1 Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus Introduced and Translated by ...

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OEDIPUS Don’t ask me now. 740 What did Laius look like, and how old was he JOCASTA He was dark, and his hair was just turning gray. He looked rather like you. OEDIPUS Oh, without knowing, I may have cursed myself. I’m afraid to look at you now. JOCASTA OEDIPUS I have a terrible feeling that the blind seer could see, but tell me something else. JOCASTA I am afraid, but whatever you ask, I’ll tell you what I know. OEDIPUS Did he travel with a few people, 750 or many guards, as a king would JOCASTA There were five in all, and a herald with them. Just one carriage for Laius. OEDIPUS Oh God, crystal clear now. Who told you that A slave. The only one who escaped. JOCASTA 38
OEDIPUS Is he here now In the palace JOCASTA He’s not here now. When, after Laius’ death, you took over, he begged me to send him to the fields to be a shepherd; 760 he said he wanted to be as far from the city as he could. I sent him away; he was a good slave and deserved even better than this. Could we get him here quickly OEDIPUS JOCASTA Yes, why OEDIPUS I’m afraid I’ve said too much. That’s why I want to see him. JOCASTA He’ll come. But I think I have a right to know 770 what it is that bothers you. OEDIPUS I won’t deny you this, now that dark forebodings haunt me. Who better than you should hear about all that has happened to me My father was Polybus, King of Corinth, and my mother Merope, a Dorian. In everything I was privileged above all others in the kingdom. Then something happened, which was indeed offensive, but hardly something that should have disturbed me as much as it did. A man, who too much wine had made loose-tongued, said that I wasn’t my father’s child. 780 I was deeply disturbed and bridled at the insult. 39
Page 1 and 2: Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus Intro
Page 3 and 4: Sophocles was born at Colonus near
Page 5 and 6: his own destruction. There is the s
Page 7 and 8: First Performance: 6 th at Penn The
Page 9 and 10: A crowd led by Zeus’ PRIEST gathe
Page 11 and 12: PRIEST The news must be good; other
Page 13 and 14: CREON All those with the king died,
Page 15 and 16: And protect me from all harm. Just
Page 17 and 18: I forbid any citizen of this land o
Page 19 and 20: A man who’s not afraid to commit
Page 21 and 22: OEDIPUS But shouldn’t you tell me
Page 23 and 24: OEDIPUS You live in perpetual night
Page 25 and 26: TIRESIAS Nonsense Your parents thou
Page 27 and 28: I have nothing to say, Either to ag
Page 29 and 30: OEDIPUS It’s not wise to think yo
Page 31 and 32: OEDIPUS I don’t deny it. CREON Yo
Page 33 and 34: OEDIPUS All the same, I have to rul
Page 35 and 36: Anger hurts the angry man most of a
Page 37: death at his son’s hands. So much
Page 41 and 42: and killing my father Polybus, who
Page 43 and 44: Or touches what must not be touched
Page 45 and 46: JOCASTA What are you saying Oedipus
Page 47 and 48: OEDIPUS That would all be fine, if
Page 49 and 50: Yes. That’s what frightens me. ME
Page 51 and 52: That’s how you got your name, Oed
Page 53 and 54: Please. Listen to me. I beg you. Do
Page 55 and 56: CHORUS Yes. I recognize the man. Al
Page 57 and 58: OEDIPUS Don’t hit him! He doesn
Page 59 and 60: OEDIPUS And I, to hear it. But it m
Page 61 and 62: Time, the all-seeing, Has found you
Page 63 and 64: Terrible horror for both husband an
Page 65 and 66: OEDIPUS What is left for me to see,
Page 67 and 68: yes, you engendered the most shamef
Page 69 and 70: from sickness or anything else: I w
Page 71 and 72: CREON Tell me. I’ll listen. OEDIP
Page 73 and 74: GLOSSARY Abae (A, as in add, -bee),

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