the odyssey(奥德赛)-第58节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XXI。
　　MINERVA　now　put　it　in　Penelope's　mind　to　make　the　suitors　try
their　skill　with　the　bow　and　with　the　iron　axes；　in　contest　among
themselves；　as　a　means　of　bringing　about　their　destruction。　She　went
upstairs　and　got　the　store　room　key；　which　was　made　of　bronze　and
had　a　handle　of　ivory；　she　then　went　with　her　maidens　into　the　store
room　at　the　end　of　the　house；　where　her　husband's　treasures　of　gold；
bronze；　and　wrought　iron　were　kept；　and　where　was　also　his　bow；　and
the　quiver　full　of　deadly　arrows　that　had　been　given　him　by　a　friend
whom　he　had　met　in　Lacedaemon…　Iphitus　the　son　of　Eurytus。　The　two
fell　in　with　one　another　in　Messene　at　the　house　of　Ortilochus；
where　Ulysses　was　staying　in　order　to　recover　a　debt　that　was　owing
from　the　whole　people；　for　the　Messenians　had　carried　off　three
hundred　sheep　from　Ithaca；　and　had　sailed　away　with　them　and　with
their　shepherds。　In　quest　of　these　Ulysses　took　a　long　journey　while
still　quite　young；　for　his　father　and　the　other　chieftains　sent　him　on
a　mission　to　recover　them。　Iphitus　had　gone　there　also　to　try　and
get　back　twelve　brood　mares　that　he　had　lost；　and　the　mule　foals
that　were　running　with　them。　These　mares　were　the　death　of　him　in
the　end；　for　when　he　went　to　the　house　of　Jove's　son；　mighty　Hercules；
who　performed　such　prodigies　of　valour；　Hercules　to　his　shame　killed
him；　though　he　was　his　guest；　for　he　feared　not　heaven's　vengeance；
nor　yet　respected　his　own　table　which　he　had　set　before　Iphitus；　but
killed　him　in　spite　of　everything；　and　kept　the　mares　himself。　It
was　when　claiming　these　that　Iphitus　met　Ulysses；　and　gave　him　the　bow
which　mighty　Eurytus　had　been　used　to　carry；　and　which　on　his　death
had　been　left　by　him　to　his　son。　Ulysses　gave　him　in　return　a　sword
and　a　spear；　and　this　was　the　beginning　of　a　fast　friendship；　although
they　never　visited　at　one　another's　houses；　for　Jove's　son　Hercules
killed　Iphitus　ere　they　could　do　so。　This　bow；　then；　given　him　by
Iphitus；　had　not　been　taken　with　him　by　Ulysses　when　he　sailed　for
Troy；　he　had　used　it　so　long　as　he　had　been　at　home；　but　had　left　it
behind　as　having　been　a　keepsake　from　a　valued　friend。
　　Penelope　presently　reached　the　oak　threshold　of　the　store　room；
the　carpenter　had　planed　this　duly；　and　had　drawn　a　line　on　it　so　as
to　get　it　quite　straight；　he　had　then　set　the　door　posts　into　it　and
hung　the　doors。　She　loosed　the　strap　from　the　handle　of　the　door；
put　in　the　key；　and　drove　it　straight　home　to　shoot　back　the　bolts
that　held　the　doors；　these　flew　open　with　a　noise　like　a　bull
bellowing　in　a　meadow；　and　Penelope　stepped　upon　the　raised
platform；　where　the　chests　stood　in　which　the　fair　linen　and　clothes
were　laid　by　along　with　fragrant　herbs：　reaching　thence；　she　took　down
the　bow　with　its　bow　case　from　the　peg　on　which　it　hung。　She　sat
down　with　it　on　her　knees；　weeping　bitterly　as　she　took　the　bow　out　of
its　case；　and　when　her　tears　had　relieved　her；　she　went　to　the
cloister　where　the　suitors　were；　carrying　the　bow　and　the　quiver；　with
