EURIPIDES
Heracles
What good are men to me? Hera rules.
Theseus
You die so mean a death? Hellas forbids it.
Heracles
Listen: let me tell you what makes a mock 1255
at your advice. Let me show you my life:
a life not worth living now, or ever.
Take my father first, a man who killed
my mother's father and having such a curse,
married Alcmene who gave birth to me. 1260
When a house is built on poor foundations,
then its descendants are the heirs of grief.
Then Zeus—whoever Zeus may be—begot me
for Hera's hatred. Take no offense, old man,
for I count you my father now, not Zeus. 1265
While I was still at suck, she set her snakes
with gorgon eyes to slither in my crib
and strangle me. And when I grew older
and a belt of muscle bound my body—
why recite all those labors I endured? 1270
All those wars I fought, those beasts I slew,
those lions and triple-bodied Typhons,
giants, and four-legged Centaur hordes!
I killed the hydra, that hound whose heads
grew back as soon as lopped. My countless labors done, 127;
I descended down among the sullen dead
to do Eurystheus' bidding and bring to light
the triple-headed hound who guards the gates of hell.
And now rny last worst labor has been done:
I slew my children and crowned my house with grief. 1280
And this is how I stand: I cannot stay
with those I love at Thebes. If I remain,
what temple, what assembly of my friends
will have me? My curse is unapproachable.
Go to Argos then? No, I am banished there. 1285
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