the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第25章
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startled to see a stranger youth come into their hidden valley。 They fled
away。 Then the youth sat on the ground； his head bent like a man who is
very sorrowful。
The youngest and the fairest of the nymphs came to him at last。 〃Why
have you come； and why do you sit here in such great trouble； youth？〃
said she。 And then she said： 〃What is this strange sickle…sword that you
wear？ Who told you the way to our dwelling place？ What name have
you？〃
〃I have come here；〃 said the youth； and he took the bronze shield upon
his knees and began to polish it； 〃I have come here because I want you； the
nymphs who guard them； to give to me the cap of darkness and the shoes
of flight and the magic pouch。 I must gain these things； without them I
must go to my death。 Why I must gain them you will know from my
story。〃
When he said that he had come for the three magic treasures that they
guarded； the kind nymph was more startled than she and her sisters had
been startled by the appearance of the strange youth in their hidden valley。
She turned away from him。 But she looked again and she saw that he was
beautiful and brave looking。 He had spoken of his death。 The nymph stood
looking at him pitifully； and the youth； with the bronze shield laid beside
his knees and the strange hooked sword lying across it； told her his story。
〃I am Perseus；〃 he said； 〃and my grandfather； men say； is king in
Argos。 His name is Acrisius。 Before I was born a prophecy was made to
him that the son of Danae； his daughter； would slay him。 Acrisius was
frightened by the prophecy； and when I was born he put my mother and
myself into a chest； and he sent us adrift upon the waves of the sea。
〃I did not know what a terrible peril I was in； for I was an infant newly
born。 My mother was so hopeless that she came near to death。 But the
wind and the waves did not destroy us： they brought us to a shore； a
shepherd found the chest； and he opened it and brought my mother and
myself out of it alive。 The land we had come to was Seriphus。 The
shepherd who found the chest and who rescued my mother and myself was
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the brother of the king。 His name was Dictys。
〃In the shepherd's wattled house my mother stayed with me； a little
infant； and in that house I grew from babyhood to childhood； and from
childhood to boyhood。 He was a kind man； this shepherd Dictys。 His
brother Polydectes had put him away from the palace； but Dictys did not
grieve for that； for he was happy minding his sheep upon the hillside； and
he was happy in his little but of wattles and clay。
〃Polydectes； the king； was seldom spoken to about his brother； and it
was years before he knew of the mother and child who had been brought
to live in Dictys's hut。 But at last he heard of us； for strange things began
to be said about my motherhow she was beautiful； and how she looked
like one who had been favored by the gods。 Then one day when he was
hurting； Polydectes the king came to the but of Dictys the shepherd。
〃He saw Danae； my mother； there。 By her looks he knew that she was
a king's daughter and one who had been favored by the gods。 He wanted
her for his wife。 But my mother hated this harsh and overbearing king； and
she would not wed with him。 Often he came storming around the
shepherd's hut； and at last my mother had to take refuge from him in a
temple。 There she became the priestess of the goddess。
〃I was taken to the palace of Polydectes； and there I was brought up。
The king still stormed around where my mother was； more and more bent
on making her marry him。 If she had not been in the temple where she was
under the protection of the goddess he would have wed her against her
will。
〃But I was growing up now； and I was able to give some protection to
my mother。 My arm was a strong one； and Polydectes knew that if he
wronged my mother in any way； I had the will and the power to be deadly
to him。 One day I heard him say before his princes and his lords that he
would wed； and would wed one who was not Danae； I was overjoyed to
hear him say this。 He asked the lords and the princes to come to the
wedding feast； they declared they would； and they told him of the presents
they would bring。
〃Then King Polydectes turned to me and he asked me to come to the
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wedding feast。 I said I would come。 And then； because I was young and
full of the boast of youth； and because the king was now ceasing to be a
terror to me； I said that I would bring to his wedding feast the head of the
Gorgon。
〃The king smiled when he heard me say this； but he smiled not as a
