the odyssey(奥德赛)-第23部分

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my　own　life　and　those　of　my　companions；　I　schemed　and　schemed；　as
one　who　knows　that　his　life　depends　upon　it；　for　the　danger　was　very
great。　In　the　end　I　deemed　that　this　plan　would　be　the　best。　The
male　sheep　were　well　grown；　and　carried　a　heavy　black　fleece；　so　I
bound　them　noiselessly　in　threes　together；　with　some　of　the　withies　on
which　the　wicked　monster　used　to　sleep。　There　was　to　be　a　man　under
the　middle　sheep；　and　the　two　on　either　side　were　to　cover　him；　so
that　there　were　three　sheep　to　each　man。　As　for　myself　there　was　a　ram
finer　than　any　of　the　others；　so　I　caught　hold　of　him　by　the　back；
esconced　myself　in　the　thick　wool　under　his　belly；　and　flung　on
patiently　to　his　fleece；　face　upwards；　keeping　a　firm　hold　on　it　all
the　time。
　　〃Thus；　then；　did　we　wait　in　great　fear　of　mind　till　morning　came；
but　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　the
male　sheep　hurried　out　to　feed；　while　the　ewes　remained　bleating　about
the　pens　waiting　to　be　milked；　for　their　udders　were　full　to　bursting；
but　their　master　in　spite　of　all　his　pain　felt　the　backs　of　all　the
sheep　as　they　stood　upright；　without　being　sharp　enough　to　find　out
that　the　men　were　underneath　their　bellies。　As　the　ram　was　going
out；　last　of　all；　heavy　with　its　fleece　and　with　the　weight　of　my
crafty　self；　Polyphemus　laid　hold　of　it　and　said：
　　〃'My　good　ram；　what　is　it　that　makes　you　the　last　to　leave　my　cave
this　morning？　You　are　not　wont　to　let　the　ewes　go　before　you；　but　lead
the　mob　with　a　run　whether　to　flowery　mead　or　bubbling　fountain；　and
are　the　first　to　come　home　again　at　night；　but　now　you　lag　last　of
all。　Is　it　because　you　know　your　master　has　lost　his　eye；　and　are
sorry　because　that　wicked　Noman　and　his　horrid　crew　have　got　him
down　in　his　drink　and　blinded　him？　But　I　will　have　his　life　yet。　If
you　could　understand　and　talk；　you　would　tell　me　where　the　wretch　is
hiding；　and　I　would　dash　his　brains　upon　the　ground　till　they　flew　all
over　the　cave。　I　should　thus　have　some　satisfaction　for　the　harm　a
this　no…good　Noman　has　done　me。'
　　〃As　spoke　he　drove　the　ram　outside；　but　when　we　were　a　little　way
out　from　the　cave　and　yards；　I　first　got　from　under　the　ram's　belly；
and　then　freed　my　comrades；　as　for　the　sheep；　which　were　very　fat；
by　constantly　heading　them　in　the　right　direction　we　managed　to
drive　them　down　to　the　ship。　The　crew　rejoiced　greatly　at　seeing　those
of　us　who　had　escaped　death；　but　wept　for　the　others　whom　the
Cyclops　had　killed。　However；　I　made　signs　to　them　by　nodding　and
frowning　that　they　were　to　hush　their　crying；　and　told　them　to　get　all
the　sheep　on　board　at　once　and　put　out　to　sea；　so　they　went　aboard；
took　their　places；　and　smote　the　grey　sea　with　their　oars。　Then；
when　I　had　got　as　far　out　as　my　voice　would　reach；　I　began　to　jeer
at　the　Cyclops。
　　〃'Cyclops；'　said　I；　'you　should　have　taken　better　measure　of　your
man　before　eating　up　his　comrades　in　your　cave。　You　wretch；　eat　up
your　visitors　in　your　own　house？　You　might　have　known　that　your　sin
would　find　you　out；　and　now　Jove　and　the　other　gods　have　punished
you。'
　　〃He　got　more　and　more　furious　as　he　heard　me；　so　he　tore　the　top
from　off　a　high　mountain；　and　flung　it　just　in　front　of　my　ship　so
that　it　was　within　a　little　of　hitting　the　end　of　the　rudder。　The
sea　quaked　as　the　rock　fell　into　it；　and　the　wash　of　the　wave　it
