第 9 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9322
  them with reproachful words:
  (ll。   865…874)     〃Wretched   men;   does   the   murder   of   kindred   keep   us
  from  our   native   land?      Or   is   it   in   want   of   marriage   that   we   have   come
  hither from thence; in scorn of our countrywomen?                     Does it please us to
  dwell here and plough the rich soil of Lemnos?                   No fair renown shall we
  win by thus tarrying so long with stranger women; nor will some god seize
  and give us at our prayer a fleece that moves of itself。                 Let us then return
  each to his own; but him leave ye to rest all day long in the embrace of
  Hypsipyle until he has peopled Lemnos with men…children; and so there
  come to him great glory。〃
  (ll。 875…887)       Thus did he chide the band; but no one dared to meet
  his   eye   or   to  utter  a   word    in  answer。     But    just  as   they   were    in  the
  assembly   they   made   ready   their   departure   in   all   haste;   and   the   women
  came   running   towards   them;   when   they   knew   their   intent。 And   as   when
  bees hum round fair lilies pouring forth from their hive in the rock; and all
  around the dewy meadow rejoices; and they gather the sweet fruit; flitting
  from one to another; even so the women eagerly poured forth clustering
  round   the   men   with   loud   lament;   and   greeted   each   one   with   hands   and
  voice;    praying     the  blessed    gods    to  grant    him   a  safe   return。    And     so
  Hypsipyle   too   prayed;   seizing   the   hands   of   Aeson's   son;   and   her   tears
  flowed for the loss of her lover:
  (ll。  888…898)      〃Go;   and   may   heaven   bring   thee   back   again   with   thy
  comrades unharmed; bearing to the king the golden fleece; even as thou
  wilt and thy heart desireth; and this island and my father's sceptre will be
  awaiting   thee;   if   on   thy   return   hereafter   thou   shouldst   choose   to   come
  28
  … Page 29…
  The Argonautica
  hither again; and easily couldst thou gather a countless host of men from
  other cities。 But thou wilt not have this desire; nor do I myself forbode that
  so it will be。     Still remember Hypsipyle when thou art far away and when
  thou   hast   returned;   and   leave   me   some   word   of   bidding;   which   I   will
  gladly accomplish; if haply heaven shall grant me to be a mother。〃
  (ll。 899…909)      And Aeson's son in admiration thus replied: 〃Hypsipyle;
  so may all these things prove propitious by the favour of the blessed gods。
  But do thou hold a nobler thought of me; since by the grace of Pelias it is
  enough for me to dwell in my native land; may the gods only release me
  from my toils。        But if it is not my destiny to sail afar and return to the
  land   of   Hellas;   and   if   thou   shouldst   bear   a   male   child;   send   him   when
  grown up to Pelasgian Iolcus; to heal the grief of my father and mother if
  so be that he find them still living; in order that; far away from the king;
  they may be cared for by their own hearth in their home。〃
  (ll。 910…921)   He spake;  and mounted   the ship first of   all; and so the
  rest of the chiefs followed; and; sitting in order; seized the oars; and Argus
  loosed for them the hawsers from under the sea…beaten rock。                      Whereupon
  they mightily smote the water with their long oars; and in the evening by
  the    injunctions     of  Orpheus     they   touched     at  the   island   of  Electra;    (5)
  daughter   of Atlas;  in   order   that   by  gentle   initiation   they   might   learn   the
  rites   that   may   not   be   uttered;   and   so   with   greater   safety   sail   over   the
  chilling sea。      Of these I will make no further mention; but I bid farewell
  to   the   island   itself  and   the   indwelling     deities;   to  whom   belong       those
  mysteries; which it is not lawful for me to sing。
  (ll。 922…935)       Thence did they row with eagerness over the depths of
  the   black   Sea;   having   on   the   one   side   the   land   of   the   Thracians;   on   the
  other Imbros on the south; and as the sun was just setting they reached the
  foreland of the Chersonesus。             There a strong south wind blew for them;
