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！
LEADER
By his father's hand； or by his own？
MESSENGER
By his own； in wrath with his sire for the murder。
LEADER
O prophet； how true； then； hast thou proved thy word！
MESSENGER
These things stand thus； ye must consider of the rest。
LEADER
Lo； I see the hapless Eurydice； Creon's wife； approaching； she
comes from the house by chance； haply；…or because she knows the
tidings of her son。
（Enter EURYDICE from the palace。）
EURYDICE
People of Thebes； I heard your words as I was going forth； to
salute the goddess Pallas with my prayers。 Even as I was loosing the
fastenings of the gate； to open it； the message of a household woe
smote on mine ear： I sank back； terror…stricken； into the arms of my
handmaids； and my senses fled。 But say again what the tidings were；
I shall hear them as one who is no stranger to sorrow。
MESSENGER
Dear lady； I will witness of what I saw； and will leave no word of
the truth untold。 Why； indeed； should I soothe thee with words in
which must presently be found false？ Truth is ever best。…I attended
thy lord as his guide to the furthest part of the plain； where the
body of Polyneices； torn by dogs； still lay unpitied。 We prayed the
goddess of the roads； and Pluto； in mercy to restrain their wrath；
we washed the dead with holy washing； and with freshly…plucked
boughs we solemnly burned such relics as there were。 We raised a
high mound of his native earth； and then we turned away to enter the
maiden's nuptial chamber with rocky couch； the caverned mansion of the
bride of Death。 And； from afar off； one of us heard a voice of loud
wailing at that bride's unhallowed bower； and came to tell our
master Creon。
And as the king drew nearer； doubtful sounds of a bitter cry
floated around him； he groaned； and said in accents of anguish；
'Wretched that I am； can my foreboding be true？ Am I going on the
wofullest way that ever I went？ My son's voice greets me。…Go； my
servants；…haste ye nearer； and when ye have reached the tomb； pass
through the gap； where the stones have been wrenched away； to the
cell's very mouth；…and look。 and see if 'tis Haemon's voice that I
know； or if mine ear is cheated by the gods。'
This search； at our despairing master's word； we went to make； and
in the furthest part of the tomb we descried her hanging by the
neck； slung by a thread…wrought halter of fine linen： while he was
embracing her with arms thrown around her waist； bewailing the loss of
his bride who is with the dead； and his father's deeds； and his own
ill…starred love。
But his father； when he saw him； cried aloud with a dread cry
and went in； and called to him with a voice of wailing：…'Unhappy； what
deed hast thou done！ What thought hath come to thee？ What manner of
mischance hath marred thy reason？ Come forth； my child！ I pray
thee…I implore！' But the boy glared at him with fierce eyes； spat in
his face； and； without a word of answer； drew his cross…hilted
sword：…as his father rushed forth in flight； he missed his
aim；…then； hapless one； wroth with himself； he straightway leaned with
all his weight against his sword； and drove it； half its length；
into his side； and； while sense lingered； he clasped the maiden to his
faint embrace； and； as he gasped； sent forth on her pale cheek the
swift stream of the oozing blood。
Corpse enfolding corpse he lies； he hath won his nuptial rites；
poor youth； not here； yet in the halls of Death； and he hath witnessed
to mankind that； of all curses which cleave to man； ill counsel is the
sovereign curse。
（EURYDICE retires into the house。）
LEADER
What wouldst thou augur from this？ The lady hath turned back；
and is gone； without a word； good or evil。
MESSENGER
I； too； am startled； yet I nourish the hope that； at these sore
tidings of her son； she cannot deign to give her sorrow public vent；
but in the privacy of the house will set her handmaids to mourn the
household grief。 For she is not untaught of discretion； that she
should err。
LEADER
I know not； but to me； at least； a strained silence seems to
