Oedipus at Colonus

Abridged

By

Jose Valdez-Hernandez

Oedipus at Colonus

by Sophocles

ACT I

Scene 1

Enter OEDIPUS with ANTIGONE. ANTIGONE leads

OEDIPUS to a rock, where OEDIPUS is sat.

OEDIPUS

Where are we?

ANTIGONE

I don’t know, father.

OEDIPUS

Antigone, where are we?

ANTIGONE

Father, I don’t know.

OEDIPUS

My favorite daughter, where are we?

ANTIGONE

WE ARE IN ATHENS!

OEDIPUS

Well, obviously we’re in Athens. But where,

specifically?

ANTIGONE

I don’t know! Why don’t you ask that guy?

Enter COUNTRYMAN

OEDIPUS

What? Who? Hello? Sir, can you help me?

COUNTRYMAN

Get out of there, that’s sacred ground.

OEDIPUS

No.

COUNTRYMAN

Yes.

OEDIPUS

Where is this?

COUNTRYMAN

Colonus.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 2.

OEDIPUS

Do you have a king?

COUNTRYMAN

His name is Theseus.

OEDIPUS

Bring him to me.

COUNTRYMAN

What’s in it for me?

OEDIPUS

Blessings.

COUNTRYMAN

Works for me. Wait up.

OEDIPUS

Antigone!

ANTIGONE

What?

OEDIPUS

...is he gone?

ANTIGONE

(annoyed)

Yes, father...

Chorus

Enter Elders of Colonus (AKA Chorus) not noticing

Oedipus

CHORUS

Where is he?

OEDIPUS

Here.

CHORUS

(Frightened)

OH MY ZEUS, A STRANGER!

OEDIPUS

Don’t make me leave.

CHORUS

Too late. Leave.

ANTIGONE helps OEDIPUS up. OEDIPUS is moved to a

different rock.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 3.

OEDIPUS

Is this fine?

CHORUS

Yes. Now, who are you?

OEDIPUS

I’m sure you’ve heard of me.

CHORUS

Really? Tell us.

OEDIPUS

Can’t tell you.

CHORUS

Why not?

OEDIPUS

It’s shameful.

CHORUS

Tell us.

OEDIPUS

Will you have me leave if I tell you?

CHORUS

No.

OEDIPUS

I am Oedipus!

CHORUS

OH MY ZEUS, IT’S OEDIPUS! GET OUT IMMEDIATELY!

OEDIPUS

But you just said..!

CHORUS

That was BEFORE we knew you were Oedipus!

EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE

ANTIGONE

Just let us be.

CHORUS

No.

OEDIPUS

Please? It’s not my fault I’m Oedipus.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 4.

CHORUS

Alright, we’ll think about it.

Enter ISMENE

ANTIGONE

Father, it’s Ismene!

OEDIPUS

You’re lying.

ANTIGONE

No, seriously! Look- I mean, trust me!

ISMENE

Hi, father.

OEDIPUS

Oh, hi, daughter.

ISMENE

Oh, your sons are evil.

OEDIPUS

I know.

ISMENE

No, now they’re more evil. They’re planning on bringing

you back to Thebes.

OEDIPUS

THE DEMONS!

ISMENE

I know.

OEDIPUS

I won’t let them. This way, Athens will win the battle

against the Theban invaders.

ISMENE

...what?

OEDIPUS

Don’t worry about it.

CHORUS

Here, you should make a ritual for the goddesses who

own this land.

OEDIPUS

I can’t. Ismene, you do it.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 5.

ISMENE

Fine. I’ll be back.

Exit ISMENE

Chorus II

CHORUS

Hey, Oedipus, is that story about you true?

OEDIPUS

Yes.

CHORUS

Ew.

OEDIPUS

I know. It hurts me just to talk about it.

CHORUS

Look, here’s Theseus.

Enter THESEUS with attendants.

THESEUS

Oedipus, son of Laius. Victim of that horrific tale.

OEDIPUS

The one and only. I have one request.

THESEUS

What is it?

OEDIPUS

You can’t know yet.

THESEUS

Then what can I know?

OEDIPUS

I need you to stop Creon from taking me away to Thebes.

THESEUS

What’s in it for me?

OEDIPUS

Victory against Thebes.

THESEUS

...but we aren’t at war.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 6.

OEDIPUS

Exactly.

THESEUS

Alright, then.

