Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus 890

Iocasta

Princes of the land, I am planning to visit the shrines of the gods, with this wreathed branch and these gifts of incense in my hands. For Oedipus excites his soul excessively with all sorts of grief,

as he does not judge the new things from the old, like a man of sense, but is under the control of the speaker, if he speaks of frightful things. Since, then, I can do no good by counsel, to you, Lycean Apollo—for you are nearest—

915

I have come as a suppliant with these symbols of prayer, that you may find us some escape from uncleanliness. For now we are all afraid, like those who see fear in the helmsman of their ship.

920

Messenger

Can you tell me, strangers, where

the house of King Oedipus is? Or better still, tell me where he himself is, if you know.

925

Chorus

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

Messenger

Then may she be ever happy in a happy home,

since she is his blessed queen.

930

Iocasta

Happiness to you also, stranger! Your fair greeting deserves this. But say what you have come to seek or to tell.

Messenger

Good tidings, lady, for your house and your husband.

Iocasta

What are they? From whom have you come?

935

Messenger

From Corinth , and at the message I will give now you will doubtless rejoice, though you may perhaps grieve too.

Iocasta

What is it? Why has it this double potency?

Messenger

The people will make him king of the

Isthmian land, as it was said there.

940

Iocasta

How then? Is the aged Polybus no longer in power?

Messenger

No. For death holds him in the tomb.

Iocasta

What do you mean? Is Polybus dead, old man?

Messenger

If I do not speak the truth, I am content to die.

Iocasta

Handmaid, away with all speed, and tell this to your master! Oracles of the gods, where do you stand now? It is this man that Oedipus long feared he would slay. And now this man has died in the course of destiny, not by his hand.

945

Oedipus

Iocasta, dearest wife, why have you summoned me forth from these doors?

950

Iocasta

Hear this man, and judge, as you listen, what the awful oracles have come to.

Oedipus

Who is he and what news does he have for me?

Iocasta

He comes from Corinth to tell you that your father Polybus lives no longer, but has perished.

955

Oedipus

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

Messenger

If I must first make these tidings plain, know indeed that he is dead and gone.

Oedipus

By treachery, or from illness?

960

Messenger

A light tilt of the scale brings the aged to their rest.

Oedipus

Ah, he died, it seems, of sickness?

Messenger

Yes, and of the long years that he had lived.

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, who declared that I was doomed to slay my father? But he is dead, and lies beneath the earth, and here I am, not having put my hand to any spear—unless, perhaps, he died out of longing for me:

965

thus, indeed, I would be the cause of his death. But as the oracles stand, at least, Polybus has swept them with him to his rest in Hades. They are worth nothing.

970

Iocasta

Did I not long ago foretell this to you?

Oedipus

You did, but I was mislead by my fear.

Iocasta

Now no longer take any of those things to heart.

975

Oedipus

But surely I must fear my mother’s bed.

Iocasta

What should a mortal man fear, for whom the decrees of Fortune are supreme, and who has clear foresight of nothing? It is best to live at random, as one may.

But fear not that you will wed your mother. Many men before now have slept with their mothers in dreams. But he to whom these things are as though nothing bears his life most easily.

980

Oedipus

All these words of yours would have been well said,

were my mother not alive. But as it is, since she lives, I must necessarily fear, though you do speak well.

985

Iocasta

Your father’s death is a great sign for us to take cheer.

Oedipus

Great, I know. But my fear is of her who lives.

Messenger

And who is the woman about whom you fear?

Oedipus

Merope, old man, the consort of Polybus.

990

Messenger

And what is it in her that moves your fear?

Oedipus

A divine oracle of dread import, stranger.

Messenger

Proper, or improper, for another to know?

Oedipus

Proper, surely. Loxias once said that I was

doomed to marry my own mother, and to shed with my own hands my father’s blood. For which reasons I long shirked my home in Corinth—with a happy outcome, to be sure, but still it is sweet to see the face of one’s parents.

995

Messenger

Was it really for fear of this that you became an exile from that city?

Oedipus

And because I did not wish, old man, to be the murderer of my father.

1000

Messenger

Why have I not relieved you of this second fear, my lord, since I came to give you pleasure?

Oedipus

And indeed you will have worthy thanks from me.

