SOPHOCLESÕ
Written circa 442BCE
TRANSLATED BY
GEORGE THEODORIDIS
©2004
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ANTIGONE )
ISMENE ) SISTERS
CHORUS OF THEBAN ELDERS
CREON KING OF THEBES
HAEMON HIS SON
GUARD
TEIRESIAS A BLIND SEER
A YOUNG BOY HIS GUIDE
EURYDICE CREONÕS WIFE
SOLDIERS ATTENDANTS TO THE KING
FEMALE SLAVES ATTENDANTS TO EURYDICE
ACT ONE
Before the curtain is raised we hear the sounds
of battle. Fade out.
Pause
Sounds of a bright morning. Cheery birds. Continues until just
before Antigone speaks.
Curtain is raised.
Dawn breaking. We are at the front of the
palace of Thebes. Its great gates
are a little off centre,
towards Stage Right
The stage has two levels. The top is used by
Creon, Eurydice and their attendants. The lower by everyone else.
ANTIGONE and ISMENE stand together at Stage
Left.
It is made obvious that ANTIGONE has brought ISMENE to that spot in
secret.
They are Òwhispering,Ó lest anyone in the palace hears them.
Antigone:
Dear, dear Ismene! My poor sister! Do you think Zeus has any more disasters to hurl upon our lives as punishment for our fatherÕs sins? So far we tasted sadness, destruction, disgrace and dishonour. And now our king has stunned the whole city with this new law of his. Do you understand what it means? Do know what shame this new law will bring upon our brothers?
11
Ismene:
No, Antigone. What is it? IÕve heard neither good nor bad news about them. Not since that day when we were robbed of both our brothers. In the one day, in the one fatal battle, each killing the other. The Argive enemy ran away last night. I know nothing else about all that, either to make me happy or sad.
Antigone:
I thought so. ThatÕs why IÕve brought you out here, Ismene; to tell you secretly and alone.
Ismene:
What is it, Antigone? I can see that thereÕs something deep and dreadful in your words.
Antigone:
The burial of our brothers, Ismene!
Creon has decreed that the one may be buried in all honours while the other is not to be buried at all but be shamed. They say Creon has buried Eteocles in all proper burial rites and ceremonies fully preparing him for the world below, while our other brother, Polyneices, who died a death just as horrible, should be left unburied and unmourned! Left alone, to be food for the starving ravens of the sky who eagerly look out for their food. These are the sorts of things our good Creon decreed for us two, Ismene! For you, Ismene and for me. Yes, even for me!
She looks around her anxiously.
They say heÕs about to come out of the palace any minute now to make this declaration for all those who havenÕt heard it before and to make it clear to them.
And heÕs not taking this declaration lightly, either! Because if someone dares to disobey it, heÕll have death by public stoning to look forward to! And thatÕs how things stand at the moment and you, Ismene, you have to show the true worth of your birth: are you worthy of it or will you shame your lineage?
Ismene:
But, Antigone, if things have gone that far what can I do? How could I possibly help?
40
Antigone:
We can think and act together.
Ismene:
What? Antigone, what are you up to? What dangerous thing have you got in mind now?
Antigone:
Ismene, help this hand to lift the corpse!
Ismene:
Ah! Are you thinking of burying Polyneices? ItÕs against the will of the city, the will of the King!
45
Antigone:
HeÕs our brother, Ismene! Yours and mine! And if you wonÕt help me then they wonÕt be saying that it was I who has betrayed him!
Ismene:
You poor woman! YouÕre going to bury our brother against the KingÕs wishes?
Antigone:
Creon has no right at all to separate me from my own brother. None whatsoever!
Ismene:
Antigone! Dear sister! Think how hated our father was when he died. How full of shame! He had committed such shame and such sins that, after bringing them all to the light, he gouged out both his eyes! Then she, who bore the double name of mother and wife, took her own life with a rope. Then, both our poor brothers perished in the one day, each of them killing the other with his own hand. And so, now we two are left all alone. Think what awful end we can expect if we go against CreonÕs law!
