philoctetes-第8节
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（ULYSSES departs。）
NEOPTOLEMUS
'Twas well determined； always be as wise
As now thou art； and thou mayst live in safety。
（He approaches the cave and calls。）
Ho！ son of Poeas！ Philoctetes； leave
Thy rocky habitation； and come forth。
PHILOCTETES （from the cave）
What noise was that？ Who calls on Philoctetes？
（He comes out。）
Alas！ what would you； strangers？ Are you come
To heap fresh miseries on me？
NEOPTOLEMUS
Be of comfort；
And bear the tidings which I bring。
PHILOCTETES
I dare not；
Thy flattering tongue hath betrayed me。
NEOPTOLEMUS
And is there then no room for penitence？
PHILOCTETES
Such were thy words； when； seemingly sincere；
Yet meaning ill； thou stolst my arms away。
NEOPTOLEMUS
But now it is not so。 I only came
To know if thou art resolute to stay；
Or sail with us。
PHILOCTETES
No more of that； 'tis vain
And useless all。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Art thou then fixed？
PHILOCTETES
I am；
It is impossible to say how firmly。
NEOPTOLEMUS
I thought I could have moved thee； but I've done。
PHILOCTETES
'Tis well thou hast； thy labour had been vain；
For never could my soul esteem the man
Who robbed me of my dearest； best possession；
And now would have me listen to his counsels…
Unworthy offspring of the best of men！
Perish th' Atreidae！ perish first Ulysses！
Perish thyself！
NEOPTOLEMUS
Withhold thy imprecations；
And take thy arrows back。
PHILOCTETES
A second time
Wouldst thou deceive me？
NEOPTOLEMUS
By th' almighty power
Of sacred Jove I swear。
PHILOCTETES
O joyful sound！
If thou sayst truly。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Let my actions speak。
Stretch forth thy hand； and take thy arms again。
（As NEOPTOLEMUS gives the bow and arrows
to PHILOCTETES； ULYSSES suddenly enters。）
ULYSSES
Witness ye gods！ Here； in the name of Greece
And the Atreidae； I forbid it。
PHILOCTETES
Ha！
What voice is that？ Ulysses'？
ULYSSES
Aye； 'tis I…
I who perforce will carry thee to Troy
Spite of Achilles' son。
PHILOCTETES
（He aims an arrow directly at ULYSSES。）
Not if I aim
This shaft aright。
NEOPTOLEMUS （laying hold of him）
Now； by the gods； I beg thee
Stop thy rash hand！
PHILOCTETES
Let go my arm。
NEOPTOLEMUS
I will not。
PHILOCTETES
Shall I not slay my enemy？
NEOPTOLEMUS
Oh； no！
'Twould cast dishonour on us both。
（ULYSSES hastily departs。）
PHILOCTETES
Thou knowst；
These Grecian chiefs are loud pretending boasters；
Brave but in tongue； and cowards in the field。
NEOPTOLEMUS
I know it； but remember； I restored
Thy arrows to thee； and thou hast no cause
For rage or for complaint against thy friend。
PHILOCTETES
I own thy goodness。 Thou hast shown thyself
Worthy thy birth； no son of Sisyphus；
But of Achilles； who on earth preserved
A fame unspotted； and amongst the dead
Still shines superior； an illustrious shade。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Joyful I thank thee for a father's praise；
And for my own； but listen to my words；
And mark me well。 Misfortunes； which the gods
Inflict on mortals； they perforce must bear：
But when； oppressed by voluntary woes；
They make themselves unhappy； they deserve not
Our pity or our pardon。 Such art thou。
Thy savage soul； impatient of advice；
Rejects the wholesome counsel of thy friend；
And treats him like a foe； but I will speak；
Jove be my witness！ Therefore hear my words；
And grave them in thy heart。 The dire disease
Thou long hast suffered is from angry heaven；
Which thus afflicts thee for thy rash approach
To the fell serpent； which on Chrysa's shore
Watched o'er the sacred treasures。 Know beside；
That whilst the sun in yonder east shall rise；
Or in the west decline； distempered still
Thou ever shalt remain； unless to Troy
Thy willing mind transport thee。 There the sons
Of Aesculapius shall restore thee… there
By my assistance shalt thou conquer Troy。
