KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Take thyself in, thou too — I say, Kassandra!

1035

Since Zeus — not angrily—in household placed thee

Partaker of hand-sprinklings, with the many

Slaves stationed, his the Owner’s altar close to.

Descend from out this car, nor be high-minded

And truly they do say Alkmené’s child once

1040

Bore being sold, slaves’ barley-bread his living.

If, then, necessity of this lot o’erbalance,

Much is the favour of old-wealthy masters:

For those who, never hoping, made fine harvest

Are harsh to slaves in all things, beyond measure.

1045

Thou hast — with us — such usage as law warrants.

CHOROS.

To thee it was, she paused plain speech from speaking.

Being inside the fatal nets — obeying,

Thou mayst obey: but thou mayst disobey too!

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Why, if she is not, in the swallow’s fashion,

1050

Possessed of voice that’s unknown and barbaric,

I, with speech — speaking in mind’s scope — persuade her.

CHOROS.

Follow! The best — as things now stand — she speaks of.

Obey thou, leaving this thy car-enthronement!

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Well, with this thing at door, for me no leisure

1055

To waste time: as concerns the hearth mid-navelled,

Already stand the sheep for fireside slaying

By those who never hoped to have such favour.

If thou, then, aught of this wilt do, delay not!

But if thou, being witless, tak’st no word in,

1060

Speak thou, instead of voice, with hand as Kars do!

CHOROS.

She seems a plain interpreter in need of,

The stranger! and her way — a beast’s new-captured!

KLUTAIMNESTRA.

Why, she is mad, sure, — hears her own bad senses, —

Who, while she comes, leaving a town new-captured,

1065

Yet knows not how to bear the bit o’ the bridle

Before she has out-frothed her bloody fierceness.

Not I — throwing away more words — will shamed be!

CHOROS.

But I, — for I compassionate, — will chafe not.

Come, O unhappy one, this car vacating,

1070

Yielding to this necessity, prove yoke’s use!

CHORUS

To thee she leaves off speaking clear words, and now that thou art within the toils of destiny, yield thee, if thou canst yield; but perchance thou mayest be unyielding.

CLYTEMNESTRA

But if she be not, like a swallow, endowed with an unintelligible barbaric voice, speaking to her mind I am persuading her with my speech.

CHORUS

(to Cassandra.) Follow her; she says what is best for thee of the things that are at present in thy power; yield thee, and leave this thy seat in the ear.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Nay, I have no time to linger here with her outside the door, for the sheep are already standing ready for the sacrifice of the fire of the central hearth, inasmuch as we never hoped to have this joy; and if thou wilt do aught of this my bidding, delay not. But if, not understanding, thou apprehendest not my speech, do thou, instead of voice signify it to me with thy barbaric hand.

CHORUS

The stranger seems to stand in need of a clear interpreter: and her behaviour is as of a wild beast newly taken.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Aye, surely she is raving, and lends an ear to evil thoughts, she that bath come here after leaving a city newly taken; and she knows not how to bear the bit, before that she foams away her bloody mettle:—in truth I'll not submit to be insulted in wasting more [words].

CHORUS

But I, for I pity thee, will not be angry with thee. Come, wretched one, having left this car empty, submitting to this thy doom, hansel the yoke.

CASSANDRA

CLYTEMNESTRE

se résigner à vivre du pain de l'esclave. Pour qui est, en tout cas, contraint à pareil sort, c'est une grande chance que de trouver des maîtres riches de vieille date. Ceux qui,
sans s'y attendre, ont fait belle récolte sont durs pour leurs esclaves, toujours, et rigoureux. De nous tu peux attendre les égards coutumiers.

LE CORYPHÉE

(A Cassandre.)

C'est à toi qu'elle vient de parler, et en termes clairs. Tu es prise au filet du sort : obéis, si tu dois obéir — ou voudrais-tu désobéir ?

CLYTEMNESTRE

Si elle n'a pas un langage inconnu de barbare, comme l'hirondelle ¹ , j'essaierai volontiers de faire entrer dans son cœur les avis de la raison.

LE CORYPHÉE

(A Cassandre.)

Suis-la ; l'avis qu'elle te donne, dans ton état, est le meilleur. Obéis, quitte ton siège sur ce char.

