the odyssey(奥德赛)-第4节

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the　score　of　the　accomplishments　Minerva　has　taught　her；　and　because
she　is　so　clever。　We　never　yet　heard　of　such　a　woman；　we　know　all
about　Tyro；　Alcmena；　Mycene；　and　the　famous　women　of　old；　but　they
were　nothing　to　your　mother；　any　one　of　them。　It　was　not　fair　of　her
to　treat　us　in　that　way；　and　as　long　as　she　continues　in　the　mind　with
which　heaven　has　now　endowed　her；　so　long　shall　we　go　on　eating　up
your　estate；　and　I　do　not　see　why　she　should　change；　for　she　gets
all　the　honour　and　glory；　and　it　is　you　who　pay　for　it；　not　she。
Understand；　then；　that　we　will　not　go　back　to　our　lands；　neither
here　nor　elsewhere；　till　she　has　made　her　choice　and　married　some
one　or　other　of　us。〃
　　Telemachus　answered；　〃Antinous；　how　can　I　drive　the　mother　who
bore　me　from　my　father's　house？　My　father　is　abroad　and　we　do　not　know
whether　he　is　alive　or　dead。　It　will　be　hard　on　me　if　I　have　to　pay
Icarius　the　large　sum　which　I　must　give　him　if　I　insist　on　sending　his
daughter　back　to　him。　Not　only　will　he　deal　rigorously　with　me；　but
heaven　will　also　punish　me；　for　my　mother　when　she　leaves　the　house
will　calf　on　the　Erinyes　to　avenge　her；　besides；　it　would　not　be　a
creditable　thing　to　do；　and　I　will　have　nothing　to　say　to　it。　If　you
choose　to　take　offence　at　this；　leave　the　house　and　feast　elsewhere　at
one　another's　houses　at　your　own　cost　turn　and　turn　about。　If；　on
the　other　hand；　you　elect　to　persist　in　spunging　upon　one　man；
heaven　help　me；　but　Jove　shall　reckon　with　you　in　full；　and　when　you
fall　in　my　father's　house　there　shall　be　no　man　to　avenge　you。〃
　　As　he　spoke　Jove　sent　two　eagles　from　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and
they　flew　on　and　on　with　the　wind；　sailing　side　by　side　in　their　own
lordly　flight。　When　they　were　right　over　the　middle　of　the　assembly
they　wheeled　and　circled　about；　beating　the　air　with　their　wings　and
glaring　death　into　the　eyes　of　them　that　were　below；　then；　fighting
fiercely　and　tearing　at　one　another；　they　flew　off　towards　the　right
over　the　town。　The　people　wondered　as　they　saw　them；　and　asked　each
other　what　an　this　might　be；　whereon　Halitherses；　who　was　the　best
prophet　and　reader　of　omens　among　them；　spoke　to　them　plainly　and　in
all　honesty；　saying：
　　〃Hear　me；　men　of　Ithaca；　and　I　speak　more　particularly　to　the
suitors；　for　I　see　mischief　brewing　for　them。　Ulysses　is　not　going
to　be　away　much　longer；　indeed　he　is　close　at　hand　to　deal　out　death
and　destruction；　not　on　them　alone；　but　on　many　another　of　us　who　live
in　Ithaca。　Let　us　then　be　wise　in　time；　and　put　a　stop　to　this
wickedness　before　he　comes。　Let　the　suitors　do　so　of　their　own　accord；
it　will　be　better　for　them；　for　I　am　not　prophesying　without　due
knowledge；　everything　has　happened　to　Ulysses　as　I　foretold　when　the
Argives　set　out　for　Troy；　and　he　with　them。　I　said　that　after　going
through　much　hardship　and　losing　all　his　men　he　should　come　home　again
in　the　twentieth　year　and　that　no　one　would　know　him；　and　now　all　this
is　coming　true。〃
