hippolytus-第6节
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written her bidding as to my marriage and her children？ Take heart；
poor ghost； no wife henceforth shall wed thy Theseus or invade his
house。 Ah！ how yon en ring affects my sight！ Come； I will unfold the
sealed packet and read her letter's message to me。
CHORUS （chanting）
Woe unto us！ Here is yet another evil in the train by heaven sent。
Looking to what has happened； I should count my lot in life no
longer worth one's while to gain。 My master's house； alas！ is
ruined； brought to naught； I say。 Spare it； O Heaven； if it may be。
Hearken to my prayer； for I see； as with prophetic eye； an omen boding
ill。
THESEUS
O horror！ woe on woe！ and still they come； too deep for words；
to heavy to bear。 Ah me！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
What is it？ speak； if I may share in it。
THESEUS （chanting）
This letter loudly tells a hideous tale！ where can I escape my
load of woe？ For I am ruined and undone； so awful are the words I find
here written clear as if she cried them to me； woe is me！
LEADER
Alas！ thy words declare themselves the harbingers of woe。
THESEUS
I can no longer keep the cursed tale within the portal of my lips；
cruel though its utterance be。 Ah me！ Hippolytus hath dared by
brutal force to violate my honour； recking naught of Zeus； whose awful
eye is over all。 O father Poseidon； once didst thou promise to
fulfil three prayers of mine； answer one of these and slay my son； let
him not escape this single day； if the prayers thou gavest me were
indeed with issue fraught。
LEADER
O king； I do conjure thee； call back that prayer； hereafter thou
wilt know thy error。 Hear； I pray。
THESEUS
It cannot be！ Moreover I will banish him from this land； and by
one of two fates shall he be struck down； either Poseidon； out of
respect to my prayer； will cast his dead body into the house of Hades；
or exiled from this land； a wanderer to some foreign shore； shall he
eke out a life of misery。
LEADER
Lo！ where himself doth come； thy son Hippolytus； in good time；
dismiss thy hurtful rage； King Theseus； and bethink thee what is
best for thy house；
（HIPPOLYTUS enters。）
HIPPOLYTUS
I heard thy voice； father； and hasted to come hither； yet know I
not the cause of thy present sorrow； but would fain learn of thee。
（He sees PHAEDRA'S body。）
Ha！ what is this？ thy wife is dead？ 'Tis very strange； it was
but now I left her； a moment since she looked upon the light。 How came
she thus？ the manner of her death？ this would I learn of thee； father。
Art dumb？ silence availeth not in trouble； nay； for the heart that
fain would know all must show its curiosity even in sorrow's hour。
Be sure it is not right； father； to hide misfortunes from those who
love； ay； more than love thee。
THESEUS
O ye sons of men； victims of a thousand idle errors； why teach
your countless crafts； why scheme and seek to find a way for
everything； while one thing ye know not nor ever yet have made your
prize； a way to teach them wisdom whose souls are void of sense？
HIPPOLYTUS
A very master in his craft the man； who can force fools to be
wise！ But these ill…timed subtleties of thine； father； make me fear
thy tongue is running wild through trouble。
THESEUS
Fie upon thee！ man needs should have some certain test set up to
try his friends； some touchstone of their hearts； to know each
friend whether he be true or false； all men should have two voices；
one the voice of honesty； expediency's the other； so would honesty
confute its knavish opposite； and then we could not be deceived。
HIPPOLYTUS
Say； hath some friend been slandering me and hath he still thine
ear？ and I； though guiltless； banned？ I am amazed； for thy random；
frantic words fill me with wild alarm。
THESEUS
O the mind of mortal man！ to what lengths will it proceed？ What
limit will its bold assurance have？ for if it goes on growing as man's
life advances； and each successor outdo the man before him in
villainy； the gods will have to add another sphere unto the world；
which shall take in the knaves and villians。 Behold this man； he； my
own son； hath outraged mine honour； his guilt most clearly proved by
my dead wife。 Now； since thou hast dared this loathly crime； come；
look thy father in the face。 Art thou the man who dost with gods
consort； as one above the vulgar herd？ art thou the chaste and sinless
