22 PLAYS OF MEN AND FATE

OEDIPUS. Its mother! Could she?
HERDSMAN. Fearing prophecies—

OEDIPUS. What prophecies?

HERDSMAN. His father he must kill!

OEDIPUS. And yet you let this old man take him? Why? 250
HERDSMAN. Twas pity, sir. I thought: he dwells afar,
And takes him to some distant home. But he
Saved him to suffer! If you are the child
He saith, no man is more unfortunate.
OEDIPUS. Alas! It comes! It comes! And all is true!
Light! Let me look my last on thee, for I
Stand naked now. Shamefully was I born:
In shame I wedded: to my shame I slew.

[Exeunt all except the Cftorus.
CHORUS. Ah! Generations of mankind!

Living31 count your life as nothingness. 260

None hath more of happiness,
None that mortal is, than this:
But to seem to be., and then.

Having seemed, to fail.
Thine, O unhappy Oedipus,
Thine is the fatal destiny,
That bids me call no mortal creature blest.

Zeus! To the very height of wit
He shot, and won the prize of perfect life;

Conqueror that slew the maid, 270

Who, with crooked claw and tongue
Riddling, brought us death, when he

Rose and gave us life.
That day it was that hailed thee King,
Preferred above mankind in state
And honour, Master of the Might of Thebes.

To-day, alas! no tale so sad as thine!

No man whom changing life hath lodged