The Oedipus Plays by Sophocles

Author:Sophocles [Sophocles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amazon Classics
Published: 2020-06-22T18:30:00+00:00

Befalls us orphans desolate?

CHORUS

His end was blessèd; therefore, children, stay

Your sorrow. Man is born to fate a prey.

ANTIGONE

Sister, let us back again.

ISMENE

Why return?

ANTIGONE

My soul is fain—

ISMENE

Is fain?

ANTIGONE

To see the earthy bed.

ISMENE

Sayest thou?

ANTIGONE

Where our sire is laid.

ISMENE

Nay, thou can’st not, dost not see—

ANTIGONE

Sister, wherefore wroth with me?

ISMENE

Know’st not—beside—

ANTIGONE

More must I hear?

ISMENE

Tombless he died, none near.

ANTIGONE

Lead me thither; slay me there.

ISMENE

How shall I unhappy fare,

Friendless, helpless, how drag on

A life of misery alone?

CHORUS

(Ant. 2)

Fear not, maids—

ANTIGONE

Ah, whither flee?

CHORUS

Refuge hath been found.

ANTIGONE

For me?

CHORUS

Where thou shalt be safe from harm.

ANTIGONE

I know it.

CHORUS

Why then this alarm?

ANTIGONE

How again to get us home

I know not.

CHORUS

Why then roam?

ANTIGONE

Troubles whelm us—

CHORUS

As of yore.

ANTIGONE

Worse than what was worse before.

CHORUS

Sure ye are driven on the breakers’ surge.

ANTIGONE

Alas! we are.

CHORUS

Alas! ’tis so.

ANTIGONE

Ah whither turn, O Zeus? No ray

Of hope to cheer the way

Whereon the fates our desperate voyage urge.

[Enter THESEUS.]

THESEUS

Dry your tears; when grace is shed

On the quick and on the dead

By dark Powers beneficent,

Over-grief they would resent.

ANTIGONE

Aegeus’ child, to thee we pray.

THESEUS

What the boon, my children, say.

ANTIGONE

With our own eyes we fain would see

Our father’s tomb.

THESEUS

That may not be.

ANTIGONE

What say’st thou, King?

THESEUS

My children, he

Charged me straitly that no mortal

Should approach the sacred portal,

Or greet with funeral litanies

The hidden tomb wherein he lies;

Saying, “If thou keep’st my hest

Thou shalt hold thy realm at rest.”

The God of Oaths this promise heard,

And to Zeus I pledged my word.

ANTIGONE

Well, if he would have it so,

We must yield. Then let us go

Back to Thebes, if yet we may

Heal this mortal feud and stay

The self-wrought doom

That drives our brothers to their tomb.

THESEUS

Go in peace; nor will I spare

Ought of toil and zealous care,

But on all your needs attend,

Gladdening in his grave my friend.

CHORUS

Wail no more, let sorrow rest,

All is ordered for the best.

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