the odyssey(奥德赛)-第60节

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mourned　her　dear　husband　till　Minerva　sent　sweet　sleep　over　her
eyelids。
　　The　swineherd　now　took　up　the　bow　and　was　for　taking　it　to
Ulysses；　but　the　suitors　clamoured　at　him　from　all　parts　of　the
cloisters；　and　one　of　them　said；　〃You　idiot；　where　are　you　taking
the　bow　to？　Are　you　out　of　your　wits？　If　Apollo　and　the　other　gods
will　grant　our　prayer；　your　own　boarhounds　shall　get　you　into　some
quiet　little　place；　and　worry　you　to　death。〃
　　Eumaeus　was　frightened　at　the　outcry　they　all　raised；　so　he　put
the　bow　down　then　and　there；　but　Telemachus　shouted　out　at　him　from
the　other　side　of　the　cloisters；　and　threatened　him　saying；　〃Father
Eumaeus；　bring　the　bow　on　in　spite　of　them；　or　young　as　I　am　I　will
pelt　you　with　stones　back　to　the　country；　for　I　am　the　better　man　of
the　two。　I　wish　I　was　as　much　stronger　than　all　the　other　suitors　in
the　house　as　I　am　than　you；　I　would　soon　send　some　of　them　off　sick
and　sorry；　for　they　mean　mischief。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　all　of　them　laughed　heartily；　which
put　them　in　a　better　humour　with　Telemachus；　so　Eumaeus　brought　the
bow　on　and　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　Ulysses。　When　he　had　done　this；
he　called　Euryclea　apart　and　said　to　her；　〃Euryclea；　Telemachus　says
you　are　to　close　the　doors　of　the　women's　apartments。　If　they　hear　any
groaning　or　uproar　as　of　men　fighting　about　the　house；　they　are　not　to
come　out；　but　are　to　keep　quiet　and　stay　where　they　are　at　their
work。〃
　　Euryclea　did　as　she　was　told　and　closed　the　doors　of　the　women's
apartments。
　　Meanwhile　Philoetius　slipped　quietly　out　and　made　fast　the　gates
of　the　outer　court。　There　was　a　ship's　cable　of　byblus　fibre　lying
in　the　gatehouse；　so　he　made　the　gates　fast　with　it　and　then　came　in
again；　resuming　the　seat　that　he　had　left；　and　keeping　an　eye　on
Ulysses；　who　had　now　got　the　bow　in　his　hands；　and　was　turning　it
every　way　about；　and　proving　it　all　over　to　see　whether　the　worms
had　been　eating　into　its　two　horns　during　his　absence。　Then　would
one　turn　towards　his　neighbour　saying；　〃This　is　some　tricky　old
bow…fancier；　either　he　has　got　one　like　it　at　home；　or　he　wants　to
make　one；　in　such　workmanlike　style　does　the　old　vagabond　handle　it。〃
　　Another　said；　〃I　hope　he　may　be　no　more　successful　in　other　things
than　he　is　likely　to　be　in　stringing　this　bow。〃
　　But　Ulysses；　when　he　had　taken　it　up　and　examined　it　all　over；
strung　it　as　easily　as　a　skilled　bard　strings　a　new　peg　of　his　lyre
and　makes　the　twisted　gut　fast　at　both　ends。　Then　he　took　it　in　his
right　hand　to　prove　the　string；　and　it　sang　sweetly　under　his　touch
like　the　twittering　of　a　swallow。　The　suitors　were　dismayed；　and
turned　colour　as　they　heard　it；　at　that　moment；　moreover；　Jove
thundered　loudly　as　a　sign；　and　the　heart　of　Ulysses　rejoiced　as　he
heard　the　omen　that　the　son　of　scheming　Saturn　had　sent　him。
　　He　took　an　arrow　that　was　lying　upon　the　table…　for　those　which
the　Achaeans　were　so　shortly　about　to　taste　were　all　inside　the
quiver…　he　laid　it　on　the　centre…piece　of　the　bow；　and　drew　the
