The Trachiniae [12]
hither and
thither through the house, she beheld the form of any well-loved
servant, she wept, hapless one, at that sight, crying aloud upon her
own fate, and that of the household which would thenceforth be in
the power of others.
But when she ceased from this, suddenly I beheld her rush into the
chamber of Heracles. From a secret place of espial, I watched her; and
saw her spreading coverings on the couch of her lord. When she had
done this, she sprang thereon, and sat in the middle of the bed; her
tears burst forth in burning streams, and thus she spake: 'Ah,
bridal bed and bridal chamber mine, farewell now and for ever; never
more shall ye receive me to rest upon this couch.' She said no more,
but with a vehement hand loosed her robe, where the gold-wrought
brooch lay above her breast, baring all her left side and arm. Then
I ran with all my strength, and warned her son of her intent. But
lo, in the space between my going and our return, she had driven a
two-edged sword through her side to the heart.
At that sight, her son uttered a great cry; for he knew, alas,
that in his anger he had driven her to that deed; and he had
learned, too late, from the servants in the house that she had acted
without knowledge, by the prompting of the Centaur. And now the youth,
in his misery, bewailed her with all passionate lament; he knelt,
and showered kisses on her lips; he threw himself at her side upon the
ground, bitterly crying that he had rashly smitten her with a
slander,- weeping that he must now live bereaved of both alike,- of
mother and of sire.
Such are the fortunes of this house. Rash indeed, is he who
reckons on the morrow, or haply on days beyond it; for to-morrow is
not, until to-day is safely past.
CHORUS (singing)
strophe 1
Which woe shall I bewail first, which misery is the greater? Alas,
'tis hard for me to tell.
antistrophe 1
One sorrow may be seen in the house; for one we wait with
foreboding: and suspense hath a kinship with pain.
strophe 2
Oh that some strong breeze might come with wafting power unto
our hearth, to bear me far from this land, lest I die of terror,
when look but once upon the mighty son of Zeus!
For they say that he is approaching the house in torments from
which there is no deliverance, a wonder of unutterable woe.
antistrophe 2
Ah, it was not far off, but close to us, that woe of which my
lament gave warning, like the nightingale's piercing note!
Men of an alien race are coming yonder. And how, then, are they
bringing him? In sorrow, as for some loved one, they move on their
mournful, noiseless march.
Alas, he is brought in silence! What are we to think; that he is
dead, or sleeping?
(Enter HYLLUS and an OLD MAN,
with attendants,bearing HERACLES upon a litter.)
HYLLUS
Woe is me for thee, my father, woe is me for thee, wretched that I
am! Whither shall I turn? What can I do? Ah me!
OLD MAN (whispering)
Hush, my son! Rouse not the cruel pain that infuriates thy sire!
He lives, though prostrated. Oh, put a stern restraint upon thy lips!
HYLLUS
How sayest thou, old man- is he alive?
OLD MAN (whispering)
Thou must not awake the slumberer! Thou must not rouse and
revive the dread frenzy that visits him, my son!
HYLLUS
Nay, I am crushed with this weight of misery- there is madness
in my heart!
HERACLES (awaking)
O Zeus, to what land have I come? Who are these among whom I
lie, tortured with unending agonies? Wretched, wretched that I am! Oh,
that dire pest is gnawing me once more!
OLD MAN (to HYLLUS)
Knew I not how much better it was that thou shouldest keep
silence, instead of scaring slumber from his brain and eyes?
HYLLUS
Nay, I cannot be patient when
thither through the house, she beheld the form of any well-loved
servant, she wept, hapless one, at that sight, crying aloud upon her
own fate, and that of the household which would thenceforth be in
the power of others.
But when she ceased from this, suddenly I beheld her rush into the
chamber of Heracles. From a secret place of espial, I watched her; and
saw her spreading coverings on the couch of her lord. When she had
done this, she sprang thereon, and sat in the middle of the bed; her
tears burst forth in burning streams, and thus she spake: 'Ah,
bridal bed and bridal chamber mine, farewell now and for ever; never
more shall ye receive me to rest upon this couch.' She said no more,
but with a vehement hand loosed her robe, where the gold-wrought
brooch lay above her breast, baring all her left side and arm. Then
I ran with all my strength, and warned her son of her intent. But
lo, in the space between my going and our return, she had driven a
two-edged sword through her side to the heart.
At that sight, her son uttered a great cry; for he knew, alas,
that in his anger he had driven her to that deed; and he had
learned, too late, from the servants in the house that she had acted
without knowledge, by the prompting of the Centaur. And now the youth,
in his misery, bewailed her with all passionate lament; he knelt,
and showered kisses on her lips; he threw himself at her side upon the
ground, bitterly crying that he had rashly smitten her with a
slander,- weeping that he must now live bereaved of both alike,- of
mother and of sire.
Such are the fortunes of this house. Rash indeed, is he who
reckons on the morrow, or haply on days beyond it; for to-morrow is
not, until to-day is safely past.
CHORUS (singing)
strophe 1
Which woe shall I bewail first, which misery is the greater? Alas,
'tis hard for me to tell.
antistrophe 1
One sorrow may be seen in the house; for one we wait with
foreboding: and suspense hath a kinship with pain.
strophe 2
Oh that some strong breeze might come with wafting power unto
our hearth, to bear me far from this land, lest I die of terror,
when look but once upon the mighty son of Zeus!
For they say that he is approaching the house in torments from
which there is no deliverance, a wonder of unutterable woe.
antistrophe 2
Ah, it was not far off, but close to us, that woe of which my
lament gave warning, like the nightingale's piercing note!
Men of an alien race are coming yonder. And how, then, are they
bringing him? In sorrow, as for some loved one, they move on their
mournful, noiseless march.
Alas, he is brought in silence! What are we to think; that he is
dead, or sleeping?
(Enter HYLLUS and an OLD MAN,
with attendants,bearing HERACLES upon a litter.)
HYLLUS
Woe is me for thee, my father, woe is me for thee, wretched that I
am! Whither shall I turn? What can I do? Ah me!
OLD MAN (whispering)
Hush, my son! Rouse not the cruel pain that infuriates thy sire!
He lives, though prostrated. Oh, put a stern restraint upon thy lips!
HYLLUS
How sayest thou, old man- is he alive?
OLD MAN (whispering)
Thou must not awake the slumberer! Thou must not rouse and
revive the dread frenzy that visits him, my son!
HYLLUS
Nay, I am crushed with this weight of misery- there is madness
in my heart!
HERACLES (awaking)
O Zeus, to what land have I come? Who are these among whom I
lie, tortured with unending agonies? Wretched, wretched that I am! Oh,
that dire pest is gnawing me once more!
OLD MAN (to HYLLUS)
Knew I not how much better it was that thou shouldest keep
silence, instead of scaring slumber from his brain and eyes?
HYLLUS
Nay, I cannot be patient when