Part 7
HELENA: Enough! With my husband I have sailed hither And now am sent ahead of him to his city; Yet what intent he harbors, I cannot guess. Come I as wife? Come I as queen? Come I a sacrifice for the prince's bitter pain And for the Greeks' long-endured misfortune? Conquered am I; whether captive, I know not! For fame and fate have surely assigned me, ambiguously, The dubious companions of my fair form, Who even at this threshold stand at my side With darkly threatening presence. For even in the hollow ship the husband Scarcely ever looked at me, nor spoke a cheering word. As if devising ill, he sat facing me. But now, when from the deep bay-shore of Eurotas The prows of the foremost ships had scarce Greeted the land, he spoke, as moved by a god: "Here my warriors disembark in order, I review them, ranged along the strand of the sea; But do you fare onward, fare along the sacred Eurotas' fruit-endowed bank ever upward, Guiding the steeds o'er the moist meadow's pride, Until you reach the fair plain, Where Lacedaemon, once a fruitful, spacious field, Girt near by solemn mountains, is tilled. Then enter the high-towered princely house And review for me the maidens I left behind there, Together with the prudent old stewardess. Let her show you the rich collection of treasures, As your father left them and as I myself In war and peace, ever increasing, heaped them up. You shall find all standing in due order; for It is the prince's prerogative that he find all faithfully In his house, on returning, each still in its place As he left it there. For the slave has no power to alter aught."
CHORUS: Now refresh at the splendid hoard, The ever-augmented, eyes and breast! For the chain's adornment, the crown's array, There they rest proud, and think themselves something; But step within and bid them forth, They arm themselves swiftly. It gladdens me to see beauty in strife Against gold and pearls and precious stone.
HELENA: Then followed the lord's further sovereign word: "When you have reviewed all in due order, Then take as many tripods as you deem needful, And various vessels that the sacrifice Requires at hand, performing hallowed festal rite. The cauldrons, also the bowls, and the flat round; The purest water from the sacred spring Be in tall pitchers; further, the dry wood too, Quick to receive the flame, have ready there; A well-whetted knife be not lacking last; But all else I leave to your care." So spoke he, urging me to depart; yet naught Of living breath marks out for me the orderer, Whom he would slay to honor the Olympians. It is disquieting; yet I care no further, And all be left to the high gods, Who fulfill what seems good in their mind, Be it by men esteemed good or esteemed evil; We mortals, we endure it. Oft has the offerer raised the heavy axe Blessing, to the neck of the earth-bowed beast, And could not complete it, for there hindered him The intervention of near foe or god.
CHORUS: What shall come to pass, you muse not on; Queen, step forth Of good cheer! Good and evil come Unexpected to man; Also, foretold, we believe it not. Yet Troy burned, yet we saw Death before our eyes, shameful death; And are we not here Joined to you, joyfully serving, Beholding heaven's dazzling sun And earth's fairest, Gracious, you, us the blest?
HELENA: Be it as it may! Whatever also awaits, it befits me To mount without delay to the royal house, Which, long missed and much yearned for and almost forfeited, Stands again before my eyes, I know not how. My feet bear me not so boldly up The high steps which I skipped over as a child.
CHORUS: Cast, O sisters, You sorrowfully captive, All pains far away; Share the mistress's joy, Share Helen's joy, Who to the father's hearth, Though with late-returning, But all the firmer Foot, draws near in gladness. Praise the holy, Happily restoring And home-leading gods! For the released one floats As on pinions Over the roughest, when in vain The captive, longing, Over the prison's battlement Arms outstretching, pines away. But a god seized her, The far-away; And from Ilios' ruins Bore he her hither back To the old, the newly-adorned Father's house, After unspeakable Joys and torments, Of early youth's time Refreshed to remember.
PANTHALIS: Now leave the song's joy-encompassed path And turn your gaze to the door's wings! What see I, sisters? Returns not the queen With vehement step's agitation back to us? What is it, great queen, what could to you In your house's halls, instead of your people's greeting, Encounter as shocking? You conceal it not; For aversion I see upon your brow, A noble anger, wrestling with surprise.
HELENA: To Zeus' daughter befits not common fear, And fleeting-light hand of terror touches her not; But the dread which, from the womb of ancient night From primal beginning ascending, many-shaped still Like glowing clouds from the mountain's fiery gorge Rolls upward, shakes also the hero's breast. So have today the Stygian ones dreadfully Marked out my entrance into the house, that I gladly From oft-trodden, long-desired threshold, like A dismissed guest, departing would withdraw. Yet no! I have stepped hither into the light, and shall You not drive me further, powers, whoe'er you be. To consecration will I muse, then purified may The hearth's glow greet the wife as the lord.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS: Reveal to your handmaidens, noble lady, Who reverently stand by you, what has occurred.
