第 13 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9322
  king of the Bebrycians; whom once a nymph; Bithynian Melie; united to
  Poseidon Genethlius; bare the most arrogant of men; for even for strangers
  he laid down an insulting ordinance; that none should depart till they had
  made   trial   of   him   in   boxing;   and   he   had   slain   many   of   the   neighbours。
  And at that time too he went down to the ship and in his insolence scorned
  to ask them the occasion of their voyage; and who they were; but at once
  spake out among them all:
  (ll。   11…18)   〃Listen;   ye   wanderers   by   sea;   to   what   it   befits   you   to
  know。      It is the rule that no stranger who comes to the Bebrycians should
  depart   till   he   has   raised   his   hands   in   battle   against   mine。 Wherefore
  select your bravest warrior from the host and set him here on the spot to
  contend with me in boxing。 But if ye pay no heed and trample my decrees
  under foot; assuredly to your sorrow will stern necessity come upon you。
  (ll。 19…21)     Thus he spake in his pride; but fierce anger seized them
  when they heard it; and the challenge smote Polydeuces most of all。                     And
  quickly he stood forth his comrades' champion; and cried:
  (ll。   22…24)   〃Hold   now;   and   display   not   to   us   thy   brutal   violence;
  whoever thou art; for we will obey thy rules; as thou sayest。                    Willingly
  now do I myself undertake to meet thee。〃
  (ll。   25…54)   Thus   he   spake   outright;   but   the   other   with   rolling   eyes
  glared   on   him;   like   to   a   lion   struck   by   a   javelin   when   hunters   in   the
  mountains are hemming him round; and; though pressed by the throng; he
  reeks   no   more   of   them;   but   keeps   his   eyes   fixed;   singling   out   that   man
  only    who    struck    him   first  and   slew   him    not。   Hereupon       the  son   of
  Tyndareus laid aside his mantle; closely…woven; delicately…wrought; which
  one of the Lemnian maidens had given him as a pledge of hospitality; and
  the king threw down his dark cloak of double fold with its clasps and the
  knotted crook of mountain olive which he carried。                Then straightway they
  looked     and   chose    close   by   a  spot   that   pleased    them   and    bade   their
  comrades sit upon the sand in two lines; nor were they alike to behold in
  form   or   in   stature。   The   one   seemed   to   be   a   monstrous   son   of   baleful
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  Typhoeus or of Earth herself; such as she brought forth aforetime; in her
  wrath against Zeus; but the other; the son of Tyndareus; was like a star of
  heaven;   whose   beams   are   fairest   as   it   shines   through   the   nightly   sky   at
  eventide。     Such was the son of Zeus; the bloom of the first down still on
  his cheeks; still with the look of gladness in his eyes。 But his might and
  fury waxed like a wild beast's; and he poised his hands to see if they were
  pliant as before and were not altogether numbed by toil and rowing。                     But
  Amycus on his side made no trial; but standing apart in silence he kept his
  eyes upon his foe; and his spirit surged within him all eager to dash the
  life…blood from his breast。          And between them Lyeoreus; the henchman
  of Amycus; placed at their feet on each side two pairs of gauntlets made of
  raw   hide;   dry;   exceeding   tough。     And   the   king   addressed   the  hero   with
  arrogant words:
  (ll。   55…59)   〃Whichever   of   these   thou      wilt;   without   casting    lots;   I
  grant   thee   freely;   that   thou   mayst   not   blame   me   hereafter。   Bind   them
  about thy hands; thou shalt learn and tell another how skilled I am to carve
  the dry oxhides and to spatter men's cheeks with blood。〃
  (ll。 60…66)    Thus he spake; but the other gave back no taunt in answer;
  but with a light smile readily took up the gauntlets that lay at his feet; and
  to   him   came   Castor   and   mighty   Talaus;   son   of   Bias;   and   they   quickly
  bound the gauntlets about his hands; often bidding him be of good courage。
  And to Amycus came Aretus and Ornytus; but little they knew; poor fools;
  that they had bound them for the last time on their champion; a victim of
  evil fate。
