the odyssey(奥德赛)-第42部分

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with　a　number　of　men　in　her。　They　had　many　shields　and　spears；　and　I
thought　it　was　the　suitors；　but　I　cannot　be　sure。〃
　　On　hearing　this　Telemachus　smiled　to　his　father；　but　so　that　Eumaeus
could　not　see　him。
　　Then；　when　they　had　finished　their　work　and　the　meal　was　ready；　they
ate　it；　and　every　man　had　his　full　share　so　that　all　were　satisfied。
As　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink；　they　laid　down　to
rest　and　enjoyed　the　boon　of　sleep。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XVII。
　　WHEN　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；
Telemachus　bound　on　his　sandals　and　took　a　strong　spear　that　suited
his　hands；　for　he　wanted　to　go　into　the　city。　〃Old　friend；〃　said　he　to
the　swineherd；　〃I　will　now　go　to　the　town　and　show　myself　to　my
mother；　for　she　will　never　leave　off　grieving　till　she　has　seen　me。　As
for　this　unfortunate　stranger；　take　him　to　the　town　and　let　him　beg
there　of　any　one　who　will　give　him　a　drink　and　a　piece　of　bread。　I
have　trouble　enough　of　my　own；　and　cannot　be　burdened　with　other
people。　If　this　makes　him　angry　so　much　the　worse　for　him；　but　I
like　to　say　what　I　mean。〃
　　Then　Ulysses　said；　〃Sir；　I　do　not　want　to　stay　here；　a　beggar　can
always　do　better　in　town　than　country；　for　any　one　who　likes　can
give　him　something。　I　am　too　old　to　care　about　remaining　here　at　the
beck　and　call　of　a　master。　Therefore　let　this　man　do　as　you　have
just　told　him；　and　take　me　to　the　town　as　soon　as　I　have　had　a　warm　by
the　fire；　and　the　day　has　got　a　little　heat　in　it。　My　clothes　are
wretchedly　thin；　and　this　frosty　morning　I　shall　be　perished　with
cold；　for　you　say　the　city　is　some　way　off。〃
　　On　this　Telemachus　strode　off　through　the　yards；　brooding　his
revenge　upon　the　When　he　reached　home　he　stood　his　spear　against　a
bearing…post　of　the　cloister；　crossed　the　stone　floor　of　the
cloister　itself；　and　went　inside。
　　Nurse　Euryclea　saw　him　long　before　any　one　else　did。　She　was　putting
the　fleeces　on　to　the　seats；　and　she　burst　out　crying　as　she　ran　up　to
him；　all　the　other　maids　came　up　too；　and　covered　his　head　and
shoulders　with　their　kisses。　Penelope　came　out　of　her　room　looking
like　Diana　or　Venus；　and　wept　as　she　flung　her　arms　about　her　son。　She
kissed　his　forehead　and　both　his　beautiful　eyes；　〃Light　of　my　eyes；〃
she　cried　as　she　spoke　fondly　to　him；　〃so　you　are　come　home　again；　I
made　sure　I　was　never　going　to　see　you　any　more。　To　think　of　your
having　gone　off　to　Pylos　without　saying　anything　about　it　or　obtaining
my　consent。　But　come；　tell　me　what　you　saw。〃
　　〃Do　not　scold　me；　mother；'　answered　Telemachus；　〃nor　vex　me；
seeing　what　a　narrow　escape　I　have　had；　but　wash　your　face；　change
your　dress；　go　upstairs　with　your　maids；　and　promise　full　and
sufficient　hecatombs　to　all　the　gods　if　Jove　will　only　grant　us　our
revenge　upon　the　suitors。　I　must　now　go　to　the　place　of　assembly　to
invite　a　stranger　who　has　come　back　with　me　from　Pylos。　I　sent　him
on　with　my　crew；　and　told　Piraeus　to　take　him　home　and　look　after
him　till　I　could　come　for　him　myself。〃
　　She　heeded　her　son's　words；　washed　her　face；　changed　her　dress；
and　vowed　full　and　sufficient　hecatombs　to　all　the　gods　if　they
would　only　vouchsafe　her　revenge　upon　the　suitors。
　　Telemachus　went　through；　and　out　of；　the　cloisters　spear　in　hand…
not　alone；　for　his　two　fleet　dogs　went　with　him。　Minerva　endowed　him
with　a　presence　of　such　divine　comeliness　that　all　marvelled　at　him　as
