Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone — Page 5

Vocabulary

Ainsi

In this way; thus; so

méditant

Thinking deeply; reflecting; pondering on something

j'

Contracted form of 'je' meaning I

ai

First person singular of 'avoir'; have

saisi

Seized; grasped; took hold of something

un

Indefinite article meaning a or one

fil

Thread; strand; thin line of something

d'

Contracted preposition meaning of or from

espoir

Hope; expectation of something positive happening

Et

Conjunction meaning and; linking words or clauses

je

First person singular pronoun meaning I

l'

Contracted definite article or pronoun meaning it or the

suivi

Followed; tracked; pursued something or someone

envoyé

Sent; dispatched someone or something somewhere

le

Definite article meaning the; masculine singular

fils

Son; male child of a parent

de

Preposition meaning of, from, or about

frère

Brother; male sibling of someone

mon

Possessive adjective meaning my; masculine singular

épouse

Wife; female spouse; married partner

s'

Reflexive pronoun contracted form of se meaning oneself

enquérir

To inquire; to ask; to seek information about something

Auprès

Near; beside; close to someone or something

en

Preposition meaning in, at, or by something

sanctuaire

Sanctuary; sacred place of worship or refuge

Comment

How; in what way; interrogative adverb

pourrais

Could; conditional form of pouvoir meaning be able

sauver

To save; to rescue someone or something from danger

État

State; nation; organized political community or government

par

Preposition meaning by, through, or per

acte

Act; action; deed performed by someone

ou

Conjunction meaning or; presenting an alternative choice

parole

Word; speech; spoken expression or statement

maintenant

Now; at the present moment in time

compte

Counts; accounts; reckons a number of things

nombre

Number; quantity; amount of something counted

jours

Days; units of time each lasting twenty-four hours

Depuis

Since; from a point in time until now

départ

Departure; the act of leaving a place

m'

Contracted object pronoun me; used before vowels

étonne

Surprises; astonishes; causes wonder or amazement

ce

Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning this or that

qu'

Contracted conjunction or pronoun meaning that or what

il

Third person masculine pronoun meaning he or it

advient

Happens; occurs; comes to pass unexpectedly

C'

Contracted form of ce meaning it or this

est

Is; third person singular of être to be

étrange

Strange; odd; unusual or surprising in character

retard

Delay; lateness; being behind expected schedule

sans

Without; lacking something; preposition indicating absence

fin

End; conclusion; final point of something

vraiment

Truly; really; indeed; used for emphasis

Mais

But; however; conjunction indicating contrast or exception

quand

When; at what time; temporal conjunction

viendra

Will come; future tense of venir to come

serais

Would be; conditional of être to be

vil

Vile; base; morally despicable or worthless

assurément

Certainly; assuredly; without any doubt at all

Si

If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis

n'

Negation particle contracted before vowel; part of ne

accomplis

Accomplish; carry out; fulfill a task or duty

pas

Not; negation particle used with ne

tout

Everything; all; every part without exception

que

That; what; conjunction or relative pronoun

dieu

God; divine being; deity worshipped in religion

déclare

Declares; states officially; announces or proclaims publicly

LE

Definite masculine article the; emphatic or heading use

PRÊTRE

Priest; religious official who performs sacred rites

Tes

Your; possessive adjective plural informal second person

paroles

Words; spoken statements; things said aloud

tombent

Fall; drop; come at the right moment

à

Preposition meaning to, at, or in

point

Right moment; point; opportune time for something

tandis

While; whereas; used in 'tandis que' meaning while

même

Even; same; itself; used for emphasis or comparison

tu

You; informal second person singular subject pronoun

parles

Speak; talk; second person singular of parler

Ces

These; those; plural demonstrative adjective

cris

Cries; shouts; loud vocal sounds expressing emotion

annoncent

Announce; indicate; signal that something is approaching

proche

Near; close; nearby in space or time

Ô

Oh; exclamatory interjection used in address or invocation

roi

King; male monarch ruling over a kingdom

air

Air; expression; appearance or look on a face

joyeux

Joyful; cheerful; expressing or feeling happiness

Soit

May it be; let it be; subjunctive of être

présage

Omen; presage; sign foretelling future events

des

Of the; some; plural indefinite or partitive article

heureuses

Happy; fortunate; joyful; feminine plural adjective

nouvelles

News; tidings; new information received about events

apporte

Brings; carries something to someone present here

À

Preposition meaning to, at, in, or for

présume

Presume; assume; suppose something to be likely true

bon

Good; positive; of satisfactory quality or nature

signe

Sign; signal; indication pointing toward something

sinon

Otherwise; if not; or else; introducing a condition

sa

His; her; its; possessive adjective feminine singular

tête

Head; top part of the human body

N'

