the odyssey(奥德赛)-第47节

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the　suitors　kill　me　in　my　own　house　and　divide　my　property　among　them；
I　would　rather　you　had　the　presents　than　that　any　of　those　people
should　get　hold　of　them。　If　on　the　other　hand　I　manage　to　kill　them；　I
shall　be　much　obliged　if　you　will　kindly　bring　me　my　presents。〃
　　With　these　words　he　took　Theoclymenus　to　his　own　house。　When　they
got　there　they　laid　their　cloaks　on　the　benches　and　seats；　went　into
the　baths；　and　washed　themselves。　When　the　maids　had　washed　and
anointed　them；　and　had　given　them　cloaks　and　shirts；　they　took　their
seats　at　table。　A　maid　servant　then　brought　them　water　in　a
beautiful　golden　ewer；　and　poured　it　into　a　silver　basin　for　them　to
wash　their　hands；　and　she　drew　a　clean　table　beside　them。　An　upper
servant　brought　them　bread　and　offered　them　many　good　things　of　what
there　was　in　the　house。　Opposite　them　sat　Penelope；　reclining　on　a
couch　by　one　of　the　bearing…posts　of　the　cloister；　and　spinning。
Then　they　laid　their　hands　on　the　good　things　that　were　before　them；
and　as　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink　Penelope　said：
　　〃Telemachus；　I　shall　go　upstairs　and　lie　down　on　that　sad　couch；
which　I　have　not　ceased　to　water　with　my　tears；　from　the　day　Ulysses
set　out　for　Troy　with　the　sons　of　Atreus。　You　failed；　however；　to　make
it　clear　to　me　before　the　suitors　came　back　to　the　house；　whether　or
no　you　had　been　able　to　hear　anything　about　the　return　of　your
father。〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　then　truth；〃　replied　her　son。　〃We　went　to　Pylos　and
saw　Nestor；　who　took　me　to　his　house　and　treated　me　as　hospitably　as
though　I　were　a　son　of　his　own　who　had　just　returned　after　a　long
absence；　so　also　did　his　sons；　but　he　said　he　had　not　heard　a　word
from　any　human　being　about　Ulysses；　whether　he　was　alive　or　dead。　He
sent　me；　therefore；　with　a　chariot　and　horses　to　Menelaus。　There　I　saw
Helen；　for　whose　sake　so　many；　both　Argives　and　Trojans；　were　in
heaven's　wisdom　doomed　to　suffer。　Menelaus　asked　me　what　it　was　that
had　brought　me　to　Lacedaemon；　and　I　told　him　the　whole　truth；
whereon　he　said；　'So；　then；　these　cowards　would　usurp　a　brave　man's
bed？　A　hind　might　as　well　lay　her　new…born　young　in　the　lair　of　a
lion；　and　then　go　off　to　feed　in　the　forest　or　in　some　grassy　dell。
The　lion；　when　he　comes　back　to　his　lair；　will　make　short　work　with
the　pair　of　them；　and　so　will　Ulysses　with　these　suitors。　By　father
Jove；　Minerva；　and　Apollo；　if　Ulysses　is　still　the　man　that　he　was
when　he　wrestled　with　Philomeleides　in　Lesbos；　and　threw　him　so
heavily　that　all　the　Greeks　cheered　him…　if　he　is　still　such；　and　were
to　come　near　these　suitors；　they　would　have　a　short　shrift　and　a　sorry
wedding。　As　regards　your　question；　however；　I　will　not　prevaricate　nor
deceive　you；　but　what　the　old　man　of　the　sea　told　me；　so　much　will　I
tell　you　in　full。　He　said　he　could　see　Ulysses　on　an　island
sorrowing　bitterly　in　the　house　of　the　nymph　Calypso；　who　was
keeping　him　prisoner；　and　he　could　not　reach　his　home；　for　he　had　no
ships　nor　sailors　to　take　him　over　the　sea。'　This　was　what　Menelaus
