Unit Title Action As If Text

I,1 Chorus and Oedipus

the priest convince SCENE.—Before the Palace of OEDIPUS at Thebes.
A crowd of suppliants of all ages are waiting by the
beg for help the priest altar in front and on the steps of the Palace; among
and chorus them the PRIEST OF ZEUS. As the Palace door opens
to trust and OEDIPUS comes out all the suppliants with a cry
him to move towards him in attitudes of prayer, holding out
save them their olive branches, and then become still again as he
speaks.
from the
plague OEDIPUS My children, fruit of Cadmus' ancient tree
New springing, wherefore thus with bended knee Press
To calm ye upon us, laden all with wreaths And suppliant
branches? And the city breathes Heavy with incense,
to comfort heavy with dim prayer And shrieks to affright the
Slayer.—Children, care For this so moves me, I have
scorned withal Message or writing: seeing 'tis I ye call,
'Tis I am come, world-honoured Oedipus. Old Man, do
thou declare—the rest have thus Their champion—in
what mood stand ye so still, In dread or sure hope?
Know ye not, my will Is yours for aid 'gainst all? Stern
were indeed The heart that felt not for so dire a need.

PRIEST. O Oedipus, who holdest in thy hand My city,

thou canst see what ages stand At these thine altars;
some whose little wing Scarce flieth yet, and some
with long living O'erburdened; priests, as I of Zeus am
priest, And chosen youths: and wailing hath not ceased
Of thousands in the market-place, and by Athena's two-
fold temples and the dry Ash of Ismênus' portent-
breathing shore. For all our ship, thou see'st, is weak
and sore Shaken with storms, and no more lighteneth
Her head above the waves whose trough is death. She
wasteth in the fruitless buds of earth, In parchèd herds
and travail without birth Of dying women: yea, and
midst of it A burning and a loathly god hath lit Sudden,
and sweeps our land, this Plague of power; Till
Cadmus' house grows empty, hour by hour, And Hell's
house rich with steam of tears and blood. O King, not
God indeed nor peer to God We deem thee, that we
kneel before thine hearth, Children and old men,
praying; but of earth A thing consummate by thy star
confessed Thou walkest and by converse with the blest;
Who came to Thebes so swift, and swept away The
Sphinx's song, the tribute of dismay, That all were
bowed beneath, and made us free. A stranger, thou,
naught knowing more than we, nor taught of any man,
but by God's breath Filled, thou didst raise our life. So
the world saith; So we say.
Therefore now, O Lord and Chief, We come to thee
again; we lay our grief On thy head, if thou find us not
some aid. Perchance thou hast heard Gods talking in
the shade Of night, or eke some man: to him that
 knows, Men say, each chance that falls, each wind that
blows Hath life, when he seeks counsel. Up, O chief Of
men, and lift thy city from its grief; Face thine own
peril! All our land doth hold Thee still our saviour, for
that help of old: Shall they that tell of thee hereafter tell
"By him was Thebes raised up, and after fell!" Nay, lift
us till we slip no more. Oh, let That bird of old that
made us fortunate Wing back; be thou our Oedipus
again. And let thy kingdom be a land of men, Not
emptiness. Walls, towers, and ships, they all Are
nothing with no men to keep the wall.

OEDIPUS. My poor, poor children! Surely long ago I

have read your trouble. Stricken, well I know, Ye all
are, stricken sore: yet verily Not one so stricken to the
heart as I. Your grief, it cometh to each man apart For
his own loss, none other's; but this heart For thee and
me and all of us doth weep. Wherefore it is not to one
sunk in sleep Ye come with waking. Many tears these
days For your sake I have wept, and many ways Have
wandered on the beating wings of thought. And,
finding but one hope, that I have sought And followed.
I have sent Menoikeus' son, Creon, my own wife's
brother, forth alone To Apollo's House in Delphi, there
to ask What word, what deed of mine, what bitter task,
May save my city. And the lapse of days Reckoned, I
can but marvel what delays His journey. 'Tis beyond all
thought that thus He comes not, beyond need. But
when he does, Then call me false and traitor, if I flee
Back from whatever task God sheweth me.
Unit Title Action As If
PRIEST. At point of time thou speakest. Mark the
cheer Yonder. Is that not Creon drawing near? [They
all crowd to gaze where CREON is approaching in the
distance.

OEDIPUS. O Lord Apollo, help! And be the star That

guides him joyous as his seemings are! PRIEST. Oh!
surely joyous! How else should he bear That fruited
laurel wreathed about his hair? OEDIPUS. We soon
shall know.—'Tis not too far for one Clear-
voiced. (Shouting) Ho, brother! Prince! Menoikeus'
son, What message from the God?

CREON (from a distance). Message of joy!

Enter CREON I tell thee, what is now our worst annoy,

If the right deed be done, shall turn to good. [The
crowd, which has been full of excited hope, falls to
doubt and disappointment.

OEDIPUS. Nay, but what is the message? For my

blood Runs neither hot nor cold for words like those.

