| Sophocles Index |
OEDIPUS
Hast thou my child?
CREON
And soon shall have the other.
OEDIPUS
Ho, friends! ye will not surely play me false?
Chase this ungodly villain from your land.
CHORUS
Hence, stranger, hence avaunt! Thou doest wrong
In this, and wrong in all that thou hast done.
CREON to his guards
'Tis time by force to carry off the girl,
If she refuse of her free will to go.
ANTIGONE
Ah, woe is me! where shall I fly, where find
Succor from gods or men?
CHORUS
What would'st thou, stranger?
CREON
I meddle not with him, but her who is mine.
OEDIPUS
O princes of the land!
CHORUS
Sir, thou dost wrong.
CREON
Nay, right.
CHORUS
How right?
CREON
I take but what is mine.
OEDIPUS
Help, Athens!
CHORUS
What means this, sirrah? quick unhand her, or
We'll fight it out.
CREON
Back!
CHORUS
Not till thou forbear.
CREON
'Tis war with Thebes if I am touched or harmed.
OEDIPUS
Did I not warn thee?
CHORUS
Quick, unhand the maid!
CREON
Command your minions; I am not your slave.
CHORUS
Desist, I bid thee.
CREON to the guard
And O bid thee march!
CHORUS
To the rescue, one and all!
Rally, neighbors to my call!
See, the foe is at the gate!
Rally to defend the State.
ANTIGONE
Ah, woe is me, they drag me hence, O friends.
OEDIPUS
Where art thou, daughter?
ANTIGONE
Haled along by force.
OEDIPUS
Thy hands, my child!
ANTIGONE
They will not let me, father.
CREON
Away with her!
OEDIPUS
Ah, woe is me, ah woe!
CREON
So those two crutches shall no longer serve thee
For further roaming. Since it pleaseth thee
To triumph o'er thy country and thy friends
Who mandate, though a prince, I here discharge,
Enjoy thy triumph; soon or late thou'lt find
Thou art an enemy to thyself, both now
And in time past, when in despite of friends
Thou gav'st the rein to passion, still thy bane.
CHORUS
Hold there, sir stranger!
CREON
Hands off, have a care.
CHORUS
Restore the maidens, else thou goest not.
CREON
Then Thebes will take a dearer surety soon;
I will lay hands on more than these two maids.
CHORUS
What canst thou further?
CREON
Carry off this man.
CHORUS
Brave words!
CREON
And deeds forthwith shall make them good.
CHORUS
Unless perchance our sovereign intervene.
OEDIPUS
O shameless voice! Would'st lay an hand on me?
CREON
Silence, I bid thee!
OEDIPUS
Goddesses, allow
Thy suppliant to utter yet one curse!
Wretch, now my eyes are gone thou hast torn away
The helpless maiden who was eyes to me;
For these to thee and all thy cursed race
May the great Sun, whose eye is everywhere,
Grant length of days and old age like to mine.
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