46 HISTORICAL TALES.

After the repulse of his foes, King Creon caused
the body of Kteocles to be buried with the highest
honors; but that of Polynikes was cast outside the
gates as the corpse of a traitor, and death was
threatened to any one who should dare to give it
burial. This cruel edict, which no one else ventured
to ignore, was set aside by Antigone, the sister of
Polynikes. This brave maiden, with warm filial
affection, had accompanied her blind father during
his exile to Attica, and was now returned to Thebes
to perform another holy duty. Funeral rites were
held by the Greeks to be essential to the repose of
the dead, and Antigone, despite Creon’s edict, deter-
mined that her brother's body should not be left to the
dogs and vultures. Her sister, though in sympathy
with her purpose, proved too timid to help her. No
other assistance was to be had. But not deterred
by this, she determined to perform the act alone,
and to bury the body with her own hands.

In this act of holy devotion Antigone succeeded ;
Polynikes was buried. But the sentinels whom
Creon had posted detected her in the act, and she
was seized and dragged before the tribunal of the
tyrant. Here she defended her action with an ear-
nestness and dignity that should have gained her
release, but Creon was inflexible in his anger. She
had set at naught his edict, and should suffer the
penalty for her crime. He condemned her to be
buried alive.

Sophocles, the dramatist, puts noble words into
the mouth of Antigone. This is her protest against
the tyranny of the king: