the odyssey(奥德赛)-第50部分

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the　neck　of　each　of　them　till　he　had　killed　them　all。　Presently　he
soared　off　into　the　sky；　and　left　them　lying　dead　about　the　yard；
whereon　I　wept　in　my　room　till　all　my　maids　gathered　round　me；　so
piteously　was　I　grieving　because　the　eagle　had　killed　my　geese。　Then
he　came　back　again；　and　perching　on　a　projecting　rafter　spoke　to　me
with　human　voice；　and　told　me　to　leave　off　crying。　'Be　of　good
courage；'　he　said；　'daughter　of　Icarius；　this　is　no　dream；　but　a
vision　of　good　omen　that　shall　surely　come　to　pass。　The　geese　are
the　suitors；　and　I　am　no　longer　an　eagle；　but　your　own　husband；　who　am
come　back　to　you；　and　who　will　bring　these　suitors　to　a　disgraceful
end。'　On　this　I　woke；　and　when　I　looked　out　I　saw　my　geese　at　the
trough　eating　their　mash　as　usual。〃
　　〃This　dream；　Madam；〃　replied　Ulysses；　〃can　admit　but　of　one
interpretation；　for　had　not　Ulysses　himself　told　you　how　it　shall　be
fulfilled？　The　death　of　the　suitors　is　portended；　and　not　one　single
one　of　them　will　escape。〃
　　And　Penelope　answered；　〃Stranger；　dreams　are　very　curious　and
unaccountable　things；　and　they　do　not　by　any　means　invariably　come
true。　There　are　two　gates　through　which　these　unsubstantial　fancies
proceed；　the　one　is　of　horn；　and　the　other　ivory。　Those　that　come
through　the　gate　of　ivory　are　fatuous；　but　those　from　the　gate　of　horn
mean　something　to　those　that　see　them。　I　do　not　think；　however；　that
my　own　dream　came　through　the　gate　of　horn；　though　I　and　my　son　should
be　most　thankful　if　it　proves　to　have　done　so。　Furthermore　I　say…
and　lay　my　saying　to　your　heart…　the　coming　dawn　will　usher　in　the
ill…omened　day　that　is　to　sever　me　from　the　house　of　Ulysses；　for　I　am
about　to　hold　a　tournament　of　axes。　My　husband　used　to　set　up　twelve
axes　in　the　court；　one　in　front　of　the　other；　like　the　stays　upon
which　a　ship　is　built；　he　would　then　go　back　from　them　and　shoot　an
arrow　through　the　whole　twelve。　I　shall　make　the　suitors　try　to　do　the
same　thing；　and　whichever　of　them　can　string　the　bow　most　easily；
and　send　his　arrow　through　all　the　twelve　axes；　him　will　I　follow；　and
quit　this　house　of　my　lawful　husband；　so　goodly　and　so　abounding　in
wealth。　But　even　so；　I　doubt　not　that　I　shall　remember　it　in　my
dreams。〃
　　Then　Ulysses　answered；　〃Madam　wife　of　Ulysses；　you　need　not　defer
your　tournament；　for　Ulysses　will　return　ere　ever　they　can　string
the　bow；　handle　it　how　they　will；　and　send　their　arrows　through　the
iron。〃
　　To　this　Penelope　said；　〃As　long；　sir；　as　you　will　sit　here　and
talk　to　me；　I　can　have　no　desire　to　go　to　bed。　Still；　people　cannot　do
permanently　without　sleep；　and　heaven　has　appointed　us　dwellers　on
earth　a　time　for　all　things。　I　will　therefore　go　upstairs　and
recline　upon　that　couch　which　I　have　never　ceased　to　flood　with　my
tears　from　the　day　Ulysses　set　out　for　the　city　with　a　hateful　name。〃
　　She　then　went　upstairs　to　her　own　room；　not　alone；　but　attended　by
her　maidens；　and　when　there；　she　lamented　her　dear　husband　till
Minerva　shed　sweet　sleep　over　her　eyelids。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XX。
　　ULYSSES　slept　in　the　cloister　upon　an　undressed　bullock's　hide；　on
the　top　of　which　he　threw　several　skins　of　the　sheep　the　suitors　had
eaten；　and　Eurynome　threw　a　cloak　over　him　after　he　had　laid　himself
down。　There；　then；　Ulysses　lay　wakefully　brooding　upon　the　way　in
