Oedipus Rex

<< Back to programme


PROLOGUE 

Speaker 

Spectators, you are about to hear a Latin version of King Oedipus. This version is an opera-oratorio; based on the tragedy by Sophocles, but preserving only a certain monumental aspect of its various scenes. And so (wishing to spare your ears and your memories) I shall recall the story as we go along. 

Oedipus, unknown to himself, contends with supernatural powers: those sleepless deities who are always watching us from a world beyond death. At the moment of his birth a snare was laid for him – and you will see the snare closing. 

Now our drama begins. Thebes is prostrate. After the Sphinx, a plague breaks out. The chorus implores Oedipus to save his city. Since Oedipus has vanquished the sphinx; he promises. 

ACT I  

Chorus  

Kaedit nos pestis, Theba peste moritur. 
The plague is upon us, Thebes is dying of the plague. 

E peste serva nos, serva, e peste qua Theba moritur. 
Save us from the plague of which Thebes is dying. 

Oedipus, adest pestis, kaedit nos pestis,
Oedipus, the plague is upon us, the plague is destroying us, 

Oedipus, e peste serva nos, serva, Oedipus, 
Oedipus, save us from the plague, save us, Oedipus, 

E peste libera urbem, 
and deliver the city from the plague, 

Urbem serva morientem. 
deliver our dying city. 

Oedipus  

Liberi, vos liberabo, 
Citizens, I will deliver you, 

Liberabo vos a peste.
I will deliver you from the plague.  

Ego clarissimus Oedipus, 
I, distinguished Oedipus, 

Ego Oedipus vos diligo, 
I, Oedipus, will deliver you,

Ego Oedipus vos servabo. 
I, Oedipus, will save you. 

Chorus  

Serva nos adhuc, serva urbem, Oedipus, 
Save us once more, save our city, Oedipus! 

Serva nos, clarissime Oedipus, 
Save us, far-famed Oedipus, 

Quid fakiendum, Oedipus, 
What is to be done, Oedipus, 

Ut liberemur? 
That we may be delivered? 

Oedipus  

Uxoris frater mittitur, 
The Queen’s brother has been sent 

Oraculum consulit, 
To consult the oracle, 

Deo mittitur Creo, 
Creon has been sent to the God, 

Quid fakiendum consulit. 
To ask what is to be done, 

Creo ne commoretur. 
May Creon not tarry long. 

Chorus  

Vale, Creo! Audimus. 
Hail, Creon! We hearken. 

Vale, Creo! Kito, kito.
Hail, Creon! Speak, speak! 

Audituri te salutant. 
We hearken and greet you. 

Audimus, audimus. 
We are listening. 

Speaker 

Creon, the brother-in-law of Oedipus, has returned from Delphi, where he consulted the oracle. The oracle demands that Laius’ murderer be punished. The assassin is hiding in Thebes; at whatever cost, he must be discovered. Oedipus boasts of his skill in dealing with the powers of darkness. He will discover and drive out the assassin. 

 

Creon  

Respondit deus: 
The God has replied: 

Laium ulkiski, skelus ulkiski. 
Avenge Laius, avenge the crime. 

Reperire peremptorem. 
Seek out the murderer. 

Thebis peremptor latet. 
The murderer hides in Thebes. 

Latet peremptor regis: 
The murderer of the King is in hiding: 

Reperire opus istum, 
He must be discovered, 

Luere Thebas a labe. 
To purge Thebes of its stain. 

Kaedem regis ulkiski, 
Avenge the murder of the King, 

Regis Laii perempti, 
The slain King Laius, 

Quem depelli deus jubet peremptorem, 
The God decrees: expel the murderer, 

Peste infikit Thebas. 
Who brought the plague upon Thebes. 

Apollo dixit deus. 
The God Apollo has spoken. 

Oedipus 

Non reperias vetus skelus. 
You cannot solve this ancient crime.

Thebas eruam, 
I will turn Thebes upside down,

Thebis incolit skelestus. 
The criminal dwells in Thebes. 

