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第4章

iphigenia in tauris-第4章

小说: iphigenia in tauris 字数: 每页4000字

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  Their bosoms with the love of gain on fire?

    For sweet is hope to man's fond breast;

    The hope of gain; insatiate guest;

  Though on her oft attends Misfortune's train;

    For daring man she tempts to brave

    The dangers of the boisterous wave;

    And leads him heedless of his fate

    Through many a distant barbarous state。

  Vain his opinions; his pursuits are vain!

    Boundless o'er some her power is shown;

    But some her temperate influence own。



                                                            strophe 2



    How did they pass the dangerous rocks

    Clashing with rude; tremendous shocks?

    How pass the savage…howling shore;

  Where once the unhappy Phineus held his reign;

    And sleep affrighted flies its roar;

  Steering their rough course o'er this boisterous main;

    Form'd in a ring; beneath whose waves

    The Nereid train in high arch'd caves

  Weave the light dance; and raise the sprightly song;

    While; whispering in their swelling sails;

    Soft Zephyrs breathe; or southern gales

    Piping amid their tackling play;

    As their bark ploughs its watery way

  Those hoary cliffs; the haunts of birds; along;

    To that wild strand; the rapid race

    Where once Achilles deign'd to grace?



                                                        antistrophe 2



    O that from Troy some chance would bear

    Leda's loved daughter; fatal fair

    (The royal virgin's vows are mine)

  That her bright tresses roll'd in crimson dew;

    Her warm blood flowing at this shrine

  The altar of the goddess might imbrue;

    And Vengeance; righteous to repay

    Her former mischiefs; seize her prey!

  But with what rapture should I hear his voice;

    If one this shore should reach from Greece;

    And bid the toils of slavery cease!

    Or might I in the hour of rest

    With pleasing dreams of Greece be bless'd;

  So in my house; my native land rejoice;

    In sleep enjoy the pleasing strain

    For happiness restored again

                                  (IPHIGENIA enters from the temple。)

  IPHIGENIA

    But the two youths; their hands fast bound in chains;

    The late…seized victims to the goddess; come。

    Silence; my friends; for; destined at the shrine

    To bleed; the Grecian strangers near approach;

    And no false tidings did the herdsman bring。

  LEADER OF THE CHORUS

    Goddess revered; if grateful to thy soul

    This state presents such sacrifice; accept

    The victims; which the custom of this land

    Gives thee; but deem'd unholy by the Greeks。

                         (Guards lead in ORESTES and PYLADES; bound。)

  IPHIGENIA

    No more; that to the goddess each due rite

    Be well perform'd shall be my care。 Unchain

    The strangers' hands; that; hallow'd as they are;

    They may no more be bound。

                            (The guards release ORESTES and PYLADES。)

    Go you; prepare

    Within the temple what the rites require。

    Unhappy youths; what mother brought you forth;

    Your father who? Your sister; if perchance

    Ye have a sister; of what youths deprived?

    For brother she shall have no more。 Who knows

    Whom such misfortunes may attend? For dark

    What the gods will creeps on; and none can tell

    The ills to come: this fortune from the sight

    Obscures。 But; O unhappy strangers; say;

    Whence came you? Sail'd you long since for this land?

    But long will be your absence from your homes;

    For ever; in the dreary realms below。

  ORESTES

    Lady; whoe'er thou art; why for these things

    Dost thou lament? why mourn for ills; which soon

    Will fall on us? Him I esteem unwise;

    Who; when he sees death near; tries to o'ercome

    Its terrors with bewailings; without hope

    Of safety: ill he adds to ill; and makes

    His folly known; yet dies。 We must give way

    To fortune; therefore mourn not thou for us:

    We know; we are acquainted with your rites。

  IPHIGENIA

    Which of you by the name of Pylades

    Is call'd? This first it is my wish to know。

  ORESTES

    If aught of pleasure that may give thee; he。

  IPHIGENIA

    A native of what Grecian state; declare。

  ORESTES

    What profit knowing this wouldst thou obtain?

