Deianeira:There is a saying among men, put forth long ago, that you cannot judge a mortal’s life and know whether it is good or bad until he dies. But well I know, even before I have passed away to Hades’ domain, that my life is ill-fortuned and heavy.For I, while still dwelling in the house of my father Oeneus at Pleuron, had such fear of marriage as never any woman of Aetolia had. For my suitor was a river-god, Achelous,who in three shapes was always asking me from my father—coming now as a bull in visible form, now as a serpent, sheeny and coiled, now ox-faced with human trunk, while from his thick-shaded beard wellheads of fountain-water sprayed.
Δηιάνειρα:λόγος μέν ἐστʼ ἀρχαῖος ἀνθρώπων φανείς,ὡς οὐκ ἂν αἰῶνʼ ἐκμάθοις βροτῶν, πρὶν ἂνθάνῃ τις, οὔτʼ εἰ χρηστὸς οὔτʼ εἴ τῳ κακός·ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν ἐμόν, καὶ πρὶν εἰς Ἅιδου μολεῖν,ἔξοιδʼ ἔχουσα δυστυχῆ τε καὶ βαρύν,ἥτις πατρὸς μὲν ἐν δόμοισιν Οἰνέωςναίουσʼ ἔτʼ ἐν Πλευρῶνι νυμφείων ὄκνονἄλγιστον ἔσχον, εἴ τις Αἰτωλὶς γυνή.μνηστὴρ γὰρ ἦν μοι ποταμός, Ἀχελῷον λέγω,ὅς μʼ ἐν τρισὶν μορφαῖσιν ἐξῄτει πατρός,φοιτῶν ἐναργὴς ταῦρος, ἄλλοτʼ αἰόλοςδράκων ἑλικτός, ἄλλοτʼ ἀνδρείῳ κύτειβούπρῳρος· ἐκ δὲ δασκίου γενειάδοςκρουνοὶ διερραίνοντο κρηναίου ποτοῦ.
In the expectation that such a suitor would get me, I was always praying in my misery that I might die, before I should ever approach that marriage-bed. But at last, to my joy, the glorious son of Zeus and Alcmena came andclosed with him in combat and delivered me. The manner of their fighting I cannot clearly recount. I know it not, but if there be anyone who watched that sight without trembling, he might give an account of it. But I, as I sat there, was struck with terror,lest my beauty should win me sorrow in the end. But Zeus, Arbiter of Contests, accomplished a good ending—if indeed it was good. For since being joined with Heracles as his chosen bride, I nourish one fear after another in my anxiety for him. One night brings distress,and the next night, in turn, drives it out. Children, furthermore, were born to us, whom at the time he looked at only as the farmer looks at a distant field, visiting it only once to sow seed and once to reap. Such was the manner of his life, ever sending himto and from our home in servitude to some master. But now, when he has risen above those trials—now it is that my fear is keenest. For ever since he slew the mighty Iphitus, we have been dwelling here in Trachis, refugeesin the home of a foreign host. But where Heracles is, no one knows. I only know that he is gone, and has caused me sharp pain for him. I am almost sure that he has come to some suffering. The interval has not been brief; rather, he is unheard from ten months already,plus another five. Yes, there has been some terrible misfortune. That tablet which he left with me before departing suggests it to me. I often pray to the gods that I did not receive it to my misfortune.
τοιόνδʼ ἐγὼ μνηστῆρα προσδεδεγμένηδύστηνος αἰεὶ κατθανεῖν ἐπηυχόμην,πρὶν τῆσδε κοίτης ἐμπελασθῆναί ποτε.χρόνῳ δʼ ἐν ὑστέρῳ μέν, ἀσμένῃ δέ μοι,ὁ κλεινὸς ἦλθε Ζηνὸς Ἀλκμήνης τε παῖς·ὃς εἰς ἀγῶνα τῷδε συμπεσὼν μάχηςἐκλύεταί με· καὶ τρόπον μὲν ἂν πόνωνοὐκ ἂν διείποιμʼ· οὐ γὰρ οἶδʼ· ἀλλʼ ὅστις ἦνθακῶν ἀταρβὴς τῆς θέας, ὅδʼ ἂν λέγοι·ἐγὼ γὰρ ἥμην ἐκπεπληγμένη φόβῳμή μοι τὸ κάλλος ἄλγος ἐξεύροι ποτέ.τέλος δʼ ἔθηκε Ζεὺς ἀγώνιος καλῶς,εἰ δὴ καλῶς. λέχος γὰρ Ἡρακλεῖ κριτὸνξυστᾶσʼ ἀεί τινʼ ἐκ φόβου φόβον τρέφω,κείνου προκηραίνουσα· νὺξ γὰρ εἰσάγεικαὶ νὺξ ἀπωθεῖ διαδεδεγμένη πόνον.κἀφύσαμεν δὴ παῖδας, οὓς κεῖνός ποτε,γῄτης ὅπως ἄρουραν ἔκτοπον λαβών,σπείρων μόνον προσεῖδε κἀξαμῶν ἅπαξ.τοιοῦτος αἰὼν εἰς δόμους τε κἀκ δόμωναἰεὶ τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἔπεμπε λατρεύοντά τῳ.νῦν δʼ ἡνίκʼ ἄθλων τῶνδʼ ὑπερτελὴς ἔφυ,ἐνταῦθα δὴ μάλιστα ταρβήσασʼ ἔχω.ἐξ οὗ γὰρ ἔκτα κεῖνος Ἰφίτου βίαν,ἡμεῖς μὲν ἐν Τραχῖνι τῇδʼ ἀνάστατοιξένῳ παρʼ ἀνδρὶ ναίομεν, κεῖνος δʼ ὅπουβέβηκεν οὐδεὶς οἶδε· πλὴν ἐμοὶ πικρὰςὠδῖνας αὐτοῦ προσβαλὼν ἀποίχεται.σχεδὸν δʼ ἐπίσταμαί τι πῆμʼ ἔχοντά νιν·χρόνον γὰρ οὐχὶ βαιόν, ἀλλʼ ἤδη δέκαμῆνας πρὸς ἄλλοις πέντʼ ἀκήρυκτος μένει.κἀστίν τι δεινὸν πῆμα· τοιαύτην ἐμοὶδέλτον λιπὼν ἔστειχε, τὴν ἐγὼ θαμὰθεοῖς ἀρῶμαι πημονῆς ἄτερ λαβεῖν.
Nurse:Deianeira, my mistress, many are the times already that I haveobserved you mourning the departure of Heracles with great weeping and lamentation. But now—if it is proper to school the free-born with the doctrines of a slave, and if I am obliged to point out what you should do—how is it that you so abound in sons, yetyou do not send one of them to seek your husband, especially Hyllus? It would be appropriate to send him, if he cared for his father’s sake that he be deemed to fare well. Here he is now, dashing to the house in timely stride. So if in your eyes I speak in season,you can use both my counsel and the man.Enter Hyllus.
Θεράπαινα:δέσποινα Δῃάνειρα, πολλὰ μέν σʼ ἐγὼκατεῖδον ἤδη πανδάκρυτʼ ὀδύρματατὴν Ἡράκλειον ἔξοδον γοωμένην·νῦν δʼ, εἰ δίκαιον τοὺς ἐλευθέρους φρενοῦνγνώμαισι δούλαις, κἀμὲ χρὴ φράσαι τὸ σόν·πῶς παισὶ μὲν τοσοῖσδε πληθύεις, ἀτὰρἀνδρὸς κατὰ ζήτησιν οὐ πέμπεις τινά,μάλιστα δʼ ὅνπερ εἰκὸς Ὕλλον, εἰ πατρὸςνέμοι τινʼ ὤραν τοῦ καλῶς πράσσειν δοκεῖν;ἐγγὺς δʼ ὅδʼ αὐτὸς ἀρτίπους θρῴσκει δόμους,ὥστʼ εἴ τί σοι πρὸς καιρὸν ἐννέπειν δοκῶ,πάρεστι χρῆσθαι τἀνδρὶ τοῖς τʼ ἐμοῖς λόγοις.
Deianeira:My child, my son, wise words fall, it seems, from humble lips. For this woman is a slave, but her advice is worthy of the free.
Δηιάνειρα:ὦ τέκνον, ὦ παῖ, κἀξ ἀγεννήτων ἄραμῦθοι καλῶς πίπτουσιν· ἥδε γὰρ γυνὴδούλη μέν, εἴρηκεν δʼ ἐλεύθερον λόγον.
Hyllus:What sort of advice, Mother? Tell me, if I may be told.
Ὕλλος:ποῖον; δίδαξον, μῆτερ, εἰ διδακτά μοι.
Deianeira:It brings shame, she says, that you have not sought to learn of your father and where he is, when he has been abroad for so long.
Δηιάνειρα:σὲ πατρὸς οὕτω δαρὸν ἐξενωμένουτὸ μὴ πυθέσθαι ποῦ ʼστιν, αἰσχύνην φέρειν.
Hyllus:But I know where, if one can put any trust in rumors.
Ὕλλος:ἀλλʼ οἶδα, μύθοις εἴ τι πιστεύειν χρεών.
Deianeira:And in what region, my child, do you hear that he has settled?
Δηιάνειρα:καὶ ποῦ κλύεις νιν, τέκνον, ἱδρῦσθαι χθονός;
Hyllus:Last year, they say, through all its length,he toiled as a slave to a Lydian woman.
Ὕλλος:τὸν μὲν παρελθόντʼ ἄροτον ἐν μήκει χρόνουΛυδῇ γυναικί φασί νιν λάτριν πονεῖν.
Deianeira:If he endured even that, then one might believe any and all rumors.
Δηιάνειρα:πᾶν τοίνυν, εἰ καὶ τοῦτʼ ἔτλη, κλύοι τις ἄν.
Hyllus:Well, he has been released from that service, as I hear.
Ὕλλος:ἀλλʼ ἐξαφεῖται τοῦδέ γʼ, ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω.
Deianeira:Where, then, is he reported to be now—alive, or dead?
Δηιάνειρα:ποῦ δῆτα νῦν ζῶν ἢ θανὼν ἀγγέλλεται;
Hyllus:He is waging or yet planning a war,they say, upon Euboea, the realm of Eurytus.
Ὕλλος:Εὐβοΐδα χώραν φασίν, Εὐρύτου πόλιν,ἐπιστρατεύειν αὐτὸν ἢ μέλλειν ἔτι.
Deianeira:Are you aware, my son, that he has left with me sure oracles concerning that land?
