8. Ve enus Summary 世界之初,统管大地的盖亚女神与统管天堂的乌拉诺斯结合生下了一批巨 人。后来夫妻反目,盖亚盛怒之下命小儿子克罗诺斯用镰刀割伤其父。乌拉诺斯 身上的男根落入大海,激起泡沫,维纳斯就这样诞生了。据说,古希腊美男子阿 多尼斯( Adonis),身高九尺,如花一般俊美精致的五官,令世间所有人与物, 在他面前都为之失色;但他对恋爱没有丝毫兴趣,只喜欢驰骋于山林之间打猎。 可谁曾想到美貌与优雅的维纳斯邂逅美少年阿多尼斯之后,美神也不得不收起了 傲慢,屈身以求,这正应了那句俗话一一石膏点豆腐,一物降一物 Selected Reading Venus(Aphrodite), playing one day with her boy Cupid(eros), wounded her bosom with one of hi arrows. She pushed him away, but the wound was deeper than she thought. Before it healed she beheld Adonis, and was captivated with him. She no longer took any interest in her favorite resorts ---Paphos, and Cnidos. and Amathos rich in metals. She absented herself even from heaven. for adonis was dearer to her than heaven. Him she followed and bore him col She who used to love to recline in the shade. with care but to cultivate her charms. now rambled thro the woods and over the hills dressed like the huntress Diana; and called her dogs, and chased hares and stags, or other game that it was safe to hunt, but kept clear of the wolves and bears, reeking with the slaughter of the herd. She charged Adonis, too, to beware of such dangerous animals. "Be brave towards to the timid " said she "courage against the courageous is not safe. Be ware how you expose yourself to danger and put my happiness to risk Attack not the beast that Nature has armed with weapons. i do not valt high as to consent to purchase it by such exposure. Your youth, and the beauty that charms Venus. will not touch the hearts of lions and bristly boars. Think of their terrible claws and prodigious' strength! I hate the whole race of them. Do you ask me why? Then she told him the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes, who were changed into lions ingratitude to her Having given him this warning, she mounted her chariot drawn by swans, and drove away through the air. But Adonis was too noble to heed' such counsels the dogs had roused a wild boar from his lair. and
32 8. Venus Summary 世界之初，统管大地的盖亚女神与统管天堂的乌拉诺斯结合生下了一批巨 人。后来夫妻反目，盖亚盛怒之下命小儿子克罗诺斯用镰刀割伤其父。乌拉诺斯 身上的男根落入大海，激起泡沫，维纳斯就这样诞生了。据说，古希腊美男子阿 多尼斯（Adonis），身高九尺，如花一般俊美精致的五官，令世间所有人与物， 在他面前都为之失色；但他对恋爱没有丝毫兴趣，只喜欢驰骋于山林之间打猎。 可谁曾想到美貌与优雅的维纳斯邂逅美少年阿多尼斯之后，美神也不得不收起了 傲慢，屈身以求，这正应了那句俗话——石膏点豆腐，一物降一物。 Selected Reading Venus (Aphrodite), playing one day with her boy Cupid (Eros), wounded her bosom with one of his arrows. She pushed him away, but the wound was deeper than she thought. Before it healed she beheld Adonis, and was captivated1 with him. She no longer took any interest in her favorite resorts2 ---Paphos, and Cnidos, and Amathos, rich in metals. She absented herself even from heaven, for Adonis was dearer to her than heaven. Him she followed and bore him company, She who used to love to recline3 in the shade, with no care but to cultivate her charms, now rambled through the woods and over the hills, dressed like the huntress Diana; and called her