1 Sophocles' Antigone Introduction, translation, and notes by ...

is to be stoned to death. Yes. That's the situation.
So now you have the chance to show
whether you are true to your noble birth, or a coward.
Ismene
My poor sweet Antigone. But, if this is so, what can we do about it?
Antigone
I have a plan. Are you prepared to join me?
Ismene
You frighten me again. What do you want us to do?
Will you help me honor the dead?
Antigone
Ismene
Bury Polyneices? But you've just said that's forbidden.
Antigone
I shall bury our brother, even if you don't want to. I, for one, will not betray him.
Ismene
You are out of your mind Antigone. Creon is the law.
Antigone
He has no right to come between my brother and me.
Ismene
Sister, remember how our father blinded himself when he
discovered that he had killed his father and slept with his
own mother. He died, hated and condemned by all!
Then his wife and mother (one and the same),
and she was our mother as well, brought her life
to a violent end by hanging herself.
And now, finally, our two poor brothers, on a single day,
kill each other. And are we going to add to that cycle of horrors?
We shall die if we go against the decision of the ruler.
We are helpless women, Antigone, not made to fight against men.
We are ruled by the more powerful; we must obey this order
and if necessary even worse. I shall obey those who stand in authority,
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