Mythology is an amazing thing—within it there are endless amounts of stories and myths, and many have seeped into our common perception of culture. The best stories, however, are the treasures, the devices and gifts that men spend their lives searching for in the name of glory, honor, and adventure. Unfortunately, some of them end up dying at the hands of killer rabbits and black beasts (I'm looking at you King Arthur). So, in the name of all things glorious and rabbit-like, let's tell the stories of 10 mythological treasures.

神话——包含数不清的故事和传说,本身就是一个传奇。在潜移默化中,许多神话已经成为我们文化共识的一部分。然而,最好的故事总是和宝藏相关的。人们以声望、荣誉和冒险为名,穷尽终生,只为一探这些来自上天的宝具和礼物。其中一部分人最终死在了杀人兔子和黑色猛兽的手下(亚瑟王躺枪,这个典故来自著名的恶搞电影《巨蟒与圣杯》,亚瑟王与圆桌骑士在城堡中大战杀人兔子和黑色猛兽)。因此,以所有关乎荣誉和像兔子一样萌萌哒的事物为名,让我们说一说神话中出现的十大珍宝。

10、The Mead Of Poetry
Norse Mythology

10、诗人的蜂蜜酒
挪威神话

1- mead
We all like a fine drink every now and then, but when you're a god, you can't just have any mortal liquor. The Norse pantheon has a very strange drink indeed—the Mead of Poetry. The story behind the mead goes that there was once a man named Kvasir, a human forged from divine spit who was the smartest man in the known world. One day, Kvasir was killed by two dwarves who, in their jealousy, made from his blood a fine mead that granted anyone who drank it Kvasir's intelligence

我们常常想要来一杯美酒,但是如果你是个神,你就不能喝那些凡人的酒了。挪威诸神有一种非常奇怪的酒——诗人的蜂蜜酒。在这个蜂蜜酒背后的故事是:曾经有一个叫Kvasir的智者,他由众神的唾沫所生,注定成为已知世界中最聪明的人。终于有一天,他被两个矮人所杀。出于嫉妒,这两个矮人将他的血转化成一种美妙的蜂蜜酒,喝下它的人将被给予Kvasir的智慧。

Eventually, the mead came into the ownership of the giant Suttung, who was tricked out of the mead by the king of the gods, Odin. Odin, on his journey back to Asgard, lost some of the mead (by regurgitation) from Asgard and it fell to Midgard, our world. Anyone who was touched by the mead became the terrible poets and scholars, while the greatest were the ones doused with the mead by Odin personally.

最终,这种蜂蜜酒归于火焰巨人Suttung之手,但是火焰巨人被众神之王奥丁所骗,蜂蜜酒被奥丁夺走(喝到了肚子里)。奥丁在返回神域途中,因为反刍吐出了一些酒,这些酒落到了人类之国,也就是我们的世界当中。所有被这些蜂蜜酒淋到的人类都变成了糟糕的诗人和学者,而真正伟大的诗人都是被奥丁亲自用蜂蜜酒洗涤过的人。

9、Necropants

人皮长裤

Icelandic Folklore

冰岛的民间传说

2- pants
If you're familiar with Icelandic mythology, you know that the Necropants are a weird tidbit of Icelandic folklore that tie into the country's beliefs about witchcraft. To obtain this fine pair of legwear, you have to be a witch first. After that, you must obtain the permission of a man to get his flesh after he has passed from this realm. That's when the real fun begins.

如果你熟悉冰岛神话,你就会知道"人皮长裤"是冰岛民间传说中一个联系着整个国家对巫术信仰的奇怪趣闻。要想得到这条神奇裤子的裤管,就要先成为一个巫师。在那之后,你必须得到那个即将死去的人的允许来得到他的皮。接着好戏就开始了。

Once the man has died, you must take his corpse and flay the flesh from the waist down in one piece. As soon as you've managed that, you put on the skin-pants and then place a single coin stolen from a poor widow into the scrotum. The coin is to be accompanied by a magical seal, which will result in your new scrotum-wallet never running out of money so long as you never lose the original coin.

