the odyssey(奥德赛)-第52节

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begging。〃
　　〃Eurymachus；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃if　you　and　I　were　to　work　one
against　the　other　in　early　summer　when　the　days　are　at　their
longest…　give　me　a　good　scythe；　and　take　another　yourself；　and　let
us　see　which　will　fast　the　longer　or　mow　the　stronger；　from　dawn
till　dark　when　the　mowing　grass　is　about。　Or　if　you　will　plough
against　me；　let　us　each　take　a　yoke　of　tawny　oxen；　well…mated　and　of
great　strength　and　endurance：　turn　me　into　a　four　acre　field；　and
see　whether　you　or　I　can　drive　the　straighter　furrow。　If；　again；　war
were　to　break　out　this　day；　give　me　a　shield；　a　couple　of　spears　and　a
helmet　fitting　well　upon　my　temples…　you　would　find　me　foremost　in　the
fray；　and　would　cease　your　gibes　about　my　belly。　You　are　insolent
and　cruel；　and　think　yourself　a　great　man　because　you　live　in　a　little
world；　ind　that　a　bad　one。　If　Ulysses　comes　to　his　own　again；　the
doors　of　his　house　are　wide；　but　you　will　find　them　narrow　when　you
try　to　fly　through　them。〃
　　Eurymachus　was　furious　at　all　this。　He　scowled　at　him　and　cried；
〃You　wretch；　I　will　soon　pay　you　out　for　daring　to　say　such　things
to　me；　and　in　public　too。　Has　the　wine　been　getting　into　your　head
or　do　you　always　babble　in　this　way？　You　seem　to　have　lost　your　wits
because　you　beat　the　tramp　Irus。　With　this　he　caught　hold　of　a
footstool；　but　Ulysses　sought　protection　at　the　knees　of　Amphinomus　of
Dulichium；　for　he　was　afraid。　The　stool　hit　the　cupbearer　on　his　right
hand　and　knocked　him　down：　the　man　fell　with　a　cry　flat　on　his　back；
and　his　wine…jug　fell　ringing　to　the　ground。　The　suitors　in　the
covered　cloister　were　now　in　an　uproar；　and　one　would　turn　towards　his
neighbour；　saying；　〃I　wish　the　stranger　had　gone　somewhere　else；　bad
luck　to　hide；　for　all　the　trouble　he　gives　us。　We　cannot　permit　such
disturbance　about　a　beggar；　if　such　ill　counsels　are　to　prevail　we
shall　have　no　more　pleasure　at　our　banquet。〃
　　On　this　Telemachus　came　forward　and　said；　〃Sirs；　are　you　mad？　Can
you　not　carry　your　meat　and　your　liquor　decently？　Some　evil　spirit　has
possessed　you。　I　do　not　wish　to　drive　any　of　you　away；　but　you　have
had　your　suppers；　and　the　sooner　you　all　go　home　to　bed　the　better。〃
　　The　suitors　bit　their　lips　and　marvelled　at　the　boldness　of　his
speech；　but　Amphinomus　the　son　of　Nisus；　who　was　son　to　Aretias；　said；
〃Do　not　let　us　take　offence；　it　is　reasonable；　so　let　us　make　no
answer。　Neither　let　us　do　violence　to　the　stranger　nor　to　any　of
Ulysses'　servants。　Let　the　cupbearer　go　round　with　the
drink…offerings；　that　we　may　make　them　and　go　home　to　our　rest。　As　for
the　stranger；　let　us　leave　Telemachus　to　deal　with　him；　for　it　is　to
his　house　that　he　has　come。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　his　saying　pleased　them　well；　so　Mulius　of
Dulichium；　servant　to　Amphinomus；　mixed　them　a　bowl　of　wine　and
water　and　handed　it　round　to　each　of　them　man　by　man；　whereon　they
made　their　drink…offerings　to　the　blessed　gods：　Then；　when　they　had
made　their　drink…offerings　and　had　drunk　each　one　as　he　was　minded；
they　took　their　several　ways　each　of　them　to　his　own　abode。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XIX。
　　ULYSSES　was　left　in　the　cloister；　pondering　on　the　means　whereby
with　Minerva's　help　he　might　be　able　to　kill　the　suitors。　Presently　he
said　to　Telemachus；　〃Telemachus；　we　must　get　the　armour　together　and
take　it　down　inside。　Make　some　excuse　when　the　suitors　ask　you　why　you
have　removed　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。〃
　　Telemachus　approved　of　what　his　father　had　said；　so　he　called
nurse　Euryclea　and　said；　〃Nurse；　shut　the　women　up　in　their　room；
while　I　take　the　armour　that　my　father　left　behind　him　down　into　the
store　room。　No　one　looks　after　it　now　my　father　is　gone；　and　it　has
got　all　smirched　with　soot　during　my　own　boyhood。　I　want　to　take　it
down　where　the　smoke　cannot　reach　it。〃
　　〃I　wish；　child；〃　answered　Euryclea；　〃that　you　would　take　the
management　of　the　house　into　your　own　hands　altogether；　and　look　after
all　the　property　yourself。　But　who　is　to　go　with　you　and　light　you
to　the　store　room？　The　maids　would　have　so；　but　you　would　not　let
them。
　　〃The　stranger；〃　said　Telemachus；　〃shall　show　me　a　light；　when　people
eat　my　bread　they　must　earn　it；　no　matter　where　they　come　from。〃
　　Euryclea　did　as　she　was　told；　and　bolted　the　women　inside　their
room。　Then　Ulysses　and　his　son　made　all　haste　to　take　the　helmets；
