the heroes-第20节

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ad　given　to　Alcinous　the　wise。

So　they　went　in；　and　saw　him　sitting；　like　Poseidon；　on　his　　throne；　with　his　golden　sceptre　by　him；　in　garments　stiff　　with　gold；　and　in　his　hand　a　sculptured　goblet；　as　he　pledged　　the　merchant　kings；　and　beside　him　stood　Arete；　his　wise　and　　lovely　queen；　and　leaned　against　a　pillar　as　she　spun　her　　golden　threads。

Then　Alcinous　rose；　and　welcomed　them；　and　bade　them　sit　and　　eat；　and　the　servants　brought　them　tables；　and　bread；　and　　meat；　and　wine。

But　Medeia　went　on　trembling　toward　Arete　the　fair　queen；　and　　fell　at　her　knees；　and　clasped　them；　and　cried；　weeping；　as　　she　knelt　…

'I　am　your　guest；　fair　queen；　and　I　entreat　you　by　Zeus；　from　　whom　prayers　come。　　Do　not　send　me　back　to　my　father　to　die　　some　dreadful　death；　but　let　me　go　my　way；　and　bear　my　　burden。　　Have　I　not　had　enough　of　punishment　and　shame？'

'Who　are　you；　strange　maiden？　and　what　is　the　meaning　of　your　　prayer？'

'I　am　Medeia；　daughter　of　Aietes；　and　I　saw　my　countrymen　　here　to…day；　and　I　know　that　they　are　come　to　find　me；　and　　take　me　home　to　die　some　dreadful　death。'

Then　Arete　frowned；　and　said；　'Lead　this　girl　in；　my　maidens；　　and　let　the　kings　decide；　not　I。'

And　Alcinous　leapt　up　from　his　throne；　and　cried；　'Speak；　　strangers；　who　are　you？　　And　who　is　this　maiden？'

'We　are　the　heroes　of　the　Minuai；'　said　Jason；　'and　this　　maiden　has　spoken　truth。　　We　are　the　men　who　took　the　golden　　fleece；　the　men　whose　fame　has　run　round　every　shore。　　We　　came　hither　out　of　the　ocean；　after　sorrows　such　as　man　never　　saw　before。　　We　went　out　many；　and　come　back　few；　for　many　a　　noble　comrade　have　we　lost。　　So　let　us　go；　as　you　should　let　　your　guests　go；　in　peace；　that　the　world　may　say；　〃Alcinous　　is　a　just　king。〃'

But　Alcinous　frowned；　and　stood　deep　in　thought；　and　at　last　　he　spoke　…

'Had　not　the　deed　been　done　which　is　done；　I　should　have　said　　this　day　to　myself；　〃It　is　an　honour　to　Alcinous；　and　to　his　　children　after　him；　that　the　far…famed　Argonauts　are　his　　guests。〃　　But　these　Colchi　are　my　guests；　as　you　are；　and　for　　this　month　they　have　waited　here　with　all　their　fleet；　for　　they　have　hunted　all　the　seas　of　Hellas；　and　could　not　find　　you；　and　dared　neither　go　farther；　nor　go　home。'

'Let　them　choose　out　their　champions；　and　we　will　fight　them；　　man　for　man。'

'No　guests　of　ours　shall　fight　upon　our　island；　and　if　you　go　　outside　they　will　outnumber　you。　　I　will　do　justice　between　　you；　for　I　know　and　do　what　is　right。'

Then　he　turned　to　his　kings；　and　said；　'This　may　stand　over　　till　to…morrow。　　To…night　we　will　feast　our　guests；　and　hear　　the　story　of　all　their　wanderings；　and　how　they　came　hither　　out　of　the　ocean。'

