Jacob Schwartz
Tufts University
Xen. Anab. 1.9.26
Jacob Schwartz /
- Created on 2023-03-26 20:38:57
- Translated by Carleton L. Brownson
- Aligned by Jacob Schwartz
Xen. Anab. 1.9.31
Jacob Schwartz /
- Created on 2023-03-26 20:51:50
- Translated by Carleton L. Brownson
- Aligned by Jacob Schwartz
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ἀποθνῄσκοντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ πάντες οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν φίλοι καὶ συντράπεζοι ἀπέθανον μαχόμενοι ὑπὲρ Κύρου πλὴν Ἀριαίου : οὗτος δὲ τεταγμένος ἐτύγχανεν ἐπὶ τῷ εὐωνύμῳ τοῦ ἱππικοῦ ἄρχων : ὡς δ᾽ ᾔσθετο Κῦρον πεπτωκότα , ἔφυγεν ἔχων καὶ τὸ στράτευμα πᾶν οὗ ἡγεῖτο .
When
he
died
,
namely
,
all
his
bodyguard
of
friends
and
table
companions
died
fighting
in
his
defence
,
with
the
exception
of
Ariaeus
;
he
,
it
chanced
,
was
stationed
on
the
left
wing
at
the
head
of
the
cavalry
,
and
when
he
learned
that
Cyrus
had
fallen
,
he
took
to
flight
with
the
whole
army
that
he
commanded
.
Soph. Ant. 162-174
Jacob Schwartz /
- Created on 2023-04-25 03:50:36
- Translated by Sir Richard Jebb
- Aligned by Jacob Schwartz
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ἄνδρες , τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος ἀσφαλῶς θεοὶ
πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες ὤρθωσαν πάλιν .
ὑμᾶς δ᾽ ἐγὼ πομποῖσιν ἐκ πάντων δίχα
ἔστειλ᾽ ἱκέσθαι τοῦτο μὲν τὰ Λαΐου
σέβοντας εἰδὼς εὖ θρόνων ἀεὶ κράτη ,
τοῦτ᾽ αὖθις , ἡνίκ᾽ Οἰδίπους ὤρθου πόλιν ,
κἀπεὶ διώλετ᾽ , ἀμφὶ τοὺς κείνων ἔτι
παῖδας μένοντας ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν .
ὅτ᾽ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς διπλῆς μοίρας μίαν
καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὤλοντο παίσαντές τε καὶ
πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι ,
ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω
γένους κατ᾽ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων .
πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες ὤρθωσαν πάλιν .
ὑμᾶς δ᾽ ἐγὼ πομποῖσιν ἐκ πάντων δίχα
ἔστειλ᾽ ἱκέσθαι τοῦτο μὲν τὰ Λαΐου
σέβοντας εἰδὼς εὖ θρόνων ἀεὶ κράτη ,
τοῦτ᾽ αὖθις , ἡνίκ᾽ Οἰδίπους ὤρθου πόλιν ,
κἀπεὶ διώλετ᾽ , ἀμφὶ τοὺς κείνων ἔτι
παῖδας μένοντας ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν .
ὅτ᾽ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς διπλῆς μοίρας μίαν
καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὤλοντο παίσαντές τε καὶ
πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι ,
ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω
γένους κατ᾽ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων .
[
162
]
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
[
165
]
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
.
[
170
]
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
.
Soph. Ant. 456-470
Jacob Schwartz /
- Created on 2023-05-13 01:14:14
- Modified on 2023-05-15 06:03:48
- Translated by Jacob Schwartz
- Aligned by Jacob Schwartz
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
οὐ γάρ τι νῦν γε κἀχθές , ἀλλ᾽ ἀεί ποτε
ζῇ ταῦτα , κοὐδεὶς οἶδεν ἐξ ὅτου ' φάνη .
τούτων ἐγὼ οὐκ ἔμελλον , ἀνδρὸς οὐδενὸς
φρόνημα δείσασ᾽ , ἐν θεοῖσι τὴν δίκην
[ 460 ] δώσειν : θανουμένη γὰρ ἐξῄδη , τί δ᾽ οὔ ;
κεἰ μὴ σὺ προὐκήρυξας . εἰ δὲ τοῦ χρόνου
πρόσθεν θανοῦμαι , κέρδος αὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ λέγω .
ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ὡς ἐγὼ κακοῖς
ζῇ , πῶς ὅδ᾽ Οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει ;
[ 465 ] οὕτως ἔμοιγε τοῦδε τοῦ μόρου τυχεῖν
παρ᾽ οὐδὲν ἄλγος : ἀλλ᾽ ἄν , εἰ τὸν ἐξ ἐμῆς
μητρὸς θανόντ᾽ ἄθαπτον ἠνσχόμην νέκυν ,
κείνοις ἂν ἤλγουν : τοῖσδε δ᾽ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι .
σοὶ δ᾽ εἰ δοκῶ νῦν μῶρα δρῶσα τυγχάνειν ,
[ 470 ] σχεδόν τι μώρῳ μωρίαν ὀφλισκάνω .
ζῇ ταῦτα , κοὐδεὶς οἶδεν ἐξ ὅτου ' φάνη .
τούτων ἐγὼ οὐκ ἔμελλον , ἀνδρὸς οὐδενὸς
φρόνημα δείσασ᾽ , ἐν θεοῖσι τὴν δίκην
[ 460 ] δώσειν : θανουμένη γὰρ ἐξῄδη , τί δ᾽ οὔ ;
κεἰ μὴ σὺ προὐκήρυξας . εἰ δὲ τοῦ χρόνου
πρόσθεν θανοῦμαι , κέρδος αὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ λέγω .
ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ὡς ἐγὼ κακοῖς
ζῇ , πῶς ὅδ᾽ Οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει ;
[ 465 ] οὕτως ἔμοιγε τοῦδε τοῦ μόρου τυχεῖν
παρ᾽ οὐδὲν ἄλγος : ἀλλ᾽ ἄν , εἰ τὸν ἐξ ἐμῆς
μητρὸς θανόντ᾽ ἄθαπτον ἠνσχόμην νέκυν ,
κείνοις ἂν ἤλγουν : τοῖσδε δ᾽ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι .
σοὶ δ᾽ εἰ δοκῶ νῦν μῶρα δρῶσα τυγχάνειν ,
[ 470 ] σχεδόν τι μώρῳ μωρίαν ὀφλισκάνω .
ANTIGONE
For these live not only now or yesterday , but forever ,
and no one knows from what [ time ] they were disclosed .
I was not about to , having feared the pride
of not one man , offer a penalty
[ 460 ] to the gods for [ breaking ] these : for I had known I would die ( and who did not ? )
even if you hadn’t made a proclamation . But if I should die
before my time , I furthermore call it a gain .
For whoever lives as I do , surrounded by many
maltreatments , how can he not bring gain from dying ?
[ 465 ] Thus , for me to meet this fate
is alongside not one grief : but if I had endured
the unburied corpse [ of him ] from my mother having died ,
then I would have suffered from them [ griefs ] : but I am not grieved by these .
And if I seem to you now to happen to do something stupid ,
[ 470 ] then I am perhaps convicted of stupidity by someone stupid .
For these live not only now or yesterday , but forever ,
and no one knows from what [ time ] they were disclosed .
I was not about to , having feared the pride
of not one man , offer a penalty
[ 460 ] to the gods for [ breaking ] these : for I had known I would die ( and who did not ? )
even if you hadn’t made a proclamation . But if I should die
before my time , I furthermore call it a gain .
For whoever lives as I do , surrounded by many
maltreatments , how can he not bring gain from dying ?
[ 465 ] Thus , for me to meet this fate
is alongside not one grief : but if I had endured
the unburied corpse [ of him ] from my mother having died ,
then I would have suffered from them [ griefs ] : but I am not grieved by these .
And if I seem to you now to happen to do something stupid ,
[ 470 ] then I am perhaps convicted of stupidity by someone stupid .
Soph. Ant. 456-470 Final
Jacob Schwartz /
- Created on 2023-05-16 02:38:11
- Modified on 2023-05-16 03:00:27
- Translated by Jacob Schwartz
- Aligned by Jacob Schwartz
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
οὐ γάρ τι νῦν γε κἀχθές , ἀλλ᾽ ἀεί ποτε
ζῇ ταῦτα , κοὐδεὶς οἶδεν ἐξ ὅτου ' φάνη .
