well　aware　I　slew　Creon；　the　father　of　Megara；　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。
  AMPHITRYON
  As　for　Zeus；　let　Zeus　defend　his　son's　case；　but　as　for　me；
  Heracles；　I　am　only　anxious　on　thy　behalf　to　prove　by　what　I　say
  this　tyrant's　ignorance；　for　I　cannot　allow　thee　to　be　ill　spoken
  of。　First　then　for　that　which　should　never　have　been　said；…for　to
  speak　of　thee　Heracles　as　coward　is；　methinks；　outside　the　pale　of
  speech；…of　that　must　I　clear　the　with　heaven　to　witness。　I　appeal　then
  to　the　thunder　of　Zeus；　and　the　chariot　wherein　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；　thou　craven
  king；　ask　them　who　they　would　judge　their　bravest　foe；　will　they　not
  say　my　son；　who　according　to　thee　is　but　a　pretender？　Wert　thou　to　ask
  Euboean　Dirphys；　thy　native　place；　it　would　nowise　sing　thy　praise；
  for　thou　hast　never　done　a　single　gallant　deed　to　which　thy　country
  can　witness。　Next　thou　dost　disparage　that　clever　invention；　an
  archer's　weapon；　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　neighbours；
  or；　if　he　break　his　spear；　he　has　not　wherewithal　to　defend　his　body
  from　death；　having　only　one　means　of　defence；　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　wherewith　to　defend　himself　from　death；　and　standing　at　a
  distance　keeps　off　the　enemy；　wounding　them　for　all　their　watchfulness
  with　shafts　invisible；　and　never　exposing　himself　to　the　foe；　but
  keeping　under　cover；　and　this　is　far　the　wisest　course　in　battle；　to
  harm　the　enemy；　if　they　are　not　stationed　out　of　shot；　and　keep　safe
  oneself。　These　arguments　are　completely　opposite　to　thine　with
  regard　to　the　point　at　issue。　Next；　why　art　thou　desirous　of　slaying
  these　children？　What　have　they　done　to　thee？　One　piece　of　wisdom
  credit　thee　with；　thy　coward　terror　of　a　brave　man's　descendants。
  Still　it　is　hard　on　us；　if　for　thy　cowardice　we　must　die；　a　fate
  that　ought　to　have　overtaken　thee　at　our　braver　hands；　if　Zeus　had
  been　fairly　disposed　towards　us。　But；　if　thou　art　so　anxious　to　make
  thyself　supreme　in　the　land；　let　us　at　least　go　into　exile；　abstain
  from　all　violence；　else　thou　wilt　suffer　by　it　whenso　the　deity　causes
  fortune's　breeze　to　veer　round。
  Ah！　thou　land　of　Cadmus；…for　to　thee　too　will　I　turn；　upbraiding
  thee　with　words　of　reproach；…is　this　your　succour　of　Heracles　and
  his　children？　the　man　who　faced　alone　the　Minyan　host　in　battle　and
  allowed　Thebes　to　see　the　light　with　freemen's　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　babes；　to　requite　him　for　all　his　labours　in　purging
  land　and　sea。　Such　help；　my　children；　neither　Hellas　nor　the　city　of
  Thebes　affords　you；　to　me　a　feeble　friend　ye　look；　that　am　but　empty
  sound　and　nothing　more。　For　the　vigour　which　once　I　had；　is　gone
  from　me；　my　limbs　are　palsied　with　age；　and　my　strength　is　decayed。
  Were　I　but　young　and　still　a　man　of　my　hands；　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　prowes　beyond　the　bounds　of　Atlas。
  LEADER
  Have　not　the　brave　amongst　mankind　a　fair　opening　for　speech；
  albeit　slow　to　begin？
  LYCUS
  Say　what　thou　wilt　of　me　in　thy　exalted　phrase；　but　I　by　deeds
  will　make　thee　rue　those　words。　（Calling　to　his　servants）　Ho！　bid
  wood…cutters　go；　some　to　Helicon；　others　to　the　glens　of　Parnassus；
  and　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　thereof；　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　ye　thwart　my　views；
  not　for　the　children　of　Heracles　alone　shall　ye　lament　but　likewise
  for　every　blow　that　strikes　his　house；　and　ye　shall　ne'er　forget　ye
  are　slaves　and　I　your　prince。
  LEADER
  Ye　sons　of　Earth；　whom　Ares　on　a　day　did　sow；　when　from　the
  dragon's　ravening　jaw　he　had　torn　the　teeth；　up　with　your　staves；
  whereon　ye　lean　your　hands；　and　dash　out　this　miscreant's　brains！　a
  fellow　who；　without　even　being　a　Theban；　but　a　foreigner；　lords　it
