In general, both in lyrics and in dialogue, I believe I have allowed myself rather less freedom than in translating Euripides. This is partly because the writing of Euripides, being less business-like and more penetrated by philosophic reflections and by subtleties of technique, actually needs more thorough re-casting to express it at all adequately; partly because there is in Sophocles, amid all his passion and all his naturalness, a certain severe and classic reticence, which, though impossible really to reproduce by any method, is less misrepresented by occasional insufficiency than by habitual redundance.
I have asked pardon for an ill deed done twelve years ago. I should like to end by speaking of a benefit older still, and express something of the gratitude I feel to my old master, Francis Storr, whose teaching is still vivid in my mind and who first opened my eyes to the grandeur of the _Oedipus_.
G. M.
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
OEDIPUS, _supposed son of Polybus, King of Corinth; now elected King of Thebes._
JOCASTA, _Queen of Thebes; widow of Laius, the late King, and now wife to Oedipus._
CREON, _a Prince of Thebes, brother to Jocasta._
TIRESIAS, _an old blind seer._
PRIEST OF ZEUS.
A STRANGER _from Corinth._
A SHEPHERD _of King Laius._
A MESSENGER _from the Palace._
CHORUS of the Elders of Thebes.
A Crowd of Suppliants, men, women, and children.
The following do not appear in the play but are frequently mentioned:--
LAIUS (_pronounced as three syllables, La-i-us_), _the last King of Thebes before Oedipus._
CADMUS, _the founder of Thebes; son of Agenor, King of Sidon._
POLYBUS AND MEROPE, _King and Queen of Corinth, supposed to be the father and mother of Oedipus._
APOLLO, _the God specially presiding over the oracle of Delphi and the island Delos: he is also called_ PHOEBUS, _the pure;_ LOXIAS, _supposed to mean "He of the Crooked Words"; and_ LYKEIOS, _supposed to mean "Wolf-God." He is also the great Averter of Evil, and has names from the cries "I-e" (pronounced "Ee-ay") and "Paian," cries for healing or for the frightening away of evil influences._
KITHAIRON, _a mass of wild mountain south-west of Thebes._
ARGUMENT
While Thebes was under the rule of LAIUS and JOCASTA there appeared a strange and monstrous creature, "the riddling Sphinx," "the She-Wolf of the woven song," who in some unexplained way sang riddles of death and slew the people of Thebes. LAIUS went to ask aid of the oracle of Delphi, but was slain mysteriously on the road. Soon afterwards there came to Thebes a young Prince of Corinth, OEDIPUS, who had left his home and was wandering. He faced the Sphinx and read her riddle, whereupon she flung herself from her rock and died. The throne being vacant was offered to OEDIPUS, and with it the hand of the Queen, JOCASTA.
Some ten or twelve years afterwards a pestilence has fallen on Thebes. At this point the play begins.
_The date of the first production of the play is not known, but was probably about the year 425 B.C._
OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES
SCENE.--_Before the Palace of_ OEDIPUS _at Thebes. A crowd of suppliants of all ages are waiting by the altar in front and on the steps of the Palace; among them the_ PRIEST OF ZEUS. _As the Palace door opens and_ OEDIPUS _comes out all the suppliants with a cry move towards him in attitudes of prayer, holding out their olive branches, and then become still again as he speaks._
OEDIPUS.
My children, fruit of Cadmus' ancient tree New springing, wherefore thus with bended knee Press ye upon us, laden all with wreaths And suppliant branches? And the city breathes Heavy with incense, heavy with dim prayer And shrieks to affright the Slayer.--Children, care For this so moves me, I have scorned withal Message or writing: seeing 'tis I ye call, 'Tis I am come, world-honoured Oedipus. Old Man, do thou declare--the rest have thus Their champion--in what mood stand ye so still, In dread or sure hope? Know ye not, my will Is yours for aid 'gainst all? Stern were indeed The heart that felt not for so dire a need.
[Sidenote: vv. 15-39]
PRIEST.
