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Antigone PDF

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Dominic Madera
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ANTIGONE for Clarisga To Wei Dopey dyahps (to prin domén aga(ma) THE CHARACTERS _axmiooNe, daughter of Oedipus and sister of Polyneices and Eteocies Iswene, sister of Antigo ‘cnonus of Citizens of Thebes cREON, king of Thebes and uncle of Antigone and Ismene HAEMON, son of Creon and betrothed to Antigone -TIRESIAS, blind prophet urypice, wife of Creon and mother of Haemon Guards, Ladies inwaiting, and a Boy TIME AND SETTING ‘Afer the death of ObD10US, his two sons contend for the throne of Thebes. POLYNEICES, leading the Seven Cham: pions, shacks from Argos and baters atthe seven Of Thebes erwocas defends the ly. sppored by Geen, who appear to have been acing «5 regen {rer ble the owo brothers meet face to face ond it ach other. The Argive force reéa It te morning ‘ter the batke. The dead stil lie on the ‘field, Incuding Fotwweices and EEOCLES. CREON, ance again the Lndsputed master of Tbe, proclaims Hat POLYNEICES, Ieoatae he died iting gaat his own cy, shall be lft sora on te uli ms gnome of nd for Any. Creck. ANTIGONE, caught ina conf of loys, {0 her dead broser and 10 the Site, decides to. defy {Gucon's edict Iris daybreak. She cals hers ot from ‘he palace. Antigone PROLOGUE Come, Ismene, my own dear sister, come! ‘What more do you think could Zeus require of us ‘load the curse thats on the House of Oedipus? There is no sortow left, no single shame, ‘0 pain, no tragedy, hich does not hound us, you and me, towards out ‘end. And now, ‘what’ this promulgation which they say our ruler has made to all the state? Do you know? Have you heard? ‘Or are you sheltered from the news deals a deathblow to our dearest? (Our dearest, Antigone? I've heard no news ‘either good of bad, fever since we two were stripped ‘of two brothers in a single day, Each dismissing each by each others hand. And since the Arve amy fed fst nh, Te heard no more—either glad or sad. That's what I thought that’s why I've brought you here beyond the gates ‘that you may hear my news alone. wo ry SOPHOCLES What mischief are you hinting at? think you know ... Our two dear brothers: CGreon is burying one to desecrate the other. Bteoces, they sy, he has dispatched with proper rites. 38 one judged it to pase in'pory wo the Shades, But Polyncioes, killed as piteousy, ‘an interdict forbs that anyone should bury him He must be left unwept, unsepulchered, ‘vultures prize, tweety scented fom afr ‘That's what they say our good and nobble Creon plans ‘plans for you and me, es me: ‘And now he's coming here to publish it and make it plain + to those who haven't heard. ‘Anyone who disobeys wil pay no trifing penalty bot die by stoning before the ety wal ‘There's your chance to prove your worth, Or else a sad degeneracy. You firebrand! Could I do a thing to change the situation as itis? You could. Are you willing to share danger and suffering and Danger? What are you scheming at? ANTIGONE 195 ANTIOONE, take this hand of mine to bury the dead? ‘What! Bury him and flout the interdict? He is my brother stil, and yours; though you would have it otherwise, but F shall not abandon him. What! Challenge Creon to his face? He has no right to keep me from my own. ‘Sister, pleat, please! Remember how our father died: hated, in disgrace, satfamant in horror of mst his owa hand stabbing out bis ‘And how his mother-vife in ane ‘tisted off her earthly days with cord ‘And thirdly bow our two brothers in a ‘each achioved for each 2 suicidal neme ‘And now, we two are left. ‘Think how mach worse oUr end wil be than all the rest iff we defy our sovereigns edict and his power. Remind ourselves that we are women ‘and as such are not made to fight with men, Formigh unortunatiy pit ‘and makes os bow to things like this and worse. Therefore shall I beg the shades below {to judge me leniently as one who kneeled to force. es madness to meddle, 198 SOPHOCLES 1 will not press you any more. [Lwould not want you asa partner if you asked. {Go to what you please. 1 go to bury him. How beautiful to die in such pursuit! ‘To rest loved by him whom I have loved, ‘dinner of a holy si, ‘With longer time to charm the dead than those who live, able neve tee so\go. And plete your fantasy aca k'wcked what the Bods tall god. Thm just not made to war against the state Make your apologies! T'go to rate a tomb above my dearest brother, You foolhardy thing! You frighten me, ANTIGONE Don't fear for me. Be anxious for yourself. IsMeNE At least toll no one what you do, but keep it dark, ‘and T shall keep it secret (00. ANTIGONE Oh tell it, tel i, shout it out! Td hate your slence more than if you told the world, So fiery-~in a business that chills! ANTIGONE ws ANTIGONE Perhaps, but [am doing what I must. Yes, more than must. And you are doomed to fail ‘Why then, 1 ai, but not give up before. Don't plunge into such a hopeless enterprise. Urge me so, and I shall hate you soon. He, the dead, will justly hate you too. Say