1 SENATOR

I do.

OEDIPUS

Say what you mean, then!

1 SENATOR

That you expel not, ever, with disgrace,

The friend, who has abjured it, on a charge

Void of clear proof.

OEDIPUS

Now, understand it well;

Seek this, you seek my death or exile!

1 SENATOR

Nay,

By the Sun-god, first of all Gods in heaven!

So may I perish, to the uttermost,

Cut off from Heaven, without the help of men,

If I have such a thought! But the lands waste

Will break my heart with grief—and that this woe,

Your strife, is added to its former woe.

OEDIPUS

Well, let him go, though I get slain outright,

Or thrust by force, dishonoured, from the land;

Your voice, not his, makes me compassionate,

Pleading for pity; he, where’er he be,

Shall have my hatred.

CREON

You display your spleen

In yielding; but, when your wrath passes bound,

Are formidable! Tempers such as yours

Most grievous are to their own selves to bear,

Not without justice.

OEDIPUS

Leave me; get you gone!

CREON

I go; you know me not; these know me honest.

[Exit.

1 SENATOR

Lady, what hinders you from taking him

Into the house?

JOCASTA

I would know how this happened.

1 SENATOR

A blind surmise arose, out of mere babble;

But even what is unjust inflicts a sting.

JOCASTA

On part of both?

1 SENATOR

Yes truly.

JOCASTA

And what was said?

1 SENATOR

Enough it seems, enough it seems to me,

Under the former trouble of the land,

To leave this where it lies.

OEDIPUS

Do you perceive

How far you are carried—a well-meaning man!

Slurring my anger thus, and blunting it?

1 SENATOR

I said it, O my king, not once alone—

But be assured, I should have shewn myself

Robbed of my wits, useless for work of wit,

Renouncing thee! who didst impel the sails

Of my dear land, baffled mid straits, right onward,

And it may be, wilt waft her safely now!

JOCASTA

For Heaven’s sake tell me too, my lord, what was it

Caused you so deep an anger?

OEDIPUS

I will tell you;

For I respect you, lady, more than these;

’Twas Creon—at plots which he has laid for me.

JOCASTA

If you will charge the quarrel in plain terms,

Why speak!

OEDIPUS

He says that I am Laius’ slayer.

JOCASTA

Of his own knowledge, or on hearsay?

OEDIPUS

Nay,

But by citation of a knavish seer;

As for himself, he keeps his words blame-free.

JOCASTA

Now set you free from thought of that you talk of;

Listen and learn, nothing in human life

Turns on the soothsayer’s art. Tokens of this

I’ll show you in few words. To Laius once

There came an oracle, I do not say

From Phoebus’ self, but from his ministers,

That so it should befall, that he should die

By a son’s hands, whom he should have by me.

And him—the story goes—robbers abroad

Have murdered, at a place where three roads meet;

While from our son’s birth not three days went by