the odyssey(奥德赛)-第27节

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　　〃Thence　we　sailed　sadly　on；　glad　to　have　escaped　death；　though　we
had　lost　our　comrades；　and　came　to　the　Aeaean　island；　where　Circe
lives　a　great　and　cunning　goddess　who　is　own　sister　to　the　magician
Aeetes…　for　they　are　both　children　of　the　sun　by　Perse；　who　is
daughter　to　Oceanus。　We　brought　our　ship　into　a　safe　harbour　without　a
word；　for　some　god　guided　us　thither；　and　having　landed　we　there　for
two　days　and　two　nights；　worn　out　in　body　and　mind。　When　the　morning
of　the　third　day　came　I　took　my　spear　and　my　sword；　and　went　away　from
the　ship　to　reconnoitre；　and　see　if　I　could　discover　signs　of　human
handiwork；　or　hear　the　sound　of　voices。　Climbing　to　the　top　of　a
high　look…out　I　espied　the　smoke　of　Circe's　house　rising　upwards
amid　a　dense　forest　of　trees；　and　when　I　saw　this　I　doubted　whether；
having　seen　the　smoke；　I　would　not　go　on　at　once　and　find　out　more；
but　in　the　end　I　deemed　it　best　to　go　back　to　the　ship；　give　the　men
their　dinners；　and　send　some　of　them　instead　of　going　myself。
　　〃When　I　had　nearly　got　back　to　the　ship　some　god　took　pity　upon　my
solitude；　and　sent　a　fine　antlered　stag　right　into　the　middle　of　my
path。　He　was　coming　down　his　pasture　in　the　forest　to　drink　of　the
river；　for　the　heat　of　the　sun　drove　him；　and　as　he　passed　I　struck
him　in　the　middle　of　the　back；　the　bronze　point　of　the　spear　went
clean　through　him；　and　he　lay　groaning　in　the　dust　until　the　life　went
out　of　him。　Then　I　set　my　foot　upon　him；　drew　my　spear　from　the　wound；
and　laid　it　down；　I　also　gathered　rough　grass　and　rushes　and　twisted
them　into　a　fathom　or　so　of　good　stout　rope；　with　which　I　bound　the
four　feet　of　the　noble　creature　together；　having　so　done　I　hung　him
round　my　neck　and　walked　back　to　the　ship　leaning　upon　my　spear；　for
the　stag　was　much　too　big　for　me　to　be　able　to　carry　him　on　my
shoulder；　steadying　him　with　one　hand。　As　I　threw　him　down　in　front　of
the　ship；　I　called　the　men　and　spoke　cheeringly　man　by　man　to　each
of　them。　'Look　here　my　friends；'　said　I；　'we　are　not　going　to　die　so
much　before　our　time　after　all；　and　at　any　rate　we　will　not　starve
so　long　as　we　have　got　something　to　eat　and　drink　on　board。'　On　this
they　uncovered　their　heads　upon　the　sea　shore　and　admired　the　stag；
for　he　was　indeed　a　splendid　fellow。　Then；　when　they　had　feasted　their
eyes　upon　him　sufficiently；　they　washed　their　hands　and　began　to
cook　him　for　dinner。
　　〃Thus　through　the　livelong　day　to　the　going　down　of　the　sun　we
stayed　there　eating　and　drinking　our　fill；　but　when　the　sun　went
down　and　it　came　on　dark；　we　camped　upon　the　sea　shore。　When　the　child
of　morning；　fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　I　called　a　council　and　said；
'My　friends；　we　are　in　very　great　difficulties；　listen　therefore　to
me。　We　have　no　idea　where　the　sun　either　sets　or　rises；　so　that　we
do　not　even　know　East　from　West。　I　see　no　way　out　of　it；　nevertheless；
we　must　try　and　find　one。　We　are　certainly　on　an　island；　for　I　went　as
high　as　I　could　this　morning；　and　saw　the　sea　reaching　all　round　it　to