that T'm mad, and madly let me risk ‘The worst that I can suffer and the bes: ‘Avdeath that martyrdom can render bles. Go then, if you must toward your cad: Fool, wonderful fool, and loyal fiend {SMENE Watches ANTIOONE walk away, then she Ino pace ” we NTRY ODE [7 cons in a mach ds file te hear, sini soon of romp hey ci te det of ebm onde vty of Thebes oer Are] oe 198 SOPHOCLES Strophe 1 ‘cHionus Sunsbat ofthe sun Mont resplendent son hat ever shone on Thebes The Soven Cates of Theber Epiphany, you broke pe of podem day Marthing ove Dice's roams [At dawn to rive im headlong ght ‘The warrior who came with sleds "Al fulminant oe snow {hn Argve stand at rm Stated now before the Lancing sun. Propelled against our land By Polynice' claims “Ths scredming eagle cid round Goparisoned with arms he swooped ‘is wings tr shields of snow. His crest "Their helms in the Sun Antistrophe I He soope shore out towers aed above our gus Hi hungry spears bovered ‘hen bere he porged ‘And glted on Gu ood Bolo Hephacstan hot wit pch and fame ha sized Oar own of towers ll the din Tht Ares loves burl sown “Mtr ear, nd panic toed iis fans "efit came on Behind ther back a dragon-breathing fe ANTIGONE LEADER ‘The braggar’s pompous tongue Is hated most by Zeus ‘And seeing them sdvance superb In clank of gold, be struck their fist ‘Man down with fire before he yelled ‘Triumph from the wall, Sirophe It cuionus “Thundering down tothe ground with his torch Knocked from his handsy this baechanalisn, Passionate fanatic breathing out hate In horveanes, fll ina flaming ae His brandnbed torch all quenched, and great ‘Ares ike war horse wheeled ‘bigoitos his preneing sen Haining in he do Have that he dealt with several dooms. Seven champions ducled With soven at the Seven Gates and gave thelr panoplies ‘To Zeus, save two, the fatal wo Who sharing parents shared their fll, Brother king brother. Antisrophe Ht But now that this trump, the loudest of tums, h joy-bearing triumph! has come to our Thebes ‘The proud city of chariots, why Now totus chase the memory far ‘Away of the wars that are blessedly post, ‘Come eal on the gods with song and with dance 17 198 SOPHOCLES All through the night atthe groves and the shrines, ‘And Bacchus shall lead the round — Shouting and shaking all Thebes with revels. But look who comes, the Iueky Son of Monoeceus: ‘The man the gods have made our king. ‘What new vicisitudes of state Ver him now? Why has he sent ‘A herald to our somamons? [cneow has entered from the palace, surrounded by sol- diers. He addresses the CHORUS} FIRST EPISODE Gentlemen, the gods have graciously ‘deadied Our ship of state, which sims have terribly tossed. ‘And now T have called you here privately ‘ecaute of course I kacw your loyalty to the House of Laius. How again, when Oedipus was king, {your duty never faltered, 2nd when he fell you But now that they have gone, sharing the dbl od on sgl. dy, (nutsal mirder, mutual recompense), 1 neatest inline enjoy the scepter and the throne, Now, naturally, there is no way {oll the character and mete of « man ‘unl you've sean him govern [Nevertclss, want to make it pla Tram the kind of man who can" and never could ‘abide the tongue-tied rler who through fear backs away from sound advice, ANTIGONE 19 ‘And I find intolerable the man who puts his coun second to his friends. a a For instance, i saw ruin and dangor heading forthe state, would speak ut Never could T make my country’s enemy. my private Tend, owing a 1 do, she's the goed ship that boars us safe. So there you have my principles by which I govern In accord with them, T'made the proclamation ‘that you heard just now: Eteorles, who died in arms for Thebes, ‘shall have @ glorious funeral as befits a hero going to join the noble dead Bat his brother Polyneices, he who eame from exile breathing fre. against this city of his fathers and its shri; ‘The man who came all thirsting for his country's blood to drag the rst of us away as slaves — 1rve sent the edict out that none shall bury him or even mourn He must be left all ghastly where he fell, 's corpse for dogs 10 maul and vultures pick his bones, ‘You see the kind of man Tam! ‘You'll not catch me putting traitors up on pedestals beside the loyal an true. Til honor him alone, alive or dead, who honors Thebes. Your disposition is quite clear, son of Menoeceus, Creon, touching friend oF encmy ofthis our city. We know you have the power too ‘to wreak your wil upon the living and the dead. 20 SOPHOCLES ANTIGONE 2 ‘cREON $0 I've come scurrying ata snails pace by the long shortet, the "forward” voice in charge ‘And ere I am, witha tale to tel that makes no sense, ‘which any'ow Tl tll, cor I do believe hothing bad can “appen that fn on one's ticket. i Then see to it my injunctions are performed. Put the burden on some younger men. ‘Come tothe point, man! What are you dthering about? No, Sentries are already posted on the corpse. sentay s,s, {C1 may slip in @ word ebout mise eine me that done it, j and I dunno who darned done it nether; 0. int fair to make me take the rap. ‘Then what exactly do you