raised　carried　us　back　towards　the　mainland；　and　forced　us　towards　the
shore。　But　I　snatched　up　a　long　pole　and　kept　the　ship　off；　making
signs　to　my　men　by　nodding　my　head；　that　they　must　row　for　their
lives；　whereon　they　laid　out　with　a　will。　When　we　had　got　twice　as　far
as　we　were　before；　I　was　for　jeering　at　the　Cyclops　again；　but　the　men
begged　and　prayed　of　me　to　hold　my　tongue。
　　〃'Do　not；'　they　exclaimed；　'be　mad　enough　to　provoke　this　savage
creature　further；　he　has　thrown　one　rock　at　us　already　which　drove
us　back　again　to　the　mainland；　and　we　made　sure　it　had　been　the
death　of　us；　if　he　had　then　heard　any　further　sound　of　voices　he　would
have　pounded　our　heads　and　our　ship's　timbers　into　a　jelly　with　the
rugged　rocks　he　would　have　heaved　at　us；　for　he　can　throw　them　a
long　way。'
　　〃But　I　would　not　listen　to　them；　and　shouted　out　to　him　in　my
rage；　'Cyclops；　if　any　one　asks　you　who　it　was　that　put　your　eye　out
and　spoiled　your　beauty；　say　it　was　the　valiant　warrior　Ulysses；　son
of　Laertes；　who　lives　in　Ithaca。'
　　〃On　this　he　groaned；　and　cried　out；　'Alas；　alas；　then　the　old
prophecy　about　me　is　coming　true。　There　was　a　prophet　here；　at　one
time；　a　man　both　brave　and　of　great　stature；　Telemus　son　of　Eurymus；
who　was　an　excellent　seer；　and　did　all　the　prophesying　for　the
Cyclopes　till　he　grew　old；　he　told　me　that　all　this　would　happen　to　me
some　day；　and　said　I　should　lose　my　sight　by　the　hand　of　Ulysses。　I
have　been　all　along　expecting　some　one　of　imposing　presence　and
superhuman　strength；　whereas　he　turns　out　to　be　a　little　insignificant
weakling；　who　has　managed　to　blind　my　eye　by　taking　advantage　of　me　in
my　drink；　come　here；　then；　Ulysses；　that　I　may　make　you　presents　to
show　my　hospitality；　and　urge　Neptune　to　help　you　forward　on　your
journey…　for　Neptune　and　I　are　father　and　son。　He；　if　he　so　will；
shall　heal　me；　which　no　one　else　neither　god　nor　man　can　do。'
　　〃Then　I　said；　'I　wish　I　could　be　as　sure　of　killing　you　outright　and
sending　you　down　to　the　house　of　Hades；　as　I　am　that　it　will　take　more
than　Neptune　to　cure　that　eye　of　yours。'
　　〃On　this　he　lifted　up　his　hands　to　the　firmament　of　heaven　and
prayed；　saying；　'Hear　me；　great　Neptune；　if　I　am　indeed　your　own
true…begotten　son；　grant　that　Ulysses　may　never　reach　his　home
alive；　or　if　he　must　get　back　to　his　friends　at　last；　let　him　do　so
late　and　in　sore　plight　after　losing　all　his　men　＇let　him　reach　his
home　in　another　man's　ship　and　find　trouble　in　his　house。'＇
　　〃Thus　did　he　pray；　and　Neptune　heard　his　prayer。　Then　he　picked　up　a
rock　much　larger　than　the　first；　swung　it　aloft　and　hurled　it　with
prodigious　force。　It　fell　just　short　of　the　ship；　but　was　within　a
little　of　hitting　the　end　of　the　rudder。　The　sea　quaked　as　the　rock
fell　into　it；　and　the　wash　of　the　wave　it　raised　drove　us　onwards　on
our　way　towards　the　shore　of　the　island。
　　〃When　at　last　we　got　to　the　island　where　we　had　left　the　rest　of　our
ships；　we　found　our　comrades　lamenting　us；　and　anxiously　awaiting
our　return。　We　ran　our　vessel　upon　the　sands　and　got　out　of　her　on
to　the　sea　shore；　we　also　landed　the　Cyclops'　sheep；　and　divided
them　equitably　amongst　us　so　that　none　might　have　reason　to
complain。　As　for　the　ram；　my　companions　agreed　that　I　should　have　it
as　an　extra　share；　so　I　sacrificed　it　on　the　sea　shore；　and　burned　its
thigh　bones　to　Jove；　who　is　the　lord　of　all。　But　he　heeded　not　my
sacrifice；　and　only　thought　how　he　might　destroy　my　ships　and　my