he　went　by；　and　the　suitors　gathered　round　him　with　fair　words　in
their　mouths　and　malice　in　their　hearts；　but　he　avoided　them；　and　went
to　sit　with　Mentor；　Antiphus；　and　Halitherses；　old　friends　of　his
father's　house；　and　they　made　him　tell　them　all　that　had　happened　to
him。　Then　Piraeus　came　up　with　Theoclymenus；　whom　he　had　escorted
through　the　town　to　the　place　of　assembly；　whereon　Telemachus　at
once　joined　them。　Piraeus　was　first　to　speak：　〃Telemachus；〃　said　he；
〃I　wish　you　would　send　some　of　your　women　to　my　house　to　take　awa
the　presents　Menelaus　gave　you。〃
　　〃We　do　not　know；　Piraeus；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃what　may　happen。　If
the　suitors　kill　me　in　my　own　house　and　divide　my　property　among　them；
I　would　rather　you　had　the　presents　than　that　any　of　those　people
should　get　hold　of　them。　If　on　the　other　hand　I　manage　to　kill　them；　I
shall　be　much　obliged　if　you　will　kindly　bring　me　my　presents。〃
　　With　these　words　he　took　Theoclymenus　to　his　own　house。　When　they
got　there　they　laid　their　cloaks　on　the　benches　and　seats；　went　into
the　baths；　and　washed　themselves。　When　the　maids　had　washed　and
anointed　them；　and　had　given　them　cloaks　and　shirts；　they　took　their
seats　at　table。　A　maid　servant　then　brought　them　water　in　a
beautiful　golden　ewer；　and　poured　it　into　a　silver　basin　for　them　to
wash　their　hands；　and　she　drew　a　clean　table　beside　them。　An　upper
servant　brought　them　bread　and　offered　them　many　good　things　of　what
there　was　in　the　house。　Opposite　them　sat　Penelope；　reclining　on　a
couch　by　one　of　the　bearing…posts　of　the　cloister；　and　spinning。
Then　they　laid　their　hands　on　the　good　things　that　were　before　them；
and　as　soon　as　they　had　had　enough　to　eat　and　drink　Penelope　said：
　　〃Telemachus；　I　shall　go　upstairs　and　lie　down　on　that　sad　couch；
which　I　have　not　ceased　to　water　with　my　tears；　from　the　day　Ulysses
set　out　for　Troy　with　the　sons　of　Atreus。　You　failed；　however；　to　make
it　clear　to　me　before　the　suitors　came　back　to　the　house；　whether　or
no　you　had　been　able　to　hear　anything　about　the　return　of　your
father。〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　then　truth；〃　replied　her　son。　〃We　went　to　Pylos　and
saw　Nestor；　who　took　me　to　his　house　and　treated　me　as　hospitably　as
though　I　were　a　son　of　his　own　who　had　just　returned　after　a　long
absence；　so　also　did　his　sons；　but　he　said　he　had　not　heard　a　word
from　any　human　being　about　Ulysses；　whether　he　was　alive　or　dead。　He
sent　me；　therefore；　with　a　chariot　and　horses　to　Menelaus。　There　I　saw
Helen；　for　whose　sake　so　many；　both　Argives　and　Trojans；　were　in
heaven's　wisdom　doomed　to　suffer。　Menelaus　asked　me　what　it　was　that
had　brought　me　to　Lacedaemon；　and　I　told　him　the　whole　truth；
whereon　he　said；　'So；　then；　these　cowards　would　usurp　a　brave　man's
bed？　A　hind　might　as　well　lay　her　new…born　young　in　the　lair　of　a
lion；　and　then　go　off　to　feed　in　the　forest　or　in　some　grassy　dell。
The　lion；　when　he　comes　back　to　his　lair；　will　make　short　work　with
the　pair　of　them；　and　so　will　Ulysses　with　these　suitors。　By　father
Jove；　Minerva；　and　Apollo；　if　Ulysses　is　still　the　man　that　he　was
when　he　wrestled　with　Philomeleides　in　Lesbos；　and　threw　him　so
heavily　that　all　the　Greeks　cheered　him…　if　he　is　still　such；　and　were
to　come　near　these　suitors；　they　would　have　a　short　shrift　and　a　sorry
wedding。　As　regards　your　question；　however；　I　will　not　prevaricate　nor
