Too long； too long thy passing is delayed。〃
But when he heard the summons of the god；
He prayed that Theseus might be brought； and when
The Prince came nearer： 〃O my friend；〃 he cried；
〃Pledge ye my daughters； giving thy right hand
And； daughters； give him yoursand promise me
Thou never wilt forsake them； but do all
That time and friendship prompt in their behoof。〃
And he of his nobility repressed
His tears and swore to be their constant friend。
This promise given； Oedipus put forth
Blind hands and laid them on his children； saying；
〃O children； prove your true nobility
And hence depart nor seek to witness sights
Unlawful or to hear unlawful words。
Nay； go with speed； let none but Theseus stay；
Our ruler； to behold what next shall hap。〃
So we all heard him speak； and weeping sore
We companied the maidens on their way。
After brief space we looked again； and lo
The man was gone； evanished from our eyes；
Only the king we saw with upraised hand
Shading his eyes as from some awful sight；
That no man might endure to look upon。
A moment later； and we saw him bend
In prayer to Earth and prayer to Heaven at once。
But by what doom the stranger met his end
No man save Theseus knoweth。 For there fell
No fiery bold that reft him in that hour；
Nor whirlwind from the sea； but he was taken。
It was a messenger from heaven； or else
Some gentle； painless cleaving of earth's base；
For without wailing or disease or pain
He passed awayand end most marvelous。
And if to some my tale seems foolishness
I am content that such could count me fool。
CHORUS
Where are the maids and their attendant friends？
MESSENGER
They cannot be far off； the approaching sound
Of lamentation tells they come this way。
＇Enter ANTIGONE and ISMENE＇
ANTIGONE
（Str。 1）
Woe； woe！ on this sad day
We sisters of one blasted stock
must bow beneath the shock；
Must weep and weep the curse that lay
On him our sire； for whom
In life； a life…long world of care
'Twas ours to bear；
In death must face the gloom
That wraps his tomb。
What tongue can tell
That sight ineffable？
CHORUS
What mean ye； maidens？
ANTIGONE
All is but surmise。
CHORUS
Is he then gone？
ANTIGONE
Gone as ye most might wish。
Not in battle or sea storm；
But reft from sight；
By hands invisible borne
To viewless fields of night。
Ah me！ on us too night has come；
The night of mourning。 Wither roam
O'er land or sea in our distress
Eating the bread of bitterness？
ISMENE
I know not。 O that Death
Might nip my breath；
And let me share my aged father's fate。
I cannot live a life thus desolate。
CHORUS
Best of daughters； worthy pair；
What heaven brings ye needs must bear；
Fret no more 'gainst Heaven's will；
Fate hath dealt with you not ill。
ANTIGONE
（Ant。 1）
Love can turn past pain to bliss；
What seemed bitter now is sweet。
Ah me！ that happy toil is sweet。
The guidance of those dear blind feet。
Dear father； wrapt for aye in nether gloom；
E'en in the tomb
Never shalt thou lack of love repine；
Her love and mine。
CHORUS
His fate
ANTIGONE
Is even as he planned。
CHORUS
How so？
ANTIGONE
He died； so willed he； in a foreign land。
Lapped in kind earth he sleeps his long last sleep；
And o'er his grave friends weep。
How great our lost these streaming eyes can tell；
This sorrow naught can quell。
Thou hadst thy wish 'mid strangers thus to die；
But I； ah me； not by。
ISMENE
Alas； my sister； what new fate
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
Befalls us orphans desolate？
CHORUS
His end was blessed； therefore； children； stay
Your sorrow。 Man is born to fate a prey。
ANTIGONE
（Str。 2）
Sister； let us back again。
ISMENE
Why return？
ANTIGONE
My soul is fain
ISMENE
Is fain？
ANTIGONE
To see the earthy bed。
ISMENE
Sayest thou？
ANTIGONE
Where our sire is laid。
ISMENE
Nay； thou can'st not； dost not see
ANTIGONE
Sister； wherefore wroth with me？
ISMENE
Know'st notbeside
ANTIGONE
More must I hear？
ISMENE
Tombless he died； none near。
ANTIGONE
Lead me thither； slay me there。
ISMENE
How shall I unhappy fare；
Friendless； helpless； how drag on
A life of misery alone？
CHORUS
（Ant。 2）
Fear not； maids
ANTIGONE
Ah； whither flee？
CHORUS
Refuge hath been found。
ANTIGONE
For me？
CHORUS
Where thou shalt be safe from harm。
ANTIGONE
I know it。
CHORUS
Why then this alarm？
ANTIGONE
How again to get us home
I know not。
CHORUS
Why then this roam？
ANTIGONE
Troubles whelm us
CHORUS
As of yore。
ANTIGONE
Worse than what was worse before。
CHORUS
Sure ye are driven on the breakers' surge。
ANTIGONE
Alas！ we are。
CHORUS
Alas！ 'tis so。
ANTIGONE
Ah whither turn； O Zeus？ No ray
Of hope to cheer the way
Whereon the fates our desperate voyage urge。