saint？ Thy boasts will never persuade me to be guilty of attributing
ignorance to gods。 Go then； vaunt thyself； and drive thy petty trade
in viands formed of lifeless food； take Orpheus for thy chief and go
a…revelling； with all honour for the vapourings of many a written
scroll； seeing thou now art caught。 Let all beware； I say； of such
hypocrites！ who hunt their prey with fine words； and all the while are
scheming villainy。 She is dead； dost think that this will save thee？
Why this convicts thee more than all； abandoned wretch！ What oaths；
what pleas can outweigh this letter； so that thou shouldst 'scape
thy doom？ Thou wilt assert she hated thee； that 'twixt the bastard and
the true…born child nature has herself put war； it seems then by thy
showing she made a sorry bargain with her life； if to gratify her hate
of thee she lost what most she prized。 'Tis said； no doubt； that
frailty finds no place in man but is innate in woman； my experience
is； young men are no more secure than women； whenso the Queen of
Love excites a youthful breast； although their sex comes in to help
them。 Yet why do I thus bandy words with thee； when before me lies the
corpse； to be the clearest witness？ Begone at once； an exile from this
land； and ne'er set foot again in god…built Athens nor in the confines
of my dominion。 For if I am tamely to submit to this treatment from
such as thee； no more will Sinis； robber of the Isthmus； bear me
witness how I slew him； but say my boasts are idle； nor will those
rocks Scironian； that fringe the sea； call me the miscreants' scourge。
LEADER
I know not how to call happy any child of man； for that which
was first has turned and now is last。
HIPPOLYTUS
Father； thy wrath and the tension of thy mind are terrible； yet
this charge； specious though its arguments appear； becomes a
calumny； if one lay it bare。 Small skill have I in speaking to a
crowd； but have a readier wit for comrades of mine own age and small
companies。 Yea； and this is as it should be； for they； whom the wise
despise； are better qualified to speak before a mob。 Yet am I
constrained under the present circumstances to break silence。 And at
the outset will I take the point which formed the basis of thy
stealthy attack on me； designed to put me out of court unheard； dost
see yon sun； this earth？ These do not contain； for all thou dost
deny it； chastity surpassing mine。 To reverence God I count the
highest knowledge； and to adopt as friends not those who attempt
injustice； but such as would blush to propose to their companions
aught disgraceful or pleasure them by shameful services； to mock at
friends is not my way； father； but I am still the same behind their
backs as to their face。 The very crime thou thinkest to catch me in；
is just the one I am untainted with； for to this day have I kept me
pure from women。 Nor know I aught thereof； save what I hear or see
in pictures； for I have no wish to look even on these； so pure my
virgin soul。 I grant my claim to chastity may not convince thee； well；
'tis then for thee to show the way I was corrupted。 Did this woman
exceed in beauty all her sex？ Did aspire to fill the husband's place
after thee and succeed to thy house？ That surely would have made me
out a fool； a creature void of sense。 Thou wilt say； 〃Your chaste
man loves to lord it。〃 No； no！ say I； sovereignty pleases only those
whose hearts are quite corrupt。 Now； I would be the first and best
at all the games in Hellas； but second in the state； for ever happy
thus with the noblest for my friends。 For there one may be happy；
and the absence of danger gives a charm beyond all princely joys。
One thing I have not said； the rest thou hast。 Had I a witness to
attest my purity； and were I pitted 'gainst her still alive； facts
would show thee on enquiry who the culprit was。 Now by Zeus； the god
of oaths； and by the earth； whereon we stand； I swear to thee I
never did lay hand upon thy wife nor would have wished to； or have
harboured such a thought。 Slay me； ye gods！ rob me of name and honour；
from home and city cast me forth； a wandering exile o'er the earth！
nor sea nor land receive my bones when I am dead； if I am such a
miscreant！ I cannot say if she through fear destroyed herself； for
more than this am I forbid。 With her discretion took the place of
chastity； while I； though chaste； was not discreet in using this
virtue。
LEADER
Thy oath by heaven；
