美狄亞的決意——小西尼加悲劇<美狄亞>節譯

這是正在翻譯的羅馬文學史的一部分，因為覺得頗有難度，想看看是否能得到一點指正。這段節選也確實相當的令人亢奮，翻完之后整個心律都快120了。笑。

一些題外話：古代文人是借鑒前人成風的，尤其羅馬人抄希臘簡直是不成文的慣例，這在現代標準來看就是抄襲，當然我們不該用當代標準去衡量古代人。而小西尼加借鑒得更加厲害，這也是他特別高產的一個原因。在其現存九部悲劇當中，<美狄亞>是公認價值最高的一部，而這部作品也很大程度上摹仿了希臘悲劇三大家歐里庇得斯版本的美狄亞和已經失傳的奧維德版本。照Leo的說法，如果能讓奧維德的<美狄亞>失而復得，那就算拿小西尼加的全部悲劇去換也值得。笑。

在節選之前的一個小節也附上，便于理解。另外，除了書中的英譯，我還參考了另一個版本的英譯，也一并附上。

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这些悲剧中最出名的也许是《美狄亚》（Medea）。该剧同欧里庇得斯笔下的《美狄亚》一样，借用了神话中伊阿宋（Jason）抛弃妻子美狄亚，转娶科林斯（Corinth）国王克瑞翁（Creon）之女克瑞乌萨（Creusa）的部分。美狄亚派两个儿子给克瑞乌萨送去一件有毒的长袍，将她和父亲克瑞翁一并杀死，随后为了令伊阿宋痛苦，亲手杀死了两个孩子。下面这一段取自美狄亚对其侍女说的一段话，当时克瑞翁和克瑞乌萨被美狄亚送去的毒袍所杀的消息已经传回，这位侍女催促她尽快逃亡，于是美狄亚答曰：

难道我应怯退？决不，若我已逃离，
也将折返，只为看着
那对起誓的爱人。为何要踌躇，我的灵魂？
这只是复仇的开始。
岂可为这小小的复仇而欢愉！这只说明你还爱他——
若令伊阿宋丧妻便觉满足。要有新的惩戒，
让少女的端庄去死，让尊严去死，
纯洁的双手只能造成微不足道的伤害。
屈服于你的愤怒，唤起你未竟的觉悟，
让心脏挤出最后一滴远古的暴戾
已犯下的罪简直是行善。觉醒吧，
要让他们看清，那是多么不值一提——
我之前演出的罪恶的序章！
未染过血的手怎有做出大事的力量？
什么？你说这只是少女的愤恨？
我现在是美狄亚，我的神智已在苦难中丧尽。
我喜悦，因为我拧下了兄长[1]的头颅，
我喜悦，因为我扯下了他的手脚，
让我的父亲失去了他的金羊毛[2]，
我喜悦，因为我唆使珀利阿斯[3]（Pelias）的女儿
将老迈的父亲弑杀！要寻新的发泄！曾经未熟练的双手犯不下真正的罪孽。
狂暴，你欲何往？你欲将什么
指向你的仇敌？
我残虐的灵魂仍未有明朗的决意，
甚至不敢对自己坦陈！
愚蠢！愚蠢！多么希望仇人
与那情妇生有子嗣让我复仇！但我的便是他的，
那么就当克瑞乌萨才是他们的母亲！够了，
这将是完美无瑕的罪行。
我的灵魂必须准备好这最后的复仇乐章。
你们曾是我的孩子，但不再是，
去为你们的父亲偿罪吧。
惊恐重击着我的灵魂，四肢麻木冰冷；
心脏起伏狂乱；母爱却又驱走了
对丈夫的憎恨；我要令他们——
我的亲生骨肉血流满地？啊，疯狂的怒气，请别这样！
即是我，这样受诅咒的罪行也前所未闻！那些可怜的男孩背负着什么罪？
有罪，因为伊阿宋是他们的父亲！
更大的罪，因为美狄亚是他们的母亲！
让他们去死，因为不是我的孩子！
不，让他们消失，因为是我的孩子！
但他们无罪无瑕，噢，他们是无辜的！——可我的兄长也一样无辜！
为何要踌躇，我的灵魂？为何我的两颊被泪水湿润？
为何恨与爱令我多变的心在两边摇摆？
就像狂风中的激战，
就像交撞的怒涛，
跳动，如宿命战胜恐惧：
恨把爱吞噬，爱将恨消弭。


[1] 阿比希图斯（Absyrtus），美狄亚的父亲、科尔基斯（Colchis）国王埃厄忒斯（Aeetes）之子。当美狄亚帮助伊阿宋取得金羊毛后，便带着阿比希图斯一起逃走。为了摆脱父亲的追踪，美狄亚把兄长杀死并将肢体沿途扔下，令埃厄忒斯不得不停下收集儿子四散的残肢。这残忍的一幕据信发生在托弥（Tomi）。

