agamemnon-第3章
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For my fair hopes are changed to fairer joys。
LEADER
A gracious word thy woman's lips have told；
Worthy a wise man's utterance； O my queen；
Now with clear trust in thy convincing tale
I set me to salute the gods with song；
Who bring us bliss to counterpoise our pain。
（CLYTEMNESTRA goes into the palace。）
CHORUS （singing）
Zeus； Lord of heaven！ and welcome night
Of victory； that hast our might
With all the glories crowned！
On towers of Ilion； free no more；
Hast flung the mighty mesh of war；
And closely girt them round；
Till neither warrior may 'scape；
Nor stripling lightly overleap
The trammels as they close； and close；
Till with the grip of doom our foes
In slavery's coil are bound！
Zeus； Lord of hospitality；
In grateful awe I bend to thee…
'Tis thou hast struck the blow！
At Alexander； long ago；
We marked thee bend thy vengeful bow；
But long and warily withhold
The eager shaft； which； uncontrolled
And loosed too soon or launched too high；
Had wandered bloodless through the sky。
strophe 1
Zeus； the high God！…whate'er be dim in doubt；
This can our thought track out…
The blow that fells the sinner is of God；
And as he wills； the rod
Of vengeance smiteth sore。 One said of old；
The gods list not to hold
A reckoning with him whose feet oppress
The grace of holiness…
An impious word！ for whenso'er the sire
Breathed forth rebellious fire…
What time his household overflowed the measure
Of bliss and health and treasure…
His children's children read the reckoning plain；
At last； in tears and pain。
On me let weal that brings no woe be sent；
And therewithal； content！
Who spurns the shrine of Right； nor wealth nor power
Shall be to him a tower；
To guard him from the gulf： there lies his lot；
Where all things are forgot。
antistrophe 1
Lust drives him on…lust； desperate and wild；
Fate's sin…contriving child…
And cure is none； beyond concealment clear；
Kindles sin's baleful glare。
As an ill coin beneath the wearing touch
Betrays by stain and smutch
Its metal false…such is the sinful wight。
Before； on pinions light；
Fair Pleasure flits； and lures him childlike on；
While home and kin make moan
Beneath the grinding burden of his crime；
Till； in the end of time；
Cast down of heaven； he pours forth fruitless prayer
To powers that will not hear。
And such did Paris come
Unto Atreides' home；
And thence； with sin and shame his welcome to repay；
Ravished the wife away…
strophe 2
And she； unto her country and her kin
Leaving the clash of shields and spears and arming ships；
And bearing unto Troy destruction for a dower；
And overbold in sin；
Went fleetly thro' the gates； at midnight hour。
Oft from the prophets' lips
Moaned out the warning and the wail…Ah woe！
Woe for the home； the home！ and for the chieftains； woe！
Woe for the bride…bed； warm
Yet from the lovely limbs； the impress of the form
Of her who loved her lord； awhile ago
And woe！ for him who stands
Shamed； silent； unreproachful； stretching hands
That find her not； and sees； yet will not see；
That she is far away！
And his sad fancy； yearning o'er the sea；
Shall summon and recall
Her wraith； once more to queen it in his hall。
And sad with many memories；
The fair cold beauty of each sculptured face…
And all to hatefulness is turned their grace；
Seen blankly by forlorn and hungering eyes！
antistrophe 2
And when the night is deep；
Come visions； sweet and sad； and bearing pain
Of hopings vain…
Void； void and vain； for scarce the sleeping sight
Has seen its old delight；
When thro' the grasps of love that bid it stay
It vanishes away
On silent wings that roam adown the ways of sleep。
Such are the sights； the sorrows fell；
About our hearth…and worse； whereof I may not tell。
But； all the wide town o'er；
Each home that sent its master far away
From Hellas' shore；
Feels the keen thrill of heart； the pang of loss； to…day。
For； truth to say；
The touch of bitter death is manifold！
Familiar was each face； and dear as life；
That went unto the war；
But thither； whence a warrior went of old；
Doth nought return…
Only a spear and sword； and ashes in an urn！
strophe 3
For Ares； lord of strife；
Who doth the swaying scales of battle hold；
War's money…changer； giving dust for gold；
Sends back； to hearts that held them dear；
Scant ash of warriors； wept with many a tear；
Light to the band； but heavy to the soul；
Yea； fills the light urn full
With what survived the flame…
Death's dusty measure of a hero's frame！
Alas！ one cries； and yet alas again！
Our chief is gone； the hero of the spear；
And hath not left his peer！
