the odyssey(奥德赛)-第51部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


is；　has　a　way　of　paying　great　attention　to　second…rate　people；　and
of　neglecting　others　who　are　in　reality　much　better　men。〃
　　〃Do　not　find　fault　child；〃　said　Euryclea；　〃when　there　is　no　one　to
find　fault　with。　The　stranger　sat　and　drank　his　wine　as　long　as　he
liked：　your　mother　did　ask　him　if　he　would　take　any　more　bread　and
he　said　he　would　not。　When　he　wanted　to　go　to　bed　she　told　the
servants　to　make　one　for　him；　but　he　said　he　was　re　such　wretched
outcast　that　he　would　not　sleep　on　a　bed　and　under　blankets；　he
insisted　on　having　an　undressed　bullock's　hide　and　some　sheepskins　put
for　him　in　the　cloister　and　I　threw　a　cloak　over　him　myself。〃
　　Then　Telemachus　went　out　of　the　court　to　the　place　where　the
Achaeans　were　meeting　in　assembly；　he　had　his　spear　in　his　hand；　and
he　was　not　alone；　for　his　two　dogs　went　with　him。　But　Euryclea
called　the　maids　and　said；　〃Come；　wake　up；　set　about　sweeping　the
cloisters　and　sprinkling　them　with　water　to　lay　the　dust；　put　the
covers　on　the　seats；　wipe　down　the　tables；　some　of　you；　with　a　wet
sponge；　clean　out　the　mixing…jugs　and　the　cups；　and　for　water　from　the
fountain　at　once；　the　suitors　will　be　here　directly；　they　will　be　here
early；　for　it　is　a　feast　day。〃
　　Thus　did　she　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　she　had　said：　twenty　of
them　went　to　the　fountain　for　water；　and　the　others　set　themselves
busily　to　work　about　the　house。　The　men　who　were　in　attendance　on
the　suitors　also　came　up　and　began　chopping　firewood。　By　and　by　the
women　returned　from　the　fountain；　and　the　swineherd　came　after　them
with　the　three　best　pigs　he　could　pick　out。　These　he　let　feed　about
the　premises；　and　then　he　said　good…humouredly　to　Ulysses；
〃Stranger；　are　the　suitors　treating　you　any　better　now；　or　are　they　as
insolent　as　ever？〃
　　〃May　heaven；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃requite　to　them　the　wickedness　with
which　they　deal　high…handedly　in　another　man's　house　without　any　sense
of　shame。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　meanwhile　Melanthius　the　goatherd　came　up；
for　he　too　was　bringing　in　his　best　goats　for　the　suitors'　dinner；　and
he　had　two　shepherds　with　him。　They　tied　the　goats　up　under　the
gatehouse；　and　then　Melanthius　began　gibing　at　Ulysses。　〃Are　you　still
here；　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃to　pester　people　by　begging　about　the
house？　Why　can　you　not　go　elsewhere？　You　and　I　shall　not　come　to　an
understanding　before　we　have　given　each　other　a　taste　of　our　fists。
You　beg　without　any　sense　of　decency：　are　there　not　feasts　elsewhere
among　the　Achaeans；　as　well　as　here？〃
　　Ulysses　made　no　answer；　but　bowed　his　head　and　brooded。　Then　a　third
man；　Philoetius；　joined　them；　who　was　bringing　in　a　barren　heifer
and　some　goats。　These　were　brought　over　by　the　boatmen　who　are　there
to　take　people　over　when　any　one　comes　to　them。　So　Philoetius　made　his
heifer　and　his　goats　secure　under　the　gatehouse；　and　then　went　up　to
the　swineherd。　〃Who；　Swineherd；〃　said　he；　〃is　this　stranger　that　is
lately　come　here？　Is　he　one　of　your　men？　What　is　his　family？　Where
does　he　come　from？　Poor　fellow；　he　looks　as　if　he　had　been　some
great　man；　but　the　gods　give　sorrow　to　whom　they　will…　even　to　kings
if　it　so　pleases　them
　　As　he　spoke　he　went　up　to　Ulysses　and　saluted　him　with　his　right
hand；　〃Good　day　to　you；　father　stranger；〃　said　he；　〃you　seem　to　be
very　poorly　off　now；　but　I　hope　you　will　have　better　times　by　and
