CR. Hands off, I say!
CH. Thou shalt not go, till thou restore the maids.
CR. Soon, then, my city shall retain from you
A weightier cause of war. I will lay hands
Not on the maidens only.
[page 287][860-886] CH. What wilt thou do?
CR. Oedipus I will seize and bear away.
CH. Great Heaven forfend!
CR. It shall be done forthwith,
Unless the ruler of this land prevent me.
OED. O shameless utterance! Wilt thou lay thy hold
On me?
CR. Be silent! Speak no more!
OED. No more?
May these dread Goddesses not close my lips
To this one prayer of evil against thee,
Thou villain, who, when I have lost mine eyes,
Bereavest me of all that I had left
To make my darkness light! Therefore I pray,
For this thy wrongful act, may He in heaven
Whose eye sees all things, Helios, give to thee
Slowly to wither in an age like mine!