Apollo（阿波罗）

王婧雅

Apollo
    Among the crowd of Olympian gods the one most widely admired was Apollo. He was the son of Zeus① and Leto②. According to Greek mythology, Leto was driven by Hera③ from land to land at last Poseidon ④took pity on her and brought the island of Delos（提落岛，位于希腊东南，爱琴海南部） out of water for her to live on. There she gave birth to the twins, Apollo and Artemis⑤.
    Apollo was the sun-god. He wore a purple robe. He usually sat in his bright eastern palace early in the morning and made ready to start his daily journey across the sky. During the day he drove his carriage of gold and ivory(用金子和象牙制成的战车)，and brought light, life and love to the great world below. Late in the afternoon he came to the end of his journey in the far western sea and got on his golden boat to his eastern home.
    Apollo was the god of music and poetry. He could stir up (激发) all feelings. These feelings are expressed in lofty (高贵的) songs. With his lyre of gold (金质里拉，古希腊的一种七弦竖琴) and the sweet accents of his god-like voice he led the choir of the Muses at Olympus. The pleasant music from his lyre was so exciting that stones marched into their places in rhythmic time and of their own will (石头有节奏地，自动地各就其位) when he helped Poseidon build the walls of Troy（特洛伊，小亚细亚的古城）.
    His son ,Orpheus⑥, took over such skill from the father that his lyre moved man and animals alike.
    Apollo stood for youthful and manly beauty. His golden hair, stately manner and air all combined to make him the admiration of the world. A beautiful girl, by the name of Clytie was so fond of his beauty and glory that from dawn to dusk(从黎明到黄昏) she knelt on the ground, her hands outstretched towards the sun-god, and her eyes looked at his golden-wheeled carriage racing across the blue sky. Though her love was not returned, she had never changed her mind about Apollo. The gods were moved at the sad sight, and changed her into a sunflower.

Notes:
① Zeus: 宙斯 the greatest god of the Greek pantheon
② Leto：勒托 one of the female Titanes
③ Hera：赫拉 the greatest of all the Olympian goddesses, Zeus’ wife
④ Poseidon：波塞冬 the god of the sea
⑤ Artemis：阿耳特弥斯 ancient Greek goddess (Roman name Diana) of hunt
⑥ Orpheus：俄尔甫斯 a legendary singer, musician and poet

[ 本帖最后由 王婧雅 于 2008-10-22 15:40 编辑 ]