the odyssey(奥德赛)-第22部分

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a　noise　on　to　the　floor　of　his　cave　that　we　hid　ourselves　for　fear
at　the　far　end　of　the　cavern。　Meanwhile　he　drove　all　the　ewes
inside；　as　well　as　the　she…goats　that　he　was　going　to　milk；　leaving
the　males；　both　rams　and　he…goats；　outside　in　the　yards。　Then　he
rolled　a　huge　stone　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave…　so　huge　that　two　and
twenty　strong　four…wheeled　waggons　would　not　be　enough　to　draw　it　from
its　place　against　the　doorway。　When　he　had　so　done　he　sat　down　and
milked　his　ewes　and　goats；　all　in　due　course；　and　then　let　each　of
them　have　her　own　young。　He　curdled　half　the　milk　and　set　it　aside
in　wicker　strainers；　but　the　other　half　he　poured　into　bowls　that　he
might　drink　it　for　his　supper。　When　he　had　got　through　with　all　his
work；　he　lit　the　fire；　and　then　caught　sight　of　us；　whereon　he　said：
　　〃'Strangers；　who　are　you？　Where　do　sail　from？　Are　you　traders；　or　do
you　sail　the　as　rovers；　with　your　hands　against　every　man；　and　every
man's　hand　against　you？'
　　〃We　were　frightened　out　of　our　senses　by　his　loud　voice　and
monstrous　form；　but　I　managed　to　say；　'We　are　Achaeans　on　our　way　home
from　Troy；　but　by　the　will　of　Jove；　and　stress　of　weather；　we　have
been　driven　far　out　of　our　course。　We　are　the　people　of　Agamemnon；　son
of　Atreus；　who　has　won　infinite　renown　throughout　the　whole　world；
by　sacking　so　great　a　city　and　killing　so　many　people。　We　therefore
humbly　pray　you　to　show　us　some　hospitality；　and　otherwise　make　us
such　presents　as　visitors　may　reasonably　expect。　May　your　excellency
fear　the　wrath　of　heaven；　for　we　are　your　suppliants；　and　Jove　takes
all　respectable　travellers　under　his　protection；　for　he　is　the　avenger
of　all　suppliants　and　foreigners　in　distress。'
　　〃To　this　he　gave　me　but　a　pitiless　answer；　'Stranger；'　said　he；　'you
are　a　fool；　or　else　you　know　nothing　of　this　country。　Talk　to　me；
indeed；　about　fearing　the　gods　or　shunning　their　anger？　We　Cyclopes　do
not　care　about　Jove　or　any　of　your　blessed　gods；　for　we　are　ever　so
much　stronger　than　they。　I　shall　not　spare　either　yourself　or　your
companions　out　of　any　regard　for　Jove；　unless　I　am　in　the　humour　for
doing　so。　And　now　tell　me　where　you　made　your　ship　fast　when　you
came　on　shore。　Was　it　round　the　point；　or　is　she　lying　straight　off
the　land？'
　　〃He　said　this　to　draw　me　out；　but　I　was　too　cunning　to　be　caught
in　that　way；　so　I　answered　with　a　lie；　'Neptune；'　said　I；　'sent　my
ship　on　to　the　rocks　at　the　far　end　of　your　country；　and　wrecked　it。
We　were　driven　on　to　them　from　the　open　sea；　but　I　and　those　who　are
with　me　escaped　the　jaws　of　death。'
　　〃The　cruel　wretch　vouchsafed　me　not　one　word　of　answer；　but　with　a
sudden　clutch　he　gripped　up　two　of　my　men　at　once　and　dashed　them　down
upon　the　ground　as　though　they　had　been　puppies。　Their　brains　were
shed　upon　the　ground；　and　the　earth　was　wet　with　their　blood。　Then
he　tore　them　limb　from　limb　and　supped　upon　them。　He　gobbled　them　up
like　a　lion　in　the　wilderness；　flesh；　bones；　marrow；　and　entrails；
without　leaving　anything　uneaten。　As　for　us；　we　wept　and　lifted　up　our
hands　to　heaven　on　seeing　such　a　horrid　sight；　for　we　did　not　know
what　else　to　do；　but　when　the　Cyclops　had　filled　his　huge　paunch；
and　had　washed　down　his　meal　of　human　flesh　with　a　drink　of　neat　milk；
he　stretched　himself　full　length　upon　the　ground　among　his　sheep；
