In the Odyssey，Menelaus relates to Telemachus that he had been becalmed here on his journey home from the Trojan War.He learned from Proteu's daughter，Eidothea that if he could capture her father，he could force him to reveal which of the gods he had offended，and how he could propitiate them and return home.Menelaus was successful in holding him，though Proteus took the forms of a lion，a serpent，a leopard，a pig，even of water or a tree.Proteus then answered truthfully，further informing Menelaus that his brother Agamemnon had been murdered on his return home，that Ajax，the Lesser，had been shipwrecked and killed，and that Odysseus was stranded on Calypso's Isle Ogygia.
17.纳鲁斯和普罗透斯
在希腊神话中，纳鲁斯是普罗透斯和盖娅的大儿子。纳鲁斯是人们熟知的“海中的老人”。他代表了海水友善的一面。他和50个可爱的女儿一起生活在海中。他曾经协助赫拉克勒斯寻找金苹果，因为不管他如何变化，赫拉克勒斯还是能抓住他。
Nereus and Proteus 纳鲁斯和普罗透斯
普罗透斯是海上野兽的驯牧者，他有两个非凡的能力：预言和变换外形。他能预知未来，但是当被迫预言未来时，他会改变自己的样子来躲避，所以他只回答有能力逮住他的人的问题。
在《奥德赛》的一个场景中，墨涅拉奥斯向忒勒玛科斯讲述了他从特洛伊回程中船被迫停滞在岛上的故事。他从普罗透斯的女儿埃多泰娅口中得知，如果他能够抓到她的父亲，就能够迫使他透露出自己触怒哪位神，并且还可以知道如何才能求得他们的原谅并顺利回家。尽管普罗透斯变成了狮子、蛇、豹、猪、甚至树和流水，但是墨涅拉奥斯还是成功地逮住了这个善变的神灵。然后普罗透斯老老实实地回答了他的问题，还预言他的兄弟阿伽门农将在回家时被妻子的情夫埃吉斯托斯谋害；小埃阿斯遇上了海难已经身亡；而奥德修斯则搁浅在了卡吕普索的岛上。
单词短语透视
1.aspect[?spekt]n.方面
例句 Which aspects of the job do you most enjoy？
你最喜欢这工作的哪方面？
2.beneath[b?ni?θ]prep.在……下面
例句 The boat sank beneath the waves.小船淹没在浪涛中。
3.manage to 达成，设法
例句 How do you manage to run 5 miles a day without fail？
你是如何设法不间断地每天跑五英里的？
4.prophecy[pr?f?s?]n.预言（能力）
例句 He seemed to have the gift of prophecy.
他似乎有预言的天赋。
5.various[ve?r??s]adj.不同种类的；各种各样的
例句 Their hobbies are various.
他们的业余爱好五花八门。
6.avoid[?v??d]v.避开，躲避
例句 I just avoided running over the cat.我差一点儿轧着猫。
7.be capable of 有做某事所必要的能力或力量
例句 Show me what you are capable of.让我看看你有什么本事。
8.capture[k?pt??]v.俘虏，捕获
例句 The police captured an escaped convict.
警察捉拿到了一位逃犯。
9.relate to 叙述（事实、经历等）
例句 She related to them how it happened.
她给他们讲那事发生的经过。
10.becalmed[b?kɑ?md]adj.指帆船（因无风）不能航行
例句 The ship was becalmed for three days.船因无风停航三天。
12.reveal[r?vi?l]v.使（事实等）显露出来；透露；泄露；揭露
例句 I cant reveal who told me.我不能透露是谁告诉我的。
13.propitiate[pr?p???e?t]v.求得（某人）原谅；（尤指）哄（某人）息怒
例句 They offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods.
他们供奉祭品以求神息怒。
14.leopard[lep?d]n.豹，美洲豹
例句 A leopard was lurking in the jungle.有一只豹躲藏在丛林中。
16.inform[?nf??m]v.通知或报告某人（某事）；告诉某人
例句 Some money is missing.Have you informed the police？
有些钱不见了，你报告警方了吗？
17.shipwreck[??prek]n.遇难船，海难
例句 He died in a shipwreck off the south coast.
他在南部海岸一带发生的海难中死亡。
18.strand[str?nd]v.使（某物）留在岸上无法返回海中；使搁浅
例句 There was a whale stranded by the high tide.
