Rejection of the Herald and Iolaus' Gratitude — Euripides, Children of Heracles, lines 240–317, Greek & English

240

τὸ συγγενές τε καὶ τὸ προυφείλειν καλῶς

Kinship, and the obligation that we should well

πράσσειν παρʼ ἡμῶν τούσδε πατρῴαν χάριν·¹

requite these boys with ancestral gratitude from our side;

τό τʼ αἰσχρόν, οὗπερ δεῖ μάλιστα φροντίσαι·

and disgrace, which must be cared for most of all;

εἰ γὰρ παρήσω τόνδε συλᾶσθαι βίᾳ

for if I allow this

ξένου πρὸς ἀνδρὸς βωμόν, οὐκ ἐλευθέραν

altar to be plundered by force by a stranger, I shall not seem

245

οἰκεῖν δοκήσω γαῖαν, Ἀργείων δʼ ὄκνῳ

to dwell in a free land, but out of fear of Argives

ἱκέτας προδοῦναι· καὶ τάδʼ ἀγχόνης πέλας.²

to have betrayed suppliants; and this is close to hanging.

ἀλλʼ ὤφελες μὲν εὐτυχέστερος μολεῖν,

But indeed you ought to have come more fortunate,

ὅμως δὲ καὶ νῦν μὴ τρέσῃς ὅπως σέ τις

nevertheless even now do not fear that anyone

σὺν παισὶ βωμοῦ τοῦδʼ ἀποσπάσει³ βίᾳ.

will drag you with the children by force away from this altar.

250

σὺ δʼ Ἄργος ἐλθὼν ταῦτά τʼ Εὐρυσθεῖ φράσον,

And you, go to Argos and tell these things to Eurystheus,

πρὸς τοῖσδέ τʼ, εἴ τι τοισίδʼ ἐγκαλεῖ ξένοις,

and in addition to these, if he accuses these strangers of anything,

δίκης κυρήσειν· τούσδε δʼ οὐκ ἄξεις ποτέ.

he will obtain justice; but these you will never lead away.

οὐκ ἢν δίκαιον ᾖ τι καὶ νικῶ λόγῳ;

[Herald] Not even if it is just and I win in argument?

καὶ πῶς δίκαιον τὸν ἱκέτην ἄγειν βίᾳ;

[Demophon] And how is it just to lead away a suppliant by force?

255

οὐκ οὖν ἐμοὶ τόδʼ αἰσχρόν, ἀλλʼ οὐ σοὶ βλάβος;

[Herald] Is this then disgraceful to me, but not a harm to you?

ἐμοί γʼ, ἐάν σοι τούσδʼ ἐφέλκεσθαι μεθῶ.

[Demophon] To me indeed, if I permit you to drag these boys away.

σὺ δʼ ἐξόριζε, κᾆτʼ ἐκεῖθεν ἄξομεν.

[Herald] Then banish them beyond your borders, and we will lead them from there.

σκαιὸς πέφυκας τοῦ θεοῦ πλείω φρονῶν.

[Demophon] You are foolish, thinking you are wiser than the god.

δεῦρʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, τοῖς κακοῖσι φευκτέον.

[Herald] Here, it seems, is where the wicked must flee.

260

ἅπασι κοινὸν ῥῦμα δαιμόνων ἕδρα.

[Demophon] The seat of the gods is a common protection for all.

ταῦτʼ οὐ δοκήσει τοῖς Μυκηναίοις ἴσως.

[Herald] These things will perhaps not seem right to the Mycenaeans.

οὐκ οὖν ἐγὼ τῶν ἐνθάδʼ εἰμὶ κύριος;

[Demophon] Am I then not master of the things here?

βλάπτων γʼ ἐκείνους μηδέν, ἢν σὺ σωφρονῇς.

[Herald] As long as you do not harm them, if you are wise.

βλάπτεσθʼ, ἐμοῦ γε μὴ μιαίνοντος θεούς.

[Demophon] Let them be harmed, as long as I do not defile the gods.

265

οὐ βούλομαί σε πόλεμον Ἀργείοις ἔχειν.

[Herald] I do not wish you to have war with the Argives.

κἀγὼ τοιοῦτος· τῶνδε δʼ οὐ μεθήσομαι.

