iphigenia at aulis-第8节

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effrontery　to　misfortune。

　　CLYTAEMNESTRA

　　　　Well；　listen；　for　I　will　now　unfold　my　meaning　and　no　longer

employ　dark　riddles。　In　the　first　place…to　reproach　thee　first　with

this…it　was　not　of　my　own　free　will　but　by　force　that　thou　didst

take　and　wed　me；　after　slaying　Tantalus；　my　former　husband；　and

dashing　my　babe　on　the　ground　alive；　when　thou　hadst　torn　him　from

my　breast　with　brutal　violence。　Then；　when　those　two　sons　of　Zeus；　who

were　likewise　my　brothers；　came　flashing　on　horseback　to　war　with

thee；　Tyndareus；　my　aged　sire；　rescued　thee　because　of　thy　suppliant

prayers；　and　thou　in　turn　hadst　me　to　wife。　Once　reconciled　to　thee

upon　this　footing；　thou　wilt　bear　me　witness　I　have　been　a　blameless

wife　to　thee　and　thy　family；　chaste　in　love；　an　honour　to　thy　house；

that　so　thy　coming　in　might　be　with　joy　and　thy　going　out　with

gladness。　And　'tis　seldom　a　man　secures　a　wife　like　this；　though　the

getting　of　a　worthless　woman　is　no　rarity。

　　Besides　three　daughters；　of　one　of　whom　thou　art　heartlessly

depriving　me；　I　am　the　mother　of　this　son　of　thine。　If　anyone　asks

thee　thy　reason　for　slaying　her；　tell　me；　what　wilt　thou　say？　or

must　say　it　for　thee？　〃It　is　that　Menelaus　may　recover　Helen。〃　An

honourable　exchange；　indeed；　to　pay　a　wicked　woman's　price　in

children's　lives！　'Tis　buying　what　we　most　detest　with　what　we　hold

most　dear。　Again；　if　thou　go　forth　with　the　host；　leaving　me　in　thy

halls；　and　art　long　absent　at　Troy；　what　will　my　feelings　be　at

home；　dost　think？　when　I　behold　each　vacant　chair　and　her　chamber

now　deserted；　and　then　sit　down　alone　in　tears；　making　ceaseless

lamentation　for　her；　〃Ah！　my　child；　he　that　begat　thee　hath　slain　thee

himself；　he　and　no　one　else；　nor　was　it　by　another's　hand。。。to　thy

home；　after　leaving　such　a　price　to　be　paid；　for　it　needs　now　but　a

trifling　pretext　for　me　and　the　daughters　remaining　to　give　thee　the

reception　it　is　right　thou　shouldst　receive。　I　adjure　thee　by　the

gods；　compel　me　not　to　sin　against　thee；　nor　sin　thyself。　Go　to；

suppose　thou　sacrifice　the　child；　what　prayer　wilt　thou　utter；　when

'tis　done？　what　will　the　blessing　be　that　thou　wilt　invoke　upon

thyself　as　thou　art　slaying　our　daughter？　an　ill　returning　maybe；

seeing　the　disgrace　that　speeds　thy　going　forth。　Is　it　right　that　I

should　pray　for　any　luck　to　attend　thee？　Surely　we　should　deem　the

gods　devoid　of　sense；　if　we　harboured　a　kindly　feeling　towards

murderers。　Shalt　thou　embrace　thy　children　on　thy　coming　back　to

Argos？　Nay；　thou　hast　no　right。　Will　any　child　of　thing　e'er　face

thee；　if　thou　have　surrendered　one　of　them　to　death？　Has　this　ever

entered　into　thy　calculations；　or　does　thy　one　duty　consist　in

carrying　a　sceptre　about　and　marching　at　the　head　of　an　army？　when

thou　mightest　have　made　this　fair　proposal　among　the　Argives；　〃Is　it

your　wish；　Achaeans；　to　sail　for　Phrygia's　shores？　Why　then；　cast　lots

