书城教材教辅新课标英语学习资源库-忒修斯历险记
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第2章 How Theseus Undertook a Perilous Journey(2)

因此这个年轻人在走了一英里左右之后,看到这个巨人在距他稍远的地方挡路时,丝毫也不感到惊奇。忒修斯只是有准备地握紧宝剑,稳步前进,与此同时,密切地注视着,寻找出击的机会。他走到离巨人仅有几步远的地方才停下来。珀里斐忒斯立即抡动起他那硕大无比的武器;忒修斯跳闪到一旁,铁棒打到了地上,发现雷鸣般的响声,唤起了山谷回音。在巨人再次举起铁棒之前,忒修斯迅速跃起,给了他致命的一击。

“My adventures are well begun.”thought Theseus,as he stepped up to where the giant lay,and removed the club from his dead grasp.“I have now a weapon to help me in my encounters with other enemies.”Saying this he resumed his road and travelled for some time,finding food and shelter where he could.

“我的探险的开端不错,”忒修斯边向巨人躺倒地方走,拿开他死握的铁棒,边想:“现在我有一件武器,这在我遇到别的敌人时,能帮助我。”说着,他又上路了,风餐露宿地旅行了一段时间。

It was not until he approached the Isthmus of Corinth that he found another chance of showing his strength and courage.

直到走近科林斯地峡,他才又发现一个展示他的力量和勇气的机会。

As he journeyed he was met by an old man,who warned him that he must go no forther.“For not far from this place,”said the old man,“the giant Sinis,whom they call the PineBender,lies in wait for you.”

他在旅途中遇到了一位老人,警告他千万不要再前行。“因为在离这儿不远的地方,”老人说,“有个巨人辛尼斯,他们叫他‘扳松人’,正在等候着你。”

“What manner of giant is Sinis ‘the PineBender?’”asked Theseus.

“那个‘扳松人’辛尼斯是个什么样的人?”忒修斯问。

“A very crafty giant indeed.”replied the old man.“When you meet with him you will find him struggling to bend a huge pinetree,and he will call upon you to give him help.After you have helped him to bend the pine so that its top touches the ground,he will ask you if you have a firm hold;and upon your saying that your hold is firm,he will suddenly loosen is own.The pine will shoot upright,you will be flung high into the air,and when you fall you will be dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks below.”

“实在是一个诡计多端的巨人,”老人回答说,“当你碰到他的时候,你会发现他正在努力地扳一颗巨大的松树,他会让你帮忙,你帮他扳树并把这棵松树冠触碰到地面后,他问你是否抓紧了;只要你一回答抓紧了,他就突然松手,松树将垂直弹起,你就被高高地抛到半空。等到跌落下来的时候,你就在下面尖利的岩石上摔得粉身碎骨。”

Theseus smiled on hearing this story,and replied:“I am very glad of your warning.I will be prepared for him.”And the youth had not proceeded very much further when he saw near the pathway this same Sinis,struggling to bend a tall pinetree.Sinis caught sight of Theseus and hailed him.

忒修斯听到这个故事,微微一笑,回答道:“得到您的警告,我很高兴。我会对此做好准备。”这个年轻人没走太远,就看到辛尼斯正站在路旁,努力地扳一棵高大的松树,辛尼斯看到忒修斯,便向他打招呼。

“come quickly and give me your aid,”he shouted,“for I must bend this pine to the ground.”

“快来帮帮我,”他大声地喊,“因为我必须把这棵树扳到地上。”

Theseus came willingly(willingly adv.自动地, 欣然地) enough,and with his help the giant easily bent the great tree,till its topmost pine needles brushed the earth.

忒修斯主动地走过来,巨人在他的帮助下很轻易地就扳到了这棵大树,直到它最上面的松针刷到了泥土。

“Now,have you a firm hold?”enquired Sinis.

“你现在抓紧了吧?”辛尼斯问道。

“Not yet.”replied Theseus.Then,before Sinis knew what was happening,Theseus relinquished his grasp(grasp vt.抓住, 抓紧, 掌握, 领会n.抓住, 抓紧, 掌握).The tree shot quickly upright,and the giant,yelling with terror,was whirled away through the air.Theseus watched him as he came down towards the earth,and saw him strike the rocks some distance away.There he lay still.

