the odyssey(奥德赛)-第66节

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was　as　that　of　the　sun　or　moon。
　　〃Then　some　malicious　god　conveyed　Ulysses　to　the　upland　farm　where
his　swineherd　lives。　Thither　presently　came　also　his　son；　returning
from　a　voyage　to　Pylos；　and　the　two　came　to　the　town　when　they　had
hatched　their　plot　for　our　destruction。　Telemachus　came　first；　and
then　after　him；　accompanied　by　the　swineherd；　came　Ulysses；　clad　in
rags　and　leaning　on　a　staff　as　though　he　were　some　miserable　old
beggar。　He　came　so　unexpectedly　that　none　of　us　knew　him；　not　even　the
older　ones　among　us；　and　we　reviled　him　and　threw　things　at　him。　He
endured　both　being　struck　and　insulted　without　a　word；　though　he　was
in　his　own　house；　but　when　the　will　of　Aegis…bearing　Jove　inspired
him；　he　and　Telemachus　took　the　armour　and　hid　it　in　an　inner　chamber；
bolting　the　doors　behind　them。　Then　he　cunningly　made　his　wife　offer
his　bow　and　a　quantity　of　iron　to　be　contended　for　by　us　ill…fated
suitors；　and　this　was　the　beginning　of　our　end；　for　not　one　of　us
could　string　the　bow…　nor　nearly　do　so。　When　it　was　about　to　reach　the
hands　of　Ulysses；　we　all　of　us　shouted　out　that　it　should　not　be　given
him；　no　matter　what　he　might　say；　but　Telemachus　insisted　on　his
having　it。　When　he　had　got　it　in　his　hands　he　strung　it　with　ease
and　sent　his　arrow　through　the　iron。　Then　he　stood　on　the　floor　of　the
cloister　and　poured　his　arrows　on　the　ground；　glaring　fiercely　about
him。　First　he　killed　Antinous；　and　then；　aiming　straight　before　him；
he　let　fly　his　deadly　darts　and　they　fell　thick　on　one　another。　It　was
plain　that　some　one　of　the　gods　was　helping　them；　for　they　fell　upon
us　with　might　and　main　throughout　the　cloisters；　and　there　was　a
hideous　sound　of　groaning　as　our　brains　were　being　battered　in；　and
the　ground　seethed　with　our　blood。　This；　Agamemnon；　is　how　we　came
by　our　end；　and　our　bodies　are　lying　still　un…cared　for　in　the　house
of　Ulysses；　for　our　friends　at　home　do　not　yet　know　what　has　happened；
so　that　they　cannot　lay　us　out　and　wash　the　black　blood　from　our
wounds；　making　moan　over　us　according　to　the　offices　due　to　the
departed。〃
　　〃Happy　Ulysses；　son　of　Laertes；〃　replied　the　ghost　of　Agamemnon；
〃you　are　indeed　blessed　in　the　possession　of　a　wife　endowed　with
such　rare　excellence　of　understanding；　and　so　faithful　to　her　wedded
lord　as　Penelope　the　daughter　of　Icarius。　The　fame；　therefore；　of
her　virtue　shall　never　die；　and　the　immortals　shall　compose　a　song
that　shall　be　welcome　to　all　mankind　in　honour　of　the　constancy　of
Penelope。　How　far　otherwise　was　the　wickedness　of　the　daughter　of
Tyndareus　who　killed　her　lawful　husband；　her　song　shall　be　hateful
among　men；　for　she　has　brought　disgrace　on　all　womankind　even　on　the
good　ones。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse　in　the　house　of　Hades　deep　down　within　the
bowels　of　the　earth。　Meanwhile　Ulysses　and　the　others　passed　out　of
the　town　and　soon　reached　the　fair　and　well…tilled　farm　of　Laertes；
which　he　had　reclaimed　with　infinite　labour。　Here　was　his　house；
with　a　lean…to　running　all　round　it；　where　the　slaves　who　worked　for
