HERACLES
  O　Theseus；　didst　thou　witness　this　struggle　with　my　children？
  THESEUS
  I　heard　of　it；　and　now　I　see　the　horrors　thou　meanest。
  HERACLES
  Why　then　hast　thou　unveiled　my　head　to　the　sun？
  THESEUS
  Why　have　I？　Thou；　a　man；　canst　not　pollute　what　is　of　God。
  HERACLES
  Fly；　luckless　wretch；　from　my　unholy　taint。
  THESEUS
  The　avenging　fiend　goes　not　forth　from　friend　to　friend。
  HERACLES
  For　this　I　thank　thee；　I　do　not　regret　the　service　I　did　thee。
  THESEUS
  While　I；　for　kindness　then　received；　now　show　my　pity　for　thee。
  HERACLES
  Ah　yes！　I　am　piteous；　a　murderer　of　my　sons。
  THESEUS
  I　weep　for　thee　in　thy　changed　fortunes。
  HERACLES
  Didst　ever　find　another　more　afflicted？
  THESEUS
  Thy　misfortunes　reach　from　earth　to　heaven。
  HERACLES
  Therefore　am　I　resolved　on　death。
  THESEUS
  Dost　thou　suppose　the　gods　attend　to　these　thy　threats？
  HERACLES
  Remorseless　hath　heaven　been　to　me；　so　I　will　prove　the　like　to
  it。
  THESEUS
  Hush！　lest　thy　presumption　add　to　thy　sufferings。
  HERACLES
  My　barque　is　freighted　full　with　sorrow；　there　is　no　room　to
  stow　aught　further。
  THESEUS
  What　wilt　thou　do？　whither　is　thy　fury　drifting　thee？
  HERACLES
  I　will　die　and　return　to　that　world　below　whence　I　have　just　come。
  THESEUS
  Such　language　is　fit　for　any　common　fellow。
  HERACLES
  Ah！　thine　is　the　advice　of　one　outside　sorrow's　pale。
  THESEUS
  Are　these　indeed　the　words　of　Heracles；　the　much…enduring？
  HERACLES
  Though　never　so　much　as　this。　Endurance　must　have　a　limit。
  THESEUS
  Is　this　man's　benefactor；　his　chiefest　friend？
  HERACLES
  Man　brings　no　help　to　me；　no！　Hera　has　her　way。
  THESEUS
  Never　will　Hellas　suffer　thee　to　die　through　sheer　perversity。
  HERACLES
  Hear　me　a　moment；　that　I　may　enter　the　lists　with　words　in
  answer　to　thy　admonitions；　and　I　will　unfold　to　thee　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　sire。　Now　when　the　foundation　is　badly
  laid　at　birth；　needs　must　the　race　be　cursed　with　woe；　and　Zeus；
  whoever　this　Zeus　may　be；　begot　me　as　a　butt　for　Hera's　hate；　yet　be
  not　thou　vexed　thereat；　old　man；　for　thee　rather　than　Zeus　do　I　regard
  as　my　father。　Then　whilst　I　was　yet　being　suckled；　that　bride　of
  Zeus　did　foist　into　my　cradle　fearsome　snakes　to　compass　my　death。
  After　I　was　grown　to　man's　estate；　of　all　the　toils　I　then　endured
  what　need　to　tell？　of　all　the　lions；　Typhons　triple…bodied；　and　giants
  that　I　slew；　or　of　the　battle　I　won　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　countless　other
  toils　besides　and　came　unto　the　dead　to　fetch　to　the　light　at　the
  bidding　of　Eurystheus　the　three…headed　hound；　hell's　porter。　Last；　ah；
  woe　is　me　have　I　perpetrated　this　bloody　deed　to　crown　the　sorrows
  of　my　house　with　my　children's　murder。　To　this　sore　strait　am　I
  come；　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　repair？
  For　mine　is　no　curse　that　invites　address。　Shall　I　to　Argos？　how　can
  I；　when　I　am　an　exile　from　my　country？　Well；　is　there　a　single　other
  city　I　can　fly　to？　And　if　there　were；　am　I　to　be　looked　at　askance
  as　a　marked　man；　branded　by　cruel　stabbing　tongues；　〃Is　not　this　the
  son　of　Zeus　that　once　murdered　wife　and　children？　Plague　take　him　from
  the　land！〃
  Now　to　one　who　was　erst　called　happy；　such　changes　are　a
  grievous　thing；　though　he　who　is　always　unfortunate　feels　no　such
  pain；　for　sorrow　is　his　birthright。　This；　methinks；　is　the　piteous
  pass　I　shall　one　day　come　to；　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。　Wherefore　this　is　best；　that　henceforth　I　be　seen　by　none　of
  the　Hellenes；　amongst　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　break　forth　in
  dancing；　beating　with　buskined　foot　on　heaven's　bright　floor；　for
  now　hath　she　worked　her　heart's　desire　in　utterly　confounding　the
  chiefest　of　Hellas'　sons。　Who　would　pray　to　such　a　goddess？　Her
  jealousy　of　Zeus　for　his　love　of　a　woman　hath　destroyed　the
  benefactors　of　Hellas；　guiltless　though　they　were。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  This　is　the　work　of　none　other　of　the　gods　than　the　wife　of
