the phoenissae-第11章
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were dead； victory rested with neither。 Meantime Antigone crept away
from the host； and those others rushed to their weapons； but by some
lucky forethought the folk of Cadmus had sat down under arms； and by a
sudden attack we surprised the Argive host before it was fully
equipped。 Not one withstood our onset； and they filled the plain
with fugitives； while blood was streaming from the countless dead
our spears had slain。 Soon as victory crowned our warfare； some
began to rear an image to Zeus for the foe's defeat； others were
stripping the Argive dead of their shields and sending their spoils
inside the battlements； and others with Antigone are bringing her dead
brothers hither for their friends to mourn。 So the result of this
struggle to our city hovers between the two extremes of good and
evil fortune。
（The MESSENGER goes out。）
CHORUS （chanting）
No longer do the misfortunes of this house extend to hearsay only；
three corpses of the slain lie here at the palace for all to see；
who by one common death have passed to their life of gloom。
（During the lament； ANTIGONE enters； followed by servants who hear
the bodies Of JOCASTA； ETEOCLES； and POLYNEICES。）
ANTIGONE （chanting）
No veil I draw o'er my tender cheek shaded with its clustering
curls； no shame I feel from maiden modesty at the hot blood mantling
'neath my eyes； the blush upon my face； as I hurry wildly on in
death's train； casting from my hair its tire and letting my delicate
robe of saffron hue fly loose； a tearful escort to the dead。 Ah me！
Woe to thee； Polyneices！ rightly named； I trow； woe to thee；
Thebes！ no mere strife to end in strife was thine； but murder
completed by murder hath brought the house of Oedipus to ruin with
bloodshed dire and grim。 O my home； my home！ what minstrel can I
summon from the dead to chant a fitting dirge o'er my tearful fate； as
I bear these three corpses of my kin； my mother and her sons；
welcome sight to the avenging fiend that destroyed the house of
Oedipus； root and branch； in the hour that his shrewdness solved the
Sphinx's riddling rhyme and slew that savage songstress。 Woe is me！ my
father！ what other Hellene or barbarian； what noble soul among the
bygone tribes of man's poor mortal race ever endured the anguish of
such visible afflictions？
Ah！ poor maid； how piteous is thy plaint！ What bird from its
covert 'mid the leafy oak or soaring pine…tree's branch will come to
mourn with me； the maid left motherless； with cries of woe； lamenting；
ere it comes； the piteous lonely life； that henceforth must be
always mine with tears that ever stream？ On which of these corpses
shall I throw my offerings first； plucking the hair from my head？ on
the breast of the mother that suckled me； or beside the ghastly
death…wounds of my brothers' corpses？ Woe to thee； Oedipus； my aged
sire with sightless orbs； leave thy roof； disclose the misery of thy
life； thou that draggest out a weary existence within the house；
having cast a mist of darkness o'er thine eyes。 Dost hear； thou
whose aged step now gropes its way across the court； now seeks
repose on wretched pallet couch？
（OEDIPUS enters from the palace。 He chants the following lines
responsively with ANTIGONE。）
OEDIPUS
Why； daughter； hast thou dragged me to the light； supporting my
blind footsteps from the gloom of my chamber； where I lie upon my
bed and make piteous moan； a hoary sufferer； invisible as a phantom of
the air； or as a spirit from the pit； or as a dream that flies？
ANTIGONE
Father； there are tidings of sorrow for thee to bear； no more
thy sons behold the light； or thy wife who ever would toil to tend thy
blind footsteps as with a staff。 Alas for thee； my sire！
OEDIPUS
Ah me； the sorrows I endure！ I may well say that。 Tell me；
child； what fate o'ertook those three； and how they left the light。
ANTIGONE
Not to reproach or mock thee say I this； but in all sadness；
'tis thy own avenging curse； with all its load of slaughter； fire； and
ruthless war； that is fallen on thy sons。 Alas for thee； my sire！
OEDIPUS
Ah me！
ANTIGONE
Why dost thou groan？
OEDIPUS
'Tis for my sons。
ANTIGONE
Couldst thou have looked towards yon sun…god's four…horsed car and
turned the light of thine eyes on these corpses； it would have been
agony to thee。
OEDIPUS
'Tis clear enough how their evil fate o'ertook my sons； but she；
my poor wife tell me； daughter； how she came to die。
ANTIGONE
All saw her weep and heard her moan； as she rushed forth to
carry to her sons her last appeal； a mother's breast。 But the mother
found her sons at the Electran gate； in a meadow where the lotus
blooms； fighting out their duel like lions in their lair； eager to
wound each other with spears； their blood already congealed； a
murderous libation to the Death…god poured out by Ares。 Then；
snatching from corpse a sword of hammered bronze； she plunged it in
her flesh； and in sorrow for her sons fell with her arms around
them。 So to…day； father； the god； whose'er this issue is； has gathered
to a head the sum of suffering for our house。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
To…day is the beginning of many troubles to the house of
Oedipus； may he live to be more fortunate！
CREON
Cease now your lamentations； 'tis time we bethought us of their
burial。 Hear what I have to say； Oedipus。 Eteocles； thy son； left me
to rule this land； by assigning it as a marriage portion to Haemon
with the hand of thy daughter Antigone。 Wherefore I will no longer
permit thee to dwell therein； for Teiresias plainly declared that
the city would never prosper so long as thou wert in the land。 So
begone！ And this I say not to flout thee； nor because I bear thee
any grudge； but from fear that some calamity will come upon the
realm by reason of those fiends that dog thy steps。
OEDIPUS
O destiny！ to what a life of pain and sorrow didst thou bear me
beyond all men that ever were； e'en from the very first； yea for
when I was yet unborn； or ever I had left my mother's womb and seen
the light； Apollo foretold to Laius that I should become my father's
murderer； woe is me！ So； as soon as I was born； my father tried to end
again the hapless life he had given； deeming me his foe； for it was
fated he should die at my hand； so he sent me still unweaned to make a
pitiful meal for beasts； but I escaped from that。 Ah！ would that
Cithaeron had sunk into hell's yawning abyss； in that it slew me
not！ Instead thereof Fate made me a slave in the service of Polybus；
and I； poor wretch； after slaying my own father came to wed my
mother to her sorrow； and begat sons that were my brothers； whom
also I have destroyed； by bequeathing unto them the legacy of curses I
received from Laius。 For nature did not make me so void of
understanding； that I should have devised these horrors against my own
eyes and my children's life without the intervention of some god。
Let that pass。 What am I； poor wretch； to do？ Who now will be my guide
and tend the blind man's step？ Shall she； that is dead？ Were she
alive； I know right well she would。 My pair of gallant sons； then？ But
they are gone from me。 Am I still so young myself that I can find a
livelihood？ Whence could I？ O Creon； why seek thus to slay me utterly？
For so thou wilt； if thou banish me from the land。 Yet will I never
twine my arms about thy knees and betray cowardice； for I will not
belie my former gallant soul； no！ not for all my evil case。
CREON
Thy words are brave in refusing to touch my knees； and I am
equally resolved not to let thee abide in the land。 For these dead；
bear one forth…with to the palace； but the other； who came with
stranger folk to sack his native town； the dead Polyneices； cast forth
unburied beyond our frontiers。 To all the race of Cadmus shall this be
proclaimed； that whosoe'er is ca
