章节正文
PHILOCLEON (singing)
My son. But no bawling, he is there in front asleep; lower your
voice.
CHORUS (singing)
But, poor fellow, what is his aim? what is his object?
PHILOCLEON (singing)
My friends, he will not have me judge nor do anyone any ill, but
he wants me to stay at home and enjoy myself, and I will not. And does
this wretch, this Demologocleon dare to say such odious things, just
because you tell the truth about our navy? He would not have dared,
had he not been a conspirator.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But meanwhile, you must devise some new dodge, so that you can
come down here without his knowledge.
PHILOCLEON
But what? Try to find some way. For myself, I am ready for
anything, so much do I burn to run along the tiers of the tribunal
with my voting-pebble in my hand.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
There is surely some hole through which you could manage to
squeeze from within, and escape dressed in rags, like the crafty
Odysseus.
PHILOCLEON
Everything is sealed fast; not so much as a gnat could get
through. Think of some other plan; there is no possible hole of
escape.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Do you recall how, when you were with the army at the taking of
Naxos, you descended so readily from the top of the wall by means of
the spits you had stolen?
PHILOCLEON
I remember that well enough, but what connection is there with
present circumstances? I was young, clever at thieving, I had all my
strength, none watched over me, and I could run off without fear.
But to-day men-at-arms are placed at every outlet to watch me, and two
of them are lying in wait for me at this very door armed with spits,
just as folks lie in wait for a cat that has stolen a piece of meat.
CHORUS (singing)
Come, discover some way as quick as possible. Here is the dawn
come, my dear little friend.
PHILOCLEON (singing)
The best way is to gnaw through the net. Oh! goddess who
watchest over the nets, forgive me for making a hole in this one.
CHORUS (singing)
It's acting like a man eager for his safety. Get your jaws to
work.
PHILOCLEON (singing)
There! it's gnawed through! But no shouting! let Bdelycleon notice
nothing!
CHORUS (singing)
Have no fear, have no fear! if he breathes a syllable, it will
be to bruise his own knuckles; he will have to fight to defend his own
head. We shall teach him not to insult the mysteries of the goddesses.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But fasten a rope to the window, tie it around your body and let
yourself down to the ground, with your heart bursting with the fury of
Diopithes.
PHILOCLEON
But if these notice it and want to fish me up and drag me back
into the house, what will you do? Tell me that.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
We shall call up the full strength of our oak-tough courage to
your aid. That is what we will do.
PHILOCLEON
I trust myself to you and risk the danger. If misfortune overtakes
me, take away my body, bathe it with your tears and bury it beneath
the bar of the tribunal.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Nothing will happen to you, rest assured. Come, friend, have
courage and let yourself slide down while you invoke your country's
gods.
PHILOCLEON
Oh! mighty Lycus! noble hero and my neighbour, thou, like
myself, takest pleasure in the tears and the groans of the accused. If
thou art come to live near the tribunal, 'tis with the express
design of hearing them incessantly; thou alone of all the heroes
hast wished to remain among those who weep. Have pity on me and save
him, who lives close to thee; I swear I will never make water,
never, nor ever let a fart, against the railing of thy statue.
(He slides down as quietly as possible; nevertheless BDELYCLEON
wakes up.)
BDELYCLEON (to XANTHIAS)
Ho, there! ho! get up!
XANTHIAS (waking up)
What's the matter?
BDELYCLEON
I thought I heard talking close to me. Is the old man at it again,
escaping through some loophole?
XANTHIAS
No, by Zeus! no, but he is letting himself down by a rope.
BDELYCLEON
Ha, rascal! what are you doing there? You shall not descend. (To
XANTHIAS) Mount quick to the other window, strike him with the
boughs that hang over the entrance; perhaps he will turn back when
he feels himself being thrashed.
PHILOCLEON (to the audience)
To the rescue! all you, who are going to have lawsuits this
year-Smicythion, Tisiades, Chremon and Pheredipnus. It's now or never,
before they force me to return, that you must help.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Why do we delay to let loose that fury, that is so terrible,
when our nests are attacked?