CLYTEMNESTRE

Je n'ai pas le loisir de perdre mon temps ici à la porte. Déjà, au cœur de la maison, devant le foyer, les victimes sont prêtes, attendant le couteau. Si tu dois m'écouter, ne perds pas de temps. Si, fermée à
notre langage, tu n'entends pas mes raisons, à défaut de la voix, parle-nous en gestes barbares.

LE CORYPHÉE

C'est d'un clairvoyant interprète que l'étrangère aurait besoin, je crois. Elle a les façons d'une bête qu'on viendrait de capturer.

CLYTEMNESTRE

Elle est folle à coup sûr et elle obéit
au délire, si, arrachée d'hier à sa ville conquise, elle ne sait porter le mors, sans exhaler sa fougue en écume

CLYTEMNESTRE

sanglante. Je ne subirai pas l'affront de gaspiller plus de mots.

LE CORYPHÉE

Moi, j'ai trop de pitié pour me mettre en colère : allons ! malheureuse, abandonne ton char

CLYTEMNESTRA.

and if neceſſity’s hard hand

Hath ſunk thee to this fortune, our high rank,

1175

With greatneſs long acquainted, knows to uſe

Its pow’r with gentleness:

the low-born wretch c

,

That from his mean degree riſes at once

To unexpected riches, treats his ſlaves

1180

With barbarous and unbounded inſolence.

From us thou wilt receive a juſter treatment.

CHORUS.

These are plain truths: ſince in the toils of fate

Thou are inclos’d, ſubmit, if thou canst brook

Submiſſion; haply I advise in vain.

1185

CLYTEMNESTRA.

If that her language, like the twittering ſwallow’s d

,

Be not all barbarous and unknown, my words

Within ſhall with perſuaſion move her mind.

CHORUS.

She ſpeaks what beſt beſeems thy preſent ſſtate;

Follow, ſubmit, and leave that lofty car.

1190

CLYTEMNESTRA.

I have not leiſure here before the gates

T' attend on her; for at the inmoſt altar,

Blazing with ſacred fires, the victims ſtand

Devoted to the Gods for his return

So much beyond our hopes.

1195

If to comply

Thou form thy mind, delay not: if thy tongue

Knows not to sound our language, let thy ſigns

Supply the place of words, ſpeak with thy hand.

CHORUS.

Of foreign birth ſhe understands us not;

1200

But as new taken ſtruggles in the net.

CLYTEMNESTRA.

’Tis frenzy this, the impulſe of a mind

Diſorder’d; from a city lately taken

She comes, and knows not how to bear the curb,

’Till ſhe has ſpent her rage in bloody foam e

.

1205

But I no more waſte words to be diſdain’d.

CHORUS.

My words, for much I pity her, ſhall bear f

No mark of anger. Go, unhappy fair one,

Forſake thy chariot, unreluctant learn

To bear this new yoke of neceſſity.

1210

CASSANDRA.

CORIFEO

a Cassandra che rimane muta.

Chiare parole t'ha dirette. Or tu

obbedisci, poiché sei nelle reti

1220

fatali. Ma obbedir forse non vuoi!

CLITENNESTRA

Se pur la lingua sua barbara, ignota

non è, simile a quella delle rondini,

parlando il cuore suo convincerò.

CORIFEO

Seguila: il meglio che poteasi in questa

1225

sorte ella disse. Lascia il carro, cedi!

CLITENNESTRA

Non ho tempo da perdere dinanzi

a questa porta. Stanno già le vittime

sull' ara, in mezzo della casa, e attendono

il macello ed il fuoco.

1230

Oh!, chi sperava

mai questa grazia! - Or tu, se ciò che dissi

vuoi far, non indugiare;

e se t'è oscura

nostra favella, e dir non sai parola,

1235

con un barbaro cenno almeno esprimiti.

CORIFEO

D'un efficace interprete bisogno

CORIFEO

ha la straniera, sembra. I modi suoi

sono come di belva or ora presa.

CLITENNESTRA

D'insania è colta, e i mai pensieri ascolta.

1240

E' giunta qui, lasciata la città

arsa or ora, né sa patir le redini,

se pria non spuma la sanguigna bava.

Ma non oltre m' abbasso a favellarle.

Entra nella reggia.

