导读
莎士比亚写下的四个罗马悲剧(包括《安东尼与克莉奥佩特拉》)以《科利奥兰纳斯》完成最晚(约1608年),但如果按涉及的历史年代排列,则四者中应是《科利奥兰纳斯》领先。它展现了公元前5世纪古罗马城邦的阶级斗争形势,由此引出了一个不可一世的英雄人物自取灭亡的悲剧。这个剧它显示出民众的强大力量,让人看到团结无畏的民众是怎样自己选择了生存方式,怎样决定了自己的命运,怎样为自己的生活做主,怎样战胜了自己的敌人,真是给人鼓舞,令人振奋,大快人心!对社会最底层的民众蕴含着的伟大力量如此肯定实在难得,尤其出自这位群雄倾慕的大师之手更为可贵。说明一切强权,一切暴政,一切专制,一切独裁,一切压迫,一切剥削,一切侮辱,一切欺凌,一切反动帮派,一切丑恶势力,一切吃人肉喝人血的党徒之流,统统都可以被这种反抗的力量所打倒、推翻、埋葬!
这部作品不朽的功绩在于将贫富的对立,贵贱的不融,经济基础与上层建筑之间内在与外在的不可调和,这样真切、生动而淋漓尽致地展现出来了。让人清醒地认识到这是两个阶层、两种意识形态、两种利益、两种生存的对抗;是两种精神、两种思想、两种感情的冲突;也是社会上两种道德、两种生死观的矛盾。这不是历史,也不是现实,而是由存在所决定的,是人类所具有的差别所导致的敌视和抗争。这部作品的价值,对于中国人来说,比莎氏的任何作品都更有讽刺、鞭策和教育意义;而对于西方发达国家的人们来说,它的意义已在那自由的阳光中和民主的空气里了。
科利奥兰纳斯这位罗马战将,真是勇敢,勇敢得可怜,因为那不过是有勇无谋的匹夫之勇;也勇敢得可怕,因为那属于有勇无德的孤胆草寇般的莽夫之勇。他真勇敢,是那种傲慢的勇敢,自负的勇敢,浅薄的勇敢,是野心勃勃的勇敢,目空一世的勇敢;他勇敢得野蛮,勇敢得愚钝,勇敢得无情无义,勇敢得可恨可咒,勇敢得可叹可悲;他太勇敢了,勇敢得功过抵消,勇敢得缺点大于优点,勇敢得恶名远远胜过美名,所以他不是英雄。还因为,没有把这种背叛自己国家、背叛友情、背叛亲情、背叛道德、背叛人性的人算作英雄的;没有这样把自己的人民当成魔鬼诅咒,当成畜生憎恨,当成仇敌挞伐的英雄。如果把这种疯狂杀害自己的同胞,肆意践踏和一心毁灭自己国家去助敌灭己的败类当成英雄的话,那么就不能把他所存在其中的群体称之为人类了。这个悲剧人物成长的土壤,首先是他的母亲:那么阴险恶毒,那么诡计多端,那么懂得欺世盗名,那么谙于投机钻营;其次是属于他那个阶层的贵族们:那么不分青红皂白地害人不利己,那么善恶不分地爱护暴虐痛恨贫民,那么软弱空虚得坐以待毙的权势,那么庸腐昏聩得自掘坟墓的高贵……有了这样的营养,才长出那样的恶瘤。
《科利奥兰纳斯》(简称《科》剧)与《雅典的泰门》(简称《雅》剧)相比,它们情节不一,主人公身份更相去甚远,却可以视作是一对姐妹篇,这是因为它们都写个人因受到不公正对待而转向对公众的仇视、报复或无尽的诅咒。两剧都加意突出主人公的高贵,科利奥兰纳斯勇敢无畏,耿直坦白,不爱金钱地位;泰门则信任人,慷慨好施。而他们所面对的社会,市民们是只会乞讨,又贪生怕死,贵族们更既贪财又势利眼。科利奥兰纳斯后来所投奔的敌国伏尔斯人,也是一样的自私自利,互相仇恨;泰门自我放逐到雅典城外,所遇偷儿、妓女、叛将、士兵,无不贪图财货、人格低下。个性与社会对立、个人反抗,是西欧文学后来逐渐形成的一种主题,具有较强的社会批判意义,莎士比亚戏剧在这以前,已有《哈姆雷特》涉此内容,但未成为主题。从这些情况,可以把《科》剧与《雅》剧视作莎剧中不多的,并且是西欧文学中较早的写个人反抗的作品。此外,《科》剧对虚情假意与繁文缛节的嘲讽,《雅》剧对金钱关系的揭示与批判,也都是很有意义的。不过,两剧的个人高贵、社会卑劣这一主题其实并未充分实现,《科》剧的社会批判便显得较为空泛,而《雅》剧尽管已把批判集中于贪欲之心,但仍缺乏四大悲剧中伊阿古、爱德蒙、麦克白夫人、克劳狄斯这种集原始积累时期社会罪恶的典型。