for a man most noble and a king who has perished, but to search it out.
νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ κυρῶ γʼ ἐγὼ §259ἔχων μὲν ἀρχὰς ἃς ἐκεῖνος εἶχε πρίν, §260ἔχων δὲ λέκτρα καὶ γυναῖχʼ ὁμόσπορον, §261κοινῶν τε παίδων κοίνʼ ἄν, εἰ κείνῳ γένος §262μὴ ʼδυστύχησεν, ἦν ἂν ἐκπεφυκότα· §263νῦν δʼ ἐς τὸ κείνου κρᾶτʼ ἐνήλαθʼ ἡ τύχη·
But now, since I happen to hold the offices which he held before, and hold his bed and the wife shared in common, and common ties of common children would, if his lineage had not been unfortunate, have been born between us; but now fortune has leapt upon his head.
§264ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐγὼ τάδʼ, ὡσπερεὶ τοὐμοῦ πατρός, §265ὑπερμαχοῦμαι κἀπὶ πᾶν ἀφίξομαι, §266ζητῶν τὸν αὐτόχειρα τοῦ φόνου λαβεῖν, §267τῷ Λαβδακείῳ παιδὶ Πολυδώρου τε καὶ §268τοῦ πρόσθε Κάδμου τοῦ πάλαι τʼ Ἀγήνορος.
For these reasons I will fight on behalf of this cause as if for my own father, and will go to every length, seeking to seize the murderer who committed the deed, for the son of Labdacus, and of Polydorus, and of Cadmus of old, and of ancient Agenor.
§269καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς μὴ δρῶσιν εὔχομαι θεοὺς §270μήτʼ ἄροτον αὐτοῖς γῆς ἀνιέναι τινὰ §271μήτʼ οὖν γυναικῶν παῖδας, ἀλλὰ τῷ πότμῳ §272τῷ νῦν φθερεῖσθαι κἄτι τοῦδʼ ἐχθίονι·
And for those who do not do these things, I pray that the gods may send up for them no harvest of the land, nor children from their wives, but that they may be destroyed by the present fate, and by one still more hateful than this.
§273ὑμῖν δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοισι Καδμείοις, ὅσοις §274τάδʼ ἔστʼ ἀρέσκονθʼ, ἥ τε σύμμαχος Δίκη §275χοἰ πάντες εὖ ξυνεῖεν εἰσαεὶ θεοί.
But for you, the other Cadmeans, to whomsoever these words are pleasing, may Justice our ally and all the gods be with you graciously forever.
§276ὥσπερ μʼ ἀραῖον ἔλαβες, ὧδʼ, ἄναξ, ἐρῶ.
Chorus Leader: As you have bound me by your curse, my lord, so will I speak.
For I neither killed him, nor can I point out the killer.
τὸ δὲ ζήτημα τοῦ πέμψαντος ἦν §279Φοίβου τόδʼ εἰπεῖν, ὅστις εἴργασταί ποτε.
But this inquiry was for Phoebus, who sent the oracle, to tell who on earth has done it.
Oedipus: You have spoken justly; but to compel the gods to do what they do not wish, no man alive could do.
§282τὰ δεύτερʼ ἐκ τῶνδʼ ἂν λέγοιμʼ ἁμοὶ δοκεῖ.
Chorus Leader: I would say what seems to me the second best course after this.
§283εἰ καὶ τρίτʼ ἐστί, μὴ παρῇς τὸ μὴ οὐ φράσαι.
Oedipus: Even if there is a third, do not fail to speak it.
§284ἄνακτʼ ἄνακτι ταὔθʼ ὁρῶντʼ ἐπίσταμαι §285μάλιστα Φοίβῳ Τειρεσίαν, παρʼ οὗ τις ἂν §286σκοπῶν τάδʼ, ὦναξ, ἐκμάθοι σαφέστατα.
Chorus Leader: I know that lord Tiresias sees the very same things as lord Phoebus; from him, my lord, anyone inquiring into these things might learn them most clearly.
§287ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐν ἀργοῖς οὐδὲ τοῦτʼ ἐπραξάμην.
Oedipus: But I have not kept even this among things neglected.
For on Creon's suggestion I have sent twofold messengers; and his not being here has long been a wonder.
§290καὶ μὴν τά γʼ ἄλλα κωφὰ καὶ παλαίʼ ἔπη.
Chorus Leader: Indeed, the other reports are but mute and old rumors.
§291τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα;
Oedipus: What kind are they?
