the odyssey(奥德赛)-第14章

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be　able　to　hit　on　some　plan　for　enlisting　public　sympathy　on　our　side；
as　against　those　who　are　trying　to　exterminate　his　own　race　and　that
of　Ulysses。〃
　　Then　the　dear　old　nurse　Euryclea　said；　〃You　may　kill　me；　Madam；　or
let　me　live　on　in　your　house；　whichever　you　please；　but　I　will　tell
you　the　real　truth。　I　knew　all　about　it；　and　gave　him　everything　he
wanted　in　the　way　of　bread　and　wine；　but　he　made　me　take　my　solemn
oath　that　I　would　not　tell　you　anything　for　some　ten　or　twelve　days；
unless　you　asked　or　happened　to　hear　of　his　having　gone；　for　he　did
not　want　you　to　spoil　your　beauty　by　crying。　And　now；　Madam；　wash　your
face；　change　your　dress；　and　go　upstairs　with　your　maids　to　offer
prayers　to　Minerva；　daughter　of　Aegis…bearing　Jove；　for　she　can　save
him　even　though　he　be　in　the　jaws　of　death。　Do　not　trouble　Laertes：　he
has　trouble　enough　already。　Besides；　I　cannot　think　that　the　gods　hate
die　race　of　the　race　of　the　son　of　Arceisius　so　much；　but　there　will
be　a　son　left　to　come　up　after　him；　and　inherit　both　the　house　and　the
fair　fields　that　lie　far　all　round　it。〃
　　With　these　words　she　made　her　mistress　leave　off　crying；　and　dried
the　tears　from　her　eyes。　Penelope　washed　her　face；　changed　her
dress；　and　went　upstairs　with　her　maids。　She　then　put　some　bruised
barley　into　a　basket　and　began　praying　to　Minerva。
　　〃Hear　me；〃　she　cried；　〃Daughter　of　Aegis…bearing　Jove；
unweariable。　If　ever　Ulysses　while　he　was　here　burned　you　fat　thigh
bones　of　sheep　or　heifer；　bear　it　in　mind　now　as　in　my　favour；　and
save　my　darling　son　from　the　villainy　of　the　suitors。〃
　　She　cried　aloud　as　she　spoke；　and　the　goddess　heard　her　prayer；
meanwhile　the　suitors　were　clamorous　throughout　the　covered
cloister；　and　one　of　them　said：
　　〃The　queen　is　preparing　for　her　marriage　with　one　or　other　of　us。
Little　does　she　dream　that　her　son　has　now　been　doomed　to　die。〃
　　This　was　what　they　said；　but　they　did　not　know　what　was　going　to
happen。　Then　Antinous　said；　〃Comrades；　let　there　be　no　loud　talking；
lest　some　of　it　get　carried　inside。　Let　us　be　up　and　do　that　in
silence；　about　which　we　are　all　of　a　mind。〃
　　He　then　chose　twenty　men；　and　they　went　down　to　their。　ship　and　to
the　sea　side；　they　drew　the　vessel　into　the　water　and　got　her　mast　and
sails　inside　her；　they　bound　the　oars　to　the　thole…pins　with　twisted
thongs　of　leather；　all　in　due　course；　and　spread　the　white　sails
aloft；　while　their　fine　servants　brought　them　their　armour。　Then
they　made　the　ship　fast　a　little　way　out；　came　on　shore　again；　got
their　suppers；　and　waited　till　night　should　fall。
　　But　Penelope　lay　in　her　own　room　upstairs　unable　to　eat　or　drink；
and　wondering　whether　her　brave　son　would　escape；　or　be　overpowered　by
the　wicked　suitors。　Like　a　lioness　caught　in　the　toils　with　huntsmen
hemming　her　in　on　every　side　she　thought　and　thought　till　she　sank
into　a　slumber；　and　lay　on　her　bed　bereft　of　thought　and　motion。
　　Then　Minerva　bethought　her　of　another　matter；　and　made　a　vision　in
the　likeness　of　Penelope's　sister　Iphthime　daughter　of　Icarius　who　had
married　Eumelus　and　lived　in　Pherae。　She　told　the　vision　to　go　to
the　house　of　Ulysses；　and　to　make　Penelope　leave　off　crying；　so　it
came　into　her　room　by　the　hole　through　which　the　thong　went　for
pulling　the　door　to；　and　hovered　over　her　head；　saying；
　　〃You　are　asleep；　Penelope：　the　gods　who　live　at　ease　will　not　suffer
you　to　weep　and　be　so　sad。　Your　son　has　done　them　no　wrong；　so　he　will
yet　come　back　to　you。〃
　　Penelope；　who　was　sleeping　sweetly　at　the　gates　of　dreamland；
answered；　〃Sister；　why　have　you　come　here？　You　do　not　come　very　often；
but　I　suppose　that　is　because　you　live　such　a　long　way　off。　Am　I；
then；　to　leave　off　crying　and　refrain　from　all　the　sad　thoughts　that
torture　me？　I；　who　have　lost　my　brave　and　lion…hearted　husband；　who
had　every　good　quality　under　heaven；　and　whose　name　was　great　over　all
Hellas　and　middle　Argos；　and　now　my　darling　son　has　gone　off　on
board　of　a　ship…　a　foolish　fellow　who　has　never　been　used　to
roughing　it；　nor　to　going　about　among　gatherings　of　men。　I　am　even
