the miscellaneous writings and speeches-1-第7章

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a　perfect　Cerberus　of　intellect！　　And　pray　what　may　your　piece　be　about？　　Or　will　your　tragedy；　like　your　speech；　serve　equally　for　any　subject？

SPEUSIPPUS。　I　thought　of　several　plots；Oedipus；Eteocles　and　Polynices；　the　war　of　Troy；the　murder　of　Agamemnon。

CALLIDEMUS。　And　what　have　you　chosen？

SPEUSIPPUS。　You　know　there　is　a　law　which　permits　any　modern　poet　to　retouch　a　play　of　Aeschylus；　and　bring　it　forward　as　his　own　composition。　And；　as　there　is　an　absurd　prejudice；　among　the　vulgar；　in　favour　of　his　extravagant　pieces；　I　have　selected　one　of　them；　and　altered　it。

CALLIDEMUS。　Which　of　them？

SPEUSIPPUS。　Oh！　that　mass　of　barbarous　absurdities；　the　Prometheus。　　But　I　have　framed　it　anew　upon　the　model　of　Euripides。　　By　Bacchus；　I　shall　make　Sophocles　and　Agathon　look　about　them。　　You　would　not　know　the　play　again。

CALLIDEMUS。　By　Jupiter；　I　believe　not。

SPEUSIPPUS。　I　have　omitted　the　whole　of　the　absurd　dialogue　between　Vulcan　and　Strength；　at　the　beginning。

CALLIDEMUS。　That　may　be；　on　the　whole；　an　improvement。　　The　play　will　then　open　with　that　grand　soliloquy　of　Prometheus；　when　he　is　chained　to　the　rock。

〃Oh！　ye　eternal　heavens！　ye　rushing　winds！　Ye　fountains　of　great　streams！　　Ye　ocean　waves；　That　in　ten　thousand　sparkling　dimples　wreathe　Your　azure　smiles！　　All…generating　earth！　All…seeing　sun！　　On　you；　on　you；　I　call。〃　　（See　Aeschylus；　Prometheus；　88。）

Well；　I　allow　that　will　be　striking；　I　did　not　think　you　capable　of　that　idea。　　Why　do　you　laugh？

SPEUSIPPUS。　Do　you　seriously　suppose　that　one　who　has　studied　the　plays　of　that　great　man；　Euripides；　would　ever　begin　a　tragedy　in　such　a　ranting　style？

CALLIDEMUS。　What；　does　not　your　play　open　with　the　speech　of　Prometheus？

SPEUSIPPUS。　No　doubt。

CALLIDEMUS。　Then　what；　in　the　name　of　Bacchus；　do　you　make　him　say？

SPEUSIPPUS。　You　shall　hear；　and；　if　it　be　not　in　the　very　style　of　Euripides；　call　me　a　fool。

CALLIDEMUS。　That　is　a　liberty　which　I　shall　venture　to　take；　whether　it　be　or　no。　　But　go　on。

SPEUSIPPUS。　Prometheus　begins　thus：

〃Coelus　begat　Saturn　and　Briareus　Cottus　and　Creius　and　Iapetus；　Gyges　and　Hyperion；　Phoebe；　Tethys；　Thea　and　Rhea　and　Mnemosyne。　Then　Saturn　wedded　Rhea；　and　begat　Pluto　and　Neptune；　Jupiter　and　Juno。〃

CALLIDEMUS。　Very　beautiful；　and　very　natural；　and；　as　you　say；　very　like　Euripides。

SPEUSIPPUS。　You　are　sneering。　　Really；　father；　you　do　not　understand　these　things。　　You　had　not　those　advantages　in　your　youth

CALLIDEMUS。　Which　I　have　been　fool　enough　to　let　you　have。　　No；　in　my　early　days；　lying　had　not　been　dignified　into　a　science；　nor　politics　degraded　into　a　trade。　　I　wrestled；　and　read　Homer's　battles；　instead　of　dressing　my　hair；　and　reciting　lectures　in　verse　out　of　Euripides。　　But　I　have　some　notion　of　what　a　play　should　be；　I　have　seen　Phrynichus；　and　lived　with　Aeschylus。　　I　saw　the　representation　of　the　Persians。

