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第6节

helen-第6节

小说: helen 字数: 每页4000字

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  MENELAUS

    That was what I was doing; though I had not the name of beggar。

  HELEN

    Of course thou knowest; then; all about my marriage。

  MENELAUS

    I do。 But whether thou hast escaped thy lover; I know not。

  HELEN

    Be well assured I have kept my body chaste。

  MENELAUS

    How wilt thou convince me of this? If true; thy words are sweet。

  HELEN

    Dost see the wretched station I have kept at this tomb?

  MENELAUS

    I see; alas! a bed of straw; but what hast thou to do with it?

  HELEN

    There I crave escape from this marriage as a suppliant。

  MENELAUS

    For want of an altar; or because it is the barbarians' way?

  HELEN

    This was as good a protection to me as the gods' temples。

  MENELAUS

    May I not then even bear thee homeward on my ship?

  HELEN

    The sword far sooner than thy wife's embrace is waiting thee。

  MENELAUS

    So should I be of all men the most miserable。

  HELEN

    Put shame aside; and fly from this land。

  MENELAUS

    Leaving thee behind? 'twas for thy sake I sacked Troy。

  HELEN

    Better so; than that our union should cause thy death。

  MENELAUS

    Oh! these are coward words; unworthy of those days at Troy!

  HELEN

    Thou canst not slay the prince; thy possible intent。

  MENELAUS

    Hath he; then; a body which steel cannot wound?

  HELEN

    Thou shalt hear。 But to attempt impossibilities is no mark of

wisdom。

  MENELAUS

    Am I to let them bind my hands; and say nothing?

  HELEN

    Thou art in a dilemma; some scheme must be devised。

  MENELAUS

    I had liefer die in action than sitting still。

  HELEN

    There is one hope; and only one; of our safety。

  MENELAUS

    Will gold; or daring deeds; or winning words procure it?

  HELEN

    We are safe if the prince learn not of thy coming。

  MENELAUS

    ary one tell him it is I? He certainly will not know who I am。

  HELEN

    He hath within his palace an ally equal to the gods。

  MENELAUS

    Some voice divine within the secret chambers of his house?

  HELEN

    No; his sister; Theonoe men call her。

  MENELAUS

    Her name hath a prophetic sound; tell me what she doth。

  HELEN

    She knoweth everything; and she will tell her brother thou art

come。

  MENELAUS

    Then must we die; for I cannot escape her ken。

  HELEN

    Perchance we might by suppliant prayers win her over。

  MENELAUS

    To what end? To what vain hope art thou leading me?

  HELEN

    That she should not tell her brother thou art here。

  MENELAUS

    Suppose we persuade her; can we get away?

  HELEN

    Easily; if she connive thereat; without her knowledge; no;

  MENELAUS

    Be that thy task; women deal best with women。

  HELEN

    I will not fail; be sure; to clasp her knees。

  MENELAUS

    Come; then; only; suppose she reject our proposals?

  HELEN

    Thou wilt be slain; and I; alas! wedded by force。

  MENELAUS

    Thou wilt betray me; that 〃force〃 of thine is but an excuse。

  HELEN

    Nay; by thy life I swear a sacred oath。

  MENELAUS

    What meanest thou? dost swear to die and never to another

husband yield?

  HELEN

    Yes; by the self…same sword; I will fall by thy side。

  MENELAUS

    On these conditions touch my right hand。

  HELEN

    I do so; swearing I will quit the light of day if thou art slain。

  MENELAUS

    I; too; will end my life if I lose thee。

  HELEN

    How shall we die so as to gain fame?

  MENELAUS

    I will slay thee and then myself upon the summit of the tomb。

But first will I in doughty fight contest another's claim to thee; and

let who will draw nigh! for I will not sully the lustre of my Trojan

fame; nor will I; on my return to Hellas; incur a storm of taunts;

as one who robbed Thetis of Achilles; saw Ajax; son of Telamon; fall a

weltering corpse; and the sort of Neleus of his child bereft; shall

I then flinch myself from death for my own wife? No; no! For if the

gods are wise; o'er a brave man by his foes laid low they lightly

sprinkle the earth that is his tomb; while cowards 'they cast forth on

barren rocky soil。

  LEADER

    Grant; heaven; that the race of Tantalus may at last be blest; and

pass from sorrow unto joy!

