第 34 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9321
  gave way self…moved; leaping backwards at the swift strains of her magic
  song。     And with bare feet she sped along the narrow paths; with her left
  hand holding her robe over her brow to veil her face and fair cheeks; and
  with her right lifting up the hem of her tunic。 Quickly along the dark track;
  outside the towers of the spacious city; did she come in fear; nor did any of
  the warders note her; but she sped on unseen by them。                      Thence she was
  minded   to   go   to   the   temple;   for   well   she   knew   the   way;   having   often
  aforetime   wandered   there   in   quest   of   corpses   and   noxious   roots   of   the
  earth; as a sorceress is wont to do; and her soul fluttered with quivering
  fear。    And the Titanian goddess; the moon; rising from a far land; beheld
  her as she fled distraught; and fiercely exulted over her; and thus spake to
  her own heart:
  (ll。 57…65)     〃Not I alone then stray to the Latinian cave; nor do I alone
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  burn with love for fair Endymion; oft times with thoughts of love have I
  been driven away by thy crafty spells; in order that in the darkness of night
  thou mightest work thy sorcery at ease; even the deeds dear to thee。                        And
  now   thou   thyself   too   hast   part   in   a   like   mad   passion;   and   some   god   of
  affection has given thee Jason to be thy grievous woe。                      Well; go on; and
  steel thy heart; wise though thou be; to take up thy burden of pain; fraught
  with many sighs。〃
  (ll。 66…82)      Thus spake the goddess; but swiftly the maiden's feet bore
  her; hasting on。        And gladly did she gain the high…bank of the river and
  beheld   on   the   opposite   side   the   gleam   of   fire;   which   all   night   long   the
  heroes   were      kindling     in   joy   at  the   contest's  issue。    Then     through     the
  gloom;   with   clear…pealing   voice   from   across   the   stream;   she   called   on
  Phrontis;   the   youngest   of   Phrixus'   sons;   and   he   with   his   brothers   and
  Aeson's   son   recognised   the   maiden's   voice;   and   in   silence   his   comrades
  wondered when they knew that it was so in truth。                     Thrice she called; and
  thrice   at   the   bidding   of   the   company   Phrontis   called   out   in   reply;   and
  meantime the heroes were rowing with swift… moving oars in search of her。
  Not yet were they casting the ship's hawsers upon the opposite bank; when
  Jason   with   light   feet   leapt   to   land   from   the   deck   above;   and   after   him
  Phrontis and Argus; sons of Phrixus; leapt to the ground; and she; clasping
  their knees with both hands; thus addressed them:
  (ll。 83…91)      〃Save me; the hapless one; my friends; from Aeetes; and
  yourselves   too;   for   all   is   brought   to   light;   nor   doth   any   remedy   come。
  But   let   us   flee   upon   the   ship;   before   the   king   mounts   his   swift   chariot。
  And   I   will   lull   to   sleep   the   guardian   serpent   and   give   you   the   fleece   of
  gold; but do thou; stranger; amid thy comrades make the gods witness of
  the vows thou hast taken on thyself for my sake; and now that I have fled
  far   from   my   country;   make   me   not   a   mark   for   blame   and   dishonour   for
  want of kinsmen。〃
  (ll。 92…98)      She spake in anguish; but greatly did the heart of Aeson's
  son rejoice; and at once; as she fell at his knees; he raised her gently and
  embraced her; and spake words of   comfort: 〃Lady; let Zeus of   Olympus
  himself be witness to my oath; and Hera; queen of marriage; bride of Zeus;
  that   I   will   set   thee   in   my   halls   my   own   wedded   wife;   when   we   have
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  reached the land of Hellas on our return。〃
  (ll。 99…108)     Thus he spake; and straightway clasped her right hand in
  his; and she bade them row the swift ship to the sacred grove near at hand;
  in order   that;  while it   was   still night; they  might   seize   and   carry  off   the
  fleece   against   the   will   of Aeetes。   Word   and   deed   were   one   to   the   eager
  crew。     For they took her on board; and straightway thrust the ship from
