Page:The Antigone of Sophocles (1911).djvu/35

SOPHOCLES. The throne and all its powers now fall to me,

As nearest living relative to them.

’T is not in human power to gauge the heart

And soul and mind of any man, before

He show himself in law and government

And in authority is tested well.

For whosoever grasps the helm of state

And clings not to the best of counsel, fear

Engaoling ’tween his teeth and lips his tongue,

Doth seem to me, hath always seemed, most base;

But whoso cares for country less than friend

Lives not in my regard. For I,—let Zeus

Who always sees all things, my witness be—

Could never hold my peace, if I should see

Misfortune coming to my people, woe

Instead of safety; nor could make that man

My friend, who is my country’s foe; for she

It is that bears us safe, and only while

She sails an even keel can we gain friends.

Such are the precepts guiding me to make

This city prosperous; and now in strict

Accord with these, an edict I have published

Touching the sons of Œdipus: the one,

Eteocles, who lost his life for Thebes

In gallant fight and winning high renown,

Shall be enshrined in earth with every rite

That comes to heroes in the world below

And crowned with all the honors due the dead:

Whereas his brother Polyneices, who

Returned, though banished, and essayed to burn

With fire and sack the city. of his sires,

And wreck the temples of his father’s gods,

Essayed to satiate his thirst with blood

Of kindred, and to put upon the rest

The yoke of slavery,—for him no dirge,

No rite, his carcass shall be left for dogs

And vultures foul to feed upon and make

A ghastly sight for human eyes to see.—

This is my royal will and high command.

For never while I rule shall wicked men

Exceed the just in honor, but whoso