科利奥兰纳斯功盖罗马,只因羞于听别人对他的夸赞,并把为充任罗马执政所必须例行的向市民自述战功这道手续视作是一种“谄媚”,是“善于笼络人心”,“为了博取人民的欢心”,结果被市民放逐。剧情至此,本能引起观众同情,但他一怒之下引伏尔斯兵攻打罗马城,则使他的高贵被打上问号。确实,在民族经常迁移、融合分离不定的时代,民族的、祖国的意识自会较为淡薄,这一历史真实可为他的背叛辩解,莎剧中也多见引外族、敌国攻打本族、祖国的情节。但路歇斯引哥特人攻罗马(《泰特斯·安德洛尼克斯》),考狄利娅引法军攻英军(《李尔王》),马尔康引英格兰军攻苏格兰(《麦克白》),都有讨伐不仁不义、救民于倒悬之义。相比较,便显出科利奥兰纳斯的行为中,个人意气、一己之利过重了些。这样,当他的进军被其母所阻,他被伏尔斯大将塔勒斯诬陷所杀,便难引起观众更深的“怜悯”。泰门形象中发生了同样的问题,他助人为乐,散尽巨资,还欠下债务,得到的却是昔日朋友的冷落,受恩者拒绝回报,歌功颂德者谤讪毁骂,其怨恨可以理解。但他因此转向“厌恶人类”,憎恨一切“形状像人一样的东西”,呼吁夷平雅典,老弱妇孺也不要放过,转使这一形象显得头脑简单,欠缺想象力,尤其丧失了精神道义方面的更多的优势。
此剧写成时,英国先后发生过1597年的粮荒、牛津郡民起事和1607~1608年英格兰中部各郡的骚乱。1607年6月28日英国王室曾发表公告称:“国内最低微的民众中近来多有人啸聚作乱。”“暴民”问题当时正占去剧作家相当一部分注意力,是很有可能的。此外,莎氏本人的母亲死于1608年或1609年,这或许也是导致剧作家戮力以艺术形式表达母子关系的因素之一。至于说剧中主人公科利奥兰纳斯即为时人埃塞克斯伯爵(也是“孤胆英雄”加“叛将”)的翻版,古罗马处死叛徒的大帕岩暗指伦敦塔,科氏应受元老抑或平民节制则反映詹姆士一世与议会的对立等等附会,那是在历史与现实之间机械地画上太多等号,显得牵强。
历代评家对《科利奥兰纳斯》褒贬不一,粗线条地说,早期似乎是贬甚于褒。如果把这个剧本放在莎氏的所谓“成熟悲剧”的参照框架中考察,确有多处背离了已经确立的莎氏模式。首先是《科利奥兰纳斯》“缺乏超越时空的伟大悲剧所必有的活力和形而上教益”。约翰逊也有类似的贬评,认为“成熟悲剧”多诗的暗喻,而《科利奥兰纳斯》剧中多用like或as的明喻,阙诗少文;哈姆雷特等“成熟悲剧”人物,甚至包括麦克白,多形而上的内省,仅哈姆雷特一角就有共291行的14则独白,而在科氏悲剧中主人公仅有两则含义肤浅的独白,多的是进军、陷城、群众喧哗起事等形而下的场面。萧伯纳更为刻薄,把科氏看作“掀盖探头”般的滑稽玩偶(Jack-in-the-box),一触即跳。另外,“成熟悲剧”和历史剧的常例是每个英雄倒下后必有继任者:亨利四世接替理查;安东尼接替凯撒,又被渥大维取代;福丁布拉斯接替哈姆雷特;卡西奥接替奥赛罗;奥伯尼公爵接替李尔王……而科利奥兰纳斯始终只是“孤龙”(alonely dragon),最后只留下儿子小马歇斯——所有莎剧中最年幼的角色——说出仅有的一句台词:“我不许他踩过(既应答祖母、母亲‘要进军罗马唯有踩过我们的身体’之激,似也有不容仇敌踩踏的预言意味——盖因下文其父被杀后奥菲狄乌斯踩其尸之上)我要逃走,等我长大,我要打仗。”当然,也有艺术家为剧本的“放逐”主题和孤高英雄的命运所打动,18至19世纪经改编的演出记录颇多;贝多芬还根据剧本“要么罗马,要么我!”(Rome or I)的主题作曲,由瓦格纳配上声乐,流传至今。
MARCIUS
He that will give good words to thee will flatter
Beneath abhorring.
