EURIPIDES
than earthquake, or the thunder's agonizing crack!
I shall batter through the roof and leap upon the house!
He shall kill his sons and, killing, shall not know 865
he kills what he begot, until my madness leave him.
Look: already, head writhing, he leaps the starting-post;
jumps and now stops; his eyeballs bulge, and pupils roll;
his breath comes heaving up, a bull about to charge!
And now he bellows up the horrid fates from hell; ^ 870
he groans and shouts; he dances to the pipes of terror!
Soar to Olympus, Iris, on your honored way,
while I now sink, unseen, to the house of Heracles.
(Iris and Madness disappear. As they go, a -weird
piping of the flute begins, now soft, now
loud, broken in rhythm, pitched in-
sanely, and then suddenly still.)
Chorus
O city, mourn! Your flower 875
is cut down, the son of Zeus.
O Hellas, mourn! You have lost
your savior! He dances now
to the fatal flutes of madness!
Madness has mounted her car; 880
she goads her team!
she drives for death!
O gorgon of Night, O hiss
of a hundred snakes! O Madness,
whose look makes stones of men!
Instantly, god's fortune is reversed! 885
Instantly, and father murders sons!
Amphitryon
O horror!
(Within^
Chorus
O Zeus, your son has lost his sons!
340