the argonautica-第23节

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（ll。　744…771）　　Then　did　night　draw　darkness　over　the　earth；　and　on　the　sea　sailors　from　their　ships　looked　towards　the　Bear　and　the　stars　of　Orion；　and　now　the　wayfarer　and　the　warder　longed　for　sleep；　and　the　pall　of　slumber　wrapped　round　the　mother　whose　children　were　dead；　nor　was　there　any　more　the　barking　of　dogs　through　the　city；　nor　sound　of　men's　voices；　but　silence　held　the　blackening　gloom。　　But　not　indeed　upon　Medea　came　sweet　sleep。　For　in　her　love　for　Aeson's　son　many　cares　kept　her　wakeful；　and　she　dreaded　the　mighty　strength　of　the　bulls；　beneath　whose　fury　he　was　like　to　perish　by　an　unseemly　fate　in　the　field　of　Ares。　And　fast　did　her　heart　throb　within　her　breast；　as　a　sunbeam　quivers　upon　the　walls　of　a　house　when　flung　up　from　water；　which　is　just　poured　forth　in　a　caldron　or　a　pail　may　be；　and　hither　and　thither　on　the　swift　eddy　does　it　dart　and　dance　along；　even　so　the　maiden's　heart　quivered　in　her　breast。　　And　the　tear　of　pity　flowed　from　her　eyes；　and　ever　within　anguish　tortured　her；　a　smouldering　fire　through　her　frame；　and　about　her　fine　nerves　and　deep　down　beneath　the　nape　of　the　neck　where　the　pain　enters　keenest；　whenever　the　unwearied　Loves　direct　against　the　heart　their　shafts　of　agony。　　And　she　thought　now　that　she　would　give　him　the　charms　to　cast　a　spell　on　the　bulls；　now　that　she　would　not；　and　that　she　herself　would　perish；　and　again　that　she　would　not　perish　and　would　not　give　the　charms；　but　just　as　she　was　would　endure　her　fate　in　silence。　　Then　sitting　down　she　wavered　in　mind　and　said：

（ll。　772…801）　　〃Poor　wretch；　must　I　toss　hither　and　thither　in　woe？　　On　every　side　my　heart　is　in　despair；　nor　is　there　any　help　for　my　pain；　but　it　burneth　ever　thus。　　Would　that　I　had　been　slain　by　the　swift　shafts　of　Artemis　before　I　had　set　eyes　on　him；　before　Chalciope's　sons　reached　the　Achaean　land。　　Some　god　or　some　Fury　brought　them　hither　for　our　grief；　a　cause　of　many　tears。　　Let　him　perish　in　the　contest　if　it　be　his　lot　to　die　in　the　field。　　For　how　could　I　prepare　the　charms　without　my　parents'　knowledge？　　What　story　call　I　tell　them？　　What　trick；　what　cunning　device　for　aid　can　I　find？　　If　I　see　him　alone；　apart　from　his　comrades；　shall　I　greet　him？　　Ill…starred　that　I　am！　　I　cannot　hope　that　I　should　rest　from　my　sorrows　even　though　he　perished；　then　will　evil　come　to　me　when　he　is　bereft　of　life。　Perish　all　shame；　perish　all　glow；　may　he；　saved　by　my　effort；　go　scatheless　wherever　his　heart　desires。　　But　as　for　me；　on　the　day　when　he　bides　the　contest　in　triumph；　may　I　die　either　straining　my　neck　in　the　noose　from　the　roof…tree　or　tasting　drugs　destructive　of　life。　　But　even　so；　when　I　am　dead；　they　will　fling　out　taunts　against　me；　and　every　city　far　away　will　ring　with　my　doom；　and　the　Colchian　women；　tossing　my　name　on　their　lips　hither　and　thither；　will　revile　me　with　unseemly　mocking　　the　maid　who　cared　so　much　for　a　stranger　that　she　died；　the　maid　who　disgraced　her　home　and　her　parents；　yielding　to　a　mad　passion。　　And　what　disgrace　will　not　be　mine？　　Alas　for　my　infatuation！　　Far　better　would　it　be　for　me　to　forsake　life　this　very　night　in　my　chamber　by　some　mysterious　fate；　escaping　all　slanderous　reproach；　before　I　complete　such　nameless　dishonour。〃

