the odyssey(奥德赛)-第17部分

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wine　and　hand　it　round　that　we　may　make　drink…offerings　to　Jove　the
lord　of　thunder；　who　is　the　protector　of　all　well…disposed
suppliants。〃
　　Pontonous　then　mixed　wine　and　water；　and　handed　it　round　after
giving　every　man　his　drink…offering。　When　they　had　made　their
offerings；　and　had　drunk　each　as　much　as　he　was　minded；　Alcinous　said：
　　〃Aldermen　and　town　councillors　of　the　Phaeacians；　hear　my　words。　You
have　had　your　supper；　so　now　go　home　to　bed。　To…morrow　morning　I　shall
invite　a　still　larger　number　of　aldermen；　and　will　give　a
sacrificial　banquet　in　honour　of　our　guest；　we　can　then　discuss　the
question　of　his　escort；　and　consider　how　we　may　at　once　send　him
back　rejoicing　to　his　own　country　without　trouble　or　inconvenience
to　himself；　no　matter　how　distant　it　may　be。　We　must　see　that　he　comes
to　no　harm　while　on　his　homeward　journey；　but　when　he　is　once　at
home　he　will　have　to　take　the　luck　he　was　born　with　for　better　or
worse　like　other　people。　It　is　possible；　however；　that　the　stranger　is
one　of　the　immortals　who　has　come　down　from　heaven　to　visit　us；　but　in
this　case　the　gods　are　departing　from　their　usual　practice；　for
hitherto　they　have　made　themselves　perfectly　clear　to　us　when　we
have　been　offering　them　hecatombs。　They　come　and　sit　at　our　feasts
just　like　one　of　our　selves；　and　if　any　solitary　wayfarer　happens　to
stumble　upon　some　one　or　other　of　them；　they　affect　no　concealment；
for　we　are　as　near　of　kin　to　the　gods　as　the　Cyclopes　and　the　savage
giants　are。〃
　　Then　Ulysses　said：　〃Pray；　Alcinous；　do　not　take　any　such　notion　into
your　head。　I　have　nothing　of　the　immortal　about　me；　neither　in　body
nor　mind；　and　most　resemble　those　among　you　who　are　the　most
afflicted。　Indeed；　were　I　to　tell　you　all　that　heaven　has　seen　fit
to　lay　upon　me；　you　would　say　that　I　was　still　worse　off　than　they
are。　Nevertheless；　let　me　sup　in　spite　of　sorrow；　for　an　empty　stomach
is　a　very　importunate　thing；　and　thrusts　itself　on　a　man's　notice　no
matter　how　dire　is　his　distress。　I　am　in　great　trouble；　yet　it　insists
that　I　shall　eat　and　drink；　bids　me　lay　aside　all　memory　of　my　sorrows
and　dwell　only　on　the　due　replenishing　of　itself。　As　for　yourselves；
do　as　you　propose；　and　at　break　of　day　set　about　helping　me　to　get
home。　I　shall　be　content　to　die　if　I　may　first　once　more　behold　my
property；　my　bondsmen；　and　all　the　greatness　of　my　house。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak。　Every　one　approved　his　saying；　and　agreed　that　he
should　have　his　escort　inasmuch　as　he　had　spoken　reasonably。　Then　when
they　had　made　their　drink…offerings；　and　had　drunk　each　as　much　as
he　was　minded　they　went　home　to　bed　every　man　in　his　own　abode；
leaving　Ulysses　in　the　cloister　with　Arete　and　Alcinous　while　the
servants　were　taking　the　things　away　after　supper。　Arete　was　the　first
to　speak；　for　she　recognized　the　shirt；　cloak；　and　good　clothes　that
Ulysses　was　wearing；　as　the　work　of　herself　and　of　her　maids；　so　she
said；　〃Stranger；　before　we　go　any　further；　there　is　a　question　I
should　like　to　ask　you。　Who；　and　whence　are　you；　and　who　gave　you
those　clothes？　Did　you　not　say　you　had　come　here　from　beyond　the　sea？〃
　　And　Ulysses　answered；　〃It　would　be　a　long　story　Madam；　were　I　to
relate　in　full　the　tale　of　my　misfortunes；　for　the　hand　of　heaven
has　been　laid　heavy　upon　me；　but　as　regards　your　question；　there　is　an
