CEDIPUS  AT  COLONVS.  67

low  me,  my  cliildren,  whither  Mercury  and  the  Queen
of  Night  are  leading  me."  Then,  directed  by  some
mysterious  agency,  (Edipus  moves  slowly  onwards  and
upwards  along  the  sloping  ridge,  towards  the  "  steps
of  brass,"  followed  at  a  little  distance  by  Theseus  and
by  his  daughters,  and  at  last  he  disappears  from  view.
Then  the  Chorus  utter  a  solemn  requiem  for  his
soul,  addressed  to  the  Dark  King  and  his  bride,  who
rule  the  lower  world  : —

"  If  to  thee,  eternal  queen,
Empress  of  the  worlds  unseen ;
Mighty  Pluto,  if  to  thee,
Hell's  terrific  deity,
Lips  of  mortal  moidd  may  dare
Breathe  the  solemn  suppliant  prayer, —
Grant  the  stranger  swift  release,
Bid  the  mourner  part  iu  peace  ;
Guide  him,  where  in  silence  deep
All  that  once  were  mortal  sleep.
Since  relentless  Fate  hath  shed
Sorrows  o'er  thy  guiltless  head.
In  thy  pangs  let  mercy  stay  thee,
In  the  grave  let  rest  repay  thee  !  " — (D.)

A  messenger,  who  had  followed  as  near  as  he  might
the  small  company  that  had  attended  CEdipus,  tells
the  sequel  of  this  mysterious  drama.  They  had
reached  the  brazen  steps,  and  there,  near  "  the  Thori-
cian  rock  and  the  hollow  pear-tree"  (both  probably
consecrated  by  tradition),  CEdipus  had  sat  down ;
and  after  bathing  his  limbs  in  pure  water  from  the
stream,  had  doffed  the  mean  rags  of  his  exile,  and
clothed  himself  in  a  clean  white  robe,  "  meet  for  the


68  SOPHOCLES.
