除暴安良者忒修斯

希臘神話中，忒修斯的故事讓我們耳目一新，這不僅僅是因為他高大孔武的形象，更因為他扶正懲惡的英雄行為。他最好地詮釋了備受推崇的一句俗語——“路見不平，拔刀相助”。

The Hero's Noble Birth

Like many other Greek heroes， Theseus was legendarily believed to have two fathers， one being Poseidon， the other Aegeus， king of Athens. His mother was Aethra， whose fiancé died before they could marry， so her father thought it was unfortunate for his daughter to remain a virgin this way， therefore he made the visiting Aegeus drunk and sleep with his daughter.

When Aegeus had to leave Aethra， who was pregnant， he placed his sword and sandals under a large hollow stone， and directed Aethra to send their son to meet him in Athens when he became strong enough to roll away the stone and take the tokens1) from under it. When she thought the time had come， Aethra led Theseus to the stone， and he removed it easily and took the sword and sandals.

The road leading to Athens was infested2) with robbers， but Theseus， regarding himself as the soul of a hero， and eager to signalize himself like Hercules， with whose fame all Greece then rang， determined on the more perilous3) and adventurous journey by land rather than by sea.

Cleansing the Way While Traveling

On the first day of his journey， Theseus met Periphetes， a ferocious4) savage who always went armed with a club of iron， and all travelers stood in terror of his violence. When he saw Theseus approach， he assailed5) him but soon fell beneath the blows of this young hero. Theseus took possession of Periphetes' club， and bore it ever afterwards as a memorial of his first victory.

Another of the evil-doers Theseus encountered was called Procrustes， or the Stretcher. He had an iron bedstead， which he boasted was fit for everyone. To some extent， he was right in that on the bed he used to tie travelers and make them suit his bed. If they were shorter than the bed， he stretched their limbs to make them fit it; if they were longer than the bed， he chopped off a portion. Theseus thought this folly6) must be punished and then he served Procrustes as he had served others.

Then he met Sinis， the man who used to force the passers-by to keep bending pine-trees until they were tossed7) by them and perished8). Employing this same method， Theseus sent Sinis to the next world.

Sciron was yet another bandit9)， whom Theseus met on his way to Athens. Sciron's inclination10) was to compel passers-by to wash his feet， and while they washed， he kicked them into the sea to be the prey of a huge turtle beneath. Theseus seized him by the feet and threw him into the sea.

Then Theseus met Cercyon， who compelled passers-by to wrestle， and in wrestling Theseus lifted him up and dashed him to the ground.

Encountering Medea

Having overcome all the perils of the road， Theseus at length11) reached Athens， where new dangers awaited him.

Medea， the sorceress， who had fled from Corinth after her separation from Jason， had become the wife of Aegeus. Knowing by her arts who Theseus was， and fearing the loss of her influence on her husband， Medea filled the mind of Aegeus with suspicions of the young stranger， and induced him to present Theseus a cup of poisonous wine. However， at the moment Theseus stepped forward to take it， the sight of the sword which he wore revealed to his father who he was， and prevented the fatal drink.

Killing Minotaur12)

The Athenians were then required by Minos13) to send the tribute14) of seven youths and seven maidens to be devoured15) by the Minotaur， a monster with a bull's body and a human head. Minotaur was exceedingly strong and fierce， and was kept in a labyrinth16)， so artfully contrived17) that whoever was enclosed in it could by no means find his way out unassisted. Here the Minotaur roamed， and was fed with human victims.

Theseus resolved to deliver his countrymen from this calamity18). When the time of sending off the tribute came， and the youths and maidens were， according to custom， drawn by lot to be sent， Theseus offered himself as one of the victims. The ship departed under black sails， as usual， which Theseus promised his father to change for white， when he returned victoriously.

