mankind away
To darkness let me fall ere such a fate
Touch me, so unclean and so desolate!

[Sidenote: vv. 829-850]

LEADER.

I tremble too, O King; but till thou hear
From him who saw, oh, let hope conquer fear.

OEDIPUS.

One shred of hope I still have, and therefore
Will wait the herdsman's coming. 'Tis no more.

JOCASTA.

He shall come. But what further dost thou seek?

OEDIPUS.

This. If we mark him close and find him speak
As thou hast, then I am lifted from my dread.

JOCASTA.

What mean'st thou? Was there something that I said...?

OEDIPUS.

Thou said'st he spoke of robbers, a great band,
That slaughtered Laius' men. If still he stand
To the same tale, the guilt comes not my way.
One cannot be a band. But if he say
One lonely loin-girt man, then visibly
This is God's finger pointing toward me.

JOCASTA.

Be sure of this. He told the story so
When first he came. All they that heard him know,

[Sidenote: vv. 850-870]

Not only I. He cannot change again
Now. And if change he should, O Lord of men,
No change of his can make the prophecy
Of Laius' death fall true. He was to die
Slain by my son. So Loxias spake.... My son!
He slew no man, that poor deserted one
That died.... And I will no more turn mine eyes
This way nor that for all their prophecies.

OEDIPUS.

Woman, thou counsellest well. Yet let it not
Escape thee. Send and have the herdsman brought.

JOCASTA.

That will I.--Come. Thou knowest I ne'er would do
Nor think of aught, save thou wouldst have it so.

[JOCASTA _and_ OEDIPUS _go together into the Palace._

CHORUS.

[_They pray to be free from such great sins as
they have just heard spoken of._

[_Strophe._

Toward God's great mysteries, oh, let me move
Unstained till I die
In speech or doing; for the Laws thereof
Are holy, walkers upon ways above,
Born in the far blue sky;

Their father is Olympus uncreate;
No man hath made nor told
Their being; neither shall Oblivion set

[Sidenote: vv. 870-893]

Sleep on their eyes, for in them lives a great
Spirit and grows not old. [_Antistrophe._

[_They wonder if these sins be all due to pride
and if_ CREON _has guilty ambitions;_

'Tis Pride that breeds the tyrant; drunken deep
With perilous things is she,
Which bring not peace: up, reeling, steep on steep
She climbs, till lo, the