Δηιάνειρα:ἆρʼ οἶσθα δῆτʼ, ὦ τέκνον, ὡς ἔλειπέ μοιμαντεῖα πιστὰ τῆσδε τῆς χώρας πέρι;
Hyllus:What are they, mother? I do not know the oracles you mean.
Ὕλλος:τὰ ποῖα, μῆτερ; τὸν λόγον γὰρ ἀγνοῶ.
Deianeira:They read that either he shall meet the end of his life,or, after taking on this contest, he shall thereafter, at least, enjoy a happy life for its duration. And so, my child, when his fate is thus trembling in the balance, will you not go to assist him? For we are saved,if he finds safety, or we perish along with him.
Δηιάνειρα:ὡς ἢ τελευτὴν τοῦ βίου μέλλει τελεῖνἢ τοῦτον ἄρας ἆθλον εἰς τό γʼ ὕστεροντὸν λοιπὸν ἤδη βίοτον εὐαίωνʼ ἔχειν.ἐν οὖν ῥοπῇ, τοιᾷδε κειμένῳ, τέκνον,οὐκ εἶ ξυνέρξων, ἡνίκʼ ἢ σεσώσμεθα[ἢ πίπτομεν σοῦ πατρὸς ἐξολωλότος]κείνου βίον σώσαντος, ἢ οἰχόμεσθʼ ἅμα;
Hyllus:I will go, Mother. Had I known the substance of these prophecies, I would have long been at his side. As it was, my father’s usual good fortune did not allow me to fear for him, nor to be overly anxious.
Ὕλλος:ἀλλʼ εἶμι, μῆτερ· εἰ δὲ θεσφάτων ἐγὼβάξιν κατῄδη τῶνδε, κἂν πάλαι παρῆ·νῦν δʼ ὁ ξυνήθης πότμος οὐκ εἴα πατρὸςἡμᾶς προταρβεῖν οὐδὲ δειμαίνειν ἄγαν.
Now that I have the knowledge, I will spare no pains to learn the whole truth in this matter.
νῦν δʼ ὡς ξυνίημʼ, οὐδὲν ἐλλείψω τὸ μὴ οὐπᾶσαν πυθέσθαι τῶνδʼ ἀλήθειαν πέρι.
Deianeira:Go, then, my son. For prosperity yields advantage even for him who learns of it late. Exeunt Hyllus, on one side, and the Nurse into the house.Enter the Chorus on the other side.
Δηιάνειρα:χώρει νυν, ὦ παῖ· καὶ γὰρ ὑστέρῳ τό γʼ εὖπράσσειν, ἐπεὶ πύθοιτο, κέρδος ἐμπολᾷ.
Chorus:You, to whom Night gives birth when she is vanquished and despoiled of her starry crown,and whom, as you blaze, she lays to rest, I pray you, O Sun, Sun, tell me, where is Alcmena’s son, where dwells her child? O Shining god with your bright flash,is he on the straits of the sea, or does he lean upon the twin continents? Speak, you who surpass all in sight!
Χορός:ὃν αἰόλα νὺξ ἐναριζομένατίκτει κατευνάζει τε, φλογιζόμενονἍλιον Ἅλιον αἰτῶτοῦτο καρῦξαι, τὸν Ἀλκμήνας πόθι μοι πόθι παῖςναίει ποτʼ, ὦ λαμπρᾷ στεροπᾷ φλεγέθων,ἢ ποντίας αὐλῶνος ἢ δισσαῖσιν ἀπείροις κλιθείς,εἴπʼ, ὦ κρατιστεύων κατʼ ὄμμα.
Chorus:For with longing heart, as I hear, Deianeira, the battle-prize, now,like some mournful bird, never rests her eyes’ longing that they might be without tears, but nourishing a well-remembered fear for her husband’s travels she is constantly afflictedby her anxious, widowed marriage-bed and in her misery anticipates misfortune.
Χορός:ποθουμένᾳ γὰρ φρενὶ πυνθάνομαιτὰν ἀμφινεικῆ Δηιάνειραν ἀεί,οἷά τινʼ ἄθλιον ὄρνιν,οὔποτʼ εὐνάζειν ἀδακρύτων βλεφάρων πόθον, ἀλλʼεὔμναστον ἀνδρὸς δεῖμα τρέφουσαν ὁδοῦἐνθυμίοις εὐναῖς ἀνανδρώτοισι τρύχεσθαι, κακὰνδύστανον ἐλπίζουσαν αἶσαν.
Chorus:For just as one may see billow after billowadvancing and passing over the wide deep before the tireless south-wind, or the north, so the great toil of his life, stormy as the Cretan sea, now whirls back the heir of Cadmus, now exalts him. But some god alwayskeeps him unerring from the house of Hades.To Deianeira.
Χορός:πολλὰ γὰρ ὥστʼ ἀκάμαντος ἢ νότου ἢ βορέα τιςκύματʼ ἂν εὐρέϊ πόντῳ βάντʼ ἐπιόντα τʼ ἴδοι,οὕτῶ δὲ τὸν Καδμογενῆ στρέφει, τὸ δʼ αὔξει,βιότου πολύπονον ὥσπερ πέλαγοςΚρήσιον. ἀλλά τις θεῶν αἰὲν ἀναμπλάκητον Ἅιδασφε δόμων ἐρύκει.
Chorus:With respect I reproach you for your weeping, but still I will speak in dissent.
Χορός:ὧν ἐπιμεμφομένα σʼ αἰδοῖα μέν, ἀντία δʼ οἴσω.
You must not, I say, wear away fair hope. Remember that the all-accomplishing king, the son of Cronus, does not appoint a painless lot for mortals. Sorrow and joy revolve to all, as the stars of the Bearmove in their circling paths.Chorus:Starry night does not remain constant with men, nor does tribulation, nor wealth; in a moment it is gone from us, and to another in his turn come bothgladness and bereavement. So I urge even you, our Queen, to keep these matters firmly in your outlook. You must, for who hasknown Zeus to be so without care for his children?
φαμὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἀποτρύειν ἐλπίδα τὰν ἀγαθὰνχρῆναί σʼ· ἀνάλγητα γὰρ οὐδʼ ὁ πάντα κραίνων βασιλεὺς ἐπέβαλε θνατοῖς Κρονίδας·ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πῆμα καὶ χαρὰ πᾶσι κυκλοῦσιν, οἷονἄρκτου στροφάδες κέλευθοι.μένει γὰρ οὔτʼ αἰόλαΧορός:νὺξ βροτοῖσιν οὔτε κῆρεςοὔτε πλοῦτος, ἀλλʼ ἄφαρβέβακε, τῷ δʼ ἐπέρχεταιχαίρειν τε καὶ στέρεσθαι.ἃ καὶ σὲ τὰν ἄνασσαν ἐλπίσιν λέγωτάδʼ αἰὲν ἴσχειν· ἐπεὶ τίς ὧδετέκνοισι Ζῆνʼ ἄβουλον εἶδεν;
Deianeira:You have heard of my trouble, I would guess, and that has brought you here. But the anguish which consumes my heart—may you never come to know it through your own experience!—to that now you are total strangers. Yes, a young life grows in those sheltered regionsof its own, and the Sun-god’s heat disturbs it not, nor rain, nor any wind. Rather it takes up a toilless existence amidst pleasure, until such time as she is called “wife” instead of “maiden”, and takes her portion of anxious thoughts in the night,fearing for husband or for children. At that point a woman could understand the burden of my misfortunes by recalling her own experience. As a matter of fact, I have had many a trouble to weep for, but I am going to speak of one that none of the previous could equal.
Δηιάνειρα:πεπυσμένη μέν, ὡς ἀπεικάσαι, πάρειπάθημα τοὐμόν· ὡς δʼ ἐγὼ θυμοφθορῶ,μήτʼ ἐκμάθοις παθοῦσα νῦν τʼ ἄπειρος εἶ.τὸ γὰρ νεάζον ἐν τοιοῖσδε βόσκεταιχώροισιν αὑτοῦ, καί νιν οὐ θάλπος θεοῦοὐδʼ ὄμβρος οὐδὲ πνευμάτων οὐδὲν κλονεῖ,ἀλλʼ ἡδοναῖς ἄμοχθον ἐξαίρει βίονἐς τοῦθʼ ἕως τις ἀντὶ παρθένου γυνὴκληθῇ λάβῃ τʼ ἐν νυκτὶ φροντίδων μέρος,ἤτοι πρὸς ἀνδρὸς ἢ τέκνων φοβουμένη.τότʼ ἄν τις εἰσίδοιτο, τὴν αὑτοῦ σκοπῶνπρᾶξιν, κακοῖσιν οἷς ἐγὼ βαρύνομαι.πάθη μὲν οὖν δὴ πόλλʼ ἔγωγʼ ἐκλαυσάμην·ἓν δʼ, οἷον οὔπω πρόσθεν, αὐτίκʼ ἐξερῶ.
When lord Heracles was setting out from home on his last journey, he left in the house an ancient tablet, inscribed with signs which he had never before brought himself to explain to me when going out on one of his many labors.He had always departed as if to conquer, not to die. But now, as if he were a doomed man, he told me what I should take for my marriage portion, and what share of their father’s land he wished divided for his children. And he fixed the time for the division, saying that, when he had been gonefrom our land for a year and three months, he was fated either to die at that time, or by escaping the end of the period to live thereafter an untroubled life. That, he explained, was the fate ordained by the godsto be the end of the labors of Heracles just as, he said, the ancient oak at Dodona had once told him through the mouths of the two Peleiades. And it is in the present time that the truth of these prophecies is coming to pass, so that they must be fulfilled.
