Third Episode

Iocasta.Princes of the land, the thought has come to me to visit the shrines of the gods, with this wreathed branch in my hands, and these gifts of incense. For Oedipus excites his soul overmuch with all manner of alarms, nor, like a man of sense, judges the new things by the old, but is at the will of the speaker, if he speak terrors. Since, then, by counsel I can do no good, to thee, Lycean Apollo, for thou art nearest, I have come, a suppliant with these symbols of prayer, that thou mayest find us some riddance, from uncleanness. For now we are all afraid, seeing him affrighted, even as they who see fear in the helmsman of their ship.

Messenger (from Corinth).Might I learn from you, strangers, where is the house of the king Oedipus? Or, better still, tell me where he himself is — if ye know.

Chorus.This is his dwelling, and he himself, stranger, is within; and this lady is the mother of his children.

Messenger (from Corinth).Then may she be ever happy in a happy home, since she is his heaven-blest queen.

Iocasta.Happiness to thee also, stranger! ’tis the due of thy fair greeting. — But say what thou hast come to seek or to tell.

Messenger (from Corinth).Good tidings, lady, for thy house and for thy husband.

Iocasta.What are they? And from whom hast thou come?

Messenger (from Corinth).From Corinth: and at the message which I will speak anon thou wilt rejoice — doubtless; yet haply grieve.

Iocasta.And what is it? How hath it thus a double potency?

Messenger (from Corinth).The people will make him king of the Isthmian land, as ’twas said there.

Iocasta.How then? Is the aged Polybus no more in power?

Messenger (from Corinth).No, verily: for death holds him in the tomb.

Iocasta.How sayest thou? Is Polybus dead, old man?

Messenger (from Corinth).If I speak not the truth, I am content to die.

Iocasta.O handmaid, away with all speed, and tell this to thy master! O ye oracles of the gods, where stand ye now! This is the man whom Oedipus long feared and shunned, lest he should slay him; and now this man hath died in the course of destiny, not by his hand. [Enter OEDIPUS.

Oedipus.Iocasta, dearest wife, why hast thou summoned me forth from these doors?

Iocasta.Hear this man, and judge, as thou listenest, to what the awful oracles of the gods have come.

Oedipus.And he — who may he be, and what news hath he for me?

Iocasta.He is from Corinth, to tell that thy father Polybus lives no longer, but hath perished.

Oedipus.How, stranger? Let me have it from thine own mouth.

Messenger (from Corinth).If I must first make these tidings plain, know indeed that he is dead and gone.

Oedipus.By treachery, or by visit of disease?

Messenger (from Corinth).A light thing in the scale brings the aged to their rest.

Oedipus.Ah, he died, it seems, of sickness?

Messenger (from Corinth).Yea, and of the long years that he had told.

Oedipus.Alas, alas! Why, indeed, my wife, should one look to the hearth of the Pythian seer, or to the birds that scream above our heads, on whose showing I was doomed to slay my sire? But he is dead, and hid already beneath the earth; and here am I, who have not put hand to spear.— Unless, perchance, he was killed by longing for me: thus, indeed, I should be the cause of his death. But the oracles as they stand, at least, Polybus hath swept with him to his rest in Hades: they are worth nought.

Iocasta.Nay, did I not so foretell to thee long since?

Oedipus.Thou didst: but I was misled by my fear.

Iocasta.Now no more lay aught of those things to heart.

Oedipus.But surely I must needs fear my mother’s bed?

Iocasta.Nay, what should mortal fear, for whom the decrees of Fortune are supreme, and who hath clear foresight of nothing? Tis best to live at random, as one may. But fear not thou touching wedlock With thy mother. Many men ere now have so fared in dreams also: but he to whom these things are as nought bears his life most easily.

Oedipus.All these bold words of thine would have been well, were not my mother living; but as it is, since she lives, I must needs fear — though thou sayest well.

Iocasta.Howbeit thy father’s death is a great sign to cheer us.

Oedipus.Great, I know; but my fear is of her who lives.

Messenger (from Corinth).And who is the woman about whom ye fear?

Oedipus.Merope, old man, the consort of Polybus.

Messenger (from Corinth).And what is it in her that moves your fear?

Oedipus.A heaven-sent oracle of dread import, stranger.

Messenger (from Corinth).Lawful, or unlawful, for another to know?

Oedipus.Lawful, surely. Loxias once said that I was doomed to espouse mine own mother, and to shed with mine own hands my father’s blood. Wherefore my home in Corinth was long kept by me afar; with happy event, indeed, — yet still ’tis sweet to see the face of parents.

Messenger (from Corinth).Was it indeed for fear of this that thou wast an exile from that city?

Oedipus.And because I wished not, old man, to be the. slayer of my sire.

Messenger (from Corinth).Then why have I not freed thee, king, from this fear, seeing that I came with friendly purpose?

Oedipus.Indeed thou shouldst have guerdon due from me.

