Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Κασάνδρα
ὀτοτοτοῖ πόποι δᾶ.
Ὦπολλον Ὦπολλον.
Χορός
τί ταῦτ᾽ ἀνωτότυξας ἀμφὶ Λοξίου;
1075οὐ γὰρ τοιοῦτος ὥστε θρηνητοῦ τυχεῖν.
Κασάνδρα
ὀτοτοτοῖ πόποι δᾶ.
Ὦπολλον Ὦπολλον.
Χορός
ἡ δ᾽ αὖτε δυσφημοῦσα τὸν θεὸν καλεῖ
οὐδὲν προσήκοντ᾽ ἐν γόοις παραστατεῖν.
Κασάνδρα
1080Ἄπολλον Ἄπολλον
ἀγυιᾶτ᾽, ἀπόλλων ἐμός.
ἀπώλεσας γὰρ οὐ μόλις τὸ δεύτερον.
Χορός
χρήσειν ἔοικεν ἀμφὶ τῶν αὑτῆς κακῶν.
μένει τὸ θεῖον δουλίᾳ περ ἐν φρενί.
Κασάνδρα
1085Ἄπολλον Ἄπολλον
ἀγυιᾶτ᾽, ἀπόλλων ἐμός.
ἆ ποῖ ποτ᾽ ἤγαγές με; πρὸς ποίαν στέγην;
Χορός
πρὸς τὴν Ἀτρειδῶν: εἰ σὺ μὴ τόδ᾽ ἐννοεῖς,
ἐγὼ λέγω σοι: καὶ τάδ᾽ οὐκ ἐρεῖς ψύθη.
Κασάνδρα
1090μισόθεον μὲν οὖν, πολλὰ συνίστορα
αὐτόφονα κακὰ καρατόμα,
ἀνδροσφαγεῖον καὶ πεδορραντήριον.
Χορός
ἔοικεν εὔρις ἡ ξένη κυνὸς δίκην
εἶναι, ματεύει δ᾽ ὧν ἀνευρήσει φόνον.
Κασάνδρα
1095μαρτυρίοισι γὰρ τοῖσδ᾽ ἐπιπείθομαι:
κλαιόμενα τάδε βρέφη σφαγάς,
ὀπτάς τε σάρκας πρὸς πατρὸς βεβρωμένας.
Χορός
τὸ μὲν κλέος σοῦ μαντικὸν πεπυσμένοι
ἦμεν: προφήτας δ᾽ οὔτινας ματεύομεν.
Κασάνδρα
1100ἰὼ πόποι, τί ποτε μήδεται;
τί τόδε νέον ἄχος μέγα
μέγ᾽ ἐν δόμοισι τοῖσδε μήδεται κακὸν
ἄφερτον φίλοισιν, δυσίατον; ἀλκὰ δ᾽
ἑκὰς ἀποστατεῖ.
Χορός
1105τούτων ἄιδρίς εἰμι τῶν μαντευμάτων.
ἐκεῖνα δ᾽ ἔγνων: πᾶσα γὰρ πόλις βοᾷ.
Κασάνδρα
ἰὼ τάλαινα, τόδε γὰρ τελεῖς,
τὸν ὁμοδέμνιον πόσιν
λουτροῖσι φαιδρύνασα—πῶς φράσω τέλος;
1110τάχος γὰρ τόδ᾽ ἔσται: προτείνει δὲ χεὶρ ἐκ
χερὸς ὀρέγματα.
Χορός
οὔπω ξυνῆκα: νῦν γὰρ ἐξ αἰνιγμάτων
ἐπαργέμοισι θεσφάτοις ἀμηχανῶ.
Κασάνδρα
1114ἒ ἔ, παπαῖ παπαῖ, τί τόδε φαίνεται;
1115ἦ δίκτυόν τί γ᾽ Ἅιδου;
ἀλλ᾽ ἄρκυς ἡ ξύνευνος, ἡ ξυναιτία
φόνου. στάσις δ᾽ ἀκόρετος γένει
κατολολυξάτω θύματος λευσίμου.
Χορός
ποίαν Ἐρινὺν τήνδε δώμασιν κέλῃ
1120ἐπορθιάζειν; οὔ με φαιδρύνει λόγος.
ἐπὶ δὲ καρδίαν ἔδραμε κροκοβαφὴς
σταγών, ἅτε καιρία πτώσιμος
ξυνανύτει βίου δύντος αὐγαῖς:
ταχεῖα δ᾽ ἄτα πέλει.
