登陆注册
15708400000006

第6章

It was not my wish that you should come to this burial, and I deny that your presence is that of a friend! She shall never wear these garments of yours; she needs not your gifts for her burial. You should have grieved when I was, about to die; but you stood aside, and now do you come to wail over a corpse when you, an old man, allowed a young woman to die?

Were you in very truth father of this body of mine? Did she, who claims to be and is called my mother, bring me forth? Or was I bred of a slave's seed and secretly brought to your wife's breast? You have proved what you are when it comes to the test, and therefore I am not your begotten son; or you surpass all men in cowardice, for, being at the very verge and end of life, you had neither courage nor will to die for your son. But this you left to a woman, a stranger, whom alone I hold as my father and my mother!

Yet it had been a beautiful deed in you to die for your son, and short indeed was the time left you to live. She and I would have lived out our lives, and I should not now be here alone lamenting my misery.

You enjoyed all that a happy man can enjoy-you passed the flower of your age as a king, and in me your son you had an heir to your dominion; you would not have died childless, leaving an orphaned house to be plundered by strangers. You will not say that you abandoned me to death because I dishonoured your old age, for above all I was respectful to you-and this is the gratitude I have from you and my mother!

Beget more sons, and quickly, to cherish your old age and wrap you in a shroud when dead and lay your body out in state! This hand of mine shall not inter you. I am dead to you. I look upon the light of day because another saved me-I say I am her son, and will cherish her old age!

Vainly do old men pray for death, regretting their age and the long span of life. If death draws near, none wants to die, and age is no more a burden to him.

LEADER

Admetus! The present misfortune is enough. Do not provoke your father's spirit.

(ADMETUS turns angrily to depart, but PHERES prevents him.)PHERES

My son, do you think you are pursuing some hireling Lydian or Phrygian with your taunts? Do you know I am a Thessalian, a free man lawfully begotten by a Thessalian father? You are over-insolent, and you shall not leave thus, after wounding me with your boyish insults. I indeed begot you, and bred you up to be lord of this land, but I am not bound to die for you. It is not a law of our ancestors or of Hellas that the fathers should die for the children!

You were born to live your own life, whether miserable or fortunate;and what is due to you from me you have. You rule over many men, and Ishall leave you many wide fields even as received them from my own father. How, then, have I wronged you? Of what have I robbed you? Do not die for me, any more than I die for you. You love to look upon the light of day-do you think your father hates it? I tell myself that we are a long time underground and that life is short, but sweet.

But you-you strove shamelessly not to die, and you are alive, you shirked your fate by killing her! And you call me a coward, you, the worst of cowards, surpassed by a woman who died for you, pretty boy? And now you insult those who should be dear to you, when they refuse to die for a coward like you!

Be silent! Learn that if you love your life, so do others. If you utter insults, you shall hear many, and true ones too!

LEADER

These insults and those that went before suffice. Old man, cease to revile your son.

ADMETUS (to PHERES)

Speak on! I shall refute you. If the truth wounds you when you hear it you should not have wronged me.

PHERES

I should have wronged you far more if I had died for you.

ADMETUS

It is the same then to die an old man and in the flower of life?

PHERES

We should live one life, not two.

ADMETUS

May you live longer than God!

PHERES

Do you curse your parents when they have done you no wrong?

ADMETUS

I see you are in love with long life.

PHERES

But you are not carrying her dead body in place of your own?

ADMETUS

It is the proof of your cowardice, O worst of men.

PHERES

You cannot say she died for me!

ADMETUS

Alas! May you one day need my help.

PHERES

Woo many women, so that more may die for you.

ADMETUS

To your shame be it-you who dared not die.

PHERES

Sweet is the daylight of the Gods, very sweet.

ADMETUS

Your spirit is mean, not a man's.

PHERES

Would you laugh to carry an old man's body to the grave?

ADMETUS

You will die infamous, whenever you die.

PHERES

It will matter little enough to me to hear ill of myself when I am dead!

ADMETUS

Alas! Alas! full of impudence. is old age!

PHERES

She was not impudent, but foolish, ADMETUSGo! Leave me to bury her body.

PHERES (turning away)

I go. You, her murderer, will bury her-but soon you must render an account to her relatives. Acastus is not a man if he fails to avenge his sister's blood on you!

(PHERES goes out by the way he entered, followed by his attendants. ADMETUS gazes angrily after him.)ADMETUS

Go with a curse, you, and she who dwells with you! Grow old, as you ought, childless though you have a child. You shall never return to this house. And if I could renounce your hearth as my father's by heralds, I would do it. But we-since this sorrow must be endured-let us go, and set her body on the funeral pyre.

(The Procession moves slowly along the stage, and is joined by the CHORUS. As they pass, the LEADER salutes the body of ALCESTIS.)LEADER (chanting)

Alas! Alas! You who suffer for your courage, O noblest and best of women, hail! May Hermes of the Dead, may Hades, greet you kindly. If there are rewards for the dead, may you share them as you sit by the bride of the Lord of the Dead!

(The Procession has filed out. A servant in mourning hurries out from the guests' quarters.)SERVANT

Many guests from every land, I know, have come to the Palace of Admetus, and I have set food before them, but never one worse than this guest have I welcomed to the hearth.

