第 46 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9322
  such as he   really was。         And as   when a   man trains   a swift   steed for the
  broad   race…course;   and   runs   along;   grasping   the   bushy   mane;   while   the
  steed follows obeying his master; and rears his neck aloft in his pride; and
  the gleaming bit rings loud as he champs it in his jaws from side to side;
  so   the   god;   seizing   hollow   Argo's   keel;   guided   her   onward   to   the   sea。
  And his body; from the crown of his head; round his back and waist as far
  as   the   belly;   was   wondrously   like   that   of   the   blessed   ones   in   form;   but
  below his sides the tail of a sea monster lengthened far; forking to this side
  and   that;   and   he   smote   the   surface   of   the   waves   with   the   spines;   which
  below parted into curving fins; like the horns of the new moon。                        And he
  guided Argo on until he sped her into the sea on her course; and quickly he
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  plunged into the vast abyss; and the heroes shouted when they gazed with
  their eyes on that dread portent。           There is the harbour of Argo and there
  are the signs of her stay; and altars to Poseidon and Triton; for during that
  day they tarried。       But at dawn with sails outspread they sped on   before
  the breath of the west wind; keeping the desert land on their right。                    And
  on the next morn they saw the headland and the recess of the sea; bending
  inward     beyond     the  jutting   headland。     And     straightway     the  west    wind
  ceased; and there came the breeze of the clear south wind; and their hearts
  rejoiced     at  the  sound    it  made。    But    when    the   sun   sank   and   the  star
  returned     that   bids   the   shepherd     fold;   which    brings    rest   to  wearied
  ploughmen;   at   that   time   the   wind   died   down   in   the   dark   night;   so   they
  furled    the   sails  and   lowered     the  tall  mast   and   vigorously     plied   their
  polished oars all night and through the day; and again when the next night
  came on。       And rugged   Carpathus far away  welcomed them; and   thence
  they were to cross to Crete; which rises in the sea above other islands。
  (ll。 1638…1653)       And Talos; the man of bronze; as he broke off rocks
  from the hard cliff; stayed them from fastening hawsers to the shore; when
  they   came   to   the   roadstead   of   Dicte's   haven。    He   was   of   the   stock   of
  bronze; of the men sprung from ash…trees; the last left among the sons of
  the gods; and the son of Cronos gave him to Europa to be the warder of
  Crete and to stride round the island thrice a day with his feet of bronze。
  Now in all the rest of his body and limbs was he fashioned of bronze and
  invulnerable; but beneath the sinew by his ankle was a blood…red vein; and
  this; with its issues of life and death; was covered by a thin skin。                 So the
  heroes; though outworn with toil; quickly backed their ship from the land
  in sore dismay。       And now far from Crete would they have been borne in
  wretched      plight;   distressed    both    by   thirst  and   pain;   had    not  Medea
  addressed them as they turned away:
  (ll。 1654…1658)       〃Hearken to me。        For I deem that I alone can subdue
  for   you   that   man;   whoever   he   be;   even   though   his   frame   be   of   bronze
  throughout; unless his life too is everlasting。            But be ready to keep your
  ship here beyond the cast of his stones; till he yield the victory to me。〃
  (ll。 1659…1672)       Thus she spake; and they drew the ship out of range;
  resting   on   their   oars;   waiting   to   see   what   plan   unlooked   for   she   would
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  bring to pass; and she; holding the fold of her purple robe over her cheeks
  on each side; mounted on the deck; and Aeson's son took her hand in his
  and guided her way along the thwarts。              And with songs did she propitiate
  and invoke the Death… spirits; devourers of life; the swift hounds of Hades;
  who; hovering through all the air; swoop down on the living。                   Kneeling in
  supplication; thrice she called on them with songs; and thrice with prayers;
