按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
410 BC
IPHIGENIA AT AULIS
by Euripides
Characters in the Play
Agamemnon
Attendant； an old man
Chorus of Women of Chalcis
Menelaus
Clytaemnestra
Iphigenia
Achilles
Messenger
The sea…coast at Aulis。 Enter AGAMEMNON and ATTENDANT。
Agamemnon。
Old man； come hither and stand before my dwelling。
Attendant。
I come； what new schemes now； king Agamemnon？
AGAMEMNON
Thou shalt hear。
ATTENDANT
I am all eagerness。 'Tis little enough sleep old age allows me and
keenly it watches o'er my eyes。
AGAMEMNON
What can that star be； steering his course yonder？
ATTENDANT
Sirius； still shooting o'er the zenith on his way near the
Pleiads' sevenfold track。
AGAMEMNON
The birds are still at any rate and the sea is calm； hushed are
the winds； and silence broods o'er this narrow firth。
ATTENDANT
Then why art thou outside thy tent； why so restless； my lord
Agamemnon？ All is yet quiet here in Aulis； the watch on the walls is
not yet astir。 Let us go in。
AGAMEMNON
I envy thee； old man； aye； and every man who leads a life
secure； unknown and unrenowned； but little I envy those in office。
ATTENDANT
And yet 'tis there we place the be…all and end…all of existence。
AGAMEMNON
Aye； but that is where the danger comes； and ambition； sweet
though it seems； brings sorrow with its near approach。 At one time the
unsatisfied claims of Heaven upset our life； at another the numerous
peevish fancies of our subjects shatter it。
ATTENDANT
I like not these sentiments in one who is a chief。 It was not to
enjoy all blessings that Atreus begot thee； O Agamemnon； but thou must
needs experience joy and sorrow alike； mortal as thou art。 E'en though
thou like it not； this is what the gods decree； but thou； after
letting thy taper spread its light abroad； writest the letter which is
still in thy hands and then erasest the same words again； sealing
and re…opening the scroll； then flinging the tablet to the ground with
floods of tears and leaving nothing undone in thy aimless behaviour to
stamp thee mad。 What is it troubles thee？ what news is there affecting
thee； my liege？ Come； share with me thy story； to a loyal and trusty
heart wilt thou be telling it； for Tyndareus sent me that day to
form part of thy wife's dowry and to wait upon the bride with loyalty。
AGAMEMNON
Leda； the daughter of Thestius； had three children； maidens；
Phoebe； Clytaemnestra my wife； and Helen； this last it was who had for
wooers the foremost of the favoured sons of Hellas； but terrible
threats of spilling his rival's blood were uttered by each of them；
should he fail to win the maid。 Now the matter filled Tyndareus； her
father； with perplexity； at length this thought occurred to him； the
suitors should swear unto each other and join right hands thereon
and pour libations with burnt sacrifice； binding themselves by this
curse； 〃Whoever wins the child of Tyndareus for wife； him will we
assist； in case a rival takes her from his house and goes his way；
robbing her husband of his rights； and we will march against that
man in armed array and raze his city to the ground； Hellene no less
than barbarian。〃
Now when they had once pledged their word and old Tyndareus with
no small cleverness had beguiled them by his shrewd device； he allowed
his daughter to choose from among her suitors the one towards whom the
breath of love might fondly waft her。 Her choice fell on Menelaus；
would she had never taken him！ Anon there came to Lacedaemon from
Phrygia's folk the man who； legend says； adjudged the goddesses'
dispute； in robes of gorgeous hue； ablaze with gold； in true
barbaric pomp； and he； finding Menelaus gone from home； carried
Helen off with him to his steading on Ida； a willing paramour。
Goaded to frenzy Menelaus flew through Hellas； invoking the ancient
oath exacted by Tyndareus and declaring the duty of helping the
injured husband。 Whereat the chivalry of Hellas； brandishing their
spears and donning their harness； came hither to the narrow straits of
Aulis with armaments of ships and troops； with many a steed and many a
car； and they chose me to captain them all for the sake of Menelaus；
since I was his brother。 Would that some other had gained that
