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stand.
'This,' thought he, 'must surely be the statue of some sea-
God; I will go near and see what kind of Gods these
barbarians worship.'
So he came near; but when he came, it was no statue, but a
maiden of flesh and blood; for he could see her tresses
streaming in the breeze; and as he came closer still, he
could see how she shrank and shivered when the waves
sprinkled her with cold salt spray. Her arms were spread
above her head, and fastened to the rock with chains of
brass; and her head drooped on her bosom, either with sleep,
or weariness, or grief. But now and then she looked up and
wailed, and called her mother; yet she did not see Perseus,
for the cap of darkness was on his head.
Full of pity and indignation, Perseus drew near and looked
upon the maid. Her cheeks were darker than his were, and her
hair was blue-black like a hyacinth; but Perseus thought, 'I
have never seen so beautiful a maiden; no, not in all our
isles. Surely she is a king's daughter. Do barbarians treat
their kings' daughters thus? She is too fair, at least, to
have done any wrong I will speak to her.'
And, lifting the hat from his head, he flashed into her
sight. She shrieked with terror, and tried to hide her face
with her hair, for she could not with her hands; but Perseus
cried -
'Do not fear me, fair one; I am a Hellen, and no barbarian.
What cruel men have bound you? But first I will set you
free.'
And he tore at the fetters, but they were too strong for him;
while the maiden cried -
'Touch me not; I am accursed, devoted as a victim to the sea-
Gods. They will slay you, if you dare to set me free.'
'Let them try,' said Perseus; and drawing, Herpe from his
thigh, he cut through the brass as if it had been flax.
'Now,' he said, 'you belong to me, and not to these sea-Gods,
whosoever they may be!' But she only called the more on her
mother.
'Why call on your mother? She can be no mother to have left
you here. If a bird is dropped out of the nest, it belongs
to the man who picks it up. If a jewel is cast by the
wayside, it is his who dare win it and wear it, as I will win
you and will wear you. I know now why Pallas Athene sent me
hither. She sent me to gain a prize worth all my toil and
more.'
And he clasped her in his arms, and cried, 'Where are these
sea-Gods, cruel and unjust, who doom fair maids to death? I
carry the weapons of Immortals. Let them measure their
strength against mine! But tell me, maiden, who you are, and
what dark fate brought you here.'
And she answered, weeping -
"I am the daughter of Cepheus, King of Iopa, and my mother is
Cassiopoeia of the beautiful tresses, and they called me
Andromeda, as long as life was mine. And I stand bound here,
hapless that I am, for the sea-monster's food, to atone for
my mother's sin. For she boasted of me once that I was
fairer than Atergatis, Queen of the Fishes; so she in her
wrath sent the sea-floods, and her brother the Fire King sent
the earthquakes, and wasted all the land, and after the
floods a monster bred of the slime, who devours all living
things. And now he must devour me, guiltless though I am -
me who never harmed a living thing, nor saw a fish upon the
shore but I gave it life, and threw it back into the sea; for
in our land we eat no fish, for fear of Atergatis their
queen. Yet the priests say that nothing but my blood can
atone for a sin which I never committed.'
But Perseus laughed, and said, 'A sea-monster? I have fought
with worse than him: I would have faced Immortals for your
sake; how much more a beast of the sea?'
Then Andromeda looked up at him, and new hope was kindled in
her breast, so proud and fair did he stand, with one hand
round her, and in the other the glittering sword. But she
only sighed, and wept the more, and cried -
'Why will you die, young as you are? Is there not death and
sorrow enough in the world already? It is noble for me to
die, that I may save the lives of a whole people; but you,
better than them all, why should I slay you too? Go you your
way; I must go mine.'
But Perseus cried, 'Not so; for the Lords of Olympus, whom I
serve, are the friends of the heroes, and help them on to
noble deeds. Led by them, I slew the Gorgon, the beautiful
horror; and not without them do I come hither, to slay this
monster with that same Gorgon's head. Yet hide your eyes
when I leave you, lest the sight of it freeze you too to
stone.'
