Oedipus at Colonus

ARGUMENT

Oedipus,  the  blind  and banished King of Thebes,  has  come  in  his wanderings to Colonus, a deme of Athens, led by his daughter Antigone. He sits to rest on a rock just within a sacred grove of the Furies and is  bidden depart by a passing native.  But Oedipus, instructed by  an oracle  that he had reached his final resting-place, refuses to  stir, and the stranger consents to go and consult the Elders of Colonus (the Chorus  of  the Play).  Conducted to the spot they pity at  first  the blind  beggar  and  his daughter, but on learning his  name  they  are horror-striken  and  order him to quit the land.  He  appeals  to  the world-famed hospitality of Athens and hints at the blessings that  his coming will confer on the State.  They agree to await the decision  of King  Theseus.   From Theseus Oedipus craves protection  in  life  and burial  in  Attic soil; the benefits that will accrue  shall  be  told later.   Theseus departs having promised to aid and befriend him.   No sooner  has  he gone than Creon enters with an armed guard  who  seize Antigone  and  carry  her off (Ismene, the  other  sister,  they  have already  captured)  and  he is about to lay  hands  on  Oedipus,  when Theseus,  who has heard the tumult, hurries up and,  upbraiding  Creon for  his lawless act, threatens to detain him till he has shown  where the captives are and restored them.  In the next scene Theseus returns bringing  with  him the rescued maidens.  He informs  Oedipus  that  a stranger  who has taken sanctuary at the altar of Poseidon  wishes  to see  him.   It  is  Polyneices who has  come  to  crave  his  father's forgiveness and blessing, knowing by an oracle that victory will  fall to the side that Oedipus espouses.  But Oedipus spurns the  hypocrite, and invokes a dire curse on both his unnatural sons.  A sudden clap of thunder is heard, and as peal follows peal, Oedipus is aware that  his hour  is come and bids Antigone summon Theseus.  Self-guided he  leads the  way  to  the spot where death should overtake  him,  attended  by Theseus  and his daughters.  Halfway he bids his  daughters  farewell, and what followed none but Theseus knew.  He was not (so the Messenger reports) for the gods took him.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

OEDIPUS, banished King of Thebes.
ANTIGONE, his daughter.
ISMENE, his daughter.
THESEUS, King of Athens.
CREON, brother of Jocasta, now reigning at Thebes.
POLYNEICES, elder son of Oedipus.
STRANGER, a native of Colonus.
MESSENGER, an attendant of Theseus.
CHORUS, citizens of Colonus.

     Scene:  In front of the grove of the Eumenides.

Enter the blind OEDIPUS led by his daughter, ANTIGONE.

OEDIPUS
Child of an old blind sire, Antigone,
What region, say, whose city have we reached?
Who will provide today with scanted dole
This wanderer?  'Tis little that he craves,
And less obtains--that less enough for me;
For I am taught by suffering to endure,
And the long years that have grown old with me,
And last not least, by true nobility.
My daughter, if thou seest a resting place
On common ground or by some sacred grove,
Stay me and set me down.  Let us discover
Where we have come, for strangers must inquire
Of denizens, and do as they are bid.

ANTIGONE
Long-suffering father, Oedipus, the towers
That fence the city still are faint and far;
But where we stand is surely holy ground;
A wilderness of laurel, olive, vine;
Within a choir or songster nightingales
Are warbling.  On this native seat of rock
Rest; for an old man thou hast traveled far.

OEDIPUS
Guide these dark steps and seat me there secure.

ANTIGONE
If time can teach, I need not to be told.

OEDIPUS
Say, prithee, if thou knowest, where we are.

ANTIGONE
Athens I recognize, but not the spot.

OEDIPUS
That much we heard from every wayfarer.

ANTIGONE
Shall I go on and ask about the place?

OEDIPUS
Yes, daughter, if it be inhabited.

ANTIGONE
Sure there are habitations; but no need
To leave thee; yonder is a man hard by.

OEDIPUS
What, moving hitherward and on his way?

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