On the ancestral gloom of Tartarus
To snatch thee hence； on these dread goddesses
I call； and Ares who incensed you both
To mortal enmity。 Go now proclaim
What thou hast heard to the Cadmeians all；
Thy staunch confederatesthis the heritage
that Oedipus divideth to his sons。
CHORUS
Thy errand； Polyneices； liked me not
From the beginning； now go back with speed。
POLYNEICES
Woe worth my journey and my baffled hopes！
Woe worth my comrades！ What a desperate end
To that glad march from Argos！ Woe is me！
I dare not whisper it to my allies
Or turn them back； but mute must meet my doom。
My sisters； ye his daughters； ye have heard
The prayers of our stern father； if his curse
Should come to pass and ye some day return
To Thebes； O then disown me not； I pray；
But grant me burial and due funeral rites。
So shall the praise your filial care now wins
Be doubled for the service wrought for me。
ANTIGONE
One boon； O Polyneices； let me crave。
POLYNEICES
What would'st thou； sweet Antigone？ Say on。
ANTIGONE
Turn back thy host to Argos with all speed；
And ruin not thyself and Thebes as well。
POLYNEICES
That cannot be。 How could I lead again
An army that had seen their leader quail？
ANTIGONE
But； brother； why shouldst thou be wroth again？
What profit from thy country's ruin comes？
POLYNEICES
'Tis shame to live in exile； and shall I
The elder bear a younger brother's flouts？
ANTIGONE
Wilt thou then bring to pass his prophecies
Who threatens mutual slaughter to you both？
POLYNEICES
Aye； so he wishes：but I must not yield。
ANTIGONE
O woe is me！ but say； will any dare；
Hearing his prophecy； to follow thee？
POLYNEICES
I shall not tell it； a good general
Reports successes and conceals mishaps。
ANTIGONE
Misguided youth； thy purpose then stands fast！
POLYNEICES
'Tis so； and stay me not。 The road I choose；
Dogged by my sire and his avenging spirit；
Leads me to ruin； but for you may Zeus
Make your path bright if ye fulfill my hest
When dead； in life ye cannot serve me more。
Now let me go； farewell； a long farewell！
Ye ne'er shall see my living face again。
ANTIGONE
Ah me！
POLYNEICES
Bewail me not。
ANTIGONE
Who would not mourn
Thee； brother； hurrying to an open pit！
POLYNEICES
If I must die； I must。
ANTIGONE
Nay； hear me plead。
POLYNEICES
It may not be； forbear。
ANTIGONE
Then woe is me；
If I must lose thee。
POLYNEICES
Nay； that rests with fate；
Whether I live or die； but for you both
I pray to heaven ye may escape all ill；
For ye are blameless in the eyes of all。
＇Exit POLYNEICES＇
CHORUS
（Str。 1）
Ills on ills！ no pause or rest！
Come they from our sightless guest？
Or haply now we see fulfilled
What fate long time hath willed？
For ne'er have I proved vain
Aught that the heavenly powers ordain。
Time with never sleeping eye
Watches what is writ on high；
Overthrowing now the great；
Raising now from low estate。
Hark！ How the thunder rumbles！ Zeus defend us！
OEDIPUS
Children； my children！ will no messenger
Go summon hither Theseus my best friend？
ANTIGONE
And wherefore； father； dost thou summon him？
OEDIPUS
This winged thunder of the god must bear me
Anon to Hades。 Send and tarry not。
CHORUS
（Ant。 1）
Hark！ with louder； nearer roar
The bolt of Zeus descends once more。
My spirit quails and cowers： my hair
Bristles for fear。 Again that flare！
What doth the lightning…flash portend？
Ever it points to issues grave。
Dread powers of air！ Save； Zeus； O save！
OEDIPUS
Daughters； upon me the predestined end
Has come； no turning from it any more。
ANTIGONE
How knowest thou？ What sign convinces thee？
OEDIPUS
I know full well。 Let some one with all speed
Go summon hither the Athenian prince。
CHORUS
（Str。 2）
Ha！ once more the deafening sound
Peals yet louder all around
If thou darkenest our land；
Lightly； lightly lay thy hand；
Grace； not anger； let me win；
If upon a man of sin
I have looked with pitying eye；
Zeus； our king； to thee I cry！
OEDIPUS
Is the prince coming？ Will he when he comes
Find me yet living and my senses clear！
ANTIGONE
What solemn charge would'st thou impress on him？
OEDIPUS
For all his benefits I would perform
The promise made when I received them first。
CHORUS
（Ant。 2）
Hither haste； my son； arise；
Altar leave and sacrifice；
If haply to Poseidon now
In the far glade thou pay'st thy vow。
For our guest to thee would bring
And thy folk and offering；
Thy due guerdon。 Haste； O King！
＇Enter THESEUS＇
THESEUS
Wherefore again this general din？ at once
My people call me and the stranger calls。
Is it a thunderbolt of Zeus or sleet
Of arrowy hail？ a storm so fierce as this
Would warrant all surmises of mischance。
OEDIPUS
Thou com'st much wished for； Prince； and sure some god
Hath bid good luck attend thee on thy way。
THESEUS
What； son of Laius； hath chanced of new？
OEDIPUS
