Euripides' PHOENISSAE Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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Then-but why need I tell aught
beyond the sad issue?-son slew father, and taking his chariot gave
it to Polybus his foster-father. Now when the Sphinx was grievously
harrying our city after my husband's death, my brother Creon proclaimed
that he would wed me to any who should guess the riddle of that crafty
maiden. By some strange chance, my own son, Oedipus, guessed the Sphinx's
riddle, and so he became king of this land and received its sceptre
as his prize, and married his mother, all unwitting, luckless wretch!
nor did I his mother know that I was wedded to my son; and I bore
him two sons, Eteocles and the hero Polyneices, and two daughters
as well; the one her father called Ismene, the other, which was the
elder, I named Antigone. Now when Oedipus, that awful sufferer, learnt
that I his wedded wife was his mother too, he inflicted a ghastly
outrage upon his eyes, tearing the bleeding orbs with a golden brooch.
But since my sons have grown to bearded men, they have confined their
father closely, that his misfortune, needing as it did full many a
shift to hide it, might be forgotten. He is still living in the palace,
but his misfortunes have so unhinged him that he imprecates the most
unholy curses on his sons, praying that they may have to draw the
sword before they share this house between them. So they, fearful
that heaven may accomplish his prayer if they dwell together, have
made an agreement, arranging that Polyneices, the younger, should
first leave the land in voluntary exile, while Eteocles should stay
and hold the sceptre for a year and then change places. But as soon
as Eteocles was seated high in power, he refused to give up the throne,
and drove Polyneices into exile from the kingdom; so Polyneices went
to Argos and married into the family of Adrastus, and having collected
a numerous force of Argives is leading them hither; and he is come
up against our seven-gated walls, demanding the sceptre of his father
and his share in the kingdom. Wherefore I, to end their strife, have
prevailed on one son to meet the other under truce, before appealing
to arms; and the messenger I sent tells me that he will come. O Zeus,
whose home is heaven's radiant vault, save us, and grant that my sons
may be reconciled! For thou, if thou art really wise, must not suffer
the same poor mortal to be for ever wretched. (Jocasta re-enters
the palace, as the Old Servant appears on the roof.)

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