him　slept　and　sat　and　ate；　while　inside　the　house　there　was　an　old
Sicel　woman；　who　looked　after　him　in　this　his　country…farm。　When
Ulysses　got　there；　he　said　to　his　son　and　to　the　other　two：
　　〃Go　to　the　house；　and　kill　the　best　pig　that　you　can　find　for
dinner。　Meanwhile　I　want　to　see　whether　my　father　will　know　me；　or
fail　to　recognize　me　after　so　long　an　absence。〃
　　He　then　took　off　his　armour　and　gave　it　to　Eumaeus　and　Philoetius；
who　went　straight　on　to　the　house；　while　he　turned　off　into　the
vineyard　to　make　trial　of　his　father。　As　he　went　down　into　the　great
orchard；　he　did　not　see　Dolius；　nor　any　of　his　sons　nor　of　the　other
bondsmen；　for　they　were　all　gathering　thorns　to　make　a　fence　for　the
vineyard；　at　the　place　where　the　old　man　had　told　them；　he　therefore
found　his　father　alone；　hoeing　a　vine。　He　had　on　a　dirty　old　shirt；
patched　and　very　shabby；　his　legs　were　bound　round　with　thongs　of
oxhide　to　save　him　from　the　brambles；　and　he　also　wore　sleeves　of
leather；　he　had　a　goat　skin　cap　on　his　head；　and　was　looking　very
woe…begone。　When　Ulysses　saw　him　so　worn；　so　old　and　full　of　sorrow；
he　stood　still　under　a　tall　pear　tree　and　began　to　weep。　He　doubted
whether　to　embrace　him；　kiss　him；　and　tell　him　all　about　his　having
come　home；　or　whether　he　should　first　question　him　and　see　what　he
would　say。　In　the　end　he　deemed　it　best　to　be　crafty　with　him；　so　in
this　mind　he　went　up　to　his　father；　who　was　bending　down　and　digging
about　a　plant。
　　〃I　see；　sir；〃　said　Ulysses；　〃that　you　are　an　excellent　gardener…
what　pains　you　take　with　it；　to　be　sure。　There　is　not　a　single
plant；　not　a　fig　tree；　vine；　olive；　pear；　nor　flower　bed；　but　bears
the　trace　of　your　attention。　I　trust；　however；　that　you　will　not　be
offended　if　I　say　that　you　take　better　care　of　your　garden　than　of
yourself。　You　are　old；　unsavoury；　and　very　meanly　clad。　It　cannot　be
because　you　are　idle　that　your　master　takes　such　poor　care　of　you；
indeed　your　face　and　figure　have　nothing　of　the　slave　about　them；
and　proclaim　you　of　noble　birth。　I　should　have　said　that　you　were
one　of　those　who　should　wash　well；　eat　well；　and　lie　soft　at　night
as　old　men　have　a　right　to　do；　but　tell　me；　and　tell　me　true；　whose
bondman　are　you；　and　in　whose　garden　are　you　working？　Tell　me　also
about　another　matter。　Is　this　place　that　I　have　come　to　really　Ithaca？
I　met　a　man　just　now　who　said　so；　but　he　was　a　dull　fellow；　and　had
not　the　patience　to　hear　my　story　out　when　I　was　asking　him　about　an
old　friend　of　mine；　whether　he　was　still　living；　or　was　already　dead
and　in　the　house　of　Hades。　Believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　this　man
came　to　my　house　once　when　I　was　in　my　own　country　and　never　yet　did
any　stranger　come　to　me　whom　I　liked　better。　He　said　that　his　family
came　from　Ithaca　and　that　his　father　was　Laertes；　son　of　Arceisius。
I　received　him　hospitably；　making　him　welcome　to　all　the　abundance
of　my　house；　and　when　he　went　away　I　gave　him　all　customary
presents。　I　gave　him　seven　talents　of　fine　gold；　and　a　cup　of　solid
silver　with　flowers　chased　upon　it。　I　gave　him　twelve　light　cloaks；
