章节正文
Describe my costume further.
DIONYSUS
Thou wilt wear a robe reaching to thy feet; and on thy head
shall be a snood.
PENTHEUS
Wilt add aught else to my attire?
DIONYSUS
A thyrsus in thy hand, and a dappled fawnskin.
PENTHEUS
I can never put on woman's dress.
DIONYSUS
Then wilt thou cause bloodshed by coming to blows with the
Bacchanals.
PENTHEUS
Thou art right. Best go spy upon them first.
DIONYSUS
Well, e'en that is wiser than by evil means to follow evil ends.
PENTHEUS
But how shall I pass through the city of the Cadmeans unseen?
DIONYSUS
We will go by unfrequented paths. I will lead the way.
PENTHEUS
Anything rather than that the Bacchantes should laugh at me.
DIONYSUS
We will enter the palace and consider the proper steps.
PENTHEUS
Thou hast my leave. I am all readiness. I will enter, prepared
to set out either sword in hand or following thy advice.
Exit PENTHEUS.
DIONYSUS
Women! our prize is nearly in the net. Soon shall he reach the
Bacchanals, and there pay forfeit with his life. O Dionysus! now
'tis thine to act, for thou art not far away; let us take vengeance on
him. First drive him mad by fixing in his soul a waywardfrenzy; for
never, whilst his senses are his own, will he consent to don a woman's
dress; but when his mind is gone astray he will put it on. And fain
would I make him a laughing-stock to Thebes as he is led in woman's
dress through the city, after those threats with which he menaced me
before. But I will go to array Pentheus in those robes which he
shall wear when he sets out for Hades' halls, a victim to his own
mother's fury; so shall he recognize Dionysus, the son of Zeus, who
proves himself at last a god most terrible, for all his gentleness
to man.
Exit DIONYSUS.
CHORUS
Will this white foot e'er join the night-long dance? what time
in Bacchic ecstasy I toss my neck to heaven's dewy breath, like a
fawn, that gambols 'mid the meadow's green delights, when she hath
escaped the fearful chase, clear of the watchers, o'er the woven nets;
while the huntsman, with loud halloo, harks on his hounds' full cry,
and she with laboured breath at lightning speed bounds o'er the
level water-meadows, glad to be far from man amid the foliage of the
bosky grove. What is true wisdom, or what fairer boon has heaven
placed in mortals' reach, than to gain the mastery o'er a fallen
foe? What is fair is dear for aye. Though slow be its advance, yet
surely moves the power of the gods, correcting those mortal wights,
that court a senseless pride, or, in the madness of their fancy,
disregard the gods. Subtly they lie in wait, through the long march of
time, and so hunt down the godless man. For it is never right in
theory or in practice to o'erride the law of custom. This is a maxim
cheaply bought: whatever comes of God, or in time's long annals, has
grown into a law upon a natural basis, this is sovereign. What is true
wisdom, or what fairer boon has heaven placed in mortals' reach,
than to gain the mastery o'er a fallen foe? What is fair is dear for
ave. Happy is he who hath escaped the wave from out the sea, and
reached the haven; and happy he who hath triumphed o'er his
troubles; though one surpasses another in wealth and power; yet
there be myriad hopes for all the myriad minds; some end in
happiness for man, and others come to naught; but him, whose life from
day to day is blest, I deem a happy man.
Enter DIONYSUS.
DIONYSUS
Ho! Pentheus, thou that art so cager to see what is forbidden, and
to show thy zeal in an unworthy cause, come forth before the palace,
let me see thee clad as a woman in frenzied Bacchante's dress, to
spy upon thy own mother and her company.
Enter PENTHEUS.
Yes, thou resemblest closely a daughter of Cadmus.
PENTHEUS
Of a truth I seem to see two suns, and two towns of Thebes, our
seven-gated city; and thou, methinks, art a bull going before to guide
me, and on thy head a pair of horns have grown. Wert thou really
once a brute beast? Thon hast at any rate the appearance of a bull.
DIONYSUS
The god attends us, ungracious heretofore, but now our sworn
friend; and now thine eyes behold the things they should.
PENTHEUS
Pray, what do I resemble? Is not mine the carriage of Ino, or
Agave my own mother?
DIONYSUS
In seeing thee, I seem to see them in person. But this tress is
straying from its place, no longer as I bound it 'neath the snood.
PENTHEUS
I disarranged it from its place as I tossed it to and fro within
my chamber, in Bacchic ecstasy.
DIONYSUS
Well, I will rearrange it, since to tend thee is my care; hold
up thy head.
