Oedipus King of Thebes Part 12

JOCASTA.

Tall, with the white new gleaming on his brow He walked. In shape just such a man as thou.

OEDIPUS.

G.o.d help me! I much fear that I have wrought A curse on mine own head, and knew it not.

JOCASTA.

How sayst thou? O my King, I look on thee And tremble.

[Sidenote: vv. 747-760]

OEDIPUS (_to himself_).

Horror, if the blind can see!

Answer but one thing and 'twill all be clear.

JOCASTA.

Speak. I will answer though I shake with fear.

OEDIPUS.

Went he with scant array, or a great band Of armed followers, like a lord of land?

JOCASTA.

Four men were with him, one a herald; one Chariot there was, where Laus rode alone.

OEDIPUS.

Aye me! Tis clear now.

Woman, who could bring To Thebes the story of that manslaying?

JOCASTA.

A house-thrall, the one man they failed to slay.

OEDIPUS.

The one man...? Is he in the house to-day?

JOCASTA.

Indeed no. When he came that day, and found Thee on the throne where once sat Laus crowned, He took my hand and prayed me earnestly

[Sidenote: vv. 761-779]

To send him to the mountain heights, to be A herdsman, far from any sight or call Of Thebes. And there I sent him. 'Twas a thrall Good-hearted, worthy a far greater boon.

OEDIPUS.

Canst find him? I would see this herd, and soon.

JOCASTA.

'Tis easy. But what wouldst thou with the herd?

OEDIPUS.

I fear mine own voice, lest it spoke a word Too much; whereof this man must tell me true.

JOCASTA.

The man shall come.--My lord, methinks I too Should know what fear doth work thee this despite.

OEDIPUS.

Thou shalt. When I am tossed to such an height Of dark foreboding, woman, when my mind Faceth such straits as these, where should I find A mightier love than thine?

My father--thus I tell thee the whole tale--was Polybus, In Corinth King; my mother Merope Of Dorian line. And I was held to be The proudest in Corinthia, till one day A thing befell: strange was it, but no way Meet for such wonder and such rage as mine.

A feast it was, and some one flushed with wine

[Sidenote: vv. 780-807]

Cried out at me that I was no true son Of Polybus. Oh, I was wroth! That one Day I kept silence, but the morrow morn I sought my parents, told that tale of scorn And claimed the truth; and they rose in their pride And smote the mocker.... Aye, they satisfied All my desire; yet still the cavil gnawed My heart, and still the story crept abroad.

At last I rose--my father knew not, nor My mother--and went forth to Pytho's floor To ask. And G.o.d in that for which I came Rejected me, but round me, like a flame, His voice flashed other answers, things of woe, Terror, and desolation. I must know My mother's body and beget thereon A race no mortal eye durst look upon, And spill in murder mine own father's blood.

I heard, and, hearing, straight from where I stood, No landmark but the stars to light my way, Fled, fled from the dark south where Corinth lay, To lands far off, where never I might see My doom of scorn fulfilled. On bitterly I strode, and reached the region where, so saith Thy tale, that King of Thebes was struck to death....

Wife, I will tell thee true. As one in daze I walked, till, at the crossing of three ways, A herald, like thy tale, and o'er his head A man behind strong horses charioted Met me. And both would turn me from the path, He and a thrall in front. And I in wrath Smote him that pushed me--'twas a groom who led The horses. Not a word the master said,

[Sidenote: vv. 808-828]

But watched, and as I pa.s.sed him on the road Down on my head his iron-branched goad Stabbed. But, by heaven, he rued it! In a flash I swung my staff and saw the old man crash Back from his car in blood.... Then all of them I slew.

Oh, if that man's unspoken name Had aught of Laus in him, in G.o.d's eye What man doth move more miserable than I, More dogged by the hate of heaven! No man, kin Nor stranger, any more may take me in; No man may greet me with a word, but all Cast me from out their houses. And withal 'Twas mine own self that laid upon my life These curses.--And I hold the dead man's wife In these polluting arms that spilt his soul....

Am I a thing born evil? Am I foul In every vein? Thebes now doth banish me, And never in this exile must I see Mine ancient folk of Corinth, never tread The land that bore me; else my mother's bed Shall be defiled, and Polybus, my good Father, who loved me well, be rolled in blood.

If one should dream that such a world began In some slow devil's heart, that hated man, Who should deny him?--G.o.d, as thou art clean, Suffer not this, oh, suffer not this sin To be, that e'er I look on such a day!

Out of all vision of mankind away To darkness let me fall ere such a fate Touch me, so unclean and so desolate!

[Sidenote: vv. 829-850]

LEADER.

I tremble too, O King; but till thou hear From him who saw, oh, let hope conquer fear.

OEDIPUS.

One shred of hope I still have, and therefore Will wait the herdsman's coming. 'Tis no more.