Identifier: internationallib02lang (find matches)
Title: The International library of famous literature : selections from the world's great writers, ancient, mediaeval, and modern, with biographical and explanatory notes and with introductions
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912 Mitchell, Donald Grant, 1822-1908
Subjects: Literature
Publisher: New York Merrill and Baker
Contributing Library: Internet Archive
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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Text Appearing Before Image:
Ægisthus—
Oh,
You then, the nether benches of the realm,
Dare open tongue on those who rule the helm ?
Take heed yourselves ; for, old and dull of wit,
And hardened as your mouth against the bit,
Be wise in time; kick not against the spurs;
Remembering Princes are shrewd taskmasters.

Chorus — Beware thyself, bewaring me;
Remembering that, too sharply stirred,
The spurrer need beware the spurred;
As thou of me; whose single word
Shall rouse the City — yea, the very
Stones you walk upon, in thunder
Gathering o'er your head, to bury
Thee and thine Adultress under!
Ægisthus — Raven, that with croaking jaws
Unorphean, undivine,
After you no City draws;
And if any vengeance, mine
Upon your withered shoulders —
Chorus —
Thine!
Who daring not to strike the blow
Thy worse than woman craft designed,
To worse than woman —
Ægisthus —
Soldiers, ho!
Clytemnestra —
Softly, good Ægisthus, softly; let the sword that has so
deep
Drunk of righteous Retribution now within the scabbard
sleep!
And if Nemesis be sated with the blood already spilt,
Even so let us, nor carry lawful Justice into Guilt.
Sheathe your sword; dismiss your spears; and you, Old
men, your howling cease,
Text Appearing After Image:
KING ŒDIPUS
From a painting by E. Tescshendorff

THE DOWNFALL AND DEATH OF KING ŒDIPUS. 613

And, ere ill blood come to running, each unto his home in
peace.
Recognizing what is done for done indeed, as done it is.
And husbanding your scanty breath to pray that nothing more amiss.
Farewell. Meanwhile, you and I, Ægisthus, shall deliberate,
When the storm is blowing under, how to settle House and State.

THE DOWNFALL AND DEATH OF KING ŒDIPUS.
BY SOPHOCLES.
(Version of Edward Fitzgerald.)

[Sophocles : A famous Greek tragic poet; born at Colonus, near Athens,
probably in B.C. 495. He received a careful education, and at his first appear-
ance as a tragic poet, when only twenty-seven years old, gained a victory over
the veteran Æschylus. From that time until extreme old age he maintained his
preeminence, obtaining the first prize more than twenty times. He also took
part in political affairs, and during the Samian war (B.C. 440) was one of the
ten generals acting jointly with Pericles. Of the one hundred and thirty dramas
ascribed to him only seven are preserved complete: "Trachiniae," "Ajax,"
"Philoctetes," "Electra," "Œdipus Tyrannus," "Œdipus at Colonus," and
"Antigone."

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