by。　Father　Jove；　of　all　gods　you　are　the　most　malicious。　We　are　your
own　children；　yet　you　show　us　no　mercy　in　all　our　misery　and
afflictions。　A　sweat　came　over　me　when　I　saw　this　man；　and　my　eyes
filled　with　tears；　for　he　reminds　me　of　Ulysses；　who　I　fear　is　going
about　in　just　such　rags　as　this　man's　are；　if　indeed　he　is　still　among
the　living。　If　he　is　already　dead　and　in　the　house　of　Hades；　then；
alas！　for　my　good　master；　who　made　me　his　stockman　when　I　was　quite
young　among　the　Cephallenians；　and　now　his　cattle　are　countless；　no
one　could　have　done　better　with　them　than　I　have；　for　they　have　bred
like　ears　of　corn；　nevertheless　I　have　to　keep　bringing　them　in　for
others　to　eat；　who　take　no　heed　of　his　son　though　he　is　in　the
house；　and　fear　not　the　wrath　of　heaven；　but　are　already　eager　to
divide　Ulysses'　property　among　them　because　he　has　been　away　so
long。　I　have　often　thought…　only　it　would　not　be　right　while　his　son
is　living…　of　going　off　with　the　cattle　to　some　foreign　country；　bad
as　this　would　be；　it　is　still　harder　to　stay　here　and　be　ill…treated
about　other　people's　herds。　My　position　is　intolerable；　and　I　should
long　since　have　run　away　and　put　myself　under　the　protection　of　some
other　chief；　only　that　I　believe　my　poor　master　will　yet　return；　and
send　all　these　suitors　flying　out　of　the　house。〃
　　〃Stockman；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃you　seem　to　be　a　very　well…disposed
person；　and　I　can　see　that　you　are　a　man　of　sense。　Therefore　I　will
tell　you；　and　will　confirm　my　words　with　an　oath：　by　Jove；　the　chief
of　all　gods；　and　by　that　hearth　of　Ulysses　to　which　I　am　now　come；
Ulysses　shall　return　before　you　leave　this　place；　and　if　you　are　so
minded　you　shall　see　him　killing　the　suitors　who　are　now　masters
here。〃
　　〃If　Jove　were　to　bring　this　to　pass；〃　replied　the　stockman；　〃you
should　see　how　I　would　do　my　very　utmost　to　help　him。〃
　　And　in　like　manner　Eumaeus　prayed　that　Ulysses　might　return　home。
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Meanwhile　the　suitors　were　hatching　a　plot
to　murder　Telemachus：　but　a　bird　flew　near　them　on　their　left　hand…　an
eagle　with　a　dove　in　its　talons。　On　this　Amphinomus　said；　〃My　friends；
this　plot　of　ours　to　murder　Telemachus　will　not　succeed；　let　us　go
to　dinner　instead。〃
　　The　others　assented；　so　they　went　inside　and　laid　their　cloaks　on
the　benches　and　seats。　They　sacrificed　the　sheep；　goats；　pigs；　and　the
heifer；　and　when　the　inward　meats　were　cooked　they　served　them
round。　They　mixed　the　wine　in　the　mixing…bowls；　and　the　swineherd　gave
every　man　his　cup；　while　Philoetius　handed　round　the　bread　in　the
breadbaskets；　and　Melanthius　poured　them　out　their　wine。　Then　they
laid　their　hands　upon　the　good　things　that　were　before　them。
　　Telemachus　purposely　made　Ulysses　sit　in　the　part　of　the　cloister
that　was　paved　with　stone；　he　gave　him　a　shabby…looking　seat　at　a
little　table　to　himself；　and　had　his　portion　of　the　inward　meats
brought　to　him；　with　his　wine　in　a　gold　cup。　〃Sit　there；〃　said　he；
〃and　drink　your　wine　among　the　great　people。　I　will　put　a　stop　to
the　gibes　and　blows　of　the　suitors；　for　this　is　no　public　house；　but
belongs　to　Ulysses；　and　has　passed　from　him　to　me。　Therefore；　suitors；
keep　your　hands　and　your　tongues　to　yourselves；　or　there　will　be
mischief。〃
　　The　suitors　bit　their　lips；　and　marvelled　at　the　boldness　of　his
speech；　then　Antinous　said；　〃We　do　not　like　such　language　but　we
will　put　up　with　it；　for　Telemachus　is　threatening　us　in　good　earnest。
