helen-第6部分

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heaven's　breath　free　from　taint；　meanwhile　do　thou；　in　case　the

tread　of　unclean　feet　have　soiled　the　path；　wave　the　cleansing　flame

above　it；　and　brandish　the　torch　in　front；　that　I　may　pass　upon　my

way。　And　when　to　heaven　ye　have　paid　the　customs　I　exact；　bear　back

into　the　house　the　brand　from　off　the　hearth。　What　of　my　prophecy；

Helen？　how　stands　it　now？　Thou　hast　seen　thy　husband　Menelaus　arrive

without　disguise；　reft　of　his　ships；　and　of　thy　counterfeit。　Ah；

hapless　man！　what　troubles　hast　thou　escaped；　and　art　come　hither；　and

yet　knowest　not　whether　thou　art　to　return　or　to　abide　here；　for　there

is　strife　in　heaven；　and　Zeus　this　very　day　will　sit　in　solemn

conclave　on　thee。　Hera；　who　erst　was　thy　bitter　foe；　is　now　grown

kind；　and　is　willing　to　bring　thee　and　thy　wife　safe　home；　that　Hellas

may　learn　that　the　marriage　of　Paris　was　all　a　sham；　assigned　to　him

by　Cypris；　but　Cypris　fain　would　mar　thy　homeward　course；　that　she　may

not　be　convicted；　or　proved　to　have　bought　the　palm　of　beauty　at　the

price　of　Helen　in　a　futile　marriage。　Now　the　decision　rests　with　me；

whether　to　ruin　thee；　as　Cypris　wishes；　by　telling　my　brother　of　thy

presence　bere；　or　to　save　thy　life　by　taking　Hera's　side；　concealing

thy　coming　from　my　brother；　for　his　orders　are　that　I　should　tell　him；

whensoe'er　thou　shouldst　reach　these　shores。　Ho！　one　of　you；　go　show

my　brother　this　man　is　here；　that　I　may　secure　my　safety。

　　HELEN

　　　　Maiden；　at　thy　knees　I　fall　a　suppliant；　and　seat　myself　in　this

sad　posture　on　behalf　of　myself　and　him；　whom　I　am　in　danger　of　seeing

slain；　after　I　have　so　hardly　found　him。　Oh！　tell　not　thy　brother　that

my　husband　is　returned　to　these　loving　arms；　save　us；　I　beseech

thee；　never　for　thy　brother's　sake　sacrifice　thy　character　for

uprightness；　by　evil　and　unjust　means　bidding　for　his　favour。　For

the　deity　hates　violence；　and　biddeth　all　men　get　lawful　gains　without

plundering　others。　Wealth　unjustly　gotten；　though　it　bring　some　power；

is　to　be　eschewed。　The　breath　of　heaven　and　the　earth　are　man's　common

heritage；　wherein　to　store　his　home；　without　taking　the　goods　of

others；　or　wresting　them　away　by　force。　Me　did　Hermes　at　a　critical

time；　to　my　sorrow；　intrust　to　thy　father's　safe　keeping　for　this　my

lord；　who　now　is　here　and　wishes　to　reclaim　me。　But　how　can　he　recover

me　if　he　be　slain？　How　could　thy　sire　restore　the　living　to　the

dead？　Oh！　consider　ere　that　the　will　of　heaven　and　thy　father's　too；

would　the　deity　or　would　thy　dead　sire　restore　their　neighbour's

goods；　or　would　they　forbear？　restore　them；　I　feel　sure。　It　is　not；

therefore；　right　that　thou　shouldst　more　esteem　thy　wanton　brother

than　thy　righteous　father。　Yet　if　thou；　prophetess　as　thou　art　and

believer　in　divine　providence；　shalt　pervert　the　just　intention　of　thy

father　and　gratify　thy　unrighteous　brother；　'tis　shameful　thou

shouldst　have　full　knowledge　of　the　heavenly　will；　both　what　is　and

what　is　not；　and　yet　be　ignorant　of　justice。　Oh！　save　my　wretched　life

from　the　troubles　which　beset　it；　granting　this　as　an　accession　to　our

good　fortune；　for　every　living　soul　loathes　Helen；　seeing　that　there

is　gone　a　rumour　throughout　Hellas　that　I　was　false　unto　my　lord；

and　took　up　my　abode　in　Phrygia's　sumptuous　halls。　Now；　if　I　come　to

Hellas；　and　set　foot　once　more　in　Sparta；　they　will　hear　and　see　how

they　were　ruined　by　the　wiles　of　goddesses；　while　was　no　traitress

to　my　friends　after　all；　and　so　will　they　restore　to　me　my　virtuous

name　again；　and　I　shall　give　my　daughter　in　marriage；　whom　no　man

now　will　wed；　and；　leaving　this　vagrant　life　in　Egypt；　shall　enjoy　the

treasures　in　my　home。　Had　Menelaus　met　his　doom　at　some　funeral

pyre；　with　tears　should　I　be　cherishing　his　memory　in　a　far…off

land；　but　must　lose　him　now　when　he　is　alive　and　safe？　Ah！　maiden；　I

beseech　thee；　say　not　so；　grant　me　this　boon；　I　pray；　and　reflect

thy　father's　justice；　for　this　is　the　fairest　ornament　of　children；

when　the　child　of　a　virtuous　sire　resembles　its　parents　in　character。

　　LEADER

　　　　Piteous　thy　pleading；　and　a　piteous　object　thou！　But　I　fain

would　hear　what　Menelaus　will　say　to　save　his　life。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　I　will　not　deign　to　throw　myself　at　thy　knees；　or　wet　mine　eyes