the　horizon；　it　lies　low；　but　towards　the　middle　I　saw　smoke　rising
from　out　of　a　thick　forest　of　trees。'
　　〃Their　hearts　sank　as　they　heard　me；　for　they　remembered　how　they
had　been　treated　by　the　Laestrygonian　Antiphates；　and　by　the　savage
ogre　Polyphemus。　They　wept　bitterly　in　their　dismay；　but　there　was
nothing　to　be　got　by　crying；　so　I　divided　them　into　two　companies
and　set　a　captain　over　each；　I　gave　one　company　to　Eurylochus；　while　I
took　command　of　the　other　myself。　Then　we　cast　lots　in　a　helmet；　and
the　lot　fell　upon　Eurylochus；　so　he　set　out　with　his　twenty…two　men；
and　they　wept；　as　also　did　we　who　were　left　behind。
　　〃When　they　reached　Circe's　house　they　found　it　built　of　cut
stones；　on　a　site　that　could　be　seen　from　far；　in　the　middle　of　the
forest。　There　were　wild　mountain　wolves　and　lions　prowling　all　round
it…　poor　bewitched　creatures　whom　she　had　tamed　by　her　enchantments
and　drugged　into　subjection。　They　did　not　attack　my　men；　but　wagged
their　great　tails；　fawned　upon　them；　and　rubbed　their　noses　lovingly
against　them。　As　hounds　crowd　round　their　master　when　they　see　him
coming　from　dinner…　for　they　know　he　will　bring　them　something…　even
so　did　these　wolves　and　lions　with　their　great　claws　fawn　upon　my　men；
but　the　men　were　terribly　frightened　at　seeing　such　strange　creatures。
Presently　they　reached　the　gates　of　the　goddess's　house；　and　as　they
stood　there　they　could　hear　Circe　within；　singing　most　beautifully
as　she　worked　at　her　loom；　making　a　web　so　fine；　so　soft；　and　of
such　dazzling　colours　as　no　one　but　a　goddess　could　weave。　On　this
Polites；　whom　I　valued　and　trusted　more　than　any　other　of　my　men；
said；　'There　is　some　one　inside　working　at　a　loom　and　singing　most
beautifully；　the　whole　place　resounds　with　it；　let　us　call　her　and　see
whether　she　is　woman　or　goddess。'
　　〃They　called　her　and　she　came　down；　unfastened　the　door；　and　bade
them　enter。　They；　thinking　no　evil；　followed　her；　all　except
Eurylochus；　who　suspected　mischief　and　stayed　outside。　When　she　had
got　them　into　her　house；　she　set　them　upon　benches　and　seats　and　mixed
them　a　mess　with　cheese；　honey；　meal；　and　Pramnian　but　she　drugged
it　with　wicked　poisons　to　make　them　forget　their　homes；　and　when
they　had　drunk　she　turned　them　into　pigs　by　a　stroke　of　her　wand；
and　shut　them　up　in　her　pigsties。　They　were　like　pigs…head；　hair；
and　all；　and　they　grunted　just　as　pigs　do；　but　their　senses　were　the
same　as　before；　and　they　remembered　everything。
　　〃Thus　then　were　they　shut　up　squealing；　and　Circe　threw　them　some
acorns　and　beech　masts　such　as　pigs　eat；　but　Eurylochus　hurried　back
to　tell　me　about　the　sad　fate　of　our　comrades。　He　was　so　overcome　with
dismay　that　though　he　tried　to　speak　he　could　find　no　words　to　do
so；　his　eyes　filled　with　tears　and　he　could　only　sob　and　sigh；　till　at
last　we　forced　his　story　out　of　him；　and　he　told　us　what　had
happened　to　the　others。
　　〃'We　went；'　said　he；　as　you　told　us；　through　the　forest；　and　in
the　middle　of　it　there　was　a　fine　house　built　with　cut　stones　in　a
place　that　could　be　seen　from　far。　There　we　found　a　woman；　or　else　she
