they　well　deserve　your　warm　regard；　in　that　they　have　shifted　from　our
  shoulders　to　their　own　the　enmity　of　so　mighty　a　land　as　Argos　and　its
  people；　though　they　saw　we　were　vagabonds　and　beggars；　still　they
  did　not　give　us　up　nor　drive　us　forth。　So　while　I　live；　and　after
  death；…come　when　it　will；…loudly　will　I　sing　thy　praise；　good
  friend；　and　will　extol　thee　as　I　stand　at　Theseus'　side；　and　cheer　his
  heart；　as　I　tell　how　thou　didst　give　kind　welcome　and　protection　to
  the　sons　of　Heracles；　and　how　nobly　thou　dost　preserve　thy　father's
  fame　through　the　length　of　Hellas；　and　hast　not　fallen　from　the　high
  estate　to　which　thy　father　brought　thee；　a　lot　which　few　others　can
  boast；　for　'mongst　the　many　wilt　thou　find　one　maybe；　that　is　not
  degenerate　from　his　sire。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  This　land　is　ever　ready　in　an　honest　cause　to　aid　the　helpless。
  Wherefore　ere　now　it　hath　endured　troubles　numberless　for　friends；　and
  now　in　this　I　see　a　struggle　nigh　at　hand。
  DEMOPHON
  Thou　hast　spoken　well；　and　I　feel　confident　their　conduct　will
  be　such；　our　kindness　will　they　not　forget。　Now　will　I　muster　the
  citizens　and　set　them　in　array；　that　I　may　receive　Mycenae's　host　with
  serried　ranks。　But　first　will　I　send　scouts　to　meet　them；　lest　they
  fall　upon　me　unawares；　for　at　Argos　every　man　is　prompt　to　answer　to
  the　call；　and　I　will　assemble　prophets　and　ordain　a　sacrifice。　But
  do　thou　leave　the　altar　of　Zeus　and　go　with　the　children　into　the
  house；　for　there　are　those　who　will　care　for　thee；　even　though　I　be
  abroad。　Enter　then　my　house；　old　man。
  IOLAUS
  I　will　not　leave　the　altar。　Let　us　sit　here　still；　praying　for　the
  city's　fair　success；　and　when　thou　hast　made　a　glorious　end　of　this
  struggle；　will　we　go　unto　the　house；　nor　are　the　gods　who　champion
  us　weaker　than　the　gods　of　Argos；　O　king；　Hera；　wife　of　Zeus；　is　their
  leader；　Athena　ours。　And　this　I　say　is　an　omen　of　success；　that　we
  have　the　stronger　deity；　for　Pallas　will　not　brook　defeat。
  （DEMOPHON　and　his　retinue　go　out。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe
  Though　loud　thy　boasts；　there　be　others　care　no　more　for　thee
  for　that；　O　stranger　from　the　land　of　Argos；　nor　wilt　thou　scare　my
  soul　with　swelling　words。　Not　yet　be　this　the　fate　of　mighty　Athens；
  beauteous　town！　But　thou　art　void　of　sense；　and　so　is　he；　who　lords　it
  o'er　Argos；　the　son　of　Sthenelus；
  antistrophe
  thou　that　comest　to　another　state；　in　no　wise　weaker　than　Argos；
  and；　stranger　that　thou　art；　wouldst　drag　away　by　force　suppliants
  of　the　gods；　wanderers　that　cling　to　my　land　for　help；　refusing　to
  yield　to　our　king；　nor　yet　having　any　honest　plea　to　urge。　How　can
  such　conduct　count　as　honourable；　at　least　in　wise　men's　judgment？
  epode
  I　am　for　peace　myself；　yet　I　tell　thee；　wicked　king；　although　thou
  come　unto　my　city；　thou　shalt　not　get　so　easily　what　thou　expectest。
  Thou　art　not　the　only　man　to　wield　a　sword　or　targe　with　plates　of
