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第6部分

peace-第6部分

小说: peace 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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