the odyssey(奥德赛)-第5节

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barley　meal；　which　is　the　staff　of　life；　in　leathern　bags；　while　I
go　round　the　town　and　beat　up　volunteers　at　once。　There　are　many　ships
in　Ithaca　both　old　and　new；　I　will　run　my　eye　over　them　for　you　and
will　choose　the　best；　we　will　get　her　ready　and　will　put　out　to　sea
without　delay。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Minerva　daughter　of　Jove；　and　Telemachus　lost　no　time
in　doing　as　the　goddess　told　him。　He　went　moodily　and　found　the
suitors　flaying　goats　and　singeing　pigs　in　the　outer　court。　Antinous
came　up　to　him　at　once　and　laughed　as　he　took　his　hand　in　his　own；
saying；　〃Telemachus；　my　fine　fire…eater；　bear　no　more　ill　blood
neither　in　word　nor　deed；　but　eat　and　drink　with　us　as　you　used　to　do。
The　Achaeans　will　find　you　in　everything…　a　ship　and　a　picked　crew
to　boot…　so　that　you　can　set　sail　for　Pylos　at　once　and　get　news　of
your　noble　father。〃
　　〃Antinous；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃I　cannot　eat　in　peace；　nor　take
pleasure　of　any　kind　with　such　men　as　you　are。　Was　it　not　enough
that　you　should　waste　so　much　good　property　of　mine　while　I　was　yet
a　boy？　Now　that　I　am　older　and　know　more　about　it；　I　am　also　stronger；
and　whether　here　among　this　people；　or　by　going　to　Pylos；　I　will　do
you　all　the　harm　I　can。　I　shall　go；　and　my　going　will　not　be　in　vain
though；　thanks　to　you　suitors；　I　have　neither　ship　nor　crew　of　my　own；
and　must　be　passenger　not　captain。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　snatched　his　hand　from　that　of　Antinous。　Meanwhile
the　others　went　on　getting　dinner　ready　about　the　buildings；　jeering
at　him　tauntingly　as　they　did　so。
　　〃Telemachus；〃　said　one　youngster；　〃means　to　be　the　death　of　us；　I
suppose　he　thinks　he　can　bring　friends　to　help　him　from　Pylos；　or
again　from　Sparta；　where　he　seems　bent　on　going。　Or　will　he　go　to
Ephyra　as　well；　for　poison　to　put　in　our　wine　and　kill　us？〃
　　Another　said；　〃Perhaps　if　Telemachus　goes　on　board　ship；　he　will
be　like　his　father　and　perish　far　from　his　friends。　In　this　case　we
should　have　plenty　to　do；　for　we　could　then　divide　up　his　property
amongst　us：　as　for　the　house　we　can　let　his　mother　and　the　man　who
marries　her　have　that。〃
　　This　was　how　they　talked。　But　Telemachus　went　down　into　the　lofty
and　spacious　store…room　where　his　father's　treasure　of　gold　and　bronze
lay　heaped　up　upon　the　floor；　and　where　the　linen　and　spare　clothes
were　kept　in　open　chests。　Here；　too；　there　was　a　store　of　fragrant
olive　oil；　while　casks　of　old；　well…ripened　wine；　unblended　and　fit
for　a　god　to　drink；　were　ranged　against　the　wall　in　case　Ulysses
should　come　home　again　after　all。　The　room　was　closed　with　well…made
doors　opening　in　the　middle；　moreover　the　faithful　old　house…keeper
Euryclea；　daughter　of　Ops　the　son　of　Pisenor；　was　in　charge　of
everything　both　night　and　day。　Telemachus　called　her　to　the　store…room
and　said：
　　〃Nurse；　draw　me　off　some　of　the　best　wine　you　have；　after　what　you
are　keeping　for　my　father's　own　drinking；　in　case；　poor　man；　he　should
escape　death；　and　find　his　way　home　again　after　all。　Let　me　have
