English homework help
Basically you have to read a text and then answer questions, it would take like 2 hours max to do. Im in highschool first year. This is the text u have to read, every few, there will be a question
CLASSICAL GREEK TRAGEDY
ANTIGONE by SOPHOCLES (496?-406 B.C.)
An English Version by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald (adapted)
CHARACTERS:
ANTIGONE
- Daughter of Oedipus and Iocasta
- Sister of Ismene, Eteocles and Polyneices
- Sister of Oedipus
- Granddaughter of Iocasta
- Niece of Creon
- Princess of Thebes
ISMENE
- Daughter of Oedipus and Iocasta
- Sister of Antigone, Eteocles and Polyneices
- Sister of Oedipus
- Granddaughter of Iocasta
- Niece of Creon
- Princess of Thebes
CREON
- King of Thebes
- Son of Menoikeus
- Husband of Eurydice
- Father of Haimon
- Brother of Iocasta
- Uncle of Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, and Polyneices
EURYDICE
- Queen of Thebes
- Wife of Creon
- Mother of Haimon
HAIMON
- Son of Creon and Eurydice
- Fiancé of Antigone
TEIRESIAS
- Blind prophet of Apollo (one of the most complex and important Greek gods, and is the god of many things, including: music, poetry, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, sun, light and knowledge)
A SENTRY
- Soldier and messenger
A MESSENGER
CHORUS
- Group of old Theban men
- Comment on the action of the play, explain the play’s central themes, and connect the play to other myths
CHORAGUS
- Leader of the Chorus
PROLOGUE (INTRODUCTION)
SCENE:
Before the Palace of Creon, King of Thebes. A central double door, and two lateral (side) doors. A platform extends the length of the façade (front), and from this platform three steps lead down into the “orchestra” (chorus-ground).
TIME: Dawn (early morning of the day after the repulse (drive back of an attacking army) of the Argive army from the assault (attack) on Thebes.
DO NOT READ (ALOUD) WHAT’S IN ITALICS OR ALL CAPS.
ALL CHARACTERS ARE UNDERLINED.
[ANTIGONE and ISMENE enter from the central door of the Palace.]
ANTIGONE:
Ismene, dear sister, 1 You would think that we had already suffered enough
For the curse (call on supernatural to harm/punish someone) on Oedipus:
I cannot imagine any grief (deep sorrow or sadness)
That you and I have not gone through. And now –– 5
Have they told you of the new decree (official order) of our King Creon?
ISMENE:
I have heard nothing: I know
That two sisters lost two brothers, a double death
In a single hour; and I know that the Argive army (army led by Polyneices)
Fled (ran away) in the night; but beyond this, nothing. 10
ANTIGONE:
I thought so. And that is why I wanted you
To come out here with me. There is something we must do.
ISMENE:
Why do you speak so strangely?
ANTIGONE:
Listen, Ismenê:
Creon buried our brother Eteoclês 15
With military honors (great respect), gave him a soldier’s funeral,
And it was right that he should; but Polyneicês,
They fought as bravely and died as miserably (terribly), —
They say that Creon has sworn (promised under oath)
No one shall bury (put underground) him, no one mourn
(show deep sadness or sorrow) for him, 20
But this body must lie (remain) in the fields, a sweet treasure
For carrion birds (eat dead animals) to find as they search for food.
That is what they say, and our good Creon is coming here
To announce it publicly; and the penalty (punishment) ––
Stoning (throwing large stones to kill) to death in the public square 25
There it is,
And now you can prove what you are:
A true sister, or a traitor (person who betrays) to your family.
ISMENE:
Antigone, you are mad! What could I possibly do?
ANTIGONE:
You must decide whether you will help me or not. 30
ISMENE:
I do not understand you. Help you in what?
ANTIGONE:
Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will you come?
ISMENE:
Bury him! You have just said the new law forbids (refuses to allow) it.
ANTIGONE:
He is my brother. And he is your brother, too.
ISMENE:
But think of the danger! Think what Creon will do! 35
ANTIGONE:
Creon is not enough to stand in my way.
ISMENE:
Ah sister!
Oedipus died, everyone hating him
For what his own search brought to light, his eyes
Ripped (removed by force) out by his own hand; and Iocaste died,
His mother and wife at once: she twisted (bent) the cords (rope, fabric) 40
That strangled her life;
and our two brothers died,
Each killed by the other’s sword. And we are left:
But oh, Antigone,
Think how much more terrible than these 45
Our own death would be if we should go against (disobey) Creon
And do what he has forbidden (not allowed, banned)! We are only women,
We cannot fight with men, Antigone!
The law is strong, we must give in (obey) to the law
In this thing, and in worse. I beg the Dead 50
To forgive me, but I am helpless (unable to defend):
I must yield (give way to demands)
To those in authority (power). And I think it is dangerous business
To be always meddling (interfering).
ANTIGONE:
If that is what you think,
I should not want you, even if you asked to come. 55
You have made your choice, you can be what you want to be.
But I will bury him; and if I must (have to) die,
I say that this crime is holy (sacred, dedicated to god): I shall (will) lie down
With him in death, and I shall be as dear (close in affection and love)
To him as he to me. 60
It is the dead
Not the living, who make the longest demands (calls for something):
We die forever…
You may do as you like
Since apparently (obviously) the laws of the gods mean nothing to you. 65
ISMENE:
They mean a great deal to me, but I have no strength
To break (to disobey, to not follow) laws that were made for the public good.
ANTIGONE:
That must be your excuse, I suppose. But as for me,
I will bury the brother I love.
ISMENE:
Antigone, 70
I am so afraid for you!
ANTIGONE:
You need not be:
You have yourself to consider (think about), after all.
ISMENE:
But no one must hear of this, you must tell no one!
I will keep it a secret, I promise! 75
ANTIGONE:
Oh tell it! Tell everyone
Think how they’ll hate you when it all comes out
If they learn that you knew about it all the time!
ISMENE:
So fiery (passionate, quick-tempered)! You should be cold with fear.
ANTIGONE:
Perhaps (maybe). But I am doing only what I must. 80
ISMENE:
But can you do it? I say that you cannot.
ANTIGONE
Very well: when my strength gives out, I shall (will) do no more.
ISMENE:
Impossible things should not be tried at all.
ANTIGONE:
Go away, Ismene:
I shall (will) be hating you soon, and the dead will too, 85
For your words are hateful (very unpleasant). Leave me my foolish (lacking good judgment) plan:
I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death,
It will not be the worst of deaths ––death without honor (high respect).
ISMENE:
Go then, if you feel that you must.
You are unwise (foolish, lacking good judgment), 90
But a loyal friend indeed (in fact, in truth) to those who love you.
CONTEXT NOTE: Oedipus, once King of Thebes, was the father of Antigone and Ismene, and of their brothers Polyneices and Eteocles. Oedipus unwittingly (without knowing) killed his father, Laios, and married his own mother, Iocaste. When he learned what he had done, he blinded himself and left Thebes. Iocaste, when she learned that she had married her own son and had children with him, also killed herself.
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STOP and RESPOND:
Finish the sentences below based on your understanding of the play so far. Use proper punctuation.