  and   raising   the   sails   to   the   breeze   they   entered   the   swift   stream   of   the
  maiden   daughter   of Athamas;   and   at   dawn   the   sea   to   the   north   was   left
  behind   and   at night   they  were  coasting   inside   the  Rhoeteian   shore;   with
  the land of Ida on their right。           And leaving Dardania they directed their
  course to Abydus; and after it they sailed past Percote and the sandy beach
  of Abarnis and divine Pityeia。            And in that night; as the ship sped on by
  29
  … Page 30…
  The Argonautica
  sail and oar; they passed right through the Hellespont dark…gleaming with
  eddies。
  (ll。   936…960)     There   is   a   lofty   island   inside   the   Propontis;   a   short
  distance from the Phrygian mainland with its rich cornfields; sloping to the
  sea; where an isthmus in front of the mainland is flooded by the waves; so
  low does it lie。      And the isthmus has double shores; and they lie beyond
  the   river   Aesepus;   and   the   inhabitants   round   about   call   the   island   the
  Mount of Bears。         And insolent and fierce men dwell there; Earthborn; a
  great   marvel   to   the   neighbours   to   behold;   for   each   one   has   six   mighty
  hands   to   lift   up;   two   from   his   sturdy   shoulders;   and   four   below;   fitting
  close    to  his  terrible   sides。   And     about    the  isthmus     and   the  plain   the
  Doliones   had   their dwelling;   and   over them  Cyzicus   son   of Aeneus   was
  king; whom Aenete the daughter of goodly Eusorus bare。                      But these men
  the    Earthborn     monsters;    fearful    though    they   were;   in   nowise    harried;
  owing to the protection of Poseidon; for from him had the Doliones first
  sprung。      Thither Argo pressed on; driven by the winds of Thrace; and the
  Fair haven   received   her   as   she   sped。     There   they  cast   away  their   small
  anchorstone   by   the   advice   of   Tiphys   and   left   it   beneath   a   fountain;   the
  fountain of Artaeie; and they took another meet for their purpose; a heavy
  one;   but   the   first;   according   to   the   oracle   of   the   Far…Darter;   the   Ionians;
  sons of Neleus; in after days laid to be a sacred stone; as was right; in the
  temple of Jasonian Athena。
  (ll。  961…988)       Now      the  Doliones      and   Cyzicus     himself    all  came
  together to meet them with friendliness; and when they knew of the quest
  and their lineage welcomed them with hospitality; and persuaded them to
  row further and to fasten their ship's hawsers at the city harbour。                     Here
  they built an altar to Ecbasian Apollo (6) and set it up on the beach; and
  gave heed to sacrifices。        And the king of his own bounty gave them sweet
  wine and sheep in their need; for he had heard a report that whenever a
  godlike band of heroes should come; straightway he should meet it with
  gentle words and should have no thought of war。                  As with Jason; the soft
  down was just blooming on his chin; nor yet had it been his lot to rejoice
  in children; but still in his palace his wife was untouched by the pangs of
  child…birth;   the   daughter   of   Percosian   Merops;   fair…haired   Cleite;   whom
  30
  … Page 31…
  The Argonautica
  lately by  priceless gifts he had brought from  her father's home from  the
  mainland opposite。          But even so he left his chamber and bridal bed and
  prepared a banquet among the strangers; casting all fears from his heart。
  And   they   questioned   one   another   in   turn。       Of   them   would   he   learn   the
  end   of   their   voyage   and   the   injunctions   of   Pelias;   while   they   enquired
  about the cities of the people round and all the gulf of the wide Propontis;
  but   further   he   could   not   tell   them   for   all   their   desire   to   learn。 In   the
  morning       they   climbed     mighty     Dindymum        that   they   might     themselves
  behold the various paths of that sea; and they brought their ship from its
  former anchorage to the harbour; Chytus; and the path they trod is named
  the path of Jason。
  (ll。 989…1011)       But the Earthborn men on the other side rushed down
  from   the   mountain   and   with   crags   below   blocked   up   the   mouth   of   vast
  Ch