the thing that I would not haue tolde If I haue you offended with my words Blame then your selfe and eke your frowarde fate Cre. cruell words oh oh what hast thou sayde Thou cruell southsayer Tyr. Euen that that heauen Hath ordeined once and needes it must ensue Cre. Howe many euils hast thou knit vp in one Tyr. Though euill for thée yet for thy countrey good Cre. And let my countrey perishe what care I Tyr. Aboue all things we ought to holde it deare Cre. Cruell were he that would not loue his childe Tyr. For cōmō weale were well that one man waile Cre. To loose mine owne I liste none other saue Tyr. Best Citizens care least for priuate gayne Cre. Departe for nowe with all thy prophecies Tyr. Lo thus the truthe dothe alwayes hatred get Cre. Yet pray I thée by these thy siluer heares Tyr. The harme that cōmes from heauen can not be scapt Cre. And by thy holy spirite of prophecie Tyr. What heauen hath done that can not I vndoe Cre. That to no moe this secrete thou reueals Tyr. And wouldst thou haue me learne to make a lye Cre. I pray thée holde thy peace Tyr. That will I not But in thy woe to yéelde thée some reliefe I tell thée once thou shalt be Lorde of Thebes Which happe of thine this string did well declare Which from the heart doth out alonely growe So did the péece corrupted playnly shewe An argument most euident to proue Thy sonne his death Cre. Well yet be thou content To kéepe full close this secrete hidden griefe Tyr. I neither ought ne will kéepe it so close Cre. Shall I be then the murtherer of mine owne Tyr. Ne blame not me but blame the starres for this Cre. Can heauens condemne but him alone to dye Tyr. We ought beléeue the cause is good and iust Cre. Uniust is he condemnes the innocent Tyr. A foole is he accuseth heauens of wrongs Cre. There can no ill thing come from heauēs aboue Tyr. Then this that heauen commaunds can not be ill Cre. I not beléeue that thou hast talkt with God Tyr. Bicause I tell thée that doth thée displease Cre. Out of my sight accursed lying wretche Tyr. Go daughter go oh what a foole is he That puts in vre to publishe prophecies For if he do foretell a frowarde fate Though it be true yet shall he purchase hate And if he silence kéepe or hide the truth The heauy wrath of mightie Gods ensuth Apollo he might well tell things to come That had no dread the angry to offende But hye we daughter hence some other way Tyresias vvith Manto his daughter returneth by the gates called Electrae Scena ij. CREON MENECEVS OH my deare childe well hast thou heard with eare These wéery newes or rather wicked tales That this deuine of thee deuined hath Yet will thy father neuer be thy foe With cruell doome thy death for to consent Me. You rather ought O father to consent Unto my death since that my death may bring Unto this towne bothe peace and victorie Ne can I purchase more prayseworthy deathe Than for my countreys wealth to lose my breath Cre. I can not prayse this witlesse will of thine Me. You know deare father that this life of ours Is brittle short and nothing else in déede But tedious toyle and pangs of endlesse payne And death whose darte to some men séemes so fell Brings quiet ende to this vnquiet life Unto which ende who soonest doth arriue Findes soonest rest of all his restlesse griefe And were it so that here on earth we felte No pricke of payne nor that our flattring dayes Were neuer dasht by frowarde fortunes frowne Yet béeing borne as all men are to dye Were not this worthy glory and renowne To yéelde the countrey soyle where I was borne For so long time so shorte a time as mine I can not thinke that this can be denied Then if to shunne this haughtie highe behest Mine onely cause O father doth you moue Be sure you séeke to take from me your sonne The greatest honor that I can attayne But if your owne commoditie you moue So much the lesse you ought the same allowe For looke how much the more you haue in Thebes So much the more you ought to loue the same Here haue you Hemone he that in my steade O my deare father may with you remaine So that although you be depriued of me Yet shall you not be quite depriued of heires Cre. I can not chuse deare sonne but disalowe This thy too hastie hote desire of death For if thy life thou settest all so lighte Yet oughtest thou thy father me respect Who as I drawe the more to lumpishe age So much more néede haue I to craue thine ayde Ne will I yet with stubborne tong denye That for his common weale to spende his life Doth win the subiect high renoumed name But howe in armoure to defende the state Not like a beast to bléede in sacrifice And therewithall if any should consent To such a death then should the same be I That haue prolonged life euen long enough Ne many dayes haue I nowe to drawe on And more auaile might to the countrie come Deare sonne to holde that lustie life of thine That arte both yong and eke of courage stout Than may by me that féeble am and olde Then liue deare sonne in high prosperitie And giue me leaue that worthy am to dye Mene. Yet worthy were not that vnworthy chaunge Cre. If such a death bring glorie giue it me Mene. Not you but me the heauens cal to die Cre. We be but one in flesh and body both Mene. I father ought so ought not you to die Cre. If thou sonne die thinke not that I can line Then let me die and so shall he first die That ought to die and yet but one shal die Me. Although I father ought t' obey your hestes Yet euil were not to this yelde your wil Cre. Thy wit is wylie for to worke this wo Me. Oh tender pittie moueth me thereto Cre. A beast is he that kils himselfe with knife Of pittie to preserue an others life Me. Yet wise is he that doth obey the Gods Cre. The Gods will not the death of any wight Me. Whose life they take they giue him life also Cre. But thou dost striue to take thy life thy selfe Me. Nay them to obey that will I shall not liue Cre. What fault O sonne condemneth thée to death Me. Who liueth father here without a fault Cre. I sée no gylte in thée that death deserues Me. But God it séeth that euery secrete séeth Cre. Howe shoulde we knowe what is the will of God Me. We knowe it then when he reueales the same Cre. As though he woulde come doune to tell it vs Me. By diuers meanes his secrets he discloseth Cre. Oh fonde is he who thinkes to vnderstand The mysteries of ioue his secrete mynde And for to ende this controuersie here Loe thus I say
