---
title: "Oedipus the King · Οἰδίπους Τύραννος"
author: "Sophocles"
translator: "Richard Jebb"
title_ru: "Царь Эдип"
author_ru: "Софокл"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/
cite: "Sophocles, tr. Richard Jebb, Oedipus the King · Οἰδίπους Τύραννος. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/"
---

# Oedipus the King · Οἰδίπους Τύραννος

*Sophocles, tr. Richard Jebb*

Russian: Царь Эдип, Софокл

Thebes is dying of plague, and its king sets out to find the man who killed Laius.

> Greek: ed. Francis Storr, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0011.tlg004, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Richard Jebb, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0011.tlg004.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–524](https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/1.md)
2. [Lines 525–1019](https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/2.md)
3. [Lines 1020–1530](https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–524

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/1/#p-N

[¶0] Before the palace of Oedipus in Thebes. Suppliants of all ages are seated on the steps of the altars. Oedipus enters, in the robes of a king: for a moment he gazes silently on the groups at the altars, then speaks.
Oedipus:
My children, latest-born wards of old Cadmus, why do you sit before me like this with wreathed branches of suppliants, while the city reeks with incense,
rings with prayers for health and cries of woe? I thought it unbefitting, my children, to hear these things from the mouths of others, and have come here myself, I, Oedipus renowned by all. Tell me, then, venerable old man—since it is proper that you
speak for these—in what mood you sit here, one of fear or of desire? Be sure that I will gladly give you all my help. I would be hard-hearted indeed if I did not pity such suppliants as these.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ τέκνα, Κάδμου τοῦ πάλαι νέα τροφή,
τίνας ποθʼ ἕδρας τάσδε μοι θοάζετε
ἱκτηρίοις κλάδοισιν ἐξεστεμμένοι;
πόλις δʼ ὁμοῦ μὲν θυμιαμάτων γέμει,
ὁμοῦ δὲ παιάνων τε καὶ στεναγμάτων·
ἁγὼ δικαιῶν μὴ παρʼ ἀγγέλων, τέκνα,
ἄλλων ἀκούειν αὐτὸς ὧδʼ ἐλήλυθα,
ὁ πᾶσι κλεινὸς Οἰδίπους καλούμενος.
ἀλλʼ ὦ γεραιέ, φράζʼ, ἐπεὶ πρέπων ἔφυς
πρὸ τῶνδε φωνεῖν, τίνι τρόπῳ καθέστατε,
δείσαντες ἢ στέρξαντες; ὡς θέλοντος ἂν
ἐμοῦ προσαρκεῖν πᾶν· δυσάλγητος γὰρ ἂν
εἴην τοιάνδε μὴ οὐ κατοικτίρων ἕδραν.

[¶1] Priest of Zeus:
Oedipus, ruler of my land, you see the age of those who sit
on your altars—some, nestlings still too tender for flight, others, bowed with age, priests, like me of Zeus, and some, these here, the chosen youth. The rest of the folk sit
with wreathed branches in the market-place, and before the shrines of Pallas, and where Ismenus gives answer by fire. For the city, as you yourself see, is now sorely vexed, and can no longer lift her head from beneath the angry waves of death.
A blight has fallen on the fruitful blossoms of the land, the herds among the pastures, the barren pangs of women. And the flaming god, the malign plague, has swooped upon us, and ravages the town: he lays waste to the house of Cadmus, but enriches Hades with
groans and tears. It is not because we rank you with the gods that I and these children are suppliants at your hearth, but because we deem you the first among men in life’s common fortunes and in dealings with the divinities:

> Greek: Ἱερεύς:
ἀλλʼ ὦ κρατύνων Οἰδίπους χώρας ἐμῆς,
ὁρᾷς μὲν ἡμᾶς ἡλίκοι προσήμεθα
βωμοῖσι τοῖς σοῖς· οἱ μὲν οὐδέπω μακρὰν
πτέσθαι σθένοντες, οἱ δὲ σὺν γήρᾳ βαρεῖς,
ἱερῆς, ἐγὼ μὲν Ζηνός, οἵδε τʼ ᾐθέων
λεκτοί· τὸ δʼ ἄλλο φῦλον ἐξεστεμμένον
ἀγοραῖσι θακεῖ πρός τε Παλλάδος διπλοῖς
ναοῖς, ἐπʼ Ἰσμηνοῦ τε μαντείᾳ σποδῷ.
πόλις γάρ, ὥσπερ καὐτὸς εἰσορᾷς, ἄγαν
ἤδη σαλεύει κἀνακουφίσαι κάρα
βυθῶν ἔτʼ οὐχ οἵα τε φοινίου σάλου,
φθίνουσα μὲν κάλυξιν ἐγκάρποις χθονός,
φθίνουσα δʼ ἀγέλαις βουνόμοις τόκοισί τε
ἀγόνοις γυναικῶν· ἐν δʼ ὁ πυρφόρος θεὸς
σκήψας ἐλαύνει, λοιμὸς ἔχθιστος, πόλιν,
ὑφʼ οὗ κενοῦται δῶμα Καδμεῖον, μέλας δʼ
Ἅιδης στεναγμοῖς καὶ γόοις πλουτίζεται.
θεοῖσι μέν νυν οὐκ ἰσούμενόν σʼ ἐγὼ
οὐδʼ οἵδε παῖδες ἑζόμεσθʼ ἐφέστιοι,
ἀνδρῶν δὲ πρῶτον ἔν τε συμφοραῖς βίου
κρίνοντες ἔν τε δαιμόνων συναλλαγαῖς·

[¶2] when you came to the city of the Cadmeans, you freed us from the tax that we rendered to the hard songstress, and that when you knew no more than anyone else, nor had you been taught, but rather by the assistance of a god, as the story goes, you uplifted our life.

> Greek: ὅς γʼ ἐξέλυσας ἄστυ Καδμεῖον μολὼν
σκληρᾶς ἀοιδοῦ δασμὸν ὃν παρείχομεν,
καὶ ταῦθʼ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν οὐδὲν ἐξειδὼς πλέον
οὐδʼ ἐκδιδαχθείς, ἀλλὰ προσθήκῃ θεοῦ
λέγει νομίζει θʼ ἡμὶν ὀρθῶσαι βίον·

[¶3] Now, Oedipus, king glorious in our eyes, we, your suppliants, beseech you to find some defence for us, whether you hear it from some divine omen, or learn of it from some mortal. For I see that the outcome of the councils of experienced men
most often have effect. On, best of mortals, uplift our state! On, guard your fame, since now this land calls you savior on account of your former zeal. Let us not remember of your reign that
we were first restored and then cast down: lift this state so that it falls no more! With good omen you provided us that past happiness: show yourself the same now too, since if you are to rule this land just as you do now, it is better to be lord of men than of a wasteland.
Neither walled town nor ship is anything, if it is empty and no men dwell within.

> Greek: νῦν τʼ, ὦ κράτιστον πᾶσιν Οἰδίπου κάρα,
ἱκετεύομέν σε πάντες οἵδε πρόστροποι
ἀλκήν τινʼ εὑρεῖν ἡμίν, εἴτε του θεῶν
φήμην ἀκούσας εἴτʼ ἀπʼ ἀνδρὸς οἶσθά του·
ὡς τοῖσιν ἐμπείροισι καὶ τὰς ξυμφορὰς
ζώσας ὁρῶ μάλιστα τῶν βουλευμάτων.
ἴθʼ, ὦ βροτῶν ἄριστʼ, ἀνόρθωσον πόλιν,
ἴθʼ, εὐλαβήθηθʼ· ὡς σὲ νῦν μὲν ἥδε γῆ
σωτῆρα κλῄζει τῆς πάρος προθυμίας·
ἀρχῆς δὲ τῆς σῆς μηδαμῶς μεμνώμεθα
στάντες τʼ ἐς ὀρθὸν καὶ πεσόντες ὕστερον.
ἀλλʼ ἀσφαλείᾳ τήνδʼ ἀνόρθωσον πόλιν·
ὄρνιθι γὰρ καὶ τὴν τότʼ αἰσίῳ τύχην
παρέσχες ἡμῖν, καὶ τανῦν ἴσος γενοῦ.
ὡς εἴπερ ἄρξεις τῆσδε γῆς, ὥσπερ κρατεῖς,
ξὺν ἀνδράσιν κάλλιον ἢ κενῆς κρατεῖν·
ὡς οὐδέν ἐστιν οὔτε πύργος οὔτε ναῦς
ἔρημος ἀνδρῶν μὴ ξυνοικούντων ἔσω.

[¶4] Oedipus:
My piteous children, I know quite well the desires with which you have come: I know well that
you all are sick, and though you are sick I know well that there is not one of you who is as sick as I. Your pain comes on each of you for himself alone, and for no other, but my soul is in pain at once for the city, for myself, and for you.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ παῖδες οἰκτροί, γνωτὰ κοὐκ ἄγνωτά μοι
προσήλθεθʼ ἱμείροντες· εὖ γὰρ οἶδʼ ὅτι
νοσεῖτε πάντες, καὶ νοσοῦντες, ὡς ἐγὼ
οὐκ ἔστιν ὑμῶν ὅστις ἐξ ἴσου νοσεῖ.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὑμῶν ἄλγος εἰς ἕνʼ ἔρχεται
μόνον καθʼ αὑτὸν κοὐδένʼ ἄλλον, ἡ δʼ ἐμὴ
ψυχὴ πόλιν τε κἀμὲ καὶ σʼ ὁμοῦ στένει.

[¶5] Thus you are not awakening me from sleep: no, be sure that I have wept many tears, wandered far and wide in my thought. I have made use of the only remedy which I could find after close consideration: I sent my relative
Creon, Menoeceus’ son, to Apollo’s Pythian residence to learn what we might do or say to protect this city. And now, when the lapse of days is reckoned, I am troubled about what he is doing, for he has been away an unreasonably long time
beyond what is fitting. But when he arrives, I would be no true man if did not perform all that the god reveals.

> Greek: ὥστʼ οὐχ ὕπνῳ γʼ εὕδοντά μʼ ἐξεγείρετε,
ἀλλʼ ἴστε πολλὰ μέν με δακρύσαντα δή,
πολλὰς δʼ ὁδοὺς ἐλθόντα φροντίδος πλάνοις·
ἣν δʼ εὖ σκοπῶν ηὕρισκον ἴασιν μόνην,
ταύτην ἔπραξα· παῖδα γὰρ Μενοικέως
Κρέοντʼ, ἐμαυτοῦ γαμβρόν, ἐς τὰ Πυθικὰ
ἔπεμψα Φοίβου δώμαθʼ, ὡς πύθοιθʼ ὅ τι
δρῶν ἢ τί φωνῶν τήνδε ῥυσαίμην πόλιν.
καί μʼ ἦμαρ ἤδη ξυμμετρούμενον χρόνῳ
λυπεῖ τί πράσσει· τοῦ γὰρ εἰκότος πέρα
ἄπεστι πλείω τοῦ καθήκοντος χρόνου.
ὅταν δʼ ἵκηται, τηνικαῦτʼ ἐγὼ κακὸς
μὴ δρῶν ἂν εἴην πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἂν δηλοῖ θεός.

[¶6] Priest:
You have spoken opportunely, since at this time these people here indicate that Creon is drawing near.

> Greek: Ἱερεύς:
ἀλλʼ εἰς καλὸν σύ τʼ εἶπας οἵδε τʼ ἀρτίως
Κρέοντα προσστείχοντα σημαίνουσί μοι.

[¶7] Oedipus:
Lord Apollo, may he come to us in the brightness of saving fortune, even as his face is bright!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦναξ Ἄπολλον, εἰ γὰρ ἐν τύχῃ γέ τῳ
σωτῆρι βαίη λαμπρὸς ὥσπερ ὄμματι

[¶8] Priest:
He seems to bring comfort, since otherwise he would not be coming crowned so thickly with berry-laden bay.

> Greek: Ἱερεύς:
ἀλλʼ εἰκάσαι μέν, ἡδύς· οὐ γὰρ ἂν κάρα
πολυστεφὴς ὧδʼ εἷρπε παγκάρπου δάφνης.

[¶9] Oedipus:
We will soon know: he is within hearing-range.
To Creon.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τάχʼ εἰσόμεσθα· ξύμμετρος γὰρ ὡς κλύειν.

[¶10] Prince, my kinsman, child of Menoeceus, what news have you brought us from the god?

> Greek: ἄναξ, ἐμὸν κήδευμα, παῖ Μενοικέως,
τίνʼ ἡμὶν ἥκεις τοῦ θεοῦ φήμην φέρων;

[¶11] Creon:
Good news. I tell you that even troubles hard to bear will end in perfect peace if they find the right issue.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐσθλήν· λέγω γὰρ καὶ τὰ δύσφορʼ, εἰ τύχοι
κατʼ ὀρθὸν ἐξελθόντα, πάντʼ ἂν εὐτυχεῖν.

[¶12] Oedipus:
But what is the oracle? So far, your words
neither encourage nor frighten me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἔστιν δὲ ποῖον τοὔπος; οὔτε γὰρ θρασὺς
οὔτʼ οὖν προδείσας εἰμὶ τῷ γε νῦν λόγῳ.

[¶13] Creon:
If you want to hear in the presence of these people, I am ready to speak: otherwise we can go inside.

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἰ τῶνδε χρῄζεις πλησιαζόντων κλύειν,
ἕτοιμος εἰπεῖν, εἴτε καὶ στείχειν ἔσω.

[¶14] Oedipus:
Speak to all. The sorrow that I bear for these is more than for my own life.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἐς πάντας αὔδα· τῶνδε γὰρ πλέον φέρω
τὸ πένθος ἢ καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς πέρι.

[¶15] Creon:
I will tell you what I heard from the god. Phoebus our lord clearly commands us to drive out the defilement which he said was harbored in this land, and not to nourish it so that it cannot be healed.

> Greek: Κρέων:
λέγοιμʼ ἂν οἷʼ ἤκουσα τοῦ θεοῦ πάρα.
ἄνωγεν ἡμᾶς Φοῖβος ἐμφανῶς ἄναξ
μίασμα χώρας, ὡς τεθραμμένον χθονὶ
ἐν τῇδʼ, ἐλαύνειν μηδʼ ἀνήκεστον τρέφειν.

[¶16] Oedipus:
With what sort of purification? What is the manner of the misfortune?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ποίῳ καθαρμῷ; τίς ὁ τρόπος τῆς ξυμφορᾶς;

[¶17] Creon:
By banishing the man, or by paying back bloodshed with bloodshed, since it is this blood which brings the tempest on our city.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀνδρηλατοῦντας ἢ φόνῳ φόνον πάλιν
λύοντας, ὡς τόδʼ αἷμα χειμάζον πόλιν.

[¶18] Oedipus:
And who is the man whose fate he thus reveals?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ποίου γὰρ ἀνδρὸς τήνδε μηνύει τύχην;

[¶19] Creon:
Laius, my lord, was the leader of our land before you assumed control of this state.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἦν ἡμίν, ὦναξ, Λάϊός ποθʼ ἡγεμὼν
γῆς τῆσδε, πρὶν σὲ τήνδʼ ἀπευθύνειν πόλιν.

[¶20] Oedipus:
I know it well—by hearsay, for I never saw him.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἔξοιδʼ ἀκούων· οὐ γὰρ εἰσεῖδόν γέ πω.

[¶21] Creon:
He was slain, and the god now bids us to take vengeance on his murderers, whoever they are.

> Greek: Κρέων:
τούτου θανόντος νῦν ἐπιστέλλει σαφῶς
τοὺς αὐτοέντας χειρὶ τιμωρεῖν τινας.

[¶22] Oedipus:
Where on earth are they? Where shall the dim track of this old crime be found?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οἳ δʼ εἰσὶ ποῦ γῆς; ποῦ τόδʼ εὑρεθήσεται
ἴχνος παλαιᾶς δυστέκμαρτον αἰτίας;

[¶23] Creon:
In this land, the god said. What is sought for can be caught; only that which is not watched escapes.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐν τῇδʼ ἔφασκε γῇ· τὸ δὲ ζητούμενον
ἁλωτόν, ἐκφεύγειν δὲ τἀμελούμενον.

[¶24] Oedipus:
Was it in the house, or in the field, or on foreign soil that Laius met his bloody end?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πότερα δʼ ἐν οἴκοις ἢ ʼν ἀγροῖς ὁ Λάϊος
ἢ γῆς ἐπʼ ἄλλης τῷδε συμπίπτει φόνῳ;

[¶25] Creon:
He left our land, as he said, on a mission to Delphi.
And once he had set forth, he never again returned.

> Greek: Κρέων:
θεωρός, ὡς ἔφασκεν, ἐκδημῶν, πάλιν
πρὸς οἶκον οὐκέθʼ ἵκεθʼ, ὡς ἀπεστάλη.

[¶26] Oedipus:
And was there none to tell? Was there no travelling companion who saw the deed, from whom tidings might have been gained, and used?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐδʼ ἄγγελός τις οὐδὲ συμπράκτωρ ὁδοῦ
κατεῖδʼ, ὅτου τις ἐκμαθὼν ἐχρήσατʼ ἄν;

[¶27] Creon:
All perished, save one who fled in fear, and he could tell with assurance only one thing of all that he saw.

> Greek: Κρέων:
θνῄσκουσι γάρ, πλὴν εἷς τις, ὃς φόβῳ, φυγὼν
ὧν εἶδε πλὴν ἓν οὐδὲν εἶχʼ εἰδὼς φράσαι.

[¶28] Oedipus:
And what was that? One thing might hold the clue to many, if we could only get a small beginning for hope.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τὸ ποῖον; ἓν γὰρ πόλλʼ ἂν ἐξεύροι μαθεῖν,
ἀρχὴν βραχεῖαν εἰ λάβοιμεν ἐλπίδος.

[¶29] Creon:
He said that robbers fell upon them, not one man alone, but with a great force.

> Greek: Κρέων:
λῃστὰς ἔφασκε συντυχόντας οὐ μιᾷ
ῥώμῃ κτανεῖν νιν, ἀλλὰ σὺν πλήθει χερῶν.

[¶30] Oedipus:
How then, unless some intrigue had been worked with bribes
from here in Thebes, would the robbers have been so bold?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πῶς οὖν ὁ λῃστής, εἴ τι μὴ ξὺν ἀργύρῳ
ἐπράσσετʼ ἐνθένδʼ, ἐς τόδʼ ἂν τόλμης ἔβη;

[¶31] Creon:
Such things were surmised. But once Laius was slain no avenger arose in the midst of our troubles.

> Greek: Κρέων:
δοκοῦντα ταῦτʼ ἦν· Λαΐου δʼ ὀλωλότος
οὐδεὶς ἀρωγὸς ἐν κακοῖς ἐγίγνετο.

[¶32] Oedipus:
But when royalty had fallen in this way, what trouble prevented a full search?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
κακὸν δὲ ποῖον ἐμποδών, τυραννίδος
οὕτω πεσούσης, εἶργε τοῦτʼ ἐξειδέναι;

[¶33] Creon:
The riddling Sphinx had forced us to let things that were obscure go, and to investigate the pressing trouble.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἡ ποικιλῳδὸς Σφὶγξ τὸ πρὸς ποσὶν σκοπεῖν
μεθέντας ἡμᾶς τἀφανῆ προσήγετο.

[¶34] Oedipus:
I will start afresh, and once more make dark things plain. Worthily has Phoebus Apollo—and worthily have you—bestowed this care on behalf of the dead. And so, as is fitting, you will find me allied with you
in seeking vengeance for this land, and for the god as well. I will dispel this taint not on behalf of far-off friends, but for my own benefit. For whoever killed Laius
might wish to take vengeance on me also with a hand as fierce. Avenging Laius, therefore, I serve myself. Come, my children, as quickly as possible rise from the altar-steps, and lift these suppliant boughs. Let someone summon here Cadmus’ people, warning them that I will leave nothing untried.
For with the god’s help our good fortune—or our ruin—will be made certain.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς αὖθις αὔτʼ ἐγὼ φανῶ·
ἐπαξίως γὰρ Φοῖβος, ἀξίως δὲ σὺ
πρὸ τοῦ θανόντος τήνδʼ ἔθεσθʼ ἐπιστροφήν·
ὥστʼ ἐνδίκως ὄψεσθε κἀμὲ σύμμαχον
γῇ τῇδε τιμωροῦντα τῷ θεῷ θʼ ἅμα.
ὑπὲρ γὰρ οὐχὶ τῶν ἀπωτέρω φίλων,
ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ τοῦτʼ ἀποσκεδῶ μύσος.
ὅστις γὰρ ἦν ἐκεῖνον ὁ κτανών, τάχʼ ἂν
κἄμʼ ἂν τοιαύτῃ χειρὶ τιμωροῦνθʼ ἕλοι.
κείνῳ προσαρκῶν οὖν ἐμαυτὸν ὠφελῶ.
ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστα, παῖδες, ὑμεῖς μὲν βάθρων
ἵστασθε, τούσδʼ ἄραντες ἱκτῆρας κλάδους,
ἄλλος δὲ Κάδμου λαὸν ὧδʼ ἀθροιζέτω,
ὡς πᾶν ἐμοῦ δράσοντος· ἢ γὰρ εὐτυχεῖς
σὺν τῷ θεῷ φανούμεθʼ ἢ πεπτωκότες.

[¶35] Priest:
My children, let us rise. What we came to seek, this man promises of his own accord. And may Phoebus, who sent these oracles,
come to us as savior and deliverer from the pestilence.
The chorus of Theban elders enters.

> Greek: Ἱερεύς:
ὦ παῖδες, ἱστώμεσθα· τῶνδε γὰρ χάριν
καὶ δεῦρʼ ἔβημεν ὧν ὅδʼ ἐξαγγέλλεται.
Φοῖβος δʼ ὁ πέμψας τάσδε μαντείας ἅμα
σωτήρ δʼ ἵκοιτο καὶ νόσου παυστήριος.

[¶36] Chorus:
O sweetly-speaking message of Zeus, in what spirit have you come to glorious Thebes from golden Pytho? I am on the rack, terror shakes my soul, O Delian healer to whom wild cries rise,
in holy fear of you, wondering what debt you will extract from me, perhaps unknown before, perhaps renewed with the revolving years. Tell me, immortal Voice, child of golden Hope.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ Διὸς ἁδυεπὲς φάτι, τίς ποτε τᾶς πολυχρύσου
Πυθῶνος ἀγλαὰς ἔβας
Θήβας; ἐκτέταμαι φοβερὰν φρένα, δείματι πάλλων,
ἰήιε Δάλιε Παιάν,
ἀμφὶ σοὶ ἁζόμενος τί μοι ἢ νέον
ἢ περιτελλομέναις ὥραις πάλιν ἐξανύσεις χρέος.
εἰπέ μοι, ὦ χρυσέας τέκνον Ἐλπίδος, ἄμβροτε Φάμα.

[¶37] Chorus:
First I call on you, daughter of Zeus, immortal Athena,
and on your sister, Artemis, guardian of our earth, who sits on her glorious throne above the circle of our market-place, and on far-shooting Apollo: oh shine forth for me, my three-fold help against death!
If ever before you drove a fiery pest from our borders to stop ruin rushing upon our city, come now also!

> Greek: Χορός:
πρῶτα σὲ κεκλόμενος, θύγατερ Διός, ἄμβροτʼ Ἀθάνα
γαιάοχόν τʼ ἀδελφεὰν
Ἄρτεμιν, ἃ κυκλόεντʼ ἀγορᾶς θρόνον εὐκλέα θάσσει,
καὶ Φοῖβον ἑκαβόλον, ἰὼ
τρισσοὶ ἀλεξίμοροι προφάνητέ μοι,
εἴ ποτε καὶ προτέρας ἄτας ὕπερ ὀρνυμένας πόλει
ἠνύσατʼ ἐκτοπίαν φλόγα πήματος, ἔλθετε καὶ νῦν.

[¶38] Chorus:
Alas, countless are the sorrows I bear.
A plague is on all our people, and thought can find no weapon for defense. The fruits of the glorious earth do not grow; by no birth of offspring do women surmount the pangs in which they shriek.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πόποι, ἀνάριθμα γὰρ φέρω
πήματα· νοσεῖ δέ μοι πρόπας στόλος, οὐδʼ ἔνι φροντίδος ἔγχος
ᾧ τις ἀλέξεται. οὔτε γὰρ ἔκγονα
κλυτᾶς χθονὸς αὔξεται οὔτε τόκοισιν
ἰηίων καμάτων ἀνέχουσι γυναῖκες·

[¶39] You can see life after life speed away, like a bird on the wing, swifter than irresistible fire, to the shore of the western god.

> Greek: ἄλλον δʼ ἂν ἄλλῳ προσίδοις ἅπερ εὔπτερον ὄρνιν
κρεῖσσον ἀμαιμακέτου πυρὸς ὄρμενον
ἀκτὰν πρὸς ἑσπέρου θεοῦ.

[¶40] Chorus:
With such deaths, past numbering, the city perishes.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὧν πόλις ἀνάριθμος ὄλλυται·

[¶41] Unpitied, her children lie on the ground, spreading pestilence, with no one to mourn them. Meanwhile young wives and grey-haired mothers raise a wail at the steps of the altars, some here, some there,
and groan in supplication for their terrible woes. The prayers to the Healer ring clear, and with them the voice of lamentation. For which things, golden daughter of Zeus, send us the bright face of comfort.

> Greek: νηλέα δὲ γένεθλα πρὸς πέδῳ θαναταφόρα κεῖται ἀνοίκτως·
ἐν δʼ ἄλοχοι πολιαί τʼ ἔπι ματέρες
ἀχὰν παραβώμιον ἄλλοθεν ἄλλαν
λυγρῶν πόνων ἱκετῆρες ἐπιστενάχουσιν.
παιὰν δὲ λάμπει στονόεσσά τε γῆρυς ὅμαυλος
ὧν ὕπερ, ὦ χρυσέα θύγατερ Διός,
εὐῶπα πέμψον ἀλκάν.

