andromache- 第4部分

me；　son　of　Priam。

　　MOLOSSUS

　　　　Ah；　woe　is　me！　what　spell　can　I　now　find　to　turn　death's　stroke

aside？

　　ANDROMACHE

　　　　Embrace　thy　master's　knees；　my　child；　and　pray　to　him。

　　MOLOSSUS

　　　　Spare；　O　spare　my　life；　kind　master！

　　ANDROMACHE

　　　　Mine　eyes　are　wet　with　tears；　which　trickle　down　my　cheeks；　as

doth　a　sunless　spring　from　a　smooth　rock。　Ah　me！

　　MOLOSSUS

　　　　What　remedy；　alas！　can　I　provide　me　'gainst　my　ills？

　　MENELAUS

　　　　Why　fall　at　my　knees　in　supplication？　hard　as　the　rock　and　deaf　as

the　wave　am　I。　My　own　friends　have　I　helped；　but　for　thee　have　no

tie　of　affection；　for　verily　it　cost　me　a　great　part　of　my　life　to

capture　Troy　and　thy　mother；　so　thou　shalt　reap　the　fruit　thereof

and　into　Hades'　halls　descend。

　　LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS

　　　　Behold！　I　see　Peleus　drawing　nigh；　with　aged　step　he　hasteth

hither。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（PELEUS　enters　with　an　attendant。）



　　PELEUS　（calling　out　as　he　comes　in　sight）

　　　　What　means　this？　I　ask　you　and　your　executioner；　why　is　the　palace

in　an　uproar？　give　a　reason；　what　mean　your　lawless　machinations？

Menelaus；　hold　thy　hand。　Seek　not　to　outrun　justice。　（To　his

attendant）　Forward！　faster；　faster！　for　this　matter；　methinks；

admits　of　no　delay；　now　if　ever　would　I　fain　resume　the　vigour　of　my

youth。　First　however　will　breathe　new　life　into　this　captive；　being　to

her　as　the　breeze　that　blows　a　ship　before　the　wind。　Tell　me；　by

what　right　have　they　pinioned　thine　arms　and　are　dragging　thee　and　thy

child　away？　Like　a　ewe　with　her　lamb　art　thou　led　to　the　slaughter；

while　I　and　thy　lord　were　far　away。

　　ANDROMACHE

　　　　Behold　them　that　are　haling　me　and　my　child　to　death；　e'en　as　thou

seest；　aged　prince。　Why　should　I　tell　thee？　For　not　by　one　urgent

summons　alone　but　by　countless　messengers　have　I　sent　for　thee。　No

doubt　thou　knowest　by　hearsay　of　the　strife　in　this　house　with　this

man's　daughter；　and　the　reason　of　my　ruin。　So　now　they　have　torn　and

are　dragging　me　from　the　altar　of　Thetis；　the　goddess　of　thy

chiefest　adoration　and　the　mother　of　thy　gallant　son；　without　any

proper　trial；　yea；　and　without　waiting　for　my　absent　master；

because；　forsooth；　they　knew　my　defencelessness　and　my　child's；　whom

they　mean　to　slay　with　me　his　hapless　mother；　though　he　has　done　no

harm。　But　to　thee；　O　sire；　I　make　my　supplication；　prostrate　at　thy

knees；　though　my　hand　cannot　touch　thy　friendly　beard；　save　me；　I

adjure　thee；　reverend　sir；　or　to　thy　shame　and　my　sorrow　shall　we　be

slain。

　　PELEUS

　　　　Loose　her　bonds；　I　say；　ere　some　one　rue　it；　untie　her　folded

hands。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　I　forbid　it；　for　besides　being　a　match　for　thee；　I　have　a　far

better　right　to　her。

　　PELEUS

　　　　What！　art　thou　come　hither　to　set　my　house　in　order？　Art　not

content　with　ruling　thy　Spartans？

　　MENELAUS

　　　　She　is　my　captive；　I　took　her　from　Troy。

　　PELEUS

　　　　Aye；　but　my　son's　son　received　her　as　his　prize。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　Is　not　all　I　have　his；　and　all　his　mine？

　　PELEUS

　　　　For　good；　but　not　evil　ends；　and　surely　not　for　murderous

violence。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　Never　shalt　thou　wrest　her　from　my　grasp。

