Epeisodion 4
Servant (of Hyllus)
Mistress, the message that I bring is very short
for thee to hear and fair for me, who stand before thee, to announce. O’er our foes we are victorious, and trophies are being set up, with panoplies upon them, taken from thy enemies.
785
Alcmena
Best of friends! this day hath wroughtKeiske, διήνυσεν for the unusual διήλασεν. thy liberty by reason of these tidings.
But there still remains one anxious thought thou dost not free me from;—a thought of fear;—are those, whose lives I cherish, spared to me?
790
Servant (of Hyllus)
They are, and high their fame through all the army spreads.
Alcmena
The old man Iolaus,—is he yet alive?
Servant (of Hyllus)
Aye, that he is, a hero whom the gods delight to honour.
Alcmena
How so? Did he perform some deed of prowess?
795
Servant (of Hyllus)
He hath passed from age to youth once more.
Alcmena
Thy tale is passing strange; but first I would that thou shouldst tell me, how our friends won the day.
Servant (of Hyllus)
One speech of mine puts it all clearly before thee.
When we had deployed our troops and marshalled them face to face with one another, Hyllus dismounted from his four-horsed chariot and stood midway betwixt the hosts. Then cried he, Captain, who art come from Argos,
800
why cannot we leave this land alone? No hurt wilt thou do Mycenae, if of one man thou rob her; come! meet me in single combat, and, if thou slay me, take the children of Heracles away with thee,
805
but, if thou fall, leave me to possess my ancestral honours and my home. The host cried yes! saying the scheme he offered was a fair one, both to rid them of their trouble and satisfy their valour. But that other, feeling no shame before those who heard the challenge or at his own cowardice, quailed, general though he was,
810
to come within reach of the stubborn spear, showing himself an abject coward; yet with such a spirit he came to enslave the children of Heracles. Then did Hyllus withdraw to his own ranks again, and the prophets seeing that no reconciliation would be effected by single combat,
815
began the sacrifice without delay and forthwith let flow from a humanIf βροτείων is correct, it would seem to refer to Macaria. Paley offers the ingenious suggestion βοτειων, i.e., throats of beasts but the word has no authority. Better is Helbig’s βοείων. throat auspicious streams of blood. And some were mounting chariots, while others couched beneath the shelter of their shields, and the king of the Athenians,
820
as a highborn chieftain should, would exhort his host: Fellow-citizens, the land, that feeds you and that gave you birth, demands to-day the help of every man. Likewise Eurystheus besought his allies that they should scorn to sully the feme of Argos and Mycenae.
825
Anon the Etrurian trumpet sounded loud and clear, and hand to hand they rushed; then think how loudly clashed their ringing shields, what din arose of cries and groans confused! At first the onset of the Argive spearmen
830
broke our ranks; then they in turn gave ground; next, foot to foot and man to man, they fought their stubborn fray, many falling the while. And either chief cheered on his men, Sons of Athens! Ye who till the fields of Argos!
835
ward from your land disgrace. Do all we could, and spite of every effort, scarce could we turn the Argive line in flight. When lo! old Iolaus sees Hyllus starting from the ranks, whereon he lifts his hands to him with a prayer
840
