Alas! this is quite beside the question of my troubles. For my part, I do not believe that the gods indulge in unholy unions; and as for putting fetters on parents' hands, I have never thought that worthy of belief, nor will I now be so persuaded, nor again that one god is naturally lord and master of another. For the deity, if he be really such, has no wants; these are miserable fictions of the poets. But I, for all my piteous plight, reflected whether I should let myself be branded as a coward for giving up my life. For whoso schooleth not his frail mortal nature to bear fate's buffets as he ought, will never be able to withstand even a man's weapon. I will harden my heart against death and seek thy city, with grateful thanks for all thou offerest me.
(He weeps.)
Of countless troubles have I tasted, God knows, but never yet did faint at any or shed a single tear; nay, nor ever dreamt that Ishould come to this, to let the tear-drop fall. But now, it seems, Imust be fortune's slave. Well, let it pass; old father mine, thou seest me go forth to exile, and in me beholdest my own children's murderer. Give them burial and lay them out in death with the tribute of a tear, for the law forbids my doing so. Rest their heads upon their mother's bosom and fold them in her arms, sad pledges of our union, whom I, alas! unwittingly did slay. And when thou hast buried these dead, live on here still, in bitternes maybe, but still constrain thy soul to share my sorrows. O children! he who begat you, your own father, hath been your destroyer, and ye have had no profit of my triumphs, all my restless toil to win you a fair name in life, a glorious guerdon from a sire. Thee too, unhappy wife, this hand hath slain, a poor return to make thee for preserving mine honour so safe, for all the weary watch thou long hast kept within my house. Alas for you, my wife, my sons! and woe for me, how sad my lot, cut off from wife and child! Ah! these kisses, bitter-sweet!
these weapons which 'tis pain to own! I am not sure whether to keep or let them go; dangling at my side they thus will say, "With us didst thou destroy children and wife; we are thy children's slayers, and thou keepest us." Shall I carry them after that? what answer can Imake? Yet, am I to strip me of these weapons, the comrades of my glorious career in Hellas, and put myself thereby in the power of my foes, to die a death of shame? No! I must not let them go, but keep them, though it grieve me. In one thing, Theseus, help my misery; come to Argos with me and aid in settling my reward for bringing Cerberus thither; lest, if I go all alone, my sorrow for my sons do me some hurt.
O land of Cadmus, and all ye folk of Thebes! cut off your hair, and mourn with me; go to my children's burial, and with united dirge lament alike the dead and me; for on all of us hath Hera inflicted the same cruel blow of destruction.
THESEUS
Rise, unhappy man! thou hast had thy fill of tears.
HERACLES
I cannot rise; my limbs are rooted here.
THESEUS
Yea, even the strong are o'erthrown by misfortunes.
HERACLES
Ah! would I could grow into a stone upon this spot, oblivious of trouble!
THESEUS
Peace! give thy hand to a friend and helper.
HERACLES
Nay, let me not wipe off the blood upon thy robe.
THESEUS
Wipe it off and spare not; I will not say thee nay.
HERACLES
Reft of my own sons, I find thee as a son to me.
THESEUS
Throw thy arm about my neck; I will be thy guide.
HERACLES
A pair of friends in sooth are we, but one a man of sorrows. Ah!
aged sire, this is the kind of man to make a friend.
AMPHITRYON
Blest in her sons, the country that gave him birth!
HERACLES
O Theseus, turn me back again to see my babes.
THESEUS
What charm dost think to find in this to soothe thy soul?
HERACLES
I long to do so, and would fain embrace my sire.
AMPHITRYON
Here am I, my son; thy wish is no less dear to me.
THESEUS
Hast thou so short a memory for thy troubles?
HERACLES
All that I endured of yore was easier to bear than this.
THESEUS
If men see thee play the woman, they will scoff.
HERACLES
Have I by living grown so abject in thy sight? 'twas not so once, methinks.
THESEUS
Aye, too much so; for how dost show thyself the glorious Heracles of yore?
HERACLES
What about thyself? what kind of hero wert thou when in trouble in the world below?
THESEUS
I was worse than anyone as far as courage went.
HERACLES
How then canst thou say of me, that I am abased by my troubles?
THESEUS
Forward!
HERACLES
Farewell, my aged sire!
AMPHITRYON
Farewell to thee, my son!
HERACLES
Bury my children as I said.
AMPHITRYON
But who will bury me, my son?
HERACLES
I will.
AMPHITRYON
When wilt thou come?
HERACLES
After thou hast buried my children.
AMPHITRYON
How?
HERACLES
I will fetch thee from Thebes to Athens. But carry my children within, a grievous burden to the earth. And I, after ruining my house by deeds of shame, will follow in the wake of Theseus, totally destroyed. Whoso prefers wealth or might to the possession of good friends, thinketh amiss.
(THESEUS and his attendants lead HERACLES away.)CHORUS (chanting)With grief and many a bitter tear we go our way, robbed of all we prized most dearly.
-THE END-