§1λόγος μέν ἐστʼ ἀρχαῖος ἀνθρώπων φανείς, §2ὡς οὐκ ἂν αἰῶνʼ ἐκμάθοις βροτῶν, πρὶν ἂν §3θάνῃ τις, οὔτʼ εἰ χρηστὸς οὔτʼ εἴ τῳ κακός·
There is an ancient saying, current among men, that you cannot fully learn the life of mortals, until some one has died, whether it was good or bad for him.
§4ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν ἐμόν, καὶ πρὶν εἰς Ἅιδου μολεῖν, §5ἔξοιδʼ ἔχουσα δυστυχῆ τε καὶ βαρύν, §6ἥτις πατρὸς μὲν ἐν δόμοισιν Οἰνέως §7ναίουσʼ ἔτʼ ἐν Πλευρῶνι νυμφείων ὄκνον §8ἄλγιστον ἔσχον, εἴ τις Αἰτωλὶς γυνή.
But I, even before going to the house of Hades, know well that my own life is unfortunate and heavy, I who, while still dwelling in the house of my father Oeneus in Pleuron, had a dread of marriage most painful, if ever any Aetolian woman did.
§9μνηστὴρ γὰρ ἦν μοι ποταμός, Ἀχελῷον λέγω, §10ὅς μʼ ἐν τρισὶν μορφαῖσιν ἐξῄτει πατρός, §11φοιτῶν ἐναργὴς ταῦρος, ἄλλοτʼ αἰόλος §12δράκων ἑλικτός, ἄλλοτʼ ἀνδρείῳ κύτει §13βούπρῳρος· ἐκ δὲ δασκίου γενειάδος §14κρουνοὶ διερραίνοντο κρηναίου ποτοῦ.
For my suitor was a river-god, I mean Achelous, who in three shapes kept asking me from my father, coming now as a bull in visible presence, now as a speckled, coiling serpent, and now with a man's trunk but a bull's head; and from his thick-shaded beard streams of spring-water were scattered abroad.
§15τοιόνδʼ ἐγὼ μνηστῆρα προσδεδεγμένη §16δύστηνος αἰεὶ κατθανεῖν ἐπηυχόμην, §17πρὶν τῆσδε κοίτης ἐμπελασθῆναί ποτε.
Expecting such a suitor, I, unhappy one, always prayed that I might die, before I should ever approach this bed.
§18χρόνῳ δʼ ἐν ὑστέρῳ μέν, ἀσμένῃ δέ μοι, §19ὁ κλεινὸς ἦλθε Ζηνὸς Ἀλκμήνης τε παῖς· §20ὃς εἰς ἀγῶνα τῷδε συμπεσὼν μάχης §21ἐκλύεταί με·
But in later time, to my great joy, there came the famous son of Zeus and Alcmene; who, joining in battle with this rival, delivered me.
καὶ τρόπον μὲν ἂν πόνων §22οὐκ ἂν διείποιμʼ· οὐ γὰρ οἶδʼ·
And of the manner of their struggle I could not tell; for I know it not.
ἀλλʼ ὅστις ἦν §23θακῶν ἀταρβὴς τῆς θέας, ὅδʼ ἂν λέγοι· §24ἐγὼ γὰρ ἥμην ἐκπεπληγμένη φόβῳ §25μή μοι τὸ κάλλος ἄλγος ἐξεύροι ποτέ.
But whoever sat looking on without fear at the sight, he might tell; for I sat paralyzed with fear, lest my beauty should at last bring me pain.
But Zeus, the arbiter of struggles, made a good end— if indeed it was good.
λέχος γὰρ Ἡρακλεῖ κριτὸν §28ξυστᾶσʼ ἀεί τινʼ ἐκ φόβου φόβον τρέφω, §29κείνου προκηραίνουσα· νὺξ γὰρ εἰσάγει §30καὶ νὺξ ἀπωθεῖ διαδεδεγμένη πόνον.
For since I have been joined to Heracles as his chosen wife, I ever nourish fear after fear on his account, anxious for him; for night brings him in, and night again drives him out, succeeding in turn to the trouble.
§31κἀφύσαμεν δὴ παῖδας, οὓς κεῖνός ποτε, §32γῄτης ὅπως ἄρουραν ἔκτοπον λαβών, §33σπείρων μόνον προσεῖδε κἀξαμῶν ἅπαξ.
And we have begotten children, whom indeed he, like a husbandman who has taken a distant field, visits only to sow and to reap once.
Such a life was always sending the man to and from his home, ever serving some master.
But now, when he has risen superior to those labors, now, indeed, I am most especially afraid.
