the odyssey(奥德赛)-第24节

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hawsers；　so　they　took　their　places　and　smote　the　grey　sea　with　their
oars。　When　we　got　to　the　land；　which　was　not　far；　there；　on　the　face
of　a　cliff　near　the　sea；　we　saw　a　great　cave　overhung　with　laurels。　It
was　a　station　for　a　great　many　sheep　and　goats；　and　outside　there
was　a　large　yard；　with　a　high　wall　round　it　made　of　stones　built
into　the　ground　and　of　trees　both　pine　and　oak。　This　was　the　abode
of　a　huge　monster　who　was　then　away　from　home　shepherding　his
flocks。　He　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　other　people；　but　led　the
life　of　an　outlaw。　He　was　a　horrid　creature；　not　like　a　human　being　at
all；　but　resembling　rather　some　crag　that　stands　out　boldly　against
the　sky　on　the　top　of　a　high　mountain。
　　〃I　told　my　men　to　draw　the　ship　ashore；　and　stay　where　they　were；
all　but　the　twelve　best　among　them；　who　were　to　go　along　with
myself。　I　also　took　a　goatskin　of　sweet　black　wine　which　had　been
given　me　by　Maron；　Apollo　son　of　Euanthes；　who　was　priest　of　Apollo
the　patron　god　of　Ismarus；　and　lived　within　the　wooded　precincts　of
the　temple。　When　we　were　sacking　the　city　we　respected　him；　and　spared
his　life；　as　also　his　wife　and　child；　so　he　made　me　some　presents　of
great　value…　seven　talents　of　fine　gold；　and　a　bowl　of　silver；　with
twelve　jars　of　sweet　wine；　unblended；　and　of　the　most　exquisite
flavour。　Not　a　man　nor　maid　in　the　house　knew　about　it；　but　only
himself；　his　wife；　and　one　housekeeper：　when　he　drank　it　he　mixed
twenty　parts　of　water　to　one　of　wine；　and　yet　the　fragrance　from　the
mixing…bowl　was　so　exquisite　that　it　was　impossible　to　refrain　from
drinking。　I　filled　a　large　skin　with　this　wine；　and　took　a　wallet　full
of　provisions　with　me；　for　my　mind　misgave　me　that　I　might　have　to
deal　with　some　savage　who　would　be　of　great　strength；　and　would
respect　neither　right　nor　law。
　　〃We　soon　reached　his　cave；　but　he　was　out　shepherding；　so　we　went
inside　and　took　stock　of　all　that　we　could　see。　His　cheese…racks
were　loaded　with　cheeses；　and　he　had　more　lambs　and　kids　than　his　pens
could　hold。　They　were　kept　in　separate　flocks；　first　there　were　the
hoggets；　then　the　oldest　of　the　younger　lambs　and　lastly　the　very
young　ones　all　kept　apart　from　one　another；　as　for　his　dairy；　all
the　vessels；　bowls；　and　milk　pails　into　which　he　milked；　were　swimming
with　whey。　When　they　saw　all　this；　my　men　begged　me　to　let　them
first　steal　some　cheeses；　and　make　off　with　them　to　the　ship；　they
would　then　return；　drive　down　the　lambs　and　kids；　put　them　on　board
and　sail　away　with　them。　It　would　have　been　indeed　better　if　we　had
done　so　but　I　would　not　listen　to　them；　for　I　wanted　to　see　the
owner　himself；　in　the　hope　that　he　might　give　me　a　present。　When；
however；　we　saw　him　my　poor　men　found　him　ill　to　deal　with。
　　〃We　lit　a　fire；　offered　some　of　the　cheeses　in　sacrifice；　ate　others
of　them；　and　then　sat　waiting　till　the　Cyclops　should　come　in　with　his
sheep。　When　he　came；　he　brought　in　with　him　a　huge　load　of　dry
firewood　to　light　the　fire　for　his　supper；　and　this　he　flung　with　such
