the odyssey(奥德赛)-第32节

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about　my　return　home　to　Ithaca；　for　I　have　never　yet　been　able　to
get　near　the　Achaean　land；　nor　to　set　foot　in　my　own　country；　but　have
been　in　trouble　all　the　time。　As　for　you；　Achilles；　no　one　was　ever
yet　so　fortunate　as　you　have　been；　nor　ever　will　be；　for　you　were
adored　by　all　us　Argives　as　long　as　you　were　alive；　and　now　that　you
are　here　you　are　a　great　prince　among　the　dead。　Do　not；　therefore；
take　it　so　much　to　heart　even　if　you　are　dead。'
　　〃'Say　not　a　word；'　he　answered；　'in　death's　favour；　I　would　rather
be　a　paid　servant　in　a　poor　man's　house　and　be　above　ground　than
king　of　kings　among　the　dead。　But　give　me　news　about　son；　is　he　gone
to　the　wars　and　will　he　be　a　great　soldier；　or　is　this　not　so？　Tell　me
also　if　you　have　heard　anything　about　my　father　Peleus…　does　he
still　rule　among　the　Myrmidons；　or　do　they　show　him　no　respect
throughout　Hellas　and　Phthia　now　that　he　is　old　and　his　limbs　fail
him？　Could　I　but　stand　by　his　side；　in　the　light　of　day；　with　the　same
strength　that　I　had　when　I　killed　the　bravest　of　our　foes　upon　the
plain　of　Troy…　could　I　but　be　as　I　then　was　and　go　even　for　a　short
time　to　my　father's　house；　any　one　who　tried　to　do　him　violence　or
supersede　him　would　soon　me　it。'
　　〃'I　have　heard　nothing；'　I　answered；　'of　Peleus；　but　I　can　tell
you　all　about　your　son　Neoptolemus；　for　I　took　him　in　my　own　ship　from
Scyros　with　the　Achaeans。　In　our　councils　of　war　before　Troy　he　was
always　first　to　speak；　and　his　judgement　was　unerring。　Nestor　and　I
were　the　only　two　who　could　surpass　him；　and　when　it　came　to
fighting　on　the　plain　of　Troy；　he　would　never　remain　with　the　body
of　his　men；　but　would　dash　on　far　in　front；　foremost　of　them　all　in
valour。　Many　a　man　did　he　kill　in　battle…　I　cannot　name　every　single
one　of　those　whom　he　slew　while　fighting　on　the　side　of　the　Argives；
but　will　only　say　how　he　killed　that　valiant　hero　Eurypylus　son　of
Telephus；　who　was　the　handsomest　man　I　ever　saw　except　Memnon；　many
others　also　of　the　Ceteians　fell　around　him　by　reason　of　a　woman's
bribes。　Moreover；　when　all　the　bravest　of　the　Argives　went　inside
the　horse　that　Epeus　had　made；　and　it　was　left　to　me　to　settle　when　we
should　either　open　the　door　of　our　ambuscade；　or　close　it；　though
all　the　other　leaders　and　chief　men　among　the　Danaans　were　drying
their　eyes　and　quaking　in　every　limb；　I　never　once　saw　him　turn　pale
nor　wipe　a　tear　from　his　cheek；　he　was　all　the　time　urging　me　to　break
out　from　the　horse…　grasping　the　handle　of　his　sword　and　his
bronze…shod　spear；　and　breathing　fury　against　the　foe。　Yet　when　we　had
sacked　the　city　of　Priam　he　got　his　handsome　share　of　the　prize
money　and　went　on　board　（such　is　the　fortune　of　war）　without　a　wound
upon　him；　neither　from　a　thrown　spear　nor　in　close　combat；　for　the
rage　of　Mars　is　a　matter　of　great　chance。'
　　〃When　I　had　told　him　this；　the　ghost　of　Achilles　strode　off　across　a
meadow　full　of　asphodel；　exulting　over　what　I　had　said　concerning
the　prowess　of　his　son。
　　〃The　ghosts　of　other　dead　men　stood　near　me　and　told　me　each　his　own
