---
title: "Children of Heracles · Ἡρακλεῖδαι"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "Edward P. Coleridge"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/
cite: "Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge, Children of Heracles · Ἡρακλεῖδαι. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/"
---

# Children of Heracles · Ἡρακλεῖδαι

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

Heracles’ children, hunted by Eurystheus, take refuge in Athens.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg004, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg004.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–566](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/1.md)
2. [Lines 520–1055](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/2.md)

## 1. Lines 1–566

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/1/#p-N

[¶0] Scene.—Before the altar of Zeus at Marathon.
Iolaus:
I hold this true, and long have held: Nature hath made one man upright for his neighbours’ good, while another hath a disposition wholly given over to gain, useless alike to the state and difficult to have dealings with,
but for himself the best of men; and this I know, not from mere hearsay. I, for instance, from pure regard and reverence for my kith and kin, though I might have lived at peace in Argos, alone of all my race shared with Heracles his labours, while he was yet with us, and now that he dwells in heaven,
I keep these his children safe beneath my wing, though myself I need protection. For when their father passed from earth away, Eurystheus would first of all have slain us, but we escaped. And though our home is lost, our life was saved. But in exile we wander from city to city,
ever forced to roam. For, added to our former wrongs, Eurystheus thought it fit to put this further outrage upon us: wheresoe’er he heard that we were settling, thither would he send heralds
demanding our surrender and driving us from thence, holding out this threat, that Argos is no mean city to make a friend or foe, and furthermore pointing to his own prosperity. So they, seeing how weak my means, and these little ones left without a father,
bow to his superior might and drive us from their land. And I share the exile of these children, and help them bear their evil lot by my sympathy, loth to betray them, lest someone say, “Look you! now that the children’s sire is dead,”
“Iolaus no more protects them, kinsman though he is.” Not one corner left us in the whole of Hellas, we are come to Marathon and its neighbouring land, and here we sit as suppliants at the altars of the gods, and pray their aid; for ’tis said
two sons of Theseus dwell upon these plains, the lot of their inheritance, scions of Pandion’s stock, related to these children; this the reason we have come on this our way to the borders of glorious Athens. To lead the flight two aged guides are we;
my care is centred on these boys, while she, I mean Alcmena, clasps her son’s daughter in her arms, and bears her for safety within this shrine, for we shrink from letting tender maidens come anigh the crowd or stand as suppliants at the altar.
Now Hyllus and the elder of his brethren are seeking some place for us to find a refuge, if we are driven by force from this land.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
Πάλαι ποτʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτʼ ἐμοὶ δεδογμένον·
ὁ μὲν δίκαιος τοῖς πέλας πέφυκʼ ἀνήρ,
ὃ δʼ ἐς τὸ κέρδος λῆμʼ ἔχων ἀνειμένον
πόλει τʼ ἄχρηστος καὶ συναλλάσσειν βαρύς,
αὑτῷ δʼ ἄριστος· οἶδα δʼ οὐ λόγῳ μαθών.
ἐγὼ γὰρ αἰδοῖ καὶ τὸ συγγενὲς σέβων,
ἐξὸν κατʼ Ἄργος ἡσύχως ναίειν, πόνων
πλείστων μετέσχον εἷς ἀνὴρ Ἡρακλέει,
ὅτʼ ἦν μεθʼ ἡμῶν· νῦν δʼ, ἐπεὶ κατʼ οὐρανὸν
ναίει, τὰ κείνου τέκνʼ ἔχων ὑπὸ πτεροῖς
σῴζω τάδʼ αὐτὸς δεόμενος σωτηρίας.
ἐπεὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν γῆς ἀπηλλάχθη πατήρ,
πρῶτον μὲν ἡμᾶς ἤθελʼ Εὐρυσθεὺς κτανεῖν·
ἀλλʼ ἐξέδραμεν· καὶ πόλις μὲν οἴχεται,
ψυχὴ δʼ ἐσώθη. φεύγομεν δʼ ἀλώμενοι
ἄλλην ἀπʼ ἄλλης ἐξορίζοντες πόλιν.
πρὸς τοῖς γὰρ ἄλλοις καὶ τόδʼ Εὐρυσθεὺς κακοῖς
ὕβρισμʼ ἐς ἡμᾶς ἠξίωσεν ὑβρίσαι·
πέμπων ὅπου γῆς πυνθάνοιθʼ ἱδρυμένους
κήρυκας ἐξαιτεῖ τε κἀξείργει χθονός,
πόλιν προτείνων Ἄργος οὐ σμικρὸν φίλην
ἐχθράν τε θέσθαι, χαὑτὸν εὐτυχοῦνθʼ ἅμα.
οἳ δʼ ἀσθενῆ μὲν τἀπ’ ἐμοῦ δεδορκότες,
σμικροὺς δὲ τούσδε καὶ πατρὸς τητωμένους,
τοὺς κρείσσονας σέβοντες ἐξείργουσι γῆς.
ἐγὼ δὲ σὺν φεύγουσι συμφεύγω τέκνοις
καὶ σὺν κακῶς πράσσουσι συμπράσσω κακῶς,
ὀκνῶν προδοῦναι, μή τις ὧδ’ εἴπῃ βροτῶν·
Ἴδεσθ’, ἐπειδὴ παισὶν οὐκ ἔστιν πατήρ,
Ἰόλαος οὐκ ἤμυνε συγγενὴς γεγώς.
πάσης δὲ χώρας Ἑλλάδος τητώμενοι,
Μαραθῶνα καὶ σύγκληρον ἐλθόντες χθόνα
ἱκέται καθεζόμεσθα βώμιοι θεῶν,
προσωφελῆσαι· πεδία γὰρ τῆσδε χθονὸς
δισσοὺς κατοικεῖν Θησέως παῖδας λόγος,
κλήρῳ λαχόντας ἐκ γένους Πανδίονος,
τοῖσδʼ ἐγγὺς ὄντας· ὧν ἕκατι τέρμονας
κλεινῶν Ἀθηνῶν τόνδʼ ἀφικόμεσθʼ ὅρον.
δυοῖν γερόντοιν δὲ στρατηγεῖται φυγή·
ἐγὼ μὲν ἀμφὶ τοῖσδε καλχαίνων τέκνοις,
ἣ δʼ αὖ τὸ θῆλυ παιδὸς Ἀλκμήνη γένος
ἔσωθε ναοῦ τοῦδʼ ὑπηγκαλισμένη
σῴζει· νέας γὰρ παρθένους αἰδούμεθα
ὄχλῳ πελάζειν κἀπιβωμιοστατεῖν.
Ὕλλος δʼ ἀδελφοί θʼ οἷσι πρεσβεύει γένος
ζητοῦσʼ ὅπου γῆς πύργον οἰκιούμεθα,
ἢν τῆσδʼ ἀπωθώμεσθα πρὸς βίαν χθονός.

[¶1] O children, children, come hither! hold unto my robe; for lo! I see a herald coming towards us from Eurystheus,
by whom we are persecuted, wanderers excluded from every land. A curse on thee and him that sent thee, hateful wretch! for that same tongue of thine hath oft announced its master’s evil hests to these children’s noble sire as well.
Copreus:
Doubtless thy folly lets thee think this is a good position to have taken up, and that thou art come to a city that will help thee. No! there is none that will prefer thy feeble arm to the might of Eurystheus. Begone! why take this trouble? Thou must arise and go
to Argos, where awaits thee death by stoning.

> Greek: ὦ τέκνα τέκνα, δεῦρο, λαμβάνεσθʼ ἐμῶν
πέπλων· ὁρῶ κήρυκα τόνδʼ Εὐρυσθέως
στείχοντʼ ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, οὗ διωκόμεσθʼ ὕπο
πάσης ἀλῆται γῆς ἀπεστερημένοι.
ὦ μῖσος, εἴθʼ ὄλοιο χὡ πέμψας ⟨σ’⟩ ἀνήρ·
ὡς πολλὰ δὴ καὶ τῶνδε γενναίῳ πατρὶ
ἐκ τοῦδε ταὐτοῦ στόματος ἤγγειλας κακά.
Κῆρυξ:
ἦ που καθῆσθαι τήνδʼ ἕδραν καλὴν δοκεῖς
πόλιν τʼ ἀφῖχθαι σύμμαχον, κακῶς φρονῶν·
οὐ γάρ τις ἔστιν ὃς πάροιθʼ αἱρήσεται
τὴν σὴν ἀχρεῖον δύναμιν ἀντʼ Εὐρυσθέως.
χώρει· τί μοχθεῖς ταῦτʼ; ἀνίστασθαί σε χρὴ
ἐς Ἄργος, οὗ σε λεύσιμος μένει δίκη.

[¶2] Iolaus:
Not so, for the god’s altar will protect me, and this land of freedom, wherein we have set foot.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί μοι βωμὸς ἀρκέσει θεοῦ,
ἐλευθέρα τε γαῖʼ ἐν ᾗ βεβήκαμεν.

[¶3] Copreus:
Wilt give me the trouble of laying hands on thee?

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
βούλῃ πόνον μοι τῇδε προσθεῖναι χερί;

[¶4] Iolaus:
By force at least shalt thou never drag these children hence.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὔτοι βίᾳ γέ μʼ οὐδὲ τούσδʼ ἄξεις λαβών.

[¶5] Copreus:
That shalt thou soon learn; it seems thou wert a poor prophet, after all, in this. [Copreus here seizes the children.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
γνώσῃ σύ· μάντις δʼ ἦσθʼ ἄρʼ οὐ καλὸς τάδε.

[¶6] Iolaus:
This shall never happen while I live.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο τοῦτʼ ἐμοῦ ζῶντός ποτε.

[¶7] Copreus:
Begone! for I will take them hence, for all thy refusals, for I hold that they belong to Eurystheus, as they do indeed.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
ἄπαιρʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ τούσδε, κἂν σὺ μὴ θέλῃς,
ἄξω νομίζων, οὗπέρ εἰσʼ, Εὐρυσθέως.

[¶8] Iolaus:
Help, ye who long nave had your home in Athens!
we suppliants at Zeus’ altar in your market-place are being haled by force away, our sacred wreaths defiled, shame to your city, to the gods dishonour.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὦ τὰς Ἀθήνας δαρὸν οἰκοῦντες χρόνον,
ἀμύνεθʼ· ἱκέται δʼ ὄντες ἀγοραίου Διὸς
βιαζόμεσθα καὶ στέφη μιαίνεται —
πόλει τʼ ὄνειδος καὶ θεῶν ἀτιμία.

[¶9] Chorus:
Hark, hark! What cry is this that rises near the altar? At once explain the nature of the trouble.
Iolaus:
See this aged frame hurled in its feebleness upon the ground! Woe is me!

> Greek: Χορός:
— ἔα ἔα· τίς ἡ βοὴ βωμοῦ πέλας
ἕστηκε; ποίαν συμφορὰν δείξει τάχα;

[¶10] Chorus:
Who threw thee down thus pitiably?

> Greek: Χορός:
— ἴδετε τὸν γέροντʼ ἀμαλὸν ἐπὶ πέδῳ
χύμενον· ὦ τάλας.
…
— πρὸς τοῦ ποτʼ ἐν γῇ πτῶμα δύστηνον πίτνεις;

[¶11] Iolaus:
Behold the man who flouts your gods, kind sirs, and tries by force to drag me from my seat before the altar of Zeus.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὅδʼ, ὦ ξένοι, με σοὺς ἀτιμάζων θεοὺς
ἕλκει βιαίως Ζηνὸς ἐκ προβωμίων.

[¶12] Chorus:
From what land, old stranger, art thou come to this confederate state of four cities? or have ye left Euboea’s cliffs, and, with the oar that sweeps the sea, put in here from across the firth?

> Greek: Χορός:
σὺ δʼ ἐκ τίνος γῆς, ὦ γέρον, τετράπτολιν
ξύνοικον ἦλθες λαόν; ἢ πέρα-
θεν ἁλίῳ πλάτᾳ
κατέχετʼ ἐκλιπόντες Εὐβοῖδʼ ἀκτάν;

[¶13] Iolaus:
Sirs, no island life I lead,
but from Mycenae to thy land I come.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐ νησιώτην, ὦ ξένοι, τρίβω βίον,
ἀλλʼ ἐκ Μυκηνῶν σὴν ἀφίγμεθα χθόνα.

[¶14] Chorus:
What do they call thee, aged sir, those folk in Mycenae?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὄνομα τί σε, γέρον,
Μυκηναῖος ὠνόμαζεν λεώς;

[¶15] Iolaus:
Maybe ye have heard of Iolaus, the comrade of Heracles, for he was not unknown to fame.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
τὸν Ἡράκλειον ἴστε που παραστάτην
Ἰόλαον· οὐ γὰρ σῶμʼ ἀκήρυκτον τόδε.

[¶16] Chorus:
Yea, I have heard of him in bygone days; but tell me, whose are the tender boys thou bearest in thine arms?

> Greek: Χορός:
οἶδʼ εἰσακούσας καὶ πρίν· ἀλλὰ τοῦ ποτὲ
ἐν χερὶ σᾷ κομίζεις κόρους
νεοτρεφεῖς; φράσον.

[¶17] Iolaus:
These, sirs, are the sons of Heracles, come as suppliants to you and your city.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
Ἡρακλέους οἵδʼ εἰσὶ παῖδες, ὦ ξένοι,
ἱκέται σέθεν τε καὶ πόλεως ἀφιγμένοι.

[¶18] Chorus:
What is their quest? Are they anxious, tell me, to obtain an audience of the state?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί χρέος; ἢ λόγων πόλεος, ἔνεπέ μοι,
μελόμενοι τυχεῖν;

[¶19] Iolaus:
That so they may escape surrender, nor be tom with violence from thy altars, and brought to Argos.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
μήτʼ ἐκδοθῆναι μήτε πρὸς βίαν θεῶν
τῶν σῶν ἀποσπασθέντες εἰς Ἄργος μολεῖν.

[¶20] Copreus:
Nay, this will nowise satisfy thy masters,
who o’er thee have a right, and so have tracked thee hither.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
ἀλλʼ οὔτι τοῖς σοῖς δεσπόταις τάδʼ ἀρκέσει,
οἳ σοῦ κρατοῦντες ἐνθάδʼ εὑρίσκουσί σε.

[¶21] Chorus:
Stranger,’tis but right we should reverence the gods’ suppliants, suffering none with violent hand to make them leave the altars, for that will dread Justice ne’er permit.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰκὸς θεῶν ἱκτῆρας αἰδεῖσθαι, ξένε,
καὶ μὴ βιαίῳ χερὶ δαιμόνων
ἀπολείπειν [σʼ] ἕδη·
πότνια γὰρ Δίκα τάδʼ οὐ πείσεται.

[¶22] Copreus:
Do thou then drive these subjects of Eurystheus forth, and this hand of mine shall abstain from violence.
Chorus:’Twere impious for the state to neglect the suppliant stranger’s prayer.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
ἔκπεμπέ νυν γῆς τούσδε τοὺς Εὐρυσθέως,
κοὐδὲν βιαίῳ τῇδε χρήσομαι χερί.
Χορός:
ἄθεον ἱκεσίαν
μεθεῖναι πόλει ξένων προστροπάν.

[¶23] Copreus:
Yet ’tis well to keep clear of troubles,
by adopting that counsel, which is the wiser.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
καλὸν δέ γʼ ἔξω πραγμάτων ἔχειν πόδα,
εὐβουλίας τυχόντα τῆς ἀμείνονος.
…

[¶24] Chorus:
Thou then, shouldst have told the monarch of this land thy errand before being so bold, out of regard to his country’s freedom, instead of trying to drag strangers by force from the altars of the gods.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκοῦν τυράννῳ τῆσδε γῆς φράσαντά σε
χρῆν ταῦτα τολμᾶν, ἀλλὰ μὴ βίᾳ ξένους
θεῶν ἀφέλκειν, γῆν σέβοντʼ ἐλευθέραν.

[¶25] Copreus:
Who is monarch of this land and state?

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
τίς δʼ ἐστὶ χώρας τῆσδε καὶ πόλεως ἄναξ;

[¶26] Chorus:
Demophon, son of gallant Theseus.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐσθλοῦ πατρὸς παῖς Δημοφῶν ὁ Θησέως.

[¶27] Copreus:
Surely it were most to the purpose to discuss this matter somewhat with him; all else has been said in vain.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
πρὸς τοῦτον ἁγὼν ἆρα τοῦδε τοῦ λόγου
μάλιστʼ ἂν εἴη· τἄλλα δʼ εἴρηται μάτην.

[¶28] Chorus:
Lo! here he comes in person, in hot haste, and Acamas his brother, to hear what thou hast to say.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ αὐτὸς ἔρχεται σπουδὴν ἔχων
Ἀκάμας τʼ ἀδελφός, τῶνδʼ ἐπήκοοι λόγων.

[¶29] Demophon:
Since thou for all thy years hast outstripped younger men in coming to the rescue to this altar of Zeus, do thou tell me what hath chanced to bring this crowd together.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
ἐπείπερ ἔφθης πρέσβυς ὢν νεωτέρους
βοηδρομήσας τήνδʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχάραν Διός,
λέξον, τίς ὄχλον τόνδʼ ἀθροίζεται τύχη;

[¶30] Chorus:
There sit the sons of Heracles as suppliants, having wreathed the altar, as thou seest, O king,
and with them is Iolaus, trusty comrade of their sire.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἱκέται κάθηνται παῖδες οἵδʼ Ἡρακλέους
βωμὸν καταστέψαντες, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἄναξ,
πατρός τε πιστὸς Ἰόλεως παραστάτης.

[¶31] Demophon:
Why should this event have called for cries of pain?

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
τί δῆτʼ ἰυγμῶν ἥδʼ ἐδεῖτο συμφορά;

[¶32] Chorus:
(turning to Copreus). This fellow caused the uproar by trying to drag them forcibly from this altar, and he tripped up the old man, till my tears for pity flowed.