　　PELEUS

　　　　With　this　good　staff　I'll　stain　thy　head　with　blood！

　　MENELAUS

　　　　Just　touch　me　and　see！　Approach　one　step！

　　PELEUS

　　　　What！　shalt　thou　rank　with　men？　chief　of　cowards；　son　of

cowards！　What　right　hast　thou　to　any　place　'mongst　men？　Thou　who　didst

let　Phrygian　rob　thee　of　thy　wife；　leaving　thy　home　without　bolt　or

guard；　as　if　forsooth　the　cursed　woman　thou　hadst　there　was　a　model　of

virtue。　No！　a　Spartan　maid　could　not　be　chaste；　e'en　if　she　would；　who

leaves　her　home　and　bares　her　limbs　and　lets　her　robe　float　free；　to

share　with　youths　their　races　and　their　sports；…customs　I　cannot

away　with。　Is　it　any　wonder　then　that　ye　fail　to　educate　your　women　in

virtue？　Helen　might　have　asked　thee　this；　seeing　that　she　said　goodbye

to　thy　affection　and　tripped　off　with　her　young　gallant　to　a　foreign

land。　And　yet　for　her　sake　thou　didst　marshal　all　the　hosts　of

Hellas　and　lead　them　to　Ilium；　whereas　thou　shouldst　have　shown　thy

loathing　for　her　by　refusing　to　stir　a　spear；　once　thou　hadst　found

her　false；　yea；　thou　shouldst　have　let　her　stay　there；　and　even　paid　a

price　to　save　ever　having　her　back　again。　But　that　was　not　at　all

the　way　thy　thoughts　were　turned；　wherefore　many　a　brave　life　hast

thou　ended；　and　many　an　aged　mother　hast　thou　left　childless　in　her

home；　and　grey…haired　sires　of　gallant　sons　hast　reft。　Of　that　sad

band　am　I　member；　seeing　in　thee　Achilles'　murderer　like　a　malignant

fiend；　for　thou　and　thou　alone　hast　returned　from　Troy　without　a

scratch；　bringing　back　thy　splendid　weapons　in　their　splendid　cases

just　as　they　went。　As　for　me；　I　ever　told　that　amorous　boy　to　form

no　alliance　with　thee　nor　take　unto　his　home　an　evil　mother's　child；

for　daughters　bear　the　marks　of　their　mothers'　ill…repute　into　their

new　homes。　Wherefore；　ye　wooers；　take　heed　to　this　my　warning：　〃Choose

the　daughter　of　a　good　mother。〃　And　more　than　this；　with　what　wanton

insult　didst　thou　treat　thy　brother；　bidding　him　sacrifice　his

daughter　in　his　simpleness！　So　fearful　wast　thou　of　losing　thy

worthless　wife。　Then　after　capturing　Troy；…for　thither　too　will　I

accompany　thee；…thou　didst　not　slay　that　woman；　when　she　was　in　thy

power；　but　as　soon　as　thine　eyes　caught　sight　of　her　breast；　thy　sword

was　dropped　and　thou　didst　take　her　kisses；　fondling　the　shameless

traitress；　too　weak　to　stem　thy　hot　desire；　thou　caitiff　wretch！　Yet

spite　of　all　thou　art　the　man　to　come　and　work　havoc　in　my

grandson's　halls　when　he　is　absent；　seeking　to　slay　with　all　indignity

a　poor　weak　woman　and　her　babe：　but　that　babe　shall　one　day　make

thee　and　thy　daughter　in　thy　home　rue　it；　e'en　though　his　birth　be

trebly　base。　Yea；　for　oft　ere　now　hath　seed；　sown　on　barren　soil；

prevailed　o'er　rich　deep　tilth；　and　many　bastard　has　proved　a　better

man　than　children　better　born。　Take　thy　daughter　hence　with　thee！

Far　better　is　it　for　mortals　to　have　a　poor　honest　man　either　as

married　kin　or　friend　than　a　wealthy　knave；　but　as　for　thee；　thou

art　a　thing　of　naught。

　　LEADER

　　　　The　tongue　from　trifling　causes　contrives　to　breed　great　strife

'mongst　men；　wherefore　are　the　wise　most　careful　not　to　bring　about

a　quarrel　with　their　friends。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　Why；　pray；　should　one　call　these　old　men　wise；　or　those　who　once