with　tears；　for　were　I　to　play　the　coward；　I　should　most　foully　blur

my　Trojan　fame。　And　yet　men　say　it　shows　a　noble　soul　to　let　the

tear…drop　fall　in　misfortune。　But　that　will　not　be　the　honourable

course　that　I　will　choose　in　preference　to　bravery；　if　what　I　shall

say　is　honourable。　Art　thou　disposed　to　save　a　stranger　seeking　in

mere　justice　to　regain　his　wife；　why　then　restore　her　and　save　us

likewise；　if　not；　this　will　not　be　the　first　by　many　a　time　that　I

have　suffered；　though　thou　wilt　get　an　evil　name。　All　that　I　deem

worthy　of　me　and　honest；　all　that　will　touch　thy　heart　most　nearly；

will　I　utter　at　the　tomb　of　thy　sire　with　regret　for　his　loss。　Old

king　beneath　this　tomb　of　stone　reposing；　pay　back　thy　trust！　I　ask　of

thee　my　wife　whom　Zeus　sent　hither　unto　thee　to　keep　for　me。　I　know

thou　canst　never　restore　her　to　me　thyself；　for　thou　art　dead；　but

this　thy　daughter　will　never　allow　her　father　once　so　glorious；　whom　I

invoke　in　his　grave；　to　bear　a　tarnished　name；　for　the　decision

rests　with　her　now。　Thee；　too；　great　god　of　death；　I　call　to　my

assistance；　who　hast　received　full　many　a　corpse；　slain　by　me　for

Helen；　and　art　keeping　thy　wage；　either　restore　those　dead　now　to　life

again；　or　compel　the　daughter　to　show　herself　a　worthy　equal　of　her

virtuous　sire；　and　give　me　back　my　wife。　But　if　ye　will　rob　me　of　her；

I　will　tell　you　that　which　she　omitted　in　her　speech。　Know　then；

maiden；　I　by　an　oath　am　bound；　first；　to　meet　thy　brother　sword　to

sword；　when　he　or　I　must　die…there　is　no　alternative。　But　if　he　refuse

to　meet　me　fairly　front　to　front；　and　seek　by　famine　to　chase　away

us　suppliants　twain　at　this　tomb；　I　am　resolved　to　slay　Helen；　and

then　to　plunge　this　two…edged　sword　through　my　own　heart；　upon　the　top

of　the　sepulchre；　that　our　streaming　blood　may　trickle　down　the

tomb；　and　our　two　corpses　will　be　lying　side　by　side　upon　this

polished　slab；　a　source　of　deathless　grief　to　thee；　and　to　thy　sire

reproach。　Never　shall　thy　brother　wed　Helen；　nor　shall　any　other；　I

will　bear　her　hence　myself；　if　not　to　my　house；　at　any　rate　to

death。　And　why　this　stern　resolve？　Were　I　to　resort　to　women's　ways

and　weep；　I　should　be　a　pitiful　creature；　not　a　man　of　action。　Slay

me；　if　it　seems　thee　good；　I　will　not　die　ingloriously；　but　better

yield　to　what　I　say；　that　thou　mayst　act　with　justice；　and　I　regain　my

wife。

　　LEADER

　　　　On　thee；　maiden；　it　rests　to　judge　between　these　arguments。　Decide

in　such　a　way　as　to　please　one　and　all。

　　THEONOE

　　　　My　nature　and　my　inclination　lean　towards　piety；　myself；　too；　I

respect；　and　I　will　never　sully　my　father's　fair　name；　or　gratify　my

brother　at　the　cost　of　bringing　myself　into　open　dishonour。　For

justice　hath　her　temple　firmly　founded　in　my　nature；　and　since　I

have　this　heritage　from　Nereus　I　will　strive　to　save　Menelaus；

wherefore；　seeing　it　is　Hera's　will　to　stand　thy　friend；　I　will　give

