POLYNICES

Here noble mother, here, not as the king, Nor as a Citizen of stately Thebes, But as a stranger now, I thank my brother. I know not mother, if I praise deserve, (That you to please, whom I ought not displease) Have traynde my self among my trustless foes: But Nature draws (whither he will or ill) Eke man to love his natue country soil: And who should say, that otherwise it were, His tongue should never with his heart agree. This hath me drawn beside my bounden endue, To set full light this luckless life of mine: For of my brother, what may I else hope, But trains of treason, force and falsehood both? Yet neither peril present, nor to come, Can hold me from my endue obedience: I grant I can not griefless, well behold My father's palace, the holy altars, Ne lovely lodge wherein I fostered was: From whence driven out, and chaste unworthily, I have too long abode in Foreign coasts: And as the growing green and pleasant plant, Doth bear Fresh branches one above and other, Even so am dde the huge heap of my woes, Doth grows one grudge more grievous than the rest, To see my deer and doleful mother, clad In mourning Tyre, to Tyre his mourning mind, Wretched alonely for my wretchedness, So likes that enemy my brother best: Soon shall you see that in this wandering world, No enmity is equal unto that That dark disdain (the cause of e ery evil) Doth breed full oft in consangiunitie. But Jove, he knows what dole I do endure, For you and for my father's wretched woe, And eke how deeply I desire to know What wear life my loving sisters lead, And what annoy mine absence them hath given. Say on, deer mother, say what so you please, What pleases you, shall never Me disease. So heavy happen as tongue can not express. The liberty he with his country lost, "And that he lacketh freedom's for to speak, "What seemeth best, without control or check. "In exile, every man, or bond or free, "Of noble raze, or meaner parentage, "Is not in this unlike unto the slave, "That must of force obey to eke men will, "And praise the peevishness of eke men pride. What grief can greater he, that so constraynde, Slauelyke to serve gainst right and reason both, Yea much the more, to him that noble is, By stately line, or yet by virtuous life, And hath a heart like to his noble mind. Hope helpeth most to comfort misery. Yea, hope that happeneth oftentimes to late, And many die before such hap may fallen. Sometime I found (though seldom so it were) Some gentle heart, that could for courtesy, Content himself to succour mine estate. Mother, he hath a foolish fantasy, "That thinks to find a friend in misery. "Covered alas, in cloak of pouerti ? The flying fame that thundered in mine ears, How king Adrastus, governor of Greece, Was swered by Oracle, that he Should knit in links of lawful marriage, His two fair daughters, and his only heirs, One to a Lion, th'other to a Boar: And answer such as eke man wondered at. I took my guess even by this ensign here, A Lion lo, which I did always bear: Yet think I not, but Jove alonely brought These hands of mine to such and high exploit. The shining day had run his hasted course, And dewy night bespread his mantel dark, When I that wandered after weary toil, To seek some harbrough for mine irked limbs, Gan find at last a little cabin, close Adjoined fast unto the stately walls, Where king Adrastus held his royal towers. Scarce was I there in quiet well ycoucht, But thither came and other exile eke, Nam Tydeus, who strave perforce to driven Me from this sorry seat, and so at last, We settled us to fell and bloody fight, Whereof the rumour grew so great forth with, That straight the king informed was thereof, Who seeing then the ensigns that we bore, To be even such as were to him foresaid, Chosen eke of us to be his son by law, And since did solemnize eke the am. Oh mother deer, fairer ne wiser dame Is none in Greece, Argia is his name. Adrastus sware, that he would soon Unto our right both Tydeus, and me: And First for Me, that had the greater need, Whereby the best and bol est bloods in Greece, Have fellowed me unto this enterprise. A thing both just and grievous unto Me, Grievous I say, for that I do lament To be constrained by such open wrong, To war against mine own deer country fears. But unto you (Oh mother) doth pertain To stiute this strife, and both duliuer Me From exile now, and eke the town from siege: For otherwise, I swear you here by heavens, Eteocles, who now does me disdain For brother, shortly shall see me his lord. I ask the seat, whereof I ought of right Possess the half, I am Oedipus son, And yours, so am I true son to you both. Wherefore I hope that as in my defence The world will weigh, so Jove will me assist. "My worthy dame, I find that tried truth "Does best beseem a simple naked tale, "Ne needs to be with painted proces pricked, "That in his self hath no diversity "But always shows one undisguised face, "Where deep deceit and lies must seek the shade, "And wrap their words in guileful eloquence, "As ever fraught with contrariety: So have I often said, and say again, That to avoid our father's foul reproach And bitter curse, I parted from this land With right good will, yet thus with him agreed, That while the whirling wings of flying time Might roll one year about the heavenly sphere, So long alone he might with peace possess Our father's seat in princely diadem, And when the year should eke his course renew, Might I succeed to rule again as long. And that this law might still be kept for aye, He bound him self by vow of solemn oath By Gods, by men, by heaven, and eke by earth: Yet that forgotten, without all reverence Unto the Gods, without respect to right, Without respect that reason ought to rule, His faith and troth both trodden under foot, He still usurps most tyrantlike with wrong The right that does of right to me belong. But if he can with equal doom consent, That I return into my native soil To sway with him alike the kingly seat And evenly bear the bridle both in hand, Dear mother mine I swear by all the Gods To raise with speed the siege from these our walls, And send the soldiers home from whence they came: Which if he grant me not, then must I do (Though loath) as much as right and reason would, To venge my cause that is both good and joust. Yet this in heaven the Gods my records be, And here in earth each mortal man may know, That never yet my guiltless heart did fail Brotherly duty to Eteocles, And that causeless he holds me from mine own, Thus have I said Oh mother, even as much As needful is, wherein I me assure, That in the judgement both of good and bad, My words may seem of reason to proceed, Constrained thus in my defence to speak. And who is he that seeks to have my blood, And shall not shed his own as fast as mine? And this shall eke maintain my rightful cause. Ah wretch, thou art both vile and cowardlike, Thy high estate esteems thy life too deer. For well I wist, that cankered heart of thine Could sefely keep thy head within these walls, And flee the field when combat should be called. Not one small drop of my blood shalt thou spill, But buy it deer against thy cankered will. Yield villain, yield my right which thou withholds Oh altars of my country soil. Oh Gods, give ear unto my honest cause. Oh holy temples of the heavenly Gods. Out of my kingdom am I driven by force. Punish Oh Gods this wicked tyrant here. No savage beast so cruel nor unjust. Since from my right I am with wrong deprived. Oh father hear what injuries I take. And you mother. Oh deer City. I must depart, and parting must I prays O deer mother the depth of your good will. I can not choose but must thy will obey, Yet grant me once my father for to see. Where be my sweet sisters. Rest you in peace, Oh worthy mother mine. Hence forth n'am I your joy ne yet your son. Lo here the cause that stirs me by wrong. Well, speak, darest thou come armed to the field? For needs or thou must end this life of mind Or quench my thirst with pouring out thy blood. Oh royal raze of Thebes now take thine end. Dear Citizens, and you eternal Gods, Bear witness with me here before the world, How this my fierce and cruel enemy, Whom causeless now my brother I do call, With threats of death my lingering steps does driven Both from my right and from my country soil, Not as beseems the son of Oedipus, But as a slave, and abject, or a wretch: And since you be both pitiful and just, Vouchsafe Oh Gods, that as I part with grief, So may I yet return with joyful spoil Of this accursed tyrant, and he slain I may recover quietly mine own.