the odyssey(奥德赛)-第21节

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with　him　and　killed　him　because　he　challenged　him　as　an　archer。　I
can　throw　a　dart　farther　than　any　one　else　can　shoot　an　arrow。　Running
is　the　only　point　in　respect　of　which　I　am　afraid　some　of　the
Phaecians　might　beat　me；　for　I　have　been　brought　down　very　low　at　sea；
my　provisions　ran　short；　and　therefore　I　am　still　weak。〃
　　They　all　held　their　peace　except　King　Alcinous；　who　began；　〃Sir；
we　have　had　much　pleasure　in　hearing　all　that　you　have　told　us；　from
which　I　understand　that　you　are　willing　to　show　your　prowess；　as
having　been　displeased　with　some　insolent　remarks　that　have　been
made　to　you　by　one　of　our　athletes；　and　which　could　never　have　been
uttered　by　any　one　who　knows　how　to　talk　with　propriety。　I　hope　you
will　apprehend　my　meaning；　and　will　explain　to　any　be　one　of　your
chief　men　who　may　be　dining　with　yourself　and　your　family　when　you　get
home；　that　we　have　an　hereditary　aptitude　for　accomplishments　of　all
kinds。　We　are　not　particularly　remarkable　for　our　boxing；　nor　yet　as
wrestlers；　but　we　are　singularly　fleet　of　foot　and　are　excellent
sailors。　We　are　extremely　fond　of　good　dinners；　music；　and　dancing；　we
also　like　frequent　changes　of　linen；　warm　baths；　and　good　beds；　so
now；　please；　some　of　you　who　are　the　best　dancers　set　about　dancing；
that　our　guest　on　his　return　home　may　be　able　to　tell　his　friends
how　much　we　surpass　all　other　nations　as　sailors；　runners；　dancers；
minstrels。　Demodocus　has　left　his　lyre　at　my　house；　so　run　some　one　or
other　of　you　and　fetch　it　for　him。〃
　　On　this　a　servant　hurried　off　to　bring　the　lyre　from　the　king's
house；　and　the　nine　men　who　had　been　chosen　as　stewards　stood　forward。
It　was　their　business　to　manage　everything　connected　with　the
sports；　so　they　made　the　ground　smooth　and　marked　a　wide　space　for　the
dancers。　Presently　the　servant　came　back　with　Demodocus's　lyre；　and　he
took　his　place　in　the　midst　of　them；　whereon　the　best　young　dancers　in
the　town　began　to　foot　and　trip　it　so　nimbly　that　Ulysses　was
delighted　with　the　merry　twinkling　of　their　feet。
　　Meanwhile　the　bard　began　to　sing　the　loves　of　Mars　and　Venus；　and
how　they　first　began　their　intrigue　in　the　house　of　Vulcan。　Mars
made　Venus　many　presents；　and　defiled　King　Vulcan's　marriage　bed；　so
the　sun；　who　saw　what　they　were　about；　told　Vulcan。　Vulcan　was　very
angry　when　he　heard　such　dreadful　news；　so　he　went　to　his　smithy
brooding　mischief；　got　his　great　anvil　into　its　place；　and　began　to
forge　some　chains　which　none　could　either　unloose　or　break；　so　that
they　might　stay　there　in　that　place。　When　he　had　finished　his　snare　he
went　into　his　bedroom　and　festooned　the　bed…posts　all　over　with　chains
like　cobwebs；　he　also　let　many　hang　down　from　the　great　beam　of　the
ceiling。　Not　even　a　god　could　see　them；　so　fine　and　subtle　were
they。　As　soon　as　he　had　spread　the　chains　all　over　the　bed；　he　made　as
though　he　were　setting　out　for　the　fair　state　of　Lemnos；　which　of
all　places　in　the　world　was　the　one　he　was　most　fond　of。　But　Mars　kept
no　blind　look　out；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　him　start；　hurried　off　to　his
