Hi! Long time no see, friends!
How things are going?
As for me, I had been struggling with translating "Run Melos!" or 走れメロス for two months.
And finally, I finished the whole story.
I don't think you are willing to read this looong story.
This post is just a commemoration of my challenge.
みなさん、お元気ですか？
私は、この２ヶ月 「走れメロス」の翻訳に挑戦していました。
なんとか、最後までやりきることができました。
この長いお話を、みなさんに読んでもらえるとは思っていませんが、
自分自身の記念にと思い、こちらに投稿してみました。まだ不完全なところだらけなので、ときどき見直して、修正していこうと思っています。
Run, Melos!
Melos trembled with anger,
"Okay, I shall remove the brutal king...."
He was just a simple shepherd living by tending his sheep.
He knew nothing about politics, but he was extremely sensitive to injustice.
Early this morning, he left his village, walked across hills and fields, and finally arrived in Syracuse, which was about ten ri (about 40 km) from his village.
He was single, and his parents have already passed away.
He lived with his sister, a 16 year-old bashful maiden, who was going to marry an honest shepherd who lived in the same village. They were thinking of getting married and planning to hold a wedding ceremony in the near future.
For that reason, Melos came all the way to this town that day to get a wedding dress for her and special food for the feast.
He first picked up those necessary things, and then hung around along the main street.
He had a childhood friend in Syracuse. His name was Selinuntius. He was working as a stonemason there.
So, Melos planned to visit him after he has finished the errands.
Melos had not seen Selinuntius for a long time, so he really looked forward to seeing him.
Walking in the town, he felt something strange with the atmosphere of the town.
It was abnormally silent.
Although the sun had already set, the whole town was too quiet.
Even Melos, who was easygoing in nature, became anxious.
So he caught a young man on the street and asked him; " Is anything up here? When I came here two years ago, people were singing songs day or night. Should it not be more bustling?
The young man responded with silence shaking his head.
So Melos walked further and came across an old man.
This time, Melos questioned him closely, but he didn't answer either.
Melos shook him by the shoulders and asked the question again.
The man murmured under his breath as if he feared something.
"The king kills..."
"Kills? Why, who does he kill?" asked Melos.
"He insists that they have a malicious motive. Yet I think he is mistaken." said the old man.
"How many people did he kill? Not a few? " asked Melos.
"Quite a few. First, his sister's husband. Then his son, his sister and her son, after that, his wife! At last, he killed his wise vassal, Achilles."
"Oh, my gosh! Is the king insane?" asked Melos.
"No. He just can't trust other people. He even is suspicious of his vassals' faith lately and ordered some vassals who live in an expensive manner, even if slightly, to pledge a hostage. If they refuse the order, the king hangs them on crosses. Today, he killed six vassals."
Hearing that, Melos foamed with anger and spit out, "What a disgusting king. I can't let him stay alive."
Since Melos was a simple and unsophisticated man, he immediately walked into the castle with his luggage on his back.
As soon as he entered the castle, the sentries caught and bound him up.
They checked up Melos and found a dagger in his pocket, which eventually turned into a big disadvantage for him.
They dragged him before the King.
"What were you going to do with this dagger? Tell the truth." asked the tyrant in a quiet, dignified manner.
His face was pale and the glabellar lines between his eyebrows were deep as if inscribed.
"I'll save the people from the brutal tyrant." replied Melos unapologetically.
"You?" said the king smiling wryly, and continued, "You're incurable. You can't understand my isolation."
"Huh? Stop the nonsense! Questioning other's honesty is the most shameful vice. You doubt even your people's faith." Melos argued back furiously.
"Well,...the very people who taught it to me were THEM. Hearts are unreliable. Human beings are inherently egoistic. You can't trust them." said the king calmly and then drew a deep sigh.
"Of course, I want peace." said the king.
"What is the peace for? For defending your status as a king? Killing innocent people, what peace you want?" Melos sneered back at the king.
"Shut up your mouth, plebeian!" called the king and looked up at Melos.
"They are only words. You can say whatever immaculatly in words. I can read human beings like a book. I'll just warn you, you'll cry and beg my forgiveness with regret when you are hung on a cross."
"Oh, yes. You are wise. Let yourself be egomaniac as you are. I'm ready to die. I'll never beg for my life. ....yet,..." Melos hesitated to continue, dropping his gaze to his feet. "Yet if you have slightest mercy, give me three days' grace before the execution. I'd like to see my only sister marry off. Within three days, I'll finish the wedding ceremony and will definitely come back here," said Melos.
"Don't talk stupid. How you can tell such a lie from the top of your head? Are you saying that a freed bird will return to the birdcage?" said the tyrant and laughed with a cynical hoarse voice.
"Yes, it will. And I will. I'll keep my word. Please give me three days. My sister is just looking forward to my return in the village.
Well, ...if you don't believe me, okay, there is a stonemason named Selinuntius in this city. He is my one and only best friend. I'll ask him to take my place, in short, as a hostage. If I escape, if I'm not here by the time the sun sets on the third day, you can hang him. Please, I beg you!"
Hearing that, the king felt a brutal thought come up in his mind and chuckled. He thought to himself.
"Huh, how he can make such a smart remark?
I'm sure he'll never come back.
Well, it may be interesting to let him go by pretending that I believe him.
Killing the scapegoat on the promised day may be fun.
I'll hang the hostage on the cross with a sad face saying "This is why I shouldn't believe others."
I want to show everyone, those so-called honest people, that I am right."
