the odyssey(奥德赛)-第43节

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humour。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Then　you　must　have　been　a　very　little　fellow；
Eumaeus；　when　you　were　taken　so　far　away　from　your　home　and　parents。
Tell　me；　and　tell　me　true；　was　the　city　in　which　your　father　and
mother　lived　sacked　and　pillaged；　or　did　some　enemies　carry　you　off
when　you　were　alone　tending　sheep　or　cattle；　ship　you　off　here；　and
sell　you　for　whatever　your　master　gave　them？〃
　　〃Stranger；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　〃as　regards　your　question：　sit　still；
make　yourself　comfortable；　drink　your　wine；　and　listen　to　me。　The
nights　are　now　at　their　longest；　there　is　plenty　of　time　both　for
sleeping　and　sitting　up　talking　together；　you　ought　not　to　go　to　bed
till　bed　time；　too　much　sleep　is　as　bad　as　too　little；　if　any　one　of
the　others　wishes　to　go　to　bed　let　him　leave　us　and　do　so；　he　can　then
take　my　master's　pigs　out　when　he　has　done　breakfast　in　the　morning。
We　two　will　sit　here　eating　and　drinking　in　the　hut；　and　telling　one
another　stories　about　our　misfortunes；　for　when　a　man　has　suffered
much；　and　been　buffeted　about　in　the　world；　he　takes　pleasure　in
recalling　the　memory　of　sorrows　that　have　long　gone　by。　As　regards
your　question；　then；　my　tale　is　as　follows：
　　〃You　may　have　heard　of　an　island　called　Syra　that　lies　over　above
Ortygia；　where　the　land　begins　to　turn　round　and　look　in　another
direction。　It　is　not　very　thickly　peopled；　but　the　soil　is　good；
with　much　pasture　fit　for　cattle　and　sheep；　and　it　abounds　with　wine
and　wheat。　Dearth　never　comes　there；　nor　are　the　people　plagued　by　any
sickness；　but　when　they　grow　old　Apollo　comes　with　Diana　and　kills
them　with　his　painless　shafts。　It　contains　two　communities；　and　the
whole　country　is　divided　between　these　two。　My　father　Ctesius　son　of
Ormenus；　a　man　comparable　to　the　gods；　reigned　over　both。
　　〃Now　to　this　place　there　came　some　cunning　traders　from　Phoenicia
（for　the　Phoenicians　are　great　mariners）　in　a　ship　which　they　had
freighted　with　gewgaws　of　all　kinds。　There　happened　to　be　a　Phoenician
woman　in　my　father's　house；　very　tall　and　comely；　and　an　excellent
servant；　these　scoundrels　got　hold　of　her　one　day　when　she　was　washing
near　their　ship；　seduced　her；　and　cajoled　her　in　ways　that　no　woman
can　resist；　no　matter　how　good　she　may　be　by　nature。　The　man　who　had
seduced　her　asked　her　who　she　was　and　where　she　came　from；　and　on
this　she　told　him　her　father's　name。　'I　come　from　Sidon；'　said　she；
'and　am　daughter　to　Arybas；　a　man　rolling　in　wealth。　One　day　as　I
was　coming　into　the　town　from　the　country　some　Taphian　pirates
seized　me　and　took　me　here　over　the　sea；　where　they　sold　me　to　the　man
who　owns　this　house；　and　he　gave　them　their　price　for　me。'
　　〃The　man　who　had　seduced　her　then　said；　'Would　you　like　to　come
along　with　us　to　see　the　house　of　your　parents　and　your　parents
themselves？　They　are　both　alive　and　are　said　to　be　well　off。'
　　〃'I　will　do　so　gladly；'　answered　she；　'if　you　men　will　first　swear
me　a　solemn　oath　that　you　will　do　me　no　harm　by　the　way。'
