the odyssey(奥德赛)-第37节

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we　sailed　on　till　we　came　hither　by　night。　It　was　all　we　could　do　to
get　inside　the　harbour；　and　none　of　us　said　a　word　about　supper　though
we　wanted　it　badly；　but　we　all　went　on　shore　and　lay　down　just　as　we
were。　I　was　very　tired　and　fell　asleep　directly；　so　they　took　my　goods
out　of　the　ship；　and　placed　them　beside　me　where　I　was　lying　upon
the　sand。　Then　they　sailed　away　to　Sidonia；　and　I　was　left　here　in
great　distress　of　mind。〃
　　Such　was　his　story；　but　Minerva　smiled　and　caressed　him　with　her
hand。　Then　she　took　the　form　of　a　woman；　fair；　stately；　and　wise；
〃He　must　be　indeed　a　shifty　lying　fellow；〃　said　she；　〃who　could
surpass　you　in　all　manner　of　craft　even　though　you　had　a　god　for
your　antagonist。　Dare…devil　that　you　are；　full　of　guile；　unwearying　in
deceit；　can　you　not　drop　your　tricks　and　your　instinctive　falsehood；
even　now　that　you　are　in　your　own　country　again？　We　will　say　no
more；　however；　about　this；　for　we　can　both　of　us　deceive　upon
occasion…　you　are　the　most　accomplished　counsellor　and　orator　among
all　mankind；　while　I　for　diplomacy　and　subtlety　have　no　equal　among
the　gods。　Did　you　not　know　Jove's　daughter　Minerva…　me；　who　have
been　ever　with　you；　who　kept　watch　over　you　in　all　your　troubles；
and　who　made　the　Phaeacians　take　so　great　a　liking　to　you？　And　now；
again；　I　am　come　here　to　talk　things　over　with　you；　and　help　you　to
hide　the　treasure　I　made　the　Phaeacians　give　you；　I　want　to　tell　you
about　the　troubles　that　await　you　in　your　own　house；　you　have　got　to
face　them；　but　tell　no　one；　neither　man　nor　woman；　that　you　have
come　home　again。　Bear　everything；　and　put　up　with　every　man's
insolence；　without　a　word。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃A　man；　goddess；　may　know　a　great　deal；　but
you　are　so　constantly　changing　your　appearance　that　when　he　meets
you　it　is　a　hard　matter　for　him　to　know　whether　it　is　you　or　not。　This
much；　however；　I　know　exceedingly　well；　you　were　very　kind　to　me　as
long　as　we　Achaeans　were　fighting　before　Troy；　but　from　the　day　on
which　we　went　on　board　ship　after　having　sacked　the　city　of　Priam；　and
heaven　dispersed　us…　from　that　day；　Minerva；　I　saw　no　more　of　you；　and
cannot　ever　remember　your　coming　to　my　ship　to　help　me　in　a
difficulty；　I　had　to　wander　on　sick　and　sorry　till　the　gods
delivered　me　from　evil　and　I　reached　the　city　of　the　Phaeacians；　where
you　encouraged　me　and　took　me　into　the　town。　And　now；　I　beseech　you　in
your　father's　name；　tell　me　the　truth；　for　I　do　not　believe　I　am
really　back　in　Ithaca。　I　am　in　some　other　country　and　you　are
mocking　me　and　deceiving　me　in　all　you　have　been　saying。　Tell　me
then　truly；　have　I　really　got　back　to　my　own　country？〃
　　〃You　are　always　taking　something　of　that　sort　into　your　head；〃
replied　Minerva；　〃and　that　is　why　I　cannot　desert　you　in　your
afflictions；　you　are　so　plausible；　shrewd　and　shifty。　Any　one　but
yourself　on　returning　from　so　long　a　voyage　would　at　once　have　gone
home　to　see　his　wife　and　children；　but　you　do　not　seem　to　care　about
asking　after　them　or　hearing　any　news　about　them　till　you　have
