:CD CO PA 07M cop. 3

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1917

cop. ³

OEDIPUS, KING W- ^THEBES

THE PLAYS OF EURIPIDES

Translated into English Rhyming Verse, with Commentariei and Explanatory Notes

By GILBERT MURRAY,

LL.D., D.Litt.

Regius ^{Professor of} Greek in the University of Oxford.

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A

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SOPHOCLES

^ \

OEDIPUS

KING OF THEBES

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH RHYMING

VERSE

WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES BY

GILBERT MURRAY

LL.D., D.LiTT.

BKGIUS PROFESSOR OF GREEKIN THE UNIVERSITYOF OXFORD

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PREFACE

If I have turned aside from _Euripides fora

moment

and attempted ^a translation ofthe great stage master- pieceof Sophocles,

my

^excuse

^must

^{be the} fascination ofthis play,

which

has

thrown

its spell on

me

^as

on many

^other translators.

Yet

I

may

plead ^{also that} as a rule every diligent student of these great

works

can add something ^{to the} discoveries of his prede- cessors, and I think I have been able to bring out a

few new

_points in the old and much-studied

OejiipuSy chiefly points connected with the dr

am

atic technic[u e and the rel

ijgiousatmosphere.

Mythologists ^{tell us that}

Oedipus was

originally a

daemon

_haunting

Mount

_Kithairon, and _Jocasta a form of that

Earth-Mother who,

^as Aeschylus puts

it,

"

bringeth ^all things ^to being, and

when

she hath reared

them

receiveth again ^theirseed intoher body

"

{Choephoriy 127 ^{: cf.} Crusius, Beitrage ^z. Gr.

Myth^

21).

That

_stage of the

story ^lies very ^far behind the consciousnessof_Sophocles.

But

there does

cling about both his hero and his heroine a _great deal of ver

y

primitive atmos2here.

There

are traces in

Oedipus

^{of the} pre-hellenic

Medicine

_King, the Basileus

who

is also a _TheoSy and can

make

rain or blue sky, pestilence or fertility.

This

_explains

many

things ⁱⁿ the Priest's first speech, ⁱⁿ the _attitude of the Chorus, and ⁱⁿ Oedipus'

own

_language after

PREFACE

the _discovery. It partly explains the

hostility of Apollo,

who

is not a

mere

motivelessDestroyer ^buta tnjg

Olympian

rrii«;hing his Earth-hnrn _rival.

And

in the

same

_.way the _peculiar

royalty ^of -Jocasta,

which makes Oedipus

^{at times}

seem

not the

King

1but the Consort of the

Queen,

brings her near to that class of consecrated queens ^{described in} Dr.

Frazer's Lectures on the Kingships

who

are

"

_honoured

as

no woman now

liyjng^n^thejearth."

The

_story itself, and the

whole

_spirit in

which

Sophocles has^{treated it,} belong not ^{to the fifth} cen- tury but to that te rrible and romantic pa^st from

which

the fifth century poets usually

drew

their material.

The

_atmosphere of brooding^

dr^d,

^the

I pollution, the curses; the

"

_{insane and beastlike}

I cruelty," ^as an ancient

Greek commentator

calls _it,

ofpiercing the exposed ^{child'sfeet in order to ensure}

its death and _{yet avoid} having actually murdered it {Schol. Eur. _Phoen.j 26)^{; the}

whole

treatment of the /parricide and _incest, notas moraloffences capable ^of

jbeing rationallyjudged ^or even excused as uninten-

tional, but as monstrous and

inhuman

pollutions, the

Mast

limit of imaginable ^{horror : all} these things take us back to dark _{regions of} pre-classical and even _pre- homeric belief.

We

have

no

_right to suppose ^that Sophocles thought of the involuntary parricide and

metrogamy

^as the people ^{in his} play^do. Indeed, con- sidering the general tone of his contemporaries and friends,

we may

safely assume that he did not.

But

at any ^rate he has allowed

no

breath of later en- lightenment ^{to disturb the} primaeval

gloom

^{of his} atmosphere.

Does

this in

any way make

the tragedy ^insincere? vi

PREFACE

I think not.

We ^know

that people did feel and think about

"

pollution

"

in the

way ^which

Sophocles represents;

and

^if_theyso _felt, then the tragedy

was

there.

I think these considerations explain the remarkable absence fro

m

^this pla

y

^of

any

^{criticism of life or}

iuiy ^definite

mo

ral judgment. ^I

know

that

some

commentators have found in it a ''humble

and

un- questioning piety," but ^Icannot help suspecting ^that

what

_they

saw was

_onlya reflection from their

own

pious

and

unquestioning minds.

Man

^{is indeed}

shown

as a"

glaything of

Gods

,"but of

Gods

_strangely and incomprehensibly malignant,

whose ways

^there

is

no

attempt ^to explain or _justify.