The king said to Melos,
"All right. I'll allow you to call the hostage. And you have to return by the time the sun sets three days later. If you are late, I'll kill the hostage. I recommend you to come back a little later than the appointed time. You will be forgiven eternally."
"What are you talking about?!" said Melos excited.
"Hahaha, if you want to stay alive, come late. I know what's in your mind." said the king.
Melos stamped his feet with frustration and didn't want to retort any more.
Selinuntius, Melos’ childhood friend, was called to the castle late at night.
The two old fellows met for the first time in two years.
Melos told Selinuntius the whole story.
Hearing that, Selinuntius nodded without speaking and hugged Melos.
No more words were needed between the old friends.
Selinuntius was then put in bonds and Melos departed immediately.
It was early summer and the sky was full of stars.
That night, Melos ran and ran 10 ri ( 10 ri ≒40 km ) without any break and reached his village before noon the next day.
The sun was already high in the sky and the villagers were working in the field.
His 16-year-old sister was also in the field to tend sheep in her brother's stead.
At that time, she found him tottering toward her in an exhausted manner.
Started at the sight, she asked him questions one after another.
“I'm OK. Don't worry," said Melos forcing his face into a smile and continued,
" By the way, I have something to do in Syracuse. I need to go back soon, so I decided to hold your wedding ceremony tomorrow. You know, the sooner, the better, right? ”
The sister blushed.
Melos said, “ Hahaha, you look delighted. I got a beautiful dress for you in the town. Okay, go now and tell the villagers that the wedding is tomorrow.”
He then shuffled down toward his house, decorated the altar, and prepared for the feast.
After that, he collapsed onto the floor and fell into a deep sleep.
Melos woke up in the evening.
Soon after waking up, he visited the groom’s house and asked him to consent to the wedding ceremony the next day because he had a compelling reason.
Surprised to hear that, the groom said, “That’s impossible. We haven’t prepared anything. Please wait till grape season.”
“I can’t. Please, I'm begging you” said Melos again.
The groom was stubborn and didn’t say yes easily.
The two men continued discussing until dawn, and finally, Melos succeeded in persuading the groom.
The ceremony was held in the daytime the next day.
When the wedding vows were done by the groom and bride, the dark clouds covered the sky all in sudden and it began to sprinkle with rain.
It became torrential soon.
All the villagers attending at the feast felt an uneasy premonition.
However they encouraged themselves while putting up with the damp heat in the narrow house, and sang songs, clapping hands merrily.
Melos, smiling fully, even had forgotten the promise with that king for a while.
The feast got really lively in the evening and people started not to care about the downpour outside.
Melos wished to stay there and live together with those good people for all the rest of his life.
“Yet this body is now not mine. I know things don’t go as they are wished,” Melos thought.
Finally, inspiring himself, Melos made a decision to set off the village.
But then, there was enough time left before the sun set the next day.
So Melos thought he would take a nap and after that he would depart promptly.
He also expected that it would stop pouring by that time.
He hoped to stay at home for as long as possible.
Even Melos had a lingering regret.
Melos walked to the bride who was beside herself with joy, and said,
“Congratulations dear! I’m just a bit tired. Sorry for my rudeness but I’d like to sleep for a little while. When I wake up, I’ll set for Syracuse immediately because I have important business there.
Even if I’m not by your side, you’ll never feel lonely because you have a kind husband now.
You know, I hate doubting others and lying.
Never hide things from your husband. That’s the only thing that I want to tell you.
And...you can be proud that your brother was, maybe, a respectable person."
The bride nodded with a dreamy look in her face.
Melos then patted the groom’s shoulder and said,
“Don’t worry about the insufficient preparation. We are even. All I have is my sister and my sheep. I don’t have anything else. I’ll give you all of them. And one more thing … just be proud of being Melos’s brother.”
The groom rubbed his hands in embarrassment.
Melos laughed at him and then bowed to the villagers and smiled, left the party, dashed into the sheep shed, and slept like a log.
Melos awoke in the early morning the next day.
He sprang up and thought, “Oh, my gosh, have I overslept? ...No, it’s still allright. I can make it if I start immediately. Today, I’ll demonstrate a concrete example of the sincerity between people to that king and I’ll be put on the cross smiling."
Melos then began to dress himself casually.
The rain seemed to have eased. Now Melos was ready to go.
He swung his arms and started off like an arrow in the rain.
Melos thought while running,
“I’ll be killed tonight. I'm running to be killed, to save my friend’s life, the substitute of my life.
I run to break the king’s evil, crooked scheme. I shall run to be killed. I’m young, yet I’ll defend my honor. Farewell, my beloved home village.”
As Melos was still young, that was a great agony.
Actually, he was almost about to stop running several times.
He ran whipping himself with his own yells.
He crossed the field, ran through the wood, and finally reached the neighboring village, when Melos knew that it had stopped raining and the sun was shining high in the sky. It gradually became hot.
Melos wiped sweat from his forehead and said,
“Thanks goodness, now I’m okay, I no longer have lingering affection for my home. I'm sure my sister will live happily with her husband. I have nothing to worry about on my mind now.
All I have to do is to go straight to the castle, but there is no need to make haste any more. I’ll go at a leisurely pace.”
Melos just restored his inherent carefreeness and began to sing a song in a good voice.
He walked at a slow pace 2 or 3 ri further and finally got to the halfway point, when he checked his steps.
He gasped at the sight of the river flooding just in front of him.
What a disaster! Due to the heavy rain the last day, the river overflooded and the river water gathered into muddy stream roaring, then it had ended up smashing the bridge over the river to pieces.
He stood astonished with the sight.
He looked all over and yelled at the top of his voice.
