Antigone

Sophocles

Sophocles the plays and fragments, Part 3: The Antigone. Jebb, Richard Claverhouse, Sir, translator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1891.

  1. 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?
Guard
  1. Here is she, the one who did the deed.
  2. We caught this one burying him. Where is Creon?
Enter Creon from the palace.
Chorus
  1. There, he is coming from the house again at our need.
Creon
  1. What is it? What has happened that makes my coming timely?
Guard
  1. My king, there is nothing that a man can rightly swear he will not do. For second thought belies one’s first intent.
  2. 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—