メロスは激怒した。必ず、かの邪智暴虐の王を除かなければならぬと決意した。メロスには政治がわからぬ。メロスは、村の牧人である。笛を吹き、羊と遊んで暮して来た。けれども邪悪に対しては、人一倍に敏感であった。きょう未明メロスは村を出発し、野を越え山越え、十里はなれた此のシラクスの市にやって来た。メロスには父も、母も無い。女房も無い。十六の、内気な妹と二人暮しだ。この妹は、村の或る律気な一牧人を、近々、花婿として迎える事になっていた。結婚式も間近かなのである。メロスは、それゆえ、花嫁の衣裳やら祝宴の御馳走やらを買いに、はるばる市にやって来たのだ。先ず、その品々を買い集め、それから都の大路をぶらぶら歩いた。メロスには竹馬の友があった。セリヌンティウスである。今は此のシラクスの市で、石工をしている。その友を、これから訪ねてみるつもりなのだ。久しく逢わなかったのだから、訪ねて行くのが楽しみである。歩いているうちにメロスは、まちの様子を怪しく思った。ひっそりしている。もう既に日も落ちて、まちの暗いのは当りまえだが、けれども、なんだか、夜のせいばかりでは無く、市全体が、やけに寂しい。のんきなメロスも、だんだん不安になって来た。路で逢った若い衆をつかまえて、何かあったのか、二年まえに此の市に来たときは、夜でも皆が歌をうたって、まちは賑やかであった筈だが、と質問した。若い衆は、首を振って答えなかった。しばらく歩いて老爺に逢い、こんどはもっと、語勢を強くして質問した。老爺は答えなかった。メロスは両手で老爺のからだをゆすぶって質問を重ねた。老爺は、あたりをはばかる低声で、わずか答えた。

Melos was enraged. He resolved that he must rid the land of this wicked and tyrannical king. Melos knew nothing of politics. He was a simple shepherd from a village. He had spent his life playing his flute and frolicking with his sheep. Yet, he was more sensitive to evil than most. Before dawn today, Melos had set out from his village, crossing fields and mountains to reach the city of Syracuse, ten leagues away. Melos had neither father nor mother. Nor did he have a wife. He lived alone with his shy sixteen-year-old sister. She was soon to take an upright young shepherd from the village as her husband. The wedding was just around the corner. That was why Melos had traveled all the way to the city: to buy the bridal dress and food for the feast. First, he bought all the necessary goods, and then he strolled along the city’s main street. Melos had a childhood friend. His name was Selinuntius. He was now working as a stonemason here in Syracuse. Melos intended to pay him a visit now. It had been a long time since they last met, and he was looking forward to seeing him. As he walked, Melos began to find the state of the city strange. It was eerily quiet. The sun had already set, so it was natural for the town to be dark, yet the entire city felt dreadfully desolate, in a way that could not be blamed on the night alone. Even the easygoing Melos gradually grew uneasy. He caught hold of a young man on the street and questioned him, asking if something had happened, for when he had visited the city two years ago, people had been singing even at night, and the town was lively. The young man shook his head and gave no answer. Walking a little further, he met an old man, and this time he pressed his question more forcefully. The old man did not answer. Melos shook the old man with both hands and repeated his question. In a hushed whisper, glancing nervously around, the old man finally replied.