Heraclidae
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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Chorus
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Then fall not prostrate thou, but bear what heaven sends, and set a limit
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to thy soul’s grief; for she, poor maid! in dying for her brothers and this land, hath won a glorious death, and splendid fame shall be her meed from all mankind;
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for virtue’s path leads through troublous ways. Worthy of her father, worthy of her noble birth is this conduct. And if thou dost honour the virtuous dead, I share with thee that sentiment.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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All hail, ye children! Where is aged Iolaus? where the mother of your sire, absent from their place at this altar?
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Iolaus
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Here am I, so far as I can be present at all.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Why dost thou lie there? Why that downcast look?
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Iolaus
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There is come a sorrow on my house, whereby I am distressed.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Arise, lift up thy head.
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Iolaus
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I am old, and all my strength is gone.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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But I come with tidings of great joy for thee.
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Iolaus
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Who art thou? Where have I met thee? I have no remembrance.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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I am a vassal of Hyllus; dost not recognize me now?
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Iolaus
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Best of friends, art thou come to save us twain from hurt?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Assuredly; and moreover thou art lucky in the present case.
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Iolaus
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Alcmena, mother of a noble son, to thee I call! come forth, hear this welcome news. For long has anguish caused thee inwardly to waste, wondering if those,
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who now are here, would ever come.
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Alcmena
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What means that shout, that echoes throughout the house? Hath there come yet a herald from Argos, O Iolaus, and is he treating thee with violence? Feeble is any strength of mine; yet thus much let me tell thee, stranger,
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never, whilst I live, shalt thou drag them hence. Shouldst thou succeed, no more let me be thought the mother of that hero. And if thou lay a finger on them, thou wilt struggle to thy shame with two aged foes.
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Iolaus
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Courage, aged dame, fear not; not from Argos
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is a herald come, with hostile messages.
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Alcmena
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Why then didst raise a cry, fear’s harbinger?
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Iolaus
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I called thee to come to me in front of this temple.
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Alcmena
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I know not what it means; who is this?
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Iolaus
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A messenger who says thy grandson cometh hither.
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Alcmena
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All hail to thee for these thy tidings! But why is he not here, where is he? if in this land he hath set foot. What hath happened to keep him from coming hither with thee, to cheer my heart?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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He is posting the army he brought with him, and seeing it marshalled.
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Alcmena
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Then have I no concern herein.
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Iolaus
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Yes, thou hast; though it is my business to inquire into these matters.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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What then wouldst thou learn of these events?
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Iolaus
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About how many allies has he with him?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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A numerous force; I cannot otherwise describe the number.
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Iolaus
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The leaders of the Athenians know this, I suppose?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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They do; already is their left wing set in array.
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Iolaus
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Is then the host already armed for battle?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Yea, and already are the victims broughtκατῆρκται has been proposed for παρῆκται. nearπέλας is Dindorf’s emendation for ‘εκάς. the ranks.
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Iolaus
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About what distance is the Argive host from us?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Near enough for their general to be plainly seen.
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Iolaus
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What is he about? marshalling the enemy’s line?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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So we guessed; we could not hear exactly. But I must go, for I would not that my master should engage the foe without me, if I can help it.
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Iolaus
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I also will go with thee; for I like thee am minded, so it seems, to be there and help my friends.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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It least of all becomes thee thus to utter words of folly.
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Iolaus
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Far less to shrink from sharing with my friends the stubborn fight.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Mere looks can wound no one, if the arm do naught.
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Iolaus
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Why, cannot I smite even through their shields?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Smite perhaps, more likely be smitten thyself.
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Iolaus
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No foe will dare to meet me face to face.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Friend, the strength, that erst was thine, is thine no more,
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Iolaus
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Well, at any rate, I will fight with as many as ever I did.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Small the weight thou canst throw into the balance for thy friends.
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Iolaus
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Detain me not, when I have girded myself for action.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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The power to act is thine no more, the will maybe is there.
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Iolaus
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Stay here I will not, say what elseBadham proposed τἀμὰ for τἄλλα. thou wilt
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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How shalt thou show thyself before the troops unarmed?
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Iolaus
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There be captured arms within this shrine; these will I use, and, if I live, restore; and, if I am slain, the god will not demand them of me back. Go thou within, and from its peg take down a suit of armour and forthwith bring it to me.
