She　is　mounted　on　her　car；　the　queen　of　sorrow　and　sighing；　and　is
  goading　on　her　steeds；　as　if　for　outrage；　the　Gorgon　child　of　Night；
  with　hundred　hissing　serpent…heads；　Madness　of　the　flashing　eyes。
  Soon　hath　the　god　changed　his　good　fortune；　soon　will　his　children
  breathe　their　last；　slain　by　a　father's　hand。
  Ah　me！　alas！　soon　will　vengeance；　mad；　relentless；　lay　low　by
  cruel　death　thy　unhappy　son；　O　Zeus；　exacting　a　full　penalty。
  Alas；　O　house！　the　fiend　begins　her　dance　of　death　without　the
  cymbal's　crash；　with　no　glad　waving　of　the　wine…god's　staff。
  Woe　to　these　halls　toward　bloodshed　she　moves；　and　not　to　pour
  libations　of　the　juice　of　the　grape。
  O　children；　haste　to　fly；　that　is　the　chant　of　death　her　piping
  plays。
  Ah；　yes！　he　is　chasing　the　children。　Never；　ah！　never　will　Madness
  lead　her　revel　rout　in　vain。
  Ah　misery！
  Ah　me！　how　I　lament　that　aged　sire；　that　mother　too　that　bore
  his　babes　in　vain。
  Look！　look！
  A　tempest　rocks　the　house；　the　roof　is　falling　with　it。
  Oh！　what　art　thou　doing；　son　of　Zeus？
  Thou　art　sending　hell's　confusion　against　thy　house；　as　erst　did
  Pallas　on　Enceladus。
  （A　MESSENGER　enters　from　the　palace。）
  MESSENGER
  Ye　hoary　men　of　eld！
  CHORUS
  Why；　oh！　why　this　loud　address　to　me？
  MESSENGER
  Awful　is　the　sight　within！
  CHORUS
  No　need　for　me　to　call　another　to　announce　that。
  MESSENGER
  Dead　lie　the　children。
  CHORUS
  Alas！
  MESSENGER
  Ah　weep！　for　here　is　cause　for　weeping。
  CHORUS
  A　cruel　murder；　wrought　by　parents'　hands！
  MESSENGER
  No　words　can　utter　more　than　we　have　suffered。
  CHORUS
  What；　canst　thou　prove　this　piteous　ruin　was　a　father's　outrage　on
  his　children？　Tell　me　how　these　heaven…sent　woes　came　rushing　on　the
  house；　say　how　the　children　met　their　sad　mischance。
  MESSENGER
  Victims　to　purify　the　house　were　stationed　before　the　altar　of
  Zeus；　for　Heracles　had　slain　and　cast　from　his　halls　the　king　of　the
  land。　There　stood　his　group　of　lovely　children；　with　his　sire　and
  Megara；　and　already　the　basket　was　being　passed　round　the　altar；　and
  we　were　keeping　holy　silence。　But　just　as　Alcmena's　son　was　bringing
  the　torch　in　his　right　hand　to　dip　it　in　the　holy　water；　he　stopped
  without　a　word。　And　as　their　father　lingered；　his　children　looked　at
  him；　and　lo！　he　was　changed；　his　eyes　were　rolling；　he　was　distraught；
  his　eyeballs　were　bloodshot　and　starting　from　their　sockets；　and
  foam　was　oozing　down　his　bearded　cheek。　Anon　he　spoke；　laughing　the
  while　a　madman's　laugh；　〃Father；　why　should　I　sacrifice　before　I
  have　slain　Eurystheus；　why　kindle　the　purifying　flame　and　have　the
  toil　twice　over；　when　I　might　at　one　stroke　so　fairly　end　it　all？　Soon
  as　I　have　brought　the　head　of　Eurystheus　hither；　I　will　cleanse　my
  hands　for　those　already　slain。　Spill　the　water；　cast　the　baskets
  from　your　hands。　Ho！　give　me　now　my　bow　and　club！　To　famed　Mycenae
  will　I　go；　crow…bars　and　pick…axes　must　I　take；　for　I　will　heave
  from　their　very　base　with　iron　levers　those　city…walls　which　the
