按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
more stricken to know that the land of a friendly king would be ravaged；
and ravaged on his account。 For he knew that the terrible beast that had
come from where the sea and the land joined had been sent by Psamathe。
He went up on the tower that stood near the king's palace。 He was able to
look out on the sea and able to look over all the land。 And looking across
the bright valleys he saw the dread beast。 He saw it rush through his own
mangled cattle and fall upon the herds of the kindly king。 He looked
toward the sea and he prayed to Psamathe to spare the land that he had
come to。 But； even as he prayed； he knew that Psamathe would not harken
to him。 Then he made a prayer to Thetis； to his wife who had seemed so
unforgiving。 He prayed her to deal with Psamathe so that the land of Ceyx
would not be altogether destroyed。
As he looked from the tower he saw the king come forth with arms in
his hands for the slaying of the terrible beast。 Peleus felt fear for the life of
the kindly king。 Down from the tower he came； and taking up his spear he
went with Ceyx。
Soon； in one of the brightest of the valleys； they came upon the beast；
they came between it and a herd of silken…coated cattle。 Seeing the men it
rushed toward them with blood and foam upon its jaws。 Then Peleus knew
that the spears they carried would be of little use against the raging beast。
His only thought was to struggle with it so that the king might be able to
save himself。
Again he lifted up his hands and prayed to Thetis to draw away
Psamathe's enmity。 The beast rushed toward them； but suddenly it stopped。
The bristles upon its body seemed to stiffen。 The gaping jaws became
fixed。 The hounds that were with them dashed upon the beast； but then fell
back with yelps of disappointment。 And when Peleus and Ceyx came to
where it stood they found that the monstrous beast had been turned into
stone。
And a stone it remains in that bright valley； a wonder to all the men of
Ceyx's land。 The country was spared the ravages of the beast。 And the
heart of Peleus was uplifted to think that Thetis had harkened to his prayer
131
… Page 132…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
and had prevailed upon Psamathe to forego her enmity。 Not altogether
unforgiving was his wife to him。
That day he went from the land of the bright valleys； from the land
ruled over by the kindly Ceyx； and he came back to rugged Phthia； his
own country。 When he came near his hall he saw two at the doorway
awaiting him。 Thetis stood there； and the child Achilles was by her side。
The radiance of the immortals was in her face no longer； but there was a
glow there； a glow of welcome for the hero Peleus。 And thus Peleus； long
tormented by the enmity of the sea…born ones； came back to the wife he
had won from the sea。
III。 THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR
I
Thereafter Theseus made up his mind to go in search of his father； the
unknown king； and Medea； the wise woman； counseled him to go to
Athens。 After the hunt in Calydon he set forth。 On his way he fought with
and slew two robbers who harassed countries and treated people unjustly。
The first was Sinnias。 He was a robber who slew men cruelly by tying
them to strong branches of trees and letting the branches fly apart。 On him
Theseus had no mercy。 The second was a robber also； Procrustes ： he had a
great iron bed on which he made his captives lie； if they were too long for
that bed he chopped pieces off them； and if they were too short he
stretched out their bodies with terrible racks。 On him； likewise； Theseus
had no mercy； he slew Procrustes and gave liberty to his captives。
The King of Athens at the time was named Aegeus。 He was father of
Theseus； but neither Theseus nor he knew that this was so。 Aethra was his
mother； and she was the daughter of the King of Troezen。 Before Theseus
was born his father left a great sword under a stone； telling Aethra that the
boy was to have the sword when he was able to move that stone away。
King Aegeus was old and fearful now： there were wars and troubles in
the city； besides； there was in his palace an evil woman； a witch； to whom
the king listened。 This woman heard that a proud and fearless young man
had come into Athens； and she at once thought to destroy him。
132
… Page 133…
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
So the witch spoke to the fearful king； and she made him believe that
this stranger had come into Athens to make league with his enemies and
destroy him。 Such was her power over Aegeus that she was able to
persuade him to invite the stranger youth to a feast in the palace； and to
give him a cup that would have poison in it。
Theseus came to the palace。 He sat down to the banquet with the king。
But before the cup was brought something moved him to stand up and
draw forth the sword that he carried。 Fearfully the king looked upon the
sword。 Then he saw the heavy ivory hilt with the curious carving on it； and
he knew that this was the sword that he had once laid under the stone near
the palace of the King of Troezen。 He questioned Theseus as to how he
had come by the sword； and Theseus told him how Aethra his mother； had
shown him where it was hidden； and how he had been able to take it from
under the stone before he was grown a youth。 More and more Aegeus
questioned him； and he came to know that the youth before him was his
son indeed。 He dashed down the cup that had been brought to the table；
and he shook all over with the thought of how near he had been to a
terrible crime。 The witchwoman watched all that passed； mounting on a
car drawn by dragons she made flight from Athens。
And now the people of the city； knowing that it was he who had slain
the robbers Sinnias and Procrustes； rejoiced to have Theseus amongst
them。 When he appeared as their prince they rejoiced still more。 Soon he
was able to bring to an end the wars in the city and the troubles that
afflicted Athens。
II
The greatest king in the world at that time was Minos； King of Crete。
Minos had sent his son to Athens to make peace and friendship between
his kingdom and the kingdom of King Aegeus。 But the people of Athens
slew the son of King Min