alcestis-第6节
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SERVANT
It touches this house only too nearly。
HERACLES
Did he hide some misfortune from me？
SERVANT
Go in peace！ The miseries of our lords concern us。
HERACLES
That speech does not imply mourning for a stranger！
SERVANT
No； or I should not have been disgusted to see you drinking。
HERACLES
Have I then been basely treated by my host？
SERVANT
You did not come to this house at a welcome hour。 We are in
mourning。 You see my head is shaved and the black garments I wear。
HERACLES
But who； then； is dead？ One of the children？ The old father？
SERVANT
O stranger； Admetus no longer has a wife。
HERACLES
What！ And yet I was received in this way？
SERVANT
He was ashamed to send you away from his house。
HERACLES
O hapless one！ What a wife you have lost！
SERVANT
Not she alone； but all of us are lost。
HERACLES （now completely sobered）
I felt there was something when I saw his tear…wet eyes； his
shaven head； his distracted look。 But he persuaded me he was taking
the body of a stranger to the grave。 Against my will I entered these
ates； and drank in the home of this generous man…and he in such grief！
And shall I drink at such a time with garlands of flowers on my
head？ You； why did you not tell me that such misery had come upon this
house？ Where is he burying her？ Where shall I find him？
SERVANT
Beside the straight road which leads to Larissa you will see a
tomb of polished stone outside the walls。
（Returns to the servants' quarters）
HERACLES
O heart of me； much…enduring heart； O right arm； now indeed must
you show what son was born to Zeus by Alcmena； the Tirynthian；
daughter of Electryon！ For I must save this dead woman； and bring back
Alcestis to this house as a grace to Admetus。
I shall watch for Death； the black…robed Lord of the Dead； and I
know I shall find him near the tomb； drinking the blood of the
sacrifices。 If can leap upon him from an ambush； seize him； grasp
him in my arms； no power in the world shall tear his bruised sides
from me until he has yielded up this woman。 If I miss my prey； if he
does not come near the bleeding sacrifice； I will go down to Kore
and her lord in their sunless dwelling； and I will make my entreaty to
them； and I know they will give me Alcestis to bring back to the hands
of the host who welcomed me； who did not repulse me from his house；
though he was smitten with heavy woe which most nobly he hid from
me！ Where would be a warmer welcome in Thessaly or in all the
dwellings of Hellas？
He shall not say he was generous to an ingrate！
（HERACLES goes out。 Presently ADMETUS and his attendants； followed
by the CHORUS； return from the burial of ALCESTIS。）
ADMETUS （chanting）
Alas！
Hateful approach； hateful sight of my widowed house！ Oh me！ Oh me！
Alas！ Whither shall I go？ Where rest？ What can I say？ What refrain
from saying？ Why can I not die？ Indeed my mother bore me for a hapless
fate。 I envy the dead； I long to be with them； theirs are the
dwellings where I would be。 Without pleasure I look upon the light
of day and set my feet upon the earth…so precious a hostage has
Death taken from me to deliver unto Hades！
CHORUS （chanting responsively with ADMETUS）
Go forward；
Enter your house。
ADMETUS
Alas！
CHORUS
Your grief deserves our tears。
ADMETUS
O Gods！
CHORUS
I know you have entered into sorrow。
ADMETUS
Woe！ Woe！
CHORUS
Yet you bring no aid to the dead。
ADMETUS
Oh me！ Oh me！
CHORUS
Heavy shall it be for you
Never to look again
On the face of the woman you love。
ADMETUS
You bring to my mind the grief that breaks my heart。 What sorrow
is worse for a man than the loss of such a woman？ I would I had
never married； never shared my house with her。 I envy the wifeless and
the childless。 They live but one life…what is suffering to them？ But
the sickness of children； bridal…beds ravished by Death…dreadful！ when
we might be wifeless and childless to the end。
CHORUS
Chance； dreadful Chance； has stricken you。
ADMETUS
