previous next

Enter the Servant by Eisodos A with Eurystheus under guard.

Servant
My lady, though you see it yourself, still I will tell you: we have come bringing Eurystheus to you, [930] a sight you had not hoped to see and a stroke of fortune he had not looked to feel. For he never supposed that he would fall into your hands when he set off from Mycenae with his throng of toiling soldiers, thinking thoughts too high for justice, to sack the city of Athena. But the god made [935] the outcome the reverse of his expectations.

Hyllus and brave Iolaus were erecting a victory statue in honor of Zeus, God of the Rout. But they instructed me to bring this man to you, intending to give pleasure to your heart. For there is no pleasanter sight [940] than to see one's enemy fallen after prosperity into misfortune.

Alcmene
Have you come, hateful creature? Has Justice caught you at long last? Come, first turn your head towards me and steel yourself to look your enemies in the face: you are the ruled now, no longer the ruler. [945] Are you the man (for I wish to know) who thought it right, villain, to commit so many outrages on my son, wherever he now is, and sent him off with order to kill hydras and lions? I say nothing of all the other troubles you contrived for him, [952] for my tale would become too long. What outrages against him exceeded your daring? You even brought him down alive to the house of Hades. You were not content with these acts of hardihood but pursued me and these children, [955] who sat as suppliants of the gods, from every corner of Greece, though some of us were old and others still babes. But you found men and a city who were free, who did not fear you. You must die an evil death, and that will be all gain to you. For we should be killing you [960] several times over, since you caused us so many griefs.

Servant
It cannot be that you shall kill this man.

Alcmene
Is it for nothing that we have taken him prisoner?

<Servant>
<For nothing, if to kill him is your wish.>

Alcmene
But what law is it that prevents his being killed?

Servant
It is contrary to the will of those who rule this land.

Alcmene
[965] What is the meaning of this? Do men here not find it glorious to kill their enemies?

Servant
Not an enemy they have taken alive in battle.

Alcmene
And did Hyllus put up with this decision?

Servant
He ought, no doubt, to have disobeyed this land's orders.

Alcmene
Eurytheus ought not to be living, looking on the light of the sun.

<Servant>
<It would be an injustice to kill a man we spared.>

Alcmene
[970] The first injustice he suffered was not being killed then.

<Servant>
<What was done then cannot be undone.>

Alcmene
Is it not still a fine thing for him to pay the penalty?

Servant
There is no one who shall put him to death.

Alcmene
I shall. I claim to be someone.

Servant
You will be much dispraised if you do so.

hide Places (automatically extracted)

View a map of the most frequently mentioned places in this document.

Sort places alphabetically, as they appear on the page, by frequency
Click on a place to search for it in this document.
Mycenae (Greece) (1)
Greece (Greece) (1)

Download Pleiades ancient places geospacial dataset for this text.

hide References (1 total)
  • Commentary references to this page (1):
    • Sir Richard C. Jebb, Commentary on Sophocles: Electra, 1356
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: