Him Name Me For His Child? Stranger. Thou Wast His Child--By Gift. Long Years Ago Mine Own Hand Brought Thee To Him. Oedipus. Coming So, From A Strange Hand, He Gave Me That Great Love? Stranger. He Had No Child, And The Desire Thereof Held Him. Oedipus. And Thou Didst Find Somewhere--Or Buy-- A Child For Him? Stranger. I Found It In A High Glen Of Kithairon. [Movement Of Jocasta, Who Stands Riveted With Dread, Unnoticed By The Others. Oedipus. Yonder? To What End Wast Travelling In These Parts? Stranger. I Came To Tend The Flocks Here On The Mountain. [Sidenote: Vv. 1029-1037] Oedipus. Thou Wast One That Wandered, Tending Sheep For Hire? Stranger. My Son, That Day I Was The Saviour Of A King. Oedipus. How Saviour? Was I In Some Suffering Or Peril? Stranger. Thine Own Feet A Tale Could Speak. Oedipus. Ah Me! What Ancient Pain Stirs Half Awake Within Me! Stranger. 'Twas A Spike Through Both Thy Feet. I Set Thee Free. Oedipus. A Strange Scorn That, To Greet A Babe New On The Earth! Stranger. From That They Fain Must Call Thee Oedipus, "Who-Walks-In-Pain." Oedipus. Who Called Me So--Father Or Mother? Oh, In God'S Name, Speak! [Sidenote: Vv. 1038-1046] Stranger. I Know Not. He Should Know Who Brought Thee. Oedipus. So: I Was Not Found By Thee. Thou Hadst Me From Another? Stranger. Aye; To Me One Of The Shepherds Gave The Babe, To Bear Far Off. Oedipus. What Shepherd? Know'St Thou Not? Declare All That Thou Knowest. Stranger. By My Memory, Then, I Think They Called Him One Of La'Us' Men. Oedipus. That La'Us Who Was King In Thebes Of Old? Stranger. The Same. My Man Did Herding In His Fold. Oedipus. Is He Yet Living? Can I See His Face? Stranger. [Turning To The Chorus. Ye Will Know That, Being Natives To The Place. [Sidenote: Vv. 1047-1062] Oedipus. How?--Is There One Of You Within My Pale Standing, That Knows The Shepherd Of His Tale? Ye Have Seen Him On The Hills? Or In This Town? Speak! For The Hour Is Come That All Be Known. Leader. I Think 'Twill Be The Peasant Man, The Same, Thou Hast Sought Long Time To See.--His Place And Name Our Mistress, If She Will, Can Tell Most Clear. [Jocasta Remains As If She Heard Nothing. Oedipus. Thou Hear'St Him, Wife. The Herd Whose Presence Here We Craved For, Is It He This Man Would Say? Jocasta. He Saith ... What Of It? Ask Not; Only Pray Not To Remember.... Tales Are Vainly Told. Oedipus. 'Tis Mine Own Birth. How Can I, When I Hold Such Clues As These, Refrain From Knowing All? Jocasta. For God'S Love, No! Not If Thou Car'St At All For Thine Own Life.... My Anguish Is Enough. Oedipus (Bitterly). Fear Not!... Though I Be Thrice Of Slavish Stuff From My Third Grand-Dam Down, It Shames Not Thee. [Sidenote: Vv. 1063-1075] Jocasta. Ask No More. I Beseech Thee.... Promise Me! Oedipus. To Leave The Truth Half-Found? 'Tis Not My Mood. Jocasta. I Understand; And Tell Thee What Is Good. Oedipus. Thy Good Doth Weary Me. Jocasta. O Child Of Woe, I Pray God, I Pray God, Thou Never Know! Oedipus (Turning From Her). Go, Fetch The Herdsman Straight!