the seven against thebes-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Debarred from the grace of the banquet； the service of goblets
of gold
He flung on his children a curse for the splendour they dared to
withhold。
antistrophe 5
A curse prophetic and bitter…The glory of wealth and of pride；
With iron； not gold； in your hands； ye shall come； at the last；
to divide！
Behold； how a shudder runs through me； lest now； in the fulness
of time；
The house…fiend awake and return； to mete out the measure of
crime！
（THE Spy enters。）
THE SPY
Take heart； ye daughters whom your mothers' milk
Made milky…hearted！ lo； our city stands；
Saved from the yoke of servitude： the vaunts
Of overweening men are silent now；
And the State sails beneath a sky serene；
Nor in the manifold and battering waves
Hath shipped a single surge； and solid stands
The rampart； and the gates are made secure；
Each with a single champion's trusty guard。
So in the main and at six gates we hold
A victory assured； but； at the seventh；
The god that on the seventh day was born；
Royal Apollo； hath ta'en up his rest
To wreak upon the sons of Oedipus
Their grandsire's wilfulness of long ago。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
What further woefulness besets our home？
THE SPY
The home stands safe…but ah； the princes twain…
LEADER
Who？ what of them？ I am distraught with fear。
THE SPY
Hear now； and mark！ the sons of Oedipus…
LEADER
Ah； my prophetic soul！ I feel their doom。
THE SPY
Have done with questions！…with I…with their lives crushed out…
LEADER
Lie they out yonder？ the full horror speak！
Did hands meet hands more close than brotherly？
Came fate on each。 and in the selfsame hour？
THE SPY
Yea； blotting out the lineage ill…starred！
Now mix your exultation and your tears；
Over a city saved； the while its lords；
Twin leaders of the fight； have parcelled out
With forged arbitrament of Scythian steel
The full division of their fatherland；
And； as their father's imprecation bade；
Shall have their due of land； a twofold grave。
So is the city saved； the earth has drunk
Blood of twin princes； by each other slain。
CHORUS （chanting）
O mighty Zeus and guardian powers；
The strength and stay of Cadmus' towers！
Shall I send forth a joyous cry；
Hail to the lord of weal renewed？
Or weep the misbegotten twain；
Born to a fatal destiny
Each numbered now among the slain；
Each dying in ill fortitude；
Each truly named； each child of feud？
O dark and all…prevailing ill；
That broods o'er Oedipus and all his line；
Numbing my heart with mortal chill！
Ah me； this song of mine；
Which； Thyad…like； I woke； now falleth still；
Or only tells of doom；
And echoes round a tomb！
Dead are they； dead！ in their own blood they lie
Ill…omened the concent that hails our victory！
The curse a father on his children spake
Hath faltered not； nor failed！
Nought； Laius！ thy stubborn choice availed…
First to beget； then； in the after day
And for the city's sake；
The child to slay！
For nought can blunt nor mar
The speech oracular！
Children of teen！ by disbelief ye erred…
Yet in wild weeping came fulfilment of the word！
（ANTIGONE and ISMENE approach； with a train of mourners。
bearing the bodies of ETEOCLES and POLYNEICES。）
Look up； look forth！ the doom is plain；
Nor spake the messenger in vain！
A twofold sorrow； twofold strife…
Each brave against a brother's life！
In double doom hath sorrow come
How shall I speak it？…on the home！
Alas； my sisters！ be your sighs the gale；
The smiting of your brows the plash of oars；
Wafting the boat； to Acheron's dim shores
That passeth ever； with its darkened sail；
On its uncharted voyage and sunless way；
Far from thy beams； Apollo； god of day…
The melancholy bark
Bound for the common bourn； the harbour of the dark！
Look up； look yonder！ from the home
Antigone； Ismene come；
On the last； saddest errand bound；
To chant a dirge of doleful sound；
With agony of equal pain
Above their brethren slain！
Their sister…bosoms surely swell；
Heart with rent heart according well
In grief for those who fought and fell！
Yet…ere they utter forth their woe
We must awake the rueful strain
To vengeful powers； in realms below；
And mourn hell's triumph o'er the slain！
Alas！ of all； the breast who bind；…
Yea； all the race of womankind…
O maidens； ye are most bereaved！
For you； for you the tear…drops start…
Deem that in truth； and undeceived；
Ye hear the sorrows of my heart！
（To the dead）
Children of bitterness； and sternly brave…
One； proud of heart against persuasion's voice；
One； against exile proof！ ye win your choice…
Each in your fatherland； a separate grave！
Alack； on house and heritage
They brought a baneful doom； and death for wage！
One strove through tottering walls to force his way；
One claimed； in bitter arrogance； the sway；
And both alike； even now and here；
Have closed their suit； with steel for arbiter！
And lo； the Fury…fiend of Oedipus； their sire；
Hath brought his curse to consummation dire
Each in the left side smitten； see them laid…
The children of one womb；
Slain by a mutual doom！
Alas； their fate！ the combat murderous；
The horror of the house；
The curse of ancient bloodshed； now repaid！
Yea； deep and to the heart the deathblow fell；
Edged by their feud ineffable…
By the grim curse； their sire did imprecate
Discord and deadly hate！
Hark； how the city and its towers make moan…
How the land mourns that held them for its own！
Fierce greed and fell division did they blend；
Till death made end！
They strove to part the heritage in twain；
Giving to each a gain…
Yet that which struck the balance in the strife；
The arbitrating sword；
By those who loved the twain is held abhorred…
Loathed is the god of death； who sundered each from life！
Here； by the stroke of steel； behold！ they lie…
And rightly may we cry
Beside their fathers； let them here be laid…
Iron gave their doom； witk iron their graves be made…
A lack； the slaying sword； alack； th' entombing spade！
Alas； a piercing shriek； a rending groan；
A cry unfeigned of sorrow felt at heart！
With shuddering of grief； with tears that start；
With wailful escort； let them hither come…
For one or other make divided moan！
No light lament of pity mixed with gladness；
But with true tears； poured from the soul of sadness；
Over the princes dead and their bereaved home
Say we； above these brethren dead；
On citizen； on foreign foe；
Brave was their rush； and stern their blow…
Now； lowly are they laid！
Beyond all women upon earth
Woe； woe for her who gave them birth！
Unknowingly； her son she wed…
The children of that marriage…bed；
Each in the self…same womb； were bred…
Each by a brother's hand lies dead！
Yea； from one seed they sprang； and by one fate
Their heritage is desolate；
The heart's division sundered claim from claim；
And； from their feud； death came！
Now is their hate allayed；
Now is their life…stream shed；
Ensanguining the earth with crimson dye…
Lo； from one blood they sprang； and in one blood they lie！
A grievous arbiter was given the twain…
The stranger from the northern main；
The sharp； dividing sword；
Fresh from the forge and fire
The War…god treacherous gave ill award
And brought their father's curse to a fulfilment dire！
They have their portion…each his lot and doom；
Given from the gods on high！
Yea； the piled wealth of fatherland； for tomb；
Shall underneath them lie！
Alas； alas！ with flowers of fame and pride
Your home ye glorified；
But； in the end； the Furies gathered round
With chants of boding sound；
Shrieking； In wild defeat and disarray；
