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Creon
It will become thee with obedience thus
To bear thee ever, and in every act
To yield submissive to a father's will :
'Tis therefore, O my son ! that men do pray
640
For children who with kind officious duty
640
May guard their helpless age, resist their foes,
And like their parents love their parents' friend ;
But he who gets a disobedient child.
What doth he get but misery and woe ?
His enemies will laugh the wretch to scorn.
Take heed, my son, thou yield not up thy reason,
In hopes of pleasure from a worthless woman ;
For cold is the embrace of impious love,
And deep tlie wounds of false dissembled friendship.
Hate then thy bitterest foe, despise her arts,
645
And leave her to be wedded to the tomb.
645
Of all the city her alone I found
Rebellious ; but I have her, nor shall Thebes
Say I'm a liar : I pronounced her fate.
And she must perish. Let her call on Jove,
Who guards the rights of kindred and the ties
Of nature ; for if those b}; blood united
Transgress the laws, I hold myself more near
E'en to a stranger. Who in private Ufe
Is just and good, will to his country too
Be faithful ever ; but the man who, proud
650
And fierce of soul, contemns authority,
650
Despiseth justice, and o'er those who rule
Would have dominion, such shall never gain
Th' applauding voice of Creon. He alone,
Whom the consenting citizens approve
Th' acknowledged sovereign, should in all command.
Just or unjust his laws, in things of great
Or little import, whatsoe'er he bids :
A subject is not to dispute his will ;
He knows alike to rule and to obey ;
And in the day of battle will maintain
655
The foremost rank, his country's best defence.
655
Kebellion is the worst of human ills ;
This ruins kingdoms, this destroys the peace
Of noblest families, this wages war,
And puts the bmve to flight ; whilst fair obedience
Keeps all in safety. To preserve it ever
Should be a king's first care. We will not yield
To a weak woman ; if we must submit,
At least we will be conquered by a man,
Nor by a female arm thus fall inglorious.^J^
660
H^. Wisdom, my father, is the noblest giffcl
660
The gods bestow on man, and better far
660
Than all his treasures. Why thy judgment deems*
Most fit, I cannot, would not repreheitd.
Others perhaps might call it Avrong. For me,
My duty only bids me to inform you
If aught be done or said that casts reproach
Or blame on you. Such terror would thy looks
Strike on the low plebeian, that he dare not
Say aught unpleasing to thee ; be it mine
To tell thee then what I of late have heard
665
In secret whispered. Your afflicted people
665
United mourn th' unhappy virgin's fate
665
Unmerited, most wretched of her sex,
To die for deeds of such distinguished virtue,
For that she would not let a brother lie
Unburied, to the dogs and birds a prey ;
Was it not rather, say the murmuring crowd.
Worthy of golden honours and fair praise ?
Such are their dark and secret discontents.
Thy welfare and thy happiness alone
Are all my wish ; what can a child desire
670
More than a father's honour, or a father
670
More than his child's ? Oh ! do not then retain
670
Thy will, and still believe no sense but thine _
Can judge aright ! The man who proudly thinks 7
None but himself or eloquent, or wise, ^
By time betrayed, is branded for an idiot ; \
True wisdom will be ever glad to learn,
And not too fond of power. Observe the trees
That bend to wintry torrents, how their boughs
Unhurt remain, whilst those that brave the storm,
Uprooted torn, shall wither and decay ;
675
The pilot, whose unslackened sail defies
675
Contending winds, with shattered bark pursues
675
His dangerous course. Then mitigate thy wrath
My father, and give way to sweet repentance.
If to my youth be aught of judgment given,
He, who by knov/ledge and true wisdom's rules
F
ANTIGO.VE.
Guides every action, is the first of men ;
But since to few that happiness is given,
The next is he, who, not too proud to learn,
680
Follows the counsels of the wise and good,
680
It will become thee with obedience thus
To bear thee ever, and in every act
To yield submissive to a father's will :
'Tis therefore, O my son ! that men do pray
640
For children who with kind officious duty
640
May guard their helpless age, resist their foes,
And like their parents love their parents' friend ;
But he who gets a disobedient child.
What doth he get but misery and woe ?
His enemies will laugh the wretch to scorn.
Take heed, my son, thou yield not up thy reason,
In hopes of pleasure from a worthless woman ;
For cold is the embrace of impious love,
And deep tlie wounds of false dissembled friendship.
Hate then thy bitterest foe, despise her arts,
645
And leave her to be wedded to the tomb.
645
Of all the city her alone I found
Rebellious ; but I have her, nor shall Thebes
Say I'm a liar : I pronounced her fate.
And she must perish. Let her call on Jove,
Who guards the rights of kindred and the ties
Of nature ; for if those b}; blood united
Transgress the laws, I hold myself more near
E'en to a stranger. Who in private Ufe
Is just and good, will to his country too
Be faithful ever ; but the man who, proud
650
And fierce of soul, contemns authority,
650
Despiseth justice, and o'er those who rule
Would have dominion, such shall never gain
Th' applauding voice of Creon. He alone,
Whom the consenting citizens approve
Th' acknowledged sovereign, should in all command.
Just or unjust his laws, in things of great
Or little import, whatsoe'er he bids :
A subject is not to dispute his will ;
He knows alike to rule and to obey ;
And in the day of battle will maintain
655
The foremost rank, his country's best defence.
655
Kebellion is the worst of human ills ;
This ruins kingdoms, this destroys the peace
Of noblest families, this wages war,
And puts the bmve to flight ; whilst fair obedience
Keeps all in safety. To preserve it ever
Should be a king's first care. We will not yield
To a weak woman ; if we must submit,
At least we will be conquered by a man,
Nor by a female arm thus fall inglorious.^J^
660
H^. Wisdom, my father, is the noblest giffcl
660
The gods bestow on man, and better far
660
Than all his treasures. Why thy judgment deems*
Most fit, I cannot, would not repreheitd.
Others perhaps might call it Avrong. For me,
My duty only bids me to inform you
If aught be done or said that casts reproach
Or blame on you. Such terror would thy looks
Strike on the low plebeian, that he dare not
Say aught unpleasing to thee ; be it mine
To tell thee then what I of late have heard
665
In secret whispered. Your afflicted people
665
United mourn th' unhappy virgin's fate
665
Unmerited, most wretched of her sex,
To die for deeds of such distinguished virtue,
For that she would not let a brother lie
Unburied, to the dogs and birds a prey ;
Was it not rather, say the murmuring crowd.
Worthy of golden honours and fair praise ?
Such are their dark and secret discontents.
Thy welfare and thy happiness alone
Are all my wish ; what can a child desire
670
More than a father's honour, or a father
670
More than his child's ? Oh ! do not then retain
670
Thy will, and still believe no sense but thine _
Can judge aright ! The man who proudly thinks 7
None but himself or eloquent, or wise, ^
By time betrayed, is branded for an idiot ; \
True wisdom will be ever glad to learn,
And not too fond of power. Observe the trees
That bend to wintry torrents, how their boughs
Unhurt remain, whilst those that brave the storm,
Uprooted torn, shall wither and decay ;
675
The pilot, whose unslackened sail defies
675
Contending winds, with shattered bark pursues
675
His dangerous course. Then mitigate thy wrath
My father, and give way to sweet repentance.
If to my youth be aught of judgment given,
He, who by knov/ledge and true wisdom's rules
F
ANTIGO.VE.
Guides every action, is the first of men ;
But since to few that happiness is given,
The next is he, who, not too proud to learn,
680
Follows the counsels of the wise and good,
680
Antigone. Sophocles. Thomas Francklin (Translator). London. 1758–1759.