the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第13节
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them： 〃Where can I go； dear children？ My people are far away； and there
are none in all the world who would care to be near me。〃
Said one of the maidens： 〃There are princes in the land who would
welcome you in their houses if you would consent to nurse one of their
young children。 But why do I speak of other princes beside Celeus； our
father？ In his house you would indeed have a welcome。 But lately a baby
has been born to our mother； Metaneira； and she would greatly rejoice to
have one as wise as you mind little Demophoon。〃
All the time that she watched them and listened to their voices
Demeter felt that the grace and youth of the maidens made them like
Persephone。 She thought that it would ease her heart to be in the house
where these maidens were； and she was not loath to have them go and ask
of their mother to have her come to nurse the infant child。
Swiftly they ran back to their home； their hair streaming behind them
like crocus flowers； kind and lovely girls whose names are well
rememberedCallidice and Cleisidice； Demo and Callithoe。 They went to
their mother and they told her of the stranger…woman whose name was
Doso。 She would make a wise and a kind nurse for little Demophoon； they
said。 Their mother； Metaneira； rose up from the couch she was sitting on to
welcome the stranger。 But when she saw her at the doorway； awe came
over her； so majestic she seemed。
Metaneira would have her seat herself on the couch but the goddess
took the lowliest stool； saying in greeting： 〃May the gods give you all
good； lady。〃
〃Sorrow has set you wandering from your good home；〃 said Metaneira
to the goddess； 〃but now that you have come to this place you shall have
all that this house can bestow if you will rear up to youth the infant
Demophoon； child of many hopes and prayers。〃
The child was put into the arms of Demeter； she clasped him to her
breast； and little Demophoon looked up into her face and smiled。 Then
Demeter's heart went out to the child and to all who were in the household。
He grew in strength and beauty in her charge。 And little Demophoon
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
was not nourished as other children are nourished； but even as the gods in
their childhood were nourished。 Demeter fed him on ambrosia； breathing
on him with her divine breath the while。 And at night she laid him on the
hearth； amongst the embers； with the fire all around him。 This she did that
she might make him immortal； and like to the gods。
But one night Metaneira looked out from the chamber where she lay；
and she saw the nurse take little Demopho 鰊 and lay him in a place on
the hearth with the burning brands all around him。 Then Metaneira started
up； and she sprang to the hearth； and she snatched the child from beside
the burning brands。 〃Demopho 鰊； my son；〃 she cried； 〃what would this
strangerwoman do to you； bringing bitter grief to me that ever I let her
take you in her arms？〃
Then said Demeter： 〃Foolish indeed are you mortals； and not able to
foresee what is to come to you of good or of evil；〃
〃Foolish indeed are you； Metaneira； for in your heedlessness you have
cut off this child from an immortality like to the immortality of the gods
themselves。 For he had lain in my bosom and had become dear to me and I
would have bestowed upon him the greatest gift that the Divine Ones can
bestow； for I would have made him deathless and unaging。 All this； now；
has gone by。 Honor he shall have indeed； but Demophoon will know age
and death。〃
The seeming old age that was upon her had fallen from Demeter；
beauty and stature were hers； and from her robe there came a heavenly
fragrance。 There came such light from her body that the chamber shone。
Metaneira remained trembling and speechless； unmindful even to take up
the child that had been laid upon the ground。
It was then that his sisters heard Demophoon wail； one ran from her
chamber and took the child in her arms； another kindled again the fire
upon the hearth； and the others made ready to bathe and care for the infant。
All night they cared for him； holding him in their arms and at their breasts；
but the child would not be comforted； becauses the nurses who handled
him now were less skillful than was the goddess…nurse。
And as for Demeter； she left the house of Celeus and went upon her
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
way； lonely in her heart； and unappeased。 And in the world that she
wandered through； the plow went in vain through the ground； the furrow
was sown without any avail； and the race of men saw themselves near
perishing for lack of bread。
But again Demeter came near the Well of the Maiden。 She thought of
the daughters of Celeus as they came toward the well that day； the bronze
pitchers in their hands； and with kind looks for the strangershe thought
of them as she sat by the well again。 And then she thought of little
Demophoon； the child she had held at her breast。 No stir of living was in
the land near their home； and only weeds grew in their fields。 As she sat
there and looked around her there came into Demeter's heart a pity for the
people in whose house she had dwelt。
She rose up and she went to the house of Celeus。 She found him beside
his house measuring out a little grain。 The goddess went to him and she
told him that because of the love she bore his household she would bless
his fields so that the seed he had sown in them would come to growth。
Celeus rejoiced； and he called all the people together； and they raised a
temple to Demeter。 She went through the fields and blessed them； and the
seed that they had sown began to grow。 And the goddess for a while dwelt
amongst that people； in her temple at Eleusis。
IV
But still she kept away from the assemblies of the gods。 Zeus sent a
messenger to her； Iris with the golden wings； bidding her to Olympus。
Demeter would not join the Olympians。 Then； one after the other； the gods
and goddesses of Olympus came to her； none were able to make her cease
from grieving for Persephone； or to go again into the company of the
immortal gods。
And so it came about that Zeus was compelled to send a messenger
down to the Underworld to bring Persephone back to the mother who
grieved so much for the loss of her。 Hermes was the messenger whom
Zeus sent。 Through the darkened places of the earth Hermes went； and he
came to that dark throne where the lord Aidoneus sat； with Persephone
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beside him。 Then Hermes spoke to the lord of the Underworld； saying that
Zeus commanded that Persephone should come forth from the Underworld
that her mother might look upon her。
Then Persephone； hearing the words of Zeus that might not be
gainsaid； uttered the only cry that had left her lips since she had sent out
that cry that had reached her mother's heart。 And Aidoneus； hearing the
command of Zeus that might not be denied； bowed his dark； majestic
head。
She might go to the Upperworld and rest herself in the arms of her
mother； he said。 And then he cried out： 〃Ah； Persephone； strive to feel
kindliness in your heart toward me who carried you off by violence and
against your will。 I can give to you one of the great kingdoms that the
Olympians rule over。 And I； who am brother to Zeus； am no unfitting
husband for you； Demeter's child。〃
So Aidoneus； the dark lord of the Underworld said； and he made ready
the iron chariot with its deathless horses that Persephone might go up from
his kingdom。
Beside the single tree in his domain Aidoneus stayed the chariot。 A
single fruit grew on that tree； a bri
