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第 39 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9320
  brightly  burnished seats。        And   they;  quiet   and silent;  sped   to the   hearth
  and sat there; as is the wont of wretched suppliants。                Medea hid her face
  in both her hands; but Jason fixed in the ground the mighty hilted sword
  with which he had slain Aeetes' son; nor did they raise their eyes to meet
  her    look。    And     straightway     Circe    became     aware    of   the  doom     of   a
  suppliant      and   the   guilt   of  murder。     Wherefore      in  reverence      for  the
  ordinance   of   Zeus;   the   god     of   suppliants;   who    is   a   god   of   wrath  yet
  mightily aids slayers of men; she began to offer the sacrifice with which
  ruthless suppliants are cleansed from guilt when they approach the altar。
  First; to atone for the murder still unexpiated; she held above their heads
  the young of a sow whose dugs yet swelled from the fruit of the womb;
  and; severing its neck; sprinkled their hands with the blood; and again she
  made propitiation with other drink offerings; calling on Zeus the Cleanser;
  the protector of murder… stained suppliants。              And all the defilements in a
  mass   her   attendants   bore   forth   from   the   palacethe   Naiad   nymphs   who
  ministered all things to her。          And within; Circe; standing by the   hearth;
  kept   burning   atonement…cakes   without   wine;   praying   the   while   that   she
  might   stay   from   their   wrath   the   terrible   Furies;   and   that   Zeus   himself
  might be propitious and gentle to them              both; whether with hands stained
  by the blood of a stranger or; as kinsfolk; by the blood of a kinsman; they
  should implore his grace。
  (ll。 718…738)      But when she had wrought all her task; then she raised
  them up and seated them on well polished seats; and herself sat near; face
  to face with them。        And at once she asked them clearly of their business
  and their voyaging; and whence they had come to her land and palace; and
  had thus seated themselves as suppliants at her hearth。                  For in truth the
  hideous   remembrance   of   her   dreams   entered   her   mind   as   she   pondered;
  and she longed to hear the voice of the maiden; her kinswoman; as soon as
  she saw that she had raised her eyes from the ground。                For all those of the
  race of Helios were plain to discern; since by the far flashing of their eyes
  they shot in front of them a gleam as of gold。              So Medea told her all she
  askedthe daughter of Aeetes of the gloomy heart; speaking gently in the
  Colchian tongue; both of the quest and the journeyings of the heroes; and
  of   their   toils   in   the   swift   contests;   and   how   she   had   sinned   through   the
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  counsels of her much…sorrowing sister; and how with the sons of Phrixus
  she had fled afar from the tyrannous horrors of her father; but she shrank
  from telling of the murder of Apsyrtus。              Yet she escaped not Circe's ken;
  nevertheless;   in   spite   of   all;   she   pitied   the   weeping   maiden;   and   spake
  thus:
  (ll。   739…748)    〃Poor   wretch;   an   evil   and   shameful   return   hast   thou
  planned。      Not   for   long;   I   ween;   wilt   thou  escape   the   heavy   wrath   of
  Aeetes; but soon will he go even to the dwellings of Hellas to avenge the
  blood of his son; for intolerable are the deeds thou hast done。                   But since
  thou   art   my   suppliant   and   my   kinswoman;   no   further   ill   shall   I   devise
  against thee at thy coming; but begone from my halls; companioning the
  stranger; whosoever he be; this unknown one that thou hast taken in thy
  father's despite; and kneel not to me at my hearth; for never will I approve
  thy counsels and thy shameful flight。〃
  (ll。   749…752)     Thus   she   spake;   and   measureless   anguish   seized   the
  maid; and over her eyes she cast her robe and poured forth a lamentation;
  until   the   hero   took   her   by   the  hand    and   led   her  forth   from    the  hall
  quivering with fear。        So they left the home of Circe。
  (ll。 753…756)      But they were not unmarked by the spouse of Zeus; son