--This Queen Of Mine May Walk Alone To Boast Her Royal Line. Jocasta. [She Twice Draws In Her Breath Through Her Teeth, As If In Some Sharp Pain. Unhappy One, Goodbye! Goodbye Before I Go: This Once, And Never Never More! [She Comes Towards Him As Though To Take A Last Farewell, Then Stops Suddenly, Turns, And Rushes Into The Palace. Leader. King, What Was That? She Passed Like One Who Flies In Very Anguish. Dread Is O'Er Mine Eyes Lest From This Silence Break Some Storm Of Wrong. [Sidenote: Vv. 1076-1097] Oedipus. Break What Break Will! My Mind Abideth Strong To Know The Roots, How Low Soe'Er They Be, Which Grew To Oedipus. This Woman, She Is Proud, Methinks, And Fears My Birth And Name Will Mar Her Nobleness. But I, No Shame Can Ever Touch Me. I Am Fortune'S Child, Not Man'S; Her Mother Face Hath Ever Smiled Above Me, And My Brethren Of The Sky, The Changing Moons, Have Changed Me Low And High. There Is My Lineage True, Which None Shall Wrest From Me; Who Then Am I To Fear This Quest? Chorus. [They Sing Oedipus As The Foundling Of Their Own Theban Mountain, Kithairon, And Doubtless Of Divine Birth. [Strophe. If I, O Kithairon, Some Vision Can Borrow From Seercraft, If Still There Is Wit In The Old, Long, Long, Through The Deep-Orb'D Moon Of The Morrow-- So Hear Me, Olympus!--Thy Tale Shall Be Told. O Mountain Of Thebes, A New Theban Shall Praise Thee, One Born Of Thy Bosom, One Nursed At Thy Springs; And The Old Men Shall Dance To Thy Glory, And Raise Thee To Worship, O Bearer Of Joy To My Kings. And Thou, We Pray, Look Down In Peace, O Apollo; I-', I-'! [Sidenote: Vv. 1098-1120] [Antistrophe. What Oread Mother, Unaging, Unweeping, Did Bear Thee, O Babe, To The Crag-Walker Pan; Or Perchance To Apollo? He Loveth The Leaping Of Herds On The Rock-Ways Unhaunted Of Man. Or Was It The Lord Of Cyll'N', Who Found Thee, Or Glad Dionysus, Whose Home Is The Height, Who Knew Thee His Own On The Mountain, As Round Thee The White Brides Of Helicon Laughed For Delight? 'Tis There, 'Tis There, The Joy Most Liveth Of All His Dance And Prayer. Oedipus. If I May Judge, Ye Elders, Who Have Ne'er Seen Him, Methinks I See The Shepherd There Whom We Have Sought So Long. His Weight Of Years Fits Well With Our Corinthian Messenger'S; And, More, I Know The Men Who Guide His Way, Bondsmen Of Mine Own House. Thou, Friend, Wilt Say Most Surely, Who Hast Known The Man Of Old. Leader. I Know Him Well. A Shepherd Of The Fold Of La'Us, One He Trusted More Than All. [The Shepherd Comes In, Led By Two Thralls. He Is An Old Man And Seems Terrified.] Oedipus. Thou First, Our Guest From Corinth: Say Withal Is This The Man? [Sidenote: Vv. 1120-1130] Stranger. This Is The Man, O King. Oedipus. [Addressing The Shepherd. Old Man! Look Up, And Answer Everything I Ask Thee.--Thou Wast La'Us' Man Of Old? Shepherd. Born In His House I Was, Not Bought With Gold. Oedipus. What Kind Of Work, What Way Of Life, Was Thine? Shepherd. Most Of My Days I Tended Sheep Or Kine. Oedipus. What Was Thy Camping Ground At Midsummer? Shepherd. Sometimes Kithairon, Sometimes Mountains Near. Oedipus. Saw'St Ever There This Man Thou Se'St Now? Shepherd. There, Lord? What Doing?--What Man Meanest Thou? Oedipus. [Pointing To The Stranger. Look! Hath He Ever Crossed Thy Path Before? [Sidenote: Vv. 1131-1146] Shepherd. I Call Him Not To Mind, I Must Think More. Stranger. Small Wonder That, O King! But I Will Throw Light On His Memories.