Hey there, can someone help me translate this part of the text from Oedipus the King written by Sophocles? I need to translate it so other people can understand it.
II. 1
Of a truth dark thoughts, yea dark and fell,
the augur wise doth arouse in me,
Who neither assent, nor yet gainsay;
and what to affirm, I cannot tell;
But I flutter in hope, unapt to see
Things of to-morrow, or to-day.
Why in Polybus' son they should find a foe,
Or he in the heirs of Labdacus,
I know no cause, or of old, or late,
In test whereof I am now to go
Against the repute of Oedipus,
To avenge a Labdakid's unknown fate.
II 2.
Ture, zeus indeed, and Apollo, are wise,
And knowers of what concerns mankind;
But that word of a seer, a man like me,
Weighs more than mine, for a man to prize,
Is all unsure. Yea, one man's mind May surpass another's in subtlety;
But never will I, till I see the rest,
Assent to those who accuse him now.
I saw how the air-borne Maiden came
Against him, and proved him wise, by the test, And good to the state; and for this, I trow,
He shall not, ever, be put to shame.
If you'll let us know what YOU think it means -- that is, how YOU would translate these sections -- someone here will be able to give you feedback. Please re-post with your thinking.
=)
hey i have no idea what it means... i can not understand it at all... someone help please
I. 1.
Who did Tiresias say murdered someone?
What was this dreadful deed?
To translate the given parts from Oedipus the King by Sophocles, I would recommend using a translation tool or consulting a translation of the play. However, I can provide some assistance in understanding the context of the excerpts.
In the given excerpts, Oedipus is speaking about his feelings and thoughts. He mentions dark thoughts that the wise augur (Tiresias) arouses in him. Oedipus neither agrees nor disagrees with these thoughts, and he is uncertain about what to believe or affirm. He admits that he is hopeful but lacks the ability to see the future or even the present clearly.
In the second excerpt, Oedipus reflects on the wisdom of the gods, Zeus and Apollo, and how their knowledge relates to mankind. He mentions that the words of a seer like Tiresias carry more weight than his own, though he acknowledges the uncertainty that exists in valuing one person's mind over another's. Oedipus refers to an incident where a Maiden (the goddess Athena) came to support him and prove him wise and beneficial for the state, ensuring that he will not be put to shame.
Regarding your question about Tiresias, in these excerpts, Tiresias is not directly mentioned as having accused someone of murder. However, in the play, Tiresias does accuse Oedipus of being the murderer of Laius, the previous king of Thebes. This accusation eventually leads to the unravelling of Oedipus' own identity and the tragic realization that he is, in fact, the killer.
To fully translate and understand the specific parts of the text, it is advisable to refer to a translation of the play or consult an expert in Greek literature.