　　Eurymachus　son　of　Polybus　then　said；　〃Go　home；　old　man；　and　prophesy
to　your　own　children；　or　it　may　be　worse　for　them。　I　can　read　these
omens　myself　much　better　than　you　can；　birds　are　always　flying　about
in　the　sunshine　somewhere　or　other；　but　they　seldom　mean　anything。
Ulysses　has　died　in　a　far　country；　and　it　is　a　pity　you　are　not　dead
along　with　him；　instead　of　prating　here　about　omens　and　adding　fuel　to
the　anger　of　Telemachus　which　is　fierce　enough　as　it　is。　I　suppose　you
think　he　will　give　you　something　for　your　family；　but　I　tell　you…
and　it　shall　surely　be…　when　an　old　man　like　you；　who　should　know
better；　talks　a　young　one　over　till　he　becomes　troublesome；　in　the
first　place　his　young　friend　will　only　fare　so　much　the　worse…　he　will
take　nothing　by　it；　for　the　suitors　will　prevent　this…　and　in　the
next；　we　will　lay　a　heavier　fine；　sir；　upon　yourself　than　you　will
at　all　like　paying；　for　it　will　bear　hardly　upon　you。　As　for
Telemachus；　I　warn　him　in　the　presence　of　you　all　to　send　his　mother
back　to　her　father；　who　will　find　her　a　husband　and　provide　her　with
all　the　marriage　gifts　so　dear　a　daughter　may　expect。　Till　we　shall　go
on　harassing　him　with　our　suit；　for　we　fear　no　man；　and　care　neither
for　him；　with　all　his　fine　speeches；　nor　for　any　fortune…telling　of
yours。　You　may　preach　as　much　as　you　please；　but　we　shall　only　hate
you　the　more。　We　shall　go　back　and　continue　to　eat　up　Telemachus's
estate　without　paying　him；　till　such　time　as　his　mother　leaves　off
tormenting　us　by　keeping　us　day　after　day　on　the　tiptoe　of
expectation；　each　vying　with　the　other　in　his　suit　for　a　prize　of　such
rare　perfection。　Besides　we　cannot　go　after　the　other　women　whom　we
should　marry　in　due　course；　but　for　the　way　in　which　she　treats　us。〃
　　Then　Telemachus　said；　〃Eurymachus；　and　you　other　suitors；　I　shall
say　no　more；　and　entreat　you　no　further；　for　the　gods　and　the　people
of　Ithaca　now　know　my　story。　Give　me；　then；　a　ship　and　a　crew　of
twenty　men　to　take　me　hither　and　thither；　and　I　will　go　to　Sparta
and　to　Pylos　in　quest　of　my　father　who　has　so　long　been　missing。
Some　one　may　tell　me　something；　or　（and　people　often　hear　things　in
this　way）　some　heaven…sent　message　may　direct　me。　If　I　can　hear　of　him
as　alive　and　on　his　way　home　I　will　put　up　with　the　waste　you
suitors　will　make　for　yet　another　twelve　months。　If　on　the　other
hand　I　hear　of　his　death；　I　will　return　at　once；　celebrate　his　funeral
rites　with　all　due　pomp；　build　a　barrow　to　his　memory；　and　make　my
mother　marry　again。〃
　　With　these　words　he　sat　down；　and　Mentor　who　had　been　a　friend　of
Ulysses；　and　had　been　left　in　charge　of　everything　with　full　authority
over　the　servants；　rose　to　speak。　He；　then；　plainly　and　in　all　honesty
addressed　them　thus：
　　〃Hear　me；　men　of　Ithaca；　I　hope　that　you　may　never　have　a　kind　and
well…disposed　ruler　any　more；　nor　one　who　will　govern　you　equitably；　I
hope　that　all　your　chiefs　henceforward　may　be　cruel　and　unjust；　for
there　is　not　one　of　you　but　has　forgotten　Ulysses；　who　ruled　you　as
though　he　were　your　father。　I　am　not　half　so　angry　with　the　suitors；
