tales of troy-第3节

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from　it　and　vanished　before　they　touched　and　stained　her　white
breastso　white　that　people　called　her　〃the　Daughter　of　the　Swan。〃
She　could　speak　in　the　very　voice　of　any　man　or　woman；　so　folk　also
named　her　Echo；　and　it　was　believed　that　she　could　neither　grow　old
nor　die；　but　would　at　last　pass　away　to　the　Elysian　plain　and　the
world's　end；　where　life　is　easiest　for　men。　　No　snow　comes　thither；
nor　great　storm；　nor　any　rain；　but　always　the　river　of　Ocean　that
rings　round　the　whole　earth　sends　forth　the　west　wind　to　blow　cool
on　the　people　of　King　Rhadamanthus　of　the　fair　hair。　　These　were
some　of　the　stories　that　men　told　of　fair　Helen；　but　Ulysses　was
never　sorry　that　he　had　not　the　fortune　to　marry　her；　so　fond　he
was　of　her　cousin；　his　wife；　Penelope；　who　was　very　wise　and　good。

When　Ulysses　brought　his　wife　home　they　lived；　as　the　custom　was；
in　the　palace　of　his　father；　King　Laertes；　but　Ulysses；　with　his
own　hands；　built　a　chamber　for　Penelope　and　himself。　　There　grew　a
great　olive　tree　in　the　inner　court　of　the　palace；　and　its　stem　was
as　large　as　one　of　the　tall　carved　pillars　of　the　hall。　　Round
about　this　tree　Ulysses　built　the　chamber；　and　finished　it　with
close…set　stones；　and　roofed　it　over；　and　made　close…fastening
doors。　　Then　he　cut　off　all　the　branches　of　the　olive　tree；　and
smoothed　the　trunk；　and　shaped　it　into　the　bed…post；　and　made　the
bedstead　beautiful　with　inlaid　work　of　gold　and　silver　and　ivory。
There　was　no　such　bed　in　Greece；　and　no　man　could　move　it　from　its
place；　and　this　bed　comes　again　into　the　story；　at　the　very　end。

Now　time　went　by；　and　Ulysses　and　Penelope　had　one　son　called
Telemachus；　and　Eurycleia；　who　had　been　his　father's　nurse；　took
care　of　him。　　They　were　all　very　happy；　and　lived　in　peace　in　rocky
Ithaca；　and　Ulysses　looked　after　his　lands；　and　flocks；　and　herds；
and　went　hunting　with　his　dog　Argos；　the　swiftest　of　hounds。



THE　STEALING　OF　HELEN



This　happy　time　did　not　last　long；　and　Telemachus　was　still　a　baby；
when　war　arose；　so　great　and　mighty　and　marvellous　as　had　never
been　known　in　the　world。　　Far　across　the　sea　that　lies　on　the　east
of　Greece；　there　dwelt　the　rich　King　Priam。　　His　town　was　called
Troy；　or　Ilios；　and　it　stood　on　a　hill　near　the　seashore；　where　are
the　straits　of　Hellespont；　between　Europe　and　Asia；　it　was　a　great
city　surrounded　by　strong　walls；　and　its　ruins　are　still　standing。
The　kings　could　make　merchants　who　passed　through　the　straits　pay
toll　to　them；　and　they　had　allies　in　Thrace；　a　part　of　Europe
opposite　Troy；　and　Priam　was　chief　of　all　princes　on　his　side　of
the　sea；　as　Agamemnon　was　chief　king　in　Greece。　　Priam　had　many
beautiful　things；　he　had　a　vine　made　of　gold；　with　golden　leaves
and　clusters；　and　he　had　the　swiftest　horses；　and　many　strong　and
brave　sons；　the　strongest　and　bravest　was　named　Hector；　and　the
youngest　and　most　beautiful　was　named　Paris。

