第 16 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9322
  should sin yet again declaring everything to the end by my prophetic art?
  And   beyond   the   island   and   opposite   mainland   dwell   the   Philyres:   and
  above the Philyres are the Macrones; and after them the vast tribes of the
  Becheiri。 And next in order to them dwell the Sapeires; and the Byzeres
  have the lands adjoining to them; and beyond them at last live the warlike
  Colchians themselves。          But speed on in your ship; till ye touch the inmost
  bourne     of  the   sea。   And     here   at  the  Cytaean     mainland     and   from   the
  Amarantine   mountains   far   away   and   the   Circaean   plain;   eddying   Phasis
  rolls his broad stream to the sea。           Guide your ship to the mouth of that
  river   and   ye   shall   behold   the   towers   of   Cytaean   Aeetes   and   the   shady
  grove of Ares;  where a dragon;  a monster terrible to behold; ever   glares
  around; keeping watch over the fleece that is spread upon the top of an oak;
  neither by day nor by night does sweet sleep subdue his restless eyes。〃
  (ll。 408…410)      Thus he spake; and straightway fear seized them as they
  heard。     And for a long while they were struck with silence; till at last the
  hero; son of Aeson; spake; sore dismayed at their evil plight:
  (ll。 411…418)      〃O aged sire; now hast thou come to the end of the toils
  of our sea…journeying and hast told us the token; trusting to which we shall
  make our way to Pontus through the hateful rocks; but whether; when we
  have escaped them; we shall have a return back again to Hellas; this too
  would we gladly learn from thee。              What shall I do; how shall I go over
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  again such a long path through the sea; unskilled as I am; with unskilled
  comrades? And Colchian Aea lies at the edge of Pontus and of the world。〃
  (ll。 419…425)     Thus he spake; and him the aged sire addressed in reply:
  〃O son; when once thou hast escaped through the deadly rocks; fear not;
  for a deity will be the guide from Aea by another track; and to Aea there
  will be guides enough。         But; my friends; take thought of the artful aid of
  the   Cyprian     goddess。    For   on   her  depends     the  glorious    issue   of  your
  venture。     And further than this ask me not。〃
  (ll。  426…437)     Thus   spake Agenor's   son;   and   close   at   hand   the   twin
  sons of Thracian Boreas came darting from the sky and set their swift feet
  upon the threshold; and the heroes rose up from their seats when they saw
  them present。       And   Zetes; still drawing   hard breath after his toil; spake
  among      the  eager    listeners;  telling   them   how    far  they   had   driven    the
  Harpies and how his prevented their slaying them; and how the goddess of
  her grace gave them pledges; and how those others in fear plunged into the
  vast cave of the Dictaean cliff。          Then in the mansion all their comrades
  were     joyful   at  the  tidings   and   so  was    Phineus    himself。   And    quickly
  Aeson's son; with good will exceeding; addressed him:
  (ll。  438…442)     Assuredly      there   was   then;   Phineus;    some    god   who
  cared for thy bitter woe; and brought us hither from afar; that the sons of
  Boreas might aid thee; and if too he should bring sight to thine eyes; verily
  I should rejoice; methinks; as much as if I were on my homeward way。〃
  (ll。  443…447)      Thus     he   spake;    but  Phineus     replied   to   him   with
  downcast look: 〃Son of Aeson; that is past recall; nor is there any remedy
  hereafter; for blasted are my sightless eyes。            But instead of that; may the
  god grant me death at once; and after death I shall take my share in perfect
  bliss。〃
  (ll。 448…467)     Then they two returned answering speech; each to other;
  and soon in the midst of their converse early dawn appeared; and round
  Phineus were gathered the neighbours who used to come thither aforetime
  day   by   day   and   constantly   bring   a   portion   of   their   food。 To   all   alike;
  however poor he was that came; the aged man gave his oracles with good
  will; and freed many from their woes by his prophetic art; wherefore they
  visited and tended him。        And with them came Paraebius; who was dearest