When they arrived in Crete， the youths and maidens were exhibited before Minos; and Ariadne， the daughter of Minos， being present， fell deeply in love with Theseus， by whom her love was readily returned. Ariadne furnished Theseus with a sword， with which to encounter the Minotaur， and with a clew of thread by which he might find his way out of the labyrinth. Theseus successfully slew19) the Minotaur， escaped from the labyrinth， and took Ariadne as the companion of his way， with his rescued companions sailed for Athens.

On their way they stopped at the island of Naxos， where Theseus abandoned Ariadne， leaving her asleep， for Athena had appeared to Theseus in a dream， and warned him that Ariadne was destined to be the wife of Bacchus， the Wine God.

End of Aegeus and Theseus

On approaching the coast of Attica， Theseus， still intent on Ariadne， forgot the signal of his victory—the white sails. And the old king Aegeus， thinking his son had perished， put an end to his own life by drowning himself in the sea. Therefore， this beautiful sea was thereafter called the Aegean Sea.

Theseus succeeded his father and had many expeditions as a king. But because his desire for adventures surpassed his desire to be a king， he gradually lost his people's favor. Then he was killed by the king of Scyros20)， who at first received him kindly， but afterwards treacherously21) slew him.

英雄的高貴出身

正如其他許多希臘英雄一樣，傳說中人們相信忒修斯有兩個父親，一個是波塞冬，另一個是雅典國王埃勾斯。他的母親是埃特拉，因為她的未婚夫在成婚之前去世，而她還一直保持處女之身，所以埃特拉的父親覺得她這樣很不幸，于是就灌醉了來訪的雅典國王埃勾斯，讓他與自己的女兒同睡。

當(dāng)埃勾斯不得不離開埃特拉時，她已經(jīng)有孕在身了。埃勾斯把一柄寶劍和一雙涼鞋放到了一塊巨大的空心石下，交代埃特拉說，當(dāng)他們的兒子長到足夠強壯時，領(lǐng)他來搬走這塊巨石，從下面取出信物，然后去雅典找他。埃特拉覺得時機成熟時，就把忒修斯帶到巨石旁，忒修斯輕而易舉地推開巨石，取出了寶劍和涼鞋。

通往雅典的道路上強盜橫行，可是忒修斯認(rèn)為自己擁有英雄的靈魂，而且他急于要向人們展示他也能像赫拉克勒斯一樣名聲遠(yuǎn)播希臘各地，于是他放棄走海路，決心走危機重重的陸路。

鏟除旅途中的惡人

旅程的第一天，忒修斯遇到了珀里斐忒斯。這個兇殘的人出門總是拿著一根鐵棒，所有旅客都戰(zhàn)戰(zhàn)兢兢地處于他的暴力之下。當(dāng)他看到忒修斯走近時，便襲擊他，但很快就被這位年輕的英雄打倒。忒修斯把珀里斐忒斯的鐵棒據(jù)為己有，之后的旅途中也一直將它帶在身邊，作為他首戰(zhàn)告捷的紀(jì)念。

忒修斯遇到的另一位惡人叫普羅克汝斯忒斯，或者叫拉人者。他有一張鐵床架，并宣稱這張鐵床架適合所有人。從一定意義上講，他是對的，因為他會把旅客綁到床上，使他們適合他的床。如果這些旅客身長比床短，他就把他們的四肢拉長，讓他們和床的長度一樣長;如果他們的身長比床長，他就把他們身體的一部分砍掉。忒修斯認(rèn)為這樣愚蠢的行為一定要受到懲罰，于是他用普羅克汝斯忒斯對待其他人的方法懲治了普羅克汝斯忒斯。

然后他遇到了西尼斯，這個人過去總是強迫路人一直不停地將松樹掰彎，直到他們被松樹彈上天，然后掉下來摔死。忒修斯以其人之道，還治其人之身，用同樣的方法把西尼斯送到了極樂世界。