（ll。　802…824）　　She　spake；　and　brought　a　casket　wherein　lay　many　drugs；　some　for　healing；　others　for　killing；　and　placing　it　upon　her　knees　she　wept。　　And　she　drenched　her　bosom　with　ceaseless　tears；　which　flowed　in　torrents　as　she　sat；　bitterly　bewailing　her　own　fate。　　And　she　longed　to　choose　a　murderous　drug　to　taste　it；　and　now　she　was　loosening　the　bands　of　the　casket　eager　to　take　it　forth；　unhappy　maid！　　But　suddenly　a　deadly　fear　of　hateful　Hades　came　upon　her　heart。　　And　long　she　held　back　in　speechless　horror；　and　all　around　her　thronged　visions　of　the　pleasing　cares　of　life。　　She　thought　of　all　the　delightful　things　that　are　among　the　living；　she　thought　of　her　joyous　playmates；　as　a　maiden　will；　and　the　sun　grew　sweeter　than　ever　to　behold；　seeing　that　in　truth　her　soul　yearned　for　all。　　And　she　put　the　casket　again　from　off　her　knees；　all　changed　by　the　prompting　of　Hera；　and　no　more　did　she　waver　in　purpose；　but　longed　for　the　rising　dawn　to　appear　quickly；　that　she　might　give　him　the　charms　to　work　the　spell　as　she　had　promised；　and　meet　him　face　to　face。　And　often　did　she　loosen　the　bolts　of　her　door；　to　watch　for　the　faint　gleam：　and　welcome　to　her　did　the　dayspring　shed　its　light；　and　folk　began　to　stir　throughout　the　city。

（ll。　825…827）　　Then　Argus　bade　his　brothers　remain　there　to　learn　the　maiden's　mind　and　plans；　but　himself　turned　back　and　went　to　the　ship。

