Oedipus Trilogy - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
OEDIPUS Did I not warn thee?
CHORUS Quick, unhand the maid!
CREON Command your minions; I am not your slave.
CHORUS Desist, I bid thee.
CREON (to the guard) And O bid thee march!
CHORUS To the rescue, one and all!
Rally, neighbors to my call!
See, the foe is at the gate!
Rally to defend the State.
ANTIGONE Ah, woe is me, they drag me hence, O friends.
OEDIPUS Where art thou, daughter?
ANTIGONE Haled along by force.
OEDIPUS Thy hands, my child!
ANTIGONE They will not let me, father.
CREON Away with her!
OEDIPUS Ah, woe is me, ah woe!
CREON So those two crutches shall no longer serve thee For further roaming. Since it pleaseth thee To triumph o'er thy country and thy friends Who mandate, though a prince, I here discharge, Enjoy thy triumph; soon or late thou'lt find Thou art an enemy to thyself, both now And in time past, when in despite of friends Thou gav'st the rein to pa.s.sion, still thy bane.
CHORUS Hold there, sir stranger!
CREON Hands off, have a care.
CHORUS Restore the maidens, else thou goest not.
CREON Then Thebes will take a dearer surety soon; I will lay hands on more than these two maids.
CHORUS What canst thou further?
CREON Carry off this man.
CHORUS Brave words!
CREON And deeds forthwith shall make them good.
CHORUS Unless perchance our sovereign intervene.
OEDIPUS O shameless voice! Would'st lay an hand on me?
CREON Silence, I bid thee!
OEDIPUS G.o.ddesses, allow Thy suppliant to utter yet one curse!
Wretch, now my eyes are gone thou hast torn away The helpless maiden who was eyes to me; For these to thee and all thy cursed race May the great Sun, whose eye is everywhere, Grant length of days and old age like to mine.
CREON Listen, O men of Athens, mark ye this?
OEDIPUS They mark us both and understand that I Wronged by the deeds defend myself with words.
CREON Nothing shall curb my will; though I be old And single-handed, I will have this man.
OEDIPUS O woe is me!
CHORUS Thou art a bold man, stranger, if thou think'st To execute thy purpose.
CREON So I do.
CHORUS Then shall I deem this State no more a State.
CREON With a just quarrel weakness conquers might.
OEDIPUS Ye hear his words?
CHORUS Aye words, but not yet deeds, Zeus knoweth!
CREON Zeus may haply know, not thou.
CHORUS Insolence!
CREON Insolence that thou must bear.
CHORUS Haste ye princes, sound the alarm!
Men of Athens, arm ye, arm!
Quickly to the rescue come Ere the robbers get them home.
[Enter THESEUS]
THESEUS Why this outcry? What is forward? wherefore was I called away From the altar of Poseidon, lord of your Colonus? Say!
On what errand have I hurried hither without stop or stay.
OEDIPUS Dear friend--those accents tell me who thou art-- Yon man but now hath done me a foul wrong.
THESEUS What is this wrong and who hath wrought it? Speak.
OEDIPUS Creon who stands before thee. He it is Hath robbed me of my all, my daughters twain.
THESEUS What means this?
OEDIPUS Thou hast heard my tale of wrongs.
