Oedipus King of Thebes
A SHEPHERD _of King Laius._
A MESSENGER _from the Palace._
CHORUS of the Elders of Thebes.
A Crowd of Suppliants, men, women, and children.
The following do not appear in the play but are frequently mentioned:--
LAIUS (_pronounced as three syllables, La-i-us_), _the last King of Thebes
before Oedipus._
CADMUS, _the founder of Thebes; son of Agenor, King of Sidon._
POLYBUS AND MEROPE, _King and Queen of Corinth, supposed to be the
father and mother of Oedipus._
APOLLO, _the God specially presiding over the oracle of Delphi and the
island Delos: he is also called_ PHOEBUS, _the pure;_ LOXIAS,
_supposed to mean "He of the Crooked Words"; and_ LYKEIOS, _supposed
to mean "Wolf-God." He is also the great Averter of Evil, and has
names from the cries "I-e" (pronounced "Ee-ay") and "Paian," cries
for healing or for the frightening away of evil influences._
KITHAIRON, _a mass of wild mountain south-west of Thebes._
ARGUMENT
While Thebes was under the rule of LAIUS and JOCASTA there appeared a
strange and monstrous creature, "the riddling Sphinx," "the She-Wolf of
the woven song," who in some unexplained way sang riddles of death and
slew the people of Thebes. LAIUS went to ask aid of the oracle of
Delphi, but was slain mysteriously on the road. Soon afterwards there
came to Thebes a young Prince of Corinth, OEDIPUS, who had left his home
and was wandering. He faced the Sphinx and read her riddle, whereupon
she flung herself from her rock and died. The throne being vacant was
offered to OEDIPUS, and with it the hand of the Queen, JOCASTA.
Some ten or twelve years afterwards a pestilence has fallen on Thebes.
At this point the play begins.
_The date of the first production of the play is not known, but was
probably about the year 425 B.C._
OEDIPUS, KING OF THEBES
SCENE.--_Before the Palace of_ OEDIPUS _at Thebes. A crowd of suppliants
of all ages are waiting by the altar in front and on the steps of the
Palace; among them the_ PRIEST OF ZEUS. _As the Palace door opens and_
OEDIPUS _comes out all the suppliants with a cry move towards him in
attitudes of prayer, holding out their olive branches, and then become
still again as he speaks._
OEDIPUS.
My children, fruit of Cadmus' ancient tree
New springing, wherefore thus with bended knee
Press ye upon us, laden all with wreaths
And suppliant branches? And the city breathes
Heavy with incense, heavy with dim prayer
And shrieks to affright the Slayer.--Children, care
For this so moves me, I have scorned withal
Message or writing: seeing 'tis I ye call,
'Tis I am come, world-honoured Oedipus.
Old Man, do thou declare--the rest have thus
Their champion--in what mood stand ye so still,
In dread or sure hope? Know ye not, my will
Is yours for aid 'gainst all? Stern were indeed
The heart that felt not for so dire a need.
[Sidenote: vv. 15-39]
PRIEST.
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 Ismenus' 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.
She wasteth in the fruitless buds of earth,
In parched herds and travail without birth
Of dying women: yea, and midst of it
A burning and a loathly god hath lit
Sudden, and sweeps our land, this Plague of power;
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. So the world saith;
So we say.
[Sidenote: vv. 40-69]
Therefore now, O Lord and Chief,
We come to thee again; we lay our grief
On thy head, if thou find us not some aid.
Perchance thou hast heard Gods talking in the shade
Of night, or eke some man: to him that knows,
Men say, each chance that falls, each wind that blows
Hath life, when he seeks counsel. Up, O chief
Of men, and lift thy city from its grief;
Face thine own peril! All our land doth hold
Thee still our saviour, for that help of old:
Shall they that tell of thee hereafter tell
"By him was Thebes raised up, and after fell!"
Nay, lift us till we slip no more. Oh, let
That bird of old that made us fortunate
Wing back; be thou our Oedipus again.
And let thy kingdom be a land of men,
Not emptiness. Walls, towers, and ships, they all
Are nothing with no men to keep the wall.
OEDIPUS.
My poor, poor children! Surely long ago
I have read your trouble. Stricken, well I know,
Ye all are, stricken sore: yet verily
Not one so stricken to the heart as I.
Your grief, it cometh to each man apart
For his own loss, none other's; but this heart
For thee and me and all of us doth weep.
Wherefore it is not to one sunk in sleep
Ye come with waking. Many tears these days
For your sake I have wept, and many ways
Have wandered on the beating wings of thought.
And, finding but one hope, that I have sought
[Sidenote: vv. 70-86]
And followed. I have sent Menoikeus' son,
Creon, my own wife's brother, forth alone
To Apollo's House in Delphi, there to ask
What word, what deed of mine, what bitter task,
May save my city.
And the lapse of days
Reckoned, I can but marvel what delays
His journey. 'Tis beyond all thought that thus
He comes not, beyond need. But when he does,
Then call me false and traitor, if I flee
Back from whatever task God sheweth me.
PRIEST.
At point of time thou speakest. Mark the cheer
Yonder. Is that not Creon drawing near?
