Alas, I had no fingers or palms: how could I draw a sword with the round stump of my off fore-hoof? Only one slender hope remained to console me in my desperation: that the new year was here at last and wild flowers would soon be springing up all over the countryside, spreading a bright sheen of colour across the pastures. And in the gardens the imprisoned rose-buds would break out from their thorny stocks, and open, and exhale their delicate scents. One taste of rose-leaves, and I should be Lucius again.
The fateful day came at last, and I was escorted towards the amphitheatre through cheering crowds at the head of a long procession. During the first part of the performance, which was devoted to ballet, I was placed just outside the entrance, where I was glad to crop some tender young grass which I found growing there, raising my eyes curiously every now and then to watch the performance through the open gate.
By way of prelude a number of beautiful boys and girls in rich costumes were moving with dignity through the graceful mazes of the Greek Pyrrhic dance. Sometimes different streams of dancers would weave in and out of the same circle, sometimes all would join hands and dance sideways across the stage, then separate into four wedge-shaped groups with the blunt ends enclosing a square space; sometimes there would be a sudden divorce of the sexes, the boys and the girls separating from each other.
Presently the trumpet blew the Retreat, to signal the end of these complicated dance-movements, and the backdrops were removed to disclose a far more elaborate performance.
The scene was an artificial wooden mountain, supposed to represent Homer's famous Mount Ida, an imposing piece of stage-architecture, quite high, turfed all over and planted with scores of trees. The designer had contrived that a stream should break out at the top of the mountain and tumble down the side. A herd of she-goats were cropping the grass, and a young man strolled about, supposedly in charge of them, dressed in flowing Asiatic robes with a gold tiara on his head. He represented Paris the Phrygian shepherd. Then a handsome boy came forward, naked except for a rich cloak worn over his left shoulder, and between the strands of his long yellow hair one could see two little golden wings; these wings, with the serpent-rod and the herald's wand that he carried, showed him to be the God Mercury. He came dancing towards Paris and after presenting him with a golden apple explained Jupiter's orders in sign language, then retired gracefully. The next character to appear was Juno, played by a girl with very fine features, a white diadem on her head and a sceptre in her hand. Then Minerva came running in; easily recognised by her shining helmet with its mantling of olive-leaves, her high-lifted shield and the spear that she was brandishing as if about to fight someone. She Was followed by another girl of extraordinary beauty and such an ambrosial complexion that she could only be Venus-Venus before marriage. To show her perfect figure to fullest advantage she wore nothing at all except a thin gauze apron which inquisitive little winds kept blowing aside for an amorous peep at her downy young thighs, or pressing tight against them so as to reveal their voluptuous contours. Her body was dazzlingly white, to show that she had descended from heaven, and her gauze apron was blue to show that she would shortly return to her home in the sea.
Each of the girls who played the parts of these goddesses was escorted by her own attendants. Juno had two young actors with her, representing Castor and Pollux; I guessed who they were by their helmets, shaped like the halves of the egg-shell in which they were born to their mother Leda, and with spiky stars painted on them-the constellation of the Twins. Juno advanced calmly towards Paris, to the sound of gentle flute-music in the Ionian mode; her short, confident nods were an assurance that if he judged her to be the most beautiful of the three she would make him Emperor of all Asia.
Minerva's attendants were two young men, representing Terror and Fear, who danced a fling before her with drawn swords, and a bagpiper who followed behind, playing a battle march in the Dorian mode. The deep braying drones contrasted with the shrill screech of the chaunter which stirred the dancers to ecstasy, like the trumpet's call to battle. Minerva herself joined in the fling, tossing her head from side to side, her eyes gleaming like daggers, and her quick, excited writhings promised Paris that if he gave the verdict in her favour she would help him to become the bravest and most successful soldier the world had ever known.
