the odyssey(奥德赛)-第59节

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bring　the　contest　to　an　end。〃
　　Melanthius　lit　the　fire；　and　set　a　seat　covered　with　sheep　skins
beside　it。　He　also　brought　a　great　ball　of　lard　from　what　they　had
in　the　house；　and　the　suitors　warmed　the　bow　and　again　made　trial　of
it；　but　they　were　none　of　them　nearly　strong　enough　to　string　it。
Nevertheless　there　still　remained　Antinous　and　Eurymachus；　who　were
the　ringleaders　among　the　suitors　and　much　the　foremost　among　them
all。
　　Then　the　swineherd　and　the　stockman　left　the　cloisters　together；　and
Ulysses　followed　them。　When　they　had　got　outside　the　gates　and　the
outer　yard；　Ulysses　said　to　them　quietly：
　　〃Stockman；　and　you　swineherd；　I　have　something　in　my　mind　which　I　am
in　doubt　whether　to　say　or　no；　but　I　think　I　will　say　it。　What
manner　of　men　would　you　be　to　stand　by　Ulysses；　if　some　god　should
bring　him　back　here　all　of　a　sudden？　Say　which　you　are　disposed　to　do…
to　side　with　the　suitors；　or　with　Ulysses？〃
　　〃Father　Jove；〃　answered　the　stockman；　〃would　indeed　that　you　might
so　ordain　it。　If　some　god　were　but　to　bring　Ulysses　back；　you　should
see　with　what　might　and　main　I　would　fight　for　him。〃
　　In　like　words　Eumaeus　prayed　to　all　the　gods　that　Ulysses　might
return；　when；　therefore；　he　saw　for　certain　what　mind　they　were　of；
Ulysses　said；　〃It　is　I；　Ulysses；　who　am　here。　I　have　suffered　much；
but　at　last；　in　the　twentieth　year；　I　am　come　back　to　my　own
country。　I　find　that　you　two　alone　of　all　my　servants　are　glad　that
I　should　do　so；　for　I　have　not　heard　any　of　the　others　praying　for
my　return。　To　you　two；　therefore；　will　I　unfold　the　truth　as　it
shall　be。　If　heaven　shall　deliver　the　suitors　into　my　hands；　I　will
find　wives　for　both　of　you；　will　give　you　house　and　holding　close　to
my　own；　and　you　shall　be　to　me　as　though　you　were　brothers　and　friends
of　Telemachus。　I　will　now　give　you　convincing　proofs　that　you　may　know
me　and　be　assured。　See；　here　is　the　scar　from　the　boar's　tooth　that
ripped　me　when　I　was　out　hunting　on　Mount　Parnassus　with　the　sons　of
Autolycus。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　his　rags　aside　from　the　great　scar；　and　when
they　had　examined　it　thoroughly；　they　both　of　them　wept　about　Ulysses；
threw　their　arms　round　him　and　kissed　his　head　and　shoulders；　while
Ulysses　kissed　their　hands　and　faces　in　return。　The　sun　would　have
gone　down　upon　their　mourning　if　Ulysses　had　not　checked　them　and
said：
　　〃Cease　your　weeping；　lest　some　one　should　come　outside　and　see　us；
and　tell　those　who　a　are　within。　When　you　go　in；　do　so　separately；　not
both　together；　I　will　go　first；　and　do　you　follow　afterwards；　Let　this
moreover　be　the　token　between　us；　the　suitors　will　all　of　them　try
to　prevent　me　from　getting　hold　of　the　bow　and　quiver；　do　you；
therefore；　Eumaeus；　place　it　in　my　hands　when　you　are　carrying　it
about；　and　tell　the　women　to　close　the　doors　of　their　apartment。　If
they　hear　any　groaning　or　uproar　as　of　men　fighting　about　the　house；
they　must　not　come　out；　they　must　keep　quiet；　and　stay　where　they
