the odyssey(奥德赛)-第57部分

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quite　true　as　I　tell　you　that　Ulysses　is　come　home　again。　He　was　the
stranger　whom　they　all　kept　on　treating　so　badly　in　the　cloister。
Telemachus　knew　all　the　time　that　he　was　come　back；　but　kept　his
father's　secret　that　he　might　have　his　revenge　on　all　these　wicked
people。
　　Then　Penelope　sprang　up　from　her　couch；　threw　her　arms　round
Euryclea；　and　wept　for　joy。　〃But　my　dear　nurse；〃　said　she；　〃explain
this　to　me；　if　he　has　really　come　home　as　you　say；　how　did　he　manage
to　overcome　the　wicked　suitors　single　handed；　seeing　what　a　number
of　them　there　always　were？〃
　　〃I　was　not　there；〃　answered　Euryclea；　〃and　do　not　know；　I　only　heard
them　groaning　while　they　were　being　killed。　We　sat　crouching　and
huddled　up　in　a　corner　of　the　women's　room　with　the　doors　closed；　till
your　son　came　to　fetch　me　because　his　father　sent　him。　Then　I　found
Ulysses　standing　over　the　corpses　that　were　lying　on　the　ground　all
round　him；　one　on　top　of　the　other。　You　would　have　enjoyed　it　if　you
could　have　seen　him　standing　there　all　bespattered　with　blood　and
filth；　and　looking　just　like　a　lion。　But　the　corpses　are　now　all　piled
up　in　the　gatehouse　that　is　in　the　outer　court；　and　Ulysses　has　lit
a　great　fire　to　purify　the　house　with　sulphur。　He　has　sent　me　to
call　you；　so　come　with　me　that　you　may　both　be　happy　together　after
all；　for　now　at　last　the　desire　of　your　heart　has　been　fulfilled；　your
husband　is　come　home　to　find　both　wife　and　son　alive　and　well；　and
to　take　his　revenge　in　his　own　house　on　the　suitors　who　behaved　so
badly　to　him。〃
　　〃'My　dear　nurse；〃　said　Penelope；　〃do　not　exult　too　confidently
over　all　this。　You　know　how　delighted　every　one　would　be　to　see
Ulysses　come　home…　more　particularly　myself；　and　the　son　who　has
been　born　to　both　of　us；　but　what　you　tell　me　cannot　be　really　true。
It　is　some　god　who　is　angry　with　the　suitors　for　their　great
wickedness；　and　has　made　an　end　of　them；　for　they　respected　no　man
in　the　whole　world；　neither　rich　nor　poor；　who　came　near　them；　who
came　near　them；　and　they　have　come　to　a　bad　end　in　consequence　of
their　iniquity。　Ulysses　is　dead　far　away　from　the　Achaean　land；　he
will　never　return　home　again。〃
　　Then　nurse　Euryclea　said；　〃My　child；　what　are　you　talking　about？　but
you　were　all　hard　of　belief　and　have　made　up　your　mind　that　your
husband　is　never　coming；　although　he　is　in　the　house　and　by　his　own
fire　side　at　this　very　moment。　Besides　I　can　give　you　another　proof；
when　I　was　washing　him　I　perceived　the　scar　which　the　wild　boar　gave
him；　and　I　wanted　to　tell　you　about　it；　but　in　his　wisdom　he　would　not
let　me；　and　clapped　his　hands　over　my　mouth；　so　come　with　me　and　I
will　make　this　bargain　with　you…　if　I　am　deceiving　you；　you　may　have
me　killed　by　the　most　cruel　death　you　can　think　of。〃
　　〃My　dear　nurse；〃　said　Penelope；　〃however　wise　you　may　be　you　can
hardly　fathom　the　counsels　of　the　gods。　Nevertheless；　we　will　go　in
search　of　my　son；　that　I　may　see　the　corpses　of　the　suitors；　and　the
man　who　has　killed　them。〃
　　On　this　she　came　down　from　her　upper　room；　and　while　doing　so　she
considered　whether　she　should　keep　at　a　distance　from　her　husband
and　question　him；　or　whether　she　should　at　once　go　up　to　him　and
embrace　him。　When；　however；　she　had　crossed　the　stone　floor　of　the
cloister；　she　sat　down　opposite　Ulysses　by　the　fire；　against　the
wall　at　right　angles　＇to　that　by　which　she　had　entered＇；　while　Ulysses