1. Antigone asks her sister, Ismene, to help her bury the body of Polyneices because ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Ismene argues that they should not bury the body of their brother, Polyneices, because ________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Antigone argues that she will bury the body of their brother, Polyneices, because _________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Antigone and Ismene respond differently to Creon’s Edict not to bury Polyneices, so ____________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. I agree with ________________________ (Antigone / Ismene) because ______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reading Summary:
Who: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Where: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
When: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
How: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Why: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Summary Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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[Exit into the Palace. ANTIGONE goes off, Left. Enter the CHORUS.]
CHORUS (Summary):
The Chorus welcomes the morning sun and sings of the terrible battle the preceding (before) night. Polyneices, one of the two sons of Oedipus, commanded a battle against his fellow Thebans. Polyneices and his men attacked the seven gates of Thebes at night and defeated the seven captains guarding them. Polyneices and his men bring war, spears, fire, flames, screams, and death into the city. Eteocles, the brother of Polyneices, fights to defend Thebes against his brother. The two brothers fight a long face to face battle against each other until both are dead. It is the morning following the battle; the Chorus celebrates the beautiful morning of victory and sings for joy because Thebes is now free of war. The citizens of Thebes will sing hymns (religious songs) of praise in the temples (religious buildings).
CHORAGOS:
For God hates utterly (completely) 100
The bray (loud, harsh sound like a donkey) of bragging (proud talk of one’s accomplishments) tongues;
And when he beheld (saw) their smiling, 102
Their swagger (confident and arrogant walk) of golden helms (position of leadership or control), 103
The frown (expression of disapproval) of his thunder blasted (exploded) 104
Their first man from our walls (structure to protect the city) 105
CHORAGOS:
Seven captains at seven gates 106
Yielded (gave way to demands) their clanging (making a loud metallic sound) arms to the god 107
That bends the battle-line and breaks it. 108
These two only, brothers in blood, 109
Face to face in matchless (cannot be equaled) rage (extreme anger), 110
Mirroring (matching) each the other’s death, 111
Clashed (came together in violent conflict) in long combat (fight between armed forces). 112
SCENE I
CHORAGUS:
But now at last our new King is coming: 113
Creon of Thebes, Menoikeus’ son. 114
In this auspicious (characterized by success) dawn (early morning) of his reign (royal office) 115
What are the new complexities (challenges, difficulties) 116
That shifting (changing) Fate has woven (put together) for him? 117
What is his counsel (advice)? Why has he summoned (called) 118
The old men to hear him? 119
[Enter CREON from the Palace, Center. He addresses the CHORUS from the top step.]
CREON:
Gentlemen: I have the honor to inform you that our Ship of 120
State (government), which recent storms have threatened to destroy, has come 121
safely to harbor (home) at last, guided by the merciful wisdom of Heaven. I22
have summoned (called) you here this morning because I know that I can 123
depend upon you: your devotion (loyalty) to King Laios was absolute (complete); you 124
never hesitated (paused) in your duty (responsibility) to our late ruler (king) Oedipus; and when 125
Oedipus died, your loyalty (devotion) was transferred (given) to his children. 126
Unfortunately, as you know, his two sons, the princes Eteocles and 127
Polyneices, have killed each other in battle, and I, as the next in 128
blood, have succeeded to the full (total) power of the throne (position of king). 129
I am aware, of course, that no Ruler can expect complete 130
loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office. 131
Nevertheless, I say to you at the very outset (start) that I have nothing but 132
contempt (strong dislike) for the kind of Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, 133
to follow the course that he knows is best for the State; and as for the 134
man who sets private friendship above the public welfare (well-being), ––I have 135
no use for him, either. I call God to witness that if I saw my country 136
headed for ruin (destruction), I should not be afraid to speak out plainly (honestly); and I need 137
hardly remind you that I would never have any dealings with an 138
enemy of the people. No one values friendship more highly than I; 139
but we must remember that friends made at the risk (danger) of wrecking (destroying) our 140
Ship (government) are not real friends at all. 141
These are my principles (values), at any rate, and that is why I have 142
made the following decision concerning the sons of Oedipus: 143
Eteocles, who died as a man should die, fighting for his country, is to 144
be buried with full military honors, with all the ceremony that is usual 145
when the greatest heroes die; but his brother Polyneices, who broke 146
his exile (forbidden to return) to come back with fire and sword against his native (birth) city and 147
the shrines (holy buildings) of his fathers’ gods, whose one idea was to spill the blood 148
of his blood and sell his own people into slavery–– Polyneices, I say, 149
is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for 150
him; he shall lie on the plain (flat land with few trees), unburied (not buried); and the birds and the 151
scavenging dogs can do with him whatever they like. 152
This is my command (order), and you can see the wisdom (intelligence) behind it. As 153
long as I am King, no traitor (person who betrays their country) is going to be honored with the loyal 154
man. But whoever shows by word and deed that he is on the side of 155
the State,––he shall have my respect while he is living and my 156
reverence (deep respect) when he is dead. 157
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STOP and RESPOND:
(1) King Creon says, “recent storms have threatened to destroy” the government because ___________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(2) King Creon expects complete loyalty from his subjects, but ________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
(3) King Creon views Eteocles as a hero, so _____________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(4) King Creon views Polyneices as a traitor, so _________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________.
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CHORAGOS:
If that is your will, Creon son of Menoikeus, 158
You have the right to enforce it: we are yours. 159
CREON:
That is my will. Take care that you do your part. 160
CHORAGOS:
We are old men: let the younger ones carry it out. 161
CREON:
I do not mean that: the sentries have been appointed. 162
CHORAGOS:
Then what is it that you would have us do? 163
CREON:
You will give no support to whoever breaks this law. 164
CHORAGOS:
Only a crazy man is in love with death! 165
CREON:
And death it is; yet money talks, and the wisest 166
Have sometimes been known to count a few coins too many. 167
[Enter SENTRY from Left]
SENTRY:
I’ll not say that I’m out of breath from running, King, because every 168
time I stopped to think about what I have to tell you, I felt like going 169
back. And all the time a voice kept saying, “You fool, don’t you 170
know you’re walking straight into trouble?”; and then another voice: 171
“Yes, but if you let somebody else get the news to Creon first, it will 172
be even worse than that for you!” But good sense won out, at least I 173
hope it was good sense, and here I am with a story that makes no 174
sense at all; but I’ll tell it anyhow, because, as they say, what’s going 175
to happen’s going to happen, and–– 176
CREON:
Come to the point. What have you to say? 177
SENTRY:
I did not it. I did not see who did it. You must not punish me for what someone 178
else has done. 179
CREON:
A comprehensive defense! More effective, perhaps, 180
If I knew its purpose. Come: what is it? 181
SENTRY:
A dreadful thing… I don’t know how to put it–– 182
CREON:
Out with it! 183
SENTRY:
Well, then; 184
The dead man––– 185
Polyneices–– 186
[Pause. The SENTRY is overcome, fumbles for words. CREON waits impassively.]
out there–– 187
someone, –– 188
new dust on the slimy flesh! 189
[Pause. No sign from CREON.]
Someone has given it burial that way, and 190
Gone … 191
[Long pause. CREON finally speaks with deadly control.]