CHORUS (singing)
I feel my angry sting is stiffening, that sharp sting, with
which we punish our enemies. Come, children, cast your cloaks to the
winds, run, shout, tell Cleon what is happening, that he may march
against this foe of our city, who deserves death, since he proposes to
prevent the trial of lawsuits.
(The Boys run off, taking the CHORUS' mantles with them.)
BDELYCLEON (rushing out of the house with the two slaves and seizing
his father) Friends, listen to the truth, instead of bawling.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
By Zeus! we will shout to heaven.
BDELYCLEON
And I shall not let him go.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Why, this is intolerable, 'tis manifesttyranny.
CHORUS (singing)
Oh! citizens, oh! Theorus, the enemy of the gods! and all you
flatterers, who rule us! come to our aid.
XANTHIAS
By Heracles! they have stings. Do you see them, master?
BDELYCLEON
It was with these weapons that they killed Philippus the son of
Gorgias when he was put on trial.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
And you too shall die. Turn yourselves this way, all, with your
stings out for attack and throw yourselves upon him in good and
serried order, and swelled up with wrath and rage. Let him learn to
know the sort of foes he has dared to irritate.
XANTHIAS
The fight will be fast and furious, by great Zeus! I tremble at
the sight of their stings.
CHORUS (singing)
Let this man go, unless you want to envy the tortoise his hard
shell.
PHILOCLEON
Come, my dear companions, wasps with relentless hearts, fly
against him, animated with your fury. Sting him in the arse, eyes, and
fingers.
BDELYCLEON
(opening the door and trying to shove his struggling father in)
Midas, Phryx, Masyntias, here! Come and help. Seize this man and
hand him over to no one, otherwise you shall starve to death in
chains. Fear nothing, I have often heard the crackling of fig-leaves
in the fire.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
If you won't let him go, I shall bury this sting in your body.
PHILOCLEON
Oh, Cecrops, mighty hero with the tail of a dragon! Seest thou how
these barbarians ill-use me-me, who have many a time made them weep
a full bushel of tears?
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Is not old age filled with cruel ills? What violence these two
slaves offer to their old master! they have forgotten all bygones, the
fur-coats and the jackets and the caps he bought for them; in winter
he watched that their feet should not get frozen. And only see them
now; there is no gentleness in their look nor any recollection of
the slippers of other days.
PHILOCLEON (to XANTHIAS)
Will you let me go, you accursed animal? Don't you remember the
day when I surprised you stealing the grapes; I tied you to an
olive-tree and I cut open your bottom with such vigorous lashes that
folks thought you had been raped. Get away, you are ungrateful. But
let go of me, and you too, before my son comes up.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
You shall repay us for all this, and that soon. Tremble at our
ferocious glance; you shall taste our just anger.
BDELYCLEON
Strike! strike! Xanthias! Drive these wasps away from the house.
XANTHIAS
That's just what I am doing.
BDELYCLEON
Blind them with smoke too!
XANTHIAS AND SOSIAS
You will not go? The plague seize you! Will you not clear off?
BDELYCLEON
Hit them with your stick Xanthias, and you Sosias, to smoke them
out better, throw Aeschines, the son of Sellartius, on the fire.
XANTHIAS (as the CHORUS retires from the unequal conquest)
There, we were bound to drive you off sooner or later!
BDELYCLEON
Eh! by Zeus! you would not have put them to flight so easily if
they had fed on the verses of Philocles.
CHORUS (singing)
It is clear to all the poor that tyranny has attacked us sorely.
Proud emulator of Amynias, you, who only take pleasure in doing ill,
see how you are preventing us from obeying the laws of the city; you
do not even seek a pretext or any plausible excuse, but claim to
rule alone.
BDELYCLEON
Hold! A truce to all blows and brawling! Had we not better
confer together and come to some understanding?
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Confer with you, the people's foe! with you, a royalist....
CHORUS (singing)
....and accomplice of Brasidas, you with your woollen-fringed coat
and your long beard?