HELENA: What I have seen, you yourselves shall see with eyes, If the shapes the ancient night has not straightway Swallowed back into her depth's wondrous womb. Yet that you know it, I tell it you in words: When I the royal house's solemn inner space, Mindful of nearest duty, solemnly entered, I wondered at the empty passages' silence, No sound of busily walking met The ear, no swiftly busy haste the sight, And no maid appeared to me, no stewardess, Who else would greet each stranger friendly. But when I drew near the hearth's womb, There saw I, by the warm remnant of smoldering ash, Upon the floor sitting what veiled mighty woman, Not comparable to a sleeper, rather to a muser. With sovereign words I call her to labor, The stewardess presuming, who meanwhile perhaps The husband's caution leaving behind had set there; Yet folded-in sits the motionless one; Only at last she stirs at my threat the right arm, As would she wave me from hearth and hall away. I turn angrily from her and hasten straight To the steps whereon the bridal chamber Adorned rises and near thereto the treasure-room; But the wonder tears itself quickly from the floor up, Imperiously barring my way, shows itself In gaunt greatness, hollow, blood-dim of glance, Strange of form, as confuses eye and mind. Yet I speak into the air; for the word Strives but in vain to build up shapes creatively. Now see her yourselves! She even dares forth into the light! Here we are masters, until the lord and king comes. The beauty-loving friend Phoebus drives the gruesome night-births away into caves, or tames them.
CHORUS: Much have I experienced, though the lock Youthfully waves about my temple! Terrible things have I seen many, Warlike woe, Ilios' night, When it fell. Through the clouded, dusty roaring Of pressing warriors heard I the gods Fearfully call, heard I of discord The brazen voice sound across the field, Toward the wall. Alas! Still stood they, Ilios' Walls, but the flame-glow Drew from neighbor to neighbor already, Spreading from here and there With its own storm's breath Over the nightly city. Fleeing I saw through smoke and glow And the flickering flame's blaze Horribly angry gods' approach, Striding wonder-shapes Giant-tall, through gloomy Fire-illumined murk. Saw I it, or fashioned My anxiety-clasped spirit Such confusion? Say Can I never, yet that I this Gruesome thing here with eyes behold, Such certainly yes I know; Could I with hands e'en grasp it, From the dangerous Not hold back would fear me. Which of Phorkys' Daughters only art thou? For I compare thee To that race. Art thou perchance of the gray-born, Of one eye and one tooth By turns partaking, The Graeae, come hither? Darest thou, monster, Beside beauty Before the discerning eye Of Phoebus to show thee? Step forth nevertheless only; For the ugly he looks not on, As his holy eye yet Never beheld the shadow. Yet us mortals compels, alas, Sadly mournful mischance To the unspeakable eye-pain Which the reprehensible, eternally-accursed To beauty-lovers stirs. Yea, so hear then, if thou boldly Against us steppest, hear curse, Hear every reproach's threat From the execrating mouth of the blest, Who by gods are formed.
PHORKYAS: Old is the word, yet remains high and true the sense, That shame and beauty never together, hand in hand, Pursue the path over earth's green track. Deep-rooted dwells in both an ancient hate, So that, where'er upon the way they Encounter, each turns her back on the other. Then each hastens again more fiercely, further on, Shame sorrowful, beauty bold of mood, Until at last the hollow night of Orcus enfolds them, If age has not tamed them before. You find I now, you bold ones, from foreign parts Poured forth with arrogance, like the cranes' Loud-hoarsely sounding flight, which over our head, In long cloud, croaking sends its noise down, That lures the quiet wanderer to look up above; Yet they draw on their way, He goes his; so shall it with us betide. Who are you, that you the king's high palace Maenad-like wild, like the drunken, may rage around? Who are you, that you against the house's stewardess Howl, like to the moon the pack of dogs? Think you, hidden from me is what race you are, You war-begotten, slaughter-nurtured young brood? Man-lusting one, as seducing and seduced, Unnerving both, of warrior and citizen the strength! Seeing you in heap, seems to me a cicada-swarm To plunge down, covering green field-crop. Devourers of others' toil! Nibbling Destroyers of up-sprung prosperity you! Captured, market-sold, exchanged wares you!