  of Cronos; but Iris told her when she saw them faring from the hall。                      For
  Hera   had   bidden   her   watch   what   time   they   should   come   to   the   ship;   so
  again she urged her and spake:
  (ll。   757…769)    〃Dear   Iris;   now   come;   if   ever   thou   hast   fulfilled   my
  bidding; hie thee away on light pinions; and bid Thetis arise from the sea
  and come hither。        For need of her is come upon me。 Then go to the sea…
  beaches   where   the   bronze   anvils   of   Hephaestus   are   smitten   by   sturdy
  hammers; and tell him to still the blasts of fire until Argo pass by them。
  Then go to Aeolus too; Aeolus who rules the winds; children of the clear
  sky; and to him also tell my purpose so that he may make all winds cease
  under heaven and no breeze may ruffle the sea; yet let the breath of the
  west     wind   blow   until   the   heroes   have   reached   the   Phaeacian   isle       of
  Alcinous。〃
  (ll。   770…782)    So   she   spake;   and   straightway   Iris   leapt   down   from
  Olympus and cleft her way; with light wings outspread。                   And she plunged
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  into the Aegean Sea; where is the dwelling of Nereus。                  And she came to
  Thetis first and; by the promptings of Hera; told her tale and roused her to
  go to the goddess。        Next she came to Hephaestus; and quickly made him
  cease from the clang of his iron hammers; and the smoke…grimed bellows
  were stayed from their blast。         And thirdly she came to Aeolus; the famous
  son of Hippotas。        And when she had given her message to him also and
  rested her swift knees from her course; then Thetis leaving Nereus and her
  sisters had   come   from the   sea   to Olympus   to the goddess   Hera;   and the
  goddess made her sit by her side and uttered her word:
  (ll。 783…832)      〃Hearken now; lady Thetis; to what I am eager to tell
  thee。    Thou knowest how honoured in my heart is the hero; Aeson's son;
  and the others that have helped him in the contest; and how I saved them
  when   they   passed   between   the   Wandering   rocks;   (5)   where   roar   terrible
  storms of fire and the waves foam round the rugged reefs。                  And now past
  the mighty rock of Scylla and Charybdis horribly belching; a course awaits
  them。     But thee indeed from thy infancy did I tend with my own hands
  and   love   beyond   all   others   that   dwell   in   the   salt   sea   because   thou   didst
  refuse   to   share   the   couch   of   Zeus;   for   all   his   desire。 For   to   him   such
  deeds are ever dear; to embrace either goddesses or mortal women。                       But
  in reverence for me and with fear in thy heart thou didst shrink from his
  love; and he then swore a mighty oath that thou shouldst never be called
  the bride of an immortal god。 Yet he ceased not from spying thee against
  thy will; until reverend Themis declared to him the whole truth; how that it
  was thy fate to bear a son mightier than his sire; wherefore he gave thee up;
  for   all   his   desire;   fearing   lest   another   should   be   his   match   and   rule   the
  immortals; and in order that he might ever hold his own dominion。                     But I
  gave   thee   the   best   of   the   sons  of   earth   to   be  thy   husband;   that  thou
  mightest     find   a  marriage     dear   to  thy  heart   and    bear   children;   and   I
  summoned to the feast the gods; one and all。                And with my own hand I
  raised the bridal torch; in return for the kindly honour thou didst pay me。
  But come; let me tell a tale that erreth not。            When thy son shall come to
  the   Elysian   plain;   he   whom   now   in   the   home   of   Cheiron   the   Centaur
  water…nymphs   are   tending;   though   he   still   craves   thy   mother   milk;   it   is
  fated that he be the husband of Medea; Aeetes' daughter; do thou aid thy
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  daughter…in…law as a mother…in…law should; and aid Peleus himself。                    Why
  is thy wrath so steadfast? He was blinded by folly。                For blindness comes
  even upon the gods。 Surely at my behest I deem that Hephaestus will cease
  from kindling the fury of his flame; and that Aeolus; son of Hippotas; will
  check   his   swift   rushing   winds;   all   but   the   steady