Amphitryon, or Jupiter in Disguise (1084b-1135)

But my wife causes me to be insane

by her own shameful practices.

But I’ll make you, Amphitryon, to be holding other language; that you may understand that your wife is dutiful and chaste, upon that subject I will in a few words discover some tokens and some proofs. In the first place of all, Alcmena has given birth to two sons.

Two, say you?

Two.

The Gods preserve me!

Allow me to speak,

that you may know that all the Deities are propitious to yourself and to your wife.

Say on.

After that, this day, your wife began to be in labour, when the pangs of childbirth came on, as is the custom with women in travail, she invoked the immortal Gods to give her aid, with washed hands[*] and with covered head. Then forthwith it thundered

with most tremendous crash. At first we thought that your house was falling; all your house shone bright, as though it had been made of gold.

Prithee, relieve me quickly from this, since you have kept me long enough in suspense. What happened then?

While these things were passing, meanwhile, not one of us heard your wife groaning or complaining;

and thus, in fact, without pain was she delivered.

Then do I rejoice at this, whatever she has merited at my hands.

Leave that alone, and hear these things which I shall tell you. After she was delivered, she bade us wash the babes; we commenced to do so. But that child which I washed, how stout, how very powerful he is; and not a person was there, able to wrap him in the swaddling-clothes.

Most wondrous things you tell of. If these things are true, I do not apprehend but that succour has been brought to my wife from heaven.

Now shall I make you own to things more wondrous still. After he was laid in the cradle, two immense crested serpents glided down through the skylight; instantly they both reared their heads.

Ah me!

Be not dismayed—but the serpents began to gaze upon all around. After they beheld the children, quickly they made towards the cradle; I, fearing for the children, alarmed for myself, going backwards, began to draw and pull the cradle to and fro, and so much the more fiercely did the serpents pursue. After that one of the children caught sight of the serpents,

he quickly leapt from the cradle, straightway he made an attack upon them, ana suddenly he grasped them, one in each hand.

You tell of wondrous things; a very fearful exploit do you relate; for at your words horror steals upon the limbs of wretched me. What happened then? Say on.

The child slew both the serpents. While these things are passing, in a loud voice there calls upon your wife—

What person—?

Jupiter, the supreme Ruler of Gods and men. He said that he had secretly enjoyed Alcmena in his embraces, and that he was his own son who had overcome those serpents; the other, he said, was your child.

By my troth, I am not sorry

if I am allowed to take my half of a blessing in partnership with Jupiter. Go home, and bid the sacred vessels to be at once prepared for me, that with many victims I may seek my peace with supreme Jove. I will apply to Tiresias [*] the soothsayer, and consult him what he considers ought to be done; at the same time I’ll relate to him this matter just as it has happened. (It thunders.)

But what means this? How dreadfully it thunders! Ye Gods, your mercy, I do entreat.

Be of good cheer, Amphitryon; I am come to thy aid: thou hast nothing to fear; all diviners and soothsayers let alone. What is to be, and what has past, I will tell thee; and so much better than they can, inasmuch as I am Jupiter.

First of all, I have made loan of the person of Alcmena, and have caused her to be pregnant with a son. Thou, too, didst cause her to be pregnant, when thou didst set out upon the expedition; at one birth has she brought forth the two together. One of these, the one that is sprung from my parentage,