Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 10 (earine, jarbus, alack, vapours, mishap, hapless…). Matches are highlighted.
exchange of rich and stately towers, The woods, the wilderness, the darksome dens Shall be the bower of mine unhappy bones. "One happy day did raise me to renown, "One hapless day hath thrown mine honour down. That sitteth not amid thy pleasant years. Where is thy mother? let me touch his face, That with these hands I may yet feel the
wife. But where lie now the paled bodies two, Of mine unlucky sons, O where be they? Oh bodies deer, Oh bodies dearly bought Unto your father, bought with high mishap. Now comes Apollos oracle of pass, That I in Athens town should end my days: And since thou dost, Oh daughter mine, desire In this exile to be my woeful mate, Lend
Full speech
Daughter, I must commend thy noble heart. Oh yes deer daughter, leave thou me alone Amid my plagues: be merry while thou mayest. I will endure, as fatal lot me drives, Resting these crooked sorry sides of mine Where so the heavens shall lend me harbour. And in exchange of rich and stately towers, The woods, the wilderness, the darksome dens Shall be the bower of mine unhappy bones. "One happy day did raise me to renown, "One hapless day hath thrown mine honour down. That sitteth not amid thy pleasant years. Where is thy mother? let me touch his face, That with these hands I may yet feel the harm That these blind eyes forbid me to behold. Oh wife, Oh mother, Oh both woeful names, Oh woeful mother, and Oh woeful wife, Oh would to God, alas, Oh would to God Thou never had be my mother, nor my wife. But where lie now the paled bodies two, Of mine unlucky sons, O where be they? Oh bodies deer, Oh bodies dearly bought Unto your father, bought with high mishap. Now comes Apollos oracle of pass, That I in Athens town should end my days: And since thou dost, Oh daughter mine, desire In this exile to be my woeful mate, Lend Me thy hand, and let us go together. Unto the wretched, be a wretched guide. And where shall I set forth my trembling feet? Oh reach Me yet some surer staff, to stay My staggering pace amid these ways unknown. Now can I blame none other for my harms But secret spite of foredecréed fate, Thou art the cause, the crooked, old and blind, I am exiled far from my country soil, And suffer dole that I might not endure. Oh careful caitiff, how am I now changed From that I was? I am that Oedipus, That whilom had triumphant victory, And was both dread and honoured eke in Thebes: But now (so pleases you my forward stars) Down headlong hurlde in depth of misery, So that remains of Oedipus no more As now in Me, but even the naked name, And lo, this image, that resembles more Shadows of death, than shape of Oedipus. Oh only comfort of my cruel happen. This thy desire, that is both good and just, Impart to some that be thy trusty friends, Who moude with pity, may procure the same. And of those few, yet one of those am I: Wherefore, go we now daughter, lead the way Into the stony rocks and highest hills, Where fewest tracks our steppings may be spied. "Who once hath fit in chair of dignity, "May shame to show him self in misery. Oh heap of infinite calamities, And canst thou yet increase when I thought least That any grief more great could grow in Thee? But tell me yet, what kind of cruel death Had these three sorry souls? Of them I thought no less, but tell me yet What causeless death hath caught from me my deer, (What shall I call his) mother or my wife? Dear Citizens, behold your lord and king That Thebes set in quiet government, Now as you see, neglected of you all, And in these ragged ruthful weeds bewrapt, Ychased from his native country soil, Betakes him self (for so this Tyrant will) To everlasting banishment: but why Do I lament my luckless lot in vain? "Since every man must bear with quiet mind, "The fate that heavens have erst to him assigned. Stretch out this hand, dear daughter, stretch this hand Upon their faces.
Plot summary
Plot — Jocasta
Oedipus unknowingly murdered his father and married his mother Jocasta; on learning the truth, he blinded himself. His sons imprisoned him and agreed to alternate annually as kings of Thebes: Polynices went into exile while Eteocles took the first turn on the throne; but Eteocles refused to give it up at the end of his year in office, and Polynices has besieged Thebes in association with the King of Argos. Jocasta intervenes as their mother, and persuades Polynices to enter Thebes and meet Eteocles under truce. Eteocles will not hand over power, but offers to accept his brother back as a private citizen. Jocasta is unable to reconcile her sons, and Polynices’ forces prepare for battle. Eteocles names Creon as his successor, and asks him to marry Antigone to his son Haemon. Creon consults Tiresias, and learns that Thebes is doomed to destruction in divine revenge for Jocasta’s incest; only the death of his other son, Menoeceus, can save the city. Keen to die for his country, Menoeceus refuses to go into exile as his father wishes, reports the prophecy to Eteocles, and kills himself. Meanwhile, the battle is indecisive, and Eteocles and Polynices agree to settle their dispute in single combat. Jocasta and Antigone are too late to stop them killing each other: arriving to find them both dying, Jocasta stabs herself with Polynices’ dagger. The besieging army is massacred by the Thebans. Antigone brings the three bodies back to Thebes and tells her father what has happened. Creon declares himself King of Thebes and gives order for the funerals of Jocasta and Eteocles, but demands that Polynices, as an enemy of the city, should remain unburied. Antigone protests, pleads, and refuses to marry Haemon, threatening to kill him and then herself should Creon try to force her. Creon banishes both her and Oedipus. She helps her blind father to touch the dead bodies, and he asks her to see that Polynices is buried.