Their father's knees they wept and took no rest
From groans long drawn and beatings of the breast.
But he, when on his ear the sad strain broke,(81)
Suddenly folded hands on them and spoke :
"Children, this day your father is no more;
All's over with me; and for you the sore
Laborious burden that in me you bore.

Children, 'twas rough, I know, and yet one phrase
Your wearinesses all alone repays :

True love from never any one so true
You had, as his that's parted now from you
For all the life that's left you to pursue."

So lapped in close embraces, each with each,
They sobbed and cried, until they seemed to reach
A term of lamentation. Not a groan

More. Silence. When a sudden VOICE unknown
Halloo'd him. Every man in sudden dread
Pricked up erect the hairs upon his head:
God calls him with a loud and changing cry !
"OHO, THERE! EDIPUS! OHO, THERE! WHY
WAIT WE TO GO? TOO LONG THOU LOITEREST."
He, when he knew of God he was addrest,
Called loudly for King Theseus to draw near :
And said when he approached him: "Brother dear,
Give to my daughters the unchanging troth
Of your right hand-yours to him, children, both:
Vow of your free will to betray them never,
But act their good friend in all acts whatever."
He like a man of honour gave his troth,

Thereto unhesitating, under oath.

And that no sooner finished, Edipus

Touching with fingers blind his children, thus: "My daughters, now to your noblesse be true,

I

Depart these purlieus, nor presume to view
The unpermitted, nor the voices hear.
Remove, delay not: one alone be near,

Theseus, by right empowered, to watch the affair."
Thus much we all, as many as were there,
Heard him pronounce. Sighing abundantly
We with the damsels went in company.
When someway gone we turned ere long toscan-
No longer present anywhere the man!

The King we saw hand reached before his face
To shade his eyes, as if there had took place
Some grim affright which eyes could not endure.
Then in a little ('twas not long, I'm sure),
We saw that he the Earth and Sky adored,
Earth and Olympian Heaven in one accord.
But what the manner of that doom might be
No man can tell except his Majesty.
For neither did God's thunder primed with flame
Despatch him, neither blast of whirlwind came
Out of the deep sea stirring in that hour.
Some God did usher him, or gracious power
The rayless bottom of the earth disparted;
For neither sickness-racked nor heavy-hearted
Was his leave-taking, but beyond compare
Prodigious. Call me madman, little I care
The man that calls me madman, to convince !
Chorus Leader. Where are the maids and escort of the

prince?

Mes. Here, not far off. Yon soon-deciphered cries

Of mourning their approach do advertise.

Enter ANTIGONE and ISMene.

TRIO ANTIGONE, ISMENE, and CHORUS.

(Turn A.)

Ant. Woe! woe! To wail aloud is granted.

(No may-be-yes, may-be-nay) when we sorrow for
Accursed father's blood in us implanted.
Weariful history

Ours with him day by day-never a morrow more!
Only hereafter we cite you a mystery

Of grief beheld and tasted.

Cho. How went it?

Ant.

Cho. Departed?

Ant.

Surmising, friends, 'tis but surmise.

Ev'n as heart's desire would have him be. Verily no brunt of sea,

No plague of war hath wasted;

But the Viewless Weald did swallow

In a recondite doom hurried away.

Unhappy! Night upon my eyes

Now is fallen, Night disastrous: whither are we now to stray?

Foreign soil or deep-sea billow? Where pursue the chance

Of our distressful maintenance?

I m. Little know I: ravening clutch of Death seize on me !

After father dead to follow,

Unhappy, afterdays of life gladly to live declining. Cho. Dutiful daughters, Fate so bearing, (82) better to bear the God's decree :

Burn ye no more, your ways have been worthy

of no repining.

(Counter-turn A.)

Ant. For e'en woes past there is regret then!
Welcome a lot that were welcome to nobody,
Because that in my arms I had him yet then!
Father and well-belov'd,

Now that the Darkness Eternal's a robe to thee
Yet of my sister and me shall ye still be loved,
And we will fail thee never.

Cho. He fareth—

Ant.

Cho, Can that be?

He fareth as he fain would fare.

Ant. In the stranger's land that pleased him best,

Perished he takes his rest

In the shadow laid for ever;

Leaves us mourning-oh not tearless!

Father, I weep for thee abundantly, my eye
Bemoans thee; and I cannot bear—

Cannot find a means to make the heavy sorrow fly.

Ay me! In the foreign country die thou wouldst, but oh!

(83) Unhonoured by me diedst thou so!

Ism. Oh, unhappy! is there yet another anguish left at last

So forsaken, helpless, cheerless

Yet held in wait for thee and me?-fatherless

and denuded!

Cho. Yet, as in blessedness his end of life unravelling,

he passed;

Cease to lament. Pain dogs mankind, not to be

long eluded.

Ism. Can this be lawful? Dost thou not

Ism. Burial none has he, lonely, removed.
Ant. To it! away! and slay me o'er it!
Ism. Woe! woe! all-unhappy, where now

Once again, forlorn, resourceless.
Drag out my day of care now?

1