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the heroes-第10章

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brave enough to try it; for the man and the  time were not come。

Phrixus had a cousin called AEson; who was king in Iolcos by  the sea。  There he ruled over the rich Minuan heroes; as  Athamas his uncle ruled in Boeotia; and; like Athamas; he was  an unhappy man。  For he had a step…brother named Pelias; of  whom some said that he was a nymph's son; and there were dark  and sad tales about his birth。  When he was a babe he was  cast out on the mountains; and a wild mare came by and kicked  him。  But a shepherd passing found the baby; with its face  all blackened by the blow; and took him home; and called him  Pelias; because his face was bruised and black。  And he grew  up fierce and lawless; and did many a fearful deed; and at  last he drove out AEson his step…brother; and then his own  brother Neleus; and took the kingdom to himself; and ruled  over the rich Minuan heroes; in Iolcos by the sea。

And AEson; when he was driven out; went sadly away out of the  town; leading his little son by the hand; and he said to  himself; 'I must hide the child in the mountains; or Pelias  will surely kill him; because he is the heir。'

So he went up from the sea across the valley; through the  vineyards and the olive groves; and across the torrent of  Anauros; toward Pelion the ancient mountain; whose brows are  white with snow。

He went up and up into the mountain; over marsh; and crag;  and down; till the boy was tired and footsore; and AEson had  to bear him in his arms; till he came to the mouth of a  lonely cave; at the foot of a mighty cliff。

Above the cliff the snow…wreaths hung; dripping and cracking  in the sun; but at its foot around the cave's mouth grew all  fair flowers and herbs; as if in a garden; ranged in order;  each sort by itself。  There they grew gaily in the sunshine;  and the spray of the torrent from above; while from the cave  came the sound of music; and a man's voice singing to the  harp。

Then AEson put down the lad; and whispered …

'Fear not; but go in; and whomsoever you shall find; lay your  hands upon his knees; and say; 〃In the name of Zeus; the  father of Gods and men; I am your guest from this day  forth。〃'

Then the lad went in without trembling; for he too was a  hero's son; but when he was within; he stopped in wonder to  listen to that magic song。

And there he saw the singer lying upon bear…skins and  fragrant boughs:  Cheiron; the ancient centaur; the wisest of  all things beneath the sky。  Down to the waist he was a man;  but below he was a noble horse; his white hair rolled down  over his broad shoulders; and his white beard over his broad  brown chest; and his eyes were wise and mild; and his  forehead like a mountain…wall。

And in his hands he held a harp of gold; and struck it with a  golden key; and as he struck; he sang till his eyes  glittered; and filled all the cave with light。

And he sang of the birth of Time; and of the heavens and the  dancing stars; and of the ocean; and the ether; and the fire;  and the shaping of the wondrous earth。  And he sang of the  treasures of the hills; and the hidden jewels of the mine;  and the veins of fire and metal; and the virtues of all  healing herbs; and of the speech of birds; and of prophecy;  and of hidden things to come。

Then he sang of health; and strength; and manhood; and a  valiant heart; and of music; and hunting; and wrestling; and  all the games which heroes love:  and of travel; and wars;  and sieges; and a noble death in fight; and then he sang of  peace and plenty; and of equal justice in the land; and as he  sang the boy listened wide…eyed; and forgot his errand in the  song。

And at the last old Cheiron was silent; and called the lad  with a soft voice。

And the lad ran trembling to him; and would have laid his  hands upon his knees; but Cheiron smiled; and said; 'Call  hither your father AEson; for I know you; and all that has  befallen; and saw you both afar in the valley; even before  you left the town。'

Then AEson came in sadly; and Cheiron asked him; 'Why camest  you not yourself to me; AEson the AEolid?'

And AEson said …

'I thought; Cheiron will pity the lad if he sees him come  alone; and I wished to try whether he was fearless; and dare  venture like a hero's son。  But now I entreat you by Father  Zeus; let the boy be your guest till better times; and train  him among the sons of the heroes; that he may avenge his  father's house。'

Then Cheiron smiled; and drew the lad to him; and laid his  hand upon his golden locks; and said; 'Are you afraid of my  horse's hoofs; fair boy; or will you be my pupil from this  day?'

