HERACLES
But now, I see, I must serve necessity.
And now you see me banished, old man;
you see in me the killer of my sons.
Give them to the grave, give them the tribute 1360
of your tears, for the law forbids me this.
Let them lie there in their mother's arms,
united in their grief, as they were then,
before, in ignorance, I killed them all.
And when the earth conceals their small remains,
live on in this city here, and though it hurt, 1365
compel your soul to bear misfortune with me.
O my sons, the father who gave you life
has slain you all, and never shall you reap
that harvest of my life, all I labored for,
that heritage of fame I toiled to leave you. 1370
You too, poor wife, I killed: unkind return
for having kept the honor of my bed,
for all your weary vigil in my house.
O wretched wife and sons I Wretched father!
In grief I now unyoke myself from you. 1375
O bitter sweetness of this last embrace!
(He turns from his final farewell to his wife and
children and picks up his bow and arrows.)
O my weapons, bitter partners of my life!
What shall I do? Let you go, or keep you,
knocking against my ribs and always saying,
"With us you murdered wife and sons. Wearing us, 1380
you wear your children's killers." Can that be worn?
What could I reply? Yet, naked of these arms,
with which I did the greatest deeds in Hellas,
must I die in shame at my enemies' hands?
No, they must be borne; but in pain I bear them. 1385
Hold with me, Theseus, in one thing more.
Help me take to Argos the monstrous dog,
lest, alone and desolate of sons, I die.
O land of Cadmus, O people of Thebes,
mourn with me, grieve with me, attend my children 1390