the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第45节
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quiet of evening。 Golden bees hummed through the air； and there was the
sound of quiet waters。 How wild and laborious was the world he had come
from； Heracles thought！ He felt that it would be hard for him to return to
that world。
He saw three maidens。 They stood with wreaths upon their heads and
blossoming branches in their hands。 When the maidens saw him they came
toward him crying out： 〃O man who has come into the Garden of the
Hesperides； go not near the tree that the sleepless dragon guards！〃 Then
they went and stood by a tree as if to keep guard over it。 All around were
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trees that bore flowers and fruit； but this tree had golden apples amongst
its bright green leaves。
Then he saw the guardian of the tree。 Beside its trunk a dragon lay； and
as Heracles came near the dragon showed its glittering scales and its
deadly claws。
The apples were within reach； but the dragon； with its glittering scales
and claws； stood in the way。 Heracles shot an arrow； then a tremor went
through Ladon； the sleepless dragon； it screamed and then lay stark。 The
maidens cried in their grief； Heracles went to the tree； and he plucked the
golden apples and he put them into the pouch he carried。 Down on the
ground sank the Hesperides； the Daughters of the Evening Land； and he
heard their laments as he went from the enchanted garden they had
guarded。
Back from the ends of the earth came Heracles； back from the place
where Atlas stood holding the sky upon his weary shoulders。 He went
back through Asia and Libya and Egypt； and he came again to Mycenae
and to the palace of Eurystheus。
He brought to the king the herd of Geryoneus； he brought to the king
the bull of Minos； he brought to the king the girdle of Hippolyte； he
brought to the king the golden apples of the Hesperides。 And King
Eurystheus； with his thin white face； sat upon his royal throne and he
looked over all the wonderful things that the hero had brought him。 Not
pleased was Eurystheus； rather was he angry that one he hated could win
such wonderful things。
He took into his hands the golden apples of the Hesperides。 But this
fruit was not for such as he。 An eagle snatched the branch from his hand；
and the eagle flew and flew until it came to where the Daughters of the
Evening Land wept in their garden。 There the eagle let fall the branch with
the golden apples； and the maidens set it back upon the tree； and behold！ it
grew as it had been growing before Heracles plucked it。
The next day the heralds of Eurystheus came to Heracles and they told
him of the last labor that he would have to set out to accomplishthis time
he would have to go down into the Underworld； and bring up from King
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Aidoneus's realm Cerberus； the three…headed hound。 Heracles put upon
him the impenetrable lion's skin and set forth once more。 This might
indeed be the last of his life's labors： Cerberus was not an earthly monster；
and he who would struggle with Cerberus in the Underworld would have
the gods of the dead against him。
But Heracles went on。 He journeyed to the cave Tainaron； which was
an entrance to the Underworld。 Far into that dismal cave he went； and then
down； down； until he came to Acheron； that dim river that has beyond it
only the people of the dead。 Cerberus bayed at him from the place where
the dead cross the river。 Knowing that he was no shade； the hound sprang
at Heracles； but be could neither bite nor tear through that impenetrable
lion's skin。 Heracles held him by the neck of his middle head so that
Cerberus was neither able to bite nor tear nor bellow。
Then to the brink of Acheron came Persephone； queen of the
Underworld。 She declared to Heracles that the gods of the dead would not
strive against him if he promised to bring Cerberus back to the
Underworld； carrying the hound downward again as he carried him
upward。
This Heracles promised。 He turned around and he carried Cerberus； his
hands around the monster's neck while foam dripped from his jaws。 He
carried him on and upward toward the world of men。 Out through a cave
that was in the land of Trcezen Heracles came； still carrying Cerberus by
the neck of his middle head。
From Troezen to Mycenae the hero went and men fled before him at
the sight of the monster that he carried。 On he went toward the king's
palace。 Eurystheus was seated outside his palace that day； looking at the
great jar that he had often hidden in； and thinking to himself that Heracles
would never appear to affright him again。 Then Heracles appeared。 He
called to Eurystheus； and when the king looked up he held the hound
toward him。 The three heads grinned at Eurystheus； he gave a cry and
scrambled into the jar。 But before his feet touched the bottom of it
Eurystheus was dead of fear。 The jar rolled over； and Heracles looked
upon the body that was all twisted with fright。 Then he turned around and
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made his way back to the Underworld。 On the brink of Acheron he loosed
Cerberus； and the bellow of the three…headed hound was heard again。
II
It was then that Heracles was given arms by the gods the sword of
Hermes； the bow of Apollo； the shield made by Hephaestus； it was then
that Heracles joined the Argonauts and journeyed with them to the edge of
the Caucasus； where； slaying the vulture that preyed upon Prometheus's
liver； he； at the will of Zeus； liberated the Titan。 Thereafter Zeus and
Prometheus were reconciled； and Zeus； that neither might forget how
much the enmity between them had cost gods and men； had a ring made
for Prometheus to wear； that ring was made out of the fetter that had been
upon him； and in it was set a fragment of the rock that the Titan had been
bound to。
The Argonauts had now won back to Greece。 But before he saw any of
them he had been in Oichalia； and had seen the maiden Iole。
The king of Oichalia had offered his daughter Iole in marriage to the
hero who could excel himself and his sons in shooting with arrows。
Heracles saw Iole； the blue…eyed and childlike maiden； and he longed to
take her with him to some place near the Garden of the Hesperides。 And
Iole looked on him； and he knew that she wondered to see him so tall and
so strongly knit even as he wondered to see her so childlike and delicate。
Then the contest began。 The king and his sons shot wonderfully well；
and none of the heroes who stood before Heracles had a chance of
winning。 Then Heracles shot his arrows。 No matter how far away they
moved the mark； Heracles struck it and struck the very center of it。 The
people wondered who this great archer might be。 And then a name was
guessed at and went around Heracles！
When the king heard the name of Heracles he would not let him strive
in the contest any more。 For the maiden Iole would not be given as a prize
to one who had been mad and whose madness might afflict him again。 So
the king said； speaking in judgment in the market place。
Rage came on Heracles when he heard this judgment given。 He would
not let his rage master him lest the madness that was spoken of should
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come with his rage。 So he left the city of Oichalia declaring to the king
and the people that he would return。
It was then that； wandering down to Crete； he heard of the Argonauts
being near。 And afterward he heard of them being in Calydon； hunting the
boar that ravaged Oeneus's country。 To Calydon Heracles went。 The heroes
had departed when he came into the country； and all the city was in grief
for the deaths of Pri