> Greek: Χορός:
βίᾳ νιν οὗτος τῆσδʼ ἀπʼ ἐσχάρας ἄγειν
ζητῶν βοὴν ἔστησε κἄσφηλεν γόνυ
γέροντος, ὥστε μʼ ἐκβαλεῖν οἴκτῳ δάκρυ.

[¶33] Demophon:
Hellenic dress and fashion in his robes doth he no doubt adopt, but deeds like these betray the barbarian. Thou, sirrah, tell me straight the country whence thou earnest thither.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
καὶ μὴν στολήν γʼ Ἕλληνα καὶ ῥυθμὸν πέπλων
ἔχει, τὰ δʼ ἔργα βαρβάρου χερὸς τάδε.
σὸν δὴ τὸ φράζειν ἐστί, μὴ μέλλειν τ’, ἐμοὶ
ποίας ἀφῖξαι δεῦρο γῆς ὅρους λιπών;

[¶34] Copreus:
An Argive I; since that thou seek’st to know.
Who sent me, and the object of my coming, will I freely tell. Eurystheus, king of Mycenae, sends me hither to fetch these back; and I have come, sir stranger, with just grounds in plenty, alike for speech or action. An Argive myself, Argives I come to fetch,
taking with me these runaways from my native city, on whom the doom of death was passed by our laws there; and we have a right, since we rule our city independently, to ratify its sentences. And though they have come as suppliants to the altars of numerous others,
we have taken our stand on these same arguments, and no one has ventured to bring upon himself evils of his own getting. But they have come hither, either because they perceived some folly in thee, or, in their perplexity, staking all on one risky throw to win or lose;
for surely they do not suppose that thou, if so thou hast thy senses still, and only thou, in all the breadth of Hellas they have traversed, wilt pity their foolish troubles. Come now, put argument against argument: what will be thy gain, suppose thou admit them to thy land, or let us take them hence?
From us these benefits are thine to win: this city can secure as friends Argos, with its far-reaching arm, and Eurystheus’ might complete; whilst if thou lend an ear to their piteous pleading and grow soft, the matter
must result in trial of arms; for be sure we shall not yield this struggle without appealing to the sword. What pretext wilt thou urge? Of what domains art thou robbed that thou shouldst take and wage war with the Tirynthian Argives? What kind of allies art thou aiding? For whom
will they have fallen whom thou buriest? Surely thou wilt get an evil name from the citizens, if for the sake of an old man with one foot in the grave, a mere shadow I may say, and for these children, thou wilt plunge into troublous waters. The best thou canst say is, that thou wilt find in them a hope, and nothing more;
and yet this falls far short of the present need; for these would be but a poor match for Argives even when fully armed and in their prime, if haply that raises thy spirits; moreover, the time ’twixt now and then is long, wherein ye may be blotted out. Nay, hearken to me;
give me naught, but let me take mine own, and so gain Mycenae; but forbear to act now, as is your Athenian way, and take the weaker side, when it is in thy power to choose the stronger as thy friends.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
Ἀργεῖός εἰμι· τοῦτο γὰρ θέλεις μαθεῖν·
ἐφʼ οἷσι δʼ ἥκω καὶ παρʼ οὗ λέγειν θέλω.
πέμπει Μυκηνῶν δεῦρό μʼ Εὐρυσθεὺς ἄναξ
ἄξοντα τούσδε· πολλὰ δʼ ἦλθον, ὦ ξένε,
δίκαιʼ ὁμαρτῇ δρᾶν τε καὶ λέγειν ἔχων.
Ἀργεῖος ὢν γὰρ αὐτὸς Ἀργείους ἄγω
ἐκ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ τούσδε δραπέτας ἔχων,
νόμοισι τοῖς ἐκεῖθεν ἐψηφισμένους
θανεῖν· δίκαιοι δʼ ἐσμὲν οἰκοῦντες πόλιν
αὐτοὶ καθʼ αὑτῶν κυρίους κραίνειν δίκας.
πολλῶν δὲ κἄλλων ἑστίας ἀφιγμένοι
ἐν τοῖσιν αὐτοῖς τοισίδʼ ἕσταμεν λόγοις,
κοὐδεὶς ἐτόλμησʼ ἴδια προσθέσθαι κακά.
ἀλλʼ ἤ τινʼ ἐς σὲ μωρίαν ἐσκεμμένοι
δεῦρʼ ἦλθον ἢ κίνδυνον ἐξ ἀμηχάνων
ῥίπτοντες, εἴτʼ οὖν εἴτε μὴ γενήσεται·
οὐ γὰρ φρενήρη γʼ ὄντα σʼ ἐλπίζουσί που
μόνον τοσαύτης ἣν ἐπῆλθον Ἑλλάδος
τὰς τῶνδʼ ἀβούλους συμφορὰς κατοικτιεῖν.
φέρʼ ἀντίθες γάρ· τούσδε τʼ ἐς γαῖαν παρεὶς
ἡμᾶς τʼ ἐάσας ἐξάγειν, τί κερδανεῖς;
τὰ μὲν παρʼ ἡμῶν τοιάδʼ ἔστι σοι λαβεῖν,
Ἄργους τοσήνδε χεῖρα τήν τʼ Εὐρυσθέως
ἰσχὺν ἅπασαν τῇδε προσθέσθαι πόλει.
ἢν δʼ ἐς λόγους τε καὶ τὰ τῶνδʼ οἰκτίσματα
βλέψας πεπανθῇς, ἐς πάλην καθίσταται
δορὸς τὸ πρᾶγμα· μὴ γὰρ ὡς μεθήσομεν
δόξῃς ἀγῶνα τόνδʼ ἄτερ χαλυβδικοῦ.
τί δῆτα φήσεις, ποῖα πεδίʼ ἀφαιρεθείς,
τί ῥυσιασθείς, πόλεμον Ἀργείοις ἔχειν;
ποίοις δʼ ἀμύνων συμμάχοις, τίνος δʼ ὕπερ
θάψεις νεκροὺς πεσόντας; ἦ κακὸν λόγον
κτήσῃ πρὸς ἀστῶν, εἰ γέροντος οὕνεκα,
τύμβου, τὸ μηδὲν ὄντος, ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος,
παίδων ⟨τε⟩ τῶνδʼ, ἐς ἄντλον ἐμβήσῃ πόδα.
ἐρεῖς τὸ λῷστον ἐλπίδʼ εὑρήσειν μόνον.
καὶ τοῦτο πολλῷ τοῦ παρόντος ἐνδεές·
κακῶς γὰρ Ἀργείοισιν οἵδ’ ὡπλισμένοις
μάχοιντʼ ἂν ἡβήσαντες, εἴ ⟨τι⟩ τοῦτό σε
ψυχὴν ἐπαίρει· χοὑν μέσῳ πολὺς χρόνος
ἐν ᾧ διεργασθεῖτʼ ἄν. ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πιθοῦ·
δοὺς μηδέν, ἀλλὰ τἄμ’ ἐῶν ἄγειν ἐμὲ
κτῆσαι Μυκήνας, μηδʼ ὅπερ φιλεῖτε δρᾶν
πάθῃς σὺ τοῦτο, τοὺς ἀμείνονας παρὸν
φίλους ἑλέσθαι, τοὺς κακίονας λάβῃς.

[¶35] Chorus:
Who can decide a cause or ascertain its merits,
till from both sides he clearly learn what they would say?

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς ἂν δίκην κρίνειεν ἢ γνοίη λόγον,
πρὶν ἂν παρʼ ἀμφοῖν μῦθον ἐκμάθῃ σαφῶς;

[¶36] Iolaus:
O king, in thy land I start with this advantage, the right to hear and speak in turn, and none, ere that, will drive me hence as elsewhere they would.’Twixt us and him is naught in common,
for we no longer have aught to do with Argos since that decree was passed, but we are exiles from our native land; how then can he justly drag us back as subjects of Mycenae, seeing that they have banished us? For we are strangers.
Or do ye claim that every exile from Argos is exiled from the bounds of Hellas? Not from Athens surely; for ne’er will she for fear of Argos drive the children of Heracles from her land. Here is no Trachis, not at all; no! nor that Achaean town, whence thou, defying justice,
but boasting of the might of Argos in the very words thou now art using, didst drive the suppliants from their station at the altar. If this shall be, and they thy words approve, why then I trow this is no more Athens, the home of freedom. Nay, but I know the temper and nature of these citizens;
they would rather die, for honour ranks before mere life with men of worth. Enough of Athens! for excessive praise is apt to breed disgust; and oft ere now I have myself felt vexed at praise that knows no bounds.
But to thee, as ruler of this land, I fain would show the reason why thou art bound to save these children. Pittheus was the son of Pelops; from him sprung Aethra, and from her Theseus thy sire was born. And now will I trace back these children’s lineage for thee.
Heracles was son of Zeus and Alcmena; Alcmena sprang from Pelops’ daughter; therefore thy father and their father would be the sons of first cousins. Thus then art thou to them related, O Demophon, but thy just debt to them beyond the ties of kinship
do I now declare to thee; for I assert, in days gone by, I was with Theseus on the ship, as their father’s squire, when they went to fetch that girdle fraught with death; yea, and from Hades’ murky dungeons did Heracles bring thy father up; as all Hellas doth attest.
Wherefore in return they crave this boon of thee, that they be not surrendered up nor torn by force from the altars of thy gods and cast forth from the land. For this were shame on thee, and hurtful likewise in thy state, should suppliants, exiles,
kith and kin of thine, be haled away by force. For pity’s sake! cast one glance at them. I do entreat thee, laying my suppliant bough upon thee, by thy hands and beard, slight not the sons of Heracles, now that thou hast them in thy power to help. Show thyself their kinsman and their friend;
be to them father, brother, lord; for better each and all of these than to fall beneath the Argives’ hand.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἄναξ — ὑπάρχει μὲν τόδʼ ἐν τῇ σῇ χθονί —
εἰπεῖν ἀκοῦσαί τʼ ἐν μέρει πάρεστί μοι,
κοὐδείς μʼ ἀπώσει πρόσθεν, ὥσπερ ἄλλοθεν.
ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ τῷδʼ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐν μέρει·
ἐπεὶ γὰρ Ἄργους οὐ μέτεσθʼ ἡμῖν ἔτι,
ψήφῳ δοκῆσαν, ἀλλὰ φεύγομεν πάτραν,
πῶς ἂν δικαίως ὡς Μυκηναίους ἄγοι
ὧδʼ ὄντας ἡμᾶς, οὓς ἀπήλασαν χθονός;
ξένοι γάρ ἐσμεν. ἢ τὸν Ἑλλήνων ὅρον
φεύγειν δικαιοῦθʼ ὅστις ἂν τἄργος φύγῃ;
οὔκουν Ἀθήνας γʼ· οὐ γὰρ Ἀργείων φόβῳ
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους παῖδας ἐξελῶσι γῆς.
οὐ γάρ τι Τραχίς ἐστιν οὐδʼ Ἀχαιικὸν
πόλισμʼ, ὅθεν σὺ τούσδε, τῇ δίκῃ μὲν οὔ,
τὸ δʼ Ἄργος ὀγκῶν, οἷάπερ καὶ νῦν λέγεις,
ἤλαυνες ἱκέτας βωμίους καθημένους.
εἰ γὰρ τόδʼ ἔσται καὶ λόγους κρινοῦσι σούς,
οὐκ οἶδʼ Ἀθήνας τάσδʼ ἐλευθέρας ἔτι.
ἀλλʼ οἶδʼ ἐγὼ τὸ τῶνδε λῆμα καὶ φύσιν·
θνῄσκειν θελήσουσʼ· ἡ γὰρ αἰσχύνη ⟨πάρος⟩
τοῦ ζῆν παρʼ ἐσθλοῖς ἀνδράσιν νομίζεται.
πόλιν μὲν ἀρκεῖ· καὶ γὰρ οὖν ἐπίφθονον
λίαν ἐπαινεῖν ἐστι, πολλάκις δὲ δὴ
καὐτὸς βαρυνθεὶς οἶδʼ ἄγαν αἰνούμενος.
σοὶ δʼ ὡς ἀνάγκη τούσδε βούλομαι φράσαι
σῴζειν, ἐπείπερ τῆσδε προστατεῖς χθονός.
Πιτθεὺς μέν ἐστι Πέλοπος, ἐκ δὲ Πιτθέως
Αἴθρα, πατὴρ δʼ ἐκ τῆσδε γεννᾶται σέθεν
Θησεύς. πάλιν δὲ τῶνδʼ ἄνειμί σοι γένος.
Ἡρακλέης ἦν Ζηνὸς Ἀλκμήνης τε παῖς,
κείνη δὲ Πέλοπος θυγατρός. αὐτανεψίων
πατὴρ ἂν εἴη σός τε χὡ τούτων γεγώς.
γένους μὲν ἥκεις ὧδε τοῖσδε, Δημοφῶν·
ἃ δʼ ἐκτὸς ἤδη τοῦ προσήκοντός σε δεῖ
τεῖσαι λέγω σοι παισί· φημὶ γάρ ποτε
σύμπλους γενέσθαι τῶνδʼ ὑπασπίζων πατρὶ
ζωστῆρα Θησεῖ τὸν πολυκτόνον μέτα·
Ἅιδου τʼ ἐρυμνῶν ἐξανήγαγεν μυχῶν
πατέρα σόν· Ἑλλὰς πᾶσα τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ.
ὧν ἀντιδοῦναί σʼ οἵδʼ ἀπαιτοῦσιν χάριν,
μήτʼ ἐκδοθῆναι μήτε πρὸς βίαν θεῶν
τῶν σῶν ἀποσπασθέντες ἐκπεσεῖν χθονός.
σοὶ γὰρ τόδʼ αἰσχρὸν χωρίς, ἔν τε πόλει κακόν,
ἱκέτας ἀλήτας συγγενεῖς, οἴμοι, κακῶς —
βλέψον πρὸς αὐτοὺς βλέψον· — ἕλκεσθαι βίᾳ.
ἀλλʼ ἄντομαί σε καὶ καταστέφω χεροῖν,
καὶ … πρὸς γενείου, μηδαμῶς ἀτιμάσῃς
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους παῖδας ἐς χέρας λαβών·
γενοῦ δὲ τοῖσδε συγγενής, γενοῦ φίλος
πατὴρ ἀδελφὸς δεσπότης· ἅπαντα γὰρ
ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ κρείσσω πλὴν ὑπʼ Ἀργείοις πεσεῖν.

[¶37] Chorus:
O king, I pity them, hearing their sad lot Now more than ever do I see noble birth o’ercome by fortune; for these, though sprung from a noble sire,
are suffering what they ne’er deserved.

> Greek: Χορός:
ᾤκτιρʼ ἀκούσας τούσδε συμφορᾶς, ἄναξ.
τὴν δʼ εὐγένειαν τῆς τύχης νικωμένην
νῦν δὴ μάλιστʼ ἐσεῖδον· οἵδε γὰρ πατρὸς
ἐσθλοῦ γεγῶτες δυστυχοῦσʼ ἀναξίως.

[¶38] Demophon:
Three aspects of the case constrain me, Iolaus, not to spurn the guests thou bringest; first and foremost, there is Zeus, at whose altar thou art seated with these tender children gathered round thee;
next come ties of kin, and the debt I owe to treat them kindly for their father’s sake; and last, mine honour, which before all I must regard; for if I permit this altar to be violently despoiled by stranger hands, men will think
the land I inhabit is free no more, and that through fear I have surrendered suppliants to Argives, and this comes nigh to make one hang oneself. Would that thou hadst come under a luckier star! yet, as it is, fear not that any man shall tear thee and these children from the altar by force.
Get thee (to Copreus) to Argos and tell Eurystheus so; yea and more, if he have any charge against these strangers, he shall have justice; but never shalt thou drag them hence.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
τρισσαί μʼ ἀναγκάζουσι συμφορᾶς ὁδοί,
Ἰόλαε, τοὺς σοὺς μὴ παρώσασθαι ξένους·
τὸ μὲν μέγιστον Ζεὺς ἐφʼ οὗ σὺ βώμιος
θακεῖς νεοσσῶν τήνδʼ ἔχων πανήγυριν·
τὸ συγγενές τε καὶ τὸ προυφείλειν καλῶς
πράσσειν παρʼ ἡμῶν τούσδε πατρῴαν χάριν·
τό τʼ αἰσχρόν, οὗπερ δεῖ μάλιστα φροντίσαι·
εἰ γὰρ παρήσω τόνδε συλᾶσθαι βίᾳ
ξένου πρὸς ἀνδρὸς βωμόν, οὐκ ἐλευθέραν
οἰκεῖν δοκήσω γαῖαν, Ἀργείων δʼ ὄκνῳ
ἱκέτας προδοῦναι· καὶ τάδʼ ἀγχόνης πέλας.
ἀλλʼ ὤφελες μὲν εὐτυχέστερος μολεῖν,
ὅμως δὲ καὶ νῦν μὴ τρέσῃς ὅπως σέ τις
σὺν παισὶ βωμοῦ τοῦδʼ ἀποσπάσει βίᾳ.
σὺ δʼ Ἄργος ἐλθὼν ταῦτά τʼ Εὐρυσθεῖ φράσον,
πρὸς τοῖσδέ τʼ, εἴ τι τοισίδʼ ἐγκαλεῖ ξένοις,
δίκης κυρήσειν· τούσδε δʼ οὐκ ἄξεις ποτέ.

[¶39] Copreus:
Not even if I have right upon my side and prove my case?

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
οὐκ ἢν δίκαιον ᾖ τι καὶ νικῶ λόγῳ;

[¶40] Demophon:
How can it be right to drag the suppliant away by force?

