the odyssey(奥德赛)-第45节

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　　〃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　same。　Are　you　some　one　or　other　of　the　gods　that
live　in　heaven？　If　so；　be　propitious　to　me　till　I　can　make　you　due
sacrifice　and　offerings　of　wrought　gold。　Have　mercy　upon　me。〃
　　And　Ulysses　said；　〃I　am　no　god；　why　should　you　take　me　for　one？　I　am
your　father；　on　whose　account　you　grieve　and　suffer　so　much　at　the
hands　of　lawless　men。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　kissed　his　son；　and　a　tear　fell　from　his　cheek　on
to　the　ground；　for　he　had　restrained　all　tears　till　now。　but
Telemachus　could　not　yet　believe　that　it　was　his　father；　and　said：
　　〃You　are　not　my　father；　but　some　god　is　flattering　me　with　vain
hopes　that　I　may　grieve　the　more　hereafter；　no　mortal　man　could　of
himself　contrive　to　do　as　you　have　been　doing；　and　make　yourself　old
and　young　at　a　moment's　notice；　unless　a　god　were　with　him。　A　second
ago　you　were　old　and　all　in　rags；　and　now　you　are　like　some　god　come
down　from　heaven。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Telemachus；　you　ought　not　to　be　so　immeasurably
astonished　at　my　being　really　here。　There　is　no　other　Ulysses　who　will
come　hereafter。　Such　as　I　am；　it　is　I；　who　after　long　wandering　and
much　hardship　have　got　home　in　the　twentieth　year　to　my　own　country。
What　you　wonder　at　is　the　work　of　the　redoubtable　goddess　Minerva；　who
does　with　me　whatever　she　will；　for　she　can　do　what　she　pleases。　At
one　moment　she　makes　me　like　a　beggar；　and　the　next　I　am　a　young　man
with　good　clothes　on　my　back；　it　is　an　easy　matter　for　the　gods　who
live　in　heaven　to　make　any　man　look　either　rich　or　poor。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　sat　down；　and　Telemachus　threw　his　arms　about　his
father　and　wept。　They　were　both　so　much　moved　that　they　cried　aloud
like　eagles　or　vultures　with　crooked　talons　that　have　been　robbed　of
their　half　fledged　young　by　peasants。　Thus　piteously　did　they　weep；
and　the　sun　would　have　gone　down　upon　their　mourning　if　Telemachus　had
not　suddenly　said；　〃In　what　ship；　my　dear　father；　did　your　crew
bring　you　to　Ithaca？　Of　what　nation　did　they　declare　themselves　to　be…
for　you　cannot　have　come　by　land？〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　the　truth；　my　son；〃　replied　Ulysses。　〃It　was　the
Phaeacians　who　brought　me　here。　They　are　great　sailors；　and　are　in　the
habit　of　giving　escorts　to　any　one　who　reaches　their　coasts。　They　took
me　over　the　sea　while　I　was　fast　asleep；　and　landed　me　in　Ithaca；
after　giving　me　many　presents　in　bronze；　gold；　and　raiment。　These
things　by　heaven's　mercy　are　lying　concealed　in　a　cave；　and　I　am　now
come　here　on　the　suggestion　of　Minerva　that　we　may　consult　about
killing　our　enemies。　First；　therefore；　give　me　a　list　of　the
suitors；　with　their　number；　that　I　may　learn　who；　and　how　many；　they
are。　I　can　then　turn　the　matter　over　in　my　mind；　and　see　whether　we
two　can　fight　the　whole　body　of　them　ourselves；　or　whether　we　must
find　others　to　help　us。〃
　　To　this　Telemachus　answered；　〃Father；　I　have　always　heard　of　your
renown　both　in　the　field　and　in　council；　but　the　task　you　talk　of　is　a
very　great　one：　I　am　awed　at　the　mere　thought　of　it；　two　men　cannot
stand　against　many　and　brave　ones。　There　are　not　ten　suitors　only；　nor
twice　ten；　but　ten　many　times　over；　you　shall　learn　their　number　at
once。　There　are　fifty…two　chosen　youths　from　Dulichium；　and　they
have　six　servants；　from　Same　there　are　twenty…four；　twenty　young
Achaeans　from　Zacynthus；　and　twelve　from　Ithaca　itself；　all　of　them
well　born。　They　have　with　them　a　servant　Medon；　a　bard；　and　two　men
who　can　carve　at　table。　If　we　face　such　numbers　as　this；　you　may
have　bitter　cause　to　rue　your　coming；　and　your　revenge。　See　whether
you　cannot　think　of　some　one　who　would　be　willing　to　come　and　help
us。〃
　　〃Listen　to　me；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃and　think　whether　Minerva　and
her　father　Jove　may　seem　sufficient；　or　whether　I　am　to　try　and　find
some　one　else　as　well。〃
　　〃Those　whom　you　have　named；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃are　a　couple　of
good　allies；　for　though　they　dwell　high　up　among　the　clouds　they
have　power　over　both　gods　and　men。〃
　　〃These　two；〃　continued　Ulysses；　〃will　not　keep　long　out　of　the　fray；
when　the　suitors　and　we　join　fight　in　my　house。　Now；　therefore；　return
home　early　to…morrow　morning；　and　go　about　among　the　suitors　as
before。　Later　on　the　swineherd　will　bring　me　to　the　city　disguised
as　a　miserable　old　beggar。　If　you　see　them　ill…treating　me；　steel　your
heart　against　my　sufferings；　even　though　they　drag　me　feet　foremost