--Right Well I Know He Knows The Time When, All Kithairon Through, I With One Wandering Herd And He With Two, Three Times We Neighboured One Another, Clear From Spring To Autumn Stars, A Good Half-Year. At Winter'S Fall We Parted; He Drove Down To His Master'S Fold, And I Back To Mine Own.... Dost Call It Back, Friend? Was It As I Say? Shepherd. It Was. It Was.... 'Tis All So Far Away. Stranger. Say Then: Thou Gavest Me Once, There In The Wild, A Babe To Rear Far Off As Mine Own Child? Shepherd. [His Terror Returning. What Does This Mean? To What End Askest Thou? Stranger. [Pointing To Oedipus. That Babe Has Grown, Friend. 'Tis Our Master Now. Shepherd. [He Slowly Understands, Then Stands For A Moment Horror-Struck. No, In The Name Of Death!... Fool, Hold Thy Peace. [He Lifts His Staff At The Stranger. [Sidenote: Vv. 1147-1157] Oedipus. Ha, Greybeard! Wouldst Thou Strike Him?--'Tis Not His Offences, 'Tis Thine Own We Need To Mend. Shepherd. Most Gentle Master, How Do I Offend? Oedipus. Whence Came That Babe Whereof He Questioneth? Shepherd. He Doth Not Know ... 'Tis Folly ... What He Saith. Oedipus. Thou Wilt Not Speak For Love; But Pain Maybe ... Shepherd. I Am Very Old. Ye Would Not Torture Me. Oedipus. Back With His Arms, Ye Bondmen! Hold Him So. [The Thralls Drag Back The Shepherd'S Arms, Ready For Torture. Shepherd. Woe'S Me! What Have I Done?... What Wouldst Thou Know? Oedipus. Didst Give This Man The Child, As He Doth Say? Shepherd. I Did.... Would God That I Had Died This Day! [Sidenote: Vv. 1158-1167] Oedipus. 'Fore Heaven, Thou Shalt Yet, If Thou Speak Not True. Shepherd. 'Tis More Than Death And Darker, If I Do. Oedipus. This Dog, It Seems, Will Keep Us Waiting. Shepherd. Nay, I Said At First I Gave It. Oedipus. In What Way Came It To Thee? Was It Thine Own Child, Or Another'S? Shepherd. Nay, It Never Crossed My Door: Another'S. Oedipus. Whose? What Man, What House, Of These About Thee? Shepherd. In The Name Of God Who Sees, Ask Me No More! Oedipus. If Once I Ask Again, Thou Diest. Shepherd. From The Folk Of La'Us, Then, It Came. [Sidenote: Vv. 1168-1176] Oedipus. A Slave, Or Born Of La'Us' Blood? Shepherd. There Comes The Word I Dread To Speak, O God! Oedipus. And I To Hear: Yet Heard It Needs Must Be. Shepherd. Know Then, They Said 'Twas La'Us' Child. But She Within, Thy Wife, Best Knows Its Fathering. Oedipus. 'Twas She That Gave It? Shepherd. It Was She, O King. Oedipus. And Bade You ... What? Shepherd. Destroy It. Oedipus. Her Own Child?... Cruel! Shepherd. Dark Words Of God Had Made Her Wild. Oedipus. What Words? [Sidenote: Vv. 1176-1192] Shepherd. The Babe Must Slay His Father; So 'Twas Written. Oedipus. Why Didst Thou, Then, Let Him Go With This Old Man? Shepherd. O King, I Pitied Him. I Thought The Man Would Save Him To Some Dim And Distant Land, Beyond All Fear.... And He, To Worse Than Death, Did Save Him!... Verily, If Thou Art He Whom This Man Telleth Of, To Sore Affliction Thou Art Born. Oedipus. Enough! All, All, Shall Be Fulfilled.... Oh, On These Eyes Shed Light No More, Ye Everlasting Skies That Know My Sin! I Have Sinned In Birth And Breath. I Have Sinned With Woman. I Have Sinned With Death. [He Rushes Into The Palace. The Shepherd Is Led Away By The Thralls. Chorus. [Strophe. Nothingness, Nothingness, Ye Children Of Man, And Less I Count You, Waking Or Dreaming! And None Among Mortals, None, Seeking To Live, Hath