The

_original

story, indeed,

may

^{have had one of its roots in a}

Theban ^"

moral tale." Aelian _{Var'ta Hhtoricy2, 7)

tellsus that the exposure of^{a child}

was

forbidden by

Theban Law. The

^stateof _feeling

which

_produced

this law, against the

immensely

strong conception of the patriapoteitas,

may

^also have produced ^afolk- lore story telling

how

a

boy once was

exposed, ⁱⁿ a peculiarly cruel

way,

by ^his wicked _parents, and

how Heaven

_preserved

him

to take

upon

^{both of}

them

a vengeance

which showed

that the unnatural father had

no

_{longer a} father's sanctitynor the un- natural

mother

a mother's. But,^{as far as}Sophocles

is concerned,^ifanything^{in the} nature ofa criticism of life has been admitted into the

play ^at all, ^it

seemsto beonly ^{a flash or}

two

of that profound and pessimistic arraignment of ^the ruling powers

which

in other

plays also opens ^{at times like a} sudden _abyss across the

smooth

sur^ce ofhisart.

Tii

PREFACE

There

is not

much

_philosophy in the _Oedipus.

There

^is _not, in comparison with ^other

Greek

_plays,

much

_pure

poetry.

What

^there is, is

drama

_;

drama

ofa

mazing

grandeur

and

_power. In _respectof plot

no Greek

_play

comes

near it. It containsno doubt a

few

_points of unsophisticated technique such as can be found in all ancient and _nearly all

modern drama

_; for instance, the supposition ^that Oedipus has never inquired ^into the death of his predecessor

on

the throne.

But

such flaws are _external, not essential.

On

the whole, ^I can only say ^that the

work

of translation has

made me

feel even

more

strongly than before the extraordinary _grip and realityof the dialo

gue, ^the_^deftness of the construc- tion^and,exceptperhaps^fora _slightdrop^{in the}

Creon

scene, the

unbroken

crescendo of

tragedy from the opening ^{to the close.}

Where

plot-interest ^is as strong ^{as it is in} the OedipuSy character-interest is apt ^to be

comparatively weak.

Yet

in thisplayeverycharacter ^is interesting, vital, and distinct.

Oedipus

^{himself is selected} by Aristotle as the most effective kind of _{tragic hero,} because, first, he has been _great and _glorious, and secondly he has not been "

pre-eminently ^virtuous or _just."

This

^is true in its way.

Oedipus

^{is too} passionate ^to be _just; but he is at least noble in his impetuosity, ^his devotion, and his absolute truthful- ness. It is important ^{to realise that at the} beginning of the play he is prepared ^for an oracle

commanding him

to die for his people (pp. 6, 7).

And

he never thinks of refusing that "_task"

any more

^{than he tries}

to elude the

doom

that actually comes, ^{or to conceal}

viii

PREFACE

any^{fact that tells}against him. If

Oedipus

^had

been

an ordinary

man

_{the play}

would

have been a _very

diflferent anda

much

_{jX)orer thing.}

Jocasta_is a wonderful _{study. Euripides}

might

have brought her character out

more

_explicitly and

more

at length, but even hecould not have

made

^her

more

_livingor

more

_tragic,or represented

more

_subtly

in her relation to

Oedipus

^{both the}

m

other's prote^ct- ing love and the _motjier's authority.

As

for her

"impiety," of

which

the old commentaries used to speak with

much

disapproval, the essential fact in her

lifeis that bothher innocence and her happiness have, asshe _believes, been _poisoned

by

^{the craft of}priests.

She and Lalus both "

believed a bad oracle"

: her

terrorand her love for her husband

made

herconsent to an infamousactof_cruelty to her

own

_child, an act of

which

the thought ^{sickens her} still, and about

which

she cannot,

when

she _tries, speak the

whole

truth. (See note on _{p. 42.)}

And

^{afterall her} crime

was

for nothing¹

The

oracle proved ^to be a lie.

Never

_againwill she believea _priest.

As

toTire_sias,I wish toask forgiveness^foran un- intelligent criticism

made

twelve _years ago ⁱⁿ

my

Ancient Greek Literature^ p. 240. ^{I assimied} then,

what

I fancy

was

a

common

assumption, ^thatTiresias

was

a

"

sympathetic

"

prophet,

compact

^of

wisdom

and _sanctity and all the _qualities

which

beseem that calling^; and I complained^that hedid notconsistently act as such. I

was

_quite

wrong.

^Tiresiasisnot any-

thing so insipid.

He

^is _{a study}ofa real

type,and a type

which

all the tragedians

knew. The

character of the professional seeror "

man

of

God

^" hasin the imagination of most _ages fluctuated

between two

ix

PREFACE

poles.

At

one extreme are sanctity and

superhuman wisdom

; at the other fraud and mental _disease,self-

worship aping humility and personal malignity ⁱⁿ the guise ofobedience to

God. There

^is a touch ofall

these _qualities, good and bad alike, in Tiresias.

He

seems to

me

a most life-like as well as a most dra- matic _figure.

