electra-第9节
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Clytemnestra is alone；… no man is now within： but； if ye pause；
consider that ye will have to fight； not with the inmates alone； but
with other foes more numerous and better skilled。
ORESTES
Pylades； this our task seems no longer to crave many words； but
rather that we should enter the house forthwith；… first adoring the
shrines of my father's gods； who keep these gates。
（ORESTES and PYLADES enter the Palace；
followed by the PAEDAGOGUS。… ELECTRA remains outside。）
ELECTRA
O King Apollo！ graciously hear them； and hear me besides； who so
oft have come before thine altar with such gifts as my devout hand
could bring！ And now； O Lycean Apollo； with such vows as I can make； I
pray thee； I supplicate； I implore； grant us thy benignant aid in
these designs； and show men how impiety is rewarded by the gods！
（ELECTRA enters the palace。）
CHORUS （singing）
Behold how Ares moves onward； breathing deadly vengeance；
against which none may strive！
Even now the pursuers of dark guilt have passed beneath yon
roof； the hounds which none may flee。 Therefore the vision of my
soul shall not long tarry in suspense。
The champion of the spirits infernal is ushered with stealthy feet
into the house； the ancestral palace of his sire； bearing keen…edged
death in his hands； and Hermes； son of Maia； who hath shrouded the
guile in darkness； leads him forward； even to the end； and delays no
more。
（ELECTRA enters from the palace。）
ELECTRA
strophe
Ah； dearest friends； in a moment the men will do the deed；… but
wait in silence。
CHORUS
How is it？… what do they now？
ELECTRA
She is decking the urn for burial； and those two stand close to
her
CHORUS
And why hast thou sped forth？
ELECTRA
To guard against Aegisthus entering before we are aware。
CLYTEMNESTRA （within）
Alas！ Woe for the house forsaken of friends and filled with
murderers！
ELECTRA
A cry goes up within：… hear ye not； friends？
CHORUS
I heard； ah me； sounds dire to hear； and shuddered！
CLYTEMNESTRA （within）
O hapless that I am！… Aegisthus； where； where art thou？
ELECTRA
Hark； once more a voice resounds I
CLYTEMNESTRA （within）
My son； my son； have pity on thy mother！
ELECTRA
Thou hadst none for him； nor for the father that begat him。
CHORUS
Ill…fated realm and race； now the fate that hath pursued thee
day by day is dying；… is dying！
CLYTEMNESTRA （within）
Oh； I am smitten！
ELECTRA
Smite； if thou canst； once more！
CLYTEMNESTRA （within）
Ah； woe is me again！
ELECTRA
Would that the woe were for Aegisthus too！
CHORUS
The curses are at work； the buried live； blood flows for blood；
drained from the slayers by those who died of yore。
（ORESTES and PYLADES enter from the palace。）
antistrophe
Behold； they come！ That red hand reeks with sacrifice to Ares； nor
can I blame the deed。
ELECTRA
Orestes； how fare ye？
ORESTES
All is well within the house； if Apollo's oracle spake well。
ELECTRA
The guilty one is dead？
ORESTES
Fear no more that thy proud mother will ever put thee to
dishonour。
CHORUS
Cease； for I see Aegisthus full in view。
ELECTRA
Rash boys； back； back！
ORESTES
Where see ye the man？
ELECTRA
Yonder； at our mercy； be advances from the suburb； full of joy。
CHORUS
Make with all speed for the vestibule； that； as your first task
prospered。 so this again may prosper now。
ORESTES
Fear not；… we will perform it。
ELECTRA
Haste； then； whither thou wouldst。
ORESTES
See； I am gone。
ELECTRA
I will look to matters here。
（ORESTES and PYLADES go back into the palace。）
CHORUS
'Twere well to soothe his ear with some few words of seeming
gentleness； that he may rush blindly upon the struggle with his doom。
（AEGISTHUS enters。）
AEGISTHUS
Which of you can tell me； where are those Phocian strangers；
who； 'tis said； have brought us tidings of Orestes slain in the