HELENA: Who in the present chides the mistress's handmaidens, He presumptuously assails the mistress's house-right; For to her alone befits it, the praiseworthy To commend, as to punish what is reprehensible. Also am I well satisfied with the service they Rendered me, when the high force of Ilios Lay besieged and fell and lay; no less, When we the wandering's sorrowful change-distress Endured, where else each remains his own nearest. Also here expect I the like from the lively troop; Not what the slave is, asks the lord, only how he serves. Therefore be silent and grin at them no longer. Have you the king's house well kept hitherto Instead of the housewife, such serves to your praise; But now she comes herself, now step you back, Lest punishment become instead of deserved wage.
PHORKYAS: To threaten the household remains a great right, Which the god-blessed ruler's high consort Through long years' wise guidance well deserved. Since you, now acknowledged, new the old place Of queen and housewife again enter, So take the long-relaxed rein, rule now, Take possession of the treasure and all of us therewith. Above all protect me, the elder, From this troop, which beside your beauty's swan But ill are feathered, cackling geese.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS: How ugly beside beauty shows itself ugliness.
PHORKYAS: How unwise beside wisdom unwisdom.
CHORUS-MAID 1: Of father Erebus tell, tell of mother Night.
PHORKYAS: Then speak of Scylla, bodily your cousin.
CHORUS-MAID 2: On your family-tree rises many a monster.
PHORKYAS: To Orcus hence! There seek your kindred.
CHORUS-MAID 3: Those who dwell there, are all too young for you.
PHORKYAS: Tiresias, the old, go wooing to.
CHORUS-MAID 4: Orion's nurse was your great-great-granddaughter.
PHORKYAS: Harpies, I ween, fed you up in filth.
CHORUS-MAID 5: With what nourish you such tended leanness?
PHORKYAS: Not with blood, for which you are all too lustful.
CHORUS-MAID 6: Eager for corpses, loathsome corpse yourself!
PHORKYAS: Vampire-teeth glitter in your bold maw.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS: That of yours I stop, when I say who you are.
PHORKYAS: Then name yourself first; the riddle lifts itself.
HELENA: Not angrily, but sorrowfully step I between you, Forbidding such exchange of strife's wildness! For nothing more harmful befalls the ruler-lord Than faithful servants' secretly sworn discord. The echo of his commands returns no more In swiftly accomplished deed well-tuned to him, Nay, self-willed roaring it storms around him, The self-erring, vainly scolding. Not this alone. You have in lawless wrath Banished hither unblest shapes' dread-forms, Which throng me, that I myself to Orcus Feel torn, to the fatherland's soil's despite. Is it memory? Was it madness that seizes me? Was I all that? Am I it? Shall I future be That dream- and dread-shape of those city-destroying ones? The maidens shudder, but you, the eldest, You stand composed; speak to me a sensible word.
PHORKYAS: Who of long years' manifold happiness thinks, To him at last the highest god-favor seems a dream. You but, favored beyond measure and bound, In life's sequence saw only love-inflamed ones, Inflamed swiftly to boldest venture of every kind. Already Theseus early seized you, greedily aroused, As Heracles strong, a nobly fair-formed man.
HELENA: Carried me off, a ten-year slender fawn, And me enclosed Aphidnus' castle in Attica.
PHORKYAS: Through Castor and through Pollux but soon freed, Wooed stood you by chosen hero-band.
HELENA: Yet silent favor before all, as I gladly confess, Won Patroclus, he, the Pelides' likeness.
PHORKYAS: But father's will betrothed you to Menelas, The bold sea-traverser, also house-keeper.
HELENA: The daughter gave he, gave the realm's ordering to him. From wedded side sprang then Hermione.
PHORKYAS: But when he far himself Crete's inheritance boldly won, To you lone one then appeared an all-too-fair guest.
HELENA: Why remember you that half-widowhood, And what destruction horribly from it to me grew?
PHORKYAS: Also that voyage, to me free-born Cretan woman Captivity created, long slavery.
HELENA: As stewardess appointed he you straight hither, Trusting much, castle and boldly-won treasure.
PHORKYAS: Which you forsook, Ilios' tower-girt city And inexhaustible love-joys turned toward.
HELENA: Remember not the joys! Of all-too-bitter grief The endlessness poured over breast and head.
PHORKYAS: Yet they say, you appeared a double-shaped form, In Ilios seen and in Egypt also.
HELENA: Confuse not with mad sense utter frenzy. Even now, which then I am, I know it not.
PHORKYAS: Then they say: from hollow shadow-realm up Joined himself Achilles fervently yet to you! You earlier loving against all fate's decree.