斯喀戎是忒修斯去雅典的途中遇到的又一個強盜。斯喀戎喜歡強迫路人給他洗腳，在洗腳的時候把他們踢下海，成為海里一只巨型海龜?shù)墨C物。忒修斯提起他的雙腳，把他扔進(jìn)了海里。

然后忒修斯遇到了錫希昂，這個人強迫路人和他摔跤，所以忒修斯就和他摔跤，然后把他舉起來摔死在地上。

與美狄亞過招

克服了旅途中的種種危機，忒修斯最后終于抵達(dá)了雅典，但那里正有新的危險等待著他。

女巫美狄亞在柯林斯國和伊阿宋分手后就來到雅典，成了埃勾斯的妻子。美狄亞用自己的法力知道了忒修斯的身份，因為害怕自己對丈夫失去影響力，所以她讓埃勾斯對這個年輕的陌生人起了疑心，并勸誘他把一杯毒酒端給忒修斯。但是就在忒修斯剛要走上前接過酒杯時，他隨身佩戴的寶劍讓父親知道了他的真實身份，才制止了這致命的一飲。

斬殺牛頭人身怪物

彌諾斯王之孫——彌諾斯強行要求當(dāng)時的雅典人進(jìn)貢童男童女各七個作為祭品，然后送給牛頭人身的怪物彌諾陶洛斯吞食。彌諾陶洛斯非常健壯而且兇狠殘暴，被關(guān)在一個迷宮里。這個迷宮設(shè)計得十分巧妙，不論誰被關(guān)在里面，僅憑自己的力量是一定走不出來的。彌諾陶洛斯就在這個迷宮里面來回踱步，靠吞食活人祭品生存。

忒修斯下定決心要讓自己的同胞免受這樣的災(zāi)難。進(jìn)獻(xiàn)貢品的時刻來臨了，按照慣例，童男童女要抓鬮決定誰被送去作貢品，這時忒修斯主動提出自己作為其中的一員前往。船和平時一樣升起黑帆起航了，忒修斯承諾父親說，當(dāng)他勝利歸來時就改掛白帆。

他們到達(dá)克里特島后，童男童女被帶到了彌諾斯面前。此時彌諾斯的女兒阿里阿德涅也在場，她深深地愛上了忒修斯，而忒修斯也欣然用愛回應(yīng)了她。阿里阿德涅給了忒修斯一柄劍對抗彌諾陶洛斯，又給了他一個線團，這樣他就可以沿著線團找到走出迷宮的路。忒修斯成功斬殺了彌諾陶洛斯，逃出了迷宮，帶著阿里阿德涅及營救出來的伙伴揚帆啟程回雅典。

在他們回雅典的途中，他們在納克索斯島停下來，忒修斯趁阿里阿德涅熟睡之際把她留在了那里。因為雅典娜在忒修斯的夢中顯靈，警告他說阿里阿德涅命中注定是酒神巴克斯的妻子。

埃勾斯和忒修斯的結(jié)局

靠近阿提卡海岸時，忒修斯還一心掛念著阿里阿德涅，忘了升起他勝利的信號——白帆。老國王埃勾斯以為他的兒子已經(jīng)犧牲，所以就投海自盡了。至此之后，這片美麗的海就叫做愛琴海。

忒修斯繼承了他父親的王位，身為國王的他又進(jìn)行了很多次的遠(yuǎn)征探險。但是由于他對冒險的愛好程度遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超過了他當(dāng)國王的愿望，他漸漸失去了臣民的愛戴。后來他被斯基羅斯島國國王殺害。斯基羅斯島國國王最初假意熱情地接待了忒修斯，但后來卻無恥地殺害了他。