the　many　deadly　arrows　that　were　inside　it。　Along　with　her　came　her
maidens；　bearing　a　chest　that　contained　much　iron　and　bronze　which　her
husband　had　won　as　prizes。　When　she　reached　the　suitors；　she　stood
by　one　of　the　bearing…posts　supporting　the　roof　of　the　cloister；
holding　a　veil　before　her　face；　and　with　a　maid　on　either　side　of　her。
Then　she　said：
　　〃Listen　to　me　you　suitors；　who　persist　in　abusing　the　hospitality　of
this　house　because　its　owner　has　been　long　absent；　and　without　other
pretext　than　that　you　want　to　marry　me；　this；　then；　being　the　prize
that　you　are　contending　for；　I　will　bring　out　the　mighty　bow　of
Ulysses；　and　whomsoever　of　you　shall　string　it　most　easily　and　send
his　arrow　through　each　one　of　twelve　axes；　him　will　I　follow　and
quit　this　house　of　my　lawful　husband；　so　goodly；　and　so　abounding　in
wealth。　But　even　so　I　doubt　not　that　I　shall　remember　it　in　my
dreams。〃
　　As　she　spoke；　she　told　Eumaeus　to　set　the　bow　and　the　pieces　of　iron
before　the　suitors；　and　Eumaeus　wept　as　he　took　them　to　do　as　she
had　bidden　him。　Hard　by；　the　stockman　wept　also　when　he　saw　his
master's　bow；　but　Antinous　scolded　them。　〃You　country　louts；〃　said　he；
〃silly　simpletons；　why　should　you　add　to　the　sorrows　of　your
mistress　by　crying　in　this　way？　She　has　enough　to　grieve　her　in　the
loss　of　her　husband；　sit　still；　therefore；　and　eat　your　dinners　in
silence；　or　go　outside　if　you　want　to　cry；　and　leave　the　bow　behind
you。　We　suitors　shall　have　to　contend　for　it　with　might　and　main；
for　we　shall　find　it　no　light　matter　to　string　such　a　bow　as　this
is。　There　is　not　a　man　of　us　all　who　is　such　another　as　Ulysses；　for　I
have　seen　him　and　remember　him；　though　I　was　then　only　a　child。〃
　　This　was　what　he　said；　but　all　the　time　he　was　expecting　to　be
able　to　string　the　bow　and　shoot　through　the　iron；　whereas　in　fact
he　was　to　be　the　first　that　should　taste　of　the　arrows　from　the
hands　of　Ulysses；　whom　he　was　dishonouring　in　his　own　house…　egging
the　others　on　to　do　so　also。
　　Then　Telemachus　spoke。　〃Great　heavens！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃Jove　must
have　robbed　me　of　my　senses。　Here　is　my　dear　and　excellent　mother
saying　she　will　quit　this　house　and　marry　again；　yet　I　am　laughing　and
enjoying　myself　as　though　there　were　nothing　happening。　But；
suitors；　as　the　contest　has　been　agreed　upon；　let　it　go　forward。　It　is
for　a　woman　whose　peer　is　not　to　be　found　in　Pylos；　Argos；　or
Mycene；　nor　yet　in　Ithaca　nor　on　the　mainland。　You　know　this　as　well
as　I　do；　what　need　have　I　to　speak　in　praise　of　my　mother？　Come　on；
then；　make　no　excuses　for　delay；　but　let　us　see　whether　you　can　string
the　bow　or　no。　I　too　will　make　trial　of　it；　for　if　I　can　string　it　and
shoot　through　the　iron；　I　shall　not　suffer　my　mother　to　quit　this
house　with　a　stranger；　not　if　I　can　win　the　prizes　which　my　father　won
before　me。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　sprang　from　his　seat；　threw　his　crimson　cloak　from
him；　and　took　his　sword　from　his　shoulder。　First　he　set　the　axes　in
a　row；　in　a　long　groove　which　he　had　dug　for　them；　and　had　Wade
