What do the following lines reveal mainly about the situation in thebes?
oedipus: teiresias, seer who comprehendest all,

lore of the wise and hidden mysteries,

high things of heaven and low things of the earth

thou knowest, though thy blinded eyes see naught,

what plague infects our city; and we turn

to thee, o seer, our one defense and shield.

the purport of the answer that the god

returned to us who sought his oracle,

the messengers have doubtless told thee—how

one course alone could rid us of the pest,

to find the murderers of laius,

and slay them or expel them from the land.

therefore begrudging neither augury

nor other divination that is thine,

o save thyself, thy country, and thy king,

save all from this defilement of blood shed.

on thee we rest. this is man’s highest end,

to others’ service all his powers to lend.

teiresias: alas, alas, what misery to be wise

when wisdom profits nothing! this old lore

i had forgotten; else i were not here.

oedipus: what ails thee? why this melancholy mood?

teiresias: let me go home; prevent me not; ’twere best

that thou shouldst bear thy burden and i mine.