the iliad(伊利亚特)-第55章

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I　can　bring　them　round　and　restore　them　to　one　another's　embraces；
they　will　be　grateful　to　me　and　love　me　for　ever　afterwards。〃
　　Thereon　laughter…loving　Venus　said；　〃I　cannot　and　must　not　refuse
you；　for　you　sleep　in　the　arms　of　Jove　who　is　our　king。〃
　　As　she　spoke　she　loosed　from　her　bosom　the　curiously　embroidered
girdle　into　which　all　her　charms　had　been　wrought…　love；　desire；　and
that　sweet　flattery　which　steals　the　judgement　even　of　the　most
prudent。　She　gave　the　girdle　to　Juno　and　said；　〃Take　this　girdle
wherein　all　my　charms　reside　and　lay　it　in　your　bosom。　If　you　will
wear　it　I　promise　you　that　your　errand；　be　it　what　it　may；　will　not　be
bootless。〃
　　When　she　heard　this　Juno　smiled；　and　still　smiling　she　laid　the
girdle　in　her　bosom。
　　Venus　now　went　back　into　the　house　of　Jove；　while　Juno　darted　down
from　the　summits　of　Olympus。　She　passed　over　Pieria　and　fair
Emathia；　and　went　on　and　on　till　she　came　to　the　snowy　ranges　of　the
Thracian　horsemen；　over　whose　topmost　crests　she　sped　without　ever
setting　foot　to　ground。　When　she　came　to　Athos　she　went　on　over　the；
waves　of　the　sea　till　she　reached　Lemnos；　the　city　of　noble　Thoas。
There　she　met　Sleep；　own　brother　to　Death；　and　caught　him　by　the　hand；
saying；　〃Sleep；　you　who　lord　it　alike　over　mortals　and　immortals；　if
you　ever　did　me　a　service　in　times　past；　do　one　for　me　now；　and　I
shall　be　grateful　to　you　ever　after。　Close　Jove's　keen　eyes　for　me
in　slumber　while　I　hold　him　clasped　in　my　embrace；　and　I　will　give　you
a　beautiful　golden　seat；　that　can　never　fall　to　pieces；　my
clubfooted　son　Vulcan　shall　make　it　for　you；　and　he　shall　give　it　a
footstool　for　you　to　rest　your　fair　feet　upon　when　you　are　at　table。〃
　　Then　Sleep　answered；　〃Juno；　great　queen　of　goddesses；　daughter　of
mighty　Saturn；　I　would　lull　any　other　of　the　gods　to　sleep　without
compunction；　not　even　excepting　the　waters　of　Oceanus　from　whom　all　of
them　proceed；　but　I　dare　not　go　near　Jove；　nor　send　him　to　sleep
unless　he　bids　me。　I　have　had　one　lesson　already　through　doing　what
you　asked　me；　on　the　day　when　Jove's　mighty　son　Hercules　set　sail　from
Ilius　after　having　sacked　the　city　of　the　Trojans。　At　your　bidding　I
suffused　my　sweet　self　over　the　mind　of　aegis…bearing　Jove；　and　laid
him　to　rest；　meanwhile　you　hatched　a　plot　against　Hercules；　and　set
the　blasts　of　the　angry　winds　beating　upon　the　sea；　till　you　took
him　to　the　goodly　city　of　Cos　away　from　all　his　friends。　Jove　was
furious　when　he　awoke；　and　began　hurling　the　gods　about　all　over　the
house；　he　was　looking　more　particularly　for　myself；　and　would　have
flung　me　down　through　space　into　the　sea　where　I　should　never　have
been　heard　of　any　more；　had　not　Night　who　cows　both　men　and　gods
protected　me。　I　fled　to　her　and　Jove　left　off　looking　for　me　in
spite　of　his　being　so　angry；　for　he　did　not　dare　do　anything　to
displease　Night。　And　now　you　are　again　asking　me　to　do　something　on
which　I　cannot　venture。〃
　　And　Juno　said；　〃Sleep；　why　do　you　take　such　notions　as　those　into
your　head？　Do　you　think　Jove　will　be　as　anxious　to　help　the　Trojans；
as　he　was　about　his　own　son？　Come；　I　will　marry　you　to　one　of　the
youngest　of　the　Graces；　and　she　shall　be　your　own…　Pasithea；　whom
you　have　always　wanted　to　marry。〃
　　Sleep　was　pleased　when　he　heard　this；　and　answered；　〃Then　swear　it
to　me　by　the　dread　waters　of　the　river　Styx；　lay　one　hand　on　the
bounteous　earth；　and　the　other　on　the　sheen　of　the　sea；　so　that　all
the　gods　who　dwell　down　below　with　Saturn　may　be　our　witnesses；　and
see　that　you　really　do　give　me　one　of　the　youngest　of　the　Graces…
Pasithea；　whom　I　have　always　wanted　to　marry。〃
　　Juno　did　as　he　had　said。　She　swore；　and　invoked　all　the　gods　of
the　nether　world；　who　are　called　Titans；　to　witness。　When　she　had
completed　her　oath；　the　two　enshrouded　themselves　in　a　thick　mist
and　sped　lightly　forward；　leaving　Lemnos　and　Imbrus　behind　them。
Presently　they　reached　many…fountained　Ida；　mother　of　wild　beasts；　and
Lectum　where　they　left　the　sea　to　go　on　by　land；　and　the　tops　of　the
trees　of　the　forest　soughed　under　the　going　of　their　feet。　Here