melancholy　tale；　but　that　of　Ajax　son　of　Telamon　alone　held　aloof…
still　angry　with　me　for　having　won　the　cause　in　our　dispute　about
the　armour　of　Achilles。　Thetis　had　offered　it　as　a　prize；　but　the
Trojan　prisoners　and　Minerva　were　the　judges。　Would　that　I　had　never
gained　the　day　in　such　a　contest；　for　it　cost　the　life　of　Ajax；　who
was　foremost　of　all　the　Danaans　after　the　son　of　Peleus；　alike　in
stature　and　prowess。
　　〃When　I　saw　him　I　tried　to　pacify　him　and　said；　'Ajax；　will　you
not　forget　and　forgive　even　in　death；　but　must　the　judgement　about
that　hateful　armour　still　rankle　with　you？　It　cost　us　Argives　dear
enough　to　lose　such　a　tower　of　strength　as　you　were　to　us。　We
mourned　you　as　much　as　we　mourned　Achilles　son　of　Peleus　himself；
nor　can　the　blame　be　laid　on　anything　but　on　the　spite　which　Jove　bore
against　the　Danaans；　for　it　was　this　that　made　him　counsel　your
destruction…　come　hither；　therefore；　bring　your　proud　spirit　into
subjection；　and　hear　what　I　can　tell　you。'
　　〃He　would　not　answer；　but　turned　away　to　Erebus　and　to　the　other
ghosts；　nevertheless；　I　should　have　made　him　talk　to　me　in　spite　of
his　being　so　angry；　or　I　should　have　gone　talking　to　him；　only　that
there　were　still　others　among　the　dead　whom　I　desired　to　see。
　　〃Then　I　saw　Minos　son　of　Jove　with　his　golden　sceptre　in　his　hand
sitting　in　judgement　on　the　dead；　and　the　ghosts　were　gathered　sitting
and　standing　round　him　in　the　spacious　house　of　Hades；　to　learn　his
sentences　upon　them。
　　〃After　him　I　saw　huge　Orion　in　a　meadow　full　of　asphodel　driving　the
ghosts　of　the　wild　beasts　that　he　had　killed　upon　the　mountains；　and
he　had　a　great　bronze　club　in　his　hand；　unbreakable　for　ever　and　ever。
　　〃And　I　saw　Tityus　son　of　Gaia　stretched　upon　the　plain　and
covering　some　nine　acres　of　ground。　Two　vultures　on　either　side　of　him
were　digging　their　beaks　into　his　liver；　and　he　kept　on　trying　to　beat
them　off　with　his　hands；　but　could　not；　for　he　had　violated　Jove's
mistress　Leto　as　she　was　going　through　Panopeus　on　her　way　to　Pytho。
　　〃I　saw　also　the　dreadful　fate　of　Tantalus；　who　stood　in　a　lake
that　reached　his　chin；　he　was　dying　to　quench　his　thirst；　but　could
never　reach　the　water；　for　whenever　the　poor　creature　stooped　to
drink；　it　dried　up　and　vanished；　so　that　there　was　nothing　but　dry
ground…　parched　by　the　spite　of　heaven。　There　were　tall　trees；
moreover；　that　shed　their　fruit　over　his　head…　pears；　pomegranates；
apples；　sweet　figs　and　juicy　olives；　but　whenever　the　poor　creature
stretched　out　his　hand　to　take　some；　the　wind　tossed　the　branches　back
again　to　the　clouds。
　　〃And　I　saw　Sisyphus　at　his　endless　task　raising　his　prodigious　stone
with　both　his　hands。　With　hands　and　feet　he'　tried　to　roll　it　up　to
the　top　of　the　hill；　but　always；　just　before　he　could　roll　it　over
on　to　the　other　side；　its　weight　would　be　too　much　for　him；　and　the
pitiless　stone　would　come　thundering　down　again　on　to　the　plain。
Then　he　would　begin　trying　to　push　it　up　hill　again；　and　the　sweat　ran
off　him　and　the　steam　rose　after　him。