Contracted negation particle ne before a vowel

eût

Had; past subjunctive of avoir to have

guère

Hardly; scarcely; barely; used in negative contexts

été

Been; past participle of être to be

couronnée

Crowned; adorned with a crown or wreath

lauriers

Laurels; laurel branches symbolizing victory or honor

chargés

Loaded; laden; heavily covered with something

baies

Berries; small round fruits growing on plants

Nous

We; us; first person plural subject pronoun

saurons

Will know; future tense of savoir to know

bientôt

Soon; in a short time from now

portée

Reach; range; scope or significance of something

voix

Voice; the sound produced by speaking or singing

Entre

Enters; between; stage direction or preposition

Mon

My; first person singular possessive adjective masculine

royal

Royal; relating to or belonging to a king

cousin

Cousin; child of one's aunt or uncle

dis

Tell; say; imperative of dire to say

moi

Me; I; emphatic first person singular pronoun

enfant

Child; young person; son or daughter of someone

Quel

What; which; interrogative adjective masculine singular

message

Message; information communicated from one person to another

as

Have; second person singular of avoir to have

rapporté

Reported; brought back; conveyed information from somewhere

la

The; feminine definite article singular or object pronoun

part

Part; side; behalf of someone in communication

du

Contraction of de le meaning of the

De

Of; from; preposition indicating origin or possession

bonnes

Good; positive; feminine plural adjective describing news

car

Because; for; conjunction explaining a reason given

les

The; plural definite article or object pronoun

maux

Evils; ills; hardships or troubles afflicting someone

intolérables

Intolerable; unbearable; impossible to endure or accept

Trouvant

Finding; discovering; encountering something in a situation

leur

Their; them; third person plural possessive or pronoun

juste

Just; fair; right; exact or appropriate in context

issue

Outcome; way out; resolution of a difficult situation

ne

Negation particle used with pas, jamais, etc.

tendent

Tend; lead toward; incline in a certain direction

au

Contraction of à le meaning to the

bien

Good; well; welfare; what is beneficial or right

Que

What; that; which; conjunction or interrogative pronoun

dit

Says; said; third person of dire to say

oracle

Oracle; divine prophecy or the place delivering it

jusqu'

Until; up to; as far as; contracted form of jusqu'à

ici

Here; in this place; at this location now

Ne

Negation particle; part of French negative construction

me

Me; first person singular object or reflexive pronoun

donnent

Give; provide; third person plural of donner

aucun

No; none; any; used in negative expressions

motif

Reason; motive; grounds for feeling or acting

confiance

Confidence; trust; faith in someone or something

crainte

Fear; apprehension; worry about something threatening

veux

Want; wish; first person of vouloir to want

entendre

To hear; to listen; to understand what is said

publiquement

Publicly; openly; in front of everyone present

Je

I; first person singular subject pronoun in French

te

You; second person singular informal object pronoun

dirai

Will tell; future tense of dire to say

sur

On; upon; over; preposition indicating position or topic

champ

Field; sur-le-champ means immediately; right away

entrerons

We will enter; future tense of entrer to enter

ensemble

Together; as a group; collectively at the same time

Parle

Speak; talk; imperative of parler to speak

devant

Before; in front of; facing someone or something

tous

All; everyone; every one without exception

fardeau

Burden; heavy load; weight carried with difficulty

porte

Carries; bears; third person of porter to carry

Est

Is; third person singular present of être to be

davantage

More; further; to a greater degree or extent

pour

For; in order to; on behalf of someone

ces

These; those; plural demonstrative adjective in French

sujets

Subjects; citizens; people under a ruler's authority

qui

Who; which; that; relative or interrogative pronoun

sont

Are; third person plural of être to be

miens

Mine; my own; masculine plural possessive pronoun

Permettez

Allow; permit; formal imperative of permettre

alors

Then; so; at that time or in that case

rapporter

To report; to bring back; to relay information

a

Has; third person singular of avoir to have

déclaré

Declared; stated; officially announced or proclaimed something