University of Virginia Library

THE SECOND SCENE.

OEDIPVS. TYRESIAS. MANTO.
[Oed.]
Come holy priest (to Phœbus next) these doubtfull aunswers lose:
And whom that destnies will to dye, Straightwayes to me disclose.

TY.
Renowned Prince, though still I stand in silence dūme dismayde:
And though by inwarde feare of mynde my lingring tonge is stayde:
Yet pardon me (O noble Prince,) and geue me leaue a while.
From lack of sight springs Ignoraunce which powre hath to exile
Unspotted Truth frō doubtfull breasts. This thing ful well you knoe,
But whither God and Countrey calles, with willing minde I goe.
Let deadly fatall destenies, be boulted out at length.
O King if I of greener yeares had now my wonted strength:
This matter soone discust should be, and I would take in hande,
My selfe in presence of the Gods, in temple for to stande.
A mighty Oxe all coulourd white, vp on the Aulters reare,
Which neuer yet on weried necke, the croked yoake did beare.
And Manto thou, O daughter mine, mine onely prop and stay:
The secret hidden misteries, and sacred signes out say.

MA.
The beast before the Aulter stands.

TY.
To Gods a prayer make,
And on the holy Aulters eke, some pleasaunt odors shake.

MA.
Tis done. And all the fiers fierce, with incence bright doe flame.

TY.
O Manto now what signes seest thou? how doe thy matters frame?
What? doth the fire, the Sacrifice encompas rounde about?

MA.
Not so. But first it mounts aloft, and streight it flasheth out.

TY.
Well Yet, how doth the sacred flame all shining bright and cleare
It selfe on high vnto the Skies, with sparkeling flakes vpreare?
Or doeh it oft rebounding backe, it selfe, from Skyes vnfould?
Or all with rumbling roring noyse, about the place ist rould?
Or dim'd with smoke, ist tost from place, to place, now heere, now theare?

MA.
Not one. But diuerse, colours mixt the flame doth with it beare.
Much like vnto the Rainbow, which with sundry paynted hues
Foreshewes vnto the husbandmen the weather that ensues.
What colour it wants, or what it hath, to me is like vncertayne,
Now is it black, now blue, now red, and euen now agayne
Quight out it is. Yet once agayn, all fierce it flashing flames:
But lo, yet mischiefs more then this, vnluckely it frames.
The fier quight a sunder parts, and flame with flame doth fight.
O father I abhorre to see, this vgly lothsome sight.
The Wyne to blud is turned quight, and all the Prynces hed,
With thicke black clouds encōpast is, with smoke all ouerspred.
O father tell what this portends?

TY.
What should I tell alas?
My mynde for feare astonied stands, and trembling cold doth pas
Through all my lims. What shall I say? or where shall I begin?
O cruell Plagues, O wrekfull Gods, O vengeaūce due for sin.
Some dyre and blouddy deed (Alas) these hydeous signes declare.
Whats that the Gods would haue reuealde, and yet doe bid beware
To vtter it? By certaine signes their wrath is oft descride:
Such signes appeere, and yet they seeme their fury great to hide.
They are ashamde: I wot nere what. Come hither, quickly bring
Some salt with thee, and it vpon the sacrifice goe fling.
What? are their lookes pleasant and milde, and doe they gently bide
The touching of thy sacred hands?

MA.
What may this thing betide?
The Bull (a wonder great to see) his head on hie he lifts
And turned still vnto the East, from thence it alway shifts,
Still lothing as hee seemes to me, of heauen to see the light,
Oft scouling with his blearing eyes with gastely ruthfull sight.

TY.
But doth one blow thē driue to groūd, or more thē one they haue?

MA.
The Heifer as it seemde, enflamd with courage stoute and braue
Upon the mortall Blade did rush, and there hirselfe destries:
When out the bloud it foming spoutes, and mounts vnto the Skies.
The brawny Bull twise stroke or thrise, with groueling groning tyres,
And toyling vp and down he moyles. And still to liue desires.
And yet at length with much ado, his brutish breath expiers.

TY.
What? doth the wounde wide open gape, or is it closed vp?
Or doth the deepnes of the hole, the bloud in soking sup?

MA.
Out of the wounded Heifers breast Black bluish waters rush.
As for the Bull, but litle bloud, out of his wounds doth gush.
It back rebounds, and from his Mouth & Eyes by streames doth flow.
But what these dreadfull signes portend the Gods aloane doe know.

TY.
By this vnhappy Sacrifice, great feares within mee rise.
But tell mee now: In the inner parts, what secret hidden lies?

MA.
O Father what meanes this (alas) that more then wonted guise
The Inwards stir? and shake my hands, and heauing oft arise,
The bloud by streames out of the vaynes, full straungly skips aloft.
The heart all schorcht and hidden lies, and strykes are seene full oft,
Of Colour very wan and pale: The chiefest parts doe want.
The Lyuer blackish gall out spurts, and somwhat rysing pants.
And that, that myschiefes great, to kingdoms doth foreshow:
Two heads are seene, and yet both heads one skin doth ouergrow
And ouerheales them quight, But yet the skin, it is so thin
That easely one may discerne what lieth hid therein.
And that which horror doth encrease, a man may plainly see
How both the heart, the Lights, and Lungs, and all disturbed bee.
The fearefull noyse and sound you heere is not of beasts, but fier
That roaring on the Alters makes, presaging wrekefull yre
Of angry Gods who doe foretell some purpose that they haue,
For to reuenge some foule misdeede that vengeance iust doth craue.
No part his proper place obserues, nor keepes his order due:
But altogether quight disguisde, with an vnwonted hue.
Mishapen, out of frame, transformde, displaced quight (alas)
What thing is that the Gods entend ere long to bring to pas?

OEd.
Why than declare from whēce, and why these deadly signes arise,
With courage stout I will it heare, it shall not once aggrise
My valiaunt mynd. Extremest ils haue power to banish feare.

TY.
You will wishe that vnhard which you so much desyre to heare.

OEd.
Yet sence the Gods wil haue him known tell me (I say) his name
That siue your King.

TY.
Nor wing, nor womb of Bird or beast ye same
Can tell (O king) new sacrifice, new meanes we must inuent.
From dredfull darke infernall damps some Fury must be sent
These mischiefes great for to vnfolde. Or els King Ditis hee,
That Empyre keepes on griesly Ghosts, entreated needes must bee
These things forthwith for to disclose. Tell who shall haue the charge,
A King thou art, than maist not thou go through those kingdoms large.

OEd.
Than noble Creon thou shalt goe, this payne is fitst for thee:
Who must this crown and kingdome great enioy after mee.