There　was　a　prophecy　that　Priam's　wife　would　give　birth　to　a
burning　torch；　so；　when　Paris　was　born；　Priam　sent　a　servant　to
carry　the　baby　into　a　wild　wood　on　Mount　Ida；　and　leave　him　to　die
or　be　eaten　by　wolves　and　wild　cats。　　The　servant　left　the　child；
but　a　shepherd　found　him；　and　brought　him　up　as　his　own　son。　　The
boy　became　as　beautiful；　for　a　boy；　as　Helen　was　for　a　girl；　and
was　the　best　runner；　and　hunter；　and　archer　among　the　country
people。　　He　was　loved　by　the　beautiful　OEnone；　a　nymphthat　is；　a
kind　of　fairywho　dwelt　in　a　cave　among　the　woods　of　Ida。　　The
Greeks　and　Trojans　believed　in　these　days　that　such　fair　nymphs
haunted　all　beautiful　woodland　places；　and　the　mountains；　and
wells；　and　had　crystal　palaces；　like　mermaids；　beneath　the　waves　of
the　sea。　　These　fairies　were　not　mischievous；　but　gentle　and　kind。
Sometimes　they　married　mortal　men；　and　OEnone　was　the　bride　of
Paris；　and　hoped　to　keep　him　for　her　own　all　the　days　of　his　life。

It　was　believed　that　she　had　the　magical　power　of　healing　wounded
men；　however　sorely　they　were　hurt。　　Paris　and　OEnone　lived　most
happily　together　in　the　forest；　but　one　day；　when　the　servants　of
Priam　had　driven　off　a　beautiful　bull　that　was　in　the　herd　of
Paris；　he　left　the　hills　to　seek　it；　and　came　into　the　town　of
Troy。　　His　mother；　Hecuba；　saw　him；　and　looking　at　him　closely；
perceived　that　he　wore　a　ring　which　she　had　tied　round　her　baby's
neck　when　he　was　taken　away　from　her　soon　after　his　birth。　　Then
Hecuba；　beholding　him　so　beautiful；　and　knowing　him　to　be　her　son；
wept　for　joy；　and　they　all　forgot　the　prophecy　that　he　would　be　a
burning　torch　of　fire；　and　Priam　gave　him　a　house　like　those　of　his
brothers；　the　Trojan　princes。

The　fame　of　beautiful　Helen　reached　Troy；　and　Paris　quite　forgot
unhappy　OEnone；　and　must　needs　go　to　see　Helen　for　himself。
Perhaps　he　meant　to　try　to　win　her　for　his　wife；　before　her
marriage。　　But　sailing　was　little　understood　in　these　times；　and
the　water　was　wide；　and　men　were　often　driven　for　years　out　of
their　course；　to　Egypt；　and　Africa；　and　far　away　into　the　unknown
seas；　where　fairies　lived　in　enchanted　islands；　and　cannibals　dwelt
in　caves　of　the　hills。

Paris　came　much　too　late　to　have　a　chance　of　marrying　Helen；
however；　he　was　determined　to　see　her；　and　he　made　his　way　to　her
palace　beneath　the　mountain　Taygetus；　beside　the　clear　swift　river
Eurotas。　　The　servants　came　out　of　the　hall　when　they　heard　the
sound　of　wheels　and　horses'　feet；　and　some　of　them　took　the　horses
to　the　stables；　and　tilted　the　chariots　against　the　gateway；　while
others　led　Paris　into　the　hall；　which　shone　like　the　sun　with　gold
and　silver。　　Then　Paris　and　his　companions　were　led　to　the　baths；
where　they　were　bathed；　and　clad　in　new　clothes；　mantles　of　white；
and　robes　of　purple；　and　next　they　were　brought　before　King
Menelaus；　and　he　welcomed　them　kindly；　and　meat　was　set　before
them；　and　wine　in　cups　of　gold。　　While　they　were　talking；　Helen
came　forth　from　her　fragrant　chamber；　like　a　Goddess；　her　maidens
following　her；　and　carrying　for　her　an　ivory　distaff　with　violet…
coloured　wool；　which　she　span　as　she　sat；　and　heard　Paris　tell　how
far　he　had　travelled　to　see　her　who　was　so　famous　for　her　beauty
even　in　countries　far　away。