Won More Than To Seem, And To Cease Again From His Seeming. [Sidenote: Vv. 1193-1212] While Ever Before Mine Eyes One Fate, One Ensample, Lies-- Thine, Thine, O Oedipus, Sore Of God Oppress'D-- What Thing That Is Human More Dare I Call Bless'D? [Antistrophe. Straight His Archery Flew To The Heart Of Living; He Knew Joy And The Fulness Of Power, O Zeus, When The Riddling Breath Was Stayed And The Maid Of Death Slain, And We Saw Him Through The Death-Cloud, A Tower! For That He Was Called My King; Yea, Every Precious Thing Wherewith Men Are Honoured, Down We Cast Before Him, And Great Thebes Brought Her Crown And Kneeled To Adore Him. [Strophe. But Now, What Man'S Story Is Such Bitterness To Speak? What Life Hath Delusion So Visited, And Pain, And Swiftness Of Disaster? O Great King, Our Master, How Oped The One Haven To The Slayer And The Slain? And The Furrows Of Thy Father, Did They Turn Not Nor Shriek, Did They Bear So Long Silent Thy Casting Of The Grain? [Sidenote: Vv. 1213-1235] [Antistrophe. 'Tis Time, Time, Desireless, Hath Shown Thee What Thou Art; The Long Monstrous Mating, It Is Judged And All Its Race. O Child Of Him That Sleepeth, Thy Land Weepeth, Weepeth, Unfathered.... Would God, I Had Never Seen Thy Face! From Thee In Great Peril Fell Peace Upon My Heart, In Thee Mine Eye Clouded And The Dark Is Come Apace. [A Messenger Rushes Out From The Palace. Messenger. O Ye Above This Land In Honour Old Exalted, What A Tale Shall Ye Be Told, What Sights Shall See, And Tears Of Horror Shed, If Still Your Hearts Be True To Them That Led Your Sires! There Runs No River, Well I Ween, Not Phasis Nor Great Ister, Shall Wash Clean This House Of All Within That Hideth--Nay, Nor All That Creepeth Forth To Front The Day, Of Purposed Horror. And In Misery That Woundeth Most Which Men Have Willed To Be. Leader. No Lack There Was In What We Knew Before Of Food For Heaviness. What Bring'St Thou More? Messenger. One Thing I Bring Thee First.... 'Tis Quickly Said. Jocasta, Our Anointed Queen, Is Dead. [Sidenote: Vv. 1236-1260] Leader. Unhappy Woman! How Came Death To Her? Messenger. By Her Own Hand.... Oh, Of What Passed In There Ye Have Been Spared The Worst. Ye Cannot See. Howbeit, With That Which Still Is Left In Me Of Mind And Memory, Ye Shall Hear Her Fate. Like One Entranced With Passion, Through The Gate She Passed, The White Hands Flashing O'Er Her Head, Like Blades That Tear, And Fled, Unswerving Fled, Toward Her Old Bridal Room, And Disappeared And The Doors Crashed Behind Her. But We Heard Her Voice Within, Crying To Him Of Old, Her La'Us, Long Dead; And Things Untold Of The Old Kiss Unforgotten, That Should Bring The Lover'S Death And Leave The Loved A Thing Of Horror, Yea, A Field Beneath The Plough For Sire And Son: Then Wailing Bitter-Low Across That Bed Of Births Unreconciled, Husband From Husband Born And Child From Child. And, After That, I Know Not How Her Death Found Her. For Sudden, With A Roar Of Wrath, Burst Oedipus Upon Us. Then, I Ween, We Marked No More What Passion Held The Queen, But Him, As In The Fury Of His Stride, "A Sword! A Sword! And Show Me Here," He Cried, "That Wife, No Wife, That Field Of Bloodstained Earth Where Husband, Father, Sin On Sin, Had Birth, Polluted Generations!" While He Thus Raged On, Some