by Euripides
CHOR. I say that no man is either happy or miserable but through the Gods, and that the same family does not always walk in good fortune, but different fates pursue it different ways; it is wont to make one from a lofty station insignificant, and makes the wanderer wealthy: but it is impossible to avoid what is fated; no one can repel it by wisdom, but he who is hasty without purpose will always have trouble; but do not thus bear the fortune sent by the Gods, falling down [in prayer,] and do not over-pain your mind with grief, for she hapless possesses a glorious portion of death on behalf of her brethren and her country; nor will an inglorious reputation among men await her: but virtue proceeds through toils. These things are worthy of her father, and worthy of her noble descent; and if you respect the deaths of the good, I share your feelings.
SERVANT. O children, hail! But at what distance from this place is the aged Iolaus and your father’s mother?
IOL. We are here, such a presence as mine is.
SERV. On what account dost thou lie thus, and have an eye so downcast?
IOL. A domestic care has come upon me, by which I am constrained.
SERV. Raise now thyself, erect thy head.
IOL. I am an old man, and by no means strong.
SERV. But I am come, bearing to you a great joy.
IOL. And who art thou, where having met you, do I forget you?
SERV. I am a poor servant of Hyllus; do you not recognize me, seeing me?
IOL. O dearest one, dost thou then come as a savior to us from injury?
SERV. Surely; and moreover you are prosperous as to the present state of affairs.
IOL. O mother of a doughty son, I mean Alcmena, come forth, hear these most welcome words; for you have been long wasting away as to your soul in anxiety concerning those who have come hither, where they would ever arrive.
ALCMENA. Wherefore has a mighty shout filled all this house? O Iolaus, does any herald, coming from Argos, again do you violence? my strength indeed is weak, but thus much you must know, O stranger, you shall never drag these away while I am living, else may I no longer be thought to be his mother; but if you touch them with your hand, you will have no honorable contest with two old people.
IOL. Be of good cheer, old woman; fear not, the herald is not come from Argos bearing hostile words.
ALC. Why then did you raise a shout, a messenger of fear?
IOL. To you, that you should approach near before this temple.
ALC. I do not understand this; for who is this man?
IOL. He announces that your son’s son is come.
ALC. O! hail thou also for this news; but why and where is he now absent putting his foot in this country? what calamity prevents him from appearing hither with you, and delighting my mind?
SERV. He is stationing and marshaling the army which he has come bringing.
ALC. I no longer understand this speech.
IOL. I do; but it is my business to inquire about this.
SERV. What then of what has been done do you wish to learn?
IOL. With how great a multitude of allies is he come?
SERV. With many; but I can say no other number.
IOL. The chiefs of the Athenians know, I suppose.
SERV. They do; and they occupy the left wing.
IOL. Is then the army already armed as for the work?
SERV. Ay; and already the victims are led away from the ranks.
IOL. And how far distant is the Argive army?
SERV. So that the general can be distinctly seen.
IOL. Doing what? arraying the ranks of the enemies?
SERV. We conjectured this, for we did not hear him; but I will go; I should not like my masters to join battle with the enemy, deserted as far as my part is concerned.
IOL. And I will go with you; for we think the same things, being present to aid our friends as much as we can.
SERV. It is not your part to say a foolish word.
IOL. And not to share the sturdy battle with my friends!
SERV. One can not see a wound from an inactive hand.
IOL. But what, can not I too strike through a shield?
SERV. You might strike, but you yourself would fall first.
IOL. No one of the enemy will dare to behold me.
SERV. You have not, my good friend, the strength which once you had.
IOL. But I will fight with them who will not be the fewer in numbers.
SERV. You add but a slight weight to your friends.
IOL. Do not detain me who am prepared to act.
SERV. You are not able to do any thing, but you may perhaps be to advise.
IOL. You may say the rest, as I not staying to hear.
SERV. How then will you appear to the soldiers without arms?
IOL. There are within this palace arms taken in war, which I will use and restore if alive; but the God will not demand them back of me, if I fall; but go in, and taking them down from the pegs, bring me as quickly as possible the panoply of a warrior; for this is a disgraceful house-keeping, for some to fight, and some to remain behind through fear.
