amphitryon-第1部分

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Amphitryon



A　play　by　Moliere



Translated　by　A。R。　Waller；　M。A。









Amphitryon　was　played　for　the　first　time　in　Paris；　at　the　Theatre　du

Palais…Royal；　January　13；　1668。　It　was　successfully　received；

holding　the　boards　until　the　18th　of　March；　when　Easter　intervened。

After　the　re…opening　of　the　theatre；　it　was　played　half　a　dozen

times　more　the　same　year；　and　continued　to　please。



The　first　edition　was　published　in　1668。



Note：　It　is　perhaps　hardly　necessary　to　refer　the　reader　to

Amphitryon；　by　Plautus；　the　comedy　upon　which　Moliere's　charming

play　was；　in　the　main；　based。　The　rendering　attempted　here　can　give

but　a　faint　reflection　of　the　original；　for　hardly　any　comedy　of

Moliere's　loses　more　in　the　process　of　translation。









Amphitryon



A　play　by　Moliere









PROLOGUE







MERCURY；　on　a　cloud；　NIGHT；　in　a　chariot　drawn　by　two　horses



MERC。　Wait！　Gentle　Night；　deign　to　stay　awhile：　Some　help　is　needed

from　you。　I　have　two　words　to　say　to　you　from　Jupiter。



NIGHT。　Ah！　Ah！　It　is　you；　Seigneur　Mercury！　Who　would　have　thought

of　you　here；　in　that　position？



MERC。　Well；　feeling　tired；　and　not　being　able　to　fulfil　the

different　duties　Jupiter　ordered　me；　I　quietly　sat　down　on　this

cloud　to　await　your　coming。



NIGHT。　You　jest；　Mercury：　you　do　not　mean　it；　does　it　become　the

Gods　to　say　they　are　tired？



MERC。　Are　the　Gods　made　of　iron？



NIGHT。　No；　but　one　must　always　have　a　care　for　divine　decorum。　There

are　certain　words　the　use　of　which　debases　this　sublime　quality；　and

it　is　meet　that　these　should　be　left　to　men；　because　they　are　unworthy。



MERC。　You　speak　at　your　ease；　fair　lady；　from　a　swiftly　rolling

chariot；　in　which；　like　a　dame　free　from　care；　you　are　drawn　by　two

fine　horses　wherever　you　like。　But　it　is　not　the　same　with　me。　Such

is　my　miserable　fate　that　I　cannot　bear　the　poets　too　great　a　grudge

for　their　gross　impertinence　in　having；　by　an　unjust　law；　which　they

wish　to　retain　in　force；　given　a　separate　conveyance　to　each　God；

for　his　own　use；　and　left　me　to　go　on　foot：　me；　like　a　village

messenger；　though；　as　everyone　knows；　I　am　the　famous　messenger　of

the　sovereign　of　the　Gods；　on　the　earth　and　in　the　heavens。　Without

any　exaggeration；　I　need　more　than　any　one　else　the　means　of　being

carried　about；　because　of　all　the　duties　he　puts　upon　me。



NIGHT。　What　can　one　do？　The　poets　do　what　pleases　them。　It　is　not

the　only　stupidity　we　have　detected　in　these　gentlemen。　But　surely

your　irritation　against　them　is　wrong；　for　the　wings　at　your　feet

are　a　friendly　gift　of　theirs。



MERC。　Yes；　but　does　going　more　quickly　tire　oneself　less？



NIGHT。　Let　us　leave　the　matter；　Seigneur　Mercury；　and　learn　what　is　wanted。



MERC。　Jupiter；　as　I　have　told　you；　wishes　the　dark　aid　of　your　cloak

for　a　certain　gallant　adventure；　which　a　new　love　affair　has

furnished　him。　His　custom　is　not　new　to　you；　I　believe：　often　does

he　neglect　the　heavens　for　the　earth；　and　you　are　not　ignorant　that

this　master　of　the　Gods　loves　to　take　upon　himself　the　guise　of　man

to　woo　earthly　beauties。　He　knows　a　hundred　ingenious　tricks　to

entrap　the　most　obdurate。　He　has　felt　the　darts　of　Alcmene's　eyes；

and；　whilst　Amphitryon；　her　husband；　commands　the　Theban　troops　on