CORIFEO

Non io m' adirerò. Pietà mi stringe.

1245

Lascia quel cocchio, sventurata, cedi

al tuo destino, al nuovo giogo piègati.

1

CASSANDRA

Cho.

Ego uerò miſereor, non irafcar.

Ito ô mifera hoc uehiculum relinquens,

305

Lubens neceßitas hoc iugum nuncia huic

Ca.

Chor.

1025 Gebüßt hat der eine, der Tote zum Licht

zu führen verstand,

durch Zeus mit dem eigenen Leben.

1065

Ach, hielt' es göttliches Gesetz

in seine Schranken nicht gebannt,

der Zunge käm' zuvor das Herz

und ließe sein Empfinden frei entströmen.

1030 Nun schaudert es drinnen im Dunkel und bebt,

1070

Chorus.

Clear unto thee, maid, is her command,

But thou—within the toils of Fate thou art—

1200

If such thy will, I urge thee to obey;

Yet I misdoubt thou dost nor hear nor heed.

Clytemnestra.

I wot—unless like swallows she doth use

Some strange barbarian tongue from oversea—

My words must speak persuasion to her soul.

1205

Chorus.

Obey: there is no gentler way than this.

Step from the car's high seat and follow her.

Clytemnestra.

Truce to this bootless waiting here without!

I will not stay: beside the central shrine

The victims stand, prepared for knife and fire—

1210

Offerings from hearts beyond all hope made glad.

Thou—if thou reckest aught of my command,

'Twere well done soon: but if thy sense be shut

From these my words, let thy barbarian hand

Fulfil by gesture the default of speech.

1215

Chorus.

No native is she, thus to read thy words

Unaided: like some wild thing of the wood,

New-trapped, behold! she shrinks and glares on thee.

Clytemnestra.

Tis madness and the rule of mind distraught,

Since she beheld her city sink in fire,

1220

And hither comes, nor brooks the bit, until

In foam and blood her wrath be champed away.

See ye to her; unqueenly 'tis for me,

Unheeded thus to cast away my words.

[ Exit Clytemnestra.

Chorus.

But with me pity sits in anger's place.

1225

Poor maiden, come thou from the car; no way

There is but this—take up thy servitude.

Cassandra.

Der Chorführer.

Sie hat zu dir ein klarverständlich Wort gesagt.

995

Verstrickt im Schicksalsnese nun, gehorche, wenn

Du willst gehorchen; doch vielleicht gehorchst du nicht.

Klytämnestra.

Nun, ist sie nicht, gleich Schwalben, unverständlicher

Barbarenlaute kundig nur, so mag ich wohl

In's tiefste Herz ihr sprechen, daß sie willig folgt.

1000

Der Chorführer.

Gib nach: sie räth das Beste, was der Augenblick

Gebeut. O folg' ihr, steig' herab vom Wagensiz.

Klytämnestra.

Nicht länger hab' ich Muße, vor der Thüre hier

Zu weilen; denn in Hauses Mitte steh'n am Herd

Die Lämmer schon zum Feueropfer uns bereit,

1005

Nachdem wir solches Festes Lust nicht mehr gehofft.

Willst du nach meinem Willen thun, so säume nicht.

Doch wenn du, fremd hier, meine Worte nicht verstehst,

So rede statt der Zunge die Barbarenhand.

(Sie gibt ihr Zeichen mit der Hand; Kassandra verharrt schweigend und unbeweglich.)

Der Chorführer.

Ein klarer Wortausleger scheint der Fremden noth:

1010

Sie thut so schüchtern, wie ein neugefangnes Wild.

Klytämneftra.

Sie raset wohl, hört argen Troyes Stimme nur,

Sie, welche flüchtig aus der neuzerstörten Stadt

Herkommt; den Zügel tragen lernt die Stolze nicht,

Bevor sich blutend ausgeschäumt ihr Uebermuth.

1015

Kein Wort verlier' ich fürder mehr zu meiner Schmach.

Der Chorführer.

(Geht ab.)

Ich werde dir nicht zürnen; denn mich jammert dein.

Auf, Arme, steig' aus deinem Wagensiz herab;

Der Noth gehorchend, weih' es ein, das neue Joch!

(Pause.)

Kassandra.

(Erblickt vor dem Palaste das Bild des Apollon.)