Euripides, Heracles, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 687

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

← Previous Next →

Den Lobgesang, delische Fraun,

Stimmt ihr an, um die Pforten¹

Zu lieblichen Tänzen gesellt,

Feiernd Leto's herrlichen Sohn;

Auch ich stimme vor deinem Hause,
675

Wie der Schwan, ein greiser Sånger

Mit dem weißlockigen Bart, den Gesang an, o Herakles:

Du bist unserer Lieder

Schöner Stoff; den Ruhm der Geburt²

Ueberstrahlend, gabst du nach Müh'n
680

Dies jezt sturmlose Leben³

Den Sterblichen, båndigtest

Alle Schrecken der Thierwelt.

Lykos mit Gefolge. Amphitryon. Der Chor.

Lykos.

Heracles. Euripides. Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1852; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 3, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1852. Harvard OCR compared with an independent BSB copy. Native Donner verse citations, Murray reference cards, explicitly located notes and page facsimiles. Unresolved OCR, verse divisions, unlocated notes and printed errata are documented in the source review.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἡρακλῆς Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. II. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1921-1962)) — 701-733 focus

Λύκος

ἐς καιρὸν οἴκων Ἀμφιτρύων ἔξω περᾷ·

χρόνος γὰρ ἤδη δαρὸς ἐξ ὅτου πέπλοις

κοσμεῖσθε σῶμα καὶ νεκρῶν ἀγάλμασιν.

ἀλλʼ εἶα, παῖδας καὶ δάμαρθʼ Ἡρακλέους

ἔξω κέλευε τῶνδε φαίνεσθαι δόμων,
705

ἐφʼ οἷς ὑπέστητʼ αὐτεπάγγελτοι θανεῖν.

Ἀμφιτρύων

ἄναξ, διώκεις μʼ ἀθλίως πεπραγότα

ὕβριν θʼ ὑβρίζεις ἐπὶ θανοῦσι τοῖς ἐμοῖς·

ἃ χρῆν σε μετρίως, κεἰ κρατεῖς, σπουδὴν ἔχειν.

ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀνάγκην προστίθης ἡμῖν θανεῖν,
710

στέργειν ἀνάγκη· δραστέον δʼ ἃ σοὶ δοκεῖ.

Λύκος

ποῦ δῆτα Μεγάρα; ποῦ τέκνʼ Ἀλκμήνης γόνου;

Ἀμφιτρύων

δοκῶ μὲν αὐτήν, ὡς θύραθεν εἰκάσαι —

Λύκος

τί χρῆμα δόξης; τοῦ δʼ ἔχεις τεκμήριον;

Ἀμφιτρύων

ἱκέτιν πρὸς ἁγνοῖς Ἑστίας θάσσειν βάθροις
715

Λύκος

ἀνόνητά γʼ ἱκετεύουσαν ἐκσῷσαι βίον.

Ἀμφιτρύων

καὶ τὸν θανόντα γʼ ἀνακαλεῖν μάτην πόσιν.

Λύκος

ὃ δʼ οὐ πάρεστιν οὐδὲ μὴ μόλῃ ποτέ.

Ἀμφιτρύων

οὔκ, εἴ γε μή τις θεῶν ἀναστήσειέ νιν.

Λύκος

χώρει πρὸς αὐτὴν κἀκκόμιζε δωμάτων.
720

Ἀμφιτρύων

μέτοχος ἂν εἴην τοῦ φόνου δράσας τόδε.

Λύκος

ἡμεῖς, ἐπειδὴ σοὶ τόδʼ ἔστʼ ἐνθύμιον,

οἱ δειμάτων ἔξωθεν ἐκπορεύσομεν

σὺν μητρὶ παῖδας. δεῦρʼ ἕπεσθε, πρόσπολοι,

ὡς ἂν σχολὴν λύσωμεν ἄσμενοι πόνων.
725

Ἀμφιτρύων

σὺ δʼ οὖν ἴθʼ, ἔρχῃ δʼ οἷ χρεών· τὰ δʼ ἄλλʼ ἴσως

ἄλλῳ μελήσει. προσδόκα δὲ δρῶν κακῶς

κακόν τι πράξειν. ὦ γέροντες, ἐς καλὸν

στείχει, βρόχοισι δʼ ἀρκύων γενήσεται

ξιφηφόροισι, τοὺς πέλας δοκῶν κτενεῖν
730

ὁ παγκάκιστος. εἶμι δʼ, ὡς ἴδω νεκρὸν

πίπτοντʼ· ἔχει γὰρ ἡδονὰς θνῄσκων ἀνὴρ

ἐχθρὸς τίνων τε τῶν δεδραμένων δίκην.

