---
title: "Antigone · Ἀντιγόνη"
author: "Sophocles"
translator: "Richard Jebb"
title_ru: "Антигона"
author_ru: "Софокл"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-antigone/1/
cite: "Sophocles, tr. Richard Jebb, Antigone · Ἀντιγόνη, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-antigone/1/"
---

# Antigone · Ἀντιγόνη

*Sophocles, tr. Richard Jebb*

Russian: Антигона, Софокл

Antigone buries her brother against the king’s decree: Sophocles’ Greek beside English, speech by speech.

> Greek: ed. Francis Storr, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0011.tlg002, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Richard Jebb, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0011.tlg002.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 1. Lines 1–654

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-antigone/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/sophocles-antigone/1/#p-N

[¶0] Antigone:
Ismene, my sister, true child of my own mother, do you know any evil out of all the evils bequeathed by Oedipus that Zeus will not fulfil for the two of us in our lifetime? There is nothing—no pain, no ruin,
no shame, nor dishonor—that I have not seen in your sufferings and mine. And now what is this new edict that they say the general has just decreed to all the city? Do you know anything? Have you heard? Or does it escape you that
evils from our enemies are on the march against our friends?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὦ κοινὸν αὐτάδελφον Ἰσμήνης κάρα,
ἆρʼ οἶσθʼ ὅ τι Ζεὺς τῶν ἀπʼ Οἰδίπου κακῶν
ὁποῖον οὐχὶ νῷν ἔτι ζώσαιν τελεῖ;
οὐδὲν γὰρ οὔτʼ ἀλγεινὸν οὔτʼ ἄτης ἄτερ
οὔτʼ αἰσχρὸν οὔτʼ ἄτιμόν ἐσθʼ, ὁποῖον οὐ
τῶν σῶν τε κἀμῶν οὐκ ὄπωπʼ ἐγὼ κακῶν.
καὶ νῦν τί τοῦτʼ αὖ φασι πανδήμῳ πόλει
κήρυγμα θεῖναι τὸν στρατηγὸν ἀρτίως;
ἔχεις τι κεἰσήκουσας; ἤ σε λανθάνει
πρὸς τοὺς φίλους στείχοντα τῶν ἐχθρῶν κακά;

[¶1] Ismene:
To me no word of our friends, Antigone, either bringing joy or bringing pain has come since we two were robbed of our two brothers who died in one day by a double blow.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἐμοὶ μὲν οὐδεὶς μῦθος, Ἀντιγόνη, φίλων
οὔθʼ ἡδὺς οὔτʼ ἀλγεινὸς ἵκετʼ ἐξ ὅτου
δυοῖν ἀδελφοῖν ἐστερήθημεν δύο,
μιᾷ θανόντοιν ἡμέρᾳ διπλῇ χερί·

[¶2] And since the Argive army has fled during this night, I have learned nothing further, whether better fortune is mine, or further ruin.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ φροῦδός ἐστιν Ἀργείων στρατὸς
ἐν νυκτὶ τῇ νῦν, οὐδὲν οἶδʼ ὑπέρτερον,
οὔτʼ εὐτυχοῦσα μᾶλλον οὔτʼ ἀτωμένη.

[¶3] Antigone:
I knew it well, so I was trying to bring you outside the courtyard gates to this end, that you alone might hear.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ᾔδη καλῶς, καί σʼ ἐκτὸς αὐλείων πυλῶν
τοῦδʼ οὕνεκʼ ἐξέπεμπον, ὡς μόνη κλύοις.

[¶4] Ismene:
Hear what? It is clear that you are brooding on some dark news.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
τί δʼ ἔστι; δηλοῖς γάρ τι καλχαίνουσʼ ἔπος.

[¶5] Antigone:
Why not? Has not Creon destined our brothers, the one to honored burial, the other to unburied shame? Eteocles, they say, with due observance of right and custom, he has laid in the earth
for his honor among the dead below. As for the poor corpse of Polyneices, however, they say that an edict has been published to the townsmen that no one shall bury him or mourn him, but instead leave him unwept, unentombed, for the birds a pleasing store
as they look to satisfy their hunger. Such, it is said, is the edict that the good Creon has laid down for you and for me—yes, for me—and it is said that he is coming here to proclaim it for the certain knowledge of those who do not already know. They say that he does not conduct this business lightly,
but whoever performs any of these rites, for him the fate appointed is death by public stoning among the entire city. This is how things stand for you, and so you will soon show your nature, whether you are noble-minded, or the corrupt daughter of a noble line.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐ γὰρ τάφου νῷν τὼ κασιγνήτω Κρέων
τὸν μὲν προτίσας, τὸν δʼ ἀτιμάσας ἔχει;
Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὡς λέγουσι, σὺν δίκης
χρήσει δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμου κατὰ χθονὸς
ἔκρυψε τοῖς ἔνερθεν ἔντιμον νεκροῖς·
τὸν δʼ ἀθλίως θανόντα Πολυνείκους νέκυν
ἀστοῖσί φασιν ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι τὸ μὴ
τάφῳ καλύψαι μηδὲ κωκῦσαί τινα,
ἐᾶν δʼ ἄκλαυτον, ἄταφον, οἰωνοῖς γλυκὺν
θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.
τοιαῦτά φασι τὸν ἀγαθὸν Κρέοντα σοὶ
κἀμοί, λέγω γὰρ κἀμέ, κηρύξαντʼ ἔχειν,
καὶ δεῦρο νεῖσθαι ταῦτα τοῖσι μὴ εἰδόσιν
σαφῆ προκηρύξοντα, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμʼ ἄγειν
οὐχ ὡς παρʼ οὐδέν, ἀλλʼ ὃς ἂν τούτων τι δρᾷ,
φόνον προκεῖσθαι δημόλευστον ἐν πόλει.
οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτα, καὶ δείξεις τάχα
εἴτʼ εὐγενὴς πέφυκας εἴτʼ ἐσθλῶν κακή.

[¶6] Ismene:
Poor sister, if things have come to this, what would I
profit by loosening or tightening this knot?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
τί δʼ, ὦ ταλαῖφρον, εἰ τάδʼ ἐν τούτοις, ἐγὼ
λύουσʼ ἂν ἢ ʼφάπτουσα προσθείμην πλέον;

[¶7] Antigone:
Consider whether you will share the toil and the task.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
εἰ ξυμπονήσεις καὶ ξυνεργάσει σκόπει.

[¶8] Ismene:
What are you hazarding? What do you intend?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ποῖόν τι κινδύνευμα; ποῦ γνώμης ποτʼ εἶ;

[¶9] Antigone:
Will you join your hand to mine in order to lift his corpse?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
εἰ τὸν νεκρὸν ξὺν τῇδε κουφιεῖς χερί.

[¶10] Ismene:
You plan to bury him—when it is forbidden to the city?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἦ γὰρ νοεῖς θάπτειν σφʼ, ἀπόρρητον πόλει;

[¶11] Antigone:
Yes, he is my brother, and yours too, even if you wish it otherwise. I will never be convicted of betraying him.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τὸν γοῦν ἐμὸν καὶ τὸν σόν, ἢν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς
ἀδελφόν· οὐ γὰρ δὴ προδοῦσʼ ἁλώσομαι.

[¶12] Ismene:
Hard girl! Even when Creon has forbidden it?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ὦ σχετλία, Κρέοντος ἀντειρηκότος;

[¶13] Antigone:
No, he has no right to keep me from my own.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ τῶν ἐμῶν μʼ εἴργειν μέτα.

[¶14] Ismene:
Ah, no! Think, sister, how our father
perished in hatred and infamy, when, because of the crimes that he himself detected, he smashed both his eyes with self-blinding hand; then his mother-wife, two names in one, with a twisted noose destroyed her life;

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
οἴμοι. φρόνησον, ὦ κασιγνήτη, πατὴρ
ὡς νῷν ἀπεχθὴς δυσκλεής τʼ ἀπώλετο,
πρὸς αὐτοφώρων ἀμπλακημάτων διπλᾶς
ὄψεις ἀράξας αὐτὸς αὐτουργῷ χερί.
ἔπειτα μήτηρ καὶ γυνή, διπλοῦν ἔπος,
πλεκταῖσιν ἀρτάναισι λωβᾶται βίον·

[¶15] lastly, our two brothers in a single day, both unhappy murderers of their own flesh and blood, worked with mutual hands their common doom. And now we, in turn—we two who have been left all alone—consider how much more miserably we will be destroyed, if in defiance of the law
we transgress against an autocrat’s decree or his powers. No, we must remember, first, that ours is a woman’s nature, and accordingly not suited to battles against men; and next, that we are ruled by the more powerful, so that we must obey in these things and in things even more stinging.

> Greek: τρίτον δʼ ἀδελφὼ δύο μίαν καθʼ ἡμέραν
αὐτοκτονοῦντε τὼ ταλαιπώρω μόρον
κοινὸν κατειργάσαντʼ ἐπαλλήλοιν χεροῖν.
νῦν δʼ αὖ μόνα δὴ νὼ λελειμμένα σκόπει
ὅσῳ κάκιστʼ ὀλούμεθʼ, εἰ νόμου βίᾳ
ψῆφον τυράννων ἢ κράτη παρέξιμεν.
ἀλλʼ ἐννοεῖν χρὴ τοῦτο μὲν γυναῖχʼ ὅτι
ἔφυμεν, ὡς πρὸς ἄνδρας οὐ μαχουμένα.
ἔπειτα δʼ οὕνεκʼ ἀρχόμεσθʼ ἐκ κρεισσόνων,
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἀκούειν κἄτι τῶνδʼ ἀλγίονα.

[¶16] I, therefore, will ask those below for pardon, since I am forced to this, and will obey those who have come to authority. It is foolish to do what is fruitless.

> Greek: ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν αἰτοῦσα τοὺς ὑπὸ χθονὸς
ξύγγνοιαν ἴσχειν, ὡς βιάζομαι τάδε,
τοῖς ἐν τέλει βεβῶσι πείσομαι· τὸ γὰρ
περισσὰ πράσσειν οὐκ ἔχει νοῦν οὐδένα.

