Page:Sophocles' King Oedipus.pdf/53

Rh But, looking for a marriage bed, he found the bed of his birth,

Tilled the field his father had tilled, cast seed into the same abounding earth;

Entered through the door that had sent him wailing forth.

Begetter and begot as one! How could that be hid?

What darkness cover up that marriage bed? Time watches, he is eagle-eyed,

And all the works of man are known and every soul is tried.

Would you had never come to Thebes, nor to this house,

Nor riddled with the woman-breasted Fate, beaten off death and succoured us,

That I had never raised this song, heart-broken Oedipus.

[coming from the house]. Friends and kinsmen of this house! What deeds must you look upon, what burden of sorrow bear, if true to race you still love the House of Labdicus. For not Istar nor Phasis could wash this house clean, so many misfortunes have been brought upon it, so many has it brought upon itself, and those misfortunes are always the worst that a man brings upon himself.