The Women Of Trachis, 4

Heracles, unconscious, is brought in to Hyllus.  He awakens, but in agony.  He begs to be killed by any around him-- and then specifically by Hyllus when he recognizes him.  And then he lashes out at Deianira for having killed him (as he sees it, anyway)-- even asking that she be brought out to him so he can inflict on her the same pain he feels himself.  The venom of the hydra that eats at him reminds him of all the beasts he has conquered before.

Hyllus attempts to speak with Heracles to inform him of some of the developments.  First of all, Deianira is dead, by her own hand.  Moreover, she did not intend Heracles's death, but was tricked long ago-- she actually was trying to woo him back.  Heracles recognizes the duplicity of Nessus the centaur long ago, and also recognizes the work of the gods throughout the whole ordeal.  He reveals the prophecy that had him being finished with his toils at this moment-- and recognizes that it ends not with rest but with death.

As his final act, Heracles extracts promises from Hyllus.  First, Hyllus must burn Heracles alive on a funeral pyre to end his agony.  Hyllus refuses, but agrees at least to bring him to the pyre where Heracles may set the fire himself.  Next, he must marry Iole.  "No other man but you must ever have her who has lain with me at my side."  [Gross.]  Hyllus is unnerved at the command again, but ultimately agrees.

Heracles is taken away to his final death.  Zeus has willed it.

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First of all, would it have killed the translator to use the phrase "poisoned shirt" at least once?  You know, to trigger a little cultural memory in the reader with a phrase that they might actually recognize?  On the other hand, I'm not sure I actually had the poisoned shirt mentally hooked up with Heracles's death, so it might not have mattered.

Having re-read the introductory essay, there is an interesting point here.  Unlike the other Greek plays I have read so far, the action does not center around one character and the way fate catches up to him or her.  Instead, the fate just kind of happens to everyone in turn.  Fate doesn't befall them because of their faults, or their disobedience, or their self-destruction, it just kind of happens because the gods don't really care about the actions of humans at all.  The theme of the play is the disinterest of the gods in the affairs, expectations, and desires of men-- even the greatest of men are ultimately minor characters, mere playthings.  The title of the play, otherwise completely incongruous, does stress that the focus of this play isn't on Heracles or his wife or his sun, it is on the action of fate working around all human lives.  I can acknowledge the validity of that point.  You win again, classics.