HERACLES
  by　Euripides
  translated　by　E。　P。　Coleridge
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  AMPHITRYON；　husband　of　Alcmena；　the　mother　of　HERACLES
  MEGARA；　wife　of　HERACLES；　daughter　of　Creon
  LYCUS；　unlawful　King　of　Thebes
  IRIS
  MADNESS
  MESSENGER
  HERACLES；　son　of　Zeus　and　Alcmena
  THESEUS；　King　of　Athens
  CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN　OF　THEBES
  Sons　of　HERACLES；　guards；　attendants
  HERACLES
  HERACLES
  （SCENE：…Before　the　palace　of　HERACLES　at　Thebes。　Nearby　stands　the
  altar　of　Zeus；　on　the　steps　of　which　are　now　seated　AMPHITRYON；　MEGARA
  and　her　sons　by　HERACLES。　They　are　seeking　refuge　at　the　altar。）
  AMPHITRYON
  WHAT　mortal　hath　not　heard　of　him　who　shared　a　wife　with　Zeus；
  Amphitryon　of　Argos；　whom　on　a　day　Alcaeus；　son　of　Perseus　begat；
  Amphitryon　the　father　of　Heracles？　He　it　was　dwelt　here　in　Thebes；
  where　from　the　sowing　of　the　dragon's　teeth　grew　up　a　crop　of
  earth…born　giants；　for　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；　in　the　day　that　Heracles；　illustrious
  chief；　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；　whence　I　am
  exiled　for　the　slaying　of　Electryon；　so　he；　wishing　to　lighten　my
  affliction　and　to　find　a　home　in　his　own　land；　did　offer　Eurystheus
  a　mighty　price　for　my　recall；　even　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。　Divers　are　the　toils　he　hath
  accomplished；　and　last　of　all　hath　he　passed　through　the　mouth　of
  Taenarus　into　the　halls　of　Hades　to　drag　to　the　light　that　hound
  with　bodies　three；　and　thence　is　he　never　returned。　Now　there　is　an
  ancient　legend　amongst　the　race　of　Cadmus；　that　one　Lycus　in　days　gone
  by　was　husband　to　Dirce　being　king　of　this　city　with　its　seven　towers；
  before　that　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；　albeit　no　Theban　but　a　stranger　from
  Euboea；　slew　Creon；　and　after　that　seized　the　government；　having
  fallen　on　this　city　when　weakened　by　dissension。　So　this　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　illustrious　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　amongst　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；　whilst　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　Saviour；　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；　of
  drink；　and　raiment；　huddled　together　on　the　hard　bare　ground；　for　we
  are　barred　out　from　our　house　and　sit　here　for　want　of　any　other
  safety。　As　for　friends；　some　I　see　are　insincere；　while　others；　who
  are　staunch；　have　no　power　to　help　us　further。　This　is　what　misfortune
  means　to　man；　God　grant　it　may　never　fall　to　the　lot　of　any　who
  bears　the　least　goodwill　to　me；　to　apply　this　never…failing　test　of
  friendship！
  MEGARA
  Old　warrior；　who　erst　did　raze　the　citadel　of　the　Taphians　leading
  on　the　troops　of　Thebes　to　glory；　how　uncertain　are　God's　dealings
  with　man！　For　I；　as　far　as　concerned　my　sire　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　me　did　he　betroth　to　thy　son；　matching　me
  in　glorious　marriage　with　Heracles。　Whereas　now　all　that　is　dead　and
  gone　from　us；　and　I　and　thou；　old　friend；　art　doomed　to　die；　and　these
  children　of　Heracles；　whom　I　am　guarding　'neath　my　wing　as　a　bird
  keepeth　her　tender　chicks　under　her。　And　they　the　while　in　turn　keep
  asking　me；　〃Mother；　whither　is　our　father　gone　from　the　land？　what
  is　he　about？　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　'tis　he　whenever　a　door　creaks　on　its
  hinges；　and　up　they　all　start；　thinking　to　embrace　their　father's
