stified alike, and yet all guilty!
Were every man's false dealing brought to light,
His envy, malice, lying, perjuries,
His weights and measures, the other man's extortions,
With what face could you tell offended heaven,
You had not sinned?

_2 Cit._ Nay, if these be sins, the case is altered; for my part, I
never thought any thing but murder had been a sin.

_Tir._ And yet, as if all these were less than nothing,
You add rebellion to them, impious Thebans!
Have you not sworn before the gods to serve
And to obey this OEdipus, your king
By public voice elected? answer me,
If this be true!

_2 Cit._ This is true; but its a hard world, neighbours,
If a man's oath must be his master.

_Cre._ Speak, Diocles; all goes wrong.

_Dioc._ How are you traitors, countrymen of Thebes?
This holy sire, who presses you with oaths,
Forgets your first; were you not sworn before
To Laius and his blood?

_All._ We were; we were.

_Dioc._ While Laius has a lawful successor,
Your first oath still must bind: Eurydice
Is heir to Laius; let her marry Creon.
Offended heaven will never be appeased,
While OEdipus pollutes the throne of Laius,
A stranger to his blood.

_All._ We'll no OEdipus, no OEdipus.

_1 Cit._ He puts the prophet in a mouse-hole.

_2 Cit._ I knew it would be so; the last man ever speaks the best
reason.

_Tir._ Can benefits thus die, ungrateful Thebans!
Remember yet, when, after Laius' death,
The monster Sphinx laid your rich country waste,
Your vineyards spoiled, your labouring oxen slew,
Yourselves for fear mewed up within your walls;
She, taller than your gates, o'er-looked your town;
But when she raised her bulk to sail above you,
She drove the air around her like a whirlwind,
And shaded all beneath; till, stooping down,
She clap'd her leathern wing against your towers,
And thrust out her long neck, even to your doors[2].

_Dioc. Alc. Pyr._ We'll hear no more.

_Tir._ You durst not meet in temples,
To invoke the gods for aid; the proudest he,
Who leads you now, then cowered, like a dared[3] lark:
This Creon shook for fear,
The blood of Laius curdled in his veins,
'Till OEdipus arrived.
Called by his own high courage and the gods,
Himself to you a god, ye offered him
Your queen and crown; (but what was then your crown!)
And heaven authorized it by his success.
Speak then, who is your lawful king?

_All._ 'Tis OEdipus.

_Tir._ 'Tis OEdipus indeed: Your king more lawful
Than yet you dream; fo