polyuecte-第1章
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Polyuecte
by Pierre Corneille
Translated by Thomas Constable
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Pierre Corneille was born in Rouen in 1606； the son of an official；
was educated by the Jesuits； and practised unsuccessfully as a lawyer。
His dramatic career began with the comedy of 〃Melite；〃 but it was by
his 〃Medee〃 that he first proved his tragic genius。 〃The Cid〃 appeared
in 1636； and a series of masterpieces followed〃Horace；〃 〃Cinna；〃
〃Polyeucte；〃 〃Le Menteur。〃 After a failure in 〃Pertharite〃 he retired
from the stage； deeply hurt by the disapproval of his audience。 Six
years later he resumed play writing with 〃OEdipe〃 and continued till
1674； producing in all some thirty plays。 Though he earned a great
reputation； he was poorly paid； and a proud and sensitive nature laid
him open to considerable suffering。 He died in 1684。
The works of Corneille represent most fully the ideal of French so…
called 〃classical〃 tragedy。 The laws to which this type of tragedy
sought to conform were not so much truth to nature as the principles
which the critics had derived from a somewhat inadequate
interpretation of Aristotle and of the practise of the Greek
tragedians。 These principles concentrated the interest of the play
upon a single central situation； in order to emphasize which；
subordinate characters and complicating under…plots were avoided as
much as possible。 There was little or no action upon the stage； and
the events of the plot were narrated by messengers； or by the main
characters in conversation with confidantes。 Further； the 〃dramatic
unities〃 of time and place； as well as of action； were held to be
binding。
One result of these rules was to give an extraordinary importance to
the speeches； and it is in the eloquence of these； in the grandeur and
dignity of the versification； and in the lofty moral elevation of the
characters； that Corneille excels。 All of these qualities are
admirably exemplified in 〃Polyeucte〃； and in the conduct of the
leading personages one may perceive the most persistent trait of this
dramatist's treatment of heroic characterthe conquest of the
passions by the reason and the will。 〃Among the masterpieces of
Corneille；〃 says Paul de Saint…Victor； 〃 'Polyeucte' is assuredly the
greatest； and nothing in all his dramas equals the extraordinary
beauty of the character of 'Pauline。' 〃
POLYEUCTE
CHARACTERS
FELIX； Governor of Armenia。
POLYEUCTE； an Armenian noble； son…in…law to FELIX。
SEVERUS； a Roman Knight； favourite of the Emperor Decius。
NEARCHUS； an Armenian noble； friend to Polyeucte。
PAULINE； daughter to Felix； wife to Polyeucte。
STRATONICE； companion to Pauline。
ALBIN； friend to FELIX。
FABIAN； servant to Severus。
CLEON； friend to FELIX。
Three Guards。
The Scene is at Melitena； capital of Armenia。 The action takes place
in the Palace of Felix。
ACT I
POLYEUCTE。 NEARCHUS
NEARCHUS。
Shall woman's dream of terror hurl the dart？
Oh； feeble weapon 'gainst so great a heart！
Must courage proved a thousand times in arms
Bow to a peril forged by vain alarms？
POLY。
I know that dreams are born to fade away；
And melt in air before the light of day；
I know that misty vapours of the night
Dissolve and fly before the morning bright。
The dream is naughtbut the dear dreamerall！
She has my soul； Nearchus； fast in thrall；
Who holds the marriage torchaugust； divine；
Bids me to her sweet voice my will resign。
She fears my deaththo' baseless this her fright；
Pauline is wrung with fearby dayby night；
My road to duty hampered by her fears；
How can I go when all undried her tears？
Her terror I disownand all alarms；
Yet pity holds me in her loving arms：
No bolts or bars imprison；yet her sighs
My fetters aremy conquerors； her eyes！
Say； kind Nearchus； is the cause you press
Such as to make me deaf to her distress？
The bonds I slacken I would not unloose
Nothing I yieldyet grant a timely truce。
NEAR。
How grant you know not what？ Are you assured
Of constancy？as one who has endured？
God claims your soul for Him！Now！ Now！ To…day！
The fruit to…morrow yieldsoh； who shall say？
Our God is just； but do His grace and power
Descend on recreants with equal shower？
On darkened souls His flame of light He turns；
Yet flame neglected soon but faintly burns；
And dying embers fade to ashes cold
If we the heart His spirit wooes withhold。
Great Heaven retains the fire no longer sought；
While ashes turn to dust； and dust to naught。
His holy baptism He bids thee seek；
Neglect the call； and the desire grows weak。
Ah！ whilst from woman's breast thou heedst the sighs；
The flame first flickers； then； untendeddies！
POLY。
You know me ill；'tis mine； that holy fire；
Fed； not extinguished； by unslaked desire
Her tearsI view them with a lover's eye；
And yet your Christ is minea Christian I！
The healing； cleansing flood o'er me shall flow；
I would efface the stain from birth I owe；
I would be puremy sealed eyes would see！
The birthright Adam lost restored to me
This； this； the unfading crown！ For this I yearn；
For that exhaustless fount I thirst； I burn。
Then； since my heart is true； Nearchus； say
Shall I not grant to pity this delay？
NEAR。
So doth the ghostly foe our souls abuse；
