According to

Sophocles Sophocles (; grc, Σοφοκλῆς, , Sophoklễs; 497/6 – winter 406/5 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. is one of three ancient Greek tragedians, at least one of whose plays has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or co ...

' play ''

Antigone In Greek mythology, Antigone ( ; Ancient Greek: Ἀντιγόνη) is the daughter of Oedipus and either his mother Jocasta or, in another variation of the myth, Euryganeia. She is a sister of Polynices, Eteocles, and Ismene.Roman, L., & Roma ...

'', Haemon {{IPAc-en, ˈ, h, iː, m, ɒ, n or Haimon (

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

: Αἵμων, ''Haimon'' "bloody"; ''gen''.: Αἵμωνος) was the mythological son of

Creon Creon may refer to: Greek history * Creon, the first annual eponymous archon of Athens, 682–681 BC Greek mythology * Creon (king of Thebes), mythological king of Thebes * Creon (king of Corinth), father of Creusa/Glauce in Euripides' ''Medea' ...

and

Eurydice Eurydice (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυδίκη 'wide justice') was a character in Greek mythology and the Auloniad wife of Orpheus, who tried to bring her back from the dead with his enchanting music. Etymology Several meanings for the name ...

, and thus brother of

Menoeceus In Greek mythology, Menoeceus (; Ancient Greek: Μενοικεύς ''Menoikeús'' "strength of the house" derived from ''menos'' "strength" and ''oikos'' "house") was the name of two Theban characters. They are related by genealogy, the first being ...

(

Megareus In Greek mythology, Megareus (Ancient Greek: Μεγαρεύς) may refer to: * Megareus, king of Onchestus in Boeotia and father of Hippomenes. * Megareus, son of Eurydice of Thebes, and a defender of Thebes during the war of the Seven against Th ...

Lycomedes In Greek mythology, Lycomedes ( grc, Λυκομήδης), also known as Lycurgus, was the most prominent king of the Dolopians in the island of Scyros near Euboea during the Trojan War. Family Lycomedes was the father of seven daughters inclu ...

Megara Megara (; el, Μέγαρα, ) is a historic town and a municipality in West Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis Island, Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, befo ...

Pyrrha In Greek mythology, Pyrrha (; Ancient Greek: Πύρρα) was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora and wife of Deucalion of whom she had three sons, Hellen, Amphictyon, Orestheus; and three daughters Protogeneia, Pandora II and Thyia. Accordin ...

and

Henioche In Greek mythology, the name Henioche (; Ancient Greek: ''Ἡνιόχη,'' fem. of ''ἠνίοχος'' "charioteer") may refer to: *Henioche, surname of Hera in Lebadea. *Henioche or Eniocha, wife of King Creon of Thebes according to some auth ...

. Polynices attacked Thebes with his supporters in the war of the

Seven against Thebes The Seven against Thebes were seven champions in Greek mythology who made war on Thebes. They were chosen by Adrastus, the king of Argos, to be the captains of an Argive army whose purpose was to restore Oedipus' son Polynices to the Theban th ...

. Both brothers died in the battle. King Creon, Oedipus' brother-in-law and the sons' uncle, decreed that Polynices was not to be buried or mourned in any way.

Sentence of Creon

Creon decreed that Antigone was to be thrown into a cave with one day's worth of food, despite her engagement to his son, Haemon. The gods, through the blind prophet

Tiresias In Greek mythology, Tiresias (; grc, Τειρεσίας, Teiresías) was a blind prophet of Apollo in Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years. He was the son of the shepherd Everes and the nym ...

, expressed their disapproval of Creon's decision, which convinced him to rescind his order, and he went to bury Polynices. However, Antigone had already hanged herself on the way to her burial. When Creon arrived at the tomb where she was to be left, his son Haemon threatens him and tries to kill him, but ends up taking his own life. Creon's wife Eurydice, informed of Haemon's death, took her own life in grief.

Suicide

Haemon is betrothed to Antigone. He must choose between his father (whom he has always followed) and his lover Antigone. He chooses Antigone but cannot separate himself from either because of the strong ties of family and love. He commits suicide because of his helpless situation, which also leads his mother to commit suicide. These actions cause Creon's madness at the play's conclusion. Haemon's first entrance in ''Antigone'' is right after he has heard about Creon sentencing Antigone to death. He attempts to reason with Creon, citing the feelings of the people of Thebes, while subtly working in his own plea for Antigone's life. The conversation quickly escalates into a fight between the two, at the end of which Haemon declares he will take his own life.

Sentence of Creon

Suicide

See also