[¶17] Antigone:
I would not encourage you—no, nor, even if you were willing later,
would I welcome you as my partner in this action. No, be the sort that pleases you. I will bury him—it would honor me to die while doing that. I shall rest with him, loved one with loved one, a pious criminal. For the time is greater
that I must serve the dead than the living, since in that world I will rest forever. But if you so choose, continue to dishonor what the gods in honor have established.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὔτʼ ἂν κελεύσαιμʼ οὔτʼ ἄν, εἰ θέλοις ἔτι
πράσσειν, ἐμοῦ γʼ ἂν ἡδέως δρῴης μέτα.
ἀλλʼ ἴσθʼ ὁποῖά σοι δοκεῖ, κεῖνον δʼ ἐγὼ
θάψω· καλόν μοι τοῦτο ποιούσῃ θανεῖν.
φίλη μετʼ αὐτοῦ κείσομαι, φίλου μέτα,
ὅσια πανουργήσασʼ. ἐπεὶ πλείων χρόνος
ὃν δεῖ μʼ ἀρέσκειν τοῖς κάτω τῶν ἐνθάδε.
ἐκεῖ γὰρ αἰεὶ κείσομαι· σοὶ δʼ, εἰ δοκεῖ,
τὰ τῶν θεῶν ἔντιμʼ ἀτιμάσασʼ ἔχε.

[¶18] Ismene:
I do them no dishonor. But to act in violation of the citizens’ will—of that I am by nature incapable.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἄτιμα ποιοῦμαι, τὸ δὲ
βίᾳ πολιτῶν δρᾶν ἔφυν ἀμήχανος.

[¶19] Antigone:
You can make that your pretext! Regardless, I will go now to heap a tomb over the brother I love.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
σὺ μὲν τάδʼ ἂν προὔχοιʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ δὴ τάφον
χώσουσʼ ἀδελφῷ φιλτάτῳ πορεύσομαι.

[¶20] Ismene:
Oh no, unhappy sister! I fear for you!

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
οἴμοι ταλαίνης, ὡς ὑπερδέδοικά σου.

[¶21] Antigone:
Do not tremble for me. Straighten out your own destiny.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
μὴ ʼμοῦ προτάρβει· τὸν σὸν ἐξόρθου πότμον.

[¶22] Ismene:
Then at least disclose the deed to no one before you do it.
Conceal it, instead, in secrecy—and so, too, will I.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἀλλʼ οὖν προμηνύσῃς γε τοῦτο μηδενὶ
τοὔργον, κρυφῇ δὲ κεῦθε, σὺν δʼ αὔτως ἐγώ.

[¶23] Antigone:
Go on! Denounce it! You will be far more hated for your silence, if you fail to proclaim these things to everyone.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οἴμοι, καταύδα· πολλὸν ἐχθίων ἔσει
σιγῶσʼ, ἐὰν μὴ πᾶσι κηρύξῃς τάδε.

[¶24] Ismene:
You have a hot heart for chilling deeds.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
θερμὴν ἐπὶ ψυχροῖσι καρδίαν ἔχεις.

[¶25] Antigone:
I know that I please those whom I am most bound to please.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλλʼ οἶδʼ ἀρέσκουσʼ οἷς μάλισθʼ ἁδεῖν με χρή.

[¶26] Ismene:
Yes, if you will also have the power. But you crave the impossible.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
εἰ καὶ δυνήσει γʼ· ἀλλʼ ἀμηχάνων ἐρᾷς.

[¶27] Antigone:
Why then, when my strength fails, I will have finished.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐκοῦν, ὅταν δὴ μὴ σθένω, πεπαύσομαι.

[¶28] Ismene:
An impossible hunt should not be tried in the first place.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἀρχὴν δὲ θηρᾶν οὐ πρέπει τἀμήχανα.

[¶29] Antigone:
If you mean that, you will have my hatred, and you will be subject to punishment as the enemy of the dead.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
εἰ ταῦτα λέξεις, ἐχθαρεῖ μὲν ἐξ ἐμοῦ,
ἐχθρὰ δὲ τῷ θανόντι προσκείσει δίκῃ.

[¶30] But leave me and the foolish plan I have authored to suffer this terrible thing, for I will not suffer anything so terrible that my death will lack honor.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἔα με καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ δυσβουλίαν
παθεῖν τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο· πείσομαι γὰρ οὐ
τοσοῦτον οὐδὲν ὥστε μὴ οὐ καλῶς θανεῖν.

[¶31] Ismene:
Go, then, if you so decide. And of this be sure: though your path is foolish, to your loved ones your love is straight and true. Exit Antigone on the spectators’ left. Ismene exits into the palace.
Enter the Chorus on the right.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἀλλʼ εἰ δοκεῖ σοι, στεῖχε· τοῦτο δʼ ἴσθʼ ὅτι
ἄνους μὲν ἔρχει, τοῖς φίλοις δʼ ὀρθῶς φίλη.

[¶32] Chorus:
Shaft of the sun, fairest light of all that have dawned on Thebes of the seven gates, you have shone forth at last, eye of golden day, advancing over Dirce’s streams!
You have goaded with a sharper bit the warrior of the white shield, who came from Argos in full armor, driving him to headlong retreat.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀκτὶς ἀελίου, τὸ κάλλιστον ἑπταπύλῳ φανὲν
Θήβᾳ τῶν προτέρων φάος,
ἐφάνθης ποτʼ, ὦ χρυσέας
ἁμέρας βλέφαρον,
Διρκαίων ὑπὲρ ῥεέθρων μολοῦσα,
τὸν λεύκασπιν Ἀργόθεν ἐκβάντα φῶτα πανσαγίᾳ
φυγάδα πρόδρομον ὀξυτέρῳ κινήσασα χαλινῷ·

[¶33] Chorus:
He set out against our land because of the strife-filled claims of Polyneices, and like a screaming eagle he flew over into our land, covered by his snow-white wing,
with a mass of weapons and crested helmets.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὃς ἐφʼ ἡμετέρᾳ γᾷ Πολυνείκους
ἀρθεὶς νεικέων ἐξ ἀμφιλόγων
ὀξέα κλάζων
ἀετὸς εἰς γᾶν ὣς ὑπερέπτα,
λευκῆς χιόνος πτέρυγι στεγανός,
πολλῶν μεθʼ ὅπλων
ξύν θʼ ἱπποκόμοις κορύθεσσιν.

[¶34] Chorus:
He paused above our dwellings; he gaped around our sevenfold portals with spears thirsting for blood; but he left
before his jaws were ever glutted with our gore, or before the Fire-god’s pine-fed flame had seized our crown of towers.
So fierce was the crash of battle swelling about his back, a match too hard to win for the rival of the dragon.

> Greek: Χορός:
στὰς δʼ ὑπὲρ μελάθρων φονώσαισιν ἀμφιχανὼν κύκλῳ
λόγχαις ἑπτάπυλον στόμα
ἔβα, πρίν ποθʼ ἁμετέρων
αἱμάτων γένυσιν πλησθῆναί τε καὶ στεφάνωμα πύργων
πευκάενθʼ Ἥφαιστον ἑλεῖν. τοῖος ἀμφὶ νῶτʼ ἐτάθη
πάταγος Ἄρεος, ἀντιπάλῳ δυσχείρωμα δράκοντος.

[¶35] Chorus:
For Zeus detests above all the boasts of a proud tongue. And when he saw them advancing in a swollen flood,
arrogant their clanging gold, he dashed with brandished fire one who was already starting to shout victory when he had reached our ramparts.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ζεὺς γὰρ μεγάλης γλώσσης κόμπους
ὑπερεχθαίρει, καὶ σφας ἐσιδὼν
πολλῷ ῥεύματι προσνισσομένους
χρυσοῦ καναχῆς ὑπεροπλίαις,
παλτῷ ῥιπτεῖ πυρὶ βαλβίδων
ἐπʼ ἄκρων ἤδη
νίκην ὁρμῶντʼ ἀλαλάξαι.

[¶36] Chorus:
Staggered, he fell to the earth with a crash,
torch in hand, a man possessed by the frenzy of the mad attack, who just now was raging against us with the blasts of his tempestuous hate. But his threats did not fare as he had hoped, and to the other enemies mighty Ares dispensed each their own dooms with hard blows,
Ares, our mighty ally at the turning-point.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀντιτύπᾳ δʼ ἐπὶ γᾷ πέσε τανταλωθεὶς
πυρφόρος, ὃς τότε μαινομένᾳ ξὺν ὁρμᾷ
βακχεύων ἐπέπνει
ῥιπαῖς ἐχθίστων ἀνέμων.
εἶχε δʼ ἄλλᾳ τὰ μέν,
ἄλλα δʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλοις ἐπενώμα στυφελίζων μέγας Ἄρης
δεξιόσειρος.

[¶37] Chorus:
For the seven captains, stationed against an equal number at the seven gates, left behind their brazen arms in tribute to Zeus the turner of battle—all but the accursed pair who, born of one father and one
mother, set against each other their spears, both victorious, and who now share in a common death.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἑπτὰ λοχαγοὶ γὰρ ἐφʼ ἑπτὰ πύλαις
ταχθέντες ἴσοι πρὸς ἴσους ἔλιπον
Ζηνὶ τροπαίῳ πάγχαλκα τέλη,
πλὴν τοῖν στυγεροῖν, ὣ πατρὸς ἑνὸς
μητρός τε μιᾶς φύντε καθʼ αὑτοῖν
δικρατεῖς λόγχας στήσαντʼ ἔχετον
κοινοῦ θανάτου μέρος ἄμφω.

[¶38] Chorus:
But since Victory whose name is glory has come to us, smiling in joy equal to the joy of chariot-rich Thebes,
let us make for ourselves forgetfulness after the recent wars, and visit all the temples of the gods with night-long dance and song. And may Bacchus, who shakes the earth of Thebes, rule our dancing!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἁ μεγαλώνυμος ἦλθε Νίκα
τᾷ πολυαρμάτῳ ἀντιχαρεῖσα Θήβᾳ,
ἐκ μὲν δὴ πολέμων
τῶν νῦν θέσθαι λησμοσύναν,
θεῶν δὲ ναοὺς χοροῖς
παννυχίοις πάντας ἐπέλθωμεν, ὁ Θήβας δʼ ἐλελίχθων
Βάκχιος ἄρχοι.

[¶39] Chorus:
But look, the king of the land is coming here, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, our new ruler in accordance with the new circumstances fated by the gods. What policy is he setting in motion,
that he has proposed this special conference of elders, and summoned it by a general mandate?
Enter Creon, with two attendants.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ὅδε γὰρ δὴ βασιλεὺς χώρας,
Κρέων ὁ Μενοικέως ⟨ἄρχων⟩ νεοχμὸς
νεαραῖσι θεῶν ἐπὶ συντυχίαις
χωρεῖ, τίνα δὴ μῆτιν ἐρέσσων,
ὅτι σύγκλητον τήνδε γερόντων
προὔθετο λέσχην,
κοινῷ κηρύγματι πέμψας;

[¶40] Creon:
My fellow citizens! First, the gods, after tossing the fate of our city on wild waves, have once more righted it. Second, I have ordered you through my messengers to come here
apart from all the rest, because I knew, first of all, how constant was your reverence for the power of the throne of Laius; how, again, you were reverent, when Oedipus was guiding our city; and lastly, how, when he was dead, you still maintained loyal thoughts towards his children.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἄνδρες, τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος ἀσφαλῶς θεοὶ
πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες ὤρθωσαν πάλιν.
ὑμᾶς δʼ ἐγὼ πομποῖσιν ἐκ πάντων δίχα
ἔστειλʼ ἱκέσθαι τοῦτο μὲν τὰ Λαΐου
σέβοντας εἰδὼς εὖ θρόνων ἀεὶ κράτη,
τοῦτʼ αὖθις, ἡνίκʼ Οἰδίπους ὤρθου πόλιν,
κἀπεὶ διώλετʼ, ἀμφὶ τοὺς κείνων ἔτι
παῖδας μένοντας ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν.

