the odyssey(奥德赛)-第29节

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understanding　even　in　death；　but　the　other　ghosts　flit　about
aimlessly。'
　　〃I　was　dismayed　when　I　heard　this。　I　sat　up　in　bed　and　wept；　and
would　gladly　have　lived　no　longer　to　see　the　light　of　the　sun；　but
presently　when　I　was　tired　of　weeping　and　tossing　myself　about；　I
said；　'And　who　shall　guide　me　upon　this　voyage…　for　the　house　of　Hades
is　a　port　that　no　ship　can　reach。'
　　〃'You　will　want　no　guide；'　she　answered；　'raise　you　mast；　set　your
white　sails；　sit　quite　still；　and　the　North　Wind　will　blow　you　there
of　itself。　When　your　ship　has　traversed　the　waters　of　Oceanus；　you
will　reach　the　fertile　shore　of　Proserpine's　country　with　its　groves
of　tall　poplars　and　willows　that　shed　their　fruit　untimely；　here　beach
your　ship　upon　the　shore　of　Oceanus；　and　go　straight　on　to　the　dark
abode　of　Hades。　You　will　find　it　near　the　place　where　the　rivers
Pyriphlegethon　and　Cocytus　（which　is　a　branch　of　the　river　Styx）
flow　into　Acheron；　and　you　will　see　a　rock　near　it；　just　where　the　two
roaring　rivers　run　into　one　another。
　　〃'When　you　have　reached　this　spot；　as　I　now　tell　you；　dig　a　trench　a
cubit　or　so　in　length；　breadth；　and　depth；　and　pour　into　it　as　a
drink…offering　to　all　the　dead；　first；　honey　mixed　with　milk；　then
wine；　and　in　the　third　place　water…sprinkling　white　barley　meal　over
the　whole。　Moreover　you　must　offer　many　prayers　to　the　poor　feeble
ghosts；　and　promise　them　that　when　you　get　back　to　Ithaca　you　will
sacrifice　a　barren　heifer　to　them；　the　best　you　have；　and　will　load
the　pyre　with　good　things。　More　particularly　you　must　promise　that
Teiresias　shall　have　a　black　sheep　all　to　himself；　the　finest　in　all
your　flocks。
　　〃'When　you　shall　have　thus　besought　the　ghosts　with　your　prayers；
offer　them　a　ram　and　a　black　ewe；　bending　their　heads　towards
Erebus；　but　yourself　turn　away　from　them　as　though　you　would　make
towards　the　river。　On　this；　many　dead　men's　ghosts　will　come　to　you；
and　you　must　tell　your　men　to　skin　the　two　sheep　that　you　have　just
killed；　and　offer　them　as　a　burnt　sacrifice　with　prayers　to　Hades
and　to　Proserpine。　Then　draw　your　sword　and　sit　there；　so　as　to
prevent　any　other　poor　ghost　from　coming　near　the　split　blood　before
Teiresias　shall　have　answered　your　questions。　The　seer　will
presently　come　to　you；　and　will　tell　you　about　your　voyage…　what
stages　you　are　to　make；　and　how　you　are　to　sail　the　see　so　as　to　reach
your　home。'
　　〃It　was　day…break　by　the　time　she　had　done　speaking；　so　she
dressed　me　in　my　shirt　and　cloak。　As　for　herself　she　threw　a　beautiful
light　gossamer　fabric　over　her　shoulders；　fastening　it　with　a　golden
girdle　round　her　waist；　and　she　covered　her　head　with　a　mantle。　Then　I
went　about　among　the　men　everywhere　all　over　the　house；　and　spoke
kindly　to　each　of　them　man　by　man：　'You　must　not　lie　sleeping　here　any
longer；'　said　I　to　them；　'we　must　be　going；　for　Circe　has　told　me
all　about　it。'　And　this　they　did　as　I　bade　them。
　　〃Even　so；　however；　I　did　not　get　them　away　without　misadventure。