a　noise　on　to　the　floor　of　his　cave　that　we　hid　ourselves　for　fear
at　the　far　end　of　the　cavern。　Meanwhile　he　drove　all　the　ewes
inside；　as　well　as　the　she…goats　that　he　was　going　to　milk；　leaving
the　males；　both　rams　and　he…goats；　outside　in　the　yards。　Then　he
rolled　a　huge　stone　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave…　so　huge　that　two　and
twenty　strong　four…wheeled　waggons　would　not　be　enough　to　draw　it　from
its　place　against　the　doorway。　When　he　had　so　done　he　sat　down　and
milked　his　ewes　and　goats；　all　in　due　course；　and　then　let　each　of
them　have　her　own　young。　He　curdled　half　the　milk　and　set　it　aside
in　wicker　strainers；　but　the　other　half　he　poured　into　bowls　that　he
might　drink　it　for　his　supper。　When　he　had　got　through　with　all　his
work；　he　lit　the　fire；　and　then　caught　sight　of　us；　whereon　he　said：
　　〃'Strangers；　who　are　you？　Where　do　sail　from？　Are　you　traders；　or　do
you　sail　the　as　rovers；　with　your　hands　against　every　man；　and　every
man's　hand　against　you？'
　　〃We　were　frightened　out　of　our　senses　by　his　loud　voice　and
monstrous　form；　but　I　managed　to　say；　'We　are　Achaeans　on　our　way　home
from　Troy；　but　by　the　will　of　Jove；　and　stress　of　weather；　we　have
been　driven　far　out　of　our　course。　We　are　the　people　of　Agamemnon；　son
of　Atreus；　who　has　won　infinite　renown　throughout　the　whole　world；
by　sacking　so　great　a　city　and　killing　so　many　people。　We　therefore
humbly　pray　you　to　show　us　some　hospitality；　and　otherwise　make　us
such　presents　as　visitors　may　reasonably　expect。　May　your　excellency
fear　the　wrath　of　heaven；　for　we　are　your　suppliants；　and　Jove　takes
all　respectable　travellers　under　his　protection；　for　he　is　the　avenger
of　all　suppliants　and　foreigners　in　distress。'
　　〃To　this　he　gave　me　but　a　pitiless　answer；　'Stranger；'　said　he；　'you
are　a　fool；　or　else　you　know　nothing　of　this　country。　Talk　to　me；
indeed；　about　fearing　the　gods　or　shunning　their　anger？　We　Cyclopes　do
not　care　about　Jove　or　any　of　your　blessed　gods；　for　we　are　ever　so
much　stronger　than　they。　I　shall　not　spare　either　yourself　or　your
companions　out　of　any　regard　for　Jove；　unless　I　am　in　the　humour　for
doing　so。　And　now　tell　me　where　you　made　your　ship　fast　when　you
came　on　shore。　Was　it　round　the　point；　or　is　she　lying　straight　off
the　land？'
　　〃He　said　this　to　draw　me　out；　but　I　was　too　cunning　to　be　caught
in　that　way；　so　I　answered　with　a　lie；　'Neptune；'　said　I；　'sent　my
ship　on　to　the　rocks　at　the　far　end　of　your　country；　and　wrecked　it。
We　were　driven　on　to　them　from　the　open　sea；　but　I　and　those　who　are
with　me　escaped　the　jaws　of　death。'
　　〃The　cruel　wretch　vouchsafed　me　not　one　word　of　answer；　but　with　a
sudden　clutch　he　gripped　up　two　of　my　men　at　once　and　dashed　them　down
upon　the　ground　as　though　they　had　been　puppies。　Their　brains　were
shed　upon　the　ground；　and　the　earth　was　wet　with　their　blood。　Then
he　tore　them　limb　from　limb　and　supped　upon　them。　He　gobbled　them　up
like　a　lion　in　the　wilderness；　flesh；　bones；　marrow；　and　entrails；
without　leaving　anything　uneaten。　As　for　us；　we　wept　and　lifted　up　our