[¶41] Since, then, these latter have fallen in one day by a twofold doom—each striking, each struck, both with the stain of a brother’s murder—I now possess all the power and the throne according to my kinship with the dead.

> Greek: ὅτʼ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς διπλῆς μοίρας μίαν
καθʼ ἡμέραν ὤλοντο παίσαντές τε καὶ
πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι,
ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω
γένους κατʼ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων.

[¶42] Now, it is impossible to know fully any man’s character, will, or judgment, until he has been proved by the test of rule and law-giving. For if anyone who directs the entire city does not cling to the best and wisest plans,
but because of some fear keeps his lips locked, then, in my judgment, he is and has long been the most cowardly traitor. And if any man thinks a friend more important than his fatherland, that man, I say, is of no account. Zeus, god who sees all things always, be my witness—
I would not be silent if I saw ruin, instead of safety, marching upon the citizens. Nor would I ever make a man who is hostile to my country a friend to myself, because I know this, that our country is the ship that bears us safe, and that only when
we sail her on a straight course can we make true friends. Such are the rules by which I strengthen this city. Akin to these is the edict which I have now published to the citizenry concerning the sons of Oedipus: Eteocles, who fell fighting
in behalf of our city and who excelled all in battle, they shall entomb and heap up every sacred offering that descends to the noblest of the dead below. But as for his brother, Polyneices, I mean, who on his return from exile wanted to burn to the ground
the city of his fathers and his race’s gods, and wanted to feed on kindred blood and lead the remnant into slavery—it has been proclaimed to the city that no one shall give him funeral honors or lamentation,
but all must leave him unburied and a sight of shame, with his body there for birds and dogs to eat. This is my will, and never will I allow the traitor to stand in honor before the just. But whoever has good will to Thebes,
he shall be honored by me in death as in life.

> Greek: ἀμήχανον δὲ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐκμαθεῖν
ψυχήν τε καὶ φρόνημα καὶ γνώμην, πρὶν ἂν
ἀρχαῖς τε καὶ νόμοισιν ἐντριβὴς φανῇ.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ὅστις πᾶσαν εὐθύνων πόλιν
μὴ τῶν ἀρίστων ἅπτεται βουλευμάτων,
ἀλλʼ ἐκ φόβου του γλῶσσαν ἐγκλῄσας ἔχει,
κάκιστος εἶναι νῦν τε καὶ πάλαι δοκεῖ·
καὶ μεῖζον ὅστις ἀντὶ τῆς αὑτοῦ πάτρας
φίλον νομίζει, τοῦτον οὐδαμοῦ λέγω.
ἐγὼ γάρ, ἴστω Ζεὺς ὁ πάνθʼ ὁρῶν ἀεί,
οὔτʼ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι τὴν ἄτην ὁρῶν
στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας,
οὔτʼ ἂν φίλον ποτʼ ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονὸς
θείμην ἐμαυτῷ, τοῦτο γιγνώσκων ὅτι
ἥδʼ ἐστὶν ἡ σῴζουσα καὶ ταύτης ἔπι
πλέοντες ὀρθῆς τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα.
τοιοῖσδʼ ἐγὼ νόμοισι τήνδʼ αὔξω πόλιν,
καὶ νῦν ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε κηρύξας ἔχω
ἀστοῖσι παίδων τῶν ἀπʼ Οἰδίπου πέρι·
Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν
ὄλωλε τῆσδε, πάντʼ ἀριστεύσας δόρει,
τάφῳ τε κρύψαι καὶ τὰ πάντʼ ἀφαγνίσαι
ἃ τοῖς ἀρίστοις ἔρχεται κάτω νεκροῖς.
τὸν δʼ αὖ ξύναιμον τοῦδε, Πολυνείκη λέγω,
ὃς γῆν πατρῴαν καὶ θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς
φυγὰς κατελθὼν ἠθέλησε μὲν πυρὶ
πρῆσαι κατʼ ἄκρας, ἠθέλησε δʼ αἵματος
κοινοῦ πάσασθαι, τοὺς δὲ δουλώσας ἄγειν,
τοῦτον πόλει τῇδʼ ἐκκεκήρυκται τάφῳ
μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα,
ἐᾶν δʼ ἄθαπτον καὶ πρὸς οἰωνῶν δέμας
καὶ πρὸς κυνῶν ἐδεστὸν αἰκισθέν τʼ ἰδεῖν.
τοιόνδʼ ἐμὸν φρόνημα, κοὔποτʼ ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ
τιμὴν προέξουσʼ οἱ κακοὶ τῶν ἐνδίκων·
ἀλλʼ ὅστις εὔνους τῇδε τῇ πόλει, θανὼν
καὶ ζῶν ὁμοίως ἐξ ἐμοῦ τιμήσεται.

[¶43] Chorus:
That is your will, Creon, towards this city’s enemy and its friend. And the power is yours, I believe, to make use of every law whatsoever, both concerning the dead and all us who live.

> Greek: Χορός:
σοὶ ταῦτʼ ἀρέσκει, παῖ Μενοικέως Κρέον,
τὸν τῇδε δύσνουν κἀς τὸν εὐμενῆ πόλει·
νόμῳ δὲ χρῆσθαι παντί που πάρεστί σοι
καὶ τῶν θανόντων χὠπόσοι ζῶμεν πέρι.

[¶44] Creon:
See, then, that you be guardians of my commands.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ὡς ἂν σκοποὶ νῦν εἶτε τῶν εἰρημένων.

[¶45] Chorus:
Lay the weight of this task on some younger man.

> Greek: Χορός:
νεωτέρῳ τῳ τοῦτο βαστάζειν πρόθες.

[¶46] Creon:
That is not what I meant—the guards for the corpse are already in place.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀλλʼ εἴσʼ ἕτοιμοι τοῦ νεκροῦ γʼ ἐπίσκοποι.

[¶47] Chorus:
Then what is this other command that you would give?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δῆτʼ ἂν ἄλλο τοῦτʼ ἐπεντέλλοις ἔτι;

[¶48] Creon:
That you not give way to the breakers of my commands.

> Greek: Κρέων:
τὸ μὴ ʼπιχωρεῖν τοῖς ἀπιστοῦσιν τάδε.

[¶49] Chorus:
There is no one so foolish as to crave death.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὔκ ἔστιν οὕτω μῶρος ὃς θανεῖν ἐρᾷ.

[¶50] Creon:
I assure you, that is the wage for disobedience. Yet by just the hope of it, money has many times corrupted men.
Enter Guard.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ μὴν ὁ μισθός γʼ, οὗτος· ἀλλʼ ὑπʼ ἐλπίδων
ἄνδρας τὸ κέρδος πολλάκις διώλεσεν.

[¶51] Guard:
My king, I will not say that I arrive breathless because of speed, or from the action of a swift foot.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
ἄναξ, ἐρῶ μὲν οὐχ ὅπως τάχους ὕπο
δύσπνους ἱκάνω κοῦφον ἐξάρας πόδα.

[¶52] For often I brought myself to a stop because of my thoughts, and wheeled round in my path to return. My mind was telling me many things: “Fool, why do you go to where your arrival will mean your punishment?” “Idiot, are you dallying again? If Creon learns it from another, must you not suffer for it?”
So debating, I made my way unhurriedly, slow, and thus a short road was made long. At last, however, the view prevailed that I should come here—to you. Even if my report brings no good, still will I tell you,
since I come with a good grip on one hope, that I can suffer nothing except what is my fate.

> Greek: πολλὰς γὰρ ἔσχον φροντίδων ἐπιστάσεις,
ὁδοῖς κυκλῶν ἐμαυτὸν εἰς ἀναστροφήν·
ψυχὴ γὰρ ηὔδα πολλά μοι μυθουμένη·
τάλας, τί χωρεῖς οἷ μολὼν δώσεις δίκην;
τλήμων, μενεῖς αὖ; κεἰ τάδʼ εἴσεται Κρέων
ἄλλου παρʼ ἀνδρός; πῶς σὺ δῆτʼ οὐκ ἀλγύνει;
τοιαῦθʼ ἑλίσσων ἤνυτον σχολῇ βραδύς.
χοὔτως ὁδὸς βραχεῖα γίγνεται μακρά.
τέλος γε μέντοι δεῦρʼ ἐνίκησεν μολεῖν
σοί. κεἰ τὸ μηδὲν ἐξερῶ, φράσω δʼ ὅμως·
τῆς ἐλπίδος γὰρ ἔρχομαι δεδραγμένος,
τὸ μὴ παθεῖν ἂν ἄλλο πλὴν τὸ μόρσιμον.

[¶53] Creon:
And what is it that so disheartens you?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δʼ ἐστὶν ἀνθʼ οὗ τήνδʼ ἔχεις ἀθυμίαν;

[¶54] Guard:
I want to tell you first about myself—I did not do the deed, nor did I see the doer,
so it would be wrong that I should come to any harm.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
φράσαι θέλω σοι πρῶτα τἀμαυτοῦ· τὸ γὰρ
πρᾶγμʼ οὔτʼ ἔδρασʼ οὔτʼ εἶδον ὅστις ἦν ὁ δρῶν,
οὐδʼ ἂν δικαίως ἐς κακὸν πέσοιμί τι.

[¶55] Creon:
Like a bowman you aim well at your target from a distance, and all around you hedge yourself off well from the deed. It is clear that you have some unheard-of thing to tell.

> Greek: Κρέων:
εὖ γε στοχάζει κἀποφάργνυσαι κύκλῳ
τὸ πρᾶγμα· δηλοῖς δʼ ὥς τι σημανῶν νέον.

[¶56] Guard:
That I do, for terrible news imposes great hesitation.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
τὰ δεινὰ γάρ τοι προστίθησʼ ὄκνον πολύν.

[¶57] Creon:
Then tell it, will you, and so unburdened go away?

