§434ὁπηνίκʼ ἔζει θυμός, ἥδιστον δέ μοι §435τὸ κατθανεῖν ἦν καὶ τὸ λευσθῆναι πέτροις, §436οὐδεὶς ἔρωτʼ ἐς τόνδʼ ἐφαίνετʼ ὠφελῶν·
(my) anger was boiling, and most pleasing to me was to die and to be stoned with stones, no one appeared helping this desire.
§437χρόνῳ δʼ, ὅτʼ ἤδη πᾶς ὁ μόχθος ἦν πέπων, §438κἀμάνθανον τὸν θυμὸν ἐκδραμόντα μοι §439μείζω κολαστὴν τῶν πρὶν ἡμαρτημένων, §440τὸ τηνίκʼ ἤδη τοῦτο μὲν πόλις βίᾳ §441ἤλαυνέ μʼ ἐκ γῆς χρόνιον, οἱ δʼ ἐπωφελεῖν, §442οἱ τοῦ πατρός, τῷ πατρὶ δυνάμενοι, τὸ δρᾶν §443οὐκ ἠθέλησαν, ἀλλʼ ἔπους σμικροῦ χάριν §444φυγάς σφιν ἔξω πτωχὸς ἠλώμην ἀεί.
But in time, when already all my distress was softened, and I began to learn that my anger had run out of bounds, a chastiser greater than my former sins, at that very time, on the one hand, the city drove me by force from the land after all that time; and on the other hand, those of the father, though able to help their father, to do this deed were unwilling, but for the sake of a small word, I wandered forever outside, an exile and a beggar to them.
§445ἐκ ταῖνδε δʼ, οὔσαιν παρθένοιν, ὅσον φύσις §446δίδωσιν αὐταῖν, καὶ τροφὰς ἔχω βίου §447καὶ γῆς ἄδειαν καὶ γένους ἐπάρκεσιν·
But from these two, who are maidens, as much as their nature allows them, I have both sustenance of life and safety of the land and the support of kinship.
But those two preferred, instead of their father, to rule over thrones, and to wield scepters and to play the tyrant over the land.
§450ἀλλʼ οὔ τι μὴ λάχωσι τοῦδε συμμάχου, §451οὐδέ σφιν ἀρχῆς τῆσδε Καδμείας ποτὲ §452ὄνησις ἥξει· τοῦτʼ ἐγῷδα, τῆσδέ τε §453μαντεῖʼ ἀκούων συννοῶν τε τἀξ ἐμοῦ §454παλαίφαθʼ ἁμοὶ Φοῖβος ἤνυσέν ποτε.
But by no means shall they gain me as an ally, nor shall any benefit from this Cadmean rule ever come to them; this I know, both hearing the oracles from this girl and reflecting on the ancient prophecies concerning myself, which Phoebus once accomplished for me.
Therefore, let them send Creon to seek me, and whoever else is powerful in the city.
§457ἐὰν γὰρ ὑμεῖς, ὦ ξένοι, θέληθʼ ὁμοῦ §458προστάτισι ταῖς σεμναῖσι δημούχοις θεαῖς §459ἀλκὴν ποεῖσθαι, τῇδε τῇ πόλει μέγαν §460σωτῆρʼ ἀρεῖσθε, τοῖς δʼ ἐμοῖς ἐχθροῖς πόνους.
For if you, strangers, are willing, along with the solemn goddesses who protect this deme, to make a defense, you will win a great savior for this city, and trouble for my enemies.
§461ἐπάξιος μέν, Οἰδίπους, κατοικτίσαι, §462αὐτός τε παῖδές θʼ αἵδʼ· ἐπεὶ δὲ τῆσδε γῆς §463σωτῆρα σαυτὸν τῷδʼ ἐπεμβάλλεις λόγῳ, §464παραινέσαι σοι βούλομαι τὰ σύμφορα.
Chorus: Oedipus, you are worthy of pity, both you and these children; and since you cast yourself as a savior of this land in this speech, I wish to advise you on what is advantageous.
§465ὦ φίλταθʼ, ὡς νῦν πᾶν τελοῦντι προξένει.
Oedipus: O dearest one, advise me, as now I will perform everything.
Chorus: Perform then a purification of these deities, to whom you first came and whose ground you trod upon.
§468τρόποισι ποίοις;
Oedipus: In what ways?
ὦ ξένοι, διδάσκετε.
O strangers, instruct me.
Chorus: First, bring holy libations from an ever-flowing spring, touching them with pure hands.
