Commentary on Sophocles: Oedipus Tyrannus by Sir Richard C. Jebb
νέα last-born (not “young,” for τέκνα includes the old men, v. 17), added for contrast with τοῦ πάλαι. Oedipus, —who believes himself a Corinthian (774), —marks his respect for the ancient glories of the Theban house to whose throne he has been called: see esp. 258 f. So the Thebans are στρατὸς ΚαδμογενήςAesch. Seven 303 , Καδμογενὴς γένναEur. Phoen. 808, or Καδμεῖο. τροφή = θρέμματα (abstract for concrete); Eur. Cycl. 189ἀρνῶν τροφαί = ἄρνες ἐκτεθραμμέναι. Cadmus, as guardian genius of Thebes, is still τροφεύς of all who are reared in the δῶμα Καδμεῖον (v. 29). Campbell understands, “my last-born care derived from ancient Cadmus,” —as though the τροφεύς were Oedipus. But could Κάδμου τροφή mean “[;my]; nurslings [;derived from]; Cadmus”? It is by the word τέκνα that Oedipus expresses his own fatherly care.