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

# Heracles · Ἡρακλῆς

*Euripides, tr. Edward P. Coleridge*

Home from his labours, Heracles saves his family, then Hera sends him mad.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg009, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Edward P. Coleridge, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg009.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 1–496](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracles/1.md)
2. [Lines 497–989](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracles/2.md)
3. [Lines 990–1428](https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracles/3.md)

## 1. Lines 1–496

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

[¶0] At the entrance of Heracles’ house in Thebes, before the altar of Zeus.
Amphitryon:
What mortal has not heard of the one who shared a wife with Zeus, Amphitryon of Argos, whom once Alcaeus, son of Perseus, begot, Amphitryon the father of Heracles? Who lived here in Thebes, where from the sowing
of the dragon’s teeth grew up a crop of earth-born giants; and of these Ares saved a scanty band, and their children’s children people the city of Cadmus. Hence sprung Creon, son of Menoeceus, king of this land;
and Creon became the father of this lady Megara, whom once all Cadmus’ race escorted with the glad music of lutes at her wedding, when the famous Heracles led her to my halls. Now he, my son, left Thebes where I was settled, left his wife Megara and her kin,
eager to make his home in Argolis, in that walled town which the Cyclopes built, from which I am exiled for the slaying of Electryon; so he, wishing to lighten my affliction and to find a home in his own land, offered Eurystheus a mighty price for my recall:
to free the world of savage monsters, whether it was that Hera goaded him to submit to this, or that fate was leagued against him. Other toils he has accomplished, and last of all has he passed through the mouth of Taenarus into the halls of Hades to drag to the light
that hound with three bodies, and from there he has never returned. Now there is an ancient legend among the race of Cadmus that a certain Lycus in days gone by was husband to Dirce, and he was king of this city with its seven towers, before Amphion and Zethus, sons of Zeus,
lords of the milk-white steeds, became rulers in the land. His son, called by the same name as his father, although no Theban but a stranger from Euboea, slew Creon, and after that seized the government, having fallen on this city when weakened by dissension.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
Τίς τὸν Διὸς σύλλεκτρον οὐκ οἶδεν βροτῶν,
Ἀργεῖον Ἀμφιτρύωνʼ, ὃν Ἀλκαῖός ποτε
ἔτιχθʼ ὁ Περσέως, πατέρα τόνδʼ Ἡρακλέους;
ὃς τάσδε Θήβας ἔσχον, ἔνθʼ ὁ γηγενὴς
σπαρτῶν στάχυς ἔβλαστεν, ὧν γένους Ἄρης
ἔσωσʼ ἀριθμὸν ὀλίγον, οἳ Κάδμου πόλιν
τεκνοῦσι παίδων παισίν. ἔνθεν ἐξέφυ
Κρέων Μενοικέως παῖς, ἄναξ τῆσδε χθονός.
Κρέων δὲ Μεγάρας τῆσδε γίγνεται πατήρ,
ἣν πάντες ὑμεναίοισι Καδμεῖοί ποτε
λωτῷ συνηλάλαξαν, ἡνίκʼ εἰς ἐμοὺς
δόμους ὁ κλεινὸς Ἡρακλῆς νιν ἤγετο.
λιπὼν δὲ Θήβας, οὗ κατῳκίσθην ἐγώ,
Μεγάραν τε τήνδε πενθερούς τε παῖς ἐμὸς
Ἀργεῖα τείχη καὶ Κυκλωπίαν πόλιν
ὠρέξατʼ οἰκεῖν, ἣν ἐγὼ φεύγω κτανὼν
Ἠλεκτρύωνα· συμφορὰς δὲ τὰς ἐμὰς
ἐξευμαρίζων καὶ πάτραν οἰκεῖν θέλων,
καθόδου δίδωσι μισθὸν Εὐρυσθεῖ μέγαν,
ἐξημερῶσαι γαῖαν, εἴθʼ Ἥρας ὕπο
κέντροις δαμασθεὶς εἴτε τοῦ χρεὼν μέτα.
καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἐξεμόχθησεν πόνους,
τὸ λοίσθιον δὲ Ταινάρου διὰ στόμα
βέβηκʼ ἐς Ἅιδου, τὸν τρισώματον κύνα
ἐς φῶς ἀνάξων, ἔνθεν οὐχ ἥκει πάλιν.
γέρων δὲ δή τις ἔστι Καδμείων λόγος
ὡς ἦν πάρος Δίρκης τις εὐνήτωρ Λύκος
τὴν ἑπτάπυργον τήνδε δεσπόζων πόλιν,
τὼ λευκοπώλω πρὶν τυραννῆσαι χθονὸς
Ἀμφίονʼ ἠδὲ Ζῆθον, ἐκγόνω Διός.
οὗ ταὐτὸν ὄνομα παῖς πατρὸς κεκλημένος,
Καδμεῖος οὐκ ὤν, ἀλλʼ ἀπʼ Εὐβοίας μολών,
κτείνει Κρέοντα καὶ κτανὼν ἄρχει χθονός,
στάσει νοσοῦσαν τήνδʼ ἐπεσπεσὼν πόλιν.

[¶1] So this family connection with Creon is likely to prove to us a serious evil; for now that my son is in the bowels of the earth, this new monarch Lycus is bent on extirpating the children of Heracles,
to quench one bloody feud with another, likewise his wife and me, if useless age like mine is to rank among men, that the boys may never grow up to exact a blood-penalty of their uncle’s family. So I, left here by my son, while he is gone into the pitchy darkness of the earth,
to tend and guard his children in his house, am taking my place with their mother, that the race of Heracles may not perish, here at the altar of Zeus the Savior, which my own gallant child set up
to commemorate his glorious victory over the Minyae. And here we are careful to keep our station, though in need of everything, of food, drink and clothes, huddled together on the hard bare ground; for we are barred out from our house and sit here for want of any other safety.

> Greek: ἡμῖν δὲ κῆδος ἐς Κρέοντʼ ἀνημμένον
κακὸν μέγιστον, ὡς ἔοικε, γίγνεται.
τοὐμοῦ γὰρ ὄντος παιδὸς ἐν μυχοῖς χθονὸς
ὁ καινὸς οὗτος τῆσδε γῆς ἄρχων Λύκος
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους παῖδας ἐξελεῖν θέλει
κτανὼν δάμαρτά ⟨θʼ⟩, ὡς φόνῳ σβέσῃ φόνον,
κἄμʼ — εἴ τι δὴ χρὴ κἄμʼ ἐν ἀνδράσιν λέγειν
γέροντʼ ἀχρεῖον — μή ποθʼ οἵδʼ ἠνδρωμένοι
μήτρωσιν ἐκπράξωσιν αἵματος δίκην.
ἐγὼ δέ — λείπει γάρ με τοῖσδʼ ἐν δώμασιν
τροφὸν τέκνων οἰκουρόν, ἡνίκα χθονὸς
μέλαιναν ὄρφνην εἰσέβαινε, παῖς ἐμός —
σὺν μητρί, τέκνα μὴ θάνωσʼ Ἡρακλέους,
βωμὸν καθίζω τόνδε σωτῆρος Διός,
ὃν καλλινίκου δορὸς ἄγαλμʼ ἱδρύσατο
Μινύας κρατήσας οὑμὸς εὐγενὴς τόκος.
πάντων δὲ χρεῖοι τάσδʼ ἕδρας φυλάσσομεν,
σίτων ποτῶν ἐσθῆτος, ἀστρώτῳ πέδῳ
πλευρὰς τιθέντες· ἐκ γὰρ ἐσφραγισμένοι
δόμων καθήμεθʼ ἀπορίᾳ σωτηρίας.

[¶2] As for friends, some I see are unreliable; while others, who are staunch, have no power to help us further. This is what misfortune means to man; may it never fall to the lot of any who bears the least goodwill to me, to apply this never-failing test of friendship!

> Greek: φίλων δὲ τοὺς μὲν οὐ σαφεῖς ὁρῶ φίλους,
οἳ δʼ ὄντες ὀρθῶς ἀδύνατοι προσωφελεῖν.
τοιοῦτον ἀνθρώποισιν ἡ δυσπραξία·
ἧς μήποθʼ ὅστις καὶ μέσως εὔνους ἐμοὶ
τύχοι, φίλων ἔλεγχον ἀψευδέστατον.

[¶3] Megara:
Old warrior, who once razed the citadel of the Taphians leading on the troops of Thebes to glory, how uncertain are the gods’ dealings with man! I, for instance, as far as concerned my father, was never an outcast of fortune, for he was once accounted a man of might by reason of his wealth,
possessed as he was of royal power, for which long spears are launched at the lives of the fortunate through love of it; children too he had; and he gave me to your son, matching me in glorious marriage with Heracles. And now all that is dead and gone from us;
and I and you, old friend, are doomed to die, and these children of Heracles, whom I am guarding beneath my wing as a bird keeps her tender chicks under her. And they one after another keep asking me: “Mother, tell us, where is our father gone from the land?”

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ὦ πρέσβυ, Ταφίων ὅς ποτʼ ἐξεῖλες πόλιν
στρατηλατήσας κλεινὰ Καδμείων δορός,
ὡς οὐδὲν ἀνθρώποισι τῶν θείων σαφές.
ἐγὼ γὰρ οὔτʼ ἐς πατέρʼ ἀπηλάθην τύχης,
ὃς οὕνεκʼ ὄλβου μέγας ἐκομπάσθη ποτέ,
ἔχων τυραννίδʼ, ἧς μακραὶ λόγχαι πέρι
πηδῶσʼ ἔρωτι σώματʼ εἰς εὐδαίμονα,
ἔχων δὲ τέκνα· κἄμʼ ἔδωκε παιδὶ σῷ
ἐπίσημον εὐνὴν Ἡρακλεῖ συνοικίσας.
καὶ νῦν ἐκεῖνα μὲν θανόντʼ ἀνέπτατο,
ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ σὺ μέλλομεν θνῄσκειν, γέρον,
οἵ θʼ Ἡράκλειοι παῖδες, οὓς ὑπὸ πτεροῖς
σῴζω νεοσσοὺς ὄρνις ὣς ὑφειμένη.
οἳ δʼ εἰς ἔλεγχον ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν πίτνων,
Ὦ μῆτερ, αὐδᾷ, ποῖ πατὴρ ἄπεστι γῆς;

[¶4] “what is he doing? when will he return?” Thus they inquire for their father, in childish perplexity; while I put them off with excuses, inventing stories; but still I wonder if it is he whenever a door creaks on its hinges, and up they all start, thinking to embrace their father’s knees.

> Greek: τί δρᾷ, πόθʼ ἥξει; τῷ νέῳ δʼ ἐσφαλμένοι
ζητοῦσι τὸν τεκόντʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ διαφέρω
λόγοισι, μυθεύουσα. θαυμάζων δʼ ὅταν
πύλαι ψοφῶσι, πᾶς ἀνίστησιν πόδα,
ὡς πρὸς πατρῷον προσπεσούμενοι γόνυ.

[¶5] What hope or way of salvation are you now devising, old friend? for I look to you. We can never steal beyond the boundaries of the land unseen, for there is too strict a watch set on us at every outlet, nor have we any longer hopes of safety
in our friends. Whatever your scheme is, declare it, lest our death be made ready.

> Greek: νῦν οὖν τίνʼ ἐλπίδʼ ἢ πέδον σωτηρίας
ἐξευμαρίζῃ, πρέσβυ; πρὸς σὲ γὰρ βλέπω.
ὡς οὔτε γαίας ὅριʼ ἂν ἐκβαῖμεν λάθρᾳ·
φυλακαὶ γὰρ ἡμῶν κρείσσονες κατʼ ἐξόδους·
οὔτʼ ἐν φίλοισιν ἐλπίδες σωτηρίας
ἔτʼ εἰσὶν ἡμῖν. ἥντινʼ οὖν γνώμην ἔχεις
λέγʼ ἐς τὸ κοινόν, μὴ θανεῖν ἕτοιμον ᾖ.

[¶6] Amphitryon:
It is by no means easy, my daughter, to give one’s earnest advice on such matters off hand, without weary thought; but let us prolong the time, since we are powerless to escape.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὦ θύγατερ, οὔτοι ῥᾴδιον τὰ τοιάδε
φαύλως παραινεῖν, σπουδάσαντʼ ἄνευ πόνου·
χρόνον δὲ μηκύνωμεν ὄντες ἀσθενεῖς.

[¶7] Megara:
Do you need a further taste of grief, or do you cling so fast to life?

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
λύπης τι προσδεῖς ἢ φιλεῖς οὕτω φάος;

[¶8] Amphitryon:
Yes, I love this life, and cling to its hopes.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
καὶ τῷδε χαίρω καὶ φιλῶ τὰς ἐλπίδας.

[¶9] Megara:
So do I; but you should not expect the unexpected, old friend.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
κἀγώ· δοκεῖν δὲ τἀδόκητʼ οὐ χρή, γέρον.

[¶10] Amphitryon:
In these delays the only cure for our evils is left.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἐν ταῖς ἀναβολαῖς τῶν κακῶν ἔνεστʼ ἄκη.

[¶11] Megara:
It is the biting pain of that interval I feel so.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ὁ δʼ ἐν μέσῳ με λυπρὸς ὢν δάκνει χρόνος.

[¶12] Amphitryon:
Daughter, there may yet be a happy escape from present troubles for me and you; my son, your husband, may yet arrive. So calm yourself, and wipe those tears from your children’s eyes, and soothe them with soft words,
inventing a tale to delude then, piteous though such fraud be. Yes, for even men’s misfortunes often flag, and the stormy wind does not always blow so strong, nor are the prosperous ever so; for all things change, making way for each other.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἔτʼ ἂν γένοιτʼ, ὦ θύγατερ, οὔριος δρόμος
ἐκ τῶν παρόντων τῶνδʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ σοὶ κακῶν,
ἔλθοι τʼ ἔτʼ ἂν παῖς οὑμός, εὐνήτωρ δὲ σός.
ἀλλʼ ἡσύχαζε καὶ δακρυρρόους τέκνων
πηγὰς ἀφαίρει καὶ παρευκήλει λόγοις,
κλέπτουσα μύθοις ἀθλίους κλοπὰς ὅμως.
κάμνουσι γάρ τοι καὶ βροτῶν αἱ συμφοραί,
καὶ πνεύματʼ ἀνέμων οὐκ ἀεὶ ῥώμην ἔχει·
οἵ τʼ εὐτυχοῦντες διὰ τέλους οὐκ εὐτυχεῖς.
ἐξίσταται γὰρ πάντʼ ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων δίχα.

[¶13] The bravest man is he who relies ever on his hopes, but despair is the mark of a coward.

> Greek: οὗτος δʼ ἀνὴρ ἄριστος ὅστις ἐλπίσι
πέποιθεν αἰεί· τὸ δʼ ἀπορεῖν ἀνδρὸς κακοῦ.

[¶14] Chorus:
To the sheltering roof, to the old man’s couch, leaning on my staff have I set forth,
chanting a plaintive dirge like some bird grown grey, I that am only a voice and a fancy bred of the visions of sleep by night, palsied with age, yet meaning kindly. All hail! you orphaned children!
all hail, old friend! you too, unhappy mother, wailing for your husband in the halls of Hades!

> Greek: Χορός:
—ὑπώροφα μέλαθρα καὶ
γεραιὰ δέμνιʼ, ἀμφὶ βάκτροις
ἔρεισμα θέμενος, ἐστάλην
ἰηλέμων γόων ἀοι-
δὸς ὥστε πολιὸς ὄρνις,
ἔπεα μόνον καὶ δόκη-
μα νυκτερωπὸν ἐννύχων ὀνείρων,
τρομερὰ μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως πρόθυμʼ.
ὦ τέκεα, τέκεα πατρὸς ἀπάτορʼ,
ὦ γεραιὲ σύ τε τάλαινα μᾶ-
τερ, ἃ τὸν Ἀίδα δόμοις
πόσιν ἀναστενάζεις.

[¶15] Chorus:
Do not faint too soon upon your way,
or let your limbs grow weary, as a colt beneath the yoke grows weary as he mounts some stony hill, dragging the weight of a wheeled chariot. Take hold of hand or robe, who ever feels his footsteps falter.

> Greek: Χορός:
—μὴ προκάμητε πόδα βαρύ τε
κῶλον ὥστε πρὸς πετραῖον
λέπας ζυγηφόρον πῶλον
ἀνέντες ὡς βάρος φέρον
τροχηλάτοιο πώλου.
λαβοῦ χερῶν καὶ πέπλων,
ὅτου λέλοιπε ποδὸς ἀμαυρὸν ἴχνος·

[¶16] Old friend, escort another like yourself, who once amid his toiling peers in the days of our youth would take his place beside you, no blot upon his country’s glorious record.
Chorus:
See, how like their father’s sternly flash these children’s eyes! Misfortune has not failed his children, nor yet has his comeliness been denied them.

> Greek: γέρων γέροντα παρακόμιζʼ,
ᾧ ξύνοπλα δόρατα νέα νέῳ
τὸ πάρος ἐν ἡλίκων πόνοις
ξυνῆν ποτʼ, εὐκλεεστάτας
Χορός:
—ἴδετε, πατέρος ὡς γορ-
γῶπες αἵδε προσφερεῖς
ὀμμάτων αὐγαί,
τὸ δὲ κακοτυχὲς οὐ λέλοιπεν ἐκ τέκνων
οὐδʼ ἀποίχεται χάρις.

[¶17] O Hellas! if you lose these, of what allies will you rob yourself!

> Greek: Ἑλλὰς ὦ ξυμμάχους
οἵους οἵους ὀλέσα-
σα τούσδʼ ἀποστερήσῃ.

[¶18] Chorus:
But I see Lycus, the ruler of this land, drawing near the house.

> Greek: Χορός:
—ἀλλʼ εἰσορῶ γὰρ τῆσδε κοίρανον χθονὸς
Λύκον περῶντα τῶνδε δωμάτων πέλας.

[¶19] Lycus:
One question, if I may, to this father of Heracles and his wife; and certainly as your lord and master I have a right to put what questions I choose. How long do you seek to prolong your lives? What hope, what aid do you see to save you from death?

> Greek: Λύκος:
τὸν Ἡράκλειον πατέρα καὶ ξυνάορον,
εἰ χρή μʼ, ἐρωτῶ· χρὴ δʼ, ἐπεί γε δεσπότης
ὑμῶν καθέστηχʼ, ἱστορεῖν ἃ βούλομαι.
τίνʼ ἐς χρόνον ζητεῖτε μηκῦναι βίον;
τίνʼ ἐλπίδʼ ἀλκήν τʼ εἰσορᾶτε μὴ θανεῖν;

[¶20] Do you trust that these children’s father, who lies dead in the halls of Hades, will return? How unworthily you show your sorrow at having to die, you to Amphitryon after your idle boasts, scattered broadcast through Hellas, that Zeus was partner in your marriage-bed and was your partner in children;
and you, to Megara after calling yourself the wife of so peerless a lord.

> Greek: ἢ τὸν παρʼ Ἅιδῃ πατέρα τῶνδε κείμενον
πιστεύεθʼ ἥξειν; ὡς ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν
τὸ πένθος αἴρεσθʼ, εἰ θανεῖν ὑμᾶς χρεών,
σὺ μὲν καθʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ἐκβαλὼν κόμπους κενούς,
ὡς σύγγαμός σοι Ζεὺς τέκ⟨νου τε κ⟩οινεών,
σὺ δʼ ὡς ἀρίστου φωτὸς ἐκλήθης δάμαρ.

[¶21] After all, what was the fine exploit your husband achieved, if he did kill a water-snake in a marsh or that monster of Nemea? which he caught in a snare, for all he says he strangled it to death in his arms.

> Greek: τί δὴ τὸ σεμνὸν σῷ κατείργασται πόσει,
ὕδραν ἕλειον εἰ διώλεσε κτανὼν
ἢ τὸν Νέμειον θῆρα; ὃν ἐν βρόχοις ἑλὼν
βραχίονός φησʼ ἀγχόναισιν ἐξελεῖν.

[¶22] Are these your weapons for the hard struggle? Is it for this then that Heracles’ children should be spared? A man who has won a reputation for valor in his contests with beasts, in all else a weakling;
who never buckled shield to arm nor faced the spear, but with a bow, that coward’s weapon, was ever ready to run away. Archery is no test of manly bravery; no! he is a man who keeps his post in the ranks and steadily faces the swift wound the spear may plough.

> Greek: τοῖσδʼ ἐξαγωνίζεσθε; τῶνδʼ ἄρʼ οὕνεκα
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους παῖδας οὐ θνῄσκειν χρεών;
ὃς ἔσχε δόξαν οὐδὲν ὢν εὐψυχίας
θηρῶν ἐν αἰχμῇ, τἄλλα δʼ οὐδὲν ἄλκιμος,
ὃς οὔποτʼ ἀσπίδʼ ἔσχε πρὸς λαιᾷ χερὶ
οὐδʼ ἦλθε λόγχης ἐγγύς, ἀλλὰ τόξʼ ἔχων,
κάκιστον ὅπλον, τῇ φυγῇ πρόχειρος ἦν.
ἀνδρὸς δʼ ἔλεγχος οὐχὶ τόξʼ εὐψυχίας,
ἀλλʼ ὃς μένων βλέπει τε κἀντιδέρκεται
δορὸς ταχεῖαν ἄλοκα τάξιν ἐμβεβώς.

[¶23] My policy, again, old man, shows no reckless cruelty, but caution; for I am well aware I slew Creon, the father of this woman, and am in possession of his throne. So I have no wish that these children should grow up and be left to take vengeance on me in requital for what I have done.

> Greek: ἔχει δὲ τοὐμὸν οὐκ ἀναίδειαν, γέρον,
ἀλλʼ εὐλάβειαν· οἶδα γὰρ κατακτανὼν
Κρέοντα πατέρα τῆσδε καὶ θρόνους ἔχων.
οὔκουν τραφέντων τῶνδε τιμωροὺς ἐμοὺς
χρῄζω λιπέσθαι τῶν δεδραμένων δίκην.

[¶24] Amphitryon:
Let Zeus defend his his own share in his son; but as for me, Heracles, it is my concern on your behalf to prove by what I say this tyrant’s ignorance; for I cannot allow you to be ill spoken of. First then for that which should never have been said—for to speak
of you, Heracles, as a coward is, I think, outside the pale of speech—of that must I clear you with heaven to witness. I appeal then to the thunder of Zeus, and the chariot in which he rode, when he pierced the Giants, earth’s brood, to the heart with his winged shafts,
and with gods uplifted the glorious triumph song; or go to Pholoe and ask the insolent tribe of four-legged Centaurs, you craven king, ask them who they would judge the bravest of men; will they not say my son, who according to you is but a pretender?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
τῷ τοῦ Διὸς μὲν Ζεὺς ἀμυνέτω μέρει
παιδός· τὸ δʼ εἰς ἔμʼ, Ἡράκλεις, ἐμοὶ μέλει
λόγοισι τὴν τοῦδʼ ἀμαθίαν ὑπὲρ σέθεν
δεῖξαι· κακῶς γάρ σʼ οὐκ ἐατέον κλύειν.
πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τἄρρητʼ — ἐν ἀρρήτοισι γὰρ
τὴν σὴν νομίζω δειλίαν, Ἡράκλεες —
σὺν μάρτυσιν θεοῖς δεῖ μʼ ἀπαλλάξαι σέθεν.
Διὸς κεραυνόν τʼ ἠρόμην τέθριππά τε,
ἐν οἷς βεβηκὼς τοῖσι γῆς βλαστήμασιν
Γίγασι πλευροῖς πτήνʼ ἐναρμόσας βέλη
τὸν καλλίνικον μετὰ θεῶν ἐκώμασεν·
τετρασκελές θʼ ὕβρισμα, Κενταύρων γένος,
Φολόην ἐπελθών, ὦ κάκιστε βασιλέων,
ἐροῦ τίνʼ ἄνδρʼ ἄριστον ἐγκρίνειαν ἄν,
ἢ οὐ παῖδα τὸν ἐμόν, ὃν σὺ φῂς εἶναι δοκεῖν.