CHOR. Time does not depress your spirit, but it grows young again, but your body is weak: why dost thou toil in vain? which will harm you indeed, but profit our city but little; you should consider your age, and leave alone impossibilities, it can not be that you again should acquire youth.
ALC. Why are you, not being in your senses, about to leave me alone with my children?
IOL. For valor is the part of men; but it is your duty to take care of them.
ALC. But what if you die? how shall I be saved?
IOL. Your sons who are left will take care of your son.
ALC. But if they, which Heaven forbid, should meet with fate!
IOL. These strangers will not betray you, do not fear.
ALC. Such confidence indeed I have, nothing else.
IOL. And Jove, I well know, cares for your toils.
ALC. Alas! Jupiter shall never be reproached by me, but he himself knows whether he is just toward me.
SERV. You see now this panoply of arms; but you can not make too much haste in arraying your body in them, as the contest is at hand, and, above all things, Mars hates those who delay; but if you fear the weight of arms, now then go forth unarmed, and in the ranks be clad with this equipment, and I will carry it so far.
IOL. Thou hast said well; but bring the arms, having them close at hand, and put a spear in my hand, and support my left arm guiding my foot.
SERV. Is it right to lead a warrior like a child?
IOL. One must go safely for the sake of the omen.
SERV. Would you were able to do as much as you are willing.
IOL. Make haste, I shall suffer sadly if too late for the battle.
SERV. It is you who delay, and not I, seeming to do something.
IOL. Do you not see how my foot presses on?
SERV. I see you rather seeming to hasten than hastening.
IOL. You will not say so, when you behold me there.
SERV. Doing what? I wish I may see you successful.
IOL. Striking some of the enemy through the shield.
SERV. If indeed we get there; for that I have fears of.
IOL. Alas! O arm, would thou wert such an ally to me as I recollect you in your youth, when you ravaged Sparta with Hercules, how would I put Eurystheus to flight; since he is but a coward in abiding a spear. But in prosperity then is this too which is not right, a reputation for courage; for we think that he who is prosperous knows all things well.
CHOR. O earth, and moon that shinest through the night, and most brilliant rays of the God, that gave light to mortals, bring me news, and shout in heaven and at the queenly throne of the blue-eyed Minerva. I am about, on behalf of my country, on behalf of my house, having received suppliants I am about to cut through danger with the white steel. It is terrible that a city, prosperous as Mycenæ, and much praised for valor in war, should nourish secret anger against my land; but it is evil too, O city, if we are to
give up strangers at the bidding of Argos. Jupiter is my ally, I fear not; Jupiter rightly has favor toward me. Never shall the Gods seem inferior to men in my opinion. But, O venerable Goddess, for the soil of this land is thine, and the city of which you are mother, mistress, and guardian, lead away by some other way him who unjustly leads on this spear-brandishing host from Argos; for as far as my virtue is concerned, I do not deserve to be banished from these halls. For honor, with much sacrifice, is ever offered to you; nor does the waning day of the month forget you, nor the songs of youths, nor the measures of dances; but on the lofty hill shouts resound in accordance with the beatings of the feet of virgins the livelong night.
SERV. O mistress, I bring news most concise for you to hear, and to myself most glorious; we have conquered our enemies, and trophies are set up bearing the panoply of your enemies.
ALC. O best beloved, this day has caused thee to be made free for this thy news; but from one disaster you do not yet free me, for I fear whether they be living to me whom I wish to be.
SERV. They live, the most glorious in the army.
ALC. Does not the aged Iolaus survive?
SERV. Surely, and having done most glorious deeds by help of the Gods.
ALC. But what? has he done any doughty act in the fight?
SERV. He has changed from an old into a young man again.
ALC. Thou tellest marvelous things, but first I wish you to relate the prosperous contest of your friends in battle.
