Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 1118

Der Chor.

Er ist es, wohl erkenn' ich ihn; dem Laïos,

Wie kaum ein Andrer, war er stets als Hirte treu.

(der Hirte wird herbeigeführt.) (zu dem Boten)

Oedipus.

Zuerst, o Fremdling aus Korinthos, frag' ich dich:

Sprich, meinst du diesen?

Der Bote.

Diesen, den du hier erblickst.

Oedipus.

Du, schaue hierher, Alter, und antworte mir

1090

Auf meine Fragen. Warst du Knecht des Laïos einst?

Der Hirte.

Ich war's, im Haus erzogen, nicht erkauft von ihm.

Oedipus.

Und welch Geschäft betriebst du, was war dein Beruf?

Der Hirte.

Ich ging des Lebens längste Zeit den Heerden nach.

Oedipus.

An welchen Orten triebst du dich gewöhnlich um?

1095

Der Hirte.

Es war Kithäron, war die nächstgelegne Flur.

Oedipus.

Und diesen Mann wohl kennst du, sahst ihn dort vielleicht?

Der Hirte.

Von welchem Anlaß? Welcher Mann ist's, den du meinst?

Oedipus.

Der, welcher hier steht. Pflogst du nie Verkehr mit ihm?

Der Hirte.

Nicht gleich zu sagen weiß ich's aus Erinnerung.

1100

Der Bote.

Das ist, o Herr, kein Wunder; doch ich will ihn klar

An Längstvergangnes mahnen. Denn ich weiß, er wird

Noch wissen, als wir auf Kithärons hoher Trift

(Er war mit zweien Heerden, ich mit Einer dort)

Vom Lenze bis zum Herbste drei vollkommene

1105

Sechsmondenfristen lebten, nachbarlich gesellt:

Ich trieb, sobald es Winter ward, die Heerde fort

In meine Hürden, er zum Hof des Laïos.

Ist, was ich sage, Wahrheit, oder red' ich falsch?

Der Hirte.

Oedipus

Elders, if it is right for me, who have never met the man, to guess, I think I see the herdsman we have been looking for for a long time. In his venerable old age he tallies with this stranger’s years, and moreover I recognize those who bring him, I think, as servants of mine.

1110

But perhaps you have an advantage in knowledge over me, if you have seen the herdsman before.

1115

Chorus

Yes, I know him, be sure. He was in the service of Laius—trusty as any shepherd.

Oedipus

I ask you first, Corinthian stranger, if this is the man you mean.

Messenger

He is, the one you are looking at.

1120

Oedipus

You, old man—look this way and answer all that I ask—were you once in the service of Laius?

Servant

I was—not a bought slave, but reared in his house.

Oedipus

Employed in what labor, or what way of life?

Servant

For the better part of my life I tended the flocks.

1125

Oedipus

And what regions did you most frequently haunt?

Servant

Sometimes Cithaeron, sometimes the neighboring ground.

Oedipus

Are you aware of ever having seen this man in these parts?

Servant

Doing what? What man do you mean?

Oedipus

This man here. Have you ever met him before?

1130

Servant

Not so that I could speak at once from memory.

Messenger

And no wonder, master. But I will bring clear recollection to his ignorance. I am sure he knows well of the time we dwelled in the region of Cithaeron

for six month periods, from spring to Arcturus, he with two flocks, and I, his comrade, with one. And then for the winter I used to drive my flock to my own fold, and he took his to the fold of Laius.

1135

Did any of this happen as I tell it, or did it not?

1140

Servant

You speak the truth, though it was long ago.

Messenger

Come, tell me now: do you remember having given me a boy in those days, to be reared as my own foster-son?

Servant

What now? Why do you ask the question?

Messenger

This man, my friend, is he who then was young.

1145

Servant

Damn you! Be silent once and for all!

Oedipus

Do not rebuke him, old man. Your words need rebuking more than his.

Servant

And in what way, most noble master, do I offend?

Oedipus

In not telling of the boy about whom he asks.

1150

Servant

He speaks without knowledge, but is busy to no purpose.

Oedipus

You will not speak with good grace, but will in pain.

Servant

No, in the name of the gods, do not mistreat an old man.

Oedipus

Someone, quick—tie his hands him this instant!

Servant

Alas, why? What do you want to learn?

1155

Oedipus

Did you give this man the child about whom he asks?

Servant

I did. Would that I had perished that day!

Oedipus

Well, you will come to that, unless you tell the honest truth.

Servant

But if I speak I will be destroyed all the more.

Oedipus

This man is bent, I think, on more delays.

1160

Servant

No, no! I said before that I gave it to him.

Oedipus

Where did you get it from? From your own house, or from another?

Servant

It was not my own: I received it from another.

Oedipus

From whom of the citizens here? From what home?

Servant

For the love of the gods, master, ask no more!

1165

Oedipus

You are dead if I have to question you again.

Servant

It was a child, then, of the house of Laius.

Oedipus

A slave? Or one of his own clan?

Servant

Alas! I am on the brink of speaking the dreaded words.

Oedipus

And I of hearing: I must hear nevertheless.

1170

Servant

You must know then, that it was said to be his own child. But your lady within could say best how these matters lie.

Oedipus

How? Did she give it to you?

Servant

Yes, my lord.

Oedipus

For what purpose?

Servant

That I should do away with it.

Oedipus

Her own child, the wretched woman?

1175

Servant

Yes, from fear of the evil prophecies.

Oedipus

What were they?

Servant

The tale ran that he would slay his father.

Oedipus

Why, then, did you give him to this old man?

Servant

Out of pity, master, thinking that he would carry him to another land, from where he himself came. But he saved him for the direst woe.

For if you are what this man says, be certain that you were born ill-fated.

1180

Oedipus

Oh, oh! All brought to pass, all true. Light, may I now look on you for the last time—I who have been found to be accursed in birth,

accursed in wedlock, accursed in the shedding of blood. He rushes into the palace.

1185