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victor with his own voice； calling on imaginary spectators to
listen。 Next； fancy carrying him to Mycenae； he was uttering fearful
threats against Eurystheus。 Meantime his father caught him by his
stalwart arm； and thus addressed him； 〃My son； what meanest thou
hereby？ What strange doings are these？ Can it be that the blood of thy
late victims has driven thee frantic？〃 But he； supposing it was the
father of Eurystheus striving in abject supplication to touch his
hand； thrust him aside； and then against his own children aimed his
bow and made ready his quiver； thinking to slay the sons of
Eurystheus。 And they in wild affright darted hither and thither； one
to his hapless mother's skirts； another to the shadow of a pillar；
while a third cowered 'neath the altar like a bird。 Then cried their
mother； 〃O father； what art thou doing？ dost mean to slay thy
children？〃 Likewise his aged sire and all the gathered servants
cried aloud。 But he； hunting the child round and round； the column； in
dreadful circles； and coming face to face with him shot him to the
heart； and he fell upon his back； sprinkling the stone pillars with
blood as he gasped out his life。 Then did Heracles shout for joy and
boasted loud； 〃Here lies one of Eurystheus' brood dead at my feet；
atoning for his father's hate。〃 Against a second did he aim his bow；
who had crouched at the altar's foot thinking to escape unseen。 But
ere he fired； the poor child threw himself at his father's knees； and；
flinging his hand to reach his beard or neck； cried； 〃Oh！ slay me not；
dear father mine！ I am thy child； thine own； 'tis no son of Eurystheus
thou wilt slay。〃
But that other； with savage Gorgon…scowl； as the child now stood
in range of his baleful archery； smote him on the head； as smites a
smith his molten iron； bringing down his club upon the fair…haired
boy； and crushed the bones。 The second caught； away he hies to add a
third victim to the other twain。 But ere he could； the poor mother
caught up her babe and carried him within the house and shut the
doors； forthwith the madman； as though he really were at the Cyclopean
walls； prizes open the doors with levers； and； hurling down their
posts； with one fell shaft laid low his wife and child。 Then in wild
career he starts to slay his aged sire； but lo！ there came a
phantom；…so it seemed to us on…lookers；…Of Pallas； with plumed helm；
brandishing a spear； and she hurled a rock against the breast of
Heracles； which stayed him from his frenzied thirst for blood and
plunged him into sleep； to the ground he fell； smiting his back
against a column that had fallen on the floor in twain when the roof
fell in。 Thereon we rallied from our flight； and with the old man's
aid bound him fast with knotted cords to the pillar； that on his
awakening he might do no further evil。 So there he sleeps； poor
wretch！ a sleep that is not blest； having murdered wife and
children； nay； for my part know not any son of man more miserable than
he。
（The MESSENGER withdraws。）
CHORUS （singing）
That murder wrought by the daughters of Danaus； whereof my
native Argos wots； was formerly the most famous and notorious in
Hellas； but this hath surpassed and outdone those previous horrors。
I could tell of the murder of that poor son of Zeus； whom Procne；
mother of an only child； slew and offered to the Muses； but thou hadst
three children； wretched parent； and all of them hast thou in thy
frenzy slain。 What groans or wails； what funeral dirge； or chant of
death am I to raise？ Alas and woe！ see； the bolted doors of the
lofty palace are being rolled apart。 Ah me！ behold these children
lying dead before their wretched father； who is sunk in awful
slumber after shedding their blood。 Round him are bonds and cords；
made fast with many a knot about the body of Heracles； and lashed to
the stone columns of his house。 While he； the aged sire； like
mother…bird wailing her unfledged brood； comes hasting hither with
halting steps on his bitter journey。
（The central doors of the palace have opened and have disclosed
HERACLES lying asleep； bound to a shattered column。 AMPHITRYON
steps out。 The following lines between AMPHITRYON and
the CHORUS are chanted responsively。）
AMPHITRYON
Softly； softly！ ye aged sons of Thebes； let him sleep on and
forget his sorrows。
CHORUS
For thee； old friend； I weep and mourn； for the children too and
that victorious chief。
AMPHITRYON
Stand further off； make no noise nor outcry； rouse him not from
his calm deep slumber。
CHORUS
O horrible！ all this blood…
AMPHITRYON
Hush； hush！ ye will be my ruin。
CHORUS
That he has spilt is rising up against him。
AMPHITRYON
Gently raise your dirge of woe； old friends； lest he wake； and；
bursting his bonds； destroy the city； rend his sire； and dash his
house to pieces。
CHORUS
I cannot； cannot…
AMPHITRYON
Hush！ let me note his breathing； come； let me put my ear close。
CHORUS
Is he sleeping？
AMPHITRYON
Aye； that is he； a deathly sleep； having slain wife and children
with the arrows of his twanging bow。
CHORUS
Ah！ mourn…
AMPHITRYON
I do。
CHORUS
The children's death；
AMPHITRYON
Ah me！
CHORUS
And thy own son's doom。
AMPHITRYON
Ah misery！
CHORUS
Old friend…
AMPHITRYON
Hush！ hush！ he is turning； he is waking！ Oh Oh！ let me hide myself
beneath the covert of yon roof。
CHORUS
Courage！ darkness still broods o'er thy son's eye。
AMPHITRYON
Oh！ beware； 'tis not that I shrink from leaving the light after my
miseries； poor wretch！ but should he slay me that am his father；
then will he be devising woe on woe； and to the avenging curse will
add a parent's blood。
CHORUS
Well for thee hadst thou died in that day； when； to win thy
wife； thou didst go forth to exact vengeance for her slain brethren by
sacking the Taphians' sea…beat town。
AMPHITRYON
Fly； fly； my aged friends； haste from before the palace； escape
his waking fury！ For soon will he heap up fresh carnage on the old；
ranging wildly once more through the streets of Thebes。
CHORUS
O Zeus； why hast thou shown such savage hate against thine own son
and plunged him in this sea of troubles？
HERACLES （waking）
Aha！ my breath returns； I am alive； and my eyes see； opening on
the sky and earth and yon sun's darting beam； but how my senses
reel！ in what strange turmoil am I plunged！ my fevered breath in quick
spasmodic gasps escapes my lungs。 How now？ why am I lying here； made
fast with cables like a ship； my brawny chest and arms tied to a
shattered piece of masonry； with corpses for my neighbours； while o'er
the floor my bow and arrows are scattered； that erst like trusty
squires to my arm both kept me safe and were kept safe of me？ Surely I
am not come a second time to Hades' halls； having just returned from
thence for Eurystheus？ No； I do not see Sisyphus with his stone； or
Pluto； or his queen； Demeter's child。 Surely I am distraught； I cannot
remember where I am。 Ho； there！ which of my friends is near or far
to