the odyssey(奥德赛)-第20章

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likeness　of　a　little　girl　carrying　a　pitcher。　She　stood　right　in　front
of　him；　and　Ulysses　said：
　　〃My　dear；　will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　show　me　the　house　of　king
Alcinous？　I　am　an　unfortunate　foreigner　in　distress；　and　do　not　know
one　in　your　town　and　country。〃
　　Then　Minerva　said；　〃Yes；　father　stranger；　I　will　show　you　the
house　you　want；　for　Alcinous　lives　quite　close　to　my　own　father。　I
will　go　before　you　and　show　the　way；　but　say　not　a　word　as　you　go；　and
do　not　look　at　any　man；　nor　ask　him　questions；　for　the　people　here
cannot　abide　strangers；　and　do　not　like　men　who　come　from　some　other
place。　They　are　a　sea…faring　folk；　and　sail　the　seas　by　the　grace　of
Neptune　in　ships　that　glide　along　like　thought；　or　as　a　bird　in　the
air。〃
　　On　this　she　led　the　way；　and　Ulysses　followed　in　her　steps；　but
not　one　of　the　Phaecians　could　see　him　as　he　passed　through　the　city
in　the　midst　of　them；　for　the　great　goddess　Minerva　in　her　good　will
towards　him　had　hidden　him　in　a　thick　cloud　of　darkness。　He　admired
their　harbours；　ships；　places　of　assembly；　and　the　lofty　walls　of
the　city；　which；　with　the　palisade　on　top　of　them；　were　very　striking；
and　when　they　reached　the　king's　house　Minerva　said：
　　〃This　is　the　house；　father　stranger；　which　you　would　have　me　show
you。　You　will　find　a　number　of　great　people　sitting　at　table；　but　do
not　be　afraid；　go　straight　in；　for　the　bolder　a　man　is　the　more　likely
he　is　to　carry　his　point；　even　though　he　is　a　stranger。　First　find　the
queen。　Her　name　is　Arete；　and　she　comes　of　the　same　family　as　her
husband　Alcinous。　They　both　descend　originally　from　Neptune；　who　was
father　to　Nausithous　by　Periboea；　a　woman　of　great　beauty。　Periboea
was　the　youngest　daughter　of　Eurymedon；　who　at　one　time　reigned　over
the　giants；　but　he　ruined　his　ill…fated　people　and　lost　his　own　life
to　boot。
　　〃Neptune；　however；　lay　with　his　daughter；　and　she　had　a　son　by
him；　the　great　Nausithous；　who　reigned　over　the　Phaecians。
Nausithous　had　two　sons　Rhexenor　and　Alcinous；　Apollo　killed　the　first
of　them　while　he　was　still　a　bridegroom　and　without　male　issue；　but　he
left　a　daughter　Arete；　whom　Alcinous　married；　and　honours　as　no
other　woman　is　honoured　of　all　those　that　keep　house　along　with
their　husbands。
　　〃Thus　she　both　was；　and　still　is；　respected　beyond　measure　by　her
children；　by　Alcinous　himself；　and　by　the　whole　people；　who　look
upon　her　as　a　goddess；　and　greet　her　whenever　she　goes　about　the　city；
for　she　is　a　thoroughly　good　woman　both　in　head　and　heart；　and　when
any　women　are　friends　of　hers；　she　will　help　their　husbands　also　to
settle　their　disputes。　If　you　can　gain　her　good　will；　you　may　have
every　hope　of　seeing　your　friends　again；　and　getting　safely　back　to
your　home　and　country。〃
　　Then　Minerva　left　Scheria　and　went　away　over　the　sea。　She　went　to
Marathon　and　to　the　spacious　streets　of　Athens；　where　she　entered
the　abode　of　Erechtheus；　but　Ulysses　went　on　to　the　house　of　Alcinous；
and　he　pondered　much　as　he　paused　a　while　before　reaching　the
threshold　of　bronze；　for　the　splendour　of　the　palace　was　like　that
of　the　sun　or　moon。　The　walls　on　either　side　were　of　bronze　from　end
to　end；　and　the　cornice　was　of　blue　enamel。　The　doors　were　gold；　and
hung　on　pillars　of　silver　that　rose　from　a　floor　of　bronze；　while
the　lintel　was　silver　and　the　hook　of　the　door　was　of　gold。
　　On　either　side　there　stood　gold　and　silver　mastiffs　which　Vulcan；
with　his　consummate　skill；　had　fashioned　expressly　to　keep　watch
over　the　palace　of　king　Alcinous；　so　they　were　immortal　and　could
never　grow　old。　Seats　were　ranged　all　along　the　wall；　here　and　there
from　one　end　to　the　other；　with　coverings　of　fine　woven　work　which　the
women　of　the　house　had　made。　Here　the　chief　persons　of　the　Phaecians
used　to　sit　and　eat　and　drink；　for　there　was　abundance　at　all　seasons；
and　there　were　golden　figures　of　young　men　with　lighted　torches　in
their　hands；　raised　on　pedestals；　to　give　light　by　night　to　those
who　were　at　table。　There　are　fifty　maid　servants　in　the　house；　some　of
whom　are　always　grinding　rich　yellow　grain　at　the　mill；　while　others
