the odyssey(奥德赛)-第6部分

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hecatombs　to　appease　the　anger　of　Minerva。　Fool　that　he　was；　he
might　have　known　that　he　would　not　prevail　with　her；　for　when　the　gods
have　made　up　their　minds　they　do　not　change　them　lightly。　So　the　two
stood　bandying　hard　words；　whereon　the　Achaeans　sprang　to　their　feet
with　a　cry　that　rent　the　air；　and　were　of　two　minds　as　to　what　they
should　do。
　　〃That　night　we　rested　and　nursed　our　anger；　for　Jove　was　hatching
mischief　against　us。　But　in　the　morning　some　of　us　drew　our　ships　into
the　water　and　put　our　goods　with　our　women　on　board；　while　the　rest；
about　half　in　number；　stayed　behind　with　Agamemnon。　We…　the　other
half…　embarked　and　sailed；　and　the　ships　went　well；　for　heaven　had
smoothed　the　sea。　When　we　reached　Tenedos　we　offered　sacrifices　to　the
gods；　for　we　were　longing　to　get　home；　cruel　Jove；　however；　did　not
yet　mean　that　we　should　do　so；　and　raised　a　second　quarrel　in　the
course　of　which　some　among　us　turned　their　ships　back　again；　and
sailed　away　under　Ulysses　to　make　their　peace　with　Agamemnon；　but　I；
and　all　the　ships　that　were　with　me　pressed　forward；　for　I　saw　that
mischief　was　brewing。　The　son　of　Tydeus　went　on　also　with　me；　and
his　crews　with　him。　Later　on　Menelaus　joined　us　at　Lesbos；　and　found
us　making　up　our　minds　about　our　course…　for　we　did　not　know　whether
to　go　outside　Chios　by　the　island　of　Psyra；　keeping　this　to　our
left；　or　inside　Chios；　over　against　the　stormy　headland　of　Mimas。　So
we　asked　heaven　for　a　sign；　and　were　shown　one　to　the　effect　that　we
should　be　soonest　out　of　danger　if　we　headed　our　ships　across　the　open
sea　to　Euboea。　This　we　therefore　did；　and　a　fair　wind　sprang　up
which　gave　us　a　quick　passage　during　the　night　to　Geraestus；　where
we　offered　many　sacrifices　to　Neptune　for　having　helped　us　so　far　on
our　way。　Four　days　later　Diomed　and　his　men　stationed　their　ships　in
Argos；　but　I　held　on　for　Pylos；　and　the　wind　never　fell　light　from　the
day　when　heaven　first　made　it　fair　for　me。
　　〃Therefore；　my　dear　young　friend；　I　returned　without　hearing
anything　about　the　others。　I　know　neither　who　got　home　safely　nor
who　were　lost　but；　as　in　duty　bound；　I　will　give　you　without　reserve
the　reports　that　have　reached　me　since　I　have　been　here　in　my　own
house。　They　say　the　Myrmidons　returned　home　safely　under　Achilles'　son
Neoptolemus；　so　also　did　the　valiant　son　of　Poias；　Philoctetes。
Idomeneus；　again；　lost　no　men　at　sea；　and　all　his　followers　who
escaped　death　in　the　field　got　safe　home　with　him　to　Crete。　No
matter　how　far　out　of　the　world　you　live；　you　will　have　heard　of
Agamemnon　and　the　bad　end　he　came　to　at　the　hands　of　Aegisthus…　and
a　fearful　reckoning　did　Aegisthus　presently　pay。　See　what　a　good　thing
it　is　for　a　man　to　leave　a　son　behind　him　to　do　as　Orestes　did；　who
killed　false　Aegisthus　the　murderer　of　his　noble　father。　You　too；
then…　for　you　are　a　tall；　smart…looking　fellow…　show　your　mettle　and
make　yourself　a　name　in　story。〃
　　〃Nestor　son　of　Neleus；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃honour　to　the
Achaean　name；　the　Achaeans　applaud　Orestes　and　his　name　will　live
through　all　time　for　he　has　avenged　his　father　nobly。　Would　that
heaven　might　grant　me　to　do　like　vengeance　on　the　insolence　of　the
wicked　suitors；　who　are　ill　treating　me　and　plotting　my　ruin；　but
the　gods　have　no　such　happiness　in　store　for　me　and　for　my　father；
so　we　must　bear　it　as　best　we　may。〃