[¶42] Chorus:
Grant that the fierce god of death, who now without the bronze of shields, though among cries like those of battle, wraps me in the flames of his onset, may turn his back in speedy flight from our land, borne by a favorable wind to the great chamber of Amphitrite,
or to the Thracian waves, those waters where none find haven. For if night leaves anything undone in the working of destruction, day follows to accomplish it. You who wield the
powers of fiery lightning, Zeus our father, slay him beneath your thunder-bolt.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ἄρεά τε τὸν μαλερόν, ὃς νῦν ἄχαλκος ἀσπίδων
φλέγει με περιβόατον, ἀντιάζω
παλίσσυτον δράμημα νωτίσαι πάτρας
ἔπουρον, εἴτʼ ἐς μέγαν θάλαμον Ἀμφιτρίτας
εἴτʼ ἐς τὸν ἀπόξενον ὅρμων
Θρῄκιον κλύδωνα·
τελεῖν γὰρ εἴ τι νὺξ ἀφῇ,
τοῦτʼ ἐπʼ ἦμαρ ἔρχεται·
τόν, ὦ τᾶν πυρφόρων
ἀστραπᾶν κράτη νέμων,
ὦ Ζεῦ πάτερ, ὑπὸ σῷ φθίσον κεραυνῷ,

[¶43] Chorus:
Lycean Lord, would that the shafts from your bent bow’s string of woven gold might
go forth in their might, our champions in the face of the foe, and the flashing fires of Artemis too, with which she darts through the Lycian hills. I call him whose locks are bound with gold,
who is named with the name of this land, ruddy Bacchus to whom Bacchants cry, to draw near with the blaze of his shining torch,
our ally against the god unhonored among the gods.

> Greek: Χορός:
Λύκειʼ ἄναξ, τά τε σὰ χρυσοστρόφων ἀπʼ ἀγκυλᾶν
βέλεα θέλοιμʼ ἂν ἀδάματʼ ἐνδατεῖσθαι
ἀρωγὰ προσταχθέντα τάς τε πυρφόρους
Ἀρτέμιδος αἴγλας, ξὺν αἷς Λύκιʼ ὄρεα διᾴσσει·
τὸν χρυσομίτραν τε κικλήσκω,
τᾶσδʼ ἐπώνυμον γᾶς,
οἰνῶπα Βάκχον εὔιον,
Μαινάδων ὁμόστολον,
πελασθῆναι φλέγοντʼ
ἀγλαῶπι ¯ ˘ ¯
πεύκᾳ ʼπὶ τὸν ἀπότιμον ἐν θεοῖς θεόν.

[¶44] Oedipus:
You pray. And in answer to your prayer, if you will give a loyal reception to my words and minister to your own disease, you may hope to find help and relief from woes. These words I will speak publicly, as one who was a stranger to the report,
a stranger to the deed. I would not go far on the trail if I were tracing it alone, without a clue. But as it is—since it was only after the event that I was counted a Theban among Thebans—to you, Cadmeans all, I do thus proclaim: Whoever knows
by whom Laius son of Labdacus was slain, I order him to declare all to me. And if he is afraid, I order him to remove the danger of indictment from his path by denouncing himself: he will suffer no other punishment, but will only leave this land, unhurt.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
αἰτεῖς· ἃ δʼ αἰτεῖς, τἄμʼ ἐὰν θέλῃς ἔπη
κλύων δέχεσθαι τῇ νόσῳ θʼ ὑπηρετεῖν,
ἀλκὴν λάβοις ἂν κἀνακούφισιν κακῶν·
ἁγὼ ξένος μὲν τοῦ λόγου τοῦδʼ ἐξερῶ,
ξένος δὲ τοῦ πραχθέντος· οὐ γὰρ ἂν μακρὰν
ἴχνευον αὐτός, μὴ οὐκ ἔχων τι σύμβολον,
νῦν δʼ ὕστερος γὰρ ἀστὸς εἰς ἀστοὺς τελῶ,
ὑμῖν προφωνῶ πᾶσι Καδμείοις τάδε·
ὅστις ποθʼ ὑμῶν Λάϊον τὸν Λαβδάκου
κάτοιδεν ἀνδρὸς ἐκ τίνος διώλετο,
τοῦτον κελεύω πάντα σημαίνειν ἐμοί·
κεἰ μὲν φοβεῖται, τοὐπίκλημʼ ὑπεξελεῖν
αὐτὸν καθʼ αὑτοῦ· πείσεται γὰρ ἄλλο μὲν
ἀστεργὲς οὐδέν. γῆς δʼ ἄπεισιν ἀσφαλής.

[¶45] If anyone knows the assassin to be an alien, from another land, let him not keep silent. I will reward him, and my thanks shall rest with him besides. But if he keeps silent, if anyone, through fear, seeks to screen himself or a friend from my orders,
then hear what I shall do: I charge you that no resident of this land, which I rule, give shelter to or address that murderer, whoever he is, or make him a partner in prayer or sacrifice,
or give him a share of the lustral rite. Ban him from your houses, all of you, knowing that this is the defilement, as the oracle of the Pythian god has recently shown to me. In this way
I am an ally both to the god and to the dead man. And I pray solemnly that the slayer, whoever he is, whether he alone is guilty or he has partners, may, in the horrible way he deserves, wear out his unblest life. And for myself I pray that if he should,
with my knowledge, become a resident of my house, I may suffer the same things which I have just called down on others. And I order you to make all these words good, for my sake, for the sake of the god, and for the sake of our land, thus rendered unfruitful and ungodly.

> Greek: εἰ δʼ αὖ τις ἄλλον οἶδεν ἐξ ἄλλης χθονὸς
τὸν αὐτόχειρα, μὴ σιωπάτω· τὸ γὰρ
κέρδος τελῶ ʼγὼ χἠ χάρις προσκείσεται.
εἰ δʼ αὖ σιωπήσεσθε, καί τις ἢ φίλου
δείσας ἀπώσει τοὔπος ἢ χαὐτοῦ τόδε,
ἃκ τῶνδε δράσω, ταῦτα χρὴ κλύειν ἐμοῦ.
τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἀπαυδῶ τοῦτον, ὅστις ἐστί, γῆς
τῆσδʼ, ἧς ἐγὼ κράτη τε καὶ θρόνους νέμω,
μήτʼ εἰσδέχεσθαι μήτε προσφωνεῖν τινα,
μήτʼ ἐν θεῶν εὐχαῖσι μήτε θύμασιν
κοινὸν ποεῖσθαι, μήτε χέρνιβας νέμειν·
ὠθεῖν δʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων πάντας, ὡς μιάσματος
τοῦδʼ ἡμὶν ὄντος, ὡς τὸ Πυθικὸν θεοῦ
μαντεῖον ἐξέφηνεν ἀρτίως ἐμοί.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τοιόσδε τῷ τε δαίμονι
τῷ τʼ ἀνδρὶ τῷ θανόντι σύμμαχος πέλω·
κατεύχομαι δὲ τὸν δεδρακότʼ, εἴτε τις
εἷς ὢν λέληθεν εἴτε πλειόνων μέτα,
κακὸν κακῶς νιν ἄμορον ἐκτρῖψαι βίον·
ἐπεύχομαι δʼ, οἴκοισιν εἰ ξυνέστιος
ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς γένοιτʼ ἐμοῦ συνειδότος,
παθεῖν ἅπερ τοῖσδʼ ἀρτίως ἠρασάμην.
ὑμῖν δὲ ταῦτα πάντʼ ἐπισκήπτω τελεῖν,
ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμαυτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ τε τῆσδέ τε
γῆς ὧδʼ ἀκάρπως κἀθέως ἐφθαρμένης.

[¶46] For even if the matter had not been urged upon us by a god, it still would not have been fit that you should leave the guilt unpunished as it is, when one so noble—and he your king—had perished. You should have searched it out. But now, since I hold the powers which he once held,
possessing his bed and the wife who bore his children, and since, had his hope of offspring not been unsuccessful, children born of one mother would have tied us with a common bond—as it was, fate swooped upon his head—I will uphold this cause, as though it were that of my own father,
and will leave no stone unturned in my search for the one who shed the blood, for the honor of the son of Labdacus and of Polydorus and the elder Cadmus and Agenor of old. And for those who do not obey me, I pray that the gods
send them neither harvest of the earth nor fruit of the womb, but that they perish with the present fate, or one still worse. But to all you, the loyal Cadmeans who are satisfied by these things, may justice, our ally,
and all the gods be gracious always.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐδʼ εἰ γὰρ ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα μὴ θεήλατον,
ἀκάθαρτον ὑμᾶς εἰκὸς ἦν οὕτως ἐᾶν,
ἀνδρός γʼ ἀρίστου βασιλέως τʼ ὀλωλότος,
ἀλλʼ ἐξερευνᾶν· νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ κυρῶ γʼ ἐγὼ
ἔχων μὲν ἀρχὰς ἃς ἐκεῖνος εἶχε πρίν,
ἔχων δὲ λέκτρα καὶ γυναῖχʼ ὁμόσπορον,
κοινῶν τε παίδων κοίνʼ ἄν, εἰ κείνῳ γένος
μὴ ʼδυστύχησεν, ἦν ἂν ἐκπεφυκότα·
νῦν δʼ ἐς τὸ κείνου κρᾶτʼ ἐνήλαθʼ ἡ τύχη·
ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ τάδʼ, ὡσπερεὶ τοὐμοῦ πατρός,
ὑπερμαχοῦμαι κἀπὶ πᾶν ἀφίξομαι,
ζητῶν τὸν αὐτόχειρα τοῦ φόνου λαβεῖν,
τῷ Λαβδακείῳ παιδὶ Πολυδώρου τε καὶ
τοῦ πρόσθε Κάδμου τοῦ πάλαι τʼ Ἀγήνορος.
καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς μὴ δρῶσιν εὔχομαι θεοὺς
μήτʼ ἄροτον αὐτοῖς γῆς ἀνιέναι τινὰ
μήτʼ οὖν γυναικῶν παῖδας, ἀλλὰ τῷ πότμῳ
τῷ νῦν φθερεῖσθαι κἄτι τοῦδʼ ἐχθίονι·
ὑμῖν δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοισι Καδμείοις, ὅσοις
τάδʼ ἔστʼ ἀρέσκονθʼ, ἥ τε σύμμαχος Δίκη
χοἰ πάντες εὖ ξυνεῖεν εἰσαεὶ θεοί.

[¶47] Chorus:
As you have put me under oath, on my oath, my king, I will speak. I am not the slayer, nor can I reveal him. As for the investigation, it was for Phoebus, who enjoined it, to tell us who did the deed.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὥσπερ μʼ ἀραῖον ἔλαβες, ὧδʼ, ἄναξ, ἐρῶ.
οὔτʼ ἔκτανον γὰρ οὔτε τὸν κτανόντʼ ἔχω
δεῖξαι. τὸ δὲ ζήτημα τοῦ πέμψαντος ἦν
Φοίβου τόδʼ εἰπεῖν, ὅστις εἴργασταί ποτε.

[¶48] Oedipus:
Justly said. But no man on earth can force the gods to do what they do not want.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
δίκαιʼ ἔλεξας· ἀλλʼ ἀναγκάσαι θεοὺς
ἃν μὴ θέλωσιν οὐδʼ ἂν εἷς δύναιτʼ ἀνήρ.

[¶49] Chorus:
I would like to say what seems to me the next best course.

> Greek: Χορός:
τὰ δεύτερʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἂν λέγοιμʼ ἁμοὶ δοκεῖ.

[¶50] Oedipus:
And if there is a third course, do not hesitate to reveal it too.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
εἰ καὶ τρίτʼ ἐστί, μὴ παρῇς τὸ μὴ οὐ φράσαι.

[¶51] Chorus:
I know that our lord Teiresias is the seer most like our
lord Apollo: from him, my king, an investigator might learn most clearly about these affairs.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄνακτʼ ἄνακτι ταὔθʼ ὁρῶντʼ ἐπίσταμαι
μάλιστα Φοίβῳ Τειρεσίαν, παρʼ οὗ τις ἂν
σκοπῶν τάδʼ, ὦναξ, ἐκμάθοι σαφέστατα.

[¶52] Oedipus:
Not even this have I neglected. On Creon’s suggestion, I sent a man twice to bring him. And I have been wondering for some time why he is not here.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν ἀργοῖς οὐδὲ τοῦτʼ ἐπραξάμην.
ἔπεμψα γὰρ Κρέοντος εἰπόντος διπλοῦς
πομπούς· πάλαι δὲ μὴ παρῶν θαυμάζεται.

[¶53] Chorus:
Indeed—his skill apart—the rumors are but faint and old.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν τά γʼ ἄλλα κωφὰ καὶ παλαίʼ ἔπη.

[¶54] Oedipus:
What are the rumors? I am investigating every tale.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα; πάντα γὰρ σκοπῶ λόγον.

[¶55] Chorus:
He was said to have been killed by some wayfarers.

> Greek: Χορός:
θανεῖν ἐλέχθη πρός τινων ὁδοιπόρων.

[¶56] Oedipus:
I too have heard that. But no one sees the one who saw it.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἤκουσα κἀγώ. τὸν δʼ ἰδόντʼ οὐδεὶς ὁρᾷ.

[¶57] Chorus:
If he knows what fear is, he will not hesitate to come forward when he
hears your curses, so dire are they.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ εἴ τι μὲν δὴ δείματός γʼ ἔχει μέρος,
τὰς σὰς ἀκούων οὐ μενεῖ τοιάσδʼ ἀράς,

[¶58] Oedipus:
When a man does not shrink from a deed, he is not scared by a word.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ᾧ μή ʼστι δρῶντι τάρβος, οὐδʼ ἔπος φοβεῖ.

[¶59] Chorus:
But there is one to convict him. But here they bring at last the godlike prophet, the only man in whom truth lives.
Teiresias enters, led by a boy.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ οὑξελέγξων αὐτὸν ἔστιν· οἵδε γὰρ
τὸν θεῖον ἤδη μάντιν ὧδʼ ἄγουσιν, ᾧ
τἀληθὲς ἐμπέφυκεν ἀνθρώπων μόνῳ.

[¶60] Oedipus:
Teiresias, whose soul grasps all things, both that which may be told and that which is unspeakable, the Olympian secrets and the affairs of the earth, you feel, though you cannot see, what a huge plague haunts our state. From which, great prophet, we find you to be our protector and only savior.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ πάντα νωμῶν Τειρεσία, διδακτά τε
ἄρρητά τʼ, οὐράνιά τε καὶ χθονοστιβῆ,
πόλιν μέν, εἰ καὶ μὴ βλέπεις, φρονεῖς δʼ ὅμως
οἵᾳ νόσῳ σύνεστιν· ἧς σὲ προστάτην
σωτῆρά τʼ, ὦναξ, μοῦνον ἐξευρίσκομεν.

[¶61] Now, Phoebus—if indeed you have not already heard the news—sent answer to our question that the only way to rid ourselves of this pest that afflicts us is to discover the slayers of Laius, and then to slay them or banish them from our land.

> Greek: Φοῖβος γάρ, εἴ τι μὴ κλύεις τῶν ἀγγέλων,
πέμψασιν ἡμῖν ἀντέπεμψεν, ἔκλυσιν
μόνην ἂν ἐλθεῖν τοῦδε τοῦ νοσήματος,
εἰ τοὺς κτανόντας Λάϊον μαθόντες εὖ
κτείναιμεν ἢ γῆς φυγάδας ἐκπεμψαίμεθα.

[¶62] So do not begrudge us the voice of the birds or any other path of prophecy, but save yourself and your state, save me, save all that is defiled by the dead. We are in your hands, and man’s noblest task is to help others
to the best of his means and powers.

> Greek: σύ νυν φθονήσας μήτʼ ἀπʼ οἰωνῶν φάτιν
μήτʼ εἴ τινʼ ἄλλην μαντικῆς ἔχεις ὁδόν,
ῥῦσαι σεαυτὸν καὶ πόλιν, ῥῦσαι δʼ ἐμέ,
ῥῦσαι δὲ πᾶν μίασμα τοῦ τεθνηκότος.
ἐν σοὶ γὰρ ἐσμέν· ἄνδρα δʼ ὠφελεῖν ἀφʼ ὧν
ἔχοι τε καὶ δύναιτο, κάλλιστος πόνων.

[¶63] Teiresias:
Alas, how terrible it is to have wisdom when it does not benefit those who have it. I knew this well, but let it slip from my mind: otherwise I would not have come here.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
φεῦ φεῦ, φρονεῖν ὡς δεινὸν ἔνθα μὴ τέλη
λύῃ φρονοῦντι· ταῦτα γὰρ καλῶς ἐγὼ
εἰδὼς διώλεσʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην.

[¶64] Oedipus:
What now? How disheartened you have come!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τί δʼ ἔστιν; ὡς ἄθυμος εἰσελήλυθας.

[¶65] Teiresias:
Let me go home. For you will bear your own burden to the end, and I will bear mine, if you consent.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἄφες μʼ ἐς οἴκους· ῥᾷστα γὰρ τὸ σόν τε σὺ
κἀγὼ διοίσω τοὐμόν, ἢν ἐμοὶ πίθῃ.

[¶66] Oedipus:
Your words are strange and unkind to the state which nurtured you, since you withhold this response.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὔτʼ ἔννομʼ εἶπας οὔτε προσφιλῆ πόλει
τῇδʼ, ἥ σʼ ἔθρεψε, τήνδʼ ἀποστερῶν φάτιν.

[¶67] Teiresias:
I see that you, for your part, speak inappropriately.
Therefore do not speak, so I will not suffer the same.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ὁρῶ γὰρ οὐδὲ σοὶ τὸ σὸν φώνημʼ ἰὸν
πρὸς καιρόν· ὡς οὖν μηδʼ ἐγὼ ταὐτὸν πάθω—

[¶68] Oedipus:
For the love of the gods, do not turn away, if you have knowledge: all we suppliants implore you on our knees.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μὴ πρὸς θεῶν φρονῶν γʼ ἀποστραφῇς, ἐπεὶ
πάντες σε προσκυνοῦμεν οἵδʼ ἱκτήριοι.

[¶69] Teiresias:
For all of you are without knowledge. But never will I reveal my troubles—not to call them yours.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
πάντες γὰρ οὐ φρονεῖτʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ μή ποτε
τἄμʼ, ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σʼ, ἐκφήνω κακά.

[¶70] Oedipus:
What are you saying? Do you know the secret and refuse to tell it? Will you betray and destroy the state?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τί φής; ξυνειδὼς οὐ φράσεις, ἀλλʼ ἐννοεῖς
ἡμᾶς προδοῦναι καὶ καταφθεῖραι πόλιν;

[¶71] Teiresias:
I will grieve neither myself nor you. Why do you ask these things in vain? You will not learn the answers from me.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἐγὼ οὔτʼ ἐμαυτὸν οὔτε σʼ ἀλγυνῶ. τί ταῦτʼ
ἄλλως ἐλέγχεις; οὐ γὰρ ἂν πύθοιό μου.

[¶72] Oedipus:
Will you not, basest of the base—
you would anger a stone—speak out? can nothing touch you? Will you never make an end?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐκ, ὦ κακῶν κάκιστε, καὶ γὰρ ἂν πέτρου
φύσιν σύ γʼ ὀργάνειας, ἐξερεῖς ποτε,
ἀλλʼ ὧδʼ ἄτεγκτος κἀτελεύτητος φανεῖ;

[¶73] Teiresias:
You blame my anger, but do not perceive your own: no, you blame me.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ὀργὴν ἐμέμψω τὴν ἐμήν, τὴν σὴν δʼ ὁμοῦ
ναίουσαν οὐ κατεῖδες, ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ ψέγεις.

[¶74] Oedipus:
Who would not be angry hearing such words,
with which you now are slighting the city?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τίς γὰρ τοιαῦτʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ὀργίζοιτʼ ἔπη
κλύων, ἃ νῦν σὺ τήνδʼ ἀτιμάζεις πόλιν;

[¶75] Teiresias:
The future will come of itself, though I shroud it in silence.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἥξει γὰρ αὐτά, κἂν ἐγὼ σιγῇ στέγω.

[¶76] Oedipus:
Since it must come anyway, it is right that you tell it to me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐκοῦν ἅ γʼ ἥξει καὶ σὲ χρὴ λέγειν ἐμοί.

[¶77] Teiresias:
I will speak no further: rage, if you wish, with the fiercest wrath your heart knows.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
οὐκ ἂν πέρα φράσαιμι. πρὸς τάδʼ, εἰ θέλεις,
θυμοῦ διʼ ὀργῆς ἥτις ἀγριωτάτη.

[¶78] Oedipus:
In my anger I will not spare to speak all my thoughts. Know that you seem to me to have helped in plotting the deed, and to have done it, short of performing the actual murder with your own hands: if you had eyesight, I would have said that you had done even this by yourself.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ μὴν παρήσω γʼ οὐδέν, ὡς ὀργῆς ἔχω,
ἅπερ ξυνίημʼ· ἴσθι γὰρ δοκῶν ἐμοὶ
καὶ ξυμφυτεῦσαι τοὔργον εἰργάσθαι θʼ, ὅσον
μὴ χερσὶ καίνων· εἰ δʼ ἐτύγχανες βλέπων,
καὶ τοὔργον ἂν σοῦ τοῦτʼ, ἔφην εἶναι μόνου.

[¶79] Teiresias:
In truth? I order you to abide by you own decree, and from this day forth not to speak to these men or to me: you are the accursed defiler of this land.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἄληθες; ἐννέπω σὲ τῷ κηρύγματι
ᾧπερ προεῖπας ἐμμένειν, κἀφʼ ἡμέρας
τῆς νῦν προσαυδᾶν μήτε τούσδε μήτʼ ἐμέ,
ὡς ὄντι γῆς τῆσδʼ ἀνοσίῳ μιάστορι.

[¶80] Oedipus:
So brazen with your blustering taunt?
Where do you think to escape to?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὕτως ἀναιδῶς ἐξεκίνησας τόδε
τὸ ῥῆμα; καὶ ποῦ τοῦτο φεύξεσθαι δοκεῖς;

[¶81] Teiresias:
I have escaped. There is strength in my truth.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
πέφευγα· τἀληθὲς γὰρ ἰσχῦον τρέφω.

[¶82] Oedipus:
Who taught you this? Not your skill, at any rate.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πρὸς τοῦ διδαχθείς; οὐ γὰρ ἔκ γε τῆς τέχνης.

[¶83] Teiresias:
You yourself. For you spurred me on to speak against my will.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
πρὸς σοῦ· σὺ γάρ μʼ ἄκοντα προυτρέψω λέγειν.

[¶84] Oedipus:
What did you say? Speak again, so I may learn it better.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ποῖον λόγον; λέγʼ αὖθις, ὡς μᾶλλον μάθω.

[¶85] Teiresias:
Did you not understand before, or are you talking to test me?

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
οὐχὶ ξυνῆκας πρόσθεν; ἢ ʼκπειρᾷ λέγων;

[¶86] Oedipus:
I cannot say I understood fully. Tell me again.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐχ ὥστε γʼ εἰπεῖν γνωστόν· ἀλλʼ αὖθις φράσον.

[¶87] Teiresias:
I say that you are the killer of the man whose slayer you seek.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
φονέα σε φημὶ τἀνδρὸς οὗ ζητεῖς κυρεῖν.

[¶88] Oedipus:
Now you will regret that you have said such dire words twice.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ οὔ τι χαίρων δίς γε πημονὰς ἐρεῖς.

[¶89] Teiresias:
Should I tell you more, that you might get more angry?

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
εἴπω τι δῆτα κἄλλʼ, ἵνʼ ὀργίζῃ πλέον;

[¶90] Oedipus:
Say as much as you want: it will be said in vain.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὅσον γε χρῄζεις· ὡς μάτην εἰρήσεται.

[¶91] Teiresias:
I say that you have been living in unguessed shame with your closest kin, and do not see into what woe you have fallen.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
λεληθέναι σε φημὶ σὺν τοῖς φιλτάτοις
αἴσχισθʼ ὁμιλοῦντʼ, οὐδʼ ὁρᾶν ἵνʼ εἶ κακοῦ.

[¶92] Oedipus:
Do you think that you will always be able to speak like this without smarting for it?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ καὶ γεγηθὼς ταῦτʼ ἀεὶ λέξειν δοκεῖς;

[¶93] Teiresias:
Yes, if indeed there is any strength in truth.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
εἴπερ τί γʼ ἐστὶ τῆς ἀληθείας σθένος.

[¶94] Oedipus:
But there is, except not for you. You do not have that strength, since you are maimed in your ears, in your wit, and in your eyes.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ ἔστι, πλὴν σοί· σοὶ δὲ τοῦτʼ οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐπεὶ
τυφλὸς τά τʼ ὦτα τόν τε νοῦν τά τʼ ὄμματʼ εἶ.

[¶95] Teiresias:
And you are a poor wretch to utter taunts that every man here will soon hurl at you.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
σὺ δʼ ἄθλιός γε ταῦτʼ ὀνειδίζων, ἃ σοὶ
οὐδεὶς ὃς οὐχὶ τῶνδʼ ὀνειδιεῖ τάχα.

[¶96] Oedipus:
Night, endless night has you in her keeping, so that you can never hurt me,
or any man that sees the light of the sun.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μιᾶς τρέφει πρὸς νυκτός, ὥστε μήτʼ ἐμὲ
μήτʼ ἄλλον, ὅστις φῶς ὁρᾷ, βλάψαι ποτʼ ἄν.

[¶97] Teiresias:
No, it is not your fate to fall at my hands, since Apollo, to whom this matter is a concern, is sufficient.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
οὐ γάρ σε μοῖρα πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ πεσεῖν, ἐπεὶ
ἱκανὸς Ἀπόλλων, ᾧ τάδʼ ἐκπρᾶξαι μέλει.