[2] 美狄亚的父亲是科尔基斯（Colchis）国王埃厄忒斯（Aeetes），当伊阿宋来到科尔基斯要夺取金羊毛时，美狄亚爱上了他，背叛了自己的父亲。

[3] 珀利阿斯（Pelias），希腊神话中伊奥尔科斯（Iolcos）的国王，篡夺了本属于伊阿宋之父埃宋（Aeson）在色萨利伊奥尔科斯的王位，但答应侄子伊阿宋，只要去夺取科尔基斯（Colchis）的金羊毛就交回王位。美狄亚帮助伊阿宋带回金羊毛后，向珀利阿斯进行报复，欺骗他的女儿们，令她们相信只要将父亲剁碎煮熟就能使他恢复青春。

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书中的Isabel Harris译本：

Shall I fly? I? Were I already gone
I would return for this, that I might see
These new betrothals. Dost thou pause, my soul?
This joy's but the beginning of revenge.
Thou dost but love if thou art satisfied
To widow Jason. Seek new penalties;
Honor is gone and maiden modesty--
It were a light revenge pure hands could yield.
Strengthen thy drooping spirit, stir up wrath,
Drain from thy heart its all of ancient force,
Thy deeds till now call honor; wake, and act,
That they may see how light, how little worth,
All former crime--the prelude of revenge!
What was there my novice hands could dare?
What was the madness of my girlhood days?
I am Medea now, through sorrow strong.
Rejoice, because through thee thy brother died;
Rejoice, because through thee his limbs were torn,
Through thee thy father lost the golden fleece;
Rejoice, that armed by thee his daughters slew[181]
Old Pelias! Seek revenge! No novice hand
Thou bring'st to crime; what wilt thou do; what dart
Let fly against thy hated enemy?
I know not what my maddened spirit plots,
Nor yet dare I confess it to myself!
In folly I made haste--would that my foe
Had children by this other! Mine are his.
We'll say Creüsa bore them! 'Tis enough;
Through them my heart at last finds full revenge.
My soul must be prepared for this last crime.
Ye who were once my children, mine no more,
Ye pay the forfeit for your father's crimes.
Awe strikes my spirit and benumbs my hand;
My heart beats wildly; mother-love drives out
Hate of my husband; shall I shed their blood—
My children's blood? Demented one, rage not,
Be far from thee this crime! What guilt is theirs!
Is Jason not their father?--guilt enough!  
And worse, Medea claims them as her sons.
They are not sons of mine, so let them die!
Nay, rather let them perish since they are!
But they are innocent--my brother was!
Fear'st thou? Do tears already mar thy cheek?  
Do wrath and love like adverse tides impel

Now here, now there? As when the winds wage war,
And the wild waves against each other smite,
My heart is beaten; duty drives out fear,  
As wrath drives duty. Anger dies in love.

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Frank Justus Miller译本：

[893] What I – shall I give ground? Nay, had I fled already, for this I should return. Strange nuptials see I here.

[She becomes absorbed in her own thoughts.]
[895] Why, soul, dost falter? Follow up the attack so well begun. How small a part of thy vengeance is that in which thou art rejoicing! Thou dost love him still, mad one, if 'tis enough for thee that Jason wifeless be. Seek thou some unaccustomed form of chastisement, and now thus prepare thyself: let all right give way; let honour begone, defeated; light is the rod which innocent hands uplift. Bend to thine anger, rouse up thy halting purpose, and with all thy strength drain from thy heart's very depths its old-time violence. Let all that has yet been done be called but piety. To the task; let them know how petty, of what common stamp, were the crimes I wrought to serve him. In them my grief was but practising; what great deed had prentice hands the power to do? What, a girl's rage? Now I am Medea; my wit has grown through suffering.

[911] Glad am I, glad, that I tore off my brother's head, glad that I carved his limbs, that I robbed my father of his guarded treasure,95 glad that I armed daughters96 for an old man's death. Seek thou fresh fields, my grief; no untrained hand wilt thou bring to any crime.

[916] Whither, then, wrath, art tending, or what weapons art thou aiming at the forsworn foe?97 A dark purpose my fierce spirit hath resolved within me, and dares not yet acknowledged to itself. Fool! fool! I have gone too fast – would that mine enemy had children by his paramour! [She pauses and then addresses herself.] All offspring that thou hast by him are Creusa's brood. Resolved is this way of vengeance, rightly resolved; for a last deed of guilt, I see it now, must my soul make ready. Children that once were mine, do you pay penalty for your father's crimes.

[926] Horror has smit my heart! My limbs are numb with cold and my heart with terror flutters. Wrath has given place; the mother has all come back, the wife is banished. Can I shed my children's, my own offspring's blood? Ah, mad rage, say not so! Far, even from me, be that unheard-of deed, that accursed guilt! What sin will the poor boys atone? Their sin is that Jason is their father, and, greater sin, that Medea is their mother. [She pauses.] Let them die, they are none of mine; let them be lost – they are my own. They are without crime and guilt, yea, they are innocent – I acknowledge it; so, too, was my brother. Why, soul, dost hesitate? Why are my cheeks wet with tears? Why do anger and love now hither, now thither draw my changeful heart? A double tide tosses me, uncertain of my course; as when rushing winds wage mad warfare, and from both sides conflicting floods lash the seas and the fluctuating waters boil, even so is my heart tossed. Anger puts love to flight, and love, anger. O wrath, yield thee to love.

[ 本帖最后由 F·U·罗格纳 于 2008-8-15 11:20 编辑 ]