the thesmophoriazusae-第8章
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accustomed to celebrate here； when time has again brought round the
mighty Mysteries of the great goddesses； the sacred days which
Pauson himself honours by fasting and would wish feast to succeed
feast； that he might keep them all holy。 Spring forward with a light
step； whirling in mazy circles； let your hands interlace； let the
eager and rapid dancers sway to the music and glance on every side
as they move。
CHORUS （singing）
Let the chorus sing likewise and praise the Olympian gods in their
pious transport。 It's wrong to suppose that； because I am a woman
and in this temple； I am going to speak ill of men； but since we
want something fresh； we are going through the rhythmic steps of the
round dance for the first time。
Start off while you sing to the god of the lyre and to the
chaste goddess armed with the bow。 Hail I thou god who flingest thy
darts so far； grant us the victory！ The homage of our song is also due
to Here； the goddess of marriage； who interests herself in every
chorus and guards the approach to the nuptial couch。 I also pray
Hermes； the god of the shepherds； and Pan and the beloved Graces to
bestow a benevolent smile upon our songs。
Let us lead off anew； let us double our zeal during our solemn
days； and especially let us observe a close fast； let us form fresh
measures that keep good time； and may our songs resound to the very
heavens。 Do thou； oh divine Bacchus； who art crowned with ivy；
direct our chorus； 'tis to thee that both my hymns and my dances are
dedicated； oh； Evius； oh； Bromius； oh； thou son of Semeld； oh；
Bacchus； who delightest to mingle with the dear choruses of the nymphs
upon the mountains； and who repeatest； while dancing with them； the
sacred hymn； Euios； Euios； Euoi！ Echo； the nymph of Cithaeron； returns
thy words； which resound beneath the dark vaults of the thick
foliage and in the midst of the rocks of the forest； the ivy enlaces
thy brow with its tendrils charged with flowers。
SCYTHIAN （he speaks with a heavy foreign accent）
You shall stay here in the open air to wail。
MNESILOCHUS
Archer； I adjure you。
SCYTHIAN
You're wasting your breath。
MNESILOCHUS
Loosen the wedge a little。
SCYTHIAN
Aye； certainly。
MNESILOCHUS
Oh by the gods！ why； you are driving it in tighter。
SCYTHIAN
Is that enough？
MNESILOCHUS
Oh！ Oh！ Ow！ Ow！ May the plague take you！
SCYTHIAN
Silence！ you cursed old wretch！ I am going to get a mat to lie
upon； so as to watch you close at hand at my ease。
MNESILOCHUS
Ah！ what exquisite pleasures Euripides is securing for me！ But；
oh； ye gods！ oh； Zeus the Deliverer； all is not yet lost！ I don't
believe him the man to break his word； I just caught sight of him
appearing in the form of Perseus； and he told me with a mysterious
sign to turn myself into Andromeda。 And in truth am I not really
bound？ It's certain； then； that be is coming to my rescue； for
otherwise he would not have steered his flight this way。
（As Andromeda； singing）
Oh Nymphs； ye virgins who are so dear to me； how am I to
approach him？ how can I escape the sight of this Scythian？ And Echo；
thou who reignest in the inmost recesses of the caves； oh！ favour my
cause and permit me to approach my spouse。 A pitiless ruffian has
chained up the most unfortunate of mortal maids。 Alas！ I bad barely
escaped the filthy claws of an old fury； when another mischance
overtook me！ This Scythian does not take his eye off me and he has
exposed me as food for the crows。 Alas！ what is to become of me； alone
here and without friends！ I am not seen mingling in the dances nor
