The Heracleidae

By Euripides

Though little is known for certain of his early life, Euripides was probably born around 460 b.c.e. to the farmer Mnesarchus and his wife Clito, and his studious nature quickly led him to a literary life in Athens. Eighteen of Euripides' ninety-two works remain today, making his the largest extant collection of work by an ancient playwright. His work sticks out from that of his contemporaries because of his colloquial vocabulary, meter and syntax, distinct from the grandiose language of his predecessors. The Heracleidae in Greek mythology are the descendants of Heracles, who claimed a right to rule because of their ancestor. The Greek tragedians drew inspiration from local legends, which served to glorify the services rendered by Athens to the rulers of Peloponnesus. Euripides' play, "The Heracleidae", follows the children of Heracles and their protectors as they seek the aid of Demophon and the city of Athens against the vengeance of Eurystheus of Argos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Digireads.com Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781420904161

Euripides

Euripides was a tragedian of classical Athens. He was born on Salamis Island around 480 BC to his mother, Cleito, and father, Mnesarchus, a retailer who lived in a village near Athens. He had two disastrous marriages, and both his wives—Melite and Choerine (the latter bearing him three sons)—were unfaithful. He became a recluse, making a home for himself in a cave on Salamis. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. He became, in the Hellenistic Age, a cornerstone of ancient literary education. The details of his death are uncertain.

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THE HERACLEIDAE

BY EURIPIDES

TRANSLATED BY E. P. COLERIDGE

A Digireads.com Book

Digireads.com Publishing

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4423-5

Ebook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-0416-1

This edition copyright © 2012

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CONTENTS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

THE HERACLEIDAE

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

IOLAUS

SERVANT, of hyllus

COPREUS

ALCMENA

DEMOPHON

MESSENGER

MACARIA

EURYSTHEUS

CHORUS OF AGED ATHENIANS

THE HERACLEIDAE

[Before the altar and temple of Zeus at Marathon. Enter IOLAUS with the children of Heracles.]

IOLAUS. I hold this true, and long have held: Nature hath made one man upright for his neighbours' good, while another hath a disposition wholly given over to gain, useless alike to the state and difficult to have dealings with, but for himself the best of men; and this I know, not from mere hearsay. For I, from pure regard and reverence for my kith and kin, though might have lived at peace in Argos, alone of all my race shared with Heracles his labours, while he was yet with us, and now that he dwells in heaven, I keep these his children safe beneath my wing, though myself need protection. For when their father passed from earth away, Eurystheus would first of all have slain us, but we escaped. And though our home is lost, our life was saved. But in exile we wander from city to city, ever forced to roam. For, added to our former wrongs, Eurystheus thought it fit to put this further outrage upon us: wheresoe'er he heard that we were settling, thither would he send heralds demanding our surrender and driving us from thence, holding out this threat, that Argos is no meal city to make a friend or foe, and furthermore pointing to his own prosperity. So they, seeing how weak my means, and these little ones left without a father, bow to his superior might and drive us from their land. And I share the exile of these children, and help them bear their evil lot by my sympathy, loth to betray them, lest someone say, Look you! now that the children's sire is dead, Iolaus no more protects them, kinsman though he is. Not one corner left us in the whole of Hellas, we are come to Marathon and its neighbouring land, and here we sit as suppliants at the altars of the gods, and pray their aid; for 'tis said two sons of Theseus dwell upon these plains, the lot of their inheritance, scions of Pandion's stock, related to these children; this the reason we have come on this our way to the borders of glorious Athens. To lead the flight two aged guides are we; my care is centred on these boys, while she, I mean Alcmena, clasps her son's daughter in her arms, and bears her for safety within this shrine, for we shrink from letting tender maidens come anigh the crowd or stand as suppliants at the altar. Now Hyllus and the elder of his brethren are seeking some place for

Reviews for The Heracleidae

[bezoar44 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The silent children of Herakles, under the care of a family retainer and harried from city to city by their hostile uncle, are cornered at a temple near Marathon and throw themselves on the mercy of Athens. The action develops rapidly - success, then reverse; threat, then reverse. Over and over again, the tables are turned, offering the audience a chance to judge what makes characters admirable: right action and equanimity, in good times and bad. The characters are cleanly drawn and offer strong contrasts with one another. The interpretive introduction by the translator is very helpful, offering vital context for understanding the meaning an ancient Greek audience would have attached to the various characters' speeches and actions. The introduction also suggests that, at the time it was first performed, (during the Pelopennesian War, with Athens locked in war with Sparta, whose rulers claimed descent from the children of Herakles) the play may have raised uncomfortable questions for Athenians of the extent to which the war had compromised Athenian values of hospitality and right conduct towards opponents. I'd love to see this play performed.