the thesmophoriazusae-第3章

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　　CHORUS　（singing）

　　　　Let　us　ask　the　fulfilment　of　these　wishes　both　for　the　city　and

for　the　people；　and　may　the　wisest　of　us　cause　her　opinion　to　be

accepted。　But　woe　to　those　women　who　break　their　oaths；　who

speculate　on　the　public　misfortune；　who　seek　to　alter　the　laws　and　the

decrees；　who　reveal　our　secrets　to　the　foe　and　admit　the　Medes　into

our　territory　so　that　they　may　devastate　it！　I　declare　them　both

impious　and　criminal。　Oh！　almighty　Zeus！　see　to　it　that　the　gods

protect　us；　albeit　we　are　but　women！

　　WOMAN　HERALD

　　　　Hearken；　all　of　you！　this　is　the　decree　passed　by　the　Senate　of

the　Women　under　the　presidency　of　Timoclea　and　at　the　suggestion　of

Sostrate；　it　is　signed　by　Lysilla；　the　secretary：　〃There　will　be　a

gathering　of　the　people　on　the　morning　of　the　third　day　of　the

Thesmophoria；　which　is　a　day　of　rest　for　us；　the　principal　business

there　shall　be　the　punishment　that　it　is　meet　to　inflict　upon

Euripides　for　the　insults　with　which　he　has　loaded　us。〃　Now　who　asks

to　speak？

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　I　do。

　　WOMAN　HERALD

　　　　First　put　on　this　garland；　and　then　speak。

　　LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS

　　　　Silence！　let　all　be　quiet！　Pay　attention！　for　here　she　is　spitting

as　orators　generally　do　before　they　begin；　no　doubt　she　has　much　to

say。

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　If　I　have　asked　to　speak；　may　the　goddesses　bear　me　witness；　it

