40 Baucis and Philemon

As was the common practice with the gods of Olympus，Zeus and Hermes were visiting the world in disguise．One day they came to a village．At a thousand house sthey knocked，and a thousand times they were refused rest and food and drink．At last they arrived at a humble cottage，where the old couple Baucis and her husband Philemon lived．Poor but at peace with world，they made the best of what life could offer them ，and felt truly grateful to the gods above．When the two travellers entered the hut，the old couple were glad with lively happiness．They offered their guests their best seat，and immediately set about preparing dinner for them．With no small difficulty they made fire，brought in a fresh cabbage，cut a fat piece of their long kept meat and put them over the fire to cook．The one single goose they were ready to kill for the visitors，but it was saved at the last minute by the guests．The dining bench was a makeshift ，poor and patched but the best they had．The table was supported by a brick．The feast was quite modest，eggs and wine and cot tage cheese，and a variety of newly pickedfruit．The old couple humbly waited on the visiting guests withsincere looks and eager goodwill．Moved at the hospitality ofthe house，the gods told their true identity．“We are gods”，saidZeus．“While the neigh bour hood pays the penalty for itswickedness  you shall be free from misfortune．Coming along with us”．When they were near the top of the hill，Bancis and Phile mon looked back and saw all the village below covered by amarsh ，and that among the general ruin and destruction their old cottage alone survived，changed into a grand temple．At their request they were made the guardians of the sacred place of Zeus．When their span of worldly life came to an end they were turned into an ash and linden，standing side by side in front of the temple．

40 鲍西丝和费莱蒙

奥林波斯山上的神都喜欢乔装改扮到人间察看。有一天，宙斯和海尔墨斯乔装来到一个村子里。他们敲了许多人家的门，希望能歇歇脚，讨点食物，却一次又一次地被拒之门外。最后他们来到一间简陋的小茅屋前，这里住着鲍西丝和她的老伴费莱蒙，老俩口虽一贫如洗，却也乐天知足，与世无争。他们享尽了生活所赋予的一切，并对上天充满了感激之情。当二神来到他们家时，老俩口满怀喜悦，笑逐颜开。他们将二神视为稀客，并立刻开始为他们准备晚餐。他们点燃火，摘回一棵白菜，又切下一块贮存很久的咸肥肉，放在火上烤。正当他们宰杀仅剩的一只鹅时，客人婉言地阻止了他们。餐凳只是临时的代用品，陈旧不堪，到处是修补的痕迹，但对他们来说已是最好的了。桌子是用一块砖头撑着。饭菜非常普通，有鸡蛋、葡萄酒和土制奶酪，以及多种新鲜水果。二老笑容可掬、殷勤备至地服待天神用饭。两位天神深深地被他们的盛情款待所感动，说明了自己的真实身分。“我们是天神”宙斯说，“你们将脱离不幸，但你们的邻人们将因他们的邪恶受到惩罚。跟我们走吧！”当他们快到奥林波斯山顶时，鲍西丝和费莱蒙回头看见整个村庄淹没在一片沼泽之中；而他们的旧茅屋却始终完好无损，并且变成了一座金碧辉煌的神殿。出于二老的要求，他们被指派为宙斯所住宫殿的看护者。随着俩个凡人生活的结束，他们变成了白蜡树和菩提树，并肩站在神殿前。

39. Callisto


In the charming followers of Artemis there was a beautifulfairy maiden called Callis to．Zeus loved her passionately and often sought her company．Before the year was out she bore him a son，Arcas by name．He later became the ancestor of the Archadians．Zeus' frequent absences from Mt Olympus caused Hera's suspicions ．In time the vengeful queen discovered the truth and drew up an effective plan of paying back．One day Callisto suddenly found herself changed into a bear，with monstrous jaws and bloodshot eyes ．Still she remained human in heart．She immediately left her son and went into hidingin the forest．

Years passed．Little Arcas had grown into a young man．Hewas hunting merrily in the woods one day when a large grey bearsuddenly appeared before him．Both were amazed，he terrified at the sight of the frightening bear．The bear recognized that the young hunter was her own son．The young hunter aimed his spear at the slowly approaching bear  and was about to pounceupon it．Just at that moment Zeus stepped in and stopped the foolish act．For he had not been able to find the whereabouts  of his lovely mistress until quite recently．He had been secretly protecting her from all danger and harm．Now he turned his son into a little bear，and sent both mother and son into the highheavens．In there they have remained to this day，known as the Great and Little Bear ．