distinction instead of me！ But after the army was gathered and come
together； we still remained at Aulis weather…bound； and Calchas； the
seer； bade us in our perplexity sacrifice my own begotten child
Iphigenia to Artemis； whose home is in this land； declaring that if we
offered her； we should sail and sack the Phrygians' capital； but if we
forbore； this was not for us。 When I heard this； I commanded
Talthybius with loud proclamation to disband the whole host； as I
could never bear to slay daughter of mine。 Whereupon my brother；
bringing every argument to bear； persuaded me at last to face the
crime； so I wrote in a folded scroll and sent to my wife； bidding
her despatch our daughter to me on the pretence of wedding Achilles；
it the same time magnifying his exalted rank and saying that he
refused to sail with the Achaeans； unless a bride of our lineage
should go to Phthia。 Yes； this was the inducement I offered my wife；
inventing； as I did； a sham marriage for the maiden。 Of all the
Achaeans we alone know the real truth； Calchas； Odysseus； Menelaus and
myself； but that which I then decided wrongly； I now rightly
countermand again in this scroll； which thou； old man； hast found me
opening and resealing beneath the shade of night。 Up now and away with
this missive to Argos； and I will tell thee by word of mouth all
that is written herein； the contents of the folded scroll； for thou
art loyal to my wife and house。
ATTENDANT
Say on and make it plain； that what my tongue utters may accord
with what thou hast written。
AGAMEMNON
〃Daughter of Leda； in addition to my first letter I now send
thee word not to despatch thy daughter to Euboea's embosomed wing；
to the to the waveless bay of Aulis； for after all we wiltlelebrate
our child's wedding at another time。〃
ATTENDANT
And how will Achilles； cheated of his bride； curb the fury of
his indignation against thee and thy wife？
AGAMEMNON
Here also is a danger。
ATTENDANT
Tell me what thou meanest。
AGAMEMNON
It is but his name； not himself； that Achilles is lending； knowing
nothing of the marriage or of my scheming or my professed readiness to
betroth my daughter to him for a husband's embrace。
ATTENDANT
A dreadful venture thine king Agamemnon！ thou that； by promise
of thy daughter's hand to the son of the goddess； wert for bringing
the maid hither to be sacrificed for the Danai。
AGAMEMNON
Woe is me！ ah woe！ I am utterly distraught； bewilderment comes
o'er me。 Away hurry thy steps； yielding nothing to old age。
ATTENDANT
In haste I go； my liege。
AGAMEMNON
Sit not down by woodland founts； scorn the witcheries of sleep。
ATTENDANT
Hush！
AGAMEMNON
And when thou passest any place where roads diverge； cast thine
eyes all round；…taking heed that no mule…wain pass by on rolling
wheels； bearing my daughter hither to the ships of the Danai； and thou
see it not。
ATTENDANT
It shall be so。
AGAMEMNON
Start then from the bolted gates； and if thou meet the escort；
start them back again； and drive at full speed to the abodes of the
Cyclopes。
ATTENDANT
But tell me； how shall my message find credit with thy wife or
child？
AGAMEMNON
Preserve the seal which thou bearest on this scroll。 Away！ already
the dawn is growing grey； lighting the lamp of day yonder and the fire
of the sun's four steeds； help me in my trouble。
Exit ATTENDANT。
None of mortals is prosperous or happy to the last； for none was
ever born to a painless life。
Exit AGAMEMNON。
Enter CHORUS OF WOMEN OF CHALCIS。
CHORUS
To the sandy beach of sea…coast Aulis I came after a voyage
through the tides of Euripus； leaving Chalcis on its narrow firth；
my city which feedeth the waters of far…famed Arethusa near the sea；
that I might behold the army of the Achaeans and the ships rowed by
those god…like heroes； for our husbands tell us that fair…haired
Menelaus and high…born Agamemnon are leading them to Troy on a
thousand ships in quest of the lady Helen； whom herdsman Paris carried
off from the banks of reedy Eurotas…his guerdon from Aphrodite； when
that queen of Cyprus entered beauty's lists with Hera and Pallas at
the gushing fount。
Through the grove of…Artemis； rich with sacrifice； I sped my