A monologue in the play simply by Sophocles
TAKE NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from Series. Sophocles. London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1906.
OEDIPUS: O front side of assurance! Which thinkest thou
How to defileMy grey hairs, or perhaps thine personal?
Who hast spit out out of thy mouth area at myself
Murders and marriages and accidents
Which to my personal grief, not really of free will, I experienced
Such was your will of Heaven, that had several cause
Pertaining to wrath, it can be, with out home, of outdated.
Since for myself, I realize you cannot discover
Any reproach of wrongfulness in me personally
That could include doomed me personally to dedicate these wrongs
Against myself and my very own, for, response me
In the event that to my father by an oracle
The revelation came that he should pass away
By his son\s hands, how can you justly tax
Me with the fact, whom nor father but
Then had begot, or perhaps mother acquired conceived
Myself, who as yet had not begun to me?
And if thereafter provingas I proved
Hapless, I did so lay hands upon my sire
And slay him, nowise understanding what I did
Neither yet who I did that, how, I actually ask
Could you with reason blame the unconscious deed!
And for my own motherare happened ashamed
Um miserable! at forcing myself to name
Her marriage, your own sister\sas I will
Let me not now always be silent, you being cultivated
To this sort of a monster of outspokenness!
She bareah, yes, undoubtedly she uncovered
Mewho not knew! Woe worth the while in my opinion
And having given me birth, the girl brought myself forth
Childrenher own reproach! But of set purpose
For one thing, very well I know, you spit this kind of venom
On her behalf, and me personally, whereas My spouse and i wedded her
Unwitting, and unwillingly talk about it.
But is not for this my personal marriage, nor for that
That parricide, which you continually
Add in my tooth, bitterly upbraiding it
Must i consent to be called notorious.
For response me a problem, but that one
If any individual here upon the spot
Attracted near to destroy youyou the just onewhether
Might you enquire if perhaps he that sought your daily life
Were the own daddy, or requite him straight?
You would requite the arrest, I have a baby
If you love your life, not look about for law.
Only such was the misfortune I incurred
Led by the hands of Heaven, for which, My spouse and i fancy
Not really my father\s spirit, had been he surviving
Could state one expression against me. And yet you
(For merely you are not, although think very well to ful
All things, both equally lawful and unlawful, ) you
Slander me with these words before them all!
Yea, you make free to fawn on Theseus\ name
And upon Athenshow decorously
She hath been ordered, therefore lauding her
You miss out this, that if there be a property
That is aware of what view to the Gods is due
\Tis she herein excels, whence to remove
Me, the old suppliant, you assail my person
And grab my children, and help to make off with them.
Wherefore these maiden Powers I actually invoke
With supplications, and with prayers adjure
To come, as aiders and auxiliaries
So that you may master what sort of men they are
Simply by whom this kind of city is definitely defended.
