And then follow the lines:
[Greek: ÊR. ti dêta mou krat' anekalypsas hêliô?]
[Greek: ThÊ. ti d' ou? miaineis thnêtos ôn ta tôn theôn?]
[Greek: ÊR. pheug', ô talaipôr', anosion miasm' emon.]
[Greek: ThÊ. oudeis alastôr tois philois ek tôn philôn][1].
Her. Why then hast bared my head before the Sun?
Thes. Nay, wherefore not? canst thou—mere man—taint godhead?
Her. Yet flee thyself, risk not my taint of blood-guilt.
Thes. Where love joins, bloodshed to no vengeance moves.
It is the connexion and significance of the last two lines which I wish briefly to discuss. Theseus has used the word 'taint' ([Greek: miaineis]), and Heracles at once seizes on it, emphasizes it, and warns his friend to begone lest he be contaminated; and then Theseus answers (to give a literal rendering) 'No Avenger of blood proceeds from them that love against them that love.' What does this mean? The line is often translated as if Theseus meant, 'No, I will stay, for though an Avenger of blood may probably pursue you, Heracles, I have no fear that he will touch me who love you as a friend[2].' A generous and sympathetic utterance indeed! And how consistent with that fine burst of feeling with which he had but a moment before refused to be warned away:
'Why warn'st thou me of blood with hand uplift?
In fear lest I be tainted by thy speech?
Nought reck I of ill fortune at thy side
Where once 'twas good; that hour must draw my heart
When thou didst bring me safe from death to light;
Nay, I hate friends whose gratitude grows old,
I hate the man that will enjoy good hap
But will not face foul weather with his friend[3].'
Is this the man whose words, spoken but a moment later, shall be interpreted to mean, 'I will not run away, because the danger that threatens my friend cannot hurt me'? The thought is deeper, more generous, than that. Theseus is thinking not of himself, but of his friend. It is the word 'pollution,' used first by himself and caught up by Heracles, which arrests his attention. Was his friend 'polluted' by a deed of blood, wrought in madness, expiated in tears? Polluted? Yes, in the sense that religious purification was required[4]. He cannot deny the pollution. But
