the odyssey(奥德赛)-第6节

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brother　Thrasymedes。　Then　he　gave　them　their　portions　of　the　inward
meats　and　poured　wine　for　them　into　a　golden　cup；　handing　it　to
Minerva　first；　and　saluting　her　at　the　same　time。
　　〃Offer　a　prayer；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃to　King　Neptune；　for　it　is　his
feast　that　you　are　joining；　when　you　have　duly　prayed　and　made　your
drink…offering；　pass　the　cup　to　your　friend　that　he　may　do　so　also。
I　doubt　not　that　he　too　lifts　his　hands　in　prayer；　for　man　cannot　live
without　God　in　the　world。　Still　he　is　younger　than　you　are；　and　is
much　of　an　age　with　myself；　so　I　he　handed　I　will　give　you　the
precedence。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　handed　her　the　cup。　Minerva　thought　it　very　right　and
proper　of　him　to　have　given　it　to　herself　first；　she　accordingly　began
praying　heartily　to　Neptune。　〃O　thou；〃　she　cried；　〃that　encirclest　the
earth；　vouchsafe　to　grant　the　prayers　of　thy　servants　that　call　upon
thee。　More　especially　we　pray　thee　send　down　thy　grace　on　Nestor　and
on　his　sons；　thereafter　also　make　the　rest　of　the　Pylian　people　some
handsome　return　for　the　goodly　hecatomb　they　are　offering　you。　Lastly；
grant　Telemachus　and　myself　a　happy　issue；　in　respect　of　the　matter
that　has　brought　us　in　our　to　Pylos。〃
　　When　she　had　thus　made　an　end　of　praying；　she　handed　the　cup　to
Telemachus　and　he　prayed　likewise。　By　and　by；　when　the　outer　meats
were　roasted　and　had　been　taken　off　the　spits；　the　carvers　gave
every　man　his　portion　and　they　all　made　an　excellent　dinner。　As　soon
as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　Nestor；　knight　of　Gerene；
began　to　speak。
　　〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃that　our　guests　have　done　their　dinner；　it　will
be　best　to　ask　them　who　they　are。　Who；　then；　sir　strangers；　are　you；
and　from　what　port　have　you　sailed？　Are　you　traders？　or　do　you　sail
the　seas　as　rovers　with　your　hand　against　every　man；　and　every　man's
hand　against　you？〃
　　Telemachus　answered　boldly；　for　Minerva　had　given　him　courage　to　ask
about　his　father　and　get　himself　a　good　name。
　　〃Nestor；〃　said　he；　〃son　of　Neleus；　honour　to　the　Achaean　name；　you
ask　whence　we　come；　and　I　will　tell　you。　We　come　from　Ithaca　under
Neritum；　and　the　matter　about　which　I　would　speak　is　of　private　not
public　import。　I　seek　news　of　my　unhappy　father　Ulysses；　who　is　said
to　have　sacked　the　town　of　Troy　in　company　with　yourself。　We　know　what
fate　befell　each　one　of　the　other　heroes　who　fought　at　Troy；　but　as
regards　Ulysses　heaven　has　hidden　from　us　the　knowledge　even　that　he
is　dead　at　all；　for　no　one　can　certify　us　in　what　place　he　perished；
nor　say　whether　he　fell　in　battle　on　the　mainland；　or　was　lost　at
sea　amid　the　waves　of　Amphitrite。　Therefore　I　am　suppliant　at　your
knees；　if　haply　you　may　be　pleased　to　tell　me　of　his　melancholy　end；
whether　you　saw　it　with　your　own　eyes；　or　heard　it　from　some　other
traveller；　for　he　was　a　man　born　to　trouble。　Do　not　soften　things
out　of　any　pity　for　me；　but　tell　me　in　all　plainness　exactly　what
