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the argonautica(阿尔戈)-第26部分

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men   I   bear   no   grudge;   such   as   ye   yourselves   tell   me   of   him   who   bears 

sway   in   Hellas。      And   the   trial   of   your   courage   and   might   shall   be   a 

contest which I myself can compass with my hands; deadly though it be。 

Two   bulls   with   feet   of   bronze   I   have   that   pasture   on   the   plain   of Ares; 

breathing forth flame from their jaws; them do I yoke and drive over the 

stubborn field of Ares; four plough…gates; and quickly cleaving it with the 

share up to the headland; I cast into the furrows the seed; not the corn of 

Demeter; but the teeth of a dread serpent that grow up into the fashion of 

armed men; them I slay at once; cutting them down beneath my spear as 

they rise against me on all sides。           In the morning do I yoke the oxen; and 



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at   eventide     I  cease   from    the   harvesting。      And     thou;   if  thou    wilt 

accomplish such deeds as these; on that very day shalt carry off the fleece 

to the king's palace; ere that time comes I will not give it; expect it not。 

For indeed it is unseemly that a brave man should yield to a coward。〃 

     (ll。 422…426)     Thus he spake; and Jason; fixing his eyes on the ground; 

sat just as he was; speechless; helpless in his evil plight。             For a long time 

he turned the matter this way and that; and could in no way take on him 

the   task   with   courage;   for   a   mighty  task   it   seemed;   and   at   last   he   made 

reply with crafty words: 

     (ll。   427…431)    〃With   thy   plea   of   right; Aeetes;   thou   dost   shut   me   in 

overmuch。        Wherefore   also   I   will   dare   that   contest;   monstrous   as   it   is; 

though it be my doom to die。 For nothing will fall upon men more dread 

than dire necessity; which indeed constrained me to come hither at a king's 

command。〃 

     (ll。 432…438)      Thus he spake; smitten by his helpless plight; and the 

king with grim words addressed him; sore troubled as he was: 〃Go forth 

now to the gathering; since thou art eager for the toil; but if thou shouldst 

fear to lift the yoke upon the oxen or shrink from the deadly harvesting; 

then all this shall be my care; so that another too may shudder to come to a 

man that is better than he。〃 

     (ll。   439…463)    He   spake   outright;   and   Jason   rose   from   his   seat;   and 

Augeias and Telamon at once; and Argus followed alone; for he signed to 

his   brothers   to   stay  there   on   the   spot   meantime;   and   so   they   went   forth 

from the hall。      And wonderfully among them all shone the son of Aeson 

for beauty and grace; and the maiden looked at him with stealthy glance; 

holding her bright veil aside; her heart smouldering with pain; and her soul 

creeping like a dream flitted in his track as he went。             So they passed forth 

from the palace sorely troubled。            And Chalciope; shielding herself from 

the wrath of Aeetes; had gone quickly to her chamber with her sons。                   And 

Medea likewise followed; and much she brooded in her soul all the cares 

that the Loves awaken。           And before her eyes the vision still appeared 

himself what like he was; with what vesture he was clad; what things he 

spake; how he sat on his seat; how he moved forth to the doorand as she 

pondered she deemed there never was such another man; and ever in her 



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ears   rung   his   voice   and the   honey…sweet   words   which he   uttered。         And 

she feared for him; lest the oxen or Aeetes with his own hand should slay 

him;   and   she   mourned   him   as   though   already   slain   outright;   and   in   her 

affliction a round tear through very grievous pity coursed down her cheek; 

and gently weeping she lifted up her voice aloud: 

     (ll。  464…470)      Why     does    this  grief  come     upon    me;   poor   wretch? 