HELENA: I as idol, to him the idol bound I myself. It was a dream, so say the words themselves. I vanish hence and become myself an idol.
CHORUS: Silence, silence! Ill-glancing, ill-speaking you! From such gruesome one-toothed Lips, what exhales from Such fearful horror-gulf! For the malicious one, beneficent appearing, Wolf's-grim under sheep-woolly fleece, To me he is far more dreadful than the three- headed dog's jaws. Anxiously listening we stand here: When? how? where only breaks it forth, Of such guile The deep-lurking monster? Now then, instead of friendly with comfort rich-endowed, Lethe-granting, gently-mildest word, You stir up of all past The worst more than the good And darken at once With the present's radiance Also the future's Mildly-glimmering hope-light. Silence, silence! That the queen's soul, Already to flee prepared, Hold itself, keep firm The shape of all shapes, Which the sun ever shone on.
PHORKYAS: Step forth from fleeting clouds, high sun of this day, Who already veiled enraptured, now blinding in glory rules. As the world unfolds to you, you behold it yourself with kindly look. Though they scold me for ugly, yet I know the beautiful well.
HELENA: Step I wavering from the desolation that in dizziness enclosed me, I would fain tend again to rest, for so weary is my bone: Yet it befits queens, all men it well befits, To compose themselves, to take heart, whatever threateningly surprises.
PHORKYAS: Stand you now in your greatness, your beauty before us there, Says your glance that you command; what command you? Speak it out.
HELENA: Your brawl's bold neglect to make good, be prepared; Haste, an offering to prepare, as the king commanded me.
PHORKYAS: All is ready in the house, bowl, tripod, sharp axe, For sprinkling, for fumigating; the to-be-sacrificed show forth!
HELENA: Not marked it out the king. +
PHORKYAS: Spoke it not out? O woeful word!
HELENA: What woe o'ertakes you? +
PHORKYAS: Queen, you are meant!
HELENA: I? +
PHORKYAS: And these. +
CHORUS: Woe and lament! +
PHORKYAS: Fall will you by the axe.
HELENA: Gruesomely yet foreboded; I poor one! +
PHORKYAS: Unavoidable seems it to me.
CHORUS: Ah! And us? what shall befall? +
PHORKYAS: She dies a noble death; But on the high beam within, that bears the roof's gable, Like in bird-catch the thrushes, flutters you in a row.
PHORKYAS: Specters!--Like stiffened images stand you there, Frightened, to part from the day that belongs not to you. The men, the specters all alike as you, Renounce not willingly the lofty sunshine; Yet prays or saves none them from the end; They know it all, to few yet it pleases. Enough, you are lost! So brisk to work. Here hither, you gloomy, ball-round monster! Roll yourselves here, to harm there is here at will. To the sacrifice-altar, the gold-horned, give place, The axe, let it lie gleaming over the silver rim, The water-pitchers fill, to wash off there is Of black blood the horrible defilement. The carpet spread costly here along the dust, That the offering kneel down kingly And enwrapped, though of severed head straightway, Decently worthy yet be buried.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS: The queen stands musing at the side here, The maidens wilt like mown meadow-grass; But me, the eldest, seems, as befitting holy duty, To exchange the word with you, utter-eldest. You are experienced, wise, seem well-disposed to us, Though mindless this troop struck you misknowing. Therefore say what of rescue you possibly know.
PHORKYAS: Is lightly said: on the queen alone it depends, To save herself, you appendages also with her. Resolution is needful and the swiftest.
CHORUS: Most honorable of the Fates, wisest Sibyl you, Hold locked the golden shears, then proclaim to us day and weal; For we feel already in hovering, swaying, trembling irretrievably Our little limbs, which rather first in the dance delighted, Then rested on lover's breast.
HELENA: Let these be anxious! Pain I feel, no fear; Yet know you rescue, thankfully be it acknowledged. To the experienced, far-seeing often shows The impossible yet as possible. Speak and tell it.
CHORUS: Speak and tell, say us swiftly: how escape we the gruesome, Loathsome snares, that threateningly, as the worst of ornaments, Draw about our necks? Fore-feel we it, the poor ones, To exhale, to suffocate, when you, Rhea, of all gods High mother, yourself not pity.
PHORKYAS: Have you patience, the long-drawn thread of preface Still to hear? Of manifold histories it is.
CHORUS: Patience enough! Hearing we live meanwhile.
PHORKYAS: He who at home abiding guards noble treasure And knows his high dwelling's walls to daub up, Also the roof to secure 'gainst the rain's press, To him it goes well through long life's days; Who but his threshold's holy order lightly With fleeting soles oversteps presumptuously, He finds returning well the old place, Yet all changed, if not wholly destroyed.
