章节正文
shall I betray the faith I owe my husband, Menelaus, who is fighting
before Troy."
EURIPIDES
"What are you saying? Turn your face towards me."
MNESILOCHUS
"I dare not; my cheeks show the marks of the insults I have been
forced to suffer."
EURIPIDES
"Oh! great gods! I cannot speak, for very emotion.... Ah! what
do I see? Who are you?"
MNESILOCHUS
"And you, what is your name? for my surprise is as great as
yours."
EURIPIDES
"Are you Grecian or born in this country?"
MNESILOCHUS
"I am Grecian. But now your name, what is it?"
EURIPIDES
"Oh how you resemble Helen!
MNESILOCHUS
"And you Menelaus, if I can judge by these pot-herbs."
EURIPIDES
"You are not mistaken, 'tis none other than that unfortunate
mortal who stands before you."
MNESILOCHUS
"Ah! how you have delayed coming to your wife's arms! Press me
to your heart, throw your arms about me, for I wish to cover you
with kisses. Carry me away, carry me away, quick, quick, far, very far
from here."
SECOND WOMAN
By the goddesses, woe to him who would carry you away! I should
thrash him with my torch.
EURIPIDES
"Do you propose to prevent me from taking my wife, the daughter of
Tyndareus, to Sparta?"
SECOND WOMAN
You seem to me to be a cunningrascal too; you are in collusion
with this man, and it wasn't for nothing that you kept babbling
about Egypt. But the hour for punishment has come; here is the
Magistrate with his Scythian.
EURIPIDES
This is getting awkward. Let me hide myself.
MNESILOCHUS
And what is to become of me, poor unfortunate man that I am?
EURIPIDES
Don't worry. I shall never abandon you, as long as I draw breath
and one of my numberless artifices remains untried.
MNESILOCHUS
The fish has not bitten this time.
(A MAGISTRATE enters, accompanied by a Scythian policeman.)
MAGISTRATE
Is this the rascal Clisthenes told us about? Why are you trying to
make yourself so small? Officer, arrest him, fasten him to the post,
then take up your position there and keep guard over him. Let none
approach him. A sound lash with your whip for him who attempts to
break the order.
SECOND WOMAN
Excellent, for just now a rogue almost took him from me.
MNESILOCHUS
Magistrate, in the name of that hand which you know so well how to
bend when money is placed in it, grant me a slight favour before I
die.
MAGISTRATE
What favour?
MNESILOCHUS
Order the archer to strip me before lashing me to the post; the
crows, when they make their meal on the poor old man, would laugh
too much at this robe and head-dress,
MAGISTRATE
It is in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the
Senate, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.
(He departs.)
MNESILOCHUS (as the SCYTHIAN seizes him)
Oh! cursed robe, the cause of all my misfortune! My last hope is
thus destroyed!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Let us now devote ourselves to the sports which the women are
accustomed to celebrate here, when time has again brought round the
mighty Mysteries of the great goddesses, the sacred days which
Pauson himself honours by fasting and would wish feast to succeed
feast, that he might keep them all holy. Spring forward with a light
step, whirling in mazy circles; let your hands interlace, let the
eager and rapid dancers sway to the music and glance on every side
as they move.
CHORUS (singing)
Let the chorus sing likewise and praise the Olympian gods in their
pious transport. It's wrong to suppose that, because I am a woman
and in this temple, I am going to speak ill of men; but since we
want something fresh, we are going through the rhythmic steps of the
round dance for the first time.
Start off while you sing to the god of the lyre and to the
chaste goddess armed with the bow. Hail I thou god who flingest thy
darts so far, grant us the victory! The homage of our song is also due
to Here, the goddess of marriage, who interests herself in every
chorus and guards the approach to the nuptial couch. I also pray
Hermes, the god of the shepherds, and Pan and the beloved Graces to
bestow a benevolent smile upon our songs.
Let us lead off anew, let us double our zeal during our solemn
days, and especially let us observe a close fast; let us form fresh
measures that keep good time, and may our songs resound to the very
heavens. Do thou, oh divine Bacchus, who art crowned with ivy,
direct our chorus; 'tis to thee that both my hymns and my dances are
dedicated; oh, Evius, oh, Bromius, oh, thou son of Semeld, oh,
Bacchus, who delightest to mingle with the dear choruses of the nymphs
upon the mountains, and who repeatest, while dancing with them, the
sacred hymn, Euios, Euios, Euoi! Echo, the nymph of Cithaeron, returns
thy words, which resound beneath the dark vaults of the thick
foliage and in the midst of the rocks of the forest; the ivy enlaces
thy brow with its tendrils charged with flowers.