SPEUSIPPUS。　A　wretched　play；　it　may　amuse　the　fools　who　row　the　triremes；　but　it　is　utterly　unworthy　to　be　read　by　any　man　of　taste。

CALLIDEMUS。　If　you　had　seen　it　acted；the　whole　theatre　frantic　with　joy；　stamping；　shouting；　laughing；　crying。　　There　was　Cynaegeirus；　the　brother　of　Aeschylus；　who　lost　both　his　arms　at　Marathon；　beating　the　stumps　against　his　sides　with　rapture。　　When　the　crowd　remarked　himBut　where　are　you　going？

SPEUSIPPUS。　To　sup　with　Alcibiades；　he　sails　with　the　expedition　for　Sicily　in　a　few　days；　this　is　his　farewell　entertainment。

CALLIDEMUS。　So　much　the　better；　I　should　say；　so　much　the　worse。　　That　cursed　Sicilian　expedition！　　And　you　were　one　of　the　young　fools　（See　Thucydides；　vi。　13。）　who　stood　clapping　and　shouting　while　he　was　gulling　the　rabble；　and　who　drowned　poor　Nicias's　voice　with　your　uproar。　　Look　to　it；　a　day　of　reckoning　will　come。　　As　to　Alcibiades　himself

SPEUSIPPUS。　What　can　you　say　against　him？　　His　enemies　themselves　acknowledge　his　merit。

CALLIDEMUS。　They　acknowledge　that　he　is　clever；　and　handsome；　and　that　he　was　crowned　at　the　Olympic　games。　　And　what　other　merits　do　his　friends　claim　for　him？　　A　precious　assembly　you　will　meet　at　his　house；　no　doubt。

SPEUSIPPUS。　The　first　men　in　Athens；　probably。

CALLIDEMUS。　Whom　do　you　mean　by　the　first　men　in　Athens？

SPEUSIPPUS。　Callicles。　　（Callicles　plays　a　conspicuous　part　in　the　Gorgias　of　Plato。）

CALLIDEMUS。　A　sacrilegious；　impious；　unfeeling　ruffian！

SPEUSIPPUS。　Hippomachus。

CALLIDEMUS。　A　fool；　who　can　talk　of　nothing　but　his　travels　through　Persia　and　Egypt。　　Go；　go。　　The　gods　forbid　that　I　should　detain　you　from　such　choice　society！

＇Exeunt　severally。＇


II。

SCENEA　Hall　in　the　house　of　ALCIBIADES。

ALCIBIADES；　SPEUSIPPUS；　CALLICLES；　HIPPOMACHUS；　CHARICLEA；　and　others；　seated　round　a　table　feasting。

ALCIBIADES。　Bring　larger　cups。　　This　shall　be　our　gayest　revel。　　It　is　probably　the　lastfor　some　of　us　at　least。

SPEUSIPPUS。　At　all　events；　it　will　be　long　before　you　taste　such　wine　again；　Alcibiades。

CALLICLES。　Nay；　there　is　excellent　wine　in　Sicily。　　When　I　was　there　with　Eurymedon's　squadron；　I　had　many　a　long　carouse。　　You　never　saw　finer　grapes　than　those　of　Aetna。

HIPPOMACHUS。　The　Greeks　do　not　understand　the　art　of　making　wine。　　Your　Persian　is　the　man。　　So　rich；　so　fragrant；　so　sparkling！　　I　will　tell　you　what　the　Satrap　of　Caria　said　to　me　about　that　when　I　supped　with　him。

ALCIBIADES。　Nay；　sweet　Hippomachus；　not　a　word　to…night　about　satraps；　or　the　great　king；　or　the　walls　of　Babylon；　or　the　Pyramids；　or　the　mummies。　　Chariclea；　why　do　you　look　so　sad？