want us to do? cREON Merely se there're no infringements of the law. ccrsow Done it? Done it? You'e a gr Dit the target first time! ‘You must have something very odd to say. LEADER 9 marksman— [No man is mad enough to welcome death ‘cREON ‘And death itis. But greed of gsin It’s awfully off j dew His De teed a . putting, sr, to bring bad news— has often made men foo aa rae | [A sunray, disheveled and distraught, comes bumbling | ‘towards the King) ‘cazon sevrnv “Then get on with it and go. King, won't pretend I come at breakneck speed, 21 ca a ee ioe 1 kept on sopping in my tracks to thi fad tring back. held commites mestings with myst: 1 sid ‘ttaght for the Kion's mouth," ten, “Blackhead, whatre you waiting for? JCreon pts the news from someone else, you're done!” Right! I'l ell you straight. The body-—it's buried like Tmean someone's just gorne and sprinkled dust on Tait prope thy Stand pore one the rl you se ‘cREON ‘What are you saying, man? Who would have dared? m SOPHOCLES Don't ask me, sit hore ng mak of pk or matock, ‘rounds al ‘ard, unbroken, fo wheel tacks ei Nota sign of ‘aman "ands, ‘When the entry ofthe moming watch pointed to it, thee war a dav, he corps fan uply mystery that struck vs dumb, Tere exacly buried, Yt sprinkled with earth ritual ke [vif someone wanted to st tee elmo gor aka tert a srth ‘Then we Bew atone anotber, guard accusing Bu Teeame near tows . There weren't 20 eve to clinch the qurrel ‘Any one of us coulde done it. See! Rovevidence to disprove any one of us—not a shred. So we dared one another to pick up 16a'0t ion, ‘sik through fie, and swear by all he gods Halper done te deed nor adhe sipet ting "eho Well, one of us cut through the deadlock, saying = (il wettweak sat men we ard, ‘or there weren't no denying, 02 0 or coming out of ti one pice neithe(3" 8 ‘Tis fella there od then blurs out: "We gotta tell the King ‘There ain't no way to cover up.” He convinced the lt of us, 80 we drew straws ‘And ’00 should be the unlucky one to win the prize ‘but yours truly So "ere Iam, unwelcome J can tell, and un’appy too, For there ain" no one likes the bringer of bad news Sire, Ive had misgivings from the firs: ‘ould this be more than purely natural work? ANTIGONE 8 Enough! You make me furious with such senile dog : deting remarks 1s quite insufterable YouTrealy tink they give a dama, the gods, about this corpse? ‘Neat youll sty they make i proto bury hi in sate, ‘nd thank him for his baring down thet altars, Sacking shrines, scouting lava, and raping all he land Cor are the gods these days considerate to criminals? a fom No from he ay here's been troup of gamblers in this town: tmen who ean bardly abide my rule, {Tho mod and whisper, chting Beneath my law, Iwo are’not in love with i at al. ‘These are the ones, 1 warrant, who have suborned my guards with bribes. aha ey eens a ‘Money topples eties fo the ground, seduces men sy for Nap oes orrpts the honest Heart to shify Was, faker men crooked connoaseurs of ee at these plots who have sold themeclves, ‘very men jack of them, ‘ill end up, gellemen, vith mush more than he's bargsned fr. lite suns on the serey] ‘You there Get this straight. Tawear by almighty Zeus whom I revere and serve, That either you nd the man who dd Us burial tnd stand him bere before my ees, or Hades itself wil be too good for you ttl you've first confessed fo everything— yes, Banging from cross. ‘That pechaps wl teach you, soldier, whee to took for prot Sd that gold can glstcr from an evil source [Ant Money never mates ss many as mars. 20 SOPHOCLES ‘Am I allowed a word, sir? Or do I just go? Can't you see your very voice gets on my nerves? ‘urls your ears, does it, si? Or kinds your conscience? ‘What business of yours is it to diagnose my pain? sentry Because I only affect your ears; the culprit, your brain, By God, what a born chatterer you arc! Maybe, but it weren't me that di the burying. No, you just sold yourself for silver. ‘Ob, what a crying shame, when right reason reasons ‘wrongt ‘A logic-chopper and a wit! But don't imagine thar will save your skin, 1f you fal to ttand the man before my face, ou'l find chat ditty money pays in hurt {eso strides int the palace ANTIGONE 205 Well, les “ope he's found. But caught oF not {ad only hance can tl), one thn’ fr sur: Sou won't cath mse coming beck again. ea goddam miracle [ got out offre alive, [sewrRy runs off] FIRST CHORAL ODE {he cron. of Cems, i an ine foreshadowing ‘of both Creon’s and Aniigone’s fate, contrast the prowess nd glory of human kind withthe tragedy of thelr. down- {al when they overstep the mark. There isa velled warn- ing to Croom not to exceed humane bounds, but also, by ih nal the predarnatly masculine ocipatons (sailing, plowing, hunting, fishing, domesicaing animals, verbal sil, puliding, making laws), they are advising women tke Anigae to bevare of taking on wha hey ‘onsider male roles.) ‘Strophe 1 Creation is # marvel and ‘ante mastrpece. He scuds Before the southern wind, between The pounding whiteplng swell Te dives his thooughbreds through Earth (Gest goddess inexhaustible) ‘And