Oedipus
Μήπω μ' ἐρώτα· τὸν δὲ Λάϊον φύσιν
τίν' εἶχε φράζε, τίνα δ' ἀκμὴν ἥβης ἔχων.
This syntax is spare with no wasted words, assuming the text is sound — Jebb[1] had a problem with it. Helma Dik[2] commented on it. My question pertains to the word order τὸν δὲ Λάϊον φύσιν τίν' εἶχε. I noted in Jebb's comment: Herm. was inclined to defend as if τίνα φύσιν εἶχε = τίς ἦν φύσιν which is more or less what my question is about. Was Herm's analysis correct?
[1]
[2] Helma Dik labeled Λάϊον the topic and φύσιν a subtopic. Word Order Greek Tragic Dialogue p159 n44.[740] I do not believe that Soph., or any Greek, could have written φύσιν ι τίν᾽ εἶχε, φράζε, τίνα δ᾽ ἀκμὴν ἥβης ἔχων, which Herm. was inclined to defend as if τίνα φύσιν εἶχε = τίς ἦν φύσιν. Now τίνος would easily pass into τίνα δ᾽ with a scribe who did not follow the construction; and to restore τίνος seems by far the most probable as well as the simplest remedy. No exception can be taken to the phrase τίνος ἀκμὴν ἥβης as = “the ripeness of what period of vigorous life.”
some context:
{ΟΙ.} Οἷόν μ' ἀκούσαντ' ἀτίως ἔχει, γύναι,
ψυχῆς πλάνημα κἀνακίνησις φρενῶν.
{ΙΟ.} Ποίας μερίμνης τοῦθ' ὑποστραφεὶς λέγεις;
{ΟΙ.} Ἔδοξ' ἀκοῦσαι σοῦ τόδ', ὡς ὁ Λάϊος
730
κατασφαγείη πρὸς τριπλαῖς ἁμαξιτοῖς.
{ΙΟ.} Ηὐδᾶτο γὰρ ταῦτ' οὐδέ πω λήξαντ' ἔχει.
{ΟΙ.} Καὶ ποῦ 'σθ' ὁ χῶρος οὗτος, οὗ τόδ' ἦν πάθος;
{ΙΟ.} Φωκὶς μὲν ἡ γῆ κλῄζεται, σχιστὴ δ' ὁδὸς
ἐς ταὐτὸ Δελφῶν κἀπὸ Δαυλίας ἄγει.
735
{ΟΙ.} Καὶ τίς χρόνος τοῖσδ' ἐστὶν οὑξεληλυθώς;
{ΙΟ.} Σχεδόν τι πρόσθεν ἢ σὺ τῆσδ' ἔχων χθονὸς
ἀρχὴν ἐφαίνου, τοῦτ' ἐκηρύχθη πόλει.
{ΟΙ.} Ὦ Ζεῦ, τί μου δρᾶσαι βεβούλευσαι πέρι;
{ΙΟ.} Τί δ' ἐστί σοι τοῦτ', Οἰδίπους, ἐνθύμιον;
740
{ΟΙ.} Μήπω μ' ἐρώτα· τὸν δὲ Λάϊον φύσιν
τίν' εἶχε φράζε, τίνα δ' ἀκμὴν ἥβης ἔχων.
{ΙΟ.} Μέγας, χνοάζων ἄρτι λευκανθὲς κάρα,
μορφῆς δὲ τῆς σῆς οὐκ ἀπεστάτει πολύ.
{ΟΙ.} Οἴμοι τάλας· ἔοικ' ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἀρὰς
745
δεινὰς προβάλλων ἀρτίως οὐκ εἰδέναι.
{ΙΟ.} Πῶς φῄς; ὀκνῶ τοι πρὸς σ' ἀποσκοποῦσ', ἄναξ.
{ΟΙ.} Δεινῶς ἀθυμῶ μὴ βλέπων ὁ μάντις ᾖ.
Δείξεις δὲ μᾶλλον, ἢν ἓν ἐξείπῃς ἔτι.