Leader.

And now how fares he? Doth the storm abate?

Messenger.

He shouts for one to open wide the gate
And lead him forth, and to all Thebes display
His father’s murderer, his mother’s. … Nay,
Such words I will not speak. And his intent
Is set, to cast himself in banishment
Out to the wild, not walk ’mid human breed
Bearing the curse he bears. Yet sore his need
Of strength and of some guiding hand. For sure
He hath more burden now than man may endure.
    But see, the gates fall back, and that appears
Which he who loathes shall pity—yea, with tears.

[Oedipus is led in, blinded and bleeding. The Old Men bow down and hide their faces; some of them weep.

Chorus.

Oh, terrible! Oh, sight of all
       This life hath crossed, most terrible!
       Thou man more wronged than tongue can tell.
What madness took thee? Do there crawl
       Live Things of Evil from the deep
       To leap on man? Oh, what a leap
Was His that flung thee to thy fall!

Leader.

O fallen, fallen in ghastly case,
       I dare not raise mine eyes to thee;
       Fain would I look and ask and see,
But shudder sickened from thy face.20

Oedipus.

              Oh, pain; pain and woe!
    Whither? Whither?
              They lead me and I go;
    And my voice drifts on the air
              Far away.
    Where, Thing of Evil, where
         Endeth thy leaping hither?

Leader.

In fearful ends, which none may hear nor say.

Oedipus.

[Strophe.

         Could of the dark, mine own
  For ever, horrible,
  Stealing, stealing, silent, unconquerable,
  Cloud that no wind, no summer can dispel!
         Again, again I groan,
As through my heart together crawl the strong
Stabs of this pain and memories of old wrong.

Leader.

Yea, twofold hosts of torment hast thou there,
The stain to think on and the pain to bear.

Oedipus.

[Antistrophe.

         O Friend, thou mine own
  Still faithful, minister
  Steadfast abiding alone of them that were,
  Dost bear with me and give the blind man care?
         Ah me! Not all unknown
Nor hid thou art. Deep in this dark a call
Comes and I know thy voice in spite of all.

Leader.

O fearful sufferer, and could’st thou kill
Thy living orbs? What God made blind thy will?

Oedipus.

[Strophe

’Tis Apollo; all is Apollo,
    O ye that love me, ’tis he long time hath planned
        These things upon me evilly, evilly,
            Dark things and full of blood.
I knew not; I did but follow
    His way; but mine the hand
        And mine the anguish. What were mine eyes to me
            When naught to be seen was good?

Leader.

’Tis even so; and Truth doth speak in thee.

Oedipus.

To see, to endure, to hear words kindly spoken,
    Should I have joy in such?
        Out, if ye love your breath,
Cast me swift unto solitude, unbroken
    By word or touch.
        Am I not charged with death,
            Most charged and filled to the brim
        With curses? And what man saith
            God hath so hated him?

Leader.

Thy bitter will, thy hard calamity,
Would I had never known nor looked on thee!

Oedipus.


  By PanEris using Melati.

Previous chapter/page Back Home Email this Search Discuss Bookmark Next page
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission. See our FAQ for more details.