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Oedipus King of Thebes

Sophocles

'Tis that, hath kept thee exiled in this place? OEDIPUS. That, and the fear too of my father's blood. STRANGER. Then, surely, Lord ... I came but for thy good ... 'Twere well if from that fear I set thee free. OEDIPUS. Ah, couldst thou! There were rich reward for thee. STRANGER. To say truth, I had hoped to lead thee home Now, and myself to get some good therefrom. OEDIPUS. Nay; where my parents are I will not go. STRANGER. My son, 'tis very clear thou dost not know What road thou goest. OEDIPUS. How? In God's name, say! How clear? [Sidenote: vv. 1010-1019] STRANGER. 'Tis this, keeps thee so long away From Corinth? OEDIPUS. 'Tis the fear lest that word break One day upon me true. STRANGER. Fear lest thou take Defilement from the two that gave thee birth? OEDIPUS. 'Tis that, old man, 'tis that doth fill the earth With terror. STRANGER. Then thy terror all hath been For nothing. OEDIPUS. How? Were not your King and Queen My parents? STRANGER. Polybus was naught to thee In blood. OEDIPUS. How? He, my father! STRANGER. That was he As much as I, but no more. OEDIPUS. Thou art naught; 'Twas he begot me. [Sidenote: vv. 1020-1028] STRANGER. 'Twas not I begot Oedipus, neither was it he. OEDIPUS. What wild Fancy, then, made him name me for his child? STRANGER. Thou wast his child--by gift. Long years ago Mine own hand brought thee to him. OEDIPUS. Coming so, From a strange hand, he gave me that great love? STRANGER. He had no child, and the desire thereof Held him. OEDIPUS. And thou didst find somewhere--or buy-- A child for him? STRANGER. I found it in a high Glen of Kithairon. [_Movement of_ JOCASTA, _who stands riveted with dread, unnoticed by the others._ OEDIPUS. Yonder? To what end Wast travelling in these parts? STRANGER. I came to tend The flocks here on the mountain. [Sidenote: vv. 1029-1037] OEDIPUS. Thou wast one That wandered, tending sheep for hire? STRANGER. My son, That day I was the saviour of a King. OEDIPUS. How saviour? Was I in some suffering Or peril? STRANGER. Thine own feet a tale could speak. OEDIPUS. Ah me! What ancient pain stirs half awake Within me! STRANGER. 'Twas a spike through both thy feet. I set thee free. OEDIPUS. A strange scorn that, to greet A babe new on the earth! STRANGER. From that they fain Must call thee Oedipus, "_Who-walks-in-pain_." OEDIPUS. Who called me so--father or mother? Oh, In God's name, speak! [Sidenote: vv. 1038-1046] STRANGER. I know not. He should know Who brought thee. OEDIPUS. So: I was not found by thee. Thou hadst me from another? STRANGER. Aye; to me One of the shepherds gave the babe, to bear Far off. OEDIPUS. What shepherd? Know'st thou not? Declare All that thou knowest. STRANGER. By my memory, then, I think they called him one of Laius' men. OEDIPUS. That Laius who was king in Thebes of old? STRANGER. The same. My man did herding in his fold. OEDIPUS. Is he yet living? Can I see his face? STRANGER. [_Turning to the Chorus._ Ye will know that, being natives to the place. [Sidenote: vv. 1047-1062] OEDIPUS. How?--Is there one of you within my pale Standing, that knows the shepherd of his tale? Ye have seen him on the hills? Or in this town? Speak! For the hour is come that all be known. LEADER. I think 'twill be the Peasant Man, the same, Thou hast sought long time to see.--His place and name Our mistress, if she will, can tell most clear. [JOCASTA _remains as if she heard nothing._ OEDIPUS. Thou hear'st him, wife. The herd whose presence here We craved for, is it he this man would say? JOCASTA. He saith ... What of it? Ask not; only pray Not to remember.... Tales are vainly told. OEDIPUS. 'Tis mine own birth. How can I, when I hold Such clues as these, refrain from knowing all? JOCASTA. For God's love, no! Not if thou car'st at all For thine own life.... My anguish is enough. OEDIPUS (_bitterly_). Fear not!... Though I be thrice of slavish stuff From my third grand-dam down, it shames not thee. [Sidenote: vv. 1063-1075] JOCASTA. Ask no more. I beseech thee.... Promise me! OEDIPUS. To leave the Truth half-found? 'Tis not my mood. JOCASTA. I understand; and tell thee what is good. OEDIPUS. Thy good doth weary me. JOCASTA. O child of woe, I pray God, I pray God, thou never know! OEDIPUS (_turning from her_). Go, fetch the herdsman straight!