Which béeing bound about his féeble limmes Were strong inough to holde the little soule Thus did he leaue this infant scarcely borne That in short time must néedes haue lost his life If destenie that for our greater gréefes Decréede before to kéepe it still alyue Had not vnto this childe sent present helpe For so it chaunst a shepheard passing by With pitie moude did stay his giltlesse death He toke him home and gaue him to his wife With homelie fare to fede and foster vp Now harken how the heauens haue wroughte the way To Laius death and to mine owne decay Ser. Experience proues and daily is it séene In vaine too vaine man striues against the heauens Ioca. Not farre fro thence the mightie Polibus Of Corinth King did kepe his princely court Unto whose wofull wife lamenting muche She had no ofspring by hir noble phéere The curteous shepherd gaue my little sonne Which gratefull gift the Quéene did so accept As nothing séemde more precious in hir sight Partly for that his faitures were so fine Partly for that he was so beautifull And partly for bycause his comely grace Gaue great suspicion of his royall bloude The infant grewe and many yeares was demde Polibus sonne till tyme that Oedipus For so he named was did vnderstande That Polibus was not his sire in déede Wherby forsaking frendes and countrie there He did returne to seke his natiue stocke And being come into Phocides lande Toke notice of the cursed oracle How first he shoulde his father doe to death And then become his mothers wedded mate Ser. O fierce aspecte of cruell planets all That can decrée such seas of heynous faultes Ioca. Then Oedipus fraight ful of chilling feare By all meanes sought t' auoyde this furious fate But whiles he wéende to shunne the shamefull dede Unluckly guyded by his owne mishappe He fell into the snare that most he feared For loe in Phocides did Laius lye To ende the broyles that ciuill discorde then Had raysed vp in that vnquiet lande By meanes wherof my wofull Oedipus Affording ayde vnto the other side With murdring blade vnwares his father slewe Thus heauenly doome thus fate thus powers diuine Thus wicked reade of Prophets tooke effect Nowe onely restes to ende the bitter happe Of me of me his miserable mother Alas howe colde I féele the quaking bloud Passe too and fro within my trembling brest Oedipus when this bloudy déede was doone Forst foorth by fatall doome to Thebes came Where as ful soone with glory he atchieude The crowne and scepter of this noble lande By conquering Sphinx that cruell monster loe That earst destroyde this goodly flouring soyle And thus did I O hatefull thing to heare To my owne sonne become a wretched wife Ser. No meruayle though the golden Sunne withdrew His glittering beames from suche a sinfull facte Ioca. And so by him that from this belly sprang I brought to light O cursed that I am As well two sonnes as daughters also twayne But when this monstruous mariage was disclosde So sore began the rage of boyling wrath To swell within the furious brest of him As he him selfe by stresse of his owne nayles Out of his head did teare his griefull eyne Unworthy more to see the shining light Ser. Howe coulde it be that knowing he had done So foule a blot he would remayne aliue Ioca. So déepely faulteth none the which vnwares Dothe fall into the crime he can not shunne And he alas vnto his greater gréefe Prolongs the date of his accursed dayes Knowing that life dothe more and more increase The cruell plagues of his detested gilte Where stroke of griesly death dothe set an ende Unto the pangs of mans increasing payne Ser. Of others all moste cause haue we to mone Thy wofull smarte O miserable Quéene Suche and so many are thy gréeuous harmes Ioca. Now to the ende this blinde outragious sire Should reape no ioy of his vnnaturall fruite His wretched sonnes prickt foorth by furious spight Adiudge their father to perpetuall prison There buried in the depthe of dungeon darke Alas he leades his discontented lyfe Accursing still his stony harted sonnes And wishing all th' infernall sprites of hell To breathe suche poysned hate into their brestes As eche with other fall to bloudy warres And so with pricking poynt of piercing blade To rippe their bowels out that eche of them With others bloud might stayne his giltie hands And bothe at once by stroke of spéedie death Be foorthwith throwne into the Stigian lake Ser. The mightie Gods preuent so fowle a déede Ioca. They to auoyde the wicked blasphemies And sinfull prayer of their angrie sire Agréed thus that of this noble realme Untill the course of one full yere was runne Eteocles should sway the kingly mace And Polynice as exul should departe Till time expyrde and then to Polynice Eteocles should yéelde the scepter vp Thus yere by yere the one succéeding other This royall crowne should vnto bothe remayne Ser. Oh th unbridled mindes of ambicious men Ioca. Eteocles thus plast in princely seate Drunke with the sugred taste of kingly raigne Not onely shut his brother from the crowne But also from his natiue country soyle Alas poore Polynice what might he doe Uniustly by his brother thus betrayed To Argos he with sad and heauie chéere Forthwith conuayde him selfe on whom at length With fauning face good fortune smyled so As with Adrastus king of Argiues there He founde suche fauour and affinitie As to restore my sonne vnto his raigne He hath besedge this noble citie Thebes And hence procéedes my most extreme annoye For of my sonnes who euer doe preuaile The victorie will turne vnto my griefe Alas I feare such is the chaunce of warre That one or both shall purchase death therby Wherfore to shunne the worst that may befall Thoughe comfortlesse yet as a pitifull mother Whom nature bindes to loue hir louing sonnes And to prouide the best for their auaile I haue thought good by prayers to intreate The two brethren nay rather cruell foes A while to staie their fierce and furious fight Till I haue tried by meanes for to appease The swelling wrath of their outraging willes And so with much to doe at my request They haue forborne vnto this onely houre Ser. Small space god wot to stint so great a strife Ioca. And euen right now a trustie man of mine Returned from the campe enforming me That Polynice will straight to Thebes cōme Thus of my woe this is the wailefull sōme And for bycause in vaine and bootelesse plainte I haue small néede to spend this title time Here will I ceasse in wordes more to bewray The restlesse state of my afflicted minde Desiring thée thou goe to Eteocles Hartly on my behalfe beseching him That out of hand according to his promise He will vouchsafe to come vnto my courte I know he loues thée well and to thy wordes I thinke thou knowst he will giue willing eare Ser. O noble Quéene sith vnto
or of the one at least Nuntius returneth to the camp by the gates Homoloides IOCASTA ANTIGONE ANtigone my swete daughter come forth Out of this house that nought but woe retaines Come forth I say not for to sing or daunce But to preuent if in our powers it lie That thy malicious brethren swolne with ire And I alas their miserable mother Be not destroide by stroke of dreadfull death Antigone commeth out of hir mothers Pallace Anti. Ah swete mother ah my beloued mother Alas alas what cause doth moue ye now From trembling voice to send such carefull cries What painefull pang what griefe doth gripe you nowe Ioca. O deare daughter thy most vnhappie brethren That sometimes lodgde within these wretched loynes Shall die this daye if Ioue preuent it not Anti. Alas what say you alas what do you say Can I alas endure to sée him dead Whom I thus long haue sought to sée aliue Ioca. They both haue vowde I quake alas to tell With trenchant blade to spill ech others blood O cruell Eteocles ah ruthlesse wretch Of this outrage thou only art the cause Not Pollinice whom thou with hatefull spight Hast reaued first of crowne and countrie soyle And now doest séeke to reaue him of his life Ioca. Daughter no more delay le ts go le ts go Anti. Ah my swéete mother whither shall I go Ioca. With me déere daughter to the gréekish host Anti. Alas how can I go vnles I go In daunger of my life or of good name Ioca. Time serues not now my welbeloued childe To way the losse of life or honest name But rather to preuent if so we may That wicked déede which only but to thinke Doth hale my hart out of my heauie brest Anti. Come then le ts go good mother let vs go But what shall we be able for to doe You a weake old woman for worne with yeares And I God knowes a silly simple mayde Ioca. Our wofull