the ashes a great mound of earth. And this being done, they drew near to
the place of the sepulchre; and as they approached, the King heard
within a very piteous voice, and knew it for the voice of his son. Then
he bade his attendants loose the door with all speed; and when they had
loosed it, they beheld within a very piteous sight. For the maiden
Antigone had hanged herself by the girdle of linen which she wore, and
the young man Prince Hæmon stood with his arms about her dead corpse,
embracing it. And when the King saw him, he cried to him to come forth;
but the Prince glared fiercely upon him and answered him not a word, but
drew his two-edged sword. Then the King, thinking that his son was
minded in his madness to slay him, leapt back, but the Prince drave the
sword into his own heart, and fell forward on the earth, still holding
the dead maiden in his arms. And when they brought the tidings of these
things to Queen Eurydice, that was the wife of King Creon and mother to
the Prince, she could not endure the grief, being thus bereaved of her
children, but laid hold of a sword, and slew herself therewith.

So the house of King Creon was left desolate unto him that day, because
he despised the ordinances of the Gods.




THE STORY OF IPHIGENIA IN AULIS.


King Agamemnon sat in his tent at Aulis, where the army of the Greeks
was gathered together, being about to sail against the great city of
Troy. And it was now past midnight; but the King slept not, for he was
careful and troubled about many things. And he had a lamp before him,