古希腊神话故事中英文对照版(2)

　　古希腊神话故事中英文阅读版(二)

　　Apple of Discord 是非之果

　　Athena was the goddess of wisdom, but on one occasion she did a very foolish thing; she entered into competition with Hera and Venus for the prize of beauty. It happened thus: At the wedding party of Peleus and Thetis all the gods were invited with the exception of Eris, or Discord. Enraged at her exclusion, the goddess threw a golden apple among the guests, with the inscription, "For the fairest." Thereupon Hera, Venus, and Athena each claimed the apple. Zeus, not willing to decide in so delicate a matter, sent the goddesses to Mount Ida, where the beautiful shepherd Paris was tending his flocks, and to him was committed the decision.

　　The goddesses accordingly appeared before him. Hera promised him power and riches, Athena glory and renown in war, and Venus the fairest of women for his wife, each attempting to bias his decision in her own favor. Paris decided in favor of Venus and gave her the golden apple, thus making the two other goddesses his enemies.

　　Under the protection of Venus, Paris sailed to Greece, an was hospitably received by Menelaus, king of Sparta. Now Helen, the wife of Menelaus, was the very woman whom Venus had destined for Paris, the fairest of her sex. She had been sought as a bride by numerous suitors, and before her decision was made known, they all, at the suggestion of Ulysses, one of their number, took an oath that they would defend her from all injury and avenge her cause if necessary. She chose Menelaus, and was living with him happily when Paris became their guest. Paris, aided by Venus, persuaded her to elope with him and carried her to Troy, whence arose the famous Trojan war.

　　雅典娜是智慧女神,但她在一个场合下干了一件十分愚蠢的事情：她跟赫拉和维纳斯进行比赛，竞争美女奖。事情的经过是这样的：珀琉斯(Peleus)和忒提斯(Thetis)举行婚礼时邀请了所有的神祇，只有纷争女神厄里斯(Eris)未在被邀者之列。这位女神对此大为恼火，便在宾客中扔下一个刻有“献给最美丽的女神”字样的金苹果。於是，赫拉，维纳斯和雅典娜都认为自己该得到这苹果。宙斯(Zeus)不愿意裁决如此微妙的问题，便叫女神们到美男子牧羊人帕里斯(Paris)放养牧群的伊得山(Mount Ida)，让帕里斯作出决定。

　　女神们来到帕里斯跟前。为了赢得金苹果，赫拉答应帕里斯给他权力和财富，雅典娜答应给他战争中的荣耀和声望，维纳斯答应给他天下最美丽的女子作为他的妻子。三位女神个个都想争取他作出有利於她们的决定。帕里斯看中了维纳斯的礼物，把金苹果给了她，结果令另外两位女神成了他的敌人。

　　帕里斯在维纳斯的保护下来到希腊，斯巴达(Sparta)国王墨涅拉俄斯(Menelaus)热情地接待他。可是墨涅拉俄斯的妻子海伦(Helen)正是维纳斯选中给帕里斯的女子，她是个绝世无双的美人。当年就有无数的求婚者想要她作新娘。在她尚未作出决定以前，在求婚者之一尤里西斯(Ulysses)的建议下，所有来追求她的人宣誓保证他们将保卫她免受一切伤害，并且如有必要将为她报仇雪耻.她看上墨涅拉俄斯，跟他生活得很幸福。可是，帕里斯前来作客时，在维纳斯的帮助下，劝她跟他私奔，把她带到特洛伊(Troy)，从而引起了着名的特洛伊战争。

　　因此 the apple of discord (是非之果) 指的是引起是非的原因。