the odyssey(奥德赛)-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　Eurymachus　son　of　Polybus　then　said；　〃Go　home；　old　man；　and　prophesy
to　your　own　children；　or　it　may　be　worse　for　them。　I　can　read　these
omens　myself　much　better　than　you　can；　birds　are　always　flying　about
in　the　sunshine　somewhere　or　other；　but　they　seldom　mean　anything。
Ulysses　has　died　in　a　far　country；　and　it　is　a　pity　you　are　not　dead
along　with　him；　instead　of　prating　here　about　omens　and　adding　fuel　to
the　anger　of　Telemachus　which　is　fierce　enough　as　it　is。　I　suppose　you
think　he　will　give　you　something　for　your　family；　but　I　tell　you…
and　it　shall　surely　be…　when　an　old　man　like　you；　who　should　know
better；　talks　a　young　one　over　till　he　becomes　troublesome；　in　the
first　place　his　young　friend　will　only　fare　so　much　the　worse…　he　will
take　nothing　by　it；　for　the　suitors　will　prevent　this…　and　in　the
next；　we　will　lay　a　heavier　fine；　sir；　upon　yourself　than　you　will
at　all　like　paying；　for　it　will　bear　hardly　upon　you。　As　for
Telemachus；　I　warn　him　in　the　presence　of　you　all　to　send　his　mother
back　to　her　father；　who　will　find　her　a　husband　and　provide　her　with
all　the　marriage　gifts　so　dear　a　daughter　may　expect。　Till　we　shall　go
on　harassing　him　with　our　suit；　for　we　fear　no　man；　and　care　neither
for　him；　with　all　his　fine　speeches；　nor　for　any　fortune…telling　of
yours。　You　may　preach　as　much　as　you　please；　but　we　shall　only　hate
you　the　more。　We　shall　go　back　and　continue　to　eat　up　Telemachus's
estate　without　paying　him；　till　such　time　as　his　mother　leaves　off
tormenting　us　by　keeping　us　day　after　day　on　the　tiptoe　of
expectation；　each　vying　with　the　other　in　his　suit　for　a　prize　of　such
rare　perfection。　Besides　we　cannot　go　after　the　other　women　whom　we
should　marry　in　due　course；　but　for　the　way　in　which　she　treats　us。〃
　　Then　Telemachus　said；　〃Eurymachus；　and　you　other　suitors；　I　shall
say　no　more；　and　entreat　you　no　further；　for　the　gods　and　the　people
of　Ithaca　now　know　my　story。　Give　me；　then；　a　ship　and　a　crew　of
twenty　men　to　take　me　hither　and　thither；　and　I　will　go　to　Sparta
and　to　Pylos　in　quest　of　my　father　who　has　so　long　been　missing。
Some　one　may　tell　me　something；　or　（and　people　often　hear　things　in
this　way）　some　heaven…sent　message　may　direct　me。　If　I　can　hear　of　him
as　alive　and　on　his　way　home　I　will　put　up　with　the　waste　you
suitors　will　make　for　yet　another　twelve　months。　If　on　the　other
hand　I　hear　of　his　death；　I　will　return　at　once；　celebrate　his　funeral
rites　with　all　due　pomp；　build　a　barrow　to　his　memory；　and　make　my
mother　marry　again。〃
　　With　these　words　he　sat　down；　and　Mentor　who　had　been　a　friend　of
Ulysses；　and　had　been　left　in　charge　of　everything　with　full　authority
over　the　servants；　rose　to　speak。　He；　then；　plainly　and　in　all　honesty
addressed　them　thus：
　　〃Hear　me；　men　of　Ithaca；　I　hope　that　you　may　never　have　a　kind　and
well…disposed　ruler　any　more；　nor　one　who　will　govern　you　equitably；　I
hope　that　all　your　chiefs　henceforward　may　be　cruel　and　unjust；　for
there　is　not　one　of　you　but　has　forgotten　Ulysses；　who　ruled　you　as
though　he　were　your　father。　I　am　not　half　so　angry　with　the　suitors；
for　if　they　choose　to　do　violence　in　the　naughtiness　of　their
hearts；　and　wager　their　heads　that　Ulysses　will　not　return；　they　can
take　the　high　hand　and　eat　up　his　estate；　but　as　for　you　others　I　am
shocked　at　the　way　in　which　you　all　sit　still　without　even　trying　to