As

to the Chorus, ^it generally plays a smaller part in Sophocles than in Euripides and _Aeschylus, and the Oedipus forms

no

_exception to thatrule. It seems to

me

that Sophocles

was

_feeling his

way

^{towards a} technique

which would

have approached ^{that of the}

New _Comedy

or even the Elizabethan _stage, and

would

_perhaps havedone withouta

Chorus

altogether.

In Aeschylus

Greek

_tragedy had been a thing of traditional forms

and

clear-cut divisions_; the _religious ritual

showed

_through, and the visible gods and the disguised dancers

were

allowed their fullvalue.

And

Euripides ⁱⁿ the matter of outward formalism

went

back to the Aeschylean type and even beyond ^it: prologue, chorus, messenger, ^visible god,^all the tradi- tional forms

were

^left clear-cut and undisguised and

all developed ^{to full} effectiveness

on

_separate and specific ^lines, c

But

_Sophocles

worked

_{by blurring} his structural outlines

just as he blurs the ends of his verses. In

him

the tfaditional divisions are all

made

.^

^{less distinct, all}

^worked

^{over in the direction of}

^^ >

^greater_naturaln^{ess, at}

any

^{rate in externals.}

This was

a very great gain, but ofcourse

some

_price had to be _paid for it. Part of the _price

was

that Sophocles could never attempt ^the tremendous choric effects

which

Euripides achieves ⁱⁿ such _plays asthe Bacchat and the Trojan

Women.

His _{lyrics, great} as they

X

PREFACE

sometimes _are,

move

^their

_wings

^less _boldly.

They seem somehow

^tied to their particular place ⁱⁿ the tragedy,

and

_{they have} not quite the strength ^tolift the

whole drama

_bodily aloft with them.

... At

least that is

my feeling^But

^{I realise that this}

may

be onlythe complaiiftofanunskilful translator,blam- ing ^his material for his

own

^{defectsofvision.}

In_general, both inJ yricsand in dialogue^Ibelieve I have allowed myself ^{rather less} freedom than in translating Euripides.

This

is

partly because the writing of _Eurrgides, being ^less business-like

and more

_penetrated

by

philosophic reflections

and by

subtletiesof technique, actually needs

more

_thorough

re-casting to express ^{it at all}adequately; partly be- cause there is in Sophocles,

amid

all his passion

and

allhis naturalness,acertainsevere

and

classicreticence, which, though impossible really to reproduce

by any

method, ^{is less} misrepresented

by

^{occasional insuf-}

ficiency than by ^habitual redundance.

I have asked pardon ^for

an

^ill deed

done

twelve years ago. I should like to end

by

speaking of a benefit older _still,and _express something of^thegrati- tude I feel to

my

^old master, Francis Storr,

whose

teaching^{is stillvivid in}

my ^{mind and who}

^first opened

my

^eyestothe grandeur of^the Oedipus.

G. M.

CHARACTERS ^IN THE ^PLAY

Okdipus,supposed son of Polybus^ Kingof^Corinth; noteelected

Kingof^TTubes.

JOCASTA, Queen of^Thebes;widow of Lotus, the ^late King, and now_wifetoOedipus.

Crbon,a Prince ofThebes, brother tojocasta, TiKBSiAS,anoldblindseer,

PilESTOFZsus.

A

STRANGER/r(7»»^{Corinti^}

A

Shbphbrd_ofKing^La'ius.

A

Messenger_^<M»thePalace.

Chorusof the Elders ofThebes.

A

Crowdof Suppliants,men, women, andchildren.

The _following do not appear ^{in the} play but are frequently mentioned:

—

Laios (pronounced as three syllables, Ld-i-us), the last Kingof Thebes_beforeOedipus.

^

Cadmus,^thefounder of^Thebes; sonofAghior,KingofSidon.

POLYBUSAND_MEROPfi, King^andQueenof Corinth, supposed^tobe thefatherandmotherof Oedipus.

Apollo, ^the God_speciallypresiding over the^oracleofDelphiand

theisland Delos: heisalsocalledPhoebus,^thepure;LoxiAS, supposed^tomean '^Heof^theCrookedWords";and_Lykeios,

supposed^tomean "_Wolf-God." He isalsothe greatAverter ofEvil, and has names from ^{the cries} "/-^" (pronounced

"

Ee-ay")and "Paian,"^criesforhealing orforthe frightening awayofevil influences.

KiTHAiRON,a mass_ofwild mountainsouth-mestof^Thebes.

i;--

y ^"

^.

0' f~ A-' ^*

.-M

^{t^' C}

/ ^ARGUMENT

While Thebes was undertheraleofLaiusand JOCASTA there appeared ^a strange and monstrous _creature, ^"the riddhng Sphinx," ^"theShe-

Wolf

of thewoven _song,"

who

in some unexplained way sang ^{riddles of} death and slew thepeople ^ofThebes. LAJfuswentto askaidof the oracle of Delphi, but was slain mysteriously on the road. Soon afterwards there

came

toThebesayoungPrince of Corinth, Oedipus,

who

hadleft his

home

and was_wandering.