My life hath turned the scale。 I would do all
I promised thee and thine before I die。
THESEUS
What sign assures thee that thine end is near？
OEDIPUS
The gods themselves are heralds of my fate；
Of their appointed warnings nothing fails。
THESEUS
How sayest thou they signify their will？
OEDIPUS
This thunder； peal on peal； this lightning hurled
Flash upon flash； from the unconquered hand。
THESEUS
I must believe thee； having found thee oft
A prophet true； then speak what must be done。
OEDIPUS
O son of Aegeus； for this state will I
Unfold a treasure age cannot corrupt。
Myself anon without a guiding hand
Will take thee to the spot where I must end。
This secret ne'er reveal to mortal man；
Neither the spot nor whereabouts it lies；
So shall it ever serve thee for defense
Better than native shields and near allies。
But those dread mysteries speech may not profane
Thyself shalt gather coming there alone；
Since not to any of thy subjects； nor
To my own children； though I love them dearly；
Can I reveal what thou must guard alone；
And whisper to thy chosen heir alone；
So to be handed down from heir to heir。
Thus shalt thou hold this land inviolate
From the dread Dragon's brood。 ＇4＇ The justest State
By countless wanton neighbors may be wronged；
For the gods； though they tarry； mark for doom
The godless sinner in his mad career。
Far from thee； son of Aegeus； be such fate！
But to the spotthe god within me goads
Let us set forth no longer hesitate。
Follow me； daughters； this way。 Strange that I
Whom you have led so long should lead you now。
Oh； touch me not； but let me all alone
Find out the sepulcher that destiny
Appoints me in this land。 Hither； this way；
For this way Hermes leads； the spirit guide；
And Persephassa； empress of the dead。
O light； no light to me； but mine erewhile；
Now the last time I feel thee palpable；
For I am drawing near the final gloom
Of Hades。 Blessing on thee； dearest friend；
On thee and on thy land and followers！
Live prosperous and in your happy state
Still for your welfare think on me； the dead。
＇Exit THESEUS followed by ANTIGONE and ISMENE＇
CHORUS
（Str。）
If mortal prayers are heard in hell；
Hear； Goddess dread； invisible！
Monarch of the regions drear；
Aidoneus； hear； O hear！
By a gentle； tearless doom
Speed this stranger to the gloom；
Let him enter without pain
The all…shrouding Stygian plain。
Wrongfully in life oppressed；
Be he now by Justice blessed。
（Ant。）
Queen infernal； and thou fell
Watch…dog of the gates of hell；
Who； as legends tell； dost glare；
Gnarling in thy cavernous lair
At all comers； let him go
Scathless to the fields below。
For thy master orders thus；
The son of earth and Tartarus；
In his den the monster keep；
Giver of eternal sleep。
＇Enter MESSENGER＇
MESSENGER
Friends； countrymen； my tidings are in sum
That Oedipus is gone； but the event
Was not so brief； nor can the tale be brief。
CHORUS
What； has he gone； the unhappy man？
MESSENGER
Know well
That he has passed away from life to death。
CHORUS
How？ By a god…sent； painless doom； poor soul？
MESSENGER
Thy question hits the marvel of the tale。
How he moved hence； you saw him and must know；
Without a friend to lead the way； himself
Guiding us all。 So having reached the abrupt
Earth…rooted Threshold with its brazen stairs；
He paused at one of the converging paths；
Hard by the rocky basin which records
The pact of Theseus and Peirithous。
Betwixt that rift and the Thorician rock；
The hollow pear…tree and the marble tomb；
Midway he sat and loosed his beggar's weeds；
Then calling to his daughters bade them fetch
Of running water； both to wash withal
And make libation； so they clomb the steep；
And in brief space brought what their father bade；
Then laved and dressed him with observance due。
But when he had his will in everything；
And no desire was left unsatisfied；
It thundered from the netherworld； the maids
Shivered； and crouching at their father's knees
Wept； beat their breast and uttered a long wail。
He； as he heard their sudden bitter cry；
Folded his arms about them both and said；
〃My children； ye will lose your sire today；
For all of me has perished； and no more
Have ye to bear your long； long ministry；
A heavy load； I know； and yet one word
Wipes out all score of tribulations_love_。
And love from me ye hadfrom no man more；
But now must live without me all your days。〃
So clinging to each other sobbed and wept
Father and daughters both； but when at last
Their mourning had an end and no wail rose；
A moment there was silence； suddenly
A voice that summoned him； with sudden dread
The hair of all stood up and all were 'mazed；
For the call came； now loud； now low； and oft。
〃Oedipus； Oedipus； why tarry we？
Too long； too long thy passing is delayed。〃
But when he heard the summons of the god；
H