the odyssey(奥德赛)-第28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！


the　gods　can　do　whatever　they　like。
　　〃Then　Mercury　went　back　to　high　Olympus　passing　over　the　wooded
island；　but　I　fared　onward　to　the　house　of　Circe；　and　my　heart　was
clouded　with　care　as　I　walked　along。　When　I　got　to　the　gates　I　stood
there　and　called　the　goddess；　and　as　soon　as　she　heard　me　she　came
down；　opened　the　door；　and　asked　me　to　come　in；　so　I　followed　her…
much　troubled　in　my　mind。　She　set　me　on　a　richly　decorated　seat　inlaid
with　silver；　there　was　a　footstool　also　under　my　feet；　and　she　mixed　a
mess　in　a　golden　goblet　for　me　to　drink；　but　she　drugged　it；　for　she
meant　me　mischief。　When　she　had　given　it　me；　and　I　had　drunk　it
without　its　charming　me；　she　struck　she；　struck　me　with　her　wand。
'There　now；'　she　cried；　'be　off　to　the　pigsty；　and　make　your　lair　with
the　rest　of　them。'
　　〃But　I　rushed　at　her　with　my　sword　drawn　as　though　I　would　kill　her；
whereon　she　fell　with　a　loud　scream；　clasped　my　knees；　and　spoke
piteously；　saying；　'Who　and　whence　are　you？　from　what　place　and　people
have　you　come？　How　can　it　be　that　my　drugs　have　no　power　to　charm　you？
Never　yet　was　any　man　able　to　stand　so　much　as　a　taste　of　the　herb　I
gave　you；　you　must　be　spell…proof；　surely　you　can　be　none　other　than
the　bold　hero　Ulysses；　who　Mercury　always　said　would　come　here　some
day　with　his　ship　while　on　his　way　home　form　Troy；　so　be　it　then；
sheathe　your　sword　and　let　us　go　to　bed；　that　we　may　make　friends
and　learn　to　trust　each　other。'
　　〃And　I　answered；　'Circe；　how　can　you　expect　me　to　be　friendly　with
you　when　you　have　just　been　turning　all　my　men　into　pigs？　And　now　that
you　have　got　me　here　myself；　you　mean　me　mischief　when　you　ask　me　to
go　to　bed　with　you；　and　will　unman　me　and　make　me　fit　for　nothing。　I
shall　certainly　not　consent　to　go　to　bed　with　you　unless　you　will
first　take　your　solemn　oath　to　plot　no　further　harm　against　me。'
　　〃So　she　swore　at　once　as　I　had　told　her；　and　when　she　had
completed　her　oath　then　I　went　to　bed　with　her。
　　〃Meanwhile　her　four　servants；　who　are　her　housemaids；　set　about
their　work。　They　are　the　children　of　the　groves　and　fountains；　and
of　the　holy　waters　that　run　down　into　the　sea。　One　of　them　spread　a
fair　purple　cloth　over　a　seat；　and　laid　a　carpet　underneath　it。
Another　brought　tables　of　silver　up　to　the　seats；　and　set　them　with
baskets　of　gold。　A　third　mixed　some　sweet　wine　with　water　in　a
silver　bowl　and　put　golden　cups　upon　the　tables；　while　the　fourth
she　brought　in　water　and　set　it　to　boil　in　a　large　cauldron　over　a
good　fire　which　she　had　lighted。　When　the　water　in　the　cauldron　was
boiling；　she　poured　cold　into　it　till　it　was　just　as　I　liked　it；　and
then　she　set　me　in　a　bath　and　began　washing　me　from　the　cauldron　about
the　head　and　shoulders；　to　take　the　tire　and　stiffness　out　of　my
limbs。　As　soon　as　she　had　done　washing　me　and　anointing　me　with　oil；
she　arrayed　me　in　a　good　cloak　and　shirt　and　led　me　to　a　richly
decorated　seat　inlaid　with　silver；　there　was　a　footstool　also　under　my
feet。　A　maid　servant　then　brought　me　water　in　a　beautiful　golden