overturns her ith the plow Unfolding her from year to Jer. Antisrophe 1 “The ight-balanced light-headed birds He snares; wild beasts of every kind, In his nets the deep sea fish ‘Are caught, Oh, mastery of man! 206 SOPHOCLES “The free forest animal He herds; the roaming vpland deer. ‘The shagay horse he Breaks to yoke ‘The unflagging mountain bul Sirophe IT ‘Training hip agile thoughts volute as air He's civilized the world ‘of words and Wit and law. With a roof against the sky, the javelin crystal frosts ‘The arrow-lancing rains, he's fertile in resource Provident for all healing ail disease: ‘All but death, and deat)— death’ be never cares. Antisrophe I Beyond imagining wise: Hr chvernos and sil ough abyrining way TH ego and ae ished in hse | pen averting, pious Bt when he promulgates ‘nsavory amlton, | Citiless and lost. ‘And then I wil not share | ‘My hearth with him; T want io parc of hia thoughts ANTIGONE 27 SECOND EPISODE [The senray retwms, leading axTiGone] What visitation do I see from heaven? ‘And one I wish Tcould deny Tam amazed, It is Antigone, What! They bring you here in charge? Poor Antigone, daughter of unlucky Oedipus. Were you rash enough to‘cross the King? ‘And did they take you in your folly? “ere she is, the culprit: caught red'anded inthe very act of burying ‘im. But where is Creon? ‘Coming from the house, and justin time. [Enter cxe0%} Justin time for what? King, it's most unwise, I find, ‘ever to promise not to do a thing. [Now look at me! T could ‘ave sworn TPd not come scurrying back, After being almost skinned ve by all your failing Yet ‘ere 1 ty, bri a (ot “ere 1am agsinst my oath, bringing inthis gi ‘nd all because beyond my widest dreams, infect with quite hel, Teaught "er at t—octally at the burying 208 SoPpHOCLES No drawing straws this time—1 say not! So grab er, King, she's your. ‘And I'm seotfre, or I should ‘ope, ‘uit of ths ‘ole goddam thing ceREON ‘Tell me frst when and how you found her sentey ‘She was burying the man. There aint nothing more to tl i ‘Are you rambling? Do you know what you are saying? I saw ’er in the act ‘of burying that forbidden comps. | Is that plain and clear? be doesnt cron Wwant b go But how actually was she surprised and takent¥ hough with The SENTRY, Punishment ‘Well it was lke this, We 'ad returned t0 the spot, ‘Our cars ringing with all your nasty threats, tnd ‘ad brushed the earth from off the body fo make it bare again (Gt was all soft and clammy), | ‘And were squatting there windward of the stench, ‘Keeping each other up to the mark ‘And rounding ‘ard on anybody that nodded ‘Watching we were, ol the midday sun, ‘a great blazing ball bashed down on us something fierce, ANTIGONE 2» When suddenly came this ight twisting squall, ‘weeping across the pln tearing the leaves off recs, buffeting “eaven sel. We "ad to shut our eyes against tis god-sont blight, When at lest it cleared there was this vision ofthis gic, Standing there she was ving out litle abil like sobs farirending a a mother Dr's what 'as sen its nest pilaged 3nd its bain al gone ‘That's ow she was wang ‘and calling curses down ‘on them what done wnhon she saw the body bared Immediately she sooopa up earth—a dry "andl Heo ‘and sprinkles i. Then “olding up a shapely brazen ura, she pours three batons for the dead “That's when we swooped snd cloed upon our quary. She didnt inch, and when we charged et with what she'd gome and done, tnd done before, she just sdmied Ie made me glad ad sa: Bis to get myself out of trouble, alstress fo bring ton a frend ‘When alls seid and done, “owever, ‘the safety of one's own sweet skin comes Bis Come git, you with downcait eye, ‘id you, Or did you not o thle deed? 1 did. I deny not a thing. "7g 7 210 sopHocLEs You, soldier, you can go—be off wherever you pleate— ‘ree of any serious charge [The senerey stands for a monien, smiles, then bounds ‘anay] [Now tell me, Antigone, a straight yes or no: Did you knew an edict had forbidden this? ‘ANTIGONE Of course 1 knew. Was it not publicly proclaimed?” So you chose flagrantly to disobey my law? Natural Since Zoos never promulgsted such 8 law, Nor wl you find tha ence. Tikes ot the world teow, pubishes such ts to bumankin I fover thomgt your morales had such force They aulfed th lw of even, thea unveten, not procaimed, Tan toasts cureacy fant eveiaingly is va, an npn beyond the bit of man. ‘And Ir whom fo mas fowo can ighten, ‘Amir fom coking heavens frown by fting these. ‘teed no tumpett from you to tell me I mux i, ‘val die anywny ‘Andi ts buries me to death before my ime, hy, sch death gun. Yee surcy gain {o She whom ife 20 overwbeln ‘Therefore; can go to mec my end without a rac Of pin, Bat had I elt he body of my mother’s son unburied, iyi where be lay that would hat Forty I fel no twinges of reget. ANTIGONE an And if you judge me fool, perhaps itis ‘because 8 foo! is judge My word! The daughter is ax headstrong as the father Submission isa thing she's nover learned. You wait and see! The toughest will is fist to break: lke hard untempored steel which snaps and shivers at a touch ‘hen hot from