Messenger (from Corinth).Indeed ’twas chiefly for this that I came — that, on thy return home, I might reap some good.

Oedipus.Nay, I will never go near my parents.

Messenger (from Corinth).Ah my son, ’tis plain enough that thou knowest not what thou doest.

Oedipus.How, old man? For the gods’ love, tell me.

Messenger (from Corinth).If for these reasons thou shrinkest from going home.

Oedipus.Aye, I dread lest Phoebus prove himself true for me.

Messenger (from Corinth).Thou dreadest to be stained with guilt through thy parents?

Oedipus.Even so, old man — this it is that ever affrights me.

Messenger (from Corinth).Dost thou know, then, that thy fears are wholly vain?

Oedipus.How so, if I was born of those parents?

Messenger (from Corinth).Because Polybus was nothing to thee in blood.

Oedipus.What sayest thou? Was Polybus not my sire?

Messenger (from Corinth).No more than he who speaks to thee, but just so much.

Oedipus.And how can my sire be level with him who is as nought to me?

Messenger (from Corinth).Nay, he begat thee not, any more than I.

Oedipus.Nay, wherefore, then, called he me his son?

Messenger (from Corinth).Know that he had received thee as a gift from my hands of yore.

Oedipus.And yet he loved me so dearly, who came from another’s hand?

Messenger (from Corinth).Yea, his former childlessness won him thereto.

Oedipus.And thou — hadst thou bought me or found me by chance, when thou gavest me to him?

Messenger (from Corinth).Found thee in Cithaeron’s winding glens.

Oedipus.And wherefore wast thou roaming in those regions?

Messenger (from Corinth).I was there in charge of mountain flocks.

Oedipus.What, thou wast a shepherd — a vagrant hireling?

Messenger (from Corinth).But thy preserver, my son, in that hour.

Oedipus.And what pain was mine when thou didst take me in thine arms?

Messenger (from Corinth).The ankles of thy feet might witness.

Oedipus.Ah me, why dost thou speak of that old trouble?

Messenger (from Corinth).I freed thee when thou hadst thine ankles pinned together.

Oedipus.Aye, ’twas a dreadbrand of shame that I took from my cradle.

Messenger (from Corinth).Such, that from that fortune thou wast called by the name which still is thine.

Oedipus.Oh, for the gods’ love — was the deed my mother’s or father’s? Speak!

Messenger (from Corinth).I know not; he who gave thee to me wots better of that than I.

Oedipus.What, thou hadst me from another? Thou didst not light on me thyself?

Messenger (from Corinth).No: another shepherd gave thee up to me.

Oedipus.Who was he? Art thou in case to tell clearly?

Messenger (from Corinth).I think he was called one of the household of Laïus.

Oedipus.The king who ruled this country long ago?

Messenger (from Corinth).The same: ’twas in his service that the man was a herd.

Oedipus.Is he still alive, that I might see him?

Messenger (from Corinth).Nay, ye folk of the country should know best.

Oedipus.Is there any of you here present that knows the herd of whom he speaks — that hath seen him in the pastures or the town? Answer! The hour hath come that these things should be finally revealed.

Chorus.Methinks he speaks of no other than the peasant whom thou wast already fain to see; but our lady Iocasta might best tell that.

Oedipus.Lady, wottest thou of him whom we lately summoned? Is it of him that this man speaks?

Iocasta.Why ask of whom he spoke? Regard it not... waste not a thought on what he said... ‘twere idle.

Oedipus.It must not be that, with such clues in my grasp, I should fail to bring my birth to light.

Iocasta.For the gods’ sake, if thou hast any care for thine own life, forbear this search! My anguish is enough.

Oedipus.Be of good courage; though I be found the son of servile mother, — aye, a slave by three descents, — thou wilt not be proved base-born.

Iocasta.Yet hear me, I implore thee: do not thus.

Oedipus.I must not hear of not discovering the whole truth.

Iocasta.Yet I wish thee well — I counsel thee for the best.

Oedipus.These best counsels, then, vex my patience.

Iocasta.Ill-fated one! Mayst thou never come to know who thou art!

Oedipus.Go, some one, fetch me the herdsman hither, — and leave yon woman to glory in her princely stock.

Iocasta.Alas, alas, miserable! — that word alone can I say unto thee, and no other word henceforth for ever. [She rushes into the palace.

Chorus.Why hath the lady gone, Oedipus, in a transport of wild grief? I misdoubt, a storm of sorrow will break forth from this silence.

Oedipus.Break forth what will! Be my race never so lowly, I must crave to learn it. Yon woman, perchance, — for she is proud with more than a woman’s pride — thinks shame of my base source. But I, who hold myself son of Fortune that gives good, will not be dishonoured. She is the mother from whom I spring; and the months, my kinsmen, have marked me sometimes lowly, sometimes great. Such being my lineage, never more can I prove false to it, or spare to search out the secret of my birth.