the odyssey(奥德赛)-第12节

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I　have　twelve　brood　mares　there　with　yearling　mule　foals　by　their　side
not　yet　broken　in；　and　I　want　to　bring　one　of　them　over　here　and　break
him。〃
　　They　were　astounded　when　they　heard　this；　for　they　had　made　sure
that　Telemachus　had　not　gone　to　the　city　of　Neleus。　They　thought　he
was　only　away　somewhere　on　the　farms；　and　was　with　the　sheep；　or
with　the　swineherd；　so　Antinous　said；　〃When　did　he　go？　Tell　me
truly；　and　what　young　men　did　he　take　with　him？　Were　they　freemen　or
his　own　bondsmen…　for　he　might　manage　that　too？　Tell　me　also；　did
you　let　him　have　the　ship　of　your　own　free　will　because　he　asked
you；　or　did　he　take　it　without　yourleave？〃
　　〃I　lent　it　him；〃　answered　Noemon；　〃what　else　could　I　do　when　a　man
of　his　position　said　he　was　in　a　difficulty；　and　asked　me　to　oblige
him？　I　could　not　possibly　refuse。　As　for　those　who　went　with　him
they　were　the　best　young　men　we　have；　and　I　saw　Mentor　go　on　board
as　captain…　or　some　god　who　was　exactly　like　him。　I　cannot
understand　it；　for　I　saw　Mentor　here　myself　yesterday　morning；　and　yet
he　was　then　setting　out　for　Pylos。〃
　　Noemon　then　went　back　to　his　father's　house；　but　Antinous　and
Eurymachus　were　very　angry。　They　told　the　others　to　leave　off　playing；
and　to　come　and　sit　down　along　with　themselves。　When　they　came；
Antinous　son　of　Eupeithes　spoke　in　anger。　His　heart　was　black　with
rage；　and　his　eyes　flashed　fire　as　he　said：
　　〃Good　heavens；　this　voyage　of　Telemachus　is　a　very　serious　matter；
we　had　made　sure　that　it　would　come　to　nothing；　but　the　young　fellow
has　got　away　in　spite　of　us；　and　with　a　picked　crew　too。　He　will　be
giving　us　trouble　presently；　may　Jove　take　him　before　he　is　full
grown。　Find　me　a　ship；　therefore；　with　a　crew　of　twenty　men；　and　I
will　lie　in　wait　for　him　in　the　straits　between　Ithaca　and　Samos；　he
will　then　rue　the　day　that　he　set　out　to　try　and　get　news　of　his
father。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　the　others　applauded　his　saying；　they　then
all　of　them　went　inside　the　buildings。
　　It　was　not　long　ere　Penelope　came　to　know　what　the　suitors　were
plotting；　for　a　man　servant；　Medon；　overheard　them　from　outside　the
outer　court　as　they　were　laying　their　schemes　within；　and　went　to　tell
his　mistress。　As　he　crossed　the　threshold　of　her　room　Penelope　said：
〃Medon；　what　have　the　suitors　sent　you　here　for？　Is　it　to　tell　the
maids　to　leave　their　master's　business　and　cook　dinner　for　them？　I
wish　they　may　neither　woo　nor　dine　henceforward；　neither　here　nor
anywhere　else；　but　let　this　be　the　very　last　time；　for　the　waste　you
all　make　of　my　son's　estate。　Did　not　your　fathers　tell　you　when　you
were　children　how　good　Ulysses　had　been　to　them…　never　doing
anything　high…handed；　nor　speaking　harshly　to　anybody？　Kings　may　say
things　sometimes；　and　they　may　take　a　fancy　to　one　man　and　dislike
another；　but　Ulysses　never　did　an　unjust　thing　by　anybody…　which　shows
what　bad　hearts　you　have；　and　that　there　is　no　such　thing　as　gratitude
left　in　this　world。〃
