Quotes from Oedipus

The following passages are drawn from Ian Johnston's translation of Antigone, published by Richer Resources Publications. Book and line numbers are provided for each selection.  

"Men of experience

provide advice which gives the best results."

—Priest, Oedipus the King, lines 50–52

"An empty ship or city wall is nothing

if no men share your life together there."

—Priest, Oedipus the King, lines 64–66

"What is sought

is found, but what is overlooked escapes."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 129–130

"I will start afresh,

and once again shed light on darkness."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 158–160

"For a mortal man

the finest labour he can do is help

with all his power other human beings."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 371–373

"How dreadful it can be

to have wisdom when it brings no benefit

to the man possessing it."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 374–377

"The truth within me

makes me strong."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 424–425

"You yourself

are the very man you're looking for."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 431–432

"You have your eyesight,

and you do not see

how miserable you are."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 494–499

"A mind that's wise

will not turn treacherous."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 722–725

"To throw away

a noble friend

is like a man who parts with his own life,

the thing most dear to him."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 737–740

"Only time

can fully validate a man who's true.

A bad man is exposed in just one day."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 741–743

"A man who does not behave with justice

when he strives to benefit himself...

may miserable fate seize such a man."

—Chorus, Oedipus the King, lines 1055–1062

"Time,

which watches everything,

uncovered you against your will."

—Chorus, Oedipus the King, lines 1452–1455

"What we do to ourselves

brings us most pain."

—Second Messenger, Oedipus the King, lines 1470–1472

"When a man has no fear of doing the act,

he's not afraid of words."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 349–350

"You are a wretched fool

to use harsh words

which all men soon enough

will use to curse you."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 446–448

 "The man you have been seeking all this time,
 while proclaiming threats and issuing orders
 about the one who murdered Laius—
 that man is here." 
 —Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 543–549 

"Men of experience

provide advice which gives the best results."

—Priest, Oedipus the King, lines 50–52

"An empty ship or city wall is nothing

if no men share your life together there."

—Priest, Oedipus the King, lines 64–66

"What is sought

is found, but what is overlooked escapes."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 129–130

"I will start afresh,

and once again shed light on darkness."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 158–160

"For a mortal man

the finest labour he can do is help

with all his power other human beings."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 371–373

"How dreadful it can be

to have wisdom when it brings no benefit

to the man possessing it."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 374–377

"The truth within me

makes me strong."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 424–425

"You yourself

are the very man you're looking for."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 431–432

"You have your eyesight,

and you do not see

how miserable you are."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 494–499

"A mind that's wise

will not turn treacherous."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 722–725

"To throw away

a noble friend

is like a man who parts with his own life,

the thing most dear to him."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 737–740

"Only time

can fully validate a man who's true.

A bad man is exposed in just one day."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 741–743

"A man who does not behave with justice

when he strives to benefit himself...

may miserable fate seize such a man."

—Chorus, Oedipus the King, lines 1055–1062

"Time,

which watches everything,

uncovered you against your will."

—Chorus, Oedipus the King, lines 1452–1455

"There is joy

in isolated thought,

sealed off from a world of sorrow."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 1639–1640

"When a man has no fear of doing the act,

he's not afraid of words."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 349–350

"You are a wretched fool

to use harsh words

which all men soon enough

will use to curse you."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 446–448

"The man you have been seeking all this time...

that man is here."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 543–549

"He will be blind,

although he now can see.

He will be poor,

although he now is rich."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 549–553

"If you think being stubborn

and forgetting common sense is wise,

then you're not thinking as you should."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 659–662

"Would anyone

prefer to rule

and have to cope with fear

rather than live in peace,

carefree and safe?"

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 704–708

"How can being a king

be sweeter to me

than royal power

without anxiety?"

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 714–716

"Those who are unreliable

give rash advice."

—Chorus Leader, Oedipus the King, lines 747–748

"I will not be convinced

I should not learn

the whole truth."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 1276–1278

"There is joy

in isolated thought,

sealed off

from a world of sorrow."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 1639–1640 

 

"Men of experience

provide advice which gives the best results."

—Priest, Oedipus the King, lines 50–52

"An empty ship or city wall is nothing

if no men share your life together there."

—Priest, Oedipus the King, lines 64–66

"What is sought

is found, but what is overlooked escapes."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 129–130

"I will start afresh,

and once again shed light on darkness."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 158–160

"For a mortal man

the finest labour he can do is help

with all his power other human beings."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 371–373

"How dreadful it can be

to have wisdom when it brings no benefit

to the man possessing it."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 374–377

"The truth within me

makes me strong."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 424–425

"You yourself

are the very man you're looking for."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 431–432

"You have your eyesight,

and you do not see

how miserable you are."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 494–499

"A mind that's wise

will not turn treacherous."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 722–725

"To throw away

a noble friend

is like a man who parts with his own life,

the thing most dear to him."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 737–740

"Only time

can fully validate a man who's true.

A bad man is exposed in just one day."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 741–743

"A man who does not behave with justice

when he strives to benefit himself...

may miserable fate seize such a man."

—Chorus, Oedipus the King, lines 1055–1062

"Time,

which watches everything,

uncovered you against your will."

—Chorus, Oedipus the King, lines 1452–1455

"There is joy

in isolated thought,

sealed off from a world of sorrow."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 1639–1640

"When a man has no fear of doing the act,

he's not afraid of words."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 349–350

"You are a wretched fool

to use harsh words

which all men soon enough

will use to curse you."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 446–448

"The man you have been seeking all this time...

that man is here."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 543–549

"He will be blind,

although he now can see.

He will be poor,

although he now is rich."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 549–553

"If you think being stubborn

and forgetting common sense is wise,

then you're not thinking as you should."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 659–662

"Would anyone

prefer to rule

and have to cope with fear

rather than live in peace,

carefree and safe?"

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 704–708

"How can being a king

be sweeter to me

than royal power

without anxiety?"

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 714–716

"Those who are unreliable

give rash advice."

—Chorus Leader, Oedipus the King, lines 747–748

"I will not be convinced

I should not learn

the whole truth."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 1276–1278

"There is joy

in isolated thought,

sealed off

from a world of sorrow."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 1639–1640 

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 543–549

"He will be blind,

although he now can see.

He will be poor,

although he now is rich."

—Teiresias, Oedipus the King, lines 549–553

"If you think being stubborn

and forgetting common sense is wise,

then you're not thinking as you should."

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 659–662

"Would anyone

prefer to rule

and have to cope with fear

rather than live in peace,

carefree and safe?"

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 704–708

"How can being a king

be sweeter to me

than royal power

without anxiety?"

—Creon, Oedipus the King, lines 714–716

"Those who are unreliable

give rash advice."

—Chorus Leader, Oedipus the King, lines 747–748

"I will not be convinced

I should not learn

the whole truth."

—Oedipus, Oedipus the King, lines 1276–1278