Chapter 10

Chorus:Eurystheus, brought untimely forth,830Had bidden Hercules to pierceThe depths of earth. This task aloneOf all his labors yet remained—To rob the dusky king of hell.He dared to enter that dark wayWhich to the distant manes leads,835Dismal, with gloomy forests set,Yet crowded with the thronging souls.As when the eager people hasteThroughout the city to beholdThe play in some new theater;As when they crowd the Pisan fields840When the fifth summer brings againThe Elean Thunderer's sacred games;As, when the lengthening nights return,And the balanced Scales the sun's bright carDetain, to gentle sleep inclined,The people throng the mysteries845Of Ceres, while the Attic priestsLead through the fields with hurried stepsThe worshipers: such thronging hordesAre driven through those silent plains.A part goes slow with steps of age,Sadly, and sated with the years;850Some, in the earlier flush of life,Advance with the sprightly step of youth,Young maids not yet in wedlock joined,And boys with flowing ringlets, babes,Who have not yet learned to repeatTheir mother's name. To these alone855'Tis given to dispel the nightWith torches, and their fears relieve.The rest in utter darkness fare,And sadness. So our spirits mourn,When each one, grieving o'er his fate,Feels crushed in darkness 'neath the weight860Of all the world. There chaos reigns,Repulsive glooms, the hateful darkOf night, the empty veil of clouds,The weary inactivityOf that still, empty universe.Oh, may the time far distant beWhen old age bears us to that land.None come too late, and ne'er can he,865Who once has come, return again.What need to hasten cruel fate?For all the wandering tribes of earthShall surely seek the land of shades,And on the still Cocytus spreadTheir sails; all things the sun beholds,870In rising and in setting, growBut to decay. Then spare, O death,Those who are doomed to come to thee.Life is but practicing for death;Though thou be slow in coming, stillWe hasten of ourselves. The hourWhich gave us life begins our death.The joyful day of Thebes is here;875Now at the altars sacrifice,And let the choicest victims fall.Ye maids and men, in mingled bandsBegin the stately choral dance;And let the cattle of the fields880Put off their yokes and be glad today;For by the hand of HerculesHas peace from east to west been won,And in that land where the sun rides highIn middle heaven, and the shadows fail.885Whatever region Tethys lavesIn her long reach has been o'ercomeBy great Alcides' toils. Borne nowAcross the shoals of Tartarus,With hell subdued, he comes again.890No room is left for fear; for whatBeyond the world of death remains?And now ye priests, adorn your bristling hairWith poplar which Alcides loves to wear.ACT IV[EnterHercules,fresh from the slaying ofLycus,intending to offer sacrifices to the gods.]Hercules:By my avenging hand lies Lycus slain;895And all, who in his life the tyrant claimedAs comrades, now by death are comrades stillIn punishment. Now will I offerings payUnto my father and the gods of heavenFor victory, and heap the altars highWith bleeding victims to their kindness due.900Thee, thee, O friend and helper in my toils,O warlike Pallas, unto thee I pray,Upon whose left the petrifying shieldMakes direful threats. And be thou here I pray,Thou tamer of Lycurgus, who didst crossThe ruddy sea, who in thy hand dost bearThe thyrsus, ivy-wreathed; and ye twin gods,Apollo and Diana, hear my prayer.905(Her hand the bow adorns, but his, the lyre.)Ye, too, I worship, all ye brothers mine,Who dwell in heaven; but not my stepdame's sons.[To his attendants.]And do ye hither drive my richest flocks;Whatever fragrant spices India bears910And far Arabia, to the altars bring,And let the savory smoke of sacrificeTo heaven ascend. Now let us crown our locksWith wreaths of poplar; but the olive leaves,Thy nation's symbol, should adorn thy head,O Theseus. Now in prayer we lift our handsTo Jove the Thunderer: do thou protect915The founders of our state, the wooded cavesOf savage Zethus, Dirce's famous fount,And the Tyrian lares of our pilgrim king.[To the attendants.]Now throw the fragrant incense on the flames.Amphitr.:O son, thy hands, all dripping with the bloodOf thy slain foe, thou first shouldst purify.Hercules:Would that his hateful blood I might pour out920Unto the gods; for no libation pouredCould stain the altars more acceptably.No ampler, richer victim could be paidTo mighty Jove, than this unrighteous king.Amphitr.:Beseech thy father that he end thy tasks;Pray that at last he give surcease of toil,925And to the wearied rest.Hercules:I shall myselfFrame prayers more worthy Jupiter and me:May heaven, earth, and air their order keep,And the everlasting stars wheel on their way,Unchanged; may peace profound brood o'er the world;May iron be used for harmless toil alone,930And deadly weapons vanish from the earth;May no unbridled tempest lash the sea;May angry Jove send forth no lightning bolts;And may no river, fed by winter's snows,O'erflow the troubled fields; may venom fail;And may no noxious herb its fruitage bear;935May fierce and cruel tyrants rule no more.If the pregnant earth still foster any crime,Let her make haste to bring it to the light;And if she still another monster bear,Let it be mine to meet.[The madness planned byJunobegins to come upon him.]But what is this?The day's bright noon is by dark shadows dimmed,940And, though the sky be cloudless, Phoebus faresWith face obscured. Who puts the day to flight,And drives it back to seek the dawn again?Whence rears unheard-of night its gloomy head?Why do so many stars the heavens fillIn daylight hours? See where the Lion fierce,My earliest labor, glitters in the sky,945Inflamed with wrath, and threatens with his fangs.Now, surely, will he some bright star devour.With gaping jaws and menacing he stands;He breathes out fire, and on his flaming neckHis mane he tosses. Soon will he o'erleapWith one huge bound the fruitful autumn's stars,And those which frozen winter brings to view,950And slay with savage lunge the vernal Bull.Amphitr.:What sudden ill is this? Why dost thou turnNow here now there thy burning eyes? And whyDost thou so falsely see the heavens?Hercules:Now is the whole round earth at last subdued;955The swollen seas give place, and e'en the realmsInfernal have our toils heroic known.The heavens alone remain untried, a taskWell worth the struggles of a Hercules.Now shall I soar aloft to those far heights,And seek the heavenly spaces; for a starHas Jupiter, my father, promised me.What if he should refuse? Nay, but the earth960No longer can Alcides hold, and nowReturns him to the heavens whence he came.Behold, the whole assembly of the godsInvite me to their midst, and open wideThe doors of heaven—with one dissenting voice.[ToJuno,in apostrophe.]And wilt thou not receive me into heaven?Wilt not unbar the gates? Wouldst have me rendThe portals of the stubborn sky away?And dost doubt thou my power? Nay, Saturn's chains965Will I unbind, and loose my grandsire's mightAgainst his impious son's unbridled sway.I'll stir the Titans up to war again,And lead them on; great rocks and trees I'll bring,And with my strong right hand I'll snatch and hurlThe ridges where the Centaurs have their home.970Two mountains, one on other, will I pileAnd so construct a highway to the skies.Then shall old Chiron see Mount Ossa placedUpon his Pelion; and if to heavenOlympus reach not, third in order set,I'll hurl it there.Amphitryon:Such thought be far from thee!Check this mad impulse of a heart insane,975Though great.Hercules:But what is this? With dire intentThe giants are in arms. Great TityusHas fled the shades, and, towering aloftWith torn and empty breast, has almost gainedThe heavens. Cithaeron totters to his base,Pallene trembles, Tempe faints in fear.980One has Mount Pindus snatched away, and oneMount Oeta. Mimas rages horribly.Now comes Erinnys with her flaming torch,And shakes her hissing scourge; my face she seeksNearer and nearer with ill-omened brandsOn funeral pyres enkindled. There I seeTisiphone with snake-encircled head;985With brandished torch she guards the gate of hell,Now that their watch-dog has been stolen away.[He catches sight of his children.]But see where lurk the children of the king,The impious spawn of Lycus whom I hate.To your detested sire I'll send you now.Let darting arrows from my bowstring fly;990Such errands fit my noble weapons well.[He aims an arrow at one of the children.]Amphitr.:What will he do in his blind passion's rage?Now he has bent his mighty bow, and nowHis quiver loosed. The hissing dart is sped.Straight through the neck it flies, and leaves the wound.Hercules:The rest will I hunt out, yea, all that lurk995Within this city's walls, without delay.A greater war against Mycenae waits,That by my hands those Cyclopean wallsMay be o'erthrown; and that the royal hall,Its high walls shattered, noble roof in-fall'n,Doors burst, may be to utter ruin brought,1000And all its royal secrets be revealed.[He sees his second son hiding.]Ah, here I see another hiding sonOf that most wicked sire.[He seizes the child and drags him from the scene.]Amphitryon[standing where he can see what is being done behind the scenes]: Behold the child,His coaxing hands stretched out to clasp the kneesOf his mad father, begs with piteous tones.Oh, crime unspeakable, pathetic, grim:For by his pleading hand the child is caught,1005And, madly whirled again and yet again,Sent headlong through the air. A sickening sound—And with his scattered brains the roof is wet.But wretched Megara, her little sonProtecting in her arms, flees madly forth.Hercules[behind the scenes, toMegaraalso behind the scenes]: Though thou shouldst hide thee in the Thunderer's arms,1010This hand of mine will seek and snatch thee forth.Amphitryon[standing throughout this scene as above]: Oh, whither, wretched woman dost thou flee?What flight, what hiding-places dost thou seek?No place is safe from angry Hercules.Embrace his knees the rather, and with prayerAttempt to soothe his wrath.1015The voice of Megara:O husband, spare;Thy Megara behold and recognize;This son of thine thy face and manner bears.See how he stretches out his hands to thee.The voice of Hercules:At last I have thee, stepdame, in my power.Come thou with me, and pay full penaltyFor all my wrongs; free thy poor, troubled lordFrom his base yoke. But ere the mother dies,1020This little monster must be put to death.The voice of Megara:What wouldst thou, madman? Shed thine infant's blood?Amphitr.:The child, in terror of his father's face,Died ere he felt the blow. 'Twas fear that snatchedHis spirit forth. Now 'gainst his trembling wife,His mighty club is raised—her bones are crushed,Her head is stricken from the mangled trunk1025And may no more be seen.[To himself.]O stubborn age,Too long enduring, canst thou bide this sight?But if thy grief is irksome, death is near.[ToHercules.]Impale me on thy darts; that club of thine,With blood of monsters smeared, raise to my death.Come, slay me who am falsely called thy sire,1030And so remove this blot upon thy name,That I no longer may thy fame obscure.Theseus:Why shouldst thou wantonly provoke thy death,Old man? Why this mad haste to die? Away,And hide. From this one crime spare Hercules.[EnterHercules.]Hercules:'Tis well; the household of the shameless king1035Is utterly destroyed. To thee, O wifeOf mighty Jove, this promised sacrificeHave I performed; my vows I've gladly paid;And other victims shall thine Argos give.Amphitr.:Thou hast not yet enough atonement made,O son. Complete the sacrifice. Behold,1040A victim at the altar stands, and waits,With willing neck, thy hand. I offer hereMy life, and eagerly; I seek to die.Slay me.[Herculesappears to be fainting.]But what is this? His eye's keen glanceCannot maintain its gaze; grief dims his sight;And do I see the hands of HerculesA-tremble? Now his eyelids fall in sleep,His head sinks down upon his weary breast,1045His knees give way, and down upon the earthHis whole great body falls; as when some ashIs felled in forest glades, or when some cliffFalls down and makes a harbor in the sea.[ToHercules.]Dost thou yet live? Or has thy furious rage,Which sent thy friends to death, slain thee as well?[He examines the prostrate body.]He slumbers; this his measured breathing proves.1050Let him have time for rest, that heavy sleepMay break his madness' force, and so relieveHis troubled heart.