the odyssey(奥德赛)-第44节

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herds　of　swine　were　feeding；　and　where　dwelt　the　excellent
swineherd；　who　was　so　devoted　a　servant　to　his　master。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XVI。
　　MEANWHILE　Ulysses　and　the　swineherd　had　lit　a　fire　in　the　hut　and
were　were　getting　breakfast　ready　at　daybreak　for　they　had　sent　the
men　out　with　the　pigs。　When　Telemachus　came　up；　the　dogs　did　not　bark；
but　fawned　upon　him；　so　Ulysses；　hearing　the　sound　of　feet　and
noticing　that　the　dogs　did　not　bark；　said　to　Eumaeus：
　　〃Eumaeus；　I　hear　footsteps；　I　suppose　one　of　your　men　or　some　one　of
your　acquaintance　is　coming　here；　for　the　dogs　are　fawning　urn　him　and
not　barking。〃
　　The　words　were　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　before　his　son　stood　at　the
door。　Eumaeus　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　the　bowls　in　which　he　was　mixing
wine　fell　from　his　hands；　as　he　made　towards　his　master。　He　kissed　his
head　and　both　his　beautiful　eyes；　and　wept　for　joy。　A　father　could　not
be　more　delighted　at　the　return　of　an　only　son；　the　child　of　his　old
age；　after　ten　years'　absence　in　a　foreign　country　and　after　having
gone　through　much　hardship。　He　embraced　him；　kissed　him　all　over　as
though　he　had　come　back　from　the　dead；　and　spoke　fondly　to　him　saying：
　　〃So　you　are　come；　Telemachus；　light　of　my　eyes　that　you　are。　When
I　heard　you　had　gone　to　Pylos　I　made　sure　I　was　never　going　to　see　you
any　more。　Come　in；　my　dear　child；　and　sit　down；　that　I　may　have　a　good
look　at　you　now　you　are　home　again；　it　is　not　very　often　you　come　into
the　country　to　see　us　herdsmen；　you　stick　pretty　close　to　the　town
generally。　I　suppose　you　think　it　better　to　keep　an　eye　on　what　the
suitors　are　doing。〃
　　〃So　be　it；　old　friend；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃but　I　am　come　now
because　I　want　to　see　you；　and　to　learn　whether　my　mother　is　still
at　her　old　home　or　whether　some　one　else　has　married　her；　so　that
the　bed　of　Ulysses　is　without　bedding　and　covered　with　cobwebs。〃
　　〃She　is　still　at　the　house；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　〃grieving　and　breaking
her　heart；　and　doing　nothing　but　weep；　both　night　and　day
continually。〃
　　As　spoke　he　took　Telemachus'　spear；　whereon　he　crossed　the　stone
threshold　and　came　inside。　Ulysses　rose　from　his　seat　to　give　him
place　as　he　entered；　but　Telemachus　checked　him；　〃Sit　down；　stranger。〃
said　he；　〃I　can　easily　find　another　seat；　and　there　is　one　here　who
will　lay　it　for　me。〃
　　Ulysses　went　back　to　his　own　place；　and　Eumaeus　strewed　some　green
brushwood　on　the　floor　and　threw　a　sheepskin　on　top　of　it　for
Telemachus　to　sit　upon。　Then　the　swineherd　brought　them　platters　of
cold　meat；　the　remains　from　what　they　had　eaten　the　day　before；　and　he
filled　the　bread　baskets　with　bread　as　fast　as　he　could。　He　mixed　wine
also　in　bowls　of　ivy…wood；　and　took　his　seat　facing　Ulysses。　Then　they
laid　their　hands　on　the　good　things　that　were　before　them；　and　as　soon
as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink　Telemachus　said　to　Eumaeus；
〃Old　friend；　where　does　this　stranger　come　from？　How　did　his　crew