  brass。　Nay；　thou　eager　warrior；　I　warn　thee；　bring　not　war's　alarms
  against　our　lovely　town；　restrain　thyself。
  （DEMOPHON　re…enters。）
  IOLAUS
  My　son；　why；　prithee；　art　thou　returned　with　that　anxious　look？
  Hast　thou　news　of　the　enemy？　Are　they　coming；　are　they　here；　or　what
  thy　tidings？　For　of　a　surety　yon　herald　will　not　play　us　false。　No！
  sure　I　am　their　captain；　prosperous　heretofore；　will　come；　with
  thoughts　exceeding　proud　against　Athens。　But　Zeus　doth　punish
  overweening　pride。
  DEMOPHON
  The　host　of　Argos　is　come；　and　Eurystheus　its　king；　my　own　eyes
  saw　him；　for　the　man　who　thinks　he　knows　good　generalship　must　see　the
  foe　not　by　messengers　alone。　As　yet；　however；　he　hath　not　sent　his
  host　into　the　plain；　but；　camped　upon　a　rocky　brow；　is　watching…I　only
  tell　thee　what　I　think　this　means…to　see　by　which　road　to　lead　his
  army　hither　without　fighting；　and　how　to　take　up　a　safe　position　in
  this　land。　However；　all　my　plans　are　by　this　time　carefully　laid；
  the　city　is　under　arms；　the　victims　stand　ready　to　be　slain　to　every
  god；　whose　due　this　is；　my　seers　have　filled　the　town　with　sacrifices；
  to　turn　the　foe　to　flight　and　keep　our　country　safe。　All　those　who
  chant　prophetic　words　have　I　assembled；　and　have　examined　ancient
  oracles；　both　public　and　secret；　as　means　to　save　this　city。　And
  though　the　several　answers　differ　in　many　points；　yet　in　one　is　the
  sentiment　of　all　clearly　the　same；　they　bid　me　sacrifice　to
  Demeter's　daughter　some　maiden　from　a　noble　father　sprung。　Now　I；
  though　in　your　cause　I　am　as　zealous　as　thou　seest；　yet　will　not
  slay　my　child；　nor　will　I　compel　any　of　my　subjects　to　do　so　against
  his　will；　for　who　of　his　own　will　doth　harbour　such　an　evil　thought　as
  to　yield　with　his　own　hands　the　child　he　loves？　And　now　thou　mayest
  see　angry　gatherings；　where　some　declare；　'tis　right　to　stand　by
  suppliant　strangers；　while　others　charge　me　with　folly；　but　if　I　do
  this　deed；　a　civil　war　is　then　and　there　at　hand。　Do　thou　then　look　to
  this　and　help　to　find　a　way　to　save　yourselves　and　this　country
  without　causing　me　to　be　slandered　by　the　citizens。　For　I　am　no　despot
  like　a　barbarian　monarch；　but　provided　do　what　is　just；　just　will　my
  treatment　be。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Can　it　be　that　heaven　forbids　this　city　to　help　strangers；　when　it
  hath　the　will　and　longing　so　to　do？
  IOLAUS
  My　children；　we　are　even　as　those　mariners；　who　have　escaped　the
  storm's　relentless　rage；　and　have　the　land　almost　within　their
  reach；　but　after　all　are　driven　back　from　shore　by　tempests　to　the
  deep　again。　Even　so　we；　just　as　we　reach　the　shore　in　seeming
  safety；　are　being　thrust　back　from　this　land。　Ah　me！　Why；　cruel
  hope；　didst　thou　then　cheer　my　heart；　though　thou　didst　not　mean　to
  make　the　boon　complete？　The　king　may　well　be　pardoned；　if　he　will
  not　slay　his　subjects'　children；　and　with　my　treatment　here　I　am
  content；　if　indeed　'tis　heaven's　will；　I　thus　should　fare；　still　is　my