[¶98] Oedipus:
Are these Creon’s devices, or your own?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
Κρέοντος ἢ σοῦ ταῦτα τἀξευρήματα;

[¶99] Teiresias:
Creon is no trouble for you: you are your own.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
Κρέων δέ σοι πῆμʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς σὺ σοί.

[¶100] Oedipus:
O wealth, and empire, and skill surpassing skill in life’s keen rivalries, how great is the envy in your keeping, if for the sake of this office which the city has entrusted to me, a gift unsought,
Creon the trustworthy, Creon, my old friend, has crept upon me by stealth, yearning to overthrow me, and has suborned such a scheming juggler as this, a tricky quack, who has eyes only for profit, but is blind in his art!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ πλοῦτε καὶ τυραννὶ καὶ τέχνη τέχνης
ὑπερφέρουσα τῷ πολυζήλῳ βίῳ,
ὅσος παρʼ ὑμῖν ὁ φθόνος φυλάσσεται,
εἰ τῆσδέ γʼ ἀρχῆς οὕνεχʼ, ἣν ἐμοὶ πόλις
δωρητόν, οὐκ αἰτητόν, εἰσεχείρισεν,
ταύτης Κρέων ὁ πιστός, οὑξ ἀρχῆς φίλος,
λάθρᾳ μʼ ὑπελθὼν ἐκβαλεῖν ἱμείρεται,
ὑφεὶς μάγον τοιόνδε μηχανορράφον,
δόλιον ἀγύρτην, ὅστις ἐν τοῖς κέρδεσιν
μόνον δέδορκε, τὴν τέχνην δʼ ἔφυ τυφλός.

[¶101] Come, tell me, where have you proved yourself a seer? Why, when the watchful dog who wove dark song was here, did you say nothing to free the people? Yet the riddle, at least, was not for the first comer to read: there was need of a seer’s help,
and you were discovered not to have this art, either from birds, or known from some god. But rather I, Oedipus the ignorant, stopped her, having attained the answer through my wit alone, untaught by birds. It is I whom you are trying to oust, assuming that
you will have great influence in Creon’s court. But I think that you and the one who plotted these things will rue your zeal to purge the land: if you did not seem to be an old man, you would have learned to your cost how haughty you are.

> Greek: ἐπεί, φέρʼ εἰπέ, ποῦ σὺ μάντις εἶ σαφής;
πῶς οὐκ, ὅθʼ ἡ ῥαψῳδὸς ἐνθάδʼ ἦν κύων,
ηὔδας τι τοῖσδʼ ἀστοῖσιν ἐκλυτήριον;
καίτοι τό γʼ αἴνιγμʼ οὐχὶ τοὐπιόντος ἦν
ἀνδρὸς διειπεῖν, ἀλλὰ μαντείας ἔδει·
ἣν οὔτʼ ἀπʼ οἰωνῶν σὺ προυφάνης ἔχων
οὔτʼ ἐκ θεῶν του γνωτόν· ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μολών,
ὁ μηδὲν εἰδὼς Οἰδίπους, ἔπαυσά νιν,
γνώμῃ κυρήσας οὐδʼ ἀπʼ, οἰωνῶν μαθών·
ὃν δὴ σὺ πειρᾷς ἐκβαλεῖν, δοκῶν θρόνοις
παραστατήσειν τοῖς Κρεοντείοις πέλας.
κλαίων δοκεῖς μοι καὶ σὺ χὠ συνθεὶς τάδε
ἀγηλατήσειν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ʼδόκεις γέρων
εἶναι, παθὼν ἔγνως ἂν οἷά περ φρονεῖς.

[¶102] Chorus:
To our way of thinking, these words, both his and yours, Oedipus,
have been said in anger. We have no need of this, but rather we must seek how we shall best discharge the mandates of the god.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡμῖν μὲν εἰκάζουσι καὶ τὰ τοῦδʼ ἔπη
ὀργῇ λελέχθαι καὶ τά σʼ, Οἰδίπους, δοκεῖ,
δεῖ δʼ οὐ τοιούτων, ἀλλʼ ὅπως τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ
μαντεῖʼ ἄριστα λύσομεν, τόδε σκοπεῖν.

[¶103] Teiresias:
Though you are king, the right of reply must be considered the same for both: over that I have control.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
εἰ καὶ τυραννεῖς, ἐξισωτέον τὸ γοῦν
ἴσʼ ἀντιλέξαι· τοῦδε γὰρ κἀγὼ κρατῶ.

[¶104] For I do not live as your slave, but as Loxias’. I will not stand enrolled as Creon’s client. And I tell you, since you have taunted my blindness, that though you have sight, you do not see what a state of misery you are in, or where you dwell, or with whom.

> Greek: οὐ γάρ τι σοὶ ζῶ δοῦλος, ἀλλὰ Λοξίᾳ·
ὥστʼ οὐ Κρέοντος προστάτου γεγράψομαι.
λέγω δʼ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τυφλόν μʼ ὠνείδισας·
σὺ καὶ δέδορκας κοὐ βλέπεις ἵνʼ εἶ κακοῦ,
οὐδʼ ἔνθα ναίεις, οὐδʼ ὅτων οἰκεῖς μέτα.

[¶105] Do you know who your parents are? You have been an unwitting enemy to your own kin, both in the Underworld and on the earth above, and the double lash of your mother’s and your father’s curse will one day drive you from this land in dreadful haste, with darkness upon those eyes of yours which now can see.

> Greek: ἆρʼ οἶσθʼ ἀφʼ ὧν εἶ; καὶ λέληθας ἐχθρὸς ὢν
τοῖς σοῖσιν αὐτοῦ νέρθε κἀπὶ γῆς ἄνω,
καί σʼ ἀμφιπλὴξ μητρός τε καὶ τοῦ σοῦ πατρὸς
ἐλᾷ ποτʼ ἐκ γῆς τῆσδε δεινόπους ἀρά,
βλέποντα νῦν μὲν ὄρθʼ, ἔπειτα δὲ σκότον.

[¶106] What place will be harbor to your cries, what part of all Cithaeron will not ring with them soon, when you have learned the meaning of the nuptials in which, within that house, you found a fatal haven, after a voyage so fair? And you have not guessed at a throng of other ills
which will bring you level with your true self and with your own children. Therefore heap your scorn upon Creon and upon my message: for no man will ever be crushed more miserably than you.

> Greek: βοῆς δὲ τῆς σῆς ποῖος οὐκ ἔσται λιμήν,
ποῖος Κιθαιρὼν οὐχὶ σύμφωνος τάχα,
ὅταν καταίσθῃ τὸν ὑμέναιον, ὃν δόμοις
ἄνορμον εἰσέπλευσας, εὐπλοίας τυχών;
ἄλλων δὲ πλῆθος οὐκ ἐπαισθάνει κακῶν,
ἅ σʼ ἐξισώσει σοί τε καὶ τοῖς σοῖς τέκνοις.
πρὸς ταῦτα καὶ Κρέοντα καὶ τοὐμὸν στόμα
προπηλάκιζε· σοῦ γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν βροτῶν
κάκιον ὅστις ἐκτριβήσεταί ποτε.

[¶107] Oedipus:
Are these taunts to be endured from him?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ ταῦτα δῆτʼ ἀνεκτὰ πρὸς τούτου κλύειν;

[¶108] Be gone, to your ruin; be gone this instant! Will you not turn your back and leave this house?

> Greek: οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρον; οὐχὶ θᾶσσον; οὐ πάλιν
ἄψορρος οἴκων τῶνδʼ ἀποστραφεὶς ἄπει;

[¶109] Teiresias:
I would not have come if you had not called me.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
οὐδʼ ἱκόμην ἔγωγʼ ἄν, εἰ σὺ μὴ ʼκάλεις.

[¶110] Oedipus:
I did not know you would speak foolishly, for otherwise it would have been a long time before I summoned you to my home.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐ γάρ τί σʼ ᾔδη μῶρα φωνήσοντʼ, ἐπεὶ
σχολῇ σʼ ἂν οἴκους τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐστειλάμην.

[¶111] Teiresias:
I was born like this—as you think, a fool, but in the opinion of the parents who bore you, quite sane.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἡμεῖς τοιοίδʼ ἔφυμεν, ὡς μὲν σοὶ δοκεῖ,
μῶροι, γονεῦσι δʼ, οἵ σʼ ἔφυσαν, ἔμφρονες.

[¶112] Oedipus:
What parents? Wait. What man is my father?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ποίοισι; μεῖνον, τίς δέ μʼ ἐκφύει βροτῶν;

[¶113] Teiresias:
This day will reveal your birth and bring your ruin.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἥδʼ ἡμέρα φύσει σε καὶ διαφθερεῖ.

[¶114] Oedipus:
What riddles, what dark words you always say.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὡς πάντʼ ἄγαν αἰνικτὰ κἀσαφῆ λέγεις.

[¶115] Teiresias:
Are you not the best at unravelling mysteries?

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
οὔκουν σὺ ταῦτʼ ἄριστος εὑρίσκειν ἔφυς;

[¶116] Oedipus:
Reproach me in what you will find me to be great.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τοιαῦτʼ ὀνείδιζʼ, οἷς ἔμʼ εὑρήσεις μέγαν.

[¶117] Teiresias:
Yet it was just that fortune that undid you.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
αὕτη γε μέντοι σʼ ἡ τύχη διώλεσεν.

[¶118] Oedipus:
But if it saved this city I care not.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ εἰ πόλιν τήνδʼ ἐξέσωσʼ, οὔ μοι μέλει.

[¶119] Teiresias:
I will take my leave. You, boy, lead me.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
ἄπειμι τοίνυν· καὶ σύ, παῖ, κόμιζέ με.

[¶120] Oedipus:
Yes, let him take you: while here, you are a hindrance, a source of trouble. When you have gone, you will vex me no more.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
κομιζέτω δῆθʼ· ὡς παρὼν σύ γʼ ἐμποδὼν
ὀχλεῖς, συθείς τʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν ἀλγύνοις πλέον.

[¶121] Teiresias:
I will go when I have performed the errand for which I came, fearless of your frown: you can never destroy me. I tell you: the man whom you have been seeking this long while,
uttering threats and proclaiming a search into the murder of Laius, is here, ostensibly an alien sojourner, but soon to be found a native of Thebes; nor will he enjoy his fortune. A blind man, though now he sees,
a beggar, though now rich, he will make his way to a foreign land, feeling the ground before him with his staff. And he will be discovered to be at once brother and father of the children with whom he consorts; son and husband of the woman who bore him;
heir to his father’s bed, shedder of his father’s blood. So go in and evaluate this, and if you find that I am wrong, say then that I have no wit in prophecy.

> Greek: Τειρεσίας:
εἰπὼν ἄπειμʼ ὧν οὕνεκʼ, ἦλθον, οὐ τὸ σὸν
δείσας πρόσωπον· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπου μʼ ὀλεῖς.
λέγω δέ σοι· τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον, ὃν πάλαι
ζητεῖς ἀπειλῶν κἀνακηρύσσων φόνον
τὸν Λαΐειον, οὗτός ἐστιν ἐνθάδε,
ξένος λόγῳ μέτοικος, εἶτα δʼ ἐγγενὴς
φανήσεται Θηβαῖος, οὐδʼ ἡσθήσεται
τῇ ξυμφορᾷ· τυφλὸς γὰρ ἐκ δεδορκότος
καὶ πτωχὸς ἀντὶ πλουσίου ξένην ἔπι
σκήπτρῳ προδεικνὺς γαῖαν ἐμπορεύσεται.
φανήσεται δὲ παισὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ ξυνὼν
ἀδελφὸς αὑτὸς καὶ πατήρ, κἀξ ἧς ἔφυ
γυναικὸς υἱὸς καὶ πόσις, καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς
ὁμόσπορός τε καὶ φονεύς. καὶ ταῦτʼ ἰὼν
εἴσω λογίζου· κἂν λάβῃς ἐψευσμένον,
φάσκειν ἔμʼ ἤδη μαντικῇ μηδὲν φρονεῖν.

[¶122] Chorus:
Who is he of whom the divine voice from the Delphian rock has said
to have wrought with blood-red hands horrors that no tongue can tell? It is time that he ply in flight a foot stronger than the feet of storm-swift steeds.
The son of Zeus is springing upon him with fiery lightning, and with him come the dread unerring Fates.

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς ὅντινʼ ἁ θεσπιέπεια Δελφὶς εἶπε πέτρα
ἄρρητʼ ἀρρήτων τελέσαντα φοινίαισι χερσίν;
ὥρα νιν ἀελλάδων
ἵππων σθεναρώτερον
φυγᾷ πόδα νωμᾶν.
ἔνοπλος γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἐπενθρῴσκει
πυρὶ καὶ στεροπαῖς ὁ Διὸς γενέτας,
δειναὶ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕπονται
κῆρες ἀναπλάκητοι

[¶123] Chorus:
Recently the message has flashed forth from snowy Parnassus
ordering all to search for the unknown man. He wanders under cover of the wild wood, among caves and rocks, fierce as a bull, wretched and forlorn on his joyless path, still seeking to separate himself from the doom revealed at the central shrine of the earth.
But that doom lives forever, forever flits around him.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔλαμψε γὰρ τοῦ νιφόεντος ἀρτίως φανεῖσα
φάμα Παρνασοῦ τὸν ἄδηλον ἄνδρα πάντʼ ἰχνεύειν.
φοιτᾷ γὰρ ὑπʼ ἀγρίαν
ὕλαν ἀνά τʼ ἄντρα καὶ
πέτρας ἰσόταυρος
μέλεος μελέῳ ποδὶ χηρεύων,
τὰ μεσόμφαλα γᾶς ἀπονοσφίζων
μαντεῖα· τὰ δʼ ἀεὶ
ζῶντα περιποτᾶται.

[¶124] Chorus:
The wise augur moves me, neither approving nor denying, with dread, with dread indeed.
I am at a loss what to say. I am flustered in my expectations, seeing neither the present nor the future clearly. Never in past days or in these have I heard how the house of Labdacus or the son of Polybus had any quarrel with one another that
I could bring as proof in assailing the public reputation of Oedipus, seeking to avenge the line of Labdacus
for the undiscovered murder.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεινὰ μὲν οὖν, δεινὰ ταράσσει σοφὸς οἰωνοθέτας
οὔτε δοκοῦντʼ οὔτʼ ἀποφάσκονθʼ· ὅ τι λέξω δʼ ἀπορῶ.
πέτομαι δʼ ἐλπίσιν οὔτʼ, ἐνθάδʼ ὁρῶν οὔτʼ ὀπίσω.
τί γὰρ ἢ Λαβδακίδαις
ἢ τῷ Πολύβου νεῖκος ἔκειτʼ, οὔτε πάροιθέν ποτʼ ἔγωγʼ
ἔμαθον, πρὸς ὅτου δὴ βασανίζων βασάνῳ
ἐπὶ τὰν ἐπίδαμον φάτιν εἶμʼ Οἰδιπόδα Λαβδακίδαις
ἐπίκουρος ἀδήλων θανάτων.

[¶125] Chorus:
Zeus and Apollo indeed are keen of thought and know the affairs of the earth.
But there is no sure test of whether a mortal seer attains more knowledge than I do, though man may surpass man in wisdom. But until I see the word made good, I will never assent when men blame Oedipus. Before all eyes the winged maiden came against him once upon a time, and he was seen to be wise,
and bore the test in welcome service to the state. Never, therefore, will he be adjudged guilty of evil.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν οὖν Ζεὺς ὅ τʼ Ἀπόλλων ξυνετοὶ καὶ τὰ βροτῶν
εἰδότες· ἀνδρῶν δʼ ὅτι μάντις πλέον ἢ ʼγὼ φέρεται,
κρίσις οὔκ ἔστιν ἀλαθής· σοφίᾳ δʼ ἂν σοφίαν
παραμείψειεν ἀνήρ.
ἀλλʼ οὔποτʼ ἔγωγʼ ἄν, πρὶν ἴδοιμʼ ὀρθὸν ἔπος, μεμφομένων ἂν καταφαίην.
φανερὰ γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ, πτερόεσσʼ ἦλθε κόρα
ποτέ, καὶ σοφὸς ὤφθη βασάνῳ θʼ ἁδύπολις τῷ ἀπʼ ἐμᾶς
φρενὸς οὔποτʼ ὀφλήσει κακίαν.

[¶126] Creon:
Fellow citizens, having learned that Oedipus the king lays dire charges against me, I have come in indignation.
If he thinks that in the present troubles he has suffered from me, by word or by deed, anything harmful, truly I do not desire my full term of years, when I must bear such blame as this. The wrong of this rumor
touches me not in one point alone, but has the largest scope, if I am to be called a traitor in the city, a traitor by you and by my friends.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἄνδρες πολῖται, δείνʼ ἔπη πεπυσμένος
κατηγορεῖν μου τὸν τύραννον Οἰδίπουν,
πάρειμʼ ἀτλητῶν. εἰ γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς
ταῖς νῦν νομίζει πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ πεπονθέναι
λόγοισιν εἴτʼ ἔργοισιν εἰς βλάβην φέρον,
οὔτοι βίου μοι τοῦ μακραίωνος πόθος,
φέροντι τήνδε βάξιν. οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἁπλοῦν
ἡ ζημία μοι τοῦ λόγου τούτου φέρει,
ἀλλʼ ἐς μέγιστον, εἰ κακὸς μὲν ἐν πόλει,
κακὸς δὲ πρὸς σοῦ καὶ φίλων κεκλήσομαι.

[¶127] Chorus:
But perhaps this taunt came under the stress of anger, rather than from the purpose of his heart.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχʼ ἂν
ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν.

## 2. Lines 525–1019

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/2/#p-N

[¶0] Creon:
Was the opinion given that my counsels had brought the seer to utter his falsehoods?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τοὔπος δʼ ἐφάνθη, ταῖς ἐμαῖς γνώμαις ὅτι
πεισθεὶς ὁ μάντις τοὺς λόγους ψευδεῖς λέγοι;

[¶1] Chorus:
Such things were said—I do not know with what meaning.

> Greek: Χορός:
ηὐδᾶτο μὲν τάδʼ, οἶδα δʼ οὐ γνώμῃ τίνι.

[¶2] Creon:
And was this charge laid against me with steady eyes and steady mind?

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐξ ὀμμάτων δʼ ὀρθῶν τε κἀξ ὀρθῆς φρενὸς
κατηγορεῖτο τοὐπίκλημα τοῦτό μου;

[¶3] Chorus:
I do not know. I see not what my masters do. But here comes our lord from the house.
Oedipus enters.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἃ γὰρ δρῶσʼ, οἱ κρατοῦντες οὐχ ὁρῶ.
αὐτὸς δʼ ὅδʼ ἤδη δωμάτων ἔξω περᾷ.

[¶4] Oedipus:
You, how did you get here? Are you so boldfaced that you have come to my house, you who are manifestly the murderer of its master,
the palpable thief of its crown? Come, tell me, in the name of the gods, was it cowardice or folly which you saw in me and which led you to plot this thing? Did you think that I would not notice this deed of yours creeping upon me by stealth, or that if I became aware of it I would not ward it off?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὗτος σύ, πῶς δεῦρʼ ἦλθες; ἦ τοσόνδʼ ἔχεις
τόλμης πρόσωπον ὥστε τὰς ἐμὰς στέγας
ἵκου, φονεὺς ὢν τοῦδε τἀνδρὸς ἐμφανῶς
λῃστής τʼ ἐναργὴς τῆς ἐμῆς τυραννίδος;
φέρʼ εἰπὲ πρὸς θεῶν, δειλίαν ἢ μωρίαν
ἰδών τινʼ ἔν μοι ταῦτʼ ἐβουλεύσω ποεῖν;
ἢ τοὔργον ὡς οὐ γνωριοῖμί σου τόδε
δόλῳ προσέρπον ἢ οὐκ ἀλεξοίμην μαθών;

[¶5] Is your attempt not foolish, to seek the throne without followers or friends—a prize which followers and wealth must win?

> Greek: ἆρʼ οὐχὶ μῶρόν ἐστι τοὐγχείρημά σου,
ἄνευ τε πλήθους καὶ φίλων τυραννίδα
θηρᾶν, ὃ πλήθει χρήμασίν θʼ ἁλίσκεται;

[¶6] Creon:
Mark me now: hear a fair reply in answer to your words, and then judge for yourself on the basis of knowledge.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἶσθʼ ὡς πόησον; ἀντὶ τῶν εἰρημένων
ἴσʼ ἀντάκουσον, κᾆτα κρῖνʼ αὐτὸς μαθών.

[¶7] Oedipus:
You are apt in speech, but I have a poor wit for lessons, since I have found you a malignant foe.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
λέγειν σὺ δεινός, μανθάνειν δʼ ἐγὼ κακὸς
σοῦ· δυσμενῆ γὰρ καὶ βαρύν σʼ ηὕρηκʼ ἐμοί.

[¶8] Creon:
Now hear first how I will explain this very thing.

> Greek: Κρέων:
τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ νῦν μου πρῶτʼ ἄκουσον ὡς ἐρῶ.

[¶9] Oedipus:
One thing—that you are not false—do not bother to explain to me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τοῦτʼ αὐτὸ μή μοι φράζʼ, ὅπως οὐκ εἶ κακός.

[¶10] Creon:
If you think that stubbornness
without sense is a virtue, you are not wise.

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἴ τοι νομίζεις κτῆμα τὴν αὐθαδίαν
εἶναί τι τοῦ νοῦ χωρίς, οὐκ ὀρθῶς φρονεῖς.

[¶11] Oedipus:
If you think you can wrong a kinsman and escape the penalty, you are not sane.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
εἴ τοι νομίζεις ἄνδρα συγγενῆ κακῶς
δρῶν οὐχ ὑφέξειν τὴν δίκην, οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖς.

[¶12] Creon:
Justly said, I grant you: but tell me what the wrong is that you say you are suffering at my hands.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ξύμφημί σοι ταῦτʼ ἔνδικʼ εἰρῆσθαι· τὸ δὲ
πάθημʼ ὁποῖον φὴς παθεῖν, δίδασκέ με.

[¶13] Oedipus:
Did you, or did you not, advise me to send for that reverend seer?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἔπειθες ἢ οὐκ ἔπειθες, ὡς χρείη μʼ ἐπὶ
τὸν σεμνόμαντιν ἄνδρα πέμψασθαί τινα;

[¶14] Creon:
Even now I am of the same mind.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ νῦν ἔθʼ αὑτός εἰμι τῷ βουλεύματι.

[¶15] Oedipus:
How long is it, then, since Laius...

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πόσον τινʼ ἤδη δῆθʼ ὁ Λάϊος χρόνον

[¶16] Creon:
Did what? I do not understand.

> Greek: Κρέων:
δέδρακε ποῖον ἔργον; οὐ γὰρ ἐννοῶ.

[¶17] Oedipus:
was swept out of sight by deadly violence?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἄφαντος ἔρρει θανασίμῳ χειρώματι;

[¶18] Creon:
The count of years would run far into the past.

> Greek: Κρέων:
μακροὶ παλαιοί τʼ ἂν μετρηθεῖεν χρόνοι.

[¶19] Oedipus:
Did this seer possess this skill in those days?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τότʼ οὖν ὁ μάντις οὗτος ἦν ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ;

[¶20] Creon:
He was wise as now, and held in equal honor.

> Greek: Κρέων:
σοφός γʼ ὁμοίως κἀξ ἴσου τιμώμενος.

[¶21] Oedipus:
Did he make mention of me at that time?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἐμνήσατʼ οὖν ἐμοῦ τι τῷ τότʼ ἐν χρόνῳ;

[¶22] Creon:
Never, certainly, when I was within hearing.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔκουν ἐμοῦ γʼ ἑστῶτος οὐδαμοῦ πέλας.

[¶23] Oedipus:
Did you never investigate the murder?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔρευναν τοῦ κτανόντος ἔσχετε;

[¶24] Creon:
Due search we made, of course, though we learned nothing.

> Greek: Κρέων:
παρέσχομεν, πῶς δʼ οὐχί; κοὐκ ἠκούσαμεν.

[¶25] Oedipus:
And how was it that this sage did not tell this story then.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πῶς οὖν τόθʼ οὗτος ὁ σοφὸς οὐκ ηὔδα τάδε;

[¶26] Creon:
I do not know: where I lack insight it is my custom to be silent.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἐφʼ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ.

[¶27] Oedipus:
This much, at least, you know, and could declare with insight enough.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τοσόνδε γʼ οἶσθα καὶ λέγοις ἂν εὖ φρονῶν.

[¶28] Creon:
What is that? If I know it, I will not deny it.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ποῖον τόδʼ; εἰ γὰρ οἶδά γʼ, οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι.

[¶29] Oedipus:
That, if he had not conferred with you, he would not have named me as Laius’ slayer.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὁθούνεκʼ, εἰ μὴ σοὶ ξυνῆλθε, τάσδʼ ἐμὰς
οὐκ ἄν ποτʼ εἶπε Λαΐου διαφθοράς.

[¶30] Creon:
If he says this, you know best: but I deem it just
to learn from you as much as you have from me now.

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἰ μὲν λέγει τάδʼ, αὐτὸς οἶσθʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ σοῦ
μαθεῖν δικαιῶ ταὔθʼ ἅπερ κἀμοῦ σὺ νῦν.

[¶31] Oedipus:
Learn your fill. I will never be found guilty of the bloodshed.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἐκμάνθανʼ· οὐ γὰρ δὴ φονεὺς ἁλώσομαι.

[¶32] Creon:
Say, then—have you married my sister?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δῆτʼ; ἀδελφὴν τὴν ἐμὴν γήμας ἔχεις;

[¶33] Oedipus:
The question allows no denial.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἄρνησις οὐκ ἔνεστιν ὧν ἀνιστορεῖς.

