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That he alone can speak or think aright；
Such oracles are empty breath when tried。
The wisest man will let himself be swayed
By others' wisdom and relax in time。
See how the trees beside a stream in flood
Save； if they yield to force； each spray unharmed；
But by resisting perish root and branch。
The mariner who keeps his mainsheet taut；
And will not slacken in the gale； is like
To sail with thwarts reversed； keel uppermost。
Relent then and repent thee of thy wrath；
For； if one young in years may claim some sense；
I'll say 'tis best of all to be endowed
With absolute wisdom； but； if that's denied；
（And nature takes not readily that ply）
Next wise is he who lists to sage advice。
CHORUS
If he says aught in season； heed him； King。
（To HAEMON）
Heed thou thy sire too； both have spoken well。
CREON
What； would you have us at our age be schooled；
Lessoned in prudence by a beardless boy？
HAEMON
I plead for justice； father； nothing more。
Weigh me upon my merit； not my years。
CREON
Strange merit this to sanction lawlessness！
HAEMON
For evil…doers I would urge no plea。
CREON
Is not this maid an arrant law…breaker？
HAEMON
The Theban commons with one voice say； No。
CREON
What； shall the mob dictate my policy？
HAEMON
'Tis thou； methinks； who speakest like a boy。
CREON
Am I to rule for others； or myself？
HAEMON
A State for one man is no State at all。
CREON
The State is his who rules it； so 'tis held。
HAEMON
As monarch of a desert thou wouldst shine。
CREON
This boy； methinks； maintains the woman's cause。
HAEMON
If thou be'st woman； yes。 My thought's for thee。
CREON
O reprobate； would'st wrangle with thy sire？
HAEMON
Because I see thee wrongfully perverse。
CREON
And am I wrong； if I maintain my rights？
HAEMON
Talk not of rights； thou spurn'st the due of Heaven
CREON
O heart corrupt； a woman's minion thou！
HAEMON
Slave to dishonor thou wilt never find me。
CREON
Thy speech at least was all a plea for her。
HAEMON
And thee and me； and for the gods below。
CREON
Living the maid shall never be thy bride。
HAEMON
So she shall die； but one will die with her。
CREON
Hast come to such a pass as threaten me？
HAEMON
What threat is this； vain counsels to reprove？
CREON
Vain fool to instruct thy betters； thou shall rue it。
HAEMON
Wert not my father； I had said thou err'st。
CREON
Play not the spaniel； thou a woman's slave。
HAEMON
When thou dost speak； must no man make reply？
CREON
This passes bounds。 By heaven； thou shalt not rate
And jeer and flout me with impunity。
Off with the hateful thing that she may die
At once； beside her bridegroom； in his sight。
HAEMON
Think not that in my sight the maid shall die；
Or by my side； never shalt thou again
Behold my face hereafter。 Go； consort
With friends who like a madman for their mate。
＇Exit HAEMON＇
CHORUS
Thy son has gone； my liege； in angry haste。
Fell is the wrath of youth beneath a smart。
CREON
Let him go vent his fury like a fiend：
These sisters twain he shall not save from death。
CHORUS
Surely； thou meanest not to slay them both？
CREON
I stand corrected； only her who touched
The body。
CHORUS
And what death is she to die？
CREON
She shall be taken to some desert place
By man untrod； and in a rock…hewn cave；
With food no more than to avoid the taint
That homicide might bring on all the State；
Buried alive。 There let her call in aid
The King of Death； the one god she reveres；
Or learn too late a lesson learnt at last：
'Tis labor lost； to reverence the dead。
CHORUS
（Str。）
Love resistless in fight； all yield at a glance of thine eye；
Love who pillowed all night on a maiden's cheek dost lie；
Over the upland holds。 Shall mortals not yield to thee？
（Ant）。
Mad are thy subjects all； and even the wisest heart
Straight to folly will fall； at a touch of thy poisoned dart。
Thou didst kindle the strife； this feud of kinsman with kin；
By the eyes of a winsome wife； and the yearning her heart to win。
For as her consort still； enthroned with Justice above；
Thou bendest man to thy will； O all invincible Love。
Lo I myself am borne aside；
From Justice； as I view this bride。
（O sight an eye in tears to drown）
Antigone； so young； so fair；
Thus hurried down
Death's bower with the dead to share。
ANTIGONE
（Str。 1）
Friends； countrymen； my last farewell I make；