God--For Sure 'Twas None Of Us-- Showed Where She Was; And With A Shout Away, As Though Some Hand Had Pointed To The Prey, [Sidenote: Vv. 1261-1286] He Dashed Him On The Chamber Door. The Straight Door-Bar Of Oak, It Bent Beneath His Weight, Shook From Its Sockets Free, And In He Burst To The Dark Chamber. There We Saw Her First Hanged, Swinging From A Noose, Like A Dead Bird. He Fell Back When He Saw Her. Then We Heard A Miserable Groan, And Straight He Found And Loosed The Strangling Knot, And On The Ground Laid Her.--Ah, Then The Sight Of Horror Came! The Pin Of Gold, Broad-Beaten Like A Flame, He Tore From Off Her Breast, And, Left And Right, Down On The Shuddering Orbits Of His Sight Dashed It: "Out! Out! Ye Never More Shall See Me Nor The Anguish Nor The Sins Of Me. Ye Looked On Lives Whose Like Earth Never Bore, Ye Knew Not Those My Spirit Thirsted For: Therefore Be Dark For Ever!" Like A Song His Voice Rose, And Again, Again, The Strong And Stabbing Hand Fell, And The Massacred And Bleeding Eyeballs Streamed Upon His Beard, Wild Rain, And Gouts Of Hail Amid The Rain. Behold Affliction, Yea, Afflictions Twain From Man And Woman Broken, Now Made One In Downfall. All The Riches Yester Sun Saw In This House Were Rich In Verity. What Call Ye Now Our Riches? Agony, Delusion, Death, Shame, All That Eye Or Ear Hath Ever Dreamed Of Misery, Is Here. Leader. And Now How Fares He? Doth The Storm Abate? [Sidenote: Vv. 1287-1308] Messenger. He Shouts For One To Open Wide The Gate And Lead Him Forth, And To All Thebes Display His Father'S Murderer, His Mother'S.... Nay, Such Words I Will Not Speak. And His Intent Is Set, To Cast Himself In Banishment Out To The Wild, Not Walk 'Mid Human Breed Bearing The Curse He Bears. Yet Sore His Need Of Strength And Of Some Guiding Hand. For Sure He Hath More Burden Now Than Man May Endure. But See, The Gates Fall Back, And That Appears Which He Who Loathes Shall Pity--Yea, With Tears. [Oedipus Is Led In, Blinded And Bleeding. The Old Men Bow Down And Hide Their Faces; Some Of Them Weep. Chorus. Oh, Terrible! Oh, Sight Of All This Life Hath Crossed, Most Terrible! Thou Man More Wronged Than Tongue Can Tell, What Madness Took Thee? Do There Crawl Live Things Of Evil From The Deep To Leap On Man? Oh, What A Leap Was His That Flung Thee To Thy Fall! Leader. O Fallen, Fallen In Ghastly Case, I Dare Not Raise Mine Eyes To Thee; Fain Would I Look And Ask And See, But Shudder Sickened From Thy Face. Oedipus. Oh, Pain; Pain And Woe! Whither? Whither? [Sidenote: Vv. 1308-1328] They Lead Me And I Go; And My Voice Drifts On The Air Far Away. Where, Thing Of Evil, Where Endeth Thy Leaping Hither? Leader. In Fearful Ends, Which None May Hear Nor Say. Oedipus. [Strophe. Cloud Of The Dark, Mine Own For Ever, Horrible, Stealing, Stealing, Silent, Unconquerable, Cloud That No Wind, No Summer Can Dispel! Again, Again I Groan, As Through My Heart Together Crawl The Strong Stabs Of This Pain And Memories Of Old Wrong. Leader. Yea, Twofold Hosts Of Torment Hast Thou There, The Stain To Think On And The Pain To Bear. Oedipus. [Antistrophe. O Friend, Thou Mine Own Still Faithful, Minister Steadfast Abiding Alone Of Them That Were, Dost Bear With Me And Give The Blind Man Care? Ah Me! Not All Unknown Nor Hid Thou Art. Deep In This Dark A Call Comes And I Know Thy Voice In Spite Of All. Leader. O Fearful Sufferer, And Could'St Thou Kill Thy Living Orbs? What God Made Blind Thy Will? [Sidenote: Vv. 1329-1351] Oedipus. [Strophe. 