Ancient Greek Myths - 31. Arethusa

31  Arethusa

Arethusa was once a fairy maiden huntress．She carriedbow and arrows for Artemis in her hunting．She was sodevoted to her work that she cared for neither admirationnor love．One sunny summer day，she felt hot and found a coolstream quite attractive．She jumped into the delightful streamand happily started swimming．Presently she heard a bubbling in the stream and was surprised to find it was the thunderingvoice of the rivergod Alpheus．The maiden made for the shore and，fully naked，started running away．Taking a human form，the river-god followed closely in pursuit ．Onward they spedover hill and valley，across dark heights and over broad plains，until the waters of the western sea lay stretched out right before them ．Helplessly the exhausted Arethusa cried to her patronessfor help．Artemis instantly cast a cloud over her body，but the pigheaded Alpheus was not to be tricked．Then a cold sweatbroke from the maiden's arms and legs．The drops of water fellfrom all over her body．She had been turned into a spring！Alpheus recognized her new form and presently took his formershape to join with Arethusa and enjoy her company．Artemisthen broke the ground and Arethusa sank down and flowed all the way through the under world from Southern Greece to Sicily ．She rose up again at Syracuse，only to find that therivergod had endured the darkness of the lower world andturned up as a stream as well．Mixing his waves with hers，hegained her love in the end．

31 阿瑞塞莎

阿瑞塞莎是位迷人的仙女猎人。每逢阿耳特弥斯打猎时，她负责携带弓箭。她对工作专心致志，既不考虑赞美也不顾及爱情。一个炎热的夏日，她感到很热，便找到一条凉爽的溪流，深感惬意。她跳入令人愉快的溪水中，兴致勃勃地畅游。不一会儿，听到水泡声，她大吃一惊地发现：那是河神（阿耳法斯）发出的闷雷声。仙女向岸边游去，赤身裸体地跑开了。河神便装成凡人的样子在后紧紧地追赶着。他们一直向前飞奔，越过小山，跨过峡谷，翻越大山，掠过广阔的平原，直到西海的水域展现在他们的眼前。绝望中精疲力竭的阿瑞塞莎哭叫着向她的保护神求救。阿耳特弥斯迅速将一层云雾披在仙女的身上。但顽固不化的阿耳法斯并未上当受骗。接着一股冷汗从仙女的肢体上溢出，并且浑身上下淌着水珠，她被变成一眼泉水了。河神认出了泉水就是仙女，他自已马上也变回了原来的模样，以便与仙女同流，享受她的陪伴。阿耳特弥斯只好劈开地面，仙女阿瑞塞莎便一直沉陷下去，穿过阴间，从希腊漂流到西西里岛。最后在锡拉库扎露面，结果发现河神忍受了阴间的黑暗，也变成了一条溪流出现在她面前。他们交汇在一起，他终于得到了她的爱。