Οἰδίπους Τύραννος
Oedipus Tyrannus
Sophocles · Date unknown, perhaps the 430s or 420s BC · second prize, behind Philocles
Thebes is dying of plague, and the oracle says the killer of King Laius must be found. Oedipus, who married Laius' widow and took his throne, swears to find him.
Persons, in order of appearance
- Οι.Oedipus
- Ιε.Priest
- Κρ.Creon
- Χο.Chorus
- Τε.Teiresias
- Ιο.Jocasta
- Αγ.Messenger
- Θε.Servant
- Εξ.Second Messenger
Translations
- R. C. Jebbprose · 1883–1900 · aligned by line · with Jebb's Greek
- F. Storrverse · 1912 · aligned by speech · with Storr's Greek
- Jebb, rev. Sens & Nagy (Kosmos Society)prose · aligned by speech · with Dain & Mazon's Greek
- Ian Johnston (VIU)verse · aligned by speech · with Dain & Mazon's Greek
- Gilbert Murrayverse · aligned by speech · with Dain & Mazon's Greek
Greek texts
- Dain & Mazon, Sophocle, vol. 21958
- F. Storr, Sophocles, vol. 11912
- R. C. Jebb, Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, part 1, The Oedipus Tyrannus1893
Cite as Soph. OT 1–1530
Full synopsis (tells the ending)
Thebes is dying of plague. The oracle says the killer of the old king Laius is in the city and must be found. Oedipus, who answered the Sphinx and took the throne and the widowed queen Jocasta, undertakes the search himself. Tiresias will not speak, then does. A messenger from Corinth and an old shepherd, put together, prove it: Oedipus killed Laius, his father, and Jocasta is his mother. She hangs herself; he puts out his eyes with the pins of her dress and asks to be sent into exile.
Drawing: Line drawing after Raoul-Rochette's 1833 plate of the Sbani vase (Monumens inédits, pl. 78); retraced.