'Tis Apollo; All Is Apollo, O Ye That Love Me, 'Tis He Long Time Hath Planned These Things Upon Me Evilly, Evilly, Dark Things And Full Of Blood. I Knew Not; I Did But Follow His Way; But Mine The Hand And Mine The Anguish. What Were Mine Eyes To Me When Naught To Be Seen Was Good? Leader. 'Tis Even So; And Truth Doth Speak In Thee. Oedipus. To See, To Endure, To Hear Words Kindly Spoken, Should I Have Joy In Such? Out, If Ye Love Your Breath, Cast Me Swift Unto Solitude, Unbroken By Word Or Touch. Am I Not Charged With Death, Most Charged And Filled To The Brim With Curses? And What Man Saith God Hath So Hated Him? Leader. Thy Bitter Will, Thy Hard Calamity, Would I Had Never Known Nor Looked On Thee! Oedipus. [Antistrophe. My Curse, My Curse Upon Him, That Man Whom Pity Held In The Wilderness, Who Saved The Feet Alive From The Blood-Fetter And Loosed The Barb Thereof! [Sidenote: Vv. 1351-1377] That Babe--What Grace Was Done Him, Had He Died Shelterless, He Had Not Laid On Himself This Grief To Bear, And All Who Gave Him Love. Leader. I, Too, O Friend, I Had Been Happier. Oedipus. Found Not The Way To His Father'S Blood, Nor Shaken The World'S Scorn On His Mother, The Child And The Groom Withal; But Now, Of Murderers Born, Of God Forsaken, Mine Own Sons' Brother; All This, And If Aught Can Fall Upon Man More Perilous And Elder In Sin, Lo, All Is The Portion Of Oedipus. Leader. How Shall I Hold This Counsel Of Thy Mind True? Thou Wert Better Dead Than Living Blind. Oedipus. That This Deed Is Not Well And Wisely Wrought Thou Shalt Not Show Me; Therefore School Me Not. Think, With What Eyes Hereafter In The Place Of Shadows Could I See My Father'S Face, Or My Poor Mother'S? Both Of Whom This Hand Hath Wronged Too Deep For Man To Understand. Or Children--Born As Mine Were Born, To See Their Shapes Should Bring Me Joy? Great God! To Me [Sidenote: Vv. 1378-1403] There Is No Joy In City Nor In Tower Nor Temple, From All Whom, In This Mine Hour, I That Was Chief In Thebes Alone, And Ate The King'S Bread, I Have Made Me Separate For Ever. Mine Own Lips Have Bid The Land Cast From It One So Evil, One Whose Hand To Sin Was Dedicate, Whom God Hath Shown Birth-Branded ... And My Blood The Dead King'S Own! All This Myself Have Proved. And Can I Then Look With Straight Eyes Into The Eyes Of Men? I Trow Not. Nay, If Any Stop There Were To Dam This Fount That Welleth In Mine Ear For Hearing, I Had Never Blenched Nor Stayed Till This Vile Shell Were All One Dungeon Made, Dark, Without Sound. 'Tis Thus The Mind Would Fain Find Peace, Self-Prisoned From A World Of Pain. O Wild Kithairon, Why Was It Thy Will To Save Me? Why Not Take Me Quick And Kill, Kill, Before Ever I Could Make Men Know The Thing I Am, The Thing From Which I Grow? Thou Dead King, Polybus, Thou City Wall Of Corinth, Thou Old Castle I Did Call My Father'S, What A Life Did Ye Begin, What Splendour Rotted By The Worm Within, When Ye Bred Me! O Crossing Of The Roads, O Secret Glen And Dusk Of Crowding Woods, O Narrow Footpath Creeping To The Brink Where Meet The Three! I Gave You Blood To Drink. Do Ye Remember? 