was　not　for　sake　of　ostentation。　But　I　have　long　been　pained　to　see　us

women　insulted　by　this　Euripides；　this　son　of　the　green…stuff　woman；

who　loads　us　with　every　kind　of　indignity。　Has　he　not　hit　us　enough；

calumniated　us　sufficiently；　wherever　there　are　spectators；

tragedians；　and　a　chorus？　Does；　he　not　style　us　adulterous；　lecherous；

bibulous；　treacherous；　and　garrulous？　Does　he　not　repeat　that　we　are

all　vice；　that　we　are　the　curse　of　our　husbands？　So　that；　directly

they　come　back　from　the　theatre；　they　look　at　us　doubtfully　and　go

searching　every　nook；　fearing　there　may　be　some　hidden　lover。　We　can

do　nothing　as　we　used　to；　so　many　are　the　false　ideas　which　he　has

instilled　into　our　husbands。　Is　a　woman　weaving　a　garland　for　herself？

It's　because　she　is　in　love。　Does　she　let　some　vase　drop　while　going

or　returning　to　the　house？　her　husband　asks　her　in　whose　honour　she

has　broken　it：　〃It　can　only　be　for　that　Corinthian　stranger。〃　Is　a

maiden　unwell？　Straightway　her　brother　says；　〃That　is　a　colour　that

does　not　please　me。〃　And　if　a　childless　woman　wishes　to　substitute

one；　the　deceit　can　no　longer　be　a　secret；　for　the　neighbours　will

insist　on　being　present　at　her　delivery。　Formerly　the　old　men

married　young　girls；　but　they　have　been　so　calumniated　that　none　think

of　them　now；　thanks　to　that　line　of　his：　〃A　woman　is　the　tyrant　of　the

old　man　who　marries　her。〃　Again；　it　is　because　of　Euripides　that　we

are　incessantly　watched；　that　we　are　shut　up　behind　bolts　and　bars；

and　that　dogs　are　kept　to　frighten　off　the　adulterers。　Let　that

pass；　but　formerly　it　was　we　who　had　the　care　of　the　food；　who　fetched

the　flour　from　the　storeroom；　the　oil　and　the　wine；　we　can　do　it　no

more。　Our　husbands　now　carry　little　Spartan　keys　on　their　persons；

made　with　three　notches　and　full　of　malice　and　spite。　Formerly　it

sufficed　to　purchase　a　ring　marked　with　the　same　sign　for　three　obols；

to　open　the　most　securely　sealed…up　door！　but　now　this　pestilent

Euripides　has　taught　men　to　hang　seals　of　worm…eaten　wood　about

their　necks。　My　opinion；　therefore；　is　that　we　should　rid　ourselves　of

our　enemy　by　poison　or　by　any　other　means；　provided　he　dies。　That　is

what　I　announce　publicly；　as　to　certain　points；　which　I　wish　to　keep

secret；　I　propose　to　record　them　on　the　secretary's　minutes。

　　CHORUS　（singing）

　　　　Never　have　I　listened　to　a　cleverer　or　more　eloquent　woman。

Everything　she　says　is　true；　she　has　examined　the　matter　from　all

sides　and　has　weighed　up　every　detail。　Her　arguments　are　close；

varied；　and　happily　chosen。　I　believe　that　Xenocles　himself；　the　son

of　Carcinus；　would　seem　to　talk　mere　nonsense；　if　placed　beside　her。

　　SECOND　WOMAN

　　　　I　have　only　a　very　few　words　to　add；　for　the　last　speaker　has

covered　the　various　points　of　the　indictment；　allow　me　only　to　tell

you　what　happened　to　me。　My　husband　died　at　Cyprus；　leaving　me　five

children；　whom　I　had　great　trouble　to　bring　up　by　weaving　chaplets

on　the　myrtle　market。　Anyhow；　I　lived　as　well　as　I　could　until　this

wretch　had　persuaded　the　spectators　by　his　tragedies　that　there　were

no　gods；　since　then　I　have　not　sold　as　many　chaplets　by　half。　I　charge

you　therefore　and　exhort　you　all　to　punish　him；　for　does　he　not

deserve　it　in　a　thousand　respects；　he　who　loads　you　with　troubles；　who

is　as　coarse　toward　you　as　the　vegetables　upon　which　his　mother　reared

him？　But　I　must　back　to　the　market　to　weave　my　chaplets；　I　have　twenty

to　deliver　yet。

　　CHORUS　（singing）

　　　　This　is　even　more　animated　and　more　trenchant　than　the　first

speech；　all　she　has　just　said　is　full　of　good　sense　and　to　the

point；　it　is　clever；　clear　and　well　calculated　to　convince。　Yes！　we

must　have　striking　vengeance　on　the　insults　of　Euripides。

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　Oh；　women！　I　am　not　astonished　at　these　outbursts　of　fiery　rage；

how　could　your　bile　not　get　inflamed　against　Euripides；　who　has　spoken

so　ill　of　you？　As　for　myself；　I　hate　the　man；　I　swear　it　by　my

children；　it　would　be　madness　not　to　hate　him！　Yet；　let　us　reflect　a

little；　we　are　alone　and　our　words　will　not　be　repeated　outside。　Why

be　so　bent　on　his　ruin？　Because　he　has　known　and　shown　up　two　or　three

of　our　faults；　when　we　have　a　thousand？　As　for　myself；　not　to　speak　of

other　women；　I　have　more　than　one　great　sin　upon　my　conscience；　but

this　is　the　blackest　of　them。　I　had　been　married　three　days　and　my

husband　was　asleep　by　my　side；　I　had　a　lover；　who　had　seduced　me

when　I　was　seven　years　old；　impelled　by　his　passion；　he　came

scratching　at　the　door；　I　understood　at　once　he　was　there　and　was

going　down　noiselessly。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　my　husband。　〃I　am

