 5 §§ 4, 5

αἰτήσομαι ὑμᾶς οὐχ ἅπερ οἱ πολλοί..., τάδε δὲ δέομαι ὑμῶν

: Thuc. 4.86

οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐπ’ ἐλευθερώσει δὲ τῶν Ἑλλήνων παρελήλυθα

σέ , the Coryphaeus. Cp. Aesch. Suppl. 955ff., where the king gives the Danaïdes their choice between Argos and a private home apart;

στείχετ’ εὐερκῆ πόλιν

… εἰ δέ τις μείζων χάρις,

πάρεστιν οἰκεῖν καὶ μονορρύθμους δόμους.

τούτων τὰ λῷστα καὶ τὰ θυμηδέστατα

πάρεστι, λωτίσασθε

εἰ δὲ τόδε — στείχειν μετ’ ἐμοῦ, — ἡδύ ἐστι — δίδωμί σοι, τούτων κρίναντι ( ὁπότερον βούλει ), χρῆσθαι ( αὐτᾦ . For τόδ’ in appos. with στείχειν cp. Xen. Cyr. 8.4.4

σαφηνίζεσθαι δέ, ὡς ἕκαστον ἐτίμα, τοῦτο ἐδόκει αὐτῷ ἀγαθὸν εἶναι

: Aeschin. or. 2 § 106

τὸ μὴ πολυπραγμονεῖν ἡμᾶς τοὺς πρέσβεις μηδέν, τοῦτ’ ἀγαθὸν ὑπολαμβάνων εἶναι

. Here τόδε similarly follows the word with which it is in appos., though it should properly precede it, as Eur. Phoen. 550

μέγ’ ἥγησαι τόδε, | περιβλέπεσθαι τίμιον;

τούτων partitive gen. with κρίναντι ,

"having chosen (one) of these things"

; cp. O. T. 640

δυοῖν δικαιοῖ δρᾶν ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν,

ἢ γῆς ἀπῶσαι...ἢ κτεῖναι.

δίδωμι … χρῆσθαι : cp. Xen. Anab. 3. 4 §§ 41 f.

εἰ βούλει, μένε..., εἰ δὲ χρῄζεις, πορεύου...Ἀλλὰ δίδωμί σοι, ἔφη ὁ Χειρίσοφος, ὁπότερον βούλει ἑλέσθαι

With

εἴτ’ ἐμοῦ

, the constr. would be,

εἴτε μετ’ ἐμοῦ στείχειν

(

ἡδὺ αὐτῷ ἐστι, στείχειν πάρεστιν

), a word expressing consent being evolved from

τάξω

. But (1) this is harsher than O. T. 91

εἰ τῶνδε χρῄζεις πλησιαζόντων κλύειν

ἕτοιμος εἰπεῖν, εἴτε καὶ στείχειν ἔσω

(

χρῄζεις

), where

ἕτοιμος

is more easily fitted to the second clause; though somewhat similar is Eur. Ion 1120

πεπυσμέναι γάρ, εἰ θανεῖν ἡμᾶς ⁶ χρεών,

ἥδιον ἂν θάνοιμεν, εἴθ’ ὁρᾶν φάος

(

χρεών

), sc.

ἥδιον ἂν ὁρῷμεν

. And (2) in proposing the second alternative,—that Oed. should accompany him,—it is more suitable that he should address Oed. himself.

τῇδε ,

"in that sense,"

i.e. in whichever course you may prefer,

ᾗ ἂν σὺ βούλῃ

: cp. 1444: Ant. 1111

δόξα τῇδ’ ἐπεστράφη

: El. 1301

ὅπως καὶ σοὶ φίλον | καὶ τοὐμὸν ἔσται τῇδ’.

ξυνοίσομαι , agree: Antiph. or. 5 § 42

τοῖς μὲν πρώτοις ( λόγοις ) συνεφέρετο,... τούτοις δὲ διεφέρετο

διδοίης … εὖ : 1435: O. T. 1081 (

τύχης

)

τῆς εὖ διδούσης

δόμους στείχειν : 1769

Θήβας … | πέμψον

: O. T. 1178

ἄλλην χθόνα | δοκῶν ἀποίσειν

εἰ … ἦν , sc.

ἔχρῃζον ἂν δόμους στείχειν

ἐν ᾧ τί πράξεις ; Cp. O. T. 558

ΟΙ. πόσον τιν’ ἤδη δῆθ’ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

ΚΠ. δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

ΟΙ. ἄφαντος ἔρρει …

etc.; Ph. 210

ΧΟ. ἀλλ’ ἔχε, τέκνον, ΝΕ. λέγ’ ὅτι ΧΟ. φροντίδας νέας

: El. 854 ff. An interruption of this kind serves to bespeak the attention of the audience for a point which the dramatist desires to emphasize.

κρατήσω : near the shrine he was to close his life (91), and at his grave the Thebans were to be defeated (411, 621).

μέγ’ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα ,=

μέγα ἂν εἴη δώρημα ὃ λέγεις

, it would be a great benefit of which you speak ( sc.

εἰ κρατοῖς

). Cp. Ant. 218 .

τῆς συνουσίας ,

"from your abiding with the people here (at Colonus)"

: i.e.

"You have suggested a strong reason for your staying here , rather than for going with me to Athens. "

Cp.

τῇ ξυνουσίᾳ

in 63. It would be tame, at this stage, to take

ξυνουσία

merely of his presence in Attica. The belief of Theseus in Theban amity (606) has now been shaken by his visitor (620).

τῆς ς. , gen. of source (ultimately possessive): O. T. 170

φροντίδος ἔγχος

, a weapon furnished by thought.

εἰ σοί γ’ | ἅπερ φὴς ἐμμενεῖ ,

"yes, if on your part (ethic dat.) the promise (of protection and burial) shall be observed,

τελοῦντι"

by your performing it

μοι

for me

(dat. of interest). ἐμμενεῖ alone might have meant merely,

"if you abstain from withdrawing your promise"

τελοῦντι

supplements it, marking that good faith must be shown by deeds. We can say either

ἐμμένεις οἷς λέγεις

ἐμμένει σοι ἃ λέγεις

: cp. Thuc. 2.2

τέσσαρα μὲν γὰρ καὶ δέκα ἔτη ἐνέμειναν αἱ τριακοντούτεις σπονδαί

: Plat. Phaedr. 258 B

ἐὰν...ἐμμένῃ

, if (his proposal) stand good.

τὸ τοῦδέ γ’ ἀνδρ . might be acc. of respect (

"as to"

), but is more simply taken with θάρσει : cp. Dem. or. 3 § 7

οὔτε Φίλιππος ἐθάρρει τούτους οὔθ’ οὗτοι Φίλιππον

: Xen. Cyr. 5.5.42

εὐώχει αὐτούς, ἵνα σε καὶ θαρρήσωσιν

. (Distinguish this acc. with

θαρσεῖν

, of confidence in , from the more freq. acc. of confidence against , as

θαρσεῖν μάχας

.) Cp.

τὸ σόν

, 625 n.

ὡς κακὸν : cp. Eur. Med. 731 ff., where Medea asks Aegeus to clinch his promise with an oath, and he asks,

μῶν οὐ πέποιθας

; Shaks. Jul. Caes. 2. 1. 129 ff.

Swear priests and cowards and men cautelous,—

...unto bad causes swear

Such creatures as men doubt.

πιστώσομαι. πιστόω

"to make

πιστός"

: Thuc. 4.88

πιστώσαντες αὐτὸν τοῖς ὅρκοις

, when they had bound him by the oaths ( iureiurando obstrinxerant ): so the pass., Od. 15.435

εἴ μοι ἐθέλοιτέ γε, ναῦται, | ὅρκῳ πιστωθῆναι

. The midd. expresses

"in one's own interest,"

as here; or reciprocity, as Il. 21.286

χειρὶ δὲ χεῖρα λαβόντες ἐπιστώσαντ’ ἐπέεσσιν

ἢ λόγῳ , than by word (without my oath). Dem. or. 27 § 54

καὶ μαρτυρίαν μὲν οὐδεμίαν ἐνεβάλετο τούτων ὁ ταῦτ’ εἰπεῖν ἀξιώσας, ψιλῷ δὲ λόγῳ χρησάμενος ⁷ὡς πιστευθησόμενος δῑ ἐκείνων

. Cp. Antiphon or. 5 § 8 quoted . Shaksp., G. of Verona 2. 7. 75

"His words are bonds."

—Not,

"than in name,"

i.e.

"form,"

as opp. to

ἔργῳ

τοῦ μάλιστ’ ὄκνος σ’ ἔχει ; not,

"what do you fear most? "

but,

"What, exactly, do you fear?"

—a polite way of asking the question. Plat. Gorg. 448D

ΣΩ. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὃ ὑπέσχετο Χαιρεφῶντι οὐ ποιεῖ. ΓΟΡ. τί μάλιστα, ὦ Σώκρατες

;

ὅρα με λείπων , like his utterances in 653 and 656, is left unfinished, —Theseus striking in: sc.

μὴ ἐκείνοις προδῷς

. Taken as a sentence, the words could mean only

"see that"

( not

"how"

)

"you are leaving me."

The conj. ὁρᾶν (for δρᾶν ), adopted by Nauck and Wecklein, would be an echo of

ὅρα

: it is not only quite needless, but bad, because here it would give an angry tone, as such echoes usually do in trag.; see on O. T. 548 f. The case of

οἶσθα...οἶδα

656 is different.

ὀκνοῦντ’ ἀνάγκη : i.e. ,

ὀκνοῦντά με ἀνάγκη διδάσκειν σε

,—feeling such fear as I do, I am constrained to be thus urgent with you. (Not,

"I must thus urge you, since you are slack."

) Wecklein's change to

ὀκνεῖν γ’

is unnecessary.

οὐκ οἶσθ’ : Oed. had said nothing of Creon's threatened visit (396).

μή , not

οὐ

, in strong assurance, as with inf. after

ὄμνυμι

, etc.: cp. 281, 797: Ant. 1092

ἐπιστάμεσθα … | μήπω ποτ’ αὐτὸν ψεῦδος … λακεῖν

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

ἢ πρὸς γυναικῶν δειματούμενοι λόγοι

πεδάρσιοι θρώσκουσι, θνῄσκοντες μάτην

: Eur. Hipp. 1416

οὐδὲ γῆς ὑπὸ ζόφῳ

θεᾶς ἄτιμοι Κύπριδος ἐκ προθυμίας

ὀργαὶ κατασκήψουσιν ἐς τὸ σὸν δέμας

. The cognate verb κατηπείλησαν (gnomic aorist), instead of the simple

ἔλεξαν

, gives an emphasis like that which the cogn. accus. would give in

πολλοὶ ἀπειλὰς κατηπείλησαν.

θυμῷ modal dat.,

"in wrath-"

(not locative,

"in the soul"

): cp. Plat. Legg. 866D

( ἐὰν ) θυμῷ … ᾖ τὸ πεπραγμένον ἐκπραχθέν

: O. T. 405

ὀργῇ λελέχθαι

αὑτοῦ , become its own master, regain its control over passion: cp. Dem. or, 4 § 7

ἣν ὑμῶν αὐτῶν ἐθελήσητε γενέσθαι

: Plat. Phaedr. 250 A

ἐκπλήττονται καὶ οὐκέθ’ αὑτῶν γίγνονται

. So Her. 1.119

οὔτε ἐξεπλάγη ἐντός τε ἑωυτοῦ γίνεται

"was not dismayed, but mastered his feelings"

: Dem. or. 34 § 35

οὐκ ἐντὸς ὢν αὑτοῦ

: or. 19 § 198

ἔξω δ’ αὑτῆς οὖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ

. Elmsley strangely preferred αὐτοῦ , taking it as adv.,

"there."