[¶25] Were you to ask Euboean Dirphys, your native place, it would not sing your praise, for you have never done a single gallant deed to which your country can witness. Next you disparage that clever invention, an archer’s weapon;

> Greek: Δίρφυν τʼ ἐρωτῶν ἥ σʼ ἔθρεψʼ Ἀβαντίδα …
οὐκ ἄν σʼ ἐπαινέσειεν· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπου
ἐσθλόν τι δράσας μάρτυρʼ ἂν λάβοις πάτραν.
τὸ πάνσοφον δʼ εὕρημα, τοξήρη σαγήν,
μέμφῃ· κλύων νῦν τἀπʼ ἐμοῦ σοφὸς γενοῦ.

[¶26] come, listen to me and learn wisdom. A man who fights in line is a slave to his weapons, and if his fellow-comrades want for courage he is slain himself through the cowardice of his neighbors, or, if he breaks his spear, he cannot defend his body from death, having only one means of defence;

> Greek: ἀνὴρ ὁπλίτης δοῦλός ἐστι τῶν ὅπλων
καὶ τοῖσι συνταχθεῖσιν οὖσι μὴ ἀγαθοῖς
αὐτὸς τέθνηκε δειλίᾳ τῇ τῶν πέλας,
θραύσας τε λόγχην οὐκ ἔχει τῷ σώματι
θάνατον ἀμῦναι, μίαν ἔχων ἀλκὴν μόνον·

[¶27] whereas all who are armed with the trusty bow, though they have but one weapon, yet is it the best; for a man, after discharging countless arrows, still has others with which to defend himself from death, and standing at a distance keeps off the enemy, wounding them for all their watchfulness with invisible shafts,
and never exposing himself to the foe, but keeping under cover; and this is by far the wisest course in battle, to harm the enemy and keep safe oneself, independent of chance. These arguments completely contradict yours
with regard to the matter at issue. Next, why are you desirous of slaying these children? What have they done to you? One piece of wisdom I credit you with, your coward terror of a brave man’s descendants. Still it is hard on us,
if for your cowardice we must die; a fate that ought to have overtaken you at our braver hands, if Zeus had been fairly disposed towards us. But, if you are so anxious to make yourself supreme in the land, let us go into exile;

> Greek: ὅσοι δὲ τόξοις χεῖρʼ ἔχουσιν εὔστοχον,
ἓν μὲν τὸ λῷστον, μυρίους οἰστοὺς ἀφεὶς
ἄλλοις τὸ σῶμα ῥύεται μὴ κατθανεῖν,
ἑκὰς δʼ ἀφεστὼς πολεμίους ἀμύνεται
τυφλοῖς ὁρῶντας οὐτάσας τοξεύμασιν
τὸ σῶμά τʼ οὐ δίδωσι τοῖς ἐναντίοις,
ἐν εὐφυλάκτῳ δʼ ἐστί· τοῦτο δʼ ἐν μάχῃ
σοφὸν μάλιστα, δρῶντα πολεμίους κακῶς
σῴζειν τὸ σῶμα, μὴ ʼκ τύχης ὡρμισμένον.
λόγοι μὲν οἵδε τοῖσι σοῖς ἐναντίαν
γνώμην ἔχουσι τῶν καθεστώτων πέρι.
παῖδας δὲ δὴ τί τούσδʼ ἀποκτεῖναι θέλεις;
τί σʼ οἵδʼ ἔδρασαν; ἕν τί σʼ ἡγοῦμαι σοφόν,
εἰ τῶν ἀρίστων τἄκγονʼ αὐτὸς ὢν κακὸς
δέδοικας. ἀλλὰ τοῦθʼ ὅμως ἡμῖν βαρύ,
εἰ δειλίας σῆς κατθανούμεθʼ εἵνεκα,
ὃ χρῆν σʼ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν τῶν ἀμεινόνων παθεῖν,
εἰ Ζεὺς δικαίας εἶχεν εἰς ἡμᾶς φρένας.
εἰ δʼ οὖν ἔχειν γῆς σκῆπτρα τῆσδʼ αὐτὸς θέλεις,
ἔασον ἡμᾶς φυγάδας ἐξελθεῖν χθονός·

[¶28] abstain from all violence, else you will suffer by it whenever the god causes fortune’s breeze to veer round.

> Greek: βίᾳ δὲ δράσῃς μηδέν, ἢ πείσῃ βίαν,
ὅταν θεοῦ σοι πνεῦμα μεταβαλὸν τύχῃ.

[¶29] Ah! you land of Cadmus—for to you too will I turn, distributing my words of reproach—is this your defense of Heracles and his children?

> Greek: φεῦ·
ὦ γαῖα Κάδμου· καὶ γὰρ ἐς σὲ ἀφίξομαι
λόγους ὀνειδιστῆρας ἐνδατούμενος·
τοιαῦτʼ ἀμύνεθʼ Ἡρακλεῖ τέκνοισί τε;

[¶30] the man who faced alone all the Minyans in battle and allowed Thebes to see the light with free eyes. I cannot praise Hellas, nor will I ever keep silence, finding her so craven as regards my son; she should have come with fire and sword and warrior’s arms
to help these tender chicks, to requite him for all his labors in purging land and sea. Such help, my children, neither Hellas nor the city of Thebes affords you; to me a feeble friend you look, and I am empty sound and nothing more.

> Greek: ὃς εἷς Μινύαισι πᾶσι διὰ μάχης μολὼν
Θήβαις ἔθηκεν ὄμμʼ ἐλεύθερον βλέπειν.
οὐδʼ Ἑλλάδʼ ᾔνεσʼ — οὐδʼ ἀνέξομαί ποτε
σιγῶν — κακίστην λαμβάνων ἐς παῖδʼ ἐμόν,
ἣν χρῆν νεοσσοῖς τοῖσδε πῦρ λόγχας ὅπλα
φέρουσαν ἐλθεῖν, ποντίων καθαρμάτων
χέρσου τʼ ἀμοιβάς — ὧν ἐμόχθησας χάριν.
τὰ δʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ, ὑμῖν οὔτε Θηβαίων πόλις
οὔθʼ Ἑλλὰς ἀρκεῖ· πρὸς δʼ ἔμʼ ἀσθενῆ φίλον
δεδόρκατʼ, οὐδὲν ὄντα πλὴν γλώσσης ψόφον.

[¶31] For the vigor which once I had, has gone from me; my limbs are palsied with age, and my strength is decayed. If I were young and still powerful in body, I would have seized my spear and dabbled those flaxen locks of his with blood, so that the coward would now
be flying from my spear beyond the bounds of Atlas.

> Greek: ῥώμη γὰρ ἐκλέλοιπεν ἣν πρὶν εἴχομεν,
γήρᾳ δὲ τρομερὰ γυῖα κἀμαυρὸν σθένος.
εἰ δʼ ἦ νέος τε κἄτι σώματος κρατῶν,
λαβὼν ἂν ἔγχος τοῦδε τοὺς ξανθοὺς πλόκους
καθῃμάτωσʼ ἄν, ὥστʼ Ἀτλαντικῶν πέραν
φεύγειν ὅρων ἂν δειλίᾳ τοὐμὸν δόρυ.

[¶32] Chorus Leader:
Have not the brave among mankind a fair occasion for speech, although slow to begin?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἆρʼ οὐκ ἀφορμὰς τοῖς λόγοισιν ἁγαθοὶ
θνητῶν ἔχουσι, κἂν βραδύς τις ᾖ λέγειν;

[¶33] Lycus:
Say what you will of me in your exalted phrase, but I by deeds will make you rue those words.

> Greek: Λύκος:
σὺ μὲν λέγʼ ἡμᾶς οἷς πεπύργωσαι λόγοις,
ἐγὼ δὲ δράσω σʼ ἀντὶ τῶν λόγων κακῶς.

[¶34] Calling to his servants Go, some to Helicon, others to the glens of Parnassus, and bid woodmen to cut me logs of oak, and when they are brought to the town, pile up a stack of wood all round the altar on either side, and set fire to it and burn them
all alive, that they may learn that the dead no longer rules this land, but that for the present I am king. Angrily to the Chorus As for you, old men, since you thwart my views, not for the children of Heracles alone shall you lament, but likewise for your own
misfortunes, and you shall never forget you are slaves and I your prince.

> Greek: ἄγʼ, οἳ μὲν Ἑλικῶνʼ, οἳ δὲ Παρνασοῦ πτυχὰς
τέμνειν ἄνωχθʼ ἐλθόντες ὑλουργοὺς δρυὸς
κορμούς· ἐπειδὰν δʼ ἐσκομισθῶσιν πόλει,
βωμὸν πέριξ νήσαντες ἀμφήρη ξύλα
ἐμπίμπρατʼ αὐτῶν καὶ πυροῦτε σώματα
πάντων, ἵνʼ εἰδῶσʼ οὕνεκʼ οὐχ ὁ κατθανὼν
κρατεῖ χθονὸς τῆσδʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ τὰ νῦν τάδε.
ὑμεῖς δέ, πρέσβεις, ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἐναντίοι
γνώμαισιν ὄντες, οὐ μόνον στενάξετε
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους παῖδας, ἀλλὰ καὶ δόμου
τύχας, ὅταν πάσχῃ τι, μεμνήσεσθε δὲ
δοῦλοι γεγῶτες τῆς ἐμῆς τυραννίδος.

[¶35] Chorus:
—You sons of Earth, whom Ares once sowed, when from the dragon’s ravening jaw he had torn the teeth, up with your staves, on which you lean your hands,
and dash out this villain’s brains! a fellow who, without even being a Theban, but a foreigner, lords it shamefully over the younger men; but my master shall you never be to your joy.

> Greek: Χορός:
— ὦ γῆς λοχεύμαθʼ, οὓς Ἄρης σπείρει ποτὲ
λάβρον δράκοντος ἐξερημώσας γένυν,
οὐ σκῆπτρα, χειρὸς δεξιᾶς ἐρείσματα,
ἀρεῖτε καὶ τοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἀνόσιον κάρα
καθαιματώσεθʼ, ὅστις οὐ Καδμεῖος ὢν
ἄρχει κάκιστος τῶν νέων ἔπηλυς ὤν;
ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐμοῦ γε δεσπόσεις χαίρων ποτέ.

[¶36] —Nor shall you reap the harvest of all my toil;
Go back to where you came from, in your insolence. For never while I live, shall you slay these sons of Heracles; not so deep beneath the earth has their father disappeared from his children’s ken.

> Greek: — οὐδʼ ἁπόνησα πόλλʼ ἐγὼ καμὼν χερὶ
ἕξεις. ἀπέρρων δʼ ἔνθεν ἦλθες ἐνθάδε,
ὕβριζʼ. ἐμοῦ γὰρ ζῶντος οὐ κτενεῖς ποτε
τοὺς Ἡρακλείους παῖδας. οὐ τοσόνδε γῆς
ἔνερθʼ ἐκεῖνος κρύπτεται λιπὼν τέκνα.

[¶37] —You are in possession of this land which you have ruined,
while he, its benefactor, has missed his just reward.

> Greek: — ἐπεὶ σὺ μὲν γῆν τήνδε διολέσας ἔχεις,
ὃ δʼ ὠφελήσας ἀξίων οὐ τυγχάνει.

[¶38] —And yet do I take too much upon myself because I help those I love after their death, when most they need a friend?

> Greek: — κἄπειτα πράσσω πόλλʼ ἐγώ, φίλους ἐμοὺς
θανόντας εὖ δρῶν, οὗ φίλων μάλιστα δεῖ;

[¶39] —Ah! right hand, how you desire to wield the spear, but your weakness is a death-blow to your desire.

> Greek: — ὦ δεξιὰ χείρ, ὡς ποθεῖς λαβεῖν δόρυ,
ἐν δʼ ἀσθενείᾳ τὸν πόθον διώλεσας.

[¶40] For then I would have stopped you calling me slave, and I would have governed Thebes with credit. In which you now rejoice; for a city sick with dissension and evil counsels does not think aright; otherwise it would never have accepted you as its master.

> Greek: ἐπεί σʼ ἔπαυσʼ ἂν δοῦλον ἐννέποντά με
καὶ τάσδε Θήβας εὐκλεῶς ᾠκήσαμεν.
ἐν αἷς σὺ χαίρεις· οὐ γὰρ εὖ φρονεῖ πόλις
στάσει νοσοῦσα καὶ κακοῖς βουλεύμασιν.
οὐ γάρ ποτʼ ἂν σὲ δεσπότην ἐκτήσατο.

[¶41] Megara:
Old men, I thank you; it is right that friends should feel virtuous indignation on behalf of those they love; but do not on our account vent your anger on the tyrant to your own undoing. Hear my advice, Amphitryon, if there appears to you to be anything in what I say.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
γέροντες, αἰνῶ· τῶν φίλων γὰρ οὕνεκα
ὀργὰς δικαίας τοὺς φίλους ἔχειν χρεών·
ἡμῶν δʼ ἕκατι δεσπόταις θυμούμενοι
πάθητε μηδέν. τῆς δʼ ἐμῆς, Ἀμφιτρύων,
γνώμης ἄκουσον, ἤν τί σοι δοκῶ λέγειν.

[¶42] I love my children; strange if I did not love those whom I bore, whom I labored for! Death I count a dreadful fate; but the man who strives against necessity I esteem a fool. Since we must die, let us do so
without being burnt alive, a source of mockery to our enemies, which to my mind is an evil worse than death; for much good do we owe our family. You have always had a warrior’s fair fame, so it is not to be endured that you should die a coward’s death;

> Greek: ἐγὼ φιλῶ μὲν τέκνα· πῶς γὰρ οὐ φιλῶ
ἅτικτον, ἁμόχθησα; καὶ τὸ κατθανεῖν
δεινὸν νομίζω· τῷ δʼ ἀναγκαίῳ τρόπῳ
ὃς ἀντιτείνει σκαιὸν ἡγοῦμαι βροτόν.
ἡμᾶς δʼ, ἐπειδὴ δεῖ θανεῖν, θνῄσκειν χρεὼν
μὴ πυρὶ καταξανθέντας, ἐχθροῖσιν γέλων
διδόντας, οὑμοὶ τοῦ θανεῖν μεῖζον κακόν.
ὀφείλομεν γὰρ πολλὰ δώμασιν καλά·
σὲ μὲν δόκησις ἔλαβεν εὐκλεὴς δορός,
ὥστʼ οὐκ ἀνεκτὸν δειλίας θανεῖν σʼ ὕπο·

[¶43] and my husband’s reputation needs no one to witness that he would never consent to save these children’s lives by letting them incur the stain of cowardice; for the noble are afflicted by disgrace on account of their children, nor must I shrink from following my lord’s example.

> Greek: οὑμὸς δʼ ἀμαρτύρητος εὐκλεὴς πόσις,
ὡς τούσδε παῖδας οὐκ ἂν ἐκσῶσαι θέλοι
δόξαν κακὴν λαβόντας· οἱ γὰρ εὐγενεῖς
κάμνουσι τοῖς αἰσχροῖσι τῶν τέκνων ὕπερ,
ἐμοί τε μίμημʼ ἀνδρὸς οὐκ ἀπωστέον.

[¶44] As to your hopes consider how I weigh them. Do you think your son will return from beneath the earth? And who ever has come back from the dead out of the halls of Hades? But would you soften this man by entreaty? Oh no! better to fly from one’s enemy when he is so brutish,
but yield to men of breeding and culture; for you would more easily conclude a friendly truce by accepting regard. True, a thought has already occurred to me that we might by entreaty obtain a sentence of exile for the children; yet this too is misery, to compass their deliverance with dire penury as the result;

> Greek: σκέψαι δὲ τὴν σὴν ἐλπίδʼ ᾗ λογίζομαι·
ἥξειν νομίζεις παῖδα σὸν γαίας ὕπο;
καὶ τίς θανόντων ἦλθεν ἐξ Ἅιδου πάλιν;
ἀλλʼ ὡς λόγοισι τόνδε μαλθάξαιμεν ἄν;
ἥκιστα· φεύγειν σκαιὸν ἄνδρʼ ἐχθρὸν χρεών,
σοφοῖσι δʼ εἴκειν καὶ τεθραμμένοις καλῶς·
ῥᾷον γὰρ αἰδοῦς ὑπολαβὼν φίλʼ ἂν τέμοις.
ἤδη δʼ ἐσῆλθέ μʼ εἰ παραιτησαίμεθα
φυγὰς τέκνων τῶνδʼ· ἀλλὰ καὶ τόδʼ ἄθλιον,
πενίᾳ σὺν οἰκτρᾷ περιβαλεῖν σωτηρίαν·

[¶45] for it is a saying that hosts look sweetly on banished friends for a day and no more. Endure to die with us, for that awaits you after all. By your brave soul I challenge you, old friend; for whoever struggles hard to escape destiny sent by the gods
shows zeal no doubt, but it is zeal with a taint of folly; for what must be, no one will ever avail to alter.

> Greek: ὡς τὰ ξένων πρόσωπα φεύγουσιν φίλοις
ἓν ἦμαρ ἡδὺ βλέμμʼ ἔχειν φασὶν μόνον.
τόλμα μεθʼ ἡμῶν θάνατον, ὃς μένει σʼ ὅμως.
προκαλούμεθʼ εὐγένειαν, ὦ γέρον, σέθεν·
τὰς τῶν θεῶν γὰρ ὅστις ἐκμοχθεῖ τύχας,
πρόθυμός ἐστιν, ἡ προθυμία δʼ ἄφρων·
ὃ χρὴ γὰρ οὐδεὶς μὴ χρεὼν θήσει ποτέ.

[¶46] Chorus Leader:
If a man had insulted you, while yet my arms were strong, there would have been an easy way to stop him; but now am I am nothing; and so you henceforth, Amphitryon,
must scheme how to avert misfortune.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰ μὲν σθενόντων τῶν ἐμῶν βραχιόνων
ἦν τίς σʼ ὑβρίζων, ῥᾳδίως ἐπαύσατʼ ἄν·
νῦν δʼ οὐδέν ἐσμεν. σὸν δὲ τοὐντεῦθεν σκοπεῖν
ὅπως διώσῃ τὰς τύχας, Ἀμφιτρύων.

[¶47] Amphitryon:
It is not cowardice or any longing for life that hinders my dying, but my wish to save my son’s children, though no doubt I am longing for the impossible. See! here is my neck ready for the sword
to pierce, to hack, to hurl from the rock; only one favor I crave for both of us, king; slay me and this hapless mother before you slay the children, that we may not see the hideous sight, as they gasp out their lives, calling on their mother
and their father’s father; for the rest work your will if so you are inclined; for we have no defense against death.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οὔτοι τὸ δειλὸν οὐδὲ τοῦ βίου πόθος
θανεῖν ἐρύκει μʼ, ἀλλὰ παιδὶ βούλομαι
σῷσαι τέκνʼ· ἄλλως δʼ ἀδυνάτων ἔοικʼ ἐρᾶν.
ἰδοὺ πάρεστιν ἥδε φασγάνῳ δέρη
κεντεῖν φονεύειν, ἱέναι πέτρας ἄπο.
μίαν δὲ νῷν δὸς χάριν, ἄναξ, ἱκνούμεθα·
κτεῖνόν με καὶ τήνδʼ ἀθλίαν παίδων πάρος,
ὡς μὴ τέκνʼ εἰσίδωμεν, ἀνόσιον θέαν,
ψυχορραγοῦντα καὶ καλοῦντα μητέρα
πατρός τε πατέρα. τἄλλα δʼ, εἰ πρόθυμος εἶ,
πρᾶσσʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἀλκὴν ἔχομεν ὥστε μὴ θανεῖν.

[¶48] Megara:
I too implore you add a second favor, that by your single act you may put us both under a double obligation; allow me to deck my children in the robes of death,
first opening the palace gates, for now we are shut out, so that this at least they may obtain from their father’s halls.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
κἀγώ σʼ ἱκνοῦμαι χάριτι προσθεῖναι χάριν,
⟨ἡμῖν⟩ ἵνʼ ἀμφοῖν εἷς ὑπουργήσῃς διπλᾶ·
κόσμον πάρες μοι παισὶ προσθεῖναι νεκρῶν,
δόμους ἀνοίξας — νῦν γὰρ ἐκκεκλῄμεθα —
ὡς ἀλλὰ ταῦτά γʼ ἀπολάχωσʼ οἴκων πατρός.

[¶49] Lycus:
I grant it, and bid my servants undo the bolts. Go in and deck yourselves; robes do not grudge. But as soon as you have clothed yourselves,
I will return to you to consign you to the nether world. Exit Lycus.

> Greek: Λύκος:
ἔσται τάδʼ· οἴγειν κλῇθρα προσπόλοις λέγω.
κοσμεῖσθʼ ἔσω μολόντες· οὐ φθονῶ πέπλων.
ὅταν δὲ κόσμον περιβάλησθε σώμασιν,
ἥξω πρὸς ὑμᾶς νερτέρᾳ δώσων χθονί.

[¶50] Megara:
Children, follow the footsteps of your hapless mother to your father’s house, where others possess his substance, though his name is still ours. Exit Megara with her children.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ὦ τέκνʼ, ὁμαρτεῖτʼ ἀθλίῳ μητρὸς ποδὶ
πατρῷον ἐς μέλαθρον, οὗ τῆς οὐσίας
ἄλλοι κρατοῦσι, τὸ δʼ ὄνομʼ ἔσθʼ ἡμῶν ἔτι.

[¶51] Amphitryon:
O Zeus, in vain, it seems, did I get you to share my bride with me;
in vain used we to call you partner in my son. After all you are less our friend than you pretended. Great god as you are, I, a mortal, surpass you in true worth. For I did not betray the children of Heracles; but you by stealth found your way to my bed,
taking another’s wife without leave given, while to save your own friends you have no skill. Either you are a god of little sense, or else naturally unjust. Exit Amphitryon.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὦ Ζεῦ, μάτην ἄρʼ ὁμόγαμόν σʼ ἐκτησάμην,
μάτην δὲ παιδὸς κοινεῶνʼ ἐκλῄζομεν·
σὺ δʼ ἦσθʼ ἄρʼ ἥσσων ἢ ʼδόκεις εἶναι φίλος.
ἀρετῇ σε νικῶ θνητὸς ὢν θεὸν μέγαν·
παῖδας γὰρ οὐ προύδωκα τοὺς Ἡρακλέους.
σὺ δʼ ἐς μὲν εὐνὰς κρύφιος ἠπίστω μολεῖν,
τἀλλότρια λέκτρα δόντος οὐδενὸς λαβών,
σῴζειν δὲ τοὺς σοὺς οὐκ ἐπίστασαι φίλους.
ἀμαθής τις εἶ θεός, ἢ δίκαιος οὐκ ἔφυς.

