the phoenissae- 第7部分

gates　the　Argive　hosts；　when　thus　beleaguered？　Tell　me；　that　I　may

go　within　and　cheer　the　old　blind　man；　since　our　city　is　still　safe。

　　MESSENGER

　　　　After　Creon's　son；　who　gave　up　life　for　country；　had　taken　his

stand　on　the　turret's　top　and　plunged　a　sword　dark…hilted　through

his　throat　to　save　this　land；　thy　son　told　off　seven　companies　with

their　captains　to　the　seven　gates　to　keep　watch　on　the　Argive

warriors；　and　stationed　cavalry　to　cover　cavalry；　and　infantry　to

support　infantry；　that　assistance　might　be　close　at　hand　for　any

weak　point　in　the　walls。　Then　from　our　lofty　towers　we　saw　the

Argive　host　with　their　white　shields　leaving　Teumessus；　and；　when　near

the　trench；　they　charged　up　to　our　Theban　city　at　the　double。　In　one

loud　burst　from　their　ranks　and　from　our　battlements　rang　out　the

battle…cry　and　trumpet…call。　First　to　the　Neistian　gate；

Parthenopaeus；　son　of　the　huntress　maid；　led　a　company　bristling

with　serried　shields；　himself　with　his　own　peculiar　badge　in　the

centre　of　his　targe；　Atalanta　slaying　the　Aetolian　boar　with　an

arrow　shot　from　far。　To　the　gates　of　Proetus　came　the　prophet

Amphiaraus；　bringing　the　victims　on　a　chariot；　no　vaunting　blazon　he

carried；　but　weapons　chastely　plain。　Next；　prince　Hippomedon　came

marching　to　the　Ogygian　port　with　this　device　upon　his　boss；　Argus　the

all…seeing　with　his　spangled　eyes　upon　the　watch　whereof　some　open

with　the　rising　stars；　while　others　he　closes　when　they　set；　as　one

could　see　after　he　was　slain。　At　the　Homoloian　gates　Tydeus　was

posting　himself；　a　lion's　skin　with　shaggy　mane　upon　his　buckler；

while　in　his　right　hand　he　bore　a　torch；　like　Titan　Prometheus；　to

fire　the　town。　Thy　own　son　Polyneices　led　the　battle　'gainst　the

Fountain　gate；　upon　his　shield　for　blazon　were　the　steeds　of　Potniae

galloping　at　frantic　speed；　revolving　by　some　clever　contrivance　on

pivots　inside　the　buckler　close　to　the　handle；　so　as　to　appear

distraught。　At　Electra's　gate　famed　Capaneus　brought　up　his　company；

bold　as　Ares　for　the　fray；　this　device　his　buckler　bore　upon　its

iron　back；　an　earth…born　giant　carrying　on　his　shoulders　a　whole

city　which　he　had　wrenched　from　its　base；　hint　to　us　of　the　fate　in

store　for　Thebes。　Adrastus　was　stationed　at　the　seventh　gate；　a

hundred　vipers　filled　his　shield　with　graven　work；　as　he　bore　on　his

left　arm　that　proud　Argive　badge；　the　hydra；　and　serpents　were

carrying　off　in　their　jaws　the　sons　of　Thebes　from　within　their　very

walls。　Now　I　was　enabled　to　see　each　of　them；　as　I　carried　the

watch…word　along　the　line　to　the　leaders　of　our　companies。　To　begin

with；　we　fought　with　bows　and　thonged　javelins；　with　slings　that　shoot

from　far　and　showers　of　crashing　stones；　and　as　we　were　conquering；

Tydeus　and　thy　son　on　sudden　cried　aloud；　〃Ye　sons　of　Argos；　before

being　riddled　by　their　fire；　why　delay　to　fall　upon　the　gates　with

might　and　main；　the　whole　of　you；　light…armed　and　horse　and

charioteers？〃　No　loitering　then；　soon　as　they　heard　that　call；　and

many　a　warrior　fell　with　bloody　crown；　and　not　a　few　of　us　thou

couldst　have　seen　thrown　to　the　earth　like　tumblers　before　the

walls；　after　they　had　given　up　the　ghost；　bedewing　the　thirsty

ground　with　streams　of　gore。　Then　Atalanta's　son；　who　was　not　an