wordes our prayers our plaintes Pourde out with streames of ouerflowing teares Where Nature rules may happen to preuayle When reason power and force of armes do fayle But if the glowing heate of boyling wrath So furious be as it may not relent Then I atwixt them both will throw my selfe And this my brest shall beare the deadly blowes That otherwise should light vpon my sonnes So shall they shead my bloud and not their owne Well now déere daughter let vs hasten hence For if in time we stay this raging strife Then haply may my life prolonged be If ere we come the bloudy déede be done Then must my ghost forsake this féeble corps And thou deare childe with dolour shalt bewaile Thy brothers death and mothers all at once locasta vvith Antigone and all hir traine excepte the Chorus goeth tovvards the campe by the gates Homoloydes CHORVS WHo so hath felt what feruent loue A mother beares vnto hir tender sonnes She and none other sure can comprehende The dolefull griefe the pangs and secret paine That presently doth pierce the princely brest Of our afflicted Quéene alas I thinke No martyrdome might well compare with hirs So ofte as I recorde hir restlesse state Alas me thinkes I féele a shiuering feare Flit to and fro along my flushing vaines Alas for ruth that thus two brethren shoulde Enforce themselues to shed each others bloude Where is the lawes of nature nowe become Can fleshe of fleshe alas can bloude of bloude So far forget it selfe as slaye it selfe O lowring starres O dimme and angrie skies O giltie fate such mischiefe set aside But if supernall powers decreed haue That death must be the ende of this debate Alas what floudes of teares shall then suffise To wéepe and waile the neare approching death I meane the death of sonnes and mother both And with their death the ruine and decay Of Oedipus and all his princely race But loe here Creon cōmes with carefull cheare 'T is time that nowe I ende my iust complaint Creon commeth in by the gates Homoloydes CREON NVNCIVS ALthough I straightly chargde my tender childe To flie from Thebes for safegarde of hymselfe And that long since he parted from my sight Yet doe I greatly hand in lingring doubt Least passing through the gates the priuie watch Hath stayed him by some suspect of treason And so therewhile the prophetes hauing skride His hidden fate he purchast haue the death Which I by all meanes sought he might eschewe And this mischaunce so much I feare the more Howe much the wished conquest at the first Fell happily vnto the towne of Thebes But wise men ought with patience to sustaine The sundrie haps that slipperie fortune frames Nuncius commeth in by the gates Electrae Nun. Alas who can direct my hastie steppes Unto the brother of our wofull Quéene But loe where carefully he standeth here Cre. If so the minde maye dreade his owne mishap Then dread I much this man that séekes me thus Hath brought the death of my beloued sonne Nun. My Lorde the thing you feare is very true Your sonne Meneceus no longer liues Cre. Alas who can withstande the heauenly powers Well it beséems not me ne yet my yeares In bootelesse plaint to wast my wailefull teares Do thou recount to me his lucklesse deathe The order fourme and manner of the same Nun. Your sonne my Lorde came to Eteocles And tolde him this in presence of the rest Renoumed King neither your victorie Ne yet the safetie of this princely Realme In armour doth consist but in the death Of me of me O most victorious King So heauenly dome of mightie Ioue commaunds I knowing what auayle my death should yeeld Unto your grace and vnto natiue land Might well be demde a most vngratefull sonne Unto this worthy towne if I would shunne The sharpest death to do my countrie good In mourning weede nowe let the vestall Nimphes With fauning tunes commende my faultlesse ghost To highest heauens while I despoyle my selfe That afterwarde sith Ioue will haue it so To saue your liues I may receyue my death Of you I craue O curteous Citizens To shrine my corps in tombe of marble stone Whereon graue this Meneceus here doth lie For countries cause that vvas content to die This saide alas he made no more a doe But drewe his sworde and sheathde it in his brest Cre. No more I haue inough returne ye nowe From whence ye came Nuncius retourneth by the gates Electrae Well since the bloude of my beloued sonne Must serue to slake the wrathe of angrie Ioue And since his onely death must bring to Thebes A quiet ende of hir vnquiet state Me thinkes good reason would that I henceforth Of Thebane soyle shoulde beare the kingly swaye Yea sure and so I will ere it be long Either by right or else by force of armes Of al mishap loe here the wicked broode My sister first espoused hath hir sonne That slewe his sire of whose accursed séede Two brethren sprang whose raging hatefull hearts By force of
yet that you will me procure A royall tombe within my natiue realme And now shut vp with those your tender handes These griefful eyes of mine whose daseled sight Shadowes of dreadfull death be come to close Now rest in peace thus sayde he yeelded vp His fainting ghost that ready was to part The mother thus beholding both hir sonnes Ygone to death and ouercome with dole Drewe out the dagger of hir Polinices From brothers brest and gorde hir mothers throte Falling betwéene hir sonnes Then with hir féebled armes she doth enfolde Their bodies both as if for company Hir vncontented corps were yet content To passe with them in Charons ferrie boate When cruell fate had thus with force bereft The wofull mother and hir two deare sonnes All sodenly allarme allarme they crye And hote conflict began for to aryse Betwene our armie and our enemyes For either part would haue the victorye A while they did with equall force maintaine The bloudy fight at last the Gréekes do flie Of whom could hardly any one escape For in such hugie heapes our men them slew The ground was couerde all with carcases And of our souldiers some gan spoyle the dead Some other were that parted out the pray And some pursuing Antigone toke vp The Queene locasta and the brethren both Whom in a chariot hither they will bring Ere long and thus although we gotten haue The victory ouer our enemies Yet haue we lost much more than we haue wonne Creon exit Cho. O hard mishap we doe not onely heare The wearie newes of their vntimely death But eke we must with wayling eyes beholde Their bodies deade for loke where they be brought Scena 3. ANTIGONE CHORVS MOst bitter plaint O ladyes vs behoues Behoueth eke not onely bitter plainte But that our heares dysheuylde from our heades About our shoulders hang and that our brests With bouncing blowes be all be battered Our gastly faces with our nayles defaced Behold your Queene twixt both hir sonnes lyes slayne The Queene whom you did loue and honour both The Queene that did so tenderly bring vp And nourishe you eche one like to hir owne Now hath she left you all O cruell hap With hir too cruell death in dying dreade Pyning with pensiuenesse without all helpe O weary life why bydst thou in my breast And I contented be that these mine eyes Should sée hir dye that gaue to me this life And I not venge hir death by losse of life Who can me giue a fountaine made of mone That I may weepe as muche as is my will To sowsse this sorow vp in swelling teares Cho. What stony hart could leaue for to lament Anti. O Polinice now hast thou with thy bloud Bought all too deare the title to this realme That cruell he