and　went　to　sleep。　I　was　at　first　inclined　to　seize　my　sword；　draw　it；
and　drive　it　into　his　vitals；　but　I　reflected　that　if　I　did　we
should　all　certainly　be　lost；　for　we　should　never　be　able　to　shift　the
stone　which　the　monster　had　put　in　front　of　the　door。　So　we　stayed
sobbing　and　sighing　where　we　were　till　morning　came。
　　〃When　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　he　again
lit　his　fire；　milked　his　goats　and　ewes；　all　quite　rightly；　and　then
let　each　have　her　own　young　one；　as　soon　as　he　had　got　through　with
all　his　work；　he　clutched　up　two　more　of　my　men；　and　began　eating　them
for　his　morning's　meal。　Presently；　with　the　utmost　ease；　he　rolled　the
stone　away　from　the　door　and　drove　out　his　sheep；　but　he　at　once　put
it　back　again…　as　easily　as　though　he　were　merely　clapping　the　lid
on　to　a　quiver　full　of　arrows。　As　soon　as　he　had　done　so　he　shouted；
and　cried　'Shoo；　shoo；'　after　his　sheep　to　drive　them　on　to　the
mountain；　so　I　was　left　to　scheme　some　way　of　taking　my　revenge　and
covering　myself　with　glory。
　　〃In　the　end　I　deemed　it　would　be　the　best　plan　to　do　as　follows。　The
Cyclops　had　a　great　club　which　was　lying　near　one　of　the　sheep　pens；
it　was　of　green　olive　wood；　and　he　had　cut　it　intending　to　use　it
for　a　staff　as　soon　as　it　should　be　dry。　It　was　so　huge　that　we
could　only　compare　it　to　the　mast　of　a　twenty…oared　merchant　vessel　of
large　burden；　and　able　to　venture　out　into　open　sea。　I　went　up　to　this
club　and　cut　off　about　six　feet　of　it；　I　then　gave　this　piece　to　the
men　and　told　them　to　fine　it　evenly　off　at　one　end；　which　they
proceeded　to　do；　and　lastly　I　brought　it　to　a　point　myself；　charring
the　end　in　the　fire　to　make　it　harder。　When　I　had　done　this　I　hid　it
under　dung；　which　was　lying　about　all　over　the　cave；　and　told　the
men　to　cast　lots　which　of　them　should　venture　along　with　myself　to
lift　it　and　bore　it　into　the　monster's　eye　while　he　was　asleep。　The
lot　fell　upon　the　very　four　whom　I　should　have　chosen；　and　I　myself
made　five。　In　the　evening　the　wretch　came　back　from　shepherding；　and
drove　his　flocks　into　the　cave…　this　time　driving　them　all　inside；　and
not　leaving　any　in　the　yards；　I　suppose　some　fancy　must　have　taken
him；　or　a　god　must　have　prompted　him　to　do　so。　As　soon　as　he　had　put
the　stone　back　to　its　place　against　the　door；　he　sat　down；　milked
his　ewes　and　his　goats　all　quite　rightly；　and　then　let　each　have　her
own　young　one；　when　he　had　got　through　with　all　this　work；　he
gripped　up　two　more　of　my　men；　and　made　his　supper　off　them。　So　I　went
up　to　him　with　an　ivy…wood　bowl　of　black　wine　in　my　hands：
　　〃'Look　here；　Cyclops；'　said　I；　you　have　been　eating　a　great　deal
of　man's　flesh；　so　take　this　and　drink　some　wine；　that　you　may　see
what　kind　of　liquor　we　had　on　board　my　ship。　I　was　bringing　it　to
you　as　a　drink…offering；　in　the　hope　that　you　would　take　compassion
upon　me　and　further　me　on　my　way　home；　whereas　all　you　do　is　to　go
on　ramping　and　raving　most　intolerably。　You　ought　to　be　ashamed
yourself；　how　can　you　expect　people　to　come　see　you　any　more　if　you
treat　them　in　this　way？'
　　〃He　then　took　the　cup　and　drank。　He　was　so　delighted　with　the
taste　of　the　wine　that　he　begged　me　for　another　bowl　full。　'Be　so
kind；'　he　said；　'as　to　give　me　some　more；　and　tell　me　your　name　at
once。　I　want　to　make　you　a　present　that　you　will　be　glad　to　have。　We
have　wine　even　in　this　country；　for　our　soil　grows　grapes　and　the
