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And of my weird he promised signs should come；
Earthquake； or thunderclap； or lightning flash。
And now I recognize as yours the sign
That led my wanderings to this your grove；
Else had I never lighted on you first；
A wineless man on your seat of native rock。
O goddesses； fulfill Apollo's word；
Grant me some consummation of my life；
If haply I appear not all too vile；
A thrall to sorrow worse than any slave。
Hear； gentle daughters of primeval Night；
Hear； namesake of great Pallas； Athens； first
Of cities； pity this dishonored shade；
The ghost of him who once was Oedipus。
ANTIGONE
Hush！ for I see some grey…beards on their way；
Their errand to spy out our resting…place。
OEDIPUS
I will be mute； and thou shalt guide my steps
Into the covert from the public road；
Till I have learned their drift。 A prudent man
Will ever shape his course by what he learns。
＇Enter CHORUS＇
CHORUS
（Str。 1）
Ha！ Where is he？ Look around！
Every nook and corner scan！
He the all…presumptuous man；
Whither vanished？ search the ground！
A wayfarer； I ween；
A wayfarer； no countryman of ours；
That old man must have been；
Never had native dared to tempt the Powers；
Or enter their demesne；
The Maids in awe of whom each mortal cowers；
Whose name no voice betrays nor cry；
And as we pass them with averted eye；
We move hushed lips in reverent piety。
But now some godless man；
'Tis rumored； here abides；
The precincts through I scan；
Yet wot not where he hides；
The wretch profane！
I search and search in vain。
OEDIPUS
I am that man； I know you near
Ears to the blind； they say； are eyes。
CHORUS
O dread to see and dread to hear！
OEDIPUS
Oh sirs； I am no outlaw under ban。
CHORUS
Who can he beZeus save us！this old man？
OEDIPUS
No favorite of fate；
That ye should envy his estate；
O； Sirs； would any happy mortal； say；
Grope by the light of other eyes his way；
Or face the storm upon so frail a stay？
CHORUS
（Ant。 1）
Wast thou then sightless from thy birth？
Evil； methinks； and long
Thy pilgrimage on earth。
Yet add not curse to curse and wrong to wrong。
I warn thee； trespass not
Within this hallowed spot；
Lest thou shouldst find the silent grassy glade
Where offerings are laid；
Bowls of spring water mingled with sweet mead。
Thou must not stay；
Come； come away；
Tired wanderer； dost thou heed？
（We are far off； but sure our voice can reach。）
If aught thou wouldst beseech；
Speak where 'tis right； till then refrain from speech。
OEDIPUS
Daughter； what counsel should we now pursue？
ANTIGONE
We must obey and do as here they do。
OEDIPUS
Thy hand then！
ANTIGONE
Here； O father； is my hand；
OEDIPUS
O Sirs； if I come forth at your command；
Let me not suffer for my confidence。
CHORUS
（Str。 2）
Against thy will no man shall drive thee hence。
OEDIPUS
Shall I go further？
CHORUS
Aye。
OEDIPUS
What further still？
CHORUS
Lead maiden； thou canst guide him where we will。
ANTIGONE ＇1＇
* * * * * *
OEDIPUS
* * * * * *
ANTIGONE
* * * * * *
Follow with blind steps； father； as I lead。
OEDIPUS
* * * * * *
CHORUS
In a strange land strange thou art；
To her will incline thy heart；
Honor whatso'er the State
Honors； all she frowns on hate。
OEDIPUS
Guide me child； where we may range
Safe within the paths of right；
Counsel freely may exchange
Nor with fate and fortune fight。
CHORUS
（Ant。 2）
Halt！ Go no further than that rocky floor。
OEDIPUS
Stay where I now am？
CHORUS
Yes； advance no more。
OEDIPUS
May I sit down？
CHORUS
Move sideways towards the ledge；
And sit thee crouching on the scarped edge。
ANTIGONE
This is my office； father； O incline
OEDIPUS
Ah me！ ah me！
ANTIGONE
Thy steps to my steps； lean thine aged frame on mine。
OEDIPUS
Woe on my fate unblest！
CHORUS
Wanderer； now thou art at rest；
Tell me of thy birth and home；
From what far country art thou come；
Led on thy weary way； declare！
OEDIPUS
Strangers； I have no country。 O forbear
CHORUS
What is it； old man； that thou wouldst conceal？
OEDIPUS
Forbear； nor urge me further to reveal
CHORUS
Why this reluctance？
OEDIPUS
Dread my lineage。
CHORUS
Say！
OEDIPUS
What must I answer； child； ah welladay！
CHORUS
