The reading ἀνέχουσα is usually justified by Ai. 212 “（ σε ） στέρξας ἀνέχει”, "having conceived a love for thee, he upholds thee"; and Eur. Hec. 123 “βάκχης ἀνέχων λέκτρ᾽ Ἀγαμέμνων”, "upholding," i.e. "refusing to forsake," "remaining constant to." But how could the bird be said to "uphold" the ivy in that sense? In Thuc. 2.18 and 7. 48 “ἀνεῖχεν” is intrans., "he held back" cautiously. Of the two MS. readings, οἰνωπὰν ἔχουσα and οἰνῶπ᾽ ἀνέχουσα, the latter seems to have come from the former, not vice versa. “οἰνωπός” is a good Attic form (used four times by Eur.), and “οἰνωπὸν ἔχουσα” is nearer to the MSS. than Dindorf's “οἰνῶπα νέμουσα”. The latter word would mean, “"having for her domain."”
This text is part of:
Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, with critical notes, commentary, and translation in English prose. Part II: The Oedipus Coloneus. Sir Richard C. Jebb. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 1899.
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