Eteocles thée reste And now also hath reft thée of thy life Alas what wicked dede can wrath not doe And out alas for mée Whyle thou yet liuedst I had a liuely hope To haue some noble wight to be my phéere By whome I might be crownde a royall Quéene But now thy hastie death hath done to dye This dying hope of mine that hope hencefoorth None other wedlocke but tormenting woe If so these trembling hands for cowarde dread Dare not presume to ende this wretched life Cho. Alas deare dame let not thy raging griefe Heape one mishap vpon anothers head Anti. O dolefull day wherein my sory sire Was borne and yet O more vnhappie houre When he was crowned king of stately Thebes The Hymenei in vnhappie bed And wicked wedlocke wittingly did ioyne The giltlesse mother with hir giltie sonne Out of which roote we be the braunches borne To beare the scourge of their so foule offence And thou O father thou that for this facte Haste torne chine eyes from thy tormented head Giue eare to this come foorth and bende thine eare To bloudie newes that canst not them beholde Happie in this for if thine eyes could sée Thy sonnes bothe slayne and euen betwéene them bothe Thy wife and mother dead bathed and imbrude All in one bloud then wouldst thou dye for dole And so might ende all our vnluckie stocke But most vnhappie nowe that lacke of sighte Shall linger life within thy lucklesse brest And still tormented in suche miserie Shall alwayes dye bicause thou canst not dye Oedipus entreth Scena iiij. OEDIPVS ANTIGONE CHORVS WHy dost thou call out of this darkesome denne The lustleste lodge of my lamenting yeres O daughter deare thy fathers blinded eyes Into the light I was not worthy of Or what suche sight O cruell destenie Without tormenting cares might I beholde That image am of deathe and not of man Anti. O father mine I bring vnluckie newes Unto your eares your sonnes are nowe both slayne Ne doth your wife that wonted was to guyde So piteously your staylesse stumbling steppes Now see this light alas and welaway Oed. O heape of infinite calamities And canst thou yet encrease when I thought least That any griefe more great could grow in thée But tell me yet what kinde of cruell death Had these three sory soules Anti. Without offence to speake deare father mine The lucklesse lotte the frowarde frowning fate That gaue you life to ende your fathers life Haue ledde your sonnes to reaue eche others life Oed. Of them I thought no lesse but tell me yet What causelesse death hath caught from me my deare What shall I call hir mother or my wife Anti. When as my mother sawe hir deare sonnes dead As pensiue pangs had prest hir tender heart With bloudlesse cheekes and gastly lookes she fell Drawing the dagger from Eteocles side She gorde hirselfe with wide recurelesse wounde And thus without mo words gaue vp the ghost Embracing both hir sonnes with both hir armes In these affrightes this frosen heart of mine By feare of death maynteines my dying life Cho. This drearie day is cause of many euils Poore Oedipus vnto thy progenie The Gods yet graunt it may become the cause Of better happe to this afflicted realme Scena v. CREON OEDIPVS ANTIGONE GOod Ladies leaue your bootelesse vayne complaynt Leaue to lament cut of your wofull cryes High time it is as now for to prouide The funerals for the renowned king And thou Oedipus hearken to my wordes And know thus muche that for thy daughters dower Antigone with Hemone shall wedde Thy sonne our king not long before his death Assigned hath the kingdome should descende To me that am his mothers brother borne And so the same might to my sonne succéede Now I that am the lorde and king of Thebes Will not permit that thou abide therein Ne maruell yet of this my heady will Ne blame thou me for why the heauens aboue Which onely rule the rolling life of man Haue so ordeynde and that my words be true Tyresias he that knoweth things to come By trustie tokens hath foretolde the towne That while thou didst within the walles remayne It should be plagued still with penurie Wherfore
ioy ne yet your sonne Ioc. Alas the Heauens me whelme with all mishap Po. Lo here the cause that stirreth me by wrong Ete. Much more is that he profereth vnto me Po. Well speake darest thou come armed to the fielde Ete. So dare I come wherefore dost thou bemaunde Po. For néedes or thou must ende this life of minde Or quenche my thirst with pouring out thy bloud Eteo. Ah wretch my thirst is all as drie as thine Io. Alas and welaway what heare I sonnes How can it be deare children can it be That brethrens hearts suche rancour should enrage Eteo. And that right soone the proofe shall playnely shewe Io. Oh say not so yet say not so deare sonnes Po. O royall race of Thebes now take thine ende Cho. God shield Eteo. O slow sluggish heart of mine Why do I stay t' embrew these slouthfull hands But for his greater griefe I will departe And at returne if here I finde my foe This hastie hande shall ende our hote debate Eteocles here goeth out by the gates Electrae Po. Deare Citizens and you eternall Gods Beare witnesse with me here before the worlde How this my fierce and cruell enimie Whom causelesse now my brother I do call With threats of death my lingring steps doth driue Both from my right and from my countrey soyle Not as beséemes the sonne of Oedipus But as a slaue an abiect or a wretche And since you be both pitifull and iuste Uouchsafe O Gods that as I parte with griefe So may I yet returne with ioyfull spoyle Of this accursed tyraunt and he slayne I may recouer quietly mine owne Polinyces goeth out by the gates Homoloides Io. O wretched wretche Iocasta where is founde The miserie that may compare to thine O would I had nor gasing eyes to sée Nor listning eares to heare that now I dread But what remaynes saue onely to entreate That cruell dole would yet so curteous be To reaue the breath out of this wofull brest Before I hearken to some wofull newes Rest you here dames and pray vnto the Gods For our redresse and I in that meane while Will shut my selfe from sight of lothsome light Iocasta goeth into hir Pallace Cho. O mightie God the gouernour of Thebes Pitie with speede the payne Iocasta bydes And eke our néedes O mightie Bacchus helpe Bende willing care vnto our iust complaynt Leaue them not comfortlesse that trust in thée We haue nor golde nor siluer thée to giue Ne sacrifice to those thine aulters due In steede wherof we consecrate our hearts To serue thy will and hestes for to obey VVhyles the Chorus if thus praying to Bacchus Eteocles returneth by the gates called Electrae Actus ij. Scena ij. ETEOCLES CREON SInce I haue ridde mine enmie out of sight The best shall be for Creon now to sende My mothers brother that with him I may Reason consulte conferre and counsell bothe What shall be best to vse in our defence Before we venter forth into the fielde But of this trauayle loe he me acquites That comes in haste towards these royall towres Here Creon attended by foure gentlemen cōmeth in by the gates Homoloydes Cre. O mightie king not causelesse nowe I come To finde that long haue sought your maiestie So to discharge the duetie that I owe To you by comfort and by counsell bothe Ete. No lesse desire this harte of mine did presse To sende for thée Creon since that in vayne My mother hath hir words and trauayle spent To reconcile Pollinices and me For he so dull was his capacitie Did thinke he could by dread of daunger winne My princely heart to yéelde to him this realme Cre. I