What does the quote below from Sophocles' Oedipus Rexmean, and who does it relate to? Chorus: You saw him swept away. so, being mortal, look on that...

This
passage refers to , but it can also be interpreted as
philosophically referring to all of mankind. When thesays what can
be translated as, "You saw him swept away," or, "How deep the sea of dire
misfortune that has taken him!," theis clearly referring to Oedipus (1556). Oedipus has
been "swept away" by his misfortunes, or the terrible things that he has been through
and that have been revealed to him. He is no longer the man he once was but is now instead
racked with pain and full of shame over the sins he has unknowingly committed against both his
mother and father.

However, the chorus continues to make a generalization
about mankind. The chorus warns that no one should think that a man is "blessed," or
fortunate until that man's life is over. The reference to the end of a person's life can be seen
in the line, "Until he's crossed life's bounds," which can also be translated as,
"Until he has reached the limit of life" (1558-59). The chorus further argues that
once a man has reached the end of his life and is still happy, content, and blessed and has not
known any suffering, then someone can consider that person to be "blessed." This idea
is seen in the phrase "unstruck by ruin still," which can also be translated with the
phrase "suffering nothing grievous" (1559). In short, the chorus is arguing that no
one can be considered happy and fortunate until that person has passed through life without
experiencing any suffering. While this statement is meant to apply to all of mankind in general,
it especially applies to Oedipus because the chorus saw him as a lucky, virtuous man. He was
lucky to have been made their king, and he was lucky to have had such a happy marriage, but now
all of Oedipus's happiness has been proven to be a .