[To attendants.]Ye slaves, his arms remove,Lest, waking, he again his madness prove.Chorus:Let heaven and heaven's creator mourn,The fertile earth, the wandering wave1055Upon the restless sea. And thou,Who over lands and ocean's plainsDost shed thy light, whose beauteous faceDrives night away, O glowing Sun,Grieve more than all. For equally1060Thy risings had Alcides seen,And eke thy settings; both thy homesWere known to him. His spirit looseFrom monstrous madness; loose him, yeWho rule above. His mind restoreTo sanity again. And thou,1065O Sleep, subduer of our ills,The spirit's rest, thou better partOf human life, swift-wingéd one,Astraea's child, of cruel DeathThe sluggish brother, mixing false1070With true, prescient of future things,But oftenest of misery;O sire of all things, gate of life,Day's respite and the comrade trueOf night, who com'st impartiallyTo king and slaves, with gentle handThe wearied spirit comforting;1075Thou who dost force the race of menWho quail at mortal doom, to gainA foretaste of the sleep of death:Subdue and overwhelm him quiteWith heavy stupor; let his limbs,Unconquered hitherto, be heldFast bound in chains of deepest sleep;Take not the spell from his fierce heart,1080Until his former mind returnTo its accustomed course.But see, prone on the ground he lies,His savage dreams in his fierce heartStill hold their sway. Not yet, alas,Is his dire madness overcome.Accustomed to recline his head1085Upon his heavy club, see now,He feels about with empty handTo find the ponderous trunk, his armsWith fruitless motion tossed. Not yetHas all the fever from his veinsBeen driven out, but rages on;As waves, by mighty tempests vexed,1090Toss wildly on and swell with rage,Although the winds have ceased to blow.Oh, calm this tempest in his soul;Let piety and manly strengthReturn; or, rather, let his mind1095Be still by mad impulses stirred,And his blind error go the wayIt has begun. For madness nowAlone can make him innocent.To have the hands unstained by guiltIs best, but next to this is sinDone in unconsciousness.Now let thy breast resound with blows,1100And let those arms which once have borneThe heavens up be smitten nowBy thy victorious hands; thy criesBe heard throughout the realms of air,By her who rules the world of night,1105And Cerberus crouching in his cave,His neck still burdened with thy chains.Let Chaos with the dolorous soundRe-echo, and the widespread wavesOf ocean, and the air above1110Which had thy darts in better useBeheld. Thy breast, with ills besetSo mighty, must with no light blowBe smitten. With one great sound of griefLet heaven, sea, and hell be filled.And thou, brave shaft, above his neck1115So long suspended, armamentAnd weapon too, thou quiver huge,Smite heavily his savage back.Thou sturdy club of oak, come beatHis mighty shoulders, and oppress1120His breast with thy hard-knotted stock.Let all his weapons worthilyOf so great grief lament with him.[To the dead children.]But you, who in your father's praiseCan never share, who ne'er from kingsHave taken deadly recompense,Who never in the Argive gamesHave learned to bend your youthful limbs,In wrestling and in boxing strong1125To strive; who have but dared as yetTo poise the slender Scythian dartWith steady hand, and pierce the stagWho safety seeks in flight, but notThe lion fierce with tawny mane:1130Go to your Stygian refuge, go,Ye guiltless shades, who on life's vergeHave by your father's mad assaultBeen overwhelmed. Poor children, bornOf an ill-omened, luckless race,1135Fare on along your father's toilsome path,To where the gloomy monarchs sit in wrath!ACT VHercules[waking up in his right mind]: What place is this? What quarter of the world?Where am I? 'Neath the rising sun, or whereThe frozen Bear wheels slowly overhead?Or in that farthest land whose shores are washed1140By the Hesperian sea? What air is thisI breathe? What soil supports my weary frame?For surely have I come again to earth.[His eyes fall on his murdered children.]Whence came those bloody corpses in my house?Do I behold them, or not even yetHave those infernal visions left my mind?1145Even on earth the ghostly shapes of deathStill flit before mine eyes. I speak with shame:I am afraid. Some great calamity,Some hidden ill my prescient soul forebodes.Where is my father? Where my faithful wife,Proud of that troop of children at her side?1150Why does my left side miss the lion's skin,My shield in danger and my couch in sleep?Where is my bow, my darts? Who, while I liveHas dared remove my arms? Who so great spoilsHas gained? Who then so bold as not to fear1155The very slumber of a Hercules?'Twould please me well to see my victor—well.Arise, thou victor, whom my sire begot,A later wonder, leaving heaven behind;At whose begetting, longer than at mine,The night stood waiting.[He recognizes his dead wife and children.]Oh, what sight is this?My sons lie murdered, weltering in their blood;1160My wife is slain. What Lycus rules the land?Who could have dared to do such things in Thebes,And Hercules returned? Whoever dwellsAlong Ismenus' stream, in Attic plains,Or in the land Dardanian Pelops rules,1165By two seas lapped, come to my aid, and tellThe name of him who has this murder done.If not, my wrath will turn against you all;For he's my foe who shows me not my foe.Why dost thou hide, Alcides' vanquisher?I care not whether thou dost vengeance seekFor those wild horses of the Thracian king,1170Or Geryon's flock, or Libya's vanquished lords;I do not shun the fight; see, here I stand,Defenseless, even though with my own armsThou com'st against me, armorless. But whyDo Theseus and my father shun my glance?Why do they turn away? Postpone your tears,1175And tell me who has given my loved ones allTo death. What, father, art thou silent still?Then do thou tell me, Theseus, faithful friend.Each turns away in silence, and his face,As if in shame, conceals; while down his cheeksThe tears flow stealthily. In so great illsWhat cause for shame can be? Is this the work1180Of him who ruthlessly at Argos rules?Has dying Lycus' hostile soldieryWith such disaster overwhelmed our house?O father, by the praises of my deeds,By thine own name which ever was to mePropitious, tell, I pray thee, who it isWho hath o'erthrown my house. Whose prey am I?1185Amphitr.:Let ills like these in silence pass away.Hercules:And I be unavenged?Amphitryon:But vengeance hurts.Hercules:Who has, inactive, ever borne such wrongs?Amphitr.:He who feared greater wrongs.Hercules:Than these my wrongsCan any greater, heavier be feared?1190Amphitr.:The part thou knowest of thy woes is least.Hercules:Have pity. See, I stretch my suppliant hands.But what is this? He will not touch my hands.In these must be the sin.But whence this blood?Why is that shaft, once dipped in Hydra's gall,1195Now wet with infant gore? They are my own,These arrows that I see; the guilty handI need no longer seek; for who but meCould bend that mighty bow, or whose right handCould draw the string that scarcely yields to me?[ToAmphitryonandTheseus.]To you I turn again. O father, tell:Is this my deed?1200[Both men hesitate in silence.]They hesitate—'tis mine.Amphitr.:Thine is the grief; thy stepdame's is the crime.From fault of thine this sad mischance is free.Hercules:Now hurl thy wrathful bolts from all the heavens,O sire, who hast forgotten me, thy son;Avenge at least, though with a tardy hand,Thy grandsons. Let the star-set heavens resound,And darting lightnings leap from pole to pole.1205Let me be bound upon the Caspian rocks,And let the birds of prey devour my flesh.Why lacks Prometheus' cliff a prisoner?Prepare for me the bare, steep mountain sideOf Caucasus, that, on his towering peak,The birds and beasts of prey may feed on me.Or let the blue Symplegades, which hedge1210The Scythian deep, stretch out my fettered handsThis way and that; and, when with rhythmic changeThe rocks together clash, which fling to heavenThe sea that lies between the rushing cliffs,May I lie there, the mountains' restless check.1215Or why not heap a mighty pyre of wood,And burn my body stained with impious blood?Thus, thus it must be done; so HerculesShall to the lower world return again.Amphitr.:Not yet has madness ceased to vex his heart.But now his wrath has changed, and, fury's sign,1220He rages 'gainst himself.Hercules:Ye dire abodesOf fiends, ye prison-house of damnéd shades,Ye regions set apart for guilty throngs,If any place of exile lie beyondDeep Erebus, unknown to CerberusAnd me, there hide ye me. I'll go and dwell1225Upon the farthest bound of Tartarus.O heart, too hard! Who worthily will weepFor you, my children, scattered through my house?This face, woe-hardened, knows not how to weep.Bring me my sword, and give me here my darts,1230My mighty club.[He addresses the four corpses in order.]For thee, poor murdered boy,I'll break my shafts; for thee my mighty bowShall be asunder riven; to thy shadesMy heavy club shall burn; and on thy pyreMy quiver, full of venomed darts, shall lie.My arms shall pay their penalty for sin.1235You, too, my guilty hands, with these shall burn,Too prompt to work a cruel stepdame's will.Theseus:Who ever called an act of madness crime?Hercules:Unbridled madness often ends in crime.Amphitr.:Now is there need of Hercules to bearThis greatest weight of woe.Hercules:Not yet is shame1240So utterly extinguished in my heart,That I can bear to see all people fleeMy impious presence. Arms, my Theseus, arms!I pray you give them quickly back to me.If I am sane, trust weapons to my hands;If madness still remains, O father, fly;For I shall quickly find the road to death.1245Amphitr.:By holy ties of birth, and by the nameThat makes us one, be it of father true,Or foster-father; by these hoary locksWhich pious souls revere: I pray thee spareMy lonely age and my enfeebled years.Spare thou thyself to me, the only prop1250Of this my falling house, the only lightThat's left to cheer my woeful heart. No fruitOf all thy toils have I as yet enjoyed;But ever either stormy seas I've feared,Or monsters. Every savage king who ravesIn all the world, for impious altars famed,1255Is cause of dread to me. Thy father longsFor joy of thee, to feel and see thee near.Hercules:Why I should longer keep my soul in life,And linger on the earth, there is no cause;For I have lost my all: my balanced mind,1260My arms, my reputation, children, wife,The glory of my strength—my madness too.There is no remedy for tainted souls;But death alone can cure me of my sin.Amphitr.:And wilt thou slay thy father?Hercules:Lest I do,I'll kill myself.Amphitryon:Before thy father's face?Hercules:Such impious sights I've taught him to behold.Amphitr.:Nay, rather think upon thy worthy deeds,1265And grant thyself remission of one sin.Hercules:Shall he give absolution to himself,Who granted none to other men? My deedsWhich have deserved the praise of men, I didBecause another bade. This is my own.Then help me, father, whether pietyOr my sad fortune move thee to my aid,1270Or the glory of my manhood, now profaned.Give me my arms again, that my right handMay vanquish fate.Theseus:Thy father's prayers, indeed,Are strong enough; but by my pleadings, too,Be moved. Rise up, and meet adversityWith thine accustomed force. Thy strength of mind1275Recall, which no misfortune ever yetHas daunted. Now must thou with all thy mightContend, and curb the wrath of Hercules.Hercules:If yet I live, I have committed wrong;But if I die, then have I suffered it.I haste to purge the earth of such as I.Now long enough has there been hoveringBefore my eyes that monstrous shape of sin,1280So impious, savage, merciless, and wild.Then come, my hand, attempt this mighty task,Far greater than the last. Dost hesitateThrough cowardice? Or art thou brave alone'Gainst boys and trembling mothers?Give my arms,Or else I shall from Thracian Pindus strip1285The woods, the groves of Bacchus, and shall burnCithaeron's ridgy heights along with me.The homes of Thebes together with their lords,The temples with their gods, will I o'erthrow,And 'neath a ruined city will I lie.1290And if this weight of walls should prove too lightFor these strong shoulders, and the seven gatesBe not enough to crush me to the earth,The mighty mass of earth which separatesThe upper from the nether skies I'll take,And hurl its crushing weight upon my head.Amphitr.:Lo, I return thine arms.1295Hercules:Now are thy wordsMore worthy of the sire of Hercules.See, by this arrow pierced, my child was slain.Amphitr.:'Tis true, but Juno shot it by thy hand.Hercules:Then I myself shall use it now.Amphitryon:Behold,How throbs his heart within his anxious breast.Hercules:The shaft is ready.1300Amphitryon:Ah now wilt thou sin,Of thine own will and with full consciousness.Have then thy will; we make no further prayer.For now my grief has gained a safe retreat.Thou only canst preserve my son to me;Thou canst not take him from me. For my fearI've sounded to the depths and feel no more.Thou canst no longer give me any pain,1305Though happy thou canst make me even yet.Decide then as thou wilt decide: but knowThat here thy cause and reputation standIn doubtful balance. Either thou dost live,Or thou dost kill thy sire. This fleeting soul,Now worn with age and shattered by its grief,Is trembling on my lips in act to go.1310Art thou so slow to grant thy father life?I can no longer brook delay, nor waitTo thrust the fatal sword into my breast.And this shall be a sane Alcides' crime.Hercules:Now stay, my father, stay; withhold thy hand.Yield thee, my manhood; do a father's will.1315Add this task also to thy former toils—And live! Lift up my father's fainting form,O Theseus, friend; for these my guilty handsThat pious duty shun.Amphitryon:But I with joyWill clasp this hand, with its support I'll walk,1320And to my aching heart I'll clasp it close,And banish all my woes.Hercules:Where shall I flee?Where hide myself? What land shall bury meFrom human sight? What Tanaïs or Nile,What Tigris, with the waves of Persia mad,What warlike Rhine, or Tagus, flowing full1325And turgid with Iberia's golden sands,Can ever cleanse this right hand of its stains?Though chill Maeotis pour its icy floodsUpon me; though the boundless sea should pourIts waters o'er my hands; still would they beDeep dyed with crime. Where wilt thou take thyself,Thou murderer? Wilt flee to east, or west?1330Known everywhere, I have no place of flight.The whole world shrinks from sight of me; the starsAvert their courses from me, and the sunSaw even Cerberus with milder face.O Theseus, faithful friend, seek out a place,1335Far off from here, where I may hide myself.Since thou a lenient judge of others' sinsHast ever been, grant mercy now to me.Restore me to the infernal shades, I beg,And load me with the chains thou once didst wear.1340That place will hide me—but it knows me too!Theseus:My land awaits thy coming; there will[18]MarsWash clean thy hands, and give thee back thy arms.That land, O Hercules, now calls to thee,Which even gods from sin is wont to free.

