the odyssey(奥德赛)-第20节

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！


drew　the　ship　into　the　water；　got　her　mast　and　sails　inside　her；　bound
the　oars　to　the　thole…pins　with　twisted　thongs　of　leather；　all　in
due　course；　and　spread　the　white　sails　aloft。　They　moored　the　vessel　a
little　way　out　from　land；　and　then　came　on　shore　and　went　to　the　house
of　King　Alcinous。　The　outhouses；　yards；　and　all　the　precincts　were
filled　with　crowds　of　men　in　great　multitudes　both　old　and　young；
and　Alcinous　killed　them　a　dozen　sheep；　eight　full　grown　pigs；　and　two
oxen。　These　they　skinned　and　dressed　so　as　to　provide　a　magnificent
banquet。
　　A　servant　presently　led　in　the　famous　bard　Demodocus；　whom　the
muse　had　dearly　loved；　but　to　whom　she　had　given　both　good　and　evil；
for　though　she　had　endowed　him　with　a　divine　gift　of　song；　she　had
robbed　him　of　his　eyesight。　Pontonous　set　a　seat　for　him　among　the
guests；　leaning　it　up　against　a　bearing…post。　He　hung　the　lyre　for　him
on　a　peg　over　his　head；　and　showed　him　where　he　was　to　feel　for　it
with　his　hands。　He　also　set　a　fair　table　with　a　basket　of　victuals
by　his　side；　and　a　cup　of　wine　from　which　he　might　drink　whenever　he
was　so　disposed。
　　The　company　then　laid　their　hands　upon　the　good　things　that　were
before　them；　but　as　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；
the　muse　inspired　Demodocus　to　sing　the　feats　of　heroes；　and　more
especially　a　matter　that　was　then　in　the　mouths　of　all　men；　to　wit；
the　quarrel　between　Ulysses　and　Achilles；　and　the　fierce　words　that
they　heaped　on　one　another　as　they　gat　together　at　a　banquet。　But
Agamemnon　was　glad　when　he　heard　his　chieftains　quarrelling　with　one
another；　for　Apollo　had　foretold　him　this　at　Pytho　when　he　crossed　the
stone　floor　to　consult　the　oracle。　Here　was　the　beginning　of　the
evil　that　by　the　will　of　Jove　fell　both　Danaans　and　Trojans。
　　Thus　sang　the　bard；　but　Ulysses　drew　his　purple　mantle　over　his　head
and　covered　his　face；　for　he　was　ashamed　to　let　the　Phaeacians　see
that　he　was　weeping。　When　the　bard　left　off　singing　he　wiped　the　tears
from　his　eyes；　uncovered　his　face；　and；　taking　his　cup；　made　a
drink…offering　to　the　gods；　but　when　the　Phaeacians　pressed
Demodocus　to　sing　further；　for　they　delighted　in　his　lays；　then
Ulysses　again　drew　his　mantle　over　his　head　and　wept　bitterly。　No
one　noticed　his　distress　except　Alcinous；　who　was　sitting　near　him；
and　heard　the　heavy　sighs　that　he　was　heaving。　So　he　at　once　said；
〃Aldermen　and　town　councillors　of　the　Phaeacians；　we　have　had　enough
now；　both　of　the　feast；　and　of　the　minstrelsy　that　is　its　due
accompaniment；　let　us　proceed　therefore　to　the　athletic　sports；　so
that　our　guest　on　his　return　home　may　be　able　to　tell　his　friends
how　much　we　surpass　all　other　nations　as　boxers；　wrestlers；　jumpers；
and　runners。〃
　　With　these　words　he　led　the　way；　and　the　others　followed　after。　A
servant　hung　Demodocus's　lyre　on　its　peg　for　him；　led　him　out　of　the
cloister；　and　set　him　on　the　same　way　as　that　along　which　all　the
chief　men　of　the　Phaeacians　were　going　to　see　the　sports；　a　crowd　of
