heracles-第3章
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again。 Now is thy house left without a friend； and Charon's boat
awaits thy children to bear them on that journey out of life； whence
is no returning； contrary to God's law and man's justice； and it is to
thy prowess that thy house is looking although thou art not here。
Had I been strong and lusty； able to brandish the spear in battle's
onset； my Theban compeers too； I would have stood by thy children to
champion them； but now my happy youth is gone and I am left。
But lo！ I see the children of Heracles who was erst so great； clad
in the vesture of the grave； and his loving wife dragging her babes
along at her side； and that hero's aged sire。 Ah！ woe is me！ no longer
can I stem the flood of tears that spring to my old eyes。
（MEGARA； AMPHITRYON； and the children enter from the palace。）
MEGARA
Come now； who is to sacrifice or butcher these poor children？ or
rob me of my wretched life？ Behold！ the victims are ready to be led to
Hades' halls。 O my children！ an ill…matched company are we hurried off
to die； old men and babes； and mothers； all together。 Alas！ for my sad
fate and my children's； whom these eyes now for the last time
behold。 So I gave you birth and reared you only for our foes to
mock； to flout； and slay。 Ah me！ how bitterly my hopes have
disappointed me in the expectation once formed from the words of
your father。 （Addressing each of her sons in turn） To thee thy dead
sire was for giving Argos； and thou wert to dwell in the halls of
Eurystheus； lording it o'er the fair fruitful land of Argolis； and
o'er thy head would he throw that lion's skin wherewith himself was
girt。 Thou wert to be king of Thebes； famed for its chariots；
receiving as thy heritage my broad lands； for so thou didst coax thy
father dear； and to thy hand used he to resign the carved club； his
sure defence； pretending to give it thee。 To thee he promised to
give Oechalia； which once his archery had wasted。 Thus with three
principalities would your father exalt you his three sons； proud of
your manliness； while I was choosing the best brides for you； scheming
to link you by marriage to Athens； Thebes； and Sparta； that ye might
live a happy life with a fast sheet…anchor to hold by。 And now that is
all vanished； fortune's breeze hath veered and given to you for brides
the maidens of death in their stead； and tears to me to bathe them in；
woe is me for my foolish thoughts and your grandsire here is
celebrating your marriage…feast； accepting Hades as the father of your
brides； a grim relationship to make。 Ah me！ which of you shall I first
press to my bosom； which last？ on which bestow my kiss； or clasp close
to me？ Oh！ would that like the bee with russet wing； I could collect
from every source my sighs in one； and； blending them together； shed
them in one copious flood！ Heracles； dear husband mine； to thee I
call； if haply mortal voice can make itself heard in Hades' halls； thy
father and children are dying and I am doomed； I who once because of
thee was counted blest as men count bliss。 Come to our rescue； appear；
I pray； if but as a phantom； since thy mere coming would be enough；
for they are cowards compared with thee； who are slaying thy children。
AMPHITRYON
Lady； do thou prepare the funeral rites； but I； O Zeus； stretching
out my hand to heaven； call on thee to help these children； if such be
thy intention； for soon will any aid of thine be unavailing； and yet
thou hast been oft invoked； my toil is wasted； death seems inevitable。
Ye aged friends； the joys of life are few； so take heed that ye pass
through it as gladly as ye may； without a thought of sorrow from
morn till night； for time recks little of preserving our hopes； and；
when he has busied himself on his own business； away he flies。 Look at
me； a man who had made mark amongst his fellows by deeds of note；
yet hath fortune in a single day robbed me of it as of a feather
that floats away toward the sky。 know not any whose plenteous wealth
and high reputation is fixed and sure； fare ye well； for now have ye
seen the last of your old friend； my comrades。
（MEGARA catches sight of HERACLES approaching。）
MEGARA Ha！ old friend； is it my own； my dearest I behold？ or what am
I to say？
AMPHITRYON
I know not； my daughter； I too am struck dumb。
MEGARA
Is this he who； they told us； was beneath the earth？
AMPHITRYON
'Tis he； unless some day…dream mocks our sight。
MEGARA
What am I saying？ What visions do these anxious eyes behold？ Old
man； this is none other than thy own son。 Come hither； my children；
cling to your father's robe； make haste to come； never loose your
hold； for here is one to help you； nowise behind our saviour Zeus。
（HERACLES enters。）
HERACLES
All hail！ my house； and portals of my home； how glad am I to
emerge to the light and see thee。 Ha！ what is this？ I see my
children before the house in the garb of death； with chaplets on their
heads； my wife amid a throng of men； and my father weeping o'er some
mischance。 Let me draw near to them and inquire； lady； what strange
stroke of fate hath fallen on the house？
MEGARA
Dearest of all mankind to me！ O ray of light appearing to thy
sire！ art thou safe； and is thy coming just in time to help thy dear
ones？
HERACLES
What meanest thou？ what is this confusion I find on my arrival；
father？
MEGARA
We are being ruined； forgive me； old friend； if I have anticipated