the　plains　of　Boeotia；　Jupiter　has　taken　his　form；　and　assuaged　his

pains；　in　the　possession　of　the　sweetest　of　pleasures。　The　condition

of　the　couple　is　propitious　to　his　desire：　Hymen　joined　them　only　a

few　days　ago；　and　the　young　warmth　of　their　tender　love　suggested　to

Jupiter　to　have　recourse　to　this　fine　artifice。　His　stratagem　proved

successful　in　this　case；　but　with　many　a　cherished　object　a　similar

disguise　would　not　be　of　any　use：　it　is　not　always　a　sure　means　of

pleasing；　to　adopt　the　form；　of　a　husband。



NIGHT。　I　admire　Jupiter；　and　I　cannot　imagine　all　the　disguises

which　come　into　his　head。



MERC。　By　these　means　he　wishes　to　taste　all　sorts　of　conditions：

that　is　the　act　of　a　God　who　is　not　a　fool。　However　mortals　may

regard　him；　I　should　think　very　meanly　of　him　if　he　never　quitted

his　redoubtable　mien；　and　were　always　in　the　heavens；　standing　upon

his　dignity。　In　my　opinion；　there　is　nothing　more　idiotic　than

always　to　be　imprisoned　in　one's　grandeur；　above　all；　a　lofty　rank

becomes　very　inconvenient　in　the　transports　of　amorous　ardour。

Jupiter；　no　doubt；　is　a　connoisseur　in　pleasure；　and　he　knows　how　to

descend　from　the　height　of　his　supreme　glory。　So　that　he　can　enter

into　everything　that　pleases　him；　he　entirely　casts　aside　himself；

and　then　it　is　no　longer　Jupiter　who　appears。



NIGHT。　I　could　overlook　seeing　him　step　down　from　his　sublime　stage

to　that　of　men；　since　he　wishes　to　enter　into　all　the　transports

which　their　natures　can　supply；　and　join　in　their　jests；　if；　in　the

changes　which　take　his　fancy；　he　would　confine　himself　to　nature。

But　I　do　not　think　it　fitting　to　see　Jupiter　as　a　bull；　a　serpent；　a

swan；　or　what　not；　and　it　does　not　astonish　me　that　it　is　sometimes

talked　about。



MERC。　Let　all　the　busybodies　talk；　such　changes　have　their　own

charms　and　surpass　people's　understanding。　The　God　knows　what　he

does　in　this　affair　as　in　everything　else：　in　the　movements　of　their

tender　passions；　animals　are　not　so　loutish　as　one　might　think。



NIGHT。　Let　us　return　to　the　lady　whose　favours　he　enjoys。　If；　by　his

stratagem；　his　pursuit　is　successful；　what　more　can　he　wish？　What　can　I　do？



MERC。　He　wishes　that　you　would　slacken　the　pace　of　your　horses；　to

satisfy　the　passion　of　his　amorous　heart；　and　so　make　of　a

delightful　night　the　longest　night　of　all；　that　you　would　give　him

more　time　for　his　transports；　and　retard　the　birth　of　day　since　it

will　hasten　the　return　of　him　whose　place　he　occupies。



NIGHT。　Really　the　employment　which　the　great　Jupiter　reserves　for　me

is　a　worthy　one！　The　service　he　requires　of　me　passes　under　a　very

respectable　name。



MERC。　You　are　somewhat　old…fashioned　for　a　young　goddess！　Such　an

employment　is　not　debasing　except　among　people　of　mean　birth。　When

one　has　the　happiness　of　belonging　to　lofty　rank；　whatever　one　does

is　always　right　and　good；　things　change　their　names　to　suit　what　one　may　be。



NIGHT。　You　know　more　about　such　matters　than　I　do；　I　will　trust　to

your　enlightened　views　and　accept　this　employment。



MERC。　Come；　come；　now；　Madam　Night；　a　little　gently；　I　beseech　you。

The　world　gives　you　the　reputation　of　not　being　so　scrupulous。　In　a

hundred　different　climes　you　are　made　the　confidant　of　many　gallant