ὁδὸν γὰρ ἦμος τὴν τελευταίαν ἄναξὡρμᾶτʼ ἀπʼ οἴκων Ἡρακλῆς, τότʼ ἐν δόμοιςλείπει παλαιὰν δέλτον ἐγγεγραμμένηνξυνθήμαθʼ, ἁμοὶ πρόσθεν οὐκ ἔτλη ποτέ,πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας ἐξιών, οὔπω φράσαι,ἀλλʼ ὥς τι δράσων εἷρπε κοὐ θανούμενος.νῦν δʼ ὡς ἔτʼ οὐκ ὢν εἶπε μὲν λέχους ὅ τιχρείη μʼ ἑλέσθαι κτῆσιν εἶπε δʼ ἣν τέκνοιςμοῖραν πατρῴας γῆς διαιρετὸν νέμοι,χρόνον προτάξας ὡς τρίμηνον ἡνίκαχώρας ἀπείη κἀνιαύσιον βεβώς,τότʼ ἢ θανεῖν χρείη σφε τῷδε τῷ χρόνῳἢ τοῦθʼ ὑπεκδραμόντα τοῦ χρόνου τέλοςτὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη ζῆν ἀλυπήτῳ βίῳ.τοιαῦτʼ ἔφραζε πρὸς θεῶν εἱμαρμένατῶν Ἡρακλείων ἐκτελευτᾶσθαι πόνων,ὡς τὴν παλαιὰν φηγὸν αὐδῆσαί ποτεΔωδῶνι δισσῶν ἐκ Πελειάδων ἔφη.καὶ τῶνδε ναμέρτεια συμβαίνει χρόνουτοῦ νῦν παρόντος, ὡς τελεσθῆναι χρεών·
As a result I leap up from sweet sleep in fear, dear maidens, terrified at the possibility that I must remain widowed of the noblest man of all.
ὥσθʼ ἡδέως εὕδουσαν ἐκπηδᾶν ἐμὲφόβῳ, φίλαι, ταρβοῦσαν, εἴ με χρὴ μένεινπάντων ἀρίστου φωτὸς ἐστερημένην.
Chorus:Hush—no more ill-omened words! I see a man approaching who is crowned with garlands as if for joyous news.Enter the Messenger.
Χορός:εὐφημίαν νῦν ἴσχʼ· ἐπεὶ καταστεφῆστείχονθʼ ὁρῶ τινʼ ἄνδρα πρὸς χαρὰν λόγων.
Messenger:Queen Deianeira, I shall be the first messenger to free you from fear. Know that Alcmena’s son lives and triumphs, and from battle brings the first-fruits to the gods of this land.
Ἄγγελος:δέσποινα Δῃάνειρα, πρῶτος ἀγγέλωνὄκνου σε λύσω· τὸν γὰρ Ἀλκμήνης τόκονκαὶ ζῶντʼ ἐπίστω καὶ κρατοῦντα κἀκ μάχηςἄγοντʼ ἀπαρχὰς θεοῖσι τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις.
Deianeira:What news is this, old man, that you give me?
Δηιάνειρα:τίνʼ εἶπας, ὦ γεραιέ, τόνδε μοι λόγον;
Messenger:That your much-admired husband will soon come to your house, revealed in his victorious might.
Ἄγγελος:τάχʼ ἐς δόμους σοὺς τὸν πολύζηλον πόσινἥξειν φανέντα σὺν κράτει νικηφόρῳ.
Deianeira:From what citizen or what stranger did you learn these tidings?
Δηιάνειρα:καὶ τοῦ τόδʼ ἀστῶν ἢ ξένων μαθὼν λέγεις;
Messenger:In the meadow, the summer haunt of oxen, Lichas the herald is proclaiming it to many. From him I heard it,and dashed away so that, in all honesty, having been the first to report this news, I might profit in some way by you and win your favor.
Ἄγγελος:ἐν βουθερεῖ λειμῶνι πρὸς πολλοὺς θροεῖΛίχας ὁ κῆρυξ ταῦτα· τοῦδʼ ἐγὼ κλύωνἀπῇξʼ, ὅπως τοι πρῶτος ἀγγείλας τάδεπρὸς σοῦ τι κερδάναιμι καὶ κτῴμην χάριν.
Deianeira:And why is he not here, if he is so successful?
Δηιάνειρα:αὐτὸς δὲ πῶς ἄπεστιν, εἴπερ εὐτυχεῖ;
Messenger:He does not, my lady, enjoy ease of movement. The entire Malian populacestands about him in a circle and questions him, and he cannot move forward. Each person is bent on learning according to his desire, and will not release the man until he has heard his pleasure. Thus against his wishes, but in keeping with theirs, he is with them. Yet you will soon see him face to face.
Ἄγγελος:οὐκ εὐμαρείᾳ χρώμενος πολλῇ, γύναι.κύκλῳ γὰρ αὐτὸν Μηλιεὺς ἅπας λεὼςκρίνει παραστάς, οὐδʼ ἔχει βῆναι πρόσω·τὸ γὰρ ποθοῦν ἕκαστος ἐκμαθεῖν θέλωνοὐκ ἂν μεθεῖτο, πρὶν καθʼ ἡδονὴν κλύειν.οὕτως ἐκεῖνος οὐχ ἑκών, ἑκοῦσι δὲξύνεστιν· ὄψει δʼ αὐτὸν αὐτίκʼ ἐμφανῆ.
Deianeira:O Zeus, ruler of the sacred uncut meadow of Oeta, at last, though after much delay, you have given us joy! Uplift your voices, you women within the house and you beyond our gates, since now we enjoy the brightness of this message, which has risen on us beyond my hope!
Δηιάνειρα:ὦ Ζεῦ, τὸν Οἴτης ἄτομον ὃς λειμῶνʼ ἔχεις,ἔδωκας ἡμῖν ἀλλὰ σὺν χρόνῳ χαράν.φωνήσατʼ, ὦ γυναῖκες, αἵ τʼ εἴσω στέγηςαἵ τʼ ἐκτὸς αὐλῆς, ὡς ἄελπτον ὄμμʼ ἐμοὶφήμης ἀνασχὸν τῆσδε νῦν καρπούμεθα.
Chorus:Let the brides of tomorrow raise a joyous cry for the house with shouts of triumph at the hearth. Among them let the yell of the men go up in unison for Apollo of the bright quiver, our defender! And at the same time,maidens, lift up a paean, cry aloud to his sister, Ortygian Artemis, huntress of deer, goddess with torch in each hand,and to the nymphs her neighbors! I am uplifted, I will not spurn the flute—O you master of my heart! Behold, his ivy stirs me! Euoe!Quickly it wheels me round in Bacchus’s race! Oh, oh, Paean! Look, dear lady! All is taking shape, plain to see, before your gaze.
Χορός:ἀνολολυξάτω δόμοις ἐφεστίοιςἀλαλαγαῖς ἁ μελλόνυμφος, ἐν δὲκοινὸς ἀρσένων ἴτωκλαγγὰ τὸν εὐφαρέτρανἈπόλλω προστάταν· ὁμοῦ δὲπαιᾶνα παιᾶνʼ ἀνάγετʼ, ὦ παρθένοι,βοᾶτε τὰν ὁμόσπορονἌρτεμιν Ὀρτυγίανἐλαφαβόλον ἀμφίπυρον,γείτονάς τε Νύμφας.ἀείρομαι οὐδʼ ἀπώσομαιτὸν αὐλόν, ὦ τύραννε τᾶς ἐμᾶς φρενός.ἰδού μʼ ἀναταράσσει,εὐοῖ μʼ,ὁ κισσὸς ἄρτι βακχίανὑποστρέφων ἅμιλλαν. ἰὼ ἰὼ Παιάν.ἴδʼ, ὦ φίλα γύναι,τάδʼ ἀντίπρῳρα δή σοιβλέπειν πάρεστʼ ἐναργῆ.
Deianeira:I see it, dear maidens; the sight has not escaped my watchful eyes. I see that procession. I bid the herald joyous welcome after his long absence!—if indeed you bring anything that gives joy.Enter Lichas, followed by captive maidens.
Δηιάνειρα:ὁρῶ, φίλαι γυναῖκες, οὐδέ μʼ ὄμματοςφρουρὰν παρῆλθε, τόνδε μὴ λεύσσειν στόλον·χαίρειν δὲ τὸν κήρυκα προυννέπω, χρόνῳπολλῷ φανέντα, χαρτὸν εἴ τι καὶ φέρεις.
Lichas:We are happy in our return, and happy in your greeting,lady, in accordance with the deed achieved. For when a man has fair fortune, it is his right to win good welcome.
Λίχας:ἀλλʼ εὖ μὲν ἵγμεθʼ, εὖ δὲ προσφωνούμεθα,γύναι, κατʼ ἔργου κτῆσιν· ἄνδρα γὰρ καλῶςπράσσοντʼ ἀνάγκη χρηστὰ κερδαίνειν ἔπη.
Deianeira:Most welcome man, tell me first what first I would know—shall I receive Heracles alive?
Δηιάνειρα:ὦ φίλτατʼ ἀνδρῶν, πρῶθʼ ἃ πρῶτα βούλομαιδίδαξον, εἰ ζῶνθʼ Ἡρακλῆ προσδέξομαι.
Lichas:I certainly left him alive and well,in vigorous health, unburdened by disease.
Λίχας:ἔγωγέ τοι σφʼ ἔλειπον ἰσχύοντά τεκαὶ ζῶντα καὶ θάλλοντα κοὐ νόσῳ βαρύν.
Deianeira:Where, tell me—in his ancestral land, or on barbarian soil?
Δηιάνειρα:ποῦ γῆς; πατρῴας εἴτε βαρβάρου; λέγε.
Lichas:There is a headland of Euboea, where to Cenaean Zeus he marks out altars and fruitful ground in tribute.
Λίχας:ἀκτή τις ἔστʼ Εὐβοιίς, ἔνθʼ ὁρίζεταιβωμοὺς τέλη τʼ ἔγκαρπα Κηναίῳ Διί.
Deianeira:In payment of a vow, or at the command of an oracle?
Δηιάνειρα:εὐκταῖα φαίνων ἢ ἀπὸ μαντείας τινός;
Lichas:For a vow, made when he was seeking to conquer and plunder the country of these women whom you see before you.
Λίχας:εὐχαῖς ὅθʼ ᾕρει τῶνδʼ ἀνάστατον δορὶχώραν γυναικῶν ὧν ὁρᾷς ἐν ὄμμασιν.
Deianeira:And these—who are they, by the gods, and whose daughters? They deserve pity, unless their misfortune deceives me.
Δηιάνειρα:αὗται δέ, πρὸς θεῶν, τοῦ ποτʼ εἰσὶ καὶ τίνες;οἰκτραὶ γάρ, εἰ μὴ ξυμφοραὶ κλέπτουσί με.
Lichas:These are captives whom heselected as choice spoils for himself and for the gods when he sacked the city of Eurytus.
Λίχας:ταύτας ἐκεῖνος Εὐρύτου πέρσας πόλινἐξείλεθʼ αὑτῷ κτῆμα καὶ θεοῖς κριτόν.
Deianeira:Was it in fact the war against that city which kept him away so long, beyond all forecast, past all count of days?