39 凯里斯特

 

在阿尔特弥斯那群迷人的追随者中，有一位名叫凯里斯特的美丽仙女。宙斯狂热地爱着她并常让她陪伴自己。没出一年凯里斯特给宙斯生了一个儿子，取名阿卡斯。这个儿子后来成了阿卡狄亚人的祖先。宙斯经常不在奥林波斯山，这引起了赫拉的怀疑。很快擅于报复的赫拉皇后发现了秘密，并制造了一项有效的报复计划。一天凯里斯特忽然间发现自己变成了一只大熊，长着恶魔般的嘴巴和充血的眼睛。但她还留着一颗人的心。她很快离开儿子去森林中藏身。

数年后小阿卡斯长成了一个小伙子。一天，当他兴致勃勃地在林中打猎时，一只大灰熊出现在他的眼前。看到可怕的大熊，他毛骨悚然。大灰熊认出年轻的猎人即自己的儿子。而猎手则将梭标瞄准逐渐逼近的大熊，准备向它飞扑过去。在这一刹那，宙斯出现了，制止了这种愚蠢的行为。原来宙斯直到近来才发现心爱的情人的踪迹。他一直暗中保护她，使她免遭危险的伤害。这时，他将儿子变成一只小熊。将母子二人送上天空。直至今日，他们还在那里。他们就是人们熟知的两个星座——大小熊星座。

38 The Apple of Discord
 

The wedding of Peleus and the sea-goddess Thetis wereheld and all gods were invited．But the absence of one goddess was clearly noticeable．It was Erls，the goddess of discord．As she planted seeds of discord wherever she went，it was natural that her presence at the ceremony was not desirable．She had good reason to feel angry．So she decided to make fun ofthe group at the party．Eris slipped into the hall after the couple left and rolled on the floor a golden apple ，having the words，“For the fairest”．It caused a violent quarrel among the three goddesses，Hera，Athena and Aphrodite．Zeus found it advisable to send them before a shepherd boy on Mt Ida，Paris by name，for judge ment．Hermes，the messenger，took the apple in his hand and led the goddesses away．

Paris was son of Priam，king of Troy．As his mother dreamed at his birth that she was bearing a piece of burning wood，the babe was regarded as representing the destruction of the city itself．To save the kingdom from possible disaster，the parents had the helpless infant left on top of Mt Ida to die．However，he survived his ill fate ．Brought up by the herdsmen，he became a strong，handsome lad．He was secretly united with Oenone，a fair and faithful mountain fairy maiden．On this particular day，as he was taking care of his sheep on the mountainside，the youth was surprised to see four human beings standing before him．Hermes told him about his mission and left．The three holy beauties then competed with each other，showing themselves up before the shepherd．Hera promised to make himking of Asia．Athena undertook to help him get imperishablefame in war；whereas Aphrodite offered to secure for him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world．The primitive instinct of the boy thus moved，Aphrodite won the prize，and theother two goddesses left in anger and became deadly enemies ofTroy．

38 不和果

 

珀琉斯和海神忒提斯结婚时邀请了所有的神祗。但是，显然有一位女神不在邀请之列，她就是厄里斯——不和女神。由于她在所到之处播撒不和之种，很自然，人们并不希望她出席婚宴。理所当然，厄里斯为此感到愤怒。她决定嘲弄宴会上的众神。当新娘、新郎退场后，厄里斯偷偷溜进了大厅，向地上抛出了一个金苹果，上书“献给最美的人”。苹果在赫拉，雅典娜和阿芙罗狄蒂三位女神间引起了激烈争执。宙斯明智地决定将她们送到爱达山上一位名叫帕里斯的牧童那里，让他来判断谁最美。海尔墨斯作为使者，手持金苹果，领着三位女神出发了。