文化鏈接

1. Icarian Sea 伊卡里亞海

代達(dá)羅斯(Daedalus)是希臘神話中著名的能工巧匠，克里特迷宮就是他的杰作?？墒钱?dāng)他和兒子伊卡洛斯(Icarus)建造完迷宮之后，彌諾斯國王怕建筑工藝被泄露出去，于是下令所有參與建設(shè)的人都不得走出迷宮。代達(dá)羅斯讓兒子搜集了羽毛，用蠟粘成了兩雙翅膀，和兒子飛上了天，逃離了迷宮。可是兒子不聽勸告，飛得越來越高，最后太陽烤化了粘羽毛的蠟，伊卡洛斯從天上掉下來墜入海底身亡。從此，埋葬伊卡洛斯的這座島便被稱做“伊卡里亞島”，而伊卡洛斯墜亡的海域也改稱為“伊卡里亞海”。

2. The Capture of Helen By Theseus 忒修斯拐走海倫

忒修斯酷愛探險，經(jīng)常和他最好的朋友庇里托俄斯(Pirithous)一起進(jìn)行探險之旅。有一次，他們相約各自娶宙斯之女為妻。忒修斯看中了海倫(Helen)，庇里托俄斯則看上了冥后珀爾塞福涅(Persephone)。庇里托俄斯先是幫助忒修斯成功拐騙了當(dāng)時才12歲的海倫，交給自己的母親看護，等她長大。然后，忒修斯和庇里托俄斯下到了地獄，冥王哈德斯(Hades)熱情地招待了他們，未曾料想他們坐上座椅后，就再也站不起來了。赫拉克勒斯(Heracles)下地獄捕捉地獄惡犬時碰巧看見了他們，把忒修斯解救了下來，但當(dāng)他試圖救庇里托俄斯時，他用盡了最大的力氣，使大地都晃動了，庇里托俄斯還是被黏在座椅上紋絲不動，赫拉克勒斯只好作罷，可憐的庇里托俄斯被永久禁錮在了地獄里。當(dāng)然，忒修斯最終也沒有得到海倫，因為等他回去時，海倫的兩個哥哥早已把海倫解救回國了。

Vocabulary

1.token [5tEukEn] n. 特征;證明;證物

2.infest [In5fest] vt. (害蟲、盜賊等)大批出沒于;侵?jǐn)_;騷擾

3.perilous [5perIlEs] adj. (充滿)危險的;瀕臨毀滅的

4.ferocious [fE5rEuFEs] adj. 兇惡的，兇猛的，殘忍的

5.assail [E5seIl] vt. 攻擊;襲擊

6.folly [5fClI] n. 蠢事，愚行;荒唐事

7.toss[tCs] vt. 拋起，突然抬起(或舉起)

8.perish [5perIF] vi. 卒，喪生

9.bandit [5bAndIt] n. (尤指結(jié)幫攔路剪徑的)強盜，土匪

10.inclination [7InklI5neIFEn] n. (性格上的)傾向;意向;愛好，癖好

11.at length: 最終，終于

12.Minotaur [5maInEtC:(r)] n.【希神】彌諾陶洛斯(牛頭人身怪物，被彌諾斯王之孫緊閉在克里特島的迷宮里，每年要吃雅典送來的童男童女各七個，后被雅典王Theseus殺死)

13.Minos [5maInCs] n.【希神】彌諾斯(彌諾斯王之孫，在克里特島建造迷宮并將牛頭人身怪物Minotaur關(guān)入)

14.tribute [5trIbju:t] n. 貢，貢品，貢金

15.devour [dI5vauE(r)] vt. (猛獸等)吞食

16.labyrinth [5lAbErInW] n.【希神】(Daedalus為Minos所建用于禁閉牛首人身怪物的)迷宮

17.contrive [kEn5traIv] vt. 發(fā)明;設(shè)計

18.calamity [kE5lAmEtI] n. 災(zāi)難，災(zāi)禍

19.slew [slu:] vt. slay的過去式;slay [sleI] vt. <書>殺，殺死;宰殺;殺害;殺戮

20.Scyros = Skyros [5skaIrCs] n. 斯基羅斯島[希臘](在愛琴海東部)

21.treacherously [5tretFErEslI] adv. 不可信任地;不忠地，背叛地;奸詐地