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
καὶ πῶς δίκαιον τὸν ἱκέτην ἄγειν βίᾳ;

[¶41] Copreus:
Well, mine is the disgrace; no harm will come to thee.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
οὐκ οὖν ἐμοὶ τόδʼ αἰσχρόν, ἀλλʼ ⟨οὐ⟩ σοὶ βλάβος;

[¶42] Demophon:
Tis harm to me, if I let them be haled away by thee.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
ἐμοί γʼ, ἐάν σοι τούσδʼ ἐφέλκεσθαι μεθῶ.

[¶43] Copreus:
Banish them thyself, and then will I take them from elsewhere.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
σὺ δʼ ἐξόριζε, κᾆτʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἄξομεν.

[¶44] Demophon:
Nature made thee a fool, to think thou knowest better than the god.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
σκαιὸς πέφυκας τοῦ θεοῦ πλείω φρονῶν.

[¶45] Copreus:
It seems then evildoers are to find a refuge here.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
δεῦρʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, τοῖς κακοῖσι φευκτέον.

[¶46] Demophon:
A temple of the gods is an asylum open to the world.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
ἅπασι κοινὸν ῥῦμα δαιμόνων ἕδρα.

[¶47] Copreus:
Maybe they will not take this view in Mycensa.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
ταῦτʼ οὐ δοκήσει τοῖς Μυκηναίοις ἴσως.

[¶48] Demophon:
What! am I not lord of this domain?

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
οὐκ οὖν ἐγὼ τῶν ἐνθάδʼ εἰμὶ κύριος;

[¶49] Copreus:
So long as thou injure not the Argives, and if wise, thou wilt not.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
βλάπτων ⟨γʼ⟩ ἐκείνους μηδέν, ἢν σὺ σωφρονῇς.

[¶50] Demophon:
Be injured for all I care, provided I sin not against the gods.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
βλάπτεσθʼ, ἐμοῦ γε μὴ μιαίνοντος θεούς.

[¶51] Copreus:
I would not have thee come to blows with Argos.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
οὐ βούλομαί σε πόλεμον Ἀργείοις ἔχειν.

[¶52] Demophon:
I am of like mind in this; but I will not dismiss these from my protection.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
κἀγὼ τοιοῦτος· τῶνδε δʼ οὐ μεθήσομαι.

[¶53] Copreus:
For all that, I shall take and drag my own away.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
ἄξω γε μέντοι τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐγὼ λαβών.

[¶54] Demophon:
Why then perhaps thou wilt find a difficulty in returning to Argos.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
οὐκ ἆρ’ ἐς Ἄργος ῥᾳδίως ἄπει πάλιν.

[¶55] Copreus:
That shall I soon find out by making the attempt.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
πειρώμενος δὴ τοῦτό γʼ αὐτίκʼ εἴσομαι.

[¶56] Demophon:
Touch them and thou shalt rue it, and that without delay.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
κλαίων ἄρʼ ἅψῃ τῶνδε κοὐκ ἐς ἀμβολάς.

[¶57] Chorus:
I conjure thee, never dare to strike a herald.

> Greek: Χορός:
μὴ πρὸς θεῶν κήρυκα τολμήσῃς θενεῖν.

[¶58] Demophon:
Strike I will, unless that herald learn discretion.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
εἰ μή γʼ ὁ κῆρυξ σωφρονεῖν μαθήσεται.

[¶59] Chorus:
Depart; and thou, O king, touch him not.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄπελθε· καὶ σὺ τοῦδε μὴ θίγῃς, ἄναξ.

[¶60] Copreus:
I go; for ’tis feeble fighting with a single arm.
But I will come again, bringing hither a host of Argive troops, spearmen clad in bronze; for countless warriors are awaiting my return, and king Eurystheus in person at their head; anxiously he waits the issue here on the borders of Alcathous’ realm.
And when he hears thy haughty answer, he will burst upon thee, and thy citizens, on this land and all that grows therein; for all in vain should we possess such hosts of picked young troops in Argos, should we forbear to punish thee. [Exit Copreus.

> Greek: Κῆρυξ:
στείχω· μιᾶς γὰρ χειρὸς ἀσθενὴς μάχη.
ἥξω δὲ πολλὴν Ἄρεος Ἀργείου λαβὼν
πάγχαλκον αἰχμὴν δεῦρο. μυρίοι δέ με
μένουσιν ἀσπιστῆρες Εὐρυσθεύς τʼ ἄναξ
αὐτὸς στρατηγῶν· Ἀλκάθου δʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχάτοις
καραδοκῶν τἀνθένδε τέρμασιν μένει.
λαμπρὸς δʼ ἀκούσας σὴν ὕβριν φανήσεται
σοὶ καὶ πολίταις γῇ τε τῇδε καὶ φυτοῖς·
μάτην γὰρ ἥβην ὧδέ γʼ ἂν κεκτῄμεθα
πολλὴν ἐν Ἄργει, μή σε τιμωρούμενοι.

[¶61] Demophon:
Perdition seize thee! I am not afraid of thy Argos.
Be very sure thou shalt not drag these suppliants hence by force, to my shame; for I hold not this city subject unto Argos, but independently.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
φθείρου· τὸ σὸν γὰρ Ἄργος οὐ δέδοικʼ ἐγώ.
ἐνθένδε δʼ οὐκ ἔμελλες αἰσχύνας ἐμὲ
ἄξειν βίᾳ τούσδʼ· οὐ γὰρ Ἀργείων πόλει
ὑπήκοον τήνδʼ ἀλλʼ ἐλευθέραν ἔχω.

[¶62] Chorus:’Tis time to use our forethought, ere the host of Argos approach our frontier,
for exceeding fierce are the warriors of Mycenae, and in the present case still more than heretofore. For all heralds observe this custom, to exaggerate what happened twofold. Bethink thee what a tale he will tell his master
of his dreadful treatment, how he came very near losing his life altogether.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὥρα προνοεῖν, πρὶν ὅροις πελάσαι
στρατὸν Ἀργείων·
μάλα δʼ ὀξὺς Ἄρης ὁ Μυκηναίων,
ἐπὶ τοῖσι δὲ δὴ μᾶλλον ἔτʼ ἢ πρίν.
πᾶσι γὰρ οὗτος κήρυξι νόμος,
δὶς τόσα πυργοῦν τῶν γιγνομένων
πόσα νιν λέξειν βασιλεῦσι δοκεῖς,
ὡς δείνʼ ἔπαθεν καὶ παρὰ μικρὸν
ψυχὴν ἦλθεν διακναῖσαι;

[¶63] Iolaus:
Children have no fairer prize than this, the being born of a good and noble sire, and the power to wed from noble families; but whoso is enslaved by passion
and makes a lowborn match, I cannot praise for leaving to his children a legacy of shame, to gratify himself. For noble birth offers a stouter resistance to adversity than base parentage; we, for instance, in the last extremity of woe, have found friends
and kinsmen here, the only champions of these children through all the length and breadth of this Hellenic world. Give, children, give to them your hand, and they the same to you; draw near to them. Ah! children, we have made trial of our friends,
and if ever ye see the path that leads you back to your native land, and possess your home and the honours of your father, count them ever as your friends and saviours, and never lift against their land the foeman’s spear, in memory of this, but hold this city
first midst those ye love. Yea, they well deserve your warm regard, in that they have shifted from our shoulders to their own the enmity of so mighty a land as Argos and its people, though they saw we were vagabonds and beggars; still they did not give us up nor drive us forth.
So while I live, and after death,—come when it will,—loudly will I sing thy praise, good friend, and will extol thee as I stand at Theseus’ side, and cheer his heart, as I tell how thou didst give kind welcome and protection to the sons of Heracles, and how nobly
thou dost preserve thy father’s fame through the length of Hellas, and hast not fallen from the high estate, to which thy father brought thee, a lot which few others can boast; for ’mongst the many wilt thou find one maybe, that is not degenerate from his sire.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐκ ἔστι τοῦδε παισὶ κάλλιον γέρας,
ἢ πατρὸς ἐσθλοῦ κἀγαθοῦ πεφυκέναι
[γαμεῖν τʼ ἀπʼ ἐσθλῶν· ὃς δὲ νικηθεὶς πόθῳ]
[κακοῖς ἐκοινώνησεν, οὐκ ἐπαινέσω,]
[τέκνοις ὄνειδος οὕνεχʼ ἡδονῆς λιπεῖν.]
τὸ δυστυχὲς γὰρ ηὑγένει’ ἀμύνεται
τῆς δυσγενείας μᾶλλον· ἡμεῖς γὰρ κακῶν
ἐς τοὔσχατον πεσόντες ηὕρομεν φίλους
καὶ ξυγγενεῖς τούσδʼ, οἳ τοσῆσδʼ οἰκουμένης
Ἑλληνίδος γῆς τῶνδε προύστησαν μόνοι.
δότ’, ὦ τέκνʼ, αὐτοῖς χεῖρα δεξιάν, δότε·
ὑμεῖς τε παισί, καὶ πέλας προσέλθετε.
ὦ παῖδες, ἐς μὲν πεῖραν ἤλθομεν φίλων·
ἢν δʼ οὖν ποθʼ ὑμῖν νόστος ἐς πάτραν φανῇ
καὶ δώματʼ οἰκήσητε καὶ τιμὰς πατρός
…
σωτῆρας αἰεὶ καὶ φίλους νομίζετε,
καὶ μήποτʼ ἐς γῆν ἐχθρὸν αἴρεσθαι δόρυ
μέμνησθέ μοι τήνδʼ, ἀλλὰ φιλτάτην πόλιν
πασῶν νομίζετʼ. ἄξιοι δʼ ὑμῖν σέβειν
οἳ γῆν τοσήνδε καὶ Πελασγικὸν λεὼν
ἡμῶν ἀπηλλάξαντο πολεμίους ἔχειν,
πτωχοὺς ἀλήτας εἰσορῶντες· ἀλλʼ ὅμως
οὐκ ἐξέδωκαν οὐδʼ ἀπήλασαν χθονός.
ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ζῶν καὶ θανών, ὅταν θάνω,
πολλῷ σʼ ἐπαίνῳ Θησέως, ὦ τᾶν, πέλας
ὑψηλὸν ἀρῶ καὶ λέγων τάδʼ εὐφρανῶ
ὡς εὖ τʼ ἐδέξω καὶ τέκνοισιν ἤρκεσας
τοῖς Ἡρακλείοις, εὐγενὴς δʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα
σῴζεις πατρῴαν δόξαν, ἐξ ἐσθλῶν δὲ φὺς
οὐδὲν κακίων τυγχάνεις γεγὼς πατρός,
παύρων μετʼ ἄλλων· ἕνα γὰρ ἐν πολλοῖς ἴσως
εὕροις ἂν ὅστις ἐστὶ μὴ χείρων πατρός.

[¶64] Chorus:
This land is ever ready
in an honest cause to aid the helpless. Wherefore ere now it hath endured troubles numberless for friends, and now in this I see a struggle nigh at hand.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀεί ποθʼ ἥδε γαῖα τοῖς ἀμηχάνοις
σὺν τῷ δικαίῳ βούλεται προσωφελεῖν.
τοιγὰρ πόνους δὴ μυρίους ὑπὲρ φίλων
ἤνεγκε, καὶ νῦν τόνδʼ ἀγῶνʼ ὁρῶ πέλας.

[¶65] Demophon:
Thou hast spoken well, and I feel confident their conduct will be such; our kindness will they not forget.
Now will I muster the citizens and set them in array, that I may receive Mycenae’s host with serried ranks. But first will I send scouts to meet them, lest they fall upon me unawares; for at Argos every man is prompt to answer to the call,
and I will assemble prophets and ordain a sacrifice. But do thou leave the altar of Zeus and go with the children into the house; for there are those, who will care for thee, even though I be abroad. Enter then my house, old man.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
σοί τʼ εὖ λέλεκται, καὶ τὰ τῶνδʼ αὐχῶ, γέρον,
τοιαῦτʼ ἔσεσθαι· μνημονεύσεται χάρις.
κἀγὼ μὲν ἀστῶν σύλλογον ποήσομαι,
τάξω δʼ, ὅπως ἂν τὸν Μυκηναίων στρατὸν
πολλῇ δέχωμαι χειρί· πρῶτα μὲν σκοποὺς
πέμψω πρὸς αὐτόν, μὴ λάθῃ με προσπεσών·
ταχὺς γὰρ Ἄργει πᾶς ἀνὴρ βοηδρόμος·
μάντεις δʼ ἀθροίσας θύσομαι. σὺ δʼ ἐς δόμους
σὺν παισὶ χώρει, Ζηνὸς ἐσχάραν λιπών.
εἰσὶν γὰρ οἵ σου, κἂν ἐγὼ θυραῖος ὦ,
μέριμναν ἕξουσʼ. ἀλλʼ ἴθʼ ἐς δόμους, γέρον.

[¶66] Iolaus:
I will not leave the altar. Let
us sit here still, praying for the city’s fair success, and when thou hast made a glorious end of this struggle, will we go unto the house; nor are the gods who champion us weaker than the gods of Argos, O king; Hera, wife of Zeus, is their leader;
Athena ours. And this I say is an omen of success, that we have the stronger deity, for Pallas will not brook defeat. [Exit Demophon.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐκ ἂν λίποιμι βωμόν· ἑζώμεσθα δὴ
ἱκέται μένοντες ἐνθάδʼ εὖ πρᾶξαι πόλιν·
ὅταν δʼ ἀγῶνος τοῦδʼ ἀπαλλαχθῇς καλῶς,
ἴμεν πρὸς οἴκους. θεοῖσι δʼ οὐ κακίοσιν
χρώμεσθα συμμάχοισιν Ἀργείων, ἄναξ·
τῶν μὲν γὰρ Ἥρα προστατεῖ, Διὸς δάμαρ,
ἡμῶν δʼ Ἀθηνᾶ. φημὶ δʼ εἰς εὐπραξίαν
καὶ τοῦθʼ ὑπάρχειν, θεῶν ἀμεινόνων τυχεῖν·
νικωμένη γὰρ Παλλὰς οὐκ ἀνέξεται.

[¶67] Chorus:
Though loud thy boasts, there be others care no more for thee for that,
O stranger from the land of Argos; nor wilt thou scare my soul with swelling words. Not yet be this the fate of mighty Athens, beauteous town!
But thou art void of sense, and so is he, who lords it o’er Argos, the son of Sthenelus,

> Greek: Χορός:
Εἰ σὺ μέγʼ αὐχεῖς, ἕτεροι
σοῦ πλέον οὐ μέλονται,
⟨ὦ⟩ ξεῖν’ Ἀργόθεν ἐλθών,
μεγαληγορίαισι δʼ ἐμὰς
φρένας οὐ φοβήσεις.
μήπω ταῖς μεγάλαισιν οὕ-
τω καὶ καλλιχόροις Ἀθή-
ναις εἴη· σὺ δʼ ἄφρων, ὅ τʼ Ἄρ-
γει Σθενέλου τύραννος.

[¶68] Chorus:
—thou that comest to another state, in no wise weaker than Argos,
and, stranger that thou art, wouldst drag away by force suppliants of the gods, wanderers that cling to my land for help, refusing to yield to our king, nor yet having any honest plea to urge. How can such conduct count as honourable,
at least in wise men’s judgment?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὃς πόλιν ἐλθὼν ἑτέραν
οὐδὲν ἐλάσσονʼ Ἄργους,
θεῶν ἱκτῆρας ἀλάτας
καὶ ἐμᾶς χθονὸς ἀντομένους
ξένος ὢν βιαίως
ἕλκεις, οὐ βασιλεῦσιν εἴ-
ξας, οὐκ ἄλλο δίκαιον εἰ-
πών· ποῦ ταῦτα καλῶς ἂν εἴ-
η παρά γʼ εὖ φρονοῦσιν;

[¶69] Chorus:
I am for peace myself; yet I tell thee, wicked king, although thou come unto my city, thou shalt not get so easily what thou expectest.
Thou art not the only man to wield a sword or targe with plates of brass. Nay, thou eager warrior, I warn thee, bring not war’s alarms against our lovely
town; restrain thyself.

> Greek: Χορός:
Εἰρήνα μὲν ἐμοί γʼ ἀρέ-
σκει· σὺ δʼ, ὦ κακόφρων ἄναξ,
λέγω, εἰ πόλιν ἥξεις,
οὐχ οὕτως ἃ δοκεῖς κυρή-
σεις· οὐ σοὶ μόνῳ ἔγχος οὐδʼ
ἰτέα κατάχαλκός [ἐστιν.]
ἀλλʼ οὐ, πολέμων ἐραστάς,
μή μοι δορὶ συνταράξεις
τὰν εὖ χαρίτων ἔχουσαν
πόλιν, ἀλλʼ ἀνάσχου.

[¶70] Iolaus:
My son, why, prithee, art thou returned with that anxious look? Hast thou news of the enemy? Are they coming, are they here, or what thy tidings? For of a surety yon herald will not play us false.
No! sure I am their captain, prosperous heretofore, will come, with thoughts exceeding proud against Athens. But Zeus doth punish overweening pride.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὦ παῖ, τί μοι σύννοιαν ὄμμασιν φέρων
ἥκεις; νέον τι πολεμίων λέξεις πέρι;
μέλλουσιν ἢ πάρεισιν ἢ τί πυνθάνῃ;
οὐ γάρ τι μὴ ψεύσῃς γε κήρυκος λόγους·
ὁ γὰρ στρατηγὸς εὐτυχὴς τὰ πρὸς θεῶν
εἶσιν, σάφʼ οἶδα, καὶ μάλʼ οὐ σμικρὸν φρονῶν,
ἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας. ἀλλὰ τῶν φρονημάτων
ὁ Ζεὺς κολαστὴς τῶν ἄγαν ὑπερφρόνων.