帕里斯是特洛伊国王皮安姆的儿子，由于他母亲在他出生时梦到自己正手持一根燃烧的断木，于是人们认为婴儿会给城市带来毁灭。为了挽救王朝，免受可能之灾，国王及王后把孩子扔到了爱达山上。但是，孩子幸运地逃离了死亡。在牧人们的精心抚养下，孩子长得既强壮又英俊。他偷偷地与奥诺妮，一位漂亮忠诚的山神结了婚。那一天，帕里斯正在山腰照看他的羊群，他惊奇地发现四个人正在他面前。海尔墨斯给他布置了任务后离去了。三位美丽的女神立即互相争吵起来，并且充分向牧童显示自己的美貌。赫拉许诺要使他成为亚洲国王；雅典娜愿意帮助他在战争中得到不朽的荣誉；而阿芙罗狄蒂则答应他得到世上最美丽女人的爱。男孩原始的本性被激发了出来，阿芙罗狄蒂得到了金苹果，而另两位女神则怒气冲冲地离去了，并成了特洛伊城最可怕的敌人。

37 Phaeton


Phaeton was the son of Apollo by Clymene．The mother had filled the lad's head with so many stories of his father's glory that the youth was quite proud．Wher ever he went he told those stories again and again until everybody was tired of him．On one occasion，when one of his playmates asked him to show his skill of coming down from sky，he felt quite hard to do it．He came back to his mother and told the unhappy event in tears．Unable to do anything for him，she sent her soneast wards to pray to Apollo for help．

The sungod graciously received his son and heard the story with interest．Then he took an oath by the Styx ，ready to give help according to the boy's request．But he was surprised to hear that the boy's hope was to drive his fiery carriage．He told his son of the dangers on the way，but failed to stop him fromthe try．As the god had sworn by the Styx there was no going back on his word．In his desperate effort to avoid disaster，Apollo warned his son to keep to the middle course and stop the horses in time．

Phaeton joyfully jumped on the carriage and set off．Very soon he lost his way．he grew pale at the great height and the vast sky in front of him and behind．The horses ran wild．Unable to hold them，Phaeton dropped them in fear．Straight downto the earth the carriage dashed．Rivers were dried up．Cropshung down and withered ．Men's cries of suffering rose up from the burnt earth．The enraged Zeus soon found the cause of the trouble，and without hesitation gave one of his most powerful thunderbolts at the proud and careless boy．Phaeton droppedstraight down into a river．Both parents were sad over the loss of their son．And his sisters，who were so unhappy with his untimely death，were changed into poplars and their tearsambers ．

37 法厄同

 

法厄同是阿波罗与克里敏尼生的儿子。母亲给法厄同灌输了许多父亲可歌可泣的故事，以致于法厄同变得十分得意忘形。无论走到何处，他总是反复给人们讲述那些故事，最后大家都厌烦了。有一次一位伙伴要他显露一下从天而降的本领，他颇感棘手，就痛哭流涕地将这一不快之事回家告诉了母亲，母亲无能为力只好将他派到东方向父亲阿波罗求援。

阿波罗宽厚地接待了儿子，绕有兴趣地听了事情的原委，然后阿波罗站在斯蒂克斯河边发誓：按儿子的请求予以帮助。然而令他惊讶的是：儿子原来是想驾驶他那带有火焰的战车。他警告儿子，路上会有危险。但无济于事。因太阳神已在河边发过誓，一言既出、驷马难追。为避免灾难，阿波罗绝望地做最后的努力，他警告儿子要在道路中间行驶，遇事要及时勒马。

法厄同怀着喜悦的心情跳上战车出发了。很快他就迷失了方向。看到前后令人头晕目眩的高度和浩瀚的天空，他变得脸色苍白。战马狂奔了，简直无法驾驶。恐惧之下，他把缰绳松了。战车向地面猛栽下去。河流干涸了，作物枯萎凋谢了。从烧焦的土地上传来了人类受难的恸哭。暴跳如雷的宙斯很快找到了这场乱子的原因。他毫不犹豫地朝高傲自大、粗心大意的法厄同施放了雷电中最猛烈的一击。法厄同径直地掉入江中。父母为失去儿子而哀痛。法厄同的姐妹们也为他的夭折而悲伤。她们都变成了白杨树，而她们的泪水则变成了琥珀。