　　〃They　all　swore　as　she　told　them；　and　when　they　had　completed
their　oath　the　woman　said；　'Hush；　and　if　any　of　your　men　meets　me　in
the　street　or　at　the　well；　do　not　let　him　speak　to　me；　for　fear　some
one　should　go　and　tell　my　master；　in　which　case　he　would　suspect
something。　He　would　put　me　in　prison；　and　would　have　all　of　you
murdered；　keep　your　own　counsel　therefore；　buy　your　merchandise　as
fast　as　you　can；　and　send　me　word　when　you　have　done　loading。　I　will
bring　as　much　gold　as　I　can　lay　my　hands　on；　and　there　is　something
else　also　that　I　can　do　towards　paying　my　fare。　I　am　nurse　to　the
son　of　the　good　man　of　the　house；　a　funny　little　fellow　just　able　to
run　about。　I　will　carry　him　off　in　your　ship；　and　you　will　get　a　great
deal　of　money　for　him　if　you　take　him　and　sell　him　in　foreign　parts。'
　　〃On　this　she　went　back　to　the　house。　The　Phoenicians　stayed　a
whole　year　till　they　had　loaded　their　ship　with　much　precious
merchandise；　and　then；　when　they　had　got　freight　enough；　they　sent
to　tell　the　woman。　Their　messenger；　a　very　cunning　fellow；　came　to
my　father's　house　bringing　a　necklace　of　gold　with　amber　beads
strung　among　it；　and　while　my　mother　and　the　servants　had　it　in
their　hands　admiring　it　and　bargaining　about　it；　he　made　a　sign
quietly　to　the　woman　and　then　went　back　to　the　ship；　whereon　she
took　me　by　the　hand　and　led　me　out　of　the　house。　In　the　fore　part　of
the　house　she　saw　the　tables　set　with　the　cups　of　guests　who　had
been　feasting　with　my　father；　as　being　in　attendance　on　him；　these
were　now　all　gone　to　a　meeting　of　the　public　assembly；　so　she　snatched
up　three　cups　and　carried　them　off　in　the　bosom　of　her　dress；　while
I　followed　her；　for　I　knew　no　better。　The　sun　was　now　set；　and
darkness　was　over　all　the　land；　so　we　hurried　on　as　fast　as　we　could
till　we　reached　the　harbour；　where　the　Phoenician　ship　was　lying。　When
they　had　got　on　board　they　sailed　their　ways　over　the　sea；　taking　us
with　them；　and　Jove　sent　then　a　fair　wind；　six　days　did　we　sail　both
night　and　day；　but　on　the　seventh　day　Diana　struck　the　woman　and　she
fell　heavily　down　into　the　ship's　hold　as　though　she　were　a　sea　gull
alighting　on　the　water；　so　they　threw　her　overboard　to　the　seals　and
fishes；　and　I　was　left　all　sorrowful　and　alone。　Presently　the　winds
and　waves　took　the　ship　to　Ithaca；　where　Laertes　gave　sundry　of　his
chattels　for　me；　and　thus　it　was　that　ever　I　came　to　set　eyes　upon
this　country。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Eumaeus；　I　have　heard　the　story　of　your
misfortunes　with　the　most　lively　interest　and　pity；　but　Jove　has　given
you　good　as　well　as　evil；　for　in　spite　of　everything　you　have　a　good
master；　who　sees　that　you　always　have　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　and　you
lead　a　good　life；　whereas　I　am　still　going　about　begging　my　way　from
city　to　city。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　and　they　had　only　a　very　little　time　left
for　sleep；　for　it　was　soon　daybreak。　In　the　meantime　Telemachus　and
his　crew　were　nearing　land；　so　they　loosed　the　sails；　took　down　the
mast；　and　rowed　the　ship　into　the　harbour。　They　cast　out　their　mooring
