Where can i read oedipus online

They all were slain, save one man; blind with fear He came, remembering naught—or almost naught. And what was that? One thing has often brought Others, could we but catch one little clue.

What robber, save the work was planned By treason here, would dare a risk so plain? So some men thought. And what strange mischief, when your master lay Thus fallen, held you back from search and deed? The dark-songed Sphinx was here. We had no heed Of distant sorrows, having death so near. It falls on me then. I will search and clear This darkness. Nor is it as for one that touches me Far off; 'tis for mine own sake I must see This sin cast out.

Leave this altar-stair, Children. Take from it every suppliant bough. Then call the folk of Thebes. Say, 'tis my vow To uphold them to the end. So God shall crown Our greatness, or for ever cast us down. My children, rise. And may He vv. The chorus of Theban elders enter. Thebes is bright with thee, and my heart it leapeth; yet is it cold, And my spirit faints as I pray.

What task, O Affrighter of Evil, what task shall thy people essay? One new as our new-come affliction, Or an old toil returned with the years? Unveil thee, thou dread benediction, Hope's daughter and Fear's. Apollo, the Pure, the Far-smiter; O Three that keep evil away, If of old for our city's desire, When the death-cloud hung close to her brow, Ye have banished the wound and the fire, Oh! Wounds beyond telling; my people sick unto death; And where is the counsellor, where is the sword of thought?

And Holy Earth in her increase perisheth: The child dies and the mother awaketh not. We have seen them, one on another, gone as a bird is gone, Souls that are flame; yea, higher, Swifter they pass than fire, To the rocks of the dying Sun. The altars stand, as in seas of storm a high Rock standeth, and wives and mothers grey thereon Weep, weep and pray.

Lo, joy-cries to fright the Destroyer; a flash in the dark they rise, Then die by the sobs overladen. Send help, O heaven-born Maiden, Let us look on the light of her eyes! Where Night hath spared, he bringeth end by day. Where is thy gold-strung bow, O Wolf-god, where the flow Of living shafts unconquered, from all ills Our helpers? Where the white Spears of thy Sister's light, Far-flashing as she walks the wolf-wild hills?

Thou prayest: but my words if thou wilt hear And bow thee to their judgement, strength is near vv. Let him feel no fear If on a townsman's body he must clear Our guilt: the man shall suffer no great ill, But pass from Thebes, and live where else he will. Is it some alien from an alien shore Ye know to have done the deed, screen him no more!

Good guerdon waits you now and a King's love Hereafter. If still ye will not move But, fearing for yourselves or some near friend, Reject my charge, then hearken to what end Ye drive me. Thus hath the God replied This day to me from Delphi, and my sword I draw thus for the dead and for God's word. More: if he ever tread my hearth and I Know it, be every curse upon my head That I have spoke this day.

All I have said I charge ye strictly to fulfil and make Perfect, for my sake, for Apollo's sake, And this land's sake, deserted of her fruit And cast out from her gods.

Nay, were all mute At Delphi, still 'twere strange to leave the thing Unfollowed, when a true man and a King Lay murdered. All should search.

And, behold, For them that aid me not, I pray no root Nor seed in earth may bear them corn nor fruit, No wife bear children, but this present curse Cleave to them close and other woes yet worse. Enough: ye other people of the land, vv. O King, even while thy curse yet hovers o'er My head, I answer thee.

I slew him not, Nor can I shew the slayer. But, God wot, If Phoebus sends this charge, let Phoebus read Its meaning and reveal who did the deed. Aye, that were just, if of his grace he would Reveal it. How shall man compel his God? Second to that, methinks, 'twould help us most Though it be third, speak! Nothing should be lost. Ask of Tiresias: he could tell thee true. That also have I thought for.

Aye, and two Heralds have sent ere now. Our other clues are weak, old signs and far. What signs? I needs must question all that are. Some travellers slew him, the tale used to be. The tale, yes: but the witness, where is he? The man hath heard thy curses. If he knows The taste of fear, he will not long stay close. He fear my words, who never feared the deed?

Well, there is one shall find him. Enter Tiresias led by a young disciple. He is an old blind man in a prophet's robe, dark, unkempt and sinister in appearance. Tiresias, thou whose mind divineth well All Truth, the spoken and the unspeakable, vv. In which, O gracious Lord, no minister Of help, no champion, can we find at all Save thee.

Oh, grudge us nothing! Question every cry Of birds, and all roads else of prophecy Thou knowest. Save our city: save thine own Greatness: save me; save all that yet doth groan Under the dead man's wrong! Lo, in thy hand We lay us. And, methinks, no work so grand Hath man yet compassed, as, with all he can Of chance or power, to help his fellow man. Tiresias to himself. Ah me! A fearful thing is knowledge, when to know Helpeth no end. I knew this long ago, But crushed it dead.