Chorus  

Deus dixit, tibi dixit. 
God has spoken, he has spoken to you. 

 

Oedipus  

Tibi dixit. 
God has spoken to you. 

Mihi debet se dedere. 
He is obliged to give himself up to me. 

Opus vos istum deferre. 
You must deliver him to me. 

Thebas eruam. 
I will turn Thebes upside down, 

Thebis pellere istum. 
To drive that man from Thebes. 

Vetus skelus non reperias. 
You cannot solve this ancient crime. 

Chorus  

Thebis skelestus incolit. 
The criminal dwells in Thebes. 

Oedipus  

Deus dixit. 
God has spoken. 

Sphynga solvi carmen solvi, 
I solved the riddle of the Sphinx, 

Ego divinabo, iterum divinabo, 
I will solve, I will solve this once again, 

Clarissimus Oedipus, 
Illustrious Oedipus, 

Thebas iterum servabo, 
Again I will save Thebes, 

Ego, Oedipus carmen divinabo. 
I, Oedipus, will solve the riddle. 

Chorus  

Solve, solve, solve! 
Solve it, solve it, solve it! 

Oedipus  

Pollikeor divinabo. 
I promise that I will solve it. 

Chorus  

Solve, Oedipus, solve! 
Solve it, Oedipus, solve it! 

Oedipus 

Clarissimus Oedipus, likeor divinabo. 
I, most brilliant Oedipus, promise that I will solve it. 

Speaker 

Oedipus questions that fountain of truth: Tiresias, the seer. Tiresias will not answer. He already realises that Oedipus is a plaything of the heartless gods. This silence angers Oedipus, who accuses Creon of desiring the throne for himself, and Tiresias of being his accomplice. Revolted by the injustice of this attitude, Tiresias decides – the fountain speaks. This is the oracle: the assassin of the King is a King. 

Chorus  

Delie, exspectamus, 
God of Delos, we are waiting, 

Minerva filia Jovis, 
Minerva, daughter of Jupiter, 

Diana in trono insidens. 
Diana enthroned. 

Et tu, Phaebe insignis iaculator, 
And you, Phoebus Apollo, distinguished archer, 

Succurrite nobis. 
Hasten to our aid.

Ut praekeps ales ruit malum 
For winged evil swiftly rushes down 

Et premitur funere funus 
And death is followed by death 

Et corporibus corpora inhumata. 
And corpses lie, unburied, upon each other. 

Expelle, expelle everte in mare 
Drive out, overturn into the sea 

Atrokem istum Martem 
That cruel Mars 

Qui nos urit inermis 
Who consumes us, we who are unarmed, 

Dementer ululans. 
Shrieking madly. 

Et tu, Bakke, 
And you, Bacchus, 

Cum taeda advola nobis 
Fly to us with torches, 

Urens infamem inter deos deum. 
Burning up this God, who is notorious among all Gods.

Salve, Tiresia, homo clare, vates! 
Hail, Tiresias, renowned man, prophet! 

Dic nobis quod monet deus, 
Tell us what God demands, 

Dic kito, sacrorum docte, 
Speak quickly, you who is learned of holy things, 

Dic, dic! 
Speak, speak! 

Tiresias  

Dikere non possum, 
I cannot speak,

Dikere non liket, 
I am not allowed to speak,

Dikere nefastum, 
To speak is a sin, 

Oedipus, non possum. 
Oedipus, I cannot speak. 

Dikere ne cogas! 
Do not force me to speak! 

Cave ne dicam! 
Beware, lest I speak! 

Clarissime Oedipus, 
Illustrious Oedipus, 

Takere fas, Oedipus. 
Allow me to be silent, Oedipus.

Oedipus  

Takiturnitas t’acusat: 
Your silence accuses you: 

Tu peremptor. 
You are the murderer. 

Tiresias  

Miserande, dico, 
Deplorable man, I speak, 

Quod me acusas, dico.
Since you accuse me, I speak.  

