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第10章

amphitryon(安菲特利翁)-第10章

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heart; too deserving of death; since it has offended an adorable being; will 

be   happy   if;   in   descending   into   the   place   of   shades;   my   death   appeases 

your    anger;    and;   after  this   wretched     day;   it  leaves   in  your    soul   no 

impression   of   hatred      in   remembering   my   love!   This   is   all   I   ask   as   a 

sovereign favour。 

     ALC。 Ah! Cruel husband。 

     JUP。 Speak; Alcmene; speak。 

     ALC。 Must   I still keep some   kindness for   you; who   insult me   by  so 

many indignities? 

     JUP。 Whatever resentment an outrage causes us; can it hold out against 

the remorse of a heart deeply in love? 

     ALC。 A heart full of passion would rather expose itself to a thousand 

deaths; than offend the object beloved。 

     JUP。 The more one loves; the easier it is 

     ALC。   No;   do   not   speak   to   me   any   longer   about   it;   you   deserve   my 

hatred。 

     JUP。 You hate me then? 



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    ALC。 I   make every effort to do so; and it annoys me to feel that all 

your insults do not yet carry my vengeance so far as yield to it。 

    JUP。 But why this violence; since I offer to kill myself to satisfy your 

revenge? Pronounce the sentence and immediately I will obey。 

    ALC。 It is impossible to wish for another's death if hatred be absent。 

    JUP。 I cannot live unless you abandon the wrath that overwhelms me; 

and unless you grant me the favour of a pardon which I beg at your feet。 

Decide to do one or the other quickly: to punish; or to absolve。 

    ALC。 Alas! The only resolution I can take is but too clearly apparent。 

My   heart   has   too   plainly   betrayed   me;   for   me   to   wish   to   maintain   this 

anger: is it not to say we pardon; when we say we cannot hate? 

    JUP。 Ah; charming Alcmene; overwhelmed with delight I must。。。 

    ALC。 Forbear: I hate myself for such weakness。 

    JUP。    Go;   Sosie;   make   haste;   a  sweet   joy   fills  my   soul。  See  what 

officers of the army you can find; and ask them to dine with me。 (Softly 

aside。) Mercury can fill his post; while he is away from here。 

     SCENE VII 

     CLEANTHIS; SOSIE 

     SOS。   Come!   Now;   you   see;   this   couple;   Cleanthis。   Will   you   follow 

their   example;    and   let  us  also   make    peace?    Indulge   in  some    slight 

reconciliation? 

     CLE。 For the sake of your lovely mug; Oh yes! I will; and no mistake。 

     SOS。 What? You will not? 

     CLE。 No。 

     SOS。 It doesn't matter to me。 So much the worse for you。 

     CLE。 Well; well; come back。 

     SOS。   No;   not;   likely!   I   shall   not   do   anything   of   the   kind;   I   shall   be 

angry。 I turn now。 

     CLE。 Go away; you villain; let me alone; one gets tired now and then 

of being an honest woman。 

    END OF THE SECOND ACT 



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                                     ACT III 



                                       SCENE I 



                                    AMPHITRYON 

    Yes; so doubt fate hides him purposely from me; at last am I tired of 

trying to find him。 I do not know anything that can be more cruel than my 

lot。 In spite of all my endeavours; I cannot find him whom I seek; all those 

I do not seek I find。 A thousand tiresome bores; who do not think they are 

so; drive me mad with their congratulations on our feats of arms; although 

they    know    little  of  me。  In  the  cruel  embarrassment      and   anxiety   that 

troubles me; they all burden me with their attentions; and their rejoicings 

make my uneasiness worse。 In vain I try to pass them by; to flee from their 

persecutions; their killing friendship stops me on all sides; whilst I reply to 

the ardour of their expressions   by a nod of the   head; I mutter under   my 

breath a hundred curses on them。 Ah! How little we are flattered by praise; 

honour and all that a great victory brings; when inwardly we suffer keen 

sorrow! How willingly would I exchange all this glory to have peace of 

mind! At every turn my jealousy twits me with my disgrace; the more my 

mind ponders over it; the less can I unravel its miserable confusion。 The 

theft of the diamonds does not astonish me; seals may be tampered with 

unperceived; but my most cruel torment is that she insists I gave the gift to 

her personally yesterday。 Nature oftentimes produces resemblances; which 

some impostors have adopted in order to deceive; but it is inconceivable 

that; under these appearances; a man should pass himself off as a husband; 

there are a thousand differences in a relationship such as this which a wife 

could easily detect。 The marvellous effects of Thessalian magic have at all 

times   been   renowned;   but   I   have   always   looked   upon   as   idle   tales   the 

famous   stories   everyone   talks   of。  It   would   be   a   hard   fate   if   I;   after   so 

glorious a victory elsewhere; should be compelled to believe them at the 

cost   of   my   own   honour。   I   will   question   her   again   upon   this   wretched 

mystery; and see if it is not a silly fancy that has taken advantage of her 



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disordered brain。 O righteous Heaven; may this thought be true; and may 

she even have lost her senses; so that I may be happy! 



                                      SCENE II 



                           MERCURY; AMPHITRYON 

    MERC。 Since love does not offer me any pleasure here; I will at least 

enjoy   myself   in   another   way;   and   enliven   my   dismal   leisure   by   putting 

Amphitron out of all patience。 This may not be very charitable in a God; 

but I shall not bother myself about that; my planet tells me I am somewhat 

given to malice。 

    AMPH。 How is it that the door is closed at this hour? 

    MERC。 Hullo! Gently; gently! Who knocks? 

    AMPH。 I。 

    MERC。 Who; I? 

    AMPH。 Ah! Open。 

    MERC。   What   do   you   mean   by   'open'?   Who   are   you;   pray;   to   make 

such a row; and speak like that? 

    AMPH。 So? You do not know me? 

    MERC。 No; nor have I the least wish to。 

    AMPH。 Is every one losing his senses today? Is the malady spreading? 

Sosie! Hullo; Sosie! 

    MERC。   Come;   now!   Sosie:   that   is   my   name;   are   you   afraid   I   shall 

forget it? 

    AMPH。 Do you see me? 

    MERC。   Well   enough。   What   can   possess   your   arm   to   make   such   an 

uproar? What do you want down there? 

    AMPH。 I; you gallows…bird! What do I want? 

    MERC。       What    do  you   not   want   then?   Speak;   if  you   want   to  be 

understood。 

    AMPH。 Listen; you villain: I will come up with a stick to make you 

understand;  and   give   you   a   fine   lesson。  How   dare   you speak   to   me   like 

that? 

    MERC。 Softly; softly! If you make the least attempt to create an uproar; 

I shall send you down some messengers who will annoy you。 



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    AMPH。 Oh Heavens! Did anyone ever conceive such insolence? And 

from a servant; from a beggar? 

    MERC。      Come;    now!    What   is  the  matter?   Have   you   gone   over 

everything correctly? Have your big eyes taken everything in? He glares; 

so savage he looks! If looks could bite; he would have torn me to shreds 

by now。 

    AMPH。 I tremble at what you are bringing upon yourself with all this 

impudent talk。 What a frightful storm you are brewing for yourself! What 

a tempest of blows will storm down on your back! 

    MERC。 If you do not

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