And she, being subject in love to a god and to a man exceeding goodly, brought forth twin sons in seven-gated Thebe. And all night long he lay with his modest wife, delighting in the gifts of golden Aphrodite. And as a man who has escaped joyfully from misery, whether of sore disease or cruel bondage, so then did Amphitryon, when he had wound up all his heavy task, come glad and welcome to his home. He hastened not to go to his bondmen and shepherds afield, but first went in unto his wife: such desire took hold on the shepherd of the people. So in one night Zeus shared the bed and love of the neat-ankled daughter of Electyron and fulfilled his desire and in the same night Amphitryon, gatherer of the people, the glorious hero, came to his house when he had ended his great task. Quickly he came to Typhaonium, and from there again wise Zeus went on and trod the highest peak of Phicium 1: there he sat and planned marvellous things in his heart. So he arose from Olympus by night pondering guile in the deep of his heart, and yearned for the love of the well-girded woman. But the father of men and gods was forming another scheme in his heart, to beget one to defend against destruction gods and men who eat bread. And the noble son of Alcaeus led them, rejoicing in his host. With him went the horse-driving Boeotians, breathing above their shields, and the Locrians who fight hand to hand, and the gallant Phocians eager for war and battle. And he feared their anger, and hastened to perform the great task to which Zeus had bound him. There he dwelt with his modest wife without the joys of love, nor might he go in unto the neat-ankled daughter of Electyron until he had avenged the death of his wife's great-hearted brothers and utterly burned with blazing fire the villages of the heroes, the Taphians and Teleboans for this thing was laid upon him, and the gods were witnesses to it.

Verily he had slain her noble father violently when he was angry about oxen so he left his own country and came to Thebes and was suppliant to the shield-carrying men of Cadmus. And she so honoured her husband in her heart as none of womankind did before her. Her face and her dark eyes wafted such charm as comes from golden Aphrodite. She surpassed the tribe of womankind in beauty and in height and in wisdom none vied with her of those whom mortal women bare of union with mortal men. Or like here who left home and country and came to Thebes, following warlike Amphitryon, - even Alcmena, the daughter of Electyron, gatherer of the people.

MISCELLANEOUS FRAGMENTS THE SHIELD OF HERACLES, TRANSLATED BY H.

Epic war 5 shield hercules