Jocasta: Oh, fly your father's curse! (Jocasta enters the palace.)
Eteocles: Destruction seize our whole house!
Polyneices: Soon shall my sword be busy, plunged in gore. But I call
my native land and heaven too to witness, with what contumely and
bitter treatment I am being driven forth, as though I were a slave,
not a son of Oedipus as much as he. If aught happen to thee, my city,
blame him, not me; for I came not willingly, and all unwillingly am
I driven hence. Farewell, king Phoebus, lord of highways; farewell
palace and comrades; farewell ye statues of the gods, at which men
offer sheep; for I know not if shall ever again address you, though
hope is still awake, which makes me confident that with heaven's help
I shall slay this fellow and rule my native Thebes. (Polyneices departs.)
Eteocles: Forth from the land! 'twas a true name our father gave thee,
when, prompted by some god, he called thee Polyneices, a name denoting
strife.
Studies
