第 33 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9322
  handle; fashioned of adamant。
  (ll。  1326…1339)        The     bulls   meantime      raged    exceedingly;      breathing
  forth    furious    flame    of  fire;  and    their  breath    rose   up   like   the  roar   of
  blustering winds; in fear of which above all seafaring men furl their large
  sail。    But not long after that they moved on at the bidding of the spear;
  and behind them the rugged fallow was broken up; cloven by the might of
  the   bulls   and   the   sturdy   ploughman。         Then   terribly   groaned   the   clods
  withal   along   the   furrows   of   the   plough   as   they   were   rent;   each   a   man's
  burden; and Jason followed; pressing down the cornfield with firm foot;
  and   far   from   him   he   ever   sowed   the   teeth   along   the   clods   as   each   was
  ploughed; turning his head back for fear lest the deadly crop of earthborn
  men   should   rise   against   him   first;   and   the   bulls   toiled   onwards   treading
  with their hoofs of bronze。
  (ll。 1340…1407)        But when the third part of the day was still left as it
  wanes      from    dawn;    and    wearied     labourers     call  for   the  sweet    hour    of
  unyoking to come to them straightway; then the fallow was ploughed by
  the tireless ploughman; four plough…gates though it was; and he loosed the
  plough from the oxen。           Them he scared in flight towards the plain; but he
  went   back   again   to   the   ship;   while   he   still   saw   the   furrows   free   of   the
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  earthborn      men。    And    all  round    his  comrades      heartened     him   with    their
  shouts。     And in the helmet he drew from the river's stream and quenched
  his thirst with the water。          Then he bent his knees till they grew supple;
  and   filled   his   mighty   heart   with     courage;   raging   like   a   boar;   when     it
  sharpens      its  teeth   against   the   hunters;    while   from    its  wrathful    mouth
  plenteous   foam   drips   to   the   ground。      By   now   the   earthborn   men   were
  springing   up   over   all   the   field;   and   the   plot   of   Ares;   the   death…dealer;
  bristled with sturdy shields and double…pointed spears and shining helmets;
  and   the   gleam   reached   Olympus   from   beneath;   flashing   through   the   air。
  And as when abundant snow has fallen on the earth and the storm blasts
  have dispersed the wintry clouds under the murky night; and all the hosts
  of the stars appear shining through the gloom; so did those warriors shine
  springing up above the earth。           But Jason bethought him of the counsels of
  Medea   full   of   craft;   and   seized   from   the   plain   a   huge   round   boulder;   a
  terrible quoit of Ares Enyalius; four stalwart youths could not have raised
  it from the ground even a little。           Taking it in his hands he threw it with a
  rush   far   away   into   their   midst;   and   himself   crouched   unseen   behind   his
  shield; with full confidence。          And the Colchians gave a loud cry; like the
  roar of the sea when it beats upon sharp crags; and speechless amazement
  seized Aeetes   at   the   rush   of   the   sturdy   quoit。    And   the   Earthborn;   like
  fleet…footed   hounds;   leaped   upon   one   another   and   slew   with   loud   yells;
  and on earth their mother they fell beneath their own spears; likes pines or
  oaks; which storms   of wind beat   down。               And   even as a   fiery star   leaps
  from heaven; trailing a furrow of light; a portent to men; whoever see it
  darting with a gleam through the dusky sky; in such wise did Aeson's son
  rush upon the earthborn men; and he drew from the sheath his bare sword;
  and smote here and there; mowing them down; many on the belly and side;
  half risen to the airand some that had risen as far as the shouldersand
  some just standing upright; and others even now rushing to battle。                        And
  as when a fight is stirred up concerning boundaries; and a husbandman; in
  fear lest they should ravage his fields; seizes in his hand a curved sickle;
  newly sharpened; and hastily cuts the unripe crop; and waits not for it to
