Sophocles' TRACHINIAE Complete

Translated by R. Jebb.

Sophocles Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Sophocles in Print

57 Pages

Page 24

Deianeira: Dear friends, while our visitor is saying his farewell
to the captive girls in the house, I have stolen forth to you,- partly
to tell you what these hands have devised, and partly to crave your
sympathy with my sorrow.

A maiden,- or, methinks, no longer a maiden, but a mistress,- hath
found her way into my house, as a freight comes to a mariner,- a merchandise
to make shipwreck of my peace. And now we twain are to share the same
marriage-bed, the same embrace. Such is the reward that Heracles hath
sent me,- he whom I called true and loyal,- for guarding his home
through all that weary time. I have no thought of anger against him,
often as he is vexed with this distemper. But then to live with her,
sharing the same union- what woman could endure it? For I see that
the flower of her age is blossoming, while mine is fading; and the
eyes of men love to cull the bloom of youth, but they turn aside from
the old. This, then, is my fear,- lest Heracles, in name my spouse,
should be the younger's mate.

But, as I said, anger ill beseems a woman of understanding. I will
tell you, friends, the way by which I hope to find deliverance and
relief. I had a gift, given to me long ago by a monster of olden time,
aid stored in an urn of bronze; a gift which, while yet a girl, I
took up from the shaggy-breasted Nessus,- from his life-blood, as
he lay dying; Nessus, who used to carry men in his arms across the
deep waters of the Evenus, using no oar to waft them, nor sail of
ship.

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