vnderstande the armie that he brings Agaynst these walles is suche that I me doubte Our cities force may scarce the same resist Yet true it is that right and reason bothe Are on our side which bring the victorie Oftetimes for we our countrey to defende They to subdue the same in armes are come But what I would vnto your highnesse shewe Is of more weight and more behoues to knowe Ete. And what is that oh quickly tell it me Cre. A Gréeke prisner is come vnto my hands Ete. And what sayth he that doth so muche importe Cre. That euen already be their rankes in raye And streight will giue assault to these our walles Ete. Then must I streight prepare our Citizens In glittring armes to marche into the fielde Cre. O Prince and pardon me thy youthfull yeres Nor sée them selfe ne let thée once discerne What best behoueth in this doubtfull case For Prudence she that is the mightie quéene Of all good workes growes by experience Which is not founde with fewe dayes seeking for Ete. And were not this both sounde and wise aduise Boldly to looke our foemen in the face Before they spred our fields with hugie hoste And all the towne beset by siege at once Cre. We be but few and they in number great Ete. Our men haue yet more courage farre than they Cre. That know I not nor am I sure to say Ete. Those eyes of thine in little space shall sée How many I my selfe can bring to grounde Cre. That would I like but harde it is to doe Ete. I nill panne vp our men within the walles Cre. In counsell yet the victorie consistes Ete. And wilt thou then I vse some other reade Cre. What else be still awhile fir haste makes wast Ete. By night I will the Camuassado giue Cre. So may you do and take the ouerthrowe Ete. The vauntage is to him that dothe assaulte Cre. Yet skirmishe giuen by night is perillous Ete. Let set vpon them as they sit at meate Cre. Sodayne assaults affray the minde no doubt But we had néede to ouercome Ete. So shall we do Cre. No sure vnlesse some other counsell helpe Ete. Amid their trenches shall we them inuade Cre. As who should say were none to make defence Ete. Should I then yeelde the Citie to my foes Cre. No but aduise you well if you be wise Ete. That were thy parte that knowest more than I Cre. Then shall I say that best doth séeme to me Ete. Yea Creon yea thy counsell holde I deare Cre. Seuen men of courage haue they chosen out Ete. A slender number for so great emprise Cre. But they them chose for guides and capitaynes Ete. To suche an hoste why they may not suffise Cre. Nay to assault the seuen gates of the citie Ete. What then behoueth so bestad to done Cre. With equall number sée you do them matche Ete. And then commit our men in charge to them Cre. Chusing the best and boldest blouds in Thebes Ete. And how shall I the Citie then defende Cre. Well with the rest for one man sées not all Ete. And shall I chuse the boldest or the wisest Cre. Nay both for one without that other fayles Ete. Force without wisedome then is litle worthe Cre. That one must be fast to that other ioynde Ete. Creon I will thy
end obteined victorie Ioca. Alas what then becōmes of Polinice Oh canst thou tell is he dead or aliue Nun. You haue O Quéene yet both your sonnes aliue Ioca. Oh how my harte is eased of this paine Well then procéede and briefly let me heare How ye repulst your proud presuming foes That thereby yet at least I may assuage The swelling sorrowes in my dolefull brest In that the towne is hitherto preserude And for the rest I trust that mightie Ioue Will yelde vs ayde Nun. No soner had your worthy valiant sonne Seuerde the Dukes into seauen seuerall partes And set them to defence of seuerall gates And brought in braue arraye his horssemen out First to encounter with their mightie foen And likewise pitcht the footemen face to face Against the footemen of their enimies But fiercely straight the armies did approche Swarming so thicke as couerde cleane the fielde When dreadfull blast of braying trumpets sounde Of dolefull drummes and thundring cannon shot Gaue hideous signe of horrour of the fight Then gan the Greekes to giue their sharpe assaulte Then from the walls our stout couragious men With rolling stones with paisse of hugie beames With flying dartes with flakes of burning fire And deadly blowes did beate them backe againe Thus striuing long with stout and bloudie fighte Whereby full many thousande slaughtered were The hardie Greekes came vnderneath the walls Of whome first Capaney a lustie Knight Did scale the walls and on the top thereof Did vaunt himselfe when many hundred moe With fierce assaultes did followe him as fast Then loe the Captaines seauen bestirrde themselues Whose names ye haue alreadie vnderstoode Some here some there nought dreading losse of life With newe reliefe to feede thée fainting breach And Polinice he bended all the force Of his whole charge against the greatest gate When sodenly a flashe of lightning flame From angrie skies strake captaine Capaney That there downe dead he fell at sight whereof The gazers one were fraught with soden feare The rest that stroue to mount the walles so fast From ladders toppe did headlong tumble downe Herewith our men encouragde by good happe Toke hardy harts and so repulst the Grekes There was Eteocles and I with him Who setting first those souldiers to their charge Ranne streight to thother gates vnto the weake He manly comforte gaue vnto the bold His lusty words encreased courage still In so much as th' amased Grecian king When he did heare of Capaney his death Fearing thereby the Gods became his foen Out from the trench withdrewe his wearie host But rashe Eteocles presuming too too much Uppon their flight did issue out of Thebes And forwarde straighte with strength of chiualrie His flying foes couragiously pursude To long it were to make recompt of all That wounded bene or slaine or captiue now The cloudy ayre was filled round aboute With houling cries and wofull wayling plaints So great a slaughter O renowmed Quéene Before this day I thinke was neuer séene Thus haue we now cut of the fruitlesse hope The Grecians had to sacke this noble towne What ioyfull end will happen herevnto Yet know I not the gods tourne all to good To conquere lo is doubtlesse worthy praise But wisely for to vse the conquest gotte Hath euer wonne immortall sound of fame Well yet therewhile in this we may reioice Sith heauen and heauenly powers are pleased therewith Ioca. This good successe was luckie sure and such As for my parte I little loked for To saue the towne and eke to haue my sonnes As you report preserued yet aliue But yet procéede and further let me know The finall ende that they agréed vpon Nun. No more O Quéene let this for now suffise Sith hitherto your state is safe inough Ioca. Those words of thine do whelme my iealous mind With great suspecte of other mischiefes hidde Nun. What would ye more alredy being sure That both your sonnes in safetie do remaine Ioca. I long to know the rest or good or bad Nun. O let me now retourne to Eteocles That of my seruice greately stands in néede Ioca. Right well I sée thou doest conceale the woorst Nun. Oh force me not the good now béeing past To tell the yll Ioca. Tell it I say on paine of our displeasure Nun. Since thus ye séeke to heare a dolefull tale I will no longer stay witte ye therefore Your desperate sonnes togither be agréed For to attempt a wicked enterprise To priuate fight they haue betroutht themselues Of which conflicte the end must