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔκουν ἐρεῖς ποτʼ, εἶτʼ ἀπαλλαχθεὶς ἄπει;

[¶58] Guard:
Well, here it is. The corpse—some one has just given it burial and disappeared after sprinkling thirsty dust on the flesh and performing the other rites that piety demands.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
καὶ δὴ λέγω σοι. τὸν νεκρόν τις ἀρτίως
θάψας βέβηκε κἀπὶ χρωτὶ διψίαν
κόνιν παλύνας κἀφαγιστεύσας ἃ χρή·

[¶59] Creon:
What are you saying? What man dared do this?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί φής; τίς ἀνδρῶν ἦν ὁ τολμήσας τάδε;

[¶60] Guard:
I do not know. For there was no scar of a pickax to be seen there,
no earth thrown up by a mattock. The ground was hard and dry, unbroken, not rolled over by wheels. The doer was someone who left no trace. When the first day-watchman showed it to us, a discomforting amazement fell on us all.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἐκεῖ γὰρ οὔτε του γενῇδος ἦν
πλῆγμʼ, οὐ δικέλλης ἐκβολή. στύφλος δὲ γῆ
καὶ χέρσος, ἀρρὼξ οὐδʼ ἐπημαξευμένη
τροχοῖσιν, ἀλλʼ ἄσημος οὑργάτης τις ἦν.
ὅπως δʼ ὁ πρῶτος ἡμὶν ἡμεροσκόπος
δείκνυσι, πᾶσι θαῦμα δυσχερὲς παρῆν.

[¶61] The dead man was veiled from us—not shut within a tomb, but a light cover of dust was on him, as if put there by the hand of one who shunned a curse. And no sign was visible that any beast of prey or any dog had approached or torn him. Then evil words flew thick and loud among us,
guard accusing guard. It would even have come to blows in the end, nor was there anyone there to prevent it: every man was the culprit, and no one was plainly guilty, while all disclaimed knowledge of the act. We were ready to take red-hot iron in our hands,
to walk through fire and to swear oaths by the gods that we had neither done the deed, nor shared knowledge of the planning or the doing. At last, when our investigating got us nowhere, someone spoke up and made us all bend our faces
in fear towards the earth. For we did not know how we could argue with him, nor yet prosper, if we did what he said. His argument was that the deed must be reported to you and not hidden. This view prevailed, and so it was that
the lot doomed miserable me to win this prize. So here I stand, as unwelcome to you as I am unwilling, I well know. For no man delights in the bearer of bad news.

> Greek: ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἠφάνιστο, τυμβήρης μὲν οὔ,
λεπτὴ δʼ, ἄγος φεύγοντος ὥς, ἐπῆν κόνις·
σημεῖα δʼ οὔτε θηρὸς οὔτε του κυνῶν
ἐλθόντος, οὐ σπάσαντος ἐξεφαίνετο.
λόγοι δʼ ἐν ἀλλήλοισιν ἐρρόθουν κακοί,
φύλαξ ἐλέγχων φύλακα, κἂν ἐγίγνετο
πληγὴ τελευτῶσʼ, οὐδʼ ὁ κωλύσων παρῆν.
εἷς γάρ τις ἦν ἕκαστος οὑξειργασμένος,
κοὐδεὶς ἐναργής, ἀλλʼ ἔφευγε μὴ εἰδέναι.
ἦμεν δʼ ἕτοιμοι καὶ μύδρους αἴρειν χεροῖν
καὶ πῦρ διέρπειν καὶ θεοὺς ὁρκωμοτεῖν,
τὸ μήτε δρᾶσαι μήτε τῳ ξυνειδέναι
τὸ πρᾶγμα βουλεύσαντι μηδʼ εἰργασμένῳ.
τέλος δʼ ὅτʼ οὐδὲν ἦν ἐρευνῶσιν πλέον,
λέγει τις εἷς, ὃ πάντας ἐς πέδον κάρα
νεῦσαι φόβῳ προὔτρεψεν· οὐ γὰρ εἴχομεν
οὔτʼ ἀντιφωνεῖν οὔθʼ ὅπως δρῶντες καλῶς
πράξαιμεν. ἦν δʼ ὁ μῦθος ὡς ἀνοιστέον
σοὶ τοὔργον εἴη τοῦτο κοὐχὶ κρυπτέον.
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐνίκα, κἀμὲ τὸν δυσδαίμονα
πάλος καθαιρεῖ τοῦτο τἀγαθὸν λαβεῖν.
πάρειμι δʼ ἄκων οὐχ ἑκοῦσιν, οἶδʼ ὅτι·
στέργει γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἄγγελον κακῶν ἐπῶν.

[¶62] Chorus:
My king, my thoughts have long been deliberating whether this deed is somehow the work of gods?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄναξ, ἐμοί τοί, μή τι καὶ θεήλατον
τοὔργον τόδʼ, ἡ ξύννοια βουλεύει πάλαι

[¶63] Creon:
Quiet, before your words truly fill me with rage, so that you not be found at the same time foolish as well as old. You say what is intolerable when you claim that the gods have concern for that corpse. Was it in high esteem for his benefactions
that they sought to hide him, when he had come to burn their columned shrines, their sacred treasures and their land, and scatter its laws to the winds? Or do you see the gods honoring the wicked? It cannot be. No! From the very first
certain men of the city were chafing at this edict and muttering against me, tossing their heads in secret, and they did not keep their necks duly under the yoke in submission to me. By those men, I am certain, they were led astray and bribed to do this deed.

> Greek: Κρέων:
παῦσαι, πρὶν ὀργῆς καὶ ʼμὲ μεστῶσαι λέγων,
μὴ ʼφευρεθῇς ἄνους τε καὶ γέρων ἅμα.
λέγεις γὰρ οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ δαίμονας λέγων
πρόνοιαν ἴσχειν τοῦδε τοῦ νεκροῦ πέρι.
πότερον ὑπερτιμῶντες ὡς εὐεργέτην
ἔκρυπτον αὐτόν, ὅστις ἀμφικίονας
ναοὺς πυρώσων ἦλθε κἀναθήματα
καὶ γῆν ἐκείνων καὶ νόμους διασκεδῶν;
ἢ τοὺς κακοὺς τιμῶντας εἰσορᾷς θεούς;
οὔκ ἔστιν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα καὶ πάλαι πόλεως
ἄνδρες μόλις φέροντες ἐρρόθουν ἐμοί,
κρυφῇ κάρα σείοντες, οὐδʼ ὑπὸ ζυγῷ
λόφον δικαίως εἶχον, ὡς στέργειν ἐμέ.
ἐκ τῶνδε τούτους ἐξεπίσταμαι καλῶς
παρηγμένους μισθοῖσιν εἰργάσθαι τάδε.

[¶64] Nothing so evil as money ever grew to be current among men. This destroys cities, this drives men from their homes, this trains and warps honest minds to set themselves to works of shame,
this teaches people to practise villainies, and to know every act of unholiness. But all the men who did this job for hire have made sure that, sooner or later, they shall suffer the punishment. Now, as Zeus still has my reverence, know this well—
I tell you on my oath. If you do not find the very hand that made this burial, and reveal him before my eyes, mere death shall not suffice for you, not before, hung up alive, you have made this outrage plain,
so that hereafter you may thieve with better knowledge of where your money should be received from, and learn that it is best not to be fond of money-making from any and every source. For you will find that ill-gotten gains bring more men to ruin than to safety.

> Greek: οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώποισιν οἷον ἄργυρος
κακὸν νόμισμʼ ἔβλαστε. τοῦτο καὶ πόλεις
πορθεῖ, τόδʼ ἄνδρας ἐξανίστησιν δόμων·
τόδʼ ἐκδιδάσκει καὶ παραλλάσσει φρένας
χρηστὰς πρὸς αἰσχρὰ πράγμαθʼ ἵστασθαι βροτῶν·
πανουργίας δʼ ἔδειξεν ἀνθρώποις ἔχειν
καὶ παντὸς ἔργου δυσσέβειαν εἰδέναι.
ὅσοι δὲ μισθαρνοῦντες ἤνυσαν τάδε,
χρόνῳ ποτʼ ἐξέπραξαν ὡς δοῦναι δίκην.
ἀλλʼ εἴπερ ἴσχει Ζεὺς ἔτʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ σέβας,
εὖ τοῦτʼ ἐπίστασʼ, ὅρκιος δέ σοι λέγω·
εἰ μὴ τὸν αὐτόχειρα τοῦδε τοῦ τάφου
εὑρόντες ἐκφανεῖτʼ ἐς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐμούς,
οὐχ ὑμὶν Ἅιδης μοῦνος ἀρκέσει, πρὶν ἂν
ζῶντες κρεμαστοὶ τήνδε δηλώσηθʼ ὕβριν,
ἵνʼ εἰδότες τὸ κέρδος ἔνθεν οἰστέον
τὸ λοιπὸν ἁρπάζητε, καὶ μάθηθʼ ὅτι
οὐκ ἐξ ἅπαντος δεῖ τὸ κερδαίνειν φιλεῖν.
ἐκ τῶν γὰρ αἰσχρῶν λημμάτων τοὺς πλείονας
ἀτωμένους ἴδοις ἂν ἢ σεσωσμένους.

[¶65] Guard:
Will you allow me to speak? Or shall I just turn and go?

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
εἰπεῖν τι δώσεις ἢ στραφεὶς οὕτως ἴω;

[¶66] Creon:
Do you not know even now how much your voice sickens me?

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὐκ οἶσθα καὶ νῦν ὡς ἀνιαρῶς λέγεις;

[¶67] Guard:
Is the pain in your ears, or in your soul?

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
ἐν τοῖσιν ὠσὶν ἢ ʼπὶ τῇ ψυχῇ δάκνει;

[¶68] Creon:
And why would you define the seat of my pain?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δὲ ῥυθμίζεις τὴν ἐμὴν λύπην ὅπου;

[¶69] Guard:
He who did it hurts your heart, but I, your ears.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
ὁ δρῶν σʼ ἀνιᾷ τὰς φρένας, τὰ δʼ ὦτʼ ἐγώ.

[¶70] Creon:
God! How plain it is that you are a born babbler.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οἴμʼ ὡς λάλημα δῆλον ἐκπεφυκὸς εἶ.

[¶71] Guard:
Perhaps, but never the author of this action.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
οὔκουν τό γʼ ἔργον τοῦτο ποιήσας ποτέ.

[¶72] Creon:
Yes, and what is more, you sold your life for silver.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐπʼ ἀργύρῳ γε τὴν ψυχὴν προδούς.

[¶73] Guard:
Ah! It is truly sad when the judge judges wrong.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
φεῦ·
ἦ δεινὸν ᾧ δοκῇ γε καὶ ψευδῆ δοκεῖν.

[¶74] Creon:
Expound on “judgment” as you will. But, if you fail to
show me the perpetrators of these crimes, you will avow that money basely earned wreaks sorrows. Exit Creon.

