§643ἔξελθʼ, ἄκουσον τοῦδε φιλτάτους λόγους.
[Iolaus] Come out, listen to the dearest words from this man.
For having long been in pain for those who arrived, you were wasting your soul in anxiety as to whether a return home would happen.
[Alcmene] Iolaus, why has this whole house been filled with this shout?
μῶν τίς σʼ αὖ βιάζεται παρὼν §648κῆρυξ ἀπʼ Ἄργους;
Surely a herald from Argos has not come again to force you?
ἀσθενὴς μὲν ἥ γʼ ἐμὴ §649ῥώμη, τοσόνδε δʼ εἰδέναι σʼ ἐχρῆν, ξένε, §650οὐκ ἔστʼ ἄγειν σε τούσδʼ ἐμοῦ ζώσης ποτέ.
My strength is indeed weak, but, stranger, you should know this much, that you can never lead these away while I am living.
§651ἦ τἄρ’ ἐκείνου μὴ νομιζοίμην ἐγὼ §652μήτηρ ἔτʼ· εἰ δὲ τῶνδε προσθίξῃ χερί, §653δυοῖν γερόντοιν οὐ καλῶς ἀγωνιῇ.
Indeed, in that case, may I no longer be considered his mother; and if you touch these with your hand, you will contend not beautifully against two old people.
[Servant] Take heart, old woman, do not fear; no herald from Argos has arrived carrying hostile words.
§656τί γὰρ βοὴν ἔστησας ἄγγελον φόβου;
[Alcmene] Then why did you raise a shout, a messenger of fear?
§657σέ, πρόσθε ναοῦ τοῦδʼ ὅπως βαίης πέλας.
[Servant] In order that you might come near before this temple.
§658οὐκ ἴσμεν ἡμεῖς ταῦτα· τίς γάρ ἐσθʼ ὅδε;
[Alcmene] We do not know these things; for who is this man?
§659ἥκοντα παῖδα παιδὸς ἀγγέλλει σέθεν.
[Iolaus] He announces that your grandson has arrived.
§660ὦ χαῖρε καὶ σὺ τοῖσδε τοῖς ἀγγέλμασιν.
[Alcmene] O farewell to you too for these tidings.
But why, having set foot in this land, where is he now absent?
τίς νιν εἶργε συμφορὰ §663σὺν σοὶ φανέντα δεῦρʼ ἐμὴν τέρψαι φρένα;
What calamity prevented him from appearing here with you to delight my heart?
§664στρατὸν καθίζει τάσσεταί θʼ ὃν ἦλθʼ ἔχων.
[Servant] He is settling and drawing up the army which he came with.
§665τοῦδʼ οὐκέθʼ ἡμῖν τοῦ λόγου μέτεστι δή.
[Alcmene] This matter no longer concerns us.
§666μέτεστιν· ἡμῶν δʼ ἔργον ἱστορεῖν τάδε.
[Iolaus] It does concern us; and it is our task to inquire into these things.
§667τί δῆτα βούλῃ τῶν πεπραγμένων μαθεῖν;
[Servant] What then do you wish to learn of what has been done?
§668πόσον τι πλῆθος συμμάχων πάρεστʼ ἔχων;
[Iolaus] How great a multitude of allies has he come with?
§669πολλούς· ἀριθμὸν δʼ ἄλλον οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι.
[Servant] Many; but I cannot tell you another specific number.
§670ἴσασιν, οἶμαι, ταῦτʼ· Ἀθηναίων πρόμοι;
[Iolaus] The leaders of the Athenians, I think, know this?
§671ἴσασι· καὶ δὴ λαιὸν ἕστηκεν κέρας.
[Servant] They know; and indeed the left wing stands ready.
§672ἤδη γὰρ ὡς ἐς ἔργον ὥπλισται στρατός;
[Iolaus] Is the army already armed as if for action?
§673καὶ δὴ παρῆκται σφάγια τάξεων ἑκάς.
[Servant] Indeed, the victims have been brought near, far from the ranks.
§674πόσον τι δʼ ἔστʼ ἄπωθεν Ἀργεῖον δόρυ;
[Iolaus] How far off is the Argive force?
§675ὥστʼ ἐξορᾶσθαι τὸν στρατηγὸν ἐμφανῶς.
[Servant] So that the general can be clearly seen.
§676τί δρῶντα;
[Iolaus] Doing what?
μῶν τάσσοντα πολεμίων στίχας;
Surely not drawing up the ranks of the enemy?
§677ᾐκάζομεν ταῦτʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἐξηκούομεν.