However he couldn’t see any boats nor any ferrymen around there.
Now the river swelled and looked like the ocean.
Melos crouched, and, crying, begged Zeus, extending his hands to the sky,
“Please! Calm this raging stream! Time ticks away. The sun is high. It’s already noon. If I can’t make it to the castle by sunset, my precious friend will die for me!”
However, the turbulent muddy stream became more furious as if ridiculing Melos.
The waves gulped down each other, twisted, stirred up fiercely while the seconds ticked away.
Now Melos determined,
“There is nothing but to swim across the river. Oh, heaven be my witness! I’ll show the power of my love and sincerity that will never be defeated by this furious stream.
Melos dived into the flow and started to fight against the raging waves that were wriggling like hundreds of snakes.
He dug his way madly against the rushing flow using all power of his arms, He crawled desperately in the midst of the rolling stream.
Oh see, finally, God granted his strenuous efforts with mercy!
Even though he had been swept by the current of the river, Melos fortunately managed to cling to the trunk of a tree on the other side of the river.
Thank heaven!
Melos shook his torso once like a horse and then started to run again.
Melos thought that he shouldn’t waste even a second.
The sun was now going to set in the west.
He ascended the pass gasping.
When he relieved to reach the top of the mountain, suddenly, a group of bandit appeared before him.
“Hey, wait!” called one of them.
“What! I have to get to the castle before the sun sets. Let me go.”
“No. Give us everything you have,” said the bandit.
“All I have is only my life. The life am I going to give the king soon.” Said Melos.
“We want it actually,” said the bandit grinning.
“Umm.. were you lurking me here under the order of the king?” asked Melos.
The bandits answered nothing and swung up their clubs all at once.
Melos bent himself low and then, like a bird, sprang into the air and fell upon the nearest bandit, and said snatching his club.
“ I am sorry but this is for justice" he said knocking three of them aside in an instant before rushing down the pass while the remaining bandits shrank back.
The scorching sun shone down on him.
He ran down the mountain at a dash. His exhaustion dizzied him many times.
“I can’t give up…” he tried to pull himself together, but finally, after he walked forward a few steps, he fell down on his knees.
Now he was unable to stand up again.
Looking up at the sky, he began to cry in vexation.
Melos said to himself,
"Ahh, Melos, you've crossed coursing rivers and defeated three bandits just to get this far. A true hero you were, Melos! A true hero! But here, now, tired to the break and unable to move... you are pitiable. Your beloved friend, will he die just for having believed in you? And will you, in betraying the expectations of your friend, fall precisely to the path the king expected of you? Your whole body lamed, you are no more than a worm."
Finally, he fell down onto the roadside grass.
"If the body should tired, the mind too will follow. 'Then, what will be will be. This is the end."
Melos felt a negligent thoughts creeping up in his mind.
“I did my best. I had no intent to break my promise. I'm sure heaven will testify that I've tried with all my might. I kept running until I couldn’t move any further. I’m not a faithless man. Ah, if I could, I would tear my chest to show them my bloody heart, and its blood made of love and sincerity.
And yet, I’m going to give up at the most critical time. What a wretch I am!
Maybe, people will laugh at me. My family too…
Ah, I deceived my friend.
If I give up halfway, it would be the same as having done nothing from the beginning.
Oh, well, whatever.
This may be my destiny.
Selinuntius! Forgive me! You‘ve always believed in me. In response, I’ve never deceived you. We’ve been really good friends. I've never doubted you, and you neither.
Ah, you will be waiting for me without a doubt, yes, without any shadow of doubt.
Thank you, Selinuntius!
Although I believe mutual trust between friends is the greatest treasure in the world, it actually even distresses me now.
Oh, Selinuntius! I really did try to the fullest extent. Believe me. I swear I had no intention to deceive you.
I ran and ran, and came this far somehow. I swam the muddy stream, broke through the circle of bandits, and dashed down the mountain without stopping. No one else besides me could have done those things.
Ah, don’t expect me any more. I’m beaten. Leave me alone. Whatever! I’m such a slob. Just scoff at me.
The king whispered into my ears that I should come a little late, if I come late, he would kill the scapegoat and forgive me instead.
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but hate his dirtiness.
However, now I’m just doing as he said.
I’ll be late, and the king will laugh at me taking it wrong way, and then will set me free uneventfully.
If it really happened, it must be more than agony.
I would be a betrayer forever, the most disgraceful man in the world.
Oh, Selinuntius, I would die, I would die in your company.
I believe only you would believe in me. Oh, no, is it also my selfish thinking?
Or, shall I live out as a wretch? I have my house and my sheep in my village. Surely my sister and her husband wouldn’t kick me out.
Justice, sincerity, love,…what on earth do they really mean? Nonsense! You know human beings live by the sacrifice of others. That’s the principle of this world. Ah, everything is nonsense. Yes, an ugly betrayer I am. Let it go.
There’s nothing I can do now,” said Melos and he then sprawled on the ground and fell into a nap.
Then, Melos recovered consciousness and heard the sound of water murmuring close to his ears.
He raised his head, held his breath, then listened attentively.
It seemed some water was running just by his feet.
He wobbled to his feet to see some crystal-like water gushing out from the crack of the rock. The stream was making a soft little sound.
As if drawn toward the spring, he bent his body, cupped up some water with his hands, and then drank it.
Melos blew out a long breath and felt as if he had awoken from a dream.
“ I can walk! I’ll go!” he thought.
As he recovered his energy, he found a faint ray of hope — a hope that he may be able to accomplish his duty or a hope that he would lay down his life to protect his honor.