　　〃My　friend；〃　said　Nestor；　〃now　that　you　remind　me；　I　remember　to
have　heard　that　your　mother　has　many　suitors；　who　are　ill　disposed
towards　you　and　are　making　havoc　of　your　estate。　Do　you　submit　to　this
tamely；　or　are　public　feeling　and　the　voice　of　heaven　against　you？　Who
knows　but　what　Ulysses　may　come　back　after　all；　and　pay　these
scoundrels　in　full；　either　single…handed　or　with　a　force　of　Achaeans
behind　him？　If　Minerva　were　to　take　as　great　a　liking　to　you　as　she
did　to　Ulysses　when　we　were　fighting　before　Troy　（for　I　never　yet
saw　the　gods　so　openly　fond　of　any　one　as　Minerva　then　was　of　your
father）；　if　she　would　take　as　good　care　of　you　as　she　did　of　him；
these　wooers　would　soon　some　of　them　him；　forget　their　wooing。〃
　　Telemachus　answered；　〃I　can　expect　nothing　of　the　kind；　it　would
be　far　too　much　to　hope　for。　I　dare　not　let　myself　think　of　it。　Even
though　the　gods　themselves　willed　it　no　such　good　fortune　could　befall
me。〃
　　On　this　Minerva　said；　〃Telemachus；　what　are　you　talking　about？
Heaven　has　a　long　arm　if　it　is　minded　to　save　a　man；　and　if　it　were
me；　I　should　not　care　how　much　I　suffered　before　getting　home；
provided　I　could　be　safe　when　I　was　once　there。　I　would　rather　this；
than　get　home　quickly；　and　then　be　killed　in　my　own　house　as　Agamemnon
was　by　the　treachery　of　Aegisthus　and　his　wife。　Still；　death　is
certain；　and　when　a　man's　hour　is　come；　not　even　the　gods　can　save
him；　no　matter　how　fond　they　are　of　him。〃
　　〃Mentor；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃do　not　let　us　talk　about　it　any
more。　There　is　no　chance　of　my　father's　ever　coming　back；　the　gods
have　long　since　counselled　his　destruction。　There　is　something　else；
however；　about　which　I　should　like　to　ask　Nestor；　for　he　knows　much
more　than　any　one　else　does。　They　say　he　has　reigned　for　three
generations　so　that　it　is　like　talking　to　an　immortal。　Tell　me；
therefore；　Nestor；　and　tell　me　true；　how　did　Agamemnon　come　to　die
in　that　way？　What　was　Menelaus　doing？　And　how　came　false　Aegisthus
to　kill　so　far　better　a　man　than　himself？　Was　Menelaus　away　from
Achaean　Argos；　voyaging　elsewhither　among　mankind；　that　Aegisthus　took
heart　and　killed　Agamemnon？〃
　　〃I　will　tell　you　truly；〃　answered　Nestor；　〃and　indeed　you　have
yourself　divined　how　it　all　happened。　If　Menelaus　when　he　got　back
from　Troy　had　found　Aegisthus　still　alive　in　his　house；　there　would
have　been　no　barrow　heaped　up　for　him；　not　even　when　he　was　dead；
but　he　would　have　been　thrown　outside　the　city　to　dogs　and　vultures；
and　not　a　woman　would　have　mourned　him；　for　he　had　done　a　deed　of
great　wickedness；　but　we　were　over　there；　fighting　hard　at　Troy；　and
Aegisthus　who　was　taking　his　ease　quietly　in　the　heart　of　Argos；
cajoled　Agamemnon's　wife　Clytemnestra　with　incessant　flattery。
　　〃At　first　she　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　his　wicked　scheme；　for
she　was　of　a　good　natural　disposition；　moreover　there　was　a　bard
with　her；　to　whom　Agamemnon　had　given　strict　orders　on　setting　out　for
Troy；　that　he　was　to　keep　guard　over　his　wife；　but　when　heaven　had
counselled　her　destruction；　Aegisthus　thus　this　bard　off　to　a　desert
island　and　left　him　there　for　crows　and　seagulls　to　batten　upon…　after
which　she　went　willingly　enough　to　the　house　of　Aegisthus。　Then　he
offered　many　burnt　sacrifices　to　the　gods；　and　decorated　many
temples　with　tapestries　and　gilding；　for　he　had　succeeded　far　beyond
his　expectations。