Δηιάνειρα:ἦ κἀπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πόλει τὸν ἄσκοπονχρόνον βεβὼς ἦν ἡμερῶν ἀνήριθμον;
Lichas:No. The greater part of the time he was detained in Lydia, no free man, as he declares,but sold into servitude. No offense should be taken at my tale, lady, when the deed is found to be Zeus’ work. He passed a whole year, as he himself says, a bought slave to the barbarian Omphale. And so stung was he by the shame of it,that he bound himself by a solemn oath, swearing one day to enslave with wife and child the man who had brought that suffering upon him. And not in vain did he speak the oath; but, when he had been purified, he gathered a mercenary army and went against the cityof Eurytus. For, Heracles asserted, that man alone of mortals had a share in causing his suffering. For when Heracles, a guest-friend of long standing, came to his house and hearth, Eurytus roared against him with insults of ruinous intent,saying that, although Heracles had inevitable shafts in his hands, he fell short of his own sons in the contest of the bow. Next he shouted that Heracles was a freeman’s slave, a broken hulk, and then at a banquet, when his guest was full of wine, he tossed him from his home. Furious at this treatment,when afterward Iphitus came to the hill of Tiryns on the track of horses that had strayed, Heracles seized a moment when the man’s eyes were one place and his thoughts another, and hurled him from a towering summit. But in anger at that deed, the king,the father of all, Olympian Zeus, sent him away to be sold, and did not tolerate that this once, he killed a man by guile. Had he achieved his vengeance openly, Zeus would surely have pardoned him the righteous triumph.
Λίχας:οὔκ, ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν πλεῖστον ἐν Λυδοῖς χρόνονκατείχεθʼ, ὥς φησʼ αὐτός, οὐκ ἐλεύθερος,ἀλλʼ ἐμποληθείς· τοῦ λόγου δʼ οὐ χρὴ φθόνον,γύναι, προσεῖναι, Ζεὺς ὅτου πράκτωρ φανῇ.κεῖνος δὲ πραθεὶς Ὀμφάλῃ τῇ βαρβάρῳἐνιαυτὸν ἐξέπλησεν, ὡς αὐτὸς λέγει.χοὔτως ἐδήχθη τοῦτο τοὔνειδος λαβὼνὥσθʼ ὅρκον αὑτῷ προσβαλὼν διώμοσεν,ἦ μὴν τὸν ἀγχιστῆρα τοῦδε τοῦ πάθουςξὺν παιδὶ καὶ γυναικὶ δουλώσειν ἔτι.κοὐχ ἡλίωσε τοὔπος, ἀλλʼ ὅθʼ ἁγνὸς ἦν,στρατὸν λαβὼν ἐπακτὸν ἔρχεται πόλιντὴν Εὐρυτείαν. τόνδε γὰρ μεταίτιονμόνον βροτῶν ἔφασκε τοῦδʼ εἶναι πάθους·ὃς αὐτὸν ἐλθόντʼ ἐς δόμους ἐφέστιον,ξένον παλαιὸν ὄντα, πολλὰ μὲν λόγοιςἐπερρόθησε, πολλὰ δʼ ἀτηρᾷ φρενί,λέγων χεροῖν μὲν ὡς ἄφυκτʼ ἔχων βέλητῶν ὧν τέκνων λείποιτο πρὸς τόξου κρίσιν,φωνεῖ δὲ δοῦλος ἀνδρὸς ὡς ἐλευθέρουῥαίοιτο· δείπνοις δʼ ἡνίκʼ ἦν ᾠνωμένος,ἔρριψεν ἐκτὸς αὐτόν. ὧν ἔχων χόλον,Λίχας:ὡς ἵκετʼ αὖθις Ἴφιτος Τιρυνθίανπρὸς κλιτύν, ἵππους νομάδας ἐξιχνοσκοπῶν,τότʼ ἄλλοσʼ αὐτὸν ὄμμα, θατέρᾳ δὲ νοῦνἔχοντʼ, ἀπʼ ἄκρας ἧκε πυργώδους πλακός.ἔργου δʼ ἕκατι τοῦδε μηνίσας ἄναξὁ τῶν ἁπάντων Ζεὺς πατὴρ Ὀλύμπιοςπρατόν νιν ἐξέπεμψεν οὐδʼ ἠνέσχετο,ὁθούνεκʼ αὐτὸν μοῦνον ἀνθρώπων δόλῳἔκτεινεν· εἰ γὰρ ἐμφανῶς ἠμύνατο,Ζεύς τἂν συνέγνω ξὺν δίκῃ χειρουμένῳ·
For the gods do not love criminal behavior either. So those men, who gloried in bitter speech, are themselves residents of Hades, all of them, and their city is enslaved. And the women whom you see, fallen from happiness to misery,are sent here to you. For that was your husband’s command, which I, his faithful servant, perform. As for the man himself, know that he will come, once he has made pure sacrifice to Zeus of his fathers for the sacking of the city. After all the good newsthat has been told, this, indeed, is the sweetest word to hear.
ὕβριν γὰρ οὐ στέργουσιν οὐδὲ δαίμονες.κεῖνοι δʼ ὑπερχλίοντες ἐκ γλώσσης κακῆςαὐτοὶ μὲν Ἅιδου πάντες εἴσʼ οἰκήτορες,πόλις δὲ δούλη· τάσδε δʼ ἅσπερ εἰσορᾷςἐξ ὀλβίων ἄζηλον εὑροῦσαι βίονχωροῦσι πρὸς σέ· ταῦτα γὰρ πόσις τε σὸςἐφεῖτʼ, ἐγὼ δὲ πιστὸς ὢν κείνῳ τελῶ.αὐτὸν δʼ ἐκεῖνον, εὖτʼ ἂν ἁγνὰ θύματαῥέξῃ πατρῴῳ Ζηνὶ τῆς ἁλώσεως,φρόνει νιν ὡς ἥξοντα· τοῦτο γὰρ λόγουπολλοῦ καλῶς λεχθέντος ἥδιστον κλύειν.
Chorus:Now, O Queen, your joy is plainly revealed; part is with you, and of the rest you have foreknowledge.
Χορός:ἄνασσα, νῦν σοι τέρψις ἐμφανὴς κυρεῖ,τῶν μὲν παρόντων, τὰ δὲ πεπυσμένῃ λόγῳ.
Deianeira:Yes, how would I not rejoice with dutiful spirit, when I hear of my husband’s successful venture?
Δηιάνειρα:πῶς δʼ οὐκ ἐγὼ χαίροιμʼ ἄν, ἀνδρὸς εὐτυχῆκλύουσα πρᾶξιν τήνδε, πανδίκῳ φρενί;
My rejoicing is bound to keep pace with his success. And yet a prudent mind can see room for fear, lest he who prospers should one day stumble. For a strange pity came over me, friends, at the sight of these ill-fated exiles,homeless and fatherless in a foreign land. Though they were once the daughters perhaps of freeborn men, they now live the life of slaves. O Zeus, god who turns the tide of battle, may I never see you stalking against a child of my line on any occasion;no, if you do some such thing, let it not be while I am still alive! So great is my fear, as I look upon these girls.To Iole.
πολλή ʼστʼ ἀνάγκη τῇδε τοῦτο συντρέχειν.ὅμως δʼ ἔνεστι τοῖσιν εὖ σκοπουμένοιςταρβεῖν τὸν εὖ πράσσοντα, μὴ σφαλῇ ποτε.ἐμοὶ γὰρ οἶκτος δεινὸς εἰσέβη, φίλαι,ταύτας ὁρώσῃ δυσπότμους ἐπὶ ξένηςχώρας ἀοίκους ἀπάτοράς τʼ ἀλωμένας,αἳ πρὶν μὲν ἦσαν ἐξ ἐλευθέρων ἴσωςἀνδρῶν, τανῦν δὲ δοῦλον ἴσχουσιν βίον.ὦ Ζεῦ τροπαῖε, μή ποτʼ εἰσίδοιμί σεπρὸς τοὐμὸν οὕτω σπέρμα χωρήσαντά ποι,μηδʼ, εἴ τι δράσεις, τῆσδέ γε ζώσης ἔτι.οὕτως ἐγὼ δέδοικα τάσδʼ ὁρωμένη.
Unfortunate girl, who are you? Are you without a man, or are you a mother? To judge by your appearance, you are untried in those roles, but someone of noble birth.
ὦ δυστάλαινα, τίς ποτʼ εἶ νεανίδων;ἄνανδρος ἢ τεκνοῦσσα; πρὸς μὲν γὰρ φύσινπάντων ἄπειρος τῶνδε, γενναία δέ τις.
Lichas, whose daughter is this stranger? Who is her mother, who the father who begot her? Speak; I pity her more than all the rest, when I look at her, inasmuch as she alone knows self-control.
Λίχα, τίνος ποτʼ ἐστὶν ἡ ξένη βροτῶν;τίς ἡ τεκοῦσα, τίς δʼ ὁ φιτύσας πατήρ;ἔξειπʼ· ἐπεί νιν τῶνδε πλεῖστον ᾤκτισαβλέπουσʼ, ὅσῳπερ καὶ φρονεῖν οἶδεν μόνη.
Lichas:Why would I know? Why would you ask me? Perhapsshe is the offspring of not the lowest family in that land.
Λίχας:τί δʼ οἶδʼ ἐγώ, τί δʼ ἄν με καὶ κρίνοις; ἴσωςγέννημα τῶν ἐκεῖθεν οὐκ ἐν ὑστάτοις.
Deianeira:Can she be of the ruling family? Was she a child of Eurytus?
Δηιάνειρα:μὴ τῶν τυράννων; Εὐρύτου σπορά τις ἦν;
Lichas:I do not know; I did not in fact make a long investigation.
Λίχας:οὐκ οἶδα· καὶ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἀνιστόρουν μακράν.
Deianeira:And you do not know her name from one of her fellow captives?
Δηιάνειρα:οὐδʼ ὄνομα πρός του τῶν ξυνεμπόρων ἔχεις;
Lichas:No, indeed. In silence I completed my task.
Λίχας:ἥκιστα· σιγῇ τοὐμὸν ἔργον ἤνυτον.
Deianeira:Unhappy girl, tell it to me, anyway, from your own mouth. It is indeed distressing to me not to know who you are.
Δηιάνειρα:εἴπʼ, ὦ τάλαινʼ, ἀλλʼ ἡμὶν ἐκ σαυτῆς, ἐπεὶκαὶ ξυμφορά τοι μὴ εἰδέναι σέ γʼ ἥτις εἶ.
