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.