§471ὅταν δὲ τοῦτο χεῦμʼ ἀκήρατον λάβω;
Oedipus: And when I have taken this pure stream?
Chorus: There are mixing bowls, the work of a skilled man's hand; crown their rims and the handles on both sides.
§474θαλλοῖσιν ἢ κρόκαισιν, ἢ ποίῳ τρόπῳ;
Oedipus: With young branches, or woolen threads, or in what way?
Chorus: Taking the freshly-shorn fleece of a young ewe.
τὸ δʼ ἔνθεν ποῖ τελευτῆσαί με χρή;
Oedipus: Very well; and then, where must I make an end?
§477χοὰς χέασθαι στάντα πρὸς πρώτην ἕω.
Chorus: Stand facing the first dawn and pour the libations.
§478ἦ τοῖσδε κρωσσοῖς οἷς λέγεις χέω τάδε;
Oedipus: Do I pour these with these urns of which you speak?
§479τρισσάς γε πηγάς· τὸν τελευταῖον δʼ ὅλον.
Chorus: Yes, three streams; and pour out the last one entirely.
§480τοῦ τόνδε πλήσας θῶ;
Oedipus: With what shall I fill this one before I place it?
δίδασκε καὶ τόδε.
Teach me this too.
§481ὕδατος, μελίσσης· μηδὲ προσφέρειν μέθυ.
Chorus: With water and honey; but do not add wine.
§482ὅταν δὲ τούτων γῆ μελάμφυλλος τύχῃ;
Oedipus: And when the dark-foliaged earth has received these?
Chorus: Place thrice nine branches of olive with both hands upon her, and make these prayers.
§485τούτων ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι· μέγιστα γάρ.
Oedipus: These I wish to hear; for they are of greatest importance.
§486ὥς σφας καλοῦμεν Εὐμενίδας, ἐξ εὐμενῶν §487στέρνων δέχεσθαι τὸν ἱκέτην σωτήριον, §488αἰτοῦ σύ τʼ αὐτὸς κεἴ τις ἄλλος ἀντὶ σοῦ, §489ἄπυστα φωνῶν μηδὲ μηκύνων βοήν· §490ἔπειτʼ ἀφέρπειν ἄστροφος.
Chorus: That as we call them Eumenides (the Kindly Ones), so from kindly breasts they may receive the supplicant with salvation, pray both you yourself and whoever else prays instead of you, speaking inaudibly, and not prolonging the cry; then walk away without turning back.
And if you do these things, I would stand by you with confidence; otherwise, stranger, I would be afraid for you.
§493ὦ παῖδε, κλύετον τῶνδε προσχώρων ξένων;
Oedipus: My children, do you hear these neighbouring strangers?
§494ἠκούσαμέν τε χὤ τι δεῖ πρόστασσε δρᾶν.
Antigone and Ismene: We have heard; and command us what we must do.
§495ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐχ ὁδωτά· λείπομαι γὰρ ἐν §496τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι μήδʼ ὁρᾶν, δυοῖν κακοῖν· §497σφῷν δʼ ἁτέρα μολοῦσα πραξάτω τάδε.
Oedipus: For me, the way is not passable; for I am left behind in the inability to act and the lack of sight, two evils; but let one of you two go and perform these things.
For I think that even one soul, if she is present with goodwill, is sufficient to pay these dues instead of countless others.
§500ἀλλʼ ἐν τάχει τι πράσσετον· μόνον δέ με §501μὴ λείπετʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἂν σθένοι τοὐμὸν δέμας §502ἔρημον ἕρπειν οὐδʼ ὑφηγητοῦ δίχα.
But perform it with speed; only do not leave me alone; for my body would not have the strength to creep along empty and without a guide.
Ismene: But I will go to perform it; yet the place where I must find the things required, this I wish to learn.
Chorus: Beyond this grove, stranger; and if you have any lack, there is an inhabitant who will tell you.
§507χωροῖμʼ ἂν ἐς τόδʼ· Ἀντιγόνη, σὺ δʼ ἐνθάδε §508φύλασσε πατέρα τόνδε· τοῖς τεκοῦσι γὰρ §509οὐδʼ εἰ πονεῖ τις, δεῖ πόνου μνήμην ἔχειν.
Ismene: I would go to this; and Antigone, do you here watch over this father; for towards parents, even if one labors, one must not keep a memory of the labor.
§510δεινὸν μὲν τὸ πάλαι κείμενον ἤδη κακόν, ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἐπεγείρειν·
Chorus: It is terrible indeed, stranger, to awaken an evil that has already long lain quiet;