【国外英文文学】The Persians.doc

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【国外英文文学】ThePersians
470BC
THEPERSIANS
byAeschylus
translatedbyRobertPotter
CHARACTERSINTHEPLAY
ATOSSA,widowofDariusandmotherofXERXES
MESSENGER
GHOSTOFDARIUS
XERXES
CHORUSOFPERSIANELDERS,whocomposethePersianCouncilofState
(SCENE:-BeforetheCouncil-
.,shortly

PERSIANELDERSsingingitsfirstchorallyric.)
CHORUS
2
Whileo'erthefieldsofGreecetheembattledtroops
OfPersiamarchwithdelegatedsway,
Weo'ertheirrichandgold-aboundingseats
Holdfaithfulourfirmguard;tothishighcharge
Xerxes,ourroyallord,theimperialson
OfgreatDarius,choseourhonour'dage.
Butfortheking'sreturn,andhisarm'dhost
Blazingwithgold,mysoulpresagingill
Swellsinmytorturedbreast:forallherforce
HathAsiasent,andforheryouthIsigh.
Normessengerarrives,norhorsemanspurs
WithtidingstothisseatofPersia'skings.
ThegatesofSusaandEcbatana
Pour'dforththeirmartialtrains;andCissiasees
Herancienttowersforsaken,whileheryouth,
Someontheboundingsteed,thetallbarksome
Ascending,somewithpainfulmarchonfoot,
Hasteon,toarrangethedeep'ningfilesofwar.
Amistres,Artaphernes,andthemight
OfgreatAstaspes,Megabazesbold,
ChieftainsofPersia,kings,that,tothepower
Ofthegreatkingobedient,marchwiththese
3
Leadingtheirmartialthousands;theirproudsteeds
Pranceunderthem;steelbowsandshaftstheirarms,
Dreadfultosee,andterribleinfight,
Deliberatevalourbreathingintheirsouls.
Artembares,thatinhisfieryhorse
Delights;Masistress;andImaeusbold,
Bendingwithmanlystrengthhisstubbornbow;
Pharandaces,andSosthanes,thatdrives
Withmilitarypomphisrapidsteeds.
OthersthevastprolificNilehathsent;
Pegastagon,thatfromAegyptusdraws
Hishighbirth;Susiscanes;andthechief
Thatreignso'ersacredMemphis,greatArsames;
AndAriomardus,thato'erancientThebes
Bearsthesupremedominion;andwiththese,
Drawnfromtheirwaterymarshes,numberstrain'd
,
Softsonsofluxury;andthosethatdwell
Amidtheinlandforests,fromthesea
Fardistant;theseMetragathescommands,
AndvirtuousArceus,royalchiefs,thatshine
Inburnish'dgold,andmanyawhirlingcar
4
DrawnbysixgeneroussteedsfromSardislead,
Agloriousandadreadfulspectacle.
AndfromthefootofTmolus,sacredmount,
EagertobindonGreecetheservileyoke,
MardonandTharybisthemassyspear
Graspwithunweariedvigour;thelightlance

