希腊神话连载19

希腊神话连载19 Acrisius   Acrisius，king of Argos，was Hypermnestra' s grandson．He had one beautiful daughter， Danae by name． So much did he love her that he decided not to remarry after the death of his wife． But one day an oracle  from Delphi prophesied that he would be killed by the son of Danae．He felt so upset that his love suddenly changed to fear and hatred． To avoid the disaster he built a tall bronze tower，wherein he shut Danae up with her nurse．he kept the key of the tower himself，and left only the roof open for Danae to take an occasional look at the blue sky above． One bright sunny morning Danae felt a childish joy at the sight of the clear，blue sky and longed for freedom when a golden shower of sunlight shot through the open roof and spread all over her．A wave of happiness spread all over her，and Zeus himself stood before her in his splendour  and won her． Some time later，a guard came rushing into King Acrisius' palace and told the astonished king that Danae had given birth to a son． The baby was called Perseus． Acrisius decided that both mother and son must die if he wanted to live himself． Very soon he had a great chest(箱子) built，where he put Danae and her son，and then set it adrift on the sea ． Answering the sad prayers of the poor mother，Zeus had the chest swept onto the land of the Seriphos． Polydectes，king of the country，treated them at first with kindness，but afterwards with cruelty． When Perseus was grown up，Polydectes sent him to kill Medusa． Medusa had been a beautiful maiden，but as she once violated Athena's temple in Lybia  the goddess changed her beautiful hair into snakes and her body into that of a monster． So ugly and terrible was she that anyone looking on her face was immediately turned to stone． But Athena and other gods came to help Perseus． Athena lent him her brightly polished shield in which she warned him to look at the reflection of Medusa  only； Hades gave him his helmet which made its wearer invisible；and Hermes offered him his winged shoes so that he could travel fast over long distances． From the gods he also took a sword and a magic wallet． Acting on the advice of Athena，Perseus travelled west and first sought out the three grey women，known as the Graeae who knew the whereabouts of Medusa． These women had one tooth and one eye between them，so Perseus grabbed the tooth and the eye from them and forced them to tell him the truth． This the grey women did，and one night while flying across the sky the young man found Medusa sleeping on a rock． Flying down，he struck off the head of Medusa and turned back to the land where he had left his mother． 阿尔戈斯国王阿克里西俄斯是许泊涅斯特拉的孙子。他的女儿达那厄非常美丽。他对女儿如此宠爱，因此在丧妻之后他决定不再另娶。但是一天来自特尔斐城的一个先知者预言他将死在达那厄儿子的手上。他感到很沮丧，突然之间爱转变成恐惧与仇恨。为了避免灾难的发生，他建造了一座高高的铜塔，把达那厄和她的佣人关在里面。只有他有塔的钥匙。塔顶留有开口，达那厄只能从这里偶尔看看蓝天。在一个阳光明媚的早晨，看到晴朗的蓝天。她感到孩子般的喜悦并渴望自由。金色的阳光透过敞开的塔顶倾泻下来将她笼罩。幸福的暖流传遍她的全身。