the phoenissae-第9节
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or my city； round which is settling a swarm thick enough to send us to
Acheron？ My own son hath died for his country； bringing glory to his
name but grievous woe to me。 His body I rescued but now from the
dragon's rocky lair and sadly carried the self…slain victim hither
in my arms； and my house is fallen with weeping： but now I come to
fetch my sister Jocasta； the living must reverence the nether god by
paying honour to the dead。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Thy sister； Creon； hath gone forth and her daughter Antigone
went with her。
CREON
Whither went she？ and wherefore？ tell me。
LEADER
She heard that her sons were about to engage in single combat
for the royal house。
CREON
What is this？ I was paying the last honours to my dead son； and so
am late in learning this fresh sorrow。
LEADER
'Tis some time； Creon； since thy sister's departure； and I
expect the struggle for life and death is already decided by the
sons of Oedipus。
CREON
Alas！ I see an omen there； the gloomy look and clouded brow of
yonder messenger coming to tell us the whole matter。
（The SECOND MESSENGER enters。）
MESSENGER
Ah； woe is me！ what language can I find to tell my tale？
CREON
Our fate is sealed； thy opening words do naught to reassure us。
MESSENGER
Ah； woe is me！ I do repeat； for beside the scenes of woe already
enacted I bring tidings of new horror。
CREON
What is thy tale？
MESSENGER
Thy sister's sons are now no more； Creon。
CREON
Alas！ thou hast a heavy tale of woe for me and Thebes
LEADER
O house of Oedipus； hast thou heard these tidings？
CREON
Of sons slain by the self…same fate。
LEADER
A tale to make it weep； were it endowed with sense。
CREON
Oh！ most grievous stroke of fate！ woe is me for my sorrows！ woe！
MESSENGER
Woe indeed！ didst thou but know the sorrows still to tell。
CREON
How can they be more hard to bear than these？
MESSENGER
With her two sons thy sister has sought her death。
CHORUS （chanting）
Loudly； loudly raise the wail； and with white hands smite upon
your heads！
CREON
Ah！ woe is thee； Jocasta！ what an end to life and marriage hast
thou found the riddling of the Sphinx！ But tell me how her two sons
wrought the bloody deed； the struggle caused by the curse of Oedipus。
MESSENGER
Of our successes before the towers thou knowest； for the walls are
not so far away as to prevent thy learning each event as it
occurred。 Now when they； the sons of aged Oedipus； had donned their
brazen mail； they went and took their stand betwixt the hosts；
chieftains both and generals too； to decide the day by single
combat。 Then Polyneices； turning his eyes towards Argos； lifted up a
prayer； 〃O Hera； awful queens…for thy servant I am； since I have
wedded the daughter of Adrastus and dwell in his land；…grant that I
may slay my brother； and stain my lifted hand with the blood of my
conquered foe。 A shameful prize it is I ask； my own brother's
blood。〃 And to many an eye the tear would rise at their sad fate；
and men looked at one another； casting their glances round。
But Eteocles； looking towards the temple of Pallas with the golden
shield； prayed thus； 〃Daughter of Zeus； grant that this right arm
may launch the spear of victory against my brother's breast and slay
him who hath come to sack my country。〃 Soon as the Tuscan trumpet
blew； the signal for the bloody fray； like the torch that falls；' they
darted wildly at one another and； like boars whetting their savage
tusks； began the fray； their beards wet with foam； and they kept
shooting out their spears； but each crouched beneath his shield to let
the steel glance idly off； but if either saw the other's face above
the rim； he would aim his lance thereat； eager to outwit him。
But both kept such careful outlook through the spy…holes in
their shields； that their weapons found naught to do； while from the
on…lookers far more than the combatants trickled the sweat caused by
terror for their friends。 Suddenly Eteocles； in kicking aside a
stone that rolled beneath his tread； exposed a limb outside his
shield； and Polyneices seeing a chance of dealing him a blow； aimed
a dart at it； and the Argive shaft went through his leg； whereat the
Danai； one and all； cried out for joy。 But the wounded man； seeing a
shoulder unguarded in this effort； plunged his spear with all his
