“Europa is not yet lost for ever.”he said．“If she is still in this world，she may be brought back to me．Go from here，my sons，and seek for her，and do not return till she is found．”Then to Cadmus，who would have spoken，“Take heed，”he cried fiercely，“I shall not receive you into my palace again，neither you nor your brother，unless you bring home your sister Europa．”With these words the king turned away，and left his sons alone．
“欧罗巴并没有完全丢失，”他说，“如果她仍活在这个世界上，就会被带到我身边，从这里出发吧，我的儿子们，去寻找她，不找到她，你们就甭回来。”然后他面对正欲说话的卡德摩斯。“快，”他愤怒地吼道，“除非你把你妹妹欧罗巴带回来，否则休想让我在王宫再见你，无论是你还是你的弟弟们。”说着，国王转身而去，只留下他的儿子们独自在那儿。
Then a gentle voice spoke．It was the voice of their mother‘s. “Your father"s command must be obeyed．But you shall not go forth alone，for I myself will make ready to accompany you．”
一个温柔的声音响起——那是他们的母亲泰勒腓萨的声音，她跟随他们来到这屋子。“你们必须去，我的儿子，”她低语道，“你们父王的命令是必须遵守的。但你们将不会独自前往，因为我将做好准备陪伴你们。”
So it befell that Cadmus，with his mother and brothers，set out on the strangest journey that has ever been undertaken(undertake vt.承担， 担任， 许诺， 保证 v.采取) by mortal man．Their story ran always before them，for everywhere men told of three princely youths，and a tall lady with the dignity of a queen，who constantly asked the question，“Have you seen a young maiden riding on a white bull？”
于是卡德摩斯，同他的母亲和弟弟一起，开始了世人从未有过的最神奇的旅程。他们的故事总是走在他们的前头，因为各地的人都在讲述着三个王子般的年轻人和一位高高的、具有王后尊严的妇人的故事，他们不断重复同一个问题：“你们看到过一位骑着白公牛的少女吗？”
But the answer was always the same．For some merely(merely adv.仅仅， 只， 不过) laughed；some gazed stupidly；some replied that maidens do not ride on white bulls．No one had seen Europa or her captor．
答案总是相同的。有人只是笑笑，有人呆呆地盯着他们，还有人回答说少女从不骑白公牛。从未有人见过欧罗巴或者是把她带走的那头白牛。
Cadmus journeyed on with his mother and his two brothers，and their way took them through many strange countries，and over desolate seas．They searched and enquired everywhere，but still they could find no trace of Europa，nor hear of anybody who had seen her．And it may be that Cadmus forgot even his home，forgot even the harsh command of his father，so accustomed was he now to the single thought that he must find his lost sister；for he moved form land to lank like one in a dream，and his mother and brothers moved with him．
卡德摩斯与母亲和弟弟一起又继续旅行，他们途经许多奇特的国家和荒凉的海洋。他们到处寻找和打听欧罗巴的下落，但他们既没发现欧罗巴的任何踪迹，也没听到有人曾看见她。或许卡德摩斯已经忘记了他的家园，甚至已经忘记了父亲严酷的命令，现在他只有一个念头——必须找到他失踪的妹妹；他像梦中之人一样，在母亲和弟弟的伴随下，从一个国度到另一个国度。
One day，as they rested for a while on their mourner，Phoenix drew his brother Cadmus aside．一天，当他们在旅途中稍做休息时，腓尼克斯把他的哥哥卡德摩斯拉到一边。
“Of what use is it，Cadmus，” he urged，“to carry on this search further？For we have wandered from place to place，and we weary with travel，and our mother grows pale with questioning and grief．You may do as you choose；but I shall stay here and settle in this land where we are，for I no longer hope to see Europa any more．”
“卡德摩斯，”他力劝道，“再继续做这种寻找有什么意义呢？我们从一个地方漫游到另一个地方，旅途已使我们疲惫不堪，由于询问和悲伤，母亲的面色已日渐苍白，你可以做你选择的事；但我将留在这儿，并且定居在我们现在所处的这片土地上，因为我不再想见到欧罗巴了。”
Cadmus shook his head sadly．“It is true that we have searched in vain，” he said．“Yet I cannot but think that we must go on until Europa is found．”Then Cadmus tried to dissuadedissuade vt.劝阻 his brother from settling down，but Phoenix remained obstinate；so Cadmus，with Telephassa and Cilix，went on without him．卡德摩斯悲恸地摇摇头。“我们的寻找的确一无所获，”他说，“然而我除此之外别无他念——我们必须继续下去，直至找到欧罗巴。”随后卡德摩斯劝说他的兄弟不要居留下来，但腓尼克斯却固执己见；于是卡德摩斯只好留下他，同泰勒腓萨和希里克斯一起，又上路了。
The years passed，and in due course Cilix too gave up the search，and made his home in that fertilefertile adj.肥沃的， 富饶的， 能繁殖的 land which men now call Cilicia．Cadmus and his mother were compelled to continue their search alone；while the passing years bowed the stately form of Telephassa，and wrinkled her face，and grayed her once lovely hair．At last，Cadmus saw that she was very sick，and one evening he begged her to travel no further．几年后，希里克斯也放弃了寻找工作，他在那片现在人们称为吉里亚的沃土上安家居业。卡德摩斯和他的母亲不得不独自继续寻找。泰勒腓萨那高贵的身躯随着岁月的流逝而渐渐弯曲，脸上也布满了皱纹，那头曾经非常秀丽的头发也变灰了。最后，卡德摩斯看到母亲病势严重，便在一天晚上请求她不要再继续旅行了。
“We will tarry here for a while，mother.”he said．“For the next few days we will rest，and I will watch over you in your sickness．Then，when you are strong，we will go forward as before．”
“我们在这儿停留一段时间，母亲，”他说，“我们将休息数日，我照料您的病，等您身体强壮后，我们将再继续前行。”
Telephassa spoke from the couch where she lay．“Yes，Cadmus，I must rest.”she replied．“But there can be no rest for you，for your task is not yet done． You must go on，Cadmus，through lands and through years，till you find your sister Europa，and bring her home to her father．”
泰勒腓萨从躺着的睡椅上对卡德摩斯说。“是的，卡德摩斯，我必须休息一下，”她回答道，“但你不能休息，你的任务尚未完成，卡德摩斯，你必须年复一年地寻找，从一片土地走到另一片土地，直到找到你的妹妹欧罗巴，并把她带回家去见你们的父亲。”
Cadmus answered gently：“We will both rest tonight，for I will go away and leave you to sleep．But have no fear — I shall not be far from you；and I will come and wake you on the morrow．”
卡德摩斯温和地回答道：“今天我们俩人都休息，我离开这儿，留下您一个人睡在这里。但不要害怕——我不会走远的；翌日我来叫醒您。”
Telephassa gazed on him and smiled，and turned her face to her last slumber．泰勒腓萨微笑地凝视着他，然后转过脸进入了自己最后的睡眠。
Cadmus rested apart，and came back in the morning，and looked on her where she lay so still．Then he sorrowed over her whose great love had drawn her forth to share his wanderings；and he buried her at last in the soft earth，and set forward on his travels again，bearing on his hands the burden of a new grief．卡德摩斯在别处休息，他清晨回来看到母亲是那样静静地躺在那里。他为她而悲伤——她伟大的爱促使她勇往直前，和他一起踏上旅途；他用松软的泥土埋葬了她，随后再次踏上征程，这次，双手又提起了新的悲伤重担。