We　had　with　us　a　certain　youth　named　Elpenor；　not　very　remarkable
for　sense　or　courage；　who　had　got　drunk　and　was　lying　on　the　house…top
away　from　the　rest　of　the　men；　to　sleep　off　his　liquor　in　the　cool。
When　he　heard　the　noise　of　the　men　bustling　about；　he　jumped　up　on　a
sudden　and　forgot　all　about　coming　down　by　the　main　staircase；　so　he
tumbled　right　off　the　roof　and　broke　his　neck；　and　his　soul　went
down　to　the　house　of　Hades。
　　〃When　I　had　got　the　men　together　I　said　to　them；　'You　think　you
are　about　to　start　home　again；　but　Circe　has　explained　to　me　that
instead　of　this；　we　have　got　to　go　to　the　house　of　Hades　and
Proserpine　to　consult　the　ghost　of　the　Theban　prophet　Teiresias。'
　　〃The　men　were　broken…hearted　as　they　heard　me；　and　threw
themselves　on　the　ground　groaning　and　tearing　their　hair；　but　they　did
not　mend　matters　by　crying。　When　we　reached　the　sea　shore；　weeping　and
lamenting　our　fate；　Circe　brought　the　ram　and　the　ewe；　and　we　made
them　fast　hard　by　the　ship。　She　passed　through　the　midst　of　us　without
our　knowing　it；　for　who　can　see　the　comings　and　goings　of　a　god；　if
the　god　does　not　wish　to　be　seen？

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XI。
　　THEN；　when　we　had　got　down　to　the　sea　shore　we　drew　our　ship　into
the　water　and　got　her　mast　and　sails　into　her；　we　also　put　the　sheep
on　board　and　took　our　places；　weeping　and　in　great　distress　of　mind。
Circe；　that　great　and　cunning　goddess；　sent　us　a　fair　wind　that　blew
dead　aft　and　stayed　steadily　with　us　keeping　our　sails　all　the　time
well　filled；　so　we　did　whatever　wanted　doing　to　the　ship's　gear　and
let　her　go　as　the　wind　and　helmsman　headed　her。　All　day　long　her　sails
were　full　as　she　held　her　course　over　the　sea；　but　when　the　sun　went
down　and　darkness　was　over　all　the　earth；　we　got　into　the　deep
waters　of　the　river　Oceanus；　where　lie　the　land　and　city　of　the
Cimmerians　who　live　enshrouded　in　mist　and　darkness　which　the　rays
of　the　sun　never　pierce　neither　at　his　rising　nor　as　he　goes　down
again　out　of　the　heavens；　but　the　poor　wretches　live　in　one　long
melancholy　night。　When　we　got　there　we　beached　the　ship；　took　the
sheep　out　of　her；　and　went　along　by　the　waters　of　Oceanus　till　we　came
to　the　place　of　which　Circe　had　told　us。
　　〃Here　Perimedes　and　Eurylochus　held　the　victims；　while　I　drew　my
sword　and　dug　the　trench　a　cubit　each　way。　I　made　a　drink…offering
to　all　the　dead；　first　with　honey　and　milk；　then　with　wine；　and
thirdly　with　water；　and　I　sprinkled　white　barley　meal　over　the
whole；　praying　earnestly　to　the　poor　feckless　ghosts；　and　promising
them　that　when　I　got　back　to　Ithaca　I　would　sacrifice　a　barren
heifer　for　them；　the　best　I　had；　and　would　load　the　pyre　with　good
things。　I　also　particularly　promised　that　Teiresias　should　have　a
black　sheep　to　himself；　the　best　in　all　my　flocks。　When　I　had　prayed
sufficiently　to　the　dead；　I　cut　the　throats　of　the　two　sheep　and　let
the　blood　run　into　the　trench；　whereon　the　ghosts　came　trooping　up
from　Erebus…　brides；　young　bachelors；　old　men　worn　out　with　toil；
maids　who　had　been　crossed　in　love；　and　brave　men　who　had　been