HELENA: To what end such well-known sayings here? You would narrate; stir not up the disagreeable.
PHORKYAS: It is historical, is no reproach at all. Raiding by ship rowed Menelas from bay to bay, Shore and islands, all he stroked hostilely, With booty returning, as within it stiffens. Before Ilios he spent ten of long years; But for the home-voyage I know not how many it was. However how stands it here on spot about Tyndareos' Exalted house? how stands it with the realm around?
HELENA: Is scolding then so wholly ingrown in you, That without faulting you no lip can stir?
PHORKYAS: So many years stood forsaken the vale-mountain, Which behind Sparta northward rises high, Taygetos at the back, where as lively brook Rolls down Eurotas and then, through our vale Broad o'er reeds flowing, your swans nourishes. There behind in the mountain-vale a bold race Has settled, pressing from Cimmerian night, And unclimbable fast castle piled up, Thence they plague land and folk, as likes them.
HELENA: Could they perform that? Quite impossible seems it.
PHORKYAS: They had time, perhaps some twenty years it is.
HELENA: Is one lord? are robbers many, confederated?
PHORKYAS: Not robbers are they, one but is the lord. I scold him not, even if he visited me. Well could he take all, yet contented he With few free-gifts, named he them, not tribute.
HELENA: How looks he? +
PHORKYAS: Not ill! He pleases me already. He is a lively, bold, well-formed one, As among Greeks few, a sensible man. They call the folk barbarians, yet I should not think That cruel one were, as before Ilios Full many a hero showed himself man-devouring. I note his greatness, to him trusted I myself. And his castle! that should you with eyes behold! That is something else against clumsy masonry, Which your fathers, for no reason, heaved up, Cyclopean like Cyclopes, raw stone straightway On raw stones hurling; there contrary, there Is all plumb and level and regular. From outside view it! heavenward it strives up, So stark, so well in joints, mirror-smooth like steel. To climb here--yea even the thought slides off. And within great courts' spaciousness, round With building enclosed, of every kind and purpose. There see you columns, little columns, arches, little arches, Balconies, galleries, to look out and in, And arms. +
CHORUS: What are arms? +
PHORKYAS: Ajax bore indeed Twined snake on his shield, as you yourselves have seen. The Seven there before Thebes bore imagery Each on his shield, richly significant. There saw one moon and stars at the nightly sky-space, Also goddess, hero and ladder, swords, torches too, And what oppressive to good cities grimly threatens. Such a figure bears also our hero-band From his utter-forefathers in color-glow. There see you lions, eagles, claw and beak too, Then buffalo-horns, wings, roses, peacock-tail, Also stripes, gold and black and silver, blue and red. Suchlike hangs in halls row on row forth. In halls, boundless, as the world so wide; There can you dance! +
CHORUS: Say, are there dancers there?
PHORKYAS: The best! gold-locked, fresh boy-troop. They breathe youth! Paris breathed solely so, When to the queen he came too near. +
HELENA: You fall Quite out of the role; say me the last word!
PHORKYAS: You speak the last, say with earnest audible Yes! Straightway I enclose you with that castle. +
CHORUS: O speak The short word and save yourself and us at once!
HELENA: How? Should I fear that king Menelas So cruelly would offend, to injure me?
PHORKYAS: Have you forgotten how your Deiphobus, The fight-dead Paris' brother, unheard-of He mutilated, who stubbornly widowed you won And happily kept as concubine? Nose and ears cut he off And maimed more so: a horror it was to behold.
HELENA: That did he to him, for my sake did he that.
PHORKYAS: For that one's sake will he to you the like do. Indivisible is beauty; who wholly possessed it, Destroys it rather, cursing every partial-possession. As sharp the trumpet's clang ear and entrails Tearing seizes, so claws itself jealousy Fast in the bosom of the man who never forgets What once he possessed and now lost, possesses no more.
CHORUS: Hear you not the horns sound? See you not the weapons' flashes?
PHORKYAS: Be welcome, lord and king, gladly give I account.
CHORUS: But we? +
PHORKYAS: You know it clearly, see before eyes your death, Mark the your own there within: nay, to help is you not.
HELENA: I have thought out the nearest, what I dare. A counter-demon are you, that I feel well And fear, good you turn to evil round. Above all but follow will I you to the castle; The rest I know; what the queen thereby In deep bosom secretly may hide, Be to each inaccessible. Eldress, go before!
“Stories of the world, in your language.”