BDELYCLEON
Ah! it would be better to separate altogether from my father
than to steer my boat daily through such stormy seas!
My son. But no bawling, he is there in front asleep; lower your
voice.
CHORUS (singing)
But, poor fellow, what is his aim? what is his object?
PHILOCLEON (singing)
My friends, he will not have me judge nor do anyone any ill, but
he wants me to stay at home and enjoy myself, and I will not. And does
this wretch, this Demologocleon dare to say such odious things, just
because you tell the truth about our navy? He would not have dared,
had he not been a conspirator.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But meanwhile, you must devise some new dodge, so that you can
come down here without his knowledge.
PHILOCLEON
But what? Try to find some way. For myself, I am ready for
anything, so much do I burn to run along the tiers of the tribunal
with my voting-pebble in my hand.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
There is surely some hole through which you could manage to
squeeze from within, and escape dressed in rags, like the crafty
Odysseus.
PHILOCLEON
Everything is sealed fast; not so much as a gnat could get
through. Think of some other plan; there is no possible hole of
escape.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Do you recall how, when you were with the army at the taking of
Naxos, you descended so readily from the top of the wall by means of
the spits you had stolen?
PHILOCLEON
I remember that well enough, but what connection is there with
present circumstances? I was young, clever at thieving, I had all my
strength, none watched over me, and I could run off without fear.
But to-day men-at-arms are placed at every outlet to watch me, and two
of them are lying in wait for me at this very door armed with spits,
just as folks lie in wait for a cat that has stolen a piece of meat.
CHORUS (singing)
Come, discover some way as quick as possible. Here is the dawn
come, my dear little friend.
PHILOCLEON (singing)
The best way is to gnaw through the net. Oh! goddess who
watchest over the nets, forgive me for making a hole in this one.
CHORUS (singing)
It's acting like a man eager for his safety. Get your jaws to
work.
PHILOCLEON (singing)
There! it's gnawed through! But no shouting! let Bdelycleon notice
nothing!
CHORUS (singing)
Have no fear, have no fear! if he breathes a syllable, it will
be to bruise his own knuckles; he will have to fight to defend his own
head. We shall teach him not to insult the mysteries of the goddesses.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But fasten a rope to the window, tie it around your body and let
yourself down to the ground, with your heart bursting with the fury of
Diopithes.
PHILOCLEON
But if these notice it and want to fish me up and drag me back
into the house, what will you do? Tell me that.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
We shall call up the full strength of our oak-tough courage to
your aid. That is what we will do.
PHILOCLEON
I trust myself to you and risk the danger. If misfortune overtakes
me, take away my body, bathe it with your tears and bury it beneath
the bar of the tribunal.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Nothing will happen to you, rest assured. Come, friend, have
courage and let yourself slide down while you invoke your country's
gods.
PHILOCLEON
Oh! mighty Lycus! noble hero and my neighbour, thou, like
myself, takest pleasure in the tears and the groans of the accused. If
thou art come to live near the tribunal, 'tis with the express
design of hearing them incessantly; thou alone of all the heroes
hast wished to remain among those who weep. Have pity on me and save
him, who lives close to thee; I swear I will never make water,
never, nor ever let a fart, against the railing of thy statue.
(He slides down as quietly as possible; nevertheless BDELYCLEON
wakes up.)
BDELYCLEON (to XANTHIAS)
Ho, there! ho! get up!
XANTHIAS (waking up)
What's the matter?
BDELYCLEON
I thought I heard talking close to me. Is the old man at it again,
escaping through some loophole?
XANTHIAS
No, by Zeus! no, but he is letting himself down by a rope.
BDELYCLEON
Ha, rascal! what are you doing there? You shall not descend. (To
XANTHIAS) Mount quick to the other window, strike him with the
boughs that hang over the entrance; perhaps he will turn back when
he feels himself being thrashed.