island　far　away　in　the　sea　which　is　called　'the　Ogygian。'　Here
dwells　the　cunning　and　powerful　goddess　Calypso；　daughter　of　Atlas。
She　lives　by　herself　far　from　all　neighbours　human　or　divine。　Fortune；
however；　me　to　her　hearth　all　desolate　and　alone；　for　Jove　struck　my
ship　with　his　thunderbolts；　and　broke　it　up　in　mid…ocean。　My　brave
comrades　were　drowned　every　man　of　them；　but　I　stuck　to　the　keel　and
was　carried　hither　and　thither　for　the　space　of　nine　days；　till　at
last　during　the　darkness　of　the　tenth　night　the　gods　brought　me　to　the
Ogygian　island　where　the　great　goddess　Calypso　lives。　She　took　me　in
and　treated　me　with　the　utmost　kindness；　indeed　she　wanted　to　make
me　immortal　that　I　might　never　grow　old；　but　she　could　not　persuade　me
to　let　her　do　so。
　　〃I　stayed　with　Calypso　seven　years　straight　on　end；　and　watered
the　good　clothes　she　gave　me　with　my　tears　during　the　whole　time；
but　at　last　when　the　eighth　year　came　round　she　bade　me　depart　of
her　own　free　will；　either　because　Jove　had　told　her　she　must；　or
because　she　had　changed　her　mind。　She　sent　me　from　her　island　on　a
raft；　which　she　provisioned　with　abundance　of　bread　and　wine。　Moreover
she　gave　me　good　stout　clothing；　and　sent　me　a　wind　that　blew　both
warm　and　fair。　Days　seven　and　ten　did　I　sail　over　the　sea；　and　on
the　eighteenth　I　caught　sight　of　the　first　outlines　of　the　mountains
upon　your　coast…　and　glad　indeed　was　I　to　set　eyes　upon　them。
Nevertheless　there　was　still　much　trouble　in　store　for　me；　for　at　this
point　Neptune　would　let　me　go　no　further；　and　raised　a　great　storm
against　me；　the　sea　was　so　terribly　high　that　I　could　no　longer　keep
to　my　raft；　which　went　to　pieces　under　the　fury　of　the　gale；　and　I　had
to　swim　for　it；　till　wind　and　current　brought　me　to　your　shores。
　　〃There　I　tried　to　land；　but　could　not；　for　it　was　a　bad　place　and
the　waves　dashed　me　against　the　rocks；　so　I　again　took　to　the　sea
and　swam　on　till　I　came　to　a　river　that　seemed　the　most　likely　landing
place；　for　there　were　no　rocks　and　it　was　sheltered　from　the　wind。
Here；　then；　I　got　out　of　the　water　and　gathered　my　senses　together
again。　Night　was　coming　on；　so　I　left　the　river；　and　went　into　a
thicket；　where　I　covered　myself　all　over　with　leaves；　and　presently
heaven　sent　me　off　into　a　very　deep　sleep。　Sick　and　sorry　as　I　was　I
slept　among　the　leaves　all　night；　and　through　the　next　day　till
afternoon；　when　I　woke　as　the　sun　was　westering；　and　saw　your
daughter's　maid　servants　playing　upon　the　beach；　and　your　daughter
among　them　looking　like　a　goddess。　I　besought　her　aid；　and　she
proved　to　be　of　an　excellent　disposition；　much　more　so　than　could　be
expected　from　so　young　a　person…　for　young　people　are　apt　to　be
thoughtless。　She　gave　me　plenty　of　bread　and　wine；　and　when　she　had
had　me　washed　in　the　river　she　also　gave　me　the　clothes　in　which　you
see　me。　Now；　therefore；　though　it　has　pained　me　to　do　so；　I　have
told　you　the　whole　truth。〃
　　Then　Alcinous　said；　〃Stranger；　it　was　very　wrong　of　my　daughter
not　to　bring　you　on　at　once　to　my　house　along　with　the　maids；　seeing
that　she　was　the　first　person　whose　aid　you　asked。〃
　　〃Pray　do　not　scold　her；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃she　is　not　to　blame。
She　did　tell　me　to　follow　along　with　the　maids；　but　I　was　ashamed
and　afraid；　for　I　thought　you　might　perhaps　be　displeased　if　you　saw
me。　Every　human　being　is　sometimes　a　little　suspicious　and　irritable。〃
　　〃Stranger；〃　replied　Alcinous；　〃I　am　not　the　kind　of　man　to　get　angry