SCYTHIAN (he speaks with a heavy foreign accent)
You shall stay here in the open air to wail.
MNESILOCHUS
Archer, I adjure you.
SCYTHIAN
You're wasting your breath.
MNESILOCHUS
Loosen the wedge a little.
SCYTHIAN
Aye, certainly.
MNESILOCHUS
Oh by the gods! why, you are driving it in tighter.
SCYTHIAN
Is that enough?
MNESILOCHUS
Oh! Oh! Ow! Ow! May the plague take you!
SCYTHIAN
Silence! you cursed old wretch! I am going to get a mat to lie
upon, so as to watch you close at hand at my ease.
MNESILOCHUS
Ah! what exquisite pleasures Euripides is securing for me! But,
oh, ye gods! oh, Zeus the Deliverer, all is not yet lost! I don't
believe him the man to break his word; I just caught sight of him
appearing in the form of Perseus, and he told me with a mysterious
sign to turn myself into Andromeda. And in truth am I not really
bound? It's certain, then, that be is coming to my rescue; for
otherwise he would not have steered his flight this way.
(As Andromeda, singing)
Oh Nymphs, ye virgins who are so dear to me, how am I to
approach him? how can I escape the sight of this Scythian? And Echo,
thou who reignest in the inmost recesses of the caves, oh! favour my
cause and permit me to approach my spouse. A pitilessruffian has
chained up the most unfortunate of mortal maids. Alas! I bad barely
escaped the filthy claws of an old fury, when another mischance
overtook me! This Scythian does not take his eye off me and he has
exposed me as food for the crows. Alas! what is to become of me, alone
here and without friends! I am not seen mingling in the dances nor
in the games of my companions, but heavily loaded with fetters I am
given over to the voracity of a Glaucetes. Sing no bridal hymn for me,
oh women, but rather the hymn of captivity, and in tears. Ah! how I
suffer! great gods! how I suffer! Alas! alas! and through my own
relatives too! My misery would make Tartarus dissolve into tears!
Alas! in my terrible distress, I implore the mortal who first shaved
me and depilated me, then dressed me in this long robe, and then
sent me to this Temple into the midst of the women, to save me. Oh!
thou pitiless Fate! I am then accursed, great gods! Ah! who would
not be moved at the sight of the appalling tortures under which I
succumb? Would that the blazing shaft of the lightning would
wither.... this barbarian for me! The immortal light has no further
charm for my eyes since I have been descending the shortest path to
the dead, tied up, strangled, and maddened with pain.
(In the following scene EURIPIDES, from off stage, impersonates
Echo.)
EURIPIDES
Hail! beloved girl. As for your father, Cepheus, who has exposed
you in this guise, may the gods annihilate him.
MNESILOCHUS
And who are you whom my misfortunes have moved to pity?
EURIPIDES
I am Echo, the nymph who repeats all she hears. It was I, who last
year lent my help to Euripides in this very place. But, my child, give
yourself up to the sad laments that belong to your pitiful condition.
MNESILOCHUS
And you will repeat them?
EURIPIDES
I will not fail you. Begin.
MNESILOCHUS (singing)
"Oh! thou divine Night! how slowly thy chariot threads its way
through the starry vault, across the sacred realms of the Air and
mighty Olympus."
EURIPIDES (singing)
Mighty Olympus.
MNESILOCHUS (singing)
"Why is it necessary that Andromeda should have all the woes for
her share?
EURIPIDES (singing)
For her share.
MNESILOCHUS (speaking)
"Sad death!
EURIPIDES
Sad death!
MNESILOCHUS
You weary me, old babbler.
EURIPIDES
Old babbler.
MNESILOCHUS
Oh! you are too unbearable.
EURIPIDES
Unbearable.
MNESILOCHUS
Friend, let me talk by myself. Do please let me. Come, that's
enough.
before Troy."
EURIPIDES
"What are you saying? Turn your face towards me."