Then in came Venus, smiling sweetly and greeted with a roar of welcome by the audience. She advanced to the centre of the stage, with a whole school of happy little boys crowding around her, so chubby and white-skinned that you might have taken them to be real cupids flown down from Heaven or in from the sea. They had little wings and little archery sets and (this was a nice touch) all carried lighted torches as if they were conducting their mistress to her wedding breakfast. In came a great crowd of beautiful girls: the most graceful Graces, the loveliest Seasons, who strewed the path before Venus with bouquets and loose flowers, propitiating her, as Queen of all pleasures, with the shorn locks of spring.
Presently the flutes broke into sentimental Lydian airs. The audience was charmed when Venus began dancing to the music with slow, lingering steps and gentle swaying of her hips and head, and hardly perceptible motions of her arms to match the flautist's delicate modulations. Her eyelids fluttered luxuriously or opened wide to let fly passionate glances, so that at times she seemed to be dancing with her eyes alone. As soon as she came before the judge she promised with tense gestures that if she were preferred to her rivals she would marry him to the most beautiful woman in the world, her own human counterpart. Young Paris gladly handed her the golden apple in token of her victory.
Well, then, you lowest of the low, yes, I am referring to the whole legal profession, all you cattle-like law-clerks and vulture-like barristers-are you really surprised that modern judges are corrupt, when here you have proof that in the earliest ages of mankind, in this first court-of-law ever convened, the simple shepherd, who had been appointed by Jupiter himself to give judgement in a question that was troubling heaven and earth, succumbed to a barefaced sexual bribe (which was to prove the ruin of his entire family) and sold his verdict in open court? No, sirs! And you will recall a later precedent when Agamemnon, the illustrious commander-in-chief of the Greek armies before Troy, condemned the wise and learned Palamedes to death as a traitor, though fully aware that the charges against him were false. You will also recall his judgement in the dispute between Odysseus and Ajax as to which of the two was the bravest. He knew that Odysseus's courage could not always be depended upon and that Ajax was by far the better man; yet he gave judgement in favour of Odysseus. As for those famous law-givers, those brilliant intellects, those eminent scientists, the Athenians of the classical age, what sort of a verdict did they give in the case of Socrates whose wisdom was commended by the Delphic oracle above that of all living men? Am I not right in saying that by the treachery and jealousy of a wicked clique he was found guilty of corrupting young people-though the truth was that his philosophy was directed towards bridling, not inflaming, their passions-and sentenced to die by drinking the poisonous hemlock cup? This has left an indelible stain on the reputation of Athenian justice, because even today the best philosophers, those who aspire to the highest form of human happiness, regard his system as the most truly religious of all and swear by his name.
Forgive this outburst! I can hear my readers protesting: 'Hey, what's all this about? Are we going to let an ass lecture us in philosophy?' Yes, I dare say I had best return to my story.
As I was saying, Paris gave his verdict. Then Juno and Minerva retired from the scene, Juno in sorrow, Minerva in rage, each of them expressing in dumb-show her indignation at not having been awarded the prize. But Venus danced for delight, with the support of all her attendants. Then a fountain of wine, mixed with saffron, broke out from a concealed pipe at the mountain top and its many jets sprinkled the pasturing goats with a scented shower, so that their white hair was stained the rich yellow traditionally associated with the flocks that feed on Mount Ida. The scent filled the whole amphitheatre; and then the stage machinery was set in motion, the earth seemed to gape and the mountain disappeared from view.
After this, a soldier ran along the main aisle and out of the theatre to fetch the murderess who, though condemned (as I have already explained) to be eaten by wild beasts, was destined first to become my glorious bride. Our marriage bed, inlaid with fine Indian tortoiseshell, was already in position, and provided with a luxurious feather mattress and an embroidered Chinese coverlet. I was not only appalled at the disgraceful part that I was expected to play: I was in terror of death. It occurred to me that when she and I were locked in what was supposed to be a passionate embrace and the wild beast, whose part in the drama would be to eat her, came bounding into our bridal cage, I could not count on the creature's being so naturally sagacious, or so well trained, or so abstemious, as to tear her to pieces as she cuddled close to me, but leave me alone.
