all　the　breadth　of　Hellas　they　have　traversed；　wilt　pity　their　foolish
  troubles。　Come　now；　put　argument　against　argument：　what　will　be　thy
  gain；　suppose　thou　admit　them　to　thy　land；　or　let　us　take　them
  hence？　From　us　these　benefits　are　thine　to　win：　this　city　can　secure
  as　friends　Argos；　with　its　far…reaching　arm；　and　Eurystheus'　might
  complete；　whilst　if　thou　lend　an　ear　to　their　piteous　pleading　and
  grow　soft；　the　matter　must　result　in　trial　of　arms；　for　be　sure　we
  shall　not　yield　this　struggle　without　appealing　to　the　sword。　What
  pretext　wilt　thou　urge？　Of　what　domains　art　thou　robbed　that　thou
  shouldst　take　and　wage　war　with　the　Tirynthian　Argives？　What　kind　of
  allies　art　thou　aiding？　For　whom　will　they　have　fallen　whom　thou
  buriest？　Surely　thou　wilt　get　an　evil　name　from　the　citizens；　if　for
  the　sake　of　an　old　man　near　the　grave；　a　mere　shadow　I　may　say；　and
  for　these　children；　thou　wilt　plunge　into　troublous　waters。　The　best
  thou　canst　say　is；　that　thou　wilt　find　in　them　a　hope；　and　nothing
  more；　and　yet　this　falls　far　short　of　the　present　need；　for　these
  would　be　but　a　poor　match　for　Argives　even　when　fully　armed　and　in
  their　prime；　if　haply　that　raises　thy　spirits；　moreover；　the　time
  'twixt　now　and　then　is　long；　wherein　ye　may　be　blotted　out。　Nay；
  hearken　to　me；　give　me　naught；　but　let　me　take　mine　own；　and　so　gain
  Mycenae；　but　forbear　to　act　now；　as　is　your　Athenian　way；　and　take　the
  weaker　side；　when　it　is　in　thy　power　to　choose　the　stronger　as　thy
  friends。
  LEADER
  Who　can　decide　a　cause　or　ascertain　its　merits；　till　from　both
  sides　he　clearly　learn　what　they　would　say？
  IOLAUS
  O　king；　in　thy　land　I　start　with　this　advantage；　the　right　to　hear
  and　speak　in　turn；　and　none；　ere　that；　will　drive　me　hence　as
  elsewhere　they　would。　'Twixt　us　and　him　is　naught　in　common；　for　we　no
  longer　have　aught　to　do　with　Argos　since　that　decree　was　passed；　but
  we　are　exiles　from　our　native　land；　how　then　can　he　justly　drag　us
  back　as　subjects　of　Mycenae；　seeing　that　they　have　banished　us？　For　we
  are　strangers。　Or　do　ye　claim　that　every　exile　from　Argos　is　exiled
  from　the　bounds　of　Hellas？　Not　from　Athens　surely；　for　ne'er　will
  she　for　fear　of　Argos　drive　the　children　of　Heracles　from　her　land。
  Here　is　no　Trachis；　not　at　all；　no！　nor　that　Achaean　town；　whence
  thou；　defying　justice；　but　boasting　of　the　might　of　Argos　in　the
  very　words　thou　now　art　using；　didst　drive　the　suppliants　from　their
  station　at　the　altar。　If　this　shall　be；　and　they　thy　words　approve；
  why　then　I　trow　this　is　no　more　Athens；　the　home　of　freedom。　Nay；
  but　I　know　the　temper　and　nature　of　these　citizens；　they　would
  rather　die；　for　honour　ranks　before　mere　life　with　men　of　worth。
  Enough　of　Athens！　for　excessive　praise　is　apt　to　breed　disgust；　and
  oft　ere　now　have　myself　felt　vexed　at　praise　that　knows　no　bounds。　But
  to　thee；　as　ruler　of　this　land；　fain　would　show　the　reason　why　thou
  art　bound　to　save　these　children。　Pittheus　was　the　son　of　Pelops；　from
