as before, she sent up an exceeding bitter cry, even as a bird
whose young ones have been taken from the nest. Then she cursed them
that had done this deed; and brought dust and sprinkled it upon the dead
man, and poured water upon him three times. Then we ran and laid hold
upon her, and accused her that she had done this deed; and she denied it
not. But as for me, 'tis well to have escaped from death, but it is ill
to bring friends into the same. Yet I hold that there is nothing dearer
to a man than his life."

Then said the King to Antigone, "Tell me in a word, didst thou know my
decree?"

"I knew it. Was it not plainly declared?"

"How daredst thou to transgress the laws?"

"Zeus made not such laws, nor Justice that dwelleth with the Gods below.
I judged not that thy decrees had such authority that a man should
transgress for them the unwritten sure commandments of the Gods. For
these, indeed, are not of to-day or yesterday, but they live for ever,
and their beginning no man knoweth. Should I, for fear of thee, be found
guilty against them? That I should die I knew. Why not? All men must
die. And if I die before my time, what loss? He who liveth among many
sorrows, even as I have lived, counteth it gain to die. But had I left
my own mother's son unburied, this had been loss indeed."

Then said the King, "Such stubborn thoughts have a speedy fall, and are
shivered even as the iron that hath been made hard in the furnace. And
as for this woman and her sister--for I judge her sister to have had a
part in this matter--though they were nearer to me than all my kindred,
yet shall they not escape the doom of death. Wherefore let some one
bring the other woman hither."

[Illustration: ANTIGONE AND THE BODY OF POLYNICES.]

And while they went to fetch the maiden Ismene, Antigone said to the
King, "Is it not enough for thee to slay me? What need to say more? For
thy words please me not nor mine thee. Yet what nobler thing could I
have done than to bury my own mother's son? And so would all men say but
fear shutteth their mouths."

"Nay," said the King, "none of the children of Cadmus thinketh thus, but
thou only. But, hold, was not he that fell in battle with this man thy
brother also?"

"Yes, truly, my brother he was."

"And dost thou not dishonour him when thou honourest his enemy?"

"The dead man would not say it, could he speak."

"Shall then the wicked have like honour with the good?"

"How knowest thou b