Part 3

[Sidenote: vv. 513-531]

Enter CREON.

CREON.

Good brother citizens, a frantic word I hear is spoken by our chosen Lord Oedipus against me, and here am come Indignant. If he dreams, 'mid all this doom That weighs upon us, he hath had from me Or deed or lightest thought of injury, ... 'Fore God, I have no care to see the sun Longer with such a groaning name. Not one Wound is it, but a multitude, if now All Thebes must hold me guilty—aye, and thou And all who loved me—of a deed so foul.

LEADER.

If words were spoken, it was scarce the soul That spoke them: 'twas some sudden burst of wrath.

CREON.

The charge was made, then, that Tiresias hath Made answer false, and that I bribed him, I?

LEADER.

It was—perchance for jest. I know not why.

CREON.

His heart beat true, his eyes looked steadily And fell not, laying such a charge on me?

LEADER.

I know not. I have no eyes for the thing My masters do.—But see, here comes the King.

[Sidenote: vv. 532-550]

Enter OEDIPUS from the Palace.

OEDIPUS.

How now, assassin? Walking at my gate With eye undimmed, thou plotter demonstrate Against this life, and robber of my crown? God help thee! Me! What was it set me down Thy butt? So dull a brain hast found in me Aforetime, such a faint heart, not to see Thy work betimes, or seeing not to smite? Art thou not rash, this once! It needeth might Of friends, it needeth gold, to make a throne Thy quarry; and I fear me thou hast none.

CREON.

One thing alone I ask thee. Let me speak As thou hast spoken; then, with knowledge, wreak Thy judgement. I accept it without fear.

OEDIPUS.

More skill hast thou to speak than I to hear Thee. There is peril found in thee and hate.

CREON.

That one thing let me answer ere too late.

OEDIPUS.

One thing be sure of, that thy plots are known.

CREON.

The man who thinks that bitter pride alone Can guide him, without thought—his mind is sick.

[Sidenote: vv. 551-562]

OEDIPUS.

Who thinks to slay his brother with a trick And suffer not himself, his eyes are blind.

CREON.

Thy words are more than just. But say what kind Of wrong thou fanciest I have done thee. Speak.

OEDIPUS.

Didst urge me, or didst urge me not, to seek A counsel from that man of prophecies?

CREON.

So judged I then, nor now judge otherwise.

OEDIPUS.

[Suddenly seeing a mode of attack.

How many years have passed since Laïus ...

[The words seem to choke him.

CREON.

Speak on. I cannot understand thee thus.

OEDIPUS.

[With an effort.

Passed in that bloody tempest from men's sight?

CREON.

Long years and old. I scarce can tell them right.

OEDIPUS.

At that time was this seer in Thebes, or how?

[Sidenote: vv. 563-573]

CREON.

He was; most wise and honoured, even as now.

OEDIPUS.

At that time did he ever speak my name?

CREON.

No. To mine ear at least it never came.

OEDIPUS.

Held you no search for those who slew your King?

CREON.

For sure we did, but found not anything.

OEDIPUS.

How came the all-knowing seer to leave it so?

CREON.

Ask him! I speak not where I cannot know.

OEDIPUS.

One thing thou canst, with knowledge full, I wot.

CREON.

Speak it. If true, I will conceal it not.

OEDIPUS.

This: that until he talked with thee, the seer Ne'er spoke of me as Laïus' murderer.

[Sidenote: vv. 574-589]

CREON.

I know not if he hath so spoken now. I heard him not.—But let me ask and thou Answer me true, as I have answered thee.

OEDIPUS.

Ask, ask! Thou shalt no murder find in me.

CREON.

My sister is thy wife this many a day?

OEDIPUS.

That charge it is not in me to gainsay.

CREON.

Thou reignest, giving equal reign to her?

OEDIPUS.

Always to her desire I minister.

CREON.

Were we not all as one, she thou and I?

OEDIPUS.

Yes, thou false friend! There lies thy treachery.

CREON.