站在她面前的是宇宙之王宙斯。他辉煌伟大，赢得了她的心。 过了一段时间，一名卫士急匆匆地来到国王阿克里西俄斯的王宫。惊讶的国王被告知达那厄生下了一个儿子，名叫柏修斯。阿克里西俄斯当即决定母子俩都得死，这样他才能保住性命。很快他就令人做了一只大箱子，把达那厄母子俩关在里面，并把他们扔到海里漂流。这位可怜的母亲的祈祷得到了宙斯的回应。宙斯让箱子漂到赛瑞费斯国。该国国王波吕得克忒斯先是友好地招待他们，后来却变得残忍无情。柏修斯长大成人后，波吕得克忒斯派他去杀墨杜萨。 墨杜萨曾是一位美丽少女。但是因她亵渎了雅典娜在利比尔的神殿，女神就把它的美发变成了蛇，她的身体也成了怪物的体态。她丑陋狰狞，任何人只要看到她的面孔就会立即变成石头。雅典娜和其他的神向柏修斯伸出了救援的手。雅典娜借给他闪亮的盾。她警告他只能看墨杜萨映在上面的像。哈得斯借给他隐身盔甲；海尔墨斯为他提供带翼鞋，穿上它就能快步如飞。从神那里还得到了剑和魔袋。 遵照雅典娜的忠告，柏修斯向西走，他首先找到了格赖埃三姐妹。她们知道墨杜萨的行踪。这三位妇人共用一颗牙，一只眼。于是，柏修斯抓着他们的牙和眼，强迫她们道出实情。一天晚上，年轻人飞越天空时，他发现了在岩石上睡觉的墨杜萨。他飞下去砍掉了墨杜萨的头。然后转身走向与母亲告别的地方。 Oedipus   A prophet warned King Laius of Thebes that because he had married his cousin Jocasta，he would be killed by his son．To avoid the disaster，he ordered his loyal shepherd to kill his newborn baby son．The good hearted slave，however，could not bring himself to do the evil deed． He pierced the baby' s feet  and tied them with ropes． Then he turned the baby over to the care of a fellow shepherd who happened to be the servant of the king of Corinth． The child was given the name of Oedipus，He was brought up by the childless royal couple as their son and successor．The prince had never doubted that the king was not his real father until one day he heard others talking about his parentage． Deeply troubled，he went to Delphi to require about his birth．There he was warned by Apollo not to return to his native country，because，should he do so ， he would kill his father and marry his mother． The frightened young man turned his back on Corinth，determined not to return while his supposed parents lived． Oedipus had not gone far on his way to Thebes when he saw a cart coming towards him． The man sitting in the cart，angry at the young man in the way，whipped him on the face with an oath ． Oedipus jumped onto the cart and killed him in his anger．of the five servants who followed their master on foot，only one escaped narrowly． Little did Oedipus think that the man sitting in the cart was King Laicus，his father． Presently the young manar rived in the kingdom of Thebes． Round about this time，the Thebans were troubled by a woman headed monster，called Sphinx， who produced a riddle to them． The crown and the hand of the widow queen were offered to anyone who could solve the riddle． Oedipus met Sphinx on a cliff． To the monster' s riddle，“What animal walks on four legs in the morning，on two at noon，and on three at night？”he offered the answer，“Man，Who creeps in infancy，walks upright in manhood，and supports his steps with a staff in old age．” Thus， Sphinx threw herself down into the valley． Oedipus became king of Thebes and husband of the queen，his mother． For a long time after this event，Oedipus lived in honour and prosperity． Four unnatural children  came out of this odd marriage，two sons and two daughters． Then the sad thing came．