Chorus:Eurystheus, brought untimely forth,830

Had bidden Hercules to pierce

The depths of earth. This task alone

Of all his labors yet remained—

To rob the dusky king of hell.

He dared to enter that dark way

Which to the distant manes leads,835

Dismal, with gloomy forests set,

Yet crowded with the thronging souls.

As when the eager people haste

Throughout the city to behold

The play in some new theater;

As when they crowd the Pisan fields840

When the fifth summer brings again

The Elean Thunderer's sacred games;

As, when the lengthening nights return,

And the balanced Scales the sun's bright car

Detain, to gentle sleep inclined,

The people throng the mysteries845

Of Ceres, while the Attic priests

Lead through the fields with hurried steps

The worshipers: such thronging hordes

Are driven through those silent plains.

A part goes slow with steps of age,

Sadly, and sated with the years;850

Some, in the earlier flush of life,

Advance with the sprightly step of youth,

Young maids not yet in wedlock joined,

And boys with flowing ringlets, babes,

Who have not yet learned to repeat

Their mother's name. To these alone855

'Tis given to dispel the night

With torches, and their fears relieve.

The rest in utter darkness fare,

And sadness. So our spirits mourn,

When each one, grieving o'er his fate,

Feels crushed in darkness 'neath the weight860

Of all the world. There chaos reigns,

Repulsive glooms, the hateful dark

Of night, the empty veil of clouds,

The weary inactivity

Of that still, empty universe.

Oh, may the time far distant be

When old age bears us to that land.

None come too late, and ne'er can he,865

Who once has come, return again.

What need to hasten cruel fate?

For all the wandering tribes of earth

Shall surely seek the land of shades,

And on the still Cocytus spread

Their sails; all things the sun beholds,870

In rising and in setting, grow

But to decay. Then spare, O death,

Those who are doomed to come to thee.

Life is but practicing for death;

Though thou be slow in coming, still

We hasten of ourselves. The hour

Which gave us life begins our death.

The joyful day of Thebes is here;875

Now at the altars sacrifice,

And let the choicest victims fall.

Ye maids and men, in mingled bands

Begin the stately choral dance;

And let the cattle of the fields880

Put off their yokes and be glad today;

For by the hand of Hercules

Has peace from east to west been won,

And in that land where the sun rides high

In middle heaven, and the shadows fail.885

Whatever region Tethys laves

In her long reach has been o'ercome

By great Alcides' toils. Borne now

Across the shoals of Tartarus,

With hell subdued, he comes again.890

No room is left for fear; for what

Beyond the world of death remains?

And now ye priests, adorn your bristling hair

With poplar which Alcides loves to wear.

[EnterHercules,fresh from the slaying ofLycus,intending to offer sacrifices to the gods.]

Hercules:By my avenging hand lies Lycus slain;895And all, who in his life the tyrant claimedAs comrades, now by death are comrades stillIn punishment. Now will I offerings payUnto my father and the gods of heavenFor victory, and heap the altars highWith bleeding victims to their kindness due.900Thee, thee, O friend and helper in my toils,O warlike Pallas, unto thee I pray,Upon whose left the petrifying shieldMakes direful threats. And be thou here I pray,Thou tamer of Lycurgus, who didst crossThe ruddy sea, who in thy hand dost bearThe thyrsus, ivy-wreathed; and ye twin gods,Apollo and Diana, hear my prayer.905(Her hand the bow adorns, but his, the lyre.)Ye, too, I worship, all ye brothers mine,Who dwell in heaven; but not my stepdame's sons.[To his attendants.]And do ye hither drive my richest flocks;Whatever fragrant spices India bears910And far Arabia, to the altars bring,And let the savory smoke of sacrificeTo heaven ascend. Now let us crown our locksWith wreaths of poplar; but the olive leaves,Thy nation's symbol, should adorn thy head,O Theseus. Now in prayer we lift our handsTo Jove the Thunderer: do thou protect915The founders of our state, the wooded cavesOf savage Zethus, Dirce's famous fount,And the Tyrian lares of our pilgrim king.[To the attendants.]Now throw the fragrant incense on the flames.Amphitr.:O son, thy hands, all dripping with the bloodOf thy slain foe, thou first shouldst purify.Hercules:Would that his hateful blood I might pour out920Unto the gods; for no libation pouredCould stain the altars more acceptably.No ampler, richer victim could be paidTo mighty Jove, than this unrighteous king.Amphitr.:Beseech thy father that he end thy tasks;Pray that at last he give surcease of toil,925And to the wearied rest.Hercules:I shall myselfFrame prayers more worthy Jupiter and me:May heaven, earth, and air their order keep,And the everlasting stars wheel on their way,Unchanged; may peace profound brood o'er the world;May iron be used for harmless toil alone,930And deadly weapons vanish from the earth;May no unbridled tempest lash the sea;May angry Jove send forth no lightning bolts;And may no river, fed by winter's snows,O'erflow the troubled fields; may venom fail;And may no noxious herb its fruitage bear;935May fierce and cruel tyrants rule no more.If the pregnant earth still foster any crime,Let her make haste to bring it to the light;And if she still another monster bear,Let it be mine to meet.[The madness planned byJunobegins to come upon him.]But what is this?The day's bright noon is by dark shadows dimmed,940And, though the sky be cloudless, Phoebus faresWith face obscured. Who puts the day to flight,And drives it back to seek the dawn again?Whence rears unheard-of night its gloomy head?Why do so many stars the heavens fillIn daylight hours? See where the Lion fierce,My earliest labor, glitters in the sky,945Inflamed with wrath, and threatens with his fangs.Now, surely, will he some bright star devour.With gaping jaws and menacing he stands;He breathes out fire, and on his flaming neckHis mane he tosses. Soon will he o'erleapWith one huge bound the fruitful autumn's stars,And those which frozen winter brings to view,950And slay with savage lunge the vernal Bull.Amphitr.:What sudden ill is this? Why dost thou turnNow here now there thy burning eyes? And whyDost thou so falsely see the heavens?Hercules:Now is the whole round earth at last subdued;955The swollen seas give place, and e'en the realmsInfernal have our toils heroic known.The heavens alone remain untried, a taskWell worth the struggles of a Hercules.Now shall I soar aloft to those far heights,And seek the heavenly spaces; for a starHas Jupiter, my father, promised me.What if he should refuse? Nay, but the earth960No longer can Alcides hold, and nowReturns him to the heavens whence he came.Behold, the whole assembly of the godsInvite me to their midst, and open wideThe doors of heaven—with one dissenting voice.[ToJuno,in apostrophe.]And wilt thou not receive me into heaven?Wilt not unbar the gates? Wouldst have me rendThe portals of the stubborn sky away?And dost doubt thou my power? Nay, Saturn's chains965Will I unbind, and loose my grandsire's mightAgainst his impious son's unbridled sway.I'll stir the Titans up to war again,And lead them on; great rocks and trees I'll bring,And with my strong right hand I'll snatch and hurlThe ridges where the Centaurs have their home.970Two mountains, one on other, will I pileAnd so construct a highway to the skies.Then shall old Chiron see Mount Ossa placedUpon his Pelion; and if to heavenOlympus reach not, third in order set,I'll hurl it there.Amphitryon:Such thought be far from thee!Check this mad impulse of a heart insane,975Though great.Hercules:But what is this? With dire intentThe giants are in arms. Great TityusHas fled the shades, and, towering aloftWith torn and empty breast, has almost gainedThe heavens. Cithaeron totters to his base,Pallene trembles, Tempe faints in fear.980One has Mount Pindus snatched away, and oneMount Oeta. Mimas rages horribly.Now comes Erinnys with her flaming torch,And shakes her hissing scourge; my face she seeksNearer and nearer with ill-omened brandsOn funeral pyres enkindled. There I seeTisiphone with snake-encircled head;985With brandished torch she guards the gate of hell,Now that their watch-dog has been stolen away.[He catches sight of his children.]But see where lurk the children of the king,The impious spawn of Lycus whom I hate.To your detested sire I'll send you now.Let darting arrows from my bowstring fly;990Such errands fit my noble weapons well.

