the odyssey(奥德赛)-第57节

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others　to　eat；　who　take　no　heed　of　his　son　though　he　is　in　the
house；　and　fear　not　the　wrath　of　heaven；　but　are　already　eager　to
divide　Ulysses'　property　among　them　because　he　has　been　away　so
long。　I　have　often　thought…　only　it　would　not　be　right　while　his　son
is　living…　of　going　off　with　the　cattle　to　some　foreign　country；　bad
as　this　would　be；　it　is　still　harder　to　stay　here　and　be　ill…treated
about　other　people's　herds。　My　position　is　intolerable；　and　I　should
long　since　have　run　away　and　put　myself　under　the　protection　of　some
other　chief；　only　that　I　believe　my　poor　master　will　yet　return；　and
send　all　these　suitors　flying　out　of　the　house。〃
　　〃Stockman；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃you　seem　to　be　a　very　well…disposed
person；　and　I　can　see　that　you　are　a　man　of　sense。　Therefore　I　will
tell　you；　and　will　confirm　my　words　with　an　oath：　by　Jove；　the　chief
of　all　gods；　and　by　that　hearth　of　Ulysses　to　which　I　am　now　come；
Ulysses　shall　return　before　you　leave　this　place；　and　if　you　are　so
minded　you　shall　see　him　killing　the　suitors　who　are　now　masters
here。〃
　　〃If　Jove　were　to　bring　this　to　pass；〃　replied　the　stockman；　〃you
should　see　how　I　would　do　my　very　utmost　to　help　him。〃
　　And　in　like　manner　Eumaeus　prayed　that　Ulysses　might　return　home。
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Meanwhile　the　suitors　were　hatching　a　plot
to　murder　Telemachus：　but　a　bird　flew　near　them　on　their　left　hand…　an
eagle　with　a　dove　in　its　talons。　On　this　Amphinomus　said；　〃My　friends；
this　plot　of　ours　to　murder　Telemachus　will　not　succeed；　let　us　go
to　dinner　instead。〃
　　The　others　assented；　so　they　went　inside　and　laid　their　cloaks　on
the　benches　and　seats。　They　sacrificed　the　sheep；　goats；　pigs；　and　the
heifer；　and　when　the　inward　meats　were　cooked　they　served　them
round。　They　mixed　the　wine　in　the　mixing…bowls；　and　the　swineherd　gave
every　man　his　cup；　while　Philoetius　handed　round　the　bread　in　the
breadbaskets；　and　Melanthius　poured　them　out　their　wine。　Then　they
laid　their　hands　upon　the　good　things　that　were　before　them。
　　Telemachus　purposely　made　Ulysses　sit　in　the　part　of　the　cloister
that　was　paved　with　stone；　he　gave　him　a　shabby…looking　seat　at　a
little　table　to　himself；　and　had　his　portion　of　the　inward　meats
brought　to　him；　with　his　wine　in　a　gold　cup。　〃Sit　there；〃　said　he；
〃and　drink　your　wine　among　the　great　people。　I　will　put　a　stop　to
the　gibes　and　blows　of　the　suitors；　for　this　is　no　public　house；　but
belongs　to　Ulysses；　and　has　passed　from　him　to　me。　Therefore；　suitors；
keep　your　hands　and　your　tongues　to　yourselves；　or　there　will　be
mischief。〃
　　The　suitors　bit　their　lips；　and　marvelled　at　the　boldness　of　his
speech；　then　Antinous　said；　〃We　do　not　like　such　language　but　we
will　put　up　with　it；　for　Telemachus　is　threatening　us　in　good　earnest。
If　Jove　had　let　us　we　should　have　put　a　stop　to　his　brave　talk　ere
now。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Antinous；　but　Telemachus　heeded　him　not。　Meanwhile　the
heralds　were　bringing　the　holy　hecatomb　through　the　city；　and　the