While Thyasus was busy inside the cage putting the last touches to the bed, and the rest of his household staff were either admiring the voluptuousness of the scene or getting things ready for the hunting display which was to follow our interlude, I planned an escape. I had such a reputation for tameness and gentleness that nobody was keeping an eye on me. I edged towards the outer gate, which was quite near. Once outside I bolted off at top speed and went six miles at full gallop until I found myself at Cenchreae, the most famous of all Corinthian boroughs, which is washed on one side by the Aegean Sea and on the other by the waters of the Gulf of Corinth.
Cenchreae has a safe harbour and is always crowded with visitors, but I wanted to keep away from people. I went to a secluded beach and stretched my tired body in a hollow of the sand, close to where the waves were breaking in spray. It was evening. The chariot of the sun was at the point of ending its day's course across the sky; so I too resigned myself to rest, and was presently overcome by a sweet, sound sleep.
***
Not long afterwards I awoke in sudden terror. A dazzling full moon was rising from the sea. It is at this secret hour that the Moon-goddess, sole sovereign of mankind, is possessed of her greatest power and majesty. She is the shining deity by whose divine influence not only all beasts, wild and tame, but all inanimate things as well, are invigorated; whose ebbs and flows control the rhythm of all bodies whatsoever, whether in the air, on earth, or below the sea. Of this I was well aware, and therefore resolved to address the visible image of the goddess, imploring her help; for Fortune seemed at last to have made up her mind that I had suffered enough and to be offering me a hope of release.
Jumping up and shaking off my drowsiness, I went down to the sea to purify myself by bathing in it. Seven times I dipped my head under the waves-seven, according to the divine philosopher Pythagoras, is a number that suits all religious occasions-and with joyful eagerness, though tears were running down my hairy face, I offered this soundless prayer to the supreme Goddess:
'Blessed Queen of Heaven, whether you are pleased to be known as Ceres, the original harvest mother who in joy at the finding of your lost daughter Proserpine abolished the rude acorn diet of our forefathers and gave them bread raised from the fertile soil of Eleusis; or whether as celestial Venus, now adored at sea-girt Paphos, who at the time of the first Creation coupled the sexes in mutual love and so contrived that man should continue to propagate his kind for ever; or whether as Artemis, the physician sister of Phoebus Apollo, reliever of the birth pangs of women, and now adored in the ancient shrine at Ephesus; or whether as dread Proserpine to whom the owl cries at night, whose triple face is potent against the malice of ghosts, keeping them imprisoned below earth; you who wander through many sacred groves and are propitiated with many different rites-you whose womanly light illumines the walls of every city, whose misty radiance nurses the happy seeds under the soil, you who control the wandering course of the sun and the very power of his rays-I beseech you, by whatever name, in whatever aspect, with whatever ceremonies you deign to be invoked, have mercy on me in my extreme distress, restore my shattered fortune, grant me repose and peace after this long sequence of miseries. End my sufferings and perils, rid me of this hateful four-footed disguise, return me to my family, make me Lucius once more. But if I have offended some god of unappeasable cruelty who is bent on making life impossible for me, at least grant me one sure gift, the gift of death.'
When I had finished my prayer and poured out the full bitterness of my oppressed heart, I returned to my sandy hollow, where once more sleep overcame me. I had scarcely closed my eyes before the apparition of a woman began to rise from the middle of the sea with so lovely a face that the gods themselves would have fallen down in adoration of it. First the head, then the whole shining body gradually emerged and stood before me poised on the surface of the waves. Yes, I will try to describe this transcendent vision, for though human speech is poor and limited, the Goddess herself will perhaps inspire me with poetic imagery sufficient to convey some slight inkling of what I saw.
Her long thick hair fell in tapering ringlets on her lovely neck, and was crowned with an intricate chaplet in which was woven every kind of flower. Just above her brow shone a round disc, like a mirror, or like the bright face of the moon, which told me who she was. Vipers rising from the left-hand and right-hand partings of her hair supported this disc, with ears of corn bristling beside them. Her many-coloured robe was of finest linen; part was glistening white, part crocus-yellow, part glowing red and along the entire hem a woven bordure of flowers and fruit clung swaying in the breeze.[8] But what caught and held my eye more than anything else was the deep black lustre of her mantle. She wore it slung across her body from the right hip to the left shoulder, where it was caught in a knot resembling the boss of a shield; but part of it hung in innumerable folds, the tasselled fringe quivering. It was embroidered with glittering stars on the hem and everywhere else, and in the middle beamed a full and fiery moon.
