The Olympin Gods(奥林波斯山神)
Between Macedon and Thessaly of eastern Greece there stood a high mountain．Its
cloudy top rushed into the very heavens．On the top of the mountain，
the home of the gods was bathed in brightness． At Olympus Zeus ruled
as the father of gods and men． Zeus was not a crude ruler by any standards．All
the gods listened to his final words，it was true．But Zeus made them
all sit on a committee of twelve members，including six gods and six
goddesses． The first in the Olympian crowd sat Zeus himself． He was
the overlord of gods and men and the operator of the thunderbolt ．Next
to him was Hera，his proud and greeneyed queen．Poseidon was ruler of
the sea，And Hades，king of the lower world，had no seat in the committee．Apollo
was the god of the sun，music and poetry，while his twinsister Artemis
was the goddess of the moon and the chase． Athena was the goddess of
wisdom and patroness of house holdarts．Hestin，the goddess of the family，represented
home life and family happiness．The frightening Ares was the god of war，and
the charming Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty．The god of fire，Hephaestus，was
the forger of the thunderbolts of Zeus．The wing footed messenger Hermes
was the god of invention and commerce；and the goddess of grains and
harvests，Demeter，looked after agriculture and stood for mother ofcivilization．
All the chief gods mentioned above took human forms of incomparable
beauty and grace． Often moved by human feelings and desires，they frequently
gave way to anger and jealousy．They became involved in ceaseless battles
with the world of man． Among themselves at Olympus they plotted and
struggled for power．In the human world they experienced competitions
and difficulties．They enjoyed earthly friendships and loves．Acrowd of
everlasting gods looked and acted in a perfectly human fashion that
is what all gods at Olympus actually were．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。雅典娜是智慧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。