  be parched in due season by the beams of the sun; so at that time did Jason
  cut down the crop of the Earthborn; and the furrows were filled with blood;
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  as the channels of a spring with water。          And they fell; some on their faces
  biting the rough clod of earth with their teeth; some on their backs;  and
  others   on   their   hands   and   sides;   like   to   sea…   monsters   to   behold。 And
  many; smitten before raising their feet from the earth; bowed down as far
  to the ground as they had risen to the air; and rested there with the damp of
  death on their brows。       Even so; I ween; when Zeus has sent a measureless
  rain; new planted orchard…shoots droop to the ground; cut off by the root
  the toil of gardening men; but heaviness of heart and deadly anguish come
  to the owner of the farm; who planted them; so at that time did bitter grief
  come upon the heart of King Aeetes。 And he went back to the city among
  the Colchians; pondering how he might most quickly oppose the heroes。
  And the day died; and Jason's contest was ended。
  ENDNOTES: (1)          i。e。 the fight between the gods and the giants。 (2)
  i。e。 the Shining One。 (3)        A name of Ares。 (4)         i。e。 the liquid that flows
  in the veins of gods。 (5)       Or; reading MENIM; 〃took no heed of the cause
  of wrath with            the stranger…folk。〃
  BOOK IV
  (ll。 1…5)   Now do thou thyself; goddess Muse; daughter of Zeus; tell
  of the labour and wiles of the Colchian maiden。               Surely my soul within
  me wavers with speechless amazement as I ponder whether I should call it
  the lovesick grief of mad passion or a panic flight; through which she left
  the Colchian folk。
  (ll。 6…10)   Aeetes all night long with the bravest captains of his people
  was   devising   in   his   halls   sheer   treachery   against   the   heroes;   with   fierce
  wrath in his heart at the issue of the hateful contest; nor did he deem at all
  that these things were being accomplished without the knowledge of his
  daughters。
  (ll。 11…29)    But into Medea's heart Hera cast most grievous fear; and
  she trembled like a nimble fawn whom the baying of hounds hath terrified
  amid the thicket of a deep copse。          For at once she truly forboded that the
  aid   she   had   given   was   not   hidden   from   her   father;   and   that   quickly   she
  would fill up the cup of woe。          And she dreaded the guilty knowledge of
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  her   handmaids;   her   eyes   were   filled   with   fire   and   her   ears   rung   with   a
  terrible cry。     Often did she clutch at her throat; and often did she drag out
  her hair by the roots and groan in wretched despair。                    There on that very
  day   the   maiden   would   have   tasted   the   drugs   and   perished   and   so   have
  made   void      the   purposes   of   Hera;    had   not   the   goddess   driven   her;     all
  bewildered; to flee with the sons of Phrixus; and her fluttering soul within
  her was comforted; and then she poured from her bosom all the drugs back
  again into the casket。         Then she kissed her bed; and the folding…doors on
  both   sides;   and   stroked   the   walls;   and   tearing   away  in   her   hands   a   long
  tress of hair; she left it in the chamber for her mother; a memorial of her
  maidenhood; and thus lamented with passionate voice:
  (ll。 30…33)     〃I go; leaving this long tress here in my stead; O mother
  mine; take this farewell from me as I go far hence; farewell Chalciope; and
  all my home。        Would that the sea; stranger; had dashed thee to pieces; ere
  thou camest to the Colchian land!〃
  (ll。   34…56)    Thus   she   spake;   and   from   her   eyes   shed   copious   tears。
  And   as   a   bondmaid   steals   away   from   a   wealthy   house;   whom   fate   has
  lately severed from her native land; nor yet has she made trial of grievous
  toil;   but   still   unschooled   to   misery   and   shrinking   in   terror   from   slavish
  tasks; goes about beneath the cruel hands of a mistress; even so the lovely
  maiden   rushed   forth   from   her   home。        But   to   her   the   bolts   of   the   doors
  gave way self…moved; leaping backwards at the swift strains of her magic
  song。     And with bare feet she sped along the na