> Greek: Κρέων:
κόμψευέ νυν τὴν δόξαν· εἰ δὲ ταῦτα μὴ
φανεῖτέ μοι τοὺς δρῶντας, ἐξερεῖθʼ ὅτι
τὰ δειλὰ κέρδη πημονὰς ἐργάζεται.

[¶75] Guard:
Well, may the man be found! That would be best. But, whether he be caught or not—for fortune must decide that—I assure you that you will not see me come here again.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
ἀλλʼ εὑρεθείη μὲν μάλιστʼ· ἐὰν δέ τοι
ληφθῇ τε καὶ μή, τοῦτο γὰρ τύχη κρινεῖ,
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅπως ὄψει σὺ δεῦρʼ ἐλθόντα με·

[¶76] Saved just now beyond hope and belief, I owe the gods great thanks. Exit the Guard.
Chorus:
Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than man.
This power spans the sea, even when it surges white before the gales of the south-wind, and makes a path under swells that threaten to engulf him. Earth, too, the eldest of the gods, the immortal, the unwearied,
he wears away to his own ends, turning the soil with the offspring of horses as the plows weave to and fro year after year.

> Greek: καὶ νῦν γὰρ ἐκτὸς ἐλπίδος γνώμης τʼ ἐμῆς
σωθεὶς ὀφείλω τοῖς θεοῖς πολλὴν χάριν.
Χορός:
πολλὰ τὰ δεινὰ κοὐδὲν ἀνθρώπου δεινότερον πέλει.
τοῦτο καὶ πολιοῦ πέραν πόντου χειμερίῳ νότῳ
χωρεῖ, περιβρυχίοισιν
περῶν ὑπʼ οἴδμασιν.
θεῶν τε τὰν ὑπερτάταν, Γᾶν
ἄφθιτον, ἀκαμάταν, ἀποτρύεται
ἰλλομένων ἀρότρων ἔτος εἰς ἔτος
ἱππείῳ γένει πολεύων.

[¶77] Chorus:
The light-hearted tribe of birds
and the clans of wild beasts and the sea-brood of the deep he snares in the meshes of his twisted nets, and he leads them captive, very-skilled man. He masters by his arts
the beast who dwells in the wilds and roams the hills. He tames the shaggy-maned horse, putting the yoke upon its neck, and tames the tireless mountain bull.

> Greek: Χορός:
κουφονόων τε φῦλον ὀρνίθων ἀμφιβαλὼν ἄγει
καὶ θηρῶν ἀγρίων ἔθνη πόντου τʼ εἰναλίαν φύσιν
σπείραισι δικτυοκλώστοις,
περιφραδὴς ἀνήρ·
κρατεῖ δὲ μηχαναῖς ἀγραύλου
θηρὸς ὀρεσσιβάτα, λασιαύχενά θʼ
ἵππον ὀχμάζεται ἀμφὶ λόφον ζυγῶν
οὔρειόν τʼ ἀκμῆτα ταῦρον.

[¶78] Chorus:
Speech and thought fast as the wind and the moods that give order to a city he has taught himself, and how to flee the arrows of the inhospitable frost under clear skies and the arrows of the storming rain.
He has resource for everything. Lacking resource in nothing he strides towards what must come. From Death alone he shall procure no escape, but from baffling diseases he has devised flights.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ φθέγμα καὶ ἀνεμόεν φρόνημα καὶ ἀστυνόμους
ὀργὰς ἐδιδάξατο καὶ δυσαύλων
πάγων ὑπαίθρεια καὶ δύσομβρα φεύγειν βέλη
παντοπόρος· ἄπορος ἐπʼ οὐδὲν ἔρχεται
τὸ μέλλον· Ἅιδα μόνον φεῦξιν οὐκ ἐπάξεται·
νόσων δʼ ἀμηχάνων φυγὰς ξυμπέφρασται.

[¶79] Chorus:
Possessing resourceful skill, a subtlety beyond expectation he moves now to evil, now to good. When he honors the laws of the land and the justice of the gods to which he is bound by oath,
his city prospers. But banned from his city is he who, thanks to his rashness, couples with disgrace. Never may he share my home,
never think my thoughts, who does these things!
Enter the Guard, on the spectators’ left, leading in Antigone.

> Greek: Χορός:
σοφόν τι τὸ μηχανόεν τέχνας ὑπὲρ ἐλπίδʼ ἔχων
τοτὲ μὲν κακόν, ἄλλοτʼ ἐπʼ ἐσθλὸν ἕρπει,
νόμους γεραίρων χθονὸς θεῶν τʼ ἔνορκον δίκαν,
ὑψίπολις· ἄπολις ὅτῳ τὸ μὴ καλὸν
ξύνεστι τόλμας χάριν. μήτʼ ἐμοὶ παρέστιος
γένοιτο μήτʼ ἴσον φρονῶν ὃς τάδʼ ἔρδει.

[¶80] Chorus:
What marvel sent by the gods is this?—I am bewildered! I know her. How can I deny that this girl is Antigone? O unhappy child
of your unhappy father, of Oedipus! What can this mean? What! Surely they are not bringing you captive for disobeying the King’s laws and being caught in lunacy?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐς δαιμόνιον τέρας ἀμφινοῶ
τόδε· πῶς εἰδὼς ἀντιλογήσω
τήνδʼ οὐκ εἶναι παῖδʼ Ἀντιγόνην.
ὦ δύστηνος
καὶ δυστήνου πατρὸς Οἰδιπόδα,
τί ποτʼ; οὐ δή που σέ γʼ ἀπιστοῦσαν
τοῖς βασιλείοισιν ἄγουσι νόμοις
καὶ ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ καθελόντες;

[¶81] Guard:
Here is she, the one who did the deed.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
ἥδʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνη τοὔργον ἡ ʼξειργασμένη·

[¶82] We caught this one burying him. Where is Creon?
Enter Creon from the palace.

> Greek: τήνδʼ εἵλομεν θάπτουσαν. ἀλλὰ ποῦ Κρέων;

[¶83] Chorus:
There, he is coming from the house again at our need.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅδʼ ἐκ δόμων ἄψορρος εἰς δέον περᾷ.

[¶84] Creon:
What is it? What has happened that makes my coming timely?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τί δʼ ἔστι; ποίᾳ ξύμμετρος προὔβην τύχῃ;

[¶85] Guard:
My king, there is nothing that a man can rightly swear he will not do. For second thought belies one’s first intent.
I could have vowed that I would not ever come here again, because of your threats by which I had just been storm-tossed. But since this joy that exceeds and oversteps my hopes can be compared in fulness to no other pleasure, I am back—though it is contrary to my sworn oath—
bringing this girl who was caught giving burial honors to the dead. This time there was no casting of lots. No, this piece of luck has fallen to me, and me alone. And now, my king, as it pleases you, take her yourself, question her and convict her. But justice would see me
released free and clear from this trouble.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
ἄναξ, βροτοῖσιν οὐδέν ἔστʼ ἀπώμοτον.
ψεύδει γὰρ ἡ ʼπίνοια τὴν γνώμην· ἐπεὶ
σχολῇ ποθʼ ἥξειν δεῦρʼ ἂν ἐξηύχουν ἐγὼ
ταῖς σαῖς ἀπειλαῖς αἷς ἐχειμάσθην τότε
ἀλλʼ ἡ γὰρ ἐκτὸς καὶ παρʼ ἐλπίδας χαρὰ
ἔοικεν ἄλλῃ μῆκος οὐδὲν ἡδονῇ,
ἥκω, διʼ ὅρκων καίπερ ὢν ἀπώμοτος,
κόρην ἄγων τήνδʼ, ἣ καθῃρέθη τάφον
κοσμοῦσα. κλῆρος ἐνθάδʼ οὐκ ἐπάλλετο,
ἀλλʼ ἔστʼ ἐμὸν θοὔρμαιον, οὐκ ἄλλου, τόδε.
καὶ νῦν, ἄναξ, τήνδʼ αὐτός, ὡς θέλεις, λαβὼν
καὶ κρῖνε κἀξέλεγχʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐλεύθερος
δίκαιός εἰμι τῶνδʼ ἀπηλλάχθαι κακῶν.

[¶86] Creon:
Your prisoner here—how and where did you take her?

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἄγεις δὲ τήνδε τῷ τρόπῳ πόθεν λαβών;

[¶87] Guard:
She was burying the man. You know all there is to tell.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
αὕτη τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔθαπτε· πάντʼ ἐπίστασαι.

[¶88] Creon:
Are you clear and sure about what you are saying?

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἦ καὶ ξυνίης καὶ λέγεις ὀρθῶς ἃ φῄς;

[¶89] Guard:
I am. I saw her burying the corpse that you
had forbidden to bury. Is that plain and sufficient?

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
ταύτην γʼ ἰδὼν θάπτουσαν ὃν σὺ τὸν νεκρὸν
ἀπεῖπας. ἆρʼ ἔνδηλα καὶ σαφῆ λέγω;

[¶90] Creon:
And how was she observed? How taken in the act?

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ πῶς ὁρᾶται κἀπίληπτος ᾑρέθη;

[¶91] Guard:
It happened like this. When we had come to the place with those fierce threats of yours still in our ears, we swept away all the dust that covered
the corpse and bared the damp body well. We then sat down on the brow of the hill to windward, fleeing the smell from him, lest it strike us. Each man was wide awake and kept his neighbor alert with torrents of threats, if any one should be careless of this task.

> Greek: Φύλαξ:
τοιοῦτον ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμʼ. ὅπως γὰρ ἥκομεν,
πρὸς σοῦ τὰ δείνʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἐπηπειλημένοι,
πᾶσαν κόνιν σήραντες, ἣ κατεῖχε τὸν
νέκυν, μυδῶν τε σῶμα γυμνώσαντες εὖ,
καθήμεθʼ ἄκρων ἐκ πάγων ὑπήνεμοι,
ὀσμὴν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ μὴ βάλοι πεφευγότες,
ἐγερτὶ κινῶν ἄνδρʼ ἀνὴρ ἐπιρρόθοις
κακοῖσιν, εἴ τις τοῦδʼ ἀκηδήσοι πόνου.

[¶92] So time passed, until the disk of the sun stood bright in mid-sky and the heat began to burn. And then suddenly a whirlwind lifted from the earth a storm of dust, a trouble in the sky, and it filled the plain, marring all the foliage of its woods.
Soon the wide air was choked with it. We closed our eyes, and endured the plague from the gods. When, after a long while, this storm had passed, the girl was seen, and she wailed aloud with the sharp cry of a grieving bird, as when inside her empty
nest she sees the bed stripped of its nestlings. So she, too, when she saw the corpse bare, broke into a cry of lamentation and cursed with harsh curses those who had done it. Immediately she took thirsty dust in her hands,
and from a pitcher of beaten bronze held high she crowned the dead with thrice-poured libations. We rushed forward when we saw it, and at once closed upon our quarry, who was not at all dismayed. We then charged her with her past and present doings,
but she made no denial of anything—at once to my joy and to my pain. For to have escaped from trouble one’s self gives the greatest joy, but it stings to lead friends to evil. Naturally, though, all such things are
of less account to me than my own safety.

