| Ancient Greek | English Translation |
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Ἰόλαος υἱὸς μὲν ἦν Ἰφικλέους, ἀδελφιδοῦς δὲ Ἡρακλέους· ἐν νεότητι δ᾽ ἐκείνωι συστρατευσάμενος ἐν γήραι τοῖς ἐξ ἐκείνου βοηθός εὔνους παρέστη. τῶν γὰρ παίδων ἐξ ἁπάσης ἐλαυνομένων γῆς ὑπ᾿ Εὐρυσθέως, ἔχων αὐτοὺς ἦλθεν εἰς ᾿Αθήνας κἀκεῖ προσφυγὼν τοῖς θεοῖς ἔσχε τὴν ἀσφάλειαν Δημοφώντος τῆς πόλεως κρατοῦντος. Κοπρέως δὲ τοῦ Εὐρυσθέως κήρυκος ἀποσπᾶν θέλοντος τοὺς ἱκέτας ἐκώλυσεν αὐτόν· ὁ δὲ ἀπῆλθε πόλεμον ἀπειλήσας προσδέχεσθαι. Δημοφῶν δὲ τούτου μὲν ὠλιγώρει· χρησμῶν δὲ αὐτῶι νικηφόρων γενηθέντων, ἐὰν Δήμητρι τὴν εὐγενεστάτην παρθένον σφάξηι, τοῖς λογίοις βαρέως ἔσχεν· οὔτε γὰρ ἰδίαν οὔτε τῶν πολιτῶν τινος θυγατέρα χάριν τῶν ἱκετῶν ἀποκτεῖναι δίκαιον ἡγεῖτο. τὴν μαντείαν δὲ προγνοῦσα μία τῶν Ἡρακλέους παίδων Μακαρία τὸν θάνατον ἑκουσίως ὑπέστη. ταύτην μὲν οὖν εὐγενῶς ἀποθανοῦσαν ἐτίμησαν, αὐτοὶ δὲ τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπιγνόντες παρόντας εἰς τὴν μάχην ὥρμησαν... τὰ τοῦ δράματος πρόσωπα· Ἰόλαος, Κοπρεύς, χορός, Δημοφῶν, Μακαρία παρθένος, θεράπων, Ἀλκμήνη, ἄγγελος, Εὐρυσθεύς. προλογίζει δὲ ὁ Ἰόλαος. |
Iolaus was the son of Iphicles, and thus the nephew of Heracles. Having campaigned with him in his youth, in old age he loyally aided his descendants. For when the children of Heracles were driven from every land by Eurystheus, Iolaus brought them to Athens, and there, taking refuge at the altars of the gods, found safety while Demophon held power in the city. When Copreus, the herald of Eurystheus, tried to drag the suppliants away, Iolaus prevented him, and Copreus departed threatening war. Demophon paid him little heed, but when oracles declared he would win if he sacrificed the noblest maiden to Demeter, he was troubled by the prophecy. He did not believe it just to kill his own daughter or that of any citizen for the sake of the suppliants. But Macaria, one of Heracles’ daughters, knowing the oracle, voluntarily accepted death. They honored her for her noble death, and as the enemy approached, they rushed to battle... The characters in the play are: Iolaus, Copreus, chorus, Demophon, Macaria the maiden, a servant, Alcmene, a messenger, and Eurystheus. The prologue is delivered by Iolaus. |