the odyssey(奥德赛)-第40节

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the　town　unless　when　Penelope　sends　for　me　on　the　arrival　of　some　news
about　Ulysses。　Then　they　all　sit　round　and　ask　questions；　both　those
who　grieve　over　the　king's　absence；　and　those　who　rejoice　at　it
because　they　can　eat　up　his　property　without　paying　for　it。　For　my　own
part　I　have　never　cared　about　asking　anyone　else　since　the　time　when　I
was　taken　in　by　an　Aetolian；　who　had　killed　a　man　and　come　a　long
way　till　at　last　he　reached　my　station；　and　I　was　very　kind　to　him。　He
said　he　had　seen　Ulysses　with　Idomeneus　among　the　Cretans；　refitting
his　ships　which　had　been　damaged　in　a　gale。　He　said　Ulysses　would
return　in　the　following　summer　or　autumn　with　his　men；　and　that　he
would　bring　back　much　wealth。　And　now　you；　you　unfortunate　old　man；
since　fate　has　brought　you　to　my　door；　do　not　try　to　flatter　me　in
this　way　with　vain　hopes。　It　is　not　for　any　such　reason　that　I　shall
treat　you　kindly；　but　only　out　of　respect　for　Jove　the　god　of
hospitality；　as　fearing　him　and　pitying　you。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃I　see　that　you　are　of　an　unbelieving　mind；　I　have
given　you　my　oath；　and　yet　you　will　not　credit　me；　let　us　then　make
a　bargain；　and　call　all　the　gods　in　heaven　to　witness　it。　If　your
master　comes　home；　give　me　a　cloak　and　shirt　of　good　wear；　and　send　me
to　Dulichium　where　I　want　to　go；　but　if　he　does　not　come　as　I　say　he
will；　set　your　men　on　to　me；　and　tell　them　to　throw　me　from　yonder
precepice；　as　a　warning　to　tramps　not　to　go　about　the　country
telling　lies。〃
　　〃And　a　pretty　figure　I　should　cut　then；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　both　now
and　hereafter；　if　I　were　to　kill　you　after　receiving　you　into　my　hut
and　showing　you　hospitality。　I　should　have　to　say　my　prayers　in　good
earnest　if　I　did；　but　it　is　just　supper　time　and　I　hope　my　men　will
come　in　directly；　that　we　may　cook　something　savoury　for　supper。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　and　presently　the　swineherds　came　up　with
the　pigs；　which　were　then　shut　up　for　the　night　in　their　sties；　and
a　tremendous　squealing　they　made　as　they　were　being　driven　into
them。　But　Eumaeus　called　to　his　men　and　said；　〃Bring　in　the　best　pig
you　have；　that　I　may　sacrifice　for　this　stranger；　and　we　will　take
toll　of　him　ourselves。　We　have　had　trouble　enough　this　long　time
feeding　pigs；　while　others　reap　the　fruit　of　our　labour。〃
　　On　this　he　began　chopping　firewood；　while　the　others　brought　in　a
fine　fat　five　year　old　boar　pig；　and　set　it　at　the　altar。　Eumaeus
did　not　forget　the　gods；　for　he　was　a　man　of　good　principles；　so　the
first　thing　he　did　was　to　cut　bristles　from　the　pig's　face　and　throw
them　into　the　fire；　praying　to　all　the　gods　as　he　did　so　that
Ulysses　might　return　home　again。　Then　he　clubbed　the　pig　with　a　billet
of　oak　which　he　had　kept　back　when　he　was　chopping　the　firewood；　and
stunned　it；　while　the　others　slaughtered　and　singed　it。　Then　they
cut　it　up；　and　Eumaeus　began　by　putting　raw　pieces　from　each　joint
on　to　some　of　the　fat；　these　he　sprinkled　with　barley　meal；　and　laid