[¶71] Demophon:
The host of Argos is come, and Eurystheus its king;
my own eyes saw him, for the man who thinks he knows good generalship must see the foe not by messengers alone. As yet, however, he hath not sent his host into the plain, but, camped upon a rocky brow,
is watching—I only tell thee what I think this means—to see by which road to lead his army hither without fighting, and how to take up a safe position in this land. However, all my plans are by this time carefully laid; the city is under arms, the victims
stand ready to be slain to every god, whose due this is; my seers have filled the town with sacrifices, to turn the foe to flight and keep our country safe. All those who chant prophetic words have I assembled, and have examined ancient oracles, both public and secret,
as means to save this city. And though the several answers differ in many points, yet in one is the sentiment of all clearly the same; they bid me sacrifice to Demeter’s daughter some maiden from a noble father sprung.
Now I, though in your cause I am as zealous as thou seest, yet will not slay my child, nor will I compel any of my subjects to do so against his will; for who of his own will doth harbour such an evil thought as to yield with his own hands the child he loves?
And now thou mayest see angry gatherings, where some declare,’tis right to stand by suppliant strangers, while others charge me with folly; but if I do this deed, a civil war is then and there on foot.
Do thou then look to this and help to find a way to save yourselves and this country without causing me to be slandered by the citizens. For I am no despot like a barbarian monarch; but provided I do what is just, just will my treatment be.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
ἥκει στράτευμʼ Ἀργεῖον Εὐρυσθεύς τʼ ἄναξ·
ἐγώ νιν αὐτὸς εἶδον. ἄνδρα γὰρ χρεών,
ὅστις στρατηγεῖν φησʼ ἐπίστασθαι καλῶς,
οὐκ ἀγγέλοισι τοὺς ἐναντίους ὁρᾶν.
πεδία μὲν οὖν γῆς ἐς τάδʼ οὐκ ἐφῆκέ πω
στρατόν, λεπαίαν δʼ ὀφρύην καθήμενος
σκοπεῖ — δόκησιν δὴ τόδʼ ἂν λέγοιμί σοι —
ποίᾳ προσάξει στρατόπεδον τὰ νῦν δορὸς
ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ τε τῆσδʼ ἱδρύσεται χθονός.
καὶ τἀμὰ μέντοι πάντʼ ἄραρʼ ἤδη καλῶς·
πόλις τʼ ἐν ὅπλοις, σφάγιά θʼ ἡτοιμασμένα
ἕστηκεν οἷς χρὴ ταῦτα τέμνεσθαι θεῶν,
τροπαῖά τʼ ἐχθρῶν καὶ πόλει σωτήρια,
θυηπολεῖται δʼ ἄστυ μάντεων ὕπο.
χρησμῶν δʼ ἀοιδοὺς πάντας εἰς ἓν ἁλίσας
ἤλεγξα καὶ βέβηλα καὶ κεκρυμμένα
λόγια παλαιά, τῇδε γῇ σωτήρια.
καὶ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων διάφορʼ ἐστὶ θεσφάτοις
πόλλʼ· ἓν δὲ πᾶσι γνῶμα ταὐτὸν ἐμπρέπει·
σφάξαι κελεύουσίν με παρθένον Κόρῃ
Δήμητρος, ἥτις ἐστὶ πατρὸς εὐγενοῦς.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἔχω μέν, ὡς ὁρᾷς, προθυμίαν
τοσήνδʼ ἐς ὑμᾶς· παῖδα δʼ οὔτʼ ἐμὴν κτενῶ
οὔτʼ ἄλλον ἀστῶν τῶν ἐμῶν ἀναγκάσω
ἄκονθʼ· ἑκὼν δὲ τίς κακῶς οὕτω φρονεῖ,
ὅστις τὰ φίλτατʼ ἐκ χερῶν δώσει τέκνα;
καὶ νῦν πικρὰς ἂν συστάσεις ἂν εἰσίδοις,
τῶν μὲν λεγόντων ὡς δίκαιον ἦν ξένοις
ἱκέταις ἀρήγειν, τῶν δὲ μωρίαν ἐμὴν
κατηγορούντων· εἰ δὲ δὴ δράσω τόδε,
οἰκεῖος ἤδη πόλεμος ἐξαρτύεται.
ταῦτʼ οὖν ὅρα σὺ καὶ συνεξεύρισχʼ ὅπως
αὐτοί τε σωθήσεσθε καὶ πέδον τόδε,
κἀγὼ πολίταις μὴ διαβληθήσομαι.
οὐ γὰρ τυραννίδʼ ὥστε βαρβάρων ἔχω·
ἀλλʼ, ἢν δίκαια δρῶ, δίκαια πείσομαι.

[¶72] Chorus:
Can it be that heaven forbids this city to help strangers, when it hath the will and longing so to do?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἦ πρόθυμον οὖσαν οὐκ ἐᾷ θεὸς
ξένοις ἀρήγειν τήνδε χρῄζουσιν πόλιν;

[¶73] Iolaus:
My children, we are even as those mariners, who have escaped the storm’s relentless rage, and have the land almost within their reach, but after all are driven back from shore by tempests to the deep again.
Even so we, just as we reach the shore in seeming safety, are being thrust back from this land. Ah me! Why, cruel hope, didst thou then cheer my heart, though thou didst not mean to make the boon complete?
The king may well be pardoned, if he will not slay his subjects’ children; and with my treatment here I am content; if indeed ’tis heaven’s will, I thus should fare, still is my gratitude to thee in no wise lost. Children, I know not what to do for you.
Whither shall we turn? for what god’s altar have we left uncrowned? to what fenced city have we failed to go? Ruin and surrender are our instant lot, poor children! If I must die,’tis naught to me, save that thereby I give those foes of mine some cause for joy.
But you, children, I lament and pity, and that aged mother of your sire, Alcmena. Ah, woe is thee for thy long span of life! and woe is me for all my idle toil!’Twas after all our destined doom to fall into the hands of our hated foe,
and die a death of shame and misery. But lend me thine aid, thou knowest how; for all hope of these children’s safety has not yet left me. Give me up instead of them to the Argives, O king; run no risk, but let me save
the children; to love my life becomes me not; let it pass. Me will Eurystheus be most glad to take and treat despitefully, as I was Heracles’ companion; for the man is but a boor; wherefore wise men ought to pray to get a wise man for their foe, and not a proud senseless fool;
for so, even if by fortune flouted, one would meet with much consideration.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὦ τέκνʼ, ἔοιγμεν ναυτίλοισιν, οἵτινες
χειμῶνος ἐκφυγόντες ἄγριον μένος
ἐς χεῖρα γῇ συνῆψαν, εἶτα χερσόθεν
πνοιαῖσιν ἠλάθησαν ἐς πόντον πάλιν.
οὕτω δὲ χἡμεῖς τῆσδʼ ἀπωθούμεσθα γῆς
ἤδη πρὸς ἀκταῖς ὄντες ὡς σεσῳσμένοι.
οἴμοι· τί δῆτʼ ἔτερψας ὦ τάλαινά με
ἐλπὶς τότʼ, οὐ μέλλουσα διατελεῖν χάριν;
συγγνωστὰ γάρ τοι καὶ τὰ τοῦδʼ, εἰ μὴ θέλει
κτείνειν πολιτῶν παῖδας· αἰνέσαι δʼ ἔχω
καὶ τἀνθάδ’· εἰ θεοῖσι δὴ δοκεῖ τάδε
πράσσειν ἔμʼ, οὔτοι σή γʼ ἀπόλλυται χάρις.
ὦ παῖδες, ὑμῖν δʼ οὐκ ἔχω τί χρήσομαι.
ποῖ τρεψόμεσθα; τίς γὰρ ἄστεπτος θεῶν;
ποῖον δὲ γαίας ἕρκος οὐκ ἀφίγμεθα;
ὀλούμεθʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ· ἐκδοθησόμεσθα δή.
κἀμοῦ μὲν οὐδὲν εἴ με χρὴ θανεῖν μέλει,
πλὴν εἴ τι τέρψω τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐχθροὺς θανών·
ὑμᾶς δὲ κλαίω καὶ κατοικτίρω, τέκνα,
καὶ τὴν γεραιὰν μητέρʼ Ἀλκμήνην πατρός.
ὦ δυστάλαινα τοῦ μακροῦ βίου σέθεν,
τλήμων δὲ κἀγὼ πολλὰ μοχθήσας μάτην.
χρῆν χρῆν ἄρʼ ἡμᾶς ἀνδρὸς εἰς ἐχθροῦ χέρας
πεσόντας αἰσχρῶς καὶ κακῶς λιπεῖν βίον.
ἀλλʼ οἶσθ’ ὅ μοι σύμπραξον; οὐχ ἅπασα γὰρ
πέφευγεν ἐλπὶς τῶνδέ μοι σωτηρίας·
ἔμʼ ἔκδος Ἀργείοισιν ἀντὶ τῶνδʼ, ἄναξ,
καὶ μήτε κινδύνευε, σωθήτω τέ μοι
τέκνʼ· οὐ φιλεῖν δεῖ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν· ἴτω.
μάλιστα δʼ Εὐρυσθεύς με βούλοιτʼ ἂν λαβὼν
τὸν Ἡράκλειον σύμμαχον καθυβρίσαι·
σκαιὸς γὰρ ἁνήρ. τοῖς σοφοῖς δʼ εὐκτὸν σοφῷ
ἔχθραν συνάπτειν, μὴ ἀμαθεῖ φρονήματι·
πολλῆς γὰρ αἰδοῦς καὶ δίκης τις ἂν τύχοι.

[¶74] Chorus:
Old man, blame not this city; for though perhaps a gain to us, yet would it be a foul reproach that we betrayed strangers.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πρέσβυ, μή νυν τήνδʼ ἐπαιτιῶ πόλιν·
τάχʼ ἂν γὰρ ἡμῖν ψευδὲς ἀλλʼ ὅμως κακὸν
γένοιτʼ ὄνειδος ὡς ξένους προυδώκαμεν.

[¶75] Demophon:
A generous scheme is thine, but impossible.’Tis not in quest of thee yon king comes marching hither; what would Eurystheus gain by the death of one so old? Nay,’tis these children’s blood he wants. For there is danger to a foe in the youthful scions of a noble race, whose memory dwells upon their father’s wrongs;
all this Eurystheus must foresee. But if thou hast any scheme besides, that better suits the time, be ready with it, for, since I heard that oracle, I am at a loss and full of fear. [Exit Demophon.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
γενναῖα μὲν τάδʼ εἶπας, ἀλλʼ ἀμήχανα.
οὐ σοῦ χατίζων δεῦρʼ ἄναξ στρατηλατεῖ·
τί γὰρ γέροντος ἀνδρὸς Εὐρυσθεῖ πλέον
θανόντος; ἀλλὰ τούσδε βούλεται κτανεῖν.
δεινὸν γὰρ ἐχθροῖς βλαστάνοντες εὐγενεῖς,
νεανίαι τε καὶ πατρὸς μεμνημένοι
λύμας· ἃ κεῖνον πάντα προσκοπεῖν χρεών.
ἀλλʼ, εἴ τινʼ ἄλλην οἶσθα καιριωτέραν
βουλήν, ἑτοίμαζʼ, ὡς ἔγωγʼ ἀμήχανος
χρησμῶν ἀκούσας εἰμὶ καὶ φόβου πλέως.

[¶76] Macaria:
Sirs, impute not boldness to me, because
I venture forth; this shall be my first request, for a woman’s fairest crown is this, to practise silence and discretion, and abide at home in peace. But when I heard thy lamentations, Iolaus, I came forth, albeit I was not appointed to take the lead in my family.
Still in some sense am I fit to do so, for these my brothers are my chiefest care, and I fain would ask, as touching myself, whether some new trouble, added to the former woes, is gnawing at thy heart.

> Greek: Μακαρία:
ξένοι, θράσος μοι μηδὲν ἐξόδοις ἐμαῖς
προσθῆτε· πρῶτον γὰρ τόδʼ ἐξαιτήσομαι·
γυναικὶ γὰρ σιγή τε καὶ τὸ σωφρονεῖν
κάλλιστον, εἴσω θʼ ἥσυχον μένειν δόμων.
τῶν σῶν δʼ ἀκούσασʼ, Ἰόλεως, στεναγμάτων
ἐξῆλθον, οὐ ταχθεῖσα πρεσβεύειν γένους.
ἀλλʼ, εἰμὶ γάρ πως πρόσφορος, μέλει δέ μοι
μάλιστ’ ἀδελφῶν, τῶνδε κἀμαυτῆς πέρι
θέλω πυθέσθαι, μὴ ’πὶ τοῖς πάλαι κακοῖς
προσκείμενόν τι πῆμα σὴν δάκνει φρένα.

[¶77] Iolaus:
My daughter,’tis nothing new that I should praise thee, as I justly may,
above all the children of Heracles. Our house seemed to be prospering, when back it fell again into a hopeless state; for the king declares the prophets signify that he must order the sacrifice, not of bull or heifer, but of some tender maid
of noble lineage, if we and this city are to exist. Herein is our perplexity; the king refuses either to sacrifice his own or any other’s child. Wherefore, though he use not terms express, yet doth he hint,
that, unless we find some way out of this perplexity, we must seek some other land, for he this country fain would save.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὦ παῖ, μάλιστα σʼ οὐ νεωστὶ δὴ τέκνων
τῶν Ἡρακλείων ἐνδίκως αἰνεῖν ἔχω.
ἡμῖν δὲ δόξας εὖ προχωρῆσαι δρόμος
πάλιν μεθέστηκʼ αὖθις ἐς τἀμήχανον·
χρησμῶν γὰρ ᾠδούς φησι σημαίνειν ὅδε,
οὐ ταῦρον οὐδὲ μόσχον, ἀλλὰ παρθένον
σφάξαι Κόρῃ Δήμητρος ἥτις εὐγενής,
εἰ χρὴ μὲν ἡμᾶς, χρὴ δὲ τήνδʼ εἶναι πόλιν.
ταῦτʼ οὖν ἀμηχανοῦμεν· οὔτε γὰρ τέκνα
σφάξειν ὅδʼ αὑτοῦ φησιν οὔτʼ ἄλλου τινός.
κἀμοὶ λέγει μὲν οὐ σαφῶς, λέγει δέ πως,
εἰ μή τι τούτων ἐξαμηχανήσομεν,
ἡμᾶς μὲν ἄλλην γαῖαν εὑρίσκειν τινά,
αὐτὸς δὲ σῶσαι τήνδε βούλεται χθόνα.

[¶78] Macaria:
Are these indeed the terms on which our safety depends?

> Greek: Μακαρία:
ἐν τῷδε κἀχόμεσθα σωθῆναι λόγῳ;

[¶79] Iolaus:
Yea, on these; if, that is, we are successful otherwise.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἐν τῷδε, τἄλλα γʼ εὐτυχῶς πεπραγότες.

[¶80] Macaria:
No longer then cower before the hated Argive spear; for I, of my own free will, or ever they bid me, am ready to die and offer myself as a victim. For what excuse have we, if, while this city deems it right to incur a great danger on our behalf,
we, though we might save ourselves, fly from death, by foisting our trouble on others? No! indeed,’twere surely most ridiculous to sit and mourn as suppliants of the gods, and show ourselves but cowards, children as we are of that illustrious sire.
Where among the brave is such conduct seen? Better, I suppose, this city should be taken and I (which Heaven forefend!) fall into the hands of the enemy, and then, for all I am my noble father’s child, meet an awful doom, and face the Death-god none the less.
Shall I wander as an exile from this land? Shall I not feel shame then, when someone says, as say they will, “Why are ye come hither with suppliant boughs, loving your lives too well? Begone from our land! for we will not succour cowards.”

> Greek: Μακαρία:
μή νυν τρέσῃς ἔτʼ ἐχθρὸν Ἀργεῖον δόρυ·
ἐγὼ γὰρ αὐτὴ πρὶν κελευσθῆναι, γέρον,
θνῄσκειν ἑτοίμη καὶ παρίστασθαι σφαγῇ.
τί φήσομεν γάρ, εἰ πόλις μὲν ἀξιοῖ
κίνδυνον ἡμῶν οὕνεκʼ αἴρεσθαι μέγαν,
αὐτοὶ δὲ προστιθέντες ἄλλοισιν πόνους,
παρόν σφε σῷσαι, φευξόμεσθα μὴ θανεῖν;
οὐ δῆτʼ, ἐπεί τοι καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια,
στένειν μὲν ἱκέτας δαιμόνων καθημένους,
πατρὸς δʼ ἐκείνου φύντας οὗ πεφύκαμεν
κακοὺς ὁρᾶσθαι· ποῦ τάδʼ ἐν χρηστοῖς πρέπει;
κάλλιον, οἶμαι, τῆσδʼ — ἃ μὴ τύχοι ποτέ —
πόλεως ἁλούσης, χεῖρας εἰς ἐχθρῶν πεσεῖν,
κἄπειτα τινὰ πατρὸς οὖσαν εὐγενοῦς
παθοῦσαν Ἅιδην μηδὲν ἧσσον εἰσιδεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ἐκπεσοῦσα τῆσδʼ ἀλητεύσω χθονός;
κοὐκ αἰσχυνοῦμαι δῆτ’, ἐὰν δή τις λέγῃ·
Τί δεῦρʼ ἀφίκεσθʼ ἱκεσίοισι σὺν κλάδοις
αὐτοὶ φιλοψυχοῦντες; ἔξιτε χθονός·
κακοὺς γὰρ ἡμεῖς οὐ προσωφελήσομεν.

[¶81] Nay, if these be slain and I alone be saved, I have no hope in any wise of being happy, though many ere now have in this hope betrayed their friends. For who will care to wed a lonely maid or make me mother of his children?’Tis better I should die than meet such treatment, [little as I merit it. This were fitter treatment for some other, one that is not born to fame as I am.] Conduct me to the scene of death, [crown me with garlands, and begin the rites, if so it please you;]
then be victorious o’er the foe, for here I offer my life freely and without constraint, and for my brothers and myself I undertake to die. [For I, by loving not my life too well, have found a treasure very fair, a glorious means to leave it.]
Chorus:
Ah, what shall I say on hearing the maid’s brave words, she that is ready to die for her brothers? Who can speak more noble words or do more noble deeds henceforth for ever?

