Euripides Cyclops 375-482

Odysseus

(reappearing with a look of horror.) O Zeus! what can I say after the hideous sights I have seen inside the cave, things past belief, resembling more the tales men tell than aught they do?

375

Chorus

What news, Odysseus? has the Cyclops, most godless monster, been feasting on thy dear comrades?

Odysseus

Aye, he singled out a pair, on whom the flesh was

fattest and in best condition, and took them up in his hand to weigh.

380

Chorus

How went it with you then, poor wretch?

Odysseus

When we had entered yonder rocky abode, he lighted first a fire, throwing logs of towering oak upon his spacious hearth,

enough for three waggons to carry as their load; next, close by the blazing flame, he placed his couch of pine-boughs laid upon the floor, and filled a bowl of some ten firkins, pouring white milk thereinto, after he had milked his kine;

385

and by his side he put a can of ivy-wood, whose breadth was three cubits and its depth four maybe; next he set his brazen pot a-boiling on the fire, ¹ spits too he set beside him, fashioned of the branches of thorn, their points hardened in the fire and the rest of them trimmed with the hatchet,

390

and the blood-bowls of Aetna for the axe’s edge. ² Now when that hell-cook, god-detested, had everything quite ready, he caught up a pair of my companions and proceeded deliberately to cut the throat of one of them over the yawning brazen pot;

395

but the other he clutched by the tendon of his heel, and, striking him against a sharp point of rocky stone, dashed out his brains; then, after hacking the fleshy parts with glutton cleaver, he set to grilling them, but the limbs he threw into his cauldron to seethe.

400

And I, poor wretch, drew near with streaming eyes and waited on the Cyclops; but the others kept cowering like frightened birds in crannies of the rock, and the blood forsook their skin.

405

409

Anon, when he had gorged himself upon my comrades’ flesh and

had fallen on his back, breathing heavily, there came a sudden inspiration to me. I filled a cup of this Maronian wine and offered him a draught, saying, Cyclops, son of Ocean’s god, see here what heavenly drink the grapes of Hellas yield,

410

glad gift of Dionysus. He, glutted with his shameless meal, took and drained it at one draught, and, lifting up his hand, he thanked me thus, Dearest to me of all my guests! fair the drink thou givest me to crown so fair a feast.

415

Now when I saw his delight, I gave him another cup, knowing the wine would make him rue it, and he would soon be paying the penalty. Then he set to singing; but I kept filling bumper after bumper and heating him with drink.

420

So there he is singing discordantly amid the weeping of my fellow-sailors, and the cave re-echoes; but I have made my way out quietly and would fain save thee and myself, if thou wilt. Tell me then, is it your wish, or is it not, to fly from this unsocial wretch

425

and take up your abode with Naiad nymphs in the halls of the Bacchic god? Thy father within approves this scheme; but there! he is powerless, getting all he can out of his liquor; his wings are snared by the cup as if he had flown against bird-lime, and he is fuddled; but thou art young and lusty;

430

so save thyself with my help and regain thy old friend Dionysus, so little like the Cyclops.

435

Chorus

Best of friends, would we might see that day, escaping the godless Cyclops! for ’tis long

we have been without the joys of men, unable to escape him. ³

440

Odysseus

Hear then how I will requite this vile monster and rescue you from thraldom.

Chorus

Tell me how; no note of Asiatic lyre would sound more sweetly in our ears than news of the Cyclops’ death.

Odysseus

Delighted with this liquor of the Bacchic god, he fain would go a-revelling with his brethren.

445

Chorus

I understand; thy purpose is to seize and slay him in the thickets when alone, or push him down a precipice.

Odysseus

Not at ail; my plan is fraught with subtlety.

Chorus

What then? Truly we have long heard of thy cleverness.

450

Odysseus

I mean to keep him from this revel, saying he must not give this drink to his brethren but keep it for himself alone and lead a happy life. Then when he falls asleep, o’ermastered by the Bacchic god,

I will put a point with this sword of mine to an olive-branch I saw lying in the cave, and will set it on fire; and when I see it well alight, I will lift the heated brand, and, thrusting it full in the Cyclops’ eye, melt out his sight with its blaze;

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and, as when a man in fitting the timbers of a ship makes his auger spin to and fro with a double strap, so will I make the brand revolve in the eye that gives the Cyclops light and will scorch up the pupil thereof.

460

Chorus

Ho! ho! how glad I feel! wild with joy at the contrivance!

Odysseus

That done, I will embark thee and those thou lovest with old Silenus in the deep hold of my black ship, my ship with double banks of oars, and carry you away from this land.

Chorus

Well, can I too lay hold of the blinding brand, as though the god’s libation had been poured? for I would fain have a share in this offering of blood.

Odysseus

Indeed thou must, for the brand is large, and thou must help hold it.

Chorus

How lightly would I lift the load of e’en a hundred wains, if that will help us to grub out

the eye of the doomed Cyclops, like a wasp’s nest.

475

Odysseus

Hush! for now thou knowest my plot in fall, and when I bid you, obey the author of it; for I am not the man to desert my friends inside the cave and save myself alone.

And yet I might escape; I am clear of the cavern’s depths already; but no! to desert the friends with whom I journeyed hither and only save myself is not a righteous course. [Re-enters the cave.