CREON:
And the man who dared do this? 192
SENTRY:
I swear I 193
Do not know! You must believe me! 194
Listen: 195
The ground was dry, not a sign of digging, no, 196
Not a wheel track in the dust, no trace of anyone. 197
It was when they relieved us this morning: and one of them, 198
The corporal, pointed to it. 199
There it was, 200
The strangest–– 201
Look: 202
The body, just mounded over with light dust: you see? 203
Not buried really, but as if they’d covered it 204
Just enough for the ghost’s peace. And no sign 205
Of dogs or any wild animal that had been there. 206
And then what a scene there was! Every man of us 207
Accusing the other: we all proved the other man did it, 208
We all had proof that we could not have done it. 209
We were ready to take hot iron in our hands, 210
Walk through fire, swear by all the gods, 211
It was not I! 212
I do not know who it was, but it was not I! 213
[CREON’s rage has been mounting steadily, but the SENTRY is too intent upon his story to notice it.]
And then, when this came to nothing, someone said 214
A thing that silenced us and made us stare 215
Down at the ground: you had to be told the news, 216
And one of us had to do it! We threw the dice, 217
And the bad luck fell to me. So here I am, 218
No happier to be here than you are to have me: 219
Nobody likes the man who brings bad news. 220
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STOP and RESPOND:
(1) Although no one wanted to bring the news of Polyneices’ burial to King Creon, _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
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CHORAGOS:
I have been wondering, King: can it be that the gods have done this? 221
…………………………………………..…………………………………………………..………
CREON:
[Furiously.]
Stop! 222
Must you doddering wrecks 223
Go out of your heads entirely? “The gods!” 224
Intolerable! 225
The gods favor this corpse? Why? How had he served them? 226
Tried to loot their temples, burn their images, 227
Yes, and the whole State, and its laws with it! 228
Is it your senile opinion that the gods love to honor bad men? 229
A pious thought! –– 230
No, from the every beginning 231
There have been those who have whispered together, 232
Stiff-necked anarchists, putting their heads together, 233
Scheming against me in alleys. These are the men, 234
And they have bribed my own guard to do this thing. 235
Money! 236
[Sententiously.]
There’s nothing in the world so demoralizing as money. 237
Find that man, bring him here to me, or your death 238
Will be the least of your problems: I’ll string you up 239
Alive, and there will be certain ways to make you 240
Discover your employer before you die; 241
And the process may teach you a lesson you seem to have missed 242
The dearest profit is sometimes all too dear: 243
That depends on the source. Do you understand me? 244
A fortune won is often misfortune. 245
SENTRY:
King, may I speak? 246
CREON:
Your very voice distresses me. 247
SENTRY:
Are you sure that it is my voice, and not your conscience? 248
CREON:
By God, he wants to analyze me now! 249
SENTRY:
It is not what I say, but what has been done, that hurts you. 250
CREON:
You talk too much. 251
SENTRY:
Maybe; but I’ve done nothing. 252
CREON:
Sold your soul for some silver: that’s all you’ve done. 253
SENTRY:
How dreadful it is when the right judge judges wrong! 254
CREON:
Your figures of speech 255
May entertain you now; but unless you bring me the man, 256
You will get little profit from them in the end. 257
[Enter CREON into the Palace.]
SENTRY:
“Bring me the man” ––! 258
I’d like nothing better than bringing him the man! 259
But bring him or not, you have seen the last of me here. 260
At any rate, I am safe! 261
[Exit SENTRY.]
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STOP and RESPOND:
(1) King Creon demands the Sentry to bring him the man who dared to bury Polyneices against his orders , so ____________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________.
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ODE 1
CHORUS: [Strophe 1] 262
Numberless are the world’s wonders, but none 263
More wonderful than man; 264
O clear intelligence, force beyond all measure! 265
O fate of man, working both good and evil! 266
When the laws are kept, how proudly his city stands! 267
When the laws are broken, what of his city then? 268
Never may the anarchic man find rest at my hearth, 269
Never be it said that my thoughts are his thoughts. 270
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STOP and RESPOND:
(1) The Chorus sings that man is the world’s most wonderful wonder because ____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(2) Create a sentence using the subordinating conjunction when and the following phrases: “laws are kept” and “the city stands proudly.” ____________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(3) Combine the following two sentences: The anarchic man never may find rest at my hearth. The anarchic man never has the same thoughts as my thoughts. ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________.
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SCENE II
[Re-enter SENTRY leading ANTIGONE.]
CHORAGOS:
What does this mean? Surely this captive woman 271
Is the Princess, Antigone. Why should she be taken? 272
SENTRY:
Here is the one who did it! We caught her 273
In the very act of burying him. ––Where is Creon? 274
CHORAGOS:
Just coming from the house. 275
[Enter CREON, Center]
CREON:
What has happened? 276
Why have you come back so soon? 277
SENTRY:
O King, 278
A man should never be too sure of anything: 279
I would have sworn 280
That you’d not see me here again: your anger 281
Frightened (scared) me so, and the things you threatened me with; 282
But how could I tell then 283
That I’d be able to solve the case so soon? 284
No dice-throwing this time: I was only too glad to come! 285
Here is this woman. She is the guilty one: 286
We found her trying to bury him. 287
Take her, then; question her; judge her as you will. 288
I am through with the whole thing now, and glad of it. 289
CREON:
But this is Antigone! Why have you brought her here? 290
SENTRY:
She was burying him, I tell you! 291
CREON:
[Severely.]
Is this the truth? 292
SENTRY:
I saw her with my own eyes. Can I say more? 293
CREON:
The details: come, tell me quickly! 294
SENTRY:
It was like this: 295
After those terrible threats of yours King. 296
We went back and brushed the dust away from the body. 297
The flesh was soft by now, and stinking (smelling bad), 298
So we sat on a hill to windward and kept guard (watch). 299
No napping (sleeping) happened until the white round sun 300
Whirled in the center of the round sky over us: 301
Then, suddenly, 302
A storm of dust roared up from the earth, and the sky 303
Went out, the plain vanished (disappeared) with all its trees 304
In the stinging dark. We closed our eyes and endured it. 305
The whirlwind lasted a long time, but it passed; 306
And then we looked, and there was Antigone! 307
I have seen 308
A mother bird come back to a stripped nest, heard 309
Her crying bitterly a broken note or two 310
For the young ones stolen. Just so, when this girl 311
Found the bare corpse, and all her love’s work wasted, 312
She wept, and cried on heaven to damn the hands 313
That had done this thing 314
And then she brought more dust 315
And sprinkled wine three times for her brother’s ghost. 316
We ran and took her at once. She was not afraid, 317
Not even when we charged her with what she had done. 318
She denied nothing. 319
And this was a comfort to me, 320
And some uneasiness: for it is a good thing 321
To escape from death, but it is no great pleasure 322
To bring death to a friend. 323
Yes I always say 324
There is nothing so comfortable as your own safe skin! 325
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STOP and RESPOND:
(1) The Sentry knows it was Antigone who buried Polyneices because ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(2) Combine the following two sentences: The Sentry brings King Creon news that he saw Antigone burying the body of Polyneices. King Creon will be surprised and upset. ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(3) The Sentry feels “some uneasiness” about bringing this news of Antigone burying Polyneices to King Creon because ___
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
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CREON:
[Slowly, dangerously.]
And you, Antigone, 326
You with your head hanging––do you confess this thing? 327
ANTIGONE:
I do. I deny nothing. 328
CREON:
[To SENTRY:]
You may go. 329
[Exit SENTRY. To ANTIGONE:]
Tell me, tell me briefly: 330
Had you heard my proclamation touching this matter? 331
ANTIGONE:
It was public. Could I help hearing it? 332
CREON:
And yet you dared defy the law. 333
ANTIGONE:
I dared.