Else had I never come. What means this? Comest thou so deep in gloom? Let me go back! Thy work shall weigh on thee The less, if thou consent, and mine on me. Prophet, this is not lawful; nay, nor kind To Thebes, who feeds thee, thus to veil thy mind.

Therefore, lest I also stray Oedipus bars his road. Thou shalt not, knowing, turn and leave us! See, We all implore thee, all, on bended knee. All without light!

What wilt thou? Know and speak not? In my need Be false to me, and let thy city bleed? I will not wound myself nor thee. Why seek To trap and question me? I will not speak. Thou devil! Nay; the wrath of any stone Would rise at him. It lies with thee to have done And speak. Is there no melting in thine eyes! Naught lies with me! With thee, with thee there lies, I warrant, what thou ne'er hast seen nor guessed. Oedipus to Leader , who tries to calm him.

How can I hear such talk? Howe'er I hold it back, 'twill come, 'twill come. The more shouldst thou declare it to thy King. I speak no more. For thee, if passioning Doth comfort thee, on, passion to thy fill!

Tiresias returning. Thou art thyself the unclean thing. Thou front of brass, to fling out injury So wild! Dost think to bate me and go free? I am free. The strong truth is in this heart. What prompted thee? I swear 'twas not thine art. I spoke not, save for thy command. Spoke what? What was it?

Let me understand. Dost tempt me? Were my words before not plain! Scarce thy full meaning. Speak the words again. Thou seek'st this man of blood: Thyself art he.

Shall I say more, to see thee rage again? Oh, take thy fill of speech: 'twill all be vain. Thou livest with those near to thee in shame Most deadly, seeing not thyself nor them. Thou think'st 'twill help thee, thus to speak and speak? Surely, until the strength of Truth be weak. Thou hast no part In truth, thou blind man, blind eyes, ears and heart.

More blind, more sad thy words of scorn, which none Who hears but shall cast back on thee: soon, soon. Thou spawn of Night, not I nor any free And seeing man would hurt a thing like thee.

God is enough. He knows and shall accomplish all. Creon hates thee not. O wealth and majesty, O conquering skill That carved life's rebel pathways to my will, What is your heart but bitterness, if now For this poor crown Thebes bound upon my brow, A gift, a thing I sought not—for this crown Creon the stern and true, Creon mine own Comrade, comes creeping in the dark to ban And slay me; sending first this magic-man And schemer, this false beggar-priest, whose eye Is bright for gold and blind for prophecy?

Speak, thou. When hast thou ever shown thee strong For aid? The She-Wolf of the woven song Came, and thy art could find no word, no breath, To save thy people from her riddling death. There was need of Seer-craft then. And thou hadst none to show. No fowl, no flame, No God revealed it thee. Whom now thou thinkest to hunt out, and stand Foremost in honour at King Creon's hand.

I think ye will be sorry, thou and he That shares thy sin-hunt. Thou dost look to me vv. Lord Oedipus, these be but words of wrath, All thou hast spoke and all the Prophet hath.

Which skills not. We must join, for ill or well, In search how best to obey God's oracle. King though thou art, thou needs must bear the right Of equal answer.

I am blind, and thou Hast mocked my blindness. Yea, I will speak now. Eyes hast thou, but thy deeds thou canst not see Nor where thou art, nor what things dwell with thee. Whence art thou born? Thou know'st not; and unknown, On quick and dead, on all that were thine own, Thou hast wrought hate. For that across thy path Rising, a mother's and a father's wrath, Two-handed, shod with fire, from the haunts of men Shall scourge thee, in thine eyes now light, but then Darkness.

Aye, shriek! What harbour of the sea, What wild Kithairon shall not cry to thee In answer, when thou hear'st what bridal song, What wind among the torches, bore thy strong Sail to its haven, not of peace but blood. Yea, ill things multitude on multitude vv. To brook such words from this thing? Out, I say! Out to perdition! Aye, and quick, before Enough then!

I had not come hadst thou not called me here. I knew thee not so dark a fool. I swear 'Twere long before I called thee, had I known. Fool, say'st thou? Am I truly such an one? The two who gave thee birth, they held me wise. Who were they? Speak thy prophecies.

This day shall give thee birth and blot thee out. Oh, riddles everywhere and words of doubt! Thou wast their best reader long ago. Laugh on. I swear thou still shalt find me so. That makes thy pride and thy calamity. I have saved this land, and care not if I die. Then I will go. Aye, help him quick. Once gone, he will not vex me more. Tiresias turning again as he goes. I fear thee not; nor will I go before That word be spoken which I came to speak.

How canst thou ever touch me? Lo, I tell thee, he doth stand Here. He is called a stranger, but these days Shall prove him Theban true, nor shall he praise His birthright. Blind, who once had seeing eyes, Beggared, who once had riches, in strange guise, vv. Oedipus returns to the Palace. Let him fly, fly, for his need Hath found him; oh, where is the speed That flew with the winds of old, the team of North-Wind's spell? For feet there be that follow.