needes be this That one do liue that other die the death Ioca. Alas alas this did I euer feare Nun. Now sith in summe I haue reuealed that Which you haue heard with great remorse of mind I will procéede at large to tell the while When your victorious sonne with valiaunt force Had chast his foes into their ioyning tents Euen there he staide and straight at sound of trumpe With stretched voice the herault thus proclaimde You princely Gréekes that hither be arriued To spoile the fruite of these our fertile fields And vs to driue from this our Natiue soile O suffer not so many giltlesse soules By this debate descend in Stigian lake For priuate cause of wicked Pollinice But rather let the brethren hand to hand By mutuall blowes appease their furious rage And so to cease from sheding further bloud And to the end you all might vnderstand The profite that to euery side may fall Thus much my Lord thought good to profer you This is his will if he be ouercome Then Polinice to rule this kingly realme If so it happe as reason would it should Our rightfull prince to conquere Polinice That then no one of you make more adoo But straight to Argos I le hast home againe This thus pronounst vnto the noble Gréeks No soner did the sound of trumpet cease But Polinice stept forth before the host And to these words this answere did he make O thou not brother but my mortall foe Thy profer here hath pleased me so well As presently without more long delay I yeld my selfe prepared to the field Our noble King no soner heard this vaunt But forth as fast he prest his princely steppes With eger mind as hoouering falcon wonts To make hir stoope when pray appeares in fight At all assayes they both were brauely armed To eithers side his sword fast being girt In eithers hand was put a sturdy launce About Eteocles our souldiers cloong To comforte him and put him then in mind He fought for safetie of his country soile And that in him consisted all their hope To Polinice the king Adrastus swore If he escaped victor from the fielde As his retourn he would in Greece erecte A golden Image vnto mightie Ioue In signe of his triumphing victorie But all this while séeke you O noble quéene To hinder this your furious sonnes attempte Intreat that Gods it may not take effecte Els must you néedes ere long depriued be Of both your sonnes
boyling yre are bolne so sore As each do thyrst to sucke the others bloude But why do I sustaine the smart hereof Why should my bloud he spilte for others gilte Oh welcome were that messanger to me That brought me word of both my nephewes deathes Then should it soone be sene in euery eye Twixt prince and prince what difference would appeare Then should experience shewe what griefe it is To serue the humours of vnbridled youth Now will I goe for to prepare with spéede The funeralls of my yong giltlesse sonne The which perhaps may be accompanyed With th obsequies of proude Eteocles Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes Finis Actus 4. CHORVS O Blissfull concord bredde in sacred brest Of him that guides the restlesse rolling sky That to the earth for mans assured rest From heigth of heauens vouchsafest downe to flie In thée alone the mightie power doth lie With swete accorde to kepe the frouning starres And euery planet else from hurtfull warres In thée in thée suche noble vertue bydes As may commaund the mightiest Gods to bend From thée alone such sugred frendship flydes As mortall wightes can scarcely comprehend To greatest strife thou setst delightfull ende O holy peace by thée are onely founde The passing ioyes that euery where abound Thou onely thou through thy celestiall might Didst first of all the heauenly pole deuide From th' olde confused heape that Chao hight Thou madest the Sunne the Moone and starres to glide With ordred course about this world so wide Thou hast ordainde Dan Tytans shining light By dawne of day to chase the darkesome night When tract of time returnes the lustie Uer By thée alone the buddes and blossomes spring The fieldes with floures be garnisht euery where The blooming trées aboundant fruite do bring The cherefull birdes melodiously do sing Thou dost appoint the crop of sommers séede For mans reliefe to serue the winters néede Thou dost inspire the hearts of princely péeres By prouidence procéeding from aboue In flowring youth to choose their worthie féeres With whom they liue in league of lasting loue Till fearefull death doth flitting life remoue And loke how fast to death man payes his due So fast againe dost thou his stocke renue By thée the basest thing aduaunced is Thou euerie where dost graffe suche golden peace As filleth man with more than earthly blisse The earth by thée doth yelde hir swete increase At becke of thée all bloudy discords cease And mightiest Realmes in quiet do remaine Wheras thy hand doth holde the royall raigne But if thou faile then all things gone to wracke The mother then doth dread hir naturall childe Then euery towne is subiect to the sacke Then spotlesse maids then virgins be defilde Then rigor rules then reason is exilde And this thou wofull Thebes to our great paine With present spoile art likely to sustaine Me thinke I heare the wailfull wéeping cries Of wretched dames in euerie coast resound Me thinkes I sée how vp to heauenly skies From battered walls the thundring clappes rebound Me thinke I heare how all things go to ground Me thinke I sée how souldiers wounded lye With gasping breath and yet they can not dye By meanes wherof oh swete Meneceus he That giues for countries cause his guiltlesse life Of others all most happy shall he be His ghost shall flit from broiles of bloudy strife To heauenly blisse where pleasing ioyes be rife And would to God that this his fatall ende From further plagues our citie might defend O sacred God giue eare vnto thy thrall That humbly here vpon thy name doth call O let not now our faultlesse bloud be spilt For hote reuenge of any others gilt Done by F. Kinvvelmarshe Finis Actus quarti The order of the laste dumbe shevve FIrst the Stillpipes sounded a very mournfull melodye in which time came vpon the Stage a womā clothed in a white garment on hir head a piller double faced the formost face fayre smiling the other behinde blacke louring muffled with a white laune about hir eyes hir lap full of Iewelles sitting in a charyot hir legges naked hir fete set vpō a great round ball beyng drawē in by .iiij. noble personages she ledde in a string on hir right hande .ij. kings crowned and in hir lefte hand .ij. poore slaues very meanely attyred After she was drawen about the stage she stayed a lyttle changing the kings vnto the left hande the slaues vnto the right hande taking the crownes from the kings heads she crowned therwith the ij. slaues casting the vyle clothes of the slaues vppon the kings she despoyled the kings of their robes and therwith aparelled the slaues This done she was drawen eftsones about the stage in this order and then departed leauing vnto vs a plaine Type or figure of vnstable fortune who dothe oftentimes raise to heigthe of dignitie the vile and vnnoble and in like manner throweth downe frō the place of promotiō euen those whō before she hir selfe had thither aduaunced after hir departure came in Duke Creon with foure gentlemen wayting vpon him and lamented the death of Meneceus his sonne in this maner Actus v. Scena j. CREON CHORVS ALas what shall I do bemone my selfe Or rue the ruine of my Natiue lande About the