  him　sprung　Aethra；　and　from　her　Theseus　thy　sire　was　born。　And　now
  will　I　trace　back　these　children's　lineage　for　thee。　Heracles　was
  son　of　Zeus　and　Alcmena；　Alcmena　sprang　from　Pelops'　daughter；
  therefore　thy　father　and　their　father　would　be　the　sons　of　first
  cousins。　Thus　then　art　thou　to　them　related；　O　Demophon；　but　thy
  just　debt　to　them　beyond　the　ties　of　kinship　do　I　now　declare　to　thee；
  for　I　assert；　in　days　gone　by；　I　was　with　Theseus　on　the　ship；　as
  their　father's　squire；　when　they　went　to　fetch　that　girdle　fraught
  with　death；　yea；　and　from　Hades'　murky　dungeons　did　Heracles　bring　thy
  father　up；　as　all　Hellas　doth　attest。　Wherefore　in　return　they　crave
  this　boon　of　thee；　that　they　be　not　surrendered　up　nor　torn　by　force
  from　the　altars　of　thy　gods　and　cast　forth　from　the　land。　For　this
  were　shame　on　thee；　and　hurtful　likewise　in　thy　state；　should
  suppliants；　exiles；　kith　and　kin　of　thine；　be　haled　away　by　force。
  In　pity　cast　one　glance　at　them。　I　do　entreat　thee；　laying　my
  suppliant　bough　upon　thee；　by　thy　hands　and　beard；　slight　not　the　sons
  of　Heracles；　now　that　thou　hast　them　in　thy　power　to　help。　Show
  thyself　their　kinsman　and　their　friend；　be　to　them　father；　brother；
  lord；　for　better　each　and　all　of　these　than　to　fall　beneath　the
  Argives'　hand。
  LEADER
  O　king；　I　pity　them；　hearing　their　sad　lot。　Now　more　than　ever
  do　see　noble　birth　o'ercome　by　fortune；　for　these；　though　sprung
  from　noble　sire；　are　suffering　what　they　ne'er　deserved。
  DEMOPHON
  Three　aspects　of　the　circumstance　constrain　me；　Iolaus；　not　to
  spurn　the　guests　thou　bringest；　first　and　foremost；　there　is　Zeus；
  at　whose　altar　thou　art　seated　with　these　tender　children　gathered
  round　thee；　next　come　ties　of　kin；　and　the　debt　I　owe　to　treat　them
  kindly　for　their　father's　sake；　and　last；　mine　honour；　which　before
  all　I　must　regard；　for　if　I　permit　this　altar　to　be　violently
  despoiled　by　stranger　hands；　men　will　think　the　land　I　inhabit　is　free
  no　more；　and　that　through　fear　I　have　surrendered　suppliants　to
  Argives；　and　this　comes　nigh　to　make　one　hang　oneself。　Would　that　thou
  hadst　come　under　a　luckier　star！　yet；　as　it　is；　fear　not　that　any
  man　shall　tear　thee　and　these　children　from　the　altar　by　force。　（to
  COPREUS）　Get　thee　to　Argos　and　tell　Eurystheus　so；　yea　and　more；　if　he
  have　any　charge　against　these　strangers；　he　shall　have　justice；　but
  never　shalt　thou　drag　them　hence。
  COPREUS
  Not　even　if　I　have　right　upon　my　side　and　prove　my　case？
  DEMOPHON
  How　can　it　be　right　to　drag　the　suppliant　away　by　force？
  COPREUS
  Well；　mine　is　the　disgrace；　no　harm　will　come　to　thee。
  DEMOPHON
  'Tis　harm　to　me；　if　I　let　them　be　haled　away　by　thee。
  COPREUS
  Banish　them　thyself；　and　then　will　I　take　them　from　elsewhere。
  DEMOPHON
  Nature　made　thee　a　fool；　to　think　thou　knowest　better　than　the
  god。
  COPREUS
  It　seems　then　evildoers　are　to　find　a　refuge　here。
  DEMOPHON
  A　temple　of　the　gods　is　an　asylum　open　to　the　world。
  COPREUS
  Maybe　they　will　not　take　this　view　in　Mycenae。
  DEMOPHON
  What！　am　I　not　lord　of　this　domain？