Sleep　halted；　and　ere　Jove　caught　sight　of　him　he　climbed　a　lofty
pine…tree…　the　tallest　that　reared　its　head　towards　heaven　on　all　Ida。
He　hid　himself　behind　the　branches　and　sat　there　in　the　semblance　of
the　sweet…singing　bird　that　haunts　the　mountains　and　is　called　Chalcis
by　the　gods；　but　men　call　it　Cymindis。　Juno　then　went　to　Gargarus；　the
topmost　peak　of　Ida；　and　Jove；　driver　of　the　clouds；　set　eyes　upon
her。　As　soon　as　he　did　so　he　became　inflamed　with　the　same
passionate　desire　for　her　that　he　had　felt　when　they　had　first　enjoyed
each　other's　embraces；　and　slept　with　one　another　without　their　dear
parents　knowing　anything　about　it。　He　went　up　to　her　and　said；　〃What
do　you　want　that　you　have　come　hither　from　Olympus…　and　that　too
with　neither　chariot　nor　horses　to　convey　you？〃
　　Then　Juno　told　him　a　lying　tale　and　said；　〃I　am　going　to　the　world's
end；　to　visit　Oceanus；　from　whom　all　we　gods　proceed；　and　mother
Tethys；　they　received　me　into　their　house；　took　care　of　me；　and
brought　me　up。　I　must　go　and　see　them　that　I　may　make　peace　between
them：　they　have　been　quarrelling；　and　are　so　angry　that　they　have
not　slept　with　one　another　this　long　time。　The　horses　that　will　take
me　over　land　and　sea　are　stationed　on　the　lowermost　spurs　of
many…fountained　Ida；　and　I　have　come　here　from　Olympus　on　purpose　to
consult　you。　I　was　afraid　you　might　be　angry　with　me　later　on；　if　I
went　to　the　house　of　Oceanus　without　letting　you　know。〃
　　And　Jove　said；　〃Juno；　you　can　choose　some　other　time　for　paying　your
visit　to　Oceanus…　for　the　present　let　us　devote　ourselves　to　love
and　to　the　enjoyment　of　one　another。　Never　yet　have　I　been　so
overpowered　by　passion　neither　for　goddess　nor　mortal　woman　as　I　am　at
this　moment　for　yourself…　not　even　when　I　was　in　love　with　the　wife　of
Ixion　who　bore　me　Pirithous；　peer　of　gods　in　counsel；　nor　yet　with
Danae　the　daintily…ancled　daughter　of　Acrisius；　who　bore　me　the
famed　hero　Perseus。　Then　there　was　the　daughter　of　Phoenix；　who　bore
me　Minos　and　Rhadamanthus：　there　was　Semele；　and　Alcmena　in　Thebes
by　whom　I　begot　my　lion…hearted　son　Hercules；　while　Semele　became
mother　to　Bacchus　the　comforter　of　mankind。　There　was　queen　Ceres
again；　and　lovely　Leto；　and　yourself…　but　with　none　of　these　was　I
ever　so　much　enamoured　as　I　now　am　with　you。〃
　　Juno　again　answered　him　with　a　lying　tale。　〃Most　dread　son　of
Saturn；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃what　are　you　talking　about？　Would　you　have　us
enjoy　one　another　here　on　the　top　of　Mount　Ida；　where　everything　can
be　seen？　What　if　one　of　the　ever…living　gods　should　see　us　sleeping
together；　and　tell　the　others？　It　would　be　such　a　scandal　that　when
I　had　risen　from　your　embraces　I　could　never　show　myself　inside　your
house　again；　but　if　you　are　so　minded；　there　is　a　room　which　your
son　Vulcan　has　made　me；　and　he　has　given　it　good　strong　doors；　if
you　would　so　have　it；　let　us　go　thither　and　lie　down。〃
　　And　Jove　answered；　〃Juno；　you　need　not　be　afraid　that　either　god
or　man　will　see　you；　for　I　will　enshroud　both　of　us　in　such　a　dense
golden　cloud；　that　the　very　sun　for　all　his　bright　piercing　beams
shall　not　see　through　it。〃
　　With　this　the　son　of　Saturn　caught　his　wife　in　his　embrace；
whereon　the　earth　sprouted　them　a　cushion　of　young　grass；　with
dew…bespangled　lotus；　crocus；　and　hyacinth；　so　soft　and　thick　that
it　raised　them　well　above　the　ground。　Here　they　laid　themselves　down
and　overhead　they　were　covered　by　a　fair　cloud　of　gold；　from　which
there　fell　glittering　dew…drops。
　　Thus；　then；　did　the　sire　of　all　things　repose　peacefully　on　the
crest　of　Ida；　overcome　at　once　by　sleep　and　love；　and　he　held　his
spouse　in　his　arms。　Meanwhile　Sleep　made　off　to　the　ships　of　the
Achaeans；　to　tell　earth…encircling　Neptune；　lord　of　the　earthquake。
When　he　had　found　him　he　said；　〃Now；　Neptune；　you　can　help　the　Danaans
with　a　will；　and　give　them　victory　though　it　be　only　for　a　short
time　while　Jove　is　still　sleeping。　I　have　sent　him　into　a　sweet
slumber；　and　Juno　has　beguiled　him　into　going　to　bed　with　her。〃
　　Sleep　now　departed　and　went　his　ways　to　and　fro　among　ma