stones　and　made　fast　the　hawsers；　they　then　got　out　upon　the　sea
shore；　mixed　their　wine；　and　got　dinner　ready。　As　soon　as　they　had　had
enough　to　eat　and　drink　Telemachus　said；　〃Take　the　ship　on　to　the
town；　but　leave　me　here；　for　I　want　to　look　after　the　herdsmen　on
one　of　my　farms。　In　the　evening；　when　I　have　seen　all　I　want；　I　will
come　down　to　the　city；　and　to…morrow　morning　in　return　for　your
trouble　I　will　give　you　all　a　good　dinner　with　meat　and　wine。〃
　　Then　Theoclymenus　said；　'And　what；　my　dear　young　friend；　is　to
become　of　me？　To　whose　house；　among　all　your　chief　men；　am　I　to
repair？　or　shall　I　go　straight　to　your　own　house　and　to　your　mother？〃
　　〃At　any　other　time；〃　replied　Telemachus；　〃I　should　have　bidden　you
go　to　my　own　house；　for　you　would　find　no　want　of　hospitality；　at
the　present　moment；　however；　you　would　not　be　comfortable　there；　for　I
shall　be　away；　and　my　mother　will　not　see　you；　she　does　not　often　show
herself　even　to　the　suitors；　but　sits　at　her　loom　weaving　in　an
upper　chamber；　out　of　their　way；　but　I　can　tell　you　a　man　whose
house　you　can　go　to…　I　mean　Eurymachus　the　son　of　Polybus；　who　is　held
in　the　highest　estimation　by　every　one　in　Ithaca。　He　is　much　the
best　man　and　the　most　persistent　wooer；　of　all　those　who　are　paying
court　to　my　mother　and　trying　to　take　Ulysses'　place。　Jove；　however；
in　heaven　alone　knows　whether　or　no　they　will　come　to　a　bad　end　before
the　marriage　takes　place。〃
　　As　he　was　speaking　a　bird　flew　by　upon　his　right　hand…　a　hawk；
Apollo's　messenger。　It　held　a　dove　in　its　talons；　and　the　feathers；　as
it　tore　them　off；　fell　to　the　ground　midway　between　Telemachus　and　the
ship。　On　this　Theoclymenus　called　him　apart　and　caught　him　by　the
hand。　〃Telemachus；〃　said　he；　〃that　bird　did　not　fly　on　your　right　hand
without　having　been　sent　there　by　some　god。　As　soon　as　I　saw　it　I　knew
it　was　an　omen；　it　means　that　you　will　remain　powerful　and　that
there　will　be　no　house　in　Ithaca　more　royal　than　your　own。〃
　　〃I　wish　it　may　prove　so；〃　answered　Telemachus。　〃If　it　does；　I　will
show　you　so　much　good　will　and　give　you　so　many　presents　that　all
who　meet　you　will　congratulate　you。〃
　　Then　he　said　to　his　friend　Piraeus；　〃Piraeus；　son　of　Clytius；　you
have　throughout　shown　yourself　the　most　willing　to　serve　me　of　all
those　who　have　accompanied　me　to　Pylos；　I　wish　you　would　take　this
stranger　to　your　own　house　and　entertain　him　hospitably　till　I　can
come　for　him。〃
　　And　Piraeus　answered；　〃Telemachus；　you　may　stay　away　as　long　as
you　please；　but　I　will　look　after　him　for　you；　and　he　shall　find　no
lack　of　hospitality。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　went　on　board；　and　bade　the　others　do　so　also　and
loose　the　hawsers；　so　they　took　their　places　in　the　ship。　But
Telemachus　bound　on　his　sandals；　and　took　a　long　and　doughty　spear
with　a　head　of　sharpened　bronze　from　the　deck　of　the　ship。　Then　they
loosed　the　hawsers；　thrust　the　ship　off　from　land；　and　made　on　towards
the　city　as　they　had　been　told　to　do；　while　Telemachus　strode　on　as
fast　as　he　could；　till　he　reached　the　homestead　where　his　countless
herds　of　swine　were　feeding；　and　where　dwelt　the　excellent
swineherd；　who