off the forge. And I have seca high-metted horses curbed by @ lite serap of bit. (One who has no more authority than a common slave ‘an il afford to put on airs. And yet, ths git, already versed in disrespect the fist time she disobeyed my law, [Now ads second inult, has done if again, ‘and vaunts i 10 my face (Oh, she's the man, not I, if she can flout authority and walk away unscathed 1 swear I hardly a if she be my sister’ eld fr linked to me by blood more closely thaa any member of my hearth and home; She and her sister will not now escape the utmost penalty Tsay the sister too. TLeharge her a5 accomplice of this burial. Call her for T saw her whimpering in there just now, all gone to pieces. So does remorse blutt out the sccret sin “Although ie opposite fs even worse: ‘crime detected glorifying crime 22 SOPHOCLES 4s there something more you want? Or just my life? NNot a thing, by God! It gives me what I want. ‘Why dale, then? Your conversation ‘is hardly something I enjoy, or ever could, ‘or mine be more acceptabie to you. ‘And yet it ought to be. ‘Where could I win respect and praise more validly than tis: Durial of my brother? [Nota man here would sy the opposite, ‘rere his tongue not locked in fea. Unfortunately. tyranny (blessed i s0 much else besides) ‘an lay the law down any way it wants ‘Your view is hardly shared by all these Thebans here. ‘They think as 3, but trim their tongues to you ‘Are you not ashamed to differ from such men? "There is no shame to reverence relatives ‘And the other duis who died—was he no relative? ANTIGONE 2 He was, And of the same father and same mother. So, sighting one, you would salute the other? ‘The dead man would not agree with you on this, Surely! If you make the hero honored with the black: guard, 1 rains hated ‘Yes, vgn ur and, ile he fla non Fides sks no dition nies nd honors he joa ont o eg nel eli, "The “crime” (who knows?) may be called a virtue there Not even death ean metamorphose hate to love. ANTIGONE No, nor decompose my love to hate. a soPpHOcLES Curse you! Find the outlet for your love down there. No woman while I live shal govern me. (estes Brought in under guard} See where’ Ismene comes, Crying from the palace pte fig tee al fsteds = O% ‘Acreter's tear breaking rane Upon hex ches ad rom er ees Her loveliness a Yhadow. ‘cREON [Turning viciously owards tsoene} ‘Come, you serpent, seret lurker in my home, who sucked my blood Bven while I nurtured you two sister vipers at my throne ‘Speak. Confess your part in burying him. ‘Gr do you dare deny complicity? IsMeNe 1 did it too. If she'l allow my claim, os 1 share with her the eredit and the blame. by nor did I grant you partnership. ISMENE But now that your poor ship is buteted, ‘Tm not ashamed to sal the voyage et your side, 7 ANTIGONE The dead of Hades know whose act it was. do not take to those who take 10 ta ter, do not scorn me; let me share your death and holy homage to the dead. NNo share in work, no share in death, ‘and T must consummate slone what I began, rsmene ‘Then what is left of life to me when you are gone? ‘Ask Creon. You and he are fiends. ‘Ab! Must you jeer at me? It does not help. ‘You are right. Its joslessjeering Tell me, even now: how can I help? ve yourself, I shall not envy you. Poor dear sister—let me suffer with you! as No For you shoe aT es det en al ny poets wee We ye ow ier pre wh tet in aso se deus ae ANTIGONE Look up! You live! And I died long ago, ‘when'T gave my life to serve the dead. ‘These gis, I swear, are erazed: one mad by birth, the other by attainment. ‘Yes, my lord, for when misfortune comes, he sends our reason packing out of doors ‘And yours went fying fst ‘when you chose damaation withthe damned ‘Yet, with her gone, what portion had T eft? Do not mention her. She does not sil exis. ANTIGONE an ISMENE ‘You would not kil your own son's bride? Let him sow his seed in other furrows. ‘A match like theirs will not repeat its. cREON [shudder atthe jades who court our sons. My daring Hacmon, how your father heaps dsgrae on you! cron Dama you and damn your eursed marriage! ‘You would not tear your own son's bride from Lotus say that Death is going to come between, | fear, I fear it's fixed. Her death is sealed. Yes, let us both be quite assured of that. Guards, take them away and lock them up. [No more roaming, They are women now. ‘The breath of Hades pressing close t0 kill ‘Can make the bravest turn, and turn the bravest will [ANTIGONE and ISMENE are led away. CREON stays] 218, SOPHOCLES SECOND CHORAL ODE [The conus cries out in an ode which begins by being th a lament for the past victimization of the House of (Oedipus and am omen far the present, and then goes on 0 warn all those who think they can live thelr Hives apart from the universal providence of Zeus.