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To linger thus at home is infamous, while some go fight, and others out of cowardice remain behind. [Exit Servant.
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Chorus
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Not yet hath time laid low thy spirit, ’tis young as ever; but thy body’s strength is gone. Why toil to no purpose?
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’Twill do thee hurt and benefit our city little. At thy age thou shouldst confess thy error and let impossibilities alone. Thou canst in no way get thy vigour back again.
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Alcmena
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What means this mad resolve
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to leave me with my children undefended here?
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Iolaus
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Men must fight; and thou must look to them.
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Alcmena
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And what if thou art slain? what safety shall I find?
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Iolaus
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Thy son’s surviving children will care for thee.
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Alcmena
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Suppose they meet with some reverse? which Heaven forefend!
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Iolaus
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These strangers will not give thee up, fear not.
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Alcmena
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They are my last and only hope, I have no other.
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Iolaus
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Zeus too, I feel sure, cares for thy sufferings.
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Alcmena
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Ah! of Zeus will I never speak ill, but himself doth know, whether he is just to me.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Lo! here thou seest a full coat of mail; make haste to case thyself therein; for the strife is nigh, and bitterly doth Ares loathe loiterers; but if thou fear the weight of the armour, go for the present without it, and in the ranks
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do on this gear; meantime will I carry it.
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Iolaus
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Well said! keep the harness ready to my hand, put a spear within my grasp, and support me on the left side, guiding my steps.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Am I to lead this warrior like a child?
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Iolaus
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To save the omen, we must go without stumbling.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Would thy power to act were equal to thy zeal!
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Iolaus
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Hasten; I shall feel it grievously, if I am too late for the battle.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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’Tis thou who art slow, not I, though thou fanciest thou art doing wonders.
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Iolaus
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Dost not mark how swift my steps are hasting?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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I mark more seeming than reality in thy haste.
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Iolaus
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Thou wilt tell a different tale when thou seest me there.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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What shall I see thee do? I wish thee all success, at any rate.
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Iolaus
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Thou shalt see me smite some foeman through the shield.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Perhaps, if ever we get there. I have my fears of that.
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Iolaus
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Ah! would to Heaven that thou, mine arm, e’en as I remember thee in thy lusty youth, when with Heracles thou didst sack Sparta, couldst so champion me to-day! how I would put Eurystheus to flight! since he is too craven to wait the onslaught.
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For prosperity carries with it this error too a reputation for bravery; for we think the prosperous man a master of all knowledge.
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Chorus
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O earth, and moon that shines by night, and dazzling radiance of the god,
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that giveth light to man, bear the tidings to me, shout aloud to heaven for joy, and beside our ruler’s throne, and in the shrine of grey-eyed Athene.
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For my fatherland and home will I soon decide the issue of the strife with the gleaming sword, because I have taken suppliants under my protection.
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Chorus
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’Tis a fearful thing, that a city
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prosperous as Mycenae is, one famed for martial prowess, should harbour wrath against my land; still, my countrymen, it were a shameful thing in us to yield up suppliant strangers
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at the bidding of Argos. Zeus is on my side, I am not afraid; Zeus hath a favour unto me, as is my due; never by meDindorf’s emendation is followed in this corrupt passage; ἥσσονες παρ’ ἐμοὶ θεοὶ φανοῦνται. shall gods be thought weaker than mortal men.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Mistress, the message that I bring is very short
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for thee to hear and fair for me, who stand before thee, to announce. O’er our foes we are victorious, and trophies are being set up, with panoplies upon them, taken from thy enemies.
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Alcmena
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Best of friends! this day hath wroughtKeiske, διήνυσεν for the unusual διήλασεν. thy liberty by reason of these tidings.
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But there still remains one anxious thought thou dost not free me from;—a thought of fear;—are those, whose lives I cherish, spared to me?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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They are, and high their fame through all the army spreads.
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Alcmena
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The old man Iolaus,—is he yet alive?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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Aye, that he is, a hero whom the gods delight to honour.
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Alcmena
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How so? Did he perform some deed of prowess?
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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He hath passed from age to youth once more.
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Alcmena
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Thy tale is passing strange; but first I would that thou shouldst tell me, how our friends won the day.
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Servant (of Hyllus)
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One speech of mine puts it all clearly before thee.