Antigone, child of the blind old man, to what regions have we come, or to the city of what men?
Who will welcome the wanderer Oedipus today with scanty gifts?
Asking for little, and receiving even less than that little, yet this is sufficient for me.
For my sufferings, and the long time spent with me, teach me patience, and thirdly my noble birth.
§9ἀλλʼ, ὦ τέκνον, θάκησιν εἴ τινα βλέπεις §10ἢ πρὸς βεβήλοις ἢ πρὸς ἄλσεσιν θεῶν, §11στῆσόν με κἀξίδρυσον, ὡς πυθώμεθα §12ὅπου ποτʼ ἐσμέν· μανθάνειν γὰρ ἥκομεν §13ξένοι πρὸς ἀστῶν, ἃν δʼ ἀκούσωμεν τελεῖν.
But, my child, if you see any seat, either on common ground or by the groves of the gods, stop me and set me down, so that we may learn where on earth we are; for we have come as strangers to learn from the citizens, and to perform what we hear.
§14πάτερ ταλαίπωρʼ Οἰδίπους, πύργοι μέν, οἳ §15πόλιν στέγουσιν, ὡς ἀπʼ ὀμμάτων, πρόσω· §16χῶρος δʼ ὅδʼ ἱερός, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι, βρύων §17δάφνης, ἐλαίας, ἀμπέλου· πυκνόπτεροι δʼ §18εἴσω κατʼ αὐτὸν εὐστομοῦσʼ ἀηδόνες·
My miserable father Oedipus, the towers that guard the city, to judge by my eyes, are far off; but this place is sacred, to all appearance, teeming with laurel, olive, and vine; and thick-feathered nightingales sing sweetly within it.
So bend your limbs here upon this unhewn stone; for you have traveled a long way for an old man.
§21κάθιζέ νύν με καὶ φύλασσε τὸν τυφλόν.
Seat me then, and guard the blind man.
§22χρόνου μὲν οὕνεκʼ οὐ μαθεῖν με δεῖ τόδε.
As far as time is concerned, I do not need to learn this.
§23ἔχεις διδάξαι δή μʼ ὅποι καθέσταμεν;
Can you then teach me where we have stopped?
§24τὰς γοῦν Ἀθήνας οἶδα, τὸν δὲ χῶρον οὔ.
At least I know we are in Athens, but I do not know this place.
§25πᾶς γάρ τις ηὔδα τοῦτό γʼ ἡμὶν ἐμπόρων.
For every traveler told us this, at least.
§26ἀλλʼ ὅστις ὁ τόπος ἦ μάθω μολοῦσά ποι;
But shall I go somewhere and learn what this place is?
§27ναί, τέκνον, εἴπερ ἐστί γʼ ἐξοικήσιμος.
Yes, my child, if indeed it is a place where people dwell.
§28ἀλλʼ ἐστὶ μὴν οἰκητός·
But indeed it is inhabited.
οἴομαι δὲ δεῖν §29οὐδέν· πέλας γὰρ ἄνδρα τόνδε νῷν ὁρῶ.
And I think there is no need; for I see a man near us.
§30ἦ δεῦρο προσστείχοντα κἀξορμώμενον;
Is he really approaching and moving toward us here?
§31καὶ δὴ μὲν οὖν παρόντα·
Nay, indeed he is already here.
χὤ τί σοι λέγειν §32εὔκαιρόν ἐστιν, ἔννεφʼ, ὡς ἀνὴρ ὅδε.
And whatever it is opportune for you to say, speak, for the man is here.
§33ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἀκούων τῆσδε τῆς ὑπέρ τʼ ἐμοῦ §34αὑτῆς θʼ ὁρώσης, οὕνεχʼ ἡμὶν αἴσιος §35σκοπὸς προσήκεις ὧν ἀδηλοῦμεν φράσαι— §36πρὶν νῦν τὰ πλείονʼ ἱστορεῖν, ἐκ τῆσδʼ ἕδρας §37ἔξελθʼ· ἔχεις γὰρ χῶρον οὐχ ἁγνὸν πατεῖν.
