2.1 poem
Page 1: Oedipus and the Suppliants
The scene opens with a PRIEST OF ZEUS and suppliants at the altar in front of the palace doors. OEDIPUS enters and addresses them.
OEDIPUS expresses concern for the citizens of Thebes, noticing their olive branches and the scent of incense, indicating ritual supplication.
He asks the priest to explain the situation, fearing it may be dire.
The PRIEST laments the suffering of the citizens due to calamities affecting their harvests, herds, and health caused by a plague sent upon Thebes.
The people seek OEDIPUS’s help, reminding him of his past triumph over the Sphinx and his role as a savior of Thebes.
OEDIPUS reassures them of his commitment to aiding them and reveals that he has sent Creon to consult Apollo at Delphi for guidance on how to save the city.
Awaiting Creon’s return with news, OEDIPUS expresses his grave concern for the plight of Thebes and his people.
Page 2: The Oracle’s Message
CREON enters to deliver the oracle's message from Apollo.
He declares that Thebes must rid itself of the pollution affecting the city by banishing or punishing the murderer of Laius.
OEDIPUS asks who the murderer is, expressing determination to find him.
CREON recounts the circumstances of Laius's death, mentioning that Laius was killed by robbers.
OEDIPUS resolves to conduct a search for the murderer to protect both himself and his city from further doom.
Page 3: Chorus and Oedipus’s Decree
The PRIEST and the SUPPLIANTS exit, filled with hope.
The CHORUS prays for salvation, expressing fears and calling upon the gods for mercy.
OEDIPUS addresses the people, asking anyone who knows the murderer of Laius to come forward and promising immunity from punishment.
He lays a curse on the unknown murderer, affirming that any who protects him shall share in his misfortunes.
OEDIPUS reveals his heritage and royal status, vowing to avenge Laius and draw every effort to discover the truth.
Page 4: Teiresias Arrives
OEDIPUS expresses frustration over the lack of information about Laius's murder.
The CHORUS suggests summoning blind prophet TEIRESIAS for insight.
TEIRESIAS is brought forth and approaches with reluctance.
OEDIPUS pressures him to reveal the truth about the plague; he responds sadly, warning that knowledge can bring misery.
OEDIPUS accuses TEIRESIAS of complicity in the foul deeds, blaming him for the city's troubles.
Page 5: Accusations and Revelations
TEIRESIAS finally reveals that OEDIPUS himself is the murderer of Laius, shocking the king.
OEDIPUS angrily dismisses TEIRESIAS's claim, feeling insulted and accusing him of treachery.
As TEIRESIAS speaks cryptically, he warns OEDIPUS about his fate and lineage, hinting at deeper revelations.
Page 6: Retribution of Fate
OEDIPUS demands proof from TEIRESIAS, who insists that OEDIPUS is indeed the guilty one.
OEDIPUS accuses TEIRESIAS of plotting against him and believes he is trying to sabotage him at the behest of CREON.
TEIRESIAS departs, prophesizing that OEDIPUS shall find himself in a more pitiful state than he can imagine.
OEDIPUS struggles with the implications of the prophecy and his misguided sense of identity.
Page 7: Oedipus’s Defiance
The CHORUS urges mediation between OEDIPUS and TEIRESIAS.
OEDIPUS accuses TEIRESIAS of ineptitude and doubtfulness, comparing his lack of prophecy for the past troubles with his present situation.
The tension escalates as both men hurl accusations of guilt and blame.
Page 8: The Burden of Knowledge
OEDIPUS reflects bitterly on the revelations of the past, increasingly convinced of his doomed fate.
The CHORUS observes the tension and laments the state of Thebes and its leadership in crisis.
Page 9: Creon’s Arrival
CREON enters, having heard accusations from OEDIPUS that he was plotting against him.
CREON denies any wrongdoing and seeks the truth behind OEDIPUS’s claims.
They engage in verbal conflict about loyalty, innocence, and shared burdens, questioning the trust in their relationships.
Page 10: Tensions Rise
OEDIPUS interrogates CREON about his motives and questions whether he served as an accessory to the treachery.
CREON implores OEDIPUS to calmly consider the gravity of their shared history and the chaos surrounding Thebes.
OEDIPUS’s accusations become more severe, advocating for a punishment fitting CREON’s purported treason.
Page 11: Jocasta Appears
JOCASTA enters and attempts to mediate between OEDIPUS and CREON, urging them to cease their bickering.
