the odyssey(奥德赛)-第9节

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Erembians；　and　to　Libya　where　the　lambs　have　horns　as　soon　as　they　are
born；　and　the　sheep　lamb　down　three　times　a　year。　Every　one　in　that
country；　whether　master　or　man；　has　plenty　of　cheese；　meat；　and　good
milk；　for　the　ewes　yield　all　the　year　round。　But　while　I　was
travelling　and　getting　great　riches　among　these　people；　my　brother　was
secretly　and　shockingly　murdered　through　the　perfidy　of　his　wicked
wife；　so　that　I　have　no　pleasure　in　being　lord　of　all　this　wealth。
Whoever　your　parents　may　be　they　must　have　told　you　about　all　this；
and　of　my　heavy　loss　in　the　ruin　of　a　stately　mansion　fully　and
magnificently　furnished。　Would　that　I　had　only　a　third　of　what　I　now
have　so　that　I　had　stayed　at　home；　and　all　those　were　living　who
perished　on　the　plain　of　Troy；　far　from　Argos。　I　of　grieve；　as　I　sit
here　in　my　house；　for　one　and　all　of　them。　At　times　I　cry　aloud　for
sorrow；　but　presently　I　leave　off　again；　for　crying　is　cold　comfort
and　one　soon　tires　of　it。　Yet　grieve　for　these　as　I　may；　I　do　so　for
one　man　more　than　for　them　all。　I　cannot　even　think　of　him　without
loathing　both　food　and　sleep；　so　miserable　does　he　make　me；　for　no　one
of　all　the　Achaeans　worked　so　hard　or　risked　so　much　as　he　did。　He
took　nothing　by　it；　and　has　left　a　legacy　of　sorrow　to　myself；　for
he　has　been　gone　a　long　time；　and　we　know　not　whether　he　is　alive　or
dead。　His　old　father；　his　long…suffering　wife　Penelope；　and　his　son
Telemachus；　whom　he　left　behind　him　an　infant　in　arms；　are　plunged
in　grief　on　his　account。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Menelaus；　and　the　heart　of　Telemachus　yearned　as　he
bethought　him　of　his　father。　Tears　fell　from　his　eyes　as　he　heard
him　thus　mentioned；　so　that　he　held　his　cloak　before　his　face　with
both　hands。　When　Menelaus　saw　this　he　doubted　whether　to　let　him
choose　his　own　time　for　speaking；　or　to　ask　him　at　once　and　find
what　it　was　all　about。
　　While　he　was　thus　in　two　minds　Helen　came　down　from　her　high　vaulted
and　perfumed　room；　looking　as　lovely　as　Diana　herself。　Adraste　brought
her　a　seat；　Alcippe　a　soft　woollen　rug　while　Phylo　fetched　her　the
silver　work…box　which　Alcandra　wife　of　Polybus　had　given　her。
Polybus　lived　in　Egyptian　Thebes；　which　is　the　richest　city　in　the
whole　world；　he　gave　Menelaus　two　baths；　both　of　pure　silver；　two
tripods；　and　ten　talents　of　gold；　besides　all　this；　his　wife　gave
Helen　some　beautiful　presents；　to　wit；　a　golden　distaff；　and　a
silver　work…box　that　ran　on　wheels；　with　a　gold　band　round　the　top
of　it。　Phylo　now　placed　this　by　her　side；　full　of　fine　spun　yarn；
and　a　distaff　charged　with　violet　coloured　wool　was　laid　upon　the
top　of　it。　Then　Helen　took　her　seat；　put　her　feet　upon　the
footstool；　and　began　to　question　her　husband。
　　〃Do　we　know；　Menelaus；〃　said　she；　〃the　names　of　these　strangers
who　have　come　to　visit　us？　Shall　I　guess　right　or　wrong？…but　I
cannot　help　saying　what　I　think。　Never　yet　have　I　seen　either　man　or
woman　so　like　somebody　else　（indeed　when　I　look　at　him　I　hardly　know