  COPREUS
  So　long　as　thou　injure　not　the　Argives；　and　if　wise；　thou　wilt
  not。
  DEMOPHON
  Be　injured　for　all　I　care；　provided　I　sin　not　against　the　gods。
  COPREUS
  I　would　not　have　thee　come　to　blows　with　Argos。
  DEMOPHON
  I　am　of　like　mind　in　this；　but　I　will　not　dismiss　these　from　my
  protection。
  COPREUS
  For　all　that；　I　shall　take　and　drag　my　own　away。
  DEMOPHON
  Why　then　perhaps　thou　wilt　find　a　difficulty　in　returning　to
  Argos。
  COPREUS
  That　shall　I　soon　find　out　by　making　the　attempt。
  DEMOPHON
  Touch　them　and　thou　shalt　rue　it；　and　that　without　delay。
  LEADER
  I　conjure　thee；　never　dare　to　strike　a　herald。
  DEMOPHON
  Strike　I　will；　unless　that　herald　learn　discretion。
  LEADER
  Depart；　and　thou；　O　king；　touch　him　not。
  COPREUS
  I　go；　for　'tis　feeble　fighting　with　a　single　arm。　But　I　will
  come　again；　bringing　hither　a　host　of　Argive　troops；　spearmen　clad
  in　bronze；　for　countless　warriors　are　awaiting　my　return；　and　king
  Eurystheus　in　person　at　their　head；　anxiously　he　waits　the　issue
  here　on　the　borders　of　Alcathous'　realm。　And　when　he　hears　thy　haughty
  answer；　he　will　burst　upon　thee；　and　thy　citizens；　on　this　land　and
  all　that　grows　therein；　for　all　in　vain　should　we　possess　such　hosts
  of　picked　young　troops　in　Argos；　should　we　forbear　to　punish　thee。
  （COPREUS　departs。）
  DEMOPHON
  Perdition　seize　thee！　I　am　not　afraid　of　thy　Argos。　Be　very　sure
  thou　shalt　not　drag　these　suppliants　hence　by　force；　to　my　shame；
  for　I　hold　not　this　city　subject　unto　Argos；　but　independently。
  CHORUS　（singing）
  'Tis　time　to　use　our　forethought；　ere　the　host　of　Argos　approach
  our　frontier；　for　exceeding　fierce　are　the　warriors　of　Mycenae；　and　in
  the　present　case　still　more　than　heretofore。　For　all　heralds　observe
  this　custom；　to　exaggerate　what　happened　twofold。　Bethink　the　what　a
  tale　he　will　tell　his　master　of　his　dreadful　treatment；　how　he　came
  near　losing　his　life　altogether。
  IOLAUS
  Children　have　no　fairer　prize　than　this；　the　being　born　of　a
  good　and　noble　sire；　and　the　power　to　wed　from　noble　families；　but
  whoso　is　enslaved　by　passion　and　makes　a　lowborn　match；　I　cannot
  praise　for　leaving　to　his　children　a　legacy　of　shame；　to　gratify
  himself。　For　noble　birth　offers　a　stouter　resistance　to　adversity　than
  base　parentage；　for　we；　in　the　last　extremity　of　woe；　have　found
  friends　and　kinsmen　here；　the　only　champions　of　these　children　through
  all　the　length　and　breadth　of　this　Hellenic　world。　Give；　children；
  give　to　them　your　hand；　and　they　the　same　to　you；　draw　near　to　them。
  Ah！　children；　we　have　made　trial　of　our　friends；　and　if　ever　ye　see
  the　path　that　leads　you　back　to　your　native　land；　and　possess　your
  home　and　the　honours　of　your　father；　count　them　ever　as　your　friends
  and　saviours；　and　never　lift　against　their　land　the　foeman's　spear；　in
  memory　of　this；　but　hold　this　city　first　midst　those　ye　love。　Yea；
  they　well　deserve　your　warm　regard；　in　that　they　have　shifted　from　our
  shoulders　to　their　own　the　enmity　of　so　mighty　a　land　a