Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

1096-1210: Third episode

Third

ἐπεισόδιον

. The maidens are restored to their father by Theseus; who also brings word that an unknown suppliant has placed himself at the altar of Poseidon, praying to speak with Oedipus.

τῷ σκοπῷ μὲν ,

"to thy watcher at least"

(cp. 802

ἐμοὶ μέν

). The Chorus, left alone with the blind man, has acted as his watchman.

μέν implies,

"if my mere presage (1075) did not persuade, my eyes, at least, may be trusted."

προσπολουμένας has been much suspected (see cr. n.). The verb

προσπολεῖν

elsewhere occurs only in the act. as=to be a

πρόσπολος

(with dat., Eur.). So

δορυφορεῖν

=to be a body-guard,

ῥαβδουχεῖν

to be a lictor. And if the passives

δορυφορεῖσθαι

(Plat., etc.) and

ῥαβδουχεῖσθαι

( Plut. Num. 10 ) can mean to be escorted by

δορυφόροι

ῥαβδοῦχοι

, it is not plain why the pass.

προσπολεῖσθαι

should not mean to be escorted by

πρόσπολοι

. The attendants are the

ὀπάονες

(1103) of Theseus. The version

" moving hither"

(Schaefer) is wrong.

τίς ἂν … δοίη ,

"who would give?"

"oh that some one would give!"

Aesch. Ag. 1448

τίς ἂν …

μόλοι φέρουσ’ ἐν ἡμῖν

μοῖρ’ ἀτέλευτον ὕπνον

. So more often

πῶς ἄν.

δοίη , by a sudden gift of sight to the blind eyes.

φιλτάτων τ’ . The omission of τ’ by the first hand in L was clearly a mere slip. From 1117, and from the words of Theseus himself (1148), it is manifest that he is supposed to have aided personally in the rescue. Cp. on ff.

μηδαμά ,

οὐδαμά

are used by the poets when the final must be short;

μηδαμῇ, οὐδαμῇ

, when it must be long. Where, as here, either form is possible, L is not a safe guide in choosing between them. The

μη

-adverb occurs 5 times in Soph.: here L has

μηδαμᾶ

: in Ph. 789 (a like case)

μηδαμῆι

. Above, 517, where

μηδαμά

is necessary, L has

μηδαμᾶ

: in 1698 (a like case),

μηδαμῆι

. The

οὐ

-adv. occurs 4 times in Soph., and L has always

οὐδαμᾶι

, which is necessary only in Ant. 874 , while

οὐδαμά

is necessary ib. 830: either could stand ib. 763, Tr. 323 . Thus L's perispomenon form has displaced a necessary

‐ά

in 3 places, while only one place of all 9 requires the long form.

τὸ μηδαμὰ ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν

, the generic

μή

, one which was never expected, etc.,— and which, therefore, is the more welcome. Cp. O. T. 397

ὁ μηδὲν εἰδώς

, n. —

βαστάσαι δηλοῖ παρὰ τοῖς Ἀττικοῖς τὸ ψηλαφῆσαι

(Suidas s.v. ): Eur. Alc. 917

φιλίας ἀλόχου χέρα βαστάζων

ἃ τεύξει need not be explained as an attraction for

ὧν τεύξει

, since the neut. plur. acc. of pronouns and adjectives can stand after

τυγχάνειν

and

κυρεῖν

, rather as a cognate or adverbial acc. than as directly governed by the verb: cp. Aesch. Cho. 711

τυγχάνειν τὰ πρός‐

φορα

, and see on O. T. 1298 .

σὺν πόθῳ … ἡ χάρις , the grace shown (by granting thy wish) is combined with a desire (on our own part).

ἔρνη , like

θάλος

(which, however, was used only in nom. and acc. sing.).—

τῷ τεκόντι as Aesch. Cho. 690 : so the allusive plur. , O. T. 1176 .

πᾶν , sc.

τεχθέν

σκῆπτρα : see on .

φωτός : cp. 1018.

θανὼν can mean only,

"having died,"

—

"after my death"

: but the reading, which has been suspected, seems sound. The sense is:—

"were I to die now, I could not after my death be said to have been altogether unhappy, when my last hours had been thus cheered."

ἐρείσατε … πλευρὸν ἀμφιδέξιον ,

"press each her side (to mine) on right and left"

—Antigone on his one hand, Ismene on the other. Cp. O. T. 1243

ἀμφιδεξίοις ἀκμαῖς

, with the fingers of both hands, where see n.

ἐμφύντε , clinging close, like the Homeric

ἐν δ’ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρί

( Il. 6.253) ,

ἔφυν ἐν χερσὶν ἕκαστος

Od. 10.397 , clasped my hands, each and all. For the paronomasia with φύσαντι cp. O. T. 878

χρησίμῳ χρῆται

n.: for the masc. ending, see on

ἰδόντε

With

κἀναπαύσατον

(note that L has κἀναπαύσετον ) the words are usu. taken to mean, "and give me relief from this hapless wandering, desolate before," — i.e. since Antigone was carried off (844) .

πλάνου , then, must mean, "wanderer's doom," for we cannot explain it merely of restless movements on the scene since his daughter's departure. But this seems forced. Wecklein explains it figuratively , of the insecurity felt by a blind man who has no guide (

"Haltlosigkeit und Unsicherheit, wie sie der Blinde ohne Führer fühlt"

). But how could πλάνου alone denote this mental state? Neither

τὸν πρόσθ’ ἔρη μον τοῦδε δυστήνου πλάνου

nor

τοῦ πρ. ἐρήμου τόν δε δύστη νον πλάνου

mends matters. Schneidewin (rightly, I think) referred πλάνου to the carrying away of the maidens by Creon's guards, rendering, " repose from your late forlorn and hapless wandering." But

ἀναπαύσατον

could not thus stand for the midd.: when the act. seems to do so, there is an acc. to be mentally supplied, as Thuc. 4.11

ἀναπαύοντες ἐν τῷ μέρει

, (not "resting," but) "relieving (their comrades) in turn": Xen. Hellen. 5.1.21

ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπεῖχε πέντε ἢ ἓξ στάδια τοῦ λιμένος ἡσυχίαν εἶχε καὶ ἀνέπαυε

( sc.

τὰς ναῦς

). I would read κἀναπνεύσατον : for the gen. cp. Ai. 274

ἔληξε κἀνέπνευσε τῆς νόσου

: Il. 11.382

ἀνέπνευσαν κακότητος

: 15. 235

ἀναπνεύσωσι πόνοιο

. At such a moment it is surely natural that the father should have a word of sympathy for the late terror and distress of his helpless daughters, instead of dwelling solely on the pain to himself of being left without their support. The ε in L is a trace of the truth.

ταῖς τηλικαῖσδε : i.e. it is not fitting for young maidens to make long speeches in such a presence. The epithet need not be pressed as implying extreme youthfulness (cp. 751). We seem to hear a covert criticism on some drama in which this maxim had been neglected. (A similar allusion has been supposed in El. 1289 ff., but is doubtful: see n. there.) So Eur., in Ph. 751,

ὄνομα δ’ ἑκάστου διατριβὴ πολλὴ λέγειν

, glances at Aesch. Theb. 375 —652, and in fr. 165 at Soph. Ant. 563 f.—Cp. 1148.

ὅδ’ … τοῦδε : cp. El. 981

τούτω φιλεῖν χρή, τώδε χρὴ πάντας σέβειν·

τώδ’ ἔν θ’ ἑορταῖς

etc.: Ant. 384

ἥδ’ ἔστ’ ἐκείνη … τήνδ’ εἵλομεν

etc.

Hermann's change of the MS. τοὐμὸν into τοῦτ’ ἐμοί τ’ has been accepted by many edd. But the sense is most unsatisfactory. If τοὔργον means the deed of rescue, as is most natural, the meaning will be:

"this deed will be a short story both for thee and for me"

: i.e.

" I shall not have to relate it, and you will be so much interested in listening to Theseus that you will not find it tedious."

But is this tolerable,—to say nothing of the somewhat ungracious suggestion that the account of their deliverer's exploit would otherwise be fatiguing? The alternative version would be worse still:

"this task (viz. that of reciting, or of hearing) will be short both for thee and me."

I cannot but think, then, that this popular correction, though palaeographically easy, is untenable.

I have little doubt that Wex is right, or nearly so, in his οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον . The

λόγος

should be his to whom belongs the

ἔργον

. This supposes an accidental loss of οὗ , after which κἄστι grew into καὶ σοί τε . The words

τοὐμὸν ὦδ’ ἔσται βραχὺ

then mean, "my part will thus be brief" (as you desire it to be, 1115 ) — consisting simply in referring Oed. to Theseus.

Take πρὸς τὸ λιπαρὲς with μηκύνῳ λόγον :

"do not wonder if with eager insistence I prolong my words to my children, now that they have appeared unexpectedly"

πρὸς τὸ λ. =

λιπαρῶς

, as

πρὸς βίαν

βιαίως, πρὸς ἡδονήν

ἡδέως

: Ai. 38

πρὸς καιρόν

καιρίως

: El. 464

πρὸς εὐσέβειαν

(

λέγει

εὐσεβῶς

. It is possible to join πρὸς τὸ λ. with θαύμαζε , as Schneidewin and others do, comparing Tr. 1211

φοβεῖ πρὸς τοῦτο

: but such a constr. for

θαυμάζειν

is without example.

τέκνα , acc. governed by μηκύνω λόγον as=

διὰ μακρῶν προσηγορῶ

: see on : cp. 583, 1150.

ἄελπτα , adv.: cp. 319.

τὴν ἐς τάσδε , having reference to them, i.e. caused by their return. Cp.

εἰς

τό γ’ εἰς ἑαυτόν

( O. T. 706 n.), Eur. Or. 542

ηὐτύχησεν ἐς τέκνα

μηδενὸς , instead of

οὐδενός

, gives the emphasis of strong assurance: cp. on .

ὡς instead of

ἃ

οἷα

: cp. the phrase

διδόναι εὖ

(642). Schneidewin cp. Hom. Hymn. 5.136

δοῖεν...τέκνα τεκέσθαι | ὡς ἐθέλουσι τοκῆες

: Ant. 706

ὡς φὴς σύ, κοὐδὲν ἄλλο, τοῦτ’ ὀρθῶς ἔχειν

αὐτῷ τε

κ.τ.λ.

: see 462 n., and cp. 308.

τό γ’ εὐσεβές : see on .

μόνοις : on 261.

τοὐπιεικὲς : an equitable and humane disposition. Arist. Eth. Nic. 5.10

τὸ ἐπιεικὲς δίκαιον μέν ἐστιν, οὐ τὸ κατὰ νόμον δέ, ἀλλ’ ἐπανόρθωμα νομίμου δικαίου

. Her. 3.53

τῶν δικαίων τὰ ἐπιεικέστερα προτιθεῖσι

"prefer the more equitable course to the letter of their right."

Soph. fr. 699

ὃς οὔτε τοὐπιεικὲς οὔτε τὴν χάριν

οἶδεν, μόνην δ’ ἔστερξε τὴν ἁπλῶς δίκην

(speaking of Hades). Cp. Isocr. or. 15 § 300 ; Athens might be called the

ἄστυ τῆς Ἑλλαδος

both for other reasons

καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὸν τρόπον τῶν ἐνοικούντων

(the Athenian character)

· οὐδένας γὰρ εἶναι πραοτέρους οὐδὲ κοινο‐

τέρους οὐδ’ οἷς οἰκειότερον ἄν τις τὸν ἅπαντα βίον συνδιατρίψειεν

"no people are gentler, or of larger sympathies, or more kindly associates throughout life."

εἰδὼς δ’ ἀμύνω

κ.τ.λ.

"and I have experienced these qualities which I requite (acknowledge) with these words"

: cp. Ph. 602

¹ἔργ’ ἀμύνουσιν κακά

, requite evil deeds. The stress is on εἰδώς , which is interpreted by the next v., ἔχω γάρ etc. Better thus than,

"and I am conscious that I requite these merits ( merely ) with these (feeble) words."

For that sense we should need something like

φαύλοις δ’ ἀμύνων οἶδα τοῖς λόγοις τάδε

.— Others render:

"And as one who has had experience I thus support these sayings (about Athens),"

τάδε being an adverbial cogn. acc., as O. T. 264

τάδ’ ὡσπερεὶ τοὐμοῦ πατρὸς | ὑπερμαχοῦμαι

. But τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις would then refer to what others say of Athens, whereas it plainly refers to what he himself has just said.

