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iphigenia at aulis-第7节

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thee; without being so; but such will I show myself for all that。

  CHORUS

    Son of Peleus; thy words are alike worthy of thee and that

sea…born deity; the holy goddess。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Ah! would I could find words to utter thy praise without excess;

and yet not lose the graciousness thereof by stinting it; for when the

good are praised; they have a feeling; as it were; of hatred for those

who in their praise exceed the mean。 But I am ashamed of intruding a

tale of woe; since my affliction touches myself alone and thou art not

affected by troubles of mine; but still it looks well for the man of

worth to assist the unfortunate; even when he is not connected with

them。 Wherefore pity us; for our sufferings cry for pity; in the first

place; I have harboured an idle hope in thinking to have thee wed my

daughter; and next; perhaps; the slaying of my child will be to thee

an evil omen in thy wooing hereafter; against which thou must guard

thyself。 Thy words were good; both first and last; for if thou will it

so; my daughter will be saved。 Wilt have her clasp thy knees in

suppliant wise? 'Tis no maid's part; yet if it seem good to thee;

why come she shall with the modest look of free…born maid; but if I

shall obtain the self…same end from thee without ker coming; then

let her abide within; for there is dignity in her reserve; still

reserve must only go as far as the case allows。

  ACHILLES

    Bring not thou thy daughter out for me to see; lady; nor let us

incur the reproach of the ignorant; for an army; when gathered

together without domestic duties to employ it; loves the evil gossip

of malicious tongues。 After all; should ye supplicate me; ye will

attain a like result as if I had ne'er been supplicated; for I am

myself engaged in a mighty struggle to rid you of your troubles。 One

thing be sure thou hast heard; I will not tell a lie; if I do that

or idly mock thee; may I die; but live if I preserve the maid。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Bless thee for ever succouring the distressed!

  ACHILLES

    Hearken then to me; that the matter may succeed。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    What is thy proposal? for hear thee I must。

  ACHILLES

    Let us once more urge her father to a better frame of mind。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    He is something of a coward; and fears the army too much。

  ACHILLES

    Still argument o'erthroweth argument。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Cold hope indeed; but tell me what I must do。

  ACHILLES

    Entreat him first not to slay his children; and if he is stubborn;

come to me。 Fir if he consents to thy request; my intervention need go

no further; since this consent insures thy safety。 I too shall show

myself in a better light to my friend; and the army will not blame me;

if I arrange the matter by reason rather than force; while; should

things turn out well; the result will prove satisfactory both to

thee and thy friends; even without my interference。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    How sensibly thou speakest! I must act as seemeth best to thee;

but should I fail of my object; where am I to see thee again?

whither must I turn my wretched steps and find thee ready to

champion my distress?

  ACHILLES

    I am keeping watch to guard thee; where occasion calls; that

none see thee passing through the host of Danai with that scared look。

Shame not thy father's house; for Tyndareus deserveth not to be ill

spoken of; being a mighty man in Hellas。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    'Tis even so。 Command me; I must play the slave to thee。 If

there are gods; thou for thy righteous dealing wilt find them

favourable; if there are none; what need to toil?



                                   Exeunt ACHILLES and CLYTAEMNESTRA。



  CHORUS

    What wedding…hymn was that which raised its strains to the sound

of Libyan flutes; to the music of the dancer's lyre; and the note of

the pipe of reeds?

    'Twas in the day Pieria's fair…tressed choir came o'er the

slopes of Pelion to the marriage…feast of Peleus; beating the ground

with print of golden sandals at the banquet of the gods; and hymning

in dulcet strains the praise of Thetis and the son of Aeacus; o'er the

Centaurs' hill; down through the woods of Pelion。

    There was the Dardanian boy; Phrygian Ganymede; whom Zeus delights

to honour; drawing off the wine he mixed in the depths of golden

bowls; while; along the gleaming sand; the fifty daughters of Nereus

graced the marriage with their dancing; circling in a mazy ring。

    Came too the revel…rout of Centaurs; mounted on horses; to the

feast of the gods and the mixing…bowl of Bacchus; leaning on

fir…trees; with wreaths of green foliage round their heads; and loudly

cried the prophet Chiron; skilled in arts inspired by Phoebus;

