This is a play by Sophocles. It is in GB Volume 5. The newsletter post is here.
People in the Play
- Heracles , Deianeira, Hyllus, son of Heracles and Deianeira, Nurse, Messenger, Lichas, the herald of Heracles, An Old Man, Chorus of Trachinian Maidens
Notes
Page 1: Lines 1 - 90:
- The play opens with Deianeira wife of Heracles, in front of their house in Trachis waiting anxiously for the return of her husband who has been gone for more than a year. She says her life has been full of misery and suffering since the beginning.
- When she was a maiden, her suitor was a god/monster who changed into 3 different forms - a bull, a serpent and a man with an ox’s head. Luckily for her, Heracles, son of Zeus and Alcmena, fought this god and defeated him and won her hand.
- But life with Heracles has not been easy since he goes on voyages for long periods of time and she is left anxious at home wondering if he would come back or not.
- Currently, he has been gone longer than the past and they are in exile in Trachis after Heracles killed Iphitus. She is worried if he is dead.
- Her nurse asks her to send her son Hyllus to get news. Hyllus enters and when his mother tells him about a prophesy that Heracles might die or find peace after this last task. He tells her that he will go.
Page 2: Lines 90 - 212:
- Hyllus leaves to seek news of his father. Chorus enters and tells Deianeira that her worrying in excessive. Zeus has not given a painless life to mortals. Everyone suffers. Joy and sorrow comes to all in cycles.
- Deianeira says that her excessive worry this time is because before Heracles left he gave her a tablet and instruction on how to divide his property among his sons. It was as if he knew that he might die this time.
- As they are talking, a messenger arrives with news that Heracles is alive and victorious. He says he heard it from Lichas, Heracles’ herald who is also on his way but is slower since many are eager to hear from him. The Chorus & Deianeira rejoice after hearing this news.
Page 3: Lines 213 - 327:
- Lichas arrives with captive maidens, and confirms that Heracles is alive and well and is performing sacrificial rites to Zeus.
- He says that the captured women are from the city of Eurytus, which Heracles conquered, which Heracles conquered.
- He then talks about why Heracles attacked Eurytus and why he was away for so long. Heracles was insulted by Eurytus at a banquet and thrown out and enslaved in a place named Lydia. He also says the enslavement was a punishment by Zeus for killing Iphitus by guile. While held captive, Heracles had vowed to take revenge on Eurytus.
- Deianeira notices one of captive girls who seems particularly noble (Iole) and asks Lichas about her. He claims he doesn’t know anything about her.
Page 4: Lines 327 - 430:
- Once the maidens and Lichas enter the house, the messenger stops Deianeira, saying he wants to talk to her privately.
- The messenger says Lichas has not been truthful. He says Iole is the daughter of Eurytus and Heracles attacked Eurytus and conquered the city of Oechalia because he was in love with Iole and her father had refused to give her to him.
- Deianeira is shocked to hear this and questions Lichas when he returns. Lichas denies and sticks to his story. The messenger accuses Lichas of lying.
Page 5: Lines 431 - 556:
- Deianeira tells Lichas that Heracles has done infidelity in the past and she wants to know if this is true or not. She doesn’t blame Heracles since falling in love is god’s doing and not in human hands.
- Lichas admits to lying to protect Deianeira’s feelings and says Heracles did conquer the city because of his love for Iole.
- Deianeira goes inside worried about losing Heracles to the younger woman and thinking of how to win him back.
Page 6: Lines 556 - 667:
- Deianeira’s gift to Heracles is a robe. She has put centaur Nessus’ blood on this rope with the hope that it will get Heracles back to her.
- Backstory - Heracles had shot Nessus with an arrow when he tried to misbehave with her. As he was dying, he gave his blood to Deianeira saying that it would be a love charm for Heracles’ soul and he wouldn’t look at any other woman.
- When Lichas returns, Deianeira gives him the robe and says that he should give it give it only to Heracles and no one else.
Page 7: Lines 668 - 781:
- Deianeira is anxious whether she did the right thing or not by sending the robe with the love charm in it. When the wool she used to apply the blood to the robe shriveled and crumbled into powder when exposed to sunlight, she realizes that the blood was probably destructive and not a love charm.
- The Chorus tries to calm her down but she continues to be in despair.
- Her worst fears come true when her son Hyllus returns and says that Heracles has been poisoned by the robe that she gave. While in intense pain, he asked Lichas about the gift and he said it was given by his wife. He grabbed Lichas by his foot and smashed him on a rock in rage.
Page 8: Lines 781 - 892:
- Hyllus says they have brought Heracles back and he might be dying. Deianeira is shocked to hear all this and goes away silently.
- The Chorus reflects on an old prophesy about Heracles - about his tasks ending after 12 years. They say Deianeira did what she did unknowingly.
- A Nurse comes in and says that Deianeira killed herself.
Page 9: Lines 893 - 1017:
- Hyllus hears of his mother’s death and is totally sad that his unkind words led his mother to commit suicide.
- Heracles is brought in and is in intense pain. He asks for someone to end his life. He says he feels betrayed by those he helped in the past.
Page 10: Lines 1018 - 1137:
- Heracles recounts his past heroic deeds:
- Defeating the Nemean Lion
- Slaying the Lernaean Hydra
- Overcoming the Centaurs
- Killing the Erymanthian Boar
- Capturing Cerberus
- Guarding the golden apples of the Hesperides
- He vows vengeance on Deianeira for bringing him to this state to despair.
- Hyllus tries to explain that his mother was trying to do a good thing but it went back. Heracles refuses to listen since he is in pain and his mind is full on anger.
Page 11: Lines 1138 - 1240:
- Heracles finally understands that he was poisoned by the love charm which was Nessus the centaur’s blood. He remembers that prophesy that he would be killed by someone who is already dead.
- Heracles asks his son to promise him in the name of Zeus that he will do as he says. When he does, he says that Hyllus needs to take him to the summit of Oeta, build a funeral pyre and set fire to it.
- He also asks Hyllus to marry Iole. Hyllus is horrified saying that she was responsible for his mother’s death and his fathers suffering.
Page 12: Lines 1241 - 1278:
- Heracles insists, reminding him of the promise and Hyllus agrees.
- The play ends with Hyllus and the attendants carrying Heracles’s body to the mountain.
Quotes
Quotes
There is a saying among men, put forth of old, that thou canst not rightly judge whether a mortal’s lot is good or evil, ere he die.
Yea, starry night abides not with men, nor tribulation, nor wealth; in a moment it is gone from us, and another hath his turn of gladness, and of bereavement.
And yet a prudent mind can see room for misgiving lest he who prospers should one day suffer reverse.
They are not wise, then, who stand forth to buffet against Love; for Love rules the gods as he wills
Unwise counsels leave no room even for a hope which can lend courage.
No man foresees the future; but the present is fraught with mourning for us, and with shame for the powers above, and verily with anguish beyond compare for him who endures this doom.