PHILOCLEON (to the audience)
To the rescue! all you, who are going to have lawsuits this
year-Smicythion, Tisiades, Chremon and Pheredipnus. It's now or never,
before they force me to return, that you must help.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Why do we delay to let loose that fury, that is so terrible,
when our nests are attacked?
CHORUS (singing)
I feel my angry sting is stiffening, that sharp sting, with
which we punish our enemies. Come, children, cast your cloaks to the
winds, run, shout, tell Cleon what is happening, that he may march
against this foe of our city, who deserves death, since he proposes to
prevent the trial of lawsuits.
(The Boys run off, taking the CHORUS' mantles with them.)
BDELYCLEON (rushing out of the house with the two slaves and seizing
his father) Friends, listen to the truth, instead of bawling.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
By Zeus! we will shout to heaven.
BDELYCLEON
And I shall not let him go.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Why, this is intolerable, 'tis manifesttyranny.
CHORUS (singing)
Oh! citizens, oh! Theorus, the enemy of the gods! and all you
flatterers, who rule us! come to our aid.
XANTHIAS
By Heracles! they have stings. Do you see them, master?
BDELYCLEON
It was with these weapons that they killed Philippus the son of
Gorgias when he was put on trial.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
And you too shall die. Turn yourselves this way, all, with your
stings out for attack and throw yourselves upon him in good and
serried order, and swelled up with wrath and rage. Let him learn to
know the sort of foes he has dared to irritate.
XANTHIAS
The fight will be fast and furious, by great Zeus! I tremble at
the sight of their stings.
CHORUS (singing)
Let this man go, unless you want to envy the tortoise his hard
shell.
PHILOCLEON
Come, my dear companions, wasps with relentless hearts, fly
against him, animated with your fury. Sting him in the arse, eyes, and
fingers.
BDELYCLEON
(opening the door and trying to shove his struggling father in)
Midas, Phryx, Masyntias, here! Come and help. Seize this man and
hand him over to no one, otherwise you shall starve to death in
chains. Fear nothing, I have often heard the crackling of fig-leaves
in the fire.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
If you won't let him go, I shall bury this sting in your body.
PHILOCLEON
Oh, Cecrops, mighty hero with the tail of a dragon! Seest thou how
these barbarians ill-use me-me, who have many a time made them weep
a full bushel of tears?
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Is not old age filled with cruel ills? What violence these two
slaves offer to their old master! they have forgotten all bygones, the
fur-coats and the jackets and the caps he bought for them; in winter
he watched that their feet should not get frozen. And only see them
now; there is no gentleness in their look nor any recollection of
the slippers of other days.
PHILOCLEON (to XANTHIAS)
Will you let me go, you accursed animal? Don't you remember the
day when I surprised you stealing the grapes; I tied you to an
olive-tree and I cut open your bottom with such vigorous lashes that
folks thought you had been raped. Get away, you are ungrateful. But
let go of me, and you too, before my son comes up.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
You shall repay us for all this, and that soon. Tremble at our
ferocious glance; you shall taste our just anger.
BDELYCLEON
Strike! strike! Xanthias! Drive these wasps away from the house.
XANTHIAS
That's just what I am doing.
BDELYCLEON
Blind them with smoke too!
XANTHIAS AND SOSIAS
You will not go? The plague seize you! Will you not clear off?
BDELYCLEON
Hit them with your stick Xanthias, and you Sosias, to smoke them
out better, throw Aeschines, the son of Sellartius, on the fire.
XANTHIAS (as the CHORUS retires from the unequal conquest)
There, we were bound to drive you off sooner or later!
BDELYCLEON
Eh! by Zeus! you would not have put them to flight so easily if
they had fed on the verses of Philocles.
CHORUS (singing)
It is clear to all the poor that tyranny has attacked us sorely.
Proud emulator of Amynias, you, who only take pleasure in doing ill,
see how you are preventing us from obeying the laws of the city; you
do not even seek a pretext or any plausible excuse, but claim to
rule alone.
BDELYCLEON
Hold! A truce to all blows and brawling! Had we not better
confer together and come to some understanding?
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Confer with you, the people's foe! with you, a royalist....
