LONG hath my thought been fix'd, that some are form'd
Benevolent to those allied to them:
But he, whose eager mind is hurried on
In the pursuit of riches, to the state
Is useless, and unpleasant to his friends,
But to himself most good. I learn not this
By argument, but knowledge of the world:
For I, through shame and reverence of the touch
Of consanguinity, though Quiet woo'd me
To rest at Argos, shared the various toils
Of Hercules, alone attending him
Whilst he was with us: and e'en now, since high
In heav'n hath been his seat, beneath my wings
I guard his children, and afford to them
That safety which I want myself; for first,
Soon as their father was from earth remov'd,
Eurystheus sought to kill us; but by flight
Have I escap'd him; to my country lost,
My life is saved; but we, poor wanderers, fly
Driv'n out from state to state; for this foul
To all his former wrongs Eurystheus adds,
In whate'er land he hears we have obtain'd
L. 9. Iphicles, the father of Iolaus, was the twin brother of Hercules.
A scat, he sends his heralds to demand us,
And drives us thence; of Argos makes high boast,
And his own puissant state, nor fails to urge
His friendship changed to strong hostility.
My weakness, and the tender youth of these
No more protected by their father's might,
Were seen, and we from every country chased,
Which reverenc'd his superior pow'r. But I
Fly with these flying children, share their wrongs,
Their suff'rings share, disdaining to betray them,
Lest I should hear this taunt, "See, since no more
"These orphans have a father, Iolaus,
Forgetful of his consanguinity,
"Protects them not." Through all the states of Greece Abandon'd outcasts, we at length are come
To Marathon, and its associate realm,
And suppliant at the altars of the gods
Implore protection: in this land, they say,
Two sons of Theseus share th' inheritance,
Sprung from Pandion, and to these allied;
Inducement strong to lead our steps this way
Tow'rds the illustrious Athens. Two in years
Greatly advanc'd are leaders of this flight:
These are my charge; the daughters of her son
Alcmena clasping in her arms protects
Within the temple; for we reverence
Their youth and virgin modesty, nor place them
Before the altar, to the eyes of men
Exposed. But Hyllus, and his brothers, now
Of riper age, bear their researches wide,
If haply they may find some citadel
To give us refuge, if by force chased hence.-
My sons, my sons, come to me, of my vests
Take hold; I see him, he approaches us.
The herald of Eurystheus; he pursues
Where'er we wander, driv'n from every land.
Would thou might'st perish, thou detested wretch,
And he that sent thee, for the many ills
That mouth has to their noble sire announc'd!
What, dost thou think that thou art seated here
In safety, weening thou art fled, belike,
To some confederate state? A fine device.
Who will prefer thy weakness to the might,
The puissance of Eurystheus? Get thee hence;
Why cause this trouble? Rise, to Argos go,
Where death, the sentence of the law, awaits thee.
No: since the altar of the god will guard me,
And this free land in which we are arriv'd.
Wilt thou constrain my hand to force thee hence?
Nor me, nor these shalt thou drag hence by force.
That shalt thou see: thy prophecy deceives thee.
No, never whilst I live shall that be done.
Away: without leave ask'd of thee, this hand
Shall seize, and to Eurystheus bear them back,
Deeming them his wherever they are found.
You, who derive your high-born ancestry
From Athens, help: though supplicants of Jove,
Guardian of right, we suffer violence;
Our garlands are polluted, to your state
Disgrace, and foul dishonour to the gods,
IOLAUS, COPREUS, CHORUS.
CHOR. What means this cry, which from the altar's base
Proceeds? What deep distress doth it denounce?
Behold a man, worn out with years, thrown down,
Unhappy me, and roll'd upon the ground.
CHOR. Unseemly fall! Who threw thee on the earth?
IOL. He, strangers, he, dishonouring your gods,
Forcibly drags me from this hallow'd place.
CHOR. He! From what country art thou come, old man, To us, who dwell in these four social towns?
Or from some distant land o'er the wide sea
Arrive you here, leaving th' Eubœan strand?
I in no island, strangers, pass my life,
But from Mycenae to your land am come. CHOR. And in Mycena by what name address'd? 10L. Hath not the name of Iolaus reach'd
Your ears, who by the side of Hercules
His dangers shared, to glory not unknown?
CHOR. Of old thy fame hath reach'd us: but inform us, Whose children these, that hang upon thy hand? IOL. These, strangers, are the sons of Hercules,
Suppliants to you, and to your state they come. CHOR. And what occasions brought you hither? tell us : Wish you to hold free converse with our state? Not to be yielded up, not to be borne
To Argos, rent by violence from your gods. This will not satisfy thy lords, who claim Dominion o'er thee, and have found thee here. CHOR. The suppliants of the gods have a just claim
To reverence, stranger; nor shou'dst thou, old man,
Quit by a boist'rous hand perforce these seats;
For awful justice will not suffer it.
These to Eurystheus send, for they are his,
And nought of force this boist'rous hand shall use.
CHOR. Profane and impious were it for the state
To slight a stranger's supplicating pray'r.
L. 91. These four towns were noe, Marathon, Probalinthus, and Tricorythus they were consociated by Theseus, and called the Tetrapolis of Attica.
COP. But it were well from danger's rugged path
To keep the foot, by wiser counsels guided.
CHOR. These bold words to the monarch of the land
Shou'dst thou address, nor from the gods by force
Their suppliants rend, but reverence a free state.
COP. Who is the monarch of this land and town?
CHOR. Demophoon, from the noble Theseus sprung.
COP. To him then boldly will I urge my claim,
With him contend; with others it were vain. CHOR. He comes with hasty step, and Acamas
His brother with him: these will hear thy claim.
DEMOPHOON, ACAMAS, IOLAUS, COPREUS,
CHORUS.
DEM. Since, aged as thou art, thy foot hath reach'd
Before our fresher youth this shrine of Jove,
Say by what chance are these assembled here.
CHOR. These are the sons of Hercules, that sit
As suppliants, having hung the altar round
With garlands, as thou seest, and Iolaus
Faithful in all his dangers to their sire.
DEM. And what unhappy cause requir'd these cries?
CHOR. He there, by force attempting from this shrine
To drag them, rais'd this clamour, and threw down
The poor old man, that I for pity wept
His vestments, and the floating of their folds
Are Grecian; but barbaric are his deeds.
'Tis thine to tell me, and without delay
To tell me, from what country art thou come.
I am an Argive: so much for thy wish
To know from whence: but wherefore, and from whom
I come, thou shalt be told: Mycena's king,
Eurystheus, sent me hither to lead back
These; and I come, O stranger, having much
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