Cruel fulfilment of that oracle.

  So journeying, I came to that same spot

  Where, as you say, this King was killed. And now,

  This is the truth, Iocasta: when I reached

  800

  The place where three ways meet, I met a herald,

  And in a carriage drawn by colts was such

  A man as you describe. By violence

  The herald and the older man attempted

  To push me off the road, I, in my rage,

  Struck at the driver, who was hustling me.

  The old man, when he saw me level with him,

  Taking a double-goad, aimed at my head

  A murderous blow. He paid for that, full measure.

  810

  Swiftly I hit him with my staff; he rolled

  Out of his carriage, flat upon his back.

  I killed them all.—But if, between this stranger

  And Laius there was any bond of kinship,*

  Who could be in more desperate plight than I?

  Who more accursèd in the eyes of Heaven?

  For neither citizen nor stranger may

  Receive me in his house, nor speak to me,

  But he must bar the door. And it was none

  But I invoked this curse on my own head!

  820

  And I pollute the bed of him I slew

  With my own hands! Say, am I vile? Am I

  Not all impure? Seeing I must be exiled,

  And even in my exile must not go

  And see my parents, nor set foot upon

  My native land; or, if I do, I must

  Marry my mother, and kill Polybus

  My father, who engendered me and reared me.

  If one should say it was a cruel god

  Brought this upon me, would he not speak right?

  No, no, you holy powers above! Let me

  830

  Not see that day! but rather let me pass

  Beyond the sight of men, before I see

  The stain of such pollution come upon me!

  CHORUS. My lord, this frightens me. But you must hope,

  Until we hear the tale from him that saw it.

  OEDIPUS. That is the only hope that’s left to me;

  We must await the coming of the shepherd.

  IOCASTA. What do you hope from him, when he is here?

  OEDIPUS. I’ll tell you; if his story shall be found

  The same as yours, then I am free of guilt.

  840

  IOCASTA. But what have I said of especial note?

  OEDIPUS. You said that he reported it was brigands

  Who killed the King. If he still speaks of ‘men’,

  It was not I; a single man, and ‘men’,

  Are not the same. But if he says it was

  A traveller journeying alone, why then,

  The burden of the guilt must fall on me.

  IOCASTA. But that is what he said, I do assure you!

  He cannot take it back again! Not I

  Alone, but the whole city heard him say it!

  850

  But even if he should revoke the tale

  He told before, not even so, my lord,

  Will he establish that the King was slain

  According to the prophecy. For that was clear:

  His son, and mine, should slay him.—He, poor thing,

  Was killed himself, and never killed his father.

  Therefore, so far as divination goes,

  Or prophecy, I’ll take no notice of it.

  OEDIPUS. And that is wise.—But send a man to bring

  The shepherd; I would not have that neglected.

  860

  IOCASTA. I’ll send at once.—But come with me; for I

  Would not do anything that could displease you.

  [Exeunt OEDIPUS and IOCASTA

  Strophe 1

  CHORUS [sings]. I pray that I may pass my life

  In reverent holiness of word and deed.

  For there are laws* enthroned above;

  Heaven created them,

  Olympus was their father,

  And mortal men had no part in their birth;

  Nor ever shall their power pass from sight

  870

  In dull forgetfulness;

  A god* moves in them; he grows not old.

  Antistrophe 1

  Pride makes the tyrant*—pride of wealth

  And power, too great for wisdom and restraint;

  For Pride will climb the topmost height;

  Then is the man cast down

  To uttermost destruction.

  There he finds no escape, no resource.

  But high contention for the city’s good

  880

  May the gods preserve.

  For me—may the gods be my defence!

  Strophe 2

  If there is one who walks in pride

  Of word or deed, and has no fear of Justice,

  No reverence for holy shrines—

  May utter ruin fall on him!

  So may his ill-starred pride be given its reward.

  Those who seek dishonourable advantage

  And lay violent hands on holy things

  890

  And do not shun impiety—

  Who among these will secure himself from the wrath of God?

  If deeds like these are honoured,

  Why should I join in the sacred dance?*

  Antistrophe 2

  No longer shall Apollo’s shrine,

  The holy centre of the Earth, receive my worship;

  No, nor his seat at Abae,* nor

  900

  The temple of Olympian Zeus,*

  If what the god foretold does not come to pass.

  Mighty Zeus—if so I should address Thee—

  O great Ruler of all things, look on this!

  Now are thy oracles* falling into contempt, and men

  Deny Apollo’s power.

  Worship of the gods is passing away.

  910

  Enter IOCASTA, attended by a girl carrying a wreath and incense

  IOCASTA. My lords of Thebes, I have bethought myself

  To approach the altars of the gods, and lay

  These wreaths on them, and burn this frankincense.

  For every kind of terror has laid hold

  On Oedipus; his judgement is distracted.

  He will not read the future by the past

  But yields himself to any who speaks fear.

  Since then no words of mine suffice to calm him

  I turn to Thee, Apollo—Thou art nearest—

  Thy suppliant, with these votive offerings.

