the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第39章
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perhaps my brother at the other side of you can tell you of the mighty
combat between them and the frogs。〃 Then Heracles shifted the first
robber from his back to his front； and the first robber said： 〃I will tell you
what I know about the heroical combat between the frogs and the mice。〃
And thereupon he began：
The gnats blew their trumpets。 This was the dread signal for war。
Bread Nibbler struck the first blow。 He fell upon Loud Crier the frog；
and overthrew him。 At this Loud Crier's friend； Reedy； threw down spear
and shield and dived into the water。 This seemed to presage victory for the
mice。 But then Water Larker； the most warlike of the frogs； took up a great
pebble and flung it at Ham Nibbler who was then pursuing Reedy。 Down
fell Ham Nibbler； and there was dismay in the ranks of the mice。
Then Cabbage Climber； a great…hearted frog； took up a clod of mud
and flung it full at a mouse that was coming furiously upon him。 That
mouse's helmet was knocked off and his forehead was plastered with the
clod of mud； so that he was well…nigh blinded。
It was then that victory inclined to the frogs。 Bread Nibbler again came
into the fray。 He rushed furiously upon Puff jaw the king。
Leeky； the trusted friend of Puff jaw； opposed Bread Nibbler's
onslaught。 Mightily he drove his spear at the king of the mice。 But the
point of the spear broke upon Bread Nibbler's shield； and then Leeky was
overthrown。
Bread Nibbler came upon Puff jaw； and the two great kings faced each
other。 The frogs and the mice drew aside； and there was a pause in the
combat。 Bread Nibbler the mouse struck Puff jaw the frog terribly upon
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the toes。
Puff jaw drew out of the battle。 Now all would have been lost for the
frogs had not Zeus； the father of the gods； looked down upon the battle。
〃Dear； dear；〃 said Zeus； 〃what can be done to save the frogs？ They will
surely be annihilated if the charge of yonder mouse is not halted。〃
For the father of the gods； looking down； saw a warrior mouse coming
on in the most dreadful onslaught of the whole battle。 Slice Snatcher was
the name of this warrior。 He had come late into the field。 He waited to split
a chestnut in two and to put the halves upon his paws。 Then； furiously
dashing amongst the frogs； he cried out that he would not leave the ground
until he had destroyed the race； leaving the bank of the pond a playground
for the mice and for the mice alone。
To stop the charge of Slice Snatcher there was nothing for Zeus to do
but to hurl the thunderbolt that is the terror of gods and men。
Frogs and mice were awed by the thunder and the flame。 But still the
mice； urged on by Slice Snatcher； did not hold back from their onslaught
upon the frogs。
Now would the frogs have been utterly destroyed； but； as they dashed
on； the mice encountered a new and a dreadful army。 The warriors in these
ranks had mailed backs and curving claws。 They had bandy legs and long…
stretching arms。 They had eyes that looked behind them。 They came on
sideways。 These were the crabs； creatures until now unknown to the mice。
And the crabs had been sent by Zeus to save the race of the frogs from
utter destruction。
Coming upon the mice they nipped their paws。 The mice turned
around and they nipped their tails。 In vain the boldest of the mice struck at
the crabs with their sharpened spears。 Not upon the hard shells on the
backs of the crabs did the spears of the mice make any dint。 On and on； on
their queer feet and with their terrible nippers； the crabs went。 Bread
Nibbler could not rally them any more； and Slice Snatcher ceased to speak
of the monument of victory that the mice would erect upon the bank of the
pond。 With their heads out of the water they had retreated to； the frogs
watched the finish of the battle。 The mice threw down their spears and
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shields and fled from the battleground。 On went the crabs as if they cared
nothing for their victory； and the frogs came out of the water and sat upon
the bank and watched them in awe。
Heracles had laughed at the diverting tale that the robbers had told him；
he could not bring them then to a place where they would meet with
captivity or death。 He let them loose upon the highway； and the robbers
thanked him with highflowing speeches； and they declared that if they
should ever find him sleeping by the roadway again they would let him lie。
Saying this they went away； and Heracles； laughing as he thought upon the
great exploits of the frogs and mice； went on to Omphale's house。
Omphale； the widow； received him mirthfully； and then set him to do