It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice 334
That rules the world below makes no such laws. 335
Your edict, King, was strong, 336
But all your strength is weakness itself against 337
The immortal unrecorded laws of God. 338
They are not merely now: they were, and shall be, 339
Operative for ever, beyond man utterly. 340
I knew I must die, even without your decree: 341
I am only mortal. And if I must die 342
Now, before it is my time to die, 343
Surely this is no hardship: can anyone 344
Living, as I live, with evil all about me, 345
Think Death less than a friend? This death of mine 346
Is of no importance; but if I had left my brother 347
Lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. 348
Now I do not. 349
You smile at me. Ah Creon, 350
Think me a fool, if you like; but it may well be 351
That a fool convicts me of folly. 352
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STOP and RESPOND:
(1) Although it goes against the edict of her uncle, King Creon, _______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________.
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CHORAGOS:
Like father, like daughter: both headstrong, deaf (cannot hear) to reason! 353
She has never learned to yield. 354
She has much to learn. 355
The inflexible heart breaks first, the toughest iron 356
Cracks first, and the wildest horses bend their necks 357
At the pull of the smallest curb. 358
Pride? In a slave? 359
This girl is guilty of a double insolence, 360
Breaking the given laws and boasting (excessively proud talk) of it. 361
Who is the man here, 362
She or I, if this crime goes unpunished (not punished)? 363
Sister’s child, or more than sister’s child, 364
Or closer yet in blood––she and her sister 365
Win bitter death for this! 366
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STOP and RESPOND
(1) The lines: “Sister’s child, or more than sister’s child, / Or closer yet in blood––she and her sister” are significant because ___________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________.
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[To servants:]
Go, some of you, 367
Arrest Ismene. I accuse her equally. 368
Bring her: you will find her sniffling in the house there. 369
Her mind’s a traitor: crimes kept in the dark 370
Cry for light, and the guardian brain shudders: 371
But now much worse than this 372
Is brazen boasting of barefaced anarchy! 373
ANTIGONE:
Creon, what more do you want than my death? 374
CREON:
Nothing. 375
That gives me everything. 376
ANTIGONE:
Then I beg you: kill me. 377
This talking is a great weariness: your words 378
Are distasteful to me, and I am sure that mine 379
Seem so to you. And yet they should not seem so: 380
I should have praise and honor for what I have done. 381
All these men here would praise me 382
Were their lips not frozen shut with fear of you. 383
[Bitterly.]
Ah the good fortune of kings, 384
Licensed to say and do whatever they please! 385
CREON:
You are alone here in that opinion. 386
ANTIGONE:
No, they are with me. But they keep their tongues in leash. 387
CREON:
Maybe. But you are guilty, and they are not. 388
ANTIGONE:
There is no guilt in reverence for the dead. 389
CREON:
But Eteocles––was he not your brother too? 390
ANTIGONE:
My brother too. 391
CREON:
And you insult his memory? 392
ANTIGONE: [Softly.]
The dead man would not say that I insult it. 393
CREON:
He would: for you honor a traitor as much as him. 394
ANTIGONE:
His own brother, traitor or not, and equal in blood. 395
CREON:
He made war on his country. Eteocles defended it. 396
ANTIGONE:
Nevertheless, there are honors due all the dead. 397
CREON:
But not the same for the wicked as for the just. 398
ANTIGONE:
Ah Creon, Creon, 399
Which of us can say what the gods hold wicked? 400
CREON:
An enemy is an enemy, even dead. 401
ANTIGONE:
It is my nature to join in love, not hate. 402
CREON:
[Finally losing patience.]
Go join them, then; if you must have your love, 403
Find it in hell! 404
CHORAGOS:
But see, Ismene comes: 405
[Enter ISMENE, guarded.]
Those tears are sisterly, the cloud 406
That shadows her eyes rains down gentle sorrow. 407
CREON:
You too, Ismene, 408
Snake in my ordered house, sucking my blood 409
Stealthily––and all the time I never knew 410
That these two sisters were aiming at my throne! 411
Ismene, 412
Do you confess your share in this crime, or deny it? 413
Answer me. 414
ISMENE:
Yes, if she will let me say so. I am guilty. 415
ANTIGONE:
[Coldly.]
No, Ismene. You have no right to say so. 416
You would not help me, and I will not have you help me. 417
ISMENE:
But now I know what you meant; and I am here 418
To join you, to take my share of punishment. 419
ANTIGONE:
The dead man and the gods who rule the dead 420
Know whose act this was. Words are not friends. 421
ISMENE:
Do you refuse me, Antigone? I want to die with you: 421
I too have a duty that I must discharge to the dead. 422
ANTIGONE:
You shall not lessen my death by sharing it. 423
ISMENE:
What do I care for life when you are dead? 424
ANTIGONE:
Ask Creon. You’re always hanging on his opinions. 425
ISMENE:
You are laughing at me. Why, Antigone? 426
ANTIGONE:
It’s a joyless laughter, Ismene. 427
ISMENE:
But can I do nothing? 428
ANTIGONE:
Yes. Save yourself. I shall not envy you. 429
There are those who will praise you; I shall have honor, too. 430
ISMENE:
But we are equally guilty! 431
ANTIGONE:
No more, Ismene. 432
You are alive, but I belong to Death. 433
CREON:
[To the CHORUS:]
Gentlemen, I beg you to observe these girls: 434
One has just now lost her mind; the other, 435
It seem, has never had a mind at all. 436
ISMENE:
Grief teaches the steadiest minds to waver, King. 437
CREON:
Yours certainly did, when you assumed guild with the guilty! 438
ISMENE:
But how could I go on living without her? 439
CREON:
You are.
She is already dead. 440
ISMENE:
But your own son’s bride! 441
CREON:
There are places enough for him to push his plow. 442
I want no wicked women for my sons! 443
ISMENE:
O dearest Haimon, how your father wrong you! 444
CREON:
I’ve had enough of your childish talk of marriage! 445
CHORAGOS:
Do you really intend to steal this girl from your son? 446
CREON:
No; Death will do that for me. 447
CHORAGOS:
Then she must die? 448
CREON:
[Ironically.]
You dazzle me. 449
––But enough of this talk! 450
[To GUARDS:]
You, there, take them away and guard them well: 451
For they are but women, and even brave men run 452
When they see Death coming. 453
[Exeunt (Exit) ISMENE, ANTIGONE, and GUARDS.]
ODE II
CHORUS: [Strophe 1] 454
Fortunate is the man who has never tasted God’s vengeance! 455
Where once the anger of heaven has struck, that house is shaken 456
For ever: damnation rises behind each child 457
I have seen this gathering sorrow from time long past 458
Loom upon Oedipus’ children: generation from generation 459
So lately this last flower of Oedipus’ line 460
Drank the sunlight! but now a passionate word 461
And a handful of dust have closed up all its beauty 462
What mortal arrogance [Strophe 2] 463
Transcends the wrath of Zeus? 464
No pride on earth is free of the curse of heaven. 465
But the ancient wisdom speaks for our own time: 466
SCENE III
CHORAGOS:
But here is Haimon, King, the last of all your sons. 467
Is it grief for Antigone, that brings him here, 468
And bitterness at being robbed of his bride? 469
[Enter HAIMON.]
