Some trees behind which Antigone and Oedipus may hide.Two rocks with some distance between them.Enter Oedipus helped by his daughter, Antigone.They are tired, unkempt, with torn and dirty clothes. For use by any theatrical, educational or cinematic organisation, however, including a non-commercial one, permission must be sought.Under no circumstances should any of this work be used as part of a collage, which includes the work of other writers or translators.In the country, near a sacred grove. Conditions and Exceptions apply. For fear lest I too trip like.This work may be freely reproduced, stored and transmitted, electronically or otherwise, for any non-commercial purpose.

Help me seat down, then and… take care of me. There are bay trees, olive trees and grave vines everywhere and I can hear among them the sweet music of the feathery nightingales.Come this way, father and rest your tired limbs here, on this rough rock.For someone your age, you have walked a long way, father.Oedipus Ah, good. Take me there and let me sit for a while until we find out where we truly are.We have come here as strangers, so we must talk with the local folks first and find out what we must do.Oedipus, my poor father! The city’s walls seem quite far from here and this place, I think is some sacred ground or other. My suffering as well my age and my courage have taught me to be satisfied with that much.Look around you, my child, see if you can find some place for me to sit down.A place that a mortal is free to walk upon, or somewhere near some sacred grove.

I can see a man coming this way.Oedipus Did you say, coming this way, my child? 30Antigone Yes, he’s right here now. She peers into the distance.And there’s no need for me to go anywhere. Find out if this a place people can live in.Antigone People DO live here, father. Where are we, Antigone?Antigone Well, I know that we’re in Athens but I don’t know exactly what part of it.Oedipus Yes, that’s what all the people we came across on the road have told us.Antigone Well, shall I go away and investigate?Oedipus Yes, my darling. 21Antigone No need to tell me what to do any more, father, after such a long time!Oedipus So, tell me, then.

I won’t refuse you the answer. 41Stranger The folk here call them, Eumenides, “The Kind Ones Who See All” but people in other places have other names for them also.Oedipus Well, I hope they will indeed receive a suppliant like me kindly, then, because I will not move from this seat!Oedipus This seat here, my friend is a sign, a sign sent to me by my Fate.Stranger Well, in that case, I dare not throw you out of the city before I consult with the rest of the citizens.Oedipus In Heaven’s name, stranger, please don’t treat me with scorn simply because I look like a beggar to you.Stranger By all means. You’re just in time, then to answer some of our questions.Hold it! Before you even begin with your questions, get off that rock!This is a sacred place here and it cannot not be polluted by mortal feet.Oedipus Ah! What is this place and to which god is it devoted, friend?Stranger It is a place that must not be violated by human contact.This place belongs to the daughters of Earth and of Darkness, the most dire of all goddesses!Oedipus By what name are they worshiped, friend? Tell me so that I may pray to them, please.

They’ve taken their name from that God, there, Colonus.Oedipus Is it a place that is ruled by a king or by the common folk?Oedipus And who is it that rules this country by word and deed?Stranger His name is Theseus. 60And that’s the full story, my friend and we pay homage to this story, my friend, not only with words but with reverence.Oedipus So, there are people living here?Stranger Yes. He, together with the fire-bearing titan, Prometheus and that spot there where your feet are is the bronze gate path to this country, it is the threshold of Athens.The neighbouring villages here boast that their land was the land of their great horseman, Colonus, whose statue is just there and they’ve named this town after him. Owned by the revered God Poseidon.

100It was you who have guided me here to this grove otherwise how could this have been the first place that I, a sober man who never drinks, how could I have wandered here?Why else could this sacred rough rock have been the first seat for me to rest?Come, then, goddesses, fulfil Phoebus’ sacred word, grant me an end to this misery I carry, bring an end to my life. This place here, he said is where I will find a welcoming seat, and shelter, on this seat here, dreaded goddesses, this seat that belongs to you.This place, the god told me, is where those who welcomed me will be rewarded and those who cast me out will be cursed.Signs will come to me, he said, signs like an earthquake or thunder or lightning from Zeus.I can recognise that this is your sign, my dreaded goddesses. Because it was Phoebus who uttered his prophecies about my dreadful future and told me that this place here is where it will all end. I am the only one here.Oh, great ladies! You with the fearsome eyes!I pray to you, reverent ladies, since this seat, the first place I’ve come to in this country, belongs to you!I beg you, reverent ladies, think kindly of Phoebus Apollo and of me. They can decide whether you can stay or leave.Antigone Yes, father, he has so you can speak freely.

We need to hear their words so we may act carefully.Enter the chorus of Elders from Colonus. 111Oedipus I shall be silent, my daughter but hide me! Hide me in the trees, away from the road, so we can hear what they say. There are some men approaching.Elders.They are examining the place you are sitting.

I whose ears are his eyes, as they say about the blind!Ah! A dreadful sound from a dreadful sight!Oedipus Oh, no! I beg you, don’t look upon me as you would a criminal!Chorus Zeus, our protector! Who is this old man?Oedipus Men! Guardians of this land, let me tell you who this old man here is.

Oedipus No Fear