Antigone Quote Quiz Shank

“And now you can prove what you are: A true sister, or a traitor to your family.”

“And now you can prove what you are: A true sister, or a traitor to your family.”

Here Antigone is speaking to Ismene and asking if she will help bury Polyneices.

“It is the dead, not the living, who make the longest demands: We die for ever… You may do as you like, Since apparently the laws of the gods mean nothing to you.”

Here Antigone is speaking to Ismene and expressing her disappointment that that she is refusing to help her bury Polyneices.

“I say to you at the very outset that I have nothing but contempt for the kind of Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is best for the State; and as for the man who sets private friendship above the public welfare—I have no use for him either.”

Here Creon is addressing the chorus and laying out his morals as king

“Money! There’s nothing in the world so demoralizing as money. Down go your cities, Homes gone, men gone, honest hearts corrupted, Crookedness of all kinds, and all for money!”

Here Creon is speaking to the Chorag and refuting his idea that the gods could have buried Polyneices. He believes that the only reason someone would bury him would be because they were paid.

“How dreadful it is when the right judge judges wrong!”

Here the sentry is speaking to Creon after being accused of having been paid to bury Polyneices.

“We ran and took her at once. She was not afraid, Not even when we charged her with what she had done. She denied nothing, And this was a comfort to me, And some uneasiness: for it is a good thing To escape from death, but it is no great pleasure To bring death to a friend.”

Here the Sentry is telling Creon the story of how they caught Antigone.

“I dared. It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice That rules the world below makes no such laws.”

Here Antigone is saying she "dared defy the law" to Creon because it was not a law of god.

“Your edict, King, was strong, But all your strength is weakness itself against That immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were, and shall be, Operative for ever, beyond man utterly.”

Here Antigone is talking to Creon and the edict is to leave Polyneices unburied. Antigone is arguing that his laws are going against the laws of gods.

“Grief teaches the steadiest minds to waver, King.”

Here Ismene is speaking to Creon after he accused her of losing her mind. She had just decided to take responsibility for the burial of Polyneices and was asking to die with Antigone.

“The inflexible heart breaks first, the toughest iron Cracks first, and the wildest horses bend their necks At the pull of the smallest curb.”

Here Creon is chastising Antigone for being so steadfast in her choices without listening to other people.

“If I permit my own family to rebel, How shall I earn the world’s obedience? Show me the man who keeps his house in hand, He’s fit for public authority.”

Here Creon is speaking to Haimon about Antigone's crime. He is laying out his belief that to rule a country one must first rule his family.

“Anarchy, anarchy! Show me a greater evil! This is why cities tumble and the great houses rain down, This is what scatters armies! No, no good lives are made so by discipline. We keep the laws then, and the lawmakers, And no woman shall seduce us. If we must lose, Let’s lose to a man at least! Is a woman stronger than we?”

Here Creon is speaking to Haimon about Antigone's crime.

“It is not reason never to yield to reason!” In flood time you can see how some trees bend, And because they bend, even their twigs are safe, While stubborn trees are torn up, roots and all.”

Here Haimon is telling Creon to listen to other voices and let Antigone free.

“It is not right If I am wrong. But if I am young, and right, What does my age matter?”

Here Haimon is asking Creon to consider what he is saying without caring for his age.

“Reverence is a virtue, but strength Lives in established law: that must prevail. You have made your choice, Your death is the doing of your conscious hand.”

Here the Chorus is speaking to Antigone and telling her that she is responsible for her actions as she is led to her death. Prior to this she blames everything on the 'blasphemy of my birth', and the chorus is refuting that.

“These are no trifles! Think: all men make mistakes, But a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, And repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.”

Here Teiresias is telling Creon his prophecy and trying to convince him to change his course of action.

“That is true…It trouble me. Oh it is hard to give in! but it is worse To risk everything for stubborn pride.”

Creon tells this to the chorag after being reminded that Teiresias has never been wrong. This occurs after Teiresias leaves.

“And it must be done at once: God moves Swiftly to cancel the folly of stubborn men.”

Here the Chorag is telling Creon to move fast in burying Polyneices and freeing Antigone. It is a warning.

“It is hard to deny the heart! But I Will do it: I will not fight with destiny.”

Here Creon is saying he will work fast to bury Polyneices and free Antigone. This is after he hears Teiresias prophecy, and so he wants to correct his wrongs lest the ills of the prophecy come true.

“There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; No wisdom but in submission to the gods. Big words are always punished, And proud men in old age learn to be wise.”

Here the chorag is speaking to the audience and summarizing the central themes of the play (respect to the gods, humility, listening).