the odyssey(奥德赛)-第7部分

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victims　into　the　fire；　and　stood　up　to　make　their　drink…offerings。
When　they　had　made　their　offerings　and　had　drunk　each　as　much　as　he
was　minded；　Minerva　and　Telemachus　were　forgoing　on　board　their
ship；　but　Nestor　caught　them　up　at　once　and　stayed　them。
　　〃Heaven　and　the　immortal　gods；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃forbid　that　you
should　leave　my　house　to　go　on　board　of　a　ship。　Do　you　think　I　am　so
poor　and　short　of　clothes；　or　that　I　have　so　few　cloaks　and　as　to　be
unable　to　find　comfortable　beds　both　for　myself　and　for　my　guests？　Let
me　tell　you　I　have　store　both　of　rugs　and　cloaks；　and　shall　not　permit
the　son　of　my　old　friend　Ulysses　to　camp　down　on　the　deck　of　a　ship…
not　while　I　live…　nor　yet　will　my　sons　after　me；　but　they　will　keep
open　house　as　have　done。〃
　　Then　Minerva　answered；　〃Sir；　you　have　spoken　well；　and　it　will　be
much　better　that　Telemachus　should　do　as　you　have　said；　he；　therefore；
shall　return　with　you　and　sleep　at　your　house；　but　I　must　go　back　to
give　orders　to　my　crew；　and　keep　them　in　good　heart。　I　am　the　only
older　person　among　them；　the　rest　are　all　young　men　of　Telemachus'　own
age；　who　have　taken　this　voyage　out　of　friendship；　so　I　must　return　to
the　ship　and　sleep　there。　Moreover　to…morrow　I　must　go　to　the
Cauconians　where　I　have　a　large　sum　of　money　long　owing　to　me。　As
for　Telemachus；　now　that　he　is　your　guest；　send　him　to　Lacedaemon　in　a
chariot；　and　let　one　of　your　sons　go　with　him。　Be　pleased　also　to
provide　him　with　your　best　and　fleetest　horses。〃
　　When　she　had　thus　spoken；　she　flew　away　in　the　form　of　an　eagle；　and
all　marvelled　as　they　beheld　it。　Nestor　was　astonished；　and　took
Telemachus　by　the　hand。　〃My　friend；〃　said　he；　〃I　see　that　you　are
going　to　be　a　great　hero　some　day；　since　the　gods　wait　upon　you　thus
while　you　are　still　so　young。　This　can　have　been　none　other　of　those
who　dwell　in　heaven　than　Jove's　redoubtable　daughter；　the
Trito…born；　who　showed　such　favour　towards　your　brave　father　among　the
Argives。〃　〃Holy　queen；〃　he　continued；　〃vouchsafe　to　send　down　thy
grace　upon　myself；　my　good　wife；　and　my　children。　In　return；　I　will
offer　you　in　sacrifice　a　broad…browed　heifer　of　a　year　old；
unbroken；　and　never　yet　brought　by　man　under　the　yoke。　I　will　gild　her
horns；　and　will　offer　her　up　to　you　in　sacrifice。〃
　　Thus　did　he　pray；　and　Minerva　heard　his　prayer。　He　then　led　the
way　to　his　own　house；　followed　by　his　sons　and　sons…in…law。　When
they　had　got　there　and　had　taken　their　places　on　the　benches　and
seats；　he　mixed　them　a　bowl　of　sweet　wine　that　was　eleven　years　old
when　the　housekeeper　took　the　lid　off　the　jar　that　held　it。　As　he
mixed　the　wine；　he　prayed　much　and　made　drink…offerings　to　Minerva；
daughter　of　Aegis…bearing　Jove。　Then；　when　they　had　made　their
drink…offerings　and　had　drunk　each　as　much　as　he　was　minded；　the
others　went　home　to　bed　each　in　his　own　abode；　but　Nestor　put
Telemachus　to　sleep　in　the　room　that　was　over　the　gateway　along　with
Pisistratus；　who　was　the　only　unmarried　son　now　left　him。　As　for
himself；　he　slept　in　an　inner　room　of　the　house；　with　the　queen　his
wife　by　his　side。
　　Now　when　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；
Nestor　left　his　couch　and　took　his　seat　on　the　benches　of　white　and
polished　marble　that　stood　in　front　of　his　house。　Here　aforetime　sat
Neleus；　peer　of　gods　in　counsel；　but　he　was　now　dead；　and　had　gone