The leaves of the trees were shining gold in the light of the setting sun.
There was yet a little time before sunset.
"He is waiting for me, placing high hopes on me, without any shadow of doubt. He is waiting for me calmly. He trusts me.
Now it doesn’t matter whether I live or die.
No excuse nor apology.
I have to prove worthy of his trust.
Now is the time! Run, Melos!
He trusts me. He believes in me.
What I got in my mind earlier was a bad dream, maybe a demon’s lure.
Forget it.
When you are exhausted, you tend to dream a bad dreams.
It’s not your fault.
All in all, you are the bravest of the brave.
Now, you recovered sufficiently to stand up again.”
Melos thanked heaven and thought,
“I'll be able to die as a man of justice.
Ah, the sun is setting every moment.
Oh, please, Zeus!
I’ve lived honestly up until now.
Let me die as an honest man.”
Shoving his way through the passerby, driving off people, Melos ran like a gust of wind.
He ran through the midst of an outdoor party, blew away a dog, and leaped over a creek.
He ran as ten times fast as the setting sun.
When he passed by a group of travelers, he overheard some ominous words in their conversation,
“I think that man may be on the cross now.”
“Oh! That man! I’m running this much for the very ‘man’!
I can’t let him die! Run, Melos! I must not be late!
Now is the time I can show them the power of love and honesty.
I don’t care how I look,” Melos thought.
Now Melos was running almost in the nude.
He was barely drawing his breaths while spitting blood.
“Oh! I can see!”
Finally Melos saw a shape of a tower in Syracuse far away. The tower was shining in the light of the setting sun. Just at the time, Melos heard a wheezing voice in the wind, “Ah, Sir!”
Melos asked while running, “Who’re you?”
The young stonemason answered in a loud voice while running after Melos, “It’s me, Philostratos, an apprentice of your friend Selinuntius.”
He continued, “This is pointless. It’s no use running any more. Stop running. You can’t save my master.”
“No! The sun is still in the sky!” Melos came back at him.
“My master will be hanged right about now. Ah, you couldn’t make it. I blame you. I wish you were here just a bit earlier,” said the young man.
“No! The sun hasn’t gone down yet,” Melos said and kept running while staring at the setting big red sun.
His heart was about to burst but he thought he just had to run.
“Stop, Sir! Please stop running. At this time, your life comes first.
My master was calm and still believed in you even though he was dragged before the noose.
The king teased and made fun of him. However, he just answered, “I’m sure he will come,” and looked like he kept having a strong belief,” said the man.
“That is why I run. Because he believes in me, I run. Now it doesn’t matter whether I’ll be in time or not.
It also doesn’t even matter whether we will live or die.
I’m running for something more important.
Follow me, Philostratos!”
“Oh, have you lost your sanity? If so, run to your heart’s content.
You might be in time by a very little chance. Just give it a try,” said Philostratos.
“You're telling me! The sun still clings to the sky,” said Melos as he ran with his last remaining strength.
Now his brain was no longer in control of his body.
Nothing was on his mind.
He ran by sheer force of unknown power.
At last, the sun set on the horizon.
Just when the last afterglow of the sunset faded out, Melos rushed into the execution ground like a gale. He did it!
“ Wait a moment! Stop the execution! I’m here! As promised, I came back!” although Melos thought he shouted his head off toward the crowd, he could scarcely pronounce those words. No one noticed his arrival.
The scaffold was already built up and Selinuntius, in bonds, was being hung up little by little.
Seeing that, Melos, gathering the last of his strength, waded through the crowd as if swimming against the muddy stream, and cried,
“Me! It’s me who shall be executed! Melos! I am the very person who turned him into a hostage! “
Crying out in a hoarse voice, with his all strength, he clung to his friend’s legs.
“Ohhhhhh…”
The crowd howled and babbled.
People there yelled individually, “That’s the boy!“ “He is great! Please forgive me!“
And finally, Selinuntius was unbinded.
“Selinuntius! Hit me. Hit me as hard as you can. To tell the truth, I had a bad dream on my way here and was almost about to break my promise. I don't have a right to hug you until you hit me. Hit me!” said Melos with tears in his eyes.
Selinuntius seemed to have gotten his message and nodded.
He then slapped Melos on his right cheek, which resonated all around.
And then, he said to Melos smiling,
“Melos! Hit me. Hit me as hard as I did. Actually, I doubted you once in these three days. I doubted you for the first time in my life. I don’t have the right to hug you, until you hit me.”
Melos took a full swing and hit Selinuntius on his cheek.
“Thank you, my friend,” the two men said simultaneously and then embraced each other.
They began to cry loudly with joy.
Some people there even wept as they saw them.
The tyrant Dionys was watching them from behind the crowd. And then walked to them calmly, told them blushing,
“Your wish is granted. You two defeated my cruel heart.
Now I see that sincerity is not a fictional fabrication. Well… I wonder if you two would mind if I asked you to be my friends. Would you please grant my wish and consider me as your friend?”
Hearing that, the crowd gave a roar and shouts of joy,
“Hurrah!” “Hurrah for our king!”
Then, a girl held out a red cloak to Melos.
Melos seemed puzzled, so his friend kindly told him,
“Melos, you are stark-naked. Put the cloak on quickly.
I think this cute lady must be chagrined to let people see your nudity.”
And this made him blush to the roots of his hair.
The end.
(Inspired by an old legend and Shiller’s poem.)
If you are reading here, you might have read this story from the beginning to the end. Am I right? That's incredible! I really appreciate your patience! Let me say this again. THANK YOU!!!