  IPHIGENIA

    And are you brothers; of one mother born?

  ORESTES

    Brothers by friendship; lady; not by birth。

  IPHIGENIA

    To thee what name was by thy father given?

  ORESTES

    With just cause I Unhappy might be call'd。

  IPHIGENIA

    I ask not that; to fortune that ascribe。

  ORESTES

    Dying unknown; rude scoffs I shall avoid。

  IPHIGENIA

    Wilt thou refuse? Why are thy thoughts so high?

  ORESTES

    My body thou mayst kill; but not my name。

  IPHIGENIA

    Wilt thou not say a native of what state?

  ORESTES

    The question naught avails; since I must die。

  IPHIGENIA

    What hinders thee from granting me this grace?

  ORESTES

    The illustrious Argos I my country boast。

  IPHIGENIA

    By the gods; stranger; is thy birth from thence?

  ORESTES

    My birth is from Mycenae; once the bless'd。

  IPHIGENIA

    Dost thou an exile fly; or by what fate?

  ORESTES

    Of my free will; in part not free; I fly。

  IPHIGENIA

    Wilt thou then tell me what I wish to know?

  ORESTES

    Whate'er is foreign to my private griefs。

  IPHIGENIA

    To my dear wish from Argos art thou come。

  ORESTES

    Not to my wish; but if to thine; enjoy it。

  IPHIGENIA

    Troy; whose fame spreads so wide; perchance thou know'st。

  ORESTES

    O that I ne'er had known her; ev'n in dreams!

  IPHIGENIA

    They say she is no more; by war destroy'd。

  ORESTES

    It is so: you have heard no false reports。

  IPHIGENIA

    Is Helena with Menelaus return'd?

  ORESTES

    She is; and one I love her coming rues。

  IPHIGENIA

    Where is she? Me too she of old hath wrong'd。

  ORESTES

    At Sparta with her former lord she dwells。

  IPHIGENIA

    By Greece; and not by me alone abhorr'd!

  ORESTES

    I from her nuptials have my share of grief。

  IPHIGENIA

    And are the Greeks; as Fame reports; return'd?

  ORESTES

    How briefly all things dost thou ask at once!

  IPHIGENIA

    This favour; ere thou die; I wish to obtain。

  ORESTES

    Ask; then: since such thy wish; I will inform thee。

  IPHIGENIA

    Calchas; a prophet;…came he back from Troy?

  ORESTES

    He perish'd at Mycenae such the fame。

  IPHIGENIA

    Goddess revered! But doth Ulysses live?

  ORESTES

    He lives; they say; but is not yet return'd。

  IPHIGENIA

    Perish the wretch; nor see his country more!

  ORESTES

    Wish him not ill; for all with him is ill。

  IPHIGENIA

    But doth the son of sea…born Thetis live?

  ORESTES

    He lives not: vain his nuptial rites at Aulis。

  IPHIGENIA

    That all was fraud; as those who felt it say。

  ORESTES

    But who art thou; inquiring thus of Greece?

  IPHIGENIA

    I am from thence; in early youth undone。

  ORESTES

    Thou hast a right to inquire what there hath pass'd。

  IPHIGENIA

    What know'st thou of the chief; men call the bless'd?

  ORESTES

    Who? Of the bless'd was not the chief I knew。

  IPHIGENIA

    The royal Agamemnon; son of Atreus。

  ORESTES

    Of him I know not; lady; cease to ask。

  IPHIGENIA

    Nay; by the gods; tell me; and cheer my soul。

  ORESTES

    He's dead; the unhappy chief: no single ill。

  IPHIGENIA

    Dead! By what adverse fate? O wretched me!

  ORESTES

    Why mourn for this? How doth it touch thy breast?

  IPHIGENIA

    The glories of his former state I mourn。

  ORESTES

    Dreadfully murdered by a woman's hand。

  IPHIGENIA

    How wretched she that slew him; he thus slain!

  ORESTES

    Now then forbear: of him inquire no more。

  IPHIGENIA

   

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