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Gives birth to endless days and nights； wherein
The merest nothing shall suffice to cut
With serried spears your bonds of amity。
Then shall my slumbering and buried corpse
In its cold grave drink their warm life…blood up；
If Zeus be Zeus and Phoebus still speak true。
No more： 'tis ill to tear aside the veil
Of mysteries； let me cease as I began：
Enough if thou wilt keep thy plighted troth；
Then shall thou ne'er complain that Oedipus
Proved an unprofitable and thankless guest；
Except the gods themselves shall play me false。
CHORUS
The man； my lord； has from the very first
Declared his power to offer to our land
These and like benefits。
THESEUS
Who could reject
The proffered amity of such a friend？
First； he can claim the hospitality
To which by mutual contract we stand pledged：
Next； coming here； a suppliant to the gods；
He pays full tribute to the State and me；
His favors therefore never will I spurn；
But grant him the full rights of citizen；
And； if it suits the stranger here to bide；
I place him in your charge； or if he please
Rather to come with mechoose； Oedipus；
Which of the two thou wilt。 Thy choice is mine。
OEDIPUS
Zeus； may the blessing fall on men like these！
THESEUS
What dost thou then decideto come with me？
OEDIPUS
Yea； were it lawfulbut 'tis rather here
THESEUS
What wouldst thou here？ I shall not thwart thy wish。
OEDIPUS
Here shall I vanquish those who cast me forth。
THESEUS
Then were thy presence here a boon indeed。
OEDIPUS
Such shall it prove； if thou fulfill'st thy pledge。
THESEUS
Fear not for me； I shall not play thee false。
OEDIPUS
No need to back thy promise with an oath。
THESEUS
An oath would be no surer than my word。
OEDIPUS
How wilt thou act then？
THESEUS
What is it thou fear'st？
OEDIPUS
My foes will come
THESEUS
Our friends will look to that。
OEDIPUS
But if thou leave me？
THESEUS
Teach me not my duty。
OEDIPUS
'Tis fear constrains me。
THESEUS
_My_ soul knows no fear！
OEDIPUS
Thou knowest not what threats
THESEUS
I know that none
Shall hale thee hence in my despite。 Such threats
Vented in anger oft； are blusterers；
An idle breath； forgot when sense returns。
And for thy foemen； though their words were brave；
Boasting to bring thee back； they are like to find
The seas between us wide and hard to sail。
Such my firm purpose； but in any case
Take heart； since Phoebus sent thee here。 My name；
Though I be distant； warrants thee from harm。
CHORUS
（Str。 1）
Thou hast come to a steed…famed land for rest；
O stranger worn with toil；
To a land of all lands the goodliest
Colonus' glistening soil。
'Tis the haunt of the clear…voiced nightingale；
Who hid in her bower； among
The wine…dark ivy that wreathes the vale；
Trilleth her ceaseless song；
And she loves； where the clustering berries nod
O'er a sunless； windless glade；
The spot by no mortal footstep trod；
The pleasance kept for the Bacchic god；
Where he holds each night his revels wild
With the nymphs who fostered the lusty child。
（Ant。 1）
And fed each morn by the pearly dew
The starred narcissi shine；
And a wreath with the crocus' golden hue
For the Mother and Daughter twine。
And never the sleepless fountains cease
That feed Cephisus' stream；
But they swell earth's bosom with quick increase；
And their wave hath a crystal gleam。
And the Muses' quire will never disdain
To visit this heaven…favored plain；
Nor the Cyprian queen of the golden rein。
（Str。 2）
And here there grows； unpruned； untamed；
Terror to foemen's spear；
A tree in Asian soil unnamed；
By Pelops' Dorian isle unclaimed；
Self…nurtured year by year；
'Tis the grey…leaved olive that feeds our boys；
Nor youth nor withering age destroys
The plant that the Olive Planter tends
And the Grey…eyed Goddess herself defends。
（Ant。 2）
Yet another gift； of all gifts the most
Prized by our fatherland； we boast
The might of the horse； the might of the sea；
Our fame； Poseidon； we owe to thee；
Son of Kronos； our king divine；
Who in these highways first didst fit
For the mouth of horses the iron bit；
Thou too hast taught us to fashion meet
For the arm of the rower the oar…blade fleet；
Swift as the Nereids' hundred feet
As they dance along the brine。
ANTIGONE
Oh land extolled above all lands； 'tis now
For thee to make these glorious titles good。
OEDIPUS
Why this appeal； my daughter？
ANTIGONE
Father； lo！
Creon approaches with his company。
OEDIPUS
Fear not； it shall be so； if we are old；
This country's vigor has no touch of age。
＇Enter CREON with attendants＇
CREON
Burghers； my noble friends； ye take alarm
At my approach （I read it in your eyes）；
Fear nothing and refrain from angry words。
I come with no ill purpose； I am old；
And know the city whither I am come；
Without a peer amongst the powers of Greece。
It was by reason of my years that I
Was chosen to persuade your guest and bring
Him back to Thebes； not the delegate
Of one man； but commissioned by the State；
Since of all Thebans I have most bewailed；
Being his kinsman； his most grievous woes。
O listen to me； luckless Oedipus；
Come home！ The whole Cadmeian people claim
With right to have thee back； I most of all；
For most of all （else were I vile indeed）
I mourn for thy misfortunes； seeing thee
An aged outcast； wandering on and on；
A beggar with one handmaid for thy stay。
Ah！ who had e'er imagined she could fall
To such a depth of misery as this；
To tend in penury thy stricken frame；
A virgin ripe for wedlock； but unwed；
A prey for any wanton ravisher？
Seems it not cruel this reproach I cast
On thee and on myself and all the race？
Aye； but an open shame cannot be hid。
Hide it； O hide it； Oedipus； thou canst。
O； by our fathers' gods； consent I pray；
Come back to Thebes； come to thy father's home；
Bid Athens； as is meet； a fond farewell；
Thebes thy old foster…mother claims thee first。
OEDIPUS
O front of brass； thy subtle tongue would twist
To thy advantage every plea of right
Why try thy arts on me； why spread again
Toils where 'twould gall me sorest to be snared？
In old days when by self…wrought woes distraught；
I yearned for exile as a glad release；
Thy will refused the favor then I craved。
But when my frenzied grief had spent its force；
And I was fain to taste the sweets of home；
Then thou wouldst thrust me from my country； then
These ties of kindred were by thee ignored；
And now again when thou behold'st this State
And all its kindly people welcome me；
Thou seek'st to part us； wrapping in soft words
Hard thoughts。 And yet what pleasure canst thou find
In forcing friendship on unwilling foes？
Suppose a man refused to grant some boon
When you importuned him； and afterwards
When yo