bring　him　to　Ithaca；　and　who　were　they？…for　assuredly　he　did　not
come　here　by　land〃'
　　To　this　you　answered；　O　swineherd　Eumaeus；　〃My　son；　I　will　tell
you　the　real　truth。　He　says　he　is　a　Cretan；　and　that　he　has　been　a
great　traveller。　At　this　moment　he　is　running　away　from　a
Thesprotian　ship；　and　has　refuge　at　my　station；　so　I　will　put　him　into
your　hands。　Do　whatever　you　like　with　him；　only　remember　that　he　is
your　suppliant。〃
　　〃I　am　very　much　distressed；〃　said　Telemachus；　〃by　what　you　have　just
told　me。　How　can　I　take　this　stranger　into　my　house？　I　am　as　yet
young；　and　am　not　strong　enough　to　hold　my　own　if　any　man　attacks
me。　My　mother　cannot　make　up　her　mind　whether　to　stay　where　she　is　and
look　after　the　house　out　of　respect　for　public　opinion　and　the
memory　of　her　husband；　or　whether　the　time　is　now　come　for　her　to　take
the　best　man　of　those　who　are　wooing　her；　and　the　one　who　will　make
her　the　most　advantageous　offer；　still；　as　the　stranger　has　come　to
your　station　I　will　find　him　a　cloak　and　shirt　of　good　wear；　with　a
sword　and　sandals；　and　will　send　him　wherever　he　wants　to　go。　Or　if
you　like　you　can　keep　him　here　at　the　station；　and　I　will　send　him
clothes　and　food　that　he　may　be　no　burden　on　you　and　on　your　men；
but　I　will　not　have　him　go　near　the　suitors；　for　they　are　very
insolent；　and　are　sure　to　ill…treat　him　in　a　way　that　would　greatly
grieve　me；　no　matter　how　valiant　a　man　may　be　he　can　do　nothing
against　numbers；　for　they　will　be　too　strong　for　him。〃
　　Then　Ulysses　said；　〃Sir；　it　is　right　that　I　should　say　something
myself。　I　am　much　shocked　about　what　you　have　said　about　the
insolent　way　in　which　the　suitors　are　behaving　in　despite　of　such　a
man　as　you　are。　Tell　me；　do　you　submit　to　such　treatment　tamely；　or
has　some　god　set　your　people　against　you？　May　you　not　complain　of　your
brothers…　for　it　is　to　these　that　a　man　may　look　for　support；
however　great　his　quarrel　may　be？　I　wish　I　were　as　young　as　you　are
and　in　my　present　mind；　if　I　were　son　to　Ulysses；　or；　indeed；
Ulysses　himself；　I　would　rather　some　one　came　and　cut　my　head　off；　but
I　would　go　to　the　house　and　be　the　bane　of　every　one　of　these　men。
If　they　were　too　many　for　me…　I　being　single…handed…　I　would　rather
die　fighting　in　my　own　house　than　see　such　disgraceful　sights　day
after　day；　strangers　grossly　maltreated；　and　men　dragging　the　women
servants　about　the　house　in　an　unseemly　way；　wine　drawn　recklessly；
and　bread　wasted　all　to　no　purpose　for　an　end　that　shall　never　be
accomplished。〃
　　And　Telemachus　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you　truly　everything。　There　is
no　emnity　between　me　and　my　people；　nor　can　I　complain　of　brothers；　to
whom　a　man　may　look　for　support　however　great　his　quarrel　may　be。　Jove
has　made　us　a　race　of　only　sons。　Laertes　was　the　only　son　of
Arceisius；　and　Ulysses　only　son　of　Laertes。　I　am　myself　the　only　son
of　Ulysses　who　left　me　behind　him　when　he　went　away；　so　that　I　have
never　been　of　any　use　to　him。　Hence　it　comes　that　my　house　is　in　the
hands　of　numberless　marauders；　for　the　chiefs　from　all　the
neighbouring　islands；　Dulichium；　Same；　Zacynthus；　as　also　all　the
