THE　HERACLEIDAE
  by　Euripides
  translated　by　E。　P。　Coleridge
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  IOLAUS；　friend　of　Heracles
  COPREUS；　herald　of　EURYSTHEUS
  DEMOPHON；　King　of　Athens
  MACARIA；　daughter　of　Heracles
  SERVANT；　of　Hyllus；　son　of　Heracles
  ALCMENA；　mother　of　Heracles
  MESSENGER
  EURYSTHEUS；　King　of　Argos
  CHORUS　OF　AGED　ATHENIANS
  Acamas；　the　brother　of　DEMOPHON；　younger　sons　of　Heracles；
  attendants；　guards；　etc。
  HERACLEIDAE
  THE　HERACLEIDAE
  （SCENE：…Before　the　altar　and　temple　of　Zeus
  at　Marathon。　IOLAUS；　an　old　man；　and　the
  children　of　Heracles　are　seen　on　the　steps　of　the　altar。）
  IOLAUS
  I　HOLD　this　true；　and　long　have　held：　Nature　hath　made　one　man
  upright　for　his　neighbours'　good；　while　another　hath　a　disposition
  wholly　given　over　to　gain；　useless　alike　to　the　state　and　difficult　to
  have　dealings　with；　but　for　himself　the　best　of　men；　and　this　I
  know；　not　from　mere　hearsay。　For　I；　from　pure　regard　and　reverence　for
  my　kith　and　kin；　though　might　have　lived　at　peace　in　Argos；　alone　of
  all　my　race　shared　with　Heracles　his　labours；　while　he　was　yet　with
  us；　and　now　that　he　dwells　in　heaven；　I　keep　these　his　children　safe
  beneath　my　wing；　though　myself　need　protection。　For　when　their
  father　passed　from　earth　away；　Eurystheus　would　first　of　all　have
  slain　us；　but　we　escaped。　And　though　our　home　is　lost；　our　life　was
  saved。　But　in　exile　we　wander　from　city　to　city；　ever　forced　to
  roam。　For；　added　to　our　former　wrongs；　Eurystheus　thought　it　fit　to
  put　this　further　outrage　upon　us：　wheresoe'er　he　heard　that　we　were
  settling；　thither　would　he　send　heralds　demanding　our　surrender　and
  driving　us　from　thence；　holding　out　this　threat；　that　Argos　is　no　meal
  city　to　make　a　friend　or　foe；　and　furthermore　pointing　to　his　own
  prosperity。　So　they；　seeing　how　weak　my　means；　and　these　little　ones
  left　without　a　father；　bow　to　his　superior　might　and　drive　us　from
  their　land。　And　I　share　the　exile　of　these　children；　and　help　them
  bear　their　evil　lot　by　my　sympathy；　loth　to　betray　them；　lest
  someone　say；　〃Look　you！　now　that　the　children's　sire　is　dead；　Iolaus
  no　more　protects　them；　kinsman　though　he　is。〃　Not　one　corner　left　us
  in　the　whole　of　Hellas；　we　are　come　to　Marathon　and　its　neighbouring
  land；　and　here　we　sit　as　suppliants　at　the　altars　of　the　gods；　and
  pray　their　aid；　for　'tis　said　two　sons　of　Theseus　dwell　upon　these
  plains；　the　lot　of　their　inheritance；　scions　of　Pandion's　stock；
  related　to　these　children；　this　the　reason　we　have　come　on　this　our
  way　to　the　borders　of　glorious　Athens。　To　lead　the　flight　two　aged
  guides　are　we；　my　care　is　centred　on　these　boys；　while　she；　I　mean
  Alcmena；　clasps　her　son's　daughter　in　her　arms；　and　bears　her　for
  safety　within　this　shrine；　for　we　shrink　from　letting　tender　maidens
  come　anigh　the　crowd　or　stand　as　suppliants　at　the　altar。　Now　Hvllus
  and　the　elder　of　his　brethren　are　seeking　some　place　for　us　to　find