[¶52] Chorus:
Phoebus is singing a dirge, after his happier strains,
for Linus dead in his beauty, striking his lyre with key of gold; but I wish to sing a song of praise, a crown to all his toil, on the one who has gone to the gloom beneath the nether world,
whether I am to call him son of Zeus or of Amphitryon. For the virtue of noble toils is a glory to the dead.

> Greek: Χορός:
—αἲ Λίνον μὲν ἐπʼ εὐτυχεῖ
μολπᾷ Φοῖβος ἰαχεῖ
τὸν κάλλει φθιτόν, κιθάραν
ἐλαύνων πλήκτρῳ χρυσέῳ·
ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν γᾶς ἐνέρων τʼ
ἐς ὄρφναν μολόντα, παῖδʼ
εἴτε Διός νιν εἴπω,
εἴτʼ Ἀμφιτρύωνος ἶνιν,
ὑμνῆσαι στεφάνωμα μό-
χθων διʼ εὐλογίας θέλω.
γενναίων δʼ ἀρεταὶ πόνων
τοῖς θανοῦσιν ἄγαλμα.

[¶53] Chorus:
First he cleared the grove of Zeus
of a lion, and put its skin upon his back, hiding his yellow auburn hair in its fearful gaping jaws.

> Greek: Χορός:
—πρῶτον μὲν Διὸς ἄλσος
ἠρήμωσε λέοντος,
πυρσῷ δʼ ἀμφεκαλύφθη
ξανθὸν κρᾶτʼ ἐπινωτίσας
δεινῷ χάσματι θηρός·

[¶54] Chorus:
And then one day with murderous bow he wounded
the race of wild Centaurs, that range the hills, slaying them with winged shafts. Peneus, the river of fair eddies, knows him well, and those far fields unharvested,
and the steadings on Pelion and neighboring caves of Homole, from where the Centaurs rode forth to conquer Thessaly, arming themselves with pines.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τάν τʼ ὀρεινόμον ἀγρίων
Κενταύρων ποτὲ γένναν
ἔστρωσεν τόξοις φονίοις,
ἐναίρων πτανοῖς βέλεσιν.
ξύνοιδε Πηνειὸς ὁ καλ-
λιδίνας μακραί τʼ ἄρου-
ραι πεδίων ἄκαρποι
καὶ Πηλιάδες θεράπναι
σύγχορτοί τʼ Ὀμόλας ἔναυ-
λοι, πεύκαισιν ὅθεν χέρας
πληροῦντες χθόνα Θεσσαλῶν
ἱππείαις ἐδάμαζον·

[¶55] Chorus:
And he slew that dappled deer with horns of gold, that preyed upon the country-folk, glorifying Artemis, huntress queen of Oenoe.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τάν τε χρυσοκάρανον
δόρκαν ποικιλόνωτον
συλήτειραν ἀγρωστᾶν
κτείνας, θηροφόνον θεὰν
Οἰνωᾶτιν ἀγάλλει·

[¶56] Chorus:
Next he mounted on a chariot and tamed with the bit the horses of Diomedes, that greedily champed their bloody food at gory mangers with unbridled jaws, devouring with hideous joy the flesh of men;
then crossing the heights of Hebrus that flow with silver, he still toiled on for the tyrant of Mycenae.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τεθρίππων τʼ ἐπέβα
καὶ ψαλίοις ἐδάμασε πώλους
Διομήδεος, αἳ φονίαισι φάτναις ἀχάλινʼ ἐθόα-
ζον κάθαιμα σῖτα γένυσι,
χαρμοναῖσιν ἀνδροβρῶσι
δυστράπεζοι· πέραν δʼ
ἀργυρορρύτων Ἕβρου
διεπέρασεν ὄχθων,
Μυκηναίῳ πονῶν τυράννῳ.

[¶57] Chorus:
And at the strand of the Pelian gulf
by the streams of Anaurus, he slew with his arrows Cycnus, murderer of his guests, the savage wretch who dwelt in Amphanae.

> Greek: Χορός:
—ἄν τε Πηλιάδʼ ἀκτὰν
Ἀναύρου παρὰ πηγὰς
Κύκνον ξεινοδαΐκταν
τόξοις ὤλεσεν, Ἀμφαναί-
ας οἰκήτορʼ ἄμεικτον·

[¶58] Chorus:
And he came to those minstrel maids,
to their orchard in the west, to pluck from the leafy apple-tree its golden fruit, when he had slain the tawny dragon, whose terrible coils were twined all round to guard it;

> Greek: Χορός:
—ὑμνῳδούς τε κόρας
ἤλυθεν ἑσπέριον ἐς αὐλάν,
χρυσέων πετάλων ἄπο μηλοφόρον χερὶ καρπὸν ἀμέρ-
ξων, δράκοντα πυρσόνωτον,
ὅς ⟨σφʼ⟩ ἄπλατον ἀμφελικτὸς
ἕλικʼ ἐφρούρει, κτανών·

[¶59] and he made his way into ocean’s lairs, bringing calm to men that use the oar.

> Greek: ποντίας θʼ ἁλὸς μυχοὺς
εἰσέβαινε, θνατοῖς
γαλανείας τιθεὶς ἐρετμοῖς·

[¶60] Chorus:
And he stretched out his hands to uphold the firmament,
seeking the home of Atlas, and on his manly shoulders took the starry mansions of the gods.

> Greek: Χορός:
—οὐρανοῦ θʼ ὑπὸ μέσσαν
ἐλαύνει χέρας ἕδραν,
Ἄτλαντος δόμον ἐλθών,
ἀστρωπούς τε κατέσχεν οἴ-
κους εὐανορίᾳ θεῶν·

[¶61] Chorus:
Then he went through the waves of heaving Euxine against the mounted host of Amazons dwelling round Maeotis,
the lake that is fed by many a stream, having gathered to his standard all his friends from Hellas, to fetch the gold-embroidered raiment of the warrior queen,
a deadly quest for a girdle. Hellas won those glorious spoils of the barbarian maid, and they are safe in Mycenae.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τὸν ἱππευτάν τʼ Ἀμαζό-
νων στρατὸν Μαιῶτιν ἀμφὶ
πολυπόταμον ἔβα διʼ Ἄ-
ξεινον οἶδμα λίμνας,
τίνʼ οὐκ ἀφʼ Ἑλλανίας
ἄγορον ἁλίσας φίλων,
κόρας Ἀρείας πέπλων
χρυσεόστολον φάρος,
ζωστῆρος ὀλεθρίους ἄγρας.
τὰ κλεινὰ δʼ Ἑλλὰς ἔλαβε βαρ-
βάρου κόρας λάφυρα, καὶ
σῴζεται Μυκήναις.

[¶62] Chorus:
He burned to ashes Lerna’s murderous hound,
the many-headed water-snake, and smeared its venom on his darts, with which he slew the shepherd of Erytheia, a monster with three bodies.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τάν τε μυριόκρανον
πολύφονον κύνα Λέρνας
ὕδραν ἐξεπύρωσεν,
βέλεσί τʼ ἀμφέβαλʼ ⟨ἰόν⟩,
τὸν τρισώματον οἷσιν ἔ-
κτα βοτῆρʼ Ἐρυθείας.

[¶63] Chorus:
And many another glorious achievement he brought to a happy issue; to Hades’ house of tears has he now sailed, the goal of his labors, where he is ending his career of toil, nor does he come back again.

> Greek: Χορός:
—δρόμων τʼ ἄλλων ἀγάλματʼ
εὐτυχῆ διῆλθε· τόν τε
πολυδάκρυον ἔπλευσʼ ἐς Ἅι-
δαν, πόνων τελευτάν,
ἵνʼ ἐκπεραίνει τάλας
βίοτον, οὐδʼ ἔβα πάλιν.

[¶64] Now your house is left without a friend, and Charon’s boat awaits your children to bear them on that journey out of life, without return, contrary to the gods’ law and man’s justice; and it is to your prowess
that your house is looking although you are not here.

> Greek: στέγαι δʼ ἔρημοι φίλων,
τὰν δʼ ἀνόστιμον τέκνων
Χάρωνος ἐπιμένει πλάτα
βίου κέλευθον ἄθεον ἄδι-
κον· ἐς δὲ σὰς χέρας βλέπει
δώματʼ οὐ παρόντος.

[¶65] Chorus:
Had I been strong and lusty, able to brandish the spear in battle’s onset, and my Theban companions too, I would have stood by your children
to champion them; but now my happy youth is gone and I am left.

> Greek: Χορός:
—εἰ δʼ ἐγὼ σθένος ἥβων
δόρυ τʼ ἔπαλλον ἐν αἰχμᾷ,
Καδμείων τε σύνηβοι,
τέκεσιν ἂν προπαρέσταν
ἀλκᾷ· νῦν δʼ ἀπολείπομαι
τᾶς εὐδαίμονος ἥβας.

[¶66] Chorus Leader:
But look! I see the children of Heracles who was once so great, wearing the clothes of the dead,
and his loving wife dragging her babes along at her side, and Heracles’ aged father. Ah! woe is me! no longer can I stem the flood of tears
that spring to my old eyes.

> Greek: Χορός:
—ἀλλʼ ἐσορῶ γὰρ τούσδε φθιμένων
ἔνδυτʼ ἔχοντας, τοὺς τοῦ μεγάλου
δή ποτε παῖδας τὸ πρὶν Ἡρακλέους,
ἄλοχόν τε φίλην ὑπὸ σειραίοις
ποσὶν ἕλκουσαν τέκνα, καὶ γεραιὸν
πατέρʼ Ἡρακλέους. δύστηνος ἐγώ,
δακρύων ὡς οὐ δύναμαι κατέχειν
γραίας ὄσσων ἔτι πηγάς.

[¶67] Megara:
Come now, who is to sacrifice or butcher these poor children? [or rob me of my wretched life?] These victims are ready to be led to Hades’ halls. O my children! an ill-matched company are we hurried off to die,
old men and young ones and mothers, all together. Alas! for my sad fate and my children’s, whom these eyes now for the last time behold. So I gave you birth and reared you only for our foes to mock, to jeer at, and slay.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
εἶἑν· τίς ἱερεύς, τίς σφαγεὺς τῶν δυσπότμων
[ἢ τῆς ταλαίνης τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς φονεύς;]
ἕτοιμʼ ἄγειν τὰ θύματʼ εἰς Ἅιδου τάδε.
ὦ τέκνʼ, ἀγόμεθα ζεῦγος οὐ καλὸν νεκρῶν,
ὁμοῦ γέροντες καὶ νέοι καὶ μητέρες.
ὦ μοῖρα δυστάλαινʼ ἐμή τε καὶ τέκνων
τῶνδʼ, οὓς πανύστατʼ ὄμμασιν προσδέρκομαι …
ἔτεκον μὲν ὑμᾶς, πολεμίοις δʼ ἐθρεψάμην
ὕβρισμα κἀπίχαρμα καὶ διαφθοράν.

[¶68] Ah me! how bitterly my hopes have disappointed me in the expectation I once formed from the words of your father. Addressing each of her three sons in turn. To you your dead father was for giving Argos; and you were to dwell in the halls of Eurystheus, lording it over the fair fruitful land of Argolis;
and over your head would he throw that lion’s skin with which he himself was armed. And you were to be king of Thebes, famed for its chariots, receiving as your heritage my broad lands, for so you coaxed your dear father;

> Greek: φεῦ·
ἦ πολύ με δόξης ἐξέπαισαν ἐλπίδες,
ἣν πατρὸς ὑμῶν ἐκ λόγων ποτʼ ἤλπισα.
σοὶ μὲν γὰρ Ἄργος ἔνεμʼ ὁ κατθανὼν πατήρ,
Εὐρυσθέως δʼ ἔμελλες οἰκήσειν δόμους
τῆς καλλικάρπου κράτος ἔχων Πελασγίας,
στολήν τε θηρὸς ἀμφέβαλλε σῷ κάρᾳ
λέοντος, ᾗπερ αὐτὸς ἐξωπλίζετο·
σὺ δʼ ἦσθα Θηβῶν τῶν φιλαρμάτων ἄναξ,
ἔγκληρα πεδία τἀμὰ γῆς κεκτημένος,
ὡς ἐξέπειθες τὸν κατασπείραντά σε·

[¶69] and to your hand he used to resign the carved club, his sure defence, pretending to give it to you. And to you he promised to give Oechalia, which once his archery had wasted. Thus with three principalities
would your father exalt you, his three sons, proud of your manliness; while I was choosing the best brides for you, scheming to link you by marriage to Athens, Thebes, and Sparta, that you might live a happy life with a fast sheet-anchor to hold by.

> Greek: ἐς δεξιάν τε σὴν ἀλεξητήριον
ξύλον καθίει δαίδαλον, ψευδῆ δόσιν.
σοὶ δʼ ἣν ἔπερσε τοῖς ἑκηβόλοις ποτὲ
τόξοισι δώσειν Οἰχαλίαν ὑπέσχετο.
τρεῖς δʼ ὄντας ⟨ὑμᾶς⟩ τριπτύχοις τυραννίσι
πατὴρ ἐπύργου, μέγα φρονῶν εὐανδρίᾳ·
ἐγὼ δὲ νύμφας ἠκροθινιαζόμην,
κήδη συνάψουσʼ, ἔκ τʼ Ἀθηναίων χθονὸς
Σπάρτης τε Θηβῶν θʼ, ὡς ἀνημμένοι κάλῳς
πρυμνησίοισι βίον ἔχοιτʼ εὐδαίμονα.

[¶70] And now that is all vanished; fortune’s breeze has veered and given to you for brides the maidens of death in their stead, and my tears will be the marriage bath; woe is me for my foolish thoughts! and your grandfather here is celebrating your marriage-feast, the cares of a father, accepting Hades as the father of your brides.

> Greek: καὶ ταῦτα φροῦδα· μεταβαλοῦσα δʼ ἡ τύχη
νύμφας μὲν ὑμῖν Κῆρας ἀντέδωκʼ ἔχειν,
ἐμοὶ δὲ δάκρυα λουτρά — δύστηνος φρενῶν.
πατὴρ δὲ πατρὸς ἑστιᾷ γάμους ὅδε,
Ἅιδην νομίζων πενθερόν, κῆδος πατρός.

[¶71] Ah me! which of you shall I first press to my bosom, which last? on which bestow my kiss, or clasp close to me? Oh! would that like the bee with russet wing, I could collect from every source my sighs in one, and, blending them together, shed them in one copious flood!

> Greek: ὤμοι, τίνʼ ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἢ τίνʼ ὕστατον
πρὸς στέρνα θῶμαι; τῷ προσαρμόσω στόμα;
τίνος λάβωμαι; πῶς ἂν ὡς ξουθόπτερος
μέλισσα συνενέγκαιμʼ ἂν ἐκ πάντων γόους,
ἐς ἓν δʼ ἐνεγκοῦσʼ ἀθρόον ἀποδοίην δάκρυ;

[¶72] O my dearest Heracles, to you I call, if perhaps mortal voice can make itself heard in Hades’ halls; your father and children are dying, and I am doomed, I who once because of you was counted blessed as men count bliss. Come to our rescue; appear, I pray, if only as a phantom,
since your arrival, even as a dream, would be enough, for they are cowards who are slaying your children.

> Greek: ὦ φίλτατʼ, εἴ τις φθόγγος εἰσακούεται
θνητῶν παρʼ Ἅιδῃ, σοὶ τάδʼ, Ἡράκλεις, λέγω·
θνῄσκει πατὴρ σὸς καὶ τέκνʼ, ὄλλυμαι δʼ ἐγώ,
ἣ πρὶν μακαρία διὰ σʼ ἐκλῃζόμην βροτοῖς.
ἄρηξον, ἐλθέ· καὶ σκιὰ φάνηθί μοι·
ἅλις γὰρ ἐλθὼν κἂν ὄναρ γένοιο σύ·
κακοὶ γάρ εἰσιν οἳ τέκνα κτείνουσι σά.

## 2. Lines 497–989

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

[¶0] Amphitryon:
Lady, prepare the funeral rites; but I, O Zeus, stretching out my hand to heaven, call on you to help these children,
if such is your intention; for soon any aid of yours will be unavailing; and yet you have been often invoked; my toil is in vain; death seems inevitable. You aged friends, the joys of life are few; so take heed that you pass through it as gladly as you may,
without a thought of sorrow from morning until night; for time takes little heed of preserving our hopes; and, when he has busied himself on his own business, away he flies. Look at me, a man who had made a mark among his fellows by deeds of note; yet fortune in a single day
has robbed me of it as of a feather that floats away toward the sky. I know not any whose plenteous wealth and high reputation is fixed and sure; fare you well, for now you have seen the last of your old friend, my comrades.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
σὺ μὲν τὰ νέρθεν εὐτρεπῆ ποιοῦ, γύναι·
ἐγὼ δὲ σέ, ὦ Ζεῦ, χεῖρʼ ἐς οὐρανὸν δικὼν
αὐδῶ, τέκνοισιν εἴ τι τοισίδʼ ὠφελεῖν
μέλλεις, ἀμύνειν, ὡς τάχʼ οὐδὲν ἀρκέσεις.
καίτοι κέκλησαι πολλάκις· μάτην πονῶ·
θανεῖν γάρ, ὡς ἔοικʼ, ἀναγκαίως ἔχει.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ γέροντες, μικρὰ μὲν τὰ τοῦ βίου,
τοῦτον δʼ ὅπως ἥδιστα διαπεράσετε,
ἐξ ἡμέρας ἐς νύκτα μὴ λυπούμενοι.
ὡς ἐλπίδας μὲν ὁ χρόνος οὐκ ἐπίσταται
σῴζειν, τὸ δʼ αὑτοῦ σπουδάσας διέπτατο.
ὁρᾶτʼ ἔμʼ ὅσπερ ἦ περίβλεπτος βροτοῖς
ὀνομαστὰ πράσσων, καί μʼ ἀφείλεθʼ ἡ τύχη
ὥσπερ πτερὸν πρὸς αἰθέρʼ ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ.
ὁ δʼ ὄλβος ὁ μέγας ἥ τε δόξʼ οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅτῳ
βέβαιός ἐστι. χαίρετʼ· ἄνδρα γὰρ φίλον
πανύστατον νῦν, ἥλικες, δεδόρκατε.

[¶1] Megara:
Ah! Old friend, is it my own, my dearest I see? or what am I to say?

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ἔα·
ὦ πρέσβυ, λεύσσω τἀμὰ φίλτατʼ· ἢ τί φῶ;

[¶2] Amphitryon:
I do not know, my daughter; I too am struck dumb.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οὐκ οἶδα, θύγατερ· ἀφασία δὲ κἄμʼ ἔχει.

[¶3] Megara:
Is this he who they told us was beneath the earth? It is, unless some day-dream mocks our sight. What am I saying? What visions do these anxious eyes behold? Old man, this is no one other than your own son.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ὅδʼ ἐστὶν ὃν γῆς νέρθεν εἰσηκούομεν,
εἰ μή γʼ ὄνειρον ἐν φάει τι λεύσσομεν.
τί φημί; ποῖʼ ὄνειρα κηραίνουσʼ ὁρῶ;
οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅδʼ ἄλλος ἀντὶ σοῦ παιδός, γέρον.

[¶4] Come here, my children, cling to your father’s robe, hurry, never loose your hold, for here is one to help you, not at all behind our savior Zeus.

> Greek: δεῦρʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ, ἐκκρίμνασθε πατρῴων πέπλων,
ἴτʼ ἐγκονεῖτε, μὴ μεθῆτʼ, ἐπεὶ Διὸς
σωτῆρος ὑμῖν οὐδέν ἐσθʼ ὅδʼ ὕστερος.

[¶5] Heracles:
All hail! my house and gates of my home, how glad I am to emerge to the light and see you.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ὦ χαῖρε, μέλαθρον πρόπυλά θʼ ἑστίας ἐμῆς,
ὡς ἄσμενός σʼ ἐσεῖδον ἐς φάος μολών.

[¶6] Ah! what is this? I see my children before the house in the robes of death, with chaplets on their heads and my wife amid a throng of men, and my father weeping—what misfortune? Let me draw near to them and inquire;

> Greek: ἔα· τί χρῆμα; τέκνʼ ὁρῶ πρὸ δωμάτων
στολμοῖσι νεκρῶν κρᾶτας ἐξεστεμμένα,
ὄχλῳ τʼ ἐν ἀνδρῶν τὴν ἐμὴν ξυνάορον,
πατέρα τε δακρύοντα — συμφορὰς τίνας;
φέρʼ ἐκπύθωμαι τῶνδε πλησίον σταθείς·

[¶7] lady, what strange stroke of fate has fallen on the house?

> Greek: γύναι, τί καινὸν ἦλθε δώμασιν χρέος;

[¶8] Megara:
Dearest of all mankind to me!

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνδρῶν …

[¶9] Amphitryon:
O ray of light appearing to your father!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὦ φάος μολὼν πατρί …

[¶10] Megara:
Are you safe and is your coming just in time to help your dear ones?

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ἥκεις, ἐσώθης εἰς ἀκμὴν ἐλθὼν φίλοις;

[¶11] Heracles:
What do you mean? What is this confusion I find on my arrival, father?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί φῄς; τίνʼ ἐς ταραγμὸν ἥκομεν, πάτερ;

[¶12] Megara:
We are being ruined; forgive me, old friend,
if I have anticipated that to which you had a right to tell him; for women’s nature is perhaps more prone to grief than men’s and they are my children that were being led to death, which was my own lot too.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
διολλύμεσθα· σὺ δέ, γέρον, σύγγνωθί μοι,
εἰ πρόσθεν ἥρπασʼ ἃ σὲ λέγειν πρὸς τόνδʼ ἐχρῆν·
τὸ θῆλυ γάρ πως μᾶλλον οἰκτρὸν ἀρσένων,
καὶ τἄμʼ ἔθνῃσκε τέκνʼ, ἀπωλλύμην δʼ ἐγώ.

[¶13] Heracles:
Apollo! what a prelude to your story!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
Ἄπολλον, οἵοις φροιμίοις ἄρχῃ λόγου.

[¶14] Megara:
My brothers are dead, and my old father.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
τεθνᾶσʼ ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατὴρ οὑμὸς γέρων.

[¶15] Heracles:
How so? what did he do? whose spear did he meet?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
πῶς φῄς; τί δράσας ἢ δορὸς ποίου τυχών;

[¶16] Megara:
Lycus, our new monarch, slew him.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
Λύκος σφʼ ὁ καινὸς γῆς ἄναξ διώλεσεν.

[¶17] Heracles:
Did he meet him in fair fight, or was the land sick and weak?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ὅπλοις ἀπαντῶν ἢ νοσησάσης χθονός;

[¶18] Megara:
Yes, from faction; now he is master of the city of Cadmus with its seven gates.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
στάσει· τὸ Κάδμου δʼ ἑπτάπυλον ἔχει κράτος.

[¶19] Heracles:
Why has panic fallen on you and my aged father?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί δῆτα πρὸς σὲ καὶ γέροντʼ ἦλθεν φόβος;

[¶20] Megara:
He meant to kill your father, me, and my children.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
κτείνειν ἔμελλε πατέρα κἀμὲ καὶ τέκνα.

[¶21] Heracles:
What are you saying? What did he have to fear from my orphan babes?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί φῄς; τί ταρβῶν ὀρφάνευμʼ ἐμῶν τέκνων;

[¶22] Megara:
He was afraid they might some day avenge Creon’s death.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
μή ποτε Κρέοντος θάνατον ἐκτεισαίατο.

