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148 148 SOPHOCLES

Guard. Yea, news of fear engenders long delay. Creon. Wilt thou not speak, and tben depart in

peace ? Guard. Well, speak I will. The corpse. . . Some one has been 270

But now and buried it, a little dust O'er the skin scattering, with the wonted rites.•'

Creon. What say'st thou ? What man dared this

deed of guilt? Guard. I know not. Neither was there stroke of axe, Nor earth cast up by mattock. All the soil 275

Was dry and hard, no track of chariot wheel ; But he who did it went and left no sign. And when the first day-watchman showed it us, The sight caused wonder and sore grief to all ; For he had disappeared : no tomb indeed 280

Was over him, but dust all lightly strown. As by some hand that shunned defiling guilt ; And no sign was there of wild beast or dog Havino; come and torn him. Evil words arose Among us, guard to guard imputing blame, 285

Which might have come to blows, and none was there To check its course, for each to each appeared The man whose hand had done it. Yet not one Had it brought home, but each disclaimed all know- ledge ; And we were ready in our hands to take 290

Bars of hot iron, and to walk through fire. And call the Gods to witness none of us Were privy to his schemes who planned the deed, Nor his who wrought it. Then at last, when nought

^ ^ It was the rite of burial, not the actual interment, that was all-

important to the Greek mind.