WORD LISTS

"Oedipus the King" by Sophocles, List 3

Wed Jul 16 15:07:40 EDT 2025
By Vocabulary.com (NY)Visual Thesaurus Moderator
When a plague ravages the city of Thebes, Oedipus hears a prophecy that begins to unravel everything he thought was true. Read the full text here.

Here are links to our lists for the play: List 1, List 2, List 3

Here is a link to our list for Antigone by Sophocles.
impious
Perdition seize his vain imaginings,
If, urged by greed profane,
He grasps at ill-got gain,
And lays an impious hand on holiest things.
overwrought
I had a mind to visit the high shrines,
For Oedipus is overwrought, alarmed
With terrors manifold.
rebuke
"Rebuke" and "chastise" are synonyms that Oedipus is using to shame the herdsman into speaking the truth. The herdsman doesn't want to reveal the truth because he knows it would hurt Oedipus (and would also hurt himself, since he'd played a role in fulfilling the prophecy), so when the messenger blurts it out, he yells at him for having a "wanton tongue," which prompts Oedipus's rebuke.
Softly, old man, rebuke him not; thy words
Are more deserving chastisement than his.
prevaricate
The knave methinks will still prevaricate.
shroud
Not Ister nor all Phasis' flood, I ween,
Could wash away the blood-stains from this house,
The ills it shrouds or soon will bring to light,
Ills wrought of malice, not unwittingly.
sanguine
Such was the burden of his moan, whereto,
Not once but oft, he struck with his hand uplift
His eyes, and at each stroke the ensanguined orbs
Bedewed his beard, not oozing drop by drop,
But one black gory downpour, thick as hail.
respite
Another definition of "respite" is "postponing punishment"--in that sense, Oedipus enjoyed years of respite for the murders of Laius and his traveling party, during which time he became a king and fathered four children. But the question is coming from a concerned Chorus, who just heard that Oedipus, on discovering what his murderous acts led to, was so emotionally pained that he poked his own eyes into a bloody, blind mess.
But hath he still no respite from his pain?
fetter
My curse on him whoe'er unrived
The waif's fell fetters and my life revived!
He meant me well, yet had he left me there,
He had saved my friends and me a world of care.
abject
"Abject" also means "of the most contemptible kind" (Oedipus killed his father, married his mother, and fathered his own brothers and sisters), "showing utter resignation or hopelessness" (he begs to be exiled or killed), and "showing humiliation or submissiveness" (he recognizes that both Apollo and he are responsible for his miseries).
Come hither, deign to touch an abject wretch;
Draw near and fear not; I myself must bear
The load of guilt that none but I can share.
rancorous
Ah me! what words to accost him can I find?
What cause has he to trust me? In the past
I have been proved his rancorous enemy.
derision
Not in derision, Oedipus, I come
Nor to upbraid thee with thy past misdeeds.
providence
Although this play takes place chronologically before Antigone, Sophocles wrote it about fifteen years later. Thus, the Greek audiences who knew the myths and had seen the production of Antigone would know that Oedipus's wish does not come true: Creon, because of his pride, anger, and disrespect to the gods, also brings on the destruction of his family.
May Providence deal with thee kindlier
Than it has dealt with me!
abashed
Where'er ye go to feast or festival,
No merrymaking will it prove for you,
But oft abashed in tears ye will return.
disrepute
And when ye come to marriageable years,
Where's the bold wooers who will jeopardize
To take unto himself such disrepute
As to my children's children still must cling,
For what of infamy is lacking here?
destitute
O leave them not to wander poor, unwed,
Thy kin, nor let them share my low estate.
O pity them so young, and but for thee
All destitute.

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