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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ANTIGONE, SELECTION, by SOPHOCLES Poet's Biography First Line: Eros invincible Last Line: Homeless among the living and the dead! Subject(s): Love - Loss Of | |||
CHORUS OF OLD MEN. Eros invincible, Eros, that ravishest the spoils of men, That keepest watch upon the maiden's cheek, Roaming the seas and among pastoral folk! Thee none of the immortals can escape, And none of mortals living but a day, And he that finds thee presently goes mad. Thou turnest just men's thoughts to thoughts of wrong, And kinsman against kinsman dost set up; The clear light of a lovely woman's eyes Rules, and outmasters the eternal laws; Unconquerable Aphrodite laughs at all. And I too am now hurried beyond the bounds, Nor can I stay the sources of my tears, Seeing towards the bride-bed that gives rest to all Advance Antigone. ANTIGONE. See me, O citizens of my fatherland, Set forth on my last way, and look my last Upon the sunlight I shall see no more. For Hades, that gives rest to all, now leads Me living to the shores of Acheron, Unwedded; nor shall any sing for me The bride-song, being bride to Acheron. CHORUS. Illustrious thou, and with praise, Goest toward the secret places of the dead, Not wasted with a sickness, finding not The wages of the sword, but willingly, Sole among mortals, unto Hades living. ANTIGONE. Yet I have heard, of old, Of that sad ending of the Phrygian guest, Tantalus' daughter, upon Sipyle; How the stone sprouted to envelop her Like tightening ivy; and the rains, men say, Cease not about her, wasting, nor the snows Cease ever, but her weeping eyelids bathe Her neck in tears. Me too, most like to her, A God shall put to sleep. CHORUS. She was a goddess and the child of gods, And we are mortals and the seed of mortals; Yet is it glorious, dying, to have endured A fate so godlike, living and in death. ANTIGONE. Ah me, they mock me! By my fathers' gods, Why do ye taunt me ere I be yet gone Out of your sight? O city, and ye her sons Mighty in wealth, and thou, O fount of Dirce, And grove of many-charioted Thebes, Ye, ye at least, be witnesses for me, How, all unwept of friends, and by what laws, I go to find a stony prison indeed In this unparalleled tomb. Ah, hapless one, Homeless among the living and the dead! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ROSE AND MURRAY by CONRAD AIKEN THOUGH WE NO LONGER POSSESS IT by MARK JARMAN THE GLORY OF THE DAY WAS IN HER FACE by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON LOVE COME AND GONE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON CHAMBER MUSIC: 28 by JAMES JOYCE CHAMBER MUSIC: 33 by JAMES JOYCE A SCOTCH SONG by JOANNA BAILLIE OEDIPUS AT COLONUS: OLD AGE by SOPHOCLES |
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