mischance。　Let　me　draw　near　to　them　and　inquire；　lady；　what　strange
  stroke　of　fate　hath　fallen　on　the　house？
  MEGARA
  Dearest　of　all　mankind　to　me！　O　ray　of　light　appearing　to　thy
  sire！　art　thou　safe；　and　is　thy　coming　just　in　time　to　help　thy　dear
  ones？
  HERACLES
  What　meanest　thou？　what　is　this　confusion　I　find　on　my　arrival；
  father？
  MEGARA
  We　are　being　ruined；　forgive　me；　old　friend；　if　I　have　anticipated
  that　which　thou　hadst　a　right　to　tell　him；　for　woman's　nature　is
  perhaps　more　prone　than　man's　to　grief；　and　they　are　my　children
  that　were　being　led　to　death；　which　was　my　own　lot　too。
  HERACLES
  Great　Apollo！　what　a　prelude　to　thy　story！
  MEGARA
  Dead　are　my　brethren；　dead　my　hoary　sire。
  HERACLES
  How　so？　what　befell　him？　who　dealt　the　fatal　blow？
  MEGARA
  Lycus；　our　splendid　monarch；　slew　him。
  HERACLES
  Did　he　meet　him　in　fair　fight；　or　was　the　land　sick　and　weak？
  MEGARA
  Aye；　from　faction；　now　is　he　master　of　the　city　of　Cadmus　with　its
  seven　gates。
  HERACLES
  Why　hath　panic　fallen　on　thee　and　my　aged　sire？
  MEGARA
  He　meant　to　kill　thy　father；　me；　and　my　children。
  HERACLES
  Why；　what　had　he　to　fear　from　my　orphan　babes？
  MEGARA
  He　was　afraid　they　might　some　day　avenge　Creon's　death。
  HERACLES
  What　means　this　dress　they　wear；　suited　to　the　dead？
  MEGARA
  'Tis　the　garb　of　death　we　have　already　put　on。
  HERACLES
  And　were　ye　being　haled　to　death？　O　woe　is　me！
  MEGARA
  Yes；　deserted　by　every　friend；　and　informed　that　thou　wert　dead。
  HERACLES
  What　put　such　desperate　thoughts　into　your　heads？
  MEGARA
  That　was　what　the　heralds　of　Eurystheus　kept　proclaiming。
  HERACLES
  Why　did　ye　leave　my　hearth　and　home？
  MEGARA
  He　forced　us；　thy　father　was　dragged　from　his　bed。
  HERACLES
  Had　he　no　mercy；　to　ill…use　the　old　man　so？
  MEGARA
  Mercy　forsooth！　that　goddess　and　he　dwell　far　enough　apart。
  HERACLES
  Was　I　so　poor　in　friends　in　my　absence？
  MEGARA
  Who　are　the　friends　of　a　man　in　misfortune？
  HERACLES
  Do　they　make　so　light　of　my　hard　warring　with　the　Minyae？
  MEGARA
  Misfortune；　to　repeat　it　to　thee；　has　no　friends。
  HERACLES
  Cast　from　your　heads　these　chaplets　of　death；　look　up　to　the
  light；　for　instead　of　the　nether　gloom　your　eyes　behold　the　welcome
  sun。　I；　meantime；　since　here　is　work　for　my　hand；　will　first　go　raze
  this　upstart　tyrant's　halls；　and　when　I　have　beheaded　the　miscreant；　I
  will　throw　him　to　dogs　to　tear；　and　every　Theban　who　I　find　has　played
  the　traitor　after　my　kindness；　will　I　destroy　with　this　victorious
  club；　the　rest　will　I　scatter　with　my　feathered　shafts　and　fill
  Ismenus　full　of　bloody　corpses；　and　Dirce's　clear　fount　shall　run
  red　with　gore。　For　whom　ought　I　to　help　rather　than　wife　and
  children　and　aged　sire？　Farewell　my　labours！　for　it　was　in　vain　I
  accomplished　them　rather　than　succoured　these。　And　yet　I　ought　to
  die　in　their　defence；　since　they　for　their　sire　were　doomed；　else　what
