the odyssey(奥德赛)-第16章

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on　his　shirt　and　cloak；　while　the　goddess　wore　a　dress　of　a　light
gossamer　fabric；　very　fine　and　graceful；　with　a　beautiful　golden
girdle　about　her　waist　and　a　veil　to　cover　her　head。　She　at　once　set
herself　to　think　how　she　could　speed　Ulysses　on　his　way。　So　she　gave
him　a　great　bronze　axe　that　suited　his　hands；　it　was　sharpened　on　both
sides；　and　had　a　beautiful　olive…wood　handle　fitted　firmly　on　to　it。
She　also　gave　him　a　sharp　adze；　and　then　led　the　way　to　the　far　end　of
the　island　where　the　largest　trees　grew…　alder；　poplar　and　pine；
that　reached　the　sky…　very　dry　and　well　seasoned；　so　as　to　sail
light　for　him　in　the　water。　Then；　when　she　had　shown　him　where　the
best　trees　grew；　Calypso　went　home；　leaving　him　to　cut　them；　which
he　soon　finished　doing。　He　cut　down　twenty　trees　in　all　and　adzed　them
smooth；　squaring　them　by　rule　in　good　workmanlike　fashion。　Meanwhile
Calypso　came　back　with　some　augers；　so　he　bored　holes　with　them　and
fitted　the　timbers　together　with　bolts　and　rivets。　He　made　the　raft　as
broad　as　a　skilled　shipwright　makes　the　beam　of　a　large　vessel；　and　he
filed　a　deck　on　top　of　the　ribs；　and　ran　a　gunwale　all　round　it。　He
also　made　a　mast　with　a　yard　arm；　and　a　rudder　to　steer　with。　He
fenced　the　raft　all　round　with　wicker　hurdles　as　a　protection
against　the　waves；　and　then　he　threw　on　a　quantity　of　wood。　By　and
by　Calypso　brought　him　some　linen　to　make　the　sails；　and　he　made　these
too；　excellently；　making　them　fast　with　braces　and　sheets。　Last　of
all；　with　the　help　of　levers；　he　drew　the　raft　down　into　the　water。
　　In　four　days　he　had　completed　the　whole　work；　and　on　the　fifth
Calypso　sent　him　from　the　island　after　washing　him　and　giving　him　some
clean　clothes。　She　gave　him　a　goat　skin　full　of　black　wine；　and
another　larger　one　of　water；　she　also　gave　him　a　wallet　full　of
provisions；　and　found　him　in　much　good　meat。　Moreover；　she　made　the
wind　fair　and　warm　for　him；　and　gladly　did　Ulysses　spread　his　sail
before　it；　while　he　sat　and　guided　the　raft　skilfully　by　means　of
the　rudder。　He　never　closed　his　eyes；　but　kept　them　fixed　on　the
Pleiads；　on　late…setting　Bootes；　and　on　the　Bear…　which　men　also
call　the　wain；　and　which　turns　round　and　round　where　it　is；　facing
Orion；　and　alone　never　dipping　into　the　stream　of　Oceanus…　for　Calypso
had　told　him　to　keep　this　to　his　left。　Days　seven　and　ten　did　he
sail　over　the　sea；　and　on　the　eighteenth　the　dim　outlines　of　the
mountains　on　the　nearest　part　of　the　Phaeacian　coast　appeared；
rising　like　a　shield　on　the　horizon。
　　But　King　Neptune；　who　was　returning　from　the　Ethiopians；　caught
sight　of　Ulysses　a　long　way　off；　from　the　mountains　of　the　Solymi。
He　could　see　him　sailing　upon　the　sea；　and　it　made　him　very　angry；
so　he　wagged　his　head　and　muttered　to　himself；　saying；　heavens；　so　the
gods　have　been　changing　their　minds　about　Ulysses　while　I　was　away
in　Ethiopia；　and　now　he　is　close　to　the　land　of　the　Phaeacians；
where　it　is　decreed　that　he　shall　escape　from　the　calamities　that　have
befallen　him。　Still；　he　shall　have　plenty　of　hardship　yet　before　he
has　done　with　it。〃
　　Thereon　he　gathered　his　clouds　together；　grasped　his　trident；
stirred　it　round　in　the　sea；　and　roused　the　rage　of　every　wind　that
blows　till　earth；　sea；　and　sky　were　hidden　in　cloud；　and　night
sprang　forth　out　of　the　heavens。　Winds　from　East；　South；　North；　and
West　fell　upon　him　all　at　the　same　time；　and　a　tremendous　sea　got
up；　so　that　Ulysses'　heart　began　to　fail　him。　〃Alas；〃　he　said　to
himself　in　his　dismay；　〃what　ever　will　become　of　me？　I　am　afraid
Calypso　was　right　when　she　said　I　should　have　trouble　by　sea　before
I　got　back　home。　It　is　all　coming　true。　How　black　is　Jove　making
heaven　with　his　clouds；　and　what　a　sea　the　winds　are　raising　from
every　quarter　at　once。　I　am　now　safe　to　perish。　Blest　and　thrice　blest
were　those　Danaans　who　fell　before　Troy　in　the　cause　of　the　sons　of
Atreus。　Would　that　had　been　killed　on　the　day　when　the　Trojans　were
pressing　me　so　sorely　about　the　dead　body　of　Achilles；　for　then　I
