the suppliants-第6节
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Look you； not swiftly puts a fleet to sea；
Nor swiftly to its moorings； long it is
Or e'er the saving cables to the shore
Are borne； and long or e'er the steersmen cry；
The good ship swings at anchor…all is well。
Longest of all； the task to come aland
Where haven there is none； when sunset fades
In night。 To pilot wise； the adage saith；
Night is a day of wakefulness and pain。
Therefore no force of weaponed men； as yet；
Scatheless can come ashore； before the bark
Lie at her anchorage securely moored。
Bethink thee therefore； nor in panic leave
The shrine of gods whose succour thou hast won。
I go for aid…men shall not blame me long；
Old； but with youth at heart and on my tongue。
（DANAUS departs as the CHORUS sings in terror。）
CHORUS
strophe 1
O land of hill and dale； O holy land；
What shall befall us？ whither shall we flee；
From Apian land to some dark lair of earth？
O would that in vapour of smoke I might rise to the clouds of the
sky；
That as dust which flits up without wings I might pass and evanish
and die！
antistrophe 1
I dare not； I dare not abide： my heart yearns； eager to fly；
And dark is the cast of my thought； I shudder and tremble for
fear。
My father looked forth and beheld： I die of the sight that draws
near。
And for me be the strangling cord； the halter made ready by Fate；
Before to my body draws nigh the man of my horror and hate。
Nay； ere I will own him as lord； as handmaid to Hades I go！
strophe 2
And oh； that aloft in the sky； where the dark clouds are frozen
to snow；
A refuge for me might be found； or a mountain…top smooth and too
high
For the foot of the goat； where the vulture sits lonely； and none
may descry
The pinnacle veiled in the cloud； the highest and sheerest of
all；
Ere to wedlock that rendeth my heart； and love that is loveless；
I fall！
antistrophe 2
Yea； a prey to the dogs and the birds of the mount will I give me
to be；…
From wailing and curse and pollution it is death； only death； sets
me free：
Let death come upon me before to the ravisher's bed I am thrust；
What champion； what saviour but death can I find； or what refuge
from lust？
strophe 3
I will utter my shriek of entreaty； a prayer that shrills up to
the sky；
That calleth the gods to compassion； a tuneful； a pitiful cry；
That is loud to invoke the releaser。 O father； look down on the
fight；
Look down in thy wrath on the wronger； with eyes that are eager
for right。
Zeus； thou that art lord of the world； whose kingdom is strong
over all；
Have mercy on us！ At thine altar for refuge and safety we call。
antistrophe 3
For the race of Aegyptus is fierce； with greed and with malice
afire；
They cry as the questing hounds； they sweep with the speed of
desire。
But thine is the balance of fate； thou rulest the wavering scale；
And without thee no mortal emprise shall have strength to achieve
or prevail。
（The CHORUS rushes to the altar during the final part of the
song。）
Alack； alack！ the ravisher…
He leaps from boat to beach； he draweth near！
Away； thou plunderer accurst！
Death seize thee first；
Or e'er thou touch me…off！ God； hear our cry；
Our maiden agony！
Ah； ah； the touch； the prelude of my shame。
Alas； my maiden fame！
O sister； sister； sister； to the altar cling；
For he that seizeth me；
Grim is his wrath and stern； by land as on the sea。
Guard us； O king！
（The HERALD OF AEGYPTUS enters with attendants。 The lines in
the following scene between the HERALD and the CHORUS are
sung and are accompanied by a frenzied symbolic dance。）
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Hence to my barge…step swiftly； tarry not。
CHORUS
Alack； he rends…he rends my hair！ O wound on wound！
Help！ my lopped head will fall； my blood gush o'er the ground！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Aboard； ye cursed…with a new curse； go！
CHORUS
Would God that on the wand'ring brine
Thou and this braggart tongue of thine
Had sunk beneath the main…
Thy mast and planks； made fast in vain！
Thee would I drive aboard once more；
A slayer and a dastard； from the shore！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Be still； thou vain demented soul；