> Greek: χρόνον τάδʼ ἦν τοσοῦτον, ἔστʼ ἐν αἰθέρι
μέσῳ κατέστη λαμπρὸς ἡλίου κύκλος
καὶ καῦμʼ ἔθαλπε· καὶ τότʼ ἐξαίφνης χθονὸς
τυφὼς ἀείρας σκηπτόν οὐράνιον ἄχος,
πίμπλησι πεδίον, πᾶσαν αἰκίζων φόβην
ὕλης πεδιάδος, ἐν δʼ ἐμεστώθη μέγας
αἰθήρ· μύσαντες δʼ εἴχομεν θείαν νόσον.
καὶ τοῦδʼ ἀπαλλαγέντος ἐν χρόνῳ μακρῷ,
ἡ παῖς ὁρᾶται, κἀνακωκύει πικρᾶς
ὄρνιθος ὀξὺν φθόγγον, ὡς ὅταν κενῆς
εὐνῆς νεοσσῶν ὀρφανὸν βλέψῃ λέχος.
οὕτω δὲ χαὔτη, ψιλὸν ὡς ὁρᾷ νέκυν,
γόοισιν ἐξῴμωξεν, ἐκ δʼ ἀρὰς κακὰς
ἠρᾶτο τοῖσι τοὔργον ἐξειργασμένοις.
καὶ χερσὶν εὐθὺς διψίαν φέρει κόνιν,
ἔκ τʼ εὐκροτήτου χαλκέας ἄρδην πρόχου
χοαῖσι τρισπόνδοισι τὸν νέκυν στέφει.
χἠμεῖς ἰδόντες ἱέμεσθα, σὺν δέ νιν
θηρώμεθʼ εὐθὺς οὐδὲν ἐκπεπληγμένην,
καὶ τάς τε πρόσθεν τάς τε νῦν ἠλέγχομεν
πράξεις· ἄπαρνος δʼ οὐδενὸς καθίστατο,
ἅμʼ ἡδέως ἔμοιγε κἀλγεινῶς ἅμα.
τὸ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐκ κακῶν πεφευγέναι
ἥδιστον, ἐς κακὸν δὲ τοὺς φίλους ἄγειν
ἀλγεινόν· ἀλλὰ πάντα ταῦθʼ ἥσσω λαβεῖν
ἐμοὶ πέφυκε τῆς ἐμῆς σωτηρίας.

[¶93] Creon:
You, you with your face bent to the ground, do you admit, or deny that you did this?

> Greek: Κρέων:
σὲ δή, σὲ τὴν νεύουσαν εἰς πέδον κάρα,
φὴς ἢ καταρνεῖ μὴ δεδρακέναι τάδε;

[¶94] Antigone:
I declare it and make no denial.
Creon: To the Guard.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
καὶ φημὶ δρᾶσαι κοὐκ ἀπαρνοῦμαι τὸ μή.

[¶95] You can take yourself wherever you please,
free and clear of a heavy charge. Exit Guard.
To Antigone.

> Greek: Κρέων:
σὺ μὲν κομίζοις ἂν σεαυτὸν ᾖ θέλεις
ἔξω βαρείας αἰτίας ἐλεύθερον·

[¶96] You, however, tell me—not at length, but briefly—did you know that an edict had forbidden this?

> Greek: σὺ δʼ εἰπέ μοι μὴ μῆκος, ἀλλὰ συντόμως,
ᾔδησθα κηρυχθέντα μὴ πράσσειν τάδε;

[¶97] Antigone:
I knew it. How could I not? It was public.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ᾔδη· τί δʼ οὐκ ἔμελλον; ἐμφανῆ γὰρ ἦν.

[¶98] Creon:
And even so you dared overstep that law?

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ δῆτʼ ἐτόλμας τούσδʼ ὑπερβαίνειν νόμους;

[¶99] Antigone:
Yes, since it was not Zeus that published me that edict, and since not of that kind are the laws which Justice who dwells with the gods below established among men. Nor did I think that your decrees were of such force, that a mortal could override the unwritten
and unfailing statutes given us by the gods. For their life is not of today or yesterday, but for all time, and no man knows when they were first put forth. Not for fear of any man’s pride was I about to owe a penalty to the gods for breaking these.
Die I must, that I knew well (how could I not?). That is true even without your edicts. But if I am to die before my time, I count that a gain. When anyone lives as I do, surrounded by evils, how can he not carry off gain by dying?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐ γάρ τί μοι Ζεὺς ἦν ὁ κηρύξας τάδε,
οὐδʼ ἡ ξύνοικος τῶν κάτω θεῶν Δίκη
τοιούσδʼ ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ὥρισεν νόμους.
οὐδὲ σθένειν τοσοῦτον ᾠόμην τὰ σὰ
κηρύγμαθʼ, ὥστʼ ἄγραπτα κἀσφαλῆ θεῶν
νόμιμα δύνασθαι θνητὸν ὄνθʼ ὑπερδραμεῖν.
οὐ γάρ τι νῦν γε κἀχθές, ἀλλʼ ἀεί ποτε
ζῇ ταῦτα, κοὐδεὶς οἶδεν ἐξ ὅτου ʼφάνη.
τούτων ἐγὼ οὐκ ἔμελλον, ἀνδρὸς οὐδενὸς
φρόνημα δείσασʼ, ἐν θεοῖσι τὴν δίκην
δώσειν· θανουμένη γὰρ ἐξῄδη, τί δʼ οὔ;
κεἰ μὴ σὺ προὐκήρυξας. εἰ δὲ τοῦ χρόνου
πρόσθεν θανοῦμαι, κέρδος αὔτʼ ἐγὼ λέγω.
ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ὡς ἐγὼ κακοῖς
ζῇ, πῶς ὅδʼ οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει;

[¶100] So for me to meet this doom is a grief of no account. But if I had endured that my mother’s son should in death lie an unburied corpse, that would have grieved me. Yet for this, I am not grieved. And if my present actions are foolish in your sight,
it may be that it is a fool who accuses me of folly.

> Greek: οὕτως ἔμοιγε τοῦδε τοῦ μόρου τυχεῖν
παρʼ οὐδὲν ἄλγος· ἀλλʼ ἄν, εἰ τὸν ἐξ ἐμῆς
μητρὸς θανόντʼ ἄθαπτον ἠνσχόμην νέκυν,
κείνοις ἂν ἤλγουν· τοῖσδε δʼ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι.
σοὶ δʼ εἰ δοκῶ νῦν μῶρα δρῶσα τυγχάνειν,
σχεδόν τι μώρῳ μωρίαν ὀφλισκάνω.

[¶101] Chorus:
She shows herself the wild offspring of a wild father, and does not know how to bend before troubles.

> Greek: Χορός:
δηλοῖ τὸ γέννημʼ ὠμὸν ἐξ ὠμοῦ πατρὸς
τῆς παιδός. εἴκειν δʼ οὐκ ἐπίσταται κακοῖς.

[¶102] Creon:
Yet remember that over-hard spirits most often collapse. It is the stiffest iron, baked to
utter hardness in the fire, that you most often see snapped and shivered. And I have witnessed horses with great spirit disciplined by a small bit. For there is no place for pride, when one is his neighbors’ slave.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀλλʼ ἴσθι τοι τὰ σκλήρʼ ἄγαν φρονήματα
πίπτειν μάλιστα, καὶ τὸν ἐγκρατέστατον
σίδηρον ὀπτὸν ἐκ πυρὸς περισκελῆ
θραυσθέντα καὶ ῥαγέντα πλεῖστʼ ἂν εἰσίδοις·
σμικρῷ χαλινῷ δʼ οἶδα τοὺς θυμουμένους
ἵππους καταρτυθέντας· οὐ γὰρ ἐκπέλει
φρονεῖν μέγʼ ὅστις δοῦλός ἐστι τῶν πέλας.

[¶103] This girl was already practiced in outrage when she overstepped the published laws. And, that done, this now is a second outrage, that she glories in it and exults in her deed. In truth, then, I am no man, but she is,
if this victory rests with her and brings no penalty. No! Whether she is my sister’s child, or nearer to me in blood than any of my kin that worship Zeus at the altar of our house, she and her sister will not escape a doom most harsh. For in truth
I charge that other with an equal share in the plotting of this burial. Call her out! I saw her inside just now, raving, and not in control of her wits. Before the deed, the mind frequently is convicted of stealthy crimes when conspirators are plotting depravity in the dark.

> Greek: αὕτη δʼ ὑβρίζειν μὲν τότʼ ἐξηπίστατο,
νόμους ὑπερβαίνουσα τοὺς προκειμένους·
ὕβρις δʼ, ἐπεὶ δέδρακεν, ἥδε δευτέρα,
τούτοις ἐπαυχεῖν καὶ δεδρακυῖαν γελᾶν.
ἦ νῦν ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἀνήρ, αὕτη δʼ ἀνήρ,
εἰ ταῦτʼ ἀνατὶ τῇδε κείσεται κράτη.
ἀλλʼ εἴτʼ ἀδελφῆς εἴθʼ ὁμαιμονεστέρα
τοῦ παντὸς ἡμῖν Ζηνὸς ἑρκείου κυρεῖ,
αὐτή τε χἠ ξύναιμος οὐκ ἀλύξετον
μόρου κακίστου· καὶ γὰρ οὖν κείνην ἴσον
ἐπαιτιῶμαι τοῦδε βουλεῦσαι τάφου.
καί νιν καλεῖτʼ· ἔσω γὰρ εἶδον ἀρτίως
λυσσῶσαν αὐτὴν οὐδʼ ἐπήβολον φρενῶν.
φιλεῖ δʼ ὁ θυμὸς πρόσθεν, ᾑρῆσθαι κλοπεὺς
τῶν μηδὲν ὀρθῶς ἐν σκότῳ τεχνωμένων·

[¶104] But, truly, I detest it, too, when one who has been caught in treachery then seeks to make the crime a glory.

> Greek: μισῶ γε μέντοι χὤταν ἐν κακοῖσί τις
ἁλοὺς ἔπειτα τοῦτο καλλύνειν θέλῃ.

[¶105] Antigone:
What more do you want than to capture and kill me?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
θέλεις τι μεῖζον ἢ κατακτεῖναί μʼ ἑλών;

[¶106] Creon:
I want nothing else. Having that, I have everything.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδέν· τοῦτʼ ἔχων ἅπαντʼ ἔχω.

