We shall know soon, better than seers could tell us.-My son, hearing the fixed doom of thy betrothed, art thou come in rage against thy father? Or have I thy good will, act how I may?
HAEMON
Father, I am thine; and thou, in thy wisdom, tracest for me rules which I shall follow. No marriage shall be deemed by me a greater gain than thy good guidance.
CREON
Yea, this, my son, should be thy heart's fixed law,-in all things to obey thy father's will. 'Tis for this that men pray to see dutiful children grow up around them in their homes,-that such may requite their father's foe with evil, and honour, as their father doth, his friend. But he who begets unprofitable children-what shall we say that he hath sown, but troubles for himself, and much triumph for his foes? Then do not thou, my son, at pleasure's beck, dethrone thy reason for a woman's sake; knowing that this is a joy that soon grows cold in clasping arms,-an evil woman to share thy bed and thy home. For what wound could strike deeper than a false friend? Nay, with loathing, and as if she were thine enemy, let this girl go to find a husband in the house of Hades. For since I have taken her, alone of all the city, in open disobedience, I will not make myself a liar to my people-I will slay her.
So let her appeal as she will to the majesty of kindred blood.
If I am to nurture mine own kindred in naughtiness, needs must Ibear with it in aliens. He who does his duty in his own household will be found righteous in the State also. But if any one transgresses, and does violence to the laws, or thinks to dictate to his rulers, such an one can win no praise from me. No, whomsoever the city may appoint, that man must be obeyed, in little things and great, in just things and unjust; and I should feel sure that one who thus obeys would be a good ruler no less than a good subject, and in the storm of spears would stand his ground where he was set, loyal and dauntless at his comrade's side.
But disobedience is the worst of evils. This it is that ruins cities; this makes homes desolate; by this, the ranks of allies are broken into head-long rout; but, of the lives whose course is fair, the greater part owes safety to obedience. Therefore we must support the cause of order, and in no wise suffer a woman to worst us.
Better to fall from power, if we must, by a man's hand; then we should not be called weaker than a woman.
LEADER
To us, unless our years have stolen our wit, thou seemest to say wisely what thou sayest.
HAEMON
Father, the gods implant reason in men, the highest of all things that we call our own. Not mine the skill-far from me be the quest!-to say wherein thou speakest not aright; and yet another man, too, might have some useful thought. At least, it is my natural office to watch, on thy behalf, all that men say, or do, or find to blame.
For the dread of thy frown forbids the citizen to speak such words as would offend thine ear; but can hear these murmurs in the dark, these moanings of the city for this maiden; 'no woman,' they say, 'ever merited her doom less,-none ever was to die so shamefully for deeds so glorious as hers; who, when her own brother had fallen in bloody strife, would not leave him unburied, to be devoured by carrion dogs, or by any bird:-deserves not she the meed of golden honour?'
Such is the darkling rumour that spreads in secret. For me, my father, no treasure is so precious as thy welfare. What, indeed, is a nobler ornament for children than a prospering sire's fair fame, or for sire than son's? Wear not, then, one mood only in thyself;think not that thy word, and thine alone, must be right. For if any man thinks that he alone is wise,-that in speech, or in mind, he hath no peer,-such a soul, when laid open, is ever found empty.
No, though a man be wise, 'tis no shame for him to learn many things, and to bend in season. Seest thou, beside the wintry torrent's course, how the trees that yield to it save every twig, while the stiff-necked perish root and branch? And even thus he who keeps the sheet of his sail taut, and never slackens it, upsets his boat, and finishes his voyage with keel uppermost.
Nay, forego thy wrath; permit thyself to change. For if I, a younger man, may offer my thought, it were far best, I ween, that men should be all-wise by nature; but, otherwise-and oft the scale inclines not so-'tis good also to learn from those who speak aright.
LEADER
Sire, 'tis meet that thou shouldest profit by his words, if he speaks aught in season, and thou, Haemon, by thy father's; for on both parts there hath been wise speech.
CREON
Men of my age are we indeed to be schooled, then, by men of his?
HAEMON
In nothing that is not right; but if I am young, thou shouldest look to my merits, not to my years.
CREON
Is it a merit to honour the unruly?
HAEMON
I could wish no one to show respect for evil-doers.
CREON
Then is not she tainted with that malady?
HAEMON
Our Theban folk, with one voice, denies it.
CREON
Shall Thebes prescribe to me how I must rule?
HAEMON
See, there thou hast spoken like a youth indeed.
CREON
Am I to rule this land by other judgment than mine own?
HAEMON
That is no city which belongs to one man.
CREON
Is not the city held to be the ruler's?
HAEMON
Thou wouldst make a good monarch of a desert.
CREON
This boy, it seems, is the woman's champion.
HAEMON
If thou art a woman; indeed, my care is for thee.
CREON
Shameless, at open feud with thy father!
HAEMON
Nay, I see thee offending against justice.
CREON
Do I offend, when I respect mine own prerogatives?
HAEMON
Thou dost not respect them, when thou tramplest on the gods'
honours, CREON
O dastard nature, yielding place to woman!
HAEMON
Thou wilt never find me yield to baseness.
CREON
All thy words, at least, plead for that girl.
HAEMON
And for thee, and for me, and for the gods below.
CREON
Thou canst never marry her, on this side the grave.
HAEMON
Then she must die, and in death destroy another.
CREON
How! doth thy boldness run to open threats?
HAEMON
What threat is it, to combat vain resolves?
CREON
Thou shalt rue thy witless teaching of wisdom.
HAEMON
Wert thou not my father, I would have called thee unwise.