Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Evangelinus Apostolides Sophocles
Authors: Sophocles, Evangelinus Apostolides Sophocles
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accusation against Oedipus they must have some proof, lit. a "touchstone" ( basanos ) to remove their doubt. Because no touchstone is available, they withhold any accusation.
607 no proof Lit. "touchstone" ( basanos ). The Chorus seeks a touchstone (which streaks black when rubbed with true gold) before it will accept Tiresias' accusations. Such a touchstone would be some feud or crime that set the Corinthian royal house against the Theban House of Kadmos. But no such feud or crime is known to the Chorus.
619 charges proved against him Here again the word "touchstone" is used, this time in a verbal form.
647 master's murderer Oedipus' language is perhaps purposely ambiguous: he accuses Kreon proleptically of his own murder; but the phrase could accuse Kreon of Laius' murder also.
674 Laius? Kreon has not yet heard Tiresias' charges, hence his surprise.
681 investigate the murder Oedipus may be hinting here that the investigation of Laius' murder was less than thorough.
698 rationally The striking characteristic of Kreon is his pedantic reasonableness, which contrasts sharply with Oedipus' impatient quick-
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ness. Kreon's laborious catalogue of the disadvantages of kingship may be heartfelt, but its pompous rhetorical expression generates suspicion in Oedipus.
706 To be king These protestations should be compared with Kreon's later acceptance of the kingship.
718 Nor would I join someone This oblique reference is probably to Tiresias. Kreon accepts the possibility that Tiresias is treasonous in his accusations; he clearly does not believe such accusations against Oedipus to be valid.
743 your death Oedipus chooses the harsher penalty of the two Delphi proposed to cure Thebes (see l. 116). But Oedipus may have in mind simply the normal punishment for treason.
744 If you will begin . . . ''envy" The text, in the judgment of many scholars, may be corrupt at this point. Editors have attempted to preserve continuous sense by reassigning the lines to other speakers and by positing the loss of a line after 625/745. Gould, however, argues plausibly that Kreon's proclivity for verbal analysis and socratic love of general laws may explain his apparent non sequitur, which attempts to deflect Oedipus from violence into philosophical debate. I accept Gould's defense of the manuscripts and translate the text as received.
766 or have me killed Kreon reverts to the choice of banishment or death proposed by the oracle he himself brought from Delphi. He also may have assumed Oedipus' recent threat of death to have been hyperbole.
768 technique is lying prophecy Lit. "evil arts." The implication is that Kreon has employed Tiresias to make false charges disguised as prophecy to destroy Oedipus. Such use of prophecy was a part of fifth-century Greek political life.
769 I ask the gods Kreon makes a formal declaration of innocence which invokes the gods; his innocence is instantly respected as valid by all but Oedipus.
774 Give in Ll. 774823 are a kommos, a sung expression of grief or strong emotion in which the Chorus joins one or more of the main characters. To judge by the root meaning of kommos, which is beat, this portion must have had a more strongly accented rhythm than the rest of the dialogue. Here the strong emotion might be the realization by all present of the gravity of what is happening.
786 No! We ask neither Though the Chorus reveres Oedipus for the success and prosperity of his kingship, it does not follow him in
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the harsh alternatives his quick mind poses: Oedipus sees that if Kreon's conspiracy is not stamped out, it will lead ultimately to his own destruction. The Chorus gropes for a less severe outcome. The gradual detachment of the Chorus from identification with Oedipus will emerge as his life is revealed to them.
787 the Sun The Sun appears as source of final appeal frequently in tragedy, as it will later at l. 1635 when Kreon orders Oedipus out of its ''nurturing light."
793 let him
607 no proof Lit. "touchstone" ( basanos ). The Chorus seeks a touchstone (which streaks black when rubbed with true gold) before it will accept Tiresias' accusations. Such a touchstone would be some feud or crime that set the Corinthian royal house against the Theban House of Kadmos. But no such feud or crime is known to the Chorus.
619 charges proved against him Here again the word "touchstone" is used, this time in a verbal form.
647 master's murderer Oedipus' language is perhaps purposely ambiguous: he accuses Kreon proleptically of his own murder; but the phrase could accuse Kreon of Laius' murder also.
674 Laius? Kreon has not yet heard Tiresias' charges, hence his surprise.
681 investigate the murder Oedipus may be hinting here that the investigation of Laius' murder was less than thorough.
698 rationally The striking characteristic of Kreon is his pedantic reasonableness, which contrasts sharply with Oedipus' impatient quick-
page_78
Page 78
ness. Kreon's laborious catalogue of the disadvantages of kingship may be heartfelt, but its pompous rhetorical expression generates suspicion in Oedipus.
706 To be king These protestations should be compared with Kreon's later acceptance of the kingship.
718 Nor would I join someone This oblique reference is probably to Tiresias. Kreon accepts the possibility that Tiresias is treasonous in his accusations; he clearly does not believe such accusations against Oedipus to be valid.
743 your death Oedipus chooses the harsher penalty of the two Delphi proposed to cure Thebes (see l. 116). But Oedipus may have in mind simply the normal punishment for treason.
744 If you will begin . . . ''envy" The text, in the judgment of many scholars, may be corrupt at this point. Editors have attempted to preserve continuous sense by reassigning the lines to other speakers and by positing the loss of a line after 625/745. Gould, however, argues plausibly that Kreon's proclivity for verbal analysis and socratic love of general laws may explain his apparent non sequitur, which attempts to deflect Oedipus from violence into philosophical debate. I accept Gould's defense of the manuscripts and translate the text as received.
766 or have me killed Kreon reverts to the choice of banishment or death proposed by the oracle he himself brought from Delphi. He also may have assumed Oedipus' recent threat of death to have been hyperbole.
768 technique is lying prophecy Lit. "evil arts." The implication is that Kreon has employed Tiresias to make false charges disguised as prophecy to destroy Oedipus. Such use of prophecy was a part of fifth-century Greek political life.
769 I ask the gods Kreon makes a formal declaration of innocence which invokes the gods; his innocence is instantly respected as valid by all but Oedipus.
774 Give in Ll. 774823 are a kommos, a sung expression of grief or strong emotion in which the Chorus joins one or more of the main characters. To judge by the root meaning of kommos, which is beat, this portion must have had a more strongly accented rhythm than the rest of the dialogue. Here the strong emotion might be the realization by all present of the gravity of what is happening.
786 No! We ask neither Though the Chorus reveres Oedipus for the success and prosperity of his kingship, it does not follow him in
page_79
Page 79
the harsh alternatives his quick mind poses: Oedipus sees that if Kreon's conspiracy is not stamped out, it will lead ultimately to his own destruction. The Chorus gropes for a less severe outcome. The gradual detachment of the Chorus from identification with Oedipus will emerge as his life is revealed to them.
787 the Sun The Sun appears as source of final appeal frequently in tragedy, as it will later at l. 1635 when Kreon orders Oedipus out of its ''nurturing light."
793 let him
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