τούτων ἐγὼ οὐκ ἔμελλον , ἀνδρὸς οὐδενὸς
φρόνημα δείσασ᾽ , ἐν θεοῖσι τὴν δίκην
[ 460 ] δώσειν : θανουμένη γὰρ ἐξῄδη , τί δ᾽ οὔ ;
κεἰ μὴ σὺ προὐκήρυξας . εἰ δὲ τοῦ χρόνου
πρόσθεν θανοῦμαι , κέρδος αὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ λέγω .
ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ὡς ἐγὼ κακοῖς
ζῇ , πῶς ὅδ᾽ Οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει ;
[ 465 ] οὕτως ἔμοιγε τοῦδε τοῦ μόρου τυχεῖν
παρ᾽ οὐδὲν ἄλγος : ἀλλ᾽ ἄν , εἰ τὸν ἐξ ἐμῆς
μητρὸς θανόντ᾽ ἄθαπτον ἠνσχόμην νέκυν ,
κείνοις ἂν ἤλγουν : τοῖσδε δ᾽ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι .
σοὶ δ᾽ εἰ δοκῶ νῦν μῶρα δρῶσα τυγχάνειν ,
[ 470 ] σχεδόν τι μώρῳ μωρίαν ὀφλισκάνω .
ζῇ ταῦτα , κοὐδεὶς οἶδεν ἐξ ὅτου ' φάνη .
τούτων ἐγὼ οὐκ ἔμελλον , ἀνδρὸς οὐδενὸς
φρόνημα δείσασ᾽ , ἐν θεοῖσι τὴν δίκην
[ 460 ] δώσειν : θανουμένη γὰρ ἐξῄδη , τί δ᾽ οὔ ;
κεἰ μὴ σὺ προὐκήρυξας . εἰ δὲ τοῦ χρόνου
πρόσθεν θανοῦμαι , κέρδος αὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ λέγω .
ὅστις γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ὡς ἐγὼ κακοῖς
ζῇ , πῶς ὅδ᾽ Οὐχὶ κατθανὼν κέρδος φέρει ;
[ 465 ] οὕτως ἔμοιγε τοῦδε τοῦ μόρου τυχεῖν
παρ᾽ οὐδὲν ἄλγος : ἀλλ᾽ ἄν , εἰ τὸν ἐξ ἐμῆς
μητρὸς θανόντ᾽ ἄθαπτον ἠνσχόμην νέκυν ,
κείνοις ἂν ἤλγουν : τοῖσδε δ᾽ οὐκ ἀλγύνομαι .
σοὶ δ᾽ εἰ δοκῶ νῦν μῶρα δρῶσα τυγχάνειν ,
[ 470 ] σχεδόν τι μώρῳ μωρίαν ὀφλισκάνω .
ANTIGONE
For these [ laws of the gods ] live not only now and yesterday , but forever ,
and no one knows from what [ time ] they were disclosed .
I was not about to , having feared the pride
of not one man , offer a penalty
[ 460 ] to the gods for [ breaking ] these : for I had known I would die ( and how could I not ,
even if you hadn’t made a proclamation ? ) . But if I should die
before my time , I call it a gain .
For whoever lives as I do , surrounded by many
maltreatments , how can he not bring gain from dying ?
[ 465 ] Thus , for me to meet this fate
is alongside not one grief : but if I had endured him from my
mother having died [ to be ] an unburied corpse ,
then I would have suffered from them [ griefs ] : but I am not grieved by these .
And if I seem to you now to happen to do something stupid ,
[ 470 ] then perhaps I am convicted of stupidity by a stupid one .
For these [ laws of the gods ] live not only now and yesterday , but forever ,
and no one knows from what [ time ] they were disclosed .
I was not about to , having feared the pride
of not one man , offer a penalty
[ 460 ] to the gods for [ breaking ] these : for I had known I would die ( and how could I not ,
even if you hadn’t made a proclamation ? ) . But if I should die
before my time , I call it a gain .
For whoever lives as I do , surrounded by many
maltreatments , how can he not bring gain from dying ?
[ 465 ] Thus , for me to meet this fate
is alongside not one grief : but if I had endured him from my
mother having died [ to be ] an unburied corpse ,
then I would have suffered from them [ griefs ] : but I am not grieved by these .
