THE HERACLEIDAE [1]
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
(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