[¶34] Creon:
And you rule the land as she does, with equal sway.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἄρχεις δʼ ἐκείνῃ ταὐτὰ γῆς ἴσον νέμων;

[¶35] Oedipus:
She obtains from me all that she wishes.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἃν ᾖ θέλουσα πάντʼ ἐμοῦ κομίζεται.

[¶36] Creon:
And do I not rank as a third peer of you two?

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔκουν ἰσοῦμαι σφῷν ἐγὼ δυοῖν τρίτος;

[¶37] Oedipus:
It is just in this that you are seen to be a false friend.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἐνταῦθα γὰρ δὴ καὶ κακὸς φαίνει φίλος.

[¶38] Creon:
Not so, if you would reason with your heart as I do with mine. Weigh this first—whether you think that anyone would
choose to rule amid terrors rather than in unruffled peace, granted that he is to have the same powers. Now I, for one, have by nature no yearning to rule as a king rather than to do kingly deeds, and neither does any man I know who has a sound mind.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔκ, εἰ διδοίης γʼ ὡς ἐγὼ σαυτῷ λόγον.
σκέψαι δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον, εἴ τινʼ ἂν δοκεῖς
ἄρχειν ἑλέσθαι ξὺν φόβοισι μᾶλλον ἢ
ἄτρεστον εὕδοντʼ, εἰ τά γʼ αὔθʼ ἕξει κράτη.
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν οὔτʼ αὐτὸς ἱμείρων ἔφυν
τύραννος εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ τύραννα δρᾶν,
οὔτʼ ἄλλος ὅστις σωφρονεῖν ἐπίσταται.

[¶39] For now I attain all everything from you without fear, but, if I were ruler myself, I would have to do much that went against my own pleasure. How, then, could royalty be sweeter to me to have than painless rule and influence? I am not yet so misguided
that I desire other honors than those which bring profit. Now, every man has a greeting for me; now, all that have a request of you crave to speak with me, since in me lies all their hope of success. Why then should I give up these things and take those others?

> Greek: νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἐκ σοῦ πάντʼ ἄνευ φόβου φέρω,
εἰ δʼ αὐτὸς ἦρχον, πολλὰ κἂν ἄκων ἔδρων.
πῶς δῆτʼ ἐμοὶ τυραννὶς ἡδίων ἔχειν
ἀρχῆς ἀλύπου καὶ δυναστείας ἔφυ;
οὔπω τοσοῦτον ἠπατημένος κυρῶ
ὥστʼ ἄλλα χρῄζειν ἢ τὰ σὺν κέρδει καλά.
νῦν πᾶσι χαίρω, νῦν με πᾶς ἀσπάζεται,
νῦν οἱ σέθεν χρῄζοντες ἐκκαλοῦσί με·
τὸ γὰρ τυχεῖν αὐτοῖσι πᾶν ἐνταῦθʼ ἔνι.
πῶς δῆτʼ ἐγὼ κεῖνʼ ἂν λάβοιμʼ ἀφεὶς τάδε;

[¶40] No mind will become false while it is wise. No, I am no lover of such a policy, and if another put it into action, I could never bear to go along with him. And, in proof of this, first go to Pytho, and ask whether I brought a true report of the oracle.

> Greek: οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο νοῦς κακὸς καλῶς φρονῶν.
ἀλλʼ οὔτʼ ἐραστὴς τῆσδε τῆς γνώμης ἔφυν
οὔτʼ ἂν μετʼ ἄλλου δρῶντος ἂν τλαίην ποτέ.
καὶ τῶνδʼ ἔλεγχον τοῦτο μὲν Πυθώδʼ ἰὼν
πεύθου τὰ χρησθέντʼ εἰ σαφῶς ἤγγειλά σοι·

[¶41] Then next, if you have found that I have planned anything in concert with the soothsayer, take and slay me, by the sentence not of one mouth, but of two—by my own no less than yours. But do not assume my guilt on unproven inference. It is not just to judge bad men good at random,
or good men bad. I think that casting off a true friend is for a man like casting away the life in his own bosom, which he most loves. You will surely learn about these affairs in time, since time alone reveals a just man.

> Greek: τοῦτʼ ἄλλʼ, ἐάν με τῷ τερασκόπῳ λάβῃς
κοινῇ τι βουλεύσαντα, μή μʼ ἁπλῇ κτάνῃς
ψήφῳ, διπλῇ δέ, τῇ τʼ ἐμῇ καὶ σῇ, λαβών·
γνώμῃ δʼ ἀδήλῳ μή με χωρὶς αἰτιῶ.
οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον οὔτε τοὺς κακοὺς μάτην
χρηστοὺς νομίζειν οὔτε τοὺς χρηστοὺς κακούς.
φίλον γὰρ ἐσθλὸν ἐκβαλεῖν ἴσον λέγω
καὶ τὸν παρʼ αὑτῷ βίοτον, ὃν πλεῖστον, φιλεῖ.
ἀλλʼ ἐν χρόνῳ γνώσει τάδʼ ἀσφαλῶς, ἐπεὶ
χρόνος δίκαιον ἄνδρα δείκνυσιν μόνος·

[¶42] But you can discern a bad man even in one day alone.

> Greek: κακὸν δὲ κἂν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ γνοίης μιᾷ.

[¶43] Chorus:
He has spoken well, my king, for one who is taking care not to fall: those who are quick in counsel are not sure.

> Greek: Χορός:
καλῶς ἔλεξεν εὐλαβουμένῳ πεσεῖν,
ἄναξ· φρονεῖν γὰρ οἱ ταχεῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς.

[¶44] Oedipus:
When the stealthy plotter is moving on me quickly, I, too, must be quick in my counterplot.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὅταν ταχύς τις οὑπιβουλεύων λάθρᾳ
χωρῇ, ταχὺν δεῖ κἀμὲ βουλεύειν πάλιν·

[¶45] If I await him in repose, his ends will have been gained, and mine lost.

> Greek: εἰ δʼ ἡσυχάζων προσμενῶ, τὰ τοῦδε μὲν
πεπραγμένʼ ἔσται, τἀμὰ δʼ ἡμαρτημένα.

[¶46] Creon:
What do you want then? To banish me from the land?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δῆτα χρῄζεις; ἦ με γῆς ἔξω βαλεῖν;

[¶47] Oedipus:
Hardly. I desire your death, not your exile, so that I might show what a thing envy is.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἥκιστα· θνῄσκειν, οὐ φυγεῖν σε βούλομαι.
ὡς ἂν προδείξῃς οἷόν ἐστι τὸ φθονεῖν.

[¶48] Creon:
Are you resolved not to yield or believe?

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὡς οὐχ ὑπείξων οὐδὲ πιστεύσων λέγεις;

[¶49] Oedipus:
[No, for you persuade me that you are unworthy of trust.]

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
…

[¶50] Creon:
No, for I see you are not sane.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὐ γὰρ φρονοῦντά σʼ εὖ βλέπω.

[¶51] Oedipus:
Sane, at least, in my own interest.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τὸ γοῦν ἐμόν.

[¶52] Creon:
But you should be so in mine also.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἴσου δεῖ κἀμόν.

[¶53] Oedipus:
You are false.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ ἔφυς κακός.

[¶54] Creon:
But if you understand nothing?

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἰ δὲ ξυνίης μηδέν;

[¶55] Oedipus:
Still I must rule.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀρκτέον γʼ ὅμως.

[¶56] Creon:
Not if you rule badly.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔτοι κακῶς γʼ ἄρχοντος.

[¶57] Oedipus:
Hear him, city of Thebes!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ πόλις πόλις.

[¶58] Creon:
The city is mine too, not yours alone.

> Greek: Κρέων:
κἀμοὶ πόλεως μέτεστιν, οὐχί σοι μόνῳ.

[¶59] Chorus:
Cease, lords. In good time I see Iocasta coming from the house, with whose help you should resolve your present feud.
Iocasta enters.

> Greek: Χορός:
παύσασθʼ, ἄνακτες· καιρίαν δʼ ὑμῖν ὁρῶ
τήνδʼ ἐκ δόμων στείχουσαν Ἰοκάστην, μεθʼ ἧς
τὸ νῦν παρεστὸς νεῖκος εὖ θέσθαι χρεών.

[¶60] Iocasta:
Misguided men, why have you raised
such a foolish argument? Are you not ashamed, while the land is so sick, to stir up troubles of your own? Come, go into the house—and you, Creon, go to yours—and stop making so much of a petty grief.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί τὴν ἄβουλον, ὦ ταλαίπωροι, στάσιν
γλώσσης ἐπήρασθʼ οὐδʼ ἐπαισχύνεσθε γῆς
οὕτω νοσούσης ἴδια κινοῦντες κακά;
οὐκ εἶ σύ τʼ οἴκους σύ τε, Κρέων, κατὰ στέγας,
καὶ μὴ τὸ μηδὲν ἄλγος εἰς μέγʼ οἴσετε;

[¶61] Creon:
Kinswoman, Oedipus, your husband,
wants to do one of two terrible things to me, either to thrust me from the land of my fathers or to arrest and slay me.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὅμαιμε, δεινά μʼ Οἰδίπους ὁ σὸς πόσις
δρᾶσαι δικαιοῖ δυοῖν ἀποκρίνας κακοῖν
ἢ γῆς ἀπῶσαι πατρίδος ἢ κτεῖναι λαβών.

[¶62] Oedipus:
Yes indeed, for I have caught him, lady, working evil against my person with his wicked craft.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ξύμφημι· δρῶντα γάρ νιν, ὦ γύναι, κακῶς
εἴληφα τοὐμὸν σῶμα σὺν τέχνῃ κακῇ.

[¶63] Creon:
May I derive no benefit,
but perish accursed, if I have done any of the things of which you charge me.

> Greek: Κρέων:
μή νυν ὀναίμην, ἀλλʼ ἀραῖος, εἴ σέ τι
δέδρακʼ, ὀλοίμην, ὧν ἐπαιτιᾷ με δρᾶν.

[¶64] Iocasta:
In the name of the gods, believe it, Oedipus, first for the sake of this awful oath to the gods, then for my sake and for the sake of those who stand before you.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ πρὸς θεῶν πίστευσον, Οἰδίπους, τάδε,
μάλιστα μὲν τόνδʼ ὅρκον αἰδεσθεὶς θεῶν,
ἔπειτα κἀμὲ τούσδε θʼ οἳ πάρεισί σοι.

[¶65] Chorus:
Consent, reflect, listen, my king, I beg you.

> Greek: Χορός:
πιθοῦ θελήσας φρονήσας τʼ, ἄναξ, λίσσομαι.

[¶66] Oedipus:
What would you have me grant you?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τί σοι θέλεις δῆτʼ εἰκάθω;

[¶67] Chorus:
Respect him who was in the past not foolish, and who now is strong in his oath.

> Greek: Χορός:
τὸν οὔτε πρὶν νήπιον νῦν τʼ ἐν ὅρκῳ μέγαν καταίδεσαι.
Οἰδίπους:
οἶσθʼ οὖν ἃ χρῄζεις;

[¶68] Oedipus:
Do you understand what you crave?
Chorus:
I do.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶδα.
Οἰδίπους:
φράζε δὴ τί φής.

[¶69] Oedipus:
Tell me, then, what you mean.
Chorus:
That you should never use an unproved rumor to cast a dishonoring charge on the friend who has bound himself with a curse.

> Greek: Χορός:
τὸν ἐναγῆ φίλον μήποτʼ ἐν αἰτίᾳ
σὺν ἀφανεῖ λόγῳ σʼ ἄτιμον βαλεῖν.

[¶70] Oedipus:
Then be quite aware that when you seek this you are seeking death or exile from this land for me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
εὖ νυν ἐπίστω, ταῦθʼ ὅταν ζητῇς, ἐμοὶ
ζητῶν ὄλεθρον ἢ φυγὴν ἐκ τῆσδε γῆς.

[¶71] Chorus:
No, by the god that stands at the head of all the host of the gods, no, by the sun. Unblest, unbefriended, may I die the worst possible death, if I have this thought!

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐ τὸν πάντων θεῶν θεὸν πρόμον
Ἅλιον· ἐπεὶ ἄθεος ἄφιλος ὅ τι πύματον
ὀλοίμαν, φρόνησιν εἰ τάνδʼ ἔχω.

[¶72] But my unhappy soul is worn by the withering of the land, as well as by the thought that our old sorrows should be crowned by new ones arising from the two of you.
Oedipus:
Then let him go, though I am surely doomed to be killed
or thrust dishonored from the land. Your words, not his, move me to compassion; but he, wherever he be, shall be hated.

> Greek: ἀλλά μοι δυσμόρῳ γᾶ φθινὰς
τρύχει ψυχάν, τάδʼ εἰ κακοῖς κακὰ
προσάψει τοῖς πάλαι τὰ πρὸς σφῷν.
Οἰδίπους:
ὁ δʼ οὖν ἴτω, κεἰ χρή με παντελῶς θανεῖν
ἢ γῆς ἄτιμον τῆσδʼ ἀπωσθῆναι βίᾳ.
τὸ γὰρ σόν, οὐ τὸ τοῦδʼ, ἐποικτίρω στόμα
ἐλεινόν· οὗτος δʼ ἔνθʼ ἂν ᾖ στυγήσεται.

[¶73] Creon:
You are truly sullen in yielding, as you are vehement in the excesses of your wrath. But such natures are
justly most difficult for themselves to bear.

> Greek: Κρέων:
στυγνὸς μὲν εἴκων δῆλος εἶ, βαρὺς δʼ, ὅταν
θυμοῦ περάσῃς· αἱ δὲ τοιαῦται φύσεις
αὑταῖς δικαίως εἰσὶν ἄλγισται φέρειν.

[¶74] Oedipus:
Will you not be gone and leave me in peace?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὔκουν μʼ ἐάσεις κἀκτὸς εἶ;

[¶75] Creon:
I will go on my way. I have found you undiscerning, but in the view of these men I am just. He exits.

> Greek: Κρέων:
πορεύσομαι,
σοῦ μὲν τυχὼν ἀγνῶτος, ἐν δὲ τοῖσδʼ ἴσος.

[¶76] Chorus:
Lady, why do you hesitate to take this man into the house?

> Greek: Χορός:
γύναι, τί μέλλεις κομίζειν δόμων τόνδʼ ἔσω;

[¶77] Iocasta:
I will, when I have learned what has happened.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
μαθοῦσά γʼ ἥτις ἡ τύχη.

[¶78] Chorus:
Blind suspicion, bred of talk, arose, and injustice inflicts wounds.

> Greek: Χορός:
δόκησις ἀγνὼς λόγων ἦλθε, δάπτει δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ ʼνʼδικον.

[¶79] Iocasta:
On both sides?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἀμφοῖν ἀπʼ αὐτοῖν;

[¶80] Chorus:
Yes.

> Greek: Χορός:
ναίχι.

[¶81] Iocasta:
And what was the story?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ τίς ἦν λόγος;

[¶82] Chorus:
It is enough, I think, enough, when our land is already vexed, that the matter should rest where it stopped.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἅλις ἔμοιγʼ, ἅλις, γᾶς προπονουμένας,
φαίνεται ἔνθʼ ἔληξεν αὐτοῦ μένειν.

[¶83] Oedipus:
Do you see to what you have come, for all your noble intent, in seeking to slacken and blunt my zeal?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὁρᾷς ἵνʼ ἥκεις, ἀγαθὸς ὢν γνώμην ἀνήρ,
τοὐμὸν παριεὶς καὶ καταμβλύνων κέαρ;

[¶84] Chorus:
King, I have said it more than once—
be sure that I would have proved myself a madman, bankrupt in sane counsel, if I forsook you—you, who gave a true course to my beloved country when it was
distraught with troubles, and who now are likely to prove our prospering guide.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦναξ, εἶπον μὲν οὐχ ἅπαξ μόνον,
ἴσθι δὲ παραφρόνιμον, ἄπορον ἐπὶ φρόνιμα
πεφάνθαι μʼ ἄν, εἴ σʼ ἐνοσφιζόμαν,
ὅς τʼ ἐμὰν γᾶν φίλαν ἐν πόνοις
ἀλύουσαν κατʼ ὀρθὸν οὔρισας,
τανῦν τʼ εὔπομπος, ἂν γένοιο.

[¶85] Iocasta:
In the name of the gods, tell me, king, the reason that you have conceived this steadfast wrath.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πρὸς θεῶν δίδαξον κἄμʼ, ἄναξ, ὅτου ποτὲ
μῆνιν τοσήνδε πράγματος στήσας ἔχεις.

[¶86] Oedipus:
That I will do, for I honor you, lady, above these men. Creon is the cause, and the plots he has laid against me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἐρῶ· σὲ γὰρ τῶνδʼ ἐς πλέον, γύναι, σέβω·
Κρέοντος, οἷά μοι βεβουλευκὼς ἔχει.

[¶87] Iocasta:
Come, tell me how the argument began.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
λέγʼ, εἰ σαφῶς τὸ νεῖκος ἐγκαλῶν ἐρεῖς.

[¶88] Oedipus:
He says that I stand guilty of Laius’ blood.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
φονέα με φησὶ Λαΐου καθεστάναι.

[¶89] Iocasta:
On his own knowledge or on hearsay from another?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
αὐτὸς ξυνειδὼς ἢ μαθὼν ἄλλου πάρα;

[¶90] Oedipus:
He has made a rascal seer his mouth piece: as for himself, he keeps his lips wholly pure.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μάντιν μὲν οὖν κακοῦργον εἰσπέμψας, ἐπεὶ
τό γʼ εἰς ἑαυτὸν πᾶν ἐλευθεροῖ στόμα.

[¶91] Iocasta:
Then absolve yourself of the things about which you are speaking. Listen to me, and take comfort in learning that nothing of mortal birth shares in the science of the seer.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
σύ νυν ἀφεὶς σεαυτὸν ὧν λέγεις πέρι
ἐμοῦ ʼπάκουσον, καὶ μάθʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐστί σοι
βρότειον οὐδὲν μαντικῆς ἔχον τέχνης.

[¶92] I will give you a pithy proof of this. An oracle came to Laius once—I will not say from Phoebus himself, but from his ministers—saying that he would suffer his doom at the hands of the child to be born to him and me.

> Greek: φανῶ δέ σοι σημεῖα τῶνδε σύντομα.
χρησμὸς γὰρ ἦλθε Λαΐῳ ποτʼ, οὐκ ἐρῶ
Φοίβου γʼ ἄπʼ αὐτοῦ, τῶν δʼ ὑπηρετῶν ἄπο,
ὡς αὐτὸν ἕξοι μοῖρα πρὸς παιδὸς θανεῖν,
ὅστις γένοιτʼ ἐμοῦ τε κἀκείνου πάρα.

[¶93] And Laius—as, at least, the rumor goes—was murdered one day by foreign robbers at a place where the three highways meet. And the child’s birth was not yet three days past, when Laius pinned his ankles together and had him thrown, by others’ hands, on a remote mountain.

> Greek: καὶ τὸν μέν, ὥσπερ γʼ ἡ φάτις, ξένοι ποτὲ
λῃσταὶ φονεύουσʼ ἐν τριπλαῖς ἁμαξιτοῖς·
παιδὸς δὲ βλάστας οὐ διέσχον ἡμέραι
τρεῖς, καί νιν ἄρθρα κεῖνος ἐνζεύξας ποδοῖν
ἔρριψεν ἄλλων χερσὶν ἄβατον εἰς ὄρος.

[¶94] So, in that case, Apollo did not bring it to pass that the child should become the slayer of his father, or that Laius should suffer that which he feared, death at the hands of his child: thus the messages of the seer’s art had mapped out the future. Pay them no regard. Whatever necessary event
the god seeks, he himself will easily bring to light.

> Greek: κἀνταῦθʼ Ἀπόλλων οὔτʼ ἐκεῖνον ἤνυσεν
φονέα γενέσθαι πατρὸς οὔτε Λάϊον
τὸ δεινὸν οὑφοβεῖτο πρὸς παιδὸς θανεῖν.
τοιαῦτα φῆμαι μαντικαὶ διώρισαν,
ὧν ἐντρέπου σὺ μηδέν· ὧν γὰρ ἂν θεὸς
χρείαν ἐρευνᾷ, ῥᾳδίως αὐτὸς φανεῖ.

[¶95] Oedipus:
What restlessness of soul, lady, what tumult has come upon me since I heard you speak!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οἷόν μʼ ἀκούσαντʼ ἀρτίως ἔχει, γύναι,
ψυχῆς πλάνημα κἀνακίνησις φρενῶν.

[¶96] Iocasta:
What anxiety has startled you, that you say this?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ποίας μερίμνης τοῦθʼ ὑποστραφεὶς λέγεις;

[¶97] Oedipus:
I thought that I heard this from you—that Laius
was slain where the three roads meet.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἔδοξʼ ἀκοῦσαι σοῦ τόδʼ, ὡς ὁ Λάϊος
κατασφαγείη πρὸς τριπλαῖς ἁμαξιτοῖς.

[¶98] Icasta:
Yes, that was the report, and so it is still thought.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ηὐδᾶτο γὰρ ταῦτʼ οὐδέ πω λήξαντʼ ἔχει.

[¶99] Oedipus:
And where is the place where this occurred?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ ποῦ ʼσθʼ ὁ χῶρος οὗτος οὗ τόδʼ ἦν πάθος;

[¶100] Iocasta:
The land is called Phocis; the branching forks lead to the same spot from Delphi and from Daulia.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
Φωκὶς μὲν ἡ γῆ κλῄζεται, σχιστὴ δʼ ὁδὸς
ἐς ταὐτὸ Δελφῶν κἀπὸ Δαυλίας ἄγει.

[¶101] Oedipus:
And how much time has passed since these events took place?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ τίς χρόνος τοῖσδʼ ἐστὶν οὑξεληλυθώς;

[¶102] Iocasta:
The news was announced to the town shortly before you first attained power over this land.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
σχεδόν τι πρόσθεν ἢ σὺ τῆσδʼ ἔχων χθονὸς
ἀρχὴν ἐφαίνου, τοῦτʼ ἐκηρύχθη πόλει.

[¶103] Oedipus:
O Zeus, what have you decreed for me?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ Ζεῦ, τί μου δρᾶσαι βεβούλευσαι πέρι;

[¶104] Iocasta:
Why, Oedipus, does this matter weigh upon your heart?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί δʼ ἐστί σοι τοῦτʼ, Οἰδίπους, ἐνθύμιον;

[¶105] Oedipus:
Do not ask me yet. Tell me rather what stature Laius had, and how ripe his manhood was.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μήπω μʼ ἐρώτα· τὸν δὲ Λάϊον φύσιν
τίνʼ ἦλθε φράζε, τίνα δʼ ἀκμὴν ἥβης ἔχων.

[¶106] Iocasta:
He was tall—the silver just lightly strewn among his hair—and his form was not greatly unlike your own.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
μέγας, χνοάζων ἄρτι λευκανθὲς κάρα,
μορφῆς δὲ τῆς σῆς οὐκ ἀπεστάτει πολύ.

[¶107] Oedipus:
Unhappy that I am! I think that I have
laid myself under a terrible curse without realizing it.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οἴμοι τάλας· ἔοικʼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἀρὰς
δεινὰς προβάλλων ἀρτίως οὐκ εἰδέναι.

[¶108] Iocasta:
How do you mean? I tremble when I look at you, my lord.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πῶς φῄς; ὀκνῶ τοι πρός σʼ ἀποσκοποῦσʼ, ἄναξ.

[¶109] Oedipus:
I have dread fears that the seer can see. But you will reveal the matter better if you tell me one thing more.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
δεινῶς ἀθυμῶ μὴ βλέπων ὁ μάντις ᾖ·
δείξεις δὲ μᾶλλον, ἢν ἓν ἐξείπῃς ἔτι.

[¶110] Iocasta:
Indeed, though I tremble, I will hear and answer all that you ask.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ μὴν ὀκνῶ μέν, ἃ δʼ ἂν ἔρῃ μαθοῦσʼ ἐρῶ.

[¶111] Oedipus:
Did he go with a small force, or like a chieftain, with many armed followers?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πότερον ἐχώρει βαιὸς ἢ πολλοὺς ἔχων
ἄνδρας λοχίτας, οἷʼ ἀνὴρ ἀρχηγέτης;
Ἰοκάστη:
πέντʼ ἦσαν οἱ ξύμπαντες, ἐν δʼ αὐτοῖσιν ἦν.

[¶112] Iocasta:
Five they were in all—a herald among them—and there was one carriage which bore Laius.
Oedipus:
Alas! It is all clear now! Who gave you this information, lady?

> Greek: κῆρυξ· ἀπήνη δʼ ἦγε Λάϊον μία.
Οἰδίπους:
αἰαῖ, τάδʼ ἤδη διαφανῆ. τίς ἦν ποτε
ὁ τούσδε λέξας τοὺς λόγους ὑμῖν, γύναι;

[¶113] Iocasta:
A servant, the only survivor who returned home.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
οἰκεύς τις, ὅσπερ ἵκετʼ ἐκσωθεὶς μόνος.

[¶114] Oedipus:
Is he by any chance in the house now?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ κἀν δόμοισι τυγχάνει τανῦν παρών;

[¶115] Iocasta:
No. Soon after he returned and found you ruling in Laius’ stead,
he pled with me, with hand laid on mine, to send him to the fields, to the pastures of the flocks, that he might be far from the sight of this town. And I sent him; he was worthy, for a slave, to win even a larger favor than that.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
οὐ δῆτʼ· ἀφʼ οὗ γὰρ κεῖθεν ἦλθε καὶ κράτη
σέ τʼ εἶδʼ ἔχοντα Λάϊόν τʼ ὀλωλότα,
ἐξικέτευσε τῆς ἐμῆς χειρὸς θιγὼν
ἀγρούς σφε πέμψαι κἀπὶ ποιμνίων νομάς,
ὡς πλεῖστον εἴη τοῦδʼ ἄποπτος ἄστεως.
κἄπεμψʼ ἐγώ νιν· ἄξιος γὰρ οἷʼ ἀνὴρ
δοῦλος φέρειν ἦν τῆσδε καὶ μείζω χάριν.