dogs, and chased hares and stags, or other game that it was safe to hunt, but kept clear of the wolves and bears, reeking with4 the slaughter of the herd. She charged Adonis, too, to beware of such dangerous animals. “Be brave towards to the timid,” said she, “courage against the courageous is not safe. Be ware how you expose yourself to danger and put my happiness to risk. Attack not the beast that Nature has armed with weapons. I do not value your glory so high as to consent to purchase it by such exposure. Your youth, and the beauty that charms Venus, will not touch the hearts of lions and bristly boars. Think of their terrible claws and prodigious5 strength! I hate the whole race of them. Do you ask me why?” Then she told him the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes6 , who were changed into lions for their ingratitude to her. Having given him this warning, she mounted her chariot drawn by swans, and drove away through the air. But Adonis was too noble to heed7 such counsels. The dogs had roused a wild boar from his lair, and
the youth throw his spear and wounded the animal with sidelong stroke. The beast drew out the weapon with his jaws, and rushed after Adonis, who turned and ran; but the boar overtook him and buried his tusks in his side. and stretched him dying upon the plain enus, in her swan-drawn chariot, had not yet reached Cyprus, when she heard coming up through mid-air the groans of her beloved, and turned her white-winged coursers back to earth. As she drew near and saw from on high his lifeless body bathed in blood, she alighted and, bending over it, beat her breast and tore her hair. Reproachingthe Fates, she said,"Yet theirs shall be but a partial triumph; memorials of my grief shall endure, and the spectacle of your death, my Adonis, and of my lamentation shall be annually renewed. Your blood shall be changed into a flower; that consolation none can envy me. Thus speaking, she sprinkled nectar on the blood; and as they mingled bubbles rose as in a pool on which raindrops fall, and in an hour's time there sprang up a flower of bloody hue like that of the pomegranate. But it is blows the blossoms open, and afterwards blows the petals aw so It Is called Anemone vay which assists equally in its production and its decay. NOTES 迷住、迷惑 2度假胜地 3.躺;靠在;斜倚;倚靠 4染满..、带有 5巨大的、惊人的 6亚特兰大和希波墨涅斯。亚特兰大是伊阿索斯(asus)的公主。伊阿索斯国王想要一个儿子, 所以当亚特兰大出生的时候,他就把她抛弃到山上。一群猎人找到并养育她。在荒野长大的 亚特兰大,成了一名凶猛的猎人,而且每天都过得很快乐。她向狩猎女神阿耳忒弥斯发誓要 做永远的处女。随着亚特兰大渐渐长大,她开始被逼婚。对婚姻没有兴趣的亚特兰大同意和 在一场賽跑中跑赢她的求婚者结婚,输了就得被杀死。条件虽然苛刻,年轻美貌的姑娘的魅 力却更吸引人。前来求婚的人络绎不绝,几乎踏翻了门槛。有一回比赛的时候,连英俊的小 伙子希波墨涅斯也坐在观众席上,大声地嘲笑那些求婚人的愚蠢。可是等到亚特兰大来到他 面前,他也被姑娘的美貌征服了,惊讶得连一句话也说不出来。每次比赛,勇敢的亚特兰大 总是让那些前来求婚的人先跑一程。她满怀信心,稳操胜券,然后像箭一般赶了上去。本次 比赛前,希波涅墨斯来到木桩旁边大声地喊叫起来:“你为什么专门跟体弱无力的人进行比