My force thy craving shall control。
Away； aboard！ What； clingest to the shrine？
Away！ this city's gods I hold not for divine。
CHORUS
Aid me； ye gods； that never； never
I may again behold
The mighty； the life…giving river；
Nilus； the quickener of field and fold！
Alack； O sire； unto the shrine I cling…
Shrine of this land from which mine ancient line did spring！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Shrines； shrines； forsooth！…the ship； the ship be shrine
Aboard； perforce and will…ye nill…ye； go！
Or e'er from hands of mine
Ye suffer torments worse and blow on blow。
CHORUS
Alack； God grant those hands may strive in vain
With the salt…streaming wave；
When 'gainst the wide…blown blasts thy bark shall strain
To round Sarpedon's cape； the sandbank's treach'rous grave。
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Shrill ye and shriek unto what gods ye may；
Ye shall not leap from out Aegyptus' bark；
How bitterly soe'er ye wail your woe。
CHORUS
Alack； alack my wrong！
Stern is thy voice； thy vaunting loud and strong。
Thy sire； the mighty Nilus； drive thee hence；
Turning to death and doom thy greedy violence！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Swift to the vessel of the double prow；
Go quickly！ let none linger； else this hand
Ruthless will hale you by your tresses hence。
CHORUS
Alack； O father！ from the shrine
Not aid but agony is mine。
As a spider he creeps and he clutches his prey；
And he hales me away。
A spectre of darkness； of darkness。 Alas and alas！ well…a…day！
O Earth； O my mother！ O Zeus； thou king of the earth； and her
child！
Turn back； we pray thee； from us his clamour and threatenings
wild！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Peace！ I fear not this country's deities。
They fostered not my childhood nor mine age。
CHORUS
Like a snake that is human he comes； he shudders and crawls to my
side：
As an adder that biteth the foot； his clutch on my flesh doth
abide。
O Earth； O my mother！ O Zeus； thou king of the earth； and her
child！
Turn back； we pray thee； from us his clamour and threatenings
wild！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Swift each unto the ship； repine no more；
Or my hand shall not spare to rend your robe。
CHORUS
O chiefs； O leaders； aid me； or I yield！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Peace！ if ye have not ears to hear my words；
Lo； by these tresses must I hale you hence。
CHORUS
Undone we are； O king！ all hope is gone。
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Ay； kings enow ye shall behold anon；
Aegyptus' sons…Ye shall not want for kings。
（The KING OF ARGOS enters with his retinue。）
THE KING OF ARGOS
Sirrah； what dost thou？ in what arrogance
Darest thou thus insult Pelasgia's realm？
Deemest thou this a woman…hearted town？
Thou art too full of thy barbarian scorn
For us of Grecian blood； and； erring thus；
Thou dost bewray thyself a fool in all！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Say thou wherein my deeds transgress my right。
THE KING OF ARGOS
First； that thou play'st a stranger's part amiss。
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Wherein？ I do but search and claim mine own。
THE KING OF ARGOS
To whom of our guest…champions hast appealed？
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
To Hermes； herald's champion； lord of search。
THE KING OF ARGOS
Yea； to a god…yet dost thou wrong the gods！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
The gods that rule by Nilus I revere。
THE KING OF ARGOS
Hear I aright？ our Argive gods are nought？
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
The prey is mine； unless force rend it from me。
THE KING OF ARGOS
At thine own peril touch them…'ware； and soon！
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
I hear thy speech； no hospitable word。
THE KING OF ARGOS
I am no host for sacrilegious hands。
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
I will go tell this to Aegyptus' sons。
THE KING OF ARGOS
Well it I my pride will ponder not thy word。
HERALD OF AEGYPTUS
Yet； that I have my message clear to say
（For it behoves that heralds' words be clear；
Be they or ill or good）； how a