＇Enter THESEUS＇
THESEUS
Dry your tears； when grace is shed
On the quick and on the dead
By dark Powers beneficent；
Over…grief they would resent。
ANTIGONE
Aegeus' child； to thee we pray。
THESEUS
What the boon； my children； say。
ANTIGONE
With our own eyes we fain would see
Our father's tomb。
THESEUS
That may not be。
ANTIGONE
What say'st thou； King？
THESEUS
My children； he
Charged me straitly that no moral
Should approach the sacred portal；
Or greet with funeral litanies
The hidden tomb wherein he lies；
Saying； 〃If thou keep'st my hest
Thou shalt hold thy realm at rest。〃
The God of Oaths this promise heard；
And to Zeus I pledged my word。
ANTIGONE
Well； if he would have it so；
We must yield。 Then let us go
Back to Thebes； if yet we may
Heal this mortal feud and stay
The self…wrought doom
That drives our brothers to their tomb。
THESEUS
Go in peace； nor will I spare
Ought of toil and zealous care；
But on all your needs attend；
Gladdening in his grave my friend。
CHORUS
Wail no more； let sorrow rest；
All is ordered for the best。
FOOTNOTES
…
1。 The Greek text for the passages marked here and later in the text
have been lost。
2。 To avoid the blessing； still a secret； he resorts to a
commonplace； literally； 〃For what generous man is not （in befriending
others） a friend to himself？〃
3。 Creon desires to bury Oedipus on the confines of Thebes so as to
avoid the pollution and yet offer due rites at his tomb。 Ismene tells
him of the latest oracle and interprets to him its purport； that some
day the Theban invaders of Athens will be routed in a battle near the
grave of Oedipus。
4。 The Thebans sprung from the Dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus。
SOPHOCLES
ANTIGONE
Translation by F。 Storr； BA
Formerly Scholar of Trinity College； Cambridge
From the Loeb Library Edition
Originally published by
Harvard University Press； Cambridge； MA
and
William Heinemann Ltd； London
First published in 1912
ARGUMENT
Antigone； daughter of Oedipus； the late king of Thebes； in defiance of
Creon who rules in his stead； resolves to bury her brother Polyneices；
slain in his attack on Thebes。 She is caught in the act by Creon's
watchmen and brought before the king。 She justifies her action；
asserting that she was bound to obey the eternal laws of right and
wrong in spite of any human ordinance。 Creon； unrelenting； condemns
her to be immured in a rock…hewn chamber。 His son Haemon； to whom
Antigone is betrothed； pleads in vain for her life and threatens to die
with her。 Warned by the seer Teiresias Creon repents him and hurries
to release Antigone from her rocky prison。 But he is too late： he
finds lying side by side Antigone who had hanged herself and Haemon who
also has perished by his own hand。 Returning to the palace he sees
within the dead body of his queen who on learning of her son's death
has stabbed herself to the heart。
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ANTIGONE and ISMENE … daughters of Oedipus and sisters of Polyneices
and Eteocles。
CREON； King of Thebes。
HAEMON； Son of Creon； betrothed to Antigone。
EURYDICE； wife of Creon。
TEIRESIAS； the prophet。
CHORUS； of Theban elders。
A WATCHMAN
A MESSENGER
A SECOND MESSENGER
ANTIGONE
ANTIGONE and ISMENE before the Palace gates。
ANTIGONE
Ismene； sister of my blood and heart；
See'st thou how Zeus would in our lives fulfill
The weird of Oedipus； a world of woes！
For what of pain； affliction； outrage； shame；
Is lacking in our fortunes； thine and mine？
And now this proclamation of today
Made by our Captain…General to the State；
What can its purport be？ Didst hear and heed；
Or art thou deaf when friends are banned as foes？
ISMENE
To me； Antigone； no word of friends
Has come； or glad or grievous； since we twain
Were reft of our two brethren in one day
By double fratricide； and since i' the night
Our Argive leaguers fled； no later news
Has reached me； to inspirit or deject。
ANTIGONE
I know 'twas so； and therefore summoned thee
Beyond the gates to breathe it in thine ear。
ISMENE
What is it？ Some dark secret stirs thy breast。
ANTIGONE
What but the thought of our two brothers dead；
The one by Creon graced with funeral rites；
The other disappointed？ Eteocles
He hath consigned to earth （as fame reports）
With obsequies that use and wont ordain；
So gracing him among the dead below。
But Polyneices； a dishonored corse；
（So by report the royal edict runs）
No man may bury him or make lament
Must leave him tombless and unwept； a feast
For kites to scent afar and swoop upon。
Such is the edict （if report speak true）
Of Creon； our most noble Creon； aimed
At thee an