the odyssey(奥德赛)-第11章

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question　him；　but　he　was　too　cunning　for　me。　When；　however；　I　had
washed　and　anointed　him　and　had　given　him　clothes；　and　after　I　had
sworn　a　solemn　oath　not　to　betray　him　to　the　Trojans　till　he　had　got
safely　back　to　his　own　camp　and　to　the　ships；　he　told　me　all　that
the　Achaeans　meant　to　do。　He　killed　many　Trojans　and　got　much
information　before　he　reached　the　Argive　camp；　for　all　which　things
the　Trojan　women　made　lamentation；　but　for　my　own　part　I　was　glad；　for
my　heart　was　beginning　to　oam　after　my　home；　and　I　was　unhappy　about
wrong　that　Venus　had　done　me　in　taking　me　over　there；　away　from　my
country；　my　girl；　and　my　lawful　wedded　husband；　who　is　indeed　by　no
means　deficient　either　in　person　or　understanding。〃
　　Then　Menelaus　said；　〃All　that　you　have　been　saying；　my　dear　wife；　is
true。　I　have　travelled　much；　and　have　had　much　to　do　with　heroes；
but　I　have　never　seen　such　another　man　as　Ulysses。　What　endurance　too；
and　what　courage　he　displayed　within　the　wooden　horse；　wherein　all　the
bravest　of　the　Argives　were　lying　in　wait　to　bring　death　and
destruction　upon　the　Trojans。　At　that　moment　you　came　up　to　us；　some
god　who　wished　well　to　the　Trojans　must　have　set　you　on　to　it　and
you　had　Deiphobus　with　you。　Three　times　did　you　go　all　round　our
hiding　place　and　pat　it；　you　called　our　chiefs　each　by　his　own　name；
and　mimicked　all　our　wives　…Diomed；　Ulysses；　and　I　from　our　seats
inside　heard　what　a　noise　you　made。　Diomed　and　I　could　not　make　up　our
minds　whether　to　spring　out　then　and　there；　or　to　answer　you　from
inside；　but　Ulysses　held　us　all　in　check；　so　we　sat　quite　still；　all
except　Anticlus；　who　was　beginning　to　answer　you；　when　Ulysses　clapped
his　two　brawny　hands　over　his　mouth；　and　kept　them　there。　It　was
this　that　saved　us　all；　for　he　muzzled　Anticlus　till　Minerva　took
you　away　again。〃
　　〃How　sad；〃　exclaimed　Telemachus；　〃that　all　this　was　of　no　avail　to
save　him；　nor　yet　his　own　iron　courage。　But　now；　sir；　be　pleased　to
send　us　all　to　bed；　that　we　may　lie　down　and　enjoy　the　blessed　boon　of
sleep。〃
　　On　this　Helen　told　the　maid　servants　to　set　beds　in　the　room　that
was　in　the　gatehouse；　and　to　make　them　with　good　red　rugs；　and
spread　coverlets　on　the　top　of　them　with　woollen　cloaks　for　the　guests
to　wear。　So　the　maids　went　out；　carrying　a　torch；　and　made　the　beds；
to　which　a　man…servant　presently　conducted　the　strangers。　Thus；
then；　did　Telemachus　and　Pisistratus　sleep　there　in　the　forecourt；
while　the　son　of　Atreus　lay　in　an　inner　room　with　lovely　Helen　by
his　side。
　　When　the　child　of　morning；　rosy…fingered　Dawn；　appeared；　Menelaus
rose　and　dressed　himself。　He　bound　his　sandals　on　to　his　comely
feet；　girded　his　sword　about　his　shoulders；　and　left　his　room
looking　like　an　immortal　god。　Then；　taking　a　seat　near　Telemachus　he
said：
　　〃And　what；　Telemachus；　has　led　you　to　take　this　long　sea　voyage　to
Lacedaemon？　Are　you　on　public　or　private　business？　Tell　me　all　about
it。〃
　　〃I　have　come；　sir　replied　Telemachus；　〃to　see　if　you　can　tell　me
anything　about　my　father。　I　am　being　eaten　out　of　house　and　home；　my
fair　estate　is　being　wasted；　and　my　house　is　full　of　miscreants　who
keep　killing　great　numbers　of　my　sheep　and　oxen；　on　the　pretence　of
paying　their　addresses　to　my　mother。　Therefore；　I　am　suppliant　at　your
knees　if　haply　you　may　tell　me　about　my　father's　melancholy　end；
whether　you　saw　it　with　your　own　eyes；　or　heard　it　from　some　other
traveller；　for　he　was　a　man　born　to　trouble。　Do　not　soften　things
out　of　any　pity　for　myself；　but　tell　me　in　all　plainness　exactly
what　you　saw。　If　my　brave　father　Ulysses　ever　did　you　loyal　service
either　by　word　or　deed；　when　you　Achaeans　were　harassed　by　the
Trojans；　bear　it　in　mind　now　as　in　my　favour　and　tell　me　truly　all。〃
　　Menelaus　on　hearing　this　was　very　much　shocked。　〃So；〃　he
