Offspring of golden Hope； thou voice immortal； O tell me。
（Ant。 1）
First on Athene I call； O Zeus…born goddess； defend！
Goddess and sister； befriend；
Artemis； Lady of Thebes； high…throned in the midst of our mart！
Lord of the death…winged dart！
Your threefold aid I crave
From death and ruin our city to save。
If in the days of old when we nigh had perished； ye drave
From our land the fiery plague； be near us now and defend us！
（Str。 2）
Ah me； what countless woes are mine！
All our host is in decline；
Weaponless my spirit lies。
Earth her gracious fruits denies；
Women wail in barren throes；
Life on life downstriken goes；
Swifter than the wind bird's flight；
Swifter than the Fire…God's might；
To the westering shores of Night。
（Ant。 2）
Wasted thus by death on death
All our city perisheth。
Corpses spread infection round；
None to tend or mourn is found。
Wailing on the altar stair
Wives and grandams rend the air
Long…drawn moans and piercing cries
Blent with prayers and litanies。
Golden child of Zeus； O hear
Let thine angel face appear！
（Str。 3）
And grant that Ares whose hot breath I feel；
Though without targe or steel
He stalks； whose voice is as the battle shout；
May turn in sudden rout；
To the unharbored Thracian waters sped；
Or Amphitrite's bed。
For what night leaves undone；
Smit by the morrow's sun
Perisheth。 Father Zeus； whose hand
Doth wield the lightning brand；
Slay him beneath thy levin bold； we pray；
Slay him； O slay！
（Ant。 3）
O that thine arrows too； Lycean King；
From that taut bow's gold string；
Might fly abroad； the champions of our rights；
Yea； and the flashing lights
Of Artemis； wherewith the huntress sweeps
Across the Lycian steeps。
Thee too I call with golden…snooded hair；
Whose name our land doth bear；
Bacchus to whom thy Maenads Evoe shout；
Come with thy bright torch； rout；
Blithe god whom we adore；
The god whom gods abhor。
＇Enter OEDIPUS。＇
OEDIPUS
Ye pray； 'tis well； but would ye hear my words
And heed them and apply the remedy；
Ye might perchance find comfort and relief。
Mind you； I speak as one who comes a stranger
To this report； no less than to the crime；
For how unaided could I track it far
Without a clue？ Which lacking （for too late
Was I enrolled a citizen of Thebes）
This proclamation I address to all：
Thebans； if any knows the man by whom
Laius； son of Labdacus； was slain；
I summon him to make clean shrift to me。
And if he shrinks； let him reflect that thus
Confessing he shall 'scape the capital charge；
For the worst penalty that shall befall him
Is banishmentunscathed he shall depart。
But if an alien from a foreign land
Be known to any as the murderer；
Let him who knows speak out； and he shall have
Due recompense from me and thanks to boot。
But if ye still keep silence； if through fear
For self or friends ye disregard my hest；
Hear what I then resolve； I lay my ban
On the assassin whosoe'er he be。
Let no man in this land； whereof I hold
The sovereign rule； harbor or speak to him；
Give him no part in prayer or sacrifice
Or lustral rites； but hound him from your homes。
For this is our defilement； so the god
Hath lately shown to me by oracles。
Thus as their champion I maintain the cause
Both of the god and of the murdered King。
And on the murderer this curse I lay
（On him and all the partners in his guilt）：
Wretch； may he pine in utter wretchedness！
And for myself； if with my privity
He gain admittance to my hearth； I pray
The curse I laid on others fall on me。
See that ye give effect to all my hest；
For my sake and the god's and for our land；
A desert blasted by the wrath of heaven。
For； let alone the god's express command；
It were a scandal ye should leave unpurged
The murder of a great man and your king；
Nor track it home。 And now that I am lord；
Successor to his throne； his bed； his wife；
（And had he not been frustrate in the hope
Of issue； common children of one womb
Had forced a closer bond twixt him and me；
But Fate swooped down upon him）； therefore I
His blood…avenger will maintain his cause
As though he were my sire； and leave no stone
Unturned to track the assassin or avenge
The son of Labdacus； of Polydore；
Of Cadmus； and Agenor first of the race。
And for the disobedient thus I pray：
May the gods send them neither timely fruits
Of earth； nor teeming increase of the womb；
But may they waste and pine； as now they waste；
Aye and worse stricken； but to all of you；
My loyal subjects who approve my acts；
May Justice； our ally； and all the gods
Be gracious and attend you evermore。
CHORUS
The oath thou profferest； sire； I take and swear。
I slew him not myself； nor can I name
The slayer。 For the quest； 'twere well； methinks
That Phoebus； who proposed the riddle； himself
Should give the answerwho the murderer was。
OEDIPUS
Well argued； but no living man can hope