stop　such　scandalous　goings　on…which　you　could　do　if　you　chose；　for
you　are　many　and　they　are　few。〃
　　Leiocritus；　son　of　Evenor；　answered　him　saying；　〃Mentor；　what
folly　is　all　this；　that　you　should　set　the　people　to　stay　us？　It　is
a　hard　thing　for　one　man　to　fight　with　many　about　his　victuals。　Even
though　Ulysses　himself　were　to　set　upon　us　while　we　are　feasting　in
his　house；　and　do　his　best　to　oust　us；　his　wife；　who　wants　him　back　so
very　badly；　would　have　small　cause　for　rejoicing；　and　his　blood
would　be　upon　his　own　head　if　he　fought　against　such　great　odds。　There
is　no　sense　in　what　you　have　been　saying。　Now；　therefore；　do　you
people　go　about　your　business；　and　let　his　father's　old　friends；
Mentor　and　Halitherses；　speed　this　boy　on　his　journey；　if　he　goes　at
all…　which　I　do　not　think　he　will；　for　he　is　more　likely　to　stay　where
he　is　till　some　one　comes　and　tells　him　something。〃
　　On　this　he　broke　up　the　assembly；　and　every　man　went　back　to　his　own
abode；　while　the　suitors　returned　to　the　house　of　Ulysses。
　　Then　Telemachus　went　all　alone　by　the　sea　side；　washed　his　hands
in　the　grey　waves；　and　prayed　to　Minerva。
　　〃Hear　me；〃　he　cried；　〃you　god　who　visited　me　yesterday；　and　bade
me　sail　the　seas　in　search　of　my　father　who　has　so　long　been
missing。　I　would　obey　you；　but　the　Achaeans；　and　more　particularly　the
wicked　suitors；　are　hindering　me　that　I　cannot　do　so。〃
　　As　he　thus　prayed；　Minerva　came　close　up　to　him　in　the　likeness
and　with　the　voice　of　Mentor。　〃Telemachus；〃　said　she；　〃if　you　are　made
of　the　same　stuff　as　your　father　you　will　be　neither　fool　nor　coward
henceforward；　for　Ulysses　never　broke　his　word　nor　left　his　work
half　done。　If；　then；　you　take　after　him；　your　voyage　will　not　be
fruitless；　but　unless　you　have　the　blood　of　Ulysses　and　of　Penelope　in
your　veins　I　see　no　likelihood　of　your　succeeding。　Sons　are　seldom
as　good　men　as　their　fathers；　they　are　generally　worse；　not　better；
still；　as　you　are　not　going　to　be　either　fool　or　coward
henceforward；　and　are　not　entirely　without　some　share　of　your　father's
wise　discernment；　I　look　with　hope　upon　your　undertaking。　But　mind　you
never　make　common　cause　with　any　of　those　foolish　suitors；　for　they
have　neither　sense　nor　virtue；　and　give　no　thought　to　death　and　to　the
doom　that　will　shortly　fall　on　one　and　all　of　them；　so　that　they　shall
perish　on　the　same　day。　As　for　your　voyage；　it　shall　not　be　long
delayed；　your　father　was　such　an　old　friend　of　mine　that　I　will　find
you　a　ship；　and　will　come　with　you　myself。　Now；　however；　return
home；　and　go　about　among　the　suitors；　begin　getting　provisions　ready
for　your　voyage；　see　everything　well　stowed；　the　wine　in　jars；　and　the
barley　meal；　which　is　the　staff　of　life；　in　leathern　bags；　while　I
go　round　the　town　and　beat　up　volunteers　at　once。　There　are　many　ships
in　Ithaca　both　old　and　new；　I　will　run　my　eye　over　them　for　you　and
will　choose　the　best；　we　will　get　her　ready　and　will　put　out　to　sea
without　delay。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Minerva　daughter　of　Jove；　and　Telemachus　lost　no　time
in　doing　as　the　goddess　told　him。　He　went　moodily　and　found　the
suitors　flaying　goats　and　singeing　pigs　in　the　outer　court。　Antinous
came　up　to　him　at　once　and　laughed　as　he　took　his　hand　in　his　own；
saying；　〃Telemachus；　my　fine　fire…eater；　bear　no　more　ill　blood
neither　in　word　nor　deed；　but　eat　and　drink　with　us　as　you　used　to　do。
The　Achaeans　will　find　you　in　everything…　a　ship　and　a　picked　crew
