Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus:
“As you yourself see, the state is excessively shaken…”
Πόλις γάρ, ὥσπερ καὐτὸς εἰσορᾷς, ἄγαν
ἤδη σαλεύει [23-24]
“Dark Hades grows rich on groaning and wailing.”
μέλας δ’ ῞Αιδης στεναγμοῖς καὶ γόοις πλουτίζεται. [29-30]
“My soul grieves equally for the state, for myself, and for you.
ἡ δ’ ἐμὴ ψυχὴ πόλιν τε κἀμὲ καὶ σ’ ὁμοῦ στένει. [63-64]
“One who feels no fear in doing a deed will not be deterred by speech.”
῟Ωι μή ‘στι δρῶντι τάρβος, οὐδ’ ἔπος φοβεῖ. [297]
“I don’t know. I prefer to remain silent on matters which I don’t understand.”
Οὐκ οἶδ’· ἐφ’ οἷς γὰρ μὴ φρονῶ σιγᾶν φιλῶ. [569]
“I was not born more desirous to be a tyrant than to act the tyrant, nor was anyone else who knows well how to think.”
᾿Εγὼ μὲν οὖν οὔτ’ αὐτὸς ἱμείρων ἔφυν
τύραννος εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ τύραννα δρᾶν,
οὔτ’ ἄλλος ὅστις σωφρονεῖν ἐπίσταται. [587-589]
“Those who are quick to form a plan are not likely to avoid error.”
φρονεῖν γὰρ οἱ ταχεῖς οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς. [617]
“Do you not feel ashamed to work up your private troubles when the land is suffering so?”
οὐδ’ ἐπαισχύνεσθε γῆς οὕτω νοσούσης ἴδια κινοῦντες κακά; [635-636]
“Hubris gives birth to the tyrant.”
῞Υβρις φυτεύει τύραννον· [873]
“O you unhappy man, would that you never knew who you are!”
῏Ω δύσποτμ’, εἴθε μήποτε γνοίης ὃς εἶ. [1068]
“O mortal generations, I reckon you as equal to nothing while you live.”
᾿Ιὼ γενεαὶ βροτῶν,
ὡς ὑμᾶς ἴσα καὶ τὸ μη-
δὲν ζώσας ἐναριθμῶ. [1186-8]
“You will see a sight which you will pity as you loathe it.”
θέαμα δ’ εἰσόψει τάχα τοιοῦτον οἷον καὶ στυγοῦντ’ ἐποικτίσαι. [1295]