Sweptfromherwidedominionsskill'dtodraw
Theunerringbow,inshipsEuphratessends
'd
FromalltheextentofAsiamovethehosts
Obedienttotheirmonarch'ssterncommand.
Thusmarch'dtheflowerofPersia,whoselovedyouth
TheworldofAsianourish'd,andwithsighs
Lamentstheirabsence;manyananxiouslook
Theirwives,theirparentssend,counttheslowdays,
Andtrembleatthelong-protractedtime.
strophe1
Alreadyo'ertheadversestrand
Inarmsthemonarch'smartialsquadronsspread;
5
Thethreat'ningruinshakestheland,
Andeachtallcitybowsitstower'dhead.
Barkboundtobark,theirwondrousway
Theybridgeacrosstheindignantsea;
ThenarrowHellespont'svex'dwavesdisdain,
Hisproudnecktaughttowearthechain.
NowhasthepeopledAsia'swarlikelord,
Byland,bysea,withfoot,withhorse,
Resistlessinhisrapidcourse,
O'eralltheirrealmshiswarringthousandspour'd;
Nowhisintrepidchiefssurveys,
Andglitt'ringlikeagodhisradiantstatedisplays.
antistrophe1
Fierceasthedragonscaledingold
Throughthedeepfileshedartshisglowingeye;
Andpleasedtheirordertobehold,
Hisgorgeousstandardblazingtothesky,
RollsonwardhisAssyriancar,
Directsthethunderofthewar,
Bidsthewing'darrows'ironstormadvance
6
Againsttheslowandcumbrouslance.
Whatshallwithstandthetorrentofhissway
Whendreadfulo'ertheyieldingshores
Theimpetuoustideofbattleroars,
Andsweepstheweakopposingmoundsaway?
SoPersia,withresistlessmight,
Rollsherunnumber'dhostsofheroestothefight.
strophe2
Forwhenmisfortune'sfraudfulhand
Preparestopourthevengeanceofthesky,
Whatmortalshallherforcewithstand?
Whatrapidspeedtheimpendingfuryfly?
Gentleatfirstwithflatt'ringsmiles
Shespreadshersoftenchantingwiles,
Sotohertoilsalluresherdestinedprey,
Whencemanne'erbreaksunhurtaway.
ForthusfromancienttimestheFatesordain
ThatPersia'ssonsshouldgreatlydare,
Unequall'dintheworksofwar;
Shakewiththeirthund'ringsteedstheensanguinedplain,
7
Dreadfulthehostilewallssurround,
Andlaytheirrampiredtowersinruinsontheground.
antistrophe2
Taughttobeholdwithfearlesseyes
Thewhiteningbillowsfoambeneaththegale,
Theybidthenavalforestsrise,
Mounttheslightbark,unfurltheflyingsail,
Ando'ertheangryoceanbear
Todistantrealmsthestormofwar.
Forthiswithmanyasadandgloomythought
Mytorturedbreastisfraught:
Ahme!forPersia'sabsentsonsIsigh;
Forwhileinforeignfieldstheyfight,
Ourtownsexposedtowildaffright
Aneasypreytotheinvaderlie:
Where,mightySusa,wherethypowers,
Towieldthewarrior'sarms,andguardthyregaltowers?
epode
8
Crush'dbeneaththeassailingfoe
HergoldenheadmustCissiabend;
Whileherpalevirgins,franticwithdespair,
Throughallherstreetsawakethevoiceofwo;
Andflyingwiththeirbosomsbare,
Theirpurfledstolesinanguishrend:
Forallheryouthinmartialpride,
Likebeesthat,clust'ringroundtheirking,
Theirdarkimbodiedsquadronsbring,
Attendtheirsceptredmonarch'sside,
Andstretchacrossthewateryway
Fromshoretoshoretheirlongarray.
ThePersiandames,withmanyatenderfear,
Ingrief'ssadvigilskeepthemidnighthour;
Shedonthewidow'dcouchthestreamingtear,
Andthelongabsenceoftheirlovesdeplore.
Eachlonelymatronfeelsherpensivebreast
Throbwithdesire,withachingfondnessglow,
Sinceinbrightarmsherdaringwarriordress'd
Lefthertolanguishinherlove-lornwo.
Now,yegravePersians,thatyourhonour'dseats
9
Holdinthisancienthouse,withprudentcare
Anddeepdeliberation,sothestate
Requires,consultwe,pond'ringtheevent
Ofthisgreatwar,whichourimperiallord,
ThemightyXerxesfromDariussprung,
Thestreamofwhoserichbloodflowsinourveins,
LeadsagainstGreece;whetherhisarrowyshower
Shotfromthestrong-bracedbow,orthehugespear
Highbrandish'd,inthedeathfulfieldprevails.
Butsee,themonarch'smother:likethegods
Herlustreblazesonoureyes:myqueen,
ProstrateIfallbeforeher:alladvance
Withreverence,andinduteousphraseaddressher,
(
toher.)
LEADEROFTHECHORUS
Hail,queen,ofPersia'shigh-zoneddamessupreme,
Age-honour'dmotherofthepotentXerxes,
ImperialconsortofDarius,hail!
Thewife,themotherofthePersians'god,
Ifyetourformergloriesfadenotfromus.
ATOSSA
10
AndthereforeamIcome,leavingmyhouse
Thatshineswithgorgeousornamentsandgold,
WhereinpastdaysDariusheldwithme

Myheartistortured:Iwilltellyou,friends,
Mythoughts,nototherwisedevoidoffear,
Lestmightywealthwithhaughtyfooto'erturn
Andtrampleinthedustthathappiness,
Which,notunbless'dbyHeaven,Dariusraised.
Forthiswithdoubleforceunquietthoughts
Pastutterancefillmysoul;thatneitherwealth
Withallitsgoldenstores,wheremenarewanting,
Claimsreverence;northelight,thatbeamsfrompower,
Shinesonthemanwhomwealthdisdainstograce.
Thegoldenstoresofwealthindeedareours;
Butforthelight(suchinthehouseIdeem
Thepresenceofitslord)thereIhavefears.
Advisemethen,youwhoseexperiencedage
SupportsthestateofPersia:prudenceguides
Yourcouncils,alwayskindandfaithfultome.
LEADER
Speak,royallady,whatthywill,assured