Not so! Nay, do but follow me and scan Thine own charge close. Think'st thou that any man Would rather rule and be afraid than rule And sleep untroubled? Nay, where lives the fool—

[Sidenote: vv. 590-613]

I know them not nor am I one of them— Who careth more to bear a monarch's name Than do a monarch's deeds? As now I stand All my desire I compass at thy hand. Were I the King, full half my deeds were done To obey the will of others, not mine own. Were that as sweet, when all the tale were told, As this calm griefless princedom that I hold And silent power? Am I so blind of brain That ease with glory tires me, and I fain Must change them? All men now give me God-speed, All smile to greet me. If a man hath need Of thee, 'tis me he calleth to the gate, As knowing that on my word hangs the fate Of half he craves. Is life like mine a thing To cast aside and plot to be a King? Doth a sane man turn villain in an hour? For me, I never lusted thus for power Nor bore with any man who turned such lust To doing.—But enough. I claim but just Question. Go first to Pytho; find if well And true I did report God's oracle. Next, seek in Thebes for any plots entwined Between this seer and me; which if ye find, Then seize and strike me dead. Myself that day Will sit with thee as judge and bid thee Slay! But damn me not on one man's guess.—'Tis all Unjust: to call a traitor true, to call A true man traitor with no cause nor end! And this I tell thee. He who plucks a friend Out from his heart hath lost a treasured thing Dear as his own dear life. But Time shall bring

[Sidenote: vv. 614-626]

Truth back. 'Tis Time alone can make men know What hearts are true; the false one day can show.

LEADER.

To one that fears to fall his words are wise, O King; in thought the swift win not the prize.

OEDIPUS.

When he is swift who steals against my reign With plots, then swift am I to plot again. Wait patient, and his work shall have prevailed Before I move, and mine for ever failed.

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.

[Sidenote: vv. 627-633]

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.

[OEDIPUS has drawn his sword; the Chorus show signs of breaking into two parties to fight for OEDIPUS or for CREON, when the door opens and JOCASTA appears on the steps.

LEADER.

Stay, Princes, stay! See, on the Castle stair The Queen Jocasta standeth. Show to her Your strife. She will assuage it as is well.

[Sidenote: vv. 634-648]

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.

I found him ... I deny not what he saith, My Queen ... with craft and malice practising Against my life.

CREON.

Ye Gods, if such a thing Hath once been in my thoughts, may I no more See any health on earth, but, festered o'er With curses, die!—Have done. There is mine oath.

JOCASTA.

In God's name, Oedipus, believe him, both For my sake, and for these whose hearts are all Thine own, and for my brother's oath withal.

[Sidenote: vv. 649-664]

LEADER. [Strophe.

Yield; consent; think! My Lord, I conjure thee!

OEDIPUS.

What would ye have me do?

LEADER.

Reject not one who never failed his troth Of old and now is strong in his great oath.

OEDIPUS.

Dost know what this prayer means?

LEADER.

Yea, verily!

OEDIPUS.

Say then the meaning true.

LEADER.

I would not have thee cast to infamy Of guilt, where none is proved, One who hath sworn and whom thou once hast loved.

OEDIPUS.

'Tis that ye seek? For me, then ... understand Well ... ye seek death or exile from the land.

LEADER.

No, by the God of Gods, the all-seeing Sun! May he desert me here, and every friend With him, to death and utterest malison, If e'er my heart could dream of such an end!

[Sidenote: vv. 665-680]

But it bleedeth, it bleedeth sore, In a land half slain, If we join to the griefs of yore Griefs of you twain.

OEDIPUS.

Oh, let him go, though it be utterly My death, or flight from Thebes in beggary. 'Tis thy sad lips, not his, that make me know Pity. Him I shall hate, where'er he go.

CREON.

I see thy mercy moving full of hate And slow; thy wrath came swift and desperate. Methinks, of all the pain that such a heart Spreadeth, itself doth bear the bitterest part.

OEDIPUS.

Oh, leave me and begone!

CREON.

I go, wronged sore By thee. These friends will trust me as before.

[CREON goes. OEDIPUS stands apart lost in trouble of mind.

LEADER. [Antistrophe.