After all Antigone, donÕt forget, we are mere women, we canÕt fight against men!
The rulers are far stronger than we are and we have to do as they say, not only about this but also about far worse things.
So, what I shall do, on my behalf is, pray to the dead to forgive Polyneices and then do as Creon says because to wish to do more than what youÕre able to do is madness! To act beyond your ability is mindless folly.
69
Antigone:
I will neither beg you nor would I be happy to accept your help, even if you had offered it to me. You can believe what you want but I shall bury him. My death will be sweet once I bury him, because IÕll be lying next him in the underworld, having committed such a sacred crime.
The time IÕll have to please the dead is far longer than the time I have to please the living. With the dead IÕll be for ever. You, though, you can choose if you want to dishonour things that are honoured by the gods.
Ismene:
IÕm not at all dishonouring them, Antigone but I canÕt see how I can go against the city either!
80
Antigone:
Sure, sure! You make all these excuses if you want. IÕm off to dig my dear brotherÕs grave.
Ismene:
How afraid I am for you, Antigone!
Antigone:
Afraid? Oh, donÕt be afraid for me Ismene. Look out after your own life!
Ismene:
At least donÕt tell anyone else, Antigone and nor will I! LetÕs keep this a secret!
86
Antigone:
God! By all means, tell the whole world! IÕd hate you all the more if you didnÕt!
Ismene:
Cold things wrap your hot heart, my dear sister!
Antigone:
Perhaps but I know whom I should please!
Ismene:
And perhaps you may succeed but youÕre asking to do the impossible!
Antigone:
At least I shall be trying for as long as my strength holds out.
Ismene:
But one needs to know from the beginning what things one is capable of doing and not pursue the impossible.
Antigone:
This sort of talk will reward you with not only my own hatred but also with that of your dead brother when you, too, will die and will want to be near him; and heÕll be right to hate you then.
Pause
Light grows.
101
Chorus:
Oh, ray of the Sun! The most beautiful light ever shone upon our Thebes, the Thebes of seven gates. Here you are at last, great eye of our golden day.
YouÕve come over the great waters of Dirke and made the enemy tighten his grips on the reins of his horse and hasten his flight. He had come from Argos in full armour, white shields glaring.
110
Covered in white wings, with full armour and with crests like the manes of horses, on his head, he was guided to our land by the shrill and forked words of Polyneices;
And
Like an eagle, swooped upon us from above.
And
The enemy first hovered and weighed his blood-thirsty spears above our seven-gated castle but then he turned sharply and ran well before his face was soaked with our own blood
And
Well before the resin of our pines gave Hephaestus his fiery garlands!
Such was the war-noise which mighty Ares threw hard against the back of his difficult foe.
And
This because Zeus hates the arrogant tongue!
And
So, as soon as he saw them, rushing out like an over charged river, with their insolent golden spears and swords
And
Just as they were about to shout out their triumphant cry from the tips of our towers, he, Zeus, threw his searing bolt at them.
And
So, our enemy, who came to us with torch in his hand and in the grips of a whirling wild wind
Wavered and swayed for a while high above us but then fell heavy upon the ground
And
There he lay.
Things turned out differently for him then. Ares stood by our side and the Fates destroyed him.
147
Seven of our generals against seven of theirs –equal in number equal in skill all gave their lives their full-bronze armour to Zeus, all but two unlucky men, born of the same father, the same mother
Double the contest - spear-to-spear,
Double the death - each a victim to the other.
But Victory
–so great is her name!-
has come to us, to Thebes!
-so well-armed is this city!-
And so let us forget wars and begin the sacred dances in every temple of every god beginning with Dionysus.
Let us dance all night!
The gates of the Palace open and Creon and soldiers enter
Ah! Here is Creon, son of Menoeceus and our new King! The gods gave us this luck along with our new victory. I wonder what disturbs him so that he sent a herald calling us, his elders, to an early morning meeting.