Argive　but　an　Arcadian；　hurling　himself　like　a　hurricane　at　the　gates；

called　for　fire　and　picks　to　raze　the　town；　but　Periclymenus；　son　of

the　ocean…god；　stayed　his　wild　career；　heaving　on　his　head　a

waggon…load　of　stone；　even　the　coping　torn　from　the　battlements；　and

it　shattered　his　head　with　the　hair　and　crashed　through　the　sutures　of

the　skull；　dabbling　with　blood　his　cheek　just　showing　manhood's　flush；

and　never　shall　he　go　back　alive　to　his　fair　archer…mother；　the　maid

of　Maenalus。

　　　　Thy　son　then；　seeing　these　gates　secure；　went　on　to　the　next；

and　I　with　him。　There　I　saw　Tydeus　and　his　serried　ranks　of　targeteers

hurling　their　Aetolian　spears　into　the　opening　at　the　top　of　the

turrets；　with　such　good　aim　that　our　men　fled　and　left　the　beetling

battlements：　but　thy　son　rallied　them　once　more；　as　a　huntsman

cheers　his　hounds；　and　made　them　man　the　towers　again。　And　then　away

we　hastened　to　other　gates；　after　stopping　the　panic　there。　As　for　the

madness　of　Capaneus；　how　am　I　to　describe　it？　There　was　he；　carrying

with　him　a　long　scaling…ladder　and　loudly　boasting　that　even　the　awful

lightning　of　Zeus　would　not　stay　him　from　giving　the　city　to　utter

destruction；　and　even　as　he　spoke；　he　crept　up　beneath　the　hail　of

stones；　gathered　under　the　shelter　of　his　shield；　mounting　from　rung

to　rung　on　the　smooth　ladder；　but；　just　as　he　was　scaling　the

parapet　of　the　wall；　Zeus　smote　him　with　a　thunderbolt；　loud　the　earth

re…echoed；　and　fear　seized　every　heart；　for　his　limbs　were　hurled　from

the　ladder　far　apart　as　from　a　sling；　his　head　toward　the　sky；　his

blood　toward　earth；　while　his　legs　and　arms　went　spinning　round　like

Ixion's　wheel；　till　his　charred　corpse　fell　to　the　ground。　But　when

Adrastus　saw　that　Zeus　was　leagued　against　his　army；　he　drew　the

Argive　troops　outside　the　trench　and　halted　them。　Meantime　our

horse；　marking　the　lucky　omen　of　Zeus；　began　driving　forth　their

chariots；　and　our　men…at…arms　charged　into　the　thick　of　the　Argives；

and　everything　combined　to　their　discomfiture；　men　were　falling　and

hurled　headlong　from　chariots；　wheels　flew　off；　axles　crashed

together；　while　ever　higher　grew　the　heaps　of　slain；　so　for　to…day

at　least　have　we　prevented　the　destruction　of　our　country's

bulwarks；　but　whether　fortune　will　hereafter　smile　upon　this　land；

that　rests　with　Heaven；　for；　even　as　it　is；　it　owes　its　safety　to　some

deity。

　　　　Victory　is　fair；　and　if　the　gods　are　growing　kinder；　it　would　be

well　with　me。

　　JOCASTA

　　　　Heaven　and　fortune　smile；　for　my　sons　are　yet　alive　and　my　country

hath　escaped　ruin。　But　Creon　seems　to　have　reaped　the　bitter　fruit

of　my　marriage　with　Oedipus；　by　losing　his　son　to　his　sorrow；　a

piece　of　luck…for　Thebes；　but　bitter　grief　to　him。　Prithee　to　thy　tale

again　and　say　what　my　two　sons　next　intend。

　　MESSENGER

　　　　Forbear　to　question　further；　all　is　well　with　thee　so　far。

　　JOCASTA

　　　　Thy　words　but　rouse　my　suspicions；　I　cannot　leave　it　thus。

　　MESSENGER

　　　　Hast　thou　any　further　wish　than　thy　sons'　safety？

　　JOCASTA

　　　　Yea；　I　would　learn　whether　in　the　sequel　I　am　also　blest。

　　MESSENGER

　　　　Let　me　go；　thy　son　is　left　without　his　squire。

　　JOCASTA

　　　　There　is　some　evil　thou　art　hiding；　veiling　it　in　darkness。

　　MESSENGER

　　　　Maybe；　I　would　not　add　ill　news　to　the　good　thou　hast　heard。