what　to　think）　as　this　young　man　is　like　Telemachus；　whom　Ulysses　left
as　a　baby　behind　him；　when　you　Achaeans　went　to　Troy　with　battle　in
your　hearts；　on　account　of　my　most　shameless　self。〃
　　〃My　dear　wife；〃　replied　Menelaus；　〃I　see　the　likeness　just　as　you
do。　His　hands　and　feet　are　just　like　Ulysses'；　so　is　his　hair；　with
the　shape　of　his　head　and　the　expression　of　his　eyes。　Moreover；　when　I
was　talking　about　Ulysses；　and　saying　how　much　he　had　suffered　on　my
account；　tears　fell　from　his　eyes；　and　he　hid　his　face　in　his　mantle。〃
　　Then　Pisistratus　said；　〃Menelaus；　son　of　Atreus；　you　are　right　in
thinking　that　this　young　man　is　Telemachus；　but　he　is　very　modest；　and
is　ashamed　to　come　here　and　begin　opening　up　discourse　with　one
whose　conversation　is　so　divinely　interesting　as　your　own。　My
father；　Nestor；　sent　me　to　escort　him　hither；　for　he　wanted　to　know
whether　you　could　give　him　any　counsel　or　suggestion。　A　son　has　always
trouble　at　home　when　his　father　has　gone　away　leaving　him　without
supporters；　and　this　is　how　Telemachus　is　now　placed；　for　his　father
is　absent；　and　there　is　no　one　among　his　own　people　to　stand　by　him。〃
　　〃Bless　my　heart；〃　replied　Menelaus；　〃then　I　am　receiving　a　visit
from　the　son　of　a　very　dear　friend；　who　suffered　much　hardship　for
my　sake。　I　had　always　hoped　to　entertain　him　with　most　marked
distinction　when　heaven　had　granted　us　a　safe　return　from　beyond　the
seas。　I　should　have　founded　a　city　for　him　in　Argos；　and　built　him　a
house。　I　should　have　made　him　leave　Ithaca　with　his　goods；　his　son；
and　all　his　people；　and　should　have　sacked　for　them　some　one　of　the
neighbouring　cities　that　are　subject　to　me。　We　should　thus　have　seen
one　another　continually；　and　nothing　but　death　could　have
interrupted　so　close　and　happy　an　intercourse。　I　suppose；　however；
that　heaven　grudged　us　such　great　good　fortune；　for　it　has　prevented
the　poor　fellow　from　ever　getting　home　at　all。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　his　words　set　them　all　a　weeping。　Helen　wept；
Telemachus　wept；　and　so　did　Menelaus；　nor　could　Pisistratus　keep　his
eyes　from　filling；　when　he　remembered　his　dear　brother　Antilochus　whom
the　son　of　bright　Dawn　had　killed。　Thereon　he　said　to　Menelaus；
　　〃Sir；　my　father　Nestor；　when　we　used　to　talk　about　you　at　home；　told
me　you　were　a　person　of　rare　and　excellent　understanding。　If；　then；　it
be　possible；　do　as　I　would　urge　you。　I　am　not　fond　of　crying　while　I
am　getting　my　supper。　Morning　will　come　in　due　course；　and　in　the
forenoon　I　care　not　how　much　I　cry　for　those　that　are　dead　and　gone。
This　is　all　we　can　do　for　the　poor　things。　We　can　only　shave　our　heads
for　them　and　wring　the　tears　from　our　cheeks。　I　had　a　brother　who　died
at　Troy；　he　was　by　no　means　the　worst　man　there；　you　are　sure　to
have　known　him…　his　name　was　Antilochus；　I　never　set　eyes　upon　him
myself；　but　they　say　that　he　was　singularly　fleet　of　foot　and　in　fight
valiant。〃
　　〃Your　discretion；　my　friend；〃　answered　Menelaus；　〃is　beyond　your
years。　It　is　plain　you　take　after　your　father。　One　can　soon　see　when　a
man　is　son　to　one　whom　heaven　has　blessed　both　as　regards　wife　and