But the maiden answered nothing, for she could not believe
his words. And then, suddenly looking up, she pointed to the
sea, and shrieked -
'There he comes, with the sunrise, as they promised. I must
die now. How shall I endure it? Oh, go! Is it not dreadful
enough to be torn piece-meal, without having you to look on?'
And she tried to thrust him away.
But he said, 'I go; yet promise me one thing ere I go: that
if I slay this beast you will be my wife, and come back with
me to my kingdom in fruitful Argos, for I am a king's heir.
Promise me, and seal it with a kiss.'
Then she lifted up her face, and kissed him; and Perseus
laughed for joy, and flew upward, while Andromeda crouched
trembling on the rock, waiting for what might befall.
On came the great sea-monster, coasting along like a huge
black galley, lazily breasting the ripple, and stopping at
times by creek or headland to watch for the laughter of girls
at their bleaching, or cattle pawing on the sand-hills, or
boys bathing on the beach. His great sides were fringed with
clustering shells and sea-weeds, and the water gurgled in and
out of his wide jaws, as he rolled along, dripping and
glistening in the beams of the morning sun.
At last he saw Andromeda, and shot forward to take his prey,
while the waves foamed white behind him, and before him the
fish fled leaping.
Then down from the height of the air fell Perseus like a
shooting star; down to the crests of the waves, while
Andromeda hid her face as he shouted; and then there was
silence for a while.
At last she looked up trembling, and saw Perseus springing
toward her; and instead of the monster a long black rock,
with the sea rippling quietly round it.
Who then so proud as Perseus, as he leapt back to the rock,
and lifted his fair Andromeda in his arms, and flew with her
to the cliff-top, as a falcon carries a dove?
Who so proud as Perseus, and who so joyful as all the AEthiop
people? For they had stood watching the monster from the
cliffs, wailing for the maiden's fate. And already a
messenger had gone to Cepheus and Cassiopoeia, where they sat
in sackcloth and ashes on the ground, in the innermost palace
chambers, awaiting their daughter's end. And they came, and
all the city with them, to see the wonder, with songs and
with dances, with cymbals and harps, and received their
daughter back again, as one alive from the dead.
Then Cepheus said, 'Hero of the Hellens, stay here with me
and be my son-in-law, and I will give you the half of my
kingdom.'
'I will be your son-in-law,' said Perseus, 'but of your
kingdom I will have none, for I long after the pleasant land
of Greece, and my mother who waits for me at home.'
Then Cepheus said, 'You must not take my daughter away at
once, for she is to us like one alive from the dead. Stay
with us here a year, and after that you shall return with
honour.' And Perseus consented; but before he went to the
palace he bade the people bring stones and wood, and built
three altars, one to Athene, and one to Hermes, and one to
Father Zeus, and offered bullocks and rams.
And some said, 'This is a pious man;' yet the priests said,
'The Sea Queen will be yet more fierce against us, because
her monster is slain.' But they were afraid to speak aloud,
for they feared the Gorgon's head. So they went up to the
palace; and when they came in, there stood in the hall
Phineus, the brother of Cepheus, chafing like a bear robbed
of her whelps, and with him his sons, and his servants, and
many an armed man; and he cried to Cepheus -
'You shall not marry your daughter to this stranger, of whom
no one knows even the name. Was not Andromeda betrothed to
my son? And now she is safe again, has he not a right to
claim her?'
But Perseus laughed, and answered, 'If your son is in want of
a bride, let him save a maiden for himself. As yet he seems
but a helpless bride-groom. He left this one to die, and
dead she is to him. I saved her alive, and alive she is to
me, but to no one else. Ungrateful man! have I not saved
your land, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and will
you requite me thus? Go, or it will be worse for you.' But
all the men-at-arms drew their swords, and rushed on him like
wild beasts.
Then he unveiled the Gorgon's head, and said, 'This has
delivered my bride from one wild beast: it shall deliver her
from many.' And as he spoke Phineus and all his men-at-arms
'This,' thought he, 'must surely be the statue of some sea-
God; I will go near and see what kind of Gods these
barbarians worship.'
