the odyssey(奥德赛)-第23章

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your　mind。　Your　return　home　will　not　be　long　delayed；　for　the　ship
is　already　drawn　into　the　water；　and　the　crew　is　found。〃
　　Ulysses　answered；　〃Laodamas；　why　do　you　taunt　me　in　this　way？　my
mind　is　set　rather　on　cares　than　contests；　I　have　been　through
infinite　trouble；　and　am　come　among　you　now　as　a　suppliant；　praying
your　king　and　people　to　further　me　on　my　return　home。〃
　　Then　Euryalus　reviled　him　outright　and　said；　〃I　gather；　then；　that
you　are　unskilled　in　any　of　the　many　sports　that　men　generally　delight
in。　I　suppose　you　are　one　of　those　grasping　traders　that　go　about　in
ships　as　captains　or　merchants；　and　who　think　of　nothing　but　of
their　outward　freights　and　homeward　cargoes。　There　does　not　seem　to　be
much　of　the　athlete　about　you。〃
　　〃For　shame；　Sir；〃　answered　Ulysses；　fiercely；　〃you　are　an　insolent
fellow…　so　true　is　it　that　the　gods　do　not　grace　all　men　alike　in
speech；　person；　and　understanding。　One　man　may　be　of　weak　presence；
but　heaven　has　adorned　this　with　such　a　good　conversation　that　he
charms　every　one　who　sees　him；　his　honeyed　moderation　carries　his
hearers　with　him　so　that　he　is　leader　in　all　assemblies　of　his
fellows；　and　wherever　he　goes　he　is　looked　up　to。　Another　may　be　as
handsome　as　a　god；　but　his　good　looks　are　not　crowned　with　discretion。
This　is　your　case。　No　god　could　make　a　finer　looking　fellow　than　you
are；　but　you　are　a　fool。　Your　ill…judged　remarks　have　made　me
exceedingly　angry；　and　you　are　quite　mistaken；　for　I　excel　in　a
great　many　athletic　exercises；　indeed；　so　long　as　I　had　youth　and
strength；　I　was　among　the　first　athletes　of　the　age。　Now；　however；　I
am　worn　out　by　labour　and　sorrow；　for　I　have　gone　through　much　both　on
the　field　of　battle　and　by　the　waves　of　the　weary　sea；　still；　in　spite
of　all　this　I　will　compete；　for　your　taunts　have　stung　me　to　the
quick。〃
　　So　he　hurried　up　without　even　taking　his　cloak　off；　and　seized　a
disc；　larger；　more　massive　and　much　heavier　than　those　used　by　the
Phaeacians　when　disc…throwing　among　themselves。　Then；　swinging　it
back；　he　threw　it　from　his　brawny　hand；　and　it　made　a　humming　sound　in
the　air　as　he　did　so。　The　Phaeacians　quailed　beneath　the　rushing　of
its　flight　as　it　sped　gracefully　from　his　hand；　and　flew　beyond　any
mark　that　had　been　made　yet。　Minerva；　in　the　form　of　a　man；　came　and
marked　the　place　where　it　had　fallen。　〃A　blind　man；　Sir；〃　said　she；
〃could　easily　tell　your　mark　by　groping　for　it…　it　is　so　far　ahead
of　any　other。　You　may　make　your　mind　easy　about　this　contest；　for　no
Phaeacian　can　come　near　to　such　a　throw　as　yours。〃
　　Ulysses　was　glad　when　he　found　he　had　a　friend　among　the　lookers…on；
so　he　began　to　speak　more　pleasantly。　〃Young　men；〃　said　he；　〃come　up
to　that　throw　if　you　can；　and　I　will　throw　another　disc　as　heavy　or
even　heavier。　If　anyone　wants　to　have　a　bout　with　me　let　him　come
on；　for　I　am　exceedingly　angry；　I　will　box；　wrestle；　or　run；　I　do
not　care　what　it　is；　with　any　man　of　you　all　except　Laodamas；　but
not　with　him　because　I　am　his　guest；　and　one　cannot　compete　with　one's
own　personal　friend。　At　least　I　do　not　think　it　a　prudent　or　a
sensible　thing　for　a　guest　to　challenge　his　host's　family　at　any　game；
especially　when　he　is　in　a　foreign　country。　He　will　cut　the　ground
from　under　his　own　feet　if　he　does；　but　I　make　no　exception　as　regards
any　one　else；　for　I　want　to　have　the　matter　out　and　know　which　is
the　best　man。　I　am　a　good　hand　at　every　kind　of　athletic　sport　known
among　mankind。　I　am　an　excellent　archer。　In　battle　I　am　always　the
first　to　bring　a　man　down　with　my　arrow；　no　matter　how　many　more　are
taking　aim　at　him　alongside　of　me。　Philoctetes　was　the　only　man　who
could　shoot　better　than　I　could　when　we　Achaeans　were　before　Troy
and　in　practice。　I　far　excel　every　one　else　in　the　whole　world；　of
those　who　still　eat　bread　upon　the　face　of　the　earth；　but　I　should　not
like　to　shoot　against　the　mighty　dead；　such　as　Hercules；　or　Eurytus
the　Cechalian…men　who　could　shoot　against　the　gods　themselves。　This　in
fact　was　how　Eurytus　came　prematurely　by　his　end；　for　Apollo　was　angry
