Aischylos, Hepta epi Thebas (Seven Against Thebes) 961-1004
Ismene
You suffering made you wretched.
Antigone
Let the lament come.
Ismene
Let the tears come.
Antigone
You are laid out for mourning—
Ismene
Though you did the killing.
Antigone
Ah me!
Ismene
Ah me!
Antigone
My heart is mad with wailing.
Ismene
My heart groans within me.
Antigone
Ah, the grief, brother all-lamentable.
Ismene
And you also, brother all-wretched.
Antigone
You perished at the hands of your nearest and dearest.
Ismene
And you killed your nearest and dearest.
Antigone
Twofold to tell of—
Ismene
Twofold to look upon—
Antigone
Are these sorrows so close to those.
Ismene
Fraternal sorrows stand close by fraternal sorrows.
Chorus
O Fate, giver of grievous troubles, and awful shade of Oedipus, black Erinys, you are indeed a mighty force… Greek Text
Hyginus, Fabulae 72
ANTIGONE: Creon, son of Menoeceus, made an edict that no one should bury Polynices or any of those who had come with him, because they came to attack their native city. Antigona, Polynices’ sister, and Argia, his wife, with secrecy at night took his body and put it on the same pyre where the body of Eteocles was placed. When they were caught by the guards, Argia escaped, but Antigona was brought before the king. He gave her to his son Haemon, to whom she was betrothed to be put to death. Haemon out of love disobeyed his father’s command, entrusted Antigona to shepherds, and falsely claimed he had killed her. When she bore a son, and he grew to manhood, he came to Thebes to the games; Creon recognized him because all those of the dragon’s progeny have a mark on their bodies. When Hercules begged him to pardon Haemon, he did not win his request. Haemon killed himself and his wife Antigona. But Creon gave his own daughter Megara to Hercules in marriage. Their sons were Therimachus and Ophites. Latin Text
Edited by Elena Bianchelli, Senior Lecturer of Classical Languages and Culture, Univ. of Georgia, March 2020
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