36 Tiresias


Tiresias was a blind，darkseeing prophet of Thebes．Hewas struck with blindness  in his youth，because he had spied unwittingly on the goddess Athena．He was wandering in the woods one day when quite unexpectedly he saw anaked maiden bathing in a placid lake ．Little did he know that he had offended the virgin goddess．Taken unaware and scarlet with wrath，the goddess exclaimed that whoever had the boldness to steal a glance at her naked body was doomed to perpetual blindness．But when she learned later that the offence was unintentional ，it was too late for her to take back what she had said．Taking pity on the poor youth for the loss of his sight，she obtained from Zeus an exceptional long life for him，and from Apollo a divine power of prophecy．Besides，she provided him with a marvellous sharpness of ear，so that he could under stand the voices of all birds．And she filled his mind with mystic knowledge of things past and of things to come．In short shegave him quite an amount of her own wisdom．He was the firstto recognise and welcome Dionysus，god of feast and wine，on the The ban land．When the infant Heracles caught Hera's two serpents in its hands，it was Tiresias who cast the child's fortune and revealed the divine origin and destiny of the boy ．When Oedipus abused Tiresias as having had a hand in themurder of Laius，Tiresias had the fearless courage to tell thetruth that Oedipus was the murderer．Even in the lower world he continued to prophesy．There he helped Odysseus when the hero came to him for advice．Alive，he was highly respected byall；dead，he enjoyed the generous air and rosy light in the land of the Blest．


36 泰瑞西斯

 

泰瑞西斯是位只能看见黑暗的底比斯先知。由于他年轻时不小心窥见了女神雅典娜，他的双目失明。一天，他在森林里漫步时，意外地看见一位全身裸露的仙女正在平静的湖水中沐浴。他不知道他已经冒犯了这位贞洁的女神。因莫名其妙地被人看了个一清二楚，女神勃然大怒。她诅咒道：谁胆敢偷看她的玉体，谁就必将永远变瞎。但当后来她得知泰瑞西斯并非有意冒犯她时，再想收回她的咒语已经不可能了。出于怜悯，她从宙斯那里替这位贫穷的，丧失了视力的年轻人争取到了长寿；又从阿波罗那里要来了神圣的预言本领；并且，她赋予他神奇敏锐的双耳，这样他就可以明白各种鸟语。此外，雅典娜给了他魔术般的本领，使他既知过去，也能预测未来。总而言之，她使他拥有了她自身智慧中的很大一部分。在底比斯，是泰瑞西斯第一个认出了宴会神、也是酒神的狄俄尼索斯，并向他表示欢迎。当海格克斯还是个婴儿，用手抓起赫拉的两条毒蛇时，也正是泰瑞西斯卜算出了这个孩子的未来并预示出他的出身及其命运。当奥狄浦斯指责泰瑞西斯参与谋杀了拉伊俄斯时，泰瑞西斯勇敢地讲出了事实真相：奥狄浦斯才是凶手。即使到了地狱，他依然预测未来。在那儿，当奥德修斯前去征求他的意见时，泰瑞西斯帮助了他。活着的时候，他受到人们的普遍敬重；死后，在不莱斯特这块土地上，他享受着无比清新的空气和玫瑰般绚丽多彩的阳光。

35 Echo and Narcissus


Narcissus was a handsome youth．His lovely face and graceful form were the admiration of all who looked upon him．And he knew it．He was proud that he thought no one buthimself was worthy to see his youthful beauty．Thus given up tosweet thoughts of self，Narcissus avoided all company．Heroamed the wooded little valleys every day，madly in love withhimself．

When he was delightfully wandering through the woods oneday，a wood fairy maiden，Echo by name，caught sight of him．She was excited at once．Joyfully coming down towards Narcissus，she stretched out her loving arms．To her dismay，however，the young man roughly brushed her aside and went by without so much as a glance at her．The poor fairy maiden's face turned red and quickly withdrew to a shady spot ，following the object of her love with her longing eyes．

Presently Narcissus stopped to drink from a little stream．Kneeling down on the bank，he saw a lovely face in the clear water．His heart gave a beat．He smiled and was smiled back to．Thinking that it must be a maiden in love with him，he bent down to kiss her．And her lips also drew near his．But as soon a she touched the clear surface the lovely face disappeared．The angry youth was now desperate．Never had he been looked downupon like that before．Day and night，he stayed at the stream without drinking and eating．Before long he died，never suspecting that his maiden was just his own image in the stream．The gods took pity on the fair dead body and turned it into a flower bearing his name．

The intoxicated  Echo saw all this．Slowly she became weak for despised love，until at last nothing remained of her except her voice．

35 回声和那西塞斯

 

