the odyssey(奥德赛)-第31部分

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munch　them　up　at　the　mouth　of　her　den；　while　they　screamed　and
stretched　out　their　hands　to　me　in　their　mortal　agony。　This　was　the
most　sickening　sight　that　I　saw　throughout　all　my　voyages。
　　〃When　we　had　passed　the　＇Wandering＇　rocks；　with　Scylla　and
terrible　Charybdis；　we　reached　the　noble　island　of　the　sun…god；
where　were　the　goodly　cattle　and　sheep　belonging　to　the　sun
Hyperion。　While　still　at　sea　in　my　ship　I　could　bear　the　cattle　lowing
as　they　came　home　to　the　yards；　and　the　sheep　bleating。　Then　I
remembered　what　the　blind　Theban　prophet　Teiresias　had　told　me；　and
how　carefully　Aeaean　Circe　had　warned　me　to　shun　the　island　of　the
blessed　sun…god。　So　being　much　troubled　I　said　to　the　men；　'My　men；
I　know　you　are　hard　pressed；　but　listen　while　I　tell　you　the
prophecy　that　Teiresias　made　me；　and　how　carefully　Aeaean　Circe　warned
me　to　shun　the　island　of　the　blessed　sun…god；　for　it　was　here；　she
said；　that　our　worst　danger　would　lie。　Head　the　ship；　therefore；
away　from　the　island。'
　　〃The　men　were　in　despair　at　this；　and　Eurylochus　at　once　gave　me
an　insolent　answer。　'Ulysses；'　said　he；　'you　are　cruel；　you　are　very
strong　yourself　and　never　get　worn　out；　you　seem　to　be　made　of　iron；
and　now；　though　your　men　are　exhausted　with　toil　and　want　of　sleep；
you　will　not　let　them　land　and　cook　themselves　a　good　supper　upon　this
island；　but　bid　them　put　out　to　sea　and　go　faring　fruitlessly　on
through　the　watches　of　the　flying　night。　It　is　by　night　that　the　winds
blow　hardest　and　do　so　much　damage；　how　can　we　escape　should　one　of
those　sudden　squalls　spring　up　from　South　West　or　West；　which　so　often
wreck　a　vessel　when　our　lords　the　gods　are　unpropitious？　Now；
therefore；　let　us　obey　the　of　night　and　prepare　our　supper　here　hard
by　the　ship；　to…morrow　morning　we　will　go　on　board　again　and　put　out
to　sea。'
　　〃Thus　spoke　Eurylochus；　and　the　men　approved　his　words。　I　saw　that
heaven　meant　us　a　mischief　and　said；　'You　force　me　to　yield；　for　you
are　many　against　one；　but　at　any　rate　each　one　of　you　must　take　his
solemn　oath　that　if　he　meet　with　a　herd　of　cattle　or　a　large　flock
of　sheep；　he　will　not　be　so　mad　as　to　kill　a　single　head　of　either；
but　will　be　satisfied　with　the　food　that　Circe　has　given　us。'
　　〃They　all　swore　as　I　bade　them；　and　when　they　had　completed　their
oath　we　made　the　ship　fast　in　a　harbour　that　was　near　a　stream　of
fresh　water；　and　the　men　went　ashore　and　cooked　their　suppers。　As　soon
as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　they　began　talking　about
their　poor　comrades　whom　Scylla　had　snatched　up　and　eaten；　this　set
them　weeping　and　they　went　on　crying　till　they　fell　off　into　a　sound
sleep。
　　〃In　the　third　watch　of　the　night　when　the　stars　had　shifted　their
places；　Jove　raised　a　great　gale　of　wind　that　flew　a　hurricane　so　that
land　and　sea　were　covered　with　thick　clouds；　and　night　sprang　forth
out　of　the　heavens。　When　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；
appeared；　we　brought　the　ship　to　land　and　drew　her　into　a　cave　wherein
the　sea…nymphs　hold　their　courts　and　dances；　and　I　called　the　men
together　in　council。
　　〃'My　friends；'　said　I；　'we　have　meat　and　drink　in　the　ship；　let　us
mind；　therefore；　and　not　touch　the　cattle；　or　we　shall　suffer　for
it；　for　these　cattle　and　sheep　belong　to　the　mighty　sun；　who　sees
and　gives　ear　to　everything。　And　again　they　promised　that　they　would