“还没有。”忒修斯回答说,随后,在辛尼斯明白发生了什么事之前,忒修斯松开了手。那颗树迅速地竖直弹起,巨人惊恐地大叫着,在空中旋转着摔了出去。当他落向地面的时候,忒斯观看着,看到他摔在远处的岩石上,静静地躺在那里,一动不动了。

As soon as Theseus had satisfied himself that his foe was dead,he resumed his journey.He was now approaching a spot where the Isthmus was narrow,and where the road lay along a perilous(perilous adj.危险的) and rocky ledge.Theseus had heard from travellers that the ledge was guarded by a giant called Scyron,and that every man who approached was ordered to stoop and wash this giants feet.But when the traveller stooped to obey this over the ledge into the seabelow.There,at the base of the cliffcliff n.悬崖, 绝壁,a huge tortoise waited to devour all who met their death in this way.

忒修斯确信敌人已死,就继续旅行。他现在正走近地峡窄小的一处,那里的道路沿着危险、狭窄而多石的崖岸延伸开去。忒修斯曾听旅行的人说这条崖岸由一个叫斯喀戎的巨人把守,这个巨人命令每个走近的人弯腰为他洗脚。但当旅行者弯下腰遵从他的命令时,巨人便用力伸出一只脚,把他猛掷过崖岸扔进下面的大海中。在那儿,在峭崖的底部,有一只巨大乌龟,正等候着吞食所有遭此结局的人。

Theseus was not greatly dismayed when he heard of Scyrons doings.He merely held his fathers sword in readiness,and strode more resolutely resolutely adv.毅然地, 坚决地 forward,till he saw a hairy giant sitting with his great legs sprawled(sprawl n.四肢伸开的躺卧姿势, 蔓生 v.四肢伸开地坐(或卧), 爬行, 蔓生, 蔓延 )across the rocky way.The giant saw Theseus,too,and raised a voice of thunder.

当忒修斯听说斯喀戎的所做所为时,并没有感到很沮丧。他只是握着父亲的宝剑,做好准备,更加坚毅地前行,直到他看到一个浑身是毛的巨人伸开双腿拦坐在多石的道路上。这个巨人也看了看忒修斯,发出雷鸣般的声音。

“Approach no nearer.” he shouted.“No man may pass this way,unless he will first stoop down and wash my feet.”

“不许再走近,”他喊道,“没有能通过这条路,除非他先弯下腰给我洗脚。”

Theseus waited till the hills had ceased to echo,and then replied:“That I will not do,so prepare yourself to fight.”

忒修斯等待着,直到山谷停止回音,然后回答说:“那事儿我不做,所以你自己做好准备格斗。”

The giant laughed,and lifted the club at his side.Without taking the trouble to rise to his feet,he faced round to encounter Theseus.But he had no time to deal a bliw;Theseus struck him but once,and he sank dizzily(dizzily adv.头昏眼花地, 使人眼花地) back till his head smote the ground.

巨人笑了起来,举起身旁的大棒。他甚至连站都没站起来,便转过脸来迎对忒修斯。可是他根本没来得及发动攻势,忒修斯只一击,他便向后昏倒,头重重地撞到地上。

“Spare my life,”he wailed,“and I will ask nothing from you.You shall pass by this place in peace.”

“饶命啊,”他哭嚎道,“我不要你任何东西。你将平安地通过这个地方。”

Theseus stepped to the edge of the cliff,and looking down,he saw the great tortoise rearing its head against the rocky sides,as if it would snatch its victims in midair(midair n.半空中).

忒修斯走到悬崖旁,俯瞰下方,看见那只大乌龟把头举向岩石边,仿佛要在半空中攫取它的牺牲品。

“I will not pass this place,”replied Theseus,“until you yourself have done what you would have had me do,and stooped before me to wash my feet.”

忒修斯回答:“直到你自己做完你让我做事情之后,我才通过这个地方。在我面前弯下腰,给我洗脚。”