Hw #2

-" (Oedipus)"World's apart? He was my father wasn't he?"/"(Messenger)No more than I who tell you this." Roche, pg 55
-"(Oedipus)What are you saying-Polybus was not my father?/"(Messenger)No more than I am. He and I are equals." Fagles, 1114-1115)

These two different translations sound almost the same, but for Fagles, his translation was more easier to understand in my opinion. Fagles uses words that are more in use and easier to understnd. Both translations are great, anyway. These lines strike me the most. These are the lines where Oedipus' downfall is beginning to come alive. The messenger is exposing the pieces and Oedipus isconnecting them. The messenger is telling Oedipus that his parents from Thebes has just given him up and was ready to kill him when someone found him. Oedipus is learning that the person who he thought where his parents weren't in fact. In Roche's translation, his words are less modern and it took just a little bit more of thinking to realize that the messenger was telling Oedipus that he was given up at birth. In Fagles' translation, the obvious is given to the reader. Oedipus is now knowing the truth.