第 7 节
作者:九米      更新:2021-02-21 15:33      字数:9316
  You dear old woman; I would fain kiss you。
  WOMAN
  I will set you crying without onions。
  OLD MAN
  And give you a sound kicking。
  WOMAN  (pointing)
  Ah; ha! what a dense forest you have there!
  OLD MAN
  So was Myronides one of the bushiest of men of this side; his
  backside was all black; and he terrified his enemies as much as
  Phormio。
  CHORUS OF WOMEN  (singing)
  I want to tell you a fable too; to match yours about Melanion。
  Once there was a certain man called Timon; a tough customer; and a
  whimsical; a true son of the Furies; with a face that seemed to
  glare out of a thorn…bush。 He withdrew from the world because he
  couldn't abide bad men; after vomiting a thousand curses at them。 He
  had a holy horror of ill…conditioned fellows; but he was mighty tender
  towards women。
  WOMAN  (beginning another duet)
  Suppose I up and broke your jaw for you!
  OLD MAN
  I am not a bit afraid of you。
  WOMAN
  Suppose I let fly a good kick at you?
  OLD MAN
  I should see your thing then。
  WOMAN
  You would see that; for all my age; it is very well plucked。
  LYSISTRATA  (rushing out of the Acropolis)
  Ho there! come quick; come quick!
  ONE OF THE WOMEN
  What is it? Why these cries?
  LYSISTRATA
  A man! a man! I see him approaching all afire with the flames of
  love。 Oh! divine Queen of Cyprus; Paphos and Cythera; I pray you still
  be propitious to our enterprise。
  WOMAN
  Where is he; this unknown foe?
  LYSISTRATA
  Over there…beside the Temple of Demeter。
  WOMAN
  Yes; indeed; I see him; but who is he?
  LYSISTRATA
  Look; look! do any of you recognize him?
  MYRRHINE  (joyfully)
  I do; I do! it's my husband Cinesias。
  LYSISTRATA
  To work then! Be it your task to inflame and torture and torment
  him。 Seductions; caresses; provocations; refusals; try every means!
  Grant every favour;…always excepting what is forbidden by our oath
  on the wine…bowl。
  MYRRHINE
  Have no fear; I'll do it。
  LYSISTRATA
  Well; I shall stay here to help you cajole the man and set his
  passions aflame。 The rest of you withdraw。
  (CINESIAS enters; in obvious and extreme sexual excitement。 A
  slave follows him carrying an infant。)
  CINESIAS
  Alas! alas! how I am tortured by spasm and rigid convulsion! Oh! I
  am racked on the wheel!
  LYSISTRATA
  Who is this that dares to pass our lines?
  CINESIAS
  It is I。
  LYSISTRATA
  What; a man?
  CINESIAS
  Very much so!
  LYSISTRATA
  Get out。
  CINESIAS
  But who are you that thus repulses me?
  LYSISTRATA
  The sentinel of the day。
  CINESIAS
  For the gods' sake; call Myrrhine。
  LYSISTRATA
  Call Myrrhine; you say? And who are you?
  CINESIAS
  I am her husband; Cinesias; son of Paeon。
  LYSISTRATA
  Ah! good day; my dear friend。 Your name is not unknown amongst us。
  Your wife has it forever on her lips; and she never touches an egg
  or an apple without saying: 〃This is for Cinesias。〃
  CINESIAS
  Really and truly?
  LYSISTRATA
  Yes; indeed; by Aphrodite! And if we fall to talking of men; quick
  your wife declares: 〃Oh! all the rest; they're good for nothing
  compared with Cinesias。〃
  CINESIAS
  Oh! please; please go and call her to me!
  LYSISTRATA
  And what will you give me for my trouble?
  CINESIAS
  Anything I've got; if you like。  (Pointing to the evidence of
  his condition)  I will give you what I have here!
  LYSISTRATA
  Well; well; I will tell her to come。
  (She enters the Acropolis。)
  CINESIAS
  Quick; oh! be quick! Life has no more charms for me since she left
  my house。 I am sad; sad; when I go indoors; it all seems so empty;
  my victuals have lost their savour。 And all because of this erection
  that I can't get rid of!
  MYRRHINE  (to LYSISTRATA; over her shoulder)
  I love him; oh! I love him; but he won't let himself be loved。 No!
