the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第29节
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Surely when they came to the sea again； and spread the sail and held the
oars in their hands； their sacred ship would make swift course to their
native land！
VIII。 The Carrying of the Argo
With the terrible weight of the ship upon their shoulders the Argonauts
made their way across the desert； following the tracks of Poseidon's
golden…maned horse。 Like a rounded serpent that drags with pain its length
along； they went day after day across that limitless land。
A day came when they saw the great tracks of the horse no more。 A
wind had come up and had covered them with sand。 With the mighty
weight of the ship upon their shoulders； with the sun beating upon their
heads； and with no marks on the desert to guide them； the heroes stood
there； and it seemed to them that the blood must gush up and out of their
hearts。
Then Zetes and Calais； sons of the North Wind； rose up upon their
wings to strive to get sight of the sea。 Up； up； they soared。 And then as a
man sees； or thinks he sees； at the month's beginning； the moon through a
bank of clouds； Zetes and Calais； looking over the measureless land； saw
the gleam of water。 They shouted to the Argonauts； they marked the way
for them； and wearily； but with good hearts； the heroes went upon the way。
They came at last to the shore of what seemed to be a wide inland sea。
They set Argo down from off their over…wearied shoulders and they let her
keel take water once more。
All salt and brackish was that water； they dipped their hands into and
tasted the salt。 Orpheus was able to name the water they had come to； it
was that lake that was called after Triton； the son of Nereus； the ancient
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one of the sea。 They set up an altar and they made sacrifices in
thanksgiving to the gods。
They had come to water at last； but now they had to seek for other
waterfor the sweet water that they could drink。 All around them they
looked； but they saw no sign of a spring。 And then they felt a wind blow
upon thema wind that had in it not the dust of the desert but the
fragrance of growing things。 Toward where that wind blew from they
went。
As they went on they saw a great shape against the sky； they saw
mountainous shoulders bowed。 Orpheus bade them halt and turn their
faces with reverence toward that great shape： for this was Atlas the Titan；
the brother of Prometheus； who stood there to hold up the sky on his
shoulders。
Then they were near the place that the fragrance had blown from： there
was a garden there； the only fence that ran around it was a lattice of silver。
〃Surely there are springs in the garden；〃 the Argonauts said。 〃We will enter
this fair garden now and slake our thirst。〃
Orpheus bade them walk reverently； for all around them； he said； was
sacred ground。 This garden was the Garden of the Hesperides that was
watched over by the Daughters of the Evening Land。 The Argonauts
looked through the silver lattice； they saw trees with lovely fruit； and they
saw three maidens moving through the garden with watchful eyes。 In this
garden grew the tree that had the golden apples that Zeus gave to Hera as a
wedding gift。
They saw the tree on which the golden apples grew。 The maidens went
to it and then looked watchfully all around them。 They saw the faces of the
Argonauts looking through the silver lattice and they cried out； one to the
other； and they joined their hands around the tree。
But Orpheus called to them； and the maidens understood the divine
speech of Orpheus。 He made the Daughters of the Evening Land know
that they who stood before the lattice were men who reverenced the gods；
who would not strive to enter the forbidden garden。 The maidens came
toward them。 Beautiful as the singing of Orpheus was their utterance； but
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what they said was a complaint and a lament。
Their lament was for the dragon Ladon； that dragon with a hundred
heads that guarded sleeplessly the tree that had the golden apples。 Now
that dragon was slain。 With arrows that had been dipped in the poison of
the Hydra's blood their dragon； Ladon； had been slain。
The Daughters of the Evening Land sang of how a mortal had come
into the garden that they watched over。 He had a great bow； and with his
arrow he slew the dragon that guarded the golden apples。 The golden
apples he had taken away； they had come back to the tree they had been
plucked from； for no mortal might keep them in his possession。 So the
maidens sang Hespere； Eretheis； and Aegleand they complained that now；
unhelped by the hundred…headed dragon； they had to keep guard over the
tree。
The Argonauts knew of whom they told the taleHeracles； their
comrade。 Would that Heracles were with them now！
The Hesperides told them of Heraclesof how the springs in the
garden dried up because of his plucking the golden apples。 He came out of
the garden thirsting。 Nowhere could he find a spring of water。 To yonder
great rock he went。 He smote it with his foot and water came out in full
floe。。 Then he； leaning on his hands and with his chest upon the ground；
drank and drank from the water that flowed from the rifted rock。
The Argonauts looked to where the rock stood。 They caught the sound
of water。 They carried Medea over。 And then； company after company； all
huddled together； they stooped down and drank their fill of the clear good
water。 With lips wet with the water they cried to each other； 〃Heracles！
Although he is not with us； in very truth Heracles has saved his comrades
from deadly thirst！〃
They saw his footsteps printed upon the rocks； and they followed them
until they led to the sand where no footsteps stay。 Heracles！ How glad his
comrades would have been if they could have had sight of him then！ But it
was long ago before he had sailed with themthat Heracles had been here。
Still hearing their complaint they turned back to the lattice； to where
the Daughters of the Evening Land stood。 The Daughters of the Evening
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Land bent their heads to listen to what the Argonauts told one another； and；
seeing them bent to：listen； Orpheus told a story about one who had gone
across the Libyan desert； about one who was a hero like unto Heracles。
THE STORY OF PERSEUS
Beyond where Atlas stands there is a cave where the strange women；
the ancient daughters of Phorcys； live。 They have been gray from their
birth。 They have but one eye and one tooth between them； and they pass
the eye and the tooth； one to the other； when they would see or eat。 They
are called the Graiai； these two sisters。
Up to the cave where they lived a youth once came。 He was beardless；
and the garb he wore was torn and travel…stained； but he had shapeliness
and beauty。 In his leathern belt there
was an exceedingly bright sword； this sword was not straight like the
swords we carry； but it was hooked like a sickle。 The strange youth with
the bright； strange sword came very quickly and very silently up to the
cave where the Graiai lived and looked over a high boulder into it。
One was sitting munching acorns with the single tooth。 The other had
the eye in her hand。 She was holding it to her forehead and looking into
the back of the cave。 These two ancient women； with their gray hair falling
over them like thick fleeces； and with faces that were only forehead and
cheeks and nose and mouth； were strange creatures truly。 Very silently the
youth stood looking at them。
〃Sister； sister；〃 cried the one who was munching acorns； 〃sister； turn
your eye this way。 I heard the stir of something。〃
The other turned； and with the eye placed against her forehead looked
out to the opening of the cave。 The youth drew back behind the boulder。
〃Sister； sister； ther