[Demophon] I too am of such a mind; but these I will not let go.

ἄξω γε μέντοι τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐγὼ λαβών.

[Herald] I will indeed, however, take and lead away my own.

οὐκ ἆρ’ ἐς Ἄργος ῥᾳδίως ἄπει πάλιν.

[Demophon] Then you will not easily go back to Argos.

πειρώμενος δὴ τοῦτό γʼ αὐτίκʼ εἴσομαι.

[Herald] By trying indeed, I shall know this immediately.

270

κλαίων ἄρʼ ἅψῃ τῶνδε κοὐκ ἐς ἀμβολάς.

[Demophon] To your cost then you will touch them, and that without delay.

μὴ πρὸς θεῶν κήρυκα τολμήσῃς θενεῖν.

[Herald] By the gods, do not dare to strike a herald.

εἰ μή γʼ ὁ κῆρυξ σωφρονεῖν μαθήσεται.

[Demophon] Unless the herald shall learn to be wise.

ἄπελθε· καὶ σὺ τοῦδε μὴ θίγῃς, ἄναξ.

[Chorus] Depart; and you, king, do not touch this man.

στείχω· μιᾶς γὰρ χειρὸς ἀσθενὴς μάχη.

[Herald] I go; for weak is the battle of a single hand.

275

ἥξω δὲ πολλὴν Ἄρεος Ἀργείου λαβὼν

But I will come, bringing a great bronze-clad spear

πάγχαλκον αἰχμὴν δεῦρο. μυρίοι δέ με

of Argive Ares here. Tens of thousands

μένουσιν ἀσπιστῆρες Εὐρυσθεύς τʼ ἄναξ

of shield-bearing men await me, and king Eurystheus

αὐτὸς στρατηγῶν· Ἀλκάθου δʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχάτοις

himself commanding; and at the far borders of Alkathoos

καραδοκῶν τἀνθένδε τέρμασιν μένει.

he waits, watching out for the outcome here.

280

λαμπρὸς δʼ ἀκούσας σὴν ὕβριν φανήσεται

And hearing of your insolence, he will appear in his glory

σοὶ καὶ πολίταις γῇ τε τῇδε καὶ φυτοῖς·

to you and to the citizens, and to this land and its crops;

μάτην γὰρ ἥβην ὧδέ γʼ ἂν κεκτῄμεθα

for in vain indeed would we possess so much

πολλὴν ἐν Ἄργει, μή σε τιμωρούμενοι.⁴

youth in Argos, if we did not punish you.

φθείρου· τὸ σὸν γὰρ Ἄργος οὐ δέδοικʼ ἐγώ.

[Demophon] Go to ruin! For I do not fear your Argos.

285

ἐνθένδε δʼ οὐκ ἔμελλες αἰσχύνας ἐμὲ

And from here you were not going, by disgracing me,

ἄξειν βίᾳ τούσδʼ· οὐ γὰρ Ἀργείων πόλει

to lead these boys away by force; for I do not hold this

ὑπήκοον τήνδʼ ἀλλʼ ἐλευθέραν ἔχω.

as subject to the city of the Argives, but as free.

ὥρα προνοεῖν, πρὶν ὅροις πελάσαι

[Chorus] It is time to look ahead, before to the borders approaches

στρατὸν Ἀργείων·

the army of the Argives;

290

μάλα δʼ ὀξὺς Ἄρης ὁ Μυκηναίων,

for very sharp is the Ares of the Mycenaeans,

ἐπὶ τοῖσι δὲ δὴ μᾶλλον ἔτʼ ἢ πρίν.

and regarding these matters, even more so than before.

πᾶσι γὰρ οὗτος κήρυξι νόμος,

For this is a custom for all heralds,

δὶς τόσα πυργοῦν τῶν γιγνομένων

to exaggerate twice as much what has happened.

πόσα νιν λέξειν βασιλεῦσι δοκεῖς,

How much do you think he will tell his kings,

295

ὡς δείνʼ ἔπαθεν καὶ παρὰ μικρὸν

how terribly he suffered, and how very nearly

ψυχὴν ἦλθεν διακναῖσαι;

he came to losing his life?