　　Then　Medon　said；　〃I　wish；　Madam；　that　this　were　all；　but　they　are
plotting　something　much　more　dreadful　now…　may　heaven　frustrate
their　design。　They　are　going　to　try　and　murder　Telemachus　as　he　is
coming　home　from　Pylos　and　Lacedaemon；　where　he　has　been　to　get　news
of　his　father。〃
　　Then　Penelope's　heart　sank　within　her；　and　for　a　long　time　she　was
speechless；　her　eyes　filled　with　tears；　and　she　could　find　no
utterance。　At　last；　however；　she　said；　〃Why　did　my　son　leave　me？
What　business　had　he　to　go　sailing　off　in　ships　that　make　long　voyages
over　the　ocean　like　sea…horses？　Does　he　want　to　die　without　leaving
any　one　behind　him　to　keep　up　his　name？〃
　　〃I　do　not　know；〃　answered　Medon；　〃whether　some　god　set　him　on　to　it；
or　whether　he　went　on　his　own　impulse　to　see　if　he　could　find　out　if
his　father　was　dead；　or　alive　and　on　his　way　home。〃
　　Then　he　went　downstairs　again；　leaving　Penelope　in　an　agony　of
grief。　There　were　plenty　of　seats　in　the　house；　but　she。　had　no
heart　for　sitting　on　any　one　of　them；　she　could　only　fling　herself
on　the　floor　of　her　own　room　and　cry；　whereon　all　the　maids　in　the
house；　both　old　and　young；　gathered　round　her　and　began　to　cry　too；
till　at　last　in　a　transport　of　sorrow　she　exclaimed；
　　〃My　dears；　heaven　has　been　pleased　to　try　me　with　more　affliction
than　any　other　woman　of　my　age　and　country。　First　I　lost　my　brave
and　lion…hearted　husband；　who　had　every　good　quality　under　heaven；　and
whose　name　was　great　over　all　Hellas　and　middle　Argos；　and　now　my
darling　son　is　at　the　mercy　of　the　winds　and　waves；　without　my
having　heard　one　word　about　his　leaving　home。　You　hussies；　there　was
not　one　of　you　would　so　much　as　think　of　giving　me　a　call　out　of　my
bed；　though　you　all　of　you　very　well　knew　when　he　was　starting。　If　I
had　known　he　meant　taking　this　voyage；　he　would　have　had　to　give　it
up；　no　matter　how　much　he　was　bent　upon　it；　or　leave　me　a　corpse
behind　him…　one　or　other。　Now；　however；　go　some　of　you　and　call　old
Dolius；　who　was　given　me　by　my　father　on　my　marriage；　and　who　is　my
gardener。　Bid　him　go　at　once　and　tell　everything　to　Laertes；　who　may
be　able　to　hit　on　some　plan　for　enlisting　public　sympathy　on　our　side；
as　against　those　who　are　trying　to　exterminate　his　own　race　and　that
of　Ulysses。〃
　　Then　the　dear　old　nurse　Euryclea　said；　〃You　may　kill　me；　Madam；　or
let　me　live　on　in　your　house；　whichever　you　please；　but　I　will　tell
you　the　real　truth。　I　knew　all　about　it；　and　gave　him　everything　he
wanted　in　the　way　of　bread　and　wine；　but　he　made　me　take　my　solemn
oath　that　I　would　not　tell　you　anything　for　some　ten　or　twelve　days；
unless　you　asked　or　happened　to　hear　of　his　having　gone；　for　he　did
not　want　you　to　spoil　your　beauty　by　crying。　And　now；　Madam；　wash　your
face；　change　your　dress；　and　go　upstairs　with　your　maids　to　offer
prayers　to　Minerva；　daughter　of　Aegis…bearing　Jove；　for　she　can　save
him　even　though　he　be　in　the　jaws　of　death。　Do　not　trouble　Laertes：　he
has　trouble　enough　already。　Besides；　I　cannot　think　that　the　gods　hate
die　race　of　the　race　of　the　son　of　Arceisius　so　much；　but　there　will
