It will be unlike her former behaviour, then, I can tell thee,

if she opens her lips: for she hath not uttered one word, but hath



ever been travailing with the burden of her sorrow, and weeping

bitterly, poor girl, since she left her wind-swept home. Such a



state is grievous for herself, but claims our forbearance.

DEIANEIRA



Then let her be left in peace, and pass under our roof as she

wishes; her present woes must not be crowned with fresh pains at my



hands; she hath enough already.-Now let us all go in, that thou mayest

start speedily on thy journey, while I make all things ready in the



house.

(LICHAS leads the captives into the house. DEIANEIRA starts to



follow them, but the MESSENGER, who has been present during the entire

scene, detains her. He speaks as he moves nearer to her.)



MESSENGER

Ay, but first tarry here a brief space, that thou mayest learn,



apart from yonder folk, whom thou art taking to thy hearth, and mayest

gain the needful knowledge of things which have not been told to thee.



Of these I am in full possession.

DEIANEIRA



What means this? Why wouldest thou stay my departure?

MESSENGER



Pause and listen. My former story was worth thy hearing, and so

will this one be, methinks.



DEIANEIRA

Shall I call those others back? Or wilt thou speak before me and



these maidens?

MESSENGER



To thee and these I can speak freely; never mind the others.

DEIANEIRA



Well, they are gone;- so thy story can proceed.

MESSENGER



Yonder man was not speaking the straight-forward truth in aught

that he has just told. He has given false tidings now, or else his



former report was dishonest.

DEIANEIRA



How sayest thou? Explain thy whole drift clearly; thus far, thy

words are riddles to me.



MESSENGER

I heard this man declare, before many witnesses, that for this



maiden's sake Heracles overthrew Eurytus and the proud towers of

Oechalia; Love, alone of the gods, wrought on him to do those deeds of



arms,- not the toilsome servitude to Omphale in Lydia, nor the death

to which Iphitus was hurled. But now the herald has thrust Love out of



sight, and tells different tale.

Well, when he could not persuade her sire to give him the maiden



for his paramour, he devised some petty complaint as a pretext, and

made war upon her land,- that in which, as he said, this Eurytus



bore sway,- and slew the prince her father, and sacked her city. And

now, as thou seest, he comes sending her to this house not in careless



fashion, lady, nor like slave:-no, dream not of that,- it is not

likely, if his heart is kindled with desire.



I resolved, therefore, O Queen, to tell thee all that I had

heard from yonder man. Many others were listening to it, as I was,



in the public place where the Trachinians were assembled; and they can

convict him. If my words are unwelcome, I am grieved; but nevertheless



I have spoken out the truth.

DEIANEIRA



Ah me unhappy! In what plight do I stand? What secret bane have

received beneath my roof? Hapless that I am! Is she nameless, then, as



her convoy sware?

MESSENGER



Nay, illustrious by name as by birth; she is the daughter of

Eurytus, and was once called Iole; she of whose parentage Lichas could



say nothing, because, forsooth, he asked no questions.

LEADER OF THE CHORUS



Accursed, above other evil-doers, be the man whom deeds of

treachery dishonour!



DEIANEIRA

Ah, maidens, what am I to do? These latest tidings have bewildered



me!

LEADER



Go and inquire from Lichas; perchance he will tell the truth, if

thou constrain him to answer.



DEIANEIRA

• sacred [´seikrid] a.神圣的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)


• accord [ə´kɔ:d] n.&vi.符合 vt.给与 (初中英语单词)


• apollo [ə´pɔləu] n.阿波罗 (初中英语单词)


• quiver [´kwivə] v.抖动 n.颤动(声) (初中英语单词)


• goddess [´gɔdis] n.女神 (初中英语单词)


• sovereign [´sɔvrin] a.至高无上的 n.君主 (初中英语单词)


• captive [´kæptiv] n.俘虏；捕获物 (初中英语单词)


• tribute [´tribju:t] n.贡物；献礼；颂词 (初中英语单词)


• payment [´peimənt] n.支付；报酬；报偿 (初中英语单词)


• conquer [´kɔŋkə] v.征服；克服；抑制 (初中英语单词)


• solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)


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


• triumph [´traiəmf] n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• misery [´mizəri] n.痛苦；悲惨；穷困 (初中英语单词)


