3_Home Away from Home

The temple was high on a hill, and it was a clear day, so Brody could see far into the distance. And yet nothing he saw looked familiar. What had happened to the school and playing fields? Where were the houses and his favorite fast-food place? “ What’s going on?” he blurted out. “ Where are we? Where’s the gym?” “ The gymnasium? It’s right over there, of course. ” Hermes pointed to the left. But Brody still didn’t see anything that looked like the school gym. “ It can’t be, ” Julia murmured. “ Are we really in ancient Olympia?”

这座寺庙高高地坐落在一座小山上，天气晴朗，所以布罗迪可以看到远处。 然而，他看不到的任何熟悉的事物。学校和操场发生了什么事？房子和他最喜欢的快餐店在哪里？ “怎么回事？”他脱口而出。“我们在哪里？体育馆在哪里？” “体育馆？当然就在那边。”赫尔墨斯指向左边。 但布罗迪仍然没有看到任何看起来像学校体育馆的东西。 “不可能，”茱莉亚喃喃地说。“我们真的在古奥林匹亚吗？”

“ What?” Brody said. “ There’s no way we traveled through time. ” Julia was staring at the city below. “ What other explanation is there?” Brody rolled his eyes. People thought he was dumb, but he wasn’t dumb enough to believe what Hermes and Caerus were saying. Only a freak like Julia would believe such a ridiculous story. Ancient Greece? Yeah, right! Still, there was definitely something weird going on. How could Brody make Hermes and Caerus admit it?

“什么？”布罗迪说。“我们无法穿越时间。” 茱莉亚凝视着下面的城市。“还有什么其他解释？” 布罗迪翻了个白眼。人们认为他很愚蠢，但他还没有愚蠢到相信赫尔墨斯和卡埃罗斯所说的话。 只有朱莉娅这样的怪胎才会相信这样荒谬的故事。古希腊？没错！ 不过，肯定有一些奇怪的事情发生了。布罗迪怎么能让赫尔墨斯和卡埃罗斯承认呢？

“ I’ve got it! ” He pointed at Hermes. “ You’re lying, and I can prove it. ” Hermes raised one eyebrow. “ Is that so?” “ Yes. If we’re in Greece, how come you guys are speaking English?” Brody was proud of himself. He might not be a genius, but he could figure things out when he needed to. “ On the contrary, we’re speaking proper Greek, ” Caerus said. “ Hermes has powers over language and communication. He has enabled you two to speak and understand Greek as if you were natives. ” Hermes smirked. “ That’s very important. After all, speaking Greek is a prerequisite for entering the Games. ”

“我明白了！”他指着赫尔墨斯。“你在撒谎，我可以证明这一点。” 赫尔墨斯扬起一道眉毛。“是这样吗？” “对，如果我们在希腊，你们怎么会说英语？”布罗迪为自己感到骄傲。 他可能不是天才，但他可以在需要的时候解决问题。 “相反，我们说的是正确的希腊语。“卡埃罗斯说道。 “赫尔墨斯有语言和沟通能力。他使你们两个能够像当地人一样说希腊语并理解希腊语。” 赫尔墨斯笑了笑。“这很重要。毕竟，说希腊语是进入奥运会的先决条件。”

“ Huh?” Brody didn’t know what “ prerequisite” meant. Before he could ask, Caerus glanced at Hermes and pantomimed eating. “ Yes, this conversation is becoming dull, ” Hermes said to his friend. He turned to Brody and Julia. “ If you’re still confused, your mortal hosts can explain everything. ” “ You’ll be staying with the family that tends my temple. ” Caerus waved a hand to indicate the temple they had just exited.

“嗯？”布罗迪不知道“先决条件”是什么意思。 还没来得及问，卡埃罗斯瞥了赫尔墨斯一眼，假装在吃东西。 “是的，这段对话变得乏味了，”赫尔墨斯对他的朋友说。 他转向布罗迪和茱莉亚。“如果你仍然困惑，你的凡人主人可以解释一切。” “你将和照顾我寺庙的家人住在一起。”卡埃罗斯挥手示意他们刚刚离开的寺庙。

“ Let’s go, ” Hermes ordered. Brody was more confused than ever. And being confused made him mad. “ I’m not going anywhere with you! ” He gave Hermes a shove. “ You’re not gods. You’re just jerks and fakers! ” Suddenly a loud, chilling cry seemed to rip the air in two. At the same moment, Hermes transformed into an enormous hawk and dived at Brody. The hawk’s giant talons stopped a hair’s breadth from Brody’s face. Brody fell back, gasping with fear. A second later Hermes looked normal again.

“我们走吧，”赫尔墨斯命令道。 布罗迪比以往任何时候都更加困惑，。困惑使他发疯。 “我哪儿也不跟你去！”他推了赫尔墨斯一把。“你不是神。你只是混蛋和骗子！” 突然，一声响亮的、令人心寒的叫声似乎把空气撕成两半。 与此同时，赫尔墨斯变成了一只巨大的鹰，扑向布罗迪。 鹰的巨大利爪挡在布罗迪脸上一丝一毫的距离。 布罗迪吓得直喘气。一秒钟后，赫尔墨斯又恢复了正常。

“ Learn this lesson well, mortal! ” Hermes said sternly. “ Do not defy me! I can be either your friend or your enemy. Trust me, you’d rather have me as a friend. ” “ Come. ” Caerus headed down the steps of his temple. “ Your hosts are waiting. ” Brody opened his mouth to argue again, but Hermes was still glaring at him. “ Fine, ” Brody muttered. Caerus led the way to a modest home halfway down the hill. A bearded man wearing a purple robe stood in front.

“好好学习这一课，凡人！”赫尔墨斯严厉地说。 “不要违抗我！我可以是你的朋友或敌人。相信我，你们最好把我当朋友。” “来吧。”卡埃罗斯走下他的神庙台阶。“你们的主人正在等待。” 布罗迪张开嘴再次争辩，但赫尔墨斯仍然怒视着他。“好吧，”布罗迪咕哝道。 卡埃罗斯带路来到半山腰的一个简陋的家。一个穿着紫色长袍的胡子男子站在前面。