to　the　house　of　Hades；　so　Nestor　sat　in　his　seat；　sceptre　in　hand；
as　guardian　of　the　public　weal。　His　sons　as　they　left　their　rooms
gathered　round　him；　Echephron；　Stratius；　Perseus；　Aretus；　and
Thrasymedes；　the　sixth　son　was　Pisistratus；　and　when　Telemachus　joined
them　they　made　him　sit　with　them。　Nestor　then　addressed　them。
　　〃My　sons；〃　said　he；　〃make　haste　to　do　as　I　shall　bid　you。　I　wish
first　and　foremost　to　propitiate　the　great　goddess　Minerva；　who
manifested　herself　visibly　to　me　during　yesterday's　festivities。　Go；
then；　one　or　other　of　you　to　the　plain；　tell　the　stockman　to　look　me
out　a　heifer；　and　come　on　here　with　it　at　once。　Another　must　go　to
Telemachus's　ship；　and　invite　all　the　crew；　leaving　two　men　only　in
charge　of　the　vessel。　Some　one　else　will　run　and　fetch　Laerceus　the
goldsmith　to　gild　the　horns　of　the　heifer。　The　rest；　stay　all　of　you
where　you　are；　tell　the　maids　in　the　house　to　prepare　an　excellent
dinner；　and　to　fetch　seats；　and　logs　of　wood　for　a　burnt　offering。
Tell　them　also…　to　bring　me　some　clear　spring　water。〃
　　On　this　they　hurried　off　on　their　several　errands。　The　heifer　was
brought　in　from　the　plain；　and　Telemachus's　crew　came　from　the　ship；
the　goldsmith　brought　the　anvil；　hammer；　and　tongs；　with　which　he
worked　his　gold；　and　Minerva　herself　came　to　the　sacrifice。　Nestor
gave　out　the　gold；　and　the　smith　gilded　the　horns　of　the　heifer　that
the　goddess　might　have　pleasure　in　their　beauty。　Then　Stratius　and
Echephron　brought　her　in　by　the　horns；　Aretus　fetched　water　from　the
house　in　a　ewer　that　had　a　flower　pattern　on　it；　and　in　his　other　hand
he　held　a　basket　of　barley　meal；　sturdy　Thrasymedes　stood　by　with　a
sharp　axe；　ready　to　strike　the　heifer；　while　Perseus　held　a　bucket。
Then　Nestor　began　with　washing　his　hands　and　sprinkling　the　barley
meal；　and　he　offered　many　a　prayer　to　Minerva　as　he　threw　a　lock
from　the　heifer's　head　upon　the　fire。
　　When　they　had　done　praying　and　sprinkling　the　barley　meal
Thrasymedes　dealt　his　blow；　and　brought　the　heifer　down　with　a
stroke　that　cut　through　the　tendons　at　the　base　of　her　neck；　whereon
the　daughters　and　daughters…in…law　of　Nestor；　and　his　venerable　wife
Eurydice　（she　was　eldest　daughter　to　Clymenus）　screamed　with
delight。　Then　they　lifted　the　heifer's　head　from　off　the　ground；　and
Pisistratus　cut　her　throat。　When　she　had　done　bleeding　and　was　quite
dead；　they　cut　her　up。　They　cut　out　the　thigh　bones　all　in　due　course；
wrapped　them　round　in　two　layers　of　fat；　and　set　some　pieces　of　raw
meat　on　the　top　of　them；　then　Nestor　laid　them　upon　the　wood　fire
and　poured　wine　over　them；　while　the　young　men　stood　near　him　with
five…pronged　spits　in　their　hands。　When　the　thighs　were　burned　and
they　had　tasted　the　inward　meats；　they　cut　the　rest　of　the　meat　up
small；　put　the　pieces　on　the　spits　and　toasted　them　over　the　fire。
　　Meanwhile　lovely　Polycaste；　Nestor's　youngest　daughter；　washed
Telemachus。　When　she　had　washed　him　and　anointed　him　with　oil；　she
brought　him　a　fair　mantle　and　shirt；　and　he　looked　like　a　god　as　he
came　from　the　bath　and　took　his　seat　by　the　side　of　Nestor。　When　the
outer　meats　were　done　they　drew　them　off　the　spits　and　sat　down　to
dinner　where　they　were　waited　upon　by　some　worthy　henchmen；　who　kept
pouring　them　out　their　wine　in　cups　of　gold。　As　soon　as　they　had　had
had　enough　to　eat　and　drink　Nestor　said；　〃Sons；　put　Telemachus's
horses　to　the　chariot　that　he　may　start　at　once。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　did　even　as　he　had　said；　and　yoked　the