are　at　their　work。　And　I　charge　you；　Philoetius；　to　make　fast　the
doors　of　the　outer　court；　and　to　bind　them　securely　at　once。〃
　　When　he　had　thus　spoken；　he　went　back　to　the　house　and　took　the　seat
that　he　had　left。　Presently；　his　two　servants　followed　him　inside。
　　At　this　moment　the　bow　was　in　the　hands　of　Eurymachus；　who　was
warming　it　by　the　fire；　but　even　so　he　could　not　string　it；　and　he　was
greatly　grieved。　He　heaved　a　deep　sigh　and　said；　〃I　grieve　for
myself　and　for　us　all；　I　grieve　that　I　shall　have　to　forgo　the
marriage；　but　I　do　not　care　nearly　so　much　about　this；　for　there　are
plenty　of　other　women　in　Ithaca　and　elsewhere；　what　I　feel　most　is　the
fact　of　our　being　so　inferior　to　Ulysses　in　strength　that　we　cannot
string　his　bow。　This　will　disgrace　us　in　the　eyes　of　those　who　are　yet
unborn。〃
　　〃It　shall　not　be　so；　Eurymachus；〃　said　Antinous；　〃and　you　know　it
yourself。　To…day　is　the　feast　of　Apollo　throughout　all　the　land；　who
can　string　a　bow　on　such　a　day　as　this？　Put　it　on　one　side…　as　for　the
axes　they　can　stay　where　they　are；　for　no　one　is　likely　to　come　to　the
house　and　take　them　away：　let　the　cupbearer　go　round　with　his　cups；
that　we　may　make　our　drink…offerings　and　drop　this　matter　of　the
bow；　we　will　tell　Melanthius　to　bring　us　in　some　goats　to…morrow…
the　best　he　has；　we　can　then　offer　thigh　bones　to　Apollo　the　mighty
archer；　and　again　make　trial　of　the　bow；　so　as　to　bring　the　contest　to
an　end。〃
　　The　rest　approved　his　words；　and　thereon　men　servants　poured　water
over　the　hands　of　the　guests；　while　pages　filled　the　mixing…bowls　with
wine　and　water　and　handed　it　round　after　giving　every　man　his
drink…offering。　Then；　when　they　had　made　their　offerings　and　had　drunk
each　as　much　as　he　desired；　Ulysses　craftily　said：
　　〃Suitors　of　the　illustrious　queen；　listen　that　I　may　speak　even　as　I
am　minded。　I　appeal　more　especially　to　Eurymachus；　and　to　Antinous　who
has　just　spoken　with　so　much　reason。　Cease　shooting　for　the　present
and　leave　the　matter　to　the　gods；　but　in　the　morning　let　heaven　give
victory　to　whom　it　will。　For　the　moment；　however；　give　me　the　bow　that
I　may　prove　the　power　of　my　hands　among　you　all；　and　see　whether　I
still　have　as　much　strength　as　I　used　to　have；　or　whether　travel　and
neglect　have　made　an　end　of　it。〃
　　This　made　them　all　very　angry；　for　they　feared　he　might　string　the
bow；　Antinous　therefore　rebuked　him　fiercely　saying；　〃Wretched
creature；　you　have　not　so　much　as　a　grain　of　sense　in　your　whole　body；
you　ought　to　think　yourself　lucky　in　being　allowed　to　dine　unharmed
among　your　betters；　without　having　any　smaller　portion　served　you　than
we　others　have　had；　and　in　being　allowed　to　hear　our　conversation。
No　other　beggar　or　stranger　has　been　allowed　to　hear　what　we　say　among
ourselves；　the　wine　must　have　been　doing　you　a　mischief；　as　it　does
with　all　those　drink　immoderately。　It　was　wine　that　inflamed　the
Centaur　Eurytion　when　he　was　staying　with　Peirithous　among　the
Lapithae。　When　the　wine　had　got　into　his　head　he　went　mad　and　did
ill　deeds　about　the　house　of　Peirithous；　this　angered　the　heroes　who
