Final answer:
Teiresias's statement reflects his frustration that despite his wisdom and ability to foresee the tragic future, it is met with ignorance and thus becomes useless. This idea parallels Socrates's realization from Plato's Apology that true wisdom is knowing the extent of one's own ignorance, a concept that can be resonantly found in personal experiences where insight is disregarded by others.
Step-by-step explanation:
Teiresias's lament, "...what misery to be wise/When wisdom profits nothing!" captures a profound disillusionment with the value of wisdom in the face of impervious ignorance or misunderstanding. Teiresias is a prophet, and his role in Greek tragedy often involves delivering unheeded warnings. His frustration stems from Oedipus's refusal to see the truth about his actions and their consequences. The wisdom he possesses is burdensome because it is ignored, making his insight futile and his role in the narrative tragically ironic.
This notion of the futility of wisdom is echoed in the ancient texts from which this quote originates. As seen in Plato's Apology, Socrates also ponders over the oracle's pronouncement of his wisdom, leading him to the understanding that human wisdom has little value, aligning with the realization that he is wise because he recognizes the extent of his own ignorance. Likewise, one can find similar sentiments in other philosophical quotes, like those considering the burdens of knowledge and the folly of those who presume to know.
In personal experience, we might relate to Teiresias's predicament when we've offered advice that goes unheeded or have understood a situation only to find others around us blind to the same truths. The frustration Teiresias voices is a universal human experience: the despair in knowing that sometimes, wisdom isn't enough to effect change or prevent catastrophe.