Read Online Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Evangelinus Apostolides Sophocles - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sophocles, Evangelinus Apostolides Sophocles
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those scars.
MESSENGER That luck named you, Oedipus. That's who you are.
OEDIPUS Did my mother or my father do this?
Speak the truth for god's sake.
MESSENGER I don't know. The man who gave you to me will know that.
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Page 52
OEDIPUS You took me from someone?
You didn't chance on me yourself?
MESSENGER I took you from another shepherd.
1200 OEDIPUS Who was he? Tell me as plainly as you can.
MESSENGER He was known as someone who worked for Laius.
OEDIPUS The same Laius who was once king here?
MESSENGER The same one. This man worked as his shepherd.
OEDIPUS Is he alive? Can I see him?
MESSENGER A native could answer that better.
OEDIPUS Does anyone here know what's become
of this shepherd? Has someone seen him
in town or in the fields? Speak up now.
The time has come to make all of it known.
1210 LEADER I believe he means that same herdsman
you've already sent for. Jocasta
is the best one to ask.
OEDIPUS Lady, do you recall the man we ordered here?
Is it that man he speaks of?
JOCASTA Why ask about him? Don't pursue it, Oedipus,
don't waste a thought on his words. It's nothing.
OEDIPUS I can't give up with clues like these in my hands.
How can I fail now to solve my birth?
JOCASTA For god's sake, stop searching if you want to live.
1220 Let my sickness be enough for us both.
OEDIPUS Accept it! My mother might be from slaves
for three generations back
would that make you lowborn?
JOCASTA Please listen to me: do nothing more.
OEDIPUS I cannot listen. I must have the truth.
JOCASTA I'm thinking now only of what's best for you.
OEDIPUS ''What's best for me" exasperates me now.
JOCASTA You poor child! Never find out who you are.
OEDIPUS Someone bring me that herdsman. Let her
1230 glory in her precious birth.
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Page 53
JOCASTA Oh you poor doomed child! That is the only name
I can call you now. No other, forever!
(Jocasta runs into the palace.)
LEADER Why has she gone, Oedipus,
driven out by some savage grief?
Evil is going to burst from this silence.
OEDIPUS Let it burst! My seed may be base born,
but I will see at last what it is.
It may well be that my birth
humiliates her female pride.
1240 But I, who have always known I am
the child of Luck, whose gifts are always good,
will never know disgrace.
Luck is my mother, my brothers are the months
who measured out the low times
in my life and the great ones.
If these are my true kinsmen,
how could I betray my nature
by giving up the great search
now that will find my birth?
1250 CHORUS By the gods of Olympos, if I have
a prophet's reach of eye and mind
tomorrow's moonlight
will shine on you, Cithairon.
Oedipus will honor you
his native mountain,
his nurse, his mother. Nothing
will keep us from dancing
then, mountain joyful to our king!
We call out to Phoebus Apollo:
1260 be the cause of our joy!
(Chorus turns toward Oedipus.)
My son, who was your mother
out there? Which long-lived nymph
loved Pan in his mountain roaming?
Or did Apollo father you
on one of his swift brides
in the pleasing highlands?
Was it Hermes, Lord of Kyllene?
Or did Bakkhos of the mountain peaks
take youa joyful find
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Page 54
1270 from the girls whose games he shares:
the nymphs of Helikon?
OEDIPUS Old men,
if I can recognize a man I've never met,
I think I see the herdsman we've been waiting for.
Our fellow would be old, like the stranger coming.
Those leading him are my own men.
But I expect you'll know him better.
Some of you will know him by sight.
(Enter Herdsman, led by Oedipus' servants.)
LEADER I do know him. He is from Laius' house,
1280 a trusted shepherd if he ever had one.
OEDIPUS I ask you to speak first, Corinthian:
is this the man you mean?
MESSENGER You're looking at him.
OEDIPUS Now you, old man. Turn your eyes toward me.
Answer every question I ask you.
Did you once come from Laius' house?
HERDSMAN I did. I wasn't a bought slave,
I was born and raised in their house.
OEDIPUS What was your work? How did you spend your time?
