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ANTIGONE
Whither away from my maiden…bower？
JOCASTA
To the army。
ANTIGONE
I cannot face the crowd。
JOCASTA
Modesty is not for thee now。
ANTIGONE
But what can I do？
JOCASTA
Thou shalt end thy brothers' strife。
ANTIGONE
By what means； mother mine？
JOCASTA
By falling at their knees with me。
ANTIGONE
Lead on till we are 'twixt the armies； no time for lingering now。
JOCASTA
Haste； my daughter； haste！ For； if I can forestall the onset of my
sons； may yet live； but if they be dead； I will lay me down and die
with them。
（JOCASTA and ANTIGONE hurriedly depart。）
CHORUS （singing）
strophe
Ah me！ my bosom thrills with terror； and through my flesh there
passes a throb of pity for the hapless mother。 Which of her two sons
will send the other to a bloody grave？ ah； woe is me！ O Zeus； O earth；
alas！ brother severing brother's throat and robbing him of life；
cleaving through his shield to spill his blood？ Ah me！ ah me！ which of
them will claim my dirge of death？
antistrophe
Woe unto thee； thou land of Thebes！ two savage beasts； two
murderous souls； with brandished spears will soon be draining each his
fallen foeman's gore。 Woe is them； that they ever thought of single
combat！ in foreign accent will I chant a dirge of tears and wailing in
mourning for the dead。 Close to murder stands their fortune； the
coming day will decide it。 Fatal； ah！ fatal will this slaughter be；
because of the avenging fiends。
But I see Creon on his way hither to the palace with brow
o'ercast； I will check my present lamentations。
（CREON enters。 He is followed by attendants carrying the body of
MENOECEUS。）
CREON
Ah me！ what shall I do？ Am I to mourn with bitter tears myself
or my city； round which is settling a swarm thick enough to send us to
Acheron？ My own son hath died for his country； bringing glory to his
name but grievous woe to me。 His body I rescued but now from the
dragon's rocky lair and sadly carried the self…slain victim hither
in my arms； and my house is fallen with weeping： but now I come to
fetch my sister Jocasta； the living must reverence the nether god by
paying honour to the dead。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Thy sister； Creon； hath gone forth and her daughter Antigone
went with her。
CREON
Whither went she？ and wherefore？ tell me。
LEADER
She heard that her sons were about to engage in single combat
for the royal house。
CREON
What is this？ I was paying the last honours to my dead son； and so
am late in learning this fresh sorrow。
LEADER
'Tis some time； Creon； since thy sister's departure； and I
expect the struggle for life and death is already decided by the
sons of Oedipus。
CREON
Alas！ I see an omen there； the gloomy look and clouded brow of
yonder messenger coming to tell us the whole matter。
（The SECOND MESSENGER enters。）
MESSENGER
Ah； woe is me！ what language can I find to tell my tale？
CREON
Our fate is sealed； thy opening words do naught to reassure us。
MESSENGER
Ah； woe is me！ I do repeat； for beside the scenes of woe already
enacted I bring tidings of new horror。
CREON
What is thy tale？
MESSENGER
Thy sister's sons are now no more； Creon。
CREON
Alas！ thou hast a heavy tale of woe for me and Thebes
LEADER
O house of Oedipus； hast thou heard these tidings？
CREON
Of sons slain by the self…same fate。
LEADER
A tale to make it weep； were it endowed with sense。
CREON
Oh！ most grievous stroke of fate！ woe is me for my sorrows！ woe！
MESSENGER
Woe indeed！ didst thou but know the sorrows still to tell。
CREON
How can they be more hard to bear than these？
MESSENGER
With her two sons thy sister has sought her death。
CHORUS （chanting）
Loudly； loudly raise the wail； and with white hands smite upon
your heads！
CREON
Ah！ woe is thee； Jocasta！ what an end to life and marriage hast
thou found the riddling of the Sphinx！ But tell me how her two sons
wrought the bloody deed； the struggle caused by the curse of Oedipus。
MESSENGER
Of our successes before the towers thou knowest； for the walls are
not so far away as to prevent thy learning each event as it
occurred。 Now when they； the sons of aged Oedipus； had donned their
brazen mail； they went and took their stand betwixt the hosts；
chieftains both and generals too； to decide the day by single
combat。 Then Polyneices； turning his eyes towards Argos； lifted up a
prayer； 〃O Hera； awful queens…for thy servant I am； since I have
wedded the daughter of Adrastus and dwell in his land；…grant that I
may slay my brother； and stain my lifted hand with the blood of my
conquered foe。 A shameful prize it is I ask； my own brother's
blood。〃 And to many an eye the tear would rise at their sad fate；
and men looked at one another； casting their glances round。
But Eteocles； looking towards the temple of Pallas with the golden
shield； prayed thus； 〃Daughter of Zeus； grant that this right arm
may launch the spear of victory against my brother's breast and slay
him who hath come to sack my country。〃 Soon as the Tuscan trumpet
blew； the signal for the bloody fray； like the torch that falls；' they
darted wildly at one another and； like boars whetting their savage
tusks； began the fray； their beards wet with foam； and they kept
shooting out their spears； but each crouched beneath his shield to let
the steel glance idly off； but if either saw the other's face above
the rim； he would aim his lance thereat； eager to outwit him。
But both kept such careful outlook through the spy…holes in
their shields； that their weapons found naught to do； while from the
on…lookers far more than the combatants trickled the sweat caused by
terror for their friends。 Suddenly Eteocles； in kicking aside a
stone that rolled beneath his tread； exposed a limb outside his
shield； and Polyneices seeing a chance of dealing him a blow； aimed
a dart at it； and the Argive shaft went through his leg； whereat the
Danai； one and all； cried out for joy。 But the wounded man； seeing a
shoulder unguarded in this effort； plunged his spear with all his
might into the breast of Polyneices； restoring gladness to the
citizens of Thebes； though he brake off the spear…head； and so； at a
loss for a weapon； he retreated foot by foot； till catching up
splintered rock he let it fly and shivered the other's spear； and
now was the combat equal； for each had lost his lance。 Then
clutching their sword…hilts they closed； and round and round； with
shields close…locked； they waged their wild warfare。 Anon Eteocles
introduced that crafty Thessalian trick； havi