tasks in the kitchen while she sat and talked to him about Troy and the
affairs of King Laomedon。 And afterward she put on his lion's skin； and
went about in the courtyard dragging the heavy club after her。 Mirthfully
and pleasantly she made the rest of his time in Lydia pass for Heracles；
and the last day of his slavery soon came； and he bade good…by to
Omphale； that pleasant widow； and to Lydia； and he started off for
Calydon to claim his bride Deianira。
Beautiful indeed Deianira looked now that she had ceased to mourn
for her brother； for the laughter that had been under her grief always now
flashed out even while she looked priestesslike and of good counsel； her
dark eyes shone like stars； and her being had the spirit of one who wanders
from camp to camp； always greeting friends and leaving friends behind
her。 Heracles and Deianira wed； and they set out for Tiryns； where a king
had left a kingdom to Heracles。
They came to the River Evenus。 Heracles could have crossed the river
by himself； but he could not cross it at the part he came to； carrying
Deianira。 He and she went along the river； seeking a ferry that might take
them across。 They wandered along the side of the river； happy with each
other； and they came to a place where they had sight of a centaur。
Heracles knew this centaur。 He was Nessus； one of the centaurs whom
he had chased up the mountain the time when he went to hunt the
Erymanthean boar。 The centaurs knew him； and Nessus spoke to Heracles
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as if he had friendship for him。 He would； he said； carry Heracles's bride
across the river。
Then Heracles crossed the river； and he waited on the other side for
Nessus and Deianira。 Nessus went to another part of the river to make his
crossing。 Then Heracles； upon the other bank； heard screamsthe screams
of his wife； Deianira。 He saw that the centaur was savagely attacking her。
Then Heracles leveled his bow and he shot at Nessus。 Arrow after
arrow he shot into the centaur's body。 Nessus loosed his hold on Deianira；
and he lay down on the bank of the river； his lifeblood streaming from
him。
Then Nessus； dying； but with his rage against Heracles unabated；
thought of a way by which the hero might be made to suffer for the death
he had brought upon him。 He called to Deianira； and she； seeing he could
do her no more hurt； came close to him。 He told her that in repentance for
his attack upon her he would bestow a great gift upon her。 She was to
gather up some of the blood that flowed from him； his blood； the centaur
said； would be a love philter； and if ever her husband's love for her waned
it would grow fresh again if she gave to him something from her hands
that would have this blood upon it。
Deianira； who had heard from Heracles of the wisdom of the centaurs；
believed what Nessus told her。 She took a phial and let the blood pour into
it。 Then Nessus plunged into the river and died there as Heracles came up
to where Deianira stood。
She did not speak to him about the centaur's words to her； nor did she
tell him that she had hidden away the phial that had Nessus's blood in it。
They crossed the river at another point and they came after a time to
Tiryns and to the kingdom that had been left to Heracles。
There Heracles and Deianira lived； and a son who was named Hyllos
was born to them。 And after a time Heracles was led into a war with
EurytusEurytus who was king of Oichalia。
Word came to Deianira that Oichalia was taken by Heracles； and that
the king and his daughter Iole were held captive。 Deianira knew that
Heracles had once tried to win this maiden for his wife； and she feared that
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the sight of Iole would bring his old longing back to him。
She thought upon the words that Nessus had said to her； and even as
she thought upon them messengers came from Heracles to ask her to send
him a robea beautifully woven robe that she hadthat he might wear it
while making a sacrifice。 Deianira took down the robe； through this robe；
she thought； the blood of the centaur could touch Heracles and his love for
her would revive。 Thinking this she poured Nessus's blood over the robe。
Heracles was in Oichalia when the messengers returned to him。 He
took the robe that Deianira sent； and he went to a mountain that
overlooked the sea that he might make the sacrifice there。 Iole went with
him。 Then he put on the robe that Deianira had sent。 When it touched his
flesh the robe burst into flame。 Heracles tried to tear it off； but deeper and
deeper into his flesh the flames went。 They burned and burned and none
could quench them。
Then Heracles knew that his end was near。 He would die by fire； and
knowing that he piled up a great heap of wood and he climbed upon it。
There