〃Daughter of Nereus; thou shalt bear a son〃…whose name he gave…〃a

dazzling light to Thessaly; for he shall come with an army of spearmen

to the far…famed land of Priam; to set it in a blaze; his body cased

in a suit of golden mail forged by Hephaestus; a gift from his

goddess…mother; even from Thetis who bore him。〃

    Then shed the gods a blessing on the marriage of the high…born

bride; who was first of Nereus' daughters; and on the wedding of

Peleus。 But thee; will Argives crown; wreathing the lovely tresses

of thy hair; like a dappled mountain hind brought from some rocky cave

or a heifer undefiled; and staining with blood thy human throat;

though thou wert never reared like these amid the piping and whistling

of herdsmen; but at thy mother's side; to be decked one day by her

as the bride of a son of Inachus。 Where now does the face of modesty

or virtue avail aught? seeing that godlessness holds sway; and

virtue is neglected by men and thrust behind them; lawlessness o'er

law prevailing; and mortals no longer making common cause to keep

the jealousy of gods from reaching them。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA (Reappearing from the tent)

    I have come from the tent to look out for my husband; who went

away and left its shelter long ago; while that poor child; my

daughter; hearing of the death her father designs for her; is in

tears; uttering in many keys her piteous lamentation。 (Catching

sight of AGAMEMNON) It Seems I was speaking of one not far away; for

there is Agamemnon; who will soon be detected in the commission of a

crime against his own child。



                         Enter AGAMEMNON。



  AGAMEMNON

    Daughter of Leda; 'tis lucky I have found thee outside the tent;

to discuss with thee in our daughter's absence subjects not suited for

the ears of maidens on the eve of marriage。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    What; pray; is dependent on the present crisis?

  AGAMEMNON

    Send the maiden out to join her father; for the lustral water

stands there ready; and barley…meal to scatter with the hand on the

cleansing flame; and heifers to be slain in honour of the goddess

Artemis; to usher in the marriage; their black blood spouting from

them。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Though fair the words thou usest; I know not how I am to name

thy deeds in terms of praise。

    Come forth; my daughter; full well thou knowest what is in thy

father's mind; take the child Orestes; thy brother; and bring him with

thee in the folds of thy robe。



                         Enter IPHIGENIA。



    Behold chold she comes; in obedience to thy summons。 Myself will

speak the rest alike for her and me。

  AGAMEMNON

    My child; why weepest thou and no longer lookest cheerfully? why

art thou fixing thine eyes upon the ground and holding thy robe before

them?

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Alas! with which of my woes shall I begin? for I may treat them

all as first; or put them last or midway anywhere。

  AGAMEMNON

    How now? I find you all alike; confusion and alarm in every eye。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    My husband; answer frankly the questions I ask thee。

  AGAMEMNON

    There is no necessity to order me; I am willing to be questioned。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Dost thou mean to slay thy child and mine?

  AGAMEMNON (Starting)

    Ha! these are heartless words; unwarranted suspicions!

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Peace! answer me that question first。

  AGAMEMNON

    Put a fair question and thou shalt have a fair answer。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    I have no other questions to put; give me no other answers。

  AGAMEMNON

    O fate revered; O destiny; and fortune mine!

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Aye; and mine and this maid's too; the three share one bad

fortune。

  AGAMEMNON

    Whom have I injured?

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Dost thou ask me this question? A thought like that itself amounts

to thoughtlessness。

  AGAMEMNON

    Ruined! my secret out!

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    I know all; I have heard what thou art bent on doing to me。 Thy

very silence and those frequent groans are a confession; tire not

thyself by telling it。

  AGAMEMNON

    Lo! I am silent; for; if I tell thee a falsehood; needs must I add

effrontery to misfortune。

  CLYTAEMNESTRA

    Well; 

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