To force the gods to speak against their will。
CHORUS
May I then say what seems next best to me？
OEDIPUS
Aye； if there be a third best； tell it too。
CHORUS
My liege； if any man sees eye to eye
With our lord Phoebus； 'tis our prophet； lord
Teiresias； he of all men best might guide
A searcher of this matter to the light。
OEDIPUS
Here too my zeal has nothing lagged； for twice
At Creon's instance have I sent to fetch him；
And long I marvel why he is not here。
CHORUS
I mind me too of rumors long ago
Mere gossip。
OEDIPUS
Tell them； I would fain know all。
CHORUS
'Twas said he fell by travelers。
OEDIPUS
So I heard；
But none has seen the man who saw him fall。
CHORUS
Well； if he knows what fear is； he will quail
And flee before the terror of thy curse。
OEDIPUS
Words scare not him who blenches not at deeds。
CHORUS
But here is one to arraign him。 Lo； at length
They bring the god…inspired seer in whom
Above all other men is truth inborn。
＇Enter TEIRESIAS； led by a boy。＇
OEDIPUS
Teiresias； seer who comprehendest all；
Lore of the wise and hidden mysteries；
High things of heaven and low things of the earth；
Thou knowest； though thy blinded eyes see naught；
What plague infects our city； and we turn
To thee； O seer； our one defense and shield。
The purport of the answer that the God
Returned to us who sought his oracle；
The messengers have doubtless told theehow
One course alone could rid us of the pest；
To find the murderers of Laius；
And slay them or expel them from the land。
Therefore begrudging neither augury
Nor other divination that is thine；
O save thyself； thy country； and thy king；
Save all from this defilement of blood shed。
On thee we rest。 This is man's highest end；
To others' service all his powers to lend。
TEIRESIAS
Alas； alas； what misery to be wise
When wisdom profits nothing！ This old lore
I had forgotten； else I were not here。
OEDIPUS
What ails thee？ Why this melancholy mood？
TEIRESIAS
Let me go home； prevent me not； 'twere best
That thou shouldst bear thy burden and I mine。
OEDIPUS
For shame！ no true…born Theban patriot
Would thus withhold the word of prophecy。
TEIRESIAS
_Thy_ words； O king； are wide of the mark； and I
For fear lest I too trip like thee。。。
OEDIPUS
Oh speak；
Withhold not； I adjure thee； if thou know'st；
Thy knowledge。 We are all thy suppliants。
TEIRESIAS
Aye； for ye all are witless； but my voice
Will ne'er reveal my miseriesor thine。 ＇2＇
OEDIPUS
What then； thou knowest； and yet willst not speak！
Wouldst thou betray us and destroy the State？
TEIRESIAS
I will not vex myself nor thee。 Why ask
Thus idly what from me thou shalt not learn？
OEDIPUS
Monster！ thy silence would incense a flint。
Will nothing loose thy tongue？ Can nothing melt thee；
Or shake thy dogged taciturnity？
TEIRESIAS
Thou blam'st my mood and seest not thine own
Wherewith thou art mated； no； thou taxest me。
OEDIPUS
And who could stay his choler when he heard
How insolently thou dost flout the State？
TEIRESIAS
Well； it will come what will； though I be mute。
OEDIPUS
Since come it must； thy duty is to tell me。
TEIRESIAS
I have no more to say； storm as thou willst；
And give the rein to all thy pent…up rage。
OEDIPUS
Yea； I am wroth； and will not stint my words；
But speak my whole mind。 Thou methinks thou art he；
Who planned the crime； aye； and performed it too；
All save the assassination； and if thou
Hadst not been blind； I had been sworn to boot
That thou alone didst do the bloody deed。
TEIRESIAS
Is it so？ Then I charge thee to abide
By thine own proclamation； from this day
Speak not to these or me。 Thou art the man；
Thou the accursed polluter of this land。
OEDIPUS
Vile slanderer； thou blurtest forth these taunts；
And think'st forsooth as seer to go scot free。
TEIRESIAS
Yea； I am free； strong in the strength of truth。
OEDIPUS
Who was thy teacher？ not methinks thy art。
TEIRESIAS
Thou； goading me against my will to speak。
OEDIPUS
What speech？ repeat it and resolve my doubt。
TEIRESIAS
Didst miss my sense wouldst thou goad me on？
OEDIPUS
I but half caught thy meaning； say it again。
TEIRESIAS
I say thou art the murderer of the man
Whose murderer thou pursuest。
OEDIPUS
Thou shalt rue it
Twice to repeat so gross a calumny。
TEIRESIAS
Must I say more to aggravate thy rage？
OEDIPUS
Say all thou wilt； it will be but waste of breath。
TEIRESIAS
I say thou livest with thy nearest kin
In infamy； unwitting in thy shame。
OEDIPUS
Think'st thou for aye unscathed to wag thy tongue？
TEIRESIAS
Yea； if the might of truth can aught prevail。
OEDIPUS
With other men； but not with thee； for thou
In ear； wit； eye； in everything art blind。
TEIRESIAS
Poor fool to utter gibes at me which all
Here present will cast back on thee ere long。
OEDIPUS
Offspring of endless Night； thou hast no power
O'er me or any man who sees the sun。
TEIRESIAS
No； for thy weird is not to