THE　CYCLOPS
  by　Euripides
  translated　by　E。　P。　Coleridge
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  SILENUS；　old　servant　of　the　CYCLOPS
  CHORUS　OF　SATYRS
  ODYSSEUS
  THE　CYCLOPS
  Companions　Of　ODYSSEUS
  （SCENE：…Before　the　great　cave　of　the　CYCLOPS　at　the　foot　of　Mount
  Aetna。　SILENUS　enters。　He　has　a　rake　with　him；　with　which　he　cleans　up
  the　ground　in　front　of　the　cave　as　he　soliloquizes。）
  SILENUS
  O　BROMIUS；　unnumbered　are　the　toils　I　bear　because　of　thee；　no
  less　now　than　when　I　was　young　and　hale；　first；　when　thou　wert
  driven　mad　by　Hera　and　didst　leave　the　mountain　nymphs；　thy　nurses；
  next；　when　in　battle　with　earth…born　spearmen　I　stood　beside　thee　on
  the　right　as　squire；　and　slew　Enceladus；　smiting　him　full　in　the
  middle　of　his　targe　with　my　spear。　Come；　though；　let　me　see；　must　I
  confess　'twas　all　a　dream？　No；　by　Zeus！　since　I　really　showed　his
  spoils　to　the　Bacchic　god。　And　now　am　I　enduring　to　the　full　a　toil
  still　worse　than　those。　For　when　Hera　sent　forth　a　race　of　Tyrrhene
  pirates　against　thee；　that　thou　mightest　be　smuggled　far　away；　I；　as
  soon　as　the　news　reached　me；　sailed　in　quest　of　thee　with　my　children；
  and；　taking　the　helm　myself；　I　stood　on　the　end　of　the　stern　and
  steered　our　trim　craft；　and　my　sons；　sitting　at　the　oars；　made　the
  grey　billows　froth　and　foam　as　they　sought　thee；　my　liege；　But　just　as
  we　had　come　nigh　Malea　in　our　course；　an　east　wind　blew　upon　the
  ship　and　drove　us　hither　to　the　rock　of　Aetna；　where　in　lonely　caverns
  dwell　the　one…eyed　children　of　ocean's　god；　the　murdering　Cyclopes。
  Captured　by　one　of　them　we　are　slaves　in　his　house；　Polyphemus　they
  call　him　whom　we　serve；　and　instead　of　Bacchic　revelry　we　are
  herding　a　godless　Cyclops's　flocks；　and　so　it　is　my　children；
  striplings　as　they　are；　tend　the　young　thereof　on　the　edge　of　the
  downs；　while　my　appointed　task　is　to　stay　here　and　fill　the　troughs
  and　sweep　out　the　cave；　or　wait　upon　the　ungodly　Cyclops　at　his
  impious　feasts。　His　orders　now　compel　obedience；　I　have　to　scrape
  out　his　house　with　the　rake　you　see；　so　as　to　receive　the　Cyclops；
  my　absent　master；　and　his　sheep　in　clean　caverns。
  But　already　I　see　my　children　driving　their　browsing　flocks
  towards　me。
  What　means　this？　is　the　beat　of　feet　in　the　Sicinnis　dance　the
  same　to　you　now　as　when　ye　attended　the　Bacchic　god　in　his　revelries
  and　made　your　way　with　dainty　steps　to　the　music　of　lyres　to　the　halls
  of　Althaea？
  （The　CHORUS　OF　SATYRS　enters；　driving　a　flock　of　goats　and　sheep。
  Servants　follow　them。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  strophe
  Offspring　of　well…bred　sires　and　dams；　pray　whither　wilt　thou　be
  gone　from　me　to　the　rocks？　Hast　thou　not　here　a　gentle　breeze；　and
  grass　to　browse；　and　water　from　the　eddying　stream　set　near　the　cave
  in　troughs？　and　are　not　thy　young　ones　bleating　for　thee？　Pst！　pst！
  wilt　thou　not　browse　here；　here　on　the　dewy　slope？　Ho！　ho　ere　long