[¶107] Antigone:
Why then do you wait? In none of your maxims
is there anything that pleases me—and may there never be! Similarly to you as well my views must be displeasing. And yet, how could I have won a nobler glory than by giving burial to my own brother? All here would admit that they approve,
if fear did not grip their tongues. But tyranny, blest with so much else, has the power to do and say whatever it pleases.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τί δῆτα μέλλεις; ὡς ἐμοὶ τῶν σῶν λόγων
ἀρεστὸν οὐδὲν μηδʼ ἀρεσθείη ποτέ·
οὕτω δὲ καὶ σοὶ τἄμʼ ἀφανδάνοντʼ ἔφυ.
καίτοι πόθεν κλέος γʼ ἂν εὐκλεέστερον
κατέσχον ἢ τὸν αὐτάδελφον ἐν τάφῳ
τιθεῖσα; τούτοις τοῦτο πᾶσιν ἁνδάνειν
λέγοιτʼ ἄν, εἰ μὴ γλῶσσαν ἐγκλῄοι φόβος.
ἀλλʼ ἡ τυραννὶς πολλά τʼ ἄλλʼ εὐδαιμονεῖ
κἄξεστιν αὐτῇ δρᾶν λέγειν θʼ ἃ βούλεται.

[¶108] Creon:
You alone out of all these Thebans see it that way.

> Greek: Κρέων:
σὺ τοῦτο μούνη τῶνδε Καδμείων ὁρᾷς.

[¶109] Antigone:
They do, too, but for you they hold their tongues.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὁρῶσι χοὖτοι, σοὶ δʼ ὑπίλλουσιν στόμα.

[¶110] Creon:
Are you not ashamed that your beliefs differ from theirs?

> Greek: Κρέων:
σὺ δʼ οὐκ ἐπαιδεῖ, τῶνδε χωρὶς εἰ φρονεῖς;

[¶111] Antigone:
No, there is nothing shameful in respecting your own flesh and blood.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐδὲν γὰρ αἰσχρὸν τοὺς ὁμοσπλάγχνους σέβειν.

[¶112] Creon:
Was not he your brother too, who died in the opposite cause?

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔκουν ὅμαιμος χὠ καταντίον θανών;

[¶113] Antigone:
A brother by the same mother and the same father.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὅμαιμος ἐκ μιᾶς τε καὶ ταὐτοῦ πατρός.

[¶114] Creon:
Why, then, do you pay a service that is disrespectful to him?

> Greek: Κρέων:
πῶς δῆτʼ ἐκείνῳ δυσσεβῆ τιμᾷς χάριν;

[¶115] Antigone:
The dead man will not support you in that.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐ μαρτυρήσει ταῦθʼ ὁ κατθανὼν νέκυς.

[¶116] Creon:
Yes, he will, if you honor him equally with the wicked one.

> Greek: Κρέων:
εἴ τοί σφε τιμᾷς ἐξ ἴσου τῷ δυσσεβεῖ.

[¶117] Antigone:
It was his brother, not his slave, who died.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὐ γάρ τι δοῦλος, ἀλλʼ ἀδελφὸς ὤλετο.

[¶118] Creon:
But he died ravaging this land, while he fell in its defense.

> Greek: Κρέων:
πορθῶν δὲ τήνδε γῆν· ὁ δʼ ἀντιστὰς ὕπερ.

[¶119] Antigone:
Hades craves these rites, nevertheless.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὁμῶς ὅ γʼ Ἅιδης τοὺς νόμους τούτους ποθεῖ.

[¶120] Creon:
But the good man craves a portion not equal to the evil’s.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὁ χρηστὸς τῷ κακῷ λαχεῖν ἴσος.

[¶121] Antigone:
Who knows but that these actions are pure to those below?

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
τίς οἶδεν εἰ κάτωθεν εὐαγῆ τάδε;

[¶122] Creon:
You do not love someone you have hated, not even after death.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὔτοι ποθʼ οὑχθρός, οὐδʼ ὅταν θάνῃ, φίλος.

[¶123] Antigone:
It is not my nature to join in hate, but in love.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
οὔτοι συνέχθειν, ἀλλὰ συμφιλεῖν ἔφυν.

[¶124] Creon:
Then, go down to hell and love them
if you must. While I live, no woman will rule me.
Enter Ismene from the house, led in by two attendants.

> Greek: Κρέων:
κάτω νυν ἐλθοῦσʼ, εἰ φιλητέον, φίλει
κείνους· ἐμοῦ δὲ ζῶντος οὐκ ἄρξει γυνή.

[¶125] Chorus:
Look, here comes Ismene from the palace, shedding the tears of a loving sister. A cloud over her eyes mars her red-flushed face,
and it breaks into rain on her comely cheek.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν πρὸ πυλῶν ἥδʼ Ἰσμήνη,
φιλάδελφα κάτω δάκρυʼ εἰβομένη·
νεφέλη δʼ ὀφρύων ὕπερ αἱματόεν
ῥέθος αἰσχύνει,
τέγγουσʼ εὐῶπα παρειάν.

[¶126] Creon:
You who were lurking like a viper in my own house and secretly gulping up my life’s blood, while I was oblivious that I was nurturing two plagues, two revolutions against my throne—tell me now, will you also affirm
your share in this burial, or will you forswear all knowledge of it?

> Greek: Κρέων:
σὺ δʼ, ἣ κατʼ οἴκους ὡς ἔχιδνʼ ὑφειμένη
λήθουσά μʼ ἐξέπινες, οὐδʼ ἐμάνθανον
τρέφων δύʼ ἄτα κἀπαναστάσεις θρόνων,
φέρʼ, εἰπὲ δή μοι, καὶ σὺ τοῦδε τοῦ τάφου
φήσεις μετασχεῖν, ἢ ʼξομεῖ τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι;

[¶127] Ismene:
I performed the deed—as long as she concurs—and I share and carry the burden of guilt.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
δέδρακα τοὔργον, εἴπερ ἥδʼ ὁμορροθεῖ
καὶ ξυμμετίσχω καὶ φέρω τῆς αἰτίας.

[¶128] Antigone:
No, justice will not permit you to do this, since you were not willing to help with the deed, nor did I give you a part in it.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐάσει τοῦτό γʼ ἡ δίκη σʼ, ἐπεὶ
οὔτʼ ἠθέλησας οὔτʼ ἐγὼ ʼκοινωσάμην.

[¶129] Ismene:
But now with this sea of troubles around you, I am not ashamed to sail in a sea of suffering at your side.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἀλλʼ ἐν κακοῖς τοῖς σοῖσιν οὐκ αἰσχύνομαι
ξύμπλουν ἐμαυτὴν τοῦ πάθους ποιουμένη.

[¶130] Antigone:
As to whose deed it is, Hades and the dead are witnesses. A friend in words is not the type of friend I love.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὧν τοὔργον, Ἅιδης χοἰ κάτω ξυνίστορες·
λόγοις δʼ ἐγὼ φιλοῦσαν οὐ στέργω φίλην.

[¶131] Ismene:
No, sister, do not strip me of death’s honor,
but let me die with you and make due consecration to the dead.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
μήτοι, κασιγνήτη, μʼ ἀτιμάσῃς τὸ μὴ οὐ
θανεῖν τε σὺν σοὶ τὸν θανόντα θʼ ἁγνίσαι.

[¶132] Antigone:
Do not share my death. Do not claim deeds to which you did not put your hand. My death will suffice.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
μή μοι θάνῃς σὺ κοινὰ μηδʼ ἃ μὴ ʼθιγες
ποιοῦ σεαυτῆς. ἀρκέσω θνῄσκουσʼ ἐγώ.

[¶133] Ismene:
And how can I cherish life, once I am deprived of you?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
καὶ τίς βίος μοι σοῦ λελειμμένῃ φίλος;

[¶134] Antigone:
Ask Creon. Your concern is for him.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
Κρέοντʼ ἐρώτα· τοῦδε γὰρ σὺ κηδεμών.

[¶135] Ismene:
Why do you torture me like this, when it does not help you?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
τί ταῦτʼ ἀνιᾷς μʼ, οὐδὲν ὠφελουμένη;

[¶136] Antigone:
No, if I mock you, it is to my own pain that I do so.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ἀλγοῦσα μὲν δῆτʼ εἰ γελῶ γʼ ἐν σοὶ γελῶ.

[¶137] Ismene:
Tell me, how can I help you, even now?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
τί δῆτʼ ἂν ἀλλὰ νῦν σʼ ἔτʼ ὠφελοῖμʼ ἐγώ;

[¶138] Antigone:
Save yourself. I do not grudge your escape.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
σῶσον σεαυτήν· οὐ φθονῶ σʼ ὑπεκφυγεῖν.

[¶139] Ismene:
Ah, misery! Will I fall short of sharing your fate?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
οἴμοι τάλαινα, κἀμπλάκω τοῦ σοῦ μόρου;

[¶140] Antigone:
Your choice was to live, it was mine to die.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
σὺ μὲν γὰρ εἵλου ζῆν, ἐγὼ δὲ κατθανεῖν.

[¶141] Ismene:
At least your choice was not made without my protests.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐπʼ ἀρρήτοις γε τοῖς ἐμοῖς λόγοις.

[¶142] Antigone:
One world approved your wisdom, another approved mine.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
καλῶς σὺ μὲν τοῖς, τοῖς δʼ ἐγὼ ʼδόκουν φρονεῖν.

[¶143] Ismene:
Nevertheless, the offense is identical for both of us.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
καὶ μὴν ἴση νῷν ἐστιν ἡ ʼξαμαρτία.

[¶144] Antigone:
Take heart! You live. But my life has long been
in Death’s hands so that I might serve the dead.

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
θάρσει· σὺ μὲν ζῇς, ἡ δʼ ἐμὴ ψυχὴ πάλαι
τέθνηκεν, ὥστε τοῖς θανοῦσιν ὠφελεῖν.

[¶145] Creon:
One of these maidens, I declare, has just revealed her foolishness; the other has displayed it from the moment of her birth.

> Greek: Κρέων:
τὼ παῖδε φημὶ τώδε τὴν μὲν ἀρτίως
ἄνουν πεφάνθαι, τὴν δʼ ἀφʼ οὗ τὰ πρῶτʼ ἔφυ.

[¶146] Ismene:
Yes, Creon. Whatever amount of reason nature may have given them does not remain with those in dire straits, but goes astray.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
οὐ γάρ ποτʼ, ὦναξ, οὐδʼ ὃς ἂν βλάστῃ μένει
νοῦς τοῖς κακῶς πράσσουσιν, ἀλλʼ ἐξίσταται.

[¶147] Creon:
Yours did, I know, when you chose dire actions with dire allies.

> Greek: Κρέων:
σοὶ γοῦν, ὅθʼ εἵλου σὺν κακοῖς πράσσειν κακά.