（ll。　828…890）　　Now　soon　as　ever　the　maiden　saw　the　light　of　dawn；　with　her　hands　she　gathered　up　her　golden　tresses　which　were　floating　round　her　shoulders　in　careless　disarray；　and　bathed　her　tear…stained　cheeks；　and　made　her　skin　shine　with　ointment　sweet　as　nectar；　and　she　donned　a　beautiful　robe；　fitted　with　well…bent　clasps；　and　above　on　her　head；　divinely　fair；　she　threw　a　veil　gleaming　like　silver。　　And　there；　moving　to　and　fro　in　the　palace；　she　trod　the　ground　forgetful　of　the　heaven…sent　woes　thronging　round　her　and　of　others　that　were　destined　to　follow。　And　she　called　to　her　maids。　　Twelve　they　were；　who　lay　during　the　night　in　the　vestibule　of　her　fragrant　chamber；　young　as　herself；　not　yet　sharing　the　bridal　couch；　and　she　bade　them　hastily　yoke　the　mules　to　the　chariot　to　bear　her　to　the　beauteous　shrine　of　Hecate。　　Thereupon　the　handmaids　were　making　ready　the　chariot；　and　Medea　meanwhile　took　from　the　hollow　casket　a　charm　which　men　say　is　called　the　charm　of　Prometheus。　If　a　man　should　anoint　his　body　therewithal；　having　first　appeased　the　Maiden；　the　only…begotten；　with　sacrifice　by　night；　surely　that　man　could　not　be　wounded　by　the　stroke　of　bronze　nor　would　he　flinch　from　blazing　fire；　but　for　that　day　he　would　prove　superior　both　in　prowess　and　in　might。　　It　shot　up　first…　born　when　the　ravening　eagle　on　the　rugged　flanks　of　Caucasus　let　drip　to　the　earth　the　blood…like　ichor　of　tortured　Prometheus。　And　its　flower　appeared　a　cubit　above　ground　in　colour　like　the　Corycian　crocus；　rising　on　twin　stalks；　but　in　the　earth　the　root　was　like　newly…cut　flesh。　　The　dark　juice　of　it；　like　the　sap　of　a　mountain…oak；　she　had　gathered　in　a　Caspian　shell　to　make　the　charm　withal；　when　she　had　first　bathed　in　seven　ever…flowing　streams；　and　had　called　seven　times　on　Brimo；　nurse　of　youth；　night…wandering　Brimo；　of　the　underworld；　queen　among　the　dead；　　in　the　gloom　of　night；　clad　in　dusky　garments。　　And　beneath；　the　dark　earth　shook　and　bellowed　when　the　Titanian　root　was　cut；　and　the　son　of　Iapetus　himself　groaned；　his　soul　distraught　with　pain。　　And　she　brought　the　charm　forth　and　placed　it　in　the　fragrant　band　which　engirdled　her；　just　beneath　her　bosom；　divinely　fair。　　And　going　forth　she　mounted　the　swift　chariot；　and　with　her　went　two　handmaidens　on　each　side。　　And　she　herself　took　the　reins　and　in　her　right　hand　the　well…fashioned　whip；　and　drove　through　the　city；　and　the　rest；　the　handmaids；　laid　their　hands　on　the　chariot　behind　and　ran　along　the　broad　highway；　and　they　kilted　up　their　light　robes　above　their　white　knees。　　And　even　as　by　the　mild　waters　of　Parthenius；　or　after　bathing　in　the　river　Amnisus；　Leto's　daughter　stands　upon　her　golden　chariot　and　courses　over　the　hills　with　her　swift…footed　roes；　to　greet　from　afar　some　richly…steaming　hecatomb；　and　with　her　come　the　nymphs　in　attendance；　gathering；　some　at　the　spring　of　Amnisus　itself；　others　by　the　glens　and　many…fountained　peaks；　and　round　her　whine　and　fawn　the　beasts　cowering　as　she　moves　along：　thus　they　sped　through　the　city；　and　on　both　sides　the　people　gave　way；　shunning　the　eyes　of　the　royal　maiden。　　But　when　she　had　left　the　city's　well　paved　streets；　and　was　approaching　the　shrine　as　she　drove　over　the　plains；　then　she　alighted　eagerly　from　the　smooth…　running　chariot　and　spake　as　follows　among　her　maidens：

（ll。　891…911）　　〃Friends；　verily　have　I　sinned　greatly　and　took　no　heed　not　to　go　among　the　stranger…folk　1　who　roam　over　our　land。　The　whole　city　is　smitten　with　dismay；　wherefore　no　one　of　the　women　who　formerly　gathered　here　day　by　day　has　now　come　hither。　But　since　we　have　come　and　no　one　else　draws　near；　come；　let　us　satisfy　our　souls　without　stint　with　soothing　song；　and　when　we　have　plucked　the　fair　flowers　amid　the　tender　grass；　that　very　hour　will　we　return。　　And　with　many　a　gift　shall　ye　reach　home　this　very　day；　if　ye　will　gladden　me　with　this　desire　of　mine。　For　Argus　pleads　with　me；　also　Chalciope　herself；　but　this　that　ye　hear　from　me　keep　silently　in　your　hearts；　lest　the　tale　reach　my　father's　ears。　　As　for　yon　stranger　who　took　on　him　the　task　with　the　oxen；　they　bid　me　receive　his　gifts　and　rescue　him　from　the　deadly　contest。　　And　I　approved　their　counsel；　and　I　have　summoned　him　to　come　to　my　presence　apart　from　his　comrades；　so　that　we　may　divide　the　gifts　among　ourselves　if　he　bring　them　in　his　hands；　and　in　return　may　give　him　a　baleful　charm。　　But　when　he　comes；　do　ye　stand　aloof。〃

（ll。　912…918）　　So　she　spake；　and　the　crafty　counsel　pleased　them　all。　　And　straightway　Argus　drew　Aeson's　son　apart　from　his　comrades　as　soon　as　he　heard　f