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Successor to his throne； his bed； his wife；
（And had he not been frustrate in the hope
Of issue； common children of one womb
Had forced a closer bond twixt him and me；
But Fate swooped down upon him）； therefore I
His blood…avenger will maintain his cause
As though he were my sire； and leave no stone
Unturned to track the assassin or avenge
The son of Labdacus； of Polydore；
Of Cadmus； and Agenor first of the race。
And for the disobedient thus I pray：
May the gods send them neither timely fruits
Of earth； nor teeming increase of the womb；
But may they waste and pine； as now they waste；
Aye and worse stricken； but to all of you；
My loyal subjects who approve my acts；
May Justice； our ally； and all the gods
Be gracious and attend you evermore。
CHORUS
The oath thou profferest； sire； I take and swear。
I slew him not myself； nor can I name
The slayer。 For the quest； 'twere well； methinks
That Phoebus； who proposed the riddle； himself
Should give the answerwho the murderer was。
OEDIPUS
Well argued； but no living man can hope
To force the gods to speak against their will。
CHORUS
May I then say what seems next best to me？
OEDIPUS
Aye； if there be a third best； tell it too。
CHORUS
My liege； if any man sees eye to eye
With our lord Phoebus； 'tis our prophet； lord
Teiresias； he of all men best might guide
A searcher of this matter to the light。
OEDIPUS
Here too my zeal has nothing lagged； for twice
At Creon's instance have I sent to fetch him；
And long I marvel why he is not here。
CHORUS
I mind me too of rumors long ago
Mere gossip。
OEDIPUS
Tell them； I would fain know all。
CHORUS
'Twas said he fell by travelers。
OEDIPUS
So I heard；
But none has seen the man who saw him fall。
CHORUS
Well； if he knows what fear is； he will quail
And flee before the terror of thy curse。
OEDIPUS
Words scare not him who blenches not at deeds。
CHORUS
But here is one to arraign him。 Lo； at length
They bring the god…inspired seer in whom
Above all other men is truth inborn。
＇Enter TEIRESIAS； led by a boy。＇
OEDIPUS
Teiresias； seer who comprehendest all；
Lore of the wise and hidden mysteries；
High things of heaven and low things of the earth；
Thou knowest； though thy blinded eyes see naught；
What plague infects our city； and we turn
To thee； O seer； our one defense and shield。
The purport of the answer that the God
Returned to us who sought his oracle；
The messengers have doubtless told theehow
One course alone could rid us of the pest；
To find the murderers of Laius；
And slay them or expel them from the land。
Therefore begrudging neither augury
Nor other divination that is thine；
O save thyself； thy country； and thy king；
Save all from this defilement of blood shed。
On thee we rest。 This is man's highest end；
To others' service all his powers to lend。
TEIRESIAS
Alas； alas； what misery to be wise
When wisdom profits nothing！ This old lore
I had forgotten； else I were not here。
OEDIPUS
What ails thee？ Why this melancholy mood？
TEIRESIAS
Let me go home； prevent me not； 'twere best
That thou shouldst bear thy burden and I mine。
OEDIPUS
For shame！ no true…born Theban patriot
Would thus withhold the word of prophecy。
TEIRESIAS
_Thy_ words； O king； are wide of the mark； and I
For fear lest I too trip like thee。。。
OEDIPUS
Oh speak；
Withhold not； I adjure thee； if thou know'st；
Thy knowledge。 We are all thy suppliants。
TEIRESIAS
Aye； for ye all are witless； but my voice
Will ne'er reveal my miseriesor thine。 ＇2＇
OEDIPUS
What then； thou knowest； and yet willst not speak！
Wouldst thou betray us and destroy the State？
TEIRESIAS
I will not vex myself nor thee。 Why ask
Thus idly what from me thou shalt not learn？
OEDIPUS
Monster！ thy silence would incense a flint。
Will nothing loose thy tongue？ Can nothing melt thee；
Or shake thy dogged taciturnity？
TEIRESIAS
Thou blam'st my mood and seest not thine own
Wherewith thou art mated； no； thou taxest me。
OEDIPUS
And who could stay his choler when he heard
How insolently thou dost flout the State？
TEIRESIAS
Well； it will come what will； though I be mute。
OEDIPUS
Since come it must； thy duty is to tell me。
TEIRESIAS
I have no more to say； storm as thou willst；
And give the rein to all thy pent…up rage。
OEDIPUS
Yea； I am wroth； and will not stint my words；
But speak my whole mind。 Thou methinks thou art he；
Who planned the crime； aye； and performed it too；
All save the assassination； and if thou
Hadst not been blind； I had been sworn to boot
That thou alone didst do the bloody deed。
TEIRESIAS
Is it so？ Then I charge thee to abide
By thine own proclamation； from this day
Speak not to these or me。 Thou art the man；
Thou the accursed polluter of this land。
OEDIPUS
Vile slanderer； thou blurtest forth these taunts；
And think'st forsooth as seer to go scot free。
TEIRESIAS
Yea； I am free； strong in the strength of truth。
OEDIPUS
Who was thy teacher？ not methinks thy art。
TEIRESIAS
Thou； goading me against my will to speak。
OEDIPUS
What speech？ repeat it and resolve my doubt。
TEIRESIAS
Didst miss my sense wouldst thou goad me on？
OEDIPUS
I but half caught thy meaning； say it again。
TEIRESIAS
I say thou art the murderer of the man
Whose murderer thou pursuest。
OEDIPUS
Thou shalt rue it
Twice to repeat so gross a calumny。
TEIRESIAS
Must I say more to aggravate thy rage？
OEDIPUS
Say all thou wilt； it will be but waste of breath。
TEIRESIAS
I say thou livest with thy nearest kin
In infamy； unwitting in thy shame。
OEDIPUS
Think'st thou for aye unscathed to wag thy tongue？
TEIRESIAS
Yea； if the might of truth can aught prevail。
OEDIPUS
With other men； but not with thee； for thou
In ear； wit； eye； in everything art blind。
TEIRESIAS
Poor fool to utter gibes at me which all
Here present will cast back on thee ere long。
OEDIPUS
Offspring of endless Night； thou hast no power
O'er me or any man who sees the sun。
TEIRESIAS
No； for thy weird is not to fall by me。
I leave to Apollo what concerns the god。
OEDIPUS
Is this a plot of Creon； or thine own？
TEIRESIAS
Not Creon； thou thyself art thine own bane。
OEDIPUS
O wealth and empiry and skill by skill
Outwitted in the battlefield of life；
What spite and envy follow in your train！
See； for this crown the State conferred on me。
A gift； a thing I sought not； for this crown
The trusty Creon； my familiar friend；
Hath lain in wait to oust me and suborned
This mountebank； this juggling charlatan；
This tricksy beggar…priest； for gain alone
Keen…eyed； but in his proper art stone…blind。
Say； sirrah； hast thou ever proved thyself
A prophet？ When the riddling Sphinx was here
Why hadst thou no deliverance for this folk？
And yet the riddle was not to be solved
By guess…work but required the prophet's art；
Wherein thou wast found lacking； neither birds
Nor sign from heaven helped thee； but _I_ came；
The simple Oedipus； _I_ stopped her mouth
By mother wit； untaught of auguries。
This is the man whom tho