散文:Danae 達(dá)那厄

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在希臘神話中，許多故事中都涉及到了“預(yù)言”，故事的主人公常常受盡其折磨，而且最后這些預(yù)言往往都應(yīng)驗了。本文也是一篇有關(guān)“預(yù)言”的神話。講述了國王Acrisius為了規(guī)避預(yù)言而監(jiān)禁了自己的女兒Danae，但最后還是沒有改變自己的命運(yùn)。讀到這里，我不禁想：難道預(yù)言真的那么靈驗嗎?如果當(dāng)初Zeus的父親不吞掉他的兒女(Zeus的父親因聽預(yù)言說將來會有一個兒子奪他的權(quán)力而吞掉了所有的孩子，Zeus長大后，向其復(fù)仇，奪取了他的權(quán)力)，從而激起他們的報復(fù)心;如果Acrisius不迫害自己的女兒;“預(yù)言”未必會應(yīng)驗。說到底“預(yù)言”的應(yīng)驗都是當(dāng)事人自己造成的。

In Greek mythology, Danae was the daughter of Acrisius (Acrisius was the king of Argos). As Danae and Acrisius were members of a royal family, it is not surprising that there should be prophecies associated with the future - and indeed, there was a threatening message for this house. According to the prophecy, the son, Danae was destined to bear, would be instrumental in the death of his grandfather, Acrisius.

* prophecy：“預(yù)言”、“預(yù)見能力”等。古代宮廷里一般都有預(yù)言家，他們所做出的prophecy往往會決定皇帝的政策，具有非常大的影響力。看過小說“武則天”的人一定知道那個“唐三代亡，女王昌”的預(yù)言。

* destined：“命中注定的”、“意圖的”的意思。

* instrumental：“有影響的”、“有作用的”等意思。Danae是國王的女兒，當(dāng)時有預(yù)言說她未來的兒子會傷及父親的性命。

In order to prevent this event from taking place, King Acrisius locked his daughter in an inaccessible tower, thereby removing her from contact with any potential suitors. Or so he thought...

* inaccessible：“達(dá)不到的”的意思。

* suitor：“求婚者”的意思。聽到預(yù)言后，Acrisius為防止預(yù)言應(yīng)驗，就把女兒Danae關(guān)進(jìn)一個無人可及的塔里。以防她和任何potential suitors(不為國王所知的求婚者)接觸。

The god Zeus, who always had an eye for female charms, was struck by the beauty of Danae, and desired her. Zeus therefore transformed himself into a shower of gold, and in this form impregnated Danae. The result of this union of human and divine was the great Greek hero Perseus.

* have a eye：“對……有判斷力”。這里指Zeus常常注意有魅力的女人。

* shower：“陣雨”的意思。

* impregnate：“使懷孕”的意思。Zeus為了接近Danae，把自己變成了金雨，并以金雨的形式使Danae懷了孕。

But, of course, the birth of Perseus does not signal the end of this story. In ancient Greece, fate was difficult to elude. However, that did not stop Acrisius from trying anyway, for he sent Danae and the infant Perseus off in an attempt to rid himself of the child who would be the cause of his death. Naturally, both mother and son survived, and Perseus went on to achieve fame as a hero. Eventually, unwittingly he fulfilled the prophecy told before his birth.

* elude：“規(guī)避”、“逃避”。

* unwittingly：“無心的”、“不經(jīng)意的”等意思。在古希臘，命運(yùn)是不可規(guī)避的。盡管無心，Perseus(Danae的兒子)還是使那個預(yù)言應(yīng)驗了。