Lichas:It will not, I assure you, be at all on a par with time past if she moves her lips. She has not said a word, large or small,but has been constantly laboring with the heavy pains of her misfortune and weeping, poor girl, since she left her windswept fatherland. Her condition is indeed bad—for her, anyway—but claims our forbearance.
Λίχας:οὔ τἄρα τῷ γε πρόσθεν οὐδὲν ἐξ ἴσουχρόνῳ διήσει γλῶσσαν, ἥτις οὐδαμὰπρούφηνεν οὔτε μείζονʼ οὔτʼ ἐλάσσονα,ἀλλʼ αἰὲν ὠδίνουσα συμφορᾶς βάροςδακρυρροεῖ δύστηνος, ἐξ ὅτου πάτρανδιήνεμον λέλοιπεν· ἡ δέ τοι τύχηκακὴ μὲν αὐτῇ γʼ, ἀλλὰ συγγνώμην ἔχει.
Deianeira:Then let her be left in peace, and go beneath our roofas it pleases her. Let her not in addition to her existing troubles take fresh grief from me; she has enough already. Now let us all go in, so that you may go speedily on your journey, while I make all things ready in the house. Exit Lichas, followed by the Captives, into the house.Messenger: Coming nearer to Deianeira.
Δηιάνειρα:ἡ δʼ οὖν ἐάσθω, καὶ πορευέσθω στέγαςοὕτως ὅπως ἥδιστα, μηδὲ πρὸς κακοῖςτοῖς οὖσιν ἄλλην πρός γʼ ἐμοῦ λύπην λάβῃ·ἅλις γὰρ ἡ παροῦσα. πρὸς δὲ δώματαχωρῶμεν ἤδη πάντες, ὡς σύ θʼ οἷ θέλειςσπεύδῃς, ἐγώ τε τἄνδον ἐξαρκῆ τιθῶ.
Do go in, but first remain here a short while, so that you may learn, apart from these others, who they are whom you take into your home, and gain necessary knowledge of the facts which you have not heard. For of these I am in full possession.
Ἄγγελος:αὐτοῦ γε πρῶτον βαιὸν ἀμμείνασʼ, ὅπωςμάθῃς ἄνευ τῶνδʼ, οὕστινάς τʼ ἄγεις ἔσω,ὧν τʼ οὐδὲν εἰσήκουσας ἐκμάθῃς ἃ δεῖ·τούτων ἔχω γὰρ πάντʼ ἐπιστήμην ἐγώ.
Deianeira:What do you mean? Why do you stay my departure?
Δηιάνειρα:τί δʼ ἐστί; τοῦ με τήνδʼ ἐφίστασαι βάσιν;
Messenger:Stop and listen. My former report was not a waste of your time, and neither, I believe, will this one be.
Ἄγγελος:σταθεῖσʼ ἄκουσον· καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ τὸν πάροςμῦθον μάτην ἤκουσας, οὐδὲ νῦν δοκῶ.
Deianeira:Shall I call those others back again? Or do you wish to speak before me and these women?
Δηιάνειρα:πότερον ἐκείνους δῆτα δεῦρʼ αὖθις πάλινκαλῶμεν, ἢ ʼμοὶ ταῖσδέ τʼ ἐξειπεῖν θέλεις;
Messenger:To you and the women I can speak freely. Never mind the others.
Ἄγγελος:σοὶ ταῖσδέ τʼ οὐδὲν εἴργεται, τούτους δʼ ἔα.
Deianeira:Well, they are gone. Now let your speech signal your meaning.
Δηιάνειρα:καὶ δὴ βεβᾶσι, χὠ λόγος σημαινέτω.
Messenger:That man Lichas spoke nothing of what he just told you in strict accordance with the truth. He was just now lying, or else he was dishonest in his earlier report.
Ἄγγελος:ἁνὴρ ὅδʼ οὐδὲν ὧν ἔλεξεν ἀρτίωςφωνεῖ δίκης ἐς ὀρθόν, ἀλλʼ ἢ νῦν κακὸςἢ πρόσθεν οὐ δίκαιος ἄγγελος παρῆν.
Deianeira:What do you say? Explain to me clearly all that you mean,for I cannot understand what you said.
Δηιάνειρα:τί φής; σαφῶς μοι φράζε πᾶν ὅσον νοεῖς.ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐξείρηκας ἀγνοία μʼ ἔχει.
Messenger:I heard this man declare, before many witnesses, that it was for the sake of this girl that Heracles overthrew Eurytus and the high towers of Oechalia: Eros,alone of the gods, enchanted him into doing those deeds of arms, not the toilsome servitude to Omphale in Lydia, nor the death to which Iphitus was hurled. But now the herald has thrust Eros aside and tells a different tale. Well, when Heracles could not persuade him whose seed produced the childto give him the girl for his secret concubine, he devised some petty complaint as a pretext, and made war upon her fatherland, in which, as the herald said, that Eurytus ruled. He killed the king, her father, andsacked her city. And now, as you see, he makes his return, sending her to this house not without consideration, lady, and not as if she were to be a slave. No, do not expect that; it is not likely, if his heart has been kindled with desire. On this account, my Queen, I resolved to reveal to you allthat I had heard from that man. Many others were listening to it, as I was, in the public place where the Trachinians were assembled, so they can convict him. If my words are unwelcome, I am grieved; but nevertheless I have spoken the truth.
Ἄγγελος:τούτου λέγοντος τἀνδρὸς εἰσήκουσʼ ἐγώ,πολλῶν παρόντων μαρτύρων, ὡς τῆς κόρηςταύτης ἕκατι κεῖνος Εὔρυτόν θʼ ἕλοιτήν θʼ ὑψίπυργον Οἰχαλίαν, Ἔρως δέ νινμόνος θεῶν θέλξειεν αἰχμάσαι τάδε,οὐ τἀπὶ Λυδοῖς οὐδʼ ὑπʼ Ὀμφάλῃ πόνωνλατρεύματʼ οὐδʼ ὁ ῥιπτὸς Ἰφίτου μόρος·ὃν νῦν παρώσας οὗτος ἔμπαλιν λέγει.ἀλλʼ ἡνίκʼ οὐκ ἔπειθε τὸν φυτοσπόροντὴν παῖδα δοῦναι, κρύφιον ὡς ἔχοι λέχος,ἔγκλημα μικρὸν αἰτίαν θʼ ἑτοιμάσαςἐπιστρατεύει πατρίδα τὴν ταύτης, ἐν ᾗτὸν Εὔρυτον τόνδʼ εἶπε δεσπόζειν θρόνων,κτείνει τʼ ἄνακτα πατέρα τῆσδε καὶ πόλινἔπερσε. καὶ νῦν, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἥκει δόμουςὡς τούσδε πέμπων οὐκ ἀφροντίστως, γύναι,οὐδʼ ὥστε δούλην· μηδὲ προσδόκα τόδε·οὐδʼ εἰκός, εἴπερ ἐντεθέρμανται πόθῳ.ἔδοξεν οὖν μοι πρὸς σὲ δηλῶσαι τὸ πᾶν,δέσποινʼ, ὃ τοῦδε τυγχάνω μαθὼν πάρα.καὶ ταῦτα πολλοὶ πρὸς μέσῃ Τραχινίωνἀγορᾷ συνεξήκουον ὡσαύτως ἐμοί,ὥστʼ ἐξελέγχειν· εἰ δὲ μὴ λέγω φίλα,οὐχ ἥδομαι, τὸ δʼ ὀρθὸν ἐξείρηχʼ ὅμως.
Deianeira:Ah, misery! What is happening to me? What secret plague have I welcomed beneath my roof? Ah, me! So, she was born without a name, as her escort swore?
Δηιάνειρα:οἴμοι τάλαινα, ποῦ ποτʼ εἰμὶ πράγματος;τίνʼ εἰσδέδεγμαι πημονὴν ὑπόστεγονλαθραῖον; ὦ δύστηνος· ἆρʼ ἀνώνυμοςπέφυκεν, ὥσπερ οὑπάγων διώμνυτο;
Messenger:No, illustrious by name, as by birth;she is the daughter of Eurytus, and was once called Iole. But he could say nothing of her birth, because, of course, he made no investigation.
Ἄγγελος:ἦ κάρτα λαμπρὰ καὶ κατʼ ὄνομα καὶ φύσιν,πατρὸς μὲν οὖσα γένεσιν Εὐρύτου ποτὲἸόλη ʼκαλεῖτο, τῆς ἐκεῖνος οὐδαμὰβλάστας ἐφώνει, δῆθεν οὐδὲν ἱστορῶν.
Chorus:May destruction seize not all wrongdoers—no, only the man who practices stealthy wrongdoing that is shameful to his rank!
Χορός:ὄλοιντο—μή τι πάντες οἱ κακοί, τὰ δὲλαθραῖʼ ὃς ἀσκεῖ μὴ πρέποντʼ αὐτῷ κακά.
Deianeira:Ah, friends, what should I do? I am dumbstruck by this latest news!
Δηιάνειρα:τί χρὴ ποεῖν, γυναῖκες; ὡς ἐγὼ λόγοιςτοῖς νῦν παροῦσιν ἐκπεπληγμένη κυρῶ.
Chorus:Go and question Lichas, since he might tell the truth, if you were willing to compel him by threat of force to answer.
Χορός:πεύθου μολοῦσα τἀνδρός, ὡς τάχʼ ἂν σαφῆλέξειεν, εἴ νιν πρὸς βίαν κρίνειν θέλοις.
Deianeira:I will go. Your advice does not lack good judgment.
Δηιάνειρα:ἀλλʼ εἶμι· καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἀπὸ γνώμης λέγεις.
Messenger:And I, shall I wait here? Or what do you require?
Ἄγγελος:ἡμεῖς δὲ προσμένωμεν; ἢ τί χρὴ ποεῖν;
Deianeira:Stay here—since he is coming out from the house without my summons, but of his own accord.Enter Lichas.
Δηιάνειρα:μίμνʼ, ὡς ὅδʼ ἀνὴρ οὐκ ἐμῶν ὑπʼ ἀγγέλων,ἀλλʼ αὐτόκλητος ἐκ δόμων πορεύεται.
Lichas:My lady, what message shall I bear to Heracles? Instruct me, for, as you see, I am going.
Λίχας:τί χρή, γύναι, μολόντα μʼ Ἡρακλεῖ λέγειν;δίδαξον, ὡς ἕρποντος, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἐμοῦ.