φροῦδα , there is an end of them: Eur. Tro. 1071 (to Zeus)

φροῦδαί σοι θυσίαι

κείνοις (referring to

ἄνδρες

in 653) goes both with

ἐπερρ

. and with

φανήσεται.

καὶ εἰ ἐπερρώσθη (impersonal) even if courage has come to them δεινὰ λέγειν to say dread things τῆς σῆς ἀγωγῆς about your removal (for the gen. see on : for

τῆς σῆς

as=an objective

σου

, on 332). The normal phrase would be

κεῖνοι ἐπερρώσθησαν

, and the use of the impersonal form here is bolder than in the ordinary passive examples (usu. with perf.) such as

ἱκανὰ τοῖς...πολεμίοις εὐτύχηται

( Thuc. 7.77 ). Possibly the common impers. use

ἐπῆλθέ μοι λέγειν

(

"it occurred to me to say"

) may have helped to suggest the impers.

ἐπερρώσθη

λέγειν . An inf., which here depends on the notion

ἐτόλμησαν

, does not elsewhere occur with

ἐπιρρώννυσθαι

, but stands with the simple pf.

ἔρρωμαι

as=

" to be bent on doing"

( Lys. or. 13. 31

ἔρρωτο...κακόν τι

ἐργάζεσθαι

). Whitelaw:

"though terrible things were emboldened to the utterance,"

—comparing 658

ἀπειλαὶ...κατηπείλησαν

. But, if the

δεινά

are personified, do we not then want a stronger word than

λέγειν

We cannot read

κεῖνος

, since the pl. is needed. The best solution would be

κείνοις δέ, κεἴ τις

, from which

ἴσως κεἰ

might have come through a transposition. But the sarcastic

ἴσως is fitting: cp. Ai. 962

ἴσως τοι, κεἰ βλέποντα μὴ )πόθουν | θανόντ’ ἂν οἰμώξειαν.

κεἰ here where

εἰ καὶ

would be natural (as granting the fact ); whereas in 306 the

κεἰ

is normal: see O. T. Append. Note 8, p. 296.

τὸ δεῦρο , instead of

τὸ μεταξύ

, since

πέλαγος

suggests

πλοῦς

: cp. 1165. If the Thebans attempt an armed invasion, they will find

"a sea of troubles"

interposed. Eur. Hipp. 822

κακῶν δ’, ὦ τάλας, πέλαγος εἰσορῶ

τοσοῦτον ὥστε μήποτ’ ἐκνεῦσαι πάλιν,

μήτ’ ἐκπερᾶσαι κῦμα τῆσδε συμφορᾶς

. So of prosperity, O. T. 423

εὐπλοίας τυχών

. The form πλώσιμον only here: Attic writers elsewhere use

πλώϊμος

(oft.

πλόϊμος

in our MSS.), Her.

πλωτός

πλεύσιμος

is not found.

θαρσεῖν μὲν οὖν .

"Now (

οὖν"

) you are safe indeed (

μὲν

), even without my protection,—Phoebus being with you; but (

δὲ

666) that protection,—superfluous though it be,—will be afforded by my name just as well as by my presence.

For

μὲν οὖν

with this distributed force cp. O. T. 483 , Ant. 65 ; for its composite force, O. T. 705 .

κἄνευ τῆς ἐμῆς γνώμης , even apart from my resolve (636) to protect you. Though

τῆς ἐμῆς

form a cretic, the spondee

κἄνευ

can stand because the prep. coheres closely with its case. Cp. 115. In 1022

οὐδὲν δεῖ πονεῖν

, and 1543

ὥσπερ σφὼ πατρί

, the monosyllable excuses the spondee.

ἐπαινῶ with inf., advise: El. 1322

σιγᾶν ἐπῄνες).

Φοῖβος : Theseus infers this from 623.

ὅμως with μὴ παρόντος : it usu. follows the partic. (as 851 , 1529 ), but sometimes precedes it, as Eur. Ion 734

δέσποιν’ ὅμως οὖσ’

. It would be possible, however, to take ὅμως with οἶδα : "but nevertheless (though my protection is needless)." Possibly it should be ὁμῶς , "equally" ( Ai. 1372

κἀκεῖ κἀνθάδ’ ὢν... ὁμῶς

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)) — 549 focus

καὶ μὴν ἄναξ ὅδʼ ἡμὶν Αἰγέως γόνος

Θησεὺς κατʼ ὀμφὴν σὴν * ἀποσταλεὶς πάρα.
550

Θησεύς

πολλῶν ἀκούων ἔν τε τῷ πάρος χρόνῳ

τὰς αἱματηρὰς ὀμμάτων διαφθορὰς

ἔγνωκά σʼ, ὦ παῖ Λαΐου, τανῦν θʼ ὁδοῖς

ἐν ταῖσδʼ ἀκούων μᾶλλον ἐξεπίσταμαι.

σκευή τε γάρ σε καὶ τὸ δύστηνον κάρα
555

δηλοῦτον ἡμῖν ὄνθʼ ὃς εἶ, καί σʼ οἰκτίσας

θέλω ʼπερέσθαι, δύσμορʼ Οἰδίπου, τίνα

πόλεως ἐπέστης προστροπὴν ἐμοῦ τʼ ἔχων,

αὐτός τε χἠ σὴ δύσμορος παραστάτις.

δίδασκε· δεινὴν γάρ τινʼ ἂν πρᾶξιν τύχοις
560

λέξας ὁποίας ἐξαφισταίμην ἐγώ,

ὡς οἶδά γʼ αὐτὸς ὡς ἐπαιδεύθην ξένος,

ὥσπερ σύ, χὥς τις πλεῖστʼ ἀνὴρ ἐπὶ ξένης

ἤθλησα κινδυνεύματʼ ἐν τὠμῷ κάρᾳ,

ὥστε ξένον γʼ *ἂν οὐδέν ὄνθʼ, ὥσπερ σὺ νῦν,
565

ὑπεκτραποίμην μὴ οὐ συνεκσώζειν· ἐπεὶ

ἔξοιδʼ ἀνὴρ ὢν χὤτι τῆς ἐς αὔριον

οὐδὲν πλέον μοι σοῦ μέτεστιν ἡμέρας.

Οἰδίπους

Θησεῦ, τὸ σὸν γενναῖον ἐν σμικρῷ λόγῳ

παρῆκεν ὥστε βραχέʼ ἐμοὶ δεῖσθαι φράσαι.
570

σὺ γάρ μʼ ὅς εἰμι, κἀφʼ ὅτου πατρὸς γεγώς,

καὶ γῆς ὁποίας ἦλθον, εἰρηκὼς κυρεῖς·

ὥστʼ ἐστί μοι τὸ λοιπὸν οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν

εἰπεῖν ἃ χρῄζω, χώ λόγος διέρχεται.

Θησεύς

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν δίδασχʼ, ὅπως ἂν ἐκμάθω.
575

Οἰδίπους

δώσων ἱκάνω τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας

σοὶ δῶρον, οὐ σπουδαῖον εἰς ὄψιν· τὰ δὲ

κέρδη παρʼ αὐτοῦ κρείσσονʼ ἢ μορφὴ καλή.

Θησεύς

ποῖον δὲ κέρδος ἀξιοῖς ἥκειν φέρων ;

Οἰδίπους

χρόνῳ μάθοις ἄν, οὐχὶ τῷ παρόντι που.
580

Θησεύς

ποίῳ γὰρ ἡ σὴ προσφορὰ δηλώσεται;

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν θάνω ἐγὼ καὶ σύ μου ταφεὺς γένῃ.

Θησεύς

τὰ λοῖσθʼ ἄρʼ αἰτεῖ τοῦ βίου, τὰ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ

ἢ λῆστιν ἴσχεις ἢ διʼ οὐδενὸς ποιεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γάρ μοι κεῖνα συγκομίζεται.
585

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ ἐν βραχεῖ δὴ τήνδε μʼ ἐξαιτεῖ χάριν.

Οἰδίπους

ὅρα γε μήν· οὐ σμικρός, οὔχ, ἁγὼν ὅδε.

Θησεύς

πότερα τὰ τῶν σῶν ἐκγόνων, ἢ ʼμοῦ λέγεις ;

Οἰδίπους

κεῖνοι κομίζειν κεῖσʼ ἀναγκάζουσί με.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλοντʼ ἄν γʼ, οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν.
590
[104 a.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸς ἤθελον, παρίεσαν.

Θησεύς

ὦ μῶρε, θυμὸς δʼ ἐν κακοῖς οὐ ξύμφορον.

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν μάθῃς μου, νουθέτει, τανῦν δʼ ἔα.

Θησεύς

δίδασκʼ. ἄνευ γνώμης γὰρ οὔ με χρὴ λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους

πέπονθα, Θησεῦ, δεινὰ πρὸς κακοῖς κακά.
595

Θησεύς

ἦ τὴν παλαιὰν ξυμφορὰν γένους ἐρεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ δῆτʼ· ἐπεὶ πᾶς τοῦτό γʼ ῾Ελλήνων θροεῖ.

Θησεύς

τί γὰρ τὸ μεῖζον ἢ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον νοσεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως ἔχει μοι. γῆς ἐμῆς ἀπηλάθην

πρὸς τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ σπερμάτων· ἔστιν δέ μοι
600

πάλιν κατελθεῖν μήποθʼ, ὡς πατροκτόνῳ.

Θησεύς

πῶς δῆτά σʼ ἂν πεμψαίαθʼ, ὥστʼ οἰκεῖν δίχα;

Οἰδίπους

τὸ θεῖον αὐτοὺς ἐξαναγκάσει στόμα.

Θησεύς

ποῖον πάθος δείσαντας ἐκ χρηστηρίων;

Οἰδίπους

ὅτι σφʼ ἀνάγκη τῇδε πληγῆναι χθονί.
605

Θησεύς

καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τἀμὰ κἀκείνων πικρά;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ Αἰγέως παῖ, μόνοις οὐ γίγνεται

θεοῖσι γῆρας οὐδὲ κατθανεῖν ποτε,

τὰ δʼ ἄλλα συγχεῖ πάνθʼ ὁ παγκρατὴς χρόνος.

φθίνει μὲν ἰσχὺς γῆς, φθίνει δὲ σώματος,
610

θνήσκει δὲ πίστις, βλαστάνει δʼ ἀπιστία,

καὶ πνεῦμα ταὐτὸν οὔποτʼ οὔτʼ ἐν ἀνδράσιν

φίλοις βέβηκεν οὔτε πρὸς πόλιν πόλει.

τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἤδη, τοῖς δʼ ἐν ὑστέρῳ χρόνῳ

τὰ τερπνὰ πικρὰ γίγνεται καὖθις φίλα.
615

καὶ ταῖσι Θήβαις εἰ τανῦν εὐημερεῖ

καλῶς *τὸ πρὸς σέ, μυρίας ὁ μυρίος

χρόνος τεκνοῦται νύκτας ἡμέρας τʼ ἰών,

ἐν αἷς τὰ νῦν ξύμφωνα δεξιώματα

δόρει διασκεδῶσιν ἐκ σμικροῦ λόγου·
620

ἵνʼ οὑμὸς εὕδων καὶ κεκρυμμένος νέκυς

ψυχρός ποτʼ αὐτῶν θερμὸν αἷμα πίεται,

εἰ Ζεὺς ἔτι Ζεὺς χὠ Διὸς Φοῖβος σαφής.