MNESILOCHUS
"I dare not; my cheeks show the marks of the insults I have been
forced to suffer."
EURIPIDES
"Oh! great gods! I cannot speak, for very emotion.... Ah! what
do I see? Who are you?"
MNESILOCHUS
"And you, what is your name? for my surprise is as great as
yours."
EURIPIDES
"Are you Grecian or born in this country?"
MNESILOCHUS
"I am Grecian. But now your name, what is it?"
EURIPIDES
"Oh how you resemble Helen!
MNESILOCHUS
"And you Menelaus, if I can judge by these pot-herbs."
EURIPIDES
"You are not mistaken, 'tis none other than that unfortunate
mortal who stands before you."
MNESILOCHUS
"Ah! how you have delayed coming to your wife's arms! Press me
to your heart, throw your arms about me, for I wish to cover you
with kisses. Carry me away, carry me away, quick, quick, far, very far
from here."
SECOND WOMAN
By the goddesses, woe to him who would carry you away! I should
thrash him with my torch.
EURIPIDES
"Do you propose to prevent me from taking my wife, the daughter of
Tyndareus, to Sparta?"
SECOND WOMAN
You seem to me to be a cunningrascal too; you are in collusion
with this man, and it wasn't for nothing that you kept babbling
about Egypt. But the hour for punishment has come; here is the
Magistrate with his Scythian.
EURIPIDES
This is getting awkward. Let me hide myself.
MNESILOCHUS
And what is to become of me, poor unfortunate man that I am?
EURIPIDES
Don't worry. I shall never abandon you, as long as I draw breath
and one of my numberless artifices remains untried.
MNESILOCHUS
The fish has not bitten this time.
(A MAGISTRATE enters, accompanied by a Scythian policeman.)
MAGISTRATE
Is this the rascal Clisthenes told us about? Why are you trying to
make yourself so small? Officer, arrest him, fasten him to the post,
then take up your position there and keep guard over him. Let none
approach him. A sound lash with your whip for him who attempts to
break the order.
SECOND WOMAN
Excellent, for just now a rogue almost took him from me.
MNESILOCHUS
Magistrate, in the name of that hand which you know so well how to
bend when money is placed in it, grant me a slight favour before I
die.
MAGISTRATE
What favour?
MNESILOCHUS
Order the archer to strip me before lashing me to the post; the
crows, when they make their meal on the poor old man, would laugh
too much at this robe and head-dress,
MAGISTRATE
It is in that gear that you must be exposed by order of the
Senate, so that your crime may be patent to the passers-by.
(He departs.)
MNESILOCHUS (as the SCYTHIAN seizes him)
Oh! cursed robe, the cause of all my misfortune! My last hope is
thus destroyed!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Let us now devote ourselves to the sports which the women are
accustomed to celebrate here, when time has again brought round the
mighty Mysteries of the great goddesses, the sacred days which
Pauson himself honours by fasting and would wish feast to succeed
feast, that he might keep them all holy. Spring forward with a light
step, whirling in mazy circles; let your hands interlace, let the
eager and rapid dancers sway to the music and glance on every side
as they move.
CHORUS (singing)
Let the chorus sing likewise and praise the Olympian gods in their
pious transport. It's wrong to suppose that, because I am a woman
and in this temple, I am going to speak ill of men; but since we
want something fresh, we are going through the rhythmic steps of the
round dance for the first time.
Start off while you sing to the god of the lyre and to the
chaste goddess armed with the bow. Hail I thou god who flingest thy
darts so far, grant us the victory! The homage of our song is also due
to Here, the goddess of marriage, who interests herself in every
chorus and guards the approach to the nuptial couch. I also pray
Hermes, the god of the shepherds, and Pan and the beloved Graces to
bestow a benevolent smile upon our songs.
Let us lead off anew, let us double our zeal during our solemn
days, and especially let us observe a close fast; let us form fresh
measures that keep good time, and may our songs resound to the very
heavens. Do thou, oh divine Bacchus, who art crowned with ivy,
direct our chorus; 'tis to thee that both my hymns and my dances are
dedicated; oh, Evius, oh, Bromius, oh, thou son of Semeld, oh,
Bacchus, who delightest to mingle with the dear choruses of the nymphs
upon the mountains, and who repeatest, while dancing with them, the
sacred hymn, Euios, Euios, Euoi! Echo, the nymph of Cithaeron, returns
thy words, which resound beneath the dark vaults of the thick
foliage and in the midst of the rocks of the forest; the ivy enlaces
thy brow with its tendrils charged with flowers.