was　a　goddess；　working　at　her　loom　and　singing　sweetly；　so　the　men
shouted　to　her　and　called　her；　whereon　she　at　once　came　down；　opened
the　door；　and　invited　us　in。　The　others　did　not　suspect　any　mischief
so　they　followed　her　into　the　house；　but　I　stayed　where　I　was；　for　I
thought　there　might　be　some　treachery。　From　that　moment　I　saw　them
no　more；　for　not　one　of　them　ever　came　out；　though　I　sat　a　long　time
watching　for　them。'
　　〃Then　I　took　my　sword　of　bronze　and　slung　it　over　my　shoulders；　I
also　took　my　bow；　and　told　Eurylochus　to　come　back　with　me　and　show　me
the　way。　But　he　laid　hold　of　me　with　both　his　hands　and　spoke
piteously；　saying；　'Sir；　do　not　force　me　to　go　with　you；　but　let　me
stay　here；　for　I　know　you　will　not　bring　one　of　them　back　with　you；
nor　even　return　alive　yourself；　let　us　rather　see　if　we　cannot
escape　at　any　rate　with　the　few　that　are　left　us；　for　we　may　still
save　our　lives。'
　　〃'Stay　where　you　are；　then；　'answered　I；　'eating　and　drinking　at　the
ship；　but　I　must　go；　for　I　am　most　urgently　bound　to　do　so。'
　　〃With　this　I　left　the　ship　and　went　up　inland。　When　I　got　through
the　charmed　grove；　and　was　near　the　great　house　of　the　enchantress
Circe；　I　met　Mercury　with　his　golden　wand；　disguised　as　a　young　man　in
the　hey…day　of　his　youth　and　beauty　with　the　down　just　coming　upon　his
face。　He　came　up　to　me　and　took　my　hand　within　his　own；　saying；　'My
poor　unhappy　man；　whither　are　you　going　over　this　mountain　top；
alone　and　without　knowing　the　way？　Your　men　are　shut　up　in　Circe's
pigsties；　like　so　many　wild　boars　in　their　lairs。　You　surely　do　not
fancy　that　you　can　set　them　free？　I　can　tell　you　that　you　will　never
get　back　and　will　have　to　stay　there　with　the　rest　of　them。　But
never　mind；　I　will　protect　you　and　get　you　out　of　your　difficulty。
Take　this　herb；　which　is　one　of　great　virtue；　and　keep　it　about　you
when　you　go　to　Circe's　house；　it　will　be　a　talisman　to　you　against
every　kind　of　mischief。
　　〃'And　I　will　tell　you　of　all　the　wicked　witchcraft　that　Circe　will
try　to　practise　upon　you。　She　will　mix　a　mess　for　you　to　drink；　and
she　will　drug　the　meal　with　which　she　makes　it；　but　she　will　not　be
able　to　charm　you；　for　the　virtue　of　the　herb　that　I　shall　give　you
will　prevent　her　spells　from　working。　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。
When　Circe　strikes　you　with　her　wand；　draw　your　sword　and　spring
upon　her　as　though　you　were　goings　to　kill　her。　She　will　then　be
frightened　and　will　desire　you　to　go　to　bed　with　her；　on　this　you　must
not　point　blank　refuse　her；　for　you　want　her　to　set　your　companions
free；　and　to　take　good　care　also　of　yourself；　but　you　make　her　swear
solemnly　by　all　the　blessed　that　she　will　plot　no　further　mischief
against　you；　or　else　when　she　has　got　you　naked　she　will　unman　you　and
make　you　fit　for　nothing。'
　　〃As　he　spoke　he　pulled　the　herb　out　of　the　ground　an　showed　me
what　it　was　like。　The　root　was　black；　while　the　flower　was　as　white　as
milk；　the　gods　call　it　Moly；　and　mortal　men　cannot　uproot　it；　but
the　gods　can　do　whatever　they　like。
　　〃Then　Mercury　went　back