upon　the　embers；　they　cut　the　rest　of　the　meat　up　small；　put　the
pieces　upon　the　spits　and　roasted　them　till　they　were　done；　when
they　had　taken　them　off　the　spits　they　threw　them　on　to　the　dresser　in
a　heap。　The　swineherd；　who　was　a　most　equitable　man；　then　stood　up
to　give　every　one　his　share。　He　made　seven　portions；　one　of　these　he
set　apart　for　Mercury　the　son　of　Maia　and　the　nymphs；　praying　to
them　as　he　did　so；　the　others　he　dealt　out　to　the　men　man　by　man。　He
gave　Ulysses　some　slices　cut　lengthways　down　the　loin　as　a　mark　of
especial　honour；　and　Ulysses　was　much　pleased。　〃I　hope；　Eumaeus；〃　said
he；　〃that　Jove　will　be　as　well　disposed　towards　you　as　I　am；　for　the
respect　you　are　showing　to　an　outcast　like　myself。〃
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃Eat；　my　good　fellow；　and
enjoy　your　supper；　such　as　it　is。　God　grants　this；　and　withholds　that；
just　as　he　thinks　right；　for　he　can　do　whatever　he　chooses。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　cut　off　the　first　piece　and　offered　it　as　a　burnt
sacrifice　to　the　immortal　gods；　then　he　made　them　a　drink…offering；
put　the　cup　in　the　hands　of　Ulysses；　and　sat　down　to　his　own
portion。　Mesaulius　brought　them　their　bread；　the　swineherd　had
bought　this　man　on　his　own　account　from　among　the　Taphians　during
his　master's　absence；　and　had　paid　for　him　with　his　own　money
without　saying　anything　either　to　his　mistress　or　Laertes。　They　then
laid　their　hands　upon　the　good　things　that　were　before　them；　and
when　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　Mesaulius　took　away　what
was　left　of　the　bread；　and　they　all　went　to　bed　after　having　made　a
hearty　supper。
　　Now　the　night　came　on　stormy　and　very　dark；　for　there　was　no　moon。
It　poured　without　ceasing；　and　the　wind　blew　strong　from　the　West；
which　is　a　wet　quarter；　so　Ulysses　thought　he　would　see　whether
Eumaeus；　in　the　excellent　care　he　took　of　him；　would　take　off　his
own　cloak　and　give　it　him；　or　make　one　of　his　men　give　him　one。
〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　he；　〃Eumaeus　and　the　rest　of　you；　when　I　have
said　a　prayer　I　will　tell　you　something。　It　is　the　wine　that　makes
me　talk　in　this　way；　wine　will　make　even　a　wise　man　fall　to　singing；
it　will　make　him　chuckle　and　dance　and　say　many　a　word　that　he　had
better　leave　unspoken；　still；　as　I　have　begun；　I　will　go　on。　Would
that　I　were　still　young　and　strong　as　when　we　got　up　an　ambuscade
before　Troy。　Menelaus　and　Ulysses　were　the　leaders；　but　I　was　in
command　also；　for　the　other　two　would　have　it　so。　When　we　had　come
up　to　the　wall　of　the　city　we　crouched　down　beneath　our　armour　and　lay
there　under　cover　of　the　reeds　and　thick　brush…wood　that　grew　about
the　swamp。　It　came　on　to　freeze　with　a　North　wind　blowing；　the　snow
fell　small　and　fine　like　hoar　frost；　and　our　shields　were　coated　thick
with　rime。　The　others　had　all　got　cloaks　and　shirts；　and　slept
comfortably　enough　with　their　shields　about　their　shoulders；　but　I　had
carelessly　left　my　cloak　behind　me；　not　thinking　that　I　should　be
too　cold；　and　had　gone　off　in　nothing　but　my　shirt　and　shield。　When
the　night　was　two…thirds　through　and　the　stars　had　shifted　their　their