fleet　horses　to　the　chariot。　The　housekeeper　packed　them　up　a
provision　of　bread；　wine；　and　sweetmeats　fit　for　the　sons　of
princes。　Then　Telemachus　got　into　the　chariot；　while　Pisistratus
gathered　up　the　reins　and　took　his　seat　beside　him。　He　lashed　the
horses　on　and　they　flew　forward　nothing　loth　into　the　open　country；
leaving　the　high　citadel　of　Pylos　behind　them。　All　that　day　did　they
travel；　swaying　the　yoke　upon　their　necks　till　the　sun　went　down　and
darkness　was　over　all　the　land。　Then　they　reached　Pherae　where　Diocles
lived；　who　was　son　to　Ortilochus　and　grandson　to　Alpheus。　Here　they
passed　the　night　and　Diocles　entertained　them　hospitably。　When　the
child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　they　again　yoked　their
horses　and　drove　out　through　the　gateway　under　the　echoing
gatehouse。　Pisistratus　lashed　the　horses　on　and　they　flew　forward
nothing　loth；　presently　they　came　to　the　corn　lands　Of　the　open
country；　and　in　the　course　of　time　completed　their　journey；　so　well
did　their　steeds　take　them。
　　Now　when　the　sun　had　set　and　darkness　was　over　the　land。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　IV。
　　THEY　reached　the　low　lying　city　of　Lacedaemon　them　where　they
drove　straight　to　the　of　abode　Menelaus　＇and　found　him　in　his　own
house；　feasting　with　his　many　clansmen　in　honour　of　the　wedding　of　his
son；　and　also　of　his　daughter；　whom　he　was　marrying　to　the　son　of　that
valiant　warrior　Achilles。　He　had　given　his　consent　and　promised　her　to
him　while　he　was　still　at　Troy；　and　now　the　gods　were　bringing　the
marriage　about；　so　he　was　sending　her　with　chariots　and　horses　to
the　city　of　the　Myrmidons　over　whom　Achilles'　son　was　reigning。　For
his　only　son　he　had　found　a　bride　from　Sparta；　daughter　of　Alector。
This　son；　Megapenthes；　was　born　to　him　of　a　bondwoman；　for　heaven
vouchsafed　Helen　no　more　children　after　she　had　borne　Hermione；　who
was　fair　as　golden　Venus　herself。
　　So　the　neighbours　and　kinsmen　of　Menelaus　were　feasting　and　making
merry　in　his　house。　There　was　a　bard　also　to　sing　to　them　and　play　his
lyre；　while　two　tumblers　went　about　performing　in　the　midst　of　them
when　the　man　struck　up　with　his　tune。＇
　　Telemachus　and　the　son　of　Nestor　stayed　their　horses　at　the　gate；
whereon　Eteoneus　servant　to　Menelaus　came　out；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw
them　ran　hurrying　back　into　the　house　to　tell　his　Master。　He　went
close　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Menelaus；　there　are　some　strangers　come
here；　two　men；　who　look　like　sons　of　Jove。　What　are　we　to　do？　Shall　we
take　their　horses　out；　or　tell　them　to　find　friends　elsewhere　as
they　best　can？〃
　　Menelaus　was　very　angry　and　said；　〃Eteoneus；　son　of　Boethous；　you
never　used　to　be　a　fool；　but　now　you　talk　like　a　simpleton。　Take　their
horses　out；　of　course；　and　show　the　strangers　in　that　they　may　have
supper；　you　and　I　have　stayed　often　enough　at　other　people's　houses
before　we　got　back　here；　where　heaven　grant　that　we　may　rest　in
peace　henceforward。〃
　　So　Eteoneus　bustled　back　and　bade　other　servants　come　with　him。　They
took　their　sweating　hands　from　under　the　yoke；　made　them　fast　to　the
mangers；　and　gave　them　a　feed　of　oats　and　barley　mixed。　Then　they
leaned　the　chariot　against　the　end　wall　of　the　courtyard；　and　led
the　way　into　the　house。　Telemachus　and　Pisistratus　were　astonished
when　they　saw　it；　for　its　splendour　was　as　that　of　the　sun　and　mo