  HELEN

    Ah; woe is me! Yea; all my lot is woe; O Menelaus; we are

utterly undone! Behold! from forth the house comes Theonoe; the

prophetess; The palace echoes as the bolts are unfastened; fly! yet

what use to fly? For whether absent or present she knows of thy

arrival here。 Ah me! how lost am I! Saved from Troy and from a

barbarian land; thou hast come only to fall a prey to barbarian

swords。



         (THEONOE enters; attended by hand…maidens carrying torches。)



  THEONOE

    Lead on; bearing before me blazing brands; and; as sacred rites

ordain; purge with incense every cranny of the air; that I may breathe

heaven's breath free from taint; meanwhile do thou; in case the

tread of unclean feet have soiled the path; wave the cleansing flame

above it; and brandish the torch in front; that I may pass upon my

way。 And when to heaven ye have paid the customs I exact; bear back

into the house the brand from off the hearth。 What of my prophecy;

Helen? how stands it now? Thou hast seen thy husband Menelaus arrive

without disguise; reft of his ships; and of thy counterfeit。 Ah;

hapless man! what troubles hast thou escaped; and art come hither; and

yet knowest not whether thou art to return or to abide here; for there

is strife in heaven; and Zeus this very day will sit in solemn

conclave on thee。 Hera; who erst was thy bitter foe; is now grown

kind; and is willing to bring thee and thy wife safe home; that Hellas

may learn that the marriage of Paris was all a sham; assigned to him

by Cypris; but Cypris fain would mar thy homeward course; that she may

not be convicted; or proved to have bought the palm of beauty at the

price of Helen in a futile marriage。 Now the decision rests with me;

whether to ruin thee; as Cypris wishes; by telling my brother of thy

presence bere; or to save thy life by taking Hera's side; concealing

thy coming from my brother; for his orders are that I should tell him;

whensoe'er thou shouldst reach these shores。 Ho! one of you; go show

my brother this man is here; that I may secure my safety。

  HELEN

    Maiden; at thy knees I fall a suppliant; and seat myself in this

sad posture on behalf of myself and him; whom I am in danger of seeing

slain; after I have so hardly found him。 Oh! tell not thy brother that

my husband is returned to these loving arms; save us; I beseech

thee; never for thy brother's sake sacrifice thy character for

uprightness; by evil and unjust means bidding for his favour。 For

the deity hates violence; and biddeth all men get lawful gains without

plundering others。 Wealth unjustly gotten; though it bring some power;

is to be eschewed。 The breath of heaven and the earth are man's common

heritage; wherein to store his home; without taking the goods of

others; or wresting them away by force。 Me did Hermes at a critical

time; to my sorrow; intrust to thy father's safe keeping for this my

lord; who now is here and wishes to reclaim me。 But how can he recover

me if he be slain? How could thy sire restore the living to the

dead? Oh! consider ere that the will of heaven and thy father's too;

would the deity or would thy dead sire restore their neighbour's

goods; or would they forbear? restore them; I feel sure。 It is not;

therefore; right that thou shouldst more esteem thy wanton brother

than thy righteous father。 Yet if thou; prophetess as thou art and

believer in divine providence; shalt pervert the just intention of thy

father and gratify thy unrighteous brother; 'tis shameful thou

shouldst have full knowledge of the heavenly will; both what is and

what is not; and yet be ignorant of justice。 Oh! save my wretched life

from the troubles which beset it; granting this as an accession to our

good fortune; for every living soul loathes Helen; seeing that there

is gone a rumour throughout Hellas that I was false unto my lord;

and took up my abode in Phrygia's sumptuous halls。 Now; if I come to

Hellas; and set foot once more in Sparta; they will hear and see how

they were ruined by the wiles of goddesses; while was no traitress

to my friends after all; and so will they restore to me my virtuous

name again; and I shall give my daughter in marriage; whom no man

now will wed; and; leaving this vagrant life in Egypt; shall enjoy the

treasures in my home。 Had Menelaus met his doom at some funeral

pyre; with tears should I be cherishing his memory in a far…off

land; but must lose him now when he is alive and safe? Ah! maiden; I

beseech thee; say not so; grant me this boon; I pray; and reflect

thy father's justice; for this is the fairest ornament of children;

when the child of a virtuous sire resembles its parents in character。

  L

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