should　have　had　due　burial　and　the　Achaeans　would　have　honoured　my
name；　but　now　it　seems　that　I　shall　come　to　a　most　pitiable　end。〃
　　As　he　spoke　a　sea　broke　over　him　with　such　terrific　fury　that　the
raft　reeled　again；　and　he　was　carried　overboard　a　long　way　off。　He　let
go　the　helm；　and　the　force　of　the　hurricane　was　so　great　that　it　broke
the　mast　half　way　up；　and　both　sail　and　yard　went　over　into　the　sea。
For　a　long　time　Ulysses　was　under　water；　and　it　was　all　he　could　do　to
rise　to　the　surface　again；　for　the　clothes　Calypso　had　given　him
weighed　him　down；　but　at　last　he　got　his　head　above　water　and　spat　out
the　bitter　brine　that　was　running　down　his　face　in　streams。　In　spite
of　all　this；　however；　he　did　not　lose　sight　of　his　raft；　but　swam　as
fast　as　he　could　towards　it；　got　hold　of　it；　and　climbed　on　board
again　so　as　to　escape　drowning。　The　sea　took　the　raft　and　tossed　it
about　as　Autumn　winds　whirl　thistledown　round　and　round　upon　a　road。
It　was　as　though　the　South；　North；　East；　and　West　winds　were　all
playing　battledore　and　shuttlecock　with　it　at　once。
　　When　he　was　in　this　plight；　Ino　daughter　of　Cadmus；　also　called
Leucothea；　saw　him。　She　had　formerly　been　a　mere　mortal；　but　had
been　since　raised　to　the　rank　of　a　marine　goddess。　Seeing　in　what
great　distress　Ulysses　now　was；　she　had　compassion　upon　him；　and；
rising　like　a　sea…gull　from　the　waves；　took　her　seat　upon　the　raft。
　　〃My　poor　good　man；〃　said　she；　〃why　is　Neptune　so　furiously　angry
with　you？　He　is　giving　you　a　great　deal　of　trouble；　but　for　all　his
bluster　he　will　not　kill　you。　You　seem　to　be　a　sensible　person；　do
then　as　I　bid　you；　strip；　leave　your　raft　to　drive　before　the　wind；
and　swim　to　the　Phaecian　coast　where　better　luck　awaits　you。　And　here；
take　my　veil　and　put　it　round　your　chest；　it　is　enchanted；　and　you　can
come　to　no　harm　so　long　as　you　wear　it。　As　soon　as　you　touch　land　take
it　off；　throw　it　back　as　far　as　you　can　into　the　sea；　and　then　go　away
again。〃　With　these　words　she　took　off　her　veil　and　gave　it　him。　Then
she　dived　down　again　like　a　sea…gull　and　vanished　beneath　the　dark
blue　waters。
　　But　Ulysses　did　not　know　what　to　think。　〃Alas；〃　he　said　to　himself
in　his　dismay；　〃this　is　only　some　one　or　other　of　the　gods　who　is
luring　me　to　ruin　by　advising　me　to　will　quit　my　raft。　At　any　rate　I
will　not　do　so　at　present；　for　the　land　where　she　said　I　should　be
quit　of　all　troubles　seemed　to　be　still　a　good　way　off。　I　know　what
I　will　do…　I　am　sure　it　will　be　best…　no　matter　what　happens　I　will
stick　to　the　raft　as　long　as　her　timbers　hold　together；　but　when　the
sea　breaks　her　up　I　will　swim　for　it；　I　do　not　see　how　I　can　do　any
better　than　this。〃
　　While　he　was　thus　in　two　minds；　Neptune　sent　a　terrible　great　wave
that　seemed　to　rear　itself　above　his　head　till　it　broke　right　over　the
raft；　which　then　went　to　pieces　as　though　it　were　a　heap　of　dry
chaff　tossed　about　by　a　whirlwind。　Ulysses　got　astride　of　one　plank
and　rode　upon　it　as　if　he　were　on　horseback；　he　then　took　off　the
clothes　Calypso　had　given　him；　bound　Ino's　veil　under　his　arms；　and
plunged　into　the　sea…　meaning　to　swim　on　shore。　King　Neptune　watched
him　as　he　did　so；　and　wagged　his　head；　muttering　to　himself　and
saying；　〃'There　now；　swim　up　and　down　as　you　best　can　till　you　fall　in
with　well…to…do　people。　I　do　not　think　you　will　be　able　to　say　that
I　have　let　you　off　too　lightly。〃　On　this　he　lashed　his　horses　and
drove　to　Aegae　where　his　palace　is。
　　But　Minerva　resolved　to　help　Ulysses；　so　she　bound　the　ways　of　all
the　winds　except　one；　and　made　them　lie　quite　still；　but　she　roused
a　good　stiff　breeze　from　the　North　that　should　lay　the　waters　till
Ulysses　reached　the　land　of　the　Phaeacians　where　he　would　be　safe。
　　Thereon　he　floated　about　for　two　nights　and　two　days　in　the　water；
with　a　heavy　swell　on　the　sea　and　death　staring　him　in　the　face；　but
when　the　third　day　broke；　the　wind　fell　and　there　was　a　dead　calm
without　so　much　as　a　breath　of　air　stirring。　As　he　rose　on　the　swell
he　looked　eagerly　ahead；　and　could　see　land　quite　near。　Then；　as
children　rejoice　when　their　dear　father　begins　to　get　better　after
having　for　a　long　time