  and; shaping her soul to mischief; with her hostile glance she bewitched
  the eyes of Talos; the man of bronze; and her teeth gnashed bitter wrath
  against him; and she sent forth baneful phantoms in the frenzy of her rage。
  (ll。 1673…1693)       Father Zeus; surely great wonder rises in my  mind;
  seeing that dire destruction meets us not from disease and wounds alone;
  but lo! even from afar; may be; it tortures us!              So Talos; for all his frame
  of bronze; yielded the victory to the might of Medea the sorceress。                      And
  as he was heaving massy rocks to stay them from reaching the haven; he
  grazed his ankle on a pointed crag; and the ichor gushed forth like melted
  lead; and not long thereafter did he stand towering on the jutting cliff。 But
  even as some huge pine; high up on the mountains; which woodmen have
  left   half   hewn   through   by  their   sharp   axes   when   they  returned   from   the
  forestat   first   it   shivers   in   the   wind   by   night;   then   at   last   snaps   at   the
  stump and   crashes   down; so Talos   for a   while stood on his   tireless   feet;
  swaying to and fro; when at last; all strengthless; fell with a mighty thud。
  For    that  night   there   in  Crete    the  heroes    lay;  then;   just  as   dawn    was
  growing bright; they built a shrine to Minoan Athena; and drew water and
  went     aboard;    so  that   first  of  all  they   might    by   rowing    pass    beyond
  Salmone's height。
  (ll。   1694…1730)     But   straightway   as   they   sped   over   the   wide   Cretan
  sea night scared them; that night which they name the Pall of Darkness;
  the stars pierced not that fatal night nor the beams of the moon; but black
  chaos descended from heaven; or haply some other darkness came; rising
  from   the   nethermost   depths。        And   the   heroes;   whether   they   drifted   in
  Hades   or   on   the   waters;   knew   not   one   whit;   but   they   committed   their
  return   to   the   sea   in   helpless   doubt   whither   it   was   bearing   them。   But
  Jason raised his hands and cried to Phoebus with mighty voice; calling on
  him to save them; and the tears ran down in his distress; and often did he
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  promise to bring countless offerings to Pytho; to Amyclae; and to Ortygia。
  And   quickly;   O   son   of   Leto;   swift   to   hear;   didst   thou   come   down   from
  heaven to the Melantian rocks; which lie there in the sea。                     Then darting
  upon one of the twin peaks; thou raisedst aloft in thy right hand thy golden
  bow; and the bow flashed a dazzling gleam all round。                    And to their sight
  appeared a small island of the Sporades; over against the tiny isle Hippuris;
  and   there   they   cast   anchor   and   stayed;   and   straightway   dawn   arose   and
  gave   them   light;   and   they   made   for Apollo   a   glorious   abode   in   a   shady
  wood; and a shady altar; calling on Phoebus the 〃Gleamer〃; because of the
  gleam   far…seen;   and   that   bare   island   they   called   Anaphe;   (13)   for   that
  Phoebus had revealed it to men sore bewildered。                   And they sacrificed all
  that men could provide for sacrifice on a desolate strand; wherefore when
  Medea's Phaeacian handmaids saw them pouring water for libations on the
  burning brands; they could no longer restrain laughter within their bosoms;
  for that ever they had seen oxen in plenty slain in the halls of Alcinous。
  And the heroes delighted in the jest and attacked them with taunting words;
  and   merry   railing   and   contention   flung   to   and   fro   were   kindled   among
  them。     And from that sport of the heroes such scoffs do the women fling
  at the men in that island whenever they propitiate with sacrifices Apollo
  the gleaming god; the warder of Anaphe。
  (ll。 1731…1740)        But when they had loosed the hawsers thence in fair
  weather;      then    Euphemus       bethought      him    of   a   dream     of   the   night;
  reverencing the glorious son of Maia。              For it seemed to him that the god…
  given clod of earth held in his palm close to his breast was being suckled
  by   white   streams   of   milk;   and   that   from   it;   little   though   it   was;   grew   a
  woman like a virgin; and he; overcome by strong desi