r something still there lies
In heaven's dark volume, which I read through mists:
'Tis great, prodigious; 'tis a dreadful birth,
Of wondrous fate; and now, just now disclosing.
I see, I see! how terrible it dawns,
And my soul sickens with it!

_1 Cit._ How the god shakes him!

_Tir._ He comes, he comes! Victory! conquest! triumph!
But oh! guiltless and guilty: murder! parricide!
Incest! discovery! punishment--'tis ended,
And all your sufferings o'er.

_A Trumpet within: enter_ HAEMON.

_Haem._ Rouse up, you Thebans; tune your _Io Paeans_!
Your king returns; the Argians are o'ercome;
Their warlike prince in single combat taken,
And led in bands by god-like OEdipus!

_All._ OEdipus, OEdipus, OEdipus!

_Creon._ Furies confound his fortune!-- [_Aside._
Haste, all haste, [_To them._
And meet with blessings our victorious king;
Decree processions; bid new holidays;
Crown all the statues of our gods with garlands;
And raise a brazen column, thus inscribed,--
_To OEdipus, now twice a conqueror; deliverer of his Thebes._
Trust me, I weep for joy to see this day.

_Tir._ Yes, heaven knows why thou weep'st.--Go, countrymen,
And, as you use to supplicate your gods,
So meet your king with bays, and olive branches;
Bow down, and touch his knees, and beg from him
An end of all your woes; for only he
Can give it you. [_Exit_ TIRESIAS, _the People following._

_Enter_ OEDIPUS _in triumph;_ ADRASTUS _prisoner;_ DYMAS, _Train._

_Cre._ All hail, great OEdipus!
Thou mighty conqueror, hail; welcome to Thebes;
To thy own Thebes; to all that's left of Thebes;
For half thy citizens are swept away,
And wanting for thy triumphs;
And we, the happy remnant, only live
To welcome thee, and die.

_OEdip._ Thus pleasure never comes sincere to man,
But lent by heaven upon hard usury;
And while Jove holds us out the bowl of joy,
Ere it can reach our lips, 'tis dashed with gall
By some left-handed god. O mournful triumph!
O conquest gained abroad, and lost at home!
O Argos, now rejoice, for Thebes lies low!
Thy slaughtered sons now smile, and think they won,
When they can count more Theban ghosts than theirs.

_Adr._ No; Argos mourns with Thebes; you tempered so
Your courage while you fought, that mercy seemed
The manlier virtue, and much more prevailed;
While Argos is a people, think your Thebes
Can never want for subjects. Every nation
Will crowd to