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Oedipus Part THREE
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CHORUS LEADER: Perhaps he charged you
spurred on by the rash power of his rage,
rather than his mind’s true judgment.CREON: Was it publicized that my opinions
convinced Teiresias to utter lies? 630CHORUS LEADER: That’s what was said. I have no idea
just what that meant.CREON: Did he accuse me
and announce the charges with a steady gaze,
in a normal state of mind?CHORUS LEADER: I do not know. [530]
What those in power do I do not see.
But he’s approaching from the palace—
here he comes in person.[Enter OEDIPUS from the palace]
OEDIPUS: You! How did you get here?
Has your face grown so bold you now come
to my own home—you who are obviously
the murderer of the man whose house it was, 640
a thief who clearly wants to steal my throne?
Come, in the name of all the gods, tell me this—
did you plan to do it because you thought
I was a coward or a fool? Or did you think
I would not learn about your actions
as they crept up on me with such deceit—
or that, if I knew, I could not deflect them?
This attempt of yours, is it not madness— [540]
to chase after the king’s place without friends,
without a horde of men, to seek a goal 650
which only gold or factions could attain?CREON: Will you listen to me? It’s your turn now
to hear me make a suitable response.
Once you know, then judge me for yourself.OEDIPUS: You are a clever talker. But from you
I will learn nothing. I know you now—
a troublemaker, an enemy of mine.CREON: At least first listen to what I have to say.
OEDIPUS: There’s one thing you do not have to tell me—
you have betrayed me.CREON: If you think being stubborn 660
and forgetting common sense is wise,
then you’re not thinking as you should. [550]OEDIPUS: And if you think you can act to injure
a man who is a relative of yours
and escape without a penalty
then you’re not thinking as you should.CREON: I agree. What you’ve just said makes sense.
So tell me the nature of the damage
you claim you’re suffering because of me.OEDIPUS: Did you or did you not persuade me 670
to send for Teiresias, that prophet?CREON: Yes. And I’d still give you the same advice.
OEDIPUS: How long is it since Laius . . . [pauses]
CREON: Did what?
What’s Laius got to do with anything?OEDIPUS: . . . since Laius was carried off and disappeared,
since he was killed so brutally? [560]CREON: That was long ago—
many years have passed since then.OEDIPUS: At that time,
was Teiresias as skilled in prophecy?CREON: Then, as now, he was honoured for his wisdom.
OEDIPUS: And back then did he ever mention me? 680
CREON: No, never—not while I was with him.
OEDIPUS: Did you not investigate the killing?
CREON: Yes, of course we did. But we found nothing.
OEDIPUS: Why did this man, this wise man, not speak up?
CREON: I do not know. And when I don’t know something,
I like to keep my mouth shut.OEDIPUS: You know enough— [570]
at least you understand enough to say . . .CREON: What? If I really do know something
I will not deny it.OEDIPUS: If Teiresias
were not working with you, he would not name me 690
as the one who murdered Laius.CREON: If he says this,
well, you’re the one who knows. But I think
the time has come for me to question you
the way that you’ve been questioning me.OEDIPUS: Ask all you want. You’ll not prove
that I’m the murderer.CREON: Then tell me this—
are you not married to my sister?OEDIPUS: Since you ask me, yes. I don’t deny that.
CREON: And you two rule this land as equals?
OEDIPUS: Whatever she desires, she gets from me. 700 [580]
CREON: And am I not third, equal to you both?
OEDIPUS: That’s what makes your friendship so deceitful.
CREON: No, not if you think this through, as I do.
First, consider this. In your view, would anyone
prefer to rule and have to cope with fear
rather than live in peace, carefree and safe,
if his powers were the same? I, for one,
have no natural desire to be king
in preference to performing royal acts.
The same is true of any other man 710
whose understanding grasps things properly.
For now I get everything I want from you, [590]
but without the fear. If I were king myself,
I’d be doing many things against my will.
So how can being a king be sweeter to me
than royal power without anxiety?
I am not yet so mistaken in my mind
that I want things which bring no benefits.
Now I greet all men, and they all welcome me.
Those who wish to get something from you 720
now flatter me, since I’m the one who brings
success in what they want. So why would I
give up such benefits for something else?
A mind that’s wise will not turn treacherous. [600]
It’s not my nature to love such policies.
