Oedipus Trilogy Part 4

CREON What's mean'st thou? All I know I will declare.

OEDIPUS But for thy prompting never had the seer Ascribed to me the death of Laius.

CREON If so he thou knowest best; but I Would put thee to the question in my turn.

OEDIPUS Question and prove me murderer if thou canst.

CREON Then let me ask thee, didst thou wed my sister?

OEDIPUS A fact so plain I cannot well deny.

CREON And as thy consort queen she shares the throne?

OEDIPUS I grant her freely all her heart desires.

CREON And with you twain I share the triple rule?

OEDIPUS Yea, and it is that proves thee a false friend.

CREON Not so, if thou wouldst reason with thyself, As I with myself. First, I bid thee think, Would any mortal choose a troubled reign Of terrors rather than secure repose, If the same power were given him? As for me, I have no natural craving for the name Of king, preferring to do kingly deeds, And so thinks every sober-minded man.

Now all my needs are satisfied through thee, And I have naught to fear; but were I king, My acts would oft run counter to my will.

How could a t.i.tle then have charms for me Above the sweets of boundless influence?

I am not so infatuate as to grasp The shadow when I hold the substance fast.

Now all men cry me G.o.dspeed! wish me well, And every suitor seeks to gain my ear, If he would hope to win a grace from thee.

Why should I leave the better, choose the worse?

That were sheer madness, and I am not mad.

No such ambition ever tempted me, Nor would I have a share in such intrigue.

And if thou doubt me, first to Delphi go, There ascertain if my report was true Of the G.o.d's answer; next investigate If with the seer I plotted or conspired, And if it prove so, sentence me to death, Not by thy voice alone, but mine and thine.

But O condemn me not, without appeal, On bare suspicion. 'Tis not right to adjudge Bad men at random good, or good men bad.

I would as lief a man should cast away The thing he counts most precious, his own life, As spurn a true friend. Thou wilt learn in time The truth, for time alone reveals the just; A villain is detected in a day.

CHORUS To one who walketh warily his words Commend themselves; swift counsels are not sure.

OEDIPUS When with swift strides the stealthy plotter stalks I must be quick too with my counterplot.

To wait his onset pa.s.sively, for him Is sure success, for me a.s.sured defeat.

CREON What then's thy will? To banish me the land?

OEDIPUS I would not have thee banished, no, but dead, That men may mark the wages envy reaps.

CREON I see thou wilt not yield, nor credit me.

OEDIPUS [None but a fool would credit such as thou.] [3]

CREON Thou art not wise.

OEDIPUS Wise for myself at least.

CREON Why not for me too?

OEDIPUS Why for such a knave?

CREON Suppose thou lackest sense.

OEDIPUS Yet kings must rule.

CREON Not if they rule ill.

OEDIPUS Oh my Thebans, hear him!

CREON Thy Thebans? am not I a Theban too?

CHORUS Cease, princes; lo there comes, and none too soon, Jocasta from the palace. Who so fit As peacemaker to reconcile your feud?

[Enter JOCASTA.]

JOCASTA Misguided princes, why have ye upraised This wordy wrangle? Are ye not ashamed, While the whole land lies striken, thus to voice Your private injuries? Go in, my lord; Go home, my brother, and forebear to make A public scandal of a petty grief.

CREON My royal sister, Oedipus, thy lord, Hath bid me choose (O dread alternative!) An outlaw's exile or a felon's death.

OEDIPUS Yes, lady; I have caught him practicing Against my royal person his vile arts.

CREON May I ne'er speed but die accursed, if I In any way am guilty of this charge.

JOCASTA Believe him, I adjure thee, Oedipus, First for his solemn oath's sake, then for mine, And for thine elders' sake who wait on thee.

CHORUS (Str. 1) Hearken, King, reflect, we pray thee, but not stubborn but relent.

OEDIPUS Say to what should I consent?

CHORUS Respect a man whose probity and troth Are known to all and now confirmed by oath.

OEDIPUS Dost know what grace thou cravest?

CHORUS Yea, I know.

OEDIPUS Declare it then and make thy meaning plain.

CHORUS Brand not a friend whom babbling tongues a.s.sail; Let not suspicion 'gainst his oath prevail.

OEDIPUS Bethink you that in seeking this ye seek In very sooth my death or banishment?

CHORUS No, by the leader of the host divine!

(Str. 2) Witness, thou Sun, such thought was never mine, Unblest, unfriended may I perish, If ever I such wish did cheris.h.!.+

But O my heart is desolate Musing on our striken State, Doubly fall'n should discord grow Twixt you twain, to crown our woe.

OEDIPUS Well, let him go, no matter what it cost me, Or certain death or shameful banishment, For your sake I relent, not his; and him, Where'er he be, my heart shall still abhor.

CREON Thou art as sullen in thy yielding mood As in thine anger thou wast truculent.

Such tempers justly plague themselves the most.