People of power such as kings are often forced to chose between family and law. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, King Creon has to make such a decision. He issues the edict to outlaw the burial of his traitor nephew, Poleneices. In reaction, his niece Antigone disobeys the law and burys her brother out of loyalty to her family. Creon is now faced with the decision to uphold the law or pardon his family. Despite Creon's right decision to uphold the law, his family perishes at their own hand. Creon's decision to punish Antigone is a right decision and is one that any good leader would make. He is not an evil man but one who is looking out for the state. While Creon is also looking for the respect of his countrymen, all those who disobey the law must pay the price.
             King Creon's major decision throughout this play is to punish Antigone for her misdoings. Creon's philosophy of government helps elaborate his reasons for his punishment of Antigone the most. Creon ". . . [has] nothing but contempt for the kind of Governor who is afraid, for whatsoever reason, to follow the course he knows best. . . ." (196). In other words law must be held over all, and also over what course a person chooses for his/her state. Since Antigone does not uphold the law, Creon knows that the best thing is to punish her. By not upholding the law against Antigone, Creon would be going against his precedents. To Creon "the man who sets private friendship above the public welfare. . . ." (197) is useless. If Antigone is excused and put over the public welfare Creon is made a hypocrite. Another factor is that "no Ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office" (196). Creon's test is whether or not to hold the law against Antigone. If he does not he is failing his test and would not be accepted by his State. This would lead to chaos amongst his people.
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