So　Alcinous　bade　the　servants　take　the　heroes　in；　and　bathe　　them；　and　give　them　clothes。　　And　they　were　glad　when　they　　saw　the　warm　water；　for　it　was　long　since　they　had　bathed。　　　And　they　washed　off　the　sea…salt　from　their　limbs；　and　　anointed　themselves　from　head　to　foot　with　oil；　and　combed　　out　their　golden　hair。　　Then　they　came　back　again　into　the　　hall；　while　the　merchant　kings　rose　up　to　do　them　honour。　　　And　each　man　said　to　his　neighbour；　'No　wonder　that　these　men　　won　fame。　　How　they　stand　now　like　Giants；　or　Titans；　or　　Immortals　come　down　from　Olympus；　though　many　a　winter　has　　worn　them；　and　many　a　fearful　storm。　　What　must　they　have　　been　when　they　sailed　from　Iolcos；　in　the　bloom　of　their　　youth；　long　ago？'

Then　they　went　out　to　the　garden；　and　the　merchant　princes　　said；　'Heroes；　run　races　with　us。　　Let　us　see　whose　feet　are　　nimblest。'

'We　cannot　race　against　you；　for　our　limbs　are　stiff　from　　sea；　and　we　have　lost　our　two　swift　comrades；　the　sons　of　the　　north　wind。　　But　do　not　think　us　cowards：　　if　you　wish　to　try　　our　strength；　we　will　shoot；　and　box；　and　wrestle；　against　　any　men　on　earth。'

And　Alcinous　smiled；　and　answered；　'I　believe　you；　gallant　　guests；　with　your　long　limbs　and　broad　shoulders；　we　could　　never　match　you　here。　　For　we　care　nothing　here　for　boxing；　　or　for　shooting　with　the　bow；　but　for　feasts；　and　songs；　and　　harping；　and　dancing；　and　running　races；　to　stretch　our　limbs　　on　shore。'

So　they　danced　there　and　ran　races；　the　jolly　merchant　kings；　　till　the　night　fell；　and　all　went　in。

And　then　they　ate　and　drank；　and　comforted　their　weary　souls；　　till　Alcinous　called　a　herald；　and　bade　him　go　and　fetch　the　　harper。

The　herald　went　out；　and　fetched　the　harper；　and　led　him　in　　by　the　hand；　and　Alcinous　cut　him　a　piece　of　meat；　from　the　　fattest　of　the　haunch；　and　sent　it　to　him；　and　said；　'Sing　to　　us；　noble　harper；　and　rejoice　the　heroes'　hearts。'

So　the　harper　played　and　sang；　while　the　dancers　danced　　strange　figures；　and　after　that　the　tumblers　showed　their　　tricks；　till　the　heroes　laughed　again。

Then；　'Tell　me；　heroes；'　asked　Alcinous；　'you　who　have　sailed　　the　ocean　round；　and　seen　the　manners　of　all　nations；　have　　you　seen　such　dancers　as　ours　here；　or　heard　such　music　and　　such　singing？　　We　hold　ours　to　be　the　best　on　earth。'

'Such　dancing　we　have　never　seen；'　said　Orpheus；　'and　your　　singer　is　a　happy　man；　for　Phoebus　himself　must　have　taught　　him；　or　else　he　is　the　son　of　a　Muse；　as　I　am　also；　and　have　　sung　once　or　twice；　though　not　so　well　as　he。'

'Sing　to　us；　then；　noble　stranger；'　said　Alcinous；　'and　we　　will　give　you　precious　gifts。'

So　Orpheus　took　his　magic　harp；　and　sang　to　them　a　stirring　　song　of　their　voyage　from　Iolcos；　and　their　dangers；　and　how　　they　won　the　golden　fleece；　and　of　Medeia's　love；　and　how　she　　helped　them；　and　went　with　them　over　land　and　sea；　and　of　all　　their　fearful　dangers；　from　monsters；　and　rocks；　and　storms；　　till　the　heart　of　Arete　was　softened；　and　all　the　women　wept。　　　And　the　merchant　kings　rose　up；　each　man　from　off　his　golden　　throne；　and　clapped　their　hands；　and　shouted；　'Hail　to　the　　noble　Argonauts；　who　sailed　the　unknown　sea！'

Then　he　went　on；　and　told　their　journey　over　the　sluggish　　northern　main；　and　through　the　shoreless　outer　ocean；　to　the　　fairy　island　of　the　west；　and　of　the　Sirens；　and　Scylla；　and　　Charybdis；　and　all　the　wonders　they　had　seen；　till　midnight　　passed　and　the　day　dawned；　but　the　kings　never　thought　of　　sleep。　　Each　man　sat　still　and　listened；　with　his　chin　upon　　his　hand。

