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25章 TheLaboursofHercules(3)

Thekingwouldnotbelievethatthistremendoustaskcouldbesoeasilyperformed,andalthoughhevaluedhiscattlehighlyheimmediately,Herculeshadalreadyseenthatneartothestablesrantworushingstreams,thePeneusandtheAlpheus.Onthefollowingmoringhedugtwoshorttrenches,sothatthewaterfromthesestreamsflowedinatoneendofthestables.Asthemightytorrentrushedthroughthebuilding,itsweptallthefilthbeforeit;andbeforelongthestablesweresocleanthatHerculeswasabletoreturnthesoiltothetrenches,andallowtheriverstoflowoncemoretheirnaturalchannels.尽管国王很看重他的牛群,他还是答应了赫拉克勒斯的要求,因为他根本不相信如此艰巨的任务会这样轻而易举地完成。但是赫拉克勒斯已发现在牛棚附近有两条河:泊涅俄斯河和阿乐甫斯河。第二天清晨,他挖了两条水沟,把两条河流的水引向牛棚。激流冲过牛棚,所有的粪秽被冲刷得一干二净。不久牛棚就变得非常清洁。最后赫拉克勒斯用土填平沟渠,河流又重归故道。

ButwhenHerculeswentbacktoAugeasanddemandedthecattlewhichhadbeenpromised,thekingangrilyrefusedtogivethemup,andHerculeswasforcedtodepartfromthekingdom.但是当赫拉克勒斯回到奥革阿斯处向他要求应分给他的牛群时,这位国王愤怒地拒绝交出牛群。赫拉克勒斯被迫离开这个王国。

Duringtheyearsthatfollwed,HerculeswassenttoseekoutontheshoresofthelakeStymphalisaflockofimmensebirds,withclawsofbrassandwithwingscapableofshootingforthpoisonedfeathers.Herculeseasilydestroyedthesebirdswithhisarrows;andthenhewentontocatchandtameamadbullwhichhadwroughtgreathavocontheislandofCrete.NexthebroughttoEurysheusthewildhorsesofDiomedes,kingofThracehorseswhichtheirmasterhadbeenaccustomedtofeedwithhumanfleshfleshn.肉,(供食用的)兽肉,肉体,肉欲,果肉vt.以肉喂(猎犬等),使肥,赋以血肉vi.长胖.Inthisway,eightoftheappointedtaskswereaccomplished.在随后的年月中,赫拉克勒斯被派到斯廷法罗斯湖畔寻找一群巨型鸟,这种鸟生有铜爪,双翼能射出带毒的羽毛。赫拉克勒斯轻易地用箭射死了这群巨鸟。然后他又去捕捉并驯服了一头给克里特岛带来巨大灾难的疯牛。再接着,他给欧律斯透斯捕捉了色雷斯国王狄俄墨得斯的野马——这群马一直被主人用人肉喂养。就这样,八项被指派的任务宣告完成。

WhenHerculesreturnedoncemoretothepalaceofEurystheus,thekingsentforhisdaughterAdmete.赫拉克勒斯再次返回欧律斯透斯的宫殿,国王派人叫来他的女儿阿德墨特。

“Mydaughter,”hesaid,“thisHerculeshassofarperformedallthelaboursthatIhaveprescibedforhim.Iwouldnowhaveyousendhimonsomeventurewhichwillbringyouprofitorpleasure.”

“我的女儿,”他说,“到现在为止,赫拉克勒斯完成我交给他的所有任务。现在你可以派他去完成任何能给你带来快乐的事情。”

Hisdaughterreplied:“OntheshoresoftheBlackSeadwelltheAmazons,araceofwarlikewomen;andtheirqueen,Hippolyte,wearsamostlovelygirdle,ornamentedwithpreciousjewels,andbringthegirdlehomeme.”

他的女儿回答:“在黑海之滨住着好战的女人族阿玛宗,她们的女王希波吕忒有条十分漂亮的腰带,镶缀着许多宝石。请派赫拉克勒斯到阿玛宗的领土为我夺来这条腰带。”

WhenHerculesheardwhathistaskwastobe,hecollectedabandofstoutwariors,forhefearedthathewouldmeetwithresistancefromtheAmazons.ButwhenhearrivedatthepaceofHippolyte,thequeenreceivedhiminamostfriendlymanner.赫拉克勒斯听到他的任务后,召集了一队身强力壮的勇士,因为他担心会遭到阿玛宗的抵抗。但当他来到希波吕忒的王宫时,这位女王十分友好地接见了他。

“Welcome,stranger.”shesaid,andasshegazedathimshethoughtshehadneverseenanymanofsuchstrength,andbeauty.“Whatevermaybeyourerrand,youarewelcometomypalace.”