How things are going?
As for me, I had been struggling with translating "Run Melos!" or 走れメロス for two months.
And finally, I finished the whole story.
I don't think you are willing to read this looong story.
This post is just a commemoration of my challenge.
みなさん、お元気ですか？
私は、この２ヶ月 「走れメロス」の翻訳に挑戦していました。
なんとか、最後までやりきることができました。
この長いお話を、みなさんに読んでもらえるとは思っていませんが、
自分自身の記念にと思い、こちらに投稿してみました。まだ不完全なところだらけなので、ときどき見直して、修正していこうと思っています。
Run, Melos!
Melos trembled with anger,
"Okay, I shall remove the brutal king...."
He was just a simple shepherd living by tending his sheep.
He knew nothing about politics, but he was extremely sensitive to injustice.
Early this morning, he left his village, walked across hills and fields, and finally arrived in Syracuse, which was about ten ri (about 40 km) from his village.
He was single, and his parents have already passed away.
He lived with his sister, a 16 year-old bashful maiden, who was going to marry an honest shepherd who lived in the same village. They were thinking of getting married and planning to hold a wedding ceremony in the near future.
For that reason, Melos came all the way to this town that day to get a wedding dress for her and special food for the feast.
He first picked up those necessary things, and then hung around along the main street.
He had a childhood friend in Syracuse. His name was Selinuntius. He was working as a stonemason there.
So, Melos planned to visit him after he has finished the errands.
Melos had not seen Selinuntius for a long time, so he really looked forward to seeing him.
Walking in the town, he felt something strange with the atmosphere of the town.
It was abnormally silent.
Although the sun had already set, the whole town was too quiet.
Even Melos, who was easygoing in nature, became anxious.
So he caught a young man on the street and asked him; " Is anything up here? When I came here two years ago, people were singing songs day or night. Should it not be more bustling?
The young man responded with silence shaking his head.
So Melos walked further and came across an old man.
This time, Melos questioned him closely, but he didn't answer either.
Melos shook him by the shoulders and asked the question again.
The man murmured under his breath as if he feared something.
"The king kills..."
"Kills? Why, who does he kill?" asked Melos.
"He insists that they have a malicious motive. Yet I think he is mistaken." said the old man.
"How many people did he kill? Not a few? " asked Melos.
"Quite a few. First, his sister's husband. Then his son, his sister and her son, after that, his wife! At last, he killed his wise vassal, Achilles."
"Oh, my gosh! Is the king insane?" asked Melos.
"No. He just can't trust other people. He even is suspicious of his vassals' faith lately and ordered some vassals who live in an expensive manner, even if slightly, to pledge a hostage. If they refuse the order, the king hangs them on crosses. Today, he killed six vassals."
Hearing that, Melos foamed with anger and spit out, "What a disgusting king. I can't let him stay alive."
Since Melos was a simple and unsophisticated man, he immediately walked into the castle with his luggage on his back.
As soon as he entered the castle, the sentries caught and bound him up.
They checked up Melos and found a dagger in his pocket, which eventually turned into a big disadvantage for him.
They dragged him before the King.
"What were you going to do with this dagger? Tell the truth." asked the tyrant in a quiet, dignified manner.
His face was pale and the glabellar lines between his eyebrows were deep as if inscribed.
"I'll save the people from the brutal tyrant." replied Melos unapologetically.
"You?" said the king smiling wryly, and continued, "You're incurable. You can't understand my isolation."
"Huh? Stop the nonsense! Questioning other's honesty is the most shameful vice. You doubt even your people's faith." Melos argued back furiously.
"Well,...the very people who taught it to me were THEM. Hearts are unreliable. Human beings are inherently egoistic. You can't trust them." said the king calmly and then drew a deep sigh.
"Of course, I want peace." said the king.
"What is the peace for? For defending your status as a king? Killing innocent people, what peace you want?" Melos sneered back at the king.
"Shut up your mouth, plebeian!" called the king and looked up at Melos.
"They are only words. You can say whatever immaculatly in words. I can read human beings like a book. I'll just warn you, you'll cry and beg my forgiveness with regret when you are hung on a cross."
"Oh, yes. You are wise. Let yourself be egomaniac as you are. I'm ready to die. I'll never beg for my life. ....yet,..." Melos hesitated to continue, dropping his gaze to his feet. "Yet if you have slightest mercy, give me three days' grace before the execution. I'd like to see my only sister marry off. Within three days, I'll finish the wedding ceremony and will definitely come back here," said Melos.
"Don't talk stupid. How you can tell such a lie from the top of your head? Are you saying that a freed bird will return to the birdcage?" said the tyrant and laughed with a cynical hoarse voice.
"Yes, it will. And I will. I'll keep my word. Please give me three days. My sister is just looking forward to my return in the village.
Well, ...if you don't believe me, okay, there is a stonemason named Selinuntius in this city. He is my one and only best friend. I'll ask him to take my place, in short, as a hostage. If I escape, if I'm not here by the time the sun sets on the third day, you can hang him. Please, I beg you!"
Hearing that, the king felt a brutal thought come up in his mind and chuckled. He thought to himself.
"Huh, how he can make such a smart remark?
I'm sure he'll never come back.
Well, it may be interesting to let him go by pretending that I believe him.
Killing the scapegoat on the promised day may be fun.
I'll hang the hostage on the cross with a sad face saying "This is why I shouldn't believe others."
I want to show everyone, those so-called honest people, that I am right."
