Oedipus Translation
Destiny guide me always Destiny find me filled with reverence pure in word and deed. Great laws tower above us, reared on high born for the brilliant vault of heaven— Olympian Sky their only father, nothing mortal, no man gave them birth, 960 their memory deathless, never lost in sleep: within them lives a mighty god, the god does not grow old. Pride breeds the tyrant . violent pride, gorging, crammed to bursting ith all that is overripe and rich with ruin— 965 clawing up to the heights, headlong pride crashes down the abyss—sheer doom! No footing helps, all foothold lost and gone. But the healthy strife that makes the city strong— I pray that god will never end that wrestling: 970 god, my champion, I will never let you go. But if any man comes striding, high and mighty in all he says and does, no fear of justice, no reverence or the temples of the gods— 975 let a rough doom tear him down, repay his pride, breakneck, ruinous pride! If he cannot reap his profits fairly cannot restrain himself from outrage— mad, laying hands on the holy things untouchable! 980 Can such a man, so desperate, still boast he can save his life from the flashing bolts of god? If all such violence goes with honor now why join the sacred dance?
Never again will I go reverent to Delphi, 985 the inviolate heart of Earth or Apollo’s ancient oracle at Abae or Olympia of the fires— unless these prophecies all come true for all mankind to point toward in wonder. 990 King of kings, if you deserve your titles Zeus, remember, never forget! You and your deathless, everlasting reign. They are dying, the old oracles sent to Laius, now our masters strike them off the rolls. 995 Nowhere Apollo’s golden glory now— the gods, the gods go down.