[_They all crowd to gaze where_ CREON _is
approaching in the distance._
OEDIPUS.
O Lord Apollo, help! And be the star
That guides him joyous as his seemings are!
PRIEST.
Oh! surely joyous! How else should he bear
That fruited laurel wreathed about his hair?
OEDIPUS.
We soon shall know.--'Tis not too far for one
Clear-voiced.
(_Shouting_) Ho, brother! Prince! Menoikeus' son,
What message from the God?
[Sidenote: vv. 87-99]
CREON (from a distance).
Message of joy!
_Enter_ CREON
I tell thee, what is now our worst annoy,
If the right deed be done, shall turn to good.
[_The crowd, which has been full of excited
hope, falls to doubt and disappointment._
OEDIPUS.
Nay, but what is the message? For my blood
Runs neither hot nor cold for words like those.
CREON.
Shall I speak now, with all these pressing close,
Or pass within?--To me both ways are fair.
OEDIPUS.
Speak forth to all! The grief that these men bear
Is more than any fear for mine own death.
CREON.
I speak then what I heard from God.--Thus saith
Phoebus, our Lord and Seer, in clear command.
An unclean thing there is, hid in our land,
Eating the soil thereof: this ye shall cast
Out, and not foster till all help be past.
OEDIPUS.
How cast it out? What was the evil deed?
[Sidenote: vv. 100-113]
CREON.
Hunt the men out from Thebes, or make them bleed
Who slew. For blood it is that stirs to-day.
OEDIPUS.
Who was the man they killed? Doth Phoebus say?
CREON.
O King, there was of old King Laius
In Thebes, ere thou didst come to pilot us.
OEDIPUS.
I know: not that I ever saw his face.
CREON.
'Twas he. And Loxias now bids us trace
And smite the unknown workers of his fall.
OEDIPUS.
Where in God's earth are they? Or how withal
Find the blurred trail of such an ancient stain?
CREON.
In Thebes, he said.--That which men seek amain
They find. 'Tis things forgotten that go by.
OEDIPUS.
And where did Laius meet them? Did he die
In Thebes, or in the hills, or some far land?
[Sidenote: vv. 114-127]
CREON.
To ask God's will in Delphi he had planned
His journey. Started and returned no more.
OEDIPUS.
And came there nothing back? No message, nor
None of his company, that ye might hear?
CREON.
They all were slain, save one man; blind with fear
He came, remembering naught--or almost naught.
OEDIPUS.
And what was that? One thing has often brought
Others, could we but catch one little clue.
CREON.
'Twas not one man, 'twas robbers--that he knew--
Who barred the road and slew him: a great band.
OEDIPUS.
Robbers?... What robber, save the work was planned
By treason here, would dare a risk so plain?
CREON.
So some men thought. But Laius lay slain,
And none to avenge him in his evil day.
[Sidenote: vv. 128-148]
OEDIPUS.
And what strange mischief, when your master lay
Thus fallen, held you back from search and deed?
CREON.
The dark-songed Sphinx was here. We had no heed
Of distant sorrows, having death so near.
OEDIPUS.
It falls on me then. I will search and clear
This darkness.--Well hath Phoebus done, and thou
Too, to recall that dead king, even now,
And with you for the right I also stand,
To obey the God and succour this dear land.
Nor is it as for one that touches me
Far off; 'tis for mine own sake I must see
This sin cast out. Whoe'er it was that slew
Laius, the same wild hand may seek me too:
And caring thus for Laius, is but care
For mine own blood.--Up! Leave this altar-stair,
Children. Take from it every suppliant bough.
Then call the folk of Thebes. Say, 'tis my vow
To uphold them to the end. So God shall crown
Our greatness, or for ever cast us down.
[_He goes in to the Palace._
PRIEST.
My children, rise.--The King most lovingly
Hath promised all we came for. And may He
[Sidenote: vv. 149-161]
Who sent this answer, Phoebus, come confessed
Helper to Thebes, and strong to stay the pest.
[_The suppliants gather up their boughs and
stand at the side. The chorus of Theban
elders enter._
CHORUS.
[_They speak of the Oracle which they have not
yet heard, and cry to_ APOLLO _by his
special cry "I-e."_
A Voice, a Voice, that is borne on the Holy Way!
What art thou, O Heavenly One, O Word of the Houses of Gold?
Thebes is bright with thee, and my heart it leapeth; yet is it cold,
And my spirit faints as I pray.
I-e! I-e!
What task, O Affrighter of Evil, what task shall thy people essay?
One new as our new-come affliction,
Or an old toil returned with the years?
Unveil thee, thou dread benediction,
Hope's daughter and Fear's.
[_They pray to_ ATHENA, ARTEMIS, _and_
APOLLO.
Zeus-Child that knowest not death, to thee I pray,
O Pallas; next to thy Sister, who calleth Thebes her own,
Artemis, named of Fair Voices, who sitteth her orbed throne
In the throng of the market way:
[Sidenote: vv. 162-189]
And I-e! I-e!
Apollo, the Pure, the Far-smiter; O Three that keep evil away,
If of old for our city's desire,