What would you have,you curs,
That like nor peace nor war? the one affrights you,
The other makes you proud.He that trusts to you,
Where he should find you lions,finds you hares;
Where foxes,geese: you are no surer,no,
Than is the coal of fire upon the ice,
Or hailstone in the sun.
Your virtue is
To make him worthy whose offence subdues him
And curse that justice did it.
Who deserves greatness
Deserves your hate; and your affections are
A sick man's appetite,who desires most that
Which would increase his evil.
He that depends
Upon your favours swims with fins of lead
And hews down oaks with rushes.
Hang ye! Trust Ye?
With every minute you do change a mind,
And call him noble that was now your hate,
Him vile that was your garland.
What's the matter,
That in these several places of the city
You cry against the noble senate,who,
Under the gods,keep you in awe,which else
Would feed on one another?
What's their seeking?
马歇斯
谁要是对你们温语相加,他也会恭维他心里所痛恨的人了。你们究竟要什么,你们这些恶狗?你们既不喜欢和平,又不喜欢战争;战争会使你们害怕,和平又使你们妄自尊大。谁要是信任你们,他将会发现他所寻找的狮子不过是一群野兔,他所寻找的狐狸不过是一群鹅;你们比冰上的炭火、阳光中的雹点更不可靠。你们的美德是尊敬那犯罪的囚徒,诅咒那执法的刑官。谁立下了功德,就应该受你们的憎恨;你们的欢心就像病人的口味,只爱吃那些足以加重他的病症的食物。谁要是信赖着你们的欢心,就等于用铅造的鳍游泳,用灯心草去斩伐橡树。该死的东西!相信你们?你们每一分钟都要变换一个心,你们会称颂你们刚才所痛恨的人,唾骂你们刚才所赞美的人。你们在城里到处鼓噪,攻击尊贵的元老院,究竟是怎么一回事?倘使没有他们帮助神明把你们约束住了,使你们有一点畏惧,你们早就彼此相食了。他们究竟是什么目的?
COMINIUS
I shall lack voice: the deeds of Coriolanus
Should not be utter'd feebly.
It is held
That valour is the chiefest virtue,and
Most dignifies the haver: if it be,
The man I speak of cannot in the world
Be singly counterpoised.
At sixteen years,
When Tarquin made a head for Rome,he fought
Beyond the mark of others: our then dictator,
Whom with all praise I point at,saw him fight,
When with his Amazonian chin he drove
The bristled lips before him: be bestrid
An o'er-press'd Roman and i' the consul's view
Slew three opposers: Tarquin's self he met,
And struck him on his knee: in that day's feats,
When he might act the woman in the scene,
He proved best man i' the field,and for his meed
Was brow-bound with the oak.
His pupil age Man-enter'd thus,he waxed like a sea,
And in the brunt of seventeen battles since
He lurch'd all swords of the garland.
