If it shall not so befall

Manifestly unto all.

But O our king—if thou art named aright—

Zeus, that art Lord of all things ever,

Be this not hid from Thee, nor from Thy might

Which endeth never.

For now already men invalidate

The dooms of Fate

Uttered for Laius, fading slowly;

Apollo’s name and rites are nowhere now kept holy;

Worship is out of date.

Enter JOCASTA, attended.

JOCASTA

Lords of the land, it came into my heart

To approach the temples of the Deities,

Taking in hand these garlands, and this incense;

For Oedipus lets his mind float too light

Upon the eddies of all kinds of grief;

Nor will he, like a man of soberness,

Measure the new by knowledge of the old,

But is at mercy of whoever speaks,

If he but speak the language of despair.

I can do nothing by exhorting him.

Wherefore, Lycean Phoebus, unto thee—

For thou art very near us—I am come.

Bringing these offerings, a petitioner

That thou afford us fair deliverance;

Since now we are all frighted, seeing him—

The vessels pilot, as ’twere—panic-stricken.

Enter a Messenger.

MESSENGER

Sirs, might I learn of you, where is the palace

Of Oedipus the King? or rather, where

He is himself, if you know, tell me.

1 SENATOR

Stranger,

This is his dwelling, and he is within;

This lady is his children’s mother, too.

MESSENGER

A blessing ever be on hers and her,

Who is, in such a perfect sort, his wife!

JOCASTA

The like be with you too, as you deserve,

Sir, for your compliment. But say what end

You come for, and what news you wish to tell.

MESSENGER

Good to the house, and to your husband, lady.

JOCASTA

Of what sort? and from whom come you?

MESSENGER

From Corinth.

In that which I am now about to say

May you find pleasure! and why not? And yet

Perhaps you may be sorry.

JOCASTA

But what is it?

How can it carry such ambiguous force?

MESSENGER

The dwellers in the land of Isthmia,

As was there said, intend to appoint him king.

JOCASTA

What! Is not Polybus, the old prince, still reigning?

MESSENGER

No truly; he is Deaths subject, in the grave.

JOCASTA

How say you, father? Is Polybus no more?

MESSENGER

I stake my life upon it, if I lie!

JOCASTA

Run, girl, and tell your master instantly.

[Exit an attendant.

O prophecies of Gods, where are you now!

Oedipus fled, long since, from this man’s presence,

Fearing to kill him; and now he has died

A natural death, not by his means at all!

Enter OEDIPUS.

OEDIPUS

O my most dear Jocasta, wife of mine,

Why did you fetch me hither from the house?

JOCASTA

Hear this man speak! Listen and mark, to what

The dark responses of the God are come!

OEDIPUS

And who is this? What says he?

JOCASTA

He’s from Corinth,

To tell us that your father Polybus

Lives no more, but is dead!

OEDIPUS