 | Oedipus |  |
SCENE III.
OEDIPUS, ICARUS, PHORBAS.OEDIPUS.
Phorbas, come hither.
ICARUS.
Wonderful event!
The more I gaze, the more—Hah! It is he,
'Tis he himself.
PHORBAS
to Icarus.
Forgive me, if unknown
Thy features.—
ICARUS.
Hast thou no remembrance then
Of mount Cithæron?
PHORBAS.
What of that?
ICARUS.
The child
Thou gavest me there.—The infant whom to death—
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What say'st thou?—Hah! and what remembrance prompting,
Comest thou t'undo me?
ICARUS.
Reassume thy courage!
Fear nothing; banish every vain alarm.
This place affords no subject but for joy.
That child was OEdipus.
PHORBAS.
Heaven strike thee dead
With its pernicious light'nings! Wretch accurst!
What hast thou said?
ICARUS.
Doubt not, my Lord; whate'er
This Theban utters, he deliver'd thee
Into my arms; thy fate is now disclosed;
There stands thy father.
OEDIPUS.
Oh, fortune, which my labouring sense confounds!
Oh, aggregated misery!—If sprung
[To Phorbas.
From thee, Heaven surely ne'er would have permitted
That I should spill thy blood.
PHORBAS.
Thou'rt not my son.
OEDIPUS.
Hah! not thy son!—Ye gods!—And didst not thou
Expose me when an infant?
PHORBAS.
Oh, my Lord!
Quick let me fly thy presence; spare thyself
This horrid converse.
OEDIPUS.
Phorbas, in the name
Of all the powers above, reveal the whole,
Hide not a tittle from me.
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Oh! away!
Far from thy children haste! far from the queen!
OEDIPUS.
Nay, to the point—Resistance is in vain.
The infant, which by thee was doomed to death,
[Pointing to Icarus.
Didst thou not to his arms deliver him?
PHORBAS.
I did, I did; and would, alas! that hour
Had been my last of life!
OEDIPUS.
Where was he born?
PHORBAS.
Thebes was his native place.
OEDIPUS.
And wert not thou
His father?
PHORBAS.
Oh, my bleeding heart! Alas!
He from a lineage more illustrious sprang,
And more unfortunate.
OEDIPUS.
Now answer me;
At once declare, who was he?
PHORBAS
, throwing himself at the feet of Œdipus.
Oh, my lord,
What would'st thou do?
OEDIPUS.
Answer my question fully;
Speak, for I will be satisfied.
PHORBAS.
His mother—
His mother was Jocasta.
ICARUS.
Heavenly powers!
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And is my generous kindess thus repaid!
OEDIPUS.
I saw this ruin o'er my head impend,
And fear'd its destin'd fall.
ICARUS.
My lord—
OEDIPUS.
Away,
Inhuman as ye are, and shun my sight!
Tremble, lest ye the recompence receive
For benefits so dreadful! Fly with speed
From the tumultuous horrors, kept in store
By you alone, to urge my soul to frenzy!
Fly, e'er the weight of my vindictive arm
Ye too severely feel, for having saved me.
| Oedipus | |