Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/449

He stormed against Eurystheus. But his sire
Clung to his brawny hand, and cried to him,
"O son, what ails thee? What wild freak is this? 965
Surely thou art not driven distraught by blood
Of these late slain!" He deemed Eurystheus' sire,
A trembling suppliant, hung upon his hand,
And spurned him back; prepared his quiver and bow
Against his own sons then, thinking to slay 970
Eurystheus' sons. They, quaking with affright,
Rushed hither, thither: his hapless mother's skirts
This sought, that to a pillar's shadow fled.
A third cowered 'neath the altar like a bird.
Then shrieked the mother, "Father, what dost thou? 975
Wouldst slay thy sons?" The thralls, the ancient, cried.
He, winding round the pillar as wound his son
In fearful circlings, met him face to face
And shot him to the heart. Back as he fell,
His death-gasps dashed the column with red spray. 980
Then shouted Herakles, and vaunted thus:
"One of Eurystheus' fledglings here is slain,
Dead at my feet, hath paid for his sire's hate!"
Against the next then aimed his bow, who crouched
At the altar's base, in hope to be unseen. 985
But, ere he shot, the poor child clasped his knees,
And stretching to his beard and neck a hand,
"Ah, dearest father," cried he, "slay not me!
I am thy boy—thine!—'Tis not Eurystheus' son!"
He, rolling savage gorgon-glaring eyes, 990
Since the boy stood too near for that fell bow,
Swung back overhead his club, like forging-sledge,
Down dashed it on his own son's golden head,
And shattered all the bones. This second slain,