　　〃After　him　I　saw　mighty　Hercules；　but　it　was　his　phantom　only；　for
he　is　feasting　ever　with　the　immortal　gods；　and　has　lovely　Hebe　to
wife；　who　is　daughter　of　Jove　and　Juno。　The　ghosts　were　screaming
round　him　like　scared　birds　flying　all　whithers。　He　looked　black　as
night　with　his　bare　bow　in　his　hands　and　his　arrow　on　the　string；
glaring　around　as　though　ever　on　the　point　of　taking　aim。　About　his
breast　there　was　a　wondrous　golden　belt　adorned　in　the　most　marvellous
fashion　with　bears；　wild　boars；　and　lions　with　gleaming　eyes；　there
was　also　war；　battle；　and　death。　The　man　who　made　that　belt；　do　what
he　might；　would　never　be　able　to　make　another　like　it。　Hercules　knew
me　at　once　when　he　saw　me；　and　spoke　piteously；　saying；　my　poor
Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　are　you　too　leading　the　same　sorry　kind
of　life　that　I　did　when　I　was　above　ground？　I　was　son　of　Jove；　but　I
went　through　an　infinity　of　suffering；　for　I　became　bondsman　to　one
who　was　far　beneath　me…　a　low　fellow　who　set　me　all　manner　of　labours。
He　once　sent　me　here　to　fetch　the　hell…hound…　for　he　did　not　think
he　could　find　anything　harder　for　me　than　this；　but　I　got　the　hound
out　of　Hades　and　brought　him　to　him；　for　Mercury　and　Minerva　helped
me。'
　　〃On　this　Hercules　went　down　again　into　the　house　of　Hades；　but　I
stayed　where　I　was　in　case　some　other　of　the　mighty　dead　should　come
to　me。　And　I　should　have　seen　still　other　of　them　that　are　gone
before；　whom　I　would　fain　have　seen…　Theseus　and　Pirithous　glorious
children　of　the　gods；　but　so　many　thousands　of　ghosts　came　round　me
and　uttered　such　appalling　cries；　that　I　was　panic　stricken　lest
Proserpine　should　send　up　from　the　house　of　Hades　the　head　of　that
awful　monster　Gorgon。　On　this　I　hastened　back　to　my　ship　and　ordered
my　men　to　go　on　board　at　once　and　loose　the　hawsers；　so　they
embarked　and　took　their　places；　whereon　the　ship　went　down　the
stream　of　the　river　Oceanus。　We　had　to　row　at　first；　but　presently　a
fair　wind　sprang　up。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XII。
　　〃AFTER　we　were　clear　of　the　river　Oceanus；　and　had　got　out　into
the　open　sea；　we　went　on　till　we　reached　the　Aeaean　island　where　there
is　dawn　and　sunrise　as　in　other　places。　We　then　drew　our　ship　on　to
the　sands　and　got　out　of　her　on　to　the　shore；　where　we　went　to　sleep
and　waited　till　day　should　break。
　　〃Then；　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　I
sent　some　men　to　Circe's　house　to　fetch　the　body　of　Elpenor。　We　cut
firewood　from　a　wood　where　the　headland　jutted　out　into　the　sea；　and
after　we　had　wept　over　him　and　lamented　him　we　performed　his　funeral
rites。　When　his　body　and　armour　had　been　burned　to　ashes；　we　raised
a　cairn；　set　a　stone　over　it；　and　at　the　top　of　the　cairn　we　fixed　the
oar　that　he　had　been　used　to　row　with。
　　〃While　we　were　doing　all　this；　Circe；　who　knew　that　we　had　got
back　from　the　house　of　Hades；　dressed　herself　and　came　to　us　as　fast
as　she　could；　and　her　maid　servants　came　with　her　bringing　us　bread；
meat；　and　wine。　Then　she　stood　in　the　midst　of　us　and　said；　'You
have　done　a　bold　thing　in　going