Euripides' HERACLES Complete

Translated by E. Coleridge.

Euripides Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Euripides in Print

63 pages - You are on Page 56

Now to one who was erst called happy, such changes are a grievous
thing; though he who is always unfortunate feels no such pain, for
sorrow is his birthright. This, methinks, is the piteous pass I shall
one day come to; for earth will cry out forbidding me to touch her,
the sea and the river-springs will refuse me a crossing, and I shall
become like Ixion who revolves in chains upon that wheel. Wherefore
this is best, that henceforth I be seen by none of the Hellenes, amongst
whom in happier days I lived in bliss. What right have I to live?
what profit can I have in the possession of a useless, impious life?
So let that noble wife of Zeus break forth in dancing, beating with
buskined foot on heaven's bright floor; for now hath she worked her
heart's desire in utterly confounding the chiefest of Hellas' sons.
Who would pray to such a goddess? Her jealousy of Zeus for his love
of a woman hath destroyed the benefactors of Hellas, guiltless though
they were.

Leader of the Chorus: This is the work of none other of the gods than
the wife of Zeus; thou art right in that surmise.

Theseus: I cannot counsel you to die rather than to go on suffering.
There is not a man alive that hath wholly 'scaped misfortune's taint,
nor any god either, if what poets sing is true. Have they not intermarried
in ways that law forbids? Have they not thrown fathers into ignominious
chains to gain the sovereign power? Still they inhabit Olympus and
brave the issue of their crimes.

Previous Page / First / Next Page of Heracles

Euripides Home Page ||| Elpenor's Free Greek Lessons
Aeschylus ||| Sophocles

Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/ancient-greece/euripides/heracles.asp?pg=56