那西塞斯是一位英俊的青年，面容可爱，体形优美。他深信，他的容貌会使每个见到他的人羡慕不已。他很骄傲，认为除了自己之外，别人都不配欣赏他那充满青春气息的面庞。因而，他沉溺于甜美的自我欣赏之中，远离所有的人，在苍翠蓊郁的小山谷中终日闲逛，他成了一位自恋狂。

一天，那西塞斯在树林中愉快地游荡。一位名叫回声的仙女一看见他就兴奋起来；她伸出爱的双臂，高兴地走向那西塞斯。然而，令她惊愕的是，这位青年粗暴地将她推开，连看都不看她一眼就走开了。这位可怜的仙女羞红了脸，迅速退到遮阴处，含情脉脉地凝望着心上人。

不久，那西塞斯来到一条小溪边饮水。当他跪在岸边时，他发现清澈的溪水中有一张非常可爱的面庞。他非常激动，并对着水中的人微笑，水中人也给了他一个微笑。他认为，一定是一位仙女爱上了他。于是，他就蹲下去吻她，她的嘴唇也向他靠拢。但是，当他的嘴唇一接触清澈的溪水，水中那张可爱的脸就消失了。这位恼怒的青年人此时变得绝望了，他从未被人如此鄙视过。他日夜呆在溪边，不吃不喝，不久就死了。他从未怀疑过水中的女子只是自己的影子罢了。众神非常怜悯他那优美的躯体，把他变成了一朵同名的花。

那位陶醉于爱河的回声亲眼目睹了这一切变化。慢慢地，她由于单相思而日渐憔悴；最后，除了声音之外，她已经一无所有。

34 Venus and Adonis

 

Aphrodite loved Adonis more than she did anybody else，for he was a brisk，lovely young hunter．She gave up herhome at Olympus and took to the woods．In the woods she dressed herself up like a huntress and kept the youth company all day long．With him she wandered through grounds andgroves and over hills and valleys．She cheered hunting dogs andpursued animals of a harmless sort．They had a great time together．However，she warned him many times not to chase wild beasts like lions and wolves，but the young man just laughed at the idea．

One day，after warning him thus，she left for Olympus inher carriage．Quite by chance Adonis' hunting dogs found aboar，which roused Adonis to enthusiasm．He hit the beast with an arrow，but the boar，turning on him，buried its white tusk deep into his tender side and trampled him to death．When Aphrodite came back to find her lover cold in death，she burst into a passion of tears ．Unable to take him back from the lower world，she sprinkled wine on Adonls' blood  and turned it into anemone，a delicate purple flower．

Aphrodite was not calmed down yet．In grief and despair she flew to Zeus and begged Zeus' sympathy．Hades was by no means prepared to meet her request．After much dispute anagreement was worked out under which Adonis was to spend half the year above ground with Aphrodite，but the remaining six months in the Elysian Fields．Therefore，in spring time Adonis came back to the loving embrace of Aphrodite ，but when winter came he had to return most reluctantly to Hades．

34 维纳斯和阿多尼斯

 

阿芙罗狄蒂爱阿多尼斯胜过爱别的任何人，因为他是一个精神抖擞、生气勃勃的少年猎手。她离开了奥林波斯山的住所来到林中。她装扮成一个女猎手，让这个年轻人整日陪伴左右，并与他一起游遍了山林、河谷。她跟着猎狗，欢呼雀跃，追赶着无害的动物。他们一起渡过了一段美好时光。虽然她奉劝了他许多次不要捕杀像狮子和狼这样的野兽，但年轻人只是嘲笑她的想法。

有一天，当她如此奉劝他之后，她坐上马车去奥林波斯山。非常凑巧，阿多尼斯的猎狗发现了一头野猪，使阿多尼斯热血沸腾，跃跃欲试。他一箭射中了这头野猪，但是野猪没死，掉过头向他冲击，长牙深深地扎进阿多尼斯的要害部位，将他抵死。当阿芙罗狄蒂回来之后，发现她的恋人尸骨已寒，她大哭起来。但无法将他从地府再拉回阳间，她便在阿多尼斯的血上洒上葡萄酒，将它变作秋牡丹，一种紫色的小花。

阿芙罗狄蒂的心并没有因此平静下来，在忧伤和绝望心情的笼罩下，她飞到宙斯处，乞求他的怜悯。哈得斯一点也不打算答应她的要求。经过一番口舌之争，他们达成协议：阿多尼斯每年可以到阳间和阿美罗狄蒂相聚半年，但剩下的六个月得到天堂渡过。由此每当春天的时候，阿多尼斯就转世回到阿芙罗狄蒂身边享受她爱的拥抱，但到了冬天他就得不情愿地回到哈得斯那儿。

