1 Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus Introduced and Translated by ...

A man who’s not afraid to commit murder has no fear of words.
Enter the blind TIRESIAS, led by a boy.
Here’s the man who will find him;
here comes the divine prophet,
in whom alone truth makes its home.
CHORUS
OEDIPUS
Tiresias, you know all things in heaven and earth, 300
those that can be taught,
and those that cannot be spoken;
although you cannot see, you know what disease infests our city.
You can be our savior, the only man to rescue us.
I don’t know if you heard,
but Apollo told us when we asked him,
that we would be free from this affliction
only when we discovered the killers of Laius,
and either executed them, or sent them into exile from this land.
So share with us your messages from birds or anywhere else; 310
save yourself, the city, and me, from this plague
that comes to us from this dead man.
We depend on you:
it is the noblest task of all for a man
to use his gifts to help others.
How terrible knowledge can be
when it burdens the one who possesses it.
I forgot this and should never have come.
TIRESIAS
OEDIPUS
What do you mean You seem to have misgivings about coming here.
TIRESIAS
Let me go home. It will be best both for you and for me. 320
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