[¶116] Oedipus:
Would, then, that he return to us without delay!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πῶς ἂν μόλοι δῆθʼ ἡμὶν ἐν τάχει πάλιν;

[¶117] Iocasta:
That is easy. But why do you enjoin this?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πάρεστιν· ἀλλὰ πρὸς τί τοῦτʼ ἐφίεσαι;

[¶118] Oedipus:
I fear, lady, that my words have been rash, and therefore I wish to see him.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
δέδοικʼ ἐμαυτόν, ὦ γύναι, μὴ πόλλʼ ἄγαν
εἰρημένʼ ᾖ μοι διʼ ἅ νιν εἰσιδεῖν θέλω.

[¶119] Iocasta:
He will come. But I think that
I too have a claim to learn what lies heavy on your heart, my king.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἀλλʼ ἵξεται μέν· ἀξία δέ που μαθεῖν
κἀγὼ τά γʼ ἐν σοὶ δυσφόρως ἔχοντʼ, ἄναξ.

[¶120] Oedipus:
It will not be kept from you, now that my forebodings have advanced so far. To whom more than to you would I speak in suffering such a fortune as this? My father was Polybus of Corinth,
my mother the Dorian Merope. I was considered the greatest of the folk in that town, until a chance event befell me, worthy, indeed, of wonder, though not of my overreaction regarding it. At a banquet, a man drunk with wine
cast it at me that I was not the true son of my father. And I, vexed, restrained myself for that day as best as I could, but on the next went to my mother and father and questioned them. They were angry at the one who had let this taunt fly.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
κοὐ μὴ στερηθῇς γʼ, ἐς τοσοῦτον ἐλπίδων
ἐμοῦ βεβῶτος. τῷ γὰρ ἂν καὶ μείζονι
λέξαιμʼ ἂν ἢ σοί, διὰ τύχης τοιᾶσδʼ ἰών;
ἐμοὶ πατὴρ μὲν Πόλυβος ἦν Κορίνθιος,
μήτηρ δὲ Μερόπη Δωρίς. ἠγόμην δʼ ἀνὴρ
ἀστῶν μέγιστος τῶν ἐκεῖ, πρίν μοι τύχη
τοιάδʼ ἐπέστη, θαυμάσαι μὲν ἀξία,
σπουδῆς γε μέντοι τῆς ἐμῆς οὐκ ἀξία.
ἀνὴρ γὰρ ἐν δείπνοις μʼ ὑπερπλησθεὶς μέθῃ
καλεῖ παρʼ οἴνῳ, πλαστὸς ὡς εἴην πατρί.
κἀγὼ βαρυνθεὶς τὴν μὲν οὖσαν ἡμέραν
μόλις κατέσχον, θἀτέρᾳ δʼ ἰὼν πέλας
μητρὸς πατρός τʼ ἤλεγχον· οἱ δὲ δυσφόρως
τοὔνειδος ἦγον τῷ μεθέντι τὸν λόγον.

[¶121] So I had comfort about them, but the matter rankled in my heart, for such a rumor still spread widely. I went to Delphi without my parents’ knowledge, and Phoebus sent me forth disappointed of the knowledge for which I had come,
but in his response set forth other things, full of sorrow and terror and woe: that I was fated to defile my mother’s bed, that I would reveal to men a brood which they could not endure to behold, and that I would slay the father that sired me. When I heard this, I turned in flight from the land of Corinth,
from then on thinking of it only by its position under the stars, to some spot where I should never see fulfillment of the infamies foretold in my evil fate. And on my way I came to the land in which you say that this prince perished.

> Greek: κἀγὼ τὰ μὲν κείνοιν ἐτερπόμην, ὅμως δʼ
ἔκνιζέ μʼ ἀεὶ τοῦθʼ· ὑφεῖρπε γὰρ πολύ.
λάθρᾳ δὲ μητρὸς καὶ πατρὸς πορεύομαι
Πυθώδε, καί μʼ ὁ Φοῖβος ὧν μὲν ἱκόμην
ἄτιμον ἐξέπεμψεν, ἄλλα δʼ ἄθλια
καὶ δεινὰ καὶ δύστηνα προύφηνεν λέγων,
ὡς μητρὶ μὲν χρείη με μιχθῆναι, γένος δʼ
ἄτλητον ἀνθρώποισι δηλώσοιμʼ ὁρᾶν,
φονεὺς δʼ ἐσοίμην τοῦ φυτεύσαντος πατρός.
κἀγὼ ʼπακούσας ταῦτα τὴν Κορινθίαν,
ἄστροις τὸ λοιπὸν ἐκμετρούμενος, χθόνα
ἔφευγον, ἔνθα μήποτʼ ὀψοίμην κακῶν
χρησμῶν ὀνείδη τῶν ἐμῶν τελούμενα.
στείχων δʼ ἱκνοῦμαι τούσδε τοὺς χώρους, ἐν οἷς
σὺ τὸν τύραννον τοῦτον ὄλλυσθαι λέγεις.

[¶122] Now, lady, I will tell you the truth. When on my journey I was near those three roads, there I met a herald, and a man in a carriage drawn by colts, as you have described. The leader and the old man
himself tried to thrust me rudely from the path. Then, in anger, I struck the one pushing me aside, the driver, and the old man, when he saw this, watched for the moment I was passing, and from his carriage, brought his double goad straight down on my head.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καί σοι, γύναι, τἀληθὲς ἐξερῶ. τριπλῆς
ὅτʼ ἦ κελεύθου τῆσδʼ ὁδοιπορῶν πέλας,
ἐνταῦθά μοι κῆρύξ τε κἀπὶ πωλικῆς
ἀνὴρ ἀπήνης ἐμβεβώς, οἷον σὺ φῇς,
ξυνηντίαζον· κἀξ ὁδοῦ μʼ ὅ θʼ ἡγεμὼν
αὐτός θʼ ὁ πρέσβυς πρὸς βίαν ἠλαυνέτην.
κἀγὼ τὸν ἐκτρέποντα, τὸν τροχηλάτην,
παίω διʼ ὀργῆς· καί μʼ ὁ πρέσβυς ὡς ὁρᾷ,
ὄχου παραστείχοντα τηρήσας, μέσον
κάρα διπλοῖς κέντροισί μου καθίκετο.

[¶123] Yet he was paid back with interest: with one swift blow from the staff in this hand he rolled right out of the carriage onto his back. I slew every one of them. But if this stranger had any tie of kinship to Laius,
who is now more wretched than this man before you? What mortal could be proved more hateful to the gods? No stranger, no citizen, is allowed to receive him at home, it is unlawful for anyone to accost him, and all must push him from their homes. And this—this curse—
was laid on me by no other mouth than my own. And I pollute the bed of the slain man with the hands by which he perished. Am I now vile? Oh, am I not utterly unclean, seeing that I must be banished, and in banishment neither see my own people,
nor set foot in my own land, or else be joined in wedlock to my mother, and slay my father Polybus, who sired and reared me? Then would he who judged these things to be sent down by some cruel divinity not be right about Oedipus?

> Greek: οὐ μὴν ἴσην γʼ ἔτισεν, ἀλλὰ συντόμως
σκήπτρῳ τυπεὶς ἐκ τῆσδε χειρὸς ὕπτιος
μέσης ἀπήνης εὐθὺς ἐκκυλίνδεται·
κτείνω δὲ τοὺς ξύμπαντας. εἰ δὲ τῷ ξένῳ
τούτῳ προσήκει Λαΐου τι συγγενές,
τίς τοῦδέ γʼ ἀνδρός ἐστιν ἀθλιώτερος;
τίς ἐχθροδαίμων μᾶλλον ἂν γένοιτʼ ἀνήρ;
ὃν μὴ ξένων ἔξεστι μηδʼ ἀστῶν τινι
δόμοις δέχεσθαι μηδὲ προσφωνεῖν τινα,
ὠθεῖν δʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων. καὶ τάδʼ οὔτις ἄλλος ἦν
ἢ ʼγὼ ʼπʼ ἐμαυτῷ τάσδʼ ἀρὰς ὁ προστιθείς.
λέχη δὲ τοῦ θανόντος ἐκ χεροῖν ἐμαῖν
χραίνω, διʼ ὧνπερ ὤλετʼ· ἆρʼ ἔφυν κακός;
ἆρʼ οὐχὶ πᾶς ἄναγνος; εἴ με χρὴ φυγεῖν,
καί μοι φυγόντι μἤστι τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἰδεῖν
μηδʼ ἐμβατεύειν πατρίδος, ἢ γάμοις με δεῖ
μητρὸς ζυγῆναι καὶ πατέρα κατακτανεῖν
Πόλυβον, ὃς ἐξέφυσε κἀξέθρεψέ με.
ἆρʼ οὐκ ἀπʼ ὠμοῦ ταῦτα δαίμονός τις ἂν
κρίνων ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ τῷδʼ ἂν ὀρθοίη λόγον;

[¶124] Prevent, prevent, you pure and awful gods, me from ever seeing that day! No, may I be swept away from all men, before I see myself visited with that brand of doom.

> Greek: μὴ δῆτα, μὴ δῆτʼ, ὦ θεῶν ἁγνὸν σέβας,
ἴδοιμι ταύτην ἡμέραν, ἀλλʼ ἐκ βροτῶν
βαίην ἄφαντος πρόσθεν ἢ τοιάνδʼ ἰδεῖν
κηλῖδʼ ἐμαυτῷ συμφορᾶς ἀφιγμένην.

[¶125] Chorus:
To us, king, these things are fraught with fear. Yet have hope, until at least you have gained full knowledge
from the one who saw the deed.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡμῖν μέν, ὦναξ, ταῦτʼ ὀκνήρʼ· ἕως δʼ ἂν οὖν
πρὸς τοῦ παρόντος ἐκμάθῃς, ἔχʼ ἐλπίδα.

[¶126] Oedipus:
I have, in truth, this much hope alone: I await the man summoned from the pastures.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ μὴν τοσοῦτόν γʼ ἐστί μοι τῆς ἐλπίδος,
τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν βοτῆρα προσμεῖναι μόνον.

[¶127] Iocasta:
And what do you want from him when he appears?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πεφασμένου δὲ τίς ποθʼ ἡ προθυμία;

[¶128] Oedipus:
I will tell you. If his story is found
to match withwith yours, I at least, will stand clear of disaster.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἐγὼ διδάξω σʼ· ἢν γὰρ εὑρεθῇ λέγων
σοὶ ταὔτʼ, ἔγωγʼ ἂν ἐκπεφευγοίην πάθος.

[¶129] Iocasta:
And what special note did you hear from me?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ποῖον δέ μου περισσὸν ἤκουσας λόγον;

[¶130] Oedipus:
You said that he spoke of Laius as slain by robbers. If, then, he still speaks of several as before, I was not the slayer:

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
λῃστὰς ἔφασκες αὐτὸν ἄνδρας ἐννέπειν
ὥς νιν κατακτείνειαν. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἔτι
λέξει τὸν αὐτὸν ἀριθμόν, οὐκ ἐγὼ ʼκτανον·

[¶131] a solitary man could not be considered the same as that band. But if he names one lonely wayfarer, then beyond doubt this guilt rests upon me.

> Greek: οὐ γὰρ γένοιτʼ ἂν εἷς γε τοῖς πολλοῖς ἴσος·
εἰ δʼ ἄνδρʼ ἕνʼ οἰόζωνον αὐδήσει, σαφῶς
τοῦτʼ ἐστὶν ἤδη τοὔργον εἰς ἐμὲ ῥέπον.

[¶132] Iocasta:
Be assured that thus, at least, the tale was first told. He cannot revoke that,
for the city heard it, not I alone. But even if he should diverge somewhat from his former story, never, king, can he show that the murder of Laius, at least, is truly square with the prophecy, for Loxias plainly said that he was to die at the hand of my child.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἀλλʼ ὡς φανέν γε τοὔπος ὧδʼ ἐπίστασο,
κοὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῷ τοῦτό γʼ ἐκβαλεῖν πάλιν·
πόλις γὰρ ἤκουσʼ, οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνη, τάδε.
εἰ δʼ οὖν τι κἀκτρέποιτο τοῦ πρόσθεν λόγου,
οὔτοι ποτʼ, ὦναξ, σόν γε Λαΐου φόνον
φανεῖ δικαίως ὀρθόν, ὅν γε Λοξίας
διεῖπε χρῆναι παιδὸς ἐξ ἐμοῦ θανεῖν.

[¶133] How was it then that that poor innocent never slew him, but perished first? From now on then, as far as divination goes, I would not look to my right hand or my left.

> Greek: καίτοι νιν οὐ κεῖνός γʼ ὁ δύστηνός ποτε
κατέκτανʼ, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς πάροιθεν ὤλετο.
ὥστʼ οὐχὶ μαντείας γʼ ἂν οὔτε τῇδʼ ἐγὼ
βλέψαιμʼ ἂν εἵνεκʼ οὔτε τῇδʼ ἂν ὕστερον.

[¶134] Oedipus:
You are right. But nevertheless send someone to fetch the peasant,
and do not neglect this matter.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καλῶς νομίζεις· ἀλλʼ ὅμως τὸν ἐργάτην
πέμψον τινὰ στελοῦντα μηδὲ τοῦτʼ ἀφῇς.

[¶135] Iocasta:
I will send for him without delay. But let us go into the house: I will do nothing which does not please you. Exeunt Oedipus and Iocasta.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πέμψω ταχύνασʼ· ἀλλʼ ἴωμεν ἐς δόμους·
οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν πράξαιμʼ ἂν ὧν οὐ σοὶ φίλον.

[¶136] Chorus:
May destiny still find me winning the praise of reverent purity in all words and
deeds sanctioned by those laws of sublime range, called into life through the high clear aether, whose father is Olympus alone. Their parent was no race of mortal men,
no, nor shall oblivion ever lay them to sleep: the god is mighty in them, and he does not grow old.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἴ μοι ξυνείη φέροντι
μοῖρα τὰν εὔσεπτον ἁγνείαν λόγων
ἔργων τε πάντων, ὧν νόμοι πρόκεινται
ὑψίποδες, οὐρανίαν
διʼ αἰθέρα τεκνωθέντες, ὧν Ὄλυμπος
πατὴρ μόνος, οὐδέ νιν
θνατὰ φύσις ἀνέρων
ἔτικτεν οὐδὲ μή ποτε λάθα κατακοιμάσῃ·
μέγας ἐν τούτοις θεὸς οὐδὲ γηράσκει.

[¶137] Chorus:
Insolence breeds the tyrant. Insolence, once vainly stuffed with wealth
that is not proper or good for it, when it has scaled the topmost ramparts, is hurled to a dire doom, where one’s feet cannot serve to good advantage. But I pray that the god never
quell such rivalry as benefits the state. I will always hold the god as our protector.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὕβρις φυτεύει τύραννον·
ὕβρις, εἰ πολλῶν ὑπερπλησθῇ μάταν,
ἃ μὴ ʼπίκαιρα μηδὲ συμφέροντα,
ἀκρότατον εἰσαναβᾶσʼ
αἶπος ἀπότομον ὤρουσεν εἰς ἀνάγκαν,
ἔνθʼ οὐ ποδὶ χρησίμῳ
χρῆται. τὸ καλῶς δʼ ἔχον
πόλει πάλαισμα μήποτε λῦσαι θεὸν αἰτοῦμαι.
θεὸν οὐ λήξω ποτὲ προστάταν ἴσχων.

[¶138] Chorus:
But if any man walks haughtily in deed or word,
with no fear of Justice, no reverence for the images of gods, may an evil doom seize him for his ill-starred pride, if he does not gain his advantage fairly,
or avoid unholy deeds, but seeks to lay profaning hands on sanctities. Where such things occur, what mortal shall boast any more that he can ward off the arrow of the gods from his life?

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰ δέ τις ὑπέροπτα χερσὶν ἢ λόγῳ πορεύεται,
δίκας ἀφόβητος οὐδὲ δαιμόνων ἕδη σέβων,
κακά νιν ἕλοιτο μοῖρα,
δυσπότμου χάριν χλιδᾶς,
εἰ μὴ τὸ κέρδος κερδανεῖ δικαίως
καὶ τῶν ἀσέπτων ἔρξεται
ἢ τῶν ἀθίκτων θίξεται ματᾴζων.
τίς ἔτι ποτʼ ἐν τοῖσδʼ ἀνὴρ θεῶν βέλη
εὔξεται ψυχᾶς ἀμύνειν;

[¶139] No. For if such deeds are held in honor, why should we join in the sacred dance?

> Greek: εἰ γὰρ αἱ τοιαίδε πράξεις τίμιαι,
τί δεῖ με χορεύειν;

[¶140] Chorus:
No longer will I go reverently to the earth’s central and inviolate shrine, no more to Abae’s temple or to Olympia,
if these oracles do not fit the outcome, so that all mortals shall point at them with their fingers.
No, King—if this you are rightly called—Zeus all ruling, may it not escape you and your deathless power! The old prophecies concerning Laius are fading; already men give them no value, and nowhere is Apollo glorified with honors;

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκέτι τὸν ἄθικτον εἶμι γᾶς ἐπʼ ὀμφαλὸν σέβων,
οὐδʼ ἐς τὸν Ἀβαῖσι ναὸν οὐδὲ τὰν Ὀλυμπίαν,
εἰ μὴ τάδε χειρόδεικτα
πᾶσιν ἁρμόσει βροτοῖς.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ κρατύνων, εἴπερ ὄρθʼ ἀκούεις,
Ζεῦ, πάντʼ ἀνάσσων, μὴ λάθοι
σὲ τάν τε σὰν ἀθάνατον αἰὲν ἀρχάν.
φθίνοντα γὰρ Λαΐου παλαίφατα
θέσφατʼ ἐξαιροῦσιν ἤδη,
κοὐδαμοῦ τιμαῖς Ἀπόλλων ἐμφανής·

[¶141] the worship of the gods is perishing.

> Greek: ἔρρει δὲ τὰ θεῖα.

[¶142] Iocasta:
Princes of the land, I am planning to visit the shrines of the gods, with this wreathed branch and these gifts of incense in my hands. For Oedipus excites his soul excessively with all sorts of grief,
as he does not judge the new things from the old, like a man of sense, but is under the control of the speaker, if he speaks of frightful things. Since, then, I can do no good by counsel, to you, Lycean Apollo—for you are nearest—
I have come as a suppliant with these symbols of prayer, that you may find us some escape from uncleanliness. For now we are all afraid, like those who see fear in the helmsman of their ship.
Enter a messenger.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
χώρας ἄνακτες, δόξα μοι παρεστάθη
ναοὺς ἱκέσθαι δαιμόνων, τάδʼ ἐν χεροῖν
στέφη λαβούσῃ κἀπιθυμιάματα.
ὑψοῦ γὰρ αἴρει θυμὸν Οἰδίπους ἄγαν
λύπαισι παντοίαισιν· οὐδʼ ὁποῖʼ ἀνὴρ
ἔννους τὰ καινὰ τοῖς πάλαι τεκμαίρεται,
ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ τοῦ λέγοντος, εἰ φόβους λέγοι.
ὅτʼ οὖν παραινοῦσʼ οὐδὲν ἐς πλέον ποιῶ,
πρὸς σʼ, ὦ Λύκειʼ Ἄπολλον, ἄγχιστος γὰρ εἶ,
ἱκέτις ἀφῖγμαι τοῖσδε σὺν κατεύγμασιν,
ὅπως λύσιν τινʼ ἡμὶν εὐαγῆ πόρῃς·
ὡς νῦν ὀκνοῦμεν πάντες ἐκπεπληγμένον
κεῖνον βλέποντες ὡς κυβερνήτην νεώς.

[¶143] Messenger:
Can you tell me, strangers, where
the house of King Oedipus is? Or better still, tell me where he himself is, if you know.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἆρʼ ἂν παρʼ ὑμῶν, ὦ ξένοι, μάθοιμʼ ὅπου
τὰ τοῦ τυράννου δώματʼ ἐστὶν Οἰδίπου;
μάλιστα δʼ αὐτὸν εἴπατʼ, εἰ κάτισθʼ ὅπου.

[¶144] Chorus:
This is his dwelling, and he himself, stranger, is within. This lady here is the mother of his children.

> Greek: Χορός:
στέγαι μὲν αἵδε, καὐτὸς ἔνδον, ὦ ξένε·
γυνὴ δὲ μήτηρ ἥδε τῶν κείνου τέκνων.

[¶145] Messenger:
Then may she be ever happy in a happy home,
since she is his blessed queen.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἀλλʼ ὀλβία τε καὶ ξὺν ὀλβίοις ἀεὶ
γένοιτʼ, ἐκείνου γʼ οὖσα παντελὴς δάμαρ.

[¶146] Iocasta:
Happiness to you also, stranger! Your fair greeting deserves this. But say what you have come to seek or to tell.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
αὔτως δὲ καὶ σύ γʼ, ὦ ξένʼ· ἄξιος γὰρ εἶ
τῆς εὐεπείας εἵνεκʼ· ἀλλὰ φράζʼ ὅτου
χρῄζων ἀφῖξαι χὤ τι σημῆναι θέλων.

[¶147] Messenger:
Good tidings, lady, for your house and your husband.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἀγαθὰ δόμοις τε καὶ πόσει τῷ σῷ, γύναι.

[¶148] Iocasta:
What are they? From whom have you come?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα; παρὰ τίνος δʼ ἀφιγμένος;

[¶149] Messenger:
From Corinth, and at the message I will give now you will doubtless rejoice, though you may perhaps grieve too.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἐκ τῆς Κορίνθου· τὸ δʼ ἔπος οὑξερῶ τάχα,
ἥδοιο μέν, πῶς δʼ οὐκ ἄν, ἀσχάλλοις δʼ ἴσως.

[¶150] Iocasta:
What is it? Why has it this double potency?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί δʼ ἔστι; ποίαν δύναμιν ὧδʼ ἔχει διπλῆν;

[¶151] Messenger:
The people will make him king of the
Isthmian land, as it was said there.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τύραννον αὐτὸν οὑπιχώριοι χθονὸς
τῆς Ἰσθμίας στήσουσιν, ὡς ηὐδᾶτʼ ἐκεῖ.

[¶152] Iocasta:
How then? Is the aged Polybus no longer in power?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί δʼ; οὐχ ὁ πρέσβυς Πόλυβος ἐγκρατὴς ἔτι;

[¶153] Messenger:
No. For death holds him in the tomb.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί νιν θάνατος ἐν τάφοις ἔχει.

[¶154] Iocasta:
What do you mean? Is Polybus dead, old man?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
πῶς εἶπας; ἦ τέθνηκε Πόλυβος, ὦ γέρον;

[¶155] Messenger:
If I do not speak the truth, I am content to die.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
εἰ μὴ λέγω τἀληθές, ἀξιῶ θανεῖν.

[¶156] Iocasta:
Handmaid, away with all speed, and tell this to your master! Oracles of the gods, where do you stand now? It is this man that Oedipus long feared he would slay. And now this man has died in the course of destiny, not by his hand.
Enter Oedipus.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ πρόσπολʼ, οὐχὶ δεσπότῃ τάδʼ ὡς τάχος
μολοῦσα λέξεις; ὦ θεῶν μαντεύματα,
ἵνʼ ἐστέ· τοῦτον Οἰδίπους πάλαι τρέμων
τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔφευγε μὴ κτάνοι, καὶ νῦν ὅδε
πρὸς τῆς τύχης ὄλωλεν οὐδὲ τοῦδʼ ὕπο.

[¶157] Oedipus:
Iocasta, dearest wife, why have you summoned me forth from these doors?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ φίλτατον γυναικὸς Ἰοκάστης κάρα,
τί μʼ ἐξεπέμψω δεῦρο τῶνδε δωμάτων;

[¶158] Iocasta:
Hear this man, and judge, as you listen, what the awful oracles have come to.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἄκουε τἀνδρὸς τοῦδε, καὶ σκόπει κλύων
τὰ σέμνʼ ἵνʼ ἥκει τοῦ θεοῦ μαντεύματα.

[¶159] Oedipus:
Who is he and what news does he have for me?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὗτος δὲ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶ καὶ τί μοι λέγει;

[¶160] Iocasta:
He comes from Corinth to tell you that your father Polybus lives no longer, but has perished.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἐκ τῆς Κορίνθου, πατέρα τὸν σὸν ἀγγελῶν
ὡς οὐκέτʼ ὄντα Πόλυβον, ἀλλʼ ὀλωλότα.

[¶161] Oedipus:
How, stranger? Let me have it from your own mouth.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τί φῄς, ξένʼ; αὐτός μοι σὺ σημάντωρ γενοῦ.

[¶162] Messenger:
If I must first make these tidings plain, know indeed that he is dead and gone.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
εἰ τοῦτο πρῶτον δεῖ μʼ ἀπαγγεῖλαι σαφῶς,
εὖ ἴσθʼ ἐκεῖνον θανάσιμον βεβηκότα.

[¶163] Oedipus:
By treachery, or from illness?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πότερα δόλοισιν ἢ νόσου ξυναλλαγῇ;

[¶164] Messenger:
A light tilt of the scale brings the aged to their rest.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
σμικρὰ παλαιὰ σώματʼ εὐνάζει ῥοπή.

[¶165] Oedipus:
Ah, he died, it seems, of sickness?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
νόσοις ὁ τλήμων, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθιτο.

[¶166] Messenger:
Yes, and of the long years that he had lived.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
καὶ τῷ μακρῷ γε συμμετρούμενος χρόνῳ.