portend peril； no less than vain abundance of lament。
MESSENGER
Well； I will enter the house； and learn whether indeed she is
not hiding some repressed purpose in the depths of a passionate heart。
Yea； thou sayest well： excess of silence； too； may have a perilous
meaning。
（The MESSENGER goes into the palace。 Enter CREON； on the spectators'
left； with attendants； carrying the shrouded body of HAEMON on
bier。 The following lines between CREON and the CHORUS are
chanted responsively。）
CHORUS
Lo； yonder the king himself draws near； bearing that which tells
too clear a tale；…the work of no stranger's madness；…if we may say
it；…but of his own misdeeds。
CREON
strophe 1
Woe for the sins of a darkened soul； stubborn sins； fraught with
death！ Ah； ye behold us； the sire who hath slain； the son who hath
perished！ Woe is me； for the wretched blindness of my counsels！
Alas； my son； thou hast died in thy youth； by a timeless doom； woe
is me！…thy spirit hath fled；…not by thy folly； but by mine own！
CHORUS
strophe 2
Ah me； how all too late thou seemest to see the right！
CREON Ah me； I have learned the bitter lesson！ But then； methinks；
oh then； some god smote me from above with crushing weight； and hurled
me into ways of cruelty； woe is me；…overthrowing and trampling on my
joy！ Woe； woe； for the troublous toils of men！
（Enter MESSENGER from the house。）
MESSENGER
Sire； thou hast come； methinks； as one whose hands are not
empty； but who hath store laid up besides； thou bearest yonder
burden with thee…and thou art soon to look upon the woes within thy
house。
CREON
And what worse ill is yet to follow upon ills？
MESSENGER
Thy queen hath died； true mother of yon corpse…ah； hapless lady by
blows newly dealt。
CREON
antistrophe 1
Oh Hades； all…receiving whom no sacrifice can appease！ Hast
thou； then； no mercy for me？ O thou herald of evil； bitter tidings；
what word dost thou utter？ Alas； I was already as dead； and thou
hast smitten me anew！ What sayest thou； my son？ What is this new
message that thou bringest…woe； woe is me！…Of a wife's doom…of
slaughter headed on slaughter？
CHORUS
Thou canst behold： 'tis no longer hidden within。
（The doors of the palace are opened； and the corpse of EURYDICE is
disclosed。）
CREON
antistrophe 2
Ah me；…yonder I behold a new； a second woe！ What destiny； ah what；
can yet await me？ I have but now raised my son in my arms；…and
there； again； I see a corpse before me！ Alas； alas； unhappy mother！
Alas； my child！
MESSENGER
There； at the altar； self…stabbed with a keen knife； she
suffered her darkening eyes to close； when she had wailed for the
noble fate of Megareus who died before； and then for his fate who lies
there；…and when； with her last breath； she had invoked evil fortunes
upon thee； the slayer of thy sons。
CREON
strophe 3
Woe； woe！ I thrill with dread。 Is there none to strike me to the
heart with two…edged sword？…O miserable that I am； and steeped in
miserable anguish！
MESSENGER
Yea； both this son's doom； and that other's； were laid to thy
charge by her whose corpse thou seest。
CREON
And what was the manner of the violent deed by which she passed
away？
MESSENGER
Her own hand struck her to the heart； when she had learned her
son's sorely lamented fate。
CREON
strophe 4
Ah me； this guilt can never be fixed on any other of mortal
kind； for my acquittal！ I； even I； was thy slayer； wretched that I
am…I own the truth。 Lead me away； O my servants； lead me hence with
all speed； whose life is but as death！
CHORUS
Thy counsels are good； if there can be good with ills； briefest is
best； when trouble is in our path。
CREON
antistrophe 3
Oh； let it come； let it appear； that fairest of fates for me； that
brings my last day；…aye； best fate of all！ Oh； let it come； that I may
never look upon to…morrow's light。
CHORUS
These things are in the future； present tasks claim our care：
the ordering of the future rests where it should rest。
CREON
All my desires； at least； were summed in that prayer。
CHORUS
Pray thou no more； for mortals have no escape from destined woe。
CREON