Then Theseus sat down where Scyron had sat，and removing his sandals he placed his feet in an earthenware(earthenware n.土器， 陶器) bowl．The giant crouched to the ground，and tremblingly prepared to obey Theseus command．Theseus lifted on foot from the water；but as the giant bent forward，the youth kicked out with great force，and Scyron，trembling backwards over the cliff，fell headlong into the sea below．The evil tortoise reared its head once more；and when Theseus looked over the edge，the creature was already crawling clumsily(clumsily adv.笨拙地， 粗陋地， 不漂亮地) towards its latest victim．
然后忒修斯坐到斯喀戎曾坐过的地方，脱掉草鞋，把脚放到一个陶盆中，这人蹲在地上，颤抖着准备遵从忒修斯的命令。忒修斯从水中抬走一只脚，但当巨人向前探身的时候，这个年轻人奋力一踢，斯喀戎向后跌落下悬崖，头朝下地摔到下面的海水中。那只邪恶的乌龟再度扬起头；当忒修斯向崖边望去的时候，那乌龟正蠢笨地向它最新的牺牲品爬去。
Theseus adventures were not yet at an end，for shortly afterwards he was called upon to fight with Cercyon the Wrestler，a king who forced all strangers to combat with him，and killed those who were overcome in the struggle．But the youth vanquished Cercyon without difficulty，and travelled peacefully towards the river Cephissus，receiving on his way the hospitality of thankful people．
忒修斯的历险还没有结束，随后不久，他被叫来与角力者刻尔库翁格斗。刻乐库翁是个国王，他迫使所有的陌生人同他格斗，并杀死那些在斗争中被打败的人。但这个年轻人没费吹灰之力便征服了刻尔库翁，安全地向刻索斯河进发，沿途受到感激的人们的殷勤款待。
Near to the banks of the Cephissus lived the giant Procrustes，of whom（as was the case with the other giants）Theseus had heard long before he met him．For men told how Procrustes kept in his cave two iron beds，one very short and the other unusually long．Procrustes was accustomed to invite strangers to spend a night in his cave，and of the guest were tall he would lead him to the shorter bed．There he would force him to lie down，and in order to fit him to the bed he would lop off the lower parts of his limbs．If however the stranger were of short stature，the giant would conduct(conduct n.行为， 操行v.引导， 管理， 为人， 传导) him to the longer bed，and would match his guest to it by stretching and disjointing his body．When Theseus heard of the cruelties of Procrustes，he made his way straight to the little wood where the giant had his dwelling，and as Theseus approached the cave，Procrustes himself came out to meet him．
在刻菲索斯河崖附近居住着巨人普洛克洛斯忒斯。关于他的情况（正如其他的巨人一样）忒修斯早在遇到他之前便听说了。因人们讲述着普洛克洛斯忒斯是如何在他的山洞中存放两张铁床，一张很短，另一张极长。普洛克洛斯总是邀请陌生人到他的山洞中过夜，如果客人身材高大，他就把他带到较短的那张床上。他强迫客人躺在那儿，并且为了使之与床相适，他砍去他四肢的下半部分。如果陌生人身材短小，巨人便引他去较长的那长床，拉紧客人的身体，并从关节处拆散他，使之与床相配。忒修斯听说了普洛克洛斯忒斯的残暴行为，径直向巨人居住的小树林走去。当他走近山洞时，普洛克洛斯忒斯亲自出来迎接他。
“You are welcome，stranger.”said Procrustes．“If you will go with me into my cave you shall find food ready，and a bed to rest you from your travels．”
“欢迎您，陌生人，”普洛克洛斯忒斯说，“如果您同走进山洞，您就会发现现成的食物，还有一张解除您旅途劳顿的床。”
“I shall find two beds.”replied Theseus． “But it is you，not I，who shall rest in them．”Then Theseus raised his club and rushed upon the giant．Procrustes was surprised at so sudden an attack，but he quickly faced the unexected enemy，and in his turn he lifted his club．However，no fight with Theseus could be a long one，and Procrustes soon lay on the ground，entirely at the victors mercy(mercy n.仁慈， 宽恕， 怜悯)．
“我将发现两张床，”忒修斯回答。“但是在上面休息的将是你，而不是我。”随之忒修斯举起铁棒，向巨人冲去。如此突如其来的袭击使普洛克洛斯忒斯大为震惊，但他很快地便迎对这个不速之客，接着就举起他的大棒。然而同忒修斯的争斗，无一是持久的。没多久，普洛克洛斯忒斯就躺在地上任由胜利者处置了。
“Rise up，”commanded Theseus，“and come with me into the cave．”
“起来，”忒修斯命令道，“跟我进山洞。”
Theseus forced the giant into the cave，and stood for a moment gazing grimly at the two beds before him．At the foot of the shorter bed lay two sharp axes，and near the longer bed there were several ropes and pulleys(pulley n.滑车， 滑轮)．
忒修斯强迫巨人走进山洞，严厉地盯着面前的两张床，站了一会儿。在较短的那张床的床脚，有两把锋利的斧头，在较长的床附近有几条绳子和一些滑轮。
“Now，Procrustes，”Theseus said，“you are unusually tall，as all men may see at a glance，so you shall first try the short bed and find for yourself how you like it．When your limbs have been lopped to make you fit one bed，you shall take your turn in the other．I have no doubt that，with the help of these ropes and pulleys，I shall be able to stretch you to a suitable length．”
“现在，普洛克洛斯忒斯，”忒修斯说，“所有的人都有目共睹，你长得极其高大，因此你应先尝试一下短床，对它的感觉如何，自己去发觉。当你的四脚被砍断使你适合这一张床时，你就到另一张床上。我丝毫不怀疑在这些绳索和滑轮的帮助下，我将能把你抻到合适的长度。”
In this way Theseus served the giant Procrustes even worse than the giant had served his many victims．
这样忒修斯以比巨人普洛克洛斯忒斯对待他的许多牺牲品还要残酷的方式处置了他。
But by now the news of Theseus deeds had spread through all the country round，and long before he arrived at Athens the rumour of his exploits had reached even the palace of the king．Aegeus at this time was an unhappy man，for he had fallen under the evil spell of the enchantress Medea—the same whom Jason had carried away in her girlhood from the shores of Colchis．Medea had persuaded Aegeus to marry her，and she hoped by this means to secure the throne of Athens for a child of her own．