刻瑞斯寻女记
Ceres sought her daughter all the world over，passing from land to land，and across seas and rivers，till at length she returned to Sicily，whence(whence n.来处，根源adv.从何处，从哪里conj.拒此pron.何处)she at first set out，and stood by the banks of the River Cyane，where Pluto made himself a passage with his prize to his own dominions．The river nymph would have told the goddess all she had witnessed，but dared not，for rear of Pluto，so she only ventured to take up the girdle(girdle n.带，腰带，带状物，浅锅v.束，绕，包围，围绕)which Proserpine had dropped in her flight，and waft it to the feet of the mother．Ceres，seeing this，was no longer in doubt of her loss，but she did not yet know the cause and laid the balms on the innocent land．“Ungrateful soil，”said she，“which I have endowed with fertility(fertility n.肥沃，丰产，多产，人口生产，生产力)and clothed with herbage and nourishing grain，no more shall you enjoy my favors．”Then the cattle died，the plough broke in the furrow，the seed failed to come up；there was too much sun，there was too much rain，the birds stole the seeds—the istles and brambles(bramble n.荆棘，树莓，悬钩子)were the only growth．Seeing this，the fountain Arethusa interceded for the land．“Goddess，”said she，“blame not the land.It opened unwillingly to yield a passage to your daughter．I can tell you of her fate，for I have seen her．While I passed through the lower parts of the earth，I saw your Proserpine．She was sad，but no longer showing alarm in her countenance(countenance n.面容，脸色，支持vt.支持，赞助)．Her look was such as became a queen—the queen of Erebus，the powerful bride of the monarch of the realms(realm n.领域)of the dead．”
刻瑞斯到处寻找女儿，走遍了天涯海角，最终又回到了出发地西西里。她站在库阿涅河边，当时普路同就是在这里开通道带着战利品返回地狱王国的。水泽神女本来可以把她所见到的一切告诉女神，但是她惧怕普路同，没敢说。她只是冒着风险捡起普罗瑟派恩被劫持时丢下的腰带，借浪花把它送到母亲的脚边，刻瑞斯看到腰带对她女儿的丢失不再怀疑了，不过她尚未弄清女儿丢失的原因，她把罪过归咎于无辜的大地。“没有良心的土地，”她说道，“我一直使你肥沃，用草木和滋补的五谷给你做衣裳。现在你再也别想得到我的恩惠了。”于是，牲畜都死了，犁在畦里坏了，种子不再发芽，日照太长，雨水过多，鸟类把种子偷吃光了，地里只是长蓟和荆棘。看到这一切，泉神阿瑞托萨就为大地求情。“女神，”她说道，“不要责怪大地。它是很不情愿地为你的女儿让出一条通道的。我可以把她的遭遇告诉你，因为我看到过她。我在穿过大地的下半部时看到了你的普罗瑟派恩。她很伤心，但不再有惊慌的神色。她一副王后的仪容——她已成了埃瑞波斯的王后，死亡王国国君的有权势的新娘。”
When Ceres heard this，she stood for a while like one stupefied；then turned her chariot towards heaven and hastened to present herself before the throne of Jove．
刻瑞斯听到这些，目瞪口呆地站了一会儿。然后她调转战车向天国驶去，匆忙来到万神之主朱庇特的宝座前。
She told the story of her bereavement，and implored Jupiter to interfere to procure the restitution(restitution n.归还)of her daughter．Jupiter consented on one condition，namely，that Proserpine should not during her stay in the lower world have taken any food，otherwise，the Fates forbade her release．Accordingly，Mercury was sent，accompanied by Spring，to demand Proserpine of Pluto．The wily monarch consented.But alas！The maiden had taken a pomegranate(pomegranate n.[植］石榴)which Pluto offered her，and had sucked the sweet pulp from a few of the seeds．This was enough to prevent her complete release.But a compromise was enough to prevent her complete release.But a compromise was made，by which she was to pass half the time with her mother，and the rest with her husband Pluto．
她向朱庇特历述失去爱女的不幸，恳求朱庇特过问此事，把她的女儿找回来。朱庇特答应了，但有一个条件，即普罗瑟派恩在下界逗留期间不得吃过任何食物，否则命运三女神会禁止释放她的。朱庇特派遣使者墨丘利的春神的陪同下去向普路同讨还普罗瑟派恩。狡猾的冥主答应了。可是糟糕！那少女刚刚接过一个普路同递给她的石榴，吮吸了几粒果实的甜汁，这就足以使她不能得到彻底的解脱。不过后来双方作了妥协：她可以有一半时间跟她母亲一起，一半时间跟她丈夫普路同过日子。
Ceres allowed herself to be pacified with this arrangement and restored the earth to her favor．
刻瑞斯由于这种安排平静下来，恢复了她对大地的恩宠。
There can be little doubt of this story of Ceres and Proserpine being an allegory．Proserpine signifies the seedcorn which，when cast into the ground，lies there concealed—that is，she is carried off by the god of the underworld.It reappears that is，Proserpine is restored to her mother．Spring leads her back to the light of day．
刻瑞斯和普罗瑟派恩的故事带有明显的寓言色彩。普罗瑟派恩代表谷物种子，种子播到地里，无影无踪了——也就是说，她被下界神祗带走了；种子又出现了——这表示，普罗瑟派恩又回到母亲身边。春天把她领回来享受白日的阳光。