the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第3章
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coming toward me half shod。 But； as you all see； I have brought the half…
shod man to my palace and my feasting hall； so little do I dread the anger
of the gods。
〃And I dread it little because I am blameless。 This youth； the son of
my brother； is strong and courageous； and I rejoice in his strength and
courage； for I would have him take my place and reign over you。 Ali； that I
were as young as he is now！ Ali； that I had been reared and fostered as he
was reared and fostered by the wise centaur and under the eyes of the
immortals！ Then would I do that which in my youth I often dreamed of
doing！ Then would I perform a deed that would make my name and the
name of my city famous throughout all Greece！ Then would I bring from
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
far Colchis； the famous Fleece of Gold that King Aetes keeps guard over！〃
He finished speaking； and all in the hall shouted out； 〃The Golden
Fleece； the Golden Fleece from Colchis！〃 Jason stood up； and his father's
hand gripped him。 But he did not heed the hold of his father's hand； for
〃The Golden Fleece； the Golden Fleece！〃 rang in his ears； and before his
eyes were the faces of those who were all eager for the sight of the wonder
that King Aetes kept guard over。
Then said Jason； 〃Thou hast spoken well； O King Pelias！ Know； and
know all here assembled； that I have heard of the Golden Fleece and of the
dangers that await on any one who should strive to win it from King
Aetes's care。 But know； too； that I would strive to win the Fleece and bring
it to Iolcus； winning fame both for myself and for the city。〃
When he had spoken he saw his father's stricken eyes； they were fixed
upon him。 But he looked from them to the shining eyes of the young men
who were even then pressing around where he stood。 〃Jason； Jason！〃 they
shouted。 〃The Golden Fleece for Iolcus！〃
〃King Pelias knows that the winning of the Golden Fleece is a feat
most difficult；〃 said Jason。 〃But if he will have built for me a ship that can
make the voyage to far Colchis； and if he will send throughout all Greece
the word of my adventuring so that all the heroes who would win fame
might come with me； and if ye； young heroes of Iolcus； will come with me；
I will peril my life to win the wonder that King Aetes keeps guard over。〃
He spoke and those in the hall shouted again and made clamor around
him。 But still his father sat gazing at him with stricken eyes。
King Pelias stood up in the hall and holding up his scepter he said； 〃O
my nephew Jason； and O friends assembled here； I promise that I will
have built for the voyage the best ship that ever sailed from a harbor in
Greece。 And I promise that I will send throughout all Greece a word
telling of Jason's voyage so that all heroes desirous of winning fame may
come to help him and to help all of you who may go with him to win from
the keeping of King Aetes the famous Fleece of Gold。〃
So King Pelias said； but Jason； looking to the king from his father's
stricken eyes； saw that he had been led by the king into the acceptance of
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the voyage so that he might fare far from Iolcus； and perhaps lose his life
in striving to gain the wonder that King Aetes kept guarded。 By the glitter
in Pelias's eyes he knew the truth。 Nevertheless Jason would not take back
one word that he had spoken； his heart was strong within him； and he
thought that with the help of the bright…eyed youths around and with the
help of those who would come to him at the word of the voyage； he would
bring the Golden Fleece to Iolcus and make famous for all time his own
name。
IV。 THE ASSEMBLING OF THE HEROES AND THE
BUILDING OF THE SHIP
First there came the youths Castor and Polydeuces。 They came riding
on white horses； two noble…looking brothers。 From Sparta they came； and
their mother was Leda； who； after the twin brothers； had another child
born to herHelen； for whose sake the sons of many of Jason's friends
were to wage war against the great city of Troy。 These were the first
heroes who came to Iolcus after the word had gone forth through Greece
of Jason's adventuring in quest of the Golden Fleece。
And then there came one who had both welcome and reverence from
Jason； this one came without spear or bow； bearing in his hands a lyre only。
He was Orpheus； and he knew all the ways of the gods and all the stories
of the gods； when he sang to his lyre the trees would listen and the beasts
would follow him。 It was Chiron who had counseled Orpheus to go with
Jason； Chiron the centaur had met him as he was wandering through the
forests on the Mountain Pelion and had sent him down into Iolcus。
Then there came two men well skilled in the handling of ships
