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Show 82, OEDIPUS. Oed. O you Gods 1 But did the give it thee 2 Phor. M y Lord , flic did. Oed. Wherefore, for what? - O break not yet m y Heart, Tho' m y Eyes burft, no matter: wilt thou tell mc, Or muft I ask for ever ? for what end ? W h y gave flic thec her Child ? P/ioi, T o murder it. (Bowels' Oed. O more than lavage! murder her own Without a caufe.' Phor. There was a dreadful one, Which had foretold that moft unhappy Son Should kill his Father, and enjoy his Mother. Oed. But, one thing more. Jocafta told m c thou wcrt by the Chariot W h e n the old King was flain. Speak I conjure thec, For I fliall never ask thee ought again, What was the number of th'^Aflaffinates? Phor. The dreadful deed was acted but by onCi And fure that one had much of your rcfcmblancc. ' Oed. 'Tis well ! I rhank you Gods! 'tis won-drous well! Daggers and Poyfon ! O there is no need For m y difpatch ,- and you, you mercilefs Pow'rs, Hoard up your Thunder-ftoncs; keep, keep your Bolts ; For Crimes of little note. [Fab, cAdr. Help, Hxmon, help , and bow him gently forward ; Chafe, chafe his Temples: h o w the mighty Spirits, Half ftrangl'd with the damp his Sorrows rais'd, Struggle for vent: but fee, he breaths again, And vigorous Nature breaks through all oppofuion. H o w fares m y Royal Friend ? Oed. The worfc for you. O barbarous M e n ! and oh the hated Lighted 1 W h y did you force m c back to curfe the Dty, To "X OEDIPUS. 8$ To curfe m y Friends j to blaft with this dark Breath The yet untainted Earth, and circling Air ? To raifc new Plagues, and call new Vengeance down , ^ m e ? W h y did you rempt the Gods, and dare to touch Methinks there's not a Hand that grafps this Hell But fhould run up , like Flax, all blazing Fire. Stand from this Spot, 1 wifh you as m y Friends, And come not near m c , left the gaping Earth Swallow you t o o - - Lo , I a m gone already. Draws, and claps his Sword to his Breaft, which Adraftus ftrikes away with his Foot. tA'dr.Xoxi fhall no more be truftcd with your Life: Creon, ^Alcander, Hxmon , help to hold him. Oed. Cruel ^Adraftus1. wilt thou, Hxmon too? Are thefe the obligations of m y Friends, O worfc rhan worft of m y moft barbarous Foes/ Dear, dear ^Adraftus, look with half an Eye O n m y unheard of W o e s , and judge thy felf, If it be fit that fuch a Wretch ihould live! O , by thefe melting Eyes, unus'd to weep, With all the low fubmiflions of a Slave , I do conjure thec give m y Horrors w a y; Talk not of Life/for that will make m e rave. As well thou may'ft advife a tortur'd wretch, All mangled o'er, from Head ro Foot, with wounds, And his" Bones broke , to wait a better Day. iAdr. M y Lord , you ask m e things impolTiblcj And I with Juftice ihould be thought your Foe, To leave you in this Tempcft of your Soul. Tho baiiith'd Thebei, in Corinth you may Reign. Th' Infernal Pow'rs themfelves exact no more: Calm then your Rage, and once more feek the Gods. Oed. I'll have no more to do with Gods, nor Men: Hence from m y Arms, avant. Enjoy thy Mother.' 1 F 2, What |