exploited　your　wife；　who　remains　at　home　vainly　grieving　for　you；
and　having　no　peace　night　or　day　for　the　tears　she　sheds　on　your
behalf。　As　for　my　not　coming　near　you；　I　was　never　uneasy　about　you；
for　I　was　certain　you　would　get　back　safely　though　you　would　lose
all　your　men；　and　I　did　not　wish　to　quarrel　with　my　uncle　Neptune；　who
never　forgave　you　for　having　blinded　his　son。　I　will　now；　however；
point　out　to　you　the　lie　of　the　land；　and　you　will　then　perhaps
believe　me。　This　is　the　haven　of　the　old　merman　Phorcys；　and　here　is
the　olive　tree　that　grows　at　the　head　of　it；　＇near　it　is　the　cave
sacred　to　the　Naiads；＇　here　too　is　the　overarching　cavern　in　which　you
have　offered　many　an　acceptable　hecatomb　to　the　nymphs；　and　this　is
the　wooded　mountain　Neritum。〃
　　As　she　spoke　the　goddess　dispersed　the　mist　and　the　land　appeared。
Then　Ulysses　rejoiced　at　finding　himself　again　in　his　own　land；　and
kissed　the　bounteous　soil；　he　lifted　up　his　hands　and　prayed　to　the
nymphs；　saying；　〃Naiad　nymphs；　daughters　of　Jove；　I　made　sure　that　I
was　never　again　to　see　you；　now　therefore　I　greet　you　with　all
loving　salutations；　and　I　will　bring　you　offerings　as　in　the　old　days；
if　Jove's　redoubtable　daughter　will　grant　me　life；　and　bring　my　son　to
manhood。〃
　　〃Take　heart；　and　do　not　trouble　yourself　about　that；〃　rejoined
Minerva；　〃let　us　rather　set　about　stowing　your　things　at　once　in　the
cave；　where　they　will　be　quite　safe。　Let　us　see　how　we　can　best　manage
it　all。〃
　　Therewith　she　went　down　into　the　cave　to　look　for　the　safest
hiding　places；　while　Ulysses　brought　up　all　the　treasure　of　gold；
bronze；　and　good　clothing　which　the　Phaecians　had　given　him。　They
stowed　everything　carefully　away；　and　Minerva　set　a　stone　against
the　door　of　the　cave。　Then　the　two　sat　down　by　the　root　of　the　great
olive；　and　consulted　how　to　compass　the　destruction　of　the　wicked
suitors。
　　〃Ulysses；〃　said　Minerva；　〃noble　son　of　Laertes；　think　how　you　can
lay　hands　on　these　disreputable　people　who　have　been　lording　it　in
your　house　these　three　years；　courting　your　wife　and　making　wedding
presents　to　her；　while　she　does　nothing　but　lament　your　absence；
giving　hope　and　sending　your　encouraging　messages　to　every　one　of
them；　but　meaning　the　very　opposite　of　all　she　says'
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃In　good　truth；　goddess；　it　seems　I　should
have　come　to　much　the　same　bad　end　in　my　own　house　as　Agamemnon　did；
if　you　had　not　given　me　such　timely　information。　Advise　me　how　I　shall
best　avenge　myself。　Stand　by　my　side　and　put　your　courage　into　my
heart　as　on　the　day　when　we　loosed　Troy's　fair　diadem　from　her　brow。
Help　me　now　as　you　did　then；　and　I　will　fight　three　hundred　men；　if
you；　goddess；　will　be　with　me。〃
　　〃Trust　me　for　that；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　not　lose　sight　of　you　when
once　we　set　about　it；　and　I　would　imagine　that　some　of　those　who　are
devouring　your　substance　will　then　bespatter　the　pavement　with　their
blood　and　brains。　I　will　begin　by　disguising　you　so　that　no　human
being　shall　know　you；　I　will　cover　your　body　with　wrinkles；　you