ewer　and　poured　it　into　a　silver　basin　for　me　to　wash　my　hands；　and
she　drew　a　clean　table　beside　me；　an　upper　servant　brought　me　bread
and　offered　me　many　things　of　what　there　was　in　the　house；　and　then
Circe　bade　me　eat；　but　I　would　not；　and　sat　without　heeding　what　was
before　me；　still　moody　and　suspicious。
　　〃When　Circe　saw　me　sitting　there　without　eating；　and　in　great　grief；
she　came　to　me　and　said；　'Ulysses；　why　do　you　sit　like　that　as
though　you　were　dumb；　gnawing　at　your　own　heart；　and　refusing　both
meat　and　drink？　Is　it　that　you　are　still　suspicious？　You　ought　not
to　be；　for　I　have　already　sworn　solemnly　that　I　will　not　hurt　you。'
　　〃And　I　said；　'Circe；　no　man　with　any　sense　of　what　is　right　can
think　of　either　eating　or　drinking　in　your　house　until　you　have　set
his　friends　free　and　let　him　see　them。　If　you　want　me　to　eat　and
drink；　you　must　free　my　men　and　bring　them　to　me　that　I　may　see　them
with　my　own　eyes。'
　　〃When　I　had　said　this　she　went　straight　through　the　court　with　her
wand　in　her　hand　and　opened　the　pigsty　doors。　My　men　came　out　like
so　many　prime　hogs　and　stood　looking　at　her；　but　she　went　about
among　them　and　anointed　each　with　a　second　drug；　whereon　the
bristles　that　the　bad　drug　had　given　them　fell　off；　and　they　became
men　again；　younger　than　they　were　before；　and　much　taller　and　better
looking。　They　knew　me　at　once；　seized　me　each　of　them　by　the　hand；　and
wept　for　joy　till　the　whole　house　was　filled　with　the　sound　of　their
hullabalooing；　and　Circe　herself　was　so　sorry　for　them　that　she　came
up　to　me　and　said；　'Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　go　back　at　once
to　the　sea　where　you　have　left　your　ship；　and　first　draw　it　on　to
the　land。　Then；　hide　all　your　ship's　gear　and　property　in　some　cave；
and　come　back　here　with　your　men。'
　　〃I　agreed　to　this；　so　I　went　back　to　the　sea　shore；　and　found　the
men　at　the　ship　weeping　and　wailing　most　piteously。　When　they　saw　me
the　silly　blubbering　fellows　began　frisking　round　me　as　calves　break
out　and　gambol　round　their　mothers；　when　they　see　them　coming　home
to　be　milked　after　they　have　been　feeding　all　day；　and　the　homestead
resounds　with　their　lowing。　They　seemed　as　glad　to　see　me　as　though
they　had　got　back　to　their　own　rugged　Ithaca；　where　they　had　been　born
and　bred。　'Sir；'　said　the　affectionate　creatures；　'we　are　as　glad　to
see　you　back　as　though　we　had　got　safe　home　to　Ithaca；　but　tell　us　all
about　the　fate　of　our　comrades。'
　　〃I　spoke　comfortingly　to　them　and　said；　'We　must　draw　our　ship　on　to
the　land；　and　hide　the　ship's　gear　with　all　our　property　in　some　cave；
then　come　with　me　all　of　you　as　fast　as　you　can　to　Circe's　house；
where　you　will　find　your　comrades　eating　and　drinking　in　the　midst
of　great　abundance。'
　　〃On　this　the　men　would　have　come　with　me　at　once；　but　Eurylochus
tried　to　hold　them　back　and　said；　'Alas；　poor　wretches　that　we　are；
what　will　become　of　us？　Rush　not　on　your　ruin　by　going　to　the　house　of
Circe；　who　will　turn　us　all　into　pigs　or　wolves　or　lions；　and　we　shall
have　to　keep　guard　over　her　house。　Remember　how　the　Cyclops　treated　us