For the mountain hath spoken, a voice hath flashed from amid the snows, That the wrath of the world go seek for the man whom no man knows. Is he fled to the wild forest, To caves where the eagles nest? O angry bull of the rocks, cast out from thy herd-fellows!

Yet strange, passing strange, the wise augur and his lore; And my heart it cannot speak; I deny not nor assent, But float, float in wonder at things after and before; Did there lie between their houses some old wrath unspent, That Corinth against Cadmus should do murder by the way?

No tale thereof they tell, nor no sign thereof they show; Who dares to rise for vengeance and cast Oedipus away For a dark, dark death long ago! Ah, Zeus knows, and Apollo, what is dark to mortal eyes; They are Gods. But a prophet, hath he vision more than mine? Who hath seen? Who can answer? There be wise men and unwise. I will wait, I will wait, for the proving of the sign. But I list not nor hearken when they speak Oedipus ill.

We saw his face of yore, when the riddling singer passed; And we knew him that he loved us, and we saw him great in skill. Oh, my heart shall uphold him to the last! Good brother citizens, a frantic word I hear is spoken by our chosen Lord Oedipus against me, and here am come Indignant.

If he dreams, 'mid all this doom That weighs upon us, he hath had from me Or deed or lightest thought of injury, Not one Wound is it, but a multitude, if now All Thebes must hold me guilty—aye, and thou And all who loved me—of a deed so foul. If words were spoken, it was scarce the soul That spoke them: 'twas some sudden burst of wrath. The charge was made, then, that Tiresias hath Made answer false, and that I bribed him, I? It was—perchance for jest.

I know not why. His heart beat true, his eyes looked steadily And fell not, laying such a charge on me? I know not.

I have no eyes for the thing My masters do. How now, assassin? Walking at my gate With eye undimmed, thou plotter demonstrate Against this life, and robber of my crown?

God help thee! What was it set me down Thy butt? So dull a brain hast found in me Aforetime, such a faint heart, not to see Thy work betimes, or seeing not to smite? Art thou not rash, this once! It needeth might Of friends, it needeth gold, to make a throne Thy quarry; and I fear me thou hast none. One thing alone I ask thee. Let me speak As thou hast spoken; then, with knowledge, wreak Thy judgement.

I accept it without fear. More skill hast thou to speak than I to hear Thee. There is peril found in thee and hate. That one thing let me answer ere too late. One thing be sure of, that thy plots are known.

The man who thinks that bitter pride alone Can guide him, without thought—his mind is sick. Who thinks to slay his brother with a trick And suffer not himself, his eyes are blind.

Thy words are more than just. But say what kind Of wrong thou fanciest I have done thee. Didst urge me, or didst urge me not, to seek A counsel from that man of prophecies? So judged I then, nor now judge otherwise. Speak on. I cannot understand thee thus. Passed in that bloody tempest from men's sight? Long years and old. I scarce can tell them right. At that time was this seer in Thebes, or how?

He was; most wise and honoured, even as now. At that time did he ever speak my name? To mine ear at least it never came. Held you no search for those who slew your King? For sure we did, but found not anything.

How came the all-knowing seer to leave it so? Ask him! I speak not where I cannot know. One thing thou canst, with knowledge full, I wot. Speak it. If true, I will conceal it not. I know not if he hath so spoken now. I heard him not. Ask, ask! Thou shalt no murder find in me. My sister is thy wife this many a day? That charge it is not in me to gainsay. Thou reignest, giving equal reign to her? Always to her desire I minister.

Were we not all as one, she thou and I? Yes, thou false friend! There lies thy treachery. Not so! Nay, do but follow me and scan Thine own charge close. Think'st thou that any man Would rather rule and be afraid than rule And sleep untroubled?

Nay, where lives the fool— vv. As now I stand All my desire I compass at thy hand. Were I the King, full half my deeds were done To obey the will of others, not mine own. Were that as sweet, when all the tale were told, As this calm griefless princedom that I hold And silent power? Am I so blind of brain That ease with glory tires me, and I fain Must change them?

All men now give me God-speed, All smile to greet me. If a man hath need Of thee, 'tis me he calleth to the gate, As knowing that on my word hangs the fate Of half he craves. Is life like mine a thing To cast aside and plot to be a King? Doth a sane man turn villain in an hour? For me, I never lusted thus for power Nor bore with any man who turned such lust To doing.

I claim but just Question. Go first to Pytho; find if well And true I did report God's oracle. Next, seek in Thebes for any plots entwined Between this seer and me; which if ye find, Then seize and strike me dead. Myself that day Will sit with thee as judge and bid thee Slay! But damn me not on one man's guess. And this I tell thee. He who plucks a friend Out from his heart hath lost a treasured thing Dear as his own dear life.