I know it well； for that prophetic sage；
The Trojan captive Helenus； foretold
It should be so。 〃Proud Troy （he added then）
This very year must fall； if not； my life
Shall answer for the falsehood。〃 Therefore yield。
Thus to be deemed the first of Grecians； thus
By Poeas' favourite sons to be restored；
And thus marked out the conqueror of Troy；
Is sure distinguished happiness。
PHILOCTETES
O life！
Detested； why wilt thou still keep me here？
Why not dismiss me to the tomb！ Alas！
What can I do？ How can I disbelieve
My generous friend？ I must consent； and yet
Can I do this； and look upon the sun？
Can I behold my friends… will they forgive；
Will they associate with me after this？
And you； ye heavenly orbs that roll around me；
How will ye bear to see me linked with those
Who have destroyed me； e'en the sons of Atreus；
E'en with Ulysses； source of all my woes？
My sufferings past I could forget； but oh！
I dread the woes to come； for well I know
When once the mind's corrupted it brings forth
Unnumbered crimes； and ills to ills succeed。
It moves my wonder much that thou； my friend；
Shouldst thus advise me； whom it ill becomes
To think of Troy。 I rather had believed
Thou wouldst have sent me far； far off from those
Who have defrauded thee of thy just right；
And gave thy arms away。 Are these the men
Whom thou wouldst serve？ whom thou wouldst thus compel me
To save and to defend？ It must not be。
Remember； O my son！ the solemn oath
Thou gav'st to bear me to my native soil。
Do this； my friend； remain thyself at Scyros；
And leave these wretches to be wretched still。
Thus shalt thou merit double thanks； from me
And from thy father； nor by succour given
To vile betrayers prove thyself as vile。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Thou sayst most truly。 Yet confide in heaven；
Trust to thy friend； and leave this hated place。
PHILOCTETES
Leave it！ For whom？ For Troy and the Atreidae？
These wounds forbid it。
NEOPTOLEMUS
They shall all be healed；
Where I will carry thee。
PHILOCTETES
An idle tale
Thou tellst me。 surely； dost thou not？
NEOPTOLEMUS
I speak
What best may serve us both。
PHILOCTETES
But； speaking thus；
Dost thou not fear the' offended gods？
NEOPTOLEMUS
Why fear them？
Can I offend the gods by doing good？
PHILOCTETES
What good？ To whom？ To me or to the' Atreidae？
NEOPTOLEMUS
I am thy friend； and therefore would persuade thee。
PHILOCTETES
And therefore give me to my foes。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Alas！
Let not misfortunes thus transport thy soul
To rage and bitterness。
PHILOCTETES
Thou wouldst destroy me。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Thou knowst me not。
PHILOCTETES
I know th' Atreidae well；
Who left me here。
NEOPTOLEMUS
They did； yet they perhaps；
E'en they； O Philoctetes！ may preserve thee。
PHILOCTETES
I never will to Troy。
NEOPTOLEMUS
What's to be done？
Since I can ne'er persuade thee； I submit；
Live on in misery。
PHILOCTETES
Then let me suffer；
Suffer I must； but； oh！ perform thy promise；
Think on thy plighted faith； and guard me home
Instant； my friend； nor ever call back Troy
To my remembrance； I have felt enough
From Troy already。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Let us go； prepare！
PHILOCTETES
O glorious sound！
NEOPTOLEMUS
Bear thyself up。
PHILOCTETES
I will；
If possible。
NEOPTOLEMUS
But how shall I escape
The wrath of Greece？
PHILOCTETES
Oh！ think not of it。
NEOPTOLEMUS
What
If they should waste my kingdom？
PHILOCTETES
I'll be there。
NEOPTOLEMUS
Alas！ what canst thou do？
PHILOCTETES
And with these arrows
Of my Alcides…
NEOPTOLEMUS
Ha！ What sayst thou？
PHILOCTETES
Drive
Thy foes before me。 Not a Greek shall dare
Approach thy borders。
NEOPTOLEMUS
If thou wilt do this；
Salute the earth； and instant hence。 Away！
（HERCULES appears from above；
and speaks as he moves forward。）
HERCULES
Stay； son of Poeas！ Lo to thee 'tis