several　thousands　of　people　followed　them；　and　there　were　many
excellent　competitors　for　all　the　prizes。　Acroneos；　Ocyalus；　Elatreus；
Nauteus；　Prymneus；　Anchialus；　Eretmeus；　Ponteus；　Proreus；　Thoon；
Anabesineus；　and　Amphialus　son　of　Polyneus　son　of　Tecton。　There　was
also　Euryalus　son　of　Naubolus；　who　was　like　Mars　himself；　and　was
the　best　looking　man　among　the　Phaecians　except　Laodamas。　Three　sons
of　Alcinous；　Laodamas；　Halios；　and　Clytoneus；　competed　also。
　　The　foot　races　came　first。　The　course　was　set　out　for　them　from
the　starting　post；　and　they　raised　a　dust　upon　the　plain　as　they　all
flew　forward　at　the　same　moment。　Clytoneus　came　in　first　by　a　long
way；　he　left　every　one　else　behind　him　by　the　length　of　the　furrow
that　a　couple　of　mules　can　plough　in　a　fallow　field。　They　then
turned　to　the　painful　art　of　wrestling；　and　here　Euryalus　proved　to　be
the　best　man。　Amphialus　excelled　all　the　others　in　jumping；　while　at
throwing　the　disc　there　was　no　one　who　could　approach　Elatreus。
Alcinous's　son　Laodamas　was　the　best　boxer；　and　he　it　was　who
presently　said；　when　they　had　all　been　diverted　with　the　games；　〃Let
us　ask　the　stranger　whether　he　excels　in　any　of　these　sports；　he　seems
very　powerfully　built；　his　thighs；　claves；　hands；　and　neck　are　of
prodigious　strength；　nor　is　he　at　all　old；　but　he　has　suffered　much
lately；　and　there　is　nothing　like　the　sea　for　making　havoc　with　a　man；
no　matter　how　strong　he　is。〃
　　〃You　are　quite　right；　Laodamas；〃　replied　Euryalus；　〃go　up　to　your
guest　and　speak　to　him　about　it　yourself。〃
　　When　Laodamas　heard　this　he　made　his　way　into　the　middle　of　the
crowd　and　said　to　Ulysses；　〃I　hope；　Sir；　that　you　will　enter
yourself　for　some　one　or　other　of　our　competitions　if　you　are
skilled　in　any　of　them…　and　you　must　have　gone　in　for　many　a　one
before　now。　There　is　nothing　that　does　any　one　so　much　credit　all
his　life　long　as　the　showing　himself　a　proper　man　with　his　hands　and
feet。　Have　a　try　therefore　at　something；　and　banish　all　sorrow　from
your　mind。　Your　return　home　will　not　be　long　delayed；　for　the　ship
is　already　drawn　into　the　water；　and　the　crew　is　found。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Laodamas；　why　do　you　taunt　me　in　this　way？　my
mind　is　set　rather　on　cares　than　contests；　I　have　been　through
infinite　trouble；　and　am　come　among　you　now　as　a　suppliant；　praying
your　king　and　people　to　further　me　on　my　return　home。〃
　　Then　Euryalus　reviled　him　outright　and　said；　〃I　gather；　then；　that
you　are　unskilled　in　any　of　the　many　sports　that　men　generally　delight
in。　I　suppose　you　are　one　of　those　grasping　traders　that　go　about　in
ships　as　captains　or　merchants；　and　who　think　of　nothing　but　of
their　outward　freights　and　homeward　cargoes。　There　does　not　seem　to　be
much　of　the　athlete　about　you。〃
　　〃For　shame；　Sir；〃　answered　Ulysses；　fiercely；　〃you　are　an　insolent
fellow…　so　true　is　it　that　the　gods　do　not　grace　all　men　alike　in
speech；　person；　and　understanding。　One　man　may　be　of　weak　presence；
but　heaven　has　adorned　this　with　such　a　good　conversation　that　he
charms　every　one　who　sees　him；　his　honeyed　moderation　carries　his
