andromache-第4节
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（MENELAUS and his guards lead ANDROMACHE out。）
CHORUS （singing）
strophe 1
Never； oh！ never will I commend rival wives or sons of different
mothers； a cause of strife； of bitterness； and grief in every house。
would have a husband content with one wife whose rights he shareth
with no other。
antistrophe 1
Not even in states is dual monarchy better to bear than
undivided rule； it only doubles burdens and causes faction amongst the
citizens。 Often too will the Muse sow strife 'twixt rivals in the
art of minstrelsy。
strophe 2
Again； when strong winds are drifting mariners； the divided
counsel of the wise does not best avail for steering； and their
collective wisdom has less weight than the inferior mind of the single
man who has sole authority； for this is the essence of power alike
in house and state； whene'er men care to find the proper moment。
antistrophe 2
This Spartan； the daughter of the great chief Menelaus； proves
this； for she hath kindled hot fury against a rival； and is bent on
slaying the hapless Trojan maid and her child to further her bitter
quarrel。 'Tis a murder gods and laws and kindness all forbid。 Ah！
lady； retribution for this deed will yet visit thee。
But lo！ before the house I see those two united souls； condemned
to die。 Alas！ for thee； poor lady； and for thee； unhappy child； who
art dying on account of thy mother's marriage； though thou hast no
share therein and canst not be blamed by the royal house。
（ANDROMACHE enters； her arms bound。 Her son clings
to her。 MENELAUS and the guards follow； intent
on accomplishing the murder。 The following
lines are chanted responsively。）
ANDROMACHE
Behold me journeying on the downward path； my hands so tightly
bound with cords that they bleed。
MOLOSSUS
O mother； mother mine！ I too share thy downward path； nestling
'neath thy wing。
ANDROMACHE
A cruel sacrifice！ ye rulers of Phthia！
MOLOSSUS
Come； father！ succour those thou lovest。
ANDROMACHE
Rest there； my babe； my darling！ on thy mother's bosom； e'en in
death and in the grave。
MOLOSSUS
Ah； woe is me！ what will become of me and thee too； mother mine？
MENELAUS
Away； to the world below！ from hostile towers ye came； the pair of
you； two different causes necessitate your deaths； my sentence takes
away thy life； and my daughter Hermione's requires his； for it would
be the height of folly to leave our foemen's sons； when we might
kill them and remove the danger from our house。
ANDROMACHE
O husband mine！ I would I had thy strong arm and spear to aid
me； son of Priam。
MOLOSSUS
Ah； woe is me！ what spell can I now find to turn death's stroke
aside？
ANDROMACHE
Embrace thy master's knees； my child； and pray to him。
MOLOSSUS
Spare； O spare my life； kind master！
ANDROMACHE
Mine eyes are wet with tears； which trickle down my cheeks； as
doth a sunless spring from a smooth rock。 Ah me！
MOLOSSUS
What remedy； alas！ can I provide me 'gainst my ills？
MENELAUS
Why fall at my knees in supplication？ hard as the rock and deaf as
the wave am I。 My own friends have I helped； but for thee have no
tie of affection； for verily it cost me a great part of my life to
capture Troy and thy mother； so thou shalt reap the fruit thereof
and into Hades' halls descend。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Behold！ I see Peleus drawing nigh； with aged step he hasteth
hither。
（PELEUS enters with an attendant。）
PELEUS （calling out as he comes in sight）
What means this？ I ask you and your executioner； why is the palace
in an uproar？ give a reason； what mean your lawless machinations？
Menelaus； hold thy hand。 Seek not to outrun justice。 （To his
attendant） Forward！ faster； faster！ for this matter； methinks；
admits of no delay； now if ever would I fain resume the vigour of my
youth。 First however will breathe new life into this captive； being to
her as the breeze that blows a ship before the wind。 Tell me； by
what right have they pinioned thine arms and are dragging thee and thy
child away？ Like a ewe with her lamb art thou led to the slaughter；
while I and thy lord were far away。
ANDROMACHE
Behold them that are haling me and my child to death； e'en as thou
