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By Sophocles
Translated by F. Storr
OEDIPUS
THE PRIEST OF ZEUS
CREON
CHORUS OF THEBAN ELDERS
TEIRESIAS
JOCASTA
MESSENGER
HERD OF LAIUS
Thebes. Before the Palace of Oedipus. Suppliants of all ages are seated round the altar at the palace doors, at their head a PRIEST OF ZEUS. To them enter OEDIPUS.
OEDIPUSMy children, latest born to Cadmus old,
Why sit ye here as suppliants, in your hands
Branches of olive filleted with wool?
What means this reek of incense everywhere,
And everywhere laments and litanies?
Children, it were not meet that I should learn
From others, and am hither come, myself,
I Oedipus, your world-renowned king.
Ho! aged sire, whose venerable locks
Proclaim thee spokesman of this company,
Explain your mood and purport. Is it dread
Of ill that moves you or a boon ye crave?
My zeal in your behalf ye cannot doubt;
Ruthless indeed were I and obdurate
If such petitioners as you I spurned.
PRIESTYea, Oedipus, my sovereign lord and king,
Thou seest how both extremes of age besiege
Thy pal
SOPHOCLES
OEDIPUS THE KING
Translated by Ian Johnston
Vancouver Island University
Nanaimo, British Columbia
Canada
This text was first published in on the internet and in by Richer Resources Publications (Arlington, Virginia, USA; ISBN; ; LCCN ); it has undergone a few minor revisions since. A dual text (English and Greek) was published in by Faenum Publishing. This translation is also part of the audiobook the Oedipus Plays published by Audible in
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TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
In the following text the line numbers in square brackets refer to the Greek text; the line numbers without brackets refer to the English text. In the English text, short indented lines have
Oedipus Rex (Sophocles)
Οἰδίπους Τύραννος (Oidipous Tyrannos, Latin: Oedipus rex), or Oedipus the King, is a play written by Sophocles in BCE. The tragedy tells the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes the king of Thebes, while unwittingly fulfilling a prophecy that he would kill his father, Laius, and marry his mother, Jocasta.
Oedipus Rex is one of the three "Theban" plays of Sophocles, treating the story of Oedipus and his children. However, the three plays were not created as a trilogy, and were written out of chronological sequence at different times in Sophocles' career.
one or more editions are available in a spoken word format.
one or more pieces are available in a musical format.
OEDIPUS
OedipusMy children, fruit of Cadmus' ancient treeNew springing, wherefore thus with bended kneePress ye upon us, laden all with wreathsAnd suppliant branches? And the city breathesHeavy with incense, heavy with dim prayerAnd shrieks to affright the Slayer.—Children, careFor this so moves me, I have scorned withalMessage or writing: seeing 'tis I ye call,'Tis I am come, world-honoured Man, do thou declare—the rest have thusTheir champion—in what mood stand ye so still,In dread or sure hope? Know ye not, my willIs yours for aid 'gainst all? Stern were indeedThe heart that felt not for so dire a [Pg 4]Priest.O Oedipus, who holdest in thy handMy city, thou canst see what ages standAt these thine altars; some whose little wingScarce flieth yet, and some with long livingO'erburdened; priests, as I of Zeus am priest,And chosen youths: and wailing hath not ceasedOf thousands in the market-place, and byAthena's two-fold temples and the dryAsh of Ismênus' portent-breathing all our ship, thou see'st, is weak and soreShaken with storms, and no more lightenethHer head above the waves whose trough is wasteth in the fruitless buds of earth,In parch&
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