LEADER OF CH. Cease, princes. Opportunely I behold
Jocasta coming toward you from the palace.
Her presence may attune your jarring minds.
Enter JOCASTA.
JOCASTA. Unhappy that ye are, why have ye reared
Your wordy rancour ’mid the city’s harms?
Have you no shame, to stir up private broils
In such a time as this? Get thee within! (To OED)
And thou too, Creon! nor enlarge your griefs
To make a mountain out of nothingness.
CR. Sister, thy husband Oedipus declares
One of two horrors he will wreak on me,
Banishment from my native land, or death.
OED. Yea, for I caught him practising, my queen,
Against our person with malignant guile.
CR. May comfort fail me, and a withering curse
Destroy me, if I e’er planned aught of this.
[page 103][646-679] JO. I pray thee, husband, listen to his plea;
Chiefly respecting his appeal to Heaven,
But also me, and these who stand by thee.
CH. 1. Incline to our requestI 1
Thy mind and heart, O King!
OED. What would you I should yield unto your prayer?
CH. 2. Respect one ever wise,
Whose oath protects him now.