ACT IV

_Oedipus:_ My soul is filled with dark, foreboding fear; For the gods in heaven and hades join the charge 765 That by my guilty hand King Laius fell. And yet my soul, in conscious innocence, And knowing better than the gods themselves Its secret deeds, denies the charge. But now, Along the shadowy vistas of the past, My memory beholds an agéd man who fell Beneath the heavy stroke of my stout staff. But first the elder strove with haughty words 770 To drive the younger traveler from the path. But that was far from Thebes, in Phocis' realm, Where the forkéd road in three directions leads. But thou, my faithful wife, dispel my care: What span of life had Laius at his death? Fell he in manhood's bloom, or spent with age? 775

_Jocasta:_ Midway 'twixt youth and age, but nearer age.

_Oedipus:_ Did courtiers, thronging round, protect his course?

_Jocasta:_ The many lost him on the winding way; A few by faithful toil kept near his side.

_Oedipus:_ Did any fall as comrade of his fate? 780

_Jocasta:_ One comrade in his death did valor give.

_Oedipus:_ Alas, I stand convicted, for the place And number tally. Tell me now the time.

_Jocasta:_ Since Laius fell, ten harvests have been reaped.

[_Enter an old Corinthian man, a messenger from_ Merope.]

_Old Man_ [_to_ Oedipus]: The state of Corinth calls thee to the throne, For Polybus has gained his lasting rest. 785

_Oedipus:_ See how a heartless fate doth compass me! But tell me how my father met his end.

_Old Man:_ In gentle sleep he breathed his life away.

_Oedipus:_ My sire is dead, and not by violence! I call the gods to witness that to heaven I now in piety may lift my hands, 790 And fear no stain of impious slaughter more. And yet a still more fearful fate remains.

_Old Man:_ Thy father's kingdom will dispel thy fears.

_Oedipus:_ My father's kingdom would I seek, but still I fear my mother.

_Old Man:_ Fear'st thou her who waits. 795 With anxious heart, imploring thy return?

_Oedipus:_ 'Tis piety itself that bids me flee.

_Old Man:_ And wouldst thou leave her in her widowhood?

_Oedipus:_ Thou speak'st the very essence of my fears.

_Old Man:_ Speak out the fear that doth oppress thy soul; For 'tis my wont in trusty confidence To counsel kings.

_Oedipus:_ By Phoebus' word forewarned, 800 From wedlock with my mother do I flee.

_Old Man:_ Then cease thy empty fears, and lay aside Thy base forebodings; for I tell thee here That thou art not the son of Merope.

_Oedipus:_ Why did she wish to rear a spurious son?

_Old Man:_ Because the proud security of kings Is by a son established.

_Oedipus:_ Tell me now. 805 How thou dost know the secrets of the court.

_Old Man:_ With my own hands I gave thee to the king.

_Oedipus:_ Thou gavest me? But who gave me to thee?

_Old Man:_ A shepherd on Cithaeron's snowy slopes.

_Oedipus:_ How camest thou within that sacred wood?

_Old Man:_ My sheep upon that mountain did I seek. 810

_Oedipus:_ Now on my body name some well-known mark.

_Old Man:_ Behold, thy feet in infancy were pierced, And from thy swollen ankles art thou named.

_Oedipus:_ Who was the man who gave me as a gift Into thy hands?

_Old Man:_ He fed the royal flocks, 815 And under him the hireling shepherds served.

_Oedipus:_ But tell his name.

_Old Man:_ An old man's memory Grows faint and weakly falters with disuse.

_Oedipus:_ But wouldst thou know the features of the man?

_Old Man:_ I might recall him, for a slender clue 820 Ofttimes awakens memory of things Long buried and forgot.

_Oedipus:_ Then hasten, slaves, Let all the master-shepherds drive their flocks Before the altar here, yea, summon all On whom depends the guidance of the flocks.

_Old Man:_ Or chance or providence has kept thy fate 825 In darkness hid. What long hath lain concealed, I bid thee suffer to remain in doubt. For often truth, when brought into the light, Becomes the bane of him who seeks for her.

_Oedipus:_ Can any ills be worse than those I fear?

