15. THE SEIZURE OF THE DAUGHTERS: “EVIL KINDNESS”

THESEUS, OEDIPUS, CHORUS, CREON

FC 122-124: SCENE IV - Oedipus to Creon:

• "You come to take me, but not to take me home;

Rather to settle me outside the city

So that the city may escape my curse,

Escape from punishment by Athens.

Yes;

But you’ll not have it. What you’ll have is this:

My vengeance active in that land forever;

And what my sons will have of my old kingdom

Is just so much room as they need to die in!" 

FA 199: ODE I after SCENE I (Creon orders the Sentry to bring the criminal who buried Polyneices) 

• The chorus sings this ode to Creon, praises his awesome power on the surface, but foreshadows his excessive pride and abuse of power that will lead to his ruin. The ode cautions against men's abuse of power and knowledge in light of the gods' superiority. 

• "Strophe" - the first part of a Choral Ode

  • The Chorus perform an ode by moving first in one direction to sing the strophe (turn), then in another direction to sing the antistrophe (Counter-Turn), which reversed the steps, and finally the epodes, in which the chorus stood still.

  • ODE I has Strophe 1, Antistrophe 1, Strophe 2, Antistrophe 2

FC 129