古希腊罗马神话

shinelsj

古希腊罗马神话            已搜索，无重复


Prometheus and Man


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the conflict between Cronus and Jupiter, Prometheus had adopted the cause of the Olympian deities. To him and his brother Epimetheus was now committed the office of making man and providing him and all other animals with the faculties necessary for their preservation. Epimetheus proceeded to bestow upon the different animals the various gifts of courage, strength, swiftness, and sagacity. Taking some earth and kneading it with water. Prometheus made man in the image of the gods. He gave him an upright stature. Then since Epimetheus had been so prodigal of his gifts to other animals that no blessing was left worth conferring upon the noblest of creatures, Prometheus ascended to heaven, lighted his torch at the chariot of the sun, and brought down fire. But it was only rather grudgingly that Jupiter granted mortals the use of fire.

Then there came the occasion that when gods and men were in dispute at Sicyon concerning the prerogatives of each, Prometheus, by an ingenious trick, attempted to settle the question in favor of man. Dividing into two portions a sacrificial bull, he wrapped all the eatable parts in the skin, cunningly surmounted with uninviting entrails; but the bones he garnished with a plausible mass of fat. He then offered Jupiter his choice. The king of Heaven, although he perceived the intended fraud, took the heap of bones and fat, and forthwith availing himself of this insult as an excuse for punishing mankind, deprived the race of fire. But Prometheus regained the treasure, stealing it from heaven in a hollow tube.

By Jove's order Prometheus was chained to a rock on Mount Caucasus, and subjected to the attack of an eagle which, for ages, preyed upon his liver, yet succeeded not in consuming it.

In his steadfastness to withstand the torment the Titan was supported by the knowledge that in the thirteenth generation there should arrive a hero, - sprung from Jove himself, - to release him. And in fullness of time the hero did arrive: none other than the mighty Hercules. No higher service, thinks this radiant and masterful personage, remains to be performed than to free the champion of mankind. Hercules utters these words to the Titan --

The soul of man can never be enslaved
Save by its own infirmities, nor freed
Save by its very strength and own resolve
And constant vision and supreme endeavor!
You will be free? Then, courage, O my brother!
O let the soul stand in the open door
Of life and death and knowledge and desire
And see the peaks of thought kindle with sunrise!
Then shall the soul return to rest no more,
Nor harvest dreams in the dark field of sleep -
Rather the soul shall go with great resolve
To dwell at last upon the shining mountains
In liberal converse with the eternal stars.
Thereupon he kills the eagle; and sets Jove's victim free.

　
普罗米修斯与人类


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

　　在克洛诺斯反对朱庇特的斗争中，普罗米修斯站到了奥林波斯山诸神的一边。后来塑造人和赋予人和其他所有动物以生存本领的任务就交给了他和他的弟弟厄庇墨透斯。厄庇墨透斯将勇敢、力气、快速、伶俐等天赋分别赐予各种动物。普罗米修斯则用土和水揉成了泥，照着神的模样捏出了人；他使人呈站立的姿势。厄庇墨透斯把各种天资都慷慨地赠予了其他动物，竟没有剩下什么象样的天赋能赐给最崇高的被造物了。于是普罗米修斯升到天上，在太阳马车那里点燃了一只火把，将火送到地上来。可是，朱庇特却是不大乐意允准人们用火的。有一次，神和人在西锡安对各自的权限争执不休，普罗米修斯耍了一个聪明的计谋，企图使问题的解决对人类有利。他把一头献祭用的牛分为两份，把所有可食用的部分包在牛皮里，并狡滑地在上面摆满不招人喜欢的内脏；把骨头用一层肥脂裹起来，看上去象是好肉。然后他让朱庇特挑选。天国之王看穿了他的阴谋诡计，但还是挑了那堆骨头和肥膘，从而利用这一侮辱为借口剥夺人类使用火的权利。但是普罗米修斯用一根空心管子从天府偷盗火种，再次取得了宝贵的天火。

　　为此，朱庇特命令将普罗米修斯锁在高加索山上的一块绝岩峭壁上，成年累月地受着一头老鹰的折磨，它天天啄食他的肝脏却总不能把它吃光。这位提坦巨人坚忍不拔地忍受着煎熬，因为他知道在第十三代时就会有一个英雄－－－朱庇特的亲儿子－－－来解救他。果然不爽，时候一到英雄真的来了。他不是别人，就是那个力大无穷的海格立斯。这个奋焕英伟的人物认为他需要作的最大贡献莫过于解救这个人类的卫士。海格立斯向提坦巨人说：

人的灵魂永远不能被征服－－－
除非自身变得脆弱；也永远不能得解放－－－
除非自身充满决心和力量，以及
不稍亏的目光和无以复加的努力！
想自由吗？那就鼓起勇气，我的兄弟！
啊！让灵魂站在生与死，知与欲
敞开的门扉前，
见到旭日点燃思想的顶峰！
那时灵魂再不会依然故态，
或在黑色的睡乡中收获梦幻－－－
灵魂将迈着坚定的步伐
直上光芒万丈的山巅
和不落的群星自由交谈。
然后他杀死了老鹰解放了朱庇特的囚徒。


The Different Ages of Man


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Age of Gold, the world was first furnished with inhabitants. This was an age of innocence and happiness. Truth and right prevailed, thought not enforced by law, no was there any in authority to threaten or to punish. The earth brought forth all things necessary for man, without his labor in plowing or sowing. perpetual spring reigned, flowers sprang up without seed, the rivers flowed with milk and wine, and yellow honey distilled from the oaks.

