tales of troy-第12节

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and　annoying　old　vagabond；　and　was　always　in　quarrels。　　If　there
was　a　disagreeable　story　about　the　father　or　grandfather　of　any　of
the　princes；　he　knew　it　and　told　it；　so　that　he　got　a　blow　from　the
baton　of　Agamemnon；　and　Aias　gave　him　a　kick；　and　Idomeneus　drubbed
him　with　the　butt　of　his　spear　for　a　tale　about　his　grandmother；
and　everybody　hated　him　and　called　him　a　nuisance。　　He　was　for　ever
jeering　at　Ulysses；　who　was　far　away；　and　telling　tales　about
Autolycus；　and　at　last　he　stole　a　gold　cup；　a　very　large　cup；　with
two　handles；　and　a　dove　sitting　on　each　handle；　from　the　hut　of
Nestor。　　The　old　chief　was　fond　of　this　cup；　which　he　had　brought
from　home；　and；　when　it　was　found　in　the　beggar's　dirty　wallet；
everybody　cried　that　he　must　be　driven　out　of　the　camp　and　well
whipped。　　So　Nestor's　son；　young　Thrasymedes；　with　other　young　men；
laughing　and　shouting；　pushed　and　dragged　the　beggar　close　up　to
the　Scaean　gate　of　Troy；　where　Thrasymedes　called　with　a　loud
voice；　〃O　Trojans；　we　are　sick　of　this　shameless　beggar。　　First　we
shall　whip　him　well；　and　if　he　comes　back　we　shall　put　out　his　eyes
and　cut　off　his　hands　and　feet；　and　give　him　to　the　dogs　to　eat。
He　may　go　to　you；　if　he　likes；　if　not；　he　must　wander　till　he　dies
of　hunger。〃

The　young　men　of　Troy　heard　this　and　laughed；　and　a　crowd　gathered
on　the　wall　to　see　the　beggar　punished。　　So　Thrasymedes　whipped　him
with　his　bowstring　till　he　was　tired；　and　they　did　not　leave　off
beating　the　beggar　till　he　ceased　howling　and　fell；　all　bleeding；
and　lay　still。　　Then　Thrasymedes　gave　him　a　parting　kick；　and　went
away　with　his　friends。　　The　beggar　lay　quiet　for　some　time；　then　he
began　to　stir；　and　sat　up；　wiping　the　tears　from　his　eyes；　and
shouting　curses　and　bad　words　after　the　Greeks；　praying　that　they
might　be　speared　in　the　back；　and　eaten　by　dogs。

At　last　he　tried　to　stand　up；　but　fell　down　again；　and　began　to
crawl　on　hands　and　knees　towards　the　Scaean　gate。　　There　he　sat
down；　within　the　two　side　walls　of　the　gate；　where　he　cried　and
lamented。　　Now　Helen　of　the　fair　hands　came　down　from　the　gate
tower；　being　sorry　to　see　any　man　treated　so　much　worse　than　a
beast；　and　she　spoke　to　the　beggar　and　asked　him　why　he　had　been
used　in　this　cruel　way？

At　first　he　only　moaned；　and　rubbed　his　sore　sides；　but　at　last　he
said　that　he　was　an　unhappy　man；　who　had　been　shipwrecked；　and　was
begging　his　way　home；　and　that　the　Greeks　suspected　him　of　being　a
spy　sent　out　by　the　Trojans。　　But　he　had　been　in　Lacedaemon；　her
own　country；　he　said；　and　could　tell　her　about　her　father；　if　she
were；　as　he　supposed；　the　beautiful　Helen；　and　about　her　brothers；
Castor　and　Polydeuces；　and　her　little　daughter；　Hermione。

〃But　perhaps；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　no　mortal　woman；　but　some　goddess
who　favours　the　Trojans；　and　if　indeed　you　are　a　goddess　then　I
liken　you　to　Aphrodite；　for　beauty；　and　stature；　and　shapeliness。〃
Then　Helen　wept；　for　many　a　year　had　passed　since　she　had　heard　any
word　of　her　father；　and　daughter；　and　her　brothers；　who　were　dead；
though　she　knew　it　not。　　So　she　stretched　out　her　white　hand；　and
raised　the　beggar；　who　was　kneeling　at　her　feet；　and　bade　him
follow　her　to　her　own　house；　within　the　palace　garden　of　King
Priam。

