Antigone: Lines 1091-1470 Summary & Analysis

Tiresias, the blind prophet, enters, led by a young boy. Creon greets him and agrees to follow Tiresias's advice. Tiresias warns Creon that he is at a turning point, and that Polynices's body must be buried to appease the gods and protect Thebes from their wrath. Tiresias tells Creon not to be stubborn in his decision to refuse to bury Polynices. Instead, he should see himself as only human and capable of making mistakes.

Creon flies into a rage, cursing Tiresias and swearing that the body will never be buried. He accuses Tiresias of false prophecy and of accepting bribes. He curses all prophets as power-hungry.

Tiresias now reveals the full secret he knows. He says that the gods alone hold sway over the dead, and that mortals may rule over the living. He says that as punishment for burying Antigone alive, the gods and the Furies will soon take the life of Creon's own child. In addition, the hatred of all those whose dead loved ones have not been buried will rise against Creon. Tiresias exits.

Creon is shaken by the prophet's words, but is reluctant to undo his decree. He asks the leader of the chorus for advice. The leader tells him to free Antigone and bury Polynices quickly. Fearful, Creon gives in. He rushes off to free Antigone himself.

The chorus prays to the god Dionysus, asking him to protect and heal the people of Thebes.

A messenger arrives with terrible news: Haemon has killed himself. Eurydice, Haemon's mother, overhears the commotion and asks the messenger to tell her what happened. The messenger says that he and Creon first went to bury Polynices. Just as they were finishing, they heard a cry at Antigone's tomb that sounded like Haemon's voice, and rushed over. At the tomb, they found Antigone hanged and Haemon hysterical with grief for her. When Haemon saw them, he lunged at Creon with his sword, missed, and then used the sword to kill himself. Eurydice exits without a word, followed by the messenger.

Creon and his attendants enter. Creon is carrying Haemon's body, and is almost mad with grief. He berates himself, calling himself his son's killer, and his son the victim of Creon's stupidity.

As Creon weeps, the messenger returns with the news that Eurydice, the queen, has killed herself. The messenger says she killed herself at an altar, while cursing Creon and his pride for causing the death of their son.

Creon calls for his attendants to take him away. He says, "I don't even exist—I'm no one. Nothing." He prays for death. The leader of the chorus tells Creon that he must endure his suffering. Creon says that he has murdered his son and his wife. He's led offstage by his attendants. The chorus ends by remarking that the proud are laid low by fate, and wisdom is gained through suffering.