which　he　should　kill　the　suitors；　and　by　and　by；　the　women　who　had
been　in　the　habit　of　misconducting　themselves　with　them；　left　the
house　giggling　and　laughing　with　one　another。　This　made　Ulysses　very
angry；　and　he　doubted　whether　to　get　up　and　kill　every　single　one　of
them　then　and　there；　or　to　let　them　sleep　one　more　and　last　time
with　the　suitors。　His　heart　growled　within　him；　and　as　a　bitch　with
puppies　growls　and　shows　her　teeth　when　she　sees　a　stranger；　so　did
his　heart　growl　with　anger　at　the　evil　deeds　that　were　being　done：　but
he　beat　his　breast　and　said；　〃Heart；　be　still；　you　had　worse　than　this
to　bear　on　the　day　when　the　terrible　Cyclops　ate　your　brave
companions；　yet　you　bore　it　in　silence　till　your　cunning　got　you
safe　out　of　the　cave；　though　you　made　sure　of　being　killed。〃
　　Thus　he　chided　with　his　heart；　and　checked　it　into　endurance；　but　he
tossed　about　as　one　who　turns　a　paunch　full　of　blood　and　fat　in
front　of　a　hot　fire；　doing　it　first　on　one　side　and　then　on　the　other；
that　he　may　get　it　cooked　as　soon　as　possible；　even　so　did　he　turn
himself　about　from　side　to　side；　thinking　all　the　time　how；　single
handed　as　he　was；　he　should　contrive　to　kill　so　large　a　body　of　men　as
the　wicked　suitors。　But　by　and　by　Minerva　came　down　from　heaven　in　the
likeness　of　a　woman；　and　hovered　over　his　head　saying；　〃My　poor
unhappy　man；　why　do　you　lie　awake　in　this　way？　This　is　your　house：
your　wife　is　safe　inside　it；　and　so　is　your　son　who　is　just　such　a
young　man　as　any　father　may　be　proud　of。〃
　　〃Goddess；〃　answered　Ulysses；　〃all　that　you　have　said　is　true；　but
I　am　in　some　doubt　as　to　how　I　shall　be　able　to　kill　these　wicked
suitors　single　handed；　seeing　what　a　number　of　them　there　always
are。　And　there　is　this　further　difficulty；　which　is　still　more
considerable。　Supposing　that　with　Jove's　and　your　assistance　I　succeed
in　killing　them；　I　must　ask　you　to　consider　where　I　am　to　escape　to
from　their　avengers　when　it　is　all　over。〃
　　〃For　shame；〃　replied　Minerva；　〃why；　any　one　else　would　trust　a　worse
ally　than　myself；　even　though　that　ally　were　only　a　mortal　and　less
wise　than　I　am。　Am　I　not　a　goddess；　and　have　I　not　protected　you
throughout　in　all　your　troubles？　I　tell　you　plainly　that　even　though
there　were　fifty　bands　of　men　surrounding　us　and　eager　to　kill　us；　you
should　take　all　their　sheep　and　cattle；　and　drive　them　away　with
you。　But　go　to　sleep；　it　is　a　very　bad　thing　to　lie　awake　all　night；
and　you　shall　be　out　of　your　troubles　before　long。〃
　　As　she　spoke　she　shed　sleep　over　his　eyes；　and　then　went　back　to
Olympus。
　　While　Ulysses　was　thus　yielding　himself　to　a　very　deep　slumber
that　eased　the　burden　of　his　sorrows；　his　admirable　wife　awoke；　and
sitting　up　in　her　bed　began　to　cry。　When　she　had　relieved　herself　by
weeping　she　prayed　to　Diana　saying；　〃Great　Goddess　Diana；　daughter
of　Jove；　drive　an　arrow　into　my　heart　and　slay　me；　or　let　some
whirlwind　snatch　me　up　and　bear　me　through　paths　of　darkness　till　it
drop　me　into　the　mouths　of　overflowing　Oceanus；　as　it　did　the
daughters　of　Pandareus。　The　daughters　of　Pandareus　lost　their　father
and　mother；　for　the　gods　killed　them；　so　they　were　left　orphans。　But
Venus　took　care　of　them；　and　fed　them　on　cheese；　honey；　and　sweet
wine。　Juno　taught　them　to　excel　all　women　in　beauty　of　form　and
understanding；　Diana　gave　them　an　imposing　presence；　and　Minerva
endowed　them　with　every　kind　of　accomplishment；　but　one　day　when　Venus