But Time shall bring vv. To one that fears to fall his words are wise, O King; in thought the swift win not the prize. When he is swift who steals against my reign With plots, then swift am I to plot again. Wait patient, and his work shall have prevailed Before I move, and mine for ever failed. How then? To banish me is thy intent? Death is the doom I choose, not banishment. Wilt never soften, never trust thy friend? First I would see how traitors meet their end.

I see thou wilt not think. I think to save My life. Think, too, of mine. Thine, thou born knave! What, if thou art blind in everything? The King must be obeyed. Not if the King Does evil. To your King! Ho, Thebes, mine own! Thebes is my country, not the King's alone. Stay, Princes, stay! See, on the Castle stair The Queen Jocasta standeth. Show to her Your strife. She will assuage it as is well. Vain men, what would ye with this angry swell Of words heart-blinded?

Is there in your eyes No pity, thus, when all our city lies Bleeding, to ply your privy hates? Alack, My lord, come in! And stir not to such stress Of peril griefs that are but nothingness. Sister, it is the pleasure of thy lord, Our King, to do me deadly wrong. His word Is passed on me: 'tis banishment or death. I found him I deny not what he saith, My Queen Ye Gods, if such a thing Hath once been in my thoughts, may I no more See any health on earth, but, festered o'er With curses, die!

There is mine oath. In God's name, Oedipus, believe him, both For my sake, and for these whose hearts are all Thine own, and for my brother's oath withal.

Yield; consent; think! My Lord, I conjure thee! What would ye have me do? Reject not one who never failed his troth Of old and now is strong in his great oath. Dost know what this prayer means? Yea, verily! Say then the meaning true. I would not have thee cast to infamy Of guilt, where none is proved, One who hath sworn and whom thou once hast loved. For me, then No, by the God of Gods, the all-seeing Sun!

May he desert me here, and every friend With him, to death and utterest malison, vv. But it bleedeth, it bleedeth sore, In a land half slain, If we join to the griefs of yore Griefs of you twain. Oh, let him go, though it be utterly My death, or flight from Thebes in beggary. Him I shall hate, where'er he go. I see thy mercy moving full of hate And slow; thy wrath came swift and desperate.

Methinks, of all the pain that such a heart Spreadeth, itself doth bear the bitterest part. Oh, leave me and begone! But Aldridge has largely been excluded from biographies of Shakespearean actors. Cutting and Self-Harm rerun : Why do people self-harm and cut? How do they stop? How can we help? The Winter's Tale: How we can make sense of a play that veers from tragedy to comedy and stretches credulity in its conclusion?

Once a month, their podcast -- called The Dybbukast -- releases a new episode, and we are proud to feature episode four of their podcast as a bonus episode here on Judaism Unbound's channel. In each episode, they bring poems, plays, and other creative texts from throughout history to life, all while revealing their relationships to issues still present today. Subscribe to The Dybbukast in Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else that podcasts are found.

Written in Italy in the 16th century by Jewish dramatist Leone De' Sommi Portaleone, who also wrote what is considered to be the oldest extant Hebrew-language play, the poem "In Defense of Women" touches on the role of women in drama and reveals a great deal about the cultural considerations and power dynamics of this time when women were coming to the fore on the theatrical stages of Northern Italy, R by Judaism Unbound 42 min listen.

Episode As the Saying Goes: John Heywood was a playwright and poet who made two important contributions to the history of English. Michael Radi stopped by to talk about his musical, The King's Legacy, and share some music. Join my free group at TudorLearningCircle.

Related Articles. Related categories Skip carousel. What means this reek of incense everywhere, And everywhere laments and litanies? Children, it were not meet that I should learn From others, and am hither come, myself, I Oedipus, your world-renowned king.

Is it dread Of ill that moves you or a boon ye crave? My zeal in your behalf ye cannot doubt; Ruthless indeed were I and obdurate If such petitioners as you I spurned. Meanwhile, the common folk, with wreathed boughs Crowd our two market-places, or before Both shrines of Pallas congregate, or where Ismenus gives his oracles by fire.

For, as thou seest thyself, our ship of State, Sore buffeted, can no more lift her head, Foundered beneath a weltering surge of blood. A blight is on our harvest in the ear, A blight upon the grazing flocks and herds, A blight on wives in travail; and withal Armed with his blazing torch the God of Plague Hath swooped upon our city emptying The house of Cadmus, and the murky realm Of Pluto is full fed with groans and tears.

Therefore, O King, here at thy hearth we sit, I and these children; not as deeming thee A new divinity, but the first of men; First in the common accidents of life, And first in visitations of the Gods.

