Euripides' HERACLES Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

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Amphitryon: As for Zeus, let Zeus defend his son's case; but as for
me, Heracles, I am only anxious on thy behalf to prove by what I say
this tyrant's ignorance; for I cannot allow thee to be ill spoken
of. First then for that which should never have been said,-for to
speak of thee Heracles as coward is, methinks, outside the pale of
speech,-of that must I clear the with heaven to witness. I appeal
then to the thunder of Zeus, and the chariot wherein he rode, when
he pierced the giants, earth's brood, to the heart with his winged
shafts, and with gods uplifted the glorious triumph-song; or go to
Pholoe and ask the insolent tribe of four-legged Centaurs, thou craven
king, ask them who they would judge their bravest foe; will they not
say my son, who according to thee is but a pretender? Wert thou to
ask Euboean Dirphys, thy native place, it would nowise sing thy praise,
for thou hast never done a single gallant deed to which thy country
can witness. Next thou dost disparage that clever invention, an archer's
weapon; come, listen to me and learn wisdom. A man who fights in line
is a slave to his weapons, and if his fellow-comrades want for courage
he is slain himself through the cowardice of his neighbours, or, if
he break his spear, he has not wherewithal to defend his body from
death, having only one means of defence; whereas all who are armed
with the trusty bow, though they have but one weapon, yet is it the
best; for a man, after discharging countless arrows, still has others
wherewith to defend himself from death, and standing at a distance
keeps off the enemy, wounding them for all their watchfulness with
shafts invisible, and never exposing himself to the foe, but keeping
under cover; and this is far the wisest course in battle, to harm
the enemy, if they are not stationed out of shot, and keep safe oneself.

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