Oed. A shepherd wast thou, and a wandering hind?
Cor. Sh. Whatever else, my son, thy saviour then.
Oed. From what didst thou release me or relieve?
Cor. Sh. Thine instep bears memorial of the pain.
Oed. Ah! what old evil will thy words disclose?
Cor. Sh. Thy feet were pierced. ’Twas I unfastened them.
Oed. So cruel to my tender infancy!
Cor. Sh. From this thou hast received thy name.
Oed. By heaven
I pray thee, did my father do this thing,
Or was’t my mother?
Cor. Sh. That I dare not say.
He should know best who gave thee to my hand.
Oed. Another gave me, then? You did not find me?
Cor. Sh. Another herdsman passed thee on to me.
Oed. Can you describe him? Tell us what you know.
Cor. Sh. Methinks they called him one of Laius’ people.
Oed. Of Laius once the sovereign of this land?
Cor. Sh. E’en so. He was a shepherd of his flock.
Oed. And is he still alive for me to see?
Cor. Sh. You Thebans are most likely to know that.
Oed. Speak, any one of you in presence here,
Can you make known the swain he tells us of,
In town or country having met with him?
The hour for this discovery is full come.
Ch. Methinks it is no other than the peasant
Whom thou didst seek before to see: but this
Could best be told by queen Jocasta there.
Oed. We lately sought that one should come, my queen.
Know’st thou, is this of whom he speaks the same?
Jo. What matter who? Regard not, nor desire
Even vainly to remember aught he saith.
Oed. When I have found such tokens of my birth,
I must disclose it.
Jo. As you love your life,
By heaven I beg you, search no further here!
The sickness in my bosom is enough.
