the odyssey(奥德赛)-第24章

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that　I　will　show　you。　Jove's　daughter　Venus　is　always　dishonouring
me　because　I　am　lame。　She　is　in　love　with　Mars；　who　is　handsome　and
clean　built；　whereas　I　am　a　cripple…　but　my　parents　are　to　blame　for
that；　not　I；　they　ought　never　to　have　begotten　me。　Come　and　see　the
pair　together　asleep　on　my　bed。　It　makes　me　furious　to　look　at　them。
They　are　very　fond　of　one　another；　but　I　do　not　think　they　will　lie
there　longer　than　they　can　help；　nor　do　I　think　that　they　will　sleep
much；　there；　however；　they　shall　stay　till　her　father　has　repaid　me
the　sum　I　gave　him　for　his　baggage　of　a　daughter；　who　is　fair　but
not　honest。〃
　　On　this　the　gods　gathered　to　the　house　of　Vulcan。　Earth…encircling
Neptune　came；　and　Mercury　the　bringer　of　luck；　and　King　Apollo；　but
the　goddesses　stayed　at　home　all　of　them　for　shame。　Then　the　givers　of
all　good　things　stood　in　the　doorway；　and　the　blessed　gods　roared　with
inextinguishable　laughter；　as　they　saw　how　cunning　Vulcan　had　been；
whereon　one　would　turn　towards　his　neighbour　saying：
　　〃Ill　deeds　do　not　prosper；　and　the　weak　confound　the　strong。　See　how
limping　Vulcan；　lame　as　he　is；　has　caught　Mars　who　is　the　fleetest　god
in　heaven；　and　now　Mars　will　be　cast　in　heavy　damages。〃
　　Thus　did　they　converse；　but　King　Apollo　said　to　Mercury；
〃Messenger　Mercury；　giver　of　good　things；　you　would　not　care　how
strong　the　chains　were；　would　you；　if　you　could　sleep　with　Venus？〃
　　〃King　Apollo；〃　answered　Mercury；　〃I　only　wish　I　might　get　the
chance；　though　there　were　three　times　as　many　chains…　and　you　might
look　on；　all　of　you；　gods　and　goddesses；　but　would　sleep　with　her　if　I
could。〃
　　The　immortal　gods　burst　out　laughing　as　they　heard　him；　but
Neptune　took　it　all　seriously；　and　kept　on　imploring　Vulcan　to　set
Mars　free　again。　〃Let　him　go；〃　he　cried；　〃and　I　will　undertake；　as　you
require；　that　he　shall　pay　you　all　the　damages　that　are　held
reasonable　among　the　immortal　gods。〃
　　〃Do　not；〃　replied　Vulcan；　〃ask　me　to　do　this；　a　bad　man's　bond　is
bad　security；　what　remedy　could　I　enforce　against　you　if　Mars　should
go　away　and　leave　his　debts　behind　him　along　with　his　chains？〃
　　〃Vulcan；〃　said　Neptune；　〃if　Mars　goes　away　without　paying　his
damages；　I　will　pay　you　myself。〃　So　Vulcan　answered；　〃In　this　case　I
cannot　and　must　not　refuse　you。〃
　　Thereon　he　loosed　the　bonds　that　bound　them；　and　as　soon　as　they
were　free　they　scampered　off；　Mars　to　Thrace　and　laughter…loving　Venus
to　Cyprus　and　to　Paphos；　where　is　her　grove　and　her　altar　fragrant
with　burnt　offerings。　Here　the　Graces　hathed　her；　and　anointed　her
with　oil　of　ambrosia　such　as　the　immortal　gods　make　use　of；　and　they
clothed　her　in　raiment　of　the　most　enchanting　beauty。
　　Thus　sang　the　bard；　and　both　Ulysses　and　the　seafaring　Phaeacians
were　charmed　as　they　heard　him。
　　Then　Alcinous　told　Laodamas　and　Halius　to　dance　alone；　for　there　was
no　one　to　compete　with　them。　So　they　took　a　red　ball　which　Polybus　had
made　for　them；　and　one　of　them　bent　himself　backwards　and　threw　it
up　towards　the　clouds；　while　the　other　jumped　from　off　the　ground
and　caught　it　with　ease　before　it　came　down　again。　When　they　had
done　throwing　the　ball　straight　up　into　the　air　they　began　to　dance；
and　at　the　same　time　kept　on　throwing　it　backwards　and　forwards　to　one
another；　while　all　the　young　men　in　the　ring　applauded　and　made　a
great　stamping　with　their　feet。　Then　Ulysses　said：
　　〃King　Alcinous；　you　said　your　people　were　the　nimblest　dancers　in
the　world；　and　indeed　they　have　proved　themselves　to　be　so。　I　was
astonished　as　I　saw　them。〃
　　The　king　was　delighted　at　this；　and　exclaimed　to　the　Phaecians
〃Aldermen　and　town　councillors；　our　guest　seems　to　be　a　person　of
singular　judgement；　let　us　give　him　such　proof　of　our　hospitality　as
he　may　reasonably　expect。　There　are　twelve　chief　men　among　you；　and
counting　myself　there　are　thirteen；　contribute；　each　of　you；　a　clean
cloak；　a　shirt；　and　a　talent　of　fine　gold；　let　us　give　him　all　this　in
a　lump　down　at　once；　so　that　when　he　gets　his　supper　he　may　do　so　with
a　light　heart。　As　for　Euryalus　he　will　have　to　make　a　formal　apology
