prometheus bound-第2章
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Thy keel shall touch again the friendly shore；
For not by prayer to Zeus is access won；
An unpersuadable heart hath Cronos' son。
PROMETHEUS
I know the heart of Zeus is hard； that he hath tied
Justice to his side；
But he shall be full gentle thus assuaged；
And； the implacable wrath wherewith he raged
Smoothed quite away； nor he nor I
Be loth to seal a bond of peace and amity。
CHORUS
All that thou hast to tell I pray unfold；
That we may hear at large upon what count
Zeus took thee and with bitter wrong affronts：
Instruct us； if the telling hurt thee not。
PROMETHEUS
These things are sorrowful for me to speak；
Yet silence too is sorrow： all ways woe！
When first the Blessed Ones were filled with wrath
And there arose division in their midst；
These instant to hurl Cronos from his throne
That Zeus might be their king； and these； adverse；
Contending that he ne'er should rule the Gods；
Then I； wise counsel urging to persuade
The Titans； sons of Ouranos and Chthon；
Prevailed not： but； all indirect essays
Despising； they by the strong hand； effortless；
Yet by main force…supposed that they might seize
Supremacy。 But me my mother Themis
And Gaia； one form called by many names；
Not once alone with voice oracular
Had prophesied how power should be disposed…
That not by strength neither by violence
The mighty should be mastered； but by guile。
Which things by me set forth at large； they scorned；
Nor graced my motion with the least regard。
Then； of all ways that offered； I judged best；
Taking my mother with me； to support；
No backward friend； the not less cordial Zeus。
And by my politic counsel Tartarus；
The bottomless and black； old Cronos hides
With his confederates。 So helped by me；
The tyrant of the Gods； such service rendered
With ignominious chastisement requites。
But 'tis a common malady of power
Tyrannical never to trust a friend。
And now； what ye inquired； for what arraigned
He shamefully entreats me； ye shall know。
When first upon his high； paternal throne
He took his seat； forthwith to divers Gods
Divers good gifts he gave； and parcelled out
His empire； but of miserable men
Recked not at all； rather it was his wish
To wipe out man and rear another race：
And these designs none contravened but me。
I risked the bord attempt； and saved mankind
From stark destruction and the road to hell。
Therefore with this sore penance am I bowed；
Grievous to suffer； pitiful to see。
But； for compassion shown to man； such fate
I no wise earned； rather in wrath's despite
Am I to be reformed； and made a show
Of infamy to Zeus。
CHORUS
He hath a heart
Of iron； hewn out of unfeeling rock
Is he； Prometheus； whom thy sufferings
Rouse not to wrath。 Would I had ne'er beheld them；
For verily the sight hath wrung my heart。
PROMETHEUS
Yea； to my friends a woeful sight am I。
CHORUS
Hast not more boldly in aught else transgressed？
PROMETHEUS
I took from man expectancy of death。
CHORUS
What medicine found'st thou for this malady？
PROMETHEUS
I planted blind hope in the heart of him。
CHORUS
A mighty boon thou gavest there to man。
PROMETHEUS
Moreover； I conferred the gift of fire。
CHORUS
And have frail mortals now the flame…bright fire？
PROMETHEUS
Yea； and shall master many arts thereby。
CHORUS
And Zeus with such misfeasance charging thee…
PROMETHEUS
Torments me with extremity of woe。
CHORUS
And is no end in prospect of thy pains？
PROMETHEUS
None； save when he shall choose to make an end。
CHORUS
How should he choose？ What hope is thine？ Dost thou
Not see that thou hast erred？ But how thou erredst
Small pleasure were to me to tell； to the
Exceeding sorrow。 Let it go then： rather
Seek thou for some deliverance from thy woes。
PROMETHEUS
He who stands free with an untrammelled foot
Is quick to counsel and exhort a friend
In trouble。 But all these things I know well。
Of my free will； my own free will； I erred；
And freely do I here acknowledge it。
Freeing mankind myself have durance found。
Natheless； I looked not for sentence so dread；
High on this precipice to droop and pine；
Having no neighbour but the desolate crags。
And now lament no more the ills I suffer；
But come to earth and an attentive ear
Lend to the things that shall befall hereafter。
Harken； oh harken； suffer as I suffer！
Who knows； who knows； but on some scatheless head；
Another's yet for the like woes reserved；
The wandering doom will presently alight？
CHORUS
Prometheus； we have heard thy call：
Not on deaf cars these awful accents fall。
Lo！ lightly leaving at thy words
My flying car
And holy air； the pathway of great birds；
I long to tread this land of peak and scar；
And certify myself by tidings sure
Of all thou hast endured and must endure。
While the winged chariot of the OCEANIDES comes
to ground their father OCEANUS enters； riding on a monster。
OCEANUS
