Thebes thy old foster-mother claims thee first.

OEDIPUS
O front of brass, thy subtle tongue would twist

To thy advantage every plea of right
Why try thy arts on me, why spread again

Toils where 'twould gall me sorest to be snared?
In old days when by self-wrought woes distraught,

I yearned for exile as a glad release,
Thy will refused the favor then I craved.

But when my frenzied grief had spent its force,
And I was fain to taste the sweets of home,

Then thou wouldst thrust me from my country, then
These ties of kindred were by thee ignored;

And now again when thou behold'st this State
And all its kindly people welcome me,

Thou seek'st to part us, wrapping in soft words
Hard thoughts. And yet what pleasure canst thou find

In forcing friendship on unwilling foes?
Suppose a man refused to grant some boon

When you importuned him, and afterwards
When you had got your heart's desire, consented,

Granting a grace from which all grace had fled,
Would not such favor seem an empty boon?

Yet such the boon thou profferest now to me,
Fair in appearance, but when tested false.

Yea, I will proved thee false, that these may hear;
Thou art come to take me, not to take me home,

But plant me on thy borders, that thy State
May so escape annoyance from this land.

_That_ thou shalt never gain, but _this_ instead--
My ghost to haunt thy country without end;

And for my sons, this heritage--no more--
Just room to die in. Have not I more skill

Than thou to draw the horoscope of Thebes?
Are not my teachers surer guides than thine--

Great Phoebus and the sire of Phoebus, Zeus?
Thou art a messenger suborned, thy tongue

Is sharper than a sword's edge, yet thy speech
Will bring thee more defeats than victories.

Howbeit, I know I waste my words--begone,
And leave me here; whate'er may be my lot,

He lives not ill who lives withal content.
CREON

Which loses in this parley, I o'erthrown
By thee, or thou who overthrow'st thyself?

OEDIPUS
I shall be well contented if thy suit

Fails with these strangers, as it has with me.
CREON

Unhappy man, will years ne'er make thee wise?
Must thou live on to cast a slur on age?

OEDIPUS
Thou hast a glib tongue, but no honest man,

Methinks, can argue well on any side.
CREON

'Tis one thing to speak much, another well.
OEDIPUS

Thy words, forsooth, are few and all well aimed!
CREON

Not for a man indeed with wits like thine.
OEDIPUS

Depart! I bid thee in these burghers' name,
And prowl no longer round me to blockade

My destined harbor.
CREON

I protest to these,
Not thee, and for thine answer to thy kin,

If e'er I take thee--
OEDIPUS

Who against their will
Could take me?

CREON
Though untaken thou shalt smart.

OEDIPUS
What power hast thou to execute this threat?

CREON
One of thy daughters is already seized,

The other I will carry off anon.
OEDIPUS

Woe, woe!
CREON

This is but prelude to thy woes.
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 helplessmaiden 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.
CREON

Listen, O men of Athens, mark ye this?
OEDIPUS

They mark us both and understand that I
Wronged by the deeds defend myself with words.

CREON
Nothing shall curb my will; though I be old

And single-handed, I will have this man.
OEDIPUS

• advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)
• thrust [θrʌst] v.&n.猛推；冲；刺；挤进 (初中英语单词)
• welcome [´welkəm] a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词)
• messenger [´mesindʒə] n.使者；送信人 (初中英语单词)
• execute [´eksikju:t] vt.执行；表演；演奏 (初中英语单词)
• rescue [´reskju:] vt.&n.救援；挽救 (初中英语单词)
• triumph [´traiəmf] n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜 (初中英语单词)
• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)
• despite [di´spait] prep.尽管 (初中英语单词)
• passion [´pæʃən] n.激情；激怒；恋爱 (初中英语单词)
• sovereign [´sɔvrin] a.至高无上的 n.君主 (初中英语单词)
• helpless [´helpləs] a.无助的，无依靠的 (初中英语单词)
• maiden [´meidn] n.少女 a.未婚的 (初中英语单词)
• kindred [´kindrid] n.亲属关系；同源关系 (高中英语单词)
• contented [kən´tentid] a.满足的；心满意足的 (高中英语单词)
• meddle [´medl] vi.干涉(预)；乱弄 (高中英语单词)
• forthwith [fɔ:θ´wið] ad.立刻 (高中英语单词)
• athens [´æθinz] n.雅典 (高中英语单词)
• unwilling [ʌn´wiliŋ] a.不愿意的；不情愿的 (英语四级单词)
• annoyance [ə´nɔiəns] n.烦恼事(人) (英语四级单词)
• withal [wi´ðɔ:l] ad.加之；同样；然而 (英语四级单词)
• villain [´vilən] n.坏人；恶棍；反面角色 (英语四级单词)
• perchance [pə´tʃɑ:ns] ad.偶然；可能 (英语四级单词)
• wrapping [´ræpiŋ] n.包装材料 (英语六级单词)
• phoebus [´fi:bəs] n.太阳神 (英语六级单词)
• mandate [´mændeit] n.训令；委任 vt.托管 (英语六级单词)