瑪彭莎是國王伊萬諾斯的獨生女，她高貴優(yōu)雅。從童年起，父親就想將她培養(yǎng)成一位富有青春活力的英雄，不允許她產(chǎn)生一點愛情與婚姻的雜念。為了對付涌入宮殿的求婚男子，國王提出：哪位男人如想得到瑪彭莎，必須在戰(zhàn)車較量中戰(zhàn)勝他。死亡將作為對失敗者的懲罰。國王確信自己能夠勝利，因為他的馬來自阿瑞斯的馬廄。許多年輕的王子就這樣喪了命。
莫塞尼亞的王子伊達斯最后出場。那些王子們的命運并未使他氣餒，因為他有海神波塞冬的支持。海神同意了他的懇求，賜他兩匹快馬，并勸告他一旦贏得競賽，就應(yīng)奪過戰(zhàn)利品并策馬躲避國王的進攻。他按海神的話做了。結(jié)果國王伊萬諾斯失去了女兒——生活中惟一的希望，因而投江自盡。
不久伊達斯和瑪彭莎來到江邊。伊達斯放下情人歇息以恢復(fù)精力。他們在附近一寺廟中過夜。早晨醒來，伊達斯發(fā)現(xiàn)阿波羅將瑪彭莎偷走了。他追趕那長生不老的太陽神，準(zhǔn)備與他的戰(zhàn)斗，為愛情而獻身。阿波羅握著百發(fā)百中的箭，而伊達斯手持短劍迎面而上。決斗即將開始。突然，他們周圍響起了雷電聲。原來是宙斯趕來制止這場不公平的決斗。宙斯讓瑪彭莎作出選擇：要么長生不老，享受永久的榮耀;要么對愛情忠貞不渝，而過一種充滿憂慮和悲傷的凡人的生活。由于怕神對愛情不忠，瑪彭莎謝絕了阿波羅甜蜜的許諾。她選擇了能同甘共苦的人作伴侶。阿波羅垂頭喪氣地走了。伊達斯則感到萬分喜悅。
Marpessa was the only daughter of King Evenus.She was noble and graceful.From her childhood she was trained by her father like a young hero and was not allowed tohave any thought of love and marriage.To deal with the crowdof men who now rushed into his palace，the king proposed that aman have to beat him in a carriage race to win his daughter. Death would be the penalty for the loser . The king was sure of his victory，for his horses came from Ares’ stables . Manyyoung princes lost their lives.
Last came Idas，prince of Messenia. He was not discouragedby the fate of those men，because he had Poseidon on his side.Granting his prayers，the seagod had given him two fleet horses and advised him to take his reward as soon as he won therace and flee from the king’s attack . He did as he had been told，and King Evenus，lost his own daughter，his only hope inlife，drowned himself in a river.
Idas and Marpessa presently arrived at a riverside，where ldas put down his beloved to enjoy a bit of rest and food and drink.They spent the night in a temple nearby.When morning came，Idas found that Marpessa had been stolen by Apollo.Heran after the immortal god—Apollo，feeling quite ready to fightand die for his love.Apollo held his unescapable arrows .Idaswent forward with his sword.The duel was about to start whensuddenly they heard a thunderbolt round about，and Zeus himself arrived to stop the unequal contest.He gave the maiden thechoice between immorality and eternal glory on one side and onthe other a mortal life of faithful love mixed with endless caresand griefs .Fearing infidelity on part of a god ，Mar pessa turned down the sweet promises of Apollo and chose for hercompanion in life one capable of a like fate.Apollo left in badspirits; Idas felt on top of the world .
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（兼職編輯：楊帆）