Ah woe！ another moans…my spouse is slain；
The death of honour； rolled in dust and blood；
Slain for a woman's sin； a false wife's shame！
Such muttered words of bitter mood
Rise against those who went forth to reclaim；
Yea； jealous wrath creeps on against th' Atreides' name。
And others； far beneath the Ilian wall；
Sleep their last sleep…the goodly chiefs and tall；
Couched in the foeman's land； whereon they gave
Their breath； and lords of Troy； each in his Trojan grave。
antistrophe 3
Therefore for each and all the city's breast
Is heavy with a wrath supprest；
As deeply and deadly as a curse more loud
Flung by the common crowd：
And； brooding deeply； doth my soul await
Tidings of coming fate；
Buried as yet in darkness' womb。
For not forgetful is the high gods' doom
Against the sons of carnage： all too long
Seems the unjust to prosper and be strong；
Till the dark Furies come；
And smite with stern reversal all his home；
Down into dim obstruction…he is gone；
And help and hope； among the lost； is none！
O'er him who vaunteth an exceeding fame；
Impends a woe condign；
The vengeful bolt upon his eyes doth flame；
Sped from the hand divine。
This bliss be mine； ungrudged of God； to feel…
To tread no city to the dust；
Nor see my own life thrust
Down to a glave's estate beneath another's heel！
epode
Behold； throughout the city wide
Have the swift feet of Rumour hied；
Roused by the joyful flame：
But is the news they scatter； sooth？
Or haply do they give for truth
Some cheat which heaven doth frame？
A child were he and all unwise；
Who let his heart with joy be stirred。
To see the beacon…fires arise；
And then； beneath some thwarting word；
Sicken anon with hope deferred。
The edge of woman's insight still
Good news from true divideth ill；
Light rumours leap within the bound
Then fences female credence round；
But； lightly born； as lightly dies
The tale that springs of her surmise。
（Several days are assumed to have elapsed。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Soon shall we know whereof the bale…fires tell；
The beacons； kindled with transmitted flame；
Whether； as well I deem； their tale is true；
Or whether like some dream delusive came
The welcome blaze but to befool our soul。
For lo！ I see a herald from the shore
Draw hither； shadowed with the olive…wreath…
And thirsty dust； twin…brother of the clay；
Speaks plain of travel far and truthful news…
No dumb surmise； nor tongue of flame in smoke；
Fitfully kindled from the mountain pyre；
But plainlier shall his voice say； All is well；
Or…but away； forebodings adverse； now；
And on fair promise fair fulfilment come！
And whoso for the state prays otherwise；
Himself reap harvest of his ill desire！
（A HERALD enters。 He is an advance messenger from AGAMEMNON'S
forces； which have just landed。）
HERALD
O land of Argos； fatherland of mine！
To thee at last； beneath the tenth year's sun；
My feet return； the bark of my emprise；
Tho' one by one hope's anchors broke away；
Held by the last； and now rides safely here。
Long； long my soul despaired to win； in death；
Its longed…for rest within our Argive land：
And now all hail； O earth； and hail to thee；
New…risen sun！ and hail our country's God；
High…ruling Zeus； and thou； the Pythian lord；
Whose arrows smote us once…smite thou no morel
Was not thy wrath wreaked full upon our heads；
O king Apollo； by Scamander's side？
Turn thou； be turned； be saviour； healer； now
And hail； all gods who rule the street and mart
And Hermes hail！ my patron and my pride；
Herald of heaven； and lord of heralds here！
And Heroes； ye who sped us on our way…
To one and all I cry； Receive again
With grace such Argives as the spear has spared。
Ah； home of royalty； beloved halls；
And solemn shrines； and gods that front the morn！
Benign as erst； with sun…flushed aspect greet
The king returning after many days。
For as from night flash out the beams of day；
So out of darkness dawns a light； a king；
On you； on Argos…Agamemnon comes。
Then hail and greet him well I such meed befits
Him whose right hand hewed down the towers of Troy
With the great axe of Zeus who righteth wrong…
And smote the plain； smote down to nothingness
Each altar； every shrine； and far and wide
Dies from the whole land's face its offspring fair。
Such mighty yoke of fate he set on Troy…
Our lord and monarch； Atreus' elder son；
And comes at last with blissful honour home；
Highest of all who walk on earth to…day…
Not Paris nor the city's self that paid
Sin's price with him； can boast； Whate'er befall；
The guerdon we have won outweighs it all。
But at Fate's j
