Messenger Do go in, but first remain here a short while, so that you may learn, apart from these others, who they are whom you take into your home, and gain necessary knowledge of the facts which you have not heard. For of these I am in full possession.
Deianeira What do you mean? Why do you stay my departure?
Messenger Stop and listen. My former report was not a waste of your time, and neither, I believe, will this one be.
Deianeira Shall I call those others back again? Or do you wish to speak before me and these women?
Messenger To you and the women I can speak freely. Never mind the others.
Deianeira Well, they are gone. Now let your speech signal your meaning.
Messenger That man Lichas spoke nothing of what he just told you in strict accordance with the truth. He was just now lying, or else he was dishonest in his earlier report.
Deianeira What do you say? Explain to me clearly all that you mean, for I cannot understand what you said.
Messenger
I heard this man declare, before many witnesses, that it was for the sake of this girl that Heracles overthrew Eurytus and the high towers of Oechalia: Eros, alone of the gods, enchanted him into doing those deeds of arms, not the toilsome servitude to Omphale in Lydia, nor the death to which Iphitus was hurled. But now the herald has thrust Eros aside and tells a different tale. Well, when Heracles could not persuade him whose seed produced the child to give him the girl for his secret concubine, he devised some petty complaint as a pretext, and made war upon her fatherland, in which, as the herald said, that Eurytus ruled. He killed the king, her father, and sacked her city. And now, as you see, he makes his return, sending her to this house not without consideration, lady, and not as if she were to be a slave. No, do not expect that; it is not likely, if his heart has been kindled with desire. On this account, my Queen, I resolved to reveal to you all that I had heard from that man. Many others were listening to it, as I was, in the public place where the Trachinians were assembled, so they can convict him. If my words are unwelcome, I am grieved; but nevertheless I have spoken the truth.
Deianeira Ah, misery! What is happening to me? What secret plague have I welcomed beneath my roof? Ah, me! So, she was born without a name, as her escort swore?
Messenger No, illustrious by name, as by birth; she is the daughter of Eurytus, and was once called Iole. But he could say nothing of her birth, because, of course, he made no investigation.
Chorus May destruction seize not all wrongdoers—no, only the man who practices stealthy wrongdoing that is shameful to his rank!
Deianeira Ah, friends, what should I do? I am dumbstruck by this latest news!
Chorus Go and question Lichas, since he might tell the truth, if you were willing to compel him by threat of force to answer.
Deianeira I will go. Your advice does not lack good judgment.
Messenger And I, shall I wait here? Or what do you require?
Deianeira Stay here—since he is coming out from the house without my summons, but of his own accord.
Lichas My lady, what message shall I bear to Heracles? Instruct me, for, as you see, I am going.
Deianeira How quickly you rush away, when your arrival had been so tardy—before we have even resumed our talk.
Lichas Well, if there is anything you must ask, I am at your service.
Deianeira Will you indeed give me the honest truth?
Lichas Yes, be great Zeus my witness—in anything that I know.
Deianeira Who is the woman, then, whom you escorted here?
Lichas She is Euboean. But whose offspring, I cannot say.
Messenger You there, look at me. To whom do you think you speak?
Lichas And you, to what end have you asked me such a question?
Messenger Dare to answer my question, if you are sensible.
Lichas I speak to the royal Deianeira, daughter of Oeneus, wife of Heracles and, unless my eyes deceive me, my mistress.
Messenger The very word that I wished to hear from you—you admit that she is your mistress?
Lichas Yes, it is only right to do so.
Messenger Well, then, what penalty would you think it right to pay, if you should be found to be behaving wrongly towards her?
Lichas Wrongly? What fiction have you created?
Messenger None. Rather it is you, to be sure, who do this.
Lichas I am leaving—I was foolish to listen to you so long.
Messenger No, not until you have answered a small question.
Lichas Speak, if you require something. You are not the silent type.
Messenger That captive, whom you escorted into the house, you know whom I mean?
Lichas Yes. But why do you ask?
Messenger Did you not avow that she, on whom you look as if in ignorance, was Iole, the seed of Eurytus, your captive?
Lichas To whom on earth did I say it? Who and where is the man who heard me say it and will be your witness?
Messenger To many of our own citizens you said it. In the public gathering of Trachinians a great crowd heard this much, at least, from you.
Lichas Sure, they said they heard. But it does not amount to the same thing to tell one’s fancy and to give an accurate report.
Messenger What do you mean, fancy! Did you not speak on your oath when you said that you were bringing her as a bride for Heracles?
Lichas I? Bringing a bride? In the name of the gods, dear mistress, tell me who on earth this stranger is?
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