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  to him; and gladly did he perceive these strangers in the house。                  For long
  ere   now   the   seer   himself   had   said   that   a   band   of chieftains;   faring   from
  Hellas to the city of Aceres; would make fast their hawsers to the Thynian
  land; and by Zeus' will would check tho approach of the Harpies。                        The
  rest the old man pleased with words of wisdom and let them go; Paraebius
  only he bade remain there with the chiefs; and straightway he sent him and
  bade him bring back the choicest of his sheep。               And when he had left the
  hall Phineus spake gently amid the throng of oarsmen:
  (ll。 468…489)      〃O my friends; not all men are arrogant; it seems; nor
  unmindful of benefits。         Even as this man; loyal as he is; came hither to
  learn his fate。     For when he laboured the most and toiled the most; then
  the needs of life; ever growing more and more; would waste him; and day
  after day ever dawned more wretched; nor was there any respite to his toil。
  But he was paying the sad penalty of his father's sin。               For he when alone
  on the mountains; felling trees; once slighted the prayers of a Hamadryad;
  who wept and sought to soften him with plaintive words; not to cut down
  the stump of an oak tree coeval with herself; wherein for a long time she
  had   lived   continually;   but   he   in   the   arrogance   of   youth   recklessly   cut   it
  down。      So   to   him  the   nymph   thereafter   made   her   death   a   curse;  to   him
  and to his children。        I indeed knew of the sin when he came; and I bid
  him   build   an   altar   to   the   Thynian   nymph;   and   offer   on    it   an   atoning
  sacrifice;   with   prayer   to   escape   his   father's   fate。  Here;   ever   since   he
  escaped the god…sent doom; never has he forgotten or neglected me; but
  sorely and against his will do I send him from my doors; so eager is he to
  remain with me in my affliction。〃
  (ll。   490…499)     Thus   spake Agenor's   son;   and   his   friend   straightway
  came near leading two sheep from the flock。                 And up rose Jason and up
  rose the sons of Boreas at the bidding of the aged sire 。 And quickly they
  called upon Apollo; lord of prophecy; and offered sacrifice upon the health
  as   the   day   was   just   sinking。  And   the   younger   comrades   made   ready   a
  feast to their hearts' desire。        Thereupon having well feasted they turned
  themselves       to  rest;  some     near   the   ship's   hawsers;    others    in  groups
  throughout the mansion。           And at dawn the Etesian winds blew strongly;
  which by the command of Zeus blow over every land equally。
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  (ll。   500…527)     Cyrene;   the   tale   goes;     once   tended   sheep   along   the
  marsh…meadow   of   Peneus   among   men   of   old   time;   for   dear   to   her   were
  maidenhood and a couch unstained。                But; as she guarded her flock by the
  river; Apollo carried her off far from Haemonia and placed her among the
  nymphs of the land; who dwelt in Libya near the Myrtosian height。                         And
  here to Phoebus she bore Aristaeus whom the Haemonians; rich in corn…
  land;   call   〃Hunter〃   and   〃Shepherd〃。        Her;   of   his   love;   the   god   made   a
  nymph there; of long life and a huntress; and his son he brought while still
  an   infant   to   be   nurtured   in   the   cave   of   Cheiron。  And   to   him   when   he
  grew   to   manhood   the   Muses   gave   a   bride;   and   taught   him   the   arts   of
  healing and of prophecy; and they made him the keeper of their sheep; of
  all that grazed on the Athamantian plain of Phthia and round steep Othrys
  and the sacred stream of the river Apidanus。 But when from heaven Sirius
  scorched      the   Minoan   Isles;    and   for   long   there   was   no   respite   for   the
  inhabitants;      then   by   the   injunction    of   the  Far…Darter      they   summoned
  Aristaeus to ward off the pestilence。            And by his father's command he left
  Phthia and made his home in Ceos; and gathered together the Parrhasian
  people who are of the lineage of Lycaon; and he built a great altar to Zeus
  Icmaeus; and duly offered sacrifices