[¶167] Oedipus:
Alas, alas! Why indeed, my wife, should one look to the
hearth of the Pythian seer, or to the birds that scream above our heads, who declared that I was doomed to slay my father? But he is dead, and lies beneath the earth, and here I am, not having put my hand to any spear—unless, perhaps, he died out of longing for me:
thus, indeed, I would be the cause of his death. But as the oracles stand, at least, Polybus has swept them with him to his rest in Hades. They are worth nothing.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
φεῦ φεῦ, τί δῆτʼ ἄν, ὦ γύναι, σκοποῖτό τι
τὴν Πυθόμαντιν ἑστίαν ἢ τοὺς ἄνω
κλάζοντας ὄρνεις, ὧν ὑφηγητῶν ἐγὼ
κτενεῖν ἔμελλον πατέρα τὸν ἐμόν; ὁ δὲ θανὼν
κεύθει κάτω δὴ γῆς. ἐγὼ δʼ ὅδʼ ἐνθάδε
ἄψαυστος ἔγχους· εἴ τι μὴ τὠμῷ πόθῳ
κατέφθιθʼ· οὕτω δʼ ἂν θανὼν εἴη ʼξ ἐμοῦ.
τὰ δʼ οὖν παρόντα συλλαβὼν θεσπίσματα
κεῖται παρʼ Ἅιδῃ Πόλυβος ἄξιʼ οὐδενός.

[¶168] Iocasta:
Did I not long ago foretell this to you?

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
οὔκουν ἐγώ σοι ταῦτα προύλεγον πάλαι;

[¶169] Oedipus:
You did, but I was mislead by my fear.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ηὔδας· ἐγὼ δὲ τῷ φόβῳ παρηγόμην.

[¶170] Iocasta:
Now no longer take any of those things to heart.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
μὴ νῦν ἔτʼ αὐτῶν μηδὲν ἐς θυμὸν βάλῃς.

[¶171] Oedipus:
But surely I must fear my mother’s bed.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ πῶς τὸ μητρὸς οὐκ ὀκνεῖν λέχος με δεῖ;

[¶172] Iocasta:
What should a mortal man fear, for whom the decrees of Fortune are supreme, and who has clear foresight of nothing? It is best to live at random, as one may.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί δʼ ἂν φοβοῖτʼ ἄνθρωπος ᾧ τὰ τῆς τύχης
κρατεῖ, πρόνοια δʼ ἐστὶν οὐδενὸς σαφής;
εἰκῆ κράτιστον ζῆν, ὅπως δύναιτό τις.

[¶173] But fear not that you will wed your mother. Many men before now have slept with their mothers in dreams. But he to whom these things are as though nothing bears his life most easily.

> Greek: σὺ δʼ εἰς τὰ μητρὸς μὴ φοβοῦ νυμφεύματα·
πολλοὶ γὰρ ἤδη κἀν ὀνείρασιν βροτῶν
μητρὶ ξυνηυνάσθησαν. ἀλλὰ ταῦθʼ ὅτῳ
παρʼ οὐδέν ἐστι, ῥᾷστα τὸν βίον φέρει.

[¶174] Oedipus:
All these words of yours would have been well said,
were my mother not alive. But as it is, since she lives, I must necessarily fear, though you do speak well.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καλῶς ἅπαντα ταῦτʼ ἂν ἐξείρητό σοι,
εἰ μὴ ʼκύρει ζῶσʼ ἡ τεκοῦσα· νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ
ζῇ, πᾶσʼ ἀνάγκη, κεἰ καλῶς λέγεις, ὀκνεῖν.

[¶175] Iocasta:
Your father’s death is a great sign for us to take cheer.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ μὴν μέγας γʼ ὀφθαλμὸς οἱ πατρὸς τάφοι.

[¶176] Oedipus:
Great, I know. But my fear is of her who lives.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μέγας, ξυνίημʼ· ἀλλὰ τῆς ζώσης φόβος.

[¶177] Messenger:
And who is the woman about whom you fear?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ποίας δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐκφοβεῖσθʼ ὕπερ;

[¶178] Oedipus:
Merope, old man, the consort of Polybus.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
Μερόπης, γεραιέ, Πόλυβος ἧς ᾤκει μέτα.

[¶179] Messenger:
And what is it in her that moves your fear?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τί δʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνης ὑμὶν ἐς φόβον φέρον;

[¶180] Oedipus:
A divine oracle of dread import, stranger.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
θεήλατον μάντευμα δεινόν, ὦ ξένε.

[¶181] Messenger:
Proper, or improper, for another to know?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἦ ῥητόν; ἢ οὐχὶ θεμιτὸν ἄλλον εἰδέναι;

[¶182] Oedipus:
Proper, surely. Loxias once said that I was
doomed to marry my own mother, and to shed with my own hands my father’s blood. For which reasons I long shirked my home in Corinth—with a happy outcome, to be sure, but still it is sweet to see the face of one’s parents.
Messenger:
Was it really for fear of this that you became an exile from that city?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μάλιστά γʼ· εἶπε γάρ με Λοξίας ποτὲ
χρῆναι μιγῆναι μητρὶ τἠμαυτοῦ τό τε
πατρῷον αἷμα χερσὶ ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἑλεῖν.
ὧν οὕνεχʼ ἡ Κόρινθος ἐξ ἐμοῦ πάλαι
μακρὰν ἀπῳκεῖτʼ· εὐτυχῶς μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
τὰ τῶν τεκόντων ὄμμαθʼ ἥδιστον βλέπειν.

[¶183] Oedipus:
And because I did not wish, old man, to be the murderer of my father.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἦ γὰρ τάδʼ ὀκνῶν κεῖθεν ἦσθʼ ἀπόπτολις;

[¶184] Messenger:
Why have I not relieved you of this second fear, my lord, since I came to give you pleasure?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πατρός τε χρῄζων μὴ φονεὺς εἶναι, γέρον.

[¶185] Oedipus:
And indeed you will have worthy thanks from me.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τί δῆτʼ ἐγὼ οὐχὶ τοῦδε τοῦ φόβου σʼ, ἄναξ,
ἐπείπερ εὔνους ἦλθον, ἐξελυσάμην;

[¶186] Messenger:
And indeed I came specially for this, that
I might profit from your returning home.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ μὴν χάριν γʼ ἂν ἀξίαν λάβοις ἐμοῦ.
Ἄγγελος:
καὶ μὴν μάλιστα τοῦτʼ ἀφικόμην, ὅπως
σοῦ πρὸς δόμους ἐλθόντος εὖ πράξαιμί τι.

[¶187] Oedipus:
But by no means will I ever go near my parents again.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ οὔποτʼ εἶμι τοῖς φυτεύσασίν γʼ ὅμοῦ.

[¶188] Messenger:
My son, it is crystal clear that you do not know what you are doing.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ παῖ, καλῶς εἶ δῆλος οὐκ εἰδὼς τί δρᾷς.

[¶189] Oedipus:
How so, old man? In the name of the gods, tell me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πῶς, ὦ γεραιέ; πρὸς θεῶν δίδασκέ με.

[¶190] Messenger:
If on account of this you are fleeing from returning home.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
εἰ τῶνδε φεύγεις οὕνεκʼ εἰς οἴκους μολεῖν.

[¶191] Oedipus:
Fearing indeed lest Apollo’s prophecy come true in me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ταρβῶν γε μή μοι Φοῖβος ἐξέλθῃ σαφής.

[¶192] Messenger:
Lest you acquire some pollution from your parents?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἦ μὴ μίασμα τῶν φυτευσάντων λάβῃς;

[¶193] Oedipus:
This very thing, old man, this constantly frightens me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τοῦτʼ αὐτό, πρέσβυ, τοῦτό μʼ εἰσαεὶ φοβεῖ.

[¶194] Messenger:
Do you know, then, that your fears are wholly in vain?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἆρʼ οἶσθα δῆτα πρὸς δίκης οὐδὲν τρέμων;

[¶195] Oedipus:
… How so, if I was born of those parents?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πῶς δʼ οὐχί, παῖς γʼ εἰ τῶνδε γεννητῶν ἔφυν;

[¶196] Messenger:
Because you had no blood in common with Polybus.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὁθούνεκʼ ἦν σοι Πόλυβος οὐδὲν ἐν γένει.

[¶197] Oedipus:
What are you saying? Was Polybus not my father?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πῶς εἶπας; οὐ γὰρ Πόλυβος ἐξέφυσέ με;

[¶198] Messenger:
Just as much, and no more, than he who speaks to you.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὐ μᾶλλον οὐδὲν τοῦδε τἀνδρός, ἀλλʼ ἴσον.

[¶199] Oedipus:
And how can my father be equal to him who is as though nothing to me?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ πῶς ὁ φύσας ἐξ ἴσου τῷ μηδενί;

## 3. Lines 1020–1530

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-oedipus-tyrannus/3/#p-N

[¶0] Messenger:
But he did not father you, any more than I did.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἀλλʼ οὔ σʼ ἐγείνατʼ οὔτʼ ἐκεῖνος οὔτʼ ἐγώ.

[¶1] Oedipus:
How, then, did he call me his son?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ ἀντὶ τοῦ δὴ παῖδά μʼ ὠνομάζετο;

[¶2] Messenger:
Long ago he received you as a gift from my hands.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
δῶρόν ποτʼ, ἴσθι, τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν λαβών.

[¶3] Oedipus:
And yet he loved me so dearly, who came from another’s hand?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
κᾆθʼ ὧδʼ ἀπʼ ἄλλης χειρὸς ἔστερξεν μέγα;

[¶4] Messenger:
His former childlessness won him over.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἡ γὰρ πρὶν αὐτὸν ἐξέπεισʼ ἀπαιδία.

[¶5] Oedipus:
And had you bought me or found me by chance, when you gave me to him?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
σὺ δʼ ἐμπολήσας ἢ τυχών μʼ αὐτῷ δίδως;

[¶6] Messenger:
I found you in Cithaeron’s winding glens.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
εὑρὼν ναπαίαις ἐν Κιθαιρῶνος πτυχαῖς.

[¶7] Oedipus:
And why were you roaming those regions?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὡδοιπόρεις δὲ πρὸς τί τούσδε τοὺς τόπους;

[¶8] Messenger:
I was in charge of mountain flocks.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἐνταῦθʼ ὀρείοις ποιμνίοις ἐπεστάτουν.

[¶9] Oedipus:
What, you were a shepherd—a vagrant hireling?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ποιμὴν γὰρ ἦσθα κἀπὶ θητείᾳ πλάνης;

[¶10] Messenger:
But your savior, my son, in that hour.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
σοῦ τʼ, ὦ τέκνον, σωτήρ γε τῷ τότʼ ἐν χρόνῳ.

[¶11] Oedipus:
And what was my pain when you took me in your arms?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τί δʼ ἄλγος ἴσχοντʼ ἀγκάλαις με λαμβάνεις;

[¶12] Messenger:
The ankles of your feet might bear witness.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ποδῶν ἂν ἄρθρα μαρτυρήσειεν τὰ σά·

[¶13] Oedipus:
Ah me, why do you speak of that old trouble?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οἴμοι, τί τοῦτʼ ἀρχαῖον ἐννέπεις κακόν;

[¶14] Messenger:
I freed you when you had your ankles pinned together.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
λύω σʼ ἔχοντα διατόρους ποδοῖν ἀκμάς.

[¶15] Oedipus:
It was a dread brand of shame that I took from my cradle.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
δεινόν γʼ ὄνειδος σπαργάνων ἀνειλόμην.

[¶16] Messenger:
So much so that from that fortune you were called by that name which you still bear.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὥστʼ ὠνομάσθης ἐκ τύχης ταύτης ὃς εἶ.

[¶17] Oedipus:
Oh, in the name of the gods, was the deed my mother’s or father’s? Speak!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὦ πρὸς θεῶν, πρὸς μητρὸς ἢ πατρός; φράσον.

[¶18] Messenger:
I know not. He who gave you to me knows better of that than I.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ὁ δοὺς δὲ ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ λῷον φρονεῖ.

[¶19] Oedipus:
What, you got me from another? You did not find me yourself?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ γὰρ παρʼ ἄλλου μʼ ἔλαβες οὐδʼ αὐτὸς τυχών;

[¶20] Messenger:
No. Another shepherd gave you to me.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ποιμὴν ἄλλος ἐκδίδωσί μοι.

[¶21] Oedipus:
Who was he? Can you tell clearly?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τίς οὗτος; ἦ κάτοισθα δηλῶσαι λόγῳ;

[¶22] Messenger:
I think he was said to be one of the household of Laius.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τῶν Λαΐου δήπου τις ὠνομάζετο.

[¶23] Oedipus:
The king who ruled this country long ago?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ τοῦ τυράννου τῆσδε γῆς πάλαι ποτέ;

[¶24] Messenger:
The same. The man was a herdsman in his service.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
μάλιστα· τούτου τἀνδρὸς οὗτος ἦν βοτήρ.

[¶25] Oedipus:
Is he still alive, that I might see him?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ κἄστʼ ἔτι ζῶν οὗτος, ὥστʼ ἰδεῖν ἐμέ;

[¶26] Messenger:
You natives of this country should know best.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὑμεῖς γʼ ἄριστʼ εἰδεῖτʼ ἂν οὑπιχώριοι.

[¶27] Oedipus:
Is there any of you here present that knows the herdsman of whom he speaks, having seen him either in the pastures or here in town? Answer!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἔστιν τις ὑμῶν τῶν παρεστώτων πέλας,
ὅστις κάτοιδε τὸν βοτῆρʼ ὃν ἐννέπει,
εἴτʼ οὖν ἐπʼ ἀγρῶν εἴτε κἀνθάδʼ εἰσιδών;

[¶28] The hour has come for these things to be revealed finally.

> Greek: σημήναθʼ, ὡς ὁ καιρὸς ηὑρῆσθαι τάδε.

[¶29] Chorus:
I think he speaks of no other than the peasant you already wanted to see. But our lady Iocasta might best tell you that.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶμαι μὲν οὐδένʼ ἄλλον ἢ τὸν ἐξ ἀγρῶν,
ὃν κἀμάτευες πρόσθεν εἰσιδεῖν· ἀτὰρ
ἥδʼ ἂν τάδʼ οὐχ ἥκιστʼ ἂν Ἰοκάστη λέγοι.

[¶30] Oedipus:
Lady, do you know the one whom we summoned just now?
Is it of him that this man speaks?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
γύναι, νοεῖς ἐκεῖνον, ὅντινʼ ἀρτίως
μολεῖν ἐφιέμεσθα; τόνδʼ οὗτος λέγει;

[¶31] Iocasta:
Why ask of whom he spoke? Regard it not; waste not a thought on what he said; it would be vain.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
τί δʼ ὅντινʼ εἶπε; μηδὲν ἐντραπῇς· τὰ δὲ
ῥηθέντα βούλου μηδὲ μεμνῆσθαι μάτην.

[¶32] Oedipus:
It must not happen that, with such clues in my grasp, I fail to bring my birth to light.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο τοῦθʼ ὅπως ἐγὼ λαβὼν
σημεῖα τοιαῦτʼ οὐ φανῶ τοὐμὸν γένος.

[¶33] Iocasta:
For the gods’ sake, if you have any care for your own life, do not continue this search! My anguish is enough.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
μὴ πρὸς θεῶν, εἴπερ τι τοῦ σαυτοῦ βίου
κήδει, ματεύσῃς τοῦθʼ· ἅλις νοσοῦσʼ ἐγώ.

[¶34] Oedipus:
Be of good courage. Even if I should be found the son of a servile mother—a slave by three descents—you will not be proven baseborn.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
θάρσει· σὺ μὲν γὰρ οὐδʼ ἐὰν τρίτης ἐγὼ
μητρὸς φανῶ τρίδουλος, ἐκφανεῖ κακή.

[¶35] Iocasta:
Hear me, I implore you: do not do this.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὅμως πιθοῦ μοι, λίσσομαι· μὴ δρᾶ τάδε.

[¶36] Oedipus:
I will not hear of not discovering the whole truth.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐκ ἂν πιθοίμην μὴ οὐ τάδʼ ἐκμαθεῖν σαφῶς.

[¶37] Iocasta:
Yet I wish you well—I counsel you for the best.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
καὶ μὴν φρονοῦσά γʼ εὖ τὰ λῷστά σοι λέγω.

[¶38] Oedipus:
These best counsels, then, vex my patience.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τὰ λῷστα τοίνυν ταῦτά μʼ ἀλγύνει πάλαι.

[¶39] Iocasta:
Oh ill-fated man, may you never know who you are!

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ὦ δύσποτμʼ, εἴθε μήποτε γνοίης ὃς εἶ.

[¶40] Oedipus:
Go, some one, fetch me the herdsman.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἄξει τις ἐλθὼν δεῦρο τὸν βοτῆρά μοι;

[¶41] Leave this woman to glory in her princely stock.

> Greek: ταύτην δʼ ἐᾶτε πλουσίῳ χαίρειν γένει.

[¶42] Iocasta:
Alas, alas, miserable man—that word alone can I say to you—and no other word ever again. She rushes into the palace.

> Greek: Ἰοκάστη:
ἰοὺ ἰού, δύστηνε· τοῦτο γάρ σʼ ἔχω
μόνον προσειπεῖν, ἄλλο δʼ οὔποθʼ ὕστερον.

[¶43] Chorus:
Why has this woman gone, Oedipus, rushing off in wild grief? I fear
a storm of sorrow will soon break forth from this silence.

> Greek: Χορός:
τί ποτε βέβηκεν, Οἰδίπους, ὑπʼ ἀγρίας
ᾄξασα λύπης ἡ γυνή; δέδοιχʼ ὅπως
μὴ ʼκ τῆς σιωπῆς τῆσδʼ ἀναρρήξει κακά.

[¶44] Oedipus:
Break forth what will! Be my race ever so lowly, I crave to learn it. That woman perhaps—for she is proud with more than a woman’s pride—feels ashamed of my lowly origin. But I, who hold myself son of Fortune
that gives good, will not be dishonored. She is the mother from whom I spring, and the months, my kinsmen, have marked me sometimes lowly, sometimes great. Such being my heritage, never more can I prove
false to it, or keep from searching out the secret of my birth.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὁποῖα χρῄζει ῥηγνύτω· τοὐμὸν δʼ ἐγώ,
κεἰ σμικρόν ἐστι, σπέρμʼ ἰδεῖν βουλήσομαι.
αὕτη δʼ ἴσως, φρονεῖ γὰρ ὡς γυνὴ μέγα,
τὴν δυσγένειαν τὴν ἐμὴν αἰσχύνεται.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐμαυτὸν παῖδα τῆς Τύχης νέμων
τῆς εὖ διδούσης οὐκ ἀτιμασθήσομαι.
τῆς γὰρ πέφυκα μητρός· οἱ δὲ συγγενεῖς
μῆνές με μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν διώρισαν.
τοιόσδε δʼ ἐκφὺς οὐκ ἂν ἐξέλθοιμʼ ἔτι
ποτʼ ἄλλος, ὥστε μὴ ʼκμαθεῖν τοὐμὸν γένος.

[¶45] Chorus:
If I am a seer or wise of heart,
Cithaeron, you will not fail—by heaven, you will not—to know at tomorrow’s full moon that Oedipus honors you as native to him, as his nurse, and his mother, and that you are celebrated in our dance and song,
because you are well-pleasing to our prince. O Phoebus to whom we cry, may these things find favor in your sight!

> Greek: Χορός:
εἴπερ ἐγὼ μάντις εἰμὶ καὶ κατὰ γνώμαν ἴδρις,
οὐ τὸν Ὄλυμπον ἀπείρων, ὦ Κιθαιρών,
οὐκ ἔσει τὰν αὔριον
πανσέληνον, μὴ οὐ σέ γε καὶ πατριώταν Οἰδίπουν
καὶ τροφὸν καὶ ματέρʼ αὔξειν,
καὶ χορεύεσθαι πρὸς ἡμῶν, ὡς ἐπὶ ἦρα φέροντα τοῖς ἐμοῖς τυράννοις.
ἰήϊε Φοῖβε, σοὶ δὲ ταῦτʼ ἀρέστʼ εἴη.

[¶46] Chorus:
Who was it, my son, who of the race whose years are many, that bore you in wedlock with
Pan, the mountain-roaming father? Or was it a bride of Loxias that bore you? For dear to him are all the upland pastures.

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς σε, τέκνον, τίς σʼ ἔτικτε τᾶν μακραιώνων ἄρα
Πανὸς ὀρεσσιβάτα πατρὸς πελασθεῖσʼ;
ἢ σέ γʼ εὐνάτειρά τις
Λοξίου; τῷ γὰρ πλάκες ἀγρόνομοι πᾶσαι φίλαι·

[¶47] Or perhaps it was Cyllene’s lord, or the Bacchants’ god, dweller on the hill-tops, that received you, a new-born joy, from one of the nymphs of Helicon, with whom he most often sports.

> Greek: εἴθʼ ὁ Κυλλάνας ἀνάσσων,
εἴθʼ ὁ Βακχεῖος θεὸς ναίων ἐπʼ ἄκρων ὀρέων σʼ εὕρημα δέξατʼ ἔκ του
Νυμφᾶν Ἑλικωνίδων, αἷς πλεῖστα συμπαίζει.

[¶48] Oedipus:
Elders, if it is right for me, who have never met the man, to guess, I think I see the herdsman we have been looking for for a long time. In his venerable old age he tallies with this stranger’s years, and moreover I recognize those who bring him, I think, as servants of mine.
But perhaps you have an advantage in knowledge over me, if you have seen the herdsman before.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
εἰ χρή τι κἀμὲ μὴ συναλλάξαντά πω,
πρέσβεις, σταθμᾶσθαι, τὸν βοτῆρʼ ὁρᾶν δοκῶ,
ὅνπερ πάλαι ζητοῦμεν· ἔν τε γὰρ μακρῷ
γήρᾳ ξυνᾴδει τῷδε τἀνδρὶ σύμμετρος,
ἄλλως τε τοὺς ἄγοντας ὥσπερ οἰκέτας
ἔγνωκʼ ἐμαυτοῦ· τῇ δʼ ἐπιστήμῃ σύ μου
προύχοις τάχʼ ἄν που, τὸν βοτῆρʼ ἰδὼν πάρος.

[¶49] Chorus:
Yes, I know him, be sure. He was in the service of Laius—trusty as any shepherd.
The herdsman is brought in.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔγνωκα γάρ, σάφʼ ἴσθι· Λαΐου γὰρ ἦν
εἴπερ τις ἄλλος πιστὸς ὡς νομεὺς ἀνήρ.

[¶50] Oedipus:
I ask you first, Corinthian stranger, if this is the man you mean.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
σὲ πρῶτʼ ἐρωτῶ, τὸν Κορίνθιον ξένον, ἦ τόνδε φράζεις;

[¶51] Messenger:
He is, the one you are looking at.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τοῦτον, ὅνπερ εἰσορᾷς.

[¶52] Oedipus:
You, old man—look this way and answer all that I ask—were you once in the service of Laius?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὗτος σύ, πρέσβυ, δεῦρό μοι φώνει βλέπων
ὅσʼ ἄν σʼ ἐρωτῶ. Λαΐου ποτʼ ἦσθα σύ;

[¶53] Servant:
I was—not a bought slave, but reared in his house.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἦ δοῦλος οὐκ ὠνητός, ἀλλʼ οἴκοι τραφείς.

[¶54] Oedipus:
Employed in what labor, or what way of life?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἔργον μεριμνῶν ποῖον ἢ βίον τινά;

[¶55] Servant:
For the better part of my life I tended the flocks.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ποίμναις τὰ πλεῖστα τοῦ βίου συνειπόμην.

[¶56] Oedipus:
And what regions did you most frequently haunt?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
χώροις μάλιστα πρὸς τίσι ξύναυλος ὤν;

[¶57] Servant:
Sometimes Cithaeron, sometimes the neighboring ground.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἦν μὲν Κιθαιρών, ἦν δὲ πρόσχωρος τόπος.

[¶58] Oedipus:
Are you aware of ever having seen this man in these parts?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τὸν ἄνδρα τόνδʼ οὖν οἶσθα τῇδέ που μαθών;

[¶59] Servant:
Doing what? What man do you mean?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τί χρῆμα δρῶντα; ποῖον ἄνδρα καὶ λέγεις;

[¶60] Oedipus:
This man here. Have you ever met him before?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τόνδʼ ὃς πάρεστιν· ἢ ξυναλλάξας τί πω;

[¶61] Servant:
Not so that I could speak at once from memory.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐχ ὥστε γʼ εἰπεῖν ἐν τάχει μνήμης ἄπο.

[¶62] Messenger:
And no wonder, master. But I will bring clear recollection to his ignorance. I am sure he knows well of the time we dwelled in the region of Cithaeron
for six month periods, from spring to Arcturus, he with two flocks, and I, his comrade, with one. And then for the winter I used to drive my flock to my own fold, and he took his to the fold of Laius.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
κοὐδέν γε θαῦμα, δέσποτʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ σαφῶς
ἀγνῶτʼ ἀναμνήσω νιν. εὖ γὰρ οἶδʼ ὅτι
κάτοιδεν, ἦμος τῷ Κιθαιρῶνος τόπῳ,
ὁ μὲν διπλοῖσι ποιμνίοις, ἐγὼ δʼ ἑνί,
ἐπλησίαζον τῷδε τἀνδρὶ τρεῖς ὅλους
ἐξ ἦρος εἰς ἀρκτοῦρον ἑκμήνους χρόνους·
χειμῶνα δʼ ἤδη τἀμά τʼ εἰς ἔπαυλʼ ἐγὼ
ἤλαυνον οὗτός τʼ εἰς τὰ Λαΐου σταθμά.

[¶63] Did any of this happen as I tell it, or did it not?

> Greek: λέγω τι τούτων ἢ οὐ λέγω πεπραγμένον;

[¶64] Servant:
You speak the truth, though it was long ago.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
λέγεις ἀληθῆ, καίπερ ἐκ μακροῦ χρόνου.