Translations (2)

Heracles Mad Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. II. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1891. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 701-730 focus

Lycus

Amphitryon, it is high time you came forth from the palace; you have been too long arraying yourselves in the robes and trappings of the dead. Come, bid the wife and children of Heracles

show themselves outside the house, to die on the conditions you yourselves offered.
705

Amphitryon

Lord, you persecute me in my misery and heap insult upon me over and above the loss of my son; you should have been more moderate in your zeal, though you are my lord and master.

But since you impose death’s necessity on me, I must acquiesce; what you wish must be done.
710

Lycus

Now, where is Megara? where are the children of Alcmena’s son?

Amphitryon

She, I believe, so far as I can guess from outside—

Lycus

What grounds do you have to base your fancy on?

Amphitryon

Is sitting as a suppliant on the altar’s hallowed steps—
715

Lycus

Imploring them quite uselessly to save her life.

Amphitryon

And calling on her dead husband, in vain.

Lycus

He is nowhere near, and he certainly will never come.

Amphitryon

No, unless perhaps a god should raise him from the dead.

Lycus

Go to her and bring her from the palace.
720

Amphitryon

By doing so I should become an accomplice in her murder.

Lycus

Since you have this scruple, I, who have left fear behind, will myself bring out the mother and her children. Follow me, servants,

that we may joyfully put an end to this delay of our work.
725

Exit Lycus.

Amphitryon

Then go your way along the path of fate; for what remains, maybe another will provide. Expect for your evil deeds to find some trouble yourself. Ah! my aged friends, he is marching fairly to his doom; soon will he lie entangled in the snare

of the sword, thinking to slay his neighbors, the villain! I will go, to see him fall dead; for the sight of a foe being slain and paying the penalty of his misdeeds affords pleasurable feelings.
730
Exit Amphitryon.

Hercules (OCR draft) Experimental (Hercules. Robert Potter's English verse translation, first published in 1781–1783; text from the 1808 Oxford printing.)

No corresponding passage available

Notes on the current edition

Heracles

1. [OCR note; compare the printed page.] Um die Pforten - des apollonischen Tempels.

2. [OCR note; compare the printed page.] 2. τᾶς δ' εὐγενίας κλέος ὑπερβάλλων ἀρεταῖς.

3. [OCR note; compare the printed page.] 2. τόδ' ἄκυμον βιότε.

Euripides Heracles 687

Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lykos.

Current edition Experimental

Λύκος

ποῦ δῆτα Μεγάρα; ποῦ τέκνʼ Ἀλκμήνης γόνου;

Ἀμφιτρύων

δοκῶ μὲν αὐτήν, ὡς θύραθεν εἰκάσαι —

Λύκος

τί χρῆμα δόξης; τοῦ δʼ ἔχεις τεκμήριον;

Ἀμφιτρύων

ἱκέτιν πρὸς ἁγνοῖς Ἑστίας θάσσειν βάθροις
715

Λύκος

ἀνόνητά γʼ ἱκετεύουσαν ἐκσῷσαι βίον.

Ἀμφιτρύων

καὶ τὸν θανόντα γʼ ἀνακαλεῖν μάτην πόσιν.

Λύκος

ὃ δʼ οὐ πάρεστιν οὐδὲ μὴ μόλῃ ποτέ.

Ἀμφιτρύων

οὔκ, εἴ γε μή τις θεῶν ἀναστήσειέ νιν.

Λύκος

χώρει πρὸς αὐτὴν κἀκκόμιζε δωμάτων.
720

Ἀμφιτρύων

μέτοχος ἂν εἴην τοῦ φόνου δράσας τόδε.

Lycus

Amphitryon, it is high time you came forth from the palace; you have been too long arraying yourselves in the robes and trappings of the dead. Come, bid the wife and children of Heracles

show themselves outside the house, to die on the conditions you yourselves offered.
705

Amphitryon

Lord, you persecute me in my misery and heap insult upon me over and above the loss of my son; you should have been more moderate in your zeal, though you are my lord and master.

But since you impose death’s necessity on me, I must acquiesce; what you wish must be done.
710

Lycus

Now, where is Megara? where are the children of Alcmena’s son?

Amphitryon

She, I believe, so far as I can guess from outside—

Lycus

What grounds do you have to base your fancy on?

Amphitryon

Is sitting as a suppliant on the altar’s hallowed steps—
715

Lycus

Imploring them quite uselessly to save her life.

Amphitryon

And calling on her dead husband, in vain.

Lycus

He is nowhere near, and he certainly will never come.

Amphitryon

No, unless perhaps a god should raise him from the dead.

Lycus

Go to her and bring her from the palace.
720

Amphitryon

By doing so I should become an accomplice in her murder.

Lycus

Since you have this scruple, I, who have left fear behind, will myself bring out the mother and her children. Follow me, servants,

that we may joyfully put an end to this delay of our work.
725

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Lykos.

