Sophocles

“ 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? ”

“ I go no more with prayers and adorations To Earth's deep Heart of Stone, Nor yet the Abantes' floor, nor where the nations Kneel at Olympia's throne, Till all this dark be lightened, for the finger Of man to touch and know. O Thou that rulest—if men rightly call Thy name on earth—O Zeus, thou Lord of all And Strength undying, let not these things linger Unknown, tossed to and fro. For faint is the oracle, And they thrust it aside, away; And no more visible Apollo to save or slay; And the things of God, they fail As mist on the wind away. ”

“ O Oedipus, who holdest in thy hand My city, thou canst see what ages stand At these thine altars; some whose little wing Scarce flieth yet, and some with long living O'erburdened; priests, as I of Zeus am priest, And chosen youths: and wailing hath not ceased Of thousands in the market-place, and by Athena's two-fold temples and the dry Ash of Ismênus' portent-breathing shore. For all our ship, thou see'st, is weak and sore Shaken with storms, and no more lighteneth Her head above the waves whose trough is death. ”

“ For Phoebus—thou hast heard withal His message—to our envoy hath decreed One only way of help in this great need: To find and smite with death or banishing, Him who smote Laïus, our ancient King. Oh, grudge us nothing! Question every cry Of birds, and all roads else of prophecy Thou knowest. Save our city: save thine own Greatness: save me; save all that yet doth groan Under the dead man's wrong! Lo, in thy hand We lay us. And, methinks, no work so grand Hath man yet compassed, as, with all he can Of chance or power, to help his fellow man. Tiresias (to himself) . ”

“ Till Cadmus' house grows empty, hour by hour, And Hell's house rich with steam of tears and blood. O King, not God indeed nor peer to God We deem thee, that we kneel before thine hearth, Children and old men, praying; but of earth A thing consummate by thy star confessed Thou walkest and by converse with the blest; Who came to Thebes so swift, and swept away The Sphinx's song, the tribute of dismay, That all were bowed beneath, and made us free. A stranger, thou, naught knowing more than we, Nor taught of any man, but by God's breath Filled, thou didst raise our life. ”

“ If still ye will not move But, fearing for yourselves or some near friend, Reject my charge, then hearken to what end Ye drive me.—If in this place men there be Who know and speak not, lo, I make decree That, while in Thebes I bear the diadem, No man shall greet, no man shall shelter them, Nor give them water in their thirst, nor share In sacrifice nor shrift nor dying prayer, But thrust them from our doors, the thing they hide Being this land's curse. Thus hath the God replied This day to me from Delphi, and my sword I draw thus for the dead and for God's word. ”

“ Did there lie between their houses some old wrath unspent, That Corinth against Cadmus should do murder by the way? No tale thereof they tell, nor no sign thereof they show; Who dares to rise for vengeance and cast Oedipus away For a dark, dark death long ago! Ah, Zeus knows, and Apollo, what is dark to mortal eyes; They are Gods. But a prophet, hath he vision more than mine? Who hath seen? Who can answer? There be wise men and unwise. ”

“ Or if Tiresias can really be a lying prophet with no fear of God; they feel that all faith in oracles and the things of God is shaken. Is there a priest who moves amid the altars Ruthless in deed and word, Fears not the presence of his god, nor falters Lest Right at last be heard? If such there be, oh, let some doom be given Meet for his ill-starred pride, Who will not gain his gain where Justice is, Who will not hold his lips from blasphemies, Who hurls rash hands amid the things of heaven From man's touch sanctified. In a world where such things be, What spirit hath shield or lance vv. ”

“ If I, O Kithairon, some vision can borrow From seercraft, if still there is wit in the old, Long, long, through the deep-orbèd 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 ”

“ They wonder if these sins be all due to pride and if Creon has guilty ambitions; 'Tis Pride that breeds the tyrant; drunken deep With perilous things is she, Which bring not peace: up, reeling, steep on steep She climbs, till lo, the rock-edge, and the leap To that which needs must be, The land where the strong foot is no more strong! Yet is there surely Pride That saves a city; God preserve it long! I judge not. Only through all maze of wrong Be God, not man, my guide. ”