SERV. One speech of mine shall tell you all this; for when stretching out [our ranks] face to face, we arrayed our armies against one another, Hyllus putting his foot out of his four-horse chariot, stood in the mid-space of the field; and then said, O general, you are come from Argos, why leave we not this land alone? and you will do Mycenæ no harm, depriving it of one man; but you fighting alone with me alone, either killing me, lead away the children of Hercules, or dying, allow me to possess my ancestral prerogative and palaces. And the army gave praise; that the speech was well spoken for a termination of their toils, and in respect of courage. But he neither regarding those who had heard the speech, nor, although he was general, his [own character for] cowardice, ventured not to come near the warlike spear, but was most cowardly; and being such, he came to enslave the descendants of Hercules. Hyllus then returned again back to his ranks; but the soothsayers, when they saw that the affair could not be arranged by single combat of one shield, sacrificed, and delayed not, but let fall forth immediately the propitious slaughter of mortal throats; and some mounted chariots, and some concealed their sides under the sides of their shields; but the king of the Athenians gave to his army such orders as become a high-born man. “O fellow-citizens, now it behooves one to defend the land that has produced and cherished us.” And the other also besought his allies not to disgrace Argos and Mycenæ. But when the signal was sounded on a Tyrrhenian trumpet, and they joined battle with one another, what a clash of spears dost thou think sounded, how great a groaning and lamentation at the same time! And first the dashing on of the Argive spear broke us; then they again retreated; and next foot being interchanged with foot, and man standing against man, the battle waged fierce; and many fell; and there were two cries, O ye who [dwell in] Athens, O ye who sow the land of the Argives, will ye not avert disgrace from the city? And with difficulty doing every thing, not without toils did we put the Argive force to flight; and then the old man, seeing Hyllus rushing on, Iolaus, stretching forth his right hand, besought him to place him on the horse-chariot; and seizing the reins in his hands, he pressed hard upon the horses of Eurystheus. And what happened after this I must tell by having heard from others, I myself hitherto having seen all; for passing by the venerable hill of the divine Minerva of Pellene, seeing the chariot of Eurystheus, he prayed to Juno and Jupiter to be young for one day, and to work vengeance on his enemies. But you have a marvel to hear; for two stars standing on the horse-chariot, concealed the chariot in a dim cloud, the wiser men say it was thy son and Hebe; but he from the obscure darkness showed forth a youthful image of youthful arms. And the glorious Iolaus takes the four-horse chariot of Eurystheus at the Scironian rocks — and having bound his hands in fetters, he comes bringing as glorious first-fruits of victory, the general, him who before was prosperous; but by his present fortune he proclaims clearly to all mortals to learn not to envy him who seems prosperous, till one sees him dead, as fortune is but for the day.
CHOR. O Jupiter, thou turner to flight, now is it mine to behold a day free from dreadful fear.
ALC. O Jupiter, at length you have looked upon my miseries, but still I thank you for what has been done: and I, who formerly did not think that my son dwelt with the Gods, now clearly know it. O children, now indeed you shall be free from toils, and free from Eurystheus, who shall perish miserably; and ye shall see the city of your sire, and you shall tread on your inheritance of land; and ye shall sacrifice to your ancestral gods, debarred from whom ye have had, as strangers, a wandering miserable life. But devising what clever thing has Iolaus spared Eurystheus, so as not to slay him, tell me; for in my opinion this is not wise, having taken our enemies, not to exact punishment of them.
SERV. Having respect for you, that with your own eyes you may see him defeated and subjected to your hand; not, indeed, of his own will, but he has bound him by force in constraint, for he was not willing to come alive into your sight and to be punished. But, O old woman, farewell, and remember for me what you first said when I began my tale. Make me free; and in such noble people as you the mouth ought to be free from falsehood.
CHOR. To me the dance is sweet, if there be the thrilling delight of the pipe at the feast; and may Venus be kind. And sweet it is to see the good fortune of friends who did not expect it before; for the fate which accomplishes gifts gives birth to many things; and Time, the son of Saturn. You have, O city, a just path, you should never be deprived of it, to honor the Gods; and he who bids you not do so, is near madness, such proofs as these being shown. God, in truth, evidently exhorts us, taking away the arrogance of the unjust forever. Your son, O old woman, is gone to heaven; he shuns the report of having descended to the realm of Pluto, being consumed as to his body in the terrible flame of fire; and he embraces the lovely bed of Hebe in the golden hall. O Hymen, you have honored two children of Jupiter. Many things agree with many; for in truth they say that Minerva was an ally of their father, and the city and people of that Goddess has saved them, and has restrained the insolence of a man to whom passion was before justice, through violence. May my mind and soul, never be insatiable.