sat　near　one　of　the　bearing…posts；　looking　upon　the　ground；　and
waiting　to　see　what　his　wife　would　say　to　him　when　she　saw　him。　For
a　long　time　she　sat　silent　and　as　one　lost　in　amazement。　At　one　moment
she　looked　him　full　in　the　face；　but　then　again　directly；　she　was
misled　by　his　shabby　clothes　and　failed　to　recognize　him；　till
Telemachus　began　to　reproach　her　and　said：
　　〃Mother…　but　you　are　so　hard　that　I　cannot　call　you　by　such　a
name…　why　do　you　keep　away　from　my　father　in　this　way？　Why　do　you
not　sit　by　his　side　and　begin　talking　to　him　and　asking　him　questions？
No　other　woman　could　bear　to　keep　away　from　her　husband　when　he　had
come　back　to　her　after　twenty　years　of　absence；　and　after　having
gone　through　so　much；　but　your　heart　always　was　as　hard　as　a　stone。〃
　　Penelope　answered；　〃My　son；　I　am　so　lost　in　astonishment　that　I
can　find　no　words　in　which　either　to　ask　questions　or　to　answer
them。　I　cannot　even　look　him　straight　in　the　face。　Still；　if　he　really
is　Ulysses　come　back　to　his　own　home　again；　we　shall　get　to　understand
one　another　better　by　and　by；　for　there　are　tokens　with　which　we　two
are　alone　acquainted；　and　which　are　hidden　from　all　others。〃
　　Ulysses　smiled　at　this；　and　said　to　Telemachus；　〃Let　your　mother　put
me　to　any　proof　she　likes；　she　will　make　up　her　mind　about　it
presently。　She　rejects　me　for　the　moment　and　believes　me　to　be
somebody　else；　because　I　am　covered　with　dirt　and　have　such　bad
clothes　on；　let　us；　however；　consider　what　we　had　better　do　next。　When
one　man　has　killed　another；　even　though　he　was　not　one　who　would　leave
many　friends　to　take　up　his　quarrel；　the　man　who　has　killed　him　must
still　say　good　bye　to　his　friends　and　fly　the　country；　whereas　we　have
been　killing　the　stay　of　a　whole　town；　and　all　the　picked　youth　of
Ithaca。　I　would　have　you　consider　this　matter。〃
　　〃Look　to　it　yourself；　father；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃for　they　say
you　are　the　wisest　counsellor　in　the　world；　and　that　there　is　no　other
mortal　man　who　can　compare　with　you。　We　will　follow　you　with　right
good　will；　nor　shall　you　find　us　fail　you　in　so　far　as　our　strength
holds　out。〃
　　〃I　will　say　what　I　think　will　be　best；〃　answered　Ulysses。　〃First
wash　and　put　your　shirts　on；　tell　the　maids　also　to　go　to　their　own
room　and　dress；　Phemius　shall　then　strike　up　a　dance　tune　on　his　lyre；
so　that　if　people　outside　hear；　or　any　of　the　neighbours；　or　some
one　going　along　the　street　happens　to　notice　it；　they　may　think
there　is　a　wedding　in　the　house；　and　no　rumours　about　the　death　of　the
suitors　will　get　about　in　the　town；　before　we　can　escape　to　the
woods　upon　my　own　land。　Once　there；　we　will　settle　which　of　the
courses　heaven　vouchsafes　us　shall　seem　wisest。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said。　First　they
washed　and　put　their　shirts　on；　while　the　women　got　ready。　Then
Phemius　took　his　lyre　and　set　them　all　longing　for　sweet　song　and
stately　dance。　The　house　re…echoed　with　the　sound　of　men　and　women
dancing；　and　the　people　outside　said；　〃I　suppose　the　queen　has　been
getting　married　at　last。　She　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　herself　for　not
continuing　to　protect　her　husband's　property　until　he　comes　home。〃
　　This　was　what　they　said；　but　they　did　not　know　what　it　was　that
had　been　happening。　The　upper　servant　Eurynome　washed　and　anointed
Ulysses　in　his　own　house　and　gave　him　a　shirt　and　cloak；　while　Minerva
