Bereczky Erzsébet (szerk.): Imre Madách: The Tragedy of Man. Essays about the ideas and the directing of the Drama (Budapest, 1985)
Imre Madách: The Tragedy of Man - full text of the drama - Translated by Joseph Grosz
Paints his own image on the water’s spate And toys with it, enjoying his new mate; Then generously he forgets that this Is just a pallid image of his spark Which will become with him together dark. ADAM Don’t speak so, Eve, don’t make me feel ashamed. What is a sound that none can understand? What is a light that colors can’t reflect? And what were I, if I could not renew Myself to better life in your own bloom, That I could always love myself in you? LUCIFER Why should I listen to their tender toying? I’ll turn away, or I’ll become ashamed That even my cold calculating brain Must envy these two lovers’ childish minds. (A bird begins to sing on a nearby branch.) EVE Yet listen to the lovesong of that bird; It is so sweet, so simple, yet superb! ADAM I listened to the roaring of a brook, And I believe it was the very song. EVE What a wondrous harmony is this. You hear So many sounds but just one sense, my dear! LUCIFER Why do I hesitate? Well, up to work! I swore their doom, and so their doom must come 137