被海潮冲到岸上搁浅的鲸鱼。
神话背后的习语
change like Proteus 像普罗透斯一样变幻无常；变幻莫测
在希腊神话中，Proteus普罗透斯是变幻无常的海神，因此在现代英语里，普罗透斯（Proteus）表示“千变万化、无从捉摸”，"change like Proteus"表示“变幻莫测”。
例句 The social situation is changing like Proteus，thus we need more knowledge to cope with all its problems.社会形势千变万化，所以我们需要更多的知识来应付种种难题。
One's feeling is bound to change like Proteus when one's circumstances are changing rapidly.当一个人所处的环境迅速改变时，他的情绪也一定会发生很大变化。
18.Ajax（the Great）
Ajax was the son of Telamon of Salamis.He was one of the heroes who fought for Greece in the battle of Troy.He was known for his size and strength.So he was also called Ajax the Great.
When Achilles died，killed by Paris with help from Apollo，Ajax and Odysseus were the heroes who fought against the Trojans to get the body.Ajax，with his great shield and spear，managed to drive off the Trojans，while Odysseus pulled the body to his chariot，and rode away with it to safety.Then they buried it next to his cousin，Patroclus.
The two both claimed Achilles armor as a reward for the accomplishment.The armor was held on Mount Olympus while Ajax and Odysseus held an oral competition to determine who would win the armor.Odysseus managed to convince the gods that he was more deserving and was awarded the armor.Ajax thought it should go to him.He went mad and tried to kill his comrades.
Ajax（the Great）埃阿斯
Athena intervened and clouded his mind and vision.He went to a flock of sheep and slaughtered them，imagining they were the Achaean leaders，including Odysseus and Agamemnon.When he came to his senses，covered in blood，and realized that what he has done has diminished his honor，and he decided that he preferred to kill himself rather than live in shame.Then he fell on his own sword and ended his life.
18.埃阿斯（巨人）
埃阿斯是萨拉米斯城忒拉蒙的儿子。他是希腊人在特洛伊战争中的英雄之一。他因自己的身高和力气而出名，所以也被叫做巨人埃阿斯。
当阿基里斯被特洛伊王子——帕里斯在阿波罗的帮助下杀死后，埃阿斯和奥德修斯两位英雄为了夺回阿基里斯的遗体而与特洛伊人对峙。埃阿斯用盾牌和戟成功地击退了特洛伊人，而奥德修斯则拖着遗体回到他的战车上，驾着车逃到安全的地方。他们将阿基里斯埋葬在其堂兄——普特洛克勒斯的墓旁。
事后他们俩人都要求得到阿基里斯的盔甲以作为立功的奖励。盔甲放在奥林匹斯山上，而埃阿斯和奥德修斯进行了口头辩论来决定谁赢得盔甲。奥德修斯成功地说服了众神，让他们信服自己最值得拥有盔甲，于是盔甲被判给了他。埃阿斯则认为得到盔甲的人应该是他，他变得异常激动，试图杀掉他的战友们。
雅典娜干涉了进来，让他的头脑和视觉变得模糊不清。他走向一群绵羊，把绵羊群错当成了包括奥德修斯和阿伽门农在内的希腊人的领导们，于是埃阿斯屠宰了它们。当他恢复了意识，看到自己满身鲜血后，他意识到自己的所作所为严重影响了自己的荣誉，他宁愿自杀也不愿意蒙羞而活。于是他倒在自己的宝剑下，结束了自己的生命。
单词短语透视
1.fight against 与（某人、某国）打仗
例句 In World War Ⅱ，Britain fought against Germany.
第二次世界大战中，英国对德国作战。
2.body[b?d?]n.死尸；尸体
例句 His body was brought back to England for burial.
他的遗体已运回英国埋葬。
3.shield[?i?ld]n.盾
例句 He moved his shield quickly，and the sword glanced off.
他迅速移动盾牌，于是剑掠过了盾牌。
4.drive off 击退
例句 They have driven off a major force.
他们已经击退了一支主力。
5.claim[kle?m]n.要求或索要（某事物）（应得的权利或财物）
例句 After the Dukes death，his eldest son claimed the title.
公爵死后，其长子要求继承爵位。
6.armor[ɑ?m?（r）]n.盔甲；铁甲
例句 The knight was completely clad in armor.
那位骑士全身披挂盔甲。
7.accomplishment[?k?mpl??m?nt]n.成就；成绩
例句 For a novelist，thats quite an accomplishment.
对于一个小说家来说，那是一个了不起的成就。
8.determine[d?t??m?n]v.确定（某事物）；决定
例句 She will determine how it is to be done.
她会决定这件事的做法。
9.convince[k?nv?ns]v.说服
例句 What convinced you to vote for them？
究竟是什么说服了你，使得你愿意投他们的票？
