(Jocasta enters from the palace.)
Jocasta. It has come into my head, citizens of Thebes, to visit every altar of the gods, a wreath in my hand and a dish of incense. For all manner of alarms trouble the soul of Oedipus, who instead of weighing new oracles by old, like a man of sense, is at the mercy of every mouth that speaks terror. Seeing that my words are nothing to him, I cry to you, Lysian Apollo, whose altar is the first I meet: I come, a suppliant, bearing symbols of prayer; O make us clean, for now we are all afraid, seeing him afraid, even as they who see the helmsman afraid.
(Enter Messenger).
Messenger. May I learn from you, strangers, where is the home of King Oedipus? Or better still, tell me where he himself is, if you know.
Chorus. This is his house, and he himself, stranger, is within it, and this lady is the mother of his children.
Messenger. Then I call a blessing upon her, seeing what man she has married.
Jocasta. May god reward those words with a like blessing, stranger. But what have you come to seek or to tell?
Messenger. Good news for your house, lady, and for your husband.
