the odyssey(奥德赛)-第22节

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sundown　the　presents　began　to　make　their　appearance；　as　the　servants
of　the　donors　kept　bringing　them　to　the　house　of　King　Alcinous；　here
his　sons　received　them；　and　placed　them　under　their　mother's　charge。
Then　Alcinous　led　the　way　to　the　house　and　bade　his　guests　take
their　seats。
　　〃Wife；〃　said　he；　turning　to　Queen　Arete；　〃Go；　fetch　the　best　chest
we　have；　and　put　a　clean　cloak　and　shirt　in　it。　Also；　set　a　copper
on　the　fire　and　heat　some　water；　our　guest　will　take　a　warm　bath；
see　also　to　the　careful　packing　of　the　presents　that　the　noble
Phaeacians　have　made　him；　he　will　thus　better　enjoy　both　his　supper
and　the　singing　that　will　follow。　I　shall　myself　give　him　this
golden　goblet…　which　is　of　exquisite　workmanship…　that　he　may　be
reminded　of　me　for　the　rest　of　his　life　whenever　he　makes　a
drink…offering　to　Jove；　or　to　any　of　the　gods。〃
　　Then　Arete　told　her　maids　to　set　a　large　tripod　upon　the　fire　as
fast　as　they　could；　whereon　they　set　a　tripod　full　of　bath　water　on　to
a　clear　fire；　they　threw　on　sticks　to　make　it　blaze；　and　the　water
became　hot　as　the　flame　played　about　the　belly　of　the　tripod。
Meanwhile　Arete　brought　a　magnificent　chest　her　own　room；　and　inside
it　she　packed　all　the　beautiful　presents　of　gold　and　raiment　which　the
Phaeacians　had　brought。　Lastly　she　added　a　cloak　and　a　good　shirt　from
Alcinous；　and　said　to　Ulysses：
　　〃See　to　the　lid　yourself；　and　have　the　whole　bound　round　at　once；
for　fear　any　one　should　rob　you　by　the　way　when　you　are　asleep　in　your
ship。〃
　　When　Ulysses　heard　this　he　put　the　lid　on　the　chest　and　made　it　fast
with　a　bond　that　Circe　had　taught　him。　He　had　done　so　before　an
upper　servant　told　him　to　come　to　the　bath　and　wash　himself。　He　was
very　glad　of　a　warm　bath；　for　he　had　had　no　one　to　wait　upon　him
ever　since　he　left　the　house　of　Calypso；　who　as　long　as　he　remained
with　her　had　taken　as　good　care　of　him　as　though　he　had　been　a　god。
When　the　servants　had　done　washing　and　anointing　him　with　oil；　and　had
given　him　a　clean　cloak　and　shirt；　he　left　the　bath　room　and　joined
the　guests　who　were　sitting　over　their　wine。　Lovely　Nausicaa　stood
by　one　of　the　bearing…posts　supporting　the　roof　if　the　cloister；　and
admired　him　as　she　saw　him　pass。　〃Farewell　stranger；〃　said　she；　〃do
not　forget　me　when　you　are　safe　at　home　again；　for　it　is　to　me　first
that　you　owe　a　ransom　for　having　saved　your　life。〃
　　And　Ulysses　said；　〃Nausicaa；　daughter　of　great　Alcinous；　may　Jove
the　mighty　husband　of　Juno；　grant　that　I　may　reach　my　home；　so　shall　I
bless　you　as　my　guardian　angel　all　my　days；　for　it　was　you　who　saved
me。〃
　　When　he　had　said　this；　he　seated　himself　beside　Alcinous。　Supper　was
then　served；　and　the　wine　was　mixed　for　drinking。　A　servant　led　in　the
favourite　bard　Demodocus；　and　set　him　in　the　midst　of　the　company；
near　one　of　the　bearing…posts　supporting　the　cloister；　that　he　might
lean　against　it。　Then　Ulysses　cut　off　a　piece　of　roast　pork　with
plenty　of　fat　（for　there　was　abundance　left　on　the　joint）　and　said