Deianeira:How quickly you rush away, when your arrival had been so tardy—before we have even resumed our talk.
Δηιάνειρα:ὡς ἐκ ταχείας σὺν χρόνῳ βραδεῖ μολὼνᾄσσεις, πρὶν ἡμᾶς κἀννεώσασθαι λόγους.
Lichas:Well, if there is anything you must ask, I am at your service.
Λίχας:ἀλλʼ εἴ τι χρῄζεις ἱστορεῖν, πάρειμʼ ἐγώ.
Deianeira:Will you indeed give me the honest truth?
Δηιάνειρα:ἦ καὶ τὸ πιστὸν τῆς ἀληθείας νέμεις;
Lichas:Yes, be great Zeus my witness—in anything that I know.
Λίχας:ἴστω μέγας Ζεύς, ὧν γʼ ἂν ἐξειδὼς κυρῶ.
Deianeira:Who is the woman, then, whom you escorted here?
Δηιάνειρα:τίς ἡ γυνὴ δῆτʼ ἐστὶν ἣν ἥκεις ἄγων;
Lichas:She is Euboean. But whose offspring, I cannot say.
Λίχας:Εὐβοιίς· ὧν δʼ ἔβλαστεν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν.
Messenger:You there, look at me. To whom do you think you speak?
Ἄγγελος:οὗτος, βλέφʼ ὧδε· πρὸς τίνʼ ἐννέπειν δοκεῖς;
Lichas:And you, to what end have you asked me such a question?
Λίχας:σὺ δʼ εἰς τί δή με τοῦτʼ ἐρωτήσας ἔχεις;
Messenger:Dare to answer my question, if you are sensible.
Ἄγγελος:τόλμησον εἰπεῖν, εἰ φρονεῖς, ὅ σʼ ἱστορῶ.
Lichas:I speak to the royal Deianeira, daughter of Oeneus, wife of Heracles and, unless my eyes deceive me, my mistress.
Λίχας:πρὸς τὴν κρατοῦσαν Δῃάνειραν, Οἰνέωςκόρην δάμαρτά θʼ Ἡρακλέους, εἰ μὴ κυρῶλεύσσων μάταια, δεσπότιν τε τὴν ἐμήν.
Messenger:The very word that I wished to hear from you—you admit that she is your mistress?
Ἄγγελος:τοῦτʼ αὔτʼ ἔχρῃζον, τοῦτό σου μαθεῖν· λέγεις δέσποιναν εἶναι τήνδε σήν;
Lichas:Yes, it is only right to do so.
Λίχας:δίκαια γάρ.
Messenger:Well, then, what penalty would you think it right to pay, if you should be found to be behaving wrongly towards her?
Ἄγγελος:τί δῆτα; ποίαν ἀξιοῖς δοῦναι δίκην,ἢν εὑρεθῇς ἐς τήνδε μὴ δίκαιος ὤν;
Lichas:Wrongly? What fiction have you created?
Λίχας:πῶς μὴ δίκαιος; τί ποτε ποικίλας ἔχεις;
Messenger:None. Rather it is you, to be sure, who do this.
Ἄγγελος:οὐδέν· σὺ μέντοι κάρτα τοῦτο δρῶν κυρεῖς.
Lichas:I am leaving—I was foolish to listen to you so long.
Λίχας:ἄπειμι· μῶρος δʼ ἦ πάλαι κλύων σέθεν.
Messenger:No, not until you have answered a small question.
Ἄγγελος:οὔ, πρίν γʼ ἂν εἴπῃς ἱστορούμενος βραχύ.
Lichas:Speak, if you require something. You are not the silent type.
Λίχας:λέγʼ, εἴ τι χρῄζεις· καὶ γὰρ οὐ σιγηλὸς εἶ.
Messenger:That captive, whom you escorted into the house, you know whom I mean?
Ἄγγελος:τὴν αἰχμάλωτον, ἣν ἔπεμψας ἐς δόμους, κάτοισθα δήπου;
Lichas:Yes. But why do you ask?
Λίχας:φημί· πρὸς τί δʼ ἱστορεῖς;
Messenger:Did you not avow that she, on whom you look as if in ignorance,was Iole, the seed of Eurytus, your captive?
Ἄγγελος:οὔκουν σὺ ταύτην, ἣν ὑπʼ ἀγνοίας ὁρᾷς,Ἰόλην ἔφασκες Εὐρύτου σπορὰν ἄγειν;
Lichas:To whom on earth did I say it? Who and where is the man who heard me say it and will be your witness?
Λίχας:ποίοις ἐν ἀνθρώποισι; τίς πόθεν μολὼνσοὶ μαρτυρήσει ταῦτʼ ἐμοῦ κλύειν πάρα;
Messenger:To many of our own citizens you said it. In the public gathering of Trachinians a great crowd heard this much, at least, from you.
Ἄγγελος:πολλοῖσιν ἀστῶν· ἐν μέσῃ Τραχινίωνἀγορᾷ πολύς σου ταῦτά γʼ εἰσήκουσʼ ὄχλος.
Lichas:Sure,they said they heard. But it does not amount to the same thing to tell one’s fancy and to give an accurate report.
Λίχας:κλύειν γʼ ἔφασκον· ταὐτὸ δʼ οὐχὶ γίγνεταιδόκησιν εἰπεῖν κἀξακριβῶσαι λόγον.
Messenger:What do you mean, fancy! Did you not speak on your oath when you said that you were bringing her as a bride for Heracles?
Ἄγγελος:ποίαν δόκησιν; οὐκ ἐπώμοτος λέγωνδάμαρτʼ ἔφασκες Ἡρακλεῖ ταύτην ἄγειν;
Lichas:I? Bringing a bride? In the name of the gods, dearmistress, tell me who on earth this stranger is?
Λίχας:ἐγὼ δάμαρτα; πρὸς θεῶν, φράσον, φίληδέσποινα, τόνδε τίς ποτʼ ἐστὶν ὁ ξένος.
Messenger:I am a man who heard from your own lips that the conquest of the whole city was due to desire for this girl and that the Lydian woman did not destroy it, but the passion which arose for the girl.
Ἄγγελος:ὃς σοῦ παρὼν ἤκουσεν, ὡς ταύτης πόθῳπόλις δαμείη πᾶσα, κοὐχ ἡ Λυδίαπέρσειεν αὐτήν, ἀλλʼ ὁ τῆσδʼ ἔρως φανείς.
Lichas:Lady, send this creature away.To babble with the insane is not the mark of a sensible man.
Λίχας:ἅνθρωπος, ὦ δέσποινʼ, ἀποστήτω· τὸ γὰρνοσοῦντι ληρεῖν ἀνδρὸς οὐχὶ σώφρονος.
Deianeira:No, I implore you by Zeus whose strikes lightning down along the high glens of Oeta, do not rob me of a true report! Your words will not fall on the ears of a cruel woman, nor has she yet to learn the fate of humanity,how by our nature we are often inconstant in our pleasures. He does not use good sense, then, who like a boxer opposes the blows of Eros. For Eros rules the gods as he pleases, and he rules me as well—that is certain. Why not another woman, just like me?
Δηιάνειρα:μή, πρός σε τοῦ κατʼ ἄκρον Οἰταῖον νάποςΔιὸς καταστράπτοντος, ἐκκλέψῃς λόγον.οὐ γὰρ γυναικὶ τοὺς λόγους ἐρεῖς κακῇοὐδʼ ἥτις οὐ κάτοιδε τἀνθρώπων, ὅτιχαίρειν πέφυκεν οὐχὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἀεί.Ἔρωτι μέν νυν ὅστις ἀντανίσταταιπύκτης ὅπως ἐς χεῖρας, οὐ καλῶς φρονεῖ·οὗτος γὰρ ἄρχει καὶ θεῶν ὅπως θέλει,κἀμοῦ γε· πῶς δʼ οὐ χἀτέρας οἵας γʼ ἐμοῦ;
And so I am crazed indeed, if I blame my husband because that disease has seized him or because he was seized by this woman, his partner in a thing which is no shame to them, and no wrong to me. Impossible! If it was from him that you learnedto lie, it was not a noble lesson. But if you are your own teacher in this, you will be seen as cruel when it is your wish to prove kind. No, tell me the whole truth, since to a free-born man the name of liar attaches like an ugly stain.
ὥστʼ εἴ τι τὠμῷ τʼ ἀνδρὶ τῇδε τῇ νόσῳληφθέντι μεμπτός εἰμι, κάρτα μαίνομαι,ἢ τῇδε τῇ γυναικὶ τῇ μεταιτίᾳτοῦ μηδὲν αἰσχροῦ μηδʼ ἐμοὶ κακοῦ τινος.οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτʼ· ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν ἐκ κείνου μαθὼνψεύδει, μάθησιν οὐ καλὴν ἐκμανθάνεις.εἰ δʼ αὐτὸς αὑτὸν ὧδε παιδεύεις, ὅτανθέλῃς γενέσθαι χρηστός, ὀφθήσει κακός.ἀλλʼ εἰπὲ πᾶν τἀληθές· ὡς ἐλευθέρῳψευδεῖ καλεῖσθαι κὴρ πρόσεστιν οὐ καλή.
If your hope is to escape detection, that cannot come to pass: many are those whom you told and who will inform me. And if you are afraid, your fear is mistaken, since it is not learning the truth that would pain me. But to know it, what is terrible in that? HasHeracles not all by himself already mated with a multitude of other women? And never yet has one of them come away with a harsh word or reproach from me, nor shall this girl, even if she should melt in her passion. Indeed, I felt a profound pity when I saw her becauseher beauty has destroyed her life, and she, unfortunate one, has against her will devastated her fatherland and enslaved it. Well, those things must go with the wind. But as for you, I tell you, be dishonest to others, but always speak the truth to me.
