登陆注册
15299100000005

第5章

Howbeit, weak is trust reposed in Heaven-Yet are we upon Zeus' victorious side, The foe, with those he worsted-if in sooth Zeus against Typhon held the upper hand, And if Hyperbius (as well may hap When two such foes such diverse emblems bear)Have Zeus upon his shield, a saving sign.

(HYPERBIUS goes out.)

CHORUS (chanting)

High faith is mine that he whose shield Bears, against Zeus, the thing of hate.

The giant Typhon, thus revealed, A monster loathed of gods eterne And mortal men-this doom shall earn A shattered skull, before the gate!

THE SPY

Heaven send it so! A fifth assailant now Is set against our fifth, the northern, gate, Fronting the death-mound where Amphion lies The child of Zeus.This foeman vows his faith, Upon a mystic spear-head which he deems More holy than a godhead and more sure To find its mark than any glance of eye, That, will they, nill they, he will storm and sack The hold of the Cadmeans.Such his oath-His, the bold warrior, yet of childish years, A bud of beauty's foremost flower, the son Of Zeus and of the mountain maid.I mark How the soft down is waxing on his cheek, Thick and close-growing in its tender prime-In name, not mood, is he a maiden's child-Parthenopaeus; large and bright his eyes But fierce the wrath wherewith he fronts the gate:

Yet not unheralded he takes his stand Before the portal; on his brazen shield, The rounded screen and shelter of his form, I saw him show the ravening Sphinx, the fiend That shamed our city-how it glared and moved, Clamped on the buckler, wrought in high relief!

And in its claws did a Cadmean bear-

Nor heretofore, for any single prey, Sped she aloft, through such a storm of darts As now awaits her.So our foe is here-Like, as I deem, to ply no stinted trade In blood and broil, but traffick as is meet In fierce exchange for his long wayfaring!

ETEOCLES

Ah, may they meet the doom they think to bring-They and their impious vaunts-from those on high!

So should they sink, hurled down to deepest death!

This foe, at least, by thee Arcadian styled, Is faced by one who bears no braggart sign, But his hand sees to smite, where blows avail-Actor, own brother to Hyperbius!

He will not let a boast without a blow Stream through our gates and nourish our despair, Nor give him way who on his hostile shield Bears the brute image of the loathly Sphinx!

Blocked at the gate, she will rebuke the man Who strives to thrust her forward, when she feels Thick crash of blows, up to the city wall.

With Heaven's goodwill, my forecast shall be true.

(ACTOR goes out.)

CHORUS (chanting)

Home to my heart the vaunting goes, And, quick with terror, on my head Rises my hair, at sound of those Who wildly, impiously rave!

If gods there be, to them I plead-

Give them to darkness and the grave.

THE Spy Fronting the sixth gate stands another foe, Wisest of warriors, bravest among seers-Such must I name Amphiaraus: he, Set steadfast at the Homoloid gate, Berates strong Tydeus with reviling words-The man of blood, the bane of state and home To Argos, arch-allurer to all ill, Evoker of the Fury-fiend of hell, Death's minister, and counsellor of wrong Unto Adrastus in this fatal field.

Ay, and with eyes upturned and mien of scorn He chides thy brother Polyneices to At his desert, and once and yet again Dwells hard and meaningly upon his name Where it saith glory yet importeth feud.

Yea, such thou art in act, and such thy grace In sight of Heaven, and such in aftertime Thy fame, for lips and ears of mortal men!

"He strove to sack the city of his sires And temples of her gods, and brought on her An alien armament of foreign foes.

The fountain of maternal blood outpoured What power can staunck? even so, thy fatherland Once by thine ardent malice stormed and ta'en, Shall ne'er join force with thee." For me, I know It doth remain to let my blood enrich The border of this land that loves me not-Blood of a prophet, in a foreign grave!

Now, for the battle! I foreknow my doom, Yet it shall be with honour.So he spake, The prophet, holding up his targe of bronze Wrought without blazon, to the ears of men Who stood around and heeded not his word.

For on no bruit and rumour of great deeds, But on their doing, is his spirit set, And in his heart he reaps a furrow rich, Wherefrom the foison of good counsel springs.

Against him, send brave heart and hand of might;For the god-lover is man's fiercest foe.

ETEOCLES

Out on the chance that couples mortal men, Linking the just and impious in one!

In every issue, the one curse is this-

Companionship with men of evil heart!

A baneful harvest, let none gather it!

The field of sin is rank, and brings forth death At whiles a righteous man who goes aboard With reckless mates, a horde of villainy, Dies by one death with that detested crew;At whiles the just man, joined with citizens Ruthless to strangers, recking nought of Heaven, Trapped, against nature, in one net with them, Dies by God's thrust and all-including blow.

So will this prophet die, even Oecleus' child, Sage, just, and brave, and loyal towards Heaven, Potent in prophecy, but mated here With men of sin, too boastful to be wise!

Long is their road, and they return no more, And, at their taking-off, by hard of Zeus, The prophet too shall take the downward way.

