按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
APOLLO
This too I answer； mark a soothfast word
Not the true parent is the woman's womb
That bears the child； she doth but nurse the seed
New…sown： the male is parent； she for him；
As stranger for a stranger； hoards the germ
Of life； unless the god its promise blight。
And proof hereof before you will I set。
Birth may from fathers； without mothers； be：
See at your side a witness of the same；
Athena； daughter of Olympian Zeus；
Never within the darkness of the womb
Fostered nor fashioned； but a bud more bright
Than any goddess in her breast might bear。
And I； O Pallas； howsoe'er I may；
Henceforth will glorify thy town； thy clan；
And for this end have sent my suppliant here
Unto thy shrine； that he from this time forth
Be loyal unto thee for evermore；
O goddess…queen； and thou unto thy side
Mayst win and hold him faithful； and his line；
And that for aye this pledge and troth remain
To children's children of AtheniaD seed。
ATHENA
Enough is said； I bid the judges now
With pure intent deliver just award。
LEADER
We too have shot our every shaft of speech；
And now abide to hear the doom of law。
ATHENA （to APOLLO and ORESTES）
Say； how ordaining shall I 'scape your blame？
APOLLO
I spake； ye heard； enough。 O stranger men；
Heed well your oath as ye decide the cause。
ATHENA
O men of Athens； ye who first do judge
The law of bloodshed； hear me now ordain。
Here to all time for Aegeus' Attic host
Shall stand this council…court of judges sworn；
Here the tribunal； set on Ares' Hill
Where camped of old the tented Amazons；
What time in hate of Theseus they assailed
Athens； and set against her citadel
A counterwork of new sky…pointing towers；
And there to Ares held their sacrifice；
Where now the rock hath name； even Ares' Hill。
And hence shall Reverence and her kinsman Fear
Pass to each free man's heart； by day and night
Enjoining； Thou shalt do no unjust thing；
So long as law stands as it stood of old
Unmarred by civic change。 Look you； the spring
Is pure； but foul it once with influx vile
And muddy clay； and none can drink thereof。
Therefore； O citizens； I bid ye bow
In awe to this command； Let no man live；
Uncurbed by law nor curbed by tyranny；
Nor banish ye the monarchy of Awe
Beyond the walls； untouched by fear divine；
No man doth justice in the world of men。
Therefore in purity and holy dread
Stand and revere； so shall ye have and hold
A saving bulwark of the state and land；
Such as no man hath ever elsewhere known；
Nor in far Scythia； nor in Pelops' realm。
Thus I ordain it now； a council…court
Pure and unsullied by the lust of gain；
Sacred and swift to vengeance； wakeful ever
To champion men who sleep； the country's guard。
Thus have I spoken； thus to mine own clan
Commended it for ever。 Ye who judge；
Arise； take each his vote； mete out the right；
Your oath revering。 Lo； my word is said。
（The twelve judges come forward； one by one； to the urns of
decision； the first votes； as each of the others follows； the
LEADER and APOLLO speak alternately。）
LEADER
I rede ye well； beware！ nor put to shame；
In aught； this grievous company of hell。
APOLLO
I too would warn you； fear mine oracles…
From Zeus they are；…nor make them void of fruit。
LEADER
Presumptuous is thy claim； blood…guilt to judge；
And false henceforth thine oracles shall be。
APOLLO
Failed then the counsels of my sire； when turned
Ixion； first of slayers； to his side？
LEADER
These are but words； but I； if justice fail me；
Will haunt this land in grim and deadly deed。
APOLLO
Scorn of the younger and the elder gods
Art thou： 'tis I that shall prevail anon。
LEADER
Thus didst thou too of old in Pheres' halls；
O'erreaching Fate to make a mortal deathless。
APOLLO
Was it not well； my worshipper to aid；
Then most of all when hardest was the need？
LEADER
I say thou didst annul the lots of life；
Cheating with wine the deities of eld。
APOLLO
I say thou shalt anon； thy pleadings foiled；
Spit venom vainly on thine enemies。
LEADER
Since this young god o'errides mine ancient right；
I tarry but to claim your law； not knowing
If wrath of mine shall blast your state or spare。
ATHENA
Mine is the right to add the final vote；
And I award it to Orestes' cause。
For me no mother bore within her womb；
And； save for wedlock evermore eschewed；
I vouch myself the champion of the man；
Not of the woman； yea； with all my soul；…
In heart； as birth； a father's child alone。
Thus will I not too heinously regard
A woman's death who did her husband slay；
The guardian of her home； and if the votes
Equal do fall； Orestes shall prevail。
Ye of the judges who are named thereto；
Swiftly shake forth the lots from either urn。
（Two judges come forward； one to each urn。）
ORESTES
O bright Apollo； what shall be the end？
LEADER
O Night； dark mother mine； dost mark these things？
ORESTES
Now shall my doom be life； or strangling cords。
LEADER
And mine； lost honour or a wider sway。
APOLLO
O stranger judges； sum aright the count
Of votes cast forth； and； parting them； take heed
Ye err not in decision。 The default
Of one vote only bringeth ruin deep；
One； cast aright。 doth stablish house and home。
ATHENA
Behold； this man is free from guilt of blood；
For half the votes condemn him； half set free！
ORESTES
O Pallas； light and safety of my home；
Thou； thou hast given me back to dwell once more
In that my fatherland； amerced of which
I wandered； now shall Grecian lips say this；
The man is Argive once again； and dwells
Again within kiss father's wealthy hall；
By Pallas saved； by Loxias； and by Him；
The great third saviour； Zeus omnipotent…
Who thus in pity for my father's fate
Doth pluck me from my doom； beholding these；
Confederates of my mother。 Lo； I pass
To mine own home； but proffering this vow
Unto thy land and people： Nevermore；
Thro' all the manifold years of Time to be；
Shall any chieftain of mine Argive land
Bear hitherward his spears for fight arrayed。
For we； though lapped in earth we then shall lie；
By thwart adversities will work our will
On them who shall transgress this oath of mine；
Paths of despair and journeyings ill…starred
For them ordaining； till their task they rue。
But if this oath be