第 3 节
作者:孤悟      更新:2022-04-21 11:07      字数:9322
  slavery; and thou; lady; hadst been established in the royal palace;
  and Hellas had been freed of all the anguish she suffered during those
  ten long years her sons went wandering; spear in hand; around the
  walls of Troy; brides had never been left desolate; nor hoary
  fathers childless。
  (MENELAUS and his retinue enter。 He is leading MOLOSSUS by the hand。)
  MENELAUS
  Behold I bring thy son with me; whom thou didst steal away to a
  neighbour's house without my daughter's knowledge。 Thou wert so sure
  this image of the goddess would protect thee and those who hid him;
  but thou hast not proved clever enough for Menelaus。 And so if thou
  refuse to leave thy station here; he shall be slain instead of thee。
  Wherefore weigh it well: wilt die thyself; or see him slain for the
  sin whereof thou art guilty against me and my daughter?
  ANDROMACHE
  O fame; fame! full many a man ere now of no account hast thou to
  high estate exalted。 Those; indeed; who truly have a fair repute; I
  count blest; but those who get it by false pretences; I will never
  allow have aught but the accidental appearance of wisdom。 Thou for
  instance; caitiff that thou art; didst thou ever wrest Troy from Priam
  with thy picked troops of Hellenes? thou that hast raised such a
  storm; at the word of thy daughter; a mere child; and hast entered the
  lists with a poor captive; unworthy I count thee of Troy's capture;
  and Troy still more disgraced by thy victory。 Those who only in
  appearance are men of sense make an outward show; but inwardly
  resemble the common herd; save it be in wealth; which is their
  chiefest strength。
  Come now; Menelaus; let us carry through this argument。 Suppose
  I am slain by thy daughter; and she work her will on me; yet can she
  never escape the pollution of murder; and public opinion will make
  thee too an accomplice in this deed of blood; for thy share in the
  business must needs implicate thee。 But even supposing I escape
  death myself; will ye kill my child? Even then; how will his father
  brook the murder of his child? Troy has no such coward's tale to
  tell of him; nay; he will follow duty's call; his actions will prove
  him a worthy scion of Peleus and Achilles。 Thy daughter will be thrust
  forth from his house; and what wilt thou say when seeking to betroth
  her to another? wilt say her virtue made her leave a worthless lord?
  Nay; that will be false。 Who then will wed her? wilt thou keep her
  without a husband in thy halls; grown grey in widowhood? Unhappy
  wretch! dost not see the flood…gates of trouble opening wide for thee?
  How many a wrong against a wife wouldst thou prefer thy daughter to
  have found to suffering what I now describe? We ought not on
  trifling grounds to promote great ills; nor should men; if we women
  are so deadly a curse; bring their nature down to our level。 No! if;
  as thy daughter asserts; I am practising sorcery against her and
  making her barren; right willingly will I; without any crouching at
  altars; submit in my own person to the penalty that lies in her
  husband's hands; seeing that I am no less chargeable with injuring him
  if I make him childless。 This is my case; but for thee; there is one
  thing I fear in thy disposition; it was a quarrel for a woman that
  really induced thee to destroy poor Ilium's town。
  LEADER OF THE CHORUS
  Thou hast said too much for a woman speaking to men; that
  discretion hath shot away its last shaft from thy soul's quiver。
  MENELAUS
  Women; these are petty matters; unworthy; as thou sayest; of my
  despotic sway; unworthy too of Hellas。 Yet mark this well; his special
  fancy of the hour is of more moment to a man than Troy's capture。 I
  then have set myself to help my daughter because I consider her loss
  of wife's rights most grave; for whatever else a woman suffers is
  second to this; if she loses her husband's love she loses her life
  therewith。 Now; as it is right Neoptolemus should rule my slaves; so
  my friends and I should have control of his; for friends; if they be
  really friends; keep nothing to themselves; but have all in common。 So
  if I wait for the absent instead of making the best arrangement I
  can at once of my affairs; I show weakness; not wisdom。 Arise then;
  leave the goddess's shrine; for by thy death this child escapeth
  his; whereas; if thou refuse to die; I will slay him; for one of you
  twain must perish。
  ANDROMACHE
