第 45 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-19 00:27      字数:9322
  and in time he reached the land of the Chalybes; who dwell near the sea;
  there it was that his fate subdued him。              And to him a monument stands
  under a tall poplar; just facing the sea。           But that day Lynceus thought he
  saw   Heracles   all   alone;   far   off;   over   measureless   land;   as   a   man   at   the
  month's   beginning   sees;   or   thinks   he   sees;   the   moon   through   a   bank   of
  cloud。     And   he   returned   and   told   his   comrades   that   no   other   searcher
  would find Heracles on his way; and they also came back; and swift…footed
  Euphemus and the twin sons of Thracian Boreas; after a vain toil。
  (ll。 1485…1501)       But thee; Canthus; the fates of death seized in Libya。
  On pasturing flocks didst thou light; and there followed a shepherd who;
  in defence of his own sheep; while thou weft leading them off (11) to thy
  comrades   in   their   need;   slew   thee   by  the   cast   of   a   stone;   for   he   was   no
  weakling; Caphaurus; the grandson of Lycoreian Phoebus and the chaste
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  maiden Acacallis; whom once Minos drove from home to dwell in Libya;
  his   own   daughter;   when   she   was   bearing   the   gods'   heavy   load;   and   she
  bare    to   Phoebus     a  glorious    son;   whom      they   call   Amphithemis       and
  Garamas。       And Amphithemis wedded a Tritonian nymph; and she bare to
  him   Nasamon   and   strong   Caphaurus;   who   on   that   day   in   defending   his
  sheep slew Canthus。          But he escaped not the chieftains' avenging hands;
  when   they  learned   the   deed   he   had   done。     And   the   Minyae;   when   they
  knew it; afterwards took up the corpse and buried it in the earth; mourning;
  and the sheep they took with them。
  (ll。   1502…1536)      Thereupon   on   the   same   day   a   pitiless   fate   seized
  Mopsus   too;   son   of Ampycus;   and   he   escaped   not   a   bitter   doom   by   his
  prophesying; for there is no averting of death。             Now there lay in the sand;
  avoiding the midday heat; a dread serpent; too sluggish of his own will to
  strike at an unwilling foe; nor yet would he dart full face at one that would
  shrink back。       But into whatever of all living beings that life…giving earth
  sustains   that   serpent   once   injects   his   black    venom;   his   path   to  Hades
  becomes not so much as a cubit's length; not even if Paeeon; if it is right
  for me to say this openly; should tend him; when its teeth have only grazed
  the skin。     For   when   over   Libya   flew  godlike   Perseus   Eurymedon            for
  by that name his mother called himbearing to the king the Gorgon's head
  newly severed; all the drops of dark blood that fell to the earth; produced a
  brood   of   those  serpents。     Now   Mopsus   stepped   on   the   end of   its   spine;
  setting thereon the sole of his left foot; and it writhed round in pain and bit
  and tore the flesh between the shin and the muscles。                And Medea and her
  handmaids fled in terror; but Canthus bravely felt the bleeding wound; for
  no excessive pain harassed him。            Poor wretch!       Already a numbness that
  loosed   his   limbs   was   stealing   beneath      his   skin;   and  a   thick  mist   was
  spreading over his eyes。          Straightway his heavy limbs sank helplessly to
  the ground and he grew cold; and his comrades and the hero; Aeson's son;
  gathered   round;   marvelling   at   the   close…coming   doom。         Nor   yet   though
  dead might he lie beneath the sun even for a little space。                For at once the
  poison began to rot his flesh within; and the hair decayed and fell from the
  skin。    And quickly and in haste they dug a deep grave with mattocks of
  bronze; and they tore their hair; the heroes and the maidens; bewailing the
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  dead man's piteous suffering; and when he had received due burial rites;
  thrice they marched round the tomb in full armour; and heaped above him
  a mound of earth。         (ll。 1537…1553)       But when they had gone aboard; as
  the south wind blew over the sea; and they were searching for a passage to