For this last,Before and in Corioli,let me say,
I cannot speak him home: he stopp'd the fliers;
And by his rare example made the coward
Turn terror into sport: as weeds before
A vessel under sail,so men obey'd
And fell below his stem: his sword,death's stamp,
Where it did mark,it took; from face to foot
He was a thing of blood,whose every motion
Was timed with dying cries: alone he enter'd
The mortal gate of the city,which he painted
With shunless destiny; aidless came off,
And with a sudden reinforcement struck Corioli like a planet:
Now all's his:
When,by and by,the din of war gan pierce
His ready sense; then straight his doubled spirit
Re-quicken'd what in flesh was fatigate,
And to the battle came he; where he did
Run reeking o'er the lives of men,as if
'Twere a perpetual spoil: and till we call'd
Both field and city ours,he never stood
To ease his breast with panting.
考密涅斯
我的声音太微弱了,不够叙述科利奥兰纳斯的功绩。勇敢是世人公认的最大美德,有勇的人是最值得崇敬的;要是我们可以这么说,那么我现在所要说起的这一个人,在全世界简直找不出一个可以和他抗衡的人物。当塔昆举兵向罗马侵犯的时候,他还只有16岁,就已经在战场上崭露头角,表现他过人的神勇;我们当时的执政亲眼看见那些鬑鬑多须的大汉被白皙韶秀的他追赶得没命奔逃。他跨过了一个被压倒在地上的罗马人的身体,当着执政的面前,手刃了三个敌人;塔昆也和他亲自对垒,被他打了下来。在那一天的战绩里,他本来可以做一个怯懦不前的妇女,但他证明了自己是战场上顶勇敢的男子,为了旌扬他的功勋,他的额上被加上了橡叶的荣冠。这样他从一个新列戎行的孺子,变成一个能征惯战的健儿,他的与日俱增的勇敢,像大海一样充沛,在前后17次战役之中,战无不胜,攻无不克。讲到最近这一次在科利奥里城前和城中的鏖战,那么我可以说,我的言辞是无法给他适当的赞美的;他阻止了奔逃的败众,用他惊人的榜样,扫去了懦夫心中的恐惧;正像水草当着一艘疾驶的帆船一样,他的剑光挥处,人们不是降服就是死亡,谁要是碰着他的锋刃,再也没有活命的希望;从脸上到脚上,他浑身都染着血,他的每一个行动,都伴随着绝命的哀号;他一个人闯进了密布着死亡的城里用他操纵着死生的铁手染红了城门,然后他又单身脱围而出,带着一队生力军,像一颗彗星似的向科利奥里突击。他已经大获全胜;但战争的喧声又开始刺激他敏锐的感觉,于是他兼人的精力又使他忘却了身体的疲劳,他立刻再上战场,在那里奔走驰突,杀人如麻,好像这是一场永无休止的掠夺一样;直到我们把城郊全部占领以后,他不曾有一刻站定喘息的时间。
CORIOLANUS
My name is Caius Marcius,who hath done
To thee particularly and to all the Volsces
Great hurt and mischief; thereto witness may
My surname,Coriolanus: the painful service,
The extreme dangers and the drops of blood
Shed for my thankless country are requited
But with that surname; a good memory,
And witness of the malice and displeasure
Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name remains;
The cruelty and envy of the people,
Permitted by our dastard nobles,who
Have all forsook me,hath devour'd the rest;
And suffer'd me by the voice of slaves to be
Whoop'd out of Rome.
Now this extremity
Hath brought me to thy hearth; not out of hope—
Mistake me not—to save my life,
For if I had fear'd death,of all the men i' the world
I would have 'voided thee,but in mere spite,
To be full quit of those my banishers,
Stand I before thee here.
Then if thou hast
A heart of wreak in thee,that wilt revenge
Thine own particular wrongs and stop those maims
Of shame seen through thy country,speed thee straight,
And make my misery serve thy turn: so use it
That my revengeful services may prove
As benefits to thee,for I will fight
Against my canker'd country with the spleen
Of all the under fiends.But if so be
Thou darest not this and that to prove more fortunes
Thou'rt tired,then,in a word,
I also am
Longer to live most weary,and present
My throat to thee and to thy ancient malice;
Which not to cut would show thee but a fool,
Since I have ever follow'd thee with hate,
Drawn tuns of blood out of thy country's breast,
And cannot live but to thy shame,unless
It be to do thee service.