which such cloudes I sée enclosde As darker cannot couer dreadfull hell With mine own eyes I saw my own deare sonne All gorde with bloud of his too bloudy brest Which he hath shed full like a friend too deare To his countrey and yet a cruell foe To me that was his friend and father both Thus to him selfe he gaynde a famous name And glory great to me redoubted payne Whose haplesse death in my afflicted house Hath put suche playnt as I ne can espie What comfort might acquiet their distresse I hither come my sister for to séeke Iocasta she that might in wofull wise Amid hir high and ouerpining cares Prepare the baynes for his so wretched corps And eke for him that nowe is not in life May pay the due that to the dead pertaynes And for the honor he did well deserue The giue some giftes vnto infernall Gods Cho. My Lorde your sister is gone forth long since Into the campe and with hir Antigone Hir daughter deare Cre. Into the campe alas and what to do Cho. She vnderstoode that for this realme foorthwith Hir sonnes were gréed in combate for to ioyne Cre. Alas the funerals of my deare sonne Dismayed me so that I ne did receiue Ne séeke to knowe these newe vnwelcome newes But loe beholde a playne apparant signe Of further feares the furious troubled lookes Of him that commeth héere so hastilie Scena ij. NVNTIVS CREON CHORVS ALas alas what shall I doe alas What shriching voyce may serue my wofull wordes O wretched I ten thousande times a wretche The messanger of dread and cruell death Cre. Yet more mishappe and what vnhappie newes Nun. My Lord your nephues both haue lost their liues Cre. Out and alas to me
and to this towne Thou doest accompt great ruine and decay You royall familie of Oedipus And heare you this your liege and soueraigne Lordes The brethren bothe are slayne and done to death Cho. O cruell newes most cruell that can come O newes that might these stony walles prouoke For tender ruthe to burst in bitter teares And so they would had they the sense of man Cre. O worthy yong Lordes that vnworthy were Of suche vnworthy death O me moste wretche Nun. More wretched shall ye déeme your selfe my lord When you shall heare of further miserie Cre. And can there be more miserie than this Nun. With hir deare sonnes the quéene hir self is slaine Cho. Bewayle ladies alas good ladies waile This harde mischaunce this cruell common euill Ne hencefoorth hope for euer to reioyce Cre. O Iocasta miserable mother What haplesse ende thy life alas hath hent Percase the heauens purueyed had the same Moued therto by the wicked wedlocke Of Oedipus thy sonne yet might thy scuse Be iustly made that knewe not of the crime But tell me messanger oh tel me yet The death of these two brethren driuen therto Not thus all onely by their drearie fate But by the banning and the bitter cursse Of their cruell sire borne for our annoy And here on earth the onely soursse of euil Nun. Then know my Lorde the battell that begonne Under the walles was brought to luckie ende Eteocles had made his foemen flée Within their trenches to their foule reproche But herewithall the bretheren streightway Eche other chalenge foorth into the fielde By combate so to stinte their cruell strife Who armed thus amid the field appeard First Pollinices turning towarde Gréece His louely lookes gan Iuno thus beséeche O heauenly quéene thou séest that since the day I first did wedde Adrastus daughter deare And stayde in Gréece thy seruaunt haue I bene Then be it not for mine vnworthinesse Graunt me this grace the victorie to winne Graunt me that I with high triumphant hande May bathe this blade within my brothers brest I know I craue vnworthy victorie Unworthy triumphes and vnworthy spoyles Lo he the cause my cruell enimie The people wept to heare the wofull wordes Of Pollinice foreséeing eke the ende Of this outrage and cruell combate tane Eche man gan looke vpon his drouping mate With mindes amazde and trembling hearts for dread Whom pitie perced for these youthfull knightes Eteocles with eyes vp cast to heauen Thus sayde O mightie loue his daughter graunt to me That this right hande with this sharpe armed launce Passing amid my brothers cankred brest It may eke pierce that cowarde harte of his And so him slea that thus vnworthily Disturbes the quiet of our common weale So sayde Eteocles and trumpets blowne To sende the summens of their bloudy fighte That one the other fiercely did encounter Like Lions two yfraught with boyling wrath Bothe coucht their launces full agaynst the face But heauen it nolde that there they should them teinte Upon the battred shields the mightie speares Are bothe ybroke and in a thousande shiuers Amid the ayre flowne vp into the heauens Beholde agayne with naked sworde in hande Eche one the other furiously assaultes Here they of Thebes there stoode the Greekes in doubt Of whom doth eche man féele more chilling dread Least any of the twayne should lose his life Than any of the twayne did féele in fight Their angry lookes their deadly daunting blowes Might witnesse well that in their heartes remaynde As cankred hate disdayne and furious moode As euer bred in beare or tygers brest The first that hapt to hurt was Polinice Who smote the righte thighe of Eteocles But as we déeme the blow was nothing déepe Then cryed the Gréekes and lepte with lightned harts But streight agayne they helde their peace for he Eteocles gan thrust his wicked sworde In the lefte arme of vnarmed Pollinice And let the bloud from thinne vnfenced fleshe With falling drops distill vpon the ground Ne long he stayes but with an other thrust His brothers belly boweld with his blade Then wretched he with bridle left at large From of his horsse fell pale vpon the ground Ne long it was but downe our duke dismountes From of his startling steede and runnes in hast His brothers haplesse helme for to vnlace And with such hungry minde desired spoyle As one that thought the fielde already woonne That at vnwares his brothers dagger drawne And griped fast within the dying hand Under his side he recklesse doth receiue That made the way to his wyde open hart Thus falles Eteocles his brother by From both whose breasts the bloudfast bubling gaue A sory shewe to Greekes and Thebans both Cho. Oh wretched ende of our vnhappie Lordes Cre. Oh Oedipus I must be the death Of thy deare sonnes that were my nephewes both But of these blowes thou oughtest feele the smarte That with thy wonted prayers thus hast brought Such noble blouds to this vnnoble end But now tell on what followed of the Quéene Nun. Whē thus with pierced harts by there owne hands The brothers fell had wallowed in their bloud Th one tumbling on the others gore Came their afflicted mother then to late And eke with hir hir chast childe Antygone Who saw no sooner how their fates had falne But with the doubled echo of alas Sore dymmde the ayre with loude complaints and cryes Oh sonnes quod she too late came all my helpe And all to late haue I my succour sent And with these wordes vpon their carcas colde She shriched so as might haue stayed the Sunne To mourne with hir the wofull sister eke That both hir chekes did bathe in flowing teares Out from the depth of hir tormented brest With scalding sighes gan draw these weary words O my deare brethren why abandon ye Our mother deare when these hir aged yeares That of themselues are weake and growne with griefe Stoode most in néede of your sustaining helpe Why doe you leaue hir thus disconsolate At sounde of such hir wéeping long lament Eteocles our king helde vp his hand And sent from bottome of his wofull brest A doubled sighe deuided with his griefe In faithfull token of his féeble will To recomfort his mother and sister both And in the steade of swéete contenting words The trickling teares raynde downe his paled chekes Then claspt his handes and shut his dying eyes But Pollinice that turned his rolling eyen Unto his mother and his sister deare With hollow voyce and fumbling toung thus spake Mother you see how I am now arryued Unto the hauen of myne vnhappie ende Now nothing doth remaine to me but this That I lament my sisters life and yours Left thus in euerlasting woe and griefe So am I sory for Eteocles Who though he were my cruell enimy He was your sonne and brother yet to me But since these ghosts of curs must needes go downe With staggering steppes into the Stigian reigne I you beseche mother and sister bothe Of pitie
