cheer my heart, though thou didst not mean to make the boon complete? The king may well be pardoned, if he will not slay his subjects' children; and with my treatment here I am content; if indeed 'tis heaven's will, I thus should fare, still is my gratitude to thee in no wise lost. Children, I know not what to do for you. Whither shall we turn? for what god's altar have we left uncrowned? to what fenced city have we failed to go? Ruin and surrender are our instant lot, poor children! If I must die, 'tis naught to me, save that thereby I give those foes of mine some cause for joy. But you, children, I lament and pity, and that aged mother of your sire, Alcmena. Ah, woe is thee for thy long span of life! and woe is me for all my idle toil! 'Twas after all our destined doom to fall into the hands of our hated foe, and die a death of shame and misery. But lend me thine aid, thou knowest how; for all hope of these children's safety has not yet left me. Give me up instead of them to the Argives, O king; run no risk, but let me save the children; to love my life becomes me not; let it pass. Me[1] will Eurystheus be most glad to take and treat despitefully, as I was Heracles' companion; for the man is but a boor; wherefore wise men ought to pray to get a wise man for their foe, and not a proud senseless fool; for so, even if by fortune[2] flouted, one would meet with much consideration.
Cho. Old man, blame[3] not this city; for though perhaps a gain[4] to us, yet would it be a foul reproach that we betrayed strangers.
Dem. A generous scheme is thine, but impossible. 'Tis not in quest of thee yon king comes marching hither; what
- ↑ Usener, followed by Nauck, regards lines 456 to 460 as spurious.
- ↑ Reading with Tyrrwhitt κἀτυχής for καὶ δίκης, which in the Aldine became καὶ τύχης and suggested the emendation.
- ↑ But Iolaus has praised, not blamed Athens. And so Hartung proposes to read ἐπαινέσȢς. Usener τήνδε ταῦτ᾽ ἄιτει.
- ↑ Reading κέρδος. Nauck ψευδές.
