Sophocles and Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex play. Picture from http://www.murphsplace.com/olivier/images/lorex.jpg

The Athenian Sophocles (497/6 BC- 406/5 BC) was to become one of the great playwrights of the golden age. With his studies complete on all Arts, he won many prizes in plays competitions. An accomplished actor, Sophocles performed in many of his own plays. Oedipus Rex is considered one of the best classic Greek tragedies. Aristotle referred to it frequently in the Poetics.

Sophocles presents the story of King Oedipus, who was condemned by oracle to kill his father and marry his mother. It shows the fatalism of destiny, though he tried, he could not escape his will.

In the agony of events and emotions, I reproduce here when Tiresias, the great blind prophet of Thebes, after resisting telling Oedipus that the “monster of the oracle” was alive, he is compelled to reveal who Laius’ murderer was. Though, being explicit, Oedipus would not believe it.

Sophocles, picture from wikipedia.org

Tiresias appears to Ulysses during the sacrificing. 1780- 1785 Aquarell by Füssli, Johann Heinrich

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Johann_Heinrich_Füssli_063.jpg

Oedipus  Tiresias, thou who searchest everything,

Communicable or nameless, both in heaven

And on the earth –thou canst not see the city,

But knowest no less what pestilence visits it,

Wherefrom our only saviour and defence

We find, sir king, in thee. For Phoebus –if

Thou dost not know it from the messengers-

To us, who sent to ask him, sent word back,

That from this sickness no release should come,

Till we had found and slain the men who slew

Laius, or driven them, banished, from the land.

Wherefore do thou –not sparing augury,

Either through birds, or any other way

Thou hast of divination –save thyself,

And save the city, and me; save the whole mass

By this dead corpse infected; for in thee

Stands our existence; and for men, to help

With might and main is of all tasks the highest.

Tiresias   Alas! How terrible it is to know,

Where no good comes of knowing! Of these matters

I was full well aware, but let them slip me;

Else I had not come hither.

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Oedipus  What, hyou do know, and will not speak? Your mind

Is to betray us, and destroy the city?

Tiresias  I will not bring remorse upon myself

And upon you. Why do you search these matters?

Vain, vain! I will not tell you.

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Tiresias  King as you are, we must be peers at least

In argument; I am your equal, there;

For I am Loxias’ servant, and not yours;

So never need be writ of Creon’s train.

And since you have reproached me with my blindness,

I say –you have your sight, and do not sep

What evils are about you, nor with whom,

Nor in what home you are dwelling. Do you know

From whom you are? Yea, you are ignorant

That to your own you are an enemy,

Whether on earth, alive, or under it.

Soon from this land shall drive you, stalking grim,

Your mother’s and your father’s two-edged curse,

With eyes then dark, though they look proudly now.

What place on earth shall not be harbour, then,

For your lamenting? What Cithaeron-peak

Shall not be resonant soon, when you discern

What hymen-song was that, which wafted you

On a fair voyage, to foul anchorage

Under yon roof? And multitudes besides

Of ills you know not of shall level you

Down to your self –down to your children! Go,

Trample on Creon, and on this mouth of mine;

But know, there is not one of all mankind

That shall be bruised more utterly than you.

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Oedipus  What fathers? Stop! Who was it gave me being?

Tiresias  This day shall give you birth and death in one.