| ‘Strophe I Happy the man who has not sipped the biter day ‘Whose hous i frm agnnst dvioeassul. ‘No planed curse creeps on and on ‘Trough generation lke the dark and driven surge ‘Baoming from the bosom of the sea whe Thracian gales ‘Churn perpetually the ooze in waves that throw Down tpon the headlands swept and carded by the storm “Their thunderous mass Antistrophe I $0 do 1 sce the house of Labdacus struck down, In all its generations vieimized by some ‘Pursuing dety. Its useless dead, Its never-ending doom. And now once more the sun Gone dows in blood: the final hope of Oedipus Felled to the root, put out in smoke and Hades’ dust, ‘Ang all because of Readlong folly and the reckless speech ‘Ot'a frenzied heart Strophe 11 © Zeus, what creature pits himself agninst thy power? [Not Sleep encumbrous with his sublet net “And not the menstrual cyle note tes on, nin ancient splendos stil art youn ‘When worldsare ald On'Mount Onympus Everything past, evryihing present, | ANTIGONE 29 ‘And everything stil to come Is thy domain No mortal thing however vast can steal ‘Outside thy grasp. Antistrophe TE Hope, eternally gadding,alights on many with nothing Bat bis, but Jos as ely bring to others DDelsions and soething ambition. ‘No man can tll ‘What has come stealthy creeping over his ie ‘Unt too late Hot ates an pin, Sear his feet =.» Once Tong 2g0 ‘A sage famoualy sid “etl good appear ‘To any, the gob ave near. Unscathed he'll go, “And then theyil Bring him low.” {HAEMON i seen approaching) ‘Here Haemon comes, your youngest son, Driven perhaps by pangs of grief or Antigone his sentenced bride: ‘A bitter groom, a marrage marred. ‘We shall seein a moment, and without the need of sers. THIRD EPISODE {HAEMON enters. The men stare warily at each other for 4 fow seconds} 20 SOPHOCLES Son, do you come provoked against your father {or ihe death warrant of your would-be bide, or ail my loving son, whatever I may 40? Father, Lam your loving son and you the wise preceptor of my ways, whom 1 must follow. [No marriage I could make would ever match the good of your abiding counsel ‘Wall spoken sont Just what a right-minded son should fee: ‘unremitting deference to his father's wil, ‘Such is parent's prayer, to see grow up ‘8 race of filial sons to deck his home: Ready always to avenge thei father's wrongs ‘and of course 10 give his fiends the selisame honor thatthe father gives, But a man who raises a batch of worthless boys, What has he hatched for himself but nuisances, bilan seers from the ill-dsposed! lose your balance for a woman's sake! s cheap and cools: an evil woman for your bed and board, No wound is worse than counterfeited love. She is poison. Spit her out Let het g0 and find a mate in Hades Why, I've just caught her in an open act ‘of treason— she alone of all the city. 1 wil not break my word to Thebes. She dies. So let her plead to Zeus the sanctity of Kindred tes, ANTIGONE 21 How can I, if 1 ause sedition in my house, ot forter i outside? No. fa man can Keep bis home in hand, ihe proves his competence to Keep the sae. But oe who breaks the law and fous authority, T never wil alow ‘Unsierving submission to whomoover the state has putin charge Js what is asked: in ite things a8 ‘well great, in tight snd wrong ‘And I'am confident that one who thus obeys, ‘will make a perfect subject or a perfect ing: Ube Lind of han who tthe he of yng ears never finches from his post bat stands deutss at his comrades sie. put ee fr ante, there no greater care than anarchy. 11 toppes eles down, i erumbles homes, it Shattrs aed ranks in broken fight Which dicpine kep whole For discipline preserves and orders wel, Let vs en defend auborty ‘and not be outed by gl 1F yield we mst, then lt be to men, ‘And never have it sid we were worsted by & woman ‘What you say (unless my wits have run to seed) sound reasonable and makes good sent. Yes, Father, reason: the gods’ greatest gift to man, T would not dream of criticizing yours ‘of saying you were wrong, even iT could. ‘But other men can reason rightly too. m sopHoctes ‘As your son, you see, I fad myself ‘darking ee) word and act ad comment of the crowd, { guge the temper ofthe simple ctzen, {the des not rik your Seow! to speak his mind Burl from the shadows hear them: ear a city's sympathy for ths i, teense no women ever faced 0 unreasonabl, so erel death for ruch # generous case She would not leave her brother where be fll, Hor eatin bits and dogs 10 mal “should nother name be wit io gold?” they say, and 30 the whisper grows ‘You know, my Father, how 1 prize Your wellbeing and yoor name. ‘For sons and father's crown each other's glory ‘with each others fame, Sol beg you Father, ‘don't entrench yourself in your opinion fs if everyone else Was Wrong. “The Kind of man who always thinks that be is right, that his opinions, his pronouncements, Gee fal words is usually exposed as hollow as they come. ‘But a wise man flexible, has much to learn Without a loss of dignity. ‘ee the tres in floodtime, how they bend ‘along the torrents course, tnd how their twigs and Branches do not snap, bt stubborn trees ate torn up roots and al In sling t00, when fresh weather blows, ‘a skipper who will not slaken sail, curs turtle, finishes his voyage Deamm-ends up. So let your anger cool, and change your mind. T may be young but not without some sens. Let men be wise by fotint if they ean, ‘bat when this