Hercules:By my avenging hand lies Lycus slain;895

And all, who in his life the tyrant claimed

As comrades, now by death are comrades still

In punishment. Now will I offerings pay

Unto my father and the gods of heaven

For victory, and heap the altars high

With bleeding victims to their kindness due.900

Thee, thee, O friend and helper in my toils,

O warlike Pallas, unto thee I pray,

Upon whose left the petrifying shield

Makes direful threats. And be thou here I pray,

Thou tamer of Lycurgus, who didst cross

The ruddy sea, who in thy hand dost bear

The thyrsus, ivy-wreathed; and ye twin gods,

Apollo and Diana, hear my prayer.905

(Her hand the bow adorns, but his, the lyre.)

Ye, too, I worship, all ye brothers mine,

Who dwell in heaven; but not my stepdame's sons.

[To his attendants.]

And do ye hither drive my richest flocks;

Whatever fragrant spices India bears910

And far Arabia, to the altars bring,

And let the savory smoke of sacrifice

To heaven ascend. Now let us crown our locks

With wreaths of poplar; but the olive leaves,

Thy nation's symbol, should adorn thy head,

O Theseus. Now in prayer we lift our hands

To Jove the Thunderer: do thou protect915

The founders of our state, the wooded caves

Of savage Zethus, Dirce's famous fount,

And the Tyrian lares of our pilgrim king.

[To the attendants.]

Now throw the fragrant incense on the flames.

Amphitr.:O son, thy hands, all dripping with the bloodOf thy slain foe, thou first shouldst purify.

Amphitr.:O son, thy hands, all dripping with the blood

Of thy slain foe, thou first shouldst purify.

Hercules:Would that his hateful blood I might pour out920Unto the gods; for no libation pouredCould stain the altars more acceptably.No ampler, richer victim could be paidTo mighty Jove, than this unrighteous king.

Hercules:Would that his hateful blood I might pour out920

Unto the gods; for no libation poured

Could stain the altars more acceptably.

No ampler, richer victim could be paid

To mighty Jove, than this unrighteous king.

Amphitr.:Beseech thy father that he end thy tasks;Pray that at last he give surcease of toil,925And to the wearied rest.

Amphitr.:Beseech thy father that he end thy tasks;

Pray that at last he give surcease of toil,925

And to the wearied rest.

Hercules:I shall myselfFrame prayers more worthy Jupiter and me:May heaven, earth, and air their order keep,And the everlasting stars wheel on their way,Unchanged; may peace profound brood o'er the world;May iron be used for harmless toil alone,930And deadly weapons vanish from the earth;May no unbridled tempest lash the sea;May angry Jove send forth no lightning bolts;And may no river, fed by winter's snows,O'erflow the troubled fields; may venom fail;And may no noxious herb its fruitage bear;935May fierce and cruel tyrants rule no more.If the pregnant earth still foster any crime,Let her make haste to bring it to the light;And if she still another monster bear,Let it be mine to meet.[The madness planned byJunobegins to come upon him.]But what is this?The day's bright noon is by dark shadows dimmed,940And, though the sky be cloudless, Phoebus faresWith face obscured. Who puts the day to flight,And drives it back to seek the dawn again?Whence rears unheard-of night its gloomy head?Why do so many stars the heavens fillIn daylight hours? See where the Lion fierce,My earliest labor, glitters in the sky,945Inflamed with wrath, and threatens with his fangs.Now, surely, will he some bright star devour.With gaping jaws and menacing he stands;He breathes out fire, and on his flaming neckHis mane he tosses. Soon will he o'erleapWith one huge bound the fruitful autumn's stars,And those which frozen winter brings to view,950And slay with savage lunge the vernal Bull.

Hercules:I shall myself

Frame prayers more worthy Jupiter and me:

May heaven, earth, and air their order keep,

And the everlasting stars wheel on their way,

Unchanged; may peace profound brood o'er the world;

May iron be used for harmless toil alone,930

And deadly weapons vanish from the earth;

May no unbridled tempest lash the sea;

May angry Jove send forth no lightning bolts;

And may no river, fed by winter's snows,

O'erflow the troubled fields; may venom fail;

And may no noxious herb its fruitage bear;935

May fierce and cruel tyrants rule no more.

If the pregnant earth still foster any crime,

Let her make haste to bring it to the light;

And if she still another monster bear,

Let it be mine to meet.

[The madness planned byJunobegins to come upon him.]

But what is this?

The day's bright noon is by dark shadows dimmed,940

And, though the sky be cloudless, Phoebus fares

With face obscured. Who puts the day to flight,

And drives it back to seek the dawn again?

Whence rears unheard-of night its gloomy head?

Why do so many stars the heavens fill

In daylight hours? See where the Lion fierce,

My earliest labor, glitters in the sky,945

Inflamed with wrath, and threatens with his fangs.

Now, surely, will he some bright star devour.

With gaping jaws and menacing he stands;

He breathes out fire, and on his flaming neck

His mane he tosses. Soon will he o'erleap

With one huge bound the fruitful autumn's stars,

And those which frozen winter brings to view,950

And slay with savage lunge the vernal Bull.

Amphitr.:What sudden ill is this? Why dost thou turnNow here now there thy burning eyes? And whyDost thou so falsely see the heavens?

Amphitr.:What sudden ill is this? Why dost thou turn

Now here now there thy burning eyes? And why

Dost thou so falsely see the heavens?

Hercules:Now is the whole round earth at last subdued;955The swollen seas give place, and e'en the realmsInfernal have our toils heroic known.The heavens alone remain untried, a taskWell worth the struggles of a Hercules.Now shall I soar aloft to those far heights,And seek the heavenly spaces; for a starHas Jupiter, my father, promised me.What if he should refuse? Nay, but the earth960No longer can Alcides hold, and nowReturns him to the heavens whence he came.Behold, the whole assembly of the godsInvite me to their midst, and open wideThe doors of heaven—with one dissenting voice.[ToJuno,in apostrophe.]And wilt thou not receive me into heaven?Wilt not unbar the gates? Wouldst have me rendThe portals of the stubborn sky away?And dost doubt thou my power? Nay, Saturn's chains965Will I unbind, and loose my grandsire's mightAgainst his impious son's unbridled sway.I'll stir the Titans up to war again,And lead them on; great rocks and trees I'll bring,And with my strong right hand I'll snatch and hurlThe ridges where the Centaurs have their home.970Two mountains, one on other, will I pileAnd so construct a highway to the skies.Then shall old Chiron see Mount Ossa placedUpon his Pelion; and if to heavenOlympus reach not, third in order set,I'll hurl it there.

Hercules:Now is the whole round earth at last subdued;955

The swollen seas give place, and e'en the realms

Infernal have our toils heroic known.

The heavens alone remain untried, a task

Well worth the struggles of a Hercules.

Now shall I soar aloft to those far heights,

And seek the heavenly spaces; for a star

Has Jupiter, my father, promised me.

What if he should refuse? Nay, but the earth960

No longer can Alcides hold, and now

Returns him to the heavens whence he came.

Behold, the whole assembly of the gods

Invite me to their midst, and open wide

The doors of heaven—with one dissenting voice.

[ToJuno,in apostrophe.]

And wilt thou not receive me into heaven?

Wilt not unbar the gates? Wouldst have me rend

The portals of the stubborn sky away?

And dost doubt thou my power? Nay, Saturn's chains965

Will I unbind, and loose my grandsire's might

Against his impious son's unbridled sway.

I'll stir the Titans up to war again,

And lead them on; great rocks and trees I'll bring,

And with my strong right hand I'll snatch and hurl

The ridges where the Centaurs have their home.970

Two mountains, one on other, will I pile

And so construct a highway to the skies.

Then shall old Chiron see Mount Ossa placed

Upon his Pelion; and if to heaven

Olympus reach not, third in order set,

I'll hurl it there.

Amphitryon:Such thought be far from thee!Check this mad impulse of a heart insane,975Though great.

Amphitryon:Such thought be far from thee!

Check this mad impulse of a heart insane,975

Though great.

Hercules:But what is this? With dire intentThe giants are in arms. Great TityusHas fled the shades, and, towering aloftWith torn and empty breast, has almost gainedThe heavens. Cithaeron totters to his base,Pallene trembles, Tempe faints in fear.980One has Mount Pindus snatched away, and oneMount Oeta. Mimas rages horribly.Now comes Erinnys with her flaming torch,And shakes her hissing scourge; my face she seeksNearer and nearer with ill-omened brandsOn funeral pyres enkindled. There I seeTisiphone with snake-encircled head;985With brandished torch she guards the gate of hell,Now that their watch-dog has been stolen away.[He catches sight of his children.]But see where lurk the children of the king,The impious spawn of Lycus whom I hate.To your detested sire I'll send you now.Let darting arrows from my bowstring fly;990Such errands fit my noble weapons well.

Hercules:But what is this? With dire intent

The giants are in arms. Great Tityus

Has fled the shades, and, towering aloft

With torn and empty breast, has almost gained

The heavens. Cithaeron totters to his base,

Pallene trembles, Tempe faints in fear.980

One has Mount Pindus snatched away, and one

Mount Oeta. Mimas rages horribly.

Now comes Erinnys with her flaming torch,

And shakes her hissing scourge; my face she seeks

Nearer and nearer with ill-omened brands

On funeral pyres enkindled. There I see

Tisiphone with snake-encircled head;985

With brandished torch she guards the gate of hell,

Now that their watch-dog has been stolen away.

[He catches sight of his children.]

But see where lurk the children of the king,

The impious spawn of Lycus whom I hate.

To your detested sire I'll send you now.

Let darting arrows from my bowstring fly;990

Such errands fit my noble weapons well.

[He aims an arrow at one of the children.]

Amphitr.:What will he do in his blind passion's rage?Now he has bent his mighty bow, and nowHis quiver loosed. The hissing dart is sped.Straight through the neck it flies, and leaves the wound.Hercules:The rest will I hunt out, yea, all that lurk995Within this city's walls, without delay.A greater war against Mycenae waits,That by my hands those Cyclopean wallsMay be o'erthrown; and that the royal hall,Its high walls shattered, noble roof in-fall'n,Doors burst, may be to utter ruin brought,1000And all its royal secrets be revealed.[He sees his second son hiding.]Ah, here I see another hiding sonOf that most wicked sire.

Amphitr.:What will he do in his blind passion's rage?Now he has bent his mighty bow, and nowHis quiver loosed. The hissing dart is sped.Straight through the neck it flies, and leaves the wound.

Amphitr.:What will he do in his blind passion's rage?

Now he has bent his mighty bow, and now

His quiver loosed. The hissing dart is sped.

Straight through the neck it flies, and leaves the wound.

Hercules:The rest will I hunt out, yea, all that lurk995Within this city's walls, without delay.A greater war against Mycenae waits,That by my hands those Cyclopean wallsMay be o'erthrown; and that the royal hall,Its high walls shattered, noble roof in-fall'n,Doors burst, may be to utter ruin brought,1000And all its royal secrets be revealed.[He sees his second son hiding.]Ah, here I see another hiding sonOf that most wicked sire.

Hercules:The rest will I hunt out, yea, all that lurk995

Within this city's walls, without delay.

A greater war against Mycenae waits,

That by my hands those Cyclopean walls

May be o'erthrown; and that the royal hall,

Its high walls shattered, noble roof in-fall'n,

Doors burst, may be to utter ruin brought,1000

And all its royal secrets be revealed.

[He sees his second son hiding.]

Ah, here I see another hiding son

Of that most wicked sire.

[He seizes the child and drags him from the scene.]