shields；　and　spears　inside；　and　Minerva　went　before　them　with　a　gold
lamp　in　her　hand　that　shed　a　soft　and　brilliant　radiance；　whereon
Telemachus　said；　〃Father；　my　eyes　behold　a　great　marvel：　the　walls；
with　the　rafters；　crossbeams；　and　the　supports　on　which　they　rest
are　all　aglow　as　with　a　flaming　fire。　Surely　there　is　some　god　here
who　has　come　down　from　heaven。〃
　　〃Hush；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃hold　your　peace　and　ask　no　questions；　for
this　is　the　manner　of　the　gods。　Get　you　to　your　bed；　and　leave　me　here
to　talk　with　your　mother　and　the　maids。　Your　mother　in　her　grief
will　ask　me　all　sorts　of　questions。〃
　　On　this　Telemachus　went　by　torch…light　to　the　other　side　of　the
inner　court；　to　the　room　in　which　he　always　slept。　There　he　lay　in　his
bed　till　morning；　while　Ulysses　was　left　in　the　cloister　pondering
on　the　means　whereby　with　Minerva's　help　he　might　be　able　to　kill
the　suitors。
　　Then　Penelope　came　down　from　her　room　looking　like　Venus　or　Diana；
and　they　set　her　a　seat　inlaid　with　scrolls　of　silver　and　ivory　near
the　fire　in　her　accustomed　place。　It　had　been　made　by　Icmalius　and　had
a　footstool　all　in　one　piece　with　the　seat　itself；　and　it　was
covered　with　a　thick　fleece：　on　this　she　now　sat；　and　the　maids　came
from　the　women's　room　to　join　her。　They　set　about　removing　the
tables　at　which　the　wicked　suitors　had　been　dining；　and　took　away
the　bread　that　was　left；　with　the　cups　from　which　they　had　drunk。　They
emptied　the　embers　out　of　the　braziers；　and　heaped　much　wood　upon　them
to　give　both　light　and　heat；　but　Melantho　began　to　rail　at　Ulysses　a
second　time　and　said；　〃Stranger；　do　you　mean　to　plague　us　by　hanging
about　the　house　all　night　and　spying　upon　the　women？　Be　off；　you
wretch；　outside；　and　eat　your　supper　there；　or　you　shall　be　driven　out
with　a　firebrand。〃
　　Ulysses　scowled　at　her　and　answered；　〃My　good　woman；　why　should
you　be　so　angry　with　me？　Is　it　because　I　am　not　clean；　and　my
clothes　are　all　in　rags；　and　because　I　am　obliged　to　go　begging
about　after　the　manner　of　tramps　and　beggars　generall？　I　too　was　a
rich　man　once；　and　had　a　fine　house　of　my　own；　in　those　days　I　gave　to
many　a　tramp　such　as　I　now　am；　no　matter　who　he　might　be　nor　what　he
wanted。　I　had　any　number　of　servants；　and　all　the　other　things　which
people　have　who　live　well　and　are　accounted　wealthy；　but　it　pleased
Jove　to　take　all　away　from　me；　therefore；　woman；　beware　lest　you　too
come　to　lose　that　pride　and　place　in　which　you　now　wanton　above　your
fellows；　have　a　care　lest　you　get　out　of　favour　with　your　mistress；
and　lest　Ulysses　should　come　home；　for　there　is　still　a　chance　that　he
may　do　so。　Moreover；　though　he　be　dead　as　you　think　he　is；　yet　by
Apollo's　will　he　has　left　a　son　behind　him；　Telemachus；　who　will
note　anything　done　amiss　by　the　maids　in　the　house；　for　he　is　now　no
longer　in　his　boyhood。〃
　　Penelope　heard　what　he　was　saying　and　scolded　the　maid；　〃Impudent
baggage；　said　she；　〃I　see　how　abominably　you　are　behaving；　and　you
shall　smart　for　it。　You　knew　perfectly　well；　for　I　told　you　myself；
that　I　was　going　to　see　the　stranger　and　ask　him　about　my　husband；　for
whose　sake　I　am　in　such　continual　sorrow。〃
　　Then　she　said　to　her　head　waiting　woman　Eurynome；　〃Bring　a　seat　with
a　fleece　upon　it；　for　the　stranger　to　sit　upon　while　he　tells　his
story；　and　listens　to　what　I　have　to　say。　I　wish　to　ask　him　some
questions。〃
　　Eurynome　brought　the　seat　at　once　and　set　a　fleece　upon　it；　and　as
soon　as　Ulysses　had　sat　down　Penelope　began　by　saying；　〃Stranger；　I
shall　first　ask　you　who　and　whence　are　you？　Tell　me　of　your　town　and
parents。〃
　　〃Madam；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃who　on　the　face　of　the　whole　earth　can
dare　to　chide　with　you？　Your　fame　reaches　the　firmament　of　heaven
itself；　you　are　like　some　blameless　king；　who　upholds　righteousness；
as　the　monarch　over　a　great　and　valiant　nation：　the　earth　yields　its
wheat　and　barley；　the　trees　are　loaded　with　fruit；　the　ewes　bring
forth　lambs；　and　the　sea　abounds　with　fish　by　reason　of　his　virtues；
and　his　people　do　good　deeds　under　him。　Nevertheless；　as　I　sit　here　in
your　house；　ask　me　some　other　question　and　do　not　seek　to　know　my　race
and　family；　or　you　will　recall　memories　that　will　yet　more　increase　my
sorrow。　I　am　full　of　heaviness；　but　I　ought　not　to　sit　weeping　and
wailing　in　another　person's　house；　nor　is　it　well　to　be　thus
grieving　continually。　I　shall　have　one　of　the　servants　or　even
yourself　complaining　of　me；　and　saying　that　my