[¶65] Messenger:
Come, tell me now: do you remember having given me a boy in those days, to be reared as my own foster-son?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
φέρʼ εἰπὲ νῦν, τότʼ οἶσθα παῖδά μοί τινα
δούς, ὡς ἐμαυτῷ θρέμμα θρεψαίμην ἐγώ;

[¶66] Servant:
What now? Why do you ask the question?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τί δʼ ἔστι; πρὸς τί τοῦτο τοὔπος ἱστορεῖς;

[¶67] Messenger:
This man, my friend, is he who then was young.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὅδʼ ἐστίν, ὦ τᾶν, κεῖνος ὃς τότʼ ἦν νέος.

[¶68] Servant:
Damn you! Be silent once and for all!

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρον; οὐ σιωπήσας ἔσει;

[¶69] Oedipus:
Do not rebuke him, old man. Your words need rebuking more than his.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἆ, μὴ κόλαζε, πρέσβυ, τόνδʼ, ἐπεὶ τὰ σὰ
δεῖται κολαστοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ τὰ τοῦδʼ ἔπη.

[¶70] Servant:
And in what way, most noble master, do I offend?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τί δʼ, ὦ φέριστε δεσποτῶν, ἁμαρτάνω;

[¶71] Oedipus:
In not telling of the boy about whom he asks.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐκ ἐννέπων τὸν παῖδʼ ὃν οὗτος ἱστορεῖ.

[¶72] Servant:
He speaks without knowledge, but is busy to no purpose.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
λέγει γὰρ εἰδὼς οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ἄλλως πονεῖ.

[¶73] Oedipus:
You will not speak with good grace, but will in pain.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
σὺ πρὸς χάριν μὲν οὐκ ἐρεῖς, κλαίων δʼ ἐρεῖς.

[¶74] Servant:
No, in the name of the gods, do not mistreat an old man.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
μὴ δῆτα, πρὸς θεῶν, τὸν γέροντά μʼ αἰκίσῃ.

[¶75] Oedipus:
Someone, quick—tie his hands him this instant!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὐχ ὡς τάχος τις τοῦδʼ ἀποστρέψει χέρας;

[¶76] Servant:
Alas, why? What do you want to learn?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
δύστηνος, ἀντὶ τοῦ; τί προσχρῄζων μαθεῖν;

[¶77] Oedipus:
Did you give this man the child about whom he asks?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τὸν παῖδʼ ἔδωκας τῷδʼ ὃν οὗτος ἱστορεῖ;

[¶78] Servant:
I did. Would that I had perished that day!

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἔδωκʼ· ὀλέσθαι δʼ ὤφελον τῇδʼ ἡμέρᾳ.

[¶79] Oedipus:
Well, you will come to that, unless you tell the honest truth.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ εἰς τόδʼ ἥξεις μὴ λέγων γε τοὔνδικον.

[¶80] Servant:
But if I speak I will be destroyed all the more.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
πολλῷ γε μᾶλλον, ἢν φράσω, διόλλυμαι.

[¶81] Oedipus:
This man is bent, I think, on more delays.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἁνὴρ ὅδʼ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐς τριβὰς ἐλᾷ.

[¶82] Servant:
No, no! I said before that I gave it to him.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐ δῆτʼ ἔγωγʼ, ἀλλʼ εἶπον, ὡς δοίην, πάλαι.

[¶83] Oedipus:
Where did you get it from? From your own house, or from another?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πόθεν λαβών; οἰκεῖον ἢ ʼξ ἄλλου τινός;

[¶84] Servant:
It was not my own: I received it from another.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἐμὸν μὲν οὐκ ἔγωγʼ, ἐδεξάμην δέ του.

[¶85] Oedipus:
From whom of the citizens here? From what home?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τίνος πολιτῶν τῶνδε κἀκ ποίας στέγης;

[¶86] Servant:
For the love of the gods, master, ask no more!

> Greek: Θεράπων:
μὴ πρὸς θεῶν, μή, δέσποθʼ, ἱστόρει πλέον.

[¶87] Oedipus:
You are dead if I have to question you again.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὄλωλας, εἴ σε ταῦτʼ ἐρήσομαι πάλιν.

[¶88] Servant:
It was a child, then, of the house of Laius.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τῶν Λαΐου τοίνυν τις ἦν γεννημάτων.

[¶89] Oedipus:
A slave? Or one of his own clan?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ δοῦλος ἢ κείνου τις ἐγγενὴς γεγώς;

[¶90] Servant:
Alas! I am on the brink of speaking the dreaded words.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οἴμοι, πρὸς αὐτῷ γʼ εἰμὶ τῷ δεινῷ λέγειν.

[¶91] Oedipus:
And I of hearing: I must hear nevertheless.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
κἄγωγʼ ἀκούειν· ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἀκουστέον.

[¶92] Servant:
You must know then, that it was said to be his own child. But your lady within could say best how these matters lie.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
κείνου γέ τοι δὴ παῖς ἐκλῄζεθʼ· ἡ δʼ ἔσω
κάλλιστʼ ἂν εἴποι σὴ γυνὴ τάδʼ ὡς ἔχει.

[¶93] Oedipus:
How? Did she give it to you?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἦ γὰρ δίδωσιν ἥδε σοι;

[¶94] Servant:
Yes, my lord.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
μάλιστʼ, ἄναξ.

[¶95] Oedipus:
For what purpose?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὡς πρὸς τί χρείας;

[¶96] Servant:
That I should do away with it.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὡς ἀναλώσαιμί νιν.

[¶97] Oedipus:
Her own child, the wretched woman?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τεκοῦσα τλήμων;

[¶98] Servant:
Yes, from fear of the evil prophecies.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
θεσφάτων γʼ ὄκνῳ κακῶν.

[¶99] Oedipus:
What were they?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ποίων;

[¶100] Servant:
The tale ran that he would slay his father.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
κτενεῖν νιν τοὺς τεκόντας ἦν λόγος.

[¶101] Oedipus:
Why, then, did you give him to this old man?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πῶς δῆτʼ ἀφῆκας τῷ γέροντι τῷδε σύ;

[¶102] Servant:
Out of pity, master, thinking that he would carry him to another land, from where he himself came. But he saved him for the direst woe.
For if you are what this man says, be certain that you were born ill-fated.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
κατοικτίσας, ὦ δέσποθʼ, ὡς ἄλλην χθόνα
δοκῶν ἀποίσειν, αὐτὸς ἔνθεν ἦν· ὁ δὲ
κάκʼ εἰς μέγιστʼ ἔσωσεν. εἰ γὰρ οὗτος εἶ
ὅν φησιν οὗτος, ἴσθι δύσποτμος γεγώς.

[¶103] Oedipus:
Oh, oh! All brought to pass, all true. Light, may I now look on you for the last time—I who have been found to be accursed in birth,
accursed in wedlock, accursed in the shedding of blood. He rushes into the palace.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἰοὺ ἰού· τὰ πάντʼ ἂν ἐξήκοι σαφῆ.
ὦ φῶς, τελευταῖόν σε προσβλέψαιμι νῦν,
ὅστις πέφασμαι φύς τʼ ἀφʼ ὧν οὐ χρῆν, ξὺν οἷς τʼ
οὐ χρῆν ὁμιλῶν, οὕς τέ μʼ οὐκ ἔδει κτανών.

[¶104] Chorus:
Alas, generations of mortals, how mere a shadow I count your life! Where, where is the mortal who
attains a happiness which is more than apparent and doomed to fall away to nothing? Your fate warns me—yours, unhappy Oedipus—to call no
earthly creature blessed.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ γενεαὶ βροτῶν,
ὡς ὑμᾶς ἴσα καὶ τὸ μηδὲν ζώσας ἐναριθμῶ.
τίς γάρ, τίς ἀνὴρ πλέον
τᾶς εὐδαιμονίας φέρει
ἢ τοσοῦτον ὅσον δοκεῖν
καὶ δόξαντʼ ἀποκλῖναι;
τὸν σόν τοι παράδειγμʼ ἔχων,
τὸν σὸν δαίμονα, τὸν σόν, ὦ τλᾶμον Οἰδιπόδα, βροτῶν
οὐδὲν μακαρίζω·

[¶105] Chorus:
For he, O Zeus, shot his shaft with peerless skill, and won the prize of an all-prosperous fortune, having slain the maiden with crooked talons, who sang darkly.
He arose for our land like a tower against death. And from that time, Oedipus, you have been called our king, and have been honored supremely, holding power in great Thebes.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅστις καθʼ ὑπερβολὰν
τοξεύσας ἐκράτησε τοῦ πάντʼ εὐδαίμονος ὄλβου,
ὦ Ζεῦ, κατὰ μὲν φθίσας
τὰν γαμψώνυχα παρθένον
χρησμῳδόν, θανάτων δʼ ἐμᾷ
χώρᾳ πύργος ἀνέστα·
ἐξ οὗ καὶ βασιλεὺς καλεῖ
ἐμὸς καὶ τὰ μέγιστʼ ἐτιμάθης, ταῖς μεγάλαισιν ἐν
Θήβαισιν ἀνάσσων.

[¶106] Chorus:
But now whose story is more grievous in men’s ears?

> Greek: Χορός:
τανῦν δʼ ἀκούειν τίς ἀθλιώτερος;

[¶107] Who is a more wretched slave to fierce plagues and troubles, with all his life reversed? Alas, renowned Oedipus! The same bounteous harbor was sufficient for you, both as child and as father, to make your nuptial couch in. Oh, how can the soil
in which your father sowed, unhappy man, have endured you in silence for so long?

> Greek: τίς ἄταις ἀγρίαις, τίς ἐν πόνοις
ξύνοικος ἀλλαγᾷ βίου;
ἰὼ κλεινὸν Οἰδίπου κάρα,
ἦ στέγας λιμὴν
αὑτὸς ἤρκεσεν
παιδὶ καὶ πατρὶ θαλαμηπόλῳ πεσεῖν;
πῶς ποτε πῶς ποθʼ αἱ πατρῷαί σʼ ἄλοκες φέρειν, τάλας,
σῖγʼ ἐδυνάθησαν ἐς τοσόνδε;

[¶108] Chorus:
Time the all-seeing has found you out, against your will: he judges the monstrous marriage in which
parent and child have long been one. Alas, child of Laius, would that I had never seen you. I wail as one who pours a dirge from his lips.
It was you who gave me new life, to speak directly, and through you darkness has fallen upon my eyes.
A second messenger enters from the house.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐφηῦρέ σʼ ἄκονθʼ ὁ πάνθʼ ὁρῶν χρόνος,
δικάζει τʼ ἄγαμον γάμον πάλαι
τεκνοῦντα καὶ τεκνούμενον.
ἰώ, Λαΐειον ὦ τέκνον,
εἴθε σʼ εἴθε σε
μήποτʼ εἰδόμαν.
δύρομαι γὰρ ὥσπερ ἰάλεμον χέων
ἐκ στομάτων. τὸ δʼ ὀρθὸν εἰπεῖν, ἀνέπνευσά τʼ ἐκ
σέθεν
καὶ κατεκοίμασα τοὐμὸν ὄμμα.

[¶109] Second Messenger:
You who are most honored in this land, what deeds you will hear, what deeds you will behold, what burden of sorrow will be yours,
if, true to your race, you still care for the house of Labdacus. For I think that neither the Ister nor the Phasis could wash this house clean, so many are the ills that it shrouds, or will soon bring to light, ills wrought not unwittingly, but on purpose.
And those griefs smart the most which are seen to be of our own choice.

> Greek: Ἐξάγγελος:
ὦ γῆς μέγιστα τῆσδʼ ἀεὶ τιμώμενοι,
οἷʼ, ἔργʼ ἀκούσεσθʼ, οἷα δʼ εἰσόψεσθʼ, ὅσον δʼ
ἀρεῖσθε πένθος, εἴπερ ἐγγενῶς ἔτι
τῶν Λαβδακείων ἐντρέπεσθε δωμάτων.
οἶμαι γὰρ οὔτʼ ἂν Ἴστρον οὔτε Φᾶσιν ἂν
νίψαι καθαρμῷ τήνδε τὴν στέγην, ὅσα
κεύθει, τὰ δʼ αὐτίκʼ εἰς τὸ φῶς φανεῖ κακὰ
ἑκόντα κοὐκ ἄκοντα. τῶν δὲ πημονῶν
μάλιστα λυποῦσʼ αἳ φανῶσʼ αὐθαίρετοι.

[¶110] Chorus:
Indeed the troubles which we knew before are far from being easy to bear. Besides them, what do you have to announce?

> Greek: Χορός:
λείπει μὲν οὐδʼ ἃ πρόσθεν εἴδομεν τὸ μὴ οὐ
βαρύστονʼ εἶναι· πρὸς δʼ ἐκείνοισιν τί φῄς;

[¶111] Second Messenger:
This is the shortest tale to tell and hear:
our royal lady Iocasta is dead.

> Greek: Ἐξάγγελος:
ὁ μὲν τάχιστος τῶν λόγων εἰπεῖν τε καὶ
μαθεῖν, τέθνηκε θεῖον Ἰοκάστης κάρα.

[¶112] Chorus:
Alas, wretched lady! From what cause?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ δυστάλαινα, πρὸς τίνος ποτʼ αἰτίας;

[¶113] Second Messenger:
By her own hand. You will not suffer the worst part of the painful event, since you do not behold the events. Nevertheless, so far as my memory serves,
you will learn that unhappy woman’s fate. When, frantic, she passed within the vestibule, she rushed straight towards her marriage couch, clutching her hair with the fingers of both hands. Once within the chamber,
she dashed the doors together behind her, then called on the name of Laius, long since a corpse, thinking of that son, born long ago, by whose hand the father was slain, leaving the mother to breed accursed offspring with his own child. And she bewailed the marriage in which, wretched woman, she had given birth to a twofold brood,
husband by husband, children by her child. And how she perished is more than I know. For with a shriek Oedipus burst in, and did not allow us to watch her woe until the end: on him, as he rushed around, our eyes were set.

> Greek: Ἐξάγγελος:
αὐτὴ πρὸς αὑτῆς. τῶν δὲ πραχθέντων τὰ μὲν
ἄλγιστʼ ἄπεστιν· ἡ γὰρ ὄψις οὐ πάρα.
ὅμως δʼ, ὅσον γε κἀν ἐμοὶ μνήμης ἔνι,
πεύσει τὰ κείνης ἀθλίας παθήματα.
ὅπως γὰρ ὀργῇ χρωμένη παρῆλθʼ ἔσω
θυρῶνος, ἵετʼ εὐθὺ πρὸς τὰ νυμφικὰ
λέχη, κόμην σπῶσʼ ἀμφιδεξίοις ἀκμαῖς.
πύλας δʼ, ὅπως εἰσῆλθʼ, ἐπιρράξασʼ ἔσω
καλεῖ τὸν ἤδη Λάϊον πάλαι νεκρόν,
μνήμην παλαιῶν σπερμάτων ἔχουσʼ, ὑφʼ ὧν
θάνοι μὲν αὐτός, τὴν δὲ τίκτουσαν λίποι
τοῖς οἷσιν αὐτοῦ δύστεκνον παιδουργίαν.
γοᾶτο δʼ εὐνάς, ἔνθα δύστηνος διπλοῦς
ἐξ ἀνδρὸς ἄνδρα καὶ τέκνʼ ἐκ τέκνων τέκοι.
χὤπως μὲν ἐκ τῶνδʼ οὐκέτʼ οἶδʼ ἀπόλλυται·
βοῶν γὰρ εἰσέπαισεν Οἰδίπους, ὑφʼ οὗ
οὐκ ἦν τὸ κείνης ἐκθεάσασθαι κακόν,
ἀλλʼ εἰς ἐκεῖνον περιπολοῦντʼ ἐλεύσσομεν.

[¶114] To and fro he went, asking us to give him a sword, asking where he could find the wife who was no wife, but a mother whose womb had borne both him and his children. And in his frenzy a power greater than mortal man was his guide, for it was none of us mortals who were near.

> Greek: φοιτᾷ γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἔγχος ἐξαιτῶν πορεῖν,
γυναῖκά τʼ οὐ γυναῖκα, μητρῴαν δʼ ὅπου
κίχοι διπλῆν ἄρουραν οὗ τε καὶ τέκνων.
λυσσῶντι δʼ αὐτῷ δαιμόνων δείκνυσί τις·
οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀνδρῶν, οἳ παρῆμεν ἐγγύθεν.

[¶115] With a dread cry, as though someone beckoned him on, he sprang at the double doors, forced the bending bolts from the sockets, and rushed into the room. There we beheld the woman hanging by the neck in a twisted noose of swinging cords.

> Greek: δεινὸν δʼ ἀύσας ὡς ὑφηγητοῦ τινος
πύλαις διπλαῖς ἐνήλατʼ, ἐκ δὲ πυθμένων
ἔκλινε κοῖλα κλῇθρα κἀμπίπτει στέγῃ.
οὗ δὴ κρεμαστὴν τὴν γυναῖκʼ ἐσείδομεν,
πλεκταῖσιν αἰώραισιν ἐμπεπλεγμένην.

[¶116] And when he saw her, with a dread deep cry he released the halter by which she hung. And when the hapless woman was stretched out on the ground, then the sequel was horrible to see: for he tore from her raiment the golden brooches with which she had decorated herself,
and lifting them struck his own eye-balls, uttering words like these: No longer will you behold such horrors as I was suffering and performing! Long enough have you looked on those whom you ought never to have seen, having failed in the knowledge of those whom I yearned to know—henceforth you shall be dark!

> Greek: ὁ δʼ ὡς ὁρᾷ νιν, δεινὰ βρυχηθεὶς τάλας
χαλᾷ κρεμαστὴν ἀρτάνην. ἐπεὶ δὲ γῇ
ἔκειτο τλήμων, δεινὰ δʼ ἦν τἀνθένδʼ ὁρᾶν.
ἀποσπάσας γὰρ εἱμάτων χρυσηλάτους
περόνας ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, αἷσιν ἐξεστέλλετο,
ἄρας ἔπαισεν ἄρθρα τῶν αὑτοῦ κύκλων,
αὐδῶν τοιαῦθʼ, ὁθούνεκʼ οὐκ ὄψοιντό νιν
οὔθʼ οἷʼ ἔπασχεν οὔθʼ ὁποῖʼ ἔδρα κακά,
ἀλλʼ ἐν σκότῳ τὸ λοιπὸν οὓς μὲν οὐκ ἔδει
ὀψοίαθʼ, οὓς δʼ ἔχρῃζεν οὐ γνωσοίατο.

[¶117] With such a dire refrain, he struck his eyes with raised hand not once but often. At each blow the bloody eye-balls bedewed his beard, and sent forth not sluggish drops of gore, but all at once a dark shower of blood came down like hail.
From the deeds of the two of them such ills have broken forth, not on one alone, but with mingled woe for man and wife. The old happiness of their ancestral fortune was once happiness indeed. But now today lamentation, ruin, death, shame,
and every earthly ill that anyone could name are all theirs.

> Greek: τοιαῦτʼ ἐφυμνῶν πολλάκις τε κοὐχ ἅπαξ
ἤρασσʼ ἐπαίρων βλέφαρα. φοίνιαι δʼ ὁμοῦ
γλῆναι γένειʼ ἔτελλον, οὐδʼ ἀνίεσαν
φόνου μυδώσας σταγόνας, ἀλλʼ ὁμοῦ μέλας
ὄμβρος χαλάζης αἱματοῦς ἐτέγγετο.
τάδʼ ἐκ δυοῖν ἔρρωγεν, οὐ μόνου κάτα,
ἀλλʼ ἀνδρὶ καὶ γυναικὶ συμμιγῆ κακά.
ὁ πρὶν παλαιὸς δʼ ὄλβος ἦν πάροιθε μὲν
ὄλβος δικαίως· νῦν δὲ τῇδε θἠμέρᾳ
στεναγμός, ἄτη, θάνατος, αἰσχύνη, κακῶν
ὅσʼ ἐστὶ πάντων ὀνόματʼ, οὐδέν ἐστʼ ἀπόν.
Χορός:
νῦν δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ τλήμων ἐν τίνι σχολῇ κακοῦ;

[¶118] Chorus:
And does the sufferer have any respite from pain now?
Second Messenger:
He cries for some one to unbar the gates and show to all the Cadmeans his father’s slayer, his mother’s—the words must not pass my lips—
in order to banish himself from the land and not to put the house under his own curse by waiting here. And yet he lacks strength, and one to guide his steps, for the anguish is more than he can bear. He will soon show this to you: look, the bars of the gates are withdrawn,
and soon you will behold a sight which even he who abhors it must pity.

> Greek: Ἐξάγγελος:
βοᾷ διοίγειν κλῇθρα καὶ δηλοῦν τινα
τοῖς πᾶσι Καδμείοισι τὸν πατροκτόνον,
τὸν μητέρʼ—αὐδῶν ἀνόσιʼ οὐδὲ ῥητά μοι,
ὡς ἐκ χθονὸς ῥίψων ἑαυτὸν οὐδʼ ἔτι
μενῶν δόμοις ἀραῖος, ὡς ἠράσατο.
ῥώμης γε μέντοι καὶ προηγητοῦ τινος
δεῖται· τὸ γὰρ νόσημα μεῖζον ἢ φέρειν.
δείξει δὲ καὶ σοί· κλῇθρα γὰρ πυλῶν τάδε
διοίγεται· θέαμα δʼ εἰσόψει τάχα
τοιοῦτον οἷον καὶ στυγοῦντʼ ἐποικτίσαι.

[¶119] Chorus:
O dread fate for men to see, O most dreadful of all that I have set my eyes on! Unhappy one, what madness has come upon you?
Who is the unearthly foe who, with a leap of more than mortal range has made your ill-starred life his prey? Alas, alas, you hapless man! I cannot even look on you, though there is much I desire to ask, much I desire to learn,
much that draws my wistful gaze: with such a shuddering do you fill me!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ δεινὸν ἰδεῖν πάθος ἀνθρώποις,
ὦ δεινότατον πάντων ὅσʼ ἐγὼ
προσέκυρσʼ ἤδη. τίς σʼ, ὦ τλῆμον,
προσέβη μανία; τίς ὁ πηδήσας
μείζονα δαίμων τῶν μακίστων
πρὸς σῇ δυσδαίμονι μοίρᾳ;
φεῦ φεῦ, δύστανʼ·
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐσιδεῖν δύναμαί σε, θέλων
πόλλʼ ἀνερέσθαι, πολλὰ πυθέσθαι,
πολλὰ δʼ ἀθρῆσαι·
τοίαν φρίκην παρέχεις μοι.

[¶120] Oedipus:
Woe is me! Alas, alas, wretched that I am! Where, where am I carried in my misery?
How is my voice swept abroad on the wings of the air? Oh, my fate, how far you have sprung!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ, δύστανος ἐγώ,
ποῖ γᾶς φέρομαι τλάμων; πᾷ μοι
φθογγὰ διαπωτᾶται φοράδην;
ἰὼ δαῖμον, ἵνʼ ἐξήλλου.

[¶121] Chorus:
To a dread place, dire in men’s ears, dire in their sight.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐς δεινὸν οὐδʼ ἀκουστὸν οὐδʼ ἐπόψιμον.

[¶122] Oedipus:
Oh horror of darkness that enfolds me, unspeakable visitant,
resistless, sped by a wind too favorable! Oh, me! and once again, Oh, me! How my soul is pierced by the stab of these goads and by the memory of sorrows!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἰὼ σκότου
νέφος ἐμὸν ἀπότροπον, ἐπιπλόμενον ἄφατον,
ἀδάματόν τε καὶ δυσούριστον ὄν.
οἴμοι,
οἴμοι μάλʼ αὖθις· οἷον εἰσέδυ μʼ ἅμα
κέντρων τε τῶνδʼ οἴστρημα καὶ μνήμη κακῶν.

[¶123] Chorus:
No wonder that amidst these woes
you mourn and bear a double pain.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ θαῦμά γʼ οὐδὲν ἐν τοσοῖσδε πήμασιν
διπλᾶ σε πενθεῖν καὶ διπλᾶ φορεῖν κακά.

[¶124] Oedipus:
Ah, friend, you still are steadfast in your care for me, and still have patience to tend to the blind man! Ah, me!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἰὼ φίλος,
σὺ μὲν ἐμὸς ἐπίπολος ἔτι μόνιμος· ἔτι γὰρ
ὑπομένεις με τὸν τυφλὸν κηδεύων.
φεῦ φεῦ.

[¶125] Your presence is not hidden from me—no, blind though I am, nevertheless I know your voice full well.

> Greek: οὐ γάρ με λήθεις, ἀλλὰ γιγνώσκω σαφῶς,
καίπερ σκοτεινός, τήν γε σὴν αὐδὴν ὅμως.

[¶126] Chorus:
Man of dread deeds, how could you quench your vision in this way? What divinity urged you on?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ δεινὰ δράσας, πῶς ἔτλης τοιαῦτα σὰς
ὄψεις μαρᾶναι; τίς σʼ ἐπῆρε δαιμόνων;

[¶127] Oedipus:
It was Apollo, friends, Apollo who brought these troubles
to pass, these terrible, terrible troubles. But the hand that struck my eyes was none other than my own, wretched that I am!
Why should I see, when sight showed me nothing sweet?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
Ἀπόλλων τάδʼ ἦν, Ἀπόλλων, φίλοι,
ὁ κακὰ κακὰ τελῶν ἐμὰ τάδʼ ἐμὰ πάθεα.
ἔπαισε δʼ αὐτόχειρ νιν οὔτις, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ τλάμων.
τί γὰρ ἔδει μʼ ὁρᾶν,
ὅτῳ γʼ ὁρῶντι μηδὲν ἦν ἰδεῖν γλυκύ;

[¶128] Chorus:
These things were just as you say.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦν τᾷδʼ ὅπωσπερ καὶ σύ φῄς.