adventures；　and；　if　I　may　speak　candidly；　we　do　not　owe　each　other　anything。



NIGHT。　Let　us　cease　these　reproaches　and　remain　what　we　are。　Let　us

not　give　men　cause　to　laugh　by　telling　each　other　the　truth。



MERC。　Adieu。　I　am　going　there　to　play　my　part　in　this　business；

promptly　to　strip　myself　of　the　form　of　Mercury　and　to　take　in　its

place　the　figure　of　Amphitryon's　valet。



NIGHT。　I　am　going　to　keep　station　in　this　hemisphere　with　my　sombre　train。



MERC。　Good　day；　Night。



NIGHT。　Adieu；　Mercury。



（Mercury　descends　from　his　cloud　to　the　earth；　and　Night　goes　away

in　her　chariot。）



END　OF　THE　PROLOGUE。



ACT　I



SCENE　I



SOSIE



Who　goes　there？　Eh？　My　fear　grows　with　every　step。　Gentlemen；　I　am　a

friend　to　all　the　world。　Ah！　What　unparalleled　boldness；　to　be　out

at　this　hour！　My　master　is　crowned　with　fame；　but　what　a　villainous

trick　he　plays　me　here！　What？　If　he　had　any　love　for　his　neighbour；

would　he　have　sent　me　out　in　such　a　black　night？　Could　he　not　just

as　well　have　waited　until　it　was　day　before　sending　me　to　announce

his　return　and　the　details　of　his　victory？　To　what　servitude　are　thy

days　subjected；　Sosie！　Our　lot　is　far　more　hard　with　the　great　than

with　the　mean。　They　insist　that　everything　in　nature　should　be

compelled　to　sacrifice　itself　for　them。　　Night　and　day；　hail；　wind；

peril；　heat；　cold；　as　soon　as　they　speak　we　must　fly。　Twenty　years

of　assiduous　service　do　not　gain　us　any　consideration　from　them。　The

least　little　whim　draws　down　upon　us　their　anger。



Notwithstanding　this；　our　infatuated　hearts　cling　to　the　empty

honour　of　remaining　near　them；　contented　with　the　false　idea；　which

every　one　holds；　that　we　are　happy。　In　vain　reason　bids　us　retire；

in　vain　our　spite　sometimes　consents　to　this；　to　be　near　them　is　too

powerful　an　influence　on　our　zeal；　and　the　least　favour　of　a

caressing　glance　immediately　re…engages　us。　But　at　last；　I　see　our

house　through　the　darkness；　and　my　fear　vanishes。



I　must　prepare　some　thought…out　speech　for　my　mission。　I　must　give

Alcmene　warlike　description　of　the　fierce　combat　which　put　our

enemies　to　flight。　But　how　the　deuce　can　I　do　this　since　I　was　not

there？　Never　mind；　let　us　talk　of　cut　and　thrust；　as　though　I　were

an　eyewitness。　How　many　people　describe　battles　from　which　they

remained　far　away！　In　order　to　act　my　part　without　discredit；　I　will

rehearse　it　a　little。



This　is　the　chamber　into　which　I　am　ushered　as　the　messenger：　this

lantern　is　Alcmene；　to　whom　I　have　to　speak。　（He　sets　his　lantern　on

the　ground　and　salutes　it。）　'Madam；　Amphitryon；　my　master　and　your

husband；　。。。　（Good！　that　is　a　fine　beginning！）　whose　mind　is　ever

full　of　your　charms；　has　chosen　me　from　amongst　all　to　bring　tidings

of　the　success　of　his　arms；　and　of　his　desire　to　be　near　you。'　'Ah！

Really；　my　poor　Sosie；　I　am　delighted　to　see　you　back　again。'

'Madam；　you　do　me　too　much　honour：　my　lot　is　an　enviable　one。'　（Well　answered！）



'How　is　Amphitryon？'　'Madam；　as　a　man　of　courage　should　be；　when

glory　leads　him。'　（Very　good！　A　capital　idea！）　'When　will　my　heart

be　charmed　and　satisfied　by　his　return？'　'As　soon　as　possible；

assuredly；　Madam；　but　his　heart　desires　a　speedier　return。'　　（Ah！）

'In　what　state　has　the　war　left　him？　What　says　he？　What　does　he？

Ease　my　anxiety。'　He　says　less　than　h