good man smiles when he hears the boast of youth。 He smiled； and he
turned to the princes and lords； and he said 'Perseus will come； and he will
bring a greater gift than any of you； for he will bring the head of her
whose gaze turns living creatures into stone。'
〃When I heard the king speak so grimly about my boast the fearfulness
of the thing I had spoken of doing came over me。 I thought for an instant
that the Gorgon's head appeared before me； and that I was then and there
turned into stone。
〃The day of the wedding feast came。 I came and I brought no gift。 I
stood with my head hanging for shame。 Then the princes and the lords
came forward； and they showed the great gifts of horses that they had
brought。 I thought that the king would forget about me and about my boast。
And then I heard him call my name。 'Perseus；' he said； 'Perseus； bring
before us now the Gorgon's head that； as you told us； you would bring for
the wedding gift。'
〃The princes and lords and people looked toward me； and I was fiIled
with a deeper shame。 I had to say that I had failed to bring a present。 Then
that harsh and overbearing king shouted at me。 'Go forth；' he said； 'go forth
and fetch the present that you spoke of。 If you do not bring it remain
forever out of my country； for in Seriphus we will have no empty
boasters。' The lords and the princes applauded what the king said； the
people were sad for me and sad for my mother； but they might not do
anything to help me； so just and so due to me did the words of the king
seem。 There was no help for it； and I had to go from the country of
Seriphus； leaving my mother at the mercy of Polydectes。
〃I bade good…by to my sorrowful mother and I went from Seriphus
from that land that I might not return to without the Gorgon's head。 I
traveled far from that country。 One day I sat down in a lonely place and
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prayed to the gods that my strength might be equal to the will that now
moved in methe will to take the Gorgon's head； and take from my name
the shame of a broken promise； and win back to Seriphus to save my
mother from the harshness of the king。
〃When I looked up I saw one standing before me。 He was a youth； too；
but I knew by the way he moved； and I knew by the brightness of his face
and eyes； that he was of the immortals。 I raised my hands in homage to
him； and he came near me。 'Perseus；' he said； 'if you have the courage to
strive； the way to win the Gorgon's head will be shown you。' I said that I
had the courage to strive； and he knew that I was making no boast。
〃He gave me this bright sickle…sword that I carry。 He told me by what
ways I might come near enough to the Gorgons without being turned into
stone by their gaze。 He told me how I might slay the one of the three
Gorgons who was not immortal； and how； having slain her； I might take
her head and flee without being torn to pieces by her sister Gorgons。
〃Then I knew that I should have to come on the Gorgons from the air。 I
knew that having slain the one that could be slain I should have to fly with
the speed of the wind。 And I knew that that speed even would not save me…
…I should have to be hidden in my flight。 To win the head and save myself
I would need three magic thingsthe shoes of flight and the magic pouch；
and the dogskin cap of Hades that makes its wearer invisible。
〃The youth said： 'The magic pouch and the shoes of flight and the
dogskin cap of Hades are in the keeping of the nymphs whose dwelling
place no mortal knows。 I may not tell you where their dwelling place is。
But from the Gray Ones； from the ancient daughters of Phorcys who live
in a cave near where Atlas stands； you may learn where their dwelling
place is。'
〃Thereupon he told me how I might come to the Graiai； and how I
might get them to tell me where you； the nymphs； had your dwelling。 The
one who spoke to me was Hermes； whose dwelling is on Olympus。 By this
sickle…sword that he gave me you will know that I speak the truth。〃
Perseus ceased speaking； and she who was the youngest and fairest of
the nymphs came nearer to him。 She knew that he spoke truthfully； and
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besides she had pity for the youth。 〃But we are the keepers of the magic
treasures；〃 she said； 〃and some one whose need is greater even than yours
may some time require them from us。 But will you swear that you will
bring the magic treasures back to us when you have slain the Gorgon and
have taken her head？〃
Perseus declared that he would bring the magic treasures back to the
nymphs and leave them once more in their keeping。 Then the nymph who
had compassion for him called to the others。 They spoke together while
Pe
