Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus Tyrannus

[275] εὖ cf. Soph. Trach. 229 “ἀλλ᾽ εὖ μὲν ἵγμεθ᾽, εὖ δὲ προσφωνούμεθα.”

ὥσπερ μ᾽ ἀραῖον κ.τ.λ. As you have brought me into your power under a curse [if I speak not the truth], so （ὧδε, i.e. ἔνορκος） I will speak. Aeschin. 3.90 “μίαν ἐλπίδα λοιπὴν κατεῖδε σωτηρίας, ἔνορκον λαβεῖν τὸν Ἀθηναίων δῆμον ... βοηθήσειν,” to bind them by an oath that they would help. λαβεῖν here has nearly the same force as in λαβεῖν αἰχμάλωτον etc.: Lys. 4.5 “ὑποχείριον λαβὼν τὸ σῶμα,” having got his person into my power.

ἀραῖον = τῇ ἀρᾷ ἔνοχον, cp. ὅρκιος ... λέγω Soph. Ant. 305. The paraphrase of Eustath. 1809. 14 ὥσπερ με εἶλες διὰ τῆς ἀρᾶς is substantially right. The use of καταλαβεῖν is not really similar （ Hdt. 9.106 “πίστι τε καταλαβόντες καὶ ὁρκίοισι,” Thuc. 4.85 “ὅρκοις ... καταλαβὼν τὰ τέλη”）, since the κατά in comp. gives the sense of overtaking, and so of binding. Nor can we compare Soph. OC 284 “ὥσπερ ἔλαβες τὸν ἱκέτην ἐχέγγυον,” where the sense is, “As thou hast received the （self-surrendered） suppliant under thy pledge.”