Queen, wilt thou lead him to his house again?

JOCASTA.

I will, when I have heard.

[Sidenote: vv. 681-696]

LEADER.

There fell some word, some blind imagining Between them. Things known foolish yet can sting.

JOCASTA.

From both the twain it rose?

LEADER.

From both the twain.

JOCASTA.

Aye, and what was the word?

LEADER.

Surely there is enough of evil stirred, And Thebes heaves on the swell Of storm.—Oh, leave this lying where it fell.

OEDIPUS.

So be it, thou wise counsellor! Make slight My wrong, and blunt my purpose ere it smite.

LEADER.

O King, not once I have answered. Visibly Mad were I, lost to all wise usages, To seek to cast thee from us. 'Twas from thee We saw of old blue sky and summer seas, When Thebes in the storm and rain Reeled, like to die. Oh, if thou canst, again Blue sky, blue sky...!

[Sidenote: vv. 697-713]

JOCASTA.

Husband, in God's name, say what hath ensued Of ill, that thou shouldst seek so dire a feud.

OEDIPUS.

I will, wife. I have more regard for thee Than these.—Thy brother plots to murder me.

JOCASTA.

Speak on. Make all thy charge. Only be clear.

OEDIPUS.

He says that I am Laïus' murderer.

JOCASTA.

Says it himself? Says he hath witnesses?

OEDIPUS.

Nay, of himself he ventures nothing. 'Tis This priest, this hellish seer, makes all the tale.

JOCASTA.

The seer?—Then tear thy terrors like a veil And take free breath. A seer? No human thing Born on the earth hath power for conjuring Truth from the dark of God. Come, I will tell An old tale. There came once an oracle To Laïus: I say not from the God Himself, but from the priests and seers who trod His sanctuary: if ever son were bred From him and me, by that son's hand, it said,

[Sidenote: vv. 714-732]

Laïus must die. And he, the tale yet stays Among us, at the crossing of three ways Was slain by robbers, strangers. And my son— God's mercy!—scarcely the third day was gone When Laïus took, and by another's hand Out on the desert mountain, where the land Is rock, cast him to die. Through both his feet A blade of iron they drove. Thus did we cheat Apollo of his will. My child could slay No father, and the King could cast away The fear that dogged him, by his child to die Murdered.—Behold the fruits of prophecy! Which heed not thou! God needs not that a seer Help him, when he would make his dark things clear.

OEDIPUS.

Woman, what turmoil hath thy story wrought Within me! What up-stirring of old thought!

JOCASTA.

What thought? It turns thee like a frightened thing.

OEDIPUS.

'Twas at the crossing of three ways this King Was murdered? So I heard or so I thought.

JOCASTA.

That was the tale. It is not yet forgot.

OEDIPUS.

The crossing of three ways! And in what land?

[Sidenote: vv. 733-746]

JOCASTA.

Phokis 'tis called. A road on either hand From Delphi comes and Daulia, in a glen.

OEDIPUS.

How many years and months have passed since then?

JOCASTA.

'Twas but a little time before proclaim Was made of thee for king, the tidings came.

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.

[Sidenote: vv. 747-760]

OEDIPUS (to himself).

Horror, if the blind can see! Answer but one thing and 'twill all be clear.

JOCASTA.

Speak. I will answer though I shake with fear.

OEDIPUS.

Went he with scant array, or a great band Of armèd followers, like a lord of land?

JOCASTA.

Four men were with him, one a herald; one Chariot there was, where Laïus rode alone.

OEDIPUS.

Aye me! Tis clear now. Woman, who could bring To Thebes the story of that manslaying?

JOCASTA.

A house-thrall, the one man they failed to slay.

OEDIPUS.

The one man...? Is he in the house to-day?

JOCASTA.

Indeed no. When he came that day, and found Thee on the throne where once sat Laïus crowned, He took my hand and prayed me earnestly

[Sidenote: vv. 761-779]

To send him to the mountain heights, to be A herdsman, far from any sight or call Of Thebes. And there I sent him. 'Twas a thrall Good-hearted, worthy a far greater boon.