CREON:
We shall soon see, and no need of diviners. 470
––Son, 471
You have heard my final judgment on that girl: 472
Have you come here hating me, or have you come 473
With deference (respect) and with love, whatever I do? 474
HAIMON:
I am your son, father. You are my guide. 475
You make things clear for me, and I obey you. 476
No marriage means more to me than your continuing wisdom. 477
CREON:
Good. That is the way to behave: subordinate (lower in power or position) 478
Everything else, my son, to your father’s will 479
This is what a man prays for, that he may get 480
Sons attentive and dutiful (responsible) in his house, 481
Each one hating his father’s enemies, 482
Honoring his father’s friends. But if his sons 483
Fail him, if they turn out unprofitably, 484
What has he fathered but trouble for himself 485
And amusement for the malicious? 486
So you are right 487
Not to lose your head over this woman. 488
Your pleasure with her would soon grow cold, Haimon, 489
And then you’d have a hellcat in bed and elsewhere. 490
Let her find her husband in Hell! 491
Of all the people in this city, only she 492
Has had contempt for my law and broken it. 493
Do you want me to show myself weak before the people? 494
Or to break my sworn word? No, and I will not. 495
The woman dies. 496
I suppose she’ll plead “family ties.” Well, let her. 497
If I permit my own family to rebel, 498
How shall I earn the world’s obedience? 499
Show me the man who keeps his house in hand, 500
He’s fit for public authority. 501
I’ll have no dealings 502
With law-breakers, critics of the government: 503
Whoever is chosen to govern should be obeyed–– 504
Must be obeyed, in all things, great and small, 505
Just (fair) and unjust unfair)! O Haimon, 506
The man who knows how to obey, and that man only, 507
Knows how to give commands when the time comes. 508
You can depend on him, no matter how fast 509
The spears come: he’s a good soldier, he’ll stick it out. 510
Anarchy, anarchy! Show me a greater evil! 511
This is why cities tumble (fall) and the great houses rain down, 512
This is what scatters armies! 513
No, no: good lives are made so by discipline. 514
We keep the laws then, and the lawmakers, 515
And no woman shall seduce us. If we must lose, 516
Let’s lose to a man, at least! Is a woman stronger than we? 517
*************************************************************************************
STOP and RESPOND:
(1) Haimon respects his father, so _________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(2) Haimon loves and respects Antigone, but ________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________.
(3) King Creon believes that cities tumble because ___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________.
*************************************************************************************
CHORAGOS:
Unless time has rusted my wits, 518
What you say, King, is said with point and dignity. 519
HAIMON:
[Boyishly earnest (honest).]
Father: 520
Reason is God’s crowing gift to man, and you are right 521
To warn me against losing mine. I cannot say–– 522
I hope that I shall never want to say! ––that you 523
Have reasoned badly. Yet there are other men 524
Who can reason, too; and their opinions might be helpful. 525
You are not in a position to know everything 526
That people say or do, or what they feel: 527
Your temper terrifies them––everyone 528
Will tell you only what you like to hear. 529
But I, at any rate, can listen; and I have heard them 530
Muttering and whispering in the dark about this girl. 531
They say no woman has ever, so unreasonably, 532
Died so shameful a death for a generous act: 533
“She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent (not acceptable)? 534
She kept him from dogs and vultures (large birds who eat dead animals). Is this a crime? 535
Death? ––She should have all the honor that we can give her!” 536
This is the way they talk out there in the city. 537
You must believe me: 538
Nothing is closer to me than your happiness. 539
What could be closer? Must not any son 540
Value his father’s fortune as his father does his? 541
I beg you, do not be unchangeable (not willing to change): 542
Do not believe that you alone can be right. 543
The man who thinks that, 544
The man who maintains (believes) that only he has the power 545
To reason correctly, the gift to speak, to soul–– 546
A man like that, when you know him, turns out empty. 547
It is not reason never to yield (listen) to reason! 548
In flood time you can see how some trees bend, 549
And because they bend, even their twigs (small tree branches) are safe, 550
While stubborn (determined not to move) trees are torn up, roots and all. 551
And the same thing happens in sailing: 552
Make your sheet (large cloth for sailing) fast (tight), never slacken (loosen),––and over you go, 553
Head over heels and under: and there’s your voyage (long trip). 554
Forget you are angry! Let yourself be moved! 555
I know I am young; but please let me say this: 556
The ideal (perfect) condition (situation) 557
Would be, I admit, that men should be right by instinct; 558
But since we are all too likely to go astray (into error or morally questionable behavior), 559
The reasonable thing is to learn from those who can teach. 560
*************************************************************************************
STOP and RESPOND:
(1) What news does Haimon present to King Creon about the people of Thebes?
(2) What advice does Haimon offer to his father?
*************************************************************************************
CHORAGOS:
You will do well to listen to him, King, 561
If what he says is sensible. And you, Haimon, 562
Must listen to your father. ––Both speak well. 563
CREON:
You consider it right for a man of my years and experience 564
To go to school to a boy? 565
HAIMON:
It is not right 566
If I am wrong. But if I am young, and right, 567
What does my age matter? 568
CREON:
You think it right to stand up for an anarchist (rebels against authority)? 569
HAIMON:
Not at all. I pay no respect to criminals. 570
CREON:
Then she is not a criminal? 571
HAIMON:
The City proposes (offers) to teach me how to rule? 572
CREON:
And the City proposes to teach me how to rule? 573
HAIMON:
Ah. Who is it that’s talking like a boy now? 574
CREON:
My voice is the one voice giving orders in this City! 575
HAIMON:
It is no City if it takes orders from one voice. 576
CREON:
The State is the King! 578
HAIMON:
Yes, if the State is a desert 579.
[Pause.]
CREON:
This boy, it seems, has sold out to a woman. 580
HAIMON:
If you are a woman: my concern is only for you. 581
CREON:
So? Your “concern”! In a public brawl (fight) with your father! 582
HAIMON:
How about you, in a public brawl (fight) with justice? 583
CREON:
With justice, when all that I do is within my rights? 584
HAIMON:
You have no right to trample (step heavily on causing damage) on God’s right. 585
CREON: [Completely out of control.] 586
Fool, adolescent fool! Taken in by a woman! 587
HAIMON:
You’ll never see me taken in by anything vile. 588
CREON:
Every word you say is for her! 589
HAIMON: [Quietly, darkly.] 590
And for you. 591
And for me. And for the gods under the earth. 592
CREON:
You’ll never marry her while she lives. 593
HAIMON:
Then she must die. ––But her death will cause another. 594
CREON:
Another? 595
Have you lost your senses? Is this an open threat? 596
HAIMON:
There is no threat in speaking to emptiness. 597
CREON:
I swear you’ll regret this superior tone of yours! 598
You are the empty one! 599
HAIMON:
If you were not my father, 600
I’d say you were perverse (corrupt). 601
CREON:
You girlstruck fool (idiot), don’t play at words with me! 602
HAIMON:
I am sorry. You prefer silence. 603
CREON:
Now, by God––! 604
I swear, by all the gods in heaven above us, 605
You’ll watch it, I swear you shall (will) 606
[To the SERVANTS:]
Bring her out! 607
Bring the woman out! Let her die before his eyes! 608
Here, this instant (moment), with her bridegroom (fiance, future husband) beside her! 609
HAIMON:
Not here, no; she will not die here, King. 610
And you will never see my face again. 611
Go on raving (wildly talking) as long as you’ve a friend to endure (listen to) you. 612
[Exit HAIMON.]
