Racine: Phaedra

54
SOPHOCLES
CEdipus.—Art thou so shameless as to vent such words.
And dost thou think to 'scape scot-free for this ?
Teiresias.— I have escaped. The strength of truth is mine.
CEdipus.—Who prompted thee? This comes not from thine
art.
Teiresias.— 'Twas thou. Thou mad'st me speak against my
will.
CEdipus.—What say'st thou ? Speak again, that I may know.
Teiresias.—Didst thou not know before ? Or dost thou try me ?
CEdipus.—I could not say I knew it. Speak again.
Teiresias.—I say thou art the murderer whom thou seek'st.
CEdipus.—Thou shalt not twice revile, and go unharmed.
Teiresias.—And shall I tell thee more to stir thy rage ?
CEdipus.—Say what thou pleasest, 'Twill be said in vain.
Teiresias.— I say that thou, in vilest intercourse
With those that dearest are, dost blindly live,
Nor see'st the depth of evil thou hast reached.
CEdipus.—And dost thou think to say these things unscathed ?
Teiresias.—I doubt it not, if truth retain her might.
CEdipus.—That might is not for thee ; thou can'st not claim it,
Blind in thine ears, thy reason, and thine eyes.
Teiresias.—How wretched thou, thus hurling this reproach 1
Such, all too soon, will all men hurl at thee.
CEdipus.—In one long night thou liv'st, and can'st not hurt.
Or me, or any man who sees the light.
Teiresias.— 'Tis not thy doom to owe thy fall to me
Apollo is enough, be His the task.
OEdipus.—Are these devices Creon's, or tnine own ?
Teiresias.—It is not Creon harms thee, but thyself.
CEdipus.—O wealth, and sovereignty, and noblest skill
Surpassing skill in life so envy-fraught.
How great the ill-will dogging all your steps
If for the sake of kingship, which the state
Hath given, unasked for, freely in mine hands,
Creon the faithful, found my friend throughout.
Now seeks with masked attack to drive me forth.
And hires this wizard, plotter of foul schemes,
A vagrant mountebank, whose sight is clear
For pay alone, but in his art stone-blind.
Is it not so ? When wast thou true seer found ?