I am not a villain nor am I an unreasonable
man. I did not deny my nephew a proper burial; I denied a traitor a proper
burial. Polynices betrayed me. He betrayed his city. Above all he betrayed the
gods who, in their divine power, appointed me ruler of Thebes. Is that the sort
of man who deserves to be honored and publicly lamented? I made my position on
the matter clear from the beginning of this disaster. I plainly stated that
Polynices "came back from exile to burn and destroy his fatherland and the
gods of his fatherland, to drink the blood of his kin, to make them slaves- he
is to have no grave, no burial, no mourning from anyone; it is forbidden"
(131).
Antigone initiated this ill-fated feud. She
could have mourned her treacherous sibling in silence, but instead insisted
upon defying my decree and sending the city of Thebes into a spiral of discord
and dissension. Wretched Oedipus and his cursed offspring brought this tragedy
upon my household. It was Antigone's
stubborn refusal to submit to my authority and subsequent criminal activity
that are to blame.
I had already issued the edict when I
learned of Antigone's defiance. Was I to retract my own mandate and be made
foolish by a woman? "[I'll] have no woman's law here, while I live"
(140). Thebes had just resolved a gruesome conflict, I could not back down on
the first law I'd made since victory. My people needed a strong and steadfast
ruler to lead them out of strife. And I provided them with one. An unreliable
leader can be dangerous in a time of crisis. If I withdrew my sovereign order
and exhibited weakness, the whole city would descend back into chaos. Antigone had to be punished.
Unfortunately the gods ordained that I too
must pay for my stubborn will and dedication to punishing the wicked and
disloyal. “Upon my head [they have] delivered
this heavy punishment” (160). I have now
lost everything and everyone. I made my
decision and I must live with it for the rest of my tragic days.
Signed,
Creon
King of Thebes
