prometheus bound-第3章
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OCEANUS
With one established in Omnipotence？
PROMETHEUS
Of him take heed lest thou find heaviness。
OCEANUS
I am schooled by thy calamity； Prometheus！
PROMETHEUS
Pack then！ And； prithee； do not change thy mind！
OCEANUS
Thou criest 〃On〃 to one in haste to go。
For look； my dragon with impatient wings
Flaps at the broad； smooth road of level air。
Fain would he kneel him down in his own stall。
Exit OCEANUS。
CHORUS （after alighting）
I mourn for thee； Prometheus；
minished and brought low；
Watering my virgin cheeks with these sad drops； that flow
From sorrow's rainy fount； to fill soft…lidded eyes
With pure libations for thy fortune's obsequies。
An evil portion that none coveteth hath Zeus
Prepared for thee； by self…made laws established for his use
Disposing all； the elder Gods he purposeth to show
How strong is that right arm wherewith he smites a foe。
There hath gone up a cry from earth； a groaning for the fall
Of things of old renown and shapes majestical；
And for thy passing an exceeding bitter groan；
For thee and for thy brother Gods whose honour was thine own：
These things all they who dwell in Asia's holy seat；
Time's minions； mourn and with their groans thy groans repeat。
Yea； and they mourn who dwell beside the Colchian shore；
The hero maids unwedded that delight in war；
And Scythia's swarming myriads who their dwelling make
Around the borders of the world； the salt Maeotian lake。
Mourns Ares' stock； that flowers in desert Araby；
And the strong city mourns； the hill…fort planted high；
Near neighbour to huge Caucasus； dread mountaineers
That love the clash of arms； the counter of sharp spears。
Beforetime of all Gods one have I seen in pain；
One only Titan bound with adamantine chain；
Atlas in strength supreme； who groaning stoops； downbent
Under the burthen of the earth and heaven's broad firmament。
Bellows the main of waters； surge with foam…seethed surge
Clashing tumultuous； for thee the deep seas chant their dirge；
And Hell's dark under…world a hollow moaning fills；
Thee mourn the sacred streams with all their fountain…rills。
PROMETHEUS
Think not that I for pride and stubbornness
Am silent： rather is my heart the prey
Of gnawing thoughts； both for the past； and now
Seeing myself by vengeance buffeted。
For to these younger Gods their precedence
Who severally determined if not I？
No more of that： I should but weary you
With things ye know； but listen to the tale
Of human sufferings； and how at first
Senseless as beasts I gave men sense； possessed them
Of mind。 I speak not in contempt of man；
I do but tell of good gifts I conferred。
In the beginning； seeing they saw amiss；
And hearing heard not； but； like phantoms huddled
In dreams； the perplexed story of their days
Confounded； knowing neither timber…work
Nor brick…built dwellings basking in the light；
But dug for themselves holes； wherein like ants；
That hardly may contend against a breath；
They dwelt in burrows of their unsunned caves。
Neither of winter's cold had they fixed sign；
Nor of the spring when she comes decked with flowers；
Nor yet of summer's heat with melting fruits
Sure token： but utterly without knowledge
Moiled； until I the rising of the stars
Showed them； and when they set； though much obscure。
Moreover； number； the most excellent
Of all inventions； I for them devised；
And gave them writing that retaineth all；
The serviceable mother of the Muse。
I was the first that yoked unmanaged beasts；
To serve as slaves with collar and with pack；
And take upon themselves； to man's relief；
The heaviest labour of his hands： and
Tamed to the rein and drove in wheeled cars
The horse； of sumptuous pride the ornament。
And those sea…wanderers with the wings of cloth；
The shipman's waggons； none but I contrived。
These manifold inventions for mankind
I perfected； who； out upon't； have none…
No； not one shift…to rid me of this shame。
CHORUS
Thy sufferings have been shameful； and thy mind
Strays at a loss： like to a bad physician
Fallen sick； thou'rt out of heart： nor cans't prescribe
For thine own case the draught to make thee sound。
PROMETHEUS
But hear the sequel and the more admire
What arts； what aids I cleverly evolved。
The chiefest that； if any man fell sick；
There was no help for him； comestible；
Lotion or potion； but for lack of drugs
They dwindled quite away； until I taught them
To compound draughts and mixtures sanative；
Wherewith they now are armed against disease。
I staked the winding path of divination
And was the first distinguisher of dreams；
The true from false； and voices ominous
Of meaning dark interpreted； and tokens
Seen when men take the road； and augury
By flight of all the greater crook…clawed birds
With nice discrimination I defined；
These by their nature fair and favourable；