comrades。
　　〃Thus　through　the　livelong　day　to　the　going　down　of　the　sun　we
feasted　our　fill　on　meat　and　drink；　but　when　the　sun　went　down　and
it　came　on　dark；　we　camped　upon　the　beach。　When　the　child　of
morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　I　bade　my　men　on　board　and
loose　the　hawsers。　Then　they　took　their　places　and　smote　the　grey
sea　with　their　oars；　so　we　sailed　on　with　sorrow　in　our　hearts；　but
glad　to　have　escaped　death　though　we　had　lost　our　comrades。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　X。
　　THENCE　we　went　on　to　the　Aeoli　island　where　lives　Aeolus　son　of
Hippotas；　dear　to　the　immortal　gods。　It　is　an　island　that　floats　（as
it　were）　upon　the　sea；　iron　bound　with　a　wall　that　girds　it。　Now；
Aeolus　has　six　daughters　and　six　lusty　sons；　so　he　made　the　sons　marry
the　daughters；　and　they　all　live　with　their　dear　father　and　mother；
feasting　and　enjoying　every　conceivable　kind　of　luxury。　All　day　long
the　atmosphere　of　the　house　is　loaded　with　the　savour　of　roasting
meats　till　it　groans　again；　yard　and　all；　but　by　night　they　sleep　on
their　well…made　bedsteads；　each　with　his　own　wife　between　the
blankets。　These　were　the　people　among　whom　we　had　now　come。
　　〃Aeolus　entertained　me　for　a　whole　month　asking　me　questions　all　the
time　about　Troy；　the　Argive　fleet；　and　the　return　of　the　Achaeans。　I
told　him　exactly　how　everything　had　happened；　and　when　I　said　I　must
go；　and　asked　him　to　further　me　on　my　way；　he　made　no　sort　of
difficulty；　but　set　about　doing　so　at　once。　Moreover；　he　flayed　me　a
prime　ox…hide　to　hold　the　ways　of　the　roaring　winds；　which　he　shut
up　in　the　hide　as　in　a　sack…　for　Jove　had　made　him　captain　over　the
winds；　and　he　could　stir　or　still　each　one　of　them　according　to　his
own　pleasure。　He　put　the　sack　in　the　ship　and　bound　the　mouth　so
tightly　with　a　silver　thread　that　not　even　a　breath　of　a　side…wind
could　blow　from　any　quarter。　The　West　wind　which　was　fair　for　us　did
he　alone　let　blow　as　it　chose；　but　it　all　came　to　nothing；　for　we　were
lost　through　our　own　folly。
　　〃Nine　days　and　nine　nights　did　we　sail；　and　on　the　tenth　day　our
native　land　showed　on　the　horizon。　We　got　so　close　in　that　we　could
see　the　stubble　fires　burning；　and　I；　being　then　dead　beat；　fell
into　a　light　sleep；　for　I　had　never　let　the　rudder　out　of　my　own
hands；　that　we　might　get　home　the　faster。　On　this　the　men　fell　to
talking　among　themselves；　and　said　I　was　bringing　back　gold　and　silver
in　the　sack　that　Aeolus　had　given　me。　'Bless　my　heart；'　would　one　turn
to　his　neighbour；　saying；　'how　this　man　gets　honoured　and　makes
friends　to　whatever　city　or　country　he　may　go。　See　what　fine　prizes　he
is　taking　home　from　Troy；　while　we；　who　have　travelled　just　as　far
as　he　has；　come　back　with　hands　as　empty　as　we　set　out　with…　and　now
Aeolus　has　given　him　ever　so　much　more。　Quick…　let　us　see　what　it
all　is；　and　how　much　gold　and　silver　there　is　in　the　sack　he　gave
him。'
　　〃Thus　they　talked　and　evil　counsels　prevailed。　They　loosed　the　sack；
whereupon　the　wind　flew　howling　forth　and　raised　a　storm　that
carried　us　weeping　out　to　sea　and　away　from　our　own　country。　Then　I
awoke；　and　knew　not　whether　to　throw　myself　into　the　sea　or　to　live　on
and　make　the　best　of　it；　but　I　bore　it；　covered　myself　up；　and　lay
down　in　the　ship；　while　the　men　lamented　bitterly　as　the　fierce
winds　bore　our　fleet　back　to　the　Aeolian　island。
　　〃When　we　reached　it　we