Amphitryon[standing where he can see what is being done behind the scenes]: Behold the child,His coaxing hands stretched out to clasp the kneesOf his mad father, begs with piteous tones.Oh, crime unspeakable, pathetic, grim:For by his pleading hand the child is caught,1005And, madly whirled again and yet again,Sent headlong through the air. A sickening sound—And with his scattered brains the roof is wet.But wretched Megara, her little sonProtecting in her arms, flees madly forth.Hercules[behind the scenes, toMegaraalso behind the scenes]: Though thou shouldst hide thee in the Thunderer's arms,1010This hand of mine will seek and snatch thee forth.Amphitryon[standing throughout this scene as above]: Oh, whither, wretched woman dost thou flee?What flight, what hiding-places dost thou seek?No place is safe from angry Hercules.Embrace his knees the rather, and with prayerAttempt to soothe his wrath.1015The voice of Megara:O husband, spare;Thy Megara behold and recognize;This son of thine thy face and manner bears.See how he stretches out his hands to thee.The voice of Hercules:At last I have thee, stepdame, in my power.Come thou with me, and pay full penaltyFor all my wrongs; free thy poor, troubled lordFrom his base yoke. But ere the mother dies,1020This little monster must be put to death.The voice of Megara:What wouldst thou, madman? Shed thine infant's blood?Amphitr.:The child, in terror of his father's face,Died ere he felt the blow. 'Twas fear that snatchedHis spirit forth. Now 'gainst his trembling wife,His mighty club is raised—her bones are crushed,Her head is stricken from the mangled trunk1025And may no more be seen.[To himself.]O stubborn age,Too long enduring, canst thou bide this sight?But if thy grief is irksome, death is near.[ToHercules.]Impale me on thy darts; that club of thine,With blood of monsters smeared, raise to my death.Come, slay me who am falsely called thy sire,1030And so remove this blot upon thy name,That I no longer may thy fame obscure.Theseus:Why shouldst thou wantonly provoke thy death,Old man? Why this mad haste to die? Away,And hide. From this one crime spare Hercules.

Amphitryon[standing where he can see what is being done behind the scenes]: Behold the child,

His coaxing hands stretched out to clasp the knees

Of his mad father, begs with piteous tones.

Oh, crime unspeakable, pathetic, grim:

For by his pleading hand the child is caught,1005

And, madly whirled again and yet again,

Sent headlong through the air. A sickening sound—

And with his scattered brains the roof is wet.

But wretched Megara, her little son

Protecting in her arms, flees madly forth.

Hercules[behind the scenes, toMegaraalso behind the scenes]: Though thou shouldst hide thee in the Thunderer's arms,1010This hand of mine will seek and snatch thee forth.

Hercules[behind the scenes, toMegaraalso behind the scenes]: Though thou shouldst hide thee in the Thunderer's arms,1010

This hand of mine will seek and snatch thee forth.

Amphitryon[standing throughout this scene as above]: Oh, whither, wretched woman dost thou flee?What flight, what hiding-places dost thou seek?No place is safe from angry Hercules.Embrace his knees the rather, and with prayerAttempt to soothe his wrath.1015

Amphitryon[standing throughout this scene as above]: Oh, whither, wretched woman dost thou flee?

What flight, what hiding-places dost thou seek?

No place is safe from angry Hercules.

Embrace his knees the rather, and with prayer

Attempt to soothe his wrath.1015

The voice of Megara:O husband, spare;Thy Megara behold and recognize;This son of thine thy face and manner bears.See how he stretches out his hands to thee.

The voice of Megara:O husband, spare;

Thy Megara behold and recognize;

This son of thine thy face and manner bears.

See how he stretches out his hands to thee.

The voice of Hercules:At last I have thee, stepdame, in my power.Come thou with me, and pay full penaltyFor all my wrongs; free thy poor, troubled lordFrom his base yoke. But ere the mother dies,1020This little monster must be put to death.

The voice of Hercules:At last I have thee, stepdame, in my power.

Come thou with me, and pay full penalty

For all my wrongs; free thy poor, troubled lord

From his base yoke. But ere the mother dies,1020

This little monster must be put to death.

The voice of Megara:What wouldst thou, madman? Shed thine infant's blood?

Amphitr.:The child, in terror of his father's face,Died ere he felt the blow. 'Twas fear that snatchedHis spirit forth. Now 'gainst his trembling wife,His mighty club is raised—her bones are crushed,Her head is stricken from the mangled trunk1025And may no more be seen.[To himself.]O stubborn age,Too long enduring, canst thou bide this sight?But if thy grief is irksome, death is near.[ToHercules.]Impale me on thy darts; that club of thine,With blood of monsters smeared, raise to my death.Come, slay me who am falsely called thy sire,1030And so remove this blot upon thy name,That I no longer may thy fame obscure.

Amphitr.:The child, in terror of his father's face,

Died ere he felt the blow. 'Twas fear that snatched

His spirit forth. Now 'gainst his trembling wife,

His mighty club is raised—her bones are crushed,

Her head is stricken from the mangled trunk1025

And may no more be seen.

[To himself.]

O stubborn age,

Too long enduring, canst thou bide this sight?

But if thy grief is irksome, death is near.

[ToHercules.]

Impale me on thy darts; that club of thine,

With blood of monsters smeared, raise to my death.

Come, slay me who am falsely called thy sire,1030

And so remove this blot upon thy name,

That I no longer may thy fame obscure.

Theseus:Why shouldst thou wantonly provoke thy death,Old man? Why this mad haste to die? Away,And hide. From this one crime spare Hercules.

Theseus:Why shouldst thou wantonly provoke thy death,

Old man? Why this mad haste to die? Away,

And hide. From this one crime spare Hercules.

[EnterHercules.]

Hercules:'Tis well; the household of the shameless king1035Is utterly destroyed. To thee, O wifeOf mighty Jove, this promised sacrificeHave I performed; my vows I've gladly paid;And other victims shall thine Argos give.Amphitr.:Thou hast not yet enough atonement made,O son. Complete the sacrifice. Behold,1040A victim at the altar stands, and waits,With willing neck, thy hand. I offer hereMy life, and eagerly; I seek to die.Slay me.[Herculesappears to be fainting.]But what is this? His eye's keen glanceCannot maintain its gaze; grief dims his sight;And do I see the hands of HerculesA-tremble? Now his eyelids fall in sleep,His head sinks down upon his weary breast,1045His knees give way, and down upon the earthHis whole great body falls; as when some ashIs felled in forest glades, or when some cliffFalls down and makes a harbor in the sea.[ToHercules.]Dost thou yet live? Or has thy furious rage,Which sent thy friends to death, slain thee as well?[He examines the prostrate body.]He slumbers; this his measured breathing proves.1050Let him have time for rest, that heavy sleepMay break his madness' force, and so relieveHis troubled heart.[To attendants.]Ye slaves, his arms remove,Lest, waking, he again his madness prove.

Hercules:'Tis well; the household of the shameless king1035

Is utterly destroyed. To thee, O wife

Of mighty Jove, this promised sacrifice

Have I performed; my vows I've gladly paid;

And other victims shall thine Argos give.

Amphitr.:Thou hast not yet enough atonement made,O son. Complete the sacrifice. Behold,1040A victim at the altar stands, and waits,With willing neck, thy hand. I offer hereMy life, and eagerly; I seek to die.Slay me.[Herculesappears to be fainting.]But what is this? His eye's keen glanceCannot maintain its gaze; grief dims his sight;And do I see the hands of HerculesA-tremble? Now his eyelids fall in sleep,His head sinks down upon his weary breast,1045His knees give way, and down upon the earthHis whole great body falls; as when some ashIs felled in forest glades, or when some cliffFalls down and makes a harbor in the sea.[ToHercules.]Dost thou yet live? Or has thy furious rage,Which sent thy friends to death, slain thee as well?[He examines the prostrate body.]He slumbers; this his measured breathing proves.1050Let him have time for rest, that heavy sleepMay break his madness' force, and so relieveHis troubled heart.[To attendants.]Ye slaves, his arms remove,Lest, waking, he again his madness prove.

Amphitr.:Thou hast not yet enough atonement made,

O son. Complete the sacrifice. Behold,1040

A victim at the altar stands, and waits,

With willing neck, thy hand. I offer here

My life, and eagerly; I seek to die.

Slay me.

[Herculesappears to be fainting.]

But what is this? His eye's keen glance

Cannot maintain its gaze; grief dims his sight;

And do I see the hands of Hercules

A-tremble? Now his eyelids fall in sleep,

His head sinks down upon his weary breast,1045

His knees give way, and down upon the earth

His whole great body falls; as when some ash

Is felled in forest glades, or when some cliff

Falls down and makes a harbor in the sea.

[ToHercules.]

Dost thou yet live? Or has thy furious rage,

Which sent thy friends to death, slain thee as well?

[He examines the prostrate body.]

He slumbers; this his measured breathing proves.1050

Let him have time for rest, that heavy sleep

May break his madness' force, and so relieve

His troubled heart.

[To attendants.]

Ye slaves, his arms remove,

Lest, waking, he again his madness prove.

Chorus:Let heaven and heaven's creator mourn,The fertile earth, the wandering wave1055Upon the restless sea. And thou,Who over lands and ocean's plainsDost shed thy light, whose beauteous faceDrives night away, O glowing Sun,Grieve more than all. For equally1060Thy risings had Alcides seen,And eke thy settings; both thy homesWere known to him. His spirit looseFrom monstrous madness; loose him, yeWho rule above. His mind restoreTo sanity again. And thou,1065O Sleep, subduer of our ills,The spirit's rest, thou better partOf human life, swift-wingéd one,Astraea's child, of cruel DeathThe sluggish brother, mixing false1070With true, prescient of future things,But oftenest of misery;O sire of all things, gate of life,Day's respite and the comrade trueOf night, who com'st impartiallyTo king and slaves, with gentle handThe wearied spirit comforting;1075Thou who dost force the race of menWho quail at mortal doom, to gainA foretaste of the sleep of death:Subdue and overwhelm him quiteWith heavy stupor; let his limbs,Unconquered hitherto, be heldFast bound in chains of deepest sleep;Take not the spell from his fierce heart,1080Until his former mind returnTo its accustomed course.But see, prone on the ground he lies,His savage dreams in his fierce heartStill hold their sway. Not yet, alas,Is his dire madness overcome.Accustomed to recline his head1085Upon his heavy club, see now,He feels about with empty handTo find the ponderous trunk, his armsWith fruitless motion tossed. Not yetHas all the fever from his veinsBeen driven out, but rages on;As waves, by mighty tempests vexed,1090Toss wildly on and swell with rage,Although the winds have ceased to blow.Oh, calm this tempest in his soul;Let piety and manly strengthReturn; or, rather, let his mind1095Be still by mad impulses stirred,And his blind error go the wayIt has begun. For madness nowAlone can make him innocent.To have the hands unstained by guiltIs best, but next to this is sinDone in unconsciousness.Now let thy breast resound with blows,1100And let those arms which once have borneThe heavens up be smitten nowBy thy victorious hands; thy criesBe heard throughout the realms of air,By her who rules the world of night,1105And Cerberus crouching in his cave,His neck still burdened with thy chains.Let Chaos with the dolorous soundRe-echo, and the widespread wavesOf ocean, and the air above1110Which had thy darts in better useBeheld. Thy breast, with ills besetSo mighty, must with no light blowBe smitten. With one great sound of griefLet heaven, sea, and hell be filled.And thou, brave shaft, above his neck1115So long suspended, armamentAnd weapon too, thou quiver huge,Smite heavily his savage back.Thou sturdy club of oak, come beatHis mighty shoulders, and oppress1120His breast with thy hard-knotted stock.Let all his weapons worthilyOf so great grief lament with him.[To the dead children.]But you, who in your father's praiseCan never share, who ne'er from kingsHave taken deadly recompense,Who never in the Argive gamesHave learned to bend your youthful limbs,In wrestling and in boxing strong1125To strive; who have but dared as yetTo poise the slender Scythian dartWith steady hand, and pierce the stagWho safety seeks in flight, but notThe lion fierce with tawny mane:1130Go to your Stygian refuge, go,Ye guiltless shades, who on life's vergeHave by your father's mad assaultBeen overwhelmed. Poor children, bornOf an ill-omened, luckless race,1135Fare on along your father's toilsome path,To where the gloomy monarchs sit in wrath!