He will not-so I deem-assail the gate-

Not as through cowardice or feeble will, But as one knowing to what end shall be Their struggle in the battle, if indeed Fruit of fulfilment lie in Loxias' word.

He speaketh not, unless to speak avails!

Yet, for more surety, we will post a man, Strong Lasthenes, as warder of the gate, Stern to the foeman; he hath age's skill, Mated with youthful vigour, and an eye Forward, alert; swift too his hand, to catch The fenceless interval 'twixt shield and spear!

Yet man's good fortune lies in hand of Heaven.

(LASTHENES goes out.)

CHORUS (chanting)

Unto our loyal cry, ye gods, give ear!

Save, save the city! turn away the spear, Send on the foemen fear!

Outside the rampart fall they, rent and riven Beneath the bolt of heaven!

THE SPY

同类推荐
  • 太上老君年谱要略

    太上老君年谱要略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大般涅槃经疏

    大般涅槃经疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 水浒传注略

    水浒传注略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Letters on Literature

    Letters on Literature

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 青龙寺轨记

    青龙寺轨记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 生活与生态(和谐中华知识文库)

    生活与生态(和谐中华知识文库)

    生态文明是人类文明发展的一个新的阶段。即工业文明之后的世界伦理社会化的文明形态:生态文明是人类遵循人、自然、社会和谐发展这一客观规律而取得的物质与精神成果的总和:生态文明是以人与自然、人与人、人与社会和谐共生、良性循环、全面发展、持续繁荣为基本宗旨的文化伦理形态。
  • 九彩祥云

    九彩祥云

    仙界无仙,魔界无魔。妖再无忌惮,横行与人间。人界各自为政。乱世,一个少年自大荒中走出……
  • 千金小姐回眸一笑

    千金小姐回眸一笑

    一句约定,一场车祸,他失去了记忆,她守他一生。当她累放弃了,他恢复了。
  • 武破辰空

    武破辰空

    上古大战,致使天地元气逐渐稀疏。许多修士因天地元气不足,迟迟突破不了,直到陨落。经过数纪元,一切好似回到起点。但这时,一颗星球的辉煌也就降临。世界上突然出现了许多神秘的种族魔兽,让这个世界更添生命活力。由于天地元气的稀疏这个世界再无巅峰的修士。但突然一天,世界之天出现一道裂缝!而这天裂缝却流露出了可供修士修炼的天地元气。逐渐的。这道裂缝变成一条天河。诞生了一种神秘的力量,可以让修士更为强大的力量!繁荣由此展开......
  • 洛水浮生

    洛水浮生

    她是昆仑派高徒,亲眼看着师父为救她而死。她踏入京城,只为寻找一个真相,找回她的母亲。不料,总被某人缠着。“你倒是很有趣。”他丹凤眼一挑,玩味。当他和她终于修成正果,真相也一点点浮出水面。他竟是……
  • 掌天纪

    掌天纪

    楚定阴差阳错巧获仙缘,以凡人之身误入修真界。利用神秘盃文,推衍出《混元掌天诀》,逆转先天废材资质。剑走偏锋,以阵证道,登顶飞升。七情六欲人性美丑在师门荣耀,宗门争斗,正魔较量及异族屠戮中尽显修仙,步步仙机,步步杀机,一场热血,诡谲,波澜壮阔的修仙之旅将为你展开...====================================PS:主角三观正,该有的爽点一个不少,奇遇合理安排。
  • 跆拳道(奥林匹克百科知识丛书)

    跆拳道(奥林匹克百科知识丛书)

    本套丛书将多种武术训练项目经过研究筛选后汇集起来,涵盖了太极拳、散打、少林拳、截拳道、擒拿反擒拿、高级格斗、跆拳道、长拳、泰国拳、拳击等十种武术,为武术和运动爱好者的锻炼提供了方法上的指导和技术上的支持。
  • 狼人之符文传说

    狼人之符文传说

    从小孤儿的他,在婶婶的抚养下长大成人。幼年时父爱母爱的缺失造就了不一样的他,他在孤独寂寞中成长,而天才终究是会一鸣惊人的。上军校,当特种兵,他走上了一条与常人生活不同的人生道路,一次看似平常的边境军事任务,更是改变了他的一生......
  • 网络青年心理分析

    网络青年心理分析

    通过对心身健康平衡与否的理解,引导青年朋友正确认识自我健康的要旨:通过对传统文化中重要人格特点的把握,告诉青年朋友个人心理活动与文化传承的家庭亲情、社会宗法以及人际信用具有密不可分的联系。《网络青年心理分析》的核心在于提出并论证新的个性五要素理论,并在此基础上提出自创的心理咨询诊断方法,经过多年咨询实践比对和检验,证明其简明、实用。适读对象:新闻传播、心理、教育等专业的师生、研究者及爱好者。
  • 邪魅冷少霸上小丫头

    邪魅冷少霸上小丫头

    他邪魅冷酷,他温柔体贴,他花心却对她忠一,她长相耀眼,进入皇家学院和他成一对欢喜冤家,生活一切都转变了,身世大逆转,灰姑娘变公主