CHORUS (singing)
....and accomplice of Brasidas, you with your woollen-fringed coat
and your long beard?
BDELYCLEON
Ah! it would be better to separate altogether from my father
than to steer my boat daily through such stormy seas!
- meanwhile [´mi:n´wail]
n.&ad.其间；同时 (初中英语单词) - readily [´redili] ad.乐意地；容易地 (初中英语单词)
- connection [kə´nekʃən] n.联系；关系；联运 (初中英语单词)
- stolen [´stəulən] steal 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- goddess [´gɔdis] n.女神 (初中英语单词)
- forgive [fə´giv] vt.原谅，谅解，宽恕 (初中英语单词)
- acting [´æktiŋ] a.代理的 n.演戏 (初中英语单词)
- insult [in´sʌlt, ´insʌlt] n.&vt.侮辱；损害 (初中英语单词)
- fasten [´fɑ:sən] v.扎牢；闩住；钉牢 (初中英语单词)
- nevertheless [,nevəðə´les] conj.&ad.然而；不过 (初中英语单词)
- descend [di´send] v.下来，下降 (初中英语单词)
- punish [´pʌniʃ] vt.(惩)罚；痛击；折磨 (初中英语单词)
- furious [´fjuəriəs] a.狂怒的；猛烈的 (初中英语单词)
- otherwise [´ʌðəwaiz] ad.另外 conj.否则 (初中英语单词)
- starve [stɑ:v] v.(使)饥饿 (初中英语单词)
- violence [´vaiələns] n.猛烈；暴力(行) (初中英语单词)
- frozen [´frəuzn] freeze 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- chorus [´kɔ:rəs] n.合唱；齐声 v.合唱 (初中英语单词)
- flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)
- altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə] ad.完全；总而言之 (初中英语单词)
- devise [di´vaiz] vt.设计，发明 (高中英语单词)
- outlet [´autlet] n.出口；出路；通风口 (高中英语单词)
- syllable [´siləbəl] n.音节；只言片语 (高中英语单词)
- bruise [bru:z] n.伤痕 v.打(碰)伤 (高中英语单词)
- misfortune [mis´fɔ:tʃən] n.不幸；灾祸 (高中英语单词)
- mighty [´maiti] a.强有力的 ad.很 (高中英语单词)
- hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)
- manifest [´mænifest] a.明显的 v.表明 (高中英语单词)
- recollection [,rekə´lekʃən] n.回忆；追想；记忆力 (高中英语单词)
- vigorous [´vigərəs] a.精力旺盛的；健壮的 (高中英语单词)
- plague [pleig] n.瘟疫 vt.使...染疫 (高中英语单词)
- tyranny [´tirəni] n.暴政；专制政治 (高中英语单词)
- wretch [retʃ] n.不幸的人；卑鄙的人 (英语四级单词)
- odious [´əudiəs] a.可憎的；丑恶的 (英语四级单词)
- tribunal [trai´bju:nəl] n.(特种)法庭，审判员 (英语四级单词)
- railing [´reiliŋ] n.栏杆 (英语四级单词)
- happening [´hæpəniŋ] n.事件，偶然发生的事 (英语四级单词)
- intolerable [in´tɔlərəb(ə)l] a.无法忍受的 (英语四级单词)
- tortoise [´tɔ:təs] n.(乌)龟 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- gentleness [´dʒentlnis] n.温和，温柔 (英语四级单词)
- accursed [ə´kə:sid] a.被诅咒的；可憎的 (英语四级单词)
- unequal [ʌn´i:kwəl] a.不平等的；不同的 (英语四级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- assured [ə´ʃuəd] a.确实的 n.被保险人 (英语六级单词)
- invoke [in´vəuk] vt.调用，请求 (英语六级单词)
- incessantly [in´sesntli] ad.不断地，不停地 (英语六级单词)
- relentless [ri´lentləs] a.无情的；坚韧的 (英语六级单词)
- animated [´ænimeitid] a.栩栩如生的；活跃的 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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