CREON. Shall I speak now, with all these pressing

close, Or pass within?—To me both ways are fair.

OEDIPUS. Speak forth to all! The grief that these men

bear Is more than any fear for mine own death.

CREON. I speak then what I heard from God.—Thus

saith Phoebus, our Lord and Seer, in clear command.
An unclean thing there is, hid in our land, Eating the
soil thereof: this ye shall cast Out, and not foster till all
help be past.

OEDIPUS. How cast it out? What was the evil deed?

CREON. Hunt the men out from Thebes, or make

them bleed Who slew. For blood it is that stirs to-day.

OEDIPUS. Who was the man they killed? Doth

Phoebus say?

CREON. O King, there was of old King Laïus In

Thebes, ere thou didst come to pilot us.

OEDIPUS. I know: not that I ever saw his face.

CREON. 'Twas he. And Loxias now bids us trace And

smite the unknown workers of his fall.

OEDIPUS. Where in God's earth are they? Or how

withal Find the blurred trail of such an ancient stain?

CREON. In Thebes, he said.—That which men seek

amain They find. 'Tis things forgotten that go by.

OEDIPUS. And where did Laïus meet them? Did he

die In Thebes, or in the hills, or some far land?

CREON. To ask God's will in Delphi he had planned

His journey. Started and returned no more.

OEDIPUS. And came there nothing back? No

message, nor None of his company, that ye might hear?

CREON. They all were slain, save one man; blind with
fear He came, remembering naught—or almost naught.

OEDIPUS. And what was that? One thing has often

brought Others, could we but catch one little clue.

CREON. 'Twas not one man, 'twas robbers—that he

knew— Who barred the road and slew him: a great
band.

OEDIPUS. Robbers?... What robber, save the work

was planned By treason here, would dare a risk so
plain?
 CREON. So some men thought. But Laïus lay slain,
And none to avenge him in his evil day.
OEDIPUS. And what strange mischief, when your
master lay Thus fallen, held you back from search and
deed?

CREON. The dark-songed Sphinx was here. We had

no heed Of distant sorrows, having death so near.

OEDIPUS. It falls on me then. I will search and clear

This darkness.—Well hath Phoebus done, and thou
Too, to recall that dead king, even now, And with you
for the right I also stand, To obey the God and succour
this dear land. Nor is it as for one that touches me Far
off; 'tis for mine own sake I must see This sin cast out.
Whoe'er it was that slew Laïus, the same wild hand
may seek me too: And caring thus for Laïus, is but care
For mine own blood.—Up! Leave this altar-stair,
Children. Take from it every suppliant bough. Then
call the folk of Thebes. Say, 'tis my vow To uphold
them to the end. So God shall crown Our greatness, or
for ever cast us down.

[He goes in to the Palace.

Unit Title Action ‘As If’ PRIEST. My children, rise.—The King
most lovingly Hath promised all we
came for. And may He Who sent this
answer, Phoebus, come confessed
Helper to Thebes, and strong to stay
the pest. [The suppliants gather up
their boughs and stand at the side.
The chorus of Theban elders enter.

CHORUS. [They speak of the Oracle

which they have not yet heard, and
cry to APOLLO by his special cry "I-
ê." A Voice, a Voice, that is borne on
the Holy Way! What art thou, O
Heavenly One, O Word of the
Houses of Gold? Thebes is bright
with thee, and my heart it leapeth;
yet is it cold, And my spirit faints as I
pray. I-ê! I-ê! What task, O Affrighter
of Evil, what task shall thy people
essay? One new as our new-come
affliction, Or an old toil returned with
the years? Unveil thee, thou dread
benediction, Hope's daughter and
Fear's. [They pray to ATHENA,
ARTEMIS, and APOLLO. Zeus-Child
that knowest not death, to thee I
pray, O Pallas; next to thy Sister,
who calleth Thebes her own,