  gratitude　to　thee　in　no　wise　lost。　Children；　I　know　not　what　to　do　for
  you。　Whither　shall　we　turn？　for　what　god's　altar　have　we　left
  uncrowned？　to　what　fenced　city　have　we　failed　to　go？　Ruin　and
  surrender　are　our　instant　lot；　poor　children！　If　I　must　die；　'tis
  naught　to　me；　save　that　thereby　I　give　those　foes　of　mine　some　cause
  for　joy。　But　you；　children；　I　lament　and　pity；　and　that　aged　mother　of
  your　sire；　Alcmena。　Ah；　woe　is　thee　for　thy　long　span　of　life！　and　woe
  is　me　for　all　my　idle　toil！　'Twas　after　all　our　destined　doom　to
  fall　into　the　hands　of　our　hated　foe；　and　die　a　death　of　shame　and
  misery。　But　lend　me　thine　aid；　thou　knowest　how；　for　all　hope　of　these
  children's　safety　has　not　yet　left　me。　Give　me　up　instead　of　them　to
  the　Argives；　O　king；　run　no　risk；　but　let　me　save　the　children；　to
  love　my　life　becomes　me　not；　let　it　pass。　Me　will　Eurystheus　be　most
  glad　to　take　and　treat　despitefully；　as　I　was　Heracles'　companion；　for
  the　man　is　but　a　boor；　wherefore　wise　men　ought　to　pray　to　get　a
  wise　man　for　their　foe；　and　not　a　proud　senseless　fool；　for　so；　even
  if　by　fortune　flouted；　one　would　meet　with　much　consideration。
  LEADER
  Old　man；　blame　not　this　city；　for　though　perhaps　a　gain　to　us；　yet
  would　it　be　a　foul　reproach　that　we　betrayed　strangers。
  DEMOPHON
  A　generous　scheme　is　thine；　but　impossible。　'Tis　not　in　quest　of
  the　yon　king　comes　marching　hither；　what　would　Eurystheus　gain　by
  the　death　of　one　so　old？　Nay；　'tis　these　children's　blood　he　wants。
  For　there　is　danger　to　a　foe　in　the　youthful　scions　of　a　noble　race；
  whose　memory　dwells　upon　their　father's　wrongs；　all　this　Eurystheus
  must　foresee。　But　if　thou　hast　any　scheme　besides；　that　better　suits
  the　time；　be　ready　with　it；　for；　since　I　heard　that　oracle；　I　am　at
  a　loss　and　full　of　fear。
  （MACARIA　enters　from　the　temple。）
  MACARIA
  Sirs；　impute　not　boldness　to　me；　because　I　venture　forth；　this
  shall　be　my　first　request；　for　a　woman's　fairest　crown　is　this；　to
  practise　silence　and　discretion；　and　abide　at　home　in　peace。　But
  when　I　heard　thy　lamentations；　Iolaus；　I　came　forth；　albeit　I　was
  not　appointed　to　take　the　lead　in　my　family。　Still　in　some　sense　am
  I　fit　to　do　so；　for　these　my　brothers　are　my　chiefest　care；　and　I　fain
  would　ask；　as　touching　myself；　whether　some　new　trouble；　added　to
  the　former　woes；　is　gnawing　at　thy　heart。
  IOLAUS
  My　daughter；　'tis　nothing　new　that　I　should　praise　thee；　as　I
  justly　may；　above　all　the　children　of　Heracles。　Our　house　seemed　to　be
  prospering；　when　back　it　fell　again　into　a　hopeless　state；　for　the
  king　declares　the　prophets　signify　that　he　must　order　the　sacrifice；
  not　of　bull　or　heifer；　but　of　some　tender　maid　of　noble　lineage；　if　we
  and　this　city　are　to　exist。　Herein　is　our　perplexity；　the　king　refuses
  either　to　sacrifice　his　own　or　any　other's　child。　Wherefore；　though　he
  use　not　terms　express；　yet　doth　he　hint；　that；　unless　we　find　some　way
  out　of　this　perplexity；　we　must　seek　some　other　land；　for　he　this
  country　fain