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She is mounted on her car； the queen of sorrow and sighing； and is
goading on her steeds； as if for outrage； the Gorgon child of Night；
with hundred hissing serpent…heads； Madness of the flashing eyes。
Soon hath the god changed his good fortune； soon will his children
breathe their last； slain by a father's hand。
Ah me！ alas！ soon will vengeance； mad； relentless； lay low by
cruel death thy unhappy son； O Zeus； exacting a full penalty。
Alas； O house！ the fiend begins her dance of death without the
cymbal's crash； with no glad waving of the wine…god's staff。
Woe to these halls toward bloodshed she moves； and not to pour
libations of the juice of the grape。
O children； haste to fly； that is the chant of death her piping
plays。
Ah； yes！ he is chasing the children。 Never； ah！ never will Madness
lead her revel rout in vain。
Ah misery！
Ah me！ how I lament that aged sire； that mother too that bore
his babes in vain。
Look！ look！
A tempest rocks the house； the roof is falling with it。
Oh！ what art thou doing； son of Zeus？
Thou art sending hell's confusion against thy house； as erst did
Pallas on Enceladus。
（A MESSENGER enters from the palace。）
MESSENGER
Ye hoary men of eld！
CHORUS
Why； oh！ why this loud address to me？
MESSENGER
Awful is the sight within！
CHORUS
No need for me to call another to announce that。
MESSENGER
Dead lie the children。
CHORUS
Alas！
MESSENGER
Ah weep！ for here is cause for weeping。
CHORUS
A cruel murder； wrought by parents' hands！
MESSENGER
No words can utter more than we have suffered。
CHORUS
What； canst thou prove this piteous ruin was a father's outrage on
his children？ Tell me how these heaven…sent woes came rushing on the
house； say how the children met their sad mischance。
MESSENGER
Victims to purify the house were stationed before the altar of
Zeus； for Heracles had slain and cast from his halls the king of the
land。 There stood his group of lovely children； with his sire and
Megara； and already the basket was being passed round the altar； and
we were keeping holy silence。 But just as Alcmena's son was bringing
the torch in his right hand to dip it in the holy water； he stopped
without a word。 And as their father lingered； his children looked at
him； and lo！ he was changed； his eyes were rolling； he was distraught；
his eyeballs were bloodshot and starting from their sockets； and
foam was oozing down his bearded cheek。 Anon he spoke； laughing the
while a madman's laugh； 〃Father； why should I sacrifice before I
have slain Eurystheus； why kindle the purifying flame and have the
toil twice over； when I might at one stroke so fairly end it all？ Soon
as I have brought the head of Eurystheus hither； I will cleanse my
hands for those already slain。 Spill the water； cast the baskets
from your hands。 Ho！ give me now my bow and club！ To famed Mycenae
will I go； crow…bars and pick…axes must I take； for I will heave
from their very base with iron levers those city…walls which the
Cyclopes squared with red plumb…line and mason's tools。〃
Then he set out； and though he had no chariot there； he thought he
had； and was for mounting to its seat； and using a goad as though
his fingers really held one。 A twofold feeling filled his servants'
breasts； half amusement； and half fear； and one looking to his
neighbour said； 〃Is our master making sport for us； or is he mad？〃 But
he the while was pacing to and fro in his house； and； rushing into the
men's chamber； he thought he had reached the city of Nisus； albeit
he had gone into his own halls。 So he threw himself upon the floor； as
if he were there； and made ready to feast。 But after waiting a brief
space he began saying he was on his way to the plains amid the valleys
of the Isthmus； and then stripping himself of his mantle； he fell to
competing with an imaginary rival； o'er whom he proclaimed himself
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