CHORAGOS:
Gone, gone. 613
Creon, a young man in a rage (extreme anger) is dangerous! 614
CREON:
Let him do, or dream to do, more than a man can. 615
He shall (will) not save these girls from death. 616
CHORAGOS:
These girls? 617
You have sentenced them both? 618
CREON:
No, you are right 619
I will not kill the one whose hands are clean. 620
CHORAGOS:
But Antigone? 621
CREON:
[Somberly.]
I will carry her far away 622
Out there in the wilderness, and lock her 623
Living in a vault of stone. She shall have food, 624
As the custom is, to absolve the State of her death. 625
And there let her pray to the gods of hell: 626
They are her only gods: 627
Perhaps they will show her an escape from death, 628
Or she may learn, 629
though late, 630
That piety shown the dead is pity in vain. 631
[Exit CREON.]
ODE III
CHORUS:
Love, unconquerable [Strophe] 632
Surely you swerve upon ruin [Antistrope] 633
The just man’s consenting heart, 634
As here you have made bright anger 635
Strike between father and son–– 636
And none has conquered but Love! 637
A girl’s glance working the will of heaven: 638
Pleasure to her alone who mock us, 639
Merciless Aphrodite. 640
SCENE IV
CHORAGOS:
[As ANTIGONE enters guarded.]
But I can no longer stand in awe of this, 641
Nor, seeing what I see, keep back my tears. 642
Here is Antigone, passing to that chamber 643
Where all find sleep at last 644
ANTIGONE:
Look upon me, friends, and pity me [Strophe 1] 645
Turning back at the night’s edge to say 646
Good-by to the sun that shines for me no longer; 647
Now sleepy Death 648
Summons (calls) me down to Acheron,5 that cold shore: 649
There is no bridesong there, nor any music. 650
4 Goddess of Love. 651
5 A river of the underworld, which was ruled by Hades.
CHORUS:
Yet not unpraised, not without a kind of honor, 653
You walk at last into the underworld; 654
Untouched by sickness, broken by no sword. 655
What woman has ever found your way to death? 656
ANTIGONE:
[Antistrophe 1]
How often I have heard the store of Niobe, 657
Tantalos’ wretched daughter, how the stone 658
Clung fast about her, ivy-close: and they say 659
The rain falls endlessly 660
And rifting soft snow; her tears are never done. 661
I feel the loneliness of her death in mine. 662
CHORUS:
But she was born of heaven, and you 663
Are woman, woman-born. If her death is yours, 664
A mortal woman’s, is this not for you 665
Glory in our world and in the world beyond? 667
ANTIGONE:
You laugh at me. Ah, friends, friends, [Strophe2] 668
Can you not wait until I am dead? O Thebes, 669
O men many-charioted, in love with Fortune, 670
Dear spring of Dirce, sacred Theban grove, 671
Be witnesses for me, denied all pity, 672
Unjustly judge! and think a word of love 673
For her whose path turns 674
Under dark earth, where there are no more tears. 675
CHORUS:
You have passed beyond human daring and come at last 676
Into a place of stone where Justice sits 677
I cannot tell 678
What shape of your father’s guilt appears in this. 679
ANTIGONE:
[Antistrophe 2]
You have touched it at last: that bridal bed 680
Unspeakable, horror of son and mother mingling: 681
Their crime, infection of all our family! 682
O Oedipus, father and brother! 683
Your marriage strikes from the grave to murder mine. 684
I have been a stranger here in my own land: 685
6 Niobe boasted of her numerous children, provoking Leto, the mother of Apollo, to destroy them. 686 Niobe wept profusely, and 687
finally was turned into a stone on Mount Sipylus, whose streams are her tears. [Editors’ note] 688
All my life 689
The blasphemy of my birth has followed me. 690
CHORUS:
Reverence is a virtue, but strength 691
Lives in established law: that must prevail. 692
You have made your choice, 693
Your death is the doing of your conscious hand. 694
ANTIGONE:
[Epode]
Then let me go, since all your words are bitter, 695
And the very light of the sun is cold to me. 696
Lead me to my vigil, where I must have 697
Neither love nor lamentation; no song, but silence. 698
[CREON interrupts impatiently.]
CREON:
If dirges and planned lamentations could put off death, 699
Men would be singing for ever. 670
[To the SERVANTS:]
Take her, go! 671
You know your orders: take her to the vault 672
And leave her alone there. And if she lives or dies, 673
That’s her affair (business), not ours: our hands are clean. 674
ANTIGONE:
O tomb, vaulted bride-bed in eternal (forever) rock, 675
Soon I shall be with my own again 677
Where Persephone 7 welcome the thin ghost underground: 678
And I shall see my father again, and you, mother, 679
And dearest Polyneices–– 670
dearest indeed 671
To me, since it was my hand 672
That washed him clean and poured the ritual (ceremony) wine: 673
And my reward is death before my time! 674
And yet, as men’s hearts know, I have done no wrong, 675
I have not sinned before God. Or if I have, 677
I shall know the truth in death. But if the guilt 678
Lies upon Creon who judged me, then, I pray, 679
May his punishment equal my own. 680
CHORAGOS:
O passionate heart, 681
Unyielding, tormented (severe mental or physical suffering) still by the same winds! 682
7 Queen of the underworld. [Editors’ note] 683
CREON:
Her guards shall have good cause to regret their delaying. 684
ANTIGONE:
Ah! That voice you no reason to think voice of death! 685
CREON:
I can give you no reason to think you are mistaken. 686
ANTIGONE:
Thebes, and you my fathers’ gods, 687
And rulers of Thebes, you see me now, the last 688
Unhappy daughter of a line of kings, 689
Your kings, led away to death. You will remember 690
What things I suffer, and at what men’s hands, 691
Because I would not transgress (violate) the laws of heaven. 692
[To the GUARDS, simply:]
Come: let us wait no longer. 693
[Exit ANTIGONE, L., guarded.]
SCENE V
[Enter blind TEIRESIAS, led by a boy. The opening speeches of TEIRESIAS should be in singsong contrast to the realistic lines of CREON.]