'Twas My Life-Blood, Hot From Mine Own Father'S Heart. Have Ye Forgot What Deed I Did Among You, And What New And Direr Deed I Fled From You To Do? O Flesh, Horror Of Flesh!... [Sidenote: Vv. 1409-1431] But What Is Shame To Do Should Not Be Spoken. In God'S Name, Take Me Somewhere Far Off And Cover Me From Sight, Or Slay, Or Cast Me To The Sea Where Never Eye May See Me Any More. What? Do Ye Fear To Touch A Man So Sore Stricken? Nay, Tremble Not. My Misery Is Mine, And Shall Be Borne By None But Me. Leader. Lo, Yonder Comes For Answer To Thy Prayer Creon, To Do And To Decree. The Care Of All Our Land Is His, Now Thou Art Weak. Oedipus. Alas, What Word To Creon Can I Speak, How Make Him Trust Me More? He Hath Seen Of Late So Vile A Heart In Me, So Full Of Hate. Enter Creon. Creon. Not To Make Laughter, Oedipus, Nor Cast Against Thee Any Evil Of The Past I Seek Thee, But ... Ah God! Ye Ministers, Have Ye No Hearts? Or If For Man There Stirs No Pity In You, Fear At Least To Call Stain On Our Lord The Sun, Who Feedeth All; Nor Show In Nakedness A Horror Such As This, Which Never Mother Earth May Touch, Nor God'S Clean Rain Nor Sunlight. Quick Within! Guide Him.--The Ills That In A House Have Been They Of The House Alone Should Know Or Hear. [Sidenote: Vv. 1432-1447] Oedipus. In God'S Name, Since Thou Hast Undone The Fear Within Me, Coming Thus, All Nobleness, To One So Vile, Grant Me One Only Grace. For Thy Sake More I Crave It Than Mine Own. Creon. Let Me First Hear What Grace Thou Wouldst Be Shown. Oedipus. Cast Me From Thebes ... Now, Quick ... Where None May See My Visage More, Nor Mingle Words With Me. Creon. That Had I Done, For Sure, Save That I Still Tremble, And Fain Would Ask Apollo'S Will. Oedipus. His Will Was Clear Enough, To Stamp The Unclean Thing Out, The Bloody Hand, The Heart Of Sin. Creon. 'Twas Thus He Seemed To Speak; But In This Sore Strait We Must Needs Learn Surer Than Before. Oedipus. Thou Needs Must Trouble God For One So Low? Creon. Surely; Thyself Will Trust His Answer Now. Oedipus. I Charge Thee More ... And, If Thou Fail, My Sin Shall Cleave To Thee.... For Her Who Lies Within, [Sidenote: Vv. 1448-1472] Make As Thou Wilt Her Burial. 'Tis Thy Task To Tend Thine Own. But Me: Let No Man Ask This Ancient City Of My Sires To Give Harbour In Life To Me. Set Me To Live On The Wild Hills And Leave My Name To Those Deeps Of Kithairon Which My Father Chose, And Mother, For My Vast And Living Tomb. As They, My Murderers, Willed It, Let My Doom Find Me. For This My Very Heart Doth Know, No Sickness Now, Nor Any Mortal Blow, Shall Slay This Body. Never Had My Breath Been Thus Kept Burning In The Midst Of Death, Save For Some Frightful End. So, Let My Way Go Where It Listeth. But My Children--Nay, Creon, My Sons Will Ask Thee For No Care. Men Are They, And Can Find Them Everywhere What Life Needs. But My Two Poor Desolate Maidens.... There Was No Table Ever Set Apart For Them, But Whatso Royal Fare I Tasted, They Were With Me And Had Share In All.... Creon, I Pray, Forget Them Not. And If It May Be, Go, Bid Them Be Brought, [Creon Goes And Presently Returns With The Two Princesses. Oedipus Thinks He Is There All The Time. That I May Touch Their Faces, And So Weep.... Go, Prince. Go, Noble Heart!... If I Might Touch Them, I Should Seem To Keep And Not To Have Lost Them, Now Mine Eyes Are Gone.... What Say I? In God'S Name, Can It Be I Hear Mine Own [Sidenote: Vv. 1473-1505] Beloved Ones Sobbing? Creon Of His Grace Hath Brought My Two, My Dearest, To This Place. Is It True? Creon. 