  a　refuge；　if　we　are　driven　by　force　from　this　land。　O　children；
  children；　come　hither！　hold　unto　my　robe；　for　lo！　I　see　a　herald
  coming　towards　us　from　Eurystheus；　by　whom　we　are　persecuted；
  wanderers　excluded　from　every　land。　A　curse　on　the　and　him　that　sent
  thee；　hateful　wretch！　for　that　same　tongue　of　thine　hath　oft　announced
  its　master's　evil　hests　to　these　children's　noble　sire　as　well。
  （COPREUS；　the　herald　of　EURYSTHEUS；　enters。）
  COPREUS
  Doubtless　thy　folly　lets　thee　think　this　is　a　good　position　to
  have　taken　up；　and　that　thou　art　come　to　a　city　that　will　help　thee。
  No！　there　is　none　that　will　prefer　thy　feeble　arm　to　the　might　of
  Eurystheus。　Begone！　why　take　this　trouble？　Thou　must　arise　and　go　to
  Argos；　where　awaits　thee　death　by　stoning。
  IOLAUS
  Not　so；　for　the　god's　altar　will　protect　me；　and　this　land　of
  freedom；　wherein　we　have　set　foot。
  COPREUS
  Wilt　give　me　the　trouble　of　laying　hands　on　thee？
  IOLAUS
  By　force　at　least　shalt　thou　never　drag　these　children　hence。
  COPREUS
  That　shalt　thou　soon　learn；　it　seems　thou　wert　a　poor　prophet；
  after　all；　in　this。
  （COPREUS　seizes　the　children。）
  IOLAUS
  This　shall　never　happen　while　I　live。
  COPREUS
  Begone！　for　I　will　take　them　hence；　for　all　thy　refusals；　for　I
  hold　that　they　belong　to　Eurystheus；　as　they　do　indeed。
  （He　throws　IOLAUS　to　the　ground。）
  IOLAUS
  Help；　ye　who　long　have　had　your　home　in　Athens！　we　suppliants　at
  Zeus'　altar　in　your　market…place　are　being　haled　by　force　away；　our
  sacred　wreaths　defiled；　shame　to　your　city；　to　the　gods　dishonour。
  （The　CHORUS　OF　AGED　ATHENIANS　enters。）
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Hark；　hark！　What　cry　is　this　that　rises　near　the　altar？　At　once
  explain　the　nature　of　the　trouble。
  IOLAUS
  See　this　aged　frame　hurled　in　its　feebleness　upon　the　ground！
  Woe　is　me！
  LEADER
  Who　threw　thee　down　thus　pitiably？
  IOLAUS
  Behold　the　man　who　flouts　your　gods；　kind　sirs；　and　tries　by　force
  to　drag　me　from　my　seat　before　the　altar　of　Zeus。
  CHORUS　（chanting）
  From　what　land；　old　stranger；　art　thou　come　to　this　confederate
  state　of　four　cities？　or　have　ye　left　Euboea's　cliffs；　and；　with　the
  oar　that　sweeps　the　sea；　put　in　here　from　across　the　firth？
  IOLAUS
  Sirs；　no　island　life　I　lead；　but　from　Mycenae　to　thy　land　I　come。
  CHORUS　（chanting）
  What　do　they　call　thee；　aged　sir；　those　folk　in　Mycenae？
  IOLAUS
  Maybe　ye　have　heard　of　Iolaus；　the　comrade　of　Heracles；　for　he　was
  not　unknown　to　fame。
  CHORUS　（chanting）
  Yea；　I　have　heard　of　him　in　bygone　days；　but　tell　me；　whose　are
  the　tender　boys　thou　bearest　in　thine　arms？
  IOLAUS
  These；　sirs；　are　the　sons　of　Heracles；　come　as　suppliants　to　you
  and　your　city。
  CHORUS　（chanting）
  What　is　their　quest？　Are　they　anxious；　tell　me；　to　obtain　an
  audience　of　the　state？
  IOLAUS
  That　so　they　may　escape　surrender；　nor　be　torn　with　violence
  from　thy　altars；　and　brought　to　Argos。
  COPREUS
  Nay；　this　will　nowise　satisfy　thy　masters；　who　o'er　thee　have　a