Chorus:Let heaven and heaven's creator mourn,

The fertile earth, the wandering wave1055

Upon the restless sea. And thou,

Who over lands and ocean's plains

Dost shed thy light, whose beauteous face

Drives night away, O glowing Sun,

Grieve more than all. For equally1060

Thy risings had Alcides seen,

And eke thy settings; both thy homes

Were known to him. His spirit loose

From monstrous madness; loose him, ye

Who rule above. His mind restore

To sanity again. And thou,1065

O Sleep, subduer of our ills,

The spirit's rest, thou better part

Of human life, swift-wingéd one,

Astraea's child, of cruel Death

The sluggish brother, mixing false1070

With true, prescient of future things,

But oftenest of misery;

O sire of all things, gate of life,

Day's respite and the comrade true

Of night, who com'st impartially

To king and slaves, with gentle hand

The wearied spirit comforting;1075

Thou who dost force the race of men

Who quail at mortal doom, to gain

A foretaste of the sleep of death:

Subdue and overwhelm him quite

With heavy stupor; let his limbs,

Unconquered hitherto, be held

Fast bound in chains of deepest sleep;

Take not the spell from his fierce heart,1080

Until his former mind return

To its accustomed course.

But see, prone on the ground he lies,

His savage dreams in his fierce heart

Still hold their sway. Not yet, alas,

Is his dire madness overcome.

Accustomed to recline his head1085

Upon his heavy club, see now,

He feels about with empty hand

To find the ponderous trunk, his arms

With fruitless motion tossed. Not yet

Has all the fever from his veins

Been driven out, but rages on;

As waves, by mighty tempests vexed,1090

Toss wildly on and swell with rage,

Although the winds have ceased to blow.

Oh, calm this tempest in his soul;

Let piety and manly strength

Return; or, rather, let his mind1095

Be still by mad impulses stirred,

And his blind error go the way

It has begun. For madness now

Alone can make him innocent.

To have the hands unstained by guilt

Is best, but next to this is sin

Done in unconsciousness.

Now let thy breast resound with blows,1100

And let those arms which once have borne

The heavens up be smitten now

By thy victorious hands; thy cries

Be heard throughout the realms of air,

By her who rules the world of night,1105

And Cerberus crouching in his cave,

His neck still burdened with thy chains.

Let Chaos with the dolorous sound

Re-echo, and the widespread waves

Of ocean, and the air above1110

Which had thy darts in better use

Beheld. Thy breast, with ills beset

So mighty, must with no light blow

Be smitten. With one great sound of grief

Let heaven, sea, and hell be filled.

And thou, brave shaft, above his neck1115

So long suspended, armament

And weapon too, thou quiver huge,

Smite heavily his savage back.

Thou sturdy club of oak, come beat

His mighty shoulders, and oppress1120

His breast with thy hard-knotted stock.

Let all his weapons worthily

Of so great grief lament with him.

[To the dead children.]

But you, who in your father's praise

Can never share, who ne'er from kings

Have taken deadly recompense,

Who never in the Argive games

Have learned to bend your youthful limbs,

In wrestling and in boxing strong1125

To strive; who have but dared as yet

To poise the slender Scythian dart

With steady hand, and pierce the stag

Who safety seeks in flight, but not

The lion fierce with tawny mane:1130

Go to your Stygian refuge, go,

Ye guiltless shades, who on life's verge

Have by your father's mad assault

Been overwhelmed. Poor children, born

Of an ill-omened, luckless race,1135

Fare on along your father's toilsome path,

To where the gloomy monarchs sit in wrath!

Hercules[waking up in his right mind]: What place is this? What quarter of the world?Where am I? 'Neath the rising sun, or whereThe frozen Bear wheels slowly overhead?Or in that farthest land whose shores are washed1140By the Hesperian sea? What air is thisI breathe? What soil supports my weary frame?For surely have I come again to earth.[His eyes fall on his murdered children.]Whence came those bloody corpses in my house?Do I behold them, or not even yetHave those infernal visions left my mind?1145Even on earth the ghostly shapes of deathStill flit before mine eyes. I speak with shame:I am afraid. Some great calamity,Some hidden ill my prescient soul forebodes.Where is my father? Where my faithful wife,Proud of that troop of children at her side?1150Why does my left side miss the lion's skin,My shield in danger and my couch in sleep?Where is my bow, my darts? Who, while I liveHas dared remove my arms? Who so great spoilsHas gained? Who then so bold as not to fear1155The very slumber of a Hercules?'Twould please me well to see my victor—well.Arise, thou victor, whom my sire begot,A later wonder, leaving heaven behind;At whose begetting, longer than at mine,The night stood waiting.[He recognizes his dead wife and children.]Oh, what sight is this?My sons lie murdered, weltering in their blood;1160My wife is slain. What Lycus rules the land?Who could have dared to do such things in Thebes,And Hercules returned? Whoever dwellsAlong Ismenus' stream, in Attic plains,Or in the land Dardanian Pelops rules,1165By two seas lapped, come to my aid, and tellThe name of him who has this murder done.If not, my wrath will turn against you all;For he's my foe who shows me not my foe.Why dost thou hide, Alcides' vanquisher?I care not whether thou dost vengeance seekFor those wild horses of the Thracian king,1170Or Geryon's flock, or Libya's vanquished lords;I do not shun the fight; see, here I stand,Defenseless, even though with my own armsThou com'st against me, armorless. But whyDo Theseus and my father shun my glance?Why do they turn away? Postpone your tears,1175And tell me who has given my loved ones allTo death. What, father, art thou silent still?Then do thou tell me, Theseus, faithful friend.Each turns away in silence, and his face,As if in shame, conceals; while down his cheeksThe tears flow stealthily. In so great illsWhat cause for shame can be? Is this the work1180Of him who ruthlessly at Argos rules?Has dying Lycus' hostile soldieryWith such disaster overwhelmed our house?O father, by the praises of my deeds,By thine own name which ever was to mePropitious, tell, I pray thee, who it isWho hath o'erthrown my house. Whose prey am I?1185Amphitr.:Let ills like these in silence pass away.Hercules:And I be unavenged?Amphitryon:But vengeance hurts.Hercules:Who has, inactive, ever borne such wrongs?Amphitr.:He who feared greater wrongs.Hercules:Than these my wrongsCan any greater, heavier be feared?1190Amphitr.:The part thou knowest of thy woes is least.Hercules:Have pity. See, I stretch my suppliant hands.But what is this? He will not touch my hands.In these must be the sin.But whence this blood?Why is that shaft, once dipped in Hydra's gall,1195Now wet with infant gore? They are my own,These arrows that I see; the guilty handI need no longer seek; for who but meCould bend that mighty bow, or whose right handCould draw the string that scarcely yields to me?[ToAmphitryonandTheseus.]To you I turn again. O father, tell:Is this my deed?1200[Both men hesitate in silence.]They hesitate—'tis mine.Amphitr.:Thine is the grief; thy stepdame's is the crime.From fault of thine this sad mischance is free.Hercules:Now hurl thy wrathful bolts from all the heavens,O sire, who hast forgotten me, thy son;Avenge at least, though with a tardy hand,Thy grandsons. Let the star-set heavens resound,And darting lightnings leap from pole to pole.1205Let me be bound upon the Caspian rocks,And let the birds of prey devour my flesh.Why lacks Prometheus' cliff a prisoner?Prepare for me the bare, steep mountain sideOf Caucasus, that, on his towering peak,The birds and beasts of prey may feed on me.Or let the blue Symplegades, which hedge1210The Scythian deep, stretch out my fettered handsThis way and that; and, when with rhythmic changeThe rocks together clash, which fling to heavenThe sea that lies between the rushing cliffs,May I lie there, the mountains' restless check.1215Or why not heap a mighty pyre of wood,And burn my body stained with impious blood?Thus, thus it must be done; so HerculesShall to the lower world return again.Amphitr.:Not yet has madness ceased to vex his heart.But now his wrath has changed, and, fury's sign,1220He rages 'gainst himself.Hercules:Ye dire abodesOf fiends, ye prison-house of damnéd shades,Ye regions set apart for guilty throngs,If any place of exile lie beyondDeep Erebus, unknown to CerberusAnd me, there hide ye me. I'll go and dwell1225Upon the farthest bound of Tartarus.O heart, too hard! Who worthily will weepFor you, my children, scattered through my house?This face, woe-hardened, knows not how to weep.Bring me my sword, and give me here my darts,1230My mighty club.[He addresses the four corpses in order.]For thee, poor murdered boy,I'll break my shafts; for thee my mighty bowShall be asunder riven; to thy shadesMy heavy club shall burn; and on thy pyreMy quiver, full of venomed darts, shall lie.My arms shall pay their penalty for sin.1235You, too, my guilty hands, with these shall burn,Too prompt to work a cruel stepdame's will.Theseus:Who ever called an act of madness crime?Hercules:Unbridled madness often ends in crime.Amphitr.:Now is there need of Hercules to bearThis greatest weight of woe.Hercules:Not yet is shame1240So utterly extinguished in my heart,That I can bear to see all people fleeMy impious presence. Arms, my Theseus, arms!I pray you give them quickly back to me.If I am sane, trust weapons to my hands;If madness still remains, O father, fly;For I shall quickly find the road to death.1245Amphitr.:By holy ties of birth, and by the nameThat makes us one, be it of father true,Or foster-father; by these hoary locksWhich pious souls revere: I pray thee spareMy lonely age and my enfeebled years.Spare thou thyself to me, the only prop1250Of this my falling house, the only lightThat's left to cheer my woeful heart. No fruitOf all thy toils have I as yet enjoyed;But ever either stormy seas I've feared,Or monsters. Every savage king who ravesIn all the world, for impious altars famed,1255Is cause of dread to me. Thy father longsFor joy of thee, to feel and see thee near.Hercules:Why I should longer keep my soul in life,And linger on the earth, there is no cause;For I have lost my all: my balanced mind,1260My arms, my reputation, children, wife,The glory of my strength—my madness too.There is no remedy for tainted souls;But death alone can cure me of my sin.Amphitr.:And wilt thou slay thy father?Hercules:Lest I do,I'll kill myself.Amphitryon:Before thy father's face?Hercules:Such impious sights I've taught him to behold.Amphitr.:Nay, rather think upon thy worthy deeds,1265And grant thyself remission of one sin.Hercules:Shall he give absolution to himself,Who granted none to other men? My deedsWhich have deserved the praise of men, I didBecause another bade. This is my own.Then help me, father, whether pietyOr my sad fortune move thee to my aid,1270Or the glory of my manhood, now profaned.Give me my arms again, that my right handMay vanquish fate.Theseus:Thy father's prayers, indeed,Are strong enough; but by my pleadings, too,Be moved. Rise up, and meet adversityWith thine accustomed force. Thy strength of mind1275Recall, which no misfortune ever yetHas daunted. Now must thou with all thy mightContend, and curb the wrath of Hercules.Hercules:If yet I live, I have committed wrong;But if I die, then have I suffered it.I haste to purge the earth of such as I.Now long enough has there been hoveringBefore my eyes that monstrous shape of sin,1280So impious, savage, merciless, and wild.Then come, my hand, attempt this mighty task,Far greater than the last. Dost hesitateThrough cowardice? Or art thou brave alone'Gainst boys and trembling mothers?Give my arms,Or else I shall from Thracian Pindus strip1285The woods, the groves of Bacchus, and shall burnCithaeron's ridgy heights along with me.The homes of Thebes together with their lords,The temples with their gods, will I o'erthrow,And 'neath a ruined city will I lie.1290And if this weight of walls should prove too lightFor these strong shoulders, and the seven gatesBe not enough to crush me to the earth,The mighty mass of earth which separatesThe upper from the nether skies I'll take,And hurl its crushing weight upon my head.Amphitr.:Lo, I return thine arms.1295Hercules:Now are thy wordsMore worthy of the sire of Hercules.See, by this arrow pierced, my child was slain.Amphitr.:'Tis true, but Juno shot it by thy hand.Hercules:Then I myself shall use it now.Amphitryon:Behold,How throbs his heart within his anxious breast.Hercules:The shaft is ready.1300Amphitryon:Ah now wilt thou sin,Of thine own will and with full consciousness.Have then thy will; we make no further prayer.For now my grief has gained a safe retreat.Thou only canst preserve my son to me;Thou canst not take him from me. For my fearI've sounded to the depths and feel no more.Thou canst no longer give me any pain,1305Though happy thou canst make me even yet.Decide then as thou wilt decide: but knowThat here thy cause and reputation standIn doubtful balance. Either thou dost live,Or thou dost kill thy sire. This fleeting soul,Now worn with age and shattered by its grief,Is trembling on my lips in act to go.1310Art thou so slow to grant thy father life?I can no longer brook delay, nor waitTo thrust the fatal sword into my breast.And this shall be a sane Alcides' crime.Hercules:Now stay, my father, stay; withhold thy hand.Yield thee, my manhood; do a father's will.1315Add this task also to thy former toils—And live! Lift up my father's fainting form,O Theseus, friend; for these my guilty handsThat pious duty shun.Amphitryon:But I with joyWill clasp this hand, with its support I'll walk,1320And to my aching heart I'll clasp it close,And banish all my woes.Hercules:Where shall I flee?Where hide myself? What land shall bury meFrom human sight? What Tanaïs or Nile,What Tigris, with the waves of Persia mad,What warlike Rhine, or Tagus, flowing full1325And turgid with Iberia's golden sands,Can ever cleanse this right hand of its stains?Though chill Maeotis pour its icy floodsUpon me; though the boundless sea should pourIts waters o'er my hands; still would they beDeep dyed with crime. Where wilt thou take thyself,Thou murderer? Wilt flee to east, or west?1330Known everywhere, I have no place of flight.The whole world shrinks from sight of me; the starsAvert their courses from me, and the sunSaw even Cerberus with milder face.O Theseus, faithful friend, seek out a place,1335Far off from here, where I may hide myself.Since thou a lenient judge of others' sinsHast ever been, grant mercy now to me.Restore me to the infernal shades, I beg,And load me with the chains thou once didst wear.1340That place will hide me—but it knows me too!Theseus:My land awaits thy coming; there will[18]MarsWash clean thy hands, and give thee back thy arms.That land, O Hercules, now calls to thee,Which even gods from sin is wont to free.