'I would gladly have horse's hoofs like you; if I could sing  such songs as yours。'

And Cheiron laughed; and said; 'Sit here by me till sundown;  when your playfellows will come home; and you shall learn  like them to be a king; worthy to rule over gallant men。'

Then he turned to AEson; and said; 'Go back in peace; and  bend before the storm like a prudent man。  This boy shall not  cross the Anauros again; till he has become a glory to you  and to the house of AEolus。'

And AEson wept over his son and went away; but the boy did  not weep; so full was his fancy of that strange cave; and the  centaur; and his song; and the playfellows whom he was to  see。

Then Cheiron put the lyre into his hands; and taught him how  to play it; till the sun sank low behind the cliff; and a  shout was heard outside。

And then in came the sons of the heroes; AEneas; and  Heracles; and Peleus; and many another mighty name。

And great Cheiron leapt up joyfully; and his hoofs made the  cave resound; as they shouted; 'Come out; Father Cheiron;  come out and see our game。'  And one cried; 'I have killed  two deer;' and another; 'I took a wild cat among the crags;'  and Heracles dragged a wild goat after him by its horns; for  he was as huge as a mountain crag; and Coeneus carried a  bear…cub under each arm; and laughed when they scratched and  bit; for neither tooth nor steel could wound him。

And Cheiron praised them all; each according to his deserts。

Only one walked apart and silent; Asclepius; the too…wise  child; with his bosom full of herbs and flowers; and round  his wrist a spotted snake; he came with downcast eyes to  Cheiron; and whispered how he had watched the snake cast its  old skin; and grow young again before his eyes; and how he  had gone down into a village in the vale; and cured a dying  man with a herb which he had seen a sick goat eat。

And Cheiron smiled; and said; 'To each Athene and Apollo give  some gift; and each is worthy in his place; but to this child  they have given an honour beyond all honours; to cure while  others kill。'

Then the lads brought in wood; and split it; and lighted a  blazing fire; and others skinned the deer and quartered them;  and set them to roast before the fire; and while the venison  was cooking they bathed in the snow…torrent; and washed away  the dust and sweat。

And then all ate till they could eat no more (for they had  tasted nothing since the dawn); and drank of the clear spring  water; for wine is not fit for growing lads。  And when the  remnants were put away; they all lay down upon the skins and  leaves about the fire; and each took the lyre in turn; and  sang and played with all his heart。

And after a while they all went out to a plot of grass at the  cave's mouth; and there they boxed; and ran; and wrestled;  and laughed till the stones fell from the cliffs。

Then Cheiron took his lyre; and all the lads joined hands;  and as be played; they danced to his measure; in and out; and  round and round。  There they danced hand in hand; till the  night fell over land and sea; while the black glen shone with  their broad white limbs and the gleam of their golden hair。

And the lad danced with them; delighted; and then slept a  wholesome sleep; upon fragrant leaves of bay; and myrtle; and  marjoram; and flowers of thyme; and rose at the dawn; and  bathed in the torrent; and became a schoolfellow to the  heroes' sons; and forgot Iolcos; and his father; and all his  former life。  But he grew strong; and brave and cunning; upon  the pleasant downs of Pelion; in the keen hungry mountain  air。  And he learnt to wrestle; and to box; and to hunt; and  to play upon the harp; and next he learnt to ride; for old  Cheiron used to mount him on his back; and he learnt the  virtues of all herbs and how to cure all wounds; and Cheiron  called him Jason the healer; and that is his name until this  day。


PART II … HOW JASON LOST HIS SANDAL IN ANAUROS


AND ten years came and went; and Jason was grown to be a  mighty man。  Some of his fellows were gone; and some were  growing up by his side。  Asclepius was gone into Peloponnese  to work his wondrous cures on men; and some say he used to  raise the dead to life。  And Heracles was gone to Thebes to  fulfil those famous labours which have become a proverb among  men。  And Peleus had married a sea…nymph; and his wedding is  famous to this day。  And AEneas was gone home to Troy; and  many a noble tale you will read of him; and of all the other  gallant heroes; the scholars of Cheiron the just。  And it  happened on a day that Jason stood on the mountain; and  looked north and south and ea
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