He

faced the Sphinxandread her _riddle,whereupon ^sheflung herselffrom her rock and died.

The

thronebeing vacant was offered toOedipus, and^withitthehandoftheQueen, JoeAST^A.

Some

ten or twelve years afterwards a _pestilence has fallen on Thebes. Atthispoint theplay begins.

Thedateof^thefirstproduction of^theplay^isnotknown, butwas probably about^theyear 425^B.C.

TT.1-14

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES

Scene.

—

Before ^the Palace of

Oedipus

at Thebes.

A

crowd _{ofsuppliants ofall ages} are waiting by the altarinfront

and

on the_stepsof^thePalace_;

among

them thePriest

of

Zeus.

As

thePalace door_opens

and Oedipus

comes out all the suppliants with a _cry move towards him in attitudes of prayer^ holding out their olive brancheSy

and

then become stillagain ashe_speaks.

L^^A^

Oedipus.

fh^/^^-

My

^{children, fruit of}

^Cadmus'

ancient tree

New

_springing, whereforethus with bended

knee

Pressye

upon

us, ladenall with wreaths

And

_suppliant branches?

And

the_city breathes

Heavy

^with incense, heavy with

dim

_prayer

And

shriekstoaffrightthe

Slayer.

—

Children, care

For

thisso

moves me,

^{I have}scorned withal

Message

or writing^: seeing ^'tisI ye call,

'TisI

am

come, world-honoured Oedipus.

Old Man,

^{dothou declare}

—

therest havethus ^'

Their champion —

in

what mood

stand ye^sostill,

In dread or sure hope^?

Know

_yenot,

my

^will

Isyours for aid 'gainst ^all? Stern

were

indeed

The

heart that felt not for so direa necd.^

3

SOPHOCLES

^». 15-39

Priest.

O

_Oedipus,

who

boldest in thy

hand

My

^{city, thoucanstsee}

^what

^{ages stand}

At

these thinealtars_;

some whose

little

wing

Scarcefliethyet, and

some

_{with longliving} O'erburdened_{; priests,} as I of

Zeus am

_priest,

And

chosen youths^: and _wailing hathnot ceased

Of

thousands in the market-place,

and by

Athena'stwo-fold temples and ^the dry

Ash

of Ism^nus' portent-breathing^shore.

For

all our _ship, thou_see'st, is

weak

andsore

Shaken

with _storms, and no

more

_lighteneth

Her

head above the

waves whose

_trough is death.

She wasteth in the fruitlessbuds of_earth.

In

parchW

^{herdsand travail without birth}

Of

_dying

women

: yea, and midst ofit

A

burning and ^aloathlygod hath ^lit

Sudden, and sweeps ourland, this Plague of

power

;

Till

Cadmus'

house grows empty, hour by hour.

And

^{Hell's house rich with steam oftears}

and

blood.

O

_King, ^not

God

indeed nor_peerto

God

We deem

_thee, that

we

kneel before thine hearth.

Children andold

men,

praying^; but of earth

A

_thing

consummate by

thy^{star confessed}

Thou

walkestand by ^converse with the blest_;

Who ^came

^to

^Thebes

so swift,

and

_swept

away The

Sphinx's song, the ^tribute of_dismay.

That

^all

were bowed

_beneath,and

made

usfree.

A

_stranger, thou, naught

knowing more

_{than we.}

Nor

_{taught of}

_{any man,}

^but _{by God's}^breath

Filled, thoudidst raiseourlife. So the world saith_;

So we

_say.

4

"v^

^TT.^cMJg

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES

Therefore

now, O Lord

and _Chief,

We come

tothee again;

we

_layour _grief

On _thy

_head, ^{ifthoufind us} not

some

aid.

Perchance thou hastheard

Gods

_talkingⁱⁿ the shade

Of

_night,or eke

some man

: to

him

thatknows.

Men

say, eachchance that _falls,each

wind

thatblows

Hath

_life,

when

he seeks counsel.

Up, O

^chief

Of _men,

^andlift _thycity ^{from its}_grief;

Face

thine

own

_peril ^! All our land doth hold

Thee

still oursaviour, for that help of^old: Shall they that ^tellofthee hereafter tell

"

By him was Thebes

raisedup, and after fell1

"

Nay,

^{liftus till}

we

_slip

no

more.

Oh,

^let

That

birdofold that

made

us fortunate

Wing

^{back ;} be thou our

Oedipus

again.

And

^let _thy

_kingdom

^{bea land of}

men.

Not

_emptiness. Walls, towers, and_ships, they^all

Arc

nothing with

no men

tokeep ^thewall.

Oedipus.

My

^{poor, poor childrenI Surely longago}

Ihave readyour ^trouble. Stricken, well I

know.

Ye

allare, stricken sore ^: yet verily

Not

oneso stricken tothe heartas I.

Your

_grief, ^it

cometh

toeach

man

_apart

For

his

own

_loss,

none

other's; but this heart

For

theeand

me

and all ofus doth weep.