house；　burning　with　love　for　Venus。
　　Now　Venus　was　just　come　in　from　a　visit　to　her　father　Jove；　and
was　about　sitting　down　when　Mars　came　inside　the　house；　an　said　as
he　took　her　hand　in　his　own；　〃Let　us　go　to　the　couch　of　Vulcan：　he
is　not　at　home；　but　is　gone　off　to　Lemnos　among　the　Sintians；　whose
speech　is　barbarous。〃
　　She　was　nothing　loth；　so　they　went　to　the　couch　to　take　their
rest；　whereon　they　were　caught　in　the　toils　which　cunning　Vulcan　had
spread　for　them；　and　could　neither　get　up　nor　stir　hand　or　foot；　but
found　too　late　that　they　were　in　a　trap。　Then　Vulcan　came　up　to
them；　for　he　had　turned　back　before　reaching　Lemnos；　when　his　scout
the　sun　told　him　what　was　going　on。　He　was　in　a　furious　passion；　and
stood　in　the　vestibule　making　a　dreadful　noise　as　he　shouted　to　all
the　gods。
　　〃Father　Jove；〃　he　cried；　〃and　all　you　other　blessed　gods　who　live
for　ever；　come　here　and　see　the　ridiculous　and　disgraceful　sight
that　I　will　show　you。　Jove's　daughter　Venus　is　always　dishonouring
me　because　I　am　lame。　She　is　in　love　with　Mars；　who　is　handsome　and
clean　built；　whereas　I　am　a　cripple…　but　my　parents　are　to　blame　for
that；　not　I；　they　ought　never　to　have　begotten　me。　Come　and　see　the
pair　together　asleep　on　my　bed。　It　makes　me　furious　to　look　at　them。
They　are　very　fond　of　one　another；　but　I　do　not　think　they　will　lie
there　longer　than　they　can　help；　nor　do　I　think　that　they　will　sleep
much；　there；　however；　they　shall　stay　till　her　father　has　repaid　me
the　sum　I　gave　him　for　his　baggage　of　a　daughter；　who　is　fair　but
not　honest。〃
　　On　this　the　gods　gathered　to　the　house　of　Vulcan。　Earth…encircling
Neptune　came；　and　Mercury　the　bringer　of　luck；　and　King　Apollo；　but
the　goddesses　stayed　at　home　all　of　them　for　shame。　Then　the　givers　of
all　good　things　stood　in　the　doorway；　and　the　blessed　gods　roared　with
inextinguishable　laughter；　as　they　saw　how　cunning　Vulcan　had　been；
whereon　one　would　turn　towards　his　neighbour　saying：
　　〃Ill　deeds　do　not　prosper；　and　the　weak　confound　the　strong。　See　how
limping　Vulcan；　lame　as　he　is；　has　caught　Mars　who　is　the　fleetest　god
in　heaven；　and　now　Mars　will　be　cast　in　heavy　damages。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　but　King　Apollo　said　to　Mercury；
〃Messenger　Mercury；　giver　of　good　things；　you　would　not　care　how
strong　the　chains　were；　would　you；　if　you　could　sleep　with　Venus？〃
　　〃King　Apollo；〃　answered　Mercury；　〃I　only　wish　I　might　get　the
chance；　though　there　were　three　times　as　many　chains…　and　you　might
look　on；　all　of　you；　gods　and　goddesses；　but　would　sleep　with　her　if　I
could。〃
　　The　immortal　gods　burst　out　laughing　as　they　heard　him；　but
Neptune　took　it　all　seriously；　and　kept　on　imploring　Vulcan　to　set
Mars　free　again。　〃Let　him　go；〃　he　cried；　〃and　I　will　undertake；　as　you
require；　that　he　shall　pay　you　all　the　damages　that　are　held
reasonable　among　the　immortal　gods。〃
　　〃Do　not；〃　replied　Vulcan；　〃ask　me　to　do　this；　a　bad　man's　bond　is
bad　security；　what　remedy　could　I　enforce　against　you　if　Mars　should
go　away　and　leave　his　debts　behind　him　along　with　his　chains？〃