you　saw。　If　my　brave　father　Ulysses　ever　did　you　loyal　service；　either
by　word　or　deed；　when　you　Achaeans　were　harassed　among　the　Trojans；
bear　it　in　mind　now　as　in　my　favour　and　tell　me　truly　all。〃
　　〃My　friend；〃　answered　Nestor；　〃you　recall　a　time　of　much　sorrow　to
my　mind；　for　the　brave　Achaeans　suffered　much　both　at　sea；　while
privateering　under　Achilles；　and　when　fighting　before　the　great　city
of　king　Priam。　Our　best　men　all　of　them　fell　there…　Ajax；　Achilles；
Patroclus　peer　of　gods　in　counsel；　and　my　own　dear　son　Antilochus；　a
man　singularly　fleet　of　foot　and　in　fight　valiant。　But　we　suffered
much　more　than　this；　what　mortal　tongue　indeed　could　tell　the　whole
story？　Though　you　were　to　stay　here　and　question　me　for　five　years；　or
even　six；　I　could　not　tell　you　all　that　the　Achaeans　suffered；　and　you
would　turn　homeward　weary　of　my　tale　before　it　ended。　Nine　long
years　did　we　try　every　kind　of　stratagem；　but　the　hand　of　heaven　was
against　us；　during　all　this　time　there　was　no　one　who　could　compare
with　your　father　in　subtlety…　if　indeed　you　are　his　son…　I　can
hardly　believe　my　eyes…　and　you　talk　just　like　him　too…　no　one　would
say　that　people　of　such　different　ages　could　speak　so　much　alike。　He
and　I　never　had　any　kind　of　difference　from　first　to　last　neither　in
camp　nor　council；　but　in　singleness　of　heart　and　purpose　we　advised
the　Argives　how　all　might　be　ordered　for　the　best。
　　〃When　however；　we　had　sacked　the　city　of　Priam；　and　were　setting
sail　in　our　ships　as　heaven　had　dispersed　us；　then　Jove　saw　fit　to　vex
the　Argives　on　their　homeward　voyage；　for　they　had　Not　all　been　either
wise　or　understanding；　and　hence　many　came　to　a　bad　end　through　the
displeasure　of　Jove's　daughter　Minerva；　who　brought　about　a　quarrel
between　the　two　sons　of　Atreus。
　　〃The　sons　of　Atreus　called　a　meeting　which　was　not　as　it　should
be；　for　it　was　sunset　and　the　Achaeans　were　heavy　with　wine。　When　they
explained　why　they　had　called…　the　people　together；　it　seemed　that
Menelaus　was　for　sailing　homeward　at　once；　and　this　displeased
Agamemnon；　who　thought　that　we　should　wait　till　we　had　offered
hecatombs　to　appease　the　anger　of　Minerva。　Fool　that　he　was；　he
might　have　known　that　he　would　not　prevail　with　her；　for　when　the　gods
have　made　up　their　minds　they　do　not　change　them　lightly。　So　the　two
stood　bandying　hard　words；　whereon　the　Achaeans　sprang　to　their　feet
with　a　cry　that　rent　the　air；　and　were　of　two　minds　as　to　what　they
should　do。
　　〃That　night　we　rested　and　nursed　our　anger；　for　Jove　was　hatching
mischief　against　us。　But　in　the　morning　some　of　us　drew　our　ships　into
the　water　and　put　our　goods　with　our　women　on　board；　while　the　rest；
about　half　in　number；　stayed　behind　with　Agamemnon。　We…　the　other
half…　embarked　and　sailed；　and　the　ships　went　well；　for　heaven　had
smoothed　the　sea。　When　we　reached　Tenedos　we　offered　sacrifices　to　the
gods；　for　we　were　longing　to　get　home；　cruel　Jove；　however；　did　not
yet　mean　that　we　should　do　so；　and　raised　a　second　quarrel　in　the
course　of　which　some　among　us　turned　their　ships　back　again；　and
sailed　away　under　Ulysses　to　make　their　peace　with　Agamemnon；　but　I；
