hippolytus-第5章
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blame?
NURSE
My son; this is no story to be noised abroad。
HIPPOLYTUS
A virtuous tale grows fairer told to many。
NURSE
Never dishonour thy oath; my son。
HIPPOLYTUS
My tongue an oath did take; but not my heart。
NURSE
My son; what wilt thou do? destroy thy friends?
HIPPOLYTUS
Friends indeed! the wicked are no friends of mine。
NURSE
O pardon me; to err is only human; child。
HIPPOLYTUS
Great Zeus; why didst thou; to man's sorrow; put woman; evil
counterfeit; to dwell where shines the sun? If thou wert minded that
the human race should multiply; it was not from women they should have
drawn their stock; but in thy temples they should have paid gold or
iron or ponderous bronze and bought a family; each man proportioned to
his offering; and so in independence dwelt; from women free。 But now
as soon as ever we would bring this plague into our home we bring
its fortune to the ground。 'Tis clear from this how great a curse a
woman is; the very father; that begot and nurtured her; to rid him
of the mischief; gives her a dower and packs her off; while the
husband; who takes the noxious weed into his home; fondly decks his
sorry idol in fine raiment and tricks her out in robes; squandering by
degrees; unhappy wight! his house's wealth。 For he is in this dilemma;
say his marriage has brought him good connections; he is glad then
to keep the wife he loathes; or; if he gets a good wife but useless
kin; he tries to stifle the bad luck with the good。 But it is
easiest for him who has settled in his house as wife mere cipher;
incapable from simplicity。 I hate a clever woman; never may she set
foot in my house who aims at knowing more than women need; for in
these clever women Cypris implants a larger store of villainy; while
the artless woman is by her shallow wit from levity debarred。 No
servant should ever have had access to a wife; but men should put to
live with them beasts; which bite; not talk; in which case they
could not speak to any one nor be answered back by them。 But; as it
is; the wicked in their chambers plot wickedness; and their servants
carry it abroad。 Even thus; vile wretch; thou cam'st to make me
partner in an outrage on my father's honour; wherefore I must wash
that stain away in running streams; dashing the water into my ears。
How could I commit so foul a crime when by the very mention of it I
feel myself polluted? Be well assured; woman; 'tis only my religious
scruple saves thee。 For had not I unawares been caught by an oath;
'fore heaven! I would not have refrained from telling all unto my
father。 But now I will from the house away; so long as Theseus is
abroad; and will maintain strict silence。 But; when my father comes; I
will return and see how thou and thy mistress face him; and so shall I
learn by experience the extent of thy audacity。 Perdition seize you
both! I can never satisfy my hate for women; no! not even though
some say this is ever my theme; for of a truth they always are evil。
So either let some one prove them chaste; or let me still trample on
them for ever。
(HIPPOLYTUS departs in anger。)
CHORUS (chanting)
O the cruel; unhappy fate of women! What arts; what arguments have
we; once we have made a slip; to loose by craft the tight…drawn knot?
PHAEDRA (chanting)
I have met my deserts。 O earth; O light of day! How can I escape
the stroke of fate? How my pangs conceal; kind friends? What god
will appear to help me; what mortal to take my part or help me in
unrighteousness? The present calamity of my life admits of no
escape。 Most hapless I of all my sex!
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Alas; alas! the deed is done; thy servant's schemes have gone
awry; my queen; and all is lost。
PHAEDRA (to the NURSE)
Accursed woman! traitress to thy friends! How hast thou ruined me!
May Zeus; my ancestor; smite thee with his fiery bolt and uproot
thee from thy place。 Did I not foresee thy purpose; did I not bid thee
keep silence on the very matter which is now my shame? But thou
wouldst not be still; wherefore my fair name will not go with me to
the tomb。 But now I must another scheme devise。 Yon youth; in the
keenness of his fury; will tell his father of my sin; and the aged
Pittheus of my state and fill the world with stories to my shame。
Perdition seize thee and every meddling fool who by dishonest means
would serve unwilling friends!
NURSE
Mistress; thou may'st condemn the mischief I have done; for
sorrow's sting o'ermasters thy judgment; yet can I answer thee in face
of this; if thou wilt hear。 'Twas I who nurtured thee; I love thee
still; but in my search for medicine to cure thy sickness I found what
least I sought。 Had I but succeeded; I had been counted wise; for
the credit we get for wisdom is measured by our success。
PHAEDRA
Is it just; is it any satisfaction to me; that thou shouldst wound
me first; then bandy words with me?
NURSE
We dwell on this too long; I was not wise; I own; but there are
yet ways of escape from the trouble; my child。
PHAEDRA
Be dumb henceforth; evil was thy first advice to me; evil too
thy attempted scheme。 Begone and leave me; look to thyself; I will
my own fortunes for the best arrange。
(The NURSE goes into the palace。)
Ye noble daughters of Troezen; grant me the only boon I crave;
in silence bury what ye here have heard。
LEADER
By majestic Artemis; child of Zeus; I swear I will never divulge
aught of thy sorrows。
PHAEDRA
'Tis well。 But I; with all my thought; can but one way discover
out of this calamity; that so I may secure my children's honour; and
find myself some help as matters stand。 For never; never will I
bring shame upon my Cretan home; nor will I; to save one poor life;
face Theseus after my disgrace。
LEADER
Art thou bent then on some cureless woe?
PHAEDRA
On death; the means thereto must I devise myself。
LEADER
Hush!
PHAEDRA
Do thou at least advise me well。 For this very day shall I gladden
Cypris; my destroyer; by yielding up my life; and shall own myself
vanquished by cruel love。 Yet shall my dying be another's curse;
that he may learn not to exult at my misfortunes; but when he comes to
share the self…same plague with me; he will take a lesson in wisdom。
(PHAEDRA enters the palace。)
CHORUS (chanting)
strophe 1
O to be nestling 'neath some pathless cavern; there by god's
creating hand to grow into a bird amid the winged tribes! Away would I
soar to Adria's wave…beat shore and to the waters of Eridanus; where a
father's hapless daughters in their grief for Phaethon distil into the
glooming flood the amber brilliance of their tears。
antistrophe 1
And to the apple…bearing strand of those minstrels in the west
then would come; where ocean's lord no more to sailors grants
passage o'er the deep dark main; finding there the heaven's holy
bound; upheld by Atlas; where water from ambrosial founts wells up
beside the couch of Zeus inside his halls; and holy earth; the
bounteous mother; causes joy to spring in heavenly breasts。
strophe 2
O white…winged bark; that o'er the booming ocean…wave didst
bring my royal mistress from her happy home; to crown her queen
'mongst sorrow's brides! Surely evil omens from either port; at
least from Crete; were with that ship; what time to glorious Athens it
sped its way; and the crew made fast its twisted cable…ends upon the
beach of Munychus; and on the land stept out。
antistrophe 2
Whence comes it that her heart is crush