ψαύσω , sc.

αὐτῆς.

εἰ θέμις ,

"if it is lawful,"

—a reverential or courteous formula usu. employed when the speaker believes that the act is lawful, as fr. 856. 14

εἴ μοι θέμις, θέμις δὲ τἀληθῆ λέγειν, | Διὸς τυραννεῖ πλευμόνων

,—if it is lawful to say so,—and it is lawful to say the truth,—she (Aphrodite) sways the heart of Zeus: so Tr. 809 f., etc. Here, however, the impulse of Oed. is abruptly checked by the thought that he is defiled:—

καίτοι τί φωνῶ

;

"but what am I saying?"

πῶς σ’ . Hermann's change of δ’ to σ’ is necessary, since otherwise the sense would be,

"and how could I wish to touch a man ,—I who,"

etc.; when ἀνδρὸς would be unendurably weak. But the words ἄθλιος γεγὼς are clearly sound.

ἄθλιος

being a euphemism like

συμφορά

said of a defilement or crime ( O. T. 99 ). There is no justification for the bold change

πῶς ἂν ἁγνὸν ὄντα σε

(Dind.), or the still bolder

πῶς δ’ ἂν ἔρνος Αἰγέως

(Mekler). Cp. the words of Heracles (when stained with blood-guilt) to Theseus, Eur. H. F. 1233

φεῦγ’, ὦ ταλαίπωῤ, ἀνόσιον μίασμ’ ἐμόν

τίς οὐκ =

πᾶσα

: cp. O. T. 1526

οὖ τίς οὐ ζήλῳ πολιτῶν ταῖς τύχαις ἐπέβλεπεν

; (n.): fr. 871

ὅπου τίς ὄρνις οὐχὶ κλαγγάνει;

κηλὶς κακῶν , O. T. 833

κηλῖδ’ἐμαυτῷ συμφορᾶς ἀφιγμένην.

ξύνοικος : Plat. Phileb. 63D

ἆρ’ ἔτι προσδεῖσθ’ ὑμῖν τὰς μεγίστας ἡδονὰς ξυνοίκους εἶναι

...; cp. on O. T. 337 .

οὐκ ἔγωγέ σε , sc.

θέλω θιγεῖν

οὐδ’ οὖν , nor indeed will I allow it (

εἰ καὶ σὺ θέλεις

Oedipus is indeed

ἱερός

(287), as the suppliant of the Eumenides, and

εὐσεβής

( ib. ), as obeying the word of Apollo; but at this moment he feels that, in the eye of religious law, he is still formally what Creon has just called him—

πατροκτόνος

and

ἄναγνος

(944). Contrast the more passionate strain of his words in O. T. 1413 , when he urges the Thebans to cast him forth—

ἴτ’, ἀξιώσατ’ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου θιγεῖν

. To touch him—he there says—can defile no one, because his unique doom places him apart.

βροτῶν is changed by Nauck to

κακῶν

, and by Dindorf to

ἐμῶν

(

"my affairs"

), on the ground that ἐμπείροις needs definition. But if the preceding words leave any need for such definition, it is supplied in the next v. by συνταλαιπωρεῖν τάδε . Only those who, like his daughters, are already involved in the family sorrows can show him the offices of affection without fear of a new stain from the contact.

αὐτόθεν , i.e. ,

"from where thou now art,"

—without drawing near to receive an embrace. Cp. Il. 19.76

τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπεν ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων

αὐτόθεν ἐξ ἕδρης, οὐδ’ ἐν μέσσοισιν ἀναστάς

,—from where he sat, without rising.

ἐς τόδ’ ἡμέρας : cp. El. 14

τοσόνδ’ ἐς ἥβης

: ib. 961

ἐς τοσόνδε τοῦ χρόνου

(to this time of thy life).

οὔτ’ εἴ τι κ.τ.λ. : lit.,

"if you have used somewhat great ( πλέον ) length of speech"

: ἔθου =

ἐποιήσω

. Cp. Thuc. 5.89

οὔτε μετ’ ὀνομάτων καλῶν...μῆκος λόγων ἄπιστον παρέξομεν

. τι (adv., O.T. 969 ) courteously softens the phrase.

θαυμάσας ἔχω =

τεθαύμακα

: cp. 817: Plat. Phaedr. 257 C

τὸν λόγον δέ σου πάλαι θαυμάσας ἔχω

, and ib. 258 B

οὐχ ὡς ὑπερφρονοῦντες,...ἀλλ’ ὡς τεθαυμακότες

. For the perfect, see on

τέτροφεν

οὔτ’ : see cr. n. and cp. on .

πρὸ τοὐμοῦ προὔλαβες κ.τ.λ.

, received their words first, in preference to speech with me. We need not supply

ἔπους

with

τοὐμοῦ

, which=

"my part,"

"what I had to say"

; cp. Tr. 1068

εἰ τοὐμὸν ἀλγεῖς μᾶλλον

. The verb

προλαμβάνειν

nowhere =

προαιρεῖσθαί τί τινος

, to prefer one thing to another. It is πρὸ τοὐμοῦ which here suggests preference, while προὔλαβες merely expresses priority in time.

γὰρ =

"indeed,"

conveying an assurance.

δείκνυμι δ’ : cp. on

δηλῶ δ’

The usu. constr. is

ψεύδειν τινά τινος

, while

ψεύδειν τινά τι

is comparatively rare: and so here οὐδέν seems to be adv., while ὧν (=

τούτων ἅ

) is gen. after ἐψευσάμην . So I should take Plat. Legg. 921A

τὴν τιμὴν τῶν ἔργων ὀφειλέτω ὧν ἂν τὸν ἐκδόντα ψεύσηται

"of which he has disappointed the contractor,"

—though an attraction of acc. into gen. is equally possible.

ὤμοσα : 1040.

For the gen. with ἀκραιφνεῖς cp. 1519: Eur. Hipp. 949

κακῶν ἀκήρατος

ᾑρέθη : cp. Her. 9.35

οὕτω δὴ πέντε σφι...ἀγῶνας τοὺς μεγίστους... συγκαταιρέει

, helps them to conquer in five of the most important contests. Nauck formerly conjectured ἅγων =

"the captor"

(Creon).—Cp. on .

λόγος , by inverse attraction, instead of an acc.

λόγον

governed by συμβαλοῦ γνώμην as=

συνδιάσκεψαι

(cp. on ). Cp. Eur. Phoen. 940

ἐκ γένους δὲ δεῖ θανεῖν

τοῦδ’, ὃς δράκοντος γένυος ἐκπέφυκε παῖς

. When the antecedent is thus drawn into the case of the relat., the case is more often the acc.: see on

τόπον.

λόγος here=a subject for consideration (cp. our

"argument"

in the old sense of

"theme"

ἐμπέπτωκεν , has presented itself to me: so Plat. Prot. 314C

περί τινος λόγου διελεγόμεθα ὃς ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐνέπεσεν

συμβαλοῦ γνώμην , not "collect your thoughts" (Blaydes), but " contribute your opinion ," i.e. help me to decide what should be done. Her. 8.61

² πόλιν … τὸν Θεμιστοκλέα παρεχόμενον οὕτω ἐκέλευε γνώμας συμβάλλεσθαι

, "he said that T. should have a city to represent before he contributed his views." Plat. Polit. 298C

³ξυλλέξαι...ἐκκλησίαν..., ἐξεῖναι δὲ καὶ τῶν ἰδιωτῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων δημιουργῶν περί τε πλοῦ καὶ περὶ νόσων γνώμην ξυμβαλέσθαι

εἰπεῖν θαυμάσαι : for the inf. act., cp. on , . So O. T. 777

( τύχη ) θαυμάσαι μὲν ἀξία,

σπουδῆς γε μέντοι τῆς ἐμῆς οὐκ ἀξία

ἄνθρωπον , emphatic (as O. T. 977 , cp. ib. 1528

θνητὸν ὄντ’

). A mortal cannot read the future, and therefore can never be sure that an incident, seemingly trivial, will not prove momentous.

τί δ’ ἔστι ; cp. 311.

δίδασκέ με ὡς μὴ εἰδότ’ . The μή is due to the imperative: cp. Ph. 253

ὡς μηδὲν εἰδότ’ ἴσθι μ’ ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς

: ib. 415

ὡς μηκέτ’ ὄντα κεῖνον ἐν φάει νόει

: Plat. Rep. 327C

ὡς τοίνυν μὴ ἀκουσομένων οὕτω διανοεῖσθε.

ὡς οὐ , instead of ὡς μή , sometimes stands, however, with the partic. (esp. in gen. or acc. absol.), although the verb is imperative: Eur. Med. 1311

ὡς οὐκέτ’ ὄντων σῶν τέκνων, φρόντιζε δή

: Lys. or. 27 § 16

μὴ...ἀζημίους ἀφίετε,...ὥσπερ τοῦ ὀνείδους ἀλλ’ οὐ τῆς ζημίας αὐτοῖς μέλον

. And, when the verb is not imperative, ὡς οὐ in such cases is normal, as Xen. Mem. 2.3.3

τῶν δ’ ἀδελφῶν ἀμελοῦσιν, ὥσπερ ἐκ πολιτῶν μὲν γιγνομένους φίλους, ἐξ ἀδελφῶν δὲ οὐ γιγνομένους

: Thuc. 4.5

ἐν ὀλιγωρίᾳ ἐποιοῦντο, ὡς...οὐχ ὑπομενοῦντας

: 6. 24

ἔρως ἐνέπεσε τοῖς πᾶσιν...ἐκπλεῦσαι,...ὡς...οὐδὲν ἂν σφαλεῖσαν μεγάλην δύναμιν

. This is against referring μὴ εἰδότ’ here to a cause independent of the imperative, viz. to the mental conception implied by

ὡς : for though ( e.g. )

ἐδίδαξας ὡς μὴ ·εἰδότα

could mean,

"you instructed me on the supposition that I knew not,"

usage indicates that

ὡς οὐκ εἰδότα

would then have been preferred.

ἡμῖν , ethic dat. (81).

ἔμπολιν : cp. 637. As Theseus was returning from the rescue, word had been brought him that a stranger had seated himself as a suppliant on the steps of the altar of Poseidon at Colonus (see on ). This man said merely that he was a kinsman of Oedipus; and that he wished to speak a few words to him (1162). The fact that he was not from Thebes, but from Argos (1167), seems to have been inferred from something in his dress, for Theseus says that he does not know whence the man had come (cp. 1161). Polyneices took this precaution of becoming a

ἱκέτης

because he did not know what power might now be at the command of the paternal anger which he foresaw (cp. 1165).

προσπεσόντα πως : lit.,

"having somehow rushed to"

the altar: i.e. he had come in the absence of those Coloniates who had hurried from the sacrifice to the rescue (899), and no one had witnessed his arrival. (Cp. 156

προπέσῃς

, 915

ἐπεισπεσων

πως could not mean,

"for an unknown reason."

βωμῷ with

προσπεσόντα

, rather than locative dat. with

καθῆσθαι

: with the latter cp. 1160

θάκημα

, 1163

ἕδρα

( O. T. 15

προσήμεθα

, ib. 20

θακεῖ

, and ib. 2 n.).

ἔκυρον . In Eur. Hipp. 746

κύρων

was restored by Heath from MS.

κυ^ρῶν

( v.l.

ναίων

): elsewhere Attic poets have only

κυρέω

. Il. 23.821 has

κῦρον

: Hom. Hymn. 5.189

κῦρε

: and the form was used by the Alexandrian poets. It seems unnecessary, then, to conjecture

κυρῶν ἔθυον

(Blaydes).

ἡνίχ’ ὡρμώμην ,

"when I first set out,"

lit.,

"when I proceeded to set out"

: i.e. when he left the sacrifice, summoned by the cry of the Chorus, 887.

τῷ θακήματι , instrum. dat.:

προς‐ as in

προσαιτεῖν

(cp. on ).

σοῦ seems to be an objective gen. with μῦθον , a colloquy with thee (cp.

ἐμὰν λέσχαν

, 167). We find

αἰτῶ τινα, παρά τινος, πρός τινος

, etc., but never the simple gen.

