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the heroes-第6章

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pon his head; and he vanished out of their  sight。

But Perseus went on boldly; past many an ugly sight; far away  into the heart of the Unshapen Land; beyond the streams of  Ocean; to the isles where no ship cruises; where is neither  night nor day; where nothing is in its right place; and  nothing has a name; till he heard the rustle of the Gorgons'  wings and saw the glitter of their brazen talons; and then he  knew that it was time to halt; lest Medusa should freeze him  into stone。

He thought awhile with himself; and remembered Athene's  words。  He rose aloft into the air; and held the mirror of  the shield above his head; and looked up into it that he  might see all that was below him。

And he saw the three Gorgons sleeping as huge as elephants。   He knew that they could not see him; because the hat of  darkness hid him; and yet he trembled as he sank down near  them; so terrible were those brazen claws。

Two of the Gorgons were foul as swine; and lay sleeping  heavily; as swine sleep; with their mighty wings outspread;  but Medusa tossed to and fro restlessly; and as she tossed  Perseus pitied her; she looked so fair and sad。  Her plumage  was like the rainbow; and her face was like the face of a  nymph; only her eyebrows were knit; and her lips clenched;  with everlasting care and pain; and her long neck gleamed so  white in the mirror that Perseus had not the heart to strike;  and said; 'Ah; that it had been either of her sisters!'

But as he looked; from among her tresses the vipers' heads  awoke; and peeped up with their bright dry eyes; and showed  their fangs; and hissed; and Medusa; as she tossed; threw  back her wings and showed her brazen claws; and Perseus saw  that; for all her beauty; she was as foul and venomous as the  rest。

Then he came down and stepped to her boldly; and looked  steadfastly on his mirror; and struck with Herpe stoutly  once; and he did not need to strike again。

Then he wrapped the head in the goat…skin; turning away his  eyes; and sprang into the air aloft; faster than he ever  sprang before。

For Medusa's wings and talons rattled as she sank dead upon  the rocks; and her two foul sisters woke; and saw her lying  dead。

Into the air they sprang yelling and looked for him who had  done the deed。  Thrice they swung round and round; like hawks  who beat for a partridge; and thrice they snuffed round and  round; like hounds who draw upon a deer。  At last they struck  upon the scent of the blood; and they checked for a moment to  make sure; and then on they rushed with a fearful howl; while  the wind rattled hoarse in their wings。

On they rushed; sweeping and flapping; like eagles after a  hare; and Perseus' blood ran cold; for all his courage; as he  saw them come howling on his track; and he cried; 'Bear me  well now; brave sandals; for the hounds of Death are at my  heels!'

And well the brave sandals bore him; aloft through cloud and  sunshine; across the shoreless sea; and fast followed the  hounds of Death; as the roar of their wings came down the  wind。  But the roar came down fainter and fainter; and the  howl of their voices died away; for the sandals were too  swift; even for Gorgons; and by nightfall they were far  behind; two black specks in the southern sky; till the sun  sank and he saw them no more。

Then he came again to Atlas; and the garden of the Nymphs;  and when the giant heard him coming he groaned; and said;  'Fulfil thy promise to me。'  Then Perseus held up to him the  Gorgon's head; and he had rest from all his toil; for he  became a crag of stone; which sleeps for ever far above the  clouds。

Then he thanked the Nymphs; and asked them; 'By what road  shall I go homeward again; for I wandered far round in coming  hither?'

And they wept and cried; 'Go home no more; but stay and play  with us; the lonely maidens; who dwell for ever far away from  Gods and men。'

But he refused; and they told him his road; and said; 'Take  with you this magic fruit; which; if you eat once; you will  not hunger for seven days。  For you must go eastward and  eastward ever; over the doleful Lybian shore; which Poseidon  gave to Father Zeus; when he burst open the Bosphorus and the  Hellespont; and drowned the fair Lectonian land。  And Zeus  took that land in exchange; a fair bargain; much bad ground  for a little good; and to this day it lies waste and desert  with shingle; and rock; and sand。'

Then they kissed Perseus; and wept over him; and he leapt  down the mountain; and went on; lessening and lessening like  a sea…gull; away and out to sea。