πάντα γὰρ σκοπῶ λόγον.
For I examine every word.
§292θανεῖν ἐλέχθη πρός τινων ὁδοιπόρων.
Chorus Leader: It was said that he died at the hands of certain wayfarers.
§293ἤκουσα κἀγώ. τὸν δʼ ἰδόντʼ οὐδεὶς ὁρᾷ.
Oedipus: I too heard that; but no one sees the one who saw it.
Chorus Leader: Yet, if he has any share of fear, hearing such curses of yours, he will not remain.
§296ᾧ μή ʼστι δρῶντι τάρβος, οὐδʼ ἔπος φοβεῖ.
Oedipus: To him who has no fear in doing, neither does a word frighten.
§297ἀλλʼ οὑξελέγξων αὐτὸν ἔστιν· οἵδε γὰρ §298τὸν θεῖον ἤδη μάντιν ὧδʼ ἄγουσιν, ᾧ §299τἀληθὲς ἐμπέφυκεν ἀνθρώπων μόνῳ.
Chorus Leader: But there is one who will convict him; for here they are already bringing the divine prophet, in whom alone of men the truth is inborn.
§300ὦ πάντα νωμῶν Τειρεσία, διδακτά τε §301ἄρρητά τʼ, οὐράνιά τε καὶ χθονοστιβῆ, §302πόλιν μέν, εἰ καὶ μὴ βλέπεις, φρονεῖς δʼ ὅμως §303οἵᾳ νόσῳ σύνεστιν· ἧς σὲ προστάτην §304σωτῆρά τʼ, ὦναξ, μοῦνον ἐξευρίσκομεν.
Oedipus: O Tiresias, who direct all things, both what can be taught and what must not be spoken, things of heaven and things that tread the earth, though you cannot see, you nevertheless perceive in your mind what a plague holds our city; of which we find you, O king, as our sole champion and savior.
§305Φοῖβος γάρ, εἴ τι μὴ κλύεις τῶν ἀγγέλων, §306πέμψασιν ἡμῖν ἀντέπεμψεν, ἔκλυσιν §307μόνην ἂν ἐλθεῖν τοῦδε τοῦ νοσήματος, §308εἰ τοὺς κτανόντας Λάϊον μαθόντες εὖ §309κτείναιμεν ἢ γῆς φυγάδας ἐκπεμψαίμεθα.
For Phoebus, if indeed you have not heard it from the messengers, sent back word to us who sent to him, that the only release from this plague would come, if we, having well discovered those who killed Laius, should slay them or drive them as exiles from the land.
§310σύ νυν φθονήσας μήτʼ ἀπʼ οἰωνῶν φάτιν §311μήτʼ εἴ τινʼ ἄλλην μαντικῆς ἔχεις ὁδόν, §312ῥῦσαι σεαυτὸν καὶ πόλιν, ῥῦσαι δʼ ἐμέ, §313ῥῦσαι δὲ πᾶν μίασμα τοῦ τεθνηκότος.
Do you then, blaming neither the voice from birds nor any other way of prophecy you have, rescue yourself and the city, and rescue me, and rescue us from all pollution of the dead man.
For we are in your hands; and for a man to help others by what he has and can do, is the noblest of labors.
§316φεῦ φεῦ, φρονεῖν ὡς δεινὸν ἔνθα μὴ τέλη
Tiresias: Alas, alas!
§317λύῃ φρονοῦντι·
How terrible it is to know where it does not profit him who knows!
ταῦτα γὰρ καλῶς ἐγὼ §318εἰδὼς διώλεσʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην.
For though I knew this well, I let it slip from my mind; otherwise I would not have come here.
§319τί δʼ ἔστιν;
Oedipus: What is it?
ὡς ἄθυμος εἰσελήλυθας.
How despondent you have entered!
Tiresias: Let me go home; for most easily will you bear your own burden, and I mine, if you will listen to me.
Oedipus: You speak neither in accordance with custom nor with friendship to this city which nurtured you, in withholding this response.
Tiresias: For I see that your speech does not go to your benefit; therefore, so that I may not suffer the same...
Oedipus: By the gods, do not turn away if you know, since all of us here as suppliants bow down to you.
§328πάντες γὰρ οὐ φρονεῖτʼ·
Tiresias: For you all lack understanding.
ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ μή ποτε §329τἄμʼ, ὡς ἂν εἴπω μὴ τὰ σʼ, ἐκφήνω κακά.
But I will never reveal my secrets—so as not to speak of your evils.