Helen　walked　forward；　with　a　bower　maiden　at　either　side；　and　the
beggar　crawling　after　her。　　When　she　had　entered　her　house；　Paris
was　not　there；　so　she　ordered　the　bath　to　be　filled　with　warm
water；　and　new　clothes　to　be　brought；　and　she　herself　washed　the
old　beggar　and　anointed　him　with　oil。　　This　appears　very　strange　to
us；　for　though　Saint　Elizabeth　of　Hungary　used　to　wash　and　clothe
beggars；　we　are　surprised　that　Helen　should　do　so；　who　was　not　a
saint。　　But　long　afterwards　she　herself　told　the　son　of　Ulysses；
Telemachus；　that　she　had　washed　his　father　when　he　came　into　Troy
disguised　as　a　beggar　who　had　been　sorely　beaten。

You　must　have　guessed　that　the　beggar　was　Ulysses；　who　had　not　gone
to　Delos　in　his　ship；　but　stolen　back　in　a　boat；　and　appeared
disguised　among　the　Greeks。　　He　did　all　this　to　make　sure　that
nobody　could　recognise　him；　and　he　behaved　so　as　to　deserve　a
whipping　that　he　might　not　be　suspected　as　a　Greek　spy　by　the
Trojans；　but　rather　be　pitied　by　them。　　Certainly　he　deserved　his
name　of　〃the　much…enduring　Ulysses。〃

Meanwhile　he　sat　in　his　bath　and　Helen　washed　his　feet。　　But　when
she　had　done；　and　had　anointed　his　wounds　with　olive　oil；　and　when
she　had　clothed　him　in　a　white　tunic　and　a　purple　mantle；　then　she
opened　her　lips　to　cry　out　with　amazement；　for　she　knew　Ulysses；
but　he　laid　his　finger　on　her　lips；　saying　〃Hush！〃　　Then　she
remembered　how　great　danger　he　was　in；　for　the　Trojans；　if　they
found　him；　would　put　him　to　some　cruel　death；　and　she　sat　down；
trembling　and　weeping；　while　he　watched　her。

〃Oh　thou　strange　one；〃　she　said；　〃how　enduring　is　thy　heart　and　how
cunning　beyond　measure！　　How　hast　thou　borne　to　be　thus　beaten　and
disgraced；　and　to　come　within　the　walls　of　Troy？　　Well　it　is　for
thee　that　Paris；　my　lord；　is　far　from　home；　having　gone　to　guide
Penthesilea；　the　Queen　of　the　warrior　maids　whom　men　call　Amazons；
who　is　on　her　way　to　help　the　Trojans。〃

Then　Ulysses　smiled；　and　Helen　saw　that　she　had　said　a　word　which
she　ought　not　to　have　spoken；　and　had　revealed　the　secret　hope　of
the　Trojans。　　Then　she　wept；　and　said；　〃Oh　cruel　and　cunning！　　You
have　made　me　betray　the　people　with　whom　I　live；　though　woe　is　me
that　ever　I　left　my　own　people；　and　my　husband　dear；　and　my　child！
And　now　if　you　escape　alive　out　of　Troy；　you　will　tell　the　Greeks；
and　they　will　lie　in　ambush　by　night　for　the　Amazons　on　the　way　to
Troy　and　will　slay　them　all。　　If　you　and　I　were　not　friends　long
ago；　I　would　tell　the　Trojans　that　you　are　here；　and　they　would
give　your　body　to　the　dogs　to　eat；　and　fix　your　head　on　the
palisade　above　the　wall。　　Woe　is　me　that　ever　I　was　born。〃