科利奥兰纳斯
我的名字是卡厄斯·马歇斯,我曾经把极大的伤害和灾祸加在你和一切伏尔斯人的身上;我的姓氏科利奥兰纳斯就是最好的证明。辛苦的战役、重大的危险、替我这负恩的国家所流过的血,结果只是换到了这一个空洞的姓氏,为你对我所怀的怨恨留下一个创巨痛深的记忆。只有这名字剩留着;残酷猜忌的人民,得到了我们那些怯懦的贵族的默许,已经一致遗弃了我,抹杀了我一切的功绩,让那些奴才们把我轰出了罗马。这一种不幸的遭遇,使我今天来到你的家里;不要误会我,以为我想来向你求恩乞命,因为要是我怕死的话,我就应该远远地躲开你;我只是因为出于气愤,渴想报复那些放逐我的人,所以才到这儿来站在你的面前。要是你也有一颗复仇的心,想要替你自己和你的国家洗雪耻辱,现在你的机会到了,你正可以利用我的不幸,达到你自己的目的,因为我将要用地狱中一切饿鬼的怨毒,来向我的腐败的祖国作战。可是你要是没有这样的胆量,也不想追求远大的前程,那么一句话,我也已经厌倦人世,愿意伸直我的颈项,听任你的宰割,让你一泄这许多年来郁积在心头的怨恨;你要是不杀我,你就是个傻瓜,因为我一向是你的死敌,曾经从你祖国的胸前溅下了无数吨的血;要是让我活在世上,对于你永远是一个耻辱,除非你能够跟我合作。
VOLUMNIA
I pray you,daughter,sing; or express yourself in a more comfortable sort: if my son were my husband,I should freelier rejoice in that absence wherein he won honour than in the embracements of his bed where he would show most love.When yet he was but tender-bodied and the only son of my womb,when youth with comeliness plucked all gaze his way,when for a day of kings' entreaties a mother should not sell him an hour from her beholding,I,considering how honour would become such a person.That it was no better than picture-like to hang by the wall,if renown made it not stir,was pleased to let him seek danger where he was like to find fame.To a cruel war I sent him; from whence he returned,his brows bound with oak.I tell thee,daughter,I sprang not more in joy at first hearing he was a man-child than now in first seeing he had proved himself a man.
伏伦妮娅
媳妇,你唱一支歌吧,或者让你自己高兴一点儿。倘然我的儿子是我的丈夫,我宁愿他出外去争取光荣,不愿他贪恋着闺房中的儿女私情。当年,他还只是一个身体娇嫩的孩子,我膝下还只有他这么一个儿子,他的青春和美貌正吸引着众人的注目,就在这种连帝王们的整天请求也都不能使一个母亲答应让她的儿子离开她眼前一小时的时候,我因为想到名誉对于这样一个人是多么重要,要是让他默默无闻地株守家园,岂不等于一幅悬挂在墙上的画像?所以就放他出去追寻危险,从危险中间博取他的声名。我让他参加一场残酷的战争;当他回来的时候,他的头上戴着橡叶的荣冠。我告诉你,媳妇,我第一次知道他是个男孩子的时候,还不及第一次看见他已经变成一个堂堂男子的时候那样喜欢得跳跃起来。
VOLUMNIA
Because that now it lies you on to speak
To the people; not by your own instruction,
Nor by the matter which your heart prompts you,
But with such words that are but rooted in
Your tongue,though but bastards and syllables
Of no allowance to your bosom's truth.
Now,this no more dishonours you at all
Than to take in a town with gentle words,
Which else would put you to your fortune and
The hazard of much blood.
I would dissemble with my nature where
My fortunes and my friends at stake required
I should do so in honour: I am in this,
Your wife,your son,these senators,the nobles;
And you will rather show our general louts
How you can frown than spend a fawn upon 'em,
For the inheritance of their loves and safeguard
Of what that want might ruin.
