987-1002

Hercules hallucinates that his own children are Lycus’s and aims his bow at them. Amphitryon relates his shock at this action. Amphitryon narrates the death of one child, then Hercules goes hunting for the rest of his family, destroying his own palace to get inside.

987–88 prōlēs ... sēmen: both referring to Hercules’ children, whom he mistakes for Lycus’ children.

988–89 invīsō ... reddet: i.e., Hercules will send the children to join their father in death. 

989 excutiat: hortatory subjunctive (AG 439); the verb means “shoot” here.

990 sic mittī decet “it is fitting that [Hercules’ arrows] be shot in this way,” i.e., to kill the family of a tyrant. decet is an impersonal verb that governs a complementary infinitive (AG 454).

991 quō: “where.” sē … impēgit: “has driven itself.” The metaphor is that of dashing or smashing into something (LS impingo).

992 coactīs … cornibus: ablative absolute (AG 419), “with the horns of the bow being brought together.”

992–93 flexit ... solvit: the subject is Hercules.

993 pharetramque solvit: ancient quivers usually had a top that needed to be opened to access the arrows.

994 mediō … collō: ablative of place from which without a preposition (AG 428.g), “(out) from the middle of the neck.”

995 vulnere relictō: ablative absolute (AG 419), “having left behind a wound.”

997–98 Mycenīs: locative ablative (AG 421). Cyclōpia … saxa: the Cyclopean walls were the western part of the great circuit walls at Mycenae. restat, ut … concidant: substantive clause (AG 569.2), “remains, (namely) that … fall.” Hercules’ reference to the palace of Eurystheus at Mycenae may mean simply that he plans to travel there and attack Eurystheus after he is finished killing “Lycus’” family. But some scholars interpret these lines as an intensification of Hercules’ hallucination: Hercules may believe that he is actually attacking Eurystheus’ palace as he batters down his own palace.

999–1000 Seneca refers to three parts of a large door: the valvae (the double or folding door itself), the ōbex (the bar or bolt that fastens the door), and the postēs (the door jam or frame). eat … rumpat … labet: hortatory subjunctive (AG 439). deiectō ōbice: ablative absolute (AG 419). rumpatque postēs: the valva, in being thrown open by Hercules, will break its door frame.

1000 columen: the ridge-pole of the roof, or the roof as a whole. impulsum: “broken,” “forced to give way,” perfect passive participle > impellō, agreeing with columen.

1001 perlūcet: light pours into the palace through the shattered doorway and roof. 

1002 scelestī patris: Hercules thinks he is abusing his enemy Lycus (or Eurystheus: see 996–8n.), but in reality he is describing himself as he kills his own son.