Now have I traversed the unending plain
And unto thee； Prometheus； am I come；
Guiding this winghd monster with no rein；
Nor any bit； but mind's firm masterdom。
And know that for thy grief my heart is sore；
The bond of kind； methinks； constraineth me；
Nor is there any I would honour more；
Apart from kinship； than I reverence thee。
And thou shalt learn that I speak verity：
Mine is no smooth； false tongue； for do but show
How I can serve thee； grieved and outraged thus；
Thou ne'er shalt say thou hast； come weal； come woe；
A friend more faithful than Oceanus。
PROMETHEUS
How now？ Who greets me？ What！ Art thou too come
To gaze upon my woes？ How could'st thou leave
The stream that bears thy name； thine antres arched
With native rock； to visit earth that breeds
The massy iron in her womb？ Com'st thou
To be spectator of my evil lot
And fellow sympathizer with my woes？
Behold； a thing indeed to gaze upon
The friend of Zeus； co…stablisher of his rule；
See； by this sentence with what pains I am bowed I
OCEANUS
Prometheus； all too plainly I behold：
And for the best would counsel thee： albeit
Thy brain is subtle。 Learn to know thy heart；
And； as the times； so let thy manners change；
For by the law of change a new God rules。
But； if these bitter； savage； sharp…set words
Thou ventest； it may be； though he sit throned
Far off and high above thee； Zeus will hear；
And then thy present multitude of ills
Will seem the mild correction of a babe。
Rather； O thou much chastened one； refrain
Thine anger； and from suffering seek release。
Stale； peradventure； seem these words of mine：
Nevertheless； of a too haughty tongue
Such punishment； Prometheus； is the wage。
But thou； not yet brought low by suffering；
To what thou hast of ill would'st add far worse。
Therefore； while thou hast me for schoolmaster；
Thou shalt not kick against the pricks； the more
That an arch…despot who no audit dreads
Rules by his own rough will。 And now I leave thee；
To strive with what success I may command
For thy deliv'rance。 Keep a quiet mind
And use not over…vehemence of speech…
Knowest thou not； being exceeding wise；
A wanton； idle tongue brings chastisement？
PROMETHEUS
I marvel that thou art not in my case；
Seeing with me thou did'st adventure all。
And now； I do entreat thee； spare thyself。
Thou wilt not move him： he's not easy moved
Take heed lest thou find trouble by the way。
OCEANUS
Thou are a better counsellor to others
Than to thyself： I judge by deeds not words。
Pluck me not back when I would fain set forth。
My oath upon it； Zeus will grant my prayer
And free thee from these pangs。
PROMETHEUS
I tender the
For this my thanks and ever…during praise。
Certes； no backward friend art thou； and yet
Trouble not thyself； for at the best thy labour
Will nothing serve me； if thou mean'st to serve。
Being thyself untrammelled stand fast。
For； not to mitigate my own mischance；
Would I see others hap on evil days。
The thought be far from me。 I feel the weight
Of Atlas' woes； my brother in the west
Shouldering the pillar that props heaven and earth；
No wieldy fardel for his arms to fold。
The giant dweller in Cilician dens
I saw and pitied…a terrific shape；
A hundred…headed monster…when he fell；
Resistless Typhon who withstood the Gods；
With fearsome hiss of beak…mouth horrible；
While lightning from his eyes with Gorgon…glare
Flashed for the ravage of the realm of Zeus。
But on him came the bolt that never sleeps；
Down…crashing thunder； with emitted fire；
Which shattered him and all his towering hopes
Dashed into ruin； smitten through the breast；
His strength as smoking cinder； lightning…charred。
And now a heap； a helpless； sprawling hulk；
He lies stretched out beside the narrow seas；
Pounded and crushed deep under Etna's roots。
But on the mountain…top Hephaestus sits
Forging the molten iron； whence shall burst
Rivers of fire； with red and ravening jaws
To waste fair…fruited； smooth； Sicilian fields。
Such bilious up…boiling of his ire
Shall Typho vent； with slingstone…showers red…hot；
And unapproachable surge of fiery spray；
Although combusted by the bolt of Zeus。
But thou art not unlearned； nor needest me
To be thy teacher： save thyself the way
Thou knowest and I will fortify my heart
Until the wrathfulness of Zeus abate。
OCEANUS
Nay then； Prometheus； art thou ignorant
Words are physicians to a wrath…sick soul？
PROMETHEUS
Yes； if with skill one soften the ripe core；
Not by rough measures make it obdurate。
OCEANUS
Seest thou in warm affection detriment
Or aught untoward in adventuring？
PROMETHEUS
A load of toil and a light mind withal。
OCEANUS
Then give me leave to call that sickness mine。
Wise men accounted fools attain their ends。
PROMETHEUS
But how if I am galled by thine offence？
OCEANUS
There very palpably thou thrustest home。
PROMETHEUS
Beware lest thou through pity come to broils。
OCEANUS
With one established in Omnipotence？
PROMETHEUS