exclaimed；　〃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
Achaeans　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　questions；　however；　I　will　not　prevaricate　nor　deceive
you；　but　will　tell　you　without　concealment　all　that　the　old　man　of　the
sea　told　me。
　　〃I　was　trying　to　come　on　here；　but　the　gods　detained　me　in　Egypt；
for　my　hecatombs　had　not　given　them　full　satisfaction；　and　the　gods
are　very　strict　about　having　their　dues。　Now　off　Egypt；　about　as　far
as　a　ship　can　sail　in　a　day　with　a　good　stiff　breeze　behind　her；　there
is　an　island　called　Pharos…　it　has　a　good　harbour　from　which　vessels
can　get　out　into　open　sea　when　they　have　taken　in　water…　and　the
gods　becalmed　me　twenty　days　without　so　much　as　a　breath　of　fair
wind　to　help　me　forward。　We　should　have　run　clean　out　of　provisions
and　my　men　would　have　starved；　if　a　goddess　had　not　taken　pity　upon　me
and　saved　me　in　the　person　of　Idothea；　daughter　to　Proteus；　the　old
man　of　the　sea；　for　she　had　taken　a　great　fancy　to　me。
　　〃She　came　to　me　one　day　when　I　was　by　myself；　as　I　often　was；　for
the　men　used　to　go　with　their　barbed　hooks；　all　over　the　island　in　the
hope　of　catching　a　fish　or　two　to　save　them　from　the　pangs　of
hunger。　'Stranger；'　said　she；　'it　seems　to　me　that　you　like　starving
in　this　way…　at　any　rate　it　does　not　greatly　trouble　you；　for　you
stick　here　day　after　day；　without　even　trying　to　get　away　though
your　men　are　dying　by　inches。'
　　〃'Let　me　tell　you；'　said　I；　'whichever　of　the　goddesses　you　may
happen　to　be；　that　I　am　not　staying　here　of　my　own　accord；　but　must
have　offended　the　gods　that　live　in　heaven。　Tell　me；　therefore；　for
the　gods　know　everything。　which　of　the　immortals　it　is　that　is
hindering　me　in　this　way；　and　tell　me　also　how　I　may　sail　the　sea　so
as　to　reach　my　home。'
　　〃'Stranger；'　replied　she；　'I　will　make　it　all　quite　clear　to　you。
There　is　an　old　immortal　who　lives　under　the　sea　hereabouts　and
whose　name　is　Proteus。　He　is　an　Egyptian；　and　people　say　he　is　my
father；　he　is　Neptune's　head　man　and　knows　every　inch　of　ground　all
over　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　If　you　can　snare　him　and　hold　him　tight；
he　will　tell　you　about　your　voyage；　what　courses　you　are　to　take；
and　how　you　are　to　sail　the　sea　so　as　to　reach　your　home。　He　will　also
tell　you；　if　you　so　will；　all　that　has　been　going　on　at　your　house
both　good　and　bad；　while　you　have　been　away　on　your　long　and　dangerous
journey。'
　　〃'Can　you　show　me；'　said　I；　'some　stratagem　by　means　of　which　I
may　catch　this　old　god　without　his　suspecting　it　and　finding　me　out？
For　a　god　is　not　easily　caught…　not　by　a　mortal　man。'
　　〃'Stranger；'　said　she；　'I　will　make　it　all　quite　clear　to　you。　About
the　time　when　the　sun　shall　have　reached　mid　heaven；　the　old　man　of
the　sea　comes　up　from　under　the　waves；　heralded　by　the　West　wind
that　furs　the　water　over　his　head。　As　soon　as　he　has　come　up　he　lies
down；　and　goes　to　sleep　in　a　great　sea　cave；　where　the　seals…
Halosydne's　chickens　as　they　call　them…　come　up　also　from　the　grey
sea；　and　go　to　sleep　in　shoals　all　round　him；　and　a　very　strong　and
fish…like　smell　do　they　bring　with　them。　Early　to…morrow　morning　I
will　take　you　to　this　place　and　will　lay　you　in　ambush。　Pick　out；
therefore；　the　three　best　men　you　have　in　your　fleet；　and　I　will
tell　you　all　the　tricks　that　the　old　man　will　play　you。
　　〃'First　he　will　look　over　all　his　seals；　and　count　them；　then；
when　he　has　seen　them　and　tallied　them　on　his　five　fingers；　he　will　go
to　sleep　among　them；　as　a　shepherd　among　his　sheep。　The　moment　you　see
that　he　is　asleep　seize　him；　put　forth　all　your　strength　and　hold
him　fast；　for　he　will　do　his　very　utmost　to　get　away　from　you。　He　will
turn　himself　into　every　kind　of　creature　that　goes　upon　the　earth；　and
will　become　also　both　fire　and　water；　but　you　must　hold　him　fast　and
grip　him　tighter　and　tighter；　till　he　begins　to　talk　to　you　and
com