7. Serpens, serpentem vorans, fit draco. Peccata, peccatis
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. The idea of this sacred grove seems to be taken from that ofColonus near Athens, dedicated to the Eumenides, which gives nameto Sophocles's second tragedy. Seneca describes the scene of theincantation in the following lines: _Est procul ab urbe lucus illicibus nigerDircaea circa vallis irriguae loca.Cupressus altis exerens silvis caputVirente semper alligat trunco nemus;Curvosque tendit quercus et putres situAnnosa ramos: hujus abrupit latusEdax vetustas: illa jam fessa cadensRadice, fulta pendet aliena trabe.Amara baccas laurus; et tiliae levesEt Paphia myrtus; et per immensum mareMotura remos alnus; et Phoebo obviaEnode Zephyris pinus opponens latus.Medio stat ingens arbor, atque umbra graviSilvas minores urget; et magno ambituDiffusa ramos, una defendit nemus.Tristis sub illa, lucis et Phoebi insciusRestagnat humor, frigore aeterno rigens.Limosa pigrum circuit fontem palus.Actus Tertius. Scena prima._ This diffuse account of the different kinds of forest trees, whichcomposed the enchanted grove, is very inartificially put into themouth of Creon, who, notwithstanding the horrible message which hehas to deliver to OEdipus from the ghost, finds time to solace theking with this long description of a place, which he doubtless knewas well as Creon himself. Dryden, on the contrary, has, with greataddress, rendered the description necessary, by the violencecommitted within the sacred precinct, and turned it, not uponminute and rhetorical detail, but upon the general awful propertiesof this consecrated ground. Lucan's fine description of theMassyllian forest, and that of the enchanted grove in Tasso, havebeen both consulted by our author.] 9. The quarrel betwixt OEdipus and the prophet, who announces hisguilt, is imitated from a similar scene in the OEdipus Tyrannus. 10. Borrowed from Shakespeare;
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