Dicam quod dixit deus: 
I speak what God has said: 

Nullum dictum kelabo. 
I will conceal no word. 

Inter vos peremptor est, 
The murderer is among you, 

Apud vos peremptor est, 
The murderer is near you, 

Cum vobis, vobiscum est. 
He is with you, he is one of you. 

Regis est rex peremptor. 
The King’s murderer is a King, 

Rex kekidit Laium, 
A King killed Laius, 

Rex kekidit regem, 
A King killed the King, 

Deus regem acusat; 
The God accuses a King; 

Peremptor rex! 
The murderer is a King! 

Opus Thebis pelli regem. 
You must drive this King from Thebes. 

Rex skelestus urbem foedat, 
A wicked King pollutes the city, 

Rex, rex peremptor regis est. 
The King’s murderer is a King.

Oedipus 

Invidia fortunam odit. 
Envy hates fortune,

Creavistis me regem. 
You made me King. 

Servavi vos carminibus 
I saved you by answering the riddles 

Et creavistis me regem. 
And you made me King. 

Solvendum carmen, cui erat? 
Who should the riddle have been solved by? 

Tibi, homo clare, vates; 
By you, celebrated man, prophet; 

A me solutum est 
But it was solved by me 

Et creavistis me regem. 
And you made me King. 

Invidia fortunam odit. 
Envy hates fortune. 

Nunc, vult quidam munus meum, 
Now, there is one who desires my office, 

Creo vult munus regis. 
Creon desires the office of Kingship. 

Stipendiarius es,Tiresia! 
You are his accomplice, Tiresias! 

Hoc fakinus ego solvo! 
I will unravel this evil plot! 

Creo vult rex fieri. 
Creon desires to be king. 

Quis liberavit vos carminibus? 
Who saved you from the riddle? 

Amiki, ego Oedipus clarus, ego. 
Friends, it was I, illustrious Oedipus. 

Invidia fortunam odit. 
Envy abhors fortune.

Volunt regem perire,
They desire that the King should die, 

Vestrum regem perire, 
They desire that your King should die, 

Clarum Oedipodem, vestrum regem. 
Great Oedipus, your King! 

Chorus  

Gloria, gloria, gloria! 
Glory, glory, glory! 

Laudibus regina Jocasta 
All praise to Queen Jocasta

In pestilentibus Thebis. 
In plague-stricken Thebes. 

Gloria, gloria, gloria! 
Glory, glory, glory! 

In pestilentibus Thebis 
In plague-stricken Thebes, 

Laudibus regina nostra. 
Give praise to our Queen. 

Gloria, gloria, gloria! 
Glory, glory, glory! 

Laudibus Oedipodis uxor. 
All praise to Oedipus’s wife. 

Gloria, gloria, gloria! 
Glory, glory, glory! 

ACT II 

Speaker 

The dispute of the princes attracts Jocasta. You will hear her calm them, shame them for raising their voices in a stricken city. She proves that oracles lie. For example, an oracle predicted that King Laius would perish by the hand of a son of hers; whereas Laius was murdered by thieves, at the crossing of three roads from Daulis and Delphi. Three roads … crossroads, Trivium – mark well those words. 

They horrify Oedipus. He remembers how, arriving from Corinth before encountering the Sphinx, he killed an old man where three roads meet. If Laius of Thebes were that man – what then? Oedipus cannot return to Corinth, having been threatened by the oracle with a double crime: killing his father and marrying his mother. He is afraid. 

Jocasta  

Nonn’ erubeskite, reges, 
Are you not ashamed, princes, 

Clamare ululare in aegra urbe 
To raise your voices, in a stricken city, 

Domestikis altercationibus? 
Howling in domestic strife? 

Clamare vestros domestikos clamores, 
To air your domestic grievances, 

Coram omnibus domestikos clamores, 
Your personal quarrels, before all, 

In aegra urbe, reges, nonn’ erubeskite? 
In a stricken city, princes, are you not ashamed? 