SCYTHIAN (he speaks with a heavy foreign accent)
You shall stay here in the open air to wail.
MNESILOCHUS
Archer, I adjure you.
SCYTHIAN
You're wasting your breath.
MNESILOCHUS
Loosen the wedge a little.
SCYTHIAN
Aye, certainly.
MNESILOCHUS
Oh by the gods! why, you are driving it in tighter.
SCYTHIAN
Is that enough?
MNESILOCHUS
Oh! Oh! Ow! Ow! May the plague take you!
SCYTHIAN
Silence! you cursed old wretch! I am going to get a mat to lie
upon, so as to watch you close at hand at my ease.
MNESILOCHUS
Ah! what exquisite pleasures Euripides is securing for me! But,
oh, ye gods! oh, Zeus the Deliverer, all is not yet lost! I don't
believe him the man to break his word; I just caught sight of him
appearing in the form of Perseus, and he told me with a mysterious
sign to turn myself into Andromeda. And in truth am I not really
bound? It's certain, then, that be is coming to my rescue; for
otherwise he would not have steered his flight this way.
(As Andromeda, singing)
Oh Nymphs, ye virgins who are so dear to me, how am I to
approach him? how can I escape the sight of this Scythian? And Echo,
thou who reignest in the inmost recesses of the caves, oh! favour my
cause and permit me to approach my spouse. A pitilessruffian has
chained up the most unfortunate of mortal maids. Alas! I bad barely
escaped the filthy claws of an old fury, when another mischance
overtook me! This Scythian does not take his eye off me and he has
exposed me as food for the crows. Alas! what is to become of me, alone
here and without friends! I am not seen mingling in the dances nor
in the games of my companions, but heavily loaded with fetters I am
given over to the voracity of a Glaucetes. Sing no bridal hymn for me,
oh women, but rather the hymn of captivity, and in tears. Ah! how I
suffer! great gods! how I suffer! Alas! alas! and through my own
relatives too! My misery would make Tartarus dissolve into tears!
Alas! in my terrible distress, I implore the mortal who first shaved
me and depilated me, then dressed me in this long robe, and then
sent me to this Temple into the midst of the women, to save me. Oh!
thou pitiless Fate! I am then accursed, great gods! Ah! who would
not be moved at the sight of the appalling tortures under which I
succumb? Would that the blazing shaft of the lightning would
wither.... this barbarian for me! The immortal light has no further
charm for my eyes since I have been descending the shortest path to
the dead, tied up, strangled, and maddened with pain.
(In the following scene EURIPIDES, from off stage, impersonates
Echo.)
EURIPIDES
Hail! beloved girl. As for your father, Cepheus, who has exposed
you in this guise, may the gods annihilate him.
MNESILOCHUS
And who are you whom my misfortunes have moved to pity?
EURIPIDES
I am Echo, the nymph who repeats all she hears. It was I, who last
year lent my help to Euripides in this very place. But, my child, give
yourself up to the sad laments that belong to your pitiful condition.
MNESILOCHUS
And you will repeat them?
EURIPIDES
I will not fail you. Begin.
MNESILOCHUS (singing)
"Oh! thou divine Night! how slowly thy chariot threads its way
through the starry vault, across the sacred realms of the Air and
mighty Olympus."
EURIPIDES (singing)
Mighty Olympus.
MNESILOCHUS (singing)
"Why is it necessary that Andromeda should have all the woes for
her share?
EURIPIDES (singing)
For her share.
MNESILOCHUS (speaking)
"Sad death!
EURIPIDES
Sad death!
MNESILOCHUS
You weary me, old babbler.
EURIPIDES
Old babbler.
MNESILOCHUS
Oh! you are too unbearable.
EURIPIDES
Unbearable.
MNESILOCHUS
Friend, let me talk by myself. Do please let me. Come, that's
enough.