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ αὐδᾶν ἡδὺ τἀκίνητʼ ἔπη,

ἔα μʼ ἐν οἷσιν ἠρξάμην, τὸ σὸν μόνον
625

πιστὸν φυλάσσων, κοὔποτʼ Οἰδίπουν ἐρεῖς

ἀχρεῖον οἰκητῆρα δέξασθαι τόπων

τῶν ἐνθάδʼ, εἴπερ μὴ θεοὶ ψεύσουσί με.

Χορός

ἄναξ, πάλαι καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἔπη

γῇ τῇδʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ ὡς τελῶν ἐφαίνετο.
630

Θησεύς

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν ἀνδρὸς εὐμένειαν ἐκβάλοι

τοιοῦδʼ, ὅτου πρῶτον μὲν ἡ δορύξενος

κοινὴ παρʼ ἡμῖν αἰέν ἐστιν ἑστία;

ἔπειτα δʼ ἱκέτης δαιμόνων ἀφιγμένος

γῇ τῇδε κἀμοὶ δασμὸν οὐ σμικρὸν τίνει.
635
[104 b.

ἁγὼ σεβισθεὶς οὔποτʼ ἐκβαλῶ χάριν

τὴν τοῦδε, χώρᾳ δʼ ἔμπαλιν κατοικιῶ.

εἰ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἡδὺ τῷ ξένῳ μίμνειν, σέ νιν

τάξω φυλάσσειν· εἰ δʼ ἐμοῦ στείχειν μέτα

τόδʼ ἡδύ, - τούτων, Οἰδίπου, δίδωμί σοι
640

κρίναντι χρῆσθαι, τῇδε γὰρ ξυνοίσομαι.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ Ζεῦ, διδοίης τοῖσι τοιούτοισιν εὖ.

Θησεύς

τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἢ δόμους στείχειν ἐμούς;

Οἰδίπους

εἴ μοι θέμις γʼ ἦν. ἀλλʼ ὁ χῶρός ἐσθʼ ὅδε,

Θησεύς

ἐν ᾧ τί πράξεις; οὐ γὰρ ἀντιστήσομαι.
645

Οἰδίπους

ἐν ᾧ κρατήσω τῶν ἔμʼ ἐκβεβληκότων.

Θησεύς

μέγʼ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα τῆς συνουσίας.

Οἰδίπους

εἰ σοί γʼ ἅπερ φῂς ἐμμενεῖ τελοῦντί μοι.

Θησεύς

θάρσει τὸ τοῦδέ γʼ ἀνδρός· οὔ σε μὴ προδῶ.

Οἰδίπους

οὔτοι σʼ ὑφʼ ὅρκου γʼ ὡς κακὸν πιστώσομαι.
650

Θησεύς

οὔκουν πέρα γʼ ἂν οὐδὲν ἢ λόγῳ φέροις.

Οἰδίπους

πῶς οὖν ποιήσεις;

Θησεύς

τοῦ μάλιστʼ ὄκνος σʼ ἔχει;

Οἰδίπους

ἥξουσιν ἄνδρες

Θησεύς

ἀλλὰ τοῖσδʼ ἔσται μέλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὅρα με λείπων

Θησεύς

μὴ δίδασχʼ ἃ χρή με δρᾶν.

Οἰδίπους

ὀκνοῦντʼ ἀνάγκη.
655

Θησεύς

τοὐμὸν οὐκ ὀκνεῖ κέαρ. 655

Οἰδίπους

οὐκ οἶσθʼ ἀπειλὰς

Θησεύς

οἶδʼ ἐγώ σε μή τινα

ἐνθένδʼ ἀπάξοντʼ ἄνδρα πρὸς βίαν ἐμοῦ.

πολλαὶ δʼ ἀπειλαὶ πολλὰ δὴ μάτην ἔπη

θυμῷ κατηπείλησαν, ἀλλʼ ὁ νοῦς ὅταν

αὑτοῦ γένηται, φροῦδα τἀπειλήματα.
660

κείνοις δʼ ἴσως κεἰ δείνʼ ἐπερρώσθη λέγειν

τῆς σῆς ἀγωγῆς, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, φανήσεται

μακρὸν τὸ δεῦρο πέλαγος οὐδὲ πλώσιμον.

θαρσεῖν μὲν οὖν ἔγωγε κἄνευ τῆς ἐμῆς

γνώμης ἐπαινῶ, Φοῖβος εἰ προὔπεμψέ σε·
665

ὅμως δὲ κἀμοῦ μὴ παρόντος οἶδʼ ὅτι

τοὐμὸν φυλάξει σʼ ὄνομα μὴ πάσχειν κακῶς.

Χορός
α

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 549-667 focus

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ἄναξ ὅδʼ ἡμὶν Αἰγέως γόνος

Θησεὺς κατʼ ὀμφὴν σὴν ἐφʼ ἁστάλη πάρα.
550

Θησεύς

πολλῶν ἀκούων ἔν τε τῷ πάρος χρόνῳ

τὰς αἱματηρὰς ὀμμάτων διαφθορὰς

ἔγνωκά σʼ, ὦ παῖ Λαΐου, τανῦν θʼ ὁδοῖς

ἐν ταῖσδʼ ἀκούων μᾶλλον ἐξεπίσταμαι.

σκευή τε γάρ σε καὶ τὸ δύστηνον κάρα
555

δηλοῦτον ἡμῖν ὄνθʼ ὃς εἶ, καί σʼ οἰκτίσας

θέλω ʼπερέσθαι, δύσμορʼ Οἰδίπους, τίνα

πόλεως ἐπέστης προστροπὴν ἐμοῦ τʼ ἔχων,

αὐτός τε χἠ σὴ δύσμορος παραστάτις.

δίδασκε· δεινὴν γάρ τινʼ ἂν πρᾶξιν τύχοις
560

λέξας ὁποίας ἐξαφισταίμην ἐγώ,

ὃς οἶδα καὐτὸς ὡς ἐπαιδεύθην ξένος,

ὥσπερ σύ, χὢς εἷς πλεῖστʼ ἀνὴρ ἐπὶ ξένης

ἤθλησα κινδυνεύματʼ ἐν τὠμῷ κάρᾳ·

ὥστε ξένον γʼ ἂν οὐδένʼ ὄνθʼ, ὥσπερ σὺ νῦν,
565

ὑπεκτραποίμην μὴ οὐ συνεκσῴζειν· ἐπεὶ

ἔξοιδʼ ἀνὴρ ὢν χὤτι τῆς εἰς αὔριον

οὐδὲν πλέον μοι σοῦ μέτεστιν ἡμέρας.

Οἰδίπους

Θησεῦ, τὸ σὸν γενναῖον ἐν σμικρῷ λόγῳ

παρῆκεν, ὥστε βραχέα μοι δεῖσθαι φράσαι.
570

σὺ γάρ μʼ ὅς εἰμι κἀφʼ ὅτου πατρὸς γεγὼς

καὶ γῆς ὁποίας ἦλθον, εἰρηκὼς κυρεῖς·

ὥστʼ ἐστί μοι τὸ λοιπὸν οὐδὲν ἄλλο πλὴν

εἰπεῖν ἃ χρῄζω, χὠ λόγος διοίχεται.

Θησεύς

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν δίδασχʼ, ὅπως ἂν ἐκμάθω.
575

Οἰδίπους

δώσων ἱκάνω τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας

σοὶ δῶρον, οὐ σπουδαῖον εἰς ὄψιν· τὰ δὲ

κέρδη παρʼ αὐτοῦ κρείσσονʼ ἢ μορφὴ καλή.

579

Θησεύς

ποῖον δὲ κέρδος ἀξιοῖς ἥκειν φέρων;

Οἰδίπους

χρόνῳ μάθοις ἄν, οὐχὶ τῷ παρόντι που.
580

Θησεύς

ποίῳ γὰρ ἡ σὴ προσφορὰ δηλώσεται;

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν θάνω ʼγὼ καὶ σύ μου ταφεὺς γένῃ

Θησεύς

τὰ λοίσθιʼ αἰτεῖ τοῦ βίου, τὰ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ

ἢ λῆστιν ἴσχεις ἢ διʼ οὐδενὸς ποεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γάρ μοι κεῖνα συγκομίζεται.
585

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ ἐν βραχεῖ δὴ τήνδε μʼ ἐξαιτεῖ χάριν.

Οἰδίπους

ὅρα γε μήν· οὐ σμικρός, οὔχ, ἁγὼν ὅδε.

Θησεύς

πότερα τὰ τῶν σῶν ἐκγόνων κἀμοῦ λέγεις;—

Οἰδίπους

κεῖνοι κομίζειν κεῖσʼ ἄναξ, χρῄζουσί με.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλοντά γʼ οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν.
590

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸς ἤθελον, παρίεσαν.

Θησεύς

ὦ μῶρε, θυμὸς δʼ ἐν κακοῖς οὐ ξύμφορον.

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν μάθῃς μου, νουθέτει, τανῦν δʼ ἔα.

Θησεύς

δίδασκʼ· ἄνευ γνώμης γὰρ οὔ με χρὴ λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους

πέπονθα, Θησεῦ, δεινὰ πρὸς κακοῖς κακά.
595

Θησεύς

ἦ τὴν παλαιὰν ξυμφορὰν γένους ἐρεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ πᾶς τοῦτό γʼ Ἑλλήνων θροεῖ.

Θησεύς

τί γὰρ τὸ μεῖζον ἢ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον νοσεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως ἔχει μοι. γῆς ἐμῆς ἀπηλάθην

πρὸς τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ σπερμάτων· ἔστιν δέ μοι
600

πάλιν κατελθεῖν μήποθʼ, ὡς πατροκτόνῳ.

Θησεύς

πῶς δῆτα σʼ ἂν πεμψαίαθʼ, ὥστʼ οἰκεῖν δίχα;

Οἰδίπους

τὸ θεῖον αὐτοὺς ἐξαναγκάσει στόμα.

Θησεύς

ποῖον πάθος δείσαντας ἐκ χρηστηρίων;

Οἰδίπους

ὅτι σφʼ ἀνάγκη τῇδε πληγῆναι χθονί.
605

Θησεύς

καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τἀμὰ κἀκείνων πικρά;

607

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ Αἰγέως παῖ, μόνοις οὐ γίγνεται

θεοῖσι γῆρας οὐδὲ κατθανεῖν ποτε.

τὰ δʼ ἄλλα συγχεῖ πάνθʼ ὁ παγκρατὴς χρόνος.

φθίνει μὲν ἰσχὺς γῆς, φθίνει δὲ σώματος,
610

θνῄσκει δὲ πίστις, βλαστάνει δʼ ἀπιστία,

καὶ πνεῦμα ταὐτὸν οὔποτʼ οὔτʼ ἐν ἀνδράσιν

φίλοις βέβηκεν οὔτε πρὸς πόλιν πόλει.

τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἤδη, τοῖς δʼ ἐν ὑστέρῳ χρόνῳ

τὰ τερπνὰ πικρὰ γίγνεται καὖθις φίλα.
615

καὶ ταῖσι Θήβαις εἰ τανῦν εὐημερεῖ

καλῶς τὰ πρὸς σέ, μυρίας ὁ μυρίος

χρόνος τεκνοῦται νύκτας ἡμέρας τʼ ἰών,

ἐν αἷς τὰ νῦν ξύμφωνα δεξιώματα

δόρει διασκεδῶσιν ἐκ σμικροῦ λόγου·
620

ἵνʼ οὑμὸς εὕδων καὶ κεκρυμμένος νέκυς

ψυχρός ποτʼ αὐτῶν θερμὸν αἷμα πίεται,

εἰ Ζεὺς ἔτι Ζεὺς χὠ Διὸς Φοῖβος σαφής.