In her right hand she held a bronze rattle, of the sort used to frighten away the God of the Sirocco; its narrow rim was curved like a sword-belt and three little rods, which sang shrilly when she shook the handle, passed horizontally through it. A boat-shaped gold dish hung from her left hand, and along the upper surface of the handle writhed an asp with puffed throat and head raised ready to strike. On her divine feet were slippers of palm leaves, the emblem of victory.
All the perfumes of Arabia floated into my nostrils as the Goddess deigned to address me: 'You see me here, Lucius, in answer to your prayer. I am Nature, the universal Mother, mistress of all the elements, primordial child of time, sovereign of all things spiritual, queen of the dead, queen also of the immortals, the single manifestation of all gods and goddesses that are. My nod governs the shining heights of Heaven, the wholesome sea-breezes, the lamentable silences of the world below. Though I am worshipped in many aspects, known by countless names, and propitiated with all manner of different rites, yet the whole round earth venerates me. The primeval Phrygians call me Pessinuntica, Mother of the gods; the Athenians, sprung from their own soil, call me Cecropian Artemis; for the islanders of Cyprus I am Paphian Aphrodite; for the archers of Crete I am Dictynna; for the trilingual Sicilians, Stygian Proserpine; and for the Eleusinians their ancient Mother of the Corn.
'Some know me as Juno, some as Bellona of the Battles; others as Hecate, others again as Rhamnubia, but both races of Aethiopians, whose lands the morning sun first shines upon, and the Egyptians who excel in ancient learning and worship me with ceremonies proper to my godhead, call me by my true name, namely, Queen Isis. I have come in pity of your plight, I have come to favour and aid you. Weep no more, lament no longer; the hour of deliverance, shone over by my watchful light, is at hand.
'Listen attentively to my orders.
'The eternal laws of religion devote to my worship the day born from this night. Tomorrow my priests offer me the first-fruits of the new sailing season by dedicating a ship to me: for at this season the storms of winter lose their force, the leaping waves subside and the sea becomes navigable once more. You must wait for this sacred ceremony, with a mind that is neither anxious for the future nor clouded with profane thoughts; and I shall order the High Priest to carry a garland of roses in my procession, tied to the rattle which he carries in his right hand. Do not hesitate, push the crowd aside, join the procession with confidence in my grace. Then come close up to the High Priest as if you wished to kiss his hand, gently pluck the roses with your mouth and you will immediately slough off the hide of what has always been for me the most hateful beast in the universe.
'Above all, have faith: do not think that my commands are hard to obey. For at this very moment, while I am speaking to you here, I am also giving complementary instructions to my sleeping High Priest; and tomorrow, at my commandment, the dense crowds of people will make way for you. I promise you that in the joy and laughter of the festival nobody will either view your ugly shape with abhorrence or dare to put a sinister interpretation on your sudden return to human shape. Only remember, and keep these words of mine locked tight in your heart, that from now onwards until the very last day of your life you are dedicated to my service. It is only right that you should devote your whole life to the Goddess who makes you a man again. Under my protection you will be happy and famous, and when at the destined end of your life you descend to the land of ghosts, there too in the subterrene hemisphere you shall have frequent occasion to adore me. From the Elysian fields you will see me as queen of the profound Stygian realm, shining through the darkness of Acheron with a light as kindly and tender as I show you now. Further, if you are found to deserve my divine protection by careful obedience to the ordinances of my religion and by perfect chastity, you will become aware that I, and I alone, have power to prolong your life beyond the limits appointed by destiny.'
With this, the vision of the invincible Goddess faded and dissolved.
聚合中文网 阅读好时光 www.juhezwn.com
小提示:漏章、缺章、错字过多试试导航栏右上角的源