were　there　assembled；　so　they　rushed　at　him　and　cut　off　his　ears　and
nostrils；　then　they　dragged　him　through　the　doorway　out　of　the
house；　so　he　went　away　crazed；　and　bore　the　burden　of　his　crime；
bereft　of　understanding。　Henceforth；　therefore；　there　was　war
between　mankind　and　the　centaurs；　but　he　brought　it　upon　himself
through　his　own　drunkenness。　In　like　manner　I　can　tell　you　that　it
will　go　hardly　with　you　if　you　string　the　bow：　you　will　find　no
mercy　from　any　one　here；　for　we　shall　at　once　ship　you　off　to　king
Echetus；　who　kills　every　one　that　comes　near　him：　you　will　never　get
away　alive；　so　drink　and　keep　quiet　without　getting　into　a　quarrel
with　men　younger　than　yourself。〃
　　Penelope　then　spoke　to　him。　〃Antinous；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　not　right
that　you　should　ill…treat　any　guest　of　Telemachus　who　comes　to　this
house。　If　the　stranger　should　prove　strong　enough　to　string　the　mighty
bow　of　Ulysses；　can　you　suppose　that　he　would　take　me　home　with　him
and　make　me　his　wife？　Even　the　man　himself　can　have　no　such　idea　in
his　mind：　none　of　you　need　let　that　disturb　his　feasting；　it　would
be　out　of　all　reason。〃
　　〃Queen　Penelope；〃　answered　Eurymachus；　〃we　do　not　suppose　that
this　man　will　take　you　away　with　him；　it　is　impossible；　but　we　are
afraid　lest　some　of　the　baser　sort；　men　or　women　among　the　Achaeans；
should　go　gossiping　about　and　say；　'These　suitors　are　a　feeble　folk；
they　are　paying　court　to　the　wife　of　a　brave　man　whose　bow　not　one
of　them　was　able　to　string；　and　yet　a　beggarly　tramp　who　came　to　the
house　strung　it　at　once　and　sent　an　arrow　through　the　iron。'　This　is
what　will　be　said；　and　it　will　be　a　scandal　against　us。〃
　　〃Eurymachus；〃　Penelope　answered；　〃people　who　persist　in　eating　up
the　estate　of　a　great　chieftain　and　dishonouring　his　house　must　not
expect　others　to　think　well　of　them。　Why　then　should　you　mind　if　men
talk　as　you　think　they　will？　This　stranger　is　strong　and　well…built；
he　says　moreover　that　he　is　of　noble　birth。　Give　him　the　bow；　and
let　us　see　whether　he　can　string　it　or　no。　I　say…　and　it　shall
surely　be…　that　if　Apollo　vouchsafes　him　the　glory　of　stringing　it；
I　will　give　him　a　cloak　and　shirt　of　good　wear；　with　a　javelin　to　keep
off　dogs　and　robbers；　and　a　sharp　sword。　I　will　also　give　him　sandals；
and　will　see　him　sent　safely　whereever　he　wants　to　go。〃
　　Then　Telemachus　said；　〃Mother；　I　am　the　only　man　either　in　Ithaca　or
in　the　islands　that　are　over　against　Elis　who　has　the　right　to　let　any
one　have　the　bow　or　to　refuse　it。　No　one　shall　force　me　one　way　or　the
other；　not　even　though　I　choose　to　make　the　stranger　a　present　of
the　bow　outright；　and　let　him　take　it　away　with　him。　Go；　then；
within　the　house　and　busy　yourself　with　your　daily　duties；　your
loom；　your　distaff；　and　the　ordering　of　your　servants。　This　bow　is　a
man's　matter；　and　mine　above　all　others；　for　it　is　I　who　am　master
here。〃
　　She　went　wondering　back　into　the　house；　and　laid　her　son's　saying　in
her　heart。　Then　going　upstairs　with　her　handmaids　into　her　room；　she
mourned　her　dear　husband　till　Minerva　sent　sweet　sleep　over　her
eyelids。
　　The　swineherd