The king said to Melos,
"All right. I'll allow you to call the hostage. And you have to return by the time the sun sets three days later. If you are late, I'll kill the hostage. I recommend you to come back a little later than the appointed time. You will be forgiven eternally."
"What are you talking about?!" said Melos excited.
"Hahaha, if you want to stay alive, come late. I know what's in your mind." said the king.
Melos stamped his feet with frustration and didn't want to retort any more.
Selinuntius, Melos’ childhood friend, was called to the castle late at night.
The two old fellows met for the first time in two years.
Melos told Selinuntius the whole story.
Hearing that, Selinuntius nodded without speaking and hugged Melos.
No more words were needed between the old friends.
Selinuntius was then put in bonds and Melos departed immediately.
It was early summer and the sky was full of stars.
That night, Melos ran and ran 10 ri ( 10 ri ≒40 km ) without any break and reached his village before noon the next day.
The sun was already high in the sky and the villagers were working in the field.
His 16-year-old sister was also in the field to tend sheep in her brother's stead.
At that time, she found him tottering toward her in an exhausted manner.
Started at the sight, she asked him questions one after another.
“I'm OK. Don't worry," said Melos forcing his face into a smile and continued,
" By the way, I have something to do in Syracuse. I need to go back soon, so I decided to hold your wedding ceremony tomorrow. You know, the sooner, the better, right? ”
The sister blushed.
Melos said, “ Hahaha, you look delighted. I got a beautiful dress for you in the town. Okay, go now and tell the villagers that the wedding is tomorrow.”
He then shuffled down toward his house, decorated the altar, and prepared for the feast.
After that, he collapsed onto the floor and fell into a deep sleep.
Melos woke up in the evening.
Soon after waking up, he visited the groom’s house and asked him to consent to the wedding ceremony the next day because he had a compelling reason.
Surprised to hear that, the groom said, “That’s impossible. We haven’t prepared anything. Please wait till grape season.”
“I can’t. Please, I'm begging you” said Melos again.
The groom was stubborn and didn’t say yes easily.
The two men continued discussing until dawn, and finally, Melos succeeded in persuading the groom.
The ceremony was held in the daytime the next day.
When the wedding vows were done by the groom and bride, the dark clouds covered the sky all in sudden and it began to sprinkle with rain.
It became torrential soon.
All the villagers attending at the feast felt an uneasy premonition.
However they encouraged themselves while putting up with the damp heat in the narrow house, and sang songs, clapping hands merrily.
Melos, smiling fully, even had forgotten the promise with that king for a while.
The feast got really lively in the evening and people started not to care about the downpour outside.
Melos wished to stay there and live together with those good people for all the rest of his life.
“Yet this body is now not mine. I know things don’t go as they are wished,” Melos thought.
Finally, inspiring himself, Melos made a decision to set off the village.
But then, there was enough time left before the sun set the next day.
So Melos thought he would take a nap and after that he would depart promptly.
He also expected that it would stop pouring by that time.
He hoped to stay at home for as long as possible.
Even Melos had a lingering regret.
Melos walked to the bride who was beside herself with joy, and said,
“Congratulations dear! I’m just a bit tired. Sorry for my rudeness but I’d like to sleep for a little while. When I wake up, I’ll set for Syracuse immediately because I have important business there.
Even if I’m not by your side, you’ll never feel lonely because you have a kind husband now.
You know, I hate doubting others and lying.
Never hide things from your husband. That’s the only thing that I want to tell you.
And...you can be proud that your brother was, maybe, a respectable person."
The bride nodded with a dreamy look in her face.
Melos then patted the groom’s shoulder and said,
“Don’t worry about the insufficient preparation. We are even. All I have is my sister and my sheep. I don’t have anything else. I’ll give you all of them. And one more thing … just be proud of being Melos’s brother.”
The groom rubbed his hands in embarrassment.
Melos laughed at him and then bowed to the villagers and smiled, left the party, dashed into the sheep shed, and slept like a log.
Melos awoke in the early morning the next day.
He sprang up and thought, “Oh, my gosh, have I overslept? ...No, it’s still allright. I can make it if I start immediately. Today, I’ll demonstrate a concrete example of the sincerity between people to that king and I’ll be put on the cross smiling."
Melos then began to dress himself casually.
The rain seemed to have eased. Now Melos was ready to go.
He swung his arms and started off like an arrow in the rain.
Melos thought while running,
“I’ll be killed tonight. I'm running to be killed, to save my friend’s life, the substitute of my life.
I run to break the king’s evil, crooked scheme. I shall run to be killed. I’m young, yet I’ll defend my honor. Farewell, my beloved home village.”
As Melos was still young, that was a great agony.
Actually, he was almost about to stop running several times.
He ran whipping himself with his own yells.
He crossed the field, ran through the wood, and finally reached the neighboring village, when Melos knew that it had stopped raining and the sun was shining high in the sky. It gradually became hot.
Melos wiped sweat from his forehead and said,
“Thanks goodness, now I’m okay, I no longer have lingering affection for my home. I'm sure my sister will live happily with her husband. I have nothing to worry about on my mind now.
All I have to do is to go straight to the castle, but there is no need to make haste any more. I’ll go at a leisurely pace.”
Melos just restored his inherent carefreeness and began to sing a song in a good voice.
He walked at a slow pace 2 or 3 ri further and finally got to the halfway point, when he checked his steps.
He gasped at the sight of the river flooding just in front of him.
What a disaster! Due to the heavy rain the last day, the river overflooded and the river water gathered into muddy stream roaring, then it had ended up smashing the bridge over the river to pieces.
He stood astonished with the sight.
He looked all over and yelled at the top of his voice.
