Oedipus the King [12]
no secret. Loxias once foretold
That I should mate with mine own mother, and shed
With my own hands the blood of my own sire.
Hence Corinth was for many a year to me
A home distant; and I trove abroad,
But missed the sweetest sight, my parents' face.
MESSENGER
Was this the fear that exiled thee from home?
OEDIPUS
Yea, and the dread of slaying my own sire.
MESSENGER
Why, since I came to give thee pleasure, King,
Have I not rid thee of this second fear?
OEDIPUS
Well, thou shalt have due guerdon for thy pains.
MESSENGER
Well, I confess what chiefly made me come
Was hope to profit by thy coming home.
OEDIPUS
Nay, I will ne'er go near my parents more.
MESSENGER
My son, 'tis plain, thou know'st not what thou doest.
OEDIPUS
How so, old man? For heaven's sake tell me all.
MESSENGER
If this is why thou dreadest to return.
OEDIPUS
Yea, lest the god's word be fulfilled in me.
MESSENGER
Lest through thy parents thou shouldst be accursed?
OEDIPUS
This and none other is my constant dread.
MESSENGER
Dost thou not know thy fears are baseless all?
OEDIPUS
How baseless, if I am their very son?
MESSENGER
Since Polybus was naught to thee in blood.
OEDIPUS
What say'st thou? was not Polybus my sire?
MESSENGER
As much thy sire as I am, and no more.
OEDIPUS
My sire no more to me than one who is naught?
MESSENGER
Since I begat thee not, no more did he.
OEDIPUS
What reason had he then to call me son?
MESSENGER
Know that he took thee from my hands, a gift.
OEDIPUS
Yet, if no child of his, he loved me well.
MESSENGER
A childless man till then, he warmed to thee.
OEDIPUS
A foundling or a purchased slave, this child?
MESSENGER
I found thee in Cithaeron's wooded glens.
OEDIPUS
What led thee to explore those upland glades?
MESSENGER
My business was to tend the mountain flocks.
OEDIPUS
A vagrant shepherd journeying for hire?
MESSENGER
True, but thy savior in that hour, my son.
OEDIPUS
My savior? from what harm? what ailed me then?
MESSENGER
Those ankle joints are evidence enow.
OEDIPUS
Ah, why remind me of that ancient sore?
MESSENGER
I loosed the pin that riveted thy feet.
OEDIPUS
Yes, from my cradle that dread brand I bore.
MESSENGER
Whence thou deriv'st the name that still is thine.
OEDIPUS
Who did it? I adjure thee, tell me who
Say, was it father, mother?
MESSENGER
I know not.
The man from whom I had thee may know more.
OEDIPUS
What, did another find me, not thyself?
MESSENGER
Not I; another shepherd gave thee me.
OEDIPUS
Who was he? Would'st thou know again the man?
MESSENGER
He passed indeed for one of Laius' house.
OEDIPUS
The king who ruled the country long ago?
MESSENGER
The same: he was a herdsman of the king.
OEDIPUS
And is he living still for me to see him?
MESSENGER
His fellow-countrymen should best know that.
OEDIPUS
Doth any bystander among you know
The herd he speaks of, or by seeing him
Afield or in the city? answer straight!
The hour hath come to clear this business up.
CHORUS
Methinks he means none other than the hind
Whom thou anon wert fain to see; but that
Our queen Jocasta best of all could tell.
OEDIPUS
Madam, dost know the man we sent to fetch?
Is the same of whom the stranger speaks?
JOCASTA
Who is the man? What matter? Let it be.
'Twere waste of thought to weigh such idle words.
OEDIPUS
No, with such guiding clues I cannot fail
To bring to light the secret of my birth.
JOCASTA
Oh, as thou carest for thy life, give o'er
This quest. Enough the anguish _I_ endure.
OEDIPUS
Be of good cheer; though I be proved the son
Of a bondwoman, aye, through three descents
Triply a slave, thy honor is unsmirched.
JOCASTA
Yet humor me, I pray thee; do not this.
OEDIPUS
I cannot; I must probe this matter home.
JOCASTA
'Tis for thy sake I advise thee for the best.
OEDIPUS
I grow impatient of this best advice.
JOCASTA
Ah mayst thou ne'er discover who thou art!
