the odyssey(奥德赛)-第2章

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rather　than　a　longer　purse；　for　money　would　not　serve　them；　but　he；
alas；　has　fallen　on　an　ill　fate；　and　even　when　people　do　sometimes　say
that　he　is　coming；　we　no　longer　heed　them；　we　shall　never　see　him
again。　And　now；　sir；　tell　me　and　tell　me　true；　who　you　are　and　where
you　come　from。　Tell　me　of　your　town　and　parents；　what　manner　of　ship
you　came　in；　how　your　crew　brought　you　to　Ithaca；　and　of　what　nation
they　declared　themselves　to　be…　for　you　cannot　have　come　by　land。　Tell
me　also　truly；　for　I　want　to　know；　are　you　a　stranger　to　this　house；
or　have　you　been　here　in　my　father's　time？　In　the　old　days　we　had　many
visitors　for　my　father　went　about　much　himself。〃
　　And　Minerva　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you　truly　and　particularly　all
about　it。　I　am　Mentes；　son　of　Anchialus；　and　I　am　King　of　the
Taphians。　I　have　come　here　with　my　ship　and　crew；　on　a　voyage　to　men
of　a　foreign　tongue　being　bound　for　Temesa　with　a　cargo　of　iron；　and　I
shall　bring　back　copper。　As　for　my　ship；　it　lies　over　yonder　off　the
open　country　away　from　the　town；　in　the　harbour　Rheithron　under　the
wooded　mountain　Neritum。　Our　fathers　were　friends　before　us；　as　old
Laertes　will　tell　you；　if　you　will　go　and　ask　him。　They　say；
however；　that　he　never　comes　to　town　now；　and　lives　by　himself　in
the　country；　faring　hardly；　with　an　old　woman　to　look　after　him　and
get　his　dinner　for　him；　when　he　comes　in　tired　from　pottering　about
his　vineyard。　They　told　me　your　father　was　at　home　again；　and　that　was
why　I　came；　but　it　seems　the　gods　are　still　keeping　him　back；　for　he
is　not　dead　yet　not　on　the　mainland。　It　is　more　likely　he　is　on　some
sea…girt　island　in　mid　ocean；　or　a　prisoner　among　savages　who　are
detaining　him　against　his　will　I　am　no　prophet；　and　know　very　little
about　omens；　but　I　speak　as　it　is　borne　in　upon　me　from　heaven；　and
assure　you　that　he　will　not　be　away　much　longer；　for　he　is　a　man　of
such　resource　that　even　though　he　were　in　chains　of　iron　he　would　find
some　means　of　getting　home　again。　But　tell　me；　and　tell　me　true；　can
Ulysses　really　have　such　a　fine　looking　fellow　for　a　son？　You　are
indeed　wonderfully　like　him　about　the　head　and　eyes；　for　we　were　close
friends　before　he　set　sail　for　Troy　where　the　flower　of　all　the
Argives　went　also。　Since　that　time　we　have　never　either　of　us　seen　the
other。〃
　　〃My　mother；〃　answered　Telemachus；　tells　me　I　am　son　to　Ulysses；
but　it　is　a　wise　child　that　knows　his　own　father。　Would　that　I　were
son　to　one　who　had　grown　old　upon　his　own　estates；　for；　since　you
ask　me；　there　is　no　more　ill…starred　man　under　heaven　than　he　who　they
tell　me　is　my　father。〃
　　And　Minerva　said；　〃There　is　no　fear　of　your　race　dying　out　yet；
while　Penelope　has　such　a　fine　son　as　you　are。　But　tell　me；　and　tell
me　true；　what　is　the　meaning　of　all　this　feasting；　and　who　are　these
people？　What　is　it　all　about？　Have　you　some　banquet；　or　is　there　a
wedding　in　the　family…　for　no　one　seems　to　be　bringing　any
provisions　of　his　own？　And　the　guests…　how　atrociously　they　are
behaving；　what　riot　they　make　over　the　whole　house；　it　is　enough　to
disgust　any　respectable　person　who　comes　near　them。〃
　　〃Sir；〃　said　Telemachus；　〃as　regards　your　question；　so　long　as　my
father　was　here　it　was　well　with　us　and　with　the　house；　but　the　gods
in　their　displeasure　have　willed　it　otherwise；　and　have　hidden　him
away　more　closely　than　mortal　man　was　ever　yet　hidden。　I　could　have
borne　it　better　even　though　he　were　dead；　if　he　had　fallen　with　his
men　before　Troy；　or　had　died　with　friends　around　him　when　the　days
of　his　fighting　were　done；　for　then　the　Achaeans　would　have　built　a
mound　over　his　ashes；　and　I　should　myself　have　been　heir　to　his
renown；　but　now　the　storm…winds　have　spirited　him　away　we　know　not
wither；　he　is　gone　without　leaving　so　much　as　a　trace　behind　him；
and　I　inherit　nothing　but　dismay。　Nor　does　the　matter　end　simply
with　grief　for　the　loss　of　my　father；　heaven　has　laid　sorrows　upon
me　of　yet　another　kind；　for　the　chiefs　from　all　our　islands；
Dulichium；　Same；　and　the　woodland　island　of　Zacynthus；　as　also　all　the
