peace-第6部分
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CHORUS (singing)
Here is a truly happy old man; as far as I can judge。
TRYGAEUS (singing)
Ah! but what shall I be; when you see me presently dressed for the
wedding?
CHORUS (singing)
Made young again by love and scented with perfumes; your lot
will be one we all shall envy。
TRYGAEUS (singing)
And when I lie beside her and fondle her breasts?
CHORUS (singing)
Oh! then you will be happier than those spinning…tops who call
Carcinus their father。
TRYGAEUS (singing)
And I well deserve it; have I not bestridden a beetle to save
the Greeks; who now; thanks to me; can make love at their ease and
sleep peacefully on their farms?
SERVANT (returning from the house)
The girl has quitted the bath; she is charming from head to
foot; belly and buttocks too; the cake is baked and they are
kneading the sesame…biscuit; nothing is lacking but the bridegroom's
tool。
TRYGAEUS
Let us first hasten to lodge Theoria in the hands of the Senate。
SERVANT
Tell me; who is this woman?
TRYGAEUS
Why; it's Theoria; with whom we used formerly to go to Brauron; to
get tipsy and frolic…I had the greatest trouble to get hold of her。
SERVANT
Ah! you charmer! what pleasure your pretty bottom will afford me
every four years!
TRYGAEUS (to the audience)
Let's see; which one of you is steady enough to be trusted by
the Senate with the care of this charming wench? (to the SERVANT)
Hi! you; friend! what are you drawing there?
SERVANT (who has been making signs in the air)
It's er。。。。 well; at the Isthmian Games I shall have a tent for my
tool。
TRYGAEUS (to the audience)
Come; who wishes to take the charge of her? No one? Come; Theoria;
I am going to lead you into the midst of the spectators and confide
you to their care。
SERVANT
Ah! there is one who makes a sign to you。
TRYGAEUS
Who is it?
SERVANT
It's Ariphrades。 He wishes to take her home at once。
TRYGAEUS
No; he must not。 He would soon have her done for; absorbing all
her life…force。 Come; Theoria; take off all these clothes。 (THEORIA
undresses。 As soon as she is nude; TRYGAEUS conducts her to the
front row of seats; where the SENATORS sit。) Senate; Prytanes; gaze
upon Theoria and see what precious blessings I place in your hands。
Hasten to raise its limbs and to immolate the victim。 And look at this
chimney。
SERVANT
God; what a beautiful one! It's black with smoke because the
Senate used to do its cooking there before the war。
TRYGAEUS
Now that you have found Theoria again; you can start the most
charming games from to…morrow; wrestling with her on the ground; on
all fours; or you can lay her on her side; or stand before her with
bent knees; or; well rubbed with oil; you can boldly enter the
lists; as in the Pancratium; belabouring your foe with blows from your
fist or something else。 The next day you will celebrate equestrian
games; in which the riders will ride side by side; or else the chariot
teams; thrown one on top of another; panting and whinnying; will
roll and knock against each other on the ground; while other rivals;
thrown out of their seats; will fall before reaching the goal; utterly
exhausted by their efforts。…Come; Prytanes; take Theoria。 Oh! look…how
graciously yonder fellow has received her; you would not have been
in such a hurry to introduce her to the Senate; if nothing were coming
to you through it; you would not have failed to plead some holiday
as an excuse。
CHORUS (singing)
Such a man as you assures the happiness of all his
fellow…citizens。
TRYGAEUS (singing)
When you are gathering your vintages you will prize me even
better。
CHORUS (singing)
E'en from to…day we hail you as the deliverer of mankind。
TRYGAEUS (singing)
Wait until you have drunk a beaker of new wine; before you
appraise my true merits。
CHORUS (singing)
Excepting the gods; there is none greater than yourself; and
that will ever be our opinion。
TRYGAEUS (singing)
Yea; Trygaeus of Athmonia has deserved well of you; he has freed
both husbandman and craftsman from the most cruel ills; he has
vanquished Hyberbolus。
SERVANT
Well then; what must be done now?
TRYGAEUS
You must offer pots of green…stuff to the goddess to consecrate
her altars。
SERVANT
Pots of green…stuff as we do to poor Hermes…and even he thinks the
fare pretty mean?
TRYGAEUS
What will you offer them? A fatted bull?
SERVANT
Oh no! I don't want to start bellowing the battle…cry。
TRYGAEUS
A great fat swine then?
SERVANT
No; no。
TRYGAEUS
Why not?
SERVANT
We don't want any of the swinishness of Theagenes。
TRYGAEUS
What other victim do you prefer then?
SERVANT
A sheep。
TRYGAEUS
A sheep?