had　a　reputation　in　Hellas　for　being　so？　when　thou；　the　great

Peleus；　son　of　famous　father；　kin　to　me　through　marriage；　employest

language　disgraceful　to　thyself　and　abusive　of　me　because　of　a

barbarian　woman；　though　thou　shouldst　have　banished　her　far　beyond　the

streams　of　Nile　or　Phasis；　and　ever　encouraged　me；　seeing　that　she

comes　from　Asia's　continent　where　fell　so　many　of　the　sons　of

Hellas；　victims　to　the　spear；　and　likewise　because　she　shared　in　the

spilling　of　thy　son's　blood；　for　Paris　who　slew　thy　son　Achilles；

was　brother　to　Hector；　whose　wife　she　was。　And　dost　thou　enter　the

same　abode　with　her；　and　deign　to　let　her　share　thy　board；　and

suffer　her　to　rear　her　brood　of　vipers　in　thy　house？　But　I；　after

all　this　foresight　for　thee；　old　man；　and　myself；　am　to　have　her

torn　from　my　clutches　for　wishing　to　slay　her。　Yet　come　now；　for

'tis　no　disgrace　to　argue；　suppose　my　daughter　has　no　child；　while

this　woman's　sons　grow　up；　wilt　thou　set　them　up　to　rule　the　land　of

Phthia；　barbarians　born　and　bred　to　lord　it　over　Hellenes？　Am　I　then

so　void　of　sense　because　I　hate　injustice；　and　thou　so　full　of

cleverness？　Consider　yet　another　point；　say　thou　hadst　given　a

daughter　of　thine　to　some　citizen；　and　hadst　then　seen　her　thus

treated；　wouldst　thou　have　sat　looking　on　in　silence？　I　trow　not。　Dost

thou　then　for　a　foreigner　rail　thus　at　thy　nearest　friends？　Again；

thou　mayst　say；　husband　and　wife　have　an　equally　strong　case　if　she　is

wronged　by　him；　and　similarly　if　he　find　her　guilty　of　indiscretion　in

his　house；　yet　while　he　has　ample　powers　in　his　own　hands；　she　depends

on　parents　and　friends　for　her　case。　Surely　then　I　am　right　in　helping

my　own　kin！　Thou　art　in　thy　dotage；　for　thou　wilt　do　me　more　good　by

speaking　of　my　generalship　than　by　concealing　it。　Helen's　trouble

was　not　of　her　own　choosing；　but　sent　by　heaven；　and　it　proved　a　great

benefit　to　Hellas；　her　sons；　till　then　untried　in　war　or　arms；

turned　to　deeds　of　prowess；　and　it　is　experience　which　teaches　man　all

he　knows。　I　showed　my　wisdom　in　refraining　from　slaying　my　wife；

directly　I　caught　sight　of　her。　Would　that　thou　too　hadst　ne'er

slain　Phocus！　All　this　I　bring　before　thee　in　pure　good…will；　not　from

anger。　But　if　thou　resent　it；　thy　tongue　may　wag　till　it　ache；　yet

shall　I　gain　by　prudent　forethought。

　　LEADER

　　　　Cease　now　from　idle　words；　'twere　better　far；　for　fear　ye　both

alike　go　wrong。

　　PELEUS

　　　　Alas！　what　evil　customs　now　prevail　in　Hellas！　Whene'er　the　host

sets　up　a　trophy　o'er　the　foe；　men　no　more　consider　this　the　work　of

those　who　really　toiled；　but　the　general　gets　the　credit　for　it。　Now

he　was　but　one　among　ten　thousand　others　to　brandish　his　spear；　he

only　did　the　work　of　one；　but　yet　he　wins　more　praise　than　they。

Again；　as　magistrates　in　all　the　grandeur　of　office　they　scorn　the

common　folk；　though　they　are　naught　themselves；　whereas　those　others

are　ten　thousand　times　more　wise　than　they；　if　daring　combine　with

judgment。　Even　so　thou　and　thy　brother；　exalted　by　the　toilsome

efforts　of　others；　now　take　your　seats　in　all　the　swollen　pride　of

Trojan　fame　and　Trojan　generalship。　But　I　will　teach　thee　henceforth

to　consider　Idaean　Paris　a　foe　less　terrible　than　Peleus；　unless

forthwith　thou　pack　from　this　roof；　thou　and　thy　childless　daughter

too；　whom　my　own　true　son　will　hale　through　his　halls　by　the　hair　of

her　head；　for　her　barrenness　will　not　let　her　endure　fruitfulness　in

others；　because　she　has　no　children　herself。　Still　if　misfortune