whom have
the gods and divinities that share their altar and the thronging assembly of
men ever admired so much as they honored Oedipus then, when he removed that deadly,
man-seizing plague from our land?
[777] But when, his
sanity regained, he grew miserable in his wretched marriage, then carried away
by his grief and with maddened heart he accomplished a double evil. With the
hand that killed his father he struck out his eyes, which were dearer to him
than his children.
[785] Next he launched
brutal, wrathful words against the sons he had bred — ah! curses from a bitter
tongue — that wielding iron in their hands they would one day divide his
property. So now I tremble in fear that the swift-running Erinys will bring
this to fulfillment.
[ Enter
Messenger. ]
MESSENGER
[792] Take
heart, you daughters who were nurtured by your mother. Our city has escaped the
yoke of slavery; the boasts of the powerful men have fallen to the ground.The
city enjoys fair weather and has taken on no water even though it has been
buffeted by many waves. The walls hold, and we have fortified the gates with
champions fully capable in single-handed combat. For the most part all is well,
at six of the gates. But lord Apollo, the reverend leader of the seventh,
took for himself the seventh gate, accomplishing upon the children of Oedipus
the ancient follies of Laius.
CHORUS
[803] What novel
happening will further affect the city?
MESSENGER
[804] The city
is saved, but the kings born of the same seed —
CHORUS
[805] Who?
What did you say? I am out of my mind with fear of your report.
MESSENGER
[806] Control
yourself now and listen. The sons of Oedipus —
CHORUS
[807] Ah,
miserable me, I am prophet of these evils.
MESSENGER
[808] In truth,
beyond all question, struck down in the dust —
CHORUS
[809] Are they
lying out there? This is hard to bear, but say it just the same.
MESSENGER
[810] The
men are dead, murdered by their very own hands.
CHORUS
[811] Then with
hands so fraternal did they each kill the other together?
MESSENGER
[812] Yes, so
all too equal was their destiny to them both. All alone, in truth, it consumes
the ill-fated family. We have cause in this for joy and tears — the one because
the city fares well, the other because the leaders, the two generals, have
divided the whole of their property with hammered Scythian steel. They will
possess only that land they take in burial, swept away as they were in
accordance with their father’s curses. [The city is saved, but through
their mutual murder the earth has drunk the blood of the two kings born of the
same seed.]
[ Exit. ]
CHORUS
[822] O great
Zeus and the divine powers that guard our city, you who indeed protect these
walls of Cadmus, should I rejoice and shout in triumph for the unharmed safety
of the city, or should I lament our leaders in war, now wretched, ill-fated and
childless? Indeed, in exact accordance with their name and as “men of much
strife,” they have perished through their impious intent.
[833] O black curse on
the family, Oedipus’ curse, now brought to fulfillment! A chill of horror falls
about my heart. In frenzy like a maenad I make my song for the grave as I hear
of their corpses dripping with blood, how they died through the workings of
cruel fate. This song of the spear, sung to the flute, is indeed born of an ill
omen.
[840] The
curseful utterance of their father has done its work and not fallen short.
Laius’ plans, made in disobedience, have kept their force. I am anxious for our
city; divine decrees do not lose their edge.
[ The funeral procession with the
bodies of the brothers comes into view. ]
[845] O
bringers of immense grief, you have done in this a deed beyond belief, yet
lamentable troubles have indeed come. The events are self-evident; the
messenger’s report is plain to see. Twofold is our distress — double disaster
of kindred murder, this double suffering has come to fulfillment. What shall I
say? What else
the gods and divinities that share their altar and the thronging assembly of
men ever admired so much as they honored Oedipus then, when he removed that deadly,
man-seizing plague from our land?
[777] But when, his
sanity regained, he grew miserable in his wretched marriage, then carried away
by his grief and with maddened heart he accomplished a double evil. With the
hand that killed his father he struck out his eyes, which were dearer to him
than his children.
[785] Next he launched
brutal, wrathful words against the sons he had bred — ah! curses from a bitter
tongue — that wielding iron in their hands they would one day divide his
property. So now I tremble in fear that the swift-running Erinys will bring
this to fulfillment.
[ Enter
Messenger. ]
MESSENGER
[792] Take
heart, you daughters who were nurtured by your mother. Our city has escaped the
yoke of slavery; the boasts of the powerful men have fallen to the ground.The
city enjoys fair weather and has taken on no water even though it has been
buffeted by many waves. The walls hold, and we have fortified the gates with
champions fully capable in single-handed combat. For the most part all is well,
at six of the gates. But lord Apollo, the reverend leader of the seventh,
took for himself the seventh gate, accomplishing upon the children of Oedipus
the ancient follies of Laius.
CHORUS
[803] What novel
happening will further affect the city?
MESSENGER
[804] The city
is saved, but the kings born of the same seed —
CHORUS
[805] Who?
What did you say? I am out of my mind with fear of your report.
MESSENGER
[806] Control
yourself now and listen. The sons of Oedipus —
CHORUS
[807] Ah,
miserable me, I am prophet of these evils.
MESSENGER
[808] In truth,
beyond all question, struck down in the dust —
CHORUS
[809] Are they
lying out there? This is hard to bear, but say it just the same.
MESSENGER
[810] The
men are dead, murdered by their very own hands.
CHORUS
[811] Then with
hands so fraternal did they each kill the other together?
MESSENGER
[812] Yes, so
all too equal was their destiny to them both. All alone, in truth, it consumes
the ill-fated family. We have cause in this for joy and tears — the one because
the city fares well, the other because the leaders, the two generals, have
divided the whole of their property with hammered Scythian steel. They will
possess only that land they take in burial, swept away as they were in
accordance with their father’s curses. [The city is saved, but through
their mutual murder the earth has drunk the blood of the two kings born of the
same seed.]
[ Exit. ]
CHORUS
[822] O great
Zeus and the divine powers that guard our city, you who indeed protect these
walls of Cadmus, should I rejoice and shout in triumph for the unharmed safety
of the city, or should I lament our leaders in war, now wretched, ill-fated and
childless? Indeed, in exact accordance with their name and as “men of much
strife,” they have perished through their impious intent.
[833] O black curse on
the family, Oedipus’ curse, now brought to fulfillment! A chill of horror falls
about my heart. In frenzy like a maenad I make my song for the grave as I hear
of their corpses dripping with blood, how they died through the workings of
cruel fate. This song of the spear, sung to the flute, is indeed born of an ill
omen.
[840] The
curseful utterance of their father has done its work and not fallen short.
Laius’ plans, made in disobedience, have kept their force. I am anxious for our
city; divine decrees do not lose their edge.
[ The funeral procession with the
bodies of the brothers comes into view. ]
[845] O
bringers of immense grief, you have done in this a deed beyond belief, yet
lamentable troubles have indeed come. The events are self-evident; the
messenger’s report is plain to see. Twofold is our distress — double disaster
of kindred murder, this double suffering has come to fulfillment. What shall I
say? What else
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