suffering　terribly　with　colic；〃　I　told　him；　〃and　am　going　to　the　can。〃

〃Go　ahead；〃　he　replied；　and　started　pounding　together　juniper　berries；

aniseed；　and　sage。　As　for　myself；　I　moistened　the　door…hinge　and

went　to　find　my　lover；　who　laid　me；　half…reclining　upon　Apollo's　altar

and　holding　on　to　the　sacred　laurel　with　one　hand。　Well　now！　Consider！

that　is　a　thing　of　which　Euripides　has　never　spoken。　And　when　we

bestow　our　favours　on　slaves　and　muleteers　for　want　of　better；　does　he

mention　this？　And　when　we　eat　garlic　early　in　the　morning　after　a

night　of　wantonness；　so　that　our　husband；　who　has　been　keeping　guard

upon　the　city　wall；　may　be　reassured　by　the　smell　and　suspect　nothing；

has　Euripides　ever　breathed　a　word　of　this？　Tell　me。　Neither　has　he

spoken　of　the　woman　who　spreads　open　a　large　cloak　before　her

husband's　eyes　to　make　him　admire　it　in　full　daylight　to　conceal　her

lover　by　so　doing　and　afford　him　the　means　of　making　his　escape。　I

know　another；　who　for　ten　whole　days　pretended　to　be　suffering　the

pains　of　labour　until　she　had　secured　a　child；　the　husband　hurried

in　all　directions　to　buy　drugs　to　hasten　her　deliverance；　and

meanwhile　an　old　woman　brought　the　infant　in　a　stew…pot；　to　prevent

its　crying　she　had　stopped　up　its　mouth　with　honey。　With　a　sign　she

told　the　wife　that　she　was　bringing　a　child　for　her；　who　at　once　began

exclaiming；　〃Go　away；　friend；　go　away；　I　think　I　am　going　to　be

delivered；　I　can　feel　him　kicking　his　heels　in　the　belly　。。。。of　the

stew…pot。〃　The　husband　goes　off　full　of　joy；　and　the　old　wretch

quickly　takes　the　honey　out　of　the　child's　mouth；　which　starts　crying；

then　she　seizes　the　baby；　runs　to　the　father　and　tells　him　with　a

smile　on　her　face；　〃It's　a　lion；　a　lion；　that　is　born　to　you；　it's

your　very　image。　Everything　about　it　is　like　you；　even　his　little

tool；　curved　like　the　sky。〃　Are　these　not　our　everyday　tricks？　Why

certainly；　by　Artemis；　and　we；　are　angry　with　Euripides；　who　assuredly

treats　us　no　worse　than　we　deserve！

　　CHORUS　（singing）

　　　　Great　gods！　where　has　she　unearthed　all　that？　What　country　gave

birth　to　such　an　audacious　woman？　Oh！　you　wretch！　I　should　not　have

thought　ever　a　one　of　us　could　have　spoken　in　public　with　such

impudence。　'Tis　clear；　however；　that　we　must　expect　everything　and；　as

the　old　proverb　says；　must　look　beneath　every　stone；　lest　it　conceal

some　orator　ready　to　sting　us。

　　LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS

　　　　There　is　but　one　thing　in　the　world　worse　than　a　shameless

woman；　and　that's　another　woman。

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　By　Aglaurus！　you　have　lost　your　wits；　friends！　You　must　be

bewitched　to　suffer　this　plague　to　belch　forth　insults　against　us　all。

Is　there　no　one　has　any　spirit　at　all？　If　not；　we　and　our

maid…servants　will　punish　her。　Run　and　fetch　coals　and　let's

depilate　her　in　proper　style；　to　teach　her　not　to　speak　ill　of　her

sex。

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　Oh　no　no！　not　that　part　of　me；　my　friends。　Have　we　not　the　right

to　speak　frankly　at　this　gathering？　And　because　I　have　uttered　what

I　thought　right　in　favour　of　Euripides；　do　you　want　to　depilate　me　for

my　trouble？

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　What！　we　ought　not　to　punish　you；　who　alone　have　dared　to　defend

the　man　who　has　done　so　much　harm；　whom　it　pleases　to　put　all　the　vile

women　that　ever　were　upon　the　stage；　who　only　shows　us　Melanippes

and　Phaedras？　But　of　Penelope　he　has　never　said　a　word；　because　she

was　reputed　chaste　and　good。

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　I　know　the　reason。　It's　because　not　a　single　Penelope　exists　among

the　women　of　to…day；　but　all　without　exception　are　Phaedras。

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　Women；　you　hear　how　this　creature　still　dares　to　speak　of　us　all。

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　And；　Heaven　knows；　I　have　not　said　all　that　I　know。　Do　you　want

any　more？

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　You　cannot　tell　us　any　more；　you　have　crapped　out　all　you　know。

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　Why；　I　have　not　told　the　thousandth　part　of　what　we　women　do。　Have

I　said　how　we　use　the　hollow　bandles　of　our　brooms　to　draw　up　wine

unbeknown　to　our　husbands？

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　The　cursed　jade！

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　And　how　we　give　meats　to　our　pimps　at　the　feast　of　the　Apaturia

and　then　accuse　the　cat。。。。

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　You're　crazy！

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　。。。。Have　I　mentioned　the　woman　who　killed　her　husband　with　a

hatchet？　Of　another；　who　caused　hers　to　lose　his　reason　with　her

potions？　And　of　the　Acharnian　woman。。。。

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　Die；　you　bitch！

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　。。。。who　buried　her　father　beneath　the　bath？

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　And　yet　we　listen　to　such　things！

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　Have　I　told　how　you　attributed　to　yourself　the　male　child　your

slave　had　just　borne　and　gave　her　your　little　daughter？

　　FIRST　WOMAN

　　　　This　insult　calls　for　vengeance。　Look　out　for　your　hair！

　　MNESILOCHUS

　　　　By　Zeus！　don't　touch　me。

　　FIRST　WOMAN　（slapping　him）

　　　　There！

　　MNESILOCHUS　（hitting　back）