OEDIPUS.

Canst find him? I would see this herd, and soon.

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; my mother Meropê Of Dorian line. And I was held to be The proudest in Corinthia, till one day A thing befell: strange was it, but no way Meet for such wonder and such rage as mine. A feast it was, and some one flushed with wine

[Sidenote: vv. 780-807]

Cried out at me that I was no true son Of Polybus. Oh, I was wroth! That one Day I kept silence, but the morrow morn I sought my parents, told that tale of scorn And claimed the truth; and they rose in their pride And smote the mocker.... Aye, they satisfied All my desire; yet still the cavil gnawed My heart, and still the story crept abroad. At last I rose—my father knew not, nor My mother—and went forth to Pytho's floor To ask. And God in that for which I came Rejected me, but round me, like a flame, His voice flashed other answers, things of woe, Terror, and desolation. I must know My mother's body and beget thereon A race no mortal eye durst look upon, And spill in murder mine own father's blood. I heard, and, hearing, straight from where I stood, No landmark but the stars to light my way, Fled, fled from the dark south where Corinth lay, To lands far off, where never I might see My doom of scorn fulfilled. On bitterly I strode, and reached the region where, so saith Thy tale, that King of Thebes was struck to death.... Wife, I will tell thee true. As one in daze I walked, till, at the crossing of three ways, A herald, like thy tale, and o'er his head A man behind strong horses charioted Met me. And both would turn me from the path, He and a thrall in front. And I in wrath Smote him that pushed me—'twas a groom who led The horses. Not a word the master said,

[Sidenote: vv. 808-828]

But watched, and as I passed him on the road Down on my head his iron-branchèd goad Stabbed. But, by heaven, he rued it! In a flash I swung my staff and saw the old man crash Back from his car in blood.... Then all of them I slew. Oh, if that man's unspoken name Had aught of Laïus in him, in God's eye What man doth move more miserable than I, More dogged by the hate of heaven! No man, kin Nor stranger, any more may take me in; No man may greet me with a word, but all Cast me from out their houses. And withal 'Twas mine own self that laid upon my life These curses.—And I hold the dead man's wife In these polluting arms that spilt his soul.... Am I a thing born evil? Am I foul In every vein? Thebes now doth banish me, And never in this exile must I see Mine ancient folk of Corinth, never tread The land that bore me; else my mother's bed Shall be defiled, and Polybus, my good Father, who loved me well, be rolled in blood. If one should dream that such a world began In some slow devil's heart, that hated man, Who should deny him?—God, as thou art clean, Suffer not this, oh, suffer not this sin To be, that e'er I look on such a day! Out of all vision of mankind away To darkness let me fall ere such a fate Touch me, so unclean and so desolate!

[Sidenote: vv. 829-850]

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. But if he say One lonely loin-girt man, then visibly This is God's finger pointing toward me.

JOCASTA.

Be sure of this. He told the story so When first he came. All they that heard him know,

[Sidenote: vv. 850-870]

Not only I. He cannot change again Now. And if change he should, O Lord of men, No change of his can make the prophecy Of Laïus' death fall true. He was to die Slain by my son. So Loxias spake.... My son! He slew no man, that poor deserted one That died.... And I will no more turn mine eyes This way nor that for all their prophecies.

OEDIPUS.

Woman, thou counsellest well. Yet let it not Escape thee. Send and have the herdsman brought.

JOCASTA.

That will I.—Come. Thou knowest I ne'er would do Nor think of aught, save thou wouldst have it so.

[JOCASTA and OEDIPUS go together into the Palace.

CHORUS.

[They pray to be free from such great sins as they have just heard spoken of.

[Strophe.

Toward God's great mysteries, oh, let me move Unstainèd till I die In speech or doing; for the Laws thereof Are holy, walkers upon ways above, Born in the far blue sky;

Their father is Olympus uncreate; No man hath made nor told Their being; neither shall Oblivion set

[Sidenote: vv. 870-893]

Sleep on their eyes, for in them lives a great Spirit and grows not old. [Antistrophe.