the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第27章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
And because he had slain the king by chance Perseus would not go to
Argos； nor take over the kingdom that his grandfather had reigned over。
With Andromeda he went to Seriphus where his mother was。 And in
Seriphus there still reigned Polydectes；who had put upon him the terrible
task of winning the Gorgon's head。
He came to Seriphus and he left Andromeda in the but of Dictys the
shepherd。 No one knew him； he heard his name spoken of as that of a
youth who had gone on a foolish quest and who would never again be
heard of。 To the temple where his mother was a priestess he came。 Guards
were placed all around it。 Ile heard his mother's voice and it was raised in
lament： 〃Walled up here and given over to hunger I shall be made go to
Polydectes's house and become his wife。 O ye gods； have ye no pity for
Danae； the mother of Perseus？〃
Perseus cried aloud； and his mother heard his voice and her moans
ceased。 He turned around and he went to the palace of Polydectes； the
king。
The king received him with mockeries。 〃I will let you stay in Seriphus
113
… Page 114…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
for a day；〃 he said； 〃because I would have you at a marriage feast。 I have
vowed that Danae； taken from the temple where she sulks； will be my wife
by to…morrow's sunset。〃
So Polydectes said； and the lords and princes who were around him
mocked at Perseus and flattered the king。 Perseus went from them then。
The next day he came back to the palace。 But in his hands now there was a
dread thingthe bag made from the hide of the sea monster that had in it
the Gorgon's head。
He saw his mother。 She was brought in white and fainting； thinking
that she would now have to wed the harsh and overbearing king。 Then she
saw her son； and hope came into her face。
The king seeing Perseus； said： 〃Step forward； O youngling； and see
your mother wed to a mighty man。 Step forward to witness a marriage；
and then depart； for it is not right that a youth that makes promises and
does not keep them should stay in a land that I rule over。 Step forward now；
you with the empty hands。〃
But not with empty hands did Perseus step forward。 He shouted out： 〃I
have brought something to you at last； O kinga present to you and your
mocking friends。 But you； O my mother； and you； O my friends； avert
your faces from what I have brought。〃 Saying this Perseus drew out the
Gorgon's head。 Holding it by the snaky locks he stood before the company。
His mother and his friends averted their faces。 But Polydectes and his
insolent friends looked full upon what Perseus showed。 〃This youth would
strive to frighten us with some conjuror's trick；〃 they said。 They said no
more； for they became as stones； and as stone images they still stand in
that hall in Seriphus。
He went to the shepherd's hut； and he brought Dictys from it with
Andromeda。 Dictys he made king in Polydectes's stead。 Then with Danae
and Andromeda； his mother and his wife； he went from Seriphus。
He did not go to Argos； the country that his grandfather had ruled over；
although the people there wanted Perseus to come to them； and be king
over them。 He took the kingdom of Tiryns in exchange for that of Argos；
and there he lived with Andromeda； his lovely wife out of Ethopia。 They
114
… Page 115…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
had a son named Perses who became the parent of the Persian people。
The sickle…sword that had slain the Gorgon went back to Hermes； and
Hermes took Medusa's head also。 That head Hermes's divine sister set
upon her shield…Medusa's head upon the shield of Pallas Athene。 O may
Pallas Athene guard us all； and bring us out of this land of sands and stone
where are the deadly serpents that have come from the drops of blood that
fell from the Gorgon's head！
They turned away from the Garden of the Daughters of the Evening
Land。 The Argonauts turned from where the giant shape of Atlas stood
against the sky and they went toward the Tritonian Lake。 But not all of
them reached the Argo。 On his way back to the ship； Nauplius； the
helmsman； met his death。
A sluggish serpent was in his wayit was not a serpent that would
strike at one who turned from it。 Nauplius trod upon it； and the serpent
lifted its head up and bit his foot。 They raised him on their shoulders and
they hurried back with him。 But his limbs became numb； and when they
laid him down on the shore of the lake he stayed moveless。 Soon he grew
cold。 They dug a grave for Nauplius beside the lake； and in that desert land
they set up his helmsman's oar in the middle of his tomb of heaped stones。
And now like a snake that goes writhing this way and that way and