However he couldn’t see any boats nor any ferrymen around there.
Now the river swelled and looked like the ocean.
Melos crouched, and, crying, begged Zeus, extending his hands to the sky,
“Please! Calm this raging stream! Time ticks away. The sun is high. It’s already noon. If I can’t make it to the castle by sunset, my precious friend will die for me!”
However, the turbulent muddy stream became more furious as if ridiculing Melos.
The waves gulped down each other, twisted, stirred up fiercely while the seconds ticked away.
Now Melos determined,
“There is nothing but to swim across the river. Oh, heaven be my witness! I’ll show the power of my love and sincerity that will never be defeated by this furious stream.
Melos dived into the flow and started to fight against the raging waves that were wriggling like hundreds of snakes.
He dug his way madly against the rushing flow using all power of his arms, He crawled desperately in the midst of the rolling stream.
Oh see, finally, God granted his strenuous efforts with mercy!
Even though he had been swept by the current of the river, Melos fortunately managed to cling to the trunk of a tree on the other side of the river.
Thank heaven!
Melos shook his torso once like a horse and then started to run again.
Melos thought that he shouldn’t waste even a second.
The sun was now going to set in the west.
He ascended the pass gasping.
When he relieved to reach the top of the mountain, suddenly, a group of bandit appeared before him.
“Hey, wait!” called one of them.
“What! I have to get to the castle before the sun sets. Let me go.”
“No. Give us everything you have,” said the bandit.
“All I have is only my life. The life am I going to give the king soon.” Said Melos.
“We want it actually,” said the bandit grinning.
“Umm.. were you lurking me here under the order of the king?” asked Melos.
The bandits answered nothing and swung up their clubs all at once.
Melos bent himself low and then, like a bird, sprang into the air and fell upon the nearest bandit, and said snatching his club.
“ I am sorry but this is for justice" he said knocking three of them aside in an instant before rushing down the pass while the remaining bandits shrank back.
The scorching sun shone down on him.
He ran down the mountain at a dash. His exhaustion dizzied him many times.
“I can’t give up…” he tried to pull himself together, but finally, after he walked forward a few steps, he fell down on his knees.
Now he was unable to stand up again.
Looking up at the sky, he began to cry in vexation.
Melos said to himself,
"Ahh, Melos, you've crossed coursing rivers and defeated three bandits just to get this far. A true hero you were, Melos! A true hero! But here, now, tired to the break and unable to move... you are pitiable. Your beloved friend, will he die just for having believed in you? And will you, in betraying the expectations of your friend, fall precisely to the path the king expected of you? Your whole body lamed, you are no more than a worm."
Finally, he fell down onto the roadside grass.
"If the body should tired, the mind too will follow. 'Then, what will be will be. This is the end."
Melos felt a negligent thoughts creeping up in his mind.
“I did my best. I had no intent to break my promise. I'm sure heaven will testify that I've tried with all my might. I kept running until I couldn’t move any further. I’m not a faithless man. Ah, if I could, I would tear my chest to show them my bloody heart, and its blood made of love and sincerity.
And yet, I’m going to give up at the most critical time. What a wretch I am!
Maybe, people will laugh at me. My family too…
Ah, I deceived my friend.
If I give up halfway, it would be the same as having done nothing from the beginning.
Oh, well, whatever.
This may be my destiny.
Selinuntius! Forgive me! You‘ve always believed in me. In response, I’ve never deceived you. We’ve been really good friends. I've never doubted you, and you neither.
Ah, you will be waiting for me without a doubt, yes, without any shadow of doubt.
Thank you, Selinuntius!
Although I believe mutual trust between friends is the greatest treasure in the world, it actually even distresses me now.
Oh, Selinuntius! I really did try to the fullest extent. Believe me. I swear I had no intention to deceive you.
I ran and ran, and came this far somehow. I swam the muddy stream, broke through the circle of bandits, and dashed down the mountain without stopping. No one else besides me could have done those things.
Ah, don’t expect me any more. I’m beaten. Leave me alone. Whatever! I’m such a slob. Just scoff at me.
The king whispered into my ears that I should come a little late, if I come late, he would kill the scapegoat and forgive me instead.
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but hate his dirtiness.
However, now I’m just doing as he said.
I’ll be late, and the king will laugh at me taking it wrong way, and then will set me free uneventfully.
If it really happened, it must be more than agony.
I would be a betrayer forever, the most disgraceful man in the world.
Oh, Selinuntius, I would die, I would die in your company.
I believe only you would believe in me. Oh, no, is it also my selfish thinking?
Or, shall I live out as a wretch? I have my house and my sheep in my village. Surely my sister and her husband wouldn’t kick me out.
Justice, sincerity, love,…what on earth do they really mean? Nonsense! You know human beings live by the sacrifice of others. That’s the principle of this world. Ah, everything is nonsense. Yes, an ugly betrayer I am. Let it go.
There’s nothing I can do now,” said Melos and he then sprawled on the ground and fell into a nap.
Then, Melos recovered consciousness and heard the sound of water murmuring close to his ears.
He raised his head, held his breath, then listened attentively.
It seemed some water was running just by his feet.
He wobbled to his feet to see some crystal-like water gushing out from the crack of the rock. The stream was making a soft little sound.
As if drawn toward the spring, he bent his body, cupped up some water with his hands, and then drank it.
Melos blew out a long breath and felt as if he had awoken from a dream.
“ I can walk! I’ll go!” he thought.
As he recovered his energy, he found a faint ray of hope — a hope that he may be able to accomplish his duty or a hope that he would lay down his life to protect his honor.