αἰτῶ τινος

(like

δέομαί τινος

οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων , on a subject of no great pretensions,— i.e. not so important as to demand any great exertion from the old man. Cp. Eur. Phoen. 717

ἔχει τιν’ ὄγκον τἄργος Ἑλλήνων πάρα

. This seems better than to take ὄγκου here as=

" effort ,"

a sense which it bears (in a different context) below, 1341

βραχεῖ σὺν ὄγκῳ

( non magna mole ). If we rendered,

"of no great compass "

( i.e. length), οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων would merely repeat βραχύν .

Heath's insertion of τ’ after ἀπελθεῖν is necessary, unless we adopt Nauck's ἐλθεῖν θέλοντ’ , i.e.

"they say that, wishing to confer with you, he asks that he may retire safely from his journey hither"

(his journey to Attica from Argos): but this throws too much stress on the return. Vauvilliers seems clearly right in restoring μόνον from the MS. μολόντ’ . The latter would go with ἐλθεῖν :

"they say that he asks that, having approached, he may confer with you"

: but this is weak; and it would be even worse to take μολόντ’ as=

"after his arrival"

(at Colonus). μόνον fits the tone of the context. The suitor prefers his request in as modest a strain as possible.

κατ’ Ἄργος . This brings the first flash of light to Oed.,—he remembers Ismene's words (378). Cp. on .

τοῦτο is best taken as acc. after τυχεῖν : cp. 1106 n., and O. T. 1155

τί προσχρῄζων μαθεῖν

; But it might, of course, be acc. after

προσχρῄζοι , τυχεῖν

being epexegetic inf.

σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ ,

"stop where thou art,"

i.e.

"say no more"

—do not go on to urge that I should receive this visitor. Cp. Eur. I. A. 1467

σχές, μή με προλίπῃς

: Hipp. 1354

σχές, ἀπειρηκὸς σῶμ’ ἀναπαύσω

. This correction (Heath's) of the MS. ἴσχες is much better than Doederlein's ἴσχε σ’ . While the intrans.

ἔχε

is common as

"hold!"

( Plat. Prot. 349E etc.), we never find

ἔχε σε

in that sense.

τίδ’ ἔστι σοι ;

"what is the matter with thee?"

Cp. 311.

πράγματος ποίου ; The construction

δέομαί σού τινος

, though less freq. than

δέομαί σού τι

, occurs in good prose, as Xen. Cyr. 8.3.19

δεόμενοι Κύρου ἄλλος ἄλλης πράξεως

ἀκούων τῶνδ’ , hearing these words (1167): cp. 418: for

τῶνδ’

referring to what precedes, 787.

ὅς =

ὅστις

: O. T. 1068

μήποτε γνοίης ὃς εἶ

: Ai. 1259

μαθὼν ὃς εἶ

. Plat. Meno. 80D

περὶ ἀρετῆς, ὃ ἔστιν, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἶδα

. Her. 9.71

γενομένης λέσχης ὃς γένοιτο αὐτῶν ἄριστος

προστάτης , one who presents himself before a god as a suppliant: so 1278: schol.

ὁ ἱκέτης, ὁ προσεστηκὼς τῷ βωμῷ

. Elsewhere the word always=

"protector"

"patron"

(as O. T. 303 , 411 , 882 , Tr. 209 ). Cp. El. 1377

ἥ σε ⁴πολλὰ δὴ

ἀφ’ ὧν ἔχοιμι λιπαρεῖ προὔστην χερί

, "have oft come before thee with offerings of my best in suppliant hand."

ὅν γ’ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμι , who is he, to whom I could possibly have any objection? See note in Appendix on 170; and cp. Aesch. PV 292

οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτῳ | μείζονα μοῖραν νείμαιμ’ ᾓ σοί

. Distinguish 561

ὁποίας ἐξαφισταίμην

, which is not strictly similar (see n. there).

στυγνός has greater force through its position:

"my son, king—a son whom I hate"

: cp. 1615

σκληράν.

λόγων : for the gen. cp. 418.

ἄλγιστα ἀνδρῶν ,=

ἄλγιον ἢ παντὸς ἄλλου ἀνδρὸς

(

λόγων

), more reluctantly than the words of any one else. The usage is similar to that by which a Greek could say,

πυραμίδα ἀπελίπετο ἐλάσσω τοῦ πατρός

( Her. 2.134 ), instead of

τῆς τ. π.

, or

ἣν ὁ πατήρ

. Cp. O. T. 467 n. More often the words would mean,

ἄλγιον ἢ πᾶς ἄλλος ἀνήρ

(so

οἶμαι κάλλιστ’ ἀνθρώπων λέγειν

, Plat. Ion 530 C ).

ἃ μὴ :

" such things as thou dost not wish"

( quae non cupias ): cp. 1186 , .

The emphasis is on κλύειν , not on τοῦδ’ :

"why is it painful to thee to give this man a hearing? "

Theseus has no need to ask,

"why is it painful to thee to hear this man? "

—for he knows already how Oed. has been treated by his sons (599). The sense is thus the same as if we kept the MS. τοῦτ’ :

"why is this thing painful to thee,—namely, to hear?"

(Cp. Ph. 1121

καὶ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοῦτο μέλει, μὴ φιλότητ’ ἀπώσῃ

: and O. T. 1058 .) But, when the question has already been put in an abstract form (

οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι

etc.), it would be tame to reiterate it in the same form. By τοῦδε it is adapted to the particular case. Cp. 1117

τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν

φθέγμα τοῦθ’ (art. omitted, as 629),

"that voice"

—his son's. The blind man could not express loathing more vividly: cp. 863.

ἥκει , has come to be: O. T. 1519

θεοῖς γ’ ἔχθιστος ἥκω

. (Not,

"has come hither."

)

μή μ’ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς ,

"do not force me to the necessity"

of yielding,—the

ἀνάγκη

being, as it were, a rock on which his course is driven: cp. Aesch. Eum. 564

τὸν πρὶν ὄλβον | ἕρματι προσβαλὼν … ὤλετ’

. We cannot properly call this

"an inverted expression"

for

μή μοι ἀνάγκην προσβάλῃς

, which would suggest a wholly different image: cp. Tr. 255

ὅρκον αὑτῷ προσβαλών

: ib. 41

ἐμοὶ πικρὰς | ὠδῖνας … προσβαλών.

εἰκαθεῖν : cp. 862, 1015.

τὸ θάκημ’ (1160), his suppliant

ἕδρα

at the altar of Poseidon, in whose name he implored the boon.

ἐξαναγκάζει : cp. 603. If we point at σκόπει , as is best, then

μὴ … ᾖ

is elliptical:

"(beware, I say) lest."

Cp. Plat. Gorg. 462E

ΠΩΛ. τίνος λέγεις ταύτης

; (

"what calling do you mean?"

)

ΣΩ. μὴ ἀγροικότερον ᾖ τὸ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν

"I fear it may be scarcely courteous to say the truth."

πρόνοια … τοῦ θεοῦ , respect for the god: Andoc. or. 1 § 56

εἶπον...ἃ ἤκουσα..., προνοίᾳ μὲν τῶν συγγενῶν καὶ τῶν φίλων, προνοίᾳ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἁπάσης

. Cp. on O. T. 978 .

φυλακτέα , must be observed , like

φυλάσσειν νόμον, ὅρκια

, etc. For slightly different, though kindred, uses of the verb, cp. 626, 1213.

πιθοῦ μοι ,

"comply with me,"

grant this wish, as El. 1207 , Tr. 470 (n.): while

πείθου

is rather,

"be persuaded,"

as El. 1015 , and above, 520.—

κεἰ where

εἰ καί

would be normal: cp. 661.

vέα : see on : cp. 1116.

τὸν ἄνδρα τόνδε , Theseus (cp. 1100).

"Allow him at once to gratify his own mind (his hinted desire that Polyneices should be heard, 1175), and to gratify Poseidon as he wishes to do,"

i.e. by granting the prayer made in Poseidon's name. The whole phrase χάριν παρασχεῖν belongs to both clauses; ἃ is acc. of respect. The subj. to βούλεται is Theseus, not

ὁ θεός

.—These two vv. mark two leading traits in the character of Theseus—his sense of justice ( φρενί ), and his piety ( θεῷ ).

ὕπεικε here=

συγχώρει

" concede to us that..."

; so

παρείκειν

in prose.

παρασπάσει , sc.

ὁ κασίγνητος

. Cp. Ant. 791

σὺ καὶ δικαίων ἀδίκους | φρένας παρασπᾷς ἐπὶ λώβᾳ

, "thou wrenchest the minds e'en of the just unto injustice, for their bane."

ἃ μή =(

ταῦτα

)

ἂ μή

(1175),

"in respect of such words as shall not be spoken for thy good,"

—a tribute, marked by feminine tact, to her father's judgment.

λέξεται is always pass. in trag.: cp. 581

δηλώσεται

, and see on O. T. 672 .

κακῶς is Hermann's easy and certain correction of the MS.

καλῶς

"Evilly devised deeds are disclosed by speech"

: i.e. even supposing that Polyneices is harbouring ill designs, the best way to discover them is to converse with him. Cp. Ant. 493

φιλεῖ δ’ ὁ θυμὸς πρόσθεν ᾑρῆσθαι κλοπεύς,

τῶν μηδὲν ὀρθῶς ἐν σκότῳ τεχνωμένων

,—where the bad consoience is supposed to bewray itself even before (

πρόσθεν

) investigation. With καλῶς , the words are merely

"a rhetorical generality,"

as Campbell (who retains it) says: i.e. speech is a good thing,

"for it is by speech that all man's best discoveries are revealed."

But surely we need something more relevant to the matter in hand.

Meineke rejects the three verses, 1189—1191, because (1)

ἔφυσας αὐτόν

is too abrupt: (2) it is too much to tell Oed. that he must bear anything from his son: (3) the phrase

τὰ τῶν κακίστων

etc. is indefensible. As to (1), few readers can fail to perceive that the

"abruptness"

is both forcible and pathetic at the moment when she turns from colder and more external arguments to the plea of natural affection. As to (2), it is enough to observe that Antigone means,

"The relationship between parent and child is indelibly sacred. No wickedness on your son's part can alter the fact that he is your son."

As to (3), see next n.

δυσσεβέστατ’, ὦ (Dawes) seems right: it amends the MS. τὰ τῶν κακίστων δυσσεβεστάτων by simply striking off the final ν. "The most impious among the worst of deeds" is a vehement phrase suited to the passion of the appeal. Among evil deeds,

τὰ κακά

, those which outrage gods or kinsfolk form a class,

τὰ δυσσεβῆ

. If κακίστων were changed to κάκιστα , the latter must be an adv., and τῶν δυσσεβεστάτων must be masc.: "the deeds of men who in the worst way are most impious."

κἀσεβεστάτων

("the deeds of the worst and most impious men") is less probable.

θέμις σέ γ’ εἶναι . The MSS. here agree in the nominative. Vauvilliers suggested that

ἐστί

might be supplied, taking σέ γ’ εἶναι in the sense of

σέ γ’ ὄντα

, and comparing

ἑκὼν εἶναι

, etc. This may be rejected, as may also Reisig's

δυσσεβέστατ’ ἄν

, with εἴη for

εἶναι

: for then we should require

οὐδὲ

in 1189 . Is θέμις , then, indeclinable in this phrase? That is now the received view. It rests, however, solely on the fact that our MSS. have θέμις , and not θέμιν , here, and in four other places, Plat. Gorg. 505D , Xen. Oec. 11 § 11 , Aelian Nat. An. 1. 60, Aesch. Suppl. 335 . Porson believed that, with Dawes, we ought to read θέμιν . That is my own opinion; but, as the question must be considered doubtful, I have preferred to leave θέμις in the text, and to submit the evidence in the Appendix.

ἀλλ’ αὐτόν· εἰσὶ , etc., is the traditional reading, on which ἀλλ’ αὑτόν was a variant, adapted, seemingly, to the fatuous interpretation,

"Nay, you will hurt yourself "

(see cr. n.). It is a robust faith which can accept ἀλλ’ αὐτόν as an aposiopesis. ἀλλ’ ἔασον , "Nay, allow (him to come)," is perhaps the best remedy, since we can suppose αὐτόν to have been an explanatory gloss which supplanted the verb. For the synizesis cp. O. T. 1451

ἀλλ’ ἔα με

, n. ἀλλ’ ἔα αὐτόν as = uu- is surely impossible for tragedy. Musgrave's ἀλλ’ εἶξον is intrinsically preferable to either, but leaves the corruption unexplained. I had thought of αἰδοῦ νιν ("have compassion on him"). If

αὐτόν

had supplanted

νιν, ΑΙΔ

might have become

ΑΛΛ

ἐξεπᾴδονται φύσιν ,

"are charmed out of their nature"

: lit.

