the bacchantes-第2部分

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　　PENTHEUS

　　　　I　had　left　my　kingdom　for　awhile；　when　tidings　of　strange　mischief

in　this　city　reached　me；　I　hear　that　our　women…folk　have　left　their

homes　on　pretence　of　Bacchic　rites；　and　on　the　wooded　hills　rush

wildly　to　and　fro；　honouring　in　the　dance　this　new　god　Dionysus；

whoe'er　he　is；　and　in　the　midst　of　each　revel…rout　the　brimming

wine…bowl　stands；　and　one　by　one　they　steal　away　to　lonely　spots　to

gratify　their　lust；　pretending　forsooth　that　they　are　Maenads　bent

on　sacrifice；　though　it　is　Aphrodite　they　are　placing　before　the

Bacchic　god。　As　many　as　I　caught；　my　gaolers　are　keeping　safe　in　the

public　prison　fast　bound；　and　all　who　are　gone　forth；　will　I　chase

from　the　hills；　Ino　and　Agave　too　who　bore　me　to　Echion；　and　Actaeon's

mother　Autonoe。　In　fetters　of　iron　will　I　bind　them　and　soon　put　an

end　to　these　outrageous　Bacchic　rites。　They　say　there　came　a

stranger　hither；　a　trickster　and　a　sorcerer；　from　Lydia's　land；　with

golden　hair　and　perfumed　locks；　the　flush　of　wine　upon　his　face；　and

in　his　eyes　each　grace　that　Aphrodite　gives；　by　day　and　night　he

lingers　in　our　maidens'　company　on　the　plea　of　teaching　Bacchic

mysteries。　Once　let　me　catch　him　within　these　walls；　and　I　will　put　an

end　to　his　thyrsus…beating　and　his　waving　of　his　tresses；　for　I　will

cut　his　head　from　his　body。　This　is　the　fellow　who　says　that

Dionysus　is　a　god；　says　that　he　was　once　stitched　up　in　the　thigh　of

Zeus…that　child　who　with　his　mother　was　blasted　by　the　lightning

flash；　because　the　woman　falsely　said　her　marriage　was　with　Zeus。　Is

not　this　enough　to　deserve　the　awful　penalty　of　hanging；　this

stranger's　wanton　insolence；　whoe'er　he　be？

　　　　But　lo！　another　marvel。　I　see　Teiresias；　our　diviner；　dressed　in

dappled　fawn…skins；　and　my　mother's　father　too；　wildly　waving　the

Bacchic　wand；　droll　sight　enough！　Father；　it　grieves　me　to　see　you　two

old　men　so　void　of　sense。　Oh！　shake　that　ivy　from　thee！　Let　fall　the

thyrsus　from　thy　hand；　my　mother's　sire！　Was　it　thou；　Teiresias；　urged

him　on　to　this？　Art　bent　on　introducing　this　fellow　as　another　new

deity　amongst　men；　that　thou　mayst　then　observe　the　fowls　of　the　air

and　make　a　gain　from　fiery　divination？　Were　it　not　that　thy　grey　hairs

protected　thee；　thou　shouldst　sit　in　chains　amid　the　Bacchanals；　for

introducing　knavish　mysteries；　for　where　the　gladsome　grape　is　found

at　women's　feasts；　I　deny　that　their　rites　have　any　longer　good

results。

　　CHORUS

　　　　What　impiety！　Hast　thou　no　reverence；　sir　stranger；　for　the　gods

or　for　Cadmus　who　sowed　the　crop　of　earth…born　warriors？　Son　of　Echion

as　thou　art；　thou　dost　shame　thy　birth。

　　TEIRESIAS

　　　　Whenso　a　man　of　wisdom　finds　a　good　topic　for　argument；　it　is　no

difficult　matter　to　speak　well；　but　thou；　though　possessing　a　glib

tongue　as　if　endowed　with　sense；　art　yet　devoid　thereof　in　all　thou

sayest。　A　headstrong　man；　if　he　have　influence　and　a　capacity　for

speaking；　makes　a　bad　citizen　because　he　lacks　sense。　This　new

deity；　whom　thou　deridest；　will　rise　to　power　I　cannot　say　how

great；　throughout　Hellas。　Two　things　there　are；　young　prince；　that

hold　first　rank　among　men；　the　goddess　Demeter；　that　is；　the　earth；

calf　her　which　name　thou　please；　she　it　is　that　feedeth　men　with　solid

food；　and　as　her　counterpart　came　this　god；　the　son　of　Semele；　who

discovered　the　juice　of　the　grape　and　introduced　it　to　mankind；

stilling　thereby　each　grief　that　mortals　suffer　from；　soon　as　e'er

they　are　filled　with　the　juice　of　the　vine；　and　sleep　also　he

giveth；　sleep　that　brings　forgetfulness　of　daily　ills；　the　sovereign

charm　for　all　our　woe。　God　though　he　is；　he　serves　all　other　gods

for　libations；　so　that　through　him　mankind　is　blest。　He　it　is　whom

thou　dost　mock；　because　he　was　sewn　up　in　the　thigh　of　Zeus。　But　I

will　show　thee　this　fair　mystery。　When　Zeus　had　snatched　him　from

the　lightning's　blaze；　and　to　Olympus　borne　the　tender　babe；　Hera

would　have　cast　him　forth　from　heaven；　but　Zeus；　as　such　a　god　well

might；　devised　a　counterplot。　He　broke　off　a　fragment　of　the　ether

which　surrounds　the　world；　and　made　thereof　a　hostage　against　Hera's

bitterness；　while　he　gave　out　Dionysus　into　other　hands；　hence；　in

time；　men　said　that　he　was　reared　in　the　thigh　of　Zeus；　having　changed

the　word　and　invented　a　legend；　because　the　god　was　once　a　hostage

to　the　goddess　Hera。　This　god　too　hath　prophetic　power；　for　there　is

no　small　prophecy　inspired　by　Bacchic　frenzy；　for　whenever　the　god

in　his　full　might　enters　the　human　frame；　he　makes　his　frantic

votaries　foretell　the　future。　Likewise　he　hath　some　share　in　Ares'

