HERACLES 197
Children long since — now hard to discover —
Of the once so potent Herakles I
And the loved wife dragging, in one tether
About her feet, the boys together ;
And the hero's aged sire comes last I tts
Unhappy that I am ! Of tears which rise, —
How am I all unable to hold fast.
Longer, the aged fountains of these eyes !
THE MADNESS OF HERACLES
Heracles returned from the lower world just in time to save his family from death by himself slaying Lycus. While he is ofiFering sacrifice to cleanse him from this murder, the frenzy comes upon him. Since it was against the Greek spirit to put such a scene as the following before the eyes of the audience, it is narrated to the Chorus by a messenger.
The victims were before the hearth of Zeus,
A household-expiation : since the king
O' the country, Herakles had killed and cast
From out the dwelling ; and a beauteous choir 98.5
Of boys stood by, his sire, too, and his wife.
And now the basket had been carried round
The altar in a circle, and we used
The consecrated speech. Alkmene's son, —
Just as he was about, in his right hand, 990
To bear the torch, that he might dip into
The cleansing-water, — came to a stand-still ;
And, as their father yet delayed, his boys
Had their eyes on him. But he was himself
No longer : lost in rollings of the eyes ; 995
Out-thrusting eyes — their very roots — like blood !
Froth he dropped down his bushy-bearded cheek,
And said, — together with a madman's laugh —
