TEIRESIAS is angered by Creon's response, and tells him what he sees in Creon's future:
TEIRESIAS
Then understand this well—you will not see
the sun race through its cycle many times
before you lose a child of your own loins,
a corpse in payment for these corpses.
You’ve thrown down to those below someone
from up above—in your arrogance
you’ve moved a living soul into a grave,
leaving here a body owned by gods below—
unburied, dispossessed, unsanctified.
That’s no concern of yours or gods above.
In this you violate the ones below.
And so destroying avengers wait for you,
Furies of Hades and the gods, who’ll see
you caught up in this very wickedness.
Now see if I speak as someone who’s been bribed.
It won’t be long before in your own house
the men and women all cry out in sorrow,
and cities rise in hate against you—all those
whose mangled soldiers have had burial rites
from dogs, wild animals, or flying birds
who carry the unholy stench back home,
to every city hearth. Like an archer,
I shoot these arrows now into your heart
because you have provoked me. I’m angry—
so my aim is good. You’ll not escape their pain.
Boy, lead us home so he can vent his rage
on younger men and keep a quieter tongue
and a more temperate mind than he has now.
Teiresias, angered by Creon’s accusation and his refusal to take good advice, tells Creon of the tragedy that is about to visit him. What does Teiresias say will happen and what does he say will be the cause?
1 answer