Some mourned,others despised the notion of pity for the dead brother of Antigone.

Dead from the

moment he was conceived by a cursed king & queen,and dead from the moment he stepped out
against Thebes.
The new king,the pompous Creon made it drastically clear that he had no stomach for traitors.
Thus the horrifying decree that Polyneices would not only be denied of a soldier's burial,but he
will be deprived of a burial all together. His body left to be picked apart and soul left to wander
aimlessly for eternity. Yet compassionate and loving Antigone could not sleep,could not eat with
the tumultuous feelings of guilt and sorrow over her brother's plight.
Antigone pondered the ways she could assist her brother's poor soul. She reached out to her
sister Ismene for guidance...
"He was our brother in life,and he is our brother in death. To leave him to rot is a truly traitorous
act." Antigone spoke boldly.
Ismene's dark imagination danced with thoughts of Antigone being cast out of Thebes for
disobeying the King's new law. That way,she devised,Creon would finally show favor towards
her,Ismene,and Haemon,handsome Haemon,might just turn his affections towards her...Go to
Creon and tell him of Antigone's plot. Ismene thought.
Antigone carefully studied Ismene's deceptive face and continued, "I must do something..."

Later, Antigone arrived at the palace in order to plead with Creon for her brother's burial...
"Absolutely not. He does not deserve such an honor!" Creon boomed.
"Not a soldier's burial,my King,just one sufficient enough for eternal peace. I will do anything for
this, King." Antigone whimpered.
After 10 agonizing minutes of silence, Creon replies," Very well then. Your kin will be buried, but
only if you agree to a prison sentence of 1 full year."
"I will agree to that."
" Your sentence will begin immediately following the funeral,which you are permitted to attend."
"Yes,my King."
"Now go."
Antigone broke down in tears as she ran from the palace. Blinded by tears, she did not see her
fiance Haemon as she rushed down the stpes past him. Ismene though,did acknowledge
Haemon and smiled and she hurried to his father Creon to tell of Antigone's supposed "scheme".
"Who was that desperate woman just leaving?" Haemon asked his father.
With pangs of guilt,Creon ignored him and looked on. In bursted Ismene in the next
moment,gasping for air.
"King,King, there is someone very willing to violate your newest decree!"
"Who is this person you speak of?"
"Antigone!" she blurted out.
Haemon's heart fluttered and he quickly left to find his Antigone.
"My dear King, she has confided in me, her sister, that-"
"What is this?!" Creon interrupted. "That young woman has already spoken to me of her dilemma,
and-", he paused for a moment... "I see what you are trying, Ismene."
"But,but-" Ismene stammered.
"Guards! Take this wicked wretch away!" Creon shouted. "Simply plotting against her own blood...
By the gods,it is the plague of society!"

Meanwhile, a concerned Haemon has arrived at Antigone's home...

"Antigone! Antigone! Are you there??" Haemon gently pushed the door open and stepped inside.
In the corner sits a saddened Antigone, in great need of comfort.
"Ohh..." sighed Haemon as he embrace her. "What has happened?"
"I'm going to prison for 1 whole year." she says while choking on tears.
"What have you done, Antigone?"
"I have saved my brother's soul."
"And in return?"
"I must languish in the pits of the prison of Thebes."
"I won't let this be! Who has laid this burden on your shoulders?"
"Creon." she whispered.
Haemon rose and lifted Antigone from her knees.
"I will go to him in your favor. Stay here and stay safe."
"I will attempt it."

Haemon headed back home to the palace to try and find a way to save his future wife from losing
sanity in a year of imprisonment...
"Father, I have waited long to find a woman worth being my bride. After searching many years,I
have found one that has your favor and that of mother's,but most importantly,mine.
Our wedding is but a week away, and yet with this new prison sentence,it will be a year away,
and worse,it may not happen at all were Antigone to go mad in those caverns of hell in her stay. I
ask you now, Father, for an omission of her promise to you."
"That's precisely it,my son! She has promised it, and one who has any worth,courage,or merit,
will keep their promises and not find ways to excuse themselves from them!"
"Please,this is my doing, not hers,let her go free!'
"Then her brother will not be buried!"
"You say this only because you are concerned with the way you appear to your subjects. Have
you any heart you would like to display for the masses?" Haemon urged.
Creon scoffed and said," Please,Haemon spare me your act. One day you will learn that if a king
looks weak and pliable in the hands of a few tearful lovers,his subjects will then assume he is
weak in the face of true adversity and danger. Therefore, they think the kingdom is at risk of
invasion and all other malevolent things a wild mind can fathom,and the king is overthrown."
Haemon shakes his head in disbelief and walks away.

The next day,Polyneices' body is buried and soul put to rest.The few in attanedance were
Antigone,Haemon,Creon,Creon's wife Eurydice,a gravedigger,and some royal guards.
It was somber and cold that afternoon as ominous clouds rolled through the dark sky.
Antigone's sobs could be heard above the pit-pat of the rain on the damp ground.
It seemed like in no time at all Polyneices was buried,and the guards seized Antigone.
She was reverent though,throughout the ordeal,while Haemon was near hysterics.
"You can still change this now,Creon! You can!" Haemon screamed. He had to be restrained and
his mother Eurydice nearly fainted.
Afterwards,everyone went where they were supposed to-Antigone to prison,the royal family and
guards to the palace,and the gravedigger to his modest home in the city.
When Antigone arrived at the infamous prison of Thebes,she vomitted from the putrid smells
permeating the air. Moans and curses were hurled to every corner in that place,echoing angrily.
Nowhere was there happiness or alacrity.
They brought her to her stifled cell,a hole in the ground with rusted bars over the top.
She was lowered down quickly,and was actually dropped from about halfway down.
She sat in the dirt,gazing around at the markings on the wall. All was sad or vicious,and Antigone
quickly sank into a deeper,darker depression.Little did she know her fate...

Later that,Eurydice tries to coax Creon into letting Antigone go.

"Creon,my love,there is no reason as to why that girl should have to go through such perils. After
all, she didn't break any law. It was you. You broke your own law by your own will-Antigone
simply suggested it. If your were such a strong king,this wouldn't have become,would it?"
Eurydice said sweetly.
"I...I..."
"And our son,Creon,is completely broken inside. Your decision would be the mortar to rebuild
him."
Creon hesitated as Eurydice kissed him on the cheek. "Fine.She may go first thing in the
morning."
"And give Haemon more time to plan his death?" she said,partly feigning concern.
"Alright,Eurydice."
Next,Creon ordered Antigone to be set free and he sent some guards to fetch her. Unbeknownst
to all,Haemon was already at the prison,and had freed Antigone,and they were now about to
escape.
"Haemon,I've made my decision,and I only feel that it is right for me to stay."
"Don't you want to be with me?"
"Of course,"
"Good!" Haemon grasped her arm and off they went to elope.
When the guards arrived in the prison and saw she was gone,they hurried back to tell Creon.
"She is gone!" the guard told him.
"Find them and bring them back here. We don't want them to rush away without a proper
wedding." Creon and Eurydice smiled while the guard looked puzzled.
The guards finally procured the amorous couple who had fled to a nearby kingbom and brought
them back to jubilant Thebes in the morning.
Haemon and Antigone married and lived happily ever after.