Tir. Hear me, ye Thebans, and thou Creon, hear me.
140 1 Cit. Who's that would be heard? we'll hear no man; we can scarce hear one another.
Tir. I charge you, by the gods, to hear me.
2 Cit. Oh, it is Apollo's priest, we must hear him; it is the old blind prophet, that sees all things.
3 Cit. He comes from the gods too, and they are our betters; and, in good manners, we must hear him:—Speak, prophet.
2 Cit. For coming from the gods, that's no great matter, they can all say that: but he is a great scholar; he can make almanacks, an' he were put to it; and therefore I say, hear him.
Tir. When angry heaven scatters its plagues among you,
Is it for nought, ye Thebans? are the gods
Unjust in punishing? are there no crimes,
Which pull this vengeance down?
1 Cit. Yes, yes; no doubt there are some sins stirring, that are the cause of all.
3 Cit. Yes, there are sins, or we should have no taxes.
2 Cit. For my part, I can speak it with a safe conscience, I never sinned in all my life.