OEDIPUS Leave me in peace and get thee gone.

CREON I go, By thee misjudged, but justified by these.

[Exeunt CREON]

CHORUS (Ant. 1) Lady, lead indoors thy consort; wherefore longer here delay?

JOCASTA Tell me first how rose the fray.

CHORUS Rumors bred unjust suspicious and injustice rankles sore.

JOCASTA Were both at fault?

CHORUS Both.

JOCASTA What was the tale?

CHORUS Ask me no more. The land is sore distressed; 'Twere better sleeping ills to leave at rest.

OEDIPUS Strange counsel, friend! I know thou mean'st me well, And yet would'st mitigate and blunt my zeal.

CHORUS (Ant. 2) King, I say it once again, Witless were I proved, insane, If I lightly put away Thee my country's prop and stay, Pilot who, in danger sought, To a quiet haven brought Our distracted State; and now Who can guide us right but thou?

JOCASTA Let me too, I adjure thee, know, O king, What cause has stirred this unrelenting wrath.

OEDIPUS I will, for thou art more to me than these.

Lady, the cause is Creon and his plots.

JOCASTA But what provoked the quarrel? make this clear.

OEDIPUS He points me out as Laius' murderer.

JOCASTA Of his own knowledge or upon report?

OEDIPUS He is too cunning to commit himself, And makes a mouthpiece of a knavish seer.

JOCASTA Then thou mayest ease thy conscience on that score.

Listen and I'll convince thee that no man Hath scot or lot in the prophetic art.

Here is the proof in brief. An oracle Once came to Laius (I will not say 'Twas from the Delphic G.o.d himself, but from His ministers) declaring he was doomed To perish by the hand of his own son, A child that should be born to him by me.

Now Laius--so at least report affirmed-- Was murdered on a day by highwaymen, No natives, at a spot where three roads meet.

As for the child, it was but three days old, When Laius, its ankles pierced and pinned Together, gave it to be cast away By others on the trackless mountain side.

So then Apollo brought it not to pa.s.s The child should be his father's murderer, Or the dread terror find accomplishment, And Laius be slain by his own son.

Such was the prophet's horoscope. O king, Regard it not. Whate'er the G.o.d deems fit To search, himself unaided will reveal.

OEDIPUS What memories, what wild tumult of the soul Came o'er me, lady, as I heard thee speak!

JOCASTA What mean'st thou? What has shocked and startled thee?

OEDIPUS Methought I heard thee say that Laius Was murdered at the meeting of three roads.

JOCASTA So ran the story that is current still.

OEDIPUS Where did this happen? Dost thou know the place?

JOCASTA Phocis the land is called; the spot is where Branch roads from Delphi and from Daulis meet.

OEDIPUS And how long is it since these things befell?

JOCASTA 'Twas but a brief while were thou wast proclaimed Our country's ruler that the news was brought.

OEDIPUS O Zeus, what hast thou willed to do with me!

JOCASTA What is it, Oedipus, that moves thee so?

OEDIPUS Ask me not yet; tell me the build and height Of Laius? Was he still in manhood's prime?

JOCASTA Tall was he, and his hair was lightly strewn With silver; and not unlike thee in form.

OEDIPUS O woe is me! Mehtinks unwittingly I laid but now a dread curse on myself.

JOCASTA What say'st thou? When I look upon thee, my king, I tremble.

OEDIPUS 'Tis a dread presentiment That in the end the seer will prove not blind.

One further question to resolve my doubt.

JOCASTA I quail; but ask, and I will answer all.

OEDIPUS Had he but few attendants or a train Of armed retainers with him, like a prince?

JOCASTA They were but five in all, and one of them A herald; Laius in a mule-car rode.

OEDIPUS Alas! 'tis clear as noonday now. But say, Lady, who carried this report to Thebes?

JOCASTA A serf, the sole survivor who returned.

OEDIPUS Haply he is at hand or in the house?

JOCASTA No, for as soon as he returned and found Thee reigning in the stead of Laius slain, He clasped my hand and supplicated me To send him to the alps and pastures, where He might be farthest from the sight of Thebes.

And so I sent him. 'Twas an honest slave And well deserved some better recompense.

OEDIPUS Fetch him at once. I fain would see the man.

JOCASTA He shall be brought; but wherefore summon him?

OEDIPUS Lady, I fear my tongue has overrun Discretion; therefore I would question him.

JOCASTA Well, he shall come, but may not I too claim To share the burden of thy heart, my king?

OEDIPUS And thou shalt not be frustrate of thy wish.