TEIRESIAS:
This is the way the blind man comes, Princes, Princes, 694
Lock-step, two heads lit by the eyes of one. 695
CREON:
What new thing have you tell us, old Teiresias? 696
TEIRESIAS:
I have much to tell you: listen to the prophet, Creon. 697
CREON:
I admit my debt to you. But what have you to say? 698
TEIRESIAS:
Listen, Creon: 699
I was sitting in my chair of augury (omen, sign of what will happen in the future), at the place 700
Where the birds gather about me. They were all a-chatter, 701
As is their habit, when suddenly I heard 702
A strange note in their jangling (ringing metallic sound), a scream, a 703
Whirring (humming or buzzing sound) fury (wild or violent energy or anger); I knew that they were fighting, 704
Tearing each other, dying 705
In a whirlwind of wings clashing. And I was afraid. 706
I began the rites (religious ceremonies) of burnt-offering at the altar (flat upraised structure for religious ceremonies), 707
But Hephaistos 12 failed me: instead of bright flame, 708
There was only the sputtering slime of the fat thigh-flesh 709
Melting: the entrails (internal organs) dissolved in gray smoke, 710
The bare bone burst from the welter (turmoil, state of wild disorder). And no blaze! 711
This was a sign from heaven. My boy described it, 712
Seeing for me as I see for others. 713
I tell you, Creon, you yourself have brought 714
This new calamity (event causing damage) upon us. Our hearths (front of a fireplace) and altars (raised structure for religious rituals) 715
Are stained with the corruption of dogs and carrion birds 716
That glut themselves on the corpse of Oedipus’ son. 717
The gods are deaf when we pray to them, their fire 718
Recoils (pulls back) from our offering, their birds of omen (a sign) 719
Have no cry of comfort, for they are gorged (full to capacity) 720
With the thick blood of the dead. 721
O my son, 722
These are no trifles (things of little value or importance)! Think: all men make mistakes, 723
But a good man yields (stops resisting) when he knows his course (path) is wrong, 724
And repairs (fixes) the evil. The only crime is pride. 725
Give in to the dead man, then: do not fight with a corpse (dead body) –– 726
What glory is it to kill a man who is dead? 727
Think, I beg you: 728
It is for your own good that I speak as I do. 729
You should be able to yield (stop resisting, give way to arguments) for your own good. 730
CREON:
It seems that prophets have made me their special province. 731
All my life long 732
I have been a kind of butt for dull (not sharp) arrows 733
Of doddering (physically or mentally impaired because of old age) fortune-tellers! 734
No, Teiresias: 735
If your birds––if the great eagles of God himself 736
Should carry him stinking bit by bit to heaven, 737
I would not yield. I am not afraid of pollution: 738
No man can defile (violate) the gods.739
Do what you will, 740
Go into business, make money, speculate (to invest with hope of gain but the chance of loss) 741
In India gold or that synthetic (man-made) gold from Sardis, 742
Get rich otherwise than by my consent (approval) to bury him. 743
Teiresias, it is a sorry thing when a wise man 744
Sells his wisdom, lets out his words for hire! 745
TEIRESIAS:
Ah Creon! Is there no man left in the world–– 746
CREON:
To do what? ––Come, let’s have the aphorism (observation that contains general truth)! 747
TEIRESIAS:
No man who knows that wisdom outweighs (has more value than) any wealth? 748
CREON:
As surely as bribes are baser (lower) than any baseness (lack of moral character). 749
TEIRESIAS:
You are sick, Creon! You are deathly sick! 750
CREON:
As you say: it is not my place to challenge a prophet. 751
TEIRESIAS:
Yet you have said my prophecy (prediction) is for sale. 752
CREON:
The generation of prophets has always loved gold. 753
TEIRESIAS:
The generation of kings has always loved brass (yellow metal made of copper and zinc). 754
CREON:
You forget yourself! You are speaking to your King. 755
TEIRESIAS:
I know it. You are a king because of me. 756
CREON:
You have a certain skill; but you have sold out. 757
TEIRESIAS:
King, you will drive me to words that–– 758
CREON:
Say them, say them! 759
Only remember: I will not pay you for them. 760
TEIRESIAS:
No, you will find them too costly. 761
No doubt. Speak: 762
Whatever you say, you will not change my will. 763
TEIRESIAS:
Then take this, and take it to heart! 764
The time is not far off when you shall pay back 765
Corpse (dead body) for corpse, flesh (soft muscle and fat) of your own flesh. 766
You have thrust the child of this world into living night, 767
You have kept from the gods below the child that is theirs: 768
The one on a grave before her death, the other, 769
Dead, denied the grave. This is your crime: 780
And the Furies and the dark gods of Hell 781
Are swift (quick) with terrible punishment for you. 782
Do you want to buy me now, Creon? 783
Not many days, 784
And your house will be full of men and women weeping (crying), 785
And curses will be hurled (thrown) at you from far 786
Cities grieving (expressing sadness) for sons unburied (not put in the ground), left to rot (decay) 787
Before the walls of Thebes. 788
These are my arrows, Creon: they are all for you. 789
[To BOY:]
But come, child: lead me home. 790
Let him waste his fine anger upon younger men. 791
Maybe he will learn at last 792
To control a wiser tongue in a better head. 793
[Exit TEIRESIAS.]
CHORAGOS:
The old man has gone, King, but his words 794
Remain to plague (make sick) us. I am old, too, 795
But I cannot remember that he was ever false (wrong). 796
CREON:
That is true… . It troubles me. 797
Oh it is hard to give in! but it is worse 798
To risk everything for stubborn (determined not to change one’s mind) pride. 799
CHORAGOS:
Creon: take my advice. 800
CREON:
What shall I do? 801
CHORAGOS:
Go quickly: free Antigone from her vault 802
And build a tomb (burial place) for the body of Polyneices.803
CREON:
You would have me do this? 804
CHORAGOS:
Creon, yes! 805
And it must be done at once: God moves 806
Swiftly (quickly) to cancel the folly (mistakes) of stubborn (determined not to change mind) men. 807
CREON:
It is hard to deny the heart! But I 808
Will do it: I will not fight with destiny. 809
CHORAGOS:
You must go yourself, you cannot leave it to others. 810
CREON:
I will go. 811
––Bring axes, servants: 812
Come with me to the tomb. I buried her, I 813
Will set her free. 814
Oh quickly! 815
My mind misgives (is filled with doubt) –– 816
The laws of the gods are mighty (powerful), and a man must serve them 817
To the last day of his life! 818
[Exit CREON.]
PAEN 13
CHORAGOS:
God of many names 819
God of many names 820
God of many names 821
CHORUS:
The shadow of plague (contagious disease) is upon us: 823
CHORAGOS:
[Antistrophe 2]
Io Fire! Chorister of the throbbing (shining strongly with regular rhythm) stars! 824
O purest among the voices of the night! 825
Thou son of God, blaze (burn fiercely or brightly) for us! 826
CHORUS:
Come 827
God of many names! 828
[Exit CHORUS. Enter MESSENGER, Left]
MESSENGER:
Men of the line of Kadmos you who live 829
Near Amphion’s citadel (fortress to protect the city): 830
I cannot say 831
Of any condition of human life “This is fixed, 832
This is clearly good, or bad.” Fate (destiny) raises up, 833
And Fate casts (throws with force) down the happy and unhappy alike: 834
No man can foretell his Fate. 835
Take the case of Creon: 836
Creon was happy once, as I count happiness: 837
Victorious (winning) in battle, sole (only) governor of the land, 838
Fortunate father of children nobly (from a family of high social rank) born. 839
And now it has all gone from him! Who can say 840
That a man is still alive when his life’s joy fails? 841
He is a walking dead man. Grant him rich, 842
Let him live like a king in his great house: 843
If his pleasure is gone, is would not give 844
So much as the shadow of smoke for all he owns. 845
CHORAGOS:
Your words hint at sorrow (deep sadness): what is your news for us? 846
MESSENGER:
They are dead. The living are guilt of their death. 847
CHORAGOS:
Who is guilty? Who is dead? Speak! 848
MESSENGER:
Haimon.
