Shall be entombed with every sacred rite
That follows to the grave the lordliest dead. 
But for his brother, who, a banished man,
Returned to devastate and burn with fire
The land of his nativity, the shrines
Of his ancestral gods, to feed him fat
With Theban carnage, and make captive all
That should escape the sword—­for Polynices,
This law hath been proclaimed concerning him: 
He shall have no lament, no funeral,
But he unburied, for the carrion fowl
And dogs to eat his corse, a sight of shame. 
  Such are the motions of this mind and will. 
Never from me shall villains reap renown
Before the just.  But whoso loves the State,
I will exalt him both in life and death.

CH.  Son of Menoeceus, we have heard thy mind
Toward him who loves, and him who hates our city. 
And sure, ’tis thine to enforce what law thou wilt
Both on the dead and all of us who live.

CR.  Then be ye watchful to maintain my word.

CH.  Young strength for such a burden were more meet.

CR.  Already there be watchers of the dead.

CH.  What charge then wouldst thou further lay on us?

CR.  Not to give place to those that disobey.

CH.  Who is so fond, to be in love with death?

CR.  Such, truly, is the meed.  But hope of gain
Full oft ere now hath been the ruin of men.

WATCHMAN (entering). 
  My lord, I am out of breath, but not with speed. 
I will not say my foot was fleet.  My thoughts
Cried halt unto me ever as I came
And wheeled me to return.  My mind discoursed
Most volubly within my breast, and said—­
Fond wretch! why go where thou wilt find thy bane? 
Unhappy wight! say, wilt thou bide aloof? 
Then if the king shall hear this from another,
How shalt thou ’scape for ’t?  Winding thus about
I hasted, but I could not speed, and so
Made a long journey of a little way. 
At last ‘yes’ carried it, that I should come
To thee; and tell thee I must needs; and shall,
Though it be nothing that I have to tell. 
For I came hither, holding fast by this—­
Nought that is not my fate can happen to me.

CR.  Speak forth thy cause of fear.  What is the matter?

WATCH.  First of mine own part in the business.  For
I did it not, nor saw the man who did,
And ’twere not right that I should come to harm.

CR.  You fence your ground, and keep well out of danger;
I see you have some strange thing to declare.

WATCH.  A man will shrink who carries words of fear.

CB.  Let us have done with you.  Tell your tale, and go.

WATCH.  Well, here it is.  The corse hath burial
From some one who is stolen away and gone,
But first hath strown dry dust upon the skin,
And added what religious rites require.

CR.  Ha! 
What man hath been so daring in revolt?