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ αὐδᾶν ἡδὺ τἀκίνητʼ ἔπη,

ἔα μʼ ἐν οἷσιν ἠρξάμην, τὸ σὸν μόνον
625

πιστὸν φυλάσσων, κοὔποτʼ Οἰδίπουν ἐρεῖς

ἀχρεῖον οἰκητῆρα δέξασθαι τόπων

τῶν ἐνθάδʼ, εἴπερ μὴ θεοὶ ψεύσουσί με.

Χορός

ἄναξ, πάλαι καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἔπη

γῇ τῇδʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ ὡς τελῶν ἐφαίνετο.
630

Θησεύς

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν ἀνδρὸς εὐμένειαν ἐκβάλοι

τοιοῦδʼ, ὅτῳ πρῶτον μὲν ἡ δορύξενος

κοινή παρʼ ἡμῖν αἰέν ἐστιν ἑστία;

ἔπειτα δʼ ἱκέτης δαιμόνων ἀφιγμένος

γῇ τῇδε κἀμοὶ δασμὸν οὐ σμικρὸν τίνει.
635

ἁγὼ σεβισθεὶς οὔποτʼ ἐκβαλῶ χάριν

τὴν τοῦδε, χώρᾳ δʼ ἔμπολιν κατοικιῶ.

εἰ δʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἡδὺ τῷ ξένῳ μίμνειν, σέ νιν

τάξω φυλάσσειν, εἴτʼ ἐμοῦ στείχειν μέτα,

τόδʼ ἡδύ, τούτων, Οἰδίπους, δίδωμί σοι
640

κρίναντι χρῆσθαι· τῇδε γὰρ ξυνοίσομαι.

642

Οἰδίπους

ὦ Ζεῦ, διδοίης τοῖσι τοιούτοισιν εὖ.

Θησεύς

τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἦ δόμους στείχειν ἐμούς;

Οἰδίπους

εἴ μοι θέμις γʼ ἦν· ἀλλʼ ὁ χῶρός ἐσθʼ ὅδε,

Θησεύς

ἐν ᾧ τί πράξεις; οὐ γὰρ ἀντιστήσομαι.
645

Οἰδίπους

ἐν ᾧ κρατήσω τῶν ἔμʼ ἐκβεβληκότων.

Θησεύς

μέγʼ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα τῆς συνουσίας.

Οἰδίπους

εἰ σοί γʼ ἅπερ φῂς ἐμμενεῖ τελοῦντί μοι.

Θησεύς

θάρσει τὸ τοῦδέ γʼ ἀνδρός· οὔ σε μὴ προδῶ.

Οἰδίπους

οὔτοι σʼ ὑφʼ ὅρκου γʼ ὡς κακὸν πιστώσομαι.
650

Θησεύς

οὔκουν πέρα γʼ ἂν οὐδὲν ἢ λόγῳ φέροις.

Οἰδίπους

πῶς οὖν ποήσεις;

Θησεύς

τοῦ μάλιστʼ ὄκνος σʼ ἔχει;

Οἰδίπους

ἥξουσιν ἄνδρες

Θησεύς

ἀλλὰ τοῖσδʼ ἔσται μέλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὅρα με λείπων

Θησεύς

μὴ δίδασχʼ ἃ χρή με δρᾶν.

Οἰδίπους

ὀκνοῦντʼ ἀνάγκη.
655

Θησεύς

τοὐμὸν οὐκ ὀκνεῖ κέαρ.

Οἰδίπους

οὐκ οἶσθʼ ἀπειλὰς

Θησεύς

οἶδʼ ἐγώ σε μή τινα

ἐνθένδʼ ἀπάξοντʼ ἄνδρα πρὸς βίαν ἐμοῦ.

πολλαὶ δʼ ἀπειλαὶ πολλὰ δὴ μάτην ἔπη

θυμῷ κατηπείλησαν, ἀλλʼ ὁ νοῦς ὅταν

αὑτοῦ γένηται, φροῦδα τἀπειλήματα.
660

κείνοις δʼ ἴσως κεἰ δείνʼ ἐπερρώσθη λέγειν

τῆς σῆς ἀγωγῆς, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, φανήσεται

μακρὸν τὸ δεῦρο πέλαγος οὐδὲ πλώσιμον.

θαρσεῖν μὲν οὖν ἔγωγε κἂν ἐμῆς ἄνευ

γνώμης ἐπαινῶ, Φοῖβος εἰ προὔπεμψέ σε·
665

ὅμως δὲ κἀμοῦ μὴ παρόντος οἶδʼ ὅτι

τοὐμὸν φυλάξει σʼ ὄνομα μὴ πάσχειν κακῶς.

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 549 focus

Enough. For lo! where Aegeus’ princely son,

Theseus, comes hither, summoned at thy word.
550

THESEUS
Enter THESEUS .

From many voices in the former time

Telling thy cruel tale of sight destroyed

I have known thee, son of Laius, and to-day

I know thee anew, in learning thou art here.

Thy raiment, and the sad change in thy face,

Proclaim thee who thou art, and pitying thee,
555

Dark-fated Oedipus, I fain would hear

What prayer or supplication thou preferrest

To me and to my city, thou and this

Poor maid who moves beside thee. Full of dread

Must be that fortune thou canst name, which I
560

Would shrink from, since I know of mine own youth,

How in strange lands a stranger as thou art

I bore the brunt of perilous circumstance

Beyond all others; nor shall any man,

Like thee an alien from his native home,
565

Find me to turn my face from succouring him.

I am a man and know it. To-morrow’s good

Is no more mine than thine or any man’s.

OED

Thy noble spirit, Theseus, in few words

Hath made my task of utterance brief indeed.
570

Thou hast told aright my name and parentage

And native city. Nought remains for me

But to make known mine errand, and our talk

Is ended.

THE

Tell me plainly thy desire.
575

OED

I come to offer thee this woe-worn frame,

As a free boon,—not goodly in outward view.

A better gift than beauty is that I bring.

THE

What boon dost thou profess to have brought with thee?

OED

Thou shalt know by and by,—not yet awhile.
580

THE

When comes the revelation of thine aid?

OED

When I am dead, and thou hast buried me.

THE

Thou cravest the last kindness. What’s between

Thou dost forget or else neglect.

OED

Herein
585

One word conveys the assurance of the whole.
585

THE

You sum up your petition in brief form.

OED

Look to it. Great issues hang upon this hour.

THE

Mean’st thou in this the fortune of thy sons

Or mine?

OED

I mean the force of their behest

Compelling my removal hence to Thebes.

THE

So thy consent were sought, ’twere fair to yield.
590

OED

Once I was ready enough. They would not then.

THE

Wrath is not wisdom in misfortune, man!

OED

Nay, chide not till thou knowest.

THE

Inform me, then!

I must not speak without just grounds.

OED

O Theseus,
595

I am cruelly harassed with wrong heaped on wrong.
595

THE

Mean’st thou that prime misfortune of thy birth?

OED

No. That hath long been rumoured through the world.

THE

What, then, can be thy grief? If more than that,

’Tis more than human.

OED

Here is my distress:—

I am made an outcast from my native land

By mine own offspring. And return is barred
600

For ever to the man who slew his sire.

THE

How then should they require thee to go near,

And yet dwell separate?

OED

The voice of Heaven

Will drive them to it.

THE

As fearing what reverse

Prophetically told?

OED

Destined defeat
605

By Athens in the Athenian land.
605

THE

What source

Of bitterness ’twixt us and Thebes can rise?

OED

Dear son of Aegeus, to the Gods alone

Comes never Age nor Death. All else i’ the world

Time, the all subduer, merges in oblivion.

Earth and men’s bodies weaken, fail, and perish.
610

Faith withers, breach of faith springs up and glows

And neither men nor cities that are friends

Breathe the same spirit with continuing breath.

Love shall be turned to hate, and hate to love

With many hereafter, as with some to-day.
615

And though, this hour, between great Thebes and thee

No cloud be in the heaven, yet moving Time

Enfolds a countless brood of days to come,

Wherein for a light cause they shall destroy

Your now harmonious league with severing war,
620

Even where my slumbering form, buried in death,

Coldly shall drink the life blood of my foes,

If Zeus be Zeus, and his son Phoebus true.

I would not speak aloud of mysteries.

Then let me leave where I began. Preserve
625

Thine own good faith, and thou shalt never say,

Unless Heaven’s promise fail me, that for nought

Athens took Oedipus to dwell with her.

CH

My lord, long since the stranger hath professed

Like augury of blessings to our land.
630

THE

And who would dare reject his proffered good?

Whose bond with us of warrior amity

Hath ne’er been sundered,—and to day he comes

A God-sent suppliant, whose sacred hand

Is rich with gifts for Athens and for me.
635

In reverent heed whereof I ne’er will scorn

The boon he brings, but plant him in our land.

And if it please our friend to linger here,

Ye shall protect him:—if to go with me

Best likes thee, Oedipus,—ponder, and use
640

Thy preference. For my course shall join with thine.

OED

Ye Heavens, reward such excellence!

THE

How, then?

Is it thy choice now to go home with me?

OED

Yea, were it lawful. But in this same spot—

THE

What wouldst thou do? I’ll not withstand thy will.
645

OED

I must have victory o’er my banishers.

THE

Thy dwelling with us, then, is our great gain?

OED

Yes, if thou fail me not, but keep thy word.

THE

Nay, fear not me! I will aye be true to thee.

OED

I will not bind thee, like a knave, with oaths.
650

THE

Oaths were no stronger than my simple word.

OED

What will ye do, then?

THE

What is that thou fearest?

OED

They will come hither.

THE

Thy guards will see to that.

OED

Beware, lest, if you leave me—

THE

Tell not me,

I know my part.

OED

Terror will have me speak.
655

THE

Terror and I are strangers.

OED

But their threats!

Thou canst not know—

THE

I know that none shall force

Thee from this ground against thy will. Full oft

Have threatening words in wrath been voluble,

Yet, when the mind regained her place again,

The threatened evil vanished. So to-day
660

Bold words of boastful meaning have proclaimed

Thy forcible abduction by thy kin.

Yet shall they find (I know it) the voyage from Thebes,

On such a quest, long and scarce navigable.

Whate’er my thought, if Phoebus sent thee forth,
665

I would bid thee have no fear. And howsoe’er,

My name will shield thee from all injury.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 549 focus

Da, siehe, kommt der König, Aegeus' Sohn, heran,

Theseus, gehorsam deinem Ruf, der ihn beschied.

Theseus. Die Vorigen.

Theseus.

Von Vielen hört' ich früher, wie dein Augenlicht

In blut'ger Nacht erloschen, daß ich dich sofort
550

Erkannte, Sohn des Laïos, und noch sichrer jezt

Aus dem erkenne, was ich hört' auf diesem Weg.

Denn dein Gewand und dein entsezenvolles Haupt

Bezeugt mir deutlich, wer du bist; mich jammert dein;

Drum will ich dich befragen, armer Dedipus,'
555

Um was du mich zu bitten und die Bürger hier

Gekommen, du mit deiner armen Führerin.