The Silver Age came next, inferior to the golden. Jupiter shortened the spring, and divided the year into seasons. Then, first, men suffered the extremes of heat and cold, and houses became necessary. Crops would no longer grow without planting. This was a race of manly men, but insolent and impious.

Next to the Age of Silver came that of brass, more savage of temper and readier for the strife of arms, yet not altogether wicked.

last came the hardest age and worst, - of iron. Crime burst in like a flood; modesty, truth, and honor fled. The gifts of the earth were put only to nefarious uses. Fraud, violence, war at home and abroad were rife.

Jupiter, observing the condition of things, burned with anger, He summoned the gods to council. Jupiter set forth to the assembly the frightful condition of the earth, and announced his intention of destroying its inhabitants, and providing a new race, unlike the present, which should be worthier of life and more reverent toward the gods. Fearing lest a conflagration might set Heaven itself on fire, he proceeded to drown the world. Speedily the race of mean and their possessions, were swept away by the deluge.

Parnassus alone, of the mountains, overtopped the waves, and there Deucalion, son the Prometheus, and his wife Pyrrha, daughter of Epimetheus, found refuge - he a just man and she a faithful worshiper of the gods. Jupiter, remembering the harmless lives and pious demeanor of this pair, caused the waters to recede. Then Deucalion and Pyrrha, entering a temple defaced with slime, approached the enkindled altar and, falling prostrate, prayed for guidance and aid. The oracle answered, \"Depart from the temple with head veiled and garments unbound, and cast behind you the bones of your mother. \" They heard the words with astonishment. Pyrrha first broke silence:\"We cannot obey; we dare not profane the remains of our parents.\" They sought the woods. and revolved the oracle in their minds. At last Deucalion spoke:\" Either my wit fails me or the command is one we may obey without impiety. The earth is the great parent of all; the stones are her bones; these we may cast behind us; this, I think, the oracle means. They veiled their faces, unbound their garments, and , picking up stones, cast them behind them. The stones began to grow soft and to assume shape. By degrees they put on a rude resemblance to the human form . Those thrown by Deucalion became men; those by Pyrrha, women.


人类的各个时代


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

　　黄金时代，地球上最初有了居民。这是一个天真无邪和幸福的时代。真理和正义主宰一切，但不是靠法律的约束，也没有什么权贵的恫吓和惩处。人们不用耕种，一切生活必需全可仰给于大地。春天永在，不用种子，地里也长出鲜花来；河里流的是奶和酒，以及从橡树蒸馏而来的黄澄澄的蜜糖。

　　接下来的是逊于黄金时代的白银时代。朱庇特缩短春天，把一年分为四季。于是人们首先尝到了酷暑严寒之苦，不得不找一个蔽身之所。要吃谷物就得耕作。这时的人类雄伟刚毅，但却骄横不虔。

　　白银时代之后就是青铜时代。人们的禀性更加粗野，动辄就要大兴干戈，但是还没有达到十恶不赦的地步。

　　最后到了最棘手和最糟糕的时代－－－黑铁时代。罪恶象洪水一样泛滥成灾，谦虚、真理和尊严逃得无影无踪。大地的赐予全被用去造孽。欺诈、暴力、对内对外的战争四处猖獗。

　　朱庇特见到这种情况怒不可遏。他召集众神商讨对策。在神祗大会上，朱庇特陈述了地球上不堪容忍的情况，并宣布了他要毁灭地上现在居民的意向，表示要另置新人。这种新人不同于现有的人，他们将更有生存的价值，对神祗也更加敬重。朱庇特唯恐用火烧会危及天宫本身，就决定用洪水淹没地球，转瞬间洪水就把地球上的人和他们的财物席卷而去。

　　在所有的山峰中唯有帕尔纳索斯没有被洪水的浪滔所淹没，普罗米修斯的独生子丢卡利翁和他的妻子皮拉－－－厄庇墨透斯的女儿－－－就躲到这个山峰上去。丢卡利翁为人正直，他的妻子则虔诚敬神。朱庇特怜惜他们夫妻一生清白，品行端正，就斥令洪水退去。这时丢卡利翁和皮拉走进了一个溅满了泥浆的神庙里，在香火未燃的祭坛前，他俩俯身在地祈求神祗的指引和帮助。神谕指出说：“裹起头，松开衣带，出庙去，一路走一路将你们母亲的尸骨丢在身后。”这话使他们惊愕不已。皮拉首先打破了沉寂：“我们不能照着这个神谕办事；我们不敢亵渎父母的尸骨。”他们躲进树林，苦苦思索着神谕的含义。最后丢卡利翁说：“要不就是我发了昏，要不就是我们不犯逆忤罪也能执行神谕。大地是万物之母，石头就是她的尸骨。我们可以往身后扔石头，我想神谕说的就是这个意思。”他俩蒙住颜面，松开衣带，捡起石头朝身后扔去。这些石头开始变软，呈现形状，渐渐地带上了略似于人的状貌。丢卡利翁扔的石头变成了男人，皮拉扔的则成了女人。