A plague raged throughout the land ． Every family was affected，and not a day went by without new death． A prophet warned that the trouble would not be removed until the murderer of the former king Laius was driven out of the country． An old blind seer，Tiresias by name，was brought before the king and，outraged by the kings impolite language，declared that Oedipus himself was the hunted murderer． The king was shocked and annoyed． He called the Theban and Corinthian shepherds to prove the truth． As the two old shepherds had been concerned in his adoption as an infant，the truth finally became known． The queen hanged herself． Oedipus put out of his own eyes with a pin，so that he might not look on the sun again．he was driven out of the kingdom and wandered from one city to another，until he found protection in King Theseus'  Athens． There at the signal of Zeus' thunder，he mysteriously ended his poor earthly life． 有个预言家警告底比斯国王拉伊俄斯说：由于他和他的表妹结了婚，他可能会被他儿子杀了。为了避免杀身之祸，他命令忠实的牧羊人把刚出生的婴儿杀死。然而，这个好心的牧羊人下不了毒手。他刺穿婴儿的脚，并把双脚用绳子捆起来。然后把婴儿托给他的一个同伴照看，他的这个同伴恰好是科林斯国王的仆人。这个孩子就是俄狄浦斯。无儿无女的国王夫妇把他当作儿子和继承人抚养成人。王子从没有怀疑过国王是他亲生父亲直到有一天他听到别人在谈论他的身事。他听到这些大惑不解，便动身到特尔斐去询问他的身世。在那儿阿波罗警告他不要回他的故土，因为如果他要这样做，他就会杀了他的父亲并且和他母亲结婚。得到这个忠告，俄狄浦斯转向与科林斯相反的方向，并下定决心在他以为是生身父亲的科林斯国王在世时决不踏上故土，决心不再回到他的父母可能住的地方。 俄狄浦斯在通往底比斯的路上没走多远就看见一辆马车朝他驶来。坐在马车上的人对挡道的年轻人怒不可遏，一边咒骂一边用鞭子抽打着年轻人的脸。俄狄浦斯一气之下跳上马车杀了那人。徒步跟着他们的主人的五个随从中只有一个侥幸逃生。俄狄浦斯根本没想到坐在马车里的人就是国王拉伊俄斯，他的父亲。这个年轻人很快到达了底比斯王国。就在这个时候，底比斯人正被一个长着女人头的名叫斯芬克斯的怪兽困扰着，她给他们出了一个谜语，没人能破解得了。如果谁能解开这个谜，谁就能登上皇帝的宝座并娶皇后为妻。俄狄浦斯在悬崖上遇到了斯芬克斯。对于这个怪兽出的谜：“什么动物在早晨用四条腿走路，在中午用两条腿走路，在晚上用三条腿走路？”他回答到：“是人，在婴幼儿时期他爬行，长大后他直立行走，老年时他柱着拐棍。”就这样，斯芬克斯跳下了悬崖。俄狄浦斯成了底比斯的国王以及王后——他母亲的丈夫。 这件事之后很久，俄狄浦斯过着富有和受人尊重的生活。这个奇异的婚姻给他带来了四个奇异的孩子，两个儿子，两个女儿。接着悲惨的事情发生了。瘟疫席卷了整个国土。每个家庭都被传染上了这种可怕的病，每一天都要死很多人。一个预言家告诉世人说：只有将杀害前国王拉伊俄斯的凶手赶出这个国家，这场灾难才能结束。一个年老眼瞎名叫泰瑞西斯的预言家被带到国王面前。国王粗鲁的言语激怒了他，他宣称俄狄浦斯自己就是凶手。国王大吃一惊。他叫来底比斯的和科林斯族牧羊人来证明这个事实。当那两个牧羊人说到国王还是婴儿的时候就收养了他，真相终于搞清楚了。王后上吊自缢了。俄狄浦斯用针挖出了自己的双眼，使自己再也看不见明亮的阳光。他被赶出了王国。他从一个城市流浪到另一个城市，直到他在提修斯国王的雅典得到了保护，在宙斯的一次霹雷中，他神秘地结束了自己贫穷短暂的一生。 Achilles   Achilles felt proud of his parentage．His grandfather was noted for his justice and uprightness and became a judge in Hades after death． His father Peleus was a brave warrior and later married the beautiful sea goddess，Thetis． At the wedding of Peleus and the sea goddess，to which most of the gods were invited， the goddess of discord，Eris，feeling angry at not being invited， threw among the guests a golden apple bearing the words“For the fairest” and stirred up a bitter quarrel which led in the end to the Trojan war． Thetis loved her son very much． When Achilles was still a baby， Thetis was shocked by a prophecy that her son would die in war． To save her son，the sea goddess dipped her baby in the waters of Styx  which could protect the human body from the fire and sword． But as the heel by which she held him was dry it became the one mortal spot  in the whole body of Achilles． Thus the expression“the heel of Achilles” has come to mean“a