told　me；　and　when　I　had　heard　his　story　I　came　away；　the　gods　then
gave　me　a　fair　wind　and　soon　brought　me　safe　home　again。〃
　　With　these　words　he　moved　the　heart　of　Penelope。　Then　Theoclymenus
said　to　her：
　　〃Madam；　wife　of　Ulysses；　Telemachus　does　not　understand　these
things；　listen　therefore　to　me；　for　I　can　divine　them　surely；　and　will
hide　nothing　from　you。　May　Jove　the　king　of　heaven　be　my　witness；
and　the　rites　of　hospitality；　with　that　hearth　of　Ulysses　to　which　I
now　come；　that　Ulysses　himself　is　even　now　in　Ithaca；　and；　either
going　about　the　country　or　staying　in　one　place；　is　enquiring　into　all
these　evil　deeds　and　preparing　a　day　of　reckoning　for　the　suitors。　I
saw　an　omen　when　I　was　on　the　ship　which　meant　this；　and　I　told
Telemachus　about　it。〃
　　〃May　it　be　even　so；〃　answered　Penelope；　〃if　your　words　come　true；
you　shall　have　such　gifts　and　such　good　will　from　me　that　all　who
see　you　shall　congratulate　you。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Meanwhile　the　suitors　were　throwing　discs；
or　aiming　with　spears　at　a　mark　on　the　levelled　ground　in　front　of　the
house；　and　behaving　with　all　their　old　insolence。　But　when　it　was
now　time　for　dinner；　and　the　flock　of　sheep　and　goats　had　come　into
the　town　from　all　the　country　round；　with　their　shepherds　as　usual；
then　Medon；　who　was　their　favourite　servant；　and　who　waited　upon
them　at　table；　said；　〃Now　then；　my　young　masters；　you　have　had
enough　sport；　so　come　inside　that　we　may　get　dinner　ready。　Dinner　is
not　a　bad　thing；　at　dinner　time。〃
　　They　left　their　sports　as　he　told　them；　and　when　they　were　within
the　house；　they　laid　their　cloaks　on　the　benches　and　seats　inside；　and
then　sacrificed　some　sheep；　goats；　pigs；　and　a　heifer；　all　of　them　fat
and　well　grown。　Thus　they　made　ready　for　their　meal。　In　the　meantime
Ulysses　and　the　swineherd　were　about　starting　for　the　town；　and　the
swineherd　said；　〃Stranger；　I　suppose　you　still　want　to　go　to　town
to…day；　as　my　master　said　you　were　to　do；　for　my　own　part　I　should
have　liked　you　to　stay　here　as　a　station　hand；　but　I　must　do　as　my
master　tells　me；　or　he　will　scold　me　later　on；　and　a　scolding　from
one's　master　is　a　very　serious　thing。　Let　us　then　be　off；　for　it　is
now　broad　day；　it　will　be　night　again　directly　and　then　you　will
find　it　colder。〃
　　〃I　know；　and　understand　you；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃you　need　say　no
more。　Let　us　be　going；　but　if　you　have　a　stick　ready　cut；　let　me
have　it　to　walk　with；　for　you　say　the　road　is　a　very　rough　one。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　threw　his　shabby　old　tattered　wallet　over　his
shoulders；　by　the　cord　from　which　it　hung；　and　Eumaeus　gave　him　a
stick　to　his　liking。　The　two　then　started；　leaving　the　station　in
charge　of　the　dogs　and　herdsmen　who　remained　behind；　the　swineherd　led
the　way　and　his　master　followed　after；　looking　like　some　broken…down
old　tramp　as　he　leaned　upon　his　staff；　and　his　clothes　were　all　in
rags。　When　they　had　got　over　the　rough　steep　ground　and　were　nearing
the　city；　they　reached　the　fountain　from　which　the　citizens　drew　their