And if I seem to you now to happen to do something stupid ,
[ 470 ] then perhaps I am convicted of stupidity by a stupid one .
Soph. Ant. 162-210
Jacob Schwartz /
- Created on 2023-05-17 04:10:03
- Modified on 2023-05-19 05:46:20
- Translated by Sir Richard Jebb
- Aligned by Jacob Schwartz
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Κρέων
ἄνδρες , τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος ἀσφαλῶς θεοὶ
πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες ὤρθωσαν πάλιν .
ὑμᾶς δ᾽ ἐγὼ πομποῖσιν ἐκ πάντων δίχα
[ 165 ] ἔστειλ᾽ ἱκέσθαι τοῦτο μὲν τὰ Λαΐου
σέβοντας εἰδὼς εὖ θρόνων ἀεὶ κράτη ,
τοῦτ᾽ αὖθις , ἡνίκ᾽ Οἰδίπους ὤρθου πόλιν ,
κἀπεὶ διώλετ᾽ , ἀμφὶ τοὺς κείνων ἔτι
παῖδας μένοντας ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν .
[ 170 ] ὅτ᾽ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς διπλῆς μοίρας μίαν
καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὤλοντο παίσαντές τε καὶ
πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι ,
ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω
γένους κατ᾽ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων .
[ 175 ] 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
[ 180 ] ἀλλ᾽ 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 πάνθ᾽ ὁρῶν ἀεί ,
[ 185 ] οὔτ᾽ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι τὴν ἄτην ὁρῶν
στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ,
οὔτ᾽ ἂν φίλον ποτ᾽ ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονὸς
θείμην ἐμαυτῷ , τοῦτο γιγνώσκων ὅτι
ἥδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἡ σῴζουσα καὶ ταύτης ἔπι
[ 190 ] πλέοντες ὀρθῆς τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα .
τοιοῖσδ᾽ ἐγὼ νόμοισι τήνδ᾽ αὔξω πόλιν ,
καὶ νῦν ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε κηρύξας ἔχω
ἀστοῖσι παίδων τῶν ἀπ᾽ Οἰδίπου πέρι :
Ἐτεοκλέα μέν , ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν
[ 195 ] ὄλωλε τῆσδε , πάντ᾽ ἀριστεύσας δόρει ,
τάφῳ τε κρύψαι καὶ τὰ πάντ᾽ ἀφαγνίσαι
ἃ τοῖς ἀρίστοις ἔρχεται κάτω νεκροῖς .
τὸν δ᾽ αὖ ξύναιμον τοῦδε , Πολυνείκη λέγω ,
ὃς γῆν πατρῴαν καὶ θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς
[ 200 ] φυγὰς κατελθὼν ἠθέλησε μὲν πυρὶ
πρῆσαι κατ᾽ ἄκρας , ἠθέλησε δ᾽ αἵματος
κοινοῦ πάσασθαι , τοὺς δὲ δουλώσας ἄγειν ,
τοῦτον πόλει τῇδ᾽ ἐκκεκήρυκται τάφῳ
μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα ,
[ 205 ] ἐᾶν δ᾽ ἄθαπτον καὶ πρὸς οἰωνῶν δέμας
καὶ πρὸς κυνῶν ἐδεστὸν αἰκισθέν τ᾽ ἰδεῖν .
τοιόνδ᾽ ἐμὸν φρόνημα , κοὔποτ᾽ ἔκ γ᾽ ἐμοῦ
τιμὴν προέξουσ᾽ οἱ κακοὶ τῶν ἐνδίκων :
ἀλλ᾽ ὅστις εὔνους τῇδε τῇ πόλει , θανὼν
[ 210 ] καὶ ζῶν ὁμοίως ἐξ ἐμοῦ τιμήσεται .
ἄνδρες , τὰ μὲν δὴ πόλεος ἀσφαλῶς θεοὶ
πολλῷ σάλῳ σείσαντες ὤρθωσαν πάλιν .