If　Jove　had　let　us　we　should　have　put　a　stop　to　his　brave　talk　ere
now。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Antinous；　but　Telemachus　heeded　him　not。　Meanwhile　the
heralds　were　bringing　the　holy　hecatomb　through　the　city；　and　the
Achaeans　gathered　under　the　shady　grove　of　Apollo。
　　Then　they　roasted　the　outer　meat；　drew　it　off　the　spits；　gave
every　man　his　portion；　and　feasted　to　their　hearts'　content；　those　who
waited　at　table　gave　Ulysses　exactly　the　same　portion　as　the　others
had；　for　Telemachus　had　told　them　to　do　so。
　　But　Minerva　would　not　let　the　suitors　for　one　moment　drop　their
insolence；　for　she　wanted　Ulysses　to　become　still　more　bitter
against　them。　Now　there　happened　to　be　among　them　a　ribald　fellow；
whose　name　was　Ctesippus；　and　who　came　from　Same。　This　man；
confident　in　his　great　wealth；　was　paying　court　to　the　wife　of
Ulysses；　and　said　to　the　suitors；　〃Hear　what　I　have　to　say。　The
stranger　has　already　had　as　large　a　portion　as　any　one　else；　this　is
well；　for　it　is　not　right　nor　reasonable　to　ill…treat　any　guest　of
Telemachus　who　comes　here。　I　will；　however；　make　him　a　present　on　my
own　account；　that　he　may　have　something　to　give　to　the　bath…woman；
or　to　some　other　of　Ulysses'　servants。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　picked　up　a　heifer's　foot　from　the　meat…basket　in
which　it　lay；　and　threw　it　at　Ulysses；　but　Ulysses　turned　his　head　a
little　aside；　and　avoided　it；　smiling　grimly　Sardinian　fashion　as　he
did　so；　and　it　hit　the　wall；　not　him。　On　this　Telemachus　spoke
fiercely　to　Ctesippus；　〃It　is　a　good　thing　for　you；〃　said　he；　〃that
the　stranger　turned　his　head　so　that　you　missed　him。　If　you　had　hit
him　I　should　have　run　you　through　with　my　spear；　and　your　father　would
have　had　to　see　about　getting　you　buried　rather　than　married　in　this
house。　So　let　me　have　no　more　unseemly　behaviour　from　any　of　you；
for　I　am　grown　up　now　to　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil　and　understand
what　is　going　on；　instead　of　being　the　child　that　I　have　been
heretofore。　I　have　long　seen　you　killing　my　sheep　and　making　free　with
my　corn　and　wine：　I　have　put　up　with　this；　for　one　man　is　no　match　for
many；　but　do　me　no　further　violence。　Still；　if　you　wish　to　kill　me；
kill　me；　I　would　far　rather　die　than　see　such　disgraceful　scenes　day
after　day…　guests　insulted；　and　men　dragging　the　women　servants
about　the　house　in　an　unseemly　way。〃
　　They　all　held　their　peace　till　at　last　Agelaus　son　of　Damastor　said；
〃No　one　should　take　offence　at　what　has　just　been　said；　nor　gainsay
it；　for　it　is　quite　reasonable。　Leave　off；　therefore；　ill…treating　the
stranger；　or　any　one　else　of　the　servants　who　are　about　the　house；　I
would　say；　however；　a　friendly　word　to　Telemachus　and　his　mother；
which　I　trust　may　commend　itself　to　both。　'As　long；'　I　would　say；
'as　you　had　ground　for　hoping　that　Ulysses　would　one　day　come　home；　no
one　could　complain　of　your　waiting　and　suffering　the　suitors　to　be
in　your　house。　It　would　have　been　better　that　he　should　have　returned；
but　it　is　now　sufficiently　clear　that　he　will　never　do　so；　therefore
talk　all　this　quietly　over　with　your　mother；　and　tell　her　to　marry　the
best　man；　and　the　one　who　makes　her　the　most　advantageous　offer。
Thus　you　will　yourself　be　able　to　manage　your　own　inheritance；　and
to　eat　and　drink　in　peace；　while　your　mother　will　look　after　some
other　man's　house；　not　yours。〃'
　　To　this　Telemachus　answered；　〃By　Jove；　Agelaus；　and　by　the　sorrows
o