the odyssey(奥德赛)-第65节

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thing　about　which　he　told　her；　for　here　a　deep　sleep　took　hold　upon
him　and　eased　the　burden　of　his　sorrows。
　　Then　Minerva　bethought　her　of　another　matter。　When　she　deemed　that
Ulysses　had　had　both　of　his　wife　and　of　repose；　she　bade
gold…enthroned　Dawn　rise　out　of　Oceanus　that　she　might　shed　light　upon
mankind。　On　this；　Ulysses　rose　from　his　comfortable　bed　and　said　to
Penelope；　〃Wife；　we　have　both　of　us　had　our　full　share　of　troubles；
you；　here；　in　lamenting　my　absence；　and　I　in　being　prevented　from
getting　home　though　I　was　longing　all　the　time　to　do　so。　Now；　however；
that　we　have　at　last　come　together；　take　care　of　the　property　that
is　in　the　house。　As　for　the　sheep　and　goats　which　the　wicked　suitors
have　eaten；　I　will　take　many　myself　by　force　from　other　people；　and
will　compel　the　Achaeans　to　make　good　the　rest　till　they　shall　have
filled　all　my　yards。　I　am　now　going　to　the　wooded　lands　out　in　the
country　to　see　my　father　who　has　so　long　been　grieved　on　my　account；
and　to　yourself　I　will　give　these　instructions；　though　you　have　little
need　of　them。　At　sunrise　it　will　at　once　get　abroad　that　I　have　been
killing　the　suitors；　go　upstairs；　therefore；　and　stay　there　with
your　women。　See　nobody　and　ask　no　questions。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　girded　on　his　armour。　Then　he　roused　Telemachus；
Philoetius；　and　Eumaeus；　and　told　them　all　to　put　on　their　armour
also。　This　they　did；　and　armed　themselves。　When　they　had　done　so；　they
opened　the　gates　and　sallied　forth；　Ulysses　leading　the　way。　It　was
now　daylight；　but　Minerva　nevertheless　concealed　them　in　darkness
and　led　them　quickly　out　of　the　town。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XXIV。
　　THEN　Mercury　of　Cyllene　summoned　the　ghosts　of　the　suitors；　and　in
his　hand　he　held　the　fair　golden　wand　with　which　he　seals　men's　eyes
in　sleep　or　wakes　them　just　as　he　pleases；　with　this　he　roused　the
ghosts　and　led　them；　while　they　followed　whining　and　gibbering
behind　him。　As　bats　fly　squealing　in　the　hollow　of　some　great　cave；
when　one　of　them　has　fallen　out　of　the　cluster　in　which　they　hang；
even　so　did　the　ghosts　whine　and　squeal　as　Mercury　the　healer　of
sorrow　led　them　down　into　the　dark　abode　of　death。　When　they　had
passed　the　waters　of　Oceanus　and　the　rock　Leucas；　they　came　to　the
gates　of　the　sun　and　the　land　of　dreams；　whereon　they　reached　the
meadow　of　asphodel　where　dwell　the　souls　and　shadows　of　them　that
can　labour　no　more。
　　Here　they　found　the　ghost　of　Achilles　son　of　Peleus；　with　those　of
Patroclus；　Antilochus；　and　Ajax；　who　was　the　finest　and　handsomest　man
of　all　the　Danaans　after　the　son　of　Peleus　himself。
　　They　gathered　round　the　ghost　of　the　son　of　Peleus；　and　the　ghost　of
Agamemnon　joined　them；　sorrowing　bitterly。　Round　him　were　gathered
also　the　ghosts　of　those　who　had　perished　with　him　in　the　house　of
Aeisthus；　and　the　ghost　of　Achilles　spoke　first。
　　〃Son　of　Atreus；〃　it　said；　〃we　used　to　say　that　Jove　had　loved　you
better　from　first　to　last　than　any　other　hero；　for　you　were　captain
over　many　and　brave　men；　when　we　were　all　fighting　together　before
Troy；　yet　the　hand　of　death；　which　no　mortal　can　escape；　was　laid　upon
you　all　too　early。　Better　for　you　had　you　fallen　at　Troy　in　the
hey…day　of　your　renown；　for　the　Achaeans　would　have　built　a　mound　over
your　ashes；　and　your　son　would　have　been　heir　to　your　good　name；
whereas　it　has　now　been　your　lot　to　come　to　a　most　miserable　end。〃
　　〃Happy　son　of　Peleus；〃　answered　the　ghost　of　Agamemnon；　〃for
having　died　at　Troy　far　from　Argos；　while　the　bravest　of　the　Trojans
and　the　Achaeans　fell　round　you　fighting　for　your　body。　There　you
lay　in　the　whirling　clouds　of　dust；　all　huge　and　hugely；　heedless
now　of　your　chivalry。　We　fought　the　whole　of　the　livelong　day；　nor
should　we　ever　have　left　off　if　Jove　had　not　sent　a　hurricane　to
stay　us。　Then；　when　we　had　borne　you　to　the　ships　out　of　the　fray；
we　laid　you　on　your　bed　and　cleansed　your　fair　skin　with　warm　water
and　with　ointments。　The　Danaans　tore　their　hair　and　wept　bitterly
round　about　you。　Your　mother；　when　she　heard；　came　with　her　immortal
nymphs　from　out　of　the　sea；　and　the　sound　of　a　great　wailing　went
forth　over　the　waters　so　that　the　Achaeans　quaked　for　fear。　They　would
have　fled　panic…stricken　to　their　ships　had　not　wise　old　Nestor
whose　counsel　was　ever　truest　checked　them　saying；　'Hold；　Argives；　fly
not　sons　of　the　Achaeans；　this　is　his　mother　coming　from　the　sea
with　her　immortal　nymphs　to　view　the　body　of　her　son。'
　　〃Thus　he　spoke；　and　the　Achaeans　feared　no　more。　The　daughters　of
the　old　man　of　the　sea　stood　round　you　weeping　bitterly；　and　clothed
you　in　immortal　raiment。　The　nine　muses　also　came　and　lifted　up
their　sweet　voices　in　lament…　calling　and　answering　one　another；　there
was　not　an　Argive　but　wept　for　pity　of　the　dirge　they　chaunted。　Days
and　nights　seven　and　ten　we　mourned　you；　mortals　and　immortals；　but　on
the　eighteenth　day　we　gave　you　to　the　flames；　and　many　a　fat　sheep
with　many　an　ox　did　we　slay　in　sacrifice　around　you。　You　were　burnt　in
raiment　of　the　gods；　with　rich　resins　and　with　honey；　while　heroes；
horse　and　foot；　clashed　their　armour　round　the　pile　as　you　were
burning；　with　the　tramp　as　of　a　great　multitude。　But　when　the　flames
of　heaven　had　done　their　work；　we　gathered　your　white　bones　at
daybreak　and　laid　them　in　ointments　and　in　pure　wine。　Your　mother
brought　us　a　golden　vase　to　hold　them…　gift　of　Bacchus；　and　work　of
Vulcan　himself；　in　this　we　mingled　your　bleached　bones　with　those　of
Patroclus　who　had　gone　before　you；　and　separate　we　enclosed　also　those
of　Antilochus；　who　had　been　closer　to　you　than　any　other　of　your
comrades　now　that　Patroclus　was　no　more。
　　〃Over　these　the　host　of　the　Argives　built　a　noble　tomb；　on　a　point
jutting　out　over　the　open　Hellespont；　that　it　might　be　seen　from　far
out　upon　the　sea　by　those　now　living　and　by　them　that　shall　be　born
hereafter。　Your　mother　begged　prizes　from　the　gods；　and　offered　them
to　be　contended　for　by　the　noblest　of　the　Achaeans。　You　must　have　been
present　at　the　funeral　of　many　a　hero；　when　the　young　men　gird
themselves　and　make　ready　to　contend　for　prizes　on　the　death　of　some