　　〃Meanwhile　Menelaus　and　I　were　on　our　way　home　from　Troy；　on　good
terms　with　one　another。　When　we　got　to　Sunium；　which　is　the　point　of
Athens；　Apollo　with　his　painless　shafts　killed　Phrontis　the
steersman　of　Menelaus'　ship　（and　never　man　knew　better　how　to　handle　a
vessel　in　rough　weather）　so　that　he　died　then　and　there　with　the
helm　in　his　hand；　and　Menelaus；　though　very　anxious　to　press
forward；　had　to　wait　in　order　to　bury　his　comrade　and　give　him　his　due
funeral　rites。　Presently；　when　he　too　could　put　to　sea　again；　and
had　sailed　on　as　far　as　the　Malean　heads；　Jove　counselled　evil　against
him　and　made　it　it　blow　hard　till　the　waves　ran　mountains　high。　Here
he　divided　his　fleet　and　took　the　one　half　towards　Crete　where　the
Cydonians　dwell　round　about　the　waters　of　the　river　Iardanus。　There　is
a　high　headland　hereabouts　stretching　out　into　the　sea　from　a　place
called　Gortyn；　and　all　along　this　part　of　the　coast　as　far　as　Phaestus
the　sea　runs　high　when　there　is　a　south　wind　blowing；　but　arter
Phaestus　the　coast　is　more　protected；　for　a　small　headland　can　make
a　great　shelter。　Here　this　part　of　the　fleet　was　driven　on　to　the
rocks　and　wrecked；　but　the　crews　just　managed　to　save　themselves。　As
for　the　other　five　ships；　they　were　taken　by　winds　and　seas　to
Egypt；　where　Menelaus　gathered　much　gold　and　substance　among　people　of
an　alien　speech。　Meanwhile　Aegisthus　here　at　home　plotted　his　evil
deed。　For　seven　years　after　he　had　killed　Agamemnon　he　ruled　in
Mycene；　and　the　people　were　obedient　under　him；　but　in　the　eighth　year
Orestes　came　back　from　Athens　to　be　his　bane；　and　killed　the
murderer　of　his　father。　Then　he　celebrated　the　funeral　rites　of　his
mother　and　of　false　Aegisthus　by　a　banquet　to　the　people　of　Argos；　and
on　that　very　day　Menelaus　came　home；　with　as　much　treasure　as　his
ships　could　carry。
　　〃Take　my　advice　then；　and　do　not　go　travelling　about　for　long　so　far
from　home；　nor　leave　your　property　with　such　dangerous　people　in
your　house；　they　will　eat　up　everything　you　have　among　them；　and　you
will　have　been　on　a　fool's　errand。　Still；　I　should　advise　you　by　all
means　to　go　and　visit　Menelaus；　who　has　lately　come　off　a　voyage　among
such　distant　peoples　as　no　man　could　ever　hope　to　get　back　from；
when　the　winds　had　once　carried　him　so　far　out　of　his　reckoning；
even　birds　cannot　fly　the　distance　in　a　twelvemonth；　so　vast　and
terrible　are　the　seas　that　they　must　cross。　Go　to　him；　therefore；　by
sea；　and　take　your　own　men　with　you；　or　if　you　would　rather　travel
by　land　you　can　have　a　chariot；　you　can　have　horses；　and　here　are　my
sons　who　can　escort　you　to　Lacedaemon　where　Menelaus　lives。　Beg　of　him
to　speak　the　truth；　and　he　will　tell　you　no　lies；　for　he　is　an
excellent　person。〃
　　As　he　spoke　the　sun　set　and　it　came　on　dark；　whereon　Minerva　said；
〃Sir；　all　that　you　have　said　is　well；　now；　however；　order　the
tongues　of　the　victims　to　be　cut；　and　mix　wine　that　we　may　make
drink…offerings　to　Neptune；　and　the　other　immortals；　and　then　go　to
bed；　for　it　is　bed　time。　People　should　go　away　early　and　not　keep　late
hours　at　a　religious　festival。〃
　　Thus　spoke　the　daughter　of　Jove；　and　they　obeyed　her　saying。　Men
servants　poured　water　over　the　hands　of　the　guests；　while　pages　filled
the　mixing…bowls　with　wine　and　water；　and　handed　it　round　after　giving
every　man　his　drink…offering；　then　they　threw　the　tongues　of　the
victims　into　the　fire；　and　stood　up　to　make　their　drink…offerings。
When　t