So sprich: ein ungeheures Werk ja müßtest du

Mir nennen, wollt' ich deinem Dienste mich entzieh'n:

Ich weiß, in fremdem Lande wuchs ich selbst heran,
560

Gleich dir; im Fremdlingslande, wie kein andrer Mann,

Durchkämpft' ich viel Gefahren über meinem Haupt.

Drum steh' ich keinem Fremdling, der, wie heute du,

Mir naht, mit meiner Hülfe fern; ich bin ein Mensch,

Wohl weiß ich dieses, und mir ward am nächsten Tag
565

Kein größrer Antheil, als er dir beschieden ist.

Oedipus.

Dein Adel, Theseus, hat in kurzem Worte sich

Entfaltet, daß mir wenig nur zu sagen bleibt.

Denn wer ich bin und welches Vaters Sohn, woher

Des Landes ich gekommen, hast du selbst gesagt;
570

So bliebe mir nichts übrig, als dir kundzuthun,

Was mein Begehr ist, und die Rede fand ihr Ziel.

Theseus.

Dies eben laß mich hören, dies enthülle mir.

Oedipus.

Ich komme, meinen müden Leib zur Gabe dir

Zu bringen, nicht gar lieblich anzuseh'n; indeß
575

Der Lohn von ihm ist größer, als das Aeußre schön.

Theseus.

Und welchen Vortheil bietest du zum Lohne mir?

Oedipus.

Die Zeit belehrt dich's, wär' es auch die nächste nicht.

Theseus.

Wann aber wird uns deine Segnung offenbar?

Oedipus.

Sobald ich todt bin und du mich bestattet hast.
580

Theseus.

Des Lebens Leztes bittest du: was mitten liegt,

Vergissest oder achtest du von keinem Werth.

Oedipus.

Erlang' ich jenes, kommt mir auch dies Andre zu.¹

Theseus.

Doch unbedeutend ist die Gunst, um die du flehst.

Oedipus.

Nicht leicht (bedenk' es ernstlich) ist der Kampf um sie.
585

Theseus.

Gilt Thebe's Söhnen oder gilt mir dieses Wort?

Oedipus.

Mich heimzubringen mit Gewalt verlangen sie.

Theseus.

Dir, wenn sie's. wollen, ziemte nicht die Weigerung.

Doch als ich selbst es wollte, widerstrebten sie.

O Thor, im Unglück ist der Troz nicht förderlich.
590

Oedipus.

Erst höre mich, dann mahne; jezt laß ab davon.

Theseus.

Sprich; eh' ich dich vernommen, ziemt mir nicht das Wort.

Oedipus.

Graunvoll, o Theseus, ward mir Leid auf Leid gehäuft.

Theseus.

Du sprichst von deines Hauses altem Ungemach?

Oedipus.

Nein; ist von ihm doch jeder Mund in Hellas voll.
595

Theseus.

Welch übermenschlich großes Leid erlittst du denn?

Oedipus.

So ging es mir: aus meinem Vaterreich vertrieb

Gewalt der eignen Söhne mich, und nimmer ist

Als Vatermörder mir gegönnt die Wiederkehr.

Theseus.

Was rufen sie dich also, daß du wohnst allein?
600

Oedipus.

Ein Wort aus Göttermunde zwingt sie so zu thun.

Theseus.

Mit welchem Unheil schreckte sie der Seherspruch?

Oedipus.

Daß dieses Land sie schlage, sei der Götter Schluß.

Theseus.

Wie käme Hader zwischen mir und Theben auf?

Oedipus.

O Sohn des Aegeus, theurer Mann, den Göttern nur
605

Naht nie das Alter, ihnen naht niemals der Tod.

Doch alles Andre stürzt die Allgewalt der Zeit:

Die Kraft der Erde welkt, es welkt des Leibes Kraft;

Hin stirbt die Treue, Treuebruch sprießt hoch empor.

Und ohne Wandel athmet nie derselbe Hauch
610

Der Lieb' in Männerherzen, noch bei Volk und Volk.

Denn heute dort, hier morgen wandelt sich die Gunst

In bittern Hader, und in Huld sich wieder um.

Und wenn des Friedens heller Tag die Theber jezt

Mit dir vereinigt, doch gebiert in ihrem Lauf
615

Endlose Zeit endlose Nächte, Tage noch,

Worin die heute festverbundnen Hände sich

Um leichten Vorwand trennen durch des Speers Gewalt,

Wo mein entschlafner und im Grab geborgner Leib

Erkaltet einst ihr warmes Herzblut trinken wird,
620

Wenn Zeus noch Zeus, und sein Apollon Wahres spricht.

Doch sag' ich ungern, was ich nicht enthüllen darf;

Dir gnüge denn mein erstes Wort, und wahre mur²

Das deine treulich; und gewiß, dann klagst du nie,

Es sei ein unnüz werthlos Haupt in Dedipus
625

Dem Land erschienen, lügen mir die Götter nicht.

Der Chor.

Schon lange hat, o König, dies und Aehnliches³

Der Mann für unsrer Väter Land zu thun gelobt.

Theseus.

Wer möchte solches Mannes wohlgewognen Sinn

Abweisen, dem hier allezeit der freundliche,
630

Gastfreie Herd in unsrer Wohnung offen steht,

Und welcher, Hülfe suchend bei den Göttinnen,

Mir und dem Lande nicht geringen Lohn bezahlt?

Dies heilig achtend, will ich niemals seine Huld

Abweisen, will ihm Bürgerrecht im Lande leih'n.
635

Gefällt's ihm hier zu bleiben, dann gebiet' ich euch,⁴

Sein wohl zu wahren; ist es ihm, mit mir zu geh'n,

Genehm, so gönn' ich, Dedipus, auch hier Gewalt

Und freie Wahl dir: so gewähr' ich, was du willst.

Oedipus.

Zeus, solchen Männern lohne du mit Wohlergeh'n!
640

Theseus.

Nun was verlangt dich? Willst du geh'n nach meinem Haus?

Oedipus.

Wohl, wenn ich dürfte; doch es ist die Stätte hier

Theseus.

Was willst du hier beginnen? Denn ich wehr' es nicht.

Oedipus.

Hier werd' ich sie besiegen, die mich einst verbannt.⁵

Theseus.

Groß nenne dann den Segen deines Aufenthalts.
645

Oedipus.

Ja, wenn du treu vollendest, was du mir versprachst.

Theseus.

Vertraue meinem Worte; nie verlass' ich dich.

Oedipus.

Durch keinen Eidschwur bind' ich dich, dem Schlechten gleich.

Theseus.

Nicht mehr auch, als mit meinem Wort, gewönnest du.

Oedipus.

Was wirst du denn beginnen?
650

Theseus.

Weßhalb zagst du so?

Oedipus.

Die Männer kommen

(auf den Chor deutend)

Theseus.

Diese steh'n zu deinem Schuz.

Oedipus.

Sieh, du verläßt mich

Theseus.

Lehre mir nicht meine Pflicht.

Oedipus.

Es zwingt die Furcht mich

Theseus.

Mein Gemüth kennt keine Furcht.

Oedipus.

Du weißt ihr Droh'n nicht -

Theseus.

Doch ich weiß, daß Keiner dich

Von hier gewaltsam mir zum Troz entführen wird.
655

Denn drohend hat ja Mancher schon manch eitles Wort

Gedroht im Zorneseifer; doch sobald der Geist

Sein wieder Herr ward, floh'n hinweg die Drohungen.

Und haben jen' auch kühn mit schwerem Eid gelobt,

Dich wegzuführen, weiß ich doch, scheint ihrem Blick
660

Der Weg hieher ein unbeschiffbar weites Meer.

So darfst du, spendet' ich dir auch nicht meinen Schuz,

Doch fest vertrauen, wenn Apollon dich gesandt.

Und ob ich selbst auch ferne sei, so weiß ich doch :

Vor jeder Unbill schüzen wird mein Name dich.
665
(ab.) Dedipus. Antigone. Der Chor. Erste Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 549 focus

{seeh^ Theseus, wJw enters]. But lo ! the king,

-(Egean Theseus, comes ;

The fame of thee bath brought him here already.
550

TheseuSj CEdipus, Antigone, Uiiokus.
550

Theseus
Scene YIII.

O son of Laius ! long ere- this the tal«

Of thy disastrous fate, by many a tongue

Related, I had heard : thy eyes torn forth

By thy own desperate hand : and now I see

It was too true. Thy garb and dreadful aspect

Speak who thou art. Unhappy Qildipus,

I come to ask, in pity to thy woes.
555

What 's thy request to Athens or to me —

Thine, or this hapless virgin on thy steps

Attendant. Speak ; for large must be the boon

1 would refuse thee. I have known too well,

Myself a wretched wanderer, the woes

Of cruel exile, not to pity thine :
560

Of toils and dangers in a foreign land
560

Much have I suffered ; therefore not to me

Shall the poor stranger ever sue in vain

For aid and safety. Mortals as we are,

Uncertain ever is to-morrow's fate,

Alike unknown to Theseus and to thee.

Q^Idi. Theseus, thy words declare thy noble nature,
565

And leave me little to reply. Thou knowst

My story — who and whence I am ; no more

Remains, but that I tell thee my request,

And we have done.

Theseus

Proceed then, and inform me
575

(ipr. I come to give this wretched body to thee,
575

To sight ungracious, but of worth more dear
575

To thee than fairest forms could boast.
575

Theseus

What worhih i

Oedipus

Hereafter thou slialt know — not now

Theseus

But when

Shall we receive it ']

When thou shalt bury me.

my

Theseus
(Edi. When I am no more

Death is, it seems,

Thy chief concern, and life not worth thy cai-e.

Theseus
(Edi. That will procure me all the means of life.

And is this all thou ask'st, this little boon?

Oedipus

Not little is the strife which shall ensue.

Theseus

What strife ? With whom — thy children, or

own?

Thebes.

Theseus
(Edi. Mine, Theseus; they would have me back to

And wouldst thou rather be an exile here?
590

Oedipus

Once they refused me.

Theseus

Anger suits but ill

With low estate and miseries like thine.

QEdi. Hear first, and then condemn me.

Theseus

Not unheard

All thou canst urge, would I reprove thee. Speak.

Oedipus

O Theseus ! I have borne the worst of ills.
595

Theseus

The curses on thy race ?

Oedipus

Oh no ! all Greece

Hath heard of them.

Theseus

What more than mortal woe

Afihcts thee then ?

Oedipus

E'en this : my cruel sons

Have driven me from my country ; nevermore
600

Must Thebes receive a pariicide.

Theseus

Why then

Recall thee now, if thou must ne'er return ?

Oedipus

Commanded by an oracle divine.

Theseus

Why, what doth it declare ?

To thee, and to thy arms.

Theseus

But whence should spring

Such dire contention ?

Oedipus

Dearest fon of Ægeus,

From age and death exempt, the gods alone

Immortal and unchangeable remain,

Whilst all things else fall by the hand of Time,

The universal conqueror. Earth laments
610

Her fertile powers exhausted. Human strength

Is withered soon. E'en faith and truth decay,

That Thebes shall yield

And from their ashes fraud and falsehood rise.

Nor friendship long from mjtn to man endures,
615

Or realm to realm. To each successive rise

Bitter and sweet, and happiness and woe.

Athens and Thebes thou seest united now,

And all is well; but passing time shall bring

The fatal day (and slight will be the cause)
620

That soon shall change the bonds of amity
620

And holy faith, for feuds and deadliest hate.

Then, buried long in earth, shall this cold corse

Drink their warm blood, which from the mutual wound

Frequent shall flow. It must be as I tell thee.

