登陆注册
5451000000002

第2章

MERC.Jupiter, as I have told you, wishes the dark aid of your cloak for a certain gallant adventure, which a new love affair has furnished him.His custom is not new to you, I believe: often does he neglect the heavens for the earth; and you are not ignorant that this master of the Gods loves to take upon himself the guise of man to woo earthly beauties.He knows a hundred ingenious tricks to entrap the most obdurate.He has felt the darts of Alcmene's eyes;and, whilst Amphitryon, her husband, commands the Theban troops on the plains of Boeotia, Jupiter has taken his form, and assuaged his pains, in the possession of the sweetest of pleasures.The condition of the couple is propitious to his desire: Hymen joined them only a few days ago; and the young warmth of their tender love suggested to Jupiter to have recourse to this fine artifice.His stratagem proved successful in this case; but with many a cherished object a similar disguise would not be of any use: it is not always a sure means of pleasing, to adopt the form, of a husband.

NIGHT.I admire Jupiter, and I cannot imagine all the disguises which come into his head.

MERC.By these means he wishes to taste all sorts of conditions:

that is the act of a God who is not a fool.However mortals may regard him, I should think very meanly of him if he never quitted his redoubtable mien, and were always in the heavens, standing upon his dignity.In my opinion, there is nothing more idiotic than always to be imprisoned in one's grandeur; above all, a lofty rank becomes very inconvenient in the transports of amorous ardour.

Jupiter, no doubt, is a connoisseur in pleasure, and he knows how to descend from the height of his supreme glory.So that he can enter into everything that pleases him, he entirely casts aside himself, and then it is no longer Jupiter who appears.

NIGHT.I could overlook seeing him step down from his sublime stage to that of men, since he wishes to enter into all the transports which their natures can supply, and join in their jests, if, in the changes which take his fancy, he would confine himself to nature.

But I do not think it fitting to see Jupiter as a bull, a serpent, a swan, or what not, and it does not astonish me that it is sometimes talked about.

MERC.Let all the busybodies talk; such changes have their own charms and surpass people's understanding.The God knows what he does in this affair as in everything else: in the movements of their tender passions, animals are not so loutish as one might think.

NIGHT.Let us return to the lady whose favours he enjoys.If, by his stratagem, his pursuit is successful, what more can he wish? What can I do?

MERC.He wishes that you would slacken the pace of your horses, to satisfy the passion of his amorous heart, and so make of a delightful night the longest night of all; that you would give him more time for his transports, and retard the birth of day since it will hasten the return of him whose place he occupies.

NIGHT.Really the employment which the great Jupiter reserves for me is a worthy one! The service he requires of me passes under a very respectable name.

MERC.You are somewhat old-fashioned for a young goddess! Such an employment is not debasing except among people of mean birth.When one has the happiness of belonging to lofty rank, whatever one does is always right and good; things change their names to suit what one may be.

NIGHT.You know more about such matters than I do; I will trust to your enlightened views and accept this employment.

MERC.Come, come, now, Madam Night, a little gently, I beseech you.

The world gives you the reputation of not being so scrupulous.In a hundred different climes you are made the confidant of many gallant adventures; and, if I may speak candidly, we do not owe each other anything.

NIGHT.Let us cease these reproaches and remain what we are.Let us not give men cause to laugh by telling each other the truth.

MERC.Adieu.I am going there to play my part in this business, promptly to strip myself of the form of Mercury and to take in its place the figure of Amphitryon's valet.

NIGHT.I am going to keep station in this hemisphere with my sombre train.

MERC.Good day, Night.

NIGHT.Adieu, Mercury.

(Mercury descends from his cloud to the earth, and Night goes away in her chariot.)

END OF THE PROLOGUE.