seest； aged prince。 Why should I tell thee？ For not by one urgent
summons alone but by countless messengers have I sent for thee。 No
doubt thou knowest by hearsay of the strife in this house with this
man's daughter； and the reason of my ruin。 So now they have torn and
are dragging me from the altar of Thetis； the goddess of thy
chiefest adoration and the mother of thy gallant son； without any
proper trial； yea； and without waiting for my absent master；
because； forsooth； they knew my defencelessness and my child's； whom
they mean to slay with me his hapless mother； though he has done no
harm。 But to thee； O sire； I make my supplication； prostrate at thy
knees； though my hand cannot touch thy friendly beard； save me； I
adjure thee； reverend sir； or to thy shame and my sorrow shall we be
slain。
PELEUS
Loose her bonds； I say； ere some one rue it； untie her folded
hands。
MENELAUS
I forbid it； for besides being a match for thee； I have a far
better right to her。
PELEUS
What！ art thou come hither to set my house in order？ Art not
content with ruling thy Spartans？
MENELAUS
She is my captive； I took her from Troy。
PELEUS
Aye； but my son's son received her as his prize。
MENELAUS
Is not all I have his； and all his mine？
PELEUS
For good； but not evil ends； and surely not for murderous
violence。
MENELAUS
Never shalt thou wrest her from my grasp。
PELEUS
With this good staff I'll stain thy head with blood！
MENELAUS
Just touch me and see！ Approach one step！
PELEUS
What！ shalt thou rank with men？ chief of cowards； son of
cowards！ What right hast thou to any place 'mongst men？ Thou who didst
let Phrygian rob thee of thy wife； leaving thy home without bolt or
guard； as if forsooth the cursed woman thou hadst there was a model of
virtue。 No！ a Spartan maid could not be chaste； e'en if she would； who
leaves her home and bares her limbs and lets her robe float free； to
share with youths their races and their sports；…customs I cannot
away with。 Is it any wonder then that ye fail to educate your women in
virtue？ Helen might have asked thee this； seeing that she said goodbye
to thy affection and tripped off with her young gallant to a foreign
land。 And yet for her sake thou didst marshal all the hosts of
Hellas and lead them to Ilium； whereas thou shouldst have shown thy
loathing for her by refusing to stir a spear； once thou hadst found
her false； yea； thou shouldst have let her stay there； and even paid a
price to save ever having her back again。 But that was not at all
the way thy thoughts were turned； wherefore many a brave life hast
thou ended； and many an aged mother hast thou left childless in her
home； and grey…haired sires of gallant sons hast reft。 Of that sad
band am I member； seeing in thee Achilles' murderer like a malignant
fiend； for thou and thou alone hast returned from Troy without a
scratch； bringing back thy splendid weapons in their splendid cases
just as they went。 As for me； I ever told that amorous boy to form
no alliance with thee nor take unto his home an evil mother's child；
for daughters bear the marks of their mothers' ill…repute into their
new homes。 Wherefore； ye wooers； take heed to this my warning： 〃Choose
the daughter of a good mother。〃 And more than this； with what wanton
insult didst thou treat thy brother； bidding him sacrifice his
daughter in his simpleness！ So fearful wast thou of losing thy
worthless wife。 Then after capturing Troy；…for thither too will I
accompany thee；…thou didst not slay that woman； when she was in thy
power； but as soon as thine eyes caught sight of her breast； thy sword
was dropped and thou didst take her kisses； fondling the shameless
traitress； too weak to stem thy hot desire； thou caitiff wretch！ Yet
spite of all thou art the man to come and work havoc in my
grandson's halls when he is absent； seeking to slay with all indignity
a poor weak woman and her babe： but that babe shall one day make
thee and thy daughter in thy home rue it； e'en though his birth be
trebly base。 Yea； for oft ere now hath seed； sown on barren soil；
prevailed o'er rich deep tilth； and many bastard has proved a better
man than children better born。 Take thy daughter hence with thee！
Far be