  920

  Grant us deliverance and peace, for now

  Fear is on all, when we see Oedipus,

  The helmsman of the ship, so terrified.

  [A reverent silence, while IOCASTA lays the wreath at the altar and sets fire to the incense.]

  Enter a SHEPHERD FROM CORINTH

  CORINTHIAN. Might I inquire of you where I may find

  The royal palace of King Oedipus?

  Or, better, where himself is to be found?

  CHORUS. There is the palace; himself, Sir, is within,

  But here his wife and mother of his children.

  CORINTHIAN. Ever may happiness attend on her,

  And hers, the wedded wife of such a man.

  930

  IOCASTA. May you enjoy the same; your gentle words

  Deserve no less.—Now, Sir, declare your purpose;

  With what request, what message have you come?

  CORINTHIAN. With good news for your husband and his house.

  IOCASTA. What news is this? And who has sent you here?

  CORINTHIAN. I come from Corinth, and the news I bring

  Will give you joy, though joy be crossed with grief.

  IOCASTA. What is this, with its two-fold influence?

  CORINTHIAN. The common talk in Corinth is that they

  Will call on Oedipus to be their king.

  940

  IOCASTA. What? Does old Polybus no longer reign?

  CORINTHIAN. Not now, for Death has laid him in his grave.*

  IOCASTA. Go quickly to your master, girl; give him

  The news.—You oracles, where are you now?

  This is the man whom Oedipus so long

  Has shunned, fearing to kill him; now he’s dead,

  And killed by Fortune, not by Oedipus.

  Enter OEDIPUS

  OEDIPUS. My dear Iocasta, tell me, my dear wife,

  950

  Why have you sent to fetch me from the palace?

  IOCASTA. Listen to him, and as you hear, reflect

  What has become of all those oracles.

  OEDIPUS. Who is this man?—What has he to tell me?

  IOCASTA. He is from Corinth, and he brings you news

  About your father. Polybus is dead.

  OEDIPUS. What say you, sir? Tell me the news yourself.

  CORINTHIAN. If you would have me first report on this,

  I tell you; death has carried him away.

  OEDIPUS. By treachery? Or did sickness come to him?

  960

  CORINTHIAN. A small mischance will lay an old man low.

  OEDIPUS. Poor Polybus! He died, then, of a sickness?

  CORINTHIAN. That, and the measure of his many years.

  OEDIPUS. Ah me! Why then, Iocasta, should a man

  Regard the Pythian house of oracles,

  Or screaming birds, on whose authority

  I was to slay my father? But he is dead;

  The earth has covered him; and here am I,

  My sword undrawn—unless perchance my loss

  Has killed him; so might I be called his slayer.

  970

  But for those oracles about my father,

  Those he has taken with him to the grave

  Wherein he lies, and they are come to nothing.

  IOCASTA. Did I not say long since it would be so?

  OEDIPUS. You did; but I was led astray by fear.

  IOCASTA. So none of this deserves another thought.

  OEDIPUS. Yet how can I not fear my mother’s bed?

  IOCASTA. Why should we fear, seeing that man is ruled

  By chance, and there is room for no clear forethought?

  No; live at random, live as best one can.

  So do not fear this marriage with your mother;

  980

  Many a man has suffered this before—

  But only in his dreams. Whoever thinks

  The least of this, he lives most comfortably.

  OEDIPUS. Your every word I do accept, if she

  That bore me did not live; but as she does—

  Despite your wisdom, how can I but tremble?

  IOCASTA. Yet there is comfort in your father’s death.

  OEDIPUS. Great comfort, but still fear of her who lives.

  CORINTHIAN. And who is this who makes you so afraid?

  OEDIPUS. Merope, my man, the wife of Polybus.

  990

  CORINTHIAN. And what in her gives cause of fear in you?

  OEDIPUS. There was an awful warning from the gods.

  CORINTHIAN. Can it be told, or must it be kept secret?

  OEDIPUS. No secret. Once Apollo said that I

  Was doomed to lie with my own mother, and

  Defile my own hands with my father’s blood.

  Wherefore has Corinth been, these many years,

  My home no more. My fortunes have been fair.—

  But it is good to see a parent’s face.

  CORINTHIAN. It was for fear of this you fled the city?

  1000

  OEDIPUS. This, and the shedding of my father’s blood.

  CORINTHIAN. Why then, my lord, since I am come in friendship,

  I’ll rid you here and now of that misgiving.

  OEDIPUS. Be sure, your recompense would be in keeping.

  CORINTHIAN. It was the chief cause of my coming here

  That your return might bring me some advantage.

  OEDIPUS. Back to my parents I will never go.

  CORINTHIAN. My son, it is clear, you know not what you do. . . .

  OEDIPUS. Not know? What is this? Tell me what you mean.

  CORINTHIAN. If for this reason you avoid your home.

  1010

  OEDIPUS. Fearing Apollo’s oracle may come true.

  CORINTHIAN. And you incur pollution from your parents?

  OEDIPUS. That is the thought that makes me live in terror.

  CORINTHIAN. I tell you then, this fear of yours is idle.