more　anxious　about　him　than　about　my　husband；　I　am　all　in　a　tremble
when　I　think　of　him；　lest　something　should　happen　to　him；　either
from　the　people　among　whom　he　has　gone；　or　by　sea；　for　he　has　many
enemies　who　are　plotting　against　him；　and　are　bent　on　killing　him
before　he　can　return　home。〃
　　Then　the　vision　said；　〃Take　heart；　and　be　not　so　much　dismayed。
There　is　one　gone　with　him　whom　many　a　man　would　be　glad　enough　to
have　stand　by　his　side；　I　mean　Minerva；　it　is　she　who　has　compassion
upon　you；　and　who　has　sent　me　to　bear　you　this　message。〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　Penelope；　〃if　you　are　a　god　or　have　been　sent　here　by
divine　commission；　tell　me　also　about　that　other　unhappy　one…　is　he
still　alive；　or　is　he　already　dead　and　in　the　house　of　Hades？〃
　　And　the　vision　said；　〃I　shall　not　tell　you　for　certain　whether　he　is
alive　or　dead；　and　there　is　no　use　in　idle　conversation。〃
　　Then　it　vanished　through　the　thong…hole　of　the　door　and　was
dissipated　into　thin　air；　but　Penelope　rose　from　her　sleep　refreshed
and　comforted；　so　vivid　had　been　her　dream。
　　Meantime　the　suitors　went　on　board　and　sailed　their　ways　over　the
sea；　intent　on　murdering　Telemachus。　Now　there　is　a　rocky　islet　called
Asteris；　of　no　great　size；　in　mid　channel　between　Ithaca　and　Samos；
and　there　is　a　harbour　on　either　side　of　it　where　a　ship　can　lie。　Here
then　the　Achaeans　placed　themselves　in　ambush。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　V。
　　AND　NOW；　as　Dawn　rose　from　her　couch　beside　Tithonus…　harbinger　of
light　alike　to　mortals　and　immortals…　the　gods　met　in　council　and　with
them；　Jove　the　lord　of　thunder；　who　is　their　king。　Thereon　Minerva
began　to　tell　them　of　the　many　sufferings　of　Ulysses；　for　she　pitied
him　away　there　in　the　house　of　the　nymph　Calypso。
　　〃Father　Jove；〃　said　she；　〃and　all　you　other　gods　that　live　in
everlasting　bliss；　I　hope　there　may　never　be　such　a　thing　as　a　kind
and　well…disposed　ruler　any　more；　nor　one　who　will　govern　equitably。　I
hope　they　will　be　all　henceforth　cruel　and　unjust；　for　there　is　not
one　of　his　subjects　but　has　forgotten　Ulysses；　who　ruled　them　as
though　he　were　their　father。　There　he　is；　lying　in　great　pain　in　an
island　where　dwells　the　nymph　Calypso；　who　will　not　let　him　go；　and　he
cannot　get　back　to　his　own　country；　for　he　can　find　neither　ships
nor　sailors　to　take　him　over　the　sea。　Furthermore；　wicked　people　are
now　trying　to　murder　his　only　son　Telemachus；　who　is　coming　home
from　Pylos　and　Lacedaemon；　where　he　has　been　to　see　if　he　can　get　news
of　his　father。〃
　　〃What；　my　dear；　are　you　talking　about？〃　replied　her　father；　〃did　you
not　send　him　there　yourself；　because　you　thought　it　would　help　Ulysses
to　get　home　and　punish　the　suitors？　Besides；　you　are　perfectly　able　to
protect　Telemachus；　and　to　see　him　safely　home　again；　while　the
suitors　have　to　come　hurry…skurrying　back　without　having　killed　him。〃
　　When　he　had　thus　spoken；　he　said　to　his　son　Mercury；　〃Mercury；　you
are　our　messenger；　go　therefore　and　tell　Calypso　we　have　decreed
that　poor　Ulysses　is　to　return　home。　He　is　to　be　convoyed　neither　by
gods　nor　men；　but　after　a　perilous　voyage　of　twenty　days　upon　a　raft
he　is　to　reach　fertile　Scheria；　the　land　of　the　Phaeacians；　who　are
near　of　kin　to　the　gods；　and　will　honour　him　as　though　he　were　one
of　ourselves。　They　will　send　him　in　a　ship　to　his　own　country；　and
will　give　him　more　bronze　and　gold　and　raiment　than　he　would　have
brought　back　from　Troy；　if　he　had　had　had　all　his　prize　money　and
had　got　home　without　disaster。　This　is　how　we　have　settled　that　he
shall　return　to　his　country　and　his　friends。〃
　　Thus　he　spoke；　and　Mercury；　guide　and　guardian；　slayer　of　Argus；　did
as　he　was　told。　Forthwith　he　bound　on　his　glittering　golden　sandals
with　which　he　could　fly　like　the　wind　over　land　and　sea。　He　took　the
wand　with　which　he　seals　men's　eyes　in　sleep　or　wakes　them　just　as
he　pleases；　and　flew　holding　it　in　his　hand　over　Pieria；　then　he
swooped　down　through　the　firmament　till　he　reached　the　level　of　the
sea；　whose　waves　he　skimmed　like　a　cormorant　that　flies　fishing
every　hole　and　corner　of　the　ocean；　and　drenchi