principal　men　of　Ithaca　itself；　are　eating　up　my　house　under　the
pretext　of　paying　court　to　my　mother；　who　will　neither　say　point　blank
that　she　will　not　marry；　nor　yet　bring　matters　to　an　end；　so　they
are　making　havoc　of　my　estate；　and　before　long　will　do　so　with
myself　into　the　bargain。　The　issue；　however；　rests　with　heaven。　But　do
you；　old　friend　Eumaeus；　go　at　once　and　tell　Penelope　that　I　am　safe
and　have　returned　from　Pylos。　Tell　it　to　herself　alone；　and　then
come　back　here　without　letting　any　one　else　know；　for　there　are　many
who　are　plotting　mischief　against　me。〃
　　〃I　understand　and　heed　you；〃　replied　Eumaeus；　〃you　need　instruct
me　no　further；　only　I　am　going　that　way　say　whether　I　had　not　better
let　poor　Laertes　know　that　you　are　returned。　He　used　to　superintend
the　work　on　his　farm　in　spite　of　his　bitter　sorrow　about　Ulysses；
and　he　would　eat　and　drink　at　will　along　with　his　servants；　but　they
tell　me　that　from　the　day　on　which　you　set　out　for　Pylos　he　has
neither　eaten　nor　drunk　as　he　ought　to　do；　nor　does　he　look　after
his　farm；　but　sits　weeping　and　wasting　the　flesh　from　off　his　bones。〃
　　〃More's　the　pity；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃I　am　sorry　for　him；　but
we　must　leave　him　to　himself　just　now。　If　people　could　have　everything
their　own　way；　the　first　thing　I　should　choose　would　be　the　return
of　my　father；　but　go；　and　give　your　message；　then　make　haste　back
again；　and　do　not　turn　out　of　your　way　to　tell　Laertes。　Tell　my　mother
to　send　one　of　her　women　secretly　with　the　news　at　once；　and　let　him
hear　it　from　her。〃
　　Thus　did　he　urge　the　swineherd；　Eumaeus；　therefore；　took　his
sandals；　bound　them　to　his　feet；　and　started　for　the　town。　Minerva
watched　him　well　off　the　station；　and　then　came　up　to　it　in　the　form
of　a　woman…　fair；　stately；　and　wise。　She　stood　against　the　side　of　the
entry；　and　revealed　herself　to　Ulysses；　but　Telemachus　could　not　see
her；　and　knew　not　that　she　was　there；　for　the　gods　do　not　let
themselves　be　seen　by　everybody。　Ulysses　saw　her；　and　so　did　the　dogs；
for　they　did　not　bark；　but　went　scared　and　whining　off　to　the　other
side　of　the　yards。　She　nodded　her　head　and　motioned　to　Ulysses　with
her　eyebrows；　whereon　he　left　the　hut　and　stood　before　her　outside　the
main　wall　of　the　yards。　Then　she　said　to　him：
　　〃Ulysses；　noble　son　of　Laertes；　it　is　now　time　for　you　to　tell
your　son：　do　not　keep　him　in　the　dark　any　longer；　but　lay　your　plans
for　the　destruction　of　the　suitors；　and　then　make　for　the　town。　I　will
not　be　long　in　joining　you；　for　I　too　am　eager　for　the　fray。〃
　　As　she　spoke　she　touched　him　with　her　golden　wand。　First　she　threw　a
fair　clean　shirt　and　cloak　about　his　shoulders；　then　she　made　him
younger　and　of　more　imposing　presence；　she　gave　him　back　his　colour；
filled　out　his　cheeks；　and　let　his　beard　become　dark　again。　Then　she
went　away　and　Ulysses　came　back　inside　the　hut。　His　son　was
astounded　when　he　saw　him；　and　turned　his　eyes　away　for　fear　he
might　be　looking　upon　a　god。
　　〃Stranger；〃　said　he；　〃how　suddenly　you　have　changed　from　what　you
were　a　moment　or　two　ago。　You　are　dressed　differently　and　your
colour　is　not　the　s