Wherefore

it isnotto one sunk _{in sleep}

Ye come

with waking.

Many

^tears these days For your ^sakeI have wept, and

many ways Have wandered on

the beatingwings ^ofthought.

And,

finding butone _{hope, that}I have sought

P\ SOPHOCLES

^yv.70-86

And

^{followed. I} havesentMenoikeus' _son, Creon,

my ^own

^{wife's brother, forth alone}

To

_Apollo's

House

in Delphi, there ^toask

What

_word,

what

deed ofmine,

what

bitter task,

May

^save

my

city.

And

the _lapse of_days Reckoned,^I can but marvel

what

_delays His_journey. 'Tis beyond^all thought ^{that thus}

He comes

_not,

beyond

^need.

But when

he _does.

Then

call

me

false

and

_traitor, ^ifI flee

Back from

whatever task

God

sheweth

me.

Priest.

I I

At

_{point of}time thou_speakest.

Mark

the cheer (^'^^ i Yonder, Isthat not

Creon drawing

^near?

[They^allcrowdtogaze where

Creon

^is

approaching^{in thedistance.}

Oedipus.

O Lord

Apollo, help^!

And

be thestar

That

_guides

him

_joyousas his seemings ^are!

Priest.

Oh

^! _surelyjoyous^!

How

^elseshould he bear

That

fruited laurel wreathed about his hair?

Oedipus.

We

soon shall

know. —

*Tisnot too farfor one Clear-voiced.

{Shouting)

Ho,

^{brotherI Prince! Menoikeus*}son,

What

_message

from

the

God

?

VT.87-99

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES

Creon

_{Jrom ^a _distance).

Message

of joy^I Enter

Creon

Itell thee,

what

is

now

our worst annoy, Ifthe _rightdeed be _done,shall turn togood.

[The crowdy which has been

full of ^excited hope,falls ^todoubt

and

disappointment,

Oedepus.

Nay, ^but

what

^is themessage^?

For my

^blood

Runs

neither hot nor coldforwordslikethose.

Creon.

ShallI speak

now,

^{with all these} pressingclose,

Or

_passwithin?

— _To me

both

ways

^{are fair.}

Oedipus.

Speak^{forth toall !}

The

_{grief that} these

men

bear Is

more

than

any

^{fear for}

mine own

death.

Creon.

I speakthen

what

I heard from

God. — Thus

saith

Ihoebus, our

Lord

and Seer, in clear

command.

An

unclean thing there is, hid in our_land, bating the ^soil thereof: thisye ^{shall cast} Out, and ^{not foster tillall} help be _past.

Oedipus.

How

^{cast it} out?

What was

the evildeed?

7

^'

^-p,

^SOPHOCLES

^TV.100-113

'-^ ri-""

/y^

Creon.

Hunt

the

men

out from Thebes,^or

make them

bleed

Who

slew. For blood ^it is thatstirs to-day.

Oedipus.

Who was

the

man

they ^{killed ?}

Doth Phoebus

_say?

Creon.

D

_King, there

was

ofold

King

^Laius In Thebes, ^ere thou didst

come

to _{pilot us.}

Oedipus.

I

know

: not thatI ever

saw

^his face.

Creon.

'Twas

he.

And

Loxias

now

bids us trace

And

smite the

unknown

workers ofhis fall.

Oedipus.

Where

ⁱⁿ God's earthare they^?

Or how

withal

Find

the blurred trail ofsuch anancient stain?

Creon.

In Thebes, he ^said.

— That which men

seek

amain They

^find, 'Tis things forgotten that go by.

Oedipus.

And where

didLaius

meet them

?

Did

hedie In Thebes,^{or inthe} hills,or

some

farland ?

8

Tv.ii4-ia7

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES

Creon.

To

^askGod's ^{will in} Delphi he had planned His journey. Started and retuiiicd

no

more.',

Oedipus.

And came

there nothing back^?

No

_message, nor

/ None

ofhis

company,

^that ye

might

^hear?

Creon.

They

^all

^were

^{slain, saveone}

man

_; blind with fear

He

_came,

remembering

naught

—

oralmost naught.

Oedipus.

And what was

that?

One

thing has often brought Others, could

we

but catchone littleclue.

Creon.

'Twas

not one

man,

*twas robbers

—

that he

knew —

Who

barred the road

and

slew

him

: a great band.

J Oedipus.

p Robbers^{? . . .}

What

robber, save the

work

was

J planned

;

By

treason here,

would

dare a riskso _plainf

Creon.

So

some men

_thought.

But

Lai'uslayslain.

And none

toavenge

him

in hisevil day.

9

SOPHOCLES

^VT.i2g-i48

Oedipus.

And what

_{strange mischief,}

when

your master lay

Thus

_fallen, held

you

^{back from search}

and

deed?

Creon.

The

dark-songed Sphinx was here.

We

^had

no

heed

Of

distantsorrows, having^{death so near.}

Oedipus.