Κασάνδρα
1125ἆ ἆ, ἰδοὺ ἰδού: ἄπεχε τῆς βοὸς
τὸν ταῦρον: ἐν πέπλοισι
μελαγκέρῳ λαβοῦσα μηχανήματι
τύπτει: πίτνει δ᾽ <ἐν> ἐνύδρῳ τεύχει.
δολοφόνου λέβητος τύχαν σοι λέγω.
Χορός
1130οὐ κομπάσαιμ᾽ ἂν θεσφάτων γνώμων ἄκρος
εἶναι, κακῷ δέ τῳ προσεικάζω τάδε.
ἀπὸ δὲ θεσφάτων τίς ἀγαθὰ φάτις
βροτοῖς τέλλεται; κακῶν γὰρ διαὶ
πολυεπεῖς τέχναι θεσπιῳδὸν
1135φόβον φέρουσιν μαθεῖν.
Κασάνδρα
ἰὼ ἰὼ ταλαίνας κακόποτμοι τύχαι:
τὸ γὰρ ἐμὸν θροῶ πάθος ἐπεγχύδαν.
ποῖ δή με δεῦρο τὴν τάλαιναν ἤγαγες;
οὐδέν ποτ᾽ εἰ μὴ ξυνθανουμένην. τί γάρ;
Χορός
1140φρενομανής τις εἶ θεοφόρητος, ἀμ-
φὶ δ᾽ αὑτᾶς θροεῖς
νόμον ἄνομον, οἷά τις ξουθὰ
ἀκόρετος βοᾶς, φεῦ, ταλαίναις φρεσίν
Ἴτυν Ἴτυν στένουσ᾽ ἀμφιθαλῆ κακοῖς
1145ἀηδὼν βίον.
Κασάνδρα
ἰὼ ἰὼ λιγείας μόρον ἀηδόνος:
περέβαλον γάρ οἱ πτεροφόρον δέμας
θεοὶ γλυκύν τ᾽ αἰῶνα κλαυμάτων ἄτερ:
ἐμοὶ δὲ μίμνει σχισμὸς ἀμφήκει δορί.
Χορός
1150πόθεν ἐπισσύτους θεοφόρους [τ᾽] ἔχεις
ματαίους δύας,
τὰ δ᾽ ἐπίφοβα δυσφάτῳ κλαγγᾷ
μελοτυπεῖς ὁμοῦ τ᾽ ὀρθίοις ἐν νόμοις;
πόθεν ὅρους ἔχεις θεσπεσίας ὁδοῦ
1155κακορρήμονας;
Κασάνδρα
ἰὼ γάμοι γάμοι Πάριδος ὀλέθριοι φίλων.
ἰὼ Σκαμάνδρου πάτριον ποτόν.
τότε μὲν ἀμφὶ σὰς ἀϊόνας τάλαιν᾽
ἠνυτόμαν τροφαῖς:
1160νῦν δ᾽ ἀμφὶ Κωκυτόν τε κἀχερουσίους
ὄχθας ἔοικα θεσπιῳδήσειν τάχα.
Χορός
τί τόδε τορὸν ἄγαν ἔπος ἐφημίσω;
νεόγονος ἂν ἀΐων μάθοι.
πέπληγμαι δ᾽ ὑπαὶ δάκει φοινίῳ
1165δυσαλγεῖ τύχᾳ μινυρὰ [κακὰ] θρεομένας,
θραύματ᾽ ἐμοὶ κλύειν.
Κασάνδρα
ἰὼ πόνοι πόνοι πόλεος ὀλομένας τὸ πᾶν.
ἰὼ πρόπυργοι θυσίαι πατρὸς
πολυκανεῖς βοτῶν ποιονόμων: ἄκος δ᾽
1170οὐδὲν ἐπήρκεσαν
τὸ μὴ πόλιν μὲν ὥσπερ οὖν ἔχει παθεῖν.
ἐγὼ δὲ θερμόνους τάχ᾽ ἐν πέδῳ βαλῶ.
Χορός
ἑπόμενα προτέροισι τάδ᾽ ἐφημίσω.
καί τίς σε κακοφρονῶν τίθη-
1175σι δαίμων ὑπερβαρὴς ἐμπίτνων
μελίζειν πάθη γοερὰ θανατοφόρα.
τέρμα δ᾽ ἀμηχανῶ.
