书城教材教辅新课标英语学习资源库-奥林匹斯山众神
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第13章 Pandora

潘多拉

Afterthestealingoffire,Zeusbecameincreasinglyunkindtomen.OnedayheorderedhissonHephaestusHephaestusn.[希神]赫菲斯托斯tobuildanimageofabeautifulmaidenoutofclay.Hethenaskedthegodsandgoddessestoawardherwithdifferentkindsofgifts.Amongothers,AthenaclothedherinanattractivecoatandHermesgaveherthepoweroftellinglies.Acharmingyounglady,shewasthefirstwomanthateverlived.ZeuscalledherPandora.Becauseshehadreceivedfromeachofthegodsandgoddessesagift.Thegiftwasharmfultomen.偷窃天火之后,宙斯对人类的敌意与日俱增。一天,他令儿子赫菲斯托斯用泥塑一美女像,并请众神赠予她不同的礼物。其中,雅典娜饰之以华丽的衣裳,赫耳墨斯赠之以说谎的能力。世上的第一个女人是位迷人女郎,因为她从每位神灵那里得到了一样对男人有害的礼物,因此宙斯称她为潘多拉。

Zeusdecidedtosendherdowntomenasapresent.SoHermesthemmessengerbroughthertoEpimetheus,brotherofPrometheus.Thegreatnessofherbeautytouchedtheheartsofallwholookeduponher,andEpimetheushappilyreceivedherintohishouse.HehadquiteforgottenPrometheuswarning.nevertoacceptanythingfromZeus.Thecouplelivedahappylifeforsometime.Thentroublecameontothehumanworld.宙斯决定把她作为礼物送给世间的男子。于是信使赫耳墨斯将她带给普罗米修斯的弟弟厄庇墨透斯。她姿容绝美,见者无不为之倾心。厄庇墨透斯兴高采烈地把她迎入屋内。普罗米修斯警告过他不得接受宙斯的任何馈赠,而他已将之忘于脑后。这一对夫妻有过一段幸福的生活,但不久灾难却降临人间。Whenhewasbusywithteachingmentheartofliving,PrometheushadleftabigcaskinthecareofEpimetheus.Hehadwarnedhisbrothernottoopenthelid.Pandorawasacuriouswoman.Shehadbeenfeelingverydisappointedthatherhusbanddidnotallowhertotakealookatthecontentsofthecask.Oneday,whenEpimetheuswasout,sheliftedthelidandoutitcameunrestunrestn.不安的状态,动荡的局面andwar,plagueplaguen.瘟疫,麻烦,苦恼,灾祸vt.折磨,使苦恼,使得灾祸andsickness,theftandviolence,griefandsorrow,andalltheotherevils.Thehumanworldwashencetoexperiencetheseevils.Onlyhopestayedwithinthemouthofthejarandneverflewout.Somenalwayshavehopewithintheirhearts.当普罗米修斯忙于教授人们生存之道的时候,他把一个桶托付给厄庇墨透斯。他警告过他的弟弟不要打开桶盖。潘多拉好奇心强,她的丈夫不允许她看桶中之物,这使她感到十分懊恼。一天乘厄庇墨透斯出门在外,她打开桶盖,从桶里跑出的是不和与战争、瘟疫与疾病、偷窃与暴力、悲哀与忧虑以及其他一些人类从此要遭受的不幸。只有希望被关在桶口,永远飞不出来,因此人们常常把希望藏于心中。