she buried her brother. And 'tis well, my
father, not to be wholly set on thy own thoughts, but to listen to the
counsels of others."

"Nay," said the King; "shall I be taught by such an one as thou?"

"I pray thee regard my words, if they be well, and not my years."

"Can it be well to honour them that transgress? And hath not this woman
transgressed?"

"The people of this city judgeth not so."

"The people, sayest thou? Is it for them to rule, or for me?"

"No city is the possession of one man only."

So the two answered one the other, and their anger waxed hot. And at the
last the King cried, "Bring this accursed woman, and slay her before his
eyes."

And the Prince answered, "That thou shalt never do. And know this also,
that thou shalt never see my face again."

So he went away in a rage; and the old men would have appeased the
King's wrath, but he would not hearken to them, but said that the two
maidens should die. "Wilt thou then slay them both?" said the old men.

"'Tis well said," the King made answer. "Her that meddled not with the
matter I harm not."

"And how wilt thou deal with the other?"

"There is a desolate place, and there I will shut her up alive in a
sepulchre; yet giving her so much of food as shall quit us of guilt in
the matter, for I would not have the city defiled. There let her
persuade Death, whom she loveth so much, that he harm her not."

So the guards led Antigone away to shut her up alive in the sepulchre.
But scarcely had they departed when there came the old prophet Tiresias,
seeking the King. Blind he was, so that a boy led him by the hand; but
the Gods had given him to see things to come. And when the King saw him
he asked, "What seekest thou, wisest of men?"

Then the prophet answered, "Hearken, O King, and I will tell thee. I sat
in my seat, after my custom, in the place whither all manner of birds
resort. And as I sat I heard a cry of birds that I knew not, very
strange and full of wrath. And I knew that they tare and slew each
other, for I heard the fierce flapping of their wings. And being afraid,
I made inquiry about the fire, how it burned upon the altars. And this
boy, for as I am a guide to others so he guideth me, told me that it
shone not at all, but smouldered and was dull, and that the flesh which
was burnt upon the altar spluttered in the flame, and wasted away into
corruption and filthiness. And now I tell thee, O King, that the city is
troubled by thy i