So he came near; but when he came, it was no statue, but a
maiden of flesh and blood; for he could see her tresses
streaming in the breeze; and as he came closer still, he
could see how she shrank and shivered when the waves
sprinkled her with cold salt spray. Her arms were spread
above her head, and fastened to the rock with chains of
brass; and her head drooped on her bosom, either with sleep,
or weariness, or grief. But now and then she looked up and
wailed, and called her mother; yet she did not see Perseus,
for the cap of darkness was on his head.
Full of pity and indignation, Perseus drew near and looked
upon the maid. Her cheeks were darker than his were, and her
hair was blue-black like a hyacinth; but Perseus thought, 'I
have never seen so beautiful a maiden; no, not in all our
isles. Surely she is a king's daughter. Do barbarians treat
their kings' daughters thus? She is too fair, at least, to
have done any wrong I will speak to her.'
And, lifting the hat from his head, he flashed into her
sight. She shrieked with terror, and tried to hide her face
with her hair, for she could not with her hands; but Perseus
cried -
'Do not fear me, fair one; I am a Hellen, and no barbarian.
What cruel men have bound you? But first I will set you
free.'
And he tore at the fetters, but they were too strong for him;
while the maiden cried -
'Touch me not; I am accursed, devoted as a victim to the sea-
Gods. They will slay you, if you dare to set me free.'
'Let them try,' said Perseus; and drawing, Herpe from his
thigh, he cut through the brass as if it had been flax.
'Now,' he said, 'you belong to me, and not to these sea-Gods,
whosoever they may be!' But she only called the more on her
mother.
'Why call on your mother? She can be no mother to have left
you here. If a bird is dropped out of the nest, it belongs
to the man who picks it up. If a jewel is cast by the
wayside, it is his who dare win it and wear it, as I will win
you and will wear you. I know now why Pallas Athene sent me
hither. She sent me to gain a prize worth all my toil and
more.'
And he clasped her in his arms, and cried, 'Where are these
sea-Gods, cruel and unjust, who doom fair maids to death? I
carry the weapons of Immortals. Let them measure their
strength against mine! But tell me, maiden, who you are, and
what dark fate brought you here.'
And she answered, weeping -
"I am the daughter of Cepheus, King of Iopa, and my mother is
Cassiopoeia of the beautiful tresses, and they called me
Andromeda, as long as life was mine. And I stand bound here,
hapless that I am, for the sea-monster's food, to atone for
my mother's sin. For she boasted of me once that I was
fairer than Atergatis, Queen of the Fishes; so she in her
wrath sent the sea-floods, and her brother the Fire King sent
the earthquakes, and wasted all the land, and after the
floods a monster bred of the slime, who devours all living
things. And now he must devour me, guiltless though I am -
me who never harmed a living thing, nor saw a fish upon the
shore but I gave it life, and threw it back into the sea; for
in our land we eat no fish, for fear of Atergatis their
queen. Yet the priests say that nothing but my blood can
atone for a sin which I never committed.'
But Perseus laughed, and said, 'A sea-monster? I have fought
with worse than him: I would have faced Immortals for your
sake; how much more a beast of the sea?'
Then Andromeda looked up at him, and new hope was kindled in
her breast, so proud and fair did he stand, with one hand
round her, and in the other the glittering sword. But she
only sighed, and wept the more, and cried -
'Why will you die, young as you are? Is there not death and
sorrow enough in the world already? It is noble for me to
die, that I may save the lives of a whole people; but you,
better than them all, why should I slay you too? Go you your
way; I must go mine.'
But Perseus cried, 'Not so; for the Lords of Olympus, whom I
serve, are the friends of the heroes, and help them on to
noble deeds. Led by them, I slew the Gorgon, the beautiful
horror; and not without them do I come hither, to slay this
monster with that same Gorgon's head. Yet hide your eyes
when I leave you, lest the sight of it freeze you too to
stone.'
