第 20 节
作者:
指点迷津 更新:2021-02-19 00:27 字数:9322
upon the sea…beach。 And for a time they went no further; for Persephone
herself sent forth the spirit of Actor's son which craved with many tears to
behold men like himself; even for a moment。 And mounting on the edge
of the barrow he gazed upon the ship; such as he was when he went to war;
and round his head a fair helm with four peaks gleamed with its blood…red
crest。 And again he entered the vast gloom; and they looked and
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marvelled; and Mopsus; son of Ampycus; with word of prophecy urged
them to land and propitiate him with libations。 Quickly they drew in sail
and threw out hawsers; and on the strand paid honour to the tomb of
Sthenelus; and poured out drink offerings to him and sacrificed sheep as
victims。 And besides the drink offerings they built an altar to Apollo;
saviour of ships; and burnt thigh bones; and Orpheus dedicated his lyre;
whence the place has the name of Lyra。
(ll。 930…945) And straightway they went aboard as the wind blew
strong; and they drew the sail down; and made it taut to both sheets; then
Argo was borne over the sea swiftly; even as a hawk soaring high through
the air commits to the breeze its outspread wings and is borne on swiftly;
nor swerves in its flight; poising in the clear sky with quiet pinions。 And
lo; they passed by the stream of Parthenius as it flows into the sea; a most
gentle river; where the maid; daughter of Leto; when she mounts to heaven
after the chase; cools her limbs in its much…desired waters。 Then they
sped onward in the night without ceasing; and passed Sesamus and lofty
Erythini; Crobialus; Cromna and woody Cytorus。 Next they swept round
Carambis at the rising of the sun; and plied the oars past long Aegialus; all
day and on through the night。
(ll。 946…965) And straightway they landed on the Assyrian shore
where Zeus himself gave a home to Sinope; daughter of Asopus; and
granted her virginity; beguiled by his own promises。 For he longed for
her love; and he promised to grant her whatever her hearts desire might be。
And she in her craftiness asked of him virginity。 And in like manner she
deceived Apollo too who longed to wed her; and besides them the river
Halys; and no man ever subdued her in love's embrace。 And there the
sons of noble Deimachus of Tricca were still dwelling; Deileon; Autolycus
and Phlogius; since the day when they wandered far away from Heracles;
and they; when they marked the array of chieftains; went to meet them and
declared in truth who they were; and they wished to remain there no
longer; but as soon as Argestes (6) blew went on ship…board。 And so with
them; borne along by the swift breeze; the heroes left behind the river
Halys; and left behind his that flows hard by; and the delta…land of Assyria;
and on the same day they rounded the distant headland of the Amazons
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that guards their harbour。
(ll。 966…1001) Here once when Melanippe; daughter of Ares; had;
gone forth; the hero Heracles caught her by ambuscade and Hippolyte
gave him her glistening girdle as her sister's ransom; and he sent away his
captive unharmed。 In the bay of this headland; at the outfall of
Thermodon; they ran ashore; for the sea was rough for their voyage。 No
river is like this; and none sends forth from itself such mighty streams over
the land。 If a man should count every one he would lack but four of a
hundred; but the real spring is only one。 This flows down to the plain
from lofty mountains; which; men say; are called the Amazonian
mountains。 Thence it spreads inland over a hilly country straight forward;
wherefrom its streams go winding on; and they roll on; this way and that
ever more; wherever best they can reach the lower ground; one at a
distance and another near at hand; and many streams are swallowed up in
the sand and are without a name; but; mingled with a few; the main stream
openly bursts with its arching crest of foam into the inhospitable Pontus。
And they would have tarried there and have closed in battle with the
Amazons; and would have fought not without bloodshed for the Amazons
were not gentle foes and regarded not justice; those dwellers on the
Doeantian plain; but grievous insolence and the works of Ares were all
their care; for by race they were the daughters of Ares and the nymph
Harmonia; who bare to Ares war…loving maids; wedded to him in the glens
of the Acmonian wood had not the breezes of Argestes come again from
Zeus; and with the wind they left the rounded beach; where the
Themiscyreian Amazons were arming for war。 For they dwelt not
gathered together in one city; but scattered over the land; parted into three
tribes。 In one part dwelt the Themiscyreians; over whom at that time
Hippolyte reigned; in another the Lycastians; and in another the dart…
throwing Chadesians。 And the next day they sped on and at nightfall
they reached the land of the Chalybes。
(ll。 1002…1008) That folk have no care for ploughing with oxen or for
any planting of honey…sweet fruit; nor yet do they pasture flocks in the
dewy meadow。 But they cleave the hard iron…bearing land and exchange
their wages for daily sustenance; never does the morn rise for them
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without toil; but amid bleak sooty flames and smoke they endure heavy
labour。
(ll。 1009…1014) And straightway thereafter they rounded the
headland of Genetaean Zeus and sped safely past the land of the Tibareni。
Here when wives bring forth children to their husbands; the men lie in bed
and groan with their heads close bound; but the women tend them with
food; and prepare child…birth baths for them。
(ll。 1015…1029) Next they reached the sacred mount and the land
where the Mossynoeci dwell amid high mountains in wooden huts; (7)
from which that people take their name。 And strange are their customs
and laws。 Whatever it is right to do openly before the people or in the
market place; all this they do in their homes; but whatever acts we perform
at home; these they perform out of doors in the midst of the streets;
without blame。 And among them is no reverence for the marriage…bed;
but; like swine that feed in herds; no whit abashed in others' presence; on
the earth they lie with the women。 Their king sits in the loftiest hut and
dispenses upright judgments to the multitude; poor wretch! For if haply
he err at all in his decrees; for that day they keep him shut up in starvation。
(ll。 1030…1046) They passed them by and cleft their way with oars
over against the island of Ares all day long; for at dusk the light breeze left
them。 At last they spied above them; hurtling through the air; one of the
birds of Ares which haunt that isle。 It shook its wings down over the ship
as she sped on and sent against her a keen feather; and it fell on the left
shoulder of goodly Oileus; and he dropped his oar from his hands at the
sudden blow; and his comrades marvelled at the sight of the winged bolt。
And Eribotes from his seat hard by drew out the feather; and bound up the
wound when he had loosed the strap hanging from his own sword…sheath;
and besides the first; another bird appeared swooping down; but the hero
Clytius; son of Eurytus for he bent his curved bow; and sped a swift
arrow against the birdstruck it; and it whirled round and fell close to the
ship。 And to them spake Amphidamas; son of Aleus:
(ll。 1047…1067) 〃The island of Ares is near us; you know it
yourse