Heracleidae is an
AthenianThe city of Athens during classical antiquity was a notable polis of Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Hippias...
tragedyTragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that, paradoxically, offers its audience pleasure...
by
EuripidesEuripides was the lastof the three great tragedians of classical Athens . Ancient scholars thought that Euripides had written ninety-five plays, although four of those were probably written by Critias...
that was first performed c. 430 BCE. It follows the
HeracleidaeIn Greek mythology, the Heracleidae or Heraclids were the numerous descendants of Heracles , especially applied in a narrower sense to the descendants of Hyllus, the eldest of his four sons by Deianira Other Heracleidae included Macaria, Lamos, Manto, Bianor, Tlepolemus, and Telephus...
as they seek protection from
EurystheusIn Greek mythology, Eurystheus was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid: Sthenelus was his father and the "victorious horsewoman" Nicippe his mother, and he was a grandson of the hero Perseus, as was his opponent Heracles. He was married to Antimache, daughter of...
. It is the first of two surviving tragedies by Euripides where the Heracleidae are suppliants (the second being
Herakles).
Eurystheus was responsible for many of the troubles of Herakles. In order to prevent the Heracleidae from taking revenge on him, he sought to kill them.
Heracleidae is an
AthenianThe city of Athens during classical antiquity was a notable polis of Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Hippias...
tragedyTragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that, paradoxically, offers its audience pleasure...
by
EuripidesEuripides was the lastof the three great tragedians of classical Athens . Ancient scholars thought that Euripides had written ninety-five plays, although four of those were probably written by Critias...
that was first performed c. 430 BCE. It follows the
HeracleidaeIn Greek mythology, the Heracleidae or Heraclids were the numerous descendants of Heracles , especially applied in a narrower sense to the descendants of Hyllus, the eldest of his four sons by Deianira Other Heracleidae included Macaria, Lamos, Manto, Bianor, Tlepolemus, and Telephus...
as they seek protection from
EurystheusIn Greek mythology, Eurystheus was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid: Sthenelus was his father and the "victorious horsewoman" Nicippe his mother, and he was a grandson of the hero Perseus, as was his opponent Heracles. He was married to Antimache, daughter of...
. It is the first of two surviving tragedies by Euripides where the Heracleidae are suppliants (the second being
Herakles).
Background
Eurystheus was responsible for many of the troubles of Herakles. In order to prevent the Heracleidae from taking revenge on him, he sought to kill them. The Heracleidae take flight under the protection of
IolausIn Greek mythology, Iolaus was a Theban divine hero, son of Iphicles, Heracles's brother, and Automedusa.He was famed for being Heracles's nephew and for helping with for some of his Labors...
, Herakles' close friend and nephew.
Plot synopsis
The tragedy begins at the altar of
ZeusIn Greek mythology, Zeus is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. In addition to his Indo-European inheritance, the classical "cloud-gatherer" also derives certain iconographic traits from the...
at
MarathonMarathon is an ancient Greek city-state, a contemporary town in Greece, the site of the battle of Marathon in 490 BC, in which the heavily outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persians. The tumulus or burial mound Marathon (Demotic Greek: Μαραθώνας, Marathónas; Attic/ Katharevousa: , ) is an...
. Copreus, working under the orders of Eurystheus, attempts to take the Heracleidae by force.
DemophonDemophon was a king of Athens, according to Pindar, son of Theseus and a half brother of Acamas, fought in the Trojan War and was one of those to be in the Trojan Horse....
, son of
TheseusFor other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the legendary founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, with both of whom Aethra lay in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were identified with...
, enters taking the side of Iolaus and protecting the Heracleidae. Copreus threatens to return with an army. Athens will protect the Heracleidae, but after checking the oracles it is learnt that they will only be successful if there is a noble maiden's sacrifice. Demophon explains how he'd like to help, but won't sacrifice his own child or make any of the Athenians do so. A daughter of Herakles,
MacariaIn Greek mythology, Macaria was one of the Heracleidae, children of Heracles. She was in Heracleidae, a play by Euripides. She and her brothers and sisters hid from Eursytheus in Athens, ruled by King Demophon. As Eurystheus prepared to attack, an oracle told Demophon that he would win if and...
, then offers herself to be the sacrifice. The sacrifice is made, and Hyllus arrives with reinforcements. Despite being old and feeble, Iolaus insists on going out into the battle. Once out there he miraculously becomes young and captures Eurystheus. They debate executing this prisoner of war, but there is a law against it. Eurystheus tells them a prophecy of how his spirit will protect the city from the descendants of the Heracleidae if they slay and bury him, and so it is done.
Translations
- Edward P. Coleridge, 1891 - prose: full text
- Arthur S. Way, 1912 - verse
- Ralph Gladstone, 1955 - verse
- David Kovacs, 1994 - prose: full text