cles used a device which he
had learnt in the land of Thessaly; for he drew his left foot back, as
if he would have ceased from the battle, and then of a sudden moved the
right forward; and so smiting sideways, drove his sword right through
the body of Polynices. But when, thinking that he had slain him, he set
his weapons in the earth and began to spoil him of his arms, the other,
for he yet breathed a little, laid his hand upon his sword, and though
he had scarce strength to smite, yet gave the king a mortal blow, so
that the two lay dead together on the plain. And the men of Thebes
lifted up the bodies of the dead and bare them both into the city.

When these two brothers, the sons of King Oedipus, had fallen each by
the hand of the other, the kingdom fell to Creon, their uncle. For not
only was he the next of kin to the dead, but also the people held him in
great honor because his son Menoeceus had offered himself with a
willing heart that he might deliver his city from captivity.

Now when Creon was come to the throne he made a proclamation about the
two princes, commanding that they should bury Eteocles with all honor,
seeing that he died as beseemed a good man and a brave, doing battle for
his country, that it should not be delivered into the hands of the
enemy; but as for Polynices, he bade them leave his body to be devoured
by the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field, because he had
joined himself to the enemy and would have beaten down the walls of the
city and burned the temples of the gods with fire and led the people
captive. Also he commanded that if any man should break this decree he
should suffer death by stoning.

Now Antigone, who was sister to the two princes, heard that the decree
had gone forth, and chancing to meet her sister Ismene before the gates
of the palace, spake to her, saying:

"O my sister, hast thou heard this decree that the king hath put forth
concerning our brethren that are dead?"

Then Ismene made answer: "I have heard nothing, my sister, only that we
are bereaved of both of our brethren in one day and that the army of the
Argives is departed in this night that is now past. So much I know, but
no more."

"Hearken then. King Creon hath made a proclamation that they shall bury
Eteocles with all honor, but that Polynices shall lie unburied, that the
birds of the air and the beasts of the field may devour him, and that
whosoever shall break this decree shall suffer death