Page:Tragedies of Sophocles (Plumptre 1878).djvu/188

90 Œdip. Thy speech, of course, is brief and well-timed too.

Creon. Not so, to one whose wisdom is as thine.

Œdip. Go thou thy way, for in the name of these

I say it, watch me not with ill intent,

To plan attack where I should dwell in peace.

Creon. Not thee, but these I take as witnesses

What words thou giv'st thy friends; should I seize thee

Œdip. And who will seize me, spite of these allies?

Creon. Yet, without this, there's grief in store for thee.

Œdip. What act do these thy threatening words portend?

Creon. Of thy two daughters one but now I seized,

And sent her off; the other follows soon.

Œdip. Ah me!

Creon. Full soon thou wilt have more to groan for.

Œdip. Hast thou my child?

Creon. And this one too ere long.

[Guards seize.

Œdip. Ho! friends, what do ye? Will ye thus betray me,

Nor drive this godless monster from your land?

Chor. Depart, Ο stranger, quickly! Wrong the deed

Thou doest now; wrong what thou did'st before.

Creon. [To his guards.] Now is your time, against her will to seize her,

If with her own free will she goeth not.

Antig. Ah, wretched me! And whither shall I fly?

What help from Gods or mortals shall I find?

Chor. What means this, stranger?

Creon. Him I will not touch,

But this girl 's mine.

Œdip. Ο rulers of the land!

Chor. Not just, Ο stranger, are the deeds thou doest.

Creon. Nay, just are they.