Racine: Phaedra

CEDIPUS REX 79
Such horrors does it hold. . But soon 'twill show
JEvils self-chosen, not without free choice:
These self-sought sorrows ever pain men most.
Chorus.—The ills we knew before lacked nothing meet
For plaint and moaning. Now, what add'st thou more ?
Second Messenger.—Quickest for me to speak, and thee to
learn;
Our sacred queen Jocasta—she is dead.
Chorus.—Ah, crushed with many sorrows ! How and why?
Second Messenger.—Herself she slew. The worst of all that
passed
I must omit, for none were there to see.
Yet, far as memory suffers me to speak,
That sorrow-stricken woman's end I'll tell
For when to passion yielding, on she passed
Within the porch, straight to the couch she rushed.
Her bridal bed, with both hands tore her hair,
And as she entered, dashing through the doors,
Calls on her Laios, dead long years ago,
Remembering that embrace of long ago.
Which brought him death, and left to her who bore.
With his own son a hateful motherhood.
And o'er her bed she wailed, where she had borne
Spouse to her spouse, and children to her child
And how she perished after this I know not
For CEdipus struck in with woful cry.
And we no longer looked upon her fate.
But gazed on him as to and fro he rushed.
For so he raves, and asks us for a sword.
Wherewith to smite the wife that wife was none,
The womb polluted with accursed births.
Himself, his children—so, as thus he raves,
Some spirit shows her to him (none of us
with a shout
Who stood hard by had done so) :
Most terrible, as someone led him on,
Through the two gates he leapt, and from the wards
He slid the hollow bolt, and rushes in
And there we saw his wife had hung herself.
By twisted cords suspended. When her form
He saw, poor wretch ! with one wild, fearful cry.