第 45 节
作者:水王      更新:2021-12-07 09:36      字数:9322
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  offered     to  turn  back;   and    guide   them    to  Colchis。    At  the   same    time;
  however;   they   spoke   as   if   it   were   very   doubtful   whether   Jason   would
  succeed in getting the Golden Fleece。 According to their account; the tree
  on which it   hung was guarded   by a   terrible dragon; who   never failed to
  devour; at one mouthful; every person who might venture within his reach。
  〃There are other difficulties in the way;〃 continued the young princes。
  〃But is not this enough? Ah; brave Jason; turn back before it is too late。 It
  would     grieve    us  to  the   heart;  if  you   and   your   nine   and   forty   brave
  companions       should    be   eaten   up;  at  fifty  mouthfuls;    by   this  execrable
  dragon。〃
  〃My young friends;〃 quietly replied Jason; 〃I do not wonder that you
  think the dragon very terrible。 You have grown up from infancy in the fear
  of this monster; and therefore still regard him with the awe that children
  feel   for   the   bugbears   and   hobgoblins   which   their   nurses   have   talked   to
  them about。 But; in my view of the matter; the dragon is merely a pretty
  large serpent; who is not half so likely to snap me up at one mouthful as I
  am to cut off his ugly head; and strip the skin from his body。 At all events;
  turn back who may; I will never see Greece again; unless I carry with me
  the Golden Fleece。〃
  〃We     will  none    of  us   turn  back!〃    cried   his  nine   and   forty   brave
  comrades。 〃Let us get on board the galley this instant; and if the dragon is
  to make a breakfast of us; much good may it do him。〃
  And Orpheus (whose custom it was to set everything to music) began
  to   harp   and   sing   most   gloriously;   and   made   every   mother's   son   of   them
  feel as if nothing in this world were so delectable as to fight dragons; and
  nothing so truly honorable as to be eaten up at one mouthful; in case of the
  worst。
  After this (being now under the guidance of the two princes; who were
  well acquainted with the way); they quickly sailed to Colchis。 When the
  king   of   the   country;   whose   name   was   Aetes;   heard   of   their   arrival;   he
  instantly summoned Jason to court。 The king was a stern and cruel looking
  potentate; and though he put on as polite and hospitable an expression as
  he could; Jason did not like his face a whit better than that of the wicked
  King Pelias; who dethroned   his father。 〃You   are welcome; brave   Jason;〃
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  said    King    Aetes。   〃Pray;   are   you   on   a  pleasure    voyage?Or      do   you
  meditate     the  discovery   of    unknown      islands?or    what   other   cause    has
  procured me the happiness of seeing you at my court?〃
  〃Great   sir;〃   replied   Jason;   with   an   obeisancefor   Chiron   had   taught
  him how to behave with propriety;  whether to kings or beggars〃I have
  come hither with a purpose which I now beg your majesty's permission to
  execute。 King Pelias; who sits on my father's throne (to which he has no
  more right than to the one on which your excellent majesty is now seated);
  has engaged to come down from it; and to give me his crown and sceptre;
  provided I bring him the Golden Fleece。 This; as your majesty is aware; is
  now hanging on a tree here at Colchis; and I humbly solicit your gracious
  leave to take it away。〃 In spite of himself; the king's face twisted itself into
  an   angry   frown;   for;   above   all   things   else   in   the   world;   he   prized   the
  Golden Fleece; and was even suspected of having done a very wicked act;
  in order to get it into his own possession。 It put him into the worst possible
  humor; therefore; to hear that the gallant Prince Jason; and forty…nine of
  the bravest young warriors of Greece; had come to Colchis with the sole
  purpose of taking away his chief treasure。
  〃Do   you   know;〃   asked   King Aetes;  eyeing   Jason   very  sternly;   〃what
  are the conditions which you must fulfill before getting possession of the
  Golden Fleece?〃
  〃I have heard;〃 rejoined the youth; 〃that a dragon lies beneath the tree