  shamefully　o'er　the　younger　folk；　but　my　master　shalt　thou　never　be　to
  thy　joy；　nor　shalt　thou　reap　the　harvest　of　all　my　toil；　begone　with
  my　curse　upon　thee！　carry　thy　insolence　back　to　the　place　whence　it
  came。　For　never　whilst　I　live；　shalt　thou　slay　these　sons　of　Heracles；
  not　so　deep　beneath　the　earth　hath　their　father　disappeared　from　his
  children's　ken。　Thou　art　in　possession　of　this　land　which　thou　hast
  ruined；　while　he　its　benefactor　has　missed　his　just　reward；　and　yet　do
  I　take　too　much　upon　myself　because　I　help　those　I　love　after　their
  death；　when　most　they　need　a　friend？　Ah！　right　hand；　how　fain
  wouldst　thou　wield　the　spear；　but　thy　weakness　is　a　death…blow　to
  thy　fond　desire；　for　then　had　I　stopped　thee　calling　me　slave；　and　I
  would　have　governed　Thebes；　wherein　thou　art　now　exulting；　with
  credit；　for　city　sick　with　dissension　and　evil　counsels　thinketh　not
  aright；　otherwise　it　would　never　have　accepted　thee　as　its　master。
  MEGARA
  Old　sirs；　I　thank　you；　'tis　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　haply　there　appear　to　thee　to　be　aught　in
  what　I　say。　I　love　my　children；　strange　if　I　did　not　love　those　whom　I
  laboured　to　bring　forth！　Death　I　count　a　dreadful　fate；　but　the　man
  who　wrestles　with　necessity　I　esteem　a　fool。　Since　we　must　die；　let　us
  do　so　without　being　burnt　alive；　to　furnish　our　foes　with　food　for
  merriment；　which　to　my　mind　is　an　evil　worse　than　death；　for　many　a
  fair　guerdon　do　we　owe　our　family。　Thine　has　ever　been　a　warrior's
  fair　fame；　so　'tis　not　to　be　endured　that　thou　shouldst　die　a　coward's
  death；　and　my　husband's　reputation　needs　no　one　to　witness　that　he
  would　ne'er　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。　As　to　thy　hopes　consider　how　I　weigh
  them。　Thou　thinkest　thy　son　will　return　from　beneath　the　earth：　who
  ever　has　come　back　from　the　dead　out　of　the　halls　of　Hades？　Thou
  hast　a　hope　perhaps　of　softening　this　man　by　entreaty：　no；　no！
  better　to　fly　from　one's　enemy　when　he　is　so　brutish；　but　yield　to　men
  of　breeding　and　wisdom；　for　thou　wilt　more　easily　obtain　mercy　there
  by　friendly　overtures。　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；　for　'tis　a　saying　that　hosts　look　sweetly　on
  banished　friends　for　a　day　and　no　more。　Steel　thy　heart　to　die　with
  us；　for　that　awaits　thee　after　all。　By　thy　brave　soul　I　challenge
  thee；　old　friend；　for　whoso　struggles　hard　to　escape　destiny　shows
  zeal　no　doubt；　but　'tis　zeal　with　a　taint　of　folly；　for　what　must
  be；　no　one　will　ever　avail　to　alter。
  LEADER
  If　a　man　had　insulted　thee；　while　yet　my　arms　were　lusty；　there
  would　have　been　an　easy　way　to　stop　him；　but　now　am　I　a　thing　of
  naught；　and　so　thou　henceforth；　Amphitryon；　must　scheme　how　to　avert
  misfortune。
  AMPHITRYON
  'Tis　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
  vainly　wishing　for　impossibilities。　Lo！　here　is　my　neck　ready　for
  thy　sword　to　pierce；　my　body　for　thee　to　hack　or　hurl　from　the　rock；
  only　one　boon　I　crave　for　both　of　us；　O　king；　slay　me　and　this　hapless
  mother　before　thou　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　sire；　for　the　rest　work　thy　will；　if　so　thou　art
  inclined；　for　we　have　no　defence　against　death。
  MEGARA
  I　too　implore　thee　add　a　second　boon；　that　by　thy　single　act
  thou　mayst　put　us　both　under　a　double　obligation；　suffer　me　to　deck　my
  children　in　the　robes　of　death；…first　opening　the　palace　gates；　for
  now　are　we　shut　out；…that　this　at　least　they　may　obtain　from　their
  father's　halls。
  LYCUS
  I　grant　it；　and　bid　my　servants　undo　the　bolts。　Go　in　and　deck
  yourselves；　robes　I　grudge　not。　But　soon　as　ye　have　clothed
  yourselves；　I　will　return　to　you　to　consign　you　to　the　nether　world。
  （Lycus　and　his　retinue　withdraw。）
  MEGARA
  Children；　follow　the　footsteps　of　your　hapless　mother　to　your
  father's　halls；　where　others　po