with　him　and　killed　him　because　he　challenged　him　as　an　archer。　I
can　throw　a　dart　farther　than　any　one　else　can　shoot　an　arrow。　Running
is　the　only　point　in　respect　of　which　I　am　afraid　some　of　the
Phaecians　might　beat　me；　for　I　have　been　brought　down　very　low　at　sea；
my　provisions　ran　short；　and　therefore　I　am　still　weak。〃
　　They　all　held　their　peace　except　King　Alcinous；　who　began；　〃Sir；
we　have　had　much　pleasure　in　hearing　all　that　you　have　told　us；　from
which　I　understand　that　you　are　willing　to　show　your　prowess；　as
having　been　displeased　with　some　insolent　remarks　that　have　been
made　to　you　by　one　of　our　athletes；　and　which　could　never　have　been
uttered　by　any　one　who　knows　how　to　talk　with　propriety。　I　hope　you
will　apprehend　my　meaning；　and　will　explain　to　any　be　one　of　your
chief　men　who　may　be　dining　with　yourself　and　your　family　when　you　get
home；　that　we　have　an　hereditary　aptitude　for　accomplishments　of　all
kinds。　We　are　not　particularly　remarkable　for　our　boxing；　nor　yet　as
wrestlers；　but　we　are　singularly　fleet　of　foot　and　are　excellent
sailors。　We　are　extremely　fond　of　good　dinners；　music；　and　dancing；　we
also　like　frequent　changes　of　linen；　warm　baths；　and　good　beds；　so
now；　please；　some　of　you　who　are　the　best　dancers　set　about　dancing；
that　our　guest　on　his　return　home　may　be　able　to　tell　his　friends
how　much　we　surpass　all　other　nations　as　sailors；　runners；　dancers；
minstrels。　Demodocus　has　left　his　lyre　at　my　house；　so　run　some　one　or
other　of　you　and　fetch　it　for　him。〃
　　On　this　a　servant　hurried　off　to　bring　the　lyre　from　the　king's
house；　and　the　nine　men　who　had　been　chosen　as　stewards　stood　forward。
It　was　their　business　to　manage　everything　connected　with　the
sports；　so　they　made　the　ground　smooth　and　marked　a　wide　space　for　the
dancers。　Presently　the　servant　came　back　with　Demodocus's　lyre；　and　he
took　his　place　in　the　midst　of　them；　whereon　the　best　young　dancers　in
the　town　began　to　foot　and　trip　it　so　nimbly　that　Ulysses　was
delighted　with　the　merry　twinkling　of　their　feet。
　　Meanwhile　the　bard　began　to　sing　the　loves　of　Mars　and　Venus；　and
how　they　first　began　their　intrigue　in　the　house　of　Vulcan。　Mars
made　Venus　many　presents；　and　defiled　King　Vulcan's　marriage　bed；　so
the　sun；　who　saw　what　they　were　about；　told　Vulcan。　Vulcan　was　very
angry　when　he　heard　such　dreadful　news；　so　he　went　to　his　smithy
brooding　mischief；　got　his　great　anvil　into　its　place；　and　began　to
forge　some　chains　which　none　could　either　unloose　or　break；　so　that
they　might　stay　there　in　that　place。　When　he　had　finished　his　snare　he
went　into　his　bedroom　and　festooned　the　bed…posts　all　over　with　chains
like　cobwebs；　he　also　let　many　hang　down　from　the　great　beam　of　the
ceiling。　Not　even　a　god　could　see　them；　so　fine　and　subtle　were
they。　As　soon　as　he　had　spread　the　chains　all　over　the　bed；　he　made　as
though　he　were　setting　out　for　the　fair　state　of　Lemnos；　which　of
all　places　in　the　world　was　the　one　he　was　most　fond　of。　But　Mars　kept
no　blind　look　out；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　him　start；　hurried　off　to　his
house；　burning　with　love　for　Venus。
　　Now　Venus　was　just　come　in　from　a　visit　to　her　father　Jove；　and
was　about　sitting　down　when　Mars　came　inside　the　house；　an　said　as
he　took　her　hand　in　his　own；　〃Let　us　go　to　the　couch　of　Vulcan：　he
is　not　at　home；　but　is　gone　off　to　Lemnos　among　the　Sintians；　whose
speech　is　barbarous。〃
　　She　was　nothing　loth；　so　they　went　to　the　couch　to　take　their
rest；　whereon　they　were　caught　in　the　toils　which　cunning　Vulcan　had
spread　for　them；　and　could　neither　get　up　nor　stir　hand　or　foot；　but
found　too　late　that　they　were　in　a　trap。　Then　Vulcan　came　up　to
them；　for　he　had　turned　back　before　reaching　Lemnos；　when　his　scout
the　sun　told　him　what　was　going　on。　He　was　in　a　furious　passion；　and
stood　in　the　vestibule　making　a　dreadful　noise　as　he　shouted　to　all
the　gods。
　　〃Father　Jove；〃　he　cried；　〃and　all　you　other　blessed　gods　who　live
for　ever；　come　here　and　see　the　ridiculous　and　disgraceful　sight
that　I　will　show　you。　Jove's　daughter　Venus　is　always　dishonouring
me　because　I　am　lame。　She　i