140 D. E. HILL
hisne etiam funestus ego? et uidet ista deorum
ignauus genitor?
(1.74–80)
I was deprived of sight and lacking my kingdom but they, on whatever
couch conceived, did not try to guide me or to soothe me with words in
my sorrow. But rather, look, for shame, they proudly and though being
kings now for some time because of my death, insult my blindness and
hate their father’s groans. Am I polluted even to them? And does the
idle father of the gods see these things?Here there is no trampling on eyes or extravagant claims that this sin
was of cosmic significance. It is, instead, a set of straightforward
complaints against his sons coupled with contempt for Jupiter’s ap-
parent indifference. And all this is especially interesting as we read on
in Jupiter’s speech:
iam iam rata uota tulisti, dire senex (1.239–40 “Now, now you
have brought your prayers to fulfilment, terrible old man.”): this is
true, but it is Tisiphone that is on her way, not what Jupiter meant. He
continues: meruere tuae, meruere tenebrae ultorem sperare Iouem
(1.240–1 “Your darkness has deserved, it has deserved to expect Jupi-
ter as an avenger.”): but as recently as 1.236–8 Oedipus’ blindness
was seen as part of an expiation for his incest (never mind the patri-
cide), not something for which he can claim Jupiter’s vengeance.
Careless, or unaware of the illogicality of his position, Jupiter blun-
ders on: noua sontibus arma iniciam regnis (1.241–2 “I shall cast
new arms into the guilty kingdom(s).”^6
It might be helpful to sum up where we are now. Originally, Jupiter
had suggested that Argos and Thebes were descended from him and
deserving of severe punishment (1.224–7). No specific sin was attrib-
uted to Argos but Thebes was to be destroyed for various sins climax-
ing in Oedipus’ incest for which, however, he was now to be forgiven,
and the punishment was to be visited on Polynices and Eteocles in-
stead for, apparently, ill-treating their father. If we remember that
originally Argos, and Thebes were to be punished we might be
tempted to take regnis as referring to Argos and Thebes; however,
Jupiter’s very next words, totumque a stirpe reuellam exitiale genus
(1.242–3 “And I shall tear the whole destructive race from its stump”),
strongly suggest a single race, the race of Thebes, with the plural per-
6 See n. 7.