And　at　last；　when　Orpheus　had　ended；　they　all　went　thoughtful　　out；　and　the　heroes　lay　down　to　sleep；　beneath　the　sounding　　porch　outside；　where　Arete　had　strewn　them　rugs　and　carpets；　　in　the　sweet　still　summer　night。

But　Arete　pleaded　hard　with　her　husband　for　Medeia；　for　her　　heart　was　softened。　　And　she　said；　'The　Gods　will　punish　her；　　not　we。　　After　all；　she　is　our　guest　and　my　suppliant；　and　　prayers　are　the　daughters　of　Zeus。　　And　who；　too；　dare　part　　man　and　wife；　after　all　they　have　endured　together？'

And　Alcinous　smiled。　　'The　minstrel's　song　has　charmed　you：　　　but　I　must　remember　what　is　right；　for　songs　cannot　alter　　justice；　and　I　must　be　faithful　to　my　name。　　Alcinous　I　am　　called；　the　man　of　sturdy　sense；　and　Alcinous　I　will　be。'　　　But　for　all　that　Arete　besought　him；　until　she　won　him　round。

So　next　morning　he　sent　a　herald；　and　called　the　kings　into　　the　square；　and　said；　'This　is　a　puzzling　matter：　　remember　　but　one　thing。　　These　Minuai　live　close　by　us；　and　we　may　　meet　them　often　on　the　seas；　but　Aietes　lives　afar　off；　and　　we　have　only　heard　his　name。　　Which；　then；　of　the　two　is　it　　safer　to　offend　…　the　men　near　us；　or　the　men　far　off？'

The　princes　laughed；　and　praised　his　wisdom；　and　Alcinous　　called　the　heroes　to　the　square；　and　the　Colchi　also；　and　　they　came　and　stood　opposite　each　other；　but　Medeia　stayed　in　　the　palace。　　Then　Alcinous　spoke；　'Heroes　of　the　Colchi；　what　　is　your　errand　about　this　lady？'

'To　carry　her　home　with　us；　that　she　may　die　a　shameful　　death；　but　if　we　return　without　her；　we　must　die　the　death　　she　should　have　died。'

'What　say　you　to　this；　Jason　the　AEolid？'　said　Alcinous；　　turning　to　the　Minuai。

'I　say；'　said　the　cunning　Jason；　'that　they　are　come　here　on　　a　bootless　errand。　　Do　you　think　that　you　can　make　her　follow　　you；　heroes　of　the　Colchi　…　her；　who　knows　all　spells　and　　charms？　　She　will　cast　away　your　ships　on　quicksands；　or　call　　down　on　you　Brimo　the　wild　huntress；　or　the　chains　will　fall　　from　off　her　wrists；　and　she　will　escape　in　her　dragon…car；　　or　if　not　thus；　some　other　way；　for　she　has　a　thousand　plans　　and　wiles。　　And　why　return　home　at　all；　brave　heroes；　and　　face　the　long　seas　again；　and　the　Bosphorus；　and　the　stormy　　Euxine；　and　double　all　your　toil？　　There　is　many　a　fair　land　　round　these　coasts；　which　waits　for　gallant　men　like　you。　　　Better　to　settle　there；　and　build　a　city；　and　let　Aietes　and　　Colchis　help　themselves。'

Then　a　murmur　rose　among　the　Colchi；　and　some　cried　'He　has　　spoken　well；'　and　some；　'We　have　had　enough　of　roving；　we　　will　sail　the　seas　no　more！'　　And　the　chief　said　at　last；　'Be　　it　so；　then；　a　plague　she　has　been　to　us；　and　a　plague　to　the　　house　of　her　father；　and　a　plague　she　will　be　to　you。　　Take　　her；　since　you　are　no　wiser；　and　we　will　sail　away　toward　the　　north。'

Then　Alcinous　gave　them　food；　and　water；　and　garments；　and　　rich　presents　of　all　sorts；　and　he　gave　the　same　to　the　　Minuai；　and　sent　them　all　away　in　peace。

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