[¶23] Heracles:
What is this dress they wear, suited to the dead?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
κόσμος δὲ παίδων τίς ὅδε νερτέροις πρέπων;

[¶24] Megara:
It is the garb of death we have already put on.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
θανάτου τάδʼ ἤδη περιβόλαιʼ ἀνήμμεθα.

[¶25] Heracles:
And were you being forced to die? O woe is me!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
καὶ πρὸς βίαν ἐθνῄσκετʼ; ὦ τλήμων ἐγώ.

[¶26] Megara:
Yes, deserted by every friend, and informed that you were dead.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
φίλων ⟨γʼ⟩ ἔρημοι· σὲ δὲ θανόντʼ ἠκούομεν.

[¶27] Heracles:
What put such desperate thoughts into your heads?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
πόθεν δʼ ἐς ὑμᾶς ἥδʼ ἐσῆλθʼ ἀθυμία;

[¶28] Megara:
That was what the heralds of Eurystheus kept proclaiming.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
Εὐρυσθέως κήρυκες ἤγγελλον τάδε.

[¶29] Heracles:
Why did you leave my hearth and home?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί δʼ ἐξελείπετʼ οἶκον ἑστίαν τʼ ἐμήν;

[¶30] Megara:
He forced us; your father was dragged from his bed.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
βίᾳ, πατὴρ μὲν ἐκπεσὼν στρωτοῦ λέχους …

[¶31] Heracles:
Had he no shame, to ill-use the old man so?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
κοὐκ ἔσχεν αἰδῶ τὸν γέροντʼ ἀτιμάσαι;

[¶32] Megara:
Shame indeed! that goddess and he dwell far enough apart.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
αἰδώς γʼ ἀποικεῖ τῆσδε τῆς θεοῦ πρόσω.

[¶33] Heracles:
Was I so poor in friends in my absence?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὕτω δʼ ἀπόντες ἐσπανίζομεν φίλων;

[¶34] Megara:
Who are the friends of a man in misfortune?

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
φίλοι γάρ εἰσιν ἀνδρὶ δυστυχεῖ τίνες;

[¶35] Heracles:
Do they make so light of my hard warring with the Minyans?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μάχας δὲ Μινυῶν ἃς ἔτλην ἀπέπτυσαν;

[¶36] Megara:
Misfortune, to repeat it to you, has no friends.

> Greek: Μεγάρα:
ἄφιλον, ἵνʼ αὖθίς σοι λέγω, τὸ δυστυχές.

[¶37] Heracles:
Cast from your heads these chaplets of death, look up to the light, for instead of the darkness below your eyes behold the welcome sun.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐ ῥίψεθʼ Ἅιδου τάσδε περιβολὰς κόμης
καὶ φῶς ἀναβλέψεσθε, τοῦ κάτω σκότου
φίλας ἀμοιβὰς ὄμμασιν δεδορκότες;

[¶38] I, meanwhile, since here is work for my hand, will first go raze this upstart tyrant’s halls, and when I have beheaded the villain, I will throw him to dogs to tear; and every Theban who I find has played the traitor after my kindness,
will I destroy with this victorious club; the rest will I tear apart with my feathered shafts and fill Ismenus full of bloody corpses, and Dirce’s clear stream shall run red with gore. For whom ought I to help rather than wife
and children and aged father? Farewell my labors! for it was in vain I accomplished them rather than helping these. And yet I ought to die in their defence, since they for their father were doomed; or what shall we find so noble in having fought a hydra and a lion
at the commands of Eurystheus, if I make no effort to save my own children from death? No longer then, as before, shall I be called Heracles the victor.

> Greek: ἐγὼ δέ — νῦν γὰρ τῆς ἐμῆς ἔργον χερός —
πρῶτον μὲν εἶμι καὶ κατασκάψω δόμους
καινῶν τυράννων, κρᾶτα δʼ ἀνόσιον τεμὼν
ῥίψω κυνῶν ἕλκημα· Καδμείων δʼ ὅσους
κακοὺς ἐφηῦρον εὖ παθόντας ἐξ ἐμοῦ,
τῷ καλλινίκῳ τῷδʼ ὅπλῳ χειρώσομαι·
τοὺς δὲ πτερωτοῖς διαφορῶν τοξεύμασι
νεκρῶν ἅπαντʼ Ἰσμηνὸν ἐμπλήσω φόνου,
Δίρκης τε νᾶμα λευκὸν αἱμαχθήσεται.
τῷ γάρ μʼ ἀμύνειν μᾶλλον ἢ δάμαρτι χρὴ
καὶ παισὶ καὶ … γέροντι; χαιρόντων πόνοι·
μάτην γὰρ αὐτοὺς τῶνδε μᾶλλον ἤνυσα.
καὶ δεῖ μʼ ὑπὲρ τῶνδʼ, εἴπερ οἵδʼ ὑπὲρ πατρός,
θνῄσκειν ἀμύνοντʼ· ἢ τί φήσομεν καλὸν
ὕδρᾳ μὲν ἐλθεῖν ἐς μάχην λέοντί τε
Εὐρυσθέως πομπαῖσι, τῶν δʼ ἐμῶν τέκνων
οὐκ ἐκπονήσω θάνατον; οὐκ ἄρʼ Ἡρακλῆς
ὁ καλλίνικος ὡς πάροιθε λέξομαι.

[¶39] Chorus Leader:
It is only right that parents should help their children, their aged fathers, and the partners of their marriage.

> Greek: Χορός:
δίκαια τοὺς τεκόντας ὠφελεῖν τέκνα,
πατέρα τε πρέσβυν τήν τε κοινωνὸν γάμων.

[¶40] Amphitryon:
My son, it is like you to show your love for your dear ones and your hate for your enemies; only curb excessive hastiness.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
πρὸς σοῦ μέν, ὦ παῖ, τοῖς φίλοις ⟨τʼ⟩ εἶναι φίλον
τά τʼ ἐχθρὰ μισεῖν· ἀλλὰ μὴ ʼπείγου λίαν.

[¶41] Heracles:
How, father, am I now showing more than fitting haste?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί δʼ ἐστὶ τῶνδε θᾶσσον ἢ χρεών, πάτερ;

[¶42] Amphitryon:
The king has a host of allies, needy villains though pretending to be rich,
who sowed dissension and overthrew the state with a view to plundering their neighbors; for the wealth they had in their houses was all spent, dissipated by their sloth. You were seen entering the city; and, that being so, beware that you do not bring your enemies together and be slain unawares.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
πολλοὺς πένητας, ὀλβίους δὲ τῷ λόγῳ
δοκοῦντας εἶναι συμμάχους ἄναξ ἔχει,
οἳ στάσιν ἔθηκαν καὶ διώλεσαν πόλιν
ἐφʼ ἁρπαγαῖσι τῶν πέλας, τὰ δʼ ἐν δόμοις
δαπάναισι φροῦδα διαφυγόνθʼ ὑπʼ ἀργίας.
ὤφθης ἐσελθὼν πόλιν· ἐπεὶ δʼ ὤφθης, ὅρα
ἐχθροὺς ἀθροίσας μὴ παρὰ γνώμην πέσῃς.

[¶43] Heracles:
Little I care if the whole city saw me; but happening to see a bird perched in an unlucky position, from it I learned that some trouble had befallen my house; so on purpose I made my entry to the land by stealth.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μέλει μὲν οὐδὲν εἴ με πᾶσʼ εἶδεν πόλις·
ὄρνιν δʼ ἰδών τινʼ οὐκ ἐν αἰσίοις ἕδραις,
ἔγνων πόνον τινʼ ἐς δόμους πεπτωκότα·
ὥστʼ ἐκ προνοίας κρύφιος εἰσῆλθον χθόνα.

[¶44] Amphitryon:
Well done; now, on your arrival, go salute your household altar,
and let your father’s halls behold your face. For soon the king will be here in person to drag away your wife and children and murder them, and to add me to the bloody list. But if you remain on the spot all will go well, and you will profit by this security; but do not rouse
your city before you have these matters well in train, my son.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
καλῶς· παρελθὼν νῦν πρόσειπέ θʼ ἑστίαν
καὶ δὸς πατρῴοις δώμασιν σὸν ὄμμʼ ἰδεῖν.
ἥξει γὰρ αὐτὸς σὴν δάμαρτα καὶ τέκνα
ἕλξων φονεύσων κἄμʼ ἐπισφάξων ἄναξ·
μένοντι δʼ αὐτοῦ πάντα σοι γενήσεται
τῇ τʼ ἀσφαλείᾳ κερδανεῖς· πόλιν δὲ σὴν
μὴ πρὶν ταράξῃς πρὶν τόδʼ εὖ θέσθαι, τέκνον.

[¶45] Heracles:
I will do so; your advice is good; I will enter my house. After my return at length from the sunless den of Hades and the maiden queen of hell, I will not neglect to greet first of all the gods beneath my roof.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
δράσω τάδʼ· εὖ γὰρ εἶπας· εἶμʼ ἔσω δόμων.
χρόνῳ δʼ ἀνελθὼν ἐξ ἀνηλίων μυχῶν
Ἅιδου Κόρης ⟨τʼ⟩ ἔνερθεν, οὐκ ἀτιμάσω
θεοὺς προσειπεῖν πρῶτα τοὺς κατὰ στέγας.

[¶46] Amphitryon:
Did you really go to the house of Hades, my son?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἦλθες γὰρ ὄντως δώματʼ εἰς Ἅιδου, τέκνον;

[¶47] Heracles:
Yes, and brought to the light that three-headed monster.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
καὶ θῆρά γʼ ἐς φῶς τὸν τρίκρανον ἤγαγον.

[¶48] Amphitryon:
Did you conquer him in fight, or receive him from the goddess?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
μάχῃ κρατήσας ἢ θεᾶς δωρήμασιν;

[¶49] Heracles:
In fight; for I had been lucky enough to witness the rites of the initiated.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μάχῃ· τὰ μυστῶν δʼ ὄργιʼ εὐτύχησʼ ἰδών.

[¶50] Amphitryon:
Is the monster really lodged in the house of Eurystheus?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἦ καὶ κατʼ οἴκους ἐστὶν Εὐρυσθέως ὁ θήρ;

[¶51] Heracles:
The grove of Demeter and the city of Hermione have him now.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
Χθονίας νιν ἄλσος Ἑρμιών τʼ ἔχει πόλις.

[¶52] Amphitryon:
Eurystheus does not know that you have returned to the upper world?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οὐδʼ οἶδεν Εὐρυσθεύς σε γῆς ἥκοντʼ ἄνω;

[¶53] Heracles:
He does not; I came here first to learn your news.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐκ οἶδʼ· ἵνʼ ἐλθὼν τἀνθάδʼ εἰδείην πάρος.

[¶54] Amphitryon:
How is it you were so long beneath the earth?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
χρόνον δὲ πῶς τοσοῦτον ἦσθʼ ὑπὸ χθονί;

[¶55] Heracles:
I stayed awhile attempting to bring back Theseus from Hades, father.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
Θησέα κομίζων ἐχρόνισʼ ⟨ἐξ⟩ Ἅιδου, πάτερ.

[¶56] Amphitryon:
Where is he? gone to his native land?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
καὶ ποῦ ʼστιν; ἢ γῆς πατρίδος οἴχεται πέδον;

[¶57] Heracles:
He set out for Athens, glad to have escaped from the lower world. Come now, children, attend your father to the house. My entering in is fairer in your eyes, I think, than my going out. Oh, take heart,
and no more let the tears stream from your eyes; you too, my wife, collect your courage, cease from fear; leave go my robe; for I cannot fly away, nor have I any wish to flee from those I love. Ah! they do not loose their hold, but cling to my garments
all the more; were you on the razor’s edge of danger? Well, I must lead them, taking them by the hand to draw them after me, my little boats, like a ship when towing; for I too do not reject the care of my children; here all mankind are equal; all love their children, both those of high estate
and those who are nothing; it is wealth that makes distinctions among them; some have, others want; but all the human race loves its offspring.
Exeunt Heracles and Megara, with their children.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
βέβηκʼ Ἀθήνας νέρθεν ἄσμενος φυγών.
ἀλλʼ εἶʼ, ὁμαρτεῖτʼ, ὦ τέκνʼ, ἐς δόμους πατρί·
καλλίονές τἄρʼ εἴσοδοι τῶν ἐξόδων
πάρεισιν ὑμῖν. ἀλλὰ θάρσος ἴσχετε
καὶ νάματʼ ὄσσων μηκέτʼ ἐξανίετε·
σύ τʼ, ὦ γύναι μοι, σύλλογον ψυχῆς λαβὲ
τρόμου τε παῦσαι, καὶ μέθεσθʼ ἐμῶν πέπλων·
οὐ γὰρ πτερωτὸς οὐδὲ φευξείω φίλους.
ἆ,
οἵδʼ οὐκ ἀφιᾶσʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀνάπτονται πέπλων
τοσῷδε μᾶλλον· ὧδʼ ἔβητʼ ἐπὶ ξυροῦ;
ἄξω λαβών γε τούσδʼ ἐφολκίδας χεροῖν,
ναῦς δʼ ὣς ἐφέλξω· καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἀναίνομαι
θεράπευμα τέκνων. πάντα τἀνθρώπων ἴσα·
φιλοῦσι παῖδας οἵ τʼ ἀμείνονες βροτῶν
οἵ τʼ οὐδὲν ὄντες· χρήμασιν δὲ διάφοροι·
ἔχουσιν, οἳ δʼ οὔ· πᾶν δὲ φιλότεκνον γένος.

[¶58] Chorus:
Dear to me is youth always, but old age is hanging over my head, a burden heavier
than Aetna’s crags, casting its pall of gloom upon my eyes. Oh! never may the wealth of Asia’s kings tempt me
to barter for houses stored with gold my happy youth, which is in wealth and poverty alike most fair! But old age is gloomy and deadly;
I hate it; let it sink beneath the waves! Would it had never found its way to the homes and towns of mortal men, but were still drifting on for ever down the wind.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἁ νεότας μοι φίλον αἰ-
εί· τὸ δὲ γῆρας ἄχθος
βαρύτερον Αἴτνας σκοπέλων
ἐπὶ κρατὶ κεῖται, βλεφάρων
σκοτεινὸν φάος ἐπικαλύψαν.
μή μοι μήτʼ Ἀσιήτιδος
τυραννίδος ὄλβος εἴη,
μὴ χρυσοῦ δώματα πλήρη
τᾶς ἥβας ἀντιλαβεῖν,
ἃ καλλίστα μὲν ἐν ὄλβῳ,
καλλίστα δʼ ἐν πενίᾳ.
τὸ δὲ λυγρὸν φόνιόν τε γῆ-
ρας μισῶ· κατὰ κυμάτων δʼ
ἔρροι, μηδέ ποτʼ ὤφελεν
θνατῶν δώματα καὶ πόλεις
ἐλθεῖν, ἀλλὰ κατʼ αἰθέρʼ αἰ-
εὶ πτεροῖσι φορείσθω.

[¶59] Chorus:
Had the gods shown discernment and wisdom, as mortals count these things, men would have won youth twice over, a visible mark of worth
among whomever found, and after death these would have run a double course once more to the sun-light, while the low born would have had a single portion of life;
and thus would it have been possible to distinguish the good and the bad, just as sailors know the number of the stars amid the clouds. But, as it is, the gods have set no certain boundary
between good and bad, but time’s onward roll brings increase only to man’s wealth.

> Greek: Χορός:
εἰ δὲ θεοῖς ἦν ξύνεσις
καὶ σοφία κατʼ ἄνδρας,
δίδυμον ἂν ἥβαν ἔφερον
φανερὸν χαρακτῆρʼ ἀρετᾶς
ὅσοισιν μέτα, κατθανόντες τʼ
εἰς αὐγὰς πάλιν ἁλίου
δισσοὺς ἂν ἔβαν διαύλους,
ἁ δυσγένεια δʼ ἁπλοῦν ἂν
εἶχεν ζόας βίοτον,
καὶ τῷδʼ ἦν τούς τε κακοὺς ἂν
γνῶναι καὶ τοὺς ἀγαθούς,
ἴσον ἅτʼ ἐν νεφέλαισιν ἄ-
στρων ναύταις ἀριθμὸς πέλει.
νῦν δʼ οὐδεὶς ὅρος ἐκ θεῶν
χρηστοῖς οὐδὲ κακοῖς σαφής,
ἀλλʼ εἱλισσόμενός τις αἰ-
ὼν πλοῦτον μόνον αὔξει.

[¶60] Chorus:
Never will I cease to link in one the Graces and the Muses,
sweetest union. Never may I live among uneducated boors, but ever may I find a place among the crowned!

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐ παύσομαι τὰς Χάριτας
Μούσαις συγκαταμειγνύς,
ἁδίσταν συζυγίαν.
μὴ ζῴην μετʼ ἀμουσίας,
αἰεὶ δʼ ἐν στεφάνοισιν εἴ-
ην· ἔτι τοι γέρων ἀοι-
δὸς κελαδεῖ Μναμοσύναν·

[¶61] Yes, still the aged singer lifts up his voice of bygone memories: still is my song of the triumphs of Heracles, whether Bromius the giver of wine is near, or the strains of the seven-stringed lyre and the Libyan pipe are rising;

> Greek: ἔτι τὰν Ἡρακλέους
καλλίνικον ἀείδω
παρά τε Βρόμιον οἰνοδόταν
παρά τε χέλυος ἑπτατόνου
μολπὰν καὶ Λίβυν αὐλόν·

[¶62] not yet will I cease to sing the Muses’ praise, my patrons in the dance.

> Greek: οὔπω καταπαύσομεν
Μούσας, αἵ μʼ ἐχόρευσαν.

[¶63] Chorus:
The maids of Delos raise their song of joy, circling round the temple gates in honor of Leto’s fair son,
the graceful dancer; so I with my old lips will cry aloud songs of joy at your palace-doors, like the swan, aged singer; for there is a good
theme for minstrelsy; he is the son of Zeus; yet high above his noble birth tower his deeds of prowess, for his toil secured this life of calm for man,
having destroyed all fearsome beasts.

> Greek: Χορός:
παιᾶνα μὲν Δηλιάδες
ὑμνοῦσʼ ἀμφὶ πύλας τὸν
Λατοῦς εὔπαιδα γόνον
εἱλίσσουσαι καλλίχορον·
παιᾶνας δʼ ἐπὶ σοῖς μελά-
θροις κύκνος ὣς γέρων ἀοι-
δὸς πολιᾶν ἐκ γενύων
κελαδήσω· τὸ γὰρ εὖ
τοῖς ὕμνοισιν ὑπάρχει·
Διὸς ὁ παῖς· τᾶς δʼ εὐγενίας
πλέον ὑπερβάλλων ⟨ἀρετᾷ⟩
μοχθήσας τὸν ἄκυμον
θῆκεν βίοτον βροτοῖς
πέρσας δείματα θηρῶν.

[¶64] Lycus:
Amphitryon, it is high time you came forth from the palace; you have been too long arraying yourselves in the robes and trappings of the dead. Come, bid the wife and children of Heracles
show themselves outside the house, to die on the conditions you yourselves offered.

> Greek: Λύκος:
ἐς καιρὸν οἴκων Ἀμφιτρύων ἔξω περᾷ·
χρόνος γὰρ ἤδη δαρὸς ἐξ ὅτου πέπλοις
κοσμεῖσθε σῶμα καὶ νεκρῶν ἀγάλμασιν.
ἀλλʼ εἶα, παῖδας καὶ δάμαρθʼ Ἡρακλέους
ἔξω κέλευε τῶνδε φαίνεσθαι δόμων,
ἐφʼ οἷς ὑπέστητʼ αὐτεπάγγελτοι θανεῖν.

[¶65] Amphitryon:
Lord, you persecute me in my misery and heap insult upon me over and above the loss of my son; you should have been more moderate in your zeal, though you are my lord and master.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἄναξ, διώκεις μʼ ἀθλίως πεπραγότα
ὕβριν θʼ ὑβρίζεις ἐπὶ θανοῦσι τοῖς ἐμοῖς·
ἃ χρῆν σε μετρίως, κεἰ κρατεῖς, σπουδὴν ἔχειν.

[¶66] But since you impose death’s necessity on me, I must acquiesce; what you wish must be done.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀνάγκην προστίθης ἡμῖν θανεῖν,
στέργειν ἀνάγκη· δραστέον δʼ ἃ σοὶ δοκεῖ.

[¶67] Lycus:
Now, where is Megara? where are the children of Alcmena’s son?

> Greek: Λύκος:
ποῦ δῆτα Μεγάρα; ποῦ τέκνʼ Ἀλκμήνης γόνου;

[¶68] Amphitryon:
She, I believe, so far as I can guess from outside—

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
δοκῶ μὲν αὐτήν, ὡς θύραθεν εἰκάσαι —

[¶69] Lycus:
What grounds do you have to base your fancy on?

> Greek: Λύκος:
τί χρῆμα δόξης; τοῦ δʼ ἔχεις τεκμήριον;

[¶70] Amphitryon:
Is sitting as a suppliant on the altar’s hallowed steps—

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἱκέτιν πρὸς ἁγνοῖς Ἑστίας θάσσειν βάθροις …

[¶71] Lycus:
Imploring them quite uselessly to save her life.

> Greek: Λύκος:
ἀνόνητά γʼ ἱκετεύουσαν ἐκσῷσαι βίον.

[¶72] Amphitryon:
And calling on her dead husband, in vain.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
καὶ τὸν θανόντα γʼ ἀνακαλεῖν μάτην πόσιν.

[¶73] Lycus:
He is nowhere near, and he certainly will never come.

> Greek: Λύκος:
ὃ δʼ οὐ πάρεστιν οὐδὲ μὴ μόλῃ ποτέ.

[¶74] Amphitryon:
No, unless perhaps a god should raise him from the dead.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οὔκ, εἴ γε μή τις θεῶν ἀναστήσειέ νιν.

[¶75] Lycus:
Go to her and bring her from the palace.

> Greek: Λύκος:
χώρει πρὸς αὐτὴν κἀκκόμιζε δωμάτων.

[¶76] Amphitryon:
By doing so I should become an accomplice in her murder.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
μέτοχος ἂν εἴην τοῦ φόνου δράσας τόδε.

[¶77] Lycus:
Since you have this scruple, I, who have left fear behind, will myself bring out the mother and her children. Follow me, servants,
that we may joyfully put an end to this delay of our work.
Exit Lycus.

> Greek: Λύκος:
ἡμεῖς, ἐπειδὴ σοὶ τόδʼ ἔστʼ ἐνθύμιον,
οἱ δειμάτων ἔξωθεν ἐκπορεύσομεν
σὺν μητρὶ παῖδας. δεῦρʼ ἕπεσθε, πρόσπολοι,
ὡς ἂν σχολὴν λύσωμεν ἄσμενοι πόνων.

[¶78] Amphitryon:
Then go your way along the path of fate; for what remains, maybe another will provide. Expect for your evil deeds to find some trouble yourself. Ah! my aged friends, he is marching fairly to his doom; soon will he lie entangled in the snare
of the sword, thinking to slay his neighbors, the villain! I will go, to see him fall dead; for the sight of a foe being slain and paying the penalty of his misdeeds affords pleasurable feelings.
Exit Amphitryon.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
σὺ δʼ οὖν ἴθʼ, ἔρχῃ δʼ οἷ χρεών· τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ ἴσως
ἄλλῳ μελήσει. προσδόκα δὲ δρῶν κακῶς
κακόν τι πράξειν. ὦ γέροντες, ἐς καλὸν
στείχει, βρόχοισι δʼ ἀρκύων γενήσεται
ξιφηφόροισι, τοὺς πέλας δοκῶν κτενεῖν
ὁ παγκάκιστος. εἶμι δʼ, ὡς ἴδω νεκρὸν
πίπτοντʼ· ἔχει γὰρ ἡδονὰς θνῄσκων ἀνὴρ
ἐχθρὸς τίνων τε τῶν δεδραμένων δίκην.