Hercules[waking up in his right mind]: What place is this? What quarter of the world?

Where am I? 'Neath the rising sun, or where

The frozen Bear wheels slowly overhead?

Or in that farthest land whose shores are washed1140

By the Hesperian sea? What air is this

I breathe? What soil supports my weary frame?

For surely have I come again to earth.

[His eyes fall on his murdered children.]

Whence came those bloody corpses in my house?

Do I behold them, or not even yet

Have those infernal visions left my mind?1145

Even on earth the ghostly shapes of death

Still flit before mine eyes. I speak with shame:

I am afraid. Some great calamity,

Some hidden ill my prescient soul forebodes.

Where is my father? Where my faithful wife,

Proud of that troop of children at her side?1150

Why does my left side miss the lion's skin,

My shield in danger and my couch in sleep?

Where is my bow, my darts? Who, while I live

Has dared remove my arms? Who so great spoils

Has gained? Who then so bold as not to fear1155

The very slumber of a Hercules?

'Twould please me well to see my victor—well.

Arise, thou victor, whom my sire begot,

A later wonder, leaving heaven behind;

At whose begetting, longer than at mine,

The night stood waiting.

[He recognizes his dead wife and children.]

Oh, what sight is this?

My sons lie murdered, weltering in their blood;1160

My wife is slain. What Lycus rules the land?

Who could have dared to do such things in Thebes,

And Hercules returned? Whoever dwells

Along Ismenus' stream, in Attic plains,

Or in the land Dardanian Pelops rules,1165

By two seas lapped, come to my aid, and tell

The name of him who has this murder done.

If not, my wrath will turn against you all;

For he's my foe who shows me not my foe.

Why dost thou hide, Alcides' vanquisher?

I care not whether thou dost vengeance seek

For those wild horses of the Thracian king,1170

Or Geryon's flock, or Libya's vanquished lords;

I do not shun the fight; see, here I stand,

Defenseless, even though with my own arms

Thou com'st against me, armorless. But why

Do Theseus and my father shun my glance?

Why do they turn away? Postpone your tears,1175

And tell me who has given my loved ones all

To death. What, father, art thou silent still?

Then do thou tell me, Theseus, faithful friend.

Each turns away in silence, and his face,

As if in shame, conceals; while down his cheeks

The tears flow stealthily. In so great ills

What cause for shame can be? Is this the work1180

Of him who ruthlessly at Argos rules?

Has dying Lycus' hostile soldiery

With such disaster overwhelmed our house?

O father, by the praises of my deeds,

By thine own name which ever was to me

Propitious, tell, I pray thee, who it is

Who hath o'erthrown my house. Whose prey am I?1185

Amphitr.:Let ills like these in silence pass away.

Hercules:And I be unavenged?

Amphitryon:But vengeance hurts.

Hercules:Who has, inactive, ever borne such wrongs?

Amphitr.:He who feared greater wrongs.

Hercules:Than these my wrongsCan any greater, heavier be feared?1190

Hercules:Than these my wrongs

Can any greater, heavier be feared?1190

Amphitr.:The part thou knowest of thy woes is least.

Hercules:Have pity. See, I stretch my suppliant hands.But what is this? He will not touch my hands.In these must be the sin.But whence this blood?Why is that shaft, once dipped in Hydra's gall,1195Now wet with infant gore? They are my own,These arrows that I see; the guilty handI need no longer seek; for who but meCould bend that mighty bow, or whose right handCould draw the string that scarcely yields to me?[ToAmphitryonandTheseus.]To you I turn again. O father, tell:Is this my deed?1200[Both men hesitate in silence.]They hesitate—'tis mine.

Hercules:Have pity. See, I stretch my suppliant hands.

But what is this? He will not touch my hands.

In these must be the sin.

But whence this blood?

Why is that shaft, once dipped in Hydra's gall,1195

Now wet with infant gore? They are my own,

These arrows that I see; the guilty hand

I need no longer seek; for who but me

Could bend that mighty bow, or whose right hand

Could draw the string that scarcely yields to me?

[ToAmphitryonandTheseus.]

To you I turn again. O father, tell:

Is this my deed?1200

[Both men hesitate in silence.]

They hesitate—'tis mine.

Amphitr.:Thine is the grief; thy stepdame's is the crime.From fault of thine this sad mischance is free.

Amphitr.:Thine is the grief; thy stepdame's is the crime.

From fault of thine this sad mischance is free.

Hercules:Now hurl thy wrathful bolts from all the heavens,O sire, who hast forgotten me, thy son;Avenge at least, though with a tardy hand,Thy grandsons. Let the star-set heavens resound,And darting lightnings leap from pole to pole.1205Let me be bound upon the Caspian rocks,And let the birds of prey devour my flesh.Why lacks Prometheus' cliff a prisoner?Prepare for me the bare, steep mountain sideOf Caucasus, that, on his towering peak,The birds and beasts of prey may feed on me.Or let the blue Symplegades, which hedge1210The Scythian deep, stretch out my fettered handsThis way and that; and, when with rhythmic changeThe rocks together clash, which fling to heavenThe sea that lies between the rushing cliffs,May I lie there, the mountains' restless check.1215Or why not heap a mighty pyre of wood,And burn my body stained with impious blood?Thus, thus it must be done; so HerculesShall to the lower world return again.

Hercules:Now hurl thy wrathful bolts from all the heavens,

O sire, who hast forgotten me, thy son;

Avenge at least, though with a tardy hand,

Thy grandsons. Let the star-set heavens resound,

And darting lightnings leap from pole to pole.1205

Let me be bound upon the Caspian rocks,

And let the birds of prey devour my flesh.

Why lacks Prometheus' cliff a prisoner?

Prepare for me the bare, steep mountain side

Of Caucasus, that, on his towering peak,

The birds and beasts of prey may feed on me.

Or let the blue Symplegades, which hedge1210

The Scythian deep, stretch out my fettered hands

This way and that; and, when with rhythmic change

The rocks together clash, which fling to heaven

The sea that lies between the rushing cliffs,

May I lie there, the mountains' restless check.1215

Or why not heap a mighty pyre of wood,

And burn my body stained with impious blood?

Thus, thus it must be done; so Hercules

Shall to the lower world return again.

Amphitr.:Not yet has madness ceased to vex his heart.But now his wrath has changed, and, fury's sign,1220He rages 'gainst himself.

Amphitr.:Not yet has madness ceased to vex his heart.

But now his wrath has changed, and, fury's sign,1220

He rages 'gainst himself.

Hercules:Ye dire abodesOf fiends, ye prison-house of damnéd shades,Ye regions set apart for guilty throngs,If any place of exile lie beyondDeep Erebus, unknown to CerberusAnd me, there hide ye me. I'll go and dwell1225Upon the farthest bound of Tartarus.O heart, too hard! Who worthily will weepFor you, my children, scattered through my house?This face, woe-hardened, knows not how to weep.Bring me my sword, and give me here my darts,1230My mighty club.[He addresses the four corpses in order.]For thee, poor murdered boy,I'll break my shafts; for thee my mighty bowShall be asunder riven; to thy shadesMy heavy club shall burn; and on thy pyreMy quiver, full of venomed darts, shall lie.My arms shall pay their penalty for sin.1235You, too, my guilty hands, with these shall burn,Too prompt to work a cruel stepdame's will.

Hercules:Ye dire abodes

Of fiends, ye prison-house of damnéd shades,

Ye regions set apart for guilty throngs,

If any place of exile lie beyond

Deep Erebus, unknown to Cerberus

And me, there hide ye me. I'll go and dwell1225

Upon the farthest bound of Tartarus.

O heart, too hard! Who worthily will weep

For you, my children, scattered through my house?

This face, woe-hardened, knows not how to weep.

Bring me my sword, and give me here my darts,1230

My mighty club.

