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！
to Posidon； let them consecrate wheat in honour of the duck； if a
steer is being offered to Heracles； let honey…cakes be dedicated to
the gull； if a goat is being slain for King Zeus； there is a
King…Bird； the wren； to whom the sacrifice of a male gnat is due
before Zeus himself even。
EUELPIDES
This notion of an immolated gnat delights me！ And now let the
great Zeus thunder！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
But how will mankind recognize us as gods and not as jays？ Us； who
have wings and fly？
PITHETAERUS
You talk rubbish！ Hermes is a god and has wings and flies； and
so do many other gods。 First of all； Victory flies with golden
wings； Eros is undoubtedly winged too； and Iris is compared by Homer
to a timorous dove。
EUELPIDES
But will not Zeus thunder and send his winged bolts against us？
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
If men in their blindness do not recognize us as gods and so
continue to worship the dwellers in Olympus？
PITHETAERUS
Then a cloud of sparrows greedy for corn must descend upon their
fields and eat up all their seeds； we shall see then if Demeter will
mete them out any wheat。
EUELPIDES
By Zeus； she'll take good care she does not； and you will see
her inventing a thousand excuses。
PITHETAERUS
The crows too will prove your divinity to them by pecking out
the eyes of their flocks and of their draught…oxen； and then let
Apollo cure them； since he is a physician and is paid for the purpose。
EUELPIDES
Oh！ don't do that！ Wait first until I have sold my two young
bullocks。
PITHETAERUS
If on the other hand they recognize that you are God； the
principle of life； that。 you are Earth； Saturn； Posidon； they shall be
loaded with benefits。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Name me one of these then。
PITHETAERUS
Firstly； the locusts shall not eat up their vine…blossoms； a
legion of owls and kestrels will devour them。 Moreover； the gnats
and the gallbugs shall no longer ravage the figs； a flock of
thrushes shall swallow the whole host down to the very last。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
And how shall we give wealth to mankind？ This is their strongest
passion。
PITHETAERUS
When they consult the omens； you will point them to the richest
mines； you will reveal the paying ventures to the diviner； and not
another shipwreck will happen or sailor perish。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
No more shall perish？ How is that？
PITHETAERUS
When the auguries are examined before starting on a voyage； some
bird will not fail to say； 〃Don't start！ there will be a storm；〃 or
else； 〃Go！ you will make a most profitable venture。〃
EUELPIDES
I shall buy a trading…vessel and go to sea； I will not stay with
you。
PITHETAERUS
You will discover treasures to them； which were buried in former
times； for you know them。 Do not all men say； 〃None knows where my
treasure lies； unless perchance it be some bird。〃
EUELPIDES
I shall sell my boat and buy a spade to unearth the vessels。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
And how are we to give them health； which belongs to the gods？
PITHETAERUS
If they are happy； is not that the chief thing towards health？ The
miserable man is never well。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Old Age also dwells in Olympus。 How will they get at it？ Must they
die in early youth？
PITHETAERUS
Why； the birds； by Zeus； will add three hundred years to their
life。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
From whom will they take them？
PITHETAERUS
From whom？ Why； from themselves。 Don't you know the cawing crow
lives five times as long as a man？
EUELPIDES
Ah！ ah！ these are far better kings for us than Zeus！
PITHETAERUS （solemnly）
Far better； are they not？ And firstly； we shall not have to
build them temples of hewn stone； closed with gates of gold； they will
dwell amongst the bushes and in the thickets of green oak； the most
venerated of birds will have no other temple than the foliage of the
olive tree； we shall not go to Delphi or to Ammon to sacrifice； but
standing erect in the midst of arbutus and wild olives and holding
forth our hands filled with wheat and barley； we shall pray them to
admit us to a share of the blessings they enjoy and shall at once