33 the youth throw his spear and wounded the animal with sidelong stroke8 . The beast drew out the weapon with his jaws, and rushed after Adonis, who turned and ran; but the boar overtook him, and buried his tusks in his side, and stretched him dying upon the plain. Venus, in her swan-drawn chariot, had not yet reached Cyprus, when she heard coming up through mid-air the groans of her beloved, and turned her white-winged coursers9 back to earth. As she drew near and saw from on high his lifeless body bathed in blood, she alighted10 and, bending over it, beat her breast and tore her hair. Reproaching11 the Fates, she said, “Yet theirs shall be but a partial triumph; memorials of my grief shall endure, and the spectacle12 of your death, my Adonis, and of my lamentation shall be annually renewed. Your blood shall be changed into a flower; that consolation13 none can envy me.” Thus speaking, she sprinkled nectar on the blood; and as they mingled bubbles rose as in a pool on which raindrops fall, and in an hour’s time there sprang up a flower of bloody hue like that of the pomegranate14. But it is short-lived. It is said the wind blows the blossoms open, and afterwards blows the petals away; so it is called Anemone15, or Wind Flower, from the cause which assists equally in its production and its decay. NOTES 1.迷住、迷惑 2.度假胜地 3.躺；靠在；斜倚；倚靠 4.染满…、带有… 5.巨大的、惊人的 6.亚特兰大和希波墨涅斯。亚特兰大是伊阿索斯(Iasus)的公主。伊阿索斯国王想要一个儿子， 所以当亚特兰大出生的时候，他就把她抛弃到山上。一群猎人找到并养育她。在荒野长大的 亚特兰大，成了一名凶猛的猎人，而且每天都过得很快乐。她向狩猎女神阿耳忒弥斯发誓要 做永远的处女。随着亚特兰大渐渐长大，她开始被逼婚。对婚姻没有兴趣的亚特兰大同意和 在一场赛跑中跑赢她的求婚者结婚，输了就得被杀死。条件虽然苛刻，年轻美貌的姑娘的魅 力却更吸引人。前来求婚的人络绎不绝，几乎踏翻了门槛。有一回比赛的时候，连英俊的小 伙子希波墨涅斯也坐在观众席上，大声地嘲笑那些求婚人的愚蠢。可是等到亚特兰大来到他 面前，他也被姑娘的美貌征服了，惊讶得连一句话也说不出来。每次比赛，勇敢的亚特兰大 总是让那些前来求婚的人先跑一程。她满怀信心，稳操胜券，然后像箭一般赶了上去。本次 比赛前，希波涅墨斯来到木桩旁边大声地喊叫起来：“你为什么专门跟体弱无力的人进行比
赛?你敢跟我比吗?如果命运眷顾我,让我取得胜利,那么至少不会感到委屈。我叫希波墨 涅斯,麦伽洛宇斯的儿子,海神波塞东的曾孙。要是我输掉了,那么你的荣誉将会更大,因 为你终于战胜了希波墨涅斯。”亚特兰大含情脉脉地看了他一眼,希波墨涅斯是个漂亮的少 年。“你最好放弃跟我比赛,”她说,“你 还年轻,出身尊贵,为人高尚,任何 个姑娘都会愿意嫁给你,让你当她们的 如意郎君。可是,你如果和我比赛奔跑, 我是不会输给你的。那种结局多么可怕 啊!”她紧紧地盯着风流倜傥的小伙子, 还没有意识到,自己的心里早就燃起了 股激烈的爱情。希波墨涅斯悄悄地向 着爱情女神祈祷:“神圣的阿芙罗狄蒂 请仁慈地保佑我吧!”女神听到他的祷 告,飞速地前往塞浦路斯,在一棵神奇 的树上摘下三只金苹果。然后她又不动 声色地来到希波墨涅斯身旁,把苹果交给他。又一轮比赛开始了,喇叭热烈地吹奏起来。希 波墨涅斯一马当先,奔跑在前,周围响起一阵阵热烈的掌声。希波墨涅斯拼尽全力,双腿犹 如生了风一般。可是离终点还有不少路程。亚特兰大紧紧地追近上来。他急忙从口袋里掏出 只阿芙罗狄蒂送交的金苹果,扑地一声扔在地上。亚特兰大吃了一惊,急忙站住,弯下身 子,从地上把金苹果拾了起来。这时候年轻的小伙子已经往前奔跑了很远的路程。当亚特兰 大重新赶上他的时候,他又把第二只苹果扔在跑道上。亚特兰大又抵制不住诱惑。“慈悲的 女神,保佑我取得胜利吧!”希波墨涅斯大声地祷告着,又扔出了第三只金苹果。亚特兰大 犹豫了一会儿,还是弯下腰去拾了起来。希波墨涅斯顺利地到达终点。周围响起一片欢呼声 祝贺他取得了胜利。听说,比赛输掉的亚特兰大丝亳没有不乐意当希波墨涅斯妻子的神情 胜利之后希波墨涅斯忘了答谢阿芙罗狄蒂,她一怒之下就引诱希波墨涅斯夫妇来到西布莉 ( Cybele)神庙亵渎众神之母西布莉(在神庙中激情)。西布莉将这对夫妇变为狮子并让它 们为她驱拉战车,以此作为惩罚 7注意、留心 8侧面一击 9骏马 0落下、落地 11,责备、申斥 12场面、景象 13.安慰、慰藉 14石榴 15.尸体化成一朵火红的秋牡丹。(也有说是银莲花,也有说是红玫瑰。)强烈的爱情使爱神 整天对着秋牡丹流泪。此举感动了冥王哈得斯,哈得斯开恩,允许已入冥国的阿多尼斯在每 年中有6个月回到大地与爱神欢会。后来阿多尼斯成了植物和美之神,每年死而复生,永远 年轻容颜不老。 Questions for review and discussion 1. How did venus come to love Adonis, a mortal youth? 2. Why did venus advise Adonis against attacking wild animals? 3. what did Venus do to commemorate her ill-fated lover?