Ne probentur oracula 
Nothing is proved by oracles, 

Quae semper mentiantur. 
Which always lie. 

Oracula, mentita sunt oracula. 
The oracles, they have lied. 

Cui rex interfikiendus est? 
By whom was the King to be slain? 

Nato meo. 
By my son. 

Age rex peremptus est. 
Well, the King was murdered. 

Laius in trivio mortuus. 
Laius died at the crossroads. 

Ne probentur oracula 
The oracles are not to be trusted, 

Quae semper mentiantur. 
The oracles, who always lie. 

Laius in trivio mortuus. 
Laius died at the crossroads. 

Chorus  

Trivium, trivium … 
The crossroads, the crossroads … 

Jocasta  

Cave oracula! 
Beware the oracles! 

Chorus  

… trivium, trivium! … 
… the crossroads, the crossroads … 

Oedipus  

Pavesco subito, Jocasta, 
Suddenly I am afraid, Jocasta, 

Pavesco maxime. 
I am greatly afraid. 

Jocasta, audi: 
Jocasta, listen: 

Locuta es de trivio? 
Did you speak of the crossroads? 

Ego senem kekidi, 
I killed an old man, 

Cum Corintho exkederem, 
When I was coming from Corinth, 

Kekidi in trivio, Jocasta, senem. 
I killed an old man at the crossroads, Jocasta. 

Jocasta  

Oracula mentiuntur, 
The oracles lie, 

Semper oracula mentiuntur. 
The oracles always lie. 

Oedipus, cave oracula 
Oedipus, beware the oracles, 

Quae mentiantur. 
For they lie. 

Oracula mentiuntur, 
The oracles lie, 

Semper oracula mentiuntur. 
The oracles always lie. 

Oedipus, cave oracula. 
Oedipus, beware the oracles. 

Domum kito redeamus. 
Let us return home swiftly. 

Cave oracula … 
Beware the oracles … 

Oedipus  

Pavesco, maxime pavesco, 
I am afraid, I am greatly afraid, 

Pavesco subito, Jocasta, 
I am suddenly afraid, Jocasta, 

Pavor magnus, Jocasta, 
A great fear, Jocasta, 

In me inest. 
Is within me. 

Subito pavesco, uxor Jocasta. 
I am suddenly afraid, Jocasta, my wife. 

Nam in trivio kekidi, senem kekidi; 
For I killed an old man, I killed him at the crossroads; 

Pavor magnus, Jocasta, 
A great fear, Jocasta, 

In me inest subito. 
Is suddenly within me. 

Volo consulere … 
I wish to speak … 

Jocasta  

Non est consulendum. 
There is no truth there. 

Oedipus, domum kito redeamus; 
Oedipus, let us return home swiftly; 

Cave oracula quae semper mentiantur, 
Beware the oracles, which always lie, 

Cave oracula. 
Beware the oracles. 

Oedipus 

Consulendum est, Jocasta, 
I wish to speak, Jocasta, 

Volo videre pastorem. 
I wish to see the shepherd. 

Skeleris super est spectator, 
The witness of the crime still lives, 

Jocasta, consulendum, Jocasta,
Jocasta, I wish to speak to him, Jocasta. 

Volo consulere. 
I wish to consult with him. 

Skiam! 
I must know! 

Speaker 

The witness of the murder steps from the shadows. A messenger, announcing that King Polybus of Corinth is dead, reveals to Oedipus that he is only an adopted son of the King. Jocasta understands. She tries to draw Oedipus back – in vain. She flees. Oedipus supposes that she is ashamed of being the wife of an upstart. O, this lofty, all-discerning Oedipus! He is in the snare. He alone does not know it. And then the truth strikes him. He falls. He falls headlong. 

Chorus  

Adest omniskius pastor 
The all-knowing shepherd arrives 

Et nuntius horribilis. 
And the messenger of bad tidings. 

Messenger and Chorus 

Mortuus est Polybus. 
Polybus is dead. 

