登陆注册
5274300000004

第4章

Thine is the madness rather in wishing to recover a wicked wife,once thou hadst lost her-a stroke of Heaven-sent luck.Those foolish suitors swore that oath to Tyndareus in their longing to wed;but Hope was the goddess that led them on,Itrow,and she it was that brought it about rather then thou and thy mightiness.So take the field with them;they are ready for it in the folly of their hearts;for the deity is not without insight,but is able to discern where oaths have been wrongly pledged or forcibly extorted.Iwill not slay my children,nor shall thy interests be prospered by justice in thy vengeance for a worthless wife,while Iam left wasting,night and day,in sorrow for what Idid to one of my own flesh and blood,contrary to all law and justice.There is thy answer shortly'given,clear and easy to understand;and if thou wilt not come to thy senses,Ishall do the best for myself.

CHORUS

This differs from thy previous declaration,but there is good in it-thy child's reprieve.

MENELAUS

Ah me,how sad my lot!Ihave no friends then after all.

AGAMEMNON

Friends thou hast,if thou seek not their destruction.

MENELAUS

Where wilt thou find any proof that thou art sprung from the same sire as I?

AGAMEMNON

Thy moderation,not thy madness do Ishare by nature.

MENELAUS

Friends should sympathize with friends in sorrow.

AGAMEMNON

Claim my help by kindly service,not by paining me.

MENELAUS

So thou hast no mind to share this trouble with Hellas?

AGAMEMNON

No,Hellas is diseased like thee according to some god's design.

MENELAUS

Go vaunt thee then on thy sceptre,after betraying thine own brother!while seek some different means and other friends.

Enter MESSENGER.

MESSENGER

Agamemnon,lord of all Hellenes!Iam come and bring thee thy daughter,whom thou didst call Iphigenia in thy home;and her mother,thy wife Clytemnestra,is with her,and the child Orestes,a sight to gladden thee after thy long absence from thy palace;but,as they had been travelling long and far,they are now refreshing their tender feet at the waters of a fair spring,they and their horses,for we turned these loose in the grassy meadow to browse their fill;but Iam come as their forerunner to prepare thee for their reception;for the army knows already of thy daughter's arrival,so quickly did the rumour spread;and all the folk are running together to the sight,that they may see thy child;for Fortune's favourites enjoy a worldwide fame and have all eyes fixed on them."Is it a wedding?"some ask,"or what is happening?or has king Agamemnon from fond yearning summoned his daughter hither?"From others thou wouldst have heard:"They are presenting the maiden to Artemis,queen of Aulis,previous to marriage;who can the bridegroom be,that is to lead her home?"Come,then,begin the rites-that is the next step-by getting the baskets ready;crown your heads;prepare the wedding-hymn,thou and prince Menelaus with thee;let flutes resound throughout the tents with noise of dancer's feet;for this is a happy day,that is come for the maid.

AGAMEMNON

Thou hast my thanks;now go within;for the rest it will be well,as Fate proceeds.

Exit MESSENGER.

Ah,woe is me!unhappy wretch,what can Isay?where shall Ibegin?Into what cruel straits have Ibeen plunged!Fortune has outwitted me,proving far cleverer than any cunning of mine.What an advantage humble birth possesses!for it is easy for her sons to weep and tell out all their sorrows;while to the high-born man come these same sorrows,but we have dignity throned o'er our life and are the people's slaves.I,for instance,am ashamed to weep,nor less,poor wretch,to check my tears at the awful pass to which Iam brought.Oh!what am Ito tell my wife?how shall Iwelcome her?

with what face meet her?for she too has undone me by coming uninvited in this my hour of sorrow;yet it was but natural she should come with her daughter to prepare the bride and perform the fondest duties,where she will discover my villainy.And for this poor maid-why maid?Death,methinks,will soon make her his bride-how Ipity her!

Thus will she plead to me,Itrow:"My father will thou slay me?Be such the wedding thou thyself mayst find,and whosoever is a friend to thee!"while Orestes,from his station near us,will cry in childish accents,inarticulate,yet fraught with meaning.Alas!to what utter ruin Paris,the son of Priam,the cause of these troubles,has brought me by his union with Helen!

CHORUS

Ipity her myself,in such wise as a woman,and she a stranger,may bemoan the misfortunes of royalty.

MENELAUS(Offering his hand)

Thy hand,brother!let me grasp it.

AGAMEMNON

Igive it;thine is the victory,mine the sorrow.

MENELAUS

By Pelops our reputed grandsire and Atreus our father Iswear to tell thee the truth from my heart,without any covert purpose,but only what Ithink.The sight of thee in tears made me pity thee,and in return Ished a tear for thee myself;Iwithdraw from my former proposals,ceasing to be a cause of fear to thee;yea,and Iwill put myself in thy present position;and Icounsel thee,slay not thy child nor prefer my interests to thine;for it is not just that thou shouldst grieve,while Iam glad,or that thy children should die,while mine still see the light of day.What is it,after all,Iseek?If Iam set on marriage,could Inot find a bride as choice elsewhere?Was Ito lose a brother-the last Ishould have lost-to win a Helen,getting bad for good?Iwas mad,impetuous as a youth,till Iperceived,on closer view,what slaying children really meant.Moreover Iam filled with compassion for the hapless maiden,doomed to bleed that Imay wed,when Ireflect that we are kin.What has thy daughter to do with Helen?Let the army be disbanded and leave Aulis;dry those streaming eyes,brother,and provoke me not to tears.