那个人一旦死去,你就要拿来他的尸体然后从腰部开始把他的皮整块得剥下来。在你成功之后,就要马上穿上这条人皮裤子然后把一个从寡妇那里偷来的硬币放在阴囊里。用魔法密封好硬币之后,你就会有一个全新的阴囊钱包啦!只要你不会不小心丢掉原来硬币,你就会有永远用不完的钱了。

8、The Treasures Of Tuatha De Danann
Irish Mythology

8、丹努之子的宝藏
爱尔兰神话

3- sword
In Irish folklore, the Tuatha De Danann were the children of the goddess Dana. The Tuatha De Danann came to Ireland from a distant place not known to man on May Day to grant the people of Ireland sacred knowledge. They arrived with four wise men, each of whom came from four distant cities and each of whom bore a gift for the people.

在爱尔兰的民间传说中,丹努之子是女神Dana的子孙。在五朔节那一天,丹努之子从无人知晓的遥远之地来到爱尔兰。他们之中有4名智者,分别来自四个遥远的城市。每个智者都携带着一个宝物,作为爱尔兰人民的礼物。
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The first gift, which came from the city Falias, was the enigmatic Lia Fail, or the Stone of Destiny—a stone that would cry out under the throne of the true king of Ireland. The second artifact came from Gorias, and that gift was the powerful Sword of Light, an unbeatable sword whose story bears some similarities with Excalibur. From the city of Findias came the Spear of Lug, a mighty spear that would be a great gift to any warrior and would keep him safe on the battlefield. The last gift came from the city of Murias, a great cauldron from which no one left unsatisfied when it cooked meals.

第一个宝物来自Falias城,是谜一般的命运之石(Lia Fail),它会在爱尔兰真正的国王脚下发出欢呼。第二个宝物来自Gorias城,是充满力量的光明之剑,一把无法被击败的剑,有关它的传说和誓约胜利之剑(Excalibur)的故事类似。第三个宝物来自Findias城,是强大的战神之矛(Spear of Lug),它是战士的伟大礼物,会在战场上保护他的安全。最后一个礼物来自Murias城,一个永不耗尽的大锅。当用它煮饭时,没有人会挨饿。

7、The Sibylline Books
Roman Mythology

7、西卜林书
罗马神话
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4- sybilline
Photo credit: Kladcat

照片来源:Kladcat

The concept of an oracle—someone with the divine sight that lets them see into the future—is a very old one that has roots in all mythologies. The most famous oracle is the Oracle of Delphi, but perhaps you might not have heard of the famous Roman oracular tomes known as the Sibylline Books. The legend of the Sibylline books starts as such—when Tarquinus Superbus was the head of Rome, a mysterious old woman tried to sell him nine rolls of prophecy. Tarquinus, being particularly stingy for a Roman emperor, declined and she then burned three of them. He then said no again to her offer of six, and she promptly burned three more and offered the final three at the exact same price as the original nine. Tarquinus, somehow thinking this was a good deal, finally bought them on advice from his augurs, or the Roman bird-priests.

神谕——某些具有神性的人关于未来的预言,是一个非常古老,在所有神话中都存在的概念。最有名的神谕大概是特尔斐神谕了,但是你可能没有听说过著名的罗马神谕大典——西卜林书。西卜林书的传说是这样开头的:Tarquinus Superbus(罗马王政时期末代国王,公元前509年被驱逐)在位期间,一个神秘的老妇想要卖给他九卷预言。Tarquinus是一个非常吝啬的罗马国王,因而拒绝了她的请求。她随后烧掉了其中的三卷,然后想将剩下的六卷卖给他,结果又被Tarquinus拒绝了。最后,她又烧掉了三卷,然后提出将剩下的最后三卷以和当初九卷相同的价格卖给他。Tarquinus不知为何认为这个买卖很划算,在他的占卜师的建议下,他终于买下了最后的三卷

Upon the scrolls were written prophecies to lead Rome throughout the ages, and all were written in Greek hexameter. Whenever Rome was in crisis, the Sibylline Books were consulted. So, where are these books now? Most of them were burned or lost as the ages went by. No one doubts that Rome was a little too trusting when it came to oracles, but perhaps these books had something else that made them special.

