[希臘神話]阿特拉斯和珀爾修斯

Atlas and Perseus

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After the killing of Medusa，Perseus，carrying her head with him，flew far and wide，over land and sea．As night came on，he reached the western limit of the earth ，where the sun goes down．Here he would gladly have rested till morning．It was the kingdom of King Atlas，who was bigger than all other men．He was rich in flocks and herds and had no neighbor or rival to invade his country．But his chiefpride was in his gardens，whose fruit was of gold，hanging fromg olden branches，half hid with golden leaves．Perseus said tohim，“I come as a guest．I claim Zeus for my father and I killedMedusa．I seek rest and food．”But Atlas remembered that anancient prophecy had warned him that a son of Zeus should one day rob him of his golden
apples ．So he answered，“Go away！Or neither your false claims of glory or parentage shall protect you” ；and he attempted to drive him out．Perseus，finding thegiant too strong for him，said，“Since you value my friendship solittle，please accept a gift”；and turning his face away，he heldup Medusa's head．Atlas was changed into stone．His beard and hair became forests，his arms and shoulders cliffs，his head asummit，and his bones rocks．Each part increased till he becamea mountain，and（such was the pleasure of the gods）heaven with all its stars rests upon his shoulders．

珀爾修斯殺死墨杜薩之後，提着她的腦袋翻山越海四處飛行。夜晚降臨時，他來到日落之處，地球的最西端。他很想在這裏休息過夜。這是阿特拉斯國王的王國。阿特拉斯長得五大三粗，天下無雙。他擁有成羣的牛羊，沒有來自鄰幫或敵人的侵犯。不過，他最引以自豪的是他的果園。那兒在金葉的虛掩下，金樹枝上掛滿了金蘋果。珀爾修斯對阿特拉斯說，“我是來作客的。我的父親是宙斯，我殺死了墨杜薩。我來是想找個休息的地方和充飢的食物”。然而，阿特拉斯想起古時候的預言說過，有一天，宙斯的一個兒子將奪走他的金蘋果。於是，他回答道：“走開！你自吹自擂的光榮業績和高貴血統一類謊話都救不了你的命”。說着，阿特拉斯便動手想把珀爾修斯趕出去。珀爾修斯發現巨人力大無比，他對付不了，便說：“既然你看不起我對你的友誼，那就請你勉爲其難，接受我的禮物吧”。他轉過臉去，高舉起墨杜薩的腦袋。阿特拉斯頃刻間化成了石頭。他的鬍鬚和頭髮變成樹林；雙臂和肩膀變成了峭壁；頭成了山頂；骨頭成了岩石。他身體的每個部分都不斷膨脹，終於成了一座大山。根據神祗的心願，天體及其羣星落在他肩頭，由他來揹負。