to　a　servant；　〃Take　this　piece　of　pork　over　to　Demodocus　and　tell
him　to　eat　it；　for　all　the　pain　his　lays　may　cause　me　I　will　salute
him　none　the　less；　bards　are　honoured　and　respected　throughout　the
world；　for　the　muse　teaches　them　their　songs　and　loves　them。〃
　　The　servant　carried　the　pork　in　his　fingers　over　to　Demodocus；　who
took　it　and　was　very　much　pleased。　They　then　laid　their　hands　on　the
good　things　that　were　before　them；　and　as　soon　as　they　had　had　to
eat　and　drink；　Ulysses　said　to　Demodocus；　〃Demodocus；　there　is　no
one　in　the　world　whom　I　admire　more　than　I　do　you。　You　must　have
studied　under　the　Muse；　Jove's　daughter；　and　under　Apollo；　so
accurately　do　you　sing　the　return　of　the　Achaeans　with　all　their
sufferings　and　adventures。　If　you　were　not　there　yourself；　you　must
have　heard　it　all　from　some　one　who　was。　Now；　however；　change　your
song　and　tell　us　of　the　wooden　horse　which　Epeus　made　with　the
assistance　of　Minerva；　and　which　Ulysses　got　by　stratagem　into　the
fort　of　Troy　after　freighting　it　with　the　men　who　afterwards　sacked
the　city。　If　you　will　sing　this　tale　aright　I　will　tell　all　the
world　how　magnificently　heaven　has　endowed　you。〃
　　The　bard　inspired　of　heaven　took　up　the　story　at　the　point　where
some　of　the　Argives　set　fire　to　their　tents　and　sailed　away　while
others；　hidden　within　the　horse；　were　waiting　with　Ulysses　in　the
Trojan　place　of　assembly。　For　the　Trojans　themselves　had　drawn　the
horse　into　their　fortress；　and　it　stood　there　while　they　sat　in
council　round　it；　and　were　in　three　minds　as　to　what　they　should　do。
Some　were　for　breaking　it　up　then　and　there；　others　would　have　it
dragged　to　the　top　of　the　rock　on　which　the　fortress　stood；　and　then
thrown　down　the　precipice；　while　yet　others　were　for　letting　it　remain
as　an　offering　and　propitiation　for　the　gods。　And　this　was　how　they
settled　it　in　the　end；　for　the　city　was　doomed　when　it　took　in　that
horse；　within　which　were　all　the　bravest　of　the　Argives　waiting　to
bring　death　and　destruction　on　the　Trojans。　Anon　he　sang　how　the
sons　of　the　Achaeans　issued　from　the　horse；　and　sacked　the　town；
breaking　out　from　their　ambuscade。　He　sang　how　they　over　ran　the
city　hither　and　thither　and　ravaged　it；　and　how　Ulysses　went　raging
like　Mars　along　with　Menelaus　to　the　house　of　Deiphobus。　It　was
there　that　the　fight　raged　most　furiously；　nevertheless　by　Minerva's
help　he　was　victorious。
　　All　this　he　told；　but　Ulysses　was　overcome　as　he　heard　him；　and
his　cheeks　were　wet　with　tears。　He　wept　as　a　woman　weeps　when　she
throws　herself　on　the　body　of　her　husband　who　has　fallen　before　his
own　city　and　people；　fighting　bravely　in　defence　of　his　home　and
children。　She　screams　aloud　and　flings　her　arms　about　him　as　he　lies
gasping　for　breath　and　dying；　but　her　enemies　beat　her　from　behind
about　the　back　and　shoulders；　and　carry　her　off　into　slavery；　to　a
life　of　labour　and　sorrow；　and　the　beauty　fades　from　her　cheeks…
even　so　piteously　did　Ulysses　weep；　but　none　of　those　present
perceived　his　tears　except　Alcinous；　who　was　sitting　near　him；　and
could　hear　the　sobs　and　sighs　that　he　was　heaving。　The　king；