  Zeus；　thou　art　right　in　that　surmise。
  THESEUS
  I　cannot　counsel　you　to　die　rather　than　to　go　on　suffering。
  There　is　not　a　man　alive　that　hath　wholly　'scaped　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。　And　yet　what
  shalt　thou　say　in　thy　defence；　if　thou；　child　of　man；　dost　kick
  against　the　pricks　of　fate；　while　they　do　not？　Nay；　then；　leave　Thebes
  in　compliance　with　the　law；　and　come　with　me　to　the　city　of　Pallas。
  There；　when　I　have　purified　thee　of　thy　pollution；　will　I　give　thee
  temples　and　the　half　of　all　I　have。　Yea；　I　will　give　thee　all　those
  presents　I　received　from　the　citizens　for　saving　their　children；　seven
  sons　and　daughters　seven；　on　the　day　I　slew　the　bull　of　Crete；　for　I
  have　plots　of　land　assigned　me　throughout　the　country；　these　shall
  henceforth　be　called　after　thee　by　men；　whilst　thou　livest；　and　at　thy
  death；　when　thou　art　gone　to　Hades'　halls；　the　city　of　Athens　shall
  unite　in　exalting　thy　honour　with　sacrifices　and　a　monument　of
  stone。　For　'tis　a　noble　crown　for　citizens　to　win　from　Hellas；　even
  a　reputation　fair；　by　helping　a　man　of　worth。　This　is　the　return
  that　I　will　make　thee　for　saving　me；　for　now　art　thou　in　need　of
  friends。　But　when　heaven　delights　to　honour　a　man；　he　has　no　need　of
  friends；　for　the　god's　aid；　when　he　chooses　to　give　it；　is　enough。
  HERACLES
  Alas！　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　fetters　on　parents'　hands；　I　have　never　thought　that
  worthy　of　belief；　nor　will　I　now　be　so　persuaded；　nor　again　that　one
  god　is　naturally　lord　and　master　of　another。　For　the　deity；　if　he　be
  really　such；　has　no　wants；　these　are　miserable　fictions　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　whoso
  schooleth　not　his　frail　mortal　nature　to　bear　fate's　buffets　as　he
  ought；　will　never　be　able　to　withstand　even　a　man's　weapon。　I　will
  harden　my　heart　against　death　and　seek　thy　city；　with　grateful
  thanks　for　all　thou　offerest　me。
  （He　weeps。）
  Of　countless　troubles　have　I　tasted；　God　knows；　but　never　yet
  did　faint　at　any　or　shed　a　single　tear；　nay；　nor　ever　dreamt　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；　old　father　mine；　thou
  seest　me　go　forth　to　exile；　and　in　me　beholdest　my　own　children's
  murderer。　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　pledges　of
  our　union；　whom　I；　alas！　unwittingly　did　slay。　And　when　thou　hast
  buried　these　dead；　live　on　here　still；　in　bitternes　maybe；　but　still
  constrain　thy　soul　to　share　my　sorrows。　O　children！　he　who　begat
  you；　your　own　father；　hath　been　your　destroyer；　and　ye　have　had　no
  profit　of　my　triumphs；　all　my　restless　toil　to　win　you　a　fair　name
  in　life；　a　glorious　guerdon　from　a　sire。　Thee　too；　unhappy　wife；
  this　hand　hath　slain；　a　poor　return　to　make　thee　for　preserving　mine
  honour　so　safe；　for　all　the　weary　watch　thou　long　hast　kept　within
  my　house。　Alas　for　you；　my　wife；　my　sons！　and　woe　for　me；　how　sad　my
  lot；　cut　off　from　wife　and　child！　Ah！　these　kisses；　bitter…sweet！
  these　weapons　which　'tis　pain　to　own！　I　am　not　sure　whether　to　keep　or
  let　them　go；　dangling　at　my　side　they　thus　will　say；　〃With　us　didst
  thou　destroy　children　and　wife；　we　are　thy　children's　slayers；　and
  thou　keepest　us。〃　Shall　I　carry　them　after　that？　what　answer　can　I
  make？　Yet；　am　I　to　strip　me　of　these　weapons；　the　comrades　of　my
  glorious　career　in　Hellas；　and　put　myself　thereby　in　the　power　of　my
  foes；　to　die　a　death　of　shame？　No！　I　must　not　let　them　go；　but　keep
  them；　though　it　grieve　me。　In　one　thing；　Theseus；　help　my　misery；　come
  to　Argos　with　me　and　aid　in　settling　my　reward　for　bringing　Cerberus
  thither；　lest；　if　I　go　all　alone；　my　sorrow　for　my　sons　do　me　some
  hurt。
  O　land　of　Cadmus；　and　all　ye　folk　of　Thebes！　cut　off　your　hair；
  and　mourn　with　me；　go　to　my　children's　burial；　and　with　united　dirge
  lament　alike　the　dead　and　me；　for　on　all　of　us　hath　Hera　inflicted　the
  same　cruel　blow　of　destruction。
  THESEUS