And all beyond his force he gains by ruse；
He hates the purpose fast he cannot foil；
Then he retreatsretreats but to recoil！
In endless barricade obstruction piles；
To…day 'tis tears impede； to…morrowsmiles！
And this poor dreamhis coinage of the night
Gives place to other lures； all falsely bright：
All tricks he knows and usesthreats and prayers
Attacks in parleyas the Parthian dares。
In chain unheeded weakest link must fail；
So fortress yet unwon he'll mount and scale。
O break his bonds！ Let feeble woman weep！
The heart that God has touched 'tis God must keep！
Who looks behind to dally with his choice
When Heaven demandsobeys another voice！
POLY。
Who loves thy Christsay； must he love no other？
NEAR。
He mayhe must！ 'Tis Christ says； 〃Love thy brother；'
Yet on the altar of the Heavenly King
No rival place； no alien incense fling！
Through Himby Himfor Himall goodness know！
'Tis from the source alone each stream must flow。
To please Him； wife； and wealth； and rank； and state
Must be forsakenstrait the heavenly gate。
Poor silly sheep！ afar you err and stray
From Him who is The Life； The Truth； The Way！
My grief chokes utterance！ I see your fate；
As round the fold the hungry wolves of hate
Closer and fiercer rage： from sword and flame
One shelter for His flockone only Name！
The Cross alone our victor over fears；
Not this thy strength；thy pleaa woman's tears！
POLY。
I know thy heart！ It is mine ownthe tear
My pity drops hath ne'er a taint of fear！
Who dreads not torture； yetto give relief
To her he loves； perforce must ease her grief！
If Heaven should claim my life； my death； my all；
Then Heaven will give the strength to heed the call。
The shepherd guides me surely to the fold；
There； safe with Him； 'tis He will make me bold！
NEAR。
Be bold！ O come！
POLY。
Yes； let thy faith be mine！
Thereat his feetdo I my life resign
If but Paulinemy lovewould give consent！
Else heaven were hell； and home but banishment！
NEAR。
Come！to return。 Thrice welcome to her sight；
To see thee safe will double her delight：
As the pierced cloud unveils a brighter sun；
So is her joy enhancedthy glory won！
O come； they wait！
POLY。
Appease her fear！ Ah； this
Alone will give her resther lover bliss。
She comes！
NEAR。
Then fly！
POLY。
I cannot！
NEAR。
To deny would yield thine enemy the victory！
He loves to kill； and knows his deadliest dart
Finds friend within the fortthy traitor heart！
Enter Pauline and Stratonice
POLY。
I needs must go； Pauline！ My love； good…bye！
I go but to returnfor thine am I！
PAUL。
Oh； why this haste to leave a loving wife？
Doth honour call？or fear'st thou for thy life？
POLY。
For more； a thousandfold！
PAUL。
Great Gods above！
POLY。
Thou hast my heart！ Let this content thy love！
PAUL。
You love and yet you leave me。 What am I？
Not mine to solve the dreary mystery！
POLY。
I love thee more than selfthan lifethan fame
But
PAUL。
There is something that thou dar'st not name。
Oh； on my knees I supplicate； I pray；
Remove my darkness！turn my night to day！
POLY。
Oh； dreams are naught！
PAUL。
Yet； when they tell of thee；
I needs must listen； for I love！ Ah； me！
POLY。
Take courage； dear one； 'tis but for an hour；
Thy love must draw me back； for love hath power
O'er all in earth and heaven。 My soul's delight；
I can no more！ My only safetyflight！
（Exeunt Polyeucte and Nearchus。）
PAUL。
Yes； go； despise my prayermy agony；
Go； ruthlessmeet thy fateforewarned by me；
Chase thy pursuer； herald thine own doom；
Go； kiss the murderer's hand； and hail the tomb！
Ah； Stratonice！ for our boasted power
As sovereigns o'er man's heart！ Poor regents of an hour！
Faint； helpless； moonbeamlight was all I gave；
The sun breaks forthhis queen becomes his slave！
Wooed？ Yes； as other queens I held my court
Wonbut to lose my crown； and be the sport
Of proud； absorbing and imperious man！
STRAT。
Ah； man does what he willswe； what we can；
He loves thee； lady！
PAUL。
Love should mate with trusts；
He leaves me！
STRAT。
Lady； 'tis because he must！
He loves thee with a love will never die；
Then； if he leave thee； reason not the why：
Give him thy trust！ Oh； thou shalt have reward；
For thee he hides the secret！ Let him guard
Thy life belovedin fullest liberty。
The wife who wholly trusts alone is free！
One heart for thee and himone purpose sure；
Yet this heart beats to dareand to endure。
The wife's true heart must o'er the peril sigh
Which meets his heart moved but to purpose high；
Thy pain his pain； but not his terror thine：
He is Armenian； thou of Roman line。
We； of Armenia； mock thy dreams to scorn；
For they are born of night； as truth of morn；
While Romans hold that dreams are heaven…sent；
And spring from Jove for man's admonishment。
PAUL。
Though this thy faithif thou my dream shouldst hear
My grief must needs be thine； thy fear my fear；
And； that the horror thou may'st fully prove；
Know that Ihis dear wifedid once another love！
Nay； start not； shrink not； 'tis no tale of shame；
For though in other years the heavenly flame
Descended； kindled； scorchedit left me pure
With courage to resignwith strength to endure。
He touched my heart； but never stained the soul
That gained this hardest conquestself…control。
At Romewhere I was borna soldier's eye
Marked this poor face； from which must Polyeucte fly；
Seve