Stranger, hearing from this girl, who sees both for me and for herself, that you have come as an auspicious guide for us to explain what we are in doubt of— Before you ask more now, leave this seat; for you occupy ground that is not holy to tread upon.
§38τίς δʼ ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος;
And what is this place?
τοῦ θεῶν νομίζεται;
To which of the gods is it consecrated?
Untouched and uninhabited; for the dread goddesses hold it, the daughters of Earth and Darkness.
§41τίνων τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομʼ ἂν εὐξαίμην κλύων;
Whose solemn name might I hear and pray to?
The all-seeing Eumenides, as the people here at least would call them; but other names are fair elsewhere.
Then may they receive their suppliant graciously; since I will never again leave my seat on this land.
§46τί δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο;
What does this mean?
§46aξυμφορᾶς ξύνθημʼ ἐμῆς.
The watchword of my destiny.
But indeed, neither have I the courage to remove you without the city's authority, until at least I report what I am doing.
In the name of the gods, stranger, do not deny me respect, wanderer as I am, in those things which I entreat you to tell.
§51σήμαινε, κοὐκʼ ἄτιμος ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανεῖ.
Speak, and you shall not be denied respect by me.
§52τίς ἔσθʼ ὁ χῶρος δῆτʼ, ἐν ᾧ βεβήκαμεν;
What, then, is the place into which we have entered?
§53ὅσʼ οἶδα κἀγὼ πάντʼ ἐπιστήσει κλύων·
You shall know everything by hearing what I myself know.
§54χῶρος μὲν ἱερὸς πᾶς ὅδʼ ἔστʼ·
This whole place is sacred.
It is possessed by august Poseidon; and in it is the fire-bearing god, the Titan Prometheus.
But the spot you tread upon is called the bronze-shod threshold of this land, the stay of Athens.
οἱ δὲ πλησίοι γύαι §59τόνδʼ ἱππότην Κολωνὸν εὔχονται σφίσιν §60ἀρχηγὸν εἶναι καὶ φέρουσι τοὔνομα §61τὸ τοῦδε κοινὸν πάντες ὠνομασμένοι.
And the neighboring fields claim this horseman Colonus as their patron lord, and they all bear his name in common, being named after him.
Such are these places, stranger, honored not in story, but rather in our living with them.
§64ἦ γάρ τινες ναίουσι τούσδε τοὺς τόπους;
Are there indeed people who inhabit these places?
§65καὶ κάρτα, τοῦδε τοῦ θεοῦ γʼ ἐπώνυμοι.
Indeed there are, named after this god.
§66ἄρχει τις αὐτῶν ἢ ʼπὶ τῷ πλήθει λόγος;
Does someone rule them, or does the power lie with the multitude?
§67ἐκ τοῦ κατʼ ἄστυ βασιλέως τάδʼ ἄρχεται.
These parts are ruled by the king in the city.
§68οὗτος δὲ τίς λόγῳ τε καὶ σθένει κρατεῖ;
And who is this that rules in word and might?
§69Θησεὺς καλεῖται, τοῦ πρὶν Αἰγέως τόκος.
He is called Theseus, the son of Aegeus of old.
§70ἆρʼ ἄν τις αὐτῷ πομπὸς ἐξ ὑμῶν μόλοι;
Could some messenger from among you go to him?
§71ὡς πρὸς τί λέξων ἢ καταρτύσων μολεῖν;
To tell him what, or to arrange for him to come?
§72ὡς ἂν προσαρκῶν σμικρὰ κερδάνῃ μέγα.
So that by helping in a small thing, he may gain a great profit.
§73καὶ τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσις;
And what help can come from a man who cannot see?
§74ὅσʼ ἂν λέγωμεν πάνθʼ ὁρῶντα λέξομεν.
All that we shall say will be spoken with sight.