"are subdued by the charm, in their nature"

(acc. of respect). Plat. Phaedo 77E

ἀλλ’ ἴσως ἔνι τις καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν παῖς, ὅστις τὰ τοιαῦτα φοβεῖται· τοῦτον οὖν πειρώμεθα πείθειν μὴ δεδιέναι τὸν θάνατον ὥσπερ τὰ μορμολύκεια. Ἀλλὰ χρή, ἔφη ὁ Σωκράτης, ἐπᾴδειν αὐτῷ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας, ἕως ἂν ἐξεπᾴσητε

(

"charm him out of us"

). Plut. De Iside et Os. 384 A

τὰ κρούματα τῆς λύρας, οἷς ἐχρῶντο πρὸ τῶν ὕπνων οἱ Πυθαγόρειοι, τὸ ἐμπαθὲς καὶ ἄλογον τῆς ψυχῆς ἐξεπᾴδοντες οὕτω καὶ θεραπεύοντες

" subduing by the charm (of music) the passionate and unreasoning part of the soul."

Phaedr.267 D

ὀργίσαι τε αὖ πολλοὺς ἅμα δεινὸς ἀνὴρ γέγονε, καὶ πάλιν ὠργισμένοις ἐπᾴδων κηλεῖν

"soothe them, when angered, by his charming."

Aesch. PV 172

μελιγλώσσοις πειθοῦς | ἐπαοιδαῖσιν

. The frequency of the metaphor is due to the regular use of

ἐπῳδαί

in the medical practice of the age: thus Pindar describes Cheiron as using (1) incantations, (2) draughts, (3) amulets, (4) surgery ( Pyth. 3. 51), and Plato's list of remedies is the same, with

καύσεις

added ( Rep. 426 B ). In Od. 19.457 an

ἐπῳδή

stops hemorrhage, and in [Dem.] or. 25 § 80 is applied to epilepsy. Sophocles Tr. 1001 has

τίς γὰρ ἀοιδός

ἐπῳδός

τίς ὁ χειροτέχνης

ἰατορίας, ὃς τήνδ’ ἄτην

...κατακηλήσει;

Ai.582

θρηνεῖν ἐπῳδὰς πρὸς τομῶντι πήματι

. Lucian mocks the notion that a fever or a tumour can be scared by an

ὄνομα θεσπέσιον ἢ ῥῆσιν βαρβαρικήν

( Philops. 9 ). Cp. Shaksp. Cymbeline 1. 6. 115

'tis your graces

That from my mutest conscience to my tongue

Charms this report out.

ἐκεῖνα , away yonder, in the past.

πατρῷα καὶ μ. , connected with them: so Ant. 856

πατρῷον δ’ ἐκτίνεις τιν’ ἆθλον

. He is to turn from his present causes for anger ( τὰ νῦν ) to the issues of his former anger—when he slew his sire.

μητρῷα , because the slaying prepared the marriage.

τελευτὴν , result: Her. 7.157

τῷ δὲ εὖ βουλευθέντι πρήγματι τελευτὴ ὡς τὸ ἐπίπαν χρηστὴ ἐθέλει ἐπιγίνεσθαι

. For the constr. cp. Ant. 1242

δείξας ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τὴν ἀβουλίαν

ὅσῳ μέγιστον ἀνδρὶ πρόσκειται κακόν

τἀνθυμήματα (cp. 292),

"the food for meditation"

(on the evils of anger) which his blindness might furnish— itself due to an act of anger, the climax of acts traceable to the anger in which he slew Laïus. Cp. 855.

ἀδέρκτων :

"being deprived of thy sightless eyes,"

"being deprived of thine eyes, so that they shall see no more,"

the adj. being proleptic: cp. 1088

τὸν εὔαγρον

τητώμενος : the pres.

τητᾶσθαι

denotes a state (

"to be without"

), not an act (

"to lose"

); cp. Hes. Op. 408

μὴ σὺ μὲν αἰτῇς ἄλλον, ὁ δ’ ἀρνῆται, σὺ δὲ τητᾷ

"and thou remain in want."

Notice the dat. προσχρῄζουσιν (with

καλόν

), followed by the acc. αὐτόν with πάσχειν , and παθόντα with ἐπίστασθαι . A literal version shows the reason:—

"It is not fitting for the askers of just things to sue long, nor that a man should himself be well-treated, and then not know how to requite it."

Importunityis here viewed as touching the dignity of the suppliants; ingratitude , in its moral aspect.—

οὐδ’ , sc.

καλόν ἐστι

. Cp. Isocr. or. 4 § 175

ἄξιον ἐπισχεῖν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐπειχθῆναι.

οὐκ ἐπίστασθαι : with the inf. after

οὐ καλόν ἐστι

the normal negative would be

μή

, or

μὴ οὐ

: but οὐ is treated as forming one word with the inf.: cp. Il. 24.296

εἰ δέ τοι οὐ‐δώσει.

τίνειν =

ἀμείβεσθαι

: see on .

The structure of οὐδ’ αὐτὸν … τίνειν illustrates the Greek tendency to co-ordinate clauses: cp. Isocr. or. 6 § 54

πῶς οὐκ αἰσχρόν,...τὴν μὲν Εὐρώπην καὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν μεστὴν πεποιηκέναι τροπαίων,... ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς πατρίδος...μηδὲ μίαν μάχην φαίνεσθαι μεμαχημένους

; We sometimes meet with the same construction in English: e.g.

"For one thing I am sorry, and that is that the English Government might have prevented the conflict with one single word , and yet has not thought it necessary to interfere."

The stress is on

βαρεῖαν

"Grievous (for me) is the gratification (to yourselves) in regard to which ye prevail over me by your words; however ( δ’ οὖν ) it shall be as ye wish."

ἡδονὴν is a bold acc. of respect with

νικᾶτε

, suggested by the constr. with a cognate acc.,

νίκην νικᾶτε

, since the pleasure is secured by the victory. Cp. on

νικᾶν

. We cannot well take

ἡδ

with

λέγοντες

"ye prevail over me in"

(or

"by"

)

" speaking of a pleasure"

etc.

δ’ οὖν : cp. Ai. 115

σὺ δ’ οὖν … | χρῶ χειρί

, "well, then, (if thou must)."

ἐλεύσεται : this form occurs Tr. 595 , Aesch. PV 854 , Suppl. 522: not in Eur., Comedy, or Attic prose, unless it be genuine in Lys. or. 22. 11 . The Att. fut. is

εἶμι

κρατείτω τῆς ἐ. ψυχῆς ,

"become master of my life,"

acquire the power to dispose of me,—alluding to the Thebans' plan for establishing him on their border (cp. 408).

τῆς ἐμ. ψ. is merely a pathetic periphrasis for

ἐμοῦ

: see on .

κλύειν is not perfectly courteous, as Wecklein says, who reads λέγειν ,—perhaps rightly. But for κλύειν it may be pleaded that, just after so signal a proof of good-faith and valour, Theseus might be excused if he showed a little impatience at the reiterated fears of Oedipus. Cp. their conversation at 648—656. Besides,

τὰ τοιαῦτ’ , a phrase which implies some annoyance, must refer to the fears just uttered, rather than to pledges which should allay them.

If δ’ is omitted (with Wecklein) after κομπεῖν , we must either make κομπεῖν οὐχὶ βούλομαι a parenthesis (as he does), or else point thus:

κλύειν·

ὦ πρέσβυ,

etc. The abruptness would add a certain spirit to the words. But the δ’ after κομπεῖν may well be genuine, if we conceive him as checking the impulse to remind Oed. of the prowess already shown: — "however, I do not wish to boast."

σὺ δὲ

σῶς ἴσθι

could not mean, "know that you are safe": ὤν is indispensable: and the choice lies between (1)

σὺ δ’ ὢν

σῶς ἴσθ’

, and (2)

σὺ σῶς

ὢν ἴσθ’

. For (2) it may be said that the MS. σῶν is more easily explained by it, and that δὲ might have been added to complete v. 1209: for (1), that it is nearer to the actual text (in which σῶν may have sprung from ὤν superscript), and that σῶς is more effective if it begins the verse in which σώζῃ follows.

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)) — 1098 focus

ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον ;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ, ὦ παῖ, πατρί, καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου * γε δύσμορα.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχω τὰ φίλτατʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἂν πανάθλιος
1110

θανὼν ἂν εἴην σφῷν παρεστώσαιν ἐμοί.

ἐρείσατʼ, ὦ παῖ, πλευρὸν ἀμφιδέξιον

ἐμφύντε τῷ φύσαντι, κἀναπαύσετον

τοῦ πρόσθʼ ἐρήμου τοῦδε δυστήνου πλάνου.

καί μοι τὰ πραχθέντʼ εἴπαθʼ ὡς βράχιστʼ, ἐπεὶ
1115

ταῖς τηλικαῖσδε σμικρὸς ἐξαρκεῖ λόγος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

καὶ σοί τε τοὔργον τοῦτʼ ἐμοί τʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνε, μὴ θαύμαζε, πρὸς τὸ λιπαρὲς

τέκνʼ εἰ φανέντʼ ἄελπτα μηκύνω λόγον.
1120

ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ τήνδε τὴν ἐς τάσδε μοι

τέρψιν παρʼ ἄλλου μηδενὸς πεφασμένην.

σὺ γάρ νιν ἐξέσωσας, οὐκ ἄλλος βροτῶν.

καί σοι θεοὶ πόροιεν ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω,

αὐτῷ τε καὶ γῇ τῇδʼ· ἐπεὶ τό γʼ εὐσεβὲς
1125

μόνοις παρʼ ὑμῖν εὗρον ἀνθρώπων ἐγὼ

καὶ τοὐπιεικὲς καὶ τὸ μὴ ψευδοστομεῖν.

εἰδὼς δʼ ἀμύνω τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις τάδε.

ἔχω γὰρ ἅχω διὰ σὲ κοὐκ ἄλλον βροτῶν.

καί μοι χέρʼ, ὦναξ, δεξιὰν ὄρεξον, ὡς
1130
[110b.

ψαύσω φιλήσω τʼ, εἰ θέμις, τὸ σὸν κάρα.

καίτοι τί φωνῶ; πῶς σʼ ἂν ἄθλιος γεγὼς

θιγεῖν θελήσαιμʼ ἀνδρός, ᾧ τίς οὐκ ἔνι

κηλὶς κακῶν ξύνοικος; οὐκ ἔγωγέ σε,

οὐδʼ οὖν ἐάσω. τοῖς γὰρ ἐμπείροις βροτῶν
1135

μόνοις οἷόν τε συνταλαιπωρεῖν τάδε.

σὺ δʼ αὐτόθεν μοι χαῖρε καὶ τὰ λοιπά μου

μέλου δικαίως, ὥσπερ ἐς τόδʼ ἡμέρας.

Θησεύς

οὔτʼ εἴ τι μῆκος τῶν λόγων ἔθου πλέον,

τέκνοισι τερφθεὶς τοῖσδε, θαυμάσας ἔχω,
1140

οὐδʼ εἰ πρὸ τοὐμοῦ προὔλαβες τὰ τῶνδʼ ἔπη.

βάρος γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἐκ τούτων ἔχει.

οὐ γὰρ λόγοισι τὸν βίον σπουδάζομεν

λαμπρὸν ποιεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς δρωμένοις.

δείκνυμι δʼ· ὧν γὰρ ὤμοσʼ οὐκ ἐψευσάμην
1145

οὐδέν σε, πρέσβυ, τάσδε γὰρ πάρειμʼ ἄγων

ζώσας, ἀκραιφνεῖς τῶν κατηπειλημένων.

χὤπως μὲν ἁγὼν ᾑρέθη τί δεῖ μάτην

κομπεῖν, ἅ γʼ εἴσει καὐτὸς ἐκ ταύταιν ξυνών;

λόγος δʼ ὃς ἐμπέπτωκεν ἀρτίως ἐμοὶ
1150

στείχοντι δεῦρο, συμβαλοῦ γνώμην, ἐπεὶ

σμικρὸς μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἄξιος δὲ θαυμάσαι.