Achaeans　gathered　under　the　shady　grove　of　Apollo。
　　Then　they　roasted　the　outer　meat；　drew　it　off　the　spits；　gave
every　man　his　portion；　and　feasted　to　their　hearts'　content；　those　who
waited　at　table　gave　Ulysses　exactly　the　same　portion　as　the　others
had；　for　Telemachus　had　told　them　to　do　so。
　　But　Minerva　would　not　let　the　suitors　for　one　moment　drop　their
insolence；　for　she　wanted　Ulysses　to　become　still　more　bitter
against　them。　Now　there　happened　to　be　among　them　a　ribald　fellow；
whose　name　was　Ctesippus；　and　who　came　from　Same。　This　man；
confident　in　his　great　wealth；　was　paying　court　to　the　wife　of
Ulysses；　and　said　to　the　suitors；　〃Hear　what　I　have　to　say。　The
stranger　has　already　had　as　large　a　portion　as　any　one　else；　this　is
well；　for　it　is　not　right　nor　reasonable　to　ill…treat　any　guest　of
Telemachus　who　comes　here。　I　will；　however；　make　him　a　present　on　my
own　account；　that　he　may　have　something　to　give　to　the　bath…woman；
or　to　some　other　of　Ulysses'　servants。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　picked　up　a　heifer's　foot　from　the　meat…basket　in
which　it　lay；　and　threw　it　at　Ulysses；　but　Ulysses　turned　his　head　a
little　aside；　and　avoided　it；　smiling　grimly　Sardinian　fashion　as　he
did　so；　and　it　hit　the　wall；　not　him。　On　this　Telemachus　spoke
fiercely　to　Ctesippus；　〃It　is　a　good　thing　for　you；〃　said　he；　〃that
the　stranger　turned　his　head　so　that　you　missed　him。　If　you　had　hit
him　I　should　have　run　you　through　with　my　spear；　and　your　father　would
have　had　to　see　about　getting　you　buried　rather　than　married　in　this
house。　So　let　me　have　no　more　unseemly　behaviour　from　any　of　you；
for　I　am　grown　up　now　to　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil　and　understand
what　is　going　on；　instead　of　being　the　child　that　I　have　been
heretofore。　I　have　long　seen　you　killing　my　sheep　and　making　free　with
my　corn　and　wine：　I　have　put　up　with　this；　for　one　man　is　no　match　for
many；　but　do　me　no　further　violence。　Still；　if　you　wish　to　kill　me；
kill　me；　I　would　far　rather　die　than　see　such　disgraceful　scenes　day
after　day…　guests　insulted；　and　men　dragging　the　women　servants
about　the　house　in　an　unseemly　way。〃
　　They　all　held　their　peace　till　at　last　Agelaus　son　of　Damastor　said；
〃No　one　should　take　offence　at　what　has　just　been　said；　nor　gainsay
it；　for　it　is　quite　reasonable。　Leave　off；　therefore；　ill…treating　the
stranger；　or　any　one　else　of　the　servants　who　are　about　the　house；　I
would　say；　however；　a　friendly　word　to　Telemachus　and　his　mother；
which　I　trust　may　commend　itself　to　both。　'As　long；'　I　would　say；
'as　you　had　ground　for　hoping　that　Ulysses　would　one　day　come　home；　no
one　could　complain　of　your　waiting　and　suffering　the　suitors　to　be
in　your　house。　It　would　have　been　better　that　he　should　have　returned；
but　it　is　now　sufficiently　clear　that　he　will　never　do　so；　therefore
talk　all　this　quietly　over　with　your　mother；　and　tell　her　to　marry　the
best　man；　and　the　one　who　makes　her　the　most　advantageous　offer。
Thus　you　will　yourself　be　able　to　manage　your　own　inheritance；　and
to　eat　and　drink　in　peace；　while　your　mother　will　look　after　some
other　man's　house；　not　yours。〃'