34 赛？你敢跟我比吗？如果命运眷顾我，让我取得胜利，那么至少不会感到委屈。我叫希波墨 涅斯，麦伽洛宇斯的儿子，海神波塞东的曾孙。要是我输掉了，那么你的荣誉将会更大，因 为你终于战胜了希波墨涅斯。”亚特兰大含情脉脉地看了他一眼，希波墨涅斯是个漂亮的少 年。“你最好放弃跟我比赛，”她说，“你 还年轻，出身尊贵，为人高尚，任何一 个姑娘都会愿意嫁给你，让你当她们的 如意郎君。可是，你如果和我比赛奔跑， 我是不会输给你的。那种结局多么可怕 啊！”她紧紧地盯着风流倜傥的小伙子， 还没有意识到，自己的心里早就燃起了 一股激烈的爱情。希波墨涅斯悄悄地向 着爱情女神祈祷：“神圣的阿芙罗狄蒂， 请仁慈地保佑我吧！”女神听到他的祷 告，飞速地前往塞浦路斯，在一棵神奇 的树上摘下三只金苹果。然后她又不动 声色地来到希波墨涅斯身旁，把苹果交给他。又一轮比赛开始了，喇叭热烈地吹奏起来。希 波墨涅斯一马当先，奔跑在前，周围响起一阵阵热烈的掌声。希波墨涅斯拼尽全力，双腿犹 如生了风一般。可是离终点还有不少路程。亚特兰大紧紧地追近上来。他急忙从口袋里掏出 一只阿芙罗狄蒂送交的金苹果，扑地一声扔在地上。亚特兰大吃了一惊，急忙站住，弯下身 子，从地上把金苹果拾了起来。这时候年轻的小伙子已经往前奔跑了很远的路程。当亚特兰 大重新赶上他的时候，他又把第二只苹果扔在跑道上。亚特兰大又抵制不住诱惑。“慈悲的 女神，保佑我取得胜利吧！”希波墨涅斯大声地祷告着，又扔出了第三只金苹果。亚特兰大 犹豫了一会儿，还是弯下腰去拾了起来。希波墨涅斯顺利地到达终点。周围响起一片欢呼声， 祝贺他取得了胜利。听说，比赛输掉的亚特兰大丝毫没有不乐意当希波墨涅斯妻子的神情。 胜利之后希波墨涅斯忘了答谢阿芙罗狄蒂，她一怒之下就引诱希波墨涅斯夫妇来到西布莉 （Cybele）神庙亵渎众神之母西布莉（在神庙中激情）。西布莉将这对夫妇变为狮子并让它 们为她驱拉战车，以此作为惩罚。 7.注意、留心 8.侧面一击 9.骏马 10.落下、落地 11.责备、申斥 12.场面、景象 13.安慰、慰藉 14.石榴 15.尸体化成一朵火红的秋牡丹。（也有说是银莲花，也有说是红玫瑰。）强烈的爱情使爱神 整天对着秋牡丹流泪。此举感动了冥王哈得斯，哈得斯开恩，允许已入冥国的阿多尼斯在每 年中有 6 个月回到大地与爱神欢会。后来阿多尼斯成了植物和美之神，每年死而复生，永远 年轻容颜不老。 Questions for review and discussion 1. How did Venus come to love Adonis, a mortal youth? 2. Why did Venus advise Adonis against attacking wild animals? 3. What did Venus do to commemorate her ill-fated lover?
4. What is the significance of the Adonis myth?
35 4. What is the significance of the Adonis myth?