d) 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.

*****

OEDIPUS AT COLONUS

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 h