Creon:
Men! The gods have righted again what they have thrown into turbulence before. IÕve gathered you here, you alone, because I know of the respect you had for LaiusÕ throne and person.
Even when Oedipus rebuilt the city and he himself died, you stayed loyal to his sons with minds unswayed. So now that these two both, with each otherÕs polluted swords, died, a double fate for them both and both on the one day, I took over the throne, being their nearest next of kin.
Yet, itÕs
impossible to understand the soul, the mind the wisdom of any man before heÕs
tested by the great power and laws.
Indicates the gods.
And I feel this: that a man is of no use to his city if heÕs to govern it by wisdom though by a tongue silenced by some fear. And if a man places anything above his city in friendship, that man I think is worthy of disdain. Always did, always will.
Let Zeus who sees all be my witness!
I will never hold my tongue if I see that our city is in harmÕs way! Nor will I ever make friends with an enemy of Thebes. Because I know one thing absolutely: that our safety relies on us travelling upon a steady ship. Only then can we make friends.
It is by these laws that I will hold our city strong.
193
And so!
In respect of OedipusÕ sons, I have proclaimed to the city that, Eteocles, who fought and fell for our country, fought more bravely than anyone in this battle, let him be buried in a grave with all honours due to a most worthy dead.
For his brother, though, Polyneices, his flesh and blood, the man who came back here to burn his country -end-to-end- and her gods, who wanted to taste his brotherÕs blood and to make slaves out of his own kin, it is prohibited to everyone in this land to honour him with a grave or a tear. Leave his corpse untouched, unburied! Let the dogs and birds of prey tear it to pieces, mangle it, make it a ghastly sight for all.
These are my thoughts.
I shall never give to the dishonourable the same rights as those I give to the honourable but he who loves his city will earn the same honours whether alive or dead.
211
Chorus:
You have the right, son of Menoeceus to do as you please and to decree what laws you want, both, for the dead as well as for the living
Creon:
Guard well then the things IÕve said to you.
Chorus:
This task is so weighty you should place it upon the shoulders of younger men.
Creon:
DonÕt worry, the men who are watching over the body are already at their post.
Chorus:
Well then, what else is there for us to do?
Creon:
Just make sure you donÕt stand by while this law is broken.
220
Chorus:
WhoÕs mad enough to seek out his own death?
Creon:
And that will be the wages of that error! Death! Yet there are men who the mere hope of winning has killed them.
Enter a guard from Stage Left. He is harried and fearful. He is very uncomfortable in telling the story.
Guard:
My King, I canÕt say that IÕve lost my breath by running my feet to the ground so as to get here as quickly as I could! God knows I stopped myself often on the way here and IÕve almost turned back many times.
My soul, you see, was talking to me all the while and all the while it kept changing its mind: Òpoor man,Ó it would say one minute, ÒWhy are you rushing to your suffering?Ó Or again, ÒStupid man,Ó it would say, Òwhy are you hanging about like this? What if the king hears it from someone else? What a mess youÕd get yourself in then!Ó Stuff like that was spinning around in my head and making this small road all the longer!
Eventually, in spite of all the arguing in my soul, the decision to come here before you, won over. And, even if I have nothing really to tell you, still, I wish to speak because IÕve come holding on to the hope that IÕll suffer nothing more then whatÕs my dueÉ my king!
Creon:
So, what is it thatÕs made you lose your courage so?
Guard:
You know, I want to say something about me, first; because you see, my king, IÕve neither done the deed nor did I see who did it, so I should suffer nothing because of it! I didnÕt do the deed!
241
Creon:
I can hear lots of words and see also plenty of walls around them. You obviously have some news to tell us!
Guard:
Walls, yes! EhÉ ThatÕs because itÕs always painful to utter bad news.
Creon:
Well then, say what you have to say and off you go!
Guard:
All right, then, here it is: someone, my King, someoneÉ has buried the body of the dead Polyneices a little while ago. He just tossed a bit of soil over him, some dry dust, did all the sacred things and then quickly ran off!