Art thou not he who coming to the town Of Cadmus freed us from the tax we paid To the fell songstress? Nor hadst thou received Prompting from us or been by others schooled; No, by a god inspired so all men deem, And testify didst thou renew our life. And now, O Oedipus, our peerless king, All we thy votaries beseech thee, find Some succor, whether by a voice from heaven Whispered, or haply known by human wit.

Tried counselors, methinks, are aptest found To furnish for the future pregnant rede. Upraise, O chief of men, upraise our State! Look to thy laurels! Uplift us, build our city on a rock.

Thy happy star ascendant brought us luck, O let it not decline! If thou wouldst rule This land, as now thou reignest, better sure To rule a peopled than a desert realm. Nor battlements nor galleys aught avail, If men to man and guards to guard them tail. Start your free 30 days. Reviews What people think about Oedipus the King 3. Rate as 1 out of 5, I didn't like it at all.

Rate as 2 out of 5, I didn't like it that much. Rate as 3 out of 5, I thought it was OK. Rate as 4 out of 5, I liked it. Rate as 5 out of 5, I loved it. Rating: 0 out of 5 stars. Write a review optional. Reader reviews velmeran. It's a classic tragedy play, I think it's great.

It keeps you guessing while telling you everything. Can be hard to read, but if you take it slow and take the time to look up what the words mean, it's understandable. Read this play again for my English literature class. Glad I did. This is a fantastic play and it is really relevant to modern times.

It also seems to relate to conversations and thoughts I am having about freewill. I believe Shakespeare looked to this particular play for many of the ideas he had incorporated in his own plays. Oedipal complex is a given, but I'm sure he got the idea to manipulate characters like Othello and Macbeth through language like the way the soothsayer entices Oedipus on until he eventually learns the truth.

I'm not saying the soothsayer meant to have Oedipus learn the truth, I don't think that, but Shakespeare may have thought that was a clever way to bring Oedipus to his ruin. But on the play itself, it's a classic even older than Shakespeare obviously. If you've read Shakespeare, you should read this. At least it's short and written in plain English well, depending on which translation you read.

I liked this translation my SYNC audiobook info didn't include who the translator was The full-cast recording was very good, except for some of the chorus bits which were a bit difficult to follow. The classic play that gave rise to the Freudian "Oedipus Complex", the idea that somehow all boys hate their fathers and want to sleep with their mothers.

A play about prophecy and predestination, and gods that will blight an entire country because they're angry with one person, who has done something without knowing it, and is being given cryptic hints as to what has been done.

Also about divine retribution and poetic justice; after Oedipus twits the blind man, he ends up himself blind and helpless. Overall, a good solid read, not too long to read in one sitting, and some interesting moments when it's possible to spot how many of the ideas presented in this work of ancient Greece are still bouncing around the modern world. Oedipus of Sophocles is a great work of art written by a great poet,this play symbolizes for the human misery and despair Oedipus hears about his dreadful fate from the Delphic oracle and flees from Corinth.

But instead of fleeing from his fate he runs into it Oedipus a passionate heart,who ask questions and take risks,has all the qualities of a great man Despite his flaws, Oedipus is a good person who seeks the truth no matter how devastating. At the end of the play, Oedipus accepts his fate as well as the punishment given to him He had promised to exile the one who is responsible for the plague , and he fulfills his promise even if he himself is the one to be exiled.

By mercilessly punishing himself, he becomes a great hero Jocasta, on the other hand, appears as a person who would rather control the situation. She reveals that she is more mature than Oedipus and even reveals a maternal side towards him.

This is evident in the way she tries to stop Oedipus from investigating further into the mystery of his birth. At this point, she has realized the possibility that Oedipus may be her son. She would rather let the dreadful fact remain a mystery then let it ruin their lives The entwined sheets with which she hangs herself symbolize the double life she has led Oedipus tragic position and his trial to elude the prophecies and to challenge his Fate, that was inevitable as he at last fails, but just having the courage to attempt , makes him a true hero.

This play raises a question,when someone is trying to avoid doing things. Does he have free will or the ability to choose his own path or is everything in life predetermined? This was one of the hardest reads. I didn't enjoy the writing at all in this particular writing, but I was forced to read it for my theater course. It was an okay read, but I would not want to subject someone else to this book. I speak to you as a stranger to this place and, as I am told, to the evil deed.

Even if it were his own hand, let him speak because no harm will come to him save for exile. Let him not be afraid. He will leave our land untouched. Also, if someone knows that the murderer is from another country, let him not be silent also because not only will I give him a reward but his help will be remembered. If, however, either due to fear for a friend or for himself someone does not disclose the murderer, hear me! This is what I will do: No matter who this man is, I forbid everyone here, in Thebes where I have my throne, to receive him as a guest to his home, or to talk with him or to pray with him or conduct any sacrifices with him, to any god!

