This day shall give thee birth and blot thee out.
[Sidenote: vv. 439-455]
OEDIPUS.
Oh, riddles everywhere and words of doubt!
TIRESIAS.
Aye. Thou wast their best reader long ago.
OEDIPUS.
Laugh on. I swear thou still shalt find me so.
TIRESIAS.
That makes thy pride and thy calamity.
OEDIPUS.
I have saved this land, and care not if I die.
TIRESIAS.
Then I will go.--Give me thine arm, my child.
OEDIPUS.
Aye, help him quick.--To see him there makes wild My heart. Once gone, he will not vex me more.
TIRESIAS (_turning again as he goes_).
I fear thee not; nor will I go before That word be spoken which I came to speak. How canst thou ever touch me?--Thou dost seek With threats and loud proclaim the man whose hand Slew Laius. Lo, I tell thee, he doth stand Here. He is called a stranger, but these days Shall prove him Theban true, nor shall he praise His birthright. Blind, who once had seeing eyes, Beggared, who once had riches, in strange guise,
[Sidenote: vv. 456-478]
His staff groping before him, he shall crawl O'er unknown earth, and voices round him call: "Behold the brother-father of his own Children, the seed, the sower and the sown, Shame to his mother's blood, and to his sire Son, murderer, incest-worker." Cool thine ire With thought of these, and if thou find that aught Faileth, then hold my craft a thing of naught.
[_He goes out._ OEDIPUS _returns to the Palace._
CHORUS.
[_They sing of the unknown murderer,_
What man, what man is he whom the voice of Delphi's cell Hath named of the bloody hand, of the deed no tongue may tell? Let him fly, fly, for his need Hath found him; oh, where is the speed That flew with the winds of old, the team of North-Wind's spell? For feet there be that follow. Yea, thunder-shod And girt with fire he cometh, the Child of God; And with him are they that fail not, the Sin-Hounds risen from Hell.
For the mountain hath spoken, a voice hath flashed from amid the snows, That the wrath of the world go seek for the man whom no man knows. Is he fled to the wild forest, To caves where the eagles nest? O angry bull of the rocks, cast out from thy herd-fellows!
[Sidenote: vv. 479-512]
Rage in his heart, and rage across his way, He toileth ever to beat from his ears away The word that floateth about him, living, where'er he goes.
[_And of the Prophet's strange accusation._
Yet strange, passing strange, the wise augur and his lore; And my heart it cannot speak; I deny not nor assent, But float, float in wonder at things after and before; 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. I will wait, I will wait, for the proving of the sign. But I list not nor hearken when they speak Oedipus ill. We saw his face of yore, when the riddling singer passed; And we knew him that he loved us, and we saw him great in skill. Oh, my heart shall uphold him to the last!
[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 Laius ...
[_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 Laius' 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.