πρᾶγος δʼ ἀτίζειν οὐδὲν ἄνθρωπον χρεών.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με,

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι ;
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν ;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

[111 a.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, *σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε. 1170

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι, καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρόν, κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει·

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, πιθοῦ μοι, κεἰ νέα παραινέσω.

τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔασον τόνδε τῇ θʼ αὑτοῦ φρενὶ

χάριν παρασχεῖν τῷ θεῷ θʼ ἃ βούλεται,

καὶ νῷν ὕπεικε τὸν κασίγνητον μολεῖν.

οὐ γάρ σε, θάρσει, πρὸς βίαν παρασπάσει
1185

γνώμης, ἃ μή σοι συμφέροντα λέξεται.

λόγων δʼ ἀκοῦσαι τίς βλάβη; τά τοι καλῶς

εὑρημένʼ ἔργα τῷ λόγῳ μηνύεται.

ἔφυσας αὐτόν· ὥστε μηδὲ δρῶντά σε

τὰ τῶν κάκιστα δυσσεβεστάτων, πάτερ,
1190

θέμις σέ γʼ εἶναι κεῖνον ἀντιδρᾶν κακῶς.

ἀλλʼ αὐτόν — εἰσὶ χἀτέροις γοναὶ κακαὶ

καὶ θυμὸς ὀξύς, ἀλλὰ νουθετούμενοι

φίλων ἐπῳδαῖς ἐξεπᾴδονται φύσιν.

σὺ δʼ εἰς ἐκεῖνα, μὴ τὰ νῦν, ἀποσκόπει
1195

πατρῷα καὶ μητρῷα πήμαθʼ ἅπαθες,

κἂν κεῖνα λεύσσῃς, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, γνώσει κακοῦ

θυμοῦ τελευτὴν ὡς κακὴ προσγίγνεται.

ἔχεις γὰρ οὐχὶ βαιὰ τἀνθυμήματα,

τῶν σῶν ἀδέρκτων ὀμμάτων τητώμενος.
1200

ἀλλʼ ἡμὶν εἶκε. λιπαρεῖν γὰρ οὐ καλὸν

δίκαια προσχρῄζουσιν, οὐδʼ αὐτὸν μὲν εὖ

πάσχειν, παθόντα δʼ οὐκ ἐπίστασθαι τίνειν.

Οἰδίπους

τέκνον, βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με

λέγοντες· ἔστω δʼ οὖν ὅπως ὑμῖν φίλον.
1205

μόνον, ξένʼ, εἴπερ κεῖνος ὧδʼ ἐλεύσεται,

μηδεὶς κρατείτω τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς ποτέ.

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δὲ

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σώζῃ θεῶν.
1210

Greek (F. Storr, 1912) (OCR draft) Experimental (Greek (F. Storr, 1912)) — 1098-1210 focus

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ ὦ παῖ, πατρὶ καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου γε δύσμορα.

Οἰδίπους

ἔχω τὰ φίλτατʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἂν πανάθλιος
1110

θανὼν ἂν εἴην σφῷν παρεστώσαιν ἐμοί.

ἐρείσατʼ, ὦ παῖ, πλευρὸν ἀμφιδέξιον

ἐμφύντε τῷ φύσαντι, κἀναπαύσατον

τοῦ πρόσθʼ ἐρήμου τοῦδε δυστήνου πλάνου.

καί μοι τὰ πραχθέντʼ εἴπαθʼ ὡς βράχιστʼ, ἐπεὶ
1115

ταῖς τηλικαῖσδε σμικρὸς ἐξαρκεῖ λόγος.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον· τοὐμὸν ὧδʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ ξεῖνε, μὴ θαύμαζε, πρὸς τὸ λιπαρὲς

τέκνʼ εἰ φανέντʼ ἄελπτα μηκύνω λόγον.
1120

ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ τήνδε τὴν ἐς τάσδε μοι

τέρψιν παρʼ ἄλλου μηδενὸς πεφασμένην·

σὺ γάρ νιν ἐξέσωσας, οὐκ ἄλλος βροτῶν.

καί σοι θεοὶ πόροιεν ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω,

αὐτῷ τε καὶ γῇ τῇδʼ, ἐπεὶ τό γʼ εὐσεβὲς
1125

μόνοις παρʼ ὑμῖν ηὗρον ἀνθρώπων ἐγὼ

καὶ τοὐπιεικὲς καὶ τὸ μὴ ψευδοστομεῖν.

εἰδὼς δʼ ἀμύνω τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις τάδε·

ἔχω γὰρ ἅχω διὰ σὲ κοὐκ ἄλλον βροτῶν·

καί μοι χέρʼ, ὦναξ, δεξιὰν ὄρεξον, ὡς
1130

ψαύσω φιλήσω τʼ, εἰ θέμις, τὸ σὸν κάρα.

καίτοι τί φωνῶ; πῶς σʼ ἂν ἄθλιος γεγὼς

θιγεῖν θελήσαιμʼ ἀνδρός, ᾧ τίς οὐκ ἔνι

κηλὶς κακῶν ξύνοικος; οὐκ ἔγωγέ σε,

οὐδʼ οὖν ἐάσω· τοῖς γὰρ ἐμπείροις βροτῶν
1135

μόνοις οἷόν τε συνταλαιπωρεῖν τάδε.

σὺ δʼ αὐτόθεν μοι χαῖρε καὶ τὰ λοιπά μου

μέλου δικαίως, ὥσπερ ἐς τόδʼ ἡμέρας.

1139

Θησεύς

οὔτʼ εἴ τι μῆκος τῶν λόγων ἔθου πλέον,

τέκνοισι τερφθεὶς τοῖσδε, θαυμάσας ἔχω,
1140

οὔτʼ εἰ πρὸ τοὐμοῦ προύλαβες τὰ τῶνδʼ ἔπη.

βάρος γὰρ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἐκ τούτων ἔχει.

οὐ γὰρ λόγοισι τὸν βίον σπουδάζομεν

λαμπρὸν ποεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς δρωμένοις.

δείκνυμι δʼ· ὧν γὰρ ὤμοσʼ οὐκ ἐψευσάμην
1145

οὐδέν σε, πρέσβυ· τάσδε γὰρ πάρειμʼ ἄγων

ζώσας, ἀκραιφνεῖς τῶν κατηπειλημένων.

χὤπως μὲν ἁγὼν ᾑρέθη, τί δεῖ μάτην

κομπεῖν, ἅ γʼ εἴσει καὐτὸς ἐκ ταύταιν ξυνών;

λόγος δʼ ὃς ἐμπέπτωκεν ἀρτίως ἐμοὶ
1150

στείχοντι δεῦρο, συμβαλοῦ γνώμην, ἐπεὶ

σμικρὸς μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἄξιος δὲ θαυμάσαι·

πρᾶγος δʼ ἀτίζειν οὐδὲν ἄνθρωπον χρεών.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον, ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι·
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶν ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρὸν κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

1181

Ἀντιγόνη

πάτερ, πιθοῦ μοι, κεἰ νέα παραινέσω.

τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔασον τόνδε τῇ θʼ αὑτοῦ φρενὶ

χάριν παρασχεῖν τῷ θεῷ θʼ ἃ βούλεται,

καὶ νῷν ὕπεικε τὸν κασίγνητον μολεῖν.
1185

οὐ γάρ σε, θάρσει, πρὸς βίαν παρασπάσει

γνώμης, ἃ μή σοι συμφέροντα λέξεται.

λόγων δʼ ἀκοῦσαι τίς βλάβη; τά τοι κακῶς

ηὑρημένʼ ἔργα τῷ λόγῳ μηνύεται.

ἔφυσας αὐτόν· ὥστε μηδὲ δρῶντά σε
1190

τὰ τῶν κακίστων δυσσεβέστατʼ, ὦ πάτερ,

θέμις σέ γʼ εἶναι κεῖνον ἀντιδρᾶν κακῶς.

ἀλλʼ ἔασον· εἰσὶ χἀτέροις γοναὶ κακαὶ

καὶ θυμὸς ὀξύς, ἀλλὰ νουθετούμενοι

φίλων ἐπῳδαῖς ἐξεπᾴδονται φύσιν.
1195

σὺ δʼ εἰς ἐκεῖνα, μὴ τὰ νῦν, ἀποσκόπει

πατρῷα καὶ μητρῷα πήμαθʼ ἅπαθες·

κἂν κεῖνα λεύσσῃς, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, γνώσει κακοῦ

θυμοῦ τελευτὴν ὡς κακὴ προσγίγνεται.

ἔχεις γὰρ οὐχὶ βαιὰ τἀνθυμήματα,
1200

τῶν σῶν ἀδέρκτων ὀμμάτων τητώμενος.

ἀλλʼ ἡμὶν εἶκε· λιπαρεῖν γὰρ οὐ καλὸν

δίκαια προσχρῄζουσιν, οὐδʼ αὐτὸν μὲν εὖ

πάσχειν, παθόντα δʼ οὐκ ἐπίστασθαι τίνειν.

Οἰδίπους

τέκνον, βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με
1205

λέγοντες· ἔστω δʼ οὖν ὅπως ὑμῖν φίλον.

μόνον, ξένʼ, εἴπερ κεῖνος ὧδʼ ἐλεύσεται,

μηδεὶς κρατείτω τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς ποτε.

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δʼ ὢν

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σῴζῃ θεῶν.
1210

Translations (5)

English (Lewis Campbell, 1906) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Lewis Campbell, 1906)) — 1098 focus

Where? Is it true? How say you?

ANT

Father, father!

Oh that some God would give thee once to see
1100

The man whose royal virtue brings us hither!

OED

My daughters, are ye there?

ANT

Saved by the arm

Of Theseus and his most dear ministers.

OED

Come near me, child, and let your father feel

The treasure he had feared for ever gone.
1105

ANT

Not hard the boon which the heart longs to give.

OED

Where are ye, where?

ANT

Together we draw near.

OED

Loved saplings of a solitary tree!

ANT

A father’s heart hides all.

OED

Staves of mine age!

ANT

Forlorn supporters of an ill-starred life!

OED

I have all I love; nor would the stroke of death
1110

Be wholly bitter, with you standing by.

Press close to either side of me, my children;

Grow to your sire, and ye shall give me rest

From mine else lonely, hapless, wandering life.

And tell your tale as briefly as ye may,
1115

Since at your age short speaking is enough.

ANT

Here is our saviour. He shall tell thee all,

And shorten labour both for us and thee.

OED

Think it not strange, dear friend, that I prolong

The unhoped-for greeting with my children here.

Full well I know, the joy I find in them
1120

Springs from thee only, and from none beside.

Thou, thou alone hast saved them. May the Gods

Fulfil my prayer for thee and for thy land!

Since only in Athens, only here i’ the world,

Have I found pious thought and righteous care,

And truth in word and deed. From a full heart
1125

And thankful mind I thus requite thy love,

Knowing all I have is due to none but thee.

Extend to me, I pray thee, thy right hand,

O King, that I may feel thee, and may kiss,

If that be lawful, thy dear head! And yet

What am I asking? How can one like me
1130

Desire of thee to touch an outlawed man,

On whose dark life all stains of sin and woe

Are fixed indelibly? I will not dare—

No, nor allow thee!—None but only they

Who have experience of such woes as mine

May share their wretchedness. Thou, where thou art
1135

Receive my salutation, and henceforth

Continue in thy promised care of me

As true as to this moment thou hast proved.

THE

I marvel not at all if mere delight

In these thy daughters lengthened thy discourse,

Or led thee to address them before me.
1140

That gives me not the shadow of annoy.

Nor am I careful to adorn my life

With words of praise, but with the light of deeds.

And thou hast proof of this. For I have failed

In nought of all I promised, agèd King!
1145

Here stand I with thy children in full life

Unharmed in aught the foe had threatened them.

And now why vaunt the deeds that won the day,

When these dear maids will tell them in thine ear?

But let me crave thy counsel on a thing
1150

That crossed me as I came. Small though it seem

When told, ’tis worthy of some wonder, too.

Be it small or great, men should not let things pass.

OED

What is it, O son of Aegeus? Let me hear,

I am wholly ignorant herein.
1155

THE

We are told

One, not thy townsman, but of kin to thee,

Hath come in unawares, and now is found

Kneeling at great Poseidon’s altar, where

I sacrificed, what time ye called me hither.