Artemis, named of Fair Voices, who

sitteth her orbèd throne In the
throng of the market way: And I-ê! I-
ê! Apollo, the Pure, the Far-smiter; O
Three that keep evil away, If of old
for our city's desire, When the
death-cloud hung close to her brow,
Ye have banished the wound and
the fire, Oh! come to us now! [They
tell of the Pestilence. Wounds
beyond telling; my people sick unto
death; And where is the counsellor,
where is the sword of thought? And
Holy Earth in her increase perisheth:
The child dies and the mother
awaketh not. I-ê! I-ê! We have seen
them, one on another, gone as a
bird is gone, Souls that are flame;
yea, higher, Swifter they pass than
fire, To the rocks of the dying Sun.
[They end by a prayer to ATHENA,
Their city wasteth unnumbered;
their children lie Where death hath
cast them, unpitied, unwept upon.
The altars stand, as in seas of storm
a high Rock standeth, and wives and
mothers grey thereon Weep, weep
and pray. Lo, joy-cries to fright the
Destroyer; a flash in the dark they
rise, Then die by the sobs overladen.
Send help, O heaven-born Maiden,
Let us look on the light of her eyes!
[To ZEUS, that he drive out the
Slayer, And Ares, the abhorred
Slayer, who bears no sword, But
shrieking, wrapped in fire, stands
over me, Make that he turn, yea, fly
Broken, wind-wasted, high Down the
vexed hollow of the Vaster Sea; Or
back to his own Thrace, To harbour
shelterless. Where Night hath
spared, he bringeth end by day.
 Him, Him, O thou whose hand
Beareth the lightning brand, O
Father Zeus, now with thy thunder,
slay and slay! [To APOLLO, ARTEMIS,
and DIONYSUS. Where is thy gold-
strung bow, O Wolf-god, where the
flow Of living shafts unconquered,
from all ills Our helpers? Where the
white Spears of thy Sister's light,
Far-flashing as she walks the wolf-
wild hills? And thou, O Golden-
crown, Theban and named our own,
O Wine-gleam, Voice of Joy, for ever
more Ringed with thy Maenads
white,
Bacchus, draw near and smite,
Smite with thy glad-eyed flame the
God whom Gods abhor.
Unit Title Action ‘As If’ [During the last lines OEDIPUS has
come out from the Palace.
OEDIPUS. Thou prayest: but my
words if thou wilt hear And bow thee
to their judgement, strength is near
For help, and a great lightening of ill.
Thereof I come to speak, a stranger
still To all this tale, a stranger to the
deed: (Else, save that I were
clueless, little need Had I to cast my
net so wide and far:) Howbeit, I,
being now as all ye are, A Theban,
to all Thebans high and low Do make
proclaim: if any here doth know By
what man's hand died Laïus, your
King, Labdacus' son, I charge him
that he bring To me his knowledge.
Let him feel no fear If on a
townsman's body he must clear Our
guilt: the man shall suffer no great
ill, But pass from Thebes, and live
where else he will. [No answer. Is it
some alien from an alien shore Ye
know to have done the deed, screen
him no more! Good guerdon waits
you now and a King's love Hereafter.
Hah! If still ye will not move But,
fearing for yourselves or some near
friend, Reject my charge, then
hearken to what end Ye drive me.—
If in this place men there be Who
know and speak not, lo, I make
decree That, while in Thebes I bear
the diadem, No man shall greet, no
man shall shelter them, Nor give
them water in their thirst, nor share
In sacrifice nor shrift nor dying
prayer, But thrust them from our
doors, the thing they hide Being this
land's curse. Thus hath the God
replied This day to me from Delphi,
and my sword I draw thus for the
dead and for God's word. And lastly
for the murderer, be it one Hiding
alone or more in unison, I speak on
him this curse: even as his soul Is
foul within him let his days be foul,
And life unfriended grind him till he
die. More: if he ever tread my hearth
and I Know it, be every curse upon
my head That I have spoke this day.
All I have said I charge ye strictly to
fulfil and make Perfect, for my sake,
for Apollo's sake, And this land's
sake, deserted of her fruit And cast
out from her gods. Nay, were all
mute At Delphi, still 'twere strange
to leave the thing
Unfollowed, when a true man and a
King Lay murdered. All should
search. But I, as now Our fortunes
fall—his crown is on my brow, His
wife lies in my arms, and common
fate, Had but his issue been more
fortunate, Might well have joined our
children—since this red Chance hath
so stamped its heel on Laïus' head, I
am his champion left, and, as I
would For mine own father, choose
for ill or good This quest, to find the
man who slew of yore Labdacus'
son, the son of Polydore, Son of
great Cadmus whom Agenor old
Begat, of Thebes first master. And,
behold, For them that aid me not, I
pray no root Nor seed in earth may
bear them corn nor fruit, No wife
bear children, but this present curse
Cleave to them close and other
woes yet worse. Enough: ye other
people of the land, Whose will is one
with mine, may Justice stand Your
helper, and all gods for evermore.

[The crowd disperses.

LEADER. O King, even while thy

curse yet hovers o'er My head, I
answer thee. I slew him not, Nor can
I shew the slayer. But, God wot, If
Phoebus sends this charge, let
Phoebus read Its meaning and
reveal who did the deed.

OEDIPUS. Aye, that were just, if of

his grace he would Reveal it. How
shall man compel his God?

LEADER. Second to that, methinks,

'twould help us most ...

OEDIPUS. Though it be third, speak!

Nothing should be lost.

LEADER. To our High Seer on earth

vision is given Most like to that High
Phoebus hath in heaven. Ask of
Tiresias: he could tell thee true.

OEDIPUS. That also have I thought

for. Aye, and two Heralds have sent
ere now. 'Twas Creon set Me on.—I
marvel that he comes not yet.

LEADER. Our other clues are weak,

old signs and far.

OEDIPUS. What signs? I needs must

question all that are.
LEADER. Some travellers slew him,
the tale used to be.

OEDIPUS. 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?