[¶79] Chorus:
Evil has changed sides; he who was once a mighty king is now turning his life backward into the road to Hades. Hail to you! Justice and heavenly retribution.

> Greek: Χορός:
—μεταβολὰ κακῶν· μέγας ὁ πρόσθʼ ἄναξ
πάλιν ὑποστρέφει βίοτον ἐξ Ἅιδα.
ἰώ·
δίκα καὶ θεῶν παλίρρους πότμος.

[¶80] At last have you reached the goal where your death will pay the penalty, for your insults against your betters.

> Greek: —ἦλθες χρόνῳ μὲν οὗ δίκην δώσεις θανών,
ὕβρεις ὑβρίζων εἰς ἀμείνονας σέθεν.

[¶81] Joy makes my tears burst forth. He has come back—
which I never once thought in my heart would happen—the prince of the land.

> Greek: —χαρμοναὶ δακρύων ἔδοσαν ἐκβολάς·
πάλιν ἔμολεν —
ἃ πάρος οὔποτε διὰ φρενὸς ἤλπισʼ ἂν
παθεῖν — γᾶς ἄναξ.

[¶82] Come, old friends, let us look within to see if someone has met the fate I hope.
Lycus: (within)
Ah me! ah me!

> Greek: —ἀλλʼ, ὦ γεραιοί, καὶ τὰ δωμάτων ἔσω
σκοπῶμεν, εἰ πράσσει τις ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω.
Λύκος:
ἰώ μοί μοι.

[¶83] Chorus:
Ha! how sweet to hear that opening note of his within the house; death is not far off him now. The prince cries out, wailing a prelude of death.

> Greek: Χορός:
—τόδε κατάρχεται μέλος ἐμοὶ κλύειν
φίλιον ἐν δόμοις· θάνατος οὐ πόρσω.
>βοᾷ
φόνου φροίμιον στενάζων ἄναξ.

[¶84] Lycus: (within)
O kingdom of Cadmus, I am perishing by treachery!

> Greek: Λύκος:
ὦ πᾶσα Κάδμου γαῖʼ, ἀπόλλυμαι δόλῳ.

[¶85] Chorus:
You were yourself for making others perish; endure your retribution; it is only the penalty of your own deeds you are paying.

> Greek: Χορός:
—καὶ γὰρ διώλλυς· ἀντίποινα δʼ ἐκτίνων
τόλμα, διδούς γε τῶν δεδραμένων δίκην.

[¶86] Who was he, only a mortal, that aimed his silly saying at the blessed gods of heaven with impious blasphemy, maintaining that they are weaklings after all?

> Greek: —τίς ὁ θεοὺς ἀνομίᾳ χραίνων, θνητὸς ὤν,
ἄφρονα λόγον
οὐρανίων μακάρων κατέβαλʼ, ὡς ἄρʼ οὐ
σθένουσιν θεοί;

[¶87] Old friends, our godless foe is now no more.

> Greek: — γέροντες, οὐκέτʼ ἔστι δυσσεβὴς ἀνήρ.

[¶88] The house is still; let us turn to the dance.

> Greek: — σιγᾷ μέλαθρα· πρὸς χοροὺς τραπώμεθα.

[¶89] Yes, for fortune smiles upon my friends as I desire.

> Greek: — φίλοι γὰρ εὐτυχοῦσιν οὓς ἐγὼ θέλω.

[¶90] Chorus:
Dances, dances and banquets now prevail throughout the holy town of Thebes.

> Greek: Χορός:
—χοροὶ χοροὶ
καὶ θαλίαι μέλουσι Θή-
βας ἱερὸν κατʼ ἄστυ.

[¶91] For change from tears, change from sorrow give birth to song. The new king is gone; our former monarch
rules, having made his way even from the harbor of Acheron. Hope beyond all expectation is fulfilled.

> Greek: μεταλλαγαὶ γὰρ δακρύων,
μεταλλαγαὶ συντυχίας
⟨νέας⟩ ἔτεκον ἀοιδάς.
βέβακʼ ἄναξ ὁ καινός, ὁ δὲ παλαίτερος
κρατεῖ, λιμένα λιπών γε τὸν Ἀχερόντιον.
δοκημάτων
ἐκτὸς ἦλθεν ἐλπίς.

[¶92] Chorus:
The gods, the gods take care to heed the right and wrong. It is their gold and their good luck
that lead men’s hearts astray, bringing in their train unjust power. For no man ever had the courage to reflect what reverses Time might bring; but, disregarding law to gratify lawlessness, he shatters
the black chariot of prosperity.

> Greek: Χορός:
θεοὶ θεοὶ
τῶν ἀδίκων μέλουσι καὶ
τῶν ὁσίων ἐπᾴειν.
ὁ χρυσὸς ἅ τʼ εὐτυχία
φρενῶν βροτοὺς ἐξάγεται,
δύνασιν ἄδικον ἐφέλκων.
Χρόνου γὰρ οὔτις τὸ πάλιν εἰσορᾶν ἔτλα·
νόμον παρέμενος, ἀνομίᾳ χάριν διδοὺς
ἔθραυσεν ὄλ-
βου κελαινὸν ἅρμα.

[¶93] Chorus:
O Ismenus, deck yourself with garlands! Break forth into dancing, you paved streets of our seven-gated city! come Dirce, fount of waters fair;
and joined with her you nymphs of Asopus, come from your father’s waves to add your voices to our hymn, the victor’s prize that Heracles has won.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ἰσμήνʼ ὦ στεφαναφόρει,
ξεσταί θʼ ἑπταπύλου πόλεως
ἀναχορεύσατʼ ἀγυιαί,
Δίρκα θʼ ἁ καλλιρρέεθρος,
σύν τʼ Ἀσωπιάδες κόραι,
πατρὸς ὕδωρ βᾶτε λιποῦσαι συναοιδοί,
Νύμφαι, τὸν Ἡρακλέους
καλλίνικον ἀγῶνα.

[¶94] O Pythian rock with forests crowned, and haunts of the Muses on Helicon! you will come to my city and her walls with cries of joy; where the earth-born crop sprang to view,
a warrior-host with shields of brass, who are handing on their realm to children’s children, a divine light to Thebes.

> Greek: Πυθίου δενδρῶτι πέτρα
Μουσῶν θʼ Ἑλικωνιάδων
δώματʼ, ὤ,
ἥξετʼ εὐγαθεῖ κελάδῳ
ἐμὰν πόλιν, ἐμὰ τείχη,
Σπαρτῶν ἵνα γένος ἔφανε
χαλκασπίδων λόχος, ὃς γᾶν
τέκνων τέκνοις μεταμείβει,
Θήβαις ἱερὸν φῶς.

[¶95] Chorus:
All hail the marriage! in which two bridegrooms shared; the one, a mortal;
the other, Zeus, who came to wed the bride sprung from Perseus; for that marriage of yours, O Zeus, in days gone by has been proved to me a true story beyond all expectation;
and time has shown the brightness of Heracles’ strength; for he emerged from caverns beneath the earth after leaving Pluto’s halls below. To me you are a worthier lord
than that base-born king, who now lets it be plainly seen in this struggle between armed warriors, whether justice still finds favor in heaven.
Catching sight of the spectre of Madness.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ λέκτρων δύο συγγενεῖς
εὐναί, θνατογενοῦς τε καὶ
Διός, ὃς ἦλθεν ἐς εὐνὰν
Νύμφας τᾶς Περσηίδος· ὡς
πιστόν μοι τὸ παλαιὸν ἤ-
δη λέχος, ὦ Ζεῦ, σὸν ἐπʼ οὐκ ἐλπίδι φάνθη,
λαμπρὰν δʼ ἔδειξʼ ὁ χρόνος
τὰν Ἡρακλέος ἀλκάν·
γᾶς ὃς ἐξέβα θαλάμων
Πλούτωνος δῶμα λιπὼν
νέρτερον.
κρείσσων μοι τύραννος ἔφυς
ἢ δυσγένειʼ ἀνάκτων,
ἃ νῦν ἐσορᾶν ἔφανε
ξιφηφόρων ἐς ἀγώνων
ἅμιλλαν, εἰ τὸ δίκαιον
θεοῖς ἔτʼ ἀρέσκει.

[¶96] Chorus:
—Ha! see there, my old comrades! is the same wild panic fallen on us all; what phantom is this I see hovering over the house?

> Greek: Χορός:
— ἔα ἔα·
ἆρʼ ἐς τὸν αὐτὸν πίτυλον ἥκομεν φόβου,
γέροντες, οἷον φάσμʼ ὑπὲρ δόμων ὁρῶ;

[¶97] —Fly, fly, bestir your tardy steps! begone! away!

> Greek: — φυγῇ φυγῇ
νωθὲς πέδαιρε κῶλον, ἐκποδὼν ἔλα.

[¶98] —O savior prince, avert calamity from me!

> Greek: — ὦναξ Παιάν,
ἀπότροπος γένοιό μοι πημάτων.

[¶99] Iris:
Courage, old men! she, whom you see, is Madness, daughter of Night, and I am Iris, the handmaid of the gods. We have not come to do your city any hurt,
but our warfare is against the house of one man only, against him whom they call the son of Zeus and Alcmena. For until he had finished all his grievous labors, Destiny was preserving him, nor would father Zeus ever suffer me or Hera to harm him.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
θαρσεῖτε Νυκτὸς τήνδʼ ὁρῶντες ἔκγονον
Λύσσαν, γέροντες, κἀμὲ τὴν θεῶν λάτριν
Ἶριν· πόλει γὰρ οὐδὲν ἥκομεν βλάβος,
ἑνὸς δʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὸς σῶμα συστρατεύομεν,
ὅν φασιν εἶναι Ζηνὸς Ἀλκμήνης τʼ ἄπο.
πρὶν μὲν γὰρ ἄθλους ἐκτελευτῆσαι πικρούς,
τὸ χρή νιν ἐξέσῳζεν, οὐδʼ εἴα πατὴρ
Ζεύς νιν κακῶς δρᾶν οὔτʼ ἔμʼ οὔθʼ Ἥραν ποτέ·

[¶100] But now that he has accomplished the labors of Eurystheus, Hera wishes to brand him with the guilt of shedding kindred blood by slaying his own children, and I wish it also. Come then, unwed maid, child of black Night, harden your heart relentlessly,
send forth frenzy upon this man, confound his mind even to the slaying of his children, drive him, goad him wildly on his mad career, shake out the sails of death, that when he has conveyed over Acheron’s ferry that fair group of children by his own murderous hand,
he may learn to know how fiercely against him the wrath of Hera burns and may also experience mine; otherwise, if he should escape punishment, the gods will become as nothing, while man’s power will grow.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ μόχθους διεπέρασʼ Εὐρυσθέως,
Ἥρα προσάψαι καινὸν αἷμʼ αὐτῷ θέλει
παῖδας κατακτείναντι, συνθέλω δʼ ἐγώ.
ἀλλʼ εἶʼ, ἄτεγκτον συλλαβοῦσα καρδίαν,
Νυκτὸς κελαινῆς ἀνυμέναιε παρθένε,
μανίας τʼ ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ τῷδε καὶ παιδοκτόνους
φρενῶν ταραγμοὺς καὶ ποδῶν σκιρτήματα
ἔλαυνε, κίνει, φόνιον ἐξίει κάλων,
ὡς ἂν πορεύσας διʼ Ἀχερούσιον πόρον
τὸν καλλίπαιδα στέφανον αὐθέντῃ φόνῳ
γνῷ μὲν τὸν Ἥρας οἷός ἐστʼ αὐτῷ χόλος,
μάθῃ δὲ τὸν ἐμόν· ἢ θεοὶ μὲν οὐδαμοῦ,
τὰ θνητὰ δʼ ἔσται μεγάλα, μὴ δόντος δίκην.

[¶101] Madness:
Of noble parents was I born, the daughter of Night, sprung from the blood of Ouranos;

> Greek: Λύσσα:
ἐξ εὐγενοῦς μὲν πατρὸς ἔκ τε μητέρος
πέφυκα, Νυκτὸς Οὐρανοῦ τʼ ἀφʼ αἵματος·

[¶102] and these prerogatives I hold, not to use them in anger against friends, nor do I have any joy in visiting the homes of men; and I wish to counsel Hera, before I see her make a mistake, and you too, if you will hearken to my words. This man, against whose house you are sending me, has made himself a name alike in heaven
and earth; for, after taming pathless wilds and raging sea, he by his single might raised up again the honors of the gods when sinking before man’s impiety;... wherefore I counsel you, do not wish him dire mishaps.

> Greek: τιμάς τʼ ἔχω τάσδʼ οὐκ ἀγασθῆναι φίλοις
οὐδʼ ἥδομαι φοιτῶσʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπων φίλους,
παραινέσαι δέ, πρὶν σφαλεῖσαν εἰσιδεῖν,
Ἥρᾳ θέλω σοί τʼ, ἢν πίθησθʼ ἐμοῖς λόγοις.
ἀνὴρ ὅδʼ οὐκ ἄσημος οὔτʼ ἐπὶ χθονὶ
οὔτʼ ἐν θεοῖσιν, οὗ σύ μʼ ἐσπέμπεις δόμους·
ἄβατον δὲ χώραν καὶ θάλασσαν ἀγρίαν
ἐξημερώσας, θεῶν ἀνέστησεν μόνος
τιμὰς πιτνούσας ἀνοσίων ἀνδρῶν ὕπο·
…
σοί τʼ οὐ παραινῶ μεγάλα βούλεσθαι κακά.

[¶103] Iris:
Spare us your advice on Hera’s and my schemes.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
μὴ σὺ νουθέτει τά θʼ Ἥρας κἀμὰ μηχανήματα.

[¶104] Madness:
I seek to turn your steps into the best path instead of into this one of evil.

> Greek: Λύσσα:
ἐς τὸ λῷον ἐμβιβάζω σʼ ἴχνος ἀντὶ τοῦ κακοῦ.

[¶105] Iris:
It was not to practice self-control that the wife of Zeus sent you here.

> Greek: Ἶρις:
οὐχὶ σωφρονεῖν γʼ ἔπεμψε δεῦρό σʼ ἡ Διὸς δάμαρ.

[¶106] Madness:
I call the sun-god to witness that here I am acting against my will; but if indeed I must at once serve you and Hera
and follow you in full cry as hounds follow the huntsman, then I will go; neither ocean with its fiercely groaning waves, nor the earthquake, nor the thunderbolt with blast of agony shall be like the headlong rush I will make into the breast of Heracles; through his roof will I burst my way and swoop upon his house,
after first slaying his children; nor shall their murderer know that he is killing the children he begot, till he is released from my madness. Behold him! see how even now he is wildly tossing his head at the outset, and rolling his eyes fiercely from side to side without a word; nor can he control his panting breath, like a fearful bull in act to charge; he bellows,
calling on the goddesses of nether hell. Soon will I rouse you to yet wilder dancing and pipe a note of terror in your ear. Soar away, O Iris, to Olympus on your honored course; while I unseen will steal into the halls of Heracles.

> Greek: Λύσσα:
Ἥλιον μαρτυρόμεσθα δρῶσʼ ἃ δρᾶν οὐ βούλομαι.
εἰ δὲ δή μʼ Ἥρᾳ θʼ ὑπουργεῖν σοί τʼ ἀναγκαίως ἔχει
τάχος ἐπιρροίβδην θʼ ὁμαρτεῖν ὡς κυνηγέτῃ κύνας,
εἶμί γʼ· οὔτε πόντος οὕτως κύμασιν στένων λάβρως
οὔτε γῆς σεισμὸς κεραυνοῦ τʼ οἶστρος ὠδῖνας πνέων,
οἷʼ ἐγὼ στάδια δραμοῦμαι στέρνον εἰς Ἡρακλέους·
καὶ καταρρήξω μέλαθρα καὶ δόμους ἐπεμβαλῶ,
τέκνʼ ἀποκτείνασα πρῶτον· ὁ δὲ κανὼν οὐκ εἴσεται
παῖδας οὓς ἔτικτʼ ἐναίρων, πρὶν ἂν ἐμὰς λύσσας ἀφῇ.
ἢν ἰδού· καὶ δὴ τινάσσει κρᾶτα βαλβίδων ἄπο
καὶ διαστρόφους ἑλίσσει σῖγα γοργωποὺς κόρας.
ἀμπνοὰς δʼ οὐ σωφρονίζει, ταῦρος ὣς ἐς ἐμβολὴν
δεινός· μυκᾶται δὲ Κῆρας ἀνακαλῶν τὰς Ταρτάρου.
τάχα σʼ ἐγὼ μᾶλλον χορεύσω καὶ καταυλήσω φόβῳ.
στεῖχʼ ἐς Οὔλυμπον πεδαίρουσʼ, Ἶρι, γενναῖον πόδα·
ἐς δόμους δʼ ἡμεῖς ἄφαντοι δυσόμεσθʼ Ἡρακλέους.

[¶107] Chorus:
Alas alas! lament; the son of Zeus, flower of your city, is being cut down. Woe to you, Hellas! that will cast from you your benefactor, and destroy him as he dances in the shrill frenzy of Madness.

> Greek: Χορός:
—ὀτοτοτοτοτοῖ, στέναξον· ἀποκείρεται
σὸν ἄνθος πόλεος, ὁ Διὸς ἔκγονος·
μέλεος Ἑλλάς, ἃ τὸν εὐεργέταν
ἀποβαλεῖς, ὀλεῖς μανίαισιν Λύσσας
χορευθέντʼ ἐναύλοις.

[¶108] She is mounted on her chariot, the queen of sorrow and sighing, and is goading on her steeds, as if for outrage, the Gorgon child of Night, with a hundred hissing serpent-heads, Madness of the flashing eyes.

> Greek: —βέβακεν ἐν δίφροισιν ἁ πολύστονος,
ἅρμασι δʼ ἐνδίδωσι
κέντρον ὡς ἐπὶ λώβᾳ
Νυκτὸς Γοργὼν ἑκατογκεφάλοις
ὄφεων ἰαχήμασι, Λύσσα μαρμαρωπός.

[¶109] Soon has the god changed his good fortune; soon will his children breathe their last, slain by a father’s hand.

> Greek: —ταχὺ τὸν εὐτυχῆ μετέβαλεν δαίμων,
ταχὺ δὲ πρὸς πατρὸς τέκνʼ ἐκπνεύσεται.

[¶110] Amphitryon:
Ah me! alas!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἰώ μοι μέλεος.

[¶111] Chorus:
O Zeus, unjust Vengeance, mad, relentless, will soon give your childless son
up to misery.

> Greek: Χορός:
—ἰὼ Ζεῦ, τὸ σὸν γένος ἄγονον αὐτίκα
λυσσάδες ὠμοβρῶτες ἄδικοι Ποιναὶ
κακοῖσιν ἐκπετάσουσιν.

[¶112] Amphitryon:
Alas, O house!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἰὼ στέγαι.

[¶113] Chorus:
The dance begins without the cymbals’ crash, with no glad waving of the wine-god’s staff—

> Greek: Χορός:
—κατάρχεται χόρευμα τυμπάνων ἄτερ,
οὐ βρομίῳ κεχαρισμένα θύρσῳ …

[¶114] Amphitryon:
Woe to these halls!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἰὼ δόμοι.

[¶115] Chorus:
Toward bloodshed,
and not to pour libations of Dionysus’ grape.

> Greek: Χορός:
πρὸς αἵματʼ, οὐχὶ τᾶς Διονυσιάδος
βοτρύων ἐπὶ χεύμασι λοιβᾶς.

[¶116] Amphitryon:
O children, make haste to fly!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
φυγῇ, τέκνʼ, ἐξορμᾶτε.

[¶117] Chorus:
That is the chant of death, of death, to the music of pipes.

> Greek: Χορός:
—δάιον τόδε
δάιον μέλος ἐπαυλεῖται.

[¶118] Ah, yes! he is hunting the children down. Never will Madness lead her revel rout in vain.

> Greek: κυναγετεῖ τέκνων διωγμόν· οὔποτʼ ἄκραντα δόμοισι
Λύσσα βακχεύσει.

[¶119] Amphitryon:
Ah misery!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
αἰαῖ κακῶν.

[¶120] Chorus:
Ah me! how I lament that aged father, that mother too that bore his children in vain.

> Greek: Χορός:
—αἰαῖ δῆτα τὸν γεραιὸν ὡς στένω
πατέρα τάν τε παιδοτρόφον, ⟨ᾇ⟩ μάταν
τέκεα γεννᾶται.

[¶121] Look! look!
A tempest rocks the house; the roof is falling with it.

> Greek: —ἰδοὺ ἰδού,
θύελλα σείει δῶμα, συμπίπτει στέγη.

[¶122] Heracles:
Oh, oh! what are you doing, Pallas, child of Zeus, to the house? You are sending hell’s confusion against the halls, as once you did on Enceladus.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἢ ἤ· τί δρᾷς, ὦ Διὸς παῖ, μελάθρῳ;
τάραγμα ταρτάρειον, ὡς ἐπʼ Ἐγκελάδῳ ποτέ, Παλλάς,
ἐς δόμους πέμπεις.

[¶123] Messenger:
O white-haired old men!

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ λευκὰ γήρᾳ σώματʼ …

[¶124] Chorus:
Why this loud
address to me?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀνακαλεῖς με τίνα
βοάν;

[¶125] Messenger:
It is dreadful within!

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἄλαστα τἀν δόμοισι.

[¶126] Chorus:
No need for me to call another prophet for that.

> Greek: Χορός:
μάντιν οὐχ
ἕτερον ἄξομαι.

[¶127] Messenger:
The children are dead.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
τεθνᾶσι παῖδες.

[¶128] Chorus:
Alas!

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰαῖ.

[¶129] Messenger:
Ah weep! for here is cause for weeping.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
στενάζεθʼ, ὡς στενακτά.

[¶130] Chorus:
A cruel murder,
cruel parents’ hands!

> Greek: Χορός:
δάιοι φόνοι,
δάιοι δὲ τοκέων χέρες· ὤ.

[¶131] Messenger:
No words can utter more than we have suffered.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὐκ ἄν τις εἴποι μᾶλλον ἢ πεπόνθαμεν.

[¶132] Chorus:
How came the ruin you reveal, the ruin that must be lamented, from a father to his children? Tell me how these heaven-sent woes
came rushing on the house; say how the children met their sad mischance.

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς παισὶ στενακτὰν ἄταν ἄταν
πατέρος ἀμφαίνεις;
λέγε, τίνα τρόπον ἔσυτο θεόθεν ἐπὶ
μέλαθρα κακὰ τάδε,
τλήμονάς τε παίδων τύχας;

[¶133] Messenger:
Victims to purify the house were stationed before the altar of Zeus, for Heracles had slain and cast from his halls the king of the land.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἱερὰ μὲν ἦν πάροιθεν ἐσχάρας Διὸς
καθάρσιʼ οἴκων, γῆς ἄνακτʼ ἐπεὶ κτανὼν
ἐξέβαλε τῶνδε δωμάτων Ἡρακλέης·

[¶134] There stood his group of lovely children, with his father and Megara; and already the basket was being passed round the altar, and we were keeping holy silence. But just as Alcmena’s son was bringing the torch in his right hand to dip it in the holy water,
he stopped without a word. And as their father lingered, his children looked at him; he was no longer himself; his eyes were rolling; he was quite distraught; his eyeballs were bloodshot, and foam was oozing down his bearded cheek.

