May all end well.

OEDIPUS

How runs the oracle?

I am not confident, nor prone to fear

At what you say, so far.

CREON

If you desire

To hear while these stand near us, I am ready

To speak at once—or to go in with you.

OEDIPUS

Speak before all! My heavy load of care

More for their sake than for my own I bear.

CREON

What the God told me, that will I declare.

Phoebus our Lord gives us express command

To drive pollution, bred within this land,

Out of the country, and not cherish it

Beyond the power of healing.

OEDIPUS

By what purge?

What is the tenor of your tragedy?

CREON

Exile, or recompense of death for death;

Since ’tis this blood makes winter to the city.

OEDIPUS

Whose fate is this he signifies?

CREON

My liege,

We had a leader, once, over this land,

Called Laius—ere you held the helm of state.

OEDIPUS

So I did hear; I never saw the man.

CREON

The man is dead; and now, we are clearly bidden

To bring to account certain his murderers.

OEDIPUS

And where on earth are they? Where shall be found

This dim-seen track-mark of an ancient crime?

CREON

“Within this land,” it ran. That which is sought,

That may be caught. What is unheeded scapes us.

OEDIPUS

Was it at home, afield, or anywhere

Abroad, that Laius met this violent end?

CREON

He went professedly on pilgrimage;

But since he started, came back home no more.

OEDIPUS

Nor any messenger nor way-fellow

Looked on, from whom one might have learnt his story

And used it?

CREON

NO, they perished, all but one;

He fled, affrighted; and of what he saw

Had but one thing to say for certain.

OEDIPUS

Well,

And what was that? one thing might be the means

Of our discovering many, could we gain

Some narrow ground for hope.

CREON

Robbers, he said,

Met them, and slew him; by no single strength,

But multitude of hands.

OEDIPUS

How could your robber

Have dared so far—except there were some practice

With gold from hence?

CREON

Why, it seemed probable.

But, Laius dead, no man stood up to help

Amid our ills.

OEDIPUS

What ill was in the way,

Which, when a sovereignty had lapsed like this,

Kept you from searching of it out?

CREON

The Sphinx

With her enigma forced us to dismiss

Things out of sight, and look to our own steps.

OEDIPUS

Well, I will have it all to light again.

Right well did Phoebus, yea and well may you

Insist on this observance toward the dead;

So shall you see me, as of right, with you,

Venging this country and the God together.

Why, ’tis not for my neighbours’ sake, but mine,

I shall dispel this plague-spot; for the man,

Whoever it may be, who murdered him,

Lightly might hanker to serve me the same.

I benefit myself in aiding him.

Up then, my children, straightway, from the floor;

Take up your votive branches; let some other