But the maiden answered nothing, for she could not believe
his words. And then, suddenly looking up, she pointed to the
sea, and shrieked -
'There he comes, with the sunrise, as they promised. I must
die now. How shall I endure it? Oh, go! Is it not dreadful
enough to be torn piece-meal, without having you to look on?'
And she tried to thrust him away.
But he said, 'I go; yet promise me one thing ere I go: that
if I slay this beast you will be my wife, and come back with
me to my kingdom in fruitful Argos, for I am a king's heir.
Promise me, and seal it with a kiss.'
Then she lifted up her face, and kissed him; and Perseus
laughed for joy, and flew upward, while Andromeda crouched
trembling on the rock, waiting for what might befall.
On came the great sea-monster, coasting along like a huge
black galley, lazily breasting the ripple, and stopping at
times by creek or headland to watch for the laughter of girls
at their bleaching, or cattle pawing on the sand-hills, or
boys bathing on the beach. His great sides were fringed with
clustering shells and sea-weeds, and the water gurgled in and
out of his wide jaws, as he rolled along, dripping and
glistening in the beams of the morning sun.
At last he saw Andromeda, and shot forward to take his prey,
while the waves foamed white behind him, and before him the
fish fled leaping.
Then down from the height of the air fell Perseus like a
shooting star; down to the crests of the waves, while
Andromeda hid her face as he shouted; and then there was
silence for a while.
At last she looked up trembling, and saw Perseus springing
toward her; and instead of the monster a long black rock,
with the sea rippling quietly round it.
Who then so proud as Perseus, as he leapt back to the rock,
and lifted his fair Andromeda in his arms, and flew with her
to the cliff-top, as a falcon carries a dove?
Who so proud as Perseus, and who so joyful as all the AEthiop
people? For they had stood watching the monster from the
cliffs, wailing for the maiden's fate. And already a
messenger had gone to Cepheus and Cassiopoeia, where they sat
in sackcloth and ashes on the ground, in the innermost palace
chambers, awaiting their daughter's end. And they came, and
all the city with them, to see the wonder, with songs and
with dances, with cymbals and harps, and received their
daughter back again, as one alive from the dead.
Then Cepheus said, 'Hero of the Hellens, stay here with me
and be my son-in-law, and I will give you the half of my
kingdom.'
'I will be your son-in-law,' said Perseus, 'but of your
kingdom I will have none, for I long after the pleasant land
of Greece, and my mother who waits for me at home.'
Then Cepheus said, 'You must not take my daughter away at
once, for she is to us like one alive from the dead. Stay
with us here a year, and after that you shall return with
honour.' And Perseus consented; but before he went to the
palace he bade the people bring stones and wood, and built
three altars, one to Athene, and one to Hermes, and one to
Father Zeus, and offered bullocks and rams.
And some said, 'This is a pious man;' yet the priests said,
'The Sea Queen will be yet more fierce against us, because
her monster is slain.' But they were afraid to speak aloud,
for they feared the Gorgon's head. So they went up to the
palace; and when they came in, there stood in the hall
Phineus, the brother of Cepheus, chafing like a bear robbed
of her whelps, and with him his sons, and his servants, and
many an armed man; and he cried to Cepheus -
'You shall not marry your daughter to this stranger, of whom
no one knows even the name. Was not Andromeda betrothed to
my son? And now she is safe again, has he not a right to
claim her?'
But Perseus laughed, and answered, 'If your son is in want of
a bride, let him save a maiden for himself. As yet he seems
but a helpless bride-groom. He left this one to die, and
dead she is to him. I saved her alive, and alive she is to
me, but to no one else. Ungrateful man! have I not saved
your land, and the lives of your sons and daughters, and will
you requite me thus? Go, or it will be worse for you.' But
all the men-at-arms drew their swords, and rushed on him like
wild beasts.