And I also forbid him to offer him sacred ablutions. As for the evil doer, I curse him and whether it was he alone, or with the help of others that he has caused our wound, let him live a wretched life. Even if he were someone in my own household, among my own folks and even if I happen to know who it is, then let me suffer all that my curse has delivered upon the murderer. This then I command you to do for me and for Apollo and for Thebes. Find the murderer! He is the murderer of your glorious King.

Search for him everywhere. I am here with you and I am sitting upon his throne. I am sharing his bed and his wife. I have the children he would have had if he were alive and the father of an heir. I share his brothers. I shall try everything to catch his murderer, the murderer of Laius, son of Polydorus and of Labdacus and of ancient Aginorus.

Let no god make your soil or your women fertile. Let all your belongings go the way of disaster. To you, real Cadmian souls, you, real Thebans, who heeded my words, holy Justice and the rest of the gods will be your allies. Chorus Oedipus, all these curses of yours force me to speak. I, myself, have neither killed old Laius nor do I know who did.

Chorus Then I have another thought for you. Oedipus That one and another still, if you have any more. By all means, speak! Chorus My Lord, I know a mortal who sees as excellently as Apollo. Teiresias, the seer who would know the answers to all these things if one were only to ask him. Oedipus Yes, yes, I know of him and I have not neglected that action either.

He should well and truly be here by now! Chorus There are other things to consider also but they are old and meaningless.

Oedipus Other things? What are these other things? Tell me because I weigh every word! Chorus It is said that Laius was killed by travellers. Yet no one saw the murderer with his own eyes. Chorus Still, once he hears your curses, fear might get the better of him and come forth. Oedipus Men who are not afraid of the deed are not afraid of the word. Enter the blind seer, Teiresias, holding the staff which distinguishes him as a seer, ie, it has a thin rope of cotton wool wrapped around its top end.

He is also guided by the hand of a young boy and by the two men whom Oedipus has sent to fetch him. Chorus Here he is, king. He will point out the murderer to you. Oedipus Blessed seer! You see and judge all things, those that are known and those that have not been explained; those of the heavens and those of the earth.

Teiresias, you might not be able to see but you can certainly sense how ill our land is. You, holy man, are the only one who, we think, can be her protector and saviour. That is the only way this wound in our city will heal.

Save us, save Thebes, save the Thebans, save me and save yourself. Rid this shame born by the murdered king. We are your servants. To help Thebes, by whichever means one can, is a virtuous effort. Teiresias Shouts in pain Oh, how brutal! How hideous it is! How loathsome is knowledge when it does not help its possessor! I knew this well! I should not have come. Oedipus What is it old man? Why such hostility? Teiresias Let me go home, Oedipus!

For your sake and mine, let me go home. Oedipus Come now, Teiresias! You are being unfair and unkind to the city that has raised you. Teiresias And I do so because I can see well where your ill-timed words will take you and I do not want to be your companion in that journey. Oedipus No! No Teiresias! If you know something about our pain tell us.

With great respect, we beg you! Teiresias You! All of you! You know nothing! You… you know nothing! No, I will not speak. I will not speak! I do not want you to know what sufferings you will have to carry! Oedipus What? You know something and yet you remain silent? Do you want to send us and our country to absolute destruction?

Teiresias Me? I have no need to hurt neither you nor me. Ask me nothing more. Not ever? Wretched man! You would raise the anger inside a heartless stone, you would, Teiresias!

Is this how you will take your heart to your grave? A stone without remorse? Teiresias You scorn and point at my own anger, yet yours — your anger, King, your anger, which lives in there, in your own heart, that anger you do not see. So do not send curses upon me, my lord! Oedipus Who would not? Who would not curse you for saying the things you do against our city?

Oedipus So, speak then! Tell us what things will emerge. Teiresias Enough! No more! Churn up all the wrath you want.

All the wrath you want! Oedipus Well then! I will leave nothing unsaid in my wrath. Yes, old man! You have worked with them. Perhaps even you, yourself, have committed the deed! Indeed, if you had eyes that could see I would have said you did the deed all alone! Teiresias Really! Are these the thoughts inside your wrath? I ask you then to continue with your proclamation but there is no need for you speak to me nor to them indicating the chorus from now on, because… because the wound that has ravaged this city, is you!

You are the wound itself! You are what has polluted this city! You are the wound and you are the murderer! Oedipus Look with what blunt effrontery he uttered these words! Teiresias I have already hidden them. I have hidden them inside the power of truth! Truth, which I love and which I nurture. Oedipus And who taught you to utter these words? Surely you did not learn all this from your practice as a prophet? Teiresias Who? Why, it was you who taught them to me.

It was you who has forced me to utter them. Oedipus What were the words again? Say them so that I know them even better. Teiresias Did you not understand them before or are you joking with me?

Oedipus No, no! Truly, say them again. I want to understand them well. Repeat the words! Teiresias Let me tell you then, plainly and with no equivocation. Oedipus Oh! You will not insult me twice without punishment! Teiresias Shall I utter yet something else? Something to raise your ire even more?