My journey's done。
One last fond； lingering； longing look I take
At the bright sun。
For Death who puts to sleep both young and old
Hales my young life；
And beckons me to Acheron's dark fold；
An unwed wife。
No youths have sung the marriage song for me；
My bridal bed
No maids have strewn with flowers from the lea；
'Tis Death I wed。
CHORUS
But bethink thee； thou art sped；
Great and glorious； to the dead。
Thou the sword's edge hast not tasted；
No disease thy frame hath wasted。
Freely thou alone shalt go
Living to the dead below。
ANTIGONE
（Ant。 1）
Nay； but the piteous tale I've heard men tell
Of Tantalus' doomed child；
Chained upon Siphylus' high rocky fell；
That clung like ivy wild；
Drenched by the pelting rain and whirling snow；
Left there to pine；
While on her frozen breast the tears aye flow
Her fate is mine。
CHORUS
She was sprung of gods； divine；
Mortals we of mortal line。
Like renown with gods to gain
Recompenses all thy pain。
Take this solace to thy tomb
Hers in life and death thy doom。
ANTIGONE
（Str。 2）
Alack； alack！ Ye mock me。 Is it meet
Thus to insult me living； to my face？
Cease； by our country's altars I entreat；
Ye lordly rulers of a lordly race。
O fount of Dirce； wood…embowered plain
Where Theban chariots to victory speed；
Mark ye the cruel laws that now have wrought my bane；
The friends who show no pity in my need！
Was ever fate like mine？ O monstrous doom；
Within a rock…built prison sepulchered；
To fade and wither in a living tomb；
And alien midst the living and the dead。
CHORUS
（Str。 3）
In thy boldness over…rash
Madly thou thy foot didst dash
'Gainst high Justice' altar stair。
Thou a father's guild dost bear。
ANTIGONE
（Ant。 2）
At this thou touchest my most poignant pain；
My ill…starred father's piteous disgrace；
The taint of blood； the hereditary stain；
That clings to all of Labdacus' famed race。
Woe worth the monstrous marriage…bed where lay
A mother with the son her womb had borne；
Therein I was conceived； woe worth the day；
Fruit of incestuous sheets； a maid forlorn；
And now I pass； accursed and unwed；
To meet them as an alien there below；
And thee； O brother； in marriage ill…bestead；
'Twas thy dead hand that dealt me this death…blow。
CHORUS
Religion has her chains； 'tis true；
Let rite be paid when rites are due。
Yet is it ill to disobey
The powers who hold by might the sway。
Thou hast withstood authority；
A self…willed rebel； thou must die。
ANTIGONE
Unwept； unwed； unfriended； hence I go；
No longer may I see the day's bright eye；
Not one friend left to share my bitter woe；
And o'er my ashes heave one passing sigh。
CREON
If wail and lamentation aught availed
To stave off death； I trow they'd never end。
Away with her； and having walled her up
In a rock…vaulted tomb； as I ordained；
Leave her alone at liberty to die；
Or； if she choose； to live in solitude；
The tomb her dwelling。 We in either case
Are guiltless as concerns this maiden's blood；
Only on earth no lodging shall she find。
ANTIGONE
O grave； O bridal bower； O prison house
Hewn from the rock； my everlasting home；
Whither I go to join the mighty host
Of kinsfolk； Persephassa's guests long dead；
The last of all； of all more miserable；
I pass； my destined span of years cut short。
And yet good hope is mine that I shall find
A welcome from my sire； a welcome too；
From thee； my mother； and my brother dear；
From with these hands； I laved and decked your limbs
In death； and poured libations on your grave。
And last； my Polyneices； unto thee
I paid due rites； and this my recompense！
Yet am I justified in wisdom's eyes。
For even had it been some child of mine；
Or husband mouldering in death's decay；
I had not wrought this deed despite the State。
What is the law I call in aid？ 'Tis thus
I argue。 Had it been a husband dead
I might have wed another； and have borne
Another child； to take the dead child's place。
But； now my sire and mother both are dead；
No second brother can be born for me。
Thus by the law of conscience I was led
To honor thee； dear brother； and was judged
By Creon guilty of a heinous crime。
And now he drags me like a criminal；
A bride unwed； amerced of marriage…song
And marriage…bed and joys of motherhood；
By friends deserted to a living grave。
What ordinance of heaven have I transgressed？
Hereafter can I look to any go