　　To　this　Telemachus　answered；　〃By　Jove；　Agelaus；　and　by　the　sorrows
of　my　unhappy　father；　who　has　either　perished　far　from　Ithaca；　or　is
wandering　in　some　distant　land；　I　throw　no　obstacles　in　the　way　of
my　mother's　marriage；　on　the　contrary　I　urge　her　to　choose
whomsoever　she　will；　and　I　will　give　her　numberless　gifts　into　the
bargain；　but　I　dare　not　insist　point　blank　that　she　shall　leave　the
house　against　her　own　wishes。　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　do　this。〃
　　Minerva　now　made　the　suitors　fall　to　laughing　immoderately；　and
set　their　wits　wandering；　but　they　were　laughing　with　a　forced
laughter。　Their　meat　became　smeared　with　blood；　their　eyes　filled　with
tears；　and　their　hearts　were　heavy　with　forebodings。　Theoclymenus
saw　this　and　said；　〃Unhappy　men；　what　is　it　that　ails　you？　There　is
a　shroud　of　darkness　drawn　over　you　from　head　to　foot；　your　cheeks　are
wet　with　tears；　the　air　is　alive　with　wailing　voices；　the　walls　and
roof…beams　drip　blood；　the　gate　of　the　cloisters　and　the　court
beyond　them　are　full　of　ghosts　trooping　down　into　the　night　of　hell；
the　sun　is　blotted　out　of　heaven；　and　a　blighting　gloom　is　over　all
the　land。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　all　of　them　laughed　heartily。　Eurymachus
then　said；　〃This　stranger　who　has　lately　come　here　has　lost　his
senses。　Servants；　turn　him　out　into　the　streets；　since　he　finds　it
so　dark　here。〃
　　But　Theoclymenus　said；　〃Eurymachus；　you　need　not　send　any　one　with
me。　I　have　eyes；　ears；　and　a　pair　of　feet　of　my　own；　to　say　nothing　of
an　understanding　mind。　I　will　take　these　out　of　the　house　with　me；　for
I　see　mischief　overhanging　you；　from　which　not　one　of　you　men　who
are　insulting　people　and　plotting　ill　deeds　in　the　house　of　Ulysses
will　be　able　to　escape。〃
　　He　left　the　house　as　he　spoke；　and　went　back　to　Piraeus　who　gave　him
welcome；　but　the　suitors　kept　looking　at　one　another　and　provoking
Telemachus　fly　laughing　at　the　strangers。　One　insolent　fellow　said
to　him；　〃Telemachus；　you　are　not　happy　in　your　guests；　first　you
have　this　importunate　tramp；　who　comes　begging　bread　and　wine　and
has　no　skill　for　work　or　for　hard　fighting；　but　is　perfectly
useless；　and　now　here　is　another　fellow　who　is　setting　himself　up　as　a
prophet。　Let　me　persuade　you；　for　it　will　be　much　better；　to　put
them　on　board　ship　and　send　them　off　to　the　Sicels　to　sell　for　what
they　will　bring。〃
　　Telemachus　gave　him　no　heed；　but　sat　silently　watching　his　father；
expecting　every　moment　that　he　would　begin　his　attack　upon　the
suitors。
　　Meanwhile　the　daughter　of　Icarius；　wise　Penelope；　had　had　had　a　rich
seat　placed　for　her　facing　the　court　and　cloisters；　so　that　she
could　hear　what　every　one　was　saying。　The　dinner　indeed　had　been
prepared　amid　merriment；　it　had　been　both　good　and　abundant；　for
they　had　sacrificed　many　victims；　but　the　supper　was　yet　to　come；
and　nothing　can　be　conceived　more　gruesome　than　the　meal　which　a
goddess　and　a　brave　man　were　soon　to　lay　before　them…　for　they　had
brought　their　doom　upon　themselves。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XXI。
　　MINERVA　now　put　it　in　Penelope's　mind　to　make　the