Messenger

And indeed I came specially for this, that

I might profit from your returning home.

1005

Oedipus

But by no means will I ever go near my parents again.

Messenger

My son, it is crystal clear that you do not know what you are doing.

Oedipus

How so, old man? In the name of the gods, tell me.

Messenger

If on account of this you are fleeing from returning home.

1010

Oedipus

Fearing indeed lest Apollo’s prophecy come true in me.

Messenger

Lest you acquire some pollution from your parents?

Oedipus

This very thing, old man, this constantly frightens me.

Messenger

Do you know, then, that your fears are wholly in vain?

Oedipus

How so, if I was born of those parents?

1015

Messenger

Because you had no blood in common with Polybus.

Oedipus

What are you saying? Was Polybus not my father?

Messenger

Just as much, and no more, than he who speaks to you.

Oedipus

And how can my father be equal to him who is as though nothing to me?

Messenger

But he did not father you, any more than I did.

1020

Oedipus

How, then, did he call me his son?

Messenger

Long ago he received you as a gift from my hands.

Oedipus

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

Messenger

His former childlessness won him over.

Oedipus

And had you bought me or found me by chance, when you gave me to him?

1025

Messenger

I found you in Cithaeron’s winding glens.

Oedipus

And why were you roaming those regions?

Messenger

I was in charge of mountain flocks.

Oedipus

What, you were a shepherd—a vagrant hireling?

Messenger

But your savior, my son, in that hour.

1030

Oedipus

And what was my pain when you took me in your arms?

Messenger

The ankles of your feet might bear witness.

Oedipus

Ah me, why do you speak of that old trouble?

Messenger

I freed you when you had your ankles pinned together.

Oedipus

It was a dread brand of shame that I took from my cradle.

1035

Messenger

So much so that from that fortune you were called by that name which you still bear.

Oedipus

Oh, in the name of the gods, was the deed my mother’s or father’s? Speak!

Messenger

I know not. He who gave you to me knows better of that than I.

Oedipus

What, you got me from another? You did not find me yourself?

Messenger

No. Another shepherd gave you to me.

1040

Oedipus

Who was he? Can you tell clearly?

Messenger

I think he was said to be one of the household of Laius.

Oedipus

The king who ruled this country long ago?

Messenger

The same. The man was a herdsman in his service.

Oedipus

Is he still alive, that I might see him?

1045

Messenger

You natives of this country should know best.

Oedipus

Is there any of you here present that knows the herdsman of whom he speaks, having seen him either in the pastures or here in town? Answer!

The hour has come for these things to be revealed finally.

1050

Chorus

I think he speaks of no other than the peasant you already wanted to see. But our lady Iocasta might best tell you that.

Oedipus

Lady, do you know the one whom we summoned just now?

Is it of him that this man speaks?

1055

Iocasta

Why ask of whom he spoke? Regard it not; waste not a thought on what he said; it would be vain.

Oedipus

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

Iocasta

For the gods’ sake, if you have any care for your own life, do not continue this search! My anguish is enough.

1060

Oedipus

Be of good courage. Even if I should be found the son of a servile mother—a slave by three descents—you will not be proven baseborn.

Iocasta

Hear me, I implore you: do not do this.

Oedipus

I will not hear of not discovering the whole truth.

1065

Iocasta

Yet I wish you well—I counsel you for the best.

Oedipus

These best counsels, then, vex my patience.

Iocasta

Oh ill-fated man, may you never know who you are!

Oedipus

Go, some one, fetch me the herdsman.

Leave this woman to glory in her princely stock.

1070

Iocasta

Alas, alas, miserable man—that word alone can I say to you—and no other word ever again. She rushes into the palace.

Chorus

Why has this woman gone, Oedipus, rushing off in wild grief? I fear

a storm of sorrow will soon break forth from this silence.

1075

Oedipus

Break forth what will! Be my race ever so lowly, I crave to learn it. That woman perhaps—for she is proud with more than a woman’s pride—feels ashamed of my lowly origin. But I, who hold myself son of Fortune

that gives good, will not be dishonored. She is the mother from whom I spring, and the months, my kinsmen, have marked me sometimes lowly, sometimes great. Such being my heritage, never more can I prove

1080

false to it, or keep from searching out the secret of my birth.

1085