_Tir._ _By hell's blue flame: By the Stygian Lake: And by Demogorgon's name, At which ghosts quake, Hear and appear!_ [_The Ghost of Laius rises armed in his chariot, as he was slain. And behind his Chariot, sit the three who were murdered with him._ _Ghost of Laius._ Why hast thou drawn me from my pain below, To suffer worse above? to see the day, And Thebes, more hated? Hell is heaven to Thebes. For pity send me back, where I may hide, In willing night, this ignominious head: In hell I shun the public scorn; and then They hunt me for their sport, and hoot me as I fly: Behold even now they grin at my gored side, And chatter at my wounds. _Tir._ I pity thee: Tell but why Thebes is for thy death accurst, And I'll unbind the charm. _Ghost._ O spare my shame! _Tir._ Are these two innocent? _Ghost._ Of my death they are. But he who holds my crown,--Oh, must I speak!-- Was doomed to do what nature most abhors. The Gods foresaw it; and forbade his being, Before he yet was born. I broke their laws, And clothed with flesh his pre-existing soul. Some kinder power, too weak for destiny, Took pity, and endued his new-formed mass With temperance, justice, prudence, fortitude, And every kingly virtue: But in vain. For fate, that sent him hood-winked to the world, Performed its work by his mistaking hands. Ask'st thou who murdered me? 'twas OEdipus: Who stains my bed with incest? OEdipus: For whom then are you curst, but OEdipus! He comes, the parricide! I cannot bear him: My wounds ake at him: Oh, his murderous breath Venoms my airy substance! hence with him, Banish him; sweep him out; the plague he bears Will blast your fields, and mark his way with ruin. From Thebes, my throne, my bed, let him be driven: Do you forbid him earth, and I'll forbid him heaven. [_Ghost descends._ _Enter_ OEDIPUS, CREON, HAEMON, &c. _OEdip._ What's this! methought some pestilential blast Struck me, just entering; and some unseen hand Struggled to push me backward! tell me why My hair stands bristling up, why my flesh trembles? You stare at me! then hell has been among ye, And some lag fiend yet lingers in the grove. _Tir._ What omen sawest thou, entering? _OEdip._ A young stork, That bore his aged parent on his back; Till weary with the weight, he shook him off, And pecked out both his eyes. _Adr._ Oh, OEdipus! _Eur._ Oh, wretched OEdipus! _Tir._ Oh, fatal king! _OEdip._ What mean these exclamations on my name? I thank the gods, no secret thoughts reproach me: No: I dare challenge heaven to turn me outward, And shake my soul quite empty in your sight. Then wonder not that I can bear unmoved These fixed regards, and silent threats of eyes. A generous fierceness dwells with innocence; And conscious virtue is allowed some pride. _Tir._ Thou knowest not what thou sayest.