Antigone is the tragedy of a woman who is sentenced to death by her Uncle Creon for disobeying his edict that she must not give proper burial to her brother because Creon has condemned him as a traitor. This scene begins with Creon confronting Antigone about her disobeying him. And continues with her thoughts before she is led away to her death.

That order did not come from God. Justice,

That dwells with the gods below, knows no such law.

I did not think your edicts strong enough

To overrule the unwritten unalterable laws

Of God and heaven, you being only a man.

They are not of yesterday or today, but everlasting,

Though where they came from, none of us can tell.

Guilty of their transgression before God

I cannot be, for any man on earth.

I knew that I should have to die, of course,

With or without your order. If it be soon,

So much the better. Living in daily torment

As I do, who would not be glad to die?

This punishment will not be any pain.

Only if I had let my mother’s son

Lie there unburied, then I could not have borne it.

This I can bear.

There is nothing that you can say

That I should wish to hear, as nothing I say

Can weigh with you. I have given my brother burial.

What greater honour could I wish? All these

Would say that what I did was honourable,

But fear locks up their lips. To speak and act

Just as he likes is a king’s prerogative.

So to my grave,

My bridal-bower, my everlasting prison,

I go, to join those many of my kinsmen

Who dwell in the mansions of Persephone,

Last and unhappiest, before my time.

Yet I believe my father will be there

To welcome me, my mother greet me gladly,

And you, my brother, gladly see me come.

Each one of you my hands have laid to rest,

Pouring the due libations on your graves.

It was by this service to your dear body, Polynices,

I earned the punishment which now I suffer,

Though all good people know it was for your honour.

O but I would not have done the forbidden thing

For any husband or for any son.

For why? I could have had another husband

And by him other sons, if one were lost;

but, father and mother lost, where would I get

Another brother? For thus preferring you,

My brother, Creon condemns me and hales me away,

Never a bride, never a mother, unfriended,

Condemned alive to solitary death.