PART IV … HOW PERSEUS CAME TO THE AETHIOPS


SO Perseus flitted onward to the north…east; over many a  league of sea; till he came to the rolling sand…hills and the  dreary Lybian shore。

And he flitted on across the desert:  over rock…ledges; and  banks of shingle; and level wastes of sand; and shell…drifts  bleaching in the sunshine; and the skeletons of great sea… monsters; and dead bones of ancient giants; strewn up and  down upon the old sea…floor。  And as he went the blood…drops  fell to the earth from the Gorgon's head; and became  poisonous asps and adders; which breed in the desert to this  day。

Over the sands he went; … he never knew how far or how long;  feeding on the fruit which the Nymphs had given him; till he  saw the hills of the Psylli; and the Dwarfs who fought with  cranes。  Their spears were of reeds and rushes; and their  houses of the egg…shells of the cranes; and Perseus laughed;  and went his way to the north…east; hoping all day long to  see the blue Mediterranean sparkling; that he might fly  across it to his home。

But now came down a mighty wind; and swept him back southward  toward the desert。  All day long he strove against it; but  even the winged sandals could not prevail。  So he was forced  to float down the wind all night; and when the morning dawned  there was nothing to be seen; save the same old hateful waste  of sand。

And out of the north the sandstorms rushed upon him; blood… red pillars and wreaths; blotting out the noonday sun; and  Perseus fled before them; lest he should be choked by the  burning dust。  At last the gale fell calm; and he tried to go  northward again; but again came down the sandstorms; and  swept him back into the waste; and then all was calm and  cloudless as before。  Seven days he strove against the  storms; and seven days he was driven back; till he was spent  with thirst and hunger; and his tongue clove to the roof of  his mouth。  Here and there he fancied that he saw a fair  lake; and the sunbeams shining on the water; but when he came  to it it vanished at his feet; and there was nought but  burning sand。  And if he had not been of the race of the  Immortals; he would have perished in the waste; but his life  was strong within him; because it was more than man's。

Then he cried to Athene; and said …

'Oh; fair and pure; if thou hearest me; wilt thou leave me  here to die of drought?  I have brought thee the Gorgon's  head at thy bidding; and hitherto thou hast prospered my  journey; dost thou desert me at the last?  Else why will not  these immortal sandals prevail; even against the desert  storms?  Shall I never see my mother more; and the blue  ripple round Seriphos; and the sunny hills of Hellas?'

So he prayed; and after he had prayed there was a great  silence。

The heaven was still above his head; and the sand was still  beneath his feet; and Perseus looked up; but there was  nothing but the blinding sun in the blinding blue; and round  him; but there was nothing but the blinding sand。

And Perseus stood still a while; and waited; and said;  'Surely I am not here without the will of the Immortals; for  Athene will not lie。  Were not these sandals to lead me in  the right road?  Then the road in which I have tried to go  must be a wrong road。'

Then suddenly his ears were opened; and he heard the sound of  running water。

And at that his heart was lifted up; though he scarcely dare  believe his ears; and weary as he was; he hurried forward;  though he could scarcely stand upright; and within a bowshot  of him was a glen in the sand; and marble rocks; and date… trees; and a lawn of gay green grass。  And through the lawn a  streamlet sparkled and wandered out beyond the trees; and  vanished in the sand。

The water trickled among the rocks; and a pleasant breeze  rustled in the dry date…branches and Perseus laughed for joy;  and leapt down the cliff; and drank of the cool water; and  ate of the dates; and slept upon the turf; and leapt up and  went forward again:  but not toward the north this time; for  he said; 'Surely Athene hath sent me hither; and will not  have me go homeward yet。  What if there be another noble deed  to be done; before I see the sunny hills of Hellas?'

So he went east; and east for ever; by fresh oases and  fountains; date…palms; and lawns of grass; till he saw before  him a mighty mountain…wall; all rose…red in the setting sun。

Then he towered in the air like an eagle; for his limbs were  strong again; and he flew all night across the mountain till  the day began to dawn; and rosy…fingered Eos came blushing up  the sky。  And then; behold; beneath him was the long green  garden of Egypt and th
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