--This Queen of mine May walk alone to boast her royal line. JOCASTA. [_She twice draws in her breath through her teeth, as if in some sharp pain._ Unhappy one, goodbye! Goodbye before I go: this once, and never never more! [_She comes towards him as though to take a last farewell, then stops suddenly, turns, and rushes into the Palace._ LEADER. King, what was that? She passed like one who flies In very anguish. Dread is o'er mine eyes Lest from this silence break some storm of wrong. [Sidenote: vv. 1076-1097] OEDIPUS. Break what break will! My mind abideth strong To know the roots, how low soe'er they be, Which grew to Oedipus. This woman, she Is proud, methinks, and fears my birth and name Will mar her nobleness. But I, no shame Can ever touch me. I am Fortune's child, Not man's; her mother face hath ever smiled Above me, and my brethren of the sky, The changing Moons, have changed me low and high. There is my lineage true, which none shall wrest From me; who then am I to fear this quest? CHORUS. [_They sing_ OEDIPUS _as the foundling of their own Theban mountain, Kithairon, and doubtless of divine birth._ [_Strophe._ If I, O Kithairon, some vision can borrow From seercraft, if still there is wit in the old, Long, long, through the deep-orbed 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; I-e, I-e! [Sidenote: vv. 1098-1120] [_Antistrophe._ What Oread mother, unaging, unweeping, Did bear thee, O Babe, to the Crag-walker Pan; Or perchance to Apollo? He loveth the leaping Of herds on the rock-ways unhaunted of man. Or was it the lord of Cyllene, who found thee, Or glad Dionysus, whose home is the height, Who knew thee his own on the mountain, as round thee The White Brides of Helicon laughed for delight? 'Tis there, 'tis there, The joy most liveth of all his dance and prayer. OEDIPUS. If I may judge, ye Elders, who have ne'er Seen him, methinks I see the shepherd there Whom we have sought so long. His weight of years Fits well with our Corinthian messenger's; And, more, I know the men who guide his way, Bondsmen of mine own house. Thou, friend, wilt say Most surely, who hast known the man of old. LEADER. I know him well. A shepherd of the fold Of Laius, one he trusted more than all. [_The_ SHEPHERD _comes in, led by two thralls. He is an old man and seems terrified._ OEDIPUS. Thou first, our guest from Corinth: say withal Is this the man? [Sidenote: vv. 1120-1130] STRANGER. This is the man, O King. OEDIPUS. [_Addressing the_ SHEPHERD. Old man! Look up, and answer everything I ask thee.--Thou wast Laius' man of old? SHEPHERD. Born in his house I was, not bought with gold. OEDIPUS. What kind of work, what way of life, was thine? SHEPHERD. Most of my days I tended sheep or kine. OEDIPUS. What was thy camping ground at midsummer? SHEPHERD. Sometimes Kithairon, sometimes mountains near. OEDIPUS. Saw'st ever there this man thou seest now? SHEPHERD. There, Lord? What doing?--What man meanest thou? OEDIPUS. [_Pointing to the_ STRANGER. Look! Hath he ever crossed thy path before? [Sidenote: vv. 1131-1146] SHEPHERD. I call him not to mind, I must think more. STRANGER. Small wonder that, O King! But I will throw Light on his memories.--Right well I know He knows the time when, all Kithairon through, I with one wandering herd and he with two, Three times we neighboured one another, clear From spring to autumn stars, a good half-year. At winter's fall we parted; he drove down To his master's fold, and I back to mine own.... Dost call it back, friend? Was it as I say? SHEPHERD. It was. It was.... 'Tis all so far away. STRANGER. Say then: thou gavest me once, there in the wild, A babe to rear far off as mine own child? SHEPHERD. [_His terror returning._ What does this mean? To what end askest thou? STRANGER. [_Pointing to_ OEDIPUS. That babe has grown, friend. 'Tis our master now. SHEPHERD. [_He slowly understands, then stands for a moment horror-struck._ No, in the name of death!... Fool, hold thy peace. [_He lifts his staff at the_ STRANGER. [Sidenote: vv. 1147-1157] OEDIPUS. Ha, greybeard! Wouldst thou strike him?--'Tis not his Offences, 'tis thine own we need to mend. SHEPHERD. Most gentle master, how do I offend? OEDIPUS. Whence came that babe whereof he questioneth? SHEPHERD. He doth not know ... 'tis folly ... what he saith. OEDIPUS. Thou wilt not speak for love; but pain maybe ... SHEPHERD. I am very old. Ye would not torture me. OEDIPUS. Back with his arms, ye bondmen! Hold him so. [_The thralls drag back the_ SHEPHERD'S _arms, ready for torture._ SHEPHERD. Woe's me! What have I done?... What wouldst thou know? OEDIPUS. Didst give this man the child, as he doth say? SHEPHERD. I did.... Would God that I had died this day! [Sidenote: vv. 1158-1167] OEDIPUS. 'Fore heaven, thou shalt yet, if thou speak not true. SHEPHERD. 'Tis more than death and darker, if I do. OEDIPUS. This dog, it seems, will keep us waiting. SHEPHERD. Nay, I said at first I gave it. OEDIPUS. In what way Came it to thee? Was it thine own child, or Another's? SHEPHERD. Nay, it never crossed my door: Another's. OEDIPUS. Whose? What man, what house, of these About thee? SHEPHERD. In the name of God who sees, Ask me no more! OEDIPUS. If once I ask again, Thou diest. SHEPHERD. From the folk of Laius, then, It came. [Sidenote: vv. 1168-1176]