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Show 16 OEDIPUS. And dated thence your Woes: Thence will I trace V i. Pr. 'Tis juft thou fliould'ft. cn,» Oed. O, hear then thisdread Imprecation^r", 'Tis laid on all, not any one exempt: Bear witnefs, Heav'n; avenge it on the Perju^ If any Theban born , if any Stranger Reveal this Murder , or produce its Author • Ten Attique Talents be his juit Reward: Bur if for Fear , for Favour , or for Hire The Murder he conceal , the Curfe of Thebes Fall heavy on his Head ; Unite our Places Ye Gods , and place em there : From Fik ahj Water, C m Converfc, and all things c o m m o n , behebaniuYi But for the Murderers felf, unfound by Man Find him , ye Pow'rs Ccleftial and Infernal;* And the fame Fate , or worfe than Lajus met Let be his Lot : His Children be accursM; His Wife and Kindred , all of his be curs'd. Both Pr. Confirm it, Heav'n. Enter Jocafta ; ^Attended by Women. foe. At your Devotions ? Heav'n fuccced your" And bring th' Effea of thefe your pious Pray'rs O n you , and m e , and all - Pr. Avert this O m e n , Heav'n 1 Oed. O fatal Sound ! Unfortunate W f V What haft thou faid ? An ill Hour haft thouchofen For thefe fore-boding words: W h y , w e were cunW. Joe. Then may that Curfe fall only where you laid it. ; Oed. Speak no more : For all thou fay'ft is ominous: W e are curdm*; And that dire Imprecation haft thou faften'd*' On Thebes , and thee , and m e , and all of us. %oc. Are then m y Bleflings turn'd into a Curfe! 0 OEDIPUS. %y O unkind Oedipus I M y former Lord Thought m c his Blcffing : Be thou like m y Lajus. Oed. What H yet again 1 The third time haft thou curs'd m c ; This Imprecation was for Lajus's Death ; And thou haft wifh'd m e like him. Joe. Hotror feizes m c 1 Oud. W h y doit thou gazchpon m c ? Prithee, Love, Take oft thy Eye; it burdens m e too much. Joe. T he more I look, the morel find ofLj/V. His Speech , his Garb , his Action ; nay, his Frown ; For I have feen it; but ne'er bent on mc. Oed. Are w e fo like ? Joe. In all things but his Love. Ocd. I love thee more : So well I love, words cannot fpeak h o w well ; N o pious Son e'er lov'd his Mother more , Than I m y dear Jocafia. Joe. I love you too The fclf-fame way : And when you chid, mcthought A Mother's Love ftart up in your Defence, And bad m c not be angry : Be not you : For I love Lajus ftill as Wives fhould love,- But you more tenderly, as part of m e : And when I have you in m y Arms, methinks I lull m y Child afleep. Oed. Then we are blcfs'd : And all thefe Curfcs fweep along the Skies, Like empty Clouds , but drop not on our Heads. Joe. I nave not joy'd an Hour fince you departed , For publick Miferies , and for private Fears : Bur this blcfs'd Meeting has o'er-paid *em all. Good Fortune that comes feldom , comes more welcome. All |