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OEDIPUS
Kind son of Aegeus, to the gods alone comes never old age or death, but
all else is confounded by all-mastering time. Earth's strength decays, and
the strength of the body; faith dies, distrust is born; and the same spirit
is never steadfast among friends, or betwixt city and city; for, be it soon
or be it late, men find sweet turn to bitter, and then once more to love.
And if now all is sunshine between Thebes and thee, yet time, in his
untold course, gives birth to days and nights untold, wherein for a small
cause they shall sunder with the spear that plighted concord of to-day;
when my slumbering and buried corpse, cold in death, shall one day drink
their warm blood, if Zeus is still Zeus, and Phoebus, the son of Zeus,
speaks true.
But, since I would not break silence touching mysteries, suffer me to
cease where I began; only make thine own word good, and never shalt
thou say that in vain didst thou welcome Oedipus to dwell in this realm,
—unless the gods cheat my hope.
LEADER
King, from the first yon man hath shown the mind to perform these
promises, or the like, for our land.
THESEUS
Who, then, would reject the friendship of such an one?—to whom, first,
the hearth of an ally is ever open, by mutual right, among us; and then
he hath come as a suppliant to our gods, fraught with no light recompense
for this land and for me. In reverence for these claims, I will never spurn
his grace, but will establish him as a citizen in the land. And if it is the
stranger's pleasure to abide here, I will charge you to guard him; or if
to come with me be more pleasing,—this choice, or that, Oedipus, thou
canst take; thy will shall be mine.
OEDIPUS
O Zeus, mayest thou be good unto such men!
THESEUS
What wouldst thou, then? wouldst thou come to my house?
OEDIPUS
Yea, were it lawful;—but this is the place—
THESEUS
What art thou to do here? I will not thwart thee . . .
OEDIPUS
—where I shall vanquish those who cast me forth.