友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the heroes-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



to do;' he said; 'I must be away toward the  Isthmus; that I may go to Athens。'

But the shepherds said; 'Will you go alone toward Athens?   None travel that way now; except in armed troops。'

'As for arms; I have enough; as you see。  And as for troops;  an honest man is good enough company for himself。  Why should  I not go alone toward Athens?'

'If you do; you must look warily about you on the Isthmus;  lest you meet Sinis the robber; whom men call Pituocamptes  the pine…bender; for he bends down two pine…trees; and binds  all travellers hand and foot between them; and when he lets  the trees go again their bodies are torn in sunder。'

'And after that;' said another; 'you must go inland; and not  dare to pass over the cliffs of Sciron; for on the left hand  are the mountains; and on the right the sea; so that you have  no escape; but must needs meet Sciron the robber; who will  make you wash his feet; and while you are washing them he  will kick you over the cliff; to the tortoise who lives  below; and feeds upon the bodies of the dead。'

And before Theseus could answer; another cried; 'And after  that is a worse danger still; unless you go inland always;  and leave Eleusis far on your right。  For in Eleusis rules  Kerkuon the cruel king; the terror of all mortals; who killed  his own daughter Alope in prison。  But she was changed into a  fair fountain; and her child he cast out upon the mountains;  but the wild mares gave it milk。  And now he challenges all  comers to wrestle with him; for he is the best wrestler in  all Attica; and overthrows all who come; and those whom he  overthrows he murders miserably; and his palace…court is full  of their bones。'

Then Theseus frowned; and said; 'This seems indeed an ill… ruled land; and adventures enough in it to be tried。  But if  I am the heir of it; I will rule it and right it; and here is  my royal sceptre。'

And he shook his club of bronze; while the nymphs and  shepherds clung round him; and entreated him not to go。

But on he went nevertheless; till he could see both the seas  and the citadel of Corinth towering high above all the land。   And he past swiftly along the Isthmus; for his heart burned  to meet that cruel Sinis; and in a pine…wood at last he met  him; where the Isthmus was narrowest and the road ran between  high rocks。  There he sat upon a stone by the wayside; with a  young fir…tree for a club across his knees; and a cord laid  ready by his side; and over his head; upon the fir…tops; hung  the bones of murdered men。

Then Theseus shouted to him; 'Holla; thou valiant pine… bender; hast thou two fir…trees left for me?'

And Sinis leapt to his feet; and answered; pointing to the  bones above his head; 'My larder has grown empty lately; so I  have two fir…trees ready for thee。'  And he rushed on  Theseus; lifting his club; and Theseus rushed upon him。

Then they hammered together till the greenwoods rang; but the  metal was tougher than the pine; and Sinis' club broke right  across; as the bronze came down upon it。  Then Theseus heaved  up another mighty stroke; and smote Sinis down upon his face;  and knelt upon his back; and bound him with his own cord; and  said; 'As thou hast done to others; so shall it be done to  thee。'  Then he bent down two young fir…trees; and bound  Sinis between them for all his struggling and his prayers;  and let them go; and ended Sinis; and went on; leaving him to  the hawks and crows。

Then he went over the hills toward Megara; keeping close  along the Saronic Sea; till he came to the cliffs of Sciron;  and the narrow path between the mountain and the sea。

And there he saw Sciron sitting by a fountain; at the edge of  the cliff。  On his knees was a mighty club; and he had barred  the path with stones; so that every one must stop who came  up。

Then Theseus shouted to him; and said; 'Holla; thou tortoise… feeder; do thy feet need washing to…day?'

And Sciron leapt to his feet; and answered … 'My tortoise is  empty and hungry; and my feet need washing to…day。'  And he  stood before his barrier; and lifted up his club in both  hands。

Then Theseus rushed upon him; and sore was the battle upon  the cliff; for when Sciron felt the weight of the bronze  club; he dropt his own; and closed with Theseus; and tried to  hurl him by main force over the cliff。  But Theseus was a  wary wrestler; and dropt his own club; and caught him by the  throat and by the knee; and forced him back against the wall  of stones; and crushed him up against them; till his breath  was almost gone。  And Sciron cried panting; 'Loose me; and I  will let thee pass。'  But Theseus answered; 'I must not pass  till I have made the rough way smooth;' and he forced him  back against the wall till it fell; and Sciron rolled head  over heels。