Then he unveiled the Gorgon's head, and said, 'This has
delivered my bride from one wild beast: it shall deliver her
from many.' And as he spoke Phineus and all his men-at-arms
- thunder [´θʌndə]
n.雷 vi.打雷 vt.吼出 (初中英语单词) - rustle [´rʌsl] v.&n.(使)沙沙作响 (初中英语单词)
- glitter [´glitə] n.光辉 vi.闪烁，炫耀 (初中英语单词)
- freeze [fri:z] v.结冰；凝固；冷淡 (初中英语单词)
- awhile [ə´wail] ad.少顷；片刻 (初中英语单词)
- shield [ʃi:ld] n.盾牌；防御 v.保护 (初中英语单词)
- sleeping [´sli:piŋ] n.&a.睡着(的) (初中英语单词)
- sprang [spræŋ] spring 的过去式 (初中英语单词)
- fearful [´fiəfəl] a.可怕的；担心的 (初中英语单词)
- lonely [´ləunli] a.孤独的；无人烟的 (初中英语单词)
- hunger [´hʌŋgə] n.饥饿；渴望 (初中英语单词)
- bargain [´bɑ:gin] n.买卖合同 v.议(价) (初中英语单词)
- sunshine [´sʌnʃain] n.日光，阳光 (初中英语单词)
- winged [´wiŋd] a.有翼的 (初中英语单词)
- prevail [pri´veil] vi.胜(过)；流行；普遍 (初中英语单词)
- driven [´driv(ə)n] drive 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- thirst [θə:st] n.渴，口渴；渴望 (初中英语单词)
- immortal [i´mɔ:təl] a.不死的n.不朽的人物 (初中英语单词)
- marble [´mɑ:bəl] n.大理石 a.大理石的 (初中英语单词)
- hither [´hiðə] ad.到此处 (初中英语单词)
- stream [stri:m] n.河 vi.流出；飘扬 (初中英语单词)
- wisdom [´wizdəm] n.智慧，聪明，才智 (初中英语单词)
- wilderness [´wildənis] n.荒地，荒野 (初中英语单词)
- therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)
- temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)
- statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像，雕像 (初中英语单词)
- whenever [wen´evə] conj.&ad.无论何时 (初中英语单词)
- breeze [bri:z] n.微风；不费力的事 (初中英语单词)
- maiden [´meidn] n.少女 a.未婚的 (初中英语单词)
- terror [´terə] n.恐怖；惊骇 (初中英语单词)
- victim [´viktim] n.牺牲者；受害者 (初中英语单词)
- measure [´meʒə] n.量度；范围 vt.测量 (初中英语单词)
- monster [´mɔnstə] n.怪物 a.大得异常的 (初中英语单词)
- pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)
- endure [in´djuə] vt.忍耐，忍受；坚持 (初中英语单词)
- thrust [θrʌst] v.&n.猛推；冲；刺；挤进 (初中英语单词)
- upward [´ʌpwəd] a.&ad.向上(的)；以上 (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- laughter [´lɑ:ftə] n.笑，笑声 (初中英语单词)
- height [hait] n.高度；顶点；卓越 (初中英语单词)
- greece [gri:s] n.希腊 (初中英语单词)
- fierce [fiəs] a.残忍的；强烈的 (初中英语单词)
- helpless [´helpləs] a.无助的，无依靠的 (初中英语单词)
- eldest [´eldist] a.最年长的 (高中英语单词)
- cavern [´kævən] n.大山洞；大岩洞 (高中英语单词)
- dreary [´driəri] a.阴郁的；枯燥无味的 (高中英语单词)
- impatient [im´peiʃənt] a.不耐烦的，急躁的 (高中英语单词)
- boldly [´bəuldli] ad.大胆地；醒目地 (高中英语单词)
- mighty [´maiti] a.强有力的 ad.很 (高中英语单词)