out　of　the　house；　or　throw　things　at　me；　look　on　and　do　nothing　beyond
gently　trying　to　make　them　behave　more　reasonably；　but　they　will　not
listen　to　you；　for　the　day　of　their　reckoning　is　at　hand。
Furthermore　I　say；　and　lay　my　saying　to　your　heart；　when　Minerva　shall
put　it　in　my　mind；　I　will　nod　my　head　to　you；　and　on　seeing　me　do　this
you　must　collect　all　the　armour　that　is　in　the　house　and　hide　it　in
the　strong　store　room。　Make　some　excuse　when　the　suitors　ask　you　why
you　are　removing　it；　say　that　you　have　taken　it　to　be　out　of　the　way
of　the　smoke；　inasmuch　as　it　is　no　longer　what　it　was　when　Ulysses
went　away；　but　has　become　soiled　and　begrimed　with　soot。　Add　to　this
more　particularly　that　you　are　afraid　Jove　may　set　them　on　to
quarrel　over　their　wine；　and　that　they　may　do　each　other　some　harm
which　may　disgrace　both　banquet　and　wooing；　for　the　sight　of　arms
sometimes　tempts　people　to　use　them。　But　leave　a　sword　and　a　spear
apiece　for　yourself　and　me；　and　a　couple　oxhide　shields　so　that　we　can
snatch　them　up　at　any　moment；　Jove　and　Minerva　will　then　soon　quiet
these　people。　There　is　also　another　matter；　if　you　are　indeed　my　son
and　my　blood　runs　in　your　veins；　let　no　one　know　that　Ulysses　is
within　the　house…　neither　Laertes；　nor　yet　the　swineherd；　nor　any　of
the　servants；　nor　even　Penelope　herself。　Let　you　and　me　exploit　the
women　alone；　and　let　us　also　make　trial　of　some　other　of　the　men
servants；　to　see　who　is　on　our　side　and　whose　hand　is　against　us。〃
　　〃Father；〃　replied　Telemachus；　〃you　will　come　to　know　me　by　and　by；
and　when　you　do　you　will　find　that　I　can　keep　your　counsel。　I　do　not
think；　however；　the　plan　you　propose　will　turn　out　well　for　either
of　us。　Think　it　over。　It　will　take　us　a　long　time　to　go　the　round　of
the　farms　and　exploit　the　men；　and　all　the　time　the　suitors　will　be
wasting　your　estate　with　impunity　and　without　compunction。　Prove　the
women　by　all　means；　to　see　who　are　disloyal　and　who　guiltless；　but　I
am　not　in　favour　of　going　round　and　trying　the　men。　We　can　attend　to
that　later　on；　if　you　really　have　some　sign　from　Jove　that　he　will
support　you。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　and　meanwhile　the　ship　which　had　brought
Telemachus　and　his　crew　from　Pylos　had　reached　the　town　of　Ithaca。
When　they　had　come　inside　the　harbour　they　drew　the　ship　on　to　the
land；　their　servants　came　and　took　their　armour　from　them；　and　they
left　all　the　presents　at　the　house　of　Clytius。　Then　they　sent　a
servant　to　tell　Penelope　that　Telemachus　had　gone　into　the　country；
but　had　sent　the　ship　to　the　town　to　prevent　her　from　being　alarmed
and　made　unhappy。　This　servant　and　Eumaeus　happened　to　meet　when
they　were　both　on　the　same　errand　of　going　to　tell　Penelope。　When　they
reached　the　House；　the　servant　stood　up　and　said　to　the　queen　in　the
presence　of　the　waiting　women；　〃Your　son；　Madam；　is　now　returned
from　Pylos〃；　but　Eumaeus　went　close　up　to　Penelope；　and　said　privately
that　her　son　had　given　bidden　him　tell　her。　When　he　had　given　his
message　he　left　the　house　with　its　outbuildings　and　went　back　to　his
pigs　again。
　　The　suitors　were　surprised　and　angry　at　what　had　happened；　so　they
went　outside　the　great　wall　that　ran　round　the　outer　court；　and　held　a
council　near　the　main　entrance。　Eurymachus；　son　of　Polybus；　was　the
first　to　speak。
　　〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃this　voyage　of　Telemachus's　is　a　very
serious　matter；　we　had　made　sure　that　it　would　come　to　nothing。　Now；
however；　let　us　draw　a　ship　into　the　water；　and　get　a　crew　together　to
send　after　the　others　and　tell　them　to　come　back　as　fast　as　they　can。〃
　　He　had　hardly　done　speaking　when　Amphinomus　turned　in　his　place
and　saw　the　ship　inside　the　harbour；　with　the　crew　lowering　her　sails；
and　putting　by　their　oars；　so　he　laughed；　and　said　to　the　others；
〃We　need　not　send　them　any　message；　for　they　are　here。　Some　god　must
have　told　them；　or　else　they　saw　the　ship　go　by；　and　could　not
overtake　her。
　　On　this　they　rose　and　went　to　the　water　side。　The　crew　then　drew　the
ship　on　shore；　their　servants　took　their　armour　from　them；　and　they
went　up　in　a　body　to　the　place　of　assembly；　but　they　would　not　let　any
one　old　or　young　sit　along　with　them；　and　Antinous；　son　of
Eupeithes；　spoke　first。
　　〃Good　heavens；〃　said　he；　〃see　how　the　gods　have　saved　this　man
from　destruction。　We　kept　a　succession　of　scouts　upon　the　headlands
all　day　long；　and　when　the　sun　was　down　we　never　went　on　shore　to
sleep；　but　waited　in　the　ship　all　night　till　morning　in　the　hope　of
capturing　and　killing　him；　but　some　god　has　conveyed　him　home　in　spite
of　us。　Let　us　consider　how　we　can　make　an　end　of　him。　He　must　not
escape　us；　our　affair　is　never　likely　to　come　off　while　is　alive；