notch　of　the　arrow　and　the　string　toward　him；　still　seated　on　his
seat。　When　he　had　taken　aim　he　let　fly；　and　his　arrow　pierced　every
one　of　the　handle…holes　of　the　axes　from　the　first　onwards　till　it　had
gone　right　through　them；　and　into　the　outer　courtyard。　Then　he　said　to
Telemachus：
　　〃Your　guest　has　not　disgraced　you；　Telemachus。　I　did　not　miss　what　I
aimed　at；　and　I　was　not　long　in　stringing　my　bow。　I　am　still　strong；
and　not　as　the　suitors　twit　me　with　being。　Now；　however；　it　is　time
for　the　Achaeans　to　prepare　supper　while　there　is　still　daylight；
and　then　otherwise　to　disport　themselves　with　song　and　dance　which　are
the　crowning　ornaments　of　a　banquet。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　made　a　sign　with　his　eyebrows；　and　Telemachus
girded　on　his　sword；　grasped　his　spear；　and　stood　armed　beside　his
father's　seat。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XXII。
　　THEN　Ulysses　tore　off　his　rags；　and　sprang　on　to　the　broad
pavement　with　his　bow　and　his　quiver　full　of　arrows。　He　shed　the
arrows　on　to　the　ground　at　his　feet　and　said；　〃The　mighty　contest　is
at　an　end。　I　will　now　see　whether　Apollo　will　vouchsafe　it　to　me　to
hit　another　mark　which　no　man　has　yet　hit。〃
　　On　this　he　aimed　a　deadly　arrow　at　Antinous；　who　was　about　to　take
up　a　two…handled　gold　cup　to　drink　his　wine　and　already　had　it　in
his　hands。　He　had　no　thought　of　death…　who　amongst　all　the　revellers
would　think　that　one　man；　however　brave；　would　stand　alone　among　so
many　and　kill　him？　The　arrow　struck　Antinous　in　the　throat；　and　the
point　went　clean　through　his　neck；　so　that　he　fell　over　and　the　cup
dropped　from　his　hand；　while　a　thick　stream　of　blood　gushed　from　his
nostrils。　He　kicked　the　table　from　him　and　upset　the　things　on　it；
so　that　the　bread　and　roasted　meats　were　all　soiled　as　they　fell
over　on　to　the　ground。　The　suitors　were　in　an　uproar　when　they　saw
that　a　man　had　been　hit；　they　sprang　in　dismay　one　and　all　of　them
from　their　seats　and　looked　everywhere　towards　the　walls；　but　there
was　neither　shield　nor　spear；　and　they　rebuked　Ulysses　very　angrily。
〃Stranger；〃　said　they；　〃you　shall　pay　for　shooting　people　in　this　way：
om　yi　you　shall　see　no　other　contest；　you　are　a　doomed　man；　he　whom
you　have　slain　was　the　foremost　youth　in　Ithaca；　and　the　vultures
shall　devour　you　for　having　killed　him。〃
　　Thus　they　spoke；　for　they　thought　that　he　had　killed　Antinous　by
mistake；　and　did　not　perceive　that　death　was　hanging　over　the　head
of　every　one　of　them。　But　Ulysses　glared　at　them　and　said：
　　〃Dogs；　did　you　think　that　I　should　not　come　back　from　Troy？　You　have
wasted　my　substance；　have　forced　my　women　servants　to　lie　with　you；
and　have　wooed　my　wife　while　I　was　still　living。　You　have　feared
neither　Cod　nor　man；　and　now　you　shall　die。〃
　　They　turned　pale　with　fear　as　he　spoke；　and　every　man　looked　round
about　to　see　whither　he　might　fly　for　safety；　but　Eurymachus　alone
spoke。
　　〃If　you　are　Ulysses；〃　said　he；　〃then　what　you　have　said　is　just。
We　have　done　much　wrong　on　your　lands　and　in　your　house。　But
Antinous　who　was　the　head　and　front　of　the　offending　lies　low　already。
