iphigenia in tauris-第6部分
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Thy brother； by some god impell'd； what griefs
Must have been thine at such a dreadful deed！
IPHIGENIA （chanting）
Dreadful my brother； O how dreadful！ scarce
Hast thou escaped a foul； unhallow'd death；
Slain by my hands。 But how will these things end？
What Fortune will assist me？ What safe means
Shall I devise to send thee from this state；
From slaughter； to thy native land； to Argos；
Ere with thy blood the cruel sword be stain'd？
This to devise； O my unhappy soul！
This to devise is thine。 Wilt thou by land；
Thy bark deserted； speed thy flight on foot？
Perils await thee mid these barbarous tribes；
Through pathless wilds； and 'twixt the clashing rocks；
Narrow the passage for the flying bark；
And long。 Unhappy； ah； unhappy me！
What god； what mortal； what unlook'd…for chance
Will expedite our dangerous way； and show
Two sprung from Atreus a release from ills？
LEADER
What having seen and heard I shall relate；
Is marvellous； and passes fabling tales。
PYLADES
When after absence long； Orestes； friend
Meets friend； embraces will express their joy。
Behooves us now； bidding farewell to grief；
And heedful to obtain the glorious name
Of safety； from this barbarous land to fly。
The wise； of fortune not regardless； seize
The occasion； and to happiness advance。
ORESTES
Well hast thou said； and Fortune here； I ween；
Will aid us； to the firm and strenuous mind
More potent works the influence divine。
IPHIGENIA
Nothing shall check； nothing restrain my speech：
First will I question thee what fortune waits
Electra： this to know would yield me joy。
ORESTES
With him （pointing to Pylades） she dwells； and happy is her life；
IPHIGENIA
Whence then is he？ and from what father sprung？
ORESTES
From Phocis： Strophius is his father named。
IPHIGENIA
By Atreus' daughter to my blood allied？
ORESTES
Nearly allied： my only faithful friend。
IPHIGENIA
He was not then； me when my father slew。
ORESTES
Childless was Strophius for some length of time。
IPHIGENIA
O thou； the husband of my sister； hail
ORESTES
More than relation； my preserver too。
IPHIGENIA
But to thy mother why that dreadful deed？
ORESTES
Of that no more： to avenge my father's death。
IPHIGENIA
But for what cause did she her husband slay？
ORESTES
Of her inquire not： thou wouldst blush to hear。
IPHIGENIA
The eyes of Argos now are raised to thee。
ORESTES
There Menelaus is lord； I； outcast； fly。
IPHIGENIA
Hath he then wrong'd his brother's ruin'd house？
ORESTES
Not so： the Furies fright me from the land。
IPHIGENIA
The madness this； which seized thee on the shore？
ORESTES
I was not first beheld unhappy there。
IPHIGENIA
Stern powers！ they haunt thee for thy mother's blood。
ORESTES
And ruthless make me champ the bloody bit。
IPHIGENIA
Why to this region has thou steer'd thy course？
ORESTES
Commanded by Apollo's voice； I come。
IPHIGENIA
With what intent？ if that may be disclosed。
ORESTES
I will inform thee； though to length of speech
This leads。 When vengeance from my hands o'ertook
My mother's deeds…foul deeds； which let me pass
In silence…by the Furies' fierce assaults
To flight I was impell'd： to Athens then
Apollo sent me； that； my cause there heard；
I might appease the vengeful powers； whose names
May not be utter'd： the tribunal there
Is holy； which for Mars； when stain'd with blood；
Jove in old times establish'd。 There arrived；
None willingly received me； by the gods
As one abhorr'd； and they； who felt the touch
Of shame； the hospitable board alone
Yielded； and though one common roof beneath；
Their silence showing they disdain'd to hold
Converse with me； I took from them apart
A lone repast； to each was placed a bowl
Of the same measure； this they filled with wine；
And bathed their spirits in delight。 Unmeet
I deem'd it to express offence at those
Who entertain'd me； but in silence grieved；
Showing a cheer as though I mark'd it not；
And sigh'd for that I shed my mother's blood。
A feast； I hear； at Athens is ordain'd
From this my evil plight； ev'n yet observed；
In which the equal…measured bowl then used
Is by that people held in honour high。
But when to the tribunal on the mount
Of Mars I came； one stand I took； and one
The eldest of the Furies opposite：
The cause was heard touching my mother's blood；
And Phoebus saved me by his evidence：
Equal； by Pallas number'd； were the votes
And I from doom of blood victorious freed