Say of what stock thou comest； what man's son
OEDIPUS
Ah me； my daughter； now we are undone！
ANTIGONE
Speak； for thou standest on the slippery verge。
OEDIPUS
I will； no plea for silence can I urge。
CHORUS
Will neither speak？ Come； Sir； why dally thus！
OEDIPUS
Know'st one of Laius'
CHORUS
Ha？ Who！
OEDIPUS
Seed of Labdacus
CHORUS
Oh Zeus！
OEDIPUS
The hapless Oedipus。
CHORUS
Art he？
OEDIPUS
Whate'er I utter； have no fear of me。
CHORUS
Begone！
OEDIPUS
O wretched me！
CHORUS
Begone！
OEDIPUS
O daughter； what will hap anon？
CHORUS
Forth from our borders speed ye both！
OEDIPUS
How keep you then your troth？
CHORUS
Heaven's justice never smites
Him who ill with ill requites。
But if guile with guile contend；
Bane； not blessing； is the end。
Arise； begone and take thee hence straightway；
Lest on our land a heavier curse thou lay。
ANTIGONE
O sirs！ ye suffered not my father blind；
Albeit gracious and to ruth inclined；
Knowing the deeds he wrought； not innocent；
But with no ill intent；
Yet heed a maiden's moan
Who pleads for him alone；
My eyes； not reft of sight；
Plead with you as a daughter's might
You are our providence；
O make us not go hence！
O with a gracious nod
Grant us the nigh despaired…of boon we crave？
Hear us； O hear；
But all that ye hold dear；
Wife； children； homestead； hearth and God！
Where will you find one； search ye ne'er so well。
Who 'scapes perdition if a god impel！
CHORUS
Surely we pity thee and him alike
Daughter of Oedipus； for your distress；
But as we reverence the decrees of Heaven
We cannot say aught other than we said。
OEDIPUS
O what avails renown or fair repute？
Are they not vanity？ For； look you； now
Athens is held of States the most devout；
Athens alone gives hospitality
And shelters the vexed stranger； so men say。
Have I found so？ I whom ye dislodged
First from my seat of rock and now would drive
Forth from your land； dreading my name alone；
For me you surely dread not； nor my deeds；
Deeds of a man more sinned against than sinning；
As I might well convince you； were it meet
To tell my mother's story and my sire's；
The cause of this your fear。 Yet am I then
A villain born because in self…defense；
Striken； I struck the striker back again？
E'en had I known； no villainy 'twould prove：
But all unwitting whither I went； I went
To ruin； my destroyers knew it well；
Wherefore； I pray you； sirs； in Heaven's name；
Even as ye bade me quit my seat； defend me。
O pay not a lip service to the gods
And wrong them of their dues。 Bethink ye well；
The eye of Heaven beholds the just of men；
And the unjust； nor ever in this world
Has one sole godless sinner found escape。
Stand then on Heaven's side and never blot
Athens' fair scutcheon by abetting wrong。
I came to you a suppliant； and you pledged
Your honor； O preserve me to the end；
O let not this marred visage do me wrong！
A holy and god…fearing man is here
Whose coming purports comfort for your folk。
And when your chief arrives； whoe'er he be；
Then shall ye have my story and know all。
Meanwhile I pray you do me no despite。
CHORUS
The plea thou urgest； needs must give us pause；
Set forth in weighty argument； but we
Must leave the issue with the ruling powers。
OEDIPUS
Where is he； strangers； he who sways the realm？
CHORUS
In his ancestral seat； a messenger；
The same who sent us here； is gone for him。
OEDIPUS
And think you he will have such care or thought
For the blind stranger as to come himself？
CHORUS
Aye； that he will； when once he learns thy name。
OEDIPUS
But who will bear him word！
CHORUS
The way is long；
And many travelers pass to speed the news。
Be sure he'll hear and hasten； never fear；
So wide and far thy name is noised abroad；
That； were he ne'er so spent and loth to move；
He would bestir him when he hears of thee。
OEDIPUS
Well； may he come with blessing to his State
And me！ Who serves his neighbor serves himself。 ＇2＇
ANTIGONE
Zeus！ What is this？ What can I say or think？
OEDIPUS
What now； Antigone？
ANTIGONE
I see a woman
Riding upon a colt of Aetna's breed；
She wears for headgear a Thessalian hat
To shade her from the sun。 Who can it be？
She or a stranger？ Do I wak