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Œdipus
HIGH PRIEST.
Thou, unhappy Prince,
Thou art the man.
SECOND PERSON OF THE CHORUS.
Alas! what do I hear!
JOCASTE.
Say, can it be, interpreter of heaven? [To Œdipus.
Thou, Œdipus, the murderer of my husband!
To whom Jocaste yielded with herself
The throne of Thebes: the oracle is false;
I know it is; thy virtues must confute it.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS.
O! heaven, whose power decrees the fate of mortals,
O! name another, or to death devote us!
PHILOCTETES.
[Turning to Œdipus.
Think not I mean to render ill for ill;
Or from this strange reverse of fortune take
A mean advantage, to return the wrongs
I suffered from thy people and from thee:
No, Œdipus, I'll do thee noble justice,
That justice thou deniest to Philoctetes.
Spite of the gods, I think thee innocent,
And here I offer thee my willing hand
Against thy foes: I cannot hesitate
Which I should serve, a pontiff or a king.
'Tis a priest's business, whosoever he be,
By whatsoever deity inspired,
To pray for, not to curse, his royal master.
ŒDIPUS.
Transcendent virtue! execrable traitor!
Here I behold a demi-god, and there