the argonautica-第11节

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ne　after　another；　so　cheeks　and　jaws　crashed　on　both　sides；　and　a　huge　clattering　of　teeth　arose；　nor　did　they　cease　ever　from　striking　their　blows　until　laboured　gasping　overcame　both。　　And　standing　a　little　apart　they　wiped　from　their　foreheads　sweat　in　abundance；　wearily　panting　for　breath。　　Then　back　they　rushed　together　again；　as　two　bulls　fight　in　furious　rivalry　for　a　grazing　heifer。　　Next　Amycus　rising　on　tiptoe；　like　one　who　slays　an　ox；　sprung　to　his　full　height　and　swung　his　heavy　hand　down　upon　his　rival；　but　the　hero　swerved　aside　from　the　rush；　turning　his　head；　and　just　received　the　arm　on　his　shoulder；　and　coming　near　and　slipping　his　knee　past　the　king's；　with　a　rush　he　struck　him　above　the　ear；　and　broke　the　bones　inside；　and　the　king　in　agony　fell　upon　his　knees；　and　the　Minyan　heroes　shouted　for　joy；　and　his　life　was　poured　forth　all　at　once。

（ll。　98…144）　　Nor　were　the　Bebrycians　reckless　of　their　king；　but　all　together　took　up　rough　clubs　and　spears　and　rushed　straight　on　Polydeuces。　　But　in　front　of　him　stood　his　comrades；　their　keen　swords　drawn　from　the　sheath。　　First　Castor　struck　upon　the　head　a　man　as　he　rushed　at　him：　and　it　was　cleft　in　twain　and　fell　on　each　side　upon　his　shoulders。　　And　Polydeuces　slew　huge　Itymoneus　and　Mimas。　　The　one；　with　a　sudden　leap；　he　smote　beneath　the　breast　with　his　swift　foot　and　threw　him　in　the　dust；　and　as　the　other　drew　near　he　struck　him　with　his　right　hand　above　the　left　eyebrow；　and　tore　away　his　eyelid　and　the　eyeball　was　left　bare。　　But　Oreides；　insolent　henchman　of　Amycus；　wounded　Talaus　son　of　Bias　in　the　side；　but　did　not　slay　him；　but　only　grazing　the　skin　the　bronze　sped　under　his　belt　and　touched　not　the　flesh。　　Likewise　Aretus　with　well…seasoned　club　smote　Iphitus；　the　steadfast　son　of　Eurytus；　not　yet　destined　to　an　evil　death；　assuredly　soon　was　he　himself　to　be　slain　by　the　sword　of　Clytius。　　Then　Ancaeus；　the　dauntless　son　of　Lycurgus；　quickly　seized　his　huge　axe；　and　in　his　left　hand　holding　a　bear's　dark　hide；　plunged　into　the　midst　of　the　Bebrycians　with　furious　onset；　and　with　him　charged　the　sons　of　Aeacus；　and　with　them　started　warlike　Jason。　　And　as　when　amid　the　folds　grey　wolves　rush　down　on　a　winter's　day　and　scare　countless　sheep；　unmarked　by　the　keen…scented　dogs　and　the　shepherds　too；　and　they　seek　what　first　to　attack　and　carry　off；　often　glaring　around；　but　the　sheep　are　just　huddled　together　and　trample　on　one　another；　so　the　heroes　grievously　scared　the　arrogant　Bebrycians。　And　as　shepherds　or　beekeepers　smoke　out　a　huge　swarm　of　bees　in　a　rock；　and　they　meanwhile；　pent　up　in　their　hive；　murmur　with　droning　hum；　till；　stupefied　by　the　murky　smoke；　they　fly　forth　far　from　the　rock；　so　they　stayed　steadfast　no　longer；　but　scattered　themselves　inland　through　Bebrycia；　proclaiming　the　death　of　Amycus；　fools；　not　to　perceive　that　another　woe　all　unforeseen　was　hard　upon　them。　　For　at　that　hour　their　vineyards　and　villages　were　being　ravaged　by　the　hostile　spear　of　Lycus　and　the　Mariandyni；　now　that　their　king　was　gone。　　For　they　were　ever　at　strife　about　the　ironbearing　land。　　And　now　the　foe　was　destroying　their　steadings　and　farms；　and　now　the　heroes　from　all　sides　were　driving　off　their　countless　sheep；　and　one　spake　among　his　fellows　thus：