my　vote　with　her。　May　Cypris　be　favourable　to　me！　though　in　me　she

hath　no　part；　and　I　will　try　to　remain　a　maid　alway。　As　for　thy

reproaches　against　my　father　at　this　tomb；　lo！　I　have　the　same　words

to　utter；　I　should　be　wronging　thee；　did　I　not　restore　thy　wife；　for

my　sire；　were　he　living；　would　have　given　her　back　into　thy　keeping；

and　thee　to　her。　Yea；　for　there　is　recompense　for　these　things　as　well

amongst　the　dead　as　amongst　all　those　who　breathe　the　breath　of

life。　The　soul　indeed　of　the　dead　lives　no　more；　yet　hath　it　a

consciousness　that　lasts　for　ever；　eternal　as　the　ether　into　which

it　takes　the　final　plunge。　Briefly　then　to　end　the　matter；　I　will

observe　strict　silence　on　all　that　ye　prayed　I　should；　and　never

with　my　counsel　will　I　aid　my　brother's　wanton　will。　For　I　am　doing

him　good　service；　though　he　little　thinks　it；　if　turn　him　from　his

godless　life　to　holiness。　Wherefore　devise　yourselves　some　way　of

escape；　my　lips　are　scaled；　I　will　not　cross　your　path。　First　with　the

goddesses　begin；　and　of　the　one；…and　that　one　Cypris；…Crave　permission

to　return　unto　thy　country；　and　of　Hera；　that　her　goodwill　may　abide

in　the　same　quarter；　even　her　scheme　to　save　thee　and　thy　husband。　And

thou；　my　own　dead　sire；　shalt　never；　in　so　far　as　rests　with　me；

lose　thy　holy　name　to　rank　with　evil…doers。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（THEONOE　and　her　attendants　enter　the　palace。）

　　LEADER

　　　　No　man　ever　prospered　by　unjust　practices；　but　in　a　righteous

cause　there　is　hope　of　safety。

　　HELEN

　　　　Menelaus；　on　the　maiden's　side　are　we　quite　safe。　Thou　must　from

that　point　start；　and　by　contributing　thy　advice；　devise　with　me　a

scheme　to　save　ourselves。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　Hearken　then；　thou　hast　been　a　long　while　in　the　palace；　and　art

intimate　with　the　king's　attendants。

　　HELEN

　　　　What　dost　thou　mean　thereby？　for　thou　art　suggesting　hopes；　as

if　resolved　on　some　plan　for　our　mutual　help。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　Couldst　thou　persuade　one　of　those　who　have　charge　of　cars　and

steeds　to　furnish　us　with　a　chariot？

　　HELEN

　　　　I　might；　but　what　escape　is　there　for　us　who　know　nothing　of　the

country　and　the　barbarian's　kingdom？

　　MENELAUS

　　　　True；　'tis　impossible。　Well；　supposing　I　conceal　myself　in　the

palace　and　slay　the　king　with　this　two…edged　sword？

　　HELEN

　　　　His　sister　would　never　refrain　from　telling　her　brother　that

thou　wert　meditating　his　death。

　　MENELAUS

　　　　We　have　not　so　much　as　a　ship　to　make　our　escape　in；　for　the

sea。　hath　swallowed　the　one　we　had。

　　HELEN

　　　　Hear　me；　if　haply　even　a　woriian　can　utter　words　of　wisdom。　Dost

thou　consent　to　be　dead　in　word；　though　not　really　so？

　　MENELAUS

　　　　'Tis　a　bad　omen；　still；　if　by　saying　so　I　shall　gain　aught；　I　am

ready　to　be　dead　in　word；　though　not