rights；　for　oft；　or　ever　a　weapon　is　touched；　a　panic　seizes　an　army

when　it　is　marshalled　in　array；　and　this　too　is　a　frenzy　sent　by

Dionysus。　Yet　shalt　thou　behold　him　e'en　on　Delphi's　rocks　leaping

o'er　the　cloven　height；　torch　in　hand；　waving　and　brandishing　the

branch　by　Bacchus　loved；　yea；　and　through　the　length　and　breadth　of

Hellas。　Hearken　to　me；　Pentheus；　never　boast　that　might　alone　doth

sway　the　world；　nor　if　thou　think　so；　unsound　as　thy　opinion　is；

credit　thyself　with　any　wisdom；　but　receive　the　god　into　thy　realm；

pour　out　libations；　join　the　revel　rout；　and　crown　thy　head。　It　is　not

Dionysus　that　will　force　chastity　on　women　in　their　love；　but　this

is　what　we　should　consider；　whether　chastity　is　part　of　their　nature

for　good　and　all；　for　if　it　is；　no　really　modest　maid　will　ever　fall

'mid　Bacchic　mysteries。　Mark　this：　thou　thyself　art　glad　when

thousands　throng　thy　gates；　and　citizens　extol　the　name　of　Pentheus；

he　too；　I　trow；　delights　in　being　honoured。　Wherefore　I　and　Cadmus；

whom　thou　jeerest　so；　will　wreath　our　brows　with　ivy　and　join　the

dance；　pair　of　grey　beards　though　we　be；　still　must　we　take　part

therein；　never　will　I　for　any　words　of　thine　fight　against　heaven。

Most　grievous　is　thy　madness；　nor　canst　thou　find　a　charm　to　cure

thee；　albeit　charms　have　caused　thy　malady。

　　CHORUS

　　　　Old　sir；　thy　words　do　not　discredit　Phoebus；　and　thou　art　wise

in　honouring　Bromius；　potent　deity。

　　CADMUS

　　　　My　son；　Teiresias　hath　given　thee　sound　advice；　dwell　with　us；　but

o'erstep　not　the　threshold　of　custom；　for　now　thou　art　soaring

aloft；　and　thy　wisdom　is　no　wisdom。　E'en　though　he　be　no　god；　as

thou　assertest；　still　say　he　is；　be　guilty　of　a　splendid　fraud；

declaring　him　the　son　of　Semele；　that　she　may　be　thought　the　mother　of

a　god；　and　we　and　all　our　race　gain　honour。　Dost　thou　mark　the　awful

fate　of　Actaeon？　whom　savage　hounds　of　his　own　rearing　rent　in

pieces　in　the　meadows；　because　he　boasted　himself　a　better　hunter　than

Artemis。　Lest　thy　fate　be　the　same；　come　let　me　crown　thy　head　with

ivy；　join　us　in　rendering　homage　to　the　god。

　　PENTHEUS

　　　　Touch　me　not　away　to　thy　Bacchic　rites　thyself！　never　try　to

infect　me　with　thy　foolery！　Vengeance　will　I　have　on　the　fellow　who

teaches　thee　such　senselessness。　Away　one　of　you　without　delay！　seek

yonder　seat　where　he　observes　his　birds；　wrench　it　from　its　base

with　levers；　turn　it　upside　down；　o'erthrowing　it　in　utter

confusion；　and　toss　his　garlands　to　the　tempest's　blast。　For　by　so

doing　shall　I　wound　him　most　deeply。　Others　of　you　range　the　city

and　hunt　down　this　girl…faced　stranger；　who　is　introducing　a　new