（ll。　145…153）　　〃Bethink　ye　what　they　would　have　done　in　their　cowardice　if　haply　some　god　had　brought　Heracles　hither。　Assuredly；　if　he　had　been　here；　no　trial　would　there　have　been　of　fists；　I　ween；　but　when　the　king　drew　near　to　proclaim　his　rules；　the　club　would　have　made　him　forget　his　pride　and　the　rules　to　boot。　　Yea；　we　left　him　uncared　for　on　the　strand　and　we　sailed　oversea；　and　full　well　each　one　of　us　shall　know　our　baneful　folly；　now　that　he　is　far　away。〃

（ll。　154…163）　　Thus　he　spake；　but　all　these　things　had　been　wrought　by　the　counsels　of　Zeus。　　Then　they　remained　there　through　the　night　and　tended　the　hurts　of　the　wounded　men；　and　offered　sacrifice　to　the　immortals；　and　made　ready　a　mighty　meal；　and　sleep　fell　upon　no　man　beside　the　bowl　and　the　blazing　sacrifice。　　They　wreathed　their　fair　brows　with　the　bay　that　grew　by　the　shore；　whereto　their　hawsers　were　bound；　and　chanted　a　song　to　the　lyre　of　Orpheus　in　sweet　harmony；　and　the　windless　shore　was　charmed　by　their　song；　and　they　celebrated　the　Therapnaean　son　of　Zeus。　（1）

（ll。　164…177）　　But　when　the　sun　rising　from　far　lands　lighted　up　the　dewy　hills　and　wakened　the　shepherds；　then　they　loosed　their　hawsers　from　the　stem　of　the　baytree　and　put　on　board　all　the　spoil　they　had　need　to　take；　and　with　a　favouring　wind　they　steered　through　the　eddying　Bosporus。　　Hereupon　a　wave　like　a　steep　mountain　rose　aloft　in　front　as　though　rushing　upon　them；　ever　upheaved　above　the　clouds；　nor　would　you　say　that　they　could　escape　grim　death；　for　in　its　fury　it　hangs　over　the　middle　of　the　ship；　like　a　cloud；　yet　it　sinks　away　into　calm　if　it　meets　with　a　skilful　helmsman。　　So　they　by　the　steering…craft　of　Tiphys　escaped；　unhurt　but　sore　dismayed。　　And　on　the　next　day　they　fastened　the　hawsers　to　the　coast　opposite　the　Bithynian　land。

（ll。　178…208）　　There　Phineus；　son　of　Agenor；　had　his　home　by　the　sea；　Phineus　who　above　all　men　endured　most　bitter　woes　because　of　the　gift　of　prophecy　which　Leto's　son　had　granted　him　aforetime。　　And　he　reverenced　not　a　whit　even　Zeus　himself；　for　he　foretold　unerringly　to　men　his　sacred　will。　　Wherefore　Zeus　sent　upon　him　a　lingering　old　age；　and　took　from　his　eyes　the　pleasant　light；　and　suffered　him　not　to　have　joy　of　the　dainties　untold　that　the　dwellers　around　ever　brought　to　his　house；　when　they　came　to　enquire　the　will　of　heaven。　　But　on　a　sudden；　swooping　through　the　clouds；　the　Harpies　with　their　crooked　beaks　incessantly　snatched　the　food　away　from　his　mouth　and　hands。　　And　at　times　not　a　morsel　of　food　was　left；　at　others　but　a　little；　in　order　that　he　might　live　and　be　tormented。　　And　they　poured　forth　over　all　a　loathsome　stench；　and　no　one　dared　not　merely　to　carry　food　to　his　mouth　but　even　to　stand　at　a　distance；　so　foully　reeked　the　remnants　of　the　meal。　　But　straightway　when　he　heard　the　voice　and　the　tramp　of　the　band　he　knew　that　they　were　the　men　passing　by；　at　whose　coming　Zeus'　oracle　had　declared　to　him　that　he　should　have　joy　of　his　food。　　And　he　rose　from　his　couch；　like　a　lifeless　dream；　bowed　over　his　staff；　and　crept　to　the　door　on　his　withered　feet；　feeling　the　walls；　and　as　he　moved；　his　limbs　trembled　for　weakness　and　age；　and　his　parched　skin　was　caked　with　dirt；　and　naught　but　the　skill　held　his　bones　together。　　And　he　came　forth　from　the　hall　with　wearied　knees　and　sat　on　the　threshold　of　the　courtyard；　and　a　dark　stupor　covered　him；　and　it　seemed　that　the　earth　reeled　round　beneath　his　feet；　and　he　lay　in　a　strengthless　trance；　speechless。　　But　when　they　saw　him　they　gathered　round　and　marvelled。　　And　he　at　last　drew　laboured　breath　from　the　depths　of　his　chest　and　spoke　among　them　with　prophetic　utterance：