PENTHEUS
Come, put it straight; for on thee do I depend.
DIONYSUS
Thy girdle is loose, and the folds of thy dress do not hang evenly
below thy ankles.
PENTHEUS
I agree to that as regards the right side, but on the other my
dress hangs straight with my foot.
DIONYSUS
Surely thou wilt rank me first among thy friends, when contrary to
thy expectation thou findest the Bacchantes virtuous.
PENTHEUS
Shall I hold the thyrsus in the right or left hand to look most
like a Bacchanal?
DIONYSUS
Hold it in thy right hand, and step out with thy right foot; thy
change of mind compels thy praise.
PENTHEUS
Shall I be able to carry on my shoulders Cithaeron's glens, the
Bacchanals and all?
DIONYSUS
Yes, if so thou wilt; for though thy mind was erst diseased,
'tis now just as it should be.
PENTHEUS
Shall we take levers, or with my hands can I uproot it,
thrusting arm or shoulder 'neath its peaks?
DIONYSUS
No, no! destroy not the seats of the Nymphs and the haunts of Pan,
the place of his piping.
PENTHEUS
Well said! Women must not be mastered by brute force; amid the
pines will I conceal myself.
DIONYSUS
Thou shalt hide thee in the place that fate appoints, coming by
stealth to spy upon the Bacchanals.
PENTHEUS
Why, methinks they are already caught in the pleasant snares of
dalliance, like birds amid the brakes.
DIONYSUS
Set out with watchful heed then for this very purpose; maybe
thou wilt catch them, if thou be not first caught thyself.
PENTHEUS
Conduct me through the very heart of Thebes, for I am the only man
among them bold enough to do this deed.
DIONYSUS
Thou alone bearest thy country's burden, thou and none other;
wherefore there await thee such struggles as needs must. Follow me,
for I will guide thee safelythither; another shall bring thee thence.
PENTHEUS
My mother maybe.
DIONYSUS
For every eye to see.
PENTHEUS
My very purpose in going.
DIONYSUS
Thou shalt be carried back,
PENTHEUS
What luxury
DIONYSUS
In thy mother's arms.
PENTHEUS
Thou wilt e'en force me into luxury.
DIONYSUS
Yes, to luxury such as this.
PENTHEUS
Truly, the task I am undertaking deserves it.
Exit PENTHEUS.
DIONYSUS
Strange, ah! strange is thy career, leading to scenes of woe so
strange, that thou shalt achieve a fame that towers to heaven. Stretch
forth thy hands, Agave, and ye her sisters, daughters of Cadmus;
mighty is the strife to which I am bringing the youthful king, and the
victory shall rest with me and Bromius; all else the event will show.
Exit DIONYSUS.
CHORUS
To the hills! to the hills! fleet hounds of madness, where the
daughters of Cadmus hold their revels, goad them into wild fury
against the man disguised in woman's dress, a frenzied spy upon the
Maenads. First shall his mother mark him as he peers from some
smooth rock or riven tree, and thus to the Maenads she will call, "Who
is this of Cadmus' sons comes hasting to the mount, to the mountain
away, to spy on us, my Bacchanals? Whose child can he be? For he was
never born of woman's blood; but from some lioness maybe or Libyan
Gorgon is he sprung." Let justice appear and show herself, sword in
hand, to plunge it through and through the throat of the godless,
lawless, impious son of Echion, earth's monstrous child! who with
wicked heart and lawless rage, with mad intent and frantic purpose,
sets out to meddle with thy holy rites, and with thy mother's, Bacchic
god, thinking with his weak arm to master might as masterless as
thine. This is the life that saves all pain, if a man confine his
thoughts to human themes, as is his mortal nature, making no
pretence where heaven is concerned. I envy not deep subtleties; far
other joys have I, in tracking out great truths writ clear from all
eternity, that a man should live his life by day and night in purity
and holiness, striving toward a noble goal, and should honour the gods
by casting from him each ordinance that lies outside the pale of
right. Let justice show herself, advancing sword in hand to plunge
it through and through the throat of Echion's son, that godless,
lawless, and abandoned child of earth! Appear, O Bacchus, to our
eyes as a bull or serpent with a hundred heads, or take the shape of a
lion breathing flame! Oh! come, and with a mocking smile cast the
deadly noose about the hunter of thy Bacchanals, e'en as he swoops
upon the Maenads gathered yonder.
DIONYSUS
Thou wilt wear a robe reaching to thy feet; and on thy head
shall be a snood.
PENTHEUS
Wilt add aught else to my attire?
DIONYSUS
A thyrsus in thy hand, and a dappled fawnskin.
PENTHEUS
I can never put on woman's dress.
DIONYSUS
Then wilt thou cause bloodshed by coming to blows with the
Bacchanals.
PENTHEUS
Thou art right. Best go spy upon them first.
DIONYSUS
Well, e'en that is wiser than by evil means to follow evil ends.
PENTHEUS
But how shall I pass through the city of the Cadmeans unseen?
DIONYSUS
We will go by unfrequented paths. I will lead the way.
PENTHEUS
Anything rather than that the Bacchantes should laugh at me.
DIONYSUS
We will enter the palace and consider the proper steps.
PENTHEUS
Thou hast my leave. I am all readiness. I will enter, prepared
to set out either sword in hand or following thy advice.
Exit PENTHEUS.
DIONYSUS
Women! our prize is nearly in the net. Soon shall he reach the
Bacchanals, and there pay forfeit with his life. O Dionysus! now
'tis thine to act, for thou art not far away; let us take vengeance on
him. First drive him mad by fixing in his soul a waywardfrenzy; for
never, whilst his senses are his own, will he consent to don a woman's
dress; but when his mind is gone astray he will put it on. And fain
would I make him a laughing-stock to Thebes as he is led in woman's
dress through the city, after those threats with which he menaced me
before. But I will go to array Pentheus in those robes which he
shall wear when he sets out for Hades' halls, a victim to his own
mother's fury; so shall he recognize Dionysus, the son of Zeus, who
proves himself at last a god most terrible, for all his gentleness
to man.
Exit DIONYSUS.
CHORUS
Will this white foot e'er join the night-long dance? what time
in Bacchic ecstasy I toss my neck to heaven's dewy breath, like a
fawn, that gambols 'mid the meadow's green delights, when she hath
escaped the fearful chase, clear of the watchers, o'er the woven nets;
while the huntsman, with loud halloo, harks on his hounds' full cry,
and she with laboured breath at lightning speed bounds o'er the
level water-meadows, glad to be far from man amid the foliage of the
bosky grove. What is true wisdom, or what fairer boon has heaven
placed in mortals' reach, than to gain the mastery o'er a fallen
foe? What is fair is dear for aye. Though slow be its advance, yet
surely moves the power of the gods, correcting those mortal wights,
that court a senseless pride, or, in the madness of their fancy,
disregard the gods. Subtly they lie in wait, through the long march of
time, and so hunt down the godless man. For it is never right in
theory or in practice to o'erride the law of custom. This is a maxim
cheaply bought: whatever comes of God, or in time's long annals, has
grown into a law upon a natural basis, this is sovereign. What is true
wisdom, or what fairer boon has heaven placed in mortals' reach,
than to gain the mastery o'er a fallen foe? What is fair is dear for
ave. Happy is he who hath escaped the wave from out the sea, and
reached the haven; and happy he who hath triumphed o'er his
troubles; though one surpasses another in wealth and power; yet
there be myriad hopes for all the myriad minds; some end in
happiness for man, and others come to naught; but him, whose life from
day to day is blest, I deem a happy man.
Enter DIONYSUS.
DIONYSUS
Ho! Pentheus, thou that art so cager to see what is forbidden, and
to show thy zeal in an unworthy cause, come forth before the palace,
let me see thee clad as a woman in frenzied Bacchante's dress, to
spy upon thy own mother and her company.
Enter PENTHEUS.
Yes, thou resemblest closely a daughter of Cadmus.
PENTHEUS
Of a truth I seem to see two suns, and two towns of Thebes, our
seven-gated city; and thou, methinks, art a bull going before to guide
me, and on thy head a pair of horns have grown. Wert thou really
once a brute beast? Thon hast at any rate the appearance of a bull.
DIONYSUS
The god attends us, ungracious heretofore, but now our sworn
friend; and now thine eyes behold the things they should.
PENTHEUS
Pray, what do I resemble? Is not mine the carriage of Ino, or
Agave my own mother?
DIONYSUS
In seeing thee, I seem to see them in person. But this tress is
straying from its place, no longer as I bound it 'neath the snood.
PENTHEUS
I disarranged it from its place as I tossed it to and fro within
my chamber, in Bacchic ecstasy.
DIONYSUS
Well, I will rearrange it, since to tend thee is my care; hold
up thy head.
PENTHEUS
Come, put it straight; for on thee do I depend.
DIONYSUS
Thy girdle is loose, and the folds of thy dress do not hang evenly
below thy ankles.
PENTHEUS
I agree to that as regards the right side, but on the other my
dress hangs straight with my foot.
DIONYSUS
Surely thou wilt rank me first among thy friends, when contrary to
thy expectation thou findest the Bacchantes virtuous.
PENTHEUS
Shall I hold the thyrsus in the right or left hand to look most
like a Bacchanal?
DIONYSUS
Hold it in thy right hand, and step out with thy right foot; thy
change of mind compels thy praise.
PENTHEUS
Shall I be able to carry on my shoulders Cithaeron's glens, the
Bacchanals and all?
DIONYSUS
Yes, if so thou wilt; for though thy mind was erst diseased,
'tis now just as it should be.
PENTHEUS
Shall we take levers, or with my hands can I uproot it,
thrusting arm or shoulder 'neath its peaks?
DIONYSUS
No, no! destroy not the seats of the Nymphs and the haunts of Pan,
the place of his piping.
PENTHEUS
Well said! Women must not be mastered by brute force; amid the
pines will I conceal myself.
DIONYSUS
Thou shalt hide thee in the place that fate appoints, coming by
stealth to spy upon the Bacchanals.
PENTHEUS
Why, methinks they are already caught in the pleasant snares of
dalliance, like birds amid the brakes.
DIONYSUS
Set out with watchful heed then for this very purpose; maybe
thou wilt catch them, if thou be not first caught thyself.
PENTHEUS
Conduct me through the very heart of Thebes, for I am the only man
among them bold enough to do this deed.
DIONYSUS
Thou alone bearest thy country's burden, thou and none other;
wherefore there await thee such struggles as needs must. Follow me,
for I will guide thee safelythither; another shall bring thee thence.
PENTHEUS
My mother maybe.
DIONYSUS
For every eye to see.
PENTHEUS
My very purpose in going.
DIONYSUS
Thou shalt be carried back,
PENTHEUS
What luxury
DIONYSUS
In thy mother's arms.
PENTHEUS
Thou wilt e'en force me into luxury.
DIONYSUS
Yes, to luxury such as this.
PENTHEUS
Truly, the task I am undertaking deserves it.
Exit PENTHEUS.
DIONYSUS
Strange, ah! strange is thy career, leading to scenes of woe so
strange, that thou shalt achieve a fame that towers to heaven. Stretch
forth thy hands, Agave, and ye her sisters, daughters of Cadmus;
mighty is the strife to which I am bringing the youthful king, and the
victory shall rest with me and Bromius; all else the event will show.
Exit DIONYSUS.
CHORUS
To the hills! to the hills! fleet hounds of madness, where the
daughters of Cadmus hold their revels, goad them into wild fury
against the man disguised in woman's dress, a frenzied spy upon the
Maenads. First shall his mother mark him as he peers from some
smooth rock or riven tree, and thus to the Maenads she will call, "Who
is this of Cadmus' sons comes hasting to the mount, to the mountain
away, to spy on us, my Bacchanals? Whose child can he be? For he was
never born of woman's blood; but from some lioness maybe or Libyan
Gorgon is he sprung." Let justice appear and show herself, sword in
hand, to plunge it through and through the throat of the godless,
lawless, impious son of Echion, earth's monstrous child! who with
wicked heart and lawless rage, with mad intent and frantic purpose,
sets out to meddle with thy holy rites, and with thy mother's, Bacchic
god, thinking with his weak arm to master might as masterless as
thine. This is the life that saves all pain, if a man confine his
thoughts to human themes, as is his mortal nature, making no
pretence where heaven is concerned. I envy not deep subtleties; far
other joys have I, in tracking out great truths writ clear from all
eternity, that a man should live his life by day and night in purity
and holiness, striving toward a noble goal, and should honour the gods
by casting from him each ordinance that lies outside the pale of
right. Let justice show herself, advancing sword in hand to plunge
it through and through the throat of Echion's son, that godless,
lawless, and abandoned child of earth! Appear, O Bacchus, to our
eyes as a bull or serpent with a hundred heads, or take the shape of a
lion breathing flame! Oh! come, and with a mocking smile cast the
deadly noose about the hunter of thy Bacchanals, e'en as he swoops
upon the Maenads gathered yonder.
- costume [´kɔstju:m]
n.服装(试样)；女装 (初中英语单词) - victim [´viktim] n.牺牲者；受害者 (初中英语单词)
- breath [breθ] n.呼吸；气息 (初中英语单词)
- fearful [´fiəfəl] a.可怕的；担心的 (初中英语单词)
- lightning [´laitniŋ] n.闪电 a.突然的 (初中英语单词)
- wisdom [´wizdəm] n.智慧，聪明，才智 (初中英语单词)
- whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)
- sovereign [´sɔvrin] a.至高无上的 n.君主 (初中英语单词)
- wealth [welθ] n.财富，财产 (初中英语单词)
- resemble [ri´zembəl] vt.类似，象 (初中英语单词)
- carriage [´kæridʒ] n.马车；客车；货运 (初中英语单词)
- contrary [´kɔntrəri] a.相反的 n.相反 (初中英语单词)
- conceal [kən´si:l] vt.藏；隐瞒 (初中英语单词)
- safely [´seifli] ad.安全地；平安地 (初中英语单词)
- thither [´ðiðə] ad.到那里 a.那边的 (初中英语单词)
- luxury [´lʌkʃəri] n.奢侈(品)；享受 (初中英语单词)
- career [kə´riə] n.经历；生涯；职业 (初中英语单词)
- achieve [ə´tʃi:v] vt.完成；达到；获得 (初中英语单词)
- youthful [´ju:θfəl] a.年轻的；青年的 (初中英语单词)
- plunge [plʌndʒ] v.插进 n.投入；冲击 (初中英语单词)
- throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)
- intent [in´tent] a.专心致志的 n.意图 (初中英语单词)
- confine [kən´fain] vt.限制 n.边界；境界 (初中英语单词)
- hunter [´hʌntə] n.猎人；猎狗；猎马 (初中英语单词)
- vengeance [´vendʒəns] n.报复，复仇 (高中英语单词)
- whilst [wailst] conj.当...时候；虽然 (高中英语单词)
- ecstasy [´ekstəsi] n.狂喜；出神，入迷 (高中英语单词)
- foliage [´fəuli-idʒ] n.叶子，簇叶 (高中英语单词)
- mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)
- madness [´mædnis] n.疯狂；狂热 (高中英语单词)
- naught [nɔ:t] n.无；零 (高中英语单词)
- forbidden [fə´bidn] forbid的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- methinks [mi´θiŋks] vi.据我看来 (高中英语单词)
- seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
- chamber [´tʃeimbə] n.房间；议院；会议室 (高中英语单词)
- girdle [´gə:dl] n.腰带 vt.用带束(缠) (高中英语单词)
- expectation [,ekspek´teiʃən] n.期待(望)；预期 (高中英语单词)
- undertaking [,ʌndə´teikiŋ] n.任务；事业；计划 (高中英语单词)
- strife [straif] n.竞争；吵架；冲突 (高中英语单词)
- monstrous [´mɔnstrəs] a.怪异的；庞大的 (高中英语单词)
- frantic [´fræntik] a.发狂的；急忙的 (高中英语单词)
- meddle [´medl] vi.干涉(预)；乱弄 (高中英语单词)
- concerned [kən´sə:nd] a.有关的；担心的 (高中英语单词)
- serpent [´sə:pənt] n.大毒蛇；阴险的人 (高中英语单词)
- readiness [´redinis] n.准备就绪；愿意 (英语四级单词)
- forfeit [´fɔ:fit] n.罚金 a.丧失了的 (英语四级单词)
- frenzy [´frenzi] n.&vt.(使)狂乱 (英语四级单词)
- astray [ə´strei] ad.&a.在歧途上(的) (英语四级单词)
- huntsman [´hʌntsmən] n.猎人；管理猎犬的人 (英语四级单词)
- senseless [´sensləs] a.无知觉的；愚蠢的 (英语四级单词)
- myriad [´miriəd] n.极大数量 a.无数的 (英语四级单词)
- unworthy [ʌn´wə:ði] a.不值得的；不足道的 (英语四级单词)
- heretofore [,hiətu´fɔ:] ad.以前，迄今为止 (英语四级单词)
- watchful [´wɔtʃfəl] a.注意的；戒备的 (英语四级单词)
- lawless [´lɔ:ləs] a.无法无天的 (英语四级单词)
- ordinance [´ɔ:dinəns] n.法令；条令；条例 (英语四级单词)
- bloodshed [´blʌdʃed] n.流血；杀人 (英语六级单词)
- wayward [´weiwəd] a.任性的；不易控制的 (英语六级单词)
- mastery [´mɑ:stəri] n.精通；控制；优势 (英语六级单词)
- uproot [,ʌp´ru:t] vt.将...连根拔掉 (英语六级单词)
- impious [´impiəs] a.不敬的；不孝的 (英语六级单词)
- holiness [´həulinis] n.神圣 (英语六级单词)
- abandoned [ə´bændənd] a.被抛弃的；无约束的 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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