480

Chor.

Was ist es, Odysseus? Hat der gottvergessene

Kyklop die lieben Freunde dir hinabgewürgt?

Odysseus.

Er faßte zwei in's Auge, wog in den Händen sie,

Die stärksten unter allen und genährtesten.

Wie habt ihr das erduldet, Unglückseliger?

380

Nachdem wir eingetreten hier im Felsenhous,

Entflammt' er erst des Feuers Glut auf breitem Herd,

Auf den er hoher Ståmme Last von Eichen warf,

So viel sich auf drei Guterwagen laden låßt.

Dann nahm er Fichtenblätter und bereitete

385

Auf niedrem Grund ein Lager, nächst der Flamme Glut.

Und einen Trinknapf füllt er, der zehn Kannen hielt,

Und goß gemelkter Kühe weiße Milch hinein,

Stellt einen Epheubecher sich daneben, der

Drei Ellen breit schien, aber wohl vier Ellen tief,

390

Und hing den ehernen Kessel über dem Feuer auf,

Und spize Pfåhle brannt' er vorn im Feuer hart,

Geglåttet wohl mit der Sense, doch aus Dornenholz,

Gehaun am Aetnaberge dort mit scharfem Beil.

Drauf, als der gottverhaßte Koch der Unterwelt

395

Gerüstet Alles, packt' er mir und mordete

Zwei meiner Fahrtgenossen mit gewandter Faust;

Er warf den einen in des Kessels eh'rnen Schlund,

Den andern wieder faßt' er hoch am Fußgelenk,

Und schmettert' ihn an eines Felsen spizen Zahn,

400

Daß ihm das Hirn versprůzte, nahm sein grauses Beil,

Und schlug das Fleisch herunter, briet am Feuer es,

Warf andres, um es zu kochen, in des Kessels Bauch.

Ich weinte helle Zähren, ich Unseliger,

Und schaltet' um den Kyklopen, und bedient' ihn rasch;

405

Die Andern hielten, Vögeln gleich, sich bang versteckt

In Felsenlöchern, todesblaß im scheuen Blick.

Chor.

mein Geliebter, daß ich såhe diesen Tag,

Da wir des Kyklopen gottvergeßnem Haupt entfliehn!

Denn lange her schon ist es, daß der Becher mir,

Der holde, fehlt, und jenem kann ich nicht entfliehn.

Odysseus.

Chor.

Sprich! Asiatischer Cithern Laut vernahm' ich nicht

Freudvoller, als des Ungeheuers Untergang.

Odysseus.

Zu seinen Brüdern will er gehn, den Kyklopen, sie ¹

Bewirthen, hoch mit seinem Bacchostrank vergnügt.

445

Chor.

Ich merke: draußen denkt ihr ihn in Waldesnacht

Zu morden, oder stürzet ihn vom Fels hinab.

Odysseus.

O, nichts dergleichen; schlauer hab' ich's ausgedacht.

Chor.

Wie denn? Als klug, Herr, rühmt man dich uns lange schon.

Odysseus.

Ich rathe diesen Gang ihm ab, und stell' ihm vor:

450

Kyklopen soll er diesen Wein nicht schenken, nein,

Ihn selbst allein behaltend sich des Lebens freun.

Doch wann er schlaft, von Bacchos überwältiget:

Dann ist im Haus hier eines Delbaums Ast, und den

Hau' ich mit diesem Schwert herab, und spiz' ihn zu,

455

Leg' ihn in's Feuer, und sobald er angebrannt,

Ergreif und stoß' ich gluhend ihn dem Kyklopen in's

Gesicht, und brenn' ihm mitten aus des Auges Licht.

Gleichwie der Zimmrer, der ein Schiff zusammenfügt,

Den Bohrer tuchtig an den zwei Handhaben dreht,

460

So dreh' ich meinen Balken um im leuchtenden

Kyklopenauge, bis der Stern vertrocknet ist.

Juchhei! Juchhei!

Chor.

Wir sind entzuckt, wir rasen! Wie fein ausgedacht!

Odysseus.

Dann bring' ich euch und die Freunde samt dem Alten dort

In meines dunkeln Schiffes weit gewölbten Bauch,

465

Und Doppelruder tragen euch aus diesem Land.

Chor.

Sprich, kann ich nicht auch, dir gesellt in heiligem

Bündniß, den Baumast, der das Aug' ihm blenden soll,

Anfassen? Gerne nåhm' ich Theil am blut'gen Werk.

Odysseus.

Auch sollst du dieses; denn der Ast ist übergroß.

470

Chor.

Die Last von hundert Wagen hob' ich, traun, empor,

Wenn ich dem Kyklopen, der mir schlimm verderben soll,

Ausbrennen kann sein Auge, wie ein Wespennest.

Odysseus.

So schweiget alle, (denn ihr kennt nun meine List,)

Und wann ich euch gebiete, folgt des Meisters Wort.

475

Denn nicht verlassen will ich, die da drinnen sind,

Die Freunde, mag nicht ohne sie gerettet sein.

Wohl könnt' ich fliehen, bin zur Höhle schon heraus;

Doch wär' es unrecht, wollt' ich sie, mit welchen ich

Hieher gekommen, lassen, und allein entfliehn.

480

Erster Halbchor.