Κασάνδρα
καὶ μὴν ὁ χρησμὸς οὐκέτ᾽ ἐκ καλυμμάτων
ἔσται δεδορκὼς νεογάμου νύμφης δίκην:
1180λαμπρὸς δ᾽ ἔοικεν ἡλίου πρὸς ἀντολὰς
πνέων ἐσᾴξειν, ὥστε κύματος δίκην
κλύζειν πρὸς αὐγὰς τοῦδε πήματος πολὺ
μεῖζον: φρενώσω δ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ἐξ αἰνιγμάτων.
καὶ μαρτυρεῖτε συνδρόμως ἴχνος κακῶν
1185ῥινηλατούσῃ τῶν πάλαι πεπραγμένων.
τὴν γὰρ στέγην τήνδ᾽ οὔποτ᾽ ἐκλείπει χορὸς
ξύμφθογγος οὐκ εὔφωνος: οὐ γὰρ εὖ λέγει.
καὶ μὴν πεπωκώς γ᾽, ὡς θρασύνεσθαι πλέον,
βρότειον αἷμα κῶμος ἐν δόμοις μένει,
1190δύσπεμπτος ἔξω, συγγόνων Ἐρινύων.
ὑμνοῦσι δ᾽ ὕμνον δώμασιν προσήμεναι
πρώταρχον ἄτην: ἐν μέρει δ᾽ ἀπέπτυσαν
εὐνὰς ἀδελφοῦ τῷ πατοῦντι δυσμενεῖς.
ἥμαρτον, ἢ θηρῶ τι τοξότης τις ὥς;
1195ἢ ψευδόμαντίς εἰμι θυροκόπος φλέδων;
ἐκμαρτύρησον προυμόσας τό μ᾽ εἰδέναι
λόγῳ παλαιὰς τῶνδ᾽ ἁμαρτίας δόμων.
Χορός
καὶ πῶς ἂν ὅρκος, πῆγμα γενναίως παγέν,
παιώνιον γένοιτο; θαυμάζω δέ σου,
1200πόντου πέραν τραφεῖσαν ἀλλόθρουν πόλιν
κυρεῖν λέγουσαν, ὥσπερ εἰ παρεστάτεις.
~~~~~~~
KASSANDRA.
Otototoi, Gods, Earth, --
Apollon, Apollon!
CHOROS.
Why didst thou "ototoi" concerning Loxias?
Since he is none such as to suit a mourner.
KASSANDRA.
Otototoi, Gods, Earth, --
Apollon, Apollon!
CHOROS.
Ill-boding here again the god invokes she
-- Nowise empowered in woes to stand by helpful.
KASSANDRA.
Apollon, Apollon,
Guard of the ways, my destroyer!
For thou hast quite, this second time, destroyed me.
CHOROS.
To prophesy she seems of her own evils:
Remains the god-gift to the slave-soul present
KASSANDRA.
Apollon, Apollon,
Guard of the ways, my destroyer!
Ha, whither hast thou led me? to what roof now?
CHOROS.
To the Atreidai's roof: if this thou know'st not,
I tell it thee, nor this wilt thou call falsehood.
KASSANDRA.
How! How!
God-hated, then! Of many a crime it knew --
Self-slaying evils, halters too:
Man's-shambles, blood-besprinkler of the ground!
CHOROS.
She seems to be good-nosed, the stranger: dog-like,
She snuffs indeed the victims she will find there.
KASSANDRA.
How! How!
By the witnesses here I am certain now!
These children bewailing their slaughters -- flesh dressed in the fire
And devoured by their sire!
CHOROS.
Ay, we have heard of thy soothsaying glory,
Doubtless: but prophets none are we in scent of!
KASSANDRA.
Ah, gods, what ever does she meditate?
What this new anguish great?
Great in the house here she meditates ill
Such as friends cannot bear, cannot cure it: and still
Off stands all Resistance
Afar in the distance!
CHOROS.
Of these I witless am -- these prophesyings.
But those I knew: for the whole city bruits them.
KASSANDRA.
Ah, unhappy one, this thou consummatest?
Thy husband, thy bed's common guest,
In the bath having brightened. .. How shall I declare
Consummation? It soon will be there:
For hand after hand she outstretches,
At life as she reaches!
CHOROS.
Nor yet I've gone with thee! for -- after riddles --
Now, in blind oracles, I feel resourceless.
KASSANDRA.
Eh, eh, papai, papai,
What this, I espy?
Some net of Haides undoubtedly
Nay, rather, the snare
Is she who has share
In his bed, who takes part in the murder there!