MESS. O mistress, you see, but still it shall be said, we are come, bringing to you Eurystheus here, an unhoped-for sight, and one no less so for him to meet with, for he never expected to come into your hands when he went forth from Mycenæ with a much-toiling band of spearmen, proudly planning things much greater than his fortune, that he should destroy Athens; but the God changed his fortune, and made it contrary. Hyllus, therefore, and the good Iolaus, have set up a statue, in honor of their victory, of Jove, the putter to flight; and they send me to bring this man to you, wishing to delight your mind; for it is most delightful to see an enemy unfortunate, after having been fortunate.
ALC. O hateful thing, art thou come? has justice taken you at last? first then indeed turn hither your head toward me, and dare to look your enemies in the face; for now you are ruled, and you rule no more. Art thou he, for I wish to know, who chose, O wretch, much to insult my son, though no longer existing? For in what respect didst thou not dare to insult him? who led him, while alive, down to hell, and sent him forth, bidding him destroy hydras and lions? And I am silent concerning the other evils you contrived, for it would be a long story; and it did not satisfy you that he alone should endure these things, but you drove me also, and my children, out of all Greece, sitting as suppliants of the Gods, some old, and some still infants; but you found men and a city free, who feared you not. Thou needs must die miserably, and you shall gain every thing, for you o
ught to die not once only, having wrought many evil deeds.
MESS. It is not practicable for you to put him to death.
ALC. In vain then have we taken him prisoner. But what law hinders him from dying?
MESS. It seems not so to the chiefs of this land.
ALC. What is this? not good to them to slay one’s enemies?
MESS. Not any one whom they have taken alive in battle.
ALC. And did Hyllus endure this decision?
MESS. He could, I suppose, disobey this land!
ALC. He ought no longer to live, nor behold the light.
MESS. Then first he did wrong in not dying.
ALC. Then it is no longer right for him to be punished?
MESS. There is no one who may put him to death.
ALC. I will. And yet I say that I am some one.
MESS. You will indeed have much blame if you do this.
ALC. I love this city. It can not be denied. But as for this man, since he has come into my power, there is no mortal who shall take him from me. For this, whoever will may call me bold, and thinking things too much for a woman; but this deed shall be done by me.
CHOR. It is a serious and excusable thing, O lady, for you to have hatred against this man, I well know it.
EURYSTHEUS. O woman, know plainly that I will not flatter you, nor say any thing else for my life, whence I may incur any imputation of cowardice. But not of my own accord did I undertake this strife — I knew that I was your cousin by birth, and a relation to your son Hercules; but whether I wished it or not, Juno, for it was a Goddess, forced me to toil through this ill. But when I took up enmity against him, and determined to contest this contest, I became a contriver of many evils, and sitting continually in council with myself, I brought forth many plans by night, how dispersing and slaying my enemies, I might dwell for the future not with fear, knowing that your son was not one of the many, but truly a man; for though he be mine enemy, yet shall he be well spoken of, as he was a doughty man. And when he was released [from life], did it not behoove me, being hated by these children, and knowing their father’s hatred to me, to move every stone, slaying and banishing them, and contriving, that, doing such things, my own affairs would have been safe? You, therefore, had you obtained my fortunes, would not have oppressed with evils the hostile offspring of a hated lion, but would wisely have permitted them to live in Argos; you will persuade no one of this. Now then, since they did not destroy me then, when I was willing, by the laws of the Greeks I shall, if slain, bear pollution to my slayer; and the city, being wise, has let me go, having greater honor for God than for its enmity toward me. And to what you said you have heard a reply: and now you may call me at once suppliant and brave. Thus is the case with me, I do not wish to die, but I should not be grieved at leaving life.
