《最後的詩歌》
XXV
第二十五首
神諭
The Oracles
英國 A. E. 豪斯曼原著
Alfred Edward Housman (1859 – 1936)
徐家禎翻譯
’Tis mute, the word they went to hear on high Dodona mountain
When winds were in the oakenshaws and all the cauldrons tolled,
And mute’s the midland navel-stone beside the singing fountain,
And echoes list to silence now where gods told lies of old.
I took my question to the shrine that has not ceased from speaking,
The heart within, that tells the truth and tells it twice as plain;
And from the cave of oracles I heard the priestess shrieking
That she and I should surely die and never live again.
Oh priestess, what you cry is clear, and sound good sense I think it;
But let the screaming echoes rest, and froth your mouth no more.
’Tis true there’s better boose than brine, but he that drowns must drink it;
And oh, my lass, the news is news that men have heard before.
The King with half the East at heel is marched from lands of morning;
Their fighters drink the rivers up, their shafts benight the air,
And he that stands will die for nought, and home there’s no returning.
The Spartans on the sea-wet rock sat down and combed their hair.
風在橡樹林中穿過,所有的鼎鑊全都嗡嗡作聲,
他們去多多納高山聆聽神諭,卻什麽聲音都沒聽見,
歌唱泉邊的中心石上也一片靜寂,
現在回聲傾聽著靜默,而以前神在此說些古老的謊言。
我把問題帶去神壇,那裏還沒有停止發聲,
從內心深處道出真理,清清楚楚說了兩遍;
從神諭的岩洞裏我聽見女祭司尖厲的聲音,
她說我與她定會死去而且絕無複活的存念。
哦,女祭司呀,你的喊聲非常清楚,而且說得順理成章,
但是,讓尖叫的回聲停止吧,別再口中白沫四濺,
當然啤酒要比鹽水好喝,但是淹溺的人卻隻有鹽水可喝,
哦,我的姑娘呀,你的消息對我們來說已不新鮮。
國王率領半個東方的軍隊已從早晨的國土進軍;
他們的戰士能將河水喝幹,他們的箭矢能將天空遮掩,
而堅守挺立著的他將白白犧牲,永遠無法回到家園。
斯巴達人梳理著頭發,坐在海水打濕的岩石上麵。
二0二二年四月二十七日
譯於澳大利亞刻來佛寺愛閑堂