the seven against thebes-第6章
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CHORUS （chanting）
Ah； be not urged of her！ for none shall dare
To call thee coward； in thy throned estate！
Will not the Fury in her sable pal
Pass outward from these halls； what time the gods
Welcome a votive offering from our hands？
ETEOCLES
The gods！ long since they hold us in contempt；
Scornful of gifts thus offered by the lost！
Why should we fawn and flinch away from doom？
CHORUS （chanting）
Now； when it stands beside thee！ for its power
May； with a changing gust of milder mood；
Temper the blast that bloweth wild and rude
And frenzied； in this hour！
ETEOCLES
Ay； kindled by the curse of Oedipus…
All too prophetic； out of dreamland came
The vision； meting out our sire's estate！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Heed women's voices； though thou love them not！
ETEOCLES
Say aught that may avail； but stint thy words。
LEADER
Go not thou forth to guard the seventh gate！
ETEOCLES
Words shall not blunt the edge of my resolve。
LEADER
Yet the god loves to let the weak prevail。
ETEOCLES
That to a swordsman； is no welcome word！
LEADER
Shall thine own brother's blood be victory's palm？
ETEOCLES
Ill which the gods have sent thou canst no…shun！
（ETEOCLES goes out。）
CHORUS （singing）
strophe 1
I shudder in dread of the power； abhorred by the gods of high
heaven；
The ruinous curse of the home till roof…tree and rafter be riven！
Too true are the visions of ill； too true the fulfilment they
bring
To the curse that was spoken of old by the frenzy and wrath of the
king！
Her will is the doom of the children； and Discord is kindled
amain；
antistrophe 1
And strange is the Lord of Division； who cleaveth the birthright
in twain；…
The edged thing； born of the north； the steel that is ruthless
and keen；
Dividing in bitter division the lot of the children of teen！
Not the wide lowland around； the realm of their sire； shall they
have；
Yet enough for the dead to inherit； the pitiful space of a grave！
strophe 2
Ah； but when kin meets kin； when sire and child；
Unknowing； are defiled
By shedding common blood； and when the pit
Of death devoureth it；
Drinking the clotted stain； the gory dye…
Who； who can purify？
Who cleanse pollution； where the ancient bane
Rises and reeks again？
antistrophe 2
Whilome in olden days the sin was wrought；
And swift requital brought…
Yea on the children of the child came still
New heritage of ill！
For thrice Apollo spoke this word divine；
From Delphi's central shrine；
To Laius…Die thou childless！ thus alone
Can the land's weal be won！
strophe 3
But vainly with his wife's desire he strove；
And gave himself to love；
Begetting Oedipus； by whom he died；
The fateful parricide！
The sacred seed…plot； his own mother's womb；
He sowed； his house's doom；
A root of blood！ by frenzy lured； they came
Unto their wedded shame。
antistrophe 3
And now the waxing surge； the wave of fate；
Rolls on them； triply great…
One billow sinks； the next towers； high and dark；
Above our city's bark…
Only the narrow barrier of the wal
Totters； as soon to fall；
And； if our chieftains in the storm go down；
What chance can save the town？
strophe 4
Curses； inherited from long ago；
Bring heavy freight of woe：
Rich stores of merchandise o'erload the deck；
Near； nearer comes the wreck…
And all is lost； cast out upon the wave；
Floating； with none to save！
antistrophe 4
Whom did the gods； whom did the chief of men；
Whom did each citizen
In crowded concourse； in such honour hold；
As Oedipus of old；
When the grim fiend； that fed on human prey；
He took from us away？
strophe 5
But when； in the fulness of days； he knew of his bridal unblest；
A twofold horror he wrought； in the frenzied despair of his
breast…
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；