Oedipus Utter all you want. It will be in vain. Teiresias Well then, I utter these words: In your ignorance, you conduct the vilest acts with those closest to you.

Vile acts of which you are ignorant and which you cannot see. Oedipus Do you think you will always be happy uttering words like these? Teiresias Sure, if truth has some power. Oedipus Truth does. Truth has a great deal of power but not for you. Because you are blind not only in the eyes but in the ears and in your mind as well. Teiresias And you? You curse me, you wretched man but very soon these men will be cursing you! Oedipus You can hurt no one, old man. You can hurt neither me nor anyone else who has eyes and can see.

Your food bowl, old man, is the never-ending darkness! Teiresias Making as if to leave. Your Fate does not have you falling by my hand, Oedipus. No, Apollo will take care of that. He will take care of your fall. Oedipus As if he just discovered something. Oedipus Oh, yes! To be a king one needs skill! Skill that surpasses all other skills. To be a king is a much envied life. How much hatred is hidden within this work! Come then, my seer! Tell us: of what consists your qualification? Where were you when the Great Bitch, that Sphinx who sang her deadly puzzles outside this city and who needed the art of a genuine seer to answer those puzzles, where were you then?

Why did you not save the city then? Where were your gods then? Where were your birds? It was I! Here you are, now! For this outrage, Teiresias, you shall pay with tears; you, Teiresias and he, the chief plotter.

And were it not for your advanced years, hard pain would be your teacher. Chorus I think, King that both of you spoke in anger. This is no time for such talk. Teiresias King or not, if I am to answer your questions, I need to be your equal. You berate me for being blind, yet I tell you that even though you have eyes, you cannot see in what evil circumstance you live, nor do you know where you live or even with whom you live.

Do you even know whose son you are? Do you know, Oedipus that you are the enemy of your people, both, here on Earth as well as below in Hades? The doubly sharp curse of mother and father will come one day with an angry foot and chase you away, outside this city, with your eyes bereft of light and clogged with darkness.

And once you find out to what harbour of misery your wedding has brought you that fine day, well then, what spot in the whole of Kitheron will not hear the echo of your groans? And with your children! You have no idea the multitude of troubles that will crash upon you once you find out about your children! Go ahead! Insult Creon now if you want, and insult my mouth also because no one in the world will be destroyed in a worse way than you! Oedipus lunges at him angrily Teiresias Had you not called for me, Oedipus I would not be here in the first place.

Oedipus Nor would I have called you here had I known you would be talking sheer, stupid nonsense! Teiresias For you, Oedipus, we are stupid but for those who gave birth to you, we were wise.

Makes to leave Oedipus Gave birth to me? Who are you taking about? Tell me this, then, who was it who gave birth to me? And when? Teiresias It is today! Today will be both, the day of your birth and of your death. Oedipus How dark and puzzling your words are, old man! Teiresias Did you not say you are great at solving puzzles? Oedipus You insulted me for every one of my qualities.

Teiresias It is your very Fate who has declared your destruction. A Fate that gave you success will now give you pain. Oedipus If I have saved this city I am content. Teiresias Let me leave then. Come boy, give me your hand. Oedipus Boy, guide him! You are a hindrance to me here. Teiresias I will leave after I say the things I came to say. I do not fear your angry face. My Fate has not declared that I shall die by your hand.

In here! He is thought of as a foreigner, an alien but he will be found to be a true Theban. Born right here!

And this discovery will not make him happy. To the woman who gave birth to him he is son and husband and to his father, both, a sharer of his bed and his murderer. Go into your palace then, king Oedipus and think about these things and if you find me a liar then you can truly say I know nothing of prophesies.

Chorus Time for him now to flee this place, flee faster than flying mares, faster than the wind. Chorus I see Apollo, the son of Zeus, armed with flames and lightning, hard behind him, pursuing him fiercely! Chorus Look! He is followed by the awesome, unfailing Furies! Chorus Only a minute ago the command came from the snowy tips of Parnassus to hunt down the hiding murderer.

But they, fully alive, constantly speed their wings around him. Chorus Yet, the wise seer troubles me! Should I believe him? Should I not? I have no idea what to think of this and my brain flies this way and that without being able to see neither ahead of me or behind. Thebes against Corinth! I never knew the answer to this question before, nor do I know it now. Who murdered Laius?

Chorus Who knows? I know nothing! Only the gods are privy to our deeds! To say a seer knows more than I do is false. Chorus We saw it all! Creon Men of Thebes! This I will not tolerate! Because such accusations cause enormous harm to a citizen if the whole city, including his friends believes them. Chorus Creon, perhaps this condemnation was uttered in the heat of anger rather than from the thinking mind. Creon He says the seer uttered false predictions and that these predictions were advised by me.