principal　men　of　Ithaca　itself；　are　eating　up　my　house　under　the
pretext　of　paying　their　court　to　my　mother；　who　will　neither　point
blank　say　that　she　will　not　marry；　nor　yet　bring　matters　to　an　end；　so
they　are　making　havoc　of　my　estate；　and　before　long　will　do　so　also
with　myself。〃
　　〃Is　that　so？〃　exclaimed　Minerva；　〃then　you　do　indeed　want　Ulysses
home　again。　Give　him　his　helmet；　shield；　and　a　couple　lances；　and　if
he　is　the　man　he　was　when　I　first　knew　him　in　our　house；　drinking
and　making　merry；　he　would　soon　lay　his　hands　about　these　rascally
suitors；　were　he　to　stand　once　more　upon　his　own　threshold。　He　was
then　coming　from　Ephyra；　where　he　had　been　to　beg　poison　for　his
arrows　from　Ilus；　son　of　Mermerus。　Ilus　feared　the　ever…living　gods
and　would　not　give　him　any；　but　my　father　let　him　have　some；　for　he
was　very　fond　of　him。　If　Ulysses　is　the　man　he　then　was　these
suitors　will　have　a　short　shrift　and　a　sorry　wedding。
　　〃But　there！　It　rests　with　heaven　to　determine　whether　he　is　to
return；　and　take　his　revenge　in　his　own　house　or　no；　I　would；　however；
urge　you　to　set　about　trying　to　get　rid　of　these　suitors　at　once。　Take
my　advice；　call　the　Achaean　heroes　in　assembly　to…morrow　…lay　your
case　before　them；　and　call　heaven　to　bear　you　witness。　Bid　the　suitors
take　themselves　off；　each　to　his　own　place；　and　if　your　mother's
mind　is　set　on　marrying　again；　let　her　go　back　to　her　father；　who　will
find　her　a　husband　and　provide　her　with　all　the　marriage　gifts　that　so
dear　a　daughter　may　expect。　As　for　yourself；　let　me　prevail　upon　you
to　take　the　best　ship　you　can　get；　with　a　crew　of　twenty　men；　and　go
in　quest　of　your　father　who　has　so　long　been　missing。　Some　one　may
tell　you　something；　or　（and　people　often　hear　things　in　this　way）　some
heaven…sent　message　may　direct　you。　First　go　to　Pylos　and　ask
Nestor；　thence　go　on　to　Sparta　and　visit　Menelaus；　for　he　got　home
last　of　all　the　Achaeans；　if　you　hear　that　your　father　is　alive　and　on
his　way　home；　you　can　put　up　with　the　waste　these　suitors　will　make
for　yet　another　twelve　months。　If　on　the　other　hand　you　hear　of　his
death；　come　home　at　once；　celebrate　his　funeral　rites　with　all　due
pomp；　build　a　barrow　to　his　memory；　and　make　your　mother　marry
again。　Then；　having　done　all　this；　think　it　well　over　in　your　mind
how；　by　fair　means　or　foul；　you　may　kill　these　suitors　in　your　own
house。　You　are　too　old　to　plead　infancy　any　longer；　have　you　not　heard
how　people　are　singing　Orestes'　praises　for　having　killed　his　father's
murderer　Aegisthus？　You　are　a　fine；　smart　looking　fellow；　show　your
mettle；　then；　and　make　yourself　a　name　in　story。　Now；　however；　I
must　go　back　to　my　ship　and　to　my　crew；　who　will　be　impatient　if　I
keep　them　waiting　longer；　think　the　matter　over　for　yourself；　and
remember　what　I　have　said　to　you。〃
　　〃Sir；〃　answered　Telemachus；　〃it　has　been　very　kind　of　you　to　talk　to
me　in　this　way；　as　though　I　were　your　own　son；　and　I　will　do　all　you
tell　me；　I　know　you　want　to　be　getting　on　with　your　voyage；　but　stay　a
little　longer　till　you　have　taken　a　bath　and　refreshed　yourself。　I
will　then　give　you　a　present；　and　you　shall　go　on　your　way
rejoicing；　I　will　give　you　one　of　great　beauty　and　value…　a　keepsake
such　as　only　dear　friends　give　to　one　another。〃
　　Minerva　answered；　〃Do　not　try　to　keep　me；　for　I　would　be　on　my　way
at　once。　As　for　any　present　you　may　be　disposed　to　make　me；　keep　it
till　I　come　again；　and　I　will　take　it　home　with　me。　You　shall　give
me　a　very　good　one；　and　I　will　give　you　one　of　no　less　value　in
return。〃
　　With　these　words　she　flew　away　like　a　bird　into　the　air；　but　she　had
given　Telemachus　courage；　and　had　made　him　think　more　than　ever
about　his　father。　He　felt　the　change；　wondered　at　it；　and　knew　that
the　stranger　had　been　a　god；　so　he　went　straight　to　where　the
suitors　were　sitting。
　　Phemius　was　still　singing；　and　his　hearers　sat　rapt　in　silence　as　he
told　the　sad　tale　of　the　return　from　Troy；　and　the　ills　Minerva　had
laid　upon　the　Achaeans。　Penelope；　daughter　of　Icarius；　heard　his
song　from　her　room　upstairs；　and　came　down　by　the　great　staircase；　not
alone；　bu