Then　Paris　knew　that　he　had　never　seen；　and　never　could　see；　a　lady
so　lovely　and　gracious　as　Helen　as　she　sat　and　span；　while　the　red
drops　fell　and　vanished　from　the　ruby　called　the　Star；　and　Helen
knew　that　among　all　the　princes　in　the　world　there　was　none　so
beautiful　as　Paris。　　Now　some　say　that　Paris；　by　art　magic；　put　on
the　appearance　of　Menelaus；　and　asked　Helen　to　come　sailing　with
him；　and　that　she；　thinking　he　was　her　husband；　followed　him；　and
he　carried　her　across　the　wide　waters　of　Troy；　away　from　her　lord
and　her　one　beautiful　little　daughter；　the　child　Hermione。　　And
others　say　that　the　Gods　carried　Helen　herself　off　to　Egypt；　and
that　they　made　in　her　likeness　a　beautiful　ghost；　out　of　flowers
and　sunset　clouds；　whom　Paris　bore　to　Troy；　and　this　they　did　to
cause　war　between　Greeks　and　Trojans。　　Another　story　is　that　Helen
and　her　bower　maiden　and　her　jewels　were　seized　by　force；　when
Menelaus　was　out　hunting。　　It　is　only　certain　that　Paris　and　Helen
did　cross　the　seas　together；　and　that　Menelaus　and　little　Hermione
were　left　alone　in　the　melancholy　palace　beside　the　Eurotas。
Penelope；　we　know　for　certain；　made　no　excuses　for　her　beautiful
cousin；　but　hated　her　as　the　cause　of　her　own　sorrows　and　of　the
deaths　of　thousands　of　men　in　war；　for　all　the　Greek　princes　were
bound　by　their　oath　to　fight　for　Menelaus　against　any　one　who
injured　him　and　stole　his　wife　away。　　But　Helen　was　very　unhappy　in
Troy；　and　blamed　herself　as　bitterly　as　all　the　other　women　blamed
her；　and　most　of　all　OEnone；　who　had　been　the　love　of　Paris。　　The
men　were　much　more　kind　to　Helen；　and　were　determined　to　fight　to
the　death　rather　than　lose　the　sight　of　her　beauty　among　them。

The　news　of　the　dishonour　done　to　Menelaus　and　to　all　the　princes
of　Greece　ran　through　the　country　like　fire　through　a　forest。　　East
and　west　and　south　and　north　went　the　news：　　to　kings　in　their
castles　on　the　hills；　and　beside　the　rivers　and　on　cliffs　above　the
sea。　　The　cry　came　to　ancient　Nestor　of　the　white　beard　at　Pylos；
Nestor　who　had　reigned　over　two　generations　of　men；　who　had　fought
against　the　wild　folk　of　the　hills；　and　remembered　the　strong
Heracles；　and　Eurytus　of　the　black　bow　that　sang　before　the　day　of
battle。

The　cry　came　to　black…bearded　Agamemnon；　in　his　strong　town　called
〃golden　Mycenae；〃　because　it　was　so　rich；　it　came　to　the　people　in
Thisbe；　where　the　wild　doves　haunt；　and　it　came　to　rocky　Pytho；
where　is　the　sacred　temple　of　Apollo　and　the　maid　who　prophesies。
It　came　to　Aias；　the　tallest　and　strongest　of　men；　in　his　little
isle　of　Salamis；　and　to　Diomede　of　the　loud　war…cry；　the　bravest　of
warriors；　who　held　Argos　and　Tiryns　of　the　black　walls　of　huge；
stones；　that　are　still　standing。　　The　summons　came　to　the　western
islands　and　to　Ulysses　in　Ithaca；　and　even　far　south　to　the　great
island　of　Crete　of　the　hundred　cities；　where　Idomeneus　ruled　in
Cnossos；　Idomeneus；　whose　ruined　palace　may　still　be　seen　with　the
throne　of　the　king；　and　pictures　painted