The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions - Alex Gendler

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 潘 可儿

A woman in rags emerged from the swamp flanked by seven giant scorpions.

一名穿著破爛的女子從沼澤浮現，

身邊跟著七隻巨大的蠍子。

Carrying a baby, she headed for the nearest village to beg for food.

她抱著嬰兒去最近的村落乞討食物。

She approached a magnificent mansion,

她走近一所堂皇的宅第，

but the mistress of the house took one look at her grimy clothes

但房子的女主人 看了一眼她骯髒的衣服

and unusual companions and slammed the door in her face.

和不尋常的夥伴之後， 就當著她的面猛地把門關上。

So she continued down the road until she came to a cottage.

她繼續上路，來到了一間農舍。

The woman there took pity on the stranger and offered her what she could:

農舍裏的女子很同情這名陌生人， 並盡自己所能給她提供了

a simple meal and a bed of straw.

一頓簡單的飯菜和一床稻草。

Her guest was no ordinary beggar.

她的訪客並不是一般的乞丐。

She was Isis, the most powerful goddess in Egypt.

她是愛希斯，埃及最強大的女神。

Isis was in hiding from her brother Set,

愛希斯在躲她的弟弟賽特，

who murdered her husband and wanted to murder her infant son, Horus.

賽特殺害了她的丈夫， 且還想要殺害她年幼的兒子荷魯斯。

Set was also a powerful god, and he was looking for them.

賽特也是很強大的神， 他正在尋找這對母子。

So to keep her cover, Isis had to be very discreet—

為了做好掩護， 愛希斯必須非常低調——

she couldn’t risk using her powers.

她不能冒險使用她的力量。

But she was not without aid.

但她並非完全無助。

Serket, goddess of venomous creatures,

塞爾凱特，掌管有毒生物的女神，

had sent seven of her fiercest servants to guard Isis and her son.

派了七位她手下最兇猛的僕人 來守護愛希斯母子。

As Isis and Horus settled into their humble accommodation,

當愛希斯和荷魯斯 在這簡僕的住處安定下來後，

the scorpions fumed at how the wealthy woman had offended their divine mistress.

那些蠍子對於那位富家女子冒犯 他們神聖的女主人一事感到很生氣。

They all combined their venom and gave it to one of the seven, Tefen.

牠們把毒液結合起來， 交給七隻當中的泰芬。

In the dead of night, Tefen crept over to the mansion.

在夜闌人靜時，泰芬 躡手躡足來到那間宅第。

As he crawled under the door,

牠從門下方爬進去，

he saw the owner’s young son sleeping peacefully

看見屋主的小兒子安穩地沉睡著，

and gave him a mighty sting.

便狠狠地螫了他。

Isis and her hostess were soon awakened by loud wailing.

愛希斯和招待她的女主人 馬上被嚎啕大哭吵醒。

As they peered out of the doorway of the cottage,

她們從小屋的門口看出去，

they saw a mother running through the street,

看到一位母親在街道上跑過，

weeping as she cradled her son.

環抱著她的兒子慟哭。

When Isis recognized the woman who had turned her away,

愛希斯認出這名女子 就是拒絕她的女主人，

she understood what her scorpions had done.

便知道她的蠍子幹了什麼好事。

Isis took the boy in her arms and began to recite a powerful spell:

愛希斯抱起那個男孩，

開始吟誦強大的咒語：

"O poison of Tefen, come out of him and fall upon the ground!

「喔，泰芬的毒，離開他的身體，

落到地面上！

Poison of Befen, advance not, penetrate no farther, come out of him,

泰芬的毒，別再繼續 深入了，離開他的身體，

and fall upon the ground!

落到地面上！

For I am Isis, the great Enchantress, the Speaker of spells.

我是愛希斯， 偉大的女巫，唸咒者。

Fall down, O poison of Mestet! Hasten not, poison of Mestetef!

落下吧，喔，麥斯泰特的毒！

別再加速了，麥斯泰特夫的毒！

Rise not, poison of Petet and Thetet! Approach not, poison of Matet!"

別再加劇了，派泰特和麥斯泰特的毒！

別再靠近了，馬泰特的毒！」

With each name she invoked, that scorpion’s poison was neutralized.

每當她呼喚一個名字， 那隻蠍子的毒就被中和掉。

The child stirred, and his mother wept with gratitude

孩子微微地動了， 他的母親感激落淚，

and lamented her earlier callousness,

並對她自己先前的無情感到後悔，

offering all her wealth to Isis in repentance.

悔恨之餘，提議 要給愛希斯一筆財富。

The woman who had taken Isis in watched in awe—

收容愛希斯的女子敬畏地看著——

she had had no idea who she’d brought under her roof.

她完全不知道自己收容了誰。

And from that day on,

從那天起，

the people learned to make a poultice to treat scorpion bites,

人們學會用用泥敷劑 來治療蠍子咬傷，

speaking magical incantations just as the goddess had.

同時唸著魔法咒文， 就跟女神一樣。