Haimon is dead; and the land that killed him 849
Is his own hand. 850
CHORAGOS:
His father’s? or his own? 851
MESSENGER:
His own, driven mad (made crazy) by the murder his father had done. 852
CHORAGOS:
Teiresias, Teiresias, how clearly you saw it all! 853
MESSENGER:
This is my news: you must draw what conclusions you can from it. 854
CHORAGOS:
But look: Eurydice, our Queen: 855
Has she overheard us? 856
[Enter EURYDICE from the Palace, Center]
EURIDICE:
I have heard something, friends: 857
As I was unlocking the gate of Pallas’ 17 shrine, 858
For I needed her help today, I heard a voice 859
Telling of some new sorrow (sadness). And I fainted 860
There at the temple with all my maidens (unmarried young women) about me. 861
But speak again: whatever it is, I can bear it: 862
Grief (deep sorrow or sadness) and I are no strangers. 863
MESSENGER:
Dearest Lady, 864
I will tell you plainly all that I have seen. 865
I shall not try to comfort you: what is the use, 866
Since comfort could lie only in what is not true? 867
The truth is always best. 868
I went with Creon 869
To the outer plain (open land with few trees) where Polyneices was lying, 870
No friend to pity (feel sorrow/compassion for) him, his body shredded (torn apart to pieces) by dogs. 871
We made our prayers in that place to Hecate 872
And Pluto, 18 that they would be merciful (forgiving). And we bathed (washed) 873
The corpse (dead body) with holy water, and we brought 874
Fresh-broken branches to burn what was left of it, 875
And upon the urn (vase used to store ashes) we heaped up a towering (extremely tall) barrow (wheelbarrow or cart) 876
Of the earth of his own land. 877
*************************************************************************************
STOP and RESPOND:
(1) What does the Messenger tell Queen Euridyce about the corpse of Polyneices?
*************************************************************************************
When we are done, we ran 878
To the vault (arched building made of stones) where Antigone lay on her couch of stone. 879
One of the servants had gone ahead, 880
And while he was yet far off he heard a voice 881
Grieving within the chamber, and he came back 882
And told Creon. And as the King went closer, 883
The air was full of wailing, the words lost, 884
And he begged us to make all haste (hurry). “Am I a prophet?” 885
He said, weeping, “And must I walk this road, 886
The saddest of all that I have gone before? 887
My son’s voice calls me on. Oh quickly, quickly! 888
Look through the crevice (crack) there, and tell me 889
If it is Haimon, or some deception (trick) of the gods!” 890
We obeyed; and in the cavern’s (cave) farthest corner 891
We saw her lying: 892
She had made a noose (cloth tied to hang oneself) of her fine (high quality) linen veil (cloth to cover face) 893
And hanged herself. Haimon lay beside hers, 894
His arms about her waist, lamenting (expressing his deep grief, mourning) her, 895
His love lost underground, crying out 896
That his father has stolen her away from him. 897
When Creon saw him the tears rushed to his eyes 898
And he called to him: “What have you done, child? Speak to me. 899
What are you thinking that makes your eyes so stranger? 900
O my son, my son, I come to you on my knees!” 901
But Haimon spat (past tense of spit) in his face. He said not a word, 902
Staring–– 903
And suddenly drew (pulled out) his sword 904
And lunged (sudden move forward). Creon shrank back (pulled away), the blade missed; and the boy, 905
Desperate against himself , drove it half its length 906
Into his own side, and fell. And as he died 907
He gathered Antigone close in his arms again. 908
Choking, his blood bright red on her white cheek. 909
And now he lies dead with the dead, and she is his 910
At last, his bride in the houses of the dead. 911
[Exit EURDICE into the Palace.]
CHORAGOS:
She has left us without a word. What can this mean? 912
*************************************************************************************
STOP and RESPOND:
(1) What do we learn about Antigone?
(1) What happens between Haimon and his father, King Creon?
*************************************************************************************
MESSENGER:
It troubles me, too; yet she knows what is best, 913
Her grief (deep sadness) is too great for public lamentation (passionate expression of grief or sorrow) 914
And doubtless (without doubt) she has gone to her chamber (room) to weep (cry) 915
For dead son, leading her maidens (unmarried young women) in his dirge (funeral song of grief). 916
CHORAGOS:
It may be so: but I fear this deep silence. 917
MESSENGER:
[Pause.]
I will see what she is doing. I will go in. 918
[Exit MESSENGER into the Palace.]
[Enter CREON with attendants (employees), bearing (carrying) HAIMON’S body.]
CHORAGOS:
But here is the King himself: oh look at him, 919
Bearing (carrying) his own damnation (eternal punishment) in his arms. 920
CREON:
Nothing you say can touch me anymore. 921
My own blind heart has brought me 922
From darkness to final darkness. Here you see 923
The father murdering, the murdered son–– 924
And all my civic (political) wisdom! 925
Haimon my son, so young, so young to die, 926
I was the fool (person who acted unwisely), not you; and you died for me. 927
CHORAGOS:
That is the truth; but you were late in learning it. 928
CREON:
This truth is hard to bear. Surely a god 929
Has crushed me beneath the hugest weight of heaven, 930
And driven me headlong (in a rush) a barbaric (cruel) way 931
To trample out (destroy) the thing I held most dear. 932
The pains that men will take to come to pain! 933
[Enter MESSENGER from the Palace.]
MESSENGER:
The burden (something difficult or unpleasant) you carry in your hands is heavy, 934
But it is not all: you will find more in your house. 935
CREON:
What burden (something difficult or unpleasant) worse than this shall I find there? 936
MESSENGER:
The Queen is dead. 937
CREON:
O port (door) of death, deaf (cannot hear) world, 938
Is there no pity (feeling of compassion) for me? And you, Angel of evil, 939
I was dead, and your words are death again. 940
Is it true, boy? Can it be true? 941
Is my wife dead? Has death bred (produced) death? 942
MESSENGER:
You can see for yourself. 942
[The doors are opened, and the body of EURDICE is disclosed (shown) within.]
CREON:
Oh pity! 943
All true, all true, and more than I can bear! 944
O my wife, my son! 945
MESSENGER:
She stood before the altar, and her heart 946
Welcome the knife her own hand guided (led). 947
And a great cry burst (broke out suddenly and violently) from her lips for Megareus 19 dead, 948
And for Haimon dead, her sons; and her last breath 949
Was a curse for their father, the murdered of her sons. 950
And she fell, and the dark flowed in through her closing eyes. 951
*************************************************************************************
STOP and RESPOND:
(1) What do we learn about Queen Euridyce? What led her to this response?
*************************************************************************************
CREON:
O God, I am sick with fear. 952
Are there no swords here? Has no one a blow for me? 953
MESSENGER:
Her curse is upon you for the deaths of both. 954
CREON:
It is right that it should be. I alone am guilty. 955
I know it, and I say it. Lead me in, 956
Quickly, friends. 957
I have neither life nor substance (usefulness or importance). Lead me in. 957
CHORAGOS:
You are right, if there can be right in so much wrong. 958
The briefest (shortest) way is best in a world of sorrow. 959
CREON:
Let it come, 960
Let death come quickly, and be kind to me. 961
I would not ever see the sun again. 962
CHORAGOS:
All that will come when it will; but we, meanwhile (while we wait), 963
Have much to do. Leave the future to itself. 964
CREON:
All my heart was in that prayer! 965
CHORAGOS:
Then do not pray anymore: the sky is deal 966
CREON:
Lead me away. I have been rash (shown a lack of careful consideration) and foolish (stupid). 967
I have killed my son and my wife. 968
I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead. 969
Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. 970
Fate (events beyond a person’s control, destiny) has brought all my pride to a thought of dust. 971
*************************************************************************************
STOP and RESPOND:
(1) Is King Creon the same person at the end of the play as he is at the beginning of the play? Explain citing evidence from the text.
*************************************************************************************
[As CREON is being led into the house, the CHORAGOS advances and speaks directly to the audience.]
CHORAGOS:
There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; 972
No wisdom but in submission (act of accepting a higher force) to the gods. 973
Big words are always punished, 974
And proud men in old age learn to be wise. 975
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