[¶129] Oedipus:
What, my friends, can I behold anymore, what can I love, what greeting can touch my ear with joy? Hurry, friends,
lead me from the land, lead me from here, the utterly lost,
the thrice-accursed, the mortal most hateful to the gods!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
τί δῆτʼ ἐμοὶ βλεπτὸν ἢ
στερκτὸν ἢ προσήγορον
ἔτʼ ἔστʼ ἀκούειν ἡδονᾷ φίλοι;
ἀπάγετʼ ἐκτόπιον ὅ τι τάχιστά με,
ἀπάγετʼ, ὦ φίλοι, τὸν μέγʼ ὀλέθριον
τὸν καταρατότατον, ἔτι δὲ καὶ θεοῖς
ἐχθρότατον βροτῶν.

[¶130] Chorus:
Wretched alike for your fortune and for your understanding of it, would that I had never known you!

> Greek: Χορός:
δείλαιε τοῦ νοῦ τῆς τε συμφορᾶς ἴσον,
ὡς σʼ ἠθέλησα μηδέ γʼ ἂν γνῶναί ποτε.

[¶131] Oedipus:
Perish the man, whoever he was, who freed me in the past years from the cruel shackle on my feet—a thankless deed! Had I died then,
I would not have been so sore a grief to my friends and to my own soul.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὄλοιθʼ ὅστις ἦν, ὃς ἀγρίας πέδας
μονάδʼ ἐπιποδίας ἔλυσʼ μʼ ἀπό τε φόνου
ἔρυτο κἀνέσωσεν, οὐδὲν εἰς χάριν πράσσων.
τότε γὰρ ἂν θανὼν
οὐκ ἦ φίλοισιν οὐδʼ ἐμοὶ τοσόνδʼ ἄχος.

[¶132] Chorus:
I too would have had it thus.

> Greek: Χορός:
θέλοντι κἀμοὶ τοῦτʼ ἂν ἦν.

[¶133] Oedipus:
In this way I would not have come to shed my father’s blood, or been known among men as the husband of the woman from whom I was born.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὔκουν πατρός γʼ ἂν φονεὺς
ἦλθον οὐδὲ νυμφίος
βροτοῖς ἐκλήθην ὧν ἔφυν ἄπο.

[¶134] Now I am forsaken by the gods, son of a defiled mother, successor to the bed of the man who gave me my own wretched being:

> Greek: νῦν δʼ ἄθεος μέν εἰμʼ, ἀνοσίων δὲ παῖς,
ὁμολεχὴς δʼ ἀφʼ ὧν αὐτὸς ἔφυν τάλας.

[¶135] if there is a woe surpassing all woes, it has become Oedipus’ lot.

> Greek: εἰ δέ τι πρεσβύτερον ἔτι κακοῦ κακόν,
τοῦτʼ ἔλαχʼ Οἰδίπους.

[¶136] Chorus:
I cannot agree that you have counseled well: you would have been better dead than living and blind.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως σε φῶ βεβουλεῦσθαι καλῶς·
κρείσσων γὰρ ἦσθα μηκέτʼ ὢν ἢ ζῶν τυφλός.

[¶137] Oedipus:
Do not tell me that things have not been best done in this way:
give me counsel no more. If I had sight, I know not with what eyes I could even have looked on my father, when I came to the house of Hades, or on my miserable mother, since against both I have sinned such sins as hanging myself could not punish.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ὡς μὲν τάδʼ οὐχ ὧδʼ ἔστʼ ἄριστʼ εἰργασμένα,
μή μʼ ἐκδίδασκε, μηδὲ συμβούλευʼ ἔτι.
ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὄμμασιν ποίοις βλέπων
πατέρα ποτʼ ἂν προσεῖδον εἰς Ἅιδου μολὼν
οὐδʼ αὖ τάλαιναν μητέρʼ, οἷν ἐμοὶ δυοῖν
ἔργʼ ἐστὶ κρείσσονʼ ἀγχόνης εἰργασμένα.

[¶138] But do you think that the sight of children, born as mine were, was lovely for me to look upon? No, no, never lovely to my eyes! No, neither was this town with its towering walls, nor the sacred statues of the gods, since I, thrice wretched that I am—
I, noblest of the sons of Thebes—have doomed myself to know them no more by commanding that all should reject the impious one, the one whom the gods have revealed as unholy, a member of Laius’ own race! After bearing such a stain upon myself,
was I to look with steady eyes on this folk? No indeed: were there a way to choke the source of hearing, I would not have hesitated to make a fast prison of this wretched frame, so that I should have known neither sight nor sound.
It is sweet for our thought to dwell beyond the sphere of grief. Alas, Cithaeron, why did you provide a shelter for me? When I was given to you, why did you not slay me straightway, that I might never reveal my origin to men. Ah, Polybus, ah, Corinth, and you that were called the ancient house of my father,
how fair-seeming was I, your nurseling, and what evils were festering underneath! Now I am found to be evil and of evil birth. Oh you three roads, and you secret glen, you, thicket, and narrow way where three paths met—
you who drank my father’s blood from my own hands—do you remember, perhaps, what deeds I have performed in your sight, and then what fresh deeds I went on to do when I came here? Oh marriage rites, you gave me birth, and when you had brought me forth,
you again bore children to your child, you created an incestuous kinship of fathers, brothers, sons, brides, wives, and mothers—all the foulest deeds that are wrought among men! But it is improper to mention what it is improper to do—
hurry, for the love of the gods, hide me somewhere beyond the land, or slay me, or cast me into the sea, where you will never behold me any longer! Approach—deign to lay your hands on a wretched man—listen and fear not: my plague can rest
on no other mortal.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἡ τέκνων δῆτʼ ὄψις ἦν ἐφίμερος,
βλαστοῦσʼ ὅπως ἔβλαστε, προσλεύσσειν ἐμοί;
οὐ δῆτα τοῖς γʼ ἐμοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ποτε·
οὐδʼ ἄστυ γʼ οὐδὲ πύργος οὐδὲ δαιμόνων
ἀγάλμαθʼ ἱερά, τῶν ὁ παντλήμων ἐγὼ
κάλλιστʼ ἀνὴρ εἷς ἔν γε ταῖς Θήβαις τραφεὶς
ἀπεστέρησʼ ἐμαυτόν, αὐτὸς ἐννέπων
ὠθεῖν ἅπαντας τὸν ἀσεβῆ, τὸν ἐκ θεῶν
φανέντʼ ἄναγνον καὶ γένους τοῦ Λαΐου.
τοιάνδʼ ἐγὼ κηλῖδα μηνύσας ἐμὴν
ὀρθοῖς ἔμελλον ὄμμασιν τούτους ὁρᾶν;
ἥκιστά γʼ· ἀλλʼ εἰ τῆς ἀκουούσης ἔτʼ ἦν
πηγῆς διʼ ὤτων φραγμός, οὐκ ἂν ἐσχόμην
τὸ μὴ ἀποκλῇσαι τοὐμὸν ἄθλιον δέμας,
ἵνʼ ἦ τυφλός τε καὶ κλύων μηδέν· τὸ γὰρ
τὴν φροντίδʼ ἔξω τῶν κακῶν οἰκεῖν γλυκύ.
ἰὼ Κιθαιρών, τί μʼ ἐδέχου; τί μʼ οὐ λαβὼν
ἔκτεινας εὐθύς, ὡς ἔδειξα μήποτε
ἐμαυτὸν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔνθεν ἦ γεγώς;
ὦ Πόλυβε καὶ Κόρινθε καὶ τὰ πάτρια
λόγῳ παλαιὰ δώμαθʼ, οἷον ἆρά με
κάλλος κακῶν ὕπουλον ἐξεθρέψατε·
νῦν γὰρ κακός τʼ ὢν κἀκ κακῶν εὑρίσκομαι.
ὦ τρεῖς κέλευθοι καὶ κεκρυμμένη νάπη
δρυμός τε καὶ στενωπὸς ἐν τριπλαῖς ὁδοῖς,
αἳ τοὐμὸν αἷμα τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν ἄπο
ἐπίετε πατρός, ἆρά μου μέμνησθʼ ἔτι
οἷʼ ἔργα δράσας ὑμὶν εἶτα δεῦρʼ ἰὼν
ὁποῖʼ ἔπρασσον αὖθις; ᾧ γάμοι γάμοι,
ἐφύσαθʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ φυτεύσαντες πάλιν
ἀνεῖτε ταὐτοῦ σπέρμα, κἀπεδείξατε
πατέρας, ἀδελφούς, παῖδας, αἷμʼ ἐμφύλιον,
νύμφας, γυναῖκας μητέρας τε, χὠπόσα
αἴσχιστʼ ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔργα γίγνεται.
ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ αὐδᾶν ἔσθʼ ἃ μηδὲ δρᾶν καλόν,
ὅπως τάχιστα πρὸς θεῶν ἔξω μέ που
καλύψατʼ ἢ φονεύσατʼ ἢ θαλάσσιον
ἐκρίψατʼ, ἔνθα μήποτʼ εἰσόψεσθʼ ἔτι.
ἴτʼ, ἀξιώσατʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου θιγεῖν.
πίθεσθε, μὴ δείσητε· τἀμὰ γὰρ κακὰ
οὐδεὶς οἷός τε πλὴν ἐμοῦ φέρειν βροτῶν.

[¶139] Chorus:
But here is Creon in good time to plan and perform that which you request. He alone is left to guard the land in your place.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ὧν ἐπαιτεῖς εἰς δέον πάρεσθʼ ὅδε
Κρέων τὸ πράσσειν καὶ τὸ βουλεύειν, ἐπεὶ
χώρας λέλειπται μοῦνος ἀντὶ σοῦ φύλαξ.

[¶140] Oedipus:
Ah, me, how will I address him?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οἴμοι, τί δῆτα λέξομεν πρὸς τόνδʼ ἔπος;

[¶141] What claim to credence can be shown on my part? For in the past I proved to be wholly false to him.
Enter Creon.

> Greek: τίς μοι φανεῖται πίστις ἔνδικος; τὰ γὰρ
πάρος πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντʼ ἐφεύρημαι κακός.

[¶142] Creon:
I have not come to mock or reproach you with any any past fault.
To the Attendants.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὐχ ὡς γελαστής, Οἰδίπους, ἐλήλυθα,
οὐδʼ ὡς ὀνειδιῶν τι τῶν πάρος κακῶν.

[¶143] But you, if you no longer respect the children of men,
revere at least the all-nurturing flame of our lord the Sun, and don’t show so openly such a pollution as this, one which neither earth, nor holy rain, nor the light itself can welcome. Take him into the house as quickly as you can: it best accords with pity that
kinfolk alone should see and hear a kinsman’s woes.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ εἰ τὰ θνητῶν μὴ καταισχύνεσθʼ ἔτι
γένεθλα, τὴν γοῦν πάντα βόσκουσαν φλόγα
αἰδεῖσθʼ ἄνακτος Ἡλίου, τοιόνδʼ ἄγος
ἀκάλυπτον οὕτω δεικνύναι, τὸ μήτε γῆ
μήτʼ ὄμβρος ἱερὸς μήτε φῶς προσδέξεται.
ἀλλʼ ὡς τάχιστʼ ἐς οἶκον ἐσκομίζετε·
τοῖς ἐν γένει γὰρ τἀγγενῆ μάλισθʼ ὁρᾶν
μόνοις τʼ ἀκούειν εὐσεβῶς ἔχει κακά.

[¶144] Oedipus:
For the gods’ love—since you have done a gentle violence to my prediction and come in a spirit so noble to me, a man most vile—grant me a favor: I will speak for your own good, not mine.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πρὸς θεῶν, ἐπείπερ ἐλπίδος μʼ ἀπέσπασας,
ἄριστος ἐλθὼν πρὸς κάκιστον ἄνδρʼ ἐμέ,
πιθοῦ τί μοι· πρὸς σοῦ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἐμοῦ φράσω.

[¶145] Creon:
And what do you wish so eagerly to get from me?

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ τοῦ με χρείας ὧδε λιπαρεῖς τυχεῖν;

[¶146] Oedipus:
Cast me out of this land with all speed, to a place where no mortal shall be found to greet me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ῥῖψόν με γῆς ἐκ τῆσδʼ ὅσον τάχισθʼ, ὅπου
θνητῶν φανοῦμαι μηδενὸς προσήγορος.

[¶147] Creon:
This I could have done, to be sure, except I craved first to learn from the god all my duty.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἔδρασʼ ἂν εὖ τοῦτʼ ἴσθʼ ἄν, εἰ μὴ τοῦ θεοῦ
πρώτιστʼ ἔχρῃζον ἐκμαθεῖν τί πρακτέαν.

[¶148] Oedipus:
But his pronouncement has been set forth in full—to let me perish, the parricide, unholy one that I am.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ ἥ γʼ ἐκείνου πᾶσʼ ἐδηλώθη φάτις,
τὸν πατροφόντην, τὸν ἀσεβῆ μʼ ἀπολλύναι.

[¶149] Creon:
Thus it was said. But since we have come to such a pass, it is better to learn clearly what should be done.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὕτως ἐλέχθη ταῦθʼ· ὅμως δʼ ἵνʼ ἕσταμεν
χρείας, ἄμεινον ἐκμαθεῖν τι δραστέον.

[¶150] Oedipus:
Will you, then, seek a response on behalf of such a wretch as I?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οὕτως ἄρʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀθλίου πεύσεσθʼ ὕπερ;

[¶151] Creon:
Yes, for even you yourself will now surely put faith in the god.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ γὰρ σὺ νῦν τἂν τῷ θεῷ πίστιν φέροις.

[¶152] Oedipus:
Yes. And on you I lay this charge, to you I make this entreaty: give to the woman within such burial as you wish—you will properly render the last rites to your own. But never let this city of my father be condemned
to have me dwelling within, as long as I live. No, allow me to live in the hills, where Cithaeron, famed as mine, sits, which my mother and father, while they lived, fixed as my appointed tomb, so that I may die according to the decree of those who sought to slay me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
καὶ σοί γʼ ἐπισκήπτω τε καὶ προστέψομαι,
τῆς μὲν κατʼ οἴκους αὐτὸς ὃν θέλεις τάφον
θοῦ· καὶ γὰρ ὀρθῶς τῶν γε σῶν τελεῖς ὕπερ·
ἐμοῦ δὲ μήποτʼ ἀξιωθήτω τόδε
πατρῷον ἄστυ ζῶντος οἰκητοῦ τυχεῖν,
ἀλλʼ ἔα με ναίειν ὄρεσιν, ἔνθα κλῄζεται
οὑμὸς Κιθαιρὼν οὗτος, ὃν μήτηρ τέ μοι
πατήρ τʼ ἐθέσθην ζῶντε κύριον τάφον,
ἵνʼ ἐξ ἐκείνων, οἵ μʼ ἀπωλλύτην, θάνω.

[¶153] And yet I know this much, that neither sickness nor anything else can destroy me; for I would never have been snatched from death, except in order to suffer some strange doom. But let my fate go where it will. Regarding my children, Creon, I beg you to take no care of my sons:
they are men, so that they will never lack the means to live wherever they should be. My two girls, poor hapless ones—who never knew my table spread separately, or lacked their father’s presence, but always had a share of all that
reached my hands—I implore you to take care of them. And, if you can, allow me to touch them with my hands, and to indulge my grief. Grant it, prince, grant it, noble heart. Ah, if I could but once touch them with my hands, I would think that I had them
just as when I had sight.
Creon’s Attendants lead in the children, Antigone and Ismene.

> Greek: καίτοι τοσοῦτόν γʼ οἶδα, μήτε μʼ ἂν νόσον
μήτʼ ἄλλο πέρσαι μηδέν· οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε
θνῄσκων ἐσώθην, μὴ ʼπί τῳ δεινῷ κακῷ.
ἀλλʼ ἡ μὲν ἡμῶν μοῖρʼ, ὅποιπερ εἶσʼ, ἴτω·
παίδων δὲ τῶν μὲν ἀρσένων μή μοι, Κρέων,
προσθῇ μέριμναν· ἄνδρες εἰσίν, ὥστε μὴ
σπάνιν ποτὲ σχεῖν, ἔνθʼ ἂν ὦσι, τοῦ βίου·
ταῖν δʼ ἀθλίαιν οἰκτραῖν τε παρθένοιν ἐμαῖν,
αἷν οὔποθʼ ἡμὴ χωρὶς ἐστάθη βορᾶς
τράπεζʼ ἄνευ τοῦδʼ ἀνδρός, ἀλλʼ ὅσων ἐγὼ
ψαύοιμι, πάντων τῶνδʼ ἀεὶ μετειχέτην·
αἷν μοι μέλεσθαι· καὶ μάλιστα μὲν χεροῖν
ψαῦσαί μʼ ἔασον κἀποκλαύσασθαι κακά.
ἴθʼ ὦναξ,
ἴθʼ ὦ γονῇ γενναῖε· χερσί τἂν θιγὼν
δοκοῖμʼ ἔχειν σφᾶς, ὥσπερ ἡνίκʼ ἔβλεπον.

[¶154] What is this? Oh, gods, can it be my loved ones that I hear sobbing, can Creon have taken pity on me and sent my children, my darlings?

> Greek: τί φημί;
οὐ δὴ κλύω που πρὸς θεῶν τοῖν μοι φίλοιν
δακρυρροούντοιν, καί μʼ ἐποικτίρας Κρέων
ἔπεμψέ μοι τὰ φίλτατʼ ἐκγόνοιν ἐμοῖν;

[¶155] Am I right?

> Greek: λέγω τι;

[¶156] Creon:
You are. I have brought this about, for I knew the joy which you have long had from them—the joy you now have.

> Greek: Κρέων:
λέγεις· ἐγὼ γὰρ εἰμʼ ὁ πορσύνας τάδε,
γνοὺς τὴν παροῦσαν τέρψιν, ἥ σʼ εἶχεν πάλαι.

[¶157] Oedipus:
Bless you, and for this errand may the god prove a kinder guardian to you than he has to me.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλʼ εὐτυχοίης, καί σε τῆσδε τῆς ὁδοῦ
δαίμων ἄμεινον ἢ ʼμὲ φρουρήσας τύχοι.

[¶158] My children, where are you? Come, here, here to the hands of the one whose mother was your own, the hands that have made your father’s once bright eyes to be such orbs as these—his, who seeing nothing, knowing nothing,
became your father by her from whom he was born! For you also do I weep, though I cannot see you, when I think of the bitter life that men will make you live in days to come. To what company of the citizens will you go, to what festival,
from which you will not return home in tears, not sharing in the holiday? But when you reach a ripe age for marriage, who shall he be, who shall be the man, my daughters, to risk taking upon himself the reproaches
that will certainly be baneful to my offspring and yours? What misery is lacking? Your father killed his own father, and bore you from the source of his own being!

> Greek: ὦ τέκνα, ποῦ ποτʼ ἐστέ; δεῦρʼ ἴτʼ, ἔλθετε
ὡς τὰς ἀδελφὰς τάσδε τὰς ἐμὰς χέρας,
αἳ τοῦ φυτουργοῦ πατρὸς ὑμὶν ὧδʼ ὁρᾶν
τὰ πρόσθε λαμπρὰ προυξένησαν ὄμματα·
ὃς ὑμίν, ὦ τέκνʼ, οὔθʼ ὁρῶν οὔθʼ ἱστορῶν
πατὴρ ἐφάνθην ἔνθεν αὐτὸς ἠρόθην.
καὶ σφὼ δακρύω· προσβλέπειν γὰρ οὐ σθένω·
νοούμενος τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ πικροῦ βίου,
οἷον βιῶναι σφὼ πρὸς ἀνθρώπων χρεών.
ποίας γὰρ ἀστῶν ἥξετʼ εἰς ὁμιλίας,
ποίας δʼ ἑορτάς, ἔνθεν οὐ κεκλαυμέναι
πρὸς οἶκον ἵξεσθʼ ἀντὶ τῆς θεωρίας;
ἀλλʼ ἡνίκʼ ἂν δὴ πρὸς γάμων ἥκητʼ ἀκμάς,
τίς οὗτος ἔσται, τίς παραρρίψει, τέκνα,
τοιαῦτʼ ὀνείδη λαμβάνων, ἃ ταῖς ἐμαῖς
γοναῖσιν ἔσται σφῷν θʼ ὁμοῦ δηλήματα;
τί γὰρ κακῶν ἄπεστι; τὸν πατέρα πατὴρ
ὑμῶν ἔπεφνε· τὴν τεκοῦσαν ἤροσεν,
ὅθεν περ αὐτὸς ἐσπάρη, κἀκ τῶν ἴσων
ἐκτήσαθʼ ὑμᾶς, ὧνπερ αὐτὸς ἐξέφυ.

[¶159] Such are the taunts that will be cast at you. And who then will wed you? The man does not live, no, it cannot be, my children, but you will wither in barren maidenhood. Son of Menoeceus, hear me: since you are the only father left to them—we, their parents, are both gone—
do not allow them to wander poor and unwed, for they are your own kin, nor abase them to the level of my woes. Pity them, seeing them deprived of everything but you at such an age.

> Greek: τοιαῦτʼ ὀνειδιεῖσθε· κᾆτα τίς γαμεῖ;
οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδείς, ὦ τέκνʼ, ἀλλὰ δηλαδὴ
χέρσους φθαρῆναι κἀγάμους ὑμᾶς χρεών.
ὦ παῖ Μενοικέως, ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ μόνος πατὴρ
ταύταιν λέλειψαι, νὼ γάρ, ὣ ʼφυτεύσαμεν,
ὀλώλαμεν δύʼ ὄντε, μή σφε περιίδῃς
πτωχὰς ἀνάνδρους ἐκγενεῖς ἀλωμένας,
μηδʼ ἐξισώσῃς τάσδε τοῖς ἐμοῖς κακοῖς.
ἀλλʼ οἴκτισόν σφας, ὧδε τηλικάσδʼ ὁρῶν
πάντων ἐρήμους, πλὴν ὅσον τὸ σὸν μέρος.

[¶160] Promise, noble man, and touch them with your hand. To you, children, I would have given much counsel, if your minds were mature. But now pray that you may live where occasion allows, and that the life which is your lot may be happier than your father’s.

> Greek: ξύννευσον, ὦ γενναῖε, σῇ ψαύσας χερί.
σφῷν δʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ, εἰ μὲν εἰχέτην ἤδη φρένας,
πόλλʼ ἂν παρῄνουν· νῦν δὲ τοῦτʼ εὔχεσθέ μοι,
οὗ καιρὸς ἐᾷ ζῆν, τοῦ βίου δὲ λῴονος
ὑμᾶς κυρῆσαι τοῦ φυτεύσαντος πατρός.

[¶161] Creon:
Your grief has had a sufficient scope: move on into the house.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἅλις ἵνʼ ἐξήκεις δακρύων· ἀλλʼ ἴθι στέγης ἔσω.

[¶162] Oedipus:
I must obey, though I do it in no way gladly.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
πειστέον, κεἰ μηδὲν ἡδύ.

[¶163] Creon:
Yes, for it is in season that all things are good.

> Greek: Κρέων:
πάντα γὰρ καιρῷ καλά.

[¶164] Oedipus:
Do you know on what terms I will go?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
οἶσθʼ ἐφʼ οἷς οὖν εἶμι;

[¶165] Creon:
You will tell me, and then I will know when I have heard them.

> Greek: Κρέων:
λέξεις, καὶ τότʼ εἴσομαι κλύων.

[¶166] Oedipus:
See that you send me to dwell outside this land.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
γῆς μʼ ὅπως πέμψεις ἄποικον.

[¶167] Creon:
You ask for what the god must give.

> Greek: Κρέων:
τοῦ θεοῦ μʼ αἰτεῖς δόσιν.

[¶168] Oedipus:
But to the gods I have become most hateful.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἀλλὰ θεοῖς γʼ ἔχθιστος ἥκω.

[¶169] Creon:
Then you will quickly get your wish.

> Greek: Κρέων:
τοιγαροῦν τεύξει τάχα.

[¶170] Oedipus:
So you consent?

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
φῂς τάδʼ οὖν;

[¶171] Creon:
It is not my way to say idly what I do not mean.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἃ μὴ φρονῶ γὰρ οὐ φιλῶ λέγειν μάτην.

[¶172] Oedipus:
Then it is time to lead me away.

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
ἄπαγέ νύν μʼ ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη.

[¶173] Creon:
Come, then, but let your children go.

> Greek: Κρέων:
στεῖχέ νυν, τέκνων δʼ ἀφοῦ.

[¶174] Oedipus:
No, do not take them from me!

> Greek: Οἰδίπους:
μηδαμῶς ταύτας γʼ ἕλῃ μου.

[¶175] Creon:
Do not wish to be master in all things: the mastery which you did attain has not followed you through life.

> Greek: Κρέων:
πάντα μὴ βούλου κρατεῖν·
καὶ γὰρ ἁκράτησας οὔ σοι τῷ βίῳ ξυνέσπετο.

[¶176] Chorus:
Residents of our native Thebes, behold, this is Oedipus,
who knew the renowned riddle, and was a most mighty man. What citizen did not gaze on his fortune with envy? See into what a stormy sea of troubles he has come! Therefore, while our eyes wait to see the final destined day, we must call no mortal happy until
he has crossed life’s border free from pain.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πάτρας Θήβης ἔνοικοι, λεύσσετʼ, Οἰδίπους ὅδε,
ὃς τὰ κλείνʼ αἰνίγματʼ ᾔδει καὶ κράτιστος ἦν ἀνήρ,
οὗ τίς οὐ ζήλῳ πολιτῶν ἦν τύχαις ἐπιβλέπων,
εἰς ὅσον κλύδωνα δεινῆς συμφορᾶς ἐλήλυθεν.
ὥστε θνητὸν ὄντα κείνην τὴν τελευταίαν ἰδεῖν
ἡμέραν ἐπισκοποῦντα μηδένʼ ὀλβίζειν, πρὶν ἂν
τέρμα τοῦ βίου περάσῃ μηδὲν ἀλγεινὸν παθών.