> Greek: χορὸς δὲ καλλίμορφος εἱστήκει τέκνων
πατήρ τε Μεγάρα τʼ· ἐν κύκλῳ δʼ ἤδη κανοῦν
εἵλικτο βωμοῦ, φθέγμα δʼ ὅσιον εἴχομεν.
μέλλων δὲ δαλὸν χειρὶ δεξιᾷ φέρειν,
ἐς χέρνιβʼ ὡς βάψειεν, Ἀλκμήνης τόκος
ἔστη σιωπῇ. καὶ χρονίζοντος πατρὸς
παῖδες προσέσχον ὄμμʼ· ὁ δʼ οὐκέθʼ αὑτὸς ἦν,
ἀλλʼ ἐν στροφαῖσιν ὀμμάτων ἐφθαρμένος
ῥίζας τʼ ἐν ὄσσοις αἱματῶπας ἐκβαλὼν
ἀφρὸν κατέσταζʼ εὐτρίχου γενειάδος.

[¶135] He spoke with a madman’s laugh: “Father, why should I offer the purifying flame before I have slain Eurystheus, and have the toil twice over? It is the work of my unaided arm to settle these things well; as soon as I have brought the head of Eurystheus here,”
“I will cleanse my hands for those already slain. Spill the water, cast the baskets from your hands. Ho! give me now my bow and club! To Mycenae will I go; I must take crow-bars and pick-axes, for I will shatter again”
“with iron levers those city-walls which the Cyclopes squared with red plumb-line and mason’s tools.”

> Greek: ἔλεξε δʼ ἅμα γέλωτι παραπεπληγμένῳ·
Πάτερ, τί θύω πρὶν κτανεῖν Εὐρυσθέα
καθάρσιον πῦρ, καὶ πόνους διπλοῦς ἔχω;
ἔργον μιᾶς μοι χειρὸς εὖ θέσθαι τάδε·
ὅταν δʼ ἐνέγκω δεῦρο κρᾶτʼ Εὐρυσθέως,
ἐπὶ τοῖσι νῦν θανοῦσιν ἁγνιῶ χέρας.
ἐκχεῖτε πηγάς, ῥίπτετʼ ἐκ χειρῶν κανᾶ.
τίς μοι δίδωσι τόξα; τίς ⟨δʼ⟩ ὅπλον χερός;
πρὸς τὰς Μυκήνας εἶμι· λάζυσθαι χρεὼν
μοχλοὺς δικέλλας θʼ, ὥστε Κυκλώπων βάθρα
φοίνικι κανόνι καὶ τύκοις ἡρμοσμένα
στρεπτῷ σιδήρῳ συντριαινῶσαι πάλιν.

[¶136] Then he set out, and though he had no chariot there, he thought he had, and was for mounting to its seat, and using a goad as though his fingers really held one.

> Greek: αὐτοῦ δὲ βαίνων ἅρματʼ οὐκ ἔχων ἔχειν
ἔφασκε, δίφρου δʼ εἰσέβαινεν ἄντυγας
κἄθεινε, κέντρον δῆθεν ὡς ἔχων, χερί.

[¶137] A twofold feeling filled his servants’ breasts, amusement and fear at once; and one looking to his neighbor said: “Is our master making sport for us, or is he mad?” But he was pacing to and fro in his house; and, rushing into the men’s chamber, he said he had reached the city of Nisus;
and going into the house, he threw himself upon the floor, as he was, and made ready to feast. But after waiting a brief space he began saying he was on his way to the plains amid the valleys of the Isthmus; and then stripping himself of his mantle,
he fell to competing with no one, and he proclaimed himself victor with his own voice, calling on no one to listen. Next, fancy carrying him to Mycenae, he was uttering fearful threats against Eurystheus. Meantime his father caught him by his stalwart arm, and thus addressed him:

> Greek: διπλοῦς δʼ ὀπαδοῖς ἦν γέλως φόβος θʼ ὁμοῦ.
καί τις τόδʼ εἶπεν, ἄλλος εἰς ἄλλον δρακών·
Παίζει πρὸς ἡμᾶς δεσπότης ἢ μαίνεται;
ὁ δʼ εἷρπʼ ἄνω τε καὶ κάτω κατὰ στέγας,
μέσον δʼ ἐς ἀνδρῶνʼ ἐσπεσὼν Νίσου πόλιν
ἥκειν ἔφασκε· δωμάτων τʼ ἔσω βεβώς,
κλιθεὶς ἐς οὖδας, ὡς ἔχει, σκευάζεται
θοίνην. διελθὼν δʼ ὡς βραχὺν χρόνον μονῆς
Ἰσθμοῦ ναπαίας ἔλεγε προσβαίνειν πλάκας.
κἀνταῦθα γυμνὸν σῶμα θεὶς πορπαμάτων,
πρὸς οὐδένʼ ἡμιλλᾶτο κἀκηρύσσετο
αὐτὸς πρὸς αὑτοῦ καλλίνικος οὐδενός,
ἀκοὴν ὑπειπών. δεινὰ δʼ Εὐρυσθεῖ βρέμων
ἦν ἐν Μυκήναις τῷ λόγῳ. πατὴρ δέ νιν
θιγὼν κραταιᾶς χειρὸς ἐννέπει τάδε·

[¶138] “My son, what do you mean by this? What strange doings are these? Can it be that the blood of your late victims has driven you frantic?” But he, supposing it was the father of Eurystheus striving in abject supplication to touch his hand: thrust him aside, and then against his own children aimed his bow
and made ready his quiver, thinking to slay the sons of Eurystheus. And they in wild fright darted here and there, one to his hapless mother’s skirts, another to the shadow of a pillar, while a third cowered beneath the altar like a bird.

> Greek: Ὦ παῖ, τί πάσχεις; τίς ὁ τρόπος ξενώσεως
τῆσδʼ; οὔ τί που φόνος σʼ ἐβάκχευσεν νεκρῶν,
οὓς ἄρτι καίνεις; ὁ δέ νιν Εὐρυσθέως δοκῶν
πατέρα προταρβοῦνθʼ ἱκέσιον ψαύειν χερός,
ὠθεῖ, φαρέτραν δʼ εὐτρεπῆ σκευάζεται
καὶ τόξʼ ἑαυτοῦ παισί, τοὺς Εὐρυσθέως
δοκῶν φονεύειν. οἳ δὲ ταρβοῦντες φόβῳ
ὤρουον ἄλλος ἄλλοσʼ, ἐς πέπλους ὁ μὲν
μητρὸς ταλαίνης, ὁ δʼ ὑπὸ κίονος σκιάν,
ἄλλος δὲ βωμὸν ὄρνις ὣς ἔπτηξʼ ὕπο.

[¶139] Then cried their mother: “O you who begot them, what are you doing? do you mean to slay your children?” Likewise his aged father and all the gathered servants cried aloud. But he, hunting the child round and round the column, in dreadful circles, and coming face to face with him shot him to the heart; and he fell upon his back,
sprinkling the stone pillars with blood as he gasped out his life. Then Heracles shouted in triumph and boasted loud: “Here lies one of Eurystheus’ brood dead at my feet, atoning for his father’s hatred.” Then he aimed his bow against a second, who had crouched
at the altar’s foot thinking to escape unseen. But before he fired, the poor child threw himself at his father’s knees, and, flinging his hand to reach his beard or neck, cried: “Oh! hear me, dearest father, do not kill me! I am your child, your own; it is no son of Eurystheus you will slay.”

> Greek: βοᾷ δὲ μήτηρ· Ὦ τεκών, τί δρᾷς; τέκνα
κτείνεις; βοᾷ δὲ πρέσβυς οἰκετῶν τʼ ὄχλος.
ὁ δʼ ἐξελίσσων παῖδα κίονος κύκλῳ,
τόρνευμα δεινὸν ποδός, ἐναντίον σταθεὶς
βάλλει πρὸς ἧπαρ· ὕπτιος δὲ λαΐνους
ὀρθοστάτας ἔδευσεν ἐκπνέων βίον.
ὁ δʼ ἠλάλαξε κἀπεκόμπασεν τάδε·
Εἷς μὲν νεοσσὸς ὅδε θανὼν Εὐρυσθέως
ἔχθραν πατρῴαν ἐκτίνων πέπτωκέ μοι.
ἄλλῳ δʼ ἐπεῖχε τόξʼ, ὃς ἀμφὶ βωμίαν
ἔπτηξε κρηπῖδʼ ὡς λεληθέναι δοκῶν.
φθάνει δʼ ὁ τλήμων γόνασι προσπεσὼν πατρός,
καὶ πρὸς γένειον χεῖρα καὶ δέρην βαλών,
Ὦ φίλτατʼ, αὐδᾷ, μή μʼ ἀποκτείνῃς, πάτερ·
σός εἰμι, σὸς παῖς· οὐ τὸν Εὐρυσθέως ὀλεῖς.

## 3. Lines 990–1428

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracles/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-heracles/3/#p-N

[¶0] But that other, with savage Gorgon-scowl, as the child now stood in range of his baleful archery, smote him on the head, as a smith strikes his molten iron, bringing down his club upon the fair-haired boy, and crushed the bones. The second caught,
away he goes to add a third victim to the other two. But before he could, the poor mother caught up her child and carried him within the house and shut the doors. But he, as though he really were at the Cyclopean walls, prized open the doors with levers, and, hurling down their posts,
with one shaft laid low his wife and child. Then in wild gallop he starts to slay his aged father; but there came a phantom, as it seemed to us on-lookers, of Pallas, with plumed helm, brandishing a spear; and she hurled a rock against the breast of Heracles,
which held him from his frenzied thirst for blood and plunged him into sleep; to the ground he fell, striking his back against a column that had fallen on the floor shattered in two when the roof fell in.

> Greek: ὁ δʼ ἀγριωπὸν ὄμμα Γοργόνος στρέφων,
ὡς ἐντὸς ἔστη παῖς λυγροῦ τοξεύματος,
μυδροκτύπον μίμημʼ, ὑπὲρ κάρα βαλὼν
ξύλον καθῆκε παιδὸς ἐς ξανθὸν κάρα,
ἔρρηξε δʼ ὀστᾶ. δεύτερον δὲ παῖδʼ ἑλών,
χωρεῖ τρίτον θῦμʼ ὡς ἐπισφάξων δυοῖν.
ἀλλὰ φθάνει νιν ἡ τάλαινʼ ἔσω δόμων
μήτηρ ὑπεκλαβοῦσα, καὶ κλῄει πύλας.
ὁ δʼ ὡς ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς δὴ Κυκλωπίοισιν ὢν
σκάπτει μοχλεύει θύρετρα, κἀκβαλὼν σταθμὰ
δάμαρτα καὶ παῖδʼ ἑνὶ κατέστρωσεν βέλει.
κἀνθένδε πρὸς γέροντος ἱππεύει φόνον·
ἀλλʼ ἦλθεν εἰκών, ὡς ὁρᾶν ἐφαίνετο,
Παλλὰς κραδαίνουσʼ ἔγχος ἐπὶ λόφῳ κέαρ,
κἄρριψε πέτρον στέρνον εἰς Ἡρακλέους,
ὅς νιν φόνου μαργῶντος ἔσχε, κεἰς ὕπνον
καθῆκε· πίτνει δʼ ἐς πέδον, πρὸς κίονα
νῶτον πατάξας, ὃς πεσήμασι στέγης
διχορραγὴς ἔκειτο κρηπίδων ἔπι.

[¶1] Then we rallied from our flight, and with the old man’s aid bound him fast with knotted cords to the pillar, so that on his awakening he might do no further mischief. So there he sleeps, poor wretch! a sleep that is not blessed, having murdered wife and children; no, for my part
I do not know any mortal more miserable than he. Exit messenger.

> Greek: ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐλευθεροῦντες ἐκ δρασμῶν πόδα
σὺν τῷ γέροντι δεσμὰ σειραίων βρόχων
ἀνήπτομεν πρὸς κίονʼ, ὡς λήξας ὕπνου
μηδὲν προσεργάσαιτο τοῖς δεδραμένοις.
εὕδει δʼ ὁ τλήμων ὕπνον οὐκ εὐδαίμονα,
παῖδας φονεύσας καὶ δάμαρτʼ. ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν
οὐκ οἶδα θνητῶν ὅστις ἀθλιώτερος.

[¶2] Chorus:
That murder wrought by the daughters of Danaus, which the rock of Argos keeps, was once the most famous and notorious in Hellas; but this has surpassed,
has outrun those former horrors... for the unhappy son of Zeus.

> Greek: Χορός:
—ὁ φόνος ἦν ὃν Ἀργολὶς ἔχει πέτρα
τότε μὲν περισαμότατος καὶ ἄπιστος Ἑλλάδι
τῶν Δαναοῦ παίδων· τάδε δʼ ὑπερέβαλε, παρ-
έδραμε τὰ τότε κακὰ … τάλανι διογενεῖ κόρῳ.

[¶3] I could tell of the murder done by Procne, mother of an only child, offered to the Muses; but you had three children, wretched parent, and all of them have you in your frenzy slain.

> Greek: —μονοτέκνου Πρόκνης φόνον ἔχω λέξαι
θυόμενον Μούσαις· σὺ δὲ τέκνα τρίγονʼ, ὦ
δάιε, τεκόμενος, λυσσάδι συγκατειργάσω μοίρᾳ.

[¶4] Alas! What groans or wails, what funeral dirge, or dance of death am I to raise?

> Greek: —αἰαῖ, τίνα στεναγμὸν
ἢ γόον ἢ φθιτῶν
ᾠδάν, ἢ τὸν Ἅιδα χορὸν ἀχήσω;

[¶5] Ah, ah! see, the bolted doors
of the lofty palace are being rolled apart.

> Greek: —φεῦ φεῦ·
ἴδεσθε, διάνδιχα κλῇθρα
κλίνεται ὑψιπύλων δόμων.

[¶6] Ah me! see the wretched children lying before their unhappy father, who is sunk in dreadful slumber after shedding their blood.

> Greek: —ἰώ μοι·
ἴδεσθε δὲ τέκνα πρὸ πατρὸς
ἄθλια κείμενα δυστάνου,
εὕδοντος ὕπνον δεινὸν ἐκ παίδων φόνου.

[¶7] Round him are bonds and cords, made fast with many knots about the body of Heracles, and lashed to the stone columns of his house.

> Greek: —περὶ δὲ δεσμὰ καὶ πολύβροχʼ ἁμμάτων
ἐρείσμαθʼ Ἡράκλειον
ἀμφὶ δέμας τάδε λαΐνοις
ἀνημμένα κίοσιν οἴκων.

[¶8] Chorus Leader:
But he, the aged father, like mother-bird wailing
her unfledged brood, comes hastening here with halting steps on his bitter journey.
The palace doors opening disclose Heracles lying asleep, bound to a shattered column.

> Greek: Χορός:
—ὁ δʼ ὥς τις ὄρνις ἄπτερον καταστένων
ὠδῖνα τέκνων, πρέσβυς ὑστέρῳ ποδὶ
πικρὰν διώκων ἤλυσιν πάρεσθʼ ὅδε.

[¶9] Amphitryon:
Softly, softly! you aged sons of Thebes, let him sleep on and forget his sorrows.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
Καδμεῖοι γέροντες, οὐ σῖγα σῖ-
γα τὸν ὕπνῳ παρειμένον ἐάσετʼ ἐκ-
λαθέσθαι κακῶν;

[¶10] Chorus:
For you, old friend, I weep and mourn, for the children too and that victorious chief.

> Greek: Χορός:
κατὰ σὲ δακρύοις στένω, πρέσβυ, καὶ
τέκεα καὶ τὸ καλλίνικον κάρα.

[¶11] Amphitryon:
Stand further off, make no noise nor outcry, do not rouse him from his calm
deep slumber.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἑκαστέρω πρόβατε, μὴ
κτυπεῖτε, μὴ βοᾶτε, μὴ
τὸν εὔδιʼ ἰαύονθʼ
ὑπνώδεά τʼ εὐνᾶς
ἐγείρετε.

[¶12] Chorus:
O horrible! all this blood—

> Greek: Χορός:
οἴμοι.
φόνος ὅσος ὅδʼ …

[¶13] Amphitryon:
Hush, hush! you will be my ruin.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἆ ἆ,
διά μʼ ὀλεῖτε.

[¶14] Chorus:
That he has spilled is rising up against him.

> Greek: Χορός:
κεχυμένος ἐπαντέλλει.

[¶15] Amphitryon:
Gently raise your dirge of woe, old friends;

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οὐκ ἀτρεμαῖα θρῆνον αἰ-
άξετʼ, ὦ γέροντες;

[¶16] or he will wake, and, bursting his bonds, destroy the city, rend his father, and dash his house to pieces.

> Greek: ἢ δέσμʼ ἀνεγειρόμενος χαλάσας ἀπολεῖ πόλιν,
ἀπὸ δὲ πατέρα, μέλαθρά τε καταράξει.

[¶17] Chorus:
I cannot, cannot—

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀδύνατʼ ἀδύνατά μοι.

[¶18] Amphitryon:
Hush! let me note his breathing;

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
σῖγα, πνοὰς μάθω·

[¶19] come, let me put my ear close.
Chorus:
Is he sleeping?

> Greek: φέρε πρὸς οὖς βάλω.
Χορός:
εὕδει;

[¶20] Amphitryon:
Yes, he is sleeping, a deadly sleepless sleep, having slain wife and children with the arrows of his twanging bow.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ναί, εὕδει
ὕπνον γʼ ἄυπνον ὀλόμενον, ὃς ἔκανεν ἄλοχον,
ἔκανε δὲ τέκεα, τοξήρει ψαλμῷ [τοξεύσας].

[¶21] Chorus:
Ah! mourn—

> Greek: Χορός:
στέναζέ νυν —

[¶22] Amphitryon:
Indeed I do.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
στενάζω.

[¶23] Chorus:
The children’s death—

> Greek: Χορός:
τέκνων ὄλεθρον —

[¶24] Amphitryon:
Ah me!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὤμοι.

[¶25] Chorus:
And your own son’s doom.

> Greek: Χορός:
σέθεν τε παιδὸς —

[¶26] Amphitryon:
Alas!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
αἰαῖ.

[¶27] Chorus:
Old friend—

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πρέσβυ …

[¶28] Amphitryon:
Hush! hush! he is turning over, he is waking! Oh!
let me hide myself, concealed beneath the roof.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
σῖγα σῖγα·
παλίντροπος ἐξεγειρόμενος στρέφεται· φέρε,
ἀπόκρυφον δέμας ὑπὸ μέλαθρον κρύψω.

[¶29] Chorus:
Courage! darkness still holds your son’s eye.

> Greek: Χορός:
θάρσει· νὺξ ἔχει βλέφαρα παιδὶ σῷ.

[¶30] Amphitryon:
Oh beware! it is not that I shrink from leaving the light after my miseries, poor wretch! but if should he slay me, his father,
then he will be devising mischief on mischief, and to the avenging curse will add a parent’s blood.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὁρᾶθʼ ὁρᾶτε. τὸ φάος ἐκ-
λιπεῖν μὲν ἐπὶ κακοῖσιν οὐ
φεύγω τάλας, ἀλλʼ εἴ με κανεῖ πατέρʼ ὄντα,
πρὸς δὲ κακοῖς κακὰ μήσεται
πρὸς Ἐρινύσι θʼ αἷμα σύγγονον ἕξει.

[¶31] Chorus:
Well for you if you had died in that day, when, for your wife, you went forth to exact vengeance for her slain brothers
by sacking the Taphians’ sea-beat town.

> Greek: Χορός:
τότε θανεῖν σʼ ἐχρῆν, ὅτε δάμαρτι σᾷ
φόνον ὁμοσπόρων ἔμολες ἐκπράξας
Ταφίων περίκλυστον ἄστυ πέρσας.

[¶32] Amphitryon:
Fly, fly, my aged friends, from before the palace, escape his waking fury. Or soon he will heap up fresh slaughter on the old,
ranging wildly once more through the streets of Thebes.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
φυγὰν φυγάν, γέροντες, ἀποπρὸ δωμάτων
διώκετε· φεύγετε μάργον
ἄνδρʼ ἐπεγειρόμενον.
⟨ἢ⟩ τάχα φόνον ἕτερον ἐπὶ φόνῳ βαλὼν
ἀνʼ αὖ βακχεύσει Καδμείων πόλιν.

[¶33] Chorus Leader:
O Zeus, why have you shown such savage hate against your own son and plunged him in this sea of troubles?

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ Ζεῦ, τί παῖδʼ ἤχθηρας ὧδʼ ὑπερκότως
τὸν σόν, κακῶν δὲ πέλαγος ἐς τόδʼ ἤγαγες;

[¶34] Heracles: waking
Aha! I am alive and breathing; and my eyes resume their function, opening on
the sky and earth and the sun’s darting beam; but how my senses reel! in what strange turmoil am I plunged! my fevered breath in quick spasmodic gasps escapes my lungs. How now? why am I lying here, my brawny chest and arms made fast with cables like a ship,
beside a half-shattered piece of masonry, with corpses for my neighbors; while over the floor my bow and arrows are scattered, that once like trusty squires to my arm
both kept me safe and were kept safe by me? Surely I have not come a second time to Hades’ halls, having just returned from there for Eurystheus? To Hades? From where? No, I do not see Sisyphus with his stone, or Pluto, or his queen, Demeter’s child.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἔα·
ἔμπνους μέν εἰμι καὶ δέδορχʼ ἅπερ με δεῖ,
αἰθέρα τε καὶ γῆν τόξα θʼ Ἡλίου τάδε …
ὡς ἐν κλύδωνι καὶ φρενῶν ταράγματι
πέπτωκα δεινῷ καὶ πνοὰς θερμὰς πνέω
μετάρσιʼ, οὐ βέβαια, πνευμόνων ἄπο.
ἰδού, τί δεσμοῖς ναῦς ὅπως ὡρμισμένος
νεανίαν θώρακα καὶ βραχίονα,
πρὸς ἡμιθραύστῳ λαΐνῳ τυκίσματι
ἧμαι, νεκροῖσι γείτονας θάκους ἔχων;
πτερωτά τʼ ἔγχη· τόξα δʼ ἔσπαρται πέδῳ,
ἃ πρὶν παρασπίζοντʼ ἐμοῖς βραχίοσιν
ἔσῳζε πλευρὰς ἐξ ἐμοῦ τʼ ἐσῴζετο.
οὔ που κατῆλθον αὖθις εἰς Ἅιδου πάλιν,
Εὐρυσθέως δίαυλον; εἰς Ἅιδου; πόθεν;
ἀλλʼ οὔτε Σισύφειον εἰσορῶ πέτρον
Πλούτωνά τʼ, οὐδὲ σκῆπτρα Δήμητρος κόρης.

[¶35] Surely I am distraught; where am I, so helpless? Ho, there! which of my friends is near or far to cure me in my perplexity? For I have no clear knowledge of things once familiar.

