Greek tragedy perished in a manner quite different from the older sister arts:
希腊悲剧的灭亡不同于她的姊辈艺术:
it died by suicide, in consequence of an insoluble conflict, while the others died serene and natural deaths at advanced ages.
她为了一种难解的纠纷自杀而死,所以是悲壮的牺牲。其余的艺术则尽其天年,善终辞世。
If it is the sign of a happy natural condition to die painlessly, leaving behind a fair progeny, then the decease of those older genres exhibits such a condition;
要是说愉快的善终应该是留下盛昌的儿孙,安然撒手尘世;那末,姊辈艺术的末日,就是这样一种愉快的善终:
they sank slowly, and their children, fairer than they, stood before their dying eyes, lifting up their heads in eagerness.
她们漫漫地衰老而死,在弥留之日,还有茁壮的儿孙站在眼前,以果敢的姿态急不暇待地昂起头来。
The death of Greek tragedy, on the other hand, created a tremendous vacuum that was felt far and wide.
然而,希腊悲剧一死,到处都深深感到莫大的空虚。
As the Greek sailors in the time of Tiberius heard from a lonely island the agonizing cry "Great Pan is dead!"
正如昔日在提伯玩斯时代希腊舟子们在荒岛上听到凄厉的哀叫:“大潘神死了!”
so could be heard ringing now through the entire Greek world these painful cries:
同样,在悲剧的末日,希腊遍地都可以听到凄凄切切的哀悼:
"Tragedy is dead! And poetry has perished with it!
“悲剧死了!诗歌也随之而灭亡!
Away with you, puny, spiritless imitators!
滚开,滚开你们形容枯槁颜色憔悴的后辈!
Away with you to Hades, where you may eat your fill of the crumbs thrown you by former masters!"
滚到地府去,在那儿还可以饱餐一顿你们先辈大师的剩菜残羹!”