The Olympin Gods 奥林波斯山神

TheOlympinGods

BetweenMacedonandThessalyofeasternGreecetherestoodahighmountain.Itscloudytoprushedintotheveryheavens.Onthetopofthemountain,thehomeofthegodswasbathedinbrightness.AtOlympusZeusruledasthefatherofgodsandmen.Zeuswasnotacruderulerbyanystandards.Allthegodslistenedtohisfinalwords,itwastrue.ButZeusmadethemallsitonacommitteeoftwelvemembers,includingsixgodsandsixgoddesses.ThefirstintheOlympiancrowdsatZeushimself.Hewastheoverlordofgodsandmenandtheoperatorofthethunderbolt.NexttohimwasHera,hisproudandgreeneyedqueen.Poseidonwasrulerofthesea,AndHades,kingofthelowerworld,hadnoseatinthecommittee.Apollowasthegodofthesun,musicandpoetry,whilehistwinsisterArtemiswasthegoddessofthemoonandthechase.Athenawasthegoddessofwisdomandpatronessofhouseholdarts.Hestin,thegoddessofthefamily,representedhomelifeandfamilyhappiness.ThefrighteningAreswasthegodofwar,andthecharmingAphroditethegoddessofloveandbeauty.Thegodoffire,Hephaestus,wastheforgerofthethunderboltsofZeus.ThewingfootedmessengerHermeswasthegodofinventionandcommerce;andthegoddessofgrainsandharvests,Demeter,lookedafteragricultureandstoodformotherofcivilization.

Allthechiefgodsmentionedabovetookhumanformsofincomparablebeautyandgrace.Oftenmovedbyhumanfeelingsanddesires,theyfrequentlygavewaytoangerandjealousy.Theybecameinvolvedinceaselessbattleswiththeworldofman.AmongthemselvesatOlympustheyplottedandstruggledforpower.Inthehumanworldtheyexperiencedcompetitionsanddifficulties.Theyenjoyedearthlyfriendshipsandloves.AcrowdofeverlastinggodslookedandactedinaperfectlyhumanfashionthatiswhatallgodsatOlympusactuallywere.

奥林波斯山神

在马其顿和希腊东部的色萨利之间矗立着一座高山.大雾弥漫的山顶直插云霄.山顶上,众神们的家园沐浴在阳光之中.宙斯作为山神和人类之父主宰着那里的一切.总的说来,宙斯并不是一个独裁统治者.但毫无疑问,凡事山神们都要听从他的命令.宙斯将男女山神12人组成一个委员会,宙斯本人则坐第一把交椅,是众神与人类的太上皇,也是雷电的操纵者.他旁边是他那傲慢且嫉妒的皇后赫拉.波塞冬是大海的统治者.哈得斯是主宰阴间的冥王,他在委员会中没有席位.阿波罗是太阳神、音乐和诗神.他的孪生姐妹阿耳特弥斯是月亮和狩猎女神.雅典娜是智能女神和家居艺术品的守护女神.赫提斯是家室之神,象征着家庭中的生命与幸福.气势汹汹的阿瑞斯是战神.媚人的阿芙罗狄蒂是爱与美神.火神赫菲斯托斯是宙斯雷电的创造者.以翅代步的信使海尔墨斯掌管商业与发明事务.谷物与丰收女神得墨特尔负责管理农业,她是文明之母.

以上所提到的主要天神们都假装成凡人的样子,他们的美丽与魅力无可匹敌.因常受到凡人情感与愿望的感染,他们不时地勃然大怒,妒嫉别人.他们卷入与人类世界无休止的争斗中.在奥林波斯,他们之间也充满了阴谋与权力之争.在凡人的世界里,他们经历了敌对与挫折.他们珍惜人间的爱与友善.这群长生不老的天神们的外表与行为完全符合人间的方式.这就是奥林波斯山神们的本来面目.