Love Won by Story—Telling (讲故事赢来的爱情)

王婧雅

    Pomana（波摩娜）was one of the wood—nymphs, and no one excelled her in love of the garden and the culture of fruit. This occupation was her pursuit, her passion; and she was free from that which Venus inspires. But Vertumnus(维尔图姆努斯) loved her. One day he entered her garden in the guise of an old woman(化装成个老妇人), and advised her to accept Vertumnus. She said, “Remember that the gods punish cruelty, and that Venus hates a hard heart, and will visit such offences sooner or later. To prove this, let me tell you a story.
    “Iphis(伊菲斯) was a young man of humble parentage(出身卑贱), who saw and loved Anaxarete(女子名), a noble lady of the ancient family of Teucer(透克，地名). He came a suppliant to her mansion. First he told his passion to her nurse and begged her as she loved her foster-child to favor his suit. And then he tried to win her domestics to his side. Sometimes he committed his vows to written tablets, and often hung at her door garlands which he had moistened with his tears. He stretched himself on her threshold(他匍伏在她的门槛上), and uttered his complaints to the bolts and bars. She mocked and laughed at him, adding cruel words to her ungentle treatment, and gave not the slightest gleam of hope. ”
    “Iphis could not any longer endure the torments of hopeless love, and, standing before her doors, he spoke these last words: Anaxarete, you have conquered, and shall no longer have to bear my importunities. Enjoy your triumph! I die; stony heart, rejoice! Thus he said, and, turning his pale face and weeping eyes towards her mansion, he fastened a rope to the gate post, on which he had often hung garlands, and putting his head into the noose, he murmured: This garland at least will please you, cruel girl!'” As he fell he struck against the gate, and the sound was as the sound of a groan. The servants opened the door and found him dead, and carried him home to his mother. By chance the home of Anaxarete was on the street where the funeral procession passed, and the lamentations of the mourners(送丧的人的哀哀哭泣声) met the ears of her whom the avenging deity had already marked for punishment(怀有报仇雪耻之心的神袛早就命定她为惩处的目标).
    She mounted to a torrent, whence through an open window she looked upon the funeral, scarce had her eyes rested upon the form of Iphis stretched on the bier, when they began to stiffen, and the warm blood in her body to become cold. By degrees all her limbs became stony like her heart. That you may not doubt the fact, the statue still remains, and stands in the temple of Venus at Salamis, in the exact form of the lady. Now think of these things, my dear, and lay aside your scorn and your delays(撇开你的偏见和迟疑) and accept a lover.”
    When Vertumnus had spoken thus, he dropped the disguise of an old woman, and stood before her in his proper person, as a comedy youth. It appeared to her like the sun bursting through a cloud. He would have renewed his entreaties, but there was no need; his arguments and the sight of his true form prevailed, and the Nymph no longer resisted, but owned a mutual flame(承认她心中也燃烧起爱情之火).