Tragedies of Euripides (Way)/The Children of Herakles

For other English-language translations of this work, see Heracleidae (Euripides).

←

The Tragedies of Euripides (1896)
translated by Arthur S. Way

The Children of Herakles

→

sister projects: Wikipedia article, Commons category, Wikidata item

The Children of Herakles is a Greek tragedy written by Euripides. This English translation was done by Arthur S. Way. It was first published in London in 1896, in Volume II of The Tragedies of Euripides, in English verse.

4788703The Tragedies of Euripides — The Children of Herakles1896Arthur S. Way

Layout 2

THE CHILDREN OF HERAKLES.

ARGUMENT.

Eurystheus, king of Argos, hated Herakles all his life through, and sought to destroy him. by thrusting on him many and desperate labours. And when Herakles had been caught up to Olympus from the pyre whereon he was consumed on Mount Oeta, Eurystheus persecuted the hero's children, and sought to slay them. Wherefore Iolaus, their father's friend and helper, fled with them. But in whatsoever city they sought refuge, thence were they driven; for Eurystheus ever made search for them, and demanded them with threats of war. So fleeing from land to land, they came at the last to Marathon which belongeth to Athens, and there took sanctuary at the temple of Zeus. Thither came the folk of the land compassionating them, and Eurystheus' herald requiring their surrender, and the king of Athens, Theseus' son, to hear their cause. And herein is told the tale of the war that came of his refusal to yield them up, of the sacrifice of a noble maiden which the Gods required as the price of victory, of an old warrior by miracle made young, and of the vengeance of Alkmena.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

{{block center| Iolaus, an old man, formerly friend of Herakles.

Kopreus, herald of Enrystheus.

Demophon, king of Athens, son of Theseus.

Makaria, daughter of Herakles.

Henchman of Hyllus, Herakles' eldest son.

Alkmena, mother of Herakles.

Servant of Alkmena.

Messenger, a captain from the army.

Eurystheus, king of Argos.

Chorus of old men of Marathon.

Young sons of Herakles, guards and attendants.

Scene:—At Marathon, in the forecourt of the temple of Zeus. The great altar stands in the midst.

THE CHILDREN OF HERAKLES.

Iolaus, with Herakles' children, discovered sitting on the altar-steps.

Iolaus.

Chorus.

Suffer one word of exhortation, queen.
Let this man go; for so the city wills.

Alkmena.

But—if he die, and I obey her still? 1020

Chorus.

This should be best: yet how can this thing be?

Alkmena.

This will I lightly teach thee:—I will slay,
Then yield him dead to friends that come for him.
Touching his corpse I will not cheat the state;
But die he shall, and do me right for wrong. 1025

Eurystheus.

Slay: I ask not thy grace. But I bestow
On Athens, who hath spared, who shamed to slay me,
An ancient oracle of Loxias,
Which in far days shall bless her more than seems.
Me shall ye bury where 'tis fate-ordained, 1030
Before the Virgin's shrine Pallenian;
So I, thy friend and Athens' saviour aye,
A sojourner shall lie beneath your soil,
But to these and their children sternest foe
What time they march with war-hosts hitherward, 1305
Traitors to this your kindness:—such the guests
Ye championed! Wherefore then, if this I knew,
Came I, and feared not the God's oracles?
Hera, methought, than these was mightier far,
And would not so forsake me. Shed not ye 1040
Drink-offerings nor blood upon my tomb.
For evil home-return will I give these
For this. Of me shall ye have double gain,—
My death shall be your blessing and their curse.

Alkmena.

Why linger then—if so ye must achieve 1045
Your city's safety and your children's weal,—
To slay this man, who hear this prophecy?
Himself the path of perfect safety points.
Your foe he is, yet is his death your gain.
Hence with him, thralls. When ye have slain him, then 1050
To dogs ye ought to cast him!^[1] Hope not thou
To live, and drive me again from fatherland.

[Exeunt guards with Eurystheus.

Chorus.

I also consent. On, henchman-train,
March on with the doomed. No blood-guilt stain,
Proceeding of us, on our kings shall remain. 1055

[Exeunt omnes.

↑ This is inconsistent with 1023—4. Various explanations have been suggested. Might Euripides have written πόλει—"to Athens must ye yield him"?

[1] This is inconsistent with 1023—4. Various explanations have been suggested. Might Euripides have written πόλει—"to Athens must ye yield him"?

[1]