  Ah me! 'tis a bitter lot thou art offering about my life;
  whether I take it or not I am equally unfortunate。 Attend to me;
  thou who for a trifling cause art committing an awful crime。 Why art
  thou bent on slaying me? What reason hast thou? What city have I
  betrayed? Which of thy children was ever slain by me? What house
  have I fired? I was forced to be my master's concubine; and spite of
  that wilt thou slay me; not him who is to blame; passing by the
  cause and hurrying to the inevitable result? Ah me! my sorrows! Woe
  for my hapless country! How cruel my fate! Why had I to be a mother
  too and take upon me a double load of suffering? Yet why do I mourn
  the past; and o'er the present never shed a tear or compute its
  griefs? I that saw Hector butchered and dragged behind the chariot;
  and Ilium; piteous sight! one sheet of flame; while I was baled away
  by the hair of my head to the Argive ships in slavery; and on my
  arrival in Phthia was given to Hector's murderer as his mistress。 What
  pleasure then has life for me? Whither am I to turn my gaze? to the
  present or the past? My babe alone was left me; the light of my
  life; and him these ministers of death would slay。 No! they shall not;
  if my poor life can save him; for if he be saved; hope in him lives
  on; while to me 'twere shame to refuse to die for my son。 Lo! here I
  leave the altar and give myself into your hands; to cut or stab; to
  bind or hang。 Ah! my child; to Hades now thy mother passes to save thy
  dear life。 Yet if thou escape thy doom; remember me; my sufferings and
  my death; and tell thy father how I fared; with fond caress and
  streaming eye and arms thrown round his neck。 Ah! yes; his children
  are to every man as his own soul; and whoso sneers at this through
  inexperience; though he suffers less anguish; yet tastes the bitter in
  his cup of bliss。
  LEADER
  Thy tale with pity fills me; for every man alike; stranger
  though he be; feels pity for another's distress。 Menelaus; 'tis thy
  duty to reconcile thy daughter and this captive; giving her a
  respite from sorrow。
  MENELAUS
  Ho! sirrahs; seize this woman (His attendants swiftly carry out
  the order。); hold her fast; for 'tis no welcome story she will have to
  hear。 It was to make thee leave the holy altar of the goddess that I
  held thy child's death before thy eyes; and so induced thee to give
  thyself up to me to die。 So stands thy case; be well assured; but as
  for this child; my daughter shall decide whether she will slay him
  or no。 Get thee hence into the house; and there learn to bridle thy
  insolence in speaking to the free; slave that thou art。
  ANDROMACHE
  Alas! thou hast by treachery beguiled me; I was deceived。
  MENELAUS
  Proclaim it to the world; I do not deny it。
  ANDROMACHE
  Is this counted cleverness amongst you who dwell by the Eurotas?
  MENELAUS
  Yes; and amongst Trojans too; that those who suffer should
  retaliate。
  ANDROMACHE
  Thinkest thou God's hand is shortened; and that thou wilt not be
  punished?
  MENELAUS
  Whene'er that comes; I am ready to bear it。 But thy life will I
  have。
  ANDROMACHE
  Wilt likewise slay this tender chick; whom thou hast snatched from
  'neath my wing?
  MENELAUS
  Not I; but I will give him to my daughter to slay if she will。
  ANDROMACHE
  Ah me! why not begin my mourning then for thee; my child?
  MENELAUS
  Of a truth 'tis no very sure hope that he has left。
  ANDROMACHE
  O citizens of Sparta; the bane of all the race of men; schemers of
  guile; and masters in lying; devisers of evil plots; with crooked
  minds and tortuous methods and ne'er one honest thought; 'tis wrong
  that ye should thrive in Hellas。 What crime is wanting in your list?
  How rife is murder with you! How covetous ye are! One word upon your
  lips; another in your heart; this is what men always find with you。
  Perdition catch ye! Still death is not so grievous; as thou
  thinkest; to me。 No! for my life ended in the day that hapless Troy
  was destroyed with my lord; that glorious warrior; whose spear oft
  made a coward like thee quit the field and seek thy ship。 But now
  against a woman hast thou displayed the terrors of thy panoply; my
  would…be murderer。 Strike then! for this my tongue shall never flatter
  thee or that daughter of thine。 For though thou wert of great
  account in Sparta; why so was I in Troy。 And if I am now in sorry
  plight; presume not thou on this; thou too mayst be so yet。
  (MENELAUS and his guards lead ANDROMACHE out。)
  CHORU