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the heroes-第21章

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Then Alcinous gave them food; and water; and garments; and  rich presents of all sorts; and he gave the same to the  Minuai; and sent them all away in peace。

So Jason kept the dark witch…maiden to breed him woe and  shame; and the Colchi went northward into the Adriatic; and  settled; and built towns along the shore。

Then the heroes rowed away to the eastward; to reach Hellas;  their beloved land; but a storm came down upon them; and  swept them far away toward the south。  And they rowed till  they were spent with struggling; through the darkness and the  blinding rain; but where they were they could not tell; and  they gave up all hope of life。  And at last touched the  ground; and when daylight came waded to the shore; and saw  nothing round but sand and desolate salt pools; for they had  come to the quicksands of the Syrtis; and the dreary treeless  flats which lie between Numidia and Cyrene; on the burning  shore of Africa。  And there they wandered starving for many a  weary day; ere they could launch their ship again; and gain  the open sea。  And there Canthus was killed; while he was  trying to drive off sheep; by a stone which a herdsman threw。

And there too Mopsus died; the seer who knew the voices of  all birds; but he could not foretell his own end; for he was  bitten in the foot by a snake; one of those which sprang from  the Gorgon's head when Perseus carried it across the sands。

At last they rowed away toward the northward; for many a  weary day; till their water was spent; and their food eaten;  and they were worn out with hunger and thirst。  But at last  they saw a long steep island; and a blue peak high among the  clouds; and they knew it for the peak of Ida; and the famous  land of Crete。  And they said; 'We will land in Crete; and  see Minos the just king; and all his glory and his wealth; at  least he will treat us hospitably; and let us fill our water… casks upon the shore。'

But when they came nearer to the island they saw a wondrous  sight upon the cliffs。  For on a cape to the westward stood a  giant; taller than any mountain pine; who glittered aloft  against the sky like a tower of burnished brass。  He turned  and looked on all sides round him; till he saw the ARGO and  her crew; and when he saw them he came toward them; more  swiftly than the swiftest horse; leaping across the glens at  a bound; and striding at one step from down to down。  And  when he came abreast of them he brandished his arms up and  down; as a ship hoists and lowers her yards; and shouted with  his brazen throat like a trumpet from off the hills; 'You are  pirates; you are robbers!  If you dare land here; you die。'

Then the heroes cried; 'We are no pirates。  We are all good  men and true; and all we ask is food and water;' but the  giant cried the more …

'You are robbers; you are pirates all; I know you; and if you  land; you shall die the death。'

Then he waved his arms again as a signal; and they saw the  people flying inland; driving their flocks before them; while  a great flame arose among the hills。  Then the giant ran up a  valley and vanished; and the heroes lay on their oars in  fear。

But Medeia stood watching all from under her steep black  brows; with a cunning smile upon her lips; and a cunning plot  within her heart。  At last she spoke; 'I know this giant。  I  heard of him in the East。  Hephaistos the Fire King made him  in his forge in AEtna beneath the earth; and called him  Talus; and gave him to Minos for a servant; to guard the  coast of Crete。  Thrice a day he walks round the island; and  never stops to sleep; and if strangers land he leaps into his  furnace; which flames there among the hills; and when he is  red…hot he rushes on them; and burns them in his brazen  hands。'

Then all the heroes cried; 'What shall we do; wise Medeia?   We must have water; or we die of thirst。  Flesh and blood we  can face fairly; but who can face this red…hot brass?'

'I can face red…hot brass; if the tale I hear be true。  For  they say that he has but one vein in all his body; filled  with liquid fire; and that this vein is closed with a nail:   but I know not where that nail is placed。  But if I can get  it once into these hands; you shall water your ship here in  peace。'

Then she bade them put her on shore; and row off again; and  wait what would befall。

And the heroes obeyed her unwillingly; for they were ashamed  to leave her so alone; but Jason said; 'She is dearer to me  than to any of you; yet I will trust her freely on shore; she  has more plots than we can dream of in the windings of that  fair and cunning head。'

So they left the witch…maiden on the shore; and she stood  there in her beauty all alone; till the giant strode back  red…hot from head to heel; while the grass hissed and smoked  beneath his tread。

And when he saw the maiden alone; he stopped; and she looked  boldly up into his face without moving; and began her magic  song:…

'Life is short; though life is sweet; and even men of brass  and fire must die。  The brass must rust; the fire must cool;  for time gnaws all things in their turn。  Life is short;  though life is sweet:  but sweeter to live for ever; sweeter  to live ever youthful like the Gods; who have ichor in their  veins … ichor which gives life; and youth; and joy; and a  bounding heart。'

Then Talus said; 'Who are you; strange maiden; and where is  this ichor of youth?'