and　as　many　pieces　of　tapestry；　I　also　gave　him　twelve　cloaks　of
single　fold；　twelve　rugs；　twelve　fair　mantles；　and　an　equal　number
of　shirts。　To　all　this　I　added　four　good　looking　women　skilled　in
all　useful　arts；　and　I　let　him　take　his　choice。〃
　　His　father　shed　tears　and　answered；　〃Sir；　you　have　indeed　come　to
the　country　that　you　have　named；　but　it　is　fallen　into　the　hands　of
wicked　people。　All　this　wealth　of　presents　has　been　given　to　no
purpose。　If　you　could　have　found　your　friend　here　alive　in　Ithaca；
he　would　have　entertained　you　hospitably　and　would　have　required
your　presents　amply　when　you　left　him…　as　would　have　been　only　right
considering　what　you　have　already　given　him。　But　tell　me；　and　tell
me　true；　how　many　years　is　it　since　you　entertained　this　guest…　my
unhappy　son；　as　ever　was？　Alas！　He　has　perished　far　from　his　own
country；　the　fishes　of　the　sea　have　eaten　him；　or　he　has　fallen　a　prey
to　the　birds　and　wild　beasts　of　some　continent。　Neither　his　mother；
nor　I　his　father；　who　were　his　parents；　could　throw　our　arms　about　him
and　wrap　him　in　his　shroud；　nor　could　his　excellent　and　richly　dowered
wife　Penelope　bewail　her　husband　as　was　natural　upon　his　death　bed；
and　close　his　eyes　according　to　the　offices　due　to　the　departed。　But
now；　tell　me　truly　for　I　want　to　know。　Who　and　whence　are　you…　tell　me
of　your　town　and　parents？　Where　is　the　ship　lying　that　has　brought　you
and　your　men　to　Ithaca？　Or　were　you　a　passenger　on　some　other　man's
ship；　and　those　who　brought　you　here　have　gone　on　their　way　and　left
you？〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　everything；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃quite　truly。　I　come
from　Alybas；　where　I　have　a　fine　house。　I　am　son　of　king　Apheidas；　who
is　the　son　of　Polypemon。　My　own　name　is　Eperitus；　heaven　drove　me
off　my　course　as　I　was　leaving　Sicania；　and　I　have　been　carried　here
against　my　will。　As　for　my　ship　it　is　lying　over　yonder；　off　the
open　country　outside　the　town；　and　this　is　the　fifth　year　since
Ulysses　left　my　country。　Poor　fellow；　yet　the　omens　were　good　for
him　when　he　left　me。　The　birds　all　flew　on　our　right　hands；　and　both
he　and　I　rejoiced　to　see　them　as　we　parted；　for　we　had　every　hope　that
we　should　have　another　friendly　meeting　and　exchange　presents。〃
　　A　dark　cloud　of　sorrow　fell　upon　Laertes　as　he　listened。　He　filled
both　hands　with　the　dust　from　off　the　ground　and　poured　it　over　his
grey　head；　groaning　heavily　as　he　did　so。　The　heart　of　Ulysses　was
touched；　and　his　nostrils　quivered　as　he　looked　upon　his　father；
then　he　sprang　towards　him；　flung　his　arms　about　him　and　kissed　him；
saying；　〃I　am　he；　father；　about　whom　you　are　asking…　I　have　returned
after　having　been　away　for　twenty　years。　But　cease　your　sighing　and
lamentation…　we　have　no　time　to　lose；　for　I　should　tell　you　that　I
have　been　killing　the　suitors　in　my　house；　to　punish　them　for　their
insolence　and　crimes。〃
　　〃If　you　really　are　my　son　Ulysses；〃　replied　Laertes；　〃and　have
come　back　again；　you　must　give　me　such　manifest　proof　of　your　identity
as　shall　convince　me。〃
　　〃First　observe　this　scar；〃　a