ther, unaging, unweeping,
Did bear thee, O Babe, to the Crag-walker Pan;
Or perchance to Apollo? He loveth the leaping
Of herds on the rock-ways unhaunted of man.
Or was it the lord of Cyllene, who found thee,
Or glad Dionysus, whose home is the height,
Who knew thee his own on the mountain, as round thee
The White Brides of Helicon laughed for delight?
'Tis there, 'tis there,
The joy most liveth of all his dance and prayer.

OEDIPUS.

If I may judge, ye Elders, who have ne'er
Seen him, methinks I see the shepherd there
Whom we have sought so long. His weight of years
Fits well with our Corinthian messenger's;
And, more, I know the men who guide his way,
Bondsmen of mine own house.
Thou, friend, wilt say
Most surely, who hast known the man of old.

LEADER.

I know him well. A shepherd of the fold
Of Laius, one he trusted more than all.

[_The_ SHEPHERD _comes in, led by two thralls.
He is an old man and seems terrified._

OEDIPUS.

Thou first, our guest from Corinth: say withal
Is this the man?

[Sidenote: vv. 1120-1130]

STRANGER.

This is the man, O King.

OEDIPUS.

[_Addressing the_ SHEPHERD.

Old man! Look up, and answer everything
I ask thee.--Thou wast Laius' man of old?

SHEPHERD.

Born in his house I was, not bought with gold.

OEDIPUS.

What kind of work, what way of life, was thine?

SHEPHERD.

Most of my days I tended sheep or kine.

OEDIPUS.

What was thy camping ground at midsummer?

SHEPHERD.

Sometimes Kithairon, sometimes mountains near.

OEDIPUS.

Saw'st ever there this man thou seest now?

SHEPHERD.

There, Lord? What doing?--What man meanest thou?

OEDIPUS.

[_Pointing to the_ STRANGER.

Look! Hath he ever crossed thy path before?

[Sidenote: vv. 1131-1146]

SHEPHERD.

I call him not to mind, I must think more.

STRANGER.

Small wonder that, O King! But I will throw
Light on his memories.--Right well I know
He knows the time when, all Kithairon through,
I with one wandering herd and he with two,
Three times we neighboured one another, clear
From spring to autumn stars, a good half-year.
At winter's fall we parted; he drove down
To his master's fold, and I back to mine own....
Dost call it back, friend? Was it as I say?

SHEPHERD.

It was. It was.... 'Tis all so far away.