the argonautica-第24章

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ws。　　And　with　these　he　bade　me　plough　the　field；　four　plough…gates；　and　said　that　he　would　give　me　from　a　serpent's　jaws　seed　which　will　raise　up　earthborn　men　in　armour　of　bronze；　and　on　the　same　day　I　must　slay　them。　　This　taskfor　there　was　nothing　better　to　deviseI　took　on　myself　outright。〃

（ll。　502…514）　　Thus　he　spake；　and　to　all　the　contest　seemed　one　that　none　could　accomplish；　and　long；　quiet　and　silent；　they　looked　at　one　another；　bowed　down　with　the　calamity　and　their　despair；　but　at　last　Peleus　spake　with　courageous　words　among　all　the　chiefs：　〃It　is　time　to　be　counselling　what　we　shall　do。　　Yet　there　is　not　so　much　profit；　I　trow；　in　counsel　as　in　the　might　of　our　hands。　　If　thou　then；　hero　son　of　Aeson；　art　minded　to　yoke　Aeetes'　oxen；　and　art　eager　for　the　toil；　surely　thou　wilt　keep　thy　promise　and　make　thyself　ready。　　But　if　thy　soul　trusts　not　her　prowess　utterly；　then　neither　bestir　thyself　nor　sit　still　and　look　round　for　some　one　else　of　these　men。　　For　it　is　not　I　who　will　flinch；　since　the　bitterest　pain　will　be　but　death。〃

（ll。　515…522）　　So　spake　the　son　of　Aeacus；　and　Telamon's　soul　was　stirred；　and　quickly　he　started　up　in　eagerness；　and　Idas　rose　up　the　third　in　his　pride；　and　the　twin　sons　of　Tyndareus；　and　with　them　Oeneus'　son　who　was　numbered　among　strong　men；　though　even　the　soft　down　on　his　cheek　showed　not　yet；　with　such　courage　was　his　soul　uplifted。　　But　the　others　gave　way　to　these　in　silence。　And　straightway　Argus　spake　these　words　to　those　that　longed　for　the　contest：

（ll。　523…539）　　〃My　friends；　this　indeed　is　left　us　at　the　last。　But　I　deem　that　there　will　come　to　you　some　timely　aid　from　my　mother。　　Wherefore；　eager　though　ye　be；　refrain　and　abide　in　your　ship　a　little　longer　as　before；　for　it　is　better　to　forbear　than　recklessly　to　choose　an　evil　fate。　　There　is　a　maiden；　nurtured　in　the　halls　of　Aeetes；　whom　the　goddess　Hecate　taught　to　handle　magic　herbs　with　exceeding　skill　all　that　the　land　and　flowing　waters　produce。　　With　them　is　quenched　the　blast　of　unwearied　flame；　and　at　once　she　stays　the　course　of　rivers　as　they　rush　roaring　on；　and　checks　the　stars　and　the　paths　of　the　sacred　moon。　　Of　her　we　bethought　us　as　we　came　hither　along　the　path　from　the　palace；　if　haply　my　mother；　her　own　sister；　might　persuade　her　to　aid　us　in　the　venture。　　And　if　this　is　pleasing　to　you　as　well；　surely　on　this　very　day　will　I　return　to　the　palace　of　Aeetes　to　make　trial；　and　perchance　with　some　god's　help　shall　I　make　the　trial。〃

（ll。　540…544）　　Thus　he　spake；　and　the　gods　in　their　goodwill　gave　them　a　sign。　　A　trembling　dove　in　her　flight　from　a　mighty　hawk　fell　from　on　high；　terrified；　into　the　lap　of　Aeson's　son；　and　the　hawk　fell　impaled　on　the　stern…ornament。　　And　quickly　Mopsus　with　prophetic　words　spake　among　them　all：

（ll。　545…554）　　〃For　you；　friends；　this　sign　has　been　wrought　by　the　will　of　heaven；　in　no　other　way　is　it　possible　to　interpret　its　meaning　better；　than　to　seek　out　the　maiden　and　entreat　her　with　manifold　skill。　　And　I　think　she　will　not　reject　our　prayer；　if　in　truth　Phineus　said　that　our　return　should　be　with　the　help　of　the　Cyprian　goddess。　　It　was　her　gentle　bird　that　escaped　death；　and　as　my　heart　within　me　foresees　according　to　this　omen；　so　may　it　prove！　　But；　my　friends；　let　us　call　on　Cytherea　to　aid　us；　and　now　at　once　obey　the　counsels　of　Argus。〃

（ll。　555…563）　　He　spake；　and　the　warriors　approved；　remembering　the　injunctions　of　Phineus；　but　all　alone　leapt　up　Apharcian　Idas　and　shouted　loudly　in　terrible　wrath：　〃Shame　on　us；　have　we　come　here　fellow　voyagers　with　women；　calling　on　Cypris　for　help　and　not　on　the　mighty　strength　of　Enyalius？　　And　do　ye　look　to　doves　and　hawks　to　save　yourselves　from　contests？　　Away　with　you；　take　thought　not　for　deeds　of　war；　but　by　supplication　to　beguile　weakling　girls。〃