Senex mortuus Polybus. 
The aged Polybus is dead. 

Messenger  

Polybus non genitor Oedipodis; 
Polybus was not the father of Oedipus; 

A me keperat Polybus, 
Polybus adopted him through me, 

Ego attuleram regi. 
I took him to the King. 

Chorus  

Verus non fuerat pater Oedipodis. 
He was not the true father of Oedipus. 

Messenger 

Falsus pater, 
His adoptive father, 

Pater per me! 
A father by my doing! 

Chorus  

Falsus pater, 
His adoptive father, 

Pater per te! 
A father by your doing! 

Mesenger 

Reppereram in monte puerum Oedipoda, 
I found the child Oedipus in the mountains, 

Derelictum in monte parvulum Oedipoda 
Abandoned in the mountains, the little Oedipus, 

Foratum pedes, vulneratum pedes. 
His feet pierced, his feet wounded. 

Attuleram pastori puerum Oedipoda. 
I took the child Oedipus to the shepherd. 

Chorus  

Reskiturus sum monstrum, 
We are about to learn of a marvel, 

Monstrum reskiskam. 
We are to learn of a misfortune.

Deo claro Oedipus natus est, 
Oedipus was born of a great God, 

Deo et nympha montium 
Of a God and a nymph of the mountain, 

In quibus repertus est. 
On which he was found. 

Reskiturus sum monstrum, 
We are about to learn of a marvel, 

Monstrum reskiskam. 
We are to learn of a misfortune. 

Shepherd 

Oportebat takere, nunquam loqui. 
I ought to have remained silent, I should never have spoken. 

Sane repperit parvulum Oedipoda. 
Indeed, he found the child Oedipus. 

A patre, a matre in monte derelictum, 
Deserted in the mountains by his father and mother, 

Pedes laqueis foratum. 
His feet pierced by chains. 

Utinam ne dikeres, 
If only you had not spoken,

Hoc semper kelandum 
This always ought to have remained hidden 

Inventum esse in monte 
That the abandoned child, 

derelictum, parvulum, parvum Oedipoda. 
Little Oedipus, was found on the mountain. 

Oportebat takere, nunquam loqui. 
I ought to have remained silent, I should never have spoken. 

Oedipus  

Nonne monstrum reskituri, 
Surely these are not ominous tidings, 

Quis Oedipus? 
Concerning Oedipus? 

Genus Oedipodis skiam. 
I will discover Oedipus’s lineage. 

Pudet Jocastam, fugit. 
Jocasta is ashamed, and she flees.

Pudet Oedipi exulis, 
She is ashamed of the exiled Oedipus, 

Pudet Oedipodis generis. 
She is ashamed of Oedipus’s lineage.

Skiam Oedipodis genus, 
I shall discover the heritage of Oedipus, 

Genus meum skiam, 
I shall find out my heritage, 

Nonne monstrum reskituri, 
Surely these are not ominous tidings, 

Genus Oedipodis skiam, genus exulis mei. 
I shall discover the heritage of Oedipus, the origin of my exile. 

Ego exul exsulto. 
I, an exile, exult. 

Shepherd and Messenger 

In monte reppertus est, 
He was found in the mountains, 

A matre derelictus; 
Abandoned by his mother; 

A matre derelictum 
Abandoned by his mother, 

In montibus repperimus. 
We found him in the mountains. 

Laio Jocastaque natus! 
He is the son of Laius and Jocasta! 

Chorus  

Natus Laio et Jocasta! 
He is the son of Laius and Jocasta! 

Shepherd and Messenger 

Peremptor Laii parentis! 
The murderer of his father Laius! 

Shepherd, Messenger and Chorus 

Coniux Jocastae parentis! 
The husband of his mother Jocasta! 

Shepherd and Messenger 

Utinam ne dikeres, 
If only you had not spoken, 

Oportebat takere, 
It would have been better to remain silent, 

Nunquam dikere istud:
Never to have spoken this 

Shepherd, Messenger and Chorus 

A Jocasta derelictum 
Abandoned by Jocasta, 

In monte reppertus est. 
He was found on the mountains. 

