andromache-第7章
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blows？ O city！ of both my children hath Phoebus robbed me。
CHORUS
What evils thou hast suffered； what sorrows thou hast seen； thou
poor old man！ what shall be thy life hereafter？
PELEUS
Childless； desolate； with no limit to my grief； I must drain the
cup of woe； until I die。
CHORUS
'Twas all in vain the gods wished thee joy on thy wedding day。
PELEUS
All my hopes have flown away； fallen short of my high boasts。
CHORUS
A lonely dweller in a lonely home art thou。
PELEUS
I have no city any longer； there！ on the ground my sceptre do
cast； and thou； daughter of Nereus； 'neath thy dim grotto； shalt see
me grovelling in the dust； a ruined king。
CHORUS
Look； look！ （A dim form of divine appearance is seen hovering
mid air。） What is that moving？ what influence divine am I conscious
of？ Look； maidens； mark it well； see； yonder is some deity； wafted
through the lustrous air and alighting on the plains of Phthia； home
of steeds。
THETIS （from above）
O Peleus！ because of my wedded days with thee now long agone； I
Thetis am come from the halls of Nereus。 And first I counsel thee
not to grieve to excess in thy present distress； for I too who need
ne'er have borne children to my sorrow； have lost the child of our
love； Achilles swift of foot； foremost of the sons of Hellas。 Next
will I declare why I am come； and do thou give ear。 Carry yonder
corpse； Achilles' son； to the Pythian altar and there bury it； a
reproach to Delphi； that his tomb may proclaim the violent death he
met at the hand of Orestes。 And for his captive wife Andromache；…she
must dwell in the Molossian land； united in honourable wedlock with
Helenus； and with her this babe； the sole survivor as he is of all the
line of Aeacus； for from him a succession of prosperous kings of
Molossia is to go on unbroken； for the race that springs from thee and
me； my aged lord； must not thus be brought to naught； no！ nor Troy's
line either； for her fate too is cared for by the gods； albeit her
fall was due to the eager wish of Pallas。 Thee too； that thou mayst
know the saving grace of wedding me； will I； a goddess born and
daughter of a god； release from all the ills that flesh is heir to and
make a deity to know not death nor decay。 From henceforth in the halls
of Nereus shalt thou dwell with me； god and goddess together； thence
shalt thou rise dry…shod from out the main and see Achilles； our
dear son； settled in his island…home by the strand of Leuce； that is
girdled by the Euxine sea。 But get thee to Delphi's god…built town；
carrying this corpse with thee； and； after thou hast buried him；
return and settle in the cave which time hath hollowed in the Sepian
rock and there abide； till from the sea I come with choir of fifty
Nereids to be thy escort thence； for fate's decree thou must fulfil；
such is the pleasure of Zeus。 Cease then to mourn the dead； this is
the lot which heaven assigns to all； and all must pay their debt to
death。
PELEUS
Great queen； my honoured wife； from Nereus sprung； all hail！
thou art acting herein as befits thyself and thy children。 So I will
stay my grief at thy bidding； goddess； and； when I have buried the
dead； will seek the glens of Pelion； even the place where I took thy
beauteous form to my embrace。 Surely after this every prudent man will
seek to marry a wife of noble stock and give his daughter to a husband
good and true； never setting his heart on a worthless woman； not
even though she bring a sumptuous dowry to his house。 So would men
ne'er suffer ill at heaven's hand。
（THETIS vanishes。）
CHORUS （chanting）
Many are the shapes of Heaven's denizens； and many a thing they
bring to pass contrary to our expectation； that which we thought would
be is not accomplished； while for the unexpected God finds out a
way。 E'en such hath been the issue of this matter。
…THE END…
。