The leaves of the trees were shining gold in the light of the setting sun.
There was yet a little time before sunset.
"He is waiting for me, placing high hopes on me, without any shadow of doubt. He is waiting for me calmly. He trusts me.
Now it doesn’t matter whether I live or die.
No excuse nor apology.
I have to prove worthy of his trust.
Now is the time! Run, Melos!
He trusts me. He believes in me.
What I got in my mind earlier was a bad dream, maybe a demon’s lure.
Forget it.
When you are exhausted, you tend to dream a bad dreams.
It’s not your fault.
All in all, you are the bravest of the brave.
Now, you recovered sufficiently to stand up again.”
Melos thanked heaven and thought,
“I'll be able to die as a man of justice.
Ah, the sun is setting every moment.
Oh, please, Zeus!
I’ve lived honestly up until now.
Let me die as an honest man.”
Shoving his way through the passerby, driving off people, Melos ran like a gust of wind.
He ran through the midst of an outdoor party, blew away a dog, and leaped over a creek.
He ran as ten times fast as the setting sun.
When he passed by a group of travelers, he overheard some ominous words in their conversation,
“I think that man may be on the cross now.”
“Oh! That man! I’m running this much for the very ‘man’!
I can’t let him die! Run, Melos! I must not be late!
Now is the time I can show them the power of love and honesty.
I don’t care how I look,” Melos thought.
Now Melos was running almost in the nude.
He was barely drawing his breaths while spitting blood.
“Oh! I can see!”
Finally Melos saw a shape of a tower in Syracuse far away. The tower was shining in the light of the setting sun. Just at the time, Melos heard a wheezing voice in the wind, “Ah, Sir!”
Melos asked while running, “Who’re you?”
The young stonemason answered in a loud voice while running after Melos, “It’s me, Philostratos, an apprentice of your friend Selinuntius.”
He continued, “This is pointless. It’s no use running any more. Stop running. You can’t save my master.”
“No! The sun is still in the sky!” Melos came back at him.
“My master will be hanged right about now. Ah, you couldn’t make it. I blame you. I wish you were here just a bit earlier,” said the young man.
“No! The sun hasn’t gone down yet,” Melos said and kept running while staring at the setting big red sun.
His heart was about to burst but he thought he just had to run.
“Stop, Sir! Please stop running. At this time, your life comes first.
My master was calm and still believed in you even though he was dragged before the noose.
The king teased and made fun of him. However, he just answered, “I’m sure he will come,” and looked like he kept having a strong belief,” said the man.
“That is why I run. Because he believes in me, I run. Now it doesn’t matter whether I’ll be in time or not.
It also doesn’t even matter whether we will live or die.
I’m running for something more important.
Follow me, Philostratos!”
“Oh, have you lost your sanity? If so, run to your heart’s content.
You might be in time by a very little chance. Just give it a try,” said Philostratos.
“You're telling me! The sun still clings to the sky,” said Melos as he ran with his last remaining strength.
Now his brain was no longer in control of his body.
Nothing was on his mind.
He ran by sheer force of unknown power.
At last, the sun set on the horizon.
Just when the last afterglow of the sunset faded out, Melos rushed into the execution ground like a gale. He did it!
“ Wait a moment! Stop the execution! I’m here! As promised, I came back!” although Melos thought he shouted his head off toward the crowd, he could scarcely pronounce those words. No one noticed his arrival.
The scaffold was already built up and Selinuntius, in bonds, was being hung up little by little.
Seeing that, Melos, gathering the last of his strength, waded through the crowd as if swimming against the muddy stream, and cried,
“Me! It’s me who shall be executed! Melos! I am the very person who turned him into a hostage! “
Crying out in a hoarse voice, with his all strength, he clung to his friend’s legs.
“Ohhhhhh…”
The crowd howled and babbled.
People there yelled individually, “That’s the boy!“ “He is great! Please forgive me!“
And finally, Selinuntius was unbinded.
“Selinuntius! Hit me. Hit me as hard as you can. To tell the truth, I had a bad dream on my way here and was almost about to break my promise. I don't have a right to hug you until you hit me. Hit me!” said Melos with tears in his eyes.
Selinuntius seemed to have gotten his message and nodded.
He then slapped Melos on his right cheek, which resonated all around.
And then, he said to Melos smiling,
“Melos! Hit me. Hit me as hard as I did. Actually, I doubted you once in these three days. I doubted you for the first time in my life. I don’t have the right to hug you, until you hit me.”
Melos took a full swing and hit Selinuntius on his cheek.
“Thank you, my friend,” the two men said simultaneously and then embraced each other.
They began to cry loudly with joy.
Some people there even wept as they saw them.
The tyrant Dionys was watching them from behind the crowd. And then walked to them calmly, told them blushing,
“Your wish is granted. You two defeated my cruel heart.
Now I see that sincerity is not a fictional fabrication. Well… I wonder if you two would mind if I asked you to be my friends. Would you please grant my wish and consider me as your friend?”
Hearing that, the crowd gave a roar and shouts of joy,
“Hurrah!” “Hurrah for our king!”
Then, a girl held out a red cloak to Melos.
Melos seemed puzzled, so his friend kindly told him,
“Melos, you are stark-naked. Put the cloak on quickly.
I think this cute lady must be chagrined to let people see your nudity.”
And this made him blush to the roots of his hair.
The end.
(Inspired by an old legend and Shiller’s poem.)
If you are reading here, you might have read this story from the beginning to the end. Am I right? That's incredible! I really appreciate your patience! Let me say this again. THANK YOU!!!
