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wife； sad dweller with sad thoughts； was ever pining amid her tears。
But now the War…god； roused to fury； hath delivered her from the
days of her mourning。
antistrophe 2
May he come； may he come！ Pause not the many…oared ship that
carries him； till he shall have reached this town； leaving the
island altar where； as rumour saith； he is sacrificing！ Thence may
he come； full of desire； steeped in love by the specious device of the
robe； on which Persuasion hath spread her sovereign charm！
（DEIANEIRA comes out of the house in agitation。）
DEIANEIRA
Friends； how I fear that I may have gone too far in all that I
have been doing just now！
LEADER
What hath happened； Deianeira； daughter of Oeneus？
DEIANEIRA
I know not； but feel a misgiving that I shall presently be found
to have wrought a great mischief； the issue of a fair hope。
LEADER
It is nothing； surely； that concerns thy gift to Heracles？
DEIANEIRA
Yea； even so。 And henceforth I would say to all； act not with
zeal； if ye act without light。
LEADER
Tell us the cause of thy fear； if it may be told。
DEIANEIRA
A thing hath come to pass； my friends； such that； if I declare it；
ye will hear a marvel whereof none could have dreamed。
That with which I was lately anointing the festal robe；… a white
tuft of fleecy sheep's wool；… hath disappeared；… not consumed by
anything in the house； but self…devoured and self…destroyed； as it
crumbled down from the surface of a stone。 But I must tell the story
More at length； that thou mayest know exactly how this thing befell。
I neglected no part of the precepts which the savage Centaur
gave me； when the bitter barb was rankling in his side： they were in
my memory； like the graven words which no hand may wash from a
tablet of bronze。 Now these were his orders； and I obeyed them：…to
keep this unguent in secret place； always remote from fire and from
the sun's warm ray； until I should apply it； newly spread； where I
wished。 So had I done。 And now； when the moment for action had come； I
performed the anointing privily in the house； with a tuft of soft wool
which I had plucked from a sheep of our home…flock； then I folded up
my gift； and laid it； unvisited by sunlight； within its casket； as
ye saw。
But as I was going back into the house； I beheld a thing too
wondrous for words； and passing the wit of man to understand。 I
happened to have thrown the shred of wool； with which I bad been
preparing the robe； into the full blaze of the sunshine。 As it grew
warm； it shrivelled all away； and quickly crumbled to powder on the
ground； like nothing so much as the dust shed from a saw's teeth where
men work timber。 In such a state it lies as it fell。 And from the
earth； where it was strewn； clots of foam seethed up； as when the rich
juice of the blue fruit from the vine of Bacchus is poured upon the
ground。
So I know not； hapless one； whither to turn my thoughts； I only
see that I have done a fearful deed。 Why or wherefore should the
monster； in his death…throes； have shown good will to me； on whose
account he was dying？ Impossible！ No； he was cajoling me； in order
to slay the man who had smitten him： and I gain the knowledge of
this too late； when it avails no more。 Yes； I alone… unless my
foreboding prove false… I； wretched one； must destroy him！ For I
know that the arrow which made the wound did scathe even to the god
Cheiron； and it kills all beasts that it touches。 And since 'tis
this same black venom in the blood that hath passed out through the
wound of Nessus； must it not kill my lord also？ I ween it must。
Howbeit； I am resolved that； if he is to fall； at the same time
I also shall be swept from life； for no woman could bear to live
with an evil name； if she rejoices that her nature is not evil。
LEADER
Mischief must needs be feared； but it is not well to doom our hope
before the event。
DEIANEIRA
Unwise counsels leave no room even for a hope which can lend
courage。
LEADER
Yet towards those who have erred unwittingly； men's anger is
softened； and so it should be towards thee。
DEIANEIRA
Nay； such words are not for one who has borne a part in the ill
deed； but only for him who has no trouble at his own door。
LEADER
