the odyssey(奥德赛)-第39节

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what　country　they　professed　to　come…　for　you　cannot　have　come　by
land。〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。　If　there　were
meat　and　wine　enough；　and　we　could　stay　here　in　the　hut　with　nothing
to　do　but　to　eat　and　drink　while　the　others　go　to　their　work；　I
could　easily　talk　on　for　a　whole　twelve　months　without　ever
finishing　the　story　of　the　sorrows　with　which　it　has　pleased　heaven　to
visit　me。
　　〃I　am　by　birth　a　Cretan；　my　father　was　a　well…to…do　man；　who　had
many　sons　born　in　marriage；　whereas　I　was　the　son　of　a　slave　whom　he
had　purchased　for　a　concubine；　nevertheless；　my　father　Castor　son　of
Hylax　（whose　lineage　I　claim；　and　who　was　held　in　the　highest　honour
among　the　Cretans　for　his　wealth；　prosperity；　and　the　valour　of　his
sons）　put　me　on　the　same　level　with　my　brothers　who　had　been　born　in
wedlock。　When；　however；　death　took　him　to　the　house　of　Hades；　his　sons
divided　his　estate　and　cast　lots　for　their　shares；　but　to　me　they　gave
a　holding　and　little　else；　nevertheless；　my　valour　enabled　me　to　marry
into　a　rich　family；　for　I　was　not　given　to　bragging；　or　shirking　on
the　field　of　battle。　It　is　all　over　now；　still；　if　you　look　at　the
straw　you　can　see　what　the　ear　was；　for　I　have　had　trouble　enough
and　to　spare。　Mars　and　Minerva　made　me　doughty　in　war；　when　I　had
picked　my　men　to　surprise　the　enemy　with　an　ambuscade　I　never　gave
death　so　much　as　a　thought；　but　was　the　first　to　leap　forward　and
spear　all　whom　I　could　overtake。　Such　was　I　in　battle；　but　I　did　not
care　about　farm　work；　nor　the　frugal　home　life　of　those　who　would
bring　up　children。　My　delight　was　in　ships；　fighting；　javelins；　and
arrows…　things　that　most　men　shudder　to　think　of；　but　one　man　likes
one　thing　and　another　another；　and　this　was　what　I　was　most
naturally　inclined　to。　Before　the　Achaeans　went　to　Troy；　nine　times
was　I　in　command　of　men　and　ships　on　foreign　service；　and　I　amassed
much　wealth。　I　had　my　pick　of　the　spoil　in　the　first　instance；　and
much　more　was　allotted　to　me　later　on。
　　〃My　house　grew　apace　and　I　became　a　great　man　among　the　Cretans；　but
when　Jove　counselled　that　terrible　expedition；　in　which　so　many
perished；　the　people　required　me　and　Idomeneus　to　lead　their　ships
to　Troy；　and　there　was　no　way　out　of　it；　for　they　insisted　on　our
doing　so。　There　we　fought　for　nine　whole　years；　but　in　the　tenth　we
sacked　the　city　of　Priam　and　sailed　home　again　as　heaven　dispersed　us。
Then　it　was　that　Jove　devised　evil　against　me。　I　spent　but　one　month
happily　with　my　children；　wife；　and　property；　and　then　I　conceived　the
idea　of　making　a　descent　on　Egypt；　so　I　fitted　out　a　fine　fleet　and
manned　it。　I　had　nine　ships；　and　the　people　flocked　to　fill　them。
For　six　days　I　and　my　men　made　feast；　and　I　found　them　many　victims
both　for　sacrifice　to　the　gods　and　for　themselves；　but　on　the
seventh　day　we　went　on　board　and　set　sail　from　Crete　with　a　fair　North
wind　behind　us　though　we　were　going　down　a　river。　Nothing　went　ill
with　any　of　our　ships；　and　we　had　no　sickness　on　board；　but　sat