> Greek: ἔκ τοι πέπληγμαι· ποῦ ποτʼ ὢν ἀμηχανῶ;
ὠή, τίς ἐγγὺς ἢ πρόσω φίλων ἐμῶν,
δύσγνοιαν ὅστις τὴν ἐμὴν ἰάσεται;
σαφῶς γὰρ οὐδὲν οἶδα τῶν εἰωθότων.

[¶36] Amphitryon:
My aged friends, shall I approach the scene of my sorrow?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
γέροντες, ἔλθω τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν πέλας;

[¶37] Chorus Leader:
Yes, and let me go with you, not desert you in your trouble.

> Greek: Χορός:
κἀγώ γε σὺν σοί, μὴ προδοὺς τὰς συμφοράς.

[¶38] Heracles:
Father, why do you weep and veil your eyes, standing far from your beloved son?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
πάτερ, τί κλαίεις καὶ συναμπίσχῃ κόρας,
τοῦ φιλτάτου σοι τηλόθεν παιδὸς βεβώς;

[¶39] Amphitryon:
My child! mine still, for all your misery.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὦ τέκνον· εἶ γὰρ καὶ κακῶς πράσσων ἐμός.

[¶40] Heracles:
Why, what is there so sad in my case that you weep?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
πράσσω δʼ ἐγὼ τί λυπρόν, οὗ δακρυρροεῖς;

[¶41] Amphitryon:
That which might make any of the gods weep, if he were to learn it.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἃ κἂν θεῶν τις, εἰ μάθοι, καταστένοι.

[¶42] Heracles:
A bold assertion that, but you are not yet explaining what has happened.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
μέγας γʼ ὁ κόμπος, τὴν τύχην δʼ οὔπω λέγεις.

[¶43] Amphitryon:
Your own eyes see that, if by this time you are restored to your senses.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὁρᾷς γὰρ αὐτός, εἰ φρονῶν ἤδη κυρεῖς.

[¶44] Heracles:
Fill in your sketch if any change awaits my life.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
εἴπʼ, εἴ τι καινὸν ὑπογράφῃ τὠμῷ βίῳ.

[¶45] Amphitryon:
I will explain, if you are no longer mad as a fiend of hell.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
εἰ μηκέθʼ Ἅιδου βάκχος εἶ, φράσαιμεν ἄν.

[¶46] Heracles:
Oh! what suspicions these dark hints of yours again excite!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
παπαῖ, τόδʼ ὡς ὕποπτον ᾐνίξω πάλιν.

[¶47] Amphitryon:
I am still doubtful whether you are in your sober senses.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
καί σʼ εἰ βεβαίως εὖ φρονεῖς ἤδη σκοπῶ.

[¶48] Heracles:
I have no recollection of being mad.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐ γάρ τι βακχεύσας γε μέμνημαι φρένας.

[¶49] Amphitryon:
Am I to loose my son, old friends, or what shall I do?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
λύσω, γέροντες, δεσμὰ παιδός; ἢ τί δρῶ;

[¶50] Heracles:
Loose me, yes, and say who bound me; for I feel shame at this.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
καὶ τόν γε δήσαντʼ εἴπʼ· ἀναινόμεσθα γάρ.

[¶51] Amphitryon:
Rest content with what you know of your woes; the rest forego.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
τοσοῦτον ἴσθι τῶν κακῶν· τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ ἔα.

[¶52] Heracles:
No. for is silence sufficient to learn what I wish?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἀρκεῖ σιωπὴ γὰρ μαθεῖν ὃ βούλομαι;

[¶53] Amphitryon:
O Zeus, do you behold these deeds proceeding from the throne of Hera?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὦ Ζεῦ, παρʼ Ἥρας ἆρʼ ὁρᾷς θρόνων τάδε;

[¶54] Heracles:
What! have I suffered something from her enmity?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἀλλʼ ἦ τι κεῖθεν πολέμιον πεπόνθαμεν;

[¶55] Amphitryon:
A truce to the goddess! attend to your own troubles.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
τὴν θεὸν ἐάσας τὰ σὰ περιστέλλου κακά.

[¶56] Heracles:
I am undone; you will tell me some mischance.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἀπωλόμεσθα· συμφορὰν λέξεις τινά.

[¶57] Amphitryon:
See here the corpses of your children.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἰδού, θέασαι τάδε τέκνων πεσήματα.

[¶58] Heracles:
O horror! what sight is here? ah me!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οἴμοι· τίνʼ ὄψιν τήνδε δέρκομαι τάλας;

[¶59] Amphitryon:
My son, against your children you have waged unnatural war.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἀπόλεμον, ὦ παῖ, πόλεμον ἔσπευσας τέκνοις.

[¶60] Heracles:
War! what do you mean? who killed these?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί πόλεμον εἶπας; τούσδε τίς διώλεσε;

[¶61] Amphitryon:
You and your bow and some god, whoever is to blame.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
σὺ καὶ σὰ τόξα καὶ θεῶν ὃς αἴτιος.

[¶62] Heracles:
What are you saying? what have I done? Speak, father, you messenger of evil!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί φῄς; τί δράσας; ὦ κάκʼ ἀγγέλλων πάτερ.

[¶63] Amphitryon:
You were insane; it is a sad explanation you are asking.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
μανείς· ἐρωτᾷς δʼ ἄθλιʼ ἑρμηνεύματα.

[¶64] Heracles:
Was it I that slew my wife also?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἦ καὶ δάμαρτός εἰμʼ ἐγὼ φονεὺς ἐμῆς;

[¶65] Amphitryon:
Your own unaided arm has done all this.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
μιᾶς ἅπαντα χειρὸς ἔργα σῆς τάδε.

[¶66] Heracles:
Alas! a cloud of mourning wraps me round.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
αἰαῖ· στεναγμῶν γάρ με περιβάλλει νέφος.

[¶67] Amphitryon:
For this reason I lament your fate.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
τούτων ἕκατι σὰς καταστένω τύχας.

[¶68] Heracles:
Did I dash my house to pieces in my frenzy?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἦ γὰρ συνήραξʼ οἶκον ἢ βάκχευσʼ ἐμόν;

[¶69] Amphitryon:
I know nothing but this, that you are utterly undone.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν· πάντα δυστυχεῖ τὰ σά.

[¶70] Heracles:
Where did the madness seize me? where did it destroy me?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ποῦ δʼ οἶστρος ἡμᾶς ἔλαβε; ποῦ διώλεσεν;

[¶71] Amphitryon:
When you were purifying yourself with fire at the altar.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὅτʼ ἀμφὶ βωμὸν χεῖρας ἡγνίζου πυρί.

[¶72] Heracles:
Ah me! why do I spare my own life when I have become the murderer of my dear children? Shall I not hasten to leap from some sheer rock, or aim the sword against my heart
and avenge my children’s blood, or burn my body, which she drove mad, in the fire and so avert from my life the infamy which now awaits me?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οἴμοι· τί δῆτα φείδομαι ψυχῆς ἐμῆς
τῶν φιλτάτων μοι γενόμενος παίδων φονεύς;
κοὐκ εἶμι πέτρας λισσάδος πρὸς ἅλματα
ἢ φάσγανον πρὸς ἧπαρ ἐξακοντίσας
τέκνοις δικαστὴς αἵματος γενήσομαι;
ἢ σάρκα τὴν ἔμηνεν ἐμπρήσας πυρί,
δύσκλειαν ἣ μένει μʼ ἀπώσομαι βίου;

[¶73] But here I see Theseus coming to check my deadly counsels, my kinsman and friend.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ἐμποδών μοι θανασίμων βουλευμάτων
Θησεὺς ὅδʼ ἕρπει συγγενὴς φίλος τʼ ἐμός.

[¶74] Now shall I stand revealed, and the dearest of my friends will see the pollution I have incurred by my children’s murder. Ah, woe is me! what am I to do? Where can I find freedom from my sorrows? shall I take wings or plunge beneath the earth? Come, let me veil my head in darkness;

> Greek: ὀφθησόμεσθα, καὶ τεκνοκτόνον μύσος
ἐς ὄμμαθʼ ἥξει φιλτάτῳ ξένων ἐμῶν.
οἴμοι, τί δράσω; ποῖ κακῶν ἐρημίαν
εὕρω, πτερωτὸς ἢ κατὰ χθονὸς μολών;
φέρʼ … ἄν τι κρατὶ περιβάλω σκότον.

[¶75] for I am ashamed of the evil I have done, and, since for these I have incurred fresh blood-guiltiness, I do not want to harm the innocent.

> Greek: αἰσχύνομαι γὰρ τοῖς δεδραμένοις κακοῖς·
καὶ τῶνδε προστρόπαιον αἷμα προσλαβὼν
οὐδὲν κακῶσαι τοὺς ἀναιτίους θέλω.

[¶76] Theseus:
I have come, and others with me, young warriors from the land of Athens, encamped at present by the streams of Asopus,
to bring an allied army to your son, old friend. For a rumour reached the city of the Erechtheidae, that Lycus had usurped the scepter of this land and had become your enemy even to battle. Wherefore I came making recompense for the former kindness of Heracles
in saving me from the world below, if you have any need of such aid as I or my allies can give, old man.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἥκω σὺν ἄλλοις, οἳ παρʼ Ἀσωποῦ ῥοὰς
μένουσιν, ἔνοπλοι γῆς Ἀθηναίων κόροι,
σῷ παιδί, πρέσβυ, σύμμαχον φέρων δόρυ.
κληδὼν γὰρ ἦλθεν εἰς Ἐρεχθειδῶν πόλιν
ὡς σκῆπτρα χώρας τῆσδʼ ἀναρπάσας Λύκος
ἐς πόλεμον ὑμῖν καὶ μάχην καθίσταται.
τίνων δʼ ἀμοιβὰς ὧν ὑπῆρξεν Ἡρακλῆς
σῴσας με νέρθεν, ἦλθον, εἴ τι δεῖ, γέρον,
ἢ χειρὸς ὑμᾶς τῆς ἐμῆς ἢ συμμάχων.

[¶77] Ha! why this heap of dead upon the floor? Surely I have not delayed too long and come too late to check a revolution? Who slew these children?

> Greek: ἔα·
τί νεκρῶν τῶνδε πληθύει πέδον;
οὔ που λέλειμμαι καὶ νεωτέρων κακῶν
ὕστερος ἀφῖγμαι; τίς τάδʼ ἔκτεινεν τέκνα;

[¶78] whose wife is this I see? Boys do not go to battle; no, it must be some other strange mischance I here discover.

> Greek: τίνος γεγῶσαν τήνδʼ ὁρῶ ξυνάορον;
οὐ γὰρ δορός γε παῖδες ἵστανται πέλας,
ἀλλʼ ἄλλο πού τι καινὸν εὑρίσκω κακόν.

[¶79] Amphitryon:
O king, whose home is that olive-clad hill!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὦ τὸν ἐλαιοφόρον ὄχθον ἔχων ⟨ἄναξ⟩ …

[¶80] Theseus:
Why this piteous prelude in addressing me?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
τί χρῆμά μʼ οἰκτροῖς ἐκάλεσας προοιμίοις;

[¶81] Amphitryon:
The gods have afflicted us with grievous suffering.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἐπάθομεν πάθεα μέλεα πρὸς θεῶν.

[¶82] Theseus:
Whose are these children, over whom you weep?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
οἱ παῖδες οἵδε τίνες, ἐφʼ οἷς δακρυρροεῖς;

[¶83] Amphitryon:
My own son’s children, woe is him! he was their father and butcher both, hardening his heart to the bloody deed.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἔτεκε μέν ⟨νιν⟩ οὑμὸς ἶνις τάλας,
τεκόμενος δʼ ἔκανε, φόνιον αἷμα τλάς.

[¶84] Theseus:
Hush! good words only!

> Greek: Θησεύς:
εὔφημα φώνει.

[¶85] Amphitryon:
I would I could obey!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
βουλομένοισιν ἐπαγγέλλῃ.

[¶86] Theseus:
What dreadful words!

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ὦ δεινὰ λέξας.

[¶87] Amphitryon:
Fortune has spread her wings, and we are ruined, ruined.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οἰχόμεθʼ οἰχόμεθα πτανοί.

[¶88] Theseus:
What do you mean? what has he done?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
τί φῄς; τί δράσας;

[¶89] Amphitryon:
Slain them in a wild fit of frenzy
with arrows dipped in the venom of the hundred-headed hydra.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
μαινομένῳ πιτύλῳ πλαγχθεὶς
ἑκατογκεφάλου ⟨τε⟩ βαφαῖς ὕδρας.

[¶90] Theseus:
This is Hera’s work; but who lies there among the dead, old man?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
Ἥρας ὅδʼ ἁγών· τίς δʼ ὅδʼ οὑν νεκροῖς, γέρον;

[¶91] Amphitryon:
My son, my own enduring son, that marched with gods to Phlegra’s plain, there to battle with giants and slay them, warrior that he was.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἐμὸς ἐμὸς ὅδε γόνος ὁ πολύπονος, ⟨ὃς⟩ ἐπὶ
δόρυ γιγαντοφόνον ἦλθεν σὺν θεοῖ-
σι Φλεγραῖον ἐς πεδίον ἀσπιστάς.

[¶92] Theseus:
Ah, ah! whose fortune was ever so cursed as his?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
φεῦ φεῦ· τίς ἀνδρῶν ὧδε δυσδαίμων ἔφυ;

[¶93] Amphitryon:
Never will you find another mortal that has suffered more or been driven harder.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
οὐκ ἂν εἰδείης ἕτερον
πολυμοχθότερον πολυπλαγκτότερόν
τε θνατῶν.

[¶94] Theseus:
Why does he veil his head, poor wretch, in his robe?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
τί γὰρ πέπλοισιν ἄθλιον κρύπτει κάρα;

[¶95] Amphitryon:
He is ashamed to meet your eye;
his kinsman’s kind intent and his children’s blood make him abashed.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
αἰδόμενος τὸ σὸν ὄμμα
καὶ φιλίαν ὁμόφυλον
αἷμά τε παιδοφόνον.

[¶96] Theseus:
But I come to sympathize; uncover him.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἀλλʼ, εἰ συναλγῶν γʼ ἦλθον, ἐκκάλυπτέ νιν.

[¶97] Amphitryon:
My son, remove that mantle
from your eyes, throw it from you, show your face to the sun. As a counterweight, fighting along with my tears, I entreat you as a suppliant, as I grasp your beard, your knees, your hands, and let fall
the tear from my old eyes. O my child! restrain your savage lion-like temper, for you are rushing forth on an unholy course of bloodshed, eager to join mischief to mischief, child.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ὦ τέκνον· πάρες ἀπʼ ὀμμάτων
πέπλον, ἀπόδικε, ῥέθος ἀελίῳ δεῖξον.
βάρος ἀντίπαλον, δακρύοις συναμιλλαταί,
ἱκετεύομεν ἀμφὶ γενειάδα καὶ
γόνυ καὶ χέρα σὰν προπίτνων, πολιόν τε
δάκρυον ἐκβάλλων· ἰὼ παῖ, κατά-
σχεθε λέοντος ἀγρίου θυμόν, ὡς
βρόμον ἐπὶ φόνιον ἀνόσιον ἐξάγῃ,
κακὰ θέλων κακοῖς συνάψαι, τέκνον.

[¶98] Theseus:
What! Enough! To you I call who are huddled there in your misery,
show to your friends your face; for no darkness is black enough to hide your sad mischance. Why do you wave your hand at me, signifying murder? is it that I may not be polluted by speaking with you?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
εἶἑν· σὲ τὸν θάσσοντα δυστήνους ἕδρας
αὐδῶ, φίλοισιν ὄμμα δεικνύναι τὸ σόν.
οὐδεὶς σκότος γὰρ ὧδʼ ἔχει μέλαν νέφος,
ὅστις κακῶν σῶν συμφορὰν κρύψειεν ἄν.
τί μοι προσείων χεῖρα σημαίνεις φόνον;
ὡς μὴ μύσος με σῶν βάλῃ προσφθεγμάτων;

[¶99] If I share your misfortune, what is that to me? For once I had good fortune with you. I must refer to the time when you brought me safe from the dead to the light of life. I hate a friend whose gratitude grows old; one who is ready to enjoy his friends’ prosperity
but unwilling to sail in the same ship with them when they are unfortunate. Arise, unveil your head, poor wretch! and look on me. The gallant soul endures such blows as heaven deals and does not refuse them.

> Greek: οὐδὲν μέλει μοι σύν γε σοὶ πράσσειν κακῶς·
καὶ γάρ ποτʼ εὐτύχησα. ἐκεῖσʼ ἀνοιστέον,
ὅτʼ ἐξέσῳσάς μʼ ἐς φάος νεκρῶν πάρα.
χάριν δὲ γηράσκουσαν ἐχθαίρω φίλων,
καὶ τῶν καλῶν μὲν ὅστις ἀπολαύειν θέλει,
συμπλεῖν δὲ τοῖς φίλοισι δυστυχοῦσιν οὔ.
ἀνίστασʼ, ἐκκάλυψον ἄθλιον κάρα,
βλέψον πρὸς ἡμᾶς. ὅστις εὐγενὴς βροτῶν,
φέρει τά γʼ ἐκ θεῶν πτώματʼ οὐδʼ ἀναίνεται.

[¶100] Heracles:
O Theseus, did you see this struggle with my children?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
Θησεῦ, δέδορκας τόνδʼ ἀγῶνʼ ἐμῶν τέκνων;

[¶101] Theseus:
I heard of it, and now I see the horrors you mean.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἤκουσα, καὶ βλέποντι σημαίνεις κακά.

[¶102] Heracles:
Why then have you unveiled my head to the sun?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τί δῆτά μου κρᾶτʼ ἀνεκάλυψας ἡλίῳ;

[¶103] Theseus:
Why have I? you, a mortal, can not pollute what is of the gods.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
τί δʼ; οὐ μιαίνεις θνητὸς ὢν τὰ τῶν θεῶν.

[¶104] Heracles:
Try to escape, luckless wretch, from my unholy taint.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
φεῦγʼ, ὦ ταλαίπωρʼ, ἀνόσιον μίασμʼ ἐμόν.

[¶105] Theseus:
The avenging fiend does not go forth from friend to friend.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
οὐδεὶς ἀλάστωρ τοῖς φίλοις ἐκ τῶν φίλων.

[¶106] Heracles:
For this I thank you; I do not regret the service I did you.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἐπῄνεσʼ· εὖ δράσας δέ σʼ οὐκ ἀναίνομαι.

[¶107] Theseus:
While I, for kindness then received, now show my pity for you.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἐγὼ δὲ πάσχων εὖ τότʼ οἰκτίρω σε νῦν.

[¶108] Heracles:
Ah yes! I am piteous object, a murderer of my sons.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οἰκτρὸς γάρ εἰμι τἄμʼ ἀποκτείνας τέκνα.

[¶109] Theseus:
I weep for you in your changed fortunes.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
κλαίω χάριν σὴν ἐφʼ ἑτέραισι συμφοραῖς.

[¶110] Heracles:
Did you ever find another more afflicted?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ηὗρες δέ γʼ ἄλλους ἐν κακοῖσι μείζοσιν;

[¶111] Theseus:
Your misfortunes reach from earth to heaven.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἅπτῃ κάτωθεν οὐρανοῦ δυσπραξίᾳ.

[¶112] Heracles:
Therefore I am resolved on death.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
τοιγὰρ παρεσκευάσμεθʼ ὥστε κατθανεῖν.

[¶113] Theseus:
Do you suppose the gods attend to your threats?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
δοκεῖς ἀπειλῶν σῶν μέλειν τι δαίμοσιν;

[¶114] Heracles:
The god has been remorseless to me; so I will be the same to the gods.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
αὔθαδες ὁ θεός, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς θεοὺς ἐγώ.

[¶115] Theseus:
Hush! lest your presumption add to your sufferings.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἴσχε στόμʼ, ὡς μὴ μέγα λέγων μεῖζον πάθῃς.

[¶116] Heracles:
My ship is freighted full with sorrow; there is no room to stow anything further.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
γέμω κακῶν δή, κοὐκέτʼ ἔσθʼ ὅπῃ τεθῇ.

[¶117] Theseus:
What will you do? Where is your fury drifting you?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
δράσεις δὲ δὴ τί; ποῖ φέρῃ θυμούμενος;

[¶118] Heracles:
I will die and return to that world below from which I have just come.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
θανών, ὅθενπερ ἦλθον, εἶμι γῆς ὕπο.

[¶119] Theseus:
Such language is fit for any common fellow.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
εἴρηκας ἐπιτυχόντος ἀνθρώπου λόγους.

[¶120] Heracles:
Ah! yours is the advice of one outside sorrow.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
σὺ δʼ ἐκτὸς ὤν γε συμφορᾶς με νουθετεῖς.

[¶121] Theseus:
Are these indeed the words of Heracles, the much-enduring?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ὁ πολλὰ δὴ τλὰς Ἡρακλῆς λέγει τάδε;

[¶122] Heracles:
Though never so much as this. Endurance must have a limit.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐκ οὖν τοσαῦτά γʼ, εἰ μέτρῳ μοχθητέον.

[¶123] Theseus:
Is this the benefactor and great friend to mortals?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
εὐεργέτης βροτοῖσι καὶ μέγας φίλος;

[¶124] Heracles:
Mortals bring no help to me; no! Hera has her way.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οἱ δʼ οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦσί μʼ, ἀλλʼ Ἥρα κρατεῖ.

[¶125] Theseus:
Never would Hellas allow you to die through sheer perversity.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
οὐκ ἄν ⟨σʼ⟩ ἀνάσχοιθʼ Ἑλλὰς ἀμαθίᾳ θανεῖν.

[¶126] Heracles:
Hear me a moment, that I may enter the contest with arguments in answer to your admonitions; and I will unfold to you why life now as well as formerly has been unbearable to me. First I am the son of a man who incurred the guilt of blood, before he married my mother Alcmena,
by slaying her aged father. Now when the foundation is badly laid at birth, it is necessary for the race to be cursed with woe; and Zeus, whoever this Zeus may be, begot me as an enemy to Hera; yet do not be vexed, old man;

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἄκουε δή νυν, ὡς ἁμιλληθῶ λόγοις
πρὸς νουθετήσεις σάς· ἀναπτύξω δέ σοι
ἀβίωτον ἡμῖν νῦν τε καὶ πάροιθεν ὄν.
πρῶτον μὲν ἐκ τοῦδʼ ἐγενόμην, ὅστις κτανὼν
μητρὸς γεραιὸν πατέρα προστρόπαιος ὢν
ἔγημε τὴν τεκοῦσαν Ἀλκμήνην ἐμέ.
ὅταν δὲ κρηπὶς μὴ καταβληθῇ γένους
ὀρθῶς, ἀνάγκη δυστυχεῖν τοὺς ἐκγόνους.
Ζεὺς δʼ — ὅστις ὁ Ζεύς — πολέμιόν μʼ ἐγείνατο
Ἥρᾳ — σὺ μέντοι μηδὲν ἀχθεσθῇς, γέρον·

[¶127] for you rather than Zeus I regard as my father. Then while I was being suckled, that bedfellow of Zeus foisted into my cradle fearsome snakes to cause my death. After I took on a cloak of youthful flesh,
of all the toils I then endured what need to tell? what did I not destroy, whether lions, or triple-bodied Typhons, or giants or the battle against the hosts of four-legged Centaurs? or how when I had killed the hydra,
that monster with a ring of heads with power to grow again, I passed through a herd of countless other toils besides and came to the dead to fetch to the light at the bidding of Eurystheus the three-headed hound, hell’s porter. Last, ah, woe is me! I have dared this labor,
to crown the sorrows of my house with my children’s murder. I have come to this point of necessity; no longer may I dwell in Thebes, the city that I love; for suppose I stay, to what temple or gathering of friends shall I go? For mine is no curse that invites greetings.