Ulysses　answered；　〃Lady；　as　you　have　said；　we　two　are　friends　from
of　old；　and　your　friend　I　will　be　till　the　last；　when　the　Greeks
break　into　Troy；　and　slay　the　men；　and　carry　the　women　captives。
If　I　live　till　that　hour　no　man　shall　harm　you；　but　safely　and　in
honour　you　shall　come　to　your　palace　in　Lacedaemon　of　the　rifted
hills。　　Moreover；　I　swear　to　you　a　great　oath；　by　Zeus　above；　and
by　Them　that　under　earth　punish　the　souls　of　men　who　swear　falsely；
that　I　shall　tell　no　man　the　thing　which　you　have　spoken。〃

So　when　he　had　sworn　and　done　that　oath；　Helen　was　comforted　and
dried　her　tears。　　Then　she　told　him　how　unhappy　she　was；　and　how
she　had　lost　her　last　comfort　when　Hector　died。　　〃Always　am　I
wretched；〃　she　said；　〃save　when　sweet　sleep　falls　on　me。　　Now　the
wife　of　Thon；　King　of　Egypt；　gave　me　this　gift　when　we　were　in
Egypt；　on　our　way　to　Troy；　namely；　a　drug　that　brings　sleep　even　to
the　most　unhappy；　and　it　is　pressed　from　the　poppy　heads　of　the
garland　of　the　God　of　Sleep。〃　　Then　she　showed　him　strange　phials
of　gold；　full　of　this　drug：　　phials　wrought　by　the　Egyptians；　and
covered　with　magic　spells　and　shapes　of　beasts　and　flowers。　　〃One
of　these　I　will　give　you；〃　she　said；　〃that　even　from　Troy　town　you
may　not　go　without　a　gift　in　memory　of　the　hands　of　Helen。〃　　So
Ulysses　took　the　phial　of　gold；　and　was　glad　in　his　heart；　and
Helen　set　before　him　meat　and　wine。　　When　he　had　eaten　and　drunk；
and　his　strength　had　come　back　to　him；　he　said：

〃Now　I　must　dress　me　again　in　my　old　rags；　and　take　my　wallet；　and
my　staff；　and　go　forth；　and　beg　through　Troy　town。　　For　here　I　must
abide　for　some　days　as　a　beggar　man；　lest　if　I　now　escape　from　your
house　in　the　night　the　Trojans　may　think　that　you　have　told　me　the
secrets　of　their　counsel；　which　I　am　carrying　to　the　Greeks；　and
may　be　angry　with　you。〃　　So　he　clothed　himself　again　as　a　beggar；
and　took　his　staff；　and　hid　the　phial　of　gold　with　the　Egyptian
drug　in　his　rags；　and　in　his　wallet　also　he　put　the　new　clothes
that　Helen　had　given　him；　and　a　sword；　and　he　took　farewell；
saying；　〃Be　of　good　heart；　for　the　end　of　your　sorrows　is　at　hand。
But　if　you　see　me　among　the　beggars　in　the　street；　or　by　the　well；
take　no　heed　of　me；　only　I　will　salute　you　as　a　beggar　who　has　been
kindly　treated　by　a　Queen。〃

So　they　parted；　and　Ulysses　went　out；　and　when　it　was　day　he　was
with　the　beggars　in　the　streets；　but　by　night　he　commonly　slept
near　the　fire　of　a　smithy　forge；　as　is　the　way　of　beggars。　　So　for
some　days　he　begged；　saying　that　he　was　gathering　food　to　eat　while
he　walked　to　some　town　far　away　that　was　at　peace；　where　he　might
find　work　to　do。　　He　was　not　impudent　now；　and　did　not　go　to　rich
men's　houses　or　tell　evil　tales；　or　laugh；　but　he　was　much　in　the
temples；　praying　to　the　Gods；　and　above　all　in　the　temple　of　Pallas
Athene。　　The　Trojans　thought　that　he　was　a　pious　man　for　a　beggar。

Now　there　was　a　custom　in　these　times　that　men　and　women　who　were
sick　or　in　distress；　should　sleep　at　night　on　the　floors　of　the
temples。　　They　did　this　hoping　that　the　God　would　send　them　a　dream
to　show　them　how　their　diseases　might　be　cured；　or　how　they　might
find　what　they　had　lost；　or　might　escape　from　their　distresses。

Ulysses　slept　in　more　than　one　temple；