Is　he　sleeping？
  AMPHITRYON
  Aye；　that　is　he；　a　deathly　sleep；　having　slain　wife　and　children
  with　the　arrows　of　his　twanging　bow。
  CHORUS
  Ah！　mourn…
  AMPHITRYON
  I　do。
  CHORUS
  The　children's　death；
  AMPHITRYON
  Ah　me！
  CHORUS
  And　thy　own　son's　doom。
  AMPHITRYON
  Ah　misery！
  CHORUS
  Old　friend…
  AMPHITRYON
  Hush！　hush！　he　is　turning；　he　is　waking！　Oh　Oh！　let　me　hide　myself
  beneath　the　covert　of　yon　roof。
  CHORUS
  Courage！　darkness　still　broods　o'er　thy　son's　eye。
  AMPHITRYON
  Oh！　beware；　'tis　not　that　I　shrink　from　leaving　the　light　after　my
  miseries；　poor　wretch！　but　should　he　slay　me　that　am　his　father；
  then　will　he　be　devising　woe　on　woe；　and　to　the　avenging　curse　will
  add　a　parent's　blood。
  CHORUS
  Well　for　thee　hadst　thou　died　in　that　day；　when；　to　win　thy
  wife；　thou　didst　go　forth　to　exact　vengeance　for　her　slain　brethren　by
  sacking　the　Taphians'　sea…beat　town。
  AMPHITRYON
  Fly；　fly；　my　aged　friends；　haste　from　before　the　palace；　escape
  his　waking　fury！　For　soon　will　he　heap　up　fresh　carnage　on　the　old；
  ranging　wildly　once　more　through　the　streets　of　Thebes。
  CHORUS
  O　Zeus；　why　hast　thou　shown　such　savage　hate　against　thine　own　son
  and　plunged　him　in　this　sea　of　troubles？
  HERACLES　（waking）
  Aha！　my　breath　returns；　I　am　alive；　and　my　eyes　see；　opening　on
  the　sky　and　earth　and　yon　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；　made
  fast　with　cables　like　a　ship；　my　brawny　chest　and　arms　tied　to　a
  shattered　piece　of　masonry；　with　corpses　for　my　neighbours；　while　o'er
  the　floor　my　bow　and　arrows　are　scattered；　that　erst　like　trusty
  squires　to　my　arm　both　kept　me　safe　and　were　kept　safe　of　me？　Surely　I
  am　not　come　a　second　time　to　Hades'　halls；　having　just　returned　from
  thence　for　Eurystheus？　No；　I　do　not　see　Sisyphus　with　his　stone；　or
  Pluto；　or　his　queen；　Demeter's　child。　Surely　I　am　distraught；　I　cannot
  remember　where　I　am。　Ho；　there！　which　of　my　friends　is　near　or　far
  to　help　me　in　my　ignorance？　For　I　have　no　clear　knowledge　of　things
  once　familiar。
  AMPHITRYON
  My　aged　friends；　shall　I　approach　the　scene　of　my　sorrow？
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Yes；　and　let　me　go　with　thee；　nor　desert　thee　in　thy　trouble。
  HERACLES
  Father；　why　dost　thou　weep　and　veil　thy　eyes；　standing　aloof
  from　thy　beloved　son？
  AMPHITRYON
  My　child！　mine　still；　for　all　thy　misery。
  HERACLES
  Why；　what　is　there　so　sad　in　my　case　that　thou　dost　weep？
  AMPHITRYON
  That　which　might　make　any　of　the　gods　weep；　were　he　to　suffer　so。
  HERACLES
  A　bold　assertion　that；　but　thou　art　not　yet　explaining　what　has
  happened。
  AMPHITRYON
  Thine　own　eyes　see　that；　if　by　this　time　thou　are　restored　to
  thy　senses。
  HERACLES
  Fill　in　thy　sketch　if　any　change　awaits　my　life。
  AMPHITRYON
  I　will　explain；　if　thou　art　no　longer　mad　as　a　fiend　of　hell。
  HERACLES
  God　help　us！　what　suspicions　these　dark　hints　of　thine　again
  excite！
  AMPHITRYON
  I　am　still　doubtful　whether　thou　art　in　thy　sober　senses。
  HERACLES
  I　never　remember　being　mad。
  AMPHITRYON
  Am　I　to　loose　my　son；　old　friends；　or　what？
  HERACLES
  Loose　and　say　who　bound　me；　for　I　feel　shame　at　this。
  AMPHITRYON
  Rest　content　with　what　thou　knowest　of　thy　woes；　the　rest　forego。
  HERACLES
  Enough！　I　have　no　wish　to　probe　thy　silence。
  AMPHITRYON
  O　Zeus；　dost　thou　behold　these　deeds　proceeding　from　the　throne　of
  Hera？
  HERACLES
  What！　have　I　suffered　something　from　her　enmity？
  AMPHITRYON
  A　truce　to　the　goddess！　attend　to　thy　own　troubles。
  HERACLES
  I　am　undone；　what　mischance　wilt　thou　unfold？
  AMPHITRYON
  See　here　the　corpses　of　thy　children。
  HERACLES
  O　horror！　what　hideous　sight　is　here？　ah　me！
  AMPHITRYON
  My　son；　against　thy　children　hast　thou　waged　unnatural　war。
  HERACLES
  War！　what　meanst　thou？　who　killed　these？
  AMPHITRYON
  Thou　and　thy　bow　and　some　god；　whoso　he　be　that　is　to　blame。
  HERACLES
  What　sayst　thou？　what　have　I　done？　Speak；　father；　thou　messenger
  of　evil。
  AMPHITRYON
  Thou　wert　distraught；　'tis　a　sad　explanation　thou　art　asking。
  HERACLES
  Was　it　I　that　slew　my　wife　also？
  AMPHITRYON
  Thy　own　unaided　arm　hath　done　all　this。
  HERACLES
  Ah；　woe　is　me！　a　cloud　of　sorrow　wraps　me　round。