and　a　present　too；　for　he　has　been　rude。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak。　The　others　all　of　them　applauded　his　saying；
and　sent　their　servants　to　fetch　the　presents。　Then　Euryalus　said；
〃King　Alcinous；　I　will　give　the　stranger　all　the　satisfaction　you
require。　He　shall　have　sword；　which　is　of　bronze；　all　but　the　hilt；
which　is　of　silver。　I　will　also　give　him　the　scabbard　of　newly　sawn
ivory　into　which　it　fits。　It　will　be　worth　a　great　deal　to　him。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　placed　the　sword　in　the　hands　of　Ulysses　and　said；
〃Good　luck　to　you；　father　stranger；　if　anything　has　been　said　amiss
may　the　winds　blow　it　away　with　them；　and　may　heaven　grant　you　a
safe　return；　for　I　understand　you　have　been　long　away　from　home；　and
have　gone　through　much　hardship。〃
　　To　which　Ulysses　answered；　〃Good　luck　to　you　too　my　friend；　and
may　the　gods　grant　you　every　happiness。　I　hope　you　will　not　miss　the
sword　you　have　given　me　along　with　your　apology。〃
　　With　these　words　he　girded　the　sword　about　his　shoulders　and　towards
sundown　the　presents　began　to　make　their　appearance；　as　the　servants
of　the　donors　kept　bringing　them　to　the　house　of　King　Alcinous；　here
his　sons　received　them；　and　placed　them　under　their　mother's　charge。
Then　Alcinous　led　the　way　to　the　house　and　bade　his　guests　take
their　seats。
　　〃Wife；〃　said　he；　turning　to　Queen　Arete；　〃Go；　fetch　the　best　chest
we　have；　and　put　a　clean　cloak　and　shirt　in　it。　Also；　set　a　copper
on　the　fire　and　heat　some　water；　our　guest　will　take　a　warm　bath；
see　also　to　the　careful　packing　of　the　presents　that　the　noble
Phaeacians　have　made　him；　he　will　thus　better　enjoy　both　his　supper
and　the　singing　that　will　follow。　I　shall　myself　give　him　this
golden　goblet…　which　is　of　exquisite　workmanship…　that　he　may　be
reminded　of　me　for　the　rest　of　his　life　whenever　he　makes　a
drink…offering　to　Jove；　or　to　any　of　the　gods。〃
　　Then　Arete　told　her　maids　to　set　a　large　tripod　upon　the　fire　as
fast　as　they　could；　whereon　they　set　a　tripod　full　of　bath　water　on　to
a　clear　fire；　they　threw　on　sticks　to　make　it　blaze；　and　the　water
became　hot　as　the　flame　played　about　the　belly　of　the　tripod。
Meanwhile　Arete　brought　a　magnificent　chest　her　own　room；　and　inside
it　she　packed　all　the　beautiful　presents　of　gold　and　raiment　which　the
Phaeacians　had　brought。　Lastly　she　added　a　cloak　and　a　good　shirt　from
Alcinous；　and　said　to　Ulysses：
　　〃See　to　the　lid　yourself；　and　have　the　whole　bound　round　at　once；
for　fear　any　one　should　rob　you　by　the　way　when　you　are　asleep　in　your
ship。〃
　　When　Ulysses　heard　this　he　put　the　lid　on　the　chest　and　made　it　fast
with　a　bond　that　Circe　had　taught　him。　He　had　done　so　before　an
upper　servant　told　him　to　come　to　the　bath　and　wash　himself。　He　was
very　glad　of　a　warm　bath；　for　he　had　had　no　one　to　wait　upon　him
ever　since　he　left　the　house　of　Calypso；　who　as　long　as　he　remained
with　her　had　taken　as　good　care　of　him　as　though　he　had　been　a　god。
When　the　servants　had　done　washing　and　anointing　him　with　oil；　and　had
given　him　a　clean　cloak　and　shirt；　he　left　the　bath　room　and　joined
the　guests　who　were　sitting　over　their　wine。　Lovely　Nausicaa　stood
by　one　of　the　bearing…posts　supporting　the　roof　if　the　cloister；　and
admired　him　as　she　saw　him　pass。　〃Farewell　stranger；〃　said　she；　〃do
not　forget　me　when　you　are　safe　at　home　again；　for　it　is　to　me　first
that　you　owe　a　ransom　for　having　saved　your　life。〃
　　And　Ulysses　said；　〃Nausicaa；　daughter　of　great　Alcinous；　may　Jove
the　mighty　husband　of　Juno；　grant　that　I　may　reach　my　home；　so　shall　I
bless　you　as　my　guardian　angel　all　my　days；　for　it　was　you　who　saved
me。〃
　　When　he　had　said　this；　he　seated　himself　beside　Alcinous。　Supper　was
then　served；　and　the　wine　was　mixed　for　drinking。　A　servant　led　in　the
favourite　bard　Demodocus；　and　set　him　in　the　midst　of　the　company；
near　one　of　the　bearing…posts　supporting　the　cloister；　that　he　might
lean　against　it。　Then　Ulysses　cut　off　a　piece　of　roast　pork　with
plenty　of　fat　（for　there　was　abundance　left　on　the　joint）　and　said
to　a　servant；　〃Take　this　piece　of　pork　over　to　Demodocus　and　tell
him　to