to　boot…　so　that　you　can　set　sail　for　Pylos　at　once　and　get　news　of
your　noble　father。〃
　　〃Antinous；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃I　cannot　eat　in　peace；　nor　take
pleasure　of　any　kind　with　such　men　as　you　are。　Was　it　not　enough
that　you　should　waste　so　much　good　property　of　mine　while　I　was　yet
a　boy？　Now　that　I　am　older　and　know　more　about　it；　I　am　also　stronger；
and　whether　here　among　this　people；　or　by　going　to　Pylos；　I　will　do
you　all　the　harm　I　can。　I　shall　go；　and　my　going　will　not　be　in　vain
though；　thanks　to　you　suitors；　I　have　neither　ship　nor　crew　of　my　own；
and　must　be　passenger　not　captain。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　snatched　his　hand　from　that　of　Antinous。　Meanwhile
the　others　went　on　getting　dinner　ready　about　the　buildings；　jeering
at　him　tauntingly　as　they　did　so。
　　〃Telemachus；〃　said　one　youngster；　〃means　to　be　the　death　of　us；　I
suppose　he　thinks　he　can　bring　friends　to　help　him　from　Pylos；　or
again　from　Sparta；　where　he　seems　bent　on　going。　Or　will　he　go　to
Ephyra　as　well；　for　poison　to　put　in　our　wine　and　kill　us？〃
　　Another　said；　〃Perhaps　if　Telemachus　goes　on　board　ship；　he　will
be　like　his　father　and　perish　far　from　his　friends。　In　this　case　we
should　have　plenty　to　do；　for　we　could　then　divide　up　his　property
amongst　us：　as　for　the　house　we　can　let　his　mother　and　the　man　who
marries　her　have　that。〃
　　This　was　how　they　talked。　But　Telemachus　went　down　into　the　lofty
and　spacious　store…room　where　his　father's　treasure　of　gold　and　bronze
lay　heaped　up　upon　the　floor；　and　where　the　linen　and　spare　clothes
were　kept　in　open　chests。　Here；　too；　there　was　a　store　of　fragrant
olive　oil；　while　casks　of　old；　well…ripened　wine；　unblended　and　fit
for　a　god　to　drink；　were　ranged　against　the　wall　in　case　Ulysses
should　come　home　again　after　all。　The　room　was　closed　with　well…made
doors　opening　in　the　middle；　moreover　the　faithful　old　house…keeper
Euryclea；　daughter　of　Ops　the　son　of　Pisenor；　was　in　charge　of
everything　both　night　and　day。　Telemachus　called　her　to　the　store…room
and　said：
　　〃Nurse；　draw　me　off　some　of　the　best　wine　you　have；　after　what　you
are　keeping　for　my　father's　own　drinking；　in　case；　poor　man；　he　should
escape　death；　and　find　his　way　home　again　after　all。　Let　me　have
twelve　jars；　and　see　that　they　all　have　lids；　also　fill　me　some
well…sewn　leathern　bags　with　barley　meal…　about　twenty　measures　in
all。　Get　these　things　put　together　at　once；　and　say　nothing　about
it。　I　will　take　everything　away　this　evening　as　soon　as　my　mother
has　gone　upstairs　for　the　night。　I　am　going　to　Sparta　and　to　Pylos
to　see　if　I　can　hear　anything　about　the　return　of　my　dear　father。
　　When　Euryclea　heard　this　she　began　to　cry；　and　spoke　fondly　to
him；　saying；　〃My　dear　child；　what　ever　can　have　put　such　notion　as
that　into　your　head？　Where　in　the　world　do　you　want　to　go　to…　you；　who
are　the　one　hope　of　the　house？　Your　poor　father　is　dead　and　gone　in
some　foreign　country　nobody　knows　where；　and　as　soon　as　your　back　is
turned　these　wicked　ones　here　will　be　scheming　to　get　you　put　out　of
the　way；　and　will　share　all　your　possessions　among　themselves；　stay
where　you　are　among　your　own　people；　and　do　not　go　wandering　and
worrying　your　life　out　on　the　barren　ocean。〃
　　〃Fear　not；　nurse；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃my　scheme　is　not　without
heaven's　sanction；　but　swear　that　you　will　say　nothing　about　all
this　to　my　mother；　till　I　have　been　away