Then Medeia held up a flask of crystal; and said; 'Here is  the ichor of youth。  I am Medeia the enchantress; my sister  Circe gave me this; and said; 〃Go and reward Talus; the  faithful servant; for his fame is gone out into all lands。〃   So come; and I will pour this into your veins; that you may  live for ever young。'

And he listened to her false words; that simple Talus; and  came near; and Medeia said; 'Dip yourself in the sea first;  and cool yourself; lest you burn my tender hands; then show  me where the nail in your vein is; that I may pour the ichor  in。'

Then that simple Talus dipped himself in the sea; till it  hissed; and roared; and smoked; and came and knelt before  Medeia; and showed her the secret nail。

And she drew the nail out gently; but she poured no ichor in;  and instead the liquid fire spouted forth; like a stream of  red…hot iron。  And Talus tried to leap up; crying; 'You have  betrayed me; false witch…maiden!'  But she lifted up her  hands before him; and sang; till he sank beneath her spell。   And as he sank; his brazen limbs clanked heavily; and the  earth groaned beneath his weight; and the liquid fire ran  from his heel; like a stream of lava; to the sea; and Medeia  laughed; and called to the heroes; 'Come ashore; and water  your ship in peace。'

So they came; and found the giant lying dead; and they fell  down; and kissed Medeia's feet; and watered their ship; and  took sheep and oxen; and so left that inhospitable shore。

At last; after many more adventures; they came to the Cape of  Malea; at the south…west point of the Peloponnese。  And there  they offered sacrifices; and Orpheus purged them from their  guilt。  Then they rode away again to the northward; past the  Laconian shore; and came all worn and tired by Sunium; and up  the long Euboean Strait; until they saw once more Pelion; and  Aphetai; and Iolcos by the sea。

And they ran the ship ashore; but they had no strength left  to haul her up the beach; and they crawled out on the  pebbles; and sat down; and wept till they could weep no more。   For the houses and the trees were all altered; and all the  faces which they saw were strange; and their joy was  swallowed up in sorrow; while they thought of their youth;  and all their labour; and the gallant comrades they had lost。

And the people crowded round; and asked them 'Who are you;  that you sit weeping here?'

'We are the sons of your princes; who sailed out many a year  ago。  We went to fetch the golden fleece; and we have brought  it; and grief therewith。  Give us news of our fathers and our  mothers; if any of them be left alive on earth。'

Then there was shouting; and laughing; and weeping; and all  the kings came to the shore; and they led away the heroes to  their homes; and bewailed the valiant dead。

Then Jason went up with Medeia to the palace of his uncle  Pelias。  And when he came in Pelias sat by the hearth;  crippled and blind with age; while opposite him sat AEson;  Jason's father; crippled and blind likewise; and the two old  men's heads shook together as they tried to warm themselves  before the fire。

And Jason fell down at his father's knees; and wept; and  called him by his name。  And the old man stretched his hands  out; and felt him; and said; 'Do not mock me; young hero。  My  son Jason is dead long ago at sea。'

'I am your own son Jason; whom you trusted to the Centaur  upon Pelion; and I have brought home the golden fleece; and a  princess of the Sun's race for my bride。  So now give me up  the kingdom; Pelias my uncle; and fulfil your promise as I  have fulfilled mine。'

Then his father clung to him like a child; and wept; and  would not let him go; and cried; 'Now I shall not go down  lonely to my grave。  Promise me never to leave me till I  die。'


PART VI …  WHAT WAS THE END OF THE HEROES


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