（ll。　564…571）　　Such　were　his　eager　words；　and　of　his　comrades　many　murmured　low；　but　none　uttered　a　word　of　answer　back。　　And　he　sat　down　in　wrath；　and　at　once　Jason　roused　them　and　uttered　his　own　thought：　〃Let　Argus　set　forth　from　the　ship；　since　this　pleases　all；　but　we　will　now　move　from　the　river　and　openly　fasten　our　hawsers　to　the　shore。　　For　surely　it　is　not　fitting　for　us　to　hide　any　longer　cowering　from　the　battle…cry。〃

（ll。　572…575）　　So　he　spake；　and　straightway　sent　Argus　to　return　in　haste　to　the　city；　and　they　drew　the　anchors　on　board　at　the　command　of　Aeson's　son；　and　rowed　the　ship　close　to　the　shore；　a　little　away　from　the　back…water。

（ll。　576…608）　　But　straightway　Aeetes　held　an　assembly　of　the　Colchians　far　aloof　from　his　palace　at　a　spot　where　they　sat　in　times　before；　to　devise　against　the　Minyae　grim　treachery　and　troubles。　　And　he　threatened　that　when　first　the　oxen　should　have　torn　in　pieces　the　man　who　had　taken　upon　him　to　perform　the　heavy　task；　he　would　hew　down　the　oak　grove　above　the　wooded　hill；　and　burn　the　ship　and　her　crew；　that　so　they　might　vent　forth　in　ruin　their　grievous　insolence；　for　all　their　haughty　schemes。　　For　never　would　he　have　welcomed　the　Aeolid　Phrixus　as　a　guest　in　his　halls；　in　spite　of　his　sore　need；　Phrixus；　who　surpassed　all　strangers　in　gentleness　and　fear　of　the　gods；　had　not　Zeus　himself　sent　Hermes　his　messenger　down　from　heaven；　so　that　he　might　meet　with　a　friendly　host；　much　less　would　pirates　coming　to　his　land　be　let　go　scatheless　for　long；　men　whose　care　it　was　to　lift　their　hands　and　seize　the　goods　of　others；　and　to　weave　secret　webs　of　guile；　and　harry　the　steadings　of　herdsmen　with　ill…sounding　forays。　　And　he　said　that　besides　all　that　the　sons　of　Phrixus　should　pay　a　fitting　penalty　to　himself　for　returning　in　consort　with　evildoers；　that　they　might　recklessly　drive　him　from　his　honour　and　his　throne；　for　once　he　had　heard　a　baleful　prophecy　from　his　father　Helios；　that　he　must　avoid　the　secret　treachery　and　schemes　of　his　own　offspring　and　their　crafty　mischief。　　Wherefore　he　was　sending　them；　as　they　desired；　to　the　Achaean　land　at　the　bidding　of　their　fathera　long　journey。　　Nor　had　he　ever　so　slight　a　fear　of　his　daughters；　that　they　would　form　some　hateful　scheme；　nor　of　his　son　Apsyrtus；　but　this　curse　was　being　fulfilled　in　the　children　of　Chalciope。　　And　he　proclaimed　terrible　things　in　his　rage　against　the　strangers；　and　loudly　threatened　to　keep　watch　over　the　ship　and　its　crew；　so　that　no　one　might　escape　calamity。

（ll。　609…615）　　Meantime　Argus；　going　to　Aeetes'　palace；　with　manifold　pleading　besought　his　mother　to　pray　Medea's　aid；　and　Chalciope　herself　already　had　the　same　thoughts；　but　fear　checked　her　soul　lest　haply　either　fate　should　withstand　and　she　should　entreat　her　in　vain；　all　distraught　as　she　would　be　at　her　father's　deadly　wrath；　or；　if　Medea　yielded　to　her　prayers；　her　deeds　should　be　laid　bare　and　open　to　view。

（ll。　616…635）　　Now　a　deep　slumber　had　relieved　the　maiden　from　her　love…pains　as　she　lay　upon　her　couch。　　But　straightway　fearful　dreams；　deceitful；　such　as　trouble　one　in　grief；　assailed　her。　　And　she　thought　that　the　stranger　had　taken　on　him　the　contest；　not　because　he　longed　to　win　the　ram's　fleece；　and　that　he　had　not　come　on　that　account　to　Aeetes'　city；　but　to　lead　her　away；　his　wedded　wife；　to　his　own　home；　and　she　dreamed　that　herself　contended　with　the　oxen　and　wrought　the　task　with　exceeding　ease；　and　that　her　own　parents　set　at　naught　their　promise；　for　it　was　not　the　maiden　they　had　challenged　to　yoke　the　oxen　but　the　stranger　himself；　from　that　arose　a　contention　of　doubtful　issue　between　her　father　and　the　strangers；　and　both　laid　the　decision　upon　her；　to　be　as　she　should　direct　in　her　mind。　　But　she　suddenly；　neglecting　her　parents；　chose　the　stranger。　　And　measureless　anguish　seized　them　and　they　shouted　out　in　their　wrath；　and　with　the　cry　sleep　released　its　hold　upon　her。　　Quivering　with　fear　she　started　up；　and　stared　round　the　　walls　of　her　chamber；　and　with　difficulty　did　she　gather　her　spirit　within　her　as　before；　and　lifted　her　voice　aloud：

（ll。　636…644）　　〃Poor　wretch；　how　have　gloomy　dreams　affrighted　me！　　I　fear　that　this　voyage　of　the　heroes　will　bring　some　great　evil。　　My　heart　is　trembling　for　the　stranger。　　Let　him　woo　some　Achaean　girl　far　away　among　his　own　folk；　let　maidenhood　be　mine　and　the　home