hearers　with　him　so　that　he　is　leader　in　all　assemblies　of　his
fellows；　and　wherever　he　goes　he　is　looked　up　to。　Another　may　be　as
handsome　as　a　god；　but　his　good　looks　are　not　crowned　with　discretion。
This　is　your　case。　No　god　could　make　a　finer　looking　fellow　than　you
are；　but　you　are　a　fool。　Your　ill…judged　remarks　have　made　me
exceedingly　angry；　and　you　are　quite　mistaken；　for　I　excel　in　a
great　many　athletic　exercises；　indeed；　so　long　as　I　had　youth　and
strength；　I　was　among　the　first　athletes　of　the　age。　Now；　however；　I
am　worn　out　by　labour　and　sorrow；　for　I　have　gone　through　much　both　on
the　field　of　battle　and　by　the　waves　of　the　weary　sea；　still；　in　spite
of　all　this　I　will　compete；　for　your　taunts　have　stung　me　to　the
quick。〃
　　So　he　hurried　up　without　even　taking　his　cloak　off；　and　seized　a
disc；　larger；　more　massive　and　much　heavier　than　those　used　by　the
Phaeacians　when　disc…throwing　among　themselves。　Then；　swinging　it
back；　he　threw　it　from　his　brawny　hand；　and　it　made　a　humming　sound　in
the　air　as　he　did　so。　The　Phaeacians　quailed　beneath　the　rushing　of
its　flight　as　it　sped　gracefully　from　his　hand；　and　flew　beyond　any
mark　that　had　been　made　yet。　Minerva；　in　the　form　of　a　man；　came　and
marked　the　place　where　it　had　fallen。　〃A　blind　man；　Sir；〃　said　she；
〃could　easily　tell　your　mark　by　groping　for　it…　it　is　so　far　ahead
of　any　other。　You　may　make　your　mind　easy　about　this　contest；　for　no
Phaeacian　can　come　near　to　such　a　throw　as　yours。〃
　　Ulysses　was　glad　when　he　found　he　had　a　friend　among　the　lookers…on；
so　he　began　to　speak　more　pleasantly。　〃Young　men；〃　said　he；　〃come　up
to　that　throw　if　you　can；　and　I　will　throw　another　disc　as　heavy　or
even　heavier。　If　anyone　wants　to　have　a　bout　with　me　let　him　come
on；　for　I　am　exceedingly　angry；　I　will　box；　wrestle；　or　run；　I　do
not　care　what　it　is；　with　any　man　of　you　all　except　Laodamas；　but
not　with　him　because　I　am　his　guest；　and　one　cannot　compete　with　one's
own　personal　friend。　At　least　I　do　not　think　it　a　prudent　or　a
sensible　thing　for　a　guest　to　challenge　his　host's　family　at　any　game；
especially　when　he　is　in　a　foreign　country。　He　will　cut　the　ground
from　under　his　own　feet　if　he　does；　but　I　make　no　exception　as　regards
any　one　else；　for　I　want　to　have　the　matter　out　and　know　which　is
the　best　man。　I　am　a　good　hand　at　every　kind　of　athletic　sport　known
among　mankind。　I　am　an　excellent　archer。　In　battle　I　am　always　the
first　to　bring　a　man　down　with　my　arrow；　no　matter　how　many　more　are
taking　aim　at　him　alongside　of　me。　Philoctetes　was　the　only　man　who
could　shoot　better　than　I　could　when　we　Achaeans　were　before　Troy
and　in　practice。　I　far　excel　every　one　else　in　the　whole　world；　of
those　who　still　eat　bread　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；　but　I　should　not
like　to　shoot　against　the　mighty　dead；　such　as　Hercules；　or　Eurytus
the　Cechalian…men　who　could　shoot　against　the　gods　themselves。　This　in
fact　was　how　Eurytus　came　prematurely　by　his　end；　for　Apollo　was　angry
with　him　and　killed　him　because　he　challenged　him　as　an　archer。　I
can　throw　a　dart　farther　than　any　on