killed　in　battle；　with　their　armour　still　smirched　with　blood；　they
came　from　every　quarter　and　flitted　round　the　trench　with　a　strange
kind　of　screaming　sound　that　made　me　turn　pale　with　fear。　When　I　saw
them　coming　I　told　the　men　to　be　quick　and　flay　the　carcasses　of　the
two　dead　sheep　and　make　burnt　offerings　of　them；　and　at　the　same
time　to　repeat　prayers　to　Hades　and　to　Proserpine；　but　I　sat　where　I
was　with　my　sword　drawn　and　would　not　let　the　poor　feckless　ghosts
come　near　the　blood　till　Teiresias　should　have　answered　my　questions。
　　〃The　first　ghost　'that　came　was　that　of　my　comrade　Elpenor；　for　he
had　not　yet　been　laid　beneath　the　earth。　We　had　left　his　body
unwaked　and　unburied　in　Circe's　house；　for　we　had　had　too　much　else　to
do。　I　was　very　sorry　for　him；　and　cried　when　I　saw　him：　'Elpenor；'
said　I；　'how　did　you　come　down　here　into　this　gloom　and　darkness？
You　have　here　on　foot　quicker　than　I　have　with　my　ship。'
　　〃'Sir；'　he　answered　with　a　groan；　'it　was　all　bad　luck；　and　my　own
unspeakable　drunkenness。　I　was　lying　asleep　on　the　top　of　Circe's
house；　and　never　thought　of　coming　down　again　by　the　great　staircase
but　fell　right　off　the　roof　and　broke　my　neck；　so　my　soul　down　to
the　house　of　Hades。　And　now　I　beseech　you　by　all　those　whom　you　have
left　behind　you；　though　they　are　not　here；　by　your　wife；　by　the　father
who　brought　you　up　when　you　were　a　child；　and　by　Telemachus　who　is　the
one　hope　of　your　house；　do　what　I　shall　now　ask　you。　I　know　that
when　you　leave　this　limbo　you　will　again　hold　your　ship　for　the　Aeaean
island。　Do　not　go　thence　leaving　me　unwaked　and　unburied　behind　you；
or　I　may　bring　heaven's　anger　upon　you；　but　burn　me　with　whatever
armour　I　have；　build　a　barrow　for　me　on　the　sea　shore；　that　may　tell
people　in　days　to　come　what　a　poor　unlucky　fellow　I　was；　and　plant
over　my　grave　the　oar　I　used　to　row　with　when　I　was　yet　alive　and　with
my　messmates。'　And　I　said；　'My　poor　fellow；　I　will　do　all　that　you
have　asked　of　me。'
　　〃Thus；　then；　did　we　sit　and　hold　sad　talk　with　one　another；　I　on　the
one　side　of　the　trench　with　my　sword　held　over　the　blood；　and　the
ghost　of　my　comrade　saying　all　this　to　me　from　the　other　side。　Then
came　the　ghost　of　my　dead　mother　Anticlea；　daughter　to　Autolycus。　I
had　left　her　alive　when　I　set　out　for　Troy　and　was　moved　to　tears　when
I　saw　her；　but　even　so；　for　all　my　sorrow　I　would　not　let　her　come
near　the　blood　till　I　had　asked　my　questions　of　Teiresias。
　　〃Then　came　also　the　ghost　of　Theban　Teiresias；　with　his　golden
sceptre　in　his　hand。　He　knew　me　and　said；　'Ulysses；　noble　son　of
Laertes；　why；　poor　man；　have　you　left　the　light　of　day　and　come　down
to　visit　the　dead　in　this　sad　place？　Stand　back　from　the　trench　and
withdraw　your　sword　that　I　may　drink　of　the　blood　and　answer　your
questions　truly。'
　　〃So　I　drew　back；　and　sheathed　my　sword；　whereon　when　he　had　drank　of
the　blood　he　began　with　his　prophecy。
　　〃You　want　to　know；'　said　he；　'about　your　return　home；　but　heaven
will　make　this　hard　for　you。　I　do　not　think　that　you　will　escape　the
eye　of　Neptune；　who　still　nurses　his　bitter　grudge　agains