Creon:
What? Which man has the audacity to do such a thing?
Guard:
Impossible to tell, sir.
The soil is not disturbed at all; neither dug up by pick nor shoved about by hoe. The ground is as solid as a rock, without the slightest mark or bruise, nor lines made by cart wheels. Not a footprint left by the person who did this, my King.
And so, when the first guard of the day calls us all to have a look, we were stunned by thisÉ inexplicable sight.
The corpse was fully buried – no, I donÕt mean entombed beneath the ground but there was this high mount put above him, as if done by someone who wanted to save him from dishonour. Yet, not even the footprints of some wild beast or dog which might have come to tear at the corpse were visible.
Then,
We started arguing with harsh words, each guard blaming the other for it and we nearly got down to blows because there was no one there to pull us apart. Because every one of us was thought of as guilty and there was no proof to save anyone.
We all screamed that we were not at fault and each of us was ready to walk into fire, holding hot irons and swearing by all the gods, to prove that he neither did it nor knew who did it.
Then,
When all our arguing came to nothing, one of us came out and spoke words that made our head drop low in horror, because we could neither say ÒnoÓ nor come out of this without a great deal of trouble. So we listened. He said that we should inform you of this immediately, rather than cover it up.
Then
WeÕve all agreed and then we chose by lot. Unfortunately, my King, the lot fell on poor old me and so, here I am, unwilling and unwanted – I know that because I know that no one ever welcomes a bearer of bad news.
278
Chorus:
Creon, while this man was talking a thought had crossed my mind. Perhaps itÕs some godÕs doing!
Creon:
Quiet!
By Zeus! YouÕre getting me angry! It seems that not only youÕre old but youÕre mindless as well!
I cannot tolerate such nonsense!
The gods do not care for this corpse. And why should they? To honour a man whoÕs come here to put fire to their adorned temples, and to the peopleÕs offerings, to turn their land and laws upside down - or do you see the gods honouring evildoers now?
Of course not!
No!
For a while now there have been some people around here who tolerate my decree only with mutterings and by shaking their treacherous heads! No! They did not want to bend their heads and place it in my yoke, as justice demands, and to obey me!
And, I know this very well, whoever did this did it because he was paid money by these malcontents.
Money! No discovery ever made by man is worse than the silver coin.
ItÕs this silver coin which turns countries upside down.
ItÕs this silver coin which sends the men away from their homes.
ItÕs this silver coin which turns the minds of wise men; makes them wander about, lost to evil deeds, teaches them to commit every sacrilege.
But it will not be long before the traitors who have done this, will reap their reward.
And all of you know also that so long as Zeus receives my devotion, I swear that if you do not find the man who committed this burial and present him here, before my own eyes, Hades will not suffice for you. Before your hanging youÕll have revealed the doer of this sacrilege.
YouÕll know then for the next time, from where to steal and you will also know that one should not steal from everywhere.
Dishonourable profits destroy more people than they save.
315
Guard:
My king, do I have your permission to speak or shall I just turn about and leave?
Creon:
Can you not see that the very sound of your voice disturbs me?
Guard:
Is it your ears that are disturbed, my king or is it your soul?
Creon:
What? Are you weighing the disturbance to locate its spot?
Guard:
Well, you see, the culprit disturbs your soul, my king, whereas I disturb your ears!
320
Creon:
What a chatterbox the gods have made out of you!
Guard:
Chatterbox or not, at least I have not committed this crime, my King!
Creon:
You did, indeed! YouÕve done it by selling your soul for silver!
Guard:
Oh, my! What a terrible thing it is for one to think yet to think the wrong thought!
Creon:
Go! Go and make your logic prettier! Go but if you donÕt bring the culprits to me youÕll see what disasters dishonourable gains can bring!