_Old Man:_ Oh, be thou sure the truth is big with fate, Whose meaning must be sought with toil and pain. The public weal calls there, and here thine own, 830 And both with equal voice. Direct thy steps Along a middle course! provoke not fate; Permit thy fortune to unfold itself. It profits naught to change a happy state.

_Oedipus:_ A change is well when all is at the worst.

_Old Man:_ What better canst thou ask than royal birth? 835 No further seek, lest thou thy sire repent.

_Oedipus:_ Though I should prove to be of shameful blood, My purpose still is fixed to know the truth. [_Enter_ Phorbas, _the head-shepherd._] But see, the agéd man, old Phorbas, comes, 'Neath whose control the royal flocks are kept. Dost thou remember still his face or name? 840

_Old Man:_ His form eludes my mind; not fully known, And yet again not all unknown his face. [_To_ Phorbas.] Old man, while Laius still was king, didst thou, His shepherd, ever drive the royal flocks To pasture here upon Cithaeron's slopes?

_Phorbas:_ On fair Cithaeron's sunny slopes my flocks 845 Have ever found the greenest pasturage.

_Old Man:_ Dost thou know me?

_Phorbas:_ But dim and indistinct My memory.

_Oedipus:_ Didst thou at any time An infant boy deliver to this man? [Phorbas _falters and turns pale_.] Come then, speak out! why dost thou hesitate? And why does pallor overspread thy cheeks? Why seek for words? The truth no respite needs. 850

_Phorbas:_ Thou speak'st of things long buried and forgot.

_Oedipus:_ But speak, or pain shall drive thee to confess.

_Phorbas:_ I gave a boy to him, a useless gift; He never could have lived or known the light.

_Old Man:_ The gods forbid! The child is living still; 855 And may his life be long on earth, I pray.

_Oedipus:_ Why dost thou think the child did not survive?

_Phorbas:_ A slender rod of iron his ankles pierced, And bound his limbs. This wound produced a sore, Which by contagion spread o'er all his frame.

_Old Man:_ Why question more? The fatal truth draws near. 860 Who was that infant boy?

_Phorbas:_ My lips are sealed.

_Oedipus:_ Bring hither fire! Its flames shall loose thy speech.

_Phorbas:_ Must truth be sought along such cruel paths? I pray thy grace.

_Oedipus:_ If I seem harsh to thee, Or headstrong, thy revenge is in thy hand-- 865 The truth revealed. Then speak: who was the child? Of what sire gotten? Of what mother born?

_Phorbas: He was the son of her who is thy--wife_.

_Oedipus:_ Then yawn, O earth! and thou, O king of shades, Into the lowest depths of hades hurl This vile confounder of the son and sire! 870 Ye citizens, on my incestuous head Heap crushing rocks! with weapons slaughter me! Let husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers--all Whose name I have defiled, against me arm! And let the poor, plague-smitten populace Hurl blazing brands from off their funeral pyres! The plague spot of the age, I wander here, 875 Heaven-cursed pollutor of all sacred ties; Who, in the day when first I breathed the air, Was doomed to death. [_To himself._] Call up thy courage now, And dare some deed befitting these thy crimes. Haste to thy palace and congratulate 880 Thy mother's house increased by children's sons.

[_Exit._]

_Chorus:_ If it were mine to choose my fate And fashion as I would, I'd trim my sails to the gentle breeze, Lest, by the raging blasts o'erwhelmed, 885 My spars should broken be. May soft and gently blowing winds My dauntless bark lead on; And ever on the middle course, Where safely runs the path of life, 890 May I be traveling. Fearing the Cretan king, 'tis said, And trusting in strange arts, Young Icarus essayed the stars, And strove to conquer birds in flight, 895 On false wings balancing. He fell into the raging sea And his name alone survived. But, wiser far, old Daedalus 900 A safer course midst the clouds pursued, Awaiting his wingéd son. As the timid bird flees the threat'ning hawk, And collects her scattered young; 905 So the father watched till he saw his son Plying his hands in the gulfing sea, Enmeshed in his useless wings. So does he stand in treacherous ways, Whoever goes beyond the bounds Ordained by nature's law. 910 [_Enter_ Messenger _from within the palace._] But what is this? The palace gates resound; Behold, it is the royal messenger. With wild and woeful mien he seems to come. Speak out, and tell us what the news thou bring'st.