OEDIPUS confesses the root of the conflict lies with accusations of murder against Laius, expressing how they’ve soured their relationships.
JOCASTA offers a tale to convince OEDIPUS of the futility of prophecy, recounting Laius's oracle and death at the hands of robbers, attempting to dismiss the claims of fate.
Page 12: Continued Doubts
OEDIPUS reacts to JOCASTA’s story, anguished by the similarity of his fate with that of Laius’s.
He inquires detailed characteristics of Laius, looking for connections and fearing the prophecy's truth.
The weight of OEDIPUS’s growing dread continues to build as JOCASTA nervously complies with his inquiries.
Page 13: The Messenger's Arrival
A CORINTHIAN MESSENGER arrives with the news of Polybus’s death, softening OEDIPUS’s fears of fulfilling the prophecy regarding killing his father.
OEDIPUS begins to let go of his worries about his mother’s marriage bed, as he believes this death releases him from fate.
JOCASTA sees this as a sign and dismisses OEDIPUS’s fears, urging him to consider life lightly.
Page 14: Messages Explained
The MESSENGER reveals that OEDIPUS is not related to Polybus by blood, shocking OEDIPUS into confusion about his true origins.
OEDIPUS seeks clarification, trying to understand the implications of not being his father’s son—the news shifts OEDIPUS's outlook on fate and identity.
The MESSENGER unveils that he took OEDIPUS from the hands of a shepherd, present him as a child from Laius’s house, hinting at a broader connection to the truth.
Page 15: The Birthright Unraveled
OEDIPUS eagerly seeks to unveil the identity of the herdsman who gave him to the MESSENGER.
JOCASTA tries to deter OEDIPUS from uncovering the grim secrets of his past, feeling that the truth may not be in his favor.
OEDIPUS insists on discovering the truth, believing it will either clear his fate or affirm it.
Page 16: Memories of the Past
Through questioning, OEDIPUS learns the painful truth of his origins and near memories of his less-than-noble beginnings.
The HERDSMAN appears, eliciting strong reactions as OEDIPUS continues to peel away the layers of secrecy surrounding his birth and curse.
An intense exchange occurs as OEDIPUS digs deeper into the sordid truth of his lineage and fate.
Page 17: The Confession
The HERDSMAN confesses he did give the child of Laius to the MESSENGER, revealing shocking familial ties.
OEDIPUS grapples with his horror as he understands his life's tragic trajectory, lamenting each detail as it unveils his sins.
Page 18: The Realization of Fate
OEDIPUS’s world disintegrates around him as he faces the magnitude of what he has done—slaying his father and marrying his mother.
The CHORUS reacts to OEDIPUS’s unfolding tragedy, lamenting loss and foreshadowing disaster.
Page 19: Oedipus’s Despair
OEDIPUS laments his demise, resigning himself to the fate fulfilled through his unwitting actions by fate’s decree.
He reflects on his blindness to his origins, now fully unveiled, clouded in the shadows of his shame.
Page 20: The Consequences
The CHORUS expresses sorrow over OEDIPUS’s downfall, emphasizing the futility of gaining power without recognizing personal limitations.
They mourn the once-great king who has collapsed under the weight of his own fate and the woes it brings.
Page 21: Oedipus's End
The SECOND MESSENGER enters, announcing the tragic self-infliction of JOCASTA who, in despair, takes her own life.
OEDIPUS reacts with devastation, feeling his profound loss and guilt consumed by anguish.
The CHORUS leads a mournful farewell, signifying the depth of tragedy that has unfolded, with OEDIPUS bearing the crushing weight of his actions.
Page 22: The Blind King
OEDIPUS appears, now blind, suffering from the mental pain of knowledge and reflections of his deeds.
He articulates his deepest fears and regrets for his actions, lamenting his dual role as both son and husband to JOCASTA.
The CHORUS still stands by, crying out for light amid growing darkness.
Page 23: Exile and Farewell
Upon entering CREON, OEDIPUS pleads for banishment from Thebes, seeking to escape his cursed legacy and the reminders of his catastrophic choices.
OEDIPUS confronts CREON about his role and reasons for his punishment, expressing regret but accepting his fate as set by the gods.
Page 24: Reflection on Fate
CREON agrees to help OEDIPUS ensure that he receives a proper burial for JOCASTA and respects their relationship as kin, despite the recent drama.
The CHORUS concludes the narrative with a reflection on OEDIPUS’s dramatic fall from grace, urging others to observe caution before declaring themselves happy, as life remains unpredictable.