CHARICLEA。　Can　I　be　cheerful　when　you　are　going　to　leave　me；　Alcibiades？

ALCIBIADES。　My　life；　my　sweet　soul；　it　is　but　for　a　short　time。　　In　a　year　we　conquer　Sicily。　　In　another；　we　humble　Carthage。　　（See　Thucydides；　vi。　90。）　　I　will　bring　back　such　robes；　such　necklaces；　elephants'　teeth　by　thousands；　ay；　and　the　elephants　themselves；　if　you　wish　to　see　them。　　Nay；　smile；　my　Chariclea；　or　I　shall　talk　nonsense　to　no　purpose。

HIPPOMACHUS。　The　largest　elephant　that　I　ever　saw　was　in　the　grounds　of　Teribazus；　near　Susa。　　I　wish　that　I　had　measured　him。

ALCIBIADES。　I　wish　that　he　had　trod　upon　you。　　Come；　come；　Chariclea；　we　shall　soon　return；　and　then

CHARICLEA。　Yes；　then　indeed。

ALCIBIADES。　Yes；　then　Then　for　revels；　then　for　dances；　Tender　whispers；　melting　glances。　Peasants；　pluck　your　richest　fruits：　Minstrels；　sound　your　sweetest　flutes：　Come　in　laughing　crowds　to　greet　us；　Dark…eyed　daughters　of　Miletus；　Bring　the　myrtles；　bring　the　dice；　Floods　of　Chian；　hills　of　spice。

SPEUSIPPUS。　Whose　lines　are　those；　Alcibiades？

ALCIBIADES。　My　own。　　Think　you；　because　I　do　not　shut　myself　up　to　meditate；　and　drink　water；　and　eat　herbs；　that　I　cannot　write　verses？　　By　Apollo；　if　I　did　not　spend　my　days　in　politics；　and　my　nights　in　revelry；　I　should　have　made　Sophocles　tremble。　　But　now　I　never　go　beyond　a　little　song　like　this；　and　never　invoke　any　Muse　but　Chariclea。　　But　come；　Speusippus；　sing。　　You　are　a　professed　poet。　　Let　us　have　some　of　your　verses。

SPEUSIPPUS。　My　verses！　　How　can　you　talk　so？　　I　a　professed　poet！

ALCIBIADES。　Oh；　content　you；　sweet　Speusippus。　　We　all　know　your　designs　upon　the　tragic　honours。　　Come；　sing。　　A　chorus　of　your　new　play。

SPEUSIPPUS。　Nay；　nay

HIPPOMACHUS。　When　a　guest　who　is　asked　to　sing　at　a　Persian　banquet　refuses

SPEUSIPPUS。　In　the　name　of　Bacchus

ALCIBIADES。　I　am　absolute。　　Sing。

SPEUSIPPUS。　Well；　then；　I　will　sing　you　a　chorus；　which；　I　think；　is　a　tolerable　imitation　of　Euripides。

CHARICLEA。　Of　Euripides？Not　a　word。

ALCIBIADES。　Why　so；　sweet　Chariclea？

CHARICLEA。　Would　you　have　me　betray　my　sex？　　Would　you　have　me　forget　his　Phaedras　and　Sthenoboeas？　　No　if　I　ever　suffer　any　lines　of　that　woman…hater；　or　his　imitators；　to　be　sung　in　my　presence；　may　I　sell　herbs　（The　mother　of　Euripides　was　a　herb…woman。　　This　was　a　favourite　topic　of　Aristophanes。）　like　his　mother；　and　wear　rags　like　his　Telephus。　　（The　hero　of　one　of　the　lost　plays　of　Euripides；　who　appears　to　have　been　brought　upon　the　stage　in　the　garb　of　a　beggar。　　See　Aristophanes；　Acharn。　430；　and　in　other　places。）

ALCIBIADES。　Then；　sweet　Chariclea；　since　you　have　silenced　Speusippus；　you　shall　sing　yourself。

