Theseus sent his own people away back, and he remained alone,
awaiting Creon and his people. And Creon said to him : " Lad,"
said he, " what madness and what folly impels thee to challenge
me to a combat with thee ? And dost thou see Tydeus, son of
Oeneus, son of the king of Calydon, fallen by us, and bright-
cheeked Hippomedon, and Capaneus, and Parthenopaeus, and all
the Greek nobles fallen by us ? " And when he had said that,
he delivered a cast at Theseiis, and struck the upper rim of his
shield. Theseus laughed contemptuous laughter at that, and
said : " Souls of the Greeks," said he, " open the awful doors of
hell, that Creon may be added to you there." And he hurled at
Creon the great Marathonian spear that was in his hand, so that
it struck a weak spot of his body through a gap of his armour,
and drove a thousand points through his skin. Creon falls by
the wound of that hero with no change or rising again for him.