Such of the Furies as there sat； appeased
By the just sentence； nigh the court resolved
To fix their seat； but others； whom the law
Appeased not； with relentless tortures still
Pursued me； till I reach'd the hallow'd soil
Of Phoebus： stretch'd before his shrine； I swore
Foodless to waste my wretched life away；
Unless the god； by whom I was undone；
Would save me： from the golden tripod burst
The voice divine； and sent me to this shore；
Commanding me to bear the image hence；
Which fell from Jove； and in the Athenian land
To fix it。 What the oracular voice assign'd
My safety； do thou aid： if we obtain
The statue of the goddess； I no more
With madness shall be tortured； but this arm
Shall place thee in my bark； which ploughs the waves
With many an oar； and to Mycenae safe
Bear thee again。 Show then a sister's love；
O thou most dear； preserve thy father's house；
Preserve me too； for me destruction waits；
And all the race of Pelops； if we bear not
This heaven…descended image from the shrine。
LEADER
The anger of the gods hath raged severe；
And plunged the race of Tantalus in woes。
IPHIGENIA
Ere thy arrival here； a fond desire
To be again at Argos； and to see
Thee； my loved brother； fill'd my soul。 Thy wish
Is my warm wish； to free thee from thy toils；
And from its ruins raise my father's house；
Nor harbour I 'gainst him； that slew me； thought
Of harsh resentment： from thy blood my hands
Would I keep pure； thy house I would preserve。
But from the goddess how may this be hid？
The tyrant too I fear； when he shall find
The statue on its marble base no more。
What then from death will save me？ What excuse
Shall I devise？ Yet by one daring deed
Might these things be achieved： couldst thou bear hence
The image； me too in thy gallant bark
Placing secure； how glorious were the attempt！
Me if thou join not with thee； I am lost
Indeed； but thou； with prudent measures form'd；
Return。 I fly no danger； not ev'n death；
Be death required； to save thee： no： the man
Dying is mourn'd； as to his house a loss；
But woman's weakness is of light esteem。
ORESTES
I would not be the murderer of my mother；
And of thee too； sufficient is her blood。
No； I will share thy fortune； live with thee；
Or with thee die： to Argos I will lead thee；
If here I perish not； or dying； here
Remain with thee。 But what my mind suggests；
Hear： if Diana were averse to this；
How could the voice of Phoebus from his shrine
Declare that to the state of Pallas hence
The statue of the goddess I should bear；
And see thy face？ All this； together weigh'd；
Gives hope of fair success； and our return。
IPHIGENIA
But how effect it； that we neither die；
And what we wish achieve？ For our return
On this depends： this claims deliberate thought。
ORESTES
Have we not means to work the tyrant's death？
IPHIGENIA
For strangers full of peril were the attempt。
ORESTES
Thee would it save and me； it must be dared。
IPHIGENIA
I could not： yet thy promptness I approve。
ORESTES
What if thou lodge me in the shrine conceal'd？
IPHIGENIA
That in the shades of night we may escape？
ORESTES
Night is a friend to frauds； the light to truth。
IPHIGENIA
Within are sacred guards； we 'scape not them。
ORESTES
Ruin then waits us： how can we be saved？
IPHIGENIA
I think I have some new and safe device。
ORESTES
What is it？ Let me know： impart thy thought；
IPHIGENIA
Thy sufferings for my purpose I will use；…
ORESTES
To form devices quick is woman's wit。
IPHIGENIA
And say； thy mother slain； thou fledd'st from Argos。
ORESTES
If to aught good； avail thee of my ills。
IPHIGENIA
Unmeet then at this shrine to offer thee。
ORESTES
What cause alleged？ I reach not thine intent。
IPHIGENIA
As now impure： when hallow'd； I will slay thee。
ORESTES
How is the image thus more promptly gain'd？
IPHIGENIA
Thee I will hallow in the ocean waves。
ORESTES
The statue we would gain is in the temple。
IPHIGENIA
That； by thy touch polluted； I would cleanse。
ORESTES
Where？ On the watery margin of the main？
IPHIGENIA
Where thy tall bark secured with cables rides。
ORESTES
And who shall bear the image in his hands？
IPHIGENIA
Myself； profaned by any touch； but mine。
ORESTES
What of this blood shall on my friend be charged？
IPHIGENIA
His hands； it shall be said； like thine are stain'd。
ORESTES
In secret this； or to the king disclosed？
IPHIGENIA
With his assent； I cannot hide it from him。
ORESTES
My bark with ready oars attends thee near。
IPHIGENIA
Th
