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    Oedipus at Colonos
    Oedipus at Colonos
    Oedipus at Colonos
    Ebook77 pages54 minutes

    Oedipus at Colonos

    By Sophocles

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    Oedipus was the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta. Before he was born, his parents consulted the Oracle at Delphi. The Oracle prophesied that Oedipus would murder his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to prevent this prophecy's fulfillment, Laius ordered Oedipus's feet to be bound together, and pierced with a stake. Afterwards, the baby was given to a herdsman who was told to kill him. Unable to go through with his orders, he instead gave the child to a second herdsman who took the infant, Oedipus, to the king of Corinth, Polybus. Polybus adopted Oedipus as his son. Oedipus was raised as the crown prince of Corinth. Many years later Oedipus was told that Polybus was not his real father. Seeking the truth, he sought counsel from an Oracle and thus started the greatest tragedy ever written. The middle of the three Theban plays, 'Oedipus at Colonos' (Colonus) describes the end of Oedipus' tragic life, during which the blinded Oedipus discusses his fate as related by the oracle, and claims that he is not fully guilty.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStart Publishing LLC
    Release dateAug 24, 2015
    ISBN9781681464053
    Oedipus at Colonos
    Author

    Sophocles

    Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than or contemporary with those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides.

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      Book preview

      Oedipus at Colonos - Sophocles

      Oedipus at Colonos

      by Sophocles

      Translated by Lewis Campbell, M.A., LL.D.

      EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF GREEK IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS

      HONORARY FELLOW OF BALLIOL COLLEGE, OXFORD

      Start Publishing LLC

      Copyright © 2015 by Start Publishing LLC

      All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

      First Start Publishing eBook edition July 2015

      Start Publishing is a registered trademark of Start Publishing LLC

      Manufactured in the United States of America

      10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

      ISBN 13: 978-1-68146-405-3

      THE PERSONS

      Oedipus, old and blind.

      Antigone, his daughter, a young girl.

      Ismene, his daughter, a young girl.

      Chorus of Village Guardians.

      An Athenian.

      Theseus, King of Athens.

      Creon, Envoy from Thebes.

      Polynices, the elder son of Oedipus.

      Messenger.

      Scene. Colonos.

      Oedipus had remained at Thebes for some time after his fall. But he was afterwards banished by the command of Creon, with the consent of his own sons. Their intention at first was to lay no claim to the throne. But by-and-by ambition prevailed with Eteocles, the younger-born, and he persuaded Creon and the citizens to banish his elder brother. Polynices took refuge at Argos, where he married the daughter of Adrastus, and levied an army of auxiliaries to support his pretensions to the throne of Thebes. Before going into exile Oedipus had cursed his sons.

      Antigone after a while fled forth to join her father and support him in his wanderings. Ismenè also once brought him secret intelligence.

      Years have now elapsed, and the Delphian oracle proclaims that if Oedipus dies in a foreign land the enemies of Thebes shall overcome her.

      In ignorance of this fact, Oedipus, now aged as well as blind, and led by his daughter Antigone, appears before the grove of the Eumenides, at Colonos, in the neighbourhood of Athens. He has felt an inward intimation, which is strengthened by some words of the oracle received by him long since at Delphi, that his involuntary crimes have been atoned for, and that the Avenging Deities will now receive him kindly and make his cause their own.

      After some natural hesitation on the part of the village-councillors of Colonos, Oedipus is received with princely magnanimity by Theseus, who takes him under the protection of Athens, and defends him against the machinations of Creon.

      Thus the blessing of the Gods, which Oedipus carried with him, is secured to Athens, and denied to Thebes. The craft of Creon and the prayers of Polynices alike prove unavailing. Then the man of many sorrows, whose essential nobleness has survived them all, passes away mysteriously from the sight of men.

      The scene is laid at Colonos, a suburb of Athens much frequented by the upper classes, especially the Knights (see Thuc. viii. 67); and before the sacred grove of the Eumenides, or Gentle Goddesses, a euphemistic title for the Erinyes, or Goddesses of Vengeance.

      Oedipus at Colonos

      Oedipus. Antigone.

      Oedipus. Antigone, child of the old blind sire,

      What land is here, what people? Who to-day

      Shall dole to Oedipus, the wandering exile,

      Their meagre gifts? Little I ask, and less

      Receive with full contentment; for my woes,

      And the long years ripening the noble mind,

      Have schooled me to endure.—But, O my child,

      If thou espiest where we may sit, though near

      Some holy precinct, stay me and set me there,

      Till we may learn where we are come. ‘Tis ours

      To hear the will of strangers and to obey.

      Antigone. Woe-wearied father, yonder city’s wall

      That shields her, looks far distant; but this ground

      Is surely sacred, thickly planted over

      With olive, bay and vine, within whose bowers

      Thick-fluttering song-birds make sweet melody.

      Here then repose thee on this unhewn stone.

      Thou hast travelled far to-day for one so old.

      Oed. Seat me, my child, and be the blind man’s guard.

      Ant. Long time hath well instructed me in that.

      Oed. Now, canst thou tell me where we have set our feet?

      Ant. Athens I know, but not the nearer ground.

      Oed. Ay, every man that met us in the way

      Named Athens.

      Ant.               Shall I go, then, and find out

      The name of the spot?

      Oed.                          Yes, if ‘tis habitable.

      Ant. It is inhabited. Yet I need not go.

      I see a man even now approaching here.

      Oed. How? Makes he towards us? Is he drawing nigh?

      Ant. He is close beside us. Whatsoe’er thou findest

      Good to be spoken, say it. The man is here.

      Enter an Athenian.

      Oed. O stranger, learning from this maid, who sees

      Both for herself and me, that thou art come

      With timely light to clear our troubled thought—

      Athenian. Ere thou ask more, come forth from where thou sittest!

      Ye trench on soil forbidden human tread.

      Oed. What soil? And to what Power thus consecrate?

      Ath. None may go near, nor dwell there. ‘Tis possessed

      By the dread sisters, children of Earth and Night.

      Oed. What holy name will please them, if I pray?

      Ath. ‘All seeing Gentle Powers’ the dwellers here

      Would call them. But each land hath its

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