  I shall not come。
  CINESIAS
  Myrrhine; my little darling Myrrhine; what are you saying? Come
  down to me quick。
  MYRRHINE
  No indeed; not I。
  CINESIAS
  I call you; Myrrhine; Myrrhine; won't you please come?
  MYRRHINE
  Why should you call me? You do not want me。
  CINESIAS
  Not want you! Why; here I stand; stiff with desire!
  oMYRRHINE
  Good…bye。
  (She turns; as if to go。)
  CINESIAS
  Oh! Myrrhine; Myrrhine; in our child's name; hear me; at any
  rate hear the child! Little lad; call your mother。
  CHILD
  Mamma; mamma; mamma!
  CINESIAS
  There; listen! Don't you pity the poor child? It's six days now
  you've never washed and never fed the child。
  MYRRHINE
  Poor darling; your father takes mighty little care of you!
  CINESIAS
  Come down; dearest; come down for the child's sake。
  MYRRHINE
  Ah! what a thing it is to be a mother! Well; well; we must come
  down; I suppose。
  CINESIAS  (as MYRRHINE approaches)
  Why; how much younger and prettier she looks! And how she looks at
  me so lovingly! Her cruelty and scorn only redouble my passion。
  MYRRHINE  (ignoring him; to the child)
  You are as sweet as your father is provoking! Let me kiss you;
  my treasure; mother's darling!
  CINESIAS
  Ah! what a bad thing it is to let yourself be led away by other
  women! Why give me such pain and suffering; and yourself into the
  bargain?
  MYRRHINE  (as he is about to embrace her)
  Hands off; sir!
  CINESIAS
  Everything is going to rack and ruin in the house。
  MYRRHINE
  I don't care。
  CINESIAS
  But your web that's all being pecked to pieces by the cocks and
  hens; don't you care for that?
  MYRRHINE
  Precious little。
  CINESIAS
  And Aphrodite; whose mysteries you have not celebrated for so
  long? Oh! won't you please come back home?
  MYRRHINE
  No; least; not till a sound treaty puts an end to the war。
  CINESIAS
  Well; if you wish it so much; why; we'll make it; your treaty。
  MYRRHINE
  Well and good! When that's done; I will come home。 Till then; I am
  bound by an oath。
  CINESIAS
  At any rate; lie with me for a little while。
  MYRRHINE
  No; no; no!  (she hesitates)  but just the same I can't say I
  don't love you。
  CINESIAS
  You love me? Then why refuse to lie with me; my little girl; my
  sweet Myrrhine?
  MYRRHINE  (pretending to be shocked)
  You must be joking! What; before the child!
  CINESIAS  (to the slave)
  Manes; carry the lad home。 There; you see; the child is gone;
  there's nothing to hinder us; won't you lie down now?
  MYRRHINE
  But; miserable man; where; where?
  CINESIAS
  In the cave of Pan; nothing could be better。
  MYRRHINE
  But how shall I purify myself before going back into the citadel?
  CINESIAS
  Nothing easier! you can wash at the Clepsydra。
  MYRRHINE
  But my oath? Do you want me to perjure myself?
  CINESIAS
  I'll take all responsibility; don't worry。
  MYRRHINE
  Well; I'll be off; then; and find a bed for us。
  CINESIAS
  There's no point in that; surely we can lie on the ground。
  MYRRHINE
  No; no! even though you are bad; I don't like your lying on the
  bare earth。
  (She goes back into the Acropolis。)
  CINESIAS  (enraptured)
  Ah! how the dear girl loves me!
  MYRRHINE  (coming back with a cot)
  Come; get to bed quick; I am going to undress。 But; oh dear; we
  must get a mattress。
  CINESIAS
  A mattress? Oh! no; never mind about that!
  MYRRHINE
  No; by Artemis! lie on the bare sacking? never! That would be
  squalid。
  CINESIAS
  Kiss me!
  MYRRHINE
  Wait a minute!
  (She leaves him again。)
  CINESIAS
  Good god; hurry up
  MYRRHINE  (coming back with a mattress)
  Here is a mattress。 Lie down; I am just going to undress。 But
  you've got no pillow。
  CINESIAS
  I don't want one either!
  MYRRHINE
  But I do。
  (She leaves him again。)
  CINESIAS
  Oh god; oh god; she treats my tool just like Heracles!
  MYRRHINE  (coming back with a pillow)
  There; lift your head; dear!  (Wondering what else to tantalize
  him with; to herself)  Is that all; I wonder?
  CINESIAS  (misunderstanding)