同类推荐
  • 陆桴亭论小学

    陆桴亭论小学

    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。
  • 起世经

    起世经

    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。
  • 翊圣保德传

    翊圣保德传

    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。
  • 小匡

    小匡

    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。
  • 伽耶山顶经

    伽耶山顶经

    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
  • 这个夏天,很美

    这个夏天,很美

    那是多少年未变的夏天,宛如未知的光年、未知的季节,大片墨绿色的林荫遮掩了少许斜洒的夕阳,地面看似忽暗忽明杂然交错,原来夏季早已悄然而至。
  • TFBOYS之当年的夏天

    TFBOYS之当年的夏天

    舒淇,墨筱倩,和林栀是不追星的闺蜜,无意中遇到TFBOYS,不知不觉爱上他们,中间遭遇女配江萧萧,林静雅,和陈雪诗的陷害和阻挡,最终是什么样的结局呢?
  • 零界所

    零界所

    5000年前上古战争中狼烟四起,战争中的亡魂四处飘散无家可归。战争平息迎来本是和平相处,不料战败的灵魂不甘败落,四处聚集冤魂鬼泣侵扰百姓。大帝轩辕为平息冤魂怒气用尽自己天圣名宿开辟阴界领域,收留四处漂泊的孤魂野鬼,借此平息恶魂。为保证现世和阴界平衡建立阴界之门,只可入不可出。所有邪恶的气息都被封印在阴界,长年累月形成强大的暗黑法术。一些心术不正的人妄求权势,偷偷研发控鬼之术想要开启阴界之门获取强大的能量。为保证现世的平安,一群自称为无界之人为保阴界之门和心术不正的术士进行来上千年的战斗。
  • 梦生记

    梦生记

    一日一梦,一梦一生。小梦如忆,大梦今生。
  • 末世之城墙

    末世之城墙

    生命大爆炸,极速的进化时代降临。失婚男杨初一在一场演唱会上蓦然惊醒,八万活尸围困,杨初一不想死,真的不想死。龙象之力横扫八方,降龙之掌镇压一域。一把刀、一张盾,就是一面万尸不破、妖魔不侵的盖世城墙。
  • 盛世宠欢小娇妻
  • 万历流民

    万历流民

    因为捡肥皂,而穿越到万历当了流民。为了生存,他不得不开始了自己的冒险之旅。
  • 穿越异界当村长

    穿越异界当村长

    带着一个有缺陷的刀塔系统神器,齐格开始了他的村长之路。农场,铁匠铺,藏弓箭手的塔楼,士兵训练场,还有什么需要建设的呢?武装农夫肯定是没有什么战斗力的,打造兵器铠甲,训练步兵、长枪兵、弓箭手和骑兵这些正规兵种才是正途,要是能招募一些兽人加入村庄的武装力量那就更好了!在这个世界,没有人看过亚当斯密的国富论,没有人看过大国崛起的纪录片,更没人用过网络!这是一场异界的大国崛起,这是一个少年凭借网络时代海量的知识,在陌生世界的发展历程。魔幻风格的种田和城镇发展文,希望大家喜欢。
  • 风凌奈萧思

    风凌奈萧思

    萧阅对乔考思说:“这一秒,你还喜欢我吗?如果喜欢,我萧阅,绝对不会再放过你!”乔考思在初中时期喜欢上同班同学林奈,林奈也对乔考思有好感。但她却将爱深埋心里,他对自己的感觉保持怀疑。高中毕业后,但她决定一切重新开始时,他再次出现在她眼前,但他却变成了萧阅。他们能拾起错过的幸福吗?
  • 超能女皇的骑士团

    超能女皇的骑士团

    抢亲?都快22世纪了,哪还流行这个呀。哈!真有人来抢她额,还是5个帅的没天理的帅哥?。。。那她也不能这么没节操地说被绑架就被绑架。咦?醒来已经在世界的另一边了?。。。没有护照,她是怎么被偷渡到国外的。。。算了,既然回不去,那就随遇而安吧。什么?我们见过?不不不,见过她绝对不会忘的,她又不是瞎子。想把她留下也别用这么烂的借口。什么?他们还曾经有个代号叫“IRIS”。完全没印象。俗称“彩虹七人组”呵呵,这名字也太俗了,谁想出来的。这么没创意的名字是她取得?虽然她语文是不咋样,但是也不能那么贬低她的审美能力。而且,1,2,3。。。就算加上她自己也就6人好不好,她可是理科生,请别侮辱她智商。咦,怎么突然都不说话了?不说她难道不会自己查吗?哼哼。20XX年5月20日,这是改变林晓一生的日子,是她从平凡人生中脱离,走向惊险,奇幻旅途的开始。也是她和帅哥们同居日子的开始。想知道林晓和帅哥间会发生些什么奇葩,逗比的故事?那就看下去吧。**********************************彩虹七人组成员:林晓——彩虹七人组之“紫”,完全没有对其余六人的记忆,结婚当日被“绑架”,开始了与其余六人哭笑不得的同居人生。异能力:未知南宫霄——彩虹七人组之“蓝”,自十五年前的一场“意外”,失去了双腿,为使其复原,“小七”打破忌禁,却致使自身异能消散,从众人面前消失。南宫霄一生所求就为了找到“小七”,却不想“小七”竟然是女的?异能力:水南宫凌——彩虹七人组之“青”,南宫霄的同胞弟弟,南宫世家的双生子,异能力:冰冻。后天齐——彩虹七人组之“绿”,祖辈都是从军的,到了他这,弃武从商,被其父视为逆子。异能力:读心安以睿——彩虹七人组之“黄”,身世不明,被世界最大黑帮收养,首领之位的候选人之一。异能力:瞬移谢文希——彩虹七人组之“橙”,七人中最美丽的帅哥。生平最讨厌别人说他美。异能力:催眠季霖阳——彩虹七人组之“红”,京大考古系教授,七人中唯一一个拥有最正常职业的人。异能力:火