whose　daughter　has　to　die。〃　For　that　would　have　been　a　fair　course　for

thee　to　pursue；　instead　of　picking　out　thy　own　child　for　the　victim

and　presenting　her　to　the　Danai；　or　Menelaus；　inasmuch　as　it　was　his

concern；　should　have　slain　Hermione　for　her　mother。　As　it　is；　I；　who

still　am　true　to　thee；　must　lose　my　child；　while　she；　who　went　astray；

will　return　with　her　daughter；　and　live　in　happiness　at　Sparta。　If　I

am　wrong　in　aught　herein；　answer　me；　but　if　my　words　have　been

fairly　urged；　do　not　still　slay　thy　child；　who　is　mine　too；　and　thou

wilt　be　wise。

　　CHORUS

　　　　Hearken　to　her　Agamemnon；　for　to　join　in　saving　thy　children's

lives　is　surely　a　noble　deed；　none　would　gainsay　this。

　　IPHIGENIA

　　　　Had　I　the　eloquence　of　Orpheus；　my　father；　to　move　the　rocks　by

chanted　spells　to　follow　me；　or　to　charm　by　speaking　whom　I　would；　I

had　resorted　to　it。　But　as　it　is；　I'll　bring　my　tears…the　only　art　I

know；　for　that　I　might　attempt。　And　about　thy　knees；　in　suppliant

wise；　I　twine　my　limbs　these　limbs　thy　wife　here　bore。　Destroy　me

not　before　my　time；　for　sweet　is　to　look　upon　the　light；　and　force

me　not　to　visit　scenes　below。　I　was　the　first　to　call　thee　father；

thou　the　first　to　call　me　child；　the　first　was　I　to　sit　upon　thy

knee　and　give　and　take　the　fond　caress。　And　this　was　what　thou　then

wouldst　say；　〃Shall　I　see　thee；　my　child；　living　a　happy　prosperous

life　in　a　husband's　home　one　day；　in　a　manner　worthy　of　myself？〃　And　I

in　my　turn　would　ask；　as　I　hung　about　thy　beard；　whereto　I　now　am

clinging；　〃How　shall　I　see　thee？　Shall　I　be　giving　thee　a　glad

reception　in　my　halls；　father；　in　thy　old　age；　repaying　all　thy

anxious　care　in　rearing　me？

　　　　I　remember　all　we　said；　'tis　thou　who　hast　forgotten　and　now

wouldst　take　my　life。　By　Pelops；　I　entreat　thee　spare　me；　by　thy

father　Atreus　and　my　mother　here；　who　suffers　now　a　second　time　the

pangs　she　felt　before　when　bearing　me！　What　have　I　to　do　with　the

marriage　of　Paris　and　Helen？　why　is　his　coming　to　prove　my　ruin；

father？　Look　upon　me；　one　glance；　one　kiss　bestow；　that　this　at

least　I　may　carry　to　my　death　as　a　memorial　of　thee；　though　thou

heed　not　my　pleading。

　　　　（Holding　up　the　babe　to　ORESTES）　Feeble　ally　though　thou　art；

brother；　to　thy　loved　ones；　yet　add　thy　tears　to　mine　and　entreat

our　father　for　thy　sister's　life；　even　in　babes　there　is　a　natural

sense　of　ill。　O　father；　see　this　speechless　supplication　made　to　thee；

pity　me；　have　mercy　on　my　tender　years！　Yea；　by　thy　beard　we　two

fond　hearts　implore　thy　pity；　the　one　a　babe；　a　full…grown　maid　the

other。　By　summing　all　my　pleas　in　one；　I　will　prevail　in　what　I　say。

To　gaze　upon　yon　light　is　man's　most　cherished　gift；　that　life　below

is　nothingness；　and　whoso　longs　for　death　is　mad。　Better　live　a　life

of　woe　than　die　a　death　of　glory！

　　CHORUS

　　　　Ah；　wretched　Helen！　Awful　the　struggle　that　has　come　to　the　sons

of　Atreus　and　their　children；　thanks　to　thee　and　those　marriages　of

thine。

　　AGAMEMNON

　　　　While　loving　my　own　children；　I　yet　understand　what　should　move　my

