Posted at Jul 15/2007 08:30AM:
Jason: Looking at the wiki's versions of this page, I'm not sure about the trajectory of the changes...was there some regression?

Now, here is Haemon, the last of your children. Is he goaded here by anguish for Antigone, Who should have been his bride? CREON: We'll know the answer right away, better than prophets: Tell me, son, did you hear the final verdict? Against your fiance? Did you come in anger at your father? Or are we still friends, no matter what I do?

HAEMON: 635 1 am yours, Father. You set me straight, Give me good advice, and I will follow it. No marriage will weigh more with me, Than your good opinion.

CREON: Splendid, my boy! Keep that always in your heart, 640 And stand behind fatherly advice on all counts. Why does a man pray that he'll conceive a child, Keep him at home, and have him listen to what he's told? It's so the boy will punish his father's enemies And reward his friends as his father would.

Now then, my boy, don't let pleasure cloud your mind, Not because of a woman. You know very well: I'd rather have A bleeding wound than a criminal in the family. So spit her out. And because the girl's against us, Send her down to marry somebody in Hades. You know I caught her in the sight of all, Alone of all our people, in open revolt. And I will make my word good in Thebes By killing her.

When the city takes a leader, you must obey, Whether his commands are trivial, or right, or wrong. And I have no doubt that such a man will rule well,

But reject one man ruling another, and that's the worst. Anarchy tears up a city, divides a home, Defeats an alliance of spears. For this reason, order must be maintained, And there must be no surrender to a woman.

CHORUS: Unless old age has stolen my wits away, Your speech was very wise.

HAEMON: Father, the gods give good sense to every human being, And that is absolutely the best thing we have. 685 But if what you said is not correct, I have no idea how I could make the point.

My natural duty's to look out for you, spot any risk That someone might find fault with what you say or do. 690 The common man, you see, lives in terror of your frown; 690a He'll never dare to speak up in broad daylight And say anything you would hate to learn. But I'm the one who hears what's said at night How the entire city is grieving over this girl. No woman has ever had a fate that's so unfair 695 (They say), when what she did deserves honor and fame. She saved her very own brother after he died, Murderously, from being devoured by flesh eating dogs And pecked apart by vultures as he lay unburied. For this, hasn't she earned glory bright as gold? 700 This sort of talk moves against you, quietly, at night.

And for me, Father, your continued good fortune Is the best reward that I could ever have. No child could win a greater prize than his father's fame, No father could want more than abundant success From his son.

And now, don't always cling to the same anger, 705 Don't keep saying that this, and nothing else, is right. If a man believes that he alone has a sound mind, And no one else can speak or think as well as he does, Then, when people study him, they'll find an empty book. But a wise man can learn a lot and never be ashamed; He knows he does not have to be rigid and close hauled. So ease off, relax, stop being angry, make a change. I know I'm younger, but I may still have good ideas; It's good to learn from anyone who speaks well.

CHORUS: Sir, you should learn from him, if he is on the mark. And you, Haemon, learn from your father. Both sides spoke well. 725

CREON: (To the chorus.) Do you really think, at our age, We should be taught by a boy like him?

HAEMON: No. Not if I am in the wrong.

That's why you should look at what I do, not my age.

CREON: 730 So "what you do" is show respect for breaking ranks?

HAEMON: I'd never urge you to show respect for a criminal.

CREON: So you don't think this girl has been infected with crime?

HAEMON: No. The people of Thebes deny it, all of them.

CREON: So you think the people should tell me what orders to give?

HAEMON: 735 Now who's talking like he's wet behind the ears?

CREON: So I should rule this country for someone other than myself?

HAEMON: A place for one man alone is not a city

CREON: A city belongs to its master. Isn't that the rule?

HAEMON: Then go be ruler of a desert, all alone. You'd do it well.

CREON: (To the chorus.) 740 It turns out this boy is fighting for the woman's cause.

HAEMON: Only if you are a woman. All I care about is you!

CREON: This is intolerable! You are accusing your own father.

HAEMON: Because I see you going wrong. Because justice matters!

CREON: Is that wrong, showing respect for my job as leader?

HAEMON: You have no respect at all if you trample on the rights of gods! 74.9

Creon: What a sick mind you have: You submit to a woman!

Haemon: No. You'll never catch me giving in to what's shameful.

Creon: But everything you say, at least, is on her side.

Haemon: And on your side! And mine! And the gods' below!

Creon: There is no way you'll marry her, not while she's still alive.750

Haemon: Then she'll die, and her death will destroy Someone Else.

Creon: Is that a threat? Are you brash enough to attack me?

Haemon: What threat? All I'm saying is, you haven't thought this through.

A

CREON: I'll make you wish you'd never had a thought in your empty head!

HAEMON: If you weren't my father I'd say you were out of your mind.755

CREON: Don't beat around the bush. You're a woman's toy, a slave.

HAEMON: Talk, talk, talk! Why don't you ever want to listen?

CREON: Really? Listen, you are not going on like this. By all the gods, One more insult from you, and the fun is over.

(To attendants.)

760 Bring out that hated thing. I want her to die right here, Right now, so her bridegroom can watch the whole thing.

HAEMON: Not me. Never. No matter what you think. She is not going to die while I am near her. And you will never, ever see my face again. Go on, 765 Be crazy! Perhaps some of your friends will stay by you.