μάλιστα μὲν with λέγω, not with τὴν σὴν Ἐρ.: "and of these things I hold (as the most probable account) that the curse on thy race is the cause;— then from seers also I hear in this sense." Cp.
, “"I think it most likely that..."”: Ph. 617 “οἴοιτο μὲν μάλισθ᾽ ἑκούσιον λαβών”, “"he thought it most likely that he (could bring him) without compulsion."” The μέν after μάλιστα opposes this view, the most likely, to other views (not stated) which are possible, though less probable: ἔπειτα is not opposed to μέν, but introduces the fact which confirms his conjecture. τὴν σὴν Ἐρινὺν, the Fury who pursues thee and thy race, the family curse, 369 “τὴν πάλαι γένους φθοράν” (cp. 965), as Oed. himself called his sons' strife “πεπρωμένην” (421). Not, “"thy curse on thy sons"”: Polyneices knows nothing of the imprecation uttered at 421 ff. It is a distinctive point in the Sophoclean treatment of the story that the curse of Oed. on his sons comes after the outbreak of war between them, not before it, as with Aesch. and Eur.: see Introd. μάντεων, at Argos, probably alluding to Amphiaraus (1313). This Argive utterance as to the cause of the brothers' strife may be conceived as a part of the oracles noticed at 1331, which also concerned the issue.“οἶμαι μάλιστ᾽ ἔγωγε τοῦ τεθνηκότος
μνημεἶ Ὀρέστου ταῦτα προσθεῖναί τινα
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