> Greek: ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ μέντοι, τῶνδε μὲν τεθνηκότων,
αὐτὴ δὲ σωθεῖσʼ, ἐλπίδʼ εὖ πράξειν ἔχω·
— πολλοὶ γὰρ ἤδη τῇδε προύδοσαν φίλους. —
τίς γὰρ κόρην ἔρημον ἢ δάμαρτʼ ἔχειν,
ἢ παιδοποιεῖν ἐξ ἐμοῦ βουλήσεται;
οὐκ οὖν θανεῖν ἄμεινον ἢ τούτων τυχεῖν
ἀναξίαν; ἄλλῃ δὲ κἂν πρέποι τινὶ
μᾶλλον τάδʼ, ἥτις μὴ ’πίσημος ὡς ἐγώ.
ἡγεῖσθʼ ὅπου δεῖ σῶμα κατθανεῖν τόδε
καὶ στεμματοῦτε καὶ κατάρχεσθʼ, εἰ δοκεῖ·
νικᾶτε δʼ ἐχθρούς· ἥδε γὰρ ψυχὴ πάρα
ἑκοῦσα κοὐκ ἄκουσα· κἀξαγγέλλομαι
θνῄσκειν ἀδελφῶν τῶνδε κἀμαυτῆς ὕπερ.
εὕρημα γάρ τοι μὴ φιλοψυχοῦσʼ ἐγὼ
κάλλιστον ηὕρηκ’, εὐκλεῶς λιπεῖν βίον.
Χορός:
φεῦ φεῦ, τί λέξω παρθένου μέγαν λόγον
κλύων, ἀδελφῶν ἣ πάρος θέλει θανεῖν;
τούτων τίς ἂν λέξειε γενναίους λόγους
μᾶλλον, τίς ἂν δράσειεν ἀνθρώπων ἔτι;

## 2. Lines 520–1055

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracleidae/2/#p-N

[¶0] Iolaus:
Daughter, thou art his own true child, no other man’s but Heracles’,
that godlike soul; proud am I of thy words, though I sorrow for thy lot. Yet will I propose a fairer method:’tis right to summon hither all the sisters of this maiden,
and then let her, on whom the lot shall fall, die for her family; for that thou shouldst die without the lot is not just.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὦ τέκνον, οὐκ ἔστʼ ἄλλοθεν τὸ σὸν κάρα,
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἐκείνου σπέρμα τῆς θείας φρενὸς
πέφυκας Ἡράκλειος· οὐδʼ αἰσχύνομαι
τοῖς σοῖς λόγοισι, τῇ τύχῃ δʼ ἀλγύνομαι.
ἀλλʼ ᾗ γένοιτʼ ἂν ἐνδικωτέρως φράσω·
πάσας ἀδελφὰς τῆσδε δεῦρο χρὴ καλεῖν,
κᾆθʼ ἡ λαχοῦσα θνῃσκέτω γένους ὕπερ·
σὲ δʼ οὐ δίκαιον κατθανεῖν ἄνευ πάλου.

[¶1] Macaria:
My death shall no chance lot decide; there is no graciousness in that; peace! old friend. But if ye accept and will avail you
of my readiness, freely do I offer my life for these, and without constraint.

> Greek: Μακαρία:
οὐκ ἂν θάνοιμι τῇ τύχῃ λαχοῦσʼ ἐγώ·
χάρις γὰρ οὐ πρόσεστι· μὴ λέξῃς, γέρον.
ἀλλʼ, εἰ μὲν ἐνδέχεσθε καὶ βούλεσθέ μοι
χρῆσθαι προθύμως, τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν ἐγὼ
δίδωμʼ ἑκοῦσα τοῖσδʼ, ἀναγκασθεῖσα δʼ οὔ.

[¶2] Iolaus:
Ah, this is even nobler than thy former word; that was matchless, but thou dost now surpass
thy bravery and noble speech. I cannot bid, will not forbid thy dying, Omy daughter! for by thy death thou dost thy brothers serve.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
φεῦ·
ὅδʼ αὖ λόγος σοι τοῦ πρὶν εὐγενέστερος·
κἀκεῖνος ἦν ἄριστος· ἀλλʼ ὑπερφέρεις
τόλμῃ τε τόλμαν καὶ λόγῳ χρηστῷ λόγον.
οὐ μὴν κελεύω γʼ οὐδʼ ἀπεννέπω, τέκνον,
θνῄσκειν σʼ· ἀδελφοὺς δʼ ὠφελεῖς θανοῦσα σούς.

[¶3] Macaria:
A cautious bidding thine! Fear not to take a stain of guilt from me; only let me die as one whose death is free.
Follow me, old friend, for in thy arms I fain would die; stand by and veil my body with my robe, for I will go even to the dreadful doom of sacrifice, seeing whose daughter I avow myself.

> Greek: Μακαρία:
σοφῶς κελεύεις· μὴ τρέσῃς μιάσματος
τοὐμοῦ μετασχεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐλευθέρως θάνω.
ἕπου δέ, πρέσβυ· σῇ γὰρ ἐνθανεῖν χερὶ
θέλω· πέπλοις δὲ σῶμʼ ἐμὸν κρύψον παρών·
ἐπεὶ σφαγῆς γε πρὸς τὸ δεινὸν εἶμʼ ἐγώ,
εἴπερ πέφυκα πατρὸς οὗπερ εὔχομαι.

[¶4] Iolaus:
I cannot stand by and see thee bleed.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην σῷ παρεστάναι μόρῳ.

[¶5] Macaria:
At least do thou beg me this boon of the king, that I may breathe out my life in women’s arms instead of men’s.

> Greek: Μακαρία:
σὺ δʼ ἀλλὰ τοῦδε χρῇζε, μή μʼ ἐν ἀρσένων,
ἀλλʼ ἐν γυναικῶν, χερσὶν ἐκπνεῦσαι βίον.

[¶6] Demophon:
It shall be so, unhappy maid; for this were shame to me to refuse thee honour due, for many reasons: because thou hast a soul so brave; because
’tis right; and thou hast shown more courage than any of thy sex my eyes have ever seen. Now, if thou hast aught to say to these children or thy aged guide, oh! say the last thou hast to say—then go.

> Greek: Δημοφῶν:
ἔσται τάδʼ, ὦ τάλαινα παρθένων, ἐπεὶ
κἀμοὶ τόδʼ αἰσχρόν, μή σε κοσμεῖσθαι καλῶς,
πολλῶν ἕκατι, τῆς τε σῆς εὐψυχίας
καὶ τοῦ δικαίου· τλημονεστάτην δὲ σὲ
πασῶν γυναικῶν εἶδον ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐγώ.
ἀλλʼ, εἴ τι βούλῃ, τούσδε τὸν γέροντά τε
χώρει προσειποῦσʼ ὑστάτοις προσφθέγμασιν.

[¶7] Macaria:
Farewell, old friend, farewell! and prithee teach
these children to be like thyself, wise at every point; let them strive no further, for that will suffice them. And seek to save them from death, even as thou art anxious to do; thy children are we, thy care it was that nurtured us. Thou seest how I yield my bridal
bloom to die for them. For you, my brothers gathered here, may you be happy! and may every blessing be yours, for the which my blood shall pay the price! Honour this old friend, and her that is within the house,
Alcmena, the aged mother of my sire, and these strangers too. And if ever heaven for you devise release from trouble and a return to your home, remember the burial due to her that saved you, a funeral fair as I deserve; for I have not failed,
but stood by you, and died to save my race. This shall be my pearl of price instead of children, and for the maiden life I leave, if there be really aught beyond the grave—God grant there may not be! For if, e’en there, we who are to die shall find a life of care,
I know not whither one shall turn; for death is held a sovereign cure for every ill.

> Greek: Μακαρία:
ὦ χαῖρε, πρέσβυ, χαῖρε καὶ δίδασκέ μοι
τοιούσδε τούσδε παῖδας, ἐς τὸ πᾶν σοφούς,
ὥσπερ σύ, μηδὲν μᾶλλον· ἀρκέσουσι γάρ.
πειρῶ δὲ σῶσαι μὴ θανεῖν, πρόθυμος ὤν·
σοὶ παῖδές ἐσμεν, σαῖν χεροῖν τεθράμμεθα.
ὁρᾷς δὲ κἀμὲ τὴν ἐμὴν ὥραν γάμου
διδοῦσαν ἀντὶ τῶνδε κατθανουμένην.
ὑμεῖς τʼ, ἀδελφῶν ἡ παροῦσʼ ὁμιλία,
εὐδαιμονοῖτε, καὶ γένοιθʼ ὑμῖν ὅσων
ἡμὴ πάροιθε καρδία σφαγήσεται.
καὶ τὸν γέροντα τήν τʼ ἔσω γραῖαν δόμων
τιμᾶτε πατρὸς μητέρʼ Ἀλκμήνην ἐμοῦ
ξένους τε τούσδε. κἂν ἀπαλλαγὴ πόνων
καὶ νόστος ὑμῖν εὑρεθῇ ποτʼ ἐκ θεῶν,
μέμνησθε τὴν σώτειραν ὡς θάψαι χρεών.
κάλλιστά τοι δίκαιον· οὐ γὰρ ἐνδεὴς
ὑμῖν παρέστην, ἀλλὰ προύθανον γένους.
τάδʼ ἀντὶ παίδων ἐστί μοι κειμήλια
καὶ παρθενείας, εἴ τι δὴ κάτω χθονός·
εἴη γε μέντοι μηδέν. εἰ γὰρ ἕξομεν
κἀκεῖ μερίμνας οἱ θανούμενοι βροτῶν,
οὐκ οἶδ’ ὅποι τις τρέψεται· τὸ γὰρ θανεῖν
κακῶν μέγιστον φάρμακον νομίζεται.

[¶8] Iolaus:
Maiden of heroic soul, transcending all thy race, be sure the fame that thou shalt win from us, in life, in death, shall leave the rest of women far behind;
farewell to thee! I dare not say harsh words of her to whom thou art devoted, the goddess-daughter of Demeter. [Exit Macaria.] Children, I am undone, grief unnerves my limbs; take hold and support me to a seat hard by, when ye have drawn my mantle o’er my face, my sons.
For I am grieved at what hath happened, and yet, were it not fulfilled, we could not live; thus were the mischief worse, though this is grief enough.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἀλλʼ, ὦ μέγιστον ἐκπρέπουσʼ εὐψυχίᾳ
πασῶν γυναικῶν, ἴσθι, τιμιωτάτη
καὶ ζῶσʼ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν καὶ θανοῦσʼ ἔσῃ πολύ·
καὶ χαῖρε· δυσφημεῖν γὰρ ἅζομαι θεάν,
ᾗ σὸν κατῆρκται σῶμα, Δήμητρος κόρην.
ὦ παῖδες, οἰχόμεσθα· λύεται μέλη
λύπῃ· λάβεσθε κεἰς ἕδραν μʼ ἐρείσατε
αὐτοῦ πέπλοισι τοῖσδε κρύψαντες, τέκνα.
ὡς οὔτε τούτοις ἥδόμαι πεπραγμένοις,
χρησμοῦ τε μὴ κρανθέντος οὐ βιώσιμον·
μείζων γὰρ ἄτη· συμφορὰ δὲ καὶ τάδε.

[¶9] Chorus:
Without the will of heaven none is blest, none curst, I do maintain;
nor doth the same house for ever tread the path of bliss; for one kind of fortune follows hard upon another; one man it brings to naught from his high estate, another though of no account it crowns with happiness.
To shun what fate decrees, is no wise permitted; none by cunning shall thrust it from him; but he, who vainly would do so, shall have unceasing trouble.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὔτινά φημι θεῶν ἄτερ ὄλβιον, οὐ βαρύποτμον,
ἄνδρα γενέσθαι·
οὐδὲ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀεὶ βεβάναι δόμον
εὐτυχίᾳ· παρὰ δʼ ἄλλαν ἄλλα
μοῖρα διώκει.
τὸν μὲν ἀφʼ ὑψηλῶν βραχὺν ᾤκισε,
τὸν δʼ ἀλέταν εὐδαίμονα τεύχει.
μόρσιμα δʼ οὔτι φυγεῖν θέμις, οὐ σοφί-
ᾳ τις ἀπώσεται, ἀλλὰ μάταν ὁ πρό-
θυμος ἀεὶ πόνον ἕξει.

[¶10] Chorus:
Then fall not prostrate thou, but bear what heaven sends, and set a limit
to thy soul’s grief; for she, poor maid! in dying for her brothers and this land, hath won a glorious death, and splendid fame shall be her meed from all mankind;
for virtue’s path leads through troublous ways. Worthy of her father, worthy of her noble birth is this conduct. And if thou dost honour the virtuous dead, I share with thee that sentiment.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ προπίτνων τὰ θεῶν φέρε, μηδʼ ὑπεράλγει
φροντίδα λύπᾳ·
εὐδόκιμον γὰρ ἔχει θανάτου μέρος
ἁ μελέα πρό τʼ ἀδελφῶν καὶ γᾶς·
οὐδʼ ἀκλεής νιν
δόξα πρὸς ἀνθρώπων ὑποδέξεται·
ἁ δʼ ἀρετὰ βαίνει διὰ μόχθων.
ἄξια μὲν πατρός, ἄξια δʼ εὐγενί-
ας τάδε γίγνεται· εἰ δὲ σέβεις θανά-
τους ἀγαθῶν, μετέχω σοι.
…
…
…
…

[¶11] Servant (of Hyllus):
All hail, ye children! Where is aged Iolaus? where the mother of your sire, absent from their place at this altar?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὦ τέκνα, χαίρετʼ· Ἰόλεως δὲ ποῦ γέρων;
μήτηρ τε πατρὸς τῆσδʼ ἕδρας ἀποστατεῖ;

[¶12] Iolaus:
Here am I, so far as I can be present at all.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
πάρεσμεν, οἵα δή γʼ ἐμοῦ παρουσία.

[¶13] Servant (of Hyllus):
Why dost thou lie there? Why that downcast look?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τί χρῆμα κεῖσαι καὶ κατηφὲς ὄμμʼ ἔχεις;

[¶14] Iolaus:
There is come a sorrow on my house, whereby I am distressed.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
φροντίς τις ἦλθʼ οἰκεῖος, ᾗ συνειχόμην.

[¶15] Servant (of Hyllus):
Arise, lift up thy head.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἔπαιρέ νυν σεαυτόν, ὄρθωσον κάρα.

[¶16] Iolaus:
I am old, and all my strength is gone.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
γέροντές ἐσμεν κοὐδαμῶς ἐρρώμεθα.

[¶17] Servant (of Hyllus):
But I come with tidings of great joy for thee.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἥκω γε μέντοι χάρμα σοι φέρων μέγα.

[¶18] Iolaus:
Who art thou? Where have I met thee? I have no remembrance.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
τίς δʼ εἶ σύ; ποῦ σοι συντυχὼν ἀμνημονῶ;

[¶19] Servant (of Hyllus):
I am a vassal of Hyllus; dost not recognize me now?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
Ὕλλου πενέστης· οὔ με γιγνώσκεις ὁρῶν;

[¶20] Iolaus:
Best of friends, art thou come to save us twain from hurt?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὦ φίλταθʼ, ἥκεις ἆρα σωτὴρ νῷν βλάβης;

[¶21] Servant (of Hyllus):
Assuredly; and moreover thou art lucky in the present case.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
μάλιστα· καὶ πρός γʼ εὐτυχεῖς τὰ νῦν τάδε.

[¶22] Iolaus:
Alcmena, mother of a noble son, to thee I call! come forth, hear this welcome news. For long has anguish caused thee inwardly to waste, wondering if those,
who now are here, would ever come.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὦ μῆτερ ἐσθλοῦ παιδός, Ἀλκμήνην λέγω,
ἔξελθʼ, ἄκουσον τοῦδε φιλτάτους λόγους.
πάλαι γὰρ ὠδίνουσα τῶν ἀφιγμένων
ψυχὴν ἐτήκου νόστος εἰ γενήσεται.

[¶23] Alcmena:
What means that shout, that echoes throughout the house? Hath there come yet a herald from Argos, O Iolaus, and is he treating thee with violence? Feeble is any strength of mine; yet thus much let me tell thee, stranger,
never, whilst I live, shalt thou drag them hence. Shouldst thou succeed, no more let me be thought the mother of that hero. And if thou lay a finger on them, thou wilt struggle to thy shame with two aged foes.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τί χρῆμʼ ἀϋτῆς πᾶν τόδʼ ἐπλήσθη στέγος
Ἰόλαε; μῶν τίς σʼ αὖ βιάζεται παρὼν
κῆρυξ ἀπʼ Ἄργους; ἀσθενὴς μὲν ἥ γʼ ἐμὴ
ῥώμη, τοσόνδε δʼ εἰδέναι σʼ ἐχρῆν, ξένε,
οὐκ ἔστʼ ἄγειν σε τούσδʼ ἐμοῦ ζώσης ποτέ.
ἦ τἄρ’ ἐκείνου μὴ νομιζοίμην ἐγὼ
μήτηρ ἔτʼ· εἰ δὲ τῶνδε προσθίξῃ χερί,
δυοῖν γερόντοιν οὐ καλῶς ἀγωνιῇ.

[¶24] Iolaus:
Courage, aged dame, fear not; not from Argos
is a herald come, with hostile messages.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
θάρσει, γεραιά, μὴ τρέσῃς· οὐκ Ἀργόθεν
κῆρυξ ἀφῖκται πολεμίους λόγους ἔχων.

[¶25] Alcmena:
Why then didst raise a cry, fear’s harbinger?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τί γὰρ βοὴν ἔστησας ἄγγελον φόβου;

[¶26] Iolaus:
I called thee to come to me in front of this temple.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
σέ, πρόσθε ναοῦ τοῦδʼ ὅπως βαίης πέλας.