obtain them for a few grains of wheat。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Old man； whom I detested； you are now to me the dearest of all；
never shall I； if I can help it； fail to follow your advice。
CHORUS （singing）
Inspirited by your words； I threaten my rivals the gods； and I
swear that if you march in alliance with me against the gods and are
faithful to our just； loyal and sacred bond； we shall soon have
shattered their sceptre；
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
We shall charge ourselves with the performance of everything
that requires force； that which demands thought and deliberation shall
be yours to supply。
EPOPS
By Zeus！ it's no longer the time to delay and loiter like
Nicias； let us act as promptly as possible。。。。 In the first place；
come； enter my nest built of brushwood and blades of straw； and tell
me your names。
PITHETAERUS
That is soon done； my name is Pithetaerus； and his； Euelpides；
of the deme Crioa。
EPOPS
Good！ and good luck to you。
PITHETAERUS
We accept the omen。
EPOPS
Come in here。
PITHETAERUS
Very well； you are the one who must lead us and introduce us。
EPOPS
Come then。
（He starts to fly away。）
PITHETAERUS （stopping himself）
Oh！ my god！ do come back here。 Hi！ tell us how we are to follow
you。 You can fly； but we cannot。
EPOPS
Well； well。
PITHETAERUS
Remember Aesop's fables。 It is told there that the fox fared
very badly； because he had made an alliance with the eagle。
EPOPS
Be at ease。 You shall eat a certain root and wings will grow on
your shoulders。
PITHETAERUS
Then let us enter。 Xanthias and Manodorus； pick up our baggage。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Hi！ Epops！ do you hear me？
EPOPS
What's the matter？
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Take them off to dine well and call your mate； the melodious
Procne； whose songs are worthy of the Muses； she will delight our
leisure moments。
PITHETAERUS
Oh！ I conjure you； accede to their wish； for this delightful
bird will leave her rushes at the sound of your voice； for the sake of
the gods； let her come here； so that we may contemplate the
nightingale。
EPOPS
Let is be as you desire。 Come forth； Procne； show yourself to
these strangers。
（PROCNE appears； she resembles a young flute…girl。）
PITHETAERUS
Oh！ great Zeus！ what a beautiful little bird！ what a dainty
form！ what brilliant plumage！ Do you know how dearly I should like
to get between her thighs？
EUELPIDES
She is dazzling all over with gold； like a young girl。 Oh！ how I
should like to kiss her！
PITHETAERUS
Why； wretched man； she has two little sharp points on her beak！
EUELPIDES
I would treat her like an egg； the shell of which we remove before
eating it； I would take off her mask and then kiss her pretty face。
EPOPS
Let us go in。
PITHETAERUS
Lead the way； and may success attend us。
（EPOPS goes into the thicket； followed by PITHETAERUS and
EUELPIDES。）
CHORUS （singing）
Lovable golden bird； whom I cherish above all others； you； whom
I associate with all my songs； nightingale； you have come； you have
come； to show yourself to me and to charm me with your notes。 Come；
you； who play spring melodies upon the harmonious flute； lead off
our anapests。
（The CHORUS turns and faces the audience。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Weak mortals； chained to the earth； creatures of clay as frail
as the foliage of the woods； you unfortunate race； whose life is but
darkness； as unreal as a shadow； the illusion of a dream； hearken to
us； who are immortal beings； ethereal； ever young and occupied with
eternal thoughts； for we shall teach you about all celestial
matters； you shall know thoroughly what is the nature of the birds；
what the origin of the gods； of the rivers； of Erebus； and Chaos；
thanks to us； even Prodicus will envy you your knowledge。
At the beginning there was only Chaos； Night； dark Erebus； and
deep Tartarus。 Earth； the air and heaven had no existence。 Firstly；
black…winged Night laid a germless egg in the bosom of the infinite
deeps of Erebus； and from this； after the revolution of long ages；
sprang the graceful Eros with his glittering golden wings； swift as
the whirlwinds of the tempest。 He mated in deep Tartarus with dark
Chaos； winged like himself； and thus hatched forth our race； which was
the first to see the light。 That of the Immortals did not exist
until Eros had brought together all the ingredients of the world；
and from their marr