made　him　look　taller　and　stronger　than　before；　she　also　made　the
hair　grow　thick　on　the　top　of　his　head；　and　flow　down　in　curls　like
hyacinth　blossoms；　she　glorified　him　about　the　head　and　shoulders　just
as　a　skilful　workman　who　has　studied　art　of　all　kinds　under　Vulcan
or　Minerva…　and　his　work　is　full　of　beauty…　enriches　a　piece　of　silver
plate　by　gilding　it。　He　came　from　the　bath　looking　like　one　of　the
immortals；　and　sat　down　opposite　his　wife　on　the　seat　he　had　left。　〃My
dear；〃　said　he；　〃heaven　has　endowed　you　with　a　heart　more　unyielding
than　woman　ever　yet　had。　No　other　woman　could　bear　to　keep　away　from
her　husband　when　he　had　come　back　to　her　after　twenty　years　of
absence；　and　after　having　gone　through　so　much。　But　come；　nurse；　get　a
bed　ready　for　me；　I　will　sleep　alone；　for　this　woman　has　a　heart　as
hard　as　iron。〃
　　〃My　dear；〃　answered　Penelope；　〃I　have　no　wish　to　set　myself　up；
nor　to　depreciate　you；　but　I　am　not　struck　by　your　appearance；　for　I
very　well　remember　what　kind　of　a　man　you　were　when　you　set　sail
from　Ithaca。　Nevertheless；　Euryclea；　take　his　bed　outside　the　bed
chamber　that　he　himself　built。　Bring　the　bed　outside　this　room；　and
put　bedding　upon　it　with　fleeces；　good　coverlets；　and　blankets。〃
　　She　said　this　to　try　him；　but　Ulysses　was　very　angry　and　said；
〃Wife；　I　am　much　displeased　at　what　you　have　just　been　saying。　Who　has
been　taking　my　bed　from　the　place　in　which　I　left　it？　He　must　have
found　it　a　hard　task；　no　matter　how　skilled　a　workman　he　was；　unless
some　god　came　and　helped　him　to　shift　it。　There　is　no　man　living；
however　strong　and　in　his　prime；　who　could　move　it　from　its　place；　for
it　is　a　marvellous　curiosity　which　I　made　with　my　very　own　hands。
There　was　a　young　olive　growing　within　the　precincts　of　the　house；
in　full　vigour；　and　about　as　thick　as　a　bearing…post。　I　built　my
room　round　this　with　strong　walls　of　stone　and　a　roof　to　cover　them；
and　I　made　the　doors　strong　and　well…fitting。　Then　I　cut　off　the　top
boughs　of　the　olive　tree　and　left　the　stump　standing。　This　I　dressed
roughly　from　the　root　upwards　and　then　worked　with　carpenter's　tools
well　and　skilfully；　straightening　my　work　by　drawing　a　line　on　the
wood；　and　making　it　into　a　bed…prop。　I　then　bored　a　hole　down　the
middle；　and　made　it　the　centre…post　of　my　bed；　at　which　I　worked
till　I　had　finished　it；　inlaying　it　with　gold　and　silver；　after　this　I
stretched　a　hide　of　crimson　leather　from　one　side　of　it　to　the
other。　So　you　see　I　know　all　about　it；　and　I　desire　to　learn　whether
it　is　still　there；　or　whether　any　one　has　been　removing　it　by
cutting　down　the　olive　tree　at　its　roots。〃
　　When　she　heard　the　sure　proofs　Ulysses　now　gave　her；　she　fairly
broke　down。　She　flew　weeping　to　his　side；　flung　her　arms　about　his
neck；　and　kissed　him。　〃Do　not　be　angry　with　me　Ulysses；〃　she　cried；
〃you；　who　are　the　wisest　of　mankind。　We　have　suffered；　both　of　us。
Heaven　has　denied　us　the　happiness　of　spending　our　youth；　and　of
growing　old；　together；　do　not　then　be　aggrieved　or　take　it　amiss
that　I　did　not　embrace　you　thus　as　soon　as　I　saw　you。　I　have　been
shuddering　all　the　time　through　fear　that　someone　might　come　here
and　deceive　me　with　a　lying　story；　for　there　are　many　very　wicked
people　going　about。　Jove's　daughter　Helen　would　never　have　yielded
herself　to　a　man　from　a　foreign　country；　if　she　had　known　that　the
sons　of　Achaeans　would　come　after　her　and　bring　her　back。