  Cyclopes　squared　with　red　plumb…line　and　mason's　tools。〃
  Then　he　set　out；　and　though　he　had　no　chariot　there；　he　thought　he
  had；　and　was　for　mounting　to　its　seat；　and　using　a　goad　as　though
  his　fingers　really　held　one。　A　twofold　feeling　filled　his　servants'
  breasts；　half　amusement；　and　half　fear；　and　one　looking　to　his
  neighbour　said；　〃Is　our　master　making　sport　for　us；　or　is　he　mad？〃　But
  he　the　while　was　pacing　to　and　fro　in　his　house；　and；　rushing　into　the
  men's　chamber；　he　thought　he　had　reached　the　city　of　Nisus；　albeit
  he　had　gone　into　his　own　halls。　So　he　threw　himself　upon　the　floor；　as
  if　he　were　there；　and　made　ready　to　feast。　But　after　waiting　a　brief
  space　he　began　saying　he　was　on　his　way　to　the　plains　amid　the　valleys
  of　the　Isthmus；　and　then　stripping　himself　of　his　mantle；　he　fell　to
  competing　with　an　imaginary　rival；　o'er　whom　he　proclaimed　himself
  victor　with　his　own　voice；　calling　on　imaginary　spectators　to
  listen。　Next；　fancy　carrying　him　to　Mycenae；　he　was　uttering　fearful
  threats　against　Eurystheus。　Meantime　his　father　caught　him　by　his
  stalwart　arm；　and　thus　addressed　him；　〃My　son；　what　meanest　thou
  hereby？　What　strange　doings　are　these？　Can　it　be　that　the　blood　of　thy
  late　victims　has　driven　thee　frantic？〃　But　he；　supposing　it　was　the
  father　of　Eurystheus　striving　in　abject　supplication　to　touch　his
  hand；　thrust　him　aside；　and　then　against　his　own　children　aimed　his
  bow　and　made　ready　his　quiver；　thinking　to　slay　the　sons　of
  Eurystheus。　And　they　in　wild　affright　darted　hither　and　thither；　one
  to　his　hapless　mother's　skirts；　another　to　the　shadow　of　a　pillar；
  while　a　third　cowered　'neath　the　altar　like　a　bird。　Then　cried　their
  mother；　〃O　father；　what　art　thou　doing？　dost　mean　to　slay　thy
  children？〃　Likewise　his　aged　sire　and　all　the　gathered　servants
  cried　aloud。　But　he；　hunting　the　child　round　and　round；　the　column；　in
  dreadful　circles；　and　coming　face　to　face　with　him　shot　him　to　the
  heart；　and　he　fell　upon　his　back；　sprinkling　the　stone　pillars　with
  blood　as　he　gasped　out　his　life。　Then　did　Heracles　shout　for　joy　and
  boasted　loud；　〃Here　lies　one　of　Eurystheus'　brood　dead　at　my　feet；
  atoning　for　his　father's　hate。〃　Against　a　second　did　he　aim　his　bow；
  who　had　crouched　at　the　altar's　foot　thinking　to　escape　unseen。　But
  ere　he　fired；　the　poor　child　threw　himself　at　his　father's　knees；　and；
  flinging　his　hand　to　reach　his　beard　or　neck；　cried；　〃Oh！　slay　me　not；
  dear　father　mine！　I　am　thy　child；　thine　own；　'tis　no　son　of　Eurystheus
  thou　wilt　slay。〃
  But　that　other；　with　savage　Gorgon…scowl；　as　the　child　now　stood
  in　range　of　his　baleful　archery；　smote　him　on　the　head；　as　smites　a
  smith　his　molten　iron；　bringing　down　his　club　upon　the　fair…haired
  boy；　and　crushed　the　bones。　The　second　caught；　away　he　hies　to　add　a
  third　victim　to　the　other　twain。　But　ere　he　could；　the　poor　mother
  caught　up　her　babe　and　carried　him　within　the　house　and　shut　the
  doors；　forthwith　the　madman；　as　though　he　really　were　at　the　Cyclopean