Those； flattered with fair name。 And of each sort
The habits I described； their mutual feuds
And friendships and the assemblages they hold。
And of the plumpness of the inward parts
What colour is acceptable to the Gods；
The well…streaked liver…lobe and gall…bladder。
Also by roasting limbs well wrapped in fat
And the long chine； I led men on the road
Of dark and riddling knowledge； and I purged
The glancing eye of fire； dim before；
And made its meaning plain。 These are my works。
Then； things beneath the earth； aids hid from man；
Brass； iron； silver； gold； who dares to say
He was before me in discovering？
None； I wot well； unless he loves to babble。
And in a single word to sum the whole…
All manner of arts men from Prometheus learned。
CHORUS
Shoot not beyond the mark in succouring man
While thou thyself art comfortless： for
Am of good hope that from these bonds escaped
Thou shalt one day be mightier than Zeus。
PROMETHEUS
Fate； that brinks all things to an end； not thus
Apportioneth my lot： ten thousand pangs
Must bow； ten thousand miseries afflict me
Ere from these bonds I freedom find； for Art
Is by much weaker than Necessity。
CHORUS
Who is the pilot of Necessity？
PROMETHEUS
The Fates triform； and the unforgetting Furies。
CHORUS
So then Zeus is of lesser might than these？
PROMETHEUS
Surely he shall not shun the lot apportioned。
CHORUS
What lot for Zeus save world…without…end reign？
PROMETHEUS
Tax me no further with importunate questions。
CHORUS
O deep the mystery thou shroudest there
PROMETHEUS
Of aught but this freely thou may'st discourse；
But touching this I charge thee speak no word；
Nay； veil it utterly： for strictly kept
The secret from these bonds shall set me free。
CHORUS
May Zeus who all things swayeth
Ne'er wreak the might none stayeth
On wayward will of mine；
May I stint not nor waver
With offerings of sweet savour
And feasts of slaughtered kine；
The holy to the holy；
With frequent feet and lowly
At altar； fane and shrine；
Over the Ocean marches；
The deep that no drought parches；
Draw near to the divine。
My tongue the Gods estrange not；
My firm set purpose change not；
As wax melts in fire…shine。
Sweet is the life that lengthens；
While joyous hope still strengthens；
And glad； bright thoughts sustain；
But shuddering I behold thee；
The sorrows that enfold thee
And all thine endless pain。
For Zeus thou hast despised；
Thy fearless heart misprized
All that his vengeance can；
Thy wayward will obeying；
Excess of honour paying；
Prometheus； unto man。
And； oh； beloved； for this graceless grace
What thanks？ What prowess for thy bold essay
Shall champion thee from men of mortal race；
The petty insects of a passing day？
Saw'st not how puny is the strength they spend？
With few； faint steps walking as dreams and blind；
Nor can the utmost of their lore transcend
The harmony of the Eternal Mind。
These things I learned seeing thy glory dimmed；
Prometheus。 Ah； not thus on me was shed
The rapture of sweet music； when I hymned
The marriage…song round bath and bridal bed
At thine espousals； and of thy blood…kin；
A bride thou chosest； wooing her to thee
With all good gifts that may a Goddess win；
Thy father's child； divine Hesione。
Enter IO； crazed and horned。
IO
What land is this？ What people here abide？
And who is he；
The prisoner of this windswept mountain…side？
Speak； speak to me；
Tell me； poor caitiff； how did'st thou transgress；
Thus buffeted？
Whither am I； half…dead with weariness；
For…wandered？
Ha！ Ha！
Again the prick； the stab of gadfly…sting！
O earth； earth； hide；
The hollow shape…Argus…that evil thing…
The hundred…eyed…
Earth…born…herdsman！ I see him yet； he stalks
With stealthy pace
And crafty watch not all my poor wit baulks！
From the deep place
Of earth that hath his bones he breaketh bound；
And from the pale
Of Death； the Underworld； a hell…sent hound
On the blood…trail；
Fasting and faint he drives me on before；
With spectral hand；
Along the windings of the wasteful shore；
The salt sea…sand！
List！ List！ the pipe！ how drowzily it shrills！
A cricket…cry！
See！ See！ the wax…webbed reeds！ Oh； to these ills
Ye Gods on high；
Ye blessed Gods； what bourne？ O wandering feet
When will ye rest？
O Cronian child； wherein by aught unmeet
Have I transgressed
To be yoke…fellow with Calamity？
My mind unstrung；
A crack…brained lack…wit； frantic mad am I；
By gad…fly stung；
Thy scourge； that tarres me on with buzzing wingl
Plunge me in fire；
Hide me in earth； to deep…sea monsters fling；
But my desire…
Kneeling I pray…grudge not to grant； O King！
Too long a race
Stripped for the course have I run to and fro；
And still I chase
The vanishing goal； the end of all my woe；
Enough have I mourned！
Hear'st thou the lowing of the maid cow…horned？
PROMETHEUS
How should I hear thee not？ Thou art the child
Of Inachus； dazed with the dizzying fly。
The