Alas！
CHORUS
But you set no limit to your grief。
ADMETUS
Ah！ Gods！
CHORUS
A heavy burden to bear； and yet。。。
ADMETUS
Woe！ Woe！
CHORUS
Courage！ You are not the first to lose。。。
ADMETUS
Oh me！ Oh me！
CHORUS
A wife。
Different men
Fate crushes with different blows。
ADMETUS
O long grief and mourning for those beloved under the earth！
Why did you stay me from casting myself into the hollow grave to
lie down for ever in death by the best of women？ Two lives； not one；
had then been seized by Hades； most faithful one to the other； and
together we should have crossed the lake of the Underworld。
CHORUS
A son most worthy of tears
Was lost to one of my house；
Yet； childless； he suffered with courage；
Though the white was thick in his hair
And his days were far…spent！
ADMETUS
O visage of my house！ How shall I enter you？ How shall I dwell
in you； now that Fate has turned its face from me？ How great is the
change！ Once； of old； I entered my house with marriage…songs and the
torches of Pelion； holding a loved woman by the hand； followed by a
merry crowd shouting good wishes to her who is dead and to me； because
we had joined our lives； being both noble and born of noble lines。
Today； in place of marriage…songs are lamentations； instead of white
garments I am clad in mourning； to return to my house and a solitary
bed。
CHORUS
Grief has fallen upon you
In the midst of a happy life
Untouched by misfortune。
But your life and your spirit are safe。
She is dead；
She has left your love。
Is this so new？
Ere now many men
Death has severed from wives。
ADMETUS （speaking）
O friends； whatsoever may be thought by others； to me it seems
that my wife's fate is happier than mine。 Now； no pain ever shall
touch her again； she has reached the noble end of all her
sufferings。 But I； I who should have died； I have escaped my fate；
only to drag out a wretched life。 Only now do I perceive it。
How shall I summon strength to enter this house？ Whom shall I
greet？ Who will greet me in joy at my coming？ Whither shall I turn
my steps？ I shall be driven forth by solitude when I see my bed
widowed of my wife； empty the chairs on which she sat； a dusty floor
beneath my roof； my children falling at my knees and calling for their
mother； and the servants lamenting for the noble lady lost from the
house！
Such will be my life within the house。 Without； I shall be
driven from marriage…feasts and gatherings of the women of Thessaly。 I
shall not endure to look upon my wife's friends。 Those who hate me
will say： 'See how he lives in shame； the man who dared not die； the
coward who gave his wife to Hades in his stead！ Is that a man？ He
hates his parents； yet he himself refused to die！'
This evil fame I have added to my other sorrows。 O my friends；
what then avails it that I live； if I must live in misery and shame？
（He covers his head with his robe； and crouches
in abject misery on the steps of his Palace。）
CHORUS （singing）
strophe 1
I have lived with the Muses
And on lofty heights：
Many doctrines have I learned；
But Fate is above us all。
Nothing avails against Fate
Neither the Thracian tablets
Marked with Orphic symbols；
Nor the herbs given by Phoebus
To the children of Asclepius
To heal men of their sickness。
antistrophe 1
None can come near to her altars；
None worship her statues；
She regards not our sacrifice。
O sacred goddess；
Bear no more hardly upon me
Than in days overpast！
With a gesture Zeus judges；
But the sentence is yours。
Hard iron yields to your strength；
Your fierce will knows not gentleness。
strophe 2
And the Goddess has bound you
Ineluctably in the gyves of her hands。
Yield。
Can your tears give life to the dead？
For the sons of the Gods
Swoon in the shadow of Death。
Dear was she in our midst；
Dear still among the dead；
For the noblest of women was she
Who lay in your bed。
antistrophe 2
Ah！
Let the grave of your spouse
Be no more counted as a tomb；
But revered as the Gods；
And greeted by all who pass by！
The wanderer shall turn