weak spot”． Achilles spent a great part of his boyhood in the woods with the wise old centaur， Chiron， who taught him the gentle arts as well as war affairs，and prepared him well for a short but brilliant career． When fighters all over Greece flew to arms against Troy， a prophet foretold that Achilles was sure not to return from the war． Determined to keep her son from the disaster， Thetis sent young Achilles to the court of the king of Scyros， where he worked in disguise as one of the handmaids waiting on the princess of Scyros ． For a time trick worked． Messenger after messenger came，but all left without him． One day，a peddlar appeared in the palace，bringing with him a wide variety of womanish small things． There was，however，also a sword among such goods． Whereas most of the ladies stared at the silks and veils，one of them eagerly grabbed the sword and joyfully played with it． At this the peddlar threw off his disguise and came out with his true identity． The artful Odysseus had come to fetch the hero to Aulis，where Greek ships had been waiting for both a fair wind and Achilles． Odysseus had not laboured in vain ． During an attack on the walls of Troy， Achilles caught the sight of the beauty of Polyxena，daughter of Priam． He was so attracted by the grace of the princess that he asked Priam to give him the hand of Polyxena in marriage ． He worked hard for the peace between the two sides． When his efforts proved useless， he obtained a promise from Priam that the marriage would be held after the war． Just as Achilles turned to leave，the faithless Paris took out a poisoned arrow and shot at his heel from behind． Before Achilles breathed his last， he left his armour in his will  to the bravest of the Greek heroes． This gave rise to such a fierce contest between Ajax and Odysseus． As a result the armour was adjudged to Odysseus ． So sad and desperate was Polyxena at Achilles'  death she committed suicide  in front of his magnificent tomb． 阿基里斯为自己的出身门弟感到自豪。他的祖父以正直，擅主持正义而闻名，所以祖父死后在阴间做了一名法官。他的父亲珀琉斯是位勇敢的武士，后来与女海神忒提斯结婚。大多数神祗应邀参加了婚礼，只有不和女神厄里斯未在邀请之列。厄里斯颇感愤怒。她将一只刻有“献给最美的人”的金苹果掷向来宾，由此引起了激烈的争吵，最终引发了特洛伊战争。 忒提斯非常喜爱儿子。当阿基里斯还是个婴儿的时候，忒提斯听到一种预言：儿子会在战争中死去，她大为震惊。为拯救儿子女海神在冥河中为她的孩子施浸礼。河水可使人体免遭苦难和屠杀。但因阿基里斯被抓的脚后跟是干的，因此脚后跟就成了阿基里斯整个身体中最致命的一点。这样，表达法——“阿基里斯的脚后跟”——逐渐用来指“弱点”。阿基里斯在树林中渡过少年时期。他与聪慧的半人半马怪物契诺呆在一起。这个怪物给他教授文雅的艺术和战事，为他短暂辉煌的一生做好充分的准备。 当希腊的全体战士拿起武器进攻特洛伊城时，一位先知说：阿基里斯肯定不会从战争中生还。忒提斯决心使儿子免于遭难。她就派儿子去斯库诺斯国王的宫中。在那儿，阿基里斯装扮成一位女仆，伺候斯库诺斯的公主，在一段时间内，诡计并未被识破，前方的传令兵一个接一个地来到宫殿，但走时并未带上阿基里斯。有一天，一位小贩来到宫中，出售各种妇人用的小玩意儿。然而在所卖的东西中有一把利剑，大多数人的双眼都盯着丝绸和面纱，而其中一人却热切地抓起利剑，然后兴高采烈地摆弄起来。这时，小贩揭掉伪装，表明了自己的真实身份。狡猾的奥德修斯带走了阿基里斯。在奥里斯，希腊的战舰正在等待顺风和阿基里斯。奥德修斯的努力并未白费。 当攻占特洛伊城墙时，阿基里斯看到了皮安姆之女波利希娜的美貌。他深为公主的魅力所吸引，因而请求皮安姆将波利希娜许配给他。他致力于双方的和解。当他的努力被证明为毫无用处时，他得到皮安姆在战后举行婚礼的许诺。阿基里斯刚转身要走，不守信用的帕利斯拿出毒箭从后面射中了他的脚后跟。阿基里斯咽气之前，留下遗嘱：将他的铠甲留给希腊最勇敢的英雄，这在埃杰克斯和奥德修斯之间引发了一场激烈的争斗。最终铠甲被判给奥德修斯。波利希娜为阿基里斯之死而悲伤绝望。她自尽于他壮丽的墓碑前。