Guard:
Let them be found! Above all else, itÕs my wish also! Still, Fate will choose whether theyÕre caught or not and I shall forget IÕve ever been there and you will never see me again! Phew! What a huge debt I owe to the gods! I neither hoped nor suspected this welcomed end.
332
Chorus:
Wonders abound in this world yet no wonder is greater than man. None!
Through the wild white of a frenzied sea and through the screaming northerlies beneath him and through all the furious storms around him, through all this, man can pass!
And
GodsÕ most glorious Earth, the imperishable, untiring Earth, this man works with his horses and ploughs, year in, year out.
And
Man traps generations of the light-minded birds in his nets
And
Man catches the nations of wild beasts
And
Herds of teeming fish, huge harvest of the sea, man catches in his nets made of mighty cord.
So skilful is man!
Even the beasts that live in the barren mountains he rules over with his cunning machines
And
Around the hairy neck of the horse he placed the yoke and he does this around the tireless bull also
And
Man has learnt speech and thought, swifter than the wind he mastered
And
Learnt to govern his cities well
And
This omniscient being has learnt how to avoid the blasts of the wild open air: the arrows of the freezing night, the dreadful wind driven piercing gale!
HeÕs prepared for all events bar Death and from Death he can find no escape.
Of illness, though and of disease, each man found a cure for the other.
And though his wisdom is great in discovery -wisdom beyond all imaginings!
Yet one minute it turns to ill the next again to good.
But whoever honours the laws of his land and his sworn oaths to the gods, heÕll bring glory to his city.
The arrogant man, on the other hand, the man who strays from the righteous path is lost to his city. Let that man never stay under the same roof as me or even be acquainted by me!
Enter the Guard dragging behind him Antigone. She has her hands tied with rope.
Chorus:
Is this a ghost?
My mind argues.
Yet how can I say ÒnoÓ when I know her!
Is this not Antigone? Poor child!
Poor daughter of the poor man, Oedipus!
What happened? Surely youÕre not brought here because youÕve disobeyed the kingÕs edict?
Surely they havenÕt caught you doing such a thing?
384
Guard:
ThatÕs it! YouÕve got it, all right! We caught her burying Polyneices! WhereÕs the king?
Chorus:
Here he is! Came out of the palace just in time!
Creon:
In time for what? What is it?
Guard:
My King, itÕs true! One shouldnÕt take oaths lightly because a second thought often makes a liar out of the first. ThatÕs how it was with me.
After all that fury and anger you threw at me the last time I was here and you had me trembling as if it was the middle of winter, I gave a sworn oath youÕd never see me here again. Yet, nothing is sweeter than the unexpected joy, the joy your mind cannot imagine. So, in spite of those oaths IÕve taken, IÕve come with this woman whom we caught burying the dead soldier.
No lots to draw this time. The luck was wholly mine and no one elseÕs!
And now my King, sheÕs all yours. Take her, question her, judge her as you wish and so far as IÕm concerned, I think IÕm right in saying, IÕm free and that IÕve escaped any punishment.
401
Creon:
So, how did you catch her? Doing what exactly?
Guard:
Looks puzzled by CreonÕs slowness of understanding.
You know what! She was burying the body of Polyneices!
Creon:
Is this true? Do you understand what youÕre saying?
Guard:
IÕm telling you, IÕve seen her burying the body –the one youÕve banned- with my own eyes! Am I not saying it clear and straight?
Creon:
And how was she seen? Who caught her? Where did she do it?
407
Guard:
Well, it happened like this:
After that tirade of yours, full of fear and dread, we returned to the ground where PolyneicesÕ corpse lay. Then, we dusted the corpse totally clean and finally we bared it absolutely naked. The corpse had, by then, begun to putrefy.
Then we sat upon some rocks windward side so as not to be hit by the stench of the corpse. Each of us kept swearing at the other with horrible consequences if he had not taken this job seriously.