ὑμᾶς δ᾽ ἐγὼ πομποῖσιν ἐκ πάντων δίχα
[ 165 ] ἔστειλ᾽ ἱκέσθαι τοῦτο μὲν τὰ Λαΐου
σέβοντας εἰδὼς εὖ θρόνων ἀεὶ κράτη ,
τοῦτ᾽ αὖθις , ἡνίκ᾽ Οἰδίπους ὤρθου πόλιν ,
κἀπεὶ διώλετ᾽ , ἀμφὶ τοὺς κείνων ἔτι
παῖδας μένοντας ἐμπέδοις φρονήμασιν .
[ 170 ] ὅτ᾽ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς διπλῆς μοίρας μίαν
καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὤλοντο παίσαντές τε καὶ
πληγέντες αὐτόχειρι σὺν μιάσματι ,
ἐγὼ κράτη δὴ πάντα καὶ θρόνους ἔχω
γένους κατ᾽ ἀγχιστεῖα τῶν ὀλωλότων .
[ 175 ] 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
[ 180 ] ἀλλ᾽ 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 πάνθ᾽ ὁρῶν ἀεί ,
[ 185 ] οὔτ᾽ ἂν σιωπήσαιμι τὴν ἄτην ὁρῶν
στείχουσαν ἀστοῖς ἀντὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ,
οὔτ᾽ ἂν φίλον ποτ᾽ ἄνδρα δυσμενῆ χθονὸς
θείμην ἐμαυτῷ , τοῦτο γιγνώσκων ὅτι
ἥδ᾽ ἐστὶν ἡ σῴζουσα καὶ ταύτης ἔπι
[ 190 ] πλέοντες ὀρθῆς τοὺς φίλους ποιούμεθα .
τοιοῖσδ᾽ ἐγὼ νόμοισι τήνδ᾽ αὔξω πόλιν ,
καὶ νῦν ἀδελφὰ τῶνδε κηρύξας ἔχω
ἀστοῖσι παίδων τῶν ἀπ᾽ Οἰδίπου πέρι :
Ἐτεοκλέα μέν , ὃς πόλεως ὑπερμαχῶν
[ 195 ] ὄλωλε τῆσδε , πάντ᾽ ἀριστεύσας δόρει ,
τάφῳ τε κρύψαι καὶ τὰ πάντ᾽ ἀφαγνίσαι
ἃ τοῖς ἀρίστοις ἔρχεται κάτω νεκροῖς .
τὸν δ᾽ αὖ ξύναιμον τοῦδε , Πολυνείκη λέγω ,
ὃς γῆν πατρῴαν καὶ θεοὺς τοὺς ἐγγενεῖς
[ 200 ] φυγὰς κατελθὼν ἠθέλησε μὲν πυρὶ
πρῆσαι κατ᾽ ἄκρας , ἠθέλησε δ᾽ αἵματος
κοινοῦ πάσασθαι , τοὺς δὲ δουλώσας ἄγειν ,
τοῦτον πόλει τῇδ᾽ ἐκκεκήρυκται τάφῳ
μήτε κτερίζειν μήτε κωκῦσαί τινα ,
[ 205 ] ἐᾶν δ᾽ ἄθαπτον καὶ πρὸς οἰωνῶν δέμας
καὶ πρὸς κυνῶν ἐδεστὸν αἰκισθέν τ᾽ ἰδεῖν .
τοιόνδ᾽ ἐμὸν φρόνημα , κοὔποτ᾽ ἔκ γ᾽ ἐμοῦ
τιμὴν προέξουσ᾽ οἱ κακοὶ τῶν ἐνδίκων :
ἀλλ᾽ ὅστις εὔνους τῇδε τῇ πόλει , θανὼν
[ 210 ] καὶ ζῶν ὁμοίως ἐξ ἐμοῦ τιμήσεται .
Sophocles
,
Antigone
–
Alignments
Creon
[ 162 ] 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 [ 165 ] 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 . [ 170 ] 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 . [ 175 ] 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 , [ 180 ] 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 - [ 185 ] 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 [ 190 ] 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 [ 195 ] 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 [ 200 ] 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 , [ 205 ] 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 , [ 210 ] he shall be honored by me in death as in life .
Creon
[ 162 ] 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 [ 165 ] 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 . [ 170 ] 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 . [ 175 ] 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 , [ 180 ] 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 - [ 185 ] 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 [ 190 ] 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 [ 195 ] 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 [ 200 ] 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 , [ 205 ] 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 , [ 210 ] he shall be honored by me in death as in life .