  go forth from the Tritonian lake; for long they had no device; but all the
  day were borne on aimlessly。             And as a serpent goes writhing along his
  crooked path when the sun's fiercest rays scorch him; and with a hiss he
  turns   his   head   to   this   side   and   that;   and   in   his   fury   his   eyes   glow   like
  sparks of fire; until he creeps to his lair through a cleft in the rock; so Argo
  seeking an outlet from the lake; a fairway for ships; wandered for a long
  time。     Then   straightway   Orpheus   bade   them   bring   forth   from   the   ship
  Apollo's massy tripod and offer it to the gods of the land as propitiation for
  their return。     So they went forth and set Apollo's gift on the shore; then
  before them stood; in the form of a youth; farswaying Triton; and he lifted
  a clod from the earth and offered it as a stranger's gift; and thus spake:
  (ll。 1554…1561)       〃Take it; friends; for no stranger's gift of great worth
  have I here   by  me now   to place in   the hands of   those who beseech   me。
  But if ye are searching for a passage through this sea; as often is the need
  of   men   passing   through   a   strange   land;   I   will   declare   it。 For   my   sire
  Poseidon has made me to be well versed in this sea。                 And I rule the shore
  if   haply  in   your   distant   land   you   have   ever   heard   of   Eurypylus;   born   in
  Libya; the home of wild beasts。〃
  (ll。 1562…1563)        Thus   he   spake;   and   readily  Euphemus   held   out   his
  hands towards the clod; and thus addressed him in reply:
  (ll。 1564…1570)       〃If haply; hero; thou knowest aught of Apis (12) and
  the sea of Minos; tell us truly; who ask it of you。             For not of our will have
  we   come   hither;   but   by  the   stress   of   heavy  storms   have   we   touched   the
  borders of this land; and have borne our ship aloft on our shoulders to the
  waters of this lake over the mainland; grievously burdened; and we know
  not where a passage shows itself for our course to the land of Pelops。〃
  (ll。 1571…1585)       So   he spake;   and Triton   stretched   out his hand   and
  showed afar the sea and the lake's deep mouth; and then addressed them:
  〃That is the outlet to the sea; where the deep water lies unmoved and dark;
  on each side roll white breakers with shining crests; and the way between
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  for your passage out is narrow。            And that sea stretches away in mist to the
  divine land of Pelops beyond Crete; but hold to the right; when ye have
  entered the swell of the sea from the lake; and steer your course hugging
  the land; as long as it trends to the north; but when the coast bends; falling
  away in the other direction; then your course is safely laid for you if ye go
  straight   forward   from   the   projecting   cape。         But   go   in   joy;   and   as   for
  labour let there be no grieving   that limbs   in youthful   vigour should still
  toil。〃
  (ll。 1586…1596)        He spake with kindly counsel; and they at once went
  aboard;   intent   to   come   forth   from   the   lake   by   the   use   of   oars。     And
  eagerly   they   sped   on;   meanwhile   Triton   took   up   the   mighty   tripod;   and
  they   saw   him   enter   the   lake;   but   thereafter   did   no   one   mark       how   he
  vanished      so   near   them    along    with    the  tripod。    But     their  hearts    were
  cheered; for that one of the blessed had met them in friendly guise。                       And
  they bade Aeson's son offer to him the choicest of the sheep and when he
  had slain it chant the hymn of praise。              And straightway he chose in haste
  and raising the victim slew it over the stern; and prayed with these words:
  (ll。   1597…1600)       〃Thou      god;    who    hast   manifested      thyself    on   the
  borders of this land; whether the daughters born of the sea call thee Triton;
  the   great   sea…marvel;   or   Phoreys;   or   Nereus;   be   gracious;   and   grant   the
  return home dear to our hearts。〃
  (ll。 1601…1637)        He spake; and cut the victim's throat over the water
  and cast it from the stern。          And the god rose up from the depths in form
  such as he   really was。         And as   when a   man trains   a swift   steed for the
  broad   race…course;   and   runs   along;   gra