that which thou hadst a right to tell him； for woman's nature is
perhaps more prone than man's to grief； and they are my children
that were being led to death； which was my own lot too。
HERACLES
Great Apollo！ what a prelude to thy story！
MEGARA
Dead are my brethren； dead my hoary sire。
HERACLES
How so？ what befell him？ who dealt the fatal blow？
MEGARA
Lycus； our splendid monarch； slew him。
HERACLES
Did he meet him in fair fight； or was the land sick and weak？
MEGARA
Aye； from faction； now is he master of the city of Cadmus with its
seven gates。
HERACLES
Why hath panic fallen on thee and my aged sire？
MEGARA
He meant to kill thy father； me； and my children。
HERACLES
Why； what had he to fear from my orphan babes？
MEGARA
He was afraid they might some day avenge Creon's death。
HERACLES
What means this dress they wear； suited to the dead？
MEGARA
'Tis the garb of death we have already put on。
HERACLES
And were ye being haled to death？ O woe is me！
MEGARA
Yes； deserted by every friend； and informed that thou wert dead。
HERACLES
What put such desperate thoughts into your heads？
MEGARA
That was what the heralds of Eurystheus kept proclaiming。
HERACLES
Why did ye leave my hearth and home？
MEGARA
He forced us； thy father was dragged from his bed。
HERACLES
Had he no mercy； to ill…use the old man so？
MEGARA
Mercy forsooth！ that goddess and he dwell far enough apart。
HERACLES
Was I so poor in friends in my absence？
MEGARA
Who are the friends of a man in misfortune？
HERACLES
Do they make so light of my hard warring with the Minyae？
MEGARA
Misfortune； to repeat it to thee； has no friends。
HERACLES
Cast from your heads these chaplets of death； look up to the
light； for instead of the nether gloom your eyes behold the welcome
sun。 I； meantime； since here is work for my hand； will first go raze
this upstart tyrant's halls； and when I have beheaded the miscreant； I
will throw him to dogs to tear； and every Theban who I find has played
the traitor after my kindness； will I destroy with this victorious
club； the rest will I scatter with my feathered shafts and fill
Ismenus full of bloody corpses； and Dirce's clear fount shall run
red with gore。 For whom ought I to help rather than wife and
children and aged sire？ Farewell my labours！ for it was in vain I
accomplished them rather than succoured these。 And yet I ought to
die in their defence； since they for their sire were doomed； else what
shall we find so noble in having fought a hydra and a lion at the
hests of Eurystheus； if I make no effort to save my own children
from death？ No longer I trow； as heretofore； shall I be called
Heracles the victor。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
'Tis only right that parents should help their children； their
aged sires； and the partners of their marriage。
AMPHITRYON
My son； 'tis like thee to show thy love for thy dear ones and
thy hate for all that is hostile； only curb excessive hastiness。
HERACLES
Wherein； father； am I now showing more than fitting haste？
AMPHITRYON
The king hath a host of allies； needy villains though pretending
to be rich； who sowed dissension and o'erthrew the state with a view
to plundering their neighbours； for the wealth they had in their
houses was ali spent； dissipated by their sloth。 Thou wast seen
entering the city； and； that being so； beware that thou bring not
thy enemies together and be slain unawares。
HERACLES
Little I reck if the whole city saw me； but chancing to see a bird
perched in an ill…omened spot； from it I learnt that some trouble
had befallen my house； so I purposely made my entry to the land by
stealth。
AMPHITRYON
For thy lucky coming hither； go salute thy household altar； and
let thy father's halls behold thy face。 For soon will the king be here
in person to drag away thy wife and children and murder them； and to
add me to the bloody list。 But if thou remain on the spot all will
go well； and thou wilt profit by this security； but do not rouse thy
city ere thou hast these matters well in train； my son。
HERACLES
I will do so； thy advice is good； I will enter my house。 After
my return at length from the sunless den of Hades and the maiden queen
of hell； I will not neglect to greet first of all the gods beneath
my roof。
AMPHITRYON
Why； didst thou in very deed go to the house of Hades； my son？
HERACLES
Aye； and brought to the light that three…headed monster。
AMPHITRYON
Didst worst him in fight； or receive him from the goddess？
HERACLES
In fair fight； for I had been lucky enough to witness the rites of
the initiated。
AMPHITRYON
Is the monster really lodged in the house of Eurystheus？
HERACLES
The grove of Demeter and the city of Hermione are his prison。
AMPHITRYON
Does not Eurystheus know that thou hast returned to the upper
world？
HERACLES
He knows not； I came hither first to learn your news。
AMPHITRYON
How is it thou wert so long beneath the earth？
HERACLES
I stayed awhile attempting to bring back Theseus from Hades；
father。
AMPHITRYON
Where is he？ gone to his native land？
HERACLES
He set out for Athens right glad to have escaped from the lower
world。 Come； children； attend your father to the house。 My entering in
is fairer in your eyes； I trow； than my going out。 Take heart； and
no more let the tears stream from your eyes； thou too； dear wife；
collect thy courage； cease from fear； let go my robe； for I cannot fly
away； nor have I any wish to flee from those I love。 Ah！ they do not
loose their hold； but cl