“ Leader. I tremble too, O King; but till thou hear From him who saw, oh, let hope conquer fear. Oedipus. One shred of hope I still have, and therefore Will wait the herdsman's coming. 'Tis no more. Jocasta. He shall come. But what further dost thou seek? Oedipus. This. If we mark him close and find him speak As thou hast, then I am lifted from my dread. Jocasta. What mean'st thou? Was there something that I said...? Oedipus. Thou said'st he spoke of robbers, a great band, That slaughtered Laïus' men. If still he stand To the same tale, the guilt comes not my way. One cannot be a band. ”

“ So dire a storm Doth shake the King, sin, dread and every form Of grief the world knows. 'Tis the wise man's way To judge the morrow by the yester day; vv. 917-933 [Pg 52] Which he doth never, but gives eye and ear To all who speak, will they but speak of fear. And seeing no word of mine hath power to heal His torment, therefore forth to thee I steal, O Slayer of the Wolf, O Lord of Light, Apollo: thou art near us, and of right Dost hold us thine: to thee in prayer I fall. ”

“ The crowd disperses. Leader. O King, even while thy curse yet hovers o'er My head, I answer thee. I slew him not, Nor can I shew the slayer. But, God wot, If Phoebus sends this charge, let Phoebus read Its meaning and reveal who did the deed. Oedipus. Aye, that were just, if of his grace he would Reveal it. How shall man compel his God? Leader. Second to that, methinks, 'twould help us most ... Oedipus. Though it be third, speak! Nothing should be lost. Leader. To our High Seer on earth vision is given Most like to that High Phoebus hath in heaven. Ask of Tiresias: he could tell thee true. ”

“ 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! ”

“ Stranger. Being wife to such a man, happy indeed And ringed with happy faces may she live! Jocasta. To one so fair of speech may the Gods give Like blessing, courteous stranger; 'tis thy due. But say what leads thee hither. Can we do Thy wish in aught, or hast thou news to bring? vv. 934-947 [Pg 53] Stranger. Good news, O Queen, for thee and for the King. Jocasta. What is it? And from what prince comest thou? Stranger. I come from Corinth.—And my tale, I trow, Will give thee joy, yet haply also pain. ”

“ 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? vv. ”

“ Jocasta. Dear Lord, long since did I not show thee clear...? Oedipus. Indeed, yes. I was warped by mine own fear. Jocasta. Now thou wilt cast it from thee, and forget. Oedipus. Forget my mother?... It is not over yet. Jocasta. What should man do with fear, who hath but Chance Above him, and no sight nor governance vv. 979-993 [Pg 56] Of things to be? To live as life may run, No fear, no fret, were wisest 'neath the sun. And thou, fear not thy mother. Prophets deem A deed wrought that is wrought but in a dream. And he to whom these things are nothing, best Will bear his burden. Oedipus. ”

“ Tiresias. Surely, until the strength of Truth be weak. Oedipus. 'Tis weak to none save thee. Thou hast no part In truth, thou blind man, blind eyes, ears and heart. Tiresias. More blind, more sad thy words of scorn, which none Who hears but shall cast back on thee: soon, soon. Oedipus. Thou spawn of Night, not I nor any free And seeing man would hurt a thing like thee. Tiresias. God is enough.—'Tis not my doom to fall By thee. He knows and shall accomplish all. vv. 378-402 [Pg 23] Oedipus (with a flash of discovery) . Ha! Creon!—Is it his or thine, this plot? Tiresias. 'Tis thyself hates thee. ”