1290 HERDSMAN My life has been spent
MESSENGER That luck named you, Oedipus. That's who you are.
OEDIPUS Did my mother or my father do this?
Speak the truth for god's sake.
MESSENGER I don't know. The man who gave you to me will know that.
page_52
Page 52
OEDIPUS You took me from someone?
You didn't chance on me yourself?
MESSENGER I took you from another shepherd.
1200 OEDIPUS Who was he? Tell me as plainly as you can.
MESSENGER He was known as someone who worked for Laius.
OEDIPUS The same Laius who was once king here?
MESSENGER The same one. This man worked as his shepherd.
OEDIPUS Is he alive? Can I see him?
MESSENGER A native could answer that better.
OEDIPUS Does anyone here know what's become
of this shepherd? Has someone seen him
in town or in the fields? Speak up now.
The time has come to make all of it known.
1210 LEADER I believe he means that same herdsman
you've already sent for. Jocasta
is the best one to ask.
OEDIPUS Lady, do you recall the man we ordered here?
Is it that man he speaks of?
JOCASTA Why ask about him? Don't pursue it, Oedipus,
don't waste a thought on his words. It's nothing.
OEDIPUS I can't give up with clues like these in my hands.
How can I fail now to solve my birth?
JOCASTA For god's sake, stop searching if you want to live.
1220 Let my sickness be enough for us both.
OEDIPUS Accept it! My mother might be from slaves
for three generations back
would that make you lowborn?
JOCASTA Please listen to me: do nothing more.
OEDIPUS I cannot listen. I must have the truth.
JOCASTA I'm thinking now only of what's best for you.
OEDIPUS ''What's best for me" exasperates me now.
JOCASTA You poor child! Never find out who you are.
OEDIPUS Someone bring me that herdsman. Let her
1230 glory in her precious birth.
page_53
Page 53
JOCASTA Oh you poor doomed child! That is the only name
I can call you now. No other, forever!
(Jocasta runs into the palace.)
LEADER Why has she gone, Oedipus,
driven out by some savage grief?
Evil is going to burst from this silence.
OEDIPUS Let it burst! My seed may be base born,
but I will see at last what it is.
It may well be that my birth
humiliates her female pride.
1240 But I, who have always known I am
the child of Luck, whose gifts are always good,
will never know disgrace.
Luck is my mother, my brothers are the months
who measured out the low times
in my life and the great ones.
If these are my true kinsmen,
how could I betray my nature
by giving up the great search
now that will find my birth?
1250 CHORUS By the gods of Olympos, if I have
a prophet's reach of eye and mind
tomorrow's moonlight
will shine on you, Cithairon.
Oedipus will honor you
his native mountain,
his nurse, his mother. Nothing
will keep us from dancing
then, mountain joyful to our king!
We call out to Phoebus Apollo:
1260 be the cause of our joy!
(Chorus turns toward Oedipus.)
My son, who was your mother
out there? Which long-lived nymph
loved Pan in his mountain roaming?
Or did Apollo father you
on one of his swift brides
in the pleasing highlands?
Was it Hermes, Lord of Kyllene?
Or did Bakkhos of the mountain peaks
take youa joyful find
page_54
Page 54
1270 from the girls whose games he shares:
the nymphs of Helikon?
OEDIPUS Old men,
if I can recognize a man I've never met,
I think I see the herdsman we've been waiting for.
Our fellow would be old, like the stranger coming.
Those leading him are my own men.
But I expect you'll know him better.
Some of you will know him by sight.
(Enter Herdsman, led by Oedipus' servants.)
LEADER I do know him. He is from Laius' house,
1280 a trusted shepherd if he ever had one.
OEDIPUS I ask you to speak first, Corinthian:
is this the man you mean?
MESSENGER You're looking at him.
OEDIPUS Now you, old man. Turn your eyes toward me.
Answer every question I ask you.
Did you once come from Laius' house?
HERDSMAN I did. I wasn't a bought slave,
I was born and raised in their house.
OEDIPUS What was your work? How did you spend your time?
1290 HERDSMAN My life has been spent
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