Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer and David Widger
SOPHOCLES
OEDIPUS THE KING
Translation by F. Storr, BA Formerly Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge From the Loeb Library Edition Originally published by Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA and William Heinemann Ltd, London
First published in 1912
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ARGUMENT
To Laius, King of Thebes, an oracle foretold that the child born to him by his queen Jocasta would slay his father and wed his mother. So when in time a son was born the infant's feet were riveted together and he was left to die on Mount Cithaeron. But a shepherd found the babe and tended him, and delivered him to another shepherd who took him to his master, the King of Corinth. Polybus being childless adopted the boy, who grew up believing that he was indeed the King's son. Afterwards doubting his parentage he inquired of the Delphic god and heard himself the word declared before to Laius. Wherefore he fled from what he deemed his father's house and in his flight he encountered and unwillingly slew his father Laius. Arriving at Thebes he answered the riddle of the Sphinx and the grateful Thebans made their deliverer king. So he reigned in the room of Laius, and espoused the widowed queen. Children were born to them and Thebes prospered under his rule, but again a grievous plague fell upon the city. Again the oracle was consulted and it bade them purge themselves of blood-guiltiness. Oedipus denounces the crime of which he is unaware, and undertakes to track out the criminal. Step by step it is brought home to him that he is the man. The closing scene reveals Jocasta slain by her own hand and Oedipus blinded by his own act and praying for death or exile.
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Oedipus.
The Priest of Zeus.
Creon.
Chorus of Theban Elders.
Teiresias.
Jocasta.
Messenger.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles
- 2: At their head a PRIEST OF ZEUS
- 3: CREON If thou wouldst hear my message publicly
- 4: Smit by the morrow's sun Perisheth
- 5: See that ye give effect to all my hest
- 6: TEIRESIAS I have no more to say
- 7: TEIRESIAS Must I say more to aggravate thy rage
- 8: Exeunt TEIRESIAS and OEDIPUS CHORUS Str
- 9: CREON Therein thou judgest rightly
- 10: CREON Surely full quest was made
- 11: While the whole land lies striken
- 12: JOCASTA Phocis the land is called
- 13: My sire was Polybus of Corinth
- 14: Exeunt OEDIPUS and JOCASTA CHORUS Str
- 15: Is not aged Polybus still king
- 16: MESSENGER Since Polybus was naught to thee in blood
- 17: JOCASTA Ah mayst thou ne'er discover who thou art
- 18: HERDSMAN Cithaeron and the neighboring alps
- 19: HERDSMAN Forbear for God's sake
- 20: OEDIPUS What didst thou give it then to this old man
- 21: The palace portals are unbarred
- 22: OEDIPUS What's done was well done
- 23: CREON And what the favor thou wouldst crave of me
- 24: CREON Thou hast had enough of weeping
- 25: Has come in his wanderings to Colonus
- 26: ANTIGONE Long suffering father
- 27: The ghost of him who once was Oedipus
- 28: OEDIPUS I am that man
- 29: OEDIPUS Woe on my fate unblest
- 30: OEDIPUS O wretched me
- 31: Enter ISMENE ISMENE Father and sister
- 32: To bring thy father all the oracles Concerning Oedipus
- 33: ISMENE Envoys who visited the Delphic hearth
- 34: ISMENE Then I will go perform these rites
- 35: OEDIPUS I slew who else would me have slain
- 36: THESEUS Thou cravest life's last service
- 37: OEDIPUS 'Tis fear constrains me
- 38: Enter CREON with attendants CREON Burghers
- 39: CREON Which loses in this parley
- 40: CREON 'Tis war with Thebes if I am touched or harmed
- 41: OEDIPUS Creon who stands before thee
- 42: Yet not from Thebes this villainy was learnt
- 43: Exeunt THESEUS and CREON CHORUS Str
- 44: Enter ANTIGONE and ISMENE with THESEUS OEDIPUS Where
- 45: THESEUS Thou sure mightest listen
- 46: THESEUS But he hath found asylum
- 47: POLYNEICES Well dost thou counsel
- 48: POLYNEICES Woe worth my journey and my baffled hopes
- 49: POLYNEICES I shall not tell it
- 50: Enter THESEUS THESEUS Wherefore again this general din
- 51: Painless cleaving of earth's base
- 52: Enter ANTIGONE and ISMENE ANTIGONE Str
- 53: ISMENE How shall I unhappy fare
- 54: Resolves to bury her brother Polyneices
- 55: ANTIGONE What but the thought of our two brothers dead
- 56: ISMENE Have thine own way then
- 57: If Creon learn This from another
- 58: And breeds a habit of dishonesty
- 59: CREON What an inveterate babbler
- 60: To ANTIGONE Now answer this plain question
- 61: ANTIGONE My nature is for mutual love
- 62: ISMENE But now we stand convicted
- 63: Enter HAEMON CREON Soon shall we know
- 64: HAEMON Because I see thee wrongfully perverse
- 65: Exit HAEMON CHORUS Thy son has gone
- 66: Ye lordly rulers of a lordly race
- 67: And was judged By Creon guilty of a heinous crime
- 68: TEIRESIAS Thou art infected with that ill thyself
- 69: Exit TEIRESIAS CHORUS My liege
- 70: All hall to thee Evoe
- 71: Exit EURYDICE CHORUS What makest thou of this
- 72: CREON I join your prayer that echoes my desire