§886κακά νιν ἕλοιτο μοῖρα, §887δυσπότμου χάριν χλιδᾶς, §888εἰ μὴ τὸ κέρδος κερδανεῖ δικαίως §890καὶ τῶν ἀσέπτων ἔρξεται §891ἢ τῶν ἀθίκτων θίξεται ματᾴζων.
May a bad fate seize him, on account of his ill-starred pride, if he does not gain his profit justly, and keep himself from unholy deeds, or if he touches what should not be touched in his folly.
In such circumstances, what man will still boast to ward off the arrows of the gods from his soul?
For if such deeds are held in honor, why should I join in the sacred dance?
§897οὐκέτι τὸν ἄθικτον εἶμι γᾶς ἐπʼ ὀμφαλὸν σέβων, §900οὐδʼ ἐς τὸν Ἀβαῖσι ναὸν οὐδὲ τὰν Ὀλυμπίαν, §901εἰ μὴ τάδε χειρόδεικτα §902πᾶσιν ἁρμόσει βροτοῖς.
No longer will I go to worship at the untouchable center of the earth, nor to the temple at Abae, nor to Olympia, unless these prophecies harmonize clearly for all mortals.
§903ἀλλʼ, ὦ κρατύνων, εἴπερ ὄρθʼ ἀκούεις, §905Ζεῦ, πάντʼ ἀνάσσων, μὴ λάθοι §906σὲ τάν τε σὰν ἀθάνατον αἰὲν ἀρχάν.
But, O ruling lord, if indeed you are rightly called, Zeus, who govern all things, let this not escape you and your eternal, immortal rule.
§907φθίνοντα γὰρ Λαΐου παλαίφατα §908θέσφατʼ ἐξαιροῦσιν ἤδη, §909κοὐδαμοῦ τιμαῖς Ἀπόλλων ἐμφανής· §910ἔρρει δὲ τὰ θεῖα.
For the ancient prophecies concerning Laius, they are already setting them aside and destroying them, and nowhere is Apollo manifest in his honors; divine things are fading away.
§911χώρας ἄνακτες, δόξα μοι παρεστάθη §912ναοὺς ἱκέσθαι δαιμόνων, τάδʼ ἐν χεροῖν §913στέφη λαβούσῃ κἀπιθυμιάματα.
Lords of this land, the thought has come to me to visit the temples of the gods, taking in my hands these wreaths and offerings of incense.
§914ὑψοῦ γὰρ αἴρει θυμὸν Οἰδίπους ἄγαν §915λύπαισι παντοίαισιν· οὐδʼ ὁποῖʼ ἀνὴρ §916ἔννους τὰ καινὰ τοῖς πάλαι τεκμαίρεται, §917ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ τοῦ λέγοντος, εἰ φόβους λέγοι.
For Oedipus raises his heart too high with all kinds of griefs; nor, like a man of sound mind, does he judge the new things by the old, but he is at the mercy of the speaker, if anyone speaks of fears.
§918ὅτʼ οὖν παραινοῦσʼ οὐδὲν ἐς πλέον ποιῶ, §919πρὸς σʼ, ὦ Λύκειʼ Ἄπολλον, ἄγχιστος γὰρ εἶ, §920ἱκέτις ἀφῖγμαι τοῖσδε σὺν κατεύγμασιν, §921ὅπως λύσιν τινʼ ἡμὶν εὐαγῆ πόρῃς· §922ὡς νῦν ὀκνοῦμεν πάντες ἐκπεπληγμένον §923κεῖνον βλέποντες ὡς κυβερνήτην νεώς.
Since, then, by advising him I accomplish nothing more, to you, O Lycean Apollo, for you are nearest, I have come as a suppliant with these prayers, so that you may grant us some clean deliverance; for now we are all afraid, seeing him struck with panic, like the helmsman of a ship.
Could I learn from you, O strangers, where the palace of the tyrant Oedipus is?
§926μάλιστα δʼ αὐτὸν εἴπατʼ, εἰ κάτισθʼ ὅπου.
Most of all, tell me if you know where he himself is.
This is the house, and he himself is inside, O stranger; and this woman is the mother of his children.
May she be happy, and always among happy people, being his lawful and wedded wife.