wreck of his chariot？ Thee； thee I ask； yes； thee； in former days so
bold；… for methinks it touches thee most nearly； thou best must
know； and best canst tell。
ELECTRA
I know assuredly； else were I a stranger to the fortune of my
nearest kinsfolk。
AEGISTHUS
Where then may be the strangers？ Tell me。
ELECTRA
Within； they have found a way to the heart of their hostess。
AEGISTHUS
Have they in truth reported him dead？
ELECTRA
Nay； not reported only； they have shown him。
AEGISTHUS
Can I； then； see the corpse with mine own eyes？
ELECTRA
Thou canst； indeed； and 'tis no enviable sight。
AEGISTHUS
Indeed； thou hast given me a joyful greeting； beyond thy wont。
ELECTRA
Joy be thine； if in these things thou findest joy。
AEGISTHUS
Silence； I say； and throw wide the gates； for all Mycenaeans and
Argives to behold； that； if any of them were once buoyed on empty
hopes from this man； now； seeing him dead； they may receive my curb；
instead of waiting till my chastisement make them wise perforce！
ELECTRA
No loyalty is lacking on my part； time hath taught me the prudence
of concord with the stronger。
（The central doors of the palace
are thrown open and a shrouded corpse is
disclosed。 ORESTES and PYLADES stand near it。）
AEGISTHUS
O Zeus； I behold that which hath not fallen save by the doom of
jealous Heaven； but； if Nemesis attend that word； be it unsaid！
Take all the covering from the face； that kinship； at least； may
receive the tribute of lament from me also。
ORESTES
Lift the veil thyself； not my part this； but thine； to look upon
these relics； and to greet them kindly。
AEGISTHUS
'Tis good counsel； and I will follow it。… （To ELECTRA） But
thou…call me Clytemnestra； if she is within。
ORESTES
Lo； she is near thee： turn not thine eyes elsewhere。
（AEGISTHUS removes the face…cloth from the corpse。）
AEGISTHUS
O； what sight is this！
ORESTES
Why so scared？ Is the face so strange？
AEGISTHUS
Who are the men into whose mid toils I have fallen； hapless that I
am？
ORESTES
Nay； hast thou not discovered ere now that the dead； as thou
miscallest them； are living？
AEGISTHUS
Alas； I read the riddle： this can be none but Orestes who speaks
to me！
ORESTES
And； though so good a prophet； thou wast deceived so long？
AEGISTHUS
Oh lost； undone！ Yet suffer me to say one word。。。
ELECTRA
In heaven's name； my brother； suffer him not to speak further；
or to plead at length！ When mortals are in the meshes of fate； how can
such respite avail one who is to die？ No；… slay him forthwith； and
cast his corpse to the creatures from whom such as he should have
burial； far from our sight！ To me； nothing but this can make amends
for the woes of the past。
ORESTES （to AEGISTHUS）
Go in； and quickly； the issue here is not of words； but of thy
life。
AEGISTHUS
Why take me into the house？ If this deed be fair； what need of
darkness？ Why is thy hand not prompt to strike？
ORESTES
Dictate not； but go where thou didst slay my father； that in the
same place thou mayest die。
AEGISTHUS
Is this dwelling doomed to see all woes of Pelops' line； now；
and in time to come？
ORESTES
Thine； at least； trust my prophetic skill so far。
AEGISTHUS
The skill thou vauntest belonged not to thy sire。
ORESTES
Thou bandiest words； and our going is delayed。 Move forward！
AEGISTHUS
Lead thou。
ORESTES
Thou must go first。
AEGISTHUS
Lest I escape thee？
ORESTES
No； but that thou mayest not choose how to die； I must not spare
thee any bitterness of death。 And well it were if this judgment came
straight…way upon all who dealt in lawless deeds； even the judgment of
the sword： so should not wickedness abound。
（ORESTES and PYLADES drive AEGISTHUS into the palace。）
CHORUS （singing）
O house of Atreus； through how many sufferings hast thou come
forth at last in freedom； crowned with good by this day's enterprise！
…THE END…
。
