Chorus My king, it is right, if he speaks something appropriate, that you should learn from him and that you, in turn, Haemon, should learn from your father. On both sides there have been wise words.
Creon Men of my age—are we, then, to be schooled in wisdom by men of his?
Haemon Not in anything that is not right. But if I am young, you should look to my conduct, not to my years.
Creon Is it worthy conduct to honor disrupters?
Haemon I could not urge anyone to show respect for the wicked.
Creon And is she not in the grasp of that disease?
Haemon All the people of this city of Thebes deny it.
Creon Shall Thebes prescribe to me how I must rule?
Haemon See, there, how you have spoken so much like a child.
Creon Am I to rule this land by the will of another than myself?
Haemon That is no city, which belongs to one man.
Creon Does not the city by tradition belong to the man in power?
Haemon You would make a fine monarch in a desert.
Creon This boy seems to be fighting on the side of the woman.
Haemon If you are a woman, for, to be sure, my concern is for you.
Creon You traitor, attacking your father, accusing him!
Haemon Because I see you making a mistake and committing injustice.
Creon Am I making a mistake when I respect my own prerogatives?
Haemon Yes. You do not respect them, when you trample on the gods’ honors.
Creon Polluted creature, submitting to a woman!
Haemon You will never catch me submitting to shamelessness.
Creon You do. Your every word, after all, pleads her case.
Haemon And yours, and mine, and that of gods below.
Creon You can never marry her, not while she is still alive.
Haemon Then she will die, and in death destroy another.
Creon What! Does your audacity run to open threats?
Haemon How is it a threat to speak against empty plans?
Creon You will regret your unwise instructions in wisdom.
Haemon If you were not my father, I would have called you insane.
Creon You woman’s slave, do not try to cajole me.
Haemon Do you want to have your say and then have done without a reply?
Creon Is that so? By Olympus above—know this well—you will have no joy for taunting me over and above your censures. Bring out that hated thing, so that with him looking on she may die right now in her bridegroom’s presence and at his side!
Haemon No, not at my side will she die—do not ever imagine it. Nor shall you ever look at me and set eyes on my face again. Indulge in your madness now with whomever of your friends can endure it.
Chorus The man is gone, King Creon, in anger and haste. A young mind is fierce when stung.
Creon Let him do—no!—let him plan something more immense than befits a man. Farewell to him! Still he will not save these two girls from death.
Chorus Then the pair of them, you really intend to kill them both?
Creon Not the one who did not put her hands to the burial. You are right.
Chorus And by what mode of death do you mean to kill the other?
Creon I will take her where the path is deserted, unvisited by men, and entomb her alive in a rocky vault, setting out a ration of food, but only as much as piety requires so that all the city may escape defilement. And praying there to Hades, the only god she worships, perhaps she will obtain immunity from death, or else will learn, at last, even this late, that it is fruitless labor to revere the dead.
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