iv. Antigone & Polynices
In that city of Thebes, a great loss is where we begin. With those seven fallen, two brothers among them, the Thebans rejoiced in ways most unpleasing to those radiant Gods - for Creon, succeeding the throne as King after the death of his nephews, declared that marching son of Oedipus a traitor, one who would receive no burial rites.
Cursing the shade of his own blood to wander eternally in that unfitting land, belonging only to the living, Creon sent out a decree that any who provided burial for Polynices would themselves be put to death, and would suffer his fate with him. His brother though, the one loyal to Thebes between those dual kings, received the highest of honors - a beautiful pyre and procession, and offerings to bring along with him to that Underworld, mourners and funerary games; all this glory was to be his alone, for Creon wanted nothing more than for the Theban people to remember only Eteocles, and leave Polynices in the dust of time. In that crowd of mourners though, were two sisters who could never push the memory of Polynices, or his damned fate, from their minds any more than they could the celebrated Eteocles. Both Ismene and Antigone, the last of Oedipus’ children, pulled at their hair and beat their bodies with tight fists over Eteocles, washed and clean upon his pyre, and mourned their brother - but while Ismene’s fear cast a thick fog over her grief for Polynices, Antigone could not unhear the whispers of his shade, calling her to her duty to him, as much her blood as Eteocles.
That night, she went from her rooms and sought out her uncle, begging him without pride or shame, as though a common citizen rather than a princess, to allow Polynices to receive even simple rites, to free his spirit; he struck her down, and though he ordered her, as king rather than blood, to return to her rooms, she placed her forehead against the smooth tile of his chamber and plead again for even just permission to steal out into the night and cover him with dirt, to offer him a meager sacrifice, so his shade might be free of his body and its eternal torment. At this he became enraged, and forbade her from any such action, swearing no mercy would find her should she go against his command. Fleeing from him then, not in fear but rather, in rage, she prepared the meager offering she’d intended of fruit and small cuts of meat, and only one skin of wine, and made to leave the palace; but as she crept down the halls away from her rooms, Ismene caught her and clung to her, begging her not to do such a thing, for how could she live? The last of their father’s children, she would be alone in a world as this, with no blood to truly protect her. And seeing only determination on her sister’s face, Ismene pled her to stay, if not for herself than for Haemon, who had only tender love for Antigone, and wished to marry her alone; what would become of him? Of Thebes? His father, Creon, would not permit him to remain unwed, and surely she knew what fate would befall him then.
But Antigone, for all the love she held for Ismene, and for Haemon, and for Thebes, these were not the ones doomed to a restless afterlife, wretched and wandering forever - this was Polynices’ fate alone, and she alone would right it, not matter the cost. This was the love she had for him. At this, Ismene begged to come, to not be, again, left behind; but Antigone knew her sister’s fear and refused. Alone, she continued on into the night, creeping past guards and servants and citizens out into the destruction around the great city’s walls, and there she found the body of her brother.
She set out for him that fruit and meat, and let the wine spill out and darken the ground beside him, and took the coins she carried for his fare and tucked them into the pockets of his torn tunic; she piled fists of dirt along his body and beat at her own in spots already well bruised, pulled at her hair and groaned low the prayer for his safe descent. She prayed that Hades, gracious King of that magnificent Underworld, might receive him and let her brothers meet, that they might reconcile in death as they could not in life. In showing such devotion, such love for her brothers, Aphrodite heard that prayer not meant for Her and felt pity in Her own heart, and so She sent word to Dionysus to stay the hand of punishment for Antigone in Thebes, for this was His own city; and remembering that His mother, that lovely Semele, was daughter of Cadmus and sister to Polydorus, the great-grandfather of Oedipus, He knew this girl as His distant blood and came, so these two Gods together crafted a plan.
As Antigone mourned, a guard caught sight of her and sent word to Creon, who though near-ill at the thought of losing another of his sister’s children - at his own hand, especially - called for her to be sealed into a stone tomb at first light for disobeying his will. But Aphrodite, knowing of Haemon’s love for the girl, woke him from his sleep with dreams of her torment, and as he lay, still half in the arms of Hypnos, Dionysus whispered truths known only to that God so loved in Thebes, and told Haemon that it was His will that Antigone be spared, as she had spared the city a terrible fate for Creon’s unholy wish. Throwing off his bedclothes, he ran to his father and relayed the message, and so the king had no choice but to make an exception, and he wept with relief. When first light came, Antigone was free of her imprisonment, and Aphrodite sent her sweet words, that Haemon would take her as his wife and they would live happily together in Thebes, for her love and devotion had so impressed the Gods that they saw fit to guide her life to happier days; and having his house visited by two Gods that night, Creon wept with joy for Antigone, and with great sorrow for his own blind foolishness.
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concept sketches for Polynices' sword in the Thebaid musical, which has a sphinx on the hilt (as mentioned in book 4)
the first one is way more realistic/probable and based off of Mycenaean swords.
the second one is cool but. I can hear the cast of that one blacksmithing show practically screaming at me about the unbalanced weight and the dangerous handle LMAO
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