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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 help me in my ignorance？ For I have no clear knowledge of things
once familiar。
AMPHITRYON
My aged friends； shall I approach the scene of my sorrow？
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Yes； and let me go with thee； nor desert thee in thy trouble。
HERACLES
Father； why dost thou weep and veil thy eyes； standing aloof
from thy beloved son？
AMPHITRYON
My child！ mine still； for all thy misery。
HERACLES
Why； what is there so sad in my case that thou dost weep？
AMPHITRYON
That which might make any of the gods weep； were he to suffer so。
HERACLES
A bold assertion that； but thou art not yet explaining what has
happened。
AMPHITRYON
Thine own eyes see that； if by this time thou are restored to
thy senses。
HERACLES
Fill in thy sketch if any change awaits my life。
AMPHITRYON
I will explain； if thou art no longer mad as a fiend of hell。
HERACLES
God help us！ what suspicions these dark hints of thine again
excite！
AMPHITRYON
I am still doubtful whether thou art in thy sober senses。
HERACLES
I never remember being mad。
AMPHITRYON
Am I to loose my son； old friends； or what？
HERACLES
Loose and say who bound me； for I feel shame at this。
AMPHITRYON
Rest content with what thou knowest of thy woes； the rest forego。
HERACLES
Enough！ I have no wish to probe thy silence。
AMPHITRYON
O Zeus； dost thou behold these deeds proceeding from the throne of
Hera？
HERACLES
What！ have I suffered something from her enmity？
AMPHITRYON
A truce to the goddess！ attend to thy own troubles。
HERACLES
I am undone； what mischance wilt thou unfold？
AMPHITRYON
See here the corpses of thy children。
HERACLES
O horror！ what hideous sight is here？ ah me！
AMPHITRYON
My son； against thy children hast thou waged unnatural war。
HERACLES
War！ what meanst thou？ who killed these？
AMPHITRYON
Thou and thy bow and some god； whoso he be that is to blame。
HERACLES
What sayst thou？ what have I done？ Speak； father； thou messenger
of evil。
AMPHITRYON
Thou wert distraught； 'tis a sad explanation thou art asking。
HERACLES
Was it I that slew my wife also？
AMPHITRYON
Thy own unaided arm hath done all this。
HERACLES
Ah； woe is me！ a cloud of sorrow wraps me round。
AMPHITRYON
The reason this that I lament thy fate。
HERACLES
Did I dash my house to pieces or incite others thereto？
AMPHITRYON
Naught know I save this； that thou art utterly undone。
HERACLES
Where did my frenzy seize me？ where did it destroy me？
AMPHITRYON
In the moment thou wert purifying thyself witb fire at the altar。
HERACLES
Ah me！ why do I spare my own life when I have taken that of my
dear children？ Shall I not hasten to leap from some sheer rock； or aim
the sword against my heart and avenge my children's blood； or burn
my body in the fire and so avert from my life the infamy which now
awaits me？
But hither I see Theseus coming to check my deadly counsels； my
kinsman and friend。 Now shall I stand revealed； and the dearest of
my friends will see the pollution I have incurred by my children's
murder。 Ah； woe is me！ what am I to do？ Where can I find release
from my sorrows？ shall I take wings or plunge beneath the earth？ Come；
let me veil my head in darkness； for I am ashamed of the evil I have
done； and； since for these I have incurred fresh blood…guiltiness； I
would fain not harm the innocent。
（THESEUS and his retinue enter。）
THESEUS
I am come； and others with me； young warriors from the land of
Athens； encamped by the streams of Asopus； to help thy son； old
friend。 For a rumour reached the city of the Erechtheidae； that
Lycus had usurped the sceptre of this land and was become your enemy
even to battle。 Wherefore I came making recompense for the former
kindness of Heracles in saving me from the world below； if haply ye
have any need of such aid as I or my allies can give； old prince。
Ha！ what means this heap of dead upon the floor？ Surely I have not
delayed too long and come too late to check new ills？ Who slew these
children？ whose wife is this I see？ Boys do not go to battle； nay；
it must be some other strange mischance I here discover。
（The following lines between THESEUS and
AMPHITRYON are chanted responsively。）
AMPHITRYON
O king； whose home is that olive…clad hill！
THESEUS
Why this piteous prelude in addressing me？
AMPHITRYON
Heaven has afflicted us with grievous suffering。
THESEUS
Whose be these children； o'er whom thou weepest？
AMPHITRYON
My own son's children； woe to him！ their father and butcher both
was he； hardening his heart to the bloody deed。
THESEUS
Hush good words only！
AMPHITRYON
I would I could obey！
THESEUS
What dreadful words！
AMPHITRYON
Fortune has spread her wings； and we are ruined； ruined。
THESEUS
What meanest thou？ what hath he done？
AMPHITRYON
Slain them in a wild fit of frenzy with arrows dipped in the venom
of the hundred…headed hydra。
THESEUS
This is Hera's work； but who lies there among the dead； old man？
AMPHITRYON
My son； my own enduring son； that marched with gods to Phlegra's
plain； there to battle with giants and slay them； warrior that he was。
THESEUS
Ah； woe for him！ whose fortune was e'er so curst as his？
AMPHITRYON
Never wilt thou find another that hath borne a larger share of
suffering or been more fatally deceived。
THESEUS
Why doth he veil his head； poor wretch； in his robe？
AMPHITRYON
He is ashamed to meet thine eye； his kinsman's kind intent and his
children's blood make him abashed。
THESEUS
But I come to sympathize； uncover him。
AMPHITRYON
My son； remove that mantle from thine eyes； throw it from thee；
show thy fare unto the sun； a counterpoise to weeping is battling
for the mastery。 In suppliant wise I entreat thee； as I grasp thy
beard； thy knees； thy hands； and let fall the tear from my old eyes。 O
my child！ restrain thy savage lion…like temper； for thou art rushing
forth on an unholy course of bloodshed； eager to join woe to woe。
THESEUS
Ho！ To thee I call who art huddled there in thy misery； show to
they friends thy face； for no darkness is black enough to hide thy sad
mischance。 Why dost thou wave thy hand at me； signifying murder？ is it
that I may not be polluted by speaking with thee？ If I share thy
misfortune； what is that to me？ For if I too had luck in days gone by；
must refer it to the time when thou didst bring me safe from the
dead to the light of life。 I hate a friend whose gratitude grows
old； one who ready to enjoy his friends' prosperity but unwilling to
sail in the same ship with them when their fortune lours。 Arise；
unveil thy head； poor wretch！ and look on me。 The gallant soul endures
without a word such blows as heaven deals。
HERACLES
O Theseus； didst thou witness this struggle with my child