sun　ripens　them；　but　this　drinks　like　nectar　and　ambrosia　all　in　one。'
　　〃I　then　gave　him　some　more；　three　times　did　I　fill　the　bowl　for　him；
and　three　times　did　he　drain　it　without　thought　or　heed；　then；　when
I　saw　that　the　wine　had　got　into　his　head；　I　said　to　him　as
plausibly　as　I　could：　'Cyclops；　you　ask　my　name　and　I　will　tell　it
you；　give　me；　therefore；　the　present　you　promised　me；　my　name　is
Noman；　this　is　what　my　father　and　mother　and　my　friends　have　always
called　me。'
　　〃But　the　cruel　wretch　said；　'Then　I　will　eat　all　Noman's　comrades
before　Noman　himself；　and　will　keep　Noman　for　the　last。　This　is　the
present　that　I　will　make　him。'
　　As　he　spoke　he　reeled；　and　fell　sprawling　face　upwards　on　the
ground。　His　great　neck　hung　heavily　backwards　and　a　deep　sleep　took
hold　upon　him。　Presently　he　turned　sick；　and　threw　up　both　wine　and
the　gobbets　of　human　flesh　on　which　he　had　been　gorging；　for　he　was
very　drunk。　Then　I　thrust　the　beam　of　wood　far　into　the　embers　to　heat
it；　and　encouraged　my　men　lest　any　of　them　should　turn
faint…hearted。　When　the　wood；　green　though　it　was；　was　about　to　blaze；
I　drew　it　out　of　the　fire　glowing　with　heat；　and　my　men　gathered　round
me；　for　heaven　had　filled　their　hearts　with　courage。　We　drove　the
sharp　end　of　the　beam　into　the　monster's　eye；　and　bearing　upon　it　with
all　my　weight　I　kept　turning　it　round　and　round　as　though　I　were
boring　a　hole　in　a　ship's　plank　with　an　auger；　which　two　men　with　a
wheel　and　strap　can　keep　on　turning　as　long　as　they　choose。　Even
thus　did　we　bore　the　red　hot　beam　into　his　eye；　till　the　boiling　blood
bubbled　all　over　it　as　we　worked　it　round　and　round；　so　that　the　steam
from　the　burning　eyeball　scalded　his　eyelids　and　eyebrows；　and　the
roots　of　the　eye　sputtered　in　the　fire。　As　a　blacksmith　plunges　an　axe
or　hatchet　into　cold　water　to　temper　it…　for　it　is　this　that　gives
strength　to　the　iron…　and　it　makes　a　great　hiss　as　he　does　so；　even
thus　did　the　Cyclops'　eye　hiss　round　the　beam　of　olive　wood；　and　his
hideous　yells　made　the　cave　ring　again。　We　ran　away　in　a　fright；　but
he　plucked　the　beam　all　besmirched　with　gore　from　his　eye；　and
hurled　it　from　him　in　a　frenzy　of　rage　and　pain；　shouting　as　he　did　so
to　the　other　Cyclopes　who　lived　on　the　bleak　headlands　near　him；　so
they　gathered　from　all　quarters　round　his　cave　when　they　heard　him
crying；　and　asked　what　was　the　matter　with　him。
　　〃'What　ails　you；　Polyphemus；'　said　they；　'that　you　make　such　a
noise；　breaking　the　stillness　of　the　night；　and　preventing　us　from
being　able　to　sleep？　Surely　no　man　is　carrying　off　your　sheep？
Surely　no　man　is　trying　to　kill　you　either　by　fraud　or　by　force？
　　〃But　Polyphemus　shouted　to　them　from　inside　the　cave；　'Noman　is
killing　me　by　fraud！　Noman　is　killing　me　by　force！'
　　〃'Then；'　said　they；　'if　no　man　is　attacking　you；　you　must　be　ill；
when　Jove　makes　people　ill；　there　is　no　help　for　it；　and　you　had
better　pray　to　your　father　Neptune。'
　　〃Then　they　went　away；　and　I　laughed　inwardly　at　the　success　of　my
clever　stratagem；　but　the　Cyclops；　groaning　and　in　an　agony　of　pain；
felt　about　with　his　hands　till　he　found　the　stone　and　took　it　from　the
door；　then　he　sat　in　the　doorway　and　stretched　his　hands　in　front　of
it　to　catch　anyone　going　out　with　the　sheep；　for　he　thought　I　might　be
foolish　enough　to　attempt　this。
　　〃As　for　myself　I　kept　on　puzzling　to　think　how　I　could　best　save
my　own　life　and　those　of　my　companions；　I　schemed　and　schemed；　as