obey。
　　〃For　a　whole　month　the　wind　blew　steadily　from　the　South；　and
there　was　no　other　wind；　but　only　South　and　East。　As　long　as　corn
and　wine　held　out　the　men　did　not　touch　the　cattle　when　they　were
hungry；　when；　however；　they　had　eaten　all　there　was　in　the　ship；
they　were　forced　to　go　further　afield；　with　hook　and　line；　catching
birds；　and　taking　whatever　they　could　lay　their　hands　on；　for　they
were　starving。　One　day；　therefore；　I　went　up　inland　that　I　might
pray　heaven　to　show　me　some　means　of　getting　away。　When　I　had　gone　far
enough　to　be　clear　of　all　my　men；　and　had　found　a　place　that　was
well　sheltered　from　the　wind；　I　washed　my　hands　and　prayed　to　all
the　gods　in　Olympus　till　by　and　by　they　sent　me　off　into　a　sweet
sleep。
　　〃Meanwhile　Eurylochus　had　been　giving　evil　counsel　to　the　men；
'Listen　to　me；'　said　he；　'my　poor　comrades。　All　deaths　are　bad
enough　but　there　is　none　so　bad　as　famine。　Why　should　not　we　drive
in　the　best　of　these　cows　and　offer　them　in　sacrifice　to　the
immortal　Rods？　If　we　ever　get　back　to　Ithaca；　we　can　build　a　fine
temple　to　the　sun…god　and　enrich　it　with　every　kind　of　ornament；　if；
however；　he　is　determined　to　sink　our　ship　out　of　revenge　for　these
homed　cattle；　and　the　other　gods　are　of　the　same　mind；　I　for　one　would
rather　drink　salt　water　once　for　all　and　have　done　with　it；　than　be
starved　to　death　by　inches　in　such　a　desert　island　as　this　is。'
　　〃Thus　spoke　Eurylochus；　and　the　men　approved　his　words。　Now　the
cattle；　so　fair　and　goodly；　were　feeding　not　far　from　the　ship；　the
men；　therefore　drove　in　the　best　of　them；　and　they　all　stood　round
them　saying　their　prayers；　and　using　young　oak…shoots　instead　of
barley…meal；　for　there　was　no　barley　left。　When　they　had　done
praying　they　killed　the　cows　and　dressed　their　carcasses；　they　cut　out
the　thigh　bones；　wrapped　them　round　in　two　layers　of　fat；　and　set　some
pieces　of　raw　meat　on　top　of　them。　They　had　no　wine　with　which　to　make
drink…offerings　over　the　sacrifice　while　it　was　cooking；　so　they
kept　pouring　on　a　little　water　from　time　to　time　while　the　inward
meats　were　being　grilled；　then；　when　the　thigh　bones　were　burned　and
they　had　tasted　the　inward　meats；　they　cut　the　rest　up　small　and　put
the　pieces　upon　the　spits。
　　〃By　this　time　my　deep　sleep　had　left　me；　and　I　turned　back　to　the
ship　and　to　the　sea　shore。　As　I　drew　near　I　began　to　smell　hot　roast
meat；　so　I　groaned　out　a　prayer　to　the　immortal　gods。　'Father　Jove；'　I
exclaimed；　'and　all　you　other　gods　who　live　in　everlasting　bliss；
you　have　done　me　a　cruel　mischief　by　the　sleep　into　which　you　have
sent　me；　see　what　fine　work　these　men　of　mine　have　been　making　in　my
absence。'
　　〃Meanwhile　Lampetie　went　straight　off　to　the　sun　and　told　him　we　had
been　killing　his　cows；　whereon　he　flew　into　a　great　rage；　and　said
to　the　immortals；　'Father　Jove；　and　all　you　other　gods　who　live　in
everlasting　bliss；　I　must　have　vengeance　on　the　crew　of　Ulysses'　ship：
they　have　had　the　insolence　to　kill　my　cows；　which　were　the　one
thing　I　loved　to　look　upon；　whether　I　was　going　up　heaven　or　down
again。　If　they　do　not　square　accounts　with　me　about　my　cows；　I　will　go
down　to　Hades　and　shine　there　among　the　dead。'
　　〃'Sun；'　said　Jove；　'go　on　shining　upon　us　gods　and　upon　mankind　over
the　fruitful　earth。　I　will　shiver　their　ship　into　little　pieces　with　a
bolt　of　white　lightning　as　soon　as　they　get　out　to　sea。'