伏伦妮娅
因为你现在必须去向人民说话;不是照着你自己的意思说话,却要去向他们说一些完全违背你的本心的话。为了避免把自己的命运作孤注,为了避免流许多的血,你可以用温和的词句招抚一个城市,那么向人民说这样的话,对于你的荣誉又有什么损害呢?要是我的财产和我的亲友处于生死存亡的关头,需要我用欺诈的手段保全他们,我就会毅然去干那样的事,并不以为有什么可耻;我是代表你的妻子、你的儿子、这些元老和贵族们向你进这番忠告的;可是你却宁愿向这些无知的群众怒目横眉,不愿向他们稍假辞色,去博取他们的欢心和爱戴,这是维持你的荣誉和地位所必需的保障。
VOLUMNIA
Should we be silent and not speak,our raiment
And state of bodies would bewray what life
We have led since thy exile.
Think with thyself
How more unfortunate than all living women
Are we come hither: since that thy sight,which should
Make our eyes flow with joy,hearts dance with comforts,
Constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow;
Making the mother,wife and child to see
The son,the husband and the father tearing
His country's bowels out.And to poor we
Thine enmity's most capital: thou barr'st us
Our prayers to the gods,which is a comfort
That all but we enjoy; for how can we,
Alas,how can we for our country pray.
Whereto we are bound,together with thy victory,
Whereto we are bound? alack,or we must lose
The country,our dear nurse,or else thy person,
Our comfort in the country.
We must find An evident calamity,though we had
Our wish,which side should win: for either thou
Must,as a foreign recreant,be led
With manacles thorough our streets,
Or else triumphantly tread on thy country's ruin,
And bear the palm for having bravely shed
Thy wife and children's blood.
For myself,son,
I purpose not to wait on fortune till
These wars determine:
If I cannot persuade thee
Rather to show a noble grace to both parts
Than seek the end of one,thou shalt no sooner
March to assault thy country than to tread—
Trust to't,thou shalt not—on thy mother's womb,
That brought thee to this world.
伏伦妮娅
即使我们静默不言,你也可以从我们的衣服和容态上,看出我们自从你放逐以后,过着怎样的生活。请你想一想,我们到这儿来,是怎样比世间所有的妇女不幸万分,因为我们看见了你,本来应该眼睛里荡漾着喜悦,心坎里跳跃着欣慰,可是现在反而悲泣流泪,忧惧战栗;母亲、妻子、儿子,都要看着她的孩子、她的丈夫和他的父亲亲手挖出他祖国的心脏来。你的敌意对于可怜的我们是无上的酷刑,你使我们不能向神明祈祷,那本来是每一个人所能享受的安慰。因为,唉!我们虽然和祖国的命运是不可分的,可是我们的命运又是和你的胜利不可分的,我们怎么能为我们的祖国祈祷呢?唉!我们倘不是失去我们的国家,我们亲爱的保姆,就是失去你,我们在国内唯一的安慰。无论哪一方得胜,虽然都符合我们的愿望,可是总免不了一个悲惨的结果:我们不是看见你像一个通敌的叛徒一般,戴上镣铐牵过市街,就是看见你意气扬扬地践踏在祖国的废墟上,高举着胜利的旗帜,因为你已经勇敢地溅了你妻子儿女的血。至于我自己,那么,孩子,我不愿等候命运宣判战争的最后胜负;要是我不能把你劝服,使你放弃了陷一个国家于灭亡的行动,而采取一种兼利双方的途径,那么相信我,我决不让你侵犯你的国家,除非先从你生身母亲的身上践踏过去。
CORIOLANUS
Not of a woman's tenderness to be,
Requires nor child nor woman's face to see.
I have sat too long.
VOLUMNIA
Nay,go not from us thus.
If it were so that our request did tend
To save the Romans,thereby to destroy
The Volsces whom you serve,you might condemn us,
As poisonous of your honour: no; our suit
Is that you reconcile them: while the Volsces
May say 'This mercy we have show'd;' the Romans,
'This we received;' and each in either side
Give the all-hail to thee and cry
'Be blest For making up this peace!'
Thou know'st,great son,
The end of war's uncertain,but this certain,
That,if thou conquer Rome,the benefit
Which thou shalt thereby reap is such a name,
Whose repetition will be dogg'd with curses;
Whose chronicle thus writ: 'The man was noble,
But with his last attempt he wiped it out;
Destroy'd his country,and his name remains
To the ensuing age abhorr'd.' Speak to me,son:
Thou hast affected the fine strains of honour,
To imitate the graces of the gods;
To tear with thunder the wide cheeks o' the air,
And yet to charge thy sulphur with a bolt
That should but rive an oak.
