“哪位骑士或诸侯胆敢跳进下面的深渊?”看!我把金杯扔进深渊，水已经流过它。谁能把这只高脚杯还给我，从现在起，它就归他所有。”国王这样说，他从悬崖的高处，崎岖和陡峭，悬挂在无边无际的大海，用强大的力量，高脚杯，在咆哮的深处。“谁敢这么大胆，——我再问一遍，——跳进这狂暴的巨浪里去?”诸侯和贵族们听了他的话，却保持沉默。他们把眼睛望向汹涌的大海，没有人想拿杯喝。国王第三次问了这个问题:“现在海湾里没有人敢跳出来吗?”当一个侍从，带着谦虚的骄傲，走出怯懦的队伍，他的腰带和披风很快就被抛到一边，所有的骑士，还有女士们，高贵的年轻人都惊奇地看着。 And when he draws nigh to the rocky brow, And looks in the gulf so black, The waters that she had swallowed but now, The howling Charybdis is giving back; And, with the distant thunder's dull sound. From her gloomy womb they all-foaming rebound. And it boils and it roars, and it hisses and seethes, As when water and fire first blend; To the sky spurts the foam in steam-laden wreaths, And wave presses hard upon wave without end. And the ocean will never exhausted be, As if striving to bring forth another sea. But at length the wild tumult seems pacified, And blackly amid the white swell A gaping chasm its jaws opens wide, As if leading down to the depths of hell: And the howling billows are seen by each eye Down the whirling funnel all madly to fly. Then quickly, before the breakers rebound, The stripling commends him to Heaven, And--a scream of horror is heard around,-- And now by the whirlpool away he is driven, And secretly over the swimmer brave Close the jaws, and he vanishes 'neath the dark wave. O'er the watery gulf dread silence now lies, But the deep sends up a dull yell, And from mouth to mouth thus trembling it flies: "Courageous stripling, oh, fare thee well!" And duller and duller the howls recommence, While they pause in anxious and fearful suspense. "If even thy crown in the gulf thou shouldst fling, And shouldst say, 'He who brings it to me Shall wear it henceforward, and be the king,' Thou couldst tempt me not e'en with that precious foe; What under the howling deep is concealed To no happy living soul is revealed!" Full many a ship, by the whirlpool held fast, Shoots straightway beneath the mad wave, And, dashed to pieces, the hull and the mast Emerge from the all-devouring grave,-- And the roaring approaches still nearer and nearer, Like the howl of the tempest, still clearer and clearer. And it boils and it roars, and it hisses and seethes, As when water and fire first blend; To the sky spurts the foam in steam-laden wreaths, And wave passes hard upon wave without end. And, with the distant thunder's dull sound, From the ocean-womb they all-bellowing bound. And lo! from the darkly flowing tide Comes a vision white as a swan, And an arm and a glistening neck are descried, With might and with active zeal steering on; And 'tis he, and behold! his left hand on high Waves the goblet, while beaming with joy is his eye. Then breathes he deeply, then breathes he long, And blesses the light of the day; While gladly exclaim to each other the throng: "He lives! he is here! he is not the sea's prey! From the tomb, from the eddying waters'control, The brave one has rescued his living soul!" And he comes, and they joyously round him stand; At the feet of the monarch he falls,-- The goblet he, kneeling, puts in his hand, And the king to his beauteous daughter calls, Who fills it with sparkling wine to the brim; The youth turns to the monarch, and speaks thus to him: "Long life to the king! Let all those be glad Who breathe in the light of the sky! For below all is fearful, of moment sad; Let not man to tempt the immortals e'er try, Let him never desire the thing to see That with terror and night they veil graciously." "I was torn below with the speed of light, When out of a cavern of rock Rushed towards me a spring with furious might; I was seized by the twofold torrent's wild shock, And like a top, with a whirl and a bound, Despite all resistance, was whirled around." "Then God pointed out,--for to Him I cried In that terrible moment of need,-- A craggy reef in the gulf's dark side;