that cannot find the cleft in the rock that leads to its lair； the Argo went
hither and thither striving to find an outlet from that lake。 No outlet could
they find and the way of their homegoing seemed lost to them again。 Then
Orpheus prayed to the son of Nereus； to Triton； whose name was on that
lake； to aid them。
Then Triton appeared。 He stretched out his hand and showed them the
outlet to the sea。 And Triton spoke in friendly wise to the heroes； bidding
them go upon their way in joy。 〃And as for labor；〃 he said； 〃let there be no
grieving because of that； for limbs that have youthful vigor should still
toil。〃
They took up the oars and they pulled toward the sea； and Triton； the
friendly immortal； helped them on。 He laid hold upon Argo's keel and he
guided her through the water。 The Argonauts saw him beneath the water；
115
… Page 116…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
his body； from his head down to his waist； was fair and great and like to
the body of one of the other immortals。 But below his body was like a
great fish's； forking this way and that。 He moved with fins that were like
the horns of the new moon。 Triton helped Argo along until they came into
the open sea。 Then he plunged down into the abyss。 The heroes shouted
their thanks to him。 Then they looked at each other and embraced each
other with joy； for the sea that touched upon the land of Greece was open
before them。
IX。 Near to Iolcus Again
The sun sank； then that star came that bids the shepherd bring his flock
to the fold； that brings the wearied plowman to his rest。 But no rest did
that star bring to the Argonauts。 The breeze that filled the sail died down；
they furled the sail and lowered the mast； then； once again； they pulled at
the oars。 All night they rowed； and all day； and again when the next day
came on。 Then they saw the island that is halfway to Greece the great and
fair island of Crete。
It was Theseus who first saw CreteTheseus who was to come to
Crete upon another ship。 They drew the Argo near the great island； they
wanted water； and they were fain to rest there。
Minos； the great king； ruled over Crete。 He left the guarding of the
island to one of the race of bronze； to Talos； who had lived on after the rest
of the bronze men had been destroyed。 Thrice a day would Talos stride
around the island； his brazen feet were tireless。
Now Talos saw the Argo drawing near。 He took up great rocks and he
hurled them at the heroes； and very quickly they had to draw their ship out
of range。
They were wearied and their thirst was consuming them。 But still that
bronze man stood there ready to sink their ship with the great rocks that he
took up in his hands。 Medea stood forward upon the ship； ready to use her
spells against the man of bronze。
In body and limbs he was made of bronze and in these he was
invulnerable。 But beneath a sinew in his ankle there was a vein that ran up
116
… Page 117…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
to his neck and that was covered by a thin skin。 If that vein were broken
Talos would perish。
Medea did not know about this vein when she stood forward upon the
ship to use her spells against him。 Upon a cliff of Crete； all gleaming；
stood that huge man of bronze。 Then； as she was ready to fling her spells
against him； Medea thought upon the words that Arete； the wise queen；
had given her that she was not to use spells and not to practice against the
life of any one。
But she knew that there was no impiety in using spells and practicing
against Talos； for Zeus had already doomed all his race。 She stood upon
the ship； and with her Magic Song she enchanted him。 He whirled round
and round。 He struck his ankle against a jutting stone。 The vein broke； and
that which was the blood of the bronze man flowed out of him like molten
lead。 He stood towering upon the cliff。 Like a pine upon a mountaintop
that the woodman had left half hewn through and that a mighty wind
pitches against； Talos stood upon his tireless feet； swaying to and fro。 Then；
emptied of all his strength； Minos's man of bronze fell into the Cretan Sea。
The heroes landed。 That night they lay upon the land of Crete and
rested and refreshed themselves。 When dawn came they drew water from a
spring； and once more they went on board the Argo。
A day came when the helmsman said； 〃To…morrow we shall see the
shore of Thessaly； and by sunset we shall be in the harbor of Pagasae。
Soon； O voyagers； we shall be back in the city from which we went to
gain the Golden Fleece。〃
Then Jason brought Medea to the front of the ship so that they might
watch together for Thessaly； the homeland。 The Mountain Pelion came
into sight。 Jason exulted as he looked upon that mountain； again he told
Medea about Chiron； the ancient centaur； and about the days of his youth
in the forests o