  walls；　prizes　open　the　doors　with　levers；　and；　hurling　down　their
  posts；　with　one　fell　shaft　laid　low　his　wife　and　child。　Then　in　wild
  career　he　starts　to　slay　his　aged　sire；　but　lo！　there　came　a
  phantom；…so　it　seemed　to　us　on…lookers；…Of　Pallas；　with　plumed　helm；
  brandishing　a　spear；　and　she　hurled　a　rock　against　the　breast　of
  Heracles；　which　stayed　him　from　his　frenzied　thirst　for　blood　and
  plunged　him　into　sleep；　to　the　ground　he　fell；　smiting　his　back
  against　a　column　that　had　fallen　on　the　floor　in　twain　when　the　roof
  fell　in。　Thereon　we　rallied　from　our　flight；　and　with　the　old　man's
  aid　bound　him　fast　with　knotted　cords　to　the　pillar；　that　on　his
  awakening　he　might　do　no　further　evil。　So　there　he　sleeps；　poor
  wretch！　a　sleep　that　is　not　blest；　having　murdered　wife　and
  children；　nay；　for　my　part　know　not　any　son　of　man　more　miserable　than
  he。
  （The　MESSENGER　withdraws。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  That　murder　wrought　by　the　daughters　of　Danaus；　whereof　my
  native　Argos　wots；　was　formerly　the　most　famous　and　notorious　in
  Hellas；　but　this　hath　surpassed　and　outdone　those　previous　horrors。
  I　could　tell　of　the　murder　of　that　poor　son　of　Zeus；　whom　Procne；
  mother　of　an　only　child；　slew　and　offered　to　the　Muses；　but　thou　hadst
  three　children；　wretched　parent；　and　all　of　them　hast　thou　in　thy
  frenzy　slain。　What　groans　or　wails；　what　funeral　dirge；　or　chant　of
  death　am　I　to　raise？　Alas　and　woe！　see；　the　bolted　doors　of　the
  lofty　palace　are　being　rolled　apart。　Ah　me！　behold　these　children
  lying　dead　before　their　wretched　father；　who　is　sunk　in　awful
  slumber　after　shedding　their　blood。　Round　him　are　bonds　and　cords；
  made　fast　with　many　a　knot　about　the　body　of　Heracles；　and　lashed　to
  the　stone　columns　of　his　house。　While　he；　the　aged　sire；　like
  mother…bird　wailing　her　unfledged　brood；　comes　hasting　hither　with
  halting　steps　on　his　bitter　journey。
  （The　central　doors　of　the　palace　have　opened　and　have　disclosed
  HERACLES　lying　asleep；　bound　to　a　shattered　column。　AMPHITRYON
  steps　out。　The　following　lines　between　AMPHITRYON　and
  the　CHORUS　are　chanted　responsively。）
  AMPHITRYON
  Softly；　softly！　ye　aged　sons　of　Thebes；　let　him　sleep　on　and
  forget　his　sorrows。
  CHORUS
  For　thee；　old　friend；　I　weep　and　mourn；　for　the　children　too　and
  that　victorious　chief。
  AMPHITRYON
  Stand　further　off；　make　no　noise　nor　outcry；　rouse　him　not　from
  his　calm　deep　slumber。
  CHORUS
  O　horrible！　all　this　blood…
  AMPHITRYON
  Hush；　hush！　ye　will　be　my　ruin。
  CHORUS
  That　he　has　spilt　is　rising　up　against　him。
  AMPHITRYON
  Gently　raise　your　dirge　of　woe；　old　friends；　lest　he　wake；　and；
  bursting　his　bonds；　destroy　the　city；　rend　his　sire；　and　dash　his
  house　to　pieces。
  CHORUS
  I　cannot；　cannot…
  AMPHITRYON
  Hush！　let　me　note　his　breathing；　come；　let　me　put　my　ear　close。
  CHORUS
  Is　he　sleeping？
  AMPHITRYON
  Aye；　that　is　he；　a　deathly　sleep；　having　slain　wife　and　children
  with　the　arrows　of　his　twanging　bow。
  CHORUS