But may a revolt --
Unceasing assault --
On the Race, raise a shout
Sacrificial, about
A victim -- by stoning --
For murder atoning!
CHOROS.
What this Erinus which i' the house thou callest
To raise her cry? Not me thy word enlightens!
To my heart has run
A drop of the crocus-dye:
Which makes for those
On earth by the spear that lie,
A common close
With life's descending sun.
Swift is the curse begun!
KASSANDRA.
How! How!
See -- see quick!
Keep the bull from the cow!
In the vesture she catching him, strikes him now
With the black-horned trick,
And he falls in the watery vase!
Of the craft-killing cauldron I tell thee the case!
CHOROS.
I would not boast to be a topping critic
Of oracles: but to some sort of evil
I liken these. From oracles, what good speech
To mortals, beside, is sent?
It comes of their evils: these arts word-abounding that sing the event
Bring the fear't is their office to teach.
KASSANDRA.
Ah me, ah me --
Of me unhappy, evil-destined fortunes!
For I bewail my proper woe
As, mine with his, all into one I throw.
Why hast thou hither me unhappy brought?
-- Unless that I should die with him -- for nought!
What else was sought?
CHOROS.
Thou art some mind-mazed creature, god-possessed:
And all about thyself dost wail
A lay -- no lay!
Like some brown nightingale
Insatiable of noise, who -- well-away! --
From her unhappy breast
Keeps moaning Itus, Itus, and his life
With evils, flourishing on each side, rife.
KASSANDRA.
Ah me, ah me,
The fate o' the nightingale, the clear resounder!
For a body wing-borne have the gods cast round her,
And sweet existence, from misfortunes free:
But for myself remains a sundering
With spear, the two-edged thing!
CHOROS.
Whence hast thou this on-rushing god-involving pain
And spasms in vain?
For, things that terrify,
With changing unintelligible cry
Thou strikest up in tune, yet all the while
After that Orthian style!
Whence hast thou limits to the oracular road,
That evils bode?
KASSANDRA.
Ah me, the nuptials, the nuptials of Paris, the deadly to friends!
Ah me, of Skamandros the draught
Paternal! There once, to these ends,
On thy banks was I brought,
The unhappy! And now, by Kokutos and Acheron's shore
I shall soon be, it seems, these my oracles singing once more!
CHOROS.
Why this word, plain too much,
Hast thou uttered? A babe might learn of such!
I am struck with a bloody bite -- here under --
At the fate woe-wreaking
Of thee shrill shrieking:
To me who hear -- a wonder!
KASSANDRA.
Ah me, the toils -- the toils of the city
The wholly destroyed: ah, pity,
Of the sacrificings my father made
In the ramparts' aid --
Much slaughter of grass-fed flocks -- that afforded no cure
That the city should not, as it does now, the burthen endure!
But I, with the soul on fire,
Soon to the earth shall cast me and expire.
CHOROS.
To things, on the former consequent,
Again hast thou given vent:
And 't is some evil-meaning fiend doth move thee,
Heavily falling from above thee,
To melodize thy sorrows -- else, in singing,
Calamitous, death-bringing!
And of all this the end
I am without resource to apprehend
KASSANDRA.
Well then, the oracle from veils no longer
Shall be outlooking, like a bride new-married:
But bright it seems, against the sun's uprisings
Breathing, to penetrate thee: so as, wave-like,
To wash against the rays a woe much greater
Than this. I will no longer teach by riddles.
And witness, running with me, that of evils
Done long ago, I nosing track the footstep!
For, this same roof here -- never quits a Choros
One-voiced, not well-tuned since no "well" it utters:
And truly having drunk, to get more courage,
Man's blood -- the Komos keeps within the household
-- Hard to be sent outside -- of sister Furies:
They hymn their hymn -- within the house close sitting --
The first beginning curse: in turn spit forth at
The Brother's bed, to him who spurned it hostile.
Have I missed aught, or hit I like a bowman?
False prophet am I, -- knock at doors, a babbler?
Henceforward witness, swearing now, I know not
By other's word the old sins of this household!
CHOROS.
And how should oath, bond honourably binding,
Become thy cure? No less I wonder at thee
-- That thou, beyond sea reared, a strange-tongued city
Shouldst hit in speaking, just as if thou stood'st by!
Aeschylus. Aeschylus, with an English translation by Herbert Weir Smyth, Ph. D. in two volumes. 2.Agamemnon. Cambridge. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1926.