Ignorant of the rank of the man he had killed, he continued his way to
Thebes, attracted thither by the noise which had been vented about of the
Sphynx, a frightful monster then laying waste the country around Thebes,
and devouring all who could not expound the enigma it proposed, which
was--"What animal in the morning walks upon four legs, in the afternoon
upon two, and in the evening upon three legs." The answer of Oedipus was
"That in infancy man goes upon his hands and feet; in manhood he walks
upright, and in old age with the assistance of a staff." Enraged at this
solution, the monster dashed its head against a rock, and delivered Thebes
from his unwelcome presence.
The prediction, partly fulfilled, was now entirely brought to pass, for
Oedipus mounted the throne, and married Jocasta, his mother, by whom he had
two sons, Polynice and Eteocles, and two daughters, Ismene and Antigone.
Some years after, a plague visited his territories, and the oracle was
consulted, which stated that it would only cease when the murderer of King
Laius was banished from the country. The slayer of this king had never been
discovered, and the whole of Thebes was in violent excitement, anxious to
discover the murderer, to avert the plague which raged; Oedipus himself
instituted all possible inquiry, resolved to overcome every difficulty.
What was his sorrow at learning as the result of his unwearied zeal, that
he himself was the unhappy parricide, and still more, that he was the
husband of his own mother.
_Oedipus._ "'Why speak you not according to my charge?
Bring forth the rack, since mildness cannot win you
Torment shall force.
_Phorbas._ Hold, hold, Oh! dreadful sir,
You will not rack an innocent man.
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_Oed._ Speak, then.
_Phor._ Alas! what would you have me say?
_Oed._ Did this old man take from your arms an infant?
_Phor._ He did, and oh! I wish to all the gods,
Phorbas had perished in that very moment.
_Oed._ Moment! thou shalt be hours, days, years undying,
Here, bind his hands, he dallies with my fury,
But I shall find a way--
_Phor._ By the gods,
I do conjure you to enquire no more.
_Oed._ Furies and Hell! Haemon bring forth the rack,
Fetch hither cords and knives, and sulphurous flames.
He shall be bound and gashed, his skin flead off
And burned alive.
_Phor._ O spare my age.
_Oed._ Who gave that infant to thee?
_Phor._ O wretched state! I die, unless I speak;
And if I speak most certain death attends me.
_Oed._ Thou shalt not die; speak then, who was it? Speak,
While I have sense to understand the horror,
For I grow cold.
_Phor._ The Queen, Jocasta told me
It was her son by Laius.
_Oed._ O you gods--break, break not yet my heart,
Though my eyes burst, no matter, wilt thou tell me,
Or must I ask for ever? For what end?
Why gave she thee her child?
_Phor._ To murder it.
_Oed._ O more than savage! murder her own bowels
Without a cause.
_Phor._ There was a dreadful one
Which had foretold that most unhappy son
Should kill his father, and enjoy his mother.
_Oed._ 'Tis well! I thank you gods! 'tis wondrous well!
Dagger and poison--O there is no need
For my dispatch; and you, ye merciless powers,
Hoard up your thunder stones; keep, keep your bolts
For crimes of little note.
_Adrastus._ Help--and bow him gently forward,
Chafe, chafe his temples--He breathes again,
And vigorous nature breaks through opposition.
How fares my royal friend?
_Oed._ The worse for you.
O barbarous men, and oh! the hated light,
What did you force me back to curse the day,
To curse my friends, to blast with this dark breath
The yet untainted earth and circling air?
To raise new plagues and call new vengeance down,
Why did you tempt the gods, and dare to touch me?
Methinks there's not a hand that grasps thy hell,
But should run up like flax, all blazing fire.
Stand from this spot, I wish you as my friends,
And come not near me, lest the gaping earth
Swallow you too.'"