where　we　were　and　let　the　ships　go　as　the　wind　and　steersmen　took
them。　On　the　fifth　day　we　reached　the　river　Aegyptus；　there　I
stationed　my　ships　in　the　river；　bidding　my　men　stay　by　them　and
keep　guard　over　them　while　I　sent　out　scouts　to　reconnoitre　from　every
point　of　vantage。
　　〃But　the　men　disobeyed　my　orders；　took　to　their　own　devices；　and
ravaged　the　land　of　the　Egyptians；　killing　the　men；　and　taking　their
wives　and　children　captive。　The　alarm　was　soon　carried　to　the　city；
and　when　they　heard　the　war　cry；　the　people　came　out　at　daybreak
till　the　plain　was　filled　with　horsemen　and　foot　soldiers　and　with　the
gleam　of　armour。　Then　Jove　spread　panic　among　my　men；　and　they　would
no　longer　face　the　enemy；　for　they　found　themselves　surrounded。　The
Egyptians　killed　many　of　us；　and　took　the　rest　alive　to　do　forced
labour　for　them。　Jove；　however；　put　it　in　my　mind　to　do　thus…　and　I
wish　I　had　died　then　and　there　in　Egypt　instead；　for　there　was　much
sorrow　in　store　for　me…　I　took　off　my　helmet　and　shield　and　dropped　my
spear　from　my　hand；　then　I　went　straight　up　to　the　king's　chariot；
clasped　his　knees　and　kissed　them；　whereon　he　spared　my　life；　bade
me　get　into　his　chariot；　and　took　me　weeping　to　his　own　home。　Many
made　at　me　with　their　ashen　spears　and　tried　to　kil　me　in　their
fury；　but　the　king　protected　me；　for　he　feared　the　wrath　of　Jove　the
protector　of　strangers；　who　punishes　those　who　do　evil。
　　〃I　stayed　there　for　seven　years　and　got　together　much　money　among
the　Egyptians；　for　they　all　gave　me　something；　but　when　it　was　now
going　on　for　eight　years　there　came　a　certain　Phoenician；　a　cunning
rascal；　who　had　already　committed　all　sorts　of　villainy；　and　this
man　talked　me　over　into　going　with　him　to　Phoenicia；　where　his　house
and　his　possessions　lay。　I　stayed　there　for　a　whole　twelve　months；　but
at　the　end　of　that　time　when　months　and　days　had　gone　by　till　the　same
season　had　come　round　again；　he　set　me　on　board　a　ship　bound　for
Libya；　on　a　pretence　that　I　was　to　take　a　cargo　along　with　him　to　that
place；　but　really　that　he　might　sell　me　as　a　slave　and　take　the
money　I　fetched。　I　suspected　his　intention；　but　went　on　board　with
him；　for　I　could　not　help　it。
　　〃The　ship　ran　before　a　fresh　North　wind　till　we　had　reached　the
sea　that　lies　between　Crete　and　Libya；　there；　however；　Jove　counselled
their　destruction；　for　as　soon　as　we　were　well　out　from　Crete　and
could　see　nothing　but　sea　and　sky；　he　raised　a　black　cloud　over　our
ship　and　the　sea　grew　dark　beneath　it。　Then　Jove　let　fly　with　his
thunderbolts　and　the　ship　went　round　and　round　and　was　filled　with
fire　and　brimstone　as　the　lightning　struck　it。　The　men　fell　all　into
the　sea；　they　were　carried　about　in　the　water　round　the　ship　looking
like　so　many　sea…gulls；　but　the　god　presently　deprived　them　of　all
chance　of　getting　home　again。　I　was　all　dismayed；　Jove；　however；
sent　the　ship's　mast　within　my　reach；　which　saved　my　life；　for　I　clung
to　it；　and　drifted　before　the　fury　of　the　gale。　Nine　days　did　I
drift　but　in　the　darkness　of　the　tenth　night　a　great　wave　bore　me　on
