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Show 73 OEDIPUS. A Story, that fhall turn thee into Stone : Could there be hewn a monitrous Gap in Nature, A flaw made through the Center, by fome God, Through which the Groans of Ghofts might itrike thy Eats , They would not wound thee , as this Story will. Hark, hark ! A hollow Voice calls out aloud, Jocafta : yes , I'll to the Royal Bed , Where firft the Myitetics of our Loves were afted, And double dye it with Imperial Crimfon : Tear off this curling Hair , Be gorg'd with Fire, flab every vital part ; And when at laft I'm flain , to crown the Horror, M y poor tormented Ghoft fhall cleave the Ground, T o try if Hell can yet more deeply wound. Oed. She's gone i and as ihe went , me-thought her Eyes Grew larger, while a thoufand Frantick Spirits Seething, like rifing Bubbles, on the brim, Peep'd from the watry brink, and glow'd upon mc. I'll fcek no more; but hufh m y Genius up That throws m c on m y Fate. - Impofliblc ! O wretched M a n , whole too too bufie thoughts Ride fwiftcr than the galloping Heav'ns round, With an eternal hurry of the Soul: Nay , there's a time when ev'n the rowling Year Seems to ftand ftill; dead Calms are in the Ocean, W h e n not a breath difturbs the drowzy Waves: But M a n , the very Monftcr of the World, I* ne'er at reft, the Soul for ever wakes. C o m e then, fince Defliny thus duves us on, Let's know the bottom. Hxmon, you I fent: Where is that Phorbas ? Hxm. Here , m y Royal Lord. Oed. Speak firft, JEgeon ,fay, is this the Man? tjEfe. M y Lord n is: tho' time has plough'd that Face , With OEDIPUS. With many furrows fince I faw it firft; 79 Yet I'm too well acquainted with the gtound, Quite to forget it. Otd. Peace ; ftaqd back a while. Come hither, Friend , I hear thy N a m e is Phorbas. W h y doft thou turn rhy Face ? I charge thec anfwer T o what I fhall enquire: Wert thou not once The Servant of King Lajus here in Thebes * Phorb. I was, great Sir, his true and faithful Servant, Born and bred up in Court, no Foreign Slave. Oed- What Office hadft thou ? what was rhy Employment ? Phor. H e made m e Lord of all his Rural Pleafures; For much he lov'd 'em, oft was catertain'd With fportmg Swains, o'er w h o m I had command. Oed. Where was thy Refidence ? to what part o'th' Country Did'ft thou moft frequently refort ? Fhor. T o Mount Cithxron and the pleafant Vallies, Which alt about lie fhadowing its large feet. Oed. Come forth<JL$eon. H a ! why itarts diou, Phorbas? Forward , I fay, and Face to Face confront him, Look wifely on him, through him if thou canfl, And tell me', on thy Life , fay , doft thou know him? Did'ft thou e'er fee him? E'er converfe with him , Near Mount Cithxron} Phor. W h o , m y Lord, this Man? Oed. This M a n , this old , this venerable M a n : Speak, didft thou ever meet him there ? Phor. Where, Sacred Sir? Oed Near Mount Cithxron; anfwer to the purpofe: 'Tis a King fpeaks •, and Royal minutes are Of much more worth than thoufand Vulgar Years. Did'ft thou e'er fee this near Mount Cttharon ? Phor, |