Eksodos
Messenger
Mistress, though thine eyes see him, yet will I announce we have brought Eurystheus hither for thy pleasure,
an unexpected sight, for him no less a chance he ne’er foresaw; for little he thought of ever falling into thy hands, what time he marched from Mycenae with his toil-worn warriors, to sack Athens, thinking himself far above fortune. But a power
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divine hath reversed our destinies, changing their position. Now Hyllus and brave Iolaus I left raising an image to Zeus, who routs the foe, for their triumphant victory, whilst they bid me bring this prisoner to thee, wishing to gladden thy heart; for ’tis the sweetest
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sight to see a foe fall on evil days after prosperity.
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Alcmena
Art come, thou hateful wretch? Hath Justice caught thee then at last? First, turn thy head this way to me, and endure to look thy enemies in the face, for thou art no more the ruler, but the slave.
ArtNauck condemns this line; as also line 948. thou the man—for this I fain would learn—who didst presume to heap thy insults on my son, who now is where he is, thou miscreant? What outrage didst thou abstain from putting upon him? Thou that didst make him go down alive even to Hades,
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and wouldst send him with an order to slay hydras and lions? Thy other evil schemes I mention not, for to tell them were a tedious task for me. Nor did it content thee to venture thus far only; no! but from all Hellas wouldst thou drive me and my children,
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heaven’s suppliants though we were, grey-heads some of us, and some still tender babes. But here hast thou found men and a free city, that feared not thee. Die in torment must thou, and e’en so wilt thou gain in every way, for one death is not
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thy due, after all the sorrow thou hast caused.
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Messenger
Thou mayst not slay him.
Alcmena
Then have we taken him captive in vain. But say, what law forbids his death?
Messenger
It is not the will of the rulers of this land.
Alcmena
Why, what is this? Do they not approve of slaying enemies?
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Messenger
Not such as they have taken alive in battle.
Alcmena
Did Hyllus uphold this decision?
Messenger
He, I suppose, ought to have disobeyed the law of the land.
Alcmena
The prisoner’s life ought not to have been spared a moment.
Messenger
It was then that he was wronged, by not being slain at first.
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Alcmena
Why, then, he is still in time to pay his penalty.
Messenger
There is no one, who will slay him now.
Alcmena
I will; and yet I count myself someone.
Messenger
Well, thou wilt incur great blame, if thou do this deed.
Alcmena
I love this city well; that cannot be gainsaid. But since this man hath fallen into my power, no mortal hand shall wrest him from me. Wherefore let who will, call me the woman bold, with thoughts too high for her sex;
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yet shall this deed be brought to pass by me.
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Chorus
Lady, full well I understand thou hast a dire quarrel with this man, and ’tis pardonable.
Eurystheus
Woman, be sure I will not flatter thee nor say aught to save my life,
that can give any occasion for a charge of cowardice. It was not of my own free will I took this quarrel up; I am aware that I was born thy cousin, and kinsman to Heracles, thy son; but whether I would or no,
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Hera, by her power divine, caused me to be afflicted thus. Still, when I undertook to be his foe, and when I knew I had to enter on this struggle, I set myself to devise trouble in plenty, and oft from time to time my midnight communing bore fruit,
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scheming how to push aside and slay my foes, and for the future divorce myself from fear; for I knew that son of thine was no mere cipher, but a man indeed; yea, for, though he was my foe, I will speak well of him, because he was a man of worth.
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Now, after he was taken hence, was I not forced, by reason of these children’s hatred, and because I was conscious of an hereditary feud, to leave no stone unturned by slaying, banishing, and plotting against them? So long as I did so, my safety was assured.
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