water。　This　had　been　made　by　Ithacus；　Neritus；　and　Polyctor。　There　was
a　grove　of　water…loving　poplars　planted　in　a　circle　all　round　it；
and　the　clear　cold　water　came　down　to　it　from　a　rock　high　up；　while
above　the　fountain　there　was　an　altar　to　the　nymphs；　at　which　all
wayfarers　used　to　sacrifice。　Here　Melanthius　son　of　Dolius　overtook
them　as　he　was　driving　down　some　goats；　the　best　in　his　flock；　for　the
suitors'　dinner；　and　there　were　two　shepherds　with　him。　When　he　saw
Eumaeus　and　Ulysses　he　reviled　them　with　outrageous　and　unseemly
language；　which　made　Ulysses　very　angry。
　　〃There　you　go；〃　cried　he；　〃and　a　precious　pair　you　are。　See　how
heaven　brings　birds　of　the　same　feather　to　one　another。　Where；　pray；
master　swineherd；　are　you　taking　this　poor　miserable　object？　It
would　make　any　one　sick　to　see　such　a　creature　at　table。　A　fellow　like
this　never　won　a　prize　for　anything　in　his　life；　but　will　go　about
rubbing　his　shoulders　against　every　man's　door　post；　and　begging；
not　for　swords　and　cauldrons　like　a　man；　but　only　for　a　few　scraps　not
worth　begging　for。　If　you　would　give　him　to　me　for　a　hand　on　my
station；　he　might　do　to　clean　out　the　folds；　or　bring　a　bit　of　sweet
feed　to　the　kids；　and　he　could　fatten　his　thighs　as　much　as　he　pleased
on　whey；　but　he　has　taken　to　bad　ways　and　will　not　go　about　any　kind
of　work；　he　will　do　nothing　but　beg　victuals　all　the　town　over；　to
feed　his　insatiable　belly。　I　say；　therefore　and　it　shall　surely　be…　if
he　goes　near　Ulysses'　house　he　will　get　his　head　broken　by　the
stools　they　will　fling　at　him；　till　they　turn　him　out。〃
　　On　this；　as　he　passed；　he　gave　Ulysses　a　kick　on　the　hip　out　of　pure
wantonness；　but　Ulysses　stood　firm；　and　did　not　budge　from　the　path。
For　a　moment　he　doubted　whether　or　no　to　fly　at　Melanthius　and　kill
him　with　his　staff；　or　fling　him　to　the　ground　and　beat　his　brains
out；　he　resolved；　however；　to　endure　it　and　keep　himself　in　check；　but
the　swineherd　looked　straight　at　Melanthius　and　rebuked　him；　lifting
up　his　hands　and　praying　to　heaven　as　he　did　so。
　　〃Fountain　nymphs；〃　he　cried；　〃children　of　Jove；　if　ever　Ulysses
burned　you　thigh　bones　covered　with　fat　whether　of　lambs　or　kids；
grant　my　prayer　that　heaven　may　send　him　home。　He　would　soon　put　an
end　to　the　swaggering　threats　with　which　such　men　as　you　go　about
insulting　people…gadding　all　over　the　town　while　your　flocks　are　going
to　ruin　through　bad　shepherding。〃
　　Then　Melanthius　the　goatherd　answered；　〃You　ill…conditioned　cur；
what　are　you　talking　about？　Some　day　or　other　I　will　put　you　on
board　ship　and　take　you　to　a　foreign　country；　where　I　can　sell　you　and
pocket　the　money　you　will　fetch。　I　wish　I　were　as　sure　that　Apollo
would　strike　Telemachus　dead　this　very　day；　or　that　the　suitors
would　kill　him；　as　I　am　that　Ulysses　will　never　come　home　again。〃
　　With　this　he　left　them　to　come　on　at　their　leisure；　while　he　went
quickly　forward　and　soon　reached　the　house　of　his　master。　When　he
got　there　he　went　in　and　took　his　seat　among　the　suitors　opposite
Eurymachus；　who　liked　him　better　than　any　of　the　others。　The
servants　brought　him　a　portion　of　meat；