in the games of my companions； but heavily loaded with fetters I am
given over to the voracity of a Glaucetes。 Sing no bridal hymn for me；
oh women； but rather the hymn of captivity； and in tears。 Ah！ how I
suffer！ great gods！ how I suffer！ Alas！ alas！ and through my own
relatives too！ My misery would make Tartarus dissolve into tears！
Alas！ in my terrible distress； I implore the mortal who first shaved
me and depilated me； then dressed me in this long robe； and then
sent me to this Temple into the midst of the women； to save me。 Oh！
thou pitiless Fate！ I am then accursed； great gods！ Ah！ who would
not be moved at the sight of the appalling tortures under which I
succumb？ Would that the blazing shaft of the lightning would
wither。。。。 this barbarian for me！ The immortal light has no further
charm for my eyes since I have been descending the shortest path to
the dead； tied up； strangled； and maddened with pain。
（In the following scene EURIPIDES； from off stage； impersonates
Echo。）
EURIPIDES
Hail！ beloved girl。 As for your father； Cepheus； who has exposed
you in this guise； may the gods annihilate him。
MNESILOCHUS
And who are you whom my misfortunes have moved to pity？
EURIPIDES
I am Echo； the nymph who repeats all she hears。 It was I； who last
year lent my help to Euripides in this very place。 But； my child； give
yourself up to the sad laments that belong to your pitiful condition。
MNESILOCHUS
And you will repeat them？
EURIPIDES
I will not fail you。 Begin。
MNESILOCHUS （singing）
〃Oh！ thou divine Night！ how slowly thy chariot threads its way
through the starry vault； across the sacred realms of the Air and
mighty Olympus。〃
EURIPIDES （singing）
Mighty Olympus。
MNESILOCHUS （singing）
〃Why is it necessary that Andromeda should have all the woes for
her share？
EURIPIDES （singing）
For her share。
MNESILOCHUS （speaking）
〃Sad death！
EURIPIDES
Sad death！
MNESILOCHUS
You weary me； old babbler。
EURIPIDES
Old babbler。
MNESILOCHUS
Oh！ you are too unbearable。
EURIPIDES
Unbearable。
MNESILOCHUS
Friend； let me talk by myself。 Do please let me。 Come； that's
enough。
EURIPIDES
That's enough。
MNESILOCHUS
Go and hang yourself！
EURIPIDES
Go and hang yourself！
MNESILOCHUS
What a plague！
EURIPIDES
What a plague！
MNESILOCHUS
Cursed brute！
EURIPIDES
Cursed brute！
MNESILOCHUS
Beware of blows！
EURIPIDES
Beware of blows！
SCYTHIAN
Hullo！ what are you jabbering about？
EURIPIDES
What are you jabbering about？
SCYTHIAN
I shall go and call the Magistrates。
EURIPIDES
I shall go and call the Magistrates。
SCYTHIAN
This is odd！
EURIPIDES
This is odd！
SCYTHIAN
Whence comes this voice？
EURIPIDES
Whence comes this voice？
SCYTHIAN
You are mad。
EURIPIDES
You are mad。
SCYTHIAN
Ah！ beware！
EURIPIDES
Ah！ beware！
SCYTHIAN （to MNESILOCHUS）
Are you mocking me？
EURIPIDES
Are you mocking me？
MNESILOCHUS
No； it's this woman； who stands near you。
EURIPIDES
Who stands near you。
SCYTHIAN
Where is the hussy！
MNESILOCHUS
She's running away。
SCYTHIAN
Where are you running to？
EURIPIDES
Where are you running to？
SCYTHIAN
You shall not get away。
EURIPIDES
You shall not get away。
SCYTHIAN
You are chattering still？
EURIPIDES
You are chattering still？
SCYTHIAN
Stop the hussy。
EURIPIDES
Stop the hussy。
SCYTHIAN
What a babbling； cursed woman！
（EURIPIDES now enters； costumed as Perseus。）
EURIPIDES
〃Oh！ ye gods！ to what barbarian land has my swift flight taken me？
I am Perseus； I cleave the plains of the air with my winged feet；
and I am carrying the Gorgon's head to Argos。〃
SCYTHIAN
What； are you talking about the head of Gorgos； the scribe？
EURIPIDES
No； I am speaking of the head of the Gorgon。
SCYTHIAN
Why； yes！ of Gorgos！
EURIPIDES
〃But what do