hands　to　heaven　on　seeing　such　a　horrid　sight；　for　we　did　not　know
what　else　to　do；　but　when　the　Cyclops　had　filled　his　huge　paunch；
and　had　washed　down　his　meal　of　human　flesh　with　a　drink　of　neat　milk；
he　stretched　himself　full　length　upon　the　ground　among　his　sheep；
and　went　to　sleep。　I　was　at　first　inclined　to　seize　my　sword；　draw　it；
and　drive　it　into　his　vitals；　but　I　reflected　that　if　I　did　we
should　all　certainly　be　lost；　for　we　should　never　be　able　to　shift　the
stone　which　the　monster　had　put　in　front　of　the　door。　So　we　stayed
sobbing　and　sighing　where　we　were　till　morning　came。
　　〃When　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　he　again
lit　his　fire；　milked　his　goats　and　ewes；　all　quite　rightly；　and　then
let　each　have　her　own　young　one；　as　soon　as　he　had　got　through　with
all　his　work；　he　clutched　up　two　more　of　my　men；　and　began　eating　them
for　his　morning's　meal。　Presently；　with　the　utmost　ease；　he　rolled　the
stone　away　from　the　door　and　drove　out　his　sheep；　but　he　at　once　put
it　back　again…　as　easily　as　though　he　were　merely　clapping　the　lid
on　to　a　quiver　full　of　arrows。　As　soon　as　he　had　done　so　he　shouted；
and　cried　'Shoo；　shoo；'　after　his　sheep　to　drive　them　on　to　the
mountain；　so　I　was　left　to　scheme　some　way　of　taking　my　revenge　and
covering　myself　with　glory。
　　〃In　the　end　I　deemed　it　would　be　the　best　plan　to　do　as　follows。　The
Cyclops　had　a　great　club　which　was　lying　near　one　of　the　sheep　pens；
it　was　of　green　olive　wood；　and　he　had　cut　it　intending　to　use　it
for　a　staff　as　soon　as　it　should　be　dry。　It　was　so　huge　that　we
could　only　compare　it　to　the　mast　of　a　twenty…oared　merchant　vessel　of
large　burden；　and　able　to　venture　out　into　open　sea。　I　went　up　to　this
club　and　cut　off　about　six　feet　of　it；　I　then　gave　this　piece　to　the
men　and　told　them　to　fine　it　evenly　off　at　one　end；　which　they
proceeded　to　do；　and　lastly　I　brought　it　to　a　point　myself；　charring
the　end　in　the　fire　to　make　it　harder。　When　I　had　done　this　I　hid　it
under　dung；　which　was　lying　about　all　over　the　cave；　and　told　the
men　to　cast　lots　which　of　them　should　venture　along　with　myself　to
lift　it　and　bore　it　into　the　monster's　eye　while　he　was　asleep。　The
lot　fell　upon　the　very　four　whom　I　should　have　chosen；　and　I　myself
made　five。　In　the　evening　the　wretch　came　back　from　shepherding；　and
drove　his　flocks　into　the　cave…　this　time　driving　them　all　inside；　and
not　leaving　any　in　the　yards；　I　suppose　some　fancy　must　have　taken
him；　or　a　god　must　have　prompted　him　to　do　so。　As　soon　as　he　had　put
the　stone　back　to　its　place　against　the　door；　he　sat　down；　milked
his　ewes　and　his　goats　all　quite　rightly；　and　then　let　each　have　her
own　young　one；　when　he　had　got　through　with　all　this　work；　he
gripped　up　two　more　of　my　men；　and　made　his　supper　off　them。　So　I　went
up　to　him　with　an　ivy…wood　bowl　of　black　wine　in　my　hands：
　　〃'Look　here；　Cyclops；'　said　I；　you　have　been　eating　a　great　deal
of　man's　flesh；　so　take　this　and　drink　some　wine；　that　you　may　see
what　kind　of　liquor　we　had　on　board　my　ship。　I　was　bringing　it　to
you　as　a　drink…offering；　in　the　hope　that