Summary

The elders chant a prayer to the gods of the Underworld to receive Oedipus in death.

Analysis

The ode, solemn and stately, implores the god and goddess of the Underworld, Hades and Persephone, to grant Oedipus the justice and the glory that he was denied in life.

The prayer, in effect, reflects the final acknowledgment of the tragic grandeur of the long-suffering Oedipus. From their initial horror, the chorus of elders has now come around to a genuine sympathy and admiration of the tragic figure — a transformation paralleling the catharsis that the audience experiences.

Glossary

Cerberus the three-headed dog guarding the gate of Hades.