And if another man pursued such things,
I’d not work with him. I couldn’t bear to.
If you want proof of this, then go to
Ask the prophet if I brought back to you
exactly what was said. At that point, 730
if you discover I have planned something,
that I’ve conspired with Teiresias,
then arrest me and have me put to death,
not just on your own authority,
but on mine as well, a double judgment.
Do not condemn me on an unproved charge.
It's not fair to judge these things by guesswork,
to assume bad men are good or good men bad. [610]
In my view, to throw away a noble friend
is like a man who parts with his own life, 740
the thing most dear to him. Give it some time.
Then you’ll see clearly, since only time
can fully validate a man who’s true.
A bad man is exposed in just one day.CHORUS LEADER: For a man concerned about being killed,
my lord, he has spoken eloquently.
Those who are unreliable give rash advice.OEDIPUS: If some conspirator moves against me,
in secret and with speed, I must be quick
to make my counter plans. If I just rest 750
and wait for him to act, then he’ll succeed [620]
in what he wants to do, and I’ll be finished.CREON: What do you want—to exile me from here?
OEDIPUS: No. I want you to die, not just run off—
so I can demonstrate what envy means.CREON: You are determined not to change your mind
or listen to me?OEDIPUS: You’ll not convince me,
for there’s no way that I can trust you.CREON: I can see that you’ve become unbalanced.*
OEDIPUS: I’m sane enough to defend my interests. 760
CREON: You should be protecting mine as well.
OEDIPUS: But you’re a treacherous man. It’s your nature.
CREON: What if you are wrong?
OEDIPUS: I still have to govern.
CREON: Not if you do it badly.
OEDIPUS: Oh
my city!CREON: I have some rights in
it is not yours alone.[The palace doors open]
CHORUS LEADER: My lords, an end to this.
I see Jocasta coming from the palace,
and just in time. With her assistance
you should bring this quarrel to a close.[Enter JOCASTA from the palace]
JOCASTA: You foolish men, why are you arguing 770
in such a silly way? With our land so sick,
are you not ashamed to start a private fight?
You, Oedipus, go in the house, and you,
Creon, return to yours. Why blow up
a trivial matter into something huge?CREON: Sister, your husband Oedipus intends
to punish me in one of two dreadful ways— [640]
to banish me from my fathers’ country
or arrest me and then have me killed.OEDIPUS: That’s right.
Lady, I caught him committing treason, 780
conspiring against my royal authority.CREON: Let me not prosper but die a man accursed,
if I have done what you accuse me of.JOCASTA: Oedipus,
for the sake of the gods, trust him in this.
Respect that oath he made before all heaven—
do it for my sake and for those around you.CHORUS LEADER: I beg you, my lord, consent to this—
agree with her. [650]OEDIPUS: What is it then
you’re asking me to do?CHORUS LEADER: Pay Creon due respect.
He has not been foolish in the past, and now 790
that oath he’s sworn has power.OEDIPUS: Are you aware
just what you’re asking?CHORUS LEADER: Yes. I understand.
OEDIPUS: Then tell me exactly what you’re saying.
CHORUS LEADER: You should not accuse a friend of yours
and thus dishonour him with a mere story
which may not be true, when he’s sworn an oath
and therefore could be subject to a curse.OEDIPUS: By this point you should clearly understand,
when you request this, what you are doing—
seeking to exile me fromCHORUS LEADER: No, no, by sacred Helios, the god [660]
who stands pre-eminent before the rest,
may I die the most miserable of deaths,
abandoned by the gods and by my friends,
if I have ever harboured such a thought!
But the destruction of our land wears down
the troubled heart within me—and so does this,
if you two add new problems to the ones
which have for so long been afflicting us.OEDIPUS: Let him go, then, even though it’s clear 810
I must be killed or sent from here in exile,
forced out in disgrace. I have been moved [670]
to act compassionately by what you said,
not by Creon’s words. But if he stays here,
he will be hateful to me.CREON: You are obstinate—
obviously unhappy to concede,
and when you lose your temper, you go too far.
But men like that find it most difficult
to tolerate themselves. In that there’s justice.OEDIPUS: Why not go—just leave me alone?
CREON: I’ll leave— 820
since I see you do not understand me.
But these men here know I’m a reasonable man.[Exit CREON away from the palace, leaving OEDIPUS and JOCASTA and the CHORUS on stage]
