Chorus
470She counsels well: obey her. You will never
have cause to blame her, and will win our thanks.
Lichas
Dear mistress, since I see that you are human,
thinking as men should think, and are not proud,
I will no longer hide the truth from you:
everything is as this man has declared.
A dreadful craving for the girl came over
Heracles; and for her sake he destroyed
and sacked Oechalia, her father's city.
He, in all fairness to him, never told me
480to hide these facts from you, never denied them;
but I myself, my Queen, in fear that I
might grieve your heart by telling you such things,
erred - if indeed you count it as an error.
Now, since you understand at last the truth,
for your sake and for his as well, I pray you
to treat this woman kindly, and to stand
firmly upon the word which you have spoken.
For he whose hand was mighty in all else
is vanquished by his passion for this woman.
Deianeira
490Believe me, that is my sincere intent.
I do not wish to add to my affliction
by vain war with the gods. Come, let us enter
the palace, where you may receive your message -
and, since a gift should always be repaid,
take one from me. You ought not to return
with nothing, when you brought so large a train.
Deianeira and Lichas enter the palace.