when　our　comrades　went　inside　his　cave；　and　Ulysses　with　them。　It
was　all　through　his　sheer　folly　that　those　men　lost　their　lives。'
　　〃When　I　heard　him　I　was　in　two　minds　whether　or　no　to　draw　the
keen　blade　that　hung　by　my　sturdy　thigh　and　cut　his　head　off　in
spite　of　his　being　a　near　relation　of　my　own；　but　the　men　interceded
for　him　and　said；　'Sir；　if　it　may　so　be；　let　this　fellow　stay　here　and
mind　the　ship；　but　take　the　rest　of　us　with　you　to　Circe's　house。'
　　〃On　this　we　all　went　inland；　and　Eurylochus　was　not　left　behind
after　all；　but　came　on　too；　for　he　was　frightened　by　the　severe
reprimand　that　I　had　given　him。
　　〃Meanwhile　Circe　had　been　seeing　that　the　men　who　had　been　left
behind　were　washed　and　anointed　with　olive　oil；　she　had　also　given
them　woollen　cloaks　and　shirts；　and　when　we　came　we　found　them　all
comfortably　at　dinner　in　her　house。　As　soon　as　the　men　saw　each
other　face　to　face　and　knew　one　another；　they　wept　for　joy　and　cried
aloud　till　the　whole　palace　rang　again。　Thereon　Circe　came　up　to　me
and　said；　'Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　tell　your　men　to　leave　off
crying；　I　know　how　much　you　have　all　of　you　suffered　at　sea；　and　how
ill　you　have　fared　among　cruel　savages　on　the　mainland；　but　that　is
over　now；　so　stay　here；　and　eat　and　drink　till　you　are　once　more　as
strong　and　hearty　as　you　were　when　you　left　Ithaca；　for　at　present　you
are　weakened　both　in　body　and　mind；　you　keep　all　the　time　thinking
of　the　hardships…　you　have　suffered　during　your　travels；　so　that　you
have　no　more　cheerfulness　left　in　you。'
　　〃Thus　did　she　speak　and　we　assented。　We　stayed　with　Circe　for　a
whole　twelvemonth　feasting　upon　an　untold　quantity　both　of　meat　and
wine。　But　when　the　year　had　passed　in　the　waning　of　moons　and　the　long
days　had　come　round；　my　men　called　me　apart　and　said；　'Sir；　it　is　time
you　began　to　think　about　going　home；　if　so　be　you　are　to　be　spared
to　see　your　house　and　native　country　at　all。'
　　〃Thus　did　they　speak　and　I　assented。　Thereon　through　the　livelong
day　to　the　going　down　of　the　sun　we　feasted　our　fill　on　meat　and　wine；
but　when　the　sun　went　down　and　it　came　on　dark　the　men　laid　themselves
down　to　sleep　in　the　covered　cloisters。　I；　however；　after　I　had　got
into　bed　with　Circe；　besought　her　by　her　knees；　and　the　goddess
listened　to　what　I　had　got　to　say。　'Circe；'　said　I；　'please　to　keep
the　promise　you　made　me　about　furthering　me　on　my　homeward　voyage。　I
want　to　get　back　and　so　do　my　men；　they　are　always　pestering　me　with
their　complaints　as　soon　as　ever　your　back　is　turned。'
　　〃And　the　goddess　answered；　'Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　you　shall
none　of　you　stay　here　any　longer　if　you　do　not　want　to；　but　there　is
another　journey　which　you　have　got　to　take　before　you　can　sail
homewards。　You　must　go　to　the　house　of　Hades　and　of　dread　Proserpine
to　consult　the　ghost　of　the　blind　Theban　prophet　Teiresias　whose
reason　is　still　unshaken。　To　him　alone　has　Proserpine　left　his
understanding　even　in　death；　but　the　other　ghosts　flit　about
aimlessly。'
　　〃I　was　dismayed　when　I　heard　this。　I　sa