It falls

on me

then. I will searchand clear

This

darkness.

— Well

hath

Phoebus

_done,and thou

Too,

^{torecall that dead} king, even now,

^And

with

you

^{for the} right ^I also stand.

To

_obey^the

God

and succour this dearland.

Nor

^{is itas for one} that touches

me

Far _off; *tis for

mine own

sakeI

must

see

This

sin cast out.

Whoe'er

it

was

that slew Laius, the

same

wild

hand may

^seek

me

^too:

And

caring thus ^for Laius, ^is but care

For mine own

blood.

— _Up

!

Leave

this altar-stair.

Children.

Take from

it every suppliant bough.

Then

^{callthe folkof}

^Thebes.

_Say, ^'tis

my ^vow To

_uphold

them

to theend.

ySo God

shall

crown Our

_greatness, or for ever castus

down.

[He

goes in to the Palace.

Priest.

My

^{children, rise.}

— _{The King} most

_lovingly

Hath

_promised all

we came

for.

And _may He

10

TT.i4^i6i

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES Who

^{sent this}answer, Phoebus,

come

^confessed Helper^toThebes,

and

_{strong to stay}^the pest.

[The suppliants gather up ^their boughs and stand at the side»

The

^chorus _of^Thehan

eldersenter,

Chorus.

[TA<fy speakof^the Oracle which _theyhave not yet heard,

and

_cry ^to

Apollo

_by his specialcry

''

I-Sr

A

Voice, a Voice, that ^is borne

on

the

Holy Way

^!

What

^art thou,

O Heavenly One, O Word

of the

Houses

of

Gold

?

Thebes

^is _bright ^with thee,

and my

^{heart it leapeth;}

yet^{is it cold, •}

And my

^{spirit faintsas I pray.}

l-t! l-t!

What

_task,

O

Affrightcr of Evil,

what

task shall thy people essay^?

One new

^as our

new-come

affliction,

Or

^{an old toil returnedwith the} years^? Unveil _thee, thoudread benediction,

Hope's daughter

and

Fear*s.

[They pray ^to

Athena, Artemis, and

Apollo.

Zeus-Child thatknowest not _death, totheeI pray,

O

^Pallas; next to thySister,

who

calleth

Thebes

her

own,

Artemis,

named

of Fair Voices,

who

sitteth her

orbW

throne

In thethrong ^{of the} market

way

^:

II

SOPHOCLES

^TV,162-189

And

1-t! I-t¹

Apollo, the Pure, the Far-smiter;

O Three

thatkeep

evil away.

Ifof old forour city's desire,

When

^the death-cloud

hung

^{close to her} brow,

Ye

have banished the

wound and

the_fire,

Oh

¹

come

tous

now

^I

[They ^tellof^the Pestilence,

Wounds _beyond

_telling;

my

^{people sickunto death;}

And where

^{is the} counsellor,

where

is the sword of

thought^?

And _Holy

Earth in her increase perisheth^:

The

child dies and the

mother awaketh

not.

1-tI 1-6!

We

have seenthem, one

on

_another,

gone

^{as a bird is} gone.

Soulsthat areflame_;

yea, higher, Swifter they pass than _fire.

To

the rocks of thedying Sun.

[They ^endbya prayer ^to

Athena, Their

_city ^wasteth

unnumbered

; theirchildren lie

Where

death hath cast them, unpitied,

unwept

upon.

The

^altars_{stand, as} ^{in seas ofstorm a} _high

Rock

standeth,and wives

and

mothers grey^thereon

Weep, weep

^and pray.

Lo, joy-cries to fright the Destroyer^{; a flash in the} dark they ^rise.

Then

die

by

the sobs overladen.

Send

_help,

O

heaven-born

Maiden,

Letus look

on

the_light of_{her eyes}^I

12

TT. i9o-ai7

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES

[To Zeus, ^thathedriveout the Slayer^

And

_{Arcs, the}abhorred Slayer,

who

bears

no

_sword,

But

_shrieking,

wrapped

ⁱⁿfire, stands over

me.

Make

that he_{turn, yea, fly} Broken, wind-wasted, high

Down

^the vexed hollow of the VasterSea;

Or

back to his

own

_Thrace,

To

harbourshelterless.

Where _Night

hath _spared, he_bringeth end

by

day.

Him, Him, O

^thou

whose hand

Beareth the lightning brand,

O

Father Zeus,

now

_{with thy thunder,slay}and_slay!

[To

Apollo, Artemis,

and Dionysus.

Where

isthy gold-strung

bow,

O

_Wolf-god,

where

the flow

Of

living shafts unconquered, from^allills

Our

_helpers?

Where

thewhite Spearsof thy ^Sister's light.

Far-flashing^as she walksthe wolf-wild hills?

<And

_thou,

O Golden-crown, Theban

and

named

our

own,

O Wine-gleam,

^Voiceof Joy, ^forever

more Ringed

with thy

Maenads

_white,

Bacchus,

draw

near

and

_smite.

