_Band_ Of Oechalian maidens, suffering captivity in company with Iole. THE SCENE is laid, first in Euboea, and later at the home of Hercules in Trachin. _The long, heroic life of Hercules has neared its end. His twelve great tasks, assigned him by Eurystheus through Juno's hatred, have been done. His latest victory was over Eurytus, king of Oechalia. Him he slew and overthrew his house, because the monarch would not give him Iole to wife._ _And now the hero, having overcome the world, and Pluto's realm beneath the earth, aspires to heaven. He sacrifices to Cenaean Jove, and prays at last to be received into his proper home._ ACT I [_On the Cenaean promontory of the island of Euboea._] _Hercules_ [_about to sacrifice to Cenaean Jove_]: O sire of gods, from whose almighty hand Both homes of Phoebus feel thy darting bolt: Rule now serene, for I have 'stablished peace Wherever Nereus checks the spreading lands. Now let thy thunders rest; for treacherous kings 5 And savage tyrants are in ruin laid. Whatever merited thy blasting darts Have I o'erthrown and crushed. But, father, why Is heaven still denied to me, thy son? For surely have I ever shown myself A worthy child of Jove; and Juno's self, My hard task-mistress, testifies to this, That I am born of thee. Why dost thou still 10 Contrive delays? Am I thy cause of fear? Will Atlas not avail to prop the skies If to their bulk the weight of Hercules Be superadded? Why, O father, why Dost thou deny the stars to me? To thee Did death restore me; every monstrous shape Which had its source in earth or sea or air, Or hell itself, has yielded to my arms. 15 No lion treads the Arcadian cities now; Stymphalus fears no more its noxious birds; The wondrous stag of Maenalus is dead; The watchful dragon spattered with its blood The golden grove; the hydra's force is gone; Those famous horses to the Hebrus known, Which fattened on the blood of murdered guests, 20 Have I destroyed, and spoils of war obtained In victory o'er my Amazonian foe. I saw the silent realms; nor all alone Did I return, but shuddering day beheld Dark Cerberus, and he beheld the sun. No more Antaeus, Libya's monarch huge, His strength renews; before his bloody shrines 25 Busiris lies o'erthrown; by my sole hand The threefold Geryon was o'ercome and slain, And that dread terror of a hundred tribes, The Cretan bull, yea all the monstrous things To which the hostile world has given birth, Have fallen in utter ruin by my hand. If now the earth can show no monsters more, 30 If now my stepdame has her wrath fulfilled, Restore the father to his son; yea, more-- Admit the hero to his proper skies. I ask not that thou point the way to me; Permit it only, father, and the way I'll find.