the golden fleece(金羊毛)-第7节
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who were different from the Titan gods。
But Heaven and Earth had other childrenCottus； Briareus； and Gyes。
These were giants； each with fifty heads and a hundred arms。 And Heaven
grew fearful when he looked on these giant children； and he hid them
away in the deep places of the Earth。
Cronos hated Heaven； his father。 He drove Heaven； his father； and
Earth； his mother； far apart。 And far apart they stay； for they have never
been able to come near each other since。 And Cronos married to Rhea had
for children Hestia； Demeter； Hera； Aidoneus； and Poseidon； and these all
belonged to the company of the deathless gods。 Cronos was fearful that
one of his sons would treat him as he had treated Heaven； his father。 So
when another child was born to him and his wife Rhea he commanded that
the child be given to him so that he might swallow him。 But Rhea wrapped
a great stone in swaddling clothes and gave the stone to Cronos。 And
Cronos swallowed the stone； thinking to swallow his latest…born child。
That child was Zeus。 Earth took Zeus and hid him in a deep cave and
those who minded and nursed the child beat upon drums so that his cries
might not be heard。 His nurse was Adrastia； when he was able to play she
gave him a ball to play with。 All of gold was the ball； with a dark…blue
spiral around it。 When the boy Zeus would play with this ball it would
make a track across the sky； flaming like a star。
Hyperion the Titan god wed Theia the Titan goddess； and their
children were Hellos； the bright Sun； and Selene； the clear Moon。 And
Coeus wed Phoebe； and their children were Leto； who is kind to gods and
men； and Asteria of happy name； and Hecate； whom Zeus honored above
all。 Now the gods who were the children of Cronos and Rhea went up unto
the Mountain Olympus； and there they built their shining palaces。 But the
Titan gods who were born of Heaven and Earth went up to the Mountain
Othrys； and there they had their thrones。
Between the Olympians and the Titan gods of Othrys a war began。
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
Neither side might prevail against the other。 But now Zeus； grown up to be
a youth； thought of how he might help the Olympians to overthrow the
Titan gods。
He went down into the deep parts of the Earth where the giants Cottus；
Briareus； and Gyes had been hidden by their father。 Cronos had bound
them； weighing them down with chains。 But now Zeus loosed them and
the hundred…armed giants in their gratitude gave him the lightning and
showed him how to use the thunderbolt。
Zeus would have the giants fight against the Titan gods。 But although
they had mighty strength Cottus； Briareus； and Gyes had no fire of
courage in their hearts。 Zeus thought of a way to give them this courage；
he brought the food and drink of the gods to them； ambrosia and nectar；
and when they had eaten and drunk their spirits grew within the giants；
and they were ready to make war upon the Titan gods。
〃Sons of Earth and Heaven；〃 said Zeus to the hundred…armed giants； 〃a
long time now have the Dwellers on Olympus been striving with the Titan
gods。 Do you lend your unconquerable might to the gods and help them to
overthrow the Titans。〃
Cottus； the eldest of the giants； answered； 〃Divine One； through your
devising we are come back again from the murky gloom of the mid Earth
and we have escaped from the hard bonds that Cronos laid upon us。 Our
minds are fixed to aid you in the war against the Titan gods。〃
So the hundred…armed giants said； and thereupon Zeus went and he
gathered around him all who were born of Cronos and Rhea。 Cronos
himself hid from Zeus。 Then the giants； with their fifty heads growing
from their shoulders and their hundred hands； went forth against the Titan
gods。 The boundless sea rang terribly and the earth crashed loudly； wide
Heaven was shaken and groaned； and high Olympus reeled from its
foundation。 Holding huge rocks in their hands the giants attacked the Titan
gods。
Then Zeus entered the war。 He hurled the lightning； the bolts flew
thick and fast from his strong hand； with thunder and lightning and flame。
The earth crashed around in burning； the forests crackled with fire； the
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
ocean seethed。 And hot flames wrapped the earth…born Titans all around。
Three hundred rocks； one upon another； did Cottus； Briareus； and Gyes
hurl upon the Titans。 And when their ranks were broken the giants seized
upon them and held them for Zeus。
But some of the Titan gods； seeing that the strife for them was vain；
went over to the side of Zeus。 These Zeus became friendly with。 But the
other Titans he bound in chains and he hurled them down to Tartarus。
As far as Earth is from Heaven so is Tartarus from Earth。 A brazen
anvil falling down from Heaven to Earth nine days and nine nights would
reach the earth upon the tenth day。 And again； a brazen anvil falling from
Earth nine nights and nine days would reach Tartarus upon the tenth night。
Around Tartarus runs a fence of bronze and Night spreads in a triple line
all about it； as a necklace circles the neck。 There Zeus imprisoned the
Titan gods who had fought against him； they are hidden in the misty
gloom； in a dank place； at the ends of the Earth。 And they may not go out；
for Poseidon fixed gates of bronze upon their prison； and a wall runs all
round it。 There Cottus； Briareus； and Gyes stay； guarding them。
And there； too； is the home of Night。 Night and Day meet each other at
that place； as they pass a threshold of bronze。 They draw near and they
greet one another； but the house never holds them both together； for while
one is about to go down into the house； the other is leaving through the
door。 One holds Light in her hand and the other holds in her arms Sleep。
There the children of dark Night have their dwellingsSleep； and
Death； his brother。 The sun never shines upon these two。 Sleep may roam
over the wide earth； and come upon the sea； and he is kindly to men。 But
Death is not kindly； and whoever he seizes upon； him he holds fast。
There； too； stands the hall of the lord of the Underworld； Aidoneus； the
brother of Zeus。 Zeus gave him the Underworld to be his dominion when
he shared amongst the Olympians the world that Cronos had ruled over。 A
fearful hound guards the hall of Aidoneus： Cerberus he is called； he has
three heads。 On those who go within that hall Cerberus fawns； but on
those who would come out of it he springs and would devour them。
Not all the Titans did Zeus send down to Tartarus。 Those of them who
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
had wisdom joined him； and by their wisdom Zeus was able to overcome
Cronos。 Then Cronos went to live with the friendly Titan gods； while Zeus
reigned over Olympus； becoming the ruler of gods and men。
So Orpheus sang； Orpheus who knew the ways and the histories of the
gods。
VI。 POLYDEUCES' VICTORY AND HERACLES' LOSS
All the places that the Argonauts came nigh to and went past need not
be toldMelibcea； where they escaped a stormy beach； Homole； from
where they were able to look on Ossa and holy Olympus； Lemnos； the
island that they were to return to； the unnamed country where the Earth…
born Men abide； each having six arms； two growing from his shoulders；
and four fitting close to his terrible sides； and then the Mountain of the
Bears； where they climbed； to make sacrifice there to Rhea； the mighty
mother of the gods。
Afterward； for a whole day； no wind blew and the sail of the Argo
hung slack。 But the heroes swore to each other that they would make their
ship go as swiftly as if the storm…footed steeds of Poseidon were racing to
overtake her。 Mightily they labored at the oars； and no one would be first
to leave his rower's bench。
And then； just as the bre
