the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第34节
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Medea about Chiron； the ancient centaur； and about the days of his youth
in the forests of Pelion。
The Argo went on； the sun sank； and darkness came on。 Never was
there darkness such as there was on that night。 They called that night
afterward the Pall of Darkness。 To the heroes upon the Argo it seemed as if
black chaos had come over the world again； they knew not whether they
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were adrift upon the sea or upon the River of Hades。 No star pierced the
darkness nor no beam from the moon。
After a night that seemed many nights the dawn came。 In the sunrise
they saw the land of Thessaly with its mountain； its forests； and its fields。
They hailed each other as if they had met after a long parting。 They raised
the mast and unfurled the sail。
But not toward Pagasae did they go。 For now the voice of Argo came
to them； shaking their hearts： Jason and Orpheus； Castor and Polydeuces；
Zetes and Calais； Peleus and Telamon； Theseus； Admetus； Nestor； and
Atalanta； heard the cry of their ship。 And the voice of Argo warned them
not to go into the harbor of Pagasae。
As they stood upon the ship； looking toward Iolcus； sorrow came over
all the heroes； such sorrow as made their hearts nearly break。 For long
they stood there in utter numbness。
Then Admetus spokeAdmetus who was the happiest of all those who
went in quest of the Golden Fleece。 〃Although we may not go into the
harbor of Pagasae； nor into the city of Iolcus；〃 Admetus said； 〃still we
have come to the land of Greece。 There are other harbors and other cities
that we may go into。 And in all the places that we go to we will be honored；
for we have gone through toils and dangers； and we have brought to
Greece the famous Fleece of Gold。〃
So Admetus said； and their spirits came back again to the heroes
came back to all of them save Jason。 The rest had other cities to go to； and
fathers and mothers and friends to greet them in other places； but for Jason
there was only Iolcus。
Medea took his hand； and sorrow for him overcame her。 For Medea
could divine what had happened in Iolcus and why it was that the heroes
might not go there。
It was to Corinth that the Argo went。 Creon； the king of Corinth；
welcomed them and gave great honor to the heroes who had faced such
labors and such dangers to bring the world's wonder to Greece。
The Argonauts stayed together until they went to Calydon； to hunt the
boar that ravaged Prince Meleagrus's country。 After that they separated；
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each one going to his own land。 Jason came back to Corinth where Medea
stayed。 And in Corinth he had tidings of the happenings in Iolcus。
King Pelias now ruled more fearfully in Iolcus； having brought down
from the mountains more and fiercer soldiers。 And Aeson； Jason's father；
and Alcimide； his mother； were now dead； having been slain by King
Pelias。
This Jason heard from men who came into Corinth from Thessaly。 And
because of the great army that Pelias had gathered there； Jason might not
yet go into Iolcus； either to exact a vengeance； or to show the people THE
GOLDEN FLEECE that he had gone so far to gain。
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Part III。
The Heroes of the Quest
I。 ATALANTA THE HUNTRESS
I
They came once more together； the heroes of the quest； to hunt a boar
in CalydonJason and Peleus came； Telamon； Theseus； and rough Arcas；
Nestor and Helen's brothers Polydeuces and Castor。 And； most noted of all；
there came the Arcadian huntress maid； Atalanta。
Beautiful they all thought her when they knew her aboard the Argo。
But even more beautiful Atalanta seemed to the heroes when she came
amongst them in her hunting gear。 Her lovely hair hung in two bands
across her shoulders； and over her breast hung an ivory quiver filled with
arrows。 They said that her face with its wide and steady eyes was
maidenly for a boy's； and boyish for a maiden's face。 Swiftly she moved
with her head held high； and there was not one amongst the heroes who
did not say； 〃Oh； happy would that man be whom Atalanta the unwedded
would take for her husband！〃
All the heroes said it； but the one who said it most feelingly was the
prince of Calydon； young Meleagrus。 He more than the other heroes felt
the wonder of Atalanta's beauty。
Now the boar they had come to hunt was a monster boar。 It had come
into Calydon and it was laying waste the fields and orchards and
destroying the people's cattle and horses。 That boar had been sent into
Calydon by an angry divinity。 For when Oeneus； the king of the country；
was making sacrifice to the gods in thanksgiving for a bounteous harvest；
he had neglected to make sacrifice to the goddess of the wild things；
Artemis。 In her anger Artemis had sent the monster boar to lay waste
Oeneus's realm。
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It was a monster boar indeedone as huge as a bull； with tusks as great
as an elephant's； the bristles on its back stood up like spear points； and the
hot breath of the creature withered the growth on the ground。 The boar
tore up the corn in the fields and trampled down the vines with their
clusters and heavy bunches of grapes； also it rushed against the cattle and
destroyed them in the fields。 And no hounds the huntsmen were able to
bring could stand before it。 And so it came to pass that men had to leave
their farms and take refuge behind the walls of the city because of the
ravages of the boar。 It was then that the rulers of Calydon sent for the
heroes of the quest to join with them in hunting the monster。
Calydon itself sent Prince Meleagrus and his two uncles； Plexippus
and Toxeus。 They were brothers to Meleagrus's mother； Althaea。 Now
Althaea。 was a woman who had sight to see mysterious things； but who
had also a wayward and passionate heart。 Once； after her son Meleagrus
was born； she saw the three Fates sitting by her hearth。 They were
spinning the threads of her son's life； and as they spun they sang to each
other； 〃An equal span of life we give to the newborn child； and to the billet
of wood that now rests above the blaze of the fire。〃 Hearing what the Fates
sang and understanding it Althaea had sprung up from her bed； had seized
the billet of wood； and had taken it out of the fire before the flames had
burnt into it。
That billet of wood lay in her chest； hidden away。 And Meleagrus nor
any one else save Althaea。 knew of it； nor knew that the prince's life would
last only for the space it would be kept from the burning。 On the day of the
hunting he appeared as the strongest and bravest of the youths of Calydon。
And he knew not； poor Meleagrus； that the love for Atalanta that had
sprung into his heart was to bring to the fire the billet of wood on which
his life depended。
II
As Atalanta went； the bow in her hands； Prince Meleagrus pressed
behind her。 Then came Jason and Peleus； Telamon； Theseus and Nestor。
Behind them came Meleagrus's darkbrowed uncles； Plexippus and Toxeus。
They came to a forest that covered the side of a mountain。 Huntsmen had
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assembled here with hounds held in leashes and with nets to hold the
rushing quarry。 And when they had all gathered together they went
through the forest on the track of the monster boar。
It was easy to track the boar； for it had left a