'Tis True. I Brought Them, For In Them I Know Thy Joy Is, The Same Now As Long Ago. Oedipus. God Bless Thee, And In This Hard Journey Give Some Better Guide Than Mine To Help Thee Live. Children! Where Are Ye? Hither; Come To These Arms Of Your ... Brother, Whose Wild Offices Have Brought Much Darkness On The Once Bright Eyes Of Him Who Grew Your Garden; Who, Nowise Seeing Nor Understanding, Digged A Ground The World Shall Shudder At. Children, My Wound Is Yours Too, And I Cannot Meet Your Gaze Now, As I Think Me What Remaining Days Of Bitter Living The World Hath For You. What Dance Of Damsels Shall Ye Gather To, What Feast Of Thebes, But Quick Ye Shall Turn Home, All Tears, Or Ere The Feast Or Dancers Come? And, Children, When Ye Reach The Years Of Love, Who Shall Dare Wed You, Whose Heart Rise Above The Peril, To Take On Him All The Shame That Cleaves To My Name And My Children'S Name? God Knows, It Is Enough!... My Flowers, Ye Needs Must Die, Waste Things, Bereft And Fruitless. Creon, Thou Alone Art Left Their Father Now, Since Both Of Us Are Gone Who Cared For Them. Oh, Leave Them Not Alone [Sidenote: Vv. 1505-1518] To Wander Masterless, These Thine Own Kin, And Beggared. Neither Think Of Them Such Sin As Ye All Know In Me, But Let Their Fate Touch Thee. So Young They Are, So Desolate-- Of All Save Thee. True Man, Give Me Thine Hand, And Promise. [Oedipus And Creon Clasp Hands. If Your Age Could Understand, Children, Full Many Counsels I Could Give. But Now I Leave This One Word: Pray To Live As Life May Suffer You, And Find A Road To Travel Easier Than Your Father Trod. Creon. Enough Thy Heart Hath Poured Its Tears; Now Back Into Thine House Repair. Oedipus. I Dread The House, Yet Go I Must. Creon. Fair Season Maketh All Things Fair. Oedipus. One Oath Then Give Me, And I Go. Creon. Name It, And I Will Answer Thee. Oedipus. To Cast Me From This Land. [Sidenote: Vv. 1519-1523] Creon. A Gift Not Mine But God'S Thou Askest Me. Oedipus. I Am A Thing Of God Abhorred. Creon. The More, Then, Will He Grant Thy Prayer. Oedipus. Thou Givest Thine Oath? Creon. I See No Light; And, Seeing Not, I May Not Swear. Oedipus. Then Take Me Hence. I Care Not. Creon. Go In Peace, And Give These Children O'Er. Oedipus. Ah No! Take Not Away My Daughters! [They Are Taken From Him. Creon. Seek Not To Be Master More. Did Not Thy Masteries Of Old Forsake Thee When The End Was Near? [Sidenote: Vv. 1524-1530] Chorus. Ye Citizens Of Thebes, Behold; 'Tis Oedipus That Passeth Here, Who Read The Riddle-Word Of Death, And Mightiest Stood Of Mortal Men, And Fortune Loved Him, And The Folk That Saw Him Turned And Looked Again. Lo, He Is Fallen, And Around Great Storms And The Outreaching Sea! Therefore, O Man, Beware, And Look Toward The End Of Things That Be, The Last Of Sights, The Last Of Days; And No Man'S Life Account As Gain Ere The Full Tale Be Finished And The Darkness Find Him Without Pain. [Oedipus Is Led Into The House And The Doors Close On Him.