“ What woman, Prince, doth fill thee so with fear? Oedipus. Meropê, friend, who dwelt with Polybus. Stranger. What in Queen Meropê should fright thee thus? Oedipus. A voice of God, stranger, of dire import. Stranger. Meet for mine ears? Or of some secret sort? vv. 994-1009 [Pg 57] Oedipus. Nay, thou must hear, and Corinth. Long ago Apollo spake a doom, that I should know My mother's flesh, and with mine own hand spill My father's blood.—'Tis that, and not my will, Hath kept me always far from Corinth. So; Life hath dealt kindly with me, yet men know On earth no comfort like a mother's face. ”

“ 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, vv. 1448-1472 [Pg 83] 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. ”

“ Creon. How then? To banish me is thy intent? Oedipus. Death is the doom I choose, not banishment. Creon. Wilt never soften, never trust thy friend? Oedipus. First I would see how traitors meet their end. Creon. I see thou wilt not think. Oedipus. I think to save My life. vv. 627-633 [Pg 36] Creon. Think, too, of mine. Oedipus. Thine, thou born knave! Creon. Yes.... What, if thou art blind in everything? Oedipus. The King must be obeyed. Creon. Not if the King Does evil. Oedipus. To your King! Ho, Thebes, mine own! Creon. Thebes is my country, not the King's alone. ”

“ I think ye will be sorry, thou and he That shares thy sin-hunt. Thou dost look to me vv. 403-424 [Pg 24] An old man; else, I swear this day should bring On thee the death thou plottest for thy King. Leader. Lord Oedipus, these be but words of wrath, All thou hast spoke and all the Prophet hath. Which skills not. We must join, for ill or well, In search how best to obey God's oracle. Tiresias. King though thou art, thou needs must bear the right Of equal answer. Even in me is might For thus much, seeing I live no thrall of thine, But Lord Apollo's; neither do I sign Where Creon bids me. ”

“ A fearful thing is knowledge, when to know Helpeth no end. I knew this long ago, But crushed it dead. Else had I never come. Oedipus. What means this? Comest thou so deep in gloom? Tiresias. Let me go back! Thy work shall weigh on thee The less, if thou consent, and mine on me. vv. 322-336 [Pg 19] Oedipus. Prophet, this is not lawful; nay, nor kind To Thebes, who feeds thee, thus to veil thy mind. Tiresias. 'Tis that I like not thy mind, nor the way It goeth. ”

“ See, on the Castle stair The Queen Jocasta standeth. Show to her Your strife. She will assuage it as is well. vv. 634-648 [Pg 37] Jocasta. Vain men, what would ye with this angry swell Of words heart-blinded? Is there in your eyes No pity, thus, when all our city lies Bleeding, to ply your privy hates?... Alack, My lord, come in!—Thou, Creon, get thee back To thine own house. And stir not to such stress Of peril griefs that are but nothingness. Creon. Sister, it is the pleasure of thy lord, Our King, to do me deadly wrong. His word Is passed on me: 'tis banishment or death. Oedipus. ”

“ Oedipus. My God, what hast thou willed to do with me? Jocasta. Oedipus, speak! What is it troubles thee? Oedipus. Ask me not yet. But say, what build, what height Had Laïus? Rode he full of youth and might? Jocasta. Tall, with the white new gleaming on his brow He walked. In shape just such a man as thou. Oedipus. God help me! I much fear that I have wrought A curse on mine own head, and knew it not. Jocasta. How sayst thou? O my King, I look on thee And tremble. vv. 747-760 [Pg 44] Oedipus (to himself) . Horror, if the blind can see! Answer but one thing and 'twill all be clear. Jocasta. ”

“ Jocasta. 'Tis easy. But what wouldst thou with the herd? Oedipus. I fear mine own voice, lest it spoke a word Too much; whereof this man must tell me true. Jocasta. The man shall come.—My lord, methinks I too Should know what fear doth work thee this despite. Oedipus. Thou shalt. When I am tossed to such an height Of dark foreboding, woman, when my mind Faceth such straits as these, where should I find A mightier love than thine? My father—thus I tell thee the whole tale—was Polybus, In Corinth King ”