[He addresses the four corpses in order.]

For thee, poor murdered boy,

I'll break my shafts; for thee my mighty bow

Shall be asunder riven; to thy shades

My heavy club shall burn; and on thy pyre

My quiver, full of venomed darts, shall lie.

My arms shall pay their penalty for sin.1235

You, too, my guilty hands, with these shall burn,

Too prompt to work a cruel stepdame's will.

Theseus:Who ever called an act of madness crime?

Hercules:Unbridled madness often ends in crime.

Amphitr.:Now is there need of Hercules to bearThis greatest weight of woe.

Amphitr.:Now is there need of Hercules to bear

This greatest weight of woe.

Hercules:Not yet is shame1240So utterly extinguished in my heart,That I can bear to see all people fleeMy impious presence. Arms, my Theseus, arms!I pray you give them quickly back to me.If I am sane, trust weapons to my hands;If madness still remains, O father, fly;For I shall quickly find the road to death.1245

Hercules:Not yet is shame1240

So utterly extinguished in my heart,

That I can bear to see all people flee

My impious presence. Arms, my Theseus, arms!

I pray you give them quickly back to me.

If I am sane, trust weapons to my hands;

If madness still remains, O father, fly;

For I shall quickly find the road to death.1245

Amphitr.:By holy ties of birth, and by the nameThat makes us one, be it of father true,Or foster-father; by these hoary locksWhich pious souls revere: I pray thee spareMy lonely age and my enfeebled years.Spare thou thyself to me, the only prop1250Of this my falling house, the only lightThat's left to cheer my woeful heart. No fruitOf all thy toils have I as yet enjoyed;But ever either stormy seas I've feared,Or monsters. Every savage king who ravesIn all the world, for impious altars famed,1255Is cause of dread to me. Thy father longsFor joy of thee, to feel and see thee near.

Amphitr.:By holy ties of birth, and by the name

That makes us one, be it of father true,

Or foster-father; by these hoary locks

Which pious souls revere: I pray thee spare

My lonely age and my enfeebled years.

Spare thou thyself to me, the only prop1250

Of this my falling house, the only light

That's left to cheer my woeful heart. No fruit

Of all thy toils have I as yet enjoyed;

But ever either stormy seas I've feared,

Or monsters. Every savage king who raves

In all the world, for impious altars famed,1255

Is cause of dread to me. Thy father longs

For joy of thee, to feel and see thee near.

Hercules:Why I should longer keep my soul in life,And linger on the earth, there is no cause;For I have lost my all: my balanced mind,1260My arms, my reputation, children, wife,The glory of my strength—my madness too.There is no remedy for tainted souls;But death alone can cure me of my sin.

Hercules:Why I should longer keep my soul in life,

And linger on the earth, there is no cause;

For I have lost my all: my balanced mind,1260

My arms, my reputation, children, wife,

The glory of my strength—my madness too.

There is no remedy for tainted souls;

But death alone can cure me of my sin.

Amphitr.:And wilt thou slay thy father?

Hercules:Lest I do,I'll kill myself.

Hercules:Lest I do,

I'll kill myself.

Amphitryon:Before thy father's face?

Hercules:Such impious sights I've taught him to behold.

Amphitr.:Nay, rather think upon thy worthy deeds,1265And grant thyself remission of one sin.

Amphitr.:Nay, rather think upon thy worthy deeds,1265

And grant thyself remission of one sin.

Hercules:Shall he give absolution to himself,Who granted none to other men? My deedsWhich have deserved the praise of men, I didBecause another bade. This is my own.Then help me, father, whether pietyOr my sad fortune move thee to my aid,1270Or the glory of my manhood, now profaned.Give me my arms again, that my right handMay vanquish fate.

Hercules:Shall he give absolution to himself,

Who granted none to other men? My deeds

Which have deserved the praise of men, I did

Because another bade. This is my own.

Then help me, father, whether piety

Or my sad fortune move thee to my aid,1270

Or the glory of my manhood, now profaned.

Give me my arms again, that my right hand

May vanquish fate.

Theseus:Thy father's prayers, indeed,Are strong enough; but by my pleadings, too,Be moved. Rise up, and meet adversityWith thine accustomed force. Thy strength of mind1275Recall, which no misfortune ever yetHas daunted. Now must thou with all thy mightContend, and curb the wrath of Hercules.

Theseus:Thy father's prayers, indeed,

Are strong enough; but by my pleadings, too,

Be moved. Rise up, and meet adversity

With thine accustomed force. Thy strength of mind1275

Recall, which no misfortune ever yet

Has daunted. Now must thou with all thy might

Contend, and curb the wrath of Hercules.

Hercules:If yet I live, I have committed wrong;But if I die, then have I suffered it.I haste to purge the earth of such as I.Now long enough has there been hoveringBefore my eyes that monstrous shape of sin,1280So impious, savage, merciless, and wild.Then come, my hand, attempt this mighty task,Far greater than the last. Dost hesitateThrough cowardice? Or art thou brave alone'Gainst boys and trembling mothers?Give my arms,Or else I shall from Thracian Pindus strip1285The woods, the groves of Bacchus, and shall burnCithaeron's ridgy heights along with me.The homes of Thebes together with their lords,The temples with their gods, will I o'erthrow,And 'neath a ruined city will I lie.1290And if this weight of walls should prove too lightFor these strong shoulders, and the seven gatesBe not enough to crush me to the earth,The mighty mass of earth which separatesThe upper from the nether skies I'll take,And hurl its crushing weight upon my head.

Hercules:If yet I live, I have committed wrong;

But if I die, then have I suffered it.

I haste to purge the earth of such as I.

Now long enough has there been hovering

Before my eyes that monstrous shape of sin,1280

So impious, savage, merciless, and wild.

Then come, my hand, attempt this mighty task,

Far greater than the last. Dost hesitate

Through cowardice? Or art thou brave alone

'Gainst boys and trembling mothers?

Give my arms,

Or else I shall from Thracian Pindus strip1285

The woods, the groves of Bacchus, and shall burn

Cithaeron's ridgy heights along with me.

The homes of Thebes together with their lords,

The temples with their gods, will I o'erthrow,

And 'neath a ruined city will I lie.1290

And if this weight of walls should prove too light

For these strong shoulders, and the seven gates

Be not enough to crush me to the earth,

The mighty mass of earth which separates

The upper from the nether skies I'll take,

And hurl its crushing weight upon my head.

Amphitr.:Lo, I return thine arms.1295

Hercules:Now are thy wordsMore worthy of the sire of Hercules.See, by this arrow pierced, my child was slain.

Hercules:Now are thy words

More worthy of the sire of Hercules.

See, by this arrow pierced, my child was slain.

Amphitr.:'Tis true, but Juno shot it by thy hand.

Hercules:Then I myself shall use it now.

Amphitryon:Behold,How throbs his heart within his anxious breast.

Amphitryon:Behold,

How throbs his heart within his anxious breast.

Hercules:The shaft is ready.1300

Amphitryon:Ah now wilt thou sin,Of thine own will and with full consciousness.Have then thy will; we make no further prayer.For now my grief has gained a safe retreat.Thou only canst preserve my son to me;Thou canst not take him from me. For my fearI've sounded to the depths and feel no more.Thou canst no longer give me any pain,1305Though happy thou canst make me even yet.Decide then as thou wilt decide: but knowThat here thy cause and reputation standIn doubtful balance. Either thou dost live,Or thou dost kill thy sire. This fleeting soul,Now worn with age and shattered by its grief,Is trembling on my lips in act to go.1310Art thou so slow to grant thy father life?I can no longer brook delay, nor waitTo thrust the fatal sword into my breast.And this shall be a sane Alcides' crime.

Amphitryon:Ah now wilt thou sin,

Of thine own will and with full consciousness.

Have then thy will; we make no further prayer.

For now my grief has gained a safe retreat.

Thou only canst preserve my son to me;

Thou canst not take him from me. For my fear

I've sounded to the depths and feel no more.

Thou canst no longer give me any pain,1305

Though happy thou canst make me even yet.

Decide then as thou wilt decide: but know

That here thy cause and reputation stand

In doubtful balance. Either thou dost live,

Or thou dost kill thy sire. This fleeting soul,

Now worn with age and shattered by its grief,

Is trembling on my lips in act to go.1310

Art thou so slow to grant thy father life?

I can no longer brook delay, nor wait

To thrust the fatal sword into my breast.

And this shall be a sane Alcides' crime.

Hercules:Now stay, my father, stay; withhold thy hand.Yield thee, my manhood; do a father's will.1315Add this task also to thy former toils—And live! Lift up my father's fainting form,O Theseus, friend; for these my guilty handsThat pious duty shun.

Hercules:Now stay, my father, stay; withhold thy hand.

Yield thee, my manhood; do a father's will.1315

Add this task also to thy former toils—

And live! Lift up my father's fainting form,

O Theseus, friend; for these my guilty hands

That pious duty shun.

Amphitryon:But I with joyWill clasp this hand, with its support I'll walk,1320And to my aching heart I'll clasp it close,And banish all my woes.

Amphitryon:But I with joy

Will clasp this hand, with its support I'll walk,1320

And to my aching heart I'll clasp it close,

And banish all my woes.

Hercules:Where shall I flee?Where hide myself? What land shall bury meFrom human sight? What Tanaïs or Nile,What Tigris, with the waves of Persia mad,What warlike Rhine, or Tagus, flowing full1325And turgid with Iberia's golden sands,Can ever cleanse this right hand of its stains?Though chill Maeotis pour its icy floodsUpon me; though the boundless sea should pourIts waters o'er my hands; still would they beDeep dyed with crime. Where wilt thou take thyself,Thou murderer? Wilt flee to east, or west?1330Known everywhere, I have no place of flight.The whole world shrinks from sight of me; the starsAvert their courses from me, and the sunSaw even Cerberus with milder face.O Theseus, faithful friend, seek out a place,1335Far off from here, where I may hide myself.Since thou a lenient judge of others' sinsHast ever been, grant mercy now to me.Restore me to the infernal shades, I beg,And load me with the chains thou once didst wear.1340That place will hide me—but it knows me too!

Hercules:Where shall I flee?

Where hide myself? What land shall bury me

From human sight? What Tanaïs or Nile,

What Tigris, with the waves of Persia mad,

What warlike Rhine, or Tagus, flowing full1325

And turgid with Iberia's golden sands,

Can ever cleanse this right hand of its stains?

Though chill Maeotis pour its icy floods

Upon me; though the boundless sea should pour

Its waters o'er my hands; still would they be

Deep dyed with crime. Where wilt thou take thyself,

Thou murderer? Wilt flee to east, or west?1330

Known everywhere, I have no place of flight.

The whole world shrinks from sight of me; the stars

Avert their courses from me, and the sun

Saw even Cerberus with milder face.

O Theseus, faithful friend, seek out a place,1335

Far off from here, where I may hide myself.

Since thou a lenient judge of others' sins

Hast ever been, grant mercy now to me.

Restore me to the infernal shades, I beg,

And load me with the chains thou once didst wear.1340

That place will hide me—but it knows me too!

Theseus:My land awaits thy coming; there will[18]MarsWash clean thy hands, and give thee back thy arms.That land, O Hercules, now calls to thee,Which even gods from sin is wont to free.

Theseus:My land awaits thy coming; there will[18]Mars

Wash clean thy hands, and give thee back thy arms.

That land, O Hercules, now calls to thee,

Which even gods from sin is wont to free.

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