If Jove be Jove, and great Apollo true.
625

But why should I reveal the fixed decree

Of all-deciding Heaven ? Permit me now

To end where I began. Thy plighted faith

Once more confirm, and never shalt thou say

The wretched OEdipus to Theseus came

An useless and unprofitable guest,

If the immortal gods have not deceived me.

Chorus

O king ! already hath this man declared

The same goodwill to thee and to our country.

Thes. Can I reject benevolence and love

Like this, my friends? Oh no ! the common rites

Of hospitality, this altar here,

The witness of our mutual vows, forbid it ;

He comes a suppliant to the goddesses,

And pays no little tribute both to me
630

And to my kingdom ; he shall find a seat
630

Within my realms, for I revere his virtues.
630

If here it pleaseth him to stay, remember \to the Chorus
630

'Tis my command you guard this stranger well ;
630

If thou wouldsb rather go with me, thou mayst ;
630

I leave it to thy choice. \To CEdipus.
630

Theseus
(Edi. Reward them, Jove.

What sayst thou ? wilt thou follow me?

O^Idi. I would,

If it were lawful, but it must be here —

This is the place-

Theseus

For what ? I'll not deny thee-
645

Theseus
(Edi. Where I mast conquer those who banished me.

That would be glory and renown to this

Thy place of refuge.

O^Di. If I may depend

On thy fair piomise.

Theseus

Fear not, I shall ne'er

Betray my friend.

Oedipus

I will not bind thee to it

By oath, like those whom we suspect of ill.

Theseus

Thou needst not, CEdipus ; my word 's my oath.

Theseus
(Edi. How must I act then 1

Fear'st thou aught 1

A force will come against me.

Theseus
(Edi. I do.

[pomting to the Chorus]. Here 's thy guard ;

These shall protect thee.

And save me, Theseus.

Theseus
(Edi. If thou goest, remember

Teach not me my duty.

Theseus
(Edi. Still am I fearful.

Theseus is not so.

Theseus
(Edi. Knowest thou not what they threatened?

This I know,

No power on earth shall wrest thee from this place.

Oftimes the angry soul will vent its wrath

In idle threats, with high and empty words,

Which ever, as the mind is to itself

Restored, are — nothing. They may boast their strength,

And say they '11 tear thee from me ; but I tell thee

The journey would be long and tedious to them ;

They will not hazard it — they dare not : therefore

Be comforted, for if by Phcebus sent

Thou hither cam'st, thou'rt safe without my aid,

E'en if I leave thee safe ; for know, the name

Of Theseus here sufficeth to protect thee.

Thou art come in happy time,

Stranger, to this blissful clime,

Long for swiftest steeds renowned,

Fertilest of the regions round ;

Where, beneath the ivy shade.

In the dew-sprinkled glade.

Many a love-lorn nightingale

Warbles sweet her plaintive tale ;
660

Where the vine in clusters pours
660

Her sweets, secured from wintry showers
660

Nor scorching suns, nor raging storm
660

The beauties of the year deform.
660

Where the sweet narcissus growing.

Where the yellow crocus blowing,

Round the sacred altars twine.

Offering to the powers divine ;

Where the pure springs perpetual flow^

Watering the verdant meads below.

Which with its earth-enriching waves

The fair Cephisus ever laves ;

Where, with his ever-sporting train,

Bacchus wantons on the plain,

Pleased with the Muses still to rove,

And golden Venus, queen of love.

Alone within this happy land,

Planted here by Nature's hand.

Which, nor Asia's fertile plains.

Nor Pelops' spacious isle contains,

Pallas, thy sacred olive grows,

Striking terror on our foes ;

Ever free from hostile rage,

From wanton youth or greedy age ;

Happy in sage Minerva's love,
665

And guarded still by Morian Jove.
665

But nobler gifts and fairer fame,
665

Athens, yet adorn thy name ;
665

Such wondrous gifts hath poured on thee,
665

Thy great protecting deity.

Here first obedient to command,

Formed by Neptune's skilful hand,

The steed was taught to know the rein,

And bear the chariot o'er the plain ;

Here first along the rapid tide

The stately vessels learned to ride,

And swifter down the currents flow

Than Nereids cut the waves below. [Exeunt.

Antigone
[Exit Theseus. Scene IX. (Edipus, Antigone, Chorus Arttistrophe i. Strophe 2. Antistrophe 2. ACT II. Scene I.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 549 focus

But see, excited by the fame of thee

Our king, the son of Ægeus, Theseus comes.
550

Theseus
THESEUS, CEDIPUS, ANTIGONE, CHORUS.

Hearing reported oft in days long past

The bloody deed that quench'd thy orbs of sight,

I know thee, son of Laius: much more now,

By information on the way received,

I know thee well; those squalid weeds, that head...

So mark'd with misery show me who thou art.
555

Unhappy Œdipus, I pity thee,

And wish to ask with what request to me

And to my people hither thou art come,

Thou, and that hapless virgin on thy steps

Attending: make it known: be it a task
560

Of toil or danger, fear not a repulse;

For I have learn'd, I have been train'd to feel,

Like thee, a stranger's woes; with many toils

And many dangers in a foreign land

Have I conflicted; from no stranger then,
565

As thou art now disdainful will I turn,

Not yielding thee protection; for I know,

Being a man, not more than thine my pow'r

To rule th' events to-morrow may bring forth.
575

Oedipus

Thy generous spirit, Theseus, in few words

Shines forth; behoves me then a brief reply :

For who I am, and of what father born,

And from what country come, thou hast declared.

Nothing for me remains then, but to show

What at thy friendly hands I would request.

Theseus

Of this inform me then; I wish to know.

Oedipus

I come this wretched body to bestow
580

On thee; a gift not to the sight indeed
580

Alluring, but th' advantages it brings
580

Are of more value than a beauteous form.
580

Theseus

And what advantage dost thou deign to bring?

Oedipus

Time, not the present hour will show thee this.

Theseus

When shall in deed thy offer'd good appear?

Oedipus

When I am dead, and thou shalt bury me.
585

Theseus

These are the last sad offices of life

Thou now hast ask'd; but all between hast left

Forgotten, or of no importance deem'd.,

Oedipus

In copious measure these are here on me

Theseus

Conferr'd.

Small grace dost thou of me require.

Oedipus

Yet see; not small this contest.

Theseus

Of thy sons
590

Is this declared, or me?
590

Oedipus

They would by force

Compel me to return.

Theseus

If such their wish,

Thy voluntary wanderings on thy self

Bring much dishonour.

Oedipus

But when such my wish,

They would not yield assent.

Theseus

Rash man, in ills

Anger brings no advantage.

Oedipus

Hear me first,
595

Ere thou reprove me.
595

Theseus

Speak; for till inform'd

Ill it becomes me of the cause to judge.

Oedipus

O Theseus, I have suffer'd dreadful ills

Added to ills.

Theseus

Is it thy scope to speak

Of the old ills which plunged thy house in woe?

Oedipus

No: for of that each Grecian speaks aloud.

Theseus

More than man's common lot are then thy woes?

Oedipus

They are: for from my country I am driv'n

By mine own sons, and never to return,

Since in my father's blood my hands are stain'd.

Theseus

Why then would they recal thee, since thy doom

Is to live distant?

Constrain'd.

By the voice divine

What terrors doth that voice denounce?

Oedipus

Defeat and slaughter from this land.
605

Theseus

And whence

'Twixt them and me should strife and war arise?

Oedipus

O friendly son of Ægeus, to the gods

Alone is giv'n exemption from old age

And death; all else th' all-powerful hand of time

Crumbles to dust. The vigour of the earth,

The vigour of the body wastes away;
610

Faith withers to the root, and Perfidy

Puts forth fresh branches. So in men, in states

Leagued now in friendship, the same spirit long

Never remains; but what is grateful now,

Instant to some, to some in distant time,
615

Becomes detested, then delights again.

So now though all is amity and peace.

'Twixt thee and Thebes, yet ever-changing time

Will, in its progress, ever-changing nights

And days beget, in which your plighted hands,

Arm'd for a trivial cause, shall burst your leagues;
620

That my cold corse, at rest beneath the earth,

Shall drink their warm blood, if Jove reigns supreme

And Phœbus, son of Jove, declares the truth.

But to unfold what silence ought to veil

Delights me not; permit me to proceed
625

In what I first began; keep but thy faith,

Thou didst receive an useless habitant

(Unless the gods beguile me) to this land.

Chorus

These and like things this man before, O king,

Declared he for this country would achieve.
630

Theseus

The warm benevolence of such a man

Who would reject? To him among us first

The common hospitable altar stands;

Then coming suppliant to these awful pow'rs,

To me and to my country he repays

An ample recompense; revering which

His courtesy I never will reject,
635

But give him in this land to dwell secure.

If here the stranger wishes to abide,

I give thee charge to guard him: if thy will

Inclines thee, Edipus, with me to go,

Thou hast thy choice; my will assents to thine.

ADIP. Thou ruler of the skies, on men like these
640

Pour down thy blessings!
640

What dost thou resolve?

Wilt thou with me to Athens ?

Oedipus

Would the fates

Allow it: but my place is here.

Theseus

And here
645

What wilt thou do? I shall not check thy will.
645

Oedipus

Here will I vanquish those, who drove me forth

An outcast.

Theseus

Great requital hast thou named

For thy reception here.

Oedipus

If firm thy faith,

And to thy promise just.

Theseus

Confide in me;

I never will betray thee.

With an oath

Oedipus

Thee, like one base of soul, I will not bind.
650

Theseus

My word is pledged: there is no surer tie.

Oedipus

HOW wilt thou act-

Theseus

What chiefly dost thou fear ?

Oedipus

The men will come.

Theseus

These will sustain that care.

Oedipus

Take heed lest if thou leave me...

Theseus

Teach not me

Oedipus

One, who fears...
655

To act as best behoves me..
655

Theseus

My heart ne'er knew to fear.

Oedipus

Know'st thou their threats ?

Theseus

I know that no man to my will opposed.......

Shall force thee hence. I know that many threats,

Many vain words in rage are vaunted loud;

But when cool reason reassumes the sway,

These menaces sink forceless. So, though now
660

Perchance these threaten high, they soon shall find

Th' attempt to drag thee hence is but to dare

A wide rough sea, on which their bark will sink.

Nay, I exhort thee, e'en without my care

Be confident, if Phoebus be thy guide...
665

Though I may hence be distant, yet I know

My name shall guard thee from the assault of ill.

Chorus
STRO. 1. CŒDIPUS, ANTIGONE, CHORUS.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 549-665 focus

Chorus

Look, there comes our lord, Theseus son of Aegeus,

at the sound of your voice, to do that for which he was summoned.
550

Enter Theseus.

Theseus

Through hearing from many in the past about the bloody marring of your sight, I recognized it was you, son of Laius; and now on coming here, through sight I am more fully certain.

For your clothing and that heart-rending face alike assure me that it is you. And in all compassion I ask you, ill-fated Oedipus, with what petition to the city and to me have you taken your place here, you and the poor maiden at your side. Declare it. Dire indeed must be the fortune which you tell,
555

for me to stand aloof from it; since I know that I myself also was reared in exile, just as you, and that in foreign lands I wrestled with perils to my life, like no other man.
560

Never, then, would I turn aside from a stranger, such as you are now, or refuse to help in his deliverance. For I know well that I am a man, and that my portion of tomorrow is no greater than yours.
565

Oedipus

Theseus, in a few words your nobleness has come to such a point

that I need make only a brief reply. You have said who I am, from what father I am sprung, and from what land I have come; and so nothing else remains for me but to speak my wish, and the tale is told.
570

Theseus

Then inform me of this very thing, so that I may learn it.
575

Oedipus

I come to offer you my care-worn body as a gift—not one fine to look on, but the gains from it are better than beauty.