about　nothing；　it　is　always　better　to　be　reasonable；　but　by　Father
Jove；　Minerva；　and　Apollo；　now　that　I　see　what　kind　of　person　you　are；
and　how　much　you　think　as　I　do；　I　wish　you　would　stay　here；　marry　my
daughter；　and　become　my　son…in…law。　If　you　will　stay　I　will　give　you　a
house　and　an　estate；　but　no　one　（heaven　forbid）　shall　keep　you　here
against　your　own　wish；　and　that　you　may　be　sure　of　this　I　will
attend　to…morrow　to　the　matter　of　your　escort。　You　can　sleep　during
the　whole　voyage　if　you　like；　and　the　men　shall　sail　you　over　smooth
waters　either　to　your　own　home；　or　wherever　you　please；　even　though　it
be　a　long　way　further　off　than　Euboea；　which　those　of　my　people　who
saw　it　when　they　took　yellow…haired　Rhadamanthus　to　see　Tityus　the　son
of　Gaia；　tell　me　is　the　furthest　of　any　place…　and　yet　they　did　the
whole　voyage　in　a　single　day　without　distressing　themselves；　and
came　back　again　afterwards。　You　will　thus　see　how　much　my　ships
excel　all　others；　and　what　magnificent　oarsmen　my　sailors　are。〃
　　Then　was　Ulysses　glad　and　prayed　aloud　saying；　〃Father　Jove；　grant
that　Alcinous　may　do　all　as　he　has　said；　for　so　he　will　win　an
imperishable　name　among　mankind；　and　at　the　same　time　I　shall　return
to　my　country。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Then　Arete　told　her　maids　to　set　a　bed　in
the　room　that　was　in　the　gatehouse；　and　make　it　with　good　red　rugs；
and　to　spread　coverlets　on　the　top　of　them　with　woollen　cloaks　for
Ulysses　to　wear。　The　maids　thereon　went　out　with　torches　in　their
hands；　and　when　they　had　made　the　bed　they　came　up　to　Ulysses　and
said；　〃Rise；　sir　stranger；　and　come　with　us　for　your　bed　is　ready；〃
and　glad　indeed　was　he　to　go　to　his　rest。
　　So　Ulysses　slept　in　a　bed　placed　in　a　room　over　the　echoing　gateway；
but　Alcinous　lay　in　the　inner　part　of　the　house；　with　the　queen　his
wife　by　his　side。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　VIII。
　　NOW　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；
Alcinous　and　Ulysses　both　rose；　and　Alcinous　led　the　way　to　the
Phaecian　place　of　assembly；　which　was　near　the　ships。　When　they　got
there　they　sat　down　side　by　side　on　a　seat　of　polished　stone；　while
Minerva　took　the　form　of　one　of　Alcinous'　servants；　and　went　round　the
town　in　order　to　help　Ulysses　to　get　home。　She　went　up　to　the
citizens；　man　by　man；　and　said；　〃Aldermen　and　town　councillors　of
the　Phaeacians；　come　to　the　assembly　all　of　you　and　listen　to　the
stranger　who　has　just　come　off　a　long　voyage　to　the　house　of　King
Alcinous；　he　looks　like　an　immortal　god。〃
　　With　these　words　she　made　them　all　want　to　come；　and　they　flocked　to
the　assembly　till　seats　and　standing　room　were　alike　crowded。　Every
one　was　struck　with　the　appearance　of　Ulysses；　for　Minerva　had
beautified　him　about　the　head　and　shoulders；　making　him　look　taller
and　stouter　than　he　really　was；　that　he　might　impress　the　Phaecians
favourably　as　being　a　very　remarkable　man；　and　might　come　off　well
in　the　many　trials　of　skill　to　which　they　would　challenge　him。　Then；
when　they　were　got　together；　Alcinous　spoke：
　　〃Hear　me；〃　said　he；　〃aldermen　and　town　councillors　of　the
Phaeacians；　that　I　may　speak　even　as　I　am　minded。　This　stranger；
whoever　he　may　be；　has　found　his　way　to　my　house　from　somewhere　or
other　either　East　or　West。　He　wants　an　escort　and　wishes　to　have　the
matter　settled。　Let　us　then　get　one　ready　for　him；　as　we　have　done　for
others　before　him；　indeed；