complaint　amongst　our　women；　and　doing　outrage　to　the　marriage　tie。

And　if　haply　ye　catch　him；　bring　him　hither　to　me　in　chains；　to　be

stoned　to　death；　a　bitter　ending　to　his　revelry　in　Thebes。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Exit　PENTHEUS。

　　TEIRESIAS

　　　　Unhappy　wretch！　thou　little　knowest　what　thou　art　saying。　Now

art　thou　become　a　raving　madman；　even　before　unsound　in　mind。　Let　us

away；　Cadmus；　and　pray　earnestly　for　him；　spite　of　his　savage

temper；　and　likewise　for　the　city；　that　the　god　inflict　not　a　signal

vengeance。　Come；　follow　me　with　thy　ivy…wreathed　staff；　try　to　support

my　tottering　frame　as　I　do　thine；　for　it　is　unseemly　that　two　old

men　should　fall；　but　let　that…pass。　For　we　must　serve　the　Bacchic　god；

the　son　of　Zeus。　Only；　Cadmus；　beware　lest　Pentheus'　bring　sorrow　to

thy　house；　it　is　not　my　prophetic　art；　but　circumstances　that　lead

me　to　say　this；　for　the　words　of　a　fool　are　folly。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Exeunt　CADMUS　and　TEIRESIAS。



　　CHORUS

　　　　O　holiness；　queen　amongst　the　gods；　sweeping　on　golden　pinion　o'er

the　earth！　dost　hear　the　words　of　Pentheus；　dost　hear　his　proud

blaspheming　Bromius；　the　son　of　Semele；　first　of　all　the　blessed

gods　at　every　merry　festival？　His　it　is　to　rouse　the　revellers　to

dance；　to　laugh　away　dull　care；　and　wake　the　flute；　whene'er　at

banquets　of　the　gods　the　luscious　grape　appears；　or　when　the　winecup

in　the　feast　sheds　sleep　on　men　who　wear　the　ivy…spray。　The　end　of　all

unbridled　speech　and　lawless　senselessness　is　misery；　but　the　life

of　calm　repose　and　the　rule　of　reason　abide　unshaken　and　support　the

home；　for　far　away　in　heaven　though　they　dwell；　the　powers　divine

behold　man's　state。　Sophistry　is　not　wisdom；　and　to　indulge　in

thoughts　beyond　man's　ken　is　to　shorten　life；　and　if　a　man　on　such

poor　terms　should　aim　too　high；　he　may　miss　the　pleasures　in　his

reach。　These；　to　my　mind；　are　the　ways　of　madmen　and　idiots。　Oh！　to

make　my　way　to　Cyprus；　isle　of　Aphrodite；　where　dwell　the　love…gods

strong　to　soothe　man's　soul；　or　to　Paphos；　which　that　foreign　river；

never　fed　by　rain；　enriches　with　its　hundred　mouths！　Oh！　lead　me；

Bromian　god；　celestial　guide　of　Bacchic　pilgrims；　to　the　hallowed

slopes　of　Olympus；　where　Pierian　Muses　have　their　haunt　most　fair。

There　dwell　the　Graces；　there　is　soft　desire；　there　thy　votaries　may

hold　their　revels　freely。　The　joy　of　our　god；　the　son　of　Zeus；　is　in

banquets；　his　delight　is　in　peace；　that　giver　of　riches　and　nurse

divine　of　youth。　Both　to　rich　and　poor　alike　hath　he　granted　the

delight　of　wine；　that　makes　all　pain　to　cease；　hateful　to　him　is　every

one　who　careth　not　to　live　the　life　of　blis