twelve　jars；　and　see　that　they　all　have　lids；　also　fill　me　some
well…sewn　leathern　bags　with　barley　meal…　about　twenty　measures　in
all。　Get　these　things　put　together　at　once；　and　say　nothing　about
it。　I　will　take　everything　away　this　evening　as　soon　as　my　mother
has　gone　upstairs　for　the　night。　I　am　going　to　Sparta　and　to　Pylos
to　see　if　I　can　hear　anything　about　the　return　of　my　dear　father。
　　When　Euryclea　heard　this　she　began　to　cry；　and　spoke　fondly　to
him；　saying；　〃My　dear　child；　what　ever　can　have　put　such　notion　as
that　into　your　head？　Where　in　the　world　do　you　want　to　go　to…　you；　who
are　the　one　hope　of　the　house？　Your　poor　father　is　dead　and　gone　in
some　foreign　country　nobody　knows　where；　and　as　soon　as　your　back　is
turned　these　wicked　ones　here　will　be　scheming　to　get　you　put　out　of
the　way；　and　will　share　all　your　possessions　among　themselves；　stay
where　you　are　among　your　own　people；　and　do　not　go　wandering　and
worrying　your　life　out　on　the　barren　ocean。〃
　　〃Fear　not；　nurse；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃my　scheme　is　not　without
heaven's　sanction；　but　swear　that　you　will　say　nothing　about　all
this　to　my　mother；　till　I　have　been　away　some　ten　or　twelve　days；
unless　she　hears　of　my　having　gone；　and　asks　you；　for　I　do　not　want
her　to　spoil　her　beauty　by　crying。〃
　　The　old　woman　swore　most　solemnly　that　she　would　not；　and　when　she
had　completed　her　oath；　she　began　drawing　off　the　wine　into　jars；
and　getting　the　barley　meal　into　the　bags；　while　Telemachus　went
back　to　the　suitors。
　　Then　Minerva　bethought　her　of　another　matter。　She　took　his　shape；
and　went　round　the　town　to　each　one　of　the　crew；　telling　them　to
meet　at　the　ship　by　sundown。　She　went　also　to　Noemon　son　of
Phronius；　and　asked　him　to　let　her　have　a　ship…　which　he　was　very
ready　to　do。　When　the　sun　had　set　and　darkness　was　over　all　the
land；　she　got　the　ship　into　the　water；　put　all　the　tackle　on　board　her
that　ships　generally　carry；　and　stationed　her　at　the　end　of　the
harbour。　Presently　the　crew　came　up；　and　the　goddess　spoke
encouragingly　to　each　of　them。
　　Furthermore　she　went　to　the　house　of　Ulysses；　and　threw　the
suitors　into　a　deep　slumber。　She　caused　their　drink　to　fuddle　them；
and　made　them　drop　their　cups　from　their　hands；　so　that　instead　of
sitting　over　their　wine；　they　went　back　into　the　town　to　sleep；　with
their　eyes　heavy　and　full　of　drowsiness。　Then　she　took　the　form　and
voice　of　Mentor；　and　called　Telemachus　to　come　outside。
　　〃Telemachus；〃　said　she；　〃the　men　are　on　board　and　at　their　oars；
waiting　for　you　to　give　your　orders；　so　make　haste　and　let　us　be　off。〃
　　On　this　she　led　the　way；　while　Telemachus　followed　in　her　steps。
When　they　got　to　the　ship　they　found　the　crew　waiting　by　the　water
side；　and　Telemachus　said；　〃Now　my　men；　help　me　to　get　the　stores　on
board；　they　are　all　put　together　in　the　cloister；　and　my　mother　does
not　know　anything　about　it；　nor　any　of　the　maid　servants　except　one。〃
　　With　these　words　he　led　the　way　and　the　others　followed　after。
When　they　had　brought　the　things　as　he　told　them；　Telemachus　went　on