Tiphys and Nauplius。 Tiphys knew all about the sun and winds and stars；
and all about the signs by which a ship might be steered； and Nauplius had
the love of Poseidon； the god of the sea。
Afterward there came； one after the other； two who were famous for
their hunting。 No two could be more different than these two were。 The
first was Arcas。 He was dressed in the skin of a bear； he had red hair and
savage…looking eyes； and for arms he carried a mighty bow with
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bronzetipped arrows。 The folk were watching an eagle as he came into the
city； an eagle that was winging its way far； far up in the sky。 Arcas drew
his bow； and with one arrow he brought the eagle down。
The other hunter was a girl； Atalanta。 Tall and brighthaired was
Atalanta； swift and good with the bow。 She had dedicated herself to
Artemis； the guardian of the wild things； and she had vowed that she
would remain unwedded。 All the heroes welcomed Atalanta as a comrade；
and the maiden did all the things that the young men did。
There came a hero who was less youthful than Castor or Polydeuces；
he was a man good in council named Nestor。 Afterward Nestor went to the
war against Troy； and then he was the oldest of the heroes in the camp of
Agamemnon。
Two brothers came who were to be special friends of Jason's Peleus
and Telamon。 Both were still youthful and neither had yet achieved any
notable deed。 Afterward they were to be famous； but their sons were to be
even more famous； for the son of Telamon was strong Aias； and the son of
Peleus was great Achilles。
Another who came was Admetus； afterward he became a famous king。
The God Apollo once made himself a shepherd and he kept the flocks of
King Admetus。
And there came two brothers； twins； who were a wonder to all who
beheld them。 Zetes and Calais they were named； their mother was
Oreithyia； the daughter of Erechtheus； King of Athens； and their father
was Boreas； the North Wind。 These two brothers had on their ankles wings
that gleamed with golden scales； their black hair was thick upon their
shoulders； and it was always being shaken by the wind。
With Zetes and Calais there came a youth armed with a great sword
whose name was Theseus。 Theseus's father was an unknown king； he had
bidden the mother show their son where his sword was hidden。 Under a
great stone the king had hidden it before Theseus was born。 Before he had
grown out of his boyhood Theseus had been able to raise the stone and
draw forth his father's sword。 As yet he had done no great deed； but he was
resolved to win fame and to find his unknown father。
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On the day that the messengers had set out to bring through Greece the
word of Jason's going forth in quest of the Golden Fleece the woodcutters
made their way up into the forests of Mount Pelion； they began to fell
trees for the timbers of the ship that was to make the voyage to far
Colchis。
Great timbers were cut and brought down to Pagasae； the harbor of
Iolcus。 On the night of the day he had helped to bring them down Jason
had a dream。 He dreamt that she whom he had seen in the forest ways and
afterward by the River Anaurus appeared to him。 And in his dream the
goddess bade him rise early in the morning and welcome a man whom he
would meet at the city's gate … a tall and gray…haired man who would have
on his shoulders tools for the building of a ship。
He went to the city's gate and he met such a man。 Argus was his name。
He told Jason that a dream had sent him to the city of Iolcus。 Jason
welcomed him and lodged him in the king's palace； and that day the word
went through the city that the building of the great ship would soon be
begun。 But not with the timbers brought from Mount Pelion did Argus
begin。 Walking through the palace with Jason he noted a great beam in the
roof。 That beam； he said； had been shown him in his dream； it was from an
oak tree in Dodona； the grove of Zeus。 A sacred power was in the beam；
and from it the prow of the ship should be fashioned。 Jason had them take
the beam from the roof of the palace； it was brought to where the timbers
were； and that day the building of the great ship was begun。
Then all along the waterside came the noise of hammering； in the
street where the metalworkers were came the noise of beating upon metals
as the smiths fashioned out of bronze armor for the heroes and swords and
spears。 Every day； under the eyes of Argus the master； the ship that had in
it the beam from Zeus's grove was built higher and wider。 And those who
were building the ship often felt going through it tremors as of a living
creature。
When the ship was built and made ready for the voyage a name was
given to itthe Argo it was called。 And naming themselves from the ship
