the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第36节
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life withered up within her。 Her daughters came and tried to draw her
away； but they could nother two daughters； Gorge and Deianira。
Meleagrus was crouching upon the ground with Atalanta watching
beside him。 Now he stood up； and taking her hand he said； 〃Let me go
with you to the temple of the gods where I shall strive to make atonement
for the deed I have done to…day。〃
She went with him。 But even as they came to the street of the city a
sharp and a burning pain seized upon Meleagrus。 More and more burning
it grew； and weaker and weaker he became。 He could not have moved
further if it had not been for the aid of Atalanta。 Jason and Peleus lifted
him across the threshold and carried him into the temple of the gods。
They laid him down with his head upon Atalanta's lap。 The pain within
him grew fiercer and fiercer； but at last it died down as the burning billet
of wood sank down into the ashes。 The heroes of the quest stood around；
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all overcome with woe。 In the street they heard the lamentations for
Plexippus and Toxeus； for Prince Meleagrus； and for the passing of the
kingdom founded by Oeneus。 Atalanta left the temple； and attended by the
two brothers on the white horses； Polydeuces and Castor； she went back to
Arcady。
II。 PELEUS AND HIS BRIDE FROM THE SEA
I
Prince Peleus came on his ship to a bay on the coast of Thessaly。 His
painted ship lay between two great rocks； and from its poop he saw a sight
that enchanted him。 Out from the sea； riding on a dolphin； came a lovely
maiden。 And by the radiance of her face and limbs Peleus knew her for
one of the immortal goddesses。
Now Peleus had borne himself so nobly in all things that he had won
the favor of the gods themselves。 Zeus； who is highest amongst the gods；
had made this promise to Peleus he would honor him as no one amongst
the sons of men had been honored before； for he would give him an
immortal goddess to be his bride。
She who came out of the sea went into a cave that was overgrown with
vines and roses。 Peleus looked into the cave and he saw her sleeping upon
skins of the beasts of the sea。 His heart was enchanted by the sight； and he
knew that his life would be broken if he did not see this goddess day after
day。 So he went back to his ship and he prayed： 〃O Zeus； now I claim the
promise that you once made to me。 Let it be that this goddess come with
me； or else plunge my ship and me beneath the waves of the sea。〃
And when Peleus said this he looked over the land and the water for a
sign from Zeus。
Even then the goddess sleeping in the cave had dreams such as had
never before entered that peaceful resting place of hers。 She dreamt that
she was drawn away from the deep and the wide sea。 She dreamt that she
was brought to a place that was strange and unfree to her。 And as she lay
in the cave； sleeping； tears that might never come into the eyes of an
immortal lay around her heart。
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But Peleus； standing on his painted ship； saw a rainbow touch upon the
sea。 He knew by that sign that Iris； the messenger of Zeus； had come down
through the air。 Then a strange sight came before his eyes。 Out of the sea
rose the head of a man； wrinkled and bearded it was； and the eyes were
very old。 Peleus knew that he who was there before him was Nereus； the
ancient one of the sea。
Said old Nereus： 〃Thou hast prayed to Zeus； and I am here to speak an
answer to thy prayer。 She whom you have looked upon is Thetis； the
goddess of the sea。 Very loath will she be to take Zeus's command and
wed with thee。 It is her desire to remain in the sea； unwedded； and she has
refused marriage even with one of the immortal gods。〃
Then said Peleus； 〃Zeus promised me an immortal bride。 If Thetis may
not be mine I cannot wed any other； goddess or mortal maiden。〃
〃Then thou thyself wilt have to master Thetis；〃 said Nereus； the wise
one of the sea。 〃If she is mastered by thee； she cannot go back to the sea。
She will strive with all her strength and all her wit to escape from thee； but
thou must hold her no matter what she does； and no matter how she shows
herself。 When thou hast seen her again as thou didst see her at first； thou
wilt know that thou hast mastered her。〃 And when he had said this to
Peleus； Nereus； the ancient one of the sea； went under the waves。
II
With his hero's heart beating more than ever it had beaten yet； Peleus
went into the cave。 Kneeling beside her he looked down upon the goddess。
The dress she wore was like green and silver mail。 Her face and limbs
were pearly； but through them came the radiance that belongs to the
immortals。
He touched the hair of the goddess of the sea； the yellow hair that was
so long that it might cover her all over。 As he touched her hair she started
up； wakening suddenly out of her sleep。 His hands touched her hands and
held them。 Now he knew that if he should loose his hold upon her she
would escape from him into the depths of the sea； and that thereafter no
command from the immortals would bring her to him。
She changed into a white bird that strove to bear itself away。 Peleus
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held to its wings and struggled with the bird。 She changed and became a
tree。 Around the trunk of the tree Peleus clung。 She changed once more；
and this time her form became terrible： a spotted leopard she was now；
with burning eyes； but Peleus held to the neck of the fierce…appearing
leopard and was not affrighted by the burning eyes。 Then she changed and
became as he had seen her firsta lovely maiden； with the brow of a
goddess； and with long yellow hair。
But now there was no radiance in her face or in her limbs。 She looked
past Peleus； who held her； and out to the wide sea。 〃Who is he；〃 she cried；
〃who has been given this mastery over me？ 〃
Then said the hero： 〃I am Peleus； and Zeus has given me the mastery
over thee。 Wilt thou come with me； Thetis？ Thou art my bride； given me
by him who is highest amongst the gods； and if thou wilt come with me；
thou wilt always be loved and reverenced by me。〃
〃Unwillingly I leave the sea；〃 she cried； 〃unwillingly I go with thee；
Peleus。〃
But life in the sea was not for her any more now that she was mastered。
She went to Peleus's ship and she went to Phthia； his country。 And when
the hero and the sea goddess were wedded the immortal gods and
goddesses came to their hall and brought the bride and the bridegroom
wondrous gifts。 The three sisters who are called the Fates came also。
These wise and ancient women said that the son born of the marriage of
Peleus and Thetis would be a man greater than Peleus himself。
III
Now although a son was born to her； and although this son had
something of the radiance of the immortals about him； Thetis remained
forlorn and estranged。 Nothing that her husband did was pleasing to her。
Prince Peleus was in fear that the wildness of the sea would break out in
her； and that some great harm would be wrought in his house。
One night he wakened suddenly。 He saw the fire upon his hearth and
he saw a figure standing by the fire。 It was Thetis； his wife。 The fire was
blazing around something that she held in her hands。 And while she stood
there she was singing to herself a strange…sounding song。
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And then he saw what Thetis held in her hands and what the fire was
blazing around； it was the child； Achilles。
Prince Peleus sprang from the bed and caught Thetis around the waist
and lifted her and the child away from the blazing fire。 He put them both
upon the bed； and he took from her the child that she held by the heel。 His
heart wa