might into the breast of Polyneices； restoring gladness to the
citizens of Thebes； though he brake off the spear…head； and so； at a
loss for a weapon； he retreated foot by foot； till catching up
splintered rock he let it fly and shivered the other's spear； and
now was the combat equal； for each had lost his lance。 Then
clutching their sword…hilts they closed； and round and round； with
shields close…locked； they waged their wild warfare。 Anon Eteocles
introduced that crafty Thessalian trick； having some knowledge thereof
from his intercourse with that country； disengaging himself from the
immediate contest； he drew back his left foot but kept his eye closely
on the pit of the other's stomach from a distance； then advancing
his right foot he plunged his weapon through his navel and fixed it in
his spine。 Down falls Polyneices； blood…bespattered； ribs and belly
contracting in his agony。 But that other； thinking his victory now
complete； threw down his sword and set to spoiling him； wholly
intent thereon； without a thought for himself。 And this indeed was his
ruin； for Polyneices； who had fallen first； was still faintly
breathing； and having in his grievous fall retained his sword； he made
last effort and drove it through the heart of Eteocles。 There they
lie； fallen side by side； biting the dust with their teeth； without
having decided the mastery。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Ah； woe is thee！ Oedipus； for thy sorrows！ how I pity thee！
Heaven； it seems； has fulfilled those curses of thine。
MESSENGER
Now hear what further woes succeeded。 Just as her two sons had
fallen and lay dying； comes their wretched mother on the scene； her
daughter with her； in hot haste； and when she saw their mortal wounds；
〃Too late；〃 she moaned； 〃my sons； the help I bring〃； and throwing
herself on each in turn she wept and wailed； sorrowing o'er all her
toil in suckling them； and so too their sister； who was with her；
〃Supporters of your mother's age I dear brothers； leaving me
forlorn； unwed！〃 Then prince Eteocles with one deep dying gasp；
hearing his mother's cry； laid on her his moist hand； and though he
could not say a word； his tear…filled eyes were eloquent to prove
his love。 But Polyneices was still alive； and seeing his sister and
his aged mother he said； 〃Mother mine； our end is come； I pity thee
and my sister Antigone and my dead brother。 For I loved him though
he turned my foe； I loved him； yes！ in spite of all。 Bury me； mother
mine； and thou； my sister dear； in my native soil； pacify the city's
wrath that may get at least that much of my own fatherland； although I
lost my home。 With thy hand； mother； close mine eyes （therewith he
himself places her fingers on the lids）； and fare ye well； for already
the darkness wraps me round。〃
So both at once breathed out their life of sorrow。 But when
their mother saw this sad mischance； in her o'ermastering grief she
snatched from a corpse its sword and wrought an awful deed； driving
the steel right through her throat； and there she lies； dead with
the dead she loved so well； her arms thrown round them both。
Thereon the host sprang to their feet and fell to wrangling； we
maintaining that victory rested with my master； they with theirs；
and amid our leaders the contention raged； some holding that
Polyneices gave the first wound with his spear； others that； as both
were dead； victory rested with neither。 Meantime Antigone crept away
from the host； and those others rushed to their weapons； but by some
lucky forethought the folk of Cadmus had sat down under arms； and by a
sudden attack we surprised the Argive host before it was fully
equipped。 Not one withstood our onset； and they filled the plain
with fugitives； while blood was streaming from the countless dead
our spears had slain。 Soon as victory crowned our warfare； some
began to rear an image to Zeus for the foe's defeat； others were
stripping the Argive dead of their shields and sending their spoils
inside the battlements； and others with Antigone are bringing her dead
brothers hither for their friends to mourn。 So the result of this
struggle to our city hovers between the two extremes of good and
evil fortune。
（The MESSENGER goes out。）
CHORUS （chanting）
No longer do the misfortunes of this house extend to hearsay only；
three corpses of the slain lie here at the palace for all to see；
who by