Smitewith thy glad-eyed flame the

God whom Gods

abhor. [During ^{the last lines}

Oedipus

has

come out

from

the Palace.

Oedipus.

Thou

_prayest : but

my

^{wordsiftho'i wilt hear}

And bow

theeto theirjudgement,strength ^is near

13

SOPHOCLES

^TT.218-245

For

_help, and a great lighteningofill.

Thereof

I

come

_{to speak,a stranger} still

To

all this tale,a stranger ^tothedeed:

(Else,savethat I

were

_clueless, little nee<f

Had

I to cast

my

^{net so}

^wide

^{andfar :)}

Howbeit,

I, being

now

^{as all}_yeare,

A _Theban,

toall

Thebans

_high

and low

Do make

_proclaim : if

any

^{here doth}

know By ^what

^man's

^hand

died Laius,your King, Labdacus' _{son, I} charge

him

that he _bring

To me

hisknowledge. Let

him

feel

no

fear If

on

a

townsman's body

^he

must

clear

Our

_guilt: the

man

shall suffer

no

_{great ill.}

But

_pass from Thebes, and^live

where

elsehewill.

[No

^answer.

Is it

some

alien from an alien shore

Ye know

to have done the deed, screen

him

no

more

^I

Good

_guerdon waits

you now

^anda _King'slove Hereafter.

Hah

! Ifstill ye ^will not

move

But, fearing^for yourselves or

some

near _friend.

Reject

my

^charge, then hearken to

what

end

Ye

drive me.

—

Ifin this place

men

there be

Who know

and _{speak not, lo,} I

make

decree That, while ⁱⁿ

Thebes

I bear thediadem.

No man

^shall greet,

no man

shallshelter them,

Nor

_give

them

water in their _thirst, nor share In sacrificenor shriftnor dying prayer.

But

thrust

them

from our _{doors,the thing} they ^hide

Being

^{thisland's curse.}

Thus

hath the

God

_replied

This

_day to

me

from _Delphi,and

my

^sword

I

draw

thusfor thedead

and

for God's word.

14

TT.246-273

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES

And

_lastly ^forthe murderer, be^it

one

Hiding^{alone or}

more

inunison,

Ispeak

on him

^thiscurse: evenas his soui Is foul within

him

let hisdays be _foul,

And

^life unfriended _grind

him

tillhedie.

More

: ifhe ever tread

my

^{hearthand I}

Know

it, be every curse

upon my

^head

That

Ihave spoke^thisday.

All I havesaid Icharge yestrictly to fulfil

and make

Perfect, ^for

my

^{sake, for Apollo's sake.}

And

thisland's sake,desertedofher fruit

And

castout fromher gods. -Nay,

were

all

mute At

_Delphi, still'twere strange ^toleave the thing

UnfoUowed, when

a true

man _{and^ King}

Lay

m;u"dered. All should search.

J But

^{I, as}

now Our

fortunes fall

—

his

crown

is

on my

^brow.

Hiswife lies in

my

arms,and

common

_fate,

Had

buthis issue been

more

_fortunate.

Might

^{well have} joined our children

—

since this red

Chance

hath sostamped ^{its heel}

on

Laius' head, I

am

his

champion

^left, and, ^{as I}

would

/^Jbpr*

For

mine own

_father, choosefor ill orgood

This

quest, to find the

man who

slew of_yore Labdacus' _son, ^theson of Polydore,

Son

_{of great}

Cadmus whom _Agenor

old Begat,of

Thebes

firstmaster.

And,

behold.

For

them

that aid

me

_not, I pray

no

root

Nor

seedin earth

may

^bear

^them

^{corn nor}fruit.

No

wifebear _children, butthis present curse Cleave to

them

closeand other

woes

_{yet worse.}

Enough

^: ye other peopleofthe _land, IS

SOPHOCLES

^TT.274-289

Whose

will isone with mine,

may

Justice stand

Your

_helper, andall gods^for evermore.

[The crowd_disperses.

Leader.

O

King, even while thy curse yet hovers ^o'er

My

^{head, I}

^answer

^{thee. I slew}

^him

not,

Nor

canI

shew

the_slayer. But,

God

_wot.

If

Phoebus

sendsthischarge, ^let Phoebus read Its

meaning

^{and reveal}

who

did the deed.

Oedipus.

Aye,

^that

were

_just, ^ifofhis grace he

would

Revealit.

How

shall

man

_compel his

God

?

Leader.

Second _{to that,} methinks, 'twould help us

most

. . .

Oedipus.

Though

^{it be third,} speak¹

Nothing

^{should belost.}

Leader.

To

^our

_High

^Seer

^on

^{earth vision is} given

Most

liketo that

High Phoebus

^{hathin heaven.}

Ask

of Tiresias : he could tell theetrue.

Oedipus. »

That

^alsohaveI_thought ^for.

Aye,

^and

two I

Heralds have sent ere

now. 'Twas Creon

set

Me

on.

—

I marvel thathe

comes

not_yet.

