the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第43节
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！
accomplished。〃
〃How？〃 said Heracles。 〃Have I not performed two of the labors？ Have
I not slain the lion of Nemea and the great water snake of Lerna？〃
149
… Page 150…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
〃In the killing of the water snake you were helped by Iolaus；〃 said the
king； snapping out his words and looking at Heracles with shifting eyes。
〃That labor cannot be allowed you。〃
Heracles would have struck him to the ground。 But then he
remembered that the crime that he had committed in his madness would
have to be expiated by labors performed at the order of this man。 He
looked full upon Eurystheus and he said； 〃Tell me of the other labors； and
I will go forth from Mycenx and accomplish them。〃
Then Eurystheus bade him go and make clean the stables of King
Augeias。 Heracles came into that king's country。 The smell from the
stables was felt for miles around。 Countless herds of cattle and goats had
been in the stables for years； and because of the uncleanness and the smell
that came from it the crops were withered all around。 Heracles told the
king that he would clean the stables if he were given one tenth of the cattle
and the goats for a reward。
The king agreed to this reward。 Then Heracles drove the cattle and the
goats out of the stables； he broke through the foundations and he made
channels for the two rivers Alpheus and Peneius。 The waters flowed
through the stables； and in a day all the uncleanness was washed away。
Then Heracles turned the rivers back into their own courses。
He was not given the reward he had bargained for； however。
He went back to Mycenae with the tale of how he had cleaned the
stables。 〃Ten labors remain for me to do now；〃 he said。
〃Eleven；〃 said Eurystheus。 〃How can I allow the cleaning of King
Augeias's stables to you when you bargained for a reward for doing it？〃
Then while Heracles stood still； holding himself back from striking
him； Eurystheus ran away and hid himself in the jar。 Through his heralds
he sent word to Heracles； telling him what the other labors would be。
He was to clear the marshes of Stymphalus of the maneating birds that
gathered there； he was to capture and bring to the king the golden…horned
deer of Coryneia； he was also to capture and bring alive to Mycenae the
boar of Erymanthus。
Heracles came to the marshes of Stymphalus。 The growth of jungle
150
… Page 151…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
was so dense that he could not cut his way through to where the man…
eating birds were； they sat upon low bushes within the jungle； gorging
themselves upon the flesh they had carried there。
For days Heracles tried to hack his way through。 He could not get to
where the birds were。 Then； thinking he might not be able to accomplish
this labor； he sat upon the ground in despair。
It was then that one of the immortals appeared to him； for the first and
only time he was given help from the gods。
It was Athena who came to him。 She stood apart from Heracles；
holding in her hands brazen cymbals。 These she clashed together。 At the
sound of this clashing the Stymphalean birds rose up from the low bushes
behind the jungle。 Heracles shot at them with those unerring arrows of his。
The maneating birds fell； one after the other； into the marsh。
Then Heracles went north to where the Coryneian deer took her
pasture。 So swift of foot was she that no hound nor hunter had ever been
able to overtake her。 For the whole of a year Heracles kept Golden Horns
in chase； and at last； on the side of the Mountain Artemision； he caught her。
Artemis； the goddess of the wild things； would have punished Heracles for
capturing the deer； but the hero pleaded with her； and she relented and
agreed to let him bring the deer to Mycenm and show her to King
Eurystheus。 And Artemis took charge of Golden Horns while Heracles
went off to capture the Erymanthean boar。
He came to the city of Psophis； the inhabitants of which were in
deadly fear because of the ravages of the boar。 Heracles made his way up
the mountain to hunt it。 Now on this mountain a band of centaurs lived；
and they； knowing him since the time he had been fostered by Chiron；
welcomed Heracles。 One of them； Pholus； took Heracles to the great house
where the centaurs had their wine stored。
Seldom did the centaurs drink wine； a draft of it made them wild； and
so they stored it away； leaving it in the charge of one of their band。
Heracles begged Pholus to give him a draft of wine； after he had begged
again and again the centaur opened one of his great jars。
Heracles drank wine and spilled it。 Then the centaurs that were without
151
… Page 152…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
smelt the wine and came hammering at the door； demanding the drafts that
would make them wild。 Heracles came forth to drive them away。 They
attacked him。 Then he shot at them with his unerring arrows and he drove
them away。 Up the mountain and away to far rivers the centaurs raced；
pursued by Heracles with his bow。
One was slain； Pholus； the centaur who had entertained him。 By
accident Heracles dropped a poisoned arrow on his foot。 He took the body
of Pholus up to the top of the mountain and buried the centaur there。
Afterward； on the snows of Erymanthus； he set a snare for the boar and
caught him there。
Upon his shoulders he carried the boar to Mycenae and he led the deer
by her golden horns。 When Eurystheus bad looked upon them the boar
was slain； but the deer was loosed and she fled back to the Mountain
Artemision。
King Eurystheus sat hidden in the great jar； and he thought of more
terrible labors he would make Heracles engage in。 Now he would send
him oversea and make him strive with fierce tribes and more dread
monsters。 When he had it all thought out he had Heracles brought before
him and he told him of these other labors。
He was to go to savage Thrace and there destroy the man…eating horses
of King Diomedes； afterward he was to go amongst the dread women； the
Amazons； daughters of Ares； the god of war； and take from their queen；
Hippolyte； the girdle that Ares had given her； then he was to go to Crete
and take from the keeping of King Minos the beautiful bull that Poseidon
had given him； afterward he was to go to the Island of Erytheia and take
away from Geryoneus； the monster that had three bodies instead of one；
the herd of red cattle that the two…headed hound Orthus kept guard over；
then he was to go to the Garden of the Hesperides； and from that garden he
was to take the golden apples that Zeus had given to Hera for a marriage
giftwhere the Garden of the Hesperides was no mortal knew。
So Heracles set out on a long and perilous quest。 First he went to
Thrace； that savage land that was ruled over by Diomedes； son of Ares； the
war god。 Heracles broke into the stable where the horses were； he caught
152
… Page 153…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
three of them by their heads； and although they kicked and bit and
trampled he forced them out of the stable and down to the seashore； where
his companion； Abderus； waited for him。 The screams of the fierce horses
were heard by the men of Thrace； and they； with their king； came after
Heracles。 He left the horses in charge of Abderus while he fought the
Thracians and their savage king。
Heracles shot his deadly arrows amongst them； and then he fought
with their king。 He drove them from the seashore； and then he came back
to where he had left Abderus with the fierce horses。
They had thrown Abderus upon the ground； and they were trampling
upon