'Twere well to refrain from further speech； unless thou would'st
tell aught to thine own son； for he is at hand； who went erewhile to
seek his sire。
（Enter HYLLUS）
HYLLUS
O mother； would that one of three things had befallen thee！
Would that thou wert dead；… or； if living； no mother of mine；… or that
some new and better spirit had passed into thy bosom。
DEIANEIRA
Ah； my son； what cause have I given thee to abhor me？
HYLLUS
I tell thee that thy husband… yea； my sire…bath been done to death
by thee this day
DEIANEIRA
Oh； what word hath passed thy lips； my child！
HYLLUS
A word that shall not fail of fulfilment； for who may undo that
which bath come to pass？
DEIANEIRA
What saidst thou； my son？ Who is thy warranty for charging me with
a deed so terrible？
HYLLUS
I have seen my father's grievous fate with mine own eyes； I
speak not from hearsay。
DEIANEIRA
And where didst thou find him；… where didst thou stand at his
side？
HYLLUS
If thou art to hear it； then must all be told。
After sacking the famous town of Eurytus； he went his way with the
trophies and first…fruits of victory。 There is a sea…washed headland
of Euboea； Cape Cenaeum； where he dedicated altars and a sacred
grove to the Zeus of his fathers； and there I first beheld him； with
the joy of yearning love。
He was about to celebrate a great sacrifice； when his own
herald； Lichas； came to him from home； bearing thy gift； the deadly
robe； which he put on； according to thy precept； and then began his
offering with twelve bulls； free from blemish； the firstlings of the
spoil； but altogether he brought a hundred victims； great or small； to
the altar。
At first； hapless one； he prayed with serene soul； rejoicing in
his comely garb。 But when the blood…fed flame began to blaze from
the holy offerings and from the resinous pine； a sweat broke forth
upon his flesh； and the tunic clung to his sides； at every joint；
close…glued； as if by a craftsman's hand； there came a biting pain
that racked his bones； and then the venom； as of some deadly； cruel
viper； began to devour him。
Thereupon he shouted for the unhappy Lichas；… in no wise to
blame for thy crime；… asking what treason had moved him to bring
that robe； but he； all…unknowing； hapless one； said that he had
brought the gift from thee alone； as it had been sent。 When his master
heard it； as a piercing spasm clutched his lungs； he caught him by the
foot； where the ankle turns in the socket； and hurled him at a
surf…beaten rock in the sea； and he made the white brain to ooze
from the hair； as the skull was dashed to splinters； and blood
scattered therewith。
But all the people lifted up a cry of awe…struck grief； seeing
that one was frenzied； and the other slain； and no one dared to come
before the man。 For the pain dragged him to earth； or made him leap
into the air； with yells and shrieks； till the cliffs rang around；
steep headlands of Locris； and Euboean capes。
But when he was spent with oft throwing himself on the ground in
his anguish； and oft making loud lament；… cursing his fatal marriage
with thee； the vile one； and his alliance with Oeneus；… saying how
he had found in it the ruin of his life；… then from out of the
shrouding altar…smoke； he lifted up his wildly…rolling eyes； and saw
me in the great crowd； weeping。 He turned his gaze on me； and called
me： 'O son； draw near； do not fly from my trouble； even though thou
must share my death。 Come； bear me forth； and set me； if thou canst；
in a place where no man shall see me； or； if thy pity forbids that； at
least convey me with all speed out of this land； and let me not die
where I am。'
That command sufficed； we laid him in mid…ship； and brought
him…but hardly brought him… to this shore； moaning in his torments。
And ye shall presently behold him； alive； or lately dead。
Such； mother； are the designs and deeds against my sire whereof
thou hast been found guilty。 May avenging justice and the Erinys visit
thee for them！ Yes； if it be right； that is my prayer： and right it
is；… for I have seen thee trample on the right； by slaying the noblest
man in all the world； whose like thou shalt see nevermore！
（DEIANEIRA moves towards the house。）
LEADER （to DEIANEIRA）
Why dost thou depart in silence？ Knowest thou not that such
silence pleads for thine accuser？