Things proceeded like this until the sun reached mid-sky and turned into a burning flame. Then, suddenly some spinning wild wind comes and raises a godly disaster, and fills the camp, hitting mercilessly the leaves and branches of the trees in the valley. The sky swelled from the dust and we, with our eyes firmly shut stood there, waiting for some godÕs curse. Then, after a while the storm passed and this woman appeared.
She began crying like a little bird thatÕs come to its nest and found it bereft of its chicks. Exactly like that! When she saw that the body was naked she began to scream and curse with wild oaths those at who did it. Then she immediately brings handfuls of dry dust and from above pours libations from a beautiful bronze urn. But as soon as we saw her, we rushed all together towards her and grabbed her.
She was calm about everything and we had questioned her about what she had done then as well as earlier. She resisted nothing and this made me feel both sad and happy because it is a sweet thing for one to escape a disaster but a sad one indeed to lead a friend into it.
One way or another though, I place nothing before my own salvation.
441
Creon:
You! You with the head to the ground!
Do you admit your guilt?
Antigone:
I admit, my guilt. I did it!
Creon:
You! You can go now! Go anywhere you like. You are free from every suspicion
You again. Tell me with a few, quick words. Were you aware of the proclamation that forbade anyone from burying Polyneices?
Antigone:
Of course I did. Everyone did.
Creon:
And you had the audacity to break that law?
449
Antigone:
Yes, because this was not a law decreed by Zeus, nor by ZeusÕ daughter, Justice, who rules with the gods of the Underworld. Nor do I believe that your decrees have the power to override those unwritten and immutable laws decreed by the gods.
These are laws which were written neither yesterday nor today but from a time when no man saw their birth; they are eternal! How could I be afraid to disobey laws decreed by any man when I know that IÕd have to answer to the gods below if I had disobeyed them, after I died?
I knew that my death was imminent, of course I did and even if it came sooner, I would still think it a good thing because if one lives in such a dreadful misery why should he not think death to be a good thing?
There is no pain in this death but were I to endure the sight of my motherÕs son dead and unburied, that would be a painful thing for me. Nothing else hurts me and if you think IÕm a mindless woman then perhaps itÕs a mindless man who recognises a mindless woman.
471
Chorus:
A savage head from a savage father! It has yet to learn how to bend with ill fortune, my King!
Creon:
To the chorus.
Know this, though: The tougher the mind the easier it falls. The tougher the iron is made in the burning fire, the easier it breaks or cracks. And it is a light pull of the reins which teaches the most spirited horses obedience. Because itÕs not right for a slave to be arrogant.
This woman knew the arrogance of her deed, and was aware of her disobedience to our laws and she still continued with her deed and laughed at her achievement. Were she to gain the upper hand in this and keep it with impunity she will be seen as being the leader here and not I! Is she a man?
Even though sheÕs my sisterÕs child and even though sheÕs a closer blood relative to me of all of us who revere Zeus she will not escape the ultimate penalty. She will not escape death. Even her sister will be put to death because I accuse her, too, of the same crime because she too had schemed the burial of PolyneicesÕ corpse.
Call her here immediately. I saw her only a minute ago behaving like a raving lunatic.
Because the soul of those who scheme of evil deeds in the cover of darkness and shadows are often disclosed before those deeds are accomplished.
And thereÕs nothing I hate more than when someone is caught committing a crime and tries to hide it by embellishing it with sweet words.
Antigone:
Kill me then! Or are you waiting for something else?
Creon:
Who, me? No, I need nothing else. I have everything I need.
497
Antigone:
So what are you waiting for? I find no pleasure in your words either now nor, dare I say, in the future. And the feeling, I am sure is mutual: none of my actions please you. Where can I get higher pleasure than by burying my brother? All these men here would agree with me if only their tongue was not stopped by fear.
Kings, though, not only have a great many benefits but they can also do and say as they please!
Creon:
Indicates the chorus.
YouÕre the only ones among them who sees this. The only ones of all the Thebans!
Antigone:
They, too, can see but they hold their tongue when youÕre near.
Creon:
ArenÕt you ashamed of yourself standing apart from all the others in this?