straight　by　line。　Then　he　stamped　the　earth　tight　round　them；　and
everyone　was　surprised　when　they　saw　him　set　up　so　orderly；　though
he　had　never　seen　anything　of　the　kind　before。　This　done；　he　went　on
to　the　pavement　to　make　trial　of　the　bow；　thrice　did　he　tug　at　it；
trying　with　all　his　might　to　draw　the　string；　and　thrice　he　had　to
leave　off；　though　he　had　hoped　to　string　the　bow　and　shoot　through　the
iron。　He　was　trying　for　the　fourth　time；　and　would　have　strung　it
had　not　Ulysses　made　a　sign　to　check　him　in　spite　of　all　his
eagerness。　So　he　said：
　　〃Alas！　I　shall　either　be　always　feeble　and　of　no　prowess；　or　I　am
too　young；　and　have　not　yet　reached　my　full　strength　so　as　to　be
able　to　hold　my　own　if　any　one　attacks　me。　You　others；　therefore；
who　are　stronger　than　I；　make　trial　of　the　bow　and　get　this　contest
settled。〃
　　On　this　he　put　the　bow　down；　letting　it　lean　against　the　door
＇that　led　into　the　house＇　with　the　arrow　standing　against　the　top　of
the　bow。　Then　he　sat　down　on　the　seat　from　which　he　had　risen；　and
Antinous　said：
　　〃Come　on　each　of　you　in　his　turn；　going　towards　the　right　from　the
place　at　which　the。　cupbearer　begins　when　he　is　handing　round　the
wine。〃
　　The　rest　agreed；　and　Leiodes　son　of　OEnops　was　the　first　to　rise。　He
was　sacrificial　priest　to　the　suitors；　and　sat　in　the　corner　near
the　mixing…bowl。　He　was　the　only　man　who　hated　their　evil　deeds　and
was　indignant　with　the　others。　He　was　now　the　first　to　take　the　bow
and　arrow；　so　he　went　on　to　the　pavement　to　make　his　trial；　but　he
could　not　string　the　bow；　for　his　hands　were　weak　and　unused　to　hard
work；　they　therefore　soon　grew　tired；　and　he　said　to　the　suitors；
〃My　friends；　I　cannot　string　it；　let　another　have　it；　this　bow　shall
take　the　life　and　soul　out　of　many　a　chief　among　us；　for　it　is
better　to　die　than　to　live　after　having　missed　the　prize　that　we
have　so　long　striven　for；　and　which　has　brought　us　so　long　together。
Some　one　of　us　is　even　now　hoping　and　praying　that　he　may　marry
Penelope；　but　when　he　has　seen　this　bow　and　tried　it；　let　him　woo
and　make　bridal　offerings　to　some　other　woman；　and　let　Penelope
marry　whoever　makes　her　the　best　offer　and　whose　lot　it　is　to　win
her。〃
　　On　this　he　put　the　bow　down；　letting　it　lean　against　the　door；
with　the　arrow　standing　against　the　tip　of　the　bow。　Then　he　took　his
seat　again　on　the　seat　from　which　he　had　risen；　and　Antinous　rebuked
him　saying：
　　〃Leiodes；　what　are　you　talking　about？　Your　words　are　monstrous　and
intolerable；　it　makes　me　angry　to　listen　to　you。　Shall；　then；　this　bow
take　the　life　of　many　a　chief　among　us；　merely　because　you　cannot　bend
it　yourself？　True；　you　were　not　born　to　be　an　archer；　but　there　are
others　who　will　soon　string　it。〃
　　Then　he　said　to　Melanthius　the　goatherd；　〃Look　sharp；　light　a　fire
in　the　court；　and　set　a　seat　hard　by　with　a　sheep　skin　on　it；　bring　us
also　a　large　ball　of　lard；　from　what　they　have　in　the　house。　Let　us
warm　the　bow　and　grease　it　we　will　then　make　trial　of　it　again；　and
bring　the　contest　to　an　end。〃
　　Melanthius　lit　the　fire；　and　set　a　seat　covered　with　she