work　at　the　loom；　or　sit　and　spin；　and　their　shuttles　go；　backwards
and　forwards　like　the　fluttering　of　aspen　leaves；　while　the　linen　is
so　closely　woven　that　it　will　turn　oil。　As　the　Phaecians　are　the
best　sailors　in　the　world；　so　their　women　excel　all　others　in　weaving；
for　Minerva　has　taught　them　all　manner　of　useful　arts；　and　they　are
very　intelligent。
　　Outside　the　gate　of　the　outer　court　there　is　a　large　garden　of　about
four　acres　with　a　wall　all　round　it。　It　is　full　of　beautiful　trees…
pears；　pomegranates；　and　the　most　delicious　apples。　There　are　luscious
figs　also；　and　olives　in　full　growth。　The　fruits　never　rot　nor　fail
all　the　year　round；　neither　winter　nor　summer；　for　the　air　is　so
soft　that　a　new　crop　ripens　before　the　old　has　dropped。　Pear　grows
on　pear；　apple　on　apple；　and　fig　on　fig；　and　so　also　with　the
grapes；　for　there　is　an　excellent　vineyard：　on　the　level　ground　of　a
part　of　this；　the　grapes　are　being　made　into　raisins；　in　another
part　they　are　being　gathered；　some　are　being　trodden　in　the　wine　tubs；
others　further　on　have　shed　their　blossom　and　are　beginning　to　show
fruit；　others　again　are　just　changing　colour。　In　the　furthest　part
of　the　ground　there　are　beautifully　arranged　beds　of　flowers　that
are　in　bloom　all　the　year　round。　Two　streams　go　through　it；　the　one
turned　in　ducts　throughout　the　whole　garden；　while　the　other　is
carried　under　the　ground　of　the　outer　court　to　the　house　itself；　and
the　town's　people　draw　water　from　it。　Such；　then；　were　the
splendours　with　which　the　gods　had　endowed　the　house　of　king　Alcinous。
　　So　here　Ulysses　stood　for　a　while　and　looked　about　him；　but　when
he　had　looked　long　enough　he　crossed　the　threshold　and　went　within　the
precincts　of　the　house。　There　he　found　all　the　chief　people　among
the　Phaecians　making　their　drink…offerings　to　Mercury；　which　they
always　did　the　last　thing　before　going　away　for　the　night。　He　went
straight　through　the　court；　still　hidden　by　the　cloak　of　darkness　in
which　Minerva　had　enveloped　him；　till　he　reached　Arete　and　King
Alcinous；　then　he　laid　his　hands　upon　the　knees　of　the　queen；　and　at
that　moment　the　miraculous　darkness　fell　away　from　him　and　he　became
visible。　Every　one　was　speechless　with　surprise　at　seeing　a　man　there；
but　Ulysses　began　at　once　with　his　petition。
　　〃Queen　Arete；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃daughter　of　great　Rhexenor；　in　my
distress　I　humbly　pray　you；　as　also　your　husband　and　these　your　guests
（whom　may　heaven　prosper　with　long　life　and　happiness；　and　may　they
leave　their　possessions　to　their　children；　and　all　the　honours
conferred　upon　them　by　the　state）　to　help　me　home　to　my　own　country　as
soon　as　possible；　for　I　have　been　long　in　trouble　and　away　from　my
friends。〃
　　Then　he　sat　down　on　the　hearth　among　the　ashes　and　they　all　held
their　peace；　till　presently　the　old　hero　Echeneus；　who　was　an
excellent　speaker　and　an　elder　among　the　Phaeacians；　plainly　and　in
all　honesty　addressed　them　thus：
　　〃Alcinous；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　not　creditable　to　you　that　a　stranger
should　be　seen　sitting　among　the　ashes　of　your　hearth；　every　one　is
waiting　to　hear　what　you　are　about　to　say；　tell　him；　then；　to　rise　and
take　a　seat　on　a　stool　inlaid　with　silver；　and　bid　your　servants　mix
some　wine　and　water　that　we　may　make　a　drink…offering　to　Jove　the　lord
of　thunder；　who　takes　all　well…disposed　suppliants　under　his
protection；　and　let　the　housekeeper　give　him　some　supper；　of
whatever　there　may　be　in　the　house。〃
　　When　Alcinous　heard　this　he　took　Ulysses　by　the　hand；　raised　him
from　the　hearth；　and　bade　him　take　the　seat　of　Laodamas；　who　had
been　sitting　beside　him；　and　was　his　favourite　son。　A　maid　servant
then　brought　him　water　in　a　beautiful　golden　ewer　and　poured　it　into　a
silver　basin　for　him　to　wash　his　hands；　and　she　drew　a　clean　table
beside　him；　an　upper　servant　brought　him　bread　and　offered　him　many
good　things　of　what　there　was　in　the　house；　and　Ulysses　ate　and　drank。
Then　Alcinous　said　to　one　of　the　servants；　〃Pontonous；　mix　a　cup　of
wine　and　hand　it　round　that　we　may　make　drink…offerings　to　Jove　the
lord　of　thunder；