OEDIPUS
That I should mate with mine own mother, and shed
With my own hands the blood of my own sire.
Hence Corinth was for many a year to me
A home distant; and I trove abroad,
But missed the sweetest sight, my parents' face.
MESSENGER
Was this the fear that exiled thee from home?
OEDIPUS
Yea, and the dread of slaying my own sire.
MESSENGER
Why, since I came to give thee pleasure, King,
Have I not rid thee of this second fear?
OEDIPUS
Well, thou shalt have due guerdon for thy pains.
MESSENGER
Well, I confess what chiefly made me come
Was hope to profit by thy coming home.
OEDIPUS
Nay, I will ne'er go near my parents more.
MESSENGER
My son, 'tis plain, thou know'st not what thou doest.
OEDIPUS
How so, old man? For heaven's sake tell me all.
MESSENGER
If this is why thou dreadest to return.
OEDIPUS
Yea, lest the god's word be fulfilled in me.
MESSENGER
Lest through thy parents thou shouldst be accursed?
OEDIPUS
This and none other is my constant dread.
MESSENGER
Dost thou not know thy fears are baseless all?
OEDIPUS
How baseless, if I am their very son?
MESSENGER
Since Polybus was naught to thee in blood.
OEDIPUS
What say'st thou? was not Polybus my sire?
MESSENGER
As much thy sire as I am, and no more.
OEDIPUS
My sire no more to me than one who is naught?
MESSENGER
Since I begat thee not, no more did he.
OEDIPUS
What reason had he then to call me son?
MESSENGER
Know that he took thee from my hands, a gift.
OEDIPUS
Yet, if no child of his, he loved me well.
MESSENGER
A childless man till then, he warmed to thee.
OEDIPUS
A foundling or a purchased slave, this child?
MESSENGER
I found thee in Cithaeron's wooded glens.
OEDIPUS
What led thee to explore those upland glades?
MESSENGER
My business was to tend the mountain flocks.
OEDIPUS
A vagrant shepherd journeying for hire?
MESSENGER
True, but thy savior in that hour, my son.
OEDIPUS
My savior? from what harm? what ailed me then?
MESSENGER
Those ankle joints are evidence enow.
OEDIPUS
Ah, why remind me of that ancient sore?
MESSENGER
I loosed the pin that riveted thy feet.
OEDIPUS
Yes, from my cradle that dread brand I bore.
MESSENGER
Whence thou deriv'st the name that still is thine.
OEDIPUS
Who did it? I adjure thee, tell me who
Say, was it father, mother?
MESSENGER
I know not.
The man from whom I had thee may know more.
OEDIPUS
What, did another find me, not thyself?
MESSENGER
Not I; another shepherd gave thee me.
OEDIPUS
Who was he? Would'st thou know again the man?
MESSENGER
He passed indeed for one of Laius' house.
OEDIPUS
The king who ruled the country long ago?
MESSENGER
The same: he was a herdsman of the king.
OEDIPUS
And is he living still for me to see him?
MESSENGER
His fellow-countrymen should best know that.
OEDIPUS
Doth any bystander among you know
The herd he speaks of, or by seeing him
Afield or in the city? answer straight!
The hour hath come to clear this business up.
CHORUS
Methinks he means none other than the hind
Whom thou anon wert fain to see; but that
Our queen Jocasta best of all could tell.
OEDIPUS
Madam, dost know the man we sent to fetch?
Is the same of whom the stranger speaks?
JOCASTA
Who is the man? What matter? Let it be.
'Twere waste of thought to weigh such idle words.
OEDIPUS
No, with such guiding clues I cannot fail
To bring to light the secret of my birth.
JOCASTA
Oh, as thou carest for thy life, give o'er
This quest. Enough the anguish _I_ endure.
OEDIPUS
Be of good cheer; though I be proved the son
Of a bondwoman, aye, through three descents
Triply a slave, thy honor is unsmirched.
JOCASTA
Yet humor me, I pray thee; do not this.
OEDIPUS
I cannot; I must probe this matter home.
JOCASTA
'Tis for thy sake I advise thee for the best.
OEDIPUS
I grow impatient of this best advice.
JOCASTA
Ah mayst thou ne'er discover who thou art!
OEDIPUS