1237-1245

Amphitryon tries to persuade Hercules not to kill himself. He argues that what Hercules did was a mistake, not a crime. Hercules again demands his weapons.

1237–38 Amphitryon argues that a mistake should not be called a crime; Hercules replies that a large enough mistake often “has reached the standing” of a crime.

1239 Hercule opus est: i.e., Hercules must now show his usual resilience in the face of misfortune. For opus est + ablative = “there is need of,” see AG 411.

1240 furōre: ablative of means (AG 408), depending on extinctus: “My sense of shame is not so far lost or erased by madness” (Fitch 2018).

1240–41 ut … fugem: substantive clause of result (AG 568), “that I would scare off,” i.e. offend.

1242–43 Prose order: flāgitō, Thēseu, arma, arma subtracta mihi properē reddī. The action that Hercules demands is expressed by an acc. + inf., arma … reddī (see LS flagito I.ε). mihi does double duty as dative of separation (AG 381) after subtracta and indirect object after reddī.

1243–45 Hercules offers two possibilities. If he is sane, it is safe to return his weapons. If he is still mad, his father should leave (to avoid being killed like the rest of the family) and Hercules will use his weapons to kill himself.