ajax-第2节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'Tis a tale of shame； how thou on the plains
Where the steeds roam wild； didst ruin the Danaan
Flocks and herds；
Our spear…won booty as yet unshared；
With bright sword smiting and slaughtering。
Such now are the slanders Odysseus forges
And whispers abroad into all men's ears；
Winning easy belief： so specious the tale
He is spreading against thee； and each new hearer
Rejoices more than he who told；
Exulting in thy degradation。
For the shaft that is aimed at the noble of soul
Smites home without fail： but whoe'er should accuse me
Of such misdeeds； no faith would he win。
'Tis the stronger whom creeping jealousy strikes。
Yet small men reft of help from the mighty
Can ill be trusted to guard their walls。
Best prosper the lowly in league with the great；
And the great have need to be served by the less。
But none to the knowledge of such plain truths
May lead minds witless and froward。
Even such are the men who murmur against thee：
And vainly without thine aid； O King；
We strive to repel their accusing hate。
For whene'er they are safe from the scorn of thy glance；
They chatter and screech like bids in a flock：
But smitten with dread of the powerful vulture；
Doubtless at once； should'st thou but appear；
They will cower down dumbly in silence。
strophe
Was it the Tauric Olympian Artemis；
（Oh； the dread rumour of woe；
Parent of my grievous shame！）
Who drove thee forth to slaughter the herds of the people；
In wrath perchance for some unpaid…for victory；
Whether defrauded of glorious spoil； or offerings
Due for a stag that was slain？
Or did the bronze…clad Demon of battle； aggrieved
On him who scorned the might of his succouring spear；
Plot revenge by nightly deception？
antistrophe
Ne'er of itself had thy heart； son of Telamon；
Strayed into folly so far
As to murder flocks and herds。
Escape from heaven…sent madness is none： yet Apollo
And Zeus avert these evil rumours of the Greeks。
But should the story be false； these crafty slanders
Spread by the powerful kings；
And by the child of the infamous Sisyphid line；
No more； my master； thus in the tent by the sea
Hide thy countenance； earning an ill fame。
epode
Nay； but arise from thy seat； where'er so long wrapt in
Brooding pause from the battle thou hast lurked： arise；
Heaven…high kindle the flame of death。
But the insolence of thy foes boldly
Thus wanders abroad in the wind…swept glens。
Meanwhile all men mocking
With venomous tongues taunt thee：
But grief in my heart wanes not。
（TECMESSA enters。 The following lines between TECMESSA and
the CHORUS are chanted responsively。）
TECMESSA
Liegemen of Ajax； ship…companions；
Ye children of earth…sprung Erechthid race；
Lamentation is now our portion； to whom
Dear is the far…off house of Telamon；
Now that the stern and terrible Ajax
Lies whelmed by a storm
Of turbid wildering fury。
CHORUS
To what evil change from the day's woe now
Has night given birth？
Thou daughter of Phrygian Teleutas； speak；
For a constant love has valiant Ajax
Borne thee； his spear…won prisoner bride。
Then hide from us nought that thou knowest。
TECMESSA
How to utter a tale of unspeakable things！
For disastrous as death is the hap you will hear。
In the darkness of night madness has seized
Our glorious Ajax： he is ruined and lost。
Hereof in the tent may proof be seen；
Sword…slain victims in their own blood bathed；
By his hand sacrificially slaughtered。
CHORUS
strophe
What tidings of the fiery warrior tellest thou；
Not to be borne； nor yet to be disputed；
Rumoured abroad by the chiefs of the Danaan host；
Mightily still spreading and waxing！
Woe's me！ I dread the horror to come。 Yea； to a public death
doomed
Will he die； if in truth his be the hand that wielded
The red sword that in frenzy hath slain the herds and mounted
herdsmen。
TECMESSA
Ah me！ Thence was it； thence that he came to me
Leading his captive flock from the pastures！
Thereof in the tent some did he slaughter；
Others hewed he asunder with slashing sword；
Then he caught up amain two white…footed rams；
Sliced off from the one both the head and the tongue；
And flings them away；
But the other upright to a pillar he binds；
Then seizing a heavy horse…harnessing thong
He smites with the whistling doubled lash；
Uttering fierce taunts which an evil fiend
No mere mortal could have taught him。
CHORUS
antistrophe
'Tis time that now each with shamefully muffled head
Forth from the camp should creep with stealthy footsteps。
Nay； on the ship let us muster； and benched at the oars
Over the waves launch her in swift flight。
Such angry threats sound in our ears hurled by the brother
princes；
The Atreidae： and I quake； fearing a death by stoning；
The dread portion of all who would share our hapless master's
ruin。
TECMESSA
Yet hope we： for ceased is the lightning's flash：
His rage dies down like a fierce south…wind。
But now； grown sane； new misery is his；
For on woes self…wrought he gazes aghast；
Wherein no hand but his own had share；
And with anguish his soul is afflicted。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Nay； if 'tis ceased； there is good cause to hope。
Once 'tis past； of less moment is his frenzy。
TECMESSA
And which； were the choice thine； wouldst thou prefer；
To afflict thy friends and feel delight thyself；
Or to share sorrow； grieving with their grief？
LEADER
The twofold woe； lady； would be the greater。
TECMESSA
Then we； though plagued no more； are undone now。
LEADER
What mean thy words？ Their sense is dark to me。
TECMESSA
Yonder man； while his spirit was diseased；
Himself had joy in his own evil plight；
Though to us； who were sane； he brought distress。
But now； since he has respite from his plague；
He with sore grief is utterly cast down；
And we likewise； no less than heretofore。
Are there not here two woes instead of one？
LEADER
Yes truly。 And I fear； from some god came
This stroke； how else？ if； now his frenzy is ceased；
His mind has no more ease than when it raged。
TECMESSA
'Tis even as I said； rest well assured。
LEADER
But how did this bane first alight upon him？
To us who share thy grief show what befell。
TECMESSA
Thou shalt hear all； as though thou hadst been present。
In the middle of the night； when the evening braziers
No longer flared； he took a two…edged sword；
And fain would sally upon an empty quest。
But I rebuked him； saying： 〃What doest thou；
Ajax？ Why thus uncalled wouldst thou go forth？
No messenger has summoned thee； no trumpet
Roused thee。 Nay； the whole camp is sleeping still。〃
But curtly he replied in well…worn phrase：
〃Woman； silence is the grace of woman。〃
Thus schooled； I yielded； and he rushed out alone。
What passed outside the tent； I cannot tell。
But in he came； driving lashed together
Bulls； and shepherd dogs； and fleecy prey。
Some he beheaded； the wrenched…back throats of some
He slit； or cleft their chines； others he bound
And tortured； as though men they were； not beasts。
Last； darting through the doors； as to some phantom
He tossed words； now against the Atreidae； now
Taunting Odysseus； piling up huge jeers
Of how he had gone and wreaked his scorn upon them。
Soon he rushed back within the tent； where slowly
And hardly to his reason he returned。
And gazing round on the room filled with havoc；
He struck his head and cried out； then amidst
The wrecks of slaughtered sheep a wreck he fell；
And sat clutching his hair with tight…clenched nails。
There first for a long while he crouched speechless；
Then did he threaten me with fearful threats；
If I revealed not all that had befallen him；
Asking what meant the plight wherein he lay。
And I； friends； terror…stricken； told him all
That had been done； so far as I had knowledge。
Forthwith he broke forth into bitter wailing；
Such as I ne'er had heard from hi