  shall　we　find　so　noble　in　having　fought　a　hydra　and　a　lion　at　the
  hests　of　Eurystheus；　if　I　make　no　effort　to　save　my　own　children
  from　death？　No　longer　I　trow；　as　heretofore；　shall　I　be　called
  Heracles　the　victor。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  'Tis　only　right　that　parents　should　help　their　children；　their
  aged　sires；　and　the　partners　of　their　marriage。
  AMPHITRYON
  My　son；　'tis　like　thee　to　show　thy　love　for　thy　dear　ones　and
  thy　hate　for　all　that　is　hostile；　only　curb　excessive　hastiness。
  HERACLES
  Wherein；　father；　am　I　now　showing　more　than　fitting　haste？
  AMPHITRYON
  The　king　hath　a　host　of　allies；　needy　villains　though　pretending
  to　be　rich；　who　sowed　dissension　and　o'erthrew　the　state　with　a　view
  to　plundering　their　neighbours；　for　the　wealth　they　had　in　their
  houses　was　ali　spent；　dissipated　by　their　sloth。　Thou　wast　seen
  entering　the　city；　and；　that　being　so；　beware　that　thou　bring　not
  thy　enemies　together　and　be　slain　unawares。
  HERACLES
  Little　I　reck　if　the　whole　city　saw　me；　but　chancing　to　see　a　bird
  perched　in　an　ill…omened　spot；　from　it　I　learnt　that　some　trouble
  had　befallen　my　house；　so　I　purposely　made　my　entry　to　the　land　by
  stealth。
  AMPHITRYON
  For　thy　lucky　coming　hither；　go　salute　thy　household　altar；　and
  let　thy　father's　halls　behold　thy　face。　For　soon　will　the　king　be　here
  in　person　to　drag　away　thy　wife　and　children　and　murder　them；　and　to
  add　me　to　the　bloody　list。　But　if　thou　remain　on　the　spot　all　will
  go　well；　and　thou　wilt　profit　by　this　security；　but　do　not　rouse　thy
  city　ere　thou　hast　these　matters　well　in　train；　my　son。
  HERACLES
  I　will　do　so；　thy　advice　is　good；　I　will　enter　my　house。　After
  my　return　at　length　from　the　sunless　den　of　Hades　and　the　maiden　queen
  of　hell；　I　will　not　neglect　to　greet　first　of　all　the　gods　beneath
  my　roof。
  AMPHITRYON
  Why；　didst　thou　in　very　deed　go　to　the　house　of　Hades；　my　son？
  HERACLES
  Aye；　and　brought　to　the　light　that　three…headed　monster。
  AMPHITRYON
  Didst　worst　him　in　fight；　or　receive　him　from　the　goddess？
  HERACLES
  In　fair　fight；　for　I　had　been　lucky　enough　to　witness　the　rites　of
  the　initiated。
  AMPHITRYON
  Is　the　monster　really　lodged　in　the　house　of　Eurystheus？
  HERACLES
  The　grove　of　Demeter　and　the　city　of　Hermione　are　his　prison。
  AMPHITRYON
  Does　not　Eurystheus　know　that　thou　hast　returned　to　the　upper
  world？
  HERACLES
  He　knows　not；　I　came　hither　first　to　learn　your　news。
  AMPHITRYON
  How　is　it　thou　wert　so　long　beneath　the　earth？
  HERACLES
  I　stayed　awhile　attempting　to　bring　back　Theseus　from　Hades；
  father。
  AMPHITRYON
  Where　is　he？　gone　to　his　native　land？
  HERACLES
  He　set　out　for　Athens　right　glad　to　have　escaped　from　the　lower
  world。　Come；　children；　attend　your　father　to　the　house。　My　entering　in
  is　fairer　in　your　eyes；　I　trow；　than　my　going　out。　Take　heart；　and
  no　more　let　the　tears　stream　from　your　eyes；　thou　too；　dear　wife；
  collect　thy　courage；　cease　from　fear；　let　go　my　robe；　for　I　cannot　fly