οὐκ ἔστι τοῦδε παισὶ κάλλιον γέρας,

[Iolaus] There is no fairer prize for children than this,

ἢ πατρὸς ἐσθλοῦ κἀγαθοῦ πεφυκέναι

to be born of a noble and good father,

τὸ δυστυχὲς γὰρ ηὑγένει’ ἀμύνεται

for nobility repels misfortune

τῆς δυσγενείας μᾶλλον· ἡμεῖς γὰρ κακῶν

better than low birth; for we, having fallen

ἐς τοὔσχατον πεσόντες ηὕρομεν φίλους

into the extreme of evils, found these friends

305

καὶ ξυγγενεῖς τούσδʼ, οἳ τοσῆσδʼ οἰκουμένης

and kinsmen, who, alone of this so great inhabited

Ἑλληνίδος γῆς τῶνδε προύστησαν μόνοι.

Greek land, stood up in defense of these boys.

δότ’, ὦ τέκνʼ, αὐτοῖς χεῖρα δεξιάν, δότε·

Give, O children, your right hand to them, give it;

ὑμεῖς τε παισί, καὶ πέλας προσέλθετε.

and you to the children, and come close.

ὦ παῖδες, ἐς μὲν πεῖραν ἤλθομεν φίλων·

O children, we have indeed come to a trial of friends;

310

ἢν δʼ οὖν ποθʼ ὑμῖν νόστος ἐς πάτραν φανῇ

and if ever indeed a return to your fatherland appears for you

καὶ δώματʼ οἰκήσητε καὶ τιμὰς πατρός

and you inhabit your homes and inherit the honors of your father,

σωτῆρας αἰεὶ καὶ φίλους νομίζετε,

always consider them your saviors and friends,

καὶ μήποτʼ ἐς γῆν ἐχθρὸν αἴρεσθαι δόρυ

and never to raise an enemy spear against this land,

μέμνησθέ μοι⁵ τήνδʼ, ἀλλὰ φιλτάτην πόλιν

remember this for me, but hold it as the dearest city

315

πασῶν νομίζετʼ. ἄξιοι δʼ ὑμῖν σέβειν

of all. For they are worthy for you to revere,

οἳ γῆν τοσήνδε καὶ Πελασγικὸν λεὼν

who, in defense of us, took upon themselves so great a land and the Pelasgian people

ἡμῶν ἀπηλλάξαντο πολεμίους ἔχειν,

as enemies,

Syntax notes5 items

240τὸ συγγενές τε καὶ τὸ προυφείλειν καλῶς πράσσειν παρʼ ἡμῶν τούσδε πατρῴαν χάριν
An accusative with infinitive phrase, loosely dependent on the preceding ἀναγκάζουσι or standing as an independent accusative of specification. τὸ συγγενές and τὸ προυφείλειν are coordinated. Within the infinitive clause, τούσδε is the object of πράσσειν, and πατρῴαν χάριν is another accusative of respect/object.
246καὶ τάδʼ ἀγχόνης πέλας
Literally 'and these things are near to hanging,' a classical idiom meaning 'this is an intolerable disgrace equivalent to (or driving one to) suicide.' The plural pronoun τάδε refers to the situation described in the preceding clauses.
248μὴ τρέσῃς ὅπως σέ τις... ἀποσπάσει
The negative imperative μὴ τρέσῃς is followed by ὅπως with the future indicative (ἀποσπάσει). While verbs of fearing typically take μή with the subjunctive, the use of ὅπως with the future indicative emphasizes a firm assurance or active prevention ('mindful that no one shall drag you').
282ὧδέ γʼ ἂν κεκτῄμεθα... μή σε τιμωρούμενοι
A counterfactual construction where the apodosis consists of ἄν with the past tense (here the pluperfect/stative-past κεκτῄμεθα), while the negative participle with μή (μή σε τιμωρούμενοι) serves as the conditional protasis ('if we were not to punish you').
313καὶ μήποτʼ ἐς γῆν ἐχθρὸν αἴρεσθαι δόρυ μέμνησθέ μοι
The infinitive phrase (ἐς γῆν... αἴρεσθαι δόρυ) acts as the object of the imperative μέμνησθε. The dative μοι functions as an ethical dative or dative of interest, adding a tone of earnest entreaty ('remember, I pray you, for my sake').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg004.humanitext-grc2:240-317