THESEUS
aware; but what I still cannot understand is why you oppose it to the
outer world in which we live and act."
"Because," said Oedipus, "for the first time, when with my inward
eye I perceived what was formerly hidden from me, I suddenly became
aware of this fact; that I had based my earthly sovereignty upon a
crime, and that everything which followed from this was in consequence
tainted; not merely all my personal decisions, but even those of the
two sons to whom I had abandonded my crown-for I at once stepped
down from the slippery eminence to which my crime had raised me.
You must know already to what new villainies my sons have allowed
themselves to stoop, and what an ignominious doom hangs over all that
our sinful humanity may engender; of this my unhappy sons are no
more than a signal example. For, as the fruits of an incestuous union,
they are no doubt doubly branded; but I believe that there is an original
stain of some sort afflicts the whole human race, in such a way that
even the best bear its stripe, and are vowed to evil and perdition; from
all this man can never break free without divine aid of some sort, for
that alone can wash away his original sin and grant him amnesty."
He was silent again for a few moments, as if preparing to plunge
still deeper, and then went on:
"You are astonished that I should have put out my eyes. I am as–
tonished myself. But in this gesture, inconsidered and cruel as it was,
there may yet be something else: an indefinable secret longing to fol–
low my fortunes to their farthest limit, to give the final tum of the
screw to my anguish, and to bring to a close the destiny of a hero.
Perhaps I dimly foresaw the grandeur of suffering and its power to
redeem; that is why the true hero is ashamed to turn away from it. I
think that it is in fact the crowning proof of his greatness; and that he
is never worthier than when he falls a victim; then does he exact the
gratitude of heaven, and disarm the vengeance of the gods. Be that as
it may, and however deplorable my mistakes may have been, the state
of unearthly beatitude which I have been able to reach is an ample re–
ward for all the ills that I have to suffer-but for them, indeed, I
should doubtless never have achieved it."
"Dear Oedipus," I said, when it was plain that he had finished
speaking, "I can only congratulate you on the kind of superhuman
wisdom which you profess. But my thoughts can never march
with yours along that road. I remain a child of this world, and I
believe that man, be he what he may, and with whatever blemishes you
judge him to be stairled, is in duty bound to play out his hand to the
end. No doubt you have learnt to make good use even of your misfor-
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