  away；　nor　have　I　any　wish　to　flee　from　those　I　love。　Ah！　they　do　not
  loose　their　hold；　but　cling　to　my　garments　all　the　more；　were　ye　in
  such　jeopardy？　Well；　I　must　lead　them；　taking　them　by　the　hand　to　draw
  them　after　me；　like　a　ship　when　towing；　for　I　too　do　not　reject　the
  care　of　my　children；　here　all　mankind　are　equal；　all　love　their
  children；　both　those　of　high　estate　and　those；　who　are　naught；　'tis
  wealth　that　makes　distinctions　among　them；　some　have；　others　want；　but
  all　the　human　race　loves　its　offspring。
  （HERACLES；　MEGARA；　AMPHITRYON　and　the　children　enter　the　palace。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe　1
  Dear　to　me　is　youth；　but　old　age　is　ever　hanging　o'er　my　head；　a
  burden　heavier　than　Aetna's　crags；　casting　its　pall　of　gloom　upon　my
  eyes。　Oh！　never　may　the　wealth　of　Asia's　kings　tempt　me　to　barter
  for　houses　stored　with　gold　my　happy　youth；　which　is　in　wealth　and
  poverty　alike　most　fair！　But　old　age　is　gloomy　and　deathly；　I　hate　it；
  let　it　sink　beneath　the　waves！　Would　it　had　never　found　its　way　to　the
  homes　and　towns　of　mortal　men；　but　were　still　drifting　on　for　ever
  down　the　wind。
  antistrophe　1
  Had　the　gods　shown　discernment　and　wisdom；　as　mortals　count
  these　things；　men　would　have　gotten　youth　twice　over；　a　visible　mark
  of　worth　amongst　whomsoever　found；　and　after　death　would　these　have
  retraced　their　steps　once　more　to　the　sun…light；　while　the　mean　man
  would　have　had　but　a　single　portion　of　life；　and　thus　would　it　have
  been　possible　to　distinguish　the　good　and　the　bad；　just　as　sailors
  know　the　number　of　the　stars　amid　the　clouds。　But；　as　it　is；　the
  gods　have　set　no　certain　boundary　'twixt　good　and　bad；　but　time's
  onward　roll　brings　increase　only　to　man's　wealth。
  strophe　2
  Never　will　I　cease　to　link　in　one　the　Graces　and　the　Muses；
  fairest　union。　Never　may　my　lines　be　cast　among　untutored　boors；　but
  ever　may　I　find　a　place　among　the　crowned　choir！　Yes；　still　the　aged
  bard　lifts　up　his　voice　of　bygone　memories；　still　is　my　song　of　the
  triumphs　of　Heracles；　whether　Bromius　the　giver　of　wine　is　nigh；　or
  the　strains　of　the　seven…stringed　lyre　and　the　Libyan　flute　are
  rising；　not　yet　will　I　cease　to　sing　the　Muses'　praise；　my　patrons
  in　the　dance。
  antistrophe　2
  As　the　maids　of　Delos　raise　their　song　of　joy；　circling　round
  the　temple　gates　in　honour　of　Leto's　fair　son；　the　graceful　dancer；　so
  with　my　old　lips　will　sing　songs　of　victory　at　thy　palace…doors；
  song　of　my　old　age；　such　as　sings　the　dying　swan；　for　there　is　a
  goodly　theme　for　minstrelsy；　he　is　the　son　of　Zeus；　yet　high　above　his
  noble　birth　tower　his　deeds　of　prowess；　for　his　toil　secured　this　life
  of　calm　for　man；　having　destroyed　all　fearsome　beasts。
  （AMPHITRYON　comes　out　of　the　palace　as　Lycus　and　his　retinue　enter。）
  LYCUS
  Ha！　Amphitryon；　'tis　high　time　thou　camest　forth　from　the
  palace；　ye　have　been　too　long　arraying　yourselv