OED

What countryman, and wherefore suppliant there?
1160

THE

One thing alone I know. He craves of thee

Some speech, they say, that will not hold thee long.

OED

His kneeling there imports no trivial suit.

THE

All he desires, they tell me, is to come,

Have speech with thee, and go unharmed away.
1165

OED

Who can he be that kneels for such a boon?

THE

Think, if at Argos thou a kinsman hast

Who might desire to obtain so much of thee.

OED

Dear friend! Hold there! No more!

THE

What troubles thee?

OED

Ask it not of me!
1170

THE

What? Speak plainly forth.

OED

Thy words have shown me who the stranger is.

THE

And who is he that I should say him nay?

OED

My son, O King,—hateful to me, whose tongue

Least of the world I could endure to hear.

THE

What pain is there in hearing? Canst thou not
1175

Hear, and refuse to do what thou mislikest?

OED

My Lord, I have come to loathe his very voice.

I pray thee, urge me not to yield in this.

THE

Think that the God must be considered too,

The right of suppliants may compel thy care.
1180

ANT

Father, give ear, though I be young that speak.

Yield to the scruple of the King, who claims

This reverence for his people’s God, and yield

To us who beg our brother may come near.

Take heart! He will not force thee from thy will.
1185

What harm can come of hearkening? Wisdom’s ways

Reveal themselves through words. He is thy son.

Whence, were his heartless conduct against thee

Beyond redemption impious, O my sire,

Thy vengeance still would be unnatural.
1190

Oh let him!—Others have had evil sons

And passionate anger, but the warning voice

Of friends hath charmed their mood. Then do not thou

Look narrowly upon thy present griefs,

But on those ancient wrongs thou didst endure
1195

From father and from mother. Thence thou wilt learn

That evil passion ever ends in woe.

Thy sightless eyes are no light argument

To warn thee through the feeling of thy loss.

Relent and hear us! ’Tis a mere disgrace
1200

To beg so long for a just boon. The King

Is kind to thee. Be generous in return.

OED

Child, your dear pleading to your hard request

Hath won me. Let this be as ye desire.
1205

Only, my lord, if he is to come near,

Let no man’s power molest my liberty.

THE

I need no repetition, aged friend,

Of that request. Vaunt will I not, but thou

Be sure, if Heaven protect me, thou art free.

CHORUS
CHORUS .

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (German (J. J. C. Donner, 1875; OCR review)) — 1098 focus

Wo sind sie? Wo? Wie sagst du?
1090
Theseus mit Gefolge. Antigone. Ismene. Dedipus. (auf den Vater zueilend)

Antigone.

Vater, Vater, ach!

O gäb' ein Gott dir, ihn zu seh'n, den edelsten

Der Menschen, der uns wieder hergeführt zu dir!

Oedipus.

Mein Kind, ihr kamet wirklich?

Antigone.

Ia, uns rettete

Der Arm des Theseus und der trauten Dienerschaar.

Oedipus.

tretet her zum Vater, Kind, und lasset euch
1095

Umarmen; nicht mehr hofft' ich eure Wiederkehr.

Antigone.

Dein Wunsch erfüllt sich; Liebe treibt uns schon dazu.

Oedipus.

Wo seid ihr, wo nur?

Antigone.

Beide nah'n wir hier zugleich.

Oedipus.

Geliebte Sprossen!

Antigone.

Kinder liebt ihr Vater stets.

Oedipus.

Des Greises Stüzen!
1100

Antigone.

Schwacher Stab des schwachen Manns!
1100

Oedipus.

Mein Liebstes hab' ich wieder; ganz unselig wird

Mein Ende nicht mehr werden, seid ihr nahe mir.

Schmiegt euch zu beiden Seiten fest an mich, o Kind;

Umschlingt den Vater, daß der Augenlose nicht

In seiner Irre länger sich verlassen fühlt!
1105

Und was geschehen, meldet mir, so kurz ihr könnt;

Genügt für eure Jahre doch ein schlichtes Wort.

Antigone.

Da steht der Retter; höre den, mein Vater, an;

So dürfte meine Rede bald am Ziele sein.

(zu Theseus)

Oedipus.

Nicht staune, Fremdling, daß ich Wort auf Wort gehäuft
1110

Bei meiner Kinder ungehoffter Wiederkehr.

Denn wohl erkenn' ich, daß die Lust an ihnen mir

Von dir, von keinem andern Mann bereitet ward:

Du hast sie mir gerettet, und kein andrer Mensch.

Und gäben dir die Götter, was mein Herz erfleht,
1115

Dir selbst und diesem Lande, weil ich Götterfurcht

Bei euch allein fand unter allen Sterblichen

Und edler Milde Walten und Wahrhaftigkeit!

Dies selbst erfahrend, dank' ich euch mit diesem Wort:

Denn was ich habe, wurde mir durch dich allein.
1120

Drum reiche mir die Rechte, Herr, auf daß ich sie

Berühre, küsse, wenn ich darf, dein hohes Haupt.

Was aber sag' ich? Wie verlang' ich Armer, daß

Du solchen Mann berührest, dem ein jedes Mal

Des Bösen beiwohnt? Nie begehr' ich das von dir,
1125

Noch würd' ich dir's gestatten. Nur ein Sterblicher,

Der Gleiches trug, kann miterdulden solches Leid.

So sei mir dort willkommen, und auch fürder sei

Mein treuer Hüter, wie du warst bis diesen Tag.

Theseus.

Nicht Wunder nimmt mich's, daß du, deiner Kinder hier
1130

Dich freuend, länger ausgedehnt der Rede Maß,

Noch daß das Wort des Vaters sie vor mir begrüßt.

Um solche Dinge wandelt uns kein Kummer an.

Und nicht mit Worten mühen wir uns eifriger

Dem Leben Glanz zu leihen als mit unsrer That.
1135

Denn siehe: was ich schwörend dir gelobt, o Greis,

Erfüllt' ich treu; die Töchter bring' ich dir zurück

Gerettet, ungefährdet, troz der Feinde Droh'n.

Und wie der Kampf gelungen, was bedarf es hier

Unnüzen Prahlens? Hörst du's doch von ihnen selbst.
1140

Auf eine Botschaft aber, die mich eben traf,

Als ich hieher ging, achte wohl und denke nach;

Wohl kurz an Inhalt ist sie, doch beachtenswerth,

Und Nichts verachten soll ein Mensch, was Menschen gilt.

Oedipus.

Was ist es, Aegeus' edler Sohn? Belehre mich,
1145

Dem keine Kunde dessen ward, was du vernahmst.

Theseus.

Ein fremder Mann, so heißt es, nicht aus deiner Stadt,

Doch deines Stammes, habe (weßhalb, weiß ich nicht,)

Am Herd Poseidons, wo ich eben opferte,

Sich hingeworfen, während ich von dannen zog.
1150

Oedipus.

Wo kommt er her? Was heischt er, jenem Siz genaht?

Theseus.

Nur Eines weiß ich: er erbitte sich von dir

Ein kurzes Wort nur, hieß es, das nicht lästig sei.

Oedipus.

Worüber? Nicht um Kleines wählt er diesen Siz.

Theseus.

Er komm' und wünsche, heißt es, ein Gespräch mit dir,
1155

Und ungefährdet möcht' er dann von hinnen zieh'n.

Oedipus.

Wer aber ist es, der sich dort den Siz erkor?

Theseus.

Besinne dich, ob Einer eures Stamms, o Greis,

Nicht lebt in Argos, welcher dies von dir erfleht.

Oedipus.

Mein Bester, weiter rede nicht!
1160

Theseus.

Was ist dir denn?

Oedipus.

fordre das nicht länger!

Theseus.

Was? Erkläre mir.

Oedipus.

Ich weiß, belehrt von diesen, wer der Flüchtling ist.

Theseus.

Und wer denn ist es, den ich so verwerfen soll?

Oedipus.

Mein böser Sohn, Herr, dessen Rede meinem Ohr

Schmerzvoller kläng' als jedes andern Mannes Wort.
1165

Theseus.

Wie? Kannst du's nicht anhören und, was dir mißfällt,

Versagen? Kann das Hören dir so peinlich sein?

Oedipus.

Feindselig tönt dem Vater diese Stimm', o Herr;

Nicht opfre mich dem Zwange, solches einzugeh'n!

Theseus.

Doch, legt der Altar Zwang dir auf, so siehe zu,
1170

Ob dir des Gottes Würde nicht zu scheu'n geziemt.

Antigone.

Wohl bin ich jung, doch, Vater, folge meinem Rath.

Olaß den Mann hier, wie er will, dem eignen Sinn

Genüge leisten und dem Gott gefällig sein,

Und uns gewihre freundlich, daß der Bruder kommt.
1175

Getrost: es zieht dich, was er Unwillkommnes sagt,

Nicht wider deinen Willen ab von deinem Sinn.

Und Worte hören, schadet dir's? Gibt doch die That,

In bösem Sinn entworfen, sich im Worte kund.

Er ist dein Sohn, o Vater; darum, wenn er auch
1180

Der schwersten Frevel schwersten selbst an dir verübt,

Geziemt es dir nicht, wieder ihm ein Leid zu thun.

Nein, laß ihn! Böse Kinder hat auch Mancher sonst,

Und braust im Zorn auf; aber durch den Zauberlaut

Der Freundesmahnung wird gebannt der Ungestüm.
1185

Du wende nunmehr deinen Blick auf jenes Leid,

Das Leid von deinen Eltern, das du duldetest;

Und schaust du hierauf, weiß ich, wird's dir offenbar,

Welch schlimmes Ende schlimmer Zorn zu nehmen liebt.

Denn dessen trägst du Zeichen, mächtig mahnende:
1190

Die blinden Augen, deren Licht in Nacht erlosch.

So gib uns nach! Denn langes Flehen ziemt sich nicht,

Wenn wir Gerechtes bitten, noch geziemt es dir,

Wohlthat empfangen und dafür nicht dankbar sein.

Oedipus.

Ihr zwingt, o Tochter, eine schwere Gunst mir ab
1195

Durch eure Reden; sei es denn, wie's euch gefällt!

Nur bitt' ich, Gastfreund, wenn der Jüngling hier erscheint,

Verstatte Niemand, meines Lebens Herr zu sein!

Theseus.

Dies mag ich Einmal hören, nicht das zweitemal,

Greis; ich will nicht prahlen; glaub' indeß, du bist
1200

In sichrem Schuze, wenn mich selbst ein Gott beschüzt.

(Theseus mit Gefolge ab.) Die Vorigen ohne Theseus. Strophe.

Der Chor.

English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Thomas Francklin, 1758–1759)) — 1098 focus

Ha ! what sayst thou ? Where, oh ! where ?

Antigone

My father ! O my father ! what kind god

Raised up this friend who hath restored us to thee ?

Oedipus

Are then my daughters with me?

Antigone

Theseus' arm

Hath brought us here : to him and to his friends

We owe our safety.

Oedipus

Oh ! come nigh, my children ;

Let me embrace you. Never did I think

Again to fold you in these arms.
1105

Antigone

We come

With joy, my father.

Oedipus

Oh ! where are you ?

Antigone

Here.

Oedipus

My dearest children !

Antigone

To our father still

May every pleasure come !

Oedipus

^eaniyig on Antigone]. My best support !

Antigone

The wretched bear the wretched.

Oedipus

\emhracing them]. I have all

That 's precious to me : were I now to die

Whilst you are here, I should not be unhappy.

Support me, daughters, to your father's side

Close pressed. Oh ! soothe to peace a wretched exile.

Long time deserted. Tell me what hath happened ;

But let the tale be short, as best becomes

Thy tender age.

Antigone

[pointing to Theseus]. Here is our great pro-

tector.

He will inform you; so shall what I speak

Be brief, as thou wouldst have it.

My children thus beyond my hopes restored.

If I should talk too long on such a theme,

Thou wilt not wonder. 'Tis to thee alone

I owe my joys ; thou didst protect and save

My much-loved daughters : may the gods repay

Thee and thy kingdom for this goodness to me !

Here only have I found or faith, or truth,

Or justice ; you alone possess them all.

I ^vill attest it, for 1 know it well.

I feel your virtues ; what I have is all

From you. O king ! permit me but to touch

Thy hand. Oh ! stretch it forth ; or let me kiss

Thy honoured lips. But, oh ! what do I say ?