departe and thinke not that I speake These wofull wordes for hate I beare to thée But for the weale of this afflicted realme O foule accursed fate that hast me bredde To beare the burthen of the miserie Of this colde death which we accompt for life Before my birth my father vnderstoode I should him slea and scarcely was I borne When he me made a pray for sauage beastes But what I slew him yet then caught the crowne And last of all defilde my mothers bedde By whom I haue this wicked ofspring got And to this heinous crime and filthy facte The heauens haue from highe enforced me Agaynst whose doome no counsell can preuayle Thus hath I now my life and last of all Lo by the newes of this so cruell death Of bothe my sonnes and deare beloued wife Mine angrie constellacion me commaundes Withouten eyes so wander in mine age When these my wéery weake and crooked limmes Haue greatest néede to craue their quiet rest O cruell Creon wilt thou slea me so For cruelly thou doste but murther me Out of my kingdome now to chase me thus Yet can I not with humble minde beseeche Thy curtesie ne fall before thy féete Let fortune take from me these worldly giftes She can not conquere this couragious heart That neuer yet could well be ouercome To force me yeelde for feare to villanie Do what thou canst I will be Oedipus Cre. So hast thou reason Oedipus to say And for my parte I would thee counsell eke Still to maynteine the high and hawtie minde That hath dene euen in thy noble heart For this be sure if thou wouldst kisse these knées And practise eke by prayer to preuayle No pitie coulde persuade me to consent That thou remayne one onely houre in Thebes And nowe prepare you worthie Citizens The funeralls that duely doe pertayne Unto the Quéene and to Eteocles And eke for them prouide their stately tombes But Pollynice as common enimie Unto his countrey carrie foorth his corps Out of the walles ne none so hardie be On paine of death his bodie to engraue But in the fieldes let him vnburied lye Without his honour and without complaynte An open praie for sauage beastes to spoyle And thou Antigone drie vp thy teares Plucke vp thy sprites and chéere thy harmelesse hearte To mariage for ere these two dayes passe Thou shalt espouse Hemone myne onely heire Antig. Father I sée vs wrapt in endlesse woe And nowe muche more doe I your state lamente Than these that nowe be dead not that I thinke Theyr greate missehappes too little to bewayle But this that you you onely doe surpasse All wretched wightes that in this worlde remayne But you my Lorde why banishe you with wrong My father thus out of his owne perforce And why will you denye these guiltlesse bones Of Polinice theyr graue in countrey soyle Creon So would not I so woulde Eteocles Anti. He cruel was you fonde to hold his hestes Creon Is then a fault to doe a kings cōmaund Anti. When his cōmaunde is cruel and vniust Creon Is it vniust that he vnburied be Anti. He not deseru'd so cruell punishment Creon He was his countreys cruell enimie Anti. Or else was he that helde him from his right Cre. Bare he not armes against his natiue land Anti. Offendeth he that sekes to winne his owne Cre. Perforce to thée he shall vnburied be Anti. Perforce to thée these hands shall burie him Cre. And with him eke then will I burie thée Anti. So graunt the gods I get none other graue Then with my Polinices deare to rest Cre. Go sirs lay holde on hir and take hir in Anti. I will not leaue this corps vnburied Cre. Canst thou vndoe the thing that is decréed Anti. A wicked foule decrée to wrong the dead Cre. The ground ne shall ne ought to couer him Anti. Creon yet I beseche thée for the loue Cre. Away I say thy prayers not preuaile Anti. That thou didst beare Iocasta in hir life Cre. Thou dost but waste thy words amid the wind Anti. Yet graunt me leaue to washe his wounded corps Cre. It can not be that I should graunt thée so Anti. O my deare Polinice this tirant yet With all his wrongfull force can not fordoe But I will kisse these colde pale lippes of thine And washe thy wounds with my waymenting teares Cre. O simple wench O fonde and foolishe girle Beware beware thy teares do not foretell Some signe of hard mishap vnto thy mariage Anti. No no for Hemone will I neuer wed Cre. Dost thou refuse the mariage of my sonne Anti. I will nor him nor any other wed Cre. Against thy will then must I thée constraine Anti. If thou me force I sweare thou shalt repent Cre. What canst thou casue that I should once repent Anti. With bloudy knife I can this knot vnknit Cre. And what a foole were thou to kill thy selfe Anti. I will ensue some worthie womans steppes Cre. Speake out Antigone that I may heare Anti. This hardie hand shall soone dispatche his life Cre. O simple foole and darst thou be so bolde Anti. Why should I dread to doe so doughtie deede Cre. And wherfore dost thou wedlocke so despise Anti. In cruell exile for to folow him pointing to Oedipus Cre. What others might beseme besemes not thée Anti. If néede require with him eke will I dye Cre. Depart depart and with thy father dye Rather than kill my childe with bloudie knife Go hellishe monster go out of the towne Creon exit Oedi. Daughter I must commend thy noble heart Anti. Father I will neuer come in company And you alone wander in wildernesse Oedi. O yes deare daughter leaue thou me alone Amid my plagues be mery while thou maist Anti. And who shall guide these aged féete of yours That banisht bene in blind necessitie Oedi. I will endure as fatall lot me driues Resting these crooked sory sides of mine Where so the heauens shall lend me harborough And in exchange of riche and stately toures The woodes the wildernesse the darkesome dennes Shal be the bowre of mine vnhappy bones Anti. O father now where is your glory gone Oedi. One happy day did raise me to renoune One haplesse day hath throwne mine honor downe Anti. Yet will I beare a part of your mishappes Oedi. That sitteth not amid thy pleasant yeares Anti. Deare father yes let youth giue place to age Oedi. Where is thy mother let me touche hir face That with these hands I may yet féele the harme That these blind eyes forbid me to beholde Anti. Here father here hir corps here put your hand Oedi. O wife O mother O both wofull names O wofull mother and O wofull wyfe O woulde to God alas O woulde to God Thou nere had bene my mother nor my wyfe But where lye nowe the paled bodies two Of myne vnluckie sonnes Oh where be they Anti. Lo here they lye one by an other deade Oedip. Stretch out this hand dere daughter stretch this hande