（ll。　209…239）　　〃Listen；　bravest　of　all　the　Hellenes；　if　it　be　truly　ye；　whom　by　a　king's　ruthless　command　Jason　is　leading　on　the　ship　Argo　in　quest　of　the　fleece。　　It　is　ye　truly。　　Even　yet　my　soul　by　its　divination　knows　everything。　　Thanks　I　render　to　thee；　O　king；　son　of　Leto；　plunged　in　bitter　affliction　though　I　be。　　I　beseech　you　by　Zeus　the　god　of　suppliants；　the　sternest　foe　to　sinful　men；　and　for　the　sake　of　Phoebus　and　Hera　herself；　under　whose　especial　care　ye　have　come　hither；　help　me；　save　an　ill…fated　man　from　misery；　and　depart　not　uncaring　and　leaving　me　thus　as　ye　see。　　For　not　only　has　the　Fury　set　her　foot　on　my　eyes　and　I　drag　on　to　the　end　a　weary　old　age；　but　besides　my　other　woes　a　woe　hangs　over　me　the　bitterest　of　all。　　The　Harpies；　swooping　down　from　some　unseen　den　of　destruction；　ever　snatch　the　food　from　my　mouth。　　And　I　have　no　device　to　aid　me。　But　it　were　easier；　when　I　long　for　a　meal；　to　escape　my　own　thoughts　than　them；　so　swiftly　do　they　fly　through　the　air。　　But　if　haply　they　do　leave　me　a　morsel　of　food　it　reeks　of　decay　and　the　stench　is　unendurable；　nor　could　any　mortal　bear　to　draw　near　even　for　a　moment；　no；　not　if　his　heart　were　wrought　of　adamant。　But　necessity；　bitter　and　insatiate；　compels　me　to　abide　and　abiding　to　put　food　in　my　cursed　belly。　　These　pests；　the　oracle　declares；　the　sons　of　Boreas　shall　restrain。　　And　no　strangers　are　they　that　shall　ward　them　off　if　indeed　I　am　Phineus　who　was　once　renowned　among　men　for　wealth　and　the　gift　of　prophecy；　and　if　I　am　the　son　of　my　father　Agenor；　and；　when　I　ruled　among　the　Thracians；　by　my　bridal　gifts　I　brought　home　their　sister　Cleopatra　to　be　my　wife。〃

（ll。　240…243）　　So　spake　Agenor's　son；　and　deep　sorrow　seized　each　of　the　heroes；　and　especially　the　two　sons　of　Boreas。　　And　brushing　away　a　tear　they　drew　nigh；　and　Zetes　spake　as　follows；　taking　in　his　own　the　hand　of　the　grief…worn　sire：

（ll。　244…253）　　〃Unhappy　one；　none　other　of　men　is　more　wretched　than　thou；　methinks。　　Why　upon　thee　is　laid　the　burden　of　so　many　sorrows？　　Hast　thou　with　baneful　folly　sinned　against　the　gods　through　thy　skill　in　prophecy？　　For　this　are　they　greatly　wroth　with　thee？　　Yet　our　spirit　is　dismayed　within　us　for　all　our　desire　to　aid　thee；　if　indeed　the　god　has　granted　this　privilege　t