[¶27] Alcmena:
I know not what it means; who is this?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
οὐκ ἴσμεν ἡμεῖς ταῦτα· τίς γάρ ἐσθʼ ὅδε;

[¶28] Iolaus:
A messenger who says thy grandson cometh hither.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἥκοντα παῖδα παιδὸς ἀγγέλλει σέθεν.

[¶29] Alcmena:
All hail to thee for these thy tidings! But why is he not here, where is he? if in this land he hath set foot. What hath happened to keep him from coming hither with thee, to cheer my heart?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
ὦ χαῖρε καὶ σὺ τοῖσδε τοῖς ἀγγέλμασιν.
ἀτὰρ τί χώρᾳ τῇδε προσβαλὼν πόδα
ποῦ νῦν ἄπεστι; τίς νιν εἶργε συμφορὰ
σὺν σοὶ φανέντα δεῦρʼ ἐμὴν τέρψαι φρένα;

[¶30] Servant (of Hyllus):
He is posting the army he brought with him, and seeing it marshalled.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
στρατὸν καθίζει τάσσεταί θʼ ὃν ἦλθʼ ἔχων.

[¶31] Alcmena:
Then have I no concern herein.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τοῦδʼ οὐκέθʼ ἡμῖν τοῦ λόγου μέτεστι δή.

[¶32] Iolaus:
Yes, thou hast; though it is my business to inquire into these matters.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
μέτεστιν· ἡμῶν δʼ ἔργον ἱστορεῖν τάδε.

[¶33] Servant (of Hyllus):
What then wouldst thou learn of these events?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τί δῆτα βούλῃ τῶν πεπραγμένων μαθεῖν;

[¶34] Iolaus:
About how many allies has he with him?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
πόσον τι πλῆθος συμμάχων πάρεστʼ ἔχων;

[¶35] Servant (of Hyllus):
A numerous force; I cannot otherwise describe the number.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
πολλούς· ἀριθμὸν δʼ ἄλλον οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι.

[¶36] Iolaus:
The leaders of the Athenians know this, I suppose?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἴσασιν, οἶμαι, ταῦτʼ· Ἀθηναίων πρόμοι;

[¶37] Servant (of Hyllus):
They do; already is their left wing set in array.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἴσασι· καὶ δὴ λαιὸν ἕστηκεν κέρας.

[¶38] Iolaus:
Is then the host already armed for battle?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἤδη γὰρ ὡς ἐς ἔργον ὥπλισται στρατός;

[¶39] Servant (of Hyllus):
Yea, and already are the victims brought near the ranks.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
καὶ δὴ παρῆκται σφάγια τάξεων ἑκάς.

[¶40] Iolaus:
About what distance is the Argive host from us?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
πόσον τι δʼ ἔστʼ ἄπωθεν Ἀργεῖον δόρυ;

[¶41] Servant (of Hyllus):
Near enough for their general to be plainly seen.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὥστʼ ἐξορᾶσθαι τὸν στρατηγὸν ἐμφανῶς.

[¶42] Iolaus:
What is he about? marshalling the enemy’s line?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
τί δρῶντα; μῶν τάσσοντα πολεμίων στίχας;

[¶43] Servant (of Hyllus):
So we guessed; we could not hear exactly. But I must go, for I would not that my master should engage the foe without me, if I can help it.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ᾐκάζομεν ταῦτʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἐξηκούομεν.
ἀλλʼ εἶμ’· ἐρήμους δεσπότας τοὐμὸν μέρος
οὐκ ἂν θέλοιμι πολεμίοισι συμβαλεῖν.

[¶44] Iolaus:
I also will go with thee; for I like thee am minded, so it seems, to be there and help my friends.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
κἄγωγε σὺν σοί· ταὐτὰ γὰρ φροντίζομεν,
φίλοις παρόντες, ὡς ἔοιγμεν, ὠφελεῖν.

[¶45] Servant (of Hyllus):
It least of all becomes thee thus to utter words of folly.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἥκιστα πρὸς σοῦ μῶρον ἦν εἰπεῖν ἔπος.

[¶46] Iolaus:
Far less to shrink from sharing with my friends the stubborn fight.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
καὶ μὴ μετασχεῖν γʼ ἀλκίμου μάχης φίλοις.

[¶47] Servant (of Hyllus):
Mere looks can wound no one, if the arm do naught.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐν ὄψει τραῦμα μὴ δρώσης χερός.

[¶48] Iolaus:
Why, cannot I smite even through their shields?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
τί δʼ; οὐ σθένοιμι κἂν ἐγὼ δι’ ἀσπίδος;

[¶49] Servant (of Hyllus):
Smite perhaps, more likely be smitten thyself.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
σθένοις ἄν, ἀλλὰ πρόσθεν αὐτὸς ἂν πέσοις.

[¶50] Iolaus:
No foe will dare to meet me face to face.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐδεὶς ἔμʼ ἐχθρῶν προσβλέπων ἀνέξεται.

[¶51] Servant (of Hyllus):
Friend, the strength, that erst was thine, is thine no more,

> Greek: Θεράπων:
οὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ τᾶν, ἥ ποτʼ ἦν ῥώμη σέθεν.

[¶52] Iolaus:
Well, at any rate, I will fight with as many as ever I did.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἀλλʼ οὖν μαχοῦνται γʼ ἀριθμὸν οὐκ ἐλάσσοσι.

[¶53] Servant (of Hyllus):
Small the weight thou canst throw into the balance for thy friends.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
σμικρὸν τὸ σὸν σήκωμα προστίθης φίλοις.

[¶54] Iolaus:
Detain me not, when I have girded myself for action.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
μή τοί μʼ ἔρυκε δρᾶν παρεσκευασμένον.

[¶55] Servant (of Hyllus):
The power to act is thine no more, the will maybe is there.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
δρᾶν μὲν σύ γʼ οὐχ οἷός τε, βούλεσθαι δʼ ἴσως.

[¶56] Iolaus:
Stay here I will not, say what else thou wilt

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὡς μὴ μενοῦντα τἄλλα σοι λέγειν πάρα.

[¶57] Servant (of Hyllus):
How shalt thou show thyself before the troops unarmed?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
πῶς οὖν ὁπλίταις τευχέων ἄτερ φανῇ;

[¶58] Iolaus:
There be captured arms within this shrine; these will I use, and, if I live, restore; and, if I am slain, the god will not demand them of me back. Go thou within, and from its peg take down a suit of armour and forthwith bring it to me.
To linger thus at home is infamous, while some go fight, and others out of cowardice remain behind. [Exit Servant.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἔστʼ ἐν δόμοισιν ἔνδον αἰχμάλωθʼ ὅπλα,
τοῖς δʼ οὖσι χρησόμεσθα· κἀποδώσομεν
ζῶντες, θανόντας δʼ οὐκ ἀπαιτήσει θεός.
ἀλλʼ εἴσιθʼ εἴσω κἀπὸ πασσάλων ἑλὼν
ἔνεγχ’ ὁπλίτην κόσμον ὡς τάχιστά μοι.
αἰσχρὸν γὰρ οἰκούρημα γίγνεται τόδε,
τοὺς μὲν μάχεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ δειλίᾳ μένειν.

[¶59] Chorus:
Not yet hath time laid low thy spirit,’tis young as ever; but thy body’s strength is gone. Why toil to no purpose?’Twill do thee hurt and benefit our city little. At thy age thou shouldst confess thy error and let impossibilities alone. Thou canst in no way get thy vigour back again.

> Greek: Χορός:
λῆμα μὲν οὔπω στόρνυσι χρόνος
τὸ σόν, ἀλλʼ ἡβᾷ, σῶμα δὲ φροῦδον.
τί πονεῖς ἄλλως ἃ σὲ μὲν βλάψει,
σμικρὰ δʼ ὀνήσει πόλιν ἡμετέραν;
χρὴ γνωσιμαχεῖν τὴν ἡλικίαν,
τὰ δʼ ἀμήχανʼ ἐᾶν· οὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως
ἥβην κτήσῃ πάλιν αὖθις.

[¶60] Alcmena:
What means this mad resolve
to leave me with my children undefended here?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τί χρῆμα μέλλεις σῶν φρενῶν οὐκ ἔνδον ὢν
λιπεῖν μʼ ἔρημον σὺν τέκνοις ἐμοῖς; …

[¶61] Iolaus:
Men must fight; and thou must look to them.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἀνδρῶν γὰρ ἀλκή· σοὶ δὲ χρῆν τούτων μέλειν.

[¶62] Alcmena:
And what if thou art slain? what safety shall I find?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τί δʼ; ἢν θάνῃς σύ, πῶς ἐγὼ σωθήσομαι;

[¶63] Iolaus:
Thy son’s surviving children will care for thee.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
παιδὸς μελήσει παισὶ τοῖς λελειμμένοις.

[¶64] Alcmena:
Suppose they meet with some reverse? which Heaven forefend!

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
ἢν δʼ οὖν, ὃ μὴ γένοιτο, χρήσωνται τύχῃ;

[¶65] Iolaus:
These strangers will not give thee up, fear not.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οἵδ’ οὐ προδώσουσίν σε, μὴ τρέσῃς, ξένοι.

[¶66] Alcmena:
They are my last and only hope, I have no other.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τοσόνδε γάρ τοι θάρσος, οὐδὲν ἄλλʼ ἔχω.

[¶67] Iolaus:
Zeus too, I feel sure, cares for thy sufferings.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
καὶ Ζηνὶ τῶν σῶν, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, μέλει πόνων.

[¶68] Alcmena:
Ah! of Zeus will I never speak ill, but himself doth know, whether he is just to me.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
φεῦ·
Ζεὺς ἐξ ἐμοῦ μὲν οὐκ ἀκούσεται κακῶς·
εἰ δʼ ἐστὶν ὅσιος αὐτὸς οἶδεν εἰς ἐμέ.

[¶69] Servant (of Hyllus):
Lo! here thou seest a full coat of mail; make haste to case thyself therein; for the strife is nigh, and bitterly doth Ares loathe loiterers; but if thou fear the weight of the armour, go for the present without it, and in the ranks
do on this gear; meantime will I carry it.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὅπλων μὲν ἤδη τήνδʼ ὁρᾷς παντευχίαν,
φθάνοις δʼ ἂν οὐκ ἂν τοῖσδε συγκρύπτων δέμας·
ὡς ἐγγὺς ἁγών, καὶ μάλιστʼ Ἄρης στυγεῖ
μέλλοντας· εἰ δὲ τευχέων φοβῇ βάρος,
νῦν μὲν πορεύου γυμνός, ἐν δὲ τάξεσιν
κόσμῳ πυκάζου τῷδʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ οἴσω τέως.

[¶70] Iolaus:
Well said! keep the harness ready to my hand, put a spear within my grasp, and support me on the left side, guiding my steps.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
καλῶς ἔλεξας· ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ πρόχειρʼ ἔχων
τεύχη κόμιζε, χειρὶ δʼ ἔνθες ὀξύην,
λαιόν τʼ ἔπαιρε πῆχυν, εὐθύνων πόδα.

[¶71] Servant (of Hyllus):
Am I to lead this warrior like a child?

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ἦ παιδαγωγεῖν γὰρ τὸν ὁπλίτην χρεών;

[¶72] Iolaus:
To save the omen, we must go without stumbling.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ὄρνιθος οὕνεκʼ ἀσφαλῶς πορευτέον.

[¶73] Servant (of Hyllus):
Would thy power to act were equal to thy zeal!

> Greek: Θεράπων:
εἴθʼ ἦσθα δυνατὸς δρᾶν ὅσον πρόθυμος εἶ.

[¶74] Iolaus:
Hasten; I shall feel it grievously, if I am too late for the battle.
Servant (of Hyllus):’Tis thou who art slow, not I, though thou fanciest thou art doing wonders.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
ἔπειγε· λειφθεὶς δεινὰ πείσομαι μάχης.
Θεράπων:
σύ τοι βραδύνεις, οὐκ ἐγὼ δοκῶ τι δρᾶν.

[¶75] Iolaus:
Dost not mark how swift my steps are hasting?

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὔκουν ὁρᾷς μου κῶλον ὡς ἐπείγεται;

[¶76] Servant (of Hyllus):
I mark more seeming than reality in thy haste.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ὁρῶ δοκοῦντα μᾶλλον ἢ σπεύδοντά σε.

[¶77] Iolaus:
Thou wilt tell a different tale when thou seest me there.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
οὐ ταῦτα λέξεις, ἡνίκʼ ἂν λεύσσῃς μʼ ἐκεῖ.

[¶78] Servant (of Hyllus):
What shall I see thee do? I wish thee all success, at any rate.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
τί δρῶντα; βουλοίμην δʼ ἂν εὐτυχοῦντά γε.

[¶79] Iolaus:
Thou shalt see me smite some foeman through the shield.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
διʼ ἀσπίδος θείνοντα πολεμίων τινά.

[¶80] Servant (of Hyllus):
Perhaps, if ever we get there. I have my fears of that.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
εἰ δή ποθʼ ἥξομέν γε· τοῦτο γὰρ φόβος.

[¶81] Iolaus:
Ah! would to Heaven that thou, mine arm, e’en as I remember thee in thy lusty youth, when with Heracles thou didst sack Sparta, couldst so champion me to-day! how I would put Eurystheus to flight! since he is too craven to wait the onslaught.
For prosperity carries with it this error too a reputation for bravery; for we think the prosperous man a master of all knowledge.

> Greek: Ἰόλαος:
φεῦ·
εἴθʼ, ὦ βραχίων, οἷον ἡβήσαντά σε
μεμνήμεθʼ ἡμεῖς, ἡνίκα ξὺν Ἡρακλεῖ
Σπάρτην ἐπόρθεις, σύμμαχος γένοιό μοι
τοιοῦτος· οἵαν ἂν τροπὴν Εὐρυσθέως
θείμην· ἐπεί τοι καὶ κακὸς μένειν δόρυ.
ἔστιν δʼ ἐν ὄλβῳ καὶ τόδʼ οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἔχον,
εὐψυχίας δόκησις· οἰόμεσθα γὰρ
τὸν εὐτυχοῦντα πάντʼ ἐπίστασθαι καλῶς.

[¶82] Chorus:
O earth, and moon that shines by night, and dazzling radiance of the god,
that giveth light to man, bear the tidings to me, shout aloud to heaven for joy, and beside our ruler’s throne, and in the shrine of grey-eyed Athene.
For my fatherland and home will I soon decide the issue of the strife with the gleaming sword, because I have taken suppliants under my protection.

> Greek: Χορός:
Γᾶ καὶ παννύχιος σελά-
να καὶ λαμπρόταται θεοῦ
φαεσίμβροτοι αὐγαί,
ἀγγελίαν μοι ἐνέγκαιτʼ·
ἰαχήσατε δʼ οὐρανῷ
καὶ παρὰ θρόνον ἀρχέταν
γλαυκᾶς ἐν Ἀθάνας.
μέλλω τᾶς πατριώτιδος
γᾶς, μέλλω καὶ ὑπὲρ δόμων
ἱκέτας ὑποδεχθεὶς
κίνδυνον πολιῷ τεμεῖν σιδάρῳ.

[¶83] Chorus:’Tis a fearful thing, that a city
prosperous as Mycenae is, one famed for martial prowess, should harbour wrath against my land; still, my countrymen, it were a shameful thing in us to yield up suppliant strangers
at the bidding of Argos. Zeus is on my side, I am not afraid; Zeus hath a favour unto me, as is my due; never by me shall gods be thought weaker than mortal men.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεινὸν μὲν πόλιν ὡς Μυκή-
νας εὐδαίμονα καὶ δορὸς
πολυαίνετον ἀλκᾷ
μῆνιν ἐμᾷ χθονὶ κεύθειν·
κακὸν δʼ, ὦ πόλις, εἰ ξένους
ἱκτῆρας παραδώσομεν
κελεύμασιν Ἄργους.
Ζεύς μοι σύμμαχος, οὐ φοβοῦ-
μαι, Ζεύς μοι χάριν ἐνδίκως
ἔχει· οὔποτε θνατῶν
ἥσσους ⟨δαίμονες⟩ ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ φανοῦνται.

[¶84] Chorus:
O dread goddess, thine the soil whereon we stand, thine this city, for thou art its mother, queen, and saviour; wherefore turn some other way the impious king, who leadeth a host
from Argos with brandished lance against this land; for, such my worth, I little merit exile from my home.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ, ὦ πότνια — σὸν γὰρ οὖ-
δας [γᾶς], σὸν καὶ πόλις, ἇς σὺ μά-
τηρ δέσποινά τε καὶ φύλαξ —
πόρευσον ἄλλᾳ τὸν οὐ δικαίως
τᾷδʼ ἐπάγοντα δορυσσοῦν
στρατὸν Ἀργόθεν· οὐ γὰρ ἐμᾷ γʼ ἀρετᾷ
δίκαιός εἰμʼ ἐκπεσεῖν μελάθρων.

[¶85] Chorus:
For thy worship is aye performed with many a sacrifice, and never art thou forgotten as each month draweth to its close,
when young voices sing and dancers’ music is heard abroad, while on our wind-swept hill goes up the cry of joy to the beat of maidens’ feet by night.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἐπεί σοι πολύθυτος ἀεὶ
τιμὰ κραίνεται, οὐδὲ λά-
θει μηνῶν φθινὰς ἁμέρα,
νέων τʼ ἀοιδαὶ χορῶν τε μολπαί.
ἀνεμόεντι δʼ ἐπʼ ὄχθῳ
ὀλολύγματα παννυχίοις ὑπὸ παρ-
θένων ἰαχεῖ ποδῶν κρότοισιν.

[¶86] Servant (of Hyllus):
Mistress, the message that I bring is very short
for thee to hear and fair for me, who stand before thee, to announce. O’er our foes we are victorious, and trophies are being set up, with panoplies upon them, taken from thy enemies.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
δέσποινα, μύθους σοί τε συντομωτάτους
κλύειν ἐμοί τε τῷδε καλλίστους φέρω.
νικῶμεν ἐχθροὺς καὶ τροπαῖʼ ἱδρύεται
παντευχίαν ἔχοντα πολεμίων σέθεν.