33  Hermes

Immediately after he was born，Hermes was appointed godof thieves at Olympus．And a thief he became when he was barely a few hours old．Feeling hungry，the infant left his cradle after nightfall to hunt for food．He chanced uponApollo's oxen grazing on a meadow and drove a number ofthese animals away，tying tree branches around the feet of thecattle to make their footsteps dim．He killed two of these oxenand had a magnificent dinner．Then he slipped back into his littlebed in his mother's house．When Apollo came to question himHermes pretended to be innocent．The angry sungod draggedhim up to Olympus，where he was accused of the stealing andmade to return the cattle to their master．In reconciliation little Hermes gave Apollo the lyre he had made out of a tortoise shell，and Apollo was so pleased with the gift that he presented his little brother with a magic stick．The stick could pacify hostileforces．

In due time Hermes was appointed messenger of Zeus andthe gods．The gods equipped him with a pair of winged sandalsand winged cap to enable him to travel swifter than sight．It was Hermes who took the messages of Zeus to the world below．

Hermes was a patron of travellers．His busts and statueswere set up as dividing marks at crossroads or street corners toguide passersby．The Hermes，as these statues were called，were regarded as sacred，and their mutilation was sacrilegiousand punishable by death．The destruction of the numerous Hermes within the city of Athens caused a terrible excitement amongits citizens that it might be no exaggeration to state that itchanged the whole course of historic development of Athens ．

33 海尔墨斯

海尔墨斯一生下来就被任命为奥林波斯山的贼神。他出生后几个小时的时候就做了贼。黄昏时分，他感到饥饿，于是还是婴孩的海尔墨斯离开了他的摇篮去找食物吃。他碰巧看见阿波罗的牛在草地里吃草，于是他偷走了许多牛，并将树枝绑在牛脚上，让脚印变得模糊不清。他杀了其中两头牛，美餐了一顿。然后悄然地回到他妈妈的房里，爬上床。当阿波罗发现牛少了，来质问他时，海尔墨斯佯作不知。愤怒不已的太阳神把他拖到奥林波斯山上，告他偷窃并责令将牛如数还给主人。为了平息这件事，小海尔墨斯将他用乌龟壳做的琴送给阿波罗。阿波罗得到这件礼物非常高兴，并送给他的小兄弟一支魔棍，这支魔棍可以化解敌对力量。

到了一定的时候，海尔墨斯被指定为宙斯和众神的传令官。众神赐他一双带翅膀的草鞋和一顶带翅膀的帽子，让他可以行动神速。海尔墨斯成了宙斯和凡世之间传递消息的人。

海尔墨斯是行人的保护神。十字路口或街角都有他的半身像和雕像。并作为独特的标记，看护着每一个过往的人。这些雕像也用海尔墨斯的名字命名，并被视为神圣不可侵犯的。任何毁坏雕像的行为都被认为是亵渎神灵，要被处以极刑。一次在雅典城，海尔墨斯的像遭到大量破坏。这一捣毁神像的行为在国民中引起了强烈的反响。毫不夸张地说，它改变了雅典历史发展的全部进程。

32  Artemis

Apollo drove his golden carriage across the heavens during the day，admired as the sun-god．Artemis also raced across the sky in solemn style at night，respected as the moon-goddess．Sitting in an airy carriage drawn by milk white horses，“the queen of wide air”  gave off silver light all over the sleeping world below．Though she remained single all her life，the maiden heart of the goddess was at least for once excited as she saw the beautiful youth Endymion sleeping．

She was pure and fair and calm．She was the example of maiden modesty and grace．Just as Apollo represents manly beauty，so Artemis stands for feminine purity and virginity ．As their patron goddess she took it as her duty to protect marrying girls and young women in trouble．It was her altar that those maidens turned for love and happiness．

The twin sister of Apollo was also the goddess of hunting and wild life ．Dressed in a short hunting-suit coming up to the knee and followed by a team of noisy lovely fairy maidens，Artemis had always her bow of pearl  and shining arrow with her and travelled in the woods in search of wild animals．When she felt hot and tired she would retire to a spring to take a bath．It was here that young Actaeon accidentally came and suffered cruel treatment at the hands of the goddess．Indeed，the goddesscould be thoroughly heartless and stopped to be lovely as soon as the bad side of her nature got the upper hand in her．The sadthing of Niobe was just a case in point．