falls and nature won't oblige, bbe wise by good advice ANTIGONE m2 LEADER Sie, the young man speaks good sense: worth listening to. ‘And you, son, too, should fsten. "You both speak to the point ‘You mean that men of my years have to learn to think by taking notes from men of his? HAEMON In only what is right. Tes my merit not my years that count Your merit isto foment lawlessness. You know I do not plead for criminals So this creature is no criminal, eh? ‘The whole of Thebes says “no.” ‘cRzon ‘And T must let the mob dictate my policy? ‘See now who is speaking like a boy! Do I rule this state, or someone else? mm SOPHOCLES ‘A one man state is n0 state at all ‘The state is his who rules it, Is that plain? HAEMON ‘The state that you should rule would be a desert. ‘This boy is hopelessly on the woman's side. HAEMON ‘on your sie. Are you a woman then? ‘You reprobate! At open loggerheads with your father! (On the contrary: you at loggerheads with open justice! My crime, of cours, the discharge of my rate. HAEMON ‘What rule—when you trample on the rule of heaven? Insolent pup! A woman’s lackey! Lackey to nothing of which 1 am ashamed ANTIGONE 2s I [Not ashamed to be the mouthpiece for that troop? T speak for you, for me, and for the hoy pis ofthe dead, ‘The dead? Precisely—you'll never marry her alive. Well then, dead—one death beckoning to another. So it's come to that—you threaten me? RAEMON ‘One cannot threaten empy aie! My word, what wisdom! How you'l regret dispensing itt HAEMON If you weren't my father, Pd say your mind had gone. ‘You woman's slave! Don't come toadying to met HAEMON Go on—make remarks and never listen to an answer! ccxson 1s that so? Then by Olympus be quite sure ofthis Yo hal nok rat aod our a tout reps Off withthe wretehed gh I say she dies Ta front of him, betore her bridegroom's eye. 225 SOPHOCLES ‘She thall not die—doa’t think it— ‘ny sight or by my sie. ‘And you thal ever se my E82 Pot yout raving to your chosen finds. [WaEMon rushes out] Gone, your Majesty, but gone distraught He's Joung, Ba tage wl make him desperate exton Let him do or dream up aets as murderous asa fiend’, ‘hese pits, he shal nx snatch from death. ‘You do not mean to kil them both? ‘You are right. Not the one who did not meddle. ‘What kind of death do you plan? cREON 1M take her down a path untrod by man, TIL hide her living in'a rock-hewn vault ‘With ritual food enough to clear the taint Of murder from the City's name. Tl leave her pleading to her favorite god, Hades. He may charm her out a way 10 life. ‘Or perhaps she'l lear though late the cost Of Homage to the dead is labor lost. [enson walks away into the palace] ANTIGONE a THIRD CHORAL ODE {The cHoRUS, apprehensive ofthe fate of the young lov- 73, sings of the desperately destructive power of Tove ‘Their words also veil a condemation of mn like CREON, Wwho overvalue the so-called matculine qualities ofthe soul nd al ree th cay of ale oma wn the person. Strophe 1 Love, unquelled in battle Love) making nonsense of wealth Pillowed all night on the cheek of a gst ‘You roam the seas, pervade the wilds And in a shepherd's hut you fe, ‘Shadowing immortal gods You dog ephemeral man— Madness your possession. Antistrophe I ‘Turning the wise into foots You twist them off their course ‘And now you have stung ws to this strife Of father fighting son.» . Oh, Love, ‘The bride has bat to glance With the irial light of her eyes To win you a scat in the sare ‘And Aphrodite laughs [End of Choral Ode and beginning of Choral Dialogue Thich continues through FOURTH EPISODE] SOPHOCLES FOURTH EPISODE [axricone i led in under guard LeapeR ‘And now you turn on me Unman my loyalty Loose my tear t0'see ‘You Antigone Pass your wedding bower Deaths chamber, pass So eal. Strophe I [axticone and the Honus chant alternately] aNTICONE See me, friends and citizens, ‘Alive, where all must sleep. ‘No wedding march, no bridal song Cheer me on my way, T whom Hades Lord of the dark lake weds Yet you walk with fame, bedecked In praise towards the dead man’s cave. NNo'sickness severed you No sword incited track. All mistress of your fate you move ‘Alive, unique, to Hades Halls ANTIGONE Antstrophe 1 (Oh, but Ihave heard wht happened ‘To that Phrygian girl, poor foreigner (The child of Tantalus), who clings Like ivy on the beightsof Sipylos Captured in stone, petitied ‘Where all the rains, they say, the flying snow, ‘Waste her form away which weeps In waterfalls. I fel her trance, Her lonely exodus, in mine. conus ‘And she a goddess born of gods ‘While we are mortals born of men. What greater glory for a woman’s end. ‘To partner gods in death ‘Who portneted them in life! Strophe It Ah! Now you laigh at me, ‘Thebes, Thebes, by all out fathers gods ‘You my own proud chaciot ety Can you not wait tl] am gost? ‘And you sweet Dre's stream and Theban groves ‘You atleast be witnesses to me with love ‘Who wal in dismal paseape to my heavy tomb Unwept, unjustly fodged Displaced from every home Disowned by both the living and the dead 2 230 SOPHOCLES ‘Strophe I Perhaps you aimed too high ‘You dashed