CHARICLEA。　What　shall　I　sing？

ALCIBIADES。　Nay；　choose　for　yourself。

CHARICLEA。　Then　I　will　sing　an　old　Ionian　hymn；　which　is　chanted　every　spring　at　the　feast　of　Venus；　near　Miletus。　　I　used　to　sing　it　in　my　own　country　when　I　was　a　child；　andah；　Alcibiades！

ALCIBIADES。　Dear　Chariclea；　you　shall　sing　something　else。　　This　distresses　you。

CHARICLEA。　No　hand　me　the　lyre：no　matter。　　You　will　hear　the　song　to　disadvantage。　　But　if　it　were　sung　as　I　have　heard　it　sung：if　this　were　a　beautiful　morning　in　spring；　and　if　we　were　standing　on　a　woody　promontory；　with　the　sea；　and　the　white　sails；　and　the　blue　Cyclades　beneath　us；and　the　portico　of　a　temple　peeping　through　the　trees　on　a　huge　peak　above　our　heads；and　thousands　of　people；　with　myrtles　in　their　hands；　thronging　up　the　winding　path；　their　gay　dresses　and　garlands　disappearing　and　emerging　by　turns　as　they　passed　round　the　angles　of　the　rock；then　perhaps…　…

ALCIBIADES。　Now；　by　Venus　herself；　sweet　lady；　where　you　are　we　shall　lack　neither　sun；　nor　flowers；　nor　spring；　nor　temple；　nor　goddess。

CHARICLEA。　　（Sings。）　Let　this　sunny　hour　be　given；　Venus；　unto　love　and　mirth：　Smiles　like　thine　are　in　the　heaven；　Bloom　like　thine　is　on　the　earth；　And　the　tinkling　of　the　fountains；　And　the　murmurs　of　the　sea；　And　the　echoes　from　the　mountains；　Speak　of　youth；　and　hope；　and　thee。

By　whate'er　of　soft　expression　Thou　hast　taught　to　lovers'　eyes；　Faint　denial；　slow　confession；　Glowing　cheeks　and　stifled　sighs；　By　the　pleasure　and　the　pain；　By　the　follies　and　the　wiles；　Pouting　fondness；　sweet　disdain；　Happy　tears　and　mournful　smiles；

Come　with　music　floating　o'er　thee；　Come　with　violets　springing　round：　Let　the　Graces　dance　before　thee；　All　their　golden　zones　unbound；　Now　in　sport　their　faces　hiding；　Now；　with　slender　fingers　fair；　From　their　laughing　eyes　dividing　The　long　curls　of　rose…crowned　hair。

ALCIBIADES。　Sweetly　sung；　but　mournfully；　Chariclea；　for　which　I　would　chide　you；　but　that　I　am　sad　myself。　　More　wine　there。　　I　wish　to　all　the　gods　that　I　had　fairly　sailed　from　Athens。

CHARICLEA。　And　from　me；　Alcibiades？

ALCIBIADES。　Yes；　from　you；　dear　lady。　　The　days　which　immediately　precede　separation　are　the　most　melancholy　of　our　lives。

CHARICLEA。　Except　those　which　immediately　follow　it。

ALCIBIADES。　No；　when　I　cease　to　see　you；　other　objects　may　compel　my　attention；　but　can　I　be　near　you　without　thinking　how　lovely　you　are；　and　how　soon　I　must　leave　you？

HIPPOMACHUS。　Ay；　travelling　soon　puts　such　thoughts　out　of　men's　heads。

CALLICLES。　A　battle　is　the　best　remedy　for　them。

CHARICLEA。　A　battle；　I　should　think；　might　supply　their　place　with　others　as　unpleasant。

CALLICLES。　No。　　The　preparations　are　rather　disagreeable　to　a　novice。　　But　as　soon　as　the　fighting　begins；　by　Jupiter；　it　is　a　noble　time；　men　trampling；shields　clashing；spears　breaking；and　the　poean　roaring　louder　than　all。

CHARICLEA。　But　what　if　you　are　killed？

CALLICLES。　What　indeed？　　You　must　ask　Speusippus　that　question。　　He　is　a　philosopher。

ALCIBIADE