Again, where the people are absolute rulers of the land, they rejoice in having reserve of youthful citizens, while a king counts this a hostile element, and strives to slay the leading men, all such as he deems discreet, for he feareth for his power. How then can a city remain stable, where one cuts short all enterprise and mows down the young like meadow-flowers in spring-time? What boots it to acquire wealth and livelihood for children, merely to add to the tyrant's substance by one's toil? Why train up virgin daughters virtuously in our homes to gratify a tyrant's whim, whenso he will, and cause tears to those who rear them? May my life end if ever my children are to be wedded by violence! This bolt I launch in answer to thy words. Now say, why art thou come? what needest thou of this land? Had not thy city sent thee, to thy cost hadst thou come with thy outrageous utterances; for it is the herald's duty to tell the message he is bidden and hie him back in haste. Henceforth let Creon send to my city some other messenger less talkative than thee.

καὶ μὴν ὅπου γε δῆμος εὐθυντὴς χθονὸς ὑποῦσιν ἀστοῖς ἥδεται νεανίαις· ἀνὴρ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐχθρὸν ἡγεῖται τόδε͵ καὶ τοὺς ἀρίστους οὕς τ΄ ἂν ἡγῆται φρονεῖν κτείνει͵ δεδοικὼς τῆς τυραννίδος πέρι. πῶς οὖν ἔτ΄ ἂν γένοιτ΄ ἂν ἰσχυρὰ πόλις ὅταν τις ὡς λειμῶνος ἠρινοῦ στάχυν τομαῖς ἀφαιρῆι κἀπολωτίζηι νέους; κτᾶσθαι δὲ πλοῦτον καὶ βίον τί δεῖ τέκνοις ὡς τῶι τυράννωι πλείον΄ ἐκμοχθῆι βίον; ἢ παρθενεύειν παῖδας ἐν δόμοις καλῶς͵ τερπνὰς τυράννοις ἡδονὰς ὅταν θέληι͵ δάκρυα δ΄ ἑτοιμάζουσι; μὴ ζώιην ἔτι εἰ τἀμὰ τέκνα πρὸς βίαν νυμφεύσεται. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν δὴ πρὸς τὰ σ΄ ἐξηκόντισα. ἥκεις δὲ δὴ τί τῆσδε γῆς κεχρημένος; κλαίων γ΄ ἂν ἦλθες͵ εἴ σε μὴ ΄πεμψεν πόλις͵ περισσὰ φωνῶν· τὸν γὰρ ἄγγελον χρεὼν λέξανθ΄ ὅσ΄ ἂν τάξηι τις ὡς τάχος πάλιν χωρεῖν. τὸ λοιπὸν δ΄ εἰς ἐμὴν πόλιν Κρέων ἧσσον λάλον σου πεμπέτω τιν΄ ἄγγελον. 

Cf. AESCHYLUS : Nobody's slaves ||| THUCYDIDES : Democracy of the Best ||| ARISTOPHANES : Unjust discourse, Puppet politics ||| PLATO : Totalitarianism is ignorance, Tyranny and slavery ||| GENNADIUS SCHOLARIUS : Words are the fathers of all Good ||| MANUEL II PALAEOLOGUS : The virtue of a king ||| DIONYSIOS SOLOMOS : Free Besieged, Hymn to Liberty