首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
What did the sailors plan to do to Dionysos?
What did the sailors plan to do to Dionysos?
admin
2009-06-24
42
问题
What did the sailors plan to do to Dionysos?
Many years ago a small elegant sailing boat was making its way slowly under an intense blue Mediterranean sky between the Greek islands of Ikaria and Naxos. The bow, that is, the forward part of the boat, was carved like a fish, or perhaps it was like a dolphin. The sail hung and fluttered in a faint wind and the sailors bent their brown backs over the oars. But all was not as peaceful as it seemed, for these sailors were planning to sell their passenger into slavery. He was obviously wellborn and rich, but what the villainous crew did not realize was that he was Dionysos, the Greek God of Wine and Frenzy.
When Dionysos realized their treachery he began to confound the sailors with magic: he turned their oars into snakes and filled the ship with vines and the sounds of flutes. The terrified sailors dived into the sea to escape this madness and were transformed into dolphins by Nepture, the God of the Sea.
Thus, according to Greek legend, dolphins were originally men, and this explains the friendship felt between man and these animals. This legend can be seen depicted on the Dionysos cup which is still intact although it was made 540 years before the birth of Christ. Indeed, dolphins frequently appear in Greek legends and art, being found on walls and mosaic floors, on coins and statues.
Poseidon, for example, was usually shown with dolphins, which often drew his sea chariot, and it was he, according to legend, who put the dolphin constellation, in the sky where it can be seen in July. He did this out of gratitude to the dolphins for finding him his bride, Amphitrite, who was hiding from him in a sea cave. Later he had further reasons for gratitude to the dolphins since they rescued his son, Taras, from drowning.
To the Greeks, and to the people of the Mediterranean lands where Greek culture spread, the dolphin became a symbol of swiftness, diligence and love. It became a god of protection for voyagers on sea and land, and also for those voyaging into the after life, so that the dead were buried with dolphin tokens in their hands.
In addition to the legends about dolphin there are a number of stories in Greek writings which are probably at least partially true. These stories, told by many people including Aristotle, are the ones that came into such bad repute in the last century. But their stories of dolphins befriending children whom they allowed to ride on their backs, and of life-saying rescues, and human bodies brought to shore by dolphins have been paralleled so accurately, during this century, that we can no longer write off the Greek stories as merely sentimental fables.
Let us look at the stories of rescue first. Taras, the son of the sea god, has already been mentioned, and Telemachos, son of the most famous adventurer of all time, Odysseus, is said to have been rescued in the same way, and for that reason Odysseus had a dolphin emblazoned on his shield and ring.
Arion, a famous poet, musician and singer of his day, who was born on the island of Lesbos in 600 B.C., no doubt knew of these rescues and the legend of Dionysos and the dolphins. Perhaps he merely put them together to make a poem to sing as he accompanied himself on the harp. Certainly his dolphin story bears a striking resemblance to the Dionysos legend, but, who knows, it may be true. Here is the story.
Arion, after a successful tour of Italy and Sicily, and loaded with money and prizes, took a ship for Corinth. He chose a Corinthian ship rather than an Italian one for he trusted the Corinthians more. But evidently sailors were an untrustworthy lot, for very soon they were plotting to kill him and keep his treasures. Arion begged for his life, but they told him that he must either jump overboard or die by his own sword if he wished for a proper burial ashore. As a last favour, Arian pleaded to be allowed to sing, and, dressing himself in all his splendid clothes and weighed down in his riches, he stood in the stern and sang them the "Orthian", a high-pitched song addressed to the gods, and as he finished he leapt fully clothed in the sea.
A dolphin, perhaps attracted by the shrill sounds, took Arian on its back and swam with him to Tainaron at the southern most tip of the Greek mainland. From there Arion made his way overland to Corinth to confront and bring to justice the greedy sailors. As a thank-coffering he placed a small bronze statue of a man on a dolphin in the temple at Tainaron where it was seen 700 years later by Pausanias, the Greek historian.
选项
答案
Merely sentimental fables.
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/4xTd777K
本试题收录于:
公共英语五级笔试题库公共英语(PETS)分类
0
公共英语五级笔试
公共英语(PETS)
相关试题推荐
Itisimpliedinthepassagethatsuperstitiouspracticesstemmedfromsailorsandfishermen’sfearfortheunreliabilityofnat
Itisimpliedinthepassagethatsuperstitiouspracticesstemmedfromsailorsandfishermen’sfearfortheunreliabilityofnat
WhatdidthesailorsplantodotoDionysos?
WhatdidthesailorsplantodotoDionysos?
WhatdidthesailorsplantodotoDionysos?
WhatdidthesailorsplantodotoDionysos?
WhatdidthesailorsplantodotoDionysos?
WhatdidthesailorsplantodotoDionysos?
随机试题
国家与氏族的根本区别何在?
A.Nooneshouldblindhimselftothewell-knownfact.B.Heavyenquirieswitnessthequalityofourproducts.C.Weconfirmcab
下列哪个方剂治疗紫癜血热伤络证作为首选
当分包工程发生安全事故给建设单位造成损失时,关于责任承担的说法,正确的是()。【2011年考试真题】
当一个集团客户授信需求超过一家银行资本余额的15%以上时,应采取风险分散措施。()
(2013年)2013年6月1日,人民法院受理了对甲公司提起的破产申请。根据企业破产法律制度的规定,下列人员中,有资格担任管理人的是()。
运动时的饮水应以_______和_______为原则。
王某系某县国税局的一名公务员,为人热情,也有一定的能力,但工作表现却较差,经常出工不出力。2000年王某在年度考核中被定为不称职,2002年又得到同样的结果。其组织纪律性也较差,经常晚来早走或无故缺勤,仅2000年他就连续泡了15天的病假,还有1个多星期无
举例说明语言的各级结构。
A、Abatcaughttheinsectinmidairandateit.B、Dolphin’sclickingsoundsbouncedoffthefishandbacktoit.C、Apersonhear
最新回复
(
0
)