“欢迎你,陌生人。”她一边说,一边注视着他,心想平生从未见过如此强壮的男子。不管你奉有什么使命,我都欢迎你来到我的王宫。”

“Myerrandisindeedahardone,greatqueen,”repliedHercules,“forIcometoaskyouforthatwondrousgirdlewhichyouwearroundyourwaist.”

“尊敬的女王,我的确在执行一项艰难的使命,”赫拉克勒斯回答说,“我来这儿是为要那条系在你腰上的宝带。”

ThenhetoldHippolytethewholereasonofhisvisit:howhehadkilledhiswifeandchildren,andbywhatmeanshehopedtowipeawayhisguilt.Shelistenedkindly,andatlastreplied:“Wewillfeastnow,andyouandyourfollowersshallrest.Tomorrowwewillspeakagainofthejewelledgirdle.”

随后他对希波吕忒诉说了此行的全部缘由:他怎样杀死了妻子和孩子,以及通过何种途径他才能洗清自己的罪行。她善意地聆听着,最后说:“我们马上举行宴会,你和你的部下应该好好休息,明天我们再谈论那条缀满宝石的腰带。”

ThereislittledoubtthatHippolytewouldhavegivenupthegirdlewillingly,haditnotbeenthatthegoddessJuno,Hercules oldenemy,wasresolvedthatheshouldnotsucceedsoeasily.Thatsamedaythegoddess,assumingtheshapeofoneoftheAmazonwomen,begantomoveaboutamongthecrowdnearthepalace,andwherevershewentshewhispered:“Haveyounotheard?ThisHerculestellsusthathehascomeonlytoaskforHippolytesgirdle,butitishissecretintentiontocarryawayourqueenherself!”

如果不是女神朱诺,即赫拉克勒斯的老对手,决心不让他轻易地获得成功的话,几乎可以肯定希波吕忒会情愿地交出腰带的。就在那同一天,女神扮成阿玛宗部落妇女,在宫殿附近的人群中走来走去,所到之处,都悄声地说:“你们听说了吗?这个赫拉克勒斯说,他来此只是为了得到希波吕忒的腰带,但是他的秘密企图地要把我们的女王带走!”

Sotherumourrumorn.流言,谣言,传闻vt.谣传,传闻grew;andsoontherewasanoiseamongstthewomen,andconfusedcries,andshoutsof “Tohorse!Tohorse!” ThenthewholetribeofAmazonsflewtoarms,andmountingtheirpowerfulhorsestheyadvancedonHerculesandhisfollowers.于是一时间谣言四起,女人族里沸声扬扬一片混乱声,到处是“上马!上马!”的叫喊,一瞬间全部落的人都全副武装,她们骑上壮马直奔赫拉克勒斯和他的随从。

Herculeswassorrytoengageinabattlewithwomen,butheandhismenwereforcedtodefendthemselves,andbeforetheeveningcame,manyoftheAmazonslaydead.EventhenHippolyterefusedtotakeouthergirdle,untilsheknewthatHerculeshadtakenprisonerMelanippe,leaderofherarmy.ThenshesentthegirdletoHercules,andbeggedforMelanippetoberestoredtoher.HerculesjourneyedbacktothecourtofEurystheus,andthekingwasabletopresentthegirdletohisdaughter.赫拉克勒斯很不愿卷入和女人的战斗中,但他和他手下的人不得不奋起自卫。夜幕降临前,很多阿玛宗人已倒地身亡。即使到这时希波吕忒仍拒绝交出她的腰带,直到她得知军队首领墨拉尼珀被俘才改变主意。她献出腰带,以求放回墨拉尼珀。赫拉克勒斯又回到欧律斯透斯的宫殿,国王把宝带交给了他的女儿。

AtthecommandofCopreus,Herculesnextbroughthomethefamouscattleofthegiantgeryones,andwasthenaskedtoundertakeafeatwhichallmenthoughttobewellnighimpossile.AtthetimeofhermarriagetoJupiter,Junohadreceivedagiftofsomegoldenapples,whichlatershehadentrustedtothecareoffourmaidens,theHesperides.Herculestaskwastofindwherethesegoldenappleswere,andbringthembacktoEurystheus.后来在科普柔斯的指令下,赫拉克勒斯又捕捉了巨人革律翁的牛群,然后又去执行一项所有人都认为几乎不可能完成的任务。在朱诺和朱庇特结婚时,朱诺收到一份礼物——金苹果。后来她把它们托付给夜神赫斯珀里得斯的四个女儿看守。赫拉克勒斯的任务就是找到这些金苹果并把它们交给欧律斯透斯。