同类推荐
  • 往生西方净土瑞应传

    往生西方净土瑞应传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 通玄真经

    通玄真经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 平夷赋

    平夷赋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法相宗章疏

    法相宗章疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 伤寒寻源

    伤寒寻源

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 我和boss大人复合了

    我和boss大人复合了

    王牌特工钱小暖生性洒脱,狂妄不羁,她的座右铭为“今朝有酒今朝醉,明日有忧明日愁”,她引来无数桃花,有人对她说:“为了你我可以放弃全世界。”只可以落花有意流水无情,还有人曾对她说:“钱小暖,你没有心。”却原来,她不是没有心,只不过是没有遇到令她动心的人,当她遇到他,强对上强,究竟是谁降了谁?强强联手,杀小三,灭敌人。可是当一切都真相大白的时候,她还是离开了他,每当午夜梦回,他的耳边都能清晰的想起她撕心裂肺的一句话:“夜北寂尘,你可曾爱过我?”当她重新回归时,他们还能再续前缘吗?
  • 超级拍卖行系统

    超级拍卖行系统

    在仙云大陆,有这么一家拍卖行,它的每一件拍品没人知道来自于哪里,却能引起全大陆的追逐,只要你的金钱足够,它会把你全方位打造成一个傲世大陆的强者“什么?没钱?那去拍卖行后面的那个垃圾堆等着吧“某屌丝“哈哈哈,本座存款三百年,终于拍到了一件拍品”某散修大佬“你说为什么不强抢?好像大陆外几个顶级宗门的老祖还在抢救,还没脱离危险期吧?”某邪恶势力掌门总之,这是一个屌丝穿越异界后靠着系统混吃等死的浪荡故事
  • 矫

    有些人呐,看着表面风光靓丽又是康平郡王府的七小姐。又是中宫皇后嫡亲的长媳。可惜呀,实际上不过是连爹娘都不要的乡下野丫头。可惜呀,只不过是个冷宫皇后不受宠的王爷嫡妻而已。这个世界上,你永远不知道好人多,还是坏人多,或许好人并不那么好,坏人也并不那么坏。就像有些人表面是你爹,可是实际上……就像有些人表面上是家里的幕僚,实际上却是自己的老丈人,这谁能弄的明白?
  • 召唤养成BOSS

    召唤养成BOSS

    世界发生了巨变,所有人都可以转职成为职业者。可以进行打怪升级,就像游戏一样。可是后来慢慢的他们发现。这并不是游戏里的升级。只是一场纪元的劫难。
  • 不纠结不焦虑的正能量励志书系(套装共8册)

    不纠结不焦虑的正能量励志书系(套装共8册)

    《不纠结不焦虑的正能量励志书系(套装共8册)》向读者展示了如何用另一种眼光、另一种态度看待世界,从而让自己的生活更为幸福;从端正说话时的态度、注意说话的表现技巧、发挥肢体语言的作用、扩大自己的知识积累、运用幽默、留心说话的语气、说话的不同对象、说话的场合地点等八个角度,详尽论述了应该如何锻炼和提升自己的口才;从如何提升自己的社交能力、如何展示自己的魅力、如何赢得别人的喜欢、如何彻底打开自己的人际关系这四个角度,全面揭示了社交的技巧和原理;告诉读者如何培养积极心态,以及如何利用自己的积极心态获得各方面的成功等。
  • Black Heart and White Heart

    Black Heart and White Heart

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 萌妃逆天:师父你要hold住

    萌妃逆天:师父你要hold住

    初见时,她是一只被小正太施了魔法的兔子,而他是帅的人神共愤的九尾狐王爷。无法修炼灵力的废物,被姐姐欺压,被亲爹追杀。一道磁性的嗓音拯救于她:“本尊收你为徒,今天起你就是本尊的人了。”朝夕相处,古灵精怪的她渐渐的掠夺了他清心寡欲的心。没想到他清冷的外表下,有着遗落万年的深情。(情节虚构,请勿模仿)
  • 生经

    生经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 珩璜新论

    珩璜新论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 历史的诡计

    历史的诡计

    本书以著名的三十六计为框架,描述历史上的三十六种诡计。每计后的注释,是依据《易经》中阴阳变化之理和古代兵家刚柔、奇正、彼己、主客、劳逸等对立统一关系相互转化的思想写成的。