had　gone　up　to　Olympus　to　see　Jove　about　getting　them　married　（for
well　does　he　know　both　what　shall　happen　and　what　not　happen　to
every　one）　the　storm　winds　came　and　spirited　them　away　to　become
handmaids　to　the　dread　Erinyes。　Even　so　I　wish　that　the　gods　who
live　in　heaven　would　hide　me　from　mortal　sight；　or　that　fair　Diana
might　strike　me；　for　I　would　fain　go　even　beneath　the　sad　earth　if　I
might　do　so　still　looking　towards　Ulysses　only；　and　without　having
to　yield　myself　to　a　worse　man　than　he　was。　Besides；　no　matter　how
much　people　may　grieve　by　day；　they　can　put　up　with　it　so　long　as　they
can　sleep　at　night；　for　when　the　eyes　are　closed　in　slumber　people
forget　good　and　ill　alike；　whereas　my　misery　haunts　me　even　in　my
dreams。　This　very　night　methought　there　was　one　lying　by　my　side　who
was　like　Ulysses　as　he　was　when　he　went　away　with　his　host；　and　I
rejoiced；　for　I　believed　that　it　was　no　dream；　but　the　very　truth
itself。〃
　　On　this　the　day　broke；　but　Ulysses　heard　the　sound　of　her　weeping；
and　it　puzzled　him；　for　it　seemed　as　though　she　already　knew　him　and
was　by　his　side。　Then　he　gathered　up　the　cloak　and　the　fleeces　on
which　he　had　lain；　and　set　them　on　a　seat　in　the　cloister；　but　he　took
the　bullock's　hide　out　into　the　open。　He　lifted　up　his　hands　to
heaven；　and　prayed；　saying　〃Father　Jove；　since　you　have　seen　fit　to
bring　me　over　land　and　sea　to　my　own　home　after　all　the　afflictions
you　have　laid　upon　me；　give　me　a　sign　out　of　the　mouth　of　some　one
or　other　of　those　who　are　now　waking　within　the　house；　and　let　me　have
another　sign　of　some　kind　from　outside。〃
　　Thus　did　he　pray。　Jove　heard　his　prayer　and　forthwith　thundered　high
up　among　the　from　the　splendour　of　Olympus；　and　Ulysses　was　glad
when　he　heard　it。　At　the　same　time　within　the　house；　a　miller…woman
from　hard　by　in　the　mill　room　lifted　up　her　voice　and　gave　him　another
sign。　There　were　twelve　miller…women　whose　business　it　was　to　grind
wheat　and　barley　which　are　the　staff　of　life。　The　others　had　ground
their　task　and　had　gone　to　take　their　rest；　but　this　one　had　not　yet
finished；　for　she　was　not　so　strong　as　they　were；　and　when　she　heard
the　thunder　she　stopped　grinding　and　gave　the　sign　to　her　master。
〃Father　Jove；〃　said　she；　〃you　who　rule　over　heaven　and　earth；　you　have
thundered　from　a　clear　sky　without　so　much　as　a　cloud　in　it；　and
this　means　something　for　somebody；　grant　the　prayer；　then；　of　me
your　poor　servant　who　calls　upon　you；　and　let　this　be　the　very　last
day　that　the　suitors　dine　in　the　house　of　Ulysses。　They　have　worn　me
out　with　the　labour　of　grinding　meal　for　them；　and　I　hope　they　may
never　have　another　dinner　anywhere　at　all。〃
　　Ulysses　was　glad　when　he　heard　the　omens　conveyed　to　him　by　the
woman's　speech；　and　by　the　thunder；　for　he　knew　they　meant　that　he
should　avenge　himself　on　the　suitors。
　　Then　the　other　maids　in　the　house　rose　and　lit　the　fire　on　the
hearth；　Telemachus　also　rose　and　put　on　his　clothes。　He　girded　his
sword　about　his　shoulder；　bound　his　sandals　on　his　comely　feet；　and
took　a　doughty　spear　with　a　point　of　sharpened　bronze；　then　he　went　to
the　threshold　of　the　cloister　and　said　to　Euryclea；　〃Nurse；　did　you
make　the　stranger　comfortable　both　as　regards　bed　and　board；　or　did
you　let　him　shift　for　himself？…　for　my　mother；　good　woman　though　she
is；　has　a　way　of　paying　great　attention　to　second…rate　people；　and
of　neglecting　others　who　are　in　reality　much