the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第44节
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to where he had left Abderus with the fierce horses。
They had thrown Abderus upon the ground； and they were trampling
upon him。 Heracles drew his bow and he shot the horses with the unerring
arrows that were dipped with the gall of the Hydra he had slain。 Screaming；
the horses of King Diomedes raced toward the sea； but one fell and
another fell； and then； as it came to the line of the foam； the third of the
fierce horses fell。 They were all slain with the unerring arrows。 Then
Heracles took up the body of his companion and he buried it with proper
rights； and over it he raised a column。 Afterward； around that column a
city that bore the name of Heracles's friend was built。
Then toward the Euxine Sea he went。 There； where the River
Themiscyra flows into the sea he saw the abodes of the Amazons。 And
upon the rocks and the steep place he saw the warrior women standing
with drawn bows in their hands。 Most dangerous did they seem to
Heracles。 He did not know how to approach them； he might shoot at them
with his unerring arrows； but when his arrows were all shot away； the
Amazons； from their steep places； might be able to kill him with the
arrows from their bows。
While he stood at a distance； wondering what he might do； a horn was
sounded and an Amazon mounted upon a white stallion rode toward him。
When the warrior…woman came near she cried out； 〃Heracles； the Queen
Hippolyte permits you to come amongst the Amazons。 Enter her tent and
declare to the queen what has brought you amongst the never…conquered
Amazons。〃
Heracles came to the tent of the queen。 There stood tall Hippolyte with
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an iron crown upon her head and with a beautiful girdle of bronze and
iridescent glass around her waist。 Proud and fierce as a mountain eagle
looked the queen of the Amazons： Heracles did not know in what way he
might conquer her。 Outside the tent the Amazons stood； they struck their
shields with their spears； keeping up a continuous savage din。
〃For what has Heracles come to the country of the Amazons？〃 Queen
Hippolyte asked。
〃For the girdle you wear；〃 said Heracles； and he held his hands ready
for the struggle。
〃Is it for the girdle given me by Ares； the god of war； that you have
come； braving the Amazons； Heracles？〃 asked the queen。
〃For that；〃 said Heracles。
〃I would not have you enter into strife with the Amazons；〃 said Queen
Hippolyte。 And so saying she drew 骹 f the girdle of bronze and iridescent
glass； and she gave it into his hands。
Heracles took the beautiful girdle into his hands。 Fearful he was that
some piece of guile was being played upon him； but then he looked into
the open eyes of the queen and he saw that she meant no guile。 He took
the girdle and he put it around his great brows； then he thanked Hippolyte
and he went from the tent。 He saw the Amazons standing on the rocks and
the steep places with bows bent； unchallenged he went on； and he came to
his ship and he sailed away from that country with one more labor
accomplished。
The labor that followed was not dangerous。 He sailed over sea and he
came to Crete； to the land that King Minos ruled over。 And there he found；
grazing in a special pasture； the bull that Poseidon had given King Minos。
He laid his hands upon the bull's horns and he struggled with him and he
overthrew him。 Then he drove the bull down to the seashore。
His next labor was to take away the herd of red cattle that was owned
by the monster Geryoneus。 In the Island of Erytheia； in the middle of the
Stream of Ocean； lived the monster； his herd guarded by the two…headed
hound Orthusthat hound was the brother of Cerberus； the threeheaded
hound that kept guard in the Underworld。
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Mounted upon the bull given Minos by Poseidon； Heracles fared
across the sea。 He came even to the straits that divide Europe from Africa；
and there he set up two pillars as a memorial of his journeythe Pillars of
Heracles that stand to this day。 He and the bull rested there。 Beyond him
stretched the Stream of Ocean； the Island of Erytheia was there； but
Heracles thought that the bull would not be able to bear him so far。
And there the sun beat upon him； and drew all strength away from him；
and he was dazed and dazzled by the rays of the sun。 He shouted out
against the sun； and in his anger he wanted to strive against the sun。 Then
he drew his bow and shot arrows upward。 Far； far out of sight the arrows
of Heracles went。 And the sun god； Helios； was filled with admiration for
Heracles； the man who would attempt the impossible by shooting arrows
at him； then did Helios fling down to Heracles his great golden cup。
Down； and into the Stream of Ocean fell the great golden cup of
Helios。 It floated there wide enough to hold all the men who might be in a
ship。 Heracles put the bull of Minos into the cup of Helios； and the cup
bore them away； toward the west； and across the Stream of Ocean。
Thus Heracles came to the Island of Erytheia。 All over the island
straggled the red cattle of Geryoneus； grazing upon the rich pastures。
Heracles； leaving the bull of Minos in the cup； went upon the island； he
made a club for himself out of a tree and he went toward the cattle。
The hound Orthus bayed and ran toward him； the two…headed hound
that was the brother of Cerberus sprang at Heracles with poisonous foam
upon his jaws。 Heracles swung his club and struck the two heads off the
hound。 And where the foam of the hound's jaws dropped down a
poisonous plant sprang up。 Heracles took up the body of the hound； and
swung it around and flung it far out into the Ocean。
Then the monster Geryoneus came upon him。 Three bodies he had
instead of one； he attacked Heracles by hurling great stones at him。
Heracles was hurt by the stones。 And then the monster beheld the cup of
Helios； and he began to hurl stones at the golden thing； and it seemed that
he might sink it in the sea； and leave Heracles without a way of getting
from the island。 Heracles took up his bow and he shot arrow after arrow at
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the monster； and he left him dead in the deep grass of the pastures。
Then he rounded up the red cattle； the bulls and the cows； and he
drove them down to the shore and into the golden cup of Helios where the
bull of Minos stayed。 Then back across the Stream of Ocean the cup
floated； and the bull of Crete and the cattle of Geryoneus were brought
past Sicily and through the straits called the Hellespont。 To Thrace； that
savage land； they came。 Then Heracles took the cattle out； and the cup of
Helios sank in the sea。 Through the wild lands of Thrace he drove the herd
of Geryoneus and the bull of Minos； and he came into Mycenae once
more。
But he did not stay to speak with Eurystheus。 He started off to find the
Garden of the Hesperides； the Daughters of the Evening Land。 Long did
he search； but he found no one who could tell him where the garden was。
And at last he went to Chiron on the Mountain Pelion； and Chiron told
Heracles what journey he would have to make to come to the Hesperides；
the Daughters of the Evening Land。
Far did Heracles journey； weary he was when he came to where Atlas
stood； bearing the sky upon his weary shoulders。 As he came near he felt
an undreamt…of perfume being wafted toward him。 So weary was he with
his journey and all his toils that he would fain sink down and dream away
in that evening land。 But he roused himself； and he journeyed on toward
where the perfume came from。 Over that place a star seemed always about
to rise。
He came to where a silver lattice fenced a garden that was full of the
quiet of evening。 Golden bees hummed through the air； and there was the
sound of quiet waters。 How wild and laborious was
