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Show w ^mmm mamt 60 OEDIPUS. But fome dark hint would juftle forward now j And goad m y Memory. - O h m y Jocajiai Enter Jocafta. •foe. Why are you thus difturb'd ? Oed. W h y would'fl thou think it ? N o lefs than Murder ? Joe. Murder! what of Murder? Oed. Is Murder then no more -, add Patricide And Inceit,- bear not thefe a frightful found > Joe. Alas! Oed. H o w poor a pity is , alas, For two fuch Crimes / - waslajw; us'd to lye? Joe. O n o : the moft fincere, plain, honeft Man One w h o abhorr'd a lye. Ocd. Then he has got that Quality in Hell. H e charges m e - b u t why accufe I him? I did not hear him fpeak it: they accufe me j The Prieft, zAdraftus. and Eurydice, O f murdering Lajus - Tell m e , while I think on't, Has old Tireftas practis'd long this Trade? lot. What Trade? Oed. W h y rhis foretelling Trade. loc. For many Years. Oed. Has he before this day accus'd me ? Ioc. Nc.er. (Murder? Of d. Have you e're this incjuir'd, who did this Ioc. Often ; but ftill in vain. Oed. I'm fatisfy'd. Then 'tis an infant lye, but one day old. The Oiacle takes place before the Prieft j The blood of Lajus was to murdet Lajus: I'm nor of Lajus's blood. Ioc. Ev'n Oracles Are always doubtful, and are often forg'd: Lajus had one, which never was fulfill'd, 1 Nor OEDIPUS. 61 Nor ever can be now. Oed. And what foretold it ? Joe. That he A\pu'd have a Son by mc,forc-doom'd The Murderer of his Father : true indeed , A Son was born •, but to prevent that Crime , The wretched Infant of a guilty Fate, Bor'd through his untry'd Feet , and bound with Cords , On a bleak Mountain, naked was expos'd. The King himfelf liv'd many , many Years, And found a different fatcj by Robbers murdcr'd, Where three ways meet: yet thefe arc Oracles5 And this the Faith wc owe 'em. Oed. Say'ft thou, W o m a n? By Heav'n thou haft awaken'd fomewhat in m c , That fhakes m y very Soul! Joe. What, new difturbance! Oed. Mcthought thou faid'ft, (or do I dream thou faid'ft it!) This Murder was on Lajus's Perfon done, Where rhrcc ways meet! Joe. So common fame reports. Oed. Wou'd it had ly'd. Joe. W h y , good m y Lord? Oed. N o qucftions: 'Tis bufie time with m e j difpatch mine firft 5 Say where, where was it done r Joe. Mean you the Murder ? Oed. Cou'd'ft thou not anfwer without naming Murder? (parts in Joe. They fay in Phocide { on the Verge that From Daul'ia and from Delphos. Oed. So \ - H o w long 1 when happen'd this I Joe. Some little time before you came to Thebes, Oed. W h a t will the Gods do withmc! Joe. What means that thought ? Oed, Something; but 'tis not yet your turn to ask: How |