579

Theseus

And what gain do you claim to have brought?

Oedipus

Later you may learn it—but not yet.
580

Theseus

At what time, then, will the benefit become clear?

Oedipus

When I am dead, and you have given me burial.

Theseus

You crave life’s last service; but for all between you have no memory, or no care.

Oedipus

Indeed, for by that service I gather in all the rest.
585

Theseus

Well then, this favor you crave from me is brief indeed.

Oedipus

Yet take care; the struggle here is no light one. No, indeed.

Theseus

Do you mean in respect to your sons, or to me?

Oedipus

They will compel you to convey me there to Thebes .

Theseus

But if you are willing, then exile is not becoming.
590

Oedipus

No, when I was willing, they refused.

Theseus

Foolish man, anger amidst woes is not suitable.

Oedipus

When you have heard my story, admonish; till then, forbear.

Theseus

Speak. I must not pronounce without knowledge.

Oedipus

I have suffered, Theseus, terrible woes upon woes.
595

Theseus

Will you speak of the ancient trouble of your race?

Oedipus

No, indeed; all Greeks speak of that.

Theseus

How, then, do you suffer beyond what is mortal?

Oedipus

The circumstance is this: from my country I have been driven by my own sons;

and I may not return, since I am guilty of a father’s blood.
600

Theseus

Why would they have you brought back, if you must dwell apart?

Oedipus

The word of the god will compel them.

Theseus

What suffering do they fear from the oracles?

Oedipus

That they must be struck down in this land.
605

Theseus

And how should bitterness come between them and me?

607

Oedipus

Dearest son of Aegeus, to the gods alone old age and death never come, but everything else sinks into chaos from time which overpowers all.

Earth’s strength decays, and so too the strength of the body; trust dies; distrust is born; and the same spirit is never steadfast among friends, or between city and city. For some now, for others tomorrow, sweet feelings turn to bitter, and then once more to being dear.
610

And if now the sun shines brightly between Thebes and you, yet time in his course gives birth to days and nights untold, in which from a small cause they will
615

scatter with the spear today’s pledges of concord. Then one day my slumbering and buried corpse, cold in death, will drink their warm blood, if Zeus is still Zeus, and Phoebus, the son of Zeus, speaks clear.
But, since I would not break silence concerning words that must not spoken, allow me to cease where I began.
620

Only keep your own pledge good, and never will you say that in vain you welcomed Oedipus to dwell in this land—if indeed the gods do not deceive me.
625

Chorus

Lord, from the first this man has shown a

will to bring these words, or similar ones, to completion for our land.
630

Theseus

Who, then, would reject the goodwill of such a one? To whom, first, the hearth of a spear-friend is always available on our side, by reciprocal right; then too he has come as a suppliant to our gods,

paying no small recompense to this land and to me. In reverence for these claims, I will never spurn his favor, and I will establish a dwelling for him as a citizen in the land. And if it is the pleasure of the stranger to remain here, I will command you to
635

protect him; or, if it pleases him, to come with me. This choice or that, Oedipus, you may take; your desire will be mine.
640

642

Oedipus

O Zeus, may you be good to men such as these!

Theseus

What is your wish, then? Will you come to my house?

Oedipus

Yes, I would, if it were right. But this is the place—

Theseus

What will you do here? Speak, for I will not hinder you.
645

Oedipus

—Where I will conquer those who cast me out.

Theseus

The promised gift of your presence would be great.

Oedipus

It shall be, if you keep your pledge with me.

Theseus

Have courage concerning me; never will I betray you.

Oedipus

I will not bind you with an oath as if an evil man.
650

Theseus

Well, you would win nothing more than by my word.

Oedipus

What will you do, then?

Theseus

What is it that you fear?

Oedipus

Men will come—

Theseus

But these men here will see to that.

Oedipus

Beware that if you leave me—

Theseus

Do not instruct me in my duties.

Oedipus

Fear constrains me—
655

Theseus

My heart feels no fear.

Oedipus

You do not know the threats—

Theseus

I know that none will lead you from here against my will. Often threats have blustered in men’s hearts with words loud and vain; but when the mind comes to itself once more,

the threats have vanished. For those men, too, perhaps—yes, even if in boldness they have spoken dreadful things of bringing you back, the voyage here will prove long and hard to sail. Now I exhort you, apart from any decision of mine, to take heart,
660

if indeed Phoebus has been your escort here. Even if I am not present, still my name, I know, will shield you from harm.
665

Notes on the current edition

Oedipus at Colonus

1. (theseus to the thebans)

2. (where, though fortune is meant, the δαίμωνdai/mwn

3. (capaneus menacing thebes)

4. ( assumingassuming

5. (midd.)

6. ( εἴτε κατθανεῖνei)/te katqanei=n

7. [rather ἐχρήσατοe)xrh/s1ato

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

549-667: Conclusion of first episode

Current edition Experimental

καὶ μὴν ἄναξ ὅδʼ ἡμὶν Αἰγέως γόνος Θησεὺς κατʼ ὀμφὴν σὴν * ἀποσταλεὶς πάρα. 550

Θησεύς τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν δίδασχʼ, ὅπως ἂν ἐκμάθω. 575

Οἰδίπους δώσων ἱκάνω τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας σοὶ δῶρον, οὐ σπουδαῖον εἰς ὄψιν· τὰ δὲ κέρδη παρʼ αὐτοῦ κρείσσονʼ ἢ μορφὴ καλή.

Θησεύς

ποῖον δὲ κέρδος ἀξιοῖς ἥκειν φέρων ;

Οἰδίπους χρόνῳ μάθοις ἄν, οὐχὶ τῷ παρόντι που. 580

Θησεύς ποίῳ γὰρ ἡ σὴ προσφορὰ δηλώσεται;

Οἰδίπους ὅταν θάνω ἐγὼ καὶ σύ μου ταφεὺς γένῃ.

Θησεύς τὰ λοῖσθʼ ἄρʼ αἰτεῖ τοῦ βίου, τὰ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ ἢ λῆστιν ἴσχεις ἢ διʼ οὐδενὸς ποιεῖ.

Οἰδίπους ἐνταῦθα γάρ μοι κεῖνα συγκομίζεται. 585

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ ἐν βραχεῖ δὴ τήνδε μʼ ἐξαιτεῖ χάριν.

Οἰδίπους ὅρα γε μήν· οὐ σμικρός, οὔχ, ἁγὼν ὅδε.

Θησεύς πότερα τὰ τῶν σῶν ἐκγόνων, ἢ ʼμοῦ λέγεις ;

Οἰδίπους κεῖνοι κομίζειν κεῖσʼ ἀναγκάζουσί με.

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλοντʼ ἄν γʼ, οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν. 590 [104 a.

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸς ἤθελον, παρίεσαν.

Θησεύς ὦ μῶρε, θυμὸς δʼ ἐν κακοῖς οὐ ξύμφορον.

Οἰδίπους ὅταν μάθῃς μου, νουθέτει, τανῦν δʼ ἔα.

Θησεύς δίδασκʼ. ἄνευ γνώμης γὰρ οὔ με χρὴ λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους πέπονθα, Θησεῦ, δεινὰ πρὸς κακοῖς κακά. 595

Θησεύς ἦ τὴν παλαιὰν ξυμφορὰν γένους ἐρεῖς;

Οἰδίπους οὐ δῆτʼ· ἐπεὶ πᾶς τοῦτό γʼ ῾Ελλήνων θροεῖ.

Θησεύς τί γὰρ τὸ μεῖζον ἢ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον νοσεῖς;

Οἰδίπους οὕτως ἔχει μοι. γῆς ἐμῆς ἀπηλάθην πρὸς τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ σπερμάτων· ἔστιν δέ μοι 600 πάλιν κατελθεῖν μήποθʼ, ὡς πατροκτόνῳ.

Θησεύς πῶς δῆτά σʼ ἂν πεμψαίαθʼ, ὥστʼ οἰκεῖν δίχα;

Οἰδίπους τὸ θεῖον αὐτοὺς ἐξαναγκάσει στόμα.

Θησεύς ποῖον πάθος δείσαντας ἐκ χρηστηρίων;

Οἰδίπους ὅτι σφʼ ἀνάγκη τῇδε πληγῆναι χθονί. 605

Θησεύς καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τἀμὰ κἀκείνων πικρά;

Οἰδίπους

Χορός ἄναξ, πάλαι καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἔπη γῇ τῇδʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ ὡς τελῶν ἐφαίνετο. 630

Οἰδίπους

ὦ Ζεῦ, διδοίης τοῖσι τοιούτοισιν εὖ.

Θησεύς τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἢ δόμους στείχειν ἐμούς;

Οἰδίπους εἴ μοι θέμις γʼ ἦν. ἀλλʼ ὁ χῶρός ἐσθʼ ὅδε,

Θησεύς ἐν ᾧ τί πράξεις; οὐ γὰρ ἀντιστήσομαι. 645

Οἰδίπους ἐν ᾧ κρατήσω τῶν ἔμʼ ἐκβεβληκότων.

Θησεύς μέγʼ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα τῆς συνουσίας.

Οἰδίπους εἰ σοί γʼ ἅπερ φῂς ἐμμενεῖ τελοῦντί μοι.

Θησεύς θάρσει τὸ τοῦδέ γʼ ἀνδρός· οὔ σε μὴ προδῶ.

Οἰδίπους οὔτοι σʼ ὑφʼ ὅρκου γʼ ὡς κακὸν πιστώσομαι. 650

Θησεύς οὔκουν πέρα γʼ ἂν οὐδὲν ἢ λόγῳ φέροις.

Οἰδίπους πῶς οὖν ποιήσεις;

Θησεύς τοῦ μάλιστʼ ὄκνος σʼ ἔχει;

Οἰδίπους ἥξουσιν ἄνδρες

Θησεύς ἀλλὰ τοῖσδʼ ἔσται μέλον.

Οἰδίπους ὅρα με λείπων

Θησεύς μὴ δίδασχʼ ἃ χρή με δρᾶν.

Οἰδίπους ὀκνοῦντʼ ἀνάγκη. 655

Θησεύς τοὐμὸν οὐκ ὀκνεῖ κέαρ. 655

Οἰδίπους οὐκ οἶσθʼ ἀπειλὰς

Χορός α

Χορός καὶ μὴν ἄναξ ὅδʼ ἡμὶν Αἰγέως γόνος Θησεὺς κατʼ ὀμφὴν σὴν ἐφʼ ἁστάλη πάρα. 550

Θησεύς τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν δίδασχʼ, ὅπως ἂν ἐκμάθω. 575

Οἰδίπους δώσων ἱκάνω τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας σοὶ δῶρον, οὐ σπουδαῖον εἰς ὄψιν· τὰ δὲ κέρδη παρʼ αὐτοῦ κρείσσονʼ ἢ μορφὴ καλή.

Θησεύς ποῖον δὲ κέρδος ἀξιοῖς ἥκειν φέρων;

Οἰδίπους χρόνῳ μάθοις ἄν, οὐχὶ τῷ παρόντι που. 580

Θησεύς ποίῳ γὰρ ἡ σὴ προσφορὰ δηλώσεται;

Οἰδίπους ὅταν θάνω ʼγὼ καὶ σύ μου ταφεὺς γένῃ

Θησεύς τὰ λοίσθιʼ αἰτεῖ τοῦ βίου, τὰ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ ἢ λῆστιν ἴσχεις ἢ διʼ οὐδενὸς ποεῖ.