pity　and　what　should　not；　I　were　a　madman　else。　'Tis　terrible　for　me

to　bring　myself　to　this；　nor　less　terrible　is　it　to　refuse；

daughter；　for　I　must　fare　the　same。　Ye　see　the　vastness　of　von　naval

host；　and　the　numbers　of　bronze　clad　warriors　from　Hellas；　who　can

neither　make　their　way　to　Ilium's　towers　nor　raze　the　far…famed

citadel　of　Troy；　unless　I　offer　thee　according　to　the　word　of

Calchas　the　seer。　Some　mad　desire　possesses　the　host　of　Hellas　to　sail

forthwith　to　the　land　of　the　barbarians；　and　put　a　stop　to　the　rape　of

wives　from　Hellas；　and　they　will　slay　my　daughters　in　Argos　as　well　as

you　and　me；　if　I　disregard　the　goddess's　behests。　It　is　not　Menelaus

who　hath　enslaved　me　to　him；　child；　nor　have　I　followed　wish　of　his；

nay；　'tis　Hellas；　for　whom　I　must　sacrifice　thee　whether　I　will　or　no；

to　this　necessity　I　bow　my　head；　for　her　freedom　must　be　preserved；　as

far　as　any　help　of　thine；　daughter；　or　mine　can　go；　nor　must　they；　who

are　the　sons　Hellas；　be　pillaged　of　their　wives　by　barbarian　robbery。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AGAMEMNON　rushes　from　the　stage；



　　CLYTAEMNESTRA

　　　　My　child　Ye　stranger　ladies！

　　　　Woe　is　me　for　this　thy　death！　Thy　father　flies；　surrendering

thee　to　Hades。

　　IPHIGENIA

　　　　Woe　is　me；　O　mother　mine！　for　the　same　strain　hath　fallen　to

both　of　us　in　our　fortune。　No　more　for　me　the　light　of　day！　no　more

the　beams　of　yonder　sun！　Woe　for　that　snow…beat　glen　in　Phrygia　and

the　hills　of　Ida；　where　Priam　once　exposed　a　tender　babe；　torn　from

his　mother's　arms　to　meet　a　deadly　doom；　e'en　Paris；　called　the

child　of　Ida　in　the　Phrygians'　town。　Would　Priam　ne'er　had　settled

him；　the　herdsman　reared　amid　the　herds；　beside　that　water

crystal…clear；　where　are　fountains　of　the　Nymphs　and　their　meadow　rich

with　blooming　flowers；　where　hyacinths　and　rose…buds　blow　for

goddesses　to　gather！　Hither　one　day　came　Pallas　and　Cypris　of　the

subtle　heart；　Hera　too　and　Hermes　messenger　of　Zeus…Cypris；　proud　of

the　longing　she　causes；　Pallas　of　her　prowess；　and　Hera　of　her　royal

marriage　with　king　Zeus…to　decide　a　hateful　strife　about　their　beauty；

but　it　is　my　death；　maidens…fraught；　'tis　true；　with　glory　to　the

Danai…that　Artemis　has　received　as　an　offering；　before　they　begin

the　voyage　to　Ilium。

　　　　O　mother；　mother！　he　that　begat　me　to　this　life　of　sorrow　has　gone

and　left　me　all　alone。　Ah！　woe　is　me！　a　bitter；　bitter　sight　for　me

was　Helen；　evil　Helen！　to　me　now　doomed　to　bleed　and　die；

slaughtered　by　an　impious　sire。

　　　　I　would　this　Aulis　had　never　received　in　its　havens　here　the

sterns　of　their　bronze…beaked　ships；　the　fleet　which　was　speeding　them

to　Troy；　and　would　that　Zeus　had　never　breathed　on　the　Euripus　a

wind　to　stop　the　expedition；　tempering；　as　he　doth；　a　different　breeze

to　different　men；　so　that　some　have　joy　in　setting　sail；　and　sorrow

some；　and　others　hard　constraint；　to　make　some　start　and　others　stay

and　others　furl　their　sails！　Full　of　trouble　then；　it　seems；　is　the