  right；　and　so　have　tracked　thee　hither。
  CHORUS　（chanting）
  Stranger；　'tis　but　right　we　should　reverence　the　gods'　suppliants；
  suffering　none　with　violent　hand　to　make　them　leave　the　altars；　for
  that　will　dread　justice　ne'er　permit。
  COPREUS
  Do　thou　then　drive　these　subjects　of　Eurystheus　forth；　and　this
  hand　of　mine　shall　abstain　from　violence。
  CHORUS　（chanting）
  'Twere　impious　for　the　state　to　neglect　the　suppliant　stranger's
  prayer。
  COPREUS
  Yet　'tis　well　to　keep　clear　of　troubles；　by　adopting　that　counsel；
  which　is　the　wiser。
  LEADER
  Thou　then　shouldst　have　told　the　monarch　of　this　land　thy　errand
  before　being　so　bold；　out　of　regard　to　his　country's　freedom；
  instead　of　trying　to　drag　strangers　by　force　from　the　altars　of　the
  gods。
  COPREUS
  Who　is　monarch　of　this　land　and　state？
  LEADER
  Demophon；　son　of　gallant　Theseus。
  COPREUS
  Surely　it　were　most　to　the　purpose　to　discuss　this　matter　somewhat
  with　him；　all　else　has　been　said　in　vain。
  LEADER
  Lo！　here　he　comes　in　person；　in　hot　haste；　and　Acamas　his　brother；
  to　hear　what　thou　hast　to　say。
  （DEMOPHON；　Acamas；　and　their　retinue　enter。）
  DEMOPHON
  Since　thou　for　all　thy　years　hast　outstripped　younger　men　in
  coming　to　the　rescue　to　this　altar　of　Zeus；　do　thou　tell　me　what
  hath　chanced　to　bring　this　crowd　together。
  LEADER
  There　sit　the　sons　of　Heracles　as　suppliants；　having　wreathed
  the　altar；　as　thou　seest；　O　king；　and　with　them　is　Iolaus；　trusty
  comrade　of　their　sire。
  DEMOPHON
  Why　should　this　event　have　called　for　cries　of　pain？
  LEADER　（turning　to　COPREUS）
  This　fellow　caused　the　uproar　by　trying　to　drag　them　forcibly　from
  this　altar；　and　he　hurled　down　the　old　man；　till　my　tears　for　pity
  flowed。
  DEMOPHON
  Hellenic　dress　and　fashion　in　his　robes　doth　he　no　doubt　adopt；
  but　deeds　like　these　betray　the　barbarian。　Thou；　sirrah；　tell　me
  straight　the　country　whence　thou　camest　thither。
  COPREUS
  An　Argive　I；　since　that　thou　seek'st　to　know。　Who　sent　me；　and　the
  object　of　my　coming；　will　I　freely　tell。　Eurystheus；　king　of
  Mycenae；　sends　me　hither　to　fetch　these　back；　and　I　have　come；　sir
  stranger；　with　just　grounds　in　plenty；　alike　for　speech　or　action。
  An　Argive　myself；　Argives　I　come　to　fetch；　taking　with　me　these
  runaways　from　my　native　city；　on　whom　the　doom　of　death　was　passed
  by　our　laws　there；　and　we　have　right；　since　we　rule　our　city
  independently；　to　ratify　its　sentences。　And　though　they　have　come　as
  suppliants　to　the　altars　of　numerous　others；　we　have　taken　our　stand
  on　these　same　arguments；　and　no　one　has　ventured　to　bring　upon　himself
  evils　of　his　own　getting。　But　they　have　come　hither；　either　because
  they　perceived　some　folly　in　thee；　or；　in　their　perplexity；　staking
  all　on　one　risky　throw　to　win　or　lose；　for　surely　they　do　not
  suppose　that　thou；　if　so　thou　hast　thy　senses　still；　and　only　thou；　in
  all　the　breadth　of　Hellas　they　have　traversed；　wilt　pity　their　foolis