OEDIPUS

Thank Zeus!

Exit THESEUS with attendants

CHORUS III

CHORUS

Athens is so cool.

EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES

ANTIGONE

Father! Creon’s coming!

OEDIPUS

Hey, old guys! Help us!

CHORUS

Okay!

Enter CREON with Guards

CREON

Don’t be alarmed, elders. I’m here for Oedipus.

OEDIPUS

NO!

CREON

...no, what?

OEDIPUS

I won’t let you have my body!

CREON

That’s okay, I already have your daughter’s.

OEDIPUS

NO!

CHORUS

Stand back, villain!

CREON

(motions to ANTIGONE)

No. Guards, grab that girl.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 7.

Guards beat ANTIGONE, and begin to take her away.

CHORUS IV

CHORUS

Stop!

CREON

No.

CHORUS

Stop or we won’t let you leave!

CREON

Then Thebes and Athens will war.

OEDIPUS

(to himself)

I knew I was right!

ANTIGONE

They’re dragging me away!

OEDIPUS

Where are you, Antigone?

ANTIGONE

They’re... taking me away.

OEDIPUS

Oh.

Guards leave with ANTIGONE

CHORUS surrounds CREON

CREON

Move.

CHORUS

No. Not until you hand back Oedipus’ daughters.

Enter THESEUS

THESEUS

Let them go, sir.

CREON

No.

THESEUS

You will.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 8.

Exit THESEUS with CREON and THESEUS’ guards

CHORUS

Athena, Poseidon, Apollo, and Artemis, help!

EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH

Enter THESEUS with ANTIGONE and ISMENE

OEDIPUS

My daughters! I’m so happy! Theseus, I’m so thankful!

THESEUS

No problem. Oh, someone wants to see you.

OEDIPUS

Who?

THESEUS

Your son from Argos.

OEDIPUS AND ANTIGONE

Oh no!

Exit THESEUS

CHORUS V

CHORUS

Wow, we must be very old. Very old, indeed.

EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE

ANTIGONE

Here he is now.

OEDIPUS

Which of my sons is it, again?

ANTIGONE

Polyneices.

Enter POLYNEICES

POLYNEICES

Dad, I’m sorry for what I’ve done, but can you come

back to my place in Argos? If you’re there, the Oracle

said we will win the battle against Thebes.

OEDIPUS

No, of COURSE I won’t go with you!

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 9.

POLYNEICES

But dad, I’ll die!

OEDIPUS

Get out of my sight.

ANTIGONE and ISMENE bawl their eyes out; exit

POLYNEICES

CHORUS VI

CHORUS

Oh my, it’s lightninging, and thundering!

OEDIPUS

What? Oh man, that means it’s time to die. Quick, call

Theseus!

CHORUS

Theseus!

Enter THESEUS

THESEUS

What? What is it, Oedipus?

OEDIPUS

Time for me to die. Quick, follow me.

Exit THESEUS, OEDIPUS, ANTIGONE, and ISMENE.

CHORUS

Hades, Persephone, and Cerberus, don’t let Oedipus bump

his head on the way in!

Enter MESSENGER

EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

MESSENGER

Oedipus is dead.

CHORUS

Aw, man. I really liked him.

MESSENGER

Yeah, he died at Demeter’s hill. Apparently, only

Theseus knows how he died.

CHORUS

Wow, that’s something.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 10.

MESSENGER

Yeah, he was a poor, old man.

CHORUS

Where are his daughters?

MESSENGERS

Here.

Enter ANTIGONE and ISMENE, bawling

CHORUS VII

ANTIGONE AND ISMENE

CRY, CRY, CRY!

CHORUS

(feigning ignorance)

Where is Oedipus?

ANTIGONE

Dead!

CHORUS

How?

ANTIGONE

I DON’T KNOW!

CHORUS

Then I guess that’s that, then.

ISMENE

We shouldn’t return to Thebes.

CHORUS

Obviously...

Enter THESEUS

THESEUS

Cry not, you lovely ladies, for Oedipus died

painlessly.

ANTIGONE

PLEASE tell us how he died!

THESEUS

No. Daddy said so.

ANTIGONE

Well, if daddy said so... But please, help us get to

Thebes.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 11.

THESEUS

Alright, let’s go.

CHORUS

Stop your crying, ladies. He’s dead, and your crying

won’t fix anything!