Can such a wretch as CEdipus e'er hope

With guilty hands to touch a man like thee,

So pure, so spotless ? Yet I must embrace thee ;

They only who have known misfortune feel

For others' griefs with sympathizing woe.

Hail, best of men ! and mayst thou ever be.

As thou hast been, my guardian and my friend !

Theseus
(Edi. Noble Theseus,

Thus happy as thou must be in thy children,

Hadst thou said more, much more, and talked to them
1140

Rather than me, it had not moved my wonder ;

Nor think I should resent it. Not by w^ords

Would Theseus be distinguished, but by deeds

Illustrious. This thou knowst, for what I swore

I have performed — restored thy daughters to thee,
1145

Safe from the tyrant's threats. How passed the conflict

Why should I boast ? They at their leisure best

May tell you all. Meantime to what I heard

As hither coming, CEdipus, attend.

Of little import seemed the circumstance.
1150

And yet 'twas strange ; but nought should mortal man

Deem or beneath his notice or his care.

For nothing have I heard.

Theseus
(Edi. What is it, son of ^geus ? Oh ! inform me,

a man, they say.

Who boasts himself by blood allied to thee.

At Neptune's altar, whilst I sacrificed,

In humblest posture stood.

Oedipus

What could it mean?
1160

Whence came he?
1160

Theseus

That I know not \ this alone

They told me : suppliant he requested much

To talk a while with thee.

Oedipus

With me? 'Tis strange,

And yet methinks important.

Theseus

He desired

But to converse with thee, and then depart.
1165

Oedipus

Who can it be ?

Theseus

Hast thou no friend at Argos,

None of thy kindred there who wished to see thee ?

Oedipus

No more, my friend.

Theseus

What sayst thou ?

Oedipus

Do not ask me.
1170

Theseus

Ask what

Oedipus

I know him now ; I know too well

Who 's at the altar.

Theseus

Who is it ?

Oedipus

My son —

That hateful son, whose voice I loathe to hear.

Theseus

But why not hear him? Still thou mayst refuse
1175

What he shall ask.

Oedipus

I cannot, cannot bear it :

Do not oblige me.

Theseus

But the sacred place

Where now he stands, and reverence to the gods,

Demand it of thee.
1180

Antigone

Let me, O my father !

Young as I am, admonish thee. Oh ! grant

Thy friend his just request; obey the gods,

And let our brother come : whate'er he says

It need not draw thee from thy first resolve.
1185

What harm to hear him ? Words have oft produced

The noblest works. Remember, 'tis thy child —

Thou didst beget him ; though he were the worst

Of sons to thee, yet would it ill become

A father to return it. Let him come.
1190

Others like thee have base, unwortliy children,

And yet their minds are softened to forgiveness

By friends' ad\ace, and all their wTath subdued.

Think on thy own unhappy parent's fate,
1195

Thence mayst thou learn what dreadful ills have flowed

From anger's bitter fountain ; thou, alas !

Art a sad proof ; those sightless eyes too well

Bear witness to it. Those who only ask

What justice warrants, should not ask in vain ;
1200

Nor who receives a benefit, forget

The hand that gave, but study to repay it.

Oedipus

You have o'ercome me : with reluctant pleasure

I }ield. My children, be it as you please ;
1205

But if he comes, O Theseus ! guard my life.

Theseus

I've said enough ; no more. I will not boast,

But thou art safe if Heaven forsake not me.

In sacred wisdom's path is seldom seen

The wretch, whom sordid love of wealth inspires ;

Neglectful of the happy golden mean,

His soul nor truth nor heavenly knowledge fires ;

No length of days to him can pleasure bring,

In death alone he finds repose,

End of his wishes and his woes;

In that uncomfortable night

Where never music's charms delight,

Nor virgin choirs their hymeneals sing.

The happiest fate of man is not to be ;

And next in bliss is he who soon as bom,

From the vain world and all its sorrows free,

Shall whence he came with speediest foot return ;

For youth is full of folly, toils, and woes,
1210

Of war, sedition, pain, and strife.
1210

With all the busy ills of life.
1210

Till helpless age come creeping on,
1210

Deserted, friendless, and alone.
1210

Which neither power nor joy nor pleasure knows.
1210

E'pode.
1210

The hapless CEdipus, like me,
1210

Is doomed to age and misery ;

E'en as around the northern shore

The bleak winds howl and tempests roar,

Contending storms in terror meet,

And dashing waves for ever beat;

Thus is the wretched king with grief oppressed,

And woes on woes afflict his long-distempered breast.

Oedipus
Scene II. Stro2ohe. Antistroplie. \Exe,ihnt. ACT IV. Scene I.

English (Robert Potter, 1788) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Robert Potter, 1788)) — 1098 focus

Thou shalt not, stranger, of thy watchman speak

As a false augur; for mine eyes behold

The virgins: they return, with hasty steps.
1100

Advancing nigh.

Oedipus

Where, where? what say'st thou? how?

Antigone
THESEUS, ANTIGONE, ISMENE, CEDIPUS,

My father, O my father, would some god

Give thee to see this best of men, who thus

Hath brought us back to thee!

My children here!

Are you both here, my children?

By the hands

Of Theseus, and his brave attendants, saved.

Oedipus

Come near, my children; and, what ne'er again

We could e'en hope, support me with your arms.
1105

Antigone

Obtain thy wish; we grant it with delight.

Oedipus

Where are you then?

Antigone

Together we approach.

To a father all

Oedipus

O my dear blossoms!

Antigone

Is dear.

Oedipus

Ye tender props of my old age !

Unhappy props of an unhappy man.

Oedipus

What is most dear to me I hold; and now

Antigone

Were I to die whilst you thus near me stand,

I should not be quite wretched: but support,

On each side prop me, growing to the trunk

From which you sprung; to an afflicted wretch

Outcast, and late abandon'd, give some rest.

What hath been done now tell me, but in brief,

A short relation will from you suffice.

Theseus

who sav'd us; it is meet

Thou learn from him: so shall my words be brief.

Oedipus

My daughters thus beyond my hopes restored,

Marvel not, generous Theseus, if my words.

Exceed due measure. Well I know from thee,

And thee alone, this dear delight, in them

Which I receive, is giv'n me; for thy hand,

And thine alone, preserved them. May the gods

On thee and on thy state their blessings pour

Ample as my warm wishes; for 'mongst you

Only of all mankind have I discern'd

A reverence for the gods, a fix'd regard

For justice, and a manly love of truth.

The worth, which I have proved, my words extol,

For what I have, I have from thee alone.
1155

Disdain not then, O king, to stretch the hand
1155

That I may touch it, and, with leave obtain'd,
1155

Kiss thee. What have I said? How then can I,
1155

Born wretched, wish to touch a man, whom stain
1155

Of ill hath ne'er approach'd? It shall not be:
1155

Such grace must be refused. Of all mankind
1155

Those only, who have suffer'd ills, can feel
1155

A touch of pity for my ills. I now
1155

Bid thee henceforth farewell; and let thy care,
1155

Thus far extended to a wretch like me,
1155

Through what of life is left me, yet extend.
1155

Theseus

I marvel not that many are thy words

Through pleasure that thy daughters are restored;

Nor that, ere mine, thou joy'dst in their address.

These things with me are trivial, of no weight,

I have no care aught splendid in my life

To show in words, but honourable deeds;

And let these speak: I pledged to thee my faith;

In nothing I deceived thee, but have brought

These virgins back alive, and from his threats

Uninjured: how this contest was achieved

Why should I vaunt? In private thou may'st learn

From them. But to an incident which late

Occurr'd, as hither I return'd, attend.

Things of small semblance oft with import high

Are pregnant: prudence slights no circumstance.

Oedipus

Of this, O son of Ægeus, uninform'd
1160

I wish a full relation and distinct.
1160

Theseus

A man, they say, no habitant of Thebes,

But to thy blood allied, a suppliant sits

At Neptune's altar, where the victim slain

I offer'd when I hasten'd at your cries.

Oedipus

Whence is he? In this hallow'd seat why placed?

Theseus

I know but this, short conference he requests

With thee, in nothing to molest thee more.
1165

Oedipus

Why this? No trivial cause hath placed him there.

Theseus

With thee he wishes to converse, and asks

Permission thence in safety to return.

Oedipus

Who can this be that near the altar sits?

Theseus

At Argos is there none to thee allied,

Who may with ardour wish this grace from thee?

Oedipus

My honour'd friend, forbear.

Oedipus

No more entreat......
1170

Theseus

Why thus disturb'd?i

What may I not entreat?

Oedipus

What I have heard shows who the suppliant is.

Theseus

Say who, that his attempt I may rebuke.

Oedipus

It is my hated son: of all mankind

Him with most pain should I endure to hear...

Theseus

Yet thou may'st hear, nor yield to his request,
1175

Thy will averse: to hear can give no pain.

Oedipus

His voice, O king, is to a father's ear

Most hateful: urge me not perforce to yield.

Theseus

But if his seat compels to this, take heed,

The sanction of the god must be revered.

Hear me, my father, nor despise my youth.

Indulge this man, assenting to his wish
1180

And to the god, in what his soul desires...
1180

Antigone

Refuse us not, but let my brother come.

His words, though ill accorded to thy state,

Thee from thy stedfast purpose will not draw

By force: what ill from hearing words can rise?

The honourable purpose of the heart
1185

Is signified by words. Nay, weigh this well,

Thou art his father: though his deeds to thee

Be of the vilest, the most impious, rightI

Wills not that thou repay him like ill deeds;

His own will bring their vengeance. Impious sons.
1190

Have injured other parents, and have raised

Anger as fierce; but by th' advice of friends.

This harshness hath been charm'd e'en to assume

A milder nature. On th' afflicting ills

Thy soul has suffer'd for thy parents' sake
1195

Reflect not now; dismiss them from thy thoughts,

Adverting only to the dire effects

Of raging anger; those thou soon may'st know;

For violent the proofs of this thou bearest,

Thy orbs of sight extinguish'd. Yield thee then;
1200

Ill it becomes thee that a just request

Repeatedly be urged, or that a grace

Received with grace thou know'st not to repay.

Oedipus

Your painful pleasure thus declared, my child,

You overcome me: be it as you will.
1205

Only if hither he must come, my friend,

Protect me, o'er my life let none have pow'r.

Theseus

Of this enough; it is not mine to boast.

Me if the gods protect, be thou assured

Old man, in my protection thou art safe.

Chorus
STRO. ANTIS. CEDIPUS, ANTIGONE, ISMENE, CHORUS.

English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904) (OCR draft) Experimental (English (Sir Richard Jebb, 1904)) — 1096-1210 focus

Chorus

Wandering stranger, you will not say your watcher was a false prophet, for I see your daughters once again drawing near.

1099

Oedipus

Where? Where? What is that? What do you mean?

Enter Antigone and Ismene, with Theseus and his attendants.

Antigone

Father, father,

I wish some god would grant that your eyes might see this excellent man, who has brought us here to you!
1100

Oedipus

My child, are you really here?

Antigone

Yes, for these strong arms have saved us—Theseus and his dearest followers.

Oedipus

Come here, my children, to your father!

Grant me your embrace—restored beyond all hope!
1105

Antigone

We shall grant your wish, for we crave the favor we bestow.

Oedipus

Where, then, where are you?

Antigone

Here we are, approaching you together.

Oedipus

Dearest offspring!

Antigone

Everything is dear to its parent.

Oedipus

Supports of a man—

Antigone

Ill-fated as he is ill-fated.

Oedipus

I hold my dearest. Now, if I should die, I would not be wholly wretched, since you have come to me. Press close to me on either side, children, cling to your father, and rest from your wandering, so desolate, so grievous!
1110

And tell me what has happened as briefly as you can, since brief speech suffices for young maidens.
1115

Antigone

Here is our savior: you should hear the story from him, father, since the deed was his. So short will by part be.