同类推荐
  • 艺苑雌黄

    艺苑雌黄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说宝贤陀罗尼经

    佛说宝贤陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 皇明盛事述

    皇明盛事述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 节士

    节士

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 幼学琼林

    幼学琼林

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 青春执着依然

    青春执着依然

    青春,一个让多少人回忆且珍惜的时光,或许迷茫,或许彷徨,或许坚定,或许悲伤。不论好的坏的,都是你必须经受的。你可以大胆追梦,可以肆意狂欢,只因,年少且狂。你有幸看到了我的故事,是我们的缘分。这种缘分,只有少年人才有。也欢迎你们在评论区,留下自己的故事。
  • 江汉丛谈

    江汉丛谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 有趣的力学

    有趣的力学

    力,无处不在,无时不有。它就在我们身边,就在我们的生活之中,我们无时无刻不在和力打交道。本文将通过讲述我们身边关于力的一系列故事,来加深我们对力的认识和理解。
  • 重生济颠也修仙

    重生济颠也修仙

    重生异界灵隐寺,莫名其妙做住持。他名李休缘,法号小济颠,不修佛法却修仙。敲蒙棍、抢地盘。偷奸耍滑,妖神避退。一群弟子不三不四,下梁不正上梁歪!
  • 巴蜀图语Ⅱ:蚕丛宝藏

    巴蜀图语Ⅱ:蚕丛宝藏

    蚕丛宝藏中莫名出现的对手,显露出一个寻求长征的神秘组织——高深莫测的实力,能将人变成丧尸或石头的试剂,带有强大力量的符文子弹,都昭示着这个组织对于长征的渴求……揭秘巴蜀文化,展现异族文明!在长期与自然灾害做斗争的过程中,古蜀人发展出一套独有的天人理论,并将文明记载在后世至今无法破解的“巴蜀图语”中。相传,只要掌握了巴蜀图语,就能寻找到远比三星堆、金沙遗址更大规模的祭祀坑,那是古蜀人在去往人类“最后的伊甸”前,留给世间最大的一笔财富。里面更记载着整个华夏文明在夏商时期不为人知的秘密,以及关于人类能在短短数万年间成为世界主宰的真相……
  • 非洲狮传奇3:猎豹来袭

    非洲狮传奇3:猎豹来袭

    在一次玩游戏时,凯米丽发生意外被猎豹叼走,她一次次避开了猎豹的攻击却不幸掉进了湍急的戴斯瑞尔河。当追寻而来的亲人们放弃寻找时,凯米丽却从不知名的草原上醒来,并开始了艰难的求生经历。她结识了幼狮安迪,在安迪的帮助下找到了回家的路,经过重重困难之后,家已近在眼前,凯米丽却再次遇到对她恨之入骨的猎豹,与猎豹的一战不可避免……
  • 青藏风景线

    青藏风景线

    本书由《青藏高原之脊》、《死亡线上的生命里程》、《女人,世界屋脊上新鲜的太阳》3部系列中篇报告文学组成。歌颂了战斗在高原的军人和他们的妻子的高尚情操。
  • 英雄联盟之天王时代

    英雄联盟之天王时代

    【作者段位最强王者】单排王者前三,被称为“rank第一上单”的苏杭一觉醒来,发现这个世界变了。“什么?WE战队是草莓微笑厂长若风卷毛5人组?”“卧槽?wkkk.net到了S7也得froggen一神带4坑?”“哇塞!不败M5没有解散,依旧是欧洲第一战队。”“酷炫!还是那个SKT,还是那个中路大魔王。”S1的TSM,S2的辅神,S3的狂小狗……不是旋转木马的大哥,不是骚猪的上单霸主……这是一个所有选手都在巅峰期的平行空间,这是一个LOL的天王时代!群号:436328211
  • 绣鸳鸯

    绣鸳鸯

    本书是马金莲的中短篇小说集,包含了《绣鸳鸯》《大拇指与小拇尕》《梨花雪》等10篇小说。作者用细腻的笔调、凝练生动的现代汉语语言、巧妙地西海固方言及回族语言,描绘西部当下农村底层人物的命运和情感。
  • 病弱王爷倾城王妃

    病弱王爷倾城王妃

    她是钟离紫若,异性王府唯一的嫡小姐。他是东方沐凌,病弱之身,却是陵陌国最尊贵的王爷,殇凌王。一纸婚约,把两人放到一起。两个人离开京城六年,去了不同的地方。却依然守护那一纸婚约。,钟离紫若有宠爱自己的父亲,疼爱自己的哥哥,宠着自己的七哥。东方沐凌有向着自己的父亲,疼爱自己的母后,可爱的弟弟,却只想宠着他的若儿。六年的时间到底发生了什么?她是幽灵榜首杀人如麻的鸢妖娆。他是江湖第一势力幽宫的宫主。归来之时都不再是曾经的自己。看他们能否守护彼此,携手并肩患难与共,收获完美的爱情。