§931αὔτως δὲ καὶ σύ γʼ, ὦ ξένʼ· ἄξιος γὰρ εἶ §932τῆς εὐεπείας εἵνεκʼ· ἀλλὰ φράζʼ ὅτου §933χρῄζων ἀφῖξαι χὤ τι σημῆναι θέλων.
Likewise may you also be, O stranger; for you are worthy on account of your polite words; but tell me what you have come seeking, and what you wish to make known.
§934ἀγαθὰ δόμοις τε καὶ πόσει τῷ σῷ, γύναι.
Good tidings for the house and for your husband, lady.
§935τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα;
What are they?
παρὰ τίνος δʼ ἀφιγμένος;
And from whom have you come?
From Corinth; and the word I am about to speak, you might rejoice at—how could you not?—yet perhaps you might grieve.
§938τί δʼ ἔστι;
What is it?
ποίαν δύναμιν ὧδʼ ἔχει διπλῆν;
What double power does it have in this way?
The inhabitants of the Isthmian land will make him tyrant, as was said there.
§941τί δʼ;
What?
οὐχ ὁ πρέσβυς Πόλυβος ἐγκρατὴς ἔτι;
Is old Polybus no longer in power?
§942οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί νιν θάνατος ἐν τάφοις ἔχει.
No, indeed, since death holds him in the grave.
§943πῶς εἶπας;
How did you say?
ἦ τέθνηκε Πόλυβος, ὦ γέρον;
Is Polybus dead, old man?
§944εἰ μὴ λέγω τἀληθές, ἀξιῶ θανεῖν.
If I do not speak the truth, I deserve to die.
O handmaid, will you not go as quickly as possible and tell this to your master?
ὦ θεῶν μαντεύματα, §947ἵνʼ ἐστέ·
O oracles of the gods, where are you!
τοῦτον Οἰδίπους πάλαι τρέμων §948τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔφευγε μὴ κτάνοι, καὶ νῦν ὅδε §949πρὸς τῆς τύχης ὄλωλεν οὐδὲ τοῦδʼ ὕπο.
This man Oedipus long ago, fearing, avoided, lest he should kill him, and now he has perished by fortune, and not by him.
O dearest head of my wife Jocasta, why did you send for me out of this house?
Listen to this man, and observe as you hear where the solemn oracles of the god have come.
§954οὗτος δὲ τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶ καὶ τί μοι λέγει;
Who is this man, and what does he say to me?
He is from Corinth, announcing that your father Polybus is no longer alive, but has perished.
§957τί φῄς, ξένʼ;
What do you say, stranger?
αὐτός μοι σὺ σημάντωρ γενοῦ.
Be yourself the messenger to me.
If I must first report this clearly, know well that he has gone on the path of death.
§960πότερα δόλοισιν ἢ νόσου ξυναλλαγῇ;
Was it by treachery, or by the onset of disease?
§961σμικρὰ παλαιὰ σώματʼ εὐνάζει ῥοπή.
A slight turn of the scale puts old bodies to rest.
§962νόσοις ὁ τλήμων, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἔφθιτο.
The wretched man, it seems, died of diseases.
§963καὶ τῷ μακρῷ γε συμμετρούμενος χρόνῳ.
And indeed, measured by his long life.
§964φεῦ φεῦ, τί δῆτʼ ἄν, ὦ γύναι, σκοποῖτό τι
Alas, alas!
§965τὴν Πυθόμαντιν ἑστίαν ἢ τοὺς ἄνω §966κλάζοντας ὄρνεις, ὧν ὑφηγητῶν ἐγὼ §967κτενεῖν ἔμελλον πατέρα τὸν ἐμόν;
Why indeed, lady, should anyone look to the Pythian hearth of prophecy, or to the birds screaming above, under whose guidance I was doomed to kill my father?
ὁ δὲ θανὼν §968κεύθει κάτω δὴ γῆς.
But he, dead, lies hidden beneath the earth.
ἐγὼ δʼ ὅδʼ ἐνθάδε §969ἄψαυστος ἔγχους· εἴ τι μὴ τὠμῷ πόθῳ
And I, here, have not touched a spear—unless he died of longing for me...