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

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