[Servant] We guessed so; for we did not hear clearly.
[Iolaus] But I will go; for my part, I would not wish to leave my masters defenseless to face the enemy.
[Servant] And I with you; for we are of the same mind, wishing, as it seems, to help our friends by being present.
§682ἥκιστα πρὸς σοῦ μῶρον ἦν εἰπεῖν ἔπος.
[Servant] It is a foolish word, least fitting for you to say.
§683καὶ μὴ μετασχεῖν γʼ ἀλκίμου μάχης φίλοις.
[Iolaus] And not to share in a brave battle for one's friends?
§684οὐκ ἔστʼ ἐν ὄψει τραῦμα μὴ δρώσης χερός.
[Servant] There is no visible wound for a hand that does not act.
§685τί δʼ;
[Iolaus] What?
οὐ σθένοιμι κἂν ἐγὼ δι’ ἀσπίδος;
Could not I too have strength through a shield?
§686σθένοις ἄν, ἀλλὰ πρόσθεν αὐτὸς ἂν πέσοις.
[Servant] You might have strength, but you would fall first yourself.
§687οὐδεὶς ἔμʼ ἐχθρῶν προσβλέπων ἀνέξεται.
[Iolaus] No one of the enemies will endure looking at me.
§688οὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ τᾶν, ἥ ποτʼ ἦν ῥώμη σέθεν.
[Servant] There is not, my good sir, the strength that once was yours.
§689ἀλλʼ οὖν μαχοῦνται γʼ ἀριθμὸν οὐκ ἐλάσσοσι.
[Iolaus] But at any rate they will fight against no fewer in number.
§690σμικρὸν τὸ σὸν σήκωμα προστίθης φίλοις.
[Servant] You add a small weight to the scale for your friends.
§691μή τοί μʼ ἔρυκε δρᾶν παρεσκευασμένον.
[Iolaus] Do not keep me back from acting when I am prepared.
§692δρᾶν μὲν σύ γʼ οὐχ οἷός τε, βούλεσθαι δʼ ἴσως.
[Servant] You are not capable of acting, though perhaps of wishing.
§693ὡς μὴ μενοῦντα τἄλλα σοι λέγειν πάρα.
[Iolaus] Speak of other things, on the assumption that I will not remain.
§694πῶς οὖν ὁπλίταις τευχέων ἄτερ φανῇ;
[Servant] How then will you appear before the hoplites without armor?
[Iolaus] There is captured armor inside the house; we shall use what is there.
κἀποδώσομεν §697ζῶντες, θανόντας δʼ οὐκ ἀπαιτήσει θεός.
And we will return them if we live, and if we die, the god will not demand them back.
But go inside and, taking them from the pegs, bring the hoplite armor to me as quickly as possible.
For this is a shameful staying at home, for some to fight, and others to remain through cowardice.
[Chorus] Time does not yet subdue your spirit, but it is youthful, though your body is gone.
Why do you labor in vain at what will harm you, and profit our city but little?
You must recognize your age, and let impossible things go; there is no way for you to acquire youth again.
§709τί χρῆμα μέλλεις σῶν φρενῶν οὐκ ἔνδον ὢν
[Alcmene] What is this?
§710λιπεῖν μʼ ἔρημον σὺν τέκνοις ἐμοῖς;
Are you out of your mind, intending to leave me deserted with my children?
§711ἀνδρῶν γὰρ ἀλκή· σοὶ δὲ χρῆν τούτων μέλειν.
[Iolaus] Battle is for men; and it is your duty to care for these.
§712τί δʼ;
[Alcmene] What?
ἢν θάνῃς σύ, πῶς ἐγὼ σωθήσομαι;
If you die, how shall I be saved?
§713παιδὸς μελήσει παισὶ τοῖς λελειμμένοις.
[Iolaus] Your grandson will care for the children who are left.
§714ἢν δʼ οὖν, ὃ μὴ γένοιτο, χρήσωνται τύχῃ;
[Alcmene] But what if, which may not happen, they meet with bad fortune?
§715οἵδ’ οὐ προδώσουσίν σε, μὴ τρέσῃς, ξένοι.
[Iolaus] These strangers will not betray you, do not fear.
§716τοσόνδε γάρ τοι θάρσος, οὐδὲν ἄλλʼ ἔχω.
[Alcmene] Such is your confidence, indeed, and I have nothing else.
§717καὶ Ζηνὶ τῶν σῶν, οἶδʼ ἐγώ, μέλει πόνων.
[Iolaus] And Zeus, I know, cares for your labors.