  on which the prize hangs; and that whoever approaches him runs the risk
  of being devoured at a mouthful。〃
  〃True;〃 said the king; with a smile that did not look particularly good…
  natured。   〃Very   true;   young   man。   But   there   are   other   things   as   hard;   or
  perhaps a little harder; to be done before you can even have the privilege
  of   being   devoured   by   the   dragon。   For   example;   you   must   first   tame   my
  two brazen…footed and brazen…lunged bulls; which Vulcan; the wonderful
  blacksmith; made for me。 There is a furnace in each of their stomachs; and
  they breathe such hot fire out of their mouths and nostrils; that nobody has
  hitherto gone nigh them without being instantly burned to a small; black
  cinder。 What do you think of this; my brave Jason?〃
  〃I   must   encounter   the   peril;〃   answered   Jason;   composedly;   〃since   it
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  stands in the way of my purpose。〃
  〃After    taming     the   fiery  bulls;〃   continued     King    Aetes;    who    was
  determined to scare Jason if possible; 〃you must yoke them to a plow; and
  must   plow   the   sacred   earth   in   the   Grove   of   Mars;   and   sow   some   of   the
  same dragon's teeth from which Cadmus raised a crop of armed men。 They
  are an unruly set of reprobates; those sons of the dragon's teeth; and unless
  you treat them suitably; they will fall upon you sword in hand。 You and
  your   nine   and   forty Argonauts;   my   bold   Jason;   are   hardly   numerous   or
  strong enough to fight with such a host as will spring up。〃
  〃My master Chiron;〃 replied Jason; 〃taught me; long ago; the story of
  Cadmus。 Perhaps I can manage the quarrelsome sons of the dragon's teeth
  as well as Cadmus did。〃
  〃I wish the dragon had him;〃 muttered King Aetes to himself; 〃and the
  four…footed      pedant;    his  schoolmaster;      into  the   bargain。   Why;     what    a
  foolhardy; self…conceited coxcomb he is! We'll see what my fire…breathing
  bulls   will   do   for   him。   Well;   Prince   Jason;〃   he   continued;   aloud;   and   as
  complaisantly as he could; 〃make yourself comfortable for to…day; and to…
  morrow morning; since you insist upon it; you shall try your skill at the
  plow。〃
  While     the  king   talked   with   Jason;    a  beautiful   young    woman      was
  standing behind the throne。 She fixed her eyes earnestly upon the youthful
  stranger; and listened attentively to every word that was spoken; and when
  Jason withdrew from the king's presence; this young woman followed him
  out of the room。
  〃I am the king's daughter;〃 she said to him; 〃and my name is Medea。 I
  know a great deal of which other young princesses are ignorant; and can
  do many things which they would be afraid so much as to dream of。 If you
  will trust to me; I can instruct you how to tame the fiery bulls; and sow the
  dragon's teeth; and get the Golden Fleece。〃
  〃Indeed; beautiful princess;〃 answered Jason; 〃if you will do me this
  service;  I   promise   to   be grateful   to   you   my  whole life   long。〃'   Gazing   at
  Medea;   he   beheld   a   wonderful   intelligence   in   her   face。   She   was   one   of
  those persons whose eyes are full of mystery; so that; while looking into
  them; you seem to see a very great way; as into a deep well; yet can never
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  be certain whether you see into the farthest depths; or whether there be not
  something else hidden at the bottom。 If Jason had been capable of fearing
  anything;   he   would   have   been   afraid   of   making   this   young   princess   his
  enemy; for; beautiful as she now looked; she might; the very next instant;
  become as terrible as the dragon that kept watch over the Golden Fleece。
  〃Princess;〃     he   exclaimed;     〃you    seem    indeed    very   wise   and    very
  powerful。 But how can you help me to do the things of which you speak?
  Are you an enchantress?〃
  〃Yes;   Prince   Jason;〃   answered   Medea;   with   a   smile;   〃you   have   hit
  upon the truth。 I am an enchantress。 Circe; my father's sister; taught me to
  be one; and I could tell you; if I pleased; who was the old woman with the
  peacock; the pomegranate; and the cuckoo staff; whom  you carried   over
  the river; and; likewise