[¶148] Ismene:
What life would there be for me alone, without her presence?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
τί γὰρ μόνῃ μοι τῆσδʼ ἄτερ βιώσιμον;

[¶149] Creon:
Do not speak of her “presence”. She lives no longer.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀλλʼ ἥδε μέντοι μὴ λέγʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἔστʼ ἔτι.

[¶150] Ismene:
What? You will kill your own son’s bride?

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
ἀλλὰ κτενεῖς νυμφεῖα τοῦ σαυτοῦ τέκνου;

[¶151] Creon:
Why not? There are other fields for him to plough.

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἀρώσιμοι γὰρ χἀτέρων εἰσὶν γύαι.

[¶152] Ismene:
But not fitted to him as she was.

> Greek: Ἰσμήνη:
οὐχ ὥς γʼ ἐκείνῳ τῇδέ τʼ ἦν ἡρμοσμένα.

[¶153] Creon:
I abhor an evil wife for my son.

> Greek: Κρέων:
κακὰς ἐγὼ γυναῖκας υἱέσι στυγῶ.

[¶154] Antigone:
Haemon, dearest! How your father wrongs you!

> Greek: Ἀντιγόνη:
ὦ φίλταθʼ Αἷμον, ὥς σʼ ἀτιμάζει πατήρ.

[¶155] Creon:
Enough! Enough of you and of your marriage!

> Greek: Κρέων:
ἄγαν γε λυπεῖς καὶ σὺ καὶ τὸ σὸν λέχος.

[¶156] Chorus:
Will you really cheat your son of this girl?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ γὰρ στερήσεις τῆσδε τὸν σαυτοῦ γόνον;

[¶157] Creon:
Death it is who will end these bridals for me.

> Greek: Κρέων:
Ἅιδης ὁ παύσων τούσδε τοὺς γάμους ἔφυ.

[¶158] Chorus:
Then it seems that it is resolved that she will die.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεδογμένʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, τήνδε κατθανεῖν.

[¶159] Creon:
Resolved, yes, for you and by me. To the two Attendants. No more delay! Servants, take them inside! Hereafter they must be women, and not left at large.

> Greek: Κρέων:
καὶ σοί γε κἀμοί. μὴ τριβὰς ἔτʼ, ἀλλά νιν
κομίζετʼ εἴσω, δμῶες· ἐκ δὲ τοῦδε χρὴ
γυναῖκας εἶναι τάσδε μηδʼ ἀνειμένας.

[¶160] For it is known that even the brave seek to flee, when they see Death now closing on their life. Exeunt Attendants, guarding Antigone and Ismene. Creon remains.

> Greek: φεύγουσι γάρ τοι χοἰ θρασεῖς, ὅταν πέλας
ἤδη τὸν, Ἅιδην εἰσορῶσι τοῦ βίου.

[¶161] Chorus:
Blest are those whose days have not tasted of evil. For when a house has once been shaken by the gods,
no form of ruin is lacking, but it spreads over the bulk of the race, just as, when the surge is driven over the darkness of the deep by the fierce breath of Thracian sea-winds,
it rolls up the black sand from the depths, and the wind-beaten headlands that front the blows of the storm give out a mournful roar.

> Greek: Χορός:
εὐδαίμονες οἷσι κακῶν ἄγευστος αἰών.
οἷς γὰρ ἂν σεισθῇ θεόθεν δόμος, ἄτας
οὐδὲν ἐλλείπει γενεᾶς ἐπὶ πλῆθος ἕρπον·
ὅμοιον ὥστε ποντίαις οἶδμα δυσπνόοις ὅταν
Θρῄσσαισιν ἔρεβος ὕφαλον ἐπιδράμῃ πνοαῖς,
κυλίνδει βυσσόθεν κελαινὰν θῖνα καὶ
δυσάνεμοι, στόνῳ βρέμουσι δʼ ἀντιπλῆγες ἀκταί.

[¶162] Chorus:
I see that the ancient sorrows of the house of the Labdacids
are heaped upon the sorrows of the dead. Each generation does not set its race free, but some god hurls it down and the race has no release. For now that dazzling ray of hope that had been spread
over the last roots in the house of Oedipus—that hope, in its turn, the blood-stained dust of the gods infernal and mindlessness in speech and frenzy at the mind cuts down.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀρχαῖα τὰ Λαβδακιδᾶν οἴκων ὁρῶμαι
πήματα φθιτῶν ἐπὶ πήμασι πίπτοντʼ,
οὐδʼ ἀπαλλάσσει γενεὰν γένος, ἀλλʼ ἐρείπει
θεῶν τις, οὐδʼ ἔχει λύσιν. νῦν γὰρ ἐσχάτας ὑπὲρ
ῥίζας ὃ τέτατο φάος ἐν Οἰδίπου δόμοις,
κατʼ αὖ νιν φοινία θεῶν τῶν νερτέρων
ἀμᾷ κόνις λόγου τʼ ἄνοια καὶ φρενῶν ἐρινύς.

[¶163] Chorus:
Your power, great Zeus—what human overstepping can check it? Yours is power that neither Sleep, the all-ensnaring, nor the untiring months of the gods can defeat. Unaged through time,
you rule by your power and dwell thereby in the brilliant splendor of Olympus. And through the future, both near and distant, as through the past, shall this law prevail: nothing that is vast comes to the life of mortals without ruin.

> Greek: Χορός:
τεάν, Ζεῦ, δύνασιν τίς ἀνδρῶν ὑπερβασία κατάσχοι;
τὰν οὔθʼ ὕπνος αἱρεῖ ποθʼ ὁ πάντʼ ἀγρεύων,
οὔτε θεῶν ἄκματοι μῆνες, ἀγήρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ
δυνάστας κατέχεις Ὀλύμπου μαρμαρόεσσαν αἴγλαν.
τό τʼ ἔπειτα καὶ τὸ μέλλον
καὶ τὸ πρὶν ἐπαρκέσει
νόμος ὅδʼ, οὐδὲν ἕρπει
θνατῶν βιότῳ πάμπολύ γʼ ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

[¶164] Chorus:
See how that hope whose wanderings are so wide truly is a benefit to many men, but to an equal number it is a false lure of light-headed desires. The deception comes to one who is wholly unawares until he burns his foot on a hot fire.
For with wisdom did someone once reveal the maxim, now famous, that evil at one time or another seems good, to him whose mind a god leads to ruin.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἁ γὰρ δὴ πολύπλαγκτος ἐλπὶς πολλοῖς μὲν ὄνασις ἀνδρῶν,
πολλοῖς δʼ ἀπάτα κουφονόων ἐρώτων·
εἰδότι δʼ οὐδὲν ἕρπει, πρὶν πυρὶ θερμῷ πόδα τις
προσαύσῃ. σοφίᾳ γὰρ ἔκ του κλεινὸν ἔπος πέφανται.
τὸ κακὸν δοκεῖν ποτʼ ἐσθλὸν
τῷδʼ ἔμμεν ὅτῳ φρένας
θεὸς ἄγει πρὸς ἄταν·

[¶165] But for the briefest moment such a man fares free of destruction.
Enter Haemon.

> Greek: Χορός:
πράσσει δʼ ὀλίγιστον χρόνον ἐκτὸς ἄτας.

[¶166] Chorus:
But here is Haemon, the last of your offspring. Does he come grieving for the doom of Antigone, his promised bride,
and bitter for the deceived hope of their marriage?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅδε μὴν Αἵμων, παίδων τῶν σῶν
νέατον γέννημʼ· ἆρʼ ἀχνύμενος
τάλιδος ἥκει μόρον Ἀντιγόνης,
ἀπάτης λεχέων ὑπεραλγῶν;

[¶167] Creon:
We will soon know better than seers could tell us.—My son, can it be that after hearing the final judgment concerning your betrothed, you have come in rage against your father? Or do I have your loyalty, act how I may?

> Greek: Κρέων:
τάχʼ εἰσόμεσθα μάντεων ὑπέρτερον.
ὦ παῖ, τελείαν ψῆφον ἆρα μὴ κλύων
τῆς μελλονύμφου πατρὶ λυσσαίνων πάρει;
ἢ σοὶ μὲν ἡμεῖς πανταχῇ, δρῶντες φίλοι;

[¶168] Haemon:
Father, I am yours, and you keep me upright with precepts good for me—precepts I shall follow. No marriage will be deemed by me more important than your good guidance.

> Greek: Αἵμων:
πάτερ, σός εἰμι, καὶ σύ μοι γνώμας ἔχων
χρηστὰς ἀπορθοῖς, αἷς ἔγωγʼ ἐφέψομαι.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἀξιώσεται γάμος
μείζων φέρεσθαι σοῦ καλῶς ἡγουμένου.

[¶169] Creon:
Yes, my son, this is the spirit you should maintain in your heart—to stand behind your father’s will in all things. It is for this that men pray: to sire and raise in their homes children who are obedient, that they may requite their father’s enemy with evil and honor his friend, just as their father does.

> Greek: Κρέων:
οὕτω γάρ, ὦ παῖ, χρὴ διὰ στέρνων ἔχειν,
γνώμης πατρῴας πάντʼ ὄπισθεν ἑστάναι.
τούτου γὰρ οὕνεκʼ ἄνδρες εὔχονται γονὰς
κατηκόους φύσαντες ἐν δόμοις ἔχειν,
ὡς καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἀνταμύνωνται κακοῖς
καὶ τὸν φίλον τιμῶσιν ἐξ ἴσου πατρί.

[¶170] But the man who begets unhelpful children—what would you say that he has sown except miseries for himself and abundant exultation for his enemies? Never, then, my son, banish your reason for pleasure on account of a woman,
knowing that this embrace soon becomes cold and brittle—an evil woman to share your bed and home. For what wound could strike deeper than a false friend? No, spit her out as if she were an enemy, let her go find a husband in Hades.

> Greek: ὅστις δʼ ἀνωφέλητα φιτύει τέκνα,
τί τόνδʼ ἂν εἴποις ἄλλο πλὴν αὑτῷ πόνους
φῦσαι, πολὺν δὲ τοῖσιν ἐχθροῖσιν γέλων;
μή νύν ποτʼ, ὦ παῖ, τὰς φρένας ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς
γυναικὸς οὕνεκʼ ἐκβάλῃς, εἰδὼς ὅτι
ψυχρὸν παραγκάλισμα τοῦτο γίγνεται,
γυνὴ κακὴ ξύνευνος ἐν δόμοις. τί γὰρ
γένοιτʼ ἂν ἕλκος μεῖζον ἢ φίλος κακός;
ἀλλὰ πτύσας ὡσεί τε δυσμενῆ μέθες
τὴν παῖδʼ ἐν Ἅιδου τήνδε νυμφεύειν τινί.