在这些卷轴上,书写着在未来岁月中指引罗马前程的预言,它们都是用希腊六韵格诗的形式写成的。每当国家陷入危机,罗马人都会翻阅西卜林书以寻求对策之道。不过,现在这些书下落何处?它们中的大多数都被烧掉,或者随着岁月而消失了。大家都认为,罗马人在神谕方面有点太过于轻信了,但是也许在当时这些书还有些不为人知的地方让它们显得如此特别。

6、The Aegis

雅典娜之盾

Greek Mythology

希腊神话

5- aegis
One of the most powerful works of the ancient Greeks is the Iliad, the story of the Trojan War. It is also one of the first recorded records of a mysterious artifact of godly origins known as the aegis. Most scholars are unsure of what the aegis actually was, but it is known that the item, in the hands of the gods, granted its owner protection from any blow or spear. The origins of the aegis are said to lie with Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who created the first aegis from the skin of a giant during the Gigantomachy, the great battle between the Olympians and the giants. When Medusa was slain by the hero Perseus, the Gorgon's grotesque image was affixed to the aegis, making it a mighty weapon as well as a defense in the field of battle.

《伊利亚特》,即特洛伊木马的故事,是古希腊人最有震撼力的作品之一。它作为雅典娜之盾而被人们所熟知,是最早有记录的关于神的起源的神秘作品之一。大多数学者对于雅典娜之盾到底是什么还不大清楚,但是可以确定的是这件物品是在诸神手中的,它能使它的主人抵挡矛和拳头攻击。雅典娜之盾的来源是智慧之神雅典娜,她在诸神和巨人的战斗——巨人之战中,用一块巨人的皮肤创造出了第一块雅典娜之盾。当美杜莎被英雄珀耳修斯杀死的时候,戈耳工奇怪的脸被印在了雅典娜之盾上,使雅典娜之盾在战场上成为一个攻守兼备的强大武器。

5、The Axe Of Perun

佩伦之斧

Slavic Mythology

斯拉夫神话

6- axe
Before the arrival of Christianity, the Slavs had their own sets of myths and legends that are still fascinating to this day. The Slavic pantheon is led by Perun, the master of lightning and the king of the Slavic gods who is thought to be similar to the Norse Thor. Perun was seen as a god of justice as well, someone who knew right from wrong in ways no mortal could, and he had a weapon to match that knowledge—the Axe of Perun. Worshipers of Perun were known to wear miniature versions of his axes for good luck, but the great axe itself was supposed to be able to smite the wicked and be called back to Perun at his whim. With the arrival of Christianity, Perun was replaced by St. Elijah, whose duties were similar to that of Perun and who is still honored to this very day.

在基督教诞生以前,斯拉夫人有自己的一套神话与传说,它们甚至到今天依然十分迷人。佩伦是斯拉夫神话中的雷电之神和众神之王,和北欧神话中的雷神托尔相似。而且佩伦还是一位正义之神,他有一把佩伦之斧,可以帮助他分辨是非。佩伦的崇拜者常常会佩带一把缩小的佩伦之斧以祈求幸运。他们认为佩伦之斧可以打击恶人并可以并可随时由佩伦召回。基督教诞生以后,佩伦的地位被另一位职责相似的神——圣伊利亚代替,并被崇拜至今。

4、Agimat
Filipino Mythology

4、护身宝符
菲律宾神话

7- agimat
The Agimat, also known as the Anting-Anting, is probably one of the few mythological items you can own. The Agimat is a folk amulet from the Philippines that's said to bestow mystical powers upon its wearer, and its power is said to be renewed on Good Friday. The Agimat is said to have a multitude of powers, ranging from invisibility to the ability to survive in the wild for days on end to freedom from all pain and danger.

护身宝符(Agimat),也被称作"Anting-Anting",大概是少数你能实际拥有的神话物品之一。护身宝符是一种来自菲律宾民间的护身符,据说能够授予佩戴者谜一样的能力。据说,在耶稣受难日那天,它的能力会被重续。护身宝符据说拥有许多能力,包括隐身,野外生存多日,远离所有痛苦危难等等。

The Agimat is such a pervasive belief in some regions that people who own the amulet will often attempt to injure themselves on Good Friday in order to test out their newfound "powers." Some, however, say that the Agimat isn't something that needs to be tested—the act of being a good person alone will save you so long as you hold it.

在菲律宾的某些地区,相信护身宝符的人很普遍。以至于拥有护身宝符的人会经常在耶稣受难日那天自残以检验他们新增的"能力"。然而,另一些人认为,护身宝符的能力无需检验,只要你坚持做个好人,常常行善,护身宝符就会在关键时刻搭救你。

3、Kanju And Manju

3、干珠和满珠
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Japanese Mythology

日本神话

8- tide jewels
Like most elements of nature, the legend of the tide jewels, Kanju and Manju, ties back to Japan's mythological belief in dragons. The legend of the tide jewels is considered a Japanese fairy tale and most of what we know about them comes from a single story, which ties back to the legendary Dragon King.