32 阿尔特弥斯

白天阿波罗驾驶着金色战车穿越天空，被仰慕为太阳神。晚上，阿尔特弥斯以庄重的姿态飞越夜空，被敬仰为月亮女神。坐在乳白色战马驱动的空中马车中，这位“广阔天空的王后”向沉睡的大地散发出银色的光芒。她终身未嫁，但至少有一次当她看到英俊的恩底弥翁酣睡时，女神萌发了爱慕之情。

阿尔特弥斯心灵纯洁，容貌娟秀安祥。她是少女端庄娴雅的楷模。如果说阿波罗代表了男性美，那么她则象征着女性美——贞洁。作为守护神，她把保护困境之中的待嫁女子当作自己义不容辞的责任。少女们都来到她的圣坛前祈求爱情与幸福。

作为阿波罗的孪生妹妹，她也是狩猎女神。她身穿及膝的短猎装，有喧闹可爱的仙女尾随身后。阿尔特弥斯总是手持珍珠色的弓和发亮的箭，在林中漫游，寻找猎物。当她又累又热时，就来到泉水旁沐浴。而当阿卡同无意间来到这里时，却遭到了女神的虐待。事实上，当凶残的一面占了上风时，女神就会变得残酷无情。阿卡同的遭遇正说明了这一点。

31  Arethusa

Arethusa was once a fairy maiden huntress．She carriedbow and arrows for Artemis in her hunting．She was sodevoted to her work that she cared for neither admirationnor love．One sunny summer day，she felt hot and found a coolstream quite attractive．She jumped into the delightful streamand happily started swimming．Presently she heard a bubbling in the stream and was surprised to find it was the thunderingvoice of the rivergod Alpheus．The maiden made for the shore and，fully naked，started running away．Taking a human form，the river-god followed closely in pursuit ．Onward they spedover hill and valley，across dark heights and over broad plains，until the waters of the western sea lay stretched out right before them ．Helplessly the exhausted Arethusa cried to her patronessfor help．Artemis instantly cast a cloud over her body，but the pigheaded Alpheus was not to be tricked．Then a cold sweatbroke from the maiden's arms and legs．The drops of water fellfrom all over her body．She had been turned into a spring！Alpheus recognized her new form and presently took his formershape to join with Arethusa and enjoy her company．Artemisthen broke the ground and Arethusa sank down and flowed all the way through the under world from Southern Greece to Sicily ．She rose up again at Syracuse，only to find that therivergod had endured the darkness of the lower world andturned up as a stream as well．Mixing his waves with hers，hegained her love in the end．

31 阿瑞塞莎

阿瑞塞莎是位迷人的仙女猎人。每逢阿耳特弥斯打猎时，她负责携带弓箭。她对工作专心致志，既不考虑赞美也不顾及爱情。一个炎热的夏日，她感到很热，便找到一条凉爽的溪流，深感惬意。她跳入令人愉快的溪水中，兴致勃勃地畅游。不一会儿，听到水泡声，她大吃一惊地发现：那是河神（阿耳法斯）发出的闷雷声。仙女向岸边游去，赤身裸体地跑开了。河神便装成凡人的样子在后紧紧地追赶着。他们一直向前飞奔，越过小山，跨过峡谷，翻越大山，掠过广阔的平原，直到西海的水域展现在他们的眼前。绝望中精疲力竭的阿瑞塞莎哭叫着向她的保护神求救。阿耳特弥斯迅速将一层云雾披在仙女的身上。但顽固不化的阿耳法斯并未上当受骗。接着一股冷汗从仙女的肢体上溢出，并且浑身上下淌着水珠，她被变成一眼泉水了。河神认出了泉水就是仙女，他自已马上也变回了原来的模样，以便与仙女同流，享受她的陪伴。阿耳特弥斯只好劈开地面，仙女阿瑞塞莎便一直沉陷下去，穿过阴间，从希腊漂流到西西里岛。最后在锡拉库扎露面，结果发现河神忍受了阴间的黑暗，也变成了一条溪流出现在她面前。他们交汇在一起，他终于得到了她的爱。