board；　Minerva　going　before　him　and　taking　her　seat　in　the　stern　of
the　vessel；　while　Telemachus　sat　beside　her。　Then　the　men　loosed　the
hawsers　and　took　their　places　on　the　benches。　Minerva　sent　them　a　fair
wind　from　the　West；　that　whistled　over　the　deep　blue　waves　whereon
Telemachus　told　them　to　catch　hold　of　the　ropes　and　hoist　sail；　and
they　did　as　he　told　them。　They　set　the　mast　in　its　socket　in　the　cross
plank；　raised　it；　and　made　it　fast　with　the　forestays；　then　they
hoisted　their　white　sails　aloft　with　ropes　of　twisted　ox　hide。　As
the　sail　bellied　out　with　the　wind；　the　ship　flew　through　the　deep
blue　water；　and　the　foam　hissed　against　her　bows　as　she　sped　onward。
Then　they　made　all　fast　throughout　the　ship；　filled　the　mixing…bowls
to　the　brim；　and　made　drink　offerings　to　the　immortal　gods　that　are
from　everlasting；　but　more　particularly　to　the　grey…eyed　daughter　of
Jove。
　　Thus；　then；　the　ship　sped　on　her　way　through　the　watches　of　the
night　from　dark　till　dawn。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　III。
　　BUT　as　the　sun　was　rising　from　the　fair　sea　into　the　firmament　of
heaven　to　shed　Blight　on　mortals　and　immortals；　they　reached　Pylos　the
city　of　Neleus。　Now　the　people　of　Pylos　were　gathered　on　the　sea　shore
to　offer　sacrifice　of　black　bulls　to　Neptune　lord　of　the　Earthquake。
There　were　nine　guilds　with　five　hundred　men　in　each；　and　there　were
nine　bulls　to　each　guild。　As　they　were　eating　the　inward　meats　and
burning　the　thigh　bones　＇on　the　embers＇　in　the　name　of　Neptune；
Telemachus　and　his　crew　arrived；　furled　their　sails；　brought　their
ship　to　anchor；　and　went　ashore。
　　Minerva　led　the　way　and　Telemachus　followed　her。　Presently　she　said；
〃Telemachus；　you　must　not　be　in　the　least　shy　or　nervous；　you　have
taken　this　voyage　to　try　and　find　out　where　your　father　is　buried
and　how　he　came　by　his　end；　so　go　straight　up　to　Nestor　that　we　may
see　what　he　has　got　to　tell　us。　Beg　of　him　to　speak　the　truth；　and
he　will　tell　no　lies；　for　he　is　an　excellent　person。〃
　　〃But　how；　Mentor；〃　replied　Telemachus；　〃dare　I　go　up　to　Nestor；
and　how　am　I　to　address　him？　I　have　never　yet　been　used　to　holding
long　conversations　with　people；　and　am　ashamed　to　begin　questioning
one　who　is　so　much　older　than　myself。〃
　　〃Some　things；　Telemachus；〃　answered　Minerva；　〃will　be　suggested　to
you　by　your　own　instinct；　and　heaven　will　prompt　you　further；　for　I　am
assured　that　the　gods　have　been　with　you　from　the　time　of　your　birth
until　now。〃
　　She　then　went　quickly　on；　and　Telemachus　followed　in　her　steps
till　they　reached　the　place　where　the　guilds　of　the　Pylian　people　were
assembled。　There　they　found　Nestor　sitting　with　his　sons；　while　his
company　round　him　were　busy　getting　dinner　ready；　and　putting　pieces
of　meat　on　to　the　spits　while　other　pieces　were　cooking。　When　they　saw
the　strangers　they　crowded　round　them；　took　them　by　the　hand　and
bade　them　take　their　places。　Nestor's　son　Pisistratus　at　once
offered　his　hand　to　each　of　them；　and　seated　them　on　some　soft
sheepskins　that　were　lying　on　the　sands　near　his　father　and　his
brother　Thrasymedes。　Then　he　gave　them　their　portions　of　the　inward
meats　and　p