It　was　all　his　doing。　It　was　not　that　he　wanted　to　marry　Penelope；
he　did　not　so　much　care　about　that；　what　he　wanted　was　something　quite
different；　and　Jove　has　not　vouchsafed　it　to　him；　he　wanted　to　kill
your　son　and　to　be　chief　man　in　Ithaca。　Now；　therefore；　that　he　has
met　the　death　which　was　his　due；　spare　the　lives　of　your　people。　We
will　make　everything　good　among　ourselves；　and　pay　you　in　full　for　all
that　we　have　eaten　and　drunk。　Each　one　of　us　shall　pay　you　a　fine
worth　twenty　oxen；　and　we　will　keep　on　giving　you　gold　and　bronze　till
your　heart　is　softened。　Until　we　have　done　this　no　one　can　complain　of
your　being　enraged　against　us。〃
　　Ulysses　again　glared　at　him　and　said；　〃Though　you　should　give　me　all
that　you　have　in　the　world　both　now　and　all　that　you　ever　shall
have；　I　will　not　stay　my　hand　till　I　have　paid　all　of　you　in　full。　You
must　fight；　or　fly　for　your　lives；　and　fly；　not　a　man　of　you　shall。〃
　　Their　hearts　sank　as　they　heard　him；　but　Eurymachus　again　spoke
saying：
　　〃My　friends；　this　man　will　give　us　no　quarter。　He　will　stand　where
he　is　and　shoot　us　down　till　he　has　killed　every　man　among　us。　Let
us　then　show　fight；　draw　your　swords；　and　hold　up　the　tables　to　shield
you　from　his　arrows。　Let　us　have　at　him　with　a　rush；　to　drive　him　from
the　pavement　and　doorway：　we　can　then　get　through　into　the　town；　and
raise　such　an　alarm　as　shall　soon　stay　his　shooting。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　his　keen　blade　of　bronze；　sharpened　on　both
sides；　and　with　a　loud　cry　sprang　towards　Ulysses；　but　Ulysses
instantly　shot　an　arrow　into　his　breast　that　caught　him　by　the
nipple　and　fixed　itself　in　his　liver。　He　dropped　his　sword　and　fell
doubled　up　over　his　table。　The　cup　and　all　the　meats　went　over　on　to
the　ground　as　he　smote　the　earth　with　his　forehead　in　the　agonies　of
death；　and　he　kicked　the　stool　with　his　feet　until　his　eyes　were
closed　in　darkness。
　　Then　Amphinomus　drew　his　sword　and　made　straight　at　Ulysses　to　try
and　get　him　away　from　the　door；　but　Telemachus　was　too　quick　for
him；　and　struck　him　from　behind；　the　spear　caught　him　between　the
shoulders　and　went　right　through　his　chest；　so　that　he　fell　heavily　to
the　ground　and　struck　the　earth　with　his　forehead。　Then　Telemachus
sprang　away　from　him；　leaving　his　spear　still　in　the　body；　for　he
feared　that　if　he　stayed　to　draw　it　out；　some　one　of　the　Achaeans
might　come　up　and　hack　at　him　with　his　sword；　or　knock　him　down；　so　he
set　off　at　a　run；　and　immediately　was　at　his　father's　side。　Then　he
said：
　　〃Father；　let　me　bring　you　a　shield；　two　spears；　and　a　brass　helmet
for　your　temples。　I　will　arm　myself　as　well；　and　will　bring　other
armour　for　the　swineherd　and　the　stockman；　for　we　had　better　be
armed。〃
　　〃Run　and　fetch　them；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃while　my　arrows　hold　out；
or　when　I　am　alone　they　may　get　me　away　from　the　door。〃
　　Telemachus　did　as　his　father　said；　and　went　off　to　the　store　room
where　the　armour　was　kept。　He　chose　four　shields；　eight　spears；　and
four　brass　helmets　with　horse…hair　plumes。　He　brought　them　with　all
speed　to　his　father；　and　armed　himsel