Current edition Experimental

Λύκος ποῦ δῆτα Μεγάρα; ποῦ τέκνʼ Ἀλκμήνης γόνου;

Ἀμφιτρύων δοκῶ μὲν αὐτήν, ὡς θύραθεν εἰκάσαι —

Λύκος τί χρῆμα δόξης; τοῦ δʼ ἔχεις τεκμήριον;

Ἀμφιτρύων ἱκέτιν πρὸς ἁγνοῖς Ἑστίας θάσσειν βάθροις 715

Λύκος ἀνόνητά γʼ ἱκετεύουσαν ἐκσῷσαι βίον.

Ἀμφιτρύων καὶ τὸν θανόντα γʼ ἀνακαλεῖν μάτην πόσιν.

Λύκος ὃ δʼ οὐ πάρεστιν οὐδὲ μὴ μόλῃ ποτέ.

Ἀμφιτρύων οὔκ, εἴ γε μή τις θεῶν ἀναστήσειέ νιν.

Λύκος χώρει πρὸς αὐτὴν κἀκκόμιζε δωμάτων. 720

Ἀμφιτρύων μέτοχος ἂν εἴην τοῦ φόνου δράσας τόδε.

Lycus Amphitryon, it is high time you came forth from the palace; you have been too long arraying yourselves in the robes and trappings of the dead. Come, bid the wife and children of Heracles show themselves outside the house, to die on the conditions you yourselves offered. 705

Amphitryon Lord, you persecute me in my misery and heap insult upon me over and above the loss of my son; you should have been more moderate in your zeal, though you are my lord and master. But since you impose death’s necessity on me, I must acquiesce; what you wish must be done. 710

Lycus Now, where is Megara? where are the children of Alcmena’s son?

Amphitryon She, I believe, so far as I can guess from outside—

Lycus What grounds do you have to base your fancy on?

Amphitryon Is sitting as a suppliant on the altar’s hallowed steps— 715

Lycus Imploring them quite uselessly to save her life.

Amphitryon And calling on her dead husband, in vain.

Lycus He is nowhere near, and he certainly will never come.

Amphitryon No, unless perhaps a god should raise him from the dead.

Lycus Go to her and bring her from the palace. 720

Amphitryon By doing so I should become an accomplice in her murder.

Lycus Since you have this scruple, I, who have left fear behind, will myself bring out the mother and her children. Follow me, servants, that we may joyfully put an end to this delay of our work. 725

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Λύκος

ποῦ δῆτα Μεγάρα; ποῦ τέκνʼ Ἀλκμήνης γόνου;

Ἀμφιτρύων

δοκῶ μὲν αὐτήν, ὡς θύραθεν εἰκάσαι —

Λύκος

τί χρῆμα δόξης; τοῦ δʼ ἔχεις τεκμήριον;

Ἀμφιτρύων

ἱκέτιν πρὸς ἁγνοῖς Ἑστίας θάσσειν βάθροις
715

Λύκος

ἀνόνητά γʼ ἱκετεύουσαν ἐκσῷσαι βίον.

Ἀμφιτρύων

καὶ τὸν θανόντα γʼ ἀνακαλεῖν μάτην πόσιν.

Λύκος

ὃ δʼ οὐ πάρεστιν οὐδὲ μὴ μόλῃ ποτέ.

Ἀμφιτρύων

οὔκ, εἴ γε μή τις θεῶν ἀναστήσειέ νιν.

Λύκος

χώρει πρὸς αὐτὴν κἀκκόμιζε δωμάτων.
720

Ἀμφιτρύων

μέτοχος ἂν εἴην τοῦ φόνου δράσας τόδε.

Lycus

Amphitryon, it is high time you came forth from the palace; you have been too long arraying yourselves in the robes and trappings of the dead. Come, bid the wife and children of Heracles

show themselves outside the house, to die on the conditions you yourselves offered.
705

Amphitryon

Lord, you persecute me in my misery and heap insult upon me over and above the loss of my son; you should have been more moderate in your zeal, though you are my lord and master.

But since you impose death’s necessity on me, I must acquiesce; what you wish must be done.
710

Lycus

Now, where is Megara? where are the children of Alcmena’s son?

Amphitryon

She, I believe, so far as I can guess from outside—

Lycus

What grounds do you have to base your fancy on?

Amphitryon

Is sitting as a suppliant on the altar’s hallowed steps—
715

Lycus

Imploring them quite uselessly to save her life.

Amphitryon

And calling on her dead husband, in vain.

Lycus

He is nowhere near, and he certainly will never come.

Amphitryon

No, unless perhaps a god should raise him from the dead.

Lycus

Go to her and bring her from the palace.
720

Amphitryon

By doing so I should become an accomplice in her murder.

Lycus

Since you have this scruple, I, who have left fear behind, will myself bring out the mother and her children. Follow me, servants,

that we may joyfully put an end to this delay of our work.
725