  shore; and loud was the din as the chieftains strained at their oars; but she;
  starting back; held out her hands in despair towards the shore。 But Jason
  spoke cheering words and restrained her grief。
  (ll。 109…122)      Now at the hour when men have cast sleep from their
  eyes~huntsmen; who; trusting to their bounds; never slumber away the end
  of night; but avoid the light of dawn lest; smiting with its white beams; it
  efface the   track   and   scent   of   the   quarry     then   did Aeson's   son   and   the
  maiden step forth from the ship over a grassy spot; the 〃Ram's couch〃 as
  men call it; where it first bent its wearied knees in rest; bearing on its back
  the Minyan son of Athamas。             And close by; all smirched with soot; was
  the base   of  the   altar;  which   the Aeolid   Phrixus   once  set   up   to   Zeus;   the
  alder of fugitives; when he sacrificed the golden wonder at the bidding of
  Hermes who graciously met him on the way。                    There by the counsels of
  Argus the chieftains put them ashore。
  (ll。 123…161)      And they two by the pathway came to the sacred grove;
  seeking the huge oak tree on which was hung the fleece; like to a cloud
  that blushes red with the fiery beams of the rising sun。               But right in front
  the serpent with his keen sleepless eyes saw them coming; and stretched
  out his long neck and hissed in awful wise; and all round the long banks of
  the river echoed and the boundless grove。                Those heard it who dwelt in
  the Colchian land very far from Titanian Aea; near the outfall of Lycus; the
  river which parts from loud…roaring Araxes and blends his sacred stream
  with Phasis; and they twain flow on together in one and pour their waters
  into   the   Caucasian   Sea。   And   through   fear   young   mothers   awoke;          and
  round their new…born babes; who were sleeping in their arms; threw their
  hands   in   agony;   for   the   small   limbs   started   at   that   hiss。 And   as   when
  above   a   pile   of   smouldering   wood       countless   eddies   of   smoke   roll    up
  mingled   with   soot;   and one  ever   springs   up   quickly  after  another;   rising
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  aloft from beneath in wavering wreaths; so at that time did that monster
  roll his countless coils covered with hard dry scales。              And as he writhed;
  the maiden came before his eyes; with sweet voice calling to her aid sleep;
  highest of gods; to charm the monster; and she cried to the queen of the
  underworld; the night…wanderer; to be propitious to her enterprise。                   And
  Aeson's son followed in fear; but the serpent; already charmed by her song;
  was   relaxing   the   long   ridge   of   his   giant   spine;   and   lengthening   out   his
  myriad coils; like a dark wave; dumb and noiseless; rolling over a sluggish
  sea; but still he raised aloft his grisly head; eager to enclose them both in
  his murderous jaws。         But she with a newly cut spray of juniper; dipping
  and drawing untempered charms from her mystic brew; sprinkled his eyes;
  while she chanted her song; and all around the potent scent of the charm
  cast sleep; and on the very spot he let his jaw sink down; and far behind
  through the wood with its many trees were those countless coils stretched
  out。
  Hereupon       Jason   snatched    the   golden    fleece   from    the  oak;   at  the
  maiden      bidding;   and   she;   standing    firm;   smeared    with   the   charm    the
  monster's head; till Jason   himself   bade her turn   back   towards   their   ship;
  and she left the grove of Ares; dusky with shade。 And as a maiden catches
  on her finely wrought robe the gleam of the moon at the full; as it rises
  above her high…roofed chamber; and her heart rejoices as she beholds the
  fair ray; so at that time did Jason uplift the mighty fleece in his hands; and
  from the shimmering of the flocks of wool there settled on his fair cheeks
  and brow a red flush like a flame。           And great as is the hide of a yearling
  ox or stag; which huntsmen call a brocket; so great in extent was the fleece
  all golden above。        Heavy it was; thickly clustered with flocks; and as he
  moved   along;   even   beneath   his   feet   the   sheen   rose   up   from   the   earth。
  And