Oedipus

Stranger, do not be amazed at my persistence, if I prolong my words to my children,

found again beyond my hope. I well know that my present joy in them has come to me from you, and you alone, for you—and not any other mortal—have rescued them. May the gods grant to you my wish,
1120

both to you yourself and to this land; for among you, above all mankind, I have found piety, the spirit of decency, and lips that tell no lie. I know these things, and I repay them with these words; for what I have, I have through you, and no one else.
1125

Stretch out to me your right hand, lord, that I may touch it; and if it is right, let me kiss your cheek. But what am I saying? Wretched as I have become, how could I wish you to touch a man in whom every stain of evils has made its dwelling?
1130

I will not touch you—nor will I allow it, if you do consent. They alone, who know them, can share these burdens. Receive my greeting where you stand, and in the future too give me your righteous care, as you have given it up to this hour.
1135

1139

Theseus

I feel no amazement, if you have had a lengthy conversation

from joy in these children, or if your first concern has been for their words rather than for me. Indeed, there is nothing to vex me in that. Not with words so much as with deeds would I add luster to my life. You have this proof:
1140

I have cheated you in none of my sworn promises, old man. Here am I, with the maidens living, uninjured by those threats. As to how the struggle was won, what need have I vainly to boast of what you will learn from these two when you are together?
1145

But there is a matter that has just presented itself to me, as I came here. Give me your counsel regarding it; for, though it is small, it is food for wonder. And mortal man must consider nothing beneath his concern.
1150

Oedipus

What is it, son of Aegeus? Tell me; I myself know nothing of what you inquire.
1155

Theseus

They say a man—not from your city, yet of your race—has somehow thrown himself down, as a suppliant, at our altar of Poseidon, where I was sacrificing when I first set out here.

Oedipus

What land does he come form? What does he desire by his supplication?
1160

Theseus

I know one thing only: they tell me he asks to speak briefly with you, a thing of no great burden.

Oedipus

On what topic? That suppliant state is of no small account.

Theseus

He asks, they say, no more than that he may confer with you,

and return unharmed from his journey here.
1165

Oedipus

Who can he be that implores the god in this way?

Theseus

Consider whether there is anyone in your race at Argos , who might desire this favor from you.

Oedipus

Dearest friend, say no more!

Theseus

What is wrong?

Oedipus

Do not ask me for—
1170

Theseus

For what? Speak!

Oedipus

From hearing these things I know who the suppliant is.

Theseus

And who can he be, that I should have an objection to him?

Oedipus

My son, lord, a hated son whose words would vex my ear like the words of no man besides.

Theseus

What? Can you not listen, without doing what you do not wish to do? Why does it pain you to hear him?
1175

Oedipus

Lord, that voice has become most hateful to his father. Do not constrain me to yield in this.

Theseus

But consider whether his suppliant state constrains you;

what if you have a duty of respect for the god?
1180

1181

Antigone

Father, listen to me; I will offer counsel though I am young. Allow this man here to gratify his own feelings and the god as he wishes, and for your daughters’ sake allow our brother to come.

He will not tear you by force from your resolve—never fear—with such words as will not be for your good. What harm can there be in listening to words? Deeds wickedly devised, as you know, are betrayed by speech. You sired him,
1185

so, even if he wrongs you with the most impious of wrongs, father, it is not right for you to wrong him in return.
Let him come! Other men too have evil offspring and a sharp anger, but they hear advice and are charmed from their mood by the gentle spells of friends.
1190

Look to the past, away from the present; consider all the pains that you have suffered through your father and mother. If you consider those things, I know well that you will perceive that what results from an evil anger is evil. Your reasons to reflect on this are not trivial,
1195

bereft of your unseeing eyes.
Yield to us! It is not a fine thing for those seeking justice to keep asking; nor is it good that a man should be treated well, and thereafter not know how to requite it.
1200

Oedipus

My child, by your pleading you overcome me; but your pleasure here is my grief.

Still, let it be as is dear to you. Only, if that man is to come here, stranger, let no one ever become master over my soul.
1205

Theseus

Once only do I need hear such words, and no more, old man. I do not want to boast,

but you may feel sure that your life is safe, while any of the gods preserves mine. Theseus exits.
1210

Notes on the current edition

Oedipus at Colonus

1. (the gods)

2. (adeimantus in the council of greek leaders)

3. (if we should decide)

4. ( sc. sc. τὸν Ἀπόλλωναto\n *)apo/llwna

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

1096-1210: Third episode

Current edition Experimental

ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ πάτερ πάτερ, τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν 1100 δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον ;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδε γὰρ χέρες Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους προσέλθετʼ, ὦ παῖ, πατρί, καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε. 1105

Ἀντιγόνη αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη δυσμόρου * γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ, καὶ σοί τε τοὔργον *τοῦτʼ *ἐμοί τʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Θησεύς

Οἰδίπους τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με, ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει. 1155

Θησεύς φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ θύων ἔκυρον ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι ; 1160

Θησεύς οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι, βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν *μόνον αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν *τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ. 1165

Οἰδίπους τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν ;

Θησεύς ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν. [111 a.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατε, *σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους μή μου δεηθῇς. 1170

Θησεύς πράγματος ποίου; λέγε. 1170

Οἰδίπους ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι, καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ 1175 χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρόν, κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί· καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει· μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα. 1180

Ἀντιγόνη

Θησεύς ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν, ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δὲ σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σώζῃ θεῶν. 1210

Οἰδίπους ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη ὦ πάτερ πάτερ, τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν 1100 δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδε γὰρ χέρες Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους προσέλθετʼ ὦ παῖ, πατρὶ καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε. 1105

Ἀντιγόνη αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη δυσμόρου γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ, οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον· τοὐμὸν ὧδʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει. 1155

Θησεύς φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ θύων ἔκυρον, ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι· 1160

Θησεύς οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι, βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ. 1165

Οἰδίπους τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν;

Θησεύς ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

Οἰδίπους ὦ φίλτατε, σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους μή μου δεηθῇς. 1170

Θησεύς πράγματος ποίου; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶν ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ 1175 χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρὸν κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί· καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα. 1180

Θησεύς ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν, ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δʼ ὢν σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σῴζῃ θεῶν. 1210

Where? Is it true? How say you?

ANT Father, father! Oh that some God would give thee once to see 1100 The man whose royal virtue brings us hither!

OED My daughters, are ye there?

ANT Saved by the arm Of Theseus and his most dear ministers.

OED Come near me, child, and let your father feel The treasure he had feared for ever gone. 1105

ANT Not hard the boon which the heart longs to give.

OED Where are ye, where?

ANT Together we draw near.

OED Loved saplings of a solitary tree!

ANT A father’s heart hides all.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον ;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ, ὦ παῖ, πατρί, καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου * γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

καὶ σοί τε τοὔργον τοῦτʼ ἐμοί τʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με,

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι ;
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν ;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

[111 a.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, *σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε. 1170

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστίν, ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι, καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρόν, κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει·

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δὲ

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σώζῃ θεῶν.
1210

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ ποῦ; τί φής; πῶς εἶπας;

Ἀντιγόνη

ὦ πάτερ πάτερ,

τίς ἂν θεῶν σοι τόνδʼ ἄριστον ἄνδρʼ ἰδεῖν
1100

δοίη, τὸν ἡμᾶς δεῦρο προσπέμψαντά σοι;

Οἰδίπους

ὦ τέκνον, ἦ πάρεστον;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδε γὰρ χέρες

Θησέως ἔσωσαν φιλτάτων τʼ ὀπαόνων.

Οἰδίπους

προσέλθετʼ ὦ παῖ, πατρὶ καὶ τὸ μηδαμὰ

ἐλπισθὲν ἥξειν σῶμα βαστάσαι δότε.
1105

Ἀντιγόνη

αἰτεῖς ἃ τεύξει· σὺν πόθῳ γὰρ ἡ χάρις.

Οἰδίπους

ποῦ δῆτα, ποῦ ʼστόν;

Ἀντιγόνη

αἵδʼ ὁμοῦ πελάζομεν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατʼ ἔρνη.

Ἀντιγόνη

τῷ τεκόντι πᾶν φίλον.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ σκῆπτρα φωτός.

Ἀντιγόνη

δυσμόρου γε δύσμορα.

Ἀντιγόνη

ὅδʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ σώσας· τοῦδε χρὴ κλύειν, πάτερ,

οὗ κἄστι τοὔργον· τοὐμὸν ὧδʼ ἔσται βραχύ.

Οἰδίπους

τί δʼ ἔστι, τέκνον Αἰγέως; δίδασκέ με

ὡς μὴ εἰδότʼ αὐτὸν μηδὲν ὧν σὺ πυνθάνει.
1155

Θησεύς

φασίν τινʼ ἡμῖν ἄνδρα, σοὶ μὲν ἔμπολιν

οὐκ ὄντα, συγγενῆ δέ, προσπεσόντα πως

βωμῷ καθῆσθαι τῷ Ποσειδῶνος, παρʼ ᾧ

θύων ἔκυρον, ἡνίχʼ ὡρμώμην ἐγώ.

Οἰδίπους

ποδαπόν; τί προσχρῄζοντα τῷ θακήματι·
1160

Θησεύς

οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· σοῦ γάρ, ὡς λέγουσί μοι,

βραχύν τινʼ αἰτεῖ μῦθον οὐκ ὄγκου πλέων.

Οἰδίπους

ποῖόν τινʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἥδʼ ἕδρα σμικροῦ λόγου.

Θησεύς

σοὶ φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐς λόγους ἐλθεῖν μόνον

αἰτεῖν ἀπελθεῖν τʼ ἀσφαλῶς τῆς δεῦρʼ ὁδοῦ.
1165

Οἰδίπους

τίς δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη τήνδʼ ὁ προσθακῶν ἕδραν;

Θησεύς

ὅρα κατʼ Ἄργος εἴ τις ὑμὶν ἐγγενὴς

ἔσθʼ, ὅστις ἄν σου τοῦτο προσχρῄζοι τυχεῖν.

Οἰδίπους

ὦ φίλτατε, σχὲς οὗπερ εἶ.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ ἔστι σοι;

Οἰδίπους

μή μου δεηθῇς.
1170

Θησεύς

πράγματος ποίου; λέγε.

Οἰδίπους

ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων τῶνδʼ ὅς ἐσθʼ ὁ προστάτης.

Θησεύς

καὶ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶν ὅν γʼ ἐγὼ ψέξαιμί τι;

Οἰδίπους

παῖς οὑμός, ὦναξ, στυγνός, οὗ λόγων ἐγὼ

ἄλγιστʼ ἂν ἀνδρῶν ἐξανασχοίμην κλύων.

Θησεύς

τί δʼ; οὐκ ἀκούειν ἔστι καὶ μὴ δρᾶν ἃ μὴ
1175

χρῄζεις; τί σοι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ λυπηρὸν κλύειν;

Οἰδίπους

ἔχθιστον, ὦναξ, φθέγμα τοῦθʼ ἥκει πατρί·

καὶ μή μʼ ἀνάγκῃ προσβάλῃς τάδʼ εἰκαθεῖν.

Θησεύς

ἀλλʼ εἰ τὸ θάκημʼ ἐξαναγκάζει, σκόπει

μή σοι πρόνοιʼ ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ φυλακτέα.
1180

Θησεύς

ἅπαξ τὰ τοιαῦτʼ, οὐχὶ δὶς χρῄζω κλύειν,

ὦ πρέσβυ. κομπεῖν δʼ οὐχὶ βούλομαι· σὺ δʼ ὢν

σῶς ἴσθʼ, ἐάν περ κἀμέ τις σῴζῃ θεῶν.
1210

ANT

Father, father!

Oh that some God would give thee once to see
1100

The man whose royal virtue brings us hither!

OED

My daughters, are ye there?

ANT

Saved by the arm

Of Theseus and his most dear ministers.

OED

Come near me, child, and let your father feel

The treasure he had feared for ever gone.
1105

ANT

Not hard the boon which the heart longs to give.

OED

Where are ye, where?

ANT

Together we draw near.

OED

Loved saplings of a solitary tree!

ANT

A father’s heart hides all.

OED

Staves of mine age!

ANT

Forlorn supporters of an ill-starred life!

ANT

Here is our saviour. He shall tell thee all,

And shorten labour both for us and thee.

OED

What is it, O son of Aegeus? Let me hear,

I am wholly ignorant herein.
1155

THE

We are told

One, not thy townsman, but of kin to thee,

Hath come in unawares, and now is found

Kneeling at great Poseidon’s altar, where

I sacrificed, what time ye called me hither.

OED

What countryman, and wherefore suppliant there?
1160

THE

One thing alone I know. He craves of thee

Some speech, they say, that will not hold thee long.

OED

His kneeling there imports no trivial suit.