- betray [bi´trei]
vt.背叛；辜负；暴露 (初中英语单词) - emotion [i´məuʃən] n.感情；情绪；激动 (初中英语单词)
- resemble [ri´zembəl] vt.类似，象 (初中英语单词)
- cunning [´kʌniŋ] a.&n.狡猾(诡诈)的 (初中英语单词)
- punishment [´pʌniʃmənt] n.罚，刑罚 (初中英语单词)
- unfortunate [ʌn´fɔ:tʃunit] a.不幸的，运气差的 (初中英语单词)
- abandon [ə´bændən] vt.抛弃，放弃，离弃 (初中英语单词)
- arrest [ə´rest] vt.逮捕 n.逮捕；停止 (初中英语单词)
- fasten [´fɑ:sən] v.扎牢；闩住；钉牢 (初中英语单词)
- patent [´peitənt, ´pæ-] a.专利的 n.专利品 (初中英语单词)
- celebrate [´selibreit] vt.庆祝；表扬；赞美 (初中英语单词)
- sacred [´seikrid] a.神圣的；庄严的 (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)
- transport [træn´spɔ:t] n.运输；流放 (初中英语单词)
- temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)
- goddess [´gɔdis] n.女神 (初中英语单词)
- beloved [bi´lʌvd] a.为....所爱的 n.爱人 (初中英语单词)
- divine [di´vain] a.神圣的 v.预言 (初中英语单词)
- mingle [´miŋgəl] v.(使)混合；交往 (初中英语单词)
- rescue [´reskju:] vt.&n.救援；挽救 (初中英语单词)
- flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)
- misery [´mizəri] n.痛苦；悲惨；穷困 (初中英语单词)
- dissolve [di´zɔlv] v.(使)溶解；解除 (初中英语单词)
- distress [di´stres] n.痛苦 vt.使苦恼 (初中英语单词)
- lightning [´laitniŋ] n.闪电 a.突然的 (初中英语单词)
- immortal [i´mɔ:təl] a.不死的n.不朽的人物 (初中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- mistaken [mis´teikən] mistake的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- rascal [´rɑ:skəl] n.流氓 (高中英语单词)
- awkward [´ɔ:kwəd] a.笨拙的；为难的 (高中英语单词)
- archer [´ɑ:tʃə] n.射手，弓箭手 (高中英语单词)
- homage [´hɔmidʒ] n.敬意，尊敬 (高中英语单词)
- plague [pleig] n.瘟疫 vt.使...染疫 (高中英语单词)
- exquisite [ik´skwizit] a.精巧的；敏锐的 (高中英语单词)
- mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)
- captivity [kæp´tiviti] n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 (高中英语单词)
- implore [im´plɔ:] vt.乞求，恳求 (高中英语单词)
- pitiful [´pitifəl] a.可怜的；慈悲的 (高中英语单词)
- chariot [´tʃæriət] n.古时双轮战车 (高中英语单词)
- bitten [´bitn] bite的过去分词 (英语四级单词)
- trying [´traiiŋ] a.难堪的；费劲的 (英语四级单词)
- resound [ri´zaund] v.(使)回响；鸣响 (英语四级单词)
- wasting [´weistiŋ] a.&n.浪费(的) (英语四级单词)
- filthy [´filθi] a.污秽的，肮脏的 (英语四级单词)
- bridal [´braidl] a.&n.婚礼(的) (英语四级单词)
- accursed [ə´kə:sid] a.被诅咒的；可憎的 (英语四级单词)
- appalling [ə´pɔ:liŋ] a.令人震惊的 (英语四级单词)
- barbarian [bɑ:´beəriən] a.&n.野蛮(人)的 (英语四级单词)
- annihilate [ə´naiəleit] vt.歼灭；消灭 (英语四级单词)
- starry [´stɑ:ri] a.星光照耀的，闪亮的 (英语四级单词)
- grecian [´gri:ʃən] a.古希腊的 n.希腊人 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- numberless [´nʌmbələs] a.无号码的；数不清的 (英语六级单词)
- nuptial [´nʌpʃəl] a.婚姻的 n.婚礼 (英语六级单词)
- benevolent [bi´nevələnt] a.仁慈的；乐善好施的 (英语六级单词)
- deliverer [di´livərə] n.投递者；拯救者 (英语六级单词)
- spouse [spauz] n.配偶 (英语六级单词)
- pitiless [´pitiləs] a.无怜悯心的；无情的 (英语六级单词)
- ruffian [´rʌfiən] n.流氓 a.残暴的 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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