和大部分自然元素一样,潮汐宝珠的传说,也和日本对龙的崇拜有关。潮汐宝珠出自一个日本的神话传说,我们现在所知道的关于它的一切,其实都是来自于一个和海龙王有关的故事。

Legend says that the Empress of Japan, Jingu, once decided to take over Korea. To help her in her conquest, she sent one of her servants into the nether realms to talk to the Dragon King. She wanted the tide jewels, two relics forged by the Dragon King, which controlled the very seas themselves. He granted the Empress's request and, with the aid of the relics, they took over Korea. When the invasion was over, she cast the jewels back into the sea, returning them to the Dragon King.

传说日本的神功皇后打算入侵朝鲜,为了达成目的,她派了一个下人下到海底,请求龙王赐予它亲手锻造的用于控制大海潮水的潮汐宝珠。龙王答应了皇后的请求,有了宝物相助,日本人于是拿下了朝鲜。侵略结束以后,皇后将宝珠投入大海,还给了龙王。

2、The Eye Of Horus

荷鲁斯之眼
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Egyptian Mythology

埃及神话

egyptian symbol
Probably one of the most famous Egyptian symbols, the Eye of Horus is mentioned in the Egyptian Book of the Dead and serves as an amulet of protection. It is often combined with the Eye of Ra, which, depending on the circumstance and context, is probably incorrect. The Eye of Horus was said to be a sign of godly power and royal right to the Egyptians, and the symbol was often used as a method of defining their rule and cementing the belief that they were, in fact, gods on Earth.

荷鲁斯之眼可能是埃及神话中最著名的象征之一。根据《埃及亡灵书》中提到荷鲁斯之眼被当做护身符来使用。在某些情况和背景之下,人们常常把它和太阳神之眼混为一谈,但事实上这是不正确的。荷鲁斯之眼被认为是上帝力量的一种象征、埃及王室的权力以及一种他们巩固法规和加强众神真的就在我们身边的这种信仰的方法。

The Egyptians believed that the Eye of Horus would guide the pharaoh in the afterlife. Deceased rulers were often buried with a jeweled version of the eye, known as the wadjet, to make sure they were sent to the afterlife properly. In life, the pharaohs used the Eye as a powerful tool to channel the words of the gods.

埃及人相信荷鲁斯之眼会指导法老的来生。已逝的统治者们通常与那些以眼镜蛇而闻名的宝石作点缀的眼睛一同下葬,以此来保证他们会正确进入来生的轮回。在活着的时候,法老们把这眼睛当做接受众神信息有力工具来使用。
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1、Gandiva

刚帝神弓

Hindu Mythology

印度神话

The Gandiva is a divine weapon of Hindu mythology, a symbol of the mastery and might of the gods. The Gandiva could be given to mortals for their piety and their devotion to their faith, or if they happened to be demigods of the Hindu pantheon. The Gandiva had the power to smite all evil in its path and was considered a tool for justice. The divine bow was said to be able to defeat 10,000 warriors at once and was only held in the hands of heroes.

刚帝神弓是印度教神话中一件神圣的武器,一种权利统治和神圣力量的象征。刚帝神弓被赐予那些虔诚的、热爱他们信仰的,并且有朝一日成为印度教众贤中的圣人们。刚帝神弓具有铲除所有邪恶存在的力量,并且被认为是维护正义的工具。神弓据说可以一次战胜10000人的军队,并且被认为只有英雄们的双手才可以拿起它。

The hero Arjuna, the son of a mortal woman and Indra, the god of war, is said to have been granted the Gandiva by Varuna, the god of water. He used it in battle and war to rule his kingdom wisely and justly. After many years, Arjuna passed on and his grandson became the ruler of his kingdom. On his way to heaven, Arjuna threw the Gandiva back into the sea in order to return it to Varuna, who dwelled in the waters of the world. A fair trade, we'd say.

英雄阿朱那,一名凡人女子和因陀罗的儿子,是战争之神,据说从水神伐楼拿那里得到了刚帝神弓。在战争与冲突期间,他使用神弓把王国管理的井井有条,充满了正义与和谐。在许多年之后,阿朱那去世了,他的孙子成为了王国的掌控者。在阿朱那去往天堂的路上,他把刚帝神弓抛向海洋,以使神弓可以回到伐楼拿手中,在水中,水神无处不在。我们会说,很公平的交易。