[¶87] Alcmena:
Best of friends! this day hath wrought thy liberty by reason of these tidings.
But there still remains one anxious thought thou dost not free me from;—a thought of fear;—are those, whose lives I cherish, spared to me?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
ὦ φίλταθʼ, ἥδε σʼ ἡμέρα διήλασεν
ἐλευθερῶσαι τοῖσδε τοῖς ἀγγέλμασιν.
μιᾶς δʼ ἔμʼ οὔπω συμφορᾶς ἐλευθεροῖς·
φόβος γὰρ εἴ μοι ζῶσιν οὓς ἐγὼ θέλω.

[¶88] Servant (of Hyllus):
They are, and high their fame through all the army spreads.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
ζῶσιν μέγιστόν γʼ εὐκλεεῖς κατὰ στρατόν.

[¶89] Alcmena:
The old man Iolaus,—is he yet alive?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
ὁ μὲν γέρων οὐκ ἔστιν Ἰόλεως ὅδε;

[¶90] Servant (of Hyllus):
Aye, that he is, a hero whom the gods delight to honour.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
μάλιστα, πράξας δʼ ἐκ θεῶν κάλλιστα δή.

[¶91] Alcmena:
How so? Did he perform some deed of prowess?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τί δʼ ἔστι; μῶν τι κεδνὸν ἠγωνίζετο;

[¶92] Servant (of Hyllus):
He hath passed from age to youth once more.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
νέος μεθέστηκʼ ἐκ γέροντος αὖθις αὖ.

[¶93] Alcmena:
Thy tale is passing strange; but first I would that thou shouldst tell me, how our friends won the day.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
θαυμάστʼ ἔλεξας· ἀλλά σʼ εὐτυχῆ φίλων
μάχης ἀγῶνα πρῶτον ἀγγεῖλαι θέλω.

[¶94] Servant (of Hyllus):
One speech of mine puts it all clearly before thee.
When we had deployed our troops and marshalled them face to face with one another, Hyllus dismounted from his four-horsed chariot and stood midway betwixt the hosts. Then cried he, “Captain, who art come from Argos,”
“why cannot we leave this land alone? No hurt wilt thou do Mycenae, if of one man thou rob her; come! meet me in single combat, and, if thou slay me, take the children of Heracles away with thee,”
“but, if thou fall, leave me to possess my ancestral honours and my home.” The host cried yes! saying the scheme he offered was a fair one, both to rid them of their trouble and satisfy their valour. But that other, feeling no shame before those who heard the challenge or at his own cowardice, quailed, general though he was,
to come within reach of the stubborn spear, showing himself an abject coward; yet with such a spirit he came to enslave the children of Heracles. Then did Hyllus withdraw to his own ranks again, and the prophets seeing that no reconciliation would be effected by single combat,
began the sacrifice without delay and forthwith let flow from a human throat auspicious streams of blood. And some were mounting chariots, while others couched beneath the shelter of their shields, and the king of the Athenians,
as a highborn chieftain should, would exhort his host: “Fellow-citizens, the land, that feeds you and that gave you birth, demands to-day the help of every man.” Likewise Eurystheus besought his allies that they should scorn to sully the feme of Argos and Mycenae.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
εἷς μου λόγος σοι πάντα σημανεῖ τάδε.
ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἀλλήλοισιν ὁπλίτην στρατὸν
κατὰ στόμʼ ἐκτείνοντες ἀντετάξαμεν,
ἐκβὰς τεθρίππων Ὕλλος ἁρμάτων πόδα
ἔστη μέσοισιν ἐν μεταιχμίοις δορός.
κἄπειτ’ ἔλεξεν· Ὦ στρατήγʼ ὃς Ἀργόθεν
ἥκεις, τί τήνδε γαῖαν οὐκ εἰάσαμεν
…
…
καὶ τὰς Μυκήνας οὐδὲν ἐργάσῃ κακὸν
ἀνδρὸς στερήσας· ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ μόνος μόνῳ
μάχην συνάψας, ἢ κτανὼν ἄγου λαβὼν
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους παῖδας ἢ θανὼν ἐμοὶ
τιμὰς πατρῴους καὶ δόμους ἔχειν ἄφες.
στρατὸς δʼ ἐπῄνεσ’, ἔς τʼ ἀπαλλαγὰς πόνων
καλῶς λελέχθαι μῦθον ἔς τʼ εὐψυχίαν.
ὃ δʼ οὔτε τοὺς κλύοντας αἰδεσθεὶς λόγων
οὔτʼ αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ δειλίαν στρατηγὸς ὢν
ἐλθεῖν ἐτόλμησʼ ἐγγὺς ἀλκίμου δορός,
ἀλλʼ ἦν κάκιστος· εἶτα τοιοῦτος γεγὼς
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους ἦλθε δουλώσων γόνους.
Ὕλλος μὲν οὖν ἀπῴχετ’ ἐς τάξιν πάλιν·
μάντεις δʼ, ἐπειδὴ μονομάχου διʼ ἀσπίδος
διαλλαγὰς ἔγνωσαν οὐ τελουμένας,
ἔσφαζον, οὐκ ἔμελλον, ἀλλʼ ἀφίεσαν
λαιμῶν βροτείων εὐθὺς οὔριον φόνον.
οἳ δʼ ἅρματʼ εἰσέβαινον, οἳ δʼ ὑπʼ ἀσπίδων
πλευροῖς ἔκρυπτον πλεύρʼ· Ἀθηναίων δʼ ἄναξ
στρατῷ παρήγγελλ’ οἷα χρὴ τὸν εὐγενῆ·
Ὦ ξυμπολῖται, τῇ τε βοσκούσῃ χθονὶ
καὶ τῇ τεκούσῃ νῦν τινʼ ἀρκέσαι χρεών.
ὃ δʼ αὖ τό τʼ Ἄργος μὴ καταισχῦναι θέλειν
καὶ τὰς Μυκήνας συμμάχους ἐλίσσετο.

[¶95] Anon the Etrurian trumpet sounded loud and clear, and hand to hand they rushed; then think how loudly clashed their ringing shields, what din arose of cries and groans confused! At first the onset of the Argive spearmen
broke our ranks; then they in turn gave ground; next, foot to foot and man to man, they fought their stubborn fray, many falling the while. And either chief cheered on his men, “Sons of Athens! Ye who till the fields of Argos!”
“ward from your land disgrace.” Do all we could, and spite of every effort, scarce could we turn the Argive line in flight. When lo! old Iolaus sees Hyllus starting from the ranks, whereon he lifts his hands to him with a prayer
to take him up into his chariot. Thereon he seized the reins and went hard after the horses of Eurystheus. From this point onward must I speak from hearsay, though hitherto as one whose own eyes saw. For as he was crossing Pallene’s hill,
sacred to the goddess Athene, he caught sight of Eurystheus’ chariot, and prayed to Hebe and to Zeus, that for one single day he might grow young again and wreak his vengeance on his foes. Now must thou hear a wondrous tale: two stars settled on the horses’ yokes
and threw the chariot into dark shadow, which—at least so say our wiser folk—were thy son and Hebe; and from that murky gloom appeared that aged man in the form of a youth with strong young arms; then by the rocks of Sciron
the hero Iolaus o’ertakes Eurystheus’ chariot. And he bound his hands with gyves, and is bringing that chieftain once so prosperous as a trophy hither, whose fortune now doth preach a lesson, clear as day, to all the sons of men,
that none should envy him, who seems to thrive, until they see his death; for fortune’s moods last but a day.
Chorus:
O Zeus, who puttest my foes to flight, now may I behold the day that frees me from cruel fear!

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐσήμηνʼ ὄρθιον Τυρσηνικῇ
σάλπιγγι καὶ συνῆψαν ἀλλήλοις μάχην,
πόσον τινʼ αὐχεῖς πάταγον ἀσπίδων βρέμειν,
πόσον τινὰ στεναγμὸν οἰμωγήν θʼ ὁμοῦ;
τὰ πρῶτα μέν νυν πίτυλος Ἀργείου δορὸς
ἐρρήξαθʼ ἡμᾶς· εἶτʼ ἐχώρησαν πάλιν.
τὸ δεύτερον δὲ ποὺς ἐπαλλαχθεὶς ποδί,
ἀνὴρ δʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ στάς, ἐκαρτέρει μάχη·
πολλοὶ δʼ ἔπιπτον. ἦν δὲ τοῦ κελεύματος·
Ὦ τὰς Ἀθήνας — Ὦ τὸν Ἀργείων γύην
σπείροντες — οὐκ ἀρήξετʼ αἰσχύνην πόλει;
μόλις δὲ πάντα δρῶντες οὐκ ἄτερ πόνων
ἐτρεψάμεσθʼ Ἀργεῖον ἐς φυγὴν δόρυ.
κἀνταῦθʼ ὁ πρέσβυς Ὕλλον ἐξορμώμενον
ἰδών, ὀρέξας ἱκέτευσε δεξιὰν
Ἰόλαος ἐμβῆσαί νιν ἵππειον δίφρον.
λαβὼν δὲ χερσὶν ἡνίας Εὐρυσθέως
πώλοις ἐπεῖχε. τἀπὸ τοῦδʼ ἤδη κλύων
λέγοιμʼ ἂν ἄλλων, δεῦρο δʼ αὐτὸς εἰσιδών.
Παλληνίδος γὰρ σεμνὸν ἐκπερῶν πάγον
δίας Ἀθάνας, ἅρμʼ ἰδὼν Εὐρυσθέως,
ἠράσαθʼ Ἥβῃ Ζηνί θʼ, ἡμέραν μίαν
νέος γενέσθαι κἀποτείσασθαι δίκην
ἐχθρούς. κλύειν δὴ θαύματος πάρεστί σοι.
δισσὼ γὰρ ἀστέρʼ ἱππικοῖς ἐπὶ ζυγοῖς
σταθέντʼ ἔκρυψαν ἅρμα λυγαίῳ νέφει·
σὸν δὴ λέγουσι παῖδά γʼ οἱ σοφώτεροι
Ἥβην θʼ· ὃ δʼ ὄρφνης ἐκ δυσαιθρίου νέων
βραχιόνων ἔδειξεν ἡβητὴν τύπον.
αἱρεῖ δʼ ὁ κλεινὸς Ἰόλεως Εὐρυσθέως
τέτρωρον ἅρμα πρὸς πέτραις Σκιρωνίσιν,
δεσμοῖς τε δήσας χεῖρας ἀκροθίνιον
κάλλιστον ἥκει τὸν στρατηλάτην ἄγων
τὸν ὄλβιον πάροιθε. τῇ δὲ νῦν τύχῃ
βροτοῖς ἅπασι λαμπρὰ κηρύσσει μαθεῖν,
τὸν εὐτυχεῖν δοκοῦντα μὴ ζηλοῦν, πρὶν ἂν
θανόντʼ ἴδῃ τις· ὡς ἐφήμεροι τύχαι.
Χορός:
ὦ Ζεῦ τροπαῖε, νῦν ἐμοὶ δεινοῦ φόβου
ἐλεύθερον πάρεστιν ἦμαρ εἰσιδεῖν.

[¶96] Alcmena:
At last, O Zeus, hast thou turned a favouring eye on my affliction;
yet do I thank thee for what has happened. And though ere this I did not believe my son was gathered to the gods, now am I convinced thereof. My children, now at last from toil shall ye be free, free from him, whom hideous death awaits,
Eurystheus; now shall ye behold your father’s city, and set foot in the land of your inheritance, and sacrifice to those ancestral gods, from whom ye have been debarred and forced to lead in strangers’ lands a life of wretched vagrancy. But tell me, what sage purpose Iolaus
nursed in his heart, that he spared the life of Eurystheus, for to my mind this is no wisdom, to catch a foe and wreak no vengeance on him.
Servant (of Hyllus):’Twas his regard for thee, that thou might’st see him subject to thy hand, and triumph o’er him.
Rest assured,’twas no willing prisoner he made, but by strong constraint he bound him, for Eurystheus was loth indeed to come alive into thy presence and pay his penalty. Farewell, my aged mistress; I pray thee remember thy first promise when I was beginning my story;
set me free; for, at such a time as this, sincerity becometh noble lips. [Exit Servant.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
ὦ Ζεῦ, χρόνῳ μὲν τἄμ’ ἐπεσκέψω κακά,
χάριν δʼ ὅμως σοι τῶν πεπραγμένων ἔχω·
καὶ παῖδα τὸν ἐμὸν πρόσθεν οὐ δοκοῦσʼ ἐγὼ
θεοῖς ὁμιλεῖν νῦν ἐπίσταμαι σαφῶς.
ὦ τέκνα, νῦν δὴ νῦν ἐλεύθεροι πόνων,
ἐλεύθεροι δὲ τοῦ κακῶς ὀλουμένου
Εὐρυσθέως ἔσεσθε καὶ πόλιν πατρὸς
ὄψεσθε, κλήρους δʼ ἐμβατεύσετε χθονὸς
καὶ θεοῖς πατρῴοις θύσεθʼ, ὧν ἀπειργμένοι
ξένοι πλανήτην εἴχετʼ ἄθλιον βίον.
ἀτὰρ τί κεύθων Ἰόλεως σοφόν ποτε
Εὐρυσθέως ἐφείσαθʼ ὥστε μὴ κτανεῖν;
λέξον· παρʼ ἡμῖν μὲν γὰρ οὐ σοφὸν τόδε,
ἐχθροὺς λαβόντα μὴ ἀποτείσασθαι δίκην.
Θεράπων:
τὸ σὸν προτιμῶν, ὥς νιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἴδοις
κρατοῦντα καὶ σῇ δεσποτούμενον χερί.
οὐ μὴν ἑκόντα γʼ αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς βίαν
ἔζευξʼ ἀνάγκῃ· καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐβούλετο
ζῶν ἐς σὸν ἐλθεῖν ὄμμα καὶ δοῦναι δίκην.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ γεραιά, χαῖρε καὶ μέμνησό μοι
ὃ πρῶτον εἶπας, ἡνίκʼ ἠρχόμην λόγου,
ἐλευθερώσειν μʼ· ἐν δὲ τοῖς τοιοῖσδε χρὴ
ἀψευδὲς εἶναι τοῖσι γενναίοις στόμα.

[¶97] Chorus:
Sweet is the dance to me, whenso the clear-toned flute and lovely Aphrodite shed grace upon the feast;
and a joyful thing too it is, I trow, to witness the good luck of friends, who till then ne’er dreamt of it. For numerous is the offspring of Fate,
that bringeth all to pass, and of Time, the son of Cronos.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ἐμοὶ χορὸς μὲν ἡδύς, εἰ λίγεια λω-
τοῦ χάρις ενι δαι·
εἴη δʼ εὔχαρις Ἀφροδί-
τα· τερπνὸν δέ τι καὶ φίλων ἆρʼ
εὐτυχίαν ἰδέσθαι
τῶν πάρος οὐ δοκούντων.
πολλὰ γὰρ
τίκτει Μοῖρα τελεσσιδώ-
τειρʼ Αἰών τε Χρόνου παῖς.

[¶98] Chorus:
Thine is the path of justice, O my city; this must no man wrest from thee, thy reverence for the gods, and, whoso denieth it of thee, draws nigh to frenzy’s goal,
with these plain proofs in view. Yea, for the god proclaims it clearly, by cutting short the bad man’s pride in every case.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔχεις ὁδόν τινʼ, ὦ πόλις, δίκαιον — οὐ
χρή ποτε τοῦδʼ ἀφέσθαι, —
τιμᾶν θεούς· ὁ ⟨δὲ⟩ μή σε φά-
σκων ἐγγὺς μανιῶν ἐλαύνει,
δεικνυμένων ἐλέγχων
τῶνδʼ· ἐπίσημα γάρ τοι
θεὸς παραγ-
γέλλει, τῶν ἀδίκων παραι-
ρῶν φρονήματος αἰεί.

[¶99] Chorus:
In heaven, mother, lives thy son, passed from earth away; that he went down to Hades’ halls, his body burnt by the fire’s fierce flame, is past belief;
in golden halls reclined he has to wife Hebe, lovely nymph. Thou, O Hymen, hast honoured them, children both of Zeus.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔστιν ἐν οὐρανῷ βεβα-
κὼς τεὸς γόνος, ὦ γεραι-
ά· φεύγει λόγον ὡς τὸν Ἅι-
δα δόμον κατέβα, πυρὸς
δεινᾷ φλογὶ σῶμα δαισθείς·
Ἥβας τʼ ἐρατὸν χροΐζει
λέχος χρυσέαν κατʼ αὐλάν.
ὦ Ὑμέναιε, δισσοὺς παῖ-
δας Διὸς ἠξίωσας.

[¶100] Chorus:
Things for the most part form a single chain;
for instance, men say Athene used to champion their father, and now the citizens of that goddess have saved his children, and checked the insolence of him, whose heart
preferred violence to justice. God save me from such arrogance, such greed of soul! [Eurystheus is brought in bound.

> Greek: Χορός:
συμφέρεται τὰ πολλὰ πολ-
λοῖς· καὶ γὰρ πατρὶ τῶνδʼ Ἀθά-
ναν λέγουσʼ ἐπίκουρον εἶ-
ναι, καὶ τούσδε θεᾶς πόλις
καὶ λαὸς ἔσωσε κείνας·
ἔσχεν δʼ ὕβριν ἀνδρὸς ᾧ θυ-
μὸς ἦν πρὸ δίκας βίαιος.
μήποτʼ ἐμοὶ φρόνημα ψυ-
χά τʼ ἀκόρεστος εἴη.

