A NEW TRANSLATION BY WAYNE S. TURNEY

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED,

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For background information on the myth of Oedipus and the Founding of Thebes, Click here.

PROLOGOS

Oedipus: My children: you of Kadmos' ancient clan--
What draws you here to huddle before my altar fire
Bearing suppliant branches wreathed in wool?
The very air of Thebes is thick with the smoke
Of frankincense and prayers and hymns to God
And frightful lamentation. What can it be?
I thought it wrong, my children, to hear your pleas
From the mouths of others. So I have come myself
To hear what you would have that I may do.
I, Oedipus, known to every man throughout
The world. Old sir: your venerable age
Appoints you spokesman. What is in your hearts?
Why are you so affrighted and so sad?
Be sure that I will gladly give you all
My help. My heart would be hard indeed if I
Could not pity entreaties such as these.

Priest: O mighty Oedipus, ruler of our land,
You see cowering before your altars men
Of every age: some too young to try
Their wings; others bowed down with weight of years;
Some priests, like me, of Zeus; and these:
The best of our youth. All the rest of Thebes
Kneels in the market-place; before Athene's
Temples, and Apollo's river shrine
Where fires of divination dance and priests
Can see the future in the sacred flames.
Your own eyes can see our city is tossed
As if upon a murd’ring sea. She can
Not lift her head above the angry waves.
Ai! A deadly blight devours the buds
And fruitful blossoms of our fields; the herds
Are barren; and our wives miscarry or die
In childbirth. Last and worst, the fiery god
Of feverish plague swoops down upon us all
And empties the city of Kadmos, enriching the realm
Of Hades with our groans and tears. Ai!
Great king, we know you are no god but we
Have come, your children and I, to your palace door
Knowing that you of all men are the best
At solving life’s riddles and seeing the ways of the gods.
For it was you who saved us from the Sphinx
And the bloody tribute we’d paid her so long.
You did this with no help from us, for we
Could teach you nothing. We believe the gods
Were with you on that day and touched you just
As we believe the gods are with you still.
Therefore, mighty one, we beg of you:
Rescue us! Deliver us again!
But rule a city filled with living men
Not an empty wasteland. All the ships
And all the towered cities in the world
Are as nothing without living men.

Oedipus: O,
My children, how I pity you! I know
Already what you seek from me and all
You suffer. But for all your suffering I
Suffer more. For your pain strikes each one
Of you alone; each bears but a single pain.
My heart groans for myself, for all of you,
And for the whole city. You do not find me
Sleeping; you haven’t wakened me. I weep
For you and nightly walk through labyrinths
Of care. And the only remedy I could see
Thus pacing up and down, I’ve tried: I have sent
My own wife’s brother—Menoikeus’ son—I have sent
Kreon to Delphi, to Apollo’s sacred oracle
To learn if he can what act or oath of mine
Might save the city. But something troubles me:
I count the days in torment since he’s gone;
I find it strange that he has not returned!
And yet – when he comes back I should do ill
To fail to do whatever the god commands.

Priest: O timely oath! For see where even now
Kreon approaches!

Oedipus: Apollo be praised! May his news
Be as fair as the shining in his eyes!

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