therefore；　at　once　rose　and　said：
　　〃Aldermen　and　town　councillors　of　the　Phaeacians；　let　Demodocus
cease　his　song；　for　there　are　those　present　who　do　not　seem　to　like
it。　From　the　moment　that　we　had　done　supper　and　Demodocus　began　to
sing；　our　guest　has　been　all　the　time　groaning　and　lamenting。　He　is
evidently　in　great　trouble；　so　let　the　bard　leave　off；　that　we　may　all
enjoy　ourselves；　hosts　and　guest　alike。　This　will　be　much　more　as　it
should　be；　for　all　these　festivities；　with　the　escort　and　the　presents
that　we　are　making　with　so　much　good　will；　are　wholly　in　his　honour；
and　any　one　with　even　a　moderate　amount　of　right　feeling　knows　that　he
ought　to　treat　a　guest　and　a　suppliant　as　though　he　were　his　own
brother。
　　〃Therefore；　Sir；　do　you　on　your　part　affect　no　more　concealment
nor　reserve　in　the　matter　about　which　I　shall　ask　you；　it　will　be　more
polite　in　you　to　give　me　a　plain　answer；　tell　me　the　name　by　which
your　father　and　mother　over　yonder　used　to　call　you；　and　by　which
you　were　known　among　your　neighbours　and　fellow…citizens。　There　is
no　one；　neither　rich　nor　poor；　who　is　absolutely　without　any　name
whatever；　for　people's　fathers　and　mothers　give　them　names　as　soon
as　they　are　born。　Tell　me　also　your　country；　nation；　and　city；　that
our　ships　may　shape　their　purpose　accordingly　and　take　you　there。
For　the　Phaeacians　have　no　pilots；　their　vessels　have　no　rudders　as
those　of　other　nations　have；　but　the　ships　themselves　understand
what　it　is　that　we　are　thinking　about　and　want；　they　know　all　the
cities　and　countries　in　the　whole　world；　and　can　traverse　the　sea　just
as　well　even　when　it　is　covered　with　mist　and　cloud；　so　that　there
is　no　danger　of　being　wrecked　or　coming　to　any　harm。　Still　I　do
remember　hearing　my　father　say　that　Neptune　was　angry　with　us　for
being　too　easy…going　in　the　matter　of　giving　people　escorts。　He　said
that　one　of　these　days　he　should　wreck　a　ship　of　ours　as　it　was
returning　from　having　escorted　some　one；　and　bury　our　city　under　a
high　mountain。　This　is　what　my　used　to　say；　but　whether　the　god　will
carry　out　his　threat　or　no　is　a　matter　which　he　will　decide　for
himself。
　　〃And　now；　tell　me　and　tell　me　true。　Where　have　you　been　wandering；
and　in　what　countries　have　you　travelled？　Tell　us　of　the　peoples
themselves；　and　of　their　cities…　who　were　hostile；　savage　and
uncivilized；　and　who；　on　the　other　hand；　hospitable　and　humane。　Tell
us　also　why　you　are　made　unhappy　on　hearing　about　the　return　of　the
Argive　Danaans　from　Troy。　The　gods　arranged　all　this；　and　sent　them
their　misfortunes　in　order　that　future　generations　might　have
something　to　sing　about。　Did　you　lose　some　brave　kinsman　of　your
wife's　when　you　were　before　Troy？　a　son…in…law　or　father…in…law…　which
are　the　nearest　relations　a　man　has　outside　his　own　flesh　and　blood？
or　was　it　some　brave　and　kindly…natured　comrade…　for　a　good　friend
is　as　dear　to　a　man　as　his　own　brother？〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　IX。
　　AND　ULYSSES　answered；　〃King　Alcinous；　it　is　a　good　thing　to　hear　a
bard　with　such　a　divine　voice　a