　　〃I　was　told　all　this　by　Calypso；　who　said　she　had　heard　it　from
the　mouth　of　Mercury。
　　〃As　soon　as　I　got　down　to　my　ship　and　to　the　sea　shore　I　rebuked
each　one　of　the　men　separately；　but　we　could　see　no　way　out　of　it；　for
the　cows　were　dead　already。　And　indeed　the　gods　began　at　once　to
show　signs　and　wonders　among　us；　for　the　hides　of　the　cattle　crawled
about；　and　the　joints　upon　the　spits　began　to　low　like　cows；　and　the
meat；　whether　cooked　or　raw；　kept　on　making　a　noise　just　as　cows　do。
　　〃For　six　days　my　men　kept　driving　in　the　best　cows　and　feasting　upon
them；　but　when　Jove　the　son　of　Saturn　had　added　a　seventh　day；　the
fury　of　the　gale　abated；　we　therefore　went　on　board；　raised　our　masts；
spread　sail；　and　put　out　to　sea。　As　soon　as　we　were　well　away　from　the
island；　and　could　see　nothing　but　sky　and　sea；　the　son　of　Saturn
raised　a　black　cloud　over　our　ship；　and　the　sea　grew　dark　beneath
it。　We　not　get　on　much　further；　for　in　another　moment　we　were　caught
by　a　terrific　squall　from　the　West　that　snapped　the　forestays　of　the
mast　so　that　it　fell　aft；　while　all　the　ship's　gear　tumbled　about　at
the　bottom　of　the　vessel。　The　mast　fell　upon　the　head　of　the
helmsman　in　the　ship's　stern；　so　that　the　bones　of　his　head　were
crushed　to　pieces；　and　he　fell　overboard　as　though　he　were　diving；
with　no　more　life　left　in　him。
　　〃Then　Jove　let　fly　with　his　thunderbolts；　and　the　ship　went　round
and　round；　and　was　filled　with　fire　and　brimstone　as　the　lightning
struck　it。　The　men　all　fell　into　the　sea；　they　were　carried　about　in
the　water　round　the　ship；　looking　like　so　many　sea…gulls；　but　the
god　presently　deprived　them　of　all　chance　of　getting　home　again。
　　〃I　stuck　to　the　ship　till　the　sea　knocked　her　sides　from　her　keel
（which　drifted　about　by　itself）　and　struck　the　mast　out　of　her　in
the　direction　of　the　keel；　but　there　was　a　backstay　of　stout
ox…thong　still　hanging　about　it；　and　with　this　I　lashed　the　mast　and
keel　together；　and　getting　astride　of　them　was　carried　wherever　the
winds　chose　to　take　me。
　　〃＇The　gale　from　the　West　had　now　spent　its　force；　and　the　wind　got
into　the　South　again；　which　frightened　me　lest　I　should　be　taken
back　to　the　terrible　whirlpool　of　Charybdis。　This　indeed　was　what
actually　happened；　for　I　was　borne　along　by　the　waves　all　night；　and
by　sunrise　had　reacfied　the　rock　of　Scylla；　and　the　whirlpool。　She　was
then　sucking　down　the　salt　sea　water；　but　I　was　carried　aloft　toward
the　fig　tree；　which　I　caught　hold　of　and　clung　on　to　like　a　bat。　I
could　not　plant　my　feet　anywhere　so　as　to　stand　securely；　for　the
roots　were　a　long　way　off　and　the　boughs　that　overshadowed　the　whole
pool　were　too　high；　too　vast；　and　too　far　apart　for　me　to　reach
them；　so　I　hung　patiently　on；　waiting　till　the　pool　should　discharge
my　mast　and　raft　again…　and　a　very　long　while　it　seemed。　A　juryman
is　not　more　glad　to　get　home　to　supper；　after　having　been　long
detained　in　court　by　troublesome　cases；　than　I　was　to　see　my　raft
beginning　to　work　its　way　out　of　the　whirlpool　again。　At　last　I　let　go
with　my　hands　and　feet；　and　fell　heavily　into　the　sea；　bard　by　my　raft
on　to　which　I　then　got；　and　began　to　row　with　my　hands。　As　for　Scylla；
the　father　of　gods　and　men　would　not　let　her　get　further　sight　of
me…　otherwise　I　should　have　certainly　been　lost。＇
　　〃Hence　I　was　carried　along　for　nine　days　till　on　the　tenth　night　the
gods　stranded　me　on　the　Ogygian　island；　where　dwells　the　great　and
powerful　god