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Show y8 OEDIPUS: Or to the raging Seas , they'll hear as foon, And fooner will believe. Tir. Then hear m e Heav'n, For blufhingthou haft teen it: hear m e Earth, Whofe hollow W o m b could not contain this Murder But fent it back to light: and thou Hell, hear me "Whofe o w n black Seal has'firm'd this horrid truth•' C tdipus murther'd Lajus. ' Oeci. Rot the Tongue , And blaftcd be the Mouth that fpoke that Lve Thou blind of Sight, but thou more blind of Soul Tir. T h y Parents thought not fo. Oed. W h o were m y Parents ? Tir. Thou fhalt k n o w too foon. Oed. W h y feek I truth from thee ? The Smiles of Courtiers , and the Harlots Tears The Tradefmens Oaths, and mourning of an Heir Arc Trurhs ro what Priefts tell. O why has Prieithood priviledge to lye, And yet to be believ'd! - thy Age protects thee. - Tir. Thou canfl not kill me,- 'tis not in thy Fate As 'twas to kill thy Father,- wed thy Mother-, And beget Sons, thy Brothers. Oed, Riddles, Riddles! Ttr. Thou art thy felf a Riddle; a pcrplcrt Obfcure Enigma, which when thou unty'fl, Thou fhalt be found and loft. Oed, ImpofTiblc! tAdrajius , fpeak and as thou art a King, Whofe Royal word is facrcd, clear m y Fame. *Adr, Wou'd I cou'd ! Oed. H a , wilt thou not? can that Plebeian Vice O f Lying mount to Kings! can they be tainted .' Then truth is loft on Earth. Creon. The Cheat's too grofs: t^drafus is his Oracle, and he, The OEDIPUS. 79 •The pious Jugler , but ^Adraftus Organ. Oed. 'Tis plain the PrielVs fuborn'd to free the Pris'ner. Creon. And turn the guilt on you. Oed. O,honeft Creon, h o w haft thoubecn bcly'd * Eur. Hear m e. Creon. She's brib'd to fave her Lover's Life. iAdr. If Oedipus thou think'ft - Creon. Hear him not fpeak. <Adr. Then hear thefe holy Men. Crcon. Priefts, Priefts! all brib'd, all Priefts. Oed. .Adraftus I have found thee. The malice of a vanciuifh'd M a n has feiz'd thec. cAdr. If Envy and not Truth Oed. I'll hear no more: away with him. [Harmon takes him off by force; Crcon and Eurydice follow. To Tir. W h y ftand'ft thou here , Impoftorl So old, and yet fo wicked. lye for gain! And gain fo fliort as Age can promife thee i Tir. So fliort a time as I have yet to live Exceeds thv pointed hour : remember Lajus: N o more/ If e'er w e meet again, 'twill be In mutual darknefs j W e mall feel before us T o reach each others hand,- Remember Lajus [£x.Tirefias: Priefts follow. Oedipus Solus. Remember Lajus! that's the burthen ftill: Murthcr and Inceit ! but to hear cm nam d M y Soul itarts in m e : the good Sentinel Stands to her weapons; takes the firft alarm T o guard m e from fuch Crimes - Did I killLajus J Then I walk'd fleeping in fome frightful Dream, M v Soul then ftole m y body our by Night j And brought m e back to Bed e're Morning wake. It cannot be ev'n this rcmoteft way, But |