offspring…　and　it　has　blessed　Nestor　from　first　to　last　all　his
days；　giving　him　a　green　old　age　in　his　own　house；　with　sons　about　him
who　are　both　we　disposed　and　valiant。　We　will　put　an　end　therefore
to　all　this　weeping；　and　attend　to　our　supper　again。　Let　water　be
poured　over　our　hands。　Telemachus　and　I　can　talk　with　one　another
fully　in　the　morning。〃
　　On　this　Asphalion；　one　of　the　servants；　poured　water　over　their
hands　and　they　laid　their　hands　on　the　good　things　that　were　before
them。
　　Then　Jove's　daughter　Helen　bethought　her　of　another　matter。　She
drugged　the　wine　with　an　herb　that　banishes　all　care；　sorrow；　and
ill　humour。　Whoever　drinks　wine　thus　drugged　cannot　shed　a　single　tear
all　the　rest　of　the　day；　not　even　though　his　father　and　mother　both　of
them　drop　down　dead；　or　he　sees　a　brother　or　a　son　hewn　in　pieces
before　his　very　eyes。　This　drug；　of　such　sovereign　power　and　virtue；
had　been　given　to　Helen　by　Polydamna　wife　of　Thon；　a　woman　of　Egypt；
where　there　grow　all　sorts　of　herbs；　some　good　to　put　into　the
mixing…bowl　and　others　poisonous。　Moreover；　every　one　in　the　whole
country　is　a　skilled　physician；　for　they　are　of　the　race　of　Paeeon。
When　Helen　had　put　this　drug　in　the　bowl；　and　had　told　the　servants　to
serve　the　wine　round；　she　said：
　　〃Menelaus；　son　of　Atreus；　and　you　my　good　friends；　sons　of
honourable　men　（which　is　as　Jove　wills；　for　he　is　the　giver　both　of
good　and　evil；　and　can　do　what　he　chooses）；　feast　here　as　you　will；
and　listen　while　I　tell　you　a　tale　in　season。　I　cannot　indeed　name
every　single　one　of　the　exploits　of　Ulysses；　but　I　can　say　what　he　did
when　he　was　before　Troy；　and　you　Achaeans　were　in　all　sorts　of
difficulties。　He　covered　himself　with　wounds　and　bruises；　dressed
himself　all　in　rags；　and　entered　the　enemy's　city　looking　like　a
menial　or　a　beggar。　and　quite　different　from　what　he　did　when　he　was
among　his　own　people。　In　this　disguise　he　entered　the　city　of　Troy；
and　no　one　said　anything　to　him。　I　alone　recognized　him　and　began　to
question　him；　but　he　was　too　cunning　for　me。　When；　however；　I　had
washed　and　anointed　him　and　had　given　him　clothes；　and　after　I　had
sworn　a　solemn　oath　not　to　betray　him　to　the　Trojans　till　he　had　got
safely　back　to　his　own　camp　and　to　the　ships；　he　told　me　all　that
the　Achaeans　meant　to　do。　He　killed　many　Trojans　and　got　much
information　before　he　reached　the　Argive　camp；　for　all　which　things
the　Trojan　women　made　lamentation；　but　for　my　own　part　I　was　glad；　for
my　heart　was　beginning　to　oam　after　my　home；　and　I　was　unhappy　about
wrong　that　Venus　had　done　me　in　taking　me　over　there；　away　from　my
country；　my　girl；　and　my　lawful　wedded　husband；　who　is　indeed　by　no
means　deficient　either　in　person　or　understanding。〃
　　Then　Menelaus　said；　〃All　that　you　have　been　saying；　my　dear　wife；　is
true。　I　have　travelled　much；　and　have　had　much　to　do　with　heroes；
but　I　have　never　seen　such　another　man　as　Ulysses。　What　endurance　too；
and　what　courage　he　displayed　within　the　wooden　horse；　wherein　all　the
bravest　of　the　Argives　were　lying　in　wait　to　bring　death　and
destruction　upon　th