> Greek: πατέρα γὰρ ἀντὶ Ζηνὸς ἡγοῦμαι σὲ ἐγώ·
ἔτʼ ἐν γάλακτί τʼ ὄντι γοργωποὺς ὄφεις
ἐπεισέφρησε σπαργάνοισι τοῖς ἐμοῖς
ἡ τοῦ Διὸς σύλλεκτρος, ὡς ὀλοίμεθα.
ἐπεὶ δὲ σαρκὸς περιβόλαιʼ ἐκτησάμην
ἡβῶντα, μόχθους οὓς ἔτλην τί δεῖ λέγειν;
ποίους ποτʼ ἢ λέοντας ἢ τρισωμάτους
Τυφῶνας ἢ Γίγαντας ἢ τετρασκελῆ
κενταυροπληθῆ πόλεμον οὐκ ἐξήνυσα;
τήν τʼ ἀμφίκρανον καὶ παλιμβλαστῆ κύνα
ὕδραν φονεύσας μυρίων τʼ ἄλλων πόνων
διῆλθον ἀγέλας κἀς νεκροὺς ἀφικόμην,
Ἅιδου πυλωρὸν κύνα τρίκρανον ἐς φάος
ὅπως πορεύσαιμʼ ἐντολαῖς Εὐρυσθέως.
τὸν λοίσθιον δὲ τόνδʼ ἔτλην τάλας πόνον,
παιδοκτονήσας δῶμα θριγκῶσαι κακοῖς.
ἥκω δʼ ἀνάγκης ἐς τόδʼ· οὔτʼ ἐμαῖς φίλαις
Θήβαις ἐνοικεῖν ὅσιον· ἢν δὲ καὶ μένω,
ἐς ποῖον ἱερὸν ἢ πανήγυριν φίλων
εἶμʼ; οὐ γὰρ ἄτας εὐπροσηγόρους ἔχω.

[¶128] Shall I go to Argos? how can I, when I am an exile from my country? Well, is there a single other city I can rush to? Am I then to be looked at askance as a marked man, held by cruel stabbing tongues: “Is not this the son of Zeus that once murdered children”
“and wife? Plague take him from the land!”

> Greek: ἀλλʼ Ἄργος ἔλθω; πῶς, ἐπεὶ φεύγω πάτραν;
φέρʼ ἀλλʼ ἐς ἄλλην δή τινʼ ὁρμήσω πόλιν;
κἄπειθʼ ὑποβλεπώμεθʼ ὡς ἐγνωσμένοι,
γλώσσης πικροῖς κέντροισι κλῃδουχούμενοι·
Οὐχ οὗτος ὁ Διός, ὃς τέκνʼ ἔκτεινέν ποτε
δάμαρτά τʼ; οὐ γῆς τῆσδʼ ἀποφθαρήσεται;

[¶129] Now to one who was once called happy, such changes are a grievous thing; though he who is always unfortunate feels no such pain, for sorrow is his birthright. This, I think, is the piteous pass I shall one day come to;

> Greek: κεκλημένῳ δὲ φωτὶ μακαρίῳ ποτὲ
αἱ μεταβολαὶ λυπηρόν· ᾧ δʼ ἀεὶ κακῶς
ἔστʼ, οὐδὲν ἀλγεῖ συγγενῶς δύστηνος ὤν.
ἐς τοῦτο δʼ ἥξειν συμφορᾶς οἶμαί ποτε·

[¶130] for earth will cry out forbidding me to touch her, the sea and the river-springs will refuse me a crossing, and I shall become like Ixion who revolves in chains upon that wheel. And so this is best, that I should be seen by no one of the Hellenes,
among whom in happier days I lived in bliss. What right have I to live? what profit can I have in the possession of a useless, impious life? So let that noble wife of Zeus dance, beating her foot in its shoe;

> Greek: φωνὴν γὰρ ἥσει χθὼν ἀπεννέπουσά με
μὴ θιγγάνειν γῆς καὶ θάλασσα μὴ περᾶν
πηγαί τε ποταμῶν, καὶ τὸν ἁρματήλατον
Ἰξίονʼ ἐν δεσμοῖσιν ἐκμιμήσομαι.
καὶ ταῦτʼ ἄριστα μηδένʼ Ἑλλήνων μʼ ὁρᾶν,
ἐν οἷσιν εὐτυχοῦντες ἦμεν ὄλβιοι.
τί δῆτά με ζῆν δεῖ; τί κέρδος ἕξομεν
βίον γʼ ἀχρεῖον ἀνόσιον κεκτημένοι;
χορευέτω δὴ Ζηνὸς ἡ κλεινὴ δάμαρ
κρόουσʼ Ὀλυμπίου Ζηνὸς ἀρβύλῃ πόδα.

[¶131] for now has she worked her heart’s desire in utterly confounding the first of Hellas’ sons. Who would pray to such a goddess? Her jealousy of Zeus for his love of a woman has destroyed
the benefactors of Hellas, guiltless though they were.

> Greek: ἔπραξε γὰρ βούλησιν ἣν ἐβούλετο,
ἄνδρʼ Ἑλλάδος τὸν πρῶτον αὐτοῖσιν βάθροις
ἄνω κάτω στρέψασα. — τοιαύτῃ θεῷ
τίς ἂν προσεύχοιθʼ; ἣ γυναικὸς οὕνεκα
λέκτρων φθονοῦσα Ζηνὶ τοὺς εὐεργέτας
Ἑλλάδος ἀπώλεσʼ οὐδὲν ὄντας αἰτίους.

[¶132] Chorus Leader:
This is the work of none other of the gods than the wife of Zeus; you are right in that surmise.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλου δαιμόνων ἀγὼν ὅδε
ἢ τῆς Διὸς δάμαρτος· εὖ τόδʼ αἰσθάνῃ.

[¶133] Theseus:
I cannot counsel you... rather than to go on suffering. There is not a man alive that has wholly escaped misfortune’s taint,
nor any god either, if what poets sing is true. Have they not intermarried in ways that law forbids? Have they not thrown fathers into ignominious chains to gain the sovereign power? Still they inhabit Olympus and brave the issue of their crimes.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
…
παραινέσαιμʼ ἂν μᾶλλον ἢ πάσχειν κακῶς.
οὐδεὶς δὲ θνητῶν ταῖς τύχαις ἀκήρατος,
οὐ θεῶν, ἀοιδῶν εἴπερ οὐ ψευδεῖς λόγοι.
οὐ λέκτρʼ ἐν ἀλλήλοισιν, ὧν οὐδεὶς νόμος,
συνῆψαν; οὐ δεσμοῖσι διὰ τυραννίδας
πατέρας ἐκηλίδωσαν; ἀλλʼ οἰκοῦσʼ ὅμως
Ὄλυμπον ἠνέσχοντό θʼ ἡμαρτηκότες.

[¶134] And yet what shall you say in your defence, if you, a child of man, take your fate excessively hard, while they, as gods, do not? No, then, leave Thebes in compliance with the law, and come with me to the city of Pallas. There, when I have purified you of your pollution,
I will give you homes and the half of all I have. Yes, I will give you all those presents I received from the citizens for saving their fourteen children, when I slew the bull of Crete; for I have plots of land assigned me throughout the country; these shall henceforth
be called after you by men, while you live; and at your death, when you have gone to Hades’ halls, the whole city of Athens shall exalt your honor with sacrifices and a monument of stone. For it is a noble crown of a good reputation
for citizens to win from Hellas, by helping a man of worth. This is the return that I will make you for saving me, for now you are in need of friends. But when the gods honor a man, he has no need of friends; for the god’s aid, when he chooses to give it, is enough.

> Greek: καίτοι τί φήσεις, εἰ σὺ μὲν θνητὸς γεγὼς
φέρεις ὑπέρφευ τὰς τύχας, θεοὶ δὲ μή;
Θήβας μὲν οὖν ἔκλειπε τοῦ νόμου χάριν,
ἕπου δʼ ἅμʼ ἡμῖν πρὸς πόλισμα Παλλάδος.
ἐκεῖ χέρας σὰς ἁγνίσας μιάσματος,
δόμους τε δώσω χρημάτων τʼ ἐμῶν μέρος.
ἃ δʼ ἐκ πολιτῶν δῶρʼ ἔχω σώσας κόρους
δὶς ἑπτά, ταῦρον Κνώσιον κατακτανών,
σοὶ ταῦτα δώσω. πανταχοῦ δέ μοι χθονὸς
τεμένη δέδασται· ταῦτʼ ἐπωνομασμένα
σέθεν τὸ λοιπὸν ἐκ βροτῶν κεκλήσεται
ζῶντος· θανόντα δʼ, εὖτʼ ἂν εἰς Ἅιδου μόλῃς,
θυσίαισι λαΐνοισί τʼ ἐξογκώμασι
τίμιον ἀνάξει πᾶσʼ Ἀθηναίων πόλις.
καλὸς γὰρ ἀστοῖς στέφανος Ἑλλήνων ὕπο
ἄνδρʼ ἐσθλὸν ὠφελοῦντας εὐκλείας τυχεῖν.
κἀγὼ χάριν σοι τῆς ἐμῆς σωτηρίας
τήνδʼ ἀντιδώσω· νῦν γὰρ εἶ χρεῖος φίλων.
θεοὶ δʼ ὅταν τιμῶσιν, οὐδὲν δεῖ φίλων·
ἅλις γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὠφελῶν, ὅταν θέλῃ.

[¶135] Heracles:
No! this is quite beside the question of my troubles. For my part, I do not believe that the gods indulge in unholy unions; and as for putting bonds on hands, I have never thought that worthy of credit nor will I now be so persuaded, nor again that one god is naturally lord and master of another.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οἴμοι· πάρεργα ⟨μὲν⟩ τάδʼ ἔστʼ ἐμῶν κακῶν,
ἐγὼ δὲ τοὺς θεοὺς οὔτε λέκτρʼ ἃ μὴ θέμις
στέργειν νομίζω, δεσμά τʼ ἐξάπτειν χεροῖν
οὔτʼ ἠξίωσα πώποτʼ οὔτε πείσομαι,
οὐδʼ ἄλλον ἄλλου δεσπότην πεφυκέναι.

[¶136] For the deity, if he be really such, has no wants; these are miserable tales of the poets. But I, for all my piteous plight, reflected whether I should let myself be branded as a coward for giving up my life. For whoever does not withstand disasters
will never be able to withstand even a man’s weapon. I will be steadfast in living; I will go to your city, with grateful thanks for all you offer me.

> Greek: δεῖται γὰρ ὁ θεός, εἴπερ ἔστʼ ὀρθῶς θεός,
οὐδενός· ἀοιδῶν οἵδε δύστηνοι λόγοι.
ἐσκεψάμην δὲ καίπερ ἐν κακοῖσιν ὤν,
μὴ δειλίαν ὄφλω τινʼ ἐκλιπὼν φάος·
ταῖς συμφοραῖς γὰρ ὅστις οὐχ ὑφίσταται,
οὐδʼ ἀνδρὸς ἂν δύναιθʼ ὑποστῆναι βέλος.
ἐγκαρτερήσω βίοτον· εἶμι δʼ ἐς πόλιν
τὴν σήν, χάριν τε μυρίων δώρων ἔχω.

[¶137] But I have tasted of countless troubles, as is well known; never yet did I faint at any or shed a single tear; no, nor did I ever think
that I should come to this, to let the tear-drop fall. But now, it seems, I must be fortune’s slave. Well, let it pass; my old father, you see me go forth to exile, and in me you see my own children’s murderer.

> Greek: ἀτὰρ πόνων δὴ μυρίων ἐγευσάμην·
ὧν οὔτʼ ἀπεῖπον οὐδένʼ οὔτʼ ἀπʼ ὀμμάτων
ἔσταξα πηγάς, οὐδʼ ἂν ᾠόμην ποτὲ
ἐς τοῦθʼ ἱκέσθαι, δάκρυʼ ἀπʼ ὀμμάτων βαλεῖν·
νῦν δʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, τῇ τύχῃ δουλευτέον.
εἶἑν· γεραιέ, τὰς ἐμὰς φυγὰς ὁρᾷς,
ὁρᾷς δὲ παίδων ὄντα μʼ αὐθέντην ἐμῶν·

[¶138] Give them burial, and lay them out in death with the tribute of a tear, for the law forbids my doing so. Rest their heads upon their mother’s bosom and fold them in her arms, sad fellowship, which I, alas! unwittingly did slay. And when you have buried these dead,
live on here still, in bitterness maybe, but still constrain your soul to share my sorrows. O children! he who begot you, your own father, has been your destroyer, and you have had no profit of my triumphs, all my restless toil to win for you by force
a fair name, a glorious advantage from a father. You too, unhappy wife, this hand has slain, a poor return to make you for preserving the honor of my bed so safely, for all the weary watch you long have kept within my house. Alas for you, my wife, my sons! alas for me,
how sad my lot, cut off from wife and child! Ah! these kisses, bitter-sweet! these weapons which it is pain to own! I am not sure whether to keep or let them go; dangling at my side they thus will say,
“With us you destroyed children and wife; we are your children’s slayers, and you keep us.” Shall I carry them after that? what answer can I make? Yet, am I to strip myself of these weapons, the comrades of my glorious career in Hellas, and put myself in the power of my foes, to die a death of shame?

> Greek: δὸς τούσδε τύμβῳ καὶ περίστειλον νεκροὺς
δακρύοισι τιμῶν — ἐμὲ γὰρ οὐκ ἐᾷ νόμος —
πρὸς στέρνʼ ἐρείσας μητρὶ δούς τʼ ἐς ἀγκάλας,
κοινωνίαν δύστηνον, ἣν ἐγὼ τάλας
διώλεσʼ ἄκων. γῇ δʼ ἐπὴν κρύψῃς νεκρούς,
οἴκει πόλιν τήνδʼ, ἀθλίως μέν, ἀλλʼ ὅμως
ψυχὴν βιάζου τἀμὰ συμφέρειν κακά.
ὦ τέκνʼ, ὁ φύσας καὶ τεκὼν ὑμᾶς πατὴρ
ἀπώλεσʼ, οὐδʼ ὤνασθε τῶν ἐμῶν καλῶν,
ἁγὼ παρεσκεύαζον ἐκμοχθῶν βίᾳ
εὔκλειαν ὑμῖν, πατρὸς ἀπόλαυσιν καλήν.
σέ τʼ οὐχ ὁμοίως, ὦ τάλαινʼ, ἀπώλεσα
ὥσπερ σὺ τἀμὰ λέκτρʼ ἔσῳζες ἀσφαλῶς,
μακρὰς διαντλοῦσʼ ἐν δόμοις οἰκουρίας.
οἴμοι δάμαρτος καὶ τέκνων, οἴμοι δʼ ἐμοῦ,
ὡς ἀθλίως πέπραγα κἀποζεύγνυμαι
τέκνων γυναικός τʼ· ὦ λυγραὶ φιλημάτων
τέρψεις, λυγραὶ δὲ τῶνδʼ ὅπλων κοινωνίαι.
ἀμηχανῶ γὰρ πότερʼ ἔχω τάδʼ ἢ μεθῶ,
ἃ πλευρὰ τἀμὰ προσπίτνοντʼ ἐρεῖ τάδε·
Ἡμῖν τέκνʼ εἷλες καὶ δάμαρθʼ· ἡμᾶς ἔχεις
παιδοκτόνους σούς. εἶτʼ ἐγὼ τάδʼ ὠλέναις
οἴσω; τί φάσκων; ἀλλὰ γυμνωθεὶς ὅπλων,
ξὺν οἷς τὰ κάλλιστʼ ἐξέπραξʼ ἐν Ἑλλάδι,
ἐχθροῖς ἐμαυτὸν ὑποβαλὼν αἰσχρῶς θάνω;

[¶139] No! I must not let them go, but keep them, though it grieves me. In one thing, Theseus, help my misery; come to Argos and help me to manage the conveyance of the wretched dog; lest, if I go all alone, my sorrow for my sons may do me some hurt.

> Greek: οὐ λειπτέον τάδʼ, ἀθλίως δὲ σῳστέον.
ἕν μοί τι, Θησεῦ, σύγκαμʼ· ἀθλίου κυνὸς
κόμιστρʼ ἐς Ἄργος συγκατάστησον μολών,
λύπῃ τι παίδων μὴ πάθω μονούμενος.

[¶140] O land of Cadmus, and all you people of Thebes!
cut off your hair, and mourn with me; go to my children’s burial, and with one dirge lament us all, the dead and me; for on all of us has Hera inflicted the same cruel blow of destruction.

> Greek: ὦ γαῖα Κάδμου πᾶς τε Θηβαῖος λεώς,
κείρασθε, συμπενθήσατʼ, ἔλθετʼ ἐς τάφον
παίδων· ἅπαντας δʼ ἑνὶ λόγῳ πενθήσετε
νεκρούς τε κἀμέ· πάντες ἐξολώλαμεν
Ἥρας μιᾷ πληγέντες ἄθλιοι τύχῃ.

[¶141] Theseus:
Rise, unhappy man! you have had your fill of tears.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἀνίστασʼ, ὦ δύστηνε· δακρύων δʼ ἅλις.

[¶142] Heracles:
I cannot rise; my limbs are rooted here.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην· ἄρθρα γὰρ πέπηγέ μου.

[¶143] Theseus:
Yes, even the strong are overthrown by misfortunes.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
καὶ τοὺς σθένοντας γὰρ καθαιροῦσιν τύχαι.

[¶144] Heracles:
Ah! Would I could become a stone upon this spot, oblivious of trouble.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
φεῦ·
αὐτοῦ γενοίμην πέτρος ἀμνήμων κακῶν.

[¶145] Theseus:
Peace! give your hand to a friend and helper.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
παῦσαι· δίδου δὲ χεῖρʼ ὑπηρέτῃ φίλῳ.

[¶146] Heracles:
No, let me not wipe off the blood upon your robe.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἀλλʼ αἷμα μὴ σοῖς ἐξομόρξωμαι πέπλοις.

[¶147] Theseus:
Wipe it off and spare not; I will not refuse you.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἔκμασσε, φείδου μηδέν· οὐκ ἀναίνομαι.

[¶148] Heracles:
Bereft of my own sons, I find you as a son to me.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
παίδων στερηθεὶς παῖδʼ ὅπως ἔχω σʼ ἐμόν.

[¶149] Theseus:
Throw your arm about my neck; I will be your guide.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
δίδου δέρῃ σὴν χεῖρʼ, ὁδηγήσω δʼ ἐγώ.

[¶150] Heracles:
A pair of friends indeed, but one a man of sorrows. Ah! aged father, this is the kind of man to make a friend.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ζεῦγός γε φίλιον· ἅτερος δὲ δυστυχής.
ὦ πρέσβυ, τοιόνδʼ ἄνδρα χρὴ κτᾶσθαι φίλον.

[¶151] Amphitryon:
Blessed in her sons, the country that gave him birth!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἡ γὰρ τεκοῦσα τόνδε πατρὶς εὔτεκνος.

[¶152] Heracles:
Theseus, turn me back again to see my children.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
Θησεῦ, πάλιν με στρέψον, ὡς ἴδω τέκνα.

[¶153] Theseus:
What for? Do you think to find a drug in this to soothe your soul?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ὡς δὴ τί; φίλτρον τοῦτʼ ἔχων ῥᾴων ἔσῃ;

[¶154] Heracles:
I long to do so, and would embrace my father.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ποθῶ· πατρός τε στέρνα προσθέσθαι θέλω.

[¶155] Amphitryon:
Here am I, my son; your wish is no less dear to me.

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἰδοὺ τάδʼ, ὦ παῖ· τἀμὰ γὰρ σπεύδεις φίλα.

[¶156] Theseus:
Have you so short a memory for your troubles?

> Greek: Θησεύς:
οὕτως πόνων σῶν οὐκέτι μνήμην ἔχεις;

[¶157] Heracles:
All that I endured before was easier to bear than this.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἅπαντʼ ἐλάσσω κεῖνα τῶνδʼ ἔτλην κακά.

[¶158] Theseus:
If anyone sees you play the woman, they will scoff.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
εἴ σʼ ὄψεταί τις θῆλυν ὄντʼ, οὐκ αἰνέσει.

[¶159] Heracles:
Have I by living grown so abject in your sight? It was not so once, I think.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ζῶ σοι ταπεινός; ἀλλὰ πρόσθεν οὐ δοκῶ.

[¶160] Theseus:
Yes, too much so; in your sickness you are not the glorious Heracles.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ἄγαν γʼ· ὁ κλεινὸς Ἡρακλῆς οὐκ εἶ νοσῶν.

[¶161] Heracles:
What about you? What kind of hero were you when in trouble in the world below?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
σὺ ποῖος ἦσθα νέρθεν ἐν κακοῖσιν ὤν;

[¶162] Theseus:
I was worse than anyone as far as courage went.

> Greek: Θησεύς:
ὡς ἐς τὸ λῆμα παντὸς ἦν ἥσσων ἀνήρ.

[¶163] Heracles:
How then can you say of me, that I am abased by my troubles?

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
πῶς οὖν ἔτʼ εἴπης ὅτι συνέσταλμαι κακοῖς;

[¶164] Theseus:
Forward!

> Greek: Θησεύς:
πρόβαινε.

[¶165] Heracles:
Farewell, my aged father!

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
χαῖρʼ, ὦ πρέσβυ.

[¶166] Amphitryon:
Farewell to you, my son!

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
καὶ σύ μοι, τέκνον.

[¶167] Heracles:
Bury my children as I said.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
θάφθʼ ὥσπερ εἶπον παῖδας.

[¶168] Amphitryon:
But who will bury me, my son?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
ἐμὲ δὲ τίς, τέκνον;

[¶169] Heracles:
I will.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἐγώ.

[¶170] Amphitryon:
When wil you come?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
πότʼ ἐλθών;

[¶171] Heracles:
After you have buried my children.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
ἡνίκʼ ἂν θάψῃς τέκνα.

[¶172] Amphitryon:
How?

> Greek: Ἀμφιτρύων:
πῶς;

[¶173] Heracles:
I will fetch you from Thebes to Athens. But carry my children within, a grievous burden to the earth. And I, after ruining my house by deeds of shame, will follow as a little boat in the wake of Theseus, a total wreck.

> Greek: Ἡρακλῆς:
εἰς Ἀθήνας πέμψομαι Θηβῶν ἄπο.
ἀλλʼ ἐσκόμιζε τέκνα δυσκόμιστα γῇ·
ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀναλώσαντες αἰσχύναις δόμον,
Θησεῖ πανώλεις ἑψόμεσθʼ ἐφολκίδες.

[¶174] Whoever prefers wealth or might to the possession of good friends, thinks wrongly.

> Greek: ὅστις δὲ πλοῦτον ἢ σθένος μᾶλλον φίλων
ἀγαθῶν πεπᾶσθαι βούλεται, κακῶς φρονεῖ.

[¶175] Chorus:
With grief and many a bitter tear we go our way, robbed of all we prized most dearly.

> Greek: Χορός:
στείχομεν οἰκτροὶ καὶ πολύκλαυτοι,
τὰ μέγιστα φίλων ὀλέσαντες.