to　the　Thesprotian　coast。　There　Pheidon　king　of　the　Thesprotians
entertained　me　hospitably　without　charging　me　anything　at　all　for
his　son　found　me　when　I　was　nearly　dead　with　cold　and　fatigue；　whereon
he　raised　me　by　the　hand；　took　me　to　his　father's　house　and　gave　me
clothes　to　wear。
　　〃There　it　was　that　I　heard　news　of　Ulysses；　for　the　king　told　me
he　had　entertained　him；　and　shown　him　much　hospitality　while　he　was　on
his　homeward　journey。　He　showed　me　also　the　treasure　of　gold；　and
wrought　iron　that　Ulysses　had　got　together。　There　was　enough　to　keep
his　family　for　ten　generations；　so　much　had　he　left　in　the　house　of
king　Pheidon。　But　the　king　said　Ulysses　had　gone　to　Dodona　that　he
might　learn　Jove's　mind　from　the　god's　high　oak　tree；　and　know　whether
after　so　long　an　absence　he　should　return　to　Ithaca　openly；　or　in
secret。　Moreover　the　king　swore　in　my　presence；　making　drink…offerings
in　his　own　house　as　he　did　so；　that　the　ship　was　by　the　water　side；
and　the　crew　found；　that　should　take　him　to　his　own　country。　He　sent
me　off　however　before　Ulysses　returned；　for　there　happened　to　be　a
Thesprotian　ship　sailing　for　the　wheat…growing　island　of　Dulichium；
and　he　told　those　in　charge　of　her　to　be　sure　and　take　me　safely　to
King　Acastus。
　　〃These　men　hatched　a　plot　against　me　that　would　have　reduced　me　to
the　very　extreme　of　misery；　for　when　the　ship　had　got　some　way　out
from　land　they　resolved　on　selling　me　as　a　slave。　They　stripped　me
of　the　shirt　and　cloak　that　I　was　wearing；　and　gave　me　instead　the
tattered　old　clouts　in　which　you　now　see　me；　then；　towards
nightfall；　they　reached　the　tilled　lands　of　Ithaca；　and　there　they
bound　me　with　a　strong　rope　fast　in　the　ship；　while　they　went　on　shore
to　get　supper　by　the　sea　side。　But　the　gods　soon　undid　my　bonds　for
me；　and　having　drawn　my　rags　over　my　head　I　slid　down　the　rudder
into　the　sea；　where　I　struck　out　and　swam　till　I　was　well　clear　of
them；　and　came　ashore　near　a　thick　wood　in　which　I　lay　concealed。　They
were　very　angry　at　my　having　escaped　and　went　searching　about　for
me；　till　at　last　they　thought　it　was　no　further　use　and　went　back　to
their　ship。　The　gods；　having　hidden　me　thus　easily；　then　took　me　to
a　good　man's　door…　for　it　seems　that　I　am　not　to　die　yet　awhile。〃
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃Poor　unhappy　stranger；　I
have　found　the　story　of　your　misfortunes　extremely　interesting；　but
that　part　about　Ulysses　is　not　right；　and　you　will　never　get　me　to
believe　it。　Why　should　a　man　like　you　go　about　telling　lies　in　this
way？　I　know　all　about　the　return　of　my　master。　The　gods　one　and　all　of
them　detest　him；　or　they　would　have　taken　him　before　Troy；　or　let
him　die　with　friends　around　him　when　the　days　of　his　fighting　were
done；　for　then　the　Achaeans　would　have　built　a　mound　over　his　ashes
and　his　son　would　have　been　heir　to　his　renown；　but　now　the　storm
winds　have　spirited　him　away　we　know　not　whither。
　　〃As　for　me　I　live　out　of　the　way　here　with　the　pigs；　and　never　go　to
the　town　unless　when　Penelope　sends　for　me　on　the　arrival　of　some　news
about