Haemon

Family: Thebes · Role: son of Creon · First appears: Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 1

Haemon is the son of Creon and is betrothed to Antigone. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon declares that Antigone “will not live to be your wife on earth.” Haemon breaks from his father in anger, declaring, “Nor shalt thou ever see my face again,” and their relationship becomes one of enmity.

In the final scene, Haemon finds Antigone dead and kills himself by plunging his sword into his side. His death is followed by Eurydice’s suicide, and Creon accepts responsibility for both deaths. In Euripides’ The Phœnician Virgins, Haemon’s marriage to Antigone is treated as a confirmed vow: Eteocles tells her to attend to their marriage if he dies in battle, while Haemon’s marriage is said to preclude his being slain.

Relationship record

Life events

• Creon declares Antigone will not live to marry Haemon.(Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 3)
  • With: Creon Antigone
  • “She will not live to be your wife on earth.”
• Haemon breaks from Creon in anger and declares he will not see him again.(Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 3)
  • With: Creon
  • “Nor shalt thou ever see my face again Let those stay with you that can brook your rage!”
• Haemon kills himself after finding Antigone dead.(Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 5)
  • With: Antigone
  • “Wroth with himself, even where he stood, leant heavily Upon his sword and plunged it in his side.”
• Eurydice kills herself after hearing of Haemon's death and curses Creon.(Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 5)
  • With: Eurydice Megareus Creon
  • “Wounding herself to the heart, when she had heard The loud lamented death of Haemon here.”
• Creon accepts responsibility for the deaths of Haemon and Eurydice.(Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 5)
  • With: Creon Eurydice
  • “I slew thee--I, O misery! I say the truth, 'twas I!”
• Eteocles confirms the marriage vow between Antigone and Haemon if he dies in battle.(Euripides, The Phœnician Virgins — Scene 4)
  • With: Eteocles Antigone
  • “But it is thy duty to attend to the marriage of my sister Antigone and thy son Hæmon, if I fail aught of success; but the firm vow made before I now confirm at my going out.”

Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 1

• parent: Creon “HAEMON, Son of Creon, betrothed to Antigone.”
• engaged with Antigone “HAEMON, Son of Creon, betrothed to Antigone.”

Sophocles, Antigone — Scene 5

• parent: Eurydice (The corse is Haemon.) “The honoured mother of that corse, thy queen, / Is dead, and bleeding with a new-given wound.”
• engaged with Antigone (The unnamed maiden and bride is Antigone.) “And clinging to her on his knees the boy, / Lamenting o'er his ruined nuptial-rite, / Consummated in death, his father's crime / And his lost love. ... / Then lay in death upon the dead, at last / Joined to his bride in Hades' dismal hall:”
• enemies with Creon “By his own hand, impelled with violent wrath / At Creon for the murder of the maid.”

Euripides, The Phœnician Virgins — Scene 4

• parent: Creon “the marriage of my sister Antigone and thy son Hæmon”
• engaged with Antigone “the marriage of my sister Antigone and thy son Hæmon”

Euripides, The Phœnician Virgins — Scene 5

• engaged with Menoeceus “Hæmon's marriage however precludes his being slain, for he is not a youth, [for, although he has not approached her bed, he has yet contracted the marriage.]”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.