Antigone:
No, I feel no shame wanting to honour my own flesh and blood!
Creon:
Was not Eteocles also your flesh and blood?
Antigone:
Yes. Same father, same mother.
Creon:
How then do you honour the Polyneices when this is a dishonour to your other brother?
515
Antigone:
Eteocles would not bring this up in the Underworld.
Creon:
But, though one is a traitor, you honour them both in the same way.
Antigone:
IÕm burying a brother, not a slave!
Creon:
The one was fighting against his country while the other in her defence.
Antigone:
Hades, however seeks similar laws for all.
Creon:
But it is not right for good and evil to be rewarded by the same lot.
Antigone:
Who knows if such things are of any value down below
Creon:
No enemy will become a friend in the Underworld.
Antigone:
I am for sharing love, not hatred.
524
Creon:
Well then, if you must love, love those youÕll meet down below but so long as I am on Earth, no woman will be the ruler!
Chorus:
Ah! Here is Ismene coming through the gates. She is shedding sisterly tears.
Moist cheeks, bright red face, marred by a huge cloud over her brow.
Creon:
To Ismene:
You, too! Locked up in the palace, like a snake thatÕs secretly sucking someoneÕs blood! I had no idea I was nurturing two curses, two women who wanted to topple my throne!
Come here!
Will you admit that you took part in this burial or will you swear that you knew nothing about it?
Ismene:
Yes, I did it. If she admits to doing it so do I. I, too, accept responsibility.
Antigone:
No! Justice will not allow you to do this! Because you neither wanted to help me bury our brother nor did I take you with me when I did it.
Ismene:
But, Antigone, in such troubled times I feel no shame sharing the dangerous journey with you.
Antigone:
Hades and all the gods below have no idea who did this deed and I canÕt tolerate a sister who loves with words only.
Ismene:
Let me die with you, Antigone and let me pay my debt to our dead brother. DonÕt refuse me this honour.
546
Antigone:
My own death is enough. I have no need of your company down below and you should not claim for yourself rewards for which you havenÕt lifted a finger!
Ismene:
But what sort of life will be left for me if I lose you, dear sister?
Antigone:
Ask Creon! ItÕs him youÕre worried about!
Ismene:
But what do you gain by hurting me so much?
Antigone:
If IÕm hurting you IÕm also hurting myself.
Ismene:
Yet even now, tell me, how can I help you?
Antigone:
Save yourself. I do not envy your escape of death.
Ismene:
So, we canÕt share the same fate?
Antigone:
No, because you chose to live and I chose to die.
At least let me tell you my reasons for doing so.
Antigone:
Indicating the group of people around them, including Creon.
Because you believed in their system of Justice and I believe in mine.
Ismene:
Yet the fault weighs us equally.
Antigone:
Courage. You live but my soul has been dead for a long time now. It died so as to serve our dead.
561
Creon:
These women! One of them just showed herself to have just become mad and the other to have been mad since birth!
Ismene:
Because, my king, even the mind leaves one when heÕs stricken by disaster.
Creon:
Your mind has left you the moment you started mingling with evil doers.
Ismene:
How shall I live without her?
Creon:
Her? Forget her now. She no longer exists.
Ismene:
Will you kill your sonÕs bride-to-be?
Creon:
There is much more fertile land in the world for Haemon.
570
Ismene:
But the love between these two, can it be found elsewhere?
Creon:
IÕd hate my son to have an evil wife.
Ismene:
Poor Haemon! How your father disgraces your name!
Creon:
You and all your talk about marriage is making me mad.
Chorus:
Are you sure you want to deprive your son of her?
Creon:
ItÕs Hades whoÕll put an end to this wedding.
Chorus:
So you stay firm about her death?
Creon:
And IÕll also have your support!
Right! Let us put an end to all this. Men, take them inside and from now on they should be tied up because no matter how courageous a man is, the moment Death approaches, he wants to flee.
582
Chorus: