CREON

Soon wilt thou be thrust out forcibly by the hand of servants.



MEDEA

Not that, not that, I do entreat thee, Creon



CREON

Thou wilt cause disturbance yet, it seems.



MEDEA

I will begone; I ask thee not this boon to grant.



CREON

Why then this violence? why dost thou not depart?



MEDEA

Suffer me to abide this single day and devise some plan for the



manner of my exile, and means of living for my children, since their

father cares not to provide his babes therewith. Then pity them;



thou too hast children of thine own; thou needs must have a kindly

heart. For my own lot I care naught, though I an exile am, but for



those babes I weep, that they should learn what sorrow means.

CREON



Mine is a nature anything but harsh; full oft by showing pity have

suffered shipwreck; and now albeit I clearly see my error, yet shalt



thou gain this request, lady; but I do forewarn thee, if tomorrow's

rising sun shall find thee and thy children within the borders of this



land, thou diest; my word is spoken and it will not lie. So now, if

abide thou must, stay this one day only, for in it thou canst not do



any of the fearful deeds I dread.

(CREON and his retinue go out.)



CHORUS (chanting)

Ah! poor lady, woe is thee! Alas, for thy sorrows! Whither wilt



thou turn? What protection, what home or country to save thee from thy

troubles wilt thou find? O Medea, in what a hopeless sea of misery



heaven hath plunged thee!

MEDEA



On all sides sorrow pens me in. Who shall gainsay this? But all is

not yet lost! think not so. Still are there troubles in store for



the new bride, and for her bridegroom no light toil. Dost think I

would ever have fawned on yonder man, unless to gain some end or



form some scheme? Nay, would not so much as have spoken to him or

touched him with my hand. But he has in folly so far stepped in



that, though he might have checked my plot by banishing me from the

land, he hath allowed me to abide this day, in which I will lay low in



death three of my enemies-a father and his daughter and my husband

too. Now, though I have many ways to compass their death, I am not



sure, friends, which I am to try first. Shall I set fire to the bridal

mansion, or plunge the whetted sword through their hearts, softly



stealing into the chamber where their couch is spread? One thing

stands in my way. If I am caught making my way into the chamber,



intent on my design, I shall be put to death and cause my foes to

mock, 'Twere best to take the shortest way-the way we women are most



skilled in-by poison to destroy them. Well, suppose them dead; what

city will receive me? What friendly host will give me a shelter in



his land, a home secure, and save my soul alive? None. So I will

wait yet a little while in case some tower of defence rise up for



me; then will I proceed to this bloody deed in crafty silence; but

if some unexpected mischance drive me forth, I will with mine own hand



seize the sword, e'en though I die for it, and slay them, and go forth

on my bold path of daring. By that dread queen whom I revere before



all others and have chosen to share my task, by Hecate who dwells

within my inmost chamber, not one of them shall wound my heart and rue



it not. Bitter and sad will I make their marriage for them; bitter

shall be the wooing of it, bitter my exile from the land. Up, then,



Medea, spare not the secrets of thy art in plotting and devising; on

to the danger. Now comes a struggle needing courage. Dost see what



thou art suffering? 'Tis not for thee to be a laughing-stock to the

race of Sisyphus by reason of this wedding of Jason, sprung, as thou



art, from noble sire, and of the Sun-god's race. Thou hast cunning;

and, more than this, we women, though by nature little apt for



virtuous deeds, are most expert to fashion any mischief.

CHORUS (singing)



strophe 1

• bitterly [´bitəli] ad.悲痛地；憎恨地 (初中英语单词)


• traitor [´treitə] n.叛徒，卖国贼 (初中英语单词)


• witness [´witnis] n.见证人 vt.目击 (初中英语单词)


• chorus [´kɔ:rəs] n.合唱；齐声 v.合唱 (初中英语单词)


• likewise [´laikwaiz] ad.同样地；也，又 (初中英语单词)


• learnt [lə:nt] learn 的过去式(分词) (初中英语单词)


• disaster [di´zɑ:stə] n.灾难，不幸 (初中英语单词)


• resign [ri´zain] v.辞职；放弃；委托 (初中英语单词)


• existence [ig´zistəns] n.存在；生存；生活 (初中英语单词)


• divorce [di´vɔ:s] n.离婚 vt.同….离婚 (初中英语单词)


• honourable [´ɔnərəbəl] a.荣誉的；正直的 (初中英语单词)


• partner [´pɑ:tnə] n.伙伴 v.同….合作 (初中英语单词)


• disgust [dis´gʌst] n.厌恶 vt.令(人)作呕 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• captive [´kæptiv] n.俘虏；捕获物 (初中英语单词)


• refuge [´refju:dʒ] v.&n.避难(所)；庇护 (初中英语单词)


• treatment [´tri:tmənt] n.待遇；对待；治疗 (初中英语单词)


• coward [´kauəd] n.胆怯者 a.胆小的 (初中英语单词)


• hither [´hiðə] ad.到此处 (初中英语单词)


• sentence [´sentəns] n.判决 vt.宣判；处刑 (初中英语单词)


• destruction [di´strʌkʃən] n.破坏，毁灭 (初中英语单词)


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


• wretched [´retʃid] a.可怜的；倒霉的 (初中英语单词)


• expert [´ekspə:t] n.&a.专家；内行 (初中英语单词)


• affection [ə´fekʃən] n.友爱；慈爱 (初中英语单词)


• hatred [´heitrid] n.憎恨，敌意 (初中英语单词)


• soften [´sɔfən] v.使(变)软(柔和) (初中英语单词)


• mischief [´mistʃif] n.伤害；故障；调皮 (初中英语单词)


• generation [,dʒenə´reiʃən] n.发生；世代；同龄人 (初中英语单词)


• import [im´pɔ:t, ´impɔ:t] vt.&n.进口；输入 (初中英语单词)


• learning [´lə:niŋ] n.学习；学问；知识 (初中英语单词)


• useless [´ju:sləs] a.无用的，无价值的 (初中英语单词)


• cunning [´kʌniŋ] a.&n.狡猾(诡诈)的 (初中英语单词)


• dislike [dis´laik] vt.&n.不喜爱，厌恶 (初中英语单词)


• harmony [´hɑ:məni] n.调合，协调，和谐 (初中英语单词)


• persuade [pə´sweid] v.(被)说服；使相信 (初中英语单词)


• thrust [θrʌst] v.&n.猛推；冲；刺；挤进 (初中英语单词)


• violence [´vaiələns] n.猛烈；暴力(行) (初中英语单词)


• therewith [ðɛə´wið] ad.于是，随即 (初中英语单词)


• spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• fearful [´fiəfəl] a.可怕的；担心的 (初中英语单词)


• protection [prə´tekʃən] n.警戒；护照；通行证 (初中英语单词)


• scheme [ski:m] n.计划；阴谋，诡计 (初中英语单词)


• compass [´kʌmpəs] n.指南针；圆规 (初中英语单词)


• plunge [plʌndʒ] v.插进 n.投入；冲击 (初中英语单词)


• poison [´pɔizən] n.毒物 v.毒害 a.有毒的 (初中英语单词)


• bloody [´blʌdi] a.(流)血的；血腥的 (初中英语单词)


• suffering [´sʌfəriŋ] n.痛苦；灾害 (初中英语单词)


• wedding [´wediŋ] n.婚礼，结婚 (初中英语单词)


• banquet [´bæŋkwit] n.宴会，盛宴 (高中英语单词)


• amongst [ə´mʌŋst] prep.其中之一 =among (高中英语单词)


• commend [kə´mend] vt.把…交托给；称赞 (高中英语单词)


• tyrant [´taiərənt] n.暴君；霸主；专制君主 (高中英语单词)


• whilst [wailst] conj.当…时候；虽然 (高中英语单词)


• reasoning [´ri:zəniŋ] n.推理，评理 a.推理的 (高中英语单词)


• gladly [´glædli] ad.愉快地，高兴地 (高中英语单词)


• devise [di´vaiz] vt.设计，发明 (高中英语单词)


• avenge [ə´vendʒ] vt.替…报仇 (高中英语单词)


• vengeance [´vendʒəns] n.报复，复仇 (高中英语单词)


• sullen [´sʌlən] a.不高兴的 (高中英语单词)


• bearing [´beəriŋ] n.举止；忍耐；关系 (高中英语单词)


• repent [ri´pent] v.后悔；悔改；悔悟 (高中英语单词)


• wisely [´waizli] ad.明智地，聪明地 (高中英语单词)


• grudge [grʌdʒ] vt.&n.吝啬；怨恨 (高中英语单词)


• banish [´bæniʃ] vt.流放；消除(顾虑等) (高中英语单词)


• mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)


• scourge [skə:dʒ] v.&n.鞭(打)；严惩 (高中英语单词)


• disturbance [di´stə:bəns] n.扰乱，骚动 (高中英语单词)


• naught [nɔ:t] n.无；零 (高中英语单词)


• hopeless [´həupləs] a.无望的，无可救药的 (高中英语单词)


• chamber [´tʃeimbə] n.房间；议院；会议室 (高中英语单词)


• unexpected [ʌniks´pektid] a.突然的；意外的 (高中英语单词)


• sprung [sprʌŋ] spring的过去分词 (高中英语单词)


• boundless [´baundlis] a.无边无际的 (英语四级单词)


• gotten [´gɔtn] get的过去分词 (英语四级单词)


• reputation [repju´teiʃən] n.名誉；名声；信誉 (英语四级单词)


• loathe [ləuð] vt.厌恶，嫌恶 (英语四级单词)


• wherefore [´weəfɔ:] ad.为什么；因此 (英语四级单词)


• entreat [in´tri:t] vt.恳求，恳请 (英语四级单词)


• shipwreck [´ʃiprek] n.&v.(船)失事；毁灭 (英语四级单词)


• bridegroom [´braidgru:m] n.新郎 (英语四级单词)


• daring [´deəriŋ] a.&n.勇敢(的) (英语四级单词)


• spouse [spauz] n.配偶 (英语六级单词)


• destitute [´destitju:t] a.贫穷的；缺乏…的 (英语六级单词)


• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)


• herein [,hiər´in] ad.在此，鉴于 (英语六级单词)


• forcibly [´fɔ:səbli] ad.强行地，强烈地 (英语六级单词)


• albeit [ɔ:l´bi:it] conj.即使；纵使；虽然 (英语六级单词)


• crafty [´krɑ:fti] a.狡猾的 (英语六级单词)


• revere [ri´viə] vt.尊敬；敬畏 (英语六级单词)