deceive　you；　but　what　the　old　man　of　the　sea　told　me；　so　much　will　I
tell　you　in　full。　He　said　he　could　see　Ulysses　on　an　island
sorrowing　bitterly　in　the　house　of　the　nymph　Calypso；　who　was
keeping　him　prisoner；　and　he　could　not　reach　his　home；　for　he　had　no
ships　nor　sailors　to　take　him　over　the　sea。'　This　was　what　Menelaus
told　me；　and　when　I　had　heard　his　story　I　came　away；　the　gods　then
gave　me　a　fair　wind　and　soon　brought　me　safe　home　again。〃
　　With　these　words　he　moved　the　heart　of　Penelope。　Then　Theoclymenus
said　to　her：
　　〃Madam；　wife　of　Ulysses；　Telemachus　does　not　understand　these
things；　listen　therefore　to　me；　for　I　can　divine　them　surely；　and　will
hide　nothing　from　you。　May　Jove　the　king　of　heaven　be　my　witness；
and　the　rites　of　hospitality；　with　that　hearth　of　Ulysses　to　which　I
now　come；　that　Ulysses　himself　is　even　now　in　Ithaca；　and；　either
going　about　the　country　or　staying　in　one　place；　is　enquiring　into　all
these　evil　deeds　and　preparing　a　day　of　reckoning　for　the　suitors。　I
saw　an　omen　when　I　was　on　the　ship　which　meant　this；　and　I　told
Telemachus　about　it。〃
　　〃May　it　be　even　so；〃　answered　Penelope；　〃if　your　words　come　true；
you　shall　have　such　gifts　and　such　good　will　from　me　that　all　who
see　you　shall　congratulate　you。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse。　Meanwhile　the　suitors　were　throwing　discs；
or　aiming　with　spears　at　a　mark　on　the　levelled　ground　in　front　of　the
house；　and　behaving　with　all　their　old　insolence。　But　when　it　was
now　time　for　dinner；　and　the　flock　of　sheep　and　goats　had　come　into
the　town　from　all　the　country　round；　with　their　shepherds　as　usual；
then　Medon；　who　was　their　favourite　servant；　and　who　waited　upon
them　at　table；　said；　〃Now　then；　my　young　masters；　you　have　had
enough　sport；　so　come　inside　that　we　may　get　dinner　ready。　Dinner　is
not　a　bad　thing；　at　dinner　time。〃
　　They　left　their　sports　as　he　told　them；　and　when　they　were　within
the　house；　they　laid　their　cloaks　on　the　benches　and　seats　inside；　and
then　sacrificed　some　sheep；　goats；　pigs；　and　a　heifer；　all　of　them　fat
and　well　grown。　Thus　they　made　ready　for　their　meal。　In　the　meantime
Ulysses　and　the　swineherd　were　about　starting　for　the　town；　and　the
swineherd　said；　〃Stranger；　I　suppose　you　still　want　to　go　to　town
to…day；　as　my　master　said　you　were　to　do；　for　my　own　part　I　should
have　liked　you　to　stay　here　as　a　station　hand；　but　I　must　do　as　my
master　tells　me；　or　he　will　scold　me　later　on；　and　a　scolding　from
one's　master　is　a　very　serious　thing。　Let　us　then　be　off；　for　it　is
now　broad　day；　it　will　be　night　again　directly　and　then　you　will
find　it　colder。〃
　　〃I　know；　and　understand　you；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃you　need　say　no
more。　Let　us　be　going；　but　if　you　have　a　stick　ready　cut；　let　me
have　it　to　walk　with；　for　you　say　the　road　is　a　very　rough　one。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　threw　his　shabby　old　tattered　wallet　over　his
shoulders；　by　the　cord　from　which　it　hung；　and　Eumaeus　gave　him　a
stick　to　his　liking。　The　two　then　started；　leaving　the　station　in
charge　of　the　dogs　and　herdsmen　who　remained　behind；　the　swineherd　led
the　way　and　his　master　followed　after；　looking　like　some　broken…down
old　tramp　as　he　leaned　upon　his　staff；　and　his　clothes　were　all　in
rags。　When　they　had　got　over　the　rough　steep　ground　and　were　nearing
the　city；　they　reached　the　fountain　from　which　the　citizens　drew　their
water。　This　had　been　made　by　Ithacus；　Neritus；　and　Polyctor。　There　was
a　grove