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Show y$ O E D I P V S. The Gods forefaw it, and forbad his Being ; Before he yet was born. I broke their Laws, And cloath'd with Flelh his pre-exifling Soul. Some kinder Pow'r , too weak for Delliny, Took pity, and indu'd his new form'd Mafs With Temperance, Juftice, Prudence, Fortitude And every Kingly vertue •, but in vain : For Fate, that lent him hood-wink'd to the World Performed its W o r k by his miflaking hands. ' Asks thou w h o muder'd me? 'twas Oedipm, W h o itains m y Bed with Inceit 1 Ofdipw: For w h o m then are you curft, but Oedipus i H e comes, the Parricide, I cannot beat him: M y Wounds ake at him: O h his Murd'rous Breath Venoms m y aiery Subftance 1 hence with him Eanifh him; fweep him out -, the Plague he bears "Will blaft your Fields, and mark his way with nuV From Thebes, m y Throne,my Bed, let himbedriven' D o you forbid him Earth , and I'll forbid him Heaven. [Ghoji de/^ Enter Oedipus, Crcon, Harmon , Cc. (blalt Oed. What's this / Methought fome peitilentii! Strook m e juft entring -, and fome unfecn hand Struggled to pufli m c backward ; tell me why M y Hair Hands briltling up ? why m y Fleih trembles! You flare at m c ! then Hell has been among yc, And fome lag Fiend yet lingers in the Grove. Tir. W h a t O m e n faw'ft thou entring ? Oed. A young Stork, That bore his aged Parent on his back,- Till weary with the weight, he fhook him off, ^nd peck'd out both his Eyes. cAdr. O h , Oedipus ! Eur. O h , wretched Oedipus! Tir. O , fatal King. OEDIPUS. f7 Oed.What mean thefe Exclamations of my N a m e * I thank the Gods, no fecret thoughts reproach me N o •, I dare challenge Heaven to turn m e outward' And fliake m y ,Soul quite empty in your fight. Then wonder not that I can bear unmov'd Thefe fix'd regards, and filent threats of Eyes: A generous ficrcenefs dwells with innocence , And confeious Verruc is allow'd fome pride. Tir. Thou know'ft not what thou fay'fl. Oed. What mutters he I tell m e , Eurydice: Thou fhak'ft -, thy Soul's a W o m a n . Speak, ^Adraftus , And boldly , as thou met'ft m y Arms in fighr. Dar'ft thou not fpeak ? why then 'tis bad indeed. Tirefias, thee I fummon by thy Prieft-hood , Tell m e what news from Hell -, where Lajus points, And who's the guilty head ? Tir. Let m e not anfwer. Oed. Be dumb then , and betray thy native Soil T o farther Plagues. Tir. I dare not name himto thee. Oed. Dar'ft thou coriverfe with Hell, andcanit thou fear An humane Name? (kn?w" Tir. Urge m e no more ro tell a thing , which Wou'd make thee more unhappy : 'twill be found Tho' I a m filent. Oed. Old and Obftinatc 1 Then thou thy left Art Author or Accomplice of this Murther, And fliun'ft the Juftice, which by publick ban Thou haft incurr'd. Tir. O , if the guilt were mine It were not half fo great: know , wretched Man, Thou only, thou art guilty •, thy o w n Curfe Falls heavy on thy felf. Oed. Speak this again: But fpeak it to the Winds when tlacy arc loudeit: 1 D $ Or |