be　a　son　left　to　come　up　after　him；　and　inherit　both　the　house　and　the
fair　fields　that　lie　far　all　round　it。〃
　　With　these　words　she　made　her　mistress　leave　off　crying；　and　dried
the　tears　from　her　eyes。　Penelope　washed　her　face；　changed　her
dress；　and　went　upstairs　with　her　maids。　She　then　put　some　bruised
barley　into　a　basket　and　began　praying　to　Minerva。
　　〃Hear　me；〃　she　cried；　〃Daughter　of　Aegis…bearing　Jove；
unweariable。　If　ever　Ulysses　while　he　was　here　burned　you　fat　thigh
bones　of　sheep　or　heifer；　bear　it　in　mind　now　as　in　my　favour；　and
save　my　darling　son　from　the　villainy　of　the　suitors。〃
　　She　cried　aloud　as　she　spoke；　and　the　goddess　heard　her　prayer；
meanwhile　the　suitors　were　clamorous　throughout　the　covered
cloister；　and　one　of　them　said：
　　〃The　queen　is　preparing　for　her　marriage　with　one　or　other　of　us。
Little　does　she　dream　that　her　son　has　now　been　doomed　to　die。〃
　　This　was　what　they　said；　but　they　did　not　know　what　was　going　to
happen。　Then　Antinous　said；　〃Comrades；　let　there　be　no　loud　talking；
lest　some　of　it　get　carried　inside。　Let　us　be　up　and　do　that　in
silence；　about　which　we　are　all　of　a　mind。〃
　　He　then　chose　twenty　men；　and　they　went　down　to　their。　ship　and　to
the　sea　side；　they　drew　the　vessel　into　the　water　and　got　her　mast　and
sails　inside　her；　they　bound　the　oars　to　the　thole…pins　with　twisted
thongs　of　leather；　all　in　due　course；　and　spread　the　white　sails
aloft；　while　their　fine　servants　brought　them　their　armour。　Then
they　made　the　ship　fast　a　little　way　out；　came　on　shore　again；　got
their　suppers；　and　waited　till　night　should　fall。
　　But　Penelope　lay　in　her　own　room　upstairs　unable　to　eat　or　drink；
and　wondering　whether　her　brave　son　would　escape；　or　be　overpowered　by
the　wicked　suitors。　Like　a　lioness　caught　in　the　toils　with　huntsmen
hemming　her　in　on　every　side　she　thought　and　thought　till　she　sank
into　a　slumber；　and　lay　on　her　bed　bereft　of　thought　and　motion。
　　Then　Minerva　bethought　her　of　another　matter；　and　made　a　vision　in
the　likeness　of　Penelope's　sister　Iphthime　daughter　of　Icarius　who　had
married　Eumelus　and　lived　in　Pherae。　She　told　the　vision　to　go　to
the　house　of　Ulysses；　and　to　make　Penelope　leave　off　crying；　so　it
came　into　her　room　by　the　hole　through　which　the　thong　went　for
pulling　the　door　to；　and　hovered　over　her　head；　saying；
　　〃You　are　asleep；　Penelope：　the　gods　who　live　at　ease　will　not　suffer
you　to　weep　and　be　so　sad。　Your　son　has　done　them　no　wrong；　so　he　will
yet　come　back　to　you。〃
　　Penelope；　who　was　sleeping　sweetly　at　the　gates　of　dreamland；
answered；　〃Sister；　why　have　you　come　here？　You　do　not　come　very　often；
but　I　suppose　that　is　because　you　live　such　a　long　way　off。　Am　I；
then；　to　leave　off　crying　and　refrain　from　all　the　sad　thoughts　that
torture　me？　I；　who　have　lost　my　brave　and　lion…hearted　husband；　who
had　every　good　quality　under　heaven；　and　whose　name　was　great　over　all
Hellas　and　middle　Argos；　and　now　my　darling　son　has　gone　off　on
board　of　a　ship…　a　foolish　fellow　who　has　never　been　used　to
roughing　it；　nor　to　going　about　among　gatherings　of　men。　I　am　even
more　anxious　about　him