16

VT.890-301

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES

Leader.

Our

otherclues are weak, old signsand

^.

Oedipus.

What

_signs? I needs

must

_question all thatarc.

Leader.

Some

^travellersslew him, ^{the taleused} to be.

Oedipus.

The

tale,yes ^: butthe witness,

where

^is he?

Leader.

The man

hath heardthy ^{curses. If}he

knows The

tasteof_fear, hewill not long stay close.

Oedipus.

He

fear

my

words,

who

never feared thedeed?

Leader.

Well, ^{there is} oneshall find him.

—

_{See, they} lead Hither our

Lord

Tiresias, in

whose mind

All truth is born, alone of

human

kind.

Enter Tiresias led by a young disciple.

He

is an old

^^

blind

man

in a _{prophet's robe^}

dark^ unkempt and j

sinister in appearance. ^'

Oedipus.

Tiresias, thou

whose mind

divinethwell All Truth,^the spoken and the unspeakable,

17

SOPHOCLES

^»T.302-321

The

_thingsofheaven

and them

that walk the earth_;

Our

_city ^{. . .} thoucanst _see, forall thy^dearth

Of outward

_eyes,

what

clouds are over her.

In which,

O

graciousLord,

no

minister

Of

_help,

no

champion, can

we

find atall

Save thee.

For Phoebus —

thouhast heard withal His message

—

toour

envoy

^{hath decreed}

One

_only

_way

of_help in thisgreat need:

To

find and smite with death or banishing,

Him who

smote _Laius, our ancient King.

Oh,

grudge ^us nothing^! Question every cry

Of

_birds, andall roads elseof prophecy

Thou

knowest. Save our _city: save thine

own

Greatness ^: save

me

_; saveall thatyetdoth groan

Under

^the dead

man's wrong

^I Lo, ⁱⁿ thy

hand

We

_lay^us.

_And,

methinks,

no work

sogrand

Hath man

_{yetcompassed,as,} with all he can

Of

chanceor power, ^tohelp ^his fellow

man.

TiRESiAS _{tohimself).

Ah me

^I

A

fearful thing ^is knowledge,

when

to

know

Helpeth

no

end. I

knew

thislongago.

But

crushed ^it dead. ElsehadI never come.

Oedipus.

What means

this?

Comest

thouso deep ⁱⁿ

gloom

^?

TiRESIAS.

Let

me

_{go back} ^!

Thy ^work

^shall

weigh on

^thcc

The

less, ifthou_consent, and

mine on mc.

18

TT.3a»-336

OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES'

Oedipus.

Prophet, ^thisisnotlawful_; nay, nor kind

To

Thebes,

who

feeds thee, thusto veilthy mind.

TiRESIAS.

'Tis that I like not

thy

mind, nor ^the

way

Itgoeth. Therefore, ^{lestI also}stray ^{. . .}

[He

^{moves to}go of.

Oedipus

barshis road, Oedipus.

Thou

shalt not,

knowing,

^{turn andleave ixs!} See,

Wc

^all _{implore thee,} all,

on

bendedknee.

TlRESIAS.

Allwithout _light!

— And

never_light shall shine

On

thisdarkevil that is

mine

. . .

and

thine.

Oedipus.

What

wilt thou?

Know

and _speak not? In

my

need

Be

false to

me,

^{and let} thycity bleed?

TlRESIAS. X^^'^r*""

I will not

wound

_{myself nor}thee.

Why

^seek / j-

To

_trap^and _question

me

? I willnot speak.

Oedipus.

Thou

devilI

[Movement

^«/"

Leader

^to check

himX Nay

^{; the} wrath of any ^stone

Would

riseat him. Itlies with thee to have done

And

_speak. Isthere

no

_melting in thine eyes^I 19

SOPHOCLES

TT.337-351

TiRESIAS.

Naught

^{lies with}

me

!

With

_thee, with thee there

h'es,

I warrant,

what

thoune'er hast seen nor _guessed.

Oedipus

_{to

Leader, who

tries to cairn htm).

How

can I hear such talk?

—

he

maketh

_jest ^'

Of

the land's

woe — _and

_keep

_mine

anger

dumb

?

TiRESIAS.

Howe'er

I hold it back,^'twill come, ^'twill come.

Oedipus.

The more

shouldst thou declare it to thy King.

TiRESIAS.

I speak

no

more.

For

_thee, ^if_passioning

Doth

comfort _{thee, on, passion to} thy^{fill I}

[He

^{moves to}go.

Oedipus.

'Fore

God,

^I

am

ⁱⁿ

wrath

_; and _speak I will.

Nor

stint

what

I see clear.

'Twas

thou, 'twas thou.

Didst _plan this

murder

; aye,and, save the blow,

Wrought

^it.

—

I

know

thou art blind_; else I could swear

Thou,

^{and thou} only, ^art themurderer.

TiRESIAS {returning).

So?

—

I

command

thee by^thine

own

word's power.

To

stand _accurst,and never from thishour

20