for　if　they　choose　to　do　violence　in　the　naughtiness　of　their
hearts；　and　wager　their　heads　that　Ulysses　will　not　return；　they　can
take　the　high　hand　and　eat　up　his　estate；　but　as　for　you　others　I　am
shocked　at　the　way　in　which　you　all　sit　still　without　even　trying　to
stop　such　scandalous　goings　on…which　you　could　do　if　you　chose；　for
you　are　many　and　they　are　few。〃
　　Leiocritus；　son　of　Evenor；　answered　him　saying；　〃Mentor；　what
folly　is　all　this；　that　you　should　set　the　people　to　stay　us？　It　is
a　hard　thing　for　one　man　to　fight　with　many　about　his　victuals。　Even
though　Ulysses　himself　were　to　set　upon　us　while　we　are　feasting　in
his　house；　and　do　his　best　to　oust　us；　his　wife；　who　wants　him　back　so
very　badly；　would　have　small　cause　for　rejoicing；　and　his　blood
would　be　upon　his　own　head　if　he　fought　against　such　great　odds。　There
is　no　sense　in　what　you　have　been　saying。　Now；　therefore；　do　you
people　go　about　your　business；　and　let　his　father's　old　friends；
Mentor　and　Halitherses；　speed　this　boy　on　his　journey；　if　he　goes　at
all…　which　I　do　not　think　he　will；　for　he　is　more　likely　to　stay　where
he　is　till　some　one　comes　and　tells　him　something。〃
　　On　this　he　broke　up　the　assembly；　and　every　man　went　back　to　his　own
abode；　while　the　suitors　returned　to　the　house　of　Ulysses。
　　Then　Telemachus　went　all　alone　by　the　sea　side；　washed　his　hands
in　the　grey　waves；　and　prayed　to　Minerva。
　　〃Hear　me；〃　he　cried；　〃you　god　who　visited　me　yesterday；　and　bade
me　sail　the　seas　in　search　of　my　father　who　has　so　long　been
missing。　I　would　obey　you；　but　the　Achaeans；　and　more　particularly　the
wicked　suitors；　are　hindering　me　that　I　cannot　do　so。〃
　　As　he　thus　prayed；　Minerva　came　close　up　to　him　in　the　likeness
and　with　the　voice　of　Mentor。　〃Telemachus；〃　said　she；　〃if　you　are　made
of　the　same　stuff　as　your　father　you　will　be　neither　fool　nor　coward
henceforward；　for　Ulysses　never　broke　his　word　nor　left　his　work
half　done。　If；　then；　you　take　after　him；　your　voyage　will　not　be
fruitless；　but　unless　you　have　the　blood　of　Ulysses　and　of　Penelope　in
your　veins　I　see　no　likelihood　of　your　succeeding。　Sons　are　seldom
as　good　men　as　their　fathers；　they　are　generally　worse；　not　better；
still；　as　you　are　not　going　to　be　either　fool　or　coward
henceforward；　and　are　not　entirely　without　some　share　of　your　father's
wise　discernment；　I　look　with　hope　upon　your　undertaking。　But　mind　you
never　make　common　cause　with　any　of　those　foolish　suitors；　for　they
have　neither　sense　nor　virtue；　and　give　no　thought　to　death　and　to　the
doom　that　will　shortly　fall　on　one　and　all　of　them；　so　that　they　shall
perish　on　the　same　day。　As　for　your　voyage；　it　shall　not　be　long
delayed；　your　father　was　such　an　old　friend　of　mine　that　I　will　find
you　a　ship；　and　will　come　with　you　myself。　Now；　however；　return
home；　and　go　about　among　the　suitors；　begin　getting　provisions　ready
for　your　voyage；　see　everything　well　stowed；　the　wine　in　jars；　and　the
barley　meal；　which　is　the　staff　of　life；　in　leathern　bags；　while　I
go　round　the　town　and　beat　up　volunteers　at　once。　There　are　many　ships
in　Ithaca　both　ol