Then Theseus lifted him up all bruised; and said; 'Come  hither and wash my feet。'  And he drew his sword; and sat  down by the well; and said; 'Wash my feet; or I cut you  piecemeal。'

And Sciron washed his feet trembling; and when it was done;  Theseus rose; and cried; 'As thou hast done to others; so  shall it be done to thee。  Go feed thy tortoise thyself;' and  he kicked him over the cliff into the sea。

And whether the tortoise ate him; I know not; for some say  that earth and sea both disdained to take his body; so foul  it was with sin。  So the sea cast it out upon the shore; and  the shore cast it back into the sea; and at last the waves  hurled it high into the air in anger; and it hung there long  without a grave; till it was changed into a desolate rock;  which stands there in the surge until this day。

This at least is true; which Pausanias tells; that in the  royal porch at Athens he saw the figure of Theseus modelled  in clay; and by him Sciron the robber falling headlong into  the sea。

Then he went a long day's journey; past Megara; into the  Attic land; and high before him rose the snow…peaks of  Cithaeron; all cold above the black pine…woods; where haunt  the Furies; and the raving Bacchae; and the Nymphs who drive  men wild; far aloft upon the dreary mountains; where the  storms howl all day long。  And on his right hand was the sea  always; and Salamis; with its island cliffs; and the sacred  strait of the sea…fight; where afterwards the Persians fled  before the Greeks。  So he went all day until the evening;  till he saw the Thriasian plain; and the sacred city of  Eleusis; where the Earth…mother's temple stands。  For there  she met Triptolemus; when all the land lay waste; Demeter the  kind Earth…mother; and in her hands a sheaf of corn。  And she  taught him to plough the fallows; and to yoke the lazy kine;  and she taught him to sow the seed…fields; and to reap the  golden grain; and sent him forth to teach all nations; and  give corn to labouring men。  So at Eleusis all men honour  her; whosoever tills the land; her and Triptolemus her  beloved; who gave corn to labouring men。

And he went along the plain into Eleusis; and stood in the  market…place; and cried …

'Where is Kerkuon; the king of the city?  I must wrestle a  fall with him to…day。'

Then all the people crowded round him; and cried; 'Fair  youth; why will you die?  Hasten out of the city; before the  cruel king hears that a stranger is here。'

But Theseus went up through the town; while the people wept  and prayed; and through the gates of the palace…yard; and  through the piles of bones and skulls; till he came to the  door of Kerkuon's hall; the terror of all mortal men。

And there he saw Kerkuon sitting at the table in the hall  alone; and before him was a whole sheep roasted; and beside  him a whole jar of wine。  And Theseus stood and called him;  'Holla; thou valiant wrestler; wilt thou wrestle a fall to… day?'

And Kerkuon looked up and laughed; and answered; 'I will  wrestle a fall to…day; but come in; for I am lonely and thou  weary; and eat and drink before thou die。'

Then Theseus went up boldly; and sat down before Kerkuon at  the board; and he ate his fill of the sheep's flesh; and  drank his fill of the wine; and Theseus ate enough for three  men; but Kerkuon ate enough for seven。

But neither spoke a word to the other; though they looked  across the table by stealth; and each said in his heart; 'He  has broad shoulders; but I trust mine are as broad as his。'

At last; when the sheep was eaten and the jar of wine drained  dry; King Kerkuon rose; and cried; 'Let us wrestle a fall  before we sleep。'

So they tossed off all their garments; and went forth in the  palace…yard; and Kerkuon bade strew fresh sand in an open  space between the bones。

And there the heroes stood face to face; while their eyes  glared like wild bulls'; and all the people crowded at the  gates to see what would befall。

And there they stood and wrestled; till the stars shone out  above their heads; up and down and round; till the sand was  stamped hard beneath their feet。  And their eyes flashed like  stars in the darkness; and their breath went up like smoke in  the night air; but neither took nor gave a footstep; and the  people watched silent at the gates。

But at last Kerkuon grew angry; and caught Theseus round the  neck; and shook him as a mastiff shakes a rat; but he could  not shake him off his feet。

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!