the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第34部分
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his hands for the slaying of the terrible beast。 Peleus felt fear for the life of
the kindly king。 Down from the tower he came； and taking up his spear he
went with Ceyx。
Soon； in one of the brightest of the valleys； they came upon the beast；
they came between it and a herd of silken…coated cattle。 Seeing the men it
rushed toward them with blood and foam upon its jaws。 Then Peleus knew
that the spears they carried would be of little use against the raging beast。
His only thought was to struggle with it so that the king might be able to
save himself。
Again he lifted up his hands and prayed to Thetis to draw away
Psamathe's enmity。 The beast rushed toward them； but suddenly it stopped。
The bristles upon its body seemed to stiffen。 The gaping jaws became
fixed。 The hounds that were with them dashed upon the beast； but then fell
back with yelps of disappointment。 And when Peleus and Ceyx came to
where it stood they found that the monstrous beast had been turned into
stone。
And a stone it remains in that bright valley； a wonder to all the men of
Ceyx's land。 The country was spared the ravages of the beast。 And the
heart of Peleus was uplifted to think that Thetis had harkened to his prayer
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and had prevailed upon Psamathe to forego her enmity。 Not altogether
unforgiving was his wife to him。
That day he went from the land of the bright valleys； from the land
ruled over by the kindly Ceyx； and he came back to rugged Phthia； his
own country。 When he came near his hall he saw two at the doorway
awaiting him。 Thetis stood there； and the child Achilles was by her side。
The radiance of the immortals was in her face no longer； but there was a
glow there； a glow of welcome for the hero Peleus。 And thus Peleus； long
tormented by the enmity of the sea…born ones； came back to the wife he
had won from the sea。
III。 THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR
I
Thereafter Theseus made up his mind to go in search of his father； the
unknown king； and Medea； the wise woman； counseled him to go to
Athens。 After the hunt in Calydon he set forth。 On his way he fought with
and slew two robbers who harassed countries and treated people unjustly。
The first was Sinnias。 He was a robber who slew men cruelly by tying
them to strong branches of trees and letting the branches fly apart。 On him
Theseus had no mercy。 The second was a robber also； Procrustes ： he had a
great iron bed on which he made his captives lie； if they were too long for
that bed he chopped pieces off them； and if they were too short he
stretched out their bodies with terrible racks。 On him； likewise； Theseus
had no mercy； he slew Procrustes and gave liberty to his captives。
The King of Athens at the time was named Aegeus。 He was father of
Theseus； but neither Theseus nor he knew that this was so。 Aethra was his
mother； and she was the daughter of the King of Troezen。 Before Theseus
was born his father left a great sword under a stone； telling Aethra that the
boy was to have the sword when he was able to move that stone away。
King Aegeus was old and fearful now： there were wars and troubles in
the city； besides； there was in his palace an evil woman； a witch； to whom
the king listened。 This woman heard that a proud and fearless young man
had come into Athens； and she at once thought to destroy him。
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So the witch spoke to the fearful king； and she made him believe that
this stranger had come into Athens to make league with his enemies and
destroy him。 Such was her power over Aegeus that she was able to
persuade him to invite the stranger youth to a feast in the palace； and to
give him a cup that would have poison in it。
Theseus came to the palace。 He sat down to the banquet with the king。
But before the cup was brought something moved him to stand up and
draw forth the sword that he carried。 Fearfully the king looked upon the
sword。 Then he saw the heavy ivory hilt with the curious carving on it； and
he knew that this was the sword that he had once laid under the stone near
the palace of the King of Troezen。 He questioned Theseus as to how he
had come by the sword； and Theseus told him how Aethra his mother； had
shown him where it was hidden； and how he had been able to take it from
under the stone before he was grown a youth。 More and more Aegeus
questioned him； and he came to know that the youth before him was his
son indeed。 He dashed down the cup that had been brought to the table；
and he shook all over with the thought of how near he had been to a
terrible crime。 The witchwoman watched all that passed； mounting on a
car drawn by dragons she made flight from Athens。
And now the people of the city； knowing that it was he who had slain
the robbers Sinnias and Procrustes； rejoiced to have Theseus amongst
them。 When he appeared as their prince they rejoiced still more。 Soon he
was able to bring to an end the wars in the city and the troubles that
afflicted Athens。
II
The greatest king in the world at that time was Minos； King of Crete。
Minos had sent his son to Athens to make peace and friendship between
his kingdom and the kingdom of King Aegeus。 But the people of Athens
slew the son of King Minos； and because Aegeus had not given him the
protection that a king should have given a stranger come upon such an
errand he was deemed to have some part in the guilt of his slaying。
Minos； the great king； was wroth； and he made war on Athens；
wreaking great destruction upon the country and the people。 Moreover； the
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gods themselves were wroth with Athens； they punished the people with
famine； making even the rivers dry up。 The Athenians went to the oracle
and asked Apollo what they should do to have their guilt taken away。
Apollo made answer that they should make peace with Minos and fulfill
all his demands。
All this Theseus now heard； learning for the first time that behind the
wars and troubles in Athens there was a deed of evil that Aegeus； his
father； had some guilt in。
The demands that King Minos made upon Athens were terrible。 He
demanded that the Athenians should send into Crete every year seven
youths and seven maidens as a price for the life of his son。 And these
youths and maidens were not to meet death merely； nor were they to be
reared in slaverythey were to be sent that a monster called the Minotaur
might devour them。
Youths and maidens had been sent； and for the third time the
messengers of King Minos were coming to Athens。 The tribute for the
Minotaur was to be chosen by lot。 The fathers and mothers were in fear
and trembling； for each man and woman thought that his or her son or
daughter would be taken for a prey for the Minotaur。
They came together； the people of Athens； and they drew the lots
fearfully。 And on the throne above them all sat their pale…faced king；
Aegeus； the father of Theseus。
Before the first lot was drawn Theseus turned to all of them and said；
〃People of Athens； it is not right that your children should go and that I；
who am the son of King Aegeus； should remain behind。 Surely； if any of
the youths of Athens should face the dread monster of Crete； I should face
it。 There is one lot that you may leave undrawn。 I will go to Crete。〃
His father； on hearing the speech of Theseus； came down from his
throne and pleaded with him； begging him not to go。 But the will of
Theseus was set； he would go with the others and face the Minotaur。 And
he reminded his father of how the people had complained； saying that if
Aegeus had done the duty of a king； Minos's son would not have been
slain and the tribute to the Minotaur would have not been demanded。 It
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was the passing about of such complaints that had led to the war and
troubles that Theseus found on his coming to Athens。
Also Theseus told his father and told the people that he had hope in his
handsthat the hands that were strong enough to slay Sinnias and
Procrustes； the giant robbers； would be strong enough to slay the dread
monster of Crete。 His father at last consented to his going。 And Theseus
was able to make the people willing to believe that he would be able to
overcome the Minotaur； and so put an end to the terrible tribute that was
being exacted from them。
With six other youths and seven maidens Theseus went on board of the
ship