  (ll。   67…97)   Now   when   they   stood   apart   and   were   ready   with   their
  gauntlets; straightway in front of their faces they raised their heavy hands
  and matched their might in deadly strife。              Hereupon the Bebrycian king
  even as a fierce wave of the sea rises in a crest against a swift ship; but she
  by the skill of the crafty pilot just escapes the shock when the billow is
  eager to break over the bulwarkso he followed up the son of Tyndareus;
  trying    to  daunt    him;   and    gave   him    no   respite。   But     the  hero;   ever
  unwounded; by his skill baffled the rush of his foe; and he quickly noted
  the brutal play of his fists to see where he was invincible in strength; and
  where inferior; and stood unceasingly and returned blow for blow。                      And
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  as when shipwrights with their hammers smite ships' timbers to meet the
  sharp   clamps;   fixing   layer   upon   layer;   and   the   blows   resound   one   after
  another; so cheeks and jaws crashed on both sides; and a huge clattering of
  teeth    arose;   nor   did   they   cease   ever   from    striking   their   blows    until
  laboured gasping overcame both。              And standing a little apart they wiped
  from     their  foreheads     sweat   in  abundance;      wearily    panting    for  breath。
  Then back they rushed together again; as two bulls fight in furious rivalry
  for a grazing heifer。       Next Amycus rising on tiptoe; like one who slays an
  ox;   sprung   to   his   full   height   and   swung   his   heavy   hand   down   upon   his
  rival; but the hero swerved aside from the rush; turning his head; and just
  received the arm on his shoulder; and coming near and slipping his knee
  past   the   king's;   with   a   rush   he   struck   him   above   the   ear;   and   broke   the
  bones inside; and the king in agony fell upon his knees; and the Minyan
  heroes shouted for joy; and his life was poured forth all at once。
  (ll。 98…144)     Nor were the  Bebrycians reckless of  their king; but   all
  together took up rough clubs and spears and rushed straight on Polydeuces。
  But in front of him stood his comrades; their keen swords drawn from the
  sheath。     First Castor struck upon the head a man as he rushed at him: and
  it   was   cleft   in   twain   and   fell   on   each   side   upon   his   shoulders。 And
  Polydeuces   slew   huge   Itymoneus   and   Mimas。           The   one;   with   a   sudden
  leap; he smote beneath the breast with his swift foot and threw him in the
  dust; and as the other drew near he struck him with his right hand above
  the left eyebrow; and tore away his eyelid and the eyeball was left bare。
  But Oreides; insolent henchman of Amycus; wounded Talaus son of Bias
  in the side; but did not slay him; but only grazing the skin the bronze sped
  under   his   belt   and   touched   not   the   flesh。  Likewise   Aretus   with   well…
  seasoned club smote Iphitus; the steadfast son of Eurytus; not yet destined
  to an evil death; assuredly soon was he himself to be slain by the sword of
  Clytius。     Then Ancaeus; the dauntless son of Lycurgus; quickly seized his
  huge axe; and in his left hand holding a bear's dark hide; plunged into the
  midst of the Bebrycians with furious onset; and with him charged the sons
  of Aeacus; and with them started warlike Jason。                 And as when amid the
  folds grey wolves rush down on a winter's day and scare countless sheep;
  unmarked by the keen…scented dogs and the shepherds too; and they seek
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  what first to attack and carry off; often glaring around; but the sheep are
  just huddled together and trample on one another; so the heroes grievously
  scared   the   arrogant   Bebrycians。 And   as   shepherds   or   beekeepers   smoke
  out a huge swarm of bees in a rock; and they meanwhile; pent up in their
  hive; murmur with droning hum; till; stupefied by the murky smoke; they
  fly forth far from the rock; so they stayed steadfast no longer; but scattered
  themselves   inland   through   Bebrycia;   proclaiming   the   death   of   Amycus;
  fools; not to perceive that another woe all unforeseen was hard upon them。
  For   at   that   hour   their   vineyards   and   villages   were  being   ravaged   by   the
  hostile sp