Oedipus King of Thebes Part 4

The tale, yes: but the witness, where is he?

LEADER.

The man hath heard thy curses. If he knows The taste of fear, he will not long stay close.

OEDIPUS.

He fear my words, who never feared the deed?

LEADER.

Well, there is one shall find him.--See, they lead Hither our Lord Tiresias, in whose mind All truth is born, alone of human kind.

[_Enter_ TIRESIAS _led by a young disciple. He is an old blind man in a prophet's robe, dark, unkempt and sinister in appearance._

OEDIPUS.

Tiresias, thou whose mind divineth well All Truth, the spoken and the unspeakable,

[Sidenote: vv. 302-321]

The things of heaven and them that walk the earth; Our city ... thou canst see, for all thy dearth Of outward eyes, what clouds are over her.

In which, O gracious Lord, no minister Of help, no champion, can we find at all Save thee. For Phoebus--thou hast heard withal His message--to our envoy hath decreed One only way of help in this great need: To find and smite with death or banis.h.i.+ng, Him who smote Laus, our ancient King.

Oh, grudge us nothing! Question every cry Of birds, and all roads else of prophecy Thou knowest. Save our city: save thine own Greatness: save me; save all that yet doth groan Under the dead man's wrong! Lo, in thy hand We lay us. And, methinks, no work so grand Hath man yet compa.s.sed, as, with all he can Of chance or power, to help his fellow man.

TIRESIAS (_to himself_).

Ah me!

A fearful thing is knowledge, when to know Helpeth no end. I knew this long ago, But crushed it dead. Else had I never come.

OEDIPUS.

What means this? Comest thou so deep in gloom?

TIRESIAS.

Let me go back! Thy work shall weigh on thee The less, if thou consent, and mine on me.

[Sidenote: vv. 322-336]

OEDIPUS.

Prophet, this is not lawful; nay, nor kind To Thebes, who feeds thee, thus to veil thy mind.

TIRESIAS.

'Tis that I like not thy mind, nor the way It goeth. Therefore, lest I also stray....

[_He moves to go off._ OEDIPUS _bars his road._

OEDIPUS.

Thou shalt not, knowing, turn and leave us! See, We all implore thee, all, on bended knee.

TIRESIAS.

All without light!--And never light shall s.h.i.+ne On this dark evil that is mine ... and thine.

OEDIPUS.

What wilt thou? Know and speak not? In my need Be false to me, and let thy city bleed?

TIRESIAS.

I will not wound myself nor thee. Why seek To trap and question me? I will not speak.

OEDIPUS.

Thou devil!

[_Movement of_ LEADER _to check him._

Nay; the wrath of any stone Would rise at him. It lies with thee to have done And speak. Is there no melting in thine eyes!

[Sidenote: vv. 337-351]

TIRESIAS.

Naught lies with me! With thee, with thee there lies, I warrant, what thou ne'er hast seen nor guessed.

OEDIPUS (_to_ LEADER, _who tries to calm him._)

How can I hear such talk?--he maketh jest Of the land's woe--and keep mine anger dumb?

TIRESIAS.

Howe'er I hold it back, 'twill come, 'twill come.

OEDIPUS.

The more shouldst thou declare it to thy King.

TIRESIAS.

I speak no more. For thee, if pa.s.sioning Doth comfort thee, on, pa.s.sion to thy fill!

[_He moves to go._