Yea, let him lead thee; thy intrusion here Troubles us; thy departure were relief. TIRESIAS. I go, but first will my deliverance make Maugre thy frown, which can do me no harm. I tell thee that the man whom thou dost seek With proclamations and with threat'nings dire, The man who murdered Laius, is here; In name a foreigner, a native born In fact, as will to his small joy appear. For he who now has sight will go forth blind, He who is rich will go forth penniless, Groping his way to dwell in a strange land; Brother of his own offspring he has been, As all the world shall know, husband of her That brought him forth, with incest stained, and stained With parricide. Get thee into thy house, There think upon my words, and if I lie Say I have lost the gift of prophecy. * * * * * _DISCOVERY_. A messenger from Corinth announces to Oedipus the death of his reputed father, Polybus, king of Corinth, and incidentally reveals to him in part the history of his birth. Jocasta, the queen of Oedipus and his real mother, is on the scene when the messenger arrives; upon her the fatal secret dawns at once. LINES 924-1085. MESSENGER. Strangers, I pray ye tell me if ye can Where is the palace of King Oedipus; Or better, where is Oedipus himself. CHORUS. This is the palace, in it is the king, And there the mother of his children stands. MESSENGER. Blessed may she be, be all around her blessed, If she indeed his honoured consort is. JOCASTA. Blessed be thou too, O stranger; such return Thy courtesy demands; but let me know Wherefore thou comest, what thou hast to tell. MESSENGER. Good news to thee, lady, and to thy lord. JOCASTA. What is the news, whence is thy embassage? MESSENGER. From Corinth, and the tidings on my lips May please, must please, and yet perchance may pain. JOCASTA. What can it be that has this double power? MESSENGER. The denizens of yonder Isthmian land Will make thy lord their king, as rumour goes. JOCASTA. What? Is old Polybus their king no more? MESSENGER. His lease of power has ended in his grave. JOCASTA. What say'st thou, that King Polybus is dead? MESSENGER. If I speak false let death be my reward. JOCASTA. Fly, fly, my handmaid, bear unto your lord This news without delay. O oracles, Where are ye? Oedipus in exile lives Lest he should slay this prince, and lo, this prince, Untouched by him, in course of nature dies. OEDIPUS (_entering_). Jocasta, dearest partner of my life, Why from the palace hast thou summoned me? JOCASTA. Hear this man's tidings, and by them be taught To what have come those reverend oracles. OEDIPUS. Who is the man? What is the news he brings? JOCASTA. He comes from Corinth, and the news he brings Is that thy father, Polybus, is dead. OEDIPUS. What say'st thou, stranger? Tell it me thyself. MESSENGER. If it is this thou first wouldst surely know, Then surely know that Polybus is gone. OEDIPUS. Died he of sickness or through treachery?