Creon And did he honestly believe these accusations of his? Chorus I have no idea. I can never tell what thoughts run through the minds of leaders. The audacity of the man! You dare live in the chambers of my palace and you dare work plots against my throne, against my very life, and you do all this in the bright light of day, obvious to all who have eyes to see! By Apollo! Tell me, is it because you thought I was a weakling or a fool that you have put such ideas into your head?

Or did you think that I would never discover this sinister plot of yours or that I would be too weak to escape it? Creon Give me my turn, Oedipus! Give me my turn to answer your speech and then you may judge. This you must do! Oedipus You have the audacity to speak but I! Creon Murderer! Well, then let me first speak on the matter before you judge me one! Creon Oedipus! Oedipus you are wrong to think that this mindless obstinacy of yours is some sort of virtue!

Oedipus And you are wrong to think that a man can murder a relative and get away with it! Oedipus, I do agree with you on that!

Oedipus Now, tell me also, how long has it been since Laius —. Oedipus losing patience Creon Yes. Just as wisely then and just as much revered by the people as he is now. Oedipus Did he say anything about me at the time? Creon But of course we did but we found nothing. Oedipus How is it then that this wise seer of yours did not make all these revelations about me back then? Creon I have no idea about such things, Oedipus and when it comes to things I know nothing about, I prefer to keep my mouth shut.

Oedipus And yet you do know everything about this matter! You certainly know enough to confess! Creon Which matter, Oedipus?

I will make confessions about things I know. Oedipus This matter: that, had the seer not conspired with you, he would not be calling me a murderer! Creon I had no idea he did this. Let me then ask you a question, also. Oedipus Go ahead! Ask all you want. Ask and learn that I am not a murderer! Creon Tell me then Oedipus. Is not my sister, Jocasta, your wife? Creon And tell me also, are you two not equal rulers of Thebes?

Oedipus I begrudge Jocasta nothing. What is mine is hers. Oedipus Aha! This is the very point upon which my anger rests! You have failed to be a faithful relative! Creon No, Oedipus, not if you think through all this the way I do. Look: Which do you think is preferable?

To rule in fear or to sleep in peace, having, in any case, equal access to power as his king and his sister? I know of no one who would chose the former and nor do I. Because of you, Oedipus, I have everything I need without the fear.

Were I to be a king the chores would choke me. Throne and tears on one side, everything I need without the tears on the other.

All the folks respect me now. They greet me with a smile, they come to me whenever they need something from you because they know they can depend on me. Why then should I give all this up for the sake of your throne? Would it not be thoroughly unwise of me? In any case, Oedipus, believe me: murder is not in my nature — alone or with others! Go ahead, go to Delphi, Oedipus! Check me out. Ask the oracle if I am not telling the truth; and if you find out that Teiresias and I have conspired against you, then kill me.

In that I will give you a hand but judge me with certain, with positive proof. Judging a good friend as evil without reason is bad work because sending away a good friend is like losing your own life and your own life is the most loved life of all. Time, Oedipus, Time will show you the truth in this matter. Innocence takes time to be revealed; guilt can be announced far too quickly. Chorus He spoke well, my king. Those who hurry to judge, judge badly.

Oedipus If the schemer rushes with his scheme I, too must rush with my decisions, otherwise his schemes win over my decisions. Creon So what is it you want, Oedipus? To send me away from here? Oedipus Send you away? Absolutely not! I want you dead! Dead here, before me rather than alive elsewhere. Creon Tell me first. What exactly are you afraid that I will do to you? Creon No, Oedipus. I can see that your reasoning is bad, Oedipus! Creon But your reasoning should be made perfect in my mind also.

Oedipus Firstly, you cannot be trusted. Creon Obey? An unjust command? Why should I? Creon Thebes is mine just much as she is yours! Jocasta What is all this? What is all this silly squabbling? Are you not ashamed? The whole country is suffering the pains of a horrendous pestilence and you two —here you are, in front of the palace for all the people to see, arguing about your petty little affairs.

Get back inside both of you, before you turn these little affairs into a something major. Your husband here is threatening, most seriously, to either send me away from the land of my birth or to have me executed!

Oedipus But of course I do. I caught him plotting against me, Jocasta. An evil mind, working evil webs. Creon Ah! If this is true then let me not enjoy a moment more of my life! Jocasta By all the gods, Oedipus!

Have some faith in him! At least have some faith in the gods by whom he swears; and then in me and in all these folk who stand before you! Chorus I beg you king, listen and think! Think well! Chorus Trust Creon. He has never been untrustworthy before and now, you see, your faith in him is made all the more secure by his oaths.

Oedipus Are you aware of what it is you are saying? Chorus I am saying that you should never condemn a friend without absolute proof. Oedipus Know this well, old man: that if this is what you really want then you must also want my destruction or my exile from this land. Chorus By Helios, the Sun, the first of all the gods!