  will　I　cast　a　stone　at　thee。　Away；　away！　O　horned　one；　to　the
  fold…keeper　of　the　Cyclops；　the　country…ranging　shepherd。
  antistrophe
  Loosen　thy　bursting　udder；　welcome　to　thy　teats　the　kids；　whom
  thou　leavest　in　the　lambkins'　pens。　Those　little　bleating　kids；　asleep
  the　livelong　day；　miss　thee；　wilt　then　leave　at　last　the　rich　grass
  pastures　on　the　peaks　of　Aetna　and　enter　the　fold？。。。
  epode
  Here　we　have　no　Bromian　god；　no　dances　here；　or　Bacchantes
  thyrsus…bearing；　no　roll　of　drums；　or　drops　of　sparkling　wine　by
  gurgling　founts；　nor　is　it　now　with　Nymphs　in　Nysa　I　sing　a　song　of
  Bacchus；　Bacchus！　to　the　queen　of　love；　in　quest　of　whom　I　once　sped
  on　with　Bacchantes；　white　of　foot。　Dear　friend；　dear　Bacchic　god；
  whither　art　roaming　alone；　waving　thy　auburn　locks；　while　I；　thy
  minister；　do　service　to　the　one…eyed　Cyclops；　a　slave　and　wanderer
  I；　clad　in　this　wretched　goat…skin　dress；　severed　from　thy　love？
  SILENUS
  Hush；　children！　and　bid　our　servants　fold　the　flocks　in　the
  rock…roofed　cavern。
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS　（to　Servants）
  Away！　（To　SILENUS）　But　prithee；　why　such　haste；　father？
  SILENUS
  I　see　the　hull　of　a　ship　from　Hellas　at　the　shore；　and　men；　that
  wield　the　oar；　on　their　way　to　this　cave　with　some　chieftain。　About
  their　necks　they　carry　empty　vessels　and　pitchers　for　water；　they
  are　in　want　of　food。　Luckless　strangers！　who　can　they　be？　They　know
  not　what　manner　of　man　our　master　Polyphemus　is；　to　have　set　foot　here
  in　his　cheerless　abode　and　come　to　the　jaws　of　the　cannibal　Cyclops　in
  an　evil　hour。　But　hold　ye　your　peace；　that　we　may　inquire　whence
  they　come　to　the　peak　of　Sicilian　Aetna。
  （ODYSSEUS　and　his　companions　enter。　They　carry　baskets　for
  provisions　and　water　jars。）
  ODYSSEUS
  Pray　tell　us；　sirs；　of　some　river…spring　whence　we　might　draw　a
  draught　to　slake　our　thirst；　or　of　someone　willing　to　sell　victuals　to
  mariners　in　need。
  Why；　what　is　this？　We　seem　to　have　chanced　upon　a　city　of　the
  Bromian　god；　here　by　the　caves　I　see　a　group　of　Satyrs。　To　the
  eldest　first　I　bid　〃All　hail！
  SILENUS
  All　hail；　sir！　tell　me　who　thou　art；　and　name　thy　country。
  ODYSSEUS
  Odysseus　of　Ithaca；　king　of　the　Cephallenians'　land。
  SILENUS
  I　know　him　for　a　prating　knave；　one　of　Sisyphus'　shrewd　offspring。
  ODYSSEUS
  I　am　the　man；　abuse　me　not。
  SILENUS
  Whence　hast　thou　sailed　hither　to　Sicily？
  ODYSSEUS
  From　Ilium　and　the　toils　of　Troy。
  SILENUS
  How　was　that？　didst　thou　not　know　the　passage　to　thy　native　land？
  ODYSSEUS
  Tempestuous　winds　drove　me　hither　against　my　will。
  SILENUS
  God　wot！　thou　art　in　the　same　plight　as　I　am。
  ODYSSEUS
  Why；　wert　thou　too　drifted　hither　against　thy　will？
  SILENUS
  I　was；　as　I　pursued　the　pirates　who　carried　Bromius　off。
  ODYSSEUS
  What　land　is　this　and　who　are　its　inhabitants？
  SILENUS
  This　is　mount　Aetna；　the　highest　point　in　Sicily。