§38ἐξ οὗ γὰρ ἔκτα κεῖνος Ἰφίτου βίαν, §39ἡμεῖς μὲν ἐν Τραχῖνι τῇδʼ ἀνάστατοι §40ξένῳ παρʼ ἀνδρὶ ναίομεν, κεῖνος δʼ ὅπου §41βέβηκεν οὐδεὶς οἶδε·
For since he slew the mighty Iphitus, we indeed dwell here in Trachis, exiles with a stranger host, while where he has gone, no one knows.
πλὴν ἐμοὶ πικρὰς §42ὠδῖνας αὐτοῦ προσβαλὼν ἀποίχεται.
But to me he has gone, leaving bitter pangs for him.
§43σχεδὸν δʼ ἐπίσταμαί τι πῆμʼ ἔχοντά νιν· §44χρόνον γὰρ οὐχὶ βαιόν, ἀλλʼ ἤδη δέκα §45μῆνας πρὸς ἄλλοις πέντʼ ἀκήρυκτος μένει.
And I am almost sure that he is in some trouble; for no short time, but already for ten months added to five others, he remains without word of him.
§46κἀστίν τι δεινὸν πῆμα· τοιαύτην ἐμοὶ §47δέλτον λιπὼν ἔστειχε, τὴν ἐγὼ θαμὰ §48θεοῖς ἀρῶμαι πημονῆς ἄτερ λαβεῖν.
And there must be some dread trouble; such a tablet did he leave with me when he went, which I often pray to the gods to receive without ruin.
§49δέσποινα Δῃάνειρα, πολλὰ μέν σʼ ἐγὼ §50κατεῖδον ἤδη πανδάκρυτʼ ὀδύρματα §51τὴν Ἡράκλειον ἔξοδον γοωμένην·
Nurse: My mistress Deianeira, many times indeed have I beheld your tearful lamentations, wailing for the departure of Heracles.
§52νῦν δʼ, εἰ δίκαιον τοὺς ἐλευθέρους φρενοῦν §53γνώμαισι δούλαις, κἀμὲ χρὴ φράσαι τὸ σόν· §54πῶς παισὶ μὲν τοσοῖσδε πληθύεις, ἀτὰρ §55ἀνδρὸς κατὰ ζήτησιν οὐ πέμπεις τινά, §56μάλιστα δʼ ὅνπερ εἰκὸς Ὕλλον, εἰ πατρὸς §57νέμοι τινʼ ὤραν τοῦ καλῶς πράσσειν δοκεῖν;
But now, if it is right for the free to be advised by the minds of slaves, I must speak what is yours to hear: how is it that, though rich in so many children, you send no one in search of your husband, and especially Hyllus, whom it would most fit, if he cared at all that his father should seem to prosper?
§58ἐγγὺς δʼ ὅδʼ αὐτὸς ἀρτίπους θρῴσκει δόμους, §59ὥστʼ εἴ τί σοι πρὸς καιρὸν ἐννέπειν δοκῶ, §60πάρεστι χρῆσθαι τἀνδρὶ τοῖς τʼ ἐμοῖς λόγοις.
And here he comes himself, bounding towards the house with active step; so that if I seem to speak at all in season, you can make use of the youth and of my words.
§61ὦ τέκνον, ὦ παῖ, κἀξ ἀγεννήτων ἄρα §62μῦθοι καλῶς πίπτουσιν· ἥδε γὰρ γυνὴ §63δούλη μέν, εἴρηκεν δʼ ἐλεύθερον λόγον.
Deianeira: O my child, my boy, even from the lowly born, then, good words can fall; for this woman is indeed a slave, but she has spoken a free-born word.
§64ποῖον;
Hyllus: What word?
δίδαξον, μῆτερ, εἰ διδακτά μοι.
Teach me, mother, if it may be taught to me.
Deianeira: That for you, when your father has been so long abroad, not to inquire where he is, brings shame upon you.
§67ἀλλʼ οἶδα, μύθοις εἴ τι πιστεύειν χρεών.
Hyllus: But I know, if indeed one should believe reports.
§68καὶ ποῦ κλύεις νιν, τέκνον, ἱδρῦσθαι χθονός;
Deianeira: And where, my child, do you hear that he is settled on the earth?
Hyllus: For the past sowing-season, in the length of time, they say he worked as a slave to a Lydian woman.
§71πᾶν τοίνυν, εἰ καὶ τοῦτʼ ἔτλη, κλύοι τις ἄν.
Deianeira: Then one might hear anything indeed, if he has submitted even to this!
§72ἀλλʼ ἐξαφεῖται τοῦδέ γʼ, ὡς ἐγὼ κλύω.
Hyllus: But he is freed from this, at least, as I hear.
§73ποῦ δῆτα νῦν ζῶν ἢ θανὼν ἀγγέλλεται;
Deianeira: Where then is he reported to be now, alive or dead?
Hyllus: They say that he is making war upon Euboea, the city of Eurytus, or is still about to do so.