great　chieftain；　but　you　never　saw　such　prizes　as　silver…footed　Thetis
offered　in　your　honour；　for　the　gods　loved　you　well。　Thus　even　in
death　your　fame；　Achilles；　has　not　been　lost；　and　your　name　lives
evermore　among　all　mankind。　But　as　for　me；　what　solace　had　I　when
the　days　of　my　fighting　were　done？　For　Jove　willed　my　destruction　on
my　return；　by　the　hands　of　Aegisthus　and　those　of　my　wicked　wife。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　and　presently　Mercury　came　up　to　them　with
the　ghosts　of　the　suitors　who　had　been　killed　by　Ulysses。　The　ghosts
of　Agamemnon　and　Achilles　were　astonished　at　seeing　them；　and　went
up　to　them　at　once。　The　ghost　of　Agamemnon　recognized　Amphimedon　son
of　Melaneus；　who　lived　in　Ithaca　and　had　been　his　host；　so　it　began　to
talk　to　him。
　　〃Amphimedon；〃　it　said；　〃what　has　happened　to　all　you　fine　young　men…
all　of　an　age　too…　that　you　are　come　down　here　under　the　ground？　One
could　pick　no　finer　body　of　men　from　any　city。　Did　Neptune　raise　his
winds　and　waves　against　you　when　you　were　at　sea；　or　did　your
enemies　make　an　end　of　you　on　the　mainland　when　you　were
cattle…lifting　or　sheep…stealing；　or　while　fighting　in　defence　of
their　wives　and　city？　Answer　my　question；　for　I　have　been　your
guest。　Do　you　not　remember　how　I　came　to　your　house　with　Menelaus；
to　persuade　Ulysses　to　join　us　with　his　ships　against　Troy？　It　was　a
whole　month　ere　we　could　resume　our　voyage；　for　we　had　hard　work　to
persuade　Ulysses　to　come　with　us。〃
　　And　the　ghost　of　Amphimedon　answered；　〃Agamemnon；　son　of　Atreus；
king　of　men；　I　remember　everything　that　you　have　said；　and　will　tell
you　fully　and　accurately　about　the　way　in　which　our　end　was　brought
about。　Ulysses　had　been　long　gone；　and　we　were　courting　his　wife；
who　did　not　say　point　blank　that　she　would　not　marry；　nor　yet　bring
matters　to　an　end；　for　she　meant　to　compass　our　destruction：　this；
then；　was　the　trick　she　played　us。　She　set　up　a　great　tambour　frame　in
her　room　and　began　to　work　on　an　enormous　piece　of　fine　needlework。
'Sweethearts；'　said　she；　'Ulysses　is　indeed　dead；　still；　do　not
press　me　to　marry　again　immediately；　wait…　for　I　would　not　have　my
skill　in　needlework　perish　unrecorded…　till　I　have　completed　a　pall
for　the　hero　Laertes；　against　the　time　when　death　shall　take　him。　He
is　very　rich；　and　the　women　of　the　place　will　talk　if　he　is　laid　out
without　a　pall。'　This　is　what　she　said；　and　we　assented；　whereupon
we　could　see　her　working　upon　her　great　web　all　day　long；　but　at　night
she　would　unpick　the　stitches　again　by　torchlight。　She　fooled　us　in
this　way　for　three　years　without　our　finding　it　out；　but　as　time
wore　on　and　she　was　now　in　her　fourth　year；　in　the　waning　of　moons　and
many　days　had　been　accomplished；　one　of　her　maids　who　knew　what　she
was　doing　told　us；　and　we　caught　her　in　the　act　of　undoing　her　work；
so　she　had　to　finish　it　whether　she　would　or　no；　and　when　she　showed
us　the　robe　she　had　made；　after　she　had　had　it　washed；　its　splendour
was　as　that　of　the　sun　or　moon。
　　〃Then　some　malicious　god　conveyed　Ulysses　to　the　upland　farm　where