  ODYSSEUS
  But　where　are　the　city…walls　and　ramparts？
  SILENUS
  There　are　none；　the　headlands；　sir；　are　void　of　men。
  ODYSSEUS
  Who　then　possess　the　land？　the　race　of　wild　creatures？
  SILENUS
  The　Cyclopes；　who　have　caves；　not　roofed　houses。
  ODYSSEUS
  Obedient　unto　whom？　or　is　the　power　in　the　people's　hands？
  SILENUS
  They　are　rovers；　no　man　obeys　another　in　anything。
  ODYSSEUS
  Do　they　sow　Demeter's　grain；　or　on　what　do　they　live？
  SILENUS
  On　milk　and　cheese　and　flesh　of　sheep。
  ODYSSEUS
  Have　they　the　drink　of　Bromius；　the　juice　of　the　vine？
  SILENUS
  No　indeed！　and　thus　it　is　a　joyless　land　they　dwell　in。
  ODYSSEUS
  Are　they　hospitable　and　reverent　towards　strangers？
  SILENUS
  Strangers；　they　say；　supply　the　daintiest　meat。
  ODYSSEUS
  What；　do　they　delight　in　killing　men　and　eating　them？
  SILENUS
  No　one　has　ever　arrived　here　without　being　butchered。
  ODYSSEUS
  Where　is　the　Cyclops　himself？　inside　his　dwelling？
  SILENUS
  He　is　gone　hunting　wild　beasts　with　hounds　on　Aetna。
  ODYSSEUS
  Dost　know　then　what　to　do；　that　we　may　be　gone　from　the　land？
  SILENUS
  Not　I；　Odysseus；　but　I　would　do　anything　for　thee。
  ODYSSEUS
  Sell　us　food；　of　which　we　are　in　need。
  SILENUS
  There　is　nothing　but　flesh；　as　I　said。
  ODYSSEUS
  Well；　even　that　is　a　pleasant　preventive　of　hunger。
  SILENUS
  And　there　is　cheese　curdled　with　fig…juice；　and　the　milk　of　kine。
  ODYSSEUS
  Bring　them　out；　a　man　should　see　his　purchases。
  SILENUS
  But　tell　me；　how　much　gold　wilt　thou　give　me　in　exchange？
  ODYSSEUS
  No　gold　bring　I；　but　Dionysus'　drink。
  SILENUS　（joyfully）
  Most　welcome　words！　I　have　long　been　wanting　that。
  ODYSSEUS
  Yes；　it　was　Maron；　the　god's　son；　who　gave　me　a　draught。
  SILENUS
  What！　Maron　whom　once　I　dandled　in　these　arms？
  ODYSSEUS
  The　son　of　the　Bacchic　god；　that　thou　mayst　learn　more　certainly。
  SILENUS
  Is　it　inside　the　ship；　or　hast　thou　it　with　thee？
  ODYSSEUS
  This；　as　thou　seest；　is　the　skin　that　holds　it；　old　sir。
  SILENUS
  Why；　that　would　not　give　me　so　much　as　a　mouthful。
  ODYSSEUS
  This；　and　twice　as　much　again　as　will　run　from　the　skin。
  SILENUS
  Fair　the　rill　thou　speakest　of；　delicious　to　me。
  ODYSSEUS
  Shall　I　let　thee　taste　the　wine　unmixed；　to　start　with？
  SILENUS
  A　reasonable　offer；　for　of　a　truth　a　taste　invites　the　purchase。
  ODYSSEUS
  Well；　I　haul　about　a　cup　as　well　as　the　skin。
  SILENUS
  Come；　let　it　gurgle　in；　that　I　may　revive　my　memory　by　a　pull　at
  it。
  ODYSSEUS　（pouring）
  There　then！
  SILENUS　（smelling　it）
  Ye　gods！　what　a　delicious　scent　it　has！
  ODYSSEUS
  What！　didst　thou　see　it？
  SILENUS
  No；　i'　faith；　but　I　smell　it。
  ODYSSEUS
  Taste　it　then；　that　thy　approval　may　not　stop　at　words。
  SILENUS　（taking　a　drink）
  Zounds！　Bacchus　is　inviting　me　to　dance；　ha！　ha！
  ODYSSEUS
  Did　it　not　gurgle　finely　down　thy　throttle？
  SILENUS
  Aye　that　it　did；　to　the　ends　of　my　fingers。
  ODYSSEUS