Oedipus  

Natus sum quo nefastum est, 
Sinful was my begetting,

Concubui cui nefastum est, 
Sinful was my marriage,

Kekidi quem nefastum est.
Sinful was my shedding of blood. 

Lux facta est  
All is made clear! 

Speaker 

And now you will hear that famous monologue “The divine Jocasta is dead”, a monologue in 

which Creon, her brother, describes Jocasta’s doom. He can scarcely open his mouth. The chorus takes his part and helps Creon to tell how the queen has hanged herself, and how Oedipus has pierced his eyeballs with her golden pin.  

Then comes the epilogue: The King is caught. He would show himself to all: as a filthy beast, an incestuous monster, a father-killer, a fool. His people drive him (gently, very gently) away. Farewell, farewell, poor Oedipus! Farewell, Oedipus – we loved you. 

Creon 

Divum Jocastae caput mortuum! 
The divine Jocasta is dead! 

Chorus 

Mulier in vestibulo 
The woman was in her chamber 

Comas lakerare. 
Tearing out her hair. 

Claustris occludere fores, 
She closed the door with bolts, 

Occludere exclamare. 
Lamenting in seclusion. 

Et Oedipus irrumpere 
And Oedipus burst in, 

Et pulsare, ululare. 
Banging on the doors, howling. 

Creon 

Divum Jocastae caput mortuum! 
The divine Jocasta is dead!

Chorus  

Et ubi evellit claustra, 
When he tore open the doors, 

Suspensam mulierem omnes conspexerunt.
They all saw the Queen hanging there. 

Et Oedipus praekeps ruens 
And Oedipus ran to her, 

Illam exsolvebat, illam collocabat; 
Loosened the cord, and laid her down; 

Illam exsolvere, illam collocare. 
He untied her to lay her down. 

Et aurea fibula, et avulsa fibula
And snatching a golden pin, 

Oculos effodire; 
He scratched out his eyes; 

Ater sanguis rigare. 
The dark blood flowed. 

Creon 

Divum Jocastae caput mortuum! 
The divine Jocasta is dead! 

Chorus 

Sanguis ater rigabat prosiliebat; 
The dark blood flowed forth; 

Et Oedipus exclamare 
And Oedipus cried out 

Et sese detestare. 
And cursed himself. 

Omnibus se ostendere. 
He showed himself to all.

Beluam vult ostendere. 
He wanted to show the horror. 

Aspikite fores pandere, 
Behold, the gates are opening, 

Aspikite spectaculum 
Behold a sight, 

Omnium atrokissimum. 
Of all sights the most terrible. 

Creon 

Divum Jocastae caput mortuum! 
The divine Jocasta is dead! 

Chorus  

Ekke! Regem Oedipoda, 
Behold! Oedipus the King, 

Foedissimum monstrum monstrat, 
Shows himself the foulest of monsters,

Foedissimam beluam. 
The most loathsome beast. 

Ellum, regem okkeaetum! 
Behold! The blinded King! 

Rex parrikida, miser Oedipus, 
Wretched Oedipus, the King who slayed his father, 

Miser rex Oedipus carminum coniector. 
Wretched King Oedipus, the solver of the riddle. 

Adest! Ellum! Regem Oedipoda!
He is here! Look! King Oedipus!  

Vale, Oedipus, Te amabam, te miseror. 
Farewell, Oedipus, we loved you, we pity you. 

Miser Oedipus, oculos tuos deploro. 
Unfortunate Oedipus, we lament for your eyes. 

Vale, vale Oedipus, 
Farewell, farewell, Oedipus, 

Miser Oedipus noster, 
Our poor Oedipus, 

Te amabam, Oedipus.
We loved you, Oedipus.  

Tibi valedico, Oedipus, 
We bid you farewell, Oedipus, 

Tibi valedico. 
We bid you farewell.