Read through the 2nd Ode (lines 1–997) of Oedipus the King by Sophocles and write/post a journal: Choose an important quote from the reading and explain why it is important.

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2005

Answers

I've never been first before! :)

(Oedipus) “Now my curse on the murderer. Whoever he is…let that man drag out his life in agony, step by painful step – I curse myself as well…if by any chance he proves to be an intimate of our house… may the curse I just called down on him strike me!"

This quotation is ironic in that Oedipus murdered his father. He obviously doesn’t know it yet, but when he finds out later that the murder he cursed is indeed himself, he does end up living his life in agony (the curse he called out did indeed strike him). In essence, Oedipus is cursing himself without knowing it.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2005

Oedipus "My Children I pity you. I see-how could I fail to see what longing brings you here? Well I know you are sick to death, all of you, but sick as you are, not as sick as I."

This shows that he does actually care for the people of Thebes. In the beginning he seems to be self rightous. This shows his caring side.

P.S. I beat you Jared and Joey so HA!

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

(Oedipus talking to Tiresias):"Oh I'll let loose, I have such fury in me- now I see it all. You helped hatch the plot, you did the work, yes, short of killing him with tour own hands- and given eyes I'd say you did the killing single-handed!"

This quote shows how intent Oedipus is on catching the murderer, not realizing it is himself, and when Tiresias says "You are the curse, the corruption of the land," he believes him to be shameless, which is funny because he is the murderer

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

"How terrible-to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees! I knew it well, but I put it from my mind, else I never would have come."

This quote symbolizes a warning to Oedipus saying, "Don't go there! You'll regret it!" But Oedipus blindly (ironic, haha love that word), pushs Tiresias to tell him the truth. Also this quote is ironic because although the prophet is blind, he sees the truth, and Oedipus who sees clearly (atleast for now) does not see the truth. Like the quote says, "...when the truth is only pain to him who sees!" Oedipus will be blinded by the truth. That's 3 ironies!!! HA beat that!!

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

(Priest to Oedipus)"Act now-we beg you, best of men, raise up our city! Act, defend yourself, your former glory! Your country calls your savior now for your zeal, for your action years ago...Oh raise up our city, set us on our feet."

This quote from the reading is important because it not only shows how much respect the people of Thebes have for Oedipus, but also how much they count on him to restore the country to the way it used to be.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

"Now my curse on the murderer. Whoever his is, a lone man unknown in his crime or one among, many, let that man drag out his life in agony, step by painful step- I curse myself as well...if by any chance he proves to be an intimate of our house, here at my hearth, with my full knowledge, may the curse i just called down on him strike me!"

Oedipus cursed himself, along with the murderer. Did he not curse himself twice, unknowingly? Oedipus cursed the murderer and himself. Did Oedipus mean that if some one in his house did the murder, he would be cursed. Or did he feel that he was cursed. Oedipus cursed himself twice. Someone in his own house HAD done the murder. Oedipus cursed himself, and described his future life perfectly.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

"How wrong it is to take the good for bad, purely at random, or take the bad for good. But reject a friend, a kinsman? I would as soon tear out the life within us, priceless life itself.

This quote was said by Creon to Oedipus. This quote is important because it discusses how it is wrong to blame the innocent and to beleive the bad to be innocent. Oedipus blames Creon for his father's,Laios, death. But Creon actually did not kill Laios, but Oedipus will still blame him for it.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

"My children, I pity you. I see - how could I fail to see what longings bring you here? Well I know you are sick to death, all of you, but sick as you are, not one is sick as I. Your pain strikes each of you alone, each in the confines of himself, no other. But my spirit grieves for the city, for myself and all of you. I wasn't asleep, dreaming. You haven't wakened me - I've wept through the nights, you must know that, groping, laboring over many paths of thought." (lines 69-79)

This quote is important because it illustrates the depth of Oedipus' fatherly love for the people of Thebes. Each citizen's welfare is very important to Oedipus, and when somthing bad happens to them, he grieves for them. He feels a strong responsibility to the people of Thebes.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

You, shameless-aren't you appalled to start up such a story? You think you can get away with this?-Oedipus to Tiresias

This quite is important because Oedipus is just starting to realize that it is possible he has killed Laios. He is now blindly (is this ironic Zenubia?) accusing others (Creon) about this prophecy and that Creon has told Tiresias to say this.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

"How terrible- to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!" - Tiresias I think this quote is important because of its perfect description of Oedipus. He seems to be blind to all of the facts and cannot put everything together. Meanwhile the one who is correct and all knowing is being insulted and treated as if he were dumb.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

(discussion between Oedipus to Tiresias, Oedipus starts here) "It does but not for you, old man. You've lost your power, stone-blind, stone-deaf -- senses, eyes blind as stone!" "I pity you, flinging at me the very insults that each man here will fling at you so soon.” "Blind, lost in the night, endless night that cursed you! You can't hurt me or anyone else who sees the light -- you can never touch me.” "True, it is not your fate to fall at my hands. Apollo is quite enough, and he will take some pains to work this out."

This is a huge foreshadowing of what is to come later in the story. Before this quote, Tiresias had accused Oedipus of killing the previous king, King Laius. This enraged Oedipus to say these quotes, but Tiresias, being so calm and collected while Oedipus verbally “attacks him,” hints at what is to become of Oedipus.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

“You with your precious eyes, you’re blind to the corruption of your life, to the house you live in, those you live with- who are your parents?...you are the scourge of your own flesh and blood…and the double lash of your mother and your father’s curse will whip you from this land once day, their footfall treading down on you in terror, darkness shrouding your eyes that can now see the light!”

This quote is yet another of the many instances in which Tiresias hints and warns Oedipus of his impending fate. Up to and following this point Oedipus believes the prophet’s words to be treasonous lies and, rather justifiably, refuses to believe them. Though he knows that his fate is to kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus believes that he has avoided such a destiny by cutting himself off from who he understands to be his true family.

However, Tiresias rather effectively throws this perception down the tubes with his little revelation that Oedipus will still end up haunted by his own ookey fate that he tried so hard to run from. Naturally, this frightens our king a bit, not to mention the fact that he believes such a fate to now be impossible; understandably, poor Oedipus becomes more than a little angry at Tiresias’s prediction.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2005

I'm going to go with the standard cliched answer to this answer. My quotation, pertaining to both the eyesight of our one and only Oedipus Rex and the "ship of state" anology, is the following: "Our city--look around you, see with your own eyes--our ship pitches wildly, cannot lift her head from the depths, the red waves of death."

The reason I say this is the standard, cliched answer is that this is basically the overall idea of this play, in addition to most Ancient Greek and Roman dramas: the power of fate. In addition to fate, what is important is foreshadowing. If the audience already knows what will happen (according to our class discussions), then this is foreshadowing breaking the 3rd wall (I think this is the expression, maybe . . . ) and reaching our to the audience in order to show them a more accurate representation of the play. Also, the "ship of state" anology to the city-state of Thebes is a recurring theme, as epithets for Oedipus later on in the story are "captain" and "our leader" (not the actual person, "Leader").

I'm out!

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2005