- rainbow [´reinbəu] n.彩虹 (高中英语单词)
- everlasting [,evə´lɑ:stiŋ] a.永久的，无尽的 (高中英语单词)
- partridge [´pɑ:tridʒ] n.鹧鸪；石鸡 (高中英语单词)
- sweeping [´swi:piŋ] a.掠过的 n.扫除；清除 (高中英语单词)
- homeward [´həumwəd] ad.&a.回家(的) (高中英语单词)
- onward [´ɔnwəd] ad.&a.向前(的) (高中英语单词)
- strewn [stru:n] strew的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- mediterranean [,meditə´reiniən] n.地中海 a.地中海的 (高中英语单词)
- strove [strəuv] strive的过去式 (高中英语单词)
- hitherto [,hiðə´tu:] ad.至今，迄今 (高中英语单词)
- hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)
- upright [´ʌprait] a.直立的 ad.直立地 (高中英语单词)
- barley [´bɑ:li] n.大麦 (高中英语单词)
- northward [´nɔ:θwəd] ad.&a.向北(的) n.北 (高中英语单词)
- inland [´inlənd, in´lænd] a.&n.内地的 ad.在内地 (高中英语单词)
- indignation [,indig´neiʃən] n.愤慨；气愤 (高中英语单词)
- devour [di´vauə] vt.吞食；毁坏 (高中英语单词)
- sunrise [´sʌnraiz] n.日出，黎明 (高中英语单词)
- fruitful [´fru:tfəl] a.成功的；丰富的 (高中英语单词)
- ripple [´ripəl] n.涟漪 v.(使)起涟漪 (高中英语单词)
- joyful [´dʒɔifəl] a.高兴的，充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)
- brazen [´breizən] a.黄铜制的；无耻的 (英语四级单词)
- thrice [θrais] ad.三倍地；三次 (英语四级单词)
- hoarse [hɔ:s] a.嘶哑的；嗓门粗哑的 (英语四级单词)
- eastward [´i:stwəd] a.&ad.向东(的) (英语四级单词)
- shingle [´ʃiŋgəl] n.盖屋板；木瓦 (英语四级单词)
- hateful [´heitfəl] a.可恨的，可憎的 (英语四级单词)
- noonday [´nu:ndei] n.正午 (英语四级单词)
- nought [nɔ:t] n.=naught (英语四级单词)
- drought [draut] n.旱灾；干旱 (英语四级单词)
- setting [´setiŋ] n.安装；排字；布景 (英语四级单词)
- parting [´pɑ:tiŋ] a.&n.分离(的) (英语四级单词)
- palestine [´pælistain] n.巴勒斯坦 (英语四级单词)
- weariness [wiərinis] n.疲倦；厌烦 (英语四级单词)
- accursed [ə´kə:sid] a.被诅咒的；可憎的 (英语四级单词)
- devoted [di´vəutid] a.献身…的，忠实的 (英语四级单词)
- drawing [´drɔ:iŋ] n.画图；制图；图样 (英语四级单词)
- unjust [ʌn´dʒʌst] a.不公平(正)的 (英语四级单词)
- galley [´gæli] n.单层甲板大帆船 (英语四级单词)
- falcon [´fɔ:kən] n.隼，猎鹰 (英语四级单词)
- medusa [mi´dju:zə] n.水母 a.水母然 (英语六级单词)
- restlessly [´restlisli] ad.不安定地；烦躁地 (英语六级单词)
- venomous [´venəməs] a.有毒的；恶意的 (英语六级单词)
- nightfall [´nait,fɔ:l] n.黄昏；傍晚 (英语六级单词)
- doleful [´dəulful] a.悲哀的；忧郁的 (英语六级单词)
- shrank [ʃræŋk] shrink的过去式 (英语六级单词)
- hyacinth [´haiəsinθ] n.风信子 (英语六级单词)
- weeping [´wi:piŋ] a.&n.哭泣(的) (英语六级单词)
- guiltless [´giltlis] a.无罪的；不熟悉…的 (英语六级单词)
- olympus [əu´limpəs] n.(希腊)奥林匹斯山 (英语六级单词)
- lazily [´leizili] ad.懒惰地，慢吞吞地 (英语六级单词)
- headland [´hedlənd] n.岬 (英语六级单词)
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