O Oedipus, who holdest in thy hand My city, thou canst see what ages stand At these thine altars; some whose little wing Scarce flieth yet, and some with long living O'erburdened; priests, as I of Zeus am priest, And chosen youths: and wailing hath not ceased Of thousands in the market-place, and by Athena's two-fold temples and the dry Ash of Ismenus' portent-breathing shore. For all our ship, thou see'st, is weak and sore Shaken with storms, and no more lighteneth Her head above the waves whose trough is death. She wasteth in the fruitless buds of earth, In parched herds and travail without birth Of dying women: yea, and midst of it A burning and a loathly god hath lit Sudden, and sweeps our land, this Plague of power; Till Cadmus' house grows empty, hour by hour, And Hell's house rich with steam of tears and blood. O King, not God indeed nor peer to God We deem thee, that we kneel before thine hearth, Children and old men, praying; but of earth A thing consummate by thy star confessed Thou walkest and by converse with the blest; Who came to Thebes so swift, and swept away The Sphinx's song, the tribute of dismay, That all were bowed beneath, and made us free. A stranger, thou, naught knowing more than we, Nor taught of any man, but by God's breath Filled, thou didst raise our life. So the world saith; So we say.
[Sidenote: vv. 40-69]
Therefore now, O Lord and Chief, We come to thee again; we lay our grief On thy head, if thou find us not some aid. Perchance thou hast heard Gods talking in the shade Of night, or eke some man: to him that knows, Men say, each chance that falls, each wind that blows Hath life, when he seeks counsel. Up, O chief Of men, and lift thy city from its grief; Face thine own peril! All our land doth hold Thee still our saviour, for that help of old: Shall they that tell of thee hereafter tell "By him was Thebes raised up, and after fell!" Nay, lift us till we slip no more. Oh, let That bird of old that made us fortunate Wing back; be thou our Oedipus again. And let thy kingdom be a land of men, Not emptiness. Walls, towers, and ships, they all Are nothing with no men to keep the wall.
OEDIPUS.
My poor, poor children! Surely long ago I have read your trouble. Stricken, well I know, Ye all are, stricken sore: yet verily Not one so stricken to the heart as I. Your grief, it cometh to each man apart For his own loss, none other's; but this heart For thee and me and all of us doth weep. Wherefore it is not to one sunk in sleep Ye come with waking. Many tears these days For your sake I have wept, and many ways Have wandered on the beating wings of thought. And, finding but one hope, that I have sought
[Sidenote: vv. 70-86]
And followed. I have sent Menoikeus' son, Creon, my own wife's brother, forth alone To Apollo's House in Delphi, there to ask What word, what deed of mine, what bitter task, May save my city. And the lapse of days Reckoned, I can but marvel what delays His journey. 'Tis beyond all thought that thus He comes not, beyond need. But when he does, Then call me false and traitor, if I flee Back from whatever task God sheweth me.
PRIEST.
At point of time thou speakest. Mark the cheer Yonder. Is that not Creon drawing near?
[_They all crowd to gaze where_ CREON _is approaching in the distance._
OEDIPUS.
O Lord Apollo, help! And be the star That guides him joyous as his seemings are!
PRIEST.
Oh! surely joyous! How else should he bear That fruited laurel wreathed about his hair?
OEDIPUS.
We soon shall know.--'Tis not too far for one Clear-voiced.
(_Shouting_) Ho, brother! Prince! Menoikeus' son, What message from the God?
[Sidenote: vv. 87-99]
CREON (from a distance).
Message of joy!
_Enter_ CREON
I tell thee, what is now our worst annoy, If the right deed be done, shall turn to good.
[_The crowd, which has been full of excited hope, falls to doubt and disappointment._
OEDIPUS.
Nay, but what is the message? For my blood Runs neither hot nor cold for words like those.
CREON.
Shall I speak now, with all these pressing close, Or pass within?--To me both ways are fair.
OEDIPUS.
Speak forth to all! The grief that these men bear Is more than any fear for mine own death.
CREON.
I speak then what I heard from God.--Thus saith Phoebus, our Lord and Seer, in clear command. An unclean thing there is, hid in our land, Eating the soil thereof: this ye shall cast Out, and not foster till all help be past.
OEDIPUS.
How cast it out? What was the evil deed?
[Sidenote: vv. 100-113]
CREON.
Hunt the men out from Thebes, or make them bleed Who slew. For blood it is that stirs to-day.
OEDIPUS.
Who was the man they killed? Doth Phoebus say?
CREON.