Οἰδίπους ἐνταῦθα γάρ μοι κεῖνα συγκομίζεται. 585

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ ἐν βραχεῖ δὴ τήνδε μʼ ἐξαιτεῖ χάριν.

Οἰδίπους ὅρα γε μήν· οὐ σμικρός, οὔχ, ἁγὼν ὅδε.

Θησεύς πότερα τὰ τῶν σῶν ἐκγόνων κἀμοῦ λέγεις;—

Οἰδίπους κεῖνοι κομίζειν κεῖσʼ ἄναξ, χρῄζουσί με.

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλοντά γʼ οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν. 590

Οἰδίπους ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸς ἤθελον, παρίεσαν.

Θησεύς ὦ μῶρε, θυμὸς δʼ ἐν κακοῖς οὐ ξύμφορον.

Οἰδίπους ὅταν μάθῃς μου, νουθέτει, τανῦν δʼ ἔα.

Θησεύς δίδασκʼ· ἄνευ γνώμης γὰρ οὔ με χρὴ λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους πέπονθα, Θησεῦ, δεινὰ πρὸς κακοῖς κακά. 595

Θησεύς ἦ τὴν παλαιὰν ξυμφορὰν γένους ἐρεῖς;

Οἰδίπους οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ πᾶς τοῦτό γʼ Ἑλλήνων θροεῖ.

Θησεύς τί γὰρ τὸ μεῖζον ἢ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον νοσεῖς;

Οἰδίπους οὕτως ἔχει μοι. γῆς ἐμῆς ἀπηλάθην πρὸς τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ σπερμάτων· ἔστιν δέ μοι 600 πάλιν κατελθεῖν μήποθʼ, ὡς πατροκτόνῳ.

Θησεύς πῶς δῆτα σʼ ἂν πεμψαίαθʼ, ὥστʼ οἰκεῖν δίχα;

καὶ μὴν ἄναξ ὅδʼ ἡμὶν Αἰγέως γόνος

Θησεὺς κατʼ ὀμφὴν σὴν * ἀποσταλεὶς πάρα.
550

Θησεύς

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν δίδασχʼ, ὅπως ἂν ἐκμάθω.
575

Οἰδίπους

δώσων ἱκάνω τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας

σοὶ δῶρον, οὐ σπουδαῖον εἰς ὄψιν· τὰ δὲ

κέρδη παρʼ αὐτοῦ κρείσσονʼ ἢ μορφὴ καλή.

Οἰδίπους

χρόνῳ μάθοις ἄν, οὐχὶ τῷ παρόντι που.
580

Θησεύς

ποίῳ γὰρ ἡ σὴ προσφορὰ δηλώσεται;

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν θάνω ἐγὼ καὶ σύ μου ταφεὺς γένῃ.

Θησεύς

τὰ λοῖσθʼ ἄρʼ αἰτεῖ τοῦ βίου, τὰ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ

ἢ λῆστιν ἴσχεις ἢ διʼ οὐδενὸς ποιεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γάρ μοι κεῖνα συγκομίζεται.
585

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ ἐν βραχεῖ δὴ τήνδε μʼ ἐξαιτεῖ χάριν.

Οἰδίπους

ὅρα γε μήν· οὐ σμικρός, οὔχ, ἁγὼν ὅδε.

Θησεύς

πότερα τὰ τῶν σῶν ἐκγόνων, ἢ ʼμοῦ λέγεις ;

Οἰδίπους

κεῖνοι κομίζειν κεῖσʼ ἀναγκάζουσί με.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλοντʼ ἄν γʼ, οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν.
590
[104 a.

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸς ἤθελον, παρίεσαν.

Θησεύς

ὦ μῶρε, θυμὸς δʼ ἐν κακοῖς οὐ ξύμφορον.

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν μάθῃς μου, νουθέτει, τανῦν δʼ ἔα.

Θησεύς

δίδασκʼ. ἄνευ γνώμης γὰρ οὔ με χρὴ λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους

πέπονθα, Θησεῦ, δεινὰ πρὸς κακοῖς κακά.
595

Θησεύς

ἦ τὴν παλαιὰν ξυμφορὰν γένους ἐρεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ δῆτʼ· ἐπεὶ πᾶς τοῦτό γʼ ῾Ελλήνων θροεῖ.

Θησεύς

τί γὰρ τὸ μεῖζον ἢ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον νοσεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως ἔχει μοι. γῆς ἐμῆς ἀπηλάθην

πρὸς τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ σπερμάτων· ἔστιν δέ μοι
600

πάλιν κατελθεῖν μήποθʼ, ὡς πατροκτόνῳ.

Θησεύς

πῶς δῆτά σʼ ἂν πεμψαίαθʼ, ὥστʼ οἰκεῖν δίχα;

Οἰδίπους

τὸ θεῖον αὐτοὺς ἐξαναγκάσει στόμα.

Θησεύς

ποῖον πάθος δείσαντας ἐκ χρηστηρίων;

Οἰδίπους

ὅτι σφʼ ἀνάγκη τῇδε πληγῆναι χθονί.
605

Θησεύς

καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τἀμὰ κἀκείνων πικρά;

Χορός

ἄναξ, πάλαι καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἔπη

γῇ τῇδʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ ὡς τελῶν ἐφαίνετο.
630

Θησεύς

τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἢ δόμους στείχειν ἐμούς;

Οἰδίπους

εἴ μοι θέμις γʼ ἦν. ἀλλʼ ὁ χῶρός ἐσθʼ ὅδε,

Θησεύς

ἐν ᾧ τί πράξεις; οὐ γὰρ ἀντιστήσομαι.
645

Οἰδίπους

ἐν ᾧ κρατήσω τῶν ἔμʼ ἐκβεβληκότων.

Θησεύς

μέγʼ ἂν λέγοις δώρημα τῆς συνουσίας.

Οἰδίπους

εἰ σοί γʼ ἅπερ φῂς ἐμμενεῖ τελοῦντί μοι.

Θησεύς

θάρσει τὸ τοῦδέ γʼ ἀνδρός· οὔ σε μὴ προδῶ.

Οἰδίπους

οὔτοι σʼ ὑφʼ ὅρκου γʼ ὡς κακὸν πιστώσομαι.
650

Θησεύς

οὔκουν πέρα γʼ ἂν οὐδὲν ἢ λόγῳ φέροις.

Οἰδίπους

πῶς οὖν ποιήσεις;

Θησεύς

τοῦ μάλιστʼ ὄκνος σʼ ἔχει;

Οἰδίπους

ἥξουσιν ἄνδρες

Θησεύς

ἀλλὰ τοῖσδʼ ἔσται μέλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὅρα με λείπων

Θησεύς

μὴ δίδασχʼ ἃ χρή με δρᾶν.

Οἰδίπους

ὀκνοῦντʼ ἀνάγκη.
655

Θησεύς

τοὐμὸν οὐκ ὀκνεῖ κέαρ. 655

Οἰδίπους

οὐκ οἶσθʼ ἀπειλὰς

Χορός
α

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ἄναξ ὅδʼ ἡμὶν Αἰγέως γόνος

Θησεὺς κατʼ ὀμφὴν σὴν ἐφʼ ἁστάλη πάρα.
550

Θησεύς

τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν δίδασχʼ, ὅπως ἂν ἐκμάθω.
575

Οἰδίπους

δώσων ἱκάνω τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας

σοὶ δῶρον, οὐ σπουδαῖον εἰς ὄψιν· τὰ δὲ

κέρδη παρʼ αὐτοῦ κρείσσονʼ ἢ μορφὴ καλή.

Θησεύς

ποῖον δὲ κέρδος ἀξιοῖς ἥκειν φέρων;

Οἰδίπους

χρόνῳ μάθοις ἄν, οὐχὶ τῷ παρόντι που.
580

Θησεύς

ποίῳ γὰρ ἡ σὴ προσφορὰ δηλώσεται;

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν θάνω ʼγὼ καὶ σύ μου ταφεὺς γένῃ

Θησεύς

τὰ λοίσθιʼ αἰτεῖ τοῦ βίου, τὰ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ

ἢ λῆστιν ἴσχεις ἢ διʼ οὐδενὸς ποεῖ.

Οἰδίπους

ἐνταῦθα γάρ μοι κεῖνα συγκομίζεται.
585

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ ἐν βραχεῖ δὴ τήνδε μʼ ἐξαιτεῖ χάριν.

Οἰδίπους

ὅρα γε μήν· οὐ σμικρός, οὔχ, ἁγὼν ὅδε.

Θησεύς

πότερα τὰ τῶν σῶν ἐκγόνων κἀμοῦ λέγεις;—

Οἰδίπους

κεῖνοι κομίζειν κεῖσʼ ἄναξ, χρῄζουσί με.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ θέλοντά γʼ οὐδὲ σοὶ φεύγειν καλόν.
590

Οἰδίπους

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ, ὅτʼ αὐτὸς ἤθελον, παρίεσαν.

Θησεύς

ὦ μῶρε, θυμὸς δʼ ἐν κακοῖς οὐ ξύμφορον.

Οἰδίπους

ὅταν μάθῃς μου, νουθέτει, τανῦν δʼ ἔα.

Θησεύς

δίδασκʼ· ἄνευ γνώμης γὰρ οὔ με χρὴ λέγειν.

Οἰδίπους

πέπονθα, Θησεῦ, δεινὰ πρὸς κακοῖς κακά.
595

Θησεύς

ἦ τὴν παλαιὰν ξυμφορὰν γένους ἐρεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ πᾶς τοῦτό γʼ Ἑλλήνων θροεῖ.

Θησεύς

τί γὰρ τὸ μεῖζον ἢ κατʼ ἄνθρωπον νοσεῖς;

Οἰδίπους

οὕτως ἔχει μοι. γῆς ἐμῆς ἀπηλάθην

πρὸς τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ σπερμάτων· ἔστιν δέ μοι
600

πάλιν κατελθεῖν μήποθʼ, ὡς πατροκτόνῳ.

Θησεύς

πῶς δῆτα σʼ ἂν πεμψαίαθʼ, ὥστʼ οἰκεῖν δίχα;

Οἰδίπους

τὸ θεῖον αὐτοὺς ἐξαναγκάσει στόμα.

Θησεύς

ποῖον πάθος δείσαντας ἐκ χρηστηρίων;

Οἰδίπους

ὅτι σφʼ ἀνάγκη τῇδε πληγῆναι χθονί.
605

Θησεύς

καὶ πῶς γένοιτʼ ἂν τἀμὰ κἀκείνων πικρά;

Χορός

ἄναξ, πάλαι καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τοιαῦτʼ ἔπη

γῇ τῇδʼ ὅδʼ ἁνὴρ ὡς τελῶν ἐφαίνετο.
630

Οἰδίπους

ὦ Ζεῦ, διδοίης τοῖσι τοιούτοισιν εὖ.

Θησεύς

τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἦ δόμους στείχειν ἐμούς;

Οἰδίπους

εἴ μοι θέμις γʼ ἦν· ἀλλʼ ὁ χῶρός ἐσθʼ ὅδε,

Θησεύς

ἐν ᾧ τί πράξεις; οὐ γὰρ ἀντιστήσομαι.
645