places；　I　nudged　Ulysses　who　was　close　to　me　with　my　elbow；　and　he
at　once　gave　me　his　ear。
　　〃'Ulysses；'　said　I；　'this　cold　will　be　the　death　of　me；　for　I　have
no　cloak；　some　god　fooled　me　into　setting　off　with　nothing　on　but　my
shirt；　and　I　do　not　know　what　to　do。'
　　〃Ulysses；　who　was　as　crafty　as　he　was　valiant；　hit　upon　the
following　plan：
　　〃'Keep　still；'　said　he　in　a　low　voice；　'or　the　others　will　hear
you。'　Then　he　raised　his　head　on　his　elbow。
　　〃'My　friends；'　said　he；　'I　have　had　a　dream　from　heaven　in　my　sleep。
We　are　a　long　way　from　the　ships；　I　wish　some　one　would　go　down　and
tell　Agamemnon　to　send　us　up　more　men　at　once。'
　　〃On　this　Thoas　son　of　Andraemon　threw　off　his　cloak　and　set　out
running　to　the　ships；　whereon　I　took　the　cloak　and　lay　in　it
comfortably　enough　till　morning。　Would　that　I　were　still　young　and
strong　as　I　was　in　those　days；　for　then　some　one　of　you　swineherds
would　give　me　a　cloak　both　out　of　good　will　and　for　the　respect　due　to
a　brave　soldier；　but　now　people　look　down　upon　me　because　my　clothes
are　shabby。〃
　　And　Eumaeus　answered；　〃Old　man；　you　have　told　us　an　excellent　story；
and　have　said　nothing　so　far　but　what　is　quite　satisfactory；　for　the
present；　therefore；　you　shall　want　neither　clothing　nor　anything
else　that　a　stranger　in　distress　may　reasonably　expect；　but
to…morrow　morning　you　have　to　shake　your　own　old　rags　about　your
body　again；　for　we　have　not　many　spare　cloaks　nor　shirts　up　here；
but　every　man　has　only　one。　When　Ulysses'　son　comes　home　again　he　will
give　you　both　cloak　and　shirt；　and　send　you　wherever　you　may　want　to
go。〃
　　With　this　he　got　up　and　made　a　bed　for　Ulysses　by　throwing　some
goatskins　and　sheepskins　on　the　ground　in　front　of　the　fire。　Here
Ulysses　lay　down；　and　Eumaeus　covered　him　over　with　a　great　heavy
cloak　that　he　kept　for　a　change　in　case　of　extraordinarily　bad
weather。
　　Thus　did　Ulysses　sleep；　and　the　young　men　slept　beside　him。　But
the　swineherd　did　not　like　sleeping　away　from　his　pigs；　so　he　got
ready　to　go　and　Ulysses　was　glad　to　see　that　he　looked　after　his
property　during　his　master's　absence。　First　he　slung　his　sword　over
his　brawny　shoulders　and　put　on　a　thick　cloak　to　keep　out　the　wind。　He
also　took　the　skin　of　a　large　and　well　fed　goat；　and　a　javelin　in　case
of　attack　from　men　or　dogs。　Thus　equipped　he　went　to　his　rest　where
the　pigs　were　camping　under　an　overhanging　rock　that　gave　them　shelter
from　the　North　wind。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XV。
　　BUT　Minerva　went　to　the　fair　city　of　Lacedaemon　to　tell　Ulysses'　son
that　he　was　to　return　at　once。　She　found　him　and　Pisistratus
sleeping　in　the　forecourt　of　Menelaus's　house；　Pisistratus　was　fast
asleep；　but　Telemachus　could　get　no　rest　all　night　for　thinking　of　his
unhappy　father；　so　Minerva　went　close　up　to　him　and　said：
　　〃Telemachus；　you　should　not　remain　so　far　away　from　home　any　longer；
nor　leave　your　property　with　such　dangerous　people　in　your　house；　they
will　eat　up　everything　you　have　among　them；　and　you　will　have　been
on　a　fool's　errand。　Ask　Menelaus　to　send　you　home　at　once　if　you
wish　to　find　your　excellent　mother　still　there　when