• faithful [´feiθfəl] a.忠实的；可靠的 (初中英语单词)


• victory [´viktəri] n.胜利，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• rejoice [ri´dʒɔis] v.(使)高兴；欢庆 (初中英语单词)


• reverse [ri´və:s] v.颠倒；(使)反向 (初中英语单词)


• maiden [´meidn] n.少女 a.未婚的 (初中英语单词)


• aspect [´æspekt] n.面貌；神色；方向 (初中英语单词)


• innocent [´inəsənt] a.无罪的；单纯的 (初中英语单词)


• unlike [,ʌn´laik] a.不同的 prep.不象… (初中英语单词)


• messenger [´mesindʒə] n.使者；送信人 (初中英语单词)


• freely [´fri:li] ad.自由地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)


• wrought [rɔ:t] work 的过去式(分词) (初中英语单词)


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


• complaint [kəm´pleint] n.抱怨；叫屈 (初中英语单词)


• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)


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


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


• joyous [´dʒɔiəs] a.充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)


• strain [strein] vt.拉紧 vi.拖 n.张力 (高中英语单词)


• hearth [hɑ:θ] n.炉边；家庭(生活) (高中英语单词)


• reject [ri´dʒekt] vt.拒绝；抵制；否决 (高中英语单词)


• tidings [´taidiŋz] n.消息，音信 (高中英语单词)


• herald [´herəld] n.先驱；预兆 vt.预示 (高中英语单词)


• vigorous [´vigərəs] a.精力旺盛的；健壮的 (高中英语单词)


• fruitful [´fru:tfəl] a.成功的；丰富的 (高中英语单词)


• plight [plait] n.境况；困境；苦境 (高中英语单词)


• reproach [ri´prəutʃ] vt.&n.责备；指责；耻辱 (高中英语单词)


• misfortune [mis´fɔ:tʃən] n.不幸；灾祸 (高中英语单词)


• banquet [´bæŋkwit] n.宴会，盛宴 (高中英语单词)


• summit [´sʌmit] n.顶(点)；绝顶 (高中英语单词)


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


• openly [´əupənli] ad.公开地；直率地 (高中英语单词)


• prudent [´pru:dənt] a.谨慎的；精明的 (高中英语单词)


• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)


• illustrious [i´lʌstriəs] a.杰出的，显赫的 (高中英语单词)


• uplift [ʌp´lift, ´ʌplift] vt.提高；振奋(精神) (英语四级单词)


• amidst [ə´midst] prep.=amid (英语四级单词)


• bondage [´bɔndidʒ] n.奴役；束缚 (英语四级单词)


• barbarian [bɑ:´beəriən] a.&n.野蛮(人)的 (英语四级单词)


• calamity [kə´læmiti] n.灾害，大灾难 (英语四级单词)


• righteous [´raitʃəs] a.正直的；正当的 (英语四级单词)


• perchance [pə´tʃɑ:ns] ad.偶然；可能 (英语四级单词)


• grievous [´gri:vəs] a.痛苦的；严重的 (英语四级单词)


• speedily [´spi:dili] ad.迅速地 (英语四级单词)


• resolved [ri´zɔlvd] a.决心的；坚定的 (英语四级单词)


• constrain [kən´strein] vt.强逼；强使 (英语四级单词)


• scythe [saið] n.长柄大镰刀 (英语六级单词)


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


• headland [´hedlənd] n.岬 (英语六级单词)


• forecast [´fɔ:kɑ:st] vt.&n.预测；预报 (英语六级单词)


• assured [ə´ʃuəd] a.确实的 n.被保险人 (英语六级单词)


• misgiving [mis´giviŋ] n.疑虑，忧虑 (英语六级单词)


• homeless [´həumlis] a.无家的 (英语六级单词)


• visitation [,vizi´teiʃən] n.访问；视察；检查 (英语六级单词)


• hapless [´hæpləs] a.不幸的；倒楣的 (英语六级单词)


• speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)


• overthrew [,əuvə´θru:] voerthrow的过去式 (英语六级单词)


• servitude [´sə:vitju:d] n.奴隶状态；苦役 (英语六级单词)


• unwelcome [ʌn´welkəm] a.不受欢迎的 n.冷淡 (英语六级单词)


• nameless [´neimlis] a.无名字的；无名声的 (英语六级单词)