SERVANT
Yes。
TRYGAEUS
But that's the Ionic form of the word。
SERVANT
Purposely。 So that if anyone in the assembly says; 〃We must go
to war;〃 all may start bleating in alarm; 〃Oi; oi。〃
TRYGAEUS
A brilliant idea。
SERVANT
And we shall all be lambs one toward the other; yes; and milder
still toward the allies。
TRYGAEUS
Then go for the sheep and haste to bring it back with you; I
will prepare the altar for the sacrifice。
(They both leave。)
CHORUS (singing)
How everything succeeds to our wish; when the gods are willing and
Fortune favours us! how opportunely everything falls out。
TRYGAEUS (returning)
Nothing could be truer; for look! here stands the altar all
ready at my door。
(He enters his house。)
CHORUS (singing)
Hurry; hurry; for the winds are fickle; make haste; while the
divine will is set on stopping this cruel war and is showering on us
the most striking benefits。
TRYCAEUS (returning)
Here is the basket of barley…seed mingled with salt; the chaplet
and the sacred knife; and there is the fire; so we are only waiting
for the sheep。
CHORUS (singing)
Hasten; hasten; for; if Chaeris sees you; he will come without
bidding; he and his flute; and when you see him puffing and panting
and out of breath; you will have to give him something。
TRYGAEUS (to the SERVANT who has returned with a sheep and a vase
of water)
Come; seize the basket and take the lustral water and hurry to
circle round the altar to the right。
SERVANT
There! that's done。 What is your next bidding?
TRYGAEUS
Wait。 I take this fire…brand first and plunge it into the water。
Now quick; quick; you sprinkle the altar。 Give me some barley…seed;
purify yourself and hand me the basin; then scatter the rest of the
barley among the audience。
SERVANT
Done。
TRYGAEUS
You have thrown it?
SERVANT
Yes; by Hermes! and all the spectators have had their share。
TRYGAEUS
At least the women got none。
SERVANT
Oh! their husbands will give them some this evening。
TRYGAEUS
Let us pray! Who is here? Are there any good men?
SERVANT
Come; give me the water; so that I may sprinkle these people。
Faith! they are indeed good; brave men。
(He throws the lustral water on hem。)
TRYGAEUS
You believe so?
SERVANT
I am sure; and the proof of it is that we have flooded them with
lustral water and they have not budged an inch。
TRYGAEUS
Let us pray; then; as soon as we can。
SERVANT
Yes; let us pray。
TRYGAEUS
Oh! Peace; mighty queen; venerated goddess; thou; who presidest
over choruses and at nuptials; deign to accept the sacrifices we offer
thee。
SERVANT
Receive it; greatly honoured mistress; and behave not like the
courtesans; who half open the door to entice the gallants; draw back
when they are stared at; to return once more if a man passes on。 But
do not thou act like this to us。
TRYGAEUS
No; but like an honest woman; show thyself to thy worshippers; who
are worn with regretting thee all these thirteen years。 Hush the noise
of battle; be a true Lysimacha to us。 Put an end to this
tittle…tattle; to this idle babble; that set us defying one another。
Cause the Greeks once more to taste the pleasant beverage of
friendship and temper all hearts with the gentle feeling of
forgiveness。 Make excellent commodities flow to our markets; fine
heads of garlic; early cucumbers; apples; pomegranates and nice little
cloaks for the slaves; make them bring geese; ducks; pigeons and larks
from Boeotia and baskets of eels from Lake Copais; we shall all rush
to buy them; disputing their possession with Morychus; Teleas;
Glaucetes and every other glutton。 Melanthius will arrive on the
market last of all; they'll say; 〃no more eels; all sold!〃 and then
he'll start groaning and exclaiming as in his monologue of Medea; 〃I
am dying; I am dying! Alas! I have let those hidden in the beet escape
me!〃 And won't we laugh? These are the wishes; mighty goddess; which
we pray thee to grant。 (To the SERVANT) Take the knife and slaughter
the sheep like a finished cook。
SERVANT
No; the goddess does not wish it。
TRYGAEUS
And why not?
SERVANT
Blood cannot please Peace; so let us spill none upon her altar。
TRYGAEUS
Then go and sacrifice the sheep in the house; cut off the legs and
bring them here; thus the carcase will be saved for the Choregus。
(The SERVANT goes into the house with the sheep。)
CHORUS (singing)
You; who remain here; get chopped wood and everything needed for
the sacrifice ready。
TRYGAEUS
Don't I look like a diviner preparing his mystic fire?
CHORUS (singing)
Undoubtedly。 Will anything that a wise man ought to know escape
you? D