Why dost not speak?
Think'st thou it honourable for a noble man
Still to remember wrongs?
Daughter,speak you:
He cares not for your weeping.
Speak thou,boy:
Perhaps thy childishness will move him more
Than can our reasons.
There's no man in the world
More bound to 's mother; yet here he lets me prate
Like one i' the stocks.
Thou hast never in thy life
Show'd thy dear mother any courtesy,
When she,poor hen,fond of no second brood,
Has cluck'd thee to the wars and safely home,
Loaden with honour.
Ay my request's unjust,
And spurn me back: but if it be not so,
Thou art not honest; and the gods will plague thee,
That thou restrain'st from me the duty which
To a mother's part belongs.
He turns away: Down,ladies;
Let us shame him with our knees.
To his surname Coriolanus 'longs more pride
Than pity to our prayers.Down: an end;
This is the last: so we will home to Rome,
And die among our neighbours.Nay,behold 's:
This boy,that cannot tell what he would have
But kneels and holds up bands for fellowship,
Does reason our petition with more strength
Than thou hast to deny 't.Come,let us go:
This fellow had a Volscian to his mother;
His wife is in Corioli and his child
Like him by chance.Yet give us our dispatch:
I am hush'd until our city be a-fire,
And then I'll speak a little.
科利奥兰纳斯
看见孩子和女人的脸,容易使人心肠变软。我已经坐得太久了。
伏伦妮娅
不,不要就这样离开我们。要是我们的请求,是要你为了拯救罗马人的缘故而毁灭你所侍奉的伏尔斯人,那么你可以责备我们不该损害你的信誉;不,我们的请求只是要你替双方和解,伏尔斯人可以说,“我们已经表示了这样的慈悲,”罗马人也可以说,“我们已经接受了这样的恩典,”同时两方面都向你欢呼称颂,“祝福你替我们缔结和平!”你知道,我的伟大的儿子,战争的结果是不能确定的,可是这一点却可以确定:要是你征服了罗马,你所收得的利益,不过是一个永远伴着唾骂的恶名;历史上将要记载:“这个人本来是很英勇的,可是他在最后一次的行动里亲手涂去了他的令名,毁灭了他的国家,他的名字永受后世的憎恨。”儿子,对你的母亲不能默默无言哪:你已保全了体面,就该同天神一样做得光彩,虽然用雷电撕裂云层,却不妨霹雳一声,震倒一棵橡树,何必让生灵涂炭呢。你为什么不说话呢?你以为一个高贵的人,是应该不忘旧怨的吗?媳妇,你说话呀;他不理会你的哭泣呢。你也说话呀,孩子;也许你的天真会比我们的理由更能使他感动。没有一个人和他母亲的关系更密切了;可是他现在却让我像一个用脚镣锁着的囚人一样叨叨絮语,置若罔闻。你从来不曾对你亲爱的母亲表示过一点孝敬;她却像一头痴心爱着它头胎雏儿的母鸡似的,把你教养成人,送你献身疆场,又迎接你满载着光荣归来。要是我的请求是不正当的,你尽可以挥斥我回去;否则你就是不忠不孝,天神将要降祸于你,因为你不曾向你的母亲尽一个人子的义务。他转身去了;跪下来,让我们用屈膝羞辱他。附属于他那科利奥兰纳斯的姓氏上的,只有骄傲,没有一点怜悯。跪下来;完了,这是我们最后的哀求;我们现在要回到罗马去,和我们的邻人们死在一起。不,瞧着我们吧。这个小孩不会说他要些什么,只是陪着我们下跪举手,他代替我们呼吁的理由,比你拒绝的理由有力得多。来,我们去吧。这人有一个伏尔斯的母亲,他的妻子在科利奥里,他的孩子也许像他一样。可是请你给我们一个答复;我要等我们的城市在大火中焚烧以后,方才停止我的声音,那时候我也没有什么好说了。