OCR Text |
Show Ill 'in T > f •24 OEDIPUS. Oed. O h ! , were our Gods as ready ^ their Pity , As I with mine, this Prefence lliould be thronoM With all I left alive ; and m y fad Eyes Not fearch in vain for Friends, whofe promis'dfiprt' Flatter'd m y Toils of W a r . 6' I. Pr. Twice our Deliverer ! Oed. Nor are n o w your Vows Adrefs'd to one w h o flcjfps : W h e n this unwelcome N e w s firft reach'd my Ears Dymas was fent to Delphos, to enquire The Caufe and Cure of rhis contagious 111 • And is this Day rcturn'd : Bur fince his Mcffa°e Concerns the Publick , I refus'd to hear it, a But in this general Prefence : Let him fpeak. Dymas. A dreadful Anfwer from the ha]. low'd Urn , And facrcd Tripous did the Prieftcfs give, In thefe myfterious words, The Oracle. Shed in a curfed Hour, by cur fed Htnl Blood-t\oyal unreveng'd , hds curs'd the Land. When Lajus'i Death is expiated well, Your Plague fhaU ceafe : the reji let Lajus tell. Oed. Dreadful indeed 1 Blood , and a King's Blood too t And fuch a King 1 and by his Subjects fid | (Elfe, w h y this Curfe on Thebes ?) N o wonder then If Monftcrs , Wars , and Plagues revenge fuch Crimes. If Heav'n be juft , its whole Artillery , All muft be empry'd on us : Not one Bolt Shall err from Thebes ,- but more be call'd for , more 1 New-molded Thunder , of a larger Size , Driv'n by whole \o\e. What 1 Touch anoin« ted Pow'r 1 Then Gods beware ; fove would himfelf be next. Cou'd 1 OEDIPUS. 2,* Cou'd you but reach him too. 2. Pr. W e mourn the fad Remembrance. Oed. Well ypu may. Worfe than a Plague infecls you : Y' are devoted To Mother Earth , and to th'Infernal Pow'rs: Hell has a Right in you. I thank you Gods, That Vmnotheban born . H o w m y Blood curdled As if this Curfe touch'd m e 1 and touch'd m e nearer Thau all this Prefence 1 Yes, 'tis a King's Blood; And I, a King, a m ry'd in deeper Bonds T o expiate this Blood : but where , from w h o m , Or how muft I atone it ? Tell m e , Thebans , H o w Lajus fell; for a confus'd Report Pafs'd through m y Ears,when firft I took the Crown; But, full of hurry, like a Morning-Dream, It vanifh'd in the bufinefs of the Day. ( fol low'd ; 1. Pr. H e went in private forth , bur rhmly And ne'er return'd ro Thebes.' (tendant? Oed. Nor any from him ? Came there no At- Nonc to bring News ? i. Pr. Bur one ; and he fo wounded , He fcarce drew Breath to fpeak fome few faint words. Oed. What were theY? Something maybelcarn'd from thence. W^*' 1. Pr. H e faid, a Band of Robbers watch'd their W h o took advantage of a narrow W a y , T o murder La)us and the reft; himfclt Left too for dead. Oed. Made you no more enquiry, But took this bare Relation ? i. Pr. 'Twas neglected: For then the Monfler Sphynx began to ra?c; And prefent Cares foon buried the remote: So was it hulh'd , and never fince rcviv'd. Oed. Mark, Thebans, markl Juft then the Sphynx began to rage among you; The Gods took hold ev'n of th'offending Minute» B 5 An4 \ r \ |