your foot on Fate Where Justice sits enthroned. ‘You fall plommet fall To pay a father’s sin Antisirophe I You touch my wounds, my memories ‘Make fresh again miy tears: the triple curse ‘That haunts the House of Labdacus: ‘The spit and tainted blood, the horrid bed, (My fated mother sleeping with her son ‘To father me in incest Parents here I come, Home at last, not wed, no broken spel Brother when you made ‘Your blindfold match, you made ‘Your death and mine—tine to come. Amistrophe HI Pious is as pious does ‘But where might is right Its reckless to do wrong. Selt;propelled to death ‘You go with open eyes. Epode ANTIGONE, Unwept, uawedded, unloved 1 go On ths last journey of all. Bye of the blessed sun— ANTIGONE 2 1 shall miss you soon, NNo tears will mourn me dead. No friend to oxy. (End of Choral Dialogue. CREON has entered) ‘cnson Listen you! Panegytics and dirges go on forever it pven the chance. Dispatch her at once, I say. Seal up the tomb. Let hr choose » dsth at Teiare—or perhaps, "n her new home ‘An underground ie foto. ‘We wash our hands ofthis gi— ‘except to take her from the light Come tomb, my wedding chamber, come! ‘You sealed off habitations of the gravel My many family den, fished, fiche in Tinal muster to Pertephone. 1am last f0 come, and lost the most ofall, ty life sil fm my hands, spd yet some (hope ame) toward father's ove, eloved by my mother, ‘And by you, my darling brother, loved Yes, a of you Whom these my hands have washed, prepared and sped with tal to your burials ‘And now, sweet Polyneices,dresing you, Te eained this recompense though richly honored you the jost will say. No husband dead and gone, no children lisping “mother” er could have foreed me to withstand the ot to ts face By what law do I assert so much? Jus this 22 SOPHOCLES ‘A husband dead, another can be found, ‘a child replaced, but once a brother’ lst (mother and father dead and buried too) [No other brother can be born or grows agsin. That is my principle, ‘which Creon stigmatized as criminal, ‘my Principle for honoring you, my dearest brother. So taken, so am I Jed away: ‘a virgin til, no nuptial Song, no marriage-bed, no children to my name ‘An outeast stripped of sympathy, 1 go alive toward these sepulchers of death ‘What ordinance, what law of heaven broken, ‘what god left for me to cast my eyes toward, ‘when sacraments must now be damned as sacrilege? ‘And if these things be smiled upon by heaven, ‘why, when I'm deed Tl know 1 sinned. But i find the sin was thes, ‘may Justice then mete out no les to them than what injustice now metes out to me—my doom, ‘See how she goes, headlong driven By the capricious gusts of her Own will! Putting to disgrace her loitering guards ‘Who shal be paid their just rewards. ‘Ah, Death comes nearer with those words! There is no comfort I can offer [Nor this damnation can I alter. Antigone 2 ‘See me, Thebes, am going, now going! Se me, ine ceil Tibet st buts glance, you her pres, Gn'tis st end loely royal econ, See What T suffer from these men For reverencing the rights of man [asericons i fed aay} FOURTH CHORAL ODE [he conus, nan anempe to comfort asin, recall uaton of fate tilar her wn. Fist hee was Bn hsp yh fue n'e bree tower eae tn ovate had fell that 6 would bear's von Who would kit hi" Zen, however, ad acest Ker prison ind impregnated hein shoe of old The real ‘Offpring, Perseus, did indeed later Kil hs grandfather (Blah er es Epa, so of Dp Aig of Saat 8 Dos fr ng Ke and abolhing ihe clo the sine his Lined Easy. ‘er nas Pees, who opeou of ste tora by 8 Ist wife aug of Boe, thenorh win), pow ped Me econd mito blind Ben ine of edocs} Strophe 1 Hidden from the sun Housed behind brass doors Danie’s beauty too was locked away ‘er nuptial cella tomb ‘And she, my child, yes she ‘A royal daughter too: ‘eek sty. Here or cy, Sphoers sot rt oes 2 SOPHOCLES “The rare receptacle of Zeus's golden seed. © Destiny, marked mysterious force! [No mound of coins [No panoplies of war [No ramparts keep you out ‘And through the dark sea looming 'No ship escapes. Antistrophe 1 The savage son of Dryas ‘That Edonian king ‘Was pent by Dion ina prison Glamped within «rocky cavern. ‘heres eng nig Faded info echoes tl he came at last "To know the godhead whom his madness Baited when he tried ‘To quench the god-possesed Fhaing Bacchactcs ‘And offended all the Muses ‘Who love the te Strophe It Once in primitive Thrace near Salmyéesnis Sitere twin black doomidden crags, Sever two seas, along the vicious Lonely shores ofthe Bospors, Wardoving, Ares Witnessed nightmare scene: “he rd o Hien, jos, eed, Plunging the dagger of er spindle Tio th princely yes of his two Sons ‘Saw thei vacant scream for Vengeanes Plead in pools of socke-loody staring ANTIGONE 235 Antisrophe I ‘Wasting in agony, doomed so cruelly ‘They lamented their mother’s fatal mating From which even her noble brtline From Erechthous could not save her— And she a daughter cradied By Boreas in the caverns Blom amid her father's tempest Bolting like a colt from heaven (Over the uplands—

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