shall　lose　all　your　yellow　hair；　I　will　clothe　you　in　a　garment　that
shall　fill　all　who　see　it　with　loathing；　I　will　blear　your　fine　eyes
for　you；　and　make　you　an　unseemly　object　in　the　sight　of　the
suitors；　of　your　wife；　and　of　the　son　whom　you　left　behind　you。　Then
go　at　once　to　the　swineherd　who　is　in　charge　of　your　pigs；　he　has　been
always　well　affected　towards　you；　and　is　devoted　to　Penelope　and
your　son；　you　will　find　him　feeding　his　pigs　near　the　rock　that　is
called　Raven　by　the　fountain　Arethusa；　where　they　are　fattening　on
beechmast　and　spring　water　after　their　manner。　Stay　with　him　and
find　out　how　things　are　going；　while　I　proceed　to　Sparta　and　see
your　son；　who　is　with　Menelaus　at　Lacedaemon；　where　he　has　gone　to　try
and　find　out　whether　you　are　still　alive。〃
　　〃But　why；〃　said　Ulysses；　〃did　you　not　tell　him；　for　you　knew　all
about　it？　Did　you　want　him　too　to　go　sailing　about　amid　all　kinds　of
hardship　while　others　are　eating　up　his　estate？〃
　　Minerva　answered；　〃Never　mind　about　him；　I　sent　him　that　he　might　be
well　spoken　of　for　having　gone。　He　is　in　no　sort　of　difficulty；　but　is
staying　quite　comfortably　with　Menelaus；　and　is　surrounded　with
abundance　of　every　kind。　The　suitors　have　put　out　to　sea　and　are　lying
in　wait　for　him；　for　they　mean　to　kill　him　before　he　can　get　home。　I
do　not　much　think　they　will　succeed；　but　rather　that　some　of　those　who
are　now　eating　up　your　estate　will　first　find　a　grave　themselves。〃
　　As　she　spoke　Minerva　touched　him　with　her　wand　and　covered　him
with　wrinkles；　took　away　all　his　yellow　hair；　and　withered　the　flesh
over　his　whole　body；　she　bleared　his　eyes；　which　were　naturally　very
fine　ones；　she　changed　his　clothes　and　threw　an　old　rag　of　a　wrap
about　him；　and　a　tunic；　tattered；　filthy；　and　begrimed　with　smoke；　she
also　gave　him　an　undressed　deer　skin　as　an　outer　garment；　and
furnished　him　with　a　staff　and　a　wallet　all　in　holes；　with　a　twisted
thong　for　him　to　sling　it　over　his　shoulder。
　　When　the　pair　had　thus　laid　their　plans　they　parted；　and　the　goddess
went　straight　to　Lacedaemon　to　fetch　Telemachus。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XIV。
　　ULYSSES　now　left　the　haven；　and　took　the　rough　track　up　through
the　wooded　country　and　over　the　crest　of　the　mountain　till　he
reached　the　place　where　Minerva　had　said　that　he　would　find　the
swineherd；　who　was　the　most　thrifty　servant　he　had。　He　found　him
sitting　in　front　of　his　hut；　which　was　by　the　yards　that　he　had
built　on　a　site　which　could　be　seen　from　far。　He　had　made　them
spacious　and　fair　to　see；　with　a　free　ran　for　the　pigs　all　round　them；
he　had　built　them　during　his　master's　absence；　of　stones　which　he
had　gathered　out　of　the　ground；　without　saying　anything　to　Penelope　or
Laertes；　and　he　had　fenced　them　on　top　with　thorn　bushes。　Outside
the　yard　he　had　run　a　strong　fence　of　oaken　posts；　split；　and　set
pretty　close　together；　while　inside　lie　had　built　twelve　sties　near
one　another　for　the　sows　to　lie　in。　There　were　fifty　pigs　wallowing　in
each　sty；　all　of　them　breeding　sows；　but　the　boars　slept　outside　and
were　much　fewer　in　number；　f