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Show 68 O E D IP US. The dams that would oppofe their furious paflaoe. [Ex. Crcon with Guards. Enter Adraftus, his Sword drawn. tAdr. Your City Is all in Arms , all bent to your deftruction. I heard but n o w , where I was clofe confin'd, A thundring ihout, which made m y Jaylorsvanilh Cry , Fire the Palace-, where's the cruel King? Yet, by th' Infernal Gods, thofe awful Pow rs That have accus'd you, which thefe Ears have heard And thefe Eyes feen, I muft believe you guiltlcfs* For, fince I knew the Royal Oedipus, I have obferv'd in all his Acts fuch truth And God-like elearnefs , that to the laft eufh O f Blood and Spirits, I'll defend his Life, And here have fworn to perifh by his fide. Oed. Be witnefs, Gods, h o w near this touches mc! [ Embiacm him. O what recompcncc can Glory make ? tAdr. Defend your innocence, fpeak like your felf, And awe the Rebels with your dauntlefs virtue. But hatk / T h e Storm comes nearer. Oed. Let it come. T h e force of Majcfty is never known But in a general Wrack : Then , then is feen T h e difference twixt a Threfhold and a Throne. Enter Crcon , Pyracmon , Alcandcr , Tircfias , Thebans. tAlc. Where's , where's this cruel King? Thebans , behold There flands your Plague, the ruine, defolation O f this unhappy - f p e a k ; fhall I kill him? Or fhall he be cait out to Banifhmcnt ? 1 OED I P U S. 69 tAO. Theb. T o Banifhmcnt, away with him. Oed. Hence , you Barbarians, to your flavith diftance ,* Fix to the Earth your fordid looks-, for he W h o itirs , dares more than Mad-men , Fiends , or Furies : W h o dares to face m e , by the Gods, as well May brave the Majefly of thund'ring love. Did I for rhis relieve you when beiieg'd By this fierce Prince ? when coop'd within your Walls , And to the very brink of Fate redue'd ; W h e n lean-jaw'd famine made morehavock of you, Than docs the Plague? But I rejoice I know you, K n o w rhc bafe fluff that temper'd your vile Souls. The Gods be prais'd, I need not your Empire, Born to a greater, nobler of m y own : Nor fhall the Scepter of the Earrh now win mc T o rule fuch Brutes, fo .barbarous a People. <Adr. Methinks , m y Lord , I fee a fad Repentance , A general Confternation fpread among 'cm. Oed. M y Reign is at an end, yet e're Ifinifh- I'll do a Juftice that becomes a Monarch , A Monarch who i'th' midft of Swords and Javelins , Dares act as on his Throne, encompaft round With Nations for his Guard. ^Alcander, you Arc nobly born, therefore fhall lofe your Head : [Seizes htm. Here, Htmon, take him ; but for this, and this, Let Cords difparch 'cm. Hence, away with 'era. Tir. O Sacred Prince , pardon diffracted Thebes Pardon her, if the acts by Heav'ns award. If that th* Infernal Spirits have declar'd The depth of Fate, and if our Oracles May fpeak, O do not too feverely deal, But \i w • |