　　JOCASTA

　　　　Thou　must；　unless　thou　take　wings　and　fly　away。

　　MESSENGER

　　　　Ah！　why　didst　thou　not　let　me　go　after　announcing　my　good　news；

instead　of　forcing　me　to　disclose　evil？　Those　two　sons　of　thine　are

resolved　on　deeds　of　shameful　recklessness；　a　single　combat　apart　from

the　host；　addressing　to　Argives　and　Thebans　alike　words　I　would　they

had　never　uttered。　Eteocles；　taking　his　stand　on　a　lofty　tower；

after　ordering　silence　to　be　proclaimed　to　the　army；　began　on　this

wise；　〃Ye　captains　of　Hellas；　chieftains　of　Argos　here　assembled；

and　ye　folk　of　Cadmus；　barter　not　your　lives　for　Polyneices　or　for　me！

For　I　myself　excuse　you　from　this　risk；　and　will　engage　my　brother

in　single　combat；　and　if　I　slay　him；　will　possess　my　palace　without

rival；　but　if　I　am　worsted　I　will　bequeath　the　city　to　him。　Ye　men

of　Argos；　give　up　the　struggle　and　return　to　your　land；　nor　lose

your　lives　here；　of　the　earth…sown　folk　as　well　there　are　dead

enough　in　those　already　slain。〃

　　　　So　he；　then　thy　son　Polyneices　rushed　from　the　array　and

assented　to　his　proposal；　and　all　the　Argives　and　the　people　of　Cadmus

shouted　their　approval；　as　though　they　deemed　it　just。　On　these

terms　the　armies　made　a　truce；　and　in　the　space　betwixt　them　took　an

oath　of　each　other　for　their　leaders　to　abide　by。　Forthwith　in

brazen　mail　those　two　sons　of　aged　Oedipus　were　casing　themselves；　and

lords　of　Thebes　with　friendly　care　equipped　the　captain　of　this

land；　while　Argive　chieftains　armed　the　other。　There　they　stood　in

dazzling　sheen；　neither　blenching；　all　eagerness　to　hurl　their

lances　each　at　the　other。　Then　came　their　friends　to　their　side；　first

one；　then　another；　with　words　of　encouragement；　to　wit：

　　　　〃Polyneices；　it　rests　with　thee　to　set　up　an　image　of　Zeus　as　a

trophy；　and　crown　Argos　with　fair　renown。〃

　　　　Others　hailed　Eteocles：　〃Now　art　thou　fighting　for　thy　city；

now；　if　victorious；　thou　hast　the　sceptre　in　thy　power。〃

　　　　So　spake　they；　cheering　them　to　the　fray。

　　　　Meantime　the　seers　were　sacrificing　sheep　and　noting　the　tongues

and　forks　of　fire；　the　damp　reek　which　is　a　bad　omen；　and　the　tapering

flame；　which　gives　decisions　on　two　points；　being　both　a　sign　of

victory　and　defeat。　But；　if　thou　hast　any　power　or　subtle　speech　or

charmed　spell；　go；　stay　thy　children　from　this　fell　affray；　for

great　is　the　risk　they　run。　The　issue　thereof　will　be　grievous

sorrow　for　thee；　if　to…day　thou　art　reft　of　both　thy　sons。



（The　MESSENGER　departs　in　haste　as　ANTIGONE　comes　out　of　the　palace。）



　　JOCASTA

　　　　Antigone；　my　daughter；　come　forth　before　the　palace；　this

heaven…sent　crisis　is　no　time　for　thee　to　be　dancing　or　amusing

thyself　with　girlish　pursuits。　But　thou　and　thy　mother　must　prevent

two　gallant　youths；　thy　own　brothers；　from　plunging　into　death　and

falling　by　each　other's　hand。

　　ANTIGONE

　　　　Mother　mine；　what　new　terror　art　thou　proclaiming　to　thy　dear　ones

before　the　palace？

　　JOCASTA

　　　　Daughter；　thy　brothers　are　in　danger　of　their　life。

　　ANTIGONE

　　　　What　mean'st　thou？

　　JOCASTA

　　　　They　have　resolved　on　single　combat。

　　ANTIGONE

　　　　O　horror！　what　hast　thou　to　tell；　mother？

　　JOCASTA

　　　　No　welcome　news；　follow　me。

　　ANTIGONE

　　　　Whither　away　from　my　maiden…bower？

　　JOCASTA

　　　　To　the　army。

　　ANTIGONE

　　　　I　cannot　face　the