ὅπως δὲ λήσεις, οὐδὲ τοῦτο γίγνεται·πολλοὶ γὰρ οἷς εἴρηκας, οἳ φράσουσʼ ἐμοί.κεἰ μὲν δέδοικας, οὐ καλῶς ταρβεῖς, ἐπεὶτὸ μὴ πυθέσθαι, τοῦτό μʼ ἀλγύνειεν ἄν·τὸ δʼ εἰδέναι τί δεινόν; οὐχὶ χἀτέραςπλείστας ἀνὴρ εἷς Ἡρακλῆς ἔγημε δή;κοὔπω τις αὐτῶν ἔκ γʼ ἐμοῦ λόγον κακὸνἠνέγκατʼ οὐδʼ ὄνειδος· ἥδε τʼ οὐδʼ ἂν εἰκάρτʼ ἐντακείη τῷ φιλεῖν, ἐπεί σφʼ ἐγὼᾤκτιρα δὴ μάλιστα προσβλέψασʼ, ὅτιτὸ κάλλος αὐτῆς τὸν βίον διώλεσεν,καὶ γῆν πατρῴαν οὐχ ἑκοῦσα δύσμοροςἔπερσε κἀδούλωσεν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲνῥείτω κατʼ οὖρον· σοὶ δʼ ἐγὼ φράζω κακὸνπρὸς ἄλλον εἶναι, πρὸς δʼ ἔμʼ ἀψευδεῖν ἀεί.
Chorus:Obey her good and kind advice, and hereafter you will neither have cause to complain of this lady, nor lack my thanks.
Χορός:πείθου λεγούσῃ χρηστά, κοὐ μέμψει χρόνῳγυναικὶ τῇδε κἀπʼ ἐμοῦ κτήσει χάριν.
Lichas:Indeed, then, dear mistress. Since I see that you think as mortals should think and not without good judgment, I will tell you the whole truth, and not hide it.
Λίχας:ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλη δέσποινʼ, ἐπεί σε μανθάνωθνητὴν φρονοῦσαν θνητὰ κοὐκ ἀγνώμονα,πᾶν σοι φράσω τἀληθὲς οὐδὲ κρύψομαι.
Yes, it is just as this one says. That terrible longing for the girl long ago shot through Heracles, and for her sake the desolate Oechalia, her father’s land, was leveled by his spear. But he—I must say what is in his favor—he never ordered me to conceal the fact and never denied it. Instead I, lady, fearing to wound your heart by such news, erred—if you regard this in any way an error. Since, however, you now know the whole story,for his sake and for yours equally bear with the woman, and be willing that the gentle words which you spoke about her have been spoken unalterably. For though by the strength of his hands he is victorious in all else, Heracles has been utterly subdued by his passion for this girl.
ἔστιν γὰρ οὕτως ὥσπερ οὗτος ἐννέπει.ταύτης ὁ δεινὸς ἵμερός ποθʼ Ἡρακλῆδιῆλθε, καὶ τῆσδʼ εἵνεχʼ ἡ πολύφθοροςκαθῃρέθη πατρῷος Οἰχαλία δόρει.καὶ ταῦτα, δεῖ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πρὸς κείνου λέγειν,οὔτʼ εἶπε κρύπτειν οὔτʼ ἀπηρνήθη ποτέ,ἀλλʼ αὐτός, ὦ δέσποινα, δειμαίνων τὸ σὸνμὴ στέρνον ἀλγύνοιμι τοῖσδε τοῖς λόγοις,ἥμαρτον, εἴ τι τήνδʼ ἁμαρτίαν νέμεις.ἐπεί γε μὲν δὴ πάντʼ ἐπίστασαι λόγον,κείνου τε καὶ σὴν ἐξ ἴσου κοινὴν χάρινκαὶ στέργε τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ βούλου λόγους,οὓς εἶπας ἐς τήνδʼ, ἐμπέδως εἰρηκέναι·ὡς τἄλλʼ ἐκεῖνος πάντʼ ἀριστεύων χεροῖντοῦ τῆσδʼ ἔρωτος εἰς ἅπανθʼ ἥσσων ἔφυ.
Deianeira:My own thoughts move me to act as you advise. Rest assured that I will not earn another affliction for myself by waging a fruitless fight against the gods. But let us go into the house, so that you may carry him my messages and since gifts should be given in due recompense for gifts received,so that you may take these also. It would not be right that you should go back with empty hands, after coming with such a rich cargo. Exit Lichas, the Messenger and Deianeira into the house.
Δηιάνειρα:ἀλλʼ ὧδε καὶ φρονοῦμεν ὥστε ταῦτα δρᾶν,κοὔτοι νόσον γʼ ἐπακτὸν ἐξαρούμεθα,θεοῖσι δυσμαχοῦντες. ἀλλʼ εἴσω στέγηςχωρῶμεν, ὡς λόγων τʼ ἐπιστολὰς φέρῃς,ἅ τʼ ἀντὶ δώρων δῶρα χρὴ προσαρμόσαι,καὶ ταῦτʼ ἄγῃς· κενὸν γὰρ οὐ δίκαιά σεχωρεῖν προσελθόνθʼ ὧδε σὺν πολλῷ στόλῳ.
Chorus:Great and mighty is the victory which the Cyprian queen always bears away. I bypass the tales of the gods,and do not narrate how she beguiled the son of Cronus, and Hades, the lord of darkness, or Poseidon, shaker of the earth. But, when this bride was to be won,who were the massive rivals that entered the contest for her nuptials? Who stepped forward to the ordeal of battle full of blows and raising dust?
Χορός:μέγα τι σθένος ἁ Κύπρις ἐκφέρεται νίκας ἀεί.καὶ τὰ μὲν θεῶνπαρέβαν, καὶ ὅπως Κρονίδαν ἀπάτασεν οὐ λέγω,οὐδὲ τὸν ἔννυχον Ἅιδανἢ Ποσειδάωνα τινάκτορα γαίας·ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τάνδʼ ἄρʼ ἄκοιτιντίνες ἀμφίγυοι κατέβαν πρὸ γάμων,τίνες πάμπληκτα παγκόνιτά τʼ ἐξῆλθον ἄεθλʼ ἀγώνων;
Chorus:One was a mighty river-god, the form of a bull, high-horned and four-legged,Achelous, from Oeniadae. The other came from Thebes, home of Bacchus, brandishing his resilient bow, his spears and club; he was the son of Zeus. These two then met in a mass, lusting to win a bride,and the Cyprian goddess of nuptial joy was there with them, acting as sole umpire.
Χορός:ὁ μὲν ἦν ποταμοῦ σθένος, ὑψίκερω τετραόρουφάσμα ταύρου,Ἀχελῷος ἀπʼ Οἰνιαδᾶν, ὁ δὲ Βακχίας ἀπὸἦλθε παλίντονα Θήβαςτόξα καὶ λόγχας ῥόπαλόν τε τινάσσων,παῖς Διός· οἳ τότʼ ἀολλεῖςἴσαν ἐς μέσον ἱέμενοι λεχέων·μόνα δʼ εὔλεκτρος ἐν μέσῳ Κύπρις ῥαβδονόμει ξυνοῦσα.
Chorus:There was clatter of fists and clang of bow and crash of a bull’s horns mixed together;
Χορός:τότʼ ἦν χερός, ἦν δὲ τόξων πάταγος,ταυρείων τʼ ἀνάμιγδα κεράτων·
then there were close-locked grapplings and deadly blows from foreheads and loud deep cries from both. Meanwhile the delicate beauty sat on the side of a hill that could be seen from afar,awaiting the husband that would be hers. So the battle rages, as I narrate. But the face of the bride which is the prize of the strife awaits the end in piteous anguish. And suddenly she has left her mother,like an orphaned calf.Enter Deianeira.
ἦν δʼ ἀμφίπλεκτοι κλίμακες,ἦν δὲ μετώπων ὀλόενταπλήγματα, καὶ στόνος ἀμφοῖν.ἁ δʼ εὐῶπις ἁβρὰτηλαυγεῖ παρʼ ὄχθῳἧστο, τὸν ὃν προσμένουσʼ ἀκοίταν.ἀγὼν δὲ μαργᾷ μὲν οἷα φράζω·τὸ δʼ ἀμφινείκητον ὄμμα νύμφαςἐλεινὸν ἀμμένει·κἀπὸ ματρὸς ἄφαρ βέβακεν,ὥστε πόρτις ἐρήμα.
Deianeira:Dear friends, while our guest is saying his farewell to the captive girls in the house, I have stolen away partly to tell you what these hands have devised,and partly to grieve over my sufferings in your company. I have received a maiden—or, I believe, no longer a maiden, but an experienced woman—into my home, just as a mariner takes on cargo, a merchandise to wreck my peace of mind. And now we are two, a pair waiting undera single bedspread for one man’s embrace. Such is the reward that Heracles has sent me—he whom I called true and loyal—for guarding his home through all that long time. I do not know how to be angry with him, even though he is infected with this disease.
Δηιάνειρα:ἦμος, φίλαι, κατʼ οἶκον ὁ ξένος θροεῖταῖς αἰχμαλώτοις παισὶν ὡς ἐπʼ ἐξόδῳ,τῆμος θυραῖος ἦλθον ὡς ὑμᾶς λάθρᾳ,τὰ μὲν φράσουσα χερσὶν ἁτεχνησάμην,τὰ δʼ οἷα πάσχω συγκατοικτιουμένη.κόρην γάρ, οἶμαι δʼ οὐκέτʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐζευγμένην,παρεισδέδεγμαι φόρτον ὥστε ναυτίλος,λωβητὸν ἐμπόλημα τῆς ἐμῆς φρενός.καὶ νῦν δύʼ οὖσαι μίμνομεν μιᾶς ὑπὸχλαίνης ὑπαγκάλισμα. τοιάδʼ Ἡρακλῆς,ὁ πιστὸς ἡμῖν κἀγαθὸς καλούμενος,οἰκούριʼ ἀντέπεμψε τοῦ μακροῦ χρόνου.ἐγὼ δὲ θυμοῦσθαι μὲν οὐκ ἐπίσταμαινοσοῦντι κείνῳ πολλὰ τῇδε τῇ νόσῳ·
But, then again, to live with her, sharing the same marriage—what woman could endure it? For I see that the flower of her youth is blossoming, while mine is fading. The eyes of men love to pluck off the bloom of youth, but they turn their steps from the old.
τὸ δʼ αὖ ξυνοικεῖν τῇδʼ ὁμοῦ τίς ἂν γυνὴδύναιτο, κοινωνοῦσα τῶν αὐτῶν γάμων;ὁρῶ γὰρ ἥβην τὴν μὲν ἕρπουσαν πρόσω,τὴν δὲ φθίνουσαν· ὧν ἀφαρπάζειν φιλεῖὀφθαλμὸς ἄνθος, τῶν δʼ ὑπεκτρέπει πόδα.
On this account I am afraid lest Heracles, in name my husband, should be the younger woman’s man. But, as I said, anger brings shame to a woman of understanding. I will tell you, my friends, the way by which I will have deliverance and relief.