  knees。　What　hope　or　way　of　salvation　art　thou　now　devising；　old
  friend？　for　to　thee　I　look。　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　thy　scheme　is；　declare　it；　lest　our　death　be　made　ready；
  while　we　are　only　prolonging　the　time；　powerless　to　escape。
  AMPHITRYON
  'Tis　by　no　means　easy；　my　daughter；　to　give　one's　earnest　advice
  on　such　matters　easily；　without　weary　thought。
  MEGARA
  Dost　need　a　further　taste　of　grief；　or　cling　so　fast　to　life？
  AMPHITRYON
  Yes；　I　love　this　life；　and　cling　to　its　hopes。
  MEGARA
  So　do　I；　but　it　boots　not　to　expect　the　unexpected；　old　friend。
  AMPHITRYON
  In　these　delays　is　left　the　only　cure　for　our　evils。
  MEGARA
  'Tis　the　pain　of　that　interval　I　feel　so。
  AMPHITRYON
  Daughter；　there　may　yet　be　a　happy　escape　from　present　troubles
  for　me　and　thee；　my　son；　thy　husband；　may　yet　arrive。　So　calm　thyself；
  and　wipe　those　tears　from　thy　children's　eyes；　and　soothe　them　with
  soft　words；　inventing　a　tale　to　delude　them；　piteous　though　such　fraud
  be。　Yea；　for　men's　misfortunes　ofttimes　flag；　and　the　stormy　wind　doth
  not　always　blow　so　strong；　nor　are　the　prosperous　ever　so；　for　all
  things　change；　making　way　for　each　other。　The　bravest　man　is　he　who
  relieth　ever　on　his　hopes；　but　despair　is　the　mark　of　a　coward。
  （The　CHORUS　OF　OLD　MEN　OF　THEBES　enters。）
  CHORUS　（chanting）
  strophe
  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　but　a　voice　and　nothing　more；　a　fancy　bred　of
  the　visions　of　sleep　by　night；　palsied　with　age；　yet　meaning　kindly。
  All　hail！　ye　orphaned　babes！　all　hail；　old　friend　thou　too；　…unhappy
  mother；　wailing　for　thy　husband　in　the　halls　of　Hades！
  antistrophe
  Faint　not　too　soon　upon　your　way；　nor　let　your　limbs　grow　weary；
  even　as　a　colt　beneath　the　yoke　grows　weary　as　he　mounts　some　stony
  hill；　dragging　the　weight　of　a　wheeled　car。　Take　hold　of　hand　or　robe；
  whoso　feels　his　footsteps　falter。　Old　friend；　escort　another　like
  thyself；　who　erst　amid　his　toiling　peers　in　the　days　of　our　youth
  would　take　his　place　beside　thee；　no　blot　upon　his　country's
  glorious　record。
  See；　how　like　their　father's　sternly　flash　these　children's
  eyes！　Misfortune；　God　wot；　hath　not　failed　his　children；　nor　yet
  hath　his　comeliness　been　denied　them。　O　Hellas！　if　thou　lose　these；　of
  what　allies　wilt　thou　rob　thyself！
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  But　I　see　Lycus；　the　ruler　of　this　land；　drawing　near　the　house。
  （Lycus　and　his　attendants　enter。）
  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　choose。　How　long　do　ye　seek　to　prolong　your　lives？　What
  hope；　what　succour　do　ye　see　to　save　you　from　death？　Do　you　trust　that
  these　children's　father；　who　lies　dead　in　the　halls　of　Hades；　will
  return？　How　unworthily　ye　show　your　sorrow　at　having　to　die；　thou
  （to　AMPHITRYON）　after　thy　idle　boasts；　scattered　broadcast　through
  Hellas；　that　Zeus　was　partner　in　thy　marriage…bed　and　there　begat　a
  new　god；　and　thou　（to　MEGARA）　after　calling　thyself　the　wife　of　so
  peerless　a　lord。
  After　all；　what　was　the　fine　exploit　thy　husband　achieved；　if　he
  did　kil　a　hydra　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。
  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　valour　in　his　contests　with　beasts；　in　all　else　a　weakling；　who
  ne'er　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。　My　policy；
  again；　old　man；　shows　no　reckless　cruelty；　but　caution；　for　I　am
  well　aware　I　slew　Creon；　the　father　of　Megara；　and　am　in　possession　of
  his　thr