　　〃Vulcan；〃　said　Neptune；　〃if　Mars　goes　away　without　paying　his
damages；　I　will　pay　you　myself。〃　So　Vulcan　answered；　〃In　this　case　I
cannot　and　must　not　refuse　you。〃
　　Thereon　he　loosed　the　bonds　that　bound　them；　and　as　soon　as　they
were　free　they　scampered　off；　Mars　to　Thrace　and　laughter…loving　Venus
to　Cyprus　and　to　Paphos；　where　is　her　grove　and　her　altar　fragrant
with　burnt　offerings。　Here　the　Graces　hathed　her；　and　anointed　her
with　oil　of　ambrosia　such　as　the　immortal　gods　make　use　of；　and　they
clothed　her　in　raiment　of　the　most　enchanting　beauty。
　　Thus　sang　the　bard；　and　both　Ulysses　and　the　seafaring　Phaeacians
were　charmed　as　they　heard　him。
　　Then　Alcinous　told　Laodamas　and　Halius　to　dance　alone；　for　there　was
no　one　to　compete　with　them。　So　they　took　a　red　ball　which　Polybus　had
made　for　them；　and　one　of　them　bent　himself　backwards　and　threw　it
up　towards　the　clouds；　while　the　other　jumped　from　off　the　ground
and　caught　it　with　ease　before　it　came　down　again。　When　they　had
done　throwing　the　ball　straight　up　into　the　air　they　began　to　dance；
and　at　the　same　time　kept　on　throwing　it　backwards　and　forwards　to　one
another；　while　all　the　young　men　in　the　ring　applauded　and　made　a
great　stamping　with　their　feet。　Then　Ulysses　said：
　　〃King　Alcinous；　you　said　your　people　were　the　nimblest　dancers　in
the　world；　and　indeed　they　have　proved　themselves　to　be　so。　I　was
astonished　as　I　saw　them。〃
　　The　king　was　delighted　at　this；　and　exclaimed　to　the　Phaecians
〃Aldermen　and　town　councillors；　our　guest　seems　to　be　a　person　of
singular　judgement；　let　us　give　him　such　proof　of　our　hospitality　as
he　may　reasonably　expect。　There　are　twelve　chief　men　among　you；　and
counting　myself　there　are　thirteen；　contribute；　each　of　you；　a　clean
cloak；　a　shirt；　and　a　talent　of　fine　gold；　let　us　give　him　all　this　in
a　lump　down　at　once；　so　that　when　he　gets　his　supper　he　may　do　so　with
a　light　heart。　As　for　Euryalus　he　will　have　to　make　a　formal　apology
and　a　present　too；　for　he　has　been　rude。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak。　The　others　all　of　them　applauded　his　saying；
and　sent　their　servants　to　fetch　the　presents。　Then　Euryalus　said；
〃King　Alcinous；　I　will　give　the　stranger　all　the　satisfaction　you
require。　He　shall　have　sword；　which　is　of　bronze；　all　but　the　hilt；
which　is　of　silver。　I　will　also　give　him　the　scabbard　of　newly　sawn
ivory　into　which　it　fits。　It　will　be　worth　a　great　deal　to　him。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　placed　the　sword　in　the　hands　of　Ulysses　and　said；
〃Good　luck　to　you；　father　stranger；　if　anything　has　been　said　amiss
may　the　winds　blow　it　away　with　them；　and　may　heaven　grant　you　a
safe　return；　for　I　understand　you　have　been　long　away　from　home；　and
have　gone　through　much　hardship。〃
　　To　which　Ulysses　answered；　〃Good　luck　to　you　too　my　friend；　and
may　the　gods　grant　you　every　happiness。　I　hope　you　will　not　miss　the
sword　you　have　given　me　along　with　your　apology。〃
　　With　these　words　he　girded　the　sword　about　his　shoulders　and　towards
sundown　the　presents　began　to　make　their　appearance；　as　the　servants
of　the