the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第12节
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attended her。
In the evening they would gather in the hall of the palace； the
Argonauts and the Lemnian maidens who were their comrades。 There
were dances； and always Jason and Hypsipyle danced together。 All the
Lemnian maidens sang beautifully； but none of them had any stories to
tell。
And when the Argonauts would have stories told； the Lemnian
maidens would forbid any tale that was about a god or a hero； only stories
that were about the goddesses or about some maiden would they let be
told。
Orpheus； who knew the histories of the gods； would have told them
many stories； but the only story of his that they would come from the
dance to listen to was a story of the goddesses； of Demeter and her
daughter Persephone。
Demeter And Persephone
I
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
Once when Demeter was going through the world； giving men grain to
be sown in their fields； she heard a cry that came to her from across high
mountains and that mounted up to her from the sea。 Demeter's heart shook
when she heard that cry； for she knew that it came to her from her
daughter； from her only child； young Persephone。
She stayed not to bless the fields in which the grain was being sown；
but she hurried； hurried away； to Sicily and to the fields of Enna； where
she had left Persephone。 All Enna she searched； and all Sicily； but she
found no trace of Persephone； nor of the maidens whom Persephone had
been playing with。 From all whom she met she begged for tidings； but
although some had seen maidens gathering flowers and playing together；
no one could tell Demeter why her child had cried out nor where she had
since gone to。
There were some who could have told her。 One was Cyane； a water
nymph。 But Cyane； before Demeter came to her； had been changed into a
spring of water。 And now； not being able to speak and tell Demeter where
her child had gone to and who had carried her away； she showed in the
water the girdle of Persephone that she had caught in her hands。 And
Demeter； finding the girdle of her child in the spring； knew that she had
been carried off by violence。She lighted a torch at Etna's burning mountain；
and for nine days and nine nights she went searching for her through the
darkened places of the earth。
Then； upon a high and a dark hill； the Goddess Demeter came face to
face with Hecate； the Moon。 Hecate； too； had heard the cry of Persephone；
she had sorrow for Demeter's sorrow： she spoke to her as the two stood
upon that dark； high hill； and told her that she should go to Helios for
tidingsto bright Helios； the watcher for the gods； and beg Helios to tell
her who it was who had carried off by violence her child Persephone。
Demeter came to Helios。 He was standing before his shining steeds；
before the impatient steeds that draw the sun through the course of the
heavens。 Demeter stood in the way of those impatient steeds； she begged
of Helios who sees all things upon the earth to tell her who it was had
carried off by violence； Persephone； her child。
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
And Helios； who may make no concealment； said： 〃Queenly Demeter；
know that the king of the Underworld； dark Aidoneus； has carried off
Persephone to make her his queen in the realm that I never shine upon。〃
He spoke； and as he did； his horses shook their manes and breathed out
fire； impatient to be gone。 Helios sprang into his chariot and went flashing
away。
Demeter； knowing that one of the gods had carried off Persephone
against her will； and knowing that what was done had been done by the
will of Zeus； would go no more into the assemblies of the gods。 She
quenched the torch that she had held in her hands for nine days and nine
nights； she put off her robe of goddess； and she went wandering over the
earth； uncomforted for the loss of her child。 And no longer did she appear
as a gracious goddess to men； no longer did she give them grain； no longer
did she bless their fields。 None of the things that it had pleased her once to
do would Demeter do any longer。
II
Persephone had been playing with the nymphs who are the daughters
of OceanPhaeno； Ianthe； Melita； Ianeira； Acastin the lovely fields of
Enna。 They went to gather flowersirises and crocuses； lilies； narcissus；
hyacinths and rosebloomsthat grow in those fields。 As they went；
gathering flowers in their baskets； they had sight of Pergus； the pool that
the white swans come to sing in。
Beside a deep chasm that had been made in the earth a wonder flower
was growingin color it was like the crocus； but it sent forth a perfume
that was like the perfume of a hundred flowers。 And Persephone thought
as she went toward it that having gathered that flower she would have
something much more wonderful than her companions had。
She did not know that Aidoneus； the lord of the Underworld； had
caused that flower to grow there so that she might be drawn by it to the
chasm that he had made。
As Persephone stooped to pluck the wonder flower； Aidoneus； in his
chariot of iron； dashed up through the chasm； and grasping the maiden by
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
the waist； set her beside him。 Only Cyane； the nymph； tried to save
Persephone； and it was then that she caught the girdle in her hands。
The maiden cried out； first because her flowers had been spilled； and
then because she was being reft away。 She cried out to her mother； and her
cry went over high mountains and sounded up from the sea。 The daughters
of Ocean； affrighted； fled and sank down into the depths of the sea。
In his great chariot of iron that was drawn by black steeds Aidoneus
rushed down through the chasm he had made。 Into the Underworld he
went； and he dashed across the River Styx； and he brought his chariot up
beside his throne。 And on his dark throne he seated Persephone； the
fainting daughter of Demeter。
III
No more did the Goddess Demeter give grain to men； no more did she
bless their fields： weeds grew where grain had been growing； and men
feared that in a while they would famish for lack of bread。
She wandered through the world； her thought all upon her child；
Persephone； who had been taken from her。 Once she sat by a well by a
wayside； thinking upon the child that she might not come to and who
might not come to her。
She saw four maidens come near； their grace and their youth reminded
her of her child。 They stepped lightly along； carrying bronze pitchers in
their hands； for they were coming to the Well of the Maiden beside which
Demeter sat。
The maidens thought when they looked upon her that the goddess was
some ancient woman who had a sorrow in her heart。 Seeing that she was
so noble and so sorrowful…looking； the maidens； as they drew the clear
water into their pitchers； spoke kindly to her。
〃Why do you stay away from the town； old mother？〃 one of the
maidens said。 〃Why do you not come to the houses？ We think that you
look as if you were shelterless and alone； and we should like to tell you
that there are many houses in the town where you would be welcomed。〃
Demeter's heart went out to the maidens； because they looked so
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young and fair and simple and spoke out of such kind hearts。 She said to
them： 〃Where can I go； dear children？ My people are far away； and there
are none in all the world who would care