[¶101] Messenger:
Mistress, though thine eyes see him, yet will I announce we have brought Eurystheus hither for thy pleasure,
an unexpected sight, for him no less a chance he ne’er foresaw; for little he thought of ever falling into thy hands, what time he marched from Mycenae with his toil-worn warriors, to sack Athens, thinking himself far above fortune. But a power
divine hath reversed our destinies, changing their position. Now Hyllus and brave Iolaus I left raising an image to Zeus, who routs the foe, for their triumphant victory, whilst they bid me bring this prisoner to thee, wishing to gladden thy heart; for ’tis the sweetest
sight to see a foe fall on evil days after prosperity.
Alcmena:
Art come, thou hateful wretch? Hath Justice caught thee then at last? First, turn thy head this way to me, and endure to look thy enemies in the face, for thou art no more the ruler, but the slave.
Art thou the man—for this I fain would learn—who didst presume to heap thy insults on my son, who now is where he is, thou miscreant? What outrage didst thou abstain from putting upon him? Thou that didst make him go down alive even to Hades,
and wouldst send him with an order to slay hydras and lions? Thy other evil schemes I mention not, for to tell them were a tedious task for me. Nor did it content thee to venture thus far only; no! but from all Hellas wouldst thou drive me and my children,
heaven’s suppliants though we were, grey-heads some of us, and some still tender babes. But here hast thou found men and a free city, that feared not thee. Die in torment must thou, and e’en so wilt thou gain in every way, for one death is not
thy due, after all the sorrow thou hast caused.
Messenger:
Thou mayst not slay him.
Alcmena:
Then have we taken him captive in vain. But say, what law forbids his death?
Messenger:
It is not the will of the rulers of this land.
Alcmena:
Why, what is this? Do they not approve of slaying enemies?
Messenger:
Not such as they have taken alive in battle.
Alcmena:
Did Hyllus uphold this decision?
Messenger:
He, I suppose, ought to have disobeyed the law of the land.
Alcmena:
The prisoner’s life ought not to have been spared a moment.
Messenger:
It was then that he was wronged, by not being slain at first.
Alcmena:
Why, then, he is still in time to pay his penalty.
Messenger:
There is no one, who will slay him now.
Alcmena:
I will; and yet I count myself someone.
Messenger:
Well, thou wilt incur great blame, if thou do this deed.

> Greek: Θεράπων:
δέσποινʼ, ὁρᾷς μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως εἰρήσεται,
Εὐρυσθέα σοι τόνδʼ ἄγοντες ἥκομεν,
ἄελπτον ὄψιν, τῷδέ τʼ οὐχ ἧσσον τύχην·
οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ηὔχει χεῖρας ἵξεσθαι σέθεν,
ὅτʼ ἐκ Μυκηνῶν πολυπόνῳ σὺν ἀσπίδι
ἔστειχε μείζω τῆς δίκης φρονῶν, πόλιν
πέρσων Ἀθηνᾶς. ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐναντίαν
δαίμων ἔθηκε, καὶ μετέστησεν τύχην.
Ὕλλος μὲν οὖν ὅ τʼ ἐσθλὸς Ἰόλεως βρέτας
Διὸς τροπαίου καλλίνικον ἵστασαν·
ἐμοὶ δὲ πρὸς σὲ τόνδʼ ἐπιστέλλουσʼ ἄγειν,
τέρψαι θέλοντες σὴν φρένʼ· ἐκ γὰρ εὐτυχοῦς
ἥδιστον ἐχθρὸν ἄνδρα δυστυχοῦνθʼ ὁρᾶν.
Ἀλκμήνη:
ὦ μῖσος, ἥκεις; εἷλέ σʼ ἡ Δίκη χρόνῳ;
πρῶτον μὲν οὖν μοι δεῦρʼ ἐπίστρεψον κάρα
καὶ τλῆθι τοὺς σοὺς προσβλέπειν ἐναντίον
ἐχθρούς· κρατῇ γὰρ νῦν γε κοὐ κρατεῖς ἔτι.
ἐκεῖνος εἶ σύ — βούλομαι γὰρ εἰδέναι —
ὃς πολλὰ μὲν τὸν ὄνθʼ ὅπου ’στὶ νῦν ἐμὸν
παῖδʼ ἠξίωσας, ὦ πανοῦργʼ, ἐφυβρίσαι;
τί γὰρ σὺ κεῖνον οὐκ ἔτλης καθυβρίσαι;
ὃς καὶ παρʼ Ἅιδην ζῶντά νιν κατήγαγες,
ὕδρας λέοντάς τʼ ἐξαπολλύναι λέγων
ἔπεμπες. ἄλλα δʼ οἷ’ ἐμηχανῶ κακὰ
σιγῶ· μακρὸς γὰρ μῦθος ἂν γένοιτό μοι.
κοὐκ ἤρκεσέν σοι ταῦτα τολμῆσαι μόνον,
ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἁπάσης κἀμὲ καὶ τέκνʼ Ἑλλάδος
ἤλαυνες ἱκέτας δαιμόνων καθημένους,
τοὺς μὲν γέροντας, τοὺς δὲ νηπίους ἔτι.
ἀλλʼ ηὗρες ἄνδρας καὶ πόλισμʼ ἐλεύθερον,
οἵ σʼ οὐκ ἔδεισαν. δεῖ σε κατθανεῖν κακῶς,
καὶ κερδανεῖς ἅπαντα· χρῆν γὰρ οὐχ ἅπαξ
θνῄσκειν σὲ πολλὰ πήματʼ ἐξειργασμένον.
Χορός:
οὐκ ἔστʼ ἀνυστὸν τόνδε σοι κατακτανεῖν.
Θεράπων:
ἄλλως ἄρʼ αὐτὸν αἰχμάλωτον εἵλομεν;
Ἀλκμήνη:
εἴργει δὲ δὴ τίς τόνδε μὴ θνῄσκειν νόμος;
Χορός:
τοῖς τῆσδε χώρας προστάταισιν οὐ δοκεῖ.
Ἀλκμήνη:
τί δὴ τόδʼ; ἐχθροὺς τοισίδʼ οὐ καλὸν κτανεῖν;
Χορός:
οὐχ ὅντινʼ ἄν γε ζῶνθʼ ἕλωσιν ἐν μάχῃ.
Ἀλκμήνη:
καὶ ταῦτα δόξανθʼ Ὕλλος ἐξηνέσχετο;
Χορός:
χρῆν δʼ αὐτόν, οἶμαι, τῇδʼ ἀπιστῆσαι χθονί;
Ἀλκμήνη:
χρῆν τόνδε μὴ ζῆν μηδʼ ὁρᾶν φάος ἔτι.
Χορός:
τότʼ ἠδικήθη πρῶτον οὐ θανὼν ὅδε.
Ἀλκμήνη:
οὐκ οὖν ἔτʼ ἐστὶν ἐν καλῷ δοῦναι δίκην;
Χορός:
οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτον ὅστις ἂν κατακτάνοι.
Ἀλκμήνη:
ἔγωγε· καίτοι φημὶ κἄμʼ εἶναί τινα.
Χορός:
πολλὴν ἄρʼ ἕξεις μέμψιν, εἰ δράσεις τόδε.

[¶102] Alcmena:
I love this city well; that cannot be gainsaid. But since this man hath fallen into my power, no mortal hand shall wrest him from me. Wherefore let who will, call me the woman bold, with thoughts too high for her sex;
yet shall this deed be brought to pass by me.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
φιλῶ πόλιν τήνδʼ· οὐδὲν ἀντιλεκτέον.
τοῦτον δʼ, ἐπείπερ χεῖρας ἦλθεν εἰς ἐμάς,
οὐκ ἔστι θνητῶν ὅστις ἐξαιρήσεται.
πρὸς ταῦτα τὴν θρασεῖαν ὅστις ἂν θέλῃ
καὶ τὴν φρονοῦσαν μεῖζον ἢ γυναῖκα χρὴ
λέξει· τὸ δʼ ἔργον τοῦτʼ ἐμοὶ πεπράξεται.

[¶103] Chorus:
Lady, full well I understand thou hast a dire quarrel with this man, and ’tis pardonable.
Eurystheus:
Woman, be sure I will not flatter thee nor say aught to save my life,
that can give any occasion for a charge of cowardice. It was not of my own free will I took this quarrel up; I am aware that I was born thy cousin, and kinsman to Heracles, thy son; but whether I would or no,
Hera, by her power divine, caused me to be afflicted thus. Still, when I undertook to be his foe, and when I knew I had to enter on this struggle, I set myself to devise trouble in plenty, and oft from time to time my midnight communing bore fruit,
scheming how to push aside and slay my foes, and for the future divorce myself from fear; for I knew that son of thine was no mere cipher, but a man indeed; yea, for, though he was my foe, I will speak well of him, because he was a man of worth.
Now, after he was taken hence, was I not forced, by reason of these children’s hatred, and because I was conscious of an hereditary feud, to leave no stone unturned by slaying, banishing, and plotting against them? So long as I did so, my safety was assured.
Suppose thyself hadst had my lot, wouldst not thou have set to harassing the lion’s angry whelps, instead of letting them dwell at Argos undisturbed? Thou wilt not persuade us otherwise. Now therefore, since they did not slay me then,
when I was prepared to die, by the laws of Hellas my death becomes a curse on him, who slays me now. The city wisely let me go, in that she regarded the gods more than her hatred of me. Thou hast had my answer to thy words; henceforth must
I be called avenging spirit and noble hero too.’Tis even thus with me; to die have I no wish, but, if I leave my life, I shall in no way be grieved.

> Greek: Χορός:
δεινόν τι καὶ συγγνωστόν, ὦ γύναι, σʼ ἔχει
νεῖκος πρὸς ἄνδρα τόνδε, γιγνώσκω καλῶς.
Ἐυρυσθεύς:
γύναι, σάφʼ ἴσθι μή με θωπεύσοντά σε,
μηδʼ ἄλλο μηδὲν τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς πέρι
λέξονθʼ ὅθεν χρὴ δειλίαν ὀφλεῖν τινα.
ἐγὼ δὲ νεῖκος οὐχ ἑκὼν τόδʼ ἠράμην·
ᾔδη γε σοὶ μὲν αὐτανέψιος γεγώς,
τῷ σῷ δὲ παιδὶ συγγενὴς Ἡρακλέει.
ἀλλʼ εἴτʼ ἔχρῃζον εἴτε μή — θεὸς γὰρ ἦν —
Ἥρα με κάμνειν τήνδʼ ἔθηκε τὴν νόσον.
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐκείνῳ δυσμένειαν ἠράμην
κἄγνων ἀγῶνα τόνδʼ ἀγωνιούμενος,
πολλῶν σοφιστὴς πημάτων ἐγιγνόμην
καὶ πόλλʼ ἔτικτον νυκτὶ συνθακῶν ἀεί,
ὅπως διώσας καὶ κατακτείνας ἐμοὺς
ἐχθροὺς τὸ λοιπὸν μὴ συνοικοίην φόβῳ,
εἰδὼς μὲν οὐκ ἀριθμὸν ἀλλʼ ἐτητύμως
ἄνδρʼ ὄντα τὸν σὸν παῖδα· καὶ γὰρ ἐχθρὸς ὢν
ἀκούσεται ⟨’μοί⟩ γʼ ἐσθλὰ χρηστὸς ὢν ἀνήρ.
κείνου δʼ ἀπαλλαχθέντος οὐκ ἐχρῆν μʼ ἄρα
μισούμενον πρὸς τῶνδε καὶ ξυνειδότα
ἔχθραν πατρῴαν, πάντα κινῆσαι πέτρον,
κτείνοντα κἀκβάλλοντα καὶ τεχνώμενον;
τοιαῦτα δρῶντι τἄμʼ ἐγίγνετʼ ἀσφαλῆ.
οὔκουν σύ γʼ ἀναλαβοῦσα τὰς ἐμὰς τύχας
ἐχθροῦ λέοντος δυσγενῆ βλαστήματα
ἤλαυνες ἂν κακοῖσιν, ἀλλὰ σωφρόνως
εἴασας οἰκεῖν Ἄργος; οὔτινʼ ἂν πίθοις.
νῦν οὖν ἐπειδή μʼ οὐ διώλεσαν τότε
πρόθυμον ὄντα, τοῖσιν Ἑλλήνων νόμοις
οὐχ ἁγνός εἰμι τῷ κτανόντι κατθανών·
πόλις τʼ ἀφῆκε σωφρονοῦσα, τὸν θεὸν
μεῖζον τίουσα τῆς ἐμῆς ἔχθρας πολύ.
προσεῖπας, ἀντήκουσας· ἐντεῦθεν δὲ χρὴ
τὸν προστρόπαιον τόν τε γενναῖον καλεῖν.
οὕτω γε μέντοι τἄμ’ ἔχεις· θανεῖν μὲν οὐ
χρῄζω, λιπὼν δʼ ἂν οὐδὲν ἀχθοίμην βίον.
…
…
…

[¶104] Chorus:
Alcmena, fain I would advise thee somewhat; let this man go, for ’tis the city’s will.

> Greek: Χορός:
παραινέσαι σοι σμικρόν, Ἀλκμήνη, θέλω,
τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἀφεῖναι τόνδʼ, ἐπεὶ δοκεῖ πόλει.

[¶105] Alcmena:
Suppose he die, and yet I obey the city?

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τί δʼ, ἢν θάνῃ τε καὶ πόλει πιθώμεθα;

[¶106] Chorus:
That would be best of all; but how can this be?

> Greek: Χορός:
τὰ λῷστ’ ἂν εἴη· πῶς τάδʼ οὖν γενήσεται;

[¶107] Alcmena:
I will teach thee easily. I will slay him and then give up his corpse to those of his friends, who come for it, for, as regards his body, I will not disobey the state;
but by his death shall he pay me the penalty.
Eurystheus:
Slay me, I do not ask thee for mercy; yet since this city let me go and shrunk from slaying me, I will reward it with an old oracle of Loxias, which in time will benefit them more than doth appear.
Bury my body after death in its destined grave in front of the shrine of the virgin goddess at Pallene. And I will be thy friend and guardian of thy city for ever, where I lie buried in a foreign soil, but a bitter foe to these children’s descendants,
whensoe’er with gathered host they come against this land, traitors to your kindness now; such are the strangers ye have championed. Why then came I hither, if I knew all this, instead of regarding the god’s oracle? Because I thought, that Hera was mightier far than any oracle,
and would not betray me. Waste no drink-offering on my tomb, nor spill the victim’s blood; for I will requite them for my treatment here with a journey they shall rue; and ye shall have double gain from me, for I will help you and harm them by my death.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
ἐγὼ διδάξω ῥᾳδίως· κτανοῦσα γὰρ
τόνδʼ εἶτα νεκρὸν τοῖς μετελθοῦσιν φίλων
δώσω· τὸ γὰρ σῶμʼ οὐκ ἀπιστήσω χθονί,
οὗτος δὲ δώσει τὴν δίκην θανὼν ἐμοί.
Ἐυρυσθεύς:
κτεῖνʼ, οὐ παραιτοῦμαί σε· τήνδε δὲ πτόλιν,
ἐπεί μʼ ἀφῆκε καὶ κατῃδέσθη κτανεῖν,
χρησμῷ παλαιῷ Λοξίου δωρήσομαι,
ὃς ὠφελήσει μείζονʼ ἢ δοκεῖν χρόνῳ.
θανόντα γάρ με θάψεθʼ οὗ τὸ μόρσιμον,
δίας πάροιθε παρθένου Παλληνίδος·
καὶ σοὶ μὲν εὔνους καὶ πόλει σωτήριος
μέτοικος αἰεὶ κείσομαι κατὰ χθονός,
τοῖς τῶνδε δʼ ἐκγόνοισι πολεμιώτατος,
ὅταν μόλωσι δεῦρο σὺν πολλῇ χερὶ
χάριν προδόντες τήνδε. τοιούτων ξένων
προύστητε. πῶς οὖν ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ πεπυσμένος
δεῦρʼ ἦλθον, ἀλλʼ οὐ χρησμὸν ἠρόμην θεοῦ;
Ἥραν νομίζων θεσφάτων κρείσσω πολὺ
κοὐκ ἂν προδοῦναί μʼ. ἀλλὰ μήτε μοι χοὰς
μήθʼ αἷμʼ ἐάσῃς εἰς ἐμὸν στάξαι τόπον.
κακὸν γὰρ αὐτοῖς νόστον ἀντὶ τῶνδʼ ἐγὼ
δώσω· διπλοῦν δὲ κέρδος ἕξετʼ ἐξ ἐμοῦ,
ὑμᾶς τʼ ὀνήσω τούσδε τε βλάψω θανών.

[¶108] Alcmena:
Why, why delay to kill this man, after hearing this, since this is needed to secure the safety of your city and your children? Himself points out the safest road. Though the man is now our foe, yet after death is he our gain.
Away with him, ye servants, and cast him to the dogs when ye have slain him. Think not thou shalt live to cast me forth from my native land again.

> Greek: Ἀλκμήνη:
τί δῆτα μέλλετʼ, εἰ πόλει σωτηρίαν
κατεργάσασθαι τοῖσί τʼ ἐξ ἡμῶν χρεών,
κτείνειν τὸν ἄνδρα τόνδʼ, ἀκούοντες τάδε;
δείκνυσι γὰρ κέλευθον ἀσφαλεστάτην·
ἐχθρὸς μὲν ἁνήρ, ὠφελεῖ δὲ κατθανών.
κομίζετʼ αὐτόν, δμῶες· εἶτα χρὴ κυσὶν
δοῦναι κτανόντας· μὴ γὰρ ἐλπίσῃς ὅπως
αὖθις πατρῴας ζῶν ἔμʼ ἐκβαλεῖς χθονός.
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[¶109] Chorus:
I agree. Lead on, servants. Our conduct shall bring no stain of guilt upon our rulers.

> Greek: Ἡμιχόριον:
ταὐτὰ δοκεῖ μοι. στείχετʼ, ὀπαδοί.
τὰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν
καθαρῶς ἔσται βασιλεῦσιν.