ταῦτʼ οὖν φοβοῦμαι μὴ πόσις μὲν Ἡρακλῆςἐμὸς καλῆται, τῆς νεωτέρας δʼ ἀνήρ.ἀλλʼ οὐ γάρ, ὥσπερ εἶπον, ὀργαίνειν καλὸνγυναῖκα νοῦν ἔχουσαν· ᾗ δʼ ἔχω, φίλαι,λυτήριον λώφημα, τῇδʼ ὑμῖν φράσω.
I had a gift, an old one given to me by a monster of long ago, and kept it hidden in a bronze urn. While yet a girl, I took this gift from the shaggy-chested Nessus—from his lifeblood, as he lay dying. He is the one who used to carry menin his arms for hire across the deep current of the Evenus, using no oar for conveyance, nor ship’s sail. He carried me, too, on his shoulders, when at my father’s sending, I first departed with Heracles as his wife. When I was in midstream,he touched me with lewd hands. I shrieked, and straightaway the son of Zeus turned round and with his hands shot a feathered arrow that whistled right through his chest to the lungs. As he passed away the monster spoke these few words: “Child of aged Oeneus,you will have this benefit from my ferrying, if you obey me, since you were the last whom I carried. If you gather with your hands the blood clotted round my wound, at the place where the Hydra, Lerna’s monstrous growth, imbued the arrow with black gall,you will have a charm for the heart of Heracles, so that he will never look upon any woman and love her more than you.” Remembering this charm, my friends—for, after his death, I had kept it carefully locked up in the house—I have imbued this robe with it, applying to it all that he instructed while he lived. The work is finished. May deeds of wicked daring always be far from my thoughts and from my knowledge, as I detest the women who attempt them! But if in any way I may prevail against this girl by love-spellsand the charms used on Heracles, the means to that end have been devised—unless I seem to be acting rashly. If so, I will stop immediately.
ἦν μοι παλαιὸν δῶρον ἀρχαίου ποτὲθηρός, λέβητι χαλκέῳ κεκρυμμένον,ὃ παῖς ἔτʼ οὖσα τοῦ δασυστέρνου παρὰΝέσσου φθίνοντος ἐκ φονῶν ἀνειλόμην,ὃς τὸν βαθύρρουν ποταμὸν Εὔηνον βροτοὺςμισθοῦ ʼπόρευε χερσίν, οὔτε πομπίμοιςκώπαις ἐρέσσων οὔτε λαίφεσιν νεώς.ὃς κἀμέ, τὸν πατρῷον ἡνίκα στόλονξὺν Ἡρακλεῖ τὸ πρῶτον εὖνις ἑσπόμην,φέρων ἐπʼ ὤμοις, ἡνίκʼ ἦ μέσῳ πόρῳ,ψαύει ματαίαις χερσίν· ἐκ δʼ ἤυσʼ ἐγώ,χὠ Ζηνὸς εὐθὺς παῖς ἐπιστρέψας χεροῖνἧκεν κομήτην ἰόν· ἐς δὲ πλεύμοναςστέρνων διερροίζησεν. ἐκθνῄσκων δʼ ὁ θὴρτοσοῦτον εἶπε· παῖ γέροντος Οἰνέως,τοσόνδʼ ὀνήσει τῶν ἐμῶν, ἐὰν πίθῃ,πορθμῶν, ὁθούνεχʼ ὑστάτην σʼ ἔπεμψʼ ἐγώ·ἐὰν γὰρ ἀμφίθρεπτον αἷμα τῶν ἐμῶνσφαγῶν ἐνέγκῃ χερσίν, ᾗ μελαγχόλουςἔβαψεν ἰοὺς θρέμμα Λερναίας ὕδρας,ἔσται φρενός σοι τοῦτο κηλητήριοντῆς Ἡρακλείας, ὥστε μήτινʼ εἰσιδὼνστέρξει γυναῖκα κεῖνος ἀντὶ σοῦ πλέον.τοῦτʼ ἐννοήσασʼ, ὦ φίλαι, δόμοις γὰρ ἦνκείνου θανόντος ἐγκεκλῃμένον καλῶς,χιτῶνα τόνδʼ ἔβαψα, προσβαλοῦσʼ ὅσαζῶν κεῖνος εἶπε· καὶ πεπείρανται τάδε.κακὰς δὲ τόλμας μήτʼ ἐπισταίμην ἐγὼμήτʼ ἐκμάθοιμι, τάς τε τολμώσας στυγῶ·φίλτροις δʼ ἐάν πως τήνδʼ ὑπερβαλώμεθατὴν παῖδα καὶ θέλκτροισι τοῖς ἐφʼ Ἡρακλεῖ,μεμηχάνηται τοὔργον, εἴ τι μὴ δοκῶπράσσειν μάταιον· εἰ δὲ μή, πεπαύσομαι.
Chorus:On the contrary. If there is any reason for confidence in these actions, we think that your plan is not wrong.
Χορός:ἀλλʼ εἴ τις ἐστὶ πίστις ἐν τοῖς δρωμένοις,δοκεῖς παρʼ ἡμῖν οὐ βεβουλεῦσθαι κακῶς.
Deianeira:My reason for confidence is this: there is the appearance of success in the plan. But the proof I have not yet essayed.
Δηιάνειρα:οὕτως ἔχει γʼ ἡ πίστις, ὡς τὸ μὲν δοκεῖνἔνεστι, πείρᾳ δʼ οὐ προσωμίλησά πω·
Chorus:Your knowledge must come after you act. For you can have no test which is not fanciful except by making the attempt.
Χορός:ἀλλʼ εἰδέναι χρὴ δρῶσαν, ὡς οὐδʼ εἰ δοκεῖςἔχειν, ἔχοις ἂν γνῶμα, μὴ πειρωμένη.
Deianeira:Well, we shall know shortly, for there I see the manalready at the doors. He will soon depart. Only I ask that I may be well sheltered by you! When you accomplish even shameful deeds under the cover of darkness, you will never fall into disgrace.Enter Lichas.
Δηιάνειρα:ἀλλʼ αὐτίκʼ εἰσόμεσθα, τόνδε γὰρ βλέπωθυραῖον ἤδη· διὰ τάχους δʼ ἐλεύσεται.μόνον παρʼ ὑμῶν εὖ στεγοίμεθʼ· ὡς σκότῳκἂν αἰσχρὰ πράσσῃς, οὔποτʼ αἰσχύνῃ πεσεῖ.
Lichas:What are your instructions? Tell me, daughter of Oeneus, for already I am tardy because of my long stay.
Λίχας:τί χρὴ ποεῖν; σήμαινε, τέκνον Οἰνέως,ὡς ἐσμὲν ἤδη τῷ μακρῷ χρόνῳ βραδεῖς.
Deianeira:In fact I have just been seeing to this very thing for you, Lichas, while you were addressing the foreign women in the house: take for me this long robe, prepared by my own hand, a gift to my absent husband. Give it to him and tell him to be sure that no manputs it on his body before him and that it not be seen by the light of the sun, nor by the sacred precinct, nor by the blaze at the hearth, until he stands conspicuous before all eyes and shows it clearly to the gods on a day for the sacrifice of bulls.
Δηιάνειρα:ἀλλʼ αὐτὰ δή σοι ταῦτα καὶ πράσσω, Λίχα,ἕως σὺ ταῖς ἔσωθεν ἠγορῶ ξέναις,ὅπως φέρῃς μοι τόνδε ταναϋφῆ πέπλον,δώρημʼ ἐκείνῳ τἀνδρὶ τῆς ἐμῆς χερός.διδοὺς δὲ τόνδε φράζʼ ὅπως μηδεὶς βροτῶνκείνου πάροιθεν ἀμφιδύσεται χροΐ,μηδʼ ὄψεταί νιν μήτε φέγγος ἡλίουμήθʼ ἕρκος ἱερὸν μήτʼ ἐφέστιον σέλας,πρὶν κεῖνος αὐτὸν φανερὸς ἐμφανῶς σταθεὶςδείξῃ θεοῖσιν ἡμέρᾳ ταυροσφάγῳ.
For so had I vowed, that if I should ever see or hear that he had come safely home, I would dutifully adorn him with this robe and reveal him to the god as a new sacrificer in new garb. As proof of your commission you will carry a token which he will easily recognizewithin the circle of this seal. Now go; and first, observe the rule that messengers should be unwilling to act out of line, and second, see to it that my thanks may be joined to his, doubling the gratitude you earn.
οὕτω γὰρ ηὔγμην, εἴ ποτʼ αὐτὸν ἐς δόμουςἴδοιμι σωθέντʼ ἢ κλύοιμι πανδίκως,στελεῖν χιτῶνι τῷδε καὶ φανεῖν θεοῖςθυτῆρα καινῷ καινὸν ἐν πεπλώματι.καὶ τῶνδʼ ἀποίσεις σῆμʼ, ὃ κεῖνος εὐμαθὲςσφραγῖδος ἕρκει τῷδʼ ἐπὸν μαθήσεται.ἀλλʼ ἕρπε, καὶ φύλασσε πρῶτα μὲν νόμον,τὸ μὴ ʼπιθυμεῖν πομπὸς ὢν περισσὰ δρᾶν·ἔπειθʼ ὅπως ἂν ἡ χάρις κείνου τέ σοικἀμοῦ ξυνελθοῦσʼ ἐξ ἁπλῆς διπλῆ φανῇ.
Lichas:If I practice Hermes’ art of heraldry with any skill, I certainly will never slip up while doing your errand. I will not fail to carry and present this chest in the same condition, nor to add to it the proper assurance of the reasons which you have for sending it.
Λίχας:ἀλλʼ εἴπερ Ἑρμοῦ τήνδε πομπεύω τέχνηνβέβαιον, οὔ τι μὴ σφαλῶ γʼ ἐν σοί ποτε,τὸ μὴ οὐ τόδʼ ἄγγος ὡς ἔχει δεῖξαι φέρων,λόγων τε πίστιν ὧν λέγεις ἐφαρμόσαι.
Deianeira:You may go now, for you know wellhow things are with us in the house.
Δηιάνειρα:στείχοις ἂν ἤδη· καὶ γὰρ ἐξεπίστασαιτά γʼ ἐν δόμοισιν ὡς ἔχοντα τυγχάνει.
Lichas:I know and will report that all is well.
Λίχας:ἐπίσταμαί τε καὶ φράσω σεσωσμένα.