  AMPHITRYON
  The　reason　this　that　I　lament　thy　fate。
  HERACLES
  Did　I　dash　my　house　to　pieces　or　incite　others　thereto？
  AMPHITRYON
  Naught　know　I　save　this；　that　thou　art　utterly　undone。
  HERACLES
  Where　did　my　frenzy　seize　me？　where　did　it　destroy　me？
  AMPHITRYON
  In　the　moment　thou　wert　purifying　thyself　witb　fire　at　the　altar。
  HERACLES
  Ah　me！　why　do　I　spare　my　own　life　when　I　have　taken　that　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　in　the　fire　and　so　avert　from　my　life　the　infamy　which　now
  awaits　me？
  But　hither　I　see　Theseus　coming　to　check　my　deadly　counsels；　my
  kinsman　and　friend。　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　release
  from　my　sorrows？　shall　I　take　wings　or　plunge　beneath　the　earth？　Come；
  let　me　veil　my　head　in　darkness；　for　I　am　ashamed　of　the　evil　I　have
  done；　and；　since　for　these　I　have　incurred　fresh　blood…guiltiness；　I
  would　fain　not　harm　the　innocent。
  （THESEUS　and　his　retinue　enter。）
  THESEUS
  I　am　come；　and　others　with　me；　young　warriors　from　the　land　of
  Athens；　encamped　by　the　streams　of　Asopus；　to　help　thy　son；　old
  friend。　For　a　rumour　reached　the　city　of　the　Erechtheidae；　that
  Lycus　had　usurped　the　sceptre　of　this　land　and　was　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　haply　ye
  have　any　need　of　such　aid　as　I　or　my　allies　can　give；　old　prince。
  Ha！　what　means　this　heap　of　dead　upon　the　floor？　Surely　I　have　not
  delayed　too　long　and　come　too　late　to　check　new　ills？　Who　slew　these
  children？　whose　wife　is　this　I　see？　Boys　do　not　go　to　battle；　nay；
  it　must　be　some　other　strange　mischance　I　here　discover。
  （The　following　lines　between　THESEUS　and
  AMPHITRYON　are　chanted　responsively。）
  AMPHITRYON
  O　king；　whose　home　is　that　olive…clad　hill！
  THESEUS
  Why　this　piteous　prelude　in　addressing　me？
  AMPHITRYON
  Heaven　has　afflicted　us　with　grievous　suffering。
  THESEUS
  Whose　be　these　children；　o'er　whom　thou　weepest？
  AMPHITRYON
  My　own　son's　children；　woe　to　him！　their　father　and　butcher　both
  was　he；　hardening　his　heart　to　the　bloody　deed。
  THESEUS
  Hush　good　words　only！
  AMPHITRYON
  I　would　I　could　obey！
  THESEUS
  What　dreadful　words！
  AMPHITRYON
  Fortune　has　spread　her　wings；　and　we　are　ruined；　ruined。
  THESEUS
  What　meanest　thou？　what　hath　he　done？
  AMPHITRYON
  Slain　them　in　a　wild　fit　of　frenzy　with　arrows　dipped　in　the　venom
  of　the　hundred…headed　hydra。
  THESEUS
  This　is　Hera's　work；　but　who　lies　there　among　the　dead；　old　man？
  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。
  THESEUS
  Ah；　woe　for　him！　whose　fortune　was　e'er　so　curst　as　his？
  AMPHITRYON
  Never　wilt　thou　find　another　that　hath　borne　a　larger　share　of
  suffering　or　been　more　fatally　deceived。
  THESEUS
  Why　doth　he　veil　his　head；　poor　wretch；　in　his　robe？
  AMPHITRYON
  He　is　ashamed　to　meet　thine　eye；　his　kinsman's　kind　intent　and　his
  children's　blood　make　him　abashed。
  THESEUS
  But　I　come　to　sympathize；　uncover　him。
  AMPHITRYON
  My　son；　remove　that　mantle　from　thine　eyes；　throw　it　from　thee；
  show　thy　fare　unto　the　sun；　a　counterpoise　to　weeping　is　battling
  for　the　mastery。　In　suppliant　wise　I　entreat　thee；　as　I　grasp　thy
  beard；　thy　knees；　thy　hands；　and　let　fall　the　tear　from　my　old　eyes。　O
  my　child！　restrain　thy　savage　lion…like　temper；　for　thou　art　rushing
  forth　on　an　unholy　course　of　bloodshed；　eager　to　join　woe　to　woe。
  THESEUS
  Ho！　To　thee　I　call　who　art　huddled　there　in　thy　misery；　show　to
  they　friends　thy　face；　for　no　darkness　is　black　enough　to　hide　thy　sad
  mischance。　Why　dost　thou　wave　thy　hand　at　me；　signifying　murder？　is　it
  that　I　may　not　be　polluted　by　speaking　with　thee？　If　I　share　thy
  misfortune；　what　is　that　to　me？　For　if　I　too　had　luck　in　days　gone　by；
  must　refer　it　to　the　time　when　thou　didst　bring　me　safe　from　the
  dead　to　the　light　of　life。　I　hate　a　friend　whose　gratitude　grows
  old；　one　who　ready　to　enjoy　his　friends'　prosperity　but　unwilling　to
  sail　in　the　same　ship　with　them　when　their　fortune　lours。　Arise；
  unveil　thy　head；　poor　wretch！　and　look　on　me。　The　gallant　soul　endures
  without　a　word　such　blows　as　heaven　deals。
  HERACLES
  O　Theseus；　didst　thou　witness　this　struggle　with　my　child