and　all　the　ships　that　were　with　me　pressed　forward；　for　I　saw　that
mischief　was　brewing。　The　son　of　Tydeus　went　on　also　with　me；　and
his　crews　with　him。　Later　on　Menelaus　joined　us　at　Lesbos；　and　found
us　making　up　our　minds　about　our　course…　for　we　did　not　know　whether
to　go　outside　Chios　by　the　island　of　Psyra；　keeping　this　to　our
left；　or　inside　Chios；　over　against　the　stormy　headland　of　Mimas。　So
we　asked　heaven　for　a　sign；　and　were　shown　one　to　the　effect　that　we
should　be　soonest　out　of　danger　if　we　headed　our　ships　across　the　open
sea　to　Euboea。　This　we　therefore　did；　and　a　fair　wind　sprang　up
which　gave　us　a　quick　passage　during　the　night　to　Geraestus；　where
we　offered　many　sacrifices　to　Neptune　for　having　helped　us　so　far　on
our　way。　Four　days　later　Diomed　and　his　men　stationed　their　ships　in
Argos；　but　I　held　on　for　Pylos；　and　the　wind　never　fell　light　from　the
day　when　heaven　first　made　it　fair　for　me。
　　〃Therefore；　my　dear　young　friend；　I　returned　without　hearing
anything　about　the　others。　I　know　neither　who　got　home　safely　nor
who　were　lost　but；　as　in　duty　bound；　I　will　give　you　without　reserve
the　reports　that　have　reached　me　since　I　have　been　here　in　my　own
house。　They　say　the　Myrmidons　returned　home　safely　under　Achilles'　son
Neoptolemus；　so　also　did　the　valiant　son　of　Poias；　Philoctetes。
Idomeneus；　again；　lost　no　men　at　sea；　and　all　his　followers　who
escaped　death　in　the　field　got　safe　home　with　him　to　Crete。　No
matter　how　far　out　of　the　world　you　live；　you　will　have　heard　of
Agamemnon　and　the　bad　end　he　came　to　at　the　hands　of　Aegisthus…　and
a　fearful　reckoning　did　Aegisthus　presently　pay。　See　what　a　good　thing
it　is　for　a　man　to　leave　a　son　behind　him　to　do　as　Orestes　did；　who
killed　false　Aegisthus　the　murderer　of　his　noble　father。　You　too；
then…　for　you　are　a　tall；　smart…looking　fellow…　show　your　mettle　and
make　yourself　a　name　in　story。〃
　　〃Nestor　son　of　Neleus；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃honour　to　the
Achaean　name；　the　Achaeans　applaud　Orestes　and　his　name　will　live
through　all　time　for　he　has　avenged　his　father　nobly。　Would　that
heaven　might　grant　me　to　do　like　vengeance　on　the　insolence　of　the
wicked　suitors；　who　are　ill　treating　me　and　plotting　my　ruin；　but
the　gods　have　no　such　happiness　in　store　for　me　and　for　my　father；
so　we　must　bear　it　as　best　we　may。〃
　　〃My　friend；〃　said　Nestor；　〃now　that　you　remind　me；　I　remember　to
have　heard　that　your　mother　has　many　suitors；　who　are　ill　disposed
towards　you　and　are　making　havoc　of　your　estate。　Do　you　submit　to　this
tamely；　or　are　public　feeling　and　the　voice　of　heaven　against　you？　Who
knows　but　what　Ulysses　may　come　back　after　all；　and　pay　these
scoundrels　in　full；　either　single…handed　or　with　a　force　of　Achaeans
behind　him？　If　Minerva　were　to　take　as　great　a　liking　to　you　as　she
did　to　Ulysses　when　we　were　fighting　before　Troy　（for　I　never　yet
saw　the　gods　so　openly　fond　of　any　one　as　Minerva　then　was　of　your
father）；　if　she　would　take　as　good　care　of　you　as　she　did　of　him；
these　wooers　would　soon　some　of　them　him；　forget　their　wooing。〃
　　Telemachus　answered；　〃I　can　expect　nothing　of　the　kind；　it　would