Whether he be the best of heroes now about to perish; or the worst; let him 

go to his doom。       Yet I would that he had escaped unharmed; yea; may this 

be so; revered goddess; daughter of Perses; may he avoid death and return 

home; but if it be his lot to be o'ermastered by the oxen; may he first learn 

this; that I at least do not rejoice in his cruel calamity。〃 

     (ll。 471…474)      Thus then was the maiden's heart racked by love… cares。 

But when the others had gone forth from the people and the city; along the 

path   by   which   at   the   first   they   had   come   from   the   plain;   then   Argus 

addressed Jason with these words: 

     (ll。 475…483)      〃Son of Aeson;  thou   wilt   despise   the   counsel   which   I 

will tell thee; but; though in evil plight; it is not fitting to forbear from the 

trial。   Ere now thou hast heard me tell of a maiden that uses sorcery under 

the guidance of Hecate; Perses' daughter。              If we could win her aid there 

will be no dread; methinks; of thy defeat in the contest; but terribly do I 

fear that my mother will not take this task upon her。                Nevertheless I will 

go back again to entreat her; for a common destruction overhangs us all。〃 

     (ll。 383…491)      He spake with goodwill; and Jason answered with these 

words: 〃Good friend; if this is good in thy sight; I say not nay。                   Go and 

move thy mother; beseeching her aid with prudent words; pitiful indeed is 

our hope when we have put our return in the keeping of women。〃                        So he 

spake;   and   quickly   they   reached   the   back…water。        And   their   comrades 

joyfully questioned them; when they saw them close at hand; and to them 

spoke Aeson's son grieved at heart: 

     (ll。 492…501)      〃My friends; the heart of ruthless Aeetes is utterly filled 

with wrath against us; for not at all can the goal be reached either by me or 

by   you   who   question   me。      He   said   that   two   bulls   with   feet   of   bronze 

pasture on the plain of Ares; breathing forth flame from their jaws。                   And 

with these he bade me plough the field; four plough…gates; and said that he 



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would give me from a serpent's jaws seed which will raise up earthborn 

men in armour of bronze; and on the same day I must slay them。                         This 

taskfor there was nothing better to deviseI took on myself outright。〃 

     (ll。 502…514)      Thus he spake; and to all the contest seemed one that 

none   could   accomplish;   and   long;   quiet   and   silent;   they   looked   at   one 

another; bowed down with the calamity and their despair; but at last Peleus 

spake     with   courageous      words    among     all  the  chiefs:   〃It  is  time  to  be 

counselling what we shall do。            Yet there is not so much profit; I trow; in 

counsel as in the might of our hands。            If thou then; hero son of Aeson; art 

minded to yoke Aeetes' oxen; and art eager for the toil; surely thou   wilt 

keep thy promise and make thyself ready。                But if thy soul trusts not her 

prowess utterly; then neither bestir thyself nor sit still and look round for 

some   one   else   of   these   men。   For   it   is   not   I   who   will   flinch;   since   the 

bitterest pain will be but death。〃 

     (ll。   515…522)    So   spake   the   son   of Aeacus;   and   Telamon's   soul   was 

stirred; and quickly he started up in eagerness; and Idas rose up the third in 

his pride; and the twin sons of Tyndareus; and with them Oeneus' son who 

was numbered among strong men; though even the soft down on his cheek 

showed not yet; with such courage was his soul uplifted。                   But the others 

gave way to these in silence。 And straightway Argus spake these words to 

those that longed for the contest: 

     (ll。 523…539)      〃My friends; this indeed is left us at the last。 But I deem 

that there will come to you some timely aid from my mother。                    Wherefore; 

eager though ye be; refrain and abide in your ship a little longer as before; 

for it is better to forbear